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Fnatic vs Team Heretics EWC 2025 Valorant Grand Final: Match Time, Where to Watch, and Prediction
The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 is in full swing, and this year’s Valorant championship had a rather remarkable victory for Team Heretics, as they make their way to the finals, facing off against none other than the legendary Fnatic. Team Heretics might have a tough time up ahead, but shouldn’t go down without a […]
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Jul 12
10 Years Later, I Still Haven’t Forgiven How Game of Thrones S5 Butchered This GRRM Character From ‘A Feast for Crows’
The Waif in Game of Thrones was one of the most underexplored yet controversial characters, especially with how she was portrayed on screen. It not only affected the accuracy of the adaptation, but it also ruined Arya Stark’s training with the Faceless Men. The show depicted the Waif as an acolyte serving in the House of […]
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Jul 12
9 Exciting Mods For Batman: Arkham Knight That Every Batman Fan Needs To Check Out
If you are into beating up criminals and driving a massive battle tank through the streets of Gotham, then buckle up because Batman: Arkham Knight brings you that exact experience on a silver platter. The game was developed by Rocksteady Studios in 2015 and became so popular that it sold more than five million copies […]
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Jul 12
DICE Refuses to Drop This Controversial Battlefield 6 Mechanic That Sparked BF2042’s Collapse
The Battlefield 6 rumor mill is in full swing today, with a recent rumor pointing toward a rather devastating omission that could potentially doom the game when it releases. To say that this is quite unfortunate would be an understatement, and DICE’s recent stand on the Battlefield Labs programme has been nothing short of unfortunate. […]
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Jul 12
MAPPA May Just Be Praying For a ‘Demon Slayer’ Sized Miracle for ‘Chainsaw Man: Reze Movie’
MAPPA’s announcement that Chainsaw Man’s Reze arc will head straight to the theaters has sparked excitement among fans, but among us, it has sparked confusion and theories. While MAPPA and its executives insist that the reason for the above decision is that the “Bomb Girl” arc simply works better cinematically, we think that there is […]
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Jul 12
7 Gadgets That Need to Appear in Rocksteady’s Upcoming Batman: Arkham Game
If you are a huge Batman fan and fantasize about beating criminals up in the middle of the night, then the Batman: Arkham franchise might be the perfect series for you. All the Arkham games are masterpieces of their own, and now Rocksteady is gearing up for a new installment in the series, widely rumored […]
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Jul 12
Esports World Cup 2025 begins in Riyadh; S8UL, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun spearhead Indian challengeThe Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 officially kicked off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 6, marking the start of a seven-week esports celebration. With over 2,000 competitors from 84 countries, the event is one of the largest global gaming showcases to date, featuring a total prize pool of $70 million (nearly ₹580 crore). The […]
The post Esports World Cup 2025 begins in Riyadh; S8UL, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun spearhead Indian challenge appeared first on G2G News .
Jul 12
No Character Has Ever Suffered As Much As Netflix’s 95%-Rated Gem’s Hero
Jonas's suffering on Dark was augmented by the fact that he was caught between the paradigms of predestination and free will.
