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The Magic Bean is a curious little item you can find in PEAK, and its use can be quite confusing if you don't know what to do. This specific item wasn't part of the launch version, but it was added as part of an update on June 18. Since then, players have been busy trying to find it, which isn't very difficult (as long as you haven't started your ascent). The ******* confusion happens when it comes to using the item. This guide will provide you with all the information that will help you make the best use possible. Table of contentsHow does the Magic Bean work in PEAK?How to get the Magic Bean in PEAK?How does the Magic Bean work in PEAK? I treat the Magic Bean as a "bridge creator" of sorts. No, it doesn't create a literal bridge (that would have been cool), but it does generate a pole. Once the bean is used, you'll create a tall pole, which is actually a stalk that goes very high above the ground. I don't know its exact height, but it's significantly taller than palm trees on the island. Using the Magic Bean is pretty easy. Take it out of your item slot or your inventory, and throw it down on the ground. That's it, as the stalk will come out of the ground and keep growing. If you have guessed it by now, the stalk is scalable and allows you to reach locations that otherwise wouldn't be possible. For example, it's one way to reach the floating luggage, where ropes won't be able to help you. How to get the Magic Bean in PEAK? Screenshot via Landcrab Obtaining many of the items in the game is purely random. For example, the Bugle of Friendship is obtainable from Ancient Chests or statues at campfires. However, there's no guarantee of obtaining one, which isn't the case with the Magic Bean. Some rumors suggest that they're located at the exact spot (I will verify this once we get a new island), but you'll always find them on the SHORE. Just scout the beaches on the SHORE, and it will look like the image above. Make sure to throw the bean at a suitable spot to use it properly; don't use it in an area where there are plenty of scalable cliffs. The post What does Magic Bean do in PEAK? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Whoops — Sony just leaked Monster Hunter Wilds' Title Update 2 via the official PlayStation website. The changes have been rolled back now, naturally, but for a brief while the Monster Hunter Wilds page on the PlayStation Store revealed the update is set to release on June 30. As well as a firm release date, Sony's website also confirmed we'll be getting more events, layered weapons, the Leviathan Arch-Tempered Uth Duna, and two "fan-favorite" monsters — one is definitely Lagiacrus, the underwater leviathan, with the other widely speculated to be Seregios, based on datamine sources. Oh, and this cosmetic armor set has also been discovered, too: The new event rewards make me feel like an old man... byu/youMYSTme inMonsterHunter .reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; } Capcom had told us to expect the “latest news” on the company’s upcoming games, as well as interviews with the developers, at its showcase later this week, so that's likely when this information will be officially unveiled. The Capcom Spotlight livestream is set for 3pm PT/ 11pm *** time on Thursday, June 25. The latest in Capcom's long-running monster-fighting series brought in some big numbers with its launch, selling 8 million copies in just three days. That's enough to make it the fastest-selling Capcom game of all time, well above the 5 million copies 2018's Monster Hunter World shipped in 2018 and the 4 million Monster Hunter Rise shipped in 2021. We gave Monster Hunters Wilds an 8 in our review, writing: "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge." To help get your Monster Hunter Wilds adventure started, take a look at what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t tell you, and a guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. We’ve also got a detailed MH Wilds walkthrough in progress, a MH Wilds multiplayer guide to explain how to play with friends, and if you’ve played one of the open betas, here’s how to transfer your MH Wilds Beta character over. Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky. View the full article

Arc System Works has announced that it will be hosting a Showcase presentation later this week. The Yokohama-based developer and publisher, best known for its fighting games, will broadcast its Arc System Works Showcase stream at 10am (Japan time) on Friday, June 27. In other regions, this means the showcase will start at the following time: Read More... View the full article

Helldivers 2 players might have managed to stop the Illuminate from totally destroying their home planet towards the end of last month, but it still got pretty badly trashed. Enter the game's latest mission - kick off the Super Earth rebuild by securing "reparations". How are those funds being secured, you ask? This is Helldivers 2, so it's by killing a bunch more baddies. Read more View the full article

