Posts

Showing posts from January 17, 2021

Most 3 Popular Posts of The Week!

CD Projekt Buys an Indie Studio to Make a Game Based on One of Its Properties

AC Valhalla: How to Find and Unlock Excalibur

Claim one of the most legendary and mythical swords in history in Assassin's Creed Valhalla with our guide to obtaining Excalibur. source https://www.ign.com/wikis/assassins-creed-valhalla/How_to_Get_the_Excalibur_Greatsword

Tencent Acquires Majority Stake in Don't Starve Developer Klei Entertainment

Tencent has acquired a majority stake in Klei Entertainment, the studio behind such games as Don't Starve and Mark of the Ninja. Klei Entertainment founder Jamie Cheng took to the the studio's forums to announce the news and to assure its fans that "as part of this agreement, Klei retains full autonomy of creative and operations across all aspects of the studio, including projects, talent, and more." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/04/05/dont-starve-nintendo-switch-edition-trailer"] As for what's going to change, Cheng mentions that while there are some "boring accounting changes" that will need to be adjusted to, he will still be running the studio as before, with "no changes to staffing, projects, or other operations." Cheng continued to discuss why this decision was made and, among other things, how it will help Klei Entertainment continue to do what it does best - "making unique experiences that no one else ca

Raft: Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Sharks

From using distractions to dodging incoming attacks, here are several strategies that you can use for dealing with Sharks in Raft. source https://www.ign.com/wikis/raft/How_to_Deal_with_Sharks

Hitman 3: 17 Essential Tips to Become a Master Assassin

Don't miss these important tips for stalking your target, learning everything about your environment, and using every tool to assassinate in Hitman 3. source https://www.ign.com/wikis/hitman-3/Tips_and_Tricks

Microsoft Not Changing Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games Unlocked

Microsoft has announced that it is reversing its decision and will not change Xbox Live Gold pricing. Furthermore, free-to-play games will no longer require an Xbox Live Gold membership to play on Xbox consoles. As detailed in an Xbox Wire post, this decision comes after an earlier announcement that it would be raising the prices of Xbox Live Gold for the first time in 10 years in some markets. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/23/why-xbox-live-gold-price-hike-is-a-bad-look-for-microsoft"] Microsoft's full statement is as follows; "We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox Live Gold pricing. "We’re turning this moment into an opportunity to bring Xbox Live more in line with how we see the player at the center of their experience. Free-to-play games

Vicarious Visions Reportedly Brought Into Blizzard to Work on Diablo 2 Remake

Following the news that Vicarious Visions has been merged into Blizzard Entertainment, a new report says that the studio was brought into Blizzard to work on on the Diablo franchise, including a planned remake of Diablo 2. As reported by Bloomberg, Vicarious Visions, the studio behind such games as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, has been working with Blizzard since last year, even though the announcement of its merger was only made today, January 22. Up until 2020, the Diablo 2 remake was set to be developed by Blizzard's Team 1, which is located at its Irvine, California campus and was the go-to group for reworking classic games. Its latest title, Warcraft III: Reforged, was not received positively and currently has a 59 on review aggregate site Metacritic, which also happens to be Blizzard's lowest score to date. IGN gave Warcraft III: Reforged a 7/10, saying it "is an uninspiring remaster, but Warcraft 3 itself is still a great g

Cyberpunk 2077: Patch 1.1 Is Now Available on PC, Consoles, and Stadia

CD Projekt Red has released Patch 1.1 for Cyberpunk 2077 on PC, consoles, and Stadia. As detailed on Cyberpunk.net, this update's big focus is on stability improvements. As noted on Twitter, this update "lays the groundwork for the upcoming patches." Memory usage improvements in various systems within the game are part of this patch, and should improve "characters, interactions, navigation, in-game videos (news, tv, etc.), foliage, laser effects, minimap, devices, AI, street traffic, environmental damage system, GPU-related, and more." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/21/cyberpunk-2077s-current-state-before-patch-11-patch-106-performance-review"] There have also been various crash fixes related to, among others, "loading saves, game opening/closing, and Point of No Return." Many fixes for Quests and the Open World are detailed (which you can see below), as well as others for UI, Visual, Achievements, and more. Those on PlayS

Opinion: Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold Price Hike Isn't a Good Look

Microsoft knew that announcing a significant price hike to Xbox Live Gold wasn’t going to go over well. That’s why it dumped the news on a Friday. So what’s the deal – or lack thereof, in this case? In short, $60 will now get you just six months of Gold instead of 12. Three months is $30, and one month is $11. The new pricing isn’t quite as bad as it looks on the surface, but to be clear, it isn’t good either, for a number of reasons. First, it’s a straight-up surprise considering how Microsoft has spent the past few years not just saying but doing the right thing by gamers. Backwards compatibility, Xbox Game Pass, Smart Delivery, etc. – Microsoft has been focused on doing the right thing by its consumers, earning goodwill from the gaming community for a while now. This sharp price increase on the service, which is required to play even free-to-play multiplayer games, is both unexpected and unfortunate. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=2

