Death positivity--a movement that encourages people to openly acknowledge and normalize the traditionally taboo topics of dying and grief--is a relatively new subject for video game narratives, though it has been popularized through indie titles like A Mortician's Tale and What Remains of Edith Finch. Necrobarista joins that conversation but with a more hands-off approach, telling the player a story that revolves around the themes of death as opposed to letting players be a part of the narrative. Ultimately, this is to the game's detriment, but Necrobarista still manages to deliver a genuinely moving character-driven narrative about coming to terms with death, whether it's that of a loved one or our own.As it's a visual novel, there's not much in terms of gameplay when it comes to Necrobarista. Your primary means of understanding its world is by reading its story, which is told in a slice-of-life format that provides a quick snippet of the daily goings-on inside a Melbourne-based cafe called Terminal over the course of several days. Terminal exists on an in-between plane (it's technically a part of the living world but it exists as a potential stopping point before the afterlife), allowing both the living and the dead to wander through its doors. The dead are only permitted to stay 24 hours before Terminal staff must encourage them to move on to the afterlife--whether that's heaven, hell, or something else entirely is unknown as no one has ever come back from it. The dead who stay longer than 24 hours begin upsetting the balance of the universe, which runs up a tab that the cafe has to then pay off. At the start of Necrobarista, the cafe has recently been passed down from immortal necromancer Chay to his protege, Maddy, along with several centuries' worth of debt.An assertive, sarcastic, and loud-mouthed necromancer with no patience for customers who want extravagant coffee orders, Maddy is the immediate star of Necrobarista's story. Necrobarista ditches the traditional 2D-style of most visual novels for a 3D cinematic presentation with clear anime aesthetics, allowing the visual novel to instill a great deal of nuance into each character's movements and facial expressions. Even without any spoken dialogue, you get a good sense of who a person is and how they would sound within seconds of meeting them, and Maddy is the best example--she pulls off a variety of expressions that convey a mixture of snark, disdain, and coy playfulness. This is clearly a young woman who's very intelligent and driven and doesn't enjoy suffering some of the idiots she's forced to serve.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The rocket launcher is one of the most recognizable weapons in multiplayer shooters. From Quake to Team Fortress, its function as a weapon morphed into an alternative means of traversal, with the risk of a self-inflicted death and the reward of superior map positioning enticing players to become proficient at rocket jumping. In Rocket Arena, both the rocket launcher and rocket jumping are core to the action. But without suitably satisfying shooting and the mitigation of all the rewards associated with its core mechanic, Rocket Arena lacks a compelling and lasting appeal.Rocket Arena features a roster of 10 playable characters, each equipped with their own version of a rocket launcher and some auxiliary abilities. The variations go from basic, such as Jayto's straight-shooting launcher and multi-missile secondary attack, to complicated, like Kayi's ability to speed up friendly rockets and slow down enemy ones. Whether you settle on the lobbed rockets of space pirate Blastbeard or the trickster abilities of mage Mysteen, Rocket Arena's characters all feature enough mechanical variety to make them stand out from each other despite all featuring the same type of main weapon. Their cartoonish designs and bursting costume colors look great, but their uninteresting backstories and few voice-lines limit the extent of their personalities.These weapon and ability differences feed into the 3v3 team play in each of Rocket Arena's competitive modes. A team cannot feature duplicates of a character, so you're encouraged to work around the selections of your teammates. Although the very brief and basic tutorial doesn't teach you about it, attacks can be combined between characters to form more powerful combos. Ability effects can be transferred onto rockets fired by teammates, for example, but attempting to coordinate both the timing and positioning for such a move is often not worth the payoff.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

During Double Fine's Day of the Devs Developer Showcase, developer The Game Kitchen announced that Blasphemous will get a new expansion this August called The Stir of Dawn that adds a bunch of stuff. Available for free on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, the DLC includes a New Game Plus mode, more bosses and enemies, new storylines, quality-of-life improvements, and much more.The Stir of Dawn arrives on August 4 on all platforms. Many of the game's additions are locked behind the New Game Plus mode called True Calvary. This mode, available to those who finish the main campaign, will allow players to run through the storyline again on a much higher difficulty while retaining all previously unlocked items and skills. There's a new, optional Penitence System that, after activating one of three available Penitences, permanently modifies your Blasphemous playthrough with adjustments to things like damage and health.You can check out the reveal trailer below.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Smite, third-person MOBA, has announced the Japanese god of the moon Tsukuyomi will be coming to the game in August 2020. Tsukuyomi is the 111th playable character to be added to the game and the 7th god in the Japanese pantheon.The trailer announcing Tsukuyomi shows him facing off against his sister Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. More information about Tsukuyomi will be announced during the Smite Update show on July 22.Tsukuyomi is a ruthless perfectionist, demanding order and obedience from those who oppose him. His conflict with Amaterasu runs deeper than a grudge, as neither deity is willing to yield to the other.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

