Former Netflix CTO convicted for taking bribes

A former Netflix VP has been convicted of taking bribes from suppliers worth more than $500,000.

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Destructoid community stream night is live on Twitch

Hey again! Tonight I'm continuing my playthrough of Resident Evil 2 on Destructoid's Twitch channel starting at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Friday nights just wouldn't feel the same without zombies anymore.

Last week, we finished up the blind playthrough of RE2, which I can now confidently say was my "first" RE game (I played Resident Evil 7 first, but RE7 is SO different from the usual!), and now it's time to see what Claire was up to the entire time.

Getting through the police station that I JUST beat with Leon is a little grindy because my sense of direction with first-person games isn't developed, so I get very lost, but that just gives us all the more time to chat between action scenes. I wish the things you unlocked as Leon would stay unlocked for Claire, but, c'est la brains. Looking forward to what's gonna happen once I'm out and learning how the heck Claire met a kid to tote along during the zombie apocalypse.

Hope to see you there, especially if you know what's what about this game so I can answer all my questions. Miss the last stream? Catch the on-demand archive right here.

A bit about me: As I was growing up, my older brother shaped my interests in games and fantasy culture. We were obsessed with dragons, fantasy books, world and creature building, you name it. Most of our time was spent hanging out and chattily imagining things. We dipped into Pokémon when I was six with trading cards, figurines, and books, but even our very first video games on our Dad's computer were split right down to the controls; he would do movements and I'd do action buttons. Over time we tried dozens of games, however RuneScape, D&D, and Pokémon always stuck with me the most.

It's been almost two years since I first started streaming. I tend to stream all sorts of games now, but my favorite genres came to be RPGs, puzzles, adventure, and strategy — bonus if it's fantasy-themed or an MMO that I can play with my friends and an instant favorite if the atmosphere is just right! Alongside trying new games together, my heart is in our bubbly banter while we all talk it up in chat. I'm so happy to have met people who have the same passion as I do for all these games and cool hobbies.

But how did I get here? A while back, Destructoid hosted its "So You Think You Can Stream?" contest. It was my first time entering any type of serious contest, but I still wanted to shoot my shot and really get out there. Although I didn't win, I was elated to hear that my audition stood out and there was an opportunity for me to come on board to stream alongside Dreezy on the Dtoid channel.

Come catch me live at Destructoid's Twitch channel every Friday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern! Let's chat it up about anything and everything while playing cool games! I hope to meet you there. :)

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I Love This Fighting Game’s Ridiculous Continue Screen

The fighting game adaptation of Hokuto no Ken (known as Fist of the North Star in the west) has provided some of the most over-the-top competitive moments of all time. But when a Twitter acquaintance shared a screenshot of its continue screen a week ago, I still wasn’t psychologically prepared for just how hard it…

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Konami is ‘in Deep Development’ on a Number of Projects, But Won’t be at E3 2021

Despite owning multiple massive gaming franchises, Konami’s output in recent years has been rather lackluster, limited to a smattering of smaller titles and its annual soccer game. Fans have been left to wonder what’s going on with series like Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania, and others. The company recent broke its silence and says that they are “in deep development on a number of key projects,” and to “stay tuned for some updates in the coming months.” The publisher won’t be showing anything off at E3 2021, however.

pic.twitter.com/luT4jU890q

— Konami (@Konami) April 30, 2021

Whether or not these “key projects” are what fans are most looking forward to remains to be seen. Recent rumors of a Metal Gear Solid 2 Remaster turned out to be a hoax, while other Metal Gear and Silent Hill rumors have been floating around for years with nothing to show for them yet. There have also been reports that Konami has been outsourcing development of its franchises to outside studios, but this recent quote from the publisher makes it seem like Konami themselves are working on these “key projects.”

The full statement reads:

Due to timing we will not be ready to present at E3 this year. We want to reassure our fans that we are in deep development on a number of key projects, so please stay tuned for some updates in the coming months. While we are not participating this year, we have great respect for the ESA and know that 2021 will be a great success. We will continue to support the ESA and wish the best to all participants at this year’s show.

Konami’s statement on the ESA is in line with other developers seeking to support the ESA by participating in E3 2021, though reports say that many are saving their biggest reveals for independent events outside of the show.

What do you think Konami has in the oven right now? Are these projects the revivals of Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and Castlevania that we’re hoping for? Head to the comments below and let us know what you think they’re working on, and what you want to see.

The post Konami is ‘in Deep Development’ on a Number of Projects, But Won’t be at E3 2021 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Housemarque says it hears the calls for better saving in Returnal

There's only one thing putting me off playing Returnal right now — okay, two. Three, tops.

This will potentially be the second time I've spent $70 on a PS5 game (the first being Demon's Souls), and honestly, I'm still adjusting to the sticker shock. As someone who already was willing to wait to avoid paying $60 at launch, I now feel even pickier about what's worth getting and when.

I also don't necessarily have a lot of time to sink into Returnal right now, and from everything I know and love about Housemarque games, it takes a while to get into the groove. That was true of shorter arcade romps like Resogun and Nex Machina, and it's definitely true of Returnal given its bigger-budget scope and potentially very drawn-out roguelike runs. I'm expecting to put in dozens of hours, all told.

But really, those are mental barriers I can work through — the thing about saving, though, that's still weighing on me. As Chris explained in his review (and as other players have since complained about on Reddit), Returnal doesn't have a good option for temporary mid-run saves. Basically, you can't — not really. If you're in a run and you need to take a break, you've got to put your PS5 in rest mode.

For many people, the lack of a save-and-quit option won't be too hard to work around most of the time. But as someone who's woken up to a pissed-off PlayStation 5 that "wasn't properly shut down" due to middle-of-the-night power fluctuations, or the cat stepping on the power strip, or other random mishaps, it's a bit concerning. I don't exactly have peace of mind that my PS5 will slumber peacefully while my Returnal run is left hanging because I had something pry me away from the game.

In response to complaints about the lack of an in-game "suspend and resume" solution in Returnal (which other roguelikes have embraced), Housemarque tweeted: "We hear the community and we love you all. Nothing to announce now, but keep playing and enjoying the challenge as you can!"

I'd like the developers to stay true to their tough roguelike vision for Returnal. At the same time, player-centric quality-of-life options are super super appreciated in this genre, and there's room to budge.

If this game is going to draw the large crowd it probably needs to, this stuff is worth considering.

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Facebook buys the studio behind VR shooter 'Onward'

Facebook is another developer to its growing Oculus Studios stable.

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How Hainbach tackled 'the Dark Souls of synthesis'

The composer and YouTuber on his test equipment-based album and virtual instrument 'Landfill Totems.'

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Google's new Play Store rules target misleading app listings

Google is enforcing new Play store policies designed to crack down on misleading and inaccurate app store listings.

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Looked Stunning in Yesterday’s State of Play Gameplay

Sony Interactive Entertainment and Insomniac Games showcased 15 minutes of in-depth Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart gameplay, and it certainly looks stunning from what we’ve seen so far. Without further ado, check out a recap below.

Rift Apart makes good use of the PlayStation 5, especially its SSD, which enables lightening fast transitions and loading times. Insomniac Games has said that it’s doing everything it possibly can from a development standpoint to make the game “a showpiece exclusive game” for the PS5 “as you jump between dimensions, handle an explosive arsenal (made even more visceral by the DualSense wireless controller), and strive to save the galaxy from the evil Nefarious.”

