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  • Persona 5 Tactica Steam Deck Impressions, Ghostrunner 2 Review, Death Mark II Release Date, and More – TouchArcade

    Persona 5 Tactica Steam Deck Impressions, Ghostrunner 2 Review, Death Mark II Release Date, and More – TouchArcade

    Welcome to an early edition of the Steam Deck weekly. This might happen when I have a game for review or preview that has an early embargo. What I will end up doing in this case, is updating the feature with news or any other information towards the end of the week if applicable. In today’s edition of the Steam Deck weekly, a Persona 5 Tactica Steam Deck preview, many reviews including Ghostrunner 2 and Videoverse, new sales, and more.

    News

    Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II from Aksys Games and Experience Inc will launch worldwide on Steam, PS5, and Switch on February 15th, 2024. I loved Spirit Hunter:Death Mark and Spirit Hunter NG from Experience Inc, and I’m very excited for Death Mark II. I’m not excited about it releasing in a crowded release season though.

    FAITH update version 1.4 is out now as well bringing in the Survival boss rush mode and some secrets. The update also adds in new animated cut-scenes, a new song, and more. FAITH is one of the perfect games to play in this spooky season, and now is a great time to grab it on discount if you don’t have it yet.

    The brilliant Lies of P is getting a new balance update this month, and the developer’s teased the first DLC for the game in a new Director’s Letter video.

    Barring that, Metal Hellsinger got a free update adding in music from DUSK by Andrew Hulshult. There’s supposed to be a DUSK HD trailer, but it isn’t up yet. I’ll update this with the trailer when New Blood uploads it.

    New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

    Salt and Sacrifice launches next week on Steam and Switch following its debut on PS5, PS4, and PC via the Epic Games Store. The Steam version is already Steam Deck Verified ahead of its launch. I’ll be covering this on both Steam Deck and Switch in the near future.

    Valve’s Steam Deck Verified search on the web is currently busted, but TouchArcade reader Mor helped me out with a few of the recent ratings. On the puzzle side, Chants of Sennaar that I recently reviewed on Switch and recently released racing game Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 that Shaun reviewed are both Steam Deck Verified as well. The other notable game is The Talos Principle II getting marked as Playable by Valve. It isn’t Verified because some text might be too small. I’ve been playing this for review, so look forward to my impressions of it focused on Steam Deck and also covering the PS5 version as a point of comparison next week.

    Steam Deck Game Impressions & Reviews

    Persona 5 Tactica Steam Deck Preview Impressions

    As I said above, this edition of the Steam Deck weekly is early thanks to an embargo. That embargo is Persona 5 Tactica’s preview embargo. I loved Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, Persona 5 Strikers, and even enjoyed Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight. I initially was skeptical of Persona 5 Tactica, but the recent trailers gave me hope for it. Having now played the opening hours of Persona 5 Tactica on Steam Deck and Xbox, I’m a believer, and I can’t wait to play more. In this preview, I’ll be focusing on the PC port and how it is on Steam Deck.

    Just like other spin-offs, Persona 5 Tactica has its own story with the large cast returning and some new faces. So far, I’m glad it isn’t a throwaway like the Persona 5 Dancing “story”. Combat is the real star of the show. Not only is there a surprising amount of story with voiced dialogue, but the game seems like a much bigger production than I expected for a spin-off. I’ll be covering more of the gameplay mechanics and story in my full review closer to launch. The opening makes a very strong impression even as a tutorial with the story setup and early stages of gameplay.

    Persona 5 Tactica’s PC port (Steam version) features uncapped frame rates (30,60, 120, 144, 165, 240, and unlimited), render scale (up to 200%), texture quality, shadow quality, and anti-aliasing settings (off, SMAA). You can also adjust the button prompts that will be displayed. I set it to display DualSense button prompts on Steam Deck. While I didn’t test these myself, Persona 5 Tactica features keyboard and mouse controls with rebinding options. Speaking of the keyboard, it correctly invokes the on-screen keyboard when required. This will definitely be a Steam Deck Verified game in the near future.

    I had no trouble running Persona 5 Tactica at 60fps on Steam Deck with fast loading when played on the system itself. Trying to play docked on my external monitor, I managed getting about 90-100 fps over DisplayPort at 720p. When running the game at 1440p with low settings, I was still getting 70 fps or higher. Persona 5 Tactica scales really well, and I think the Steam Deck will be my favorite version of the game. I also have access to the Xbox Series X version which supports Quick Resume, but I don’t think I’ll play much here with how good it is on Steam Deck.

    The only complaints I have with the opening hours are the font is kind of boring by Persona 5 standards and the background effect during dialogue is a bit disorienting. I hope a patch can let us disable that blur or misaligned effect.

    Even with just the opening hours of the game under my belt, Persona 5 Tactica is shaping up to be special. It feels like the kind of spin-off we’d see Atlus do on 3DS, only at a larger scale with bigger production values on modern platforms. As a tactical RPG, I was hoping this would be a great experience on Steam Deck, and it plays perfectly so far. I can’t wait to dig deeper into it.

    Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story Steam Deck Review

    Having recently covered Convergence and The Mageseeker from Riot Forge on Switch and Steam Deck, I was quite excited for Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story because it was developed by Tequila Works who did the excellent RIME.

    As with prior Riot Forge games, Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story has been a brand new experience to me with no real connection to the characters outside of other Riot Forge game appearances. Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a touching adventure with interesting puzzles, great voice acting, lovely music, and some repetitive combat. Usually these games are on the shorter side, but I found Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story’s longer than expected. The core gameplay involves exploring, platforming, taking on foes, boss battles, and more. Everything is accompanied by great music, lovely locations, and a surprisingly large amount of voiceover.

    On Steam Deck, Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story feels superb. I played it on the Deck screen and on my external monitor. It looks and runs amazing on the Deck, and can even do well over 60fps when connected to an external monitor. I opted to play at 60fps with better visuals when docked though. But there are some later areas where it drops below 60fps. This seems like a game to push for better visuals at 40hz, but I stuck to 60fps with drops in those areas.

    Some of the platforming and camera angles bring the experience down, but the major complaint I have with Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is in its combat not really evolving through the journey. It feels a bit too repetitive and simple. The puzzles freshen things up with the flow though. One stealth section also annoyed me, but you know how much I hate those in games.

    Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a heartwarming and accessible adventure puzzler that I recommend on Steam Deck over Nintendo Switch if you have the option. I’m glad to see Riot Forge changing up genres like this as well, and while this release feels more suited to a younger audience, it is a great game that has been a joy to experience on Steam Deck over the last week.

    Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story Steam Deck review score: 4/5

    Ghostrunner 2 Steam Deck Review

    I didn’t play the original Ghostrunner until it had its PS5 and Xbox Series X releases, and ended up loving it. When Ghostrunner 2 was announced, I knew I wanted to play it as soon as possible. Thanks to early review codes, I’ve been playing it on both PS5 and Steam Deck with the latter being the focus of this review. I will also cover a bit of how it is on PS5 since I know there are many who have the option to play these games on either Deck or a modern console. Regardless of the port and technical differences, I ended up loving most aspects of Ghostrunner 2.

    In a lot of ways, Ghostrunner 2 feels like it delivered on everything a good sequel should do. It is bigger, better in most ways, builds on the original, adds a story, and basically feels superbly paced throughout with its bosses, new mechanics, and design. You will die a lot, but Ghostrunner 2 makes you want to keep coming back for more of its gorgeous world, amazing music, and precision. If you skipped the original, you can even watch a recap in Ghostrunner 2.

