#lots of free games on steam and epic...

[verminsblood]

no but fr when people say gaming is dead there are no new interesting games etc. couldn't be me. you guys only play AAA games?...

[anadorablekiwi]

Anyways comfort game number two: A Short Hike has commenced

For a few minutes

Before i gotta leave for work

[askagamedev]

Does the refund windows of digital stores have any affect on the overall design of a game? If you're expecting Steam to be the main storefront you'll sell on is there an extra drive to hook players within the first two hours?

The main element here is that it kills short games and short form game experiences, because players can play the game through and refund it before the refund window closes. Any short form game experience like that has pretty severe pressure to increase the runtime to avoid getting refunded. Other than that, it doesn't have a huge effect on things. Games have a huge incentive to hook players within the first few minutes, let alone hours, because we must. Generally speaking, the amount of effort a player is willing to put into a game is directly proportional to the cost for that player to obtain that game. When games are hard to obtain, we value them more. When games are easy to obtain, we value them less. Since games have become so easy to obtain, there is a commensurate increase in need to hook players faster.

When I was a child, new games were incredibly rare and difficult to obtain for me. Since I could only purchase a handful of games a year as a child, I spent a lot of effort determining which I would choose and I would spend a lot of time playing them because I wanted to ensure that effort and choice were worthwhile. I spent so much time playing and replaying those games because I wanted to squeeze every last bit of enjoyment I could out of them - even the bad ones. I would be willing to give any new game I got significantly more time before I gave up on it because I lacked other options.

Today there are huge numbers of games available for extremely cheap or free. Steam sales, Epic Game Store giveaways, Game Pass, Playstation Plus, EA Play, bundles, freemium games, and so on are all available. Most are available within minutes or even seconds. This means that there is almost zero cost associated with them to the player - the majority of the cost is the time it takes to install the game and try to play it. Since there is no cost, there is no inherent buy-in or effort the player is willing to put into the game. This means that any game that fails to hook the player within the first few minutes will probably lose the player's interest and the player will move on to the next thing. There is no reason for the player to bother spending the effort to get to the good part.

This is one of the saddest things to me as a dev, because every single game that gets discarded almost immediately for not having a hook within the first few minutes was built by a team who did their best to build a fun and compelling experience, and it means that players can easily miss a game this way that could be really fun and engaging for them. Unfortunately, this is the way the incentives line up and, thus, the expected outcome.

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Frequent Questions: The FAQ

[fleecal]

I've been playing Palia a lot recently and I'm having so much fun.

You play as a human who materializes out of nowhere and ends up in this village populated by purple elf-like people called Majiri. You're just running around, collecting resources, doing tasks for villagers (maybe even romancing one) and uncovering secrets. I'm especially enjoying learning the lore and doing puzzles.

It's a bit like Stardew Valley crossed with Slime Rancher, with some elements of Sims, Animal Crossing and Ponytown too. It's also an online co-op, meaning other players are also running around, doing stuff and you get bonuses for playing on the same server as a friend. It's free on Steam, Switch, Epic Games and Windows.

If you play, send me your username or display name so I can add you as a friend. :) My display name is Beatrice Shield

[ageless-aislynn]

If you happen to have an Amazon Prime account, make sure to not sleep on Prime Gaming. I'd heard of their Luna, which is a further paid cloud gaming platform, but I didn't realize they actually have a lot of free games that can be redeemed to Epic, GOG or to Prime itself. They're all completely free and remain yours even should you cancel your Amazon Prime account. I've gone through and picked up a bunch:

These require installing Amazon's game launcher to play. But what's cool is that these were all on my Steam wishlist but now I can try them out for free! 😎👍

Here's what I now have at GOG. GOG Galaxy installs your games, keeps them up to date, enables cloud saves, etc.

I also have 2 keys I don't need, if anybody wants them. More info here 😎👍

Granted, these are all older games but I've had so many I've missed playing over the years, they're new to me, lol! So figured it was worth passing the info along, just in case!

Hope you're doing great and having fun with whatever you're playing, if you're a gamer, and if not, that you're enjoying whatever you're reading, watching or listening to! Maybe even all of the above, lol! Love you, friends! 🤗💖

[whitelungg]

My Faves from Summer Games Fest and other Partnered Showcases this weekend - Part 1

DS2 of course. I'm sad I won't be able to play this right away, as I am a PC gamer, but I'm so interested to see where this goes. I love the first game.

Honestly, Sony's State of Play didn't interest me too much. As soon as I saw this trailer, I def sensed RE vibes and I'm interested to see what else the devs can do.

Honestly my interest for this one has wained a bit, but the gameplay looked cool. I'll prob play this eventually.

I'm loving the vibes/aesthetic of this one. I received the first game free on Epic, but haven't played it yet. I'm not really interested in playing souls-born or souls-like games. I don't have the patience for this type of game, but they always look beautiful.

I played Mafia Definitive Edition last fall for the first time, so I'm definitely down for more.

