Dead Cells' 13th update has added a new enemy and rebalanced a ton of weapons
- By Ash
- in Indie Games
While Dead Cells is an awesome game, it does have a bit of a problem with balance. Some weapons are so far above the rest that you'd have to be crazy not to use them, while some are so flawed and weak that you'd have to be insane to try and carry them into the later levels. Combine this with new weapons slowly unlocking as you play through Dead Cells, and you've got yourself a situation where you can actively make your runs worse by simply unlocking more stuff, and that should never be the case for a roguelike.
With that in mind, I am very happy to say that the latest update has not only nerfed some of the best weapons out there, but buffed a whole host of bad ones as well. According to the developers, approximately 30 "autosell" weapons have received some sort of buff, while less than 10 "instapick" ones have received a nerf. Unsurprisingly, the Rampart shield is a part of the latter category and will now do a bit less damage for such a powerful and defense-focused weapon.
Apex Legends devs have detailed the changes and additions to weapons for Season 2
- By Ash
- in News
If you've been playing Apex Legends for a while now, chances are you're well aware that not all weapons are born equal. Guns like the R301 and R99 are incredibly accurate while spitting out insane damage, while guns like the Mozambique, P2020 or Flatline are so pathetic compared to their competition that you're going to chuck them away the very first moment you can. Not exactly ideal!
Thankfully, it would appear that Respawn has finally given up on the whole "weapon tiers" idea as they have announced they will be doing a weapon rebalance for Season 2. In other words, not only will the lowly Alternators and RE-45's of the world be viable past the initial drop, they might even become end-game weapons thanks to the new hop-ups!
Obsidian's cult classic RPG Alpha Protocol has been pulled from Steam
- By Ash
- in News
Out of all the RPGs Obsidian worked on, the one I am the most disappointed with is Alpha Protocol. Not because it's bad, mind you, but rather because it was so close to becoming a game that would've defined the genre for years to come. However, while Alpha Protocol never managed to reach that lofty goal, it was still a thoroughly unique and interesting RPG, and one that I would highly recommend to anyone that's a fan of the genre.
Unfortunately, this is where we start running into a bit of a problem. At the request of the publisher (SEGA), Obsidian's Alpha Protocol is now no longer available for sale on Steam. The reason behind Alpha Protocol being pulled from the storefront, as is sadly quite common these days, is a music licensing issue.
Overwatch update has added replays, a new Batiste challenge skin, and a serious McCree buff
- By Ash
- in News
After spending a fair bit of time on test servers, Overwatch has now finally introduced the very first version of the replay system! Right now you're limited to only watching your own or Overwatch League replays, but even so it is an incredibly useful yet still fairly simple tool. So if you're interested in getting better, do make sure to give the newly introduced replays a try as they'll tell you exactly where you messed up!
Besides replays, this update has also added the recently announced Baptiste challenge. All you need to do is win nine matches in any game mode and you'll get a couple of sprays, as well as the new Combat Medic Skin that was teased during Batpsite's short story. And if you want even more doodles to plaster all over the in-game maps, you might also want to check out some of the partnered streams. You can find out more over at the official website.
World of Warcraft: Classic will be running a public stress test from June 19-21
- By Ash
- in News
If you're in the mood for a bit of a nostalgia trip, you might be interested to hear that Blizzard has announced yet another stress test for World of Warcraft: Classic. The stress test will run from June 19-21 and will be available to anyone in the Americas & Oceania region with a currently active subscription. No other requirements or experience will be necessary to hop in.
In terms of stuff to do, the stress test will give you access to all of the content up to level 15. This will include all classes, the initial talents, the Warsong Gulch battleground, as well as dungeons like Ragefire Chasm or Deadmines. A pretty nice selection of content for a three-day test, I just wish they would open it up to other continents as well!
Gwent's second major expansion "Novigrad" is coming this June 28th
- By Ash
- in News
If you're tired of supernatural monsters that have arrived as a part of Gwent's previous Crimson Curse expansion, you might be glad to hear that we'll be getting some much more familiar 'monsters' with the upcoming Novigrad expansion. Much like in The Witcher 3, Gwent's Novigrad is riddled with clashing ideologies and plenty of foul deeds, all run and organized by the constantly warring crime lords.
However, someone has managed to unite the warring factions, and through the promise of never-ending coin coerce them to create the Syndicate. While bad news for the citizens of Novigrad, those of you playing Gwent will be glad to hear that this means we'll getting a new playable faction with five unique leaders!
Castlevania inspired Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has now finally arrived
- By Ash
- in News
While the development on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night initially seemed to be a bit troubled, things have greatly improved over the past year or so. New features ended up getting announced, the combat got significantly more polished, and perhaps most importantly of all, the often complained about artstyle received a significant makeover!
With that in mind, I am very happy to say that the good news hasn't stopped now that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has fully released. Not only have the developers announced there will be 13 free DLCs coming in the future, but the long-rumored third character has ended up being none other than the legendary Shovel Knight!