Review: Raccoo Venture
Developer – Diego Ras Publisher – QUByte Interactive Platforms – Nintendo Switch , PS4/5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S|X , PC (Reviewed) Review copy given by Publisher In the vast realm of gaming, where innovation meets nostalgia, Raccoo Venture emerges as a beacon of excellence, seamlessly blending the charm of 1990s platformers with modern gaming sensibilities. This 3D platformer offers not only a visually stunning and challenging experience but also a rich narrative that beckons players into a world brimming with puzzles, enemies, and the quest to restore balance to the mystical land of Verta. The game’s storyline unfolds in the aftermath of chaos that once plagued Verta, a world dominated by creatures born of nature’s disturbance. The Guardians, saviors of the land, harnessed their powers to create a sacred relic, a powerful force capable of containing the unpredictable forces of chaos. To safeguard this relic, the Guardians divided it into fractions of goodness and wickedness, hiding them deep within the forest. The balance they brought to Verta flourished, ushering in an era of harmony among its inhabitants. However, the peace is shattered when the Tattooed Tatus discover the relic, putting the world’s equilibrium at stake. Only the sole heir to the Guardians’ power can prevent chaos from reclaiming the land. At its core, Raccoo Venture strikes a harmonious balance between puzzle-solving and platforming, elevating the gaming experience to new heights. Each level is a meticulously crafted challenge, requiring players to navigate through a world teeming with puzzles and enemies. The nostalgic undertones of classic 1990s platformers are palpable, providing a warm familiarity for seasoned gamers while offering a welcoming entry point for newcomers to the genre. What truly sets Raccoo Venture apart is its attention to detail in the collection elements. The hero, our esteemed Raccoo, can be customized with a diverse array of Special Outfits. Beyond the superficial allure of changing appearances, each outfit serves a purpose, unlocking new dimensions in the gameplay and unraveling mysteries along the journey. This not only adds replay value but also injects a sense of discovery into every corner of Verta. The magical items dispersed by the ancestral tribe, Visgo Vesgo, introduce an intriguing layer of lore to the game. These elusive artifacts, some hidden so ingeniously that their discovery could span centuries, deepen the narrative and invite players to embark on a quest to unveil their true powers and purposes. It’s a testament to the developers’ commitment to creating a world that not only captivates players visually but also immerses them in a rich, storied environment. A notable feature that enhances the overall gameplay experience is the seamless integration of gamepad support. Raccoo Venture recognizes the importance of precision and control in a platformer, ensuring that players can navigate the intricate puzzles and challenges with ease. The gamepad support enhances the immersion, allowing players to focus on the magical world of Verta without being hindered by control limitations. Raccoo Venture transcends the boundaries of a mere game; it’s a mesmerizing journey into nostalgia, magic, and innovation. With its meticulous level design, captivating narrative, and innovative gameplay mechanics, Raccoo Venture rightfully earns its place among the pantheon of triple AAA titles. Raccoo Venture is not just a game; it’s a testament to the artistry and passion of game development, delivering an unforgettable adventure for players seeking a harmonious blend of the past and the present.
