<![CDATA[ Gamesradar+ ]]> https://www.gamesradar.com Sat, 07 Sep 2024 09:49:38 +0000 en <![CDATA[ I never thought Astro Bot would dethrone Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as my GOTY, but then I found out it has the JRPG's legendary main protagonist turned cute ]]> Astro Bot's stellar reviews have me counting down the minutes to 5:00pm tonight, when I can log off here and go give it a try. I know it's good; so good that many people are comparing it to the best Super Mario Bros. games and positioning it as an early GOTY frontrunner. And even though I loved Astro's Playroom, it was hard to imagine the sequel dethroning the likes of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth... until I learned Kazuma freakin' Kiryu is in it. 

Yes, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth also has Kiryu in it, but he's the same ol' Kiryu we've known and revered for years and years. This is cute Kiryu, with an oversized head and a li'l Astro Bot mask on. And instead of fighting back when you punch him, as we've been trained to believe he would do for almost two decades, he just produces a bunch of familiar items from the Yakuza series like traffic cones, stop signs, and dart boards. Check it out:

Joking aside, cute Kiryu won't be enough for Astro Bot to become my GOTY. I remain skeptical that the overall experience will be as memorable as the latest Like a Dragon and Final Fantasy games - even though it is getting better reviews than both - but he certainly makes me more open to the idea. I'm also highly encouraged by the Astro Bot director saying "12 to 15 hours of condensed fun" are better than 40 hours playing a game with parts "you feel like skipping," simply because I don't have time for another 100 hour JRPG.

Astro has more than 150 cameos from various franchises, mostly Sony-owned, but obviously with certain exceptions like Yakuza, which was still largely PlayStation-exclusive for its first 15 years or so.

Our Astro Bot review called the game "a near-perfect platformer".

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https://www.gamesradar.com/platforms/i-never-thought-astro-bot-would-dethrone-like-a-dragon-infinite-wealth-as-my-goty-but-then-i-found-out-it-has-the-jrpgs-legendary-main-protagonist-turned-cute/ mrNoELUef52eQTiBcgEZe9 Sat, 07 Sep 2024 00:09:34 +0000
<![CDATA[ As Astro Bot emerges as a 2024 GOTY frontrunner, its director says "12 to 15 hours of condensed fun" beats 40 hours with parts "you feel like skipping" ]]> Astro Bot director Nicolas Doucet says he'd rather play short bursts of pure fun than spend dozens of hours playing a game that has parts you'd rather skip.

The sequel to the underrated platform gem Astro's Playroom, which is bundled into all PS5s as a purchase bonus, launched this week to absolutely stellar reviews. I think the most efficient way I can express just how much people are digging this game is by pointing out how many reviews compare it to Super Mario Bros. I mean, you just don't invoke that name unless you mean serious business. And serious business these critics mean.

Our own 5/5-star Astro Bot review says the sequel "soars above and beyond [Astro's Playroom] to serve up a near-perfect platformer to rival – and possibly surpass – the best of Super Mario's Mushroom."

I was already sold on this game and was excited to dive in this weekend, but these latest comments from Doucet, from an interview with Bloomberg, have me straight buzzin' for Astro Bot. Any frequent reader of mine will know well how much I detest that industry trends have driven up the average length of big new games to the point where I have no hope of keeping up with everything being released.

"Having something that’s 12 to 15 hours of condensed fun, where there wasn’t five minutes in which you felt it was long or lacking, is much more valuable than 40 hours when you have some moments that you feel like skipping," Doucet said to thunderous applause from me and my cats. "Being able to be OK with that, goes in some way to keeping things under control."

Another core design tenet of Astro Bot, according to a Doucet who spoke with VGC in a separate interview, is that it fills a gap missing since PlayStation Studios "went from making cartoon games" to "mature, hyper-realistic games". And you know what? I quite like that as well even though you can argue games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Astro's Playroom itself were already partially filling that gap.

Ready to jump in this weekend? Here's how to unlock all Astro Bot collectibles, including Bots, Puzzle Pieces, and Warps. 

