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Despite spending well over a decade in the games media, I've never been much of a PC gamer. I had played PC games a little in my youth, but I transitioned to a short-lived career in graphic design--where Mac reigned supreme--around the same time the PC hardware arms race accelerated. As a result, PC games have long felt out of reach for me, both financially and as a matter of practical understanding. Even if I could afford it, I didn't have the know-how to build a PC, I heard mixed-at-best things about prefab gaming rigs, and I didn't have the time to educate myself on either one. I settled into a place where PC gaming always felt like it'd be foreign and obtuse. It was against this backdrop that the Steam Deck arrived, effectively toppling most of the barriers that stood between me and the community of PC gamers. The cost was certainly one important consideration. At roughly $500 for the mid-tier model, the Steam Deck is around half the price of many standard pre-buil...

As the year comes to a close, there's still time for one final round of action in Destiny 2's Trials of Osiris. The place to be when you're looking for high-level PvP competition, Trials has a unique flavor of high risk and reward gameplay that makes it stand apart in the Destiny 2 ecosystem of modes. Now that Xur has landed , you can check out where you'll play Trials of Osiris this weekend and what weapons you can earn. Map: Eternity Reputation Rank 4: Upgrade Module x 2 Reputation Rank 7: Enhancement Prism x 3 Reputation Rank 10: Trials Weapon (Changes for each rank reset) Reputation Rank 13: Upgrade Module x 2 Reputation Rank 16: Trials Weapon (Changes for each rank reset) Flawless Reward: Unwavering Duty (Adept) Trials weapons now carry the Alacrity Origin Trait. It gives you increased aim assist, reload speed, stability, and range on your Trials guns when you're the last living member of a fireteam or running solo. You can also choose to swap to the ...

Welcome to VG247's Best Games Ever Podcast: Episode 32 - the best game of 2023 The future is unknowable. As are the minds of our deranged panellists, who were asked to pick their nod for next year's GOTY based on the scraps of info we know about 2023's game releases and, somehow, none of them picked Starfield. It's obviously Starfield, you idiots. Here's a photo of Chris Bratt being taken down from a tree because it's no longer Christmas. (Support friends of VG247, People Make Games, on Patreon ). Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/B7j9Zcx via IFTTT

The original Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world, inspiring a massive franchise full of collectibles, books, action figures, and even Lego sets. Developer Mojang and its parent company Microsoft have recently started to branch out into spin-offs, like the Diablo-lite Minecraft Dungeons and the augmented reality game Minecraft Earth. Another is on the way soon, called Minecraft Legends. Minecraft Legends appears to be a very different type of Minecraft game, but one that maintains the elements that made the series so popular: a colorful voxel-based world full of inventive creatures, open-ended adventure, and of course, building. This will be Minecraft's first attempt at an action-strategy game, and it looks like a good entry point to the genre for younger Minecraft players. Here's everything we know about Minecraft Legends. What is Minecraft Legends? Minecraft Legends is a new action-strategy game that takes place in a third-person perspective, seemingly u...

In a recent article with The New Yorker , Naughty Dog’s co-president, Neil Druckmann, and The Last of Us’ HBO series showrunner, Craig Mazin, discuss the evolution of video games. Particularly, they talk about how The Last of Us came to be adapted into a TV show, and what’s next for Naughty Dog. There’s initially a lot of discussion regarding the curse of video game adaptations. Let’s be real, video games adapted for the silver screen have never done all that well, unless you’re a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. “Hopefully, this will put that video-game curse to bed,” Druckmann said regarding The Last of Us’ TV series adaptation. Mazin, on the other hand, suggests with a laugh that, “it’s gonna make it worse.” “Sometimes adaptations haven’t worked because the source material is not strong enough. Sometimes they haven’t worked because the people making it don’t understand the source material,” says Druckmann. However, Druckmann thinks the relationship between video games and adaptations...

First spotted by the lovely folk over at Nintendo Life , a poll ran by GameWith has determined what everyone's favourite Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Pokemon are. With the addition of Generation 9, we were finally privy to our 1000th Pokemon, and with Scarlet and Violet boasting over 400 of them to catch, it’s quite difficult to determine your favourite. The top thirty most popular Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet were voted for in Japan between December 16 and 23, with 177,829 fans participating in the poll. The results featured a few expected fan-favourites, such as various Eeveelutions , Lucario, Gardevoir, and Gengar. Koraidon and Miraidon also managed to make their way into the top 20, alongside all-new mouse family Pokemon, Maushold. Who earns the top spot, however? I know full well who my favourite Generation 9 Pokemon is, and it turns out that I’m far from alone with that sentiment. The Pokemon with the most votes is the bunny-shaped beast that is Tinkaton. A Steel/Fairy-ty...

