Author: Game Infliction

Indie Hit Celeste Celebrates 6th Anniversary With Free N64-Style 3D Platformer

“Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain”.

You know how Celeste is currently celebrating its 6th anniversary and the official social media account said it was cooking up something small but cool? Well, it’s now been officially revealed as Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain.

It’s a computer game that allows fans to “relive the magic of Celeste Mountain” alongside Madeline in a small, heartful 3D platformer. As you can see this game, created in about a week, draws inspiration from the Nintendo 64 and early 3D era of platformers.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Experience the Honda Prologue Electric Dash, Created in Fortnite!

Welcome to the Hondaverse! Honda has spent the past year and a half creating a branded virtual universe for Fortnite players utilizing Fortnite’s Creative Mode. The Hondaverse originally launched in June 2022 with the Honda HR-V Parkour Map. Now, it features multiple maps inspired by Honda products that offer unique worlds for everyone to explore – from rookies to Battle Bus veterans.

In addition to the HR-V Parkour Map, the Hondaverse features the Honda Hub – the centerpiece to the Hondaverse; the Pilot TrailSport: Treehouse Tycoon – where you’ll focus on upgrading your canopy crashpad; the rugged and tricky CR-V Labyrinth – where you’ll race through 5 unique biomes; and the all-new Prologue Electric Dash – where players compete in a race by rail-sliding, flying, and platforming their way through a SolarPunk world.

Each map introduces custom gameplay opportunities and a litany of new experiences for Fortnite players. Epic Games did not develop the Hondaverse themselves; rather, it was independently developed using Fortnite’s creative tools, showcasing the possibilities of the Creative Mode sandbox.

A Team Effort

Honda collaborated with Twitch and expert map architects Beyond Creative to bring the Hondaverse to life. Popular streamers like SypherPK, iitzTimmy, Sommerset, and NickEh30 have explored, competed, and creatively contributed to the various Hondaverse maps. For the first livestream of each map, the streamers hosted Beyond Creative and took suggestions from the Twitch community to add custom elements to the maps in real time. Their combined expertise ensures that each Hondaverse map is worth a visit for even the most seasoned Victory Royale champions.

Additionally, in the summer of 2023, the Honda Adventure Invitational was organized. Streamers SypherPK, Alixxa, Maddynf, and SanchoWest competed in all four Hondaverse maps alongside their fans.

A Dash to the Finish Line

Our IGN team spent time exploring NickEh30’s Prologue Electric Dash map and encourage you to experience it for yourself or with your squad by using the Fortnite map code 1468-3259-1933.

Here’s an overview of the Prologue Electric Dash map:

The map opens with an elaborate cutscene that introduces us to the brand-new Honda Prologue, and allows us to customize the car’s color before jumping onto a rail-grinding racing course.

Once the race started, the first thing we noticed was the futuristic, electrified world that integrates modern aesthetics with a variety of natural elements. Along the way, we encountered some hazards that forced us to jump to a neighboring rail (there are three total paths), hop over various obstacles, and use wind tunnels to glide across gaps in the rails. We also encountered paths that led in the wrong direction, respawning us back to an earlier checkpoint.

During the course, several pit stops presented challenges in the form of sustainable energy mini-games that upgraded and charged our Honda Prologue. A “Current Time” counter on the bottom left of the HUD helped us keep track of every missed jump and how much time we were racking up. To bring that counter down, we were always on the lookout for the time-saving shortcuts that are hidden throughout the map. Once we crossed the finish line, we were shown to a light-up drone show to celebrate our well-earned victory.

The race against the clock left us itching to start over and beat our previous record.

The Hondaverse is a unique and exciting addition to Fortnite’s world. The collaboration between Twitch, map architects Beyond Creative, and veteran streamers means it’s been battle-tested and is worth checking out for anyone who enjoys Fortnite.

Explore even more Hondaverse maps by searching for “Honda” on the Fortnite Discover Page.

Spec Ops: The Line Unexpectedly Delisted from Steam

Spec Ops: The Line is one of the most important games of the seventh console generation, but playing it on PC just got a little harder. The acclaimed military shooter was delisted from Steam without warning today, though it is still available on other PC storefronts and Xbox, where it is backwards compatible.

The removal was first spotted by Wario64, who drew attention to the delisting on X/Twitter. If you navigate to The Line’s Steam page, you’ll be unable to purchase the game and see a notice saying, “Spec Ops: The Line is no longer available on the Steam store.”