Speaking of the DualSense, Insomniac Games has promised “the most immersive” suite of weapons in the franchise.

“Weapons are at the heart of any Ratchet & Clank game and we showed how we are taking advantage of the PS5’s DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback to create the most immersive Ratchet & Clank weapons yet,” the developer wrote on the PlayStation Blog.

In addition to the above, Rift Apart will come with robust accessibility options, which includes a Game Speed mode that can be toggled. Insomniac Games will detail accessibility options separately in due course.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will release on June 11th. Those who purchase the digital deluxe edition will receive five additional armor sets, a photo mode sticker pack, 20 Raritanium (in-game upgrade materials), digital soundtrack, and digital art book. Preorders are live now.

Any of our readers looking forward to this one?

The post Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Looked Stunning in Yesterday’s State of Play Gameplay appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Streets of Rage 4 celebrates one year of skull crackin' mayhem, check out early Estel action in these clips

Today is the first birthday of the fantastic brawler sequel Streets of Rage 4. Yep, that's 12 whole months of pavement-pounding, nose-breaking, croissant-eating mayhem, as Axel, Blaze, Cherry, Floyd, and Adam take matters into their own hands, treading the mean streets of Oak Wood City to liberate the people from the evil machinations of The Y Siblings.

It was such a long wait, but it absolutely paid off. Co-developers Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, and Lizardcube delivered a gorgeous looking, great sounding, and slickly playing action title, packed with character, style and, most importantly, depth. A worthy successor to the Sega Mega Drive originals, and a fine way for any video game fan to kill a few hours, Streets of Rage 4 is a must-play, and is on track to get a whole lot better.

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The best tech gifts for new moms

Here's a list of the best tech gadgets for new moms, as chosen by Engadget editors.

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Engadget Podcast: Samsung's slew of Galaxy Book laptops

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked fiesta and all its new laptops.

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YouTube is testing SoundCloud-like timestamped comments

YouTube has started testing a new feature that gives you a quick way to view comments "timed to the exact moment you're watching in a video."

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The Morning After: New WiFi 6E routers are starting to go on sale

New WiFi 6E routers are going on sale, with prices that start at $500 and go up from there.

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Resident Evil Village Makes For A Delightfully Demented Puppet Show

Resident Evil Village the video game? Seems scary! But the puppet show? Absolutely adorable and totally messed up.

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Star Wars Instant Pots hit all-time low prices ahead of May the 4th

Williams Sonoma's Star Wars-branded Instant Pots have gone on sale on Amazon at some of the steepest discounts we've seen.

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The EU's Apple antitrust investigation is moving forward

The EU has opened a formal probe into how Apple runs the App Store.

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London City is the first major airport to control air traffic via a digital tower

London City Airport has become the first major international airport to launch a remote air traffic control system.

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Godzilla vs. Kong Delayed In Japan Due To Covid-19

Originally slated for release on May 14, the Japanese release of Godzilla vs. Kong has been delayed due to the state of covid-19 in the country.

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Giant Gundam Statue Finished In China

A life-sized, one-to-one scale Freedom Gundam statue has been completed in Shanghai.

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Watch the trailer for the final season of Netflix's 'Castlevania'

Netflix has released a two-and-a-half minute trailer to give you a glimpse of what you can expect from the final season of Castlevania.

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Resident Evil Village puppet show is far cuter than it has any right being

It was originally an April Fools' joke, but nobody's laughing anymore. Capcom has released the first episode of its Resident Evil Village puppet show, which sees the villains of the upcoming horror title brought to life in unbelievably adorable fashion... It's... Something.

The first episode, which you can check out below, stars Heisenberg, Moreau, Angie, and — of course — the lovely Lady Dimitrescu. Packed with super cute songs, literal buckets of gore, tinsel-based arterial spray, and an worryingly infectious spirit, this heart/brain-melting take on the Resident Evil universe may be among Capcom's best-ever marketing campaigns.

Come for the cuteness, stay for Lady D going apeshit with an axe.

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Stratolaunch completes second flight of world's largest plane

Stratolaunch hascompleted the second test flight of its carrier vehicle, which is currently known for being the world's largest aircraft by wingspan.

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'Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart' gameplay reveals what the PS5 can do

'Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart' takes full advantage of the PS5.

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Double Fine is getting a feature-length game jam documentary on April 29

[Update: Double Fine and 2 Player Productions released The Amnesia Fortnight Movie on YouTube.]

I love a good Double Fine behind-the-scenes video, and so far, they've all been good! Over the years, 2 Player Productions' documentaries, in particular, have been entertaining and insightful looks into how multiple disciplines can come together to imagine a video game and then somehow make it real.

One of the recurring themes is a two-week internal game jam called Amnesia Fortnight, although admittedly, it's been a while; the last event, in 2017, led to prototypes like Kiln, a pottery game where you sculpt makeshift armor, and The Gods Must Be Hungry, a cooking adventure with giant ingredients.

The goal of Amnesia Fortnight is to give staff a chance to pitch something wild and refuel their creative energy for longer-term and far more consequential projects. For us at home, it's fun to watch along. I rarely play the four winning entries that make it through the game-jam gauntlet, but I always tune in.

In 2019, during the making of Psychonauts 2, Double Fine hosted another Amnesia Fortnight. The whole process was captured as a full-length documentary — The Amnesia Fortnight Movie — and it'll debut on YouTube on April 29, 2021. You can even just come back to this exact spot for the premiere:

Apart from the trailer up top, there's also a hint from Xbox Wire about the featured games, all of which sound conceptually on-brand for a studio like Double Fine: "madcap puppet theater, devious journeys into the underworld, a sinister puzzle game, and grand battles on the back of giant slugs."

The key sound bite? "You take a little bit of terror every day, it's like poison: you get immune to it."

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T-Pain Throws Racist Call of Duty Players Straight Into The Trash

T-Pain may have been in the news today for his heartbreaking Instagram confession, but don’t let that distract you from the fact he has also been busy distributing swift and remorseless justice to racist assholes on Call of Duty.

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Mall Craze Is A Shopping Mall Management Game

I remember when I was younger, seeing games like Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon, and wondering why nobody could do something like that only for my teenage spiritual home: the mall.

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Contest: Win ABZU on Switch from Super Rare Games

In today's contest you can win a physical Switch copy of ABZU from Super Rare Games!

Hey gang, remember me? I'm the guy who used to give stuff away like every single day. Then life happened and well it's been a few weeks. Allow myself to reintroduce...myself. I'm Wes, I'm 34 years old, and I like to roll around on the ground with bubble wrap duct taped around my body.

Super Rare Games just dropped their physical release of ABZU, so grab some bubble wrap and win yourself a copy!

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Housemarque's 30-minute deep dive shows what to expect from 'Returnal'

Still wondering what to expect from 'Returnal'? This 30-minute video explains everything that's in the new third-person PS5 exclusive.

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Microsoft's gaming revenue has seen a huge boost thanks to Xbox Series X/S

Microsoft has released its latest financial results for its most recent quarter, and things are most assuredly looking up in The House of Xbox. Overall gaming revenue has been boosted by 50% year-on-year, driven by the launch of its next-gen hardware, Xbox Series X/S.