Escape from Tarkov is a multiplayer tactical shooter that will often have you on the edge of your seat. It’s realistic, intense, and good fun for the masochistic (and sadistic) gamers among us. There’s nothing quite like literally bleeding out as you rush to an extraction point with your loot, to then lose it all to a camper at the last minute. We’ve seen players pretend to be dead as a means of securing more kills and loot, and in my own personal instances, I’ve witnessed friends rearing to go… only to die when they realise they’ve brought the wrong ammo, or didn’t actually load their gun. Tarkov tests your patience, and with a new sprawling urban map on the way, that won’t be changing anytime soon. The 0.13 patch for the game is currently being installed at the time of writing, and a wipe will accompany it. The star of the show, however, is the highly-awaited Streets of Tarkov map, which will place players in a much more urban environment than ever before. Read more from VG...

Publisher Electronic Arts is bringing back Dead Space with a full remake, which is being developed by Motive Studio. From what we've seen, this new Dead Space seems to follow the original 2008's game plotline and gameplay pretty closely. There are a few notable changes though, especially to how protagonist Isaac navigates zero-gravity environments and interacts with his fellow crewmates. Below, we go over everything we know about EA Motive's Dead Space, from when it's coming out to what's different this time around. Having played three hours of the game already, we think the Dead Space remake improves upon the already stellar original . But we'll have to wait for the game's full release to know how the latter half of the remake plays out. Release date Dead Space is scheduled to launch January 27, 2023. That gives you enough time to finish up this year's The Callisto Protocol and Signalis if you've been planning to and creates some distance betw...

In my Game of the Year 2022 article and video I said something along the lines of “Vampire Survivors is my most played game of the year.” I think that might have been a lie. I didn’t consider that I’ve been playing one classic game almost daily for the whole year. While this might not be the game I’ve put the most time into, I’ve certainly ‘booted’ Jewel more than any other game this year. But why? And why have I never played beyond the first level? Sadly, this is a rather boring tale of how I waste my life to earn tiny amounts of money. This story begins many years ago, way before the Xbox Series X was released. Microsoft runs a rewards program in which you can earn points by completing tasks. Some of these are web-based, such as searching on Bing, taking part in polls, or completing short quizzes. There’s also an Xbox side to it, with points being given for completing challenges in set Game Pass titles, earning achievements in certain games, and more. As Meghan Trainor almost said...

Of all the Silent Hill projects currently in development--and there are a lot, as we'll detail further down in this article--the one that is hardest to figure out is Silent Hill Ascension . With only a reveal trailer to go off of, even fans paying close attention likely have several questions about what kind of game it's going to be. This answer, and others, are a bit hazy as of now, but not without some context clues. Here's everything we know so far about Silent Hill Ascension. Silent Hill Ascension release date When the experience was revealed, it didn't come with a specific release date, but it was announced for 2023. However, as we'll explain, it may not have just a single release date anyway. What is Silent Hill Ascension? Silent Hill Ascension is not a traditional video game, though it is an interactive experience. It may not even launch on consoles and PC, though it may be viewable on those platforms one way or another. These are questions we don't y...

Death Stranding 2 was finally revealed at The Game Awards this year, by none other than Hideo Kojima himself. I’m not a huge fan of the apocalyptic postman-simulator, but I know that there are plenty of people out there who are, and this news may put a dampener on your day. According to the ArtStation profile of Frank Aliberti , an artist taking on the role of senior artist for Death Stranding 2, the game is not anticipated to release until 2024. On Aliberti’s ArtStation profile, you can scroll down to the ‘Productions’ section to see a list of work that Aliberti has contributed to, or is contributing to. While the particular listing for Death Stranding 2 has since been removed (although, you can check it out via this ongoing ResetEra thread ), it was previously listed under the artist's productions, alongside a 2024 release date. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/YoeVQc5 via IFTTT

