PlayStation announced Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered with a ?first-reveal trailer on September 24, showcasing the visual improvements made over the originals and introducing story beats and ke?y players in the games like Raziel and Kain.

Crystal Dynamics retu??rns as developer, while Aspyr Games takes over publishing ??duties from the now-defunct Eidos Interactive.

Despite the critical and commercial success of the series, Legacy of Kain hasn't gotten a new installment since Defiance in 2003. In that time, the franchise went mostly forgotten and ignored, also failing to receive any ports to newer consoles. But the Soul Reaver remaster means big things are likely in the future for Legacy of Kain.

Studios typically use smaller, less-expensive projects as a tool to test the waters of the market, and gauge interest in a specific intellectual property. If the "feeler" product sells well, or exceeds expectations by other parameters, the publisher moves forward with a new title in the series. Capcom utilized this strategy with the Marvel vs Capcom Collection. And with the announcement of the Legacy of Kain graphic novel in August, Aspyr is probably doing the same with the Soul Reaver remaster.

Soul Reaver is part of the wider Legacy of Kain mythos, which also includes Blood Omen, Blood Omen 2, and Defiance. The series chronicles the vampire Kain's rise to power in the land of Nosgoth, and his lieutenant, Raziel's attempts to topple the overlord and restore balance to the world. The franchise as a whole received mostly positive reviews, with the Soul Reaver titles being the standouts. Aspyr Games recently worked on another remaster of a turn-of-the-century franchise in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. Crystal Dynamics develop?ed Tomb Raider games in the past, so perhaps a working rela?tionship between the companies may herald another revival.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is available now for preorder.? It is set to release on December 10 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC for $29.99.

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The full list of Star Wars Outlaws trophies? has been revealed, and there are a lot of them to earn in your entire playthrough.

Star Wars Outlaws is Ubisoft's upcoming open-world action-adventure game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It follows protagonist Kay Vess, as she makes a life amongst the stars in a galaxy f??ar, far away. A scoundrel's life, that is.

How many Star Wars Outlaws trophies are there?

Star Wars Outlaws will have 50 trophies in to??tal. This consists of 1 Plat?inum, 2 Gold, 11 Silver, and 36 Bronze trophies.

List of every Star Wars Outlaws trophy

The table below mentions every Star Wars Outlaws trophy to earn:

That's a complete rundown of the trophy list. Do check out our all Star Wars Outlaws special editions e?xplainer, if you're wondering which one to get in the first?? place.

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Since Black Myth: Wukong is similar to other Soulslike games, at least on the surface, it's not at all strange to be curious if it has multiplayer as a feature. The challenging combat and intricate boss battle?s seem well-suited for cooperative or competitive play, but is it actually present here?

Can you play Co-op Multiplayer in Black Myth: Wukong?

There is currently no co-op or multiplayer feature in Black Myth: Wukong, and it is very likely ?to remain the case at release and into the future.

Despite being commonly compared to Souls titles (games that do typically have multiplayer, and a semi-open world, not always though), Black Myth: Wukong is not strictly pursuing that style. While the thought of having two transform??ing, spirit-throwing Sun Wukongs on screen at the same time sounds interesting, the game seems designed solely as a single-player experience.

Black Myth: Wukong is based on and inspired by the classical Chinese adventure novel Journey to the West, and while there are plenty of characters in the ?story that could potentially make a co-op experience work, I have no doubt it would be a very tricky endeavor to pull off successfully. The story itself is extremely long, and characters come and go throughout the adventure on a consistent basis.

Adding a co-op mode to the game would require careful consideration of character balance and narrative cohesion. The game's primary focus is on the singular journey of Sun Wukong, and introducing multiple playable characters could risk diluting the depth of his story. However, if done right, it could offer a fresh way to experience the tale, allowing players to explore different perspectives and abilities while maintaining the integrity of the original narrative. Alas, this is not to be in Black Myth: Wukong.

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We’ve become very accustomed to seeing new Paldeck videos released by Palworld every weekend, but the one released ??on June 15 is slightly different. Rather than showcasing a Pal we’ve come to know, they showed off a Pal that w??e’ve yet to meet �Chillet Ignis. 

Chillet has become a huge fan favorite among players. The original Ice type Pal is a fluffy looking Dragon capable of inflicting huge damage, all while looking cute,?? and the Ignis variant is no different. 

Chillet Ignis looks like someone took the original Chillet and turned u?p the color temperature, which is ?apt, because as a Fire type this Pal is likely to bring the heat. Apparently, Chillet Ignis is capable of spinning so fast it will emit sparks, so it might be best to give this one a wide berth until it warms up to you. Pun intended. 

The Alpha Chillet Ignis shown in the Paldeck video is a level 52, which is an exciting reminder that more levels are coming when the Sakurajima update arrives on June 27. This is excellent news to anyone like?? myself, who has taken a break through a lack of levels to climb or new content to experience. 

We’re usually given two Paldeck videos each weekend, so the next should release tomorrow. The sneak peak at the end ??of the Chillet Ignis video shows another much loved Pal, despite the fact that it’s not even in the game yet â€?Croajiro, the small frog armed wi??th a stick. 

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As any fan of Palworld will tell you, the game is ripe with possibilities for merch and goodies to decorate our homes. From plushes to figurines, clothing and even terrifying nightmare fuel, if you look hard enough you’ll be able to find everything Palworld related, but none of it is official merch. 

Posting on Twitter this morning, Pocketpai?r has assured that there is indeed some official merchandise on the way, if fans can wait a just little longer to get their hands on it. 

Accompanying this plea was a purposefully faded image of a Cattiva plush, giving fans something to get excited about. However, the comments were mostly focused on fans asking for th?eir favorite Pal in plush form - although a staggering lack of those are after a Depresso plush, I must say. 

Unofficial Palworld merch is hit or miss

It’s safe to say there is a lot of unofficial Palworld merchandise out there. A quick search for â€?em>Palworld merchâ€?on Google will prove that the internet is positively overflowing with plushes and clothing that is almost good, but just not quite right. There’s a scale of not quite right, starting with wonky-eyed plushes and going all the way to the sleep paralysis demon costumes I wrote about a while back. 

The demand for Palworld merch is obviously there. There’s a whole string of websites dedicated t??o selling unofficial merch from the game, and they’re all sold out of plushes, so that’s got to say something for how much fans want th??ese items in their homes. 

The problem here is that every player has a different favorite Pal. Of course there are some Pals with a larger fanbase, like Chillet, but there is a Pal for every person. The only way to keep every plush-loving player happy would be to bring out a line of plushes for the entire Paldeck, which may prove problematic, especially c?onsidering the ever growing number of Pals. 

Iâ€?™m just hoping for an official Depresso plush who can keep me company while I hide away from the world, avoidi??ng human contact.

The post Pocketpair assures fans official Palworld merch is comi??ng if they can wait a little lo?nger appeared first on Destructoid.

There are a lot of Soulslike games that have taken from plenty of From Software's standard-setting works. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order have used the format of the Soulslike and thrown in Metroidvania-styled exploration, while also doubling down on a parry mechanic despite being released before Sekiro.

Still, despite the popularity of Soulslik??es, it has not felt like enough games have taken inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Many fans of From Software's games, as well as those who simply appreciate a well-made video game with fleshed-out combat mechanics, tend to refer to it as a masterpiece.

So, why a Sekiro-like instead of Soulslike?

It's important to lay out what separates Sekiro from the rest. The game places a special emphasis on its parry mechanic and haste within its combat's pacing. The Dark Souls games, as well as Bloodborne and Elden Ring, will reward players for a well-timed parry. Usually, players get time to breathe and the opportunity to land a high-damage hit, but Sekiro throws in the Posture mechanic.

Posture is the ability to withstand a hit. Properly attacking and parrying damages an enemy's Posture, and fully breaking an enemy's Posture provides the player a chance to pull off a Deathblow. The lower an enemy's health is, the slower their Posture rebuilds. Sekrio ??did not create the parry, nor did it popularize it, but plenty of gamers look to the game as an example of how to do it best.

Before the release of new titles like Stellar Blade and Nine Sols, not many titles took inspiration from Sekiro, even though new Soulslikes continue to pop up. This could be attributed to the fact that games just take a long time to make. It could also take developers even more time to structure an entire game around combat as polished as Sekiro's.

Many gamers just end up going back to Sekiro because it's hard to find a similar experience, but w?ith so many upcoming releases, those se?eking to scratch that itch may not have to wait much longer.

Games that are definitely Sekiro-likes

Nier: Automata and Bayonetta were the primary comparisons people made to Stellar Blade when they first saw Stellar Blade. Despite that, this game features a st??rong focus on its parry mechani??c.

It may take Sekiro players some time to adjust to the way that inputs register. Dodging, parrying, and movement have a significantly different weight in Stellar Blade. Still, gamers do agree that the Sekiro influence is there. Stellar Blade even includes its own spin on Posture, called Balance, though it does differ in areas like its skill trees and a??dditional ways to tune combat to ?the player's liking.

Nine Sols is different in a couple of ways, namely that it has a hand-drawn 2D art style and features platforming. Regardless, developer Red Candle Games has gone all-in on the Sekrio inspiration.

Nine Sols' combat is based on deflection, with enemies putting enough pressure on the player to force them to consistently deflect. Deflection in Nine Sols allows playe??rs to store Chi energy to use in charged attacks?? instead of having a Posture bar to maintain.

Games that focus on parrying

Where Winds Meet is a Wuxia-inspired game that offers versatility in weapon choice? and combat approach, though countering appears to be central to its gameplay.

In each gameplay showcase so far, trailers have featured its protagonist swiftly parrying an enemy attack. Everstone Studio seems ambitious with the many different features it plans to incorporate into Where Winds Meet. The game will feature a picturesque open world alongside a narrative that is said to be influenced by player choice. Where Winds Meet is slated for a 2024 release.

