Gaming News

Since the release of the Nintendo Switch back in 2017, the race to become the best handheld gaming device has quickly heated up. While it looked like the Steam Deck was set to become the king of handheld gaming PCs, it was quickly met with fierce competition from some of the best Steam Deck alternatives out there.TL;DR - These are the best Steam Deck AlternativesASUS ROG Ally Nintendo Switch OLED PlayStation Portal Lenovo Legion Go GPD Win 4 Logitech G CloudAlthough the Steam Deck might be one of the most popular handheld gaming devices out today, it’s not without flaws. And thanks to its Linux-based operating system, some users might find it a little too complicated, which is where a Steam Deck alternative comes in handy...

In the wake of Palworld going viral thanks to its "Pokémon with guns" pitch, 11 bit studios is trying something slightly cozier. Announced during the Xbox Partner Preview 2024, Creatures of Ava is billed as a colorful, cozy non-violent action-adventure game with writing from Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider, Mirror's Edge).The trailer, which you can watch above, showcases a bright and cheerful world filled with a host of monsters. It's a "creature saver" game in which the hero, Vic, uses a flute to tame wild creatures suffering from an infection that causes them to become aggressive. It emphasizes "healing rather than defeating" monsters as Vic explores its various environments.Creatures of Ava faces a tall order in matching the...

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was given a fresh look at the Xbox Partner Preview through a brand-new gameplay trailer. Interestingly, it seems to secretly be a real-time strategy game as much as an action game like Devil May Cry.The new trailer shows the hero as they traverse the world and battle various spirits. It also showcases the the game's day/night cycle and how it incorporates the strategic positioning of villagers, who will fight by your side, along with a building element that sees you explore villages and repair contraptions that can be used to your advantage when the monsters come at night.An Xbox Wire post further fleshes out the details on Kunitsu-Gami, revealing that the story revolves around a hero named Soh who...

The First Berserker: Khazan revealed a new gameplay trailer during today's Xbox Partner Preview, featuring a fresh look at combat.The trailer highlights The First Berserker: Khazan's mix of anime-inspired visuals and fast-paced combat. The game is based on the Dungeon & Fighter franchise and follows Khazan, "the Great General of the Pell Los Empire, who overcame death, and sets out to reveal the incidents that led to his downfall and seek vengeance on his enemies," per Xbox. It's set in the Arad continent hundreds of years before the story of the original franchise picks up.You can watch the trailer below. We don't yet have a release date, but it'll be available on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.We first...

The long-awaited sequel to Frostpunk, the popular strategy game that combines elements of survival, city-building, and the 4X genre, is almost here. Today's Xbox Partner Preview event revealed that Frostpunk 2's release date is set for July 25, 2024. and that it will also be available on day one on PC Games PassIn addition to the release date, the brief Frostpunk trailer also contained pre-order info for the Deluxe Edition, which will offer access to a closed beta set to take place in April. The beta will feature part of the final release's sandbox mode, which will offer players more flexibility in choosing their starting communities and factions.The Digital Deluxe edition will include three paid post-release DLCs, access to the...

Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis was announced during today's Xbox Partner Preview, featuring everyone's favorite android in a new piece of DLC for the popular remake.The previously-datamined content is based on content from Persona 3 FES, specifically The Answer. It draws its name from the original Japanes release, which was titled Episode Aegis, and will release in September.Episode Aigis serves as an epilogue for Persona 3, meaning you'll definitely want to wrap up the main story before getting into The Answer. The 30-hour-long DLC is mainly focused on combat and includes no new social links. It also has a reputation for being somewhat challenging, so buckle up.Persona 3 Reload expansion pass details revealedIn addition to...

Chucky and Roblox is not a combination that I would necessarily come up with, but it's real, and it launches today.During today's Xbox Partner Preview, Griefville: Survive the Nightmare! was unveiled, "a chilling interactive experience inspired by the beloved horror classic films of the '80s and '90s," per the press release from developer RocketRide Games. The focus in the trailer, though, is Chucky, showing him wreaking all kinds of havoc.Chucky will only be available for a limited time, however, as a "nightmare experience." You'll be able to either play as the iconic killer doll, hunting victims yourself, or run from him as one of those victims. Other horror films will be brought in on a "rotating basis," RocketRide says.“The...