Diablo Immortal: Splintered Souls Patch Notes Live
The Diablo Immortal team has released patch notes for the Last major update of 2023 , Splintered Souls , you can learn all about the major update below: Welcome to the last major update of 2023, Splintered Souls. This update introduces Familiars to fight alongside you, the Southern Dreadlands Zone and Sentinel’s Stand Zone Event, 3 new Inferno Difficulties and 5 new Helliquary Bosses, and a flaming flood of additional content. As with previous content updates, there will be server maintenance starting on December 13, from 4 p.m.–6 p.m. PST for Oceanbaia, China, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe servers, and on December 14, from 12 a.m.–2 a.m. PST for servers in the Americas. After the maintenance has concluded, all items mentioned below will be live—specific dates for any content going live afterward are provided below. Codex New Mystical Companions: Familiars New Zone and Event: Southern Dreadlands Additional Inferno Difficulties and Soulhewn Helliquary Bosses 3 New Legendary Gems Angmet’s Conflagration Set and Bracelet Slots The Darkling Plane Limited-Time Event The Splintering Dark Limited-Time Event Survivor’s Bane Limited-Time Event Rite of Cleansing Daily Activity Returning Events Season 21 Battle Pass: Shardwarped Savior Corrupt Radiance Phantom Market Mirrored Jewels Elder Rift Enhancement New Legendary Items, Class Balance, and Paragon Specializations Feature Updates Region-Specific Game Additions Bug Fixes div { align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: center; } img { height: 100px; width: 150px; border: 3px solid black; border-radius: 20px; margin: 0px 8px; display: block; } New Mystical Companions: Familiars The Dawn of Familiars Use your knowledge of the Arcane to contract a mighty creature, keeping them by your side to aid in your exploits. Familiars are extraordinary companions—beasts of the desert, fluorescent beings of light, tree-dwelling spirits of a most predatory nature. It is paramount to tread the path that lays ahead with an equally formidable ally at your side. Get a feel for Familiars by playing the new Darkling Plane Limited-Time event. More details about this later in this article. Familiars are peculiar creatures that must first be contracted. You can earn Familiars by playing through in-game activities and events, or purchase optional in-game bundles to level and obtain powerful Familiars. Familiars provide utility powers and passive skills, and they can aid you in battle, but don’t impact Resonance or Combat Rating. More powerful Familiars can also be acquired through Melding and Conversion, which is outlined later in this section. Players can bring up to 6 Familiars with them in combat, making the best use of them through Primary (Active) and Secondary (Passive) Slots. The Familiar equipped in your Primary slot will have all of their skills and abilities active to influence gameplay, while the Familiars in secondary slots only affect gameplay through their secondary skills. Players will be able to purchase additional Secondary slots for Gold in the Familiars tab. Familiar Skills and Utility Each Familiar has an Active Skill (which triggers in combat automatically), Passive Skills, Attributes, and Traits that boost their own abilities and yours. Active Skills are the primary Skill for each Familiar, while Passive skills improves the stats of the Familiar. Traits help boost your various player stats such as movement speed or critical strike chance, and have great utility use. Attributes determine the Familiar’s power and improve these values to improve their potency. A Level 1 Familiar only has its Active Skill unlocked, with all 6 Passive Skills unlocked once the Familiar reaches Level 30. Familiars have Traits, which can improve things such as critical hit chance or movement speed when not actively equipped as the Active Skills. Passive Skills strengthen the Familiar itself, while Traits improve your stats, including the Familiar’s traits. Traits become available once a Familiar reaches Level 30 and are divided into two common categories: Common and Advanced. Common Traits only apply to the Familiar they appear on, and Advanced Traits stack between your currently Select Familiar and Bonded Familiars. A Familiar can have a total of 6 Traits. Familiars can have four different Attributes which determine the potency of their Passive Skills: Ferocity, Agility, Insight, and Resilience. Ordinary and Aberrant Familiars Familiars have two separate variants: Ordinary and Aberrant. Ordinary Familiars are most common; they can be found easily, and contain the valuable skills available to aid in combat and beyond. By comparison, Aberrant Familiars carry stronger skills, and only Aberrant Familiars can achieve the most advanced growth stage of physical maturity. For more information on how to obtain an Aberrant Familiar, read Familiar Conversion. Familiar Acquisition Familiars can be acquired in a few ways, mainly through a Summoning Contract or through purchasing a Tamed Familiar. To acquire a Summoning Contract, talk to Nisza the Witch in Westmarch and purchase one with Gold. Summoning Contracts can also be obtained as Event rewards, a Battle Pass reward, or as a regular drop from killing monsters in Sanctuary. A Summoning Contract has an equal chance of producing each kind of Familiar (Broodtalon, Duskprowler etc.). Each kind of Familiar has certain Active Abilities they favor, so choosing specific Familiars may best suit your playstyle. Additionally, Familiars can be purchased at the Familiars Shop at Level 30. Familiars can also be obtained from Shop Bundles, the Marketplace, the Boon of Plenty, and through Event rewards. Purchasing a Familiar guarantees what type of Familiar you receive, and whether they are Ordinary or Aberrant. Aberrant Familiars can also be traded at Wynton’s Market, with Passive and Active Skills fully unlocked on purchase, and varying numbers of Common and Advanced Traits. Aberrant Familiars can also be obtained through Conversion—for more details read our section on Conversion. Familiar Quality Familiars have 4 different quality levels: Common, Magic, Rare, and Legendary. Each rarity of Familiar indicates the level and strength of Passive Traits the Familiar possesses. Ordinary Familiars can be Common, Magic, Rare, while Aberrant Familiars have the potential to be of all 4 types of rarity. Summoning Table Once you’ve obtained a Summoning Contract, use the Summoning Table in Nizsa’s Shop to summon your Familiar. Using
Diablo IV Midwinter Blight live today!
