TheGamer - TheGamer Originals

Games Workshop Is Finally Retiring Space Marines

Ben Sledge — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:16:17 GMT

If you know one thing about Warhammer 40,000, it’s likely a big, blue Space Marine. The Space Marines, more specifically the Ultramarines, are the Pikachu of Warhammer’s science-fiction wargame, minus the ears and plus a rifle filled with ammunition that explodes on impact. Don’t give Pikachu one of those.

Three Years On, The Queen’s Gambit Finally Has An Official Chess Video Game

Ben Sledge — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:00:21 GMT

Rockwater Studio pitched a Queen’s Gambit chess game to Netflix before Netflix Games was even a thing. In fact, Rockwater found out about the ambitious project attached to the streaming service minutes before it was due to pitch its idea for the game. With that new information in hand, the studio’s head of marketing Jamie Brayshaw ditched all his meticulously prepared slides and pitch notes to grasp this new opportunity. His flexible approach worked, and Rockwater was working with Netflix.

You Can Use Pokemon Go’s Master Ball More Than Once

Ben Sledge — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:30:19 GMT

When it comes to Pokemon, the Master Ball is nearly as iconic as Pikachu. In a game series that changes so much from generation to generation, it’s one of the few constants. We have an evil team set on committing animal rights abuses, a hot professor directing us on our adventure, and a single Master Ball that will catch any Pokemon in the game. Not even Pikachu is in as many main series games as the Master Ball, and the yellow rat is Game Freak’s most recognisable mascot.

Pokemon Sleep Is Changing Shiny Colours And It Could Have Huge Repercussions

Ben Sledge — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:00:19 GMT

Pokemon Sleep is a weird game. After such a long wait, it’s finally here and all I have to say about it is, yep, it’s definitely here. It measures your sleep and gamifies your health, but I’m not entirely sure it’s actually a game. I have a lot of questions about what the game is doing with my sleep data, why Pokemon Go needs that data if it’s connected, and what the point of it all is, but I risk getting too philosophical for this lighthearted opinion feature.

Report: Zenimax Is Doing "Nothing" To Combat Anti-LGBTQ+ Bigotry In ESO

James Troughton — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 14:48:12 GMT

Last month to mark the end of Pride, several hundred players celebrated queerness in The Elder Scrolls Online with a defiant display, marching through Morrowind together. The celebration was organised by Locke and fellow streamers, but supported by developer Zenimax who provided copies of Necrom to giveaway and an official blog post detailing the times of the parades and who was holding them.

Blue Protocol Hands-On: Amazon’s Next Big MMO

Harry Alston — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:00:20 GMT

Amazon Games has targeted MMO production and publishing in a huge way. Leveraging the pulling power of Twitch to promote its titles, both Lost Ark and New World broke records on Steam and were, for an admittedly short-lived period of time, two of the largest games in the world. Blue Protocol is Amazon’s next offering - the upcoming anime MMORPG has diverse class customization and a smooth action combat system up there with the best in its genre. Developed by Bandai Namco, Amazon Games are handling the publishing of the game in the West following the release of the game in Japan in early 2023. I have no doubt that this will be another massive launch for Amazon.

I've Played 100 Games With The Lorcana Starter Decks, Here's What I Learned

Eric Switzer — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:06:37 GMT

I don’t know what’s harder: waiting for Disney Lorcana to launch so you can finally start collecting cards and playing games with your friends, or having a whole bunch of Lorcana cards you can’t tell anyone about. I’m sure no one is going to feel bad for the guy that got the starter decks early, but trust me when I tell you sitting on this info and not being able to play with others has been torture. The only reason I didn’t lose it and start screaming about Mufasa and the Mad Hatter to anyone that would listen is the fact that I have a wonderful wife that loves Disney, and due to my persistence, now loves Lorcana too.