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Jul 12
Chronicles of the Wolf – ReviewIf you’re a fan of Konami’s legendary Castlevania series, then there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Migami Games. The indie developer was responsible for several highly popular Castlevania fan games, including Lecarde Chronicles 1 & 2. It’s not surprising then that their latest game, Chronicles of the Wolf, takes more than a little inspiration from Castlevania. We’d go as far as to say that the game is a retro Castlevania game in all but its name. It’s often said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but does that translate to something worth playing, or are you better off sticking with the originals? Story Set in rural 18th-century France, Chronicles of the Wolf takes inspiration from stories about the Beast of Gévaudan. While historical accounts of the real-life beast are unclear about its nature, here it is depicted as a werewolf-like creature. Our story begins with the Beast massacring the apprentices of the Rose Cross Order, leaving only a single survivor: Mateo Lombardo. Mateo swears to avenge his fellow acolytes and sets out to hunt and destroy the Beast. Beyond this initial premise, Chronicles of the Wolf doesn’t really flesh out its story. Most of the supernatural events that occur are left unexplored from a narrative perspective. NPC dialogue comes across as vague and doesn’t change as the story progresses, which doesn’t help with creating an immersive atmosphere. The vagueness doesn’t stand in the way of the cookie-cutter plot, however, as this is as straightforward a revenge story as it gets. There are no unexpected twists here. With so much of the lore left unexplored, Chronicles of the Wolf’s story misses the mark. A lot more could have been done here. Graphics The visual style of Chronicles of the Wolf is a dead ringer for that of old-school Castlevania games, in particular Symphony of the Night. The retro-styled pixel art is a highlight here, successfully evoking a dark gothic atmosphere. There is a surprising amount of visual variety here, both when it comes to environments and enemy designs. Lighting and weather effects warrant a mention because of how effectively they are used here, with a particular boss fight in the dark standing out. On the other hand, dialogue portraits aren’t always up to snuff, with some of the characters looking a little bug-eyed. While visual performance is great as a whole, animations also look a little stiff, though we’ll chalk that up to being period accurate to the style that is emulated here. Sound As if Chronicles of the Wolf’s connection to Castlevania couldn’t be more clear, Migami Games managed to get Robert Belgrade to be the game’s narrator. If that name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, then we should tell you that he voiced Alucard in Symphony of the Night. As we mentioned earlier, though, the story isn’t all that fleshed out, and as a result, his voice work appears infrequently and sparsely. The dramatic soundtrack fits the game’s gothic atmosphere to a tee. Once again, the team got a Castlevania alumnus on board for this, in the form of Lords of Shadow composer Óscar Araujo, alongside Jeffrey Montoya, who scored the Lecarde Chronicles fan games. We’d go as far as to say that the soundtrack is the best thing about Chronicles of the Wolf. Rounding things out is an immersive set of sound effects like whooshing winds and gushing rain, which brings the soundscape together nicely. Gameplay To the surprise of absolutely no one, Chronicles of the Wolf is an old-school Metroidvania. The ‘-vania’ in the genre name comes from Castlevania after all. With Chronicles of the Wolf mimicking those specific early iterations of the genre, it feels very much like a retro Castlevania title as a result. Still, there are some unique mechanics here that imbue the game with its own identity. Taking control of Mateo, you’ll explore a vast 2D world, returning to areas you’ve visited before as new paths open thanks to newly acquired abilities. These include familiar skills like a double jump, an air dash, and a sliding dodge, but also the ability to breathe underwater. The standout mechanic unique to Chronicles of the Wolf is the inclusion of friendly ghosts. These equipable spirits act similarly to magic spells in that they can provide different benefits, like healing Mateo or even making him temporarily invincible. However, using their abilities drains Mateo’s magic gauge. Effective resource management is the key to using them to their fullest extent. Combat harkens back to the slower pace of yesteryear’s games, which does take some getting used to. Mateo has access to a fairly wide arsenal of weapons as well as buffs provided by those aforementioned ghost allies. In practice, fighting enemies feels rather clunky and stiff. Mateo can’t move and attack simultaneously, for example. Enemy hitboxes are rather generous, and their attack patterns are readable, so it’s not like combat is completely unworkable, but you’ll need to time your attacks slowly and methodically. Boss fights in particular can feel rather uninspired, as they often require brute force rather than pattern memorization and strategizing accordingly. Weapon swapping is fiddly and requires going into laggy menus, which disrupts the flow during intense fights. Hotkeys would have helped here. Fans of old school Castlevania will probably enjoy what is being offered, but for most players, the combat will feel off-putting instead. Exploration, the other key part of any Metroidvania, comes with some major drawbacks as well. The world is fairly large, and Chronicles of the Wolf is sorely lacking in navigation features like objective markers or even a decent map. Fast travel exists, but you’ll need to memorize location names and pick where you want to go from a list. Save points are too few and far between, and there is no auto-save feature present. Add to this that there are traps that cause instant death, and you’ll find yourself having to do a lot of unwarranted backtracking. That’s not to say that Chronicles of the Wolf’s exploration has no merit, as there are tons of secrets to discover. When everything clicks into place, finding a tough-to-reach secret feels very satisfying. You will need a specific mindset before you embark on this adventure though, as the game was built with classic Castlevania fans in mind rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Whether that’s worth the €19.99 price tag is up to you. Conclusion As far as retro Metroidvanias go, Chronicles of the Wolf delivers exactly what it promises. The gameplay feels much slower than you’d expect from a title releasing in 2025, with stiff and clunky combat and exploration that lacks the navigational tools modern audiences are used to. The story could have been fleshed out a lot better, but the audiovisual presentation makes up for this, with the soundtrack in particular being a highlight. Many of Chronicle of the Wolf’s gameplay flaws come from the game wanting to stick to the design philosophy of the games it takes inspiration from. If that’s something you can overlook— or even something you embrace —then the game is going to be worth your attention. For anyone else, Chronicle of the Wolf is going to be a much tougher sell.
