Gaming News

Deal Alert: Helldivers 2 Gets a Limited Time Discount for PC

If you've not yet caught on to the Helldivers 2 hype, we've got some good news: it's on sale. A $39.99 price tag is already pretty amazing for one of the best games of the year, but if you're looking for a cheeky little discount on PC, then here's the rub. All you need to do is use code MAR17 at trusted online seller Green Man Gaming to get the game for just $33.19 instead (see here). It's not a gargantuan discount by any means, but for such a massive game, it's well worth shouting about. Before you ask, yes, this is a Steam code -- go spread some "managed democracy". We saw a similar deal in February on the game, but that promptly sold out, so it's good to see the game back in stock and available to buy with a new promo code. (For...

View full article »

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review

MudRunner and SnowRunner may share the word we apply to humans and animals moving as quickly as they physically can but, rest assured, nothing about this series is rapid. That is, if you do find yourself moving particularly fast in these excellent, deliberately slow-paced, sandbox-style off-road driving simulators, there’s a strong chance it’s only because you’re tumbling down a mountainside. Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is no different in this regard; it’s all about trundling over the terrain at turtle speeds. Victory is earned by staying upright and clawing your way through punishing environments that want nothing more than to tug your trucks deep into the ground – or topple them over. Where Expeditions is different is in the more...

View full article »

132 Bucks off a PlayStation VR2 Bundle, Mario vs. Donkey Kong Buttstomped Down in Price, and More!

If you've been holding off on taking the PS VR2 plunge, today's the day to leave crappy old crud-reality behind. 132 bucks off the headset, Sense Controllers and one helluva good showcase title for the tech is a very enticing deal. Take it from the guy who's played everything worth playing on the system—it's awesome and well worth a spot in your collection. In retro news, I'm celebrating the 19th birthday Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, a criminally underplayed third-person platformer / FPS hybrid. The titular Stranger was a unique and unorthodox bounty hunter who opted to use aggressive mini-critters as ammo in lieu of bullets. Visionary creator Lorne Lanning not only considers this adventure to be “the best game he's ever made,” but...

View full article »

WWE 2K24 Review

The pressure of an annual release schedule can be a curse for big sports series like WWE 2K - look no further than the maligned 2K20 to see why, a game so rough it actually forced publisher 2K to take two years off and regroup, which led to the redesign that got it to the much better place it’s in today. In many ways, WWE 2K24 seems like the final form of this new vision for the series. Some nagging bugaboos persist, like this year’s Showcase mode that suffers from the inability to recreate genuine moments in wrestling history in video game form, while also trying to rewrite that history. And yet, It’s marginally better in almost every other way than the last two, touting small but smart additions to well-tested systems and modes as...

View full article »

AMD Exec Says 2024 Is a 'Huge Year' for AI Upscaling as It Tries to Make Up Ground on Nvidia

AMD might finally be leaning towards AI in its gaming devices, as one company executive touts that 2024 will be a "huge year" for the GPU and CPU maker. In an interview with the No Priors podcast, AMD CTO Mark Papermaster said that over the last several years, the company has been working on developing its hardware and software capabilities for artificial intelligence, with its gaming hardware finally set to implement AI. "Well, this is a huge year for us because we have spent so many years developing our hardware and software capabilities for AI," Papermaster explained. "We've just completed AI enabling our entire portfolio: Cloud, edge, PCs, embedded devices, our gaming devices. We're enabling our gaming devices to upscale using...

View full article »

Helldivers 2 Sales Compared to Guitar Hero as It Defies the Odds and Demand Continues to Grow

Helldivers 2 has been one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around 3 million copies. And according to at least one analyst, it's still growing. Writing on X/Twitter, Circana executive director Mat Piscatella compared Helldivers 2 to a "rare and amazing bird," saying that Helldivers 2 sales have continued to rise in its third week on the market. It is experience what he describes as an "inverse delay curve" — technical jargon for game sales growing rather than declining after release. "Normally, sales are biggest for a new release during week 1, and fall over time," Piscatella explains. "With an 'inverse decay curve' the trend reverses. It's rare, particularly...

