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This worthy remake makes remembering Citadel an easy thing to do. There are a lot of classic games that I feel don't need a remake, but when I heard that Nightdive Studios was making one for System Shock, I definitely didn't object. Even if you have never heard of System Shock before, I think if you have been gaming for at least a few years, you probably know of some games that have its DNA within them, like Bioshock and Prey (2017). I played a lot of the second game in the series (System Shock 2) in my teenage years and it made quite an impression on me, but I was ashamed that I didn't play the game that started it all (System Shock) until much, much later. The only issue is that I honestly never thought this remake would be released. Development for it started all of the way back in 2015 and the project went through plenty of turmoil (to say the least) along the way. However, thankfully it is here now, so let's dive into it and talk about how it turned out. System Shock 2 had ultimately spoiled me with its much-improved control scheme and overall smoother gameplay. The intro starts with the game's protagonist (an unnamed character simply known throughout the game as Hacker) sitting in their apartment and doing what any hacker worth their salt would be doing during a nice dark night: hacking. The hack they are attempting to pull off is into the files of a company called TriOptimum Corporation, who happen to have details on a neural implant that the hacker seems interested in. The hack doesn't go too well because almost immediately TriOptimum Corp guards bust in and knock the hacker out. After they wake up they are given a deal by a TriOptimum executive named Edward Diego that if they will hack into the network of a place called Citadel Station and disable the ethical restraints on the AI controlling the station (called SHODAN), then he will give them the neural implant that they were searching for. Since the hacker doesn't really have a choice, they comply. After the deed is done and they receive the implant that was promised, they are in a medical coma for six months. When they finally awaken they are on the Medical floor level within Citadel Station; this is where the game truly begins. I have to say that immediately after the hacker gets off of the medical table and stands up, I cracked a huge grin. Seeing this room updated to a more modern style while also retaining a lot of the details exactly how I remembered them really made me happy. I then opened up a supply closet, grabbed a steel pipe plus a few other supplies, and walked out into the station. To say things have gone wrong here on the Citadel would be an understatement. Since SHODAN's ethical restraints were disabled, pure hell has been unleashed here. Where there were once lively crew members, there are now only corpses and viscera. Friendly robots that used to offer food and drinks now only offer spinning blades and dismemberment. Security robots that might have been made to protect are now made to destroy anything they see. The atmosphere here is very dark and grim. Audio and text logs left by the crew on desks, shelves, or even next to their rotting remains tell the story of what happened here and what the crew was trying to do to stop the madness. Nightdive Studios definitely tried to keep the experience of this game with a lot of those gameplay conditions intact. Since the original System Shock is almost 30 years old, there are a lot of things that have changed in games within that time frame. Nightdive Studios definitely tried to keep the experience of this game with a lot of those gameplay conditions intact. Every level within the station is its own labyrinth of often confusing as well as tight corridors. Thankfully the player is given help in the form of a map that will not only show areas that have been explored, but also show off locations of some very useful things. Energy stations can be used to recharge the hacker's energy meter so that they can use energy weapons and also certain pieces of equipment like shields or boots that heavily increase movement speed. Regeneration stations that can be found on most levels of the station will work like a respawn point for the player if they are killed, but only after a switch nearby them is flipped. Junction boxes are puzzles that need to be solved in order to open certain areas or turn the power back on to a room. These puzzles come in a few different types and can be pretty tough at times. There are rare items that can be found that allow the player to skip these if they find one to be too tough to deal with. The Cyberspace sections have also returned from the original, and these are kind of like playing the old Descent games. They are simple minigames where the player flies around a virtual space shooting at insect-looking enemies; listening to pulsing music while they blast apart beams that are keeping doors within the Citadel locked. I found these to be much better than they were in the original and also a nice little distraction from the rest of the game. One new thing that was implemented in this remake is a recycler that allows the player to pick up items, vaporize them into blocks of scrap, and then run them through it in order to get credits. These can be used to buy all sorts of useful items like ammo, weapon upgrades, and boosters. Waypoints that have become common in most newer adventure games are nowhere to be found here. This game expects you to take notes based on what you see or hear. If you see a number, write it down, if you hear someone talking in an audio log about something they were trying to do, pay very close attention and write that down too because that might be what your next objective is. System Shock really doesn't hold your hand whatsoever. It was definitely designed to be a difficult game to complete, but not an unfair one. However, I do know that a lot of people aren't going to like this aspect, and it won't be an enjoyable experience for everyone. Practically every enemy type from the original is back and given a fresh coat of paint. Weapons are definitely much more fun to use in this game than in the original. There are a wide variety available including: melee weapons like a pipe and a wrench, pistols (including an energy one that is super useful), a shotgun, mag-pulse rifle, assault rifle, railgun, and the list goes on and on. There are different types of ammo and grenades that can be used and each type is effective against a certain type of enemy. The guns have a good amount of weight to them and feel satisfying to shoot creatures and robots with. Sadly the melee weapons don't have the same weight. It just never feels quite right when you hit something. Most of the time you just don't even know if you are making contact with your swings. Hopefully this gets fixed in the future. Other than that, combat felt good. Being able to lean left and right can really help keep the player from taking insane amounts of damage when trying to take down enemies. Utilizing cover like corners and ducking behind boxes is very important, so every little thing like that helps. Practically every enemy type from the original is back and given a fresh coat of paint, and for the most part, I really like the updates. Seeing the updated mutants lumbering towards me made me crack a smile just like when I saw the first room of the remake. The enemies range from mutants, to security robots, to cyborgs, to things that I don't want to spoil, including the boss fights. Let me just say that System Shock has a really nice variety of enemies and besides some of them being kind of annoying to fight at times, I don’t really have any complaints. It doesn't hurt whatsoever that the taunts of SHODAN are just as great and unnerving as in the original, with her original voice actor returning and just absolutely crushing it. I honestly think this remake is a worthy revisit of Citadel Station and even though there are a few things that new players might find frustrating, it is definitely a game that I would have to recommend and is easily one of my favorite games this year. Pros: Atmosphere is thick with horror and takes the source material seriously The enemy and level redesigns are faithful to the original and look great Exploring Citadel Station is rewarding and intense SHODAN is a standout presence as usual Cons: Some players might not like how difficult it can be Some of the level layouts are incredibly easy to get lost in due to being from a 29 year old game Melee combat lacks weight Score: 8.5/10 Reviewer played System Shock on PC. No key was provided by the publisher.

