TheGamer - TheGamer Originals

Barbarian Is The Best Baldur's Gate 3 Class Because I Can Yell At Everyone

James Troughton — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:30:18 GMT

I played 12 hours of Baldur’s Gate 3 with a custom bard and stumbled on the end of Act 2 by complete accident. I wasn’t trying to rush through this gargantuan RPG like I had a deadline to hit, but there I was at Moonrise Towers with my Penis C in my hands… my party of four squishy under levelled morons scrambling to fight a small army. I spent three hours in a death loop before retreating back to the drawing board.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Finally Making Me Upgrade My PC

Jade King — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:01:17 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 runs like a dream on PC. Except when it doesn’t. Performance is usually solid thanks to my RTX 2080 Ti, but an ageing CPU and power supply I’ve had in my rig for the better part of a decade means the poor machine has trouble keeping up sometimes.

We Need to Stop Making Fun of the Wiglett Plush I Just Bought

Mike Drucker — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 16:30:22 GMT

Everyone please calm down. By now you’ve all seen the official Wiglett plush available at the real Pokémon Center website. Go on. Start giggling. And, yes, it’s a long, cylindrical object with a bright pink head. But just because it resembles the genitals of a ghost that’s doing very well for itself doesn’t mean we need to make fun of it. This is a plush from a video game series meant to be put on display, likely behind a beaded curtain with a sign and an age requirement. Not everything has to be sexual, especially when I purchased this for myself the moment I saw it.

Demons Are The Scariest Thing In Horror

Andrew King — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Earlier this week, William Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist, passed away at 87. It was just a few short weeks after the release of Talk to Me, a possession film that, though different in many ways, owes a lot to Friedkin’s landmark horror. Later this year, David Gordon Green’s lega-sequel The Exorcist: Believer will do for Pazuzu’s possessions what Green’s recent Halloween trilogy did for John Carpenter’s iconic slasher. Possession stories have a long history in horror and they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

Baldur's Gate 3's On-Screen Dice Rolls Are The Perfect Tabletop Experience

Ben Sledge — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 15:00:20 GMT

I’m fast approaching my two decade anniversary of playing Warhammer. I’ve dipped in and out of the hobby in that time, mostly when I was a teenager and discovered beer, but the vast majority of those years have been spent hunched over tiny miniatures. So I was the only one of my work D&D party, made up of a fair few newcomers, to know the curse that our DM was spelling when she uttered the words, “anything but a one”.

I Don't Know What Baldur's Gate 3 Is, And At This Point I'm Too Afraid To Ask

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:31:19 GMT

Among my social circles, I was always that guy who played the video games that most people hadn’t heard of. Considering that the farthest these social circles ventured into gaming was FIFA, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was kind of a niche game for them. It was during my first few days as a bright-eyed games journalism hopeful in 2017, when I was tasked with writing a list of best RPGs of all time, that I first heard of Baldur's Gate.

Baldur's Gate 3 Is Helping Me Learn My D&D Role Better

Meg Pelliccio — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Dungeons & Dragons has always been a game that has fascinated, and intimidated me in equal measure. There is far too much to remember, so I find it overwhelming. A few years back, I tried a D&D group with some other newbies and a couple of veteran players at the helm, but it fizzled out quickly as the experience gap proved too much for people to bear.

I'm Going To Suck At Starfield

Quinton O'Connor — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 18:00:22 GMT

I’m kind of obsessed with Starfield’s pending launch. I’ve been counting down the days, mentally dividing them all into hours for a ‘clearer picture’, and even doing that kid thing where I calculate how many more ‘sleeps’ I have before I can boot up Bethesda’s upcoming open-world sci-fi RPG for the first time. I can’t wait to suck at it.

Would Baldur’s Gate 3 Be Getting The Same Hype If It Hadn’t Shifted Its Release Date?

Tessa Kaur — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the world by storm. Every website is talking about it, it trended on Twitter for almost a week straight after release, and it’s currently the top-selling game on Steam. We at TheGamer haven’t shut up about it either, because there’s just so much to say. Even outside of work, my friends are texting me about it constantly. I cannot escape Baldur’s Gate 3, and I’ve been wondering, would we be hearing this much about the game if its release date hadn’t been pushed up?

Patenting Game Mechanics Is The Biggest Threat Facing The Games Industry

Andrew King — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 16:30:20 GMT

This week, reports got out that Nintendo has filed 32 gameplay-related patents since mid-July, and 31 of them are related to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The company is attempting to patent mechanics both big — like Ultrahand and Fuse — and small — like hanging onto ledges and riding on floating platforms.

Enjoy 2023. It Will Forever Be The Year That Gave Us Tears Of The Kingdom And Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 16:00:20 GMT

It’s still a little early to call it, but 2023 is almost certainly going to go down as the best gaming year since 2017.

Final Fantasy XIV's Dawntrail Is Meant To Be A Holiday, But It's Already Stressing Me Out

Meg Pelliccio — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

When going on holiday, no matter how excited you are about reaching your picturesque destination, you first must go through all the stress and rigmarole of ensuring you have everything ready before you leave. You have to make sure your suitcase is packed, buy anything you’re missing, triple-check the kids are in the car, and ensure you’ve got your travel documents, insurance, and all that jazz.

How Does Baldur's Gate 3 Run This Well On Steam Deck?

Ben Sledge — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:00:19 GMT

The first thing I noticed about Baldur’s Gate 3 was how good it looked. I saw the moist skin of a Mindflayer as it strolled around my prison cell. I watched on, immobile, as he implanted a fanged worm in my retina, no doubt chewing on my optic nerve as we speak. I saw every glint of enamel in the beast’s tiny, gruesome maw as it condemned me to a fate worse than death. Then I noticed how quiet my PC was.