View full article »

The Thaumaturge Review

In a video game industry that often feels like it’s bloating into a monolithic, unsustainable beast propped up by annual staples and once every generation blockbusters, a small silver lining is that it’s still big enough for games like The Thaumaturge to exist. This mid-size RPG may not match the jaw-dropping scale of a game like Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s still packed with atmosphere and good ideas that are mostly well executed. Aside from some buggy movement and odd voices, the turn-based combat is full of interesting strategic choices, and its great writing and story manage to punch up tried and true point-and-click clue finding and lore gathering. You play as the eponymous Thaumaturge, a sort of Witcher/John Constantine mash up of...

View full article »

Dune: Awakening Gets Tons of New Gameplay Footage Revealing Unreal Engine 5 Arrakis in Dune Direct

We already knew that Norwegian game developer Funcom is working on an open-world survival MMO game set in the Dune universe. And today, the developer has provided a new look at Dune: Awakening, including a glimpse into Arrakis along with some gameplay footage. As part of Dune Direct, a nearly 25-minute digital showcase to provide new details on Dune: Awakening, Funcom concluded the presentation with a new gameplay trailer subtitled "Survive Arrakis." The trailer, which you can check out below, is visually stunning. Powered by Epic's Unreal Engine 5, the latest trailer for Dune: Awakening shows the extreme conditions on planet Arrakis, from the harsh climate to gigantic sandworms emerging from the sand and evading hostile enemies. The...

View full article »

Dark-Fantasy First-Person Action-RPG VOIN Announced

Unreal Engine-powered first-person action-RPG VOIN is being created by one solo developer named Nikita Sozidar. It's a fast-paced, retro-themed dark fantasy melee combat game that might remind you a bit of Raven Software's classic Hexen (albeit with much faster movement). It's in development for PC, with a public playtest beginning on March 8. Check it out on Steam if you're interested. A representative for VOIN described it as such: "Imagine DOOM, Diablo, and Neon White having a baby at a goth rave party." Quite the elevator pitch, isn't it? Check out gameplay footage in the trailer above, and you can see more in screenshots in the gallery below as well. Expect enemies by the hundreds, along with plenty of challenging boss battles...

View full article »

Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox Series X Comes on 4 Discs Because It’s Just 500mb Over the Limit for 3

The Xbox retail version of Baldur’s Gate 3 comes on a whopping four discs, developer Larian Studios has clarified. It's the first Xbox Series X game to release on so many. The sprawling Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game was set to arrive in physical form on Xbox Series X over three discs, but that figure has been revised after Baldur’s Gate 3 came in just 500MB over the limit. “The Xbox retail version of Baldur’s Gate 3 will indeed have four discs, since we’re 500MB over the limit for three, " Larian director of publishing Michael Douse confirmed in a tweet. “Only option would have been to cut some content out but that didn’t make sense, so confirming four.” As a result, the Baldur’s Gate 3 Xbox physical wave one March 25...

View full article »

Xbox Partner Preview Event Announced With 30 Minutes of Third-Party Games Coming to Xbox and PC

Microsoft has announced its next Xbox Partner Direct scheduled for Wednesday, March 6th, at 10am PT / 1pm ET. In a new Xbox Wire post, Microsoft revealed that its second Partner Preview event will be roughly 30 minutes long and will focus exclusively on third-party games from publishers, including Capcom, EA, and Nexon. So do not expect any first-party games to appear at this showcase, such as Playground Games' upcoming project Fable, The Outer Worlds 2 by Obsidian, or Arkane Lyon's Blade game. While no specific games were revealed, a few upcoming games from the publishers mentioned in the Xbox Wire post include Capcom's Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, which was revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase last summer, and Tales of...

View full article »

New Destiny 2 Bundle Includes 5-Years Worth of Expansions At a Discount

Calling all Guardians; in preparation for The Final Shape (the conclusion to the Light and Darkness Saga), Humble is offering a The Story So Far bundle that includes the last five years' worth of expansion content for Destiny 2. Price of entry for all six DLC is $40 / £31.50, including Destiny 2: Lightfall and the Annual Pass, The Witch Queen, Beyond Light, Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack, Shadowkeep, and Forsaken. The only catch is this bundle will expire before the end of today (March 4), so get a wriggle on to make sure you don't miss out. We'll include a link to the Humble Bundle just below as well. It's a pretty huge saving, and the perfect collection deal for anyone who hasn't been keeping up with every single DLC or expansion...

