Video Game Tango

We were told this weeks GamesCom was going to be a weak sauce, and sure enough, Opening Night Live was a bit of re-hash of the same old Triple-A trailers we’ve come to expect this year! But don’t fret because we’re still going to talk about Starfield and CyberPunk, but make sure you stick around for the second half of the show where we highlight some of our favorite less-than-triple A games from The Future Games Show.

Starfield - Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. - Bethesda Game Studios (Steam, September 6th 2023)

Crimson Desert - Enter a war-torn realm of medieval fantasy, where allegiances are tested and heroes are made. - Pearl Abyss

Lords of the Fallen - A vast world awaits in all-new, dark fantasy action-RPG, Lords of the Fallen. As one of the fabled Dark Crusaders, embark on an epic quest to overthrow Adyr, the demon God. - HEXWORKS (Steam, October 13th 2023)

Fort Solis - Fort Solis a riveting story-driven thriller on the Red Planet. - Fallen Leaf, Black Drakkar Games (Steam, Available Now)

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - Cyberpunk 2077 DLC - CD PROJEKT RED (Steam, September 25th 2023)

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - A new action game based on the concept of the ARMORED CORE series that uses the knowledge gained from FromSoftware's recent action game development. - FromSoftware (Steam, Available Now)

Alan Wake 2 - Alan Wake went missing in 2010. He was a bestselling writer based in New York City. On a vacation in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Alice Wake, he came face to face with a force of supernatural darkness. It brought Wake’s writing, a horror story, to life. He fought this dark presence and managed to banish it back to where it came from, a nightmarish dark place hidden under a caldera lake outside the small town of Bright Falls. Wake wrote an ending to his horror story and with that freed his wife from the darkness under the lake but became trapped there himself. Alan Wake is not dead, although he has wished he was many times. For 13 years he’s been a prisoner in the Dark Place, where his nightmares, his fears, and his stories manifest as reality around him. For 13 years, he has been fighting to stay sane and write a story that would change reality around him in order for him to escape. So far, he has failed. - Remedy (Epic, October 27th 2023)

Stop Dead - A rogue AI is hell-bent on destroying its creators and has swept you up in its plans. Use your superhuman abilities to run, jump, slide, and pull hundreds of objects as projectile weapons to blast everything in your path in this funny and chaotic first-person telekinetic brawler, STOP DEAD. - Gridsnap Games LLC (Steam, Demo Available, October 5th 2023)

Streets of Rogue 2 - Streets of Rogue 2 is a crazy, immersive RPG sandbox set in a vast randomly generated open world where freedom and fun are dialed up to 11. Fight, sneak, hack, farm, build, steal, or talk your way to power as you try to topple a corrupt president in countless possible ways – solo or with friends. - Matt Dabrowski (Steam, 2024)

Soulslinger Envoy of Death - You are a gunslinger in limbo, involved in a gritty war against "The Cartel", a ruthless organization harvesting souls to break free of the shackles of the afterlife. Grow stronger with each new run, gather the essence of lost souls to take on the biggest threats in this rogue-lite FPS! - Elder Games (Steam, Demo Available, TBA)

Blasphemous 2 - The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle once and for all. - The Game Kitchen (Steam, Available Now)

Star Trucker - Haul cargo, trade salvage and keep your space suit close as you search for fame and fortune among the stars in a game that puts an interstellar twist on the truck sim genre. - Monster and Monster (Steam, 2024)

SPRAWL - SPRAWL is a hardcore retro FPS set in an endless cyberpunk megalopolis. Escape the walled city and take on the militarized government of the sprawl. Fueled by the blood of your enemies and a mysterious voice in your head, make your way towards the spire to topple whatever lays within. - MAETH (Steam, Available Now)

News Tower - Develop your newspaper and become New York’s new media mogul! In this tycoon, build and manage your newspaper from printer to toilet. Create your editorial line and lead your journalists through unique 1930's stories and dig out the latest scoops! - Studio Nul Games (Steam, Early Access by Request)

Bloomtown - Bloomtown: A Different Story is a narrative JRPG mixing turn-based combat, monster taming and social RPG set in a seemingly pleasant 1960s Americana world. Join Emily and her group of friends to save their cozy town from the demonic creatures that live in the hearts of its residents! - Lazy Bear Games, Different Sense Games (Steam, Q2 2024)

