Suzerain devs announce a follow-up narrative RPG

Suzerain have announced their follow-up, a narrative RPG called The Conformist. It’s set in the same universe and fictional country as Suzerain, although it takes place before the events of that game. Instead of leading the country of Sordland, this time players will guide the government propagandist Orwin through the city of Holsord, as you make tough decisions, befriend NPCs, and keep your family safe.

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Why battle royales aren’t ever my games of the year

Apex Legends with some pals, but otherwise, all I did was watch an eclectic mix of anime and TV: Mob Psycho 100, Better Call Saul, and Somebody Feed Phil. Granted, my gaming tastes wax and wane over a year, with lengthy JRPG stints rolling inevitably into junk food like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. No matter what, my one constant is an FPS or ‘competitive’ game, I suppose. Games like Apex, or Warzone, or even Fortnite.

And yet, for whatever reason, I don’t consider them as candidates for the Bestest Best games of any year. I might pour hundreds, possibly thousands of hours into them and they won’t even make it into my personal list of absolute faves. That’s reserved for games, not games.

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Classic Taito Games Get Enhanced Re-Releases On Switch In February

Puzzle Bobble 2 & 3 and Metal Black get the S-Tribute treatment.

Days after teasing its 2023 plans, Taito’s Puzzle Bobble series and Metal Black are coming to the Switch thanks to City Connection and its S-Tribute series (thanks, Gematsu!).

Puzzle Bobble 2X / BUST-A-MOVE 2 Arcade Edition & Puzzle Bobble 3 / BUST-A-MOVE 3 S-Tribute — a collection of both arcade and console versions of Puzzle Bobble 2 and 3 — and Metal Black S-Tribute — a rerelease of the classic side-scrolling shooter — are both coming to the Switch (and other consoles) digitally on 2nd February.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Free Play Days – Cricket 22, For the King, and Saints Row

Resolve to have more fun this year! Get started this weekend during Free Play Days. Cricket 22, For the King, and Saints Row are all available this weekend for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play from Thursday, January 5 at 12:01 a.m. PT until Sunday, January 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT.  


How to Start Playing


Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and enter the Gold member area to locate the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.


Keep the Fun Going


Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and earned achievements during the event! Please note that discounts and percentages may vary by title and region.


Game Details


Cricket 22: The Official Game of the Ashes

Step on to the field for the most comprehensive cricket game ever! With more licenses, a narrative-driven career mode, and 4K visuals, Cricket 22 is a true next-generation sporting experience. All-new control options make the game more accessible to players of all skill levels, while Big Ant Studios’ authentic recreation of every aspect of the sport provides hundreds of hours of hyper-realistic cricket action for fans. Lead your team to glory, your way!

For the King

Gather your friends and prepare for war! For the King is a strategic RPG blending tabletop and roguelike elements in a challenging adventure that spans the realms. Set off on a single player experience or play cooperatively both online and locally.

 Saints Row

It’s the American dream to be your own boss, but this startup hits different! Witness the birth of the Saints as you fight to the top of the criminal underworld in the Weird, Wild West of Santo Ileso. Explore a vast urban playground in blockbuster action filled with thrills, customization, violence, and humor. Take on the campaign with a friend, complete missions and progress together…or play a wicked prank on them just for the hell of it.

Don’t miss out on this exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.

Related:
New Games with Gold for January 2023
Xbox Podcast: Justin Roiland on Why High on Life Came to Game Pass (and How That Will Help Make Future Games)
High on Life Is Xbox Game Pass’ Biggest 2022 Launch, and the Biggest 3rd Party Game Pass Launch Ever

PlayStation 5 Passes 30 Million Units Sold, Shortage Essentially Over

Sony has announced that its PlayStation 5 console has now surpassed more than 30 million units sold, and that the console shortage is now essentially over.

Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan revealed the new figure at Sony’s CES tech conference, a number which is up five million from the 25 million figure revealed two months previously on November 1.

“We truly appreciate the support and patience of the PlayStation community as we managed unprecedented demand amid global challenges over the past two years,” Ryan said.

“PS5 supply improved toward the end of last year, and I’m happy to share that December was the biggest month ever for PS5 console sales and that we have now sold than 30 million units through to consumers worldwide.”

Confident that supply issues are now solved completely, Ryan added that “everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailer globally, starting from this point forward.”

A crippling semiconductor chip shortage seriously restricted the creation of new PS5 consoles but this didn’t stop the PS5 from surpassing 20 million units sold as of June 2021, at which point Sony executive Veronica Rogers announced that the company was “planning on a significant ramp-up in PS5 production”.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Ink Your Polaroids With Splatoon 3 Frames And Stickers In New Instax Mini Link App Update

Plus a new squid case!

You might remember in one of 2021’s stranger collaborations, Fujifilm teamed up with Nintendo to let you produce polaroids of your favourite Switch screenshots via the Instax mini Link printer. These snaps could then be personalised with all kinds of Nintendo-themed frames and stickers including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario and Pokémon Snap. Now, Fujifilm has announced that Splatoon will be the next franchise to get in on the polaroid personalisation.

In a new update for the Instax mini Link for Nintendo Switch app (coming 19th January), the squid kids take centre stage as a batch of Splatoon 3-themed stickers and frames ink their way onto the customisation options. Ever wanted to pose with an Octoling in a polaroid (never mind how specific that dream may be)? This is your chance.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Overwatch 2’s Battle for Olympus event turns seven heroes into Greek gods today

Overwatch 2‘s second season has been all about Greek mythology, with several characters receiving skins based on iconic Greek gods. But now that the festive winter event has wrapped up, Overwatch 2 is debuting its next limited-time event Battle for Olympus later today, and it’s reimagining seven characters’ abilities. The free-for-all deathmatch mode begins today and will be around until January 19th.

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