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Disney Dreamlight Valley's upcoming Jungle Getaway update is scheduled for October 9, and it'll let players experience an old realm inspired by The Lion King in a new way. This also means some familiar faces are making an appearance... Read more.View the full article

Paradox Interactive have announced that Hearts of Iron IV is getting a big new expansion in Götterdämmerung on November 14th, and they're bringing the whole Expansion Pass idea from other games to Hearts of Iron IV as well. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Sometimes, you just need to unwind from all the fighting and do something more relaxing. Adventurer Pro Percy has a perfect solution for you—fishing. Here’s everything you need to know about fishing in Throne and Liberty. How to unlock fishing in Throne and Liberty Ready to fish at all times. Screenshot by Dot Esports To unlock fishing in Throne and Liberty, you must complete the Adventures of the Expedition quest in Chapter three first. In this quest, the Adventurer Pro Percy tells you about the Amitoi House and the expeditions. Complete an expedition and talk to Percy to claim your reward—a Bamboo Fishing Rod. View the full article

Yesterday, Valve dropped a Steam client beta update focused largely on Game Recording – the beta version’s recently added clip-capturing utility. It’s a pretty wide-spanning array of improvements, adding support for ultrawide monitor resolutions up to 32:9, the high-quality H.265 (HEVC) video codec – on Windows only for now, apologies to the Steam Deck – and the option to "record a specified game indefinitely with no specified time limit." Read more View the full article

I was on vacation last week, the kind of vacation in which entire days had no particular plan. I had brought the ROG Ally X with me, and, with the review done and Windows still annoying me, I looked around at the DIY scene, wondering if things had changed since my last foray into DIY Steam Deck cloning. Things had changed for the better. I tried out Bazzite, and after dealing with the typical Linux installation tasks—activating the BIOS shortcut, turning off Secure Boot, partitioning—I had the Steam Deck-like experience I had sought on this more powerful handheld. Since I installed Bazzite, I have not had to mess with drivers, ***** up to a monitor and keyboard for desktop mode, or do anything other than play games. Until Valve officially makes SteamOS available for the ROG Ally and (maybe) other handhelds, Bazzite is definitely worth a look for anyone who thinks their handheld could do better. Read full article Comments View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The pale garden biome is easily one of Minecraft’s most terrifying regions. This eerily quiet biome has some horrifying secrets for you to uncover, but you need to know how to find a pale garden before you can start exploring. If you’re up for a combat challenge or looking for a fresh set of blocks you can use for your next build, the pale garden biome is one of the best spots you can visit. Tracking one down can be rather tough though, so here’s how to find the pale garden biome in Minecraft. View the full article

