Category: Video Games

I have determined which Lethal Company monster is the hardest worker and should be hired

Most of my time in Lethal Company is full of tomfoolery, panicking, and ultimately letting the quota down. As I run back and forth from the ship, only able to carry four things at a time in my puny arms, I frequently see the various monster inhabitants of the game excelling at pretty much everything. The Forest Keeper has brawny strength and can travel across the map in a blink of an eye, the Eyeless Dogs can sniff out an intruder in next to no time and The Butler has dedicated his life to maintaining a mansion even after the owners have long since gone.

This had me thinking – surely the various monster inhabitants of Lethal Company would make for a much better worker than myself?

Sure, most of them are ravenous killing machines – but that fits with the core values of The Company. After all, most of your time spent in the game will be collecting scrap on distant moons to meet an arbitrary quota set by The Company. You’ll then feed your pilfered belongings to the insatiable maw of a tentacled horror (otherwise known as the boss). You may be able to sympathise depending on your occupation.

So, if the monsters in Lethal Company were given the chance to work for said company, which of them would make it as an employee of the month and which would crash and burn harder than me getting thrown from the airlock five times in a row?

Join me as I peruse the CV’s of my favourite monsters in Lethal Company (as far as I know only half of them have opposable thumbs) and advocate for which of them should be my replacement as The Company’s new hire. After all, once this month’s Games Club is finished I’m not sure they’ll even let me back on the ship.

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How Did Moldaver Survive for Over 200 Years in Fallout? Fans Have Theories

The Fallout TV show has sparked a number of fan theories. There’s speculation about the Snake Oil Salesman’s mysterious serum, for example. Some believe the Brotherhood of Steel’s airship confirms one of two Fallout 4 endings as canon. And let’s not forget the theory that the Fallout TV show’s biggest bombshell may in fact be a misdirection.

As the speculation about what’s in store for fans with the already confirmed Fallout Season 2, as well as its impact on Fallout canon, a fresh debate has emerged: which of the main characters are synths?

Warning: spoilers for Fallout Season 1 and Fallout 4 follow.

Fans of the Fallout video games have noticed the Fallout TV show fails to include a number of iconic creatures, characters, and factions from the series. That’s understandable, given the showrunners had a lot of world-building to do for newcomers in Season 1 and only so much time to do it in. Adding to this absent mix are the synths from Fallout 4, which takes place nine years earlier than Season 1, in 2287.

Synths are synthetic humanoids built by the Institute, one of Fallout 4’s main factions. Newer models are almost indistinguishable from humans, and, in Fallout 4, replace residents of the Commonwealth as part of espionage tactics. While Fallout 4 is set in what’s left of the city of Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts region following the nuclear war of 2077, it’s conceivable that synths made their way to the west coast of the United States, although it’s a long journey across the wasteland.

If so, we may be seeing synths hidden in plain sight during Fallout Season 1. Indeed, some believe that Moldaver, the mysterious (and apparently deceased) leader of this part of the wasteland’s New California Republic, who has somehow survived the nuclear apocalypse and for 200 years afterward despite displaying no signs of ghoulish behavior, is a synth.

“Mark this post, it will either be revealed that the one that passed of her was just a clone/synth copy not the original or maybe she is a type of ghoul and was slowly healing pretending she had passed,” X / Twitter user @fatedwanderer84 said.

Indeed, Sarita Choudhury, who portrays Lee Moldaver in Fallout, has teased the character’s return in Season 2 despite her apparent death at the end of Season 1. In a recent interview with Nerdist, Choudhury was asked to explain how Moldaver survived. She replied: “I can’t, but I like your predictions, and you can figure stuff out, I think. But again, it’s in line with the fact that she’s a scientist. The fact that she created cold fusion makes me think she can figure out how to live.”

That tease is in-line with the theory that Moldaver is a synth or clone of Miss Williams, the pre-war name of the character depicted in flashback scenes. But some believe other characters could be a synth, too, including Hank, Maximus, and even Lucy.

