Axiom Verge 2 is almost a sequel in name only. It's still a metroidvania, and there are a couple of minor similarities between developer Thomas Happ's latest game and its 2015 predecessor, but these are minor aspects when compared to everything that's new and divergent about this unexpected sequel. Considering how revered the first Axiom Verge was as an affectionate homage to Metroid, presenting something that's vastly different is a surprising approach when building on those original foundations would have been more than enough for most. Instead, Axiom Verge 2 is a bold, daring, and ambitious sequel that falters in a few select areas.One such area is the game's story, which starts much like the first game, as our human protagonist is transported to a bizarre alien world. This time around, you play as billionaire CEO Indra Chaudhari, who ventures into an Antarctic research base--and eventually another reality--in search of her missing daughter. This clear-cut story thread does just enough to keep the 10-hour adventure ticking along, but everything around it is coated in the kind of jargon-heavy lore that can only be fleshed out by finding all of the notes hidden throughout the game world. Reading each of these abandoned jottings does fill in some of the blanks left by the frugal narrative, but they're mostly so dense with impenetrable technobabble that it isn't worth seeking them out.Fortunately, the narrative mostly takes a backseat to your exploration of its labyrinthian map. While your journey begins in the snowy tundra of the Antarctic, the adventure eventually takes you through several distinct biomes, such as an arid desert and flooded temple, that marks a clear departure from the subterranean expanse of the first game. These are detailed environments, too, with a sense of scale that extends far beyond the 2D foreground, with snow-capped mountain ranges and verdant forests stretching out into the horizon. If the first game was inspired by the "Metroid" part of the genre's namesake, then Axiom Verge 2 leans more heavily into the "Vania" side of the equation, swapping out the dark confines of its underground maze for a more spacious and detailed environment.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The democratization of music production has meant that just about anybody can make music from their personal computer. As a result, there's a lot of great music coming out from people who wouldn't have been able to create anything 10 years ago.That said, whatever personal DAW (digital audio workstation) you choose as your preference, you'll need to use plugins in order to procure certain sounds that you'll need for your music. The Complete 2021 Synth & Sound Software Bundle from Applied Acoustics sets you off immediately with a collection of 10 software kits that include psychoacoustic effects, piano tones, strumming patterns, sound effects, arrangements, and more.Specifically, you'll get the Objeq Delay filter, which grants effects ranging from echoes to modulations to loops. On top of that, the bundle includes a variety of arpeggiators from composer David Kristian, a collection of folk loops from Celine Dion's keyboardist, and a bunch of other stuff that, in total, almost completely encompasses every possible preset or filter you could ever want for creating your own music. You can go through the different plugins yourself, but suffice it to say that musicians have raved about the different features included here. Whether you are an accomplished musician, like many of the contributors to this bundle are, or a novice beginner who is looking to dip your toes into an ocean of different DAW software, there's something of value for everyone who purchases this expansive bundle.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

At long last, Arcade1Up is putting its The Simpsons arcade game cabinet up for preorder on August 16. The previously announced cabinet was first revealed during E3, though it was unclear when it would actually be available for purchase after briefly disappearing from the company's website. Now, finally, you'll have the chance to get your own. What's more, we've already had our hands on a prototype version. I had the opportunity to play an early take on the new Simpsons cabinet to get an idea of what to expect from Arcade1Up's next release, and came away largely impressed.First and foremost, it's important to note again that this prototype of the Simpsons cabinet was unfinished. The artwork, which you can see in the photos below, has not been finalized, and the cabinet's final shape has slightly changed. This particular cabinet did not include the Wi-Fi functionality or the second included game. The only playable game was the classic Simpsons arcade title, which took me roughly 38 minutes to complete in a single-player game.If you've ever owned or played an Arcade1Up game, you have some idea of what to expect. These are smaller versions of the classic arcade cabinets you know and love--roughly 75% of their original size--giving you the chance to build a home arcade without spending thousands of dollars on the machines you covet and without taking up quite as much space in your home as full-sized arcade machines would.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Back in K-12, Pokemon was the most popular game there was. We would rush home from school as fast as we could and try to level up our Pokemon as much as possible so that we could brag to our classmates the very next day. But there was one kid who always had the highest level Pokemon every single time, and none of us could ever keep up. That kid was always coy, but it turns out they were using cheats!Who else knew "that kid"? Who wouldn't be annoyed knowing we had had no chance to keep up? But looking back, those kids saved hours every day of grinding the most boring aspects of the game and only focused on what they enjoyed most. And today, you can do it too with a lifetime subscription to Cheat Happens .Cheat Happens will give you the best and most recent PC game cheat codes. Unlike websites that just compile tips from different users, Cheat Happens employs programmers whose jobs are to find the best exploits to help you with your game. As a premium user, you get access to the whole host of this information for over 6,000 different PC games, in addition to all of the trainers and cheats from in-house specialists (numbering over 27,000) you could ever want. There is also a forum where users can discuss new cheats and strategies, with an average of 170 new cheats a month for games both new and old.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