Wantless - Wantless is a fast-paced Tactical RPG set in a dystopian future. Fight off torments inside your patients' mind using a deep skill-crafting system and innovative combat mechanics. Utilize your environment, confront horrors made manifest and walk the fine line of morality in a dying world. - Drop Rate Studio (Steam, November 2023)

Aloft - Survive on floating islands caught in an eternal hurricane in this atmospheric sandbox survival indie game. Build your base and sail the winds to discover new islands and fight back fungi corruption while upgrading your gear. Reach the highest altitudes and brave their challenges. - Astrolabe Interactive Inc. (Steam, Demo Available, 2024)

It’s a Wrap - It's a Wrap! is a challenging puzzle game about making movies in 1980s Hollywood. Figure out the perfect timing of props, actors, and special effects as the Director. Then jump into the scene as the movie's star in a traditional 2D platformer. - Chanko Studios (Steam, Demo Available, Available Now)

Tiny Glade - Tiny Glade is a small relaxing game about doodling castles. Explore gridless building chemistry, and watch the game carefully assemble every brick, pebble and plank. There's no management, combat, or wrong answers - just kick back and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas. - Pounce Light (Steam, 2024)

Pacific Drive - Survive the anomaly-filled Olympic Exclusion Zone with a car as your only lifeline. Scavenge resources from abandoned research sites, load up your trusty station wagon, and drive like hell to make it through alive. - Ironwood Interactive (Steam, Q1 2024)

Abiotic Factor - Co-operative survival-crafting (1-6 players) set in a research facility overrun by paranormal threats. As Earth’s greatest scientists you must band together, craft ingenious tools and weapons, and survive the only way you know how: Kill 'em with science! - Deep Field Games (Steam, Playtest Sign-ups Open)

Dome-King Cabbage - A short visual novel set in the world of a monster-collecting RPG. Grappling with their ability to perceive reality through an RPG lens, Mush navigates their way to a job interview for the enigmatic title of “Dome-King.” - Cobysoft Co. (Steam, Coming Soon)

There’s very little news this week because GamesCom is next week! But the first bit of news is Geoff Keighley says there won’t be a whole lot of news coming out of GamesCom next week. So we’re gonna talk a little bit about Phasmophobias upcoming updates, Star Wars, Mountain top, Armored Core 6, and Baldur’s Gate 3!

Geoff Keighley Tempers Expectations for Gamescom Opening Night Live Reveals - Article by GameRant

Phasmophobia Getting Massive Update This Week - Article by GameRant

Phasmophobia - Phasmophobia is a 4 player online co-op psychological horror. Paranormal activity is on the rise and it’s up to you and your team to use all the ghost-hunting equipment at your disposal in order to gather as much evidence as you can. - Kinetic Games (Steam, Available Now)

Star Wars Outlaws' Setting Is A Dream Playground, According To Narrative Director - Article by Game Informer

Former Riot, Blizzard Devs Reveal Teaser For Competitive Shooter Inspired By Anime And Comics - Article by Game Informer

Preview concept art, and find out more about the game from Mountaintop’s Game Director Lee Horn.

Sign up for Mountaintop’s first playtest here.

Armored Core 6 has shown off their PC hardware requirements here.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is One Of 2023's Best Games, Don't Turn It Into A Weapon - Article by Kotaku

It looks like Sony has thrown in the towel, and is working with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to make a deal on Call of Duty, then we have the Early Access release of Dark and Darker, followed by an awesome Humble Bundle deal for all the mainline Resident Evil games for 35 bucks! Then we give our extensive review on the first chapter of Baldur’s Gate 3!

Microsoft And Sony Finally Reach Deal For The Future Of Call Of Duty On PlayStation - Article by Kotaku

Dark and Darker Releases in Early Access, But There’s a Catch - Article by GameRant

Dark and Darker - An unforgiving hardcore fantasy FPS dungeon PvPvE adventure. Band together with your friends and use your courage, wits, and cunning to uncover mythical treasures, defeat gruesome monsters, while staying one step ahead of the other devious treasure-hunters. - IRONMACE (darkanddarker.com, Early Access)

Get All The Mainline Resident Evil Games For Just $35 - Article by Kotaku

After some news, Andy, Nick, and Josh discuss their experience with Baldur’s Gate 3 (Steam, Available Now) and their adventures in Chapter 1. Each one of The Guys has had vastly different experiences with the game. Have any of them been bad? Listen or watch the podcast to get their deep-dive in the games narrative, story, and mechanics!

