Gaming News

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The announcement of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection during Nintendo Direct delighted fighting game fans, particularly because it brings the much-loved Marvel vs. Capcom 2 to modern platforms for the first time in years. But while the collection is coming to Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC, the decision to skip Xbox altogether has caused backlash. Capcom made its announcement without offering an explanation for the decision to skip Xbox, and the company declined to comment when contacted by IGN. This comes despite Capcom's same-day announcement that it's bringing two Ace Attorney Investigations titles to Switch, PS4, PC via Steam, and Xbox One in a similar collection. Indeed, the Marvel vs. Capcom series has a long history on Xbox...
The official Elden Ring manga has been put on hiatus as its creator has taken time off work to play expansion Shadow of the Erdtree. As reported by Automaton, Nikiichi Tobita, the author of comedy manga Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, announced on X/Twitter he's skipping the July 19, 2024 release of the series so he can spend time playing Shadow of the Erdtree upon its June 21 release. Tobita shared a drawing of himself sleeping alongside the announcement, showing him dreaming of the "glowy worm boy" — a new beastie in the expansion that became an instant hit upon its reveal by developer FromSoftware. He's likely not the only Elden Ring fan taking time off work to play the expansion, which has been more than two years in the...
Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail studio HoYoverse’s newest upcoming title, Zenless Zone Zero, is a fusion of what you’d expect from HoYoverse games with totally new ideas. The game studio's development processes are largely a mystery, but in an interview with Zenless Zone Zero producer Zhenyu Li at a media event, IGN learned a little more about what goes into kicking off an entirely new game at HoYoverse, Zenless Zone Zero’s future, and at least this particular team’s position on generative AI. Zenless Zone Zero (also known as ZZZ) is an action game with a heavy emphasis on its flashy urban landscape set in an apocalyptic world. Players take their team of three into monster-infested roguelike zones, then bounce back to the city...
Given I've got the influenza—and can envision a stat debuff bar over my head, not unlike being poisoned in Elden Ring—I'll be intro brief. Shadow of the Erd Tree review embargo lifted in the wee hours this morning, and the verdict is more or less wall to wall 10s. If you're after a cheap copy, my preorder guide exists here. Otherwise, scroll on, dear reader, for the other best bargains you can bag today. In retro news, I'm celebrating the 23rd birthday of NBA Street, the progenitor of a small b-ball empire that launch PS2 owners like myself dug a little bit more than we ought to (because bugger all games to buy). While it was no NBA Jam TE, we sure did love doing triple-hook-up alley-oops, and dunking the ring into utter disrepair by...
With the blurb “Gear up, get in, and get out”, Exoborne elegantly sets out its stall as an extraction shooter. But they left out the most important part: “Get blown around by a massive tornado”. While Exoborne bears all the features you’d expect from the likes of Escape from Tarkov and Call of Duty: Warzone’s DMZ, the most exciting part of a presentation I saw at Play Days was when developer Sharkmob talked about the weather. Exoborne’s setting is not postapocalyptic, but rather midapocalyptic, with the world falling apart all around you – the result of mankind’s meddling with the climate. Project Rebirth’s attempts to provide limitless clean energy have backfired somewhat, and now Mother Nature is taking her revenge. Extraction...
The first of Blumhouse Games’ newly announced slate, Fear The Spotlight promises throwback horror with a more approachable take on PS1-era horror gameplay designed for non-horror fans to enjoy. Set on the night of a break-in gone wrong, this story follows two high schoolers on a night they won’t soon forget as they unravel their school’s dark past. Fear The Spotlight follows a trend that has yet to get old in that it looks a lot like an updated PS1 game. Chunky character models wearing low-resolution textures and a CRT filter might have you believe that this is a lost game from the late ‘90s. But don’t let its homage for bygone games like Silent Hill or Resident Evil mislead you – Fear The Spotlight is no hollow nostalgia trip...
Critter Cafe embodies coziness. From its rescue cafe premise to its no-holds-barred approach to customization and decoration that encourages players to express themselves, the brief demo I watched and played pointed to a consistent, refined vision that I have a feeling will be a big hit for fans of monster collecting games who are looking for something cozy to sink their teeth into. Blending monster collecting, management simulation, and puzzle-based dungeon crawling sounds a lot more overwhelming than it actually is in Critter Cafe. That’s not to say that this comfy game from Sumo Digital and Secret Mode is oversimplified, just that it’s chill and approachable. Like any sim worth its salt, customization is the name of the game here...