View full article »

Microsoft Made a SpongeBob SquarePants Xbox Series X

Microsoft’s fondness for special edition Xbox consoles continues with a SpongeBob SquarePants Xbox Series X. The Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 Special Edition Bundle includes a custom-designed console inspired by SpongeBob SquarePants himself, “showing off his iconic smile, Krusty Krab uniform, and ecstatic arms,” Katie Schroder, Xbox Channel Marketing Director, America, said in a post on Xbox Wire. The bundle also contains an Xbox Wireless Controller featuring SpongeBob and friends, including Squidward, Gary, and Mr. Krabs, in a collage of cartoon characters, as well as a digital download of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2. But, as is also Microsoft tradition at this point, you can’t simply buy the SpongeBob SquarePants Xbox Series X...

View full article »

Arthur Morgan Is Your American History Teacher in New Red Dead Redemption Audiobook

Roger Clark, who plays Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, is set to narrate an audiobook that looks at American history through the lens of Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption games. Clark narrates historian Tore Olsson’s ‘Red Dead’s History’ in character as Arthur Morgan, protagonist of Rockstar’s critically acclaimed open-world epic. Red Dead’s History explores the “wildly dramatic and gritty world” of America from 1870 to 1920. 2010’s Red Dead Redemption and its prequel, 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2, set in 1911 and 1899 respectively, were praised for their authentic portrayal of life during the decline of the American frontier. In the book, Olsson digs into the detail presented in the games and adds context from real-world...

View full article »

Forgotten Gems: Top Racer Back In Top Gear

If you’ve read the last 10 issues of my Forgotten Gems column, you’ve probably noticed a pattern. I pick a game that may either spark some recognition and you’ll go “oh, yeah – what happened to it?” – or you’ve never heard of the game I’m profiling and you google what year I was born so that you can rest easy that it’s not you, it’s me. Inevitably, the column turns gloomy. An awesome-sounding sequel was planned, but never made. Or, somehow, an entire series of games is no longer accessible to play. Not today, friends! Today’s Forgotten Gems has a happy ending. As of March 7, 2024, three classic SNES racers are back on the track, broadly available to play on Xbox One, Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC...

View full article »

‘Before Rockstar, I Was Just a Jobbing Actor Off Broadway’: Arthur Morgan Actor Roger Clark on the Red Dead Redemption 2 Effect

It’s fair to say that before Red Dead Redemption 2 came out in 2018, most gamers hadn’t heard of Roger Clark. Six years, 61 million sales, and numerous awards later, the 45-year-old Irish-American actor can afford to be picky with roles. His performance as Arthur Morgan, the protagonist of Rockstar’s Wild West epic, is considered by some as one of the greatest in video game history. But Roger’s overnight stardom came after five grueling years in Rockstar’s New York motion capture studio and a contract that gave him the kind of financial security most jobbing actors only dream of. In truth, Arthur Morgan has remained part of Roger’s life ever since. Indeed, he is set to (kind of) reprise the role by narrating the upcoming audiobook of...

View full article »

Professor Teaching World’s First Red Dead Redemption American History Class Wants to Do GTA Next

College history professor Tore Olsson taught the world's first Red Dead Redemption American history class in 2021, at the University of Tennessee, using Rockstar's open-world epics to engage students on one of the most tumultuous periods in North American history. The class is a huge success, so much so that Olsson was inspired to write a book to bring his work to a global audience. Out in August, Red Dead's History looks like it could be a hit, and Roger Clark, who plays Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist Arthur Morgan in one of the all-time great video game performances, has signed on to narrate the audiobook. In an interview with IGN, Olsson discusses the book and delivers his verdict on Red Dead Redemption 2's historical...