    Ghostrunner 2 on PC offers quite a few graphics options and upscaling methods as well. I ended up opting for AMD FSR 2.0 in Performance mode for my main playthrough with most settings set to either medium or low. I set the fps limit to 60 and left everything else on default. I did change the button prompts to display PS5 button prompts since I’m better with QTEs on those. I also played in DX12 mode. I’ve been pleased with the 60fps target here, though you can play at 40hz or even 30 if you want crisper visuals.

    On PS5, Ghostrunner 2 has a 120hz mode, good DualSense support, and PS5 Activity Cards support to track progress. I ended up playing on the 120hz mode for my main playthrough and the performance was mostly great. I can’t wait to see how the developers build on this with potential future DLC.

    In its current state, I hope Valve can push out some shaders or that the developers can actually compile all the shaders since there are some shader-related stutters on Steam Deck. Barring that, I don’t have any major complaints with the game. Try the demo and see how you feel before buying it. Even though it was released later in the year, this is one of the better games of 2023 for sure.

    Ghostrunner 2 ended up surprising me. While I wasn’t too pleased with the opening levels initially, it ended up hooking me quite a bit throughout, and I love how it feels on Steam Deck. This will likely be the only portable version of the game for a long time now, so I’m glad the team at One More Level made it such a great experience on both Steam Deck and PS5.

    Ghostrunner 2 Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5

    Videoverse Steam Deck Review

    There are a few times in the year where I end up playing a game and regret not playing it sooner. With Kinmoku’s Videoverse, I’m conflicted on that front. I absolutely wish I played it sooner so I could experience its amazing narrative, but having played it directly on Steam Deck when it was updated to support the platform made my initial run through with it so good. Either way, Videoverse blew me away, and it feels perfect on Steam Deck.

    As I said in my news story about it, I finally started playing Videoverse a few weeks ago, and ended up loving it. It is very much a game that I recommend to anyone who grew up with the early days of the internet, forums, early online games, and more. It plays out like an interactive adventure game, but has so much love put into different aspects, that I’m shocked about how it has all been done by one single person. It will make you think of older friendships, reflect on life back then, and even might improve your current mood. I know I want Videoverse to hit Switch so we get a nice physical release. It is that good.

    Developer Kinmoku has done Steam Deck-specific work on this release because the controls even show you a special Steam Deck menu for the various in-game actions like interacting with the Videoverse, scrolling, or interacting. I had no trouble with the game on Deck, and played with a combination of button and touch controls (to progress dialogue).

    While Videoverse might not hit as hard for you if you weren’t around back then, it absolutely delivered in making me think fondly of the past, and delivered a heartfelt story with the closest time capsule experience to the early 2000s internet there has ever been. I can’t wait to see what developer Kinmoku does next. This one is special. The only game to get me nostalgic like this before was Gone Home, and I think Videoverse ended up excelling over that in just about every way. If the premise sounds interesting, just grab it. You won’t regret it.

    Videoverse Steam Deck review score: 5/5

    Little Goody Two Shoes Steam Deck Review

    With this time of the year so packed with new releases across most platforms, I almost missed AstralShift’s Little Goody Two Shoes. It got on my radar when I noticed it was Steam Deck Verified, and then seeing it was published by Square Enix Collective who also handled the brilliant PowerWash Simulator was enough to get me interested in the demo. Fast forward to today, Little Goody Two Shoes has launched, and it is a superb example of how a developer can release a throwback horror adventure game that still looks and feels modern.

    Little Goody Two Shoes obviously has a striking aesthetic, but it isn’t just all looks. This is a game that manages to deliver a compelling story, multiple endings, interesting puzzles, great characters, horror, and more together. Even the simulation elements are made into mini-games so that everything you do in Little Goody Two Shoes feels like your time is being used properly. I was also surprised to see it has a Japanese voiceover option. I played through the game with Japanese just to see how I felt, and the team did a great job with it.

    Little Goody Two Shoes is Steam Deck Verified by Valve, and I was surprised at that because of the control issue I ran into. Right now, regardless of the Proton version used, Little Goody Two Shoes didn’t let me use the Steam Deck’s controls unless I first played with an external controller, and then unplugged this. I tried reinstalling the game and it made no difference. I hope this can be fixed. Barring that, Little Goody Two Shoes runs and looks great. It supports 16:9 only, but still is a fantastic experience with high quality visuals on Steam Deck.

    If you aren’t a fan of older RPG Maker-style horror adventure games, the structure of Little Goody Two Shoes might not be for you, but I urge you to download the demo and try it for yourself. This is a gem of a game, and I hope it does well enough for the team to get a physical release in the future.

    Barring one annoying control issue I ran into on Steam Deck, Little Goody Two Shoes is a superb experience, and really timed perfectly given the season. The trailer and screenshots make it look great, but it really is on a whole other level in person on a good display. Not only does it have great art, voice acting, and music, but it also feels like the best modern take on an older-style horror adventure game. This is a game that deserves your time even in this busy release season.

    Little Goody Two Shoes Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5

    Wizard with a Gun Steam Deck Review

    Wizard with a Gun from Galvanic Games and Devolver Digital is an action adventure roguelike that is equal parts awesome and disappointing in its current state. That might sound harsh, but I really wish Wizard with a Gun did more with its systems. Right now, it feels like a polished early access experience rather than a full game.

    It makes a very strong first impression with its aesthetic, music, and combat, and I loved the bullet customization and builds, but the enemies need work right now. Progression also feels a bit grindy, and not in a way I like in roguelikes. Wizard with a Gun’s exploration and resource gathering come together well for the most part, but it just feels lacking overall right now. The premise almost had me wonder why this game wasn’t titled “The World’s Longest Five Minutes”, but we already have a game with that name. I will revisit the game after a few updates, but right now it feels like a polished early access game rather than one ready for a full release.

    On Steam Deck, Wizard with a Gun runs without issues, and looks great. I played it both docked on my 1440p display and handheld on the Steam Deck itself during the review period. Everything works as it should, and the game runs well. If you were hoping to buy Wizard with a Gun to play on the go through Steam Deck, it is a fine way to play it. Just be warned that the game itself will be massively better after a few updates. Wizard with a Gun is marked as Steam Deck Playable.

    Depending on how you find the combat, Wizard with a Gun might hit harder for you. I found this aspect repetitive given the enemy attack patterns, and to not sound like a broken record, Wizard with a Gun can be so much better after some aspects are tweaked or built upon.

    I also got Wizard with a Gun on PS5, and I was surprised to find it has more technical issues across the board than even playing on Steam Deck. The latter was a much smoother experience now. One thing I did like on PS5 was the Activity Cards implementation, but the lack of good DualSense features made the choice to focus on Steam Deck easier.

    Wizard with a Gun has a lot of potential. It absolutely could reach the highs I expect from a quality Devolver Digital-published game, but right now it feels like it needs more time in the oven. I love the visuals, movement, and music, but it feels a bit too grindy and lacking in other ways. It perfectly suits the Steam Deck though, and I recommend getting it to play on Deck over even PS5 if you have the option right now.

    Wizard with a Gun Steam Deck review score: 3.5/5

    Steam Deck Game Sales & Discounts

    Steam Scream The Revenge is still on for another day. I’d recommend checking out Resident Evil, Cult of the Lamb, DUSK, FAITH, and more in this sale. If you do end up buying something you liked, let us know in the comments.