Cats and Soup provides an adorable, calm environment in which you have your cats make soup, and churn out a profit as a result. You simply click a few icons, collect and name your cats, and use your profits to upgrade recipes and make the environment a nicer place for your feline workers. Over the holidays, the cats are even receiving a visit from Peanuts’ Snoopy. I’m a big fan of idle games. Sometimes, you fancy the stimulation of playing a video game without the brain gymnastics needed for a Soulslike RPG, or the muscle memory required for your favourite fighting game. Neowiz’s Cats and Soup is one that I continue to dive back into from time to time, to check up on the cats and set them on with cooking up more soup. It’s ideal for head-empty wholesomeness, and this festive season, Neowiz have introduced Snoopy and his dear friend Woodstock. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/193B6PH via IFTTT

Fire Emblem spent years in relative obscurity in the West, known mostly for the appearance of some swordfighters in Super Smash Bros. Melee. That changed in 2013 with the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening, the series' first big breakout hit in North America. Since then the tactical RPG has become one of Nintendo's most popular and critically-acclaimed series. The latest entry in the series, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, was named one of our Best Games of 2019 . So needless to say, a new Fire Emblem is enough to get us very excited. Fire Emblem Engage is that new game, a fresh entry in the long-running series that pays special homage to its own history. This game centers a major story and gameplay mechanic around summoning characters from past Fire Emblem games, letting us see some of our favorites or learn about characters from games that passed us by. Here's everything we know about Fire Emblem Engage. Story Like many anthology RPG series, Fire Emblem doesn't necessari...

The runaway success of the Nintendo Switch might suggest that anything similar in form factor and price would perform just as well. But since its launch in 2017, there hasn't been anything that has captured the same type of attention as Nintendo's hybrid console. Valve, makers of stellar devices such as the Valve Index as well as equally unsuccessful products such as the Steam Controller and various Steam Machines (if you can even recall those), was a surprising new competitor in the space when it announced the Steam Deck. A handheld PC that could take your Steam library anywhere and everywhere sounded far too good to be true, but since its launch in February this year, it's been a device that's surprised time and time again. There was a lot standing in the way of the Steam Deck's success initially. Back when it launched, Valve announced just over 100 games that were verified to be compatible with the Steam Deck, with only 60 of those achieving its highest level of...

I've been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I've faced down demons, giants, advanced alien species, and thanks to Japanese RPGs, I've attacked and dethroned my fair share of gods. But this year, Arcade Paradise encapsulated how sometimes, the smaller stakes of interpersonal conflict and intergenerational relationships can make a more memorable antagonist by feeling relatable and grounded. Arcade Paradise spoilers follow. Arcade Paradise's story begins very light and unassuming. As a young college dropout named Ashley, you occasionally get voicemails from your father, who put you in charge of a laundromat. There's some mild signs of strife between you two and slightly snide comments about how this job will help teach you some responsibility, but on the whole, it seems no more strained than any typical parent-child relationship. As you delve deeper, you also start talking with your sister, Lesley, who works at City Hall. She serves a gameplay funct...

Nothing gets you into the festive mood quicker than some intense PvP action, and if you happen to hovering around the Destiny 2 Solar system this weekend, that's exactly what's on the menu as Trials of Osiris returns. This is a great time to test out the new Revision Zero Exotic pulse rifle in that arena and you can also check out where Xur is in case you want some new gear before you attempt a flawless run. Here's where you'll play Trials of Osiris this weekend and what weapons you can earn. Map: To be confirmed Reputation Rank 4: Upgrade Module x 2 Reputation Rank 7: Enhancement Prism x 3 Reputation Rank 10: Trials Weapon (Changes for each rank reset) Reputation Rank 13: Upgrade Module x 2 Reputation Rank 16: Trials Weapon (Changes for each rank reset) Flawless Reward: To be confirmed Trials weapons now carry the Alacrity Origin Trait. It gives you increased aim assist, reload speed, stability, and range on your Trials guns when you're the last living ...

There is no denying that Elden Ring is the best game of 2022. That’s my pick, by the way. I actually think anybody who picks anything else needs to give their head a wobble (though I respect their opinion, of course, and suggest aspirin for the bumped head). But then, at the same time… gosh, there’s some games I really admire this year. There’s Vampire Survivors , which has the excellent frenetic energy of a 90s classic. There’s Marvel Snap , which somehow dragged me back to the world of collectible card games, against all odds, and at the same time that an improved digital version of the Pokemon TCG launched. I could go on. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a top-tier JRPG, gleefully using genre tropes with no shame or embarrassment – and to great effect. Pentiment is the sort of game the industry needs to make more of. Midnight Suns continues Firaxis’ streak of only making shit-hot games, and nothing else, all bangers, all the time. Immortality is mind-meltingly brilliant. And, god –...