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https://www.gamesradar.com/platforms/as-astro-bot-emerges-as-a-2024-goty-frontrunner-its-director-says-12-to-15-hours-of-condensed-fun-beats-40-hours-with-parts-you-feel-like-skipping/ UcZ5SeRyW8rwkP9tVXsjh7 Fri, 06 Sep 2024 22:40:52 +0000
<![CDATA[ It's official: "Concord servers are now offline," just 2 weeks after one of the worst launches in recent memory ]]> Well, it's official, folks: Concord is gone. The hero shooter FPS launched just two weeks ago to the day, but after poor sales and lukewarm reception, PlayStation halted sales, refunded all copies, and now it's pulled the game offline entirely.

After an eye-watering eight years in development, Concord's abrupt and shocking cancellation makes it a stronger contender for the worst launch of 2024, and arguably one of the poorest performances of any online game of the last decade or so. I can only think of a few off the top of my head whose launch states and shutdowns overshadowed the game itself to such an overwhelming degree. 

Anthem, maybe? But at least EA and BioWare tried salvaging that with post-release content and then a switch to seasonal updates before ultimately cancelling all future content two years after its launch. Somewhat similarly, in 2015 Turtle Rock took a lot of heat for Evolve's infamous 44 DLC packs and the general development direction at launch, but it still stumbled through a months-long comeback strategy that culminated in the scrapping of future content plans in October 2016 and, ultimately, the shutdown of dedicated servers in September 2018. There was a faint attempt at reviving the zombie shooter in October 2022 when 2K reenabled the free-to-play Evolve: Stage 2 servers, but the servers were taken down "for the final time" in July 2023.

I'm genuinely struggling to remember any instance where an online game of Concord's profile - that is, from a publisher as big as PlayStation - was taken down just weeks after it went live. And refunded, at that. Regardless, Concord is no longer playable and PlayStation's plans for the IP are unclear aside from the recent report claiming it'll still rather awkwardly be a part of Amazon's anthology TV series Secret Level.

In the final days of Concord's short life, it was filled with players throwing themselves off maps as quickly as possible in a desperate attempt to unlock the game's Platinum trophy. Now that the game's offline, whoever wasn't able to snag one is presumably out of luck for good, so as we bid farewell to the short-lived hero shooter, let's also pour one out for the trophy collectors who missed out.

At least we still have these picks from our list of the best FPS games to play.

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https://www.gamesradar.com/games/fps/its-official-concord-servers-are-now-offline-just-2-weeks-after-one-of-the-worst-launches-of-2024/ DqACXdcpZQcoQSe4AzowfZ Fri, 06 Sep 2024 20:08:12 +0000
<![CDATA[ At a rough time for Destiny 2, Bungie says it will reveal more of the MMO's next chapter, Codename Frontiers, next week – but 10th anniversary plans are "light" ]]> The cycle of ups and downs that has defined Destiny 2 reached new extremes in the aftermath of The Final Shape. The best expansion in the MMO's history was almost immediately followed by severe layoffs at developer Bungie, with many recognizable Destiny veterans among those cut or leaving. Coupled with the end of the Light and Darkness saga which has guided the game thus far, this left the future of Destiny, if not Bungie altogether, uncertain. 

The backdrop to this is a measurable – albeit not entirely unexpected or atypical – decline in Destiny 2's player count, with the new Episode model seemingly failing to keep some players on the hook long-term, not to mention unrest exemplified by devoted players like community icon Datto. There have also been rumors of a dramatic shift in business model for Destiny 2, with major expansions potentially getting the axe and with new owner Sony reportedly poised to plunge its hands deeper into Bungie's operations. Inexplicable technical issues – my team ran into all-new raid bugs just last night – haven't helped either. 

Many had hoped that the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Destiny series, which launched way back on September 9, 2014, would serve up an event capable of giving Destiny 2 a shot in the arm. In a new blog post, Bungie says it only has plans for "fun and light" 10-year fanfare. 

"We’ll have a small in-game celebration for you all next week, along with some beautiful art the team has made throughout the years," the post reads. "There will be some Legendary armor freebies, a fun Title to earn, some Bungie Rewards, and more. Check back next Monday at 8am PT for our blog coverage." 