Lies Of P developers at Round8 and Neowiz have received bonuses as a reward for the Gabbo-like action game reaching 3 million cumulative sales across physical and digital on PC and consoles. Cheers, VGC. As originally reported by South Korean tech site The Elec, staff have each received a previously arranged 10 million won bonus (about £5400) early, alongside two weeks' paid holiday. This is on top of South Korea's mandatory 15 days paid holiday for employees that have been with a company for more than a year. Read more View the full article

The Drifter's titular speaks in the sort of rough Aussie accent that, alongside his first person, present tense commentary ("I grab the tarp"), lends this point 'n click adventure the feeling of being a half-memory, relayed over dive bar drinks, possibly to a reluctant server. It's dreamlike, isolated, at least until it erupts into pockets of panic. A "fast-paced point 'n click" is how the Steam page describes it. Sounds like a misnomer, but while there's no time limits as far as I could tell, The Drifter's scenario design and pacing is all about tension, danger, and desperate puzzles that feel grounded in the present moment. And, actually, I get the sense that the server's pretty into the story by this point. Read more View the full article

If you've been living under an indie rock the past week, you might have missed out on arguably one of the best indie games of the year in PEAK, a fun co-operative climbing game that tests your morals and friendships all in one neat package. It has taken over Steam in the past week and is relatively affordable for the majority of PC players. Its main premise is simple: you and your friends are dropped onto a randomly generated world and need to climb to the peak of the island to call for rescue. There are a lot more nuances than that, but overall, the game is a mix of mystery and fun that I have been longing for for quite some time now. [Hidden Content] A lot of its charm comes from the characters and the art style of the world, and the way in which every achievement you complete unlocks new cosmetics and a badge that appears on the sash of your character. As you climb peaks, you also unlock new difficulty options that add an extra challenge to the game, such as making you take damage at night when it's cold, or even as far as perma death if you or a friend were to die. For those who just want to experience some goofy fun with friends, though, there is a lot to do here. Sticking together is vital to help friends who might be hungry or lacking stamina up to a higher ledge, and finding various items to take on the hectic climb is essential, especially when a deadly fog is chasing you down and forcing you to scramble up the mountain faster. It's a game that is hard to explain but fun to play, so I implore anyone sitting on the fence to jump into PEAK as soon as possible. Even if you are playing by yourself, there is some fun to be had in trying to get some of the achievements or see how far you can get solo. But it is definitely worth playing with friends. Just remember rule 0: Never leave a scout behind... unless you want the Scoutmaster to get angry. No one is ever prepared for that cryptid monster encounter. The post PEAK is peak—so don’t miss out! appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

"Experts urge *** households follow tips to beat heatwave, Dread Spider Tide" screech the inter-tabloids. Sparkling pig-grade hogwash, I say. I've recently discovered that the only things you need to defeat the sun are a cheap space heater set to fan mode and a PC overworked to boiling point, the combination of which creates some sort of mysteriously blissful temperature vacuum. Also, I refuse to open my curtains. For those also working on their attractive monitor-glow sallow tan, here are this week's new PC game releases. Read more View the full article

