World of Warcraft is bringing in Nightborne improvements and solo Island Expeditions
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[Update #2]: Blizzard has detailed the return of the always popular Mage Tower challenges.
[Update]: Patch 9.1.5 will also remove Covenant restrictions, bring back Legion Mythic+ dungeons, and add a bunch of other quality of life changes.
One of my biggest annoyances with World of Warcraft is how frequently old content gets abandoned and ignored, even if the playerbase is genuinely interested in continuing to explore it. Battle for Azeroth's Island Expeditions are a perfect example of this as they are a veritable treasure trove of cosmetic items, yet are almost completely unplayable since you need to find two other players in order to even enter them.
This sort of nonsense has been going on for years, so you can imagine my surprise when Blizzard suddenly came out and announced a positive step forward - solo Island Expeditions! We will have to wait a little while in order to get in on the action as they're scheduled to arrive alongside patch 9.1.5, but regardless of the wait it's good to see Blizzard finally go for some easy yet highly welcome quality-of-life improvements.
Co-op focused shooter Aliens: Fireteam Elite will be launching tomorrow, August 24th
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As you would imagine from the name alone, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a co-op focused third-person shooter that will pit you and your companions against hordes upon hordes of acid-spewing Xenomorphs. The launch version will bring with it four unique campaigns set within familiar locations, as well as a plethora of customization options for each of the marines and their weaponry, all in an effort to keep things fresh and interesting for a long time to come.
If you're wondering what all of this looks like in actual gameplay, however, allow me to share with you one of the recent trailers. It should clue you in quite quickly on just what Aliens: Fireteam Elite is trying to accomplish. Have a peek:
Apex Legends has finally begun nerfing the all-powerful new Legend Seer
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[Update #2]: Apex Legends' Season 11 will be adding Titanfall 2's Ash, a brand new tropical map, and more.
[Update]: Apex Legends' newest update has beefed up Rampart and added a new Rampart themed map location.
Apex Legends' recent Season 10 update brought with it a brand new Legend by the name of Seer. Unfortunately, while his visual design was phenomenal, Seer launched in such an overpowered state that he quickly and decisively took hold over the entire game. As it turns out, having permanent wall hacks along with the ability to interrupt healing is a pretty potent combo!
With all of that in mind, I'm happy to say that Seer's reign of terror seems to be coming to to an end thanks to the newest balance update. This one has nerfed literally every single aspect of his kit, some of it quite severely, so I do hope it'll be enough to keep Seer from overshadowing every other Legend. As for the actual changes, here are the relevant bits:
Diablo inspired Minecraft: Dungeons is heading over to Steam on September 22, 2021
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[Update]: Minecraft Dungeons is now live and kicking on Steam!
Minecraft: Dungeons is, to put it quite simply, a Diablo inspired and combat focused ARPG. It's far more casual than its predecessor, and aimed at a much younger audience, but that doesn't really stop it from being a nice bit of fun. After all, cleaving your way through hundreds of enemies and amassing a treasure trove that would make even dragons jealous tends to be rather enjoyable!
So if you're interested in giving it a try but you don't like any of the current platforms, you might be happy to hear that Minecraft: Dungeons will soon be launching onto Steam as well. More specifically, you can expect to see it arrive on September 22nd.
Volition has begun teasing a new Saints Row reboot
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[Update]: After a lengthy delay, Volition's big Saints Row reboot has now arrived, though not without a fair bit of criticism.
It's been an open secret for quite a while now that Volition is working on a brand new Saints Row game. However, according to the newly released teaser website, it would appear that the game in question will not be technically new, but rather a reboot of an older one!
The exact details are few and far between, but I'd imagine we're looking at either a reboot of Saints Row 1 or 2. I'd personally love to see Saint's Row 2 recreated as the game runs about as smoothly as a jogger caught in a tornado on PC, but it's far more likely that the long-forgotten Saints Row 1 will get the reboot treatment instead.
Double Fine's Psychonauts 2 will finally be launching this August 25th for PC and consoles
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[Update]: Six years after its big reveal, Psychonauts 2 has now finally been unleashed onto PC and consoles!
It has been a remarkably long wait, but Psychonauts 2 is now nearly upon us! That last part is not an exaggeration either, because Psychonauts 2 will be launching next week, on August 25th, for PC (Windows, Mac and Linux), Xbox, and PlayStation.
Much like its cult classic predecessor, Psychonauts 2 will have you dive into people's minds in order to battle against their inner demons, peek at their most hidden secrets, and naturally, do plenty of platforming through all sorts of bizarre scenery. Perhaps most importantly of all, the focus in Psychonauts 2 will be on both the story and the humor, two things that tend to be Double Fine's strengths. As such, I must admit I have high hopes for Psychonauts 2!
Civilization inspired turn-based strategy game Humankind has now launched onto PC
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[Update]: Humankind's very first DLC is bringing in six African cultures and brand new events on January 20th.
After going through a whole assortment of beta tests, Amplitude's 4X strategy game Humankind has now been unleashed in full. Much like Civilization from which it draws a great deal of inspiration from, Humankind will have you guide your people from the Ancient to the Modern Age, advance and expand your cities, create wonders and unravel new technology, and naturally, deal with your neighbors through either diplomacy or warfare.
The area where Humankind differs greatly from Civilization is, funnily enough, in the civilizations themselves. Instead of picking one nation you will guide from the very beginning and sticking with them, Humankind allows you to combine up to 60 historical cultures in order to create a unique faction with its own set of perks and beliefs.