Microsoft has announced The Alters is coming to Xbox Game Pass, as well as shown off gameplay in a new trailer.The Alters is an upcoming survival video game developed and published by 11 Bit Studios, the maker of This War of Mine and Frostpunk. It's set for Microsoft’s PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass for console.You play Jan, a space miner who must create alternate versions of himself in order to survive on an inhospitable planet. The Alters’ gameplay trailer shows the first look at Jan's quest to escape a perilous planet while searching for the answer to the most oft-asked question in human history: what if?Here's the official blurb:The Alters is due out on PlayStation 5, PC (Steam, GOG, Epic), and Xbox Series X and S at...

During today's Xbox Partner Preview event, Frogwares unveiled The Sinking City 2 following a lengthy legal battle over publishing rights for the first game.The Sinking City 2 is a survival horror game set in the 1920s in the United States, and made in Unreal Engine 5. Players will explore a semi-open world and fight off Eldritch monsters while a rising tide changes the landscape of the city of Arkham.In a press release, Frogwares stated it intends to pivot its studio to a "horror-first" focus with The Sinking City 2, after years of being focused on detective games, such as its Sherlock Holmes series.“The original Sinking City is still one of our most successful titles, most likely because of stronger horror genre leanings and...

Joshua Boggs, developer of mobile noir puzzle game Framed, has unveiled his latest project at the Xbox Partner Preview event today: an occult, noir, stealth game entitled Sleight of Hand.Sleight of Hand follows a former private detective known as Lady Luck as she works to take down her former coven using dark magic. It takes place in Steeple City, where Lady Luck will use a customizable deck of cursed cards to cast spells, evade capture by her enemies, and perform stealth kills.While Boggs made Framed with Loveshack Entertainment, Sleight of Hand is the project of his new studio, RiffRaff Games. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Sleight of Hand has been previously teased under the codename "Smoke," but with few other details...

Microsoft held its second Xbox Partner Preview event, where the company spent roughly 30 minutes highlighting third-party games coming to Xbox consoles and Windows PCs down the road.If you missed the event, we're breaking down and rounding up all the biggest reveals, announcements, and trailers, which you can check out below.Unknown 9: Awakening Gets New Gameplay Trailer, Out this SummerStarting the show, Reflector Entertainment shared a new gameplay trailer for Unknown 9: Awakening, which is out this summer.This is the latest look at Unknown 9: Awakening since the game was revealed almost four years ago during Gamescom Opening Night Live.Sleight of Hand Is the Next Game from Framed Creator Joshua BoggsJoshua Boggs, the...

Alan Wake 2's hefty system requirements shocked many PC gamers when they were announced last year. The requirements noted that you needed at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or an AMD Radeon RX 6600 GPU to run the game at 1080p / 30 frames per second (FPS), with no support for older GPUs such as Nvidia's GTX 10-series. Roughly four months after its release, Remedy has released a new patch that lowers the minimum PC system requirements and allows older PC gaming rigs to run the game.Remedy posted the new system requirements, which you can check out below, to X/Twitter alongside the release of update 1.0.16.1.The minimum requirements now call for at least a GTX 1070 or an RX 5600 XT graphics card. As previously noted by Remedy, if...

Official Fallout creation tools are now available in the Xbox Design Lab, letting fans create custom Xbox Wireless Controllers fit for the wasteland.Revealed on Xbox Wire, fans can choose the Fallout shell in the Xbox Design Lab and customise it with different coloured buttons and thumb sticks. The Fallout controller has a base white colour and is decorated with dozens of Vault Boy designs inspired by the series' perk icons, with one full colour version holding his own controller in the bottom right."This Fallout-themed controller is a heartfelt tribute to the iconic character from the series we all adore, Vault Boy, showcasing each of his unique S.P.E.C.I.A.L. traits," Xbox said. "Secure your spot in the wasteland and get your...

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Season 2 Reloaded patch notes are live now, giving us a look at the various changes hitting Activision’s first-person shooter today, March 6.On the Multiplayer front, the headline is the arrival of three new 6v6 maps: Das Haus (a remake of the map of the same name from Call of Duty: Vanguard); Skidgrow (an overgrown, limited-time variant of Skidrow); and Airborne (A pestilence-ridden, limited-time variant of Terminal).Elsewhere, there are two new weapons (the SOA Subverter battle rifle and the Soulrender melee), new aftermarket parts, and two new modes (Bounty and Juggermosh, the latter of which lets players cosplay as Space Marines from Warhammer 40,000). Speaking of Warhammer 40,000, there’s a new...

The onslaught of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games continues, this time with a sequel to the animated film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.3D action platformer Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed continues the story of Mutant Mayhem and launches during the fourth quarter of 2024 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Windows. Players can explore the city, sewers, and skyscrapers of New York in single-player or two-player local co-op. New York City’s five boroughs are included, and are said to pay homage to the 2023 film. Here’s the official blurb:And here are first-look screenshots:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is...

