Tag Archives: Video Games

Scrub down Shrek’s world in PowerWash Simulator

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There are a ton of Shrek movies but not one of them have ever answered this question: Who cleans up the mess when the ogre and his various fairytale villains are done fighting? Square Enix’s PowerWash Simulator finally has an answer.

Dreamworks and Square Enix have teamed up to create the Shrek Special Pack DLC for PowerWash Simulator available now on all consoles and PC. The new pack adds a bunch of scenarios from the iconic animated films and some new armor and tools to help you scrub down the many layers of crud that have accumulated over Shrek’s world.

The new DLC pack comes with 5 new locations that need a good power washing. They include Shrek’s home swamp, the town of Duloc complete with that adorable wind-up information booth, the Fairy Godmother’s potion factory, the dragon’s lair and Hansel’s delectable Honeymoon Hideaway with the Shreks’ onion wedding carriage.

The Shrek Special Pack also offers a new campaign mode that takes you through the new scenes and grants you a new set of knight themed power washing armor and hoses. You’ll also receive messages from “some familiar faces,” maybe even the Muffin Man. (The Muffin Man!) Yes, the Muffin Man! (Actually, you probably won’t. He’s not really an ancillary character in the Shrek universe outside of the nursery rhyme reference from the first movie.)

One of the great things about PowerWash Simulator is just how crazy they’ve gone with the DLC packs. Square Enix has also developed special cleaning scenarios based on Back to the Future, Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy. The developers have been working on so many things to clean up that they’ve accidentally lost track of one and released it to players on Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/scrub-down-shreks-world-in-powerwash-simulator-232032583.html?src=rss

Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime is making a tabletop RPG party game

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Blizzard co-founder and ex-CEO Mike Morhaime’s publishing company Dreamhaven just announced a new game that mixes elements of tabletop RPGs with party games like Jackbox. Sunderfolk looks to be a more casual pick-up-and-play take on something like Gloomhaven.

The title has been “designed for players who love tabletop, board and video games.” It’s a two-screen experience, with players actually controlling many aspects of the game on their smartphone. You know, just like the immensely-popular Jackbox franchise. The “tactical couch co-op RPG” is being advertised as a way for veteran tabletop players to introduce the genre to their inexperienced friends.

Sunderfolk can be played by up to four players at once and there are six hero classes, like bard, arcanist, ranger and some of the other usual suspects. The TV is the main screen and the phone acts as a controller as folks navigate the game board. The story follows a beleaguered town as it is attacked by various monsters. In other words, it’s a standard fantasy RPG.

The unique control scheme looks to eliminate some of the barriers of entry with this type of game, like the steep learning curve and lengthy set-up time. Like many tabletop RPGs, it’s cooperative in nature and not competitive. You and your friends against the world.

Four people playing the game on a couch.
Dreamhaven

While the designer’s say Sunderfolk was made with couch co-op in mind, there will be online play. The game releases for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2025, with an affiliated iOS/Android companion app.

Kotaku got to try the game during a preview event and came away mostly impressed, saying that “working in tandem with other players quickly turned into a thrilling spectacle that felt right out of a TTRPG game night.” However, the site also said that the complexity of the gameplay may fail to lure in newbies. In other words, it’s more Gloomhaven than Jackbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-co-founder-mike-morhaime-is-making-a-tabletop-rpg-party-game-174323950.html?src=rss

Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime is making a tabletop RPG party game

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Blizzard co-founder and ex-CEO Mike Morhaime’s publishing company Dreamhaven just announced a new game that mixes elements of tabletop RPGs with party games like Jackbox. Sunderfolk looks to be a more casual pick-up-and-play take on something like Gloomhaven.

The title has been “designed for players who love tabletop, board and video games.” It’s a two-screen experience, with players actually controlling many aspects of the game on their smartphone. You know, just like the immensely-popular Jackbox franchise. The “tactical couch co-op RPG” is being advertised as a way for veteran tabletop players to introduce the genre to their inexperienced friends.

