If you’re a fan of the absurdly charming platforming series Dadish, then you’ll be pleased to know that developer Thomas K. Young’s next game, Be Brave, Barb, is bringing even more immaculate adorability to the Switch eShop today.
Much like the dev’s previous titles, Be Brave, Barb is a sweet platformer with a twist of comedy. In this one, you play as Barb (naturally), a somewhat nervous cactus (again, naturally) on a quest to find her lost book of positive affirmations (naturally-er). To help Barb along her way, you’ll have to flip gravity to overcome platforming challenges and defeat enemies, all while navigating big topics like anxiety and self-acceptance.
Palworld developer Pocketpair is narrowing in on its big crossplay update, which is due out late March 2025.
In a post on X/Twitter, Pocketpair confirmed this update will include multiplayer across all platforms as well as add world transfer for Pals. No further details were offered, outside a promotional image showing a bunch of Palworld characters fighting a rather large Pal.
Pocketpair Communications Director and Publishing Manager John ‘Bucky’ Buckley teased “a few little surprises too” with the March update.
Palworld launched on Steam priced $30 and straight into Game Pass on Xbox and PC a year ago, breaking sales and concurrent player number records in the process. Pocketpair boss Takuro Mizobe has said Palworld’s launch was so big that the developer couldn’t handle the massive profits the game generated. Still, Pocketpair acted swiftly to capitalize on Palworld’s breakout success, signing a deal with Sony to form a new business called Palworld Entertainment that’s tasked with expanding the IP, and launching the game on PS5.
Looming over all this is a lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, who seek “an injunction against infringement and compensation for damages” on the grounds that Palworld has infringed on “multiple” patent rights. Pocketpair has provided an update, identifying the patents the studio is allegedly infringing, and it has since tweaked how players summon Pals in Palworld, apparently in response. Pocketpair has vowed to take on Nintendo and The Pokémon Company in court, saying: “We will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings.”
Localthunk, the developer behind breakout roguelike poker game Balatro, has stepped in to resolve a bit of a scrum in the Balatro subreddit over a mod’s statements on AI art.
It’s a bit of a wild story, so bear with me here, and thanks to Garbage Day and Rock Paper Shotgun for spotting all this. Essentially, it starts with DrTankHead, a now-former moderator of the Balatro subreddit and also current mod of a NSFW Balatro subreddit.
The moderator had expressed no issue with AI art content, both on the NSFW and main Balatro subreddits. “We will not be banning AI art here, if it is properly claimed and tagged as such,” the mod said in a post. “This has been done after discussion with the staff at Playstack.”
“Neither Playstack nor I condone AI ‘art’. I don’t use it in my game, I think it does real harm to artists of all kinds. The actions of this mod do not reflect how Playstack feels or how I feel on the topic. We have removed this moderator from the moderation team,” Localthunk said.
“We will not be allowing AI generated images on this subreddit from now on. We will make sure our rules and FAQ reflect this soon.”
In a follow-up, Playstack’s communications director noted that the rules around this “should have been clearer,” as a rule calling for “no unlabeled AI content” could have been interpreted as allowing or supporting the content on the subreddit. The remaining mod team is planning on clarifying this language for the future.
As for the original mod, DrTankHead posted in the aforementioned NSFW Balatro subreddit, confirming they’ve been removed as a mod of r/Balatro. They went on to say that it is “not their goal” to make the NSFW Balatro subreddit AI-centric, but they are considering a “day of the week” situation where “non-NSFW art that is made with AI can be posted.”
In response, one user replied: “Please just get off Reddit for a week or two.”
Generative AI is one of the hottest topics within the video game and entertainment industries, which have both suffered massive layoffs in recent years. It has thus far has drawn criticism from players and creators due to a mix of ethical issues, rights issues, and AI’s struggles to produce content audiences actually enjoy. For instance, Keywords Studios attempted to create an experimental game internally using entirely AI. The game failed, with Keywords citing to investors that AI was “unable to replace talent.”
One thing this review can’t tell you is how exactly the MSI Claw 8 AI+ improves on the original Claw, for the simple reason that MSI themselves binned off the latter before I had a chance to try it. Three months, it lasted, before this do-over got announced. Three months! And people say the Steam Deck OLED came too soon.
The good news is that the Claw 8 AI+’s mostly-internal revamping – new CPU, new GPU, fatter battery etc. – has produced a handheld that not only thrashes Valve’s upgraded Steam Deck on games performance, but is up there with the best of its Windows-based brethren-portables on longevity. You know what, it probably is better than the Claw. Yeah.
Back in April 2024 you may remember a flurry of excitement when Landfall’s Content Warning released for PC. A first-person co-op horror game which involves capturing footage of scary events and uploading it to ‘SpöökTube’ for likes and clout, it was made free to download for 24 hours at launch and its blend of quirky comedy and genuine scares proved to be a hit.
Switch has seen its fair share of shocking clones recently, the latest of which appears to rip off Landfall’s game. Out tomorrow (13th March), Content Warning: Scary Filming is… well, let’s just compare the key art, shall we?
