Gaming in Australia. Reviews, Walkthroughs, News

Gothic fans already know the original 2001 open-world RPG is getting the remake treatment, which is expected to arrive on PS5 sometime in 2024. Publisher THQ Nordic and developer have revealed that a Collector's Edition of the game will be available, with some appropriately leather-bound goodies.

The long-delayed Star Wars: Hunters finally has a new release date. Back in 2021, Lucasfilm Games and developer Zynga announced Star Wars: Hunters, a squad-based arena shooter set after the fall of the Galactic Empire at the end of the original Star Wars movie trilogy. Players can choose from characters like Rieve, a dark-side-empowered warrior, a lightsaber-wielding droid called J-3DI, and even Utooni, a pair of junk-scavenging Jawas stacked together. Each of these characters has their own unique abilities, which will come in handy during frantic battles across several classic Star Wars locations.

In a recent interview, Fallout director Todd Howard said that Bethesda plans to «predominately keep» the franchise in the United States and explained his reasoning. Although Howard left the door open for non-US Fallout settings in the future, it seems unlikely given the franchise's established theme.

It's been a fascinating journey for the developers behind indie game studio Evening Star. Much of the crew got their humble starts working together on Sonic the Hedgehog fan games. Their work was so highly regarded that they would eventually be recruited by Sega to develop Sonic Mania, a throwback to the franchise's 2D heyday that would go on to become the highest rated Sonic game in over 25 years.

Government agency Screen Australia has launched the Games Festival and Events Fund.

All eyes are on Bloober Team as we inch closer to the developer's PS5 remake of Silent Hill 2, a pressure the studio is well aware of. Expected sometime in 2024, and despite a public spat with publisher Konami in February, Bloober Team remains «very confident about the final result.»

Elden Ring players traumatised by too many losses to the Lady of Rot can now line up to purchase an admittedly quite excellent life-size replica of Malenia's arm. The polyresin prosthetic, which costs just $400, is guaranteed to be a conversation starter if hung over the mantle.

Last week, we brought word of confusion among the ranks of eager Fallout fans trying to dive into the native PS5 port of Fallout 4, all fired up from watching Amazon's excellent adaptation. Those with access to either PS Plus Extra or Premium can now upgrade for free, with a small patch being released over the weekend.

Square Enix has warned Final Fantasy XVI players that it's aware of a potentially progress-impeding bug, specifically affecting players trying to boot up a New Game+ run. The good news is that the developer is prioritising a fix and will push out a patch once a resolution is found.

Greetings, Polygon readers! Each week, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.

Helldivers 2 players are celebrating a dramatic 11th-hour victory that saw hundreds of thousands of the digital soldiers unite to defend 10 worlds from the undemocratic grip of advancing bug-like Terminids, and soulless Automatons. However, some members of the community have found themselves wondering whether Arrowhead’s game master Joel may have stacked the odds in their favor to stave off defeat.

Stellar Blade is out today, and fans can finally play the full game to see what all the fuss is about. If you didn't get a chance to try the demo or just wanted to go in fresh, it is worth knowing that the half-second input delay when parrying or dodging is a feature, not a bug, as the game's director recently explained.

Fans, all fired up from watching Amazon's excellent adaptation, are returning to Fallout games in droves, with the free PS5 update for Fallout 4 looking particularly appealing. However, with the update in the wild, players who picked up the underrated Fallout 4 via PS Plus Extra find they cannot download it and are instead being prompted to pay for the game.

Capcom has revealed that, mainly due to Dragon's Dogma 2's success, the company will pay out more money to shareholders than previously anticipated. The combination developer/publisher has revised its full-year earnings and dividend forecasts for the financial year ending 31st March 2024.

As the end of the current phase of Destiny 2 draws to a close, with The Final Shape out in just a month and a change, it really does seem like Bungie is putting it all on the line. A new faction, the first in years, will be introduced, as will the ability to mix and match subclass powers. Now, the developer has announced that it will do away with Power limits, deeming them incompatible with Fireteam Power.

The Wolf Among Us 2 is the eagerly anticipated sequel to one of Telltale's most beloved games, but news of the endeavour has been surprisingly scarce. Last we heard, the game had been delayed and would not be released in 2023. Thankfully, a familiar face has kept the flame of hope alive.

The closest I have come to having any interest in sport is when I got really into reading about football hooligans, or like, Blood Bowl, but I do absolutely recognise the romance of it all. SUDDEN DEATH is a delicious free slice of playable art-pie that celebrates that romance. It is - says dev Cécile, who co-made the project with Nat Pussy and MOTHER GOOSE for collective Domino Club - “a game about love and sports. it's gay, it's very australian, and it's great.” You can tell it’s Australian quickly, because people call chips ‘chippies’, which makes me chuffed.