I've had this one on my Steam wishlist for years and I'm happy to see more of this. This is hitting all the horror vibes and gore which I love and I hope it comes out soon.

I wish there was more gameplay in the trailer, maybe there is another trailer for me to look into, but this has me intrigued. It comes out soon so .

I love the first game; it was right up my alley. It was def a bit challenging but I had a lot of fun, so I'm looking forward to a sequel. Mundfish also released a trailer for another game in the Atomic universe called The Cube, which looks interesting but it is co-op so I prob won't get around to it.

I do play all sorts of games, and sometimes you want to chill with a puzzle game or point-and-click adventure. I feel like this would hit the spot. I like that it will explore relevant artwork but add psychological creepy elements.

Dying Light was the first game I actually rage quit right at the end of the game. Seriously, I gave up during that obstacle course in the sewers minutes from the end. But I always look back on how fun that game was and I've been thinking about replaying one day and I really hope this one delivers. This one comes out close to my birthday, so this just may be my birthday game this year.

[linuxgamenews]

Buckshot Roulette Gambling: Due to be a Thrilling Multiplayer Experience

Buckshot Roulette gambling strategy game in first person will have multiplayer for Linux, Steam Deck, and Windows PC. Developer Mike Klubnika's creativity continues to bring this title more life. Currently available on Steam with 95% Overwhelmingly Positive reviews. CRITICAL REFLEX and developer Mike Klubnika are bringing the heat this Halloween with a big update to their viral gambling hit Buckshot Roulette. The much-anticipated multiplayer mode is releasing as a free update on Steam. Due to let you dive into the action with up to four players. Think you can handle the tension? There’s certainly a lot on the line in this deadly game of chance on Linux and Steam Deck. So get your friends and step into the gritty underground nightclub for some high-stakes chaos. It’s a deadly showdown where only one player walks out alive. And if you’re ready for a sneak peek, check out the brand-new live-action trailer that gives you a taste of what’s to come. Survival of the Luckiest With 2-4 players, Buckshot Roulette throws you into a Russian roulette-style gambling match. The rules are simple: roll the dice with your life. Since it’s every player for themselves, good luck! You’ll need it. The multiplayer update introduces fresh items that can change the game entirely. Got your eye on the win? Use the Jammer to skip an opponent’s turn or flip the script with the Inverter. Due to reverses the table’s turn order. Strategy is just as important as luck here.

Buckshot Roulette gambling strategy — New Mode

Shotguns. Enough Said. In Buckshot Roulette, you don’t mess around with pistols — this is all about 12-gauge shotguns and gambling. The stakes are high, and the firepower is even higher. Shotguns just feel better, right? 15 Minutes of Intense Action Each session of Buckshot Roulette lasts about 15-20 minutes, with three rounds of going head-to-head gambling with The Dealer. Win, and you’ll also walk away with the prize. Or, face an explosive ending if things don’t go your way. Double or Nothing Mode Feeling extra daring? The Double or Nothing mode also lets you push your luck to the limit. How long can you survive in this intense session of life and death? Get Ready for the Soundtrack The Steam edition of comes with an epic soundtrack by Mike Klubnika himself. Seven tracks that will keep you hyped during every pulse-pounding round. Buckshot Roulette gambling strategy is available now on Steam for just $2.99 USd | £2.49 | €2.99. Want to try out multiplayer before the release? A closed beta is coming soon for current owners of the game. Coming to Linux, Steam Deck, and Windows PC. Also, be sure to stay updated by following CR Channel on Twitter and join the CR Channel Discord. So you can chat with the community and get the latest news.

[thesims4blogger]

The Sims Announces “Riviera Retreat” and “Cozy Bistro” Kits

After a major leak last week, The Sims has finally announced the release of its next two kits, Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro, scheduled for this Thursday, May 30th.

Unlike previous kit releases that brought us one kit for Create a Sim and another one for Build/Buy, these two offer only items for decorating and building. You can read the full blog post below.

Take In Serene Views with an Antique Ambiance

The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro Kits are Coming to The Sims 4

Curate the best serene spaces by the pool and cozy up at the most incredible bistro for the perfect romantic rendezvous in The Sims 4 Season of Love.

With The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro Kits, players can spend their day relaxing next to deep blue pools in rays of sunlight and their evenings in elegance at the cherished, comfortable hole-in-the-wall bistro.

Achieve Natural Serenity with Peaceful Pools and Sparkling Fountains

Feel all of your troubles melt away as you bask in the peaceful sunrays of your serene and intimate pool with The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat Kit.

Create the most peaceful of spaces showered with timeless antiquity and contemporary styles from the present. Embrace the rustic scenery surrounding your secluded oasis by incorporating stucco textures, beautiful archways, and shimmering waterfalls with comfortable linen furniture, wicker lounge chairs, and vine-covered pergolas.

This secret spot for your Sim will perfectly blend the fresh and clean with the natural to create an ambiance of serenity and connection. The aquamarine pools, naturally formed patina, and pavers can be loved alone or enjoyed with someone special to foster deeper connections.