The 50% increase translates to an overall draw of $3.53 billion USD, as noted by analyst Daniel Ahmad. While Microsoft did not reveal specific figures regarding the sales of the new console platforms, it has stated that "demand significantly exceeded supply", which makes for a great soundbite from a corporate standpoint, but undeniably sucks for customers.

The huge numbers include revenue gained from the sales of Xbox hardware and first-person software, as well as Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, Xbox Live Gold purchases and, importantly, revenue gained via ZeniMax subsidiaries — such as games developed by Bethesda Softworks. This latter factor alone places a large stake in Xbox Content & Services revenue, which increased 34% on the previous year.

Looking ahead, Xbox hopes to see its good fortunes continue. There's no denying that the brand has started the ninth generation is a stronger position — financially and reputation-wise — than the controversy that plagued the launch of Xbox One in the previous generation. Microsoft warns, however, that it expects Xbox Series X/S availability to be "constrained" for the coming months, as both Xbox and PlayStation struggle to get more stock onto store shelves and, ultimately, into the hands of the players.

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Ford, BMW and Honda cut production due to global chip crisis

Car makers Ford, Honda and BMW have reportedly joined tech companies Apple and Samsung in flagging production cuts caused by the global chip shortage.

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Gadgets that make great Mother's Day gifts

Here's a list of gadgets that will make great Mother's Day gifts, as chosen by Engadget editors.

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Returnal: The Kotaku Review

I’m sure you’ve felt it too. For the past year and some change, life has fallen into a rut more than usual. Life is always cyclical to some degree—humans are, after all, creatures of habit—but the stresses that go hand-in-hand with a certain mismanaged pandemic have made the day-to-day feel more dreary and cyclical…

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Returnal Review – I Don’t Ever Want to Break the Cycle (PS5)

Returnal’s core conceit is about breaking the cycle. Selene crashes her ship on the mysterious—and dangerous—planet of Atropos, and every time she dies, she is returned to the crash site. The world changes around each time she sets out anew, learning new things about her situation on the alien planet and figuring out how it all ties together. The goal is to find a way to free Selene from this vicious unending cycle of death and rebirth, but Returnal is so good, I never want the cycle to end.

I’ve already written extensively about my experience with Returnal’s first two biomes in our early preview. We called it the first truly next-gen game. We praised its implementation of the unique DualSense features and PS5’s 3D audio. Seriously, the haptic feedback at work is some of the most impressive stuff we’ve seen felt, and the adaptive triggers make for distinct gameplay that utilize multiple levels of pressure for focused aim and alternate fire abilities. As part of that initial preview, I also said:

It’s a sci-fi bullet-hell third-person shooter roguelike metroidvania that’s simultaneously empowering and crushing, always begging for one more cycle, one more run to try to conquer the creatures and discover the mysteries of Atropos. Some runs you’ll easily work your way through the levels, and others will present you with sudden terrifying surprises that lead to a quick defeat, but that random nature just makes you want to play more.

Returnal bears some clear influences from many of sci-fi’s greatest movies, moments, and environments, but it never feels like it is merely copying those elements. Every step of the way, it bravely sets its own identity while paying humble homage to what came before. It’d be all too easy to list any number of properties that have at least seemed to have an influence, both sci-fi films and notable video games—everything from Aliens, to Journey, to Hades—but Returnal’s gentle respect for these things is an undercurrent to the strong core identity of this game. Returnal is Housemarque. It’s Housemarque different than you’ve ever seen Housemarque before, but it’s also distinctly and undeniably a Housemarque game with no exceptions.

Returnal Review – Helios Abandoned

A visually stunning experience, Returnal leans heavily into those trademark Housemarque particle effects and physics. But far from just a bunch of tiny voxels bouncing around the screen and neon tentacles flailing from many of the game’s enemies, Housemarque outdid themselves with Returnal’s environments. From the dark and rainy overgrown ruins you start in, to the expansive martian-like desert and its enormous citadel, to a few others that are best left to the awe of discovering them for the first time on your own, the environments each feel distinct—even within the various individual biomes. From the moment you leave your crashed ship, Helios, behind, you’re in for a visual treat throughout.

A small detail, Selene’s suit also appropriately changes to match the worlds she’s in, embodying the look of a world-weary traveler who has come a long way from that initial crash site again and again. Red dust cakes her mask and folds in her suit as she treks through the desert landscape. Should she happen to find herself in a colder environment, her suit will appropriately take on the related icy visuals. The only downside to the excellent visual treat that is Returnal is the lack of a photo mode to capture it all with.

The randomization and changing of the world each new cycle means that there’s a constant feeling of discovery. Even more than 20 hours into the game, after rolling credits and getting to the “end” (can a cycle ever end?), I was still discovering new pieces and elements to each biome when I’d continue to play. And continue to play I did, and still am. Games that make me want to restart and keep going after the credits are few and far between, but that’s precisely what I did when Returnal’s credits finished. Returnal is the kind of game that I don’t ever want to end, and with how unique each cycle feels—and how much there is to discover and upgrade—it doesn’t have to. I’m well over 20 hours into Returnal, and I don’t feel anywhere close to “done” with this game.

I should also say that Returnal does have a satisfying enough “conclusion” of sorts if you do manage to roll credits. But with how much of Returnal’s narrative is deeply layered into the world and the gameplay, learning new bits and pieces throughout each and every cycle, stopping there would almost feel like getting the abbreviated summary. There are a lot of small elements and puzzle pieces to put together, some crucial to the central narrative, and some just delightful additional flavor as it explores Selene’s story. I’m hesitant to dive any further into it here because I feel the narrative discovery is an element of Returnal that is just as crucial as its fast-paced gameplay.

What I will say about the story is that it doesn’t just feel tacked on for the sake of adding a narrative to this bullet-hell roguelike. Everything feels very deeply intertwined, and it prompts some deep introspection into themes like identity and self, guilt, blame, and plenty of other very relatable topics. I couldn’t help but think about The Swapper as I played in, in part because Selene’s repeated cycles and coming upon her own corpse from previous (and perhaps future?) cycles seems to beg the question of which version of you is you. I feel like I’ve already said too much here, and this is barely scratching the surface of what you’ll discover as you play and piece together the various narrative elements and how they all connect.

Returnal Review – Learn From the Cycle

Roguelike games tend to challenge players with knowledge. Death resets just about everything, and the only thing you take with you into the new run is the knowledge of your last, building out strategies to conquer the unconquerable. At first, I’d avoid doors marked with big golden or red icons, rooms I knew contained tough gauntlets of enemies (through previous experience). As I learned and grew over time, I’d cautiously start taking these challenges on, eventually welcoming the opportunity to earn Obolites (the game’s currency), weapon proficiency, and the other rewards that these rooms offered.

There are multiple tiers of what carries over between cycles. There are certain permanent upgrades which make new cycles a whole different experience. Can’t quite reach that platform or see an item that seems impossible to reach right now? More than likely, you’ll gain an ability at some point that will enable you to eventually get it. You may not be able to get it on this cycle, but that knowledge and power makes returning to Returnal’s earliest areas a whole new experience of discovery with the added abilities.

