Archived News:
Thursday, Aug 31, 2023
Starfield Released [8:32 pm ET] – Share – 20 Comments
Starfield is now officially in Early Access on Windows and Xbox for
preorder customers, who are now presumably flying around in Bethesda's eagerly
anticipated space RPG. There's still time to get in on this, so head over to
Bethesda.net to get started. The
official launch will come on September 5th/6th, but the distinction of what changes
at that point is unclear. The
Official Live Action Trailer shows where some of the game's enormous
marketing budget went. Here's more on the game:
Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.Continue here to read the full story.
In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
Starfield Reviews [8:32 pm ET] – Share – 36 Comments
Here's a roundup of reviews of Starfield, Bethesda's new RPG set in
space, where no one can hear you squee:
- Review: Starfield - Destructoid.
- ‘Starfield’ Review (PC): It Is What You Wanted It To Be - Forbes.
- Starfield Review - Overwhelming Scope - Game Informer.
- Starfield review: -The best thing Bethesda's done since Oblivion- - GamesRadar+.
- Starfield Review - IGN.
- 'Starfield' review: It has everything but a reason to keep playing - Mashable.
- Starfield review: a stellar space opera with unremarkable writing - NPR.
- Starfield review - PC Gamer.
- Starfield review – a giant leap for Bethesda, a small step for RPGs - PCGamesN.
- Starfield review – Space Skyrim, for better and worse - PC Invasion.
- Starfield review: One giant leap - Shacknews.
- Review- Starfield Is Bethesda's Best Game Since Fallout 3 - Siliconera.
- Starfield review: Guns and ships galore, but a vacuum of wonder - TechCrunch.
- Starfield review: a stellar sci-fi refresh of the Bethesda RPG formula - The Verge.
- Starfield review - VG247.
- Review: Starfield is the ultimate Bethesda game - VGC.
- ‘Starfield’ makes good on its grand promises - The Washington Post (may require registration or subscription).
- Starfield Review - The Elder Space Scrolls Minus Bugs - Wccftech.
- 'Starfield' Review- Get Lost in Space - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
Volition Closed [8:32 pm ET] – Share – 31 Comments
A farewell message on the
Volition Website announces developer Volition has shut down after over three
decades in the business. In
June an announcement from Volition Parent Embracer braced everyone for
upcoming layoffs and studio closures, and the Saints Row and Descent
developer is a high-profile victim of that. Here's word:
"The Volition team has proudly created world-class entertainment for fans around the globe for 30 years. We've been driven by a passion for our community and always worked to deliver joy, surprise, and delight.
"This past June. Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of that program. they evaluated strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.
"To help our team, we are working to provide job assistance and help smooth the transition for our Volition family members. We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. You will always be in our hearts.'
Bahnsen Knights in October [8:32 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Developer LCB Game Studio and publisher Chorus Worldwide announce Bahnsen
Knights is coming on October 26th to PC and consoles. This will be the third
installment in the series of "Pixel Pulps" visual novels that started with
Mothmen 1966 followed by
Varney Lake. Here's a
Release Date Announce Trailer with a look at just how far back this throwback
reaches. The video provides no understanding of gameplay, but never fear,
there's a playable demo
on Steam
to experience firsthand. Here's word:
Bahnsen Knights serves as the latest chapter in the Pixel Pulps anthology, a series of interactive fiction tales Inspired by 1950’s pulp fiction with its over-the-top tales and art inspired by 1980’s home computer graphics. While each title in the anthology tells a standalone story, each Pixel Pulp takes place in a shared universe with recurring characters like paranormal investigator Lou Hill…who’s locked in a trunk by a doomsday cult.Continue here to read the full story.
Undercover detective Boulder must get to the bottom of this and the fate of his old friend Cupra who went missing while investigating the Bahnsen Knights. Cult leader Toni, a former car salesman, preaches Hell is not below us but above. With his fleet of 1983 Ford Sierras, the Bahnsen Knights perform “route exorcisms” while a string of biblical storms rip across the country.
G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra Announced [8:32 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
Developer Maple Powered Games and publisher Freedom Games announce G.I. Joe:
Wrath of Cobra, a retro, co-op brawler based on the original action figure
series. This will come in Q1 of next year for PC via the Epic Games Store,
GOG.com, and Steam as well as for Switch. The
Announcement Trailer in the style of 1990s animation celebrates the news.
Word is the game will feature characters and locations familiar from the
cartoons:
The legendary G.I. Joe franchise returns for arcade-style beat’em up action with Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock, and other beloved franchise favorites. Navigate land, air, sea, and even space through iconic locations like Cobra Island, the Pit, Cobra’s top-secret underwater base, and more as you thwart the devious Cobra Commander’s latest scheme to take over the world.Continue here to read the full story.
Wield an arsenal of weapons, explosives, and more as you combat the ferocious forces of Cobra and take on Troopers, Ninja Vipers, HISS Tanks, the deadly Crimson Guard and more. String together powerful combos and master the special abilities of each character to turn the tide of battle. Master dodging and parrying to overcome the odds and save the world.
Airship: Kingdoms Adrift Next Month [8:32 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
Revolution Industry and Freedom Games announce September 21st is the release
date for Airship: Kingdoms Adrift, a Windows simulation that puts you in
command of your own airship to make your mark in a wartorn world. A new
Release Date Announcement Trailer marks the news, and there's a playable
demo to check out
on
Steam while you await the release. Here's more:
Ravaged by war, the scattered inhabitants of Spheara flounder across the land, wounded, penniless, and hopeless. Enter Suthseg, an archipelago which escaped the scourges of battle and presents the perfect opportunity for a fresh start in the sky. Forge an unstoppable empire and a booming economy all while navigating the dangers of war and messy politics.Continue here to read the full story.
Ascend to the challenge with big sales for a healthy economy and even bigger weapons for air supremacy. Create bustling factories and establish mines, foundries, and lumberyards to keep the fleet afloat and the crew from scrounging for materials. Seek out merchants and negotiate quality trades with options to deal in over 300 varied trade goods, and chart treacherous trade routes in hopes of discovering the clearest path to success.
On Sale [8:32 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Save 50% on The Tenants on Steam.
- Tripwire Publisher Sale 2023 on Steam.
- ONE PIECE Franchise Sale on Steam.
- I Expect You To Die Franchise Sale on Steam.
- Production Powerhouse Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*
*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item.
Evening Patches [8:31 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
Evening Multiplex [8:31 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Evening Consolidation [8:31 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Evening Metaverse [8:31 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Evening Tech Bits [8:31 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Thanks Console General.
- Apple's Decision to Kill Its CSAM Photo-Scanning Tool Sparks Fresh Controversy (may require registration or subscription).
- Razer Showcases 24K Gold Viper Signature Mini Gaming Mouse. Thanks Neutronbeam.
- New Updates for Snipping Tool and Notepad for Windows Insiders.
- Microsoft PowerToys Release v0.73.0.
- Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536.
- Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25941 (Canary Channel).
- Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2265 and 22631.2265 (Beta Channel).
Into the Black [8:31 pm ET] – Share – 14 Comments
For some reason I feel like maybe some of you aren't reading down this far
tonight.
Get Cave Story+ for Free [12:10 pm ET] – Share – 8 Comments
The Epic Games
Store now features Cave Story+ as its latest weekly giveaway, hoping
to get everyone to cave in and snag a copy. This platformer involves 2D
spelunking in a manner that fans of 8-bit and 16-bit games are sure to dig.
Here's word:
Arguably the most well-known indie game of all time, Cave Story+ features an original story brimming with personality, mystery and fast-paced fun. Run, jump, shoot, fly and explore your way through a massive adventure reminiscent of classic 8 and 16-bit games!