This time on Video Game Tango we dive in with Dave the Diver, We square off with Square Enix and their commitment to bring more games (including Final Fantasy 14) to XBOX, we jump into the void with Voidigo and Doomsday hunters, then we Rogally and Deck it for a minute before showing off Showgunners and seiging for loot in Starsiege Deadzone! And after all that, it’s just Baldur’s gate, baby!

Dave the Diver - DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole. - MINTROCKET (Steam, Available Now)

Square Enix Plans to Bring More of Its Games to Xbox (Article by GameRant)

Showgunners - As a contestant on a high stakes reality game show of the future, you must survive a dangerous urban environment packed with traps, confounding puzzles, and heavily armed psychopaths. Turn-based combat in hand crafted levels, built for entertainment. - Artificer (Steam, Available Now)

Andy talks about his experience using the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck side-by-side! Both handheld consoles have plenty going for them in specs, price, and availability, as well as playability. While both consoles have some significant differences, they are both meant to be handheld PCs. While the platforms don’t replace the desktop or laptop experience, they greatly improve portability! Andy was able to test a handful of games on both devices: Diablo 4, DMC Devil May Cry, Rocket League, and Stardew Valley. All of the games performance were totally acceptable for such a device, and proved that this is a segment of the gaming space that’s viable and has some serious potential to grow. 

While both handhelds offered pleasant gaming experiences, we’ve gotta give the crown to the Steam Deck. First and foremost, battery life goes hands-down to the Steam Deck. And while the ROG Ally provides a full-featured version of Windows, Windows might be the biggest pitfall between the two handhelds. While having a familiar operating system in your hands certainly has its positives, SteamOS is very capable, and feels more thought-out than just slapping Windows on a handheld. Check out the podcast for more thoughts on the devices, and a more thorough discussion!

Voidingo - A vividly animated action roguelite focused on boss hunting. Unleash an array of diverse weapons and powerups to combat the corruption of the Void. semiwork (Steam, Available Now)

Doomsday Hunters - Shoot stuff in a perfect pixel world, combine items, build guns, die every time! Roguelite twin-stick shooter where magic and post-apocalyptic future technologies collide. Defeat evil lord Dracula and save everyone! - Moregames (Steam, Available Now)

Some Xbox Controllers Getting New Feature (Article by GameRant)

Starsiege: Deadzone - Starsiege: Deadzone is a corridor extraction shooter set in the far reaches of space. Delve into derelict space stations overrun by hostile Cybrids in search of valuable resources. Group up with 2 squadmates, fight against other Raiders, and escape alive. - Prophecy Games (Steam, Early Access)

Delete your Baldur's Gate 3 early access saves and uninstall the game, say Larian (Article by Rock Paper Shotgun)

Baldur's Gate 3 Won't Set The Standards For RPGs, Says Larian (Article by TheGamer)

Baldur’s Gate 3 - Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, where your choices shape a tale of fellowship and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power. - Larian Studios (Steam, Available Now)

This week Activision Blizzard got the legal go-ahead from their respective court to bend the knee to Bill Gates, then Baldur’s Gate’s release is on the horizon and we talk about what you might be able to expect in the game come August! We also talk about time-keeping, unionization, the Emmy’s, and then we talk a lot about vampires!

Microsoft's $69 billion Activision deal gets US judge go-ahead, UK softens opposition

V Rising: Secrets of Gloomrot - Awaken as a vampire. Hunt for blood in nearby settlements to regain your strength and evade the scorching sun to survive. Raise your castle and thrive in an ever-changing open world full of mystery. Gain allies online and conquer the land of the living. - Stunlock Studios (Steam, Early Access)

The Last of Us Is Sweeping Emmy Nominations This Year

Neil Druckmann Takes Over Naughty Dog After Co-President Of 19 Years Retires

Study Reveals Very Low Percentage of Classic Video Games Are Available Commercially

“I Played the Full Version of Baldur's Gate 3…”

Baldur's Gate 3 - Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, where your choices shape a tale of fellowship and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power. - Larian Studios (Steam, Early Access)

Vampire Survivors is getting four-player couch co-op so you can slay bloodsuckers with BFFs

Bobby Kotick is doing Bobby Kotick things again! And did Activision Blizzard just leak DayZ 2? Also we’ve got more demos for you from Steam Next Fest, and FINALLY - Battlebit Remastered is here!