Jul 12
Death Stranding 2 Sam Nendoroid Comes With Dollman
Good Smile Company shared an update on the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Nendoroid of Sam Porter Bridges, and the prototype included a tiny Dollman figure on his waist. There’s no release window for him yet. However, since it is in a painted state, it is possible we could see pre-orders open in the next few weeks.
The Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Nendoroid of Sam involves a number of elements based on his appearance from the latest game, including the little Dollman figure. He’s wearing his typical porter outfit. Lou’s BB pod is attached to his chest, with the surface darkened. He’s carrying some cargo in his right hand. Dollman is attached to his waist. An Odradek is attached to his back.
Here’s the photo of the current version of the prototype. It seems like the Dollman figure attached to Sam might not be completely finished yet, as the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach character doesn’t have any facial features painted on in this example.
Image via Good Smile Company and Kojima Productions
Good Smile Company also made a Nendoroid of Sam Porter Bridges based on his original Death Stranding appearance. Two versions appeared . It dubbed the more expensive one the Great Deliverer Version, due to the fact it came with additional packages to load up on his back, a hood, and sunglasses. As both are out of print, it will likely be quite expensive if you find it somewhere online like Amazon or eBay.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is available now. There’s no word yet on when the Nendoroid based on Sam will appear.
The post Death Stranding 2 Sam Nendoroid Comes With Dollman appeared first on Siliconera .
Jul 11
VShojo Director of Talent Departed the Vtuber Company
VShojo Director of Talent Panini left the Vtuber company in July 2025. On July 10, 2025, a statement appeared on the former staffer’s official social media account . No specific reasons were mentioned as a cause for the departure.
The statement from Panini noted this move happened after starting at VShojo in 2022 and spending three years with the Vtuber organization working with talent and eventually being director of talent. It also noted an intention to keep working in this sphere as a consultant or as management on individual projects. However, Panini did note anyone interested in her services would need to wait for a response and services for a "couple of weeks."
Here is the full message from Panini going over the move and what will happen next:
https://twitter.com/paninimgmt/status/1943430041398055007
Multiple current and past members of VShojo responded to Panini’s statement, as did other Vtubers and individuals in the sphere. Among the performers sharing well wishes were Ironmouse , Henya , Geega , Shylily , AmaLee , CyYu , Buffpup , and Sayu Sincronisity .
This is one of multiple notable VShojo departures to come up in 2025, as both Vtubers and individuals in executive and management positions left. Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder Phillip "MowtenDoo" Fortunat left in May 2025. That month is also when Matara Kan parted ways with the company. Two other performers who left within the last few weeks are Geega and Zentreya .
The post VShojo Director of Talent Departed the Vtuber Company appeared first on Siliconera .
Jul 11
Foundation Review — Apple TV+’s Sprawling Sci-Fi Epic Leans Into its Underdog Status
If a big-budget, labyrinthine sci-fi series featuring an occasionally half-naked Lee Pace drops in the forest of Apple TV+, does it make a sound? That’s the question that Foundation has been asking since it premiered on the fledgling streaming service in September 2021. By all marks, from its high production values to its sprawling premise […]
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Jul 11
Madea’s Destination Wedding Ending Explained: Debrah’s Secret Motive for the Big Day
Confused or hung over from the whirlwind finale of Madea’s Destination Wedding ending? You’re not alone. Madea’s Destination Wedding ending leaves us asking some unanswered questions, but we’ve got you. Tyler Perry‘s Madea franchise just hit the screen with another exciting adventure on Netflix on July 11. Madea’s Destination Wedding marks the 13th installment in […]
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Jul 11
Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Review – The Switch 2’s Best Crime DramaYakuza 0 Director’s Cut marks the first time this critically acclaimed prequel has been released on a Nintendo console. The Yakuza franchise was originally closely associated with PlayStation, but over…
The post Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Review – The Switch 2’s Best Crime Drama appeared first on TwistedVoxel .