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy Released [11:58 am ET] – Share – 2 Comments
If your clock reads Trine O'clock, it's no conspiracy, it's because Trine 5:
A Clockwork Conspiracy is now available for PC and consoles, and the Windows
edition of the action/adventure sequel is on the
Epic Games Store,
GOG.com,* and
Steam. A new
Release Trailer accompanies the news with a look-see. Remember, if you're
not buyin', you're not Trine. Here's more:
Traverse breathtaking landscapes in Trine's deepest and visually richest chapter to date, with an all new cast of characters and the longest campaign of the series! Whether by yourself or playing with up to three friends in online and local co-op, the upgraded puzzle difficulty system keeps things fresh, adapting the challenge to the number of players.*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item. Continue here to read the full story.
Wield magic as Amadeus, the master of arcane arts, swing your sword as Pontius, the knight in shining armor (who loves pie!), or play as the cunning thief Zoya - the choice is yours! An action-packed journey awaits our heroes of Trine. Battle monsters and solve puzzles to save your friends and family in time!
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Dimension Shellshock Released [11:58 am ET] – Share – 1 Comment
Cowabunga! Dimension Shellshock is now available for PC and consoles,
adding new DLC to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. The
Windows and Linux edition is available
on Steam with a 10% launch discount. It requires the original game, which is
also currently on sale. The
Launch
Trailer is here with a look at the playable fighters and new game mode this
adds. Word is:
The far-out new Survival Mode in today’s DLC introduces collectible crystals that allow you to jump from dimension to dimension, with each world featuring its own unique look and feel. Level up and grow stronger through runs across dimensions - and when you die after having collected enough crystals, unlock a new life, ninja power bars, Radical Mode and extra hit points. Fight well enough and you’ll earn the ability to skip dimensions, and Dimension Shellshock will come complete with flashy new character colors for players to show their style.Continue here to read the full story.
Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition Revealed [11:58 am ET] – Share – 6 Comments
The
ESRB Website now features a listing for a Beyond Good and Evil 20th
Anniversary Edition, indicating plans for a re-release (thanks
VGC). A sequel was revealed in
2008 and officially announced
in 2016, but development
has dragged on, and in the ensuing years, series originator Michel Ancel
left the games industry
and creative director Emile Morel recently passed
away, so it's not clear where that stands. So it seems extremely likely the
20th anniversary of the game will launch before its planned follow-up. Here's
word:
This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a reporter accompanied by a pig-like companion investigating a conspiracy on the planet of Hillys. From a third-person perspective, players explore fantasy locations, take photos of evidence, solve puzzles, and fight robot and alien enemies. Combat is sometimes fast-paced, with players using melee weapons (e.g., staffs, torches) to strike stylized enemies that generally break apart or vanish into puffs of smoke. One boss battle depicts a squid-like alien stabbed in the eye, with yellow-green splatter effects.
Deck of Souls Demo [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Steam
now features a playable demo for Deck of Souls, a strategy/RPG for
Windows from Bigboot Studios and HeroCraft PC. The title gives away the
premise, as this is a deckbuilding game with elements influenced by Dark
Souls.
This post has the details on what's included:
We are proud to announce that you will be able to play the first demo of Deck of Souls during The Mix event on Steam. Join our hero on the quest of a lifetime!
The Deck of Souls demo will feature:
- The first full chapter of the story.
- 31 unique pieces of gear for your hero.
- Battle against 18 distinct enemies, 1 boss, and 3 sub-bosses.
- Encounter 22 varied traversal nodes that may involve combat, treasure, and more.
- One class, along with cards from two future classes to choose from.
- Over 150 different cards with different properties to diversify gameplay.
We hope you will love the demo. Please be sure to share your impressions here, in the Steam discussions, or in our Discord – the more detailed your feedback, the more it'll help us to improve the game.
New AMD Drivers [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
AMD Drivers and Support now offers
new version 23.8.2 Adrenalin Edition reference drivers for running AMD Radeon
graphics cards under Windows. Word is these support the imminent Early Access
launch of Starfield:
Highlights
- Support for
- Starfield™
- Up to 16% increase in performance for Starfield @ 4k, using AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition™ 23.8.2 on the Radeon™️ RX 7900XTX GPU, versus the previous software driver version 23.8.1 RS-594
- Up to 16% increase in performance for Starfield @ 4k, using AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition™ 23.8.2 on the Radeon™️ RX 7900XT GPU, versus the previous software driver version 23.8.1 RS-595
Fixed Issues
- Application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Baldur's Gate 3 with DirectX® 11 API set on certain systems with Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.
