A train station that looks more real than real life

It feels like every few years, we all marvel at the new game graphics that are coming out and wondering to ourselves, "how could it get any better than this?" Somehow game devs still manage to one-up themselves every time, because I find myself yet again speaking those same words in awe and a little bit of existential dread. You see, I am quite afraid of the uncanny valley, and we have crossed so far into it that game graphics are indistinguishable from reality, thanks to Unreal Engine 5. We've seen some seriously convincing faces, but this is the first environment I've seen that has my jaw on? the floor.

A short video surfaced yeste??rday on the r/gaming subreddit that featured an abandoned train station �it looks inconspicuous at first, which made me wonder what the big deal could be about this train station. The shaky c?amera pans around toward the tracks, and then suddenly everything switches to nighttime, and you realize that this entire thing is a digital rendering of a train station in Unreal Engine 5. I'm sorry, what now?

//www.reddit.com/r/gamin??g/comments/ulvnuo/the_generation_of_games_after_current_o?ne_is/

The way the light streams down the stairs, the way the fluorescent lights shine in the puddles on the ground, the way the flashlight bounces off the rusted metal walls, it's all just a little bit too convincing for me. I've seen some really great graphics over the years, but this is the first time I've truly seen a v??ideo of something rendered in a game engine that I truly could not distinguish from real life or not.

So this train station is really impressive, but what does it mean for games using Un??real Engine 5 moving forward? These are easily the most impressive ph??otorealistic graphics I've ever seen, but this was just a short, most likely pre-rendered video.

Would our consoles and PCs really be able to run something this advanced without melting through our furniture? Time will only tell, but one certainty still remains �I'm gonna stick to my stylized art styles, because this stuff gives me the heebie-je??ebies.

The post This vid??eo of Unreal Engine 5 has crossed into the uncanny valley appeared first on Destructoid.

'Go home and be a family man'

It's 2021. Street Fighter V has been o??ut for five years, it's receiving its final season of content, and a sequel appears to be on the horizon. W??hat is it like to enter its highly competitive scene in this environment? Is it populated mostly by veterans who will absolutely destroy you? Or is there a healthy base of beginners? Here's what I learned on my journey through the ranks. 

For a little background, I'm not unfamiliar with fighting games. I've played plenty casually and got semi-serious about Dragon Ball FighterZ for a bit, but Street Fighter is a different beast. The unique combo timing ??and ground-based neutral game were foreign concepts to me. I had played it a bit on launch in 2016 but left due to not really un??derstanding the game and a lack of content.

Credit to Capcom though, they have improved the game immensely since then. The new content and mechanics they've added have been stellar. Street Fighter V is in a great spot and the community is the happies??t it has been with the game in a ?long while. 

But what is it like to actually rank up in 2021? Well, the good news is that, according to data compiled by Reddit user LimitlessCSGOTV, more than half of the players are in Rookie or Bronze. These numb?ers include inactive users as well but the player base seems to be healthy. 

The first ranks, Rookie and Bronze, are practica??lly the same rank as it pe??rtains to skill. Generally, the players in this rank have subpar fundamentals and are making poor risk/reward decisions. You may run into the odd person that knows a combo or two, but past that, their game knowledge is low.

I don't mean this as admonishment, they're learning. You have to crack some eggs to make an omelette after all. But mistakes are mistakes and you can rise through these ranks quite quickly by taking advantage of them. These players will constantly whif?f heavy buttons, leaving them vulnerable. They'll sweep frequently, allowing you to counter sweep or even get a bigger punish depending on spacing. I highly recommend learning a small punish combo, or at the very least, pressing your fastest button so that you can take advantage of these situations.

Throws are also incredibly powerful in this rank because people don't know how to deal with them. There's a technique that can help with this, however: "delay teching." Delay teching is when you slightly delay pressing the throw button in situations where you would have to guess about defending from an ??attack or a throw. Delay techi??ng allows you to cover both options.

Basically, if your opponent presses an attack button you will block and the throw tech won't come out as you are in block stun, but if your opponent opts to throw you the tech will come out just in time to cancel the throw, leaving you safe. To practice, set up a  dummy recording in training mode. Set the dummy to attack on one recording and set the dummy to throw on another. Practice the timing of blocking while pressing the throw button so that you aren't hit by either option. Master this and you ??will seem like a brick wall to the other players in Bronze.

By far the biggest issue I see people in Bronze make is jumping in far too frequently. Seriously, if you learn to anti-air consistently you will be out of Bronze in ??no time flat. Just playing a bit slower and more reactive will yield marvelous results. At this rank your opponent will hang themselves, you just need to supply the rope.

Most of the tips that applied to Bronze still apply to Silver, to a lesser extent — anti airing will get you far, but don't be surprised if the opponent starts to adapt. Players will often overextend. They'll start pressure that ??only really works if the opponent stops blocking after the first couple of hits. This can be defeated by simply taking a breather and just blocking. Afterwards the oppone?nt will be highly vulnerable to a good punish combo. Silver players have a rough idea of their character's range but it's not refined. If you brush up on where your character's moves are effective, especially long-range pokes, you can go to town if the other player is in the corner.

Another tip: start paying attention to resources?. If the? opponent has a bar of meter and you are approaching on wake up, do they have any options that allow them to wake up with an invincible move?

Begin to factor that into your risk/reward decision-making. One resource management tip in particular that has found me great success is seeing if V-Trigger is activated or not in situations where you can kill off of chip damage. It may sound like a situation that doesn't come up a ton but in these ranks both players are making lots of mistakes and getting lots of non-optimal punishes. This leads to rounds that come down to very small life leads with lots of meter built up. If you initiate a blockstring and cancel into super your opponent's only option really is to V-Reversal. If they are in V-Trigger however, they can't, and you'v?e locked down the win.

Gold can be tough. It felt to me like the biggest increase in player skill between ranks. An Ultra Gold player will beat an Ultra Silver player nine times out of ten, but I'm not certain the same could be said for an Ultra Silver vs an Ultra Bronze. What helped me get through Gold was having a well-thought-out offensive game plan. While Capcom has added in defensive options like V-Shift, Street Fighter V is an offense-oriented game. Keeping the pressure up is critical to succeeding in t??his rank, that doesn't mean overextending though. Knowing when you are safe to pressure and when you are not is pivotal.