A new formula breathes life into a stale horror staple. If you told me the next Amnesia title would remind me of Darkwood, one of my favorite games of all time, I wouldn’t believe you. To my surprise, Amnesia: The Bunker follows a similar flow to that indie great; you gather fuel, keep a generator running, and make frequent runs for resources while avoiding threats. While the franchise has typically been in the realm of borderline walking simulators, and outside of the original Dark Descent, the series has stumbled every step of the way. Frictional Games brought the existential dread to a peak with Soma’s smart storytelling, but the formula was wearing thin, and Rebirth did little to dissuade longtime fans. Enter Amnesia: The Bunker, a stripped-down horror survival game that does a lot with little. The Bunker brings back fear in a big way, taking cues from survival titles, classic horror games like Resident Evil, and more inspired sources, such as Alien: Isolation. The mix is a surprisingly potent brew of procedural scares, creative problem-solving, exploration, and resource management, making for a truly tense and terrifying romp. In The Bunker you play as a French soldier in WW1, trapped underground with your comrades, you wake up after being wounded, and everyone is missing. Unfortunately, there is something else in the bunker with you, and it has stalked and killed everyone. Your only goal is to escape, but the monster will hunt you every step of the way. Whereas previous games in Frictional’s catalog have followed a linear structure, The Bunker lets you loose in a semi-open world based in a small underground complex. You can explore freely; even the codes, certain items, and elements are randomly generated every playthrough. If anything, The Bunker plays out like an immersive sim as much as a survival-horror game. You set out from a central room, running around the bunker, exploring, collecting resources, and returning to the center to rest and store items. The catch is that there is a generator you must keep fueled up, and if it runs out, the lights go dark. The Bunker plays out like an immersive sim as much as a survival-horror game. This is where those Darkwood comparisons come in—making runs, keeping the lights on, and surviving by the skin of your teeth in a reactive world. Whereas usually, it is attracted to loud noises and specific actions, if the lights are out, it is free range for that murder cow. This is where the tension lies; as you explore and collect resources, you must use fuel, but if you stay out too long, you’ll wander back through a maze in the dark. Every element of The Bunker is timed, but careful play left me with a good supply of fuel, and it was rarely an inconvenience on the normal difficulty. Ultimately, when it was running low, it only served to ramp up the tension and my enjoyment of the game. The more that goes wrong in The Bunker, the better. The Bunker is driven by systemic gameplay. The titular location is open, and for the most part, progression is not blocked by specific items or requirements. Doors can be beaten down with stones, blown up, smashed in, and more. Solutions are varied, and creativity is rewarded constantly. There are many tools and a lot of fun physics that drive every interaction; you can even block off the monster with debris or use it to your advantage to clear paths. This is a game that is all about experimentation. When you leave the safe room, you save, and all progress from then on until the next time you return is on the line. Stay out too long and get killed, and you may lose a lot, but you will gain knowledge, and your wasted resources will be returned. While it can seem like a steep price, it is much better than being stuck in an unwinnable situation out in some dark corner. The Bunker never lets up. It is soaked in tension, worships at the altar of making you squirm, and does it with a smile. The game’s star is the monster, which I found to be pleasantly predictable to some extent, but also truly terrifying. It constantly surprised and scared me, but I was incredibly careful and, as such, only ever caught faint glimpses for most of my run. It only increased the tension when I finally faced it, but it always remained a threat. You have tools to fight back for the first time in the series, but they serve only to slow down the creature. A precious bullet only slows down the monstrosity and provides a brief respite. The best you can ask for is that it decides to run off in pain instead of finishing you off in a fit of rage. Ultimately, it felt fairer and more consistent than the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation. While the AI in that game is far more adaptive and intelligent, that doesn’t necessarily make it fun to play against. Isolation was full of long-winded chases, instant deaths that felt incredibly unfair, and waiting in lockers for 5-10 minutes as the alien refused to leave. That experience is also stretched over a dozen or more hours. But this isn’t a takedown of Isolation, an excellent game for many reasons, but it only highlights what The Bunker does right. It is a much tighter game that only lasts 5 or so hours before the credits roll, but the tension is so thick the whole time that you could cut it. The monster feels fair in a way the alien never did, but it is no less terrifying. This is a game for horror fans with a masochistic streak. The Bunker does many things right, from its intricate level design to its rich atmosphere, but the overbearing adherence to horror eventually makes it wear on the senses. Being isolated in a pitch-black bunker with only a murderous beast as company can run you down quickly, and The Bunker never lets up. It is soaked in tension, worships at the altar of making you squirm, and does it with a smile. While this is appealing, it is a lot to manage, and this is a game for horror fans with a masochistic streak. Find the best pair of headphones, sit in the dark, and get your creative thinking cap on, because The Bunker is a survival horror experience to rival the best in recent memory. When it all comes together, when your back is against the wall, gun drawn with a single bullet left, and the beast is bearing at you down a dark hallway, that is when this game sings. In those moments, it reaches the heights of the genre greats and its progenitor. Pros: Rich, nightmarish atmosphere Procedural, emergent gameplay Addicting, terrifying loop The monster Cons: Aged game engine Light story Too intense at times 8.5/10 Reviewer Played on Microsoft Windows. Amnesia: The Bunker is available now for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. No key was provided by the publisher.

If you’re an avid Google or Android user, you may have recently gotten invited by Google to try out the Beta for their Google Play Games on PC. Let’s break down everything you need to know before you jump in and start playing games on your desktop or laptop. Image: Arthur Collins / GameCrate What is Google Play Games and the PC beta? Google Play is Google’s service that allows you to download games and apps to your Android devices. It’s their version of Apple’s App Store. When you download anything, it goes through Google Play. You also find books, video, and music through the Play Store. Google Play Games is specifically the section for Games. Pretty simple. They’re looking at getting your favorite mobile games onto your PC now. If you play a lot of mobile games, this is big news for those that want to play on a much bigger screen. The beta has been going for a while now. But, they’re slowly adding countries to the list, near weekly at this point. The options of games that work on PC currently are slim, at the moment. Games are likely to be added with time. But, out of the dozens of games that we’ve played previously, only four were available for us to play. Luckily, two that we play avidly are available. All of them run really smoothly for being heavier games. We’d argue that they run even better than on our Google Pixel 6a phone. How do I get into the Google Play Games beta? It’s great that Google is offering this to their fans. But, maybe you didn’t get an invite. How do you get in? The good news is that you just have to go to the official site for it, and Download the Beta from there. Seriously, that’s it. The next part is the trickier part: installation. They have minimum requirements. But, most games are going to need a little bit closer to the “recommended” settings. Here’s an easy list to see if your computer can handle it. Here’s the minimum requirements to run Google Play Games beta on your PC: OS: Windows 10 (v2004) Storage: Solid state drive (SSD) with 10 GB of available storage space Memory: 8 GB of RAM Graphics: IntelⓇ UHD Graphics 630 GPU or comparable Processor: 4 CPU physical cores If you’re looking at utilizing the power of your PC a bit more, Google agrees with you. While these settings will get the games open, they might be a tad sluggish and make it more difficult for you to play. Image: Arthur Collins / GameCrate The recommended settings are nearly the same. But, it amps the processor need up to 8 CPU physical cores and, as you expect, a higher grade graphics card. They use a Gaming-class GPU, like the Nvidia GeForce MX450, as their example. You also need to be the admin account on your Windows computer and make sure that your SSD is your primary drive. Additionally, it’s going to require “hardware virtualization” to be turned on. Image: Arthur Collins / GameCrate Some users don’t have to do a thing to their PC. It might already be turned on for you. The Google Play Games installation will include Hypervisor. You’ll need to download and install it. You’re done and ready to play. On the other hand, if you’re running a PC that doesn’t have virtualization turned on, it will tell you before you even install the program. This happens sometimes for those that upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11, for instance. But, it can happen in other cases as well. Turn on Hardware Virtualization for Google Play Games beta Start by checking to see if your PC even offers Hardware Virtualization. This part is easy. Just CTRL+ALT+DEL and check to see if it’s on or off in your Task Manager. If it doesn’t show up at all, your computer likely can’t do it. You’re probably out of luck, sadly. If it’s on, you’re good to go. If not, you’re gonna need to head into your BIOS. Before you do, hit CTRL+R to open the “Run” program. Type “systeminfo”, hit enter, and look at your details for the computer. Here, you can also see if hardware virtualization is available for you at all. Next, you’re going to your BIOS. Yea, we’re diving into the depths of your PC here. Restart your computer and as the opening logos turn on, you’ll have to hit your BIOS key. Every PC is a little different. But, it’s usually something like DELETE, F2, F3, etc. It usually tells you on the screen when you reboot. Hit it quickly when it comes up on the screen before Windows itself boots up. Once you’re in, you need to hunt down the section that configures your CPU. For us, it was in the “Advanced” section, so don’t forget to check there if you can’t find it. You need to now find the acceleration section. The next part depends on your PC. You’ll have to figure out which option is your version of Virtualization. It might be simply named “Hardware Virtualization”. Some PCs might call it something else, such as Hyper-V, Vanderpool, SVM, AMD-V, Intel Virtualization Technology, or VT-X. If you need more information, you can find it on Virtual Metric. In any case, once you get it on, make sure you save your settings before you exit. How can I install games on Google Play Games beta? Once you download the Google Play Games beta, it’s going to have to log into your Google account. It seamlessly remembers your stats and Google Play settings from your normal Android devices, as long as you log in with the same account. Image: Arthur Collins / GameCrate It will also remember any games that it currently offers that you’ve played before. You simply have to click on a game you want to install and hit the “Install” button. It pops up a phone-shaped window with the game and you’re mobile gaming on a computer. As of writing, there aren't a ton of games available just yet. But, more will come with time. One of our top picks for licensed gacha games is on the list though: Dragon Ball Legends. So, there’s that. While you’re at it, check out our analysis of console gaming vs. PC gaming in 2023. There are a lot of details that people just don’t think about.

A unique setting and creative combat make this open-world horror hybrid worth the plunge. Ghostwire Tokyo was released a year ago with a fairly positive response, but the game wasn’t without issues. I found it a unique, intriguing romp through a wonderfully realized Tokyo filled with fascinating yokai and fun side quests. While all those elements remain, Tango Gameworks has seen fit to update the original game with the Spider’s Thread. This sees the introduction of a new rogue-like mode and numerous other improvements to combat, traversal, and the overall experience. With this free update, Ghostwire remains just as exciting and unique within first-person open-world games, but now with fewer caveats. So, what exactly does the Spider’s Thread update add? Firstly, it sees the addition of the titular mode, Spider’s Thread. The rogue-lite mode sees players tackling randomized rooms and objectives floor by floor. In between, there is the opportunity to upgrade and unlock skills and gear to help players progress. The mode isn’t anything particularly unique, but it is well-made, and it lets you explore the combat and mechanics of Ghostwire without any of the open-world elements. There are many handcrafted challenges, new encounters to engage in, and limited story elements, making it an excellent addition to an already dense game. Still, it is ultimately not what makes this update worth it. I found the campaign's quality-of-life improvements and new abilities more impactful. With this free update, Ghostwire remains just as exciting and unique within first-person open-world games, but now with fewer caveats. Even the most straightforward additions, like being able to dodge and parry counter enemies, take the unique Ghostwire combat and make it genuinely great. The actual shooting still feels slow and stiff, but a generous lock-on helps alleviate it, and with the new abilities, combat flows more naturally and feels much less like a shooter and more like a hybrid magic/melee game. With combat cleaned up, the rest of the game can shine, and none of Ghostwire has lost its luster. The visuals are still dense and detailed, with every street filled with things to collect and interact with, making for a faithful recreation of downtown Tokyo. Performance issues still hamper the game, as it seems to strain against the constraints of consoles at every turn. The city is full of reflective surfaces and wet rain-slick streets, perfect for raytracing, but it is a mixed bag. There are numerous performance modes, but few are worthwhile. With the frenetic pace of the combat, it is hard to recommend anything that drops the framerate below 60 fps, but if you can swing with a variable refresh rate TV or play on PC, I highly recommend checking out all the bells and whistles. The visuals are still dense and detailed, with every street filled with things to collect and interact with, making for a faithful recreation of downtown Tokyo. Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread continues Tango’s legacy of unique monster designs and horror elements, but it strictly adheres to Japanese folklore and creates a unique identity. Where past games felt like Resident Evil worship, Ghostwire carves its own path. Enemy designs are unique and varied, and genuinely unsettling without being ultra graphic or disturbing in a way many enemies seek to be today. The blood and guts of Dead Space, Resident Evil, and other contemporaries are nowhere to be seen in Ghostwire. The game focuses more on a spiritual and spooky atmosphere as opposed to outright terror and, as a result, feels more like a fun romp on Halloween night than a terror-filled sprint through a haunted house full of chainsaw-wielding degenerates. While the world, visuals, combat, and tone are unique and arresting, the same can’t be said for the story. It does its best to justify the Yokai all over Tokyo. Still, other than that, it plods along, following MacGuffin after MacGuffin, stringing your protagonist along as a hapless nobody imbued with cool spirit powers thanks to being possessed. Nobody is particularly memorable, hampered by the stilted storytelling that plagued The Evil Within and The Evil Within 2 (to a lesser extent). Ghostwire sings when you explore and soak in the rich atmosphere; the side-content, in particular, has you dealing with unique Yokai, making you feel like some Tokyo ghostbuster. It is a compelling fantasy but can’t compensate for the lack of quality writing. It feels more like a fun romp on Halloween night than a terror-filled sprint through a haunted house full of chainsaw-wielding degenerates. Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread may be a free update, but it is integral to taking a good game towards something truly great. The few additions to combat genuinely help the game flow, and new missions and a roguelite mode are just the icing on the cake. Tango Gameworks is dedicated to making Ghostwire a worthwhile game, and it won’t be long before it sits in a similar cult classic spot as The Evil Within 2. I hope that Ghostwire gets a sequel one day because it is one of many titles on the cusp of something extraordinary, but it just needs a little more room to grow. Pros: Incredible Visuals Fun, unique combat Great enemy design Some interesting side content Substantial, free content updates Cons: Combat can still feel stiff Storytelling leaves much to be desired Repetitive mission design and structure Score: 7.5/10 Reviewer played the game on Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread is available now on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. No key was provided by the publisher.