Sony's Jim Ryan: Kotick asked to negotiate Call of Duty to 'cover himself' if merger fails. - Article by TweakTown

DayZ 2 Leaked by Court Documents - Article by GameRant

Luna Abyss - Luna Abyss is a single player story driven action-adventure with fluid platforming and bullet hell combat. Follow the journey of Fawkes, a prisoner of Luna caught between a cryptic prophecy and their prison sentence. - Bonsai Collective - Steam, Demo Available, Coming Soon)

Viewfinder - Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind. - Sea Owl Studios (Steam, Demo Available, July 18th 2023)

Norland - Norland is a medieval kingdom sim that generates stories. Manage your noble family and face with class society, crime, slave revolts, religious conflict, economic issues, personal relations, treachery, secret murders, and spectacular battles. - Long Jaunt (Steam, Demo Available, Coming Soon)

Hammerwatch 2 - Gather your heroes and journey beyond the dungeons of Castle Hammerwatch to explore a pixelated world like never before. Aid King Roland’s resistance while helping villagers along the way. Battle beasts, finish off hordes of the undead, and face the forces of evil. - Crackshell (Steam, Demo Available, August 15th 2023)

REMORE: INFESTED KINGDOM - A challenging turn-based tactical RPG that transports you into a medieval apocalyptic infestation. Your survivors are fragile, and every step you take could be your last. - Black Anchor (Steam, Coming Soon) 

Battlebit Remastered - BattleBit Remastered is a low-poly, massive multiplayer FPS, supporting 254 players per server. Battle on a near-fully destructible map with various vehicles! -SgtOkiDoki, Vilaskis, TheLiquidHorse (Steam, Available Now)

This time on Video Game Tango, Nick, Josh, and Andy try out some demos from Steam Next Fest! Check out Lies of P, Wizard With a Gun, Warhaven, and Sea of Stars!

This week we’ve got Starfields, Star Wars, Warhammers, Wizard with Guns, Punks that are Cyber, then we’ve got Dunes, Lords, and a Rebirth LIVE on Air! And if you thought that was all, we’ve also got MECHS!

We choose our favorite titles shown off this week between Summer Game Fest, Day of the Devs, Devolver Direct, Future GamesShow, OTK Games Expo, XBOX Games Showcase, Starfield Direct, PC Gaming Show, Ubisoft Forward, and the Capcom Showcase! 

No gaming news this week! We're right between the Playstation Showcase, XBOX Showcase, Starfield Showcase, Summer Game Fest, Devolver Direct, Wholesome Direct, Future of Games Showcase...You get the drift! The start of this summer is going to be absolutely jam packed with video game news and announcements to come! But for now, enjoy Andy, Nick, and Josh as we discuss our history with video games, and why we decided to make a gaming podcast!

SONY SHOWS OFF SOME SERIOUSLY AAA TITLES IN THIS YEAR'S PLAYSATION SHOWCASE! Andy, Nick, and Josh go over the announcements, the trailers...And the NEW HARDWARE!

Overwatch 2 lied to us, Diablo 4 is probably lying to us, but thank god, Blizzcon is still on this years! Then we’ve got potential for a Zelda Movie, and of course we’re gonna talk about Tears of the Kingdom. Also, we discuss upcoming games Warlander and Age of Wonders 4, and we’ve got rumors of a Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater remake, and a brand new Metal Gear Solid. What does a Metal Gear solid game look like without Kojima? Let’s talk about that. Then we’ve got announcements about announcements announcing.

