Steam Deck Related News

5 followers

0 articles/week

Stay ahead with the latest news and updates about the Steam Deck. We bring you all the information you need about this new handheld gaming device.

There’s Nothing Wrong With the Switch 2 Launch Games Library Whenever a new system launches , debates also ensue about if it’s worth buying right away. Partially due to the quality of the console itself. But the titles that launch alongside it can also make or break a debut. While the Switch 2 launch library might not seem as exciting in some ways, I think it ended up being a really solid collection of games you can play for weeks , months, and in the case of some years to come. One criticism going in to the Switch 2 is the flagship launch title is Mario Kart World . As of March 31, 2025, the Nintendo IR site noted Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold over 68.2 million units on Switch 2, Mario Kart 8 sold 8.46 million on Wii U, Mario Kart Wii sold 37.38 million on Wii, Mario Kart 7 sold 18.99 million on 3DS, and Mario Kart DS ended up at 23.6 million on DS. Financially, it makes sense. Over multiple console and handheld generations, we see the demand at a glance. Also, given what happened with the Switch installment and room for growth, I think we’ll absolutely see a Booster Course Pass or some other sort of ongoing update schedule. This is the company coming in with a title that will be huge at launch, enjoyed alone or with others, and probably supported for a few years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QeqO0kFz-E Next is that we actually do have some entirely “new” launch window games for the Switch 2 that add incredibly lengthy experiences to the library. I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma . That could easily be a 30-40 hour game just from the campaign and before you get into the daily life, find a partner and settle down, enjoy the post-game with a virtual family experience. Moreover, the Switch 2 experience even without the upgrade pack is making me reconsider only giving it an 8 when I wrote the Switch review, because it’s closer to a 9 on the new system. Deltarune Chapters 3 & 4 is something I’m going through now, and it’s also a solid commitment. FAST Fusion ended up being a great budget racer in the series with a lot of replayability and, honestly, the kind of challenge is that is sort of missing in Mario Kart World single-player sometimes. While I’m sure it won’t be game of the year material, Tamagotchi Plaza is going to fill that launch minigame collection hole that folks invest in when they want something silly and short to play with others. Even though Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time came out on other platforms a bit ahead of Switch 2, this is a 10/10 game that makes you feel like you’re only scratching the surface after 100 hours. It’s a huge “get” for a new console. Besides, we also need to consider the value of the HD remasters and definitive editions of games coming to the Switch 2 at launch. While these are returning titles, I think three are exceptionally valuable here. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is an updated release of one of the most creative JRPGs Square Enix released in the last 10 years, and it is still absolutely captivating. It looks fantastic with the updated graphics. The single-screen version works great! Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut ’s extra story and multiplayer modes are pleasant extras for what I consider my favorite entry in the series. (The story is so much fun.) Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is going to bring an underrated Shin Megami Tensei spin-off to modern systems for the first time so soon and, as I said in my preview , it’s a wonderful game that deserves this second change at a wider audience. Even the bad games in the Switch 2 launch library offer their own type of value. Survival Kids isn’t a good Lost in Blue installment, but it is the type of title adults or older kids could play with younger children to get them adjusted to the console. It’s also one of the first examples of the GameShare mechanic, offering a bit of a proof of concept to show how sharing one game among multiple local consoles could work in a low-stress, no-consequence environment. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour isn’t all that much fun and should have been either $5 or free, but it does offer a lot of insights into why the company made certain design decisions via quizzes and tech demo minigame examples. Image via Marvelous Image via CD Projekt Red Image via Sega As for the ports, they represent a really well-rounded bunch of genres. Whenever a new Nintendo console or handheld’s shown up, it’s often been accompanied by versions of titles that past systems couldn’t. With the Switch 2 launch games, we are both seeing that and getting titles that might’ve had issues on other handhelds like a Steam Deck getting a specific version tailored to this type of experience. Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition does that! It looks fantastic, even with compromises. Plus, it involved the motion control mode that could provide a workout. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is something of a wonder. It runs way better than I expected. Sid Meier's Civilization VII - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition fits the bill with integrated mouse controls. And, like many of the new titles, they’re lengthy games that take up dozens of hours. I’d even consider all of the upgrade pack games valuable members of the Switch 2 launch library. In each case, titles are running better than ever. For those who might’ve skipped the Switch 2, it’s a wealth of proven games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom , Pokemon Scarlet and Violet , Super Mario Odyssey, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 that will work better than before. With upcoming paid expansions for Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Super Mario Party Jamboree , it’s adding major content updates with more to do. These are opportunities to maybe see how great games become even more wonderful with added power and adjustments behind them. The Switch 2 launch library is packed with great games. There might not be as many first-party endeavors immediately available, beyond Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour , but every other element is filled with lengthy, well-executed, and meaningful games that showcase the system’s capabilities and could keep us occupied for hundreds of hours. The Switch 2 is available now worldwide. The post There’s Nothing Wrong With the Switch 2 Launch Games Library appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraJun 11

