In a landscape already oversaturated with live games, differentiation is vital. Ninjala attempts to forge its own path through a combination of bubbly style and unique melee mechanics. And though it's light on content and heavy on microtransactions at launch, those two qualities are enough to make it stand out, and could give it the necessary staying power to live on long-term.The mechanical differentiation comes from eschewing the usual shooter tropes of competitive online games. Instead, Ninjala is a multiplayer game focused primarily around melee combat, forcing tight confrontations between kid-ninjas with limited range. That gives it a feeling akin to a game like Devil May Cry, as you may see an opponent from a distance and charge in to do battle and then dash off quickly. The attack button is mapped to the shoulder like a traditional shooter by default, but I found a different control preset that set it to a face button much more natural to the character-action feel.The weapons are limited to only three types--balanced katana, powerful hammers, and ranged yo-yos--but they produce a surprising amount of variety. The weapon types come with a handful of design variants, each with their own special properties and powerful ultimate ability. Finding your preferred playstyle is a matter of narrowing down the options, first by toying with the weapon classes themselves and then diving into the next layer to find which combination of special abilities suits you. None of the weapons feel obviously overpowered compared to the rest, so it really comes down to personal preference.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Peacock will be the next platform to join the streaming wars--the service launches later this month, and will feature thousands of hours of content from NBCUniversal. Additionally, the service has struck a deal with ViacomCBS, which will add even more titles for streaming on launch day.The additions from the ViacomCBS library will include a variety of high profile TV shows such as Ray Donovan, The Affair, Charmed, Undercover Boss, The Game, Everybody Hates Chris, and Real Husbands of Hollywood. Peacock subscribers can also look forward to classic movies from ViacomCBS, which will be released in "limited exclusivity windows" throughout 2021, 2022, and 2023. Movie titles will include the Godfather trilogy, Catch Me If You Can, The Talented Mr. Ripley, American Beauty, Patriot Games, and Fatal Attraction.Peacock will be available from July 15, and launches will three tiers pricing tiers. These are:Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

If this episode of New Releases is any indication, you won't run out of new video games to play anytime soon. We're taking a look at the month of July, which kicks off with Marvel's Iron Man VR. You can also take to the skies in Rocket Arena just over a week after that. July is also time to protect your land, whether it's an occupied island in Ghost of Tsushima or the Mushroom Kingdom in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Finally, the month wraps up with the Destroy All Humans remake.Marvel's Iron Man VR -- July 3Available on: PS4After a few delays, Iron Man VR is finally giving us a chance to step into Tony Stark's suit. As you'd expect, the HUD inside the PSVR headset resembles Stark's FRIDAY technology, and you can use the Move Controllers to aim and fire your various weapons. Expect to see other Marvel staples like Nick Fury in the story too.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Like it or not, Death Stranding is a tremendously bold game. We recognized it as one of the best of 2019 and reviewer Kallie Plagge spoke to its qualities in the full review from last year. But why talk about the game in 2020? For one, it's quite, uh, timely with its theme of being an essential worker during a catastrophic event that leads to nationwide quarantine. It's also one of the few PS4 exclusives getting a proper PC port. I have been playing the PC version ahead of its July 14 launch day and I'm here to report that so far in the early hours, it remains a superb game enhanced by the fact that it looks and runs much better than it did on PS4 Pro, if you have the right PC specs.For those living under a rock (and not to avoid Timefall), here's the short of it: Death Stranding is Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's latest. You're a delivery man played by actor Norman Reedus amid a deadly paranormal phenomenon called the death stranding that forces the surviving population to seek refuge in underground bunkers. While the game has a fair share of third-person stealth and action, it's also quite literally a walking-hiking simulator where balancing your cargo and traversing harsh terrain are core elements. It's all wrapped around a heavily cinematic and somewhat bizarre story about human connection.As part of the Half-Life crossover content, you'll see Striders! (They'd make great delivery mechanisms to be honest.)I know, playing courier with the occasional action sequence may not sound enticing, but trust me and my friends when we said last year that it's a stunning experience, if you have the time and patience. Its broader message of human connection is made manifest in the asynchronous multiplayer component in which the actions of others--such as laying down ladders, bridges, and roads--will affect your own game world. Everyone's just helping each other make their deliveries, stay alive on a hostile surface, and chug their oddly placed Monster energy drinks to keep on keeping on. Even though you never see your fellow players, giving them a few "likes" for their work, and getting a few in return, is sort of uplifting.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Devolver Direct date that the publisher has been teasing has now been revealed. The Devolver Direct 2020 is going to stream on Twitch, Steam, and elsewhere on July 11 at 12 PM PT.The press release sent announcing this news contains the sardonic humor you'd expect from the publisher, promising that "the seventh best indie game label will step up to the plate once more and whiff real hard with a live pre-recorded presentation."The presentation will contain some reveals of new games, alongside new gameplay footage, release dates, and special guest presenters. Demos of Carrion, Disc Room, and "an unannounced game" have also been promised, and the footage we see from games will be "nearly all gameplay."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Atari has been building a new home console designed to play both classic and modern games for over three years now, and it's finally coming to store shelves later this year. Renamed from the Ataribox to the Atari VCS back in 2018--and not to be confused with the Atari 2600, which was also known as the VCS-the VCS is now available for pre-order. Orders will be filled this fall.This new console will include a reimagining of Missile Command as a launch title called Missile Command: Recharged. Per the announcement, more games for the console will be announced soon. The system costs $300, with a $400 bundle that includes the classic joystick and modern controller. GameStop appears to have slightly different prices listed, however, with the "all-in" edition coming in at $10 cheaper.This new VCS has been haunted by delays and issues since its announcement in 2017. The VCS was originally scheduled for release in 2019, but it was pushed back due to hardware revisions. In late 2019, the console's lead architect left the project, saying that Atari had failed to pay him what he was owed. That architect, Rob Wyatt, later filed a lawsuit against Atari.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