Then there's Phantom Blade Zero. The combat in this game's original trailer looked too good to be true, and people insisted that it must be scripted in some way. But the mor??e footage fans see of it, the more the game shows i?ts hand.

There are plenty of gaps for player input. Some animations appear to cancel very well into the other, allowing for a wide range of player expression. There is risk, though, as the game seems to force players to commit to their actions. At IGN's hands-on demo, Developer S-Game pushed back a bit against the haste to lump Phantom Blade Zero in with every other Soulsborne. ??S-Game noted a feature on "old-fashioned combo-driven traditional action" while using a map design akin to Souls games.

Phantom Blade Zero appears to share plenty in common with Assassin's Creed and Ghost of Tsushima, but this doesn't mean it has nothing in common with Sekiro. In Phantom Blade Zero, players and enemies have a Sha-chi meter, which functions similarly to Posture and depletes when guarding. Taking consecu??tive hits breaks this defense and leaves the target wide open. There is a block stance, but pulling off a parry or perfect dodge can reward players with a counterattack called a Ghoststep.

Games that may continue Sekiro's legacy

Black Myth Wukong has gamers excited for a couple of reasons. Those who like a good story are excited to see a big-budget? video game put a spin on the story of Sun Wukong, while others are here for the combat.

The combat system in Black Myth Wukong appears to be somewhat different from Sekiro. The game appears to put a heavy emphasis on agility, and while it does occasionally show a player blocking an attack, it does not seem nearly as consistent. That being said, there ap??pears to be a similar emphasis on an aggressive play style.

Lastly, there's Ballad of Antara, which gamers are waiting to see more about, but one thing seems certain—guarding against ene??my attacks? matters.

Each segment of action shown feels demanding. In the announcement trailer for Ballad of Antara, combat comes off as dynamic and weighty. The game appears to reward aggressive gameplay and consistent guarding. For those searching for something closer to Sekiro than Souls, this game appears to show off?? more guarding than it does dodging, which could be promising.

Some of these games may take even longer than expected to release, and by the time they all come out, they could end up being closer to Dark Souls or something entirely different. No matter what, there appear to be plenty ??of interesting action games in the works.

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The latest Indiana Jones and The Great Circle trailer captures everything fans love about the iconic movie franchise, and even includes a nod to where it a??ll started.

During the Xbox Games Showcase, Bethesda provided another look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The trailer did not confirm an official release date beyond the 2024 release window already known. Still, it did ??show Indy and his sidekick Gina in action deep in the Himalayas as they hunt down an artifact cal??led The Great before the Germans get to it first.

The first-person, single-player adventure is set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Arc and the Last Crusade, meaning Indiana Jones is still in his prime. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle features a mix of puzzles, dramatic action set pieces, up close and personal fist fights, and gunslinging. Also, it wouldn't be an Indiana Jones title without being able to use his trusty ??whip in action.

This is a developing news story and will be updated as new information is available.

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One year after its announcement, Compulsion Games finally gave fans a first look at South of Midnight's gameplay.

South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South, and follows a weaver named Hazel who has been tasked with repair tears in the universe by taking down mythical creatures. Compulsion described the project as a wide linear game, meaning there will be limits to how much players will be able to explore the bayou. South of Midnight launches worldwide i??n 2025 on Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.

In South of Midnight's first gameplay trailer, we get our firs?t look at the mix of magical abilities and weapons Hazel uses to fight the swamp's strange and disturbing creatures.

This is Compulsion Game's first project since We Happy Few in 2018, which was set in a dystopian English city and combined role-playing, survival, and roguelike elements. South of Midnight is a m?uch different project but it still features ??some of that signature Compulsion Games flair.

The post South of Midnight gets first gameplay?? trailer, 2025 release window appeared first on Destructoid.

Tears of the Kingdom's house-building system isn't too complex and there aren't ma??ny pieces to play arou??nd with. However, with a little creativity, it is possible to make a home worthy of Hyrule's greatest guardian.

If you need a little inspiration, try these house designs in Tears of the Kingdom.

6. The Cottage

Not every home has to be an architectural masterpiece. For players low on Rupees, or for?? those who just w??ant to keep things simple, this design is perfect for you.

To craft it, merge a Foyer with a Weapons Stash Room. Add a Paddock to the side to keep your ??horses. To make the home ?prettier, add a Flower Bed to the front and on the roof alongside a Garden Pond. Lastly, add a staircase to the back to get to the roof easily.

5. The Ranch

If you?? care about horses, try building this design. It is a variation of the Cottage but has two stabl??es that stand alone. Add a Furnished Angled Room to the side of the house, along with a Garden Pond and Flower Bed, so that Link has a lovely place to admire his horses from.

4. The Open-Plan House

This design is for players looking for an outdoorsy feeling. It takes advantage of the fact that Link can build homes without walls. Form a courtyard out of your desired rooms, but don't forg??et to add an Indoor Sta??ircase. Instead of stairs, you can also rely on Ascend to get between floors. Add a Paddock to the side, along with some Flower Beds to make things aesthetically pleasing.

3. The Bachelor Pad

It is possible for Link to live like a king with this design inspired by Reddit user u/pensenuate. It doesn't look like much from the ou?tside, but it is very cozy on the inside. On the first floor, attach a Kitchen, Gallery, Indoor Staircase, and Furnished Square Room to a Patio.

On the second floor, add a Bedroom, two F??urnished Angled Rooms, and two Weapons Stash Rooms. The exterior of the home can be improved by adding Garden Ponds, Flower Beds, and Paddocks.

2. The Penthouse

One of the downsides to the houses in Tears of the Kingdom is that they don't have windows, which can make the interiors feel claustrophobic. Fortunately, it is possible to build a luxurious home with a view thanks to a trick by Reddit user u/IronKnuckleSX.

All you need to do is add Paddocks to your top ?flo??or, and you can have breakfast while watching over Tarry Town.

1. A place to relax

This house design is a personal favorite in Tears of the Kingdom, as it provides a lovely space for Link to relax. To build it, simply create a single-story home similar to t?he Cottage. At the side of the house, attach a Blessing Room, Kitchen, and Bed??room. Have the rooms face a Garden Pond or a Flower Bed.

There isn't much customization available, which is d??isappointing in a game that lets players? fuse random items to make new weapons. Nevertheless, don't let this stop you from creating something you'll be happy to return to after a long day of monster hunting.

How to build a house in TotK

To unlock the house-building feature in Tears of the Kingdom, you must do the following tasks:

• Complete Mattison's Independence quest
• Speak to Rhondson to purchase the dream house for 1,500 Rupees
• Achieve the Home On Arrange quest

After? you complete Mattison's Independence, you can talk to Rhondson at Tarrey To?wn:

You'll then trigger the mission Home On Arrange, where you can use the Rasitakiwak Shrine to fast-travel. Speak to Granteson to obtain two rooms. You can build a house in Tears of the Kingdom through these steps:

1. Open the Right-Hand Ability by holding the 'L' trigger
2. Select Ultrahand with the 'R' stick
3. Grab the available room and drag it to the plot
4. Attach the room to any side with the 'A' button (after you've placed one unit down)

Place two rooms to satisfy the Home On Arrange quest in TOTK:

Talk to Granteson once more and tell him, 'I'm done building.' He'll inspect the house, but don't worry; he's not much of a harsh j?udge. After completing Home On Arrange, you'll be able to expand your property. Purchase more rooms from Granteson to comp??letely deck it out.

All Tears of the Kingdom house units

Now, you'll have the power to build a house in Tears of the Kingdom by using Ultrahand to connect the rooms together. However, the structure features a maximum limit of 15 units. You can delete rooms by detaching them from the building and dragg??ing them o??utside the rope barriers. Leave build mode, and the unit should now be in your store room with Granteson.

The post Best house des??igns & ideas in Tears of the Kingdom (??TotK) appeared first on Destructoid.

Link can collect quite a few outfits in Tears of the Kingdom, and some offer desirable perks. The Yiga Clan armor is not to be missed for players who prefer a sneaky approach. The complete set is broken up into three parts, and they can all be obtained relatively easily. Here's how to get all of the Yiga Clan armor pieces in TotK.

How to get the Yiga Armor in TotK

It's best to start with the Yiga Armor, as it's the easiest one to acquire. This is the torso part of the outfit. The Yiga Armor is located in the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, which is up the road from the East Akkala Stable. The Jochi-iu Shrine is a convenient point to begin the journey from.

At the tech lab, Link will encounter a pair of Yiga enemies. They are pretty fast??, and they can teleport away before reappearing at close range. They can be slowed down with a Topaz-infused magic rod, or an arrow fused to Yellow Chuchu Jelly.

How to find the Yiga Mask in TotK

The next piece to acquire is the mask. The Yiga Mask is found to the east of Mount Hylia, in the Yiga Clan stronghold. The fort is surrounded by spikes, so it's best to glide in by jumping off the ledge of Mount Hylia. Alternatively, glide in from Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower. There will be two Yiga clan members guarding the fort, but once they are defeated, the Yiga Mask i??s up for grabs.

How to find the Yiga Tights in TotK

The tights are the last part of the Yiga Clan armor. The Yiga Tights can be found in another Yiga Clain stronghold located in a cave. The exact coordinates are in the image above. Once again, there will be a pair of Yiga Clain members keeping watch. After defeating them, have Link use Ascend to access? the next floor of the cave where the pants are located.

Once the Yiga Clan set is complete??, Link can enter the Yiga Clan ?hideout.

What does the Yiga Armor do in TotK?

While the Yiga Armor doesn't provide much protection in the form of defense, it does? greatly improve your stealth capabilities. The increased stealth it grants can be used to sneak up on enemies more effici??ently and to get close to horses without spooking them. For combat, it requires a much more careful approach, but can be extremely effective in the right hands.

