The Chicken Statue is an excellent source to earn different rewards in Fields of Mistria, which includes loot items and cosmetics.

Located in the Sw?eetwater Farm, it doesn't take too long to come across the statue. You can make ??your offerings by interacting with the statue, which will require you to spend some Beads. Let's take a look at all the available rewards you can get, which include special cosmetics.

Disclaimer: List to be updated based on Update 0.12.

Complete list of Fields of Mistria Chicken Statue rewards

Once you interact with the Chicken Statue, you'll have to spend Beads to get the rewards. The rewards are random, but they are affected by the in-game season. You can spend 10 or 100 Beads, dependin?g on the possible rew?ard you want to obtain.

Once we have found out all the new rewards and their corr??esponding requirements, you'll find them added to the table mentioned above.

While the cosmetics are certainly unique, lo??ots having recipes and raw materials can be quite useful. The recipes are required to create the items, that in tu?rn, need the raw materials.

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Laterite and Aluminum are two crucial resources in Astroneer, but the game? doesn't r??eally do a good job of explaining where you might find them.

In fact, Aluminum can't be obtained directly, which makes it essential to get Laterite from its natural source. Finding the resources will be vital to clear a few of the available missions before you get to "A Core C??oncept" (a must if you want to reach the Aeolux system). Let's find out how you can find these two resources in Astroneer and what the most efficient way of farming them is.

How to get Laterite in Astroneer

Laterite is the raw ingredient used to produce Aluminum in Astroneer??. To find this resource, you'll have to explore Sylva's cave systems. You'll specifically want to look for red-blue-colored nodes popping off the ground. This resource is found in the caves of every available planet, including where you start.

The biggest difficulty in mining laterite is the depth. You'll have to go deep to find them, and there's the risk of running out of Oxygen. You'll want to carry a lot of Resin to avoid that, which will help you create some emergency Oxygen cyli?nders. But it's also pretty easy to get lost in the caves, as it can be extremely dark.

The best thing to? do is to create a line of tethers and extend them from your base. Ideally, you'll want to carry them on your backpack and create a tunnel from the surface. Make sure to create the space properly to quickly get back up to the surface. Falling from a height could also kill you, so you'll want to avoid that.

Once the network of ??Tethers is established, you can mine a lot of Laterite. Once you discover a spot inside the caves, you can then use your terrain tool to get ??the resource.

How to find Aluminum in Astroneer

Once you have found Laterite, you can convert it to Aluminum using the Smelting Furnace. That's the best way to farm Aluminum, which is required to produce different types of items. You can also obtain this resource using the Trade Platform?, but that's not a sustainable?? method.

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Brighter Shores early access build has a host of different console commands available for the users, and they will help you ?surpass some of the limitations when it comes to general functionality.

The new launch has been pretty popular among gamers, and its free-to-play nature has draw?n in new players to the genre. So far, the console commands available in the game are largely basic in nature. In fact, they are mostly related to the settings side of things, rather than allowing you to use them as cheats. Nevertheless, some of them are? incredibly helpful, and they allow you to bypass some of the limitations that are part of the default client.

Complete list of Brighter Shores console commands

Let's first take a look at the full set of console commands available currently in Brighter Shores.

As I mentioned, the console commands don't help you to enable hacks like God Mode by any chance. Given the nature of Brighter Shores, that will be completely unfair on the g??eneral popular base, and allow some to gain ??an undue advantage.

There are variables as well that are part of the console commands. It's best not to tweak with them, as they're related ?to the developer side of thin??gs in Brighter Shores.

Make sure not to change the default values of the variables unless you want to end up breaking something important inside your in-game client.??

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Lithium is one of the most helpful resources you'll find in Astroneer, and its utility hasn'??t changed with the launch of the Glitchwal?kers DLC.

If anything, more re??sources are required than on previous occasions, as you won't be able to travel to the new system without them. One of the many quests that you'll need to complete before being able to jump to the Aeoluz system will require you to "unearth" (pretty ironic) this specific resource. Let's find out how you can extract lithium inside the game and the different ways to use it.

Best sources of Lithium in Astroneer

Astroneer has a fair amount of space travel, and this?? is required in your pursuit of finding specific resources. In fact, the space travel portion of the base game will teach you the more advanced concepts associated with the content of the Glitchwalkers DLC.

To find lithium, your best bet is Vesania and Novus. The ??former is a colorful space that will test your survival limits. Compared to your starter planet, Vesania has a more rugged biome. The planet is an excellent source of two minerals, Titanite and Lithium, in general. To find the latter, you'll want to explore the caves, and they're hard to miss.

You can also try getting the resources from Novus, which is incidentally the moon of Vesania. I found Novus to be slightly more welcoming (relative to how space feels), but traversing the moon is very hard. You'll ne??ed ?a rover for starters, so I will rely on Vesania to find the resource for the discussion.

There is an alternate way that doesn't involve any space travel. You can exchange 4 scraps at the Trade Platform to gain 1 Lithium. There's a limitation of 2 Lithium that you can obtain ??by this method, and hence, it's best not to rely on this specific method.