The idea of synths and / or the Institute being around during the events of the Fallout TV show sparks further lore questions. Fans are already wondering which Fallout 4 ending the show considers to be canon, given it looks like the Brotherhood of Steel airship we see on-screen is the Prydwen from Fallout 4. Does The Institute still exist by the time the Fallout TV show starts? The showrunners and Bethesda development chief Todd Howard have confirmed all previous Fallout games are canon, as is the show, but none of the canon endings from the games are necessarily taken on board. Fallout Season 2 will, of course, answer some of these questions and pose more.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage won’t get story DLC, but the devs have “ideas on how we could extend the story of Basim”

As an Assassin’s Creed girlie, I enjoyed Assassin’s Creed Mirage, a pared down (but still big game, which is really just proof of how bloated AAA games have gotten, but I’ll stop because it’s not time to take my personal bugbear for a walk) Ass Creed game that was closer to the simplicity of the older games in the stab ’em up stealth-action series. Yesterday creative director Stéphane Boudon and art director Jeal-Luc Sala took to Reddit for an AMA, and in response to a question about plans for Mirage DLC, Boudon said no – but that they have ideas for more stories for Basim.

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Avatar’s Prince Zuko Joins The Fight In New Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 Update

Here are the full patch notes.

A new update for Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 has punched its way onto Switch. While the patch night not be the biggest in terms of bug fixes, we do have a new fighter to try out (if you have the Season Pass, that is).

Yes, Avatar’s Prince Zuko is the next DLC fighter joining the fray. Those with the game’s Season Pass can now try out this Fire Bender as normal, or you can choose to pick him up as a separate purchase of £5.99 / $6.99.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Has Done So Well Capcom Is Paying Out More Money to Shareholders

Capcom has announced plans to pay out more money to its shareholders after the breakout success of Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a big hit for Capcom, selling 2.5 million copies across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S in just 11 days. The sprawling action role-playing game went on sale on March 22, and Capcom announced Dragon’s Dogma 2 had passed 2.5 million sold on April 2. Total Dragon’s Dogma franchise sales have now exceeded 10 million units, Capcom added.

To put Dragon’s Dogma 2’s sales into context, it took the first Dragon’s Dogma game a month to sell 1.05 million units after it went on sale at the end of May 2012, a tally Capcom declared a success at the time.

Now, Capcom has revised its full-year earnings forecast and its dividend forecast for the financial year ending March 31, 2024. Sales, profits, and earnings per share all all revised up in single digit percentages versus the previous forecast, Capcom said.

Explaining the revision, Capcom namechecked Street Fighter 6, which has sold three million copies since going on sale in June 2023, and Dragon’s Dogma 2, which the company said “has performed favorably.” Sales for Capcom’s back catalog titles also grew. Here’s the statement:

“In our core Digital Contents business, in addition to Street Fighter 6, the latest title in the Street Fighter series, being met with broad acclaim globally, Dragon’s Dogma 2 was released in the fourth quarter and has performed favorably. Further, sales grew for catalog titles consisting primarily of past titles from major series due to their steady popularity. Altogether, this has led us to expect earnings for this business to exceed our plan.

“As a result, we expect net sales, operating income, ordinary income, and net income attributable to owners of the parent to all outperform our previously announced forecast.”

“Dragon’s Dogma 2 was released in the fourth quarter and has performed favorably.

It’s certainly good times for Capcom, whose games typically enjoy critical acclaim and commercial success. Despite a controversy over microtransactions and a backlash to the game’s performance, particularly on PC, Dragon’s Dogma 2 saw the biggest launch for a single-player Capcom game on Steam, with an impressive 228,585 peak concurrents. Capcom has surveyed Dragon’s Dogma 2 players about their experience with the game, as well as potential DLC. Given Dragon’s Dogma 2’s sales success, it seems more meaningful DLC is an inevitability.

As for the future, Capcom is working on the next big Monster Hunter game, Monster Hunter Wilds, and new Resident Evil games.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Paper Sky is a joyful flight sim for people who suck at flight sims, and there’s a demo out now

My experience with actual flight simulators typically amounts to approaching the runway far, far too quickly at far, far too perpendicular an angle, so perhaps I’m better off just flying folded-up bits of A4. Happily, that’s exactly what Paper Sky, a “semi-open world paper plane adventure” from solo indie dev Brute Force, is offering.