It’s not unsual for games to delisted from Steam, but it does stand out given Spec Ops: The Line’s critical acclaim and historical significance. The Line’s infamous white phosphorus scene still frequently comes in conversations surrounding memorable (if horrific) moments in games and player choice, and The Line helped to usher in a new, more critical era of video games based on modern conflict.

In our review, we wrote that “Spec Ops is a daring experiment worth celebrating. For the first time, a
game with guns doesn’t want you to be the hero – it wants you to feel terrible about trying to be one,” and it’s still very much a game worth playing today.

It’s a shame that, at least for now, players can’t purchase it on one of the biggest storefronts in the world, though thankfully it can still be experienced on other platforms.

IGN has reached out to 2K about the delisting. We will update this story if we hear back.

Will Borger is an IGN freelancer. You can find him on Twitter @bywillborger

Sapphire’s excellent RX 7800 XT 16GB Pulse card is down to £480

AMD’s RX 7800 XT is arguably Team Red’s best value graphics card from this generation, offering great performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming with the ability to stretch to 4K in titles that offer FSR 2 upscaling.

Relatively few cards have been available at the launch RRP of £479, but today you can pick up the excellent Sapphire Pulse 16GB model for exactly that much rather than the £519.99 it debuted at. Is that a deal worthy of an RPS deals post? Sure, why not?

Read more

7 Details You May Have Missed In the Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Trailer

At only two minutes in length, the latest trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is packed with all the Goku vs. Vegeta goodness you could expect from Dragon Ball. While at first glance the trailer is full of some of the Saiyan rivals greatest hits, there’s still quite a few small details that may have instant-transmissioned on the screen, but that’s ok because we’re here to help you spot everything. These are 7 details you may have missed in the latest Dragon Ball: Sparking ZERO trailer.

Familiar Faces

We see a ton of characters flash on screen in the first few seconds of the trailer. While most of them are the usual mainstays of the series such as Goku and Vegeta. We briefly see cameos from the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super-era such as Android 17, Tien, and Yamcha. Given the absolute size of the roster in Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero (more on this later) suggests that we may be getting characters from Z and Super. Sorry GT fans.

A Long Rivalry

Goku and Vegeta have been rivals ever since the prince of all Saiyan’s first appearance in the original manga back in 1989. That rivalry has grown and certainly changed in the past 35 years — where they go from facing off in world-ending clashes to more or less becoming sparring partners near the end of Dragon Ball Super. But it looks like you’ll be able to revisit all of those big moments throughout both Z and Super, as well as mix things up a bit like we see at the one-minute mark where a recently first-time transformed Super Sayian Goku battles a super Saiyan Vegeta on the planet Namek. While fans of the series will know that Vegeta didn’t transform for a few years until the Android Saga, it’s a fun easter-egg to see both Saiyans battle it out on Piccolo’s dying home planet. That kick at the 1:04-minute looks super painful for obvious reasons.

This Isn’t Even My Final Form

At the 1:06-minute mark we start to see even more transformations from Goku and Vegeta. The montage starts off with a Super Sayian 2 Goku and Vegeta facing off — complete with Vegeta’s post-Majin transformation outfit. They’re both fighting in a location that’s similar to where the two Saiyans battled at the start of the Buu saga, and after Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 3, we see Vegeta respond by taking on his signature Majin-Vegeta look. It doesn’t stop there as later on in the trailer we see Goku and Vegeta take on their Godly Forms from Dragonball Super, complete with Goku’s Super Sayian God Super Sayian Kaio-ken…or Super Saiyan Blue with red accents.

Cinematic Transformations

At around 1:31 we see Vegeta transform in a similar fashion like how he did in the 2018 film, Dragon Ball Super: Broly,when he first faced off with the legendary Saiyan, similar to Goku later on in the trailer. This may be a small easter egg for hardcore fans, but the presentation and camera work suggests that we may see more interesting character transformations that callback to moments in the anime and movies throughout the game rather than a quick flash between various Super Saiyan levels as in past Budokai Tenkaichi games.

Familiar Locations

Throughout the trailer we see Goku and Vegeta fighting in some very familiar locations. While most of them may look like nondescript deserts and plains to newcomers, fans of the series will notice a few notable locations such as the original area Goku and Vegeta first fought each other, along with a pre-destroyed Namek, and even the islands where Dragon Ball Super-era Android 17 became a park ranger. Hopefully we see more locations such as the Room of Space and Time and Kame house.