The Metaverse is dead, long live the Metaverse. Earlier this week, Mark Zuckerberg announced the Meta Quest 3 on his Instagram. Alongside his announcement, Meta came in with a full article with more details about the new headset, pricing, and what it means for the Meta Quest 2’s future. So, let’s dig in and break it down. Zuck dropped the news just days before the anticipated announcement of Apple’s headset. It’s theorized that Apple’s big foray into virtual reality could cost as much as $3,000. Yea, there are three zeroes in that number. There’s really no comparison, honestly. But, that’s one way to steal Apple’s thunder. The Meta Quest 3 will be starting at the slightly more affordable $499, meaning higher versions of storage may end up being about $100 more. While it’s also pricey, there’s good news coming for the Meta Quest 2. The older model is getting a price drop on June 4th, back down to $299 for the 128GB model. They make it seem like they’re doing a favor for such a ridiculous price drop. But, that’s the original price of the same headset before they increased it by $100 last year. For those looking to get into virtual reality without giving up a kidney in the process, the Meta Quest 2 has been a mainstay since its debut in 2020. They also stated that they will continue to support the Meta Quest 2 and that a firmware update is incoming to the Quest 2 and Quest Pro that would make it quite a bit faster and perform better. So, what does Meta Quest 3 give us? For those looking to see if it’s worth grabbing the new, more powerful headset, you’re in luck. According to Meta’s article on their website, the Meta Quest 3 will feature “higher resolution, stronger performance, breakthrough Meta Reality technology, and a slimmer, more comfortable headset”. The Quest 3 will offer a next-gen Snapdragon chipset from Qualcomm. This headset will be first-to-market for this specific chipset and offers over double the power as the Quest 2’s GPU. It will also offer a pretty seamless experience between virtual and actual reality, taking a more “augmented reality” approach to the surroundings of the user. They use a couple examples, such as playing the virtual board game Demeo at your kitchen table or decorating your actual living room with virtual art. One thing that virtual reality companies have to constantly do is make the headsets more comfortable to wear. Gone are the days of the Virtual Boy or big clunky headsets that weigh you down. Meta has learned from previous iterations for a “40% slimmer optic profile”. They also redesigned the Touch Plus controllers for a more comfortable and ergonomic feel. Hand tracking is immediately supported, as well, with a feature called Direct Touch. Or you can grab the Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, if you want the all-around, highest end experience. Meta also assured the fanbase that the Quest 3 will launch with full compatibility to the entire Quest 2 catalog. That’s over 500 VR games and apps, currently. The number will likely be even higher by the time of launch. Speaking of launch, we don’t know the launch date for it yet. But, we will know more during the Meta Connect event on September 27. Just after the Meta Quest 3 announcement, they dropped the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase. The over an hour-long video spends about 10 minutes of trailers before the event. Then, it has another 40-minutes with the host, Ruth Bram, showing off new announcements for games. And finally, it wraps up the event for the last 20-minutes doing interviews with various developers of some games presented in the video. Right off the bat, the first trailer shown in the video is No More Rainbows, a game that is already out, a game bent on subverting your thoughts about good and evil and looks incredibly fun. It’s available on all current Meta Quest headsets and will be compatible on the Quest 3. We may have to pick this one up now. Once the show began, we were shown a couple classic, nostalgic titles. Samba de Amigo is getting the VR treatment. Based on the name not being numbered, it seems to be a bit of a reboot to the series, not that it mattered to any lore or anything. Honestly, this series has always been well-liked as a maraca rhythm game. It’ll make for a great VR title. This one is available for pre-order now for Fall 2023. The 7th Guest VR is another classic title coming to the Meta Quest arsenal. As a reimagining of the 1993 classic puzzle game in a spooky mansion, The 7th Guest VR uses full motion capture for the actors in the game and looks like a solid remake of the CD-ROM era game. You can wishlist it now on the Meta Quest store. Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord puts players in the shoes of a Ghostbuster dealing with a mad scientist looking to unleash chaos. You work under the San Francisco HQ for the Ghostbusters and can team up with friends or work solo. Bustin’ in VR makes me feel good. It’s up for wishlisting on the Meta Quest store. There was just an absolute ton of games that they showed off during the event. Some other favorites of ours were Arizona Sunshine 2, UNDERDOGS, and Bulletstorm VR. They also announced that Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is coming this year. But, we have to wait until the Ubisoft Forward event on June 12th to learn more. Finally, Meta showed off what they consider one of their flagship AAA titles for the Quest, Asgard’s Wrath 2. Taking place after the first game, it pits you, yet again, against Loki. This time, you find yourself in Ancient Egypt, among other settings. Although you face off against monsters and gods, the game seems very Assassin’s Creed or Dishonored at first glance. You can pre-order it now. If you do, they give you the first Asgard’s Wrath on PC VR for free. You also get a “Meta Quest home environment”, and an “exclusive Asgard’s Wrath 2 character bundle to use in POPULATION: ONE”. If you’re into virtual reality and tech, you probably also know about this past week’s Computex 2023 event in Taipei. They showed off a ton of new hardware for computers, gaming, and beyond.

Engaging mechanics, nostalgia for fans, OK writing. I have been playing Fire Emblem games since the Game Boy Advance days, which has given me enough time to pick up on the tropes of the series, which include blue-haired, noble protagonists; misunderstood manaketes; bizarre and unnecessary mini game mechanics; evil dragons; the “Fire Emblem,” a term that has a different meaning in every game, and a cast of archetypal soldiers There’s a reason they have these tropes—they’ve worked. Fire Emblem has served as a relatively niche Nintendo franchise, gradually growing in interest with the release of Awakening in 2012 only to explode in popularity with Three Houses releasing in 2019. Fans tend to fall into two camps: those that are looking for “chess as a dating sim” and players looking for “Nintendo-hard” tactics. Engage caters toward the second category, and wears every Fire Emblem trope proudly on its sleeve. Engage’s story is very typical Fire Emblem fare. There are warring nations, the threat of an evil dragon king set on taking over the world, and your noble protagonist, fighting to bring peace. After Three House’s unique and compelling narrative, I found this one a little lackluster, though I did enjoy travelling between the four nations and getting a bit more of the sense of cultures within this Fire Emblem world. There are also some surprising moments in the narrative that are made compelling with the reinforcement of game mechanics, which I would’ve loved to see even more often. The longer I’ve played Engage, the more invested I’ve become with some of the characters, appreciating surprising nuances to them or bucking of traditional stereotypes (like Pandreo the party animal priest, Seadall the male dancer, Rosado’s cute aesthetic and Panette’s masking with nobility culture). While they largely fit into the Fire Emblem archetypes, I found myself getting attached to Kagetsu’s wholesome positivity, the free-spirited fun of Solm’s people, and Merrin’s “that was cool, was it not” vibe. The combination of characters with specific Emblems also became particularly satisfying for me, having my favorite pairings while also becoming pleasantly surprised with new discoveries as I obtained Paralogue bracelets. Mechanics are where Engage really shines. Engage is a beautiful game when it comes to visuals and sound design. The integration of familiar music from previous games on Emblem paralogue maps was a good nostalgia trip, and I felt a surge of dopamine at the gacha-esque arcade sounds from employing Emblem rings. The addition of character and Emblem ring animations was a nice touch for making the units come to life. The designs are even more anime, culturally ambiguous and over-the-top than usual Fire Emblem fare, but this didn’t bother me for very long and became more of a charm as I played on. While the voice acting is fantastic on some characters, others were a bit jarring (I’m looking at you, Tiki). All that said, mechanics are where Engage really shines. I was skeptical of the addition of the Engage rings at first, but found they added an interesting dimension of complexity and individual approach to the tactics of each map. Additional terrain effects like poisonous geisers and volcanic cratars also add new levels of strategy to Engage’s maps. Engage’s character types also play with new combinations of abilities, which are further diversified when adding in type bonuses from Engage rings. The possibilities feel truly endless, making me eager to replay this game with different team compositions and bond strategies. Additionally, recent Fire Emblem games also include worlds and mini tasks for in-between maps, and while Three House’s Garreg Mach Monsastery interludes largely felt enjoyable to me, Emblem’s Somniel felt like something I couldn’t ignore but didn’t exactly look forward to checking into. I loved being able to train individual characters with Emblems, inheriting bond effects from the rings, and some of the new forging possibilities, but felt annoyed at times, having to go between the Somniel and the maps to do these things. I also feel baffled by Fire Emblem’s need to always add some new, strange mechanic in these spaces. For Fates this was the “blow” support mechanic, and for Emblem, it’s the polishing of the rings. Why do I need to polish the rings? What will happen if I don’t do this? I had no idea, so I returned to polish in fear of awakening the wrath of the Emblems. All in all, Engage is a fun game, particularly those who have a history with the franchise. As I write this review, I realize I’m perhaps unfairly critical of Emblem in ways because of it following the success of Three Houses. It’s not a fair comparison because Engage has different priorities. Nintendo alternates between providing Fire Emblem games that prioritize the characters with those that serve long-time Fire Emblem fans who are most interested in challenging tactics. Engage is in the second camp. It’s much more interested in mechanics, tactics, maps, and nostalgia. So it’s not necessarily fair to judge it based on not being Three Houses. It’s a different game, with its own unique sense of fun. Despite my picky complaints, I thoroughly enjoyed this game and will likely come back and replay. All in all, Engage is a fun game, particularly those who have a history with the franchise. Folks who have been with the series for a while will appreciate the inclusion of classic favorite characters, as well as the nods to past game soundtracks and maps on the Paralogue maps. Those who play for engaging maps and mechanics will not be disappointed, but if you’re wanting more dating-sim in your chess match, you may find this game’s characters lacking. Pros: Engage rings, terrains, bond skills and new class types provide fun tactical possibilities Characters like Kagetsu, Alcryst and Veyle are wholesome sweethearts that must be protected Skirmish and training maps keep up the challenge Nostalgic nods for long-time Fire Emblem fans Fun combination of the old and new Cons: Story and writing is mid-tier Most characters are one-dimensional, making support conversations less motivating Somniel is tedious and post-battle 3-D renderings are superfluous Using pact ring risks being friend-zoned by your favorite character Score: 8/10 Fire Emblem is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch, which is what the reviewer played on. No key was provided by the publisher.

