Seasonal updates every nine weeks

[Update: This article has been updated with new information revealed in the time since launch.]

During the Overwatch 2 Reveal Event this morning, Blizzard elaborated (somewhat!) on its free-to-play launch and what's in the content pipeline for this live-service sequel.

If you've been waiting to hear more about PvE, welp, that wasn't the focus of today's stream — and the new story missions won't be playable until 2023 — but we've got a roadmap for PvP and confirmation that loot boxes are out and a battle pass format is in.

Coming off of Overwatch 1, the team's main goal is to try and deliver content on a "frequent and consistent basis," according to game director Aaron Keller.

Currently, they're committing to major updates every nine weeks, starting with the launch on October 4. "Players can expect to see a new hero every other season, with elements like new maps and game modes in the seasons between," Blizzard said in a blog post.

The 2022 roadmap and a tease for 2023

[caption id="attachment_330516" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Season 1 starts on October 4, followed by Season 2 on December 6.}[/caption]

As you can see from this roadmap, Season 1 of Overwatch 2 will be out on October 4 with three new heroes — Sojourn, Junker Queen, and a new support hero, who Blizzard teased with a snippet of footage featuring a spirit fox (that we've come to k now as Kiriko). It'll also be the debut of Push mode, six new maps, and more than 30 character skins, including a new Mythic tier of skins.

The first example of a Mythic skin was a cool Cyber Demon skin for Genji with customization elements like tattoos, masks, and colors. I'm... intrigued! And also worried about how much Mythic skins will cost (whether that's actual money or time invested).

The Season 1 Overwatch 2 hero: Kiriko

Kiriko is a support hero hailing from Japan.

The Season 2 Overwatch 2 hero: Ramattra

Ramattra is a tank hero, and is an Omnic that hails from Null Sector.

[caption id="attachment_330523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Our first look at a customizable Mythic-tier skin for Genji.}[/caption]

Other new cosmetics, like banners and weapon charms, will help pad out the battle pass; one example was a little frosted donut keychain. There will be a shop with virtual currency.

Cross-progression

Crucially, with all of this new Stuff for players to stockpile, Blizzard said that if you earn something on console, PC, or in Overwatch 1, you can use it in Overwatch 2. In other words, there's cross-platform progression, which is definitely something they had to deliver. That said, the first Overwatch 2 battle pass won't be ready until Season 2 starts on December 6. After all this time, the launch — well, the "rollout," really — sure seems gradual.

[caption id="attachment_330543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{An early look at the Season 1 battle pass.}[/caption]

Competitive

Starting with Season 1 on October 4, Overwatch 2 will have "a reimagined competitive experience that was created to give players more tools to improve gameplay and feel a sense of progression in competitive play," according to Blizzard. "Players will have more of an impact on individual matches with the shift to 5v5, and there will be additional systems in place to help you discern your contributions per match."

Overwatch 2 PvE and story mode release date

As for Overwatch 2 PvE, we got a few gameplay glimpses of Null Sector's return and some fairly open-ended developer quotes about the team's ambitions.

"With PvE, we have an opportunity to go a step further, to go deeper into diverse storytelling in ways that we really just haven't been able to before," said Keller. It'll be delivered starting in 2023 "through live service," just like the PvP content. The team plans to show off (more of) where the characters are from in these PvE "experiences."

Beta sign-ups

A new map, Rio, and Junker Queen, will be playable in the Overwatch 2 closed beta starting on June 28. Beta sign-ups are now available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Notably, "Beta access does not roll over from the previous Overwatch 2 PvP Beta."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa1POCi7ugc

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Thanks for everything

No matter how much space I have to process it all, this was never going to be easy to write. After more than 15 years and 15,000 posts, my time at Destructoid — a blog I joined while I was still just a teenager! — has come to an end.

It's been a wild ride since the day Niero randomly took a chance on me, and I'm proud of what the team has accomplished, and will accomplish.

Deep down, I knew I wouldn't be here "forever" — but I also knew that I wouldn't really want to do this job anywhere else. I didn't just want to write about games; I wanted to write about games on Destructoid. On the internet, there's no shortage of places to call home. This one's been mine for a long time, and it has become an unshakable part of my identity.

Every year at Destructoid has been different than the last, and there are always new challenges to face. But the last couple of years, in particular, have been hard on me. They've been hard on all of us, in big, small, and sometimes invisible-from-the-outside ways. Stress, burnout, anxiety — it all piles up. I have immense respect for anyone who helps make sites like this tick. The industry can be so unforgiving and unstable. Hang in there.

To be clear, my departure has nothing to do with Destructoid moving under the Gamurs banner, and this was my decision to make. It's... time.

While the site's sale was a surprise, and the transition was *hectic*, I was happy about the potential of Dtoid leaving a public company with many different interests to join a private organization purely focused on gaming sites. There are going to be plenty of new opportunities for the incoming sites and staff, but for me personally, this seemed like the right time to make a relatively clean break. This was my "finish line," and it feels good (albeit incredibly bittersweet) to be standing on the other side of it.

I've split EIC duties with Chris Carter for years, and he'll continue to lead the charge with support from Chris Moyse, CJ, Eric, and Noelle.

If things have seemed oddly quiet lately, well, now you know what's up with me. And it will no doubt take more time for everyone to get fully settled into the new digs, particularly with a site as technologically eccentric as Destructoid. Your patience is appreciated.

On behalf of the site, we're grateful for your continued readership and support, through thick and thin and ever-changing circumstances. That goes for you longtime lurkers, too. You all make this worth doing. You make it meaningful, day in and day out.

There are bound to be bumps in the road — that's just life — but I am so excited to see where things go from here. All in good time.

As for me, I'm looking to rebalance my day-to-day away from games and the internet for a few months, so if I disappear for a bit, don't be alarmed. I've been steadily disconnecting, and lemme tell you, it's an adjustment.

To everyone who has contributed to Destructoid in *any way* since 2006, thank you. Sincerely. I feel like I've got a lifetime of memories. ❤️

The post A bittersweet goodbye from Jordan appeared first on Destructoid.

Squish or be squished in this shrunken backyard survival game from Obsidian Entertainment

After two years in Early Access, it's time to check back in with Grounded now that it's been fleshed out with more bugs to battle and harvest, more impossibly large backyard sights to seek out, and a fully realized story — complete with an eventual ending — to uncover.

Having only dabbled in the early build, back when there were hardly any threads to follow, I'm surprised how far Grounded has come thanks to ongoing updates and a big final push for the 1.0 launch on PC and Xbox. Originally, the familiar yet creative-up-close shrunken world was its biggest asset — and it still is to this day. But now, the whole survival loop feels cohesive, with plenty of thoughtful touches you'd expect from a passion project.

Since the game's work-in-progress debut, some players never really left, and they've got magnificent (and painstaking) home bases to prove it. As for me, I started fresh with a new save file and got to exploring. Little did I know I'd be in for a 30-hour adventure.

[caption id="attachment_345543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{It's worth repeating that Grounded has an intricate Arachnophobia mode with multiple comfort thresholds.}[/caption]

Grounded (PC [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Released: September 27, 2022
MSRP: $39.99

Even with familiarity from my Early Access playthrough, this is still one of the most interesting worlds I've gotten to know in a survival game, right up there with Subnautica.

Chopping down towering blades of grass and hauling planks like a lumberjack, scurrying through ant tunnel labyrinths with a torch in hand, scavenging for half-buried scales in a koi pond with water fleas nipping at your feet — it's an unforgettable lens for such an established genre. And the more I play Grounded, the more I'm weirded out looking down at my own backyard. What tiny creatures are out there, and just what are they up to?

It's an absorbing game, in other words — the kind you can keep coming back to session after session whether you're "mostly here for the story" or you're ready to settle in and get cozy as a miniature architect. I'm far more in the former camp, and admittedly, Grounded has an overly drawn-out pace at times. But in the end, I'm glad I stuck with it, and I'm excited to thoroughly investigate every area, from the toxic trash heap to the children's sandbox to the smoldering spilled grill and creepy crawlspace under the shed.

So much of the game is getting to know the land, its surprisingly ruthless inhabitants, and the resources that'll keep you alive day-to-day and rarer finds that can help you find a way out of this conundrum. With that knowledge base (and smartly positioned hand-made shortcuts), you can cut down on a lot of the back-and-forth tedium. Wiki refreshers help, too. But either way, Grounded is not a game to rush through without proper preparations.

[caption id="attachment_345544" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{There's no wasted space, and Obsidian makes the most of its '90s backyard theme.}[/caption]

Early on, I was shocked by how hard-hitting and dangerous Grounded can be, even when I was trying to mind my own business and keep a low profile. The early game is harsh.

With makeshift armor, no permanent stat increases or perk-like Mutations unlocked yet, and a puny "weapon" that big (and even medium) boys can shrug off, you shouldn't go picking fights. You've got to be ready to book it, then bandage up as needed. Spiders are ferocious, of course — more so than any arachnids I've seen in a game before — but the same goes for bombardier beetles, mites, larvae, and mosquitoes, among many other threats. Several foes can even gang up on you, sometimes to a comical degree.

In one-on-one fights, there's a distinct rhythm to bouts, including "perfect blocks" that open up your opponents. Combat is fun once you're strong enough to have more margin of error. Each enemy has a memorable personality and particular "tells" that you can master, which I liked — but skirmishes started to feel less engaging the longer I played. Expect mashy chaos from time to time. There's also ranged combat with bows and a huge assortment of arrow types, as well as bombs. Crafting gear out of your prey is entertaining in that Monster Hunter sort of way, and pieces have different perks and weight ratings. Certain sets are needed for navigating fumes and underwater caves.