Deeper Cuts

What’s a Dragon Ball game without a ton of action? The trailer for Sparking! Zero doesn’t shy away from the high speed action packed gameplay that made the original Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series so beloved in the first place thanks to its fun and deep 3D gameplay and faithful recreations of some of Dragon Ball’s greatest hits, including iconic fights and arcs. And thanks to the game’s use of Unreal Engine 5 the games overall look is getting pretty close to the visuals from the anime, similar to what Arc System Works did in their 2D fighter Dragon Ball FighterZ.

A Robust Roster

Like all Dragon Ball games it’s easy to assume we’ll see our fair share of Gokus and Vegetas on the roster. But for those of you with a keen eye, you may have noticed the absurd number of character slots on that final grid at the very end of the trailer. We counted 164 tiles, and while everyone’s favorite Saiyan rivals are going to take up a good chunk of those tiles, we also spotted a few other characters on there such as Mr. Satan, Bergamo, both Dragon Ball Super and DBZ Future Trunks, Tien, Yamcha, Krillen, DB Super Android 17, Dragon Ball Z Android 16, Dragon Ball Super Broly (in both his normal and legendary Super Saiyan forms, Perfect Cell, Final Form Frieza, Majin Buu, and even Great Ape Vegeta. And there’s the possibility for a ton more characters such as Android 18, Bardock, Beast Gohan, and many, many more. The inclusion of Bergamo is definitely a first for the series and a possible sign that we may see the roster fill out with some lesser known characters across Dragon Ball Z and Super. Here’s to hoping Farmer with a shotgun makes his triumphant video game debut.

Did you spot anything we missed in the trailer? Let us know in the comments below.

Random: Hyperkin’s Latest Switch-Compatible Controller Is… A Hot Dog?

Oscar Mayer, Huy Fong, and Kool-Aid collabs revealed.

Hyperkin is no stranger to unusual collaborations with its products. Known for creating a range of video game controllers, many of which we’re rather fond of for pairing up with our Switch, the peripheral-based store has revealed not one, but three of the most bizarre collabs yet.

Shown off on Twitter, three brand-new Bluetooth Pixel Art controllers and cases, all of which are perfect for the Switch, showcase the brand teaming up with cold-cut meat company Oscar Mayer, drinks manufacturer Kool-Aid, and condiment company Huy Fong. That’s right — you can get a controller that looks like a hot dog if you really want.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha (2402.240125-2000)

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha ring today.

It’s important we note that some updates made in these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.

Details can be found below!

Xbox Insider Release Notes

System Update Details:

  • OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN25398.3453.240125-2000
  • Available: 2 p.m. PT – January 29, 2024
  • Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – January 30, 2024

Fixes Included

Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:

Capture & Share

  • Fixed an issue which could prevent uploading captures to OneDrive.

System

Known Issues

While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.

Audio

  • We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
    • Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
      • When did the issue start?
      • Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
      • Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
      • Does rebooting resolve the issue?
      • What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
      • And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.

Game Card

  • Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.

Games

  • We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.

Networking

  • We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.

As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.

What Happens to Your Feedback

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.

When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.

Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha (2402.240125-2000) appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goes Super Saiyan-Heavy With Reveal of First 24 Characters

Bandai Namco has revealed the first 24 characters that will be playable in the upcoming fighting game Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, and we really hope you like Super Saiyans.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is the first title in the long running Budokai Tenkaichi series to be released in well over a decade. According to developer Spike Chunsoft, it’ll feature reactive environments and a large roster of playable characters sporting their own “iconic” transformations, abilities, and techniques.

And, earlier on Monday, Bandai Namco confirmed the identities of the first 24 playable fighters that will take center stage in the upcoming action battle game – each and every one of which is a variant of longtime series rivals Goku and Vegeta. Fans couldn’t be happier.

The newly unveiled character variants include offerings of Goku and Vegeta transformations ranging from Super Saiyan 1 to Super Saiyan God, and even the giant form of Great Ape Vegeta, much to the excitement of some fans.

Needless to say, the 24 variants showcased today likely represent a mere tease of what Spike Chunsoft has promised will be “an incredible number of player characters” yet to be revealed. A roster screen featured at the end of the newly released trailer suggests that there could be over 150 fighters and fighter variants in the final lineup, including Android 18, Mr. Satan, Cell, Piccolo, Krillin, and a range of other fan favorites.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is set to be released on PC, PS5, and the Xbox Series X|S consoles, but has yet to be given a release window. While you wait, check out our list of the 10 best Dragon Ball Z characters ever to emerge from the popular anime series, or our coverage of the dizzying array of DBZ video game adaptations released to date.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer