TheGamer - Triple-A Game Features

I’m Not Ready To Move On From The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 18:00:20 GMT

According to my Switch, I've played 105 hours of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom since it came out back in May. If you’re the kind of multiplayer fiend who has thousands of hours in Destiny or Overwatch, that may not sound like much. But, for me — someone who almost exclusively plays single-player games — it’s a lot. The last game I played for that long was Hitman 3 — which is the rare live-service game to get its hooks in me (or, rather, its garrote around my neck). Before that, it hadn't happened since Breath of the Wild in 2017.

Nick Brawl 2 Has All The Signs Of Being A Rushed Product

James Troughton — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl launched in October 2021, and now, less than two years later, a sequel is set to follow. It seems miraculous, especially considering art director Diego Hernández has said 98 percent of the game’s assets are built from scratch. But looking at how the first entry was at launch, I’m not optimistic.

The One Thing This Year's Blockbusters Have In Common, From Oppenheimer To Barbie

Andrew King — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:31:19 GMT

Barbie and Oppenheimer made a great (and viral) double feature because the two movies seemed to have nothing in common. One was primarily targeted at women, the other at men. One had a bright pink, plastic aesthetic, the other alternated between muted grays, blacks, and browns and the bright orange of fire. One was a light fantasy comedy, the other was a harrowing true story about becoming death, destroyer of worlds.

Defeating Ganondorf Has Never Been More Satisfying Than It Is In The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 15:00:21 GMT

This article contains spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

I Started Baldur's Gate 3 In Early Access And Regret It

Jade King — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 20:00:22 GMT

Of all the big games coming out this year, I didn’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3 of all things to get me so damn excited. I’m normally a fickle bitch when it comes to western fantasy, with many of my colleagues often badgering me for never playing Dragon Age or seeing all of the Lord of the Rings films. I’m getting around to them, I promise, it’s just taking me several decades.

My Biggest Surprise Of The Year Is Pikmin 4

Andrew King — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 17:00:19 GMT

I picked up Pikmin 4 on a whim. When I was buying The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, I realized I could scoop up one additional game for only 30 bucks thanks to Nintendo’s 2-for-1 voucher which lets you get two full price titles for only $100. Given that TOTK is Nintendo’s first and (for now, at least) only $70 game, it was an easy decision to make and Pikmin 4 being the only other unreleased game on the list made it an easy choice for content purposes. People like to read about new games and this deal guaranteed I’d have a new game to write about.

It’s Always Fun To See An Old Console In A New Game Like Pikmin 4

Andrew King — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:31:19 GMT

Pikmin 4 is all about collecting treasure. Of that treasure, it turns out the thing I treasure most is my Cobalt Blue Game Boy Advance SP.

It Sucks That Side Quest Progress Doesn’t Transfer In Diablo 4 Seasons

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:30:19 GMT

Diablo 4 has a surprisingly strong hold on me, considering it’s my first Diablo game and I’ve never really been into the ARPG genre at all. I was pushed to finally wrap up the campaign by the fast approach of Diablo’s first season, so I could dive head-first into the Season of the Malignant. Speaking to the developers about the season only made me more interested in jumping in, but since I did, I’ve been finding myself getting more and more annoyed. Everywhere, people are asking me for help, and I’m going out of my way to offer assistance. I consider myself a relatively helpful person, and it doesn’t really bother me to do these side quests, except for the fact that I’ve done a ton of them once before already.

Pokemon Sleep Is Actually Helping Me Sleep

Josh Coulson — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:01:19 GMT

Pokemon has gripped the world and changed the way we do things on so many occasions during its 25 years on top, so it should really come as no surprise that the latest project from The Pokemon Company to take everyone by storm is an app that gamifies sleep. Pokemon Sleep is a tracker that turns your Zs into Pokemon interactions, and even though no one involved with its creation wants to suggest it's a health app, because it most definitely is not, Pokemon Sleep has actually been helping me sleep.

Diablo 4's Equipment Vendors Are Completely Pointless

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:30:20 GMT

I recently roped a friend into playing Diablo 4 with me, but he made the ill-advised decision of sprinting through the campaign so he could get to Season One by the time it started two days later. Because he was short on time, he asked me for pro tips to make his rushed journey a little easier. After listing off a couple of the basics, I added, “Don’t sell junk equipment, it makes more sense to salvage it.”

Please Don't Go Into Armored Core 6 Expecting A Souls Game

Jade King — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon previews arrived earlier this week, and as expected, the majority of press are trying their darnedest to compare the mech shooter with FromSoftware’s more popular efforts. With Elden Ring taking over the world last year and Dark Souls being a long-standing gaming institution, it’s no surprise that one of the developer’s hidden gems is taking on a bunch of unnecessary baggage. It doesn’t necessarily deserve these expectations placed upon it.

Final Fantasy 16 Is Going To Age Terribly

Jade King — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:31:17 GMT

Final Fantasy 16 is an excellent game. However, it’s also a game that’s trying to be so many different things that it never quite solidifies its own identity. Naoki Yoshida made it clear he asked the entire development team to watch Game of Thrones during production, so there was a nuanced understanding about the sort of characters, atmosphere, and world the RPG hoped to depict. Square Enix seeked to create a game with global appeal that honored the series’ history while aiming to provide an experience that capitalised on the status quo.

Starfield Is Going To Be Lonely In Ways Skyrim Never Could Be

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:00:21 GMT

Bethesda Game Studios has been honest about the fact that many of Starfield’s thousands of planets will be relatively devoid of life. Larger cities and civilian settlements will be found on specific planets likely pertaining to the main quest and major side missions, while every explorable planet off the beaten path will be down to you to discover. Certain players have expressed dismay about the potential of most planets not being worth a visit, but for me, it’s the opposite. I cannot wait to stand upon daunting plains of extraterrestrial terrain with little idea of what awaits me. To bask in the solitude of an alien world that doesn’t belong to me.

Virtual Console Is Long Dead In The World Of Remasters And Remakes

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:30:19 GMT

A few weeks ago Nintendo shadow dropped Pikmin 1+2 HD onto the eShop alongside a demo for Pikmin 4. Suddenly, two forgotten GameCube classics had a new home on Switch with a handful of modern bells and whistles. Except there was a catch - they each cost $30.

Barbie Would Make The Perfect Saints Row Game

Jade King — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:16:19 GMT

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is an insightful examination of the patriarchal society we exist within and the unfair expectations placed upon men and women in the modern world, but it’s also extremely pink and a jolly good time. Editor-in-Chief Stacey Henley has already written about how the film is far more than anti-men in its intentions, so it’s up to me to carry the silly torch on behalf of TheGamer. As Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling explore the sunny beaches and gaudy artificiality of Los Angeles, the couple are blissfully ignorant of their surroundings and immediately find themselves in a variety of unrealistic hijinks.

My Husband Keeps Ruining My Pokemon Sleep Research With His Snoring

Meg Pelliccio — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 17:00:22 GMT

I am not a big mobile gamer, but what I definitely am is easily sucked into the latest trends. Pokemon Go was the mobile game I played the longest, only losing interest after a good few years as new features were added and updates proved overwhelming, while my passion for Peridot fizzled out in mere days. The latest to hook me is Pokemon Sleep, a game I’ll gladly embrace as a serial nap-taker.

Everything You Should Do Before Playing Baldur’s Gate 3

Mike Drucker — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 16:31:19 GMT

Hey, everyone! You folks having a good summer? Everybody finish all those big, incredible games we’ve been playing the last few months? Wow! Zelda! Final Fantasy! So much to do in the incredible world of games we could just play forever! And that’s too bad because beep beep, it’s new game time, assholes. You better start running your Barbarian ass around Sanctuary on the double because there’s another game coming that we’re all going to have to pretend we finished when we talk about it: Baldur’s Gate 3.

Why Are We So Obsessed With Kazuma Kiryu's Virginity?

Jade King — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 15:30:21 GMT

Kazuma Kiryu is still a virgin. Rumours began spreading after a new Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name trailer hinted that Kiryu had not only been around the block a few times, but was maybe even engaged and could have started a family. Fans across the world came to mourn in response. A man, who for years has been considered a precious cinnamon roll too pure for this world, had gone and done the nasty while we weren’t looking.

That One Week In October Will Kill Us All

Josh Coulson — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 17:01:18 GMT

There are always busy periods on the video game calendar, usually during Summer and the holidays. However, the pandemic has resulted in release dates bottlenecking to a more extreme level than usual. In February 2022 alone we got Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and Dying Light 2, and last month we juggled Final Fantasy 16, Street Fighter 6, and Diablo 4.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons And Doom Eternal Are The Original Barbenheimer

Jade King — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:30:19 GMT

Barbie and Oppenheimer are finally here. The cinematic duo have dominated popular culture for months with their dual release dates and divergent subject matter. One is a film about the devastation of nuclear power, and the other is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Both movies are already hits too, with critical reviews and word of mouth incredibly positive ahead of release and as audiences rush into screens for the first time. With two tickets booked for this weekend, I can’t wait to lose myself watching them back-to-back.

Final Fantasy XIV Community Spotlight: Esprit's Way Off Broadway Show

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:00:19 GMT

There’s no business like show business, even in the magical world of Final Fantasy 14. Macro dance troupe Esprit’s Way Off Broadway show treated us to numbers from all of our favourite musicals — and seriously, how much further can you get from Broadway than the digital world of Eorzea?

What's Going On With The Immortals: Fenyx Rising Sequel?

Stacey Henley — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:00:19 GMT

Immortals: Fenyx Rising wasn't that good, which might be an odd thing to say about a game I'm clamouring for a sequel to, but it's true. Immortals: Fenyx Rising was only okay, but for a mid-budget open-world new IP with some fresh ideas, made by a studio most used to developing DLC packs and whose origins stemmed from a bug in Assassin's Creed's code, 'only okay' is a solid benchmark. I think the first Mass Effect game is only okay, and I think the second is the greatest video game ever to exist. Wonderful things can start from only okay. Immortals is perhaps not at Mass Effect's heights, and I doubt the sequel will reach Mass Effect 2's, but still, it deserves another attempt.

We're All Going To Play Stealth Archer Again In Starfield, Aren't We?

James Troughton — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

Starfield’s character creator looks incredible, with sprinkles of Fallout: New Vegas and Oblivion, making it far more in-depth than Skyrim’s and Fallout 4’s options. That means we can make some truly unique builds to explore the galaxy with, rather than defaulting to safe, tried and tested formulas. But let’s be honest - we’re all gonna make a stealth archer again.

I Need A Modern Zelda-Like

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:30:18 GMT

If I was to say to you, as I already have via the headline, that I wanted more Zelda-likes, you'd probably look at me and cross your eyes while swirling your finger around next to your ear, then realise that might be seen as ableist so sheepishly stop doing that while still thinking I'm very stupid. It's true, on the indie scene, we are drowning in Zelda-likes. Tunic is the most notable one in recent years, but many titles have been built around 'what if Zelda, but we make it?'. I still think we need a real contender to rise into the gap created by Zelda leaving its roots behind, but it's where Zelda has moved to that most interests me today.

Exoprimal Takes Way Too Long To Show Its True Colours

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

Exoprimal isn’t your typical hero shooter. While I wasn’t kind to the game in my review, I am sticking with Capcom’s flawed live-service effort to see exactly where the future updates and developing story takes me. It’s already going to strange places, although I’m unsure its bold diversion from industry trends is doing it any favours when the fundamentals are so lacking.

Tears Of The Kingdom Is Too Afraid To Show Us Link's Balls

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

Gamers are horny. Millennials and Zoomers are less prudish than the older generation when it comes to openly expressing their sexuality, which means the internet is home to thirst traps, horny posting, and frank conversations about the fictional characters we develop an attraction towards. Inevitably, we also end up touching on their balls, or a notable lack of them in the case of Tears of the Kingdom’s Link. He’s trans in my head so it makes sense.

A Group Of WoW Redditors Successfully Trolled A News Website That Uses AI To Generate Articles

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:15:16 GMT

Ever since I started writing for TheGamer, I’ve been accused of being artificial intelligence several times, despite the fact that I regularly write about how AI is hurting the industries we most care about. Every time I publish a take that readers don’t particularly like, I inevitably receive an email saying my work is ‘rage-baiting trash’ that’s ‘clearly written by an AI’. This isn’t actually true. I am very much a real person, and so are all my co-workers, as far as I know. AI couldn’t generate our completely inappropriate Slack chats, and thank god for that.