Can Pokemon Go Be A Tour Guide For A New City?

Ben Sledge — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

Lonely Planet has the monopoly on travel books. It’s got a lot going for it; expert local guide writers, name recognition, and that perfect, pocket-sized presentation. I love leafing through their overpriced pages in a bookshop, noting down a couple of top tips for my travel destination before placing it back on the shelf and saving myself £15.99.

Goodbye Volcano High Could Be The Next Life Is Strange

Jade King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 18:00:20 GMT

There is something profoundly sad about Goodbye Volcano High. Even when you put aside the thematic brilliance of angsty dinosaur teenagers fearing the arrival of an asteroid poised to wipe out the entire planet, it captures a youthful experience that has increasingly become all about paranoia, belonging, and fearing what the world will soon devolve into.

If You Haven't Tried Half-Life: Opposing Force, Play It This Weekend

James Troughton — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:30:20 GMT

I was 12 when I found out there was more Half-Life I’d yet to play as a child. At that point, I’d been waiting five years for a conclusion to Episode 2’s cliffhanger. Little did I know I’d still be waiting 11 years later for any sort of actual closure.

Go Woke, Go Broke Doesn't Exist And The Proof Is Barbie And Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:51:20 GMT

A cohort of far right morons got a little too cocky after turning Bud Light into a pilsner non grata among American conservatives through an unhinged boycott over the company sending one (1) customized can of beer to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. As stupid as that boycott was, it did actually manage to hurt the beer’s sales. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro imagined that Barbie would be similarly hurt with audiences by its progressive themes, confidently predicting a huge second weekend drop. That didn’t happen, and Greta Gerwig’s comedy has now made over a billion dollars. Facts don’t care about your feelings, Shapiro.

Armored Core Is Finally Getting The Respect It Deserves

James Kennedy — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:45:19 GMT

The main man of Mecha is back, baby. After being absent for a decade, Armored Core is finally set to make its return. As of the writing of this article, we are a little over two weeks away from Armored Core 6’s launch. As the release approaches, the media has been getting their hands on the game and the response has been extremely positive. Naturally, this has been hyping up my already hyped hype—creating a hypeception, if you will.

Why Is Rockstar So Committed To Doing The Bare Minimum For Rereleases Of GTA And Red Dead Redemption?

Andrew King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:21:19 GMT

Like the grandfatherly capitalist John Hammond in Jurassic Park, Rockstar Games has a reputation for sparing no expense. The company waited a decade to follow up Grand Theft Auto 5 and took almost eight years to work up to Red Dead Redemption 2. The result is games that are often a cut above anything else produced at such a large scale.

Pokemon Sleep Hates My Insomnia

Helen Ashcroft — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:00:21 GMT

Pokemon is a phenomenon that has mostly passed me by. When the series started I was a teenager with a PlayStation and neither enough money nor any desire to switch allegiance to Nintendo. I mean it was 1996. I had tombs to raid while falling in love with Lara Croft. So Pokemon simply became another iconic series I never played.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Scratched My Knights Of The Old Republic Itch

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:31:20 GMT

As readers probably know, I’m incapable of shutting up about Bioware’s 2003 game Knights of the Old Republic. I’ve written about it more than the average writer should in 2023, but it was a hugely formative game for me and made me fall in love with RPGs as a child. I remember getting lost in the game for years on end when I first got it, and I’ve returned to it many times since then. I’ve been chasing the high of getting so sucked into a game that I fall completely in love with ever since, and I’m glad to say that Baldur’s Gate 3 might be that game.

Lois Lane Is Everything She Needs To Be In My Adventures With Superman

Jade King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:31:20 GMT

My Adventures With Superman is a big hit with fans. Not just hardcore Man of Steel comic readers either, but casual animation lovers who’ve found so much to adore in the reimagined designs and clear anime inspiration peppered throughout the new show. I’m an ardent member of the second group, smitten with this interpretation because at its heart, it’s a romantic comedy.

I Don’t Care That Baldur’s Gate 3 Has 2023's Highest Metacritic Score

Tessa Kaur — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:00:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 reviews are finally starting to trickle in, and they have been unanimously glowing. So unanimously, in fact, that the game has now taken Tears of the Kingdom’s spot as 2023’s highest-rated game, with a Metacritic score of 97. The game has 18 critic reviews at the time of writing, all above 90, with ten being a full score of 100. It’s not just the highest-rated game of the year, it’s the second-highest-rated PC game of all time right now. Of course, there’s no saying how long this will last – Tears of the Kingdom’s rating is based on 145 critic reviews, and we’ll likely see the score change as more sites post reviews. More importantly, it’s just a review score, and I don’t care about it.

PlayStation Plus Premium Is Finally Worth The Asking Price

Jade King — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:01:20 GMT

Xbox Game Pass has been losing some of its lustre in recent months. While several smaller titles and stunning indies continue to launch on the service, its prime selling point of housing big Microsoft exclusives upon release for no additional cost has faded into obscurity, thanks to the fact that its platform holder doesn’t have many of them right now. Unless you’re one of the seven people still playing Redfall - yes, that is an actual statistic - then there’s fewer and fewer reasons these days to remain subscribed unless you’re smitten for the smaller stuff and a healthy back catalogue of existing games. Conversation around Game Pass is now fading.

