News (172428)
Stardew Valley patch 1.5.4 fixes some lingering issues
Written by SWOSH-XThe latest Stardew Valley patch has arrived on PC, and is coming to consoles soon.Stardew Valley patch 1.5.4 is now available and fixes some lingering issues from the 1.5 updates released in December.It
Cyberpunk 2077 release contributed to digital sales record in December – SuperData
Written by SWOSH-XDigital games saw a significant sales increase year-over-year setting a $12 billion record for the month of December, thanks in part to the release of Cyberpunk 2077.According to SuperData figures, the release
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 developer Vicarious Visions merged into Blizzard
Written by SWOSH-XVicarious Visions, the studio responsible for the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, has been merged into Blizzard by Activision – and could be working on a Diablo 2
2021 is a new year, which means a new chance to experience all-new gaming tales! For those that love the feeling of abject terror and the threat of peeing one's pants, we've got just the thing! While there are many horror games coming out in 2021, here are some of the ones I'm looking forward to the most — even if most of my time playing games like these consists of one eye closed, the other eye squinting, and watching a Disney movie after as a palette cleanser.
From Resident Evil Village to The Medium and some indie adventures peppered in, here are the horror games that I can't wait to play later this year!
The Medium
Bloober Team knows how to craft an incredible horror adventure and while the studio has had a few missteps in its past, the element of psychological torment always shines through. With The Medium, the tale centers around navigating not one but two worlds with a dualistic experience rooted in learning what is real and what's not while trying to survive a spiritual realm hellbent on getting you good and dead.
Psychological horror meets Silent Hill? For that reason alone, this is one of my most anticipated horror experiences of the year.
The Outlast Trials
Red Barrels is continuing its Outlast legacy with Outlast Trials, a horror title set during the Cold War and a prequel at its heart.
What makes me intrigued about this particular game is the ability to play with three other survivors of grisly experimentation during the war, adding a social element to the more traditional Outlast formula. With something for single-player lovers and co-op gamers alike, The Outlast Trials has the potential to offer something truly unique, especially when taking in the conflicting feedback Outlast II experienced when the previous title tried to do things a little differently by giving players more freedom.
Resident Evil Village
I could just say "Big Tall Vampire Lady" and that would be enough of an explanation for why I'm excited about this particular entry, but the reality is that there are so many reasons to be stoked for Resident Evil Village.
Not only is Village a continuation of an iconic horror franchise, but what we've seen so far looks like it could be the ultimate love letter to Resident Evil fans. From revamped crafting that players have enjoyed from previous entries in the series to exploring a whole world of supernatural creatures that go bump in the night; everything about Resident Evil Village has me screaming with delight when looking at the blend of new and familiar within the formulaic direction the eighth title takes.
Martha is Dead
Martha is Dead is another psychological horror game from the creator of The Town of Light and it looks seriously disturbing. Blending traditional horror imagery with an almost dreamlike undertone, this particular story takes a 1944 narrative and goes hard in showing how truly brutal World War II was in its own right while adding a supernatural element to the horrors faced.
As tension with Germany escalates, a body of a drowned and desecrated woman is found; Martha. Martha is, in fact, dead and it is her twin that must face a reality that includes her sister's murder.
This game is another highly anticipated entry for me personally because of its historical background and how it aims to deal with themes such as loss, regret, and familial relationships. Beyond just jumpscares, the messaging of Martha is Dead goes behind campy tales; it is a very real experience designed to get under your skin and make you doubt everything you know and feel.
Tormented Souls
Tormented Souls is a more traditional survival experience that is good for players looking for something of this genre without needing the title itself to be something entirely groundbreaking or new. Everything about it reminds me of Silent Hill with some Siren influence in there as well, following the story of a kidnapped woman named Caroline.
Caroline suddenly finds herself naked in a bathtub strung up by wires and antiquated medical equipment and it's up to her to break free of her bindings and escape a decrepit hospital. This story has the traditional "mysterious disappearance" narrative that is tried-and-true and looks like it could be the perfect setup for jump scares, nightmares, and the underlying feeling of grotesque curiosity.
In Sound Mind
In Sound Mind is another indie title that thrives in the area of psychological horror. This particular title won't be for everything because it is rather puzzle-heavy, but it is teeming with exploration and mystery.
When numerous bodies are found that fell victim to a mysterious chemical, it is up to the player to find out what happened and help make things right. Nothing is ever simple, however, and confusing visions begin to factor into the equation. While fighting for sanity whilst searching for the end of needless cruelty, In Sound Mind has a lot of potential to be a stealth hit.
And there is also a cat named Tonia, so that's another reason to play.