King Kong's New Games Look Terrible, So Play The Old One Instead

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:00:20 GMT

Terrible licensed games are coming back into fashion. Gollum was trash, there’s an awful-looking Bumblebee game on the horizon, and now King Kong is joining in on the fun with a new title from GameMill Entertainment. Judging from the reveal trailer, it’s a third-person action experience with big insects, big dinosaurs, and a big gorilla beating the crap out of them all. It sounds good on paper, but looks a bit rubbish.

Don't Assume Everyone Will Be An Elephant In Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:01:19 GMT

When Super Mario Bros. Wonder was revealed at the most recent Nintendo Direct, the one thing everyone was interested in was Elephant Mario. After eating an elephant shaped fruit, Mario transforms into an elephant. In the short gameplay footage we've seen, there's no suggestion as to what Elephant Mario's powers might be, but we can assume it's something to do with increased size or extra strength. We can also assume that other characters turn into elephants too, since we can play as Luigi, Toad, Peach, and for the first time in a mainline Mario game, Daisy. Except, is that assumption really correct?

We Should Have Heard About The Rock's Big Video Game Movie By Now

Josh Coulson — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:30:18 GMT

I’m not sure if you heard, but The Rock is making a big, badass video game movie. Well, at least I think he is. It's been 18 months since the wrestler-turned-movie star casually dropped that reveal during an interview, revealing he was working on an adaptation of a video game he has been playing for years, promising to do good by gamers. I love The Rock, but those words filled me with a fear that hasn't really subsided in the year and a half since I read them.

Now We Know Who Venom Is, I Have A Lot More Questions For Spider-Man 2

Stacey Henley — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:00:17 GMT

It seemed obvious from the ending of Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game that Harry Osborn would be Venom in the sequel. In a twist on the typical 'Norman Osborn as Green Goblin' plot thread, Osborn is just regular capitalist evil rather than supervillain evil. His son Harry, Peter's closest friend, is absent during the game for a vacation that sounds more and more impromptu and suspicious as the game goes on. Finally, in the last scene, we see Harry suspended in a tank of green goo, baiting us with a Green Goblin reveal before the switcheroo of the Symbiote in the tank with him.

Pikmin 4 Has A Bunch Of Pointless New Features

Jade King — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:15:17 GMT

Pikmin 4 is great, and it might even be the strongest game of the series. However, in this advancement it can’t help implement new mechanics and means of approachability that dilute the once-challenging gameplay formula. Most of these features I never used once during my review playthrough, or felt confused about what exactly they’d add to the experience if I did. Nintendo takes it too far in one direction with no going back.

How Many Pikmin Would It Take To Carry A Dead Body?

Jade King — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:00:18 GMT

I would like to preface this article by making it clear that I’m not very good at maths. Every little thing about this hypothetical scenario is going to be defined by some diabolical napkin science bullshit fuelled by morbid curiosity and easy access to any answers I might require through a quick Google search. I’ve also never buried or even seen a dead body myself, promise, so please don’t put me on a list for exploring the long held question of how many Pikmin it would take to carry one. If I ever was to need help disposing of a dead body, hypothetically of course, I know I’d call on these lil’ dudes because they’re hella loyal.

Star Wars Outlaws Already Sounds Too Big For Its Own Good

Jade King — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:30:15 GMT

Big things aren’t always good. Cheeseburgers. Penises. Ubisoft games. All things at risk of becoming overwhelming thanks to their overzealous size. Sometimes it’s okay to admit that something a little smaller might work just as well, and in many instances, is much preferred.

UKIE Needs To Go Further And Make It Harder For Children To Make Micro-Transactions

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:30:15 GMT

When I was eight, I spent hundreds of dollars of my parents’ money on Habbo Hotel. I wanted to be a Habbo Club member, you see, and the game made it so easy for me to purchase credits just by sending an SMS to a specified number. Sure, they limited the number of credits I could buy per day, and thank God for that – my still-developing frontal lobe didn’t have any understanding of the real-world value of money, or the good sense to exercise any restraint. My parents found out just how much I’d spent when they got the phone bill, and I got hell for it. That’s not even including the credits I bought on pre-loaded cards at the 7-11 every week with my allowance.

Is EA Sports FC Just FIFA? We Find Out

Stacey Henley — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:31:16 GMT

EA Sports FC 24 is just FIFA 24 with a new name, right? From what I've been shown of the game so far, the answer to that is both 'yes' and 'no'. The game's logo is designed around the triangular player marker that FIFA titles have always used, and looking at the gameplay in the broadest of contexts, it looks the same. It's realistic, but it still has an art-style (think of how different The Last of Us, Spider-Man, and Halo all look despite aiming for their own versions of photorealism), and EA Sports FC 24 has the same art-style as FIFA 23. The controls are the same, the mechanics are the same, the rules (obviously) are the same. So is it the same game? I think the best way to describe it is that it feels like FIFA 26.

EA FC 24 Should Be A Fantasy RPG

Ben Sledge — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:00:16 GMT

I’m looking forward to EA Sports FC 24, hoping that EA takes the rebrand as an opportunity to drastically change the FIFA experience. I don’t really care if the result turns out worse than FIFA 23, I just think the formula is getting a bit stale – especially in Ultimate Team, my preferred mode – and it could use shaking up.

Millennials, Neopets Is So Back

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:00:17 GMT

Like many people my age, I grew up playing Neopets. It was my first introduction to the internet, and maybe even video games themselves. I’d while hours away on Pirate Caves, IceCream Machine, Fetch!, and Tug ‘O’ War. I won the Poetry Competition once, a huge win for my inner budding writer. I learned what a stock was through Neopets, too.

Call of Duty's Nostalgia Is The Most Powerful Force In Gaming

Jade King — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:15:18 GMT

This week saw Activision reactivate the online multiplayer servers for several Call of Duty titles on the Xbox 360, and in a matter of days they have attracted over 200,000 people all eager to relive their glory days in the blockbuster shooter. As someone who also grew up as the series’ greatest successes were taking over the world, I’m half tempted to join them.