Review: Kabuto Park Can Be a Simple Bug-Catching Sim Kabuto Park attempts to capture a moment. It’s summer. You’re a kid. You have no responsibilities and very little supervision. There are bugs everywhere, but they’re friends and not fearsome. All of this makes for a perfect opportunity to obsess over the little critters and share them with your friends. While the result is a game that’s a bit short and is best played in small doses due to a simple gameplay loop, finding these little guys is still quite pleasant. You’re a young child who is about to enjoy 30 days of summer vacation. How? By catching bugs. Your new friend Midori kicks off August by introducing you to the joys of exploring places like a farm, a lake, a forest, and a swamp to find unusual critters. Once you do, you can level them up and battle them in a big tournament for cash and candy. Why? Well, it’s a way to spend some time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORNPGBfcHXQ&ab_channel=WholesomeGames Kabuto Park is an incredibly simple bug-catching sim. You start out with access to one area, then need to participate in battles in the tournament to earn enough money to upgrade the boots and reach new spaces. Catching involves a timing-based system, during which pressing the confirm button on a blue patch lets you move closer for increased green area catching opportunities. You start out being able to catch two bugs per area, with a tool upgrade increasing that, but since time doesn’t pass until you compete in that day’s tournament battle and there are only a handful of spots to search in each location, it’s not really worth investing in anything beyond a boots to reach new spots and guide to increase odds of encountering uncommon and rare bugs. Catching and battling are also rather breezy affairs. So while you can pay in-game coins for Honey to increase the green patches during a moment when you find a bug, I didn’t really find that necessary. As for battling, you basically watch as your team of three bugs pushes up against an opponent’s trio. The goal is for one side to push the other out of the “ring,” with the cards in the deck adding skills that can be supportive, defensive, or offensive. However, since you can see the opponent’s stats right away, it is easy to just… overpower them and win. Especially since there are certain bugs that are extremely OP, catching repeats of bugs means you can “sell” them for candy used to level ones you own up, and the early game bugs can be as good as endgame ones depending on your cards and moveset. For example, a Goliath Beetle is ridiculously strong, has a temporary buff card that keeps the team from being pushed back, and owns an incredible Overcharged Kick attack card. But then, all the rare bugs I found seemed to possess the best sorts of movesets and stats. Even if I tried to experiment with a Wind-based card deck, it just wasn’t worth it to deviate from my other lineup. Screenshots by Siliconera Easiness aside, I will note that another issue is that Kabuto Park doesn’t feel exactly perfect on a handheld gaming PC like a Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go. It isn’t optimized for a control scheme that only uses a controller. The mouse sensitivity and speed is too high, so it’s incredibly easy to overshoot with the cursor when browsing menus or making selections. Using the touchscreen is an option, but then there are some inputs where just tapping isn’t enough and you then need to press the A button to confirm the actions. I will say the fact that it is short, affordable, and easy meant I found it easy to appreciate other elements. The bug designs are quite cute. They’re stylized, but still recognizable. Especially with certain ones like an Orchid Mantis. I could use bugs I really liked or found strong, since they do remain viable for a long time. There are shiny bugs, just like there are shiny Pokemon, which incentivized the whole catching process and made me want to return to areas where I’d already found every critter. Also, while it can get a little repetitive, the fact that it is brief helps keep it from getting tedious. Kabuto Park feels like the type of game you play for about 15-20 minutes every day for a week when you need to take a minute to relax. It’s never taxing. The challenge is minimal. The bugs are cute. I doubt anyone will spend longer than a few hours 100%-ing it, but it’s enjoyable in moderation. Kabuto Park is available for PCs. The post Review: Kabuto Park Can Be a Simple Bug-Catching Sim appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraJun 8

Instants Scrapbooking Game Relies on Context Clues and Logic Unpacking set something of a trend with cozy puzzle games by offering ambient storytelling as we engaged in activities, and Instants builds on that in a similar way by adding scrapbooking to the mix. We’re organizing things yet again. However, this time it involves logic puzzles that requiring finding the correct order of events for images to create a chronologically correct scrapbook. How much you get out of the experience depends on the investment you put into it. While Unpacking leaves character identities and finer details up in the air, we’re more certain of who we are and what’s going on in the puzzle game Instants . Our character enjoys making scrapbooks. Family and friends come to us to create collections based on supplied images, postcards, and memories. We can check and see who the “cast” involved are. It’s also possible to read cards and the backs of pictures for additional details. In each case, we need to put everything together to commemorate special moments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqQYZsy_XE&ab_channel=Endflame If you want to go through Instants rather quickly, it is absolutely possible by ignoring the decoration element of the scrapbooking game. After all, it involves just dumping pictures in proper chronological places. Someone just in it for the logic puzzles can sometimes jam in all the pictures onto two or four pages without any additional decoration or fanfare. As you do, you’ll see lines appear that dictate accuracy in your recording. Green ones show the proper order is maintained. Any color other than green is an alert that you’ve gotten things mixed up and need to swap things around to ensure the pacing is preserved. Order goes from upper left to bottom right, so people putting four photos or items on a page will need to put the first in the upper left corner, the second in the upper right, the third in the bottom left, and fourth in the bottom right, and so on. From what I saw, Instants is very good at determining accuracy, just like Unpacking was with items, so I never had an issue when arranging items. Also, the Steam Deck and handheld gaming PCs are supported, so it’s easy to play on the go. Images via Endflame However, I think Instants is a game best played by someone who has a lot of free time and genuinely enjoys scrapbooking and organizing photo albums. There are a lot of creative elements for decorating and labeling pictures in the album. The assignments tend to involve special moments, families, or occasions. As such, it really leans into trying to go all out and have fun with it. Since I went through it for a playtest, I couldn’t take that type of time with it. But I actually am going back through it at a much slower pace, which is the ideal way to play, and genuinely having fun decorating the virtual books. Instants takes the same sort of puzzle approach as indie darling Unpacking , and it works for this cozy game! Someone in it for the challenge can speed through, taking in visual and written clues to find right answers. People who want to take their time and absorb themselves in the simulation can ease into it. Especially since there are a lot of decorative elements and you aren’t limited by number of pages. It’s quite pleasant and offers a peek into people’s lives. Instants is available on the Switch and PC via Steam . The post Instants Scrapbooking Game Relies on Context Clues and Logic appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraJun 8