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition approved by EU regulators

BlizzCon Returns This November

Blizzard is scrapping Overwatch 2 hero missions and progression: 'It's clear that we can't deliver on the original vision for PvE'

Longtime Zelda Producer "For Sure" Interested In Television Or Movie Adaptation

Warlander - Harness the almighty powers of god-like Warriors, Clerics, and Mages, with a unique style that mashes a Medieval-inspired setting, Fantastical items and abilities…and…EVEN POWERFUL ROBOTS! Master siege weapons and cataclysmic spells to control the battlefield and destroy the enemy's core! - Toylogic Inc. (Steam, Out Now)

Age of Wonders 4 - Rule a fantasy realm of your own design! Explore new magical realms in Age of Wonders’ signature blend of 4X strategy and turn-based tactical combat. Control a faction that grows and changes as you expand your empire with each turn! - Triumph Studios (Steam, Available Now)

Rumor: Metal Gear Solid Series' Revival is Imminent (Also State of Play announcement)

Xbox Games Showcase set to air in June 2023

Steam Announces Its Next Big Demo Event

This time on Video Game Tango we catch up with the Microsoft/Actvision Blizzard Acquisition! Then we’ve got discussions on Stellaris and the recently released Everspace! Then it’s handhelds again! Tune in to find out what a Rogally is, what it does, and what it costs!

Official documentation from CMA regarding their denial of the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/microsoft-slash-activision-blizzard-merger-inquiry

EU Could Approve Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Acquisition Next Week - https://gamerant.com/microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition-eu-approval-report/ - Article by GameRant

Activision Hires Queen Elizabeth II's Former Lawyer to Lead CMA Appeal - https://www.ign.com/articles/activision-hires-queen-elizabeth-iis-former-lawyer-to-lead-cma-appeal - Article by IGN

EA Comments On Microsoft-Activision Sale And Why It Doesn't Matter To Them - https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-comments-on-microsoft-activision-sale-and-why-it-doesnt-matter-to-them/1100-6513971/ - Article by Gamespot

Some Blizzard Devs Worry Departures Could Hurt World Of Warcraft And Other Games - https://kotaku.com/blizzard-diablo-iv-world-warcraft-remote-work-delays-1850421033 - Article by Kotaku

Xbox Teasing 2 Big Games for Upcoming Showcase - https://gamerant.com/xbox-showcase-games-2023-avowed-hellblade-2/ - Article by GameRant

Asus ROG Ally: Pricing, release date, and everything you need to know about the Steam Deck rival - https://www.xda-developers.com/asus-rog-ally/ - Article by XDA Developers

Official ASUS ROG Ally site - https://rog.asus.com/gaming-handhelds/rog-ally/rog-ally-2023/

ASUS ROG XG Mobile - https://rog.asus.com/external-graphic-docks/rog-xg-mobile-2023-model/

Nick, Andy, and Josh share their thoughts on the new Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves, and then fight about The Mandalorian.

Tonight we discuss the new RTS Beyond all Reason, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Dungeons and Dragons Minecraft, And Everspace. Then I do a clumsy deep-dive into handheld consoles, their future, their new competition, and we share our opinions on who wins out in this new frontier of gaming!

Beyond All Reason - A new MASSIVE scale Real Time Strategy game! (Self-Hosted)

Star Wars Jedi: Survivors - The story of Cal Kestis continues in STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™, a galaxy-spanning, third-person, action-adventure game. - Respawn (Steam, Available Now)

Minecraft x Dungeons & Dragons - Microsoft’s Minecraft meets Hasbro’s (Wizards of the Coast) Dungeons & Dragons - Microsoft/Mojang (Coming Soon)

Everspace 2 - EVERSPACE 2 is a fast-paced single-player spaceship shooter with exploration in space and on planets, tons of loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting. Experience an exciting sci-fi story set in a vivid, handcrafted open world full of secrets, puzzles, and perils. - 
ROCKFISH Games (Steam, Available Now, Demo Available)

The best portable gaming consoles 2023 - Check out all the best portable games consoles, from Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck to the Playdate and Ayaneo Air, for all your handheld gaming console needs - Article by PocketTactics (Alternatively, check out the Logitech G Cloud for another pure streaming handheld that utilizes NVidia’s and Microsoft’s cloud-based gaming services!)