New Releases is here to highlight some of the top new games launching each week, and this episode features some indies you shouldn't let slip under your radar, like the 8-bit Panzer Paladin, the bloody Carrion, and the snow-covered Roki. Nintendo Switch also proves its power with Crysis Remastered, and Dying Light gets its new Hellraid DLC.Panzer Paladin -- July 21Available on: PC, SwitchThis platformer puts you in control of Flame. The little pilot can take on the game's 17 stages himself or hop into his mech suit to really bring the heat. While in the suit, you can steal weapons from enemies and turn them against your foes, or snap the weapons in half to unleash powerful magic. There are more than 100 of them to wield.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The tactical hero shooter Rogue Company is now live in Early Access on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch via the Epic Games Store. Described as a "closed beta" by publisher Hi-Rez Studios, players must purchase access to the game in the form of a Founder's Pack, which starts at $15 and includes a variety of cosmetic items. The store page also notes that the game will go free-to-play at a later date, presumably at the end of the closed beta.Like Valorant and Overwatch before it, Rogue Company's array of heroes--here termed "Rogues"--each offer a different set of skills that help them fill distinct roles in a fireteam. Based on early footage, Rogue Company allows players to customize their kit more than other games in the genre, particularly in the form of offensive and defensive gadgets that can make the difference between victory and defeat.Rogue Company was also shown off in today's Nintendo Direct Mini, with gameplay footage focusing on hacker hero Glitch. The $15 Starter Founder's Pack only grants access to some of the game's Rogues, with the $30 Standard Founder's Pack including six extra characters. Given the stiff level of competition in the hero shooter genre, it remains to be seen if Rogue Company can find an audience. However, publisher Hi-Rez Studios previously managed to carve out a niche with their successful MOBA Smite, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility.Info from Gamespot.com

If you didn't pick up Paper Mario: The Origami King during its release weekend, you can snag it for a discount right now at Ebay. Brand-new copies of the Nintendo Switch exclusive are available for $52, but a limited quantity are available, so you'll probably want to act fast. The deal comes from reputable seller nationwidedistributors and has free shipping guaranteed by July 25 as well as a money-back guarantee.Paper Mario: The Origami King deal Paper Mario: The Origami King $52 at Ebay It's worth noting that you can get Paper Mario: The Origami King for just $50 at Walmart, but it's an in-store only promotion. That makes this Ebay deal the best if you don't feel like visiting your local Walmart. Considering that Nintendo exclusives are often sold for full price even years after they release, seeing an online deal for one right after launch is fairly rare. Plus, we doubt it'll drop below $50 anytime soon.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Director Christopher Nolan's Tent has just been officially delayed again--indefinitely, for now--according to a statement from Warner Bros. Chairman Toby Emmerich. Nolan's latest movie has recently garnered more attention for its release status than its story (which still remains a mystery). The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on July 17, and was subsequently pushed back twice to August 12 due to concerns over COVID-19 safety and audiences gathering in movie theaters. As of this writing, there is no new tentative release date, but one is forthcoming.In the statement, Emmerich said, "We are not treating Tenet like a traditional global day-and-date release, and our upcoming marketing and distribution plans will reflect that… We will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet, Christopher Nolan's wholly original and mind-blowing feature. Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to proliferate, causing us to re-evaluate our release dates."Nolan, a staunch advocate for film as a medium meant to be experienced on the big screen, has not yet released a statement. Variety is speculating that since theaters overseas have already begun to re-open, it is possible the movie could launch internationally before a domestic release.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Streaming is much bigger than just video games, as platforms like Twitch continue to remind us. Today, the streaming platform announced that it's signed an exclusive deal with Logic, a writer and rapper who has released five studio albums, including his acclaimed 2014 debut Under Pressure.The press release calls the Logic Twitch's "first official music partner," which seems like an odd title, especially since the Grammy-nominated rapper recently announced his "retirement" from music, claiming that his upcoming sixth album No Pressure will be his last due to the recent birth of his child. According to an interview with the Verge, the deal was worth seven figures, and Logic has been an active Twitch user since 2015 or 2016.Given the global lack of live music due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Twitch seems like a logical platform for musicians to congregate on. The company's new Twitch Music initiative is designed to attract popular artists to the service, and it recently began a new effort to delete clips that contain copyrighted music, much to the chagrin of streamers. Rapper and crooner Drake gave streaming one of its first mainstream moments when he joined Ninja to play a few rounds of Fortnite back in 2018. Fortnite itself has provided a platform for live music as well, with Travis Scott, Diplo, and Young Thug performing interactive concerts on the battle royale game's famous island.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