With more excursions under your belt, a stable place to call home and craft at, and better gear sourced from the bugs you are able to pummel, Grounded gets easier over time. Bless the life-steal weapons. With the exception of a few boss battles (some of which are optional) and a late defend-three-points-and-pray mission that got really dicey, most of my struggles were frontloaded. Things might've been smoother in online co-op, which is the ideal way to play — but I got through it all alone, and with patience, you can too.

[caption id="attachment_345542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{You'll unlock beneficial Mutations just by doing stuff day-to-day. Keep an eye out for a four-leaf clover and a D20.}[/caption]

Thankfully, Grounded has multiple autosaves to fall back on, death isn't the worst (more of an inconvenience), and you can freely save outside of combat. I'd recommend doing so often. It's possible to set a respawn point at (easily built) shelters, and if you're taken out, it's a matter of fetching your lost backpack to regain your on-hand items. That said, this is an exploration-heavy game with a lot of running around — avoid any repetition you can.

While hunger and thirst meters are a consistent threat, for the most part, fresh water is plentiful — just smack a blade of grass to release a high-up droplet — and food doesn't strictly have to be cooked, though roasted aphid is far better sustenance than a handful of plucked mushrooms. If you neglect these needs for too long, an ominous countdown will begin. This timer was only a problem for me once, when I was stranded deep in an uncharted area for story reasons. But generally, out in the open, everything's in reach.

Big picture, the main considerations are scouting out a good central location for your home (or homes), since you'll keep coming back to unload your backpack and craft building-dependent creations, and also maintaining a healthy reserve of materials. Armor and weapons degrade and can be repaired with the right ingredients, but it's possible to strategically upgrade them (using rare but not finite stones) when they're almost kaput.

It's worth noting that Grounded has three primary difficulties — I'd honestly recommend the lowest, Mild — as well as a Creative build-cool-shit-stress-free mode, Creative with Bugs, and Custom modes with lots of granular you-do-you options. There were times when I thought about bumping my save to a custom game due to obnoxiously aggressive insects and stamina constantly running low, but I resisted; it's a one-way conversion.

If you're struggling, gameplay-based Mutation unlocks are a fun RPG-like touch, and changing your build on the fly can go a long way. You'll also want to smash giant teeth (Milk Molars), which award points to permanently benefit your max health, stamina, hunger/thirst burn rate, and max item stack sizes. There's never enough inventory space!

[caption id="attachment_345540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Remember to keep a backup torch in case night falls while you're far from home.}[/caption]

I've gone long enough without getting into the story, haven't I? I'll keep it light.

The storytelling gives meaning to your exploration, and it's sufficient motivation to see where things go (there's a "good" and a "bad" animated ending), but the writing is better viewed as a playful, funny, clever bonus than as your sole reason for playing. Expect a lot of audio recordings but minimal interactions with NPCs and some scattered flashback cutscenes — the vast majority of Grounded is everything I've described up until this point.

Without spoiling anything, I'd say that if you're usually survival-wary and are only interested in Grounded because of Obsidian's well-established name, be cautious. There was enough narrative substance here for me as a survival fan, definitely, but you might not feel the same way. I liked the central abduction mystery and the opposing sides.

In the beginning, you'll get clues about several labs with chips you need to recover, and if you're brave, you can go "out of order" — I love that sort of freedom.

Much later, you'll be funneled toward the upper yard, above the retaining walls. You can do your own thing as long as you want, but it does pay to explore these labs to the fullest for resources and other goodies. Eventually, the limiting factor was less "where do I go next?" and more "where do I find these highly specific parts to craft a high-tier hammer to smack something and progress the story?" When I mentioned a pacing slowdown, this was it. Even though the next section seemed tantalizingly within reach, getting geared up was a seemingly small roadblock that snowballed out of control for hours. So many errands.

I get it — this is classic survival gating — but in these moments, I longed for a more organic approach, as seen in Subnautica. With quicker traversal (or even a one-way "warp home" ability), there would've been much less busywork in my playthrough. If I could do it all again, I would build more "waystations" to supplement my main base and pick better spots for my staircases that stretched up to lofty biomes. Hauling grass planks can be tedious as a solo player, especially if you don't have the most efficient armor equipped.

[caption id="attachment_345539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If you're not much of a builder, a utilitarian base will do just fine — don't worry about raids.}
[/caption]

I should say, I love the way Grounded handles blueprints — it's a step above most of its peers. You can analyze materials to unlock related recipes, sure, but that's not the only way. There are also quests to take on, collectibles to find, and points to spend. With all of these methods in play, it's a steady blueprint rollout that never feels overwhelming.

And while I'm not a builder at heart, it's worth stressing that you could conceivably get into Grounded just for the construction side — it's intuitive, and the backyard sprawl makes for a great setting. To that end, even though I wish combat and traversal went a bit deeper given the scope and length of this game, I was so invested in this charming and surprisingly fresh miniature world that I didn't mind too much. There's a certain finesse.

With its 1.0 release, Grounded has so much to discover, and enough of a hook to justify the dozens of hours you might invest. Whether you're an exploration-minded player in search of landmarks and tucked-away treasures, or a castle-building fiend with a vision, you should ideally bring friends along for the ride. Still, playing alone, it was hard for me to walk away from Grounded, even in its slowest moments. I wasn't satisfied with my end-of-game score, so I searched for secrets and kept going, boosting my grade in the process. Even now, there are still more bugs to catalog and, inevitably, squash. Nothing personal!

While Obsidian isn't known for survival games, it ended up making a great one.

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

The post Review: Grounded appeared first on Destructoid.

Switch, PS4, and Xbox One editions announced

You might've already dipped in, but if not — or if you're fine doubling up — then it's good to know that a physical edition of Cuphead is on the way from iam8bit and Studio MDHR.

As shared on Twitter, the Cuphead physical edition is "coming soon" to Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The DLC, The Delicious Last Course, will be included on the disc, which isn't always the case but would've been egregious in this situation — it's so crucial.

As for regional releases, "Cuphead will come to retail with ESRB, PEGI, USK, and ACB versions," according to iam8bit.

https://twitter.com/iam8bit/status/1575470762235875329

The distributor is taking "keep me in the loop" email sign-ups today — but no word on release timing yet. With how widespread the Cuphead brand has become, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to snag a physical copy at a reasonable price.

An eventual spiffy collector's edition would be great to see as well — there's so much art to consider — but an all-inclusive standard physical release is a good step.

It's truly one of my favorite games of the last decade, and for many of us, even folks who have moved mostly to digital, it's worth adding to the physical collection.

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Superhot and Injustice 2 on PS4 round out the PS Plus Essential lineup for October 2022

If you didn't pick up Hot Wheels Unleashed at launch (and recent sales didn't tempt you), then October should be a good month for PlayStation Plus. Milestone's well-liked arcade racing game joins the lineup for PS Plus Essential subscribers alongside NetherRealm's superhero fighter Injustice 2 and the minimalist action-shooter classic Superhot.

You can follow those links and claim the games starting on Tuesday, October 4.

Hot Wheels Unleashed has some cool locations, complete with nostalgic plastic orange tracks, and the cars look authentic, too. The main hangup is the way they're unlocked (through loads of DLC and loot boxes), and while those complaints still stand, getting access to the base game with your PlayStation Plus subscription eases the tension a bit.

I'm not sure where you're at with general superhero fatigue in 2022, and Injustice 2 feels like a short lifetime ago, but it's the kind of broad-appeal fighter that makes sense for the PS Plus audience. (There's a story mode.) Been there, done that? I feel you.

[caption id="attachment_346186" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Superhot is super replayable. You can always fight better.}
[/caption]

As for Superhot, it's a game about looking cool with a novel time-moves-when-you-do mechanic powering cinematic shootouts and other crazed action scenes. A classic FPS, though I'm sure plenty of you would've preferred getting the VR edition instead.

Obligatory reminder in case it slipped your mind: you have until October 3 to claim Need for Speed Heat, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and Toem. If you're a completionist — or could be, under the right circumstances — then I'd also suggest snagging the free Keys to the Map for Need for Speed Heat while you're at it. It'll fill in the collectible locations.

According to Sony, the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium game additions for October will be shared "later this month." More classics this time, please! Like, a lot more.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed is a great get for PlayStation Plus in October appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't panic, but the floor *is* lava

It's a great feeling to be the good-news bearer when one of your favorite co-op games gets new content and you get to excitedly tell your partner all about it. For those of us who like the puzzle-platformer antics of Human: Fall Flat, there's a new level, Tower, out now on Steam. Including the original and post-launch stages, it's the 21st level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkzAQCA4r1o

The name speaks for itself. With such a precarious layout, I'm afraid of my pudgy boy plummeting to his doom, but at least Human: Fall Flat is generous with checkpoints.

"Dreamed up by creative mastermind Fennecai and brought to life by the fiendishly talented David," Tower is the winner of the game's 5th Anniversary level design competition. And right on cue, Curve Games says there is "still more to come."

As usual, console players have to wait

Unfortunately, the console versions aren't in sync with the Steam edition, so PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch players will have to wait to play the Tower level in Human: Fall Flat. That said, if it's been a while, you might have new-to-you levels ready to go.

I recently checked back in and found a couple of levels — Red Rock and Lumber — in our backlog. We blasted through them. Even with overlapping ideas, I'm still having fun.

With 30 million copies sold and more content updates lined up, I'm wondering when, if ever, we'll see a sequel. I'm pretty happy with the split-screen performance on a PS5, but it would be nice to see an overhauled sequel that feels more refined. Just a bit.

For now, they're squeezing every last drop — and I'm okay with it.