Review: Monster Train 2 Is as Satisfying as the First Game We are in the midst of a glut of roguelikes that also involve deck-building mechanics. There’s so much to sort through, likely not enough time or money to play them all, and I know I often see titles that are too clearly doing a little too good of a job “paying homage” to the most popular properties. Not that this wealth of options is a bad thing. The original Monster Train , which is sublime, wouldn’t be here if games like Hand of Fate and Slay the Spire didn’t pave the way and inspire developer Shiny Shoe. Fortunately for us, Monster Train 2 feels as satisfying as its predecessor, with this new game building on everything good from the original and including more strategic options. While in the original Monster Train we ran a train right into hell, Monster Train 2 is taking us to Heaven. The Titans are a universal threat, Seraph is a traitor, and we begin with the once-divine Banished angels and demonic Pyreborne dragons making the first push to the top. While we initially learn about the situation from Banished leader Fel, going through runs and pushing yourself unlocks additional clans, like the Lazarus League scientists, Luna Coven witches, Under Legion fungi, and more insights into the current situation. If all goes well and we make smart choices while playing, the new covenant between angels and demons might result in everyone being saved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjUmYGhzYec&ab_channel=BigFanGames The Monster Train formula remains largely unchanged in Monster Train 2 , with any new additions layered on top of existing concepts to enhance the core gameplay experience. You start by picking two Clans, which will influence the decks you build, and probably a Pyreheart modifier. Your train features multiple rooms layered one on top of the other. You’ll be building a deck of cards to deal with the hordes trying to stop your train from reaching its destination. You place units in each room to face off during the battle phase, hopefully protecting the fire at the top that ensures your run into the Abyss can continue. A fight starts with an idea of who you’ll face. You’ll then be able to use some of your points to initially assign and even arm the units you’ll place on floor’s room on the train. Every round, enemies that survive combat move up another floor to the fires at the top. You’ll get a chance to pull from your hand to perform spells, arm units, and dispatch new warriors to floors ahead of the next assault. This repeats until the final wave and perhaps an encounter with a more devious boss. Once that opponent is on the field, it will lead to previous rooms it destroys being blocked off as it makes its ascent and special mechanics kicking in to make fending off that greater foe a greater challenge. During your turn, it’s possible to place units. (Said units can also gain new traits and be buffed based on events or store purchases between battles.) Once in position, Equipment Cards with armor or weapon traits and buffs could be applied, and Room Cards could influence what happens in a specific room on the train. (For example, a type of sword could allow for multiple hits or you could get more money from defeated units in a room on a floor.) While you might see the same units repeatedly, due to the Clans you pick and cards you’ve unlocked, the Pyre Hearts and their conditions picked at the outset of a run, the Equipment Cards you stock, the Room Cards you find, and the effects from purchases and events mean each playthrough feels different. Images via Shiny Shoe The customization applies when picking your path. As you go from one fight to another on your travels, you’ll be able to choose which track to follow. While they will tend to share one nod at the beginning of the journey and end up at the same encounter, the other stops along the way differ. Do you pick a road with a random event, one that could include a crossover guest encounter and a shop, or would one with an opportunity to upgrade a character or make more decisions about the contents of your deck be better for your current strategy? Random events can be unbalanced an unfun and punishing way sometimes, making the perk absolutely not worth the pains tied to it. It’s probably one of the few things that actually bothered me about Monster Train 2 , and I hope there is rebalancing in Shiny Shoe’s future. And you'll see a lot of those options and runs as you play, as the execution means you won't derail after only one or two bouts. Since your sacred flame at the top of the train will "fight back" against any opponent that reaches it and is pretty sturdy even at the start, an enemy or boss slipping past your defenses and getting up there isn't a guaranteed "game over." You might still make it through another one or two fights before being wiped out. It feels like Shiny Shoe wants you to play long enough to learn from your mistakes or pick up on strategies you might like, so your next attempt has a better chance of going better. Which is important, as I think anyone who picks up Monster Train 2 will end up playing it for a very long time . There is so much packed into this game. At one point, I ended up earning a wealth of content that I would have expected to be paid DLC (and gladly paid extra to access). The number of additional features, both gameplay-influencing and purely cosmetic, are staggering, and I am so excited about spending a few months trying out different Clan pairings, working on different deck mechanics, and going through the different modes. Yes, there are multiple modes, so if you don’t feel like trying to push yourself to advance the story, you could pick Endless to see how far you can get with no limits or try the Daily Challenge. Images via Shiny Shoe I love Monster Train 2 now, and I suspect I’ll love it even more after putting 50 to 100 hours into it. Shiny Shoe did a fantastic job of keeping everything important in Monster Train , not disrespecting the original experience in any way, and implementing new Clans, card types, encounters, and mechanics that keep it challenging in a manageable way. Even the addition of a story is fascinating, considering the original only featured hints at the series’ lore. I love what the team did here, and Monster Train 2 ended up becoming as essential an entry in an roguelike library as the original. Monster Train 2 will come to the Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 21, 2025 . A demo is available on Steam . The post Review: Monster Train 2 Is as Satisfying as the First Game appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMay 21