Diablo IV presents MIDWINTER BLIGHT, an electrifying limited-time event that thrusts Fractured Peaks into a realm of perpetual darkness and bone-chilling cold. From December 13 to January 3 AEDT, team up with the mysterious bard Gileon as he warns of the awakening “Red-Cloaked Horror” and its sinister Blightfiend minions, preying on the disheartened. MIDWINTER BLIGHT unfolds a story of festive revival in Kyovashad, where Gileon strives to rekindle holiday cheer amidst whispers of peril. Explore Kyovashad and witness Midwinter Square’s transformation into a vibrant hub of celebration. Slay the pale blue Blightfiends in Fractured Peaks to collect Blighted Fragments and upgrade the square. Break the Blightfiends’ malevolent revelry by obliterating Frigid Husks and reclaiming Lost Heirlooms, essential for square enhancements. Confront the infamous Red-Cloaked Horror by battling these abominations! Visit the Collections Table in Midwinter Square with Blighted Fragments, Lost Heirlooms, and other Midwinter Blight treasures. Exchange them for Midwinter Proofs, unlocking rewards like a dazzling Mount Trophy, Class-specific Back Trophies, Weapon Cosmetics, the awe-inspiring Shard of Dawn Offensive Legendary Aspect, Gileon’s Brew, and more. Embark on an epic journey into the abyss, championing the cause of Midwinter Blight. For further details and updates, explore our blog. May the excitement ignite as you plunge into the chilling depths of Diablo IV’s MIDWINTER BLIGHT! For more information check out the latest blog from Blizzard .
Sonic Mania Plus comes to Netflix Games in 2024
Netflix has been very active in the games side of things as of late since they announced the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy would be coming to the platform allowing people to play it on mobile. Today, Netflix announced more new games to expect coming to their new service for video games. Sonic Mania Plus will be one of the notable games coming to Netflix Games sometime in 2024. It will be the first time that Sonic Mania will be on mobile and it will be exclusive to Netflix. Multiple playable characters give you the ability to go explosively fast as Sonic, soar as Tails, or power through tough obstacles with Knuckles’ brute strength. You can relive the Sonic of the past with an exciting new twist on classic zones while fighting against new bosses and Dr. Eggman’s evil robot army. Sonic Mania Plus was developed by Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games in collaboration with Sonic Team. It’s clear that Netflix is trying to take a great stance in the video game industry after being known to be a service for Television Shows and Movies. What do you think about Netflix Games?
The next update for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has been pushed to Early 2024
The next game update for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has been delayed to Early 2024 and it includes New Game+ and Audio Descriptions. Insomniac Games announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they are targeting the first part of the New Year for Spider-Man 2’s next update. In the statement, they tease there will be the option to change the time of day, replay missions, and more. They plan to release a feature-complete list closer to the release of this update. “We’ve heard your feedback and will be adding some highly requested features, including the ability to change the time of day, swap tendril colors, and replay missions” #SpiderMan2PS5 #BeGreaterTogether pic.twitter.com/PgsE4gXSO1 — Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) December 13, 2023 Although Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 left The Game Awards with no awards, it is still a must-play for PlayStation 5 owners.