    That’s all for this week’s early edition. As usual, you can read all our Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great weekend, and thanks for reading.

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Jyuratodus, Legiana, Carpenterbugs and Monster Bone+ Quests, and More – TouchArcade

    Jyuratodus, Legiana, Carpenterbugs and Monster Bone+ Quests, and More – TouchArcade

    Niantic and Capcom have just revealed November 2023’s upcoming events, and while there are some expected and boring ones, the Qualily quests for important crafting materials is the first time I’d recommend actually doing these quests if you can. November 2023 follows the recently-ended Monster Hunter Now (Free) Halloween Pumpkin Hunt event that was not great. Beginning this Friday at 5 PM (local time), the Jyuratodus weekend begins with an increased appearance rate in the Swamp for all hunters HR 11 and higher. Monsters in all habitats will re-appear in shorter intervals as well.

    Qualily’s Special Quests begin on November 10th at 5 PM until November 12th at 4 PM featuring time-limited quests for HR 11 and above hunters to earn Carpenterbugs, Monster Bone+, and Zenny. These are super important materials so I’d recommend doing the quests if you can. Then the Legiana weekend begins on November 17th (5 PM to 8 PM) until November 19th (1 PM to 4 PM) with November 18th having the event from 1 PM to 4 PM as well. The final event of November 2023 for Monster Hunter Now is the “Roar of the Desert: Diablos”. This will see Black Diablos return all weekend with a Hunter Medal and more rewards. The event goes on from November 20th until November 26th. During this, both Diablos and Black Diablos will appear more frequently in Desert Habitats for all hunters at HR11 and higher with all monsters re-appearing in shorter intervals.

    If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it so far on iOS and Android?

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Motherly Tea! Tina Knowles-Lawson Says Beyoncé ‘Gets Really Mean’ Backstage During Performances

    Motherly Tea! Tina Knowles-Lawson Says Beyoncé ‘Gets Really Mean’ Backstage During Performances

    Tina Knowles-Lawson is getting candid about how her superstar firstborn, Beyoncé, allegedly acts backstage — and she says her daughter pops OFF while in “the heat of the moment!”

    RELATED: To The Left! Tina Lawson Cites ‘Irreconcilable Differences’ In Divorce From Richard Lawson

    Tina Says Beyoncé Used To Say “Some Crazy Stuff” To Her Backstage

    Ms. Tina shared her commentary during an appearance on Sherri, and host Sherri Shepherd got it poppin’ by asking, “When Beyoncé disappears backstage, what’s some of the things that she goes through?”

    In turn, Knowles-Lawson laid it all on the table. Tina specifically recalled a recent conversation in which she told Bey that she acts “really mean back there.”

    “We laughed about this recently because I was saying, “Girl, you get really mean back there.’ I am really happy that I don’t have to be back there anymore.”

    Humorously, she recalled letting Beyoncé know of her alleged behavior at one point with her own rendition of “Flaws and All.”

    “She used to do ‘Flaws and All,’ and she would say, ‘I’m a b— in the morning.’ And I’d be like, ‘In the evening too.’”

    Notably, Knowles-Lawson added that Bey would often be remorseful after poppin’ off.

    “After we get out, she’ll say, ‘Momma, I’m so sorry.’ And I’m like, ‘I know.’ And sometimes she be crying — I was like, ‘She crying ’cause she knows she just said some crazy stuff to us.’”

    However, Tina said she understands where the response comes from, as it occurs in “the heat of the moment.”

    Fans React To Tina Knowles-Lawson’s Comment Online

    Naturally, Tina’s revelation got the BeyHive buzzin’ over on X (formerly known as Twitter).

    One fan hilariously begged Tina to “break the NDA” to spill all the tea “in great detail.”

    Another user was laughing at how Beyoncé is embracing her new, peaceful era after previously “cuss[ing] everyone smooth out after each show.”

    A couple of people even said that they’d love to have Bey yell at them, as it would “solve all [their] life problems.”

    It was also noted that, in typical parental style, Tina Knowles-Lawson was spillin’ all the tea about her daughter!

    Roomies, do you buy Tina’s claims about Beyoncé, or are you calling cap?

    RELATED: Social Media Reacts To Taylor Swift Praising Beyoncé’s ‘Influence’ Following Meet-Up: ‘She’s Been A Guiding Light’

    Nick Fenley

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  • New ‘Resident Evil Village’ iPhone 15 Pro Technical Analysis Video Covers Graphics Settings, Frame Rate, and More – TouchArcade

    New ‘Resident Evil Village’ iPhone 15 Pro Technical Analysis Video Covers Graphics Settings, Frame Rate, and More – TouchArcade

    Following yesterday’s Resident Evil Village (Free) launch from Capcom on the iPhone 15 Pro series and supported iPad models, MrMacRight on YouTube who does amazing technical analysis videos for games on Apple hardware, has done one on the newly released port just like with Wreckfest and other graphically intensive ports on the platform. This video goes over the various graphics options, presets, and how the iPhone 15 Pro handles Resident Evil Village in different parts of the game. He says there will be another video covering the game on iPads, and I’ll likely update this story when that video goes up as well. I haven’t played Resident Evil Village on iPad at all, and have just been playing it myself on iPhone 15 Pro. Watch his full technical analysis video for Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro below:

    If you’d like to play Resident Evil Village and have a supported iPhone 15 Pro device or iPad with M1 chipset and better, you can now download it free here. It required about 7.92GB downloaded once you get the initial download from the App Store done. You can then sample it for free before buying the full game. Check out the official website for Capcom’s upcoming Apple silicon ports here. If you missed my review in progress covering the game on iPhone 15 Pro, read it here. A release celebration discount is live for the game from now until November 20th as revealed last week.The regular pricing for the base game is a $39.99 unlock with a $19.99 in app purchase for the Winters’ Expansion DLC. There is also a $4.99 All Access Voucher DLC. For the iOS launch, Capcom has discounted the base game unlock to $15.99, the Winters’ Expansion to $9.99, and the All Access Voucher to $1.99. Watch the Resident Evil Village Apple launch trailer below:

    Following Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4 Remake is due this year for iPhone 15 Pro, iPad (M1 and later) models, and macOS. Resident Evil Village is out now on supported iOS and iPadOS devices. Resident Evil Village has cross progression on iPadOS and iOS. If you are planning to get it or want more impressions from players, check out our new forum thread for the game here. Will you be trying out Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or a newer iPad model and what do you think of the port if you’ve been playing it since yesterday?

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Ramona Singer is Accused of Using N-Word, See What RHONY Alum Allegedly Said About Black People as Housewife Claims She Was Forced to Film After Peeing on Herself, and Leah McSweeney Files Discrimination Complaint Against Bravo

    Ramona Singer is Accused of Using N-Word, See What RHONY Alum Allegedly Said About Black People as Housewife Claims She Was Forced to Film After Peeing on Herself, and Leah McSweeney Files Discrimination Complaint Against Bravo

    RHONY's Ramona Singer Accused of Using N-Word as Another Housewife Says They Were Forced to Film After Peeing on Herself and Leah Confirms Discrimination Complaint Against Bravo

    Credit: Janet Mayer/startraksphoto.com, Charles Sykes/Bravo

    Ramona Singer is being accused of using a racial slur and making other derogatory comments in a just-released exposé.

    Days after the bombshell article was teased, the Real Housewives of New York City alum, 66, came under fire as another Real Housewives star came forward, claiming she was forced to film after peeing on herself, and Leah McSweeney, 41, confirmed she filed a discrimination complaint against Bravo with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after filming the third season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip.