Discover Incredible Bistros with Charm

Take a stroll on charming streets to your beloved hole-in-the-wall bistro. This treasured locale is perfect for an elegant evening out in the village or a sunlit morning filled with bright aromas in The Sims 4 Cozy Bistro Kit! Each aspect of this kit is perfect to create your new favorite spot with amenities that will accent a bar or lounge community lot.

This captivating little hole-in-the-wall has the perfect antique ambiance for your Sim to mingle with friends or plan an evening for a romantic outing. With welcoming awnings, classic furniture settings, and its inviting atmosphere, this beloved bistro is sure to become a neighborhood favorite. Each aspect of this kit is perfect to create your new favorite spot with amenities that will accent your bar or lounge type lot.

Filled with old world charm, Cozy Bistro sets the scene for sipping the finest Nectar amongst candlelight in the evening and the richest coffee in the rays of sunlight during the day. With tall etched glass windows and doors, polished metal accents, bistro tables and chairs and vintage wall decor, there is no better place to connect with neighbors or dates than in a comfortable, charming, and cozy community favorite.

Find your new favorite hangout spot or enjoy a tranquil pool getaway with The Cozy Bistro and Riviera Retreat Poolhouse builds —available May 30th on The Gallery! These two amazing builds are perfect for those wanting to jump in game to explore all of the new features from both kits and to find inspiration for their own creations!

The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro Kits will be available on May 30, 2024 on PC via EA app™, Mac® via Origin, Epic Games Store and Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.

The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro Kits require The Sims 4 base game, available free to download with all game updates. See minimum system requirements for the pack.

[tasmelyna]

In 2024 I played a bit more of other games, than usually mostly Warframe. Lots of time spent catching up with single player games I got for free on EPIC store, some old sale purchases on Steam. My infested dog tried to fix that 0 on Eidolon kills just before this round up, but alas, I did not allow him to continue nibbling at the Eidolon's feet. Here's a sneak peek bellow:

[lil-melody-moon]

Our family is vegetarian, so we don't do the traditional Christmas dishes that people have here (mainly ham I think) but we make a quiche every Christmas with mushroom and broccoli, it's really good. Funnily, I think it's the same deal with Easter--I guess we've just decided that quiche is our substitute for ham.

Now that we're officially in "winter break" mode, have you been able to get some serious gaming in? You said you got a Final Fantasy remaster--have you played the whole series? What got you into gaming?

Quiche for the win, haha!

I got into serious gaming before "winter break", because I had enough of everything. Plus, they were giving away "Lego Star Wars" for free on Epic Games Store. I yoinked it - I can play as Qui-Gon *screaming* and I can later unlock Grievous *screaming times two*

*clears my throat*

I didn't play the whole Final Fantasy series, I think I got hooked on it since the announcement of Final Fantasy VII remaster. I got curious about the original and I bought it on Christmas a few years ago, wait *goes to check it on Steam* I bought it exactly 4 years ago and since then I was jumping from title to title - I played FFIX, then FFII, then FFVI and then FFX.

Final Fantasy VII was a gate for me to this series, but it also came to me at around good time. I think it was near the end of a toxic friendship I had with one girl. It kind of gave me a breather as I didn't know how to end it and damn it, it did start a tiny bit of addiction to this series and jrpgs in general. ...I started a save on this one at the beginning of this year, maybe I should come back to it and finally do a 100% on it...

Final Fantasy IX has a special place in my heart, this game is magical. From story, to music and to the whole world with its characters. I couldn't beat the game on my first playthrough so I started a new save file after a month or so and damn, did I get addicted. Haha, I remember when I had boring lectures at home - it was pandemia time - and I was doing Chocobo side quest during that time. I logged onto Microsoft Teams on my phone and listened to the lecture, grinding the Chocobo Treasure Hunt, fun times! Also, Kuja? Best villain 💜 Story wise and look wise 💜

Final Fantasy II came to me at random and it was like a random encounter in the game itself. Nobody talks about this one, but it's a hidden gem. I remember when I first played the Remaster - I started from this one, bought it on the day it came out, I think (I really fucking should play the GBA version, I need to play through Soul of Rebirth, cowards, didn't add it to the Remaster) - and I got happy like a little kid because of the graphics itself, I literally squealed because once I got on the world map I got a flashback from graphics from Earthbound 🥹 Plus, Mateus, my brother in Christ, MATEUS, I LOVE HOW HE LOOKS

Both original costume and alternate one, PEAK!

Final Fantasy VI came like a bomb and literally shattered me. Sure, I had to grow up a little bit to understand it better - same with previous titles - but I had a full rerun of it on Remaster version at the beginning of this year and God damn it, I love this one. It's just slightly below FFIX, but only because Kuja is a better villain than Kefka. Love me some insane guy tho, especially if he has "Dancing Mad" as his theme

18 minutes of pure masterpiece 💜

And then came Final Fantasy X, the last Final Fantasy I bought on Christmas. Two years ago, I believe? Yeah, bought it in 2022 and God damn, did I spend A LOT of time in this game. Not only is it not possible to finish it without doing at least a few of the side-quests, but it's also unforgiving in the final battle and the final area. Story wise it's a peak again, music wise as well, but damn it, the preparations you need to do to finish it, Lord have mercy!

