Key Note Gaming

The 2002 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter video game is being updated and making its way to modern consoles and PC, and we decided to give it a look. The original game, now more than 20 years old, was released on GameCube and PlayStation 2, and this new version adds all kinds of interesting bells and whistles. According to developer Aspyr, this version is a native port of the GameCube version of the game, as opposed to an emulation. The game also features contemporary controls and and overhauled camera system. You can watch the video for our full impressions and play (or replay it) on August 1 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Head to  Game Informer's  YouTube channel  for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of  New Gameplay Today   right here. from Game Informer https://ift.tt/IXQLjZR via IFTTT

I know what you’re thinking. We’re already surviving a global pandemic, so why would anyone consider playing a game with that name literally in the title? Because, my friends, the co-op board game version of fighting this big thing is all about coming together for the sake of the greater good. I mean, who doesn’t love a superhero tale, right? While the game and its many iterations do not involve superheroes with capes, they involve superheroes of different kinds: scientists. Each player has their own special skills that help with the greater objective. Pandemic is a popular board game , one often chosen on regular game nights – even during our modern time. The necessary teamwork involved helps strengthen friendships and see where communication and coordination might be improved. You see, it’s an all-or-nothing game. You either save the world and win, or you don’t, and everyone loses. I guess you’d better buck up on those soft communication skills or else, eh? The Base Game Pande...

Video game actors are currently on strike , in hopes that withholding their work from video game companies will push those companies to agree to better actor protections around the use of AI. However, at least one video game CEO — Andrew Wilson of Electronic Arts — doesn't think the strike is going to impact his company, at least in the short-term. In today's EA earnings call, Wilson answered a question from an investor about the impact of the strike on the business. Put simply, he's not worried for now. Here's the full quote: We deeply value our talented actors who are an important part of the work we do to deliver the incredible entertainment experiences that our players enjoy around the world. We're working very closely; this is not an EA-specific situation, this is an industry-specific stuation, and we're working diligently to negotiate at the table. The way it works now in terms of our product specifically is that the strike is limited to games commenci...

A few days ago, a frankly bizarre internet mystery took root: Garry’s Mod creator Garry Newman revealed that the “Skibidi Toilet guys” had hit him with a DMCA in a wild bit of litigious irony. But since then, an account purporting to be Skibidi Toilet creator Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom) has said he wasn’t behind the claim, and Newman has told IGN that the manner has been “resolved,” so… all’s well that ends well? It all began on Sunday, when Newman posted in the S&Box Discord server, “you know what's worse than the nintendo dmca?” He then shared the news about the Skibidi Toilet DMCA, including pasting a screenshot of the letter that he was sent. Interestingly, the copyright holder that the letter is attributed to is Invisible Narratives , the film and TV production studio that’s partnering with Michael Bay on a Skibidi Toilet film . The letter that Newman posted specifically cites Skibidi Toilet characters like Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, and Titan TV Man, say...

Forgotten Gems is a regular column about notable games that have moved out of the public eye and may not be easily accessible anymore. To see all the other games I've covered so far, be sure to check out the 13 previous issues of Forgotten Gems in our Columns section. First-person shooters. Roleplaying games. Action adventures. Even though they’ve evolved significantly alongside the gaming hardware they run on, some of today’s most-popular genres are multiple decades old and are likely here to stay for good. It’s hard to imagine people not playing a Call of Duty game in 2030, just as it’s unlikely that fighting games like Street Fighter and Tekken will just be over and done with in the foreseeable future. But some some genres have definitely diminished over the years to the point of almost disappearing entirely. Real-time strategy games – like StarCraft – at one time filled entire sports arenas of people eager to watch esports competitions. I haven’t heard anyone mention t...

Amazon has dropped the price on the officially licensed WD Black C50 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series consoles. Right now it's only $129.99, an 18% off price drop from its original $150 MSRP. It's currently $10 cheaper than the Seagate model . The C50 is one of the best SSDs for the Xbox , which isn't surprising since your options are pretty limited. WD Black C50 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox for $129.99 The WD Black C50 expansion card is essentially a 1TB NVME SSD encased in a specialized Xbox-compatible shell. Unlike the more complex PS5 SSD installation process, which involves opening up the PS5 to access the SSD slot, the Seagate expansion card simply plugs into its dedicated port on the back of the Xbox. This expansion card offers the same speed as the internal SSD, ensuring that you won't sacrifice performance or encounter extended load times as you might with a regular USB drive. With a 1TB expansion card, you can double the storage on your Xbox Series X a...