Cassette Beasts rises above an ocean of Pokémon clones through unique mechanics and a rollercoaster of a narrative. Pokémon clones have grown in popularity in recent years, because of both the growing popularity of the series and the resentment building with some of the series' older fans. Many of these games focus so hard on trying to match the king of monster collecting games, that they forget to have their own personality. The same can't be said for Cassette Beasts, which has the structure of a Pokémon clone, but far more depth and individuality than the word clone would suggest. Cassette Beasts takes place in New Wirral, a remote island where people from different worlds wash ashore, supposedly stuck in this place between worlds. Here, monsters roam free, but people have learned to transform into them using cassette players and tapes. You can use cassettes to record different monsters, adding them to your roster. You and a buddy must explore the land, defeating different Ranger Captains and Archangels, in an effort to improve life in New Wirral and possibly find a new way home. Immediately, Cassette Beasts sticks out with its unique, semi-apocalyptic setting. Random buildings and people have found their way here, forced to survive and live together, adding to the other-worldly feeling of the game. An abandoned shopping mall and miscellaneous buildings are strewn about, providing a distinct setting. The world isn't particularly big, but it provides a non-linear method of exploration and many secrets hiding in it. The art-style harkens back to Game Boy Advance style graphics, with a bit of a modern flair. These aren't just NPCs meant to guide you through quests, they are people, who have baggage and faults they have to deal with. The battle system is unique, with the entire game fought in double battles. The reason for this quickly becomes clear in the Fusion mechanic, which allows you and your partner to become one, creating a new monster out of whatever two you have on the field. This new beast has all of the moves and both types of the combined monsters, allowing for experimentation and creativity. Cassette Beasts also handles its typing and effective moves differently. Instead of a good type match up doing more damage and vice versa, effective attacks apply different buffs and debuffs. This system adds another strategic level to combat, encouraging strong type matchups without letting you one-shot enemies with ease. Catching new monsters has its own interesting twist too. While they are easier to catch when lower on health, this action takes an entire turn. One of your characters returns to human form, making them vulnerable. Every attack dealt to the target and dealt by the target affects the percentage chance you have to capture their recording. Monsters also can't be knocked out while you are trying to capture them, so instead of trying to get them as low as possible without emptying the health bar, you can go all out. You can also experiment with different move combos and strategies, letting you make adjustments fight to fight, keeping the battles fresh long after you have seen every monster the game has to offer. While the battle system helps carry this excellent indie title, the story is where it truly shines. You still have a quest to take down the equivalent of Gym Leaders, but you are also tasked early on by an Archangel to take down the rest of the Archangels. Doing this will give you and everyone else a way back home, but these battles are tough. The Archangels are manifestations of human feelings, adding a layer of static and fuzz to the screen when near them. Characters comment on how just looking at these abominations hurts and that's relayed to you through their obtuse and other-worldly designs. It's quickly clear that something else is going on in New Wirral and uncovering the mystery is exciting. The monsters of Cassette Beasts all feel like plausible animals, but the Archangels are clearly something ethereal. An important aspect of this melancholy world is the music. The tunes can vary from the type of up-beat battle-theme you might expect, to more sad pop music. Cassette Beasts also occasionally adds vocals to its soundtrack, which adds to the mysterious--but still sad and a bit lonely--vibe, matching the feel of its world almost perfectly. Voice acting is pretty minimal in Cassette Beasts, but many of the partners you can explore with have a few vocal cues, giving them even more personality. There are six different companions who can serve as your partner in both battle and exploration, each setup with their own unique beast to use in combat. These partners are more than just options in battle though, each have their own storyline to chase in New Wirral, which typically lead to some sort of revelation about their own shortcomings. These aren't just NPCs meant to guide you through quests, they are people, who have baggage and faults they have to deal with. You can advance your relationship through spending time together, increasing your fusion abilities and deepening your bond, giving you a reason to spend time with the whole cast. "Cassette Beasts is a fresh take on the monster collecting genre, featuring both whimsical creatures and actual floating nightmares in its surreal world." Gameplay is split into three parts; battling, exploring, and puzzle solving. Battling is easily the most enjoyable of the three, enhanced by the sticker system. Stickers function as the moves a monster can use, once stuck to their cassette. These moves can come in rare forms, providing either passive buffs or chances of additional attacks. Stickers can be added and removed from monsters freely, so long as the type matches, giving you a ton of flexibility. You don't need to worry if a new move is going to be worse than the move it replaces, because you can always swap back. You can also experiment with different move combos and strategies, letting you make adjustments fight to fight, keeping the battles fresh long after you have seen every monster the game has to offer. Exploration starts strong in Cassette Beasts, setting you loose into the open world, free to explore in any direction you please. Things start to fall apart when the movement abilities are introduced. You get the ability to glide, dash, swim, and more, but many of these abilities don't control particularly well. You are often tasked with platforming puzzles to reach new areas, which never feel particularly satisfying to complete due to the jank. Making a jump after a few missed attempts doesn't feel good because you aren't sure exactly why you missed the first few times. Puzzles come into play inside a few key locations and in the train stations, which are the lairs of the Archangels. Many of the game's puzzles are relatively simple, with the solution obvious the second you enter the room. This makes the process of completing the puzzle feel tedious, even if it's pretty short. Other puzzles are far more obtuse, with the answer not exactly feeling satisfying due to its bizarre mechanics. Luckily, you will spend far more time battling than solving puzzles in Cassette Beasts. Another place the obtuseness of Cassette Beasts comes through is the quest system. Once a quest is given, a marker is placed on the map for you. Many of these come from getting rumors from townsfolk, something that seems interesting at first. The idea that you can find something new and engaging from talking to NPCs in town sounds great. But in reality, this system just becomes a task of finding which NPCs in town have a green question mark above their head, which is refreshed whenever you rest to heal your party. Cassette Beasts is a fresh take on the monster collecting genre, featuring both whimsical creatures and actual floating nightmares in its surreal world. A double battle system with dozens of different buffs and debuffs creates a need to be more strategic and its story goes far beyond a desire to become champion or to just catch 'em all, but you can still do that too if you want to. A few shortcomings in the quest systems and platforming hold it back, but only slightly. Cassette Beasts proves itself as far more than just a knockoff, and is instead a brilliant game in its own right. Pros: The double battle system has great depth Story is full of unique twists and turns Excellent soundtrack and world design Endearing cast of characters Cons: Either uninteresting or obtuse puzzles Tedious quest system Bad open-world platforming Score: 8/10 Cassette Beasts is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Reviewer played on Xbox Series X via Game Pass.