Above all, The Yiga Armor allows you to blend in with Yiga Clan members. With this ability, you can enter areas normally reserved for memb??ers of?? the clan. Just note that Master Kohga will easily notice you don't belong, but everyone else will be none the wiser.

Finally, if the bright red tights aren't quite to your liking, you can change the color of the outfit by visiting Kochi Dye Shop in Hateno Village. This won't affect the clan??'s attitude towards you.

The post How to get the Yiga Clan armor set in?? Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) appeared first on Destructoid.

The various communities in Hyr??ule each have unique cultures, clothing, and even ??weapons. The Gerudo weapons are ornate in addition to being quite powerful, as is the case with the Gerudo Scimitar and Gerudo Shield.

This guide explains where to find the Gerudo Shield and Gerudo Scimitar in Tears of the Kingdom.

Where to Find the Gerudo Scimitar in Tears of the Kingdom

The Gerudo Scimitar isn't too hard to find, especially if you start seeking it early on. The easiest way to score the Gerudo Scimitar is to simply deal with the Gerudo Regional Phenomenon. As part of the "R?iju of Gerudo" questline, Link will help the ladies battl??e against Gibdos.

In preparation for the big battle against the invading Gibdos, Link will gain access to plenty of Gerudo weapons, including the coveted Gerudo Scimitar. The weapons can be found on a bench in Gerudo Town. The coordinates are: -3860, -2983, 0043.

Alternatively, Gerudo Scimitars can sometimes be found inside treasure chests dropped by Like Like in the Gerudo region. Moldugas also occas?ionally drop Gerudo Scimitars, though they are hard to beat, and there is no guarantee of scoring one.

Lastly, hit up the enemy camps in the Gerudo region, as some of them battle with Gerudo Scimitars. After the foes have been def?eate??d, their weapons are yours to loot.

The in-game description for the Gerudo?? Scimater is "A decaying scimitar from the Gerudo region, it is designed for maximizing force. Attaching a material greatly enhances the material’s power but doesn’t add as much durability." It has a base damage of 8, and its special property is Durability Up+.

Where to Find the Gerudo Shield in Tears of the Kingdom

Like the Gerudo Scimitar, the Gerudo Shie??ld can be obtained while preparing for the battle against the Gibdos. Once again, enemy camps in the Gerudo region are also a good option, along with the Lizalfos found throughout the desert.

The Gerudo Shield can also be obtained from a treasure chest in the 12 Ancient Altar Ruins located in the Gerudo Desert. The coordinates are: -2618, -3746, 0010. To get to the ruins, jump in one of the twelve pools of quicksand. There is also a Shock Like which poten??tially holds another Gerudo weapon. While you're underground, don't forget to grab a Bubbul Gem from the Bubb?ul Frog.

Tears of the Kingdom describes the shield as: "The design of this metal shield has changed over time to match?? the Gerudo's sword-and-shield fighting style. It's favored by soldiers and travelers alike." Its base protection is 28.

What to Do With the Gerudo Shield and Gerudo Scimitar

The? Gerudo Scimitar and Gerudo Shield are great weapons that can and should be used during combat in TotK. They are also needed for a side quest which is unlocked after completing Riju's questline.

Defeat ?the Molduga at the Toruna Ruins to save Isha. Following this, she can be found again in Gerudo Town. There, she promises to make Link the Gerudo Scimitar of the Seven and the Daybreaker. However, he needs to provide some materials, including a Gerudo Shield and Gerudo Scimitar.

Gerudo isn't the only region with its own weapons. Head to the Zora Domain to get weapons that are substantially stronger when they're wet, or visit the Depths beneath Hyrule to score some weapons that are? still in a pristine st?ate.

The post ?Whe??re to find the Gerudo Shield & Gerudo Scimitar in Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) appeared first on Destructoid.

Xbox has announced that Gotham Knights' Game Pass debut will occur on October 3, and those of you who don't want to pay for it can check out the game after its mediocre critical response. Party Animals, Cocoon, and PayDay 3 also join the Xbox Game Pass lineup over the?? n?ext few weeks.

Xbox Game Pass will ??be adding five new games to it??s service, which include:

• Party Animals (September 20)
• PayDay 3 (September 21)
• Cocoon (September 29)
• Gotham Knights (October 3)
• The Lamplighters League (October 3)

Gotham Knights will be available to all Xbox Game Pass subscribers as it launches for the service on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and cloud. Each of these games will be available on the Cloud, except Cocoon.

Perhaps Gotham Knights will find an audience within the Xbox Game Pass community. The current Steam player base at the time of writing is at 199, according to SteamCharts, so this news could give a good boost to ??WB Games' multiplayer title.

Destructoid gave Gotham Knights a mediocre 5/10 review score. "After playing Gotham Knights, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a lot of it had the air of an Arkham-verse fan game," says our review. "While there is something there, you can almost reach out and touch the design-by-committee elements and witness the s??ouls of some of the developers leaving their bodies."

Despite a slew of awesome games coming to Xbox Game Pass, there are plenty that are leaving the service on September 30, says Xbox Wire. They include:

• Beacon Pines
• Despot’s Game
• Last Call BBS 
• Moonscars
• Outriders
• Prodeus 
• Weird West 

If you dig?? any of these ga?mes, you can get a 20% discount to keep them.

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When it comes to gaming heroines, there is arguably nobody more iconic than Lara Croft. She's been with us for decades, bringing us over a dozen games and plenty of films. You'll get to experience the adventures that started it all thanks to Tomb Raider I, II, III Remastered which will bring the first three g?ames ??to the Nintendo Switch.

The collection, developed by Aspyr, will include all the expansio??ns and secret levels. You can expect upgraded visuals, though you'll be able to toggle to the original polygon look if you ??really want to crank up the nostalgia.

If the collection remains faithful to the original ??games, it should include the following expansions:

• Tomb Raider: Unfinished Business
• Tomb Raider II: The Golden Mask
• Tomb Raider III: The Lost Artefact

You can grab the collection on February 14, 2024.?? Pre-ord?ers begin today.

The post Tomb Raider I, II, III Remastered coming to Nintendo S?witch appeared first on Destructoid.

It's a week since the successful launch of Armored Core 6, and already the internet has been flooded with some of the most amazing mech creations. Some issues have also unfortunatel?y arisen, and they could potentially affect your save game.

//twitter.com/fromsoftware_sp/??status/169709102824?1793386

FromSoftware recently sent out ??a Tweet acknowledging the issue. A translation of the Tweet reveals that the studio is aware of a bug that causes data to not be saved properly under certain circumstances. While the issue is being sorted, the studio advises you to close the game before putting your PC to sleep.

[caption id="attachment_400948" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

FromSoftware is investigating the issue

This isn't the first time FromSoftware has struggled with save file issues. When Elden Ring launched in 2022, some players experience??d save issues on PS5 and PC, though the studio did release a fix. Elden Ring unfortunately had other issues on PC that affected performance, and they al??so needed to be addressed by patches.

Some Reddit users on the Armored Core subreddit have complained about the game not properly saving their progress, suggesting the problem isn't exceptionally rare. The problem is worsened by the fact that AC6 doesn't have? multiple save slots, leaving?? you reliant on one precious save file. This makes it even more important to follow FromSoftware's advice until the bug is patched out.

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After a long period of rumors followed by an official announcement, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is finally nearing launch. Ubisoft's next installment takes place in 9th-century Baghdad, with Basim Ibn Ishaq taking center stage. Mirage is said to return to the Assassin’s Creed series roots, embracing stealth and parkour.

As the case with past Assassin’s Creed games, Mirage features historical locations and figures that complement more fantastical aspects of its story. In the latest developer behind-the-scenes, the Mirage team discussed the meticulous details and research that went into making Mirage. It's all in an effort to deliver? a more authentic recreation of Baghdad—one that doesn’t fall victim to common tro??pes and cliches.

[caption id="attachment_397660" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Ubisoft YouTube.[/caption]

Assassin’s Creed Mirage focuses on the beauty of Baghdad

With its rich history, Baghdad is an easy city to draw inspiration from. It was once the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and it had the honor of being one of the world’s biggest cities during the Islamic Golden Age. Even so, despite its rich history, Mirage developers were aware ??modern depictions of Baghdad often neglect this rich cultural heritage.

According to artistic director Jean-Luc Sala, research for Mirage was a little harder than usual because, unlike other settings, “almost nothing from the period has survived to the present day.�Hence, they consulted various experts and relied on descriptions from Medieval travelers, as well as archaeological findings from neig?hboring cities. Using this information, the team carved out their rendition of Baghdad into four distinct regions:

• Abbasiyah - Baghdad’s cultural hub where scholars and scientists congregate.
• Karkh - A market district where people barter, bargain, and trade.
• Harbiyah -The industrial district,  described as a "dense, grimy part of the city."
• Madinat As-Salam - Baghdad's vibrant center.

//youtu.be/nruL1RS4gKs

In the video, Sala highlighted how modern depictions of Baghdad in movies and games often portray it as a ruined landscape. While developing Mirage, the team took their approach the opposite direction, attempting to capture the city's beauty and culture instead. As you explore Baghdad, you'll experience the city’s vibrant culture and note some of those small, attention to detail moments. Listen closely and you'll hear the Adhan - the Muslim call to prayer - when approaching the mosque. Through these moments, developers hope to “tackle some of the common cliches about the region and its culture.�/p>

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is slated to release on October 5 on PC, as we??ll as current and l?ast-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage developers worked with experts to ‘tackle some common cliches’ about Baghdad appeared first on Destructoid.

Ubisoft has announced that the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage has gone gold. Even more surprisingly, the game's release date has shifted up a week, from October 1??2 to October 5. No explanation was given for the chang??ed release date, though it's unlikely fans are complaining.

//t?witter.com/assassinscreed/status/1691??117533846482944

Assassin's Creed Mirage is supposed to be a smaller, more streamlined Assassin's Creed. Promotional material for the upcoming game, which is centred on Valhalla's Basim, reveals that it returns to the fran?chise's roots by placing greater focus on parkour and stealth game?play.

[caption id="attachment_396580" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ubisoft.[/caption]

Assassin's Creed Mirage coming sooner than expected

The "gone gold" announcement simply means that a release version of the game is complete and ready for duplication and shipping. Rather than sit on the game, Ubisoft has decided to release the game earlier. While this does suggest some confi?dence in the game, it doesn't necessarily mean it won't be getting any post-launch patches.

One of the benefits of the new release date is that Mirage gets to launch relatively early in a month which is absolutely stacked with headlining releases. Ubisoft has avoided releasing Mirage on the same week as Forza Motorsport and Lords of the Fallen, though it now shares a release week with Detective Pikachu Returns. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2 are both hig?hly anticipated sequels also sch??eduled to release in October.

In many ways, it feels like Assassin's Creed Mirage is a response to some of the complaints lodged against Valhalla. If it can avoid the open-world bloat that plagued Valhalla while providing a compelling narrative for Basim, Mirage could be the breath of ??fresh air the franc??hise needs.

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage is launching a week earlier appeared first on Destructoid.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launched to widespread critical acclaim, and it currently sits as one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic. It was predictable that this would be accompanied by strong commercial success, but we are now getting an even clearer picture of just how impactful Breath of the Wild’s sequel has been.

As revealed in the latest financial report from Nintendo, Tears of the Kingdom has already sold 18.51 million copies. Thanks to the high sales, the company has seen strong financi??al performance for its first quarter.

[caption id="attachment_394907" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Tears of the Kingdom drives hardware sales for Nintendo

Released on May 12, Nintendo claims that the latest Zelda game "has made a major contribution to Q1 sales in the current environment." Though many of the players were returning from Breath of the Wild, the report notes that a growing percentage of customers haven’t played Tears of the Kingdom’s predecessor.

To put the success of Tears of the Kingdom into perspective, the report claims that "sell-through of this one title constitutes approximately half of the first-party software sold this fiscal year." It is also a massive success when compared to Breath of the Wild. Released in March 2017, it t??ook until August 2020 to sell 20 ??million copies.

Nintendo’s financial report paints an overall positive picture for the company. Though the Switch may be dated, it continues to bring in a steady income through hardware and software sales. Nintendo has also been profiting from non-gaming media, with the company attributing its financial success, in part, to "royalties and income from visual content related to The Super Mario Bros. Movie."

The report gives a roadmap for the company going forward. October will be a particularly busy month, with Detective Pikachu Returns releasing on October 6, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder releasing on October 20. November will be equally packed, with WarioWare: Move It! hitting shelves on November 3 followed by Super Mario RPG on November 17.

The post The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the K??ingdom has sold over 18 million copies appeared first on Destructoid.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Basim is the star of Assassin's Creed Mirage, the upcoming game that will serve as the latest entry in the franchise. In many ways, Mirage represents a return to an older for the series, as it will borrow many elements from older entries. It will also have a length and scope similar to the classic titles, which may be a relief for players who were overwhelmed by Valhalla's epic size.

[caption id="attachment_394615" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ubisoft.[/caption]

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is much shorter than Valhalla

In 2022, there were rumors and reports that Ubisoft was planning a shorter Assassin’s Creed title centered on Basim. As the release date for the since-revealed game draws nearer, we are discovering just how short it will be. Ubisoft lead producer Fabian Salomon recently sat down for an interview with YouTuber Julien Chièze and discussed a bit about what players can expect from the upcoming game. The conversation is in French, though the important parts have been translated by PCGamesN.

According to Salomon, Assassin's Creed Mirage can be completed in around 20-23 hours, and completionists can expect to spend 25-30 hours. Basim’s adventure will be a lot closer to the classic Assassin’s Creed titles which also had much more manageable lengths. The first two entries and Brotherhood all have playtimes of under 20 hours according to HowLongToBeat. That's far shorter than 2020's Valhalla, which has a playtime of around 60 hours, or over 100 if you're trying to see everything.

This isn’t the only way the upcoming game will resemble classic titles. As vice president and executive producer of Assassin's Creed Marc-Alexis Côté explained to IGN, developers looked to the first game in the franchise for inspiration, and Mirage is very much a love letter to the game that started it all. Hence, like the first game, Mirage will have a greater focus on “stealth, on close-quarter combat, on parkour, and a denser city� For players who really want to crank up the nostalgia, an optional visual filter featuring the desaturated blue-grey color palette that characterizes the first Assassin's Creed game will also be available.

It appears that you can expect a far more streamlined experience with Mirage. As developers have previously revealed, the upcoming game will have less of a focus on RPG elements, and it will have a story-focus linear structure. A short and sweet playtime may be welcomed by some, as a recurring criticism of Valhalla is that it is bloated with busywork to pad the playtime. Many wallets may also be grateful, as the standar??d edition will launch with a price tag of $50 to reflect the game's smaller scope.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is scheduled to release on October 12 on PC, PlayStation, and ??Xbox. Players who pre-order will receive an exclusive mission titled "The Forty Thieves."

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s play time will be shorter than Valhalla’s appeared first on Destructoid.

In the last few years, Sony has been steadily porting its hit AAA titles to PC. Though most ports, such as God of War (2018) and Horizon Forbidden West, have been successful, others, like The Last of Us Part 1, have been poorly received. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the next t??itle up for a PC port, and Insomniac has confirmed that it is Steam Deck Verified.

[caption id="attachment_393569" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart hits PCs

Rift Apart was initially released in 2021 as one of the PS5's flagship titles. It caught the attention of PlayStation players worldwide thanks to its dimensional rifts that allow players t?o jump between environments instantly.

PC players will get to experience Ratchet and Rivet's adventure soon, as the game is set to launch on the platform on 26 July. Initially, many believed that the port would require a beefy PC with a zippy SSD. Though you will need a reasonably specced PC to play Rift Apart, it will run just fine on hard disc dr?ives (HDDs) at mi?nimum settings.

//twitter.com/insomni??acgames/status/16?83953133825716224

Rift Apart is Steam Deck Verified, meaning the port??able gaming device can handle it. Thou??gh some variations of the Steam Deck have SSDs, players have to settle for lowered settings on the handheld, as has been the case with previous Sony ports. Those on high-spec PCs get to enjoy 4K 60FPS ray-traced gameplay.

This isn't the first time Insomniac has ported its titles to PC, as Spider-Man Remastered was ported to PC in 2022 (with help from fellow first-party studio Nixxes Software). The web-slinging game ??is also Steam Deck Verified.

Rift Apart is a visually stunning?? title that does a phenomenal job of presenting a truly next-gen experience. Though some may feel that it is a little pricey for its short length, it is packed with non-stop excitement.

The post Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is Steam Deck Verified appeared first on Destructoid.

The next chapter of Assassin's Creed could come sooner than later

Ubisoft has been enduring turbulent times during the last few years. Underperforming titles have caused the company to take more cautious steps, leading to previously announced titles, such as Ghost Recon Frontline, getting canceled.

The Assassin's Creed franchise has been spared the brutal culling, and fans can expect several more future entries, including a new entry for mobile phones. It is codenamed Assassin's Creed Jade, and though many details are still under wraps, players have been invited to sign up for cl??osed beta te??sting.

[caption id="attachment_392183" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Assassin's Creed Jade begins closed beta testing

In 2022, Ubisoft announced that there are a few Assassin's Creed games in the works, including Assassin's Creed Mirage which focuses on Valhalla's Basim, and a title codenamed Assassin's Creed Red which is set in Japan. Assassin's Creed Jade was one of the titles announced in 2022. Assassin's Creed Infinity, which will serve as a hub for the franchise, is also in ??development.

//youtu.be/pfJw0zBEyjE

The mobile game is being developed by Tencent's Level Infinite, and there are currently no plans to release it on other platforms. This isn't the first time the franchise has dared to experiment on the mobile platform. Ubisoft previously released several spin-offs of the series on iOS and Android, including Assassin's Creed Identity, Assassin's Creed: Memories, and Assassin's Creed Rebellion.

Despite being a mobile game, the trailer reveals that it will still be a visually stunning title. The announced closed beta will run from August 3 to 11, and it will be available on both iOS and Android. If you're interested, you'll need to visit Assassin's Creed Jade's official site and create an account.

[caption id="attachment_392184" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Assassin's Creed Jade is coming

As Ubisoft has revealed, the game is set in ancient C?hina, during the reign of the 3rd century Qin Dynasty. Although it is being developed for mobile devices, the game will feature gameplay that will be familiar to long-time fans. You'll also be able to create your own playable character.

According to the franchise's executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté, Assassin's Creed Jade will let players "do things like parkour atop the Great Wall of China??, sneak through bustling cities, engage in intense combat, and discover the secrets, the vastness, of ancien?t China." It's not all blood and guts, as players also be able to admire Xianyang's stunning scenery and mingle with merchants.

While this isn't the first time Assassin's Creed has made an appearance on mobile devices, Jade may be the franchise's most ambitious attempt on the platform thus far. Like Infinity, Assassin's Creed Jade hasn't been given a release date, but the announceme?nt of a closed beta suggests that the game's release can't be too far away.

The post Assassin’s Creed Codename Jade gets a closed beta test in August appeared first on Destructoid.

No more free lunches

Since the release of Tears of the Kingdom, fans have been pushing the game and its mechanics to its limits. In the process, a few glitches have been unearthed that make it easy to get rich or create absurdl??y powerful weapons. Nintendo has been on top of these tricks, and with new every patch glitches have been eliminated.

The latest patch for Tears of the Kingdom (v.1.2.0) fixes a few minor issues with the game, but it also removes a couple of get-rich-quick glitches. Players hoping still hoping to beat the system will have to either avoid updating their game or f??ind a new way to farm Rupees fast.