Activision Merges Blizzard and Vicarious Visions

Activision Blizzard has confirmed that Vicarious Visions, the developer behind such titles as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 and Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, is officially merging with Blizzard Entertainment. As reported by GamesIndustry.Biz, the Vicarious Visions team of about 200 people will now be employees of Blizzard and are "fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives." This means Vicarious Visions will no longer be be creating games as a lead developer. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/03/tony-hawks-pro-skater-12-review"] "After collaborating with Vicarious Visions for some time and developing a great relationship, Blizzard realized there was an opportunity for [Vicarious Visions] to provide long-term support," a representative said to GamesIndustry.Biz. However, Activision Blizzard did not reveal what the team has/will be working on going forward. Vicarious Visions studio head Jen Oneal has been promoted to Blizz

The State of PlayStation Studios in 2021

As we enter 2021 and the PS5 is officially in the wild (well, sort of), it’s time to take a look at the state of Sony’s first-party studios. The launch of the PS5 brought with it a host of new PlayStation exclusive games, but the stable of PlayStation Studios has plenty more in store. One quick note — we’re specifically discussing internal, first-party owned studios. So no third-party exclusives or second-party games (think Lucid’s Destruction AllStars for PS5) will be included. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"] But from recently released like The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghost of Tsushima to impending exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West, let’s take a look at what every PlayStation Studio has in the works. Bend Studio [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/22/days-gone-the-world-of-days-gone-video"] Last release: After years of teases, Bend Studio finally released its po

Genshin Impact's 1.3 Update Brings Liyue's Lantern Rite

Genshin Impact's 1.3 Update has been officially detailed ahead of its February 3, 2021 release date and will allow players to celebrate the Lantern Rite in Liyue Harbor, win a free four-star Liyue character, and earn over 1,600 Primogems. As revealed on PlayStation.Blog, the Lantern Rite is the biggest festival in Liyue's calendar and is packed with festivities that all culminate in a "spectacular ceremony on the first full moon of the year that sees every household release specially made Xiao Lanterns into the night sky." These lanterns, according to Liyue locals, deliver their wishes to the heavens and guide the lost souls of fallen heroes back home. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/22/genshin-impact-version-13-all-that-glitters-trailer"] The Traveler (you) and Paimon have been called upon to help prepare for event, which is divided into three stages. Each stage comes with a series of requests that will help the locals prepare for the Lan

Resident Evil 4 Remake Reportedly Getting Partial Development Reboot Due to Internal Disagreements

The much rumoured remake of Resident Evil 4 is reportedly seeing a 'partial reboot' at Capcom, and a change in development leadership, after disagreements over its direction. VGC reports that, per sources close to the project, core Resident Evil studio Capcom Division 1 has taken the lead on the project, with original developer M-Two seeing its role reduced. The changes could apparently lead to a 2023 release date. The report explains that, following a project review, M-Two was seen to be too faithful to the original game, with Capcom preferring that the remake takes inspiration from Resident Evil 4, but introduces new elements and features. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/resident-evil-4-is-pretty-much-perfect-but-heres-how-capcom-could-remake-it"] The latter approach was taken in both the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, with varying levels of fan response. M-Two is said to have wanted to stick to the Resi 4 formula due to backlash against Resident Evil 3&#

Xbox Games With Gold for February 2021 Announced

Microsoft has announced that the Games with Gold for February 2021 are Gears 5, the remastered version of Resident Evil, Dandara: Trials of Fear, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, and Lost Planet 2. Announced on Xbox Wire, Gears 5, Resident Evil, and Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb will become available for those with Xbox Live Gold on February 1, 2021. Dandara: Trials of Fear and Lost Planet 2 will become available on February 16. Gears 5, which will be available until February 28, is the latest entry in the Gears of War franchise and has been fully optimized for Xbox Series X/S. In our Gears 5 review, we said "No matter which mode you approach it from, Gears 5 is an incredibly fun and polished game." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/13/gears-5-final-review"] Resident Evil, which will be available until February 28, is a remaster of the original Resident Evil from 1996. This news also follows yesterday's Resident Evil Showca

Mass Effect 2 Developers Cut Jack's Same-Sex Romance, Seemingly in Part Due to Fox News