Avowed Almost Being A Multiplayer Game Bodes Ill For Gaming

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 17:30:17 GMT

It’s hardly breaking news that the gaming scene is awash with multiplayer titles. You can’t watch a games showcase these days without bumping up against a couple of them, and most of the time, they look like they’re belatedly trying to capture the magic of earlier, more successful attempts at capturing mainstream interest.

Patience Took Greta Gerwig From Tiny Indies To Mega-Success With Barbie

Andrew King — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:30:51 GMT

The success of Barbie is the success of a filmmaker who spent the past 15 years finding her voice. In that way, Greta Gerwig is the antithesis of the process that has produced many of the filmmakers behind the blockbuster franchise films that have dominated theaters for the past decade.

What Elden Ring’s Success Has In Common With Baldur’s Gate 3

Andrew King — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:15:51 GMT

Like a curious Twitch streamer clicking Hide Clothes, Larian has finally revealed Baldur’s Gate 3 to the world in all its glory. The Dungeons & Dragons RPG has emerged from early access and the Divinity: Original Sin 2 studio was packing a bigger hit than anyone could have imagined. It’s another example of an acclaimed developer leveling up its skill set and audience at the same time, and it has me thinking about last year’s blockbuster example: Elden Ring.

Stop Talking About Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC

Mike Drucker — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:00:52 GMT

Are we seriously already talking about DLC for Baldur’s Gate 3? Are we already talking about expanding a game that, as far as I can tell, encompasses the entire sentient experience in a fantasy setting? That’s on people’s minds?

Baldur’s Gate 3 Should Raise The Standard Of RPGs Going Forward

Ben Sledge — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:30:40 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game-changer. I’ve only scratched the surface of this sprawling RPG, and I’m already hooked. From giving my carefully-crafted character silly hats that undermine their seriousness to forging strong alliances in the earliest stages of the game, I can’t wait to see what the giant world of Faerûn has to offer.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Already Has More Scousers Than 99 Percent Of Games

Ben Sledge — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:01:22 GMT

When was the last time you heard a Scouser in a video game? I remember exactly when. It was 14 months ago, after I wrote a long feature about the lack of Scouse representation in games. I was only able to name Conker’s Bad Fur Day and some grunts in Worms at this time, before I came across Jason Isaacs’ portrayal of faulty robot Skew in The Last Worker. The game was ultimately disappointing, but I appreciated Isaacs’ accent nonetheless.

Baldur's Gate 3 Proves That AI Has No Place In Voice Acting

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:31:12 GMT

Every gamer I know is furiously working their way through Baldur’s Gate 3 right now, and for good reason. The game has been getting praise for its flexibility, the depth of its choice and consequence system, how it’s embraced different playstyles, and even its approach to nudity. Larian has pulled off creating an unthinkably complex game, but one thing that sticks with me more than anything else is the greatness of its acting performances.

Hogwarts Legacy Was Just Another Bland Open World Game After All

Jade King — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:00:43 GMT

Hogwarts Legacy was consumed by millions of people and made billions of dollars, but less than a year later it’s hard to find anyone with enough passion to talk about it. It came and went, which is a big feat for a game which once brought up so much controversy. What was once a calling card for the transphobic and those who wished to bat against the ‘go woke, go broke’ crowds has grown into little more than yet another forgettable open world game in a sprawling sea of them.

Valve Selling Second-Hand Steam Decks Should Be The Standard

James Troughton — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 18:00:19 GMT

Valve is now selling second-hand Steam Decks at a discounted price with a one-year warranty. Essentially, you can buy the handheld console cheaper through official channels with the same support as buying a brand-new one. The only catch is the possibility of minor cosmetic damage. But when you’re saving over $100, what’s a couple of scratches?

I Spent Hours On My Baldur's Gate 3 Character And Then Ruined Her With An Ugly Hat

Ben Sledge — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:30:17 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 sank its hooks into me immediately. The opening cinematic is beautiful, with creative interpretations of classic fantasy tropes without straying from the established Dungeons & Dragons world it inhabits. The game runs phenomenally well, and I’m surprised by how well optimised it is – that’s an incredibly boring thing to notice about a game, but for all the beautiful graphics and interactable objects in the world, my PC has barely broken a sweat.

Are Comedies Back Because Of Barbie?

Andrew King — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:31:17 GMT

This past weekend saw Barbie cross the billion dollar mark at the global box office. That's remarkable for a few reasons. It's the first movie solely directed by a woman to reach that threshold. It isn't a sequel. And, in addition to being directed by a woman, it was co-written by a woman, produced by a woman, and mostly stars women.

I Want To Play Every CRPG Whenever I Play One Like Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:15:17 GMT

In the movie About Time, the men of the Lake family are able to travel backwards through time. On his 21st birthday, Domnhall Gleeson's Tim Lake finds out he has this power, and decides to use it to improve his romantic prospects. I've always related more to the way his father James (Bill Nighy) chooses to use the gift: reliving days repeatedly just to get more reading done.

Is It Bad That I’m Not Trying To Romance Anybody In Baldur’s Gate 3?

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:00:18 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken over my life, and the lives of many of my friends. One assumed that I had a pre-release build and verbally accosted me for saying I wouldn’t break embargo for him. (It’s hard to blame him.) Another has been giving me regular updates on the horrible things his Dark Urge character has done and exactly how many companions he’s accidentally murdered. I’m watching Instagram stories where people I know have been posting pictures of their lovingly-crafted custom characters for admiration. More than anything though, people have been talking about which characters they’ve been able to bone down with, and I simply cannot relate.