On Sale [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item.
Morning Patches [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Against the Storm - Sealed Forest Update out now! New biome available.
- World of Warcraft Hotfixes: August 30, 2023.
↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial games, patches, and mods.
Morning Multiplex [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Official trailer.
Morning Postmortems [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Morning Consolidation [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Experience the Unexpected in Super Mario Bros. Wonder Gameplay Presentation.
- Somerville - Out Now - PlayStation, PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One.
- Borderlands Collection Includes Every Game For As Low As $30.
- Everything We Learned From Today's Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct.
- Nintendo Download: Lost in Communication.
Morning Mobilization [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- 'The Tropican Dream' — 6 New Missions Now Available for Tropico on iOS & Android.
- An AI quadcopter has beaten human champions at drone racing. Thanks RedEye9.
- Microsoft wants to put a bag with an AI-powered digital assistant on your back. Why not a rolling suitcase?
- Zotac Reveals 4th-Gen VR Go Wearable PCs.
Morning Metaverse [11:58 am ET] – Share – 10 Comments
Morning Tech Bits [11:58 am ET] – Share – 17 Comments
Thanks Neutronbeam.
- With Starfield™ Drop, Bethesda Game Studios and Elgato Unveil New Hardware Partnership.
- RX 7700 XT Matches RTX 4070, RX 6800 Performance In Leaked Time Spy Score.
- Buying Versus Building a New Editing Computer.
- Raspberry Pis Found in Abandoned Spin Scooters in Seattle.
- Apple is testing 3D printing to manufacture the new Apple Watch. Thanks Matthew.
- IBM and Salesforce team up to bring AI tools to their shared clients.
- LG’s suitcase TV is as sturdy as it is bizarre.
Morning Safety Dance [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Morning Legal Briefs [11:58 am ET] – Share – 3 Comments
Hardware Reviews [11:58 am ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Case: XPG Valor Mesh Mid-Tower ATX Case - TweakTown.
- CPU: "NOT ENOUGH SAMPLES" - Benchmark of CPU Sample Size ft. 68 CPUs, HUB, & Der8auer - Gamers Nexus (video). Thanks Simon.
- Keyboard: Corsair K70 Max review - Tom's Guide.
- Laptop: Alienware M18 R1 Gaming Laptop - TweakTown.
- Mini PC: MINISFORUM Venus NPB5 Core i5-13500H Mini PC review - Guru3D.
- Monitor: Arzopa G1 Game Portable Monitor Review- 144 Hz Gaming Value - Tom's Hardware.
- PSU: The ASUS TUF Gaming 850W Gold PSU Review- Tough But Fair - AnandTech.
- SSD: Crucial X9 Pro and X10 Pro Portable SSDs - LanOC Reviews.
Out of the Blue [11:58 am ET] – Share – 17 Comments
Tomorrow is the global launch of Early Access to Starfield for customers who
preordered the space RPG. This will occur at midnight UTC, which in the US is
today. Locally it will be 8:00 pm EDT. Here's hoping there's a smooth launch.
There's a lot of attention and pressure on this game, and it would be great if
it works out without major problems. Guess it's a not so great sign of the times
that this is such a major concern. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Crossed-up Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.Breakfast Link
- Burning Man’s climate protesters block road to Black Rock City. Thanks Matthew.
- The Dungeons & Dragons Players of Death Row.
Story
- Beekeepers to the rescue after 5 million bees fall off truck in Canada. Thanks brother19.
Science
- How does climate change affect hurricanes like Idalia? Thanks Acleacius.
- Space junk is on the rise, and no one is in charge of cleaning it up. Just like Earth. We're waiting for the maid.
Media
- The guy at the bottom is prob de@d. Thanks VideoSift.
- Casually Explained: Photography (NSFW). Thanks VideoSift.
Creature Features
- Carrot chronicles. Thanks RedEye9.
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