Baldur's Gate 3's Marketing Is Getting Silly

Stacey Henley — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:30:25 GMT

I love Baldur's Gate 3. I've resisted playing too much of the early access version on PC because I want to sink in deep at the full release and not emerge for 100 hours, but I love it all the same. I love it like a pen pal. I love it at a distance. I hope that this imagined love crystalises into the real thing once I finally get my hands on it. But after years of watching it with admiration and respect from afar, now that it's drifting closer it's giving off bad vibes. It just can't close the deal. Never meet your heroes, kid. The latest in these late-game fumbles come via the endings, of which Larian is bragging there are over 17,000.

Star Wars Outlaws' Lack Of Procedural Generation Is A Win For Gamers

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:00:17 GMT

Much ado has been made about Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft’s new open-world Star Wars game revealed at this year’s Summer Game Fest. The single-player, third-person game focuses on Kay Vess, an outlaw scoundrel attempting to pull off a huge heist. She’s accompanied by Nix, a cute little guy you can instruct to do things for you, and the game will feature space combat, vehicle combat, stealth and open combat, and branching dialogue. As we’ve also recently found out, each planet in the game will be the size of about two or three zones in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and each of them will be “hand-crafted” instead of procedurally generated.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Needs To Bring Back The Plane Levels

Stacey Henley — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 14:00:15 GMT

I prefer 3D Mario to 2D Mario, though part of that is just being scarred by the approach of New Super Mario. My favourite Mario game, Super Mario World, is 2D after all. But even as the rest of the top five is made up of 3D efforts (Galaxy, Odyssey, Galaxy 2, 64), the one thing 2D has over 3D is that it has specific levels. Not worlds, not places, not themes: levels. Start here and get to the end. It's video games in their purest form, and despite seeming more limited from the outside, they offer a lot more creativity once you break it all down. That's why I'm calling for Super Mario Bros. Wonder to bring back the aeroplane levels.

The New Xbox Game Pass Tier Gives You The Worst Intro To Fable

Rhiannon Bevan — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 18:00:18 GMT

Xbox just introduced a new Game Pass tier, giving you access to 25 titles that give you a taste of what the platform has to offer. While it’s heartening to see Fable make the cut after years out of the spotlight, the choice of game is just baffling. Xbox has a new Fable game to promote, and clearly, a lot of time and money is being chucked at the thing. So why would you try to drag in some new players with the worst mainline Fable game ever released?

Xbox Game Pass Core Is A Bad Deal For Gamers

Jade King — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:31:19 GMT

Xbox Live Gold is no more. The online subscription service that has persisted for over two decades is now being phased out in favour of several different Game Pass tiers. What was once an unrivalled example of value in the video game space is deciding to cannibalise its own appeal with confusing tier options that lock out previously available features and restrict the selection of games which used to feel limitless. This new move doesn’t benefit anyone.

Final Fantasy 13's Battle System Doesn't Get Nearly Enough Credit

Jade King — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:30:16 GMT

Ever since it first released in 2010, one of the common criticisms thrown at Final Fantasy 13 is that the RPG plays itself. The majority of its environments are little more than gorgeously rendered corridors with the occasional diversion for treasures and encounters, and you’re incentivised to use an auto-battle option to steam through combat without any distractions.

The Last Hope Doesn't Deserve Any Of Our Attention

Jade King — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:30:18 GMT

If something is popular, you can all but guarantee there is going to be a bootleg produced to make some extra pennies, copyright be damned. Whether it’s the shoddily produced Minions merchandise seen down at the local market or laughably cheap films thrown straight onto big streaming services, the brightest creative sparks will always be replicated to their detriment.

The Legend Of Zelda Has Always Been Queer

Hilton Webster — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:41:23 GMT

Nintendo has often been quick to shut the assumption of LGBTQ+ characters or themes in its games down, the most recent example being Shiver in Splatoon 3. Companies like Nintendo have plenty of reasons to hide away queer themes, typically because they want to avoid controversy or confrontation, and have traditionally been more likely to mock queer themes than embrace them. Even The Legend of Zelda plays off old stereotypes of gay men in older games. But whether Nintendo knows it or not, Zelda is a series with queerness at its heart, and it’s been that way since the very beginning.

Everything Else I Want Pokemon To Gamify

Josh Coulson — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 17:30:17 GMT

Pokemon Sleep finally gets its full rollout later this month. Years after it was first revealed (and never really explained), the latest way for Pokemon to tighten its stranglehold on every last aspect of our lives is almost here. Basically, it’s one of those sleep-tracking apps with a shiny coat of Pokemon paint.

Limited Run Games Is Bringing Back A Laundry List Of Forgotten Classics

Jade King — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 17:00:18 GMT

Nobody asked it to, but Limited Run Games has announced it will be bringing back a number of dormant franchises as a part of its publishing arm. Last night saw the gaming world inundated with announcements that would work perfectly within an unpredictable fever dream. El Shaddai is coming back? That’s cool, I don’t think enough people played that thing back in the day. Tomba as well? That’s amazing, it’s an underrated banger lost to the early days of 3D platforming. A Gex remaster? All three of them?! Fuck off.

Is It Bad That I Wish We Could Still Play Final Fantasy XIV 1.0?

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 16:00:17 GMT

I don’t have a great memory, so what I remember of Final Fantasy 14’s 1.0 release is pretty dim considering it launched all the way back in 2010. Lurking deep in the back of my mind is a shared level bar across roles, a confusing armor system that had no restrictions and instead scaled gear based on your current level, and, of course, the dreaded TP bar. I think I still have some useless items from those dark days lingering on a retainer somewhere attracting dust.

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch Shows Horses Deserve Their Own Time To Shine

Helen Ashcroft — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 18:00:18 GMT

A criticism often leveled at The Sims 4 is that it lacks depth or is cutting out features. As The Sims 4 Horse Ranch expansion nears its release date of July 20, this is a viewpoint you’ll see trotted out again (sorry, not sorry) on social media over the coming weeks. Largely because in The Sims 3, horses were included as part of the pets expansion, leading many to believe they were “left out” of Cats & Dogs so EA could charge us a few extra pennies.