The Barbenheimer Double Feature Really Does Work As Intended

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:30:20 GMT

I didn’t realise that people weren’t all fully serious about doing Barbenheimer double features until I started asking my friends if they would do one with me. “I am almost thirty, I am not sitting in a cinema for five hours on a single day,” one said. “Are you insane? I hate opening weekends,” said another. Here I was, thinking that everybody wanted to do this with me, like some kind of fool.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Barbie Would Make The Perfect Saints Row Game

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

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

Don’t Sleep On The Best Straight-To-Netflix Movie Of The Year

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:00:22 GMT

I’m as aware as anyone that Netflix doesn’t typically release excellent movies. I’d go so far as to say the majority of straight-to-Netflix movies are mediocre to bad, and I now consider Netflix movies without a theatrical release immediate red flags. During my semi-monthly movie night with friends, we trawl through every streaming service available to us in an attempt to find just one film that looks good. It can be difficult sometimes, especially once you get into the Netflix exclusives.

How Disney Lorcana Became My First TCG

Stacey Henley — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:30:33 GMT

Cards have always been something of a blind spot for me. They should fall right into the sweet spot - video games and trading card games have a lot of crossover in audience and subculture, I like rules and collecting things, I'm a big fan of Pokemon, and I love both traditional board games and more complex tabletop adventures. But cards have always eluded me.

Who Does TheGamer Want To See In Disney Lorcana?

TheGamer Staff — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:01:25 GMT

One of the most exciting things about Disney Lorcana has been the speculation. Ever since it was revealed last September, we’ve been guessing which characters could appear, and which ones we’d really like to see.

Merlin, Self-Appointed Mentor Is The Hidden Gem Of Disney Lorcana's Art

Joe Parlock — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:30:24 GMT

Disney isn’t known for being the best creative collaborator. It is incredibly protective over its own properties, even dictating exactly how the famous three circles of the Mickey shape can be displayed. That projects like Who Killed Roger Rabbit, Kingdom Hearts, and now Disney Lorcana can even happen is a miracle.

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters Just Keeps Getting Better

Ben Sledge — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:00:22 GMT

I didn’t expect much from Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters. I’ll play any Warhammer game, from Ork shmups to RTS classics, but few keep me hooked as much as this XCOM-like from Complex Games. I fully expected to still be on board the Darktide train right now, but instead I’m directing little Grey Knights across the virtual battlefield to purge the rot of Nurgle from every planet I come across.

No, The Barbie Movie Is Not Anti-Men

Stacey Henley — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:00:22 GMT

Barbenheimer is upon us. The pink bomb exploded in theatres, marking the best weekend for cinemas since Avengers: Endgame, as well as giving us the first time in history that two movies opened above $80 million together. The natural phenomenon of the pair propelled both to new heights, with audiences showing up in droves for something new. Both movies are very different, and that’s part of why Barbenheimer even became a thing in the first place. But they share one deep similarity: they are grossly misunderstood movies.

There Is No Perfect Race To Play In Dungeons & Dragons

Stacey Henley — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:43:47 GMT

A big question beginners will ask about playing Dungeons & Dragons, after 'why are you making me play this with you?' and 'how long will this take?' is 'what race should I be?'. At that point there's a conversation about how we don't say 'race' we say 'species' but that everyone's still getting adjusted to that, and eventually we face down the question - what species should you be? If you've come here looking for a definitive answer, I can't offer one, and that's because there isn't one. But it's still an interesting question to consider, no matter what your level of experience with the game is.

Playing Every New Game Will Only Burn You Out

James Troughton — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 17:30:19 GMT

Those who frequent social media are bound to feel FOMO at some point. If everyone is raving about the newest game, you’ll be inclined to pick it up so you can be a part of the conversation. But another new game just came out last week, and there’s another coming a week from now. All three will leave you on the sidelines if you don’t scramble to play them, but games are growing bigger with each new release—two of the ones I just mentioned are 60-hour RPGs. It’s a horrible cycle that ends only one way—burnout. You’re gonna turn a hobby into a chore and lose all love for it.

My Husband Keeps Ruining My Pokemon Sleep Research With His Snoring

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

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

Everything You Should Do Before Playing Baldur’s Gate 3

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

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

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

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

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

My Parents Were Anti-Gaming, Here’s How I Got Into The Hobby

Ben Sledge — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 15:00:19 GMT

My parents weren’t against video games per se, but they didn’t really understand them. It was the ‘90s, so the media was fervent with warnings about the horrors of ‘screen time’ turning your kids’ eyes square. Nobody understood the silent revolution that home electronics was undergoing; my parents’ generation grew up without mobile phones at all, let alone the omniscient devices that were about to hit our pockets over the next decade.