Pokemon TCG: The Best Destined Rivals Cards The Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion Destined Rivals launches later in May 2025 . Here’s our overview of the set, so you know what to expect , and our picks for the best cards based on a varying criteria. The coolest Pokemon Trading Card Game Destined Rivals cards Is it weird to just say aesthetics ? The Illustration Rare cards featuring trainers with their star partners are inherently compelling. Even other special partner cards look good. Heck, we’re big fans of the Elite Trainer Box with its flat black-and-red design and would have loved card treatments to match. But even outside of looks, there are fundamentally cool cards in here. Lots are built around the Team Rocket faction, with underhanded tactics and their signature creatures. Thankfully, this time it isn’t relying upon indicating creatures are “mistreated” by giving them low HP and making them nearly useless? You still see some bad sportsmanship, though. Spidops likes to gang up on you. Houndoom burns and confuses simultaneously. Ampharos punishes opponents’ evolution with damage counters. Hypno mind-controls the opposing bench to swipe at its active pal. That’s not mentioning the dark faction’s, uh, Darkness Pokemon? Nidoking poisons for eight times the usual amount. Arbok has an ability to stop other abilities from entering play and swings its tail for a bunch of splash damage. There’s Muk, Crobat, Weezing, Sneasel… truly a lot to choose from here. Photo by Siliconera There’s also a dedicated Team Rocket Energy card, providing two Darkness or Psychic energy. With it, the super-strong Mewtwo ex can hit hard! The downside: you have to get at least three Rocket cards on the bench before it can hit at all. Even some out-of-type options use it well, like Moltres ex, which is happy to use it to fuel its normal attack, but can also Thanos-snap its foe to the discard pile with one. There are 11 Team Rocket Trainer cards in the set, most with effects that you’re used to, but slightly better with the faction restriction. The Stadium lets you draw two cards a turn, offering the foe nothing unless it’s a mirror match. Its Great Ball always catches something, but evolution or basic is a coin flip. Its dedicated Transceiver lets you choose which one of these you want from your deck. Our favorite combo, though? That’s Team Rocket’s Wobbuffet and Orbeetle . Orbeetle lets you move around damage counters at will, while Wobbuffet’s attack transfers counters from one bench creature to the opponent. The most interesting Pokemon TCG Destined Rivals cards The set’s focus on trainer’s Pokemon means that each essentially gets its own theme deck, cards designed to work together for a particular strategy. The Team Rocket collection is larger, and we hope that it might get more support in the future. But the rest? This is probably what we’re getting. Gold and Silver protagonist Ethan and recent companion Arven might be the headliners. Arven has a Mabosstiff, a Toedscruel and a Greedent, with no particular energy required and a dedicated sandwich item for efficient healing. It’s flexible, but may need an external centerpiece. Ethan’s party would only look nostalgic if you accidentally caught and used a ton of Fire types, with only a Pinsir and Sudowoodo with colorless attack options. He gets a dedicated Trainer to search for Pokemon and energy, and his Typhlosion’s attack needs you to have adventured as much as possible (into the discard pile) to really hit. His Ho-Oh is the star, speeding up your energy ramp and managing a decent attack in a pinch. Photo by Siliconera Gym leaders Misty and Marnie join as well. Misty stays within her Water type and is the only one to not get a dedicated Trainer card to assist, so there’s not a lot her Lapras and Gyarados can do to get your attention. The art’s fun, at least? Marnie similarly sticks to the darkness, running the Grimmsnarl, Scrafty, Liepard and Morpeko lines. They’re not fancy, but they’re built to quickly attack and get a lot of energy cards attached, so we could see someone making good use of them. Hoenn champion Steven and Sinnoh champion Cynthia round out the selection. Cynthia’s all about getting her Garchomp out and dealing a ton of damage while refilling your hand in the process. Her other Pokemon are essentially unplayable and don’t have a lot of synergy, but that Garchomp might be good enough to play anyway. Steven’s works a bit better, with a dedicated defense boost from Carbink, stadium card Granite Cave and an energy acceleration sweeper in his Metagross ex. The most meta-relevant P o kemon TCG Destined Rivals cards Because of the trainer’s connection, a lot of cards in this set don’t work universally. But hey, some do? Team Rocket’s Petrel is a functional reprint of Skyla, a popular Supporter card that lets you search for any Trainer card you want. That’ll be welcome for a lot of decks, no matter the strategy. The new Shaymin shields much of your bench from your opponent’s attack damage, but that would need to be a counter to a particular strategy to become competitive. There’s a new Rapidash with card draw, but a Stage 1 is a hard sell as a utility. Finally, Yanmega ex loads itself up with energy to attack when it swaps in, but then has to ship that energy to a benched creature. It could deal the final blow, or it could set up another fighter really quickly. Photo by Siliconera The cutest Destined Rivals cards It’s tougher to find these in this set! After all, so much of the cards are Pokemon at work , either as elite fighters for champions or prisoners of an evil gang. But they’re here if you look! Growlithe is sticking out its tongue in the woods. It’s hard to tell what Cetoddle and Breloom are up to, but they’re certainly having a good time. Even Misty’s Psyduck is having a rare no-migraine day and loving a lounge by the pool. The Pokemon Trading Card Game Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivals expansion launches May 30, 2025. The post Pokemon TCG: The Best Destined Rivals Cards appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMay 16