Prince Of Persia Creator Says It "Can’t Exist" As Triple-A With Assassin’s Creed

George Foster — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 18:00:18 GMT

After 13 years of deafening silence from Ubisoft, Prince of Persia is finally coming back. The Lost Crown, a new side-scrolling adventure from the team behind Rayman Legends, looks set to reinvigorate the series in a way we haven’t seen since 2009’s cel-shaded attempt.

Saints Row 4's Casual Romance Options Are Perfect

Stacey Henley — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

There are a lot of games with romance options these days - for many players, they're a defining part of the RPG experience. Choosing your lover is as important, or maybe even more important, than designing your character. Mass Effect, Fire Emblem, Dragon Age, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Life is Strange, Persona, and Stardew Valley are all lauded for their romance options, with fans playing each of these games multiple times in order to see all of the options the game has. But no game quite serves up a buffet like Saints Row 4.

Tears Of The Kingdom Does Not Have Game Of The Year Wrapped Up

Josh Coulson — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

2023 has been one of the best years in recent memory for video games, and we're only halfway done. Just when you thought your backlog couldn't get any deeper, it feels like every studio on the planet has decided that 2023 is the year to throw out its next banger. Or in the case of Square Enix, two bangers. I'm talking about Final Fantasy 16 and Octopath Traveler 2, but hey, if you enjoyed Forspoken, good for you.

Exoprimal Is Silly As Hell And Capcom Knows It

Jade King — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:46:14 GMT

Exoprimal begins with a fictional news report that immediately cements the ridiculousness of its world. The world and its technology are under threat by dinosaurs. No more information is needed before jumping into this game and taking an assault rifle to hordes of angry lizards. As you play, it becomes apparent that a mysterious organisation is in need of exosuit pilots to jump into destroyed cities and lay waste to these dinos summoned by an AI gone rogue that, if left unchecked, could destroy everything. It’s our job to stop them with our sick-ass robot suits.

Super Mario Wonder Needs To Compete With The Best Mario Level, Don't. Touch. Anything.

Stacey Henley — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:00:15 GMT

It feels like there's a new Mario game every couple of months, with ports and updates and sports or Party games, but we've been waiting a long time for a real Mario game to come along. Not since 2017's Super Mario Odyssey have we had a fresh Mario adventure, until October's Super Mario Wonder answers our prayers. Wonder already has two big green ticks next to its name, with the double reveal that a) we'll get to play as Daisy, and b) the New Super Mario art style is well and truly dead. It shall not be mourned. But as the release creeps closer, I find myself thinking about what levels themselves could look like, and if one of my favourite Mario experiences could be replicated.

Superman Is Finally The Himbo He Was Always Destined To Be

Jade King — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:30:16 GMT

My Adventures With Superman only made its debut last week and has already attracted a ravenous fandom with a love for all things tomboy and himbo. That’s me, I’m the ravenous fandom. Every character in this damn thing is adorable and I can’t get enough of them, especially as the show leans into that cutesy appeal.

Final Fantasy 13 Still Looks Better Than Most Modern Games

Jade King — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:00:16 GMT

Final Fantasy 13 was lambasted for its linearity when it first arrived in 2010. Its late arrival in the PS3/Xbox 360 era contrasted awkwardly with the gaming public who’d become accustomed to the open worlds of games like Assassin’s Creed and Oblivion. Square Enix’s failure to fit in with the crowd was its downfall, but in retrospect it’s allowed for this polarising gem to age far better than expected. After all these years, it still looks and plays beautifully.

How To Fix Final Fantasy

Mike Drucker — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:30:16 GMT

Did Final Fantasy 16 sell well? Yes! Did Final Fantasy 16 sell terribly? Also yes! It really depends on who you ask. Nobody’s disagreeing on the numbers. They’re just disagreeing on what those numbers mean. Obviously, Final Fantasy 16 selling three million copies as a PS5 exclusive means it’s saved the series. Obviously, Final Fantasy 16 selling three million copies as a PS5 exclusive means the series has strayed too far and been lost forever.

Genshin Impact Voice Actors Claim To Be Owed Thousands After 6 Months Without Pay

George Foster — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:00:59 GMT

Update 17:19 BST 14/07/2023 - Hoyoverse has provided a statement to Video Games on Sports Illustrated, reading, "“We truly regret to learn about the ongoing situation. Genshin Impact values and respects the work and effort of everyone involved, and we support our voice actors to claim their proper due. We have made payments to our recording studio on time, and we immediately urged the studio to pay our voice actors from our past payment. Meanwhile, we are also seeking alternative solutions.”

Sony Is Planning Too Many Horizon Sequels

Stacey Henley — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:00:15 GMT

Sony and Guerrilla apparently have 16 “plans” for the Horizon series in the works. It is stressed that not all these so-called plans are games, but I don’t think they mean branded pencil cases either. Of the things that could feasibly not be games, let’s say there’s a TV series (which we already know about), a movie, an animated series, a comic (one already exists), a board game (one already exists), and more crossover opportunities (ones already exist).

Nintendo Could Make An Incredible Competitive Multiplayer Mode For The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:54:15 GMT

I’m 95 hours into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and I keep getting blown away by what the game is. An improvement on a predecessor I thought was basically perfect. Ridiculously deep, with robust building systems, endless Fuse options, and long, well-written side quests. And as good a story as Zelda has ever told, with a potently tragic narrative. But when I attempted the shrine overlooking Tarrey Town, I had my first thought about what the game should be: a competitive arena battler.

Call Of Duty Isn't The Big Deal It Used To Be

Jade King — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:15:15 GMT

Microsoft has won its court battle with the FTC regarding the Activision Blizzard deal, and it’ll take something monumental to stop the acquisition from passing now if events roll out the way Xbox is hoping for. The extensive hearing which saw Sony’s big names doing everything in their power to stop the deal from moving forward was decided upon unanimously after the judge saw nothing in the opposing arguments to believe Microsoft sweeping up the company would result in unfair competition in the market. They’re wrong, but my opinion doesn’t matter.

Xbox Won The FTC Case Because Of Call Of Duty, And Sony Helped

Stacey Henley — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:00:16 GMT

Xbox and Microsoft will have to jump through a lot of hoops to get the Activision/Blizzard deal over the line, but the latest FTC ruling was a big one - or perhaps a small one, since smaller hoops are harder to jump through. In any case, it was a significant obstacle for Xbox to overcome, but those celebrating are short-sighted. This is one of the biggest deals in both tech and entertainment history, but PlayStation decided to put all of its eggs in one basket and, well, you know what they say about that.

