It's been a while since I've felt as genuinely mixed over a game as I have for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Coincidentally, the last game I felt this conflicted over was Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, but for dramatically different reasons, as the only things they have in common are the IP and unstable performance.

While the 2022 title was a horde shooter, Owlcat's take on the 40,000 universe is the first CRPG entry. It shares a lot in common with the developer's previous Pathfinder games but stands out in the library. Again, that's in positive and negative ways.

Rogue Trader is a brilliant game, but it could've been fantastic, and that's what's frustrating about it. For every shining quality, there's usually something tacked on detrimental to the overall experience. It's a grim, haunting journey for all of the right reasons given the universe, but a few tedious encounters and bugs made for some extraneous misery along the way.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (PC [reviewed], PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Owlcat Games
Publisher: Owlcat Games
Released: December 7, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

A gothic interstellar adventure

Rogue Trader's premise sees players take on the titular title after inheriting it from a distant relative, Theodora. While the story initially has you tracking down Theodora's supposed killer, this deviates into a tale of life as a Rogue Trader.

Much of the plot after the first chapter revolves around humanity's conflicts with various Xenos species and the protagonist protecting their colonies. Rogue Trader's writing is by far its strongest trait, but it feels oddly paced as the story shifts from its initial premise for dozens of hours.

And while some of that drags, Rogue Trader does excel in its moment-to-moment writing, like in your interactions with Kronos Exapanse's inhabitants and other characters. Humans, like Argenta and Hendrix, who zealously serve the Imperium, do so with different approaches. While the former is gleefully devout, the other is coldly brutal, but what's clear is their dedication.

Even Xenos companions like Yrilet do a wonderful job coming off as truly alien beings despite being humanoid. As my primary romance, Yrilet led me down a surprisingly emotionally charged arc about breaking down cultural barriers and living with the grief of a life you can never return to. It's her little touches, along with phenomenal and distinct voicework from the cast, that really make Rogue Trader sing.

Supplemental details filling in what players can't or won't witness are woefully enchanting. When I'm not shown something happening, text descriptions weave their own flavorful tales that do the job just fine. Rogue Trader's most brutal scenes are often conveyed through text, and it serves its cruelty far better than any images of gore and violence would.

The mini-text adventures play with writing styles, framing my character's deeds and personality from several angles. For instance, one casts me as a powerful figure incapable of wrongdoing, while another voice seeks to turn me into prey. Seeing a massive passage ahead is always a treat, even if I do long for more voiced dialogue.

With the flexibility the Rogue Traders themselves have, some still feel railroaded down particular paths and assigned boxes — that's thanks to labeling certain choices Dogmatic, Iconoclast, and Heretical. Picking these options enforces the protagonist's worldview, with certain dialogue options opening up once far along these paths.

Those paths boil down to exactly what their names infer, too. Dogmatic choices reflect zealotry, while Heretical ones dictate clear rebellion. Iconoclast decisions reflect Heretical ones in that they deviate from norms, but typically for more selfless reasons. It's the path I went for since I tried to play as an outlaw who broke conventions for altruistic reasons.

It's akin to Mass Effect's Paragon and Renegade system, sharing its same ups and downs. After exploring all my options, there isn't much of a reason to deviate from the one ideology. If I stray too far, I risk endgame choices for little benefit. Conceptually, it's neat to tie that morality to gameplay, but yet again, it's limiting and robotic in practice.

Fighting in the Imperium's name!

As with Owlcat's previous games, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader uses turn-based combat, with all combatants using movement and action points. Managing your resource pool between choices to move around and attack grows more complex over time, as you're only allowed a single attack until later levels permit more.

The number of attacks also varies depending on a character's Archetype, Rogue Trader's class equivalents. While there are only a few, character backgrounds and skill variations within an Archetype offer significant flexibility. Those evolutions make characters shine, even if sharing some choices. The scoundrel Jae and voidship navigator Cassia might start as Officers ordering others around, but one can evolve into a frontline commander, while the other remains in the back focusing on buffs.

While that draws some parallels to Owlcat's Pathfinder games, Rogue Trader meaningfully expands on those efforts, particularly when it comes to positioning. You'll need to note strategic spots for cover and weapons with picky ranges. I've learned that the hard way with my powerful Operator sniper, who grows more useless the closer enemies get.

The only real drag when it comes to battles were space combat sessions, as the player's voidship is pretty weak starting out. As the game progresses, however, the inverse slowly happens. Some on-foot battles remain fun and fast, but boss encounters became increasingly frustrating. Although I rarely died more than once in a fight, several bosses were miserable.

One particularly egregious fight sent me against someone taking extra turns when his minions were attacked. I managed to beat him on the second try, but it was irritating to the point the strategic intrigue no longer mattered — I just wanted to speed through for the story. It was an optional fight, sure, but I had to do it for the Psyker Idra's companion quest.

Meanwhile, ship battles improve as you gain new allies and gear, but the challenge heavily pivots into non-existent. It's not bad, but Rogue Trader struggled to find its sweet spot, a balance somewhere to feel like I'm improving and rising to the occasion. It's all good stuff, but there are little layers of irritation. I ultimately enjoyed these encounters, but when it drags, it really suffers.

Is the Warp distorting reality, or is that a bug?

Despite some encounter ups and downs, Rogue Trader never failed its settings. Most of the game finds players in human worlds, where you can smell the dirt and grime of places like Footfall. Contrast this with the player's voidship, whose gothic and industrial aesthetics make it oppressively regal, and you've got something truly impressive in its scope and contrast between locations.

Part of that setting owes its stellar ambiance to its music and general sound design, too. The voidship theme shines as particularly haunting with its low choir, and serves as something appropriately unwelcoming to the hub. Other tracks gently fade into the background, or rely heavily on ambient sounds, but they all read as thoughtfully crafted for each scene.

And while art style really drives Rogue Trader's moody setting, texture quality is truly lacking, especially frustrating with how it runs. Performance is surprisingly unstable on a decent gaming PC, with the framerate often dipping below 60fps with DLSS enabled. It's not a big deal with a game like this, but it's never fun seeing performance abruptly tank in basic areas like the voidship. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous had similar performance issues for me, and it's a shame to see them carry over.

Even more bizarre are the bugs present and how they worsened the longer I played. While the performance hiccups prevailed throughout my playthrough, by hour 45 it wasn't uncommon to see NPCs t-posing, and on one nasty occasion, everyone just stopped moving and forced me to restart. Owlcat is patching Rogue Trader, but I can't help but feel like I'm witnessing its reality collapse in on itself.

Despite the deep issues I have with Rogue Trader, I can't help but love it for what it is. The servitors in my voidship might be perpetually t-posing, but the gothic spaceship remains an amazing hub. Late-game fights can become a slog, but the synergy amidst my party delivers endless satisfaction when builds come together.

Rogue Trader is gargantuan and annoying on occasion, but haunting and wonderful through and through. It captures what makes Warhammer 40,000 so captivating and horrifying through its presentation, setting the mood in a way that keeps me enthralled through the worst of it. If Owlcat is anything, it's a studio that creates RPG diamonds. It hasn't made one without rough edges just yet, though I hope it eventually perfects its craft.

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

The post Review: Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader appeared first on Destructoid.

Metroidvanias and bullet hells hold a special place in my heart for contrasting reasons. One is great for an explorative and relaxing experience that's typically a one-and-done. The other, meanwhile, provides an adrenaline boost that gets many repeat playthroughs in vain attempts to scratch the skill ceiling.

From this perspective, examining CreSpirit and GemaYue's latest collaboration TEVI seems contradictory but not unwelcome. It advertises itself as a Metroidvania/bullet hell mash-up, and it's a concept I adore, despite my mindset on both genres. The cute anime art style and developer's existing pedigree with Rabi-Ribi only served as the icing on the cake. TEVI is even sold as Rabi-Ribi's successor due to having the same genre mash-up and GemaYue's return.

While I never played Rabi-Ribi, my time with TEVI might have sold me on it. Although TEVI suffers from a fairly uninteresting plot early on, the fantastic gameplay and progression system make it a joy to blast through.

TEVI (PC [reviewed], Switch)
Developer: CreSpirit, GemaYue, and Ein Lee
Publisher: CreSpirit and Neverland Entertainment
Released: November 29, 2023
MSRP: $29.99 (PC), $34.99 (Switch)

Some journeys start with a stumble

TEVI's hook is pretty simple. Players control the titular lead, a girl on the hunt for Astral Gears. These objects are filled with a powerful energy called mana, and Tevi collects them to help her rabbit-obsessed father's research.

Joining her are Celia and Sable, an angel and demon who are both created from magitech. They mostly follow her journey inside her orbiters, tiny floating orbs that shoot off various ranged attacks. Of TEVI's narrative choices, it is neat seeing something like magitech recontextualized as an entire race of people with distinct subraces.

Unfortunately, it takes a bit for the story to get rolling. While the opening sequence set 30 years prior helps set up TEVI's important plot points, it takes some time for anything interesting to happen. For the first few hours, the plot devolves into looking for Astral Gears without much direction and comes off as unfocused.

The conversations around Celia's chest size and the aforementioned obsession Tevi's father has with rabbits don’t help, either. The latter comes off especially weird, given how he projects it a bit onto his daughter, whose hat has mechanical rabbit ears to blend in with beastkin, who look human with animal ears and sometimes tails.

These only happen a few times around the starting hours and for brief moments, but this is what TEVI leads with. So while I was enjoying the gameplay loop, it did feel like I was watching an unfunny anime during cutscenes.

Any issues I have with the narrative disappear quickly as the tone focuses on the Astral Gears' purpose, and stopping the spread of a corrupting entity known as the Decay. TEVI never transcends into a storytelling masterpiece, but the core characters get solid arcs, and the closing hours are compelling with a surprisingly bittersweet conclusion.

While having a slow pace at the start of a story is fine, TEVI doesn't put its best foot forward. At least my biggest issues with the story don't occur often, and really just didn't leave the best first impression.

Hopping through art

Even if my story complaints extended throughout TEVI, the art direction would have compelled me to keep playing. Throughout the entirety of its runtime, TEVI is an ocular feast.

It's hard to determine my favorite area in the game because each has something special about it. From Morose's strangely comfy industrial setting, to the adorable mushroom cottage-core vibes of Merry Village, even the beginning areas are distinct and lovely.

TEVI is generally a relaxing game to casually roam around in. Some of my favorite moments came from just soaking in the varying atmospheres. Even the rainy and somewhat melancholic Gloomwood and the city of Ana Therma are pleasant to explore for collectibles.

This isn't to say that TEVI only has the cozy vibes going for it. Some areas, like The Plagued Forest, show how devastating Decay is by turning a normal forest into a toxic wasteland. The creatures and machinery still alive are corruptions of their former selves, spewing even more Decay. It's so prevalent in the air that, before entering the forest, Tevi needs a gas mask to protect her from the toxins.

The Plagued Forest also happens to be where TEVI's plot picks up, since it demonstrates how Decay took over swathes of its world. One similarly desolate mid to late-game area is particularly haunting due to its connection with Tevi's backstory, showing glimmers of what was there before.

TEVI's character art is also solid, if indistinct from other games with an anime-adjacent art style. Even though some of the revealing outfits look genuinely uncomfortable to wear, both major and minor characters have cool designs. A standout for me is Tevi's design, which demonstrates her capabilities as a mechanic while appearing easy to move around in. It's rare for me to like the protagonist's design the most in a game, but Tevi herself is cool enough that I'd want to cosplay her.

As wonderful as TEVI's art direction is, its gameplay is its greatest strength. I would consider it good enough that it's become arguably my favorite Metroidvania this year, and one that's perfect for playing on a handheld.

Heavenly bullet hell in my Metroidvania?!

TEVI's best part is by far its gameplay loop because it's a joy to play. It takes the best of its inspirations and goes wild with them.

Starting with how it handles its Metroidvania elements, exploration is fantastic. Not just for how pretty its world looks, but because exploration is almost always rewarding. There's a lot to see for sure, but it sometimes feels like there's a potion with a permanent boost or money blocks around every corner.

Permanent movement abilities also come along at an even pace. There are mainstays like the double jump and slide, but others stand out in fun ways. The jetpack, for one, lets Tevi gain more air while letting her float for a few seconds. Once I got used to how it worked, the jetpack was fantastic for landing jumps I would have otherwise missed. It's also fantastic in boss bottles, for avoiding the tail end of particularly long attacks.

And TEVI's boss fights have some wild attacks. This is where the bullet-hell inspiration comes into play. Boss battles are the game's biggest highlights, and bring out its best qualities.

Although combat isn't deep, it provides some fun options. Airdashes and slides work as attacks and are great for quick movement, and Tevi's basic four-hit combo is always reliable for solid damage. Celia and Sable also have three different charge shots which have their uses, both in and out of combat. These and more can receive flat upgrades, or be boosted with sigils Tevi can equip.

If boss attack patterns remained simple and relatively grounded, TEVI's combat would be serviceable. Thankfully this isn't the case, as even boss encounters in the opening hours are a blast to fight.

An early example of this is Tevi's friend and self-appointed rival, Vena. As another engineer, she attacks using her various bombs and stat-buffing robots to give her a leg up. It's a great introduction to how the dozens of boss encounters alternate between massive lasers, lock-on attacks, and clusters to take out the player. Those three are the most rudimentary descriptions of boss moves, but each uses those basic concepts to create dozens of dazzling attacks that take all sorts of different shapes and speeds.

Another thing I appreciate about the boss progression is that each new encounter incrementally adds to the bullet pattern complexity. Even with a good bit of upgrades collected, each fight felt like it was always getting a bit harder. The final encounter had me sweating because of how much there was to keep track of. Late-game fights are no joke in TEVI, with plenty of screen-filling attacks and narrow margins to avoid them, and I love it.

It's a small point to harp on, but it's an area TEVI excels because, from a gameplay and narrative standpoint, the stakes match up pretty well. I wish I could say the same about normal enemies, however. While not actively detrimental to the overall experience, normal enemies pale in comparison to the boss encounters. 

There isn't much to say about the regular enemies, other than they serve their purpose as obstacles. Not to say they are poorly designed. Even the most basic machine enemies recycled throughout the game always come back with a unique spin on their base attacks. It's just that the bosses absolutely shined brighter whenever they appeared over TEVI's lengthy adventure.

A lengthy and worthwhile journey

Something that surprised me about TEVI was its length, taking around 25 hours with only half of the items collected. With detailed exploration and dedication to find every item and upgrade, playtime could probably increase to 30-35 hours.