Synduality Echo of Ada is a curious game with a post-apocalyptic world, mechs, and idyllic AI companions. It even has its own anime tie-in called Synduality Noir. To be honest, it hadn’t even crossed my radar until recently, but after spending some time with this PvPvE extraction shooter and talking to the developers, I’m intrigued, to say the least. I played the first hour or so of Synduality Echo of Ada, the same portion that was recently available during the closed network test. The game begins with a condensed history told with comic book-like storyboarding. Many years ago, the world as we know it was destroyed after a poisonous rain called The Tears of the New Moon not only decimated the population, but spawned vicious monsters called Enders. Now, the last remaining dregs of society run on a rare resource called AO Crystals. It’s up to the Drifters, essentially mech-piloting freelancers, to face the dangers of the surface and collect these crystals. Drifters are never alone, though–they always have their highly customizable Magus (aka Human Duality Cognitive Androids) by their side, helping them manage missions and even pilot their mechs. Mechs, by the way, are called CRADLECOFFINS. No, I don’t know why, and yes, I should have asked. This intro video is presented by the Drifter Support Association and immediately reeks of ***********. It’s hosted by an adorable rabbit-looking plushy named Yoshio with a disturbingly deep voice, who says things like, “I heard all the cool kids want to be Drifters. You’re cool, right?” The video’s goal is, obviously, to recruit (or peer pressure) folks into becoming Drifters, and prefaces the Drifter Support Association’s final section of the Drifter Selection Exam, which acts as a tutorial. Though the story ***** left me curious, especially about the Magus origin and purpose and the potentially nefarious Drifter Support Assocition, it isn’t as important as the core gameplay loop. As a new Drifter, your garage is, to put it as lightly as possible, a complete dump. It needs a lot of repairs if you want to craft freely and live comfortably. To repair the base and craft supplies, you need to collect materials and resources, and to make money, you need to complete missions. Both of these goals can be accomplished by deploying on Sorties out into the world piloting your CRADLECOFFIN and accompanied by your Magus. Expeditions to the surface can almost be described as methodical and calming, but with bursts of action. Sortie to the map. Scan surroundings with the help of your Magus. Extract AO Crystals and collect materials needed for quests, crafting, or base upgrades, and then get the ***** out–all while dealing with hostile Enders, other players that may be friend or foe, and the toxic rain that eats away at your CRADLECOFFIN’s armor. So yes, you can kidnap other players’ waifus or husbandos, and have your own kidnapped, too. Avoiding the poisonous rain is more difficult than it looks at first glance–I found myself trying to seek shelter in ruins that looked protected yet were apparently not. Luckily, I was able to recover, and I’m sure I’d learn of safe resting spots if I played more. But I can’t say I wasn’t annoyed by the lack of shelter from what would have blocked the rain for me in real life. The main enemies, Enders, come in a wide variety, but I only saw three when I played. They ranged from simple nuisances to dangerous foes to be avoided, especially when in numbers. Still, even with scarier Enders about that forced me to retreat at times, the real difficulty of Synduality seems like it could be determined by the other Drifters–real players like you. As you explore, you can spawn at many different points, and other players will be looking for resources on the same map. They, or you, can choose to hunt other players, ignore them, or help out. You can’t turn off friendly *****, and that applies to things like your Magus’ healing AOE’s, too. It was nerve-wracking when my Magus told me another Drifter was nearby! Would they be friend or foe? When I did encounter someone, they emoted a friendly wave and said to cease *****… before they immediately turned on me when I let my guard down. If you’re defeated before making it to an extraction point elevator, you’ll leave behind everything on you, all of which can now be taken by other players. This includes the parts that make up your CRADLECOFFIN and equipment, and even your Magus, who you’ll have to get back by paying a large ransom, the developers told me. So yes, you can kidnap other players’ waifus or husbandos, and have your own kidnapped, too. You can somewhat prepare for this by getting insurance for different items, or putting something in a safety pocket. And, as a last resort, you can hold a series of buttons to bail out with your Magus. You’ll lose everything else, but at least the two of you will escape with your lives. Encountering hostile players sounds like it could get incredibly frustrating, especially if you encounter players at a much higher skill level than yourself, when playing an otherwise not-too-difficult yet enjoyably challenging game. The developers assured me that, at least in the beginning, you’ll be grouped more often with players similar to yourself–PK’rs with other PK’rs, and peaceful players with other peaceful players. As far as difficulty in general, the director of Synduality, Yohei Kataoka, said feedback from players points to Synduality being as at a “good” level of difficulty and they can see from their end that missions have a high clearance rate. The controls are easy to master and the more you play, the more you’ll learn, Kataoka explained. I can definitely corroborate that the controls were very intuitive for anyone who’s played a third-person shooter, and they felt good, too, for simulating piloting a mech. I asked them to compare Synduality to the notoriously difficult extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov, and Kataoka said: “If you’re comparing [Synduality] to Tarkov, this game’s easy.” Though the rewards seem disproportionately high for being a player *******, there are also some consequences to going after fellow Drifters. The Drifter Support Association looks down on hunting other Drifters, and will stop issuing quests to adamant player killers, among other consequences that are yet unrevealed. The developers also told me your Magus would even start offering different advice if you’re a player *******, like if someone on the map is an easy target. Interesting! Usually, your Magus will dish out advice as it learns by going out on expeditions with you. It will remember things like where you found a rare resource, so it can automatically mark those points on your map if you have a quest for it or wishlist something that requires it. It will also warn you if you enter an area you previously *****, among other things. The devs easily landed on “Magus” when asked what the most difficult part of development was. Not only was it difficult to determine how much information the Magus should relay to the player (they are quite chatty as they are, currently), but from the production side, it makes for a lot of different dialogue lines that need to be recorded by many different voice actors. “There is no other title that has something quite like this, you know, a Magus, a helper, side-by-side with the player,” Futami explained. “Maybe it’s because it’s difficult, a hassle, to do… So having Magus itself is one of the stronger points of Synduality.” Magus also provide moral support, another unique benefit. Futami explained that AI in Synduality will be together with you at good times and bad. Usually, in extraction games, you lose everything, which can be very demoralizing. But in Synduality, Futami said your AI will be by your side to support and encourage you to try again. I can already tell you some people would probably get annoyed by their Magus constantly confirming hits or telling you where to go or what to do, but universally I think players will enjoy their Magus between Sorties. They greet you when you return and are seen puttering about in the base. When I upgraded an area, my Magus cleared the area of weeds and cooked me dinner with them–it was cute! They’re fun touches that break up the monotony of menus and any potential repetitive expedition-going. I’m told there’s a lot more to the Magus, too, but we’ll just have to find that out as we play. Synduality’s theme that “you’re never alone” is entirely made possible by the existence of the Magus. Though you’ll technically be playing with other people, they won’t necessarily be helpful, and you won’t be able to team up with any particular person online. Futami explained that they chose to not include co-op because not only would it entirely throw off the balance of the game, but because losing a human partner can be difficult to deal with. Magus is a better substitute, and is always available to play with, unlike adults with sporadic free time. Synduality is a full-price, full-experience standalone game, but there will be season battle passes with different missions, goals, and rewards, and some monetization that includes cosmetics, like for the Magus, that won’t affect gameplay. I didn’t get a good look at this system myself, unfortunately, but I was told the first season focuses on rising up from zero–out of the starting hub covered in vegetation. It’s hard to say if the gameplay loop might become repetitive sooner rather than later after such a short amount of time with it, but Synduality’s ***** definitely left me wanting more. The structure lends itself to a mindset of, “I have time for one Sortie” that would easily lead into “but just one more.” I had fun exploring and fighting, and I wanted to learn more about the customization options I could unlock for my CRADLECOFFIN and Magus–it looks like there are plenty. Synduality Echo of Ada will be released on January 23, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast is fundamentally changing how Magic: The Gathering’s most popular format will operate. Earlier this week, the card game’s publisher announced that it will assume control of the Commander format after a week of controversial decisions punctuated by an outpouring of violent harassment. The decision ends the format’s 13-year run as a volunteer-led and community-driven entity wholly independent of Wizards of the Coast. Last week, the Commander Rules Committee, a volunteer panel of Magic: The Gathering experts, made the decision to ban four highly sought-after and powerful cards, prohibiting their inclusion in Commander decks. In response, some players began harassing committee members, which included sending ****** and... Continue reading… View the full article