With this being a major milestone, the sort where virtually all other MMOs would roll out the red carpet with weeks of events and rewards, the cynic in me can't help but read this as a sign that post-layoff Bungie may not have the resources to spare for major celebrations. There is, however, unconditionally good news this week: Bungie is ready to properly talk about the future of Destiny 2, namely Codename: Frontiers, the next leg of the journey which was teased earlier this year

Destiny 2 The Final Shape

(Image credit: Bungie)

On September 9, Bungie will release "a short Dev Insight blog article discussing our goals for the future of Destiny. Destiny 2 Game Director Tyson Green and Destiny 2 Narrative Director Alison Lührs will be guiding the conversation. Where have we been, where are we now, and where do we want to go? Most importantly... how are we going to get there? 

"We want to be clear about our commitment to ongoing communication with you. This marks the beginning of regular updates from our development team about what's next for Destiny 2, including details about its systems and future plans. While the updates may be a bit rough around the edges as they are early in the development process, we're excited about sharing our goals and progress with you."

This first bite sounds unsurprisingly nonspecific, but as the Destiny 2 community struggles with the absence of the 'what comes next' anticipation that buoyed the game during previous dips, it'll be good to get any sense of what's on the horizon. "This will be the start of a conversation," Bungie says. "Our main goal is to provide bite-sized, direct to the point articles over the next few months rather than mega-blogs where it’s too easy to get mired in the details." 

Not for the first, second, or third time, Bungie reiterates that "the Light and Dark saga may have ended, but the future of Destiny is still unfolding before us." This section of the blog post ends with a broader tease that "this universe is big, bright, and full of wonder. We’re looking forward to exploring it and hope to see you join us starside as we approach new frontiers." On this, at least, I am not at all cynical; it smacks of what Destiny 2 game director Robbie Stevens told Edge magazine about the future of the game, and it does sound exciting. 

"A lot of that thinking about year 11, and how we start really getting into the next journey here after these Episodes, we're going to be leaning on that thinking as well," Stevens said. "Because we've been doing this linear thing for a while now, and we want to get back to expanding our worlds and world-building, expanding the universe of Destiny in general." 

Phil Spencer says he's made some of the "worst" decisions when it comes to Xbox exclusives, like not signing Destiny or Guitar Hero.

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<![CDATA[ Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 7 doesn't change one bard's grisly fate, but I'm glad she's dead ]]> Within the first few hours of a Dark Urge playthrough, there are two signs that things aren't about to go the way you planned. The first, infamously, happens if you so much as think about biting off poor Gale's hand as he reaches for help through his portal. It's an evil trick on Larian's end – while you would expect to follow the dialogue to its natural conclusion, by either chickening out or doubling down with a dice roll to bite his hand off, your agency is snatched away. There's a fade to black, a quick munch, and suddenly one of the game's main characters is permanently dead. 

But if that feels underhanded, what comes next is outright devious. Early in Act One, friendly tiefling bard Alfira visits the party's camp, bright-eyed and keen to follow your adventure. She sleeps at camp, but come morning, the Dark Urge wakes up next to her mutilated body, drenched in blood after subconsciously tearing her to shreds. Unlike Gale, in which do-gooders will have avoided merely by not thinking about snacking on his digits, Alfira's fate is wholly unavoidable (unless you take the very meta-gaming step of knocking her out before she can visit). 

Is it grim? Beyond measure, as very few characters in Baldur's Gate 3 die as brutally. Is it undeserved? For sure – Alfira is a sweetheart. But, am I glad that she's still dead, following Larian's confirmation that Patch 7 hasn't made her a full-time party member? You better believe it. 

Don't fear the reaper

Baldur's gate 3 Dark Urge

(Image credit: Larian Studios)

Sure, I feel bad for Alfira. She's disarmingly friendly, and unlike many of Act One's characters,  has no ulterior motives (besides crushing on Lakrissa). In my first-ever playthrough – not as the Dark Urge – I watched her go from mourning pupil in the Emerald Grove, to reaching the city of Baldur's Gate with ambitious plans to open a school for bards. 