According to one of the game's writers, the Mass Effect 2 character Jack was originally written as pansexual, but her romance options were apparently changed late in development to only allow for a heterosexual romance, seemingly because of critical response to the first game's sex scenes, and a Fox News panel on Mass Effect. In an interview with The Gamer , Jack's lead writer, Brian Kindegran, said that the character was "essentially pansexual for most of the development of that romance." There are references in Mass Effect 2's dialogue to Jack's interest in men and women, which is why many fans have since wondered why Jack was only romanceable by a male Commander Shepard. Explaining the reasoning behind the change, Kindegran pointed to criticism from media outlets in the US: "Mass Effect had been pretty heavily and really unfairly criticized in the US by Fox News," Kindegran told The Gamer, referring to a 2007 panel about the use of sex scenes

Nuts Review

What are all of these squirrels up to? This is the question I asked myself for three hours straight as I played through Nuts, a peculiar puzzler adventure. It tells a tightly written tale that reaches a satisfying conclusion without ever taking too many risks on a storytelling or gameplay level. It’s short but sweet, and like its furry stars stashes its most fruitful moments away until the end, just before becoming tired. As a rookie rodent researcher at Viago University, you’ve been assigned the role of keeping an eye on the squirrel inhabitants of Melmoth Forest, an atmospheric setting that is tranquil to the point of being eerie. To begin with, you must find and follow a single squirrel to its stash of nuts. Sounds simple enough! The problem is that these critters only make their movements at night, so you’ll need the assistance of your surveillance equipment. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/nuts-official-trailer"] You’ll position up to three cameras during the d

Sea of Thieves: Season One Begins Next Week

Rare has announced that Sea of Thieves Season One will begin next week - bringing new content and a battle pass. source https://www.ign.com/articles/2020/12/03/sea-of-thieves-is-getting-seasons-and-a-battle-pass-in-2021

Cyberpunk 2077: Johnny Silverhand Concept Art Reveals What He May Have Looked Like Pre-Keanu Reeves

Image
CD Projekt Red concept art has revealed what Cyberpunk 2077's Johnny Silverhand character may have looked like, prior to Keanu Reeves taking on the role. As spotted by AltChar , concepts found on CD Projekt Red Senior Concept Artist and Coordinator Lea Leonowicz' ArtStation  profile provide a glimpse at Johnny Silverhand without Keanu Reeves' likeness. This version of Silverhand looks a little younger than the Johnny we see in the game, lacking the facial hair and featuring a more toned physique. The character still has his trademark cybernetic arm, and many of the outfits shown are very similar, including Silverhand's shiny pants, red sunglasses and Samurai tanktop. One piece from the 'First Sketches' concept art is a little bit more glam rock than the rest, showing a vision of Johnny wearing a bandana and an oversized jumper. One cool detail that didn't make the final game was a spiked bracelet around the wrist of Silverhand's robot arm. Very Brutal Le

Playdead's Next Game Is A Multi-Platform '3rd-Person Science Fiction Adventure'

Some details have been revealed about the new project coming from the creators of Limbo and Inside. Playdead's currently untitled project will be a "3rd-person science fiction adventure set in a remote corner of the universe," according to the  job listings page on the studio's website. Within the  Technical Director listing  the 'Who We Are' section is slightly altered, adding that the game is being "built for multiple platforms on Unreal Engine." The openings also mention Playdead's company culture, noting that the studio's approach to development "does not include crunching towards arbitrary deadlines." Some new art from the game has also been found in the listings, which you can see in the gallery below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=playdeads-next-game-9-pieces-of-art&captions=true"] It also notes that the game will be published by Epic Games, which we've known sin

Switch Joy-Con Drift: Nintendo Now Facing Potential Legal Trouble in Canada, US, and Across Europe

Nintendo is the subject of yet another class-action lawsuit over its Switch console's ongoing Joy-Con drift issues, this time in Canada. It means Nintendo is now facing down potential legal trouble in Canada, the US, and across Europe. Québec-based law firm Lambert Avocat filed an application to bring a class action suit against Nintendo on January 15, seeking to "obtain a compensation for all Québec consumers who bought the Nintendo Switch™ and Nintendo Switch™ Lite gaming systems, as well as Joy-Con™ and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers." The firm says that drift - which sees Joy-Cons registering analog stick movement, even if they're not being touched - represents "an important, serious and hidden defect" that was not properly revealed by Nintendo. Lambert Avocat is now asking Québec residents to register as part of the suit on its website . [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/11/joy-con-drift-is-still-a-huge-problem-3-years-later"

How to Complete the Resident Evil Village Maiden Demo

Find how to to escape the creepy dungeon and solve every puzzle in Resident Evil Village's Maiden Demo. source https://www.ign.com/wikis/resident-evil-8-village/Maiden_Demo_Walkthrough

Fortnite Adds Sarah Connor and T-800 Terminator Skins

Image
The newest skins joining Fortnite’s growing roster of pop culture hunters now include Sarah Connor and the T-800 from the Terminator franchise. The accompanying skin, back bling, and pickaxe are available now in the Fortnite Item Shop. Sarah Connor was teased earlier on in the season, but now it's official. As with other special skins from this season, Sarah Connor’s outfit will come with two variants, a T-800 Endoskeleton Arm Back Bling and Combat Knife. The T-800 skin comes with a built-in Emote, HK Sky Net Uplink Back Bling, and Techno-Grip Axe. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/21/fortnite-teases-terminator-skins-for-season-5"] The theme for the current season of Fortnite revolves around the multiverse’s greatest hunters. It's a bit nebulous, but it’s a theme that has allowed Fortnite to add skins from God of War , Predator, Halo , The Mandalorian , and now The Terminator. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5, named “Zero Point” includes a new map, a quest

Resident Evil Village: Here's What Comes in Each Edition

Image
Resident Evil Village is set to release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 7, 2021. If you buy the PS4 or Xbox One version, the next-gen upgrade is free within the same console family. You can preorder the game now. Resident Evil Village is a sequel to Resident Evil 7. Once again, you play as Ethan Winters, a poor unfortunate soul who arrives at a castle to rescue his daughter only to find a new group of vicious, supernatural characters who are eager to torture and kill him. This includes the tall vampire lady who became a meme the moment she made her debut, as well as her daughters, who are apparently made of bugs that can... go under your skin? Like RE7, Village is a first-person shooter, but this time they've added a blocking mechanic that will play a key role in combat. They've also added crafting and an RE4-like inventory system. PlayStation 5 owners can download a demo now , and a different demo is planned later for the previous-gen consoles. Preorder

What to Expect From Star Wars in 2021

With so many Star Wars movies, TV series, comics, novels, and video games in the works, it's safe to say there's never been a better time to be obsessed with that galaxy far, far away. But to paraphrase Master Yoda, patience we must have. Many of these projects are still years down the road. So what can Star Wars fans actually look forward to in 2021? From new series like The Book of Boba Fett to ambitious publishing projects like The High Republic and games like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, here's everything Star Wars fans can look forward to over the next 12 months. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-upcoming-star-wars-movie&captions=true"] Star Wars Shows on Disney Plus If you're hungry for new Star Wars content (and after the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, who isn't?), you'll want to keep a close eye on Disney+ throughout 2021. We can look forward to three new Star Wars shows to debut o

Every IGN Resident Evil Review

If you're excited about today's Resident Evil Village news , or wondering why everyone else seems to be, it's a great time to peruse our slideshow of Every IGN Resident Evil Review Ever. They range from 2016's predictably terrible Umbrella Corps spinoff to the series high of Resident Evil 4 back in 2005, with tons of good and bad in between. Some have stood the test of time while others didn't hold up past our first impressions, but it's a list that shows why this horror series maintains such a strong grip on gamers' minds to this day. Now that you know what we thought of them at the time they came out, give us your opinion: Which ones stick out in your mind as the most terrifyingly great and the most terrifyingly worst? [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-resident-evil-game-review-ever&captions=true"] [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=86468387-ee39-40b6-a0c3-383fccb1e2f3"

Is a Switch Pro Coming in 2021? - NVC 544

Welcome to NVC, Super Ninfriendos! This week, Seth Macy is joined by Brian Altano, special guest Lily Zaldivar, and… wait for it… Casey DeFreitas! Join the panel as they react to what industry analysts are saying about the likelihood of a new Switch model in 2021 . Plus, hear about the extremely limited gold Monster Hunter Rise amiibo, a big name retiring from Nintendo, and a whole lot more. This episode marks the peaceful transfer of power from permanent temporary host Seth Macy, back to NVC host Casey DeFreitas, who we're thrilled to have back. Please, go congratulate @ sethmacy on Twitter on his great run! NVC is available on your preferred platform! YouTube Spotify Apple iTunes Stitcher Podbay PlayerFM Podbean You can also Download NVC 544 Directly Here You can listen to NVC on your preferred platform every Thursday at 3pm PT/6pm ET. Have a question for Question Block? Write to us at nvc@ign.com and we may pick your question! Also, make sure to join the  Nintendo Vo

Every Announcement From Today's Resident Evil Showcase

Image
Capcom's first Resident Evil showcase of 2021 covered a slew of upcoming projects in the long-running franchise, from the next major installment with Resident Evil Village, to a new multiplayer experience and one of the upcoming RE films. Here's a breakdown of everything announced, revealed, and shown during the showcase, including new gameplay, details, and more. Resident Evil Village Release Date, Demo Details [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/21/resident-evil-village-story-trailer"] One of the biggest announcements of the showcase, Capcom confirmed Resident Evil Village will be coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, PS4, and Xbox One on May 7, 2021. Additionally, there will be a demo later this spring for all platforms, but PS5 owners can get exclusive access today to the new "Maiden" demo. You can find out all about Resident Evil Village's release plans, including special edition details , as part of our coverage of the show. [widget path