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The upgraded top-selling games list paints "a more complete picture" of what's hot on Steam

I'm not here to convince you that charts are exciting, but as someone who routinely keeps tabs on the games that are resonating with Steam's massive audience, I was eager to check out the new Steam Charts hub. At a glance, it might seem like more of a presentation upgrade than anything, but there are some under-the-hood changes.

That said, it's nice to be able to easily bounce between "live charts" for the top-sellers (by revenue), most-played games (including concurrent player counts and daily peaks), and prior weekly charts. Steam now includes how many weeks a game has been in the Top 100, as well as its rising — or falling — position compared to the previous week. Neat!

[caption id="attachment_345757" align="alignnone" width="1902"] _{Steam's top-sellers list shows week-to-week positional changes.}[/caption]

A note on revenue: the top-sellers list "charts how well games are selling right now, including all editions (standard, deluxe, etc) of the game as well as DLC and in-game transactions," according to Valve. "If an individual DLC is selling well enough on its own to make the chart, we'll show the DLC entry as well so you can see when exciting new game expansions are making a splash."

By lumping together DLC and microtransactions, the hope is to present "a more complete picture of which games players are excited about getting into and continuing to play."

Free-to-play games are featured, too. "Traditionally our top-sellers charts have only included revenue from premium game purchases, but that was obscuring the hugely popular free or inexpensive games in which players purchase season passes, huge expansions, or other forms of new content. This format also lets us combine multiple editions of the same game so as to avoid duplication on the charts."

It's mildly interesting stuff, in general. But for me specifically, Steam charts have been a great way to find out about fast-rising games that were off my radar, which I can then look into and potentially share with the rest of you. (Hang in there, Trombone Champ.)

Seeing that 24 million people are online on a random Friday is freaking me out, though.

The post Steam has a new charts hub for top-sellers and most-played games appeared first on Destructoid.

You'll be able to build homes from scratch in the sequel

For as many granular simulation games as we get these days, it's not that common to see a full-on numbered sequel. But 2018's House Flipper broke through with three million copies sold across PC and consoles, and that was enough for House Flipper 2 to get the green light. Here's our first look at gameplay, including a noticeably less "basic" art style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOQCo2rLpdU

I liked the original game for what it was, though I ended up craving a more complete experience with a bigger scope. Cleaning up nasty homes and renovating them is a concept that pretty much sells itself in the simulation space, so I'm happy to see the developers at Frozen District try again, presumably with more runway this time.

The big change: on top of the returning Story mode, there's going to be a Sandbox mode in which you can "build homes from scratch" rather than just shore up existing ones.

"We’ve put a lot of heart and story into House Flipper 2, polishing our trusty tools, focusing on player creativity, and adding mysteries to uncover," said lead producer Jakub Bujas in a press statement. "We think returning fans and brand new players alike will enjoy relaxing, creating, and exploring the community of Pinnacove."

With the widespread warm reception to PowerWash Simulator recently, I feel like more people are giving these sorts of games a chance. And as much as some publishers take a shotgun approach to figuring out the next big sim subject matter (with plenty of duds in the process), among those games that do resonate, the quality bar seems to be rising.

If I'm being honest, I'd play a simple "home-cleaning simulator" — it's oddly relaxing! — but having a well-rounded renovation and home-building loop will go a long way.

House Flipper 2 is coming to Steam sometime in 2023, and PlayStation and Xbox versions are also planned.

The post House Flipper 2 looks like a big step up appeared first on Destructoid.

The spin-off "shattered" target expectations

The fantasy-themed Borderlands spin-off game Tiny Tina's Wonderlands might have seemed like an experimental one-off, but it's been successful enough that Gearbox considers it a new franchise, with "future experiences already under development."

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford spoke about Wonderlands at Embracer Group's annual general meeting, as transcribed by Video Games Chronicle.

Summing up Tiny Tina's Wonderlands as a "major victory," Pitchford added that the fantasy-tabletop-inspired game "shattered all of our target expectations, both critically and commercially," and that "in addition to great financial rewards from this victory that will be coming our way in the coming quarters, we have established a firm beachhead."

“We now clearly have a new franchise on our hands, with future experiences already under development at Gearbox," Pitchford said.

It's worth noting that Gearbox made a move to acquire Lost Boys Interactive, the co-development studio on Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, back in April.

[caption id="attachment_345638" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{A longer-lasting sequel could hit the spot.}[/caption]

As someone who was initially put off by the idea but ended up liking Wonderlands more than expected, I can easily see them doing a (hopefully even more confident) sequel.

That said, even among players who dug this D&D-inspired, overworld-traversing, build-your-own-class shakeup, the season pass really left a bad taste that's still lingering — the DLC wasn't substantial enough compared to Borderlands proper, not by a longshot.

I only played through the main Wonderlands campaign once, and never messed with the endgame activities, but that's normal for me when it comes to the Borderlands series; others, who play these games specifically for the endgame grind, didn't fare as well.

To sum it up, I think it was worth playing, but any new "experiences" under the Wonderlands umbrella can't coast on the success of this first game, which had a major curiosity factor going for it. Expectations will be higher next time around.

The post Gearbox thinks Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has “new franchise” potential appeared first on Destructoid.

Logitech's cloud gaming handheld will launch at $350, with pre-orders coming in $50 cheaper

After much speculation and some leaks, Logitech has lifted the lid on its new built-for-cloud-gaming handheld system, the Logitech G Cloud, ahead of its October 17 launch. It's a device for players who actively use services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Nvidia GeForce Now (or even Steam Link), but plenty of us are still only dabbling in this stuff at best.

The handheld Android device has a 7-inch 1080p touchscreen, a supposed 12-hour battery life, and "haptics, gyroscope, and remappable control," according to Logitech. I will say, it's a sleek design. The Logitech G Cloud is 10.11 inches by 4.61 inches, and weighs 463 grams, which would sandwich it between the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.

How powerful is it? The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, an "octa-core CPU up to 2.3GHz." Per The Verge, it's got 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of UFS storage.

Here's the tricky bit: at launch in October, the Logitech G Cloud will cost a hard-to-justify $350 — but for those who pre-order, the handheld system will be $300. Still!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6104nB2pFs

In other words, it's a cool device that's going to feel way too limiting — unless, of course, you're really down to play games over Wi-Fi right now. I could see more of us getting there collectively, eventually, but even with some positive Xbox Cloud Gaming experiences, this feels too early to me. Especially compared to the Steam Deck (and future iterations).

Game Pass is doing the heavy lifting

One big selling point is the Xbox angle. According to VP of Xbox Cloud Gaming Catherine Gluckstein, they've "worked with Logitech to enable our Remote Play feature, also pinned as a shortcut to the home screen. Remote Play differs from Xbox Cloud Gaming by letting you stream your full Xbox library — going beyond titles in Xbox Game Pass — from your personal Xbox console to phones, tablets, and now handhelds."

The head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, tweeted that he's "been using the Logitech G Cloud for about a month," and called it an "incredible streaming device for playing while I'm away from my console. I love the feel, the battery life, and screen size. Took it to Europe and TGS with me and had a great time playing, even on hotel Wi-Fi."

[caption id="attachment_345495" align="alignnone" width="1384"] _{A nice design, but there's tough competition.}[/caption]

That said, Xbox cloud support is only getting easier to come by.

Even in good circumstances, mileage can vary considerably for cloud gaming. Are you outright against this kind of streaming handheld, or could you see a use for it in your life? Either way, I think most of us will agree that the price is tough to overlook.

It's not a one-to-one comparison, but I would argue that using a newer phone with a mobile controller (or a gamepad attachment) will get the job done for a lot of us.

The post The streaming Logitech G Cloud handheld is a tough sell appeared first on Destructoid.

Tribute Games is celebrating the game's 10th anniversary with a Switch port on Oct. 6

It's been a long time since I've thought about Wizorb — long enough that reading my decade-old review almost feels like peering into a past life. But every memory I'm pulling up is a good one, and I'm stoked to see this Arkanoid-style brick-breaking game resurface. For its 10th anniversary, Wizorb is coming to Nintendo Switch on October 6, 2022.

If you were big into Xbox 360 during the Xbox Live Indie Games heyday, you might be pumped too. But if you've never heard of Wizorb before (despite its later ports, including Steam), then you should check it out. It's classic arcade gameplay with light RPG touches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHRPKk0igKw

I always had a soft spot for pinball games with lively boss battles, and that sentiment also goes for ball-bouncing brick breakers like Wizorb or Arkanoid: Doh It Again. All told, there are 60 levels, and the price is right — it'll be $4.99 on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

Yes, it's really been a decade

"Wizorb holds a very special place in our hearts," said Tribute co-founder and president Jean-François Major in a press statement. "As our first Tribute title, we set out to showcase that we were serious and capable of making games our way. And today, thanks to the Switch's features, we feel the game found its true home."

"Building a company on top of that was a lot of work, but Wizorb was the ideal first game for us to tackle; it was reasonable in scope and its design defined what would be known as the 'Tribute Games house style,'" added co-founder and director Jonathan Lavigne.

[caption id="attachment_345443" align="alignnone" width="1300"] _{Beyond the brick-breaking levels, there's a town to wander.}[/caption]

Since then, the studio has come out with Mercenary Kings, Flinthook, Panzer Paladin, and the splashiest of them all, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.

This style and scope of game is a natural fit for Nintendo Switch, so consider getting Wizorb the next time you're in the mood for something smaller, and more immediately gratifying. It's a nice palate cleanser you can quickly fire up.

The post Wizorb, a brick-breaking indie gem, is coming to Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

New ray-traced version coming in November

Whenever someone goes back to refresh the visuals of an iconic video game with a very established and well-remembered look, things can get a bit funky. So while I understand the appeal of something like Portal with RTX, a "reimagined" Portal kitted out with ray tracing, that doesn't mean it's strictly better. It's different! And you may or may not dig it.