A new **** of War Ragnarok PC mod fixes one annoying issue players had with the game since its 2022 PS5 launch: the seemingly never-ending chatter from Kratoss companions. **** of War Ragnarok was finally ported to PC on September 19, allowing gamers who dont have a PS5 to experience the action-packed Norse epic with new graphical enhancements and other quality-of-life features. For the most part, Ragnarok has been hailed as another solid entry in the **** of War series, featuring brutal combat, impressive visuals, and a deep and emotional story following Kratos and Atreus as they come to terms with their respective destinies. View the full article

EA has announced that The Sims 4: Life and ****** will finally add an afterlife to the series, along with reincarnation and even a Grim Reaper job. View the full article

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will handle difficulty in an incredibly unique way depending on how players choose to position the camera in the upcoming remake. According to developers, fans will have the choice of playing through the iconic Metal Gear experience in the game's original fixed perspective or a new third-person view, both of which will come with their own difficulties, theoretically helping to make the classic game's debut on next-gen hardware go more smoothly. View the full article

Saber Interactive and Paramount Game Studios announced a new AAA RPG set within the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe, teasing it will be the biggest game yet in the franchise. Even though the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender series came to a close in 2008, the franchise has retained its popularity over the years thanks to the sequel animated series The Legend of Korra, various video game releases, a Fortnite collaboration, as well as a recent live-action adaptation from Netflix. View the full article

Out 17th October on Steam, Mask Quest is a platform game in which you hold and release a button to refill your character's lungs while dodging police batons, bullets, gas grenades and drones. Neglect to do so, and you'll pop your clogs. It's the kind of mechanical tomfoolery you'd associate with Peter Molydeux, but in this case, it's all the fine work of Stephen's Sausage Roll developer increpare and Quadrant developer undef. The developers have somehow gotten 50 levels out of this meme-ish premise, and it looks like quite an elaborate hop-and-bopper with some less-cheerful political overtones. Here's the trailer. Read more View the full article

On Sunday, September 29, Pokémon TCG player Ryuki Okada won the weekend's Dortmund Regionals tournament with an interesting and unusual deck list that excited fans. Amidst a sea of Terapagos/Dusknoir and Charizard/Pidgeot decks, he was one of the only players relying on the might of ghostly dragon Dragapult. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The 50 rarest and most expensive Pokémon cards How many Pokémon cards are there? How many Pokémon are there in 2024? View the full article