To extract the resource, you'll need to use the Terrain Tool. Just point towards a deposit and extract as much resource as possible. Try to enter Vesania with a clear inventory, as it would help you to get more lithiu?m in one go.

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The Glitchwalkers DLC is now live in Astroneer, and a lot has changed as part of the new content. But to? enjoy all of that, you'll need to ??be able to access the expansion first.

The Glitchwalkers DLC is the first major expansion that has been released by developers System Era Softworks, and there are plenty of great reasons to be excited a??bout it. But first things first, you'll want to play a part of the core game to gain access to the new planet Aeoluz. Whether you're a beginner or a returning veteran of the game, this guide will help you gain access to the new gameplay content.

How to access the Glitchwalkers DLC in Astroneer

For starters, you'll have to buy the Glitchwalkers DLC, and this part is pretty obvious. You can do this by either getting the Glitchwalkers Edition or purchasing the DLC separa?tely. There's a big discount currently available on both, so make sure not to pay extra in the future.

Then, you'll have to begin on your base planet and go through the initial set of quests. The specific quest that you'll need to complete is called "Glitchwalkers." It can be viewed from the mission log, and it's hard to miss as the mission name is entirely in caps. The missio??n in discussion comes right after the "Well, That's Weird" quest.

How to get to Planet Aeoluz in Astroneer

Once you complete "Well, That's Weird," you'll gain a new mission in the log named "A Core Concept." This quest is p??retty easy to complete - simply activate the core of the planet you're on, and this will get the job done. You'll also ?gain a few in-game rewards for your efforts.

Then begins a new mission called "Is This Thing On," followed by "Heya." These quests are story-based content that doesn't really need you to do anything. Then comes "Maintenance Issu?e," followed by "Storm's a Brewing."

Once y??ou interact with the Landing Pad, you'll get one Ruby and a schematic. Opening the Ruby will activate a mission called No Place Like Home. To complete this, you'll need to complete the following activities.

• Use Ruby in a storm found on any other planet other than Sylba.
• Process the encrypted data using the Research Chamber.

Once the research is done, begin "Bootstrapped for Cache" and "Thinking with Portals." The Portal can be found at the Landing Pad, and there are certain restrictions for you when activating it. Activating it will create a portal door that looks like something made by Dr. Strange. Thi??s begins the "Fools Rush In" quest, which requires you to rush into the Portal.

This Portal is your gateway to the Aeoluz system, where you'll be able to create a new adventure game. Now, if this sounds confusing, you can always check out the following video ??from OneLastMidnight, which immensely helped me to reach the system fast.

Also note that it will take you some time to activate a planet's core, which will help you grasp the basics of Astroneer and its core concepts.

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When it comes to enjoying different stage maps in Vampire Survivors, the choices are more than enough.

The base game itself offers plenty of different stages to begin with, even though some of them are hidden at first. With the introduction of post-launch DLCs, new maps and stages have been added to the core lot. That said, you'll still?? want to have the full information about how to access all of them. While the normal maps can be unlocked quite easily, the hidden stage maps can be tricky to find in the first ??place.

All normal stage maps in Vampire Survivors

The normal stage maps are available to everyone by default, and they will provide you ??with a first taste of the gameplay and what ??to expect in more advanced stages.

All bonus stage maps in Vampire Survivors

The following stages can?? be unlocked once you've gained access to Hyper Mode. Hyper Mode is a boosted version of the default stage, and it makes you and your enemies far more efficient. ?Here is how you can unlock the Hyper Mode across all five story mode stages.

• Mad Forest: Kill the Giant Blue Venus monster
• Inlaid Library: Kill the Nesuferit monster
• Dairy Plant: Kill the Sword Giant
• Gallo Tower: Kill the Giant Crab
• Cappella Magna: Kill the Trinacria

All Inverse stage maps in Vampire Survivors

Once you find Gracia's Mirror on the Eudaimonia Machine stage, you can unlock the Inverse mode. The Inverse mode allows you to try out the normal sta??ges but you can play upside down. The modifiers also und?ergo a change from their default version.

All Hidden stage maps in Vampire Survivors

Hidden or secret maps require you to complete a specific task to unlock? them.

That's all the stages that are available in Vampire Survivors following the October update. Alw??ays remember that future DLCs are more than likely to add new stages to test the players and their survival skills.

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Completing different quests in Mirthwood can earn you some really cool rewards, and The Joke is On You is one?? ?such example.

If you're curious by the name i??tself, no, it's not a comedy show. Instead, completing the quest will unlock a fantastic outfit inside the game. But for that, you'll have to find the outfit first. To do so, you'll have to unearth all three ??parts of the outfit, and for that, you'll need to know the exact location. Now, finding the parts might not be earth-shattering by any means, but it still helps if you know where to look.

Mirthwood The Joke is On You quest guide

The quest can be started once you're in Brightoak. Go and speak to Dobbin, who can be found just to the left of the Blacksmith (in front of?? Bog and Briar). While there will be several response options available to you, the correct one is "I'll find the clothes."

Here's the li??st of all three items that you'll have to?? find to complete the quest.

• Jester's Hat
• Jester's Garment
• Jester's Tights

Thankfully, all three items can be f??ound in Brig??htoak, which means that you won't have to travel long to get them.

You can check out the following images for the locations of the ??Tights and Garment, respectively?.

Once you find all three parts of the outfit, you can equip it on your character in Mirthwood.

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Those in the horror scene will be more than aware of Phasmophobia's long-awaited console release. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ports of the game launched just a day ago. However, as with so many new releases in this m??odern gaming era, there are a few teething problems.

In this case, it's effecting players on the Xbox. A recent post over on Reddit has noted how Phasmophobia crashes when played on the Microsoft console. While this may only be a problem with the trial version, developer Kinetic Games has issued a brief statement on social medi??a.

Posting to X, the studio has acknowledged that there are problems when booting up the trial version on Xbox Series X|S. An additional post says the team has "continued to investigate this issue" and will be sending out a fix as soon as possible. For now, it's best to keep an eye on any updates??.

New content for the spoopy season

The console ports have gone hand-in-hand with the game's recent Halloween "Crimson Eye" patch, which features the Blood Moon event, and some tweaks to the game. This includes �according to the patch notes �optimization improvements, the ability to?? invite people via your Steam friend's list, crossplay with the aforementioned PS5 and Xbox releases, plus plenty of fixes.

The console ports of Phasmophobia have felt like a long time coming. The game originally launched for PC back in September 2020 and �perhaps because of the pandemic which saw gaming ex??perience a massive uptick in popularity a??s billions were confined to their homes �the indie horror game became a massive success.

Kinetic has been promising PlayStation and Xbox versions for some time now??, so it feels like a relief to many that they can now get stuck into the ghost hunting phenomenon. So long as the developer keeps an eye on any i??ssues that are plaguing console players.

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In a world in which the AAA gaming sphere has the resources to muscle its way to the top of the conversation pile, we should always strive to give indie studios a look-in. Take Time Flies as an?? example. This rather twee-looking game from developer Playables feels like it has a certain amount of heart built into it, with lashings of? irreverent existentialism.

I remember it being announced a few years ago, with a premise that feels equal parts unique and niche. Time Flies is a hand-drawn indie game in which you take on the role of a fly, and the developer has recently announced that i?t'll be dropping sometime in 2025.

The vibe of the game is that, while you get to buzz around as a flying insect, you'll also come face-to-face with your own mortality. You see, Time Flies is touting itself as more than just a way o??f taking control of a fly; it's a note about the shortness of our real lives.

Ticktock, everyone

A recent post on X from Michael Frei shows that, while a release window is now in-mind, they are still "pudding it together," with a short clip uploaded alongside the post that shows the titular fly planting face-fir?st into some jello.

Actually, the best way for me to describe the game is to let the Steam page do it:

In Time Flies, you’re a fly - your life is short and your bucket list is long! Learn an instrument, read a book, become rich, get drunk, or make someone smile. And if you don’t feel like pursuing your goals, you can just relax, clean your wings, and listen to ??music. Make the best of the time you have left, because we’re all going to die.

You'll get to "explore a painstakingly hand-drawn, densely detailed world" that boasts many goals to complete. Additionally �because this is still gunning for a??n existentialist slant �there are an assortment of "intriguin??g ways to die," as well as a "grimly variable life expectancy based on player location."

It's hard to know whether it's going to be something th?at's making a lighthearted statement about the obvious fragility of life as a mortal being, or whether it'll be more of an unexpected gut-punch. I suspect the latter, but we won't know until sometime next year.

If you are interested in Time Flies, you can wishlist the game now. It's coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation (presumably PS5?). No mention of an Xbox vers??ion yet, however.

The post Time Flies, the adorable ??indie game about the shortness of life, is coming in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Fans of Vampire Survivors simply can't get enough of the pixelated chaos. While some of us are choosing to play the game on Xbox (me), others go for the PC version, while a few may be opting for the Switch or even mobile ports. Howev??er, PlayStation users have been out of luck thus far.

When will PS4 and PS5 users get to play the indie ??hit sensation? Currently, there's still no word on that, but developer Poncle has given an update about what's happening on that front.

In a couple of posts on X/Twitter recently, the Vampire Survivors creator said this is the first time the team has been "going through submission processes on PlayStation," which means it's "taking a little? longer than usual." The developer is also doing some "trial and error on Trophies" to get them just right.

Patience will be appreciated

This does, however, mean that a PS4 and PS5 version could still be some way off, but Poncle has assured us that fans will know more about a "solid date" as soon as possible. Many in the comments are just grateful to be getting any? kind of update at this point.

An immediately gripping experience, Vampire Survivors has been a pretty big deal since it released in October 2022. Currently, it has an Overwhelmingly Positive review score on Steam, helped by the studio contin??uing to pump out n??ew content.

We recently got the Operation Guns DLC, which mixes the vanilla experience with some bombastic Contra-style action. If you want to know what it's like to actually be the bullet hell, you should absolutely check the game out. Here, I did a Vampire Survivors guide to get you started.

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The last major update for Phasmophobia was the big Ascension reset that r?olled out last August. Since then, developer Kinetic Games has been sending out hotfixes and smaller updates; little tweaks here and ther??e, but nothing to write home about. But there is one thing on the way, and it's coming soon.

As outlined in a recent post on Steam, Phasmiophobia will get the "Eventide" patch on Tuesday, June 25. Along with some Ascension adjustments, "a host of optimizations, cha?nges, and fixes," we're also getting a new map: Point Hope, which looks like it wil?l be a lighthouse.

Now, we knew this was in the pipeline, but according to the developer, the? adjustments to the current build and the new location were originally planned to be separate releases.

But is it what everyone actually wants?

I'm a big fan of Phasmophobia and I'm very excited about checking out the new map next week. However, if y??ou look at the comments under the post on X I've embedded above, it seems many are more keen for the anticipated console port of t?he game.

Indeed, Kinetic did address this on Steam, but it doesn't really say anything more than the team is "still working to meet the high standards we've set for the game." The console version of Phasmo has already been delayed a couple of times, sadly. For now, there's no release date yet, but the me??ssage assures us that details will be inbound "wit?hin the next few weeks." So hold onto that, at least.

Aside from the smaller campsite and changes to the asylum locations, it feels like forever since we've had a brand-new map. Maple Lodge Campsite arrived October 2021, so Point Hope does at least give us something new to play with. Either that, or we can get one of those Cursed Monkey Paw plushies.

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The Monke Simulator demo is available as part of Steam’s Next Fest, and if you’re a fan of parkour games or surrealist primate fantasies, you should give it a look??.

Monke Simulator starts out as so many adventures do: with a group of caged apes being dropped into the heart ?of ??a volcano by a small army of drones. After breaking free of your cage, you need to jump, wall run, and dash your way to freedom. From there the game throws you into level after level of unique challenges that, at least in the demo, don’t seem to have any narrative linking them together. 

Vine grind to victory

But who needs narrative when you’ve got apelike speed? Maybe these apes were being volcano dumped because of their borderline supernatural powers. Running through levels, you can slide along vines like you’re playing some kind of Tony Hawk Pro Skater game, and your super intelligence allows you to use tools like a grappling hook and a banana blaster. Those help you avoid deep trenches of water and break down barriers in your path, but they also let you fight the enemies that are trying to prevent you from getting your next banan (there’s no time for that last syllable in Monke Simulator). 

I had a?n absolute blast splattering nasty humans into gore while swinging my way through the half-dozen or so levels featured in the game’s demo. In between levels you can head to a hub area to purchase upgrades and encounter a few zany apes. Tricking out my ape’s toolset gave me a solid motivation to try and earn the maximum rewards for every level. Initially I had some trouble navigating the strange forest landsc?apes, but once I tapped into my innate ape brain, my runs started flowing more smoothly. 

Monke see, monke wishlist

I’m a sucker for a good speedrunning game, and Monke Simulator scratched that itch. I laughed out loud more than a few times when run??ning around the various levels. Discovering a stoner monkey hideout in the game's hub was a highlight, and blowing humans to bits with my handheld banana canon never stopped being ??funny. The tone is supported by some solid speedrunning mechanics, and I frequently found myself sitting on a single level until I earned my gold medal.

Even the early levels featured in the demo provide a varied set of challenges and multiple paths to explore, plus there's the upgrade system to encourage you to sharpen your skills. Monke Simulator only has a vague 2024 release wi??ndow for now, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for when developer Totem Softproducts announces the actual date.

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Extreme BMX mail delivery game Parcel Corps begins its chaotic route on September 3, 2024. Developer Billy Goat Entertainment revealed its release date in the latest gameplay trailer debut at the Future Games Show 2024 br??oadcast.

With just a hint of underlying hostilities, the fresh gameplay footage is narrated by Will Barr, managing director at Billy Goat Entertainment, trying to sell the viewer on its vibrant industrial ??harbor locale and quirky cast of shopkeepers in what could be mistaken for a desperate plea for help.

There are nine playab??le cyclists to take for a ride and enlist with their choice of three competing delivery factions in your race to become the best mail courier in town. It's a lot to juggle while also thwarting the schemes of the game's villain, an oil baron named Rich Villainé, who operates Polar Petroleum PLC.

Timed delivery missions ask players to ride, grind, slide, and wall-ride their way across the town of New Island, bounding between rooftops, riding along shipping containers, and skidding under fences to deliver packages to demanding clients. It's a modern meeting of Paper Boy and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

Originally announced at the 2023 PC Gaming Show, Parcel Corps is finally approaching the finish line to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) this fall. Those intereste??d can take the game out for an early test ride by downloading the demo available on Steam now.