Particularly for me?, I had to work on my wake up pressure. Far too often I would get a knockdown and dash in to be ready when ??my opponent wakes up only to find that the dash left me vulnerable to attack.

The biggest hurdle I encountered in my entire time of playing manifested itself in Gold but it is relevant to all ranks and all games. That problem was tilting. Historically I'm not a player that gets too angry or upset at losses. If someone beat me in Dragon Ball FighterZ, I would rematch them until one of us had to leave, points be damned. There were things to learn there! But in making this video I have found myself tilting for the first time. I would go on these huge loss streaks, going from Ultra Gold to almost slipping back into Silver. Was I no longer ?an Ultra Gold player? Did I lose that knowledge and skill? Of course not, but I got into my own head and made it very difficult to focus or play ? right.

My lowest moment was in this slump. I had a huge loss streak, just absolutely draining my points, and who do I run into? AEW professional wrestler Kenny Omega. I had joked with friends about running into him in ranked because I knew he was in the sa??me bracket as me but now it was happening!

What should have been a fun and cool experience was actually miserable. I was mentally a wreck. He destroyed me in this set. Afterwards I decided to take a break and assess what ?my issue was. Why am I ??getting so mad all of a sudden?

The answer: my goals were setting me up for failure. I had made my goal when I played to rank up. In doing so I put so much extra emphasis on the points, not what I learned in games, not making sure the stuff I practiced was being executed in the match, just the points. After realizing this I adjusted my goals. I set out to learn better wake up pressure. As ?I had mentioned previously, it was a weak point for me. This allowed me to grade my online matches on a scale. Sure, I lost, but I did a great job applying what I learned in training mode. This helped immensely, I found myself enjoying my time with the game again and not getting so upset at the losses. I quickly started winning again too. In part because of what I was learning in training mode but I do truly believe the bulk of it was because of the improved mental outlook. Soon I started amassing win streaks and draining other people of their points.

Then it happened: the rematch. I had once? again encountered Kenny Omega. But I'm in a much better mood, certainly a better player overall... And he still won. 2-1 was the f??inal match count.

I wasn't upset this time, though. I was disappointed, of course — but I wasn't angry. I had played this set so much better than the last. I won a game this time! ?The improvements were tangible.

That's my biggest piece of advice to anyone playing any competitive game, really. If you find yourself getting angry at the losses, get frustrated with ranked mode. Take a step back and set actionable learning goals. Rate your matches based on how well you accomplish those goals in-game. And remember most o?f all, your skill determines your rank, not the other way around. Your value as a player is not determined by the symbol next to your name. This helped me greatly, I hope it can help you too.

The post Kenny Omega kicked my ass in Street Fighter V. Here’s what I learned appeared first on Destructoid.

How many Vikings does it take to clean up a realm anyways?

When I first started up Valheim and began chopping down trees and picking up rocks, my immediate reaction was, "Ugh, another on??e of these, ?huh?"

That attitude quickly changed once I invited a f?ew friends along, built a simple enough base to c??all home, and began exploring the tenth realm.

Next thing you know, we'd bat??tled our first boss, explored burial chambers and troll caves, and began hunting said trolls for their skin. The hooks were in deep by this point. Time seemingly slipped away from me altogether, and right when I thought I was ready to take a break, another group of friends started their own server and wanted me to tag along. Before I realized it, I'd clocked in over 11 hours into Valheim on my first day.

So, in today's Impulse episode, your local video dudes (Justin Moore and myself) break down and showcase our experiences within Valheim after spending more than 50 hours with it so far. From the visuals and building mechanics to why we think the progression is so addictiv??e, this episode covers that and?? so much more.

The post Valheim has a very bright future ahead of it appeared first on Destructoid.

LYMYMI

It's been a little over three weeks since Jonas Neubauer, arguably the greatest DAS Tetris player of all time and more importantly a wonderful human being, was taken from this Earth. Speaking as someone who was welcomed into his Twitch commu??nity for the past few years, it hasn't been easy since then for those who enjoyed his streams. I thought I was doing a bit better this week and co??uld stand to go back on Twitch, then I watched AGameScouts' tribute video, and now I'm back to being sad again.

While in the current context it has a sad connotation, it is amazing to look back on what Jonas managed to accomplish in his 39 short years on this Earth. Not just the seven Classic Tetris World Championships, but also the mark he has left on the Tetris community as a whole through ??his positive demeanor.

It's an odd feeling to be sad over the death of someone I never met, but I guess this is the stark reality of living in an age when communication has few barriers. For those who are willing, a memorial fund is still being crowd-sourced in Jonas' memory and to help his family through the horrible time they find?? themselves in.

The post Jonas Neubauer highlight tribute reminds me that I’m still not over the loss of him appeared first on Destructoid.

Escapism was the real MVP for me this year

2020 royally sucked ass for many people and for a lot of obvious reasons. Quality escapism has never been more important to me than it has been this past year. Simply taking my mind off things through video games is a luxury and I'm more thankful for the people that create them than ever before in my life. TL?;DR: Thank fuck for video games for making this year more bearable.

Wit??h the past year in the rear-view mirror, I'm excited to kick off this decade with my personalized top ten games from 2020. If there's one standout aspect within the realm of video games this year –? even with the shiny new console hardware – it's simply how many older games can still be great with a fresh new look or reimagined approach.

Keep ??in mind, I did miss out on some notable re?leases, including The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, Doom Eternal, and Hades. T?his is unfortunate, considering all of these games are racking up numerous awards from other outlets, but it'll make my ever-growing backlog all the more exciting.

Black Mesa w??as technically released almost a decade ago (2012 to be exac?t); however, the game officially released earlier this year in March, fully complete and with a reimagined Xen to celebrate the occasion.

Xen was arguably the weakest segment for the original Half-Life, and Crowbar Collective's take on this alien world is a vast improvement. New additions such as the HEV suit head crab zombies and completely redesigned areas turn what was once a chore to go through in the original into an exciting last stretch in this fant?astic remake.

However, it does go long. This new take on Xen, although an overall improvement, lasts a solid chunk of hours your first time through. Combine that with fairly dated visuals by today's standards and lackluster AI at times, and Black Mesa certainly still feels like a game from a decade ago. But, if you've never played the Half-Life games, it's still a damn fine place to start.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the most heartfelt and positive games to come out th?is miserable year. It was arguably the best kind of escapism that so many people sorely needed.

For me, though, it was the Animal Crossing game I fell off the fastest due to just how many other games grabbed my attention this year. That said, I'll still probably be revisiting my island for many more years to come (you know, between all the months I've forgotten about it and then ha?ve to pick weeds all day). At least I'm not the mayor this time!

Photography is a hobby I definitely want to dive into at some point, and Umurangi Generation captures those best moments...of capturing those best moments! However, it also has a gorgeous cel-shaded visual style and soundtrack seemingly right out of Jet Set Radio.

Combine that with unique world-building and environmental storytelling depicting an on-going world crisis with some incredibly memorable photography me??chanics (like taking a picture of something massive off in the distance, only to then be terrified of what you just shot after adjusting the exposure), and it's a g??ame I won't soon forget.

Disclosure: I also happen to be a friend of the developer, so take this with a grain of salt if need be, but if cool visuals, good music, and chill photography is up your alley??, I don't think it'll disappoi?nt.

The original Final Fantasy VII holds a lot of nostalgia for me in that it's both the first JRPG and Final Fantasy game I ever played. Looking back, I hardly ever replayed it, so when I first played the Remake earlier ??this year, it gave me goosebumps just seeing that world brought to life and with so much more attention to detail t??han I could have ever imagined.

The newly remixed soundtrack also has some of the best background music in video games I've ever heard, straight up. Throw in some actual depth to the action-RPG combat in tandem with the Materia system, and I was a pretty happy camper all around...until the ending came along. But even then, I'm ??still fairly excited (if not morbidly curious) to see where they'll be taking things next.

After over a decade of disappointment, I went into Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 with a fair bit of caution (especially after Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5). Thankfully, that feeling of caution quickly dissipated as I began performing combos, collecting skate letters, and melting into my chair to the sounds of ?pop-punk. Time slipped away as I played the entirety of both campaigns and I'm still craving more of it.

As much as I'd love to see Visceral Games give the same accurate treatment to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 (or even the Underground games, for that matter), I can't help but be curious about what they could pull off with their own original take on a game. Basically, Activision should hand the keys to the Tony Hawk series over to Visceral and let them go ab?solutely hog wild with it.

I managed to squeeze in a full playthrough for Cyberpunk 2077 before 2020 came to an end and although it failed to deliver on last-gen consoles, what's here – when it works – is fantastic. Chris Carter truly said it best in his review that it's just fun to "hang out." Simply exploring Night City, discovering odd jobs, taking in the scenery, and driving funky retro-futuristic vehi?cles hooked me in the right ways to keep progressing despite the technical hiccups.

If you're still on th?e fence about playing it: Absol??utely wait it out.

I guarantee you once the next-gen versions of Cyberpunk 2077 are available (along with the [insert edition] that includes all the DLC) a year or two from now, it'll be a much more stable and complete experience. Cyberpunk 2077 on last-gen consoles is just not worth the technical hassle and should have just been canceled and billed as a next-gen only experience. Sure, they would have taken a big financial hit without those last-gen sales, but Cyberpunk 2077 would have placed better on my personalized top-ten list! CDPR truly missed out o??n the Dan recognition factor (and the exciting possibilities that go with that).

Despite only being a roughly two-hour experience, I've sunk probably dozens of hours into replaying the game off and on with different characters, and I'm still in disbelief Streets of Rage 4 is even a reality and that it's this good of a game. For context: Streets of Rage was a series I thought was doomed to forever being re-released in various collections and n?othing more.

Thankfully, something or someone at Sega spurred them on to finally give the series another lease on life, and it's goddamn glorious. With new music from the original composer, new mechanics such as a risk/reward system in using special movies and dealing damage to regain health, and a large cast of characters new and old, Streets of Rage 4 is pretty muc??h a perfect follow-up to the original trilogy. Here's hoping we don't have to ?wait as long for another one.

Until Dawn was a game that flipped my expectations in the best possible ways, so when Supermassive announced The Dark Pictures Anthology, I was all aboard that hype train. Sadly, its debut title, Man of Medan, didn't capture that same magic. It was instead exactly what I expected and fell flat for me in ??a lot of ways. It showed its cards way too soon, and its horror gimmick was far too predictable.

Little Hope, however, kept me guessing right until the very end and captured my interest the whole way through thanks to the formulas they've done right with character-driven storytelling and choice-driven cinematic horror. Throw in some Silent Hill inspirations (my all-time favorite horror series), and Little Hope ended up? being one of my favorite games of the year.

For whatever reason, I never got around to actually playing any of the Souls games. I've always had this mentality of playing games within a series by release order, and lately, playing older games has fallen more and more by the wayside due to constantly keeping up with new releases. So, with the announcement of the Demon's Souls remake, I knew this w??as the perfect opportunity to dive in and see wh??at I've been missing finally.

My first day could be summarized as constant death and frustration. Most folks would have probably called it a day or played something else entirely. Still, something about Demon's Souls kept me coming back for more, whether it was the gorgeous visuals and atmosphere or simply chasing that feeling of overcoming its many challenges. I can only imagine this is an ancient take by now, but Demon's Souls thrives off not only the challe?nge it presents but in the reward of seeing more of it.

Each of its worlds continues to become more grotesque and all the more interesting to witness first-hand. No matter how long it took me to progress in a specific world, I would always look forward to seeing more of it. From frantically running across the bridge in Boletaria, to getting lost down in the tunnels of Tunnel City, Demon's Souls made me work for every inch of its incredible atmosphere. Bluepoint did an outstanding job making it all the more beautiful and turning Demon's Souls into a launch title I'll never forget.

In 2017, Marc Laidlaw put up a blog on his personal website titled "Epistle 3" – breaking down what essentially would have been the story for the now-canceled Half-Life 2: Episode 3. At the time, I thought that was the final nail in the coffin of the franchise and that Valve had simply moved on from Half-Life. So, I did the same. Half-Life in my mind was this great but unfinished and dead franchise. I was convinced it was never returning due to an endless list of? factors.

So, when Half-Life: Alyx was announced, it felt like a fever dream. I remember the moment I finished watching the announcement trailer: I knew right there and then I had to get my hands (and head) on a VR headset. The technology is great, but I couldn't help but feel anxious about finally playing a new Half-Life. How do you revive a series that end??ed on a cliffhang?er over a decade ago and live up to the mountain of expectations that go with it? Especially for a series that, with each mainline entry, set new standards for first-person shooters.

I went in asking these questions, and by the time I was done with Half-Life: Alyx, I was floored with Valve's answers to them. Literally stepping into Alyx Vance's shoes and experiencing the world of Half-Life within VR can't be done justice w??ithout trying it for yourself. Little details like picking up a trashcan lid to block headcrabs from fornicating with your face to just the sheer sense of scale you feel when looking up at every??thing around you.

But what amazed me even more than the incredible technology was just how well written and thought out Half-Life: Alyx was. Going into why would include way too many spoilers, so I'll just say this: Half-Life: Alyx ends on a note that has me more excited than ever for where Half-Life could be going next, an?d it completely reignit?ed my fandom for this series. That alone makes it my personal game of the year.

The post Dan Roemer’s personal top 10 games of 2020 appeared first on Destructoid.

No matter who you are!

Game Pass is arguably one the best deals in gaming, but saying the same about the Xbox Series X at the moment is pushing it. It's difficult to gloat about the Series X hardware when it really does??n't have much to show for it yet, aside from making last-gen games look and run a lot better.

However, that is also where Xbox Game Pass shines even more on the Series X. Today on Impu??lse, Justin and myself are breaking down what we think about the console so far and showcase the various games we've been playing in 4K HDR! We also take a stab at making some predictions on how this box ??named X could shake things up down the road.

So take a seat in your favorite chair and let the vapor chamber take you to the sights and sounds of the next-generation of two dudes talk??ing about video games ??on the internet. Truly, exciting times ahead!

The post Xbox Series ??X is fine so far, but Game Pass is the superst??ar appeared first on Destructoid.

May it never stop shambling along

It's been over a decade now since the release of Left 4 Dead 2, and now with the community-made "Last Stand" update, what better ?time to k?ill hordes of zombies than ever before?

On today's Impulse, Justin and I discuss and share our past and current experiences with this wonderful gem of a game. From what graphics cards we were rocking when we first played Left 4 Dead 2, to all the times Justin straight-up abandoned me during?? our recent play sessions. It's a conversation of nostalgia, zombie-killing, being killed by zombies, and much more!

So take a seat in your favorite chair, make sure the lights are off and that you've got he?adphones on (to prevent any noise from alerting the horde), then sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of gunfire, betrayal, and Louis ??screaming about pills.

The post Left 4 Dead 2 has only improved?? wit??h age, all thanks to the community surrounding it appeared first on Destructoid.

It's just too much fun for a limited time

I brought my Switch with me to bed last night. No, it wasn't to check on my Animal Crossing villagers I haven't visited in over a month... It was to maliciously wreck 34 other players in Super Mario Bros. 35 by outlasting them and sending as many hammer brothers their way as I possibly could. Now that's what I call a fun time under the sheets!

I managed to rack up two more first-place victories last night in Super Mario Bros. 35, and I can't get enough of it. Nevertheless, regardless of whether I get bored or sidetracked by another video game, Super Mario Bros. 35 has a limited lifespan set in place by Nintendo. Why? I haven't the faintest clue. Perhaps they believe the skill ceiling could become too high? Maybe they plan on fully expanding this idea with a different and more fleshed out release (levels from World and 3 would be glorious). Maybe it's just Ni??ntend??o being Nintendo.

Regardless, Super Mario Bros. 35 is only "playable" until March 31, 2021. So, today on Impulse, Justin and myself share our first impressions of the game so far! So, sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of glorious Mario background music and gameplay as we share the experiences we've had playing Super Mario Bros. 35 during its launch!

The post Nintendo shoul?d really reconsider making Super Mario Bros. 35 a limited?? release appeared first on Destructoid.

That's The Wall, brother!

For the first time since the WWE series of games was handed off to 2K Sports, they've released something drastically different on consoles from the annualized and borderline sim-like WWE 2K series.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds features a wide cast of WWE superstars new and old, throwing each othe?r dozens of feet int??o the air, into cars, and into alligators, all with over-the-top power-ups and abilities. This is anything but a simulation of modern professional wrestling.

All of that spectacle wears off quickly, though. Battlegrounds is incredibly shallow in regards to gameplay, and the overall progress?ion is downright mind-numbing.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds (PS4 [reviewed], Xbox One, Switch)
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: 2K Sports
Released: September 18, 2020
MSRP: $39.99

There is some charm to be found in Battlegrounds, such as locked wrestlers appearing inside plastic toy boxes or the comic book presentation of the campaign mode. The campaign tells the tale of Paul Heyman? creating new sports entertainment programming in the form of "Battleg?rounds," which is a bizarre underground wrestling show, I think? Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure what Battlegrounds itself exactly is. (Last I checked, it was a filler-tier pay-per-view).

From there, Paul brings Stone Cold Steve Austin out of retirement to help recruit more wrestlers for his Battlegrounds show. For the most part, the storytelling falls into dull, generic shit to loosely tie together each match throughout the campaign. Honestly, "generic shit" pretty much describes everything else in Battlegrounds quite nicely.

From the moment you start up Battlegrounds, you're greeted with the most generic pop-rock imaginable ?to some still art from the cover of the game itself.

From that first impression alone, you know what you're in for. Battlegrounds could be described as soulless, monotonous, the Baron Corbin of wrestling games, and simply not worth your time and money. I could wrap up my review with that, but let's keep going dow??n the rabbit hole of this budget game that feels like it wa?s originally intended for mobile devices.

The only highlight I can even think of with my time in Battlegrounds was when I was throwing other wres????tlers into alligators out in the Everglades. Environmental stuff aside, what truly bogs down the entire experience is the sheer lack of depth found in the roster and overall gameplay. Wrestling is split up between styles ranging from brawler, high-flyer, technician, powerhouse, and all-rounder. However, they all play nearly identically within their same style, and these styles are applied across the roster. AJ Styles, for example, will play exactly like Shinsuke Nakamura because they're both technicians. The only differences you'll find between wrestlers within the same style are from their unique special moves.

Once you're in the ring, the gameplay lacks just as much thought as? the classes. Combos are broken down into very simplistic chains such as punching or kicking three times or a slight combination of both. You can perform a special move by holding down L2 while hitting either punch or kick, as well as perform grapples and throws, or your finish by holding down both L2 and R2 at the same time.

This is a far cry from the controls of previous 2K WWE games, but on the plus side, it is much more approachable. Honestly, Battlegrounds could h??ave made a great party game if it wasn't also plagued by tons of technical issues and microtransactions.

Sadly, for purely monetization reasons, the bulk of the roster is locked away behind their plastic toy boxes. In fact, nearly everyone on the cover of Battlegrounds (The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, John Cena, and? so forth) is locked at the start of the game.

You can unlock a few characters in the campaign mode, but most have to be bought with WWE Bucks that you either earn from matches, completing dailies, or leveling up. The whole process is incredibly slow going. Legendary characters, for example, cost roughly 12,000 WWE Bucks. For context: You earn a few hundred a match on average, dailies only ?reward around a thousand, and the rewards for leveling up within the campaign depend on the level earned. So, if you're hoping to unlock the full roster, you'll either need to drop some actu??al cash or slowly grind it out.

This same nonsense applies to all of the customization options as w?ell, from clothing and outfits to even unique cosmetics for the custom ring/arena creator mode. The majority of it is stuck behind a pay/grind wall, and this decision outright drags the whole game down. Bizarrely, you can't even use your custom-created wrestlers in the campaign. Instead, you're introduced to a handful of pre-made wrestlers who are all so terribly generic I can't even remember their names outside of "Jessica Johnson." Thankfully, she's rebranded to the "Loch Ness Mobster" later on – which is just such good shit!

As for the technical side of things, Battlegrounds keeps up the tradition lately of these games being a complete technical mess. From numerous crashes, framerate drops in matches featuring more than two wrestlers (yes, even with this simplistic art direction and graphical style), and brain dead tag-team AI partners. It's not as bad as the bug-filled mess that was WWE 2K20, but this isn't much better.

Also, I'm just not crazy about the whole art and graphical style, in general. Everyone on the roster looks like they belong in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. It could always be worse, though, like a Kurt Cobain Funko Pop! kind of bad.

Online multiplayer is also a mixed bag of terrible. Issues I've already come to expect from the WWE 2K series ?are present here such as awful input lag and people quitting matches because there is no stat keeping or punishment at all. Most competitive matches are an endless series of rever??sals.

The ?commentary also hasn't been good on WWE for well over a decade, and that's not improving in this game. Jerry Lawler and Mauro Ranallo bring some decent energy, but their calls are all over the place and just straight-up not representative of what's happening on-screen at ti??mes.

The reality is: WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a game nobody will remember a year from now.

It lacks so much of what made over-the-top arcade wrestling games great in the first place, while also being filled to the brim with microtransactions. The spectacle of its over-the-top moves and abilities are quickly lost in the tedium of its progression, lack of depth, budget presentation, and technical?? issues. It almost feels like 2K has come crashing down with the WWE license...and it hurts inside.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game? purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Review: WWE 2K Battlegrounds appeared first on Destructoid.

Not quite fully assembled

From the moment Marvel's Avengers was firs?t showcased at E3 (in what feels like forever ago), a lot of people had their doubts about the game based on what we saw at the time. Well, now that it's finally here, it's a clear-cut example of a game that should have been left to cook for a lot longer.

Whether it was Marvel ?and Square Enix attempting to get it out of the oven befo?re the new consoles arrived or just too much feature creep (or both), it's all conjecture for now.

However, the road ahead for Marvel's Avengers has plenty of content in store. Crystal Dynamics claims it plans on supporting the game for years to come, and data miners have discovered a list of new characters coming in the future. But, before they start dropping content, there are plenty of ongo??ing issues in the base game as it is, and that's what we're goin??g over today on Impulse!

So, sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Justin and myself (now in 4K!) sharing our experiences and issues we've encountered this past week while playing Marvel's Avengers.

The post Marvel’s Avengers has a long road ahead appeared first on Destructoid.

Eight-legged bullies

We built walls from blades of grass. The spiders tore them down. We constructed weapons and went to battle. The spiders defeated us with little effort. We fled? to a ??new home. The spiders just followed us.

Honestly, the spiders in Grounded are st???raight-up assholes and as someone who already hates spiders to begin with, Obsidian Entertainment isn't changing that opinion anytime soon.

Justin and I spent the weekend sight-seeing and exploring the backyard of Grounded in online co-op for this Early Access impressions video. We saw everything from beautiful giant blueberry bushes and peaceful ladybugs, to even a gigantic Battletoads figure! There's plenty to see in Grounded, but you have to be v?igilant while exploring because spiders are always down to ruin pretty much everything.

Eight-legged problems aside, I think Grounded has the potential to become my favorite survival game once they've added more to do around the backyard. But at the moment, the Early Acce??ss version is pretty bare-bones (much like our teenage protagonists' corpses after the spider?s were done with us).

Sit back and enjoy? the sights and sounds of Justin and myself sharing our  first impressions so far!

The post We fought off Grounded’s monster spiders, but at what cost? appeared first on Destructoid.

Halo Infinite sure did, but I'm still not sold on the Xbox Series X

The Xbox Games Showcase went down yesterday, revealing the return of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (hell yeah), Forza Motorsport, Fable, and showcased some Halo Infinite gameplay.

However, no??thing has yet has convinced me I need actually to purchase an Xbox Series X. The thing is: I already have a decent enough gaming PC a?nd have plans in the future to upgrade it. So, when Microsoft gobbled up all those new game studios in recent years, I hoped to see some genuine exclusive games for their next-generation system.

Clearly, that doesn't seem to be their priority anymore. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the games they showcased yesterday have me excited to play them, but I can't justify buying the Series X over simply play?in??g those games on my PC. Outside of price points (and who will reveal their price first), it almost feels like the competitive nature between PlayStation and Xbox has simmered down a ton. Nintendo is doing their own thing on Switch, Microsoft is focusing on Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation is sticking with a strategy of first-party premium titles.

None of w??hat I just mentioned is a bad thing (it's fantastic, really), but I can't help but wonder why Microsoft can't combine its Xbox Game Pass strategy and exclusive first-party titles? That would instantly sell me on the Xbox Series X. For now, though, it's just another case of "wait and see" for me, and I'm legitimately curious if that's the same case for a lot of other folks as well, so sound off below!

The post Did the July Xbox Games Showcase win you over? appeared first on Destructoid.

Isle of Armor's most toxic bro

So, you've caught yourself a Galarian Slowpoke, and you're wondering how you go about making it a Slowbro? Fear not! I'll be breaking down everything you'll need to achieve the Slowbro dream and achieve evolutionary success with your Slowpoke in Pokémon Sword and Shield!

First up and most obvious, you'll need the Expansion Pass.

Once you've arrived at the Isle of Armor, you'll likely already stumble into your first Galarian Slowpoke. To be extra clear, you'll want to make your way over to the Fields of Honor and run along the beach to find Slowpoke. After you've caught your Slowpoke, you'll need to do some exploring around the Isle of Armor in search of Galarica Twigs.

These are found near or under trees in the Isle of Armor as randomized sparkling items. Once you have eight twigs, you'll want to head back to the beaches in the Fields of Honor, hop on your bike, and make your way to a specific island in the Workout Sea. Here's where it is on the map for added contex??t:

Once there, you can potentially catch a Rotem, but you'll want to speak to the NPC standing around who can craft your twigs into a Galarica Cuff. After that's done, simply find it you??r inventory and use it on Slowpoke. Presto, you now have yourself a Galarian Slowbro!

The post How to evolve Galarian Slowpoke in Pokemon Sword a??nd Shield appeared first on Destructoid.

That PlayStation Quintuple is ABAP

The PlayStation 5 has revealed itself, and I'm just wishing it didn't pop the collar while wearing all white before doing so. Terrifying aesthetics and mental imagery asi?de, we also got to see a ?ton of games! From surprises and obvious sequels to even dinosaurs in high school.

Truly, the future of gaming is bright and still manages to include Grand Theft Auto V in the UK sales charts for years to come. So, sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds (in 4K no less) ?of Justin and myself recapping the event itself?? and what we think so far!

The post Today on Impulse: We’re recapping the PS5 event and our impressions so far appeared first on Destructoid.

Valorant won't be good until 1.6

Counter-Strike is a series I've sunk a stupid amount of my life into, and since I stopped playing CS:GO roughly three to four years ago, nothing has taken its place as my immediate go-to time-waster between games. I played Overwatch at launch and fell off afte??r a few weeks, and that's pretty much been the same story for every big FPS game this generation. Admittedly, it's because I'm regularly playing new games or ticking off games from my backlog, making it feel like I can no longer justify the time to become competitive again and genuinely stick with something.

However, the folks over at Riot Games have seemingly mastered what I like to call "maximum money optimization." Think of it as search engine optimization (SEO) – but instead of trying to nail specific key terms for better Google listings, Riot attempts to improve upon specific game formulas and existing mechanics to make insane amounts of money. Valorant is completely unoriginal (and a bit lacking at the moment), but it has potential that I'm?? sure Riot will continue to capitalize on.

Valorant is undoubtedly scratching an itch for me that I haven't felt in years. How long it will last, though, I'm not sure. For now, take a seat, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Justin and myself flexing our CS:GO muscle memory for ten minutes while sharing our impressions of Valorant so far!

The post To??day on Impulse: Does Val?orant scratch the Counter-Strike itch? appeared first on Destructoid.

Funny Gaming Montage #2

That's right; we're back for round two! Instead of throwing fist bombs like we're right out of Punch-Out, we're throwing comedy...bombs? Screw it,? here's another weekly video montage of dumb shit that makes us laugh. Enjoy!

Hopefully, this is still bringing a smile to your day. If you have a funny clip you want to submit for future episodes, drop us an email at: submissions@enthusiastgaming.com

_{[Not??e: All clips featured are with permission and credited in th??e video and on the YouTube description.]}

The post Animal Crossing funny moments and more! appeared first on Destructoid.

Embrace the beauty of the depths

A Jamaican crab once said “Everything’s better down where it’s wetter: Under the sea.” So with that spirit burning in our chest, this week Digital Tourist is taking a deep dive into the wonderful waters of Subnautica.

Subnautica offers up an alien landscape lovingly rendered with dozens of biomes providing distinct experiences. We’ll start this tour in the lovely and safe confines?? of the Shallows, but don’t get too comfortable there. Our tour is going to take us deep down under the surface to caves long forgotten to most of this world's resi?dent fish. Along the way we’ll get to meet the local fauna, from the benign Bladderfish all the way up to the many Leviathans haunting these seas.

If you’re new to Digital ??Tourist, each episode we’??ll be showcasing the beautiful worlds that game developers have crafted in painstaking polygonal detail. No questing; no combat (usually); no UI. Just a (mostly) peaceful walk, stroll, glide, trot, or trek across some of the greatest places to never exist.

This week has no mods at all. There are none really needed with a game as beautiful as Subnautica. So rest assured that if you want to brave these waters? on your own like a digital Jacques Cousteau, all you need is a copy of the game.

As always, let us know what you think and what games you’d like to see featured on upcoming installments. If you want more of this relaxing content make sure to check out the full playlist on Youtube.

The post Exploring the haunting a?byss of Subnautica (video feature) appeared first on Destructoid.

Molly is a real piece of work

During these unique times, laughter can go a long way. So, we're kicking off a new weekly video?? montage of dumb shit that makes us laugh and totally isn't Kotaku's Highlight Reel. Enjoy!

We hope this brings a little smile to your day. If you have a funny clip you want to submit for future episodes, dr?op us an email at: submissions@enthusiastgaming.com

_{[Note: All clips featured?? are with permission and credited in the video and on the YouTube description.]}

The post Destructoid’s Funny Gaming Montage #1: Tingle horse rave and Animal Crossing fails appeared first on Destructoid.

GUH!?

The mind wanders during these troubled and self-isolated times. It's during these times, though, when curiosity can strike at any moment and over the smallest details. In the case of Final Fantasy VII Remake, one of the things that? immediately stands out is the voice acting. Plenty of the delivery is acceptable (especially during those emotional highs). However, there is still a distinct anime level of charm throughout.

From Jessie being the thirstiest character in the game to pretty much every interaction Cloud has with Aerith, between it all is a mixture of heavy sighs, random gasps, and grunting that sounds like its straight out of a late-night time slot on Toonami. But, just how much grunting and awkward vocal oddities does Final Fantasy VII Remake actually contain? A few dozen? A couple hundred? Well, we're going to answer exactly that in our inaugural episode of Super Cut!

If you enjoyed this first episode, then be sure to let us know down below in the comments what games or ideas you'd wanna see featured in Super Cut. Maybe every sound Link makes in a playthrough of Ocarina of Time? Maybe every F-bomb in the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077? The sky is the limit, and procrastination is at an?? all-time high!