Sony reportedly working on new PlayStation handheld for PS5 Remote Play - Earlier this week, rumors claimed that Sony was creating new PlayStation hardware, separate from the upcoming PS5 revision and rumored PS5 Pro. It was quickly theorized that this could be a new handheld, like a PS Vita 2. Now, sources have clarified that Sony is working on a dedicated Remote Play device, rather than a native-gaming handheld. - Article by KitGuru

Asus’ first PC Handheld Has Twice the Performance of a Steam Deck - A handheld gaming PC from Asus’ ROG (Republic of Gamers) brand seemed like an April Fools’ joke when it was “announced” over the weekend, but apparently, the company is serious. The ROG Ally is a proper Steam Deck competitor, and you can sign up to pre-order the device on Best Buy now. - Article by Inverse

This week WB has announced that they’re taking away Multiversus until next year! What are you going to do with that season pass and all the DLC you bought until then? The Last of Us Part 1 PC port is a buggy mess. Then: Bobby Kotick shames Sony in the most back-handed fun way in an open letter. Super Mario 64 speed runs have been perfected. Josh shares his thoughts on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Nick, Russ and Andy talk about their experiences playing the indie game Necesse!

WB is shutting down MultiVersus claiming the ‘open beta’ is over - KitGuru

Despite players paying for DLC and Season Passes for WB’s Multiversus, WB has decided to take the game out of open beta, and remove access to online features of the game until “early 2024”. 

The Last of Us Part 1 PC And Steam Deck Port Is Getting Torn Apart - GameSpot

The Last of Us Part 1 PC port is being criticized for performance issues and bugs plaguing the game on release. The Steam community as of writing has reviewed the game 10,231 times, and reviews are “Mostly Negative”. Who is responsible for shipping such a poorly optimized, buggy port? 

The Last of Us™ Part I - Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us™, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards. - Playstation PC LLC (Steam, available now)

Bobby Kotick Calls Out PlayStation In Email To Whole World

Bobby Kotick (CEO of Activision Blizzard) has written in an open email that despite Sony’s worries, that if the Activision Blizzard acquisition by Microsoft goes through as planned, Sony shouldn’t worry about the Call of Duty creators creating inferior versions of their games just to slight Sony.

The Most Perfect Super Mario 64 Speedrun Ever Just Happened!

Super Mario 64 speedrunner “Suigi” has completed a perfect, or near-perfect speedrun of Mario 64 with no major mistakes. Generally speaking, mistakes are commonplace during speedruns, as speedrunners have to make complex pixel-perfect movements in order to execute “glitches” or keep their run-time as low as possible. In this case though, it seems “Suigi” has created a new SM64 speedrun record…And unless the speedrun meta changes, he may hold that title for a LONG time!

Josh has been playing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and has mostly positive things to say about it. Despite a luke-warm release, and a less-than-stellar review average on launch, it seems the Steam community in general has enjoyed the game, as 19,791 users have accumulated a “Mostly Positive” review of the game. A definite recommendation from Josh if you’re into linear third-person action adventure single-player games, or Marvel comics!

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Fire up a wild ride across the cosmos with a fresh take on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. In this action-adventure game, you are Star-Lord leading the unpredictable Guardians from one explosion of chaos to the next. You got this. Probably. - Eidos-Montréal (Steam, available now)

Nick, Russ, and Andy have been playing the indie game “Necesse”. Necesse is an early-access game created by a single developer team, and combines farm sim with survival crafting, dungeon crawling, village building, and exploration in one package. The game launched in early access late 2019, and has since gathered a cult following. It’s no surprise either, as the vast majority of the systems and gameplay have been well thought-out, progression makes sense, and there is a ton of procedurally-generated world to explore. The game also has some of the most comprehensive item-sorting systems (something a lot of “similar” titles lack in our opinions) we have ever seen! If you’ve played games like Minecraft, Terraria, RimWorld, or Stardew Valley, we highly recommend you pick up this gem, especially when it’s normal sale price is just $9.99 (though it has been on sale twice already in the 2 weeks since we discovered it!)

Necesse - Necesse is a top-down sandbox action-adventure game in a procedurally generated world. Progress your character's gear and settlement through fighting, mining, exploring, crafting, trading and more! - Mads Skovgaard (Steam, early access available now)

This week, Stellaris has announced the release date for it’s First Contact DLC,. Activision Blizzard, and Microsoft have been seriously spicy, bland, subservient, and defiant this week. And then there’s Atomic Heart.

