• Arcade Paradise. "With keys to King Wash, embark on a 90s retro arcade adventure to turn a rundown laundromat into the ultimate arcade!"
• Climber: Sky is the Limit. "Climber: Sky is the Limit is a unique survival and simulation game where players become winter climbers. To succeed you need to plan your trip, prepare appropriate equipment, choose a trail, face extreme weather conditions and survive. Only the sky is the limit!"
• Into the Pit. "A fast-paced retro-FPS roguelite! As a member of a family of lore-hunting mystics you are summoned to a cursed village, drawn by rumors of a demonic portal. Dark magics have overwhelmed the village, It's up to you to rescue the survivors, grow your powers, and journey forth INTO THE PIT."
• The Last Campfire. "The Last Campfire is an adventure, a story of a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home."
• Martha Is Dead. "Martha Is Dead is a dark first-person psychological thriller, set in 1944 Italy, that blurs the lines between reality, superstition and the tragedy of war."
• Mechajammer. "A tactical cyberpunk turn-based RPG set on an off-world grindhouse jungle colony. Skulk through the shadows or charge in guns blazing. Recruit a unique party for large squad-based assaults as your adventure plunges you deep into the city’s secrets."
• Saint Kotar. "Saint Kotar is a psychological horror detective game set in a cursed valley in rural Croatia. Investigate the disappearance of your relative in the occult-ridden town of Sveti Kotar as you switch between conflicting realities through the eyes of two godly men."

Google is offering a free Stadia Premiere Edition kit to anyone who buys or preorders a full-priced Stadia game between now and October 10th. The premier edition bundles a Google Chromecast Ultra and a Stadia Controller so you can enjoy the cloud-streaming game service on your television. Here are the details:

Purchase or pre-order any game for $59.99 USD or more launching by October 10, 2021 and we’ll help you play on the biggest screen you own with a Stadia Premiere Edition (shipping charges may apply, see full terms here).

Claiming your Stadia Premiere Edition (while supplies last):

• Purchase a game or game bundle on the Stadia store for $59.99 USD or above between September 26, 2021 12:01am PT and October 10, 2021 11:59pm PT, or pre-order a game or game bundle for $59.99 USD or above that launches on Stadia between September 26, 2021 12:01am PT and October 10, 2021 11:59pm PT.
• You’ll receive an email and redemption code by October 20, 2021 11:59 pm PT, and must be redeemed by November 20, 2021 11:59 pm PT. Offer valid while supplies last.
• Offer valid in US, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Austria, and Switzerland.

Death's Gambit: Afterlife is now available on Steam, updating the original Death's Gambit with a new expansion that's free to all owners of the original action/adventure. Additionally, Serenity Forge reveals it has acquired the rights to publish the game across all platforms and that it is now available on Switch and coming to other consoles down the road. Here's a Launch Trailer showing what's new, and here's more:

Death’s Gambit is a 2D action Metroidvania with slick combat that requires precision from its players to master its expansive combat options. Death’s Gambit: Afterlife adds 10 new levels, 22 new weapons, 100 talents, skills, storylines, cinematics, gameplay enhancements and much more to make it the definitive edition of the game. Death’s Gambit originally released in 2018 on PC and PS4 to positive critical and commercial reception.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Trackmania Website announces the Fall 2021 update is now available, kicking off the sixth seasonal campaign in the latest installment in Nadeo's racing series (thanks Frans). This adds 25 new tracks which all players can download and keep for free. Here's a launch trailer with a very brief look, and here's a roadmap:

This Fall 2021 campaign is the 6th seasonal campaign in Trackmania. Enjoy 25 new tracks and earn 100 new medals for free. All these new maps are also available in the Ranked 3v3 mode!

Let’s discover or re-discover many new blocks and physics in this Fall 2021 campaign. Plastic makes his first appearance in a seasonal campaign as well as the fall trees while interactions with water are also added in this campaign.

If you have Standard or Club access, all the previous campaigns are still playable, which represents 125 additional maps and 500 additional medals!

Continue here to read the full story.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and it doesn't get much colder than outer space, so this is a natural. Space Revenge is now available for PC and consoles, and you can pick up the Windows/macOS edition on Steam with 15% discount. This is a top-down, twin-stick shooter in a sci-fi setting from developer EskemaGames and publisher JanduSoft. The description includes one note saying a controller is required and another saying a controller is strongly recommended. Either way it sounds like this should be played with a controller. Here's the Launch Trailer and more:

Space Revenge is an action-exploration game. Get ready to assault the enemy's base and get your desired revenge! With a top down perspective, twin stick controls and a sci-fi mood to explore the enemy base full of dangers. The BSO will make you feel the tension of the game.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Last Friend is now available for Windows on the Epic Games Store and Steam, offering a tower defense game with a dog-centric theme. If you've had your fill of plants versus zombies, maybe it's time for doggos versus robots? The looks at gameplay in the Release Trailer may help you decide. Here's more on this doggone action/strategy game:

Seamlessly blending both the arcade action of games like Streets of Rage with the strategical thinking of titles like Plants vs. Zombies, The Last Friend quickly becomes a battle of man and canine standing stalwart against the end of the world. The Last Friend brings in a horde of super-powered dogs to help players drive back the violent mutants and gangs of the apocalypse in a fun, fast-paced hybrid of Brawler and Tower Defense.