_{[Note: this video contains scenes from every chapter in the game, so, if you don't wanna be potentially spoiled, wait until you've experienced these wonderful grunts all the way through yourself.]}

The post Final Fantasy VII Super Cut: How many awkward grunts do you think are in the? entire game? appeared first on Destructoid.

Pretty crazy that Lyle himself discovered video games

While Lyle begins the search for his ?prized Douglas Fir, here's what's been happening in video games this past week:

• Streets of Rage 4 has a release date!
• Super Mario Maker 2 got some new updates!
• Artifact is...not dead yet and more!

Whipping bulky men and crossing together animals is a match made in video game heaven. Some day we'll achieve it, but until then, we'll just have to put up with Animal Crossing and Streets of Rage 4 being separate entities. So very close, yet so very distant... Just? like we'll be for a while! Due to Lyle needing time away to begin his search for his prized Douglas Fir &n??dash; we'll be taking a break.

So, be sure to tune back in at the end of May for more Pregame Discharge!

The post In this episode of Pr??egame Discharge: A??nimal Crossing got datamined and Streets of Rage 4 has a release date appeared first on Destructoid.

'That's... Wow'

Final Fantasy VII Remake is superb for a lot of reasons. It's beautiful, carefully crafted, fun to play, and it expands greatly on the setting and fantastic cast of the original. Characters?? such as Jessie now get more screen time and back story, and even the setting of Midgar has so much more detail and internal politics.

Even as someone who hasn't played the original in over a decade, it has been so incredibly nostalgic and thrilling to see a beloved classic get this treatment. But with that expansive new approach to storytelling and character development, we also get to see so many more interactions between our favorite characters. Including how thirsty everyone seems to be over possibly the most oblivious character in video games! So, here's some highlights showcasing just how lewd things can get in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Sit?? back, prepare to defog your glasses, and get ready to wince at some insanely over-the-top one-sided sexual tension.

I can just imagine how erotic things will get in part two when Vincent and Yuffi??e show up.

_{[Note: Gameplay footage from this video was used with permission from The Gameplay Garage.]}

The post Why is everyone so ??thirsty in the Final Fa?ntasy VII Remake? appeared first on Destructoid.

Surely someone out there wants to be Wesley Crusher

Unconventional times require an unconventional look, and thanks to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can achieve exactly that with custom designs. Players around the worl??d have created thousands of unique designs, and in this video, I'm showcasing ten that are noteworthy enough to shove into the spotlight.

You can turn your villager i??nto Ash Ketchum, a Jedi, or even an iconic video game character like Donkey Kong or Mega Man. Don't like a certain islander? Give them the Wesley Crusher sweater to remind them of their limited time left on your island. That's just one of the many possibilities you can achieve with custom designs.

To access these designs and m??ore, you'll need to unlo?ck the Custom Design Portal at the Able Sisters' shop. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required to utilize this feature.

If you enjoyed the video and have your own custom patterns and creations, be sure to share your creator codes down below. I'd love to chec??k o?ut some more stuff from within the jbsgame.community and maybe even shine a spotlight on them with a future video!

The post Gotta dress ’em all with these Animal Crossing: New Horizons custom designs appeared first on Destructoid.

Exploring digital worlds from home

The world may be ?on lockdown, but you don’t have to leave the house to explore new worlds. Video games provide some of the best escapism and immersion one can hope for, and so it’s in that vein that we’re kicking off a new video series on Destructoid called Digital Tourist.

Each week we&rs??quo;ll be dropping new videos showcasing the beautiful worlds that game developers and artists have crafted in painstaking polygonal detail. No questing; no combat (usually); no UI; no yapping. Just a (mostly) peaceful walk, stroll, glide, trot, or trek across some of the greatest places to never exist.

Our first journey will be through Nintendo’s magnum opus, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The Kingdom of Hyrule has never been more alive, dynamic, or breathtaking than in t?his latest installment. Many varied ecosystems and biomes are intricately woven together into ??a cohesive and believable world that warrants a lengthy virtual vacation. For this first run, Linkle will be jogging from Gerudo Town up to Zora’s Domain, hitting plenty of landmarks along the way.

Because we want these videos to look their greatest — regardless of whether you’re on a 4K OLED or a literal potato — we have harnessed the miracle of modern computing to supercharge t?he visuals. If you want to juice up your game at home, we utilized BSoD Gaming’s Clarity preset, FPS++, Pro HUB+,? and pushed the resolution up to 4K. As for the skin, we used lynard killer’s Linkle skin.

We have two more Breath of the Wild tours coming up soon, so please let me know if you enjoyed this video and what games you’d like to see stamped on your virtual passport in future ep??isodes. Enjoy!

The post Introducing Digital Tourist — Chill treks through awesome games in 4K UHD appeared first on Destructoid.

Unless you're playing NBA 2K20

While we still wonder how we managed to convince Ni?cholas Cage to be the new host of Pregame Disch??arge, here's what's been happening in video games this past week:

• E3 2020 was canceled!
• Call of Duty: Warzone was released!
• Bethesda showed off gameplay from the upcoming Wastelanders DLC for Fallout 76 and more!

So, with E3 officially canceled, a lot of people have been wondering if this is the end of E3?? as we know it. Personally, I'm in the E3 is over party simply because I think major publishers are gonna find out just how dated of a concept E3 was. I can only imagine Ubisoft, Microsoft, and pretty much every other major publisher that had a conference or showcase planned this year is simply going to copy the Nintendo Direct model this summer.

I can only assume they'll space these Direct style of videos out throughout the summer in an attempt to get the best traffic they possibly can between one another and it's in doing so where I think they'll be surprised just how well these videos do. So much so, I think publishers will immediately begin planning for their next one. Best case scenario: maybe the ESA gets involved and they come up with a whole new formula for the show that helps support this approach. Anything beats those leaked plans from last year.

Discharged question of the week: Do you think t?his is the end of E3 ?and the traditional “press conference” format?

The post In this episode of Pregame Discharge: E3 is canceled, b?ut video games NEVER STOP! appeared first on Destructoid.

Catch these hands

It feels surreal to talk about a new Half-Life game as something that's definitely launching before the month is over. Half-Life: Alyx&n?bsp;is nearly here, and Valve has three new gameplay videos to give us a sample platter of what we can expect.

These three extended clips each exist to show off a different type of locomotion within VR. The first video (embedded above) has movement by teleportation -- the least realistic method of getting around, but also the one that's proven to be the easiest to stomach. This video channels its inner Ravenholm (we don't go there), as a dilapidated subway station has been overrun by zombies and headc?rabs. 