[caption id="attachment_387716" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Glitches eliminated from Tears of the Kingdom with v.1.2.0 patch

The frozen meat glitch is a popular one, as it lets players accumulate money quickly. To perform it, all you need to do is fuse some meat to a stick, make a pile of meat sticks using Autobuild, then use Autobuild again in a snowy area to cause frozen meat to drop. This frozen meat can then be sold for Rupees.

With the latest patch, the frozen meat glitch is gone, and it’s not the only exploit that has disappeared. The item duplication? glitch performed in Tobio’s Hollow Chasm has also been patched out. This means that players will have to work a little harder for their money. You can also turn off updates by going to System Settings on your Switch, heading to the System tab, and turning off automatic software updates.

[caption id="attachment_390264" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Tears of the Kingdom v.1.2.0 full patch notes

The update was released on July 4, 2023.

General Updates

• By starting the game from within certain articles released on a specific Switch News channel (accessed via the HOME Menu) players can receive several in-game items.
  Depending on the state of gameplay progression or the location in which the data is reopened, there may be cases in which the items cannot be received.

Additional Fixes

• Fixed an issue where players could not progress beyond a certain point in the main quests “A Mystery in the Depthsâ€?and “Secret of the Ring Ruinsâ€? the side adventures “Hateno Village Research Labâ€?and “Lurelin Village Restoration Projectâ€? the shrine quest “Dyeing to Find Itâ€?/a>, and the side quests “Village Attacked by Piratesâ€? “The Incomplete Stableâ€? and “Seeking the Pirate Hideoutâ€? Downloading the update will allow players to proceed past that point.
• Fixed an issue preventing fairies from appearing under certain conditions when they originally should have appeared.
• Fixed an issue preventing the meals provided by Kiana of Lurelin Village from changing under certain conditions.
• Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Ultimately, patches are meant to bring greater stability to the game, though this comes at the cost of removing some exploits. Though the frozen meat glitch is gone, there may be other money-making tricks that are discovered at a later stage. Alternatively, you earn Rupees the honest way.

The post Frozen Meat Glitch ax?ed with latest Tears of the Kingdom upda??te (v.1.2.0) appeared first on Destructoid.

Get Cold, Hard Cash Fast

Since the launch of Tears of the Kingdom, there have been a few money-making glitches that players have happily exploited. Many of the exploits have been patched away, but there has been a new one found that is quick, reliable, and effective. The only downside is that it requires an ability that is acquired a few hours into the game, so the g??litch can't be used straight away.

To learn how to use the frozen meat glitch in Tears of the Kingdom, read on. Be aware that Tears of the Kingdom regularly receives updates, so although this trick works on all versi?ons currently (up to and including version 1.1.2), it could be patched away soon.

[caption id="attachment_387710" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Items Required for the Frozen Meat Glitch in Tears of the Kingdom

Prior glitches ha??ve been somewhat complicated and finicky, but this method requires just a few resources and it can be done repeatedly without fail. To do the glitch, you need two pieces of meat. The more expensive the meat you use, the more money you'll make.

Gourmet Meat is the best option, though other kinds of meat such as Raw Prime Meat will also work. Crabs and similar creepy crawlies don't work. You also need two weapons, and t??his can be something as simple as a tree branch.

Lastly, you need the Autobuild ability. It takes a bit of effort to unlock this ability, and a few quests need to be completed for Robbie. Using Autobuild requires Zoanite, so make sure you're stocked up on this as well. Once you've got everything y??ou need, it's time to get rich??.

[caption id="attachment_387712" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

How to Perform the Frozen Meat Glitch in Tears of the Kingdom

There are a few steps needed to do the frozen meat glitch, but it isn't anything that will have Link traveling to all the corners of the map or attempting to perfectly time item drops. When performed correctly, Link can make thousands of Rupees in mere minutes.

[caption id="attachment_387720" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

1. Create Meat Sticks

The first step involves fusing your chosen piece of meat onto a weapon. After this has been done, ?drop the weapon. Repeat the process, then use Ultrahand to fuse the meat sticks.

[caption id="attachment_387721" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

2. Create a Pile of Meat Sticks

Now that your meat sticks have been created, you can replicate them using? Au?tobuild. Do so, and fuse the two new meat sticks to the two original ones. Repeat this process until you have a fused pile of about twenty meat sticks.

[caption id="attachment_387717" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

3. Visit a Snowy Region

The next step is to find a snowstorm. The quickest way to do this is to warp to Orochium Shrine which is beside Snowfield Stable. From here, res??t at the inn until nightfall. Typically, when Link?? wakes up, a snowstorm will be raging. If not, simply sleep until the next evening.

[caption id="attachment_387716" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

4. Bring Up the Pile of Meat Sticks Again

With Link standing in the snowstorm, access the Autobuild ability and bring up the meat pile from Link's history. Do not build the meat pile - simply hold it up and let snow fall on it. In a sec?ond or two, piles of frozen meat will rain down. Claim the meat and repeat the process to your heart's content.

[caption id="attachment_387714" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

5. Cash out

With an inventory full of frozen meat, head to a buyer. If you're still at Snowfield Stable, simply speak to Beedle and he'll gladly buy Icy Gourmet Meat for 40 Rupees and Icy Prime Meat for 28 Rupees. Considering how quickly you can collect 500 pieces of meat, this method has th?e potential to make Link a very wealthy Hyrulea??n.

Consider saving some of that frozen meat because it is very useful when in a pinch. I??n addition to replenishing Link's hearts, frozen meat a??lso provides heat resistance, allowing Link to survive in hot climates without wearing special armor.

The post Get rich quick with this froz???en meat glitch in Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) appeared first on Destructoid.

A Link to the Past and a Breath of Something New

With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Link is back in Hyrule, but things aren't quite wh?at they used to be. Various communities across the land have been reacting to the changes quite differently. Over in Kakariko, for instance, strange ring-shaped ruins have fallen from the sky, and folks aren't sure what to make of it or how to proceed.

Hateno is also undergoing change, forcing its inhabitants to reconsider the village's core identity and its future. This is epitomized by fashion designer Cece and mayor Reede, who have very different visions of what will serve their beloved settlement best. "Team Cece or Team Reede?" is one of Tears of the Kingdom's more memorable questlines, and it parallels the franchise's own negotiations of convention and change within the mo?dern gaming landscape.

[caption id="attachment_382171" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Cece, Reede, and the Fate of Hateno Village in Tears of the Kingdom

Inhabited by the humanoid Hylians, Hateno Village is relatively small, and in Breath of the Wild, it is shown that the humble inhabitants mainly rely on agriculture. The village returns in Tears of the Kingdom, though things have changed slightly.

Many of the villagers no longer wear their regular rags, but instead sport mushroom-inspired outfits designed? by Cece. Though the designs may seem odd at first, it is apparent that they have caught on. Even outside of Hateno, Link regularly spots Hyruleans wearing co??lorful mushroom hats.

Cece's forward-thinking fashion benefits Hateno by bringing in a younger crowd. Unfortunately, conflict arises, as not everybod??y is on board with the sudden change. Some citizens are traditionalists, and they would much prefer things remain as they were. This is understandable??, as traditions often have deeply rooted reasons for their existence, even if they aren't overt. They'd rather see Hateno known for agriculture than fashion.

[caption id="attachment_382166" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Hateno Village's Mayoral Election and the Great Solution

The conflict reaches a peak during the quest titled "The Mayoral Election". Cece wants to lead the village into a future of mushroom-inspired fashion. On the other hand, Reede wishes to retain the agricultural heritage of the village. The two appear diametrically? opposed at first, but upon closer inspection, Link discovers that their ideologies aren't as incompatible as they initially seem.

Cece can't entirely turn her back on Hateno's traditions, and she is secretly in love with the village's vegetables! Similarly, Reede claims to be a tradition?alist, but he privately acknowledges the benefits of innovation. Hence, he has clandestine plans to team up with Nack and get the youth interested in agriculture by creating new pumpkins based on Cece's designs.

[caption id="attachment_382172" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

When election day rolls around, their secrets are revealed, and the two realize that they don't have to be enemies. Instead, innovation and tradition can be balanced to bring about the best benefits of both. As Reede concludes, the "best way to keep Hateno Village vibrant is to work together to combine traditional culture with new ideas". The lesson is a poignant one, and it addresses issues that have surrounded the new era of The Legend of Zelda.

[caption id="attachment_382167" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Is The Legend of Zelda on Team Cece or Team Reede?

When development for Breath of the Wild began, it seems like Nintendo was thinking deeply about ways to liven up and innovate the franchise. The reasoning behind this isn't complicated. As iconic The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma? explained in 2013, "things that don’t change with the times are going to get lost." It very much seems that there was a strong Cece-esque philosophy of wanting to draw in a? fresh audience. In the same interview, Aonuma also admitted that he hoped to "get more people into Link."

Nevertheless, there were certainly plenty of Reede-esque elements to the game, and despite the drastic format change, it is firmly rooted in the franchise's history. For instance, the non-linear gameplay that characterizes Breath of the Wild hearkens back to A Link Between World's de?sign. Rather than exclusively leaning into tradition or cla?wing for innovation, the two philosophies are harmonized.

[caption id="attachment_382168" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

The constant dynamic balancing of both tradition and innovation is also seen in Tears of the Kingdom, albeit in a bit more refined form. Once again, there are plenty of elements from the franchise's past presented. Most strikingly, the floating islands peppering Hyrule's upper regions will not be a new sight to anyone familiar with Skyward Sword.

Furthermore, the Temples of Tears of the Kingdom have been greatly inspired by past The Legend of Zelda titles. As art director Satoru Takizawa has explained, "the four Divine Beasts were the dungeons in the last game, and they shared similar designs. This time, the dungeons are huge and each carry their own regional look and feel, just like traditional The Legend of Zelda games."