The great part about gaming is the long, vast history that comes with it. Many games are derivative of their predecessors. Everything builds on something that came prior. It’s no different for other forms of technology that are adjacent to gaming. The Raspberry Pi is a neat little device that can be nearly anything you want. In fact, if you want it to be an old school game system, you can. There are a lot of models of the Raspberry Pi since its inception in 2012. One thing that many people do with their systems is making them into retro gaming rigs that can play classic video games. Most people utilize RetroPi software for this. With that said, we scoured the internet to find some of the cooler retro looking cases for different Raspberry Pi. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites. Nintendo Entertainment System for the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and 4 Model B The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES for short, is as iconic as it gets when it comes to classic gaming. It’s the system that saved video games in the 1980s. It’s Mario, Zelda, and many other iconic games that have endured over the years. It’s some of the best, some of the most frustrating games to ever hit a screen. If you’re looking for a good NES case for your Pi, we’ve got you. We found two great options, depending on your model of Raspberry Pi. If you’re looking for a case for the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, you should check out this system. It comes complete with everything you need to put your Raspberry Pi in and get going. You can pick it up for $29.01. Don’t worry, there is another one for the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. It’s a bit pricer at $44.48. Both are by GeeekPi and both cases come with everything from heatsinks to the screwdriver to build the case. Super Nintendo for the Pi 3 B+ and 4 Maybe you want to rock something slightly more 90s for your Nintendo fandom. The Super Nintendo is right up your alley. While the NES is known for being iconic, the 16 bit era is where gaming started to really take shape, with more pixels, more colors, and better sounds. Coming also from GeeekPi, this Raspberry Pi 3 B+ case offers all the same fix-ins as the NES option. But, it does one better. There’s a SNES cartridge that comes with the package. It’s removable and is actually an SD card holder that plugs right into the case for easy storage! You can pick this case up for $35.28. Maybe you prefer something a little more of the Japanese aesthetic. The Super Famicom is the name given to the Japanese Super Nintendo. RETROFLAG offers a great Raspberry Pi 4 model that comes with heatsinks as well. Yes, it also includes a removable Super Famicom cartridge that holds SD cards too. You can pick it up for $45.99. SEGA Genesis for the Pi 2B, 3B, 3B+, and 4B The SEGA Genesis was infamously the biggest competitor to the Super Nintendo. Introducing Sonic the Hedgehog and amazing graphics for its time, SEGA was at the top of its game. Sega, as the saying goes, did what Nintendon’t. This case is a bit of a double whammy. Not only is it based on a SEGA Genesis, it’s also made with buildable bricks. It’s not quite Lego, but for only $32.99, this Genesis Brick case can house Raspberry Pi 2B, 3B, 3B+, and the new 4B boards. That’s a great price for versatility and a fun buildable project. The only downside is that it doesn’t include anything additional. You get the 336 bricks for building the case and that’s it. But, it’s cool looking nonetheless! Sony PlayStation for the Pi 4 Let’s move a little closer to the mid-90s. The Sony PlayStation was the king of disc-based gaming. The power and storage capabilities that came with it offered something that nothing prior had before. Everything from Final Fantasy to Spyro the Dragon to Resident Evil made its way to the PlayStation. The RETROFLAG PiStation offers everything you need to make a tiny classic PlayStation, aside from the Pi itself. Built specifically for the Raspberry Pi 4, the PiStation has slots for every port you could need access to without having to open it up. This one will set you back $54.99, but perfection is never free. Atari 2600 for the Raspberry Pi 4 Let’s go back to even before the NES. The Atari 2600 has been the godfather of gaming since the 1970s. It may not be the first gaming console ever, but it’s one of the most memorable and nostalgic. If you’re reading this article, you’re likely familiar with RetroPi already. But, it’s a special software that allows you to turn your Pi into a retro gaming machine. While any of the prior cases would work with it, the custom Atari Raspberry Pi case comes with everything you need to get going on your retro gaming venture. Not only does it come with the case, screwdriver, fan, and heatsinks, but it comes with a full wireless controller. It isn’t a joystick. Though, it does have a black and red color scheme that matches the classic Atari controller. While a bit more on the pricier side of the list at $54.99, this case does come with everything you need to get going. Just add your Raspberry P 4i and it’s got a lot with it. If you like retro games, you may also be into fighting games. While newer controllers are fine to play FGC titles with, you may be looking for a fight stick. We got you covered on our top picks here. We also recently gave some of our thoughts about the various options of adaptive controllers for disabled folks as well.

With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom now in the hands of players everywhere, plenty of new mechanics and ideas have been discovered that differentiate this title from its predecessor. One such mechanic is the new way for Link to take damage. Sure, he can still be set on fire, frozen, and electrocuted, but now his hearts can become cracked. This undesirable side effect of taking damage from the mysterious, glowing, ooze known as Gloom makes it impossible for Link to restore the health of any cracked hearts through traditional means. Don’t worry! There are a few ways to remedy any broken hearts you collect. First and foremost, broken hearts aren’t really a big deal most of the time. If you wander into a pile of gloom on the surface of Hyrule or even up on a Sky Island, your hearts will naturally heal themselves after a few seconds. Their health won’t return, but they will stop being cracked. Where cracked hearts become a real obstacle, however, is below Hyrule in the enormous area called the Depths. Down in the Depths, cracked hearts are permanent until you get a Game Over or find a way to restore them. There aren’t any Skyview Towers in the Depths, but there are large, unlockable fast travel points known as Lightroots. Like Skyview Towers, these massive, glowing roots will fill in the map of the Depths, but they will also heal any cracked hearts you may have by virtue of their cleansing light. Nice, right? While this is handy, the Depths are enormous and filled with Gloom. Baddies in the Depths will crack your hearts simply by touching you, so having to run all the way back to a Lightroot doesn’t help with exploration too much. Luckily, there’s an ingredient you can find back on the surface that will add a cracked heart-restoring property to cooked meals. Naturally, the plant that will dispel the heart-cracking effects of the Gloom is the Sundelion. While this helpful, little flower can be found on the surface, it is much easier to find in large quantities on Sky Islands. The South Eldin Sky Archipelago in particular is a great farming location for Sundelions, and it’s an easier group of Sky Islands to reach. The Eldin Canyon Skyview Tower (located at coordinates 1637, 1183, 0225) will spit players out within perfect landing distance of these floating hunks of earth. With Sundelions and a few other ingredients in hand, you can stock up on meals that will restore cracked hearts and make exploring the Depths much easier. It’s worth noting that if a dish says it will restore three cracked hearts, it will not necessarily heal all of those hearts. It simply makes those cracked hearts healable once more. Of course, with some proper experimentation you can easily prepare some meals that will simultaneously restore pools of health and cure those pesky, cracked hearts. Good luck in the Depths, and make sure you take some Brightbloom Seeds to light your way as well!