Skate Story’s vibe gripped me right away. Its liminal, Vaporwave-inspired levels mix hyper-realistic concrete textures, lighting effects, and objects like a chain-link fence or The Moon with engrossingly impressionistic flourishes like The Skater’s body, which is made of kaleidoscopic glass, or the on-looking, ever-judgemental eyes whose disembodied voices screech in unison in disdain for your quest. It’s a lot to take in, but never too overwhelming. These levels felt just wild enough to imbue each moment with its own distinct sense of cool without distracting me from the mission at hand: skating. Skating might be the most normal thing about Skate Story. That’s not to say it’s bad or uninteresting, but it does feel exactly how you’d...
I was told there was supposed to be a software drought while we waited for Switch 2. I was told to expect a handful of ports, remakes, and remasters sprinkled throughout the rest of 2024. I was told the Switch was dying. Well, apparently no one told Nintendo. And if they did, Nintendo certainly wasn’t listening, as today’s Nintendo Direct was one of my favorites in years, with surprise announcements that will make the wait for Nintendo’s next console incredibly easy. Don’t unplug the dock from your entertainment center just yet, because the Switch still has plenty of juice left. If you were completely removed from the video game news cycle and you watched the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, you’d probably think it was a presentation...
With a focus on ecological restoration and a cool approach to exploration and crafting, Aloft shows a lot of promise as a feel-good survival-crafting game. This cozy take on the genre encourages players to glide between floating islands in the sky and fight corruption to restore their ecosystems while discovering the ruins of an ancient civilization. Notably, its first-person town-building and crafting systems seemed exceptionally deep based on my hands-off demo of the game. In just half an hour, one of Aloft’s developers walked me through the beginning of the game and showed me in-depth tutorials for its myriad systems; so many that I’m glad I went hands-off to watch an expert at work. Nearly everything I saw seemed clever and...
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, the upcoming installment in the beloved anime arena fighter, is poised to be one of the biggest video game releases for diehard Dragon Ball fans. Just when the game felt like it couldn’t be any more of a love letter to the series, a voice actor from the anime seemingly confirmed that one of the most underappreciated Super Saiyan forms would be making its way to the game as well. During a Dragon Ball Z cast panel at Anime Riverside 2024, longtime Goku voice actor Sean Schemmel discussed the challenge of voicing different characters in the series and giving them their own unique voice. In a video uploaded to YouTube by JimmyisaGeek, Schemmel seemingly let it slip that Super Saiyan 4 Goku will be playable in...
Arena Breakout: Infinite is both an economy and a video game. The point-to-point action is a pure first-person shooter. You will be deployed into a few abandoned acres of countryside—similar to the ghost towns of Urzikstan or Erangel—and be asked to shoot your way towards extraction with as much loot as possible in tow. Of course, once you and your friends return to the main menu and have converted all of that booty into cold hard cash, you'll be confronted with Arena Breakout's vast marketplace, gleaming with cosmetics, firearm attachments, or even just a few extra clips of ammunition. It aims to be a game about getting rich and staying rich when one stray headshot might take it all away. Arena Breakout aims to be a steely military...
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is set to launch for PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on November 14. Using a stylish combination of pixel art and modern graphical effects, it brings the classic 1988 NES RPG to modern systems. The game is now available to preorder at a variety of retailers. Read on for the details. Preorder Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake PS5 Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Get it at PS Store (digital) - $59.99 Nintendo Switch Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Xbox Series X|S Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Get it at Xbox Store...
Capcom has announced Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, which brings seven fan-favorite fighting games together in one collection later in 2024. Capcom announced Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics as coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (it’ll be playable on PlayStation 5 also), and PC via Steam, but Xbox was conspicuous by its absence, which means owners of Microsoft’s consoles (Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S) miss out. The collection includes X-Men Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom Clash of Super Heroes, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and beat ‘em-up The Punisher. New features include the original...
The HD-2D art style is almost like a cheat code for remakes, because it captures the spirit of classic RPGs while modernizing them in a way that remains true to their original forms. That’s certainly the case for the Dragon Quest games, which are ripe for remakes in this vein and one reason why the initial announcement of Dragon Quest 3 was such a big deal. Now, after three years of radio silence, I was finally able to see the Dragon Quest 3 remake first-hand and despite the new graphical update, it’s exciting to see that this is very much a faithful recreation of the decades-old original. I got to play roughly 45 minutes of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake on PlayStation 5, and as someone whose gaming life revolved around RPGs of its era...