A gaming monitor is a must-have for PC gaming, but thanks to its low response time, it's also a great option for console gaming. If you're in the market for a PC monitor, then Staples has a fantastic deal on one. Staples is discounting an AOC 27-inch IPS gaming monitor for $100 with promo code 88147. It's also eligible for free next-day shipping if you order it soon.This AOC monitor comes equipped with a 27-inch, 1080p display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It only has one HDMI port and one VGA port, however, so if you're looking to plug multiple things into this monitor, your options are limited. You can solve this by buying an HDMI multiport that increases the number of HDMI ports you have access to. You'll also want to snag an HDMI cable as this monitor only comes with a cable for the VGA port. AOC 27-inch 1080p, 60Hz monitor$100 ($180) with promo code 88147Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Dying Light's Hellraid DLC has been delayed to August, only three days before it was supposed to release. The DLC based off an unreleased Techland game has been bumped from July 23 to August 13 for PC and August 14 for consoles.In a tweet, developer Techland announced the new release date, saying it wanted to implement suggestions from its recent beta.Hellraid has had a tumultuous development, with the original Hellraid game being previously announced to release in 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC before being bumped to 2014 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game was officially put on hold in January 2015, later to be folded into DLC for Techland's Dying Light.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sea of Thieves' launch wasn't the smoothest back in March 2018, but it's since managed to lure in many players with its high seas hijinks. According to a recent blog post, the pirating adventure has notched over 15 million players in over two years, and June 2020 was its biggest month ever, with more than 3.3 million players walking the plank. The game has also sold more than a million copies on Steam.In a previous blog post back in January celebrating 10 million players, an executive producer at Rare called Sea of Thieves Microsoft's most successful new IP of the Xbox One generation. A recent update added ghastly ghost ships to the game, along with more shanties and a new special event that challenges players to sink Captain Flameheart's flagship, the Burning Blade.While initial reviews of Sea of Thieves were muted, the game has improved quite a lot over its two year lifespan. In GameSpot's Sea of Thieves re-review, critic Michael Rougeau called the game a voyage worth embarking on. "Since the game's launch over two years ago, Rare has worked continuously to build on Sea of Thieves' strong framework, and the countless features and systems they've added have all enhanced that core, undeniable truth," he wrote. "They still have work to do, and for some players, it will never be enough. But there are open seas and clear skies ahead."Info from Gamespot.com

Ever since Mario Kart Tour released on phones last year, it has only been playable vertically in portrait mode. Nintendo announced today on its mobile YouTube channel that landscape support is coming in a future update. This will give players a wider and more familiar view akin to past Mario Kart titles and addresses a common gripe that some players had.The horizontal view will arrive via a free update for both the Android and iOS versions of the arcade racer on July 21, 2020. Players will be able to choose between the two views, so you can continue using portrait mode if you have come to prefer it. There is also a new control scheme to use for the landscape view called "Left/Right Controls." When enabled, it will allow players to steer their kart with the left side of the screen, while using the right side to use items.The July 21 update brings the latest major change that Nintendo has implemented to the free-to-play mobile game. When it launched in September 2019, it was only playable in single player against computer-controlled opponents. However, an update in March brought in a multiplayer mode that added in the competitive play that the series is best known for. It has also regularly received new characters and karts to unlock and limited-time tours to play that are generally available for half a month.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

PC games store Fanatical is known for offering some pretty sweet game bundles, but its latest offer is a great option for those looking to dive into the Assassin's Creed series ahead of Assassin's Creed Valhalla's release later this year. The Assassin's Creed build-your-own-bundle offer lets you get three games for $10 or five games for $15. The selection of 10 Assassin's Creed games includes a few gems, such as Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed II: Deluxe Edition. Other notable options include Rogue, Freedom Cry, and Brotherhood. You can see the full list of available options below and make your picks at Fanatical.Assassin's Creed IV: Black FlagAssassin's Creed II - Deluxe EditionAssassin's Creed: Freedom CryAssassin's Creed BrotherhoodAssassin's Creed RogueAssassin's Creed RevelationsAssassin's Creed - Director's Cut EditionAssassin's Creed Chronicles: RussiaAssassin's Creed Chronicles: IndiaAssassin's Creed Chronicles: China See bundle deal at Fanatical It's important to note these are Uplay keys, meaning you'll need Ubisoft's launcher to redeem and play them. If you're interested in just one or two of the games, Steam is also offering discounts on Assassin's Creed games right now, but you'll still pay between $6.79 to $9 each for the older games.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Most of the cast and both co-writers behind 2010's fantastic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World have reunited for a 10th anniversary virtual table read. Scott Pilgrim creator and cartoonist Bryan Lee O'Malley and screenplay co-writers Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright were flanked, from quarantine, by Michael Cera, Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick, Jason Schwartzman, and more to read through the screenplay online. A video of the event has just been released online.Presented by Entertainment Weekly, the special event also doubled as a benefit for the charity Water for People, a global nonprofit that "helps people bring clean water and sanitation solutions to their communities for generations to come." Donations can be made via the Water for People website, and those who donate are also entered to win one of the drawings completed by O'Malley during the table read.Like the graphic novel series it's based upon, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is about a slacker musician who must defeat the seven evil exes of his newest girlfriend, Ramona Flowers. In addition to the cast mentioned above, the film also starred Kieran Culkin (Succession).Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com