Tag Archives: Video Games

Palworld’s upcoming Arena mode looks like Pokémon PvP with guns

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Ever since Palworld first emerged, it's been described as "Pokémon with guns." A new mode that's coming to Pocketpair's massively successful game won't do much to get rid of those comparisons. Even based on a 15-second clip, it looks, sounds and smells just like Pokémon's player vs. player experiences.

In the inventively titled Palworld Arena, you'll be able to take on other players with the help of the Pokémon Pals you've captured. Pocketpair says you can train your strongest critters to overcome your rivals. A brief teaser shown at the Triple-i Initiative indie games showcase showed a split-screen view, for what it's worth.

At first glance, it seems like the main difference between this and Pokémon battles is that, instead of standing back and telling your Pals what to do, your character will be in the thick of the action as well, trying to take out the enemies with a range of weaponry. 

For those of us who aren't fans of turn-based combat (*waves*), it could be a more active, perhaps more compelling spin on Pokémon battles. But this really does just seem like Pokémon PvP modes with a different coat of paint. We'll get to find out just how alike the two franchises' takes on PvP really are when Palworld Arena arrives this summer.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/palworlds-upcoming-arena-mode-looks-like-pokemon-pvp-with-guns-182516871.html?src=rss

Palworld’s upcoming Arena mode looks like Pokémon PvP with guns

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Ever since Palworld first emerged, it's been described as "Pokémon with guns." A new mode that's coming to Pocketpair's massively successful game won't do much to get rid of those comparisons. Even based on a 15-second clip, it looks, sounds and smells just like Pokémon's player vs. player experiences.

In the inventively titled Palworld Arena, you'll be able to take on other players with the help of the Pokémon Pals you've captured. Pocketpair says you can train your strongest critters to overcome your rivals. A brief teaser shown at the Triple-i Initiative indie games showcase showed a split-screen view, for what it's worth.

At first glance, it seems like the main difference between this and Pokémon battles is that, instead of standing back and telling your Pals what to do, your character will be in the thick of the action as well, trying to take out the enemies with a range of weaponry. 

For those of us who aren't fans of turn-based combat (*waves*), it could be a more active, perhaps more compelling spin on Pokémon battles. But this really does just seem like Pokémon PvP modes with a different coat of paint. We'll get to find out just how alike the two franchises' takes on PvP really are when Palworld Arena arrives this summer.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/palworlds-upcoming-arena-mode-looks-like-pokemon-pvp-with-guns-182516871.html?src=rss

Never Alone 2 teaser shows Nuna and Fox coming face-to-face with giant creatures

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Two years after E-line Media revealed it was working on Never Alone 2, the first look at gameplay emerged at the Triple-i Initiative indie games showcase. The brief clip shows Nuna and her spirit companion Fox running across ice and encountering a pair of giant creatures. There's not much to the video (it's a teaser, after all), but it gives a sense of the game's look and feel.

You'll venture through the Alaskan wilderness to look for ways to support your home village. Along the way, you'll unravel a mystery that poses a threat to the community. While the 2014 original (which nearly 15 million people have played) married 3D graphics and 2D gameplay, Never Alone 2 is billed as a "3D open-map sequel."

Never Alone included solo and co-op modes (we found the latter made playing the game much better). The follow-up is designed primarily for two players, in either online or couch co-op modes, to place a focus on the theme of interdependence.

Never Alone 2 has an original story from Iñupiat writer Nasugraq Rainey Hopson, and it was designed with input from Alaska Native elders, writers, storytellers and community members. E-line Media hasn't revealed a release window for Never Alone 2 yet, but the developer has teamed up with publisher Humble Games to get it out into the wild. In the meantime, fans can wishlist the sequel for updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/never-alone-2-teaser-shows-nuna-and-fox-coming-face-to-face-with-giant-creatures-174736706.html?src=rss

Never Alone 2 teaser shows Nuna and Fox coming face-to-face with giant creatures

Posted on by

Two years after E-line Media revealed it was working on Never Alone 2, the first look at gameplay emerged at the Triple-i Initiative indie games showcase. The brief clip shows Nuna and her spirit companion Fox running across ice and encountering a pair of giant creatures. There's not much to the video (it's a teaser, after all), but it gives a sense of the game's look and feel.

You'll venture through the Alaskan wilderness to look for ways to support your home village. Along the way, you'll unravel a mystery that poses a threat to the community. While the 2014 original (which nearly 15 million people have played) married 3D graphics and 2D gameplay, Never Alone 2 is billed as a "3D open-map sequel."

Never Alone included solo and co-op modes (we found the latter made playing the game much better). The follow-up is designed primarily for two players, in either online or couch co-op modes, to place a focus on the theme of interdependence.