View full article »

The Outlast Trials Review

With all of the gory appeal of a cheesy horror movie, The Outlast Trials works even better than it did when I played it in Early Access last year. There’s just something magical about hiding with your besties in wardrobes and under beds as a deeply rude lady with a power drill for a hand hunts you down. What better way to spend a Friday night with the lads? Each of its death games is unique and filled with devilish and gruesome horrors, including formidable killers with cunning and lethal AI, and upgrading your character’s abilities and gadgets is a fantastic reward for surviving all those bloody corridors. Its biggest weakness is that there just aren’t that many levels to play, which isn’t a great feeling when matches are supposed to...

View full article »

Dead Space is Down to $30 Right Now at Best Buy

2023 was a year filled with some incredible horror games, and the Dead Space remake was one that was included in many best-of lists at the end of the year. It was even included as a runner-up in our article on the best horror game of 2023. If you've been waiting for an opportunity to pick it up for yourself, you can now grab a physical copy for PS5 or Xbox Series X at a fantastic low price. These versions are discounted right now at Best Buy to just $29.99. That's 56% off their usual price of $69.99, so well worth picking up! Check out these excellent deals at the link below. Get 56% Off Dead Space at Best Buy Back when it was released, we gave the Dead Space remake a 9/10. In our Dead Space review, we called it a "labour of love...

View full article »

Fallout TV Show ‘A Non-Interactive Version’ of Fallout 5, Says Executive Producer Jonathan Nolan

The creators of the upcoming Prime Video Fallout TV show have likened it once again to Fallout 5, calling it a “non-interactive version” of the future video game. In an interview with Total Film (via GamesRadar), executive producer Jonathan Nolan said the project is "almost like we're Fallout 5". "From the first conversation with Todd [Howard, Bethesda development chief and executive producer on the show] we were most excited about an original story. "Fallout, in my career, is closest to the work we did in adapting Batman, where there’s so much storytelling in the Batman universe that there is no canonical version of it, so you’re free to invent your own. "Each of the [Fallout] games is a discrete story – different city, distinct...

View full article »

Fake Ransomware Gang Admits It Made Up Epic Games Hack

A fake ransomware gang has said it lied when it claimed to have hacked Fortnite maker Epic Games. A group calling itself Mogilevich had claimed to have accessed Epic Games data and threatened to release its data unless it was paid. But Epic itself denied it had been hacked, and now Mogilevich has admitted the scam. Cyber Daily quoted a Mogilevich spokesperson who said the group tried to trick hackers into buying hacking tools. “In reality, we are not a ransomware-as-a-service, but professional fraudsters,” the spokesperson said. “None of the databases listed in our blog were as true as you might have discovered recently. We took advantage of big names to gain visibility as quickly as possible, but not to fame and receive approval...

View full article »

Elden Ring Sees Big Rise in Players After Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Trailer Reveal

Elden Ring has seen a significant rise in players after developer FromSoftware released a trailer for its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Data from player-tracking website SteamDB shows Elden Ring has seen 112,406 players in the last 24 hours on Valve's platform, a spike which began in the days following the debut Shadow of the Erdtree trailer on February 21. Elden Ring had 45,866 players the day before, but hit 108,636 the weekend after the announcement and has continued to rise as interest in the beloved role-playing game returns ahead of the expansion's June 21 release date. The popularity surge appears to be across the board too, as Elden Ring is now in 21st place on Xbox's most-played games list, compared to its rank of 36th...

View full article »

Ex-Bungie Composer Marty O'Donnell Running for Congress

Former Bungie composer Marty O'Donnell has announced his intention to run as the Republican Party candidate in Nevada’s third congressional district in the 2024 House of Representatives elections. O'Donnell tweeted his announcement, saying: “I never wanted to be a politician and I still don’t. I’ve had two successful careers and have started a few small businesses. I’ve also worked for some big corporations. I was ready to retire and spend more time with my family — which I’ve done for the past three years. I think they’re ready for me to find something else to do.” 68-year-old Trump supporter O'Donnell semi-retired to a Las Vegas suburb after his legal tussles with former employers Bungie and Microsoft settled, and after founding...

View full article »

Deep Cut Discounts on Horizons, Dying Light 2, Monster Huntin', Hogwarts, and More!