This doesn't even account for how replayable TEVI is, with how it handles difficulty. Alongside increasing enemy attack damage, higher difficulties also bump up the enemy bullet density. It's a neat way of keeping repeat playthroughs on high difficulties fresh. This doesn't even account for other modifiers, including a Turbo Mode to increase game speed or Random Sigils, which randomizes where sigils are found in the world.

These possibilities wouldn't matter much if TEVI was a slog to get through, but it's the opposite. Even if the story drags in the beginning and it's easy to blitz past normal enemies, TEVI is always a joy. Simply maneuvering around the environment is wonderful due to how beautiful and varied each locale is.

The boss battles make TEVI shine the most because it has several of the best fights I've played this year. As odd as this comparison might be, I'd say they’re as enjoyable as Armored Core 6's fights. Both have frantic and challenging battles that are never unfair. 

TEVI is a pleasant surprise that hopefully doesn't fly under most radars. Even with my gripes, I can comfortably recommend TEVI to anyone looking for a solid Metroidvania with a bullet hell twist.

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

The post Review: TEVI appeared first on Destructoid.

There's something shameful I must admit about myself: I'm a native of Miami, Florida. It's where I spent the first 18 years of my life growing up, and even after leaving, I look back on my time a lot.

South Florida was my home, and feeling its vibe is rare unless I visit family. That is, until I saw the long-anticipated trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI. I've watched it more than a few times now, and my only thought is, "Yeah, that's Florida."

Does it capture absolutely everything I associate with the state? No, but for a trailer that's only 90 seconds long, it gets so much right. It also makes me feel represented in a way I don't think any other game has made me feel before.

Recalling my time as a Florida gal

Before I go into what Grand Theft Auto VI gets right about Florida, I want to say something about the state and I say this with love: It's kinda trashy. This isn't to say that everyday life in Florida is just like the real-life stories used as inspiration in the trailer. People are wild everywhere, and it's rare for alligators to end up in your pool. Florida Man is only a thing because the state has incredibly strong public record laws.

When I say Florida, including Miami, is trashy, it is because I mean it literally. One shot in the trailer showcases what I assume is GTA VI's South Beach equivalent feels like a complete fabrication, and only because there isn't trash everywhere. People are gross and, especially on a populated beach, will leave their trash behind.

This applies to the water, because the clearest thing I remember about Florida beaches is the rancid smell coming from them. It was bad enough that I thought I hated the way seawater smelled. The truth was that pollution from varying sources makes the water smell terrible and gives it a murky brown color.

Besides that one little gripe I have? Everything else is on point, even with how the fictional state of Leonida is shown outside Vice City.

Although I left before I was old enough to appreciate Miami's nightlife, the trailer represents its excess amazingly. Miami is a bright city at all hours, and while the plethora of luxury sports cars is noticeable during the day, they glow at night. Even the glimpse of a strip club resembles a very Miami version of excess. It's incredibly flashy in a way that can take attention away from how other parts of Flordia are.

Beyond Miami's glitz, Florida resembles the southern US while remaining unique, and I love how GTA VI's trailer shows this. My favorite part of the whole thing is a shot of an airboat riding through swampland. It's something that took me back to when my family and I took airboat tours through the Everglades.

While something I never cared for, it was wild seeing mudding represented in GTA. The activity constitutes driving trucks through mud in the messiest way possible, and is something a part of my family enjoys doing. It's on a far smaller scale than showcased in the trailer, but the shot stirred some memories in me.

Seeing that helped solidify that I was watching a parody of my home state, and Rockstar hardly needs to exaggerate it. Even with that, it's another decision Rockstar made that makes me feel seen in a game.

Ay dios mío, a game represents me!

I'm not much of a Grand Theft Auto fan, but I'm likely buying GTA VI because of Lucia. While Latino leads like Spider-Man's Miles Morales and Just Cause's Rico Rodriguez exist, they are rare.

This goes doubly so for Latina leads. Outside Far Cry 6's Dani, I can't think of any, and even then Dani's gender is player-chosen.

Otherwise, if Latinas are represented as playable characters, they are always part of an ensemble, like Overwatch's Sombra or Valorant's Reyna. As Americanized as I am, it's a little isolating knowing how underrepresented we are.

Although anyone who followed Grand Theft Auto VI leaks knows Lucia is one of the playable leads, seeing her front and center in the trailer makes her role as a protagonist feel so much more real to me. While the man she's traveling with is probably the other protagonist, the focus on Lucia gives the impression she's the game's real star, and I adore that.

It's cathartic while also sobering, since it reminded me of how little Latina representation there is in gaming. Another point in her favor is that she represents those who lives in Miami. The city is full of Latine people, with many coming from the Caribbean and South America. I myself am Cuban, and I'd bet the same for Lucia, given Miami's high Cuban population. Her specific ethnicity doesn't matter, however, because I'm just ecstatic she exists and isn't a caricature of a Latina.

While I likely anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI's trailer as much as many others, the feelings it stirred surprised me. It made me nostalgic for a place I have cultural and political qualms with. It also made me feel more represented in a game than I think I ever felt.

All Rockstar needs to do now to win me over is add trash to the beaches and have a scene dedicated to how delicious Cuban food is. Only then will Vice City really be home.

The post Grand Theft Auto VI’s trailer perfectly captures my hometown’s essence appeared first on Destructoid.

In sad news for anyone who enjoys fan games and remakes of retro titles, Nintendo has shut down a fan-made The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening PC port.

Eurogamer reported on this disappointing turn of events for the Zelda fangame community, and reiterating its features only makes its loss sting. The Link's Awakening PC port included some lovely features, including supporting up to 120 frames per second, widescreen, and zooming options that could let you see virtually the entire world map at once. That still doesn't change how ardently protective Nintendo is over its properties, so it called for the game be pulled from Itch's pages.

According to the Nintendo representative who sent the notice of infringement, "It has come to our attention that the following game, https://linksawakeningdxhd.itch.io/links-awakening-dx-hd, offered on Itch.io infringes and makes unauthorized use of Nintendo’s copyrights in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening video game."

Any downloads for the Link's Awakening port are no longer available on its Itch.io page. Its takedown is a shame, but not a surprise.

Nintendo is infamous for its ironclad control over its IPs, with well-documented fights with other fan projects. There are plenty of cases in the past of projects like this gradually picking up internet infamy, then receiving a cease-and-desist.

While Nintendo's within its legal rights to go after these projects, it's sad to see interesting projects like these go. Link's Awakening is still available on Switch, either through the remake or Switch Online's Game Boy collection.

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Insomniac is not quite yet done with adding new content to Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Although the promised accessibility update and New Game Plus mode haven't launched yet, more features are coming.

The developer announced that more features are coming to Marvel's Spider-Man 2 via Twitter. It didn't give a specific month, but does state the next update will drop in early 2024.

The most exciting feature announced is replaying missions, since it'll allow players to replay their favorite moments without starting over. Others, like changing tendril colors, are neat touches that add customization, and changing the time of day is great for setting up the perfect shot in photo mode.

New Game Plus is obviously a big one too, as is the accessibility update which is set to add Audio Descriptions. While the former gives players a reason to jump back in, Audio Descriptions could be a huge help for players who haven't been able to start Marvel's Spider-Man 2 just yet.

These additions are also just what's outlined, as Insomniac states in its post that even more are coming. It's honestly in line with how the studio has treated its previous games, adding new features and options some time after launch.

It is nice seeing these updates be as comprehensive as they are and at no additional cost. Hopefully, this trend of new features coming out for free continues for Insomniac. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was up for seven awards at this year's Game Awards, but didn't manage to take home any trophies from the night.

The post Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will get its next game update in early 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Vampire Survivors' Adventure Mode just dropped, adding a new reason to drop a couple dozen more hours in. Unlocking it is a little weird and inconsistent between players, but it is a fun time when it's playable.

Although described as a "narrative" mode for the reverse bullet hell, the story's regulated to a short text box shown when selecting a stage. You don't even have to play as the story's protagonist and can choose from a limited roster of the game's cast. Unlocking some of these is important to the story, with others having odd requirements.

Unlocking characters in A Garlic Paradise

A Garlic Paradise is a light-hearted tale of the elderly Poe embarking on a journey to find the titular Garlic Paradise. As overpowered as Poe's default garlic weapon can get, his lower starting health can lead to more deaths that would have otherwise been avoidable.

Thankfully it's easy to get most of the playable characters by his second stage and all by the third. To simplify things, I'll start with non-stage-specific characters before going into the ones locked to certain stages.

The tree Peppino is the first potential unlock that isn't stage-specific but is possible to obtain within the first stage. All players need to do is evolve the garlic weapon, which is conveniently Poe's default weapon. Here's everything needed to evolve it:

• Max-level Garlic (Poe starts with this)
• Pummarola (red heart upgrade that recovers a certain amount of HP per second)

The garlic is now the Soul Eater, and Peppino is unlocked! Zi'Assunta's a bit more involved but not by much. The easiest way to unlock him is by evolving the Vento Sacro which requires:

• Bloody Tear (evolved whip with hollow heart upgrade)
• Max-level Vento Sacro

Together these evolve into Fuwalafuwaloo, which is as useful as it is a mouthful to say. Once it's obtained, Zi'Assunta becomes playable.

Other characters are even easier to unlock, with it being possible to get six in stage two: A Rough Awakening. For most of these characters, the only requirement is finding their default weapon in the stage, and these are all by the stage's starting area.

• Gennero's knife is northwest
• Imelda's magic wand is northeast
• Pasqualina's runetracer is southwest
• Antonio's whip is southeast

Unlocking the other characters doesn't take much more effort either, with six potential unlocks in stage two: A Rough Awakening. Pugnala's in a coffin to the northeast, labeled as a question mark on the map and in-game is presented as an arrow with the coffin's symbol. Last but not least, O'Sole the dog's only requirement is surviving for 15 minutes.

The only character locked to stage three, titled Risky Woods, is Dommario. He's a lengthy trek south in a coffin by a Greed upgrade, and getting him also unlocks the next stage.

Once he's unlocked, there's a decent chance you unlocked all the characters in this adventure. It'll probably only take a few hours, and you don't even need to see all the stages!

Unlocking characters in World of Light and Dark

Vampire Survivors' other base game adventure, called World of Light and Dark, is where it takes time to unlock everyone. It took me a while getting everyone, but honestly, it's a venture worth taking.

Unlocking Suor Clerici is pretty simple. She's in a coffin located in the southwest corner of the stage Deep Lore, and it takes no time getting to her since the stage is small. Giovanna is a similar story since she's located in another coffin east of the player's starting position in Inlaid Library, but is more of a trek. There isn't any need to worry about missing her as the stage is a never-ending hallway.

Pugnala is also in this adventure and is also located in another coffin. Also like A Garlic Paradise, she's in an open forest way to the northeast of the player's position. I'm not sure if it was just me or if it's by design, but I had a harder time getting her here than in A Garlic Paradise.

The ball with character unlocks gets going on the stage after the Mad Forest, called Gallo Tower. Here it's possible to unlock three more characters, but it'll probably take a couple of runs to get everyone.

Krochi's probably the easiest character to get in Gallo Tower. He's in a coffin located south of the starting area and surrounded by crosses.

Further south of him is a weapon called the Song of Mana. Picking this up unlocks Poppea and the Song of Mana for all characters in the adventure.

Concetta is the last character in Gallo Tower, and unlocking her is odd. You need to travel north for a while, and when the coffin is located directly east, you need to go just west toward a glowing mirror. The coffin Concetta is in is just through this magic mirror.

Yatta Cavallo's coffin is similarly confusing to find on first impression but isn't too bad. He's located in the Astral Stair, whose gimmick initially seems to be that its doors send players wherever. Thankfully it's far simpler than that as each door sends you to another room directly east and there's a north and south end.

Where you need to go is the last door on the left when walking north. After taking two more doors on the eastern end of a room, you should end up in a room full of chairs that come to life. The south end of this room is where you'll find Yatta Cavallo's coffin.

There's finally Zi'Assunta in Cappella Magna, otherwise known as World of Light and Dark's last stage. He's just a decent trek south of the player's starting position, so it's a matter of surviving until you get to him.

With that, all characters in Vampire Survivors' base game Adventure Mode are unlocked! Getting everyone isn't too hard, but it is a time investment.

The post How to unlock characters in Vampire Survivors Adventure Mode appeared first on Destructoid.

In what is an odd and pretty funny surprise, Vampire Survivors is getting an Among Us-themed DLC. Titled Emergency Meeting, the DLC sees the survivors teaming up with the Among Us crewmates and fighting alien hordes.

While Among Us is no stranger to crossovers, especially with other indie titles, Emergency Meeting marks Vampire Survivors' first crossover DLC. It's expansive too, adding eight playable characters, 15 weapons, and a new stage called Polus Replica.

As with the base game and other paid DLCs, Emergency Meeting is pretty affordable at $2.50. Fans won't have to wait long to play it either as it comes out on December 18 for PC and Xbox Series consoles.

Alongside the blog post announcing the DLC, a trailer went live on poncle's YouTube page. It's pretty amazing, as several Vampire Survivors characters are transported to space and meet the Among Us cast. What ensures is a team-up to fend off thousands of angry aliens with planet-destroying powers.

It only slightly exaggerates the gameplay loop in Vampire Survivors, but it exemplifies the power trip that begins when equipped with all possible upgrades in a run. Honestly, I would have been happy with the crossover being just the trailer. An entire DLC paired with it is just the icing on the cake.

As unexpected as this crossover is, it looks like an absolute blast. This alongside patch 1.8 adding the narrative-based Adventures mode means Vampire Survivors fans are getting a significant amount of new content to chew through.

The post Vampire Survivors crosses over with Among Us on December 18 appeared first on Destructoid.

Resident Evil 4 has maintained a surprisingly vibrant modding community since its original PC release. Mods such as the Resident Evil 4 HD Project even gained traction for their mix of ambition and love for the source material.

The same remains true for this year's Resident Evil 4 Remake, as Leon's mission sparked another modding community to come buzzing to life. From bizarre costume replacements for the main cast to vast shifts in gameplay, Resident Evil 4 Remake's mods give its PC version even more personality than it already saw in its console counterparts.

El Chapulin Colorado - Leon

Many of Resident Evil 4 Remake's add or replace outfits for its core cast. Some range from cool to sexy, but the El Chapulin Colorado costume for Leon is a true gem. There's even a version for Luis, so they can match!

El Chapulain Colorado is a bumbling superhero from Mexico who is best known for his 1973 comedy, where he causes more problems than he solves. Although less known now, he was internationally popular enough to have The Simpsons' Bumblebee Man based on him.

While it's interesting knowing this mod's background, it remains among my favorites because of how goofy Leon looks. He looks ridiculous running around wearing tight spandex with bobbling antennas, removing practically all tension. What I like most is how it harkens back to equally silly costumes from other horror games like Silent Hill 3. It's a trend I think should return, and Leon's El Chapulin Colorado costume affirms this belief.

First Person Perspective

As the title indicates, the First Person Perspective mod adds a first-person mode to Resident Evil 4 Remake. Bug encounters are unsurprising since it's still in beta, but it appears to function quite well.

While the vanilla game is receiving official VR support, this mod resembles the later mainline Resident Evil entries. The concept alone is intriguing because while Resident Evil 4 Remake was built with third-person in mind, the new perspective radically changes the experience.

Nightmare

For those who played Resident Evil 4 Remake so much that even Professional difficulty was a cakewalk, the Nightmare mod is for you. The selling point for this mod is it increases the difficulty to a great degree and applies to most difficulties.

What helps it stand out is that the difficulty increases not only lies within buffing enemies but generally remixing the game. The vendor now has more items with many featuring increased prices. Repairs are also more expensive, and sold items offer less of a return. Merchant requests also reward more spinels with more items bought with them. It even features an Inferno mode where enemies' speeds are increased, making the experience even more brutal.

The remixed gameplay based on high difficulty is something Capcom already toyed with. Although an overall disappointment, the Resident Evil 3 remake shines on greater difficulties because it remixes most item placements, forcing players to reframe their approach. Nightmare's Inferno mode even takes its name from RE3R's difficulty of the same name. It's a neat concept that is nice to see return in RE4 Remake, even as a mod.

REFramework

REFramework does what it describes. Its intent is adding powerful scripting tools for other modders to create more comprehensive mods within Resident Evil 4 Remake. Quite a lot rely on it, and the Resident Evil 4 mod scene wouldn't be where it is today without it.

Its importance for the RE4R modding community makes it the most popular download, but it's also a cool mod on its own. Alongside scripting features, it adds Ultrawide support and an FOV slider, which should have been in the base game. It also adds VR support, but this feature will soon be obsolete when official support rolls out.

Leon Kennedy's Tramp Stamp

I wanted to save the best for last because the Leon Kennedy Tramp Stamp is the face of Resident Evil 4 modding community. It's perfection, no notes — It's what I think of any time RE4 mods come up. Of all the costume mods, no matter how good or ridiculous, none beat the tramp stamp.

Remake's version is nothing new, either. The legacy of the tramp stamp mod goes back to the original RE4, and while the two versions have differing designs and creators, they share the same energy.

It also just fits Leon amazingly. Out of any Resident Evil lead, he's definitely the one who would go for the lower back tat, and the mod only confirms he pulls the look off, no problem.

The post The best mods for Resident Evil 4 Remake, tramp stamp included appeared first on Destructoid.

There are few fantasy creatures more fascinating than slimes, but have you wondered what it's like to be a slime? Senior technical artist at Epic Games and Slime Master Asher Zhu is working on bringing this dream to life and has shown off his results on X (Twitter).

He's been using the company's tools and engine to create an adorable slime game set in a modern city. The results are impressive based on a short video that shows how goopy the little guy is. It's mostly clips of it doing mundane things like roaming around and showering, but it might also be one of the best UE5 showcases for an actual game.

The slime's reactivity to the world around it is incredible, as the parts hanging off the slide fall off. What got me the most was seeing it mold to a tub's space with some spillover due to size.

Since the slime is a liquid entity, Zhu's game has it interact with the world as a liquid does. This means it can conform to the space it's in, flatten itself, and evaporate in the summer sun.

That last part even ties into the game's premise! Keeping the slime hydrated seems to be the main goal, with showers and vending machines shown as good sources of sustenance.

Zhu has been working on a slime game for several years now, posting updates every so often. As impressive as UE5 is, most of the credit goes to Zhu for developing this specific tech for some time.

Zhu's slime game doesn't have a name or any indication of a release date, and it won't be for a while. He's clarified that it's in the prototype stages because the slime tech has been difficult to engineer. Hopefully, he continues taking his time, because the world deserves an amazing slime protagonist.

The post Game artist shows off some incredible slime tech, and I’m obsessed appeared first on Destructoid.

RPG Maker and indie horror games have an amazing symbiotic relationship. The engine is relatively cheap and easy to use, even for those who have little experience with coding games. It also has enough flexibility to let creators create wonderful 2D adventures, either as an RPG or another genre. Horror itself also remains ripe for interesting and experimental stories that best suit a medium like gaming.

Many RPG Maker horror gems receive the recognition they deserve while others remain highly underrated. Both camps deserve recognition for their respective contributions, no matter how deeply buried the hidden gems are.

Whether you're a newcomer or familiar with horror games in RPG Maker, here are some I think you should check out.

Fear and Hunger 2: Termina

Both Fear and Hunger 2 and its predecessor have recently exploded in popularity due to their relentless difficulty and a rich, dark world. Both feature adventures that remain dedicated to their grim tone, but are not for the faint of heart. The sequel, however, seems to have come out on top with its expansive character roster and unique setting.

Fear and Hunger 2 is set in a world inspired by WWII Europe and follows several individuals who explore the city of Prehevil as they head toward an ominous tower. A jester-like figure guides them, stating they have three days to reach it and partake in the Termina Festival.

It’s a strong premise for a survival horror game, but Fear and Hunger 2 amplifies the genre’s limited resources and crushing atmosphere to 11. This is a brutal and horrific time that is deeply frustrating. Yet there's magic in its relentlessness, and the charm especially shines after the fifth time losing 30 minutes of progress.

.flow

.flow is one of the most famous Yume Nikki fan games, and for good reason. It’s a haunting experience that doubles down on its inspiration’s horror elements. 

Although it leans quite a bit on its far grungier atmosphere, .flow is still an enchantingly macabre experience. There’s a focus on decay that gives a stark impression that the world itself is falling apart. 

It can also be a pain to run. Unlike other older RPG Maker classics, .flow doesn’t have any ports, making it hard to launch on modern computers. Most of my experience with it has been with nightmarish troubleshooting and crashes due to having hardware newer than a decade old. Developer lol has updated the game over the years, so hopefully current builds make this gem more accessible.

Ib

Ib is amongst the most popular RPG Maker horror games and for good reason. Its haunted art gallery setting is unique and is aided by a striking art style and narrative that effectively takes advantage of it.

I haven’t played Ib, but whenever I talk with anyone about the best RPG Maker horror games, it always finds its way into the conversation. For everyone who played it, it clearly left a lasting impression on them.

Although Ib originally came out in 2012 with RPG Maker 2003, it received a remake in 2022. Not only were the visuals updated, but new content was added, notably new rooms and endings. However well-regarded a game is, updated versions help its popularity endure as its fanbase has more room to grow.

Peret em Heru: For the Prisoners

Peret em Heru is an oldie but holds up well for its age. This 1998 title follows a group of archeologists and tourists as they descend into a cursed Egyptian temple and face its horrors.

Despite its age and quality placing it alongside other classics like Corpse Party, Peret em Heru seemed to resurge in popularity. YouTuber Marsh made an extensive video covering it, and his coverage is by far the most popular concerning the game.

Some elements helping it remain distinct are its branching paths and '90s anime art style. As Ayuto Asaki, players need to decide the fate of the other cast members with clever preparation and smart decision-making. It’s an ancient entry in RPG Maker history, but at least this gem emerged from the sands that buried it.

Pocket Mirror

Pocket Mirror is a fascinating gothic horror title that takes a fairytale-like approach to the RPG Maker horror flair of exploration/puzzle solving. Originally a 2016 title, this year’s remaster adds new content and updates, giving its characters a fresh coat of paint.

While it uses some common tropes in storytelling, like having an amnesiac lead, its strong characters and creepily playful presentation make it compelling to see. The narrative becomes far more powerful and tragic when seeing how it connects with its prequel, Little Goody Two Shoes.

It’s also a sizable RPG Maker horror game for its scope, clocking in at around 5 hours for a first playthrough, with probably double or triple that to achieve every unlockable and see every ending. Even if only played through once, Pocket Mirror is worth checking out for its strong story and wonderful style.

Omori

Omori is by far among the most popular RPG Maker horror games, which is remarkable given the anticipation it had. Before its 2019 release, Omori built a dedicated fanbase that followed its lengthy development that sometimes went years before any substantial update.

Thankfully it was a brilliant game, mixing powerful psychological horror with a colorful art style resembling a child’s coloring book. It also plays well as an RPG, utilizing an emotion system where certain emotions overpower others.

These factors helped Omori remain distinct among horror titles and RPGs alike. Its availability on modern platforms also makes it one of the most accessible RPG Maker horror games for a wider player base. Hopefully, its upcoming manga adaptation will be able to expand its fanbase even further.

Yume Nikki

Kikiyama’s seminal indie game is often one of the first games fans think of when regarding the RPG Maker horror game. Although surreal is a better descriptor for Yume Nikki rather than scary, its haunting imagery still leaves an impression almost two decades after its release.

Despite its often eerie atmosphere, Yume Nikki remains a remarkably cozy game to relax with. One of its endearing qualities has been how it handles exploration, especially as players are rarely in danger. The worst consequence anyone will face when wandering is needing to wake up in the real world.

Although many fan games help keep its legacy alive, Yume Nikki still stands on its own as a wonderful indie horror experience. While not on any platform outside PC, its Steam release helps make it accessible to anyone curious. I revisit it every few years because almost nothing has since recaptured its atmosphere or is incompatible with modern hardware.

The post 7 of the best RPG Maker horror games you should check out appeared first on Destructoid.

Something I realized about myself recently is how drawn I am to sapphic horror. I'm a big fan of horror in general, but there's something extra alluring when it relates to a core part of my identity.

Another thing I'm a sucker for is fairytale-inspired stories. Whether a work takes obvious inspiration from Alice in Wonderland or Little Red Riding Hood, I take note of it.

Little Goody Two Shoes combines both concepts into a game, taking a cottagecore lesbian life sim and combining it with exploration-based survival horror. I never knew I needed a mashup like this until this game.

While Little Goody Two Shoes has some flaws, it might be my favorite horror game of 2023. It's a bold statement when regarding the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes, but AstralShift's Pocket Mirror prequel brings something that truly stands out in the genre.

Little Goody Two Shoes (PC [reviewed], PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: AstralShift
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: November 7, 2023
MSRP: $19.99

A story of horror and cottagecore lesbians

Little Goody Two Shoes follows Elise, a young woman who works as a maid for Keiferberg Village's various townsfolk. It's a menial life she desperately wishes to escape, believing she deserves more.

Everything is upended when another young woman named Rozenmarine breaks into Elise and her late grandmother's cabin. Despite initially accusing her of thievery, Elise takes her in and the two begin living together.

Soon after taking in Rozenmarine, Elise stumbles upon a pair of beautiful red shoes that give her a glimpse of the riches she dreams of having. With promises of a dream life by an entity known as Him, Elise embarks on a journey to gather gifts for Him and escape Kieferberg.

Meanwhile, as daily disasters begin in the sleepy village, paranoia grows over a witch cursing the town. As Elise is the most openly argumentative person in Keiferberg and Rozenmarine is a stranger whose appearance happened to coincide with the disasters’ arrival, the former must also work to keep eyes off of her and her greedy quest. Elise obviously isn’t responsible for these disasters, but keeping others suspicious makes her a convenient scapegoat for them.

Little Goody Two Shoes' narrative is my favorite part of the experience, partly from the number of directions it takes. Between managing relationships with Elise's three love interests and keeping suspicions about her actions low, the game has a surprising amount of major and minor reactivity based on how conversations go.

Not every decision factors into its endings, but it's a nice touch seeing future conversations subtly change based on some previous ones. The writing's also strong, effectively handling themes of social persecution and what someone is willing to give up. Strengthening this further is its unabashed queerness, which becomes increasingly heartbreaking as Elise's identity grows in competition with her wish.

The love interests are also compelling characters in their own right. Rozenmarine is a traveler whose fate intertwines with Elise's, and her route tells a sweet story of love bringing soulmates together. There's also Lebkuchen, a nun who mirrors Elise in all the demands villagers thrust on her, and Freya, a girl who represents a kinder side to Keiferberg's villagers.

My playthrough focused on Rozenmarine, and depending on Elise's decisions, endings range from genuinely happy to soul-crushing. I found her concept of her and Elise being each other's soulmates a compelling reason to pursue her, and its payoff is satisfying whatever direction that takes.

The best '90s shojo game released in 2023

Besides its narrative, Little Goody Two Shoes' art direction is a contender for its best part. Even when playing on the LED Steam Deck, its pixel art environments pop. Places like Elise's cottage are appropriately cozy whilst the woodland areas are tense to walk through.

Characters also look fantastic, particularly Elise herself and her love interests. Although gameplay takes inspiration from PS1 adventure games, it aesthetically matches '90s shojo anime. Their enormous eyes and bright designs make them fit right in with something like Cardcaptor Sakura.

Helping the art is the music, with its vocal tracks also emulating that shojo feel and more ambient pieces lending themselves to their environments. My favorite is the track that plays when exploring Keiferberg during the evening. It's a soft and sleepy melody that blends perfectly with the image of Lebkuchen swinging as moonlight shines on her.

Even with its horror elements, Little Goody Two Shoes is a remarkably cozy game. Since it primarily takes place outside the danger, the time between the horrors is pleasant to exist in. Elise's home is peak cottagecore, and Keiferberg Village itself has an incredibly welcoming vibe despite its inhabitants' paranoia.

Its horror segments also deserve praise, with the wheat fields in particular filling me with an indescribable dread. Even the opening woodland section is wonderful for giving such a claustrophobic sensation while still in a forest.

A moment that made me tense up from atmosphere alone happens in the wheat fields’ opening moments. Separated from Rozenmarine, Elise ventures deeper into the woodland, and the final bridge before the stage’s proper start gives me shivers. Elise takes each step with caution as crows stare at her and a golden moon follows behind. There are no threats here, but through imagery and sound, I’m filled with dread as someone I’ve quickly grown close to might be hurt, or worse.

That’s the power Little Goody Two Shoes’ atmosphere has when attempting horror. I might have never struggled with any particular moment, but its excellent audio and visual direction never allowed me to keep my guard down.

Best to not be scared on an empty stomach

Since Little Goody Two Shoes takes inspiration from fairytales, it's no surprise it emulates their flavor of horror. That means less focus on scaring players and more on inspiring deep dread as Elise marches toward an ominous goal.

To gather the gifts Elise is giving Him, she ventures into the eerie woodlands by Keiferberg Village to endure trials. These involve exploring the area and doing some light-puzzle solving to progress.