The Bugle of Friendship is an interesting item find on your adventures in PEAK, and it has the ability to make the life of your team easier on the summit to the top. This item can be considered a healing solution in one way, but it doesn't cure your ailments. Instead, it allows you to boost your entire team's stamina in the required moment. This guide will help you find this elusive item and discuss the best ways to use them. Table of contentsHow does the Bugle of Friendship work in PEAK?How do you find the Bugle of Friendship in PEAK?How does the Bugle of Friendship work in PEAK? There are different ways to increase your stamina in PEAK. A relatively easy way is to grab a bottle of water, which adds reserve stamina. However, the reserve stamina will still deplete on use, and that's where the Bugle of Friendship comes in. This item, when used, adds infinite stamina for you and all your teammates. Your stamina will not only recharge to full, but it won't deplete for a ******* of ten seconds. During this *******, you can try your hardest climbs without having to fear a fall. The same status effect will also apply one everyone in your party (as long as they're alive). Screenshot via Landcrab Ideally, the Bugle of Friendship is pretty hard to find, and it will largely boil down to your luck. Again, not everyone has to find it. As long as one of your group members has it, everyone will get the benefits when the item is used. Try to use it in a situation when you're anticipating a difficult climb that will be impossible to scale otherwise. Also, it's better to use it when your full party, or nearly all of them, is alive, as you'll make the most out of its benefits. Inform your friends before using it, and let them know that one of them plans to consume a water bottle to prevent them from wasting it. How do you find the Bugle of Friendship in PEAK? There are two current locations from where you can find this legendary item. Ancient ChestsStatues located at campsites Ultimately, it will all come down to your luck, as there's no guaranteed way to find the Bugle of Friendship in the current build of the game. If you're lucky, time is used perfectly to prevent it from turning into a waste. The post What does the Bugle of Friendship do in PEAK? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Once Human has just released a big update, giving players the ability to make Custom Servers with their own game rules. Also, Once Human announced the Global Annual Version 2.0 Showcase, promising a look at upcoming content and features. View the full article

During the Great Britpop Wars of the 1990s someone might have asked you whether you preferred Oasis or Blur. The correct answer was "Pulp, actually." Likewise, if someone asks whether you like Path of Exile 2 or Diablo 4, the correct answer is Grim Dawn, dammit... Read more.View the full article

This is probably more impressive to those of you who grew up with a NES, but even I, a Zelda-hating grouch, think it's kind of neat to see Ninja Gaiden in voxels instead of pixels, and with a camera you can move around... Read more.View the full article

If you've finished playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and want to play something that scratches the same itch, there are quite a few role-playing games out there that share similar gameplay styles and likely even influenced the development of Clair Obscur. Before you get to any of the games on this list, though, I'd highly recommend replaying Clair Obscur at least one more time, as you'll likely catch something you didn't on your first (or even your second) playthrough. View the full article