Oxenfree 2 Made Me Less Afraid Of Growing Older

Jade King — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:30:16 GMT

Oxenfree 2 made me cry. Who am I kidding, I’m a trans girl on hormones, so everything makes me cry nowadays. My cat rolled over and meowed at me when I walked into my flat yesterday which was enough to set me off. Despite being an emotional whirlwind, I’m still able to comprehend the stories and characters I consume which mean a lot to me and, more importantly, the stories that mirror my own life in their thematic intentions.

It Will Never Not Be Weird That The Same Studio Develops Microsoft Flight Sim And A Plague Tale: Requiem

Andrew King — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:30:16 GMT

Before 2019, I had never heard of Asobo Studio and why would I have? Prior to its breakthrough that year, the developer was primarily known for its Pixar adaptations, including games based on Up, WALL-E, Ratatouille, and Toy Story 3, plus Kinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure. Their more mainstream efforts were largely as a support studio — assisting Ubisoft on The Crew 2, and Comcept and Armature Studio on ReCore — and porting or remastering existing games like The Crew 2 and Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection. Asobo wasn't a well-known or acclaimed developer, but it had been doing the work for 17 years before A Plague Tale: Innocence brought it widespread recognition.

Final Fantasy 16 Was Always Going To Struggle In Japan

Jade King — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 16:15:14 GMT

Final Fantasy 16 has sold pretty well. Less than two weeks after launch, Square Enix has confirmed the blockbuster RPG has already shipped three million copies. As a PS5 exclusive that has publicly acknowledged its desire to rebrand the series for a wider global audience, this is far from a bad start. However, a few voices on the wind have fans worried about the future.

Borderlands Movie Could Face Another Delay As Writer Leaves

Stacey Henley — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 15:00:17 GMT

Things are going from bad to worse for the Borderlands movie, or perhaps more accurately, from ‘oh, I forgot about that’ to ‘wait, that doesn’t sound good’. Recently, it was the news that Craig Mazin, writer of Chernobyl and The Last of Us, has taken his name off the project and will now go by a pseudonym.

EA's Black Panther Game Proves Marvel Has Recovered From Avengers

Stacey Henley — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:31:15 GMT

Marvel is one of the most dominant forces in popular culture right now, but it hasn't always been this way. In comics, sure, it's always been on top, but it has faltered elsewhere. In movies, Marvel was sorely lagging behind DC for a very long time, with Christopher Reeves' Superman and Michael Keaton's Batman (both of whom had their legacies churned up by The Flash) the early legends of the genre. Even as superhero movies took more of a foothold, it was the Marvel properties whose film rights had been sold off (Spider-Man and X-Men) that thrived until the MCU changed everything and made Marvel king. In gaming, the whole thing was reversed.

Final Fantasy 12 Will Forever And Always Be A Misunderstood Masterpiece

Jade King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 20:00:18 GMT

Finishing up the last few side quests and monster hunts in Final Fantasy 16 has me looking back on my relationship with the acclaimed RPG series, and exactly what entries the latest draws inspiration from. It has flashes of Final Fantasy 4, 9, 12, and even Tactics spread throughout its lifeblood, all of which I’ve been itching to revisit in recent weeks. Given I haven’t touched it for the better part of a decade now, I settled on Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age, a valiant swansong for the PS2 that redefined the franchise in ways we once considered divisive.

Pokemon Sleep Won’t Actually Help You Sleep Better

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:30:16 GMT

I’ve been thinking a lot about Pokemon Sleep since my colleague Eric Switzer went hands-on with the upcoming app, which means he went to a sleepover with a bunch of other journalists. Pokemon Sleep is essentially a sleep-tracking app with gamified elements, in the vein of similar Pokemon games like Pokemon Go, which encourages daily walking, and Pokemon Smile, which encourages children to brush their teeth regularly.

Helping Out The Villages Is Peak Late The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Andrew King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

For most of my time with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, I haven’t given much thought to the villages. The game has so much new to offer — the sky islands, the Depths, the temples, the shrines, general Ultrahand-enabled tomfoolery — that it seemed like a waste to hang out in the towns I already got to know in Breath of the Wild. This was especially true for the villages that didn’t contain a quest leading to a temple. I sought out Kakariko Village, Lurelin Village, Hateno Village, and Tarrey Town just to see how they were doing, but there were too many pressing Upheaval-related issues for me to spend time solving side quests for civilians.

I’m Sad I Won’t Be Able To Play Metroid Prime 2 Anytime Soon

Andrew King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:45:15 GMT

My borrowed copy of Metroid Prime Remastered is a few days overdue, so I’ve been powering through the game in an effort to be a good library card holder. Time crunch aside, I’m having a great time with it, and I'm a little sad about the prospect of finishing Samus' first foray into the third-dimension. After all, none of her other adventures in 3D are available on modern hardware.

Persona 5 Voice Actors Are Right To Speak Up Against The Rise Of AI

Jade King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:30:15 GMT

The majority of people either don’t understand or don’t care how artificial intelligence will impact the media we consume in the years to come. AI has always played a role in some way, with ideas like machine learning and similar programmes helping human workers complete tasks with ease or connect the dots in ways that make more ambitious projects possible.

The Steam Deck Wasn't For Me, And Neither Is PC Gaming

Jade King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:15:17 GMT

Earlier this year I wrote about the distant hope that purchasing a Steam Deck would rekindle my lost love with PC gaming. To my sadness and surprise, this didn’t quite go to plan. Thanks to my hyperfixation, I ordered the portable machine after being encouraged by my friends and colleagues. I spent the next week excitedly researching potential emulation strategies and exactly what games were compatible.

A Dark Tower Game Could Rival Red Dead Redemption

Stacey Henley — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:00:16 GMT

I doubt we'll see another triple-A cowboy game until Red Dead Redemption 3. Rockstar's Wild West adventure casts too large a shadow for anyone else to try to meet it on equal terms. With both RDR games depicting the fall of the way of the Old West, Rockstar may need to shake things up for the threequel (maybe letting us play as Charles?), but anyone else attempting the same thing will need to shake things up even more.

Against All Odds, Diablo 4 Has Convinced Me To Give Its First Season A Shot

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:32:23 GMT

I’ll level with you, I haven’t finished Diablo 4’s campaign yet. I’m well into Act 5, but I created a new character to play couch co-op with my partner and got extremely sidetracked from the main storyline. What’s worse is that, because I played through the prologue with him, my own character hasn’t been progressing the story as we go. I realised too late I had to do the prologue separately, and now I’m too far gone to be bothered going back and catching up with my second character. It’s an annoying feature of Diablo 4 that I hadn’t realised would stop me from making progress. Combine that with the fact that I respecced my main character, an ice shard sorceress, at level 45 only to realise I hated the new arc lash build, and I’m struggling to find a reason to finish the campaign.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Bear Romance Feels Childish And Purile

Stacey Henley — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:31:16 GMT

News is coming thick and fast about Baldur’s Gate 3, although that may be a poor choice of words given the latest reveal. During Larian’s Panel from Hell, designed for the devs to show off new features not available in the beta, we saw a glimpse of a love scene featuring a Druid… who was using Wild Shape… as a bear. This has set off the whole spectrum of reactions, but mostly, I’m thinking about how bizarrely the whole exchange is shot.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Was Way More Unpolished Than It Should Have Been

Jade King — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:00:16 GMT

Have you guys played that hot new game, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor? I have, and it’s pretty swell if I do say so myself. Yes, I know it came out several months ago and has since been eclipsed by bigger games like Tears of the Kingdom and Street Fighter 6, but with my hands being so full back then I’ve only just jumped back into the shoes of Cal Kestis. Now he’s got a mullet, anger issues, and a blaster stance I definitely won’t spend the whole game with.

You Don't Want To Miss These July New Game Releases

Eric Switzer — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 21:28:18 GMT

We’ve made it halfway through 2023, and it feels like we’re in the eye of the storm for new game releases. We’ve just been served a four course meal of Game of the Year contenders with Street Fighter 6, Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo 4, and Final Fantasy 16, and now we’ve got a few weeks of downtime before we’re an even bigger deluge of massive triple-A games, including Starfield, Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Alan Wake 2, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. July may seem relatively sparse compared to the rest of the year, but there’s still a few games you’ll want to keep an eye on throughout the month.

We Need More Alien Games, Not Aliens

James Troughton — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 17:31:16 GMT

There are two types of people in this world—Alien fans, and Aliens fans. Well, there’s also a third group who have seen neither and probably look at that sentence completely dumbfounded since all I did was add an ‘s’. But that ‘s’ changes everything. Alien is a slasher-like science-fiction classic where a single monstrous xenomorph stalks the Nostromo crew who are unable to escape as they’re picked off one by one. Aliens is an action horror about fending off hordes of xenomorphs as they swarm a group of marines on a derelict moon, upping the kills as any good sequel does.

AEW Fight Forever Should Have Launched With Stadium Stampede

Josh Coulson — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 17:00:18 GMT

Reactions to AEW Fight Forever have been mixed, and that's being generous. The fledgling wrestling promotion's first crack at a video game has absolutely delivered on the promise of recapturing the magic of WWF No Mercy and the early SmackDown games. It’s different than what WWE has had to offer for as long as I can remember, and that’s absolutely what it needed to be.

A PlayStation VR 2 Game Finally Made Me Feel I Can Use the Force

Mike Drucker — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

There’s finally a game that got using the Force right. Except in this game it’s not ‘the Force’. It’s just, you know, telekinesis. But I feel like ‘the Force’ has better SEO. I’m not even sure I’m using SEO correctly. If I am, good for me. If I’m not, further proof that the world privileges the stupidest of us all. If either of my parents had spent longer than a semester in college, I probably would’ve been a legacy admission. And don’t get me wrong: It would’ve been a legacy admission to a place that sucked.

NoClip Is Preserving Video Game History So You Don't Have To

Jade King — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 14:30:16 GMT

Video games have evolved far faster than film and television, which has made us complacent to the medium’s history. Titles are removed from sale due to irksome licensing issues or a failure to preserve the original source code, all because they were made so quickly and technology moved at such a pace that studios couldn’t conceive of what games were becoming, or how we’d one day look back on them.

We Need Ring Fit Adventure 2 On The Switch 2

Stacey Henley — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 18:00:16 GMT

The Nintendo Switch has been a powerhouse console for stone cold classics. While the list is topped by two Zelda games in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, the Switch has a selection of exclusives that rival any console in existence. You've got Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses - all games that, along with Zelda's efforts, could put forth a credible argument at being the best in their iconic series. Pokemon's major efforts (Let's Go, Sword & Shield, Legends: Arceus, and Scarlet & Violet) all fall short of that claim, but they are at least somewhat experimental in ways Pokemon games have often failed to be. In the mix of these future classics though is Ring Fit Adventure, and it's a shame it never gets a mention.

What’s The Right Approach To Gaming On Vacation?

Andrew King — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 16:30:16 GMT

I’m off for the next two weeks. This is the rare vacation where I’ll be at home the whole time and have the house to myself – Wait, scratch that. This is the only vacation I’ve ever had where I’ll be at home the whole time and have the house to myself.

Final Fantasy XIV Community Spotlight: Get Ready For Mogstock 2023

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 16:00:16 GMT

Summer is in full swing, and with it comes lazy days and evenings of chilling with friends, enjoying cool drinks to relieve the record-high heat, and hitting up music festivals to dance the night away. Eorzea is sharing in those summer vibes as MogStock returns to Final Fantasy 14 on July 14-16, 2023, taking over Ward 22 in the Lavender Beds of Mateus, Crystal.

Link And Zelda's Relationship Is Whatever You Want It To Be

Jade King — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 15:00:17 GMT

Following the launch of Tears of The Kingdom, I accidentally set the Legend Of Zelda fandom on fire. Not on purpose, given most of this misunderstanding was down to headlines eager to take my interview with voice actor Patricia Summersett out of context. She touched on giving a voice to Zelda, her growth throughout Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity, alongside a deeper dive into her ambiguous relationship with protagonist Link. Their bond could be love, friendship, or a connection that defies conventional description. That’s why it’s so beautiful.