Alongside (pricey!) GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, Nvidia announced Portal with RTX as free DLC coming to Steam in November for Portal owners. 15 years later, if you can believe it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZHBl5yWqJk

"Every light is ray-traced and casts shadows, global illumination indirect lighting naturally illuminates and darkens rooms, volumetric ray-traced lighting scatters through fog and smoke, and shadows are pixel perfect," according to Nvidia's announcement.

While the detailed surfaces are immediately noticeable, some comparison screenshots are more flattering than others, so it's best to watch the trailer to get a comprehensive view before you start messing with sliders on Nvidia's lengthy blog post that breaks down Portal with RTX. It's not just lighting — there's also "new art evocative of the original."

As the game's Steam page notes, "Portal with RTX is compatible with all ray-tracing capable GPUs." It's a sparse listing, but there are screenshots (and you can wishlist).

I like that this is DLC, rather than a forced update. We're not always that fortunate.

[caption id="attachment_345318" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The Companion Cube has a new glow.}[/caption]

Portal is only the beginning (if you're into mods)

This flashy project came to fruition at Nvidia Lightspeed Studios, following earlier RTX upgrades for Quake II and Minecraft. There's more where that came from, too.

Nvidia will be releasing RTX Remix, a free modding platform for supported PC games that "can add ray tracing with just a few clicks." While Portal with RTX is the main showcase, Nvidia also showed off glossed-up scenes from 2002's The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

"RTX Remix Mods work alongside existing gameplay mods downloaded from Nexus Mods or other sites, giving games with rich modded content an instant ray-traced upgrade," the company said. It also noted that "previously unmoddable" games will be compatible with these tools, and "every RTX Mod also comes packaged with the RTX Remix Runtime editor, giving players a multitude of options to customize their experience in real-time."

Whether you're a modder or just a player, expect lots of new possibilities for supported DirectX 8 and DX9 games. No shade, but I'm curious to see fan creations that take a more nuanced, measured approach to upgrading outdated lighting. Less is more sometimes.

The post Portal with RTX might be overkill, but at least it’s free DLC on Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

It's not too late to sign up for the closed beta

After being pushed back to a late November release, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is gearing up for a closed beta test on PC that will be playable from October 14–16 through Steam and the Microsoft Store. Say no more? Just bounce over to the beta sign-up page, add your email address, and fill out a questionnaire to determine your eligibility.

According to Fatshark, the beta test will "throw everything but the kitchen sink at you to keep you at bay." This version has "more content and features" than the prior Tech Test.

That said, you won't get to experience everything planned for the full release of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide — the developers are "limiting weapons, maps and missions, enemy types, and other systems." And the progress you make in these beta sessions won't carry forward, as balance tweaks are likely to come up, leading to wipes.

If you're fine just watching from the sidelines and waiting for the full game, expect to see new footage soon. Per the FAQ, content creators are allowed to stream this one.

[caption id="attachment_345250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Try not to get smashed in Tertium.}[/caption]

Carrying the fun co-op action spirit forward from Warhammer: Vermintide means that I'm already on board with Darktide. It's the next step I would've wanted, and it doesn't need to convince me. The main question is, what kind of character am I going to create?

While the beta test will be limited to PC, Darktide will also be launching on Xbox Series X/S. The PC version is up first (on November 30), with consoles following suit (date TBA).

$40 is the right price

If you haven't heard, Fatshark locked in the price: the standard edition is a budget-friendly $40, and there's an Imperial Edition for $60. The latter includes cosmetic bonuses like a Caducades backpack for human characters, eight weapon skins, four class outfits, and also 2,500 Aquilas (the game's premium currency). You can scope those out on Steam.

In my thirties, I've really moved away from PvP in favor of PvE, which I find less stressful overall. ("Less.") I'm glad games like Darktide are getting the green light.

The post Warhammer 40,000: Darktide beta set for October 14–16 with more content appeared first on Destructoid.

So, who's on deck for the next mainline game?

Resident Evil Village left us off on a wild note, with so much room to speculate about the near and long-term future of the series. In between releases, it's always been fun for me to put the pieces together, theorize, and then ultimately see Capcom take a different direction than the clues might've suggested. A new quote out of Tokyo Game Show 2022 has rekindled the conversation, specifically with respect to the upcoming Shadows of Rose DLC for Resident Evil Village and where the series could go with the next mainline entry.

As reported by IGN out of Tokyo Game Show, director Kento Kinoshita says that Capcom is "creating the Shadows of Rose story to conclude the Winters family saga."

A short and open-ended but very thought-provoking quote, to be sure.

Without spoiling anything, this remark changes my expectations for what kind of story Resident Evil 9 (reminder: we don't have an actual name yet so that's just shorthand) might tell. (That closing Village scene was a head-turner at the time.) Now I'm even less sure about what to expect — just unresolved bits and pieces that were seeded in Village.

Is it time for old favorites to shine again? To bury Umbrella once and for all? Once we know the core playable cast and setting, we'll have a much better picture.

[caption id="attachment_345132" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{I hope the DLC doesn't feel like too much of a retread.}[/caption]

Jumping ahead

For more context (Village plot spoilers), here's how Capcom originally framed the Shadows of Rose DLC when it was announced: "Set 16 years after the events of Resident Evil Village, this new tale follows Rose Winters, the daughter of main protagonist Ethan, as she struggles with her terrifying powers. Players must explore and survive a warped and mysterious realm inside the consciousness of the Megamycete in search of a cure."

Some fans, who have had enough of Ethan's "everyman" antics across Resident Evil 7 and Village, are hopeful that Resident Evil 9 will combine the old and the new. Personally, as much as I do want to see Jill Valentine (or others!) back in action, particularly after digging her refreshed characterization in the Resident Evil 3 remake, I like the Winters storyline and would've been fine seeing it wrapped up in the next game. As is, I'm wondering if this DLC will feel significant enough for people like me, or if it'll seem shoehorned.

We'll find out what's going down on October 28, when Shadows of Rose debuts as part of Resident Evil Village Gold Edition and the Winters' Expansion. My Halloween plans are set.

I'll also be back in for the new third-person mode. According to producer Masachika Kawata, the mode "took about as much effort as creating a new game" due to the "exceptionally large variety of player actions" in Resident Evil Village compared to Resident Evil 2 and 3. "You can guard, you can move while crouching, and there is a lot of examining objects. We made thorough adjustments to ensure that those unique animations would look completely connected, and that it would be playable at a good tempo."

The post Resident Evil Village’s Shadows of Rose aims to “conclude” the Winters family saga appeared first on Destructoid.

"Developing games for PSVR2 requires a whole different approach than the original PSVR"

While we keep accumulating games, it's been lovely to see a renewed push for backward compatibility as we've gone from the PlayStation 4 generation to PS5. But as some virtual reality fans had feared, next year's PlayStation VR2 will not work with the original PlayStation VR games. After much speculation, Sony confirmed PSVR2's lack of backward compatibility on episode 439 of the Official PlayStation Podcast.

As explained by senior vice president of platform experience Hideaki Nishino, "PSVR games are not compatible with PSVR2 because PSVR2 is designed to deliver a truly next-generation VR experience. PSVR2 has much more advanced features like all-new controllers with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, inside-out tracking, eye tracking, 3D audio is coming together, [and] 4K HDR, of course. This means developing games for PSVR2 requires a whole different approach than the original PSVR."

Straight up, that reasoning isn't going to sit well with players.

With that said, I would expect the most popular PSVR games to get PSVR2 versions, which will surely be a messy situation for folks who fully bought into the original ecosystem and have a huge library of titles. Inevitably, games will be left stranded on the old tech, so if you haven't gotten rid of your headset yet, you may want to hold onto it.

The best-case scenario would've been for games to "just work," in players' eyes. But considering the differences between how these two devices operate (those damn PlayStation Move controllers strike again!), it was never going to be that easy.

An earlier heads-up would've been nice

I wish this definitive news would've come out sooner — I'm sure there are people out there scooping up PlayStation VR games on sale in hopes of eventually playing them on PSVR2, which we only now know (officially) will be out of the question. What a bummer.

It was already annoying enough to have Resident Evil 7 locked down and never receive a PC VR port. Here's hoping it comes forward to PSVR2 alongside Resident Evil Village. The same goes for Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Rez Infinite, Tetris Effect, Beat Saber, and many others. Outdated as PSVR1 became compared to its competition, it still had terrific games.

Without an existing catalog to rely on, this puts even more pressure on the PSVR2 launch lineup to deliver in a substantial, long-lasting way. It can't just be flashy.

For those of us with big PSVR1 libraries, I guess we'll wait and see what plans — if any — those developers might have for porting their games to PlayStation VR2.

The post PlayStation VR2 doesn’t support PSVR games appeared first on Destructoid.

You've got until September 21

As we inch closer and closer to the looming 1.0 launch of Vampire Survivors, fans are getting antsy, myself included. Today's morsel is just a "minor patch," but there's important news for folks on the sidelines: a price increase is coming soon.

At just three dollars, Vampire Survivors is some of the best bang-for-your-buck gaming I've ever experienced. And while typically Early Access titles wait until their full launch to raise prices, in this case, the game will cost $4.99 starting on September 21. The 1.0 launch is coming later — we'll learn the full release date in two weeks, on September 29.

The creator, poncle, explained this choice. "To be frank, it's because otherwise I'd mess up the sales calendar for the rest of the year. I want to keep the option open to eventually enter some of the usual seasonal sales, and increasing the price on v1.0 launch day would mess up the timings, as price changes also comes with a temporary price freeze."

