Gamers and developers alike have been very vocal with their displeasure about Microsoft's decision to close down four studios, including Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios. The loss of Tango Gameworks drew a particularly loud outcry because it produced The Evil Within, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and the fan-favorite rhythm-based action game Hi-Fi Rush, which just released last year to widespread acclaim. But despite the fate of the developer that made it, Hi-Fi Rush's physical release is still happening.

Via IGN, Limited Run Games has confirmed on X that its previously announced plans to give Hi-Fi Rush a physical edition are still on.

Did we forget it, though? Unless we say otherwise, Hi-Fi Rush is a go!

— Limited Run Games (@LimitedRunGames) May 9, 2024

Limited Run and Tango Gameworks announced in February that Hi-Fi Rush's physical edition will be available on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Hi-Fi Rush was previously revealed to be one of a handful of former Xbox exclusives coming to other platforms this year.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Exciting new Apple hardware is arriving on May 15, and for creatives looking to upgrade, the Apple Pencil Pro looks like a fun new tool to create some art with. Like previous versions, the Apple Pencil Pro is a stylus that can be used to take notes, play games, and illustrate. For this model, it can sense when it's being squeezed and will bring up new tool palettes to help you quickly switch between functions like line weights and colors. All of this sounds quite cool, but the new Apple Pencil Pro, which is up for preorder for $129 at Amazon and Best Buy, will only work on the new iPads. There is some good news for iPad owners who don't want to upgrade just yet: You can get nice discounts on the "old" Apple Pencils.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy

Apple Pencil deals

Make sure to confirm compatibility with your iPad model before you buy. Supported devices are on each Amazon listing.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Preorder Master Detective Archives: Rain Code+ Standard Edition

$60

Preorder at Amazon

Preorder Master Detective Archives: Rain Code+ Digital Deluxe Edition

$70

Preorder on PS5

Preorder Master Detective Archives: Rain Code+ Lucid Noir Limited Edition

$100

Preorder at Amazon

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code - Nintendo Switch

$55.50 (was $60)

See at Amazon

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Mysteriful Limited Edition - Nintendo Switch

$110

See at Best Buy

Spike Chunsoft's detective adventure game Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is making the jump from Nintendo Switch to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam with a new Master Detective Archives: Rain Code+ version on October 1. Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus will include the base game plus all five DLC packs from the Switch version, a new gallery mode, and performance enhancements like quicker load times, upgraded graphics, and 4K support. Preorders for the game are available now in standard and limited editions, and the first printing of the PS5 version comes with a special tie-in novel.

Let's go over all the versions of Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus available for preorder and where you can purchase them.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Microsoft's announcement that it's shutting down Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks has been a major bummer for fans of imaginative, interesting games. While it won't help save Arkane Austin from the ax, Fanatical's Build Your Own Trinity Bundle - Immortal Edition at least gives you a chance to try Prey if you haven't, at a serious discount. The bundle also includes a few other standout experiences, including Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and intense souls-like Mortal Shell, and you can snag all of them and more for as little as $1.50 per game.

Build your bundle at Fanatical

The Trinity Bundle - Immortal Edition has three different price tiers. If you grab three games, you'll pay $5, while buying seven games will cost you $10, or $1.43 apiece.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place "many generations" after the last movie--we're talking hundreds of years here--and so it gets to establish a new franchise status quo for how things are going on Earth. We learn about the new way of things through the eyes of Noa, a small-town chimp from the "Eagle Clan." This young ape is thrust into a much larger world than he ever knew existed after a brief encounter with a human leads to an armed group of masked apes invading his village and killing or kidnapping everyone in the name of Caesar.

Noa, left for dead, barely manages to survive and sets out on his rescue mission--and he meets and is forced to team up with an orangutan named Raka, who tells Noa about the real Caesar from the past, and that human from earlier, a young woman named Mae. Mae is a rare human who can talk, it turns out, and her people were also killed by those masked apes.

The bad apes belong to the forces of Proximus Caesar, a would-be king who's trying to break into an old human vault that he thinks holds the key to further ape evolution--he's been kidnapping other apes so he can use them to try to force open the massive vault door, but he's not having any luck on that front. But Mae's got a big secret that will make her a major wild card during this conflict. But before we go on from here, a warning.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

You've got a trip coming up, one that's estimated to be just long enough to enjoy a comic book/graphic novel in. While a trade paperback isn't difficult to carry around, it can be a tad cumbersome, and that's where this new line of "Compact Comics" comes in. Published by DC Comics, these are 5.5" x 8.5" paperbacks--about the size of a mass market paperback novel--that pull some of the best and most iconic stories from the publisher's vast library.

DC originally unveiled the Compact Comics line last year, and the first batch of pocketable graphic novels, Watchmen and Batman: The Court of Owls, will finally hit shelves in a few weeks. Best of all, each book retails for only $10, which makes it easier to not worry about bending or tearing pages on the go. Each book is friendly to first-time readers, as they all tell self-contained stories. All 10 of the graphic novels in DC's Compact Comics series for 2024 are available to preorder now at Amazon.

DC Compact Comics - $10 eachDC Compact Comics

June 4, 2024

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Persona fans have been eating well lately, and if you're looking to get your hands on a limited edition of one of the best games in the series, you can check out this Persona 3 Reload deal at Amazon. Normally $200, the Persona 3 Reload Aigis Edition (collector's edition) for Xbox is down to $144, but you won't want to wait too long because this special is for a limited time only--Amazon is using its Lightning Deal percent-claimed meter. While the Amazon listing only mentions Xbox Series X, this is one of the many Xbox games that comes with both the Series X and Xbox One versions of the game.

Get deal at Amazon

Persona 3 Reload Collector's Edition

Persona 3 Reload's collector's edition comes with the base game, an art book, the Persona 3 Reload soundtrack on CD across two discs, a DLC voucher for extra in-game goodies, and most importantly of all, a collectible figure of Aigis. An Anti-Shadow suppression weapon--and seemingly the last one in existence--this powerful machine gradually awakens to human emotions throughout the course of the game.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Drugs have always been a key pillar of the GTA franchise. Rockstar is leaning into them again because, with this week's update in GTA Online, players can consume peyote plants. This will temporarily transform them into killer whales, tiger sharks, dolphins, stingrays, hammerhead sharks, or fish.

It's also worth mentioning that the peyote plants aren't new to the game. In the past, these plants transformed players into various animals, some of which included chickens, Chop the Dog, and even Bigfoot.

Below, you'll find everything included in this week's update for GTA Online.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

We're less than halfway through 2024, and it's already been a great year for Metroidvania fans and Steam Deck owners. If you want a few games on deck to play after Animal Well, Humble's Metroidvania Mania bundle lets you grab as many as seven great metroidvanias for as little as $14. All seven games are Steam Deck-verified, so you'll have no problem unlocking new abilities and charting deeper reaches on the go.

See on Humble

The Metroidvania Mania bundle comes with seven excellent games that all take after the genre's namesakes, the Metroid and Castlevania series--in particular, Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The gist is usually the same, as you adventure around a vast map, defeating bosses and collecting abilities that let you then find your way into new areas you couldn't previously reach. Each game has its own specific and unique take on the idea, though, providing plenty of reasons to keep going back. And as is common in the genre, secrets abound in each, which will scratch your itch to explore and uncover everything each game has to offer.

The headliner in the bundle is Axiom Verge, a 2015 retro title that wears its old-school Metroid inspirations on its sleeve. There's a lot of blasting aliens and glitching through the environment, as well as weapons that'll remind you of both Metroid and games like the Mega Man series. If you pay enough, you can also nab its sequel, Axiom Verge 2, along with a bunch of other games.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Hades 2 stars Melinoe, the Princess of the Underworld. After the events of the first game, the mad titan, Chronos, has managed to take control of death's domain. Now, it's up to Melinoe to find out what has happened to her family. This leads to countless challenging encounters, where failure only means that you get to prepare for your next run. Here's our Hades 2 guides hub to aid you on your journey.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Hades 2 guides hub
  • Starter guides, weapons, and unlockable perks
  Hades 2 guides hubStarter guides, weapons, and unlockable perks

  Beginner's guide - We've got several tips to keep Melinoe alive. The deeper you delve into these dungeons, the more difficult the encounters.

  Healing and maximum HP - You need to increase Melinoe's health if you want her to survive all the way to the very end of each subsequent run.

  Continue Reading at GameSpot

Dune: Part Two is one of the best movies of 2024 so far, earning critical acclaim and raking in millions at the box office. And now, you can see both Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two from a different perspective, thanks to Dune: Exposures--a hardcover book written by Josh Brolin. The book features photography from cinematographer Greig Fraser, and it provides readers with a behind-the-scenes look at the two popular films. Side note: If you haven't preordered your copy of Dune: Part Two on Blu-ray yet ahead of its May 14 release, you can snag the limited-edition 4K steelbook edition at Amazon.

Dune: Exposures $47 (was $60)

Dune: Exposures is a 172-page hardcover volume that's filled with exclusive content. It consists of written commentary by Brolin along with gorgeous photography by Fraser. Many of the images capture off-camera moments with key cast members, such as Timotheée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and more.

See deal at Amazon

The book is gorgeous, with a minimalist, abstract cover design and vibrant images on every page. This is the first big discount we've seen on Dune: Exposures since its release back in February.

This isn't the only great Dune book available at a discount. Most notably, you can buy The Art and Soul of Dune: Part Two, a recently released hardcover art book, for $44 (was $60). If you want to look back at the first movie, Dune Part One: The Photography is nearly 50% off at Amazon.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Behavior Interactive and 505 Games, the team and publishers behind the asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight, have announced a collaboration with Wizards of the Coast. Though it hasn't been confirmed, it looks like the team-up will bring one of Dungeons & Dragons' monsters to Dead by Daylight.

The announcement came from a video posted to the official Dead by Daylight X/Twitter account. The post reads:

"Listen closely to the voice in the darkness…"

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Fantastic Four is still over a year away from hitting theaters, but the cast is coming together quickly. Now, the latest addition to the cast is veteran actor John Malkovich. Details about Malkovich's role were not included in the initial report, but he does have a strong physical resemblance to long-time Fantastic Four foe Philip Masters, who is better known as the Puppet Master.

Deadline was the first outlet to break the story of Malkovich's casting. 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Malkovich's first major role in a feature film in Places in the Heart. He's appeared in numerous movies over the past four decades, including villainous roles in Con Air, In the Line of Fire, Dangerous Liaisons, and Mindcage. Some of Malkovich's other well-known films include The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Killing Fields, and Being John Malkovich.

Earlier this year, Pedro Pascal was confirmed as Marvel's choice for Mr. Fantastic alongside Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach the Thing. More recently, Julia Garner was cast as Shalla-Bal, who will be the MCU's Silver Surfer. Paul Walter Hauser has also been cast in a currently unknown role.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When The Final Shape expansion hits Destiny 2 on June 4, it's bringing a lot of new loadout mechanics that will let players combine different aspects of the character classes they've been using for years with the new Prismatic subclass. Going along with Prismatic is a new slate of Exotic armors in the class item slot that also play up the theme of combining old things into something new, and they're going to be worth chasing as you explore the Pale Heart of the Traveler.

Bungie spent a big chunk of its latest This Week in Destiny blog post detailing how these new Exotic class items will work in The Final Shape. The quick and dirty explanation is that each new class item can carry two different Exotic perks, which are slightly adjusted versions of the perks you can get from existing Exotic armor pieces that are already in the game. The two perks are randomly assigned, however, so you'll likely need to farm for the perfect combination for each type of character.

The armor pieces are meant to function in a similar way to Prismatic, which combines elements from multiple existing subclasses, giving you the opportunity to use abilities and buffs together that you previously couldn't. The class Exotics work the same way, allowing you to make use of perks that previously would have been specific to certain subclasses. Bungie also said that it included some perks that are meant to function specifically with Prismatic elements and Aspects.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Jason Voorhees hasn't killed anyone on screen since the Friday the 13th reboot film in 2009. And it looks like Jason's going to have to keep waiting before picking up a machete again. Showrunner Bryan Fuller has announced that he has departed the Friday the 13th prequel series that was set up at Peacock by A24.

"Adapting classic horror is something I have some experience with," wrote Fuller on X. "These shows require a vision that elevates and transforms, as well as delivers what audiences have come to expect, which is an ambitious and risky endeavor. It requires people to take the leap with me. When it works, as with Hannibal, the results can be powerful for the storytellers and the audience. I couldn't be more proud of the work my co-showrunner Jim Danger Gray and I were able to accomplish with our brilliant writing staff despite the challenges we faced."

"For reasons beyond our control, A24 has elected to go a different way with the material," continued Fuller. "We hope the final product will be something Friday the 13th fans all over the world will enjoy."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Streaming juggernaut Netflix is teaming up with Roblox to launch its own digital theme park of sorts called Nextworld. The web-based universe will feature characters and content from original Netflix shows and movies like Stranger Things, the live-action One Piece, Cobra Kai, and Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon. The offering debuts in early access starting today.