Additionally, there are weapon upgrades that you slowly earn and unlock permanently. These new traits will appear in random combinations on your weapons, but having them unlocked can create some god tier rolls that completely change how you play the game. That starting sidearm might feel pretty weak and basic early on, but prioritize unlocking various traits on it and you’ll find a pretty formidable weapon. This also creates an exciting element to gameplay that encourages you to try out new weapons rather than just sticking with one old favorite. I tended to prefer the Carbine in my earliest runs, but found a lot of appreciation for other weapons as I made use of them all.

Then there are cycle upgrades that vanish when you die and restart the cycle. These can make all the difference between a solid run and struggling with a few of the game’s tougher enemies (of which there are quite a lot). Learning how to best spend Obolites and adapt your playstyle to the various Artifacts and Suit Upgrades available is part of the discovery that Returnal is all about. Much of it is based in risk and reward, with some of the better bonuses often also giving you some big disadvantages. With Obolites a relatively limited resource, you’ll have to carefully manage what you’re buying at various opportunities. Do you want that consumable that will give you a bit of health back, or an artifact that will give you a permanent boost of some kind?

Fortunately those permanent upgrades that persist between runs helps Returnal to feel like you still gain something of value even when you take a big risk and fail. And even better is when you take the big risk and it pays off in a big way, perhaps being precisely the ability or upgrade that you needed to clinch the boss fight this time. For me, Returnal felt like a really hard game until it wasn’t. At a point, something clicked, and while I still die in a variety of often stupid ways that are my own fault, the more I play, the more adventurous I am getting. I play more aggressively. I take bigger risks. I use weapons that I wouldn’t have previously. While permanent upgrades have certainly helped that process a long, there’s a lot that comes simply from the knowledge I’ve gained. Returnal’s difficulty is mitigated by me simply knowing how to play smarter, how to approach certain enemies and situations, and how to manage my various upgrades and items to the best effect.

A final layer of upgrades is a series of bonuses in the Adrenaline system, which rewards you for getting kills without taking a hit. You’ll get bonuses like easier Overloads (the “reload” mechanic), faster weapon proficiency gains, and bonus Obolites if you can maintain a max level Adrenaline meter. Take one hit, however, and that all comes tumbling down. It’s a great way to promote playing smart, offering meaningful bonuses while also not being completely discouraging if you do somehow take a glowy neon bullet to the face. And there are some artifacts and other bonuses that tie into your Adrenaline level, like one artifact I got that gave me a certain percentage of health back as I dealt damage depending on what my Adrenaline level was. Let me tell you, that was a magical run.

I did run into a couple of very minor bugs in my 25 hours with the game. While none were overtly game breaking, there were definitely a couple of noticeable issues such as items not showing up on the minimap and one instance of my weapon simply deciding not to fire until after I had careened into a pit. The most egregious issues seem to be with Trophy unlocks. Despite completing the game and defeating the final boss, I still don’t have the Trophy for doing so. I also don’t have the associated story Trophies for reaching that point in the game. There are a few others that I have met the conditions for but still show as locked for me right now, though some of them have randomly popped when I restart the application.

There is a Day 1 patch incoming that will issue a number of bug fixes, which should help to smooth over these spots. Overall, for a game played entirely ahead of its Day 1 patch however, Returnal is in a really good place. It feels like an exceptionally polished experience. Even considering the Trophy issues, the game itself is near flawless, and any minor problems are easily overlooked.

Is Returnal Worth the $70 Price Tag?

Normally we’re careful not to address price points within a review. After all, the perception of value can and will vary wildly between any two people, and the price of the game will change over time while the review will not. But there’s been a lot of talk about Housemarque, a studio frequently praised for its smaller indie bullet-hell shooters, taking on a premium AAA project at the industry’s top price point. Sure, the game is good—stellar, even—but is it worth that $70 at launch?

I’d argue yes. A single successful run can take hours, and that’s not factoring in the multitude of deaths you are apt to face. It took me nearly 20 hours of gameplay to finally roll credits for the first time, and that’s hardly the end of the experience. There’s still plenty more to do and discover. Returnal is the kind of game that I pick up expecting to maybe do a cycle or two, and end up playing for the entire evening. Whether it’s because I found myself in a solid run that I don’t want to end, or I get addicted to the cycle of starting and starting again, Returnal has fully captured my attention for the past couple of weeks and the foreseeable future.

Returnal also has a brilliant online component that lets you see where other players’ Selenes have fallen within the world, and you’ll sometimes even need to take down a tentacled reanimation of their corpse. Are they you? Are you them? Is the cycle linear, or layered? Even this online element that brings other players into the picture begs questions of the narrative. There’s also an entire challenge mode that pits players in specific biome arrangements with specific conditions for scored runs, trying to place on the leaderboards. These challenge runs really embody that classic arcadey Housemarque spirit and give Returnal even more options and reasons to play.

Returnal is an essential PS5 title, now and throughout the console’s life. Housemarque took the rogue-like bullet-hell formula and applied it to a AAA experience in a way that creates something exceptionally unique yet wholly familiar. Returnal is an engaging experience in narrative, gameplay, and player discovery, consistently surprising on every level. Utilizing the PS5 technology in a way that most other developers are barely tapping into, Returnal feels like one of the first truly next-gen experiences, letting Housemarque set the stage for the new console. And like Housemarque games before it, it’s the kind of game that will withstand the test of time, begging for additional cycles well into the future.

---

Returnal review code provided by publisher. Reviewed on PS5. For more information, please read our Review Policy. 

The post Returnal Review – I Don’t Ever Want to Break the Cycle (PS5) appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Review: Returnal

Finally, another PS5 game!

Yes folks, you heard that right, Returnal is a bonafide PS5 release. Is it worth (gulp) $70? It really depends on your penchant for roguelikes.

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The Morning After: Samsung's new family of Galaxy Book laptops

Today’s headlines: iPhone and Mac sales are way up from the start of the pandemic, Samsung unveils a new family of Galaxy Book laptops and CES plans a return as an in-person event in 2022.

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Roku's Streambar falls to $100 at HSN

You can now pick up a Roku Streambar at HSN for $100, a $30 discount and one of the best prices we've seen yet.

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Amazon to increase the pay of over 500,000 workers amid union battles

Amazon will give workers a pay rise of between 50 cents and $300 as part of an early wage review, the retailer said on Wednesday.

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Sony begins selling the PS5 in China

Sony has officially launched the PlayStation 5 in China ahead of Microsoft's Xbox consoles.

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Microsoft is fixing the pain of arranging Windows 10 apps on multiple displays

If you use a multi-monitor setup on Windows 10 for gaming, work or because they're built right into your laptop, Microsoft has some good news.

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Mortal Kombat movie premieres on U.K. streaming services May 6

Warner Bros. has finally announced a U.K. release date for its cinematic adaptation of NetherRealm Studios' Mortal Kombat. As spotted by Eurogamer, the critically panned but financially successful fighting flick will hit U.K. streaming services May 6, at a rental price of £15.99.

After facing down several production woes and perpetually shifting dates, Mortal Kombat finally premiered April 23 in U.S. theaters (or at least those that are currently open) and on paid streaming service HBO Max, which will carry all Warner Bros. releases for the duration of 2021. The frenetically edited action-adventure had a hugely successful launch, hitting $22.5 million USD at the physical box office while streaming in around 3.6 million homes.