Jul 11
Smash Bros. Creator Marks the 10-Year Anniversary of Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's Death, as Fans Pay TributeSuper Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has paid tribute to former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who passed away 10 years ago today, aged 55.
Jul 11
Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack Includes Switch 2 Debut
Koei Tecmo announced the Atelier Ryza series is returning with a Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack that will bring the three games to platforms it previously appeared on and the Switch 2 for the first time. It will launch in 2025. There will be new and old content, and Gust will go over details in a livestream at 5am PT/8am ET/9pm JST on August 4, 2025.
The announcement confirmed this Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy collection will include the games Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout, Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy, and Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key . The initial reveal teased new allies will be present. The first trailer for this collection started with Ryza acting as a teacher in front of a group of kids, then acting as a narrator as footage from all three games played. It also seemed to perhaps include a Serri tease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl1f4aYkfSU
We do know some details about this release, though! All DLC will be included, which happened with past pack releases in the series. The official website also addressed the issues of physical copies. In Japan , Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack will be digital-only for the Switch 2 and PC versions. The US and UK English sites says it will only be sold digitally for all platforms.
Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack will bring all three games to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2025, and the showcase discussing it will air worldwide at 5am PT/8am ET/9pm JST on August 4, 2025.
The post Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack Includes Switch 2 Debut appeared first on Siliconera .
Jul 11
Did Prince Harry Have a Crush on Kate Middleton’s Sister Pippa Before She Married a Billionaire?
Rumors connecting Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton circulated the internet at one point. These rumors surfaced around the time of Kate Middleton and Prince William‘s marriage in 2011. Both Harry and Pippa were newly single at the time of the royal wedding. They were seen together quite a few times, sparking rumors of another Mountbatten-Windsor […]
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Jul 11
I Didn’t Like Tony Hawk 4, But I Wish The Remake Let Me Properly Reappraise It
When I reminisce about the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, my most cherished memories center around the first three entries. THPS 1-3 was my prime with the franchise, the games that introduced me to Mr. Hawk, his skateboarding friends/rivals, and skateboarding culture in general. These are the titles that convinced me that I, too, could skateboard, to the point I went down a rather tall half-pipe before learning how to stay upright on a board. “I nail the 900 all the time in the games, so surely this isn’t so hard,” I confidently thought. This attempt went about as well as Peter Griffin walking down stairs. Misplaced confidence aside, this exemplifies my obsession with the first three games, as they inspired me to do something very, very dumb. Those warm and mildly painful memories do not apply to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. Released in 2002, I didn’t have the means at the time to buy the game for my PlayStation 2. It was the first Tony Hawk game I didn’t own, instead borrowing a copy from a friend or playing it at their house. The game did not hit for me.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 changed gears by featuring a free-roaming world. Gone were the run-based challenges and the two-minute timer. Instead, players had free rein to explore the larger parks to complete objectives at their leisure. This blueprint would form the foundation for subsequent entries, such as the Underground and American Wasteland games. Perhaps I was resistant to change as a then-14-year-old, or maybe I was subconsciously experiencing burnout with the series after playing a new game for three years straight, but I did not enjoy THPS 4 nearly as much as its predecessors. This initial impression cemented Tony Hawk 4 in my brain as a “so-so” experience for years. I didn’t touch it again after 2002, but as time passed and my critiques became fuzzier, I began to wonder if I hadn’t given the game a fair shake. So when Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 was announced, I was excited to revisit the fourth game with a new coat of paint and a fresh perspective. Like many THPS 4 fans, I was disappointed to learn developer Iron Galaxy didn’t just make the game look better; it effectively remolded it in the two-minute timed image of THPS 3.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4's College level
I understand the motive for this approach. THPS 3 is the best-reviewed entry in the series; why wouldn’t you want the comparatively more polarizing fourth game to mirror that successful blueprint? However, this means the original design I hoped to reevaluate no longer exists. But it’s a shame, because this approach robs players of one of the best, but least talked about, benefits of a more faithful remake: the opportunity to reassess. It’s one of the reasons I loved the 2020 Demon’s Souls remake. It didn’t “get” the appeal of the game when it first arrived in 2009. I disliked the hub-based structure and high difficulty. “This is stupid and hard,” I thought as those rolling skeletons dudes cut me down for the umpteenth time. “How on Earth could someone enjoy this?” I gave up on the game quickly and never looked back. It wasn’t until Dark Souls introduced an interconnected world that the appeal clicked for me, and I fell in love with From Software’s then-new sub-genre of action games. As I played and enjoyed future entries like Bloodborne and Sekiro, Demon’s Souls was long-branded in my mind as the “weird” entry that wasn’t very good.