After months of eager speculation, we just got an official release date for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake during today's Nintendo Direct. It's coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 5 on November 14, 2024. What was an even bigger surprise was the reveal of Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake, which completes the original Dragon Quest trilogy; both games will come out sometime in 2025. We got hands on with the revamped classic RPG, so you can read our full impressions in our Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake preview. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was first announced way back in 2021 as a recreation of the 1988 original game, but in the style of Octopath Traveler and Live-A-Live. Square Enix went silent about the...
The long-awaited DLC for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is finally almost here. For the past few weeks, several IGN staffers have taken up the sword to conquer FromSoftware’s latest trial and we’ve all come out the other side changed forever. The DLC is truly massive, the bosses are really freaking hard, and the secrets are numerous. That said, we’ve come together to share how long it’s taken us to beat the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Before you dive into the Elden Ring DLC, check out our How to Prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree guide so you're starting off on the best foot possible. How Long Is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree? Our fastest players finished the DLC in around 25 hours. Our “slowest” players finished the DLC in...
When I gave Elden Ring a 10 two years ago, I did so not just because it’s an incredible game, but because it also raised the bar for open-world games as a whole. The way it encourages exploration, rewards curiosity, and challenges you to find your own individual solutions to difficult combat encounters by including tons of different viable weapons, spells, and other build options is absolutely exemplary. Now, FromSoftware is back to raise the bar on everyone yet again, this time when it comes to what you’d expect from a "simple" DLC. Shadow of the Erdtree may not do anything radically different from the base game, but this expansion somehow feels like a scaled-down version of that same experience that recaptures all of the magic of...
Following the cancellation of The Sims-style life sim Life by You, Paradox has now shut down its developer. Swedish games company Paradox, best known for Crusader Kings, Cities Skylines, and Stellaris, said it had “decided to cease further operations” in Berkeley, California-based Tectonic in a move that affects the studio’s 24 staff. “This is difficult and drastic news for our colleagues at Tectonic, who’ve worked hard on Life by You’s Early Access release,” Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive, said. “Sadly, with cancellation of their sole project we have to take the tough decision to close down the studio. We are deeply grateful for their hard work in trying to take Paradox into a new genre.” Tectonic had worked on Life...
Microsoft has confirmed the games coming to Xbox Game Pass during the second half of June 2024. Highlights include EA Sports FC 24, My Time at Sandrock, and Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders. Out today, June 18, is The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes the Deep (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) as a day-one title. IGN’s Still Wakes the Deep review returned a 6/10. We said: “Still Wakes the Deep's nearly on-rails structure and ineffective scares undersell its otherwise fantastic setting.” Tomorrow, June 19, My Time at Sandrock (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass. IGN awarded My Time at Sandrock an 8/10. We said: “Whether collecting resources, building items, or passing the day away playing minigames with townies, My Time at Sandrock is a...
Elden Ring creator and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has said he won't allow the devastating video game industry layoffs to affect his studio as long as he's in charge. Speaking to PC Gamer, Miyazaki said he can't 100% guarantee FromSoftware will be safe from job losses — which have so far seen thousands lose their jobs across the likes of Embracer Group, Microsoft, and Sony — but wouldn't allow it "as long as this company is [his] responsibility." FromSoftware is owned by Japanese organization Kadokawa Corporation so the decision isn't wholly in Miyazaki's hands, however. Microsoft, for example, shut down Redfall developer Arkane Austin alongside Hi-Fi Rush and Ghostwire Tokyo developer Tango Gameworks in May 2024 despite...
Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm has delayed the launch of Kameo character Ferra and announced the release date of the next DLC character, Takeda. Ferra, the small fighter who sat atop the hulking Torr as part of the combined Ferra & Torr character from Mortal Kombat X, was set to hit Mortal Kombat 1 in Kameo form later in June, but now launches alongside Takeda's early access release on July 23. In a tweet, NetherRealm said it needed “a bit more time to make sure she can assist to the best of her abilities,” and thanked players for their patience. July's launch of Ferra and Takeda completes Mortal Kombat 1’s first Kombat Pack, which includes the Jean-Claude Van Damme character skin for Johnny Cage and six playable DLC...
A rating for the PC version of the original Resident Evil has sparked speculation Capcom may be about to release the classic horror game on Steam. Gematsu spotted a listing for Resident Evil on PC with a release date of June 18 via PEGI’s website. At the time of this article’s publication, the listing was still live. Resident Evil first launched on PC in December 1996, just over eight months after it launched on PSone. Nearly 30 years later and the original game is unavailable on modern PC storefronts, including Steam. Indeed none of the original Resident Evil games are currently available on Valve’s platform. Assuming this PEGI listing does indicate a re-release, the question is which version of Resident Evil is set for PC. A...