Players have become so absorbed with the game's monster-exploding grind and fun unlockables that they've actually asked — sometimes jokingly, but often for real — for Vampire Survivors to charge more. I got my money's worth early on, and the updates just kept coming. I'm now at 55 hours on the clock. It's baffling when I stop and think about it.

Today's patch is a minor one

So, what's new in patch 0.11.3? Most notably, I'd point to Blood Astronomia (Arcana XXI), which emits "special damaging zones affected by Amount and Magnet" for weapons like Garlic and Song of Mana. There's also the MissingNo character, who has randomized stats and can now be "unlocked officially" — find the full instructions here on Reddit.

If you've thought about getting into Vampire Survivors, consider this your call to do so before the price jumps. It's so worth it.

The post It’s time to get Vampire Survivors before its price increases appeared first on Destructoid.

In honor of Pikmin 4 showing its face, it's time to check out Pikmin 3 Deluxe while it's on sale

If you're looking to add a game (or three) to your digital Nintendo Switch collection, here's a friendly nudge. Between the Blockbuster Sale and several other publisher promos going on right now, there are a lot of deals to peruse on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

No, no — not that Blockbuster. But I sure do have fond memories of picking out N64 games for weekend rentals. With so many potential games to try and limited knowledge, it was a surprisingly high-stakes decision. You also had to be okay with less-than-satisfying games — you got what you got and enjoyed it as much as possible.

For this Switch eShop Blockbuster Sale, Nintendo is highlighting games like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. After going through the list — and also the deals from publishers like Sega, Warner Bros., and NIS America — I've picked out a bunch of highlights for you.

I'm honestly still riding high from this week's "Pikmin 4 is happening and we mean it this time" reveal. It's truly never too late to break into this one-of-a-kind series, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the perfect entry point, especially if you want to take another player along for the ride in the fully co-op-enabled campaign and other side activities. There's a demo!

[caption id="attachment_344517" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{Competitive speed demons should check out Neon White.}[/caption]

Nintendo Switch eShop deal highlights

• Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection ($19.99)
• BioShock: The Collection ($9.99)
• Capcom Arcade Stadium Packs 1 + 2 + 3 ($19.99)
• Castle Crashers Remastered ($7.49)
• Catherine: Full Body ($17.49)
• Cuphead ($13.99)
• Disco Elysium – The Final Cut ($19.99)
• Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ($29.99)
• Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition ($29.99)
• Gris ($4.24)
• Hades ($14.99)
• Hot Wheels Unleashed ($19.99)
• Hotline Miami Collection ($6.24)
• Katana Zero ($8.99)
• Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series ($29.99)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga ($41.99)
• Loop Hero ($10.49)
• Mark of the Ninja: Remastered ($4.99)
• Metro 2033 Redux ($2.49)
• Metro: Last Light Redux ($4.99)
• Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak ($49.99)
• Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak ($29.99)
• Neon White ($19.99)
• No More Heroes 3 ($29.99)
• Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside ($11.99)
• Pikmin 3 Deluxe ($41.99)
• Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo ($11.99)
• Quake ($3.99)
• Resident Evil 4 ($9.99)
• Resident Evil 5 ($9.99)
• Ruined King: A League of Legends Story ($17.99)
• Sayonara Wild Hearts ($7.79)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game ($4.94)
• Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster ($24.99)
• Shin Megami Tensei V ($38.99)
• Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon ($17.99)
• Sonic Origins ($27.99)
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($25.99)
• Superhot ($12.49)
• Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99)
• Undertale ($8.99)

As always, you don't have to take it from me — the Hottest Deals section of Deku Deals is a huge help in cutting through the clutter. That said, I tried to whittle the deals down.

The Nintendo Switch Blockbuster Sale ends on September 25 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Other deals from select publishers will end on different dates, which you can double-check here.

Whatever you end up with, happy playing.

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Another action RPG (like that's a bad thing)

Depending on how you slice it, the highlight of today's State of Play was either Like a Dragon: Ishin from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio or Rise of the Ronin from Team Ninja. (Why not both?) The developer shared its first look at this PS5 open-world action RPG, which is seven years in the making. It's another historical-inspired tale with over-the-top flair, as you'll quickly see in the trailer — a mix of "gameplay and in-game cinematics."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gwsQvDGh4o

"Set in the late 19th century, Japan is facing the darkest of times as it struggles with its oppressive rulers and deadly diseases while western influence permeates as civil war continues to rage between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Anti-Shogunate factions," noted director Fumihiko Yasuda. "Here in this time of mayhem, you embody a Ronin character, a warrior bound to no master and free to make choices of its own."

Going a step further, Yasuda calls Rise of the Ronin the "most ambitious and challenging project for Team Ninja Studio to date," promising a "multilayered story" and "unrestricted open gameplay." The action-game fundamentals can always get this team's foot in the door for me — so while I'm already "in," so to speak, I am curious to hear concrete info.

For now, there's that cool glider and rifle-stabbing animation. I love a good finisher. From everything we can glean, this looks like another skillful action romp. Keep 'em coming.

[caption id="attachment_344298" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{Riding on horseback, aka gamer catnip.}[/caption]

Rise of the Ronin will launch in 2024 and it's said to be a "PlayStation 5 console exclusive," which opens the door for a (well-advised) PC version.

Considering Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (the Three Kingdoms-inspired Nioh successor) is coming up first in 2023, that far-off timing makes sense. We're feasting as action fiends.

The post Team Ninja is on a roll with Rise of the Ronin appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-orders open on September 27

We aren't yet at a point where Sony is slinging game-themed PS5 consoles like in the PS4 days, but at least God of War fans are getting a special controller variant. Announced during this afternoon's State of Play, Sony will release a God of War Ragnarok DualSense controller for PS5 on November 9, 2022 — the same day Ragnarok is out on PS4/PS5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvZZvTRFbTs

The white and blue DualSense controller has a bear and wolf insignia to represent Kratos and Atreus, according to Sony. It's a nice contrast to the lighter Starlight Blue model.

Funny enough, for a split second, I thought this was going to be the State of Play's closer, which goes to show how low my expectations tend to be for these showings. Instead, the controller tidbit just led into our fullest-yet look at God of War Ragnarok's story with a new trailer, and yep, it looks awesome. The weight of the story is finally sinking in.

I've got too many of these gamepads as is (three, somehow!), but I'm sure this will sell out fast. Pre-orders for the God of War Ragnarok DualSense begin on September 27.

A price hasn't been listed yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of a premium over the $70-$75 tag for the current DualSense colorways.

The post God of War Ragnarok has its own DualSense controller appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming in 2023, the controller works with Nintendo Switch Online games like you'd expect

Retro Fighters is coming out with a new version of the Brawler64, a modernized N64-inspired controller, and it should pair well with the Switch Online library thanks to its button placement. The Brawler64 Wireless Bluetooth Switch Edition is compatible with Nintendo Switch and PC and it's currently drumming up support on Kickstarter.

That said, the crowdfunding campaign has 20 days left to go and the funding threshold has already been crossed with $12,000 pledged. It's happening. Backers will get their orders shipped before retail customers, with an ETA of February 2023.

There are three colors — Classic Gray, Transparent Blue, and Arctic White — and the Brawler64 Switch Edition is tied to $45 pledges, which will be a $5 discount from the eventual MSRP. This tier also includes a USB-C charging cable and instruction manual.

[caption id="attachment_343932" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The Transparent Blue model.}[/caption]

More buttons and a Swap ability

According to Retro Fighters, the goal of the Brawler64 Switch Edition is "easy connectability." The gamepad has rumble and more buttons including screenshot, home, and minus buttons. Curiously, there's also a "Swap" button to "switch between [the Nintendo Switch Online] button layout and traditional Switch Pro layout."

Wireless? Yep, there's Bluetooth — no "dongles or extra setup" needed.

As for stretch goals, Retro Fighters has promised to add motion control capabilities at $100K raised, and a future "Gold" special edition controller at $200K raised.

I haven't used the prior Brawler64 controllers, but I've heard them come up in conversation among folks who like N64 games but aren't exactly stoked to use an N64 controller to play them. Especially with this iteration, the design feels like a nice balance between modern comfort and nostalgia. I'm already set with Nintendo's own N64 controllers for Switch, but I am intrigued. I do love candy-colored transparent controllers.

[caption id="attachment_343944" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Syncing the new Brawler64 with a Nintendo Switch.}[/caption]

If you'd like to see it in action, the Kickstarter page has a short demonstration of the Brawler64 Switch Edition — there's footage of a "functional prototype" gamepad playing Super Mario 64 via the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, including the sync process.

Even if I won't use the vast majority of them, it's great to see so many controller options.

The post This new Brawler64 controller is a modern way to play N64 games on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Wild Hearts will be published under the EA Originals banner

Do you wish more games followed in the footsteps of Monster Hunter, especially after big-budget hits like Monster Hunter: World and Iceborne? While Capcom has been on fire, there's room for more, and EA of all companies is making a move with Omega Force. [Update: The game is called Wild Hearts, and it will be shown on September 28.]

Electronic Arts announced its partnership with Koei Tecmo for an Omega Force-developed hunting action game that's set in "fantasy feudal Japan." According to the companies, they are aiming to deliver "the next great hunting game" with this "AAA"-budget original IP.

Details are light, with more news to come "later this month," but we do know the Omega Force collaboration will be released through the EA Originals label. If you haven't been keeping score, this is where some of the most interesting EA-backed games have been coming from — Unravel, Lost in Random, Fe, and It Takes Two, to name a few.