QuakeCon 2021 kicks off later this month, and amongst the numerous panels dedicated to Deathloop, Fallout 76, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Doom, the convention's namesake will also have some time in the spotlight with a "revitalized" edition of the game possibly being shown off. For the Saturday morning Let's Talk Quake panel, developers Id Software and MachineGames will share the stage to talk about the classic first-person shooter.As spotted by PC Gamer, the original listing for the panel referenced some sort of update for the 1996 game."Quake is back, in this special stream John Linneman from Digital Foundry talks to Jerk Gustafsson of Machine Games about the title's iconic legacy and what it meant to both of them." the panel description read before it was altered. "The pair will also discuss the additional content Machine Games have contributed to this revitalized edition."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Actor Roger Clark, who plays Arthur Morgan in Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption II, has responded to a rumor that he'll appear in the next Call of Duty game.In late July, Clark posted a photo of himself from an upcoming project on Instagram that showed the actor dressed in period clothing and wielding a rifle. Based on this image, people wondered if he was teasing an appearance in the next Call of Duty game, which is believed to be the World War II title Vanguard from Sledgehammer Games. But the tease is for an upcoming World War I horror movie, not any game."No guys, this was for an upcoming feature. A WWI horror," he said. "In the post I said how nice it was to get in front of the camera again. Gaming studios don't usually go for filming on set, in costume. Honored you’re interested in me do something like that though, cheers."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Ubisoft has introduced a new operator in Rainbow Six Siege: Anja “Osa” Janković. She has an impressive set of skills, being trained in electromechanics, military engineering, and robotics. Osa founded her university's R&D department called "Quantum concepts & Robotics", and was subsequently recruited into the private military company Nighthaven right upon graduating. Osa helped create Nighthaven's technology and prototypes.In the trailer, she's interestingly billed as an attack-oriented operator, but her shield provides defensive capabilities as well. There's also a little blue robot that Osa keeps around, but it's unclear yet whether it's just for show or if it'll factor into her playstyle.Osa was personally trained in field operations by another operator, Kali. They both tell each other everything and can be described as best friends and business partners. Osa wields a big clear shield with claws that dig into surfaces, giving extra durability.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Fortnite Minty Legends Pack is set to chill out in the Item Shop this fall, giving players three new skins and 10 total new items bundled together. The Minty Legends Pack releases on November 2 and will also include V-Bucks in the bundle, which has yet to be given a price.The Minty Legends Pack focuses on three in-game skins, and all of them are original characters in the Fortnite universe. One of them is even an alternate look for a popular fan-made skin. Aura, Oro, and Bright Bomber have been reimagined as Fresh Aura, Skellemint Oro, and Minty Bomber respectively. Each character features a new color palette of cool colors such as blue, purple, and glowing green eyes like they just dropped onto the island out of a chewing gum-sponsored Battle Bus.Though the full reveals of the remaining seven items weren't shown off just yet, the accessories were detailed. Along with the three characters come three back blings, three pickaxes, and one wrap. You can see these unnamed accessories in the promo image below. All of this, plus 1,000 V-Bucks will be sold in the Item Shop for a dollar amount--not V-Bucks--starting on November 2.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

With the launch of Call of Duty Season 5, a number of new weapons have been added to the game for use in both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War. The EM2 assault rifle, TEC-9 submachine gun, and cane melee weapon can all be yours for free, but you'll need to put in some time in order to unlock them. Here's how to get your hands on them, what to expect from each, and a look at all of the new weapon blueprints added as part of the Season 5 battle pass.How to unlock EM2EM2Unlocking the EM2 is exceedingly simple: You just need to reach tier 15 of this season's battle pass. This is a free reward, so you don't need to actually purchase the battle pass to gain access to this reward once you hit level 15, though purchasing the battle pass (and gaining the benefit of 10% bonus XP) will help you to reach that milestone more quickly.The EM2 is a full-auto assault rifle, and although its fire rate isn't especially high, it comes equipped with a low-zoom optic by default, meaning you won't need to rely on iron sights when you first start using it.