Fallout Developer Nearly Made A Lord Of The Rings Game

Ben Sledge — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:30:20 GMT

Lord of the Rings games are hit and miss, with the highs of Battle for Middle-earth being offset by the incredible lows of Conquest, where you play as Sauron taking over Middle-earth in an alternate universe where Frodo fails to destroy the Ring. That’s a cracking idea, sadly let down by the gameplay that Edge described as “ceaseless button-mashing” in its 2/10 review.

It's Where’s Waldo?, But Waldo Is Bees In This Relaxing Indie Game

Andrew King — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:01:19 GMT

The creator of I Commissioned Some Bees 0 did what the title says. This tiny free indie game offers 10 pieces of art commissioned by developer Follow The Fun, each hiding dozens of bees in plain sight.

Saw X And Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie Will Be My Barbenheimer

Josh Coulson — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 18:00:21 GMT

The big weekend is finally here - the weekend Barbie and Oppenheimer release in cinemas on the very same day. Some of you might have already seen both by the time you read this, meticulously planning your day so you can squeeze in both, potentially with activities before and after that pair nicely with your viewings. Brunch before Barbie and then a dark room with a whisky and a cigarette after Oppenheimer would be my running order of choice.

That One Week In October Will Kill Us All

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These Developers Are Making Games For The Love Of Art, Not For Money

Tessa Kaur — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:30:20 GMT

In the last few years, the use of generative artificial intelligence in the gaming industry has rapidly increased. Unity announced AI features to make developing games with its software easier (meaning it’ll probably repurpose existing stolen art and assets), games are increasingly using AI-generated art (such as High on Life), and voice actors are having their voices stolen and used in videos and mods without their consent.

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

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

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

19 Years Later, The EA Spouse Still Has A Point

Ben Sledge — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 14:00:19 GMT

Game development has changed drastically over the past two decades. Development times and budgets have both skyrocketed, with series that formerly promised annual entries now spending more than five years on their sequels. Cyberpunk 2077 is arguably the most famous example of ballooning scope, being announced eight years prior to its release and a decade before its most playable versions hit current-gen consoles.

Diogo Jota Explains How IRL Football Knowledge Improves His FIFA Gameplay

Ben Sledge — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 10:00:20 GMT

“Every time we travel for away matches, I take the PlayStation with me,” Liverpool forward Diogo Jota tells me. “It makes time go smoothly, and keeps me entertained.” I’m wondering how he’s able to compete at such a high level in both football and esports, considering most pros in either arena dedicate their entire lives to mastering just one game. “This year I was the only player that was playing in the Champion’s League and the eChampion’s League,” he says with a smile.

Exoprimal Is A Return To Capcom's Dark Days

James Troughton — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 20:01:18 GMT

Digging through Capcom’s library in the 2010s is like looking at old tweets you made when you were 16. If they weren’t problematic, then damn were they embarrassing. It started with Resident Evil 6 in 2012—the series that founded survival horror finally shit the bed with a straight-to-DVD action movie vibe and shooting that felt like you were using Nerf pellets. 2014 then ushered in Dead Rising 4, where Capcom threw everything that made the first three great to the side and gutted co-op in favour of a grittier game as hollow as an empty box. 2016 marked the end of this streak of misses with Street Fighter 5, which had a barebones launch so bad, it lost 75 percent of its player base in mere months.

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

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

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

I Need A Modern Zelda-Like

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

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

Exoprimal Takes Way Too Long To Show Its True Colours

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

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

Warrior Nun’s Return Is A Victory For Sapphic Representation

Sophie Ulanoff — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:45:18 GMT

After Warrior Nun was unceremoniously cancelled by Netflix in December 2022 after the release of its second season, the SaveWarriorNun movement was born from the cult show’s ashes.