Demon's Souls (2020)
Replaying Demon's Souls for Game Informer via the 2020 remake, which was largely a graphical facelift, I found myself enjoying and appreciating the game far more for what it is and tries to do, now that I had a fresh perspective to view it from. If developer Blue Point had more radically changed Demon’s Souls’ hub-like design to more closely resemble Dark Souls’ more successful template, it might have resulted in an even better game. But then I would have just viewed this as Blue Point “fixing” Demon’s Souls, further cementing my existing, perhaps somewhat bad-faith opinion that the original iteration was always terrible. I wish I could do the same for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. Looking back, I know my criticisms weren’t completely fair, and I would have loved to re-experience it from a place of excitement rather than burnout or mild resentment at its changes. Even if I still didn’t like it as much as the first three games, I’d at least be able to form a more educated and measured opinion as to why. I’ll have to hunt down an original copy of the game to do this, if for no other reason than in hopes my opinion will improve enough to spur me down another half-pipe.
Jul 11
CDPR Can Turn ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ Into Its Golden Goose
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an anime series set in the universe of CD Projekt Red’s video game, Cyberpunk 2077, is amazing. The anime was produced in collaboration with Studio Trigger and instantly became a cultural phenomenon. Fans loved Night City, and the stories it hid in its dark streets. With season two being greenlit, CDPR has the […]
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Jul 11
Yoshitaka Amano Worked on Resident Evil Survival Unit
Yoshitaka Amano, the Japanese artist best known for his works in the Final Fantasy series, is involved in the development of Resident Evil Survival Unit . The official website for the upcoming mobile game revealed that the artist designed an original creature named Mortem.
This collaboration is made possible by another familiar name to the Final Fantasy community: Shinji Hashimoto. As a reminder, Hashimoto is no longer affiliated with Square Enix after he reached the mandatory retirement age in May 2022. However, that did not mark a complete end to his career, as he joined Sony Music Entertainment's ForwardWorks right after in June 2022.
In October 2024, Hashimoto moved to Aniplex, which is also another subsidiary of Sony Music. This eventually led to his appearance in the Resident Evil Survival Unit announcement video as the mobile game's executive producer. Aniplex is primarily working together with the Korean company JoyCity to develop this title, with Capcom supervising the whole process. This video also showcased JoyCity's finalized render of Yoshitaka Amano's original creature, Mortem.
Image courtesy of Capcom and Aniplex
Shinji Hashimoto explained the involvement of Yoshitaka Amano in Resident Evil Survival Unit via an interview with Famitsu . The former noted in the interview that the two had been long acquainted since his previous tenure, without even directly mentioning Square Enix and Final Fantasy . Hashimoto also stated his desire to make a surprise by asking Amano to design a pure villain for this Resident Evil mobile game.
The interview also revealed that Amano gave JoyCity much freedom to convert his creature design. Hashimoto added that Amano eventually approved the final render with a "that's cool" statement. The executive producer is also preparing another surprising collaboration for the mobile game, which will appear in 2026 or later.
Resident Evil Survival Unit will launch worldwide for Android and iOS mobile devices in 2025.
The post Yoshitaka Amano Worked on Resident Evil Survival Unit appeared first on Siliconera .
Jul 11
ARK: Survival EvolvedArk: Survival Evolved is a action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard.
