Kujlevka’s budget production values belie a clever first contact tale

Kujlevka is a strange, clever game about an ageing village bureaucrat already troubled by political upheaval and dreams about death and trauma, suddenly given responsibility for communicating with and controlling access to what appears to be humanity’s first contact with an alien intelligence.

All those themes suggest a heavy, self-serious game. But Kujlevka’s great strength is its levity. While not particularly funny, its consistent wry humour perfectly counterbalances all the talk of political chaos, existential futility, and petty greed. Its opening should have been a clue, really, considering you hang out with skeletons while drinking and commenting on the food on a train in outer space.

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Feature: 26 Tweaks That Make Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Better Than BOTW

There’s a change in the wind.

Given the sheer amount of time that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had been in development, it was obvious that the game would make a number of quality-of-life improvements over its predecessor, Breath of the Wild.

We won’t lie, there were moments in the run-up to its release in which we wondered just how different Tears of the Kingdom would wind up being. After all, we knew that the game would take place within the same world as Breath of the Wild and utilise the same visual style and general gameplay mechanics. But this is Nintendo we’re talking about here. If something like Super Mario Galaxy 2 is anything to go by, we would have been perfectly happy with ‘just’ more of the same.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for May 22 to 26

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!


Xbox Live

CONVERGENCE: A League of Legends Story™

Riot Forge

$29.99

Convergence: A League of Legends Story – May 23

A story-driven, single-player 2D action platformer featuring dynamic combat and unique exploration opportunities thanks to Ekko’s ability to travel through space and time. Rewind your actions to learn from your mistakes and outsmart each new enemy. Will it be enough to save Zaun’s future?


Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Kingdom Rush Origins

Ironhide Game Studio

$14.99

Kingdom Rush Origins – May 23
Xbox Play Anywhere

Take a trip back to the beginning, before Vez’nan ever thought to threaten the kingdom with the gem of power, and experience even more of the lightning-fast, exceptionally captivating gameplay that made the franchise a cornerstone of essential tower defense games.


Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Planet of Lana

Thunderful Publishing

Planet of Lana – May 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Available on day one with Game Pass: Planet of Lana is coming soon to Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. In this cinematic puzzle adventure, Lana and her companion Mui go on a voyage of discovery that will take them across the strange and magical world they call their home. Playable on Console and PC.


Xbox Live

Star Trek: Resurgence

Bruner House

$39.99

Star Trek: Resurgence – May 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A narrative adventure game featuring dialog choices, relationship building, and exploration. Alongside dialog-driven role playing and rich branching storylines, you will also engage with the Star Trek universe in a variety of other gameplay styles, including shuttle piloting, phaser fights, tricorder scanning, stealth, and micro-gameplay mechanics.


Xbox Live

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

Focus Entertainment


$21.99

$19.79

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – May 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Load up your Boltgun and plunge into battle headfirst! Experience a perfect blend of Warhammer 40,000, classic, frenetic FPS gameplay, and the stylish visuals of your favorite ‘90s retro shooters. Play a battle-hardened Space Marine on a perilous mission across the galaxy, as they battle against the Chaos Space Marines and daemons of Chaos in glorious boomer shooter style.


Xbox Live

Wobbledogs Console Edition

Secret Mode

Wobbledogs – May 23

A 3D pet simulation where you raise your own personal hive of rapidly mutating dogs, physically simulated all the way down to their guts! It’s a casual and chill sandbox experience for players of all ages who want to care for their very own virtual pets in a surprising, unique, and stress-free environment.


Xbox Live

Bat Boy

X PLUS Company Limited

$14.99

Bat Boy – May 24

Bat Boy pits the titular hero against the former allies of his sports team with heroes such as Racket Girl, Shinai Guy, Aquaria and Mr. Blitzer, among others as he travels through the many worlds beyond Lord Vicious’ dimensional gateway.


Xbox Live

Danger Gazers

Desert Water Games

Danger Gazers – May 24 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A post-apocalyptic, roguelite, top-down shooter where you pave your own path. The choices you make will decide your fate, either turning you into the new ruler or… the ashes to be windswept away. Unlock new heroes and relics as you try to conquer the wasteland, master the skills, decisions, and patience. Luck is not on your side.