But, as Alfira would undoubtedly back up if she was still here, art is suffering. The Dark Urge is not a playthrough for perfect happy endings, unless your fairy-tale finale involves swimming in red streets of minced Baldurians. During the first act, you're not meant to feel in control – and when the whole drive of Baldur's Gate 3 is to adventure on your own terms, losing that independence hits like a sledgehammer. Unfortunately, Alfira is the sacrifice that's needed to sell all of this – one final, bloody twist of the knife to ensure you won't underestimate the stakes again. 

Funnily enough, Alfira's death is pretty much the last time in the Dark Urge's story that you're truly trapped into committing an atrocity. From there on out, you're given a lot more options to push back on their innate bloodthirst, if you so choose. You can trace everything back to Alfira – it can be an unforgivable low that you never want to sink to again, or a jumping-off point for an evil playthrough to chase even nastier highs.

Baldur's Gate 3 Orin the Red

(Image credit: Larian Studios)

When your evil mind-controlling butler Sceleritas Fel attempts to have the Dark Urge kill their romantic interest in Act Two, there's no doubt that the threat of a dead party member is serious. Having already woken up in Act One's Alfira soup, you know the game isn't playing around. At this point you know the consequences for giving in –  it's why you rally so hard to pass every dice roll, to pick the perfect dialogue choices. To be good.

By the time Act Three rolls around, the Dark Urge's redemption story is Baldur's Gate 3 at its very best. Learning of your Bhaalspawn roots is your last chance to accept that loss of control and write your fate off as predestined, or fight harder than ever before to defy it. The latter is a hard-fought redemption – at every twist and turn you're tested, or offered easier paths through challenging encounters if you simply give in. But for those who can barely stomach upsetting a character, let alone slaughtering them and everyone they've ever loved, the memory of Alfira is enough to stay resolute for one last act. 

So yes, Alfira fans, I'm sorry that your favorite Bard is still dead. But I wouldn't have it any other way, as without her murder, the Dark Urge's story wouldn't be half as impactful as it is. "There are no new companions," wrote Larian in the game's latest patch notes. "There is only death." Perhaps for one single, brutal night that's true – but thanks to Alfira, it doesn't have to be the case forever. 


Baldur's Gate 3's Dark Urge is the wickedest I've ever felt in a video game

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https://www.gamesradar.com/games/baldur-s-gate/baldurs-gate-3-patch-7-doesnt-change-one-bards-grisly-fate-but-im-glad-shes-dead/ XWBeVedavZyFBSCz7Zfmgf Fri, 06 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000
<![CDATA[ Harry Potter Quidditch Champions review: "A fun yet forgettable nostalgia play" ]]> As I send another Bludger hurtling into a teenager's skull with a satisfying 'crack', I have to admit one thing. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions might be shallow, kitschy, and more than a little bit repetitive once you settle on your positions-of-choice, but it is a lot of fun. It's the kind of fluffy time-filler I can see myself playing for precisely one week before putting it down again once I get sick of fake Lee Jordan and fake Rita Skeeter's commentatorship – which, trust me, I will.

For all its gimmicks and cyclicality, Harry Potter Quidditch Champions is a perfectly fine competitive multiplayer game. It's by far the best representation of the wizarding sport yet seen in video game form, broadening the scope of  2003's Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup to present its more tactical side. That said, the spit-shined magical veneer can't hide the fact that Quidditch Champions is neither the best Harry Potter game nor the best sports game of its generation – it's simply an approachable blend of the two, and it seems quite happy to occupy that space.

A load of quaffle

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Games)
FAST FACTS

Release date: September 3, 2024
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch (TBC)
Developer: Unbroken Studios
Publisher: WB Games

The goal of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is simple enough. Rotating through each quidditch position at the push of a D-pad button, you need to score goals, intercept your opponent, and be the first team to reach 100 points. Alternatively, the team with the highest number of points after the seven-minute timer runs out will emerge victorious.

Like many other Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions hopefuls, I'd been holding out for something to fill the quaffle-shaped hole left in Hogwarts Legacy. The result is a competitive online multiplayer sports game with a solo campaign mode, though even that requires a steady internet connection. 