HBO's upcoming series from executive producers Misha Green (Underground), Jordan Peele (Get Out), and J.J. Abrams (Lost) finally has a release date. The drama horror series Lovecraft Country will debut on the premium cable network on August 16.To go along with the announcement, HBO has released a new poster for the upcoming show. And if you're a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's horrific tentacle monsters, you'll probably dig this.It's like a horror version of Mario Kart"Based on the novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, the ten-episode series follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he journeys with his childhood friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) and his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) on a road trip from Chicago across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father Montrose (Michael Kenneth Williams)," reads the official synopsis. "Their search-and-rescue turns into a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and monstrous creatures that could be ripped from an H.P. Lovecraft paperback."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Xbox Summer Games Fest Demo Event will run from July 21 to July 27, Microsoft has announced. The event will feature more than 60 demos for unreleased games, all accessible through the Xbox One dashboard.The demos will be different from the kind that normally appear on the Xbox store, which are usually polished slices of released or soon-upcoming games. The demos featured will be more akin to "showroom floor" demos, the type that appear at conventions to show off games still in development.The demos will be available through the Xbox One dashboard during the event and will be removed once the event ends. The event will have between 75 and 100 game demos and the demos may be added back to the Xbox store on a later date.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The newest entry in the Trackmania series is officially out today on PC at the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store. The game was previously delayed due to the outbreak of coronavirus. As a remake of the highly-regarded free Trackmania Nations, fan interest is running high for this new game, titled simply Trackmania. However, some in the community are expressing concerns and confusion about its three-tiered subscription model.As shown by the rather complex diagram below, the three tiers of the new Trackmania are Starter Access, Standard Access, and Club Access. Standard Access and Club Access are each a subscription of $10 and $30 a year respectively, while Starter Access is free. Essentially, Starter Access allows players to sample 25 of the game's pre-made tracks, while Standard Access unlocks daily competitions, the Track of the Day, player creation servers, and the track editor. Club Access grants players the ability to create their own custom servers, participate in online rooms, and compete in the official Trackmania leagues.Given that previous Trackmania games revolved so heavily around user-created content, it would appear that the Club Access is key to enjoying the game to its fullest, especially if you plan on hosting your own server with your friends. However, if you're just trying to sample what Trackmania has to offer, both the Starter and Standard Access might help you get your bearings.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Comedy Central has announced it will be reviving Mike Judge's hit animated MTV series Beavis and Butt-Head with two new seasons, along with the possibility for additional spin-offs and specials. As with the original, Judge is set to write, produce, and provide voice-over for the titular (huh-huh) characters. No release date for the new Beavis and Butt-Head seasons has been given, nor do we know how many new episodes are coming."It seemed like the time was right to get stupid again," said Judge in a statement.All that's known about the series' revival is it will somehow straddle issues "and meta-themes relatable to… Gen-X parents and their Gen-Z kids." No word yet if the boys have gotten a less filthy couch, are still teenagers, or will watch music videos.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

As more and more is revealed about the upcoming at-home version of San Diego Comic-Con, one of the bigger questions many fans have had is how big of a role Disney would play in the event. As time goes on, it's becoming more clear that Disney is going to be one of the primary players at SDCC@Home.Disney+ announced three panels for the convention, including one tied to Marvel properties. On July 23 at 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT, the streamer will give an inside look at the upcoming Marvel's 616 docuseries. A previously released synopsis for the show reads, "Marvel's 616 is an anthological documentary series exploring the intersection between Marvel's rich legacy of stories, characters, and creators and the world outside your window. Told through the lens of a diverse group of filmmakers, each documentary will dive into the rich historical, cultural, and societal context that has become inseparable from stories of the Marvel Universe."The other two announced panels will take place on July 25 and include the upcoming Disney+ Phineas and Ferb movie at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT, and a look at National Geographic's The Right Stuff at 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

As usual, the PlayStation Store has multiple sales running right now, including the bargain-focused Games Under $20 sale and Mid-Year Deals. While both of those are still live for another week, a new sale kicked off today. Multiplayer Days is, you guessed it, a sale focused on games you can play with friends and family such as Overcooked 2, A Way Out, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and several Lego games. The Multiplayer Days sale runs until July 16, so you have two weeks to browse for your next family game night activity.The sale is particularly good for family-friendly games. You can nab the chaotic cooking simulator Overcooked 2 for $15 or get a bundle with Overcooked 2 and the original for $21. Overcooked's spiritual successor Moving Out, which released earlier this year, is on sale for $17.49, too. Meanwhile, Lego games offer great local co-op for youngsters and parents, and you can snag Lego Marvel Collection for $18, a great price for a compilation featuring three games, and Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens for $8.For genuine party games, it's hard to compete with Jackbox. The Jackbox Party Pack is down to $12.49, and Jackbox Party Pack 5 is discounted to $18. There are also more traditional digital board and card games on sale, including Uno for $5, Monopoly Family Fun Pack for $6, and Ticket to Ride for $6.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Developer Evil Empire has released a new update for Dead Cells. Called the Update of Plenty, it implements notable changes to weapons, items, and the in-game economy. The full list of changes are detailed in the official patch notes.In terms of weapons, Update of Plenty makes all crossbows into two-handed weapons. To increase a player's willingness to try two-handed weapons, Update of Plenty also adds backpacks that allow you to hold onto an extra one-handed weapon that you can switch to in situations where your two-handed weapon might put you at a disadvantage.When it comes to the in-game economy, Update of Plenty increases the amount of gold you can find and adjusts the pricing of gear at merchants so that you'll be able to switch gear loadouts midway through a run without spending nearly all your money. This should be most helpful for late-game levels, as holding onto a bit of your money early on should make it easier to buy healing items in the endgame without scrounging for gold.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

During the first quarter of this year, Twitch broke 3 billion total hours watched for the first time. The momentum has continued from April through June as it surpassed 5 billion total hours watched for a single three-month span.A new report from Streamlabs showcases just how popular Twitch has gotten during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it previously averaged 2.7 billion hours watched last year. None of its competitors came close to matching its viewership as YouTube Gaming hit 1.5 billion hours and Facebook Gaming maxed out at 822 million, which is triple the amount it had last year. Microsoft's now-defunct Mixer service came in fourth with only 106 million hours watched during the second quarter. Prominent streamers such as Shroud and Ninja, who reportedly made over $20 million to move to Mixer, could be switching back to Twitch and help boost it further. Twitch led in other key analytics, as well. Nearly 10 million unique channels streamed 192 million hours of content, which is more than double the previous quarter.The most-watched game was Valorant, which set a single-day viewership record back on April 8. Riot Games' competitive shooter is still going strong as it had 534 million hours watched, which was more than PUBG Mobile's 237 million. Fortnite came in third with 174 million views.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The third week of Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 is nearly here with a number of new challenges that will have you clicking heads all over the map. A particularly tough challenge will take you to Steamy Stacks, the flooded factory located in the upper corner of the map. You'll need to land a choppa at the bottom of Steamy Stacks. This guide will show you how to get to Steamy Stacks with a helicopter and help you land it right in one of those stacks. After you do that, you can take on other Season 3 challenges and get ready for Aquaman.This challenge leaked early so check back on July 2nd to try it for yourself within Fortnite.Where is Steamy Stacks?Steamy Stacks is located in the top right corner of the map. It's flooded after The Device event so you can no longer explore most of it. There are still some upper floors as well as rooms in both stacks that contain weapons. It's separated from the rest of the map by water.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com