Xbox Live

Dark Quest 3

Brain Seal Ltd

Xbox One X Enhanced

Dark Quest 3 – May 24 – Xbox One X Enhanced

A rogue-lite tabletop that mixes card-based exploration with turn-based combat. Create your party, draw adventure cards, roll dice, and fight monsters to defeat the sorcerer and his magic.


Xbox Live

Evil Wizard(Xbox)

E-Home Entertianment Development Co., Ltd


$19.99

$17.99

Evil Wizard – May 24
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A humor-filled action RPG featuring metroidvania elements and carefully crafted pixel art environments. As a defeated villain who barely survived a tough fight, you’ll have to face an army of so-called heroes to recover what’s rightfully yours.


Xbox Live

Lost Artifacts 5: Frozen Queen

8floor ltd

Lost Artifacts: Frozen Queen – May 24

Embark on an incredible journey through various countries in a world filled with ancient monuments and mysterious artifacts, in an exciting casual strategy game. After an archaeological expedition turns into disaster, Claire and her friends discover a cave in which a mysterious Ice Queen was immersed in a strange dream. When found, the spell fell off and the queen, believing that she had been robbed, decides to find her treasures and freeze the whole world. Now it’s up to you to save the world!


Xbox Live

Railway Empire 2

Kalypso Media


$49.99

$44.99

Railway Empire 2 – May 24
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Game Pass

Available on day one with Game Pass: All aboard the express train to riches and fame in Railway Empire 2! Grow your company into the largest railway company of the continent and outsmart your competitors as you connect cities and companies with an ever-expanding network of rail lines, bridges, and tunnels. Available on Cloud, Console, and PC


Xbox Live

TORINTO

Eastasiasoft Limited

Torinto – May 24 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A run ‘n’ gun with a medieval twist. Blades take the place of bullets as the heroes traverse side-scrolling stages, from forests and fields to castle walls, quelling the heartless fiends that now roam the land. Watch for enemy projectiles like axes and hurled boulders, leap across scaffolds and over spiky pitfalls, run headlong into danger and come out victorious.


Xbox Live

Cassette Beasts

Raw Fury


2

PC Game Pass

Cassette Beasts (Console) – May 25
Game Pass

Bring your cassette player and get ready to press play! Collect awesome monsters to use during turn-based battles as you adventure into the open-world RPG, Cassette Beasts. Get ready to experience an incredible retro vibe with unique innovations to the genre.


Xbox Live

Home Sheep Home: Farmageddon Party Edition

Greenlight Games


$10.99

$8.79
Free Trial

Home Sheep Home: Farmageddon Party Edition – May 25

Join Shaun the Sheep and his friends Timmy and Shirley on this epic adventure journeying through underground caverns, negotiating the busy streets of London and teleporting through outer space, all in search of the green, green grass of home.


Xbox Live

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™ Pre-order

Nacon

$59.99

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – May 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Taking place in parallel to the events described in “The Fellowship of the Ring,” The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an action-adventure game and an epic interactive experience. You play as the enigmatic Gollum on his perilous journey and find out how he outwitted the most powerful characters in Middle-earth.


Xbox Live

Miracle Snack Shop

CFK

$19.99

Miracle Snack Shop – May 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A frozen treat of a story that will make your heart pound. After facing some big upsets in his life, Seolhwa Cha ends up owning a small snack shop. There is just one problem: business is dead. But he doesn’t have time to sing the blues because a magical portal has just appeared in his attic and a queen from another world as appeared demanding fresh shaved ice. What are you waiting for, Ice Sculptor?


Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Pirates Pinball

Super PowerUP Games

$2.99

Pirates Pinball – May 25
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Prepare for an amazing adventure fighting the king’s armada and trying to reach Tortuga island, to take the biggest treasure of them all. A perfect reproduction of a pinball machine, with all the graphic details and sounds.


Xbox Live

Chronicles of 2 Heroes

Catness Game Studios

$24.99

Chronicles of 2 Heroes: Amaterasu’s Wrath – May 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

An intense 16-bit action platformer featuring Metroidvania elements, Japanese mythos, and gorgeous pixel art. Switch between the protagonists, Ayame and Kensei, who have unique, surprising combat styles that you will need to master to save feudal Japan from Amaterasu’s wrath.