Developer Yummy Games has officially announced Project Tower, a new third-person bullet hell shooter powered by Unreal Engine 5. It's in development for PC and PS5. Take a look at at the story-focused gameplay announcement trailer above as well as the first screenshots in the gallery below.Yummy describes Tower as such: "In this third-person shooter that combines bullet hell and transformation abilities, use your powers to copy your enemies' skills and solve puzzles to escape the alien tower that's holding you prisoner."As you can see from the trailer, in addition to the bullet hell gameplay, there's also a heavy focus on Project Tower's "last of humankind" narrative here, which will hopefully make for a compelling time between...

Pre-orders for an unannounced S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy have gone live in Japan, suggesting an announcement during today’s Xbox Partner Preview Event.Gematsu reported pre-orders for the collection on PlayStation 4 went live on Japanese retailers alongside a June 27 release date. It includes S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, and marks the series’ debut on consoles.S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, developed by GSC Game World and published by the now defunct THQ, launched on PC only in March 2007.S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was well-received for its post-apocalyptic, alternative reality Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, as well as its non-linear storyline. Prequel...

The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has denied a recent rumour that Sony is buying the studio.While Helldivers 2 is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Swedish studio Arrowhead remains an independent company. But following Helldivers 2’s explosive success across PlayStation 5 and PC, rumors have emerged that Sony has made a move to acquire Arrowhead.Responding to a tweet from an account that reposted the rumour and even created a Sony ‘welcome to the family’ image to boost the post, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt said: “This is fake... Unless I've missed something. Also, a really sh***y old logo from 2008 or so when we just started the studio.”Pilestedt responded to another tweet that posted the same image...

As Helldivers 2 players digest the game’s first balance patch, developer Arrowhead has discussed the thinking behind changes to weapons and stratagems, calling on players to give them a chance.Patch 01.000.100 nerfs the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack, three items considered essential to higher difficulty play and Helldivers 2’s best loadouts. But it also buffs weaker weapons and stratagems, including the Flamethrower, Laser Cannon, Punisher, and the 380mm and 120mm Orbital Barrages.It’s the nerfs to the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack that are already causing the most discussion within the Helldivers 2 community, given their effectiveness and, thus, their popularity. On higher difficulties...

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released its first balance update, patch 01.000.100, which nerfs the game’s best loadout among other things. The update is out now on PC and coming soon on PlayStation 5.First up, it’s worth mentioning the patch adds planetary hazards. This means planets now have extra environmental challenges that appear at random while you’re deployed, including fire tornadoes and meteor showers. In the patch notes, Arrowhead said there are many more planetary hazards now active, so players will no-doubt have fun contending with them all.The meat of the patch, though, is a sweeping balance pass. On this, the quickfire eradicate missions, which are used by farmers to efficiently gobble up resources before...

If you're the type of Sonic the Hedgehog fan who prefers to play games both at home and on the go on a single platform, the Nintendo Switch is the best console to do that. Ever since the Switch arrived in the market in 2017, Sega has worked like clockwork to consistently release Sonic games for the hybrid console.With Sonic x Shadow Generations making its way to the Switch this fall and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 coming to theaters in December, now is a good time to play through your Sonic collection or add to it in your Switch library. Here are all the Sonic the Hedgehog games you can play on the Nintendo Switch right now!How Many Sonic Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?A total of 8 Sonic games have been release for Nintendo Switch...

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dragon’s Dogma 2. I have Dark Arisen in my Steam library and a paltry 70 minutes of gametime that is likely going to increase in the coming weeks. But while I may be inexperienced compared to those already aware of Dogma’s greatness, I can safely say that my preview session broke my hype meter. I cannot wait to play more. After being dropped into a random save that started me in the middle of a town with the Mystic Spearhead Vocation, I wasn’t really sure of where to go. But that was the beauty of this demo. Dragon’s Dogma 2 organically gave me plenty of options for what to do next, and there’s no wrong answer. I was almost immediately greeted by a traveler asking me to find their Jadeite Orb, because...

Today, Amazon is offering the powerful and high capacity Anker Prime 20,000mAh USB Power Bank for only $89.98, a hefty 31% price drop from its original $130 MSRP. This is the successor to the Anker 737 that we deemed the best Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally charger. It boasts an absolutely massive 200W of USB power delivery to charge all of your mobile devices simultaneously.Anker Prime 20,000mAh Power Bank for $90with 200W of USB Type-C Power DeliveryThe Anker Prime can be used like any other power bank; it does a fine job of charging any of your standard mobile electronics. However, its main purpose is to charge more power hungry devices like laptops, portable gaming systems, and high end phones. It has two USB Type-C ports and...