And then came the interest with the original Final Fantasy. I somehow buried it under a rock when "Stranger of Paradise" came up, but it resurfaced again- Now that I think about it, ain't Mateus in one dlc to "Stranger of Paradise"? I have a vague memory of screaming about it at some point *checks it, gulps* YEP, he is, looking hella good

I'm suddenly in need to see the story of this dlc...

ANYWAYS

What got me into gaming... I think I always liked the concept of games. I watched a lot of cartoons since I was a kid, but always wanted to "take part in the adventure" and then I saw that games are a thing and I wanted to play. Got laptop, played some games there, borrowed from cousin, then came the Internet and this is where my real gaming story started.

I stumbled upon Rayman 3, watched a gameplay, then stumbled upon let's play and saw a game called Earthbound on the channel of the guy I started watching let's plays. Earthbound was my first jrpg and I love it to this day. IN FACT, I have a chance to show my university bestie what jrpgs are and I suggested her to play Earthbound together. I'm so excited! >u<

But to keep the history going, from Earthbound I discovered Minecraft, Crash, Spyro, Pokemon, Osu!, Kirby and the list really can go on and on and on until we'll stop at Final Fantasy and the most recent games I'm playing, so: Lego Star Wars and Pokemon HeartGold. Final Fantasy Remaster will soon join the list.

How about you? Are you playing something? Do you like games? If yes, then what are your favourite titles?

[kao-pow]

Skate Canada Review

Men:

Ilia Malinin (USA) Total Score 301.82 - Congrats to Ilia for qualifying for the Grand Prix Final! Despite the challenge of going to back to back competitions Ilia had no problem with securing his second gold medal of the Grand Prix series. Technically he preformed better than he did at Skate America, but I think he was definitely feeling a bit tired, and I think he was struggling especially in the middle section of his free program. His short program has grown on me a lot even tho it’s literally the ugliest costume I’ve ever seen. Also, I’ve been hearing that this was the last time he will be competing in his current free skate costume which is a tragedy, because it’s the best costume he’s had and really don’t see him getting a better one. I think his PCS score was too high.

Shun Sato (Japan) Total Score 261.12 - I think it’s such a slay to skate to Ladies in Lavender when you’re not a lady. He absolutely slayed his short program, but he needs to get his step sequence up from a level 2, because that’s bogging his score down a bit. He struggled a bit in the free program, so I am looking forward to seeing it once he gets it clean. I really liked both of his costumes and I like the new hair color. #FurecocoTrioForever

Junhwan Cha (South Korea) Total Score 260.31 - I am so happy that Jun made it onto the podium!!!! However, I’m going to be honest when I say I’m not really vibing with his programs this season. The Imagine Dragons short program makes no sense to me, and I don’t really like the Latina lady screaming at me in his free program, but his blouse is beautiful, so I will say that I like his free better than his short. There’s lots of room to grow in his free program, and he only had 2 combos, so we def need to change that. His Ina Bauer was great, but he finished a little late on the music. IDK why the judges didn’t give the PCS skills he deserved. He was robbed.

Sota Yamamoto (Japan) Total Score 257 - I love Sota so much and I wish there was four spots on the podium cause I wanted him to be on the podium so badly!!! I love the purple shirt in the short program, and overall the short was very solid. I also really liked his free program. At first I thought it was gonna be a bit boring but the music did a great job at building through the program. I’m absolutely gutted that he fell on his 4T. He also needs to work on not telegraphing his jumps as much.

Vladimir Litvintsev (Azerbaijan) Total Score 222.9 - I had no idea who he was but then I realized that he was the fool who skated to the Lion King while wearing a tiger print t-shirt lol. The Game of Thrones short program was pretty solid. Didn’t love the Nutcracker EPIC version tho, especially the singing at the end. Keep it all Xmas music or don’t use Xmas music. I think he ran out of steam a bit in the second half of his program, and he needs more choreography cause right now he just has a lot of crossovers.

Gabriele Frangipani (Italy) Total Score 222.57 - Who needs Daniel Grassl when we got this guy! He was giving me Adam Driver vibes, and I think it’s cause they have similar noses. Tbh I don’t really remember much from his programs, and they just felt a bit meh to me, but on his defense I was half asleep during his free program. Hopefully he’ll be less meh at the NHK trophy.

Aleksa Rakic (Canada) Total Score 222.49 - Having this guy as the highest scoring Canadian was not on my bingo card. He seems to struggle a bit on his 3A and overall i thought his jump technique was kinda ugly. Overall he had pretty consistently low GOEs on his jumping elements and he didn’t perform well. Lots of room to grow at least.

Jason Brown (USA) Total Score 218. 75 - My beloved. On the technical level, he did not have the best skates, but his overall skating skills remain unmatched. Jason usually isn’t competing this early in the season, so hopefully he just needs more time to get into the groove. I am not really vibing with free music. It was very one note and a little boring ngl. I did like the cartwheel tho.