None of the puzzles are hard, and the only real concern is not dying to the enemies scattered throughout. If mistakes are made, Elise can expend a healing item to recover.

Managing these healing items and also food to prevent Elise from starving makes up Little Goody Two Shoes' resource management. While healing items are plentiful enough in the woodland, food is almost exclusively bought with cash earned through performing menial tasks for villagers. These minigames present themselves as adorable arcade games, and ranks determine how much payment Elise recieves.

Depending on a player’s performance, they can be flush with cash and supplies, but only if they do well. A single bad day can stretch budgets remarkably thin, and force Elise in a tough spot. I had to make a call between continuing Lebkuchen’s story, bribing the nosy Muffy with expensive food to keep suspicions down, or starving. Since I was interested in Leb’s story and starving means dying, I risked the higher suspicion. It wasn’t that high to begin with, but it was inching toward a spot I wasn’t comfortable with.

Neither of these will help against anything instantly killing Elise. These scenarios pop up most often when saying the wrong thing or during chase sequences. While I love the tension some of them bring, they can also be a source of frustration. It's because of some instant kill sequences my two gripes with Little Goody Two Shoes come up.

One is the sometimes odd save points. Saving is done manually at specified points, and this isn't an issue as they're largely generous. It only gets aggravating when dying at the last moment to an instant-kill trap during a long section and needing to restart it.

Compounding this is the fact these sequences often occur after unskippable cutscenes. Most other scenes have a skip function to fast-forward through them, so it's baffling that scenes that arguably need this feature most don't have it.

These gripes are minor because the most progress I ever lost due to deaths is around 10 minutes. It's honestly less about repeating gameplay, and more about not having the option to skip dialogue I've seen.

A mirror that looks into a doomed character's happier alternatives

Little Goody Two Shoes is something special. It was honestly an amazing enough experience that after finishing, I bought its predecessor Pocket Mirror to see more of this universe.

My knowledge of that title is cursory, but seeing how Little Goody Two Shoes ties into it sinks my heart. It did spoil what some of Pocket Mirror's reveals, but that isn't stopping my enjoyment of that game.

While I have nitpicks, my experience left me wanting to return and see everything else Keiferberg has to offer. From its compelling romantic routes, fun gameplay loop, optional side stories, and phenomenal atmosphere, Little Goody Two Shoes is everything I ask for in a game. Its puzzles are easy enough to quickly solve but its threats are present enough that it still has challenges.

It was difficult determining my exact feelings with this title until a scene occurred with Elise and Rozenmarine sitting together on a cliff overlooking Keiferberg. It’s presented beautifully as a radiant sunset cakes the scenery, but the cliff’s placement besides Elise’s house powerfully conveys how isolated she is from the rest of the village.

The topic of soulmates came up, and while I can’t say how it goes due to spoilers, its conclusion made me realize just how much I adore this game. It also makes the final hours significantly more painful with how Elise’s wish turns out. Many fairytales end sadly and accenting Little Goody Two Shoes’ tragedy is me being responsible for it.

Overall, I'm ecstatic that something like Little Goody Two Shoes exists. Its mix of sapphic horror in a fairytale setting with a retro shojo art style makes it wonderfully stand out.

While a horror/dating sim fusion initially sounds odd, its fantastic execution helps drive its themes home in a powerful way. I can only hope this finds a strong audience because it absolutely deserves one. AstralShift has at least found a new big fan in me.

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

The post Review: Little Goody Two Shoes appeared first on Destructoid.

I was seven or eight years old when I first booted up The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on my dad's Xbox 360. This was before I knew the term “RPG” or even understood the scope of its sprawling open worlds. Countless playthroughs began and died as I fumbled through Cyrodiil, only to start over again.

That was around 2006, and I really began appreciating Oblivion when I played the 5th Anniversary Edition on PS3 some years after. Sure, I ran through it on PC eventually, but it sat in my library for ages, a childhood memory awaiting its chance to shine again.

Then I got my Steam Deck and reinstalled Oblivion as a bit of a joke. Its PC version doesn't offer official controller support, but I keep it installed everywhere else, so why not on my handheld? The idea of portable Oblivion began nagging me in the days since, especially as Valve gave it the "Playable" designation. It's not the esteemed "Verified" status, but it was something.

But that's all it took, and now, most of my free time gaming in the past few weeks has since been with Oblivion on my Deck. For the first time since I was a teeny tiny girl who could barely read, Oblivion was my obsession.

Oblivion on Steam Deck has some growing pains

It was honestly a small hurdle acclimating to Oblivion's controls on the Steam Deck. As mentioned, the PC version doesn't support controllers, so I tried its community-sourced controller scheme.

It's pretty much like the NorthernUI mod regarding functionality but takes better advantage of the Steam Deck's quirks. The right trackpad acts as a mouse in-game, with R2 operating as a left click. Meanwhile, the left trackpad allows players to access functions like quick saving and quick loading.

The back buttons weren't very useful either, as other buttons fulfilled the same actions. It's a non-issue I can probably tweak, but I'm enjoying the controls as they are. It's a pretty remarkable experience, especially after assuming Oblivion just wouldn't play nicely on Valve's handheld after modding the PC version into functional controller support.

For about 90% of the time, it feels like I'm playing Oblivion without a care. Dialogues and menus remind me I'm playing with an unofficial setup, but sometimes exploration lasts long enough for me to forget that. Combat, exploration, and looting are as good as on PS3 and Xbox 360. Honestly, it's better since I get a smooth 60fps on the Steam Deck while it struggled on the older platforms.

My only issue afterward was not knowing how to drop items, which became an obstacle around 10 hours into my playthrough. Thankfully, I found the equivalent of shift+click, which is up on the Deck's D-Pad and R2. Is this a pain in the butt? Yes, but I don't care that much. Playing Oblivion on a handheld already feels like a miracle, and I'm willing to tolerate some quirks.

Anyway, it's not like encumbrance became much of an issue because I wasn't keeping gear on my person. My new Oblivion character only needed her wits and her hands.

Becoming Cyrodiil's top brawler, on the go

Because I was sure I'd only play for a few hours, I thought it'd be funny to specialize in hand-to-hand combat and no armor. My goal here was to treat Oblivion as an open-world brawler, like a less weird Zeno Clash II.

This led me to create Reina, my little Argonian weirdo who is better at conversing with her fists than her words. I wasn't sure what to call her class, so I dubbed it Quiet Monk due to her poor social skills. Alchemy and magic are her only backups as Cyrodiil is increasingly overrun with powerful bandits and Daedra.

As a chronic pack rat in Bethesda games, selling off everything I pick up is gratifying. Reina's pugilist skills increased so quickly that her fists soon outclassed most weapons — she's got no need for steel.

In creating this odd Monk/Wizard hybrid, combat ranged from grueling and weighty to goofy. Since I lack armor, relying on spells like Shield or enchanted clothing is needed to tank hits, but encounters remain tense. On medium difficulty, certain enemies can kill Reina in only a few direct hits.

It's not as if she's just a string bean, either. Reina's reliance on her fists shot her level up far faster than any Oblivion character I've ever had. She became a Master in hand-to-hand combat within a matter of hours, paralyzing foes with nothing more than her hands. Adding to her repertoire is using these same tools to block anything from blades to a stone atronoch's rocks.

Her lack of armor comes with the consequence of squishiness, but it's a blast storming through Oblivion and showing Daedra how little their equipment matters against a haymaker. Ultimately, it's just wild my reliance on mobility isn't hindered by the Steam Deck's cobbled-together controls.

Enjoying Cyrodiil through new eyes

Of course, my build is informed by the format I'm enjoying it on. My current run of Oblivion partially stems from minimizing gear and managing said gear. Menus always remain tolerable, but with the Steam Deck's compromises, I'd rather spend as little time in them as possible.

I still use them to swap active quests or mix potions, but they don't have much use beyond that. Merchant encounters don't last long as I dump everything on them with little regard to what I keep, and that gives me more time to exist in Cyrodiil.

Part of what makes Oblivion my favorite game in the Elder Scrolls franchise is just how colorful its setting is. It's not as fascinatingly alien as Morrowind, but the colorful and cartoony aesthetic makes it cozy to repeatedly return to. Experiencing that on the go is reason enough to consider it one of the best RPGs to play on the Steam Deck.

I wanted something comfortable in this playthrough; that's how I enjoy a lot of on-the-go gaming. Oblivion may not be the most obvious choice, but the Steam Deck offers me uncumbersome portability. I don't want to concern myself with how my gear is holding up when already worrying about potions and magic. Has this led to me punching ghosts to death? Yes, but that sentiment is as hilarious to say as it is to pull off.

As ridiculous as my character is, the hand-to-hand skill illustrates that she's genuinely improving by giving her moves whose functionality reflects anyone who carries a weapon. There's also the bonus of dealing fatigue damage to tire foes out, making up for the punches' low health damage.

I'm happy to have my Steam Deck for many reasons. It's encouraged me to play more titles I neglected, but it also lets me see my favorite games through a new lens. Oblivion isn't the only game in my collection benefiting, but it's the most significant personal experience. After a decade of not playing, I never would've imagined a handheld with a little controller improvisation would be the thing to pull me back in.

The post Oblivion, Steam Deck, and two virtual fists are the perfect match appeared first on Destructoid.

Amazon is reportedly laying off 180 workers from its games division.

Sources told Aftermath that the company is eliminating the Amazon-backed Twitch channel Crown Channel. The Game Growth team, whose purpose revolved around Prime Gaming, is also getting the axe.

Amazon itself confirmed these sources. It also sent a copy of an internal email to Aftermath from Amazon Games VP Christoph Hartmann stating, "We’ve listened to our customers and we know delivering free games every month is what they want most, so we are refining our Prime benefit to increase our focus there. With these changes in our business approach come changes to our resourcing, resulting in the elimination of just over 180 roles."

This news comes not long after Amazon reportedly hit Twitch with another round of layoffs. While the previous round's purpose was to rely on outsourcing, Hartmann's email points to this one being about shifting focus, citing Amazon Prime's free game offers in particular.

Hartmann wrote in his email, "I know this is difficult news and the impact will be felt widely. It never feels good to say goodbye to colleagues. This isn’t a decision the leadership team came to quickly; it was the result of extensive considerations and road mapping for our future. We are proud of the work the teams have been doing, pushing into new areas with weekly content on Crown Channel, and finding more ways to help publishers reach new audiences with Game Growth. But after further evaluation of our businesses, it became clear that we need to focus our resources and efforts to deliver great games to players now and in the future.”

Layoffs galore

These layoffs are just the latest in a slew of job cuts within the video game industry. Various studios like Digital Extremes and Ubisoft already slashed jobs, with Unity potentially joining soon.

In total, this is the third cut into Amazon's gaming division this year. Alongside currently laying off Crown Channel and the Game Growth team, there is the aforementioned previous round in October. Then back in March, Gamesindustry.biz reported that 9,000 Amazon employees were laid off, with 400 from Twitch.

Despite these massive cuts, Twitch is still rolling out new features such as Stories, which emulates features like Instagram's Reels. Other parts of Amazon's gaming division like New World also appear unaffected by these layoffs.

Still, this current string of layoffs is incredibly worrying, as it shows how fragile job security is in the industry. Hopefully, all affected will find new employment somewhere where their position doesn't feel precarious.

The post Amazon lays off 180 employees from its games division appeared first on Destructoid.

As a kid, I sometimes played odd games I found on the internet or watched playthroughs of them. Most of these were RPG Maker horror games because something about mixing cute art styles with terrifying imagery and plots resonated with a young me.

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is probably the first title to take me back to this oddly specific point in my life. Since playing the first two episodes, I can't get it out of my head.

The game follows siblings Andrew and Ashley Graves as they hatch a plan to escape the apartment they're trapped in. Along the way, they develop a taste for human flesh, and it's quickly clear that both are monsters.

It's a well-written exploration of a toxic sibling dynamic and a revolting experience. I hesitate to call it trashy because it almost always balances its grim tone well, but some players do think certain moments take it too far.

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is arguably a case of content warnings needing more specificity, even if the existing ones already cover most of the ground. Be warned, there will be spoilers for The Coffin of Andy and Leyley's first two episodes.

Cannibalism and manipulation galore

What attracted me to The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is it stars two terrible people. I love following toxic protagonists doing deplorable things, and having a cute art style as a filter sells me on about anything.

Despite the subject material dealing with cannibalism and the occult, The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is surprisingly not graphic. Low-pixel detail obscures the worst of it, and the protagonists' banter takes away from the fact they eat people. There also is not much actual cannibalism since Andrew and Ashley only eat three people during the first two episodes, with the first being out of desperation as they spent weeks without food.

It also allowed the game to focus on making the main dynamic its most unsettling part. What's clear from the get-go is how manipulative Ashley is over Andrew, who's basically her doormat. Even when they were kids, her outbursts quickly stamped out the tiny resistance Andrew put up with his sister's demands. Whatever Ashley wanted to do, Andrew eventually got behind.

This culminates in the first episode by revealing in a flashback that they trapped a girl their age in a crate as kids. Her asthma was already acting up in the dusty warehouse, with the trap all but guaranteeing her death. While Andrew attempted to stand his ground, one tantrum from Ashley made him stand down.

This flashback also demonstrates how odd the vibes between the siblings are. Ashley's possessiveness over Andrew boils over whenever a girl takes an interest in him romantically. She only harbored such hate towards the girl they trapped because she was interested in Andrew. A general fear of abandonment is a plausible reason for these feelings, and Andrew does seem done with Ashley. Nothing more can come from this, right?

Jesus, Andrew, THAT'S YOUR SISTER

Much of the discussion surrounding The Coffin of Andy and Leyley concerns how the siblings' relationship evolves. The second episode gives greater insight into their mental states and further shows Andrew to be less of a victim than initially expected.

While Ashley's feelings toward her brother appear as obsessiveness over not losing him, Andrew exhibits romantic interest in his sister. This became apparent when, after asserting himself as "Andrew" instead of "Andy," he looked from Ashley's eyes to her mouth. It's a tiny detail that made me wince.

It's not as if these feelings are new since a flashback shows a conversation about Ashley between Andrew and his ex, Julia. Not only does he easily lie about how Ashley operates, but he asks Julia to tie her hair back. While not explicitly stated, the context highly implies he prefers it when his girlfriend resembles his sister.

Ashley reciprocates these feelings to some extent, as one of the possible visions shows both after hooking up. The game gives a warning before pursuing this route, and rightfully so. I knew this was coming, but seeing it unfold made a part of me die inside.

This aspect is undoubtedly the most controversial element about The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, and I understand why. While cannibalism is a taboo subject, it's present in mainstream games like Fallout as an option for players. Having incestuous themes crosses over into Drakengard territory, and even then, no option allows Caim to reciprocate Furiae's feelings for him.