Wishiwashi Is on My Favorite Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians Cards I would never expected Wishiwashi to be my star of the Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians expansion, but both cards based on it in the set are shockingly impressive. The synergy between the two is perfect. With a little effort, you could easily creep up on opponents with a combination of Wishiwashi and Wishiwashi ex. Plus, both work quite well with existing cards in the set. Basically, this pair of cards becomes a duo to build an entire deck around in Pokemon TCG Pocket . Wishiwashi is only a 30 HP basic with one move, which lets you Call for Family for a single water energy to summon either Wishiwashi or Wishiwashi ex. The 170 HP Wishiwashi ex is your star, since School Storm starts at 30 damage for three water energy, but then deals an additional 40 damage for every extra Wishiwashi or Wishiwashi ex on the bench. Since you know this would be a Wishiwashi-focused deck, it does mean spending a bit on Celestial Guardians. Your goal would be, ideally I think, to have at least two Wishiwashi ex cards and between four and five Wishiwashi. This way, you could always try and have one Wishiwashi in your active position and enough on the bench to get 150 damage dealt each turn. Screenshots by Siliconera What’s wonderful about this pair is how they work with others already released. Include some Misty cards from Genetic Apex! This can help you get the three water energy you need for Wishiwashi ex’s attack from your Energy Zone more quickly. Want to get the Wishiwashi out of the way of the Wishiwashi ex? Use Leaf to let it retreat for free. And of course you want to have some Poke Ball item cards if you stacked your deck with these two types, since both are Basic Pokemon. I also love how it’s easy to add a handy friend who isn’t a Wishiwashi, just in case you want a little extra coverage. The Space-Time Smackdown Regice, with its Crystal Body and 50 damage Frost Smash for two water energy, or the Manaphy that could use the one water energy Oceanic Gift to help add water energy to benched Wishiwashi ex cards could be great. Also, the Celestial Guardians Pyukumuku, with its Innards Out ability that deals 50 damage to an opponent who knocks it out, could help bide time as you add Wishiwashi to your bench. I didn’t expect Wishiwashi to be so much fun in Pokemon TCG Pocket , but preparing a deck with the two Celestial Guardians cards based on it really made my day. It ended up being so much testing which additional cards would work and seeing if I had everything that would make a deck a force to be reckoned with in-game. I love that it ended up getting so much attention here, and that it’s so easy to help ensure it is a viable combo with other expansions’ options. Pokemon TCG Pocket and the Celestial Guardians expansion are available now on mobile devices. The post Wishiwashi Is on My Favorite Pokemon TCG Pocket Celestial Guardians Cards appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMay 10

Razer’s Joro and Basilisk Mobile are made for gaming on the goA pair of new offerings from peripheral giant Razer have mobile gaming in mind. Check out the Joro and Basilisk Mobile. All the comforts of home Do you play games on the go? We’re not talking about mobile games there, but full-on PC fare, by way of a laptop or even your Steam Deck. And … The post Razer’s Joro and Basilisk Mobile are made for gaming on the go appeared first on BrutalGamer .