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When I read the description for the Evolution Survival demo on Steam’s Next Fest page �“a survival game where the universe evolves around you��I thought it might be a bit like Spore. It was not like Spore.

The game is scheduled for release this December, and it takes place on a solitary planet inhabited by bizarre creatures and surrounded by a stunning array of stars. You wake up on an island, unclothed, unhoused, and hungry. You start gathering wood and rocks to build campfires, tools, and a primitive shelter. Or, if you’re like me, you run into an overly aggressive animal and die immediatel??y. No worries, there’s always the next generation, though without a shelter, it’s forced? to spend the night wading through darkness. 

Speeding through history

Life goes on until it doesn’t. Time is sped up in Evolution Survival, and it doesn’t take long for you to notice that the planet you’re trying to survive on isn’t all that stable. Sometimes,w a massive sun floats overhead, roasting you a??nd all the other blocky little creatures alive. Occasionally, a gleaming white dwarf takes center stage in the sky, and even though it looks pretty nice, it’s not warm enough to keep the planet alive. The oceans freeze over, but wave sound effects still drift up from beneath their icy surface. Your character dies, respawns, and groans in pain as the environmental damage saps its life away over and over again until a more stable sun rises. 

The game’s evolution system doe??sn’t just affect the stellar bodies above you and the weather around you. As each day progresses, the animals and even the landscape start to shift. Seeing each wave of creatures take on a new shape is exciting, but I’d also find myself chasing a rock for my latest tool, only to have it vanish with the?? sudden passage of time. Even when it frustrated me, there was something delightful about seeing the world slowly change to take on new forms. 

No math necessary

Of course, as I played, I couldn’t help but think of 3 Body Problem, the book, the Netflix show, and the game depicted in each. In 3 Body Problem, the characters exist in an ever-changing world, and their only hope for building a sustainable civilization is to mathematically determine their planet's orbit between its suns. Evolution Survival lets you host a server for your friends, so you are trying to gather resources to build sprawling structures and form a civilization together. Unlike 3 Body Problem, though, there's no solu??tion to be found and no promise of survival.

In stable periods, Evolution Survival plays like a pretty straightforward survival game. When everything falls apart, and the chaos stretches on for what feels like years, the game feels a bit like an exercise in existentialism. You might be able to build a fledgling society with a server full of friends, but eventually, a rogue star will wipe you all out of existence. Still, there’s something oddly satisfying about struggling against the inevitable. At least yo?ur ruins will remain for your future generations to discover. I’ll be excited to see what the game has in store when it releases sometime in December 2024. 

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On display during both the Guerilla Collective event and the Latin American Games Showcase 2024, Bittersweet Birthday is an action-RPG that fuses Soulslike dodgi??ng with bullet hell chaos. The story-driven adventure is aiming for a specific type of challe??nge, and a demo is now live ahead of a planned Q2 2025 launch.

The start of Bittersweet Birthday �which has World Eater Games developing and DANGEN Entertainment publishing �finds you waking up without any memories. As you attempt to flee the dangers lurking in this mysterious location, a voice comes through the speaker system and offers ??a means of escape. From there, you'll have to pick up the pieces of your past and venture forth through the challenges that await.

You can get?? an idea of how the story unfolds and see some of the promised multi-phase boss battles in the announcement trailer below.

The team at World Eater Games first launched an Indiegogo campaign for Bittersweet Birthday back in August 2021. 341 backers pushed it past its $23,000 goal to make development a possibility, and now you can try it for yourself in a demo that's live on Steam. 

Beyond the enigmatic narrative and intense battles, Bittersweet Birthday has a few ways for players to s??tretch out and relax in its world. There are mini games like darts and gachapon, the latter of which has 48 collectibles to pick up while playing. There are also side quests that give you a chance to hunt down secrets and unlock more Memories.  

The team cites a handful of inspirations, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Undertale, Hyper Light Drifter, OneShot, and the Monster Hunter series. When Bittersweet Birthday launches next year, it will be available on PlayStation 5, Xb??ox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch,?? and PC.

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The inspirations behind developer Canari Games' Castaway are apparent as soon as its trailer begins. With loving aesthetic and gameplay nods to The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening at the forefront, Castaway is lookin??g to carve a place of its own in the top-down adventure game space when it hits consoles and PC this year.

The addition of consoles and the 2024 release window were both revealed during the AG French Direct Showcase on May 29. After some spirited footage and catchy tunes, Canari Games founder Johan Vinet steps in for a brief developer diary highlighting some of what makes Castaway unique. You may remember Vinet from his first project, cinematic platformer LUNARK, the development of which took around four to five years. See more of what Canari Games? is working on next below. 

Vinet immediately says that Castaway is paying tribute to "the Zelda games released on Game Boy in the early '90s," only in miniature form. The story follows Martin?, a boy whose orbiting spaceship crashes on a mysterious beach. From there, he sets out on one of the most noble quests known to humankind: finding his dog. It turns out pterodactyls have kidnapped his p?up; a plight we know all too well.

Two adventures in one

The first of the two games that make up Castaway is set on the main island, where Martin will be tasked with making it through a trio of dungeons and their respective bosses. With a wide audience in mind, Vinet also hopes Castaway might serve as an introduction for parents who want to get their children into playing these types of games. Thus, there's a pacifist mode that lets you focus on solving puzzles, as well as an invincible mo?de that gives you?? a chance to practice before hitting up the real deal. For those who have played the genre through and through, there's an "unfair mode" and a mode for speedrunners. 

Once the main adventure is complete, the second game is unlocke??d. This one has you trying to reach the top of a 50-story tower while surviving its many challenges. As you ascend, you'll collect cash and increase a gauge that lets you choose between three upgrade cards every time it's full. 

What has me even more interested in Castaway is that it's aimed at folks who might not have a lot of time on their? hands, but want to experience a ?bite-sized adventure. Hey, this is my hole, it was made for me! 

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Indie Live Expo is Japan's premiere online digital showcase series that aims to co?nnect fans with indie games worldwide. It's also one of the most packed events you ??could ever watch, with this year's boasting more than 150 indie games to sink your teeth into.

Of course, Indie Live Expo is an event produced in Japan, so the timings don't always match up with when yo?u might be available. For example, I had to be up well into the early morning for last year's event, but 2024 seems to have a slightly more approachable schedule. To make sure you don't miss a single reveal, I've outlined where and when you can watch the event across every available platform.

When and where to watch Indie Live Expo 2024

Indie Live Expo 2024 will start at 5 p.m JST/1 a.m. PT/9 a.m. BST on May 25. Mercifully, it's a Saturday, so whether you've got to stay up well into the n?ight or get an early start if you want to catch it, you've got Sunday to recover from all the indie reveals and announcements.

While there will likely be a host of co-streams for the event with dozens?? of creators, there are three official livestreams you can watch. These are as follows.

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter/X

I've included the official YouTube video f?or the livestream in this article above. If you can't wait to talk about indies with everyone else who will be watching, you can head to the channel and sit in the chat. The Twitch and Twitter/X livestreams likely won't go live until the event itself has begun or? is about to start.

??Last year, I found that the YouTube livestream was the best way to watch the event because it seemed to be both the most stable and the most up-to-date. In some cases, Twitch is where a showcase is streamed to initially before being diverted to other platforms, but?? it seemed like YouTube was the priority in 2023, so it could be again in 2024.

While Indie Live Expo isn't giving much away when it comes to the games it has to show, it has revealed a few we can expect to see at some point during the showcase. These are Piggy One Super Spark, a hyperkinetic platformer by Hanabushi and Hako Life, Boyhood's End, an adventure game following the boy with the lowest human score in the universe, and Witch & Lilies, a 3D dungeon-cr??awler where yo?u foster relationships between the characters.

The concepts of these games are far more niche than what you might be used to, and the showcase is almost certainly going to bring more of them to the table. However, each title isn't wacky or dif??ferent for the sake of it. They're titles real people cared about enough to make into games so others could enjoy them, too.

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Deep Field Games' indie "survival crafting experience" Abiotic Factor has been doing a bit of alright lately. It came out a couple of weeks ago, and is currently showing as "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam. It might not be setting the Top Sellers a??light (it's currently at number 56), but it's been selling pretty well, make no mistake.

In a recent post on X, the team behind Abiotic Factor were excited to announce that the game had sold more than 250,000 copies since launching on May 2. To go along with this, there's also a message posted to the Steam page that gives thanks for this 11-day achievement.

It's always a positive moment when an indie outfit gets to see the fruits of ?their labor reach lofty heights. It's a tough ol' world out there in Video Game Land, so it's encouraging to see these bursts of non-AAA titles have their moment in the spotlight, even if it's sometimes short-lived.

Half-Life meets Rust

For those who haven't played it yet, Abiotic Factor is essentially a survival sim with crafting elem??ents. It tasks 1-6 players with working together "against the universe's biggest th??reats." The story reads thus:

As a GATE employee you extend the bounds of human knowledge, and seek to explain the unexplainable - including anomalies and paranormal entities: from gravity-distorting artifacts to supernatural creatures with an unbrid??led instinc??t for violence. Safety, security, and secrecy are of the utmost importance�usually.

Thematically and almost visually, it takes a lot of cues from Half-Life, Valve's maiden release from back in the day that went on to become one of the most influential first-person ??shooters in gaming h??istory. Who wouldn't want a piece of that action?

Developer Deep Field Games also released the "First Week" update a few days ago. There's also a roadmap showing what's be??ing planned, which includes a Crush Depth update coming this summer, as well as a Halloween patch. Marvelous.

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Every so often, an indie game bursts onto the scene and steals the limelight for a little bit. We've had Palworld and Lethal Company. Now it's time for Content Warning to do its thing. And its thing it's most certainly doi??ng, as the developer recently reported the game has sold 1 million copies.

According to a post on X from a couple of days ago, this is on top of the 6.6 million people who downloaded the title when it released at the start of April. For those who don't know, Content Warning was 100% f?ree to get on Steam for the first 24 hours, which is seemingly why the game had such an impact in such a short time.

On top of that, a further post says there are some "fun updates and ??fixes on the way," b??ut we don't yet have the details there just yet.

What's the big deal?

The big deal is that Content Warning combines the low-res horror aesthetic of Lethal Company with the team-based mechanics of something like Phasmophobia. Throw in the fact that it's essentially about you an??d your friends filming scary things happening for internet clout (just like in real life), and you're onto a winning formula.

Currently, it's sitting at the number 15 spot on Steam's Top Sellers list. That might not sound hugely impressive �even by indie standards �but that does put it just one behind Baldur's Gate 3, so it's got that going for it.

Without sounding too cynical, we see these types of games enjoy the spotlight for a brief period until they typically fall out of favor (though retain a more dedicated fanbase). There's nothing wrong with that, of course. It is just the way of these things. For now, though, the people behind Content Warning should make the most of the ??real world kudos they're currently receiving.

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Just a few days ago, the indie horror scene took major note of Content Warning, a co-op game about filming you and your friends doing scary things. I have yet to play it, but it seems to combine the visual aesthetic of Lethal Company with the team-based paranormal antics of something like Phasmophobia. Anyone who's been reading my articles lately will know that I'm a bit fond of Phasmophobia, so this should be right up my alley.

Thanks to it being free during the game's first 24 hours of release, Content Warning was picked up by over six million players. It's currently at the number six spot on Steam's Top Sellers list, and so far? has a review score of "Very Positive." Making it free for a limited period was clearly a stroke of genius. Other developers should be taking notes.

The game prides itself on encouraging you and your friends to get involved, trying to capture spooky goings-on with ?teammates in tow to, ?as the description itself says, "become SpöökTube famous!" But, is it possible to go it alone instead?

Can you play Content Warning solo?

A lot of survival horror titles have been leaning towards co-operative play lately. Just look at the Outlast series. However, while Content Warning does highly encourage you ?to play with others, it is possible to play solo instead of teaming u??p with others, either friends or in a random lobby.

This is despite the fact that the game's own Steam page doesn't actually say whether or not there's a single-player mode. It clearly labels it as having "Online Co-op" and "Family Sharing" features, but not solo capabilities. But it is possible to play alone, if that is your bag. Of course??, even the developers themselves do warn against this, sa?ying it's "strongly advised to not go alone."

If the aim of the game is to get as much scary content as possible with your friends, it does stand to reason that singleplayer would be more challenging. Selfie ?mode will almost certainly be your priority if you do go down this route. If you are interested, si?mply boot up the game, click "Play With Friends" and then go to "Host." This will allow you to play without friends.

Unfortunately, it doesn?'t appear as though there'??s any offline mode in the current build, so you'll still need an internet connection. Whether one will be added in a future update remains to be seen at this stage.

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So you've decided you want to be cursed while playing Phasmophobia. Despite being a pretty terrifying horror experience �?espec?ially for newcomers �Kinetic Games' ghost hunting sensation has a heavy focus on detective work and deduction rather than just straight-up scares. Investigate first, piss pants later. That's my motto (spoiler: it isn't).

The crux of the game is to use your powers of logic to successfully work out who the culprit is. Think the board game Clue, but with more palpitati??ons. To aid you, there is a lot of equipment to help you narrow things d?own. There are also Cursed Possessions that are an optional method of finding the ghost. However, they're called "cursed" for a reason.

One of the newer editions in Phasmophobia is the Monkey Paw. This dismembered and shriveled hand allows you to make certain wishes to give you a bit of a leg up. But there?'s a terrib?le price to pay. So with that, let's take a look at what type of wishes you can make, and how it will ultimately lead to your untimely death.

Ghost-based wises

Like the other Cursed Possessions, the Monkey Paw has a one in seven chance of spawning on the map. It's a powerful tool that can hel?p out, but also lead you to more danger. These are the wishes you can make that relate to the ghost itself (NOTE: this is specifically for those using the game’s voice recognition):

Player-based wishes

You can mess about with the ghost if that's your bag. However, the Monkey Paw is also useful when you want to give yourself ?a bit of an advantage. There are still some dangers involved, though. You have been ?warned (again).

Other wishes

The Monkey Paw can also have an effect on the ?things outside yourself and the ghost. Much like t?he others, these wishes can be pretty powerful when used carefully.

It's worth mentioning that all the wishes for the Monkey Paw can be found on the Sun??ny Meadows map. You'll find them written o?n tags in the following places:

• Manager's office
• Chapel
• Female dorm room
• Kitchen
• Matron's office 1
• Hospital wing
• Classroom
• Restricted area
• Morgue
• Waiting room

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30 years ago, Success's shoot 'em up series Cotton made the leap from 2D side-scroller to Space Harrier-style rail shooter in Panorama Cotton. 24 years ago, Rainbow Cotton expan?ded upon that 3D flight of fancy on Dreamcast, and now it's finally making its way to the West. 