Banana clicking game Banana is a certified Steam hit, amassing a colossal 858,915 concurrent players on the platform to become its 11th most popular game of all time. Data from player tracking website SteamDB shows Banana has overtaken the likes of Apex Legends, Valheim, Terraria, Fallout 4, Helldivers 2, and so many more as it enters the upper echelon of Steam royalty. "Banana is a clicker game in which you click a banana," reads its official synopsis. "Get a random banana every three hours and grow your collection." Banana currently has a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam with 88% of players recommending it. The huge player count puts Banana a tad short of the top 10 list, itself full of true heavyweights. But Baldur's Gate 3...
Amid the increasing popularity of the Fallout franchise, some fans have called on Bethesda to remake the much-loved first two games in the series — but according to Bethesda Game Studios chief Todd Howard that’s not in the cards. In an interview with YouTube channel MrMattyPlays, Howard said that some of the charm of Fallout 1 and 2 has to do with the fact they remain firmly rooted in the old-school PC role-playing game era of the mid-to-late 90s, so he’s happy to leave them where there while ensuring they run well. “The main priority for us is to make sure they're available and you can still play them,” Howard said. “So on the PC obviously they're there for people to go and get and play, and making sure that they run okay. As far as...
Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has followed up last week’s release of the game’s big balance update and premium warbond with a new patch that applies a long list of fixes. The highlight is a fix for the Spear support stratagem, which has suffered all sorts of problems since the PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter launched earlier this year. What should be a reliable monster of a weapon has for so long been fickle, with its anti-tank homing missile failing to properly track locked-on targets. According to the update 1.000.402 patch notes, there’s a fix for the Spear not targeting several entities (spawners, compound objects, etc). This should encourage more players to bring the Spear onto the battlefield. And here’s another helpful...
Welcome back to some serious EOFY savings. Hot Deals on Hardware seems to be the unofficial theme of the day—cheap VR headsets and greatly reduced "fancy colour" controllers, to be specific. I'm also liking the look of Red Dead Redemption II going for a mere $24. For what that game delivers, that's an insane price point. Buy it. Play it. Thank me later, pardner. In retro news, I'm celebrating the 34th birthday of Bonanza Bros., a coin-op great that begat a ton of console conversions. Crafted by a small team at Sega—which included artist/designer Manabu Kusunoki, who would later go on to work on Panzer Dragoon—this System 24 title played and looked like nothing else at the time. I can recall loving its 2.5D level design, the comedic...
Paradox Interactive announced that its long-delayed The Sims-style life sim Life by You is officially canceled in a post on their website today. Life by You was initially announced in May of 2023. At the time, an early access release was planned for September of that year. It was initially delayed to May of 2024, then in February, Paradox announced an additional delay, pushing Life by You's Early Access release to June 4th. Two weeks before the June 4 release, it was delayed again, this time without a release date, because, in the words of Paradox Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja, "additional time [was] needed." Paradox Interactive released a statement from CEO Fredrik Wester explaining the decision on its website. The full statement is as...
Bethesda Softworks head Todd Howard knows fans are looking forward to Fallout 5, especially in the wake of the Prime Video show's success, but he isn’t interested in rushing it out the door. Howard opened up about the future of the hit post-apocalyptic RPG series during an interview with YouTube content creator MrMattyPlays. He says Bethesda spends a lot of time plotting out how to handle the direction of its franchises. "For other Fallout games in the future, you know, obviously I can’t talk about those right now, but I would say, sort of rushing through them, or we kind of need to get stuff out that is different than the work we’re doing in 76…we don’t feel like we need to rush any of that," he said. "The Fallout TV show fills a...
Blizzard Entertainment is teasing an Overwatch 2 Transformers crossover when Season 11 arrives in just a few days. The quick tease arrives at the tail end of a new Season 11 trailer that premiered earlier today. It takes up so little space in the video that there’s a good chance many may have missed it, but those who stuck around to the end will catch the familiar Autobot logo and its iconic transformation sound effect. That’s all we can see from what will inevitably become a full-fledged collaboration between Overwatch 2 and Transformers for now. Thankfully, this is far from the first time Blizzard has tied its hero shooter in with another property, so we at least have a few guesses about how the Autobot and Decepticon content will...