Never Alone 2 has an original story from Iñupiat writer Nasugraq Rainey Hopson, and it was designed with input from Alaska Native elders, writers, storytellers and community members. E-line Media hasn't revealed a release window for Never Alone 2 yet, but the developer has teamed up with publisher Humble Games to get it out into the wild. In the meantime, fans can wishlist the sequel for updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/never-alone-2-teaser-shows-nuna-and-fox-coming-face-to-face-with-giant-creatures-174736706.html?src=rss

Massively co-op game 33 Immortals will have a closed beta at the end of May

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33 Immortals feels like a game that's going to need a lot of pre-release testing, and thankfully, that's exactly what developers at Thunder Lotus are setting up. Following a smaller alpha test, the closed beta for 33 Immortals will kick off on May 24 and run through June 2. Interested players can sign up to participate at the game's official site.

Aside from the Dante's Inferno-inspired landscape and retro-cartoony visuals, the unique draw of 33 Immortals is its raid size. The game features 33-player co-op with a cast of seven unique fighters, and each round lasts about 25 minutes. It's all raids, all the time, and felled players are able to be revived if another warrior takes the time to chase down their ghost.

UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith got his hands on 33 Immortals at Summer Game Fest 2023 and he saw the potential in Thunder Lotus' idea, writing, "With plenty of enemies on-screen, especially in the more challenging portal dungeons, it’s a lot of fun just chaotically spamming attacks, helping the rest of your team finish off mid-bosses, or picking off easier foes at a distance before they coordinate their attacks." And that was with just six players at once — now add 27 more, and that's the base chaos level of this game.

33 Immortals is due to enter early access on the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Xbox later this year, and it'll be available on Game Pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/massively-co-op-game-33-immortals-will-have-a-closed-beta-at-the-end-of-may-174022411.html?src=rss

Massively co-op game 33 Immortals will have a closed beta at the end of May

Posted on by

33 Immortals feels like a game that's going to need a lot of pre-release testing, and thankfully, that's exactly what developers at Thunder Lotus are setting up. Following a smaller alpha test, the closed beta for 33 Immortals will kick off on May 24 and run through June 2. Interested players can sign up to participate at the game's official site.

Aside from the Dante's Inferno-inspired landscape and retro-cartoony visuals, the unique draw of 33 Immortals is its raid size. The game features 33-player co-op with a cast of seven unique fighters, and each round lasts about 25 minutes. It's all raids, all the time, and felled players are able to be revived if another warrior takes the time to chase down their ghost.

UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith got his hands on 33 Immortals at Summer Game Fest 2023 and he saw the potential in Thunder Lotus' idea, writing, "With plenty of enemies on-screen, especially in the more challenging portal dungeons, it’s a lot of fun just chaotically spamming attacks, helping the rest of your team finish off mid-bosses, or picking off easier foes at a distance before they coordinate their attacks." And that was with just six players at once — now add 27 more, and that's the base chaos level of this game.

33 Immortals is due to enter early access on the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Xbox later this year, and it'll be available on Game Pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/massively-co-op-game-33-immortals-will-have-a-closed-beta-at-the-end-of-may-174022411.html?src=rss

Sony is bringing another game to the PS Plus Catalog on its release day

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Sony has revealed the latest batch of games that are coming to the PS Plus Catalog for Extra and Premium subscribers. This time around, there are three titles that will hit the service on the same day they debut on PlayStation. It had already been announced that the terrific Dave the Diver (April 16) and Tales of Kenzera: Zau (April 23) will hit the subscription service when they make their bow on PlayStation consoles. Now it has emerged Animal Well will join them on May 9.

This sidescrolling platformer is the first game from YouTuber Dunkey's publishing label, Bigmode. Solo developer Billy Basso spent seven years making the eye-catching Animal Well, which is said to be packed with secrets for players to discover. Along with PS5, Animal Well is coming to Switch and PC.

There haven't been too many games that have arrived on PS Plus on their release day, but the strategy can prove successful. Humanity, Stray, Teardown and Tchia, all of which are excellent, debuted on the subscription service. Going further back, so too did Rocket League and Fall Guys and those games were enormous hits, though they had the advantage of being multiplayer titles. On the other side of the platform divide, Palworld (aka the Pokémon with guns game) became a viral smash this year, thanks in part to it hitting Game Pass on its release day.

The other titles that are coming to the PS Plus Catalog on April 16 are multiplayer party game Oddballers (PS4), Construction Simulator (PS4, PS5), The Crew 2 (PS4), Indian mythology-inspired action-adventure Raji: An Ancient Epic (PS4, PS5), Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame (PS4), Nour: Play With Your Food (PS4, PS5), Deliver Us Mars (PS4, PS5), Lego Marvel’s Avengers (PS4), Miasma Chronicles (PS5) and Stray Blade (PS5).

Those with a PS Plus Premium subscription will be able to check out a few extra games through the Classics collection. The original PlayStation versions of Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire and MediEvil will hit the catalog next week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-is-bringing-another-game-to-the-ps-plus-catalog-on-its-release-day-162541995.html?src=rss

Sony is bringing another game to the PS Plus Catalog on its release day

Posted on by

Sony has revealed the latest batch of games that are coming to the PS Plus Catalog for Extra and Premium subscribers. This time around, there are three titles that will hit the service on the same day they debut on PlayStation. It had already been announced that the terrific Dave the Diver (April 16) and Tales of Kenzera: Zau (April 23) will hit the subscription service when they make their bow on PlayStation consoles. Now it has emerged Animal Well will join them on May 9.