While Rainbow Cotton launched in Japan only on Dreamcast back in 2000, ININ Games recently announced plans to bring a remake to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Those spring 2024 plans were just narrowed down to a specific launch date of May 9, and ININ put together something special for the accompanying trailer. Rather than simply showing off Rainbow Cotton in all its updated glor??y, the new trailer serves up a brief guide to how the team brings retro games to modern audiences. 

There tends to be a lot of discussion about where the line is between remaster and remake, and the video above does a good job of succinctly summing it up, at least in terms of how ININ Games handles it. They get into where emulation and ports fall in the mix of the Cotton re-releases, and why Rainbow Cotton deserves the distinction of a full remake.

The remake features upgraded graphics in full HD, updates to the user interface, lock-on targeting, a two-player mode. and other bells and whistles. Those who just want to play the original as it appeared on Dreamcast can do that, as well. ININ calls it "as authentic as it can possibly be," so you'll just have t??o imagine you have your VMU plugged into your modern platform of choice. 

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Despite its legacy, Xbox 360 puzzle-platformer Braid hasn't been around much. However, that's all about to change as the game's creator Jonathan Blow has recently announced an Anniversary Edition c?oming in 2024.

Releasing April 30, this new version of Braid comes with improved visuals and animations, areas th?at have been "re-envisioned to make them more un?ique," and more than 15 hours of commentary. If you're interested in the world game development, that last one may be of interest to you.

This special Anniversary Edition �which is launching to celebrate 15 years of Braid �is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, Android, and even Netflix. It'll also be available on PS4 and Xbox One, with Linux and Mac ports coming later o??n.

Considered a "masterpiece"

Originally released on Xbox 360 in 2008, Braid has been described as one of the greatest independent games of its generation. It won several awards and was the second-largest-selling game on Xbox Live Arcade. It has a Metacritic score of 93.

Its developer Blow is no stranger to the video game world. Some of his earlier work includes being a programmer on Oddworld: Munchy's Oddysee and Deus Ex: Invisible War. He released the puzzle title The Witness in 2016.

He's also gained something of a reputation over the years, often being held aloft as an outspoken critic of the gaming industry. He was described in a 2016 New Yorker article as a "prickly genius," while an interview with Kotaku in 2011 said Blow's opinions are not aimed at individuals, but at "trends." He's also? no stranger to making public controversial statements over the years, further complicating his legacy.

In any case, Braid is often signposted as an indie release that helped shape an industry of indie releases. This was before Minecraft did it. If you still haven't played the game (guilty), April's Anniversary Edition is definitely one to look o?ut for.

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Manga and light novel powerhouse Kodansha, through its Creators Lab, has launched a couple of new indie titles, IGNISTONE, by MONO ENTERTAINMENT and In His Time, developed by Tearyhand Studio. 

IGNISTONE looks to be a cute, colorful roguelike that takes inspiration for its overall aesthetic from games like Paper Mario and Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling. The game tasks players with finding the titular IGNISTONE by reaching the 100th floor basement of an enigmatic dungeon. Based on the trailer, the game isn’t afraid to have fun with itself and be goofy; there’s a full on dance ??break at the end. 

If you’ve played other roguelikes, such as Moonlighter, the loop is pretty simple: as you make progress in the dungeon, you’ll periodically be given a choice to either return to the surface and regroup,? or continue onwards �but if you choose the latter, you stand to risk everything you’ve achieved. It’s a choice that will probably be different every time it’s presented, if you’re anything like me.

IGNISTONE is now available for PC via Steam, iOS and Android. If you decide to pick it up by October 9, y??ou can take 20% off the top and add it to your collection for $6.39 (it’s normally $7.99). 

In His Time, on the other hand, is a faith-based narrative platformer where you play as Olly, who’s not at all having a good time. Not only is he dealing with the loss of his father, but his mother is also sickly. As the responsibil??ities pile up around him, and as his grades start to suffer, Olly is pressured into breaking and entering an old mansion, he is caught by the mansion’s owner Joseph the Clockmaker. Olly has to do whatever is necessary from that point on to make up for his mistakes and right what h??as been wronged.

In peeking at the trailer, I could see influences from other 2D puzzle-platformers such as LIMBO, Little Misfortune, and even deep indie cuts like HEAL th??at are less platform-based and more puzzle-based. I really dig the aesthetic, what with the characters all being represented by dark gremlin people with unnerving white, pinhole eyes. It gives this game a cartoony feel, while also keeping a level of unease in regards to what’s going to happen n??ext. 

In His Time is now available for PC via Steam. Like IGNISTONE, if you decide to pick this one u??p by October 9, you can nab it for $7.99 which is a 20% cut from its normal pri?ce of $9.99. 

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