While a small part of the overall experience, it being a possibility has overtaken discourse on The Coffin of Andy and Leyley. I'm going to hate saying this with every fiber of my being, but the route fits within the game's tone.

Toxic codependency taken to the absolute extremes

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is about a sibling relationship taking its codependency to an absurd extreme. Its content is presented with a mix of comedy while being genuinely unsettling. If the writing was weaker, its subjects could have been handled with the tact of something like Mogeko Castle, another RPG Maker horror game whose handling of sensitive topics comes off as tone-deaf.

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley's focus remains on the siblings on the run and doing various deplorable things. Potential shifts in their dynamic are player-dependent, but whatever path they go on, the leads always remain fun to watch. This might say a lot about me, but I chuckled a few times while playing. Seeing Ashley almost entirely botch disposing of her parents' bodies is a scene equally as disturbing as it is funny.

Whatever tone a scene has, this constant uneasy feeling permeates each section. The tension is more evident in some scenes, but it always feels like things are about to go horribly wrong. An example of what I mean is when carrying their parents' skulls up a hill, the plastic bag they're in breaks. They roll down as the leads watch in horror.

Depending on the route chosen, the tone can become jovial, but regardless of prior choices, it's a tense scene. It lingers long enough on the skulls rolling down. I kept thinking that someone was bound to come across them. While not necessarily a scary scene, it puts the lingering dread at the forefront.

Still, an additional content warning with spoilers might help better inform them on whether they'll remain interested in a game featuring leads who killed another child in their youth and potentially form an incestuous relationship. As disgusting as cannibalism is, it's not an uncommon taboo to explore, but incest is another ballpark, especially in games.

Since not all the content is out, I can't fully recommend The Coffin of Andy and Leyley yet. The last episode could be a disaster for all I know. I certainly hope that's not the case because what's present currently, I think, is enjoyable, and I believe it has the potential to be a cult classic.

The leads are despicable people, but so is almost everyone else in their world. As twisted and manipulative as Andrew and Ashley are, at least they always have a funny comment ready, no matter how inappropriate the scenario.

The post The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is horrifying and I can’t get enough of it appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been around a year since I first played Signalis, and a year since it wormed into my brain. No matter how much I think about it, watch video essays about it, or replay it, something lingers.

Unraveling its secrets, getting to the heart of what Signalis is trying to do or say haunts me almost a year later. There are few games like it — Signalis hammers in its sense of hopelessness and rips my heart out with every playthrough. Everything about it feels oppressive and dire, but in a way that’s hard to move on from. I've embarked on Elster's journey again and again, hoping for a better end, running this treadmill of maddening sadness. But it's easier to go back here than move on.

So why is it that, in a year of titans like Baldur’s Gate 3, Zelda, and Armored Core, I’m still going back here? Signalis’s perpetual chokehold is probably best explained by its marriage of misery and love, a union of survival horror and sapphic works I long for.

Before moving on, I will warn there are story-heavy spoilers ahead for Signalis, including all of its endings.

Perhaps, this is Hell

Signalis leaves much to interpretation regarding its plot, but some things are made clear. Its basic premise sees an android (Replikas in this universe) named Elster attempting to find her designated Gestalt (human), and it doesn't deviate from that. Elster devotes herself to Ariane Yeong, her crewmate aboard the Penrose-512, and also her lover.

So much of Signalis feels familiar, too. It plays like an amalgamation of classic survivor horror titles, taking the inventory management and save rooms from Resident Evil and mixing practical puzzles with ones operating on dream logic like Silent Hill. That, alongside its lo-fi polygonal art style, resembles survival horror titles from the PS1 era while keeping actual comparisons scant enough to stand on its own.

While Signalis's gameplay loop is solid, its story and themes are its beating heart and soul. Devotion, in particular, plays a constant role, and it's one that never pays off for its characters. Signalis is tragic — unabashedly bleak as it is sapphic. Its conclusions range from soul-crushing to simply devastating, but none of it matters because the events repeat themselves.

However hard Elster tries to break the hell she and Ariane are living, everything restarts, and they remain in perpetual misery. The cycle of tragedy borders on comical, but just like the cyclical nature of their doom, I keep going back here even when I know better. Even a year later.

I will always remember our promise

There’s a moment in Signalis where it truly sells Ariane and Elster’s love. While there’s always plenty of dialogue, this scene leaves the couple mostly quiet, cuddling through Ariane’s calm and melancholy theme. And through their embrace, the sights and sounds convey the inherent isolation that comes with traveling in a small spaceship.

It’s that tragic, longing embrace that makes repeating Signalis worth it. Another comes earlier, from one of its first-person segments, as Ariane takes a lonely train ride. Her distance from the player, mixed with the dim lighting and haunting music, creates a deeply personal yet detached scene. Nobody speaks here, nothing urges you forward, Signalis allows players to linger as much as they want.

It’s profoundly lonely. Every time I play Signalis, I stop in this scene and sit for a few minutes, simply taking in one of the few moments Elster sees Ariane. That feeling snowballs its pain into something worse as Ariane vanishes and Elster travels alone within someone else's memory

Gameplay takes advantage of this desire for intimacy, implying the photo Elster finds is somehow important for exploration. It sits in her inventory, taking up a limited slot, but never comes into play. There’s no tangible value in holding onto to that photo, but it’s impossible to escape what drives Elster forward without truly going anywhere. Dropping it off is encouraged, but it's hard to let go of something seemingly so important.

The magic in Signalis's story is its vagueness. From living several characters' memories to its ambiguous reality, the game never goes out of its way to explain anything beyond Elster and Ariane's love for each other. That’s rightfully among its biggest praises, even if it means sacrificing clarity. The gnawing ambiguity is universally familiar, but when looking at Signalis from a sapphic perspective, that rings truer — and a bit more complicated.

It also always ends with one or both members of its couple dying. It’s easy to dismiss these moments as another instance of bury your gays, but Signalis is more interested in explaining what drives their perpetual resilience. It doesn’t need fairytale endings; there’s comfort in the familiarity of its cycle.

The "Artifact" ending is the closest to a happy ending, and it might be one. My favorite interpretation is that Ariane ascends to godhood with Elster at her side, and they find closure. It could also be, in the most literal interpretation,  Ariane and Elster coming to terms with slowly dying in a failing ship. Whatever your takeaway on those events are, resetting is always an option. Any answers Elster finds in an ending no longer exist as soon as a new playthrough begins.

Yet, despite whatever bleakness is present within the events, the intimate moments keep Signalis from becoming emotionally cold. Moments like Ariane and Elster sharing a kiss before dancing to them holding each other show that no matter how many times they relive this hell, their love for each other never fades.

It's not as if the intimate moments and heart-breaking moments are exclusive to each other either. As sad as the "Memory" ending is, Elster lying next to Ariane as she dies is strangely warm. Ariane strokes Elster's hair as she rests before passing away and repeating the cycle once more. 

Elster repeating the events complicates the idea of death because while the lack of a true end adds to its bleakness, it means she can try again. Rather than fully bury its gays, Signalis repeatedly raises them to try again so long as their love never fades.

In a way, that also means their hope for freedom never dies. Perhaps it’s impossible, but Signalis is never outright hopeless. Its narrative frames Elster as someone who will never give up on saving Ariane through whatever means possible. Their story might be tragic, but Elster's love for Ariane is more powerful, or at the least more stubborn than any cosmic horror she faces.

Finding closure in Signalis

Signalis hurts so much for me because the story always resets, and Elster never wavers in her devotion. It doesn’t matter however many times she forgets Ariane, or Ariane forgets her — they always find their way back to each other. And I’m drawn back there, too. Elster doesn't go to hell and back for Ariane; she spends eternity trudging through it for her. Her devotion is equally as touching as it is tragic.

Signalis stands on its own as a horror experience whose inspirations are noticeable, yet its identity remains its own, not just within survival horror but also in the broader scope of queer gaming. Sure, it’s another tale of doomed lesbians, but it's also an amazingly earnest depiction of love.

Because almost nothing is explained, we experience Elster's raw emotions, or at least that's what I take away. After mulling over my feelings for so long, the closest I find to a coherent is that there's little purpose in understanding what the in-universe truth is behind everything occurring.

To some deep and inexplicable degree, I feel connected with Ariane and Elster's struggle to find an end to their pain — it’s just as much my experience as a queer woman. To also see the moment they're happiest hurts almost as much as their suffering because the context of our joy is often rooted in tragedy and distant memory.

My closure is in the emotional reaction, Signalis’s tortured push and pull on reliving your pain. That’s the best I can take away from a game that keeps me anchored in its world. A game that, even a year later, offers me nothing more than a promise to hurt. That constant draw is as unexplainable as my emotions towards it, and all I can hope is for Ariane and Elster to eventually break out of their hell.

The post Signalis still has me in its tortured loop, one year later appeared first on Destructoid.

To encourage inactive players to return to Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix is hosting a Callback Campaign again. These occur now and again as an incentive for any who bounced off to return with encouragement from friends. This one begins today, November 8, and ends on December 14, 2023.

In FFXIV, Callback Campaigns work by having an active player invite a friend to return. These can be anyone from a free company or a player on the friends list.

Assuming the invited player accepts the invitation and returns, both parties receive a few benefits. Players who send the invitation receive five Gold Chocobo Feathers. Players use these to obtain dyes and mounts like the dragon Twintania.

Those who return to Eorzea play free for 14 days and also receive 99 Aetheryte Tickets for free fast travel. They also get 10 Silver Chocobo Feathers, which are good to exchange for two pieces of new gear.

Some restrictions do apply. The most notable is that lapsed players need to be inactive for 90 days. Another is that players sending invitations can only receive their reward once, meaning even if multiple friends accept an invitation, the sender still only receives five Gold Chocobo Feathers. Square Enix even recommends participating in other programs to gain more feathers.

For anyone who has an active FFXIV membership and wants an old friend to return, this could be a good incentive, especially with some additional rewards. Two free weeks to catch up with FFXIV's patch content also doesn't sound like a bad deal for lapsed players because while FFXIV is wonderful, subscription fees add up over time.

It's why, despite loving the MMO, I haven't played for roughly two years. Hopefully, players like me who are invited use this as a perfect opportunity to jump in and squeeze all they can from the free weeks.

The post Final Fantasy XIV is holding another Callback Campaign for lapsed players appeared first on Destructoid.

Starfield is closer to officially supporting Nvidia DLSS as Bethesda announced it will go into Steam Beta next week. The company stated on X (Twitter), "This update will feature Nvidia DLSS support with frame generation, display and HDR controls for supported systems, and other optimizations and improvements."

Since the update is going into Steam Beta, it means while publicly available, it's not officially out yet. Bethesda even calls for users to leave feedback so it can be polished before the full release.

Players have had access to DLSS via mods since launch, but it's nice the RPG will have official implementation. Bethesda has been progressively implementing player-requested features like a FOV slider and better Intel ARC support. DLSS just so happens to be the latest one receiving official support.

The beta doesn't have a specific date, but its release next week means testers won't have long to wait. Hopefully, Bethesda will share more specific details about this update when it does roll out.

For fans who would rather not use Steam Beta or have Starfield on the Microsoft store, Nukem's DLSS mod seamlessly integrated it into the RPG.

The post Starfield Nvidia DLSS support goes into Steam Beta next week appeared first on Destructoid.

3D platformers have made something of a resurgence in recent years in the indie scene. Titles like A Hat in Time and Frogun show there's a market for inventive platforming ideas with amazing worlds to explore.

Many of these take inspiration from N64 titles like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie in various factors, echoing a time when 3D platformers were more common while remaining accessible to modern audiences. Pseudoregalia by developer rittzler is no exception to this, but that doesn't stop it from being excellent.

Pseudoregalia follows a goat-bunny girl named Sybil as she journeys across Castle Sansa to free its prisoners. To achieve her goals, Sybil must explore its secrets, becoming more powerful along the way.

In other words, Pseudoregalia is an open-ended 3D platformer structured as a Metroidvania, and it encompasses the best of both genres. Without question, this is one of the best controlling platformers I've played in years. It's also one of this year's most underrated games as traction for it remains relatively slow.

Pseduoregalia nails retro aesthetics like no other

It's hard to nail down one specific element that makes Pseudoregalia as special as it is. The excellent gameplay is certainly a factor, but its general aesthetic and atmosphere deserve praise too.

Pseudoregalia has a low-poly look that's more N64 than PS1, but differs itself by keeping environments largely foreboding. Castle Sansa feels far larger and more intimidating than it really is, with many dimly lit interiors and a thick fog surrounding its exterior. It's never scary, but even with music, it's isolating.

If it were to come out in the '90s, Pseudoregalia would still be considered a mascot platformer with its cute protagonist, but one with a bit of a darker edge. However its reception would have been back then, Pseudoregalia looks like an ancient gem that only surfaced now.

Helping sell its vibe is its soundtrack, which takes cues from old MIDI scores while attaining its dream-like vibe. The Sansa Keep music is a personal favorite because it keeps the same qualities as the other tracks while having an ethereal eeriness to it.

The sound design is excellent also, with each step, jump, and hit reverberating this echo to emphasize how grand and empty the environments truly are. These echoes also bring more impact to each action, amplifying how satisfying they are. Audio/visual feedback is an underrated aspect of game design, and Pseudoregalia excels in this department.

It is honestly worth the asking price for these factors alone. It perfectly embodies a lo-fi aesthetic while remaining unique in its ideas. The characters and environments help sell this surreal and isolating experience that's also relaxing to play through.

As amazing as these things are, they're not Pseudoregalia's best elements. That'd be its superb controls and platforming.

Hopping and skipping into my heart

If Pseudoregalia was just vibes, it would already be one of my favorite games this year. What places it among some heavy hitters is that it feels amazing to control.

Sybil only starts with a few basic commands, but that quickly expands as she collects more gear and upgrades. Since Pseudoregalia is a brief game, these tools come quickly while remaining well-paced.

My favorite piece of gear arrives early on: the Sun Greaves. These allow Sybil to kick off walls up to three times in their initial form. While this capacity can increase, even the base amount is incredibly satisfying. All the best platformers have wall jumping, and Pseudoregalia is no different.

The Sunsetter upgrade is a close second, however, as it acts as both a high jump and a ground pound. This can also be found early into Pseudoregalia and works amazingly in place of something like a double jump.

Double jumps and high jumps are awesome, but necessitating a previous action to gain momentum adds something to platforming. Even long jumps have that flavor since that ability is only useable while Sybil is sliding.