[caption id="attachment_382170" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

This doesn't mean that Tears of the Kingdom has foregone innovation. Instead, it has leaned further into what Nintendo has dubbed the "open air" genre, which is something Aonuma has claimed will be the new format for the franchise going forward.

Much like Hateno Village, The Legend of Zelda has had to renegotiate its identity, and it's not always clear what the correct path forward is. In the end, as the inhabitants of Hateno discover, neither Reede's nor Cece's philosophy will lead to success in isolation. Instead, a delicate blend of the two is necessary, and when it is struck, the result is an experience as impactful as Tears of the Kingdom.

The post Tears of the Kingdom’s mayoral conflict reflects the series’ evolution over the years appeared first on Destructoid.

Monster Mash

Resident Evil 4 might not be the scariest? entry in the franchise, but it does feature some of Leon Kennedy's most desperate, action-packed moments. On hi??s quest to save the president,s daughter, Ashley, our hero fights his way through waves of infected villagers as well as some humongous monsters. Some of these foes are gigantic beasts, swaggering about and hurl boulders, while others are more agile and strategic, forcing Leon to carefully plan his attacks.

Thanks to Resident Evil 4 Remake, gamers can experience these exhilarating encounters once again, though due to the visual upgrades, things are more breathtaking than ever. The following 10 enemy encounters are, inarguably, some of t??he scariest in the entire game.

[caption id="attachment_378797" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Capcom.[/caption]

10. Chainsaw Man First Encounter

Leon's journey takes him to a rural village in Spain. All seems well at first, though it doesn't take long before he's being pursued by hordes of deranged villagers. As if the situation wasn't dire enough, the Chainsaw Man joins the pursuit not long after. This?? foe wears a sack over his head and wields a buzzing chainsaw which he waves everywhere. Unlike the rest of the v??illagers, it requires a lot more than a few bullets to take him down.

[caption id="attachment_378794" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

9. El Gigante

El Gigante isn't the prettiest fellow around. The massive monster is hunchbacked, has a small head, and resorts to throwing rocks to settle disputes. Attacking the cretin head-on will halt it, though to?? defeat it once a?nd for all, Leon must destroy the parasite erupting from its back.

[caption id="attachment_378795" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

8. Chainsaw Sisters

The murderous Chainsaw Sisters are double the trouble, and they come with a flood of z??ombified villagers. During the encounter, it's best to have Ashley hide in a locker while Leon throws everything he has at the Chainsaw Sisters. Once they're down, Leon can pick up the crank he needs to escape with?? Ashley.

[caption id="attachment_378793" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

7. Del Lago

Del Lago arrives with a splash, and nothing but harpoons will take it down. Leon defeats the beast in one of the most exciting encounters, as Del Lago pursues him ??while he flees in a speedboat. It is one of the first massive enemies Leon battles, and it is not easily forgotten.

[caption id="attachment_378805" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

6. Ramon Salazar

Ramon Salazar is a short, unintimidating man that players come across a few times during Resident Evil 4 Remake. It is only in Chapter 12 that Salazar takes his true form as a repulsive creature. It takes plenty of bullets to destroy Salazar, though he can also be killed with a golden egg, or two.

[caption id="attachment_378802" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

5. Plagas Arana

The scariest monsters aren't always the biggest. When Leon is traveling down a passage in Chapter 8, he will see a spider-like creature, the Plagas, skitter on the ceiling and out of sight. Seconds? later, the Plagas will jump on the back of a villager, and together they become an agile foe known as the Plagas Arana. The? encounter is a bit of a jump scare, and it requires fast reflexes to take the enemy down as it races toward Leon.

[caption id="attachment_378807" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Capcom.[/caption]

4. Osmund Saddler

Resident Evil 4 Remake's final boss is Osmund Saddler, who is the head of the Los Illuminados cult. When he takes ?on his monster form, he reveals himself to be a grotesque beast with many eyes and a long tail. The enemy is taken down in multiple phases, with the death blow coming courtesy of a rocket launcher.

[caption id="attachment_378804" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

3. Garrador

While traveling with Ashley in Chapter 7, Leon will be briefly separated from her when he falls the through the floor and finds himself face-to-face with a chained cretin. The Garrador is blind, so it relies on its hearing. It has long claws it swings wildly, which means Leon's evasion skills need to? be on ?point.

2. Armored El Gigante

The first encounter wit??h El Gigante is exciting, though it is quic??kly overshadowed by other spectacular monsters. However, it isn't the last time Leon will face this creature. In Chapter 8, the Armored El Gigante makes an appearance. Bullets won't suffice this time around, and Leon has to make use of cannons to finally topple him.

[caption id="attachment_378796" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

1. Bitores Mendez

Bitores Mendez is easily Resident Evil 4 Remake's scariest enemy. The man undergoes a horrifying transformation that turns him into a many-armed monster??. While dodging flames, Leon also has to evade the quick strikes from the beast. Mendez doesn't go down ea?sily, and Leon will have to throw everything he has at him if he hopes to make it out alive.

For gamers who want more Resident Evil 4 Remake terror, there is the upcoming VR mode to look out for. Capcom has yet to reveal its release date, though development is underway. If it is anything like the Resident Evil Village V?R mode, it is sure to be an experience that will leave players with goosebumps.

The post Top 10 scariest monster encounters in the Res?ident Evil 4 remake appeared first on Destructoid.

The Metal Devil is in the details

The Horizon franchise has never been afraid to go big and get flashy. With each entry, the machines get bigger and the stakes get higher. By the time Horizon Forbidden West's credits roll, Aloy has faced off against massive Tremortusks and clashed with a group of tech geniuses from outer space. With the recently released Burning Shores DLC, the battles ar?e taken to the next level??, with the final boss featuring the greatest battle thus far.

Despite the franchise's embrace of all things epic, Burning Shores illustr??ates that it is also capable of creating subtle yet impactful moments. This is seen with Aloy's relationship with Seyka which builds slowly, as well as with its environmental design that excels in both? form and function.

[caption id="attachment_376491" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Aloy and Seyka in Burning Shores

Not long after reaching Los Angeles, Aloy meets a Quen warrior named Seyka. They encounter machines, and Aloy impresses Seyka with her hunting skills, causing the two to form a bond of mutual respect and admiration. By the end of Burning Shores, Seyka and Aloy have completed several quests together, which has given them plenty of time to learn about each other. Before Seyka departs with her tribe, she confesses her feelings to Aloy. Regardless of whether players choose to have Aloy share a kiss with Seyka or not, it appears that the feelings are reciprocal, and this serves as confi??rmation that Aloy is queer.

Although it may come as a shock to some, signs of Aloy's sexuality have always been subtly present since Horizon Zero Dawn. Inadvertently, Aloy charms a few men during her journey, including Erend and Avad. However, she has never been receptive to their advances. This has caused some to suspect that Aloy may be asexual, though Burning Shores dispels that notion. When Seyka and Aloy are together, th??ere are often moments of adorable awkwardness, such as when Seyka gets nervous about sharing a Sunwing ride with Aloy.

[caption id="attachment_376467" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The queer narrative is an exten??sion of themes that have been woven throughout the franchise. During Aloy's adventures, she meets a?? slew of characters that fall outside of societal norms yet can still do very impressive things. This includes Kotallo who loses an arm but can keep up with Aloy when she goes on daring quests, as well as Talanah who defies the norms of the Carja tribe by becoming the first woman leader of the Hunters Lodge.

The Environmental Design of Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

Horizon Forbidden West is already a gorgeous game filled with lush natural environments and futuristic, sci-fi cauldrons. Burning Shores, which is a PS5 exclusive, offers improved visuals, making it one of the best-looking current-gen games. This is welcome, as Burning Shores contain some of the most beautiful environments ever seen in the franchi??se. The shorelines overlook a glassy ocean and the various archipelagos feature thick jungles, paradisical meadows, and thermal vents powerful enough to lift Aloy to the skies. Streams of magma also streak the terrain, giving the Burning Shores a unique aesthetic.

The environment also helps to set the stage for the game's events. Los Angeles may be dilapidated, but it is still the stomping grounds of celebrities thanks to Walter Londra. With his limitle??ss narcissism and desire to control everything and everyone around him, he takes celebrity worship to the next level by brainwashing some of the Quen and turning them into his devoted followers. It's quite easy to draw parallels between Londra and modern tech figures like Elon Musk.

[caption id="attachment_376471" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Londra almost begs players to hate him, though the DLC also subtly reveals that there is more to him than mee??ts the eye. On the surface, it appears that he is driven by pure selfishness to exploit those around him and that his desire to be worshiped is an expression of his narcissism. However, as players explore the Burning Shores, there are clues in the environment that reveal that Londra is capable of loving someone other than himself.

When Aloy discovers Pangea Park, which is an amusement park themed around dinosaurs, the environment reveals a tale of heartbreak between Londra and his wife, Evelyn. Acco??rding to a data point, Londra bought the park for his wife, and it was a place she loved. Hence, it is not surprising that a statue of Evelyn can be found at the center ??of the park. Unfortunately, their relationship doesn't last because she cheats on him.

Understanding Londra's past explains much of his current personality. His incessant desire for loyal worship may be borne from his wife's betrayal. It is quite obvious he hasn't gotten over it yet, as he desperately attempts to find a replacement for his wife among the Quen. Coincidentally, Aloy would make a good replacement, at least in terms of her image. Evelyn's statue in Pangea Park has her sparring against dinosaurs, making her look quite like Aloy battling machines. However, both Aloy and Londra know that she will never give him the devotion? he craves.

[caption id="attachment_376498" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

With each entry in Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise, the scope of the story expands and the dangers grow greater. What began as a tale about a woman fighting for her place in her tribe has ballooned into a plot involving evil AI, villains from Sirius, and yet another Elisabet Sobeck clone. Burning Shores illustrates that despite the increasing complexity of the plot, the franchise is still capable of paying attention to t??he finer details that leave a lasting impact.