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

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

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

David Hayter Says It's "Far Past Time" Unions Protected Voice Actors And Animators

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:16:14 GMT

David Hayter has good reason to spend so much time raising awareness for ongoing strike action in Hollywood. For decades, Hayter has worked in multiple fields across the entertainment industry. Now, two of them - acting and writing - are embroiled in high-profile industrial action, fighting back against studios that think their work can be replaced by AI.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Commander Masters Visual Spoiler: Every Card Revealed – MTG

Ryan Hay — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:45:17 GMT

Masters sets are some of the most powerful Magic: The Gathering sets around. Full of reprints of all kinds of staples and powerhouses, shockingly we've gone this long without getting one specific for the game's most popular format, Commander.

Stardew Valley's Continuous Updates Are A Testament To Its Greatness

Jade King — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Few games have the staying power of Stardew Valley. Since its release in 2016 the farming life simulator has sold millions of copies and been ported to every platform imaginable. This success will likely be replicated in the next project from developer ConcernedApe: Haunted Chocolatier. For now though, Stardew continues to receive lots of love through a constant audience of players new and old, alongside new content updates and a bustling modding scene. Seven years later, and few games in the world can equal its grandiose appeal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pikmin 4 Has A Bunch Of Pointless New Features

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

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

Why Are We Already Getting Ghostwire-likes?

Ben Sledge — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:00:22 GMT

I liked Ghostwire: Tokyo. I liked it a lot. It was that perfect level of double-A scope with triple-A polish that we expect from medium-level budgets these days. I liked the spirits and spellcasting, I liked the exploration of a misty, abandoned Tokyo. I can’t do horror but Ghostwire was just about my level of spooky, and it even got a spot on my Game of the Year list.

A $2 Switch Game Is My Favorite Horror Game Of The Year

Mike Drucker — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:30:22 GMT

All it took was seeing the words ‘Dread XP’ in the publisher section to get me to buy Fishing Vacation on the Switch. Well, that and it only cost $2. The $2 part is probably what stopped me dead in my tracks because, if you’ve read anything else I’ve written, I consistently buy strange games that make no sense. If your game is under $5 and looks batshit, there’s a good chance I’m going to regret buying it.

One Of 2023's Best Games Is Also Its Ugliest

Stacey Henley — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:00:16 GMT

Saying that one of 2023's best games is also its ugliest seems pretty straight-forward: I'm telling you there's a game that is a lot of fun but looks like garbage, right? That's not really what this is. The game, for all those Saved You A Click accounts salivating, is Bramble: The Mountain King, and by no technical measure is it the best. It runs awfully, and not in the frame rate/stability sense that we're supposed to care about these days. It runs badly in ways games used to in the good old days, like how when you jump for a platform you'll clip right through it, or you'll pass through a doorway and the level won't load. This game is made of bubblegum and sellotape. Also it's very ugly. I know I'm not selling it well. But Bramble: The Mountain King is one of the best games of 2023, and by 'best', maybe you should think of it as 'interesting'.

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

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

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

We Spoke To Blizzard Devs About New Dungeons, Malignant Hearts And More In Diablo 4's First Season

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 17:00:18 GMT

Diablo 4’s highly-anticipated first season begins on July 20, bringing new mechanics, Malignant Dungeons, and aspects to experiment with. While the player base has been working out optimal grind routes for the new season and wrapping up the campaign in order to access seasonal content immediately, there’s still much we don’t know about how the seasonal mechanics will work. We spoke to Diablo 4’s associate game director Joseph Piepiora, dungeon designer Michelle Piña, and quest designer Madeleine James about what we can expect from Season of The Malignant.

Warhammer Is Bringing Back One Of Its Best Board Games

Ben Sledge — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 16:30:15 GMT

Warhammer has a vast array of board games, and they’re generally of very high quality. You’ve got the Bloodborne-esque style oozing from Cursed City, the brutal sporting contests of Blood Bowl, and cult classics like Mordheim that helped spawn myriad spiritual successors. None of these games have particularly robust rulesets, however, with the latter two especially relying heavily on dice rolls. If it’s rules you’re after, Games Workshop has you covered in different ways.

Diablo 4's Latest Patch Ruins Sorcerer, Most Other Things

Stacey Henley — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 16:00:17 GMT

I've written a few times about playing Diablo 4 as a single-player narrative game, and I know that's not the 'right' way to play it, but it’s the way that works for me. Some quests are repetitive, some dungeons don't make that much sense if you're not the right class, and it's odd that several Acts are happening all at once. But still, I like it. I was never planning on sticking around season after season, but there's enough content in just one playthrough to sustain me. However, recent changes to the game have only served to remind me that there is a right way to play, and a wrong way to play - and I'm playing the wrong way.