How Pseudoregalia handles movement is what makes it special. Every action has an amazing blend of weight and control which significantly adds to the overall experience.

Take for instance tall platforms and hallways where the floor is caved in. Much like Hollow Knight, these untraversable parts eventually are passed through without a second thought. When players receive the right upgrades in both, suddenly everything previously known about an environment shifts.

Sunsetter turns the ground into a trampoline, Sun Greaves turns walls into jump points, and Strikebreaker turns enemies into more platforms. Other games explored these ideas, but Pseudoregalia refines them to near perfection by keeping the actions simple while presenting increasingly complicated platforming challenges.

Making old-school freedom of movement accessible

Besides feeling great, Pseudoregalia's gameplay shines with its freedom. Players can wall-jump to a high platform if they don't have Sunsetter, and they can also high-jump onto the same platform if they don't have Sun Greaves.

Combining both with especially high points and using the last kick to jump off a ledge before circling back to hang on is one of the most nerve-wracking and amazing things I've added to my regular tricks within a platformer. Hell, slide-jumping and wall-kicks can help with completely circumventing some early game challenges players missed.

Even superfluous actions, like sliding under a gap to reach a platform when there are far easier paths to take, pop up now and again. Little moments like that allow Pseudoregalia to shine as the playground it is, while keeping its actual controls easier to consistently pull off when compared to actual platformers from the N64 era like Super Mario 64 while sacrificing none of that game's freedom of movement. It makes redoing certain challenges a blast on repeat playthroughs or even when goofing around.

Pseudoregalia also doesn't over-stay its welcome either. It's sold as a brief experience built around players exploring it for a few hours. Interesting secrets and areas litter the world, but its content never becomes bloated.

This isn't a review of Pseudoregalia, but it's at the least in my top five games this year. Its retro inspirations never trap it in that past by updating its movement to feel contemporary. I realized these are the kinds of lo-fi titles I enjoy most because they provide a phenomenal blend of old and new.

Anyone on the fence to try Pseudoregalia out can try its first few hours created for a game jam. It's shorter and less polished than the current version, but it also offers a taste of one of this year's best platformers.

The post Pseudoregalia is a magical platforming Metroidvania gem appeared first on Destructoid.

Many indie titles in the past several years have taken visual inspiration from previous generations. Some draw from the NES and SNES eras, but lately more are taking cues from the PS1/N64 generation.

These distinctive visual echoes from years past have undoubtedly made it far easier to appreciate the aesthetic while playing something notably contemporary. At least, that's how I view many of these games, since occasional visits to previous generations can sometimes be painful.

That said, some of the best games from the last several years have retro games to thank, be they platformers, survival horror, or RPGs. Some of these are the best in their respective years with others being quite underrated gems.

CrossCode

CrossCode is an ARPG with a 16-bit artstyle while retaining smoother combat and exploration. The store page makes its Zelda inspiration clear concerning how dungeons are designed around puzzle-solving and new equipment. Something that distinguishes itself from games like Link to the Past is the focus on ranged combat.

Protagonist Lea can attack at both close and long distances, with either method having a significantly faster pace than its inspirations. Couple this with a breadth of customization options for Lea's build, and combat always stays satisfying as the player's skill grows alongside Lea's strength.

The story can be hit or miss as CrossCode follows the amnesiac protagonist throughout her journey across the CrossWorlds MMORPG, but the gameplay always remains engaging. Clocking in at around 30 hours for the main story, CrossCode is a lengthy and memorable retro adventure.

Dusk

Titles taking inspiration from '90s FPS's have gained traction, but arguably none do it better than Dusk. On top of being one of the best retro shooters in recent memory, it's potentially one of the greatest shooters ever.

It takes visual cues from games like Blood but plays like an improved version of Quake. Players practically glide across levels using a mix of mid-20th-century weapons along with some more fantastical inclusions to decimate cultists and eldritch evils.

Each weapon is exhilarating to use, and I argue movement is better than even Doom Eternal still. At around 10 hours long, Dusk doesn't overstay its welcome and leaves a better impression of boomer shooters than even its inspirations can offer. Despite only being around five years old, its popularity helped earn it a free HD remaster.

Katana Zero

Continuing my trend of focusing on titles released in the last five years is Katana Zero, a slick action-platformer with several interesting gimmicks. It plays almost like a 2D Ghostrunner, as the protagonist only dies in one hit and primarily uses a katana. What Ghostrunner doesn't have is a dedicated slowdown mechanic that ties into the story.

What makes Katana Zero great is not only its mix of brutal and fast combat, but a genuinely intriguing story about identity, reliving traumatizing memories, and memory manipulation. It lives up to its neo-noir tag as an intertwining web of conspiracies forms with protagonist Zero in the middle.

It's a surprisingly tragic and heartbreaking narrative that also happens to be one of the best indie platformers. A free DLC has been in production for years to conclude the story, and I still need it.

NORCO

I'm not much of a point-and-click adventure game fan, but NORCO enthralled me. Inspired by neo-noir adventure titles like Snatcher, NORCO takes the cyberpunk genre into Southern Gothic territory. It also happens to be one of the most melancholy games I've played recently.

The perpetually dimly lit Louisiana atmosphere, slow jazzy soundtrack, and contemplative dream-like story create a genuinely moving experience. Its pixel art style greatly adds to this, coming to life in the way '90s graphic adventures did.

NORCO tapers off slightly toward the end of its four-to-six-hour adventure, but that does little to spoil the package. Its simple puzzles also make it approachable enough for non-gamer sci-fi and Southern Gothic fans.

Pseudoregalia

Pseudoregalia has some of the best movement I've ever seen in a platformer, and it stars a goat-rabbit girl. This 3D platformer takes visual cues from fifth-generation systems, namely the N64, while remaining structured as a Metroidvania.

Its structure is like any other as players guide protagonist Sybil across Castle Sansa to collect new abilities and powers. Almost every area is available to some degree at the start, but the setting only shines once some more abilities are acquired.

The entire movelist in Pseudoregalia is snappy and satisfying, doing a wonderful job at showing Sybil's skills as an expert acrobat who is drip-fed upgrades throughout her roughly five-hour journey. What it ultimately does best is emulate a retro platformer's aesthetics while outclassing its contemporaries.

Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars is among the more recent titles on this list, since it came out in August. Still, it made a splash in the same month Baldur's Gate 3 launched for being a loving tribute to 16-bit RPGs while standing on its own as a solid game.

Combat takes place in turn-based battles, taking cues from Super Mario RPG's timing-based attack system. It's honestly an underrated method for implementing turn-based combat, as it keeps encounters interesting when done right.

The art and narrative are arguably two of Sea of Stars' biggest draws. Its pixel art environments give the world an inviting feeling and lively portraits bring the cast to life. Helping is the story itself featuring an endearing set of characters who fit perfectly into a grand RPG adventure.

Signalis

Signalis is studio rose-engine's debut title and is a remarkable work of retro sci-fi horror. It takes cues from various works ranging from Kubrick and Anno to create a PS1-styled nightmare with a heartbreaking narrative.

The basic premise sees Elster, a Replika who crashes on an icy planet and whose human partner is missing. Her only option is to venture into a nearby facility overrun by berserk Replikas and horrors beyond comprehension.

Despite taking visual inspiration from various anime and films alongside gameplay from retro games, Signalis is almost entirely its own beast narratively speaking. Elster's tale of finding her partner is as surreal as it is soul-wrenching and unabashedly queer. This is a must-play for any fan of cosmic horror and dystopia sci-fi.

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors was one of 2022's biggest hits for a reason. At an incredibly cheap price, players get a simple but compelling action game. Its minimal graphics also help make it accessible to pretty much anyone who has a computer made in the last decade.

It also has an interesting premise for how simple it is. Vampire Survivors is a time-based survival title where players get the power to become stronger than a bullet hell boss. The only active thing you do is move around as progressively more projectiles and enemies flood the screen.

The number of enemies on screen is staggering by the end of a run and would feel overwhelming if not for the player's scaling abilities. The incredibly engaging loop also helps as it's impossible to resist trying at least one more time.

World of Horror

World of Horror officially launched this October, but fans have enjoyed the horror RPG for years in its Early Access builds. Taking cues from Junji Ito manga and 1-bit computer games, this horrifying title looks and plays like a cursed adventure title from the '80s.

Despite its monochromatic color scheme, World of Horror's excellent art direction captures what makes Ito's art so unnerving. Its structure of short runs with randomized adventures also emphasizes valuing every resource and every moment as all continuously dwindle.

As frustrating as randomization can be, it works in World of Horror's case as it helps further cement how hopeless the player's fight is. They are facing off against incomprehensible cosmic horrors, and they aren't going down without a fight.

The post Nine great retro-inspired indies you can play today appeared first on Destructoid.

After confirming Cities Skylines 2 has performance issues, developer Colossal Order clarified what problems and fixes players can expect. The studio recently held a Reddit AMA, answering questions and going into specific details regarding the performance issues.

According to Colossal Order, it's working on improvements from the launch experience. The AMA hosted a sizeable amount of players asking about fixes, ranging from complaints about performance optimization to those eating away PC memory.

"The plan is to flush out all the performance issues that come our way as quickly as we can," wrote chief technical officer co_damsku. "Several of those have come to our attention only recently due to certain hardware setup that yielded unexpected results."

Specific issues the developer is prioritizing include removing stuttering caused by a "synchronization condition" that varies between CPUs. Certain visual effects like Depth of Field, Global Illumination, and Volumetrics were among settings the team is working on now. Any CPU optimizations they did not finish are also prioritized alongside the other fixes.

Colossal Order also clarified that the most discussed performance issues are "not deep in the game foundation and in the release version, decreasing the quality of visual effects mentioned in my original post already will get you to fair performances without affecting simulation, at the cost of some eye candy."

In other words, reducing visual quality further should also improve performance without affecting your simulated city. This should be a temporary solution, as the developer noted, "With the upcoming patches, the situation will largely improve with default settings. It is worth mentioning for a game like this, the performance target is to run at steady 30FPS minimum (not 60 or more)."

It's unfortunate the hotly anticipated city-builder is launching in this poor of a state. While admirable to acknowledge, it's hard not to think it's releasing too early. The issues present are evident in review builds and undoubtedly reflect how audiences react to Cities Skylines 2 on launch. Steam reviews are not pretty right now — the developer already has a deep hole to dig out of.

The post Cities Skylines 2 dev explains launch build performance issues, planned fixes appeared first on Destructoid.

The Fall Guys and Final Fantasy XIV crossover is finally happening as part of the MMORPG's Patch 6.51, launching October 31. Players can participate in obstacle courses inspired by the free-to-play title within the Golden Saucer casino/theme park.

Initially announced in July, the crossover teased FFXIV characters crossing a bright obstacle course. Fall Guys, meanwhile was receiving skins from the critically acclaimed MMORPG. Outside the stills shown within the teaser, the details are light on the FFXIV side. That is still the case since the blog post announcing the patch tells fans to stay tuned for more details.

As of now, the crossover's webpage is also giving the same instructions, so hopefully, more details arrive soon. Based on the images shown, players will race others while avoiding various dangers and collaborate with others to collect gems. The Fall Guys influence is evident here, but the events have details from Final Fantasy titles.

The event tonally fits with what the Golden Saucer goes for, which is grand and extravagant fun for any attendees. In my experience playing Final Fantasy XIV, chucking players into an arena with dozens of others is something the casino would do. Plus Fall Guys is the perfect game to collaborate with on this event given that it's that title's premise.

It's unknown how long this event will go on, especially since the FFXIV skins in Fall Guys are no longer available. Hopefully, the courses live up to their potential enough for fans to sink more hours earning prizes in the casino.

The post Fall Guys meets FFXIV next week in Gold Saucer Patch 6.5 update appeared first on Destructoid.

Something has always drawn me to games where you only die in one hit. There's this electrifying sensation that comes with needing to perfect a level or section because dying is the alternative. Ghostrunner managed to capture this feeling while remaining a solid first-person platformer on top of that.

If anything, it was the first 3D title to give me that kind of tension since the only other games to scratch that itch were Hotline Miami and Katana Zero. Ghostrunner wasn't perfect, but I was ready for a sequel by the time it was announced.

Now the aptly named Ghostrunner 2 is here, and with it that rush so few games captured for me. At first, I wasn't sure what to think of it, but playing its demo reeled me in. That snippet felt like Ghostrunner but more, and that was all I could ask for.

The question remains whether that excitement transfers to the full game, and I'm happy to say it does! Ghostrunner 2 is an improvement in many regards. Unfortunately, some issues dull its blade enough to prevent it from achieving its full potential.

Ghostrunner 2 (PC [reviewed], PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: One More Level
Publisher: 505 Games
Released: October 26, 2023
MSRP: $39.99

Gliding through enemies like a bloody ghost

Ghostrunner 2's premise is simple. You play as Jack, a special cyborg boy called a Ghostrunner. He's basically an ultra-slick and deadly guy who only needs a sword to cut down swaths of foes.

He was the only one as far as anyone knew in the last game, but now things are different. A group known as the Asura consists of several more Ghostrunners who emerged from hiding. These guys, led by a figure named Mitra, are every bit as fast and deadly as Jack, and they're out for blood.

The plot essentially exists to give Jack a reason to kill bad guys, and that's perfectly okay. Story was never the focus in Ghostrunner and that applies to its sequel. That said, the narrative isn't bad at all and the world has some interesting lore. It's just that looking cool while killing guys is the clear appeal here.

Becoming the ultimate glass cyber ninja

Slashing through baddies feels as amazing as the first game if not more so. Jack has more tools, but his skillset never overwhelms since only three factors matter. These are the sword, a secondary attack, and an ultimate ability.

Ultimately the best tools are Jack's sword and his reflexes because they're both superb. Similar to the first title, players will cut through foes easier than a hot knife through butter as they become blood fountains after a single hit. Ranged attacks like the shuriken secondary attack and Flux ultimate ability also kill many enemies with one blow. Bosses are the exception to this rule, but thankfully they never feel too tanky.

Every encounter remains stressful in its own way because Jack goes down in one hit too. You can earn a shield to protect you from a hit, but only if you maintain a 10x combo.

This would be an infuriating experience if Ghostrunner 2 didn't play amazingly, and thankfully it does. Inputs on a keyboard and mouse are precise, and deaths hardly felt unfair. Don't get me wrong, Ghostrunner 2 is challenging, but it never is quite brutal.

The controls even feel fine when playing on my Steam Deck. I divided my playtime between the Deck and my desktop, and it felt enjoyable with either platform's controls. Both systems performed decently, though Valve's portable ran almost constantly below 60 FPS.