This week’s digital (and physical) shelves are groaning under the weight of some truly tempting game deals. Whether you're keen to revisit a cult classic, explore bold new IPs, or finally fill in a few of those backlog gaps, there’s never been a better excuse to buy now and play... eventually. This Day in Gaming In retro news, I’m lighting a 31-candle cake for Night Trap, a live-action FMV horror-adventure that dropped onto my Mega-CD in 1993 and quickly became ground zero for one of gaming’s first big moral panics. The premise was simple: switch between surveillance cameras to protect teens from trench-coated “Augers” using elaborate traps. The execution, however, was campy, confusing, and about as scary as a haunted house staffed entirely by local drama students. Its controversy sparked US Senate hearings that led to the creation of the ESRB, but that ripple effect reached our shores too. At the time, Oz didn’t even have a national classification system for video game; just a film-based workaround that couldn't keep up with new tech. Titles like Night Trap fuelled the push toward formalised ratings here, eventually paving the way for the OFLC's gaming guidelines in the late '90s and, later, the R18+ classification us Gen Xers and Millennials went to war for. You're welcome. Aussie birthdays for notable games - Night Trap (MCD) 1993. Redux - Sonic Adventure 2 (DC) 2001. Get - Shadows of the Damned (PS3,X360) 2011. Redux Contents NintendoXboxPlayStationPCPC GearLEGOHeadphonesTVsNice Savings for Nintendo Switch On Nintendo Switch, Super Mario RPG comes in strong. It’s a loving remake of the 1996 SNES title, which was Nintendo’s first-ever Mario RPG and a rare collab with Square. Speaking of stylish reinventions, Persona 5 Royal adds 30 extra hours of gameplay, three new endings, and a grappling hook. Because of course it does. Super Mario RPG (-18%) - A$65.90Persona 5 Royal (-33%) - A$66.80Burnout Paradise Rem. (-27%) - A$29EA Sports FC 25 (-62%) - A$34Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (-48%) - A$44What Remains of Edith Finch (-75%) - A$7.40 Expiring Recent Deals One Piece Odyssey Del. Ed. (-20%) - A$68Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (-50%) - A$39.70Biomutant (-40%) - A$36What Remains of Edith Finch (-75%) - A$7.40Dead by Daylight (-65%) - A$15.70 Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card. Switch Console Prices How much to Switch it up? [/url] Back to top Exciting Bargains for Xbox Over on Xbox Series X, Diablo IV drops hard in price just in time for Season 5. You might not know that composer Leo Kaliski sampled Icelandic field recordings for the soundtrack’s creepier zones. Also creepy: Resident Evil 4’s remake reuses the same Spanish voice lines from the 2005 version, just re-recorded in higher fidelity. Diablo IV (-73%) - A$29.90Resident Evil 4 (-48%) - A$31Tekken 8 (-53%) - A$39.90Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (-91%) - A$9.90****** Myth: Wukong (-20%) - A$79.90 Xbox One Doom (-80%) - A$6.90Borderlands Leg. Col. (-80%) - A$17.90Spyro Reignited Trilogy (-65%) - A$24.40Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (-85%) - A$14.90 Expiring Recent Deals Mass Effect Leg. Ed. (-90%) - A$9.90Lego Skywalker Saga (-80%) - A$17.90Gotham Knights (-83%) - A$19Split Fiction (-16%) - A$59Metal Gear Solid Col. (-50%) - A$42.40Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 (-27%) - A$80.10Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (-11%) - A$249The Crew Motorfest (-21%) - A$78.60 Or just invest in an Xbox Card. Xbox Console Prices How many bucks for a 'Box? [/url] Back to top Pure Scores for PlayStation On PS5, Astro Bot is already discounted and packed with over 150 cameos from PlayStation’s back catalogue. One even includes a hidden nod to PaRappa the Rapper’s unannounced return. Meanwhile, Elden Ring’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed he still hasn’t beaten Malenia “fair and square”. Come see why in Elden Ring. Borderlands 4 (-17%) - A$99Elden Ring (-51%) - A$49Astro Bot (-31%) - A$75.60Grand Theft Auto V (-60%) - A$24Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 (-28%) - A$79 PS4 God of War Ragnarök (-60%) - A$44Red Dead Redemption 2 (-78%) - A$20Firewatch (-80%) - A$5.90The Outer Worlds (-67%) - A$13.10 Expiring Recent Deals The Outer Worlds 2 (-17%) - A$99Gears of War: Reloaded (-18%) - A$49EA Sports FC 25 (-57%) - A$34NBA 2K25 (-80%) - A$24Sonic Frontiers (-40%) - A$59.90Until Dawn (-46%) - A$59Dragon's Dogma 2 (-60%) - A$43.10Logitech G29 Wheel (-38%) - A$340Catherine: Full Body (-27%) - A$39.90Tekken 7 (-71%) - A$19.90 PS+ Monthly Freebies Yours to keep from Jun 1 with this subscription NBA 2K25 | PS5, PS4Alone in the Dark (2024) | PS5Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | PS5, PS4Destiny 2: The Final Shape | PS5, PS4 Or purchase a PS Store Card. What you'll pay to 'Station. [/url] Back to top Purchase Cheap for PC Finally, on PC, Jedi: Survivor delivers Force-fuelled spectacle, and It Takes Two remains the only Game of the Year winner that can destroy marriages and fix them too. EA Steam Summer Sales (-85%) - A$0Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (-80%) - A$19.90It Takes Two (-75%) - A$12.40Command & Conquer Ult. Col. (-70%) - A$8.90Battlefront II Celebration (-90%) - A$4.90****** Myth: Wukong (-20%) - A$71.90 Expiring Recent Deals Hogwarts Legacy (-75%) - A$24.90It Takes Two (-75%) - A$12.40Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (-80%) - A$19.90Dead Space (-80%) - A$17.90Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning (-75%) - A$17.40Yooka-Laylee (-80%) - A$5.90 Or just get a Steam Wallet Card PC Hardware Prices Slay your pile of shame. [/url]Laptop DealsApple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch (-12%) – A$2,197HP Laptop 15.6" 15-fd0233TU (-20%) – A$799Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 (-36%) – A$849Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 14", Gen 9 (-41%) – A$1,229Desktop DealsLenovo neo 50a G5 27" AIO (-47%) – A$1,379Lenovo neo 50q G4 Tiny (-35%) – A$639Lenovo neo 50t G5 Tower (-20%) – A$871.20Legion Tower 5i G8 (-29%) – A$1,899Monitor DealsSamsung QE50T 50" (-31%) – A$596ARZOPA 16.1" 144Hz (-55%) – A$159.99Z-Edge 27" 240Hz (-15%) – A$237.99Gawfolk 34" WQHD (-28%) – A$359LG 27" Ultragear (-42%) – A$349Component DealsMSI PRO B650M-A WiFi Motherboard (-41%) – A$229AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (-7%) – A$876Corsair Vengeance 32GB (-35%) – A$82Kingston FURY Beast 16GB (-30%) – A$48Storage DealsSeagate One Touch Portable HDD (-24%) – A$228Kingston 1TB USB 3.2 SSD (-17%) – A$115SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO (-63%) – A$29SanDisk 32GB Ultra SDHC (-53%) – A$9.90 Back to top Legit LEGO Deals Dots Designer Toolkit (-60%) - A$40Botanicals Daffodils (-48%) - A$12JP Fossils: Triceratops Skull (-29%) - A$50Star Wars Millenium Falcon Set (-27%) - A$110 Expiring Recent Deals Hogwarts Castle: Dueling Club (-40%) - A$23.903in1 T. Rex to Triceratops (-28%) - A$64.90Mario Kart: Donkey Kong (-27%) - A$44Star Wars C-3PO (-26%) - A$170 Back to top Hot Headphones Deals Audiophilia for less Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless (-38%) – A$399.95Soundcore by Anker Q20i (-43%) – A$68.79Sony MDR7506 Professional (-30%) – A$169Technics Premium (-46%) – A$299Bose SoundLink Flex (-31%) – A$171JBL Charge 5 - Portable Speaker (-28%) – A$144JBL Flip Essential 2 Waterproof Speaker (-26%) – A$96Sony SRS-XB100 Travel Speaker (-41%) – A$84.15Ultimate Ears ***** 3 Portable Speaker (-41%) – A$134.95Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro (-26%) – A$259.29Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (-46%) – A$275 Back to top Terrific TV Deals Do right by your console, upgrade your telly LG 43" UT80 4K (-24%) – A$635Kogan 65" QLED 4K (-50%) – A$699Kogan 55" QLED 4K (-45%) – A$549LG 55" UT80 4K (-28%) – A$866Prism+ Q75 Ultra 75" 4K QLED (-47%) – A$1,229Gaimoo Mini Projector 1080p w/ 4K (-33%) – A$119.99GooDee 4K Projector (-58%) – A$169.99VOPLLS Mini Projector 4K (-19%) – A$168.99XuanPad Mini Projector (-36%) – A$128.99LG S70TY Q Series Sound Barn*-22%) – A$546Sony HTG700 Atmos Soundbar (-15%) – A$594Yamaha NS-SW050 Subwoofer (-13%) – A$270Smart Home DealsArlo Video Doorbell 2K (-53%) – A$107.76Google Nest Doorbell (-44%) – A$183Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus (-40%) – A$149TP-Link Tapo Smart Doorbell (-20%) – A$183XTU Doorbell Camera Doorbell (-40%) – A$59.99D-Link DCS-8302LH Wi-Fi Cam (-62%) – A$75Google Nest Cam (-25%) – A$247Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery (-43%) – A$187Swann 4 Channel DVR with 4 x 4K Cams (-34%) – A$399WUUK 2K Outdoor Cam (-32%) – A$249.99 Back to top Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