Star Wars Outlaws Already Sounds Too Big For Its Own Good

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

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

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

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

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

Is EA Sports FC Just FIFA? We Find Out

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

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

EA FC 24 Should Be A Fantasy RPG

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

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

Millennials, Neopets Is So Back

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

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

The Owl House Had Its First Gay Kiss Two Whole Years Ago

Jade King — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:45:16 GMT

The Owl House reached its end several months ago now, but my obsession with the Disney Channel show remains. I’m still regularly chatting with friends on the cast and engaging with the fandom on social media, and I can’t go a few hours without scrolling through Twitter to be greeted by cutesy fanart and headcanons. Luz Noceda’s magical adventure has a lot of staying power, with fans reliving moments from their favourite episodes whenever possible.

Report: Your Favourite Gaming Actors Want You To Stop AI Generating Their Voices

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

Over the past several months, much has been said about the growth of AI and its potential replacement of workers across the entertainment industry. Once merely the fever dreams of out-of-touch executives, we now have AI art creeping into our games, and even Avengers Infinity War and Endgame director Joe Russo saying that an entire movie could be AI-generated in the next two years if the technology keeps advancing.

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

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

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

Baldur's Gate 3's Marketing Is Getting Silly

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

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

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

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

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

Developers Discuss How Horror Is Thriving In 2023

Joshua Robertson — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 14:30:18 GMT

Over the past few years, horror fans have been treated to an unending wave of quality titles from all over the industry. From massive blockbusters like Resident Evil and Dead Island, to smaller, more experimental titles like Inscryption and Signalis, the horror space is chock-full of developers looking to scare the living daylights out of us with unprecedentedly creepy creations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Xbox Game Pass Core Is A Bad Deal For Gamers

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

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

Apex Legends Global Series Playoffs In Review: Aussies Emerge Victorious As Competition Plagued With Issues

Ben Sledge — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:00:18 GMT

DarkZero could well claim to be the best competitive Apex Legends team in the world, and I don’t think many people would argue with them. They won the first ALGS LAN, the Split 2 Playoffs, in May 2022, and have won two out of the subsequent three global LAN tournaments, with TSM picking up the only other victory on the biggest stage.

It's Time For Warhammer's '90s Comic Series To Come Back

Ben Sledge — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:45:18 GMT

Warhammer is a behemoth nowadays. It’s always been big – bigger than the community would care to admit – but now it’s huge. Did you know that Games Workshop provided more for the UK economy last year than the entire fishing industry? Maybe that’s indicative of the rise of veganism or the need for fantasy escapism as the country descends further into the depths of hell, but toy soldiers are more popular than fish – you heard it here first.

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

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

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

Warner Brothers And DC Selling The Failed Flash Movie On The Blockchain Is Sad And Desperate

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:15:17 GMT

I haven’t seen The Flash, and likely never will. Despite being a hanger-on to the superhero movie trend that has seen multiple MCU movies reaching the list of top ten highest-grossing movies of all time, the Ezra Miller-led film is one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. Some projections estimate the movie has lost Warner Bros. as much as $200 million, and it’s been criticised for its portrayal of dead actors with terrible CGI, among other flaws.

The Last Hope Doesn't Deserve Any Of Our Attention

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

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

Netflix Games Is Doomed To Failure If It Won't Promote Its Best Games

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:31:17 GMT

Did you know Oxenfree 2 is free-to-play if you have a Netflix subscription? I did, but only because I reviewed it. Check the game’s website and you’ll find Netflix sitting pretty next to all the other platforms Oxenfree 2 has been released on. Yet despite the indie being fairly highly anticipated, and possibly the biggest game with a day one launch on the streaming platform thus far, Netflix hasn’t been making much kerfuffle about it. The first Oxenfree was critically acclaimed, with nominations at The Game Awards and the BAFTAs. You’d think that Netflix would capitalise on that to call attention to its largely overlooked game collection, but seems to barely market its games at all.