The post Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC Excels With Its Subtlety appeared first on Destructoid.

Our Techno-Utopian Nightmare

Artificial intelligence has become an unavoidable trend, and with that comes an explosion of possibilities and fears. Though A.I. promises to free the masses from the suffering of alienated labor, it also threatens to render many redundant. In some sense, the blessing and curse of A.I. is that it may become too good, painfully exposing just? how inadequate our biological modes of being are.

In Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise, A.I. appears as both the villain and the hero, illustrating the dual nature of technology. Interestingl?y, the studio's science fiction vision appears to borrow heavily from H.G. Wells. Although it may seem counterintuitive at first, upon closer analysis, it becomes apparent that Guerrilla Games and Wells may have been trying to convey very similar messages through their art.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShJuY6Zl2Aw

Guerrilla Games and H.G. Wells

The story behind Horizon Zero Dawn's conception has been retold aplenty in the gaming community, as it demonstrates how creativity can be maximally harnessed with good leadership. After years of working on the Killzone franchise, Guerrilla Games realized that being a one-trick pony would not be a sustainable long-term strategy. Hermen Hulst, who was the studio head at the time, had the team pitch ideas about what games they'd like to work on. Out of that, the Horizon franchise was born.

During the pitching process, the team toyed with the idea of making a game based on H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, first published in 1895. The sci-fi novel is set in the distant year 802701, and at first, it appear?s that the perfect utopia has been achieved. However, upon closer inspection, readers discover that the class differences have been so exaggerated that humans have split into two races, and the rich and poor appear to be two separate species.

Though the idea of a Wells' game was scrapped, it doesn't mean that Guerrilla Games completely abandoned the iconic author. As Hermen Hulst has admitted when discussing The Time Machine: "Even though we ultimately didn’t pick it I suppose you can see some elements translated into Horizon". Wells fans will be aware that one of the races in The Time Machine is called the Eloi, a word that's quite similar to a certain? red-haired heroin?e's name.

[caption id="attachment_373329" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

The Horizon Between Biology and Bot

The War of the Worlds is perhaps Wells' most widely recognized text. It has found a ??special place in literary culture, and it is considered a seminal example of the alien invasion subgenre. Part of the novel's success comes from its descriptions captivating enough to cause mass panic when it was read in a 1938 radio program.

Through the vivid descriptions, W??ells brings to life the Fighting Machines that the invading Martians use to terrorize England. In an unexpected twist, what makes the Fighting Machines so awe-inspiring is not their technological prowess, but their resemblance to simple biological beings.

The narrator no??tes how the Fighting Machines are not a mess of cogs and wheels. Instead, they walk on spider-like legs that are powered by a "sort of sham musculature" that? electric currents run through. It is this "curious parallelism to animal motions" which was "so striking and disturbing to the human beholder". At one point, the animal-like nature of a Fighting Machine enchants the narrator so much that he "did not see it as a machine, in spite of its metallic glitter".

[caption id="attachment_373330" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

A similar effect is found in the Horizon franchise. The Machines that have enchanted fans seem more animal-l?ike than robotic, with many of them exhibiting reptilian or mammalian behavior. For players with an active enough imagination, it is also possible to form a bond with Aloy's mounts as ?if they were living pets.

Though the similarities between the machines of Guerrilla Games and Wells may seem merely poetic at first, it goes much deeper. The Corruptors, which bring destruction in Horizon Zero Dawn, walk on spindly legs much like the Fighting Machines, and they have the same skittish, animated style of motion described in The War of the Worlds. With the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West DLC, Burning Shores, it appears???? players will see more of the Horus Titans which sport tentacular appendages.

Hope During Dystopian Disasters

Wells' influence on the Horizon franchise has produced a unique variety of science fiction that represents a masterclass in worldbuilding. The peak of technology in both Wells' works and the Horizon franchise is represented, not by an austere, sentient computer like 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL 9000, but rather by biology mimics. These are perhaps the comforting video game villains needed now more than ever, when technology poses the risk of ushering in biological obsolescence. Humans can draw some superiority from, and feel flattered by, the fact that the higher t?echnology strives, the more it becomes like us.

The post The weird influence of H.G.?? Wells on Guerrilla Games�Horizon fra?nchise appeared first on Destructoid.

Golly, what a day...

As part of this morning's Nacon Connect live stream, the publisher offered up our first look at the gameplay of co-op action adventure Gangs of Sherwood, which i??s currently in development at Appeal Studios for PC and Gen 9 platforms. It is currently expected to launch in the fall of this year.

As the name suggests, Gangs of Sherwood is a multiplayer adventure set within an alternate?, steampunk-style take on the Robin Hood legend. Up to four players will step into the roles of warriors Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, and, of course, Robin of Loxley himself. The very early gameplay footage sees our band of outlaws battling their way through a castle, with each member of the party bringing bespoke weaponry and fighting skills as they sally forth past a squadron of guards.

The trailer ends with Sherwood Forest's finest facing off against a monstrous contraption of flesh and steel, known as "Red Roger of Nottingham". What is it with Nacon and rusty, aristocratic robots?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ_IRpUuj5c

While this alpha footage is a tad rough around the edges, I actually really dig the idea of a multiplayer hack 'n' slash title, and the novel twist on the tales of Robin Hood is a pretty bold concept. I don't see any sexy foxes, nor can I hear Brian Adams, so I'm assuming that this will be a particularly unique adaptation of the Totally Real and Definitely Existed hero. I'm especially eager to see what form Robin's nemesis, The Sheriff of Nottingham, will take in Gangs of Sherwood.

He's go?ing to be a massive fucking robot spider, isn't he?

Gangs of Sherwood is scheduled to launch this fall on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. You can check out an extended gameplay preview over on the official Steam store page.

The post Check out ??the first gameplay footage for Gangs of Sherwood appeared first on Destructoid.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre

The sequence comes around an hour into the story and lasts approximately 95 seconds. Lieutenant Hannah Stone, freshly showered from another terrible, violent day on the job, walks into the cafeteria of ?her headquarters for dinner. At the counter, she is handed fish soup, Bratwurst curry with potatoes, a blackcurrant jelly, and? a steaming cup of coffee. Well earned.

Taking a seat at an empty t?able, Hannah stares at the bowl. Atop her soup is a severed fish head. It stares at her. Hannah looks it in the eye, which peers back into her soul. Hollow. Unblinking. Accusing. Hannah discards the soup to one side, where even a hungry cat decides not to partake in the free meal. Picking up her fork, Hannah stabs it into the bratwurst, or at least attempts to, as?? the cutlery fails to even pierce the sausage's skin. Moving to the potatoes yields similar results, with the tots merely pinging violently off of the plate.

The jelly? Well, it scoops cleanly enough. Too cleanly, in fact, as it remains steadfastly glued to Hannah's spoon, refusing to budge, and looking far blacker now than it did in the dish. All that is left to rescue this sad meal is the coffee. And so, in the deafening silence of the hollow cafeteria, Hannah picks up the cup... Is that a literal skull she spies in the steam of the drink?

Hannah's dinner is ruined. The meal has been? a disaster.

The preceding sequence has no bearing on the plot, the characters, or the narrative themes of Wanted: Dead whatsoever. But, ??with that scene of culinary disappointment, the game capt?ured my heart.

Wanted: Dead (PS5 [reviewed] PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Developer: Soliel Ltd.
Publisher: 110 Industries
Released: February 14, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Wanted: Dead is a brand new third-person slasher/shooter, developed by Japanese studio Soliel and published by Swiss outfit 110 Industries. Described by its publisher as "a love letter to the sixth generation of video game consoles", Wanted: Dead wears its Spirit of '01 boldly on its sleeve, aiming to deliver a warts-and-all recreation of the clunky action, convoluted storytelling, and brutal, borderline unfair challe?nge of the run 'n' gun titles of the early-'00??s.

The story, at least as much as can be discerned from an occasionally incomprehensible script, follows a week in the life of privatized Hong Kong Black Ops team "Zombie Unit" �a "Suicide Squad" of sorts, comprised of ex-war criminals tasked with taking on the dirtiest of deeds in Hong Kong's underworld. Led by Swiss agent Hannah Stone, the unit, despite the locale, does not feature a single Asian member, such is the way with almost the entirety of Wanted: Dead's cast, perhaps offering the?? whiteist, most ridiculously Americanized vers?ion of the eastern world that fiction has seen in a long time.

This awkward anachronism forms the first of many mind-boggling aesthetic and thematic choices that infuse Wanted: Dead with its distinct identity. That is to say, Soliel's title openly embraces its own awfulness, while occasionally blowing minds with the arrival of a cool character, a satisfying spot of ultraviolence, or a top-tier bit of Carpenter-esque synth. All of the title's high points are juxtaposed with inane, repetitive enemies, a barely relevant gun customization system, relentlessly long stages, and exposition-free dialogue that would leave Roger Corman asking for "A b??it more script padding, please".

To be frank, Wanted: Dead is a? modern atrocity of game design. And I love it?.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=V??6aeZnsBZBc&ab_channel=110Industries

Set in an alternate cyberpunkian future, Asia has thrived in the A.I. market post-Cold War, lorded over by humanoid (think "Replicant") developer Dauer Synthetics. However, a violent smash-and-grab at the company's headquarters forces Dauer to declare bankruptcy, leading to corporate fallout and mass rebellion by the synthetic populace. Because they're apparently really good at being completely awful people, Zombie Unit is dispatched to investigate the mayhem, guided by police chief stereotype Cpt. Simmons and assisted by TV chef-turned-gunsmith Vivienne Niermantsverdriet, (portrayed by Stefanie Joosten of Metal Gear "Quiet" fame).