Let's get this out the way early: the live service elements of Quidditch Champions are predictably grind-y, but the free battle pass is nothing to sniff at. There are three currency types to collect in-game, all of which can be unlocked in the rewards track alongside cosmetics, brooms, and new equipment. To move through the seasonal rewards, players earn XP from completing challenges and matches. It’s a fairly standard way to chart one's progress, though collecting all 50 stages of the rewards track is a bit of a slog. I had beaten all four of the game's championships at least three times apiece by the time I'd reached level 10.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions wants you to find value through replayability, but unless you make use of the online multiplayer component, the experience grows dull quickly. I did have a lot of fun in campaign mode making my way through each of the four cups my first time around: starting with the Weasley Burrow Garden Cup, the Hogwarts Cup, the Triwizard Schools Quidditch Cup, and finally The Quidditch World Cup. 

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Games)

Developer Unbroken Studios' beautiful renditions of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons' school grounds respectively deserve a lot of praise, with the player transported to each school’s quidditch pitch when pitted against them during the Triwizard Cup matches. The vistas are striking, from the Aurora Borealis skies above Durmstrang to the snow-capped Alpine mountains encircling Beauxbatons, that I can even excuse Fleur Delacour’s bizarrely exaggerated French-English accent. Her voice acting is second only to the one and only Draco Malfoy's when it comes to the most hammy performance in the game. But once I reach the all-important international battleground, I feel the whimsy of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions steadily drain away. The reason? The Quidditch World Cup feels like it's trying to be wizarding FIFA, only without much depth or customizability unless we're talking about the elusive broomstick upgrades.

Something about the jump from high schooler to international quidditch star feels disjointed. Where the House Cup saw me donning the scarlet and gold as a proud Gryffindor, and the Triwizard Tournament put me in the shoes of an aggressive Durmstrang pupil, the World Cup wants me to choose a country to play for and lead it to victory. It all feels just so normal, putting a muggle-shaped dampener on what was supposed to be a magical experience. I'd have loved an option to play on a national level first, honing my skills with the Chudley Cannons or one of the other British quidditch teams we've heard and read so much about in the books and films. All the same, I get my team kitted out in their Team GB best, smash through the rankings at Expert level, and quietly accept the World Cup. 

With the air of magic neatly wiped away, I have to face facts: Quidditch Champions is a fun yet forgettable nostalgia play, and while a successful video game translation of the wizarding sport, it lacks the heightened stakes or momentum that would emulate a sense of realistic career progression in campaign mode.

Playing the field

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Games)

Something about the jump from high schooler to international quidditch star feels disjointed.

After winning the cup, it’s back to square one. I thought a game about winning tournaments would give me a little more payoff for making it all the way through the four available scenarios, but nothing about winning the cup feels any different to completing heat after heat as a Hogwarts student.

The campaign track in Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a fully solo experience, letting me swap between all quidditch positions with ease – though I am largely drawn towards Beater or Seeker. Beaters get to pelt people with metal balls, and Seekers get to ignore everything else and go hunting for the Snitch; I don’t mind the Snitch being retconned to provide 30 instead of 150 points, because at least that means I get to swap into the role twice per match. Alternatively, I take over a Chaser every so often to secure goals when I feel the enemy's bot AI is too good at camping the goalposts.

The good news here is that each of the above positions feels distinct from one another. Each has its own distinct controls, with on-screen prompts to help you switch between them with ease mid-match. It makes for an easy job of finding which role suits your playstyle best, and given how many times you need to play and replay the same four cups, you'll have plenty of time to refine your strategy. This is precisely what I do during my eight or nine-hours honing my skills in campaign mode before bursting onto the scene in multiplayer. 

If the bots are aggressive at higher difficulties, playing against actual humans is even more brutal – and all the more enjoyable because of it. Beaters once again feel like the obvious choice for aggressive players, being the official playground bullies of the quidditch pitch with full licence to knock out Seekers repeatedly. It becomes a problem when there is a clear meta being set from the outset, and that meta seems to abandon the Keeper position entirely. When everyone wants to be a Seeker, Chaser, or Beater, it makes sense that the fairly idle goalie will be left stranded. This makes for tedious matchmaking sessions, a feeling compounded without any clear discernible balancing between players of different levels or experience. 

