Category: Video Games

Helldivers 2 Cheater Pretends to Be Game Master Joel, Drops Unreleased APC in Random Group, Leaves

A viral Helldivers 2 gameplay clip seemingly showing Game Master Joel dropping into a random group’s game, spawning the unreleased APC vehicle, then leaving, set the cat among the pigeons within the shooter’s community this week. Was Joel, dubbed the Dungeon Master of Helldivers 2, really bestowing such gifts upon players of the game? Turns out, no, he wasn’t.

According to RPS, a source familiar with Joel’s goings on confirmed the player posing as ‘[AH] Joel’ in-game is in fact an imposter. So what’s going on? As IGN has reported, Helldivers 2 has seen a glut of gameplay leaks showing off officially unavailable stratagems, vehicles, and weapons (we saw a lot of the mech before it was officially released). They’re undoubtedly called in by players who are working around Helldivers 2’s anti-cheat to unlock the use of some of these normally unavailable features in live lobbies. Apparently unavailable stratagems such as unreleased vehicles are already in the game itself, but not officially enabled. Knowing this, some players are going into the files of the game to unlock their use in any lobby.

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has yet to directly respond to these allegations, but according to RPS, the real Joel doesn’t sound too bothered. According to the site: “Real Joel is, however, seemingly glad that the impersonator wanted ‘other people to have fun’ as it’s a goal that they ‘both share’.”

It looks increasingly likely that Helldivers 2 will get these so far unannounced vehicles at some point, which means players will be able to get around the map a lot faster. Players also expect a third faction, after hints from Arrowhead suggested a new arrival.

If you’re looking for more on Helldivers 2, check out IGN’s feature on the Let Me Solo Her of Helldivers 2, a player who has answered over 100 SOS Beacons as part of a mission to help others. Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Don’t call it a God of War killer, but Flintlock feels like a classic summer blockbuster

Swashbuckling third-person action-RPG Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn is, amongst other things, a gentle homage to New Zealand, developer A44 Games’s country of origin. You do have to look for it, mind you. The game’s art direction at large is an elegant hodgepodge of inspirations that deserves to be unpicked carefully after release.

Main character Nor Vanek – who is on a mission to massacre various escaped underworld gods – is kind of a Napoleonic superhero. Rakishly attired in braided frock coats and knee-high boots, she can use sparking “blackpowder” pistols both to inflict damage and to double-jump or dodge while performing snappily choreographed, one-handed sword and axe combos, straight out of God of War. As regards locations, there are pale medieval citadels with stained-glass windows, coffee shops run by eerie, many-armed “Hosts” that glean from the ambience of Turkish bazaars, and certain other fantastical areas and characters – including Nor’s spectral fox sidekick Enki – that are influenced by ancient Mesopotamian mythology.

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Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles review: cliffside citybuilding that dries up sooner than you’d hope

Maintaining the thrum of a finely-tuned citybuilder has to be one of the most satisfying acts of video game plate-spinning around. Nursing that constant flow of foot traffic, produce and profits, all of them teetering on a carefully honed knife-edge, that’s the good stuff right there. Of course, it’s not always the threat of imminent and total collapse that fuels these mighty engines of urban planning. Sometimes it’s the simple pleasure of building itself, watching a scrub of dirt track rise up into an advanced superhighway of architectural wonder. The best of these more relaxed kinds of citybuilders – your Dorfromantiks and your SteamWorld Builds et al – still involve plenty of plate-spinning; it’s just that they won’t ever fall over if you take your eye off the ball for a moment.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles sits at the citybuilding crossroads of ‘relaxed’ and ‘something more’. It wants to be an easy-going kind of builder, as nothing fundamentally bad happens when the wheels stop turning for a moment. For the most part, you’re free to build where and however you please, constructing imposing fortresses jutting out into the ocean from mere scraps of rock. But it also gets more bogged down in the minutiae of resource flow, worker management and conquest and expansion via muddy, ill-defined combat procedures than it probably should. It always feels on the precipice of becoming something bigger, bolder and more boisterous than it ever really achieves, dipping its toes into the murky waters of its lonely Ursee without truly ever getting its feet wet.

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My Time At Sandrock Lands Enhanced Visuals And New Content In Latest Update

‘New Year Better Me’ update arrives today.

When My Time at Sandrock sprouted onto Switch in November 2023, it’s safe to say that it wasn’t in the best condition. Aside from playing things a little too safe, the farm sim was awash with dull graphics and performance issues, making it far from the cream of the crop.

Fortunately, in the time since launch, developer Pathea Games has released a handful of updates to get things running a little smoother. Today, another one has arrived, with the ‘New Year Better Me’ free update bringing Sandrock up to ver. 1.2.2 in style.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Chill Out with the Arctic Camo Special Edition Controller

The Arctic Camo Special Edition controller is now making its worldwide debut! It was originally launched in the United States on May 2023 at select retailers and will now expand to international markets to reach more fans. Arctic Camo features a patchwork of rugged white and grey that all tie together into one striking visual. This monochromatic multitool, from the thumbsticks to the hybrid D-Pad and all the way to the triggers, is the perfect purchase for gamers who crave a controller that exudes both style and sophistication.