It's here that we also get a glimpse at Half-Life: Alyx's upgrade system. Alyx uses a Combine fabricator to improve her pistol by using resin to craft a new sight. Afterward, she coolly snags a hardhat off a chair, flips it on her head, and nabs the ammo that was sitting under it. It seems as though there's a lot to be discovered in manipulating Alyx's environment and finding re?sou??rces that are cleverly hidden.

This second video will look less jarring to those who are familiar with Half-Life and unfamiliar with virtual reality. It uses the standard first-person method of walking around, which doesn't always go well in VR. We're also treated to a look at some of Alyx's puzzle design, as this clip focuses mostly on unlocking new path??s through the level.

Lastly, there's a combat-focused video that feels sort of similar to Freeman's shootouts with the marines at Black Mesa. Alyx takes on swarms of aggressive Combine, as Valve shows off the shift ?locomotion -- a hybrid between teleportation and normal walking that sort of zooms from place to place. This video also puts Alyx's gravity gloves on full display, as she grabs enemy grenades and returns them to sender.

Half-Life: Alyx launches on March 23 on Steam for the major PC virtual reality headsets. These videos should g??ive you a nice headstart on? how you plan to move through the game.

The post Half-Life: Alyx gets three new gameplay videos, each one un??ique in its own?? way appeared first on Destructoid.

They never deconfirmed 50 Cent from 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, so there's still hope!

While we still await for the big announcement of 50 Cent (Fiddy aka Ferrari F Fifty) from 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand to finally make his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, here's what's ?been happening in video games this past week:

• Grand Theft Auto IV is back on Steam (with a catch)
• No Man's Sky now has... Living ships!?
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons got a Direct with tons of new info and more!

Today's episode of Pregame Discharge touches on one of the issues I have with digital games: longevity. Don't get me wrong, I love the convenience and a good portion of my library this generation was digital (hell, I don't even have a disc drive on my current PC setup). But, when one of the biggest franchises (Grand Theft Auto) isn't? safe fro?m really dumb problems like running out of keys on Steam, I just question the longevity of it all.

I sit here and still wonder what will happen once the PlayStation Store shuts down on PS3 (especially if the PS5 isn't backward compatible with PS3 games and downloaded games). Will we get a warning so we can back things up? Or will it just shut down with no notice? Or will Sony keep the PS3 supported indefinitely? I'm really hoping the PS5 is fully backward compatible with past consoles, as I genuinely think this will be the last generation of physical games and I'd lov??e to have a console that can tackle the entire physical PlayStation library to fall back on when that time comes.

Discharged question of the week:?? How do ?you feel about the digital future within video games?

The post On this episode of Pregame Discharge: No Man’s Sky now lets you birth a ship and DOOM Guy never ever in Smash appeared first on Destructoid.

And of course with the power of GAMERS!

Hello fellow gamers, here is the video game news from today's video game news-focused broadcasting named after a dirty? referential subject known as Pregame Discharge which today includes the following subjects:

• The Wonderful 101 is coming to Switch, PS4, and PC!
• Fallout 76 will finally have NPCs!
• Season 3 of Netflix's Castlevania is coming March 5 and more!

While Lyle continues to grasp the power of a village and much more as the ultimate gamer, video games continue forward with new consoles coming this year! But, did you know KFC are looking to fuel gamers with plants!? That's right, KFC is introducing the “Esports Performance Burger.” Truly, the next generation of gaming food products has arrived and we're ready to enhance ??ourselves further.

Discharged question of the week: what gaming products have you s?hamefully or shamelessly consumed as of late? Personally, I remember eating Taco Bell one too many times in the hopes of winning an Xbox One X. I ne??ver won. I am not the ultimate gamer, unfortunately.

The post In this episode of Pregame Discharge: The Wonderful 101 has escaped the graveyard that is the Wii U librar??y with the power of crowdfunding appeared first on Destructoid.

Gotta preserve them all!

While yo??u're enjoying the trip to space, here's what's been happening in video games this past week on Earth (trust me, you don't even wanna know what's happening with video games throughout the known universe):

• Pokémon Home got some new info and price details!
• Apex Legends has a new character (that immediately died) and was replaced by another one!
• Alien Hominid is getting a new game!

On the topic of Pokémon: I fell off Pokémon Shield far, far quicker than I thought I would. The competitive scene just isn't what I was hoping for and the post-game, in general, is severely lacking. I'm looking forward to the new expansions, but I'm not looking forward to shelling out potentially even more money just to keep holding onto my collection of Pokémon from previous games and hoping I can fully?? transfer all of them into a new game someday.

Worse yet, I'm likely going to end up buying that limited edition Animal Crossing Switch and there isn't any cloud save options for Pokémon Shield, so, I'm likely gonna have no choice but to utilize Pokémon Home sooner, rather than later for that whole batch of?? Pokémon (despite already paying for an online service through Nintendo and Pokémon Bank).

Discharged question of the week: What do you think of Pokémon Home? Do y?ou plan on us?ing it?

The post On this episode of Pregame Discharge: Pokemon Home wants more than the bank and Alien?? Hominid returns! appeared first on Destructoid.

A new addition to Destructoid.tv!

Earlier in the month we kicked off the new year with some more Dreezy streams, but as some of you who may follow the Twitch channel have noticed, we've introduced a new streamer in the form of Greekology to the channel! Yo?u can check out a brief montage of his antics at the bottom of this post!

As ?alway??s, though, we'll be giving away copies of whatever is currently streaming or Amazon gift cards to lucky viewers! To be eligible to win, you'll first need to type “!raffle” into the Twitch chat to enter and complete two simple steps:

• You need to be following the Destructoid Twitch channel.
• As well as join/be a member of the Destructoid Discord group.

The current streaming schedule:

Monday: 8:30pm - 1:30am
Tuesday: 8:30pm - 1:30am
Wednesday: 2:00pm - 7:00pm
Thursday: 2:00pm - 7:00pm
Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm
Sunday: 8:30pm - 1:30am

So relax, pu??ll up your favorite chair, and listen to the sights and sounds of video games being streamed on the internet! Heck, maybe you'll even win a? game or two along the way!

The post We’re live again on Twitch this week with Dreezy and newcomer Greekology! appeared first on Destructoid.