blockbuster

the-great-war:-western-front-review:-alternately-compelling-and-exhausting,-which-is-probably-deliberate Rock,Paper,Shotgun

The Great War: Western Front review: alternately compelling and exhausting, which is probably deliberate

I keep alternating between wanting to play more and feeling weary at the prospect. While that might sound bad, it arguably means that it’s balanced an appealing strategic challenge with the grinding theme of trench warfare. The Great War Colon Western Front is about taking the Triple Alliance or Entente through the hell years of 1914-18, or beyond. It’s a purely military game about overcoming massed defences through attrition, both in localised real-time battles, and a turn-based strategic map. It’s perhaps unfair to criticise it for repetition and some intermittent sense of futility, since a First World War game without…

witchfire-gameplay-demonstration-shows-off-the-power-of-spellcraft VG247

Witchfire gameplay demonstration shows off the power of spellcraft

Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. Witchfire, the gothic roguelite first-person shooter from Polish indie developers The Astronauts, was recently shown off during the Future Games Show Spring Showcase. Featuring commentary from senior game designer Karol Krok, the video displays the different types of spellcraft available to witch hunters. These include spells, hexes, and curses which can be used upon enemies. Witchfire gameplay trailer, with commentary, shows off some powerful arcane magic. The wide variety of spellcraft available to the witch hunters is just as important as their arsenal of guns, and…

the-sets-aren’t-ready,-and-the-actors-have-no-eyes:-making-game-trailers Rock,Paper,Shotgun

The sets aren’t ready, and the actors have no eyes: making game trailers

“Imagine someone saying ‘We need you to make a trailer for our movie, but we’ve only got half of the sets and props ready…” says Tim Bevan de Lange, Creative Director at Realtime Nordic, a studio that makes, specifically, video game trailers. “…and we haven’t actually shot anything, so you’ll need to do that yourself. Some of the actors won’t come out of their trailers. One of them will but if you shoot him from the front you realise he’s got no eyes, but don’t show the audience that. It’s not intentional, he’s getting them fixed. Also can you film…

resident-evil-4-remake-sets-concurrent-franchise-record-on-steam VG247

Resident Evil 4 Remake sets concurrent franchise record on Steam

Resident Evil 4 Remake is out today, and even with most people still at work, it is already doing well on Steam. According to SteamDB, Resident Evil 4 Remake has 140,240 concurrent users as of press time, and we expect the number to grow over the weekend. Compared to other Resident Evil games on Steam, the remake has set a new concurrent record compared to the previous holder Resident Evil Village with 106,631 users at its peak. With its release, Resident Evil 4 Remake is one of the top-selling games on Steam in the US at the moment. A remake…

somehow,-the-ultra-violent-winnie-the-pooh-horror-movie-is-clearly-inspired-by-resident-evil-4-–-here’s-proof VG247

Somehow, the ultra-violent Winnie-the-Pooh horror movie is clearly inspired by Resident Evil 4 – here’s proof

As games come back around to influence film, it’s no surprise that Resi has influenced a horror film – but that doesn’t make it any less weird. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey is a roaring carnival of witless bullshit. There are things in this movie which defy any sane classification: simply saying them out loud makes you seem as if you’re confessing to some crime or other. At about 15 separate points during the movie, your mind will whisper ‘can everyone else see this, or have I totally snapped? Am I dead?’. In the Silent Hill 2 remake, when James finds…

lords-of-the-fallen’s-technical-showcase-is-pretty-impressive VG247

Lords of the Fallen’s technical showcase is pretty impressive

During GDC 2023, CI Games studio Hexworks revealed a technical showcase for its dark-fantasy action-RPG Lords of the Fallen as part of Epic’s State of Unreal keynote. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the showcase revealed one of the reboot’s early locations, character customization, adaptable armor, and the Lumen Global Illumination lighting. Lords of the Fallen – State of Unreal Technical Showcase Trailer GDC The demonstration also showed how you can travel to and swap between the two worlds: Axiom, the realm of the living, and Umbral, the realm of the dead. Five times larger than the 2014 original, the game…

destiny-2-hotfix-for-march-23-finally-addresses-one-of-lightfall’s-biggest-problems VG247

Destiny 2 hotfix for March 23 finally addresses one of Lightfall’s biggest problems

Destiny 2 Thresher cannons getting you down in the Master Nightfall? Not for much longer, they’re not. A new hotfix landing in Destiny 2 Lightfall on March 23 is going to address a major issue that’s been causing players grief since the start of the latest expansion’s launch: finally, Cabal Thresher damage output is going to be nerfed. Why is this important? First, a history lesson. With the launch of Lightfall, the Cabal airships got a massive upgrade. Ever since we first stepped foot on Neomuna and started experimenting with Strand powers, the pesky airships began firing missiles that can…

horizon-forbidden-west:-burning-shores-pre-order-bonuses-are-an-outfit-and-bow VG247

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores pre-order bonuses are an outfit and bow