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Apple Watch Series 6 price falls again to a new low of $249

The Apple Watch Series 6 Product Red edition is now down to $249 at Best Buy, marking an all-time low for the bestelling smartwatch.

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Atomos Ninja V+ brings 8K ProRes RAW support to Canon's EOS R5

Atomos has introduced a new external recorder/monitor that makes 8K or 4K 120p ProRes RAW recording possible on select mirrorless and pro cameras.

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Bang & Olufsen's Beolab 28 is a $14,750 pair of connected speakers

Bang & Olufsen's latest high-end wireless speakers are equipped mechanical curtains that move to adjust how the speakers project sound.

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NASA wants to go farther and faster for fourth Mars helicopter flight

NASA has announced that the helicopter's fourth flight is scheduled to take off on April 29th at 10:12 AM Eastern time.

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Samsung's profits rose in Q1, but the chip shortage looms over Q2

Samsung's consumer electronics profits hit a new record high for Q1, but the company warned investors that sales will slow in Q2 due to component shortages.

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Dark Forces II's Opening Remade In Unreal Engine 4

The original Dark Forces might be our Best Star Wars Game Ever, but its sequel is also great. It is, however, a little dated in 2021, so game developer and artist Acke Hallgren decided to see what it could look like with a modern coat of paint.

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It's Always A Good Time To Play Persona 3

The increasing popularity of the Persona series in the West has been a wonderful if slow-burning thing to behold, ramping up over the last decade to the point where Persona 5 was a Very Big Video Game Release.

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Please Enjoy These Fake Nintendo Games That Should Also Be Real Nintendo Games

As it has managed every year since 2005, even through global pandemics, Japanese game store Meteor is once again holding its annual Famicase exhibit, where it asks artists from around the world to submit their original designs for Famicom cases. Cases for games that don’t actually exist.

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New Expansion Is Steam's Worst-Rated Launch Ever

Leviathan, the latest expansion for classic strategy game Europa Universalis IV, has had a rocky launch. So rocky that, uh, it has become the worst-rated product available on Steam.

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Call of Duty: Warzone Update Fixes Hunt for Adler Event, Raven Looking at Options for Those Who Can’t Complete the Challenge in Time

Raven Software has released another update for Call of Duty: Warzone. The aim of the patch is to fix the limited-time Hunt for Adler event that was meant to welcome in Season 3. Now that there’s only a short amount of time left for players to finish the event, the developer is looking into options to give everyone the time they need to finish it.

The Hunt for Adler Challenge completion should now track properly, while Intel should no longer spawn outside of the map. Raven has said they’d “like to give everyone ample opportunity to complete their Challenges” and are “considering several options” to allow players to do this. They’ll have more news soon.

This patch also makes some changes to the new Verdansk 84 map and you can see the full patch notes below.

Call of Duty Warzone April 28 Patch Notes

GENERAL

• The sizes of the first and second circles have been reduced for Verdansk Resurgence.
• End-of-game open mic has been turned off for modes with infinite respawn mechanics. This was intended to take effect with the release of Season Three last week.

BUG FIXES

• “Hunt for Adler” Limited-Time Event
  • Fixed a bug with Challenge completion not tracking as intended.
  • Fixed a bug causing Intel to spawn outside of the playable map.
• Fixed several map locations in Verdansk that allowed players to reach out-of-bounds areas.
• Fixed a bug that would cause gas mask overlays to remain on screen indefinitely if a player exited the gas as their gas mask was fully depleted.
• Fixed a bug where the epic loot M82 Semi-Auto Sniper was incorrectly labeled as thermal.
• Fixed a bug where the Modern Warfare “Razorwire” Submachine Gun Charlie blueprint could appear in loot caches.
• The R1 Shadowhunter Crossbow has had its reload audio restored.
• Fixed a bug that disallowed players from exiting the plane in Battle Royale Practice mode.
• The explosion in Verdansk’s vista no longer dances around when viewed from different angles.

[Source: Raven Software, Twitter]

The post Call of Duty: Warzone Update Fixes Hunt for Adler Event, Raven Looking at Options for Those Who Can’t Complete the Challenge in Time appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Facebook Marketplace has 1 billion users

Facebook’s push into e-commerce features is starting to pay off.

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A Belated Apology To The Child Whose Pokémon Gym I Stole

In 2016, Pokémon Go took the world by storm, and I wanted to be the best like no one ever was, regardless of who I hurt in the process. As I make my return to the app in 2021, I can’t help but feel bad about a child I bullied all those years ago.

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Sony Intends to ‘Aggressively’ Invest in First-Party Studios Alongside Partnering With External Studios

Following the publication of its financial results today, Sony Corporation has revealed that it plans to strengthen its video game software offering by “aggressively” investing in its first-party studios alongside strengthening external partnerships.

Speaking to investors in a conference call (transcript via Video Games Chronicle), CFO Hiroki Totoki said that the company will “increase development personnel and other in-house costs by approximately 20 billion yen [$183m] year-on-year, as we further strengthen our in-house software.”

“To enhance our software offering, we intend to continue investing in partnering with external studios, in addition to aggressively investing in our in-house studios,” Totoki added. “As I just mentioned, we aim to strengthen the PlayStation platform through actions such as the recently announced partnership with Haven Entertainment, which was established by Jade Raymond, creator of the famous game Assassin’s Creed. In our additional investment of Epic Games, along with the rest of the Sony group we will also work to enhance the social and platform capabilities of games.”

Sony’s approach is in stark contrast to Microsoft’s. While the company has said that it’ll continue to look into mergers and acquisitions where it makes sense, its main goal is to strengthen in-house development capabilities.

SIE CEO Jim Ryan previously said that PlayStation’s lineup is “the fruit of not massive spending sprees, but of very, very steadily, carefully planned organic growth.” “Probably the best example I give – I could obviously talk about Naughty Dog, but they’ve always been making great games. But let’s talk about Ghost of Tsushima, which has been a critical delight and certainly a commercial delight to an extent that we didn’t think it would be. That speaks volumes to the work that Sucker Punch has done to build on their previous canon of work,” Ryan told Games Industry last October.

[Source: VGC]

The post Sony Intends to ‘Aggressively’ Invest in First-Party Studios Alongside Partnering With External Studios appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Monster Hunter Rise edges closer to becoming the top-selling Capcom game on only one platform, more free stuff released

The last time we checked in with Capcom's Platinum Title list, Monster Hunter Rise was breaking the top 10.

Now, it's sailed past that and is aiming to settle into the top five. Yep, Rise could feasibly become one of the five top-selling Capcom games of all time, in good Monster Hunter company too: as World has the number one spot by quite a bit (16.8 million units compared to Resident Evil 7's 8.5 million).

According to Capcom, Rise just hit the six million sold mark worldwide, including downloads. Impressive! It's crazy to think about Monster Hunter becoming the new Resident Evil cash cow for the company, especially having been in it since the start, but here we are. Of note, this is one of the few single-system games in the top 10. The vast majority of the games are multiplatform, and of course that will change after Rise hits PC in 2022, but for now, it's a fact.

To celebrate this achievement, conveniently piggybacked off of the announcement of Monster Hunter Rise's 2.0 update, a new item pack is hitting the game today. It contains 30 Mega Potions, 20 Well-done Steaks, 10 Large Barrel Bombs, 5 Mega Demondrugs, and 5 Mega Armorskins. Not bad for free!