There are, of course, honorable mentions that I'm personally excited for but I either felt they were already something people would expect or just the future is unknown at this time. A good example of uncertainty is Dying Light 2, a game that puts the power of choice in player's hands, expanding upon the original world of Dying Light in an intense and thoughtful way. With so many variables that can change the entire game experience, this is one of those tales that has me on the edge of my seat regarding when we can get our hands on it. That being said, the development road has been far from easy, making it hard to predict when we'll actually get our hands on it.
Unholy, Stalker 2, Once Upon a Time in Roswell, and Chernobylite are also worthy honorable mentions for horror adventures to get amped up for, which begs the question: what are you jonesing to play in the arena of horror? Which game are you looking forward to the most? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!
First big patch for Cyberpunk 2077 focuses on stability, various fixes
Written by SWOSH-XThe first major update for Cyberpunk 2077 is now available on PC, consoles, and Stadia, and it focuses on stability improvements and various fixes.CD Projekt said it will continue this work in
Nintendo now facing Switch Joy-Con drift lawsuit in Canada
Written by SWOSH-XThis is on top of the legal action the company is facing in the US and Europe.Japanese platform holder, Nintendo, is now facing a Switch Joy-Con lawsuit in Canada.As spotted by IGN,
Microsoft reverses price increase for Xbox Live Gold, free-to-play games won’t require sub
Written by SWOSH-XAfter announcing a price increase for Xbox Live Gold yesterday, Microsoft has reversed the decision.Pricing will not only remain the same but now, you will also no longer need an Xbox Live
New Cyberpunk 2077 Update Heavily Tackles Stability, Quest Bugs, And Open-World Issues
Written by Liana Ruppert 
A new Cyberpunk 2077 update is now available for PC and console players alike, as well as Google Stadia. The latest patch is one of many on the horizon following a chaotic launch and this update tackles major areas of improvement including open-world issues, commonly reported bugs, and overall stability concerns.
CD Projekt Red took to the game's blog to share with players what the latest update has in store, saying "In this update, we focused on various stability improvements, which you can find outlined in the patch notes below. We will continue this work in patch 1.2 and other upcoming updates. At the same time, we will keep fixing the bugs you encounter and listening to your feedback on how to improve the overall game experience."
While new DLC and new-gen updates are still on the horizon, the main priority for the Polish studio currently is to get the issues that contributed to the messy launch under control. This especially became an important focus when Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection began its investigation into the company concerning the game's launch on the heels of two class-action lawsuits from investors.
The latest patch, called Update 1.1, tackles various stability issues including:
- Memory usage improvements in various systems within the game: characters, interactions, navigation, in-game videos (news, tv, etc.), foliage, laser effects, minimap, devices, AI, street traffic, environmental damage system, GPU-related, and more.
- Various crash fixes (related to, among others, loading saves, game opening/closing and Point of No Return).
It also tackles many of the quest bugs that players have been reporting and a few open-world issues that have been shared as well, especially concerning any of the content surrounding Delamain and achievement/trophy issues.
For the full list of what the latest patch entails, check out the full update notes below courtesy of CDPR:
Quests/Open World
- Fixed an issue where calls from Delamain would end immediately and seem like they cannot be picked up in Epistrophy.
- Fixed an issue where players would not receive calls from Delamain when approaching relevant vehicles in Epistrophy.
- Fixed an issue where the objective could get stuck on "Answer the call from Mr. Hands" in M'ap Tann Pèlen.
- Fixed an issue where Judy could teleport underground in Pyramid Song.
- Fixed an issue where it would be impossible to talk to Zen Master in Poem of The Atoms.
- Fixed an issue where Takemura wouldn't call in Down on the Street.
- Fixed an issue where Jackie could disappear in The Pickup.
- Fixed an issue where it could be impossible to get out of the car in The Beast in Me: The Big Race.
- Fixed an issue where players could stop receiving calls and messages after moving too far away from A Day In The Life area.
- Fixed an issue where opening the package wouldn't update Space Oddity.
- Retro-fixed the saves affected by a rare issue where speaking to Judy in Automatic Love would be impossible due to an invisible wall. The underlying issue is under investigation.
- Fixed an issue that prevented players from collecting the reward in Gig: Freedom of the Press. The quest will auto-complete for those who could not collect the reward previously, and the reward will be provided automatically.
- Fixed an issue where Delamain would remain silent throughout Epistrophy if the player initially refused to help him.
UI
- Fixed an issue where prompt for exiting braindance could be missing.
- Removed an invalid item from loot.
Visual
- Fixed an issue where a grenade's trajectory could be displayed in photo mode.
- Fixed particles' hue appearing pink when viewed close up.
- Fixed cars spawning incorrectly in Reported Crime: Welcome to Night City.
Achievements
- Fixed an issue where completing one of theassaults in progress in Santo Domingo would sometimes not contribute towards progression for The Jungle achievement, preventing its completion.