God of War Ragnarok did the rounds back in November, and sweeped The Game Awards as a result. For those of you who can’t get enough of Kratos, and are no doubt replaying the original trilogy or weeping at the end credits, there’s some good news. Sony Santa Monica has finally confirmed that New Game Plus will be added to God of War Ragnarok. Unfortunately, you’re not going to be able to replay the adventure in NG+ over Christmas, but you also won’t have too long to wait either. Announced via a tweet, Sony Santa Monica says, “We know many of you have been asking, so we’re happy to confirm that New Game Plus will be coming to God of War Ragnarok in Spring 2023!” So, those of you eagerly anticipating a second or third play through of the game will be hearing more in early 2023. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/1GXRzWe via IFTTT

There is a woman at this party. Slight and dainty, she's the niece of a posh lord. She hides her jawline beneath a fan, smiles with glittering power as she is invited to the card table. Her hands are always bad and her grasp of the rules seems tenuous. Forgetting her knife-sharp grin, you settle into a wine-fuelled haze. Only when the night is over do you count your coins, realize how much you've lost, and think again of that shining smile. In its broad survey of French aristocracy, Card Shark allows players to explore crossdressing and queerness. The game's tangible relationship to history is playful, broad, and particular ( as I've written about before ). Card Shark freely borrows tricksters and cheats from throughout history but also shows off the unique class-bridging function of card playing in the specific time period. Card Shark's France is broiling with class friction, as a rising bourgeoisie has increasing power but is also isolated from the immense wealth...

I'll be honest with you: I didn’t play many games this year. I blame our wedding. It consumed most of my free time, what with trying to get the photographer, DJ, florist, videographer, and cake bakery sorted. People were also taking their sweet time RSVPing, so I had to get with everyone individually to get a headcount for the venue caterer. A word of advice: if you ever decide to get married, ELOPE. Take the money you would have spent on a wedding and use it to get married and have a vacation at the same time. Because when all is said and done, you could go someplace super nice for what you would spend on a wedding and still have money and plenty of room left on your credit cards in the end. Now that I have provided you with a bit of wisdom, let’s get to the games. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/0ODEuVj via IFTTT

December 22 is here, which means it’s Christmas time thanks to today’s GTA Online Weekly Update ! The game has received a selection of temporary changes and updates as is the norm for the vast amount of the year, although this week is obviously an especially unique week with loads of holiday-themed rewards and content. This also includes limited discounts, bonuses to specific mission types, and free vehicles for you to fight over. In the GTA Online December 22 weekly update , new events, a new christmas-styled cars, and a whole lot of seasonal prizes are up for grabs for players with a bit of cash or some luck on their side. This short roundup article will cover every new coming to the game this week that you need to know about. This’ll include discounted cars, a new podium vehicle and double GTA cash and RP on select missions. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/MbXZltS via IFTTT

With an adorable fox in a little green tunic--brandishing a sword and shield in its quest to save the world--it might have been easy for Tunic to wear its influences too proudly on its sleeve. From a high-level perspective, it's got all the trappings of a classic Legend of Zelda adventure, from color-coded McGuffins to collect, to distinct biomes that require certain tools and tricks to navigate through. For much of the game's opening, it sticks strictly to a formula you're mostly familiar with, inviting the desire for something new just as it introduces it with generosity. From that point on, Tunic is entirely its own thing, eschewing any assumptions you might have made about its structure and delivering an engrossing, surprising, adventure. Central to this feat is a core mechanic that feels unique to Tunic: an in-game manual. When you pause Tunic, you're presented with a fuzzy view of the game world as a backdrop to a crisp game manual; a neat little trick that infor...

Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link was announced all the way back in April 2022, and will be a new mobile instalment for the series. Set in Scala ad Caelum, the game will fill out the gaps left in-between the stories of previous mobile entries to Kingdom Hearts, Union X and Dark Road. Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced alongside the mobile game , obviously overshadowing it, and while we don’t yet have a release date for either, Missing-Link was initially said to start beta testing in winter this year. Alas, we’re well into winter, and we now finally have an update on the game of sorts. Shared to the Twitter account for Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, game director and designer Tetsuya Nomura revealed on December 19 that recruitment for Kingom Hearts Missing-Link play tests has now started. Sign-ups to the beta test will be available up until December 26 , leaving you a small window of just a few days to try your luck. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/LIFA4ED via IFTTT

