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

[JEMC]

I hoped that PCGamer would slow down a bit these days. I was a fool. Get ready for this long part two:

This new climbing game is a bit like Darkest Dungeon on a mountain: Sometimes you have to cut the rope, and not everyone on the team is going to take it well when you do
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/this-new-climbing-game-is-a-bit-like-darkest-dungeon-on-a-mountain-sometimes-you-have-to-cut-the-rope-and-not-everyone-on-the-team-is-going-to-take-it-well-when-you-do/
Climbing games are having something of a moment: Fare like White Knuckle, Peak, and Cairn have all made big splashes (so to speak) and I maintain that Jusant is one of the most sadly overlooked games to come along in recent years. And now we've got Ascenders: Beyond the Peak joining that mix, with its own take on the cliffside life—but it's a whole lot different than the others.

Arc Raiders is a 'Trojan Horse' for demonstrating AI tool usage in game development, according to Nexon, after Embark built two hits at 'a fraction of the cost you’d expect'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-is-a-trojan-horse-for-demonstrating-ai-tool-usage-in-game-development-according-to-nexon-after-embark-built-two-hits-at-a-fraction-of-the-cost-youd-expect/
In a new capital markets briefing from Nexon, Patrick Söderlund, the newly appointed Nexon executive chairman and CEO of Arc Raiders and The Finals developer Embark Studios, spoke extensively about everyone's favourite subject in games right now: AI. More specifically, he talked about how Embark's approach to game development and AI can be deployed across Nexon's teams in some form.
>> Lovely. He also talked about The First Descendant and its failure (link).

Marathon game director says Bungie's rebalancing 'god-like' knife damage, buffing Vandal and Recon shells, and knocking bubble shields down a peg
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/marathon-game-director-says-bungies-rebalancing-god-like-knife-damage-buffing-vandal-and-recon-shells-and-knocking-bubble-shields-down-a-peg/
Amidst yesterday's yearly crop of April Fool's japery, Marathon game director Joe Ziegler broke from seasonal convention on X by sharing an early, fool-free preview of balance adjustments Bungie has planned for upcoming patches in the weeks ahead.
>> But wait! There’s more: 1- Details on Marathon's imminent Recon buff (link) ; 2- The most powerful gun has been nerfed (link) ; 4- (link)

Petit Planet, the upcoming 'cozy galactic life sim' from HoYoVerse, is taking signups for a new beta test happening later this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/petit-planet-the-upcoming-cozy-galactic-life-sim-from-hoyoverse-is-taking-signups-for-a-new-beta-test-happening-later-this-month/
If you're looking for something to do in about three weeks' time, HoYoVerse is now taking signups for a round of closed beta testing for its next game, Petit Planet, that's set to begin on April 21.

Rust is getting hydro power through water wheels that can also be powered by humans: 'Before you ask, yes, you can force handcuffed players into them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/rust-is-getting-hydro-power-through-water-wheels-that-can-also-be-powered-by-humans-before-you-ask-yes-you-can-force-handcuffed-players-into-them/
Not content with adding one kind of sea power to Rust in February's Naval Update, Facepunch studios has introduced a whole other way to exploit the oceans in its latest patch for the survival game. The Spring Clean update adds a bunch of small but significant changes to the game, but the one that immediately caught my eye was the addition of water wheels.

State of Decay 3 springs back to life to announce alpha tests in May
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/state-of-decay-3-springs-back-to-life-to-announce-alpha-tests-in-may/
Six years after it was announced, and two years after it last came up for air, we have new proof of life for State of Decay 3, the zombie survival shooter in development at Undead Labs. And this time, it's not just a promise that it's still happening, but a call to the community to sign up for alpha playtests happening in May.

Our favorite open world FPS indie gem is getting New Game+, Spider-Man swinging, and wallrunning later this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/our-favorite-open-world-fps-indie-gem-is-getting-new-game-spider-man-swinging-and-wallrunning-later-this-month/
Echo Point Nova is a wonder. Greylock Studio's indie FPS enchanted us in 2024 with its high-flying, hoverboarding, hyperchill gunplay, and—if ziplining onto a cloud with an energy grappling hook to shotgun blast an enemy soldier during a slow-motion backflip somehow left any room for doubt—it secured a permanent place in our hearts with a massive free expansion last August.
Now, the "2007-core" shooter is getting even bigger. In an X post yesterday, Greylock founder Matt Larrabee announced that Echo Point Nova will be receiving yet another meaty update later this month, bringing more replayability and remixed movement styles.

Overwatch's Anran redesign fixes her controversial 'baby face' in Season 2: 'This process has really helped dial in the next set of heroes'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/overwatchs-anran-redesign-fixes-her-controversial-baby-face-in-season-2-this-process-has-really-helped-dial-in-the-next-set-of-heroes/
Following the reveal of Anran's in-game model in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1, there were calls from both fans and her voice actress for her model to be redesigned. Simply put, she looked too young and inexperienced compared to her brother Wuyang and her early appearance in his comic. The Overwatch team responded by promising an updated look for Anran, which was planned to arrive later in the season.
It's a bit behind schedule (Mizuki got a surprise jawline buff first), but Blizzard has shared Anran's new look which will arrive when Season 2 launches on Tuesday, April 14. The post reiterates that Anran "didn’t fully land as the fiery and fierce sister of Wuyang that [the team] hoped she would," and shares a video by game director Aaron Keller explaining the changes.

Disney Dreamlight Valley's all-new Star Path feature means rewards never truly disappear for good
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/disney-dreamlight-valleys-all-new-star-path-feature-means-rewards-never-truly-disappear-for-good/
Disney Dreamlight Valley is set to roll out its second update of the year on April 8, Whispers of the Wind. While the main appeal of this update will be the addition of Pocahontas, there's another feature tucked away in the patch notes which is equally as exciting for any player who actively works through each Star Path: Vault Rewards.