Xbox Live

Dice Legacy Definitive Edition

DESTINYbit, Amplifier Game Invest

Dice Legacy Definitive Edition – May 26
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

In this dice-based survival city builder, you roll and use your dice to gather resources, construct buildings, expand your settlement and face the menacing threats of a mysterious ringworld. Dice Legacy Definitive Edition includes all the content from the original Dice Legacy release plus the three major updates.         


Xbox Live

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon

UltimateGames

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon – May 26

Embark on this fun adventure and build your own oil rig! Start with a small platform and expand it to a large, interconnected complex. Optimize your designs for more efficient production, increase cash flow, and keep your employees happy and safe.


Xbox Live

REPLIKATOR

Ratalaika Games S.L.

Replikator – May 26

A top-down shooter with roguelike elements, set in an abandoned space science complex. In the role of a galactic mercenary, you will have to fight against hordes of crazed robots and ectoplasmic monsters. Explore a mysterious scientific complex and uncover the secret of the Replikator project.


Related:
Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: FIFA 23, Planet of Lana, Railway Empire 2, and More
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for May 15 to 19
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for May 8 to 12

Share of the Week – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Last week, we asked you to use the Force and share epic moments from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: 

dharlequin shares Cal Kestis wielding an orange lightsaber, cloaked in shadow

AreeLyBadPun shares Cal leaping towards a large creature, wielding a blue lightsaber

zaurielvp shares an agent of the Empire wielding a flamethrower, surrounded by flames

nahHermes shares Cal racing forward against a neon blue and pink backdrop

kingforever008 shares Cal gazing out from a cave at floating turrets

WriterlyRyan shares Cal and Merrin riding a spamel

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? 

THEME: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Cal Kestis

SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on May 24, 2023

Next week, we’re staying in a galaxy far, far away to focus on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s hero, Cal Kestis. Share portraits of Cal using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Best Tears of the Kingdom Amiibo Unlocks

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lets you scan your entire collection of Amiibo once per day for a selection of rewards. Ranging from food and raw materials to weapons, paraglider fabrics, and even armor sets, there are lots of handy items up for grabs. However, there’s a pool of valuable drops specifically available from Zelda-themed Amiibo.

As it stands, there are currently 26 Zelda Amiibo. These include recent Zelda releases like Breath of the Wild and the Skyward Sword remaster as well as the Zelda 30th Anniversary, and Super Smash Bros. series. Unlike Amiibo from other collections (which only drop a handful of loose supplies) Zelda Amiibo dish out their daily dose of goodies alongside a chest containing a rarer item. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee you’ll pull the best prize immediately, but if you keep scanning each day, you’ll eventually collect everything on offer.

We’ve got a full breakdown of every possible Amiibo unlockable, but if you’re curious what the best Zelda Amiibo drops are, we’ve scanned all of them:

Tears of the Kingdom Link Amiibo

The latest figurine to join Nintendo’s roster of Zelda Amiibo rewards players with the Champion’s Leathers Paraglider Skin. This blue fabric pairs perfectly with the Champion’s Leathers armor found in the game.

Skyward Sword Zelda and Loftwing Amiibo

If you have the Zelda and Loftwing Amiibo handy, you can scan it to retrieve the Goddess Paraglider Fabric, which adds a touch of pink and blue to your sky-bound adventures.

Breath of the Wild Amiibo

Breath of the Wild Champions Amiibo

Each of Breath of the Wild’s four champions offer a paraglider fabric as well as a Divine Helm that references the Divine Beasts from the game;

  • Mipha drops the Zora Champion Paraglider Fabric and Vah Ruta Divine Helm.
  • Daruk rewards the Goron Champion Paraglider Fabric and Vah Rudania Divine Helm.
  • Revali provides the Rito Champion Paraglider Fabric and Vah Medoh Divine Helm.
  • Urbosa gives you the Gerudo Champion Paraglider Fabric and Vah Naboris Divine Helm.

Breath of the Wild Link Rider Amiibo

Scanning Breath of the Wild’s Link Rider Amiibo can score you the Hylian-Hood Fabric. You can use this scrap of cloth to customize your paraglider.