Stephen Gogolev (Canada) Total Score 216. 84 - Had a pretty good short program but fell apart during the free. Needed more speed and energy, and he needed to EMOTE! He kinda just looked tired

Mark Gordonitsky (Israel) Total Score 213.31 - Meh.

Luc Econmides (France) Total Score 211.88 - IDk why but I always forget what he looks like and then I get surprised when I see him and he looks like he does. Interstellar program was interesting with the head twitching at the beginning and the fake writing at the end but my man was ACTING so I will take it. Had a super scary axis on his 3A in the short and on the 3Lz in the free.

Roman Sadovsky (Canada) WD - I guess he tweaked his back before the event started which is why he wasn’t doing any jumps during practice. But luckily, the injury should have no long lasting impact. I feel so bad for this guy, I feel like he always has the worst luck.

Women:

Kaori Sakamoto (Japan) Total Score 201.21 - I love Kaori so much. She is definitely pushing herself with both of her programs this season, and I just don’t think she feels comfortable yet in either of them. The short was solid, but she did have some unexpected trouble in the free. She looked a little tired, but that’s okay cause we are early in the season, so there’s still time to build up stamina. The blonde hair is starting to grow on me and I love both of the costumes.

Rino Matsuike (Japan) Total Score 192.16 - Talk about the COMEBACK QUEEN. I love the Moulin Rogue program so it better be clean at Finlandia. Her free program was honestly the highlight of the weekend. She had a GORGEOUS spiral and overall excellent skating skills and quality of movement. She slayed.

Hana Yoshida (Japan) Total Score 191.37 - I really liked her short program. She just had a little boo boo with the step out on the combo, and I think she could use more speed during her stsq. I really liked her dress for the free program, but I did not like the mesh gloves. It’s a shame she went down on the 3Lz.

Kimmy Repond (Switzerland) Total Score 191.07 - IDK why but I did not expect her to do as well as she did. Idk how tall she is, but she looks super tall, and her long limbs just looked a bit awkward. I’m pretty sure she ended a smidge behind her music in both the short and the free. I thought she had really nice spins tho.

Madeline Schizas (Canada) Total Score 190.04 - Dear Maddie, there is only one Lion King program and it belong to Wakaba. I did like the Danse Macabre free tho. I’m glad she went with red for the costume instead of black. She was one of my highlights of the weekend, cause I was just so happy that she skated two clean programs in front of her home crowd!!!This was probably the best I’ve seen her perform.

Alysa Liu (USA) Total Score 187.69 - Miss girl kinda got hit hard with the URs, but she still had a great return to the Grand Prix! I really liked both of her programs, especially the free. I think she needs to build up her stamina a smidge, but I’m just so happy to she her back it makes by heart flutter.

Elyce Lin-Gracey (USA) Total Score 182.37 - I wanted her to do good so badly. She almost got the same exact scores that she got at Skate America, so at least she is consistent. But she is just a lil’ cutie and she just needs time to develop and grow! Props to her for competing back to back.

Kaiya Ruiter (Canada) Total Score 162.32 - I liked the short program, but I didn’t realize the free was a Wonder Woman program until we got to the end of the program and the electric guitars were doing the Wonder Woman thing. Had a couple of URs and a two footed landing. But she was very cute, and very engaging.

Ekaterina Kurakove (Poland) Total Score 162.07 - ‘Twas a rough short program. Stepped out on the lutz and it was under-rotated and she didn’t get her combo. She was also pretty slow on the spins. However, she kept on emoting throughout the whole performance. I’m not vibing with the Cats program. Her first mistake was picking the movie version. Her second mistake was wearing the cat ears. Just felt very juniorish to me. I also think there were too many music cuts.

Sara-Maude Dupuis (Canada) Total Score 160.46 - Couldn’t get her combo in the short. Had a crazy axis on the 3Lz in the free and was just getting a lot of URs in general. Overall her jumps were just looking a bit scary. She wore a green dress tho and I thought she slayed

Seoyeong Wi (South Korea) Total Score 140.85 - Got hit hard with the URs. I really liked both of her programs and I thought her costumes were gorgeous, but she just didn’t perform well to them. She really ran out of gas at the end of the free program.

Yelim Kim - (South Korea) Total Score 136.14 - This honestly made me so sad. She is such a beautiful skater but the jumps are just not there. I guess she is recovering from back surgery?!?!?!? Idk, I just really don’t want to watch her perform another disaster program.

Pairs:

Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps (Canada) Total Score 197.33 - They’re obviously not in top shape yet, but like I’ve been saying, we’re still early in the season so no need to freak out. Did not really vibe with the short program. The heavy breathing really turned me off, and I’ve learned that this cover was used for 50 Shades of Grey, which turned me off even more. I do like the free a lot better, but IDK what the theme is, or what it’s about. They have a shared dog and it’s super cute.