When I think about Diablo, I think about the idea of a “Podcast Game” — the kind of experience people like to just vibe with. Pressing buttons feels good, the numbers go up and you don’t have to think much. For me though, Diablo is my “Wife Game,” something that has come to represent bonding time and gaming together with my spouse. So it was weird to play Diablo IV with my wife removed from the experience entirely, plucking along by myself while she was barred from co-op. It was also weird knowing my progress would be nuked after Blizzard’s review access period ended. Basically to review Diablo IV, I had to completely alienate myself from the reasons I like to play these games in the first place. 6 Weird right? That’s on top of all the internal miasma of baggage wrought by Activision Blizzard’s whole existence in the industry in Current Year. The lawsuits, unionization efforts and merger drama are still ongoing. This discourse has been going for multiple years now as fans, media, influencers and even devs had to confront twisted brambles of ethical scrutiny. What does purchasing, covering or engaging with this company’s products mean? Who is supporting who by doing what? Diablo IV’s launch will give more oxygen to these dilemmas without a doubt. As for myself, a writer in this world of shrinking opportunities and layoffs, it’s simple. I got a family to feed so let’s rip this bandage off, baby. I was always able to make the “return to town to sell junk” parts more fun with a little wardrobe detour. Bandages are probably a scarce resource in the world of Diablo IV; there is blood everywhere in this turbo-edgy videogame. Lillith, the game’s antagonist, opens the whole story emerging from a weblike portal made of three entire dudes’ blood reserves. As the player you often have to stand on blood-draining pedestals to activate certain events. Major story sequences are telegraphed by hauntingly beautiful flower petals billowing in the wind, but also the petals are blood (definitely not flowers). There’s blood all over the environments, enemies are covered in blood (and spill lots of it when you hurt them). Blood, blood, blood. It’s like a Herschell Gordon Lewis movie in here. Part of this feels like the team at Blizzard reacting to the past. Diablo III was a more colorful game that was criticized for looking like World of Warcraft. Diablo IV doubles down on grit, realism and darkness. It’s a gorgeous game for sure, one of the most impressive in the whole action RPG genre in terms of visual fidelity. But it’s also extremely dour, which is kind of a bummer if you actually liked the splashes of color in the last game. But there’s also no weird nonsense like the real money auction house (although there will be a Battle Pass-like structure later), so in my eyes it’s a fair trade. Diablo IV feels like a complete game at launch, and one that offers a staggering amount of both content and freedom to tinker with my character. Diablo IV doubles down on grit, realism and darkness. Customization feels like a huge deal in Diablo IV, greatly expanding the options I have to make my experience feel more personal. There’s a fairly robust character creation system to start things off, one that finds a comfortable spot to provide options without compromising fidelity. After that though, you can transmogrify your armor to your heart’s content, without having to bleed (heh) money and scramble for resources like dyes. This was easily my favorite part, as I was always able to make the “return to town to sell junk” parts more fun with a little wardrobe detour. There’s also an interesting degree of customization in the game’s skill tree, depending on what you’re looking at. For example as a Barbarian you have several different weapons, and some skills will let you choose which weapon is used. It’s weird minutia buried in a menu, but stuff like that is wild to see not only considered but implemented. That sense of freedom coats Diablo IV’s core gameplay as well. The map is an open world, gradually filling out as you explore without having you load up different zones. And that map is ludicrously populated with stuff to do, whether you’re just messing around, advancing the story or running around with other players. We saw some of this in Diablo Immortal (and other MMO-like games) with world events. There’s also a ton of big dungeons that offer “Aspects,” rewarding you for veering off the critical path. Smaller chunks of content like Cellars and Lillith statues that provide permanent stat bumps are scattered all over the map too, giving completionists plenty of food. Diablo IV feels like a complete game at launch, and one that offers a staggering amount of both content and freedom to tinker with my character. As a reviewer working on a limited time frame, with progress deletion looming on top of a spoiler-averse wife and ADHD, I hated Diablo IV. I was never a big fan of the series growing up, only really getting into it as something my wife loved. But I came to enjoy the loop of slaughtering mobs, finding loot and not listening to NPCs vomit dull lore at me. Relaxing and bonding with my significant other with gaming rules! Now, I’ve had the parts I like taken from me and replaced with existential pain and stress. Oh boy! So that’s why, with sadness in my heart, I give Diablo IV a five out of ten. Just kidding! Obviously there’s no such thing as an objective review, but while my personal experience was flavored by despair, I’m also capable of taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. Once the full game comes out and I can jump in there and engage with it how I like, I know it’s gonna be a blast. There are so many new ways to just goof around and customize my character, and so much more stuff to engage with, I can’t wait to take my time with it alongside my partner. Diablo III was fun too, but it didn’t have the juice to motivate starting over or continuing to play. Diablo IV could easily be a more semi-permanent fixture. And that’s an exciting prospect for me, even after hours upon hours of grinding through it already. Besides, I played Rogue instead of Barbarian so this barely counts as a dry run. That’s the fascinating thing about games like Diablo IV. There’s so much of it, and so much context, I can see so many ways it can be meaningful for players. It’s because of that near-perfect mixture of agency, progression, social texture and depth. The fidelity and polish afforded by Diablo being… Diablo is crucial as well. Diablo IV is a tremendous game in scale and scope, but it still feels authored and managed instead of bloated and frivolous. That it was put together amid so much external and internal strife and holds together as well as it does is a mind-blowing accomplishment. I’m beyond stoked to start it for real soon. Pros: Gives players tons of agency Big map full of content that doesn’t feel bloated or stale Top-shelf production values Cons: Storytelling is delivered dryly outside of cutscenes Lots of complex menu-drilling Arguably overcorrected tone Score: 9/10 Early review access was provided by the publisher, and was played on PlayStation 5. Diablo IV is launching on June 6, 2023 for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Early Access launch is June 1.