BrutalGamerMay 8

Review: StarVaders Mixes Deckbuilding With Mech Tactics The roguelike genre’s gotten crowded over the last few years, which means I’m always delighted when a title comes up that feels like it does tread new ground. While StarVaders does feel a bit familiar, given we’re once again building a deck, taking turns on a grid to strategically wipe out enemies, and hopefully surviving an alien apocalypse, its welcoming nature, variety, and wealth of options for wiping out enemies mean it’s quite a promising prospect. Aliens are attacking earth. Things begin with Roxy fixing up a Gunner mech right as the assault begins. She vows to protect her loved ones and everyone else she can, now that she has a suit that lets her do it. But she’s only one of multiple pilots with units standing by. Each person and their mech, be it Gunner, Stinger, or Keeper, employs different tactics and uses different types of artifacts and cards to push back against invading enemies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd_wWZvVCNI StarVader feels like it mixes up a lot of different types of genres, but in action I would say it reminds me most of a hybrid of Into the Breach and Mega Man Battle Network . There is a grid ahead of you with advancing aliens. If they get too close to the bottom of the grid (or certain criteria are met in some circumstances), they can start generating Doom. If you reach five Doom in a run, you’re all done. Success is tied to knowing which missions to take from the map, based on the assessments and potential rewards, building up your deck of cards showing the types of actions and movements to perform, and knowing when it is an acceptable time to basically overheat. When a turn starts in StarVader , five cards will be dealt to you from your deck. These can include ones that shoot, fire bombs, deal damage, allow you to move, provide buffs, summon a support, or involve an array of different types of tactical actions. You will be able to see the areas where enemy attacks will hit on their turn. It is up to you to immediately mitigate that damage by moving or defeating the foe that would hit you, while also taking out as many advancing enemies as you can before their turn. While foes will typically wait to act until their turn, there will be some enemies that respond and move whenever you move, so you need to take that into account as well. Image via Pengonauts Now, here’s when Heat comes into play. All of these characters are in mechs. Every action you perform generates an amount of Heat. So a simple movement or fire card will cause one Heat to be added to your gauge, but more advanced or upgraded actions could increase it by more than that. (Likewise, you will occasionally get cards that give you an edge for a turn by causing ones in a certain category, like with “Fire” in the name, to generate no Heat.) If you Overheat by performing an action when that gauge is full, you can still perform that move and have your turn automatically end after! However, for the rest of that match the card will be Burned and inaccessible. A thing I really appreciated about this design direction is that StarVaders uses a risk/reward system to help frame gameplay, rather than leaving a person concerned about a mech and pilot’s health. Overheating can be advantageous in certain situations and, as long as you don’t go through your deck and need to reshuffle the discards back in, you don’t need to worry about the Burned cards. Getting hit by an enemy attack adds Junk cards to the discard, which are essentially blanks that take up space and do nothing. So you’re really able to focus on tearing through the increasingly numerous hordes of invaders and challenging bosses and prioritize the Doom they generate. Even if a situation gets sticky, being willing to push yourself could mean you’ll still brute force your way through a bad situation. I honestly felt it helped mitigate an occasional issue I’d have with RNG in roguelikes and sometimes a string of bad luck in options and deals ruining a run. Especially since you can reset three times in a match if the problem came down to human error. Images via Pengonauts This isn’t to say that won’t happen. I did have one string of bad luck. But StarVaders seems like a pretty fair tactical roguelike. Especially since it grows with you. Winning means more enemies, new pilots, and opportunities to boost levels. Losing means more knowledge, more opportunities to strengthen yourself, and again more to do. I really felt a sense of growth as I played, so much so that by the time I did hit the difficulties and runs that would provide more of a challenge, I developed enough knowledge of the game and experience with card and mech types I liked to brainstorm possible approaches. In fact, I think the fact that it did involve factoring in different sorts of “classes” with bullet types, ranges, and the Heat gauge meant I was more likely to play differently each time, adding more replay value. Also, I just generally love the ambiance around StarVaders . Yes, there is the same type of end of the world feeling as games like Into the Breach and Kaiju Wars . However, it also has the same sort of anime-esque flavor as something like Megaton Musashi . So even though it’s bleak, it is also hopeful and vibrant. Roxy’s story is a strong start, since we see how dire the situation is as she immediately heads out moments after preparing her Gunner. After I unlocked the Invasion difficulty, it suggested there’s some alternate reality and timeline elements going on. I do wish there were a few more story segments, since these people seem so colorful and detailed, but what is here lets us focus on gameplay more. I had absolutely no idea I’d enjoy StarVaders as much as I would, and it definitely adds something to the ever-growing roguelike genre. It’s compelling, but inviting. You’re given opportunities to learn, but it will absolutely challenge you once you’ve gotten accustomed to its nuances. There are plenty of options when developing your deck, making the prospect of additional playthroughs promising. Fans of the genre should check it out. StarVaders is available for PCs via Steam. A demo is available on itch.io . The post Review: StarVaders Mixes Deckbuilding With Mech Tactics appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMay 7