Saber Interactive and Paramount Game Studios today announced they're partnering to develop a new AAA RPG set in the Avatar Legends universe. View the full article

Starfield’s Shattered Space DLC has new adventures waiting around every corner. While the main story will take up a large chunk of your time, there are other side quests to complete, including the Fallen Footsteps quest that channels your inner ghost hunter. This Shattered Space quest is received at the House of Healing from Vassilis Voria, though it is only unlocked if you complete his previous quest, Lost and Found, and starts relatively simple enough. You’re tasked with dealing with a Vortex Phantom at an Orphanage, with the location marked on your map. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World has released a 90-minute documentary about completing the game during a Russian invasion. The Ukrainian studio was originally set to releasse the game in late 2022, but when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 development was put on hold. The invasion led to some of the developers relocating to a new office in the Czech Republic, but the combination of this upheaval and Russia’s continued ******* meant the game’s development continued to suffer numerous delays. Read More... View the full article

Helldivers 2 latest order in the path towards building that space station has seen some unforseen challenges thrown Super Earth's way - the main one being a whole PSN outage. Now, though, the current Major Order is entering its final stages, and it looks like they'd be defined by a final big stand to hold Turing, even if you won't necessarily be fighting on it. Read more View the full article

Image: Paramount There’s a new game coming in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, according to a report from IGN. Paramount and Saber Interactive are teaming up to make the action RPG, which will put you in control of an “all-new, never-before-seen Avatar.” Details about the upcoming game are still slim, but the companies tell IGN that it will let players master all four elements with “dynamic combat alongside companions” as well as “experience the challenges and decisions that come with being the keeper of balance in the world.” Since the release of the animated ATLA series in 2005, we’ve seen several video game and live-action adaptations, including one on Netflix. Last year, Bamtang Games released Avatar: The Last Airbender - Quest for Balance —... Continue reading… View the full article

As you’ve probably heard, Ubisoft isn’t in a great spot at the moment. While it seems to be taking steps to dig itself out of the cycle of mediocrity it has spun for itself, recent comments from CEO Yves Guillemot make me unconvinced that the company knows what mediocrity is. The comments in question came during the much-talked-about Ubisoft investors call. You know, the one where they said Star Wars Outlaws had “soft” sales, that *********’s Creed Shadows was being delayed, and plenty of other news you’ve probably read on the internet lately? I’m behind on this story, I know. It’s been a really long week. But one comment from Guillemot from that same call just recently caught my eye, and it’s one I think a lot of video game industry figures probably share. “In today’s challenging market, and with gamers expecting extraordinary experiences,” Guillemot said, “delivering solid quality is no longer enough.” Many people and outlets took this as a thinly veiled statement against unrealistic expectations from video game consumers, and there might have been some of that flavor bubbling under the surface for Guillemot. But mainly, I read it and thought to myself, “Have these people played Palworld?” View the full article

Following numerous rumors based on a fake PC Gamer article, Riot Games has confirmed on Twitter that it is not making a Deadlock hero shooter competitor. Senior director of corporate communications at Riot, Joe Hixson, also states that "Tencent doesn't fund our dev like this," and that other games are in research and development at Riot at the moment, but that none resemble the new Valve game. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Deadlock release date estimate, latest news, trailers, and more Latest Deadlock patch notes ***** a hero-breaking exploit from orbit Risk of Rain 2 co-creator now working on Valve multiplayer game Deadlock View the full article

Illustration:The Verge / Image: Blizzard Entertainment Journalist Jason Schreier discusses his new book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Continue reading… View the full article

Developer The Farm 51 shows off the first gameplay trailer for its post-apocalyptic title Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone. View the full article

Starfield: Shattered Space launched earlier this week to "Mixed" reviews on Steam as even the positive reviews lamented the Chosen One narrative, lack of substantial companions, underdeveloped Andreja arc, and shorter length. But things have only gotten worse as more reviews pour in. View the full article

Sony has pulled Horizon Zero Dawn from the Epic Games Store, meaning the original 2017 action-adventure game is no longer available to purchase on the storefront. While this might seem like an odd decision by Sony, the studio has likely delisted Horizon Zero Dawn to make way for the upcoming remaster, which is scheduled to release on October 31. View the full article