Oh No I Want To Play Dragon Age: Origins Again

Ben Sledge — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 14:30:15 GMT

I hate my boss. She’s pretty good as bosses go, is fair and allows me flexible working when I need to sort out some last minute childcare. She’s a Newcastle fan, but I don’t hold that against her. There’s just one problem: sometimes she mentions Dragon Age: Origins, and I get the unshakeable urge to replay it all over again.

The Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 5, And Games That Don't Need To Exist Yet

Jade King — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 20:00:18 GMT

Gamers are always looking towards the next big thing. Even as a blockbuster like Starfield is destined to take hundreds of hours from us, we still impatiently demand more, asking where our next meal is coming from when this plate is cleaned of all its nutrition. There is always a big reveal or epic trailer waiting around the corner to drum up the hype all over again, and it is this exact cycle of perpetual anticipation that keeps this

Open-World Games Like Tears Of The Kingdom Understand That Sometimes You Just Wanna Work Somewhere Different For A Little Bit

Andrew King — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 17:00:17 GMT

This is my daily routine. I wake up, grab my phone, and while still in bed, request the pictures I’ll need for my articles like this one later on in the day. When I start working in earnest a little later on in the morning, I outline my articles on my phone from the couch. I move to my office once that’s done and do some work from there. In the afternoon, I take a 30 minute walk, and often stop halfway through to write 250 words from a bench at the local university or in an armchair at the library. When I get back from the walk, I might finish an article while sitting on my porch steps. The long and short of it is that I don’t tend to work from one place for more than an hour or two. This is also basically the way I play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Adds A New Ending, But Don't Expect Much More From V

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:46:51 GMT

We’re almost two months away from Cyberpunk 2077’s first and only expansion, Phantom Liberty, and we know surprisingly little about it. This seems to be by design, with CD Projekt Red taking a much more tactile, gameplay-focused approach to its promotion than it did with the base game back in 2020. And for good reason.

Band Hero Is The Closest I’m Getting To Taylor Swift Concert Tickets

Jade King — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

I’m not the most attentive or focused person in the world, so I always knew that getting my hands on Taylor Swift tickets for the UK run of her Eras Tour was going to be an impossible task. While I consider myself a seasoned Swiftie, my dedication isn’t strong enough to sign up for multiple waiting lists before selling my soul to Ticketmaster in the faint hope I’m given a chance to purchase nosebleed tickets. Maybe one day I’ll have the opportunity to see her in person. For now though, I have the nostalgic brilliance of Band Hero to whet my appetite.

Other RPGs Should Learn From Baldur's Gate 3's Character Creator

Stacey Henley — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:00:25 GMT

We're approaching Baldur's Gate 3's release date, but I'd forgive you if you were a little confused by exactly when that is. The game has pulled off the trick of moving both forwards and backwards, launching August 3 on PC (up from August 31), September 6 on PlayStation (down from August 31), and the 21st of Never on Xbox (same date as ever). It could come out on Xbox in the future, with a technological hitch with the Xbox Series S responsible for its absence, but for now it's PC and PS players who can begin to look forward to the game. Many of them are looking forward to Karlach, an Origin character who has gotten the fanbase all hot under the collar - fitting for a Tiefling. But Karlach aside, Origin characters are a great idea, and more games should embrace them.

Skullgirls Censoring Underage Girls And Nazi Imagery Shouldn't Be A Big Deal

Jade King — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:30:45 GMT

Skullgirls launched over a decade ago and during its lifetime it has built a huge audience of fans thanks to its creative character designs, liberal fan service, and sharp combat mechanics. It’s a great game, and has maintained a niche in the fighting genre for very good reason. But like all modern media, there are parts of it bound to shift and change over time.

The Next Simpsons Game Can't Be A Hit & Run Remake

Stacey Henley — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:31:15 GMT

Whenever people talk about classic games that need a comeback, The Simpsons Hit & Run is always near the top of the list. It's a beloved classic, and while I think a like-for-like remake wouldn't quite hold up today (it was a little short and very janky by modern standards), I'm amazed EA has refused to channel The Simpsons' enduring popularity, and the cult classic status of their games, into something new.

Now That The Trolls Are Gone, The Pokemon Forum Is Actually Pretty Great

Eric Switzer — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 01:48:18 GMT

The Pokemon Company launched a new community forum for Pokemon fans on Monday, and it was quickly taken over by trolls and shitposters. Evidently there wasn’t much moderation going on at first, because the list of hot topics quickly filled up with posts about forklifts, 9/11, Tsareena’s feet, and of course, lots and lots of posts about having sex with Pokemon. I’m not above that sort of thing, but there’s a time and place for it. If you to see horny weirdos talk about PILFs (Pokemon I’d Like To… you get it) then TheGamer’s got you covered. I’m not saying “which Pokemon would keep their sanity the longest while trapped in a sensory deprivation chamber” isn’t a valid question (it’s obviously Snorlax) but I can see why Pokemon doesn’t want those kinds of conversations on its official forums.

FPS: First-Person Shooter Is Only Really Definitive On The '90s

Andrew King — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:15:16 GMT

My biggest quibble with FPS: First-Person Shooter is that it doesn't live up to the claim in its tagline, included in its logo and in the film itself. Its creators have dubbed it "The Definitive FPS Documentary." A valuable resource? Sure. But not so much if you’re interested in learning much about anything that's happened in the shooter space after, say, 2004. And lacking much to say about the genre’s last two decades, it can’t say much definitively about the current state of the genre.

PlayStation 5 Slim Has Little Reason To Exist Right Now

Jade King — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:15:16 GMT

Microsoft has inadvertently revealed that Sony is working on a PlayStation 5 Slim for release later this year. With the base console having launched almost three years ago at the time of writing, I suppose this level of hardware revision is to be expected. But now more than ever, it just isn’t necessary. There aren’t enough games, technical or monetary reasons for us to upgrade, but that won’t stop Sony from convincing us otherwise. Do not be fooled.

Mac Users, Triple-A Gaming Might Finally Include You Soon

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:00:17 GMT

When I was growing up, we didn’t have a household PC. My parents met while working at an Apple distributor, and uphold a shocking level of brand loyalty to the company to this day. My first desktop was an iMac G4, which meant that I didn’t have access to most games. I’d play games like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and Zoombinis growing up, because my parents wanted me to know how to use a computer and also be really good at puzzles.