What follows is a series of incredulous shooting galleries as Stone and her squad massacre their way through crime scene after crime scene �Hannah's expert marksmanship and samurai-level swordplay turning the opposition into complete mush. Wanted: Dead is violent. Verhoeven violent. Hannah's enemies peel apart like wet tissue, pumped full 'o' lead then sliced and diced. This results in sloshy crimson fountains th???at leave everything and everyone in the vicinity looking like Carrie White's prom date.

There is an inherent "naughtiness" to Wanted: Dead's action, vulgarity, and narrative It knows that it's being crass, obnoxious, and shallow. And yet, even in our far evolved gaming world, there is something appealing about its simplistic coarseness. Wanted: Dead is real tough, with painful restart points, an awkward cover system, and sword fights that �while satisfying and dynamic �put Hannah in the morgue after just a few mistakes. At times, the game is almost comically difficult. It will set you up with a brutal mid-boss battle only to then not? reward you with a checkpoint immediately after. A police station invasion at the story's midpoint is merciless, and only the bloody-minded will se??e much further.

(Though a secret Easy mode is unlockable, Konami fans.)

Deadly Ammunition

I need to make one thing absolutely clear. The gameplay in Wanted: Dead is archaic by design. While the game is playable, enjoyable, and compelling, (I've already finished it on two difficulty settings), it is incredibly samey, long-winded, and seriously lacking in variance. You can never tell whether the title is aware of just how intentionally clumsy/old-school it is. Wanted: Dead chooses chaos every step of the way.

The abominable NPC banter, the bullet-sponge enemies, the "one appearance" mechanics, Shoot the Red Barrel for Explosion. Endless rows of unopenable doors. Characters repeating themselves in battle over and over again... "Grenaaaade!" "Reinforcements!" "Get that bitch!" "Grenaaaade!" "Reinforcements!" "Get that bitch!". One villain simply has Tom Cruise's likeness. Sure, why not?

Are they all in on the joke? They might well be... And if so, then we're the punchline, Jack.

Still, there is something so attractive about the simplicity of the whole affair, a flower of wanton indulgence grown from a plot of dirt. The characters are all universal dopes of dubious moral fiber, but they're still bizarrely warm and likable. Some of the dialogue has terrible "first ??take" cadence, (Tommy Wiseau/Barry Burton levels), yet becomes oddly endearing. As for the score, it's legitimately cool, featuring a host of original songs (some performed by Joosten herself) along with a handful of '80s covers. If you wanna eat ramen to The Divinyls' "I Touch Myself", have I got the game for you.

It's this curious amalgamation of design that keeps Wanted: Dead's blood pumping. Whenever you begin to tire of the stringently old-school gameplay, one of Vivienne's cats wil?l break the fourth wall, or you'll encounter a genuinely cool setpiece or boss character. Even the story cinematics are packed with variance, bouncing between in-engine machinima, FMV, and traditional anime. Which all adds to the ti?tle's frenetic "lucky dip" approach to style, tone, and thematic choice.

When not dishing out police procedure at the point of a katana, Hannah and friends can relax with a selection of unlockable mini-games. These include rhythm-action escapades based upon speed-eating ramen, or chilling out with Vivienne for a Karaoke duet. Hannah can also build up a collection of character figurines via some surprisingly authentic crane games, which are just as frustrating to play as the real thing. In addition, a full seven-stage shmup, Space Runaway, can be found within the Zombie Unit H.Q. and is, in itself, a fun endeavor that recalls genre classics such as Gradius and R-Type.

In order to improve her battle abilities, Lt. Stone can visit the shooting range for score-attack action, or take on VR opponents in sword-based showdowns. Mastering Hannah's abilities is a key component to enjoying Wanted: Dead. A skill tree allows for the unlocking of new moves, better defense, and evasive actions, all of which are top priorities. Our girl is pretty underpowered from the off �which will potentially scare off impatient players �But the more you refine your headshots, frame-perfect parries, and gory finishers, the less frustrating your melee mayhem will be??.

And, for everybody else, there are chainsaws.

Loose Canon

For all of its tongue-in-cheek "flaws by design", Wanted: Dead does have one major point of contention. Despite offering a cast of fun weirdos and a cool futureworld for its storytelling, the narrative actually goes nowhere. Multiple threads are cast and then instantly dropped, while exciting and intriguing characters �such as the cloaked assassin K??olchak, the sexy insurance agent Madam Wong, and the innocent synthetic, October �ar?e introduced as main players only to simply vanish a scene or two later.

Fatally, just as the threads of the plot are coming together... the credits roll. And while Soliel should be praised for not letting the unvarying gameplay outstay its welcome, (approx. 11 hours dependent on skill), there is so much left on the table in terms of the central thread and individual character arcs. Having gone through the game twice, I'm still utterly disoriented in regard to the main conspiracy, the villains, their motives, and Zombie Unit's reasoning. Hannah herse?lf leaves the tale riddled with questions, while several characters are s??imply M.I.A. by the halfway mark.

Insert "Scenes Missing" placard.

Clearly, Wanted: Dead has been produced as Act One of a possible three-act play. So y'all better go buy it, as I, and the rest of the?? gaming world, need more of Vivienne and her 11 cats in our lives.

//www.youtube.c?om/wa?tch?v=YJQYNrGUWQA&ab_channel=110Industries

'Where's that fluffy bastard?'

Are you a video game fan who complains about mechanics such as free-to-play, always-online, gacha, games-as-a-service, forced multiplayer, empty open worlds, crafting, constant gear stat introspection, microtransactions, or the infamous "UbiBloat"? Well, guess what, they made a game that doesn't have any of those things. Not one. Admittedly, it doesn't have a lot ??of other things too: Ray tracing, a coherent storyline, co-op mode, varied g??ameplay/enemies, character shadows, or An Ending.

There is also the subjective, but important, point of pricing. How much is too much to pay for a game of this caliber? And does its "Bargain Bin" theme suggest that it deserves a matching price point? The answer is between you and your wallet. Read other reviews and we?igh up the odds. Buyer beware, friend.

Wanted: Dead is the best worst game I've played in years, and is absolutely not for everybody. It's barely for anybody. It's antiquated in many ways, whether intentionally or otherwise, and it's also rock solid, throwing the player in the deep end and telling them to buckle up. Yet, in fascinating fashion, the PS2-era gameplay, wanton violence, narcotic atmosphere, and gratuitous scripting are just inexplicably appealing. I mean, we did all want a sequel to The Punisher, right?

You can question the necessity for such a title in 2023, but there's no questioning the passion and boldness with which it attacks the zeitgeist, leaving a beautiful mess in its wake. Other games whisper and tiptoe, terrified of not falling into the Exact Genre Parameters that constitute success in the AAA gaming space. By comparison, Wanted: Dead stumbles into the party uninvited �whiskey in hand, pants 'round its ankles, bellowing "99 Luftballoons". It takes the o??pportunity to flip the bird at a nearby Soulslike, b??efore telling a billion-dollar shooter to eat shit. Then it falls over a chair and vomits.

A hangover of abandoned game design, dressed up in unruly aesthetics and powered by cyberpunk Pat Benatar. The unforgiving gameplay and repetitious action will leave some utterly appalled, but the radiant cast of reprobates, silly mini-games, baffling dialogue, and shameless commitment to the bit results in one of the most bewildering, hypnotic releases in some time. Simply put: Wanted: Dead is a fucking train ?wreck, and you?? better get your ticket punched.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Wanted: Dead appeared first on Destructoid.

Selene's odyssey starts again, and again, and...

Alongside the news that The Last of Us Part I is coming to PC in March 2023, Sony also took time at The Game Awards to offer a release window for a PC port of Housemarque's dazzling space adventure, Returnal �As revealed in a short tr??ailer, the time-skipping title will hit Steam and Epic Games Store in early 2023.

Launching in April 2021 as a showcase piece for the burgeoning PS5 platform, Returnal is the story of an intrepid space explorer, Selene, who crash lands on a mysterious planet, playing host to the remnants of some lost, undiscovered civilization. Meeting an untimely end soon after jettisoning her spa??cecraft, Selene finds hersel??f resurrected back in its cockpit, doomed to relive life, after life, after life until she can uncover the mystery behind this strange world and, hopefully, find her way back home.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iNGNYuR5_8&am??p;ab_channel=PlayStation

Developed by shmup enthusiasts Housemarque, Returnal combines the team's love of bullet hell gameplay with its proven talent for creating eye-popping visuals, dramatic lightning effects, and wide palette of splendid colors, in order to create a compelling third-person adventure. Celebrated for its challenging action, lush environments, and intriguing story of self-reflection, Returnal was an early hit for Sony's fancy new hardware and was ??almost custom-made for the splendor and power of the PC platform.

Returnal launches on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in early 2023.

The post Returnal comes pew-pewing onto PC in early 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Acclaimed remake headed to Steam

Spring, perhaps best known for its bright lights, sweet flowers, and promise of a sparkling new year, will find itself a little clouded over in the coming year, following the news that brutal misery fest The Last of Us Part I will be making its? way to PC, (via Steam??) on March 3, 2023.

As announced during yesterday evening's Game Awards, Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed (if somewhat expensive) remake will be making the leap from PS5 to desktops everywhere, offering PC players the chance to check out its modernized gameplay mechanics, overhauled controls, and stunning visual clarity �not to mention its hugely impressive ran?ge of new accessibility options.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW??5NwaUXgIA&ab_channel=??PlayStation

The Last of Us Part I is the definitive edition of the award-winning 2013 release �a grim tale of ?two survivors thrust tog?ether within a rapidly decaying world. Celebrated for its gut-punch storytelling, frightening array of mutants, and claustrophobic atmosphere, The Last of Us would be remastered for PS4 just one year later, before receiving the full remake treatment in September of this year.

The Last of Us Part I launches on PC March 3, 2023 with pre-orders now live on Steam. Additionally, Netflix's live-action adaptation, The Last of Us, wi??ll ??hit the streaming service on January 15, 2023.

The post The Las?t of Us Part?? I brings gloom to PC March 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.