Baldur's Gate 3's Weakest Element Is The Unforgiving Combat

Jade King — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a bigger hit than anyone could have ever imagined. Even Larian Studios was blown away by the reception as it planned for 100,000 concurrent players and was greeted by a whopping 800,000. People love this game, many of whom hail from established D&D circles or happen to be experiencing an RPG like this for the very first time. Either way, it’s doing gangbusters, and the video game industry will take notice very quickly.

The Nintendo Switch Doesn't Need To Outsell The PS2 To Surpass It

Josh Coulson — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:30:19 GMT

The world is waiting with bated breath for Nintendo to say something, anything, about its successor to the Switch. While that announcement is almost certainly on the horizon, you really can't blame Nintendo for taking its time and milking the Switch for everything it's worth. The studio's latest numbers revealed the Switch sold almost five million more consoles during the last quarter alone. That’s unbelievable for a console in its seventh year, and a figure that brings the Switch's total to almost 130 million units sold.

The Bear Is Creativity Fuel

Andrew King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 18:00:19 GMT

This article contains spoilers for The Bear.

What Would A Talk To Me Sequel Look Like?

Andrew King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 17:31:21 GMT

Note: This article was written prior to A24's announcement of a sequel to Talk to Me.

Modern Warfare 3 Is Coming, And I Hope Activision Hasn't Rushed It

Jade King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 17:01:19 GMT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming only a year after the release of Modern Warfare 2. Sledgehammer is taking the reins from Infinity Ward instead of the franchise stepping away from annual releases as part of a move that was previously discussed by Activision.

The Red Dead Redemption Port Missed A Trick Not Coming To PC

Ben Sledge — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:45:20 GMT

Rumours of a Red Dead Redemption remake or remaster have been swirling for months, but fans have been left disappointed as Rockstar instead announced ports of the game to the Switch and PS4. Yes, a 13 year old game is coming to ten year old hardware and an underpowered handheld, but that’s not even the worst news.

For Once We All Agree – The Red Dead Redemption Port Sucks

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:31:20 GMT

After months of swirling rumours about a possible Red Dead Redemption remaster, Rockstar has announced that we’re getting… a port. A PS4 and Nintendo Switch port, to be precise, which will release digitally on August 17 and physically on October 13. The Nintendo eShop price lists the game as $49.99, and the PS4 version will presumably cost the same, but the PlayStation store doesn’t list the price as of right now.

Marvel's VFX Crew Is Unionising, And You Have Every Reason To Support Them

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:15:24 GMT

In a world increasingly plagued with exploitative corporations squeezing employees for time and labour without appropriately compensating them, collective action is absolutely necessary for upholding workers’ rights and ensuring good working conditions. Hollywood has already had to publicly deal with both the Writers’ Guild of America and the Screen Actors’ Guild striking simultaneously in efforts to secure fair pay, and now a new union is entering the fray. On Monday, visual effects crews at Marvel Studios filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a unionisation election to be represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

The Dark Urge Was The Best Possible Addition To Baldur’s Gate 3

Tessa Kaur — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:00:20 GMT

I’ve been loving Baldur’s Gate 3, despite the growing pains that come with playing such a punishing game with only a bare minimum knowledge of the mechanics. After spending a full day getting my ass kicked in a goblin camp, I followed my colleague Jade King’s advice and dropped my difficulty level to Narrative so I can actually get on with the game. Now, instead of sitting in front of my PC, groaning in frustration with my head in my hands, I’m completely sold. I’ve never played a game that’s made me feel as if every choice I make really matters, or at the very least where I can’t predict what ending my choices will get me. I am constantly stressed about making the best decision for the people around me, because there is no binary good or evil path for me to walk. That’s a truly extraordinary feat.

Overwatch 2 Is Back, And All It Took Was John Cena

Jade King — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:30:21 GMT

I will watch, play, read, and consume anything with John Cena. The Man Who Can’t Be Seen was my first childhood crush, and that fascination has extended into adulthood as he begins to star in exceedingly bigger films and TV shows. He isn’t just a WWE superstar anymore, he’s a gamer.

How Stray Gods Embraces Its Inner Theatre Geek

Sherry Toh — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:00:35 GMT

This past April, inside the historic Los Angeles El Rey Theater, Summerfall Studios took centre stage to present Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical. Laura Bailey came out of the wings as Grace, the game’s protagonist bestowed with the powers of a Muse, riffing off Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory’s accompanying piano. Fellow cast members including Mary Kate Elizabeth McGlynn as Persephone and Ashley Johnson as Calliope also joined her, alongside choices presented to the audience that players will be able to make in the game when it releases later this week.

Does Gordon Freeman Wear A Helmet In Half-Life?

James Troughton — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:31:29 GMT

Half-Life is home to many age-old debates—who the hell is G-Man? How does Magnusson know we ruined his casserole? Is Dr Breen out there somewhere as a big telepathic interdimensional slug? What was the Nihilanth trying to tell us?

Arcade Games Are The Biggest Struggle In Video Game Preservation

Dominic Allen — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:00:28 GMT

Preservation of video games is an incredibly hot topic in recent times. A recent study by the Video Game History Foundation declared that 87 percent of classic games (read: released before the year 2010) were “critically endangered”. There are still many games only playable on older systems, and retro game prices have drastically risen since the pandemic. As an artistic medium, we are letting its history quickly fade away.

If You've Ever Made Your Parents Sad And Regretted It, You Can Relate To Venba

Andrew King — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 18:01:20 GMT

This article contains spoilers for Venba. It’s extremely short and available on Xbox Game Pass, so you really should play it first, then come back and read this. It’s worth it.