Miscellaneous
- Addressed the issue responsible for saves getting oversized (related to the modifier indicating if the item is crafted), and trimmed the excess size from already existing saves (note: this won’t fix PC save files corrupted before 1.06 update).
- Fixed an issue where input could stop registering upon opening the weapon wheel and performing an action.
- Fixed an issue where the "Continue" button in the Main Menu could load an end game save.
PlayStation-specific
- Performance optimization of crowds on PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation 5.
- Various crash fixes on PlayStation 4.
Xbox-specific
- Improved memory usage for character creation, mirrors, scanning, camera remote control, menus (inventory, map) on Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox One S.
PC-specific
- It will now be possible to obtain achievements while in Steam offline mode. Note: Offline mode needs to be enabled before starting the game. This change does not work retroactively.
- Addressed the game startup crashes related to loading cache on NVIDIA graphics cards.
Stadia-specific
- Concert audio should no longer be inaudible in Never Fade Away.
- Fixed corrupted textures on several melee weapons.
- Tweaked default deadzone settings to be more responsive. Note: the change will not affect settings unless they’re set to default.
Interested in learning what else is going on in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and the studio behind the open-world game? You can check out our previous coverage here that includes news, mods, and our reviews for both PC and last-generation systems.
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Click to watch embedded media Robert Kirkman is best known for his comic series The Walking Dead and its subsequent television adaption. Soon, another one of Kirkman's comics will be hitting your screen, this time as an exclusive to Amazon Prime. The new show is called Invincible, and Kirkman has announced that it will debut on March 26.
Between all of the games and movies that revolve around superpowers these days, you may have reached your saturation point when it comes to heroes in tights with special abilities. Even so, Invincible might be worth giving a chance. It's about a young man named Mark who discovers he has superpowers, but he also happens to be the son of Omni-Man – a Superman-like figure who is the world's most powerful hero. Check out the clip above for a sneak peek at the dynamic between the two characters, and get a broader look at the show with the teaser trailer.
If the concept alone isn’t enough to entice you, then maybe the phenomenal voice cast can lure you in. It features an astounding array of talent, including Steven Yeun (Glenn from The Walking Dead) in the lead role of Mark, and J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy) as Omni-Man. Other people lending their voices to the show include Mark Hamill, Seth Rogan, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Sandra Oh, Walton Goggins, Mahershala Ali, and more (including other alums from The Walking Dead). Check out the show’s Wikipedia page and soak in the star power.
Those on the Game Informer staff who have read the Invincible comic say that it is an under-appreciated work, and its quality may even surpass The Walking Dead. So, even if you've never heard of it before today, it seems like fans of superhero fiction should definitely have this upcoming series on their radar.
Vicarious Visions has moved from the Activision side of the company to the Blizzard side moving forward, reports Gameindustry.biz. This shift also places the studio head, Jen Oneal, on the Blizzard leadership team where she will report to Blizzard president J. Allen Brack.
Vicarious Visions has a wealth of work on Activision titles under its belt, most recently the Tony Hawk game resurrection in the form of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, which was well received.
"Forget the weird peripherals, bad sequels, and questionable ports that defined Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater in the series’ later years," says Game Informer's Brian Shea in our review. "Instead, remember the glory days of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, because that’s where you’re going with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2. By returning to the first two games in the franchise and modernizing them with changes large and small, developer Vicarious Visions reminds us why we fell in love with this series in the first place." Over the years, Vicarious Visions has been involved with myriad Activision properties, including the Skylanders and Guitar Hero franchises. The list of games Vicarious has touched is huge, but also includes Call of Duty, Destiny, and Crash Bandicoot. Whew!
This shift is not expected to move the 200-ish person Vicarious Visions team out of their New York company headquarters. What role Vicarious will play at Blizzard and what projects they will be working on isn't yet known, but they will be working on existing Blizzard games and initiatives, as far as the initial scope goes.
What do you think about the change for Vicarious Visions? Is this an opportunity to buff up some Blizzard titles that could use some extra power? Are you lamenting the potential loss of more Tony Hawk titles? Let us know what you think of the merger in the comments below!
[Source: Gameindustry.biz]
Tencent acquires majority stake in Don’t Starve studio Klei Entertainment
Written by SWOSH-XChina-based company Tencent has acquired a majority stake in Don’t Starve developer Klei Entertainment.According to a Klei Entertainment forum post, the Candian studio’s founder Jamie Cheng said the partnership will help the
Fox News controversy impacted Mass Effect 2’s non-straight relationships
Written by SWOSH-XTweaks were made to stop the game’s audience facing further criticism, apparently.Mass Effect 2‘s Jack was originally intended to be pansexual, but BioWare cut down non-straight romances over concerns of negative media