Sunderfolk can be played by up to four players at once and there are six hero classes, like bard, arcanist, ranger and some of the other usual suspects. The TV is the main screen and the phone acts as a controller as folks navigate the game board. The story follows a beleaguered town as it is attacked by various monsters. In other words, it’s a standard fantasy RPG.

The unique control scheme looks to eliminate some of the barriers of entry with this type of game, like the steep learning curve and lengthy set-up time. Like many tabletop RPGs, it’s cooperative in nature and not competitive. You and your friends against the world.

Four people playing the game on a couch.
Dreamhaven

While the designer’s say Sunderfolk was made with couch co-op in mind, there will be online play. The game releases for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2025, with an affiliated iOS/Android companion app.

Kotaku got to try the game during a preview event and came away mostly impressed, saying that “working in tandem with other players quickly turned into a thrilling spectacle that felt right out of a TTRPG game night.” However, the site also said that the complexity of the gameplay may fail to lure in newbies. In other words, it’s more Gloomhaven than Jackbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-co-founder-mike-morhaime-is-making-a-tabletop-rpg-party-game-174323950.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime ‘free’ games for October include BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal and A Plague Tale: Innocence

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Amazon has revealed the extensive list of PC games that Prime members can snap up at no extra cost in October. It's a very solid line up with a little something for everyone, including big hitters, killer indies and, since it's spooky season, a cauldron full of horror games.

BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal (one of our favorite games of 2020) and A Plague Tale: Innocence are among the most immediately recognizable names on the list. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the terrific Death's Door and the icky Scorn are all perhaps worth checking out if you haven't already done so. Nineties kids may be interested in playing a remaster of the sidescroller Gargoyles, which is based on the classic animated series.

A dozen of the games are available now, including BioShock and Doom Eternal. It's worth noting that you'll only be able to claim the latter in regions where the Microsoft Store is available. Here's the full list of what you can claim and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:

  • Hive Jump 2: Survivors (GOG)

  • Scarf (Amazon Games App)

  • Tomb Raider: Legend (GOG)

  • The Eternal Cylinder (Epic Games Store)

  • Spirit of the North (Epic Games Store)

  • No Straight Roads (Epic Games Store)

  • BioShock Remastered (GOG)

  • Doom Eternal (Microsoft Store)

  • DreadOut 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition (Epic Games Store)

  • Priest Simulator: Vampire Show (Epic Games Store)

  • The Gap (Amazon Games App)

  • Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets (Legacy Games Code)

  • Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness (Amazon Games App)

  • Through the Darkest of Times (Amazon Games App)

  • Killing Floor 2 (Epic Games Store)

  • Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol (Amazon Games App)

  • Pumpkin Jack (GOG)

  • The Gunk (GOG)

  • Stasis: Bone Totem (Epic Games Store)

  • Gargoyles Remastered (Amazon Games App)

  • Monster Train (GOG)

  • Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (Epic Games Store)

  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (GOG)

  • Death's Door (Epic Games Store)

  • Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)

  • Scorn (GOG)

  • Coromon (GOG)

As ever, Amazon has refreshed the lineup of games that Prime members can stream on Luna at no extra cost. Fortnite and Trackmania are still in the mix, of course. Ubisoft's arena shooter, XDefiant, is on the list along with another notable name in Alien: Isolation. Amid Evil, Valfaris, Perish, Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine, Tormented Souls, Dusk, Mortal Shell, Doomblade and Monster Harvest are the other games Prime members can stream (almost) for free in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-october-include-bioshock-remastered-doom-eternal-and-a-plague-tale-innocence-170939596.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime ‘free’ games for October include BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal and A Plague Tale: Innocence

Posted on by

Amazon has revealed the extensive list of PC games that Prime members can snap up at no extra cost in October. It's a very solid line up with a little something for everyone, including big hitters, killer indies and, since it's spooky season, a cauldron full of horror games.

BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal (one of our favorite games of 2020) and A Plague Tale: Innocence are among the most immediately recognizable names on the list. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the terrific Death's Door and the icky Scorn are all perhaps worth checking out if you haven't already done so. Nineties kids may be interested in playing a remaster of the sidescroller Gargoyles, which is based on the classic animated series.