You’ll work your way across a vast dystopian, wasteland rescuing doggos who will in turn help you save the world in your roving battle station of conversion van that would make Harry from Dumb and Dumber incredibly jealous.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Save 60% on The Elder Scrolls Online on Steam.

• Steam Client Beta.

↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial games, patches, and mods.

• This Fallout 3 Mod overhauls all textures for armour, clothing and headgear.

• Power Chord - Announcement Trailer.
• Enter the World of Grand Cathay - Total War: WARHAMMER III.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• Firearms Expert Reacts To Deathloop’s Guns.

• Monster Hunter Rise and Ghost of Tsushima win at the Japan Game Awards 2021.
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Unlock New Rewards Together During the Bounties of Blackwood Event.
• Star Citizen/Squadron 42 Citizencon 2951 Next Saturday.
• Star Citizen/Squadron 42 Horror Beyond the Stars Halloween Celebration This Month.

• Terraria Keeps Getting Better, Journey’s End Update is Now Live.

• This company is reinventing the lithium-ion battery.
• I Asked Experts Why Carmakers Can't Just Transition To Newer Chips In Stock. Here's What They Told Me.

Thanks Ant.

• Internet Archive launches campaign against web regulation. Thanks DSLReports.
• Ozy Media is shutting down after a week of scrutiny into its business.
• I wouldn’t buy a smart dishwasher or washing machine — here’s why. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• ‘Worst idea I have ever heard in my life’- xQc comments on Twitch’s new channel boosting feature.
• Reviving Usenet.
• A Korean Man Is Getting 4,000 Calls a Day Because Of Squid Game. Trying to picture being bored enough to try that number.
• Google Pay’s disastrous year continues, promised bank account feature is dead.
• Apple Cancels Gordon-Levitt's "Mr. Corman."

• For a third month in a row, Linux remains above 1% on the Steam Hardware Survey.
• Windows 11 seems okay. There's a ringing endorsement.
• Windows 11 will hobble gaming performance by default on some prebuilt PCs.
• Amazon is hijacking our emotions to put robots in our homes.
• Linux Mint 20.3 is named 'Una' and Debian Edition (LMDE) 5 is called 'Elsie'. And they really love TikTok. Thanks Ant.
• FDA gives a green light to cancer diagnosis AI.
• How to Calibrate Your Screen in Windows 11 or 10.

• What do iOS and Android have in common? Their apps suck at privacy, boffins say. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Coinbase sends out breach notification letters after 6,000 accounts had cryptocurrency stolen.
• Trump sues to reinstate his Twitter account.
• South Korean internet service provider sues Netflix over 'Squid Game'. We never agreed to provide THAT MUCH internet.

• Astria Ascending Review - IGN. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• New World review in progress – a flawed, but promising MMO - PCGamesN.

• Case: SilverStone ALTA G1M Review - TechPowerUp.
• Misc: eMeet Jupiter Webcam Review- A Budget Sensor in Premium Clothing - Tom's Hardware.
• Monitor: Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX gaming monitor review - PC Gamer.
• Monitor: Viotek GNV34DBE2 Ultrawide Gaming Monitor Review - Neoseeker.
• RAM: Patriot Viper Elite II DDR4-4000 C20 Review- Lacks Venom - Tom's Hardware.
• SSD: Buffalo Portable SSD-PG 1TB Review - TweakTown.

• The best games that you’ll never, ever beat…

Every Actor Who's Played James Bond, Ranked From Worst to Best. You know I have opinions on these things. This is a pretty good stab at ranking them. If it were me, I would definitely swap Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore and I would probably hedge by calling the top two choices a tie for first place.

Obituary: Zenith the Hound.

007 Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Brunch Link

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month - National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Stories

• A closer look at the cage-free revolution. Thanks Max.
• CDC emails show that vaccine cards are supposed to fit in your wallet. Apparently no one at the CDC has a wallet.

Science

• Marie Antoninette's love letters finally deciphered.
• Large-Scale Study Reveals The True Health Benefits of Getting Outdoors More.
• Potential Remnants of Original Dinosaur DNA Discovered in Exquisitely Preserved Dinosaur Cells. Quick preserve them in a Barbasol can. Thanks Max.

Media

• James Bond's Epic Battle with Self Doubt and Doctor No - What's the Difference?
• Lionesses protecting cubs. Thanks VideoSift. Adult males can be a danger to male cubs.

Follow-up

• Merck says COVID-19 pill cuts risk of death, hospitalization. Thanks Acleacius.
• Can a vaccinated person hug another vaccinated person without risk? Thanks RedEye9.

The Funnies

• Zoom Tips 3 - Dilbert.