The Legend Of Zelda Has Always Been Queer

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

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

You Have To Permanently Break The New Pokemon Go Plus + To Turn Off Vibration

Eric Switzer — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 20:00:55 GMT

The unfortunately named Pokemon Go Plus + is a new accessory designed to enhance both Pokemon Go and the new sleep tracking game, Pokemon Sleep. Like its predecessor, the Pokemon Go Plus, the Poke Ball-shaped Plus + allows you to passively catch Pokemon in Pokemon Go without the burden of having to actually play the game. Its autocatch feature will automatically throw normal Poke Balls at wild Pokemon, even if your phone is in your pocket. It’s basically like trading your fishing rod in for a tugboat with a big net behind it that scoops up every creature that crosses your path. Remember when Pokemon were friends you would form a lifelong bond with? We let machines mass-catch them for us now. What did they do to us?

Everything Else I Want Pokemon To Gamify

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

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

How You Can Help Those of Us Striking

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

Ayyy! The WGA and SAG-AFTRA are on strike! It’s because of a lot of reasons, one of which is that studio executives are apparently comfortable with letting their workers go homeless. While Writers Guild of America and the (deep breath) Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists don’t all have the same requests, there is a lot of overlap. Our unions cover different services, but there are a lot of folks in the picket line who are in both. Oh, man, do they love telling you they’re in both. ‘Hyphenates’, they call themselves. Dangerous people.

The Last Of Us Doesn't Deserve All Of These Emmy Nominations

Jade King — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 15:01:18 GMT

HBO’s The Last of Us is a great show, but after sitting on it for a few months, I’ll admit much of the praise feels overblown. Aside from Bill and Frank’s fantastic bottle episode and strong performances from Bella Ramsay and Pedro Pascal, it’s a relatively safe adaptation of the source material which didn’t push post-apocalyptic storytelling forward much as it should have.

For Me, Oxenfree 2 Was An Allegory For Substance Abuse

Tessa Kaur — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:30:18 GMT

I recently reviewed Oxenfree 2, and while the game has gotten criticism for not being able to let go of its past, that flaw made sense to me thematically. I don’t want to read too far into the developers’ intentions and draw connections where they don’t exist, but Oxenfree 2 is a game about cycles and choices. The game's core mechanic is time-looping, with many puzzles locking you in a situation until you do things correctly. Terrible things will happen over and over, in different permutations, until you figure out how to escape the cycle. Only you can do it, nobody else. You have to free yourself.

Why Does Everyone Love Mordheim?

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

Spend any time in a Warhammer community and you’ll hear the word Mordheim bandied about. It’s a term discussed like an old friend, someone who had a legendary presence in the pub but has since moved on. Nobody’s quite sure where they went, but they don’t hang around here any more. But everyone remembers the stories they told for the price of a round, everyone remembers the drunken hijinks you got up to after a few too many, and everyone wonders when they’re coming back. But what is Mordheim, other than a legend whispered between the older generation of wargamers? And why does everyone love it so much?

2023 Is The Year Of The Indie Fishing Game

Ben Sledge — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 17:30:16 GMT

My favourite fishing minigames all come from Zelda titles. I love the Red Lion’s silly cranking crane in The Wind Waker, despite the fact that it’s less of a minigame and more of a ‘press a button to dredge a treasure chest from the depths’ game. It was the rock of the boat as it struggled against the weight of your treasure and the sound of the winch creaking that made it feel so good. It also had the added bonus of being marked on an actual treasure map, which made it feel so much more exciting.

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

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

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

Twitter’s Unsustainable Creator Monetisation Doesn’t Even Apply To Everyone Fairly

Tessa Kaur — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 16:30:17 GMT

Earlier this week saw Twitter announce that it’s going to begin sharing ad revenue with content creators on the platform. According to the Twitter Help Center, this is part of their efforts to “help people earn a living directly on Twitter”. The feature is available in countries where Stripe supports payouts, and has rolled out to “an initial group who will be invited to accept payment”. Here’s the kicker: to be eligible you have to be either subscribed to Twitter Blue or Verified Organisations, and have at least 5 million impressions on your posts for each of the previous three months. You also have to pass human review for Creator Monetisation Standards, which are a list of fairly standard rules including having a fully completed profile, being older than 18, not having violated Twitter rules, etc.