Review: Breath of Fire IV Remains a Delight on PC The lack of new Breath of Fire games is downright criminal. Worse, it’s also not really easy to find entries on more modern platforms. Sure, the first two games are in the Nintendo Switch Online SNES library, but that also means dealing with the Breath of Fire II localization. I always felt like Breath of Fire IV is one of the more memorable entries, and the GOG release proves the PC version still holds up well. With Breath of Fire IV, Capcom created a story filled with political intrigue, legendary dragons, and the kind of unstoppable villain that seems difficult to properly defeat. Kingdoms are on edge, due a shaky peace with the Fou Empire and tentative alliances between everyone opposed to them. The problem is, Princess Nina of Wyndia can’t afford to sit back and wait for situations to grow more stable. Her elder sister Elina vanished while on a peacekeeping and morale-boosting journey. To avoid inciting any ill will, Nina heads out alone with the Woren leader Cray in search of answers, finding an amnesiac young man with a tie to dragons in the process. However, even with her efforts, current happenings in the Fou Empire will make conflicts unavoidable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tmvNxgXe4k The Breath of Fire series has always been interesting in how it will always involve protagonists named Ryu and Nina, often with similar sorts of circumstances, who are unique individuals going through unrelated situations each time. (Think of it like Final Fantasy, in a way.) I always loved what Breath of Fire IV did with its story, and the GOG release proves it holds up. By offering these differing viewpoints showing Nina, Ryu, and Fou-Lu’s perspectives at points, we’re offered a well-rounded take on events and get a better grasp of what’s going on in the world. Not to mention, in general, Breath of Fire IV doesn’t shy away from dark scenarios. The stark contrasts between it and other JRPGs of the period and, in some ways, entries in the series helps it stand out. As for gameplay, Capcom tried some things to set Breath of Fire IV apart from other turn-based JRPGs, and I feel like the combat system still holds up as a result. Our characters can end up feeling very unique, even from ones others might build up when playing the game, because of the Masters system that returned from Breath of Fire III . This allows our units to apprentice under designated Master NPCs to gain abilities and increase stats. So if you want Scias to learn how to Steal, you need Stoll to be his Master. Doing so would also provide an Agility boost in stat growth. While it will be in certain allies’ natures to naturally be associated with certain stats, such as Ershin getting high defense, it allows a sense of freedom I really appreciate about the entry. Especially with Ryu, since you really need to rely on the Master system to build him up into the protagonist you need, due to his other abilities being tied to dragons. Images via Capcom and GOG The actual turn-based combat offers some appreciated strategic elements as well. Yes, it does entail selecting actions, then watching as folks take their turns when going up against enemies. However there are some elements that make things a bit more involved. One is that you can execute combos. These can be tied to magic attacks and skills, which can be used by all allies who learn them if you have enough people participate by using qualifying attacks during a single turn, and can be character specific. So Scias could use Ice Sword if you have say Nina use one of her wind spells and Ershin use Blizzard by using a melee skill after that. So there can be a bit of planning to make use of good ally combinations to ensure the three people in-battle work together while the ones not present rest and defend in the back. I really feel like it holds up well because of the combination of the customization and plotting who will be around and active. When you’re not training and fighting, Breath of Fire IV features a bit of a different progression system for exploration than you might expect. For example, you’ll move along dotted lines on a map and find places you can enter with “?” marks or that are designated spots. There are quite a few puzzles, some of them actually challenging and with mechanics that can involve swapping between characters. Images via Capcom and GOG The important thing to note about the GOG release of Breath of Fire IV is that the Capcom game not only runs, it runs incredibly well. I played it on both a Windows laptop and the Lenovo Legion Go, and in each case it worked flawlessly. The presentation is great. The audio sounded good. The rendering options are fantastic. It works incredibly well, so there’s no need for any concern about if it holds up. I also do see what GOG meant when it said the Marlok crane minigame is improved, as it seemed like the shadows were a bit clearer and my accuracy ended up being a bit better when loading crates onto the ship. In terms of execution, Capcom and GOG start us off in a good place. I will say that as much as I enjoyed Breath of Fire IV and getting to play it on PC again thanks to the GOG Dreamlist initiative, actually getting it to run right is finicky on a Steam Deck or handheld gaming PC like a Lenovo Legion Go! The page notes there is controller support. However, there are these minor issues in getting it running right. For example, to actually “start,” the start button on a controller probably won’t work. I had to press the left analog stick for the “confirm” action. There is key rebinding in the options, but I couldn’t get it to work right. Prior to the latest hotfix, I experienced an issue where I couldn’t get Nina to leave the North Desert Crash site, as she’d keep re-entering it even after I exited it via the world map. So while the game did work flawlessly on my Legion Go, issues like that mean it might be best to play it on a laptop so you do get access to keyboard inputs if controller support is leaving you a little flummoxed as to why it isn’t working right. Images via Capcom and GOG However, this is something that could be a moot point by the time people read this review. It seems GOG gets quite responsive about these things. Case in point is a rendering patch. Days after Breath of Fire IV launched on GOG Dreamlist on April 25, 2025 , the company shared a hotfix that allowed people to choose between bilinear and point sampled options, so you could determine if you wanted to smoothed effect or clearer spritework. So the support is absolutely there, and since two hotfixes already launched, it is possible that we’ll see other controller issues adjusted. While I feel like there’s something lovable about most Breath of Fire games, Breath of Fire IV can feel like one of the most memorable ones due to its story and Capcom’s gameplay decisions. So much so that I feel like even without some light enhancements, it holds up well for its age. The extra work GOG put on on compatibility and features helps Breath of Fire IV feel even more worthwhile, even though using a controller with it can feel a bit frustrating as you first find your footing. Breath of Fire IV is available for PC via GOG, and it is also available on the original PlayStation . The post Review: Breath of Fire IV Remains a Delight on PC appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMay 6

Assassin’s Creed Shadows On Steam Deck Surprised Me More Than Getting Stabbed In The NeckWhen I heard Ubisoft claim that Assassin’s Creed Shadows would be Steam Deck verified at launch , I responded by saying “yeah right” with all the sass I could muster. I’ve tested a lot of games on Steam Deck here at Kotaku. I’ve seen games that should be slam dunks on the device fall short, and even games with the… Read more...

KotakuApr 21