Warner Bros. Games wants to further invest in live service even after Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League failed to impress.Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and President of Streaming and Games J.B. Perrette spoke about the company’s strategy during a recent Morgan Stanley event. He acknowledges the success of projects like the single-player Hogwarts Legacy, which managed to be last year’s best-selling game in the U.S., but says the business of AAA console releases can be “volatile.”“That’s a great business when you have a hit like (Hogwarts Legacy). It makes the year look amazing,” Perrette said. “Unfortunately, we also have disappointments — we just released Suicide Squad this quarter, which was not as strong. It just makes it very...

"I'm the worst."Matt Stone is struggling to kill Kenny. The South Park co-creator isn't in the midst of a creative crisis, he's just battling against the iconic character in the latest game inspired by the series, South Park: Snow Day. He's showing us the new 3D, rogue-like inspired fartfest ahead of the game's release on Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC later this month. Kenny, in his Princess Kenny persona, is attacking Stone's co-op team with anime-inspired hearts while rainbows swirl around."We came off of The Fractured But Whole, and we definitely wanted to do another video game, but we wanted to do something different," Stone told us as he played Snow Day with us in New York. "We started talking about doing something a...

Hades, 2020 Game Award winner for Best Action Game, finally has a release date for Apple devices via Netflix Games. According to Netflix, the Greek mythology action-roguelike is set to release on March 19 and is available for pre-registration today.Hades, developed by Supergiant Games, follows Zagreus the son of Hades (the God) as he battles his way out of the hellscape of Hades (the place) to meet his estranged mother, Persephone. As is the case with most roguelike games, Zagreus engages in fast-paced action, dies, and washes down the River Styx, perilous trek out of Hades again. Hades however, spices things up by drip feeding some tantalizing story beats in between runs and having Zagreus's well-off family members — like the god of...

Helldivers 2 gets reinforcements soon, developer Arrowhead has said, and they come in the form of big, stompy mechs.“HELLDIVERS! The EXO-45 Patriot Exosuits are in full production in the factories of Tien Kwan. Ready for deployment on the battlefield soon!” reads a tweet from the official Helldivers 2 page.Before Helldivers 2’s explosive launch, Arrowhead and publisher Sony had signaled mechs would arrive at some point after the game came out. Since then, Helldivers 2 has seen a glut of gameplay leaks showing off officially unavailable stratagems, including the upcoming mechs. The community has a number of explanations, one of which is that cheaters are unlocking the ability to use these unreleased stratagems in live lobbies by...

Team Suneat, the developers of Blade Assault, proudly reveal Dragon Is Dead, their new side-scrolling action-RPG that blends Dead Cells, Diablo, and Castlevania. It's due to launch into Steam Early Access on June 7.As you can see in the first trailer above (and in the first screenshots in the gallery below), Dragon Is Dead blends the side-scrolling gameplay as well as the retro look of Castlevania with the skill tree upgrade system of Diablo and the combat of Dead Cells. The developers say, "Dragon is Dead will test your reflexes, strategy, and creativity as you battle with demons, monsters, and giant foes that Guernian has created. Choose from different characters, each with their unique skill trees and playstyles. You can kit...

Developers at Funcom, the studio behind upcoming massively multiplayer online game Dune: Awakening, "sort of sidestep religion" in their take on the beloved science fiction universe.Speaking to Eurogamer, Funcom chief creative officer and Dune: Awakening creative director Joel Bylos said the team ignores a major part of the Dune universe but, ironically, it seems to be all for the sake of preserving beloved lore.Dune: Awakening takes place a few years before the story fans of the books and films will be most familiar with, but still in an alternative universe where certain decisions are made differently."Things are slightly different in our universe," Bylos said. "Many events are still the same, so it's not like we've gone all...

Horizon Forbidden West launches on PC in a couple of weeks, and ahead of its release date, developer Nixxes Software has unveiled the system requirements needed to run the port.In a new PS Blog post, Nixxes Software Online Community Specialist Julian Huijbregts said the PC version of Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition is optimized to run "on a wide variety of PC hardware," including portable gaming devices such as handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. This is unsurprising from Nixxes, given its track recording for porting games to PC."This allows gamers with the latest hardware to push their systems while also providing a great experience on less powerful PCs," Huijbregts explained. The blog post offers an overview of...