First spotted by Game Developer , the UK’s competition regulator — THE Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) — has published a summary of public responses it has received in reaction to Microsoft’s planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Since the approximately $69 billion acquisition was first announced during the very beginning of 2022, there has been a repeated back and forth, as regulators globally investigate the merger, and what impact it may have on competition in the markets. Just recently, it was revealed that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. There’s also been a back and forth between Microsoft and Sony as the two companies argue for or against the acquisition, with Microsoft stating that, " Call of Duty gamers are neither ‘special’ nor ‘unique’ in terms of either their spending or user engagement as compared to gamers that favor other popular franchises.” It also suggested that The Elder S...

If my year in gaming was one of those Spotify Wrapped things that people like to crow about like music taste isn’t the most subjective thing in the world, my top artist would be Ed Sheeran with Taylor Swift in second, and I’d be in the 50th percentile of listeners. But even if my picks are vanilla ice cream, it’s the posh stuff that has the little black bits of pod in; Haagen Dazs at the very least. So while my choices for games of the year will win no plaudits for originality, they are extremely good all the same. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/VDXcgUv via IFTTT

It appears that Mario fans can’t stop demaking trailers for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie from Illumination, as they’ve gone and done it again. Two months ago, we saw the initial teaser trailer receive a partial Nintendo 64 demake by an animator called Coda , showing off the horde of penguins in all their huge, intimidating N64 glory as they unleash their fury on Bowser. Then, when Illumination shared an all-new trailer for the movie just three weeks ago, featuring Peach, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and even Rainbow Road, YouTuber King Bob Gaming got to work demaking this new trailer. He started with a partial remake , and joked about demaking the whole trailer if the clip received 10k likes… and, well, the likes came flooding in. At the time of writing, his original clip sits at 27k likes. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/lS2y0Ik via IFTTT

Atari recently released its half-year earnings report for the current financial year, and it didn't seem to have much good news for the Atari VCS console . As picked up by Tom's Hardware , the report pointed to a decline in Atari's hardware sales, along with a reorganization of the hardware side of the business that would involve suspending relationships with the VCS' manufacturer. The report points to a 92% decrease in hardware revenue year-on-year, dropping from $2.44 million to only $212,466. Atari points to a decline in "cartridge activity" to account for this drop, as well as "underperformance by the VCS." Overall, Atari reported a 27% decrease in revenue from the same period last year. The report also mentions that Atari have been busy with a reorganization of its hardware business for the first half of the financial year. This includes "the suspension of direct hardware manufacturing relationships, notably with regards to the Atari VCS...

If you own any Ubisoft games on Stadia, you'll receive Ubisoft Connect copies of them at no additional cost. This will happen automatically if you have linked your Ubisoft account to Stadia. If you haven't already, you'll need to do that before Stadia shuts down on January 18, 2023 in order to receive your games. It's important to note that in-game currency will not transfer to Ubisoft Connect, but any items you purchase will, if the game in question has cross-progression. You can check out an FAQ from Ubisoft for more details of what exactly will transfer. If you subscribed to Ubisoft+ Multi-Access through Stadia, you'll get an email with instructions on how to sign up directly on the Ubisoft website. You'll also receive a voucher for a free month of Ubisoft+. If you're in the US, you can continue streaming Ubisoft+ through Amazon Luna. If you're outside the US, you'll get a discount for six months of Ubisoft+ Multi-Access. Every Ubisoft customer...

Developer Sloclap announced that Sifu will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam in March 2023. A new Arenas mode will also be included, where players can earn new rewards as they take down more and more enemies. "Successfully completing the arenas will progressively unlock a massive new modifiers batch, which doubles the current game's amount and notably brings alternative moves to the Kung Fu palette of our main character," Sloclap explains to IGN . "Completing the new Arenas challenges will also unlock new cheats and exclusive new outfits." I'm sure you never had any doubt the day would come... New content? 👀 New platforms? 👀👀 IT. IS. HAPPENING! 🔥 Check out our latest #Sifu REVEAL TEASER over at @IGN 's website! https://t.co/ZydrR5aUvj Wishlist on Steam: https://t.co/6ykTM44kGm https://t.co/VSrkf0bJSn pic.twitter.com/7kU0RN2tzM — SifuGame (@SifuGame) December 20, 2022 Sifu's summer update back in August added a ...