Ekaterina Geynish / Dmitrii Chigirev (Uzbekistan) Total Score 189.65 - I did not like the weird opening movements in the short. A little trouble with the throw jumps but pretty good overall synchro.

Anastasia Golubeva / Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (Australia) Total Score 186.14 - I hated the music change in the short. And they copied Kao’s free program for their free program lol.

Dance:

Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier (Canada) Total Score 214.84 - The costumes in the rhythm slayed, but his backless suit in the free traumatized me. I get the what they were going for but I don’t think it was executed well. They are so fast, and they are both excellent performers

Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha (Canada) Total Score 199.9 - I liked the in synch lip syncing, but I did not like it when they FELL! They are so fast on the twizzles and they serve so much face. I’ve heard people don’t like the Sound of Silence free, but I was vibing with it.

Evgeniia Lopareva / Geoffrey Brissaud (France) Total Score 194.25 - Look they were great, but I just don’t vibe with them and IDK why. Rasputin rhythm dance was insane but in a good way. Maybe they’ll grow on me.

[blazehedgehog]

Thoughts on the Microsoft Third Party news?

I mean if Xbox is getting to be a big enough brand that people are raising questions of whether or not exclusivity means monopoly, then yeah, spreading more of your games out across multiple platforms makes legal sense.

More and more of the game industry is regrettably going to be moving in the direction of "account ecosystem" rather than hardware platform. Years ago there was talk about how one day there would be no Xbox or Playstation console, just an Xbox or Playstation App you launch on something like a Roku.

The final disgusting endpoint in all of this "no more sales, just service" drive. No discs, not even local data, just a monthly streaming subscription. Forever. No ownership, no ability to mod games, no way to play offline.

Even in the best case scenario, we're looking at a Netflix where you stream 90% of what you play and only "buy" the 10% of games you truly love.

The only thing that flies in the face of that is, like, Steam. The state of movie ownership is what it is because Netflix got there first. The streaming arm of Netflix is the entire reason the "Hollywood Streaming Industry" exists right now. It predates Prime Video, it predates Tubi, it predates everything.

Fewer people probably remember this, but the original premise of Hulu was to get TV networks signed on to simulcast their newest shows online, because none of them were doing that yet. "Netflix Instant" (the original name for Netflix streaming) even predates that. Hulu was trying to fill a need that Netflix could not because Netflix did not actually stream TV shows at first. Not even syndicated rerun stuff. It was just movies. Streaming Seinfeld or The Simpsons or The Office was just outright impossible.

Netflix got in there and shifted the direction of an entire industry, before borders had been staked out or consumers had built up substantial libraries they were protective of. So we went from VHS to DVD to Blu-ray to Streaming, where "Streaming" usually means a subscription service and not any form of ownership.

But that's not the case with games. Users expect backwards compatibility, they expect their libraries to carry forward, and in some cases people may own hundreds or even thousands of games in a digital library. I know on the Xbox 360, I own at least $200 worth of digital games, because I won a sweepstakes specifically for a $200 Xbox gift card. And my 19 year old Steam account will gladly tell the entire world I own over 1600 PC games.

That's just on Steam! Epic is still always giving away free games (200+), GOG is occasionally giving away free games and holding sales where you can get stuff for a couple bucks, etc. etc. etc. It's like the warehouse of mythical items from Indiana Jones over here.

People own gigantic libraries of digital games they expect to keep and willingly modify in perpetuity. It's a lot harder to push people to stream everything off the cloud as a result. It's why the big selling point for game streaming is "No downloads!" and it's why it's struggling to catch on. Sure, a 100gb+ game is huge, but if I take my download limiters off, it doesn't actually take that long. A 90 minute download for a 30+ hour game seems like a pretty fair exchange, all told.

But Microsoft is still going all-in on "account ecosystem." It's like, think of it this way: every game publisher is in a constant war to have the one big holiday game that everybody buys. And for guys like Microsoft, that one big game a year is their primary moneymaker. If they can get everyone to spend at least $60 on their game once a year, they stay in business.

Game Pass is $60 a year. They side step having to put out that holiday season's biggest game and get to say, "Well for the price of one game, you can get access to an entire library." It changes the perspective on so much of their business model. Suddenly they don't need the big flagship holiday blockbuster, they just need to get more people to pay for Game Pass.

And the ultimate end goal there is probably to get Game Pass in as many places as they can. There's already a PC Game Pass. If they can launch some version of Game Pass for Playstation? Game Pass for Switch? They'll do it. The Xbox almost doesn't matter anymore. The subscription and the ecosystem does. It's why Microsoft rebooted the Xbox app on PC a few years ago -- it used to be a "Companion App" for your console, but now the Xbox App on PC is where all of their PC gaming and Game Pass stuff lives. Xbox isn't hardware anymore, it's a service you subscribe to, and that's where the real money is. Especially considering what a gigantic money pit hardware is; I don't think Microsoft has ever, even once, turned a profit on Xbox hardware (and neither has Sony, as far as I know).