Look cool while running around the place killing baddies. Aloy’s journey continues in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores next month, and you can pre-order the expansion from today. Pre-ordering will net you the Blacktide Dye Outfit and Darktide Sharpshot Bow. Both items can be picked up in-game from respective merchants. Horizon Forbidden West – Burning Shores | Pre-order Trailer – featuring a look at bonus items Out on April 29, the Burning Shores expansion finds the Nora hunter pursuing a sinister threat in the wilds of volcanic Los Angeles, wracked by violent tectonic activity. The story picks up where Horizon…

what-makes-redfall-different-to-other-arkane-games?-it’s-all-comes-down-to-trust VG247

What makes Redfall different to other Arkane games? It’s all comes down to trust

Conversations with friends? No, this isn’t a Sally Rooney novel, but an intriguing mechanic in Arkane’s latest sci-fi romp. One of my favourite ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moments in games comes in Final Fantasy 10, just after you defeat a big machine on a lake of ice near one of the title’s multiple temples. Your party jumps onto snowmobiles – two people per vehicle – and heads towards Macalania Temple to continue its journey. You follow main character Tidus for this part of the game, but who accompanies him on the sled can vary. It can be more or…

destiny-and-john-wick-actor-lance-reddick-has-passed-away,-destiny-2-players-gather-in-game-to-pay-tribute VG247

Destiny and John Wick actor Lance Reddick has passed away, Destiny 2 players gather in-game to pay tribute

You did The Continental proud, sir. Courtesy of Lionsgate Prolific actor Lance Reddick passed away on Friday, March 17, from natural causes at the age of 60. His passing was confirmed to Yahoo News by Mia Hansen, his representative at Portrait PR, who stated he would be “greatly missed.” Destiny 2 – Lance Reddick as Commander Zavala Best known for his role in the John Wick films as Charon, the concierge at The Continental, Reddick starred in many motion pictures and television series. Movies include Angel has Fallen, Godzilla vs King Kong, I Dreamed of Africa, White House Down, and…

half-life-2:-episode-one-vr-fan-mod-is-out-today Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Half-Life 2: Episode One VR fan mod is out today

Back in January, the makers behind the excellent Half-Life 2 VR mod announced they were moving on to making a virtual reality goggle version of Half-Life 2: Episode One – and we now know it will be arriving on Steam later today. What’s more, we also have a release date for their VR mod of Episode Two. That will come next month on April 6th, according to its Steam page. Read more

rps-time-capsule:-the-games-worth-saving-from-2012 Rock,Paper,Shotgun

RPS Time Capsule: the games worth saving from 2012

Welcome to the latest edition of The RPS Time Capsule, where members of the RPS Treehouse each pick one game from a given year to save from extinction while all other games fizzle and die on the big digital griddle in the sky before blinking out of existence. This time, we’re turning our preservation mitts on the year 2012, a year absolutely stacked with some pretty stellar releases. But which ones will make the cut and be safely ensconced inside our cosy capsule for future generations? Come on down to find out. Read more

resident-evil-4-remake-review:-a-bolder,-leon-hearted-version-of-a-classic,-refined-in-every-way VG247

Resident Evil 4 Remake review: A bolder, Leon-hearted version of a classic, refined in every way

“This time, it can be different.” And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than OK. Resident Evil 4 Remake has finally caught up with Leon. Just as the Resi 4 protagonist is all grown up when we first see him in the 2005 original, Capcom has finally made a game that reflects how much he’s matured – but that doesn’t mean the camp nature of the original cult classic is lost; it’s merely evolved to be more in line with the series’ tone. The original Resident Evil 4 nudged the series down a more action-oriented path, and after teasing the…

resident-evil-4-remake-review:-an-exceptional-return-to-one-of-the-greatest-action-games-of-all-time Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Resident Evil 4 remake review: an exceptional return to one of the greatest action games of all time

In the run-up to its original 2005 release, Capcom was refreshingly – and publicly – clear about their intentions for Resident Evil 4. Feeling that the classic top-down formula that had seen the series thrive during the 90s had grown stale, this follow-up was to be a total reinvention of survival horror as a concept. Something fresh. Dynamic. Exciting. The slate was wiped completely clean, and from that blank canvas, something exceptional was created. A game that not only redefined the franchise, but third-person action games as a whole. For eighteen tumultuous years, Capcom has tried to surpass the success…

stranger-of-paradise:-final-fantasy-origin-heads-to-steam-next-month VG247

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin heads to Steam next month

Take the fight to Chaos on Steam. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is heading to Steam. The Team Ninja developed dark fantsy game will arrive on the service on April 6. It is already available through the Epic Games Store. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin | The Journey Ends – trailer The 2022 action RPG is set in the Final Fantasy universe and is a prequel to Square Enix’s original Final Fantasy on the NES. Set in an alternate timeframe, it follows characters foretold as the Warriors of Light, who set out to destroy Chaos. In the game,…