A dozen of the games are available now, including BioShock and Doom Eternal. It's worth noting that you'll only be able to claim the latter in regions where the Microsoft Store is available. Here's the full list of what you can claim and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:

  • Hive Jump 2: Survivors (GOG)

  • Scarf (Amazon Games App)

  • Tomb Raider: Legend (GOG)

  • The Eternal Cylinder (Epic Games Store)

  • Spirit of the North (Epic Games Store)

  • No Straight Roads (Epic Games Store)

  • BioShock Remastered (GOG)

  • Doom Eternal (Microsoft Store)

  • DreadOut 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition (Epic Games Store)

  • Priest Simulator: Vampire Show (Epic Games Store)

  • The Gap (Amazon Games App)

  • Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets (Legacy Games Code)

  • Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness (Amazon Games App)

  • Through the Darkest of Times (Amazon Games App)

  • Killing Floor 2 (Epic Games Store)

  • Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol (Amazon Games App)

  • Pumpkin Jack (GOG)

  • The Gunk (GOG)

  • Stasis: Bone Totem (Epic Games Store)

  • Gargoyles Remastered (Amazon Games App)

  • Monster Train (GOG)

  • Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (Epic Games Store)

  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (GOG)

  • Death's Door (Epic Games Store)

  • Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)

  • Scorn (GOG)

  • Coromon (GOG)

As ever, Amazon has refreshed the lineup of games that Prime members can stream on Luna at no extra cost. Fortnite and Trackmania are still in the mix, of course. Ubisoft's arena shooter, XDefiant, is on the list along with another notable name in Alien: Isolation. Amid Evil, Valfaris, Perish, Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine, Tormented Souls, Dusk, Mortal Shell, Doomblade and Monster Harvest are the other games Prime members can stream (almost) for free in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-october-include-bioshock-remastered-doom-eternal-and-a-plague-tale-innocence-170939596.html?src=rss

Dead Island 2 and Gris join the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for October

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October’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup is certainly stuffed to the gills. There’s something for everyone, from zombie classics to narrative adventures and beyond. Let’s take a look.

The biggest draw here is likely Dead Island 2. For a while, we weren’t sure if this game would ever come out, but it did and it’s a blast to play. The action-heavy zombie slaying sim is set in Los Angeles and boasts six playable characters. There’s three-player co-op and, of course, more gore than you can shake a bloody baseball bat at. The game’s available for both PS4 and PS5.

Gris is a stylistic 2D platformer that was a bona-fide hit when it was released several years back. We said it “might be the prettiest game” ever made, so the graphics and vibes are strong with this one. It’s a relaxing mixture of puzzles, exploration and platform jumping. The dev team has another game on the way, called Neva, that also looks quite pretty. 

It took 13 years, but we finally got a new entry in the Monkey Island franchise. Return to Monkey Island continues the comedic adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, as first seen in several iconic Lucasfilm titles from the 1990s. Reviews were kind, with many players calling it a true return to form. As a warning, this is an old-school adventure with roots in the point-and-click genre.

Those are the big three, but this month’s drop also includes Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Overpass 2, Tour de France 2023 and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, among others. PlayStation Premium members are also getting some games, including The Last Clockwinder for PS VR2 and Dino Crisis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/dead-island-2-and-gris-join-the-playstation-plus-game-catalog-for-october-162432379.html?src=rss

Dead Island 2 and Gris join the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for October

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October’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup is certainly stuffed to the gills. There’s something for everyone, from zombie classics to narrative adventures and beyond. Let’s take a look.

The biggest draw here is likely Dead Island 2. For a while, we weren’t sure if this game would ever come out, but it did and it’s a blast to play. The action-heavy zombie slaying sim is set in Los Angeles and boasts six playable characters. There’s three-player co-op and, of course, more gore than you can shake a bloody baseball bat at. The game’s available for both PS4 and PS5.

Gris is a stylistic 2D platformer that was a bona-fide hit when it was released several years back. We said it “might be the prettiest game” ever made, so the graphics and vibes are strong with this one. It’s a relaxing mixture of puzzles, exploration and platform jumping. The dev team has another game on the way, called Neva, that also looks quite pretty. 