You can check out the whole breakdown below. Remember, to grab it you need to head to the Courier in town, right near the main storage chest and the stairs leading to the foundry.

Kamura Pack 2 [Capcom]

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Watch Samsung's latest Galaxy Unpacked event with us at 10AM ET

Samsung is holding its third Galaxy Unpacked event of 2021 at 10AM Eastern — here's how to watch with us.

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Samsung's excellent Galaxy Buds+ are $50 off right now

Save big on Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ true wireless earbuds at Amazon and Best Buy.

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Google can now email you about COVID-19 travel advisory changes

Google has launched a new feature that lets you opt into getting an email if COVID-19 travel advisories change for a particular location.

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New Pokémon Snap: The Kotaku Review

After 21 years, gaming’s least violent on-rails shooter triumphantly returns to usher in a new generation of Pokémon paparazzi. New Pokémon Snap adds layers of complexity to the monster photo safari without straying too far from what made the original so damn lovable.

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Sony Shipped 7.8 Million PS5s in ‘Best Year Ever’ for Game & Network Services Division

Sony’s Game & Network Services division is celebrating its best year ever with 7.8 million PlayStation 5 consoles shipped as of March 31, 2021.

Results published for the fiscal year reveal a 34 percent year-on-year increase in sales. Operating income increased from 103.8 billion yen to 342.2 billion yen. Sony attributes this “significant increase” to an increase in game software and hardware sales following the PS5’s launch as well as an increase in PS Plus subscribers. However, the increase in operating income was “partially offset by a loss resulting from strategic price points for PS5 hardware that were set lower than the manufacturing costs, as well as an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses related to the launch of PS5.” Analysts have pointed out that this is standard practice at the beginning of a console’s life cycle.

This was Sony’s best year ever for its Game & Network services division.

The Game & Network Services segment reported revenue of $24.4 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

The increase was due to strong software and services sales + PS5 launch impact. pic.twitter.com/MBmXo9p47H

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 28, 2021

As of March 31st, PS Plus boasts 47.6 million subscribers, up 6.1 million from 41.5 million subscribers during the same period last year. Elsewhere, Sony revealed that the PS4 has now shipped 115.9 million units.

In terms of forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, Sony expects a year-on-year increase in hardware sales as well as positive financial impact of foreign exchange rates. However, the company expects the increase to be offset by a decrease in sales of non-first-party titles.

“Operating income is expected to decrease year-on-year primarily due to the above-mentioned expected decrease in sales of non-first-party titles, and an expected increase in cost, primarily for game software development, partially offset by an expected increase in revenues from first-party titles and an expected improvement in hardware profitability,” the presentation concludes.

[Source: Sony]

The post Sony Shipped 7.8 Million PS5s in ‘Best Year Ever’ for Game & Network Services Division appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Resident Evil Re:Verse delayed until summer 2021

Capcom has announced that Resident Evil Re:Verse has faced delays and will no longer launch simultaneously with Resident Evil Village next month. The pack-in multiplayer title, bundled for free with all copies of the incoming survival horror sequel, will now launch this summer.

No reason was given for the delay, but recent betas have not run quite as smoothly as Capcom would have wanted. The third-person shooter, a celebration of the characters, locations, and weapons of the entire Resident Evil franchise, suffered from connectivity and matchmaking issues during its first beta back at the start of April. A second beta was held this past weekend, and clearly, the developer has decided that Re:Verse needs a little more time in the oven.

Of course, this does not affect the launch of Resident Evil Village itself, which is still scheduled to bring its spine-tingling terror May 7 on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Stadia platforms. This weekend will see a re-run of the sequel's recent demo, so be sure to jump on that if you want to take a peek inside the House of Dimitrescu for yourself.

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Russia fines Apple $12 million for allegedly abusing its App Store dominance

Apple has been fined $12 million by Russia's antitrust regulator (FAS) for abusing its App Store dominance.

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The Morning After: Sony is selling a lot of PS5s

Sony reports it's sold 7.8 million PlayStation 5s so far, while Microsoft's console sales are up 232 percent compared to last year.

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The Apple Watch Series 6 falls to an all-time low of $299

The Apple Watch Series 6 is currently available for $100 less than its original price at Amazon and Best Buy.

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Dragon Ball Composer Shunsuke Kikuchi Dies At 89

Famed composer Shunsuke Kikuchi has died from pneumonia, Oricon reports. He was 89.

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Spotify now has 158 million Premium subscribers

It's slower growth after an explosive 2020, but one that Spotify was expecting.

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UK says 'self-driving' cars could be allowed by the end of 2021

The UK government has announced that basic self-driving cars with automated lane-keeping system (ALKS) could arrive on British roads by the end of 2021.

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Earth Defense Force 2 Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan

This summer, Earth Defense Force 2 will be released in Japan under the title Earth Defense Force 2 for Nintendo Switch. Clever!

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Watch Anime Style Paint Jobs Bring Figures To Life

Over the years, Kotaku has featured the work of artists specializing in anime-style paint jobs (here, here, and here, for example). But now let’s watch as YouTuber MA-Man shows how it’s done. 

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Sony has already sold 7.8 million PS5s

Sony can't make enough PlayStation 5 consoles to satisfy demand.

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Chromecast with Google TV and new Roku devices get certified for HDR10+

The number of devices certified for HDR10+ support grew just a bit more, now that Chromecast with Google TV and new Roku devices have joined the list.

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Nike's PlayStation 5-themed shoes arrive next month

Paul George's new shoes will go on sale next month with a PS5 theme, but buying them will probably be as difficult as buying a PS5 right now.

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A Golden Wii Made For Queen Elizabeth II Is Now For Sale

Back in 2009, as part of a publicity stunt for...Big Family Games, publisher THQ commissioned the creation of a golden Nintendo Wii, and had it delivered to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

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NHL Turner Sports deal includes live game rights for HBO Max

WarnerMedia has secured streaming rights to 72 regular season games, including the league’s annual outdoor Winter Classic game.

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Netflix will stream 'Sailor Moon Eternal' starting June 3rd

A new 'Sailor Moon' double feature will make its worldwide debut on Netflix in June.

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Famicom Detective Club is a pair of visual novels for people new to the genre

Nintendo's re-release of the Famicom Detective Club games is an interesting time capsule of the visual novel genre.

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Izuho 'IPPO' Numata On Working At Early-'90s Sega And Composing Phantasy Star IV

There are so many songs from the 16-bit era that evoke nostalgic flashbacks to my first experiences playing games. Those tracks weren’t just catchy tunes, but were a big part of what made many classic games so special. In a time when memory limited what games could do, music, working cohesively with the graphics and…

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ICYMI: Resident Evil Village Demo Has Been Extended Following Player Complaints

Capcom has announced that it has extended Resident Evil Village‘s final 60-minute demo by a week after players complained about its limited availability. A considerable number of players were unable to try out to the demo, which was only available for eight hours, because of time zone differences among other things.

The good news is, Capcom heard the feedback and you now have a week to visit the Village and the Castle ahead of launch.

We’ve heard your feedback and are extending the availability period for the final 60-minute multi-platform #REVillage demo.

The original 24-hour window starting 5PM PDT May 1 (1AM BST May 2) has been increased by a week, and now ends at the same times on May 9 PDT (May 10 BST). pic.twitter.com/8VKEU8bMnu

— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) April 26, 2021

All’s well that ends well!