As of March 27th, 2023, the Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U are gone forever. It was bound to happen eventually. Nothing lasts until the end of time. But, it was gone just too soon. But, what can you do about it? Is it a dead system? We looked quite a while and came up with a pretty concise list of options for 3DS owners now. You’d be surprised how much you can actually still do with it. Here’s 5 things you can do with your Nintendo 3DS now that the eShop is closed. It makes a great paperweight or a moderate Switch stand Let’s get the jokes out of the way. We’re just going to come out and say it, a New Nintendo 3DS makes a pretty good Nintendo Switch stand, if left alone. We didn’t expect it to work so well, but here we are. Just don’t touch it or it’ll slide. If you open your 3DS at just the right angle, you can lean your Switch against it. Is it worth the money to buy a 3DS just to use as a stand? No, absolutely not. Likewise, any 3DS or 2DS will absolutely hold your papers in a windy room pretty well as a paperweight. Fan going too hard in your office? Your 3DS has you covered. One thing that it fails at pretty badly is being a doorstop. It’s too light, sadly. You could also use it as a weapon or a really crappy frisbee, if you throw it, but it isn’t really designed for that. Access the eShop for prior purchases. Since the eShop is closed, that means you can’t add funds to your account. But, you might have had your system for a while. You likely have a handful of apps and games that you’ve downloaded or purchased over time. The good news here is that you can still get them. If you head on over to the eShop, you can goto the Menu. From there, click “Settings / Other”. Then, look for “Redownloadable Software” on that list. You’ll be able to download anything from this list. Maybe there’s an old demo you want to try again or software you forgot you bought. We found Steeldiver Sub Wars and Flipnote Studio 3D hidden away in this manner and they both work! So, if nothing else, you can grab your old games for now. Download new themes If you head over to your HOME menu settings, you can see that you have access to all of your previously downloaded themes. You can swap between them, if you took advantage of grabbing any when the eShop was still around. There were tons of free options, or maybe you spent a couple bucks on a cool theme that wasn’t free. We don’t judge. We did both. But, what about now? You can still head to the “Theme Shop”. It’s a little emptier than it was prior to the closure. But, Nintendo didn’t leave you entirely high and dry. You can download two free themes right now: “Dots & Stripes: Yellow & White” and “Stars: Gold & Black” are the only two themes in the theme shop. There’s nothing special about them. But, they do allow you to give yourself a little extra customizability in a dead system with no new content going forward. If nothing else, add a little color to your paperweight’s HOME screen. Use the internet Here’s a little known fact: There’s a fully capable internet browser on the Nintendo 3DS systems. More accurately, the original 3DS consoles have basic lookup functionality that aren’t fully compliant to the modern web, but can suffice in a pinch. However, the “New” 3DS and 2DS systems run HTML5. After trying both an original 2DS and a New 3DS, it’s like night and day. You have access to go to any website and watch videos directly through the browser. Do with that info what you want. You can play it. It’s still a console. Many years ago, back in the before times, there was a time that people physically walked into a Blockbuster to rent a movie instead of streaming it. Back then, your video game consoles didn’t utilize the internet at all. You’d put a game into the system, turn on the console, and play it. There were no updates. There was no ”always on” internet connection. You didn’t have the option to jump to Netflix or Prime Video. You didn’t even have a chat option to talk to other people. You just played games. It was a simpler time. In fact, one of the predecessors to the 3DS, the Nintendo DS, didn’t even have a special eShop to download content. You had to go down to Gamestop or Best Buy and purchase a physical game. While you likely won’t find many 3DS games brand new in your local game shop anymore, there’s a plethora of available games you can hunt down and get. The 3DS does allow for both 3DS and DS games in the systems after all. You might be a fan of Pokémon, where an absolute ton of games are available for both systems. Or, you might like niche licensed games. Try out one of the older Animal Crossing games. Or you can grab from a long list of indie and third party titles spanning across nearly two decades. Seriously, the DS came out in 2004 and every game works on the 3DS. You’re not lacking in content and never were. If you like fun lists about gaming, you should check out our take on the top 10 most frustrating games of all time. Unfortunately, none of them are available to play on your 3DS now that the eShop is closed.

2023 is shaping up to be a hell of a year for fighting game fans, with the impending release of Street Fighter 6 just under a month away and heavy hitters like Tekken 8 and Mortal Kombat 12 due out later in the year. Things haven’t been this rosy for fighting game fans since the late 2000s, when we got gems such as Street Fighter 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, and King of Fighters 13. And despite these franchises being on their nth iteration, it has never been easier getting into them. Street Fighter 6 is more beginner friendly than any other previous entry, and there’s no better way to play a fighting game than with a fight stick (AKA arcade stick). To help out newcomers and returning veterans alike, we’ve put together a list of budget arcade sticks for fighting games that don’t sacrifice on quality. These options won’t break the bank nor will they break during the middle of an online match. The list includes options for most major platforms, including PC, Switch, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 4/5. Qanba Drone 2 Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Price: $124.99 This entry-level fight stick is a follow up to their popular Drone 1. It features a matte black finish with a lightweight body that looks sleek and makes carrying around to local tournaments easy. Compared to the original, the joystick on the Drone 2 feels better with more audible clicks. The buttons however, are carried over from the original. Other upgrades found on the Drone 2 are the touchpad and headphone jack. Inside the Drone 2, you won’t find Sanwa buttons or joystick, but those can be easily added in later if needed. But something that can’t be modded in later is the odd cable management. While most fight sticks have an enclosed storage compartment for the USB cable, the Drone uses a cubby hole under the wrist rest. It isn’t the best-looking option, but it does the job. Qanba Drone 2 8BitDo Arcade Stick Platforms: PC, Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Classic, Super Nintendo Classic Price: $90 If you have a Nintendo Switch or any of the Classic consoles, the 8BitDo is a great option for only $90. It also happens to be one of the best-looking options with a retro Nintendo styling that will fit right into any 8-bit décor or console. And while it doesn’t come with a Sanwa joystick or buttons, which are the gold standard of fight sticks, the ones it does come with are decent enough. The advantages of the 8BitDo are that it features wireless connectivity via Bluetooth or included 2.4 GHz USB dongle. The latter option allows it to be compatible with the PlayStation Classic and Super Nintendo Classic consoles. At $90, it is one of the best all-in-one wireless options for most consoles, with the exception of the PlayStation 5. Being a wireless joystick, no cable management to worry about! MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F300 Elite Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One/S/X/360, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 Price: $104 The F300 Elite is the upgraded version of the F300 and comes equipped with Sanwa buttons and joystick. For any fighting game player that will spend hours upon hours leveling up in training mode or playing against real human players, Sanwa hardware offers better tactile response and feel. It’s akin to typing on a high-end Corsair mechanical keyboard with Cherry switches versus a cheap rubber membrane keyword. HORI Fighting Stick Mini 4 Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC (Via firmware update) Price: $50 The HORI Fighting Stick Mini 4 is the cheapest option on the list from one of the best arcade stick manufacturers of all time. As you’d expect from a fight stick with “Mini” in the name, it is one of the smallest options on the market. It also happens to be one of the feature-bare options, with no support for turbo macros or selectable D-pad or analog stick modes. Another downside is non-Sanwa parts and an inability to easily swap out those inferior parts. Cable management is also a pain, with no storage cubby or detachable USB cable. But at $50, it is the cheapest way to get into fight sticks. Brook Fighting Board Platforms: PlayStation 3/4/5, Xbox Series X/S/One/360, PC, Wii U Price: $95 You might be thinking, “That’s an odd-looking joystick”, and you're right! The Brook Fighting Board is not a joystick per-se, but rather a way for you to build your own. If you happen to have an old Mad Catz Fight Stick from the PS3 era for instance, you can get it PS4 or even PS5 compatible by replacing its guts with the Brook Fighting Board. Installation is a cinch using small screwdriver with hex and Phillips bits, along with some electrical tape—no soldering iron needed at all! You can even use an old SNES or Sega Genesis joystick if you happen to have one of those lying around.