At its core, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a sports game for only the most hardcore Potter fans out there. However, looking at its largely cosmetics-focused content roadmap on Steam, it doesn't seem well enough equipped content-wise to keep them hooked in the long term. If you want to play a Harry Potter game, there are better ones to play. If you want to play a sports game, there are better ones to play. Sure it’s a good time in small doses, but for all its moment-to-moment enjoyability, Quidditch Champions is a technically fun, overwhelmingly average live service venture that was made for the few, not the many.


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https://www.gamesradar.com/games/sports/harry-potter-quidditch-champions-review/ QS35nJrdycwQoS5LJTuNKV Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:33:09 +0000
<![CDATA[ Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth dev says minigame with half-naked "sickos" solved a development problem, even if its producers were like "what the hell is this?" ]]> Anyone who's played Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth probably remembers its outrageous Sicko Snap minigame - a spin on Pokemon Snap that has our protags taking pictures of muscly half-naked men  - but it wasn't included purely for the shock value.

According to the game's director Ryosuke Horii and game design supervisor Hirotaka Chiba who spoke to Automaton about the minigame, Sicko Snap actually fixed a very real problem elsewhere in the Yakuza RPG, even if it made the producers ask, "What the hell is this?" 

"Sicko Snap was not originally planned, as opposed to minigames like Crazy Delivery and Dondoko Island, which were a part of the original proposal," Horii explains. "Sicko Snap was the result of our attempts to solve a problem that arose during development."

When developer RGG began implementing trolleys, a common form of public transport in the game's real-life Hawaii counterpart, the team soon discovered that the rides "felt kind of boring" because the sluggish vehicles were too slow and cramped to fit any battles inside. That's when Horii thought of adding a picture-taking minigame to the trolley rides, though it was first focused on dogs, not sickos.

"There was the issue of regular dogs on the map being indistinguishable from dogs placed for the purpose of the minigame, but also, it felt kind of ordinary," Horii adds. "There’s no good reason one would take pictures of dogs either. We needed something a little more 'out there.'" When the team "tried putting in sickos wearing nothing but a pair of panties," that's when the mini-game finally clicked into place for Horii since "they really stood out against the background nicely."

"There's nothing wrong with dogs, but we weren’t sure if it was the right choice for Infinite Wealth," Chiba adds. As bonkers as Sicko Snap is, it fits right in with the diaper-wearing gangs, queer crustacean substories, and overall zaniness carved into every other Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth moment - and I hope it only continues in whatever the Yakuza studio announces in September

Yakuza has seen a “large increase in new fans, including women,” but the JRPG series will continue being about “middle-aged guy things.” 

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<![CDATA[ Larian reminds Baldur's Gate 3 fans that Patch 7 isn't the RPG's final update, but it's not saying anything else yet: "The chefs must cook" ]]> Now that the long-awaited Patch 7 has finally come to Baldur's Gate 3, players are curious about the RPG's future - and Larian Studios is here to remind the community that there's still more to come.

Patch 7 features a variety of changes and exciting new content. From fresh endings for Dark Urge Tavs to integrated mod support, the patch seems to have it all and then some. But Larian said in July that the update wouldn't be the RPG's final patch, and is now reassuring fans it's still got plans.

"Good news kids," writes publishing director Michael "Cromwelp" Douse in a post. "It's not the final update." He doesn't specify what's arriving in any future patches, however. "We ain’t gonna talk about what’s coming for the game because it puts undue pressure on the devs, but there are things we’ve said we’ll do that are still coming, and the chefs must cook." Thankfully, at least some of the upcoming content isn't actually all that mysterious.

Alongside today's patch notes, the developers explained what they had announced back in July, namely that they "still have a few things up our sleeve - including many community-requested features like crossplay and a photo mode." Despite there being more updates in the works after Patch 7, however, Larian confirms the true end is still near for Baldur's Gate 3. "Eventually all stories must come to an end," the post says.  

"As Swen said during last week’s PAX West panel in Seattle - our final live panel for Baldur’s Gate 3 - it’s time for the team to go back to our cave and hang the armour on the wall while we focus on bringing you our next project," Larian adds. As a dedicated fan of the RPG myself, this is bittersweet news. There will sadly be a capital-F Final update one day soon-ish, but it's also exciting to consider how the team's next two projects will unfold.