As a reminder, here’s an official overview of Castle Dimitrescu:

When you first step into the castle, you may immediately feel the contrast between the decrepit village of the first early access experience to its regal interior. One of the major motifs of this area, and the game in general, was creating environments filled with beauty. When players aren’t running for their lives, we wanted to create a setting that they could enjoy by venturing through and slowly taking in all the sights and scenes. Of course, every picture of beauty hides a face of terror. Players may also find themselves beneath the splendor in an underground prison, tiptoeing past cold cellar bars that offer a sharp juxtaposition to the warmth found up above.

Resident Evil Village will release worldwide for the PS5 and PS4, Xbox One and Series X/S, PC, and Stadia on May 7th.

The post ICYMI: Resident Evil Village Demo Has Been Extended Following Player Complaints appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Former Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono appointed President of Delightworks

In a sudden and frankly surprising turn of events, Yoshinori Ono has been officially appointed President and COO of Delightworks, the studio behind mobile phenomenon Fate/Grand Order and recent disaster release Sakura Wars: Hanasaki Maidens.

Yoshinori Ono previously worked with Capcom for almost three decades, before leaving the company in the summer of 2020. During his time with the developer/publisher, Ono worked on top brands including Resident Evil, Onimusha, and Dead Rising, but his greatest achievement remains his incredible resurrection of the Street Fighter franchise. At the center of 2008's Street Fighter IV - a title his bosses at Capcom had zero faith in - Ono almost single-handedly brought the legendary series back to the masses, a move which helped reignite the entire fighting game genre, particularly with mainstream audiences. For this act alone, Ono is deservedly respected by both players and those within the industry.

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ADT sues Amazon over Ring's blue octagon signs

ADT has filed a lawsuit against Ring for using blue octagon signs that look similar to its own.

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Spotify counters Apple with its own podcast subscription plan

Spotify will take on Apple with its own paid podcast subscription platform, but it won't take a cut for the first two years.

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Japanese Pop Star Teams Up With Square Enix For Some Fancy CG

Koichi Domoto, one half of the Japanese boy band Kinki Kids, has roped in Square Enix for his upcoming solo album Playful.

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Report: Knife-Wielding Man Arrested At Genshin Impact Developer's Headquarters

According to Sina, one of China’s largest news portals, a man was recently arrested at Mihoyo’s Shanghai headquarters. It is believed the suspect intended to stab the company’s founders and then take his own life.

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Capcom Arcade Stadium is getting paid 'invincibility' DLC

Yesterday, we reported that radical retro compilation Capcom Arcade Stadium was making the leap from Nintendo Switch to PS4, PC, and Xbox One. Since then, the publisher has made several addendums to the announcement, including the reveal of some pretty tacky paid DLC.

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The Morning After: Tesla's record car sales, despite COVID-19

Today’s headlines: Tesla built, sold and shipped more vehicles in this last quarter than ever before, Apple releases iOS 14.5 with stricter app tracking privacy, and Zoom's Immersive View crams up to 25 people inside one virtual background.

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EU set to charge Apple over anti-competitive App Store policies this week

The EU will reportedly file anti-competitive behaviour charges against Apple later this week over issues relating to its App Store policies.

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The final 'Resident Evil Village' demo will be playable for 8 days

RE Village's final 60-minute demo will be playable for a full week.

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Apple's next-gen 'M2' Mac processor has reportedly gone into production

Apple's successor to its M1 Apple Silicon chip could arrive in MacBook computers by the second half of this year, according to a report from Nikkei.

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Super Mario Party Finally Gets New Online Play In Free Update

After nearly two and a half, Super Mario Party is getting new online play options in a free update.

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Capcom extending its Resident Evil Village demo availability to a full week

While very few had a problem with the well-received demos for Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil Village, many were left frustrated with the publisher's decision to release the taster trial in slight, 24-hour windows. It appears that Capcom has heard the criticism loud and clear, and will be taking it on board for Village's third (and final) demo event.

As of Saturday, May 1, Resi fans will once again be able to creep the boards of The House of Demitrescu, only this time the demo will remain available for an entire week, with servers open until Sunday, May 9. It should be noted that the demo is still limited to a single hour of gameplay, but now players will at least be able to take that hour at their own convenience.

Furthermore, the demo will be made available on all Resident Evil Village platforms. So whether you're playing on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, or Stadia, you can get your fill of the sequel's sinister locales - and their sinister-still occupants - ahead of the game's official launch on May 7. Personally, I'm yet to find the opportunity to check the demo out, but after hearing rave reactions from my colleagues, I'll be sure to tiptoe through its cobwebbed corridors this coming weekend.

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Amazon now offers Key in-garage grocery deliveries in 5,000 cities and towns

Amazon's Key in-garage grocery deliveries are now available to all Prime members in the US.

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Anti-Defamation League: Twitch should invest in moderation tools

ADL figured out why Jimmy Fallon’s Twitch streams were more toxic than AOC’s.

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Ford's premium Mustang Mach-E GT EV starts at $59,900

Ford has revealed more information about the features and performance of its Mustang Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition along with the all-important pricing.

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HTC Vive owners can buy parts from iFixit for DIY VR repairs

HTC has teamed up with iFixit to make it easier for its customers to get their VR headsets and accessories repaired.

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What's on TV: 'Returnal' and 'Yasuke'

This week we're looking forward to Netflix's new anime Yasuke, The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Returnal on PS5.

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Nice Robots

Ryan Wong is an artist based in China.

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Signed Pokémon Card Sells For $250,000

We now live in a world where boxes of Pokémon cards are selling for over $400,000 and individual Blastoise cards for $360,000, so maybe it’s not the biggest surprise that this very rare and very cool card featuring Pokémon Company stalwart Tsunekazu Ishihara has also sold for an astronomical price.

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Microsoft Fixes Windows 10 Updates That Hit Game Performance

Last week, the Windows 10 updates KB5000842 and KB5001330 made a bit more of a fuss than usual, because they were found to be at the heart of several gaming-related performance issues across various games and graphics cards.

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Luminar will bring its LiDAR tech to Airbus planes and helicopters

The companies hope to 'ultimately enable safe, autonomous flight.'

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Roku warns of standoff with Google over YouTube TV

Roku has accused Google of demanding special treatment for YouTube apps, warning that YouTube TV might leave the platform.

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Respawn Entertainment’s Medal of Honor Documentary Won an Oscar, a First for the Games Industry

The video games industry is celebrating yet another breakthrough: it’s very first Oscar win. Credit goes to developer Respawn Entertainment for its Medal Of Honor: Above And Beyond documentary tie-in, Colette, which wooed critics over.

We’re over the moon about Colette’s Best Documentary (Short Subject) #Oscars win tonight! From Vince, Peter, and all of us at Respawn, we are humbled and honored. Thank you.

And if you haven’t seen the film, you can watch it for free here: https://t.co/CxwNGWMOXv

— Respawn (@Respawn) April 26, 2021

“I want to thank our amazing E.P., Peter Hirschmann, at Electronic Arts, everyone at Electronic Arts and Respawn, and Oculus, especially Vince, Dusty and Mara,” director Anthony Giacchino said in his acceptance speech.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is a virtual reality first-person shooter that released on PC last December. Interestingly, while its documentary won an Oscar, the game itself received average reviews.