The actor behind JD Fenix might have teased upcoming Gears of War news for the scheduled Xbox Showcase this June.

Following the collapse of a «verbal agreement» reportedly worth $2 billion with the Saudi-funded Savvy Games, Embracer Group entered into a brutal nine-month restructuring programme that resulted in the loss of some 1,400 employees and the cancellation of dozens of unannounced games. CEO Lars Wingefors, whose actions were recently defended by Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch («give Lars a break»), in a new interview, says: «As a leader and an owner, sometimes you need to take the blame.»

The recently released and evocatively named Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered starring Lara Croft allowed an entirely new generation of gamers to experience the formative action platformers for the first time. But it seems that in the last update, released a couple of weeks ago, sexy pinup posters of Croft herself have quietly gone missing, a change not mentioned in the patch notes. Fans, as you might imagine, quickly noticed and were unimpressed, already pointing fingers at Crystal Dynamics.

Baldur's Gate 3's extremely tempting PS5 physical Deluxe Edition was revealed in September and almost immediately sold out, with the expansive RPG launching first as a digital-only title. Demand convinced developer Larian Studios otherwise; the first round of orders is due to leave warehouses by the end of April. Keep this next part on the down-low, but Baldur's Gate 3's PS5 Deluxe Edition is actually back in stock over at Larian's merch store right now.

Kazuma Kaneko, whose career as a character designer at legendary JRPG studio Atlus has spanned almost four decades, has officially left the company. Kaneko has joined COLOPL, a developer and publisher headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, where he will work on a new IP.

It seems that the cat is indeed out of the bag, as we now have a release date and some additional gameplay for the slightly disturbing Gori: Cuddly Carnage. Prepare to skate 'n' slash your way through a freakish feline world from 29th August on PS5 and PS4.

Just yesterday, we learned that Billie Eilish would be headlining Season 3 of Fortnite Festival, the free-to-play music mode which has slowly but surely cornered the periphery market. With the update now live, there were a few welcome extra additions. For starters, guitar controller support for Harmonix's previous effort, Rock Band 4, is now available, meaning those dusty old axes can finally be put to good use.

Update: Just as we published this article, HoYoverse has announced that pre-registration for the game is available now. As is common for the developer, it'll be tracking the total number of players who sign up, and will be promising bountiful in-game rewards if it reaches its ambitious 40 million players milestone. Officially, the release date is still «2024».

The Bad Guy herself, Billie Eilish, will be the next musical megastar to grace the Fortnite Festival mainstage, following in the footsteps of Lady Gaga and The Weeknd. Eilish revealed she will take the stage today, 23rd April, presumably with a list of free-to-player bangers.

It seems we aren't the only ones counting down the hours until the release of the PS5 exclusive Stellar Blade. Developer Shift Up has posted an impossibly drawn-out clip of the «secrets» contained within the game's PS5 physical box, which, as far as we can tell, amounts to a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for some cosmetic goodies.

Just yesterday, we brought you word that the upcoming PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, would be released in all regions entirely uncensored, including Japan, which developer ShiftUp seemed especially pleased with. An executive at Electronic Arts Japan has called out what they see as a double standard with the Japanese Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), stating that «I find this hard to accept.»

After slipping into theaters just before Christmas of 2023, the romantic comedyAnyone but You became a sleeper hit, lingering in theaters and racking up hundreds of millions at the box office, thanks to its sexy stars and flirty banter. Now that it’s on Netflix, it’s likely to find a whole new audience and start a whole new round of conversation about what makes rom-coms exciting these days. But the steamy scenes and its stars’ off-screen chemistry isn’t what really makes the movie enjoyable — the real draw is the stellar supporting cast.

’s box office numbers continue to stay strong past its fourth weekend, allowing it to become the third biggest MonsterVerse movie to date.

A Romanian retailer briefly listed physical copies of three of Capcom's more recent Resident Evil titles (Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard), fueling speculation that those who prefer discs to digital might soon have the opportunity to opt for some more. The three RE titles listed all have native PS5 digital versions already, so this doesn't seem like a giant leap.

It's been a busy week in WoW and here's Blizzard's recap of the awesome events that happened this last week.

Baldur's Gate 3 fans who still haven't gotten their fill of everybody's favourite vampiric sadist, Astarion, can now look forward to an all-new adventure alongside Neil Newbon. The actor portrays the ultimate evil antagonist, Vecna, in a one-shot tabletop adventure, putting in an appropriately imposing vocal performance as one of the setting's big-bads.

If you were concerned that the PS5-exclusive Stellar Blade, out 26th April on PS5, might run afoul of Sony's censors, fear not. Developer ShiftUp is advertising that the game will remain entirely uncensored in all regions, including Japan.

Microsoft has announced another edition of the ID@Xbox Digital Showcase, its annual event focused on indie games, which is returning a week from now, on April 29, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST.

It seems the protagonist of Konami's Silent Hill 2 remake, currently in development at Bloober Team, has received a quiet redesign or perhaps had a face-lift. It's unclear whether this change comes in response to fan feedback from the trailer shown during the State of Play showcase held earlier this year, the negative response to which Bloober subsequently blamed on Konami.

Last week, Square Enix unveiled the official PC benchmark and accompanying trailer for the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Dawntrail. The trailer gave fans glimpses of new in-game areas, enemies, and combat upgrades. While that all went over rather well, the game's decade-old character creation engine is drawing ire this time and the eyes of character models, in particular.

It seems we aren't the only ones counting down the hours until the release of the PS5-exclusive Stellar Blade. Developer ShiftUp has posted an impossibly drawn-out clip of the «secrets» contained within the game's PS5 physical box, which, as far as we can tell, amounts to a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for some cosmetic goodies.

If you've been eager to watch the animated Ark: Survival Evolved TV series, but your attempts have so far been thwarted by your failure to live in the US or Canada, there's some good news: it's now officially available in 11 other countries, including the UK, via Paramount+.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has terminated the working contracts of five wrestlers from its roster of superstars, including former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal (real name Yuvraj Singh Dhesi) and his two companions from the all-Indian-descent faction Indus Sher. Mahal became the 50th man to hold the title of WWE Champion on May 21, 2017, and is also the first wrestler of Indian descent to win that title.

Catch up on all the latest World of Warcraft news from the last week—take a tour through The War Within in the WoWCast developer chat, pre-purchase the World of Warcraft®: The War Within™ 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, get a closer look at the new Warbands System, and more! 

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It has been a while since we last saw an updated TopSpin game. The last time 2K released a tennis game in their signature style was in 2011 when we all enjoyed Top Spin 4. In the meantime, WWE, NBA, and even LEGO have had their moment in the limelight, while tennis went unappreciated. If you have been sitting around waiting for a 2K tennis game, your time is now. 2K is almost ready to release TopSpin 2K25, and here is everything you need to know about it.

Insomniac's excellent Ratchet & Clank reboot, released in 2016, has received a surprise update. The update adds a fan-favourite weapon for free, just in time for the eighth anniversary of the game's launch. If you already own the game, simply navigate to the PSN store page, and you can play around with the Bouncer.

For all the positive things players have to say about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one aspect of the game which we've seen nothing but ire directed towards is its confusingly worded retry screen, which players will be hit with in the event of a Game Over. Thankfully, this issue has been quietly addressed in the game's most recent patch, which fixed Platinum Trophy progression, making it at least slightly less confusing now.

Two years after debuting in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it seems a Hollywood leading man of sufficient talent has finally been found to portray the edgy Shadow the Hedgehog. Keanu Reeves, who needs no introduction but will get one anyway, is the star of film franchises like The Matrix and John Wick, and, of course, Cyberpunk 2077, has been confirmed to play the part.

Star Wars Outlaws has been in the headlines recently for some less-than-ideal reasons. Still, one thing we are genuinely looking forward to is the inclusion of Sabacc, the blackjack/poker hybrid popular among rogues like Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. Strangely, despite the rules being first revealed in 1989, its inclusion will mark the first time Sabacc has ever graced a video game.

Following the incredibly strong launch of Amazon's critically acclaimed adaptation of Fallout, lapsed fans craving some V.A.T.S. have returned to the series in droves, proving there is still an insatiable demand for the series. According to <a href=«https://twitter.com/SteamDB/status/1779459741984379079?ref_src=» https:>SteamDB

UK studio and publisher Kwalee has revealed recent staff cuts were made to «reshape» the company's business around «significant growth opportunities.» The company has layed off approximately 10% of its workforce, around 40 people, in recent months. Despite that, Kwalee stressed it expects to grow its headcount (currently about 400) to somewhere between 410 and 420.