    In the October 30 exposé from Vanity Fair, titled, “Inside the ‘Real Housewives’ Reckoning That’s Rocking Bravo,” it was noted that Leah’s complaint was filed on March 10 and accused the network of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    As RHONY fans will recall, Leah’s alcohol and addiction issues were captured amid season 12, and the following year, she was seen reeling after missing her grandmother’s death during a cast trip to the Hamptons.

    Although a production source insisted Leah was offered help at the time for “whatever day or time [she] need[ed] to be with [her] grandmother,” Leah felt otherwise.

    “It hurt so bad that I was not able to grieve,” Leah explained. “That I had people not showing me any kind of compassion or humanity regarding it.”

    Following the death, Leah spent eight days at a psychiatric hospital. After that, she was allegedly told by Shed’s senior vice president of programming and development, Lisa Shannon, that viewers “kind of didn’t like” her because “there was such a stark difference between [her] when [she was] drinking versus this season.”

    Despite her issues with Bravo, which led to Leah quitting the show over the phone, Leah agreed to a $250,000 payday to appear on RHUGT, where her co-stars encouraged her to drink.

    “I wish you were still drinking. That’s all,” Marysol Patton, 56, admitted to texting her prior to the trip.

    In addition, Heather Gay, 49, also expressed that she wanted to “get Leah drunk,” and Gizelle Bryant, 53, asked, “Like, if you drank this week, would that be a big deal?”

    In response to Leah’s discrimination claims, Christie Del Rey-Cone, an attorney for Bravo, Shed Media, and its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, told Vanity Fair, “Production spent endless amounts of time accommodating her.”

    “[Leah] spent much of RHONY season 12 discussing (and sometimes even mocking) the alleged [disabilities] that are now the subject of” her complaint, Christie continued, also stating that Leah was offered support on a number of occasions.

    Another Housewives star came forward and claimed she was forced to continue filming after she drank too much amid the cast’s trip to Mexico, where they were “fully stocked,” and woke up in her own pee.

    While the unnamed cast member said she was too sick, RHONY producers allegedly disregarded her illness.

    “People on set kept telling her she was fine, it was just the Mexican water screwing up her stomach,” the article shared. “The same thing had happened to them in Cartagena, Colombia, the year before.”

    After being forced to resume filming, the woman allegedly threw up amid a van ride with the cast and ultimately received a shot from a doctor.

    In response, a Bravo spokesperson told The Messenger, “Bravo requires its third-party producers to follow its policies and guidelines to maintain a safe and respectful workplace for all cast and crew on our shows. When a complaint is brought to our attention, we work with our third-party production companies to ensure all necessary steps are taken to address the concern, including a prompt and thorough investigation and remedial action where warranted.”

    “We are always improving upon our policies and procedures and recently sent updates to our production companies, including stricter guidelines on alcohol consumption and direction on when to intervene to maintain the safety of cast and crew, increased psychological support, enhanced workplace trainings, more serious consequences for physical violence on set, and a requirement to provide cast and crew with a direct line to NBCUniversal to raise concerns,” they continued. “Additionally, we have put in place protocols to increase our oversight to ensure that our standards are being met.”

    As for Ramona’s alleged racist behavior, the magazine said she used the n-word during a conversation with a Black crew member amid filming on RHONY season 13. However, after a complaint was filed within Shed Media, Warner Bros. Discovery, Bravo, and NBCUniversal, Ramona denied making the comment, and an investigation into the incident was “inconclusive.”

    Prior to the start of filming on season 13, which ended with a complete reboot of the cast, Ramona and her co-stars, including the series’ first-ever Black star, Eboni K. Williams, 40, participated in a “virtual education session” with an NBCUniversal communications executive, a Bravo publicist, and two representatives from a racial justice organization. And during the session, Eboni claimed Ramona didn’t understand why she shouldn’t say that Black fathers are typically absent from their children’s lives.

    “’What if they don’t have a father? Why can’t I say that?’” Ramona asked, per Eboni. “’Most of them don’t.’”

    Even after a publicist for Bravo pointed out that her Black father was present in her life, Ramona argued that she had read a study that proved her statement.

    Ramona was also accused of saying the show “shouldn’t have black people” and that it would “ruin our show.” But in response, Ramona explained, “The training included ‘open dialogue.’ In that spirit, I asked a question about a statistic I had read about single-parent households, where children with single-parent households were statistically less likely to succeed than two-parent households.”

    “In fact, I supported adding diverse cast members well before before [sic] Eboni was added,” Ramona added in an email.

    After Ramona’s comments put her on producers’ “hot sheet,” a post-filming document, producer Andy Cohen, 55, responded.

    “These are incredible reads and will be amazing episodes. The fact that this particular journey through white fragility ends with Ramona DM’ing Bryan Cranston is next level,” he said in his own email.

    Another racially insensitive comment from Ramona reportedly came as she spoke to a Black female production staffer, telling her, “’There’s so many of you guys here now, please don’t change your hair as I’m not gonna be able to remember anybody’s names.’”

    But according to Ramona, the statement was indicative of her “inability to remember names.”

    “As an example, just last week I saw a photo with me and Travis Kelce from 2016 on Watch What Happens Live and I thought he was Jax Taylor,” she said.

    The exposé also noted that two sources said Ramona exclaimed, “There’s so many black chicks!” And while she denied it, footage showed her using the phrase “black chicks.”

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    Lindsay Cronin

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  • Medical Examiner Reveals Gruesome Details Behind Death Of Model Maleesa Mooney

    Medical Examiner Reveals Gruesome Details Behind Death Of Model Maleesa Mooney

    Last month, two models were found deceased in their apartments days apart. Police have denied any connection in the cases, and Nichole Coats’ cause of death was ruled accidental. Now, the Los Angeles County Examiner has revealed details about how the second model, Maleesa Mooney, passed away.

    According to docs reviewed by PEOPLE, the official cause of death is “homicidal violence.” However, as of Monday, no suspects have been arrested.

    RELATED: Two Models Found Dead In Downtown LA Just A Couple Of Days Apart

    Surveillance footage at the model’s apartment complex last shows her on Sept. 6.

    Medical Examiner Describes Maleesa Mooney’s Injuries

    Maleesa was allegedly about two months pregnant when a welfare check on Sept. 12 ended in the discovery of her body. She was reportedly beaten, bound, and stuffed into her apartment refrigerator.

    “The blunt force traumatic injuries observed at the autopsy are generally not considered acutely life-threatening on their own. However, based on the circumstances of how Ms. Mooney was found, these injuries suggest she was likely involved in violence/physical altercation prior to her death,” the autopsy reportedly says.

    The medical examiner found traces of cocaine and alcohol in Mooney’s system. But, the role of either substance in her death remains “uncertain.”

    Victim’s Sister Describes “Chilling” Crime Scene

    Maleesa pregnancy was first shared with the media by her sister Jourdine Pauline. Jourdine also spoke to PEOPLE last month about the state of Maleesa Mooney’s apartment after her body was found.

    “From what we saw at the coroner and mortuary, my sister was in a struggle, and it’s devastating. It’s a very monstrous act. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. A lot of things just don’t make sense to us,” Pauline said. Adding, “It was honestly so chilling. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

    The victim’s sister said parts of Mooney’s carpet were “ripped up,” and the fridge was gone. She feels that whatever happened to Maleesa Mooney was “very scary and traumatic.”