So what’s Colette all about? The short film follows the story of its titular character, 90-year-old Colette Marin-Catherine, who returns to a German concentration camp where her brother was killed after 74 years.

“As a young girl, she fought Hitler’s Nazis as a member of the French Resistance,” reads a synopsis provided by The Guardian. “For 74 years, she has refused to step foot in Germany, but that changes when a young history student named Lucie enters her life. Prepared to re-open old wounds and revisit the terrors of that time, Marin-Catherine offers important lessons for us all.”

Colette is free to watch, so make sure to check it out.

The post Respawn Entertainment’s Medal of Honor Documentary Won an Oscar, a First for the Games Industry appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Oops, someone designed another cool looking Switch UI mockup with folders

The Switch UI has been surprisingly dormant since it was released.

While it gets the job done in some respects, it lacks a lot of modern features like folders and other perks. Plus, the menu sound design is a huge downgrade compared to the Wii and Wii U. So every few months someone takes it upon themselves to upgrade the UI with a fan mockup: and I have to say, pretty much all of them are on point.

Take this one from Redditor Frieznburg. It's still elegant and clean, like the current official UI, but it allows users to add games to folders that look uniform with the other game icons. What I really like about it is that it showcases the "hours played" data right there on the main page when you highlight a game, as well as the release date. For reference, they used Figma to craft all this.

This isn't as drastic as some other redesigns, so I suspect that a lot of folks are going to be down with it. One common complaint when it comes to fan mockups is that they're "too busy or superfluous," and to some extent, I do agree that the official setup does look great when juxtaposed to the somewhat messy PS5 OS, or the Xbox interface.

But still, there is a way to add both functionality and flair to the Switch UI, and I'm eagerly awaiting the day that Nintendo actually implements some of these features.

Switch Home Redesign (Fan-Made) [Reddit]

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart trailer introduces Rivet

Sony Interactive Entertainment, alongside Insomniac Games, have released a brand new - and very impressive - gameplay trailer for the upcoming platformer Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which will see the steampunk duo return for another exciting adventure this summer, exclusively on PS5.

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Apple will build another US campus in North Carolina

Apple plans to invest $430 billion in the US economy over five years after exceeding its previous domestic target.

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Surface Laptop 4 review (15-inch): A bigger, better ultraportable

The Surface Laptop 4 may look familiar, but it's a major upgrade over the last model.

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Clubhouse's first sports deal lets you tune into NFL Draft Week

Clubhouse has landed an NFL deal that lets you follow Draft Week, including chats with athletes and coaches.

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Sony's WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones return to record low of $278

Amazon's latest headphone sale knocks $72 off Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones.

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Spotify's new music player debuts in Facebook apps on iOS and Android

Spotify's music and podcast player will let you listen to audio from posts without leaving Facebook's iOS or Android apps.

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Zoom's Immersive View puts up to 25 people inside one virtual background

Zoom is launching Immersive View, a new feature that can assemble up to 25 participants in front of the same virtual scene.

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Sony Reaffirms Commitment to Making Diverse and Unique Games, and Experimenting With Fresh Ideas

Following reports that Sony Interactive Entertainment is shifting its focus to heavy-hitters and blockbuster AAA titles, PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst has reiterated that the company will continue to make diverse and unique games, and experiment with fresh ideas.

Speaking to Games Industry, Hulst said that distinct games are “the heart and soul” of PlayStation Studios, and Sony is committed to making quality experiences.

I think that the games that we make are as distinct and diverse as they can be. From Sackboy to Astro Bot to Dreams to these kind of games that you’re referring to, like The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghosts of Tsushima. And you can bet that we will carry on making these games, because they are the heart and soul of what we do here at PlayStation studios. But at the same time, we are just as committed to making these quality experiences as we are to experimentation and to coming up with fresh ideas.

Hulst made his remarks while talking about Sony’s new partnership with Firewalk Studios. SIE will publish Firewalk’s AAA multiplayer video game.

“The lovely folks that we are talking to today at Firewalk Studios, they’re story tellers just like the people at PlayStation Studios are,” Hulst continued. “They are story tellers in a very innovative way. Matched with their deep experience as a collective in AAA multiplayer games, I think that is going to lead to some very interesting and very nice surprises for our fans.”

Firewalk’s project has yet to be revealed.

[Source: Games Industry via Video Games Chronicle]

The post Sony Reaffirms Commitment to Making Diverse and Unique Games, and Experimenting With Fresh Ideas appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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There's a reason NEO: The World Ends with You isn't called The World End with You 2

It was one of the biggest surprise announcements of 2020. After more than a decade of fans pleading and Square Enix teasing, we learned last summer a sequel to The World Ends with You was in development. For those like myself, it was a moment to rejoice. Long had we waited, and even with rereleases of the original title on new hardware with new content, the further away we moved from the debut of the original title, the less confident I became that we'd ever return to Shibuya and the Reaper's Game.

Turns out, I wasn't the only one doubting it could happen. Last Monday, I sat down over Zoom with the creative team behind NEO: The World Ends with You to discuss the game, its characters, its story, and how, after 14 years, we were finally getting one of gaming's most requested sequels.

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(Update) You can unlock this free freaky World of Warcraft monkey charity pet now

[Update: Daisy has also been unlocked via the million dollar stretch goal. Just head here to redeem her for free. You have until August 1, 2021 to claim the rewards for this initiative.]

Look into the eyes of that monkey. He totally wants to eat your player character after you sit down to take a nap. But he's a charity item! So it's probably wholesome. Still...I'm watching you.

Wait where were we! Oh yeah, talking about World of Warcraft freebies. As part of a drive for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a monkey pet named Bananas is now free for everyone. They were part of the $500,000 goal, with a further stretch goal of $1 million.

At the moment, the drive is sitting at just under $700,000 at publication, so it'll probably take a bit more time to finish out. Note that the Daisy pet can ride on your back though, it seems, so I'm a little more interested in that perk. Oh, and it doesn't look like it wants to murder you.

You can grab Bananas here from the Battle.net Blizzard Shop, in the pets section of World of Warcraft. It's right there at the top, for free, and listed first. The next stop on the charity train is Daisy the sloth at the $1 mil mark. Eventually, that should get unlocked through the same means and will be available in the Blizzard Shop.

Bananas Unlocked! Claim Yours Today and Donate to Unlock Daisy [Battle.net]

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The best webcams you can buy

Here's a list of the best webcams you can buy for your laptop or desktop, plus advice on how to choose the right one for you.

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English soccer to boycott social media for four days over racist abuse

English football is boycotting social media for four days starting later this month to pile pressure on Facebook and Twitter to combat racist abuse online.

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The Morning After: Netflix's big night at the Oscars

Today’s headlines: Netflix has its best night ever at the Oscars, Google tests out faster Assistant voice commands and SpaceX's reused Crew Dragon capsule docks with the ISS.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 models are up to 38 percent off

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3 is now on sale for $150 off including LTE models.

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Despite R-Rating And Pandemic, Demon Slayer Sets Box Office Record In North America

Earlier this spring, when it was announced that Demon Slayer was getting a dreaded R-rating in the US, there was concern that this could impact the movie’s performance. Those concerns, it seems, were wrong.

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