Stellaris First Contact DLC Release Date Revealed, New Trailer

Activision Blizzard to Pay $35 Million for Failing to Maintain Disclosure Controls Related to Complaints of Workplace Misconduct and Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule

Activision Blizzard’s RTO Plan Rankles Staff in High-Rent Irvine

Blizzard Boss Mike Ybarra takes the hardline at latest all-hands meeting

Monolith, ArenaNet, and More Offer Career Opportunities to Blizzard Devs Forced to Return to Office

Microsoft Signs 10-Year Contract To Bring Xbox Games To Nintendo Consoles

Nvidia supports Microsoft, Activision merger after Xbox deal to add games to cloud service

Microsoft President Is Carrying That Giant Sony Call of Duty Deal In Pocket, Weirdly

Microsoft Admits PlayStation Has Many More Exclusives than Xbox

What’s happening with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Atomic Heart reviews: IGN, PC Gamer, GameInformer, Destructoid, GameRant, Gamespot

Ukraine wants Valve, Microsoft, and Sony to stop selling Atomic Heart in the country

Atomic Heart Development in Shambles According to a Report

Atomic Heart Has Denuvo, Developer Claims DLSS Will Compensate for Potential Performance Problems

This week, we’ve played a whole bunch of demos from Steams Next Fest including Dark and Darker!

Voidtrain - Become a crew member of an Interdimensional Express Train! Discover a new world full of mysterious creatures, enemies and places. Upgrade and customize your train, gather new materials and build better weapons. Play solo or online сo-op with up to 4 people. - HypeTrain Digital (Steam, 2023)

Dark and Darker - An unforgiving hardcore fantasy FPS dungeon PvPvE adventure. Band together with your friends and use your courage, wits, and cunning to uncover mythical treasures, defeat gruesome monsters, while staying one step ahead of the other devious treasure-hunters. - IRONMACE (Steam, Coming Soon)

Boundary - Boundary is a multiplayer tactical space-based shooter game, engaging in fierce team vs team zero gravity firefights and executing low-gravity operations on orbiting space installations against other enemy astroperators and other entities. - Studio Surgical Scalpels (Steam, 2023)

Darkest Dungeon 2 - Darkest Dungeon II is a roguelike road trip of the damned. Form a party, equip your stagecoach, and set off across the decaying landscape on a last gasp quest to avert the apocalypse. The greatest dangers you face, however, may come from within… - Red Hook Studios (Steam, May 8 2023)

Phantom Brigade - Phantom Brigade is a hybrid turn-based & real-time tactical RPG with an innovative timeline-based command system. See the future, predict enemy actions, and plot your counterattack on the timeline! Outnumbered and out-gunned, lead the Brigade's campaign to retake their war-torn homeland. Brace Yourself Games (Steam, February 28 2023)

Xenonauts 2 - Wage a global war of resistance against an alien invasion. Command turn-based tactical battles, build a network of covert bases, directly control your fighter wings, and achieve strategic victory in a simulation of asymmetric warfare against a technologically superior foe. - Goldhawk Interactive (Steam, 2023)

This is a podcast episode. We talk about stuff on it.

This week we’re got Metroid Prime, Tears of the Kingdom, Voidtrain, Dark and Darker, mechs, lasers, gameboy, space guns, skeletons, ninjas, pirates, and laser-gun-mech-robot-ninja-pirates I promise!

Nintendo Direct:

Pikmin 4

Octopath Traveler 2

Gameboy and Gameboy Advance coming to Nintendo Switch Online

Metroid Prime Remastered (Available now on Nintendo E-Shop)

Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom May 12, 2023

Steam Next Fest:

Voidtrain - Become a crew member of an Interdimensional Express Train! Discover a new world full of mysterious creatures, enemies and places. Upgrade and customize your train, gather new materials and build better weapons. Play solo or online сo-op with up to 4 people. - HypeTrain Digital (Steam, 2023)

Dark and Darker - An unforgiving hardcore fantasy FPS dungeon PvPvE adventure. Band together with your friends and use your courage, wits, and cunning to uncover mythical treasures, defeat gruesome monsters, while staying one step ahead of the other devious treasure-hunters. - IRONMACE (Steam, Coming Soon)

