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When Konami announced that it would be re-releasing two of its most beloved games in one package, there was much rejoicing by the retro gaming enthusiasts among us. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood have long been considered hallmarks of the medium, and now they’re being bundled and re-released as Castlevania Requiem. There’s just one problem: it’s a PlayStation 4 exclusive. For those holding out for a PC version, it’s probably best that you don’t hold your breath. In a statement to GameSpot, a Konami representative confirmed that Requiem will be a Sony exclusive: “As it stands, there are no plans to bring Requiem to other platforms,” they said. First released for the PS1 in 1997, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has become a blueprint for an entire genre of videogame. Because of its historical significance, it’s a shame that PC players haven’t had an official way to play. Many different versions … [Read more...] about Castlevania Requiem will not come to PC

Lost Words: Beyond the Page is a platformer with an unusual setting – a diary. You run and jump across both a fantasy world and written pages, using individual words to solve puzzles and help reshape the story. The title, from developers Fourth State and Sketchbook Games, has already pulled in a big set of awards over the past few years, and it’s now set to release in 2019. Written by prolific game scribe Rhianna Pratchett, Lost Words puts you in a young girl’s diary, getting through traditional platforming challenges while making use of the words themselves. The trailer shows, like when you run through a fiery forest under the phrase “the dragon had managed to extinguish all hope.” Pull out “extinguish,” and you can use that word to douse the flames and move forward. Another bit sees you swapping words around to direct the story, in this case picking a name for that scene’s protagonist. It’s a unique concept, and the developers are … [Read more...] about Lost Words is a diary platformer from Rhianna Pratchett and former Lionhead devs

World of Warplanes made its debut on Steam earlier this month, at last bringing another piece of the Wargaming catalog to Valve’s store with 12v12 dogfights amid the golden age of military aviation. This release is keeping pace on updates too, and two new planes have hit the runway and are ready for takeoff – bolstering the Japanese and American fleets. On the U.S. side, we have the Bell PN-39N-1 Airacobra. Armed with a full battery of guns, this one is equipped with four 7.62mm machine guns, two 12.7mm machine guns, and a 37mm autocannon. Like its namesake, the Airacobra is built for swift strikes that are tough to recover from. The Tachikawa Ki-94-I is manufactured for speed and performance, and is most at home at mid-to-high altitudes. Equipped with bombs and “outstanding firepower,” the Ki-94-I is built for hit-and-run missions that will keep the enemy guessing. Both planes are now live on the in-game store, and you can grab a deal on the pair from now until … [Read more...] about World of Warplanes’ fleet expands with the Bell P-39N-1 Airacobra and Tachikawa Ki-94-I

Life is Strange 2 is a welcome return to a series about interpersonal difficulties and human stories. But it’s also an enormous departure from the world that developer Dontnod created when it first took us to Arcadia Bay in 2015. The turbulent, supernatural coming-of-age drama remains, but after one episode Sean and Daniel’s adventure already promises to take us in a very different direction. Whereas Life is Strange was a supernatural mystery its sequel is, instead, a road trip narrative. You play as the 16-year-old Sean Diaz, the son of a first generation Mexican migrant living in the suburbs of Seattle in late 2016. From the opening of the game, Sean is woven into the kind of social tapestry you’d recognise from any portrayal of American high schools from the past few decades. Sports and schoolwork clash with part-time jobs and illicit parties. Sean has to traverse best friends, bullies, and awkward crushes. It’s an opening that’s immediately welcoming. … [Read more...] about Life is Strange 2 – Episode 1 review

Valve began to implement controller support directly with Steam Input back in 2015. Mouse and keyboard controls might be preferred for a number of the biggest genres on PC, but you can’t beat a good gamepad for certain types of games. According to Valve’s data, over 30 million Steam users have made use of at least one controller in their gaming time. It shouldn’t be surprising to see that Xbox controllers as the most popular pads on PC, since Microsoft’s push for XInput meant they’re supported natively in nearly everything. Xbox 360 pads are by far the most popular with 27.2 million registered, 45% of the total gamepads on Steam. Add 11.5 million Xbox One controllers, and Microsoft pads make up 64% of total controller usage. PlayStation 4 pads are actually slightly more popular than those from Xbox One, with 12.2 million Sony pads out there. As Valve notes in its Controller Gaming blog, that’s weird – the PS4 controller is a fine one (high … [Read more...] about Console gamepads are 36 times more popular on PC than Steam Controllers