Recent Update For Skyrim Turns The Game Into A Mod Platform
For Bethesda, plenty of its quirks for the titles that come from the developer is the community support. Specifically in the mods that launch for The Elder Scrolls & Fallout, players are fueled to further the experiences set ahead of themselves. Already, the firm pressed on Starfield too. In that, mod support is promised to launch for the game following its initial release. As for its current games, mods remain a tentpole aspect of its titles – on PC as well as consoles too. Moving forward, there is a new ‘Creations’ feature that recently went live for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim which further billboards player-created content for the 2011 title. Across platforms its supported, players can find the new tab on the main menu. Even more, there is a ‘Bethesda Game Studios Verified Creator Program’ for users to enter in pricing mods. “In continuing to evolve with the Skyrim community, we are excited to announce Bethesda Game Studios Creations, an updated way for players to discover, download and play community-made content. Creations combines Skyrim’s existing Mods, Creation Club items and all-new Creations under a single Creations menu available for players to browse today in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition,” Bethesda Game Studios writes “Creators can put up their own Creations for players to enjoy, or even apply to the Bethesda Game Studios Verified Creator Program to set prices for their Creations. That’s right: become a Verified Creator and you could earn a royalty for each of your Creations sold within Skyrim Special Edition,” the blog post added. Bethesda Game Studios continues with headlined community creations including East Empire Expansion, Legendary Dungeons – Dwarven Delves, Katja the Thief, Aldmeri Anti-Mage, Winterfrost, Arquebus (pictured; header), and Shadetree Lodge. Of course, this is only the start as more community mods continue to roll out for Bethesda’s most popular title. What has you most surprised from this new update for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Source: Bethesda
Disney+ New Internal Effort Points To Gaming/Shopping For Its Platform
It is no secret to anybody: Netflix has been pushing for emphasis on gaming for years now. With collaborations between developers & publishers, we’ve been met with several video game adaptations stretching across film as well as television too. One of its most recent reveals includes Devil May Cry & Tomb Raider animes that are on the way. Games are also on the horizon with Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy being added to its game hub as well this week. Additionally, it is also working on in-house projects as well. Previously, it was confirmed that a new project in collaboration with Super Evil Megacorp is on the way for Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon. In a separate report, it is also indicated that unique titles based on streaming series Wednesday, Squid Game, and Black Mirror are also on the table internally. According to a new report from Variety, Disney is also seeing the effect of this and is considering to implement its own gaming segment to Disney+. This alongside a separate shopping marketplace is also being negotiated as part of an initiative to further advertise for the platform, Disney advertising sales president Rita Ferro stated. “The world of advertising experiences on AVOD is an important place to be involved in.” She adds, “the next level of ad innovations will be” disclosed at a coming event next year in January. It is said a presentation in Las Vegas, Nevada is on the way for January 10th by Disney which will elaborate further on the effort for Disney+ and more. While unsure how involved this gaming venture will explore distribution similar to Netflix or bring proper AAA titles to Disney+, the firm has showcased some major titles in the past. Last year, Disney unveiled a new Iron Man AAA title is in the works from the team behind Star Wars Squadrons & Dead Space Remake, EA Motive. You can read the full report by heading here. What do you think of this effort to integrate gaming into Disney+? Source: Variety
Xbox Cloud Gaming To Possibly Reveal Free Streaming Tier With Ads, Executive Hints
Thus far, Microsoft is pursuing a greater hand in the mobile market – plenty thanks to its Xbox Cloud Gaming infrastructure. Even more, with the recently finalized Activision Blizzard King deal, more content is on the way for the service. And at The Game Awards, the first major title for this effort was revealed. Hideo Kojima accompanied by movie auteur Jordan Peele. Exploring the possibilities that Microsoft is eyeing to open its doors to, players are keeping eyes peeled for an announcement. Previously, one document shared internal discussions to bring support to PlayStation 5. Furthermore, another email suggested Xbox Cloud Gaming to implement PC game streaming for platform-unique titles as well in the near future. From TweakTown, it is revealed that Microsoft is also considering a free tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming. What gives this decision a solid foundation is that it will integrate ads for users to see in use. TweakTown transcribes the statement made from the Wells Fargo TMT Summit in November. It also helps us, maybe lastly, on geographic expansion. The vision I like to talk about is we have xCloud game streaming, so you can subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate and you can stream hundreds of games to really any endpoint that has a browser experience. For models like Africa, or India, Southeast Asia, maybe places that aren’t console-first, you can say, ‘hey, do you want to watch 30 seconds of an ad and then get two hours of game streaming?’ Tim Stuart, Microsoft Gaming CFO “So we can go in with our own business models and say…there’s millions and millions of gamers we would never have been able to address there, and now we can go in with our business models,” Stuart adds. What’s more, this effort does coincide with previous efforts carried by Microsoft to integrate ads into its platform. It also holds the same energy in a recent report for its own mobile gaming store to compete opposing Google Play & App Store, interesting enough. What Microsoft should do before pursuing yet another tier – since it already added one back in September – is finish its promise for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members. In that, it is to offer widespread purchase library support for active subscribers which was originally instated back in summer 2021. You can read the initial report by heading here. What is your thoughts on this new effort from Xbox?