This sidescrolling platformer is the first game from YouTuber Dunkey's publishing label, Bigmode. Solo developer Billy Basso spent seven years making the eye-catching Animal Well, which is said to be packed with secrets for players to discover. Along with PS5, Animal Well is coming to Switch and PC.

There haven't been too many games that have arrived on PS Plus on their release day, but the strategy can prove successful. Humanity, Stray, Teardown and Tchia, all of which are excellent, debuted on the subscription service. Going further back, so too did Rocket League and Fall Guys and those games were enormous hits, though they had the advantage of being multiplayer titles. On the other side of the platform divide, Palworld (aka the Pokémon with guns game) became a viral smash this year, thanks in part to it hitting Game Pass on its release day.

The other titles that are coming to the PS Plus Catalog on April 16 are multiplayer party game Oddballers (PS4), Construction Simulator (PS4, PS5), The Crew 2 (PS4), Indian mythology-inspired action-adventure Raji: An Ancient Epic (PS4, PS5), Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame (PS4), Nour: Play With Your Food (PS4, PS5), Deliver Us Mars (PS4, PS5), Lego Marvel’s Avengers (PS4), Miasma Chronicles (PS5) and Stray Blade (PS5).

Those with a PS Plus Premium subscription will be able to check out a few extra games through the Classics collection. The original PlayStation versions of Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire and MediEvil will hit the catalog next week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-is-bringing-another-game-to-the-ps-plus-catalog-on-its-release-day-162541995.html?src=rss

Blizzard games are returning to China this summer

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Blizzard’s games will once again be available in China, over 15 months after titles such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch 2 went offline in the planet's largest gaming market. Blizzard has renewed its licensing agreement with long-time partner NetEase and many of its games will return to mainland China in the coming months.

NetEase oversaw Blizzard games in China for 15 years, but their agreement expired in January 2023, leading to the likes of Hearthstone and Starcraft shutting down in the country. The two sides had kept discussions going over the last year and they finally reached a new deal.

It'll take a little while for Blizzard and NetEase to resolve technical issues and get things in place for the relaunch, but the games are expected to come back online in China starting this summer. According to Bloomberg, players will be able to resume progress they’d previously made on their accounts.

Blizzard could be set for a notable boost to its bottom line with its games coming back to China. Overwatch is one of its more popular games there — the country is said to have made up most of the Overwatch League’s viewership in the circuit’s later seasons. One pro team based in China didn’t play at all during OWL’s final season in 2023.

In addition, Chinese players will for the first time officially be able to play Diablo IV, which Blizzard released last June and was an instant hit. (Diablo Immortal remained available in China during the spat with NetEase as that game was subject to a separate agreement.)

Meanwhile, Blizzard’s parent company Microsoft has struck a separate deal with NetEase. They’ll explore the possibility of bringing NetEase games to Xbox consoles and other platforms.

“Blizzard and NetEase have done incredible work to renew our commitment to players — Blizzard’s universes have been part of players’ lives in the region for many years,” Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, said in a statement. “Returning Blizzard’s legendary games to players in China while exploring ways to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzard-games-are-returning-to-china-this-summer-145109338.html?src=rss

Blizzard games are returning to China this summer

Posted on by

Blizzard’s games will once again be available in China, over 15 months after titles such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch 2 went offline in the planet's largest gaming market. Blizzard has renewed its licensing agreement with long-time partner NetEase and many of its games will return to mainland China in the coming months.

NetEase oversaw Blizzard games in China for 15 years, but their agreement expired in January 2023, leading to the likes of Hearthstone and Starcraft shutting down in the country. The two sides had kept discussions going over the last year and they finally reached a new deal.

It'll take a little while for Blizzard and NetEase to resolve technical issues and get things in place for the relaunch, but the games are expected to come back online in China starting this summer. According to Bloomberg, players will be able to resume progress they’d previously made on their accounts.

Blizzard could be set for a notable boost to its bottom line with its games coming back to China. Overwatch is one of its more popular games there — the country is said to have made up most of the Overwatch League’s viewership in the circuit’s later seasons. One pro team based in China didn’t play at all during OWL’s final season in 2023.

In addition, Chinese players will for the first time officially be able to play Diablo IV, which Blizzard released last June and was an instant hit. (Diablo Immortal remained available in China during the spat with NetEase as that game was subject to a separate agreement.)

Meanwhile, Blizzard’s parent company Microsoft has struck a separate deal with NetEase. They’ll explore the possibility of bringing NetEase games to Xbox consoles and other platforms.

“Blizzard and NetEase have done incredible work to renew our commitment to players — Blizzard’s universes have been part of players’ lives in the region for many years,” Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, said in a statement. “Returning Blizzard’s legendary games to players in China while exploring ways to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzard-games-are-returning-to-china-this-summer-145109338.html?src=rss