"The EA team fully embraces our creative independence and have become invaluable partners offering both development and publishing support," said Koei Tecmo Games executive vice president Yosuke Hayashi in a press release. "Adding the global resources of EA with our own will help us introduce a new kind of hunting game to a global audience of players and expand our reach into global markets."

"[Omega Force has] elevated the hunting genre to the next level, merging their proven talent for combat gameplay with unexpected and innovative mechanics," added Jeff Gamon, the general manager of EA Partners.

As much as the studio is known for the Warriors games, you can't forget about Toukiden. With little info to go on, I can't help but feel like this will have clear connective tissue — as much as a distinct new property can, anyway. I'm stoked to see a potential glow-up.

More big bets in the hunting-action space? Sounds great. EA and Omega Force are an unlikely pair, but I'm hoping these two worlds mesh and the game is better off for it.

The post Omega Force is cooking up Wild Hearts, a “fantasy feudal Japan” hunting action game, with EA appeared first on Destructoid.

67 songs, including a bunch of boss music

You can count on FromSoftware to deliver memorable music, and if you're in an Elden Ring mood but aren't quite ready to commit to (yet another?) playthrough right now, you can at least soak up the vibes while going about your day-to-day. The Elden Ring soundtrack is now streaming on Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and other platforms — here's a handy catch-all link — and at 67 songs, it's a big collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV7IJLbKYzg

It's the obvious pick, but thinking back, I can't shake the game's main theme. Ahead of a long journey, it felt so empowering and ominous. Every time I would start up the game, I'd just hover there on the menu, waiting for the music to hype me back up before continuing.

Speaking on the PlayStation Blog, composer Tsukasa Saito says that the title theme — "Elden Ring" — is the track he's "most emotionally attached to."

"We spent a long time obsessing over and fine-tuning the details and tonal qualities of this piece, and I think as a result we achieved something that embodies the themes of the game, and became a strong directional pillar for the rest of the music," Saito continued.

"I think we made a good piece for when players start up the game, stirring their motivation and excitement for heading out on their adventure to become Elden Lord."

Early on, the team honed in on words and phrases like "an epic tale," "composure and resilience," and "eloquence," which certainly sound like themes in a Hidetaka Miyazaki game. FromSoftware wanted the Elden Ring soundtrack to "reflect the fact that this was something different from the Dark Souls series or Bloodborne," according to Saito.

It's a big game with an appropriately big soundtrack. Bouncing around, you'll spot tracks for familiar locations like Limgrave, Caelid, and Leyndell, the music for the character creator, and many boss-focused tracks, as is customary. There are boss spoilers.

We've had plenty to say about Elden Ring this year, and those conversations will carry into the eventual game of the year discourse. Listening to the music, it's all rushing back to me.

The post Elden Ring’s huge soundtrack is streaming on Spotify and other services appeared first on Destructoid.

A flawed gem returns

While Q-Games is best known for the PixelJunk series, the studio's otherworldly resource-gathering, town-rebuilding, kaiju-stopping game The Tomorrow Children left a mark. Assuming, of course, that you were around to catch lightning in a bottle back in 2016.

With an online shared-world foundation, this peculiar social action-adventure game let players roll into town to pitch in with exploration, hauling, building, and a lot of odd jobs — manual labor was kind of the whole point in this Soviet-themed "alternate future."

Every task felt slow, methodical, and deliberate. But all the tedium ultimately paid off when folks worked together long enough to accomplish bigger goals. The Tomorrow Children was an entirely communal game, leading to memorable player experiences (and some chaotic trolling). It was a niche game, but a neat one, and it was sad yet somewhat understandable when Sony shut down the servers. The game needed time to flourish.

Now it's back on PS4 this week thanks to passionate developers at Q-Games, who got the IP rights back from a surprisingly cooperative Sony Interactive Entertainment.

The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition (PS4)
Developer: Q-Games
Publisher: Q-Games
Released: September 6, 2022
MSRP: $39.99

I've been wanting to revisit The Tomorrow Children since Death Stranding. I only dabbled in this once-lost game, but I love the idea of teamwork-oriented shared-goal gaming.

Unlike the earlier online-only free-to-play version, The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition is a $40 game with no "grind lessening" real-money purchases to keep it afloat. And instead of a dedicated-server setup, every player starts with their own peer-to-peer town, including the ability to cooperate online with strangers or play offline with AI helpers.

This is an important distinction to make — some of the game's original bewildering nature has been smoothed out, and at least at launch, the co-op vibe isn't exactly the same. Folks will be initially focused on raising their own town, before hopping around to help out others. While it was interesting (and sometimes frustrating) to have fully shared towns in 2016, in this 2022 incarnation, it's nice to have a bit more ownership; you can rest easy knowing that your personal town won't burn to the ground when you log off.

Your first impression of The Tomorrow Children will feel more tutorialized in Phoneix Edition, in a good way, and once you've got the basics, it'll be possible for other players to hitch a ride into your town. You can bounce around, too — it's a quick loading screen away.

Slow-burn satisfaction

You might be wondering what it is you really do in The Tomorrow Children. Humanity is gone (for reasons that are better felt than described), and to bring back some semblance of the former world, you'll traverse the white quicksand-like Void all around you. As a specialized Projection Clone, you'll dig out giant sculpture-like "islands," find hidden matryoshka dolls, and restore them into proper citizens back at base. All the while, you'll stock up on metal, food, wood, coal, and crystals needed to craft structures and maintain your growing town.

While it's a simple concept, The Tomorrow Children can be a tricky game to sum up right.

In many ways, it isn't "fun" in a traditional sense. Progress is slow — especially alone — and many of the pickaxe-wielding mining mechanics are familiar by now. But at the same time, I can't stop coming back for more. As of this review, I've clocked 22 hours.

For some people, even the most exciting "high points" will be too boring. And if that's the case, no matter how much progress you make, or how many fancy new (limited-use) gadgets you acquire to speed up the mundane grind, you aren't likely to change your mind. The intentionally limited inventory space will always be a problem, and the drawn-out bus rides from town out to the islands will never be fast enough. Busywork *is the game.*

For me though, these quieter gameplay moments give meaning and weight to this admittedly low-key experience. The Tomorrow Children can be contemplative or a total zone-out game, depending on how you look at it. I fall somewhere in the middle.

There are gameplay tweaks and refinements

The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition is essentially the same game as before, brought back to life with key changes to keep it around for posterity. The nitty-gritty tweaks will stand out to the hardcore community, but they aren't hugely different from afar.

One of the biggest is that now, island exploration is more methodical — there isn't solid ground, so you'll slowly sink into the Void by default. That means you need to make good use of the platform-constructing jackhammer and be extra careful not to tumble off, or use crystals to harden the surface. I liked the stakes. One wrong move is enough, so I couldn't sleepwalk. On the flip side, death isn't too punishing — it's mostly a time-waster.

In my experience, the new peer-to-peer multiplayer works great. You can share your town code with friends, or easily pull up a public list of towns and hop around.

As before, you'll communicate with emotes at most, but much of the time, players kind of just intuitively do their own thing and then come together to help each other out. (See: Journey.) If the primary player was out fetching resources and dolls on an island, I'd stay back to defend against invading Izverg, repair bombed-out buildings as needed, and deposit busloads of goods into their specified storage area. Some people seem to hate the sliding-block puzzle mini-game for crafting, but I don't mind it, so I'll do that, too.

Even with the smallest of contributions, every step of the way, you'll earn "Toil" that funnels into 1) gear purchases and 2) skill upgrades. There's also a chance to pick up Freeman Dollars for cooler, longer-lasting items on the Black Market. Again, The Tomorrow Children is extremely slow-going, and Phoenix Edition doesn't change that. I was hoping the pricier stuff would be toned down even more than it is compared to the free-to-play days.

As a solo player, it's tough to be as well-rounded as I'd like. Necessities like a pickaxe, shovel, jackhammer, and shotgun add up, to say nothing of high-impact extras like a missile launcher or the limited-time VoidKa ability boosts. In a group, you can specialize and make the most of your coupons — you can synergize. But alone, I had to play it safe.

AI bots lighten the load

With AI in the mix (whether you're playing The Tomorrow Children offline or in an empty-enough online session), some of the basic tasks will be easier. AI and real players phase in and out as they go about their business. Sometimes, I couldn't easily tell them apart.

But when it comes down to it, the AI will never do anything too bold — more than anything, the bots like to scoop up scraps (in town and on islands) and they'll hop in a turret to take potshots at flying rays or stomping Godzilla-esque Bankrotz. They'll also repair buildings if you're away, but they aren't exactly in a hurry to do so.

Still, this is a big improvement that helps with pacing. You don't have to babysit every facet of the town upkeep, which is great when you're in the groove on an island excursion that's a long bus ride away. You can let certain tasks pile up for a while, worry-free.

For me, the game's tunneling and platform-building exploration is the main draw, whether I'm playing alone or collaborating with others. Q-Games says there are more than 40 islands — I saw too many to recall, including a massive imposing red face, outstretched arms, a cake, colorful floating bubbles, a retro TV set, and a toy robot. These mountainous art installations can also be expanded if you trigger a transparent "monolith"; that said, some require multiple players to activate it. If you find every hidden doll, or wait long enough, an island will sink back into the Void. I liked this rising background tension.

There are new tools like a grappling hook, but I ended up wasting too many shots by not quite nailing down the firing distance, and my currency was better spent elsewhere. Similarly, I wish the jetpack was within easier reach — some islands are so oppressively vertical that I just had to wait for them to vanish and try my luck with a different area.

To what end?

The first major goal is to restore 50 residents, at which point your town is complete — but you aren't "kicked out" for good as it initially seems. You'll be able to return and keep reaching new heights. I'm now trying to hit a population of 100 as well as upgrade my newly-built Town Hall with loads and loads of metal. What comes next, I'm not sure.