    “I know she was so scared. I just hate to think about it,” Pauline said.

    As mentioned earlier, Maleesa’s death was uncovered just two days after Nichole Coats on Sept. 10. Last week, the medical examiner ruled Coats’ death “accidental.” The case remains open. Her family says she was discovered with her legs up in the air and a bloody bed, per KTLA.

    RELATED: Update: Nichole Coats’ Death Ruled ‘Accident’

    Cassandra S

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  • Reviews Featuring ‘CRYMACHINA’ & ‘Visco Collection’, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    Reviews Featuring ‘CRYMACHINA’ & ‘Visco Collection’, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 30th, 2023. We kick off the week with a few reviews. NISA and FuRyu’s CRYMACHINA, QUByte and Pixelheart’s Visco Collection, and Sometimes You’s Hero Survival all get their time in the judgement chair, and who can say how they will fare? It’s a less impressive day for new releases, unless you look forward to seeing what’s in the Bin Bunch box. We finish things up with the lists of new and outgoing sales as usual, in case you need more ways to empty your wallet. Let’s go!

    Reviews & Mini-Views

    CRYMACHINA ($59.99)

    FuRyu’s games often feel like lesser versions of other games, and CRYMACHINA isn’t going to break that pattern. Here we have a game that, if not directly inspired by Nier Automata, was at least informed by some of the same ideas that powered that game. An action-RPG set in a universe that is millennia after the extinction of humanity, CRYMACHINA features a bunch of robots and machines trying to sort out what exactly a human is. The main character of this game is a long-dead human resurrected as a machine via digital back-ups of her memories, a trait she shares with many of her allies and enemies. The goal is for her to become sufficiently “human” to be able to command the AI-powered ship that carries the last hope of humankind, rescuing it from apparent rogue AIs. The problem is that she kind of hates and has always hated other people, so that’s something to get over.

    It’s a story full of platitudes and a whole lot of basic philosophy, but the drama of it works well enough to keep one’s interest. Will I remember much of it in a couple of weeks? Probably not. But such is FuRyu. It’s good enough, and that’s about the best you can hope for. The gameplay consists of bite-sized real-time battles in small arenas, sometimes against trash mobs and sometimes against bosses. You’re given a decent spread of moves to use, and you’re meant to chain them together in order to deal big damage after wearing down your opponent’s defenses. This, too, is fine. It’s a bit hard to keep an eye on everything sometimes, but it works okay. Nothing I’d run down the street shouting about, mind you. Between fights you can head to a virtual tea room to upgrade your characters and get to know everyone a little better.

    The story CRYMACHINA weaves is the main thing that will keep you playing, as even if it isn’t the most original of tales there’s something a bit grippy to it. The gameplay is as average as it gets for an action-RPG, and it’s decent and interesting enough that it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying that tale. The usual Switch port technical issues are here, so do keep that in mind if you have other acceptable options for playing it. It falls well short of the works that seemingly inspired it, but CRYMACHINA is one of the better games from FuRyu on Switch.

    SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

    Visco Collection ($19.99)

    QUByte’s retro re-releases have been up and down affairs, often suffering from various emulation issues and a rather workmanlike presentation. Or at least that’s the case when it’s not working with Visco’s catalog. Vasara Collection and Breakers Collection both felt like they had a little more put into them, and that certainly seems to be the case with Visco Collection. You’ve got seven games here, all drawn from the quirky company’s NEOGEO line-up. They’re running well, and they even have online support where that makes sense. Assuming you enjoy the included games, this is a nice way to play them. I don’t think M2 needs to worry about losing its position anytime soon, but it’s good to see that QUByte can do it when it counts.

    Of course, there’s that assumption about enjoying the games. You get seven to choose from here: Andro Dunos, Ganryu, FlipShot, Bang Bead, Captain Tomaday, Goal! Goal! Goal!, and NEO DriftOut. A couple of shooters, an action-platformer, a soccer game, a pair of Windjammers-like competitive brick-breakers, and a racer. Not bad variety. For my part, I enjoyed just about everything except Captain Tomaday, which evokes TwinBee but isn’t fit to shine its shoes. If I had to pick my favorites, I think racer NEO DriftOut and Bang Bead really stand out.

    The only real downer here is that we’ve once again got a fairly threadbare package. You get some basic video and audio tweaks, plus that online option, but you were hoping for any extras you’ll be heading home empty-handed. QUByte clearly has some enthusiasm for Visco and its games, and it’s disappointing that there isn’t any context here to explain why. I love the main menu with its faux arcade machines, but how about showing some flyers, or talking a bit about the games, or maybe even the company itself? Well, it is what it is. Maybe the idea is that the games can speak for themselves, but the bar is rising in the retro collection scene all the time.

    Visco Collection gives you seven games to play at a quality above this publisher’s usual efforts. While some good effort has been made in some ways, such as by adding online play to some of the games, it’s less impressive in other aspects. Don’t expect any fancy explanations of what these games are or why you should care about them or Visco. It’s just the games, running more or less as they should, with a few options in tow. For some that is going to be plenty, while others will find themselves wishing for a little more.

    SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

    Hero Survival ($4.99)

    Now that we’re in a post-Vampire Survivors-on-Switch world, we have to contend with games inspired by it that have to compete with it. There’s no two ways about it: Hero Survival is a game that definitely wouldn’t exist if Vampire Survivors didn’t. It uses the same basic framework, but with smaller arenas and its own theme. You don’t need to pick up experience point items in this one, as simply defeating the foes will contribute to your level-ups. The game also features classes distinct from the characters themselves, and you’ll choose one with your first level-up. It basically works as the branch of the skill tree you’ll be running down in the current game. Like its source of inspiration, it has multiple levels, unlockable heroes and weapons, and a few other secrets.

    Would I ever recommend this game over Vampire Survivors? No, not in a million years. But I can give it a light recommendation if you enjoyed Vampire Survivors and Brotato and are looking for something else that is similar and half-decent. Hero Survival feels a game that can’t quite find an identity of its own, and it’s something of a shame because the nuts and bolts here are functional and fairly enjoyable.

    SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

    New Releases

    Hello Kitty and Friends Happiness Parade ($19.99)

    I can’t even remember how long this has been delayed, but it was supposed to come out ages ago. Here it finally is, looking as it did before. You might have seen this rhythm game in Netflix’s mobile game selection, which sees Kitty and friends marching to the beat of more than forty pop songs. It’s decent enough, though I think you’d have to have a particular interest in Kitty for it to click. I might review it soon, but we’ll have to see.

    The Bin Bunch

    WWII Tanks Battle – World War 2 Heroes Troopers Machines Sim ($12.99)

    Burnout ($9.99)

    Razor Wire ($0.99)

    Bio Block ($0.99)

    Makeup Artist ($9.99)

    Sales

    (North American eShop, US Prices)

    Some great sales for those with an eye on them today. MLB The Show 23 is cheap as chips, Owlboy hits a new low price, and so does Yakiniku Simulator. I don’t know if that last one is good or not, but it seems funny. Over in the outbox… it’s almost nothing! That doesn’t happen often. Neat. Well, check both lists.