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Dragon’s Dogma 2 Patch Nerfs Dragonsplague, Gives Infected Pawns Glowing Eyes

Capcom has released a new update for its open-world fantasy game Dragon’s Dogma 2 that nerfs the dragonsplague, among other things.

Dragon’s Dogma’s pesky dragonsplague illness turns pawns murderous but only exhibited a few subtle symptoms up to now (modders had already made things really obvious for PC players by sticking a big number on the follower’s forehead).

The title update, out now across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, reduces the infection frequency of dragonsplague and adjusts the signs of pawns infected with dragonsplague to be more noticeable. For example, when infected, glowing eyes will be more noticeable, Capcom said in the patch notes.

Elsewhere, there are adjustments to pawn behavior and dialogue, including a reduction in the frequency of some pawn dialogue lines. However, this patch does not make any performance improvements to the game. Following the release of Dragon’s Dogma 2 in March, players experienced inconsistent framerate performance, particularly on PC. Whereas games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gives players a Performance or Graphics mode option — prioritizing either a consistent framerate or increased graphical output — Dragon’s Dogma 2 only has one visual mode across all consoles. Check out IGN’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 Performance Review – PS5 vs Xbox Series X/S vs PC, for more.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 arrived more than a decade after its predecessor and proved a monster hit for publisher Capcom despite controversy, selling 2.5 million units in 11 days amid microtransaction and the performance complaints.

In our 8/10 review, IGN said: “More of a redo than a sequel, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a strange and wonderful action-RPG that bolsters the original’s strengths without addressing its weaknesses.”

Dragon’s Dogma 2 April 25, 2024 Title Update patch notes

Reducing the infection frequency of dragonsplague and adjusting the signs of Pawns infected with dragonsplague to be more noticeable.

  • For example, when infected, glowing eyes will be more noticeable.

Adding the option to zoom in on the faces of the Arisen and Pawns in the status screen, shops, etc.

Fixing some issues and implementing adjustments related to the mini map.

  • Treasure chests that have already been acquired won’t be displayed on the mini map.

Adjustments to Pawns’ behavior and dialogue.

  • Fixing issues where occasionally the player couldn’t high five Pawns.
  • Fixing issues where Pawns wouldn’t start guiding after offering to guide.
  • Making Pawns less likely to fall off cliffs.
  • Reducing the frequency of some Pawn dialogue lines.
  • Improving Pawn lines to better match circumstances.
  • Fixing some issues where Pawns stop speaking outside of combat.
  • Fixing some issues where the Main Pawn speaks support Pawn’s dialogue.
  • Making Pawns more likely to aid the Arisen if the Arisen commands them to help while being held by enemies.
  • Reducing the frequency of Pawns offering to be hired by the player while in the field.

Fixing issues where sometimes escort quests are considered failed when accessing Character Edit or other specific situations.

Fixing issues where the player could be jailed when fighting monsters in town.

Fixing some crashes and freezes in specific circumstances.

Miscellaneous bug fixes.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The next free Total War: Warhammer 3 update makes spreading Nurgle plagues even more rewarding

I can feel some kind of sore throat bug coming on. It must be the baleful influence of Creative Assembly’s latest free update for bellowing strategy bonanza Total War: Warhammer 3. Out 30th April, the update introduces Epidemius, Proctor of Pestilence – a new Nurgle Legendary Lord who gains rewards based on how many ickle diseases you’ve spread to other factions (already my favourite aspect of playing Nurgle in the game). Does Epidemius also get buffs if the player is infected by something? I hope so. It would be a consolation to know that my ailing trachea is contributing to the Nurgle cause.

That’s not the only new addition in TWW3 patch 5. They’re also bringing a Gold Wizard hero, who is sort of Magneto but blingier, and a cursed crown that will make everybody hate you. Let’s dig in.

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Capcom Issues Reminder About Monster Hunter Stories Switch Pre-Order Goodies

Unlock some exclusive outfits.

In case you missed it, Capcom is releasing a remastered version of Monster Hunter Stories on the Switch this June.

It’s now also issued a reminder about the game’s pre-order bonuses. If you order this title from the Switch eShop before 14th June 2024, you’ll get some exclusive “King” and “Queen” outfits for the Felyne Navirou. Here’s a quick look:

Read the full article on nintendolife.com