Baldur's Gate 3's Level Cap Feels Way Too Low

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:30:19 GMT

According to Steam, I am 40 hours into my first proper Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough. I’ve spent almost two days with my Dragonborn Monk, who loves to get a bit murdery every now and then (through no fault of his own!). He’s level eight at the moment, and he’s powerful. He can attack three times a turn, turn his Ki into glorious magic effects, and is decked out with more magic items than Gale could ever gulp down.

Fortnite’s Holocaust Map Is Right To Try And Teach Us About World History

Jade King — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:01:21 GMT

Fortnite is one of the biggest media properties in the world. It’s played by millions of players from all conceivable age demographics each and every day and has had an impact on our world and the popular culture we consume in ways that are still hard to quantify. The impact it continues to have on popular culture is unparalleled, whether that involves the progression of technology, promotion of films and television, or crossovers that continually make the live service platform the centre of attention. It’s the only accomplished metaverse on the planet.

Every Patron Deity In Baldur's Gate 3

Ryan Thomas Bamsey — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:01:21 GMT

Baldur's Gate 3 takes place in the world of Faerun, which is one of Dungeons & Dragons' official worlds. It is a rich world, filled with lore, and it has a great many deities watching over it.

There Is No Right Or Wrong Way To Play Baldur's Gate 3

Jade King — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:46:19 GMT

Everyone and their dog is playing Baldur’s Gate 3 right now. The RPG blew developer Larian Studio’s expectations and amassed 500,000 concurrent players on Steam within just days of its launch. Sitting pretty amongst the likes of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and DOTA 2, we’ve never seen a game of this ilk take over the world so successfully before. It’s wonderful to see a game all about making your own decisions on a grand adventure so easily capturing the imagination of millions, and that’s before it even comes to consoles where a mainstream audience is free to embrace it. When that happens, the floodgates will truly be able to open.

The Fantasy Racism In Baldur’s Gate 3 Affected Me More Than I Thought It Would

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:31:19 GMT

I have mixed feelings about fantasy racism. Media can and should be used to make people confront their biases, and it doesn’t bother me when people throw fantasy slurs around. The issue should be treated with the appropriate weight and gravity and not played off like it’s no big deal, but I typically try to interpret fantasy racism in good faith, assuming it’s an earnest attempt to portray a harmful behaviour that is all too pervasive in the real world. Some players are uncomfortable with it, though, as they don’t want to face racism in games when they already face it in real life. That’s totally valid. But as a mixed-race person who does face some degree of racism, I find it validating to see my experiences portrayed in games.

I Travelled To London To Find A Pokémon Go Route

Ben Sledge — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:00:23 GMT

I’ve slowly been drawn back into Pokemon Go after a fairly lengthy absence. The increase in Remote Raid prices killed my local community, and playing near me has been much less fun because of that. I didn’t open the app for a solid month, but a couple of key changes pulled me back in.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Turned Me Into A Save Scummer

Tessa Kaur — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

I haven’t had time to play much of Baldur’s Gate 3 yet, but I’ve learned many hard lessons in my few hours so far. One major thing that I’ve already written about is that I was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of Dungeons and Dragons know-how necessary to do justice to the game – I’m not a hardcore D&D player so I was immediately stressed out. However, the hardest lesson I’ve had to learn is that I need to save more. Like, a lot more. Like, every ten minutes more.

Playing The Arkham Trilogy To Prepare For Suicide Squad Was A Mistake

Josh Coulson — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:31:20 GMT

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was revealed... wait, let me check.

Obsidian Should Handle Fallout 5

James Troughton — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

I’m going to be in my 30s by the time Fallout 5 comes out. For context, I was 15 when Fallout 4 launched in 2015. We still have Starfield to play later this year, before god-knows-how-long it’ll take to get The Elder Scrolls 6, and then finally, we’ll be back in the apocalyptic wasteland, chilling with Super Mutants and sipping Nuka-Cola by the radioactive ocean. I don’t even want to think about how long the wait for Fallout 6 will be. We could be in a nuclear wasteland of our own by that point. God help us.

The Witcher TV Show Isn't Complicated, It Just Isn't Very Good

Jade King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 17:30:23 GMT

The Witcher is overrated. I feel more comfortable saying that nowadays, knowing that a diehard fan of the games won’t spring from the bushes and slit my throat in triumph. Ever since the failed launch and ongoing redemption arc of Cyberpunk 2077 and the underwhelming rollout of the Netflix adaptation, the fantasy property has undergone a stern critical re-examination.

Paper Moon Is The Perfect Comedy Classic For Fans Of The Last Of Us

Andrew King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 17:01:20 GMT

The Last of Us is a game about life after the apocalypse and a dangerous mission to navigate a zombie-infested United States. But, on the story's most basic level, it's a road movie about a morally dubious man taking a young girl from Point A to Point B and the bond they form on the trip. In that way, it's an awful lot like the wonderful 1973 film, Paper Moon.

I’m Struggling To Be Evil in Baldur’s Gate 3

Mike Drucker — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 16:30:19 GMT

When I read about The Dark Urge origin path in Baldur’s Gate 3, I knew where I was going to take my character. Everything I read about the path seemed like exactly what I wanted. You lost your memory and all you can remember is your thirst for blood and violence. Extra narration pulls you towards extra choices that let you be extra evil. Rather than breaking the system or being an afterthought, going fully evil in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a well-designed route through the game.

FromSoftware Should Try Survival Horror Again

James Troughton — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 15:31:18 GMT

I recently wrote about how I turned my Steam Deck into a PS2 which has let me try out games I never had the chance to play when I was younger. As a kid, my gaming habits were dictated by my dad who would show me titles he'd worked on like Midnight, Driver San Francisco, and Wheelman, as well as his up-and-coming favourites like Prince of Persia and God of War. That meant I missed the boat on Silent Hill and Resident Evil. If I never played the classics, I was never going to see anything niche.

Baldur's Gate 3 Isn't Ashamed Of Nudity, It Actively Celebrates It

Jade King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 15:00:19 GMT

When I meet a new party member in Baldur’s Gate 3, I strip them naked. I know it sounds weird, and it kinda is, but I swear it isn’t part of some perverse hazing ritual. The reason I do it is that Larian Studios has taken an approach to nudity that isn’t juvenile, despite its rampant explicitness. Seconds before starting a new game you’re asked if you want to enable or disable nudity. I cannot overestimate the severity of this decision.

Pokemon Sleep Is Secretly A Productivity App

Ben Sledge — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:31:19 GMT

I’m rubbish at Pokemon Sleep. How can I be rubbish at a game where you play by sleeping? By having a toddler who joins us in bed every night, that’s how. I don’t blame her – I can’t stress enough how little I care about this game – but it means that I wake up to scores of around 250,000 compared to my colleagues’ 2 million plus hauls. Four hours of sleep disturbed by intermittent screams does not a high score make.

The Clementine Comic Has Me Finally Wanting To Play Telltale’s The Walking Dead

Andrew King — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

It's been a long time since I’ve cared about The Walking Dead. During my last year of high school, I got really into the AMC series, marathoning the second season at a friend's house. Daryl looking extremely cool with a crossbow may or may not have played a role in me and my dad deciding to buy a compound bow so we could shoot stuff in our yard while also looking cool.

Everything Revealed For 2024 And Beyond For MTG

Joe Parlock — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 20:11:15 GMT

Magic: The Gathering has just had its Gen Con panel, celebrating 30 years of Magic by revealing not just the 2024 lineup, but also new releases all the way to 2026.

PS5 Vs. Xbox Series X: Which Should You Buy?

Josh Coulson — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 18:01:19 GMT

The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X have been on the market long enough now that they are actually readily available. No relying on scalpers or waiting in a three-hour virtual queue only to find out the consoles sold out two hours and 59 minutes ago. What a time to be alive. Suffice to say, there are likely more people than ever trying to decide which of the two consoles is best for them, and with PlayStation and Xbox offering up such similar systems in a lot of important ways, it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you.

I'm Nervous About Starting Baldur's Gate 3

Andrew King — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 17:30:19 GMT

Baldur's Gate 3 is finally out, though the absence of a preload option means that I have spent very little time with it so far. But that doesn't matter because I've set aside most of the month of August for Larian's beefy role-playing game.

It Won't Be That Hard For Marvel To Recast Jonathan Majors

Tessa Kaur — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 16:00:19 GMT

Disney has been silent so far about the allegations against Jonathan Majors, who was meant to be on trial now for charges of assault, harassment and strangulation after a high-profile arrest in March. (The trial has been delayed to September.) The trailer for Loki’s season 2 revealed that he was still playing the big bad in the show, but there’s no knowing whether that will change in future if he is convicted, or even if he isn’t. I suspect that Disney will try to sweep the allegations under the rug if he’s acquitted, but I really don’t think it would be all that difficult to recast him.

I Turned My Steam Deck Into A PS2

James Troughton — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 15:00:17 GMT

I wasn’t sure if I’d like the Steam Deck. Handheld gaming means a smaller screen and annoying controls. My hands are big, okay? The Nintendo Switch feels like playing with a toy iPhone. Luckily, I like the Deck—it’s a huge brick that’s way bigger than it needs to be, which is perfect. It got me back into PC gaming, meaning that my library of 600 games and counting isn’t going to waste. I also get to do all this from the comfort of my sofa instead of the desk I work at eight hours a day. But my love for the Deck didn’t truly click until I turned it into a PS2.

Apex Legends Season 18: Resurrection Is For The Casuals

Ben Sledge — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 14:00:19 GMT

Apex Legends Season 18 is upon us, and if there’s one thing to take away from all the hubbub, it’s that casual players are eating good right now. The reworked Revenant is ripe for newcomers to jump into fights with no regard for their teammates. The changes to SMGs make shotguns far better, and we all know that boomsticks are the crutch of noobs. The strong focus on story, with main characters set to be killed off by the cruel writers, is intended to draw new players in. Did you know that both Rs in George R. R. Martin stand for Respawn?

How To With John Wilson’s Toilet Episode Is Infuriating, But Good

Andrew King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 20:00:22 GMT

This article contains spoilers for How To with John Wilson’s season three premiere.

Prudish Blockbusters Have Dominated For Over A Decade, But Not In The Summer Of Oppenheimer And Barbie

Andrew King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 17:00:21 GMT

This article contains spoilers for Barbie and Oppenheimer.

Elon Musk Has Changed The App To X, But You Can Keep It Twitter

Andrew King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:45:22 GMT

Elon Musk has never met a brand he didn’t think would be improved by crowbarring the letter X into its name. Back in the day, he tried his best to change the name of PayPal to X, which resulted in his exit from the start-up. His rocket company is called SpaceX. There's a Tesla Model X. And now, he’s brought his Sesame Street-like obsession with the letter to Twitter, renaming the bird-themed app X and forcing us all to indulge his super strange fixation.

I Hope Other Games Take A Lesson From The Length Of Assassin's Creed Mirage

Andrew King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:20 GMT

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is, reportedly, much shorter than any recent game in the series.

Why Aren't There Any Good Druid Commanders In MTG?

Joe Parlock — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:15:21 GMT

One of my gaming New Years’ Resolutions for 2023 was to finish the Magic: The Gathering decks I’d half-built over 2022. So far, things are going pretty well, and this year I’ve made three new Commander decks: Monkey and Ape Typal with Kibo, mono-white blink with Preston, and Big Green Stompy Monsters with Goreclaw. However, one deck on my to-do list still completely eludes me, and not through lack of trying.

Scream Just Got Its First Gay Director And I Couldn't Be More Excited

James Troughton — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:00:20 GMT

Scream 7 is in the works, but the iconic horror series is switching hands once again. Due to scheduling conflicts, Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are stepping into executive producer roles while Happy Death Day and Freaky director Christopher Landon takes the reins. New blood with a slasher history—and a decent one at that—is exciting enough, but Landon is also the first openly gay director to helm a Scream film.

Baldur's Gate 3's Narrative Difficulty Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of

Jade King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 15:30:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is kicking my butt. I’m not used to games like this, let alone ones that grant me access to countless different characters and abilities to consider, alongside challenging combat encounters and environmental hazards that test my mettle from the very beginning.

Ex-Games Workshop Presenter Louise Sugden Releases Her Own Miniatures Range

Ben Sledge — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 15:00:18 GMT

Louise Sugden left Games Workshop and started Rogue Hobbies just four months ago, after many of her friends and colleagues had done the same. The exodus may have been in part due to the ‘OnlyHands’ system that Games Workshop forced on its video team. Maybe it was simply buoyed by the success of Duncan Rhodes, once the face of Warhammer’s YouTube presence and now successful independent videographer with his own range of paints to rival his employers’. There’s no denying that, over the past 18 months especially, Games Workshop has been leaking talent.

Baldur's Gate 3 Fans, Please Don't Forget About The First Two Games

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:31:20 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like an anomaly in the best way possible. Not only did it have a successful Early Access period with constant communication from devs and a bucket load of goodwill from fans, it’s also, as the name would suggest, a threequel. More specifically, it’s a follow-up to an old, boomer RPG most modern fans have only heard of in passing, much less played through.

PSA: More Disney Lorcana Stock Is Coming, Don't Let FOMO Get The Best Of You

Eric Switzer — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 13:01:22 GMT

If you close your eyes and listen closely, you might be able to hear a high-pitched hum coming from somewhere in the distance. Can you hear it? That’s the sound of hundreds of thousands of Disney fans vibrating with excitement for the release of Disney Lorcana. Technically speaking, the TCG will hit store shelves in just a couple of weeks. In reality, Lorcana cards will never have time to sit on a shelf because the available booster boxes will sell out within minutes of stores opening their doors, or have already done so through pre-orders.

Baldur's Gate 3 Is A Game Where Every Decision Actually Matters

Jade King — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:57:00 GMT

I’ve barely scratched the surface of Baldur’s Gate 3. I’m still communicating with a seemingly endless array of characters amidst a bustling grove mere metres away from the Mind Flayer ship that crash-landed following the game’s introduction. As a relative novice to Dungeons & Dragons, much of this universe and the mechanics, races, and lore that underpin it remain a mystery to me. But I’m eating it all up, welcoming the confusion that defines every moment.

The Gaming Industry Can Never Undo Feminist Frequency

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:31:20 GMT

Anita Sarkeesian has been making videos critiquing media through a feminist lens for almost 15 years. Her website Feminist Frequency, a non-profit organisation that started as a media outlet and went on to promote diversity and raise awareness of sexism and discrimination in video games, will be shutting down in early 2024.

Report: ESO LGBTQ+ Discord Taken Down By Bigots

James Troughton — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:09:25 GMT

The Elder Scrolls Online has long been a welcoming community for queer players, with yearly Pride Parades, LGBTQ+ streamers in the official ESO Stream Team, guilds proudly flying their rainbow colours, and its creative director telling bigots to get lost.

Disney Lorcana: Every Enchanted Card Revealed So Far

Eric Switzer — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:59:47 GMT

Today, TheGamer revealed Disney Lorcana's secret sixth rarity, Enchanted. These cards are borderless, alternate art versions of regular cards in The First Chapter that have a unique inkwash foil treatment previously only seen on the D23 Expo 2022 promo cards. Unveiled ahead of Gen Con, convention attendees are invited to search for Enchanted cards as part of the #EnchantedSeeker content. Each person that finds a unique Enchanted card at tweets a picture of it using #EnchantedSeeker and @DisneyLorcana will be invited to a special event at Gen Con on Sunday afternoon. Here are all the Enchanted cards that have been discovered so far.

Apex Legends Will Start Killing Characters Off

Ben Sledge — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:35:21 GMT

Real Apex Legends fans remember Forge. The only Legend who has ever been killed off in the game’s history, Forge was the ultimate bait-and-switch. Dataminers found his abilities in the game’s files, and players got excited by his giant robotic arm and close combat abilities. He represented a marked change from the Legends who had come before, and was well liked in the teasers that developer Respawn started putting out.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Overwhelming If You’re Not A Hardcore Dungeons And Dragons Fan

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:30:22 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is my first foray into the RPG series, a leap I’m taking primarily because I need to regularly play and write about new games for my job. The game sounds interesting to me on its face – Baldur’s Gate 3 is a role-playing video game incorporating turn-based combat with fifth-edition D&D rules, and is set in a D&D campaign setting. I’m a casual D&D player at best, and my experience with the tabletop game is limited to a dozen sessions of a homebrew Avatar: The Last Airbender campaign my friend ran for us. My knowledge of spells is limited, and we skip a lot of the mechanics that hardcore players might get in the weeds with in favour of ease of entry, because almost all of us were new players when we first started the campaign.

The Witcher Should Never Have Dumbed Itself Down For American Audiences

Tessa Kaur — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 14:30:22 GMT

Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher has been much maligned over the years for not adhering closely enough to the source material, Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of short stories and novels. The show’s third season has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 22 percent and has been heavily criticised for oversimplifying plot points from the novels. Like many people, I think it’s a bad show, and promptly stopped watching it after the first season. I don’t regret that choice – I caught the end of an episode at a friend’s house, and it was awful. I haven’t read the books, so can’t speak to how much or how poorly it summarises plot points. However, executive producer of the show, Tomek Baginski, has somehow managed to blame that simplification and poor reception on Tiktok and Americans.

Five Things I Don’t Want From the Switch 2

Mike Drucker — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 14:00:20 GMT

There is some point at which Nintendo will have to release a new console. I’m not sure why it needs to feel like a hostage situation. We’re on day 400 of a Waco-like siege in which we surround Nintendo’s headquarters and demand it come out with decent launch titles and its hands in the air.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Is Going To Suck On PS4 and Xbox One

Jade King — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:01:21 GMT

EA and Respawn Entertainment have confirmed that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is in development for the PS4 and Xbox One. Despite previously making it clear that the action adventure game was exclusive to current-gen platforms and PC to take full advantage of the updated technology, it seems the unlimited power of additional sales and piles of money have helped change a tune which once sounded absolute. This is a bad idea, and will be a version of the game not worth playing. It will look worse, run terribly, and drag down Survivor for no good reason. How do I know? Well, we only need to look back on how Fallen Order fared on old hardware.

Palia Is The Coziest Game I’ve Played All Year

Harry Alston — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 17:00:20 GMT

This year, I’ve slayed demons in Diablo 4, roleplayed as a battle-hardened medic in BattleBit Remastered, and spent hours traipsing the Halls Of Torment. After all that, it’s quite lovely to settle down in the world of Palia, a cozy life sim MMO where the most savage thing you do is hunt cute foxes - which Hassian the hunter tells me are an invasive species anyway, so I shouldn’t feel too bad.

Five Fictional Queer Couples Who Are Actually Just Good Friends

Jade King — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:31:20 GMT

I love nothing more than female characters who are gals being pals with no room for interpretation. They might flirt, kiss, confide in one another, or even fuck - but we know at the end of the day that our favourite characters are little more than rock solid besties.

What's The Deal With Marvel And Season Finales?

Josh Coulson — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:16:20 GMT

This should go without saying, but there are spoilers ahead, lots of them. If you haven't seen the finale of Secret Invasion or any other MCU Disney Plus show and you don't want them spoiled, stop reading here and come back when you're all caught up.

Your Brain Is Broken If You’re Wondering About Barbie Post-Credit Scenes

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:00:21 GMT

We’ve been knee-deep in Barbie discourse since opening weekend. That’s a fact I find surprising given Barbie isn’t a particularly provocative film. It’s a fun watch, sure, but it’s not as brilliant, revolutionary, or empowering as fans describe it as being. To be fair, that’s not to say I haven’t had my fair share of opinions about it – I’ve written about Michael Cera’s Allan as a wonderful example of broadening understandings of masculinity, criticised it for portraying the most milquetoast version of feminism possible, and highlighted how it’s still a movie made in collaboration with Mattel to make the company money.

This Summer’s Best Horror Movie Is Already Here

Tessa Kaur — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:31:21 GMT

Long before A24’s Talk To Me released in cinemas worldwide, I was already convinced it would be a hit. Back in April, I wrote a piece touching on how it could be the scariest movie of the year. While I can’t confirm whether or not this is true since I obviously haven’t seen every horror movie coming out this year, I can say for sure that Talk To Me is the scariest film of the summer, and possibly one of the most frightening films I’ve ever seen.

Post Malone Buying MTG's The One Ring Was Always The Best Possible Outcome

Joe Parlock — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:01:19 GMT

The entire saga of The One Ring is all the things I like least about Magic: The Gathering rolled into one. The constant fretting over the secondary market, people seeing cards as retirement funds over game pieces, and, of course, the whole Willy Wonka fiasco of slipping it into one booster pack like it’s a lottery ticket. It’s hard to deny what was otherwise an excellent set was completely smothered by the fervour surrounding the card, but finally it’s all over.

What's With All The Discourse About Miles Morales' Hair In Spider-Man 2?

George Foster — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:31:18 GMT

As a young, generic-looking white guy, seeing myself represented in video games isn’t something I’ve ever struggled with. I may not be as handsome as Nathan Drake and might have some difficulty finding my specific brand of skater boy patchwork tattoos, but it’s not hard to see myself in the games I play. For people of colour, things aren’t so easy.

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch Overview: Goating Around

Helen Ashcroft — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:00:18 GMT

Despite my small village upbringing, I’ve not been near a horse since 1993, when I fell off one of the towering animals and landed ass-first in a river. So, as someone who knows a little about horses but isn’t especially interested in them, I wondered how long The Sims 4’s latest expansion pack, Horse Ranch, would hold my attention.