It took 13 years, but we finally got a new entry in the Monkey Island franchise. Return to Monkey Island continues the comedic adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, as first seen in several iconic Lucasfilm titles from the 1990s. Reviews were kind, with many players calling it a true return to form. As a warning, this is an old-school adventure with roots in the point-and-click genre.

Those are the big three, but this month’s drop also includes Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Overpass 2, Tour de France 2023 and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, among others. PlayStation Premium members are also getting some games, including The Last Clockwinder for PS VR2 and Dino Crisis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/dead-island-2-and-gris-join-the-playstation-plus-game-catalog-for-october-162432379.html?src=rss

Nintendo is looking for 10,000 testers for a new Switch Online feature

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Nintendo has posted a call for 10,000 testers who'll get first access to an unnamed, mysterious Switch Online feature. The whole posting is rather vague and offers no solid clues on what feature it's testing exactly, but only people who have an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership can participate in the "Playtest Program." Nintendo's $50-a-year Switch Online Expansion Pack adds Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and Game Boy Advance games to the subscription service's games library. It also gives users free access to downloadable content for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Splatoon 2. 

Testers must also be at at least 18 years old and must have an account registered in Japan, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy or Spain. Switch Online subscribers who want to participate can send in an application by scrolling to the bottom of Nintendo's announcement and clicking the "To Application Page" link. 

The company will start accepting entries today, October 10, at 8AM PT/11AM ET, until November 5 at 4:59PM PT/7:59PM ET. Nintendo will choose participants in Japan through a raffle if it receives a lot of applications. Everyone else may want to hurry if they want to participate, because it'll be first come first serve for them. The company will also stop taking applications early if it quickly reaches the maximum number of participants. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-looking-for-10000-testers-for-a-new-switch-online-feature-123032431.html?src=rss

Former Humble Games staff form new publisher that will work with their old company

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Two former leaders from video game publisher Humble Games, Alan Patmore and Mark Nash, have launched a new outfit called Good Games Group. And ironically, the first deal this indie publisher has landed is with its team's old parent company. According to the statement from Good Games Group, the business will work with Humble Games to provide support for previously released titles.

"Good Games Group’s mission is to bring exceptional indie games to the global gaming community," CEO Alan Patmore said. "Partnering with Ziff Davis allows us to continue working with the amazing indie developers we collaborated with at Humble Games, while also allowing us to chart a new course for the future." Ziff Davis is a media conglomerate that owns sites such as IGN and Eurogamer as well as Humble Games.

In July, Humble Games announced a restructuring that saw most of the staff laid off. Although a rep from Humble Games said it would continue supporting the company's existing game lineup, this amount of upheaval is all but guaranteed to cause trouble for game developers. For instance, Squid Shock Games turned to a Patreon fundraiser to generate financial support for its game Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus. The studio's debut title was released just before the Humble Games cuts.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/former-humble-games-staff-form-new-publisher-that-will-work-with-their-old-company-211539753.html?src=rss

Sony will delist LittleBigPlanet 3 and its DLC on October 31

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LittleBigPlanet 3 has been around for a long time. The beloved game was released in November 2014 for both the PS3 and PS4. But after just about a decade, gamers won’t be able to purchase it and its DLC after October 31 because Sony will delist it.

To be clear, the game and DLC won’t be available for purchase anymore after the end of the month, but you can still keep your copies and enjoy them. Sadly, ever since the PS4 servers were shut down back in April this year, fan-created levels that weren’t already saved locally aren't available to download and play anymore. At this point, you’re limited to the base game — something worth playing, but much of the game’s charm came from all its user-generated content.

Sony didn’t say why it is delisting LittleBigPlanet 3, but it’s possible that the game’s music licenses are expiring after 10 years. No matter the reason, it’s best to grab a copy of the game if you want to enjoy your adventures with Sackboy.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-will-delist-littlebigplanet-3-and-its-dlc-on-october-31-154650421.html?src=rss