Arctic Camo Special Edition Controller

Like the rest of the Camo series, Arctic Camo comes with features which make Xbox controllers stand out. Enjoy modern sculpted surfaces and refined geometry for enhanced comfort during gameplay – with a hybrid D-Pad that allows your fingers to glide across the surface, textured grips on the bumpers, triggers, and back case for a stronger support. By using Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless, the Arctic Camo controller can connect to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, PC, mobile phones and tablets (see xbox.com/controller-compatibility for more details).

With a 3.5mm audio jack, you only need your favorite compatible headset to either fully immerse yourself within the gaming world or coordinate with your friends to campaign collectively. Play longer with up to 40 hours of battery life (varies with usage and other factors) and save all your best memories on the expedition through the dedicated share button. Tailor your experiences with the Xbox Accessories app which lets you remap your controller’s buttons and create controller profiles to have vastly different personalization options for your games.

Arctic Camo Special Edition Controller

The Xbox Wireless Controller – Arctic Camo Special Edition is available today in all Xbox markets worldwide for $69.99 USD ERP. Consider pairing your new Arctic Camo controller with the Arctic Camo Xbox Series X Console Wrap to complete your style, only available in United States and Canda at the Microsoft Store. Visit Xbox.com or your local retailer, including Microsoft Store, for more information.

The post Chill Out with the Arctic Camo Special Edition Controller appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Introducing Community Game Help, a new enhancement for Game Help powered by user-generated content

When the PlayStation 5 console launched in 2020, we introduced Game Help to enable players to easily access hints, tips, or walkthrough videos without leaving the game to help them progress through a level, obtain a trophy, or find a coveted hidden item.

We’re always evolving the PS5 console experience, and today, we are happy to announce a new enhancement for Game Help launching later this year: Community Game Help. Community Game Help will add to the current Game Help experience by expanding the library of helpful game hints, incorporating videos that are automatically generated from gameplay footage of players who have opted in to contribute.

When the enhanced Game Help experience featuring content from the community launches, Game Help will be available to all PS5 players, with or without a PlayStation Plus subscription. In supported games, PS5 players will be able to contribute their gameplay, view hints from fellow gamers, or access Game Help hints created by developers. Game developers can also continue to create their own hint videos, as seen in popular titles available today like The Last of Us Part II Remastered and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Let’s take a deeper look at how Community Game Help will work. 

How to access Community Game Help

If you are already familiar with the current Game Help experience, Community Game Help will be largely similar. If you find yourself in a tricky situation and need help, press the PS button to open the Control Center and look for an Action Card with the “Hints inside” icon.

In addition to the developer-generated hints that are currently provided in supported games, you will eventually start to see hints labeled “Community Game Help”, which indicates that the clip was generated from other players’ gameplay footage. You can also rate the usefulness of these hints, which will allow us to curate informative help content for players.

PS5 UI screenshot showing Community Game Help for Granblue Fantasy: Relink

PS5 UI screenshot showing Community Game Help for Granblue Fantasy: Relink

PS5 UI screenshot showing Community Game Help for Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Game Help is currently available on PlayStation App, so you can also use your mobile device to access these hints without taking space on your game screen. 

PlayStation App screenshot showing Community Game Help for Granblue Fantasy: Relink

 How to contribute to Community Game Help

If you enjoy sharing your gaming expertise with others and are willing to contribute to Community Game Help, you can participate by opting in from the Settings menu.* You can also opt out any time, which will remove all of your published videos from Community Game Help. These settings will become available within the next few months, so please stay tuned for more information.

  • Go to [Captures & Broadcasts] >[Captures] > [Auto Captures] > [Community Game Help], then select [Participate] to opt in to the program.
  • You can also select the monthly capture limit to control how many videos you will allow to be captured from your gameplay per month.

Once you turn on the settings, your PS5 will automatically capture a video when you complete a certain activity in a game. Then, it will be reviewed by a moderator, and if approved, your video will be published as a Game Help hint for PlayStation players to watch, learn from, and rate. Your videos will be removed from the PS5 console once they are uploaded to our servers, so it will not impact your console storage.

When your video is published, you will receive a system notification on your PS5 console. 

PS5 UI screenshot showing a system notification stating ‘Your gameplay was just published as a Game Help hint’

This process will be done automatically, so you don’t need to edit or upload your clips for submission. Only your raw game footage will be uploaded, so images and audio from your webcam, microphone, or party chat audio will not be shared with the moderator or the community. Depending on the game you’re playing, your video may include online IDs or chat messages that are shown on your game screen.

You can check your published videos from the settings menu and remove them at any time.

PS5 UI screenshot showing three Granblue Fantasy: Relink videos under the headline that says ‘Your Published Videos’

Community Game Help will start to become available in select games later this year, and our goal is to expand it to as many titles as possible in the future.

Thank you to everyone for helping us improve gaming experiences for the PlayStation community. Please stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the launch.

We hope to see many players participate in Community Game Help and share their amazing gameplay feats!

*Contributing to Community Game Help is limited to adult accounts.

PS5 Will Soon Let You Upload Your Gameplay to Contribute to Community Game Help

Sony has announced plans to release Community Game Help on PlayStation 5 later this year.

Community Game Help is described as a new “enhancement” for Game Help, “powered” by user-generated content.

Here’s how it works: in supported games, PS5 players will be able to contribute their gameplay, view hints from fellow gamers, or access Game Help hints created by developers. Game developers can also continue to create their own hint videos.

Players can currently press the PS button to open the Control Center and look for an Action Card with the “Hints inside” icon. Eventually, players will also see hints labeled “Community Game Help”, which indicates the clip was generated from other players’ gameplay footage. You can also rate the usefulness of these hints, which Sony said will let it curate informative help content for players.

In a PlayStation Blog post, Sabrina Meditz, senior director, product management, Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said Community Game Help will add to the current Game Help experience “by expanding the library of helpful game hints, incorporating videos that are automatically generated from gameplay footage of players who have opted in to contribute”.

“We hope to see many players participate in Community Game Help and share their amazing gameplay feats!”

Community Game Help will be available to all PS5 players, with or without a PlayStation Plus subscription, Sony added. You can opt in to contribute to Community Game Help from the Settings menu. You can also opt out at any time, which will remove all your published videos. Expect to see these settings in the next few months, Sony said.

Once you turn on the settings, your PS5 will automatically capture a video when you complete a certain activity in a game, Sony explained. Then, it will be reviewed by a moderator, and if approved, your video will be published as a Game Help hint for PlayStation players to watch and rate. Sony said your videos will be removed from the PS5 console once they are uploaded to its servers, so will not impact console storage. When your video is published, you will receive a system notification on your PS5 console.

This process will be done automatically, so you don’t need to edit or upload your clips for submission, Sony stressed. Only your raw game footage will be uploaded, so images and audio from your webcam, microphone, or party chat audio will not be shared with the moderator or the community. Depending on the game you’re playing, your video may include online IDs or chat messages that are shown on your game screen.

Community Game Help will start to become available in select games later this year, Sony said. The goal is to expand it to as many titles as possible in the future.

PS5 launched in November 2020 with the Game Help feature, which lets players access hints, tips, and walkthrough videos without having to leave the game. But it relies upon developers making the Game Help content. With Community Game Help, Sony is getting PS5 players to do the heavy lifting.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Social MMO Sky: Children Of The Light is heading to Steam early access in April

Journey developer thatgamecompany have announced the PC early access release date for their social MMO Sky: Children Of The Light. Having already built up a substantial community on both mobile and consoles, PC players will now be able to join in on April 10th on Steam. There will be some special PC-themed goodies available to celebrate the occasion, too, including a Companion Cube prop from Portal, a Journey cosmetic pack, and double rewards for sending Heart gifts to other players.

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Activision Threatens to Ban Call of Duty Warzone Players Using Boosting Services

Activision has threatened to ban any Call of Duty Warzone player who uses so-called ‘boosting services’ to inflate their Skill Rating (SR).

Recent weeks have seen an uptick in reports of ‘bot lobbies’, or boosting lobbies. Boosting services, which have been a problem for competitive multiplayer games for years, create boosting lobbies in which cheaters can make significant gains in their skill rating and boost up the ranks.

This problem has hit Warzone hard recently, with some saying the top of the leaderboards are filled with cheaters who used boosting lobbies to achieve their rank.

Now, Activision has responded, issuing a statement that revealed its TeamRicochet had issued multiple ban waves that resulted in 29,000 recent bans. Then came a stark warning to those using boosting lobbies: “Artificially inflating SR won’t be permitted. Accounts engaging in this behavior will be banned.”

Activision also vowed to take down the people who provide boosting lobbies: “We will consider all available technical and legal options for shutting these illicit services down.”

Activision recently launched Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, which includes cross-progression with Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone on console and PC, but not cross-play. Season 3 launches alongside Rebirth Island on April 3.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Free-to-play cosy life sim Palia has hit Steam, with a Spring-themed patch and a giant frog plush

Palia, a cute-looking life sim MMO inspired by e.g. Stardew Valley, has been in beta since last year, but now it’s officially out on Steam, where many more people can download and play it. With this launch comes a pretty substantial update – Patch 0.178, full notes here – which adds a new questline and Temple to explore, new furniture, and a bunch of new spring flowers and trees to grow in your garden. There is also a giant plushi frog, listed under ‘Adjustments’. The patch notes say simply “What does he want? Does he come in peace?” which makes him sound way more sinister than I think he is, but as you can see from the screenshot, he isn’t not sinister.

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