If Ghostrunner 2 was just slicing up bad guys in a cyberpunk tower, I'd be all for it. It's the breaks from that where some of its cracks show more often.

How'd my bike get there?!

Ghostrunner 2's biggest change is its motorcycle. I loved driving this thing when I played the demo. Ghostrunner is a fast game, so zooming at 250mph on a motorcycle is a perfect match.

Unfortunately, some concepts look better on paper than they do in practice. And while I like the bike, I wanted to love it. When it works it delivers some genuinely exhilarating moments. When it doesn't, things get awkward.

I cannot emphasize enough how many times this goddamned thing got stuck on the world's geometry, either killing me or forcing me to reload my checkpoint. Sometimes it awkwardly plants itself on the edge of a destroyed highway or even in a decrepit building. It even got stuck inside a floor at one point.

This issue might not be specific to the bike because I noticed Jack ran into similar circumstances. For example, miscalculated jumps often didn't kill him but trapped him in a piece of the environment. It's just more noticeable with the bike since I kept getting a vain sense of hope that I'd get it unstuck.

Fortunately, this is the only glaring issue I encountered in terms of bugs. Ghostrunner 2 is overall a well-polished title in my experience, so these issues with its physics and geometry just stand out.

A beautiful and (mostly) dead world

Ghostrunner 2 shines in its graphical presentation. Whether in Dharma's enclosed neon-soaked environments or the dead outside world, it's a visual feast.

The opening hours within the tower are more or less an upscaled version of what we saw in Ghostrunner, and that's a compliment. It's a massive and imposing megastructure where all humanity lives, and it certainly feels that way in both titles.

A swathe of neon lights and signs flood the inside, but it's wide enough that I occasionally forget that it's not perpetual nighttime rather than being inside a horribly massive building. Contrast this with the wasteland just outside of it, which gives a completely different vibe. The destroyed roads and a lack of life feel so lonely by comparison.

Both settings work as well as they do for a surprisingly similar reason, and that's how littered they are. Trash and grime litter Dharma Tower while debris does the same for the wasteland. It gives the impression that people exist or have existed in both places with little care for the world around them.

Dharma is definitely more varied than the outside sections, however. Sometimes the dingy and run-down parts are replaced by more opulent areas or even industrial ones. A particularly striking section is set within a colossal church that almost looks ripped from Warhammer 40K.

Helping sell the world further is the excellent electronic score. Several artists contributed to the soundtrack, with Gost and Dan Terminus sticking out to me. Their synthwave tracks always keep the adrenaline flowing.

Where Ghostrunner 2's presentation falters is with the character models. Some look fine, such as Jack and several Asura members, but others like common enemies and Jack's allies have a plastic look. They're actually well-designed with distinct and detailed appearances. It's just something about the lighting or textures that make them seem uncanny.

Clean cuts make for a lean experience

Ghostrunner 2 isn't a particularly long game. According to my Steam page, I clocked in around 7 hours from the start until I rolled credits. This was after collecting all the audio logs and artifacts within the world, finding most of the memory shards, and completing several optional challenges.

There's also Rougerunner.exe, a separate side mode taking players through branching sets of levels. These are divided into stages that increase in difficulty the further you go. It's a simple rogue-lite, but is a fun deviation from the main game. For me, it tested my mastery of the core mechanics while adding some element of luck with the power-ups. This comes with some unlockable cosmetics that you can use in the main game.

It's kind of a relief to play a title with such brevity. When driving the motorcycle into the open wasteland, I worried its pace would grind to a halt to open exploration up. In practice, these sections were nice breathers in a title that otherwise is always at 100 within missions. Having a few minutes to drive around somewhat felt refreshing before returning to the chaos. The feeling was cut short whenever the bike got stuck and forced me to reload my checkpoint, but I saw the developer's intent.

All I can say after finishing Ghostrunner 2 is that I want more. Considering that was my reaction at the end of the original Ghostrunner, I can say One More Level created a solid follow-up. Both titles might have had "meh" narratives, but the core gameplay is so fantastic I honestly didn't care while I was playing. At its best, Ghostrunner 2 is the first game but better, and at its worst, it's just a little less polished than its predecessor.

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

The post Review: Ghostrunner 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser commented on the company's relationship with Microsoft. Speaking with Inverse about the Switch's future, the topic of acquisitions and consolidation was brought up, with Bowser saying the two companies are on good terms.

"We have a great relationship with Microsoft," said Bowser. "We consider them to be partners in many, many ways, and you only have to look at Nintendo Switch to see that partnership. Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, we're looking forward to that partnership continuing."

Since leaked FTC court documents revealed that Microsoft had internally talked about the concept of purchasing Nintendo, questions arose as to how the latter might react to this revelation. Inverse's inquiry didn't ask why that would or wouldn't happen though, but rather, Bowser's outlook on the increasing trend of acquisitions.

On consolidation

Regarding consolidation, he considers studio acquisitions as a "constant" within the industry. He also mentions that new studios are "popping up every single year" that make a variety of new games.

"So as consolidation happens, on an equal basis, we're seeing these new studios, which really just speaks to the dynamic nature of the industry overall," Bowser clarifies. "In the end, that bodes well for the player."

While Bowser's statements are broadly true, I'm unsure how much this applies concerning Microsoft acquiring Activision. New studios may pop up all the time, but none so far have been to the magnitude of Activision and Bethesda, both now properties of Microsoft.

It's a level of consolidation unseen in the industry. Some of its effects are already seen with titles like Starfield being Microsoft exclusive. Regardless of the magnitude, Bowser is at least confident in Microsoft's and Nintendo's future. Whether that stays the case remains to be seen as a potential new Nintendo platform looms.

The post Doug Bowser says Nintendo has a ‘great relationship’ with Microsoft appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo and the city of Seattle, Washington, have a surprisingly interesting history together. The most notable example of this is when former president Hiroshi Yamauchi purchased a majority stake in the Seattle Mariners when the team struggled in the 1990s. It was an odd moment in sports and gaming history that remains a fun fact.

Nothing so notable has happened since, but Nintendo still has a noticeable presence around Seattle. The Pacific Northwestern city hosted the first Nintendo Live outside Japan, and Nintendo of America's headquarters is in Redmond, Washington, a city in Seattle's county. Still, it's fun seeing the interesting partnerships between the city and the company.

In another fun and fitting crossover, the Seattle Aquarium is hosting its own Nintendo promotion, but this one's entirely Animal Crossing: New Horizons themed. I happened to be visiting Seattle when the collaboration started, so I figured I'd go check it out.

It's been many years since I've visited an aquarium, so the experience was bound to be worthwhile. I didn't know what to expect, but I still figured it would be a fun experience.

Animal Crossing's presence was surprisingly unobtrusive to the aquarium experience

My first impression of the Animal Crossing event was that there would be much of the game within the aquarium. After the staff scanned my ticket, the first thing greeting me was a giant sign showing several Animal Crossing characters under a logo reading Animal Crossing: New Horizons X Seattle Aquarium. Behind it was more of the game's imagery.

A neat perk for Nintendo fans involved scanning a QR code to get 100 platinum points for My Nintendo members. It's a minuscule thing that's only good for entering the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fall sweepstakes, but it was a welcomed bonus for the trip out.

Beyond this opening, the Animal Crossing theming became more of a backdrop than anything. Scattered throughout the aquarium are cardboard cutouts of the game's various characters that were fun to take photos with. A decent number of them even had small crowds gathered around to get a great picture.

Certain plaques also changed their regular descriptions to something from Blathers' perspective. The Seattle Aquarium's usual explainer was still there but placed at the bottom alongside a villager representing it.

Only certain parts of the aquarium had these plaques since the ones present are based on animals within the game. Exhibits featuring fish received the bulk of the Animal Crossing theme, with little given to the mammals present. While I understand sticking to in-game descriptions, I did think this was a missed opportunity to have Blathers explain what sea lions and river otters were. It could also just be my bias for sea mammals showing.

Seattle Aquarium is a great visit regardless of any gaming crossover

This Animal Crossing crossover coinciding with my visit to Seattle was honestly just happenstance. I'd heard it was nice to visit even if no special events were occurring. It's definitely on the pricy side, but that's made up for by being a solid visit for several hours. Aiding the local conservation effort helps, too.

Since Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the specified title crossing over, partnering with an aquarium is especially fitting. Sea life is one of the game's main collectibles as various critters ranging from jellyfish to clownfish can be donated to Blathers' museum. This, paired with the little facts he states, lends it a slight educational vibe while remaining focused on the fun.

It's a vibe I felt somewhat with the downloadable bingo card I got from a QR code within the aquarium. It might be just an Animal Crossing themed JPEG with a list of animals, but it encouraged me to pay better attention to my surroundings.

Maybe it was me trying to get my money's worth, but it was neat to keep my eye out for certain species I would have missed otherwise. I paid better attention to busy tanks since not every critter inside got a label. Maybe I would have done that without that bingo card, but it helped encourage me.

While I wouldn't want to revisit the aquarium for a few years, I'm glad I went when I could. It's a lovely location for a date or to take kids, something I noticed as couples or families made up most of those in attendance.

Anyone worried about missing out on the event probably doesn't have much to worry about, either. I visited soon after it began, and it won't end until New Year's Eve. Even if that happens, I encourage anyone visiting to check the Seattle Aquarium out, whether they're an Animal Crossing fan or not.

The post Experiencing the Animal Crossing X Seattle Aquarium partnership appeared first on Destructoid.

CD Projekt RED is following through on its promise to stop official support for Gwent this year, but not before releasing one last update. The company announced on Gwent's website that a final update is coming, but the card game's future isn't ending.

Alongside the balance update is the inclusion of "Gwentfinity," which hands balance to the player base. The feature's announcement came last year alongside Gwent's sunsetting, so it's something fans have expected.

Not all of Gwent will be in players' hands, as CD Projekt Red is employing a skeleton team to manage its infrastructure. This will ensure the game remains operational while keeping players generally in control.

How balance changes will work going forward is with the community-run Balance Council. Becoming a member involves being at Prestige 1 and Pro Rank for the season or winning 25 games in the season. These restrictions are to ensure eligible voters are community members deeply familiar with Gwent's meta.

Balance Council members will get to participate in monthly votes that potentially change a set number of cards. Restrictions include voting for up to three cards within certain brackets to ensure changes without breaking the game.

Beyond the newfound community control and some oversight from CD Projekt Red, Gwent will no longer see any new cards. This means any changes will be made with cards already implemented within the game.

Gwent's last update comes not too long after CD Projekt Red announced it is laying off around nine percent of its staff. Hopefully, all affected can find new workplaces and any remaining staff can effectively manage Gwent's community.

The post Gwent is releasing its final developer update, and handing balance to its players appeared first on Destructoid.

iPads and iPhones may not be the first platform you associate with some of those bigger triple-A titles, but Apple continues pushing its devices as the go-to for more intense games. From Resident Evil 4 to Death Stranding, the newest phones and tablets will support more graphically intense games.

Yet this isn't the tech giant's first massive push into gaming. Apple Arcade has been around for several years and is home to mostly casual titles. At $5 a month, it's not a bad deal to download some time-killers when nothing else is around. Some are genuinely solid games, and the service has only improved its offerings since its 2014 debut.

As an iPhone and iPad user, I've used the service on and off, but now and again, something always draws me back in. Some of those deserve a spotlight — the underrated, convenient little gems accompanying me everywhere my phone goes. So, for those of you looking to expand your mobile library, I've got some recommendations.

DoDonPachi Ressurection's excellent Apple Arcade port

Getting my most biased choice out of the way, DoDonPachi Ressurection is arguably my favorite bullet hell game, and my first exposure to it was via its iOS port. Although I mostly play the Steam port now for more content, I prefer the mobile version's controls due to its simplicity.

With automated shooting, all the focus remains on movement, leaving only one hand needed to play. For an intense arcade game, it's incredibly comfortable to play casually. This is especially true in its smartphone mode but is also the case in the included straight arcade port.

Since it was also originally an arcade game, DoDonPachi Ressurection only takes about 40 minutes to finish. This makes it perfect for lengthy commutes, especially as skills improve on subsequent playthroughs. The soundtrack is a banger too, and one I highly recommend grabbing headphones for.

My recommendation does come from a bullet hell fan's perspective, but its accessibility on Apple Arcade leaves it open for anyone to try. DoDonPachi Ressurection is a heavenly bullet hell title, and hopefully one encouraging more people to try out more of the genre.

Game Dev Story is the perfect laid-back strategy game

As someone who enjoyed Game Dev Tycoon around a decade ago, seeing what is basically the same game on Apple Arcade was a treat. Game Dev Story's mobile version predates its similarly named counterpart by several years, so seeing the original take on a mobile device adds another layer to this pleasant surprise.

Game Dev Story follows the basic premise of building up an indie game company in the '80s. As the studio makes games and takes on contracts, new consoles will overtake older ones as players balance budgeting, employee management, and adapting to new tech.

Getting caught up in a single massive success can lead to some underserved confidence, but it's never too bad to start a new company after accidentally burning the previous one down. The longest any playthrough lasts is probably a few hours, so it's worth experimenting with risky projects.

It's a solid loop that's perfect for short gameplay bursts. Even longer sessions can be engaging when a streak of solid game releases gets going.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is Apple Arcade's surprise hit

Although its only home is on Apple Arcade, I count Hello Kitty Island Adventure as one of this year's pleasant surprises. My latest renewal for the subscription service is even because of it.

Island Adventure is best described as an open-world life sim. The player creates a character and helps various Sanrio characters fix up an amusement park and partake in cozy vibes. It emphasizes making friends and developing each character's story while being incredibly cute.

Half of the game's appeal is honestly based on how adorable it is. Sanrio knows how to make cute characters, and bunching them together for a laid-back adventure guarantees adorable shenanigans. Various quests and activities make Island Adventure surprisingly involved, eating up your time. From befriending the cast to swimming and crafting, there's much to do on the island Hello Kitty and friends reside on.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the perfect game for anyone who wants something without tension. Sometimes, it's nice to get away from life's stresses and hang out as a cute animal person with your equally as cute, animal-people friends.

Stardew Valley is excellent no matter where it's played

Stardew Valley is arguably the most famous cozy game, tasking players with restoring their grandfather's farm after moving in. Despite releasing in 2016, it's still receiving updates that make it worth revisiting time after time again.

The iOS port of Stardew Valley is no exception since it's the full game but in a hand-held format. Everything from farming to relationship building and combat is here and as good as its PC and console counterparts. This means dozens of hours of content in a neat and relaxed package. Its slower pace also makes it easy to jump in and out at any time, even if it can be difficult not to sink your whole day into it.