"Someone will find a way": Baldur's Gate 3 fans are determined to change a certain bard's fate as Larian reminds them "there is only death" surrounding the Dark Urge.

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<![CDATA[ I can't believe a new Famicom Detective Club is what finally got me excited for the Switch 2, but here we are ]]> We all know that the Switch 2 is currently looming on the horizon. The specifics don't really matter right now beyond the fact that it's known that Nintendo is gearing up for the next big thing, whatever that is. Until recently, I've considered this something of a nuisance in much the same way as I did the impending shift away from the Nintendo 3DS once and for all. I've recently come around on the idea, however, and it's all thanks to Emio - The Smiling Man, a Famicom Detective Club sequel that took decades to happen.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club likely isn't the sort of game anyone might consider to be a system seller, and it certainly wouldn't qualify for the Switch successor – whatever it ends up being called – in large part due to the simple fact that it, you know, hasn't released for it. It's only just released for the original Nintendo Switch. Add to this that it's a fairly straightforward visual novel/adventure game distinctly set in Japan decades in the past in order to make it contemporary with previous Famicom Detective Club games and, well, let's just say Tears of the Kingdom it ain't.

Just one more thing

Speaking to two people in Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

(Image credit: Nintendo)
Best in class

Tears of the Kingdom

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Though not as dark as Emio, here are the best Switch games you can play today. 

What it is, though, is a tightly paced, well-written thriller of a detective story that doesn't particularly rely on any significant visual fidelity while still being a good time. It's not perfect by any means, and if this were a review I'd have more than enough to grumble about when it comes to the particulars, but where Another Code: Recollection earlier this year felt like an unusual outlier, Emio - The Smiling Man releasing now makes it more like a pattern than ever before.

And given this would appear to be a pattern Nintendo is establishing right as it is heading into its next console, I couldn't be more excited. As for why a video game that essentially can be chalked up to "pretty solid" at best excites me, the short version is that I'll take an ambitious, unusual, experimental video game that doesn't quite grasp the heights it reaches for, over a technically perfect game any day of the week. The long version is a little more complicated.

Whenever Nintendo releases a new console generation, there's a fairly significant shift in its output. Frequently, this has over the last few consoles been in large part due to different methods of controlling them. The Wii had motion controls, the Wii U had the gamepad, and the Nintendo Switch combined all of the above with the mobility of the Nintendo 3DS. The Switch 2, or whatever Nintendo does call it, is a bit of a question mark in terms of how it'll up the ante.

With my well-documented affinity for Nintendo's handhelds over the years, it should come as little surprise that the Switch has supplanted nearly every other gaming console in my household, and what few games I play on other consoles or PC are usually exclusive to them. Given the option, I'll play a game on Switch, even if that means trading some fidelity in the bargain. The portability is impossible to beat, and even with a Steam Deck in the house, the Hori Split Pad Pro means that the Switch remains far more comfortable in my hands.

Speaking to someone about a serial killer in Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

(Image credit: Nintendo)

So, it is natural that I view the impending reveal and release of the Switch 2 with more than a little trepidation. Who even knows what Nintendo's got cooking this time around? (Well, besides Nintendo. Hopefully.) With the Switch as a culmination of different hardware efforts of sorts, its successor really doesn't have a solid way to stand apart unless it makes itself stand apart, and there's no telling what that might mean.

But Emio - The Smiling Man has, perhaps foolishly, convinced me that there's still that oddball, ambitious undercurrent at Nintendo. It tells me that the company is in the business of making games of all kinds and that there is still space for smaller titles that aren't attached to Zelda, Mario, Kirby, or even Metroid that can make it all the way from conception to release – with a physical cartridge in North America, even, which is not always a given!

I'm not saying that the Switch 2 is going to fulfill all of my GBA-era dreams, though I wish it would, because I'm enough of a realist to understand that predicting the way Nintendo's proverbial wind might blow is foolish at best. But Emio - The Smiling Man and games like it go a long way toward convincing me that someone making business decisions at the company has interests that align with my own in a manner that makes the future look bright.