It feels like this Phoenix Edition re-release was less about sweeping improvements and "trying again," and far more about just getting The Tomorrow Children back in players' hands in a future-proof way. So while I wish that Q-Games could've modernized or expanded certain elements (especially combat, which is often very one-note), I get the scope.

I'm glad to get another genuine crack at this subversive social crafting adventure game as someone who was there in 2016 but has hazy memories at best. It's not as impactful in 2022, if I'm being honest, but there's also nothing quite like this vibe. I knew I was in for something special as soon as the amped-up music started blaring on my home screen. The visuals still hold up surprisingly well for the most part, and playing on PS5, I didn't run into any notable performance issues — just a couple of pre-launch-day crashes at worst.

Offline support and AI bots are enough to make certain fans happy, and while the price is too steep and the patient gameplay loop is too niche to recommend to a wide audience, I still want to nudge as many people as possible. I didn't expect to spend more than 20 hours toiling away with this strange game, yet here I am, with no signs of stopping.

Time flies when you're silently helping strangers perform tedious tasks. It's weirdly zen.

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

The post Review: The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

On a per-game basis

While not as high-profile as 1440p output and folder-esque Game Lists, there's a somewhat buried new PlayStation 5 feature this week that will come in handy if you're constantly digging through your trophy lists. With a newly-added toggle, it's possible to "automatically show information for all hidden trophies" for any given PS5 game.

Instead of inspecting each individual hidden trophy and pressing the Square button to show its name and criteria, you can now flip a switch for a game's entire trophy list.

As shown in my screenshot up top, you just need to head to your PS5 Trophies section and press the Options button while hovering over a game — you'll see a "Reveal All" toggle. This PS5-only feature was publicized by YouTuber Mystic (via True Trophies).

I'll definitely be using this going forward (as long as I don't forget that it exists). I've never been one to care about my overall trophy count — I try to focus on games that are already clicking with me and then pursue the Platinum if it's remotely reasonable.

It's nice that game developers can tuck spoilers away inside hidden trophy descriptions, but plenty of people are just going to want to look them up right away, even before the first playthrough is finished. As always, options like this toggle are appreciated.

Also, yeah, I started playing the PS4 version of Resident Evil. It has been sloooow going.

The post PS5 has a new toggle to reveal all hidden trophies appeared first on Destructoid.

The 4.3" cartridge-based handheld includes a collection of Capcom games, but they're built-in

While the retro-focused Evercade systems are known for their (officially licensed) game cartridges, there's an interesting wrinkle with the upcoming Evercade EXP handheld — it's bundling a coveted selection of Capcom games that won't be available on a cart.

And it's not just some random titles from Capcom's stretched-out catalog, either.

When the Evercade EXP releases later this year (on November 24, with pre-orders opening on September 6), it will come with games like Bionic Commando, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Strider, Mega Man X, and Breath of Fire directly built-in. There are 18 titles altogether.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljnes-4Ebb4

The Capcom Collection included with Evercade EXP:

• 1942 (Arcade version)
• 1943 (Arcade version)
• 1944: The Loop Master (Arcade version)
• Bionic Commando (Arcade version)
• Captain Commando (Arcade version)
• Commando (Arcade version)
• Final Fight (Arcade version)
• Forgotten Worlds (Arcade version)
• Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Arcade version)
• Legendary Wings (Arcade version)
• MERCS (Arcade version)
• Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (Arcade version)
• Strider (Arcade version)
• Vulgus (Arcade version)
• Mega Man (8-bit)
• Mega Man 2 (8-bit)
• Mega Man X (16-bit)
• Breath of Fire (16-bit)

These games will be "instantly playable out of the box," according to Evercade creator Blaze Entertainment. "No download, no need for connection — simply go to the EXP button on the main menu and select The Capcom Collection."

One of the cooler Evercade EXP features is that it can be played on its side, which is perfect for vertical-minded games — 1942, 1943, Commando, and MERCS, to name a few. If you were wondering about those extra A and B buttons on the left side, they're for TATE.

[caption id="attachment_342947" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{A look at the Evercade EXP's underside.}[/caption]

Why isn't there a cartridge equivalent?

Players who are already invested in the Evercade ecosystem (which includes the VS home console) aren't thrilled about the idea of built-in games that aren't also available separately on a cartridge — the physical aspect is the whole point of Evercade, after all.

From the sound of it, if Blaze Entertainment could've worked out a different deal within reason, it would've. It seems like a "better than nothing" approach prevailed.

"For those that are asking, physical is still our primary outlet and we will continue to produce cartridges," the company tweeted. "[The Capcom Collection] is specifically a bonus for the Evercade EXP and currently the only way we could bring Capcom to you at this time. We hope this opens the doors for future carts."

Capcom is a big deal, so I get it. With Mega Man X, this announcement is the first time I've seriously looked into the Evercade EXP, so from that lens, the plan worked. For the long-termers and other physical-or-bust players, this first step will hopefully pave the way for additional Evercade agreements, whether that's with Capcom or other notable publishers.

[caption id="attachment_342936" align="alignnone" width="1500"] _{What's included in the Evercade EXP box.}[/caption]

Evercade EXP launch details

Evercade EXP pre-orders begin on September 6, ahead of the November 24 launch, and the console will cost $149.99 / £129.99 / €149.99 at participating retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Argos, and GAME, depending on your country. You'll also get a Capcom Collection manual, Irem Arcade 1 cartridge, and USB to USB-C cable in the box.

More stats for the handheld, if you need 'em: 800x480 resolution on a 4.3" IPS screen, 1.5GHz processor, 4GB memory, stereo speakers, built-in Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headphone jack, 720p mini HDMI output (though you'll need to buy a cable), and a 3000mA battery for "4-5 hours of gaming." How big is it? The Evercade EXP is 7.76" x 3.1" x 0.8".

If you're not a retro game enthusiast who values physical media, you might scoff at Evercade — admittedly, I did a double-take. But when there are so many games to play, especially with densely-packed subscriptions on the rise, it's nice to stop and consciously appreciate games one cartridge at a time. I've been eBaying GBA games lately, so I get it.

The post Evercade EXP comes with 18 Capcom games and pre-orders open soon appeared first on Destructoid.

September 5 is the deadline

Immortal Redneck might not ring a bell, but it's free on PC, and it's worth checking out. You've got until 6:00 a.m. Pacific on Monday, September 5 to add it to your GOG library. There's a "claim" button on GOG's front page, and you'll need to sign into your account.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGyvt1Vk5bs

This is an ancient-Egypt-themed FPS that's aiming for the old-school, fast-paced Doom crowd while also working in a modern roguelite progression system like Rogue Legacy.

Expect mythological shootouts in pyramids, plenty of verticality in the level design, a buuunch of weapons, big bosses, unlockable alternate starting classes, and an unavoidable stat-boosting grind as you upgrade your skill tree from run to run.

In some ways, I feel like Immortal Redneck is speaking to two very different (and in some cases incompatible) crowds, but with so many "standard" throwback shooters popping up these days, the run-based structure helps it stand out. Above all, it feels good.

[caption id="attachment_342891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Gold is a crucial part of the progression loop.}[/caption]

Arena shooter flair

In his 2017 review, Chris Carter was pretty high on Immortal Redneck, in large part due to its shooter fundamentals. The key quote: "While many studios have attempted to recreate the magic of the original Unreal Tournament or the arena shooters of old and failed, developer Crema managed to get it right. [...] While the roguelike setup will no doubt scare some people off (you do you, reader), anyone looking to temporarily transport themselves back through the ages of FPS-dom without making concessions should give it a chance."

It's not necessarily a game you'll want to fully finish — less-than-friendly roguelite tuning is one of the issues — but for free, Immortal Redneck is an easy game to dabble in.

GOG is also hosting a sale right now, hence this foot-in-the-door giveaway. Games like Deux Ex GOTY Edition ($0.97), Tomb Raider: Anniversary ($0.98), and Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete ($2.49) are charting as best-sellers. A few bucks can take you far.

The post Immortal Redneck, a wacky roguelite FPS, is free-to-keep on GOG appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's a tip to make "Gotta Catch 'em All!" easier

As a 3D platformer fan who loves scooping up collectibles, Tinykin is such a breezy time.

Playing as a shrunken explorer in a gigantic bedroom with insect citizens just living their lives, you're constantly on the lookout for glowing bits of pollen to collect and new (Pikmin-like) tinykin creatures to command. For folks like me, it feels like a continuous brain massage. The game's sense of progression is so fast, you're usually just seconds away from finding something to pick up. It maintains this pace the whole way through its six-hour run. That is until you start nudging your way toward 100 percent completion.

Without spoiling anything, Tinykin has two main collectibles — pollen and tinykin — and there isn't a radar or ability to help sniff them out. You've got to scope out every inch of every room from every conceivable angle; this stuff can be really tucked out of view.

If you're playing casually, you shouldn't run into progression-blocking bumps in the road. It's pretty much go-go-go all the way through, without the need to hunt obsessively.

But if you're after the "Gotta Catch 'em All!" trophy or achievement for finding every tinykin, you'll need to put on your explorer's cap and get to work. It took me 10 hours to do it all, and one bit of community info saved me a lot of trouble in the home stretch.

[caption id="attachment_342683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{With hundreds of tinykin eggs to hatch, it's easy to gloss over some.}[/caption]

It's best to get all of the pollen first

On the pollen front, YouTuber WheatYT has a playlist of full-level playthroughs.

So if you're just missing a handful of pick-ups, and you swear you've looked absolutely everywhere, some of these fast-forwarded guide videos can do the trick.