Darkest Dungeon 2 - Darkest Dungeon II is a roguelike road trip of the damned. Form a party, equip your stagecoach, and set off across the decaying landscape on a last gasp quest to avert the apocalypse. The greatest dangers you face, however, may come from within… - Red Hook Studios (Steam, May 8 2023)

Plan B: Terraform - Terraform a lifeless rock into a lush and habitable world. Build trucks, trains and sprawling factories on an enormous hexagonal planet. Grow its population to millions. Enjoy a dynamic simulation of atmosphere, temperature, water and forests. (Steam, February 15 2023)

Phantom Brigade - Phantom Brigade is a hybrid turn-based & real-time tactical RPG with an innovative timeline-based command system. See the future, predict enemy actions, and plot your counterattack on the timeline! Outnumbered and out-gunned, lead the Brigade's campaign to retake their war-torn homeland. Brace Yourself Games (Steam, February 28 2023)

Inkbound - Inkbound reinvents turn-based gameplay in a fluid online-only co-op roguelike from the creators of Monster Train. Play solo or party up to dive into the magical, dangerous books of the Atheneum Library and fight to save this rich, ever-expanding world. - Shiny Shoe (Steam, Q2 2023)

Boundary - Boundary is a multiplayer tactical space-based shooter game, engaging in fierce team vs team zero gravity firefights and executing low-gravity operations on orbiting space installations against other enemy astroperators and other entities. - Studio Surgical Scalpels (Steam, 2023)

We’ve got stacked ranking at Activision Blizzard, Minecraft Legends, Hi-Fi Rush, Redfall, Forspoken, and Fox News is upset that your XBOX is going woke!

The Communications Workers of America has decided to drop it’s request for a union vote at game studio Proletariat (owned by Activision Blizzard), claiming the CEO Seth Sivak has made "making a free and fair election impossible" by using “confrontational tactics” when speaking on the matter with his employees. - Article by PCGamer

Activision Blizzard team management has been forced to use a “Stacked Ranking” system for employee interviews, ensuring they’re reviewed on a bell curve. This ensures there are poorly reviewed or in the terms at Activision Blizzard: “developing” status. Management at Activision Blizzard are speaking out against stacked ranking, claiming it leads to employee sabotage, rearranging of teams to game the stacked ranking system, and creates a toxic work environment. One member of the management team, and Activision Blizzard veteran Brian Birmingham has recently gone to Twitter to give his version of events, including a history of the company leading up to this new ranking system. Brian Birmingham has been terminated while vocally protesting the system. - Articles by Kotaku, PC Gamer, and WoWHead

The XBOX & Bethesda Developer_Direct has come and gone. What it left behind is several games, and new content for existing games! The showcase gave us Minecraft Legends, new Forza Motorsport, Hi-Fi Rush, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrum (new content for ESO), and a real good look at long-awaited Redfall!

Minecraft Legends - Discover the mysteries of Minecraft Legends, a new action strategy game. Explore a gentle land of rich resources and lush biomes on the brink of destruction. The ravaging piglins have arrived, and it’s up to you to inspire your allies and lead them in strategic battles to save the Overworld! - (Mojang Studios, Blackbird Interactive, April 18th, 2023)

Forza Motorsport - Automotive entertainment re-imagined for a new generation. - (Xbox Game Studios, 2023) 

Hi-Fi RUSH - Feel the beat as wannabe rockstar Chai and his ragtag team fight against an evil megacorp with raucous rhythm combat! From Tango Gameworks comes Hi-Fi RUSH, an all-new action game where the world syncs to the music. - (Tango Gameworks, Available Now)

The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom - Traverse the Telvanni Peninsula in Morrowind and preserve secrets ascribed to the unfathomable realms of Apocrypha. Unlock the runic power of a brand-new class - the Arcanist - and fight to uphold reality itself. - (ZeniMax Online Studios, June 5th 2023)

Redfall - The town of Redfall is under siege by a legion of vampires who have cut the island off from the outside world. Trapped with a handful of survivors, slay alone or squad up in open-world FPS action. - (Arkane Austin, May 1st 2023)

The Xbox is now “woke” according to Fox News show Fox and Friends, and Texas state senator Ted Cruz. What a shit-show. - Article by VICE