The immortal SEGA brawler Golden Axe is being resurrected as a comedic animated series, of all things. Ordered by Comedy Central and produced by CBS Studios in collaboration with Sony Pictures, the series will undoubtedly feature buxom men and women battling dragons and various beasts, and presumably, hilarity will ensue.

Braid: Anniversary Edition has been hit with a brief delay, but the blow was softened by the news that the anticipated package will come packing some 40 additional levels. Developer Jonathon Blow revealed that the anticipated enhanced re-release will now arrive two weeks later than anticipated, on 15th May for PS5 and PS4.

In a game of exceedingly well-written characters like Baldur's Gate 3, the sadistic and sexually suggestive vampire spawn Astarion manages to stand out. But despite developer Larian Studios clearly signalling that it is moving on from the game and away from the series, Astarion actor Neil Newbon isn't quite ready to follow suit.

The actor behind the incredibly memorable Fallout 3 radio host, Three Dog, is interested in appearing in Amazon's excellent TV adaptation. Erik Todd Dellums, who lent his voice to the character in Bethesda's 2008 game, says he's got «something darker than Three Dog, but just as funny and alluring» cooking, and we'd quite frankly love to see it.

Indie slam dunk Vampire Survivors has officially been confirmed for a PS5 and PS4 release and is expected to enthral millions when it arrives this Summer. Trophy Hunters will be glad to know the devs have confirmed a Platinum Trophy awaits those willing to undergo a true nightmare to obtain it.

Stellar Blade is just around the corner, with the eagerly-anticipated action game arriving exclusively on PS5 on 26th April. If the wait is proving too much to bear, we've been given a glimpse at some of the game's fearsome Naytiba, which will serve as climactic boss encounters in the game.

Baldur's Gate fans, new and old, will remember where they were when they first heard that dark horse Larian Studios would not be developing the next game. How could any dev walk away from an achievement like Baldur's Gate 3, a masterpiece which teased a vanishingly rare «10» out of this stingy scribe, one of only two ever given? Sadly, this is the reality in which we live, and IP-holder Wizards of the Coast has already moved on, actively courting other developers, with RPG studios lining up to throw their hats in the ring.

Sadly, February marked the passing of Yoshitaka Murayama, the legendary creator of Suikoden and its spiritual successor, Eiyuden Chronicle, with Hundred Heroes releasing on PS5 and PS4 next week. Developer Rabbit & Bear Studios has announced its intention to proceed with the series, but what form that takes will depend on how its impending and eagerly anticipated JRPG is received.

Amazon's excellent adaptation of the Fallout series for TV is available in its entirety now, and we loved it. However, not every Fallout fan is happy with how it seemingly rewrites what was thought to be established series lore, apparently retconning the ending of beloved black sheep, Fallout: New Vegas. Obviously, major spoilers for both New Vegas and Amazon's show to follow!

Helldivers 2 players have been issued a new directive as the Galactic War effort again devolves into a grinding stalemate. The Automatons have deployed increasing numbers of Factory Striders to break the impasse, but for now, the line holds. To amass the necessary fuel to fire a Super Earth counterattack, billions of Terminids must die to acquire enough of that sweet, sweet oil E-710.

A rumour is currently doing the rounds, suggesting that we could learn more about 2K's plans for the Mafia series' future (or perhaps past) in the days ahead. A new game was confirmed to be in development back in 2022, potentially a prequel, and we've heard virtually nothing since. But the source says the reveal could just as easily involve a next-gen update for Mafia: Definitive Edition, so we'll have to wait and see.

Amazon's genuinely great adaptation of Fallout really seems to have struck a chord, with fans flocking back in unprecedented numbers to various games in the series and theories and speculation already running rampant. It should also come as no surprise that at least one fan of the mechanically-heavy Fallout franchise has a working theory of what level protagonist Lucy should be by the end of the events of the first season and even what Bethesda ruleset the show might be operating on. We'll keep spoilers as vague as possible; fear not.

Square Enix is a famously hard master to please, and eagle-eyed fans interested in industry analytics will have noted that despite launching over a month ago on 29th February, exclusively on PS5, hard sales figures for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are yet to be released. Considering it took just three days for the firm to trumpet Remake's success during a similar period and six days for Final Fantasy XVI, it should be no huge surprise that the sequel is underperforming in some sense.

News has been quiet on the acquisition front in recent days, at least when it comes to video game IP. However, according to a new report, Sony is currently in talks with a monied ally to acquire storied picture-house Paramount and all the cross-media potential such an addition would bring.