My real concern was finding every tinykin. This is trickier — unlike pollen, which has a known total for each level, there isn't a tracker for tinykin you're missing. As such, the "Gotta Catch 'em All!" trophy and achievement can be nerve-wracking. It was my last one.

**Spoilers below**

There are six main zones in Tinykin, and the idea of going back through them all again — not knowing which ones I'd already fully finished, and which ones were still incomplete — was less than ideal. Thankfully, some players have numbers for us to work off of.

You can't see how many tinykin you're missing, but you can see how many tinykin you've currently got (in the pause menu). Pink, green, and yellow tinykin will stick with you, but red and blue tinykin complicate things — they are "used up" in puzzle-solving.

[caption id="attachment_342682" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Checking how many tinykin I've got left after doing everything in the City of Sanctar.}[/caption]

How to figure out which tinykin you're missing

After you've finished the story and you've done everything except the "Gotta Catch 'em All!" challenge, you can reference these tinykin "final totals" from ItsGamer FURY and AusFinalBoss on TrueAchievements to see which levels still have tinykin to find:

• Transidor Crossing — 30 pink, 8 red, 25 green, 12 blue
• City of Sanctar — 41 pink, 22 red
• Foliana Heights — 26 pink, 17 red, 30 green
• Waters of Balnea — 40 pink, 24 red, 22 green, 37 blue
• Lands of Ambrose — 42 pink, 22 red, 20 green, 10 blue, 86 yellow
• Celerion Park — 42 pink, 8 red, 30 green, 21 blue, 60 yellow
• The Last Refuge — 0 (4 red used to progress the story)

If you've done everything in a given level, your red tinykin total should perfectly match these numbers — there are finite obstacles to explode with the little fellas. So if you've "used up" every red tinykin you possibly can, you'll be left with the numbers shown above.

Blue tinykin are used to form chains of electricity, and since there's wiggle room to be less than perfectly efficient when forming a stretched-out line, you may use more — or less — tinykin than other players. That said, the blue tinykin you've "used" will be exactly where you left them in the level, so you can look at your pause menu total, then manually tally up the rest of them that are out in the world all electrified and stationary.

If your pause menu figures are different, then you should search that specific level.

Thankfully, I was thorough with the little blue guys. I was missing three red tinykin in Celerion Park, and ended up finding them before too long thanks to this info.

It would be nice to see Splashteam patch in a tinykin tracker, so players know precisely which levels to revisit, but if that never happens, at least there's a way to math things out.

The post How to figure out which tinykin you’re missing appeared first on Destructoid.

The patch is out now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, with Switch coming soon

[Update: Following the PC patch, the PlayStation and Xbox versions of Arcade Paradise have also been updated, while the Nintendo Switch equivalent is expected to go live next week. As someone who's still happily grinding away arcade challenges, I'm happy to see bug fixes, balance changes, and other issues shored up. One of my lingering Zombat 2 trophies finally popped, and I may be able to survive Knuckles & Knees at long last.

According to the team, there are two problems to watch out for that'll be further patched:

• If you quit the game using the PDA, or end the day, within a few seconds of placing a newly delivered machine, your progression will be blocked. When you reload your save a duplicate machine will arrive and you are stuck. To avoid this, wait more than 5 seconds between placing a new machine and quitting/ending.

• If you quit the game during the end credits then when you go back to the arcade you'll be missing all of the icons on the PC. To avoid this you must let the credits play out to the end and you appear back in the arcade normally.

• Both of these issues will be resolved in a future patch, and we'll make sure that existing saves fix themselves so you can progress normally again if you do encounter either of these issues.

There are also some new-to-PC fixes today, including UI scaling and vsync issues.

I'm trying my best to get the platinum trophy, but now that I've entered the post-game, it's been slow going. Air Hockey, Blockchain, Woodguy Golf, and a few other game-specific challenges sure are tricky. After everything's patched up, I'd love to see DLC.

Our original article follows.]

Arcade Paradise is a game about tending to a laundromat business while also building an arcade empire in the back room, and if that sounds strangely engrossing, it is — it's the kind of game you can sink hours into, session after session. But as much as I'm enjoying this slow-burn light-simulation-meets-arcade experience, it's hard not to notice lingering issues. With a meaty patch released today, Arcade Paradise is in much better shape.

This will seem like not that big of a deal, but it's now possible to get rid of a certain crushed soda can on the laundromat's window sill — it's been eating away at me! While that's the infamous one, the patch tackles multiple "hard-to-collect" pieces of trash and gum that might show up. I'm always vigilant about this stuff. I can't help it.

Other highlights plucked from the extensive Day Two patch:

• UI scaling issues fixed on Steam Deck, Ultra Wide, and less common aspect ratios/resolutions.
• Numerous fixes for finicky or impossible tasks and goals related to specific arcade cabinets and the jukebox.
• Bomb Dudes — Enemy corpses no longer kill the player.
• Thump-a-gopher — Gophers were not always appearing.
• Communists from Mars explosions have been tweaked to make getting chains easier.
• Blockchain cabinet instructions have been re-written.
• The notification for holding over $5000 was very distracting when collecting more money. Disabled.
• Multiple crash and progression blocking fixes.
• Many of the player upgrade prices have been reduced to make obtaining them easier.

"Who would've thought making a game with 35+ games in would mean 35+ games worth of fixes," the developers said in the patch notes. There's plenty more at the link.

"If you've reported a bug that is NOT listed here, fear not, we'll still have it logged — it will just be in the next patch." As for Arcade Paradise console players, the patch will include the PC adjustments and "some console specifics we've omitted from here."

[caption id="attachment_340712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Knuckles & Knees.}[/caption]

From laundromat sim to arcade obsession

I really like this game, even if I agree with Zoey's assessment that the laundry side of the business could've been more involved — I like management sim mechanics, too.

Where I'm at now, the vast majority of my time is spent playing my dozens of arcade games in hopes of completing in-game challenges and boosting their popularity with customers. In other words, aside from clean-up duty, it's pretty much just a "legally distinct" arcade game collection at this point. Still fun! Just not exactly what I envisioned.

Really though, I've been waiting for Nosebleed Interactive to sand off some of the game's rough edges. With patches like today's, Arcade Paradise is easier to recommend.

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The survival sequel is being delayed "one last time," and it'll cost $30

It's been hard for fans of The Forest to pin down Endnight Games' next mutant survival horror title, Sons of the Forest. After initially looking like a late 2021 release, the sequel was bumped to May 2022, then pushed back again, to October 2022. Things happen.

Now, there's another delay — but Endnight says it's the last time, and the new release date for Sons of the Forest, February 23, 2023, should stick. We also learned the price: $30.

In a short message relayed on Twitter, the developers said they've struggled to nail down the launch timing due to the game's scope. And rather than just spread the less-than-ideal news, they also attached a new 12-second gameplay clip.

https://twitter.com/EndNightGame/status/1565012072681066496

Previously, Endnight said it hoped this would be the "next step in survival games."

Here's the latest summary: "Sent to find a missing billionaire on a remote island, you find yourself in a cannibal-infested hellscape. Craft, build, and struggle to survive, alone or with friends, in this terrifying new open-world survival horror simulator."

The fleshy freakos will have to wait until next year. As much as Sons of the Forest would've hit the spot in October alongside all of my other annual horror media, it's important to come out strong in 2023. The Forest really grew its base on PS4, so if you're waiting for news on the console front, it's gonna be a long one. For now, the PC version is the focus.

The post Sons of the Forest slips to February 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The next batch of classics and Game Catalog titles will show up on September 20

After neglecting retro game fans in August, Sony has several PS1, PS3, and PSP classics lined up for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers in September, as well as more games joining the PS Plus Extra tier's Game Catalog. It's not the splashy lineup I hoped to see.

Here are the PlayStation Plus Premium classics coming on September 20:

• Syphon Filter 2 (PS1)
• The Sly Collection (PS3)
• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3)
• Bentley's Hackpack (PS3)
• Toy Story 3 (PSP)
• Kingdom of Paradise (PSP)

And here are the Extra/Premium Game Catalog additions, also arriving on September 20:

• Deathloop (PS5)
• Assassin's Creed Origins (PS4)
• Watch Dogs 2 (PS4)
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (PS4)
• Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition (PS4)
• Chicory: A Colorful Tale (PS4)
• Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 5 (PS4, PS5)
• Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX (PS4, PS5)
• Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show (PS4)
• Rayman Legends (PS4)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition (PS4)

If you're a PS Plus Essential subscriber, Sony also confirmed the monthly games, following a leak — they'll be claimable from September 6 through October 3:

• Need for Speed Heat (PS4)
• Granblue Fantasy: Versus (PS4)
• Toem (PS5)

For summaries of every game, the PlayStation Blog has you covered.

As I've said before, if you've got the money and interest, Essential is where it's at right now. The main limiting factor is time (and maybe storage or bandwidth caps).

Some of us were willing to take a chance on upgrading to PlayStation Plus Premium for this first year, but if Sony wants to keep people hooked long-term, it'll have to do better. A lot better. The fact that there's a treasure trove of potential classics to pull from makes it all the more painful to see stuff like Toy Story 3 for PSP instead of, say, Dino Crisis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFRmr6MNivE

It is nice to see Sly Cooper return in any capacity, but you're out of luck if you can't (or won't) do streaming, which remains the only way to play these PS Plus PS3 games.

On a happier note, I'm stoked to dig into Chicory, Toem, and Alex Kidd. I think September is a pretty good one for the Essential and Extra tiers. More fuel for the backlog. It's a shame that the classics side of the equation isn't — or at least doesn't feel like — a priority.

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