"Once you enter Nextworld--which is your central hub in the Netflix universe--you can dive deeper into the series and films you love," Netflix wrote. "Immersive games like Stranger Things: Escape from Hawkins High, One Piece: East Blue Brawls, and Rebel Moon: Outskirts Battles will connect you with your favorite characters in a whole new way."

Netflix explained that characters like Dustin from Stranger Things, Luffy from One Piece, and Jimmy from Rebel Moon will serve as guardians of their respective worlds. Some of them might even guide you through your quests, with more characters to be discovered.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Gaming storefronts can be a wild place, and it seems that some publishers are taking advantage of the way the Nintendo Switch eShop works to get eyes on their games. A Twitter/X user posted footage that shows that the same game has been released dozens of times under different names, presumably to show up under the "New Releases" section.

New(?) trend I noticed on the Switch shop is that companies will release the same game over and over again to keep them in the new release section. Here is Sport & Fun. Switch shop is an absolute mess. pic.twitter.com/hj2L4PdnpJ

— Philip Summers (@heyphilsummers) May 6, 2024

Graphic designer Philip Summers posted a video to Twitter that appeared to show that publishers like Red Deer Games have released games like Sport & Fun: Swimming dozens of times in different bundles, using names like "Ultra Premium," "Ultra Deluxe," and "Amazing Edition" to make each release seem unique. Summers added that the newest version of the game will be on sale for very discounted price (in this example, $2) in order to get into the eShop's sale list.

In general, gaming storefronts have struggled to keep up with the onslaught of new games coming out every day, with Steam instituting the Curator system years ago in order to try to bring some order to the chaos. However, given that sections like sales and new releases are relatively easy to manipulate by publishers, it's up to the platform-holders to crack down on this if they ever want it to stop.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

This month's new Mad Max movie, the prequel Furiosa, will feature a cameo from the character Max Rockatansky, but he's not played by his most recent actor, Tom Hardy. Director George Miller told ScreenRant that Hardy's stunt double from Fury Road, Jacob Tomuri, is stepping in to play the role in Furiosa instead of Hardy.

"It was Jacob Tomuri, who was Tom Hardy's double. He also did some other stunts. He's a New Zealand stuntman, and he was doing some other stunts on the film, and I thought, 'Who better?' Miller said.

Hardy's Max was a main character in Fury Road. Furiosa is a prequel that focuses on a younger version of Furiosa, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing the part after Charlize Theron portrayed her in Fury Road. Given that Max only has a small cameo role in Furiosa, it seems likely Max isn't a central part of the story, but it's still cool to know he will show up anyway.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Lord of the Rings fans will have to wait until 2026 before they can get their next franchise film, The Hunt for Gollum, but the name has already been applied to a couple of things within LOTR: an expansion set for The Lord of The Rings: The Card Game, and a beloved fan film from 2009--which you can watch now!

The Hunt for Gollum is based on the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings centering around Gandalf the Grey sending Aragorn to find Gollum, fearing the creature may reveal information to Sauron about the location of the One Ring. Check it out below.

The film was shot in high-definition video, with a budget of $5,000, or $3,000 GBP. The production is completely unofficial and unauthorized, though director Chris Bouchard said he had "reached an understanding" with Tolkien Enterprises in 2009. The formal disclaimer opens the film and acknowledges the situation.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

While many deities want Melinoe to succeed in Hades 2, there's one entity that lurks in the shadows. But if you can manage to survive, you might acquire their powerful blessings. Here's our guide on the best Chaos boons in Hades 2.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Hades 2 Chaos boons guide: How to unlock Primordial Chaos skills and perks
  • Where to find the Realm of Chaos
  Hades 2 Chaos boons guide: How to unlock Primordial Chaos skills and perks

  Primordial Chaos' goal in the game remains unclear, but they're eagerly watching and waiting to see how you fare in your journey. Similar to Artemis, encountering Primordial Chaos during your runs is more than just general randomness.

  Where to find the Realm of Chaos

  The Realm of Chaos is unlikely to be available during your first few runs. You'll probably see it after you've played for a while. Basically, there's a chance that an ornate plate (i.e. one with eerie eyes) spawns in a room with a non-boss encounter. Once you've defeated the enemies, you can unseal this doorway at the cost of some of Melinoe's HP. This takes you to the Realm of Chaos where you can get Chaos boons in Hades 2.

  Continue Reading at GameSpot