V Rising is an enormously popular vampire RPG currently in Early Access on Steam, where even in its currently unfinished state, it enjoys Very Positive reviews overall. Announced for PS5, we got a better look at the kind of gameplay particularly bloodthirsty players can look forward to sinking their teeth into.

Helldivers, in response to the increased threat presented by the massive, seemingly unstoppable Automaton invasion fleet pointed directly at Super Earth, requisition of Level 4 Super Destroyer Modules is now available. The added edge these permanent ship upgrades give might be enough to stem the mechanized tide.

The release of Amazon's adaptation of Fallout has sparked a resurgence in the series and increased focus on the alt-history that binds it all together. Some fans recently raised concerns that events in the TV show seemingly retconned the events of the black sheep of the Fallout family, New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment. Vague spoilers for New Vegas and Amazon's show to follow!

ATLUS has revealed plans for what it is calling the «ATLUS Exclusive: Metaphor: ReFantazio» broadcast, with the publisher/developer promising approximately 30 minutes of never-before-seen gameplay. How's that for something to look forward to?

Helldivers 2 players have recently managed to blunt the advance of the oncoming Automaton invasion fleet, with the conflict again devolving into a grinding stalemate. However, it seems the machines never rest on their laurels, as reports of the lumbering Factory Striders being deployed in unprecedented numbers begin to trickle in.

After LawBreakers developer Boss Key Productions shut down following the game's poor performance, it was thought that would be the end of the gravity-defying FPS. So traumatic was the entire ordeal that Cliff Blezinski, studio founder of Gears of War fame, swore off making video games for good. Now, years later, fans have managed to resurrect servers, even getting the much-coveted nod of approval from Cliffy B himself for keeping the dream alive.

We doubt we were alone in wondering whether some kind of transmogrification system could reach fashion-conscious Helldivers 2 players grasping hands, but sadly, that won't be the case. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt put this particular pipe dream to bed, definitively stating, «We are not doing transmog.»

Since unveiling the eye-watering $130 Ultimate Edition of Star Wars Outlaws last week, Ubisoft has been under fire from fans furious a full-priced single-player game would even warrant a Season Pass in the first place. Worse, acquiring the Season Pass is the only way to «play the exclusive Jabba's Gambit mission at launch».

<a href=«https://twitter.com/sweetpotatoes/status/1778099089344757944?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweethttps://twitter.com/sweetpotatoes/status/1778099089344757944?ref_src=» https:>Immortals of Aveum

Capes is a turn-based superhero tactics game set in a world where the villains have already won. We've had our eye on this one for a little while now, as it looks like it could be quite special. Here's hoping it won't be received as tragically as Firaxis' excellent Marvel's Midnight Suns when it hits on 29th May on PS5 and PS4.

A talented Pokemon fan and artist has unveiled two new fan designs for Jirachi, the mythical Steel/Psychic Pokemon originally released as part of the game series' third generation. The recently-released designs envision Jirachi with two brand-new type combinations, showcasing the potential that future regional variants could still hold for it.

Nintendo has announced a new Indie World Showcase for April 17. The Indie World Showcase has historically featured announcements and updates for indie games coming to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo usually gives around 20 minutes to go over the assortment of indie game news.

If you’re one of the millions of fans of the Australian kids’ animated series Bluey, you’ll be aware that the show’s third season, which began airing in early 2021 in Australia, just concluded with an epic 28-minute special episode called “The Sign.” (Episodes are usually seven minutes long.) You’ll also be aware that the episode, and the lead-in to it, sent Bluey fandom into a tailspin of speculation that this was the end for the beloved show.

Word on the street is that Nintendo won’t release the long-awaited successor to the Switch until next year. As such, the company needs to let fans know what they'll be able to play on the current console over the coming months. To help pad out the schedule, Nintendo has a bunch of indie game releases lined up. We will find out what some of those are during the next Indie World showcase, which is set for April 17 at 10 AM ET.

Nintendo has announced a new Indie World Showcase for April 17th at 7 AM PT, featuring roughly 20 minutes of announcements and updates on upcoming indie games for the Nintendo Switch in 2024.

Nintendo will broadcast a new Indie World presentation on Wednesday, April 17, a showcase that promises “roughly 20 minutes of announcements and updates on indie games headed to Nintendo Switch in 2024,” the company said in an announcement Tuesday.

Major updates are coming to soon, and these changes might be enough to get more players interested in the game again. In 2016, became a cultural phenomenon, with millions of players venturing outdoors eager to catch Pokémon and battle friends and strangers, but its popularity slowed over the years. With a lack of interesting updates and everything seeming to go wrong with , many fans stopped playing and uninstalled their games.