Carzy Zarx’s PC Gaming Emporium - Catch Up on All the Latest PC Gaming Related News

[JEMC]

Thursday gaming news, part two:

Playstack, not content with obliterating my free time via Balatro, is publishing another roguelike about coin pusher machines
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/playstack-not-content-with-obliterating-my-free-time-via-balatro-is-publishing-another-roguelike-about-coin-pusher-machines/
I'm not a full-time Balatro player, but I do have occasional spells where Jimbo lunges from my screen and throttles me until I've sunk about 50 extra hours into it. My doctors tell me that's a 'hallucination' and a 'deflection from me avoiding my responsibilities', but Jimbo tells me they're lying, so I'm not sure who to believe.
Anyway—Playstack, the company what published Balatro, has gone ahead and done it again. The only thing stopping me from falling into a void and devouring more of the new coin-pusher roguelike Raccoin is the fact it's merely in playtesting. Phew! Close one.

Hyper Light Breaker has shadow dropped a new update with floating islands, difficulty modifiers, a beefy new tank character, and a challenging duo boss that's 'technically 4 bosses' depending on what order you beat them in
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/hyper-light-breaker-has-shadow-dropped-a-new-update-with-floating-islands-difficulty-modifiers-a-beefy-new-tank-character-and-a-challenging-duo-boss-thats-technically-4-bosses-depending-on-what-order-you-beat-them-in/
In a new trailer at the Gamescom edition of the Future Games Show, Heart Machine simultaneously revealed and launched the latest early access update to Hyper Light Breaker, which includes new systems, a playable character, a fresh boss, and floating islands in the open world. I got a chance to see the new additions in a hands-off gameplay presentation last week, and here are the topline changes: (...)

If EA won't make another Battlefield Vietnam, Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is here to pick up the slack
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/if-ea-wont-make-another-battlefield-vietnam-hell-let-loose-vietnam-is-here-to-pick-up-the-slack/
Hell Let Loose, the decently popular WW2 milsim that's been plugging along since 2019, is getting a proper sequel set in a theatre of war that videogames rarely visit. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is bringing back the 50v50 skirmishes of the original with new maps, weapons, and most importantly, vehicles of the era.

Resident Evil Requiem's protagonist is 'an introverted and fearful character,' but to be fair there's a giant monster chasing her
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/resident-evil-requiems-protagonist-is-an-introverted-and-fearful-character-but-to-be-fair-theres-a-giant-monster-chasing-her/
Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Grace Ashcroft is "an introverted and fearful character, which is unusual for this series," said producer Masato Kumazawa (translated from Japanese) during a segment in the Future Games Show's Gamescom showcase.

Mount and Blade 2's massive War Sails expansion delivers viking death metal in this new trailer—and don't worry, it's not delayed again
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/mount-and-blade-2s-massive-war-sails-expansion-delivers-viking-death-metal-in-this-new-trailer-and-dont-worry-its-not-delayed-again/
War Sails, the big naval expansion to Taleworlds' strategy RPG Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, turned up at the Future Games Show today with a new trailer depicting the arrival of the new viking-inspired Nord faction. And hoo boy was it loud.

Path of Exile 2's next major update lands next week, adding a new campaign act, a massive list of buffs, and—yes, finally—a way to trade while the other player is offline
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/path-of-exile-2s-next-major-update-lands-next-week-adding-a-new-campaign-act-a-massive-list-of-buffs-and-yes-finally-a-way-to-trade-while-the-other-player-is-offline/
It's probably fair to say Path of Exile 2's previous update wasn't received well. On Steam, reviews were pretty negative—players upset by a series of nerfs that made the game harder, the combat slower and loot more of a grind. Despite the wave of positivity that welcomed the game when it first launched into early access, it felt like the momentum had been taken out of the ARPG sequel's sails.
The thing with balance, though, is it can change. The bones of PoE2 remain strong, so as long as Grinding Gear can find a combat pace that resonates with players, there's still the potential to capitalise on its early heyday. While I can't say yet if next week's update, called The Third Edict, will successfully do that, it does feel like things are moving in the right direction.
>> The plan, they claim, is to fix every problem anyone has with that update.

The Subnautica legal dispute takes a surprise twist as Unknown Worlds—not Krafton—sues its former bosses for stealing confidential material on their way out the door
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-subnautica-legal-dispute-takes-a-surprise-twist-as-unknown-worlds-not-krafton-sues-its-former-bosses-for-stealing-confidential-material-on-their-way-out-the-door/
The legal dispute between Krafton and the former heads of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds took an unexpected turn today as Unknown Worlds—not Krafton, but Unknown Worlds specifically—has sued its former bosses for abandoning their responsibilities to the studio and Subnautica 2, breaching their employee agreements by stealing confidential materials prior to their dismissal, and damaging the reputation of the studio and the next Subnautica game.

Randy Pitchford says Borderlands 4 is worth $200, but he wishes 'they'd give it away'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/randy-pitchford-says-borderlands-4-is-worth-usd200-but-he-wishes-theyd-give-it-away/
Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford ruffled some feathers recently with the comment that a "real fan" would pay $80 to play Borderlands 4, if it happened to cost that much, and then somewhat unruffled those feathers with the reveal that it won't cost that much. Borderlands 4 will be $70, like most other games from big publishers right now.
Speaking to GamesRadar, Pitchford now says that $200 would be a fair price for Borderlands 4, but he wishes it were free.
>> Someone should get a muzzle for Pitchford.

Goodbye Jason Voorhees, hello Michael Myers: Friday the 13th developer and publisher return with a new multiplayer survival horror game based on Halloween
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/goodbye-jason-voorhees-hello-michael-myers-friday-the-13th-developer-and-publisher-return-with-a-new-multiplayer-survival-horror-game-based-on-halloween/
Seven years after IllFonic and Gun Media had to say farewell to their hit multiplayer survival horror game Friday the 13th, they're back—except this time, it's Halloween. Announced at today's Future Game Show, Halloween is a "one-versus-many stealth horror experience" in which players don the creepy mask of Michael Myers to hunt down the citizens of Haddonfield, or work together as his potential victims in a desperate effort to stop him.

The roguelike Prince of Persia platformer is now out of early access and feature complete, though it may get more content if it 'gets popular'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/the-roguelike-prince-of-persia-platformer-is-now-out-of-early-access-and-feature-complete-though-it-may-get-more-content-if-it-gets-popular/
The Rogue Prince of Persia launched into early access in May 2024 and, by all reports, was pretty good even in its not-finished state. As the name suggests, it wraps the Prince's balletic action in a roguelite cloth, with plenty of bloodletting combat and illogical platforming gauntlets to tackle. It looks brilliant in movement: the character animations look like hi-octane interpretations of the old PC classic, with backflips and cartwheels thrown in.
After a modest 15 months spent in early access, The Rogue Prince of Persia has officially launched into 1.0 on Steam and consoles (it's also available on Game Pass, if you have it), which means you can dive in and potentially finish it without worrying about hitting a wall. The big final update adds two new biomes in the form of the Port of Ctesiphon and the Besieged Palace, as well as the final boss and story act.