While the mobile version's update schedule doesn't always fall in line with other platforms, Stardew patches have eventually launched on the iOS version and caught up. Regardless, this is a fantastic way to get into one of the most consistently popular farming games in recent memory.

Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is a wonderful arcade-style rhythm game

Rhythm games are a genre that shines on mobile. Their quick pace and basic gameplay make them perfect for playing a few minutes of in-between other activities.

Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is no exception to this, and it's just a lovely game. The taiko drum theme makes controls easy to learn as players focus on learning a particular song's rhythm. Its varying difficulties and range of control options also make it friendly for any newcomers to the genre.

The available tracks are varied, too — even if they skew toward J-pop, anime, and video game fans. It's still funny seeing Frozen's "Let it Go" alongside Kaneda's theme from Akira. Even more odd inclusions like "Baby Shark" mean not every song is a winner, but the growing song roster makes it easier to find a solid playlist to play with.

Of any Apple Arcade game, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is the easiest for me to return to. Its simple and engaging gameplay helps keep me occupied whenever I want a quick dopamine rush.

The post The best Apple Arcade games out right now appeared first on Destructoid.

Something many people might not know about me now is that I used to be a massive fan of the Megami Tensei franchise. Digital Devil Saga is still a favorite and my 3DS remains a Shin Megami Tensei 4 machine.

My adoration for this franchise extends even to the SNES titles. Specifically, I enjoyed the first SMT game and played some of its sequel on the same system.

There are definitely issues with these titles, ranging from Zio-breaking bosses to barren dungeons, but these games have a vibe. There's something about exploring a desolate world, using computers to summon demons, and becoming a formidable force. The soundtrack is pretty killer, too.

It's just a shame that the only official way to play the first SMT in the West is on older iOS devices. These older installments have a feel I haven't seen in any other game, and I always wanted more. Well, a new game has captured that certain je ne sais quoi, and it's a Touhou fan game.

A true fusion of Touhou and Shin Megami Tensei

Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia (Touhou ADIA because the name's long) is a dungeon-crawling RPG developed by Bar Holographic Otaku, and it's SMT with Touhou characters. That might be a reductive description, but it emulates how those older titles looked and played so well I want to consider it their successor.

The basic gameplay is of a straightforward dungeon-crawler. Players lead protagonist Sumireko throughout Gensokyo, exploring the world and the various dungeons. Throughout her adventure, she encounters many Touhou characters along with their mysterious clones called Sleepers.

Part of the SMT influences comes from the fact each Sleeper is recruitable or turned into items.

Something impressive is that most Touhou characters appear as these clones and are recruitable. I don't know much about Touhou or its characters, so seeing over 150 listings in the compendium was astonishing.

Even elements from later SMT titles carry over into Touhou ADIA. While the series always emphasized exploiting enemy weaknesses, certain spells broke older games. Zio, for instance, is basically a win button in the first SMT since stuns were almost guaranteed. As most bosses had no electricity resistance, stunlocking them until they die is as viable as it is hilarious.

This isn't so much the case in Touhou ADIA, as lightning spells don't have stun capabilities. Finding weaknesses and managing party buffs is important as either can turn a battle's course. Like SMT, optimal party composition with varying skills is crucial to survive.

Combat and exploration have a wonderful flow that takes the aesthetics of old SMT titles while improving the actual gameplay. Even better is that with each reminiscent feature, there's a new element to it.

Rethinking old systems

Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia not only takes SMT's aesthetics and core gameplay but reintroduces some of its unique features in a new light. Of anyone I would single out, it would be how it handles recruitment.

Unlike SMT, players defeat Sleeper in bullet hell segments to recruit them. These call back to the mainline Touhou series as the Team Shanghai Alice titles are all bullet hell games. I haven't played any of those titles, but these segments make me happy as a Cave and Treasure fan.

There's even a dash of Pokemon added since it's encouraged to weaken enemies before attempting a capture. A Sleeper with almost no HP will be far easier to defeat in the bullet hell segments than one at full HP.

Something uniquely SMT that has been adapted in Touhou ADIA is the fusion system. This means most party members can fuse and become stronger or weaker characters. Skill inheritance thankfully works like newer SMT titles in that players choose them instead of the game.

Terminals where fusions occur even have differing options on what to do with Sleepers. Affinity inheritance, like in Shin Megami Tensei V, is available along with sacrificing a Sleeper to strengthen another.

What I was surprised to see is that the Magnetite system returns in some form. Magnetite in early Megami Tensei games served as fuel to retain control over demons in the party. It's an additional resource to grind for, and something I thought was a neat idea. It was just abundant to the point that players could simply keep overpowered demons out without much worry by the endgame.

Touhou ADIA reimagines Magnetite as the battery on Sumeriko's smartphone. While the phone is important to the game's plot, it's also the equivalent of COMPs in various SMT games. Sleepers are summoned and stored from it while also providing other bits of information like the map.

It's a neat way to continue prevalent motifs of technology summoning demons from Megami Tensei while remaining unique.

Living in light of one's overbearing shadow

It's difficult discussing Touhou Artifical Dream in Arcadia without bringing up Shin Megami Tensei. The influence on Bar Holographic Otaku is readily visible, but its project stands alone as an awesome RPG.

If I removed myself from my love of SMT, I would still recommend Touhou ADIA to old-school RPG fans. The pixel art is reminiscent of 16-bit titles while having enough detail to look amazing on LCD screens. Also helping is the gameplay feeling notably modern instead of something from 1992.

Even how it handles player death is unique, as Sumeriko exists in Gensokyo as a doppelganger. This means that her defeat in battle just means she creates a new one afterward at the cost of XP.

I haven't finished Touhou ADIA, but I know it's a gem. It's a perfect pick-up-and-play game on my Steam Deck and fills me with a nostalgic feeling whenever I boot it up.

Still, when I swap to my desktop and keyboard, I feel 14 again and playing the first SMT with a fan translation. I'd fidget with the controls, pressing random keys because I forgot the default controls on the emulator I used. It was a feeling I'd never thought I'd experience again, and even though hooking up my controller would have ruined the moment.

Touhou ADIA is everything I imagine another SNES SMT game would be. It taps into potential previous mechanics like Magnetite had while introducing mainstays of more recent titles. In other words, it's a dream a younger me had that became reality.

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PS Plus Premium members are getting a neat extra perk for their subscription. Sony announced on PlayStation Blog that cloud streaming is coming for select PS5 titles later this month.

These titles range from ones available on the PlayStation Plus catalog to digital purchases already in users' libraries and Game Trials. Supported titles range from the Resident Evil 4 remake to free-to-play games like Genshin Impact. In-game purchases are also available for streaming, which Sony compares to purchases from downloaded games.

Some PS5 cloud streaming features include playing at up to 4K with HDR and access to the console's audio capabilities. Video capture is also available for up to 3 minutes along with screenshots.

PS5 cloud streaming will launch worldwide in phases based on the region. Japan will receive the feature first on October 17 before reaching Europe on October 23. North America has the latest launch on October 30. The feature will only be available on PS5 consoles at launch.

Cloud streaming their games is a neat perk to the service for anyone with PS Plus Premium and is low on storage. Even with the PS5 Slim's 1TB of storage, many modern games are exorbitantly big, so being able to stream them could potentially mitigate storage issues at least a bit.

Whether PS5 cloud streaming adds substantial value to PS Plus Premium is up to the individual player. Game Trials potentially benefit from this since they are more or less extended demos, meaning far less time investment. Even so, PS cloud streaming can be spotty even with great internet.

Hopefully, any benefits from streaming PS5 titles will outweigh the cons that come with it. Its use will vary with each subscriber's internet speed, but ideally, it helps avoid lengthy download times.

The post PS5 cloud streaming goes live this month for PS Plus Premium appeared first on Destructoid.

A burning question resting on fans' minds since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom released is where all the Guardian tech disappeared to after Breath of the Wild's events. Although some time passed between installments, the Guardians' omission feels odd, given their previous prevalence.

Now there's an official answer given by Tears of the Kingdom director Hidemaro Fujibayashi, and it's uneventful. He stated in an interview with Telegraph that the Guardians "disappeared after the Calamity was defeated (sealed)."

"All of the people of Hyrule also witnessed this, but there is no one who knows the mechanism or reason why they disappeared, and it is considered a mystery," said Fujibayashi. "It is believed that since the Calamity disappeared, they also disappeared as their role had been fulfilled."

Fujibayashi then acknowledged how common "mysterious occurrences and phenomena" are to Hyrule's various races. It's why nobody saw this as any cause for concern since odd events are just part of everyday life.

He finishes his in-world explanation by stating how many Hyrule residents accept that "ancient Sheikah technology" was responsible. Many also saw it as something not worth delving into. He concluded by mentioning how both titles' civilizations are completely different, and the team based each title's concepts on the respective civilizations.

On Tears of the Kingdom's design, Fujibayashi said the team aimed to give players an "exhilarating and happy experience" while exploring the Sky Islands. Meanwhile, the Depths were to provide "tension" to players exploring.

The official explanation for the Guardians' disappearance in Zelda being that they just left and nobody cared is honestly hilarious. It'll likely be a while before we see them again as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom won't have any post-launch content.

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Now that Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty has been out for roughly a week, players are reaching the new ending for the base game. It's one of the expansion's selling points and one of the biggest curiosities for me.

I've beaten Cyberpunk 2077 several times since its launch, and I like how it handles several of its endings. If not outright tragic, many are bittersweet. V's best-case scenario is having about six months to live as they're essentially an engram in their own body. Despite having little time to live, they can still become a legend by taking on an impossible feat, with all roads leading to one climactic finale.

My assumption going into Phantom Liberty's new ending was that it'd somehow tie into this last-ditch effort. I wasn't sure how much sense it'd make to incorporate the NUSA in the base game's climax, but I would have been here for it.

What I got makes far more sense and is far more devastating than I imagined. I wasn't expecting a happy ending, but Cyberpunk 2077's new conclusion is upsetting. I don't want to go ahead and call this a "Bad End", but it hit in a way I couldn't have foreseen.

As a precaution, there are heavy spoilers for Cyberpunk 2077's new ending since I'll be going over most of its important details. Also best to bring tissues for this one.

Time passes and people move on

I admit, I wasn't expecting V to find a cure in this new Tower ending, but they do. It's honestly the only ending V can definitively live beyond their twenties, but the price for life is high.

When Solomon Reed informs V of a procedure for extracting the Relic, the promise is a days-long surgery before weeks of recovery in an undisclosed location. Another part of this promise is that V could return to their life in Night City after surgery if they wished.

Johnny and V's last conversation is bitter as the former expresses the pair's journey led to nothing. He eventually accepts V's decision as they're sedated.

V unfortunately spends two years in a coma, leaving little to return to. On top of that, Reed informs them that damage to the nervous system means using intensive cyberware risks death.

Reed offers a job working for the FIA, but V at most considers the position. Regardless they still want to go back to Night City.

Afterward, they learned their friends there moved on. Judy for instance moved to Philadelphia with her wife. Panam meanwhile refuses to speak to V.

Viktor does offer to look at V when they get to Night City, but upon arriving finds Misty's Esoterica closed. In its place is a Zetatech store with Viktor working for the corp. He reaffirms what Reed said, confirming V can never work as an elite mercenary again.

A disheartened V is further beaten down by a pair of no-name thugs who push them down a flight of stairs. It's there they finally meet Misty who reveals she's leaving Night City to find herself in Poland.

The game ends after they reconcile, and it's hard not to feel melancholy. Yet on the same token, there's a glimmer of hope for finding something new.

Choosing the quiet life over becoming a legend

V's first conversation with Dexter DeShawn has him asking what they would choose: to live a quiet life, or die young to become a legend. V becomes a legend in most base game endings, but it's not as if they had a choice. They were dragged into Johnny Silverhand's war against Arasaka, and the only path to a cure was doing what he couldn't.

Utilizing the bonds formed throughout Cyberpunk 2077 to take Arasaka down is empowering, and V solidifies their status as a legend by defeating Adam Smasher. There's satisfaction in achieving something this monumental even when V has little time to live after. They make history in most endings. Phantom Liberty allows them to not do that.

V can finally choose the quiet life. The conversation with Misty is especially enlightening because V can finally understand how she lives. Despite not seeing each other for years, I believe this moment is the most connected the friends have ever been because V now sees the world as Misty does.

Misty reassures her friend there's much to this world beyond what they know. These changes may have been unforeseen, but she reframes them as V's second shot at life.

I've seen takes calling this ending bleak, and while I can see that, I disagree. Seeing V as a shell of their former self is disempowering, but their newfound potential is greater than ever. My heart shattered, but not in a way I felt in a game.

Living with unforeseen changes and life's lack of excitement

Part of what hits so hard about The Tower ending is that V becomes relatable to someone like me. I can't put my shoes in a slick cyber ninja, but I know how it is feeling lost and hopeless. I also relate to someone who thought they had more friends than they did.

V is around their mid-twenties, and so am I. It's a decade of sweeping changes before hopefully settling in with a fulfilling purpose.

Among these probably include making radical life decisions and meeting some amazing friends. That latter part especially might be true for a while, but sometimes you lose contact with those friends.

It happens even when you don't want to. Then life calms down. The excitement vanishes. It hurts losing contact with previously close relationships.

Life can feel pointless sometimes, but it often takes a little reassurance to know things will get better. Sometimes that comes from a familiar voice who stayed with you through the exciting times and the dull ones. It can also come from an unexpected source who gives comfort in a way you never expected.

That's what I see in The Tower ending, even if I understand why it's upsetting. For such an exciting adventure, it's a surprisingly boring and melancholic conclusion.

At least, it's those things when compared to how stories within the cyberpunk genre play out. V found an out from the corporate and political warfare and took it. Even if the consequences were higher than expected, V has a better chance for a peaceful life as the world simply moved on in their absence.

There's something gratifying in seeing what should be such a pessimistic ending have such a hopeful note attached to it. One where V may have lost so much but can still rebuild with a new perspective.

It's what even The Tower card in tarot is about, since Cyberpunk 2077 each ending's name comes from the deck's major arcana. It symbolizes unforeseen changes and even chaos, but it also means renewal and liberation. In every essence, this is as much a new beginning as it is a conclusion for V's story.

My personal favorite ending is still The Star ending, since V can lead a comfortable life outside Night City. It's a satisfying conclusion since they find contentment while remaining a living legend, arguably the best of all worlds.

Still, The Tower is Cyberpunk 2077's most emotionally raw ending for me. It taps into something not many games tackle, and that's others moving on when you haven't.

Heartbreak sucks, but eventually, we pick ourselves back up and gather the pieces we have to create something better. V did just that after Konpeki Plaza, and they can do it again.

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