The best board games come in a lot of different themes, but war is one of the most popular ones. And for good reason – war board games can be incredibly fun and exciting. All of the games below will give you a feeling of epic battle. Some may do it in an evening, some may take all day, but none of them will sell you short on battle strategy along the way. Gather some friends, get the snacks and drinks together, and settle in for a long haul thrill ride. Here are a few tips to help longer games run smoothly: If you can, get a PDF copy of the rulebook (most publishers make them freely available) and have everyone read it before the game. Insist players do "admin" tasks like sorting their hands or counters outside their turn. You may also want to impose a time limit per turn if all players agree. Now, on with the games! TL;DR: These Are the Best War Board Games Sniper Elite: The Board Game Twilight Imperium IV Blood Rage Dune Kemet: Blood and Sand Star Wars: Rebellio...

A new Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League cutscene has sparked a debate about the direction the story is going in, as the latest season teases the next playable character. Mrs. Freeze was added to Rocksteady’s controversial live service shooter last week as part of the launch of Season 2, and with it came a cutscene that’s set tongues wagging within the game’s small but loyal community. Warning! Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League Season 2 spoilers follow: The new cutscene shows the return of The Flash after the Suicide Squad save him from captivity by killing yet another post-launch Brainiac as part of Season 2. The Suicide Squad had killed The Flash alongside other corrupted members of the Justice League in a bid to save Metropolis from destruction at the hands of Brainiac in the base game's main story. Some have called the story development a surprise, while others have said a post-launch plot twist that saw the return of “good” Justice League members was always o...

The main Assassin’s Creed subreddit has warned users against debating the historical accuracy of the upcoming video game Assassin’s Creed Shadows , specifically protagonist Yasuke's status as a samurai. Moderators of r/assassinscreed, which has over 700,000 members, locked down a post titled “There is no ‘debate’ - Yasuke was a Samurai. If you disagree, you can do that somewhere else,” due to “brigading” in the comments. The post followed a controversial statement issued by Ubisoft to Japanese fans in which the company apologized for promotion materials it said “have caused concern” among the community. The four-page message, posted in both English and Japanese, explained that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not intended to be a factual representation of history. Instead, it is described as “a compelling, historical fiction set in Feudal Japan. Ubisoft added that it hoped Shadows would “spark curiosity” in players who then research the historical period the game is inspired by...

Xbox fans are waving goodbye to the Xbox 360 Marketplace, which shuts down today nearly 19 years after it launched. The Xbox 360 Marketplace hit the internet alongside the Xbox 360 in November 2005, and brought with it a storefront that would become familiar to a generation of gamers. Microsoft shuts down the Xbox 360 Marketplace today, July 29, not only marking the end of an era and the true end of the Xbox 360, but making a long list of video games and add-ons that were exclusive to the digital storefront impossible to buy. That list includes the likes of Aegis Wing, Meteos Wars, and Crimson Alliance. Fans have taken to social media to reminisce about the Xbox 360 Marketplace, including former Microsoft employee Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb, who for years would write posts about sales and updates for the Xbox 360 Marketplace and became the face of Xbox for so many fans. “Almost 19 years on, all good things must come to an end,” Hryb tweeted . “It was my pleasure sharing all the th...

The upcoming Disney Lorcana set, Shimmering Skies, is upon us with the early release on August 9 in hobby stores followed by the wide release on August 23. This is the fifth set since Lorcana launched almost one year ago. Alongside a new expansive set, two starter decks will be released: An Emerald/Steel deck featuring The Lion King’s Scar and The Emperor’s New Groove’s Kronk, and an Amethyst/Ruby deck featuring Frozen’s Elsa and Wreck-It Ralph. Starter decks are always a good jumping-off point when getting into a new card game; these two new decks are no exception. Starter decks usually have a theme, and the hope is that the included cards have a unifying playstyle. Usually, starter decks will get you part of the way to an optimized deck before players begin to brew some ideas. The Emerald/Steel deck, for instance, focuses on keeping your opponent's characters damaged throughout the game and capitalizing on that board state. The featured Scar character has an ability that allow...

After a long week, the weekend is finally here, and we're rounding up some of the best deals you can find. This weekend, you can expect to save on new video games, accessories, and monitors. The best deals for Sunday, July 28, include the PSVR2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Kingdom Hearts All-in-One package, Final Fantasy XVI, the Sony 27" INZONE M9 Monitor, and more. PSVR2 for $349.99 You can score a new PlayStation VR2 headset for a record-low $349.99 right now at Amazon. This VR headset has all sorts of high end features, including a 110 degree FOV, 4K HDR visuals, eye tracking, and more. Plus, the PC Adapter is set to release in just a few days, which will allow you to play Steam VR titles through the PSVR2 headset. While it's certainly a tough buy if you play exclusively on PS5, the PSVR2 can make for an excellent PC headset, especially at this price. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $54.99 For the second time this year, you can pick up Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on...