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Activision is pressing ahead with Call of Duty amidst the sexual misconduct and harassment lawsuit against the giant publisher, and the next entry in the series is coming later this year. Ahead of its expected reveal later this month, plenty has already leaked for the new Sledgehammer Games title based on sources and data files that supposedly emerged from Call of Duty code. We're rounding up all the big rumors for this year's game and will continue to update this story as we learn more.The Title -- Call Of Duty: VanguardThe first thing to know is that this year's Call of Duty game is rumored to be called Call of Duty: Vanguard, and that might not be just a placeholder. Modern Warzone, which was among the first sites to report on the new Call of Duty game, said Vanguard might be a placeholder title, but Eurogamer followed up with a story of its own that said Vanguard may be the final title. That being said, Eurogamer acknowledged that plans are subject to change.The Setting And StoryMultiple reports have suggested that Call of Duty: Vanguard takes place in World War II, which is familiar territory for Sledgehammer Games, as it made 2017's Call of Duty: WWII. After many years pushing into the future which each new installment, the series seems to now be heading backwards in time. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the newest entry in the series, took place in the year 1984. The multiplayer battle royale spin-off Warzone also ran back the clock with its big Verdansk '84 update. But Vanguard looks to rewind time even further and return to World War II.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The new series American Horror Stories--a spinoff of American Horror Story--is airing its final episode of its first season on August 19 on FX on Hulu. Ahead of the season finale, FX announced it has ordered a second installment of the anthology series.Returning in 2022, American Horror Stories had the most successful to date of any FX on Hulu series, according to a press release. FX did not reveal what exactly "most successful" actually means--as far as viewership goes. The series is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, John J. Gray, and Manny Coto.The season finale airs Thursday, August 19 on Hulu, and the episode is titled "Game Over." It follows a couple who spend the night in a haunted house. The episode is written by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk and directed by Liz Friedlander.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The upcoming Interview with the Vampire TV show has found its Lestat. As reported by Variety, Australian actor Sam Reid will play the iconic vampire in the adaptation of Anne Rice's classic novel.Interview with the Vampire focuses on the ancient vampire Louis, as he tells a writer about his experiences with the fearsome Lestat over the course of several centuries. The role was previously played by Tom Cruise in the 1994 movie adaptation and Stuart Townsend in the 2002 follow-up Queen of the Damned. Reid has appeared in Australian shows such as The Hunting and Lambs of God, as well as movies like The Limehouse Golem and '71.Sam Reid in Prime Suspect 1973Interview with the Vampire will premiere in 2022 and was first announced in June. It will be produced by AMC and will be an 8-episode show. The series will be produced by Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) with Rolin Jones (Perry Mason) as the showrunner and veteran TV director Alan Taylor (The Sopranos, Mad Men) helming the first two episodes. AMC acquired the rights to 18 of Rice's works back in May 2020, which includes the popular Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches series.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

What We Do in the Shadows has been renewed for Season 4. The announcement that the hit vampire comedy will get a fourth season comes ahead of Season 3's premiere next month.What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 will arrive on FX in 2022. In a statement, the network's president of original programming, Nick Grad, said, "Fans can't seem to get enough of What We Do in the Shadows and FX is ready to feed that appetite by setting up the series for a fourth season. Our thanks to the extraordinary job by the creative team, cast, and crew who keep making a great show better each season."The show is based on the 2014 movie of the same title, which was written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. It uses a mockumentary format to document the nocturnal activities of a group of vampires who live together, with the location of the series shifting to Staten Island from the movie's Wellington, New Zealand.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Now that Free Guy is in theaters, moviegoers are seeing what happens when a non-player character named Guy (Ryan Reynolds) becomes self-aware inside of a Grand Theft Auto-like game. The result is a funny and ridiculously over-the-top action movie, filled with dozens of pop culture and video game references. One particular scene, though, was originally going to be very different.Warning: The following contains spoilers for the end of Free Guy. If you haven't seen the movie, turn away now. Instead, check out GameSpot's review of Free Guy.As Guy races to keep Free City from being shut down, he's forced to face off against his ultimate foe, Dude. Dude, also played by Reynolds, is essentially Guy 2.0--he's bigger, he's more powerful, and he has Guy's signature blue shirt tattooed on his chest. However, Antwan's (Taika Waititi) team wasn't done programming Dude, so he's also incredibly stupid.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Free Guy officially opens in theaters today, August 13, and in early previews, the Ryan Reynolds action-comedy has already made $2.2 million at the US box office. The film is currently predicted to earn around $15 million to $18 million from the 4,165 theaters it'll debut on domestically, while some projections estimate as much as $20 million, according to Variety.Free Guy's release will be a notable one, as it's the first Disney movie to have a theatrical-only release in almost a year. A spike in coronavirus Delta variant cases could significantly derail its momentum though, as the increase in infections around the US has had a knock-on effect of audiences being warier of heading back into theaters.The Suicide Squad is a prime example of this, as last week's star-studded DC superhero film only managed to earn $26 million in its first weekend, but it's worth noting that it also had a same-day release on HBO Max.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com