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

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

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

Sonic Prime Just Gave Us Our Best Interpretation Of Sonic And Shadow Ever

George Foster — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 15:30:17 GMT

I’m going to sound like every Sonic fan ever here, but I didn’t like the first season of Sonic Prime. While it had some good elements, like its characterisation of Sonic and charming animation style that made the characters feel more alive than in the games, its focus on slightly-altered versions of events and characters we already know felt like a multiverse-spanning chore most of the time.

Inside The Reddit Community Of Pokemon Hitmen

Ben Sledge — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 14:30:18 GMT

It’s been a while since I got stuck in a Pokemon game. The modern iterations of Game Freak’s genre-defining monster catching series are either too easy, or I’m too old. Maybe it’s both. The games aren’t taxing any more, not like Whitney and Miltank, Sinnoh’s final Cynthia battle, or even just trying to take out Brock with your Charmander back in 1996.

How To Add Football (Soccer) To Dungeons & Dragons

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

Football is the greatest thing humanity has ever invented. The wheel? Make it a sphere instead of a circle and kick it around mate. Electricity? All the better to watch the footy with. That's why I recently decided to add football to my upcoming Dungeons & Dragons adventure. It started out as a play on words, that the party would need to look for a famous sorcerer, they'd meet someone who didn't speak their language, and be pointed towards a famous soccer-er, but I ended up cutting that joke for a much cleaner run up to the game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It Really Sucks That No One Is Watching Secret Invasion

Josh Coulson — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:31:16 GMT

MCU fatigue is hitting people hard and you know what, I get it, and that's really saying something. As someone with the Infinity Stones tattooed on their calf, if my interest in what Marvel continues to throw out is waning, then it's probably safe to assume casual fans have all but given up on keeping track of the comings and goings in the MCU.

Saints Row 4's Casual Romance Options Are Perfect

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

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

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

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

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

Exoprimal Is Silly As Hell And Capcom Knows It

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

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

Hollywood Is Rotten To The Core

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:30:16 GMT

The Screen Actors Guild is striking, and that’s great news for the Writers Guild of America. It is, however, terrible news for Hollywood. With actors now in the fold and beginning to strike, Hollywood will grind to a halt. Production on shows and movies will be impossible without actors, who will not be doing on- or off-camera work, auditions, rehearsals, or even publicity. The stars of Oppenheimer appeared on the red carpet of the film’s UK premiere before the screening began, but walked out of the event to “write their picket signs” once the strike was officially announced, according to director Christopher Nolan. The cast of Barbie has made its support for the strike known on red carpets, and Margot Robbie has said during the London premiere of the film that she will be striking too. Alongside filming, all press tours will stop (which means no more interview gold from Ryan Gosling, but I’m more than fine with that).

Titanic On VHS Is Taking Over My TikTok Feed

Jade King — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:00:15 GMT

For months, a TiKTok account by the name of ‘Titanicfan97’ has dedicated his entire life to collecting copies of James Cameron’s cinematic masterpiece on VHS. His original goal of amassing 1997 copies of the film to line up with its release year has long been met thanks to fans sending in their own tapes alongside handwritten letters, action figures, and whatever merchandise they can find which aligns even slightly with the Titanic brand. Correspondence from fans also goes into the ‘Book of Jack Dawson’, because he’s able to protect them from any and all possible harm. It’s a giant meme, and one I’ve been falling in love with for weeks.

EA Sports New Turn-Based FIFA Could Be A Game Changer

Stacey Henley — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:30:15 GMT

EA's reveal of EA Sports FC 24 was an exercise in not saying the word 'FIFA', even though everyone knew that was what they were talking about. The 45-minute event had speeches from EA executives who tried unconvincingly to regale the crowd with their love of football, while icons like Luis Figo, Didier Drogba, and Ronaldinho were wordlessly wheeled out wielding out carrying trophies that were already in FIFA anyway. We saw a gameplay trailer that mainly focused on a first-person, non-gameplay perspective, and heard a lot of buzzwords. One thing that slipped by all too quickly was that they're making a turn-based FIFA. Sorry. Not FIFA. A turn-based EA Sports FC 24.

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

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

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

Superman Is Finally The Himbo He Was Always Destined To Be

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

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