As we look ahead to the Switch's successor, check out everything we know so far about the Nintendo Switch 2.

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https://www.gamesradar.com/games/adventure/i-cant-believe-a-new-famicom-detective-club-is-what-finally-got-me-excited-for-the-switch-2-but-here-we-are/ YEqWpXLMQvHqqxgqL2Wx6S Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:00:07 +0000
<![CDATA[ Where to find all eight Bot of War ravens in Astro Bot ]]> The Bot of War ravens in Astro Bot are a hidden collectible of sorts, in that you don't get an in-game reward for finding all of them in unusual places around the God of War themed level and eliminating them with your axe. However, this is a requirement for the Eyes Of The All-Father Trophy, so is an important step on your journey towards the Platinum. While some of these birds are in plain sight, others are more hidden which can make completing the set a tricky task. To help you with that, here are all eight of the Astro Bot Bot of War ravens locations.

Astro Bot ravens locations in Bot of War

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

There are a total of eight Bot of War ravens to find in Astro Bot, which can be collected in any order but for ease of reference are in the following locations:

  1. On a pillar as you fly in on the Dual Speeder
  2. On a platform above the giant yellow spiked shell
  3. On a stone structure above the large tree turtle
  4. On a ledge to the left of the stone archway
  5. On a high ledge seen from the back of the massive snake
  6. On a ledge beyond the stone archway to the left
  7. Behind the breakable wall beyond the stone archway to the right
  8. Under the huge structure you topple by throwing a log

Bot of War Raven 1

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

The first Bot of War raven appears right at the start of the level, while you're flying in on the Dual Speeder. Make sure you tilt the controller left to use the Astro Bot motion controls, so that you pick off the bird sat on top of this pillar. If you miss it, you're best off hitting the Options button and then restating the level, as you're so close to the start and you want to get off on the right foot.

Bot of War Raven 2

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Go to the left of the giant spiked yellow shell in the opening area and smash the ice to reveal a jump pad, then use that to reach the ledge above. Get on top of the shell itself, then look along the cliff to see the bird at the end of the platform. While you're up here, make sure you rescue the Thunder Goddess Bot – one of the many Astro Bot collectibles you'll also be tracking down on this level.

Bot of War Raven 3

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

After using your axe to trigger a controller cable bridge, jump across to the island on your right and interact with the giant turtle to flip it onto its back. This will give you a clear shot to the Astro Bot raven, perched on a stone structure.

Bot of War Raven 4

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Now go back across the central area towards the pool, and look up on the ledge to the right where the next Bot of War raven is sat.

Bot of War Raven 5

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Continue in this direction, then smash the ice and pull the cable next to the pool to spawn a large horn that will summon Jörmungandr the World Serpent. Climb up the giant snake's back, then look over at the cliffs to see another Astro Bot raven sat high atop them.

Bot of War Raven 6

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Return to the main area and go through the archway in the middle, then defeat the bowl monster and look left for the next Bot of War raven perched on a ledge.

Bot of War Raven 7

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Now turn around, and behind you on the opposite side of the archway is an ice chunk you can smash to reveal a jump pad. Bounce into the air, then use your axe to smash through the walls of ice in front of you so you can reach a hidden area. Inside you'll find another Bot of War raven flying around with a severed Bot head, so take it out to tick another bird off while completing a rescue.

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

In this area you'll also see a diagram on the wall, confirming how many Astro Bot ravens you've collected so far, in case you need to check on your progress. If you've been following this guide chronologically then the count will go from six to seven when you eliminate the bird by the tree.

Bot of War Raven 8

Astro Bot Bot of War ravens

(Image credit: Sony)

Last but not least, continue progressing through the level until you swing a log to topple a stone tower, then reach the base of it via a controller cable bridge. Look underneath the fallen structure, and the final Bot of War raven in Astro Bot will be sat there waiting to be vanquished. Dispose of it, and the Eyes Of The All-Father Trophy will be yours.

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https://www.gamesradar.com/games/platformer/astro-bot-bot-of-war-ravens-eyes-of-the-all-father/ K8ZcWPCozrToXErTQx8mqE Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:58:40 +0000