Welcome to another week of not paying retail for the games that matter. As per always, I've scoured the storefronts for nothing but the best in budget-minded gaming, plus the perfect preorder entry points. Wish I had time to say more, but Super Earth isn't going to super save itself. See you planetside in Helldivers 2, where I may or may not accidentally (but also democratically) delete you with an Orbital Airburst Strike. In retro news, I'm lighting a big 9 on a cake for the original Helldivers. Rather different from its current day darling of a sequel, this top-down twin-stick shooter was still white-knuckle enough to explain the early onset arthritis some of you now have. Core memory for me: hearing some NPC Helldivers on my bridge...

View full article »

Daily Deals: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

The weekend is coming to a close, so it's time to round up the best deals available this weekend across games, technology, and more! New titles are seeing discounts, and plenty of hardware is on sale, too. The best deals for Sunday, March 3, include the Samsung 55" S90C 4K OLED TV, New Pokémon Snap, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, and more. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Up To 34% Off Amazon has both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 copies of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk on sale right now. This spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio offers a ton of fun, with all kinds of activities to complete. You play as Red and join the Bomb Rush Crew, where you set off around the city to discover graffiti spots and get REP. All the flashy tricks you know...

View full article »

Star Wars Outlaws – Everything We Know About the Open-world Game

Star Wars Outlaws is billed as the franchise’s first-ever open-world game. From the makers of The Division and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Outlaws tells a scoundrel story that explores the depths of Star Wars’ underworld between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In anticipation of Ubisoft’s big Star Wars game, we’ve put together this breakdown of everything you need to know about Star Wars Outlaws. Jump to: Release Window Story Details Gameplay Development Star Wars Outlaws Trailer Ubisoft has released two official trailers for Star Wars Outlaws. The most substantial of which is a 10-minute gameplay trailer revealed last June. Check it out below: Star Wars Outlaws Release Window Star Wars Outlaws has an official...

View full article »

Every Star Wars Game on the Nintendo Switch in 2024

When it comes to licensed movie franchises entering the world of video games, very few have as storied a history as Star Wars. From hopping into an X-Wing cockpit in Rogue Squadron to making decisions that affect the fate of the galaxy in Knights of the Old Republic, George Lucas’ expansive sci-fi universe has become a creative playground for a range of talented developers over the years, and with it paved the way for some truly iconic Star Wars games. For those looking to dive into some of these games on their Nintendo Switch, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve compiled every single Star Wars game available on Nintendo’s flagship console, ranging from immersive RPGs to classic first-person shooters. How Many Star Wars Games are on...

View full article »

Greco-Roman-Inspired Sci-Fi Metroidvania 'Somber Echoes' Revealed

Somber Echoes is a sci-fi Metroidvania that developer Rock Pocket Games, Lav Games, and publisher Bonus Stage call a "love letter" to the genre. It's set 3000 years in the future aboard the Greco-Roman spaceship called Atromitos, where "infested horrors from another dimension" now run rampant. It features seven visually distinct districts and is powered by Unreal Engine 5. It's due out on PC this Fall. The 2.5D graphics set it a bit apart from the usual retro looks many Metroidvanias rock, and the developers hope the Greek-tragedy inspriation will further help it stand out from the crowd. Rock Pocket Games told IGN, "A cataclysmic event turned the once beautiful and proud Greco-Roman space vessel Atromitos into breeding grounds for...

View full article »

Balatro Devs Argue Poker Roguelike Does Not Encourage Gambling as It Vanishes From Some Stores

Balatro publisher Playstack Games has taken to social media to defend its poker roguelike after fans noticed it had been removed from certain stores. Players started to point out Balatro’s disappearance over the last few days, with some taking to social media to express their concerns. Reddit user JustASmith27, for example, was unable to find the Nintendo Switch eShop store page in the U.K. Players from other countries, such as Australia, have reported that they are running into the same roadblock as well. Mainly, the problem seems isolated to Nintendo Switch stores outside of the U.S. Playstack shared an explanation behind Balatro’s disappearance on X/Twitter, saying that the team is working “as hard as we can to get the game back...

View full article »

The History Of Alone In The Dark

Essentially kicking off the whole third-person survival horror genre a good four years before Capcom stepped up to the plate with its now legendary Resident Evil franchise, Alone in the Dark did the whole shtick first back in 1992. Though you can certainly make the case that the series has been on something of an […] Continue reading...

View full article »