Key Note Gaming

I’ve always liked Dead or Alive – unfortunately, that sentence usually has to be followed by a “but,” lest people think you’re some kind of weird pervert. “Not like that!” you might yell. “I think the Triangle System is rad!” It’s tiresome, and Dead or Alive 6 is a mechanically rich fighting game that deserves better than that stuff dominating the conversation around it. That said, while everything that made it special in 2019 still holds up today, Last Round specifically just doesn't feel worth the cash if you already own the original – and there are several things missing from it that really should have been included in a re-release of a seven-year-old game. Before we jump into the ring and throw some punches, let's set some ground rules and establish what Last Round is (and unfortunately is not). Last Round is Dead or Alive 6 bundled with five of the seven DLC fighters previously released for the original game (Nyotengu, Phase 4, Momiji, Rachel, and Tamaki), five new costume...

The hugely popular Space Marine 2 did a great job of delivering third-person action, but what about a big-budget first-person Space Marine game? So far, that doesn’t exist, but the latest Warhammer 40,000 animated show from Games Workshop gives fans an idea of what it might look like. During Games Workshop’s Big Summer Preview showcase, the UK company revealed the debut trailer for a new animation called The Butcher’s Nails, which is due to hit the company’s streaming platform, Warhammer TV, soon. The gory clip stars a World Eaters Berzerker called Makrath, who joins forces with members of fellow Chaos Space Marine faction, the Iron Warriors, during an assault against loyalist Space Marines backed up by soldiers of the Astra Militarum. The trailer shows Makrath ripping his enemies to shreds from a first-person perspective, giving us an idea of what a World Eaters Berzerker sees from within his helmet. There are cool, Space Marine HUD elements — the kind you’d expect to see in a first...

The layoffs Bungie announced yesterday hit nearly 300 staff who worked at the developer’s Bellevue, Washington office, official records have revealed. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice issued by Sony to the Washington State Employment Security Department, reported by Game File , reveals 292 staff have been let go with a formal separation date set for July 9. This number does not account for Bungie staff outside Washington state. It is unknown how many staff remain at Bungie following the cuts, although the studio was reported to have employed 850 staff as of 2024. It is Bungie's third round of layoffs in three years. According to The Seattle Times , Bungie once had 1,000 employees in Bellevue, according to a 2023 annual financial report from the city. Between October 2023 and July 2024, Bungie laid off around 320 staff. Local press have called the cuts a "bloodbath." In its statement yesterday, Hermen Hulst, CEO, Studio Business Group, Sony I...

The Kingdom Hearts games have amassed one of the most loyal fandoms in gaming. Square Enix really tapped into something special when it combined classic Disney characters with a totally unique RPG. Unfortunately for Kingdom Hearts fans, none of the Prime Day Square Enix deals this year include any of the actual games. There is, however, a 3-foot stainless steel Keyblade that just dropped to its lowest price ever on Amazon. Look, nobody actually needs a sword. But we only recently got Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay footage for the first time earlier this month and there's absolutely no release date attached. Waiting forever for the next entry in the series is inevitable, but whether or not you own a replica of Sora's iconic blade is entirely in your control. This Keyblade is normally priced at $59.99, but a very recent price cut shaves off a few dollars during Amazon's Prime Day sale. It's not all that much of a discount, but it's still a surprisingly good price for w...

If you're looking to upgrade your Pokémon TCG deck or hunt down some of the rarest pulls of the 2026 Mega Evolution series, you need to act fast if you want to get in on Amazon Prime Day deals for them. This sale only lasts from June 23–26, and Pokémon TCG products are notorious for selling out quickly, either to fans or to resellers looking to make a quick buck . Luckily for you, we’ve scoured the web to bring you the best Pokémon TCG deals we’ve found. Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box The first deal we’ve spotted is 20% off a Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box. This expansion was released in May, so it’s a tidy discount on a relatively new expansion, which is especially good for your wallet in the current 2026 secondary market. Fans have been hunting down that gorgeous, multi-hundred-dollar Mega Greninja ex Special Illustration Rare , with resellers pushing Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs) well past their street price on resale sites. ...

Grand Theft Auto 6 could be taking a major mechanic from Red Dead Redemption 2, which might bother some GTA fans. Today, Rockstar Games revealed the Ultimate Edition for GTA 6, which includes a bunch of goodies, some of which have been creating controversy . One of these perks is free access to a garage, which will boast a weapons locker where you can "customize your loadout for any occasion." This makes it sound like players may have to be more intentional with the weapons they take with them. In Red Dead Redemption 2, you can only have two large weapons (rifles, shotguns, etc.) and two handguns. If there isn't a physical way for your character to hold the weapon, it stays on your horse. It's more realistic and forces the player to be more conscious of their loadout, something that has been divisive with players over the years. This is also radically different from the way GTA handles it, as GTA 5 allows you to carry dozens of weapons in your pocket. However, fans h...

We're halfway through Prime Day , but the deals keep coming. With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on the horizon, it's a great time to highlight one of the coolest collectibles themed around the game. The Legend of Zelda Collector's Chess set is a custom-sculpted chess board featuring classic Zelda characters. It's currently down to $42.74, which is 5% off the sticker price and technically the lowest price it's ever been on Amazon. There are better Prime Day board game deals if that's what you're after, but this is the only Legend of Zelda chess set. This 32-piece set is hand-crafted using high quality plastic for its pieces. The hero/white side includes Link, Zelda, Navi, and Impa pieces, while the villain/black half features Ganondorf, Twinrova, Deku Scrubs, and more. Each piece is designed around their respective appearance in the original Ocarina of Time for the N64. The foldable board itself measures in at 10.5in long, 10.5in. wide, and 0...