Put on the Barry White and dim the lights, Final Fantasy is getting sexy. Not that it wasn't always a bit sexy, to be fair, what with its domme-flavoured fantasy PlayBoy bunnies and absurdly-chested goth girlfriends. But per a new ESRB rating that's come up for the game, the latest title is going to have at least a little bit of "partial nudity" and some "sexual themes". The ESRB (that's the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, for what it's worth) has given Final Fantasy 16 an “M17+” rating, with the aforementioned “partial nudity” and “sexual themes” bumping the rating up – as well as some of the usual blood, gore, and violence. The rating itself gives us a little more information about what we can expect from the game, too. "This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of an enslaved prince (Clive) on a quest to find his missing brother," reads the ESRB blurb. "From a third-person perspective, players ex...

The Federal Trade Commission has settled an agreement with Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite , regarding privacy violations and deceptive interfaces that violate the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. As a result of the allegations, Epic Games is to pay a $275 million penalty for violating the COPPA rule, and another $245 million is to be used to refund customers victim to the “dark patterns and billing practices” outlined by FTC. Additionally, noted as a “first-of-its-kind provision” by the FTC, Epic Games is going to be required to integrate strong privacy default settings for children and teens. Just recently, Epic launched Cabined Accounts for those under the age of 13 , and these accounts limit multiplayer communications, in-game purchases, and the ability to install games that aren’t by Epic. Read more from VG247 Latest Articles Feed https://ift.tt/oT5J7Ck via IFTTT

Fortnite developer Epic Games has agreed to pay $520 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in multiple ways. The FTC claims that Epic illegally collected personal information from Fortnite players under the age of 13 without parental consent, enabled voice and text chat by default, and exposed teens to "dangerous and psychologically traumatizing issues such as suicide." Epic Games creator of the video game Fortnite, to pay a total of $520 million over FTC allegations Epic violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and deployed dark patterns to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases: https://t.co/yHaQx8VXlu — FTC (@FTC) December 19, 2022 As the Wall Street Journal reports, $275 million of that total is a civil penalty for the COPPA violations, which is the largest in the law's history. The remaining $245 million are consumer refunds stemming fr...

The Epic Games Store is once again hosting its 15 Days of Christmas giveaway event. From now through December 29, you can claim one free game every day on the Epic Games Store. Typically, Epic gives away one or two free games each week, so now's your chance to stock up and play some new games over the holidays. In previous years, the promotion has included some very popular games in both the AAA and indie spaces. Just like Christmas morning, you won't know what your mystery gift is until it "unwraps." The surprise is part of the fun. If you want to try to figure out the identity of the next freebie, the wrapping paper covering the next freebie's artwork will contain clues. It's important to stress that each free game in this promotion will only be available for 24 hours. Each game will go live at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, so you may want to set a recurring reminder for yourself. This promotion is replacing the normal weekly cadence of freebies until 2023 rolls ar...

My game of the year for 2022 is Signalis. A survival horror title that I feel absolutely deserves a space among the genre’s best like Silent Hill 2. It is a 10/10 game, I have very few complaints and all of them are gripes and nitpicks. It is well worth playing. Created by a Germany-based duo Rose Engine, Signalis provides an experience that somehow both submerges itself in its inspiration, and produces something fresh and juicy. Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Ghost in the Shell, Evangelion. DNA from all of those and a deluge of horror material bleed into Signalis. The result? An indie game unlike anything I’ve seen before. Maybe it’s because I write often on live service titles as part of my job that a tight, 6-8 hour experience with no fluff, no needless exposition or grinding, was so refreshing. A game that knows what it wants to do and wraps up neatly by its conclusion. Funnily enough,that’s what made me play it six times to completion by the time of this article’s publication. Sig...

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 recently received a mid-season update, but players are reporting a range of bugs causing some problems. The update, called Season 1 Reloaded, launched last week, introducing a refreshed take on the fan-favourite map Shipment, the game's first raid that picks up where the base game's story left off, and a limited-time game mode Warzone Cup. Unfortunately, the update also brought in some unwanted bugs and glitches, causing some frustration amongst players (thanks, Eurogamer ). As shared on the game's subreddit , one of the more notable problems is that players' custom builds are being erased. It wasn't clear what the problem was at first, as some players reported that only some of their builds were lost, but Infinity Ward later found that the issue was related to equipping gold camos on those loadouts. Some players are also finding that they have lost all weapon camo progressions, obviously an annoying thing to experience considering ...