Get rid of the need for hardware and that $60/year looks even sweeter, doesn't it? Especially when you start to consider that something like Game Pass Ultimate is actually $180/year. If you can lure people in on the $60 but upsell them to the $180... well, gosh, that's almost the price of a whole new console every year, isn't it? That's a lot of constant cashflow without needing the years and years of deeply expensive research, development, and manufacturing.

Getting people to spend a console's worth of money on your service without actually needing the console itself is massively desirable. They'd be saving millions, if not billions of dollars while making millions more elsewhere. There's a chart out there some executive is drooling over where a line goes straight up by something like 900%.

The only problem is the whole consumer rights/ownership factor. Which I am not a fan of. I objectively refuse to support Game Pass for what it's obvious goals are. I will buy and own every game I want to play. No compromises. I will buy physical if space and money allows. I will not be bled dry by temporary access.

[thessalian]

Thess vs All Those Damn Games

Like I said, I am very much intending on weeding through the unplayed games in my Steam library the next little while. ...Okay, at least partly because there are more games I intend on buying Real Soon Now (TM) and I'd rather know which of the ones in my ever-expanding library are ones I can't play, don't like, or will explore further, maybe, if I feel like it. Which is why I've added a new Steam collection to my library - it is titled "Meh". It's for games I don't hate but which aren't a priority, either because slightly dicky controls (but not enough to stick them in the "Nope" collection), frustrating in some other way, or just not really my thing. I've actually got through a fair few now. Shame a fair few ended up in the "Meh" collection, though some got into one I just titled "A Further Look", which is for games that I like but don't need to keep playing right now. (Yes, I am getting obsessively organised. I just don't like going through my list not remembering if I played that or what I thought of it when I did. So there you go.)

The Witch of Fern Island: I liked it until I got to the town hub. It's a bit large for my tastes. In a farming / life sim, I don't want to spend half my time wandering around town searching for people. It's way easier in places like Stardew Valley or Wylde Flowers. I think these guys got too ambitious. Into the "Meh" pile with you.

Syberia: ...Won't work if you have dual screens and/or aren't at really low resolutions. You are hereby banished to NOPE.

Nanotale: How come a fucking typing game ends up in my Favourites? Don't I do enough of that at work?!?

West of Loathing: Okay, this one's just fun. That one's a thanks to my friend Brian for a) introducing me to this and b) I think throwing them at my head the other Christmas.

Deponia: ...When I get frustrated at the puzzles and really dislike the main character? Meh.

Dordogne: This one's cute. The mechanics are a little fiddly, though. It's in the "A Further Look" collection now.

Raji - An Ancient Epic: This one's great, but a little fiddly for everyday. So into the "A Further Look" collection it goes.

Citizen Sleeper: Looks interesting but I can't deal with Crapsack Future right now - the present's bad enough. Into "A Further Look" with you.

Sort of out of order, but whatever. Also I have a couple of more to add to the list, because I got into a conversation with somebody on Reddit where I recommended them Spiritfarer and they recommended me some interactive story where the first chapter's free so I should have a look at that.

Meantime, I have to go out and do errands. And Stuff. Lots of Stuff. I'm honestly just glad it's the weekend, and that next week's my last work week before a much-needed week off. I can weed through more of the unplayed games in my library, and probably do more errands but we won't think about that just at the moment. I just want some damn relaxation for once.

[birbwell]

hello! i'm sorry if this is something you get a lot, but i just came across your blog and really wanted to know: how was it that you got into the pillars of the earth, and how do you think one should do it? i mean: have you read the book it was based on, do you recommend it -- and, if so, do you recommend it to be read before or after playing the game, etc.

hi! i discovered it because of one of the various times it had gone for free on Epic Games. didnt even care for medieval history back then but i thought the art was cool and decided to try it. liked it so much that i bought it on steam then switch. now i cannot return to my old life

ive read the book yes, n i can recommend it if you can get past the SA and violence. id say you should play the game first then the book, the game is a very condensed version of the book and it might help to get the happenings in the book down easier :0 though there are lots of differences between the two

[legitimatesatanspawn]

Okay, I'm... confused? Because I noticed some things I've played are updating / have updated recently and some are really unexpected. For the record: increasing order of surprise.

Secrets of Grindea: 1.01a (2024) - Purchased 2015. No I don't remember the first time I tried the demo but I'm really excited to see it got released I think I first saw it around the same time as CrossCode's older demos. The updates for Grindea were slow but steady, but yeeees. SNES style Action-Adventure with bullet curtain (lite) bosses and lots of extra sidequests and hidden things.

Stardew Valley: 1.6.1 (2024) - Purchased 2016. I thought it was done updating in 2021 but huh. ... I don't remember the last time I really played this. Probably 2018? To be fair I don't often play Harvest Moon style farming sims but hey cool news.

Epic Battle Fantasy 4: v3 update (v2 in 2021 was Beta opt-in mode so I completely missed it) - Released 2014. I remember 3 more clearly than 4 but this is going to be sweet. I want to say "oldschool flash game series" but it was closer to mid/late Flash? But with 3 (which is FREE by the way) they went from pure battle runs to a more general JRPG setup with an overworld and sidequests and everything.