    Select New Sales

    MLB The Show 23 ($9.99 from $59.99 until 11/1)
    MLB The Show 23 Digital Deluxe ($34.99 from $99.99 until 11/1)
    Sengoku Princess ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/4)
    Mischief Dungeon Life ($9.95 from $19.90 until 11/4)
    A Tiny Sticker Tale ($7.99 from $9.99 until 11/5)
    Yakiniku Simulator ($2.99 from $4.99 until 11/5)
    Owlboy ($7.49 from $24.99 until 11/5)
    Hello Kitty & Friends Happiness Parade ($16.99 from $19.99 until 11/10)
    Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid SE ($24.99 from $49.99 until 11/11)
    Oddworld: Soulstorm ($14.99 from $49.99 until 11/12)
    Escape Game Fort Boyard ($2.99 from $19.99 until 11/12)
    Scrap Riders ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/12)
    The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/12)
    My Universe: My Baby Dragon ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/12)
    My Universe: Puppies & Kittens ($7.49 from $24.99 until 11/12)


    My Universe: Pet Clinic Cats & Dogs ($3.74 from $24.99 until 11/12)
    Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! ($7.49 from $24.99 until 11/12)
    Syberia 1 & 2 ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/12)
    Flashback ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/12)
    Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/12)
    Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot First Cases ($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/12)
    LOL Surprise! BBs Born to Travel ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/13)
    DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos ($27.99 from $39.99 until 11/13)
    Railways ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/13)
    Ekstase ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/13)
    Whateverland ($8.99 from $14.99 until 11/14)
    Blade of Darkness ($3.74 from $14.99 until 11/14)
    Package Inc ($2.19 from $4.99 until 11/16)
    Session: Skate Sim Deluxe ($23.99 from $59.99 until 11/16)
    TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 11/16)


    Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/16)
    WRC Generations ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/16)
    Burnhouse Lane ($13.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
    Papetura ($5.99 from $9.99 until 11/18)
    Cyber Hunters ($16.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
    Remorse: The List ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
    Perseverance: Complete Edition ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
    Nightmare Reaper ($19.99 from $29.99 until 11/18)
    Dark Minute: Kira’s Adventure ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/18)
    No Son of Mine ($9.99 from $14.99 until 11/18)
    Project Nightmares Case 36: Henrietta Kedward ($12.99 from $19.99 until 11/18)
    Moorhuhn Jump & Run ‘Traps & Treasures 2’ ($3.50 from $12.99 until 11/20)
    Moorhuhn X Crazy Chicken X ($3.49 from $6.99 until 11/20)
    Figment 1 + Figment 2 ($17.99 from $39.99 until 11/20)

    Sales Ending Tomorrow, October 31st

    Magicians’ Chase: Missing Curry Recipe ($3.59 from $8.99 until 10/31)

    That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow to close out the month with a spooky assortment of new releases, plus some sales, reviews, and maybe even news. I’m feeling kind of crummy today, so I might have to haul my butt to the hospital. We’ll see. I hope you all have a marvelous Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

    Shaun Musgrave

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  • Will Smith & Pepa Spark ‘What If’ Talks After Revealing Past Date

    Will Smith & Pepa Spark ‘What If’ Talks After Revealing Past Date

    Will Smith and Pepa have fans’ imaginations running wild all over social media! The Hollywood friends sparked “what if” dating conversations after revealing they went on one date back in the day.

    Their talk happened on Will’s new hip hop history podcast, “Class of ’88.’ The actor sat down with the members of the iconic Salt-N-Pepa group in a recent episode. During their conversation, Will asked Pepa if she remembered the time he took her on a date.

    She said yes, and they exchanged looks until Will reassured her they were “allowed”  to talk about it now. He added, “We’ve matured, we ain’t do nothing.” 

    RELATED: Jada Pinkett Smith And Will Smith Separated In 2016, But Kept It Private

    Will Smith Reveals What Shook Him On Date With Pepa

    Pepa started by saying Will was “very nice” and proved it further when he stopped and gave an unhoused man $100 during their date. Will clarified that they drove around Los Angeles and visited the Hollywood sign.

    Despite wanting to “spit game,” Will Smith said he was worried about Pepa’s ex-boyfriend. At the time, it hadn’t been that long since Pepa and Treach of Naughty by Nature had broken up. So, Will said he was distracted by how the rapper would take their date.

    “So in my mind, when I was like, I was trying to spit my game, but I ain’t really had nothin’ cause my concern was that I was gon’ get killed, ” Smith said.

    Salt jumped into the conversation, adding that death “was a legit concern.” Her response had her, Will, and Pepa laughing.

    See the clip below.

    Social Media Reacts To Will & Pepa’s Date

    After the clip of Will and Pepa discussing their date went viral, fans commented on Will having a Jada-less life.

    This isn’t the first time Pepa’s reportedly commented on Will Smith. Like the fans, she previously praised his generosity and spoke on what life could’ve been with him versus Treach.

    “I thought Will was really cute, and we would hang out a lot on the road. He liked to take care of me and never let me spend a dime. He was that kind of guy, real generous,” she told Global Grind. “I sometimes kick myself when I think about what could have been. He was so nice to me, but I really wasn’t feeling him. I guess I couldn’t appreciate a nice guy like Will Smith. He wasn’t thug enough. I was attracted to thugs and hoodlums. Will was too nice to me.”

    Jada Pinkett Smith’s memoir rollout brought some of their marriage secrets to light and caused a ripple of mixed reactions. The most shocking news happened to be Will and Jada’s seven-year separation leading up to the Chris Rock Oscars slap.

    Amid the media storm, Smith stepped with Jada to a book reading in Baltimore. There, he told the audience that he would always support his “best friend.” Adding that he’s accomplished so many of his dreams “on the foundation of Jada’s sacrifices.” 

    RELATED: Will Smith Professes Everlasting Support For Jada Pinkett Smith

    Cassandra S

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  • ‘Injustice 2’, ‘Honkai Impact 3rd’, ‘Cypher 007’, ‘Grindstone’, and More – TouchArcade

    ‘Injustice 2’, ‘Honkai Impact 3rd’, ‘Cypher 007’, ‘Grindstone’, and More – TouchArcade

    Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. Barring the inevitable latecomers, this should be more or less the last batch of Halloween-themed updates for this year. How the time flies, eh? Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!


    Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go,

    Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go gets its first major update, adding three new songs to the game along with some extra customization options. You get a tune from Space Channel 5 Part 2, one from Sonic Frontiers, and vocaloid song KING by Kanaria. There’s a Sonic costume available for Amigo, plus the Sonic ring sound effect and a Sonic icon. Some of the songs have had their difficulties relabeled as well, perhaps to more closely reflect reality. I’d like to see new songs hitting this app more frequently, but we take what we can get I suppose.


    Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Free

    Is this really six years old? I guess it must be. Icons never lie, after all. In addition to the usual set-up for future events, the cap has been raised on the maximum animal Friendship Level and limit for held materials, some new maps have been added to Gulliver’s Ship including a new Isle of Style, and some adjustments have been made to the UI. Nothing too exciting, but if you’ve hit any of the aforementioned caps you’ll probably be quite happy to see them being raised.


    Injustice 2, Free

    Injustice 2 doesn’t get updated super-often, and it’s usually a new character or something like that. Well, this time it’s a new feature. League Invasions see Leagues of players battling each other in PVP. Build up your base and facilities, defend it against invaders, and bring the fight back to them. You also get some bug fixes, because we all love bug fixes. It will be interesting if this new feature can rekindle this game in the charts.


    Honkai Impact 3rd, Free

    Hm. I hyped this as a Halloween updates edition and we’re lacking in them so far. Oh well. There’s a new battlesuit, Lunar Vow: Crimson Love. It’s a PSY-type battlesuit, which I was hoping would mean it was Gangnam Style, but no. It just has lightning damage and a chainsaw. Boring! There’s a new story chapter, a new event, and some new equipment to round things out. That will do, even if it isn’t holiday-themed.