FromSoftware has created some of the most infamously challenging games of all time, with incredibly difficult gameplay that takes hours of practice to master. It's no wonder that trophy hunters and completionists are quick to take on these challenging games as soon as they release, as it's truly an accomplishment just to finish most FromSoft games, not to mention complete them to 100%. If you manage to get the Platinum trophy for any FromSoftware game, you'll be among a small percentage of dedicated players to achieve this feat. View the full article

The pre-order rewards for EA Sports FC 26 have potentially been leaked ahead of the game's official release date announcement and full reveal. The new EA Sports FC entry will offer bonuses for both the new game and the latest entry in the series, EA Sports FC 2025, while fans wait for this year's iteration to release. View the full article

The next entry in the long-running Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil Requiem, has been announced, and fans have been waiting for the next mainline entry since the underwhelming Shadows of Rose DLC was released for Resident Evil Village in 2022. Requiem will follow newcomer Grace Ashcroft, daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, from one of the most underrated RE games ever, and the game will be taking fans back to where survival horror was defined: Raccoon City. View the full article

Dedicated home consoles and PC games games have come a long way from moving a couple of pixels across the screen. You can now experience fantastical new worlds, incredible stories, and amazing locations in near-photorealistic high definition. Now, consoles are making a move toward going wherever gamers are, even if it means leaving their living rooms. View the full article

Players have until the end of the weekend to try out indie survival game Len's Island for free. AAA games are usually developed by hundreds or thousands of people with significant resources, so they're able to deliver grandiose experiences. On the other hand, indie games are created on a much smaller scale, but they can offer gamers experiences that are just as great — and some would even argue even better. Stardew Valley, Celeste, and Undertale are just some of the most well-known names in the indie games scene, and they've practically become household names among those in the gaming community. View the full article

Recent datamining from the Genshin Impact beta servers has revealed a detailed overview of the upcoming Spiral Abyss from Version 5.8, featuring a focus on Lunar-Charged and Nightsoul DMG. While the Stygian Onslaught and the Imaginarium Theater have added to the endgame experience in Genshin Impact, the Spiral Abyss remains its core. It puts the player's skill to the test and often requires them to invest in characters from the current Event Banners. View the full article

Some Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds items that have been in development with Sonic Team won't make their way to the fully released game, as the development team has simply deemed them too powerful to exist. There will still be plenty of items for players to use in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, but the developers are curating them to make sure they don't throw off the fairness of gameplay. View the full article

While not as popular as its predecessor, which helped redefine an icon in gaming, Rise of the Tomb Raideris an underrated title that had a bit of its shine taken off by odd launch circumstances. Released in 2015 and coming up on its tenth anniversary this year, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a sequel to the Tomb Raider reboot that saw Lara Croft get stabbed far too much and trade her dual pistols for a bow and arrow. This title brings Lar a tad closer to the one in the classics, although the bow remains her go-to weapon. View the full article

The rarest achievement in Baldur's Gate 3 has only been earned by roughly 2% of players, but it's a very odd one to be so elusive: Busker. To put it in perspective, more players have earned the achievement Foehammer, for beating the game in Honour Mode, BG3's toughest challenge. Busker is a rather innocuous achievement, only requiring players to earn coin from performing on the street. View the full article

You can find the darling of the animal world, the Capybara, during your PEAK adventures, but its exact location can be confusing. Several achievements are tied to the game, and the Animal Serenading Badge requires you to play the bugle near them. The Capybara can be found in only one specific biome, and its location varies daily. PEAK Capybara location explained Before we dive deeper, remember that the exact location of the Capybara will shift when a new island appears. At the time of writing, these creatures will always be located in the ALPINE zone. An easy way to determine their location is by looking for steam trails rising across the mountains. If you climb a bit, you should be able to locate the smoke. Keep following the trail, and you will come across its location. There's a chance for you to overshoot on your adventures. If you do, you'll have to wait for a new island to try your luck again. There's an easier way to find the Capybara on any given day. You'll have to visit the game's official Discord to do so. Then, ask about the daily location on the #spoilers channel, as I have done in the following screenshot. The community will help you with the location and how you'll be able to reach the creature. Screenshot by Destructoid Follow the trail until you have reached the adorable animals, and play the bugle if you're yet to complete the Animal Serenading Badge achievement. The post Where to find Capybara in PEAK appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

I’ve never been a big RTS player, but I was an adolescent boy once, so I’ve often turned the house into intricate battlefields many times with the help of my bucketloads of toy soldiers. Many games tried to tap into this aesthetic over the years, but for my money, none has done it better than Army Men RTS, a game I cannot in good conscience recommend playing now but would definitely suggest remembering if you’ve enjoyed it back in the day. Oddly enough, most of the Army Men series mostly focused on a shooter experience after its first few games, which I, as a once-adolescent boy, always found baffling. After all, you always played out big battles with the little toys, not individual heroes running and gunning through a battlefield—and the series probably wouldn’t have resonated with me if it hadn’t been the real-time strategy game I first encountered sometime around its 2002 release. But resonate it did. Fighting through the fence and across the garden to get into a massive house through the basement—where the owners went remains a mystery—and then up all the way to the attic to find the mad Tan general made for a fantastic romp. [Hidden Content] There are many fun winks and nods to adult culture, with the game’s main plot charting Heart of Darkness or Apocalypse Now with the protagonists tracking down a general gone mad, the level names all referencing classic works of war, and an especially fun moment in the living room when the endless energy supply of a plugged-in PlayStation 2 console is given the monolith treatment from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Also Sprach Zarathustra included. (It is placed on its side so that it towers over its environment, and as someone who didn’t have a console for a very long time, it was a real disappointment to discover that it is not the intended way to use it.) And much like with Monopoly Tycoon, the soundtrack is the part of the experience that aged the best, a fantastic mix of orchestral army music with almost John Williams-esque childlike toy joy. It’s well worth a listen even if you never played the game. [Hidden Content] And if you never played the game, it is honestly better if it stays that way. While there are some great ideas derived from the premise—like the notion of destroyed units leaving a small plastic blob behind that you can collect for a fraction of the resources, something that doesn’t apply to vehicles and electricity, potentially forcing both sides into a devolution in a long game as they fight through scraps—the game has many fundamental issues that simply stop it from being a good FPS. The pathfinding AI is absolutely abysmal (especially where the resource-collecting dump trucks are concerned), and splash damage is way too powerful, meaning there is no viable counter to an early-game grenadier rush on smaller maps, and all late-game conflicts boil down to tank-spamming affairs. Shockingly, the game also lacks a proper skirmish mode in its retail build, even though the capability is clearly there, as you are able to play against AI in multiplayer. While there are workarounds, little ol’ 2002 me was stuck playing the pre-designed PvE battles in the pre-baked scenarios and the static opponents of the main game. And, trust me, getting anyone to play the game today is a bad idea—I speak from experience when I say that even a strong RTS player struggles against the stinky cheese strats detailed above, so it’s really just the nostalgia that makes it worth revisiting the experience. But if you were there shortly after the millennium, then, my goodness, the bells and whistles of the music and the beautiful flamethrower of one of our heroes will still make your eye glisten. So, a farewell to arms, and to Sarge, Vikki, Thick, Shrap, Scorch, Riff, Hoover, Bullseye, and the rest of Bravo Company: it’s time for you to go back to the toy box. As I close the lid, I continue to hope for a remaster or reimagining later down the line—and not the Soldiers of Misfortune kind. The post Real combat, plastic men: remembering Army Men RTS appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article