SWR JST DX Selective Memory Erase Effect: New engine... and new name "Selective Jump: Once Again With Feeling". 2015 to 2024. ... I legit don't remember this one. Apparently it's a platformer.

100% Orange Juice: Apparently still updating? About 10 years running (English, came out 2009 in Japan so 15 years) and good lord that's a lot of character pack DLC. If you've never played it, think a digital board game like shoujo anime Mario Party (minus minigames but with card-based combat).

And the ultimate surprise of what I've seen:

Toribash: It was put on Steam (free) in 2014, but I remember playing it via IndieDB before then (it came out 2006 but I know I didn't play it back then). 18 years, holy shit. Toribash is an incremental 3D fighter - basically you slowly changed your ragdoll rock-em-sock-em puppet to fight frame by frame and then you and your opponent got to see how crazy the damage was.

[gear-project]

Annon-Guy: How do you feel about enhanced versions of games being exclusive to certain consoles?

You see, Gungrave G.O.R.E. got an Ultimate Enhanced Edition on the Switch with 100 Gameplay Balances and changes, new playable characters and lowered the gory content to get it's classic Teen rating back... AND IT'S SWITCH EXCLUSIVE! Which bites sense I Plantinumed the original game on PS4.

Depends on the circumstances.

Back in the Day Soul Calibur II was especially popular as a Nintendo Gamecube title because of Link being a playable character, but because it was Nintendo exclusive, Bamco couldn't use Link for anything outside of Nintendo platforms.

And Nintendo is also pretty stubborn about not porting things to PC, Steam, Epic Games, Arcades, and so on...

Even to this very day you'll find fans who make Link as a Custom character in Soul Calibur 6 (to say nothing of the DLC "mods" that let you turn items in to a Hylian Shield and the Master Sword).

Other games have had "exclusive" DLC practices on various consoles and that doesn't always translate well to later ports of games years upon years after they were released for now-outdated hardware.

Funny thing, however... especially with PC versions of games, modders and fan communities will often muster up content to "enhance" a game long after the Developers are *officially* finished with it.

So, for example, if you didn't buy the "exclusive deluxe edition" of Code Vein for example... some modders put together a mod that still lets you enjoy the DLC content that was featured in the Deluxe edition.

This also happened with the PSP version of Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy... a lot of exclusive "limited time offer" DLC skins were downloadable at various "rare events" but almost nobody had access to that content because of how rare it was... goes to show that such practices would eventually lose favor with consumers. It was much later that some kind souls in the FF community donated the skins for FREE as a save file add-on you could play via PSP emulation or via a modded PlayStation Portable.

And, given that years upon years after a game is released... if it's not ported to a modern platform, it is instead thrown by the wayside... or ends up a mod project or emulation project by community fans.

Even some official "ports" of older games don't always make the translation well, which leaves it up to FANS to fix the mistakes from time to time.

And of course, this includes things like adding Rollback Netcode to fighting games, or even porting sound files from the original Arcade version of a game in to the PC version to "enhance it" (which is basically what happened to Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, and even BlazBlue Central Fiction).

In other words, if you want the "best" of something, usually the PC version is the smartest choice, due to fan-made options like I listed, or simply the prospect that a game can later be emulated on PC through various means.

Of course, not everyone likes using PC as a platform, because of technical things, getting outdated hardware, or they just don't want to mess around with the difficulty of learning how to run a PC as a game platform (even though much of what was hard about it has been mostly streamlined thanks to platforms like Steam).

Sometimes it's just an issue of compatibility, where you want your joystick or controller to work on a game console that suits you for playing.

In terms of DLC practice, unless it's something you absolutely can't live without or drastically alters the state of the game in ways that make the standalone game inferior... honestly such exclusivity is bad practice in general and best ignored until something better comes along, or a bundle edition exists.

Either that, or simply determine for yourself if such content is worth buying a whole console over.

Truth be told, I had "extreme reasons" for buying many of my games over the years.

Reason for buying a Sega Genesis: Sonic Spinball / Sonic 3 and Knuckles Reason for buying a PlayStation: (None, was secretly gifted, but I never regretted owning one after I bought the first Guilty Gear)

Reason for buying a Gameboy: Tetris. No doubt in my mind.

Reason for buying a Gamecube: Legend of Zelda Collection with Zelda 64 Master Quest. I also ended up getting Soul Calibur II as said earlier.

Reason for buying a PS2: Guilty Gear X Plus (I had to mod my PS2 in order to play the import of this by the way.)

Reason for buying a PS3: BlazBlue Calamity Trigger. I'm proud to say that after all these years.

Reason for buying a PS4: Gundam Breaker 3... the trailer alone convinced me. Owning Soul Calibur 6 on this platform is also nice.

Reasons for buying a PC: Technical reasons, and the fact I want to become a game developer myself one day... also the modding communities are more than convincing! I've done my OWN modding projects myself (which you can find on my blog).