    Gardenscapes, Free

    Surely Gardenscapes, in its official capacity as our obligatory free-to-play matching puzzle game update for this week, will help us out with a Halloween update. Let’s have a look. Austin is starring in a mystical musical. Winston White is hunting down a criminal that is at large at a secret research base. Bill is trying to clear his ancestor’s name, and a city official is trying to ruin the Town Fair. Larry Palmer is also causing more trouble as the Wonderwood Pictures story reaches its climax. None of this is Halloween! Very unhelpful, Austin!


    Grindstone,

    Oh, here’s another one celebrating an anniversary. And another one that I don’t think is doing anything particularly Halloween-related. In this case, it’s a four-year anniversary. Yes, that about lines up with Apple Arcade, doesn’t it? The update adds some new hats, and I’d imagine it takes care of some other stuff behind the scenes while it’s at it. But front-facing, just some new hats. Luckily we all like hats, don’t we? They cover our heads, keeping us warm and hiding our baldness. It’s win-win. That’s all I’ve got to say about this one, so let’s move on to the finish.


    Cypher 007,

    I hereby declare Cypher 007 the winner of the coveted UMMSotW for this week simply because it gives us our first holiday-themed update. Not Halloween, mind you, but Dia de Lost Muertos. But that is fine! You can unlock a special Bond outfit that pays homage to the holiday, and it looks pretty cool. Go get yours and be even more stylish than Bond’s usual.


    PAC-MAN Party Royale,

    Oh, I think Bond might have broken the seal here. Pac-Man Party Royale‘s update is definitely Halloween-themed. There’s a new Spooky Cemetery Maze them available, and I’d imagine the ghosts are right at home for once. Unless they’re from a different cemetery. Then it’s still just the away team’s arena. Also in this update, Adventure Mode adds two more Special Worlds, bringing you sixteen levels in the Cemetery where you’ll have to play with the lights out. Only brief flashes of lightning will give you any idea what’s where. Grab pumpkins to expand your field of view, and keep your eyes peeled for traps lurking in the darkness.


    Angry Birds Reloaded,

    The latest update to Angry Birds Reloaded chooses to ignore Halloween and keep building out the Space missions. Get your butt to Mars and retrieve the Rover before those boorish swine abscond with it. There are thirty new levels to play set on the planet, and there are naturally more hidden Eggsteroids to find as you go. If that’s not enough to keep you busy, there are eighteen new Achievements to unlock in the Secret Area. And if that’s not enough… you’ll have to wait until the next update or play something else. That’s all there is.


    Zookeeper World,

    I suppose in the end we only had two holiday-themed updates in this article. That’s just how it is. This latest version of ZooKeeper World doesn’t do anything for that because it was already in the last update. Instead, we get a new Diorama feature that allows you to build a diorama and decorate the Zoo. You also get twelve new stages to play, with the new puzzle gimmick of the Feed Bucket. Hm, that sounds like it’s probably going to be unpleasant. Well, it wouldn’t be much of a game like this if there wasn’t a lot of struggle. Maybe struggle is the real scare. Something to ponder.

    That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!

    Shaun Musgrave

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  • ‘Resident Evil Village’ Out Now on iPhone 15 Pro and iPad M1 (and Later) Devices, Launch Celebration Discount Available – TouchArcade

    ‘Resident Evil Village’ Out Now on iPhone 15 Pro and iPad M1 (and Later) Devices, Launch Celebration Discount Available – TouchArcade

    Capcom has finally released Resident Evil Village (Free) on the iPhone 15 Pro series and supported iPad models with an M1 chipset or better. If you missed my review in progress covering the game on iPhone 15 Pro, read it here. With today’s launch, a release celebration discount is live until November 20th as revealed last week.The regular pricing for the base game is a $39.99 unlock with a $19.99 in app purchase for the Winters’ Expansion DLC. There is also a $4.99 All Access Voucher DLC. These DLC packs are same as the PC and console versions as you can see on the Steam pages here and here. For the iOS launch, Capcom has discounted the base game unlock to $15.99, the Winters’ Expansion to $9.99, and the All Access Voucher to $1.99. Watch the Resident Evil Village Apple launch trailer below:

    If you’d like to play Resident Evil Village and have a supported iPhone 15 Pro device or iPad with M1 chipset and better, you can now download it free here. It required about 7.92GB downloaded once you get the initial download from the App Store done. You can then sample it for free before buying the full game. Check out the official website for Capcom’s upcoming Apple silicon ports here. Resident Evil 4 Remake is due this year for iPhone 15 Pro, iPad (M1 and later) models, and macOS. Resident Evil Village is out now on supported iOS and iPadOS devices. Resident Evil Village has cross progression on iPadOS and iOS. Will you be trying out Resident Evil Village today on iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or a newer iPad model?

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Infinite Wealth Trailer, and More – TouchArcade

    Infinite Wealth Trailer, and More – TouchArcade

    This week, a lot happened in the world of Steam Deck with new Verified games, demo releases, and more. Apologies for this week’s feature being a bit shorter than expected. I was unwell, and I’m just getting back to catching up with the news and things. Let’s get into this week’s feature then with three reviews including two early access releases and one puzzler I’ve been obsessed with, an upcoming survival horror game with a free demo out now, a super hilarious new trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, new PowerWash Simulator DLC details, and more.

    News

    SEGA’s newest trailer for the upcoming eighth mainline entry in the Like a Dragon series shows off a mode that might be dangerously addictive if you enjoy Animal Crossing. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches in January 2024 on Steam and consoles, and the trailer above makes me wish the game was out sooner. Thankfully, Like a Dragon Gaiden, out early November, has a demo for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

    PowerWash Simulator’s Back to the Future Special Pack DLC launches on November 16th. Readers know how much Shaun and myself love PowerWash Simulator, and both of us are looking forward to this DLC. I love Back to the Future as well so this feels like a match made in heaven. Remember Anodyne? It has been remastered and launched on Steam for free. Details for the remaster are here. Treasure also announced that Radiant Silvergun is finally coming to Steam next week on November 3rd following its debut from porting house Live Wire on Switch. I’ll be getting this for sure for my Steam Deck shoot ’em up collection.

    The final notable news story of the week barring Valve pushing out an update for the Steam Deck client is the demo for Crow Country which is available now. Crow Country is a survival horror adventure that aims to feel like an older game, and it succeeds quite well. This demo is worth trying.

    New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

    This week’s most notable Steam Deck Verified game is Lords of the Fallen from CI Games. Thanks to TouchArcade reader Mor for spotting this and letting me know about it. It happened while I was playing the game on Deck as well. I’ve been enjoying this one on both Steam Deck and PS5 quite a bit over the last few weeks. I’ll have a full review of it on Steam Deck soon, but it has been very impressive for a next-gen game on Steam Deck given how Unreal Engine 5 titles can be.

    Steam Deck Game Impressions & Reviews

    Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Steam Deck Early Access Review

    When Digital Eclipse announced and released Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord into Steam Early Access, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed. I say that, because I was hoping a game as important as this would get the same treatment we saw with The Making of Karateka. Well, this was clearly aimed to be something else, and having spent a good amount of time with the current build, I’m very impressed with the release. I’ll be focusing more on how it plays on Steam Deck in this Early Access Review, with more of my thoughts on the game and its visuals once it is at 1.0.

    Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is a full 3D remake of the original Wizardry, and it has been built on top of the original 1981 game code. To be as faithful as possible, you can even have the original game visuals as an overlay window while you play the remake. Thanks to being faithful, this is quite challenging, but Digital Eclipse has done a lot to make it more playable by modern standards, including it being great on Steam Deck. Since the team pushed out a big update this week, I decided to write up my early access thoughts in today’s feature.

    Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord on PC has a few basic options like resolution and display mode right now. You can also adjust what button prompts to display. I set mine to PlayStation or Steam Deck while testing. There are also some “Old School Options” that let you enable or disable some of the new features like random starting attribute points, hints, and more. One thing to note is the 800p or 16:10 support isn’t fully implemented right now, so I’d recommend playing this at 720p on Steam Deck to avoid having some parts of the screen cut off.

    Despite the PC settings being a bit bare-bones, it runs great on Steam Deck. Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord on Steam Deck is marked as Playable by Valve for sometimes showing keyboard and mouse icons, some text being small, and having to invoke the keyboard manually sometimes. If you were hoping to play this on a portable like I always am with dungeon crawlers, you can safely do so. Just be prepared to sometimes have to use touch or the virtual cursor.

    Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is an essential for fans of dungeon crawlers even in its current state. Those looking to sample a true classic will also find a lot to love here. This release was my first taste of the original Wizardry, and I think Digital Eclipse has done a great job even in its initial Early Access version. I can’t wait to see how it evolves over time.

    Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Steam Deck Early Access review score: TBA

    Station to Station Steam Deck Review

    Station to Station was always on my radar since the demo hit Steam back in June. PRISMATIKA and Galaxy Drove’s blend of a minimalist puzzler and train simulation game Station to Station has absolutely lived up to my expectations, and I’ve enjoyed it a ton on Steam Deck over the last few weeks.

    When I first tried Station to Station, it felt like a nice mix of games like Mini Metro and Dorfromantik. I enjoy relaxing puzzle and simulation games, and Station to Station does that while being a train game as well. The gorgeous voxel aesthetic and lovely soundtrack come together to make it really memorable in a super-busy year of great games.

    Depending on whether you’re aiming to just finish levels or go for the optional challenges, expect to take about 8 hours to see what Station to Station has to offer right now in its main campaign with the time increasing a lot if you also do said challenges. There is a lot you can also do with the custom game mode right now. For its asking price, Station to Station delivers as long as you click with the gameplay.

    Initially it feels a bit simple, but I’m glad Station to Station took its time introducing new mechanics gradually, because you will feel like a puppet master by the end of the campaign linking different complex parts of the maps together to see your little voxel world come to life.

    The one issue I have with Station to Station, is that you can’t delete or demolish things. You need to either reload a part or the complete level. As a design decision, this makes things more strategic, but I felt like I wasted time in some of the levels thanks to not being able to demolish things.

    On Steam Deck, I had no issues with Station to Station. I ended up playing at at native resolution and using the auto-detect settings. I played at 30 or 40fps during my testing. 60fps is not doable at native resolution right now without drops as you zoom in and out of levels and during other animations. It uses the Steam Deck’s display correctly and looks great. Station to Station feels perfect on a portable, and I’m glad it plays this well on Steam Deck from the start while looking very good. As of now, it isn’t marked Verified or Playable by Valve, but I haven’t run into any issues with the game on Steam Deck.

    Station to Station supports uncapped frame rates, and while I did test this a bit, it really isn’t feasible on Steam Deck (as expected) unless you really turn the resolution well below. The graphics settings let you adjust resolution scaling, level of detail, anti-aliasing, shadow quality, visual effects quality, post processing, DOF, motion blur, grass & flowers, and the number of props.

    If you don’t want to play the game right now or don’t care about trains, I still recommend checking out the soundtrack. It is excellent and worth listening to while you’re working.

    In its current state, Station to Station is just lovely. I love the aesthetic, soundtrack, and puzzles, and it has been a joy to sink into daily over the last few weeks on Steam Deck. I hope a future update adds the ability to go a step back or destroy a part rather than reloading. With a lot planned for the game already, Station to Station is worth your time, and I can’t wait to play the new content when the updates arrive.

    Station to Station Steam Deck review score: 4/5

    Cyber Knights: Flashpoint Steam Deck Early Access Review

    When I saw an email about Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, a new turn-based strategy RPG with a cyberpunk setting, I was interested. Then while discussing the game with Shaun, I realized it was developed by THE Trese Brothers and was actually Kickstarted a while ago. I’ve been playing it on Steam Deck through its early access release on Steam, and it is really great even in its current state. There are some rough edges as expected with an early access release, but Cyber Knights: Flashpoint has the potential to be amazing.

    Since a lot of the game is going to improve and change over the course of its early access period while it also eventually makes its way to iOS, Android, and consoles, I will be focusing more on how Cyber Knights: Flashpoint feels on Steam Deck in this early access review.

    Cyber Knights: Flashpoint excels with how it blends heists, turn-based strategy, and builds. You remember when Shadowrun hit the iPad a while ago before seeing a recent release on consoles? Cyber Knights: Flashpoint feels like the perfect game to play if you miss the likes of Shadowrun Returns. It also has multiple difficulty options which is always good to see in games like this. I’m still playing through the game a few times while testing different things and settings on Steam Deck, but I’m enjoying it a lot.

    On Steam Deck, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint has no rating from Valve, but it plays brilliantly. There are some interface issues with scaling right now, but it runs a lot better than I expected while looking great. It even has 800p support. The interface issues are to do with the screen scaling. I wanted to increase the size of the text and menus, so I scaled it higher, but there’s overlapping and cropping of important parts. Right now, if you want to play Cyber Knights: Flashpoint on Steam Deck, be prepared for some small text sizes as the only real issue.

    Just like Shaun told me, a Trese Brothers game means it starts out with a lot of potential, but will bloom into something special if the many releases by the developers are anything to go by. In its current state, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint plays and looks great, and it just has a few quirks with its interface on Steam Deck. This is well worth keeping an eye on through its early access period.

    Cyber Knights: Flashpoint Steam Deck Early Access review score: TBA

    Steam Deck Game Sales & Discounts

    This week, there are notable discounts on the Marvel’s Spider-Man games from Sony, Monster Hunter games from Capcom, and more. Check out all the Steam deals on the link above.

    That’s all for this week. As usual, you can read all our Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great weekend, and thanks for reading.

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Restaurant Adds ‘Loud Kids’ Fee To Customers’ Bills After Group Dinner

    Restaurant Adds ‘Loud Kids’ Fee To Customers’ Bills After Group Dinner

    A Georgia restaurant is standing strong on a policy for customers dining with children. Toccoa Riverside Restaurant features an “adult surcharge for adults unable to parent $$$.”

    The steakhouse recently enforced its fee when several families dined together at the waterside location earlier this month. According to TODAY.com, the owner of Toccoa added a $50 kids fee to each bill at their table.

    When the patrons asked for an explanation, the owner, Tim Richter, said their kids were being “too loud.” One of the customers, Lyndsey Landmann, told the outlet the group was made up of four families. There were reportedly 11 children from ages 3 to 8 years old.

    Woman Claims Restaurant Owner Snapped At Them Over Fee

    Richter approached their table after dessert. By that point, Lyndsey says, some of the children had joined their parents closer to the waterfront area of the restaurant.

    “[Richter] had the menu in hand, and he’s showing us where it talks about the fee. At first, I thought he was gonna compliment us and