For quite some time, From Software was primarily known for their mech-based action games. The crown jewel of these games is Armored Core, which debuted on the original PlayStation and established a series that garners a devoted fanbase over two decades later.
With the announcement of Armored Core (1997), Armored Core: Project Phantasma, and Armored Core: Master of Arena coming to PlayStation Plus Classics, now’s the perfect time to take a trip into this series’ history.
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Armored Core | PlayStation | 1997
Armored Core found its origins through a collaboration between From Software and Shoji Kawamori, one of anime’s premier mechanical designers. In the earliest days of the original PlayStation’s life, From Software and Kawamori thought of an idea for a game about player-customizable mechs. Eventually, the concept evolved into being able to attach modular parts to a central unit, known as an Armored Core. From there came a story about Earth ruined by the Great Destruction, a corporate-ruled dystopia, and the Ravens, mercenary mech pilots with no allegiances beyond the power of money.
Armored Core released in Japan and North America in 1997, with a European release hitting in 1998. The game stood out not only for its in-depth customization, resource management, and mission-driven progression, but a complex yet interesting control scheme that made players feel like they were in the cockpit of a custom-built mecha. The story also went in different directions depending on the missions you chose, creating a game that rewarded multiple playthroughs.
Armored Core will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.
Armored Core: Project Phantasma | PlayStation | 1998
In response to player enthusiasm and feedback, Armored Core received two immediate expansion follow-ups. Project Phantasma is a more story-driven prequel to the original AC that introduced the wildly popular Arena mode, where players duel with other mechs to climb ranks and earn fabulous prizes.
Armored Core: Project Phantasma will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.
Armored Core: Master of Arena | PlayStation | 1999
Master of Arena, as the title suggests, builds upon the Arena mode by making it the core focus. Being a direct sequel to Project Phantasma, both of these games allowed you to import save data from previous titles, keeping all of the hard-earned weapons and customizations you’d earned. The original PlayStation Armored Cores set the stage for what came later, developing key features that define the series to this day. Kawamori’s involvement also continued throughout the series, giving the mechs of AC a distinct look and feel that set them apart.
Armored Core: Master of Arena will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.
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Armored Core 2 | PlayStation 2 | 2000
From Software was one of the earliest developers to embrace the power of the PlayStation 2, and among their early crop of PS2 titles was a sequel to Armored Core. (In fact, it was a launch title alongside the PlayStation 2 in North America in 2000.) The story of AC2 occurs several decades after the original PlayStation AC titles, taking the Raven to a terraformed Mars where civil war rages. Besides a hefty graphical upgrade, Armored Core introduces the Overboost mechanic, allowing mechs to move quickly when engaged though it guzzles energy rapidly. New Radiator, Extension, and Inside parts also allow for greater mech customization.
A follow-up, Armored Core 2: Another Age, soon followed, taking the story back to Earth and its political struggles while featuring over 100 new missions for players to partake in. The Japanese release of AC2AA in 2001 is noteworthy since it was one of the first PS2 games to allow online play with the PS2’s Network Adaptor.
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Armored Core 3 | PlayStation 2 | 2002
Armored Core continued on the PS2 in 2002 with the release of the third-numbered title. While Armored Core 3 didn’t follow the story from the previous games, its setting remained very familiar: a ruined planet Earth where humans live in underground enclaves called Layered and are overseen by a mysterious, possibly malevolent AI named The Controller. New gameplay additions include Consorts–allied units that aid you during missions–and the ability to remove weapons mid-mission to reduce weight and improve performance. AC3 also saw the return of the fan-favorite Arena mode, which AC2AA lacked.
AC3 got a follow-up using the same engine in Armored Core 3: Silent Line. The titular Silent Line is the new threat on the Earth’s surface that emerged in the wake of AC3’s events. This storyline continued through 2004’s Armored Core: Nexus, though the changes to the gameplay–including adding, removing, and adjusting several types of weaponry–meant that players couldn’t import their data from the earlier AC3 titles. Two follow-ups to Nexus, Nine Breaker and Last Raven, completed the AC3 storyline. Several titles in this cycle would also see ports to the PSP.
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Armored Core 4 | PlayStation 3 | 2006
Armored Core 4’s debut brought high-definition mech combat to the PlayStation 3 with style. Once again, the story was rebooted with the familiar premise of corporations dominating the lives of Earth’s populace and hiring mercenaries to do their dirty work. The new-generation Armored Cores, called NEXTs, feature upgraded new technology like Primal Armor, varied Boost options, and a new pilot interface called the Allegorical Manipulation System–so advanced that only a select few psychic individuals, known as Lynx, can use it.
AC4 revamped the control scheme from previous games, aiming to make the experience more intuitive for both new players and grizzled series veterans. The heat management system was removed and a new Quick Boost movement option was implemented, greatly affecting mech control and mobility. Visually, the HD fidelity of the PS3’s graphics allowed for incredible detail in the environments, where your mech’s combat actions directly affect your surroundings. A direct follow-up, Armored Core for Answer was released in 2008 and picks up a decade after AC4’s story left off. Armored Core for Answer tells the story of conflict between humans and corporations that fled for safety in floating cities called Cradles and the rebel force, ORCA, fighting the corps’ overbearing influence from the surface.
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Armored Core V | PlayStation 3 | 2012
Armored Core V launched on PS3 in early 2012. The Earth is once again a complete mess, with the remaining population gathering in a single habitable city ruled over by the megalomaniacal Father. The player joins the Resistance forces as a mercenary to challenge Father’s dictatorship.
The shift to using Roman numerals in the title hinted at some changes under the hood, and AC5’s gameplay was a marked shift away from the speedier, action-driven combat of the more recent entries to a more careful, tactical style of play that harkened back to the early PlayStation installments. The Armored Core units were physically smaller, allowing them to take advantage of environmental features like taking cover and launching surprise attacks. Missions could now involve a whole squad of AC units, with an Operator who gives guidance throughout. New Overed Weapons provided incredible power with some massive drawbacks, while a new Scan mode let players shift into a non-combat mode to analyze enemies and conserve resources.
2013’s Armored Core: Verdict Day resumes the plot 100 years after AC5’s events, throwing players into a war between three powerful entities vying for control of newly uncovered Towers filled with mysterious technology. The team-focused gameplay of AC5 was enhanced further by introducing customizable AI-controlled Armored Cores called UNACs into the mix.
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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon | PlayStation 5 | 2023
We finally come to the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Ten years after the release of Armored Core Verdict Day, fans finally had the all-new Armored Core title they had been clamoring for. Not only was AC6 a long-awaited return to form for the storied series, it succeeded in bringing many new fans into the series–many of whom were totally new to mech-based combat games. With the massive success and acclaim AC6 has seen, it feels like a new era for the series–we’ll just have to wait and see where From Software takes Armored Core from here.
Avowed‘s game director Carrie Patel has been on the blower to Eurogamer about why Avowed doesn’t have any romance in it, which is to say it does, actually, if you’re paying attention, and also, affairs of the heart aren’t supposed to feel like min-maxing your Wizard, Kevin. To put that another way, she has gently suggested that relationships are more relatable when they aren’t some kind of mechanic or system.
Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now are also going.
It’s official — Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, has sold its gaming division for a staggering $3.5 billion to Scopely, “a world leader in mobile games”.
This acquisition comes just a few weeks after reports emerged that Niantic was in talks to sell. The deal also includes the community-building apps Campfire and Wayfarer.
Two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors discovered they had been replaced when the game’s patch notes went live, they have claimed, in the latest casualty of the battle for generative AI protections.
The Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (SAG-AFTRA) ongoing dispute with the video game industry revolves around the use of generative AI to replicate voice actor performances.
ZZZ, developed by Genshin Impact company HoYoverse, is not subject to the strike because it was in development before July 25, 2024, when the strike began. However, voice actors may choose not to sign new contracts in solidarity with striking union members, or in the absence of a SAG Interim Agreement.
Emeri Chase — who portrays Soldier 11 — said they were “replaced as Soldier 11 because I am unwilling to perform work not covered by a SAG Interim Agreement during a strike for AI protection, the outcome of which will determine the future of our industry.” Nicholas Thurkettle, who played Lycaon, has been similarly replaced, although Thurkettle is not a union member.
“I’d like to clarify that there’s a difference between being ‘struck’ and not being on an Interim Agreement,” Chase explained in a thread on Bluesky (thanks, Eurogamer). “Union projects that began work prior to the strike and non-union projects are not ‘struck.’ But they also do not offer the Union-enforced AI rights we are fighting for.
“Many actors are choosing to voluntarily withhold work on these categories of projects because we feel it is the best way to support the union’s fight for the protections that are critical to our continued ability to create the art we love.”
Chase added that they knew “that by withholding work it was possible” they’d be replaced, but had “hoped [developer YoHoVerse] would choose to leave her silent until I was able to return.”
“I found out the role was recast today alongside all of you,” Chase said, while Thurkettle stated: “I’m learning about this as you are, and I share your shock. Neither HoYoverse nor Sound Cadence has communicated with me since October. I’ve been fully available and recorded multiple voice jobs in that time.
“I’m not SAG but what game companies want to do with AI is an existential threat. I took a personal stand to ask for protection, and had to be willing to give up the best thing that’s ever happened in my professional life. I stand by my choice.”
The company issued a statement to Game Developer admitting characters in Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode were recast amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Zombies characters William Peck (Zeke Alton) and Samantha Maxis (Julie Nathanson) are currently voiced by new, unknown actors. Alton told Game Developer that he took no issue with Activision’s actions with Peck, but expressed concern “for my brand as a performer.”
“Fans of the game have reached out to me because the lack of crediting [of the replacement actor] implies that it may still be me which unfairly represents my abilities as a performer,” Alton said at the time.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