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Metal: Hellsinger, GTA V, And More For PlayStation Plus December 2023 Game Catalog
This fall, PlayStation Plus continues to evolve for its subscribers starting this past October. The service went on to launch its own cloud streaming feature for PlayStation 5 titles bringing the next-generation to PlayStation Plus. In November, the service continued to bring value with free games including Mafia II: Definitive Edition, Dragon Ball: The Breakers, and Aliens: Fireteam Elite at the time. Additionally, the monthly game catalog update for November 2023 also featured a stacked list as well. It headlined with Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, Superliminal, Teardown, plus others. And this momentum, of course, has carried over into December too. For the free December 2023 titles this month, PlayStation Plus features PowerWash Simulator, Lego 2K Drive, and Sable until the New Year. And entering the halfway part of the month, a new game catalog has been revealed for PlayStation Plus. These titles are scheduled to arrive on December 19th. You can read the full list below: PlayStation 5 GigaBash Grand Theft Auto V GRIME Metal: Hellsinger Moonscars Moto GP23 Prodeus Salt and Sacrifice Shadowrun Returns Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut Shadowrun: Hong Kong – Extended Edition Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Tinykin PlayStation 4 GigaBash Grand Theft Auto V GRIME Mega Man 11 Mega Man Legacy Collection Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 Metal: Hellsinger Moonscars Moto GP23 Prodeus Salt and Sacrifice Shadowrun Returns Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut Shadowrun: Hong Kong – Extended Edition Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Tinykin PlayStation Portable Thrillville PlayStation 2 Thrillville: Off the Rails PlayStation Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Among the large list, we urge you read our accessibility review for Metal: Hellsinger. It praising the game’s “Fun metal music, voiced dialog, subtitles are available on default, we can hear where our enemies are, and our performed actions have their own sound. Not to mention if on a controller, it vibrates to the beat if and it seems like keyboard navigation is present.” Moreover, we did a review for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. “Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is one of the best spin-offs this historic franchise has seen, and Jack is by far the best Final Fantasy protagonist in quite a long time.” What has you most interested for this new PlayStation Plus game catalog? Source: PlayStation Blog
GTA Online: The Chop Shop Update Adds Wildlife Online, Drift Races, And A 100-Car Garage
December alone remains probably the most notable eras for Rockstar Games in the past decade. In that, the developer officially announced Grand Theft Auto VI with its trailer shattering records online. Additionally, it satisfies the expectations for players that waited roughly a dozen years for the next entry. Elsewhere, the classic ‘Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy’ is also planned to launch on Netflix this week as well. In regards to the ongoing GTA Online, the multiplayer segment of the greater Grand Theft Auto V continues to face new updates well into 2023. The last major update came in June with ‘San Andreas Mercenaries Update’ which included requested features like Avenger & Hangar upgrades, claiming all destroyed vehicles via Mors Mutual, and more. This week, Rockstar Games returns with a new update, ‘The Chop Shop Update’ which went live on Tuesday. You can watch the trailer in the video below: “Collaborate with illustrious Liberty City real estate mogul and auto enthusiast Yusuf Amir on his newest venture, stealing the most coveted vehicles in Los Santos across a series of daring robberies in GTA Online: The Chop Shop,” the overview reads. This new update features many big changes for GTA Online including a 100-car garage, drift races, wildlife entering multiplayer, new cars, and the new Battle Rifle weapon. Part of The Chop Shop Update welcomes the Salvage Yard: a new operation for players to use as a front to heist luxury vehicles. Boosting these vehicles can also be sold off for some good capital as well. Rockstar Games also presses that you can use this new venture to officially obtain law enforcement vehicles which are a good turnout for the effort in the vehicle heist. What has you most excited for The Chop Shop Update? GTA Online is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Rockstar Newswire