Breath of the Wild Link Archer Amiibo

Breath of the Wild’s Archer Link Amiibo has a couple of standout drops, including the Tunic of Memories Paraglider Fabric and the Ancient Blade weapon.

Breath of the Wild Zelda Amiibo

Breath of the Wild’s Zelda brings a touch of class with the Hyrule Princess Paraglider Fabric, which is the best unlockable we’ve discovered in her Amiibo chests.

Breath of the Wild Guardian Amiibo

Breath of the Wild’s Guardian has one of the coolest enemy designs and if you’re a fan of this long-legged monstrosity’s overall look, you’ll be pleased to know that you can equip the Ancient Sheikah Paraglider Fabric that it drops. You can also pull an Ancient Blade from its chests.

Breath of the Wild Bokoblin Amiibo

Bokoblins can be found lurking all over Hyrule. So what better way to land on one of their camps than with a paraglider fabric that looks just like them? Scan this little brute if you’d like the Bokoblin Paraglider Fabric.

The Legend of Zelda 30th Anniversary Amiibo

Twilight Princess Link / Super Smash Bros. Link Amiibo/ Twilight Princess Wolf Link

The Twilight Princess Link and Super Smash Bros. Link Amiibo each drop a similar pool of items, so if you only have one of the two, don’t sweat it. Diligent scanning will eventually see you add the entire Twilight Armor set to your inventory, including the cap, tunic, and trousers. You can also land yourself Link’s trusty steed, Epona, who has some of the best stats for a horse in the game. Both figurines, alongside the Twilight Princess Wolf Link Amiibo, also drop the Mirror of Twilight Paraglider Fabric.

Ocarina of Time Link / Super Smash Bros. Young Link Amiibo

Both the Ocarina of Time Link and Young Link Amiibo pack the three parts that complete the Time Armor set, but each item does drops separately. Their chests may also contain the adorable Lon Lon Ranch Paraglider Fabric or the Biggoron Sword.

Majora’s Mask Link Amiibo

If you’re on the hunt for the Majora’s Mask Paraglider Fabric or the Fierce Deity Armor, continue scanning your Majora’s Mask Link Amiibo to collect the full set. It’s also possible to get this armor by trekking around Hyrule and finding them organically.

Skyward Sword Link Amiibo

Skyward Sword’s Link Amiibo unlockables include the aptly named Sky Armor set, which also includes the White Sword of the Sky. Its Sword-Spirit Paraglider Fabric is also yet another stylish cloth that can be fittingly equipped for long descents from the Sky Islands.

Link’s Awakening Link Amiibo

It’s possible to poach the Egg Paraglider Fabric from the Link’s Awakening Amiibo, which features an egg-cellent design, fit for soaring the skies. These chests also hold the Awakening Armor, which contains what may be the cutest mask in the game.

The Legend of Zelda 8-Bit Link Amiibo

This Amiibo drops the Pixel Paraglider Fabric to match its NES-era aesthetic. Multiple scans will also let you claim the Tears of the Kingdom Hero Armor.

Wind Waker Link / Super Smash Bros. Toon Link Amiibo

Wind Waker Link and Smash Bros.’ Toon Link both eventually reward the King of Red Lions Paraglider Fabric as well as each part of the Wind Armor set. In keeping with the game’s nautical theme, their chests may also feature the Sea Breeze Boomerang and Shield.

Wind Waker Zelda Amiibo

If you’re looking for every paraglider fabric, the Wind Waker Zelda Amiibo is an easy way to add the Bygone Royal Paraglider Fabric to your collection. Similar to Wind Waker Link, scanning Zelda also increases your chances of bagging yourself a Sea Breeze Shield.

Super Smash Bros. Amiibo

Super Smash Bros. Zelda Amiibo

While many of the Zelda Amiibo drop weapons, some offer more powerful treasures and in this case, that’s the Dusk Bow. It has a base attack power of 30, turning any sharp-shooting player into a deadly archer. Zelda’s chests also conceal the Princess of Twilight Paraglider Fabric.

Super Smash Bros. Sheik Amiibo

The Sheik Amiibo rewards both the Sheik Paraglider Fabric and Sheik’s Mask. As with the other Amiibo, it will take multiple scans to score both.

Smash Brothers Ganondorf Amiibo

The Legend of Zelda’s big bad, Ganondorf, drops the Demon King Paraglider Fabric and sometimes rewards players with the Dusk Claymore.

After scanning your Amiibo each day there’s lots more to do, and we have it all catalogued in our Tears of the Kingdom guides:

Reality Bytes: The Star Wars VRoliday Special

Of the various corporatised fictional universes out there, Star Wars is the one I’m most emotionally invested in. But my affection for George Lucas’ brain-baby is less about the stories and characters, and more about the general vibe of the galaxy itself. I love its retro-futurist junkpunk style, the rusty spaceships, dusty planets, and fusty aliens. That’s why I’ve more fondness for games like Dark Forces and KotOR than any of the films or TV shows, as they let me poke around locations like Tatooine and Ord Mantell at my own pace.

Hence, the idea of being properly, immerse in Star Wars, to be physically surrounded by it and able to touch it, is probably my ultimate VR fantasy. Sod the imaginatively inert virtual spaces of Horizon Worlds, if Mark Zuckerberg really wanted to sell the Metaverse to me, he’d build the whole thing out in Mos Eisely chic, and let me run my own virtual cantina selling NFT space-drinks to legless bounty hunters and idiot Web3 prospectors.

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Platinum Games have added a free side-scrolling mode to The Wonderful 101

Ten years after its initial release – and about three years after it came to PC – former Wii U exclusive The Wonderful 101: Remastered is getting some much deserved love. Platinum Games bought their mini superhero game to PC through crowdfunding, where backers blew past several stretch goals including one that promised a future DLC drop. Today, the game received its first bit of free new content in the form of a side-scrolling shoot ‘em up called The Wonderful One: After School Hero.

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Super Mario Game Boy Advance Games Are Coming to Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo has announced that the first three Super Mario Advance games will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack catalogue later this month.

Super Mario Advance, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 will all be available to download from May 26 at no extra cost for players subscribed to the $49.99/year Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, which provides access to games from Nintendo’s retro eras.

Super Mario Advance is an upgraded version of the 1988 NES platformer Super Mario Bros. 2, in which you control of Mario, Luigi Peach and Toad and master their disticnt abilities. The game is bundled with an enhanced version of the classic Mario Bros. game, which saw the iconic plumber’s first arcade appearance with Luigi.

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 meanwhile is a Game Boy Advance revamp of a SNES classic, Super Mario World, and sees Mario fight against Bowser to free dinosaur island with the aid of Yoshi. Players also have the option of playing the entire adventure as Luigi, who weilds abilities taken from the first Super Mario Advance title.

Finally Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 asks players to take control of Yoshi as he journeys through colorful worlds in an attempt to save Baby Mario from the clutches of the evil Magikoopa Kamek.

The trio will join the growing collection of plumber-centric platformers and adventure games such as Super Mario 64, Paper Mario, and Dr. Mario that are already part of Nintendo’s deluxe catalogue subscription offering.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

HROT review: serviceable Soviet shooter saved by scintillating level design

“Does that pommel horse have a grenade launcher?” is one of many bizarre questions I found myself asking while playing HROT. This Slavic shooter revels in the strange, straddling the line between hyper-bleak Soviet satire and goofy memetic joke factory. This isn’t the best thing about HROT, we’ll get to that in a couple of paragraphs. But the balancing of these two personality strands is what defines HROT’s quality. At the outset, they exist in perfect symbiosis, but the relationship becomes less stable as the game goes on.

The year is 1986, and something is seriously wrong in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. What that might be isn’t explicitly stated, but given the year, the ambient chatter of Geiger counters, and the soldiers vomiting through their gasmasks as they prowl the abandoned streets, a nuclear disaster at an infamous Ukrainian power plant isn’t a vast stretch of the imagination. In any case, anyone who wasn’t killed by the fallout is now being hunted by an army of (presumably Russian, but again, it isn’t explicated) soldiers. Emerging from a bomb shelter beneath Prague’s Kosmonautů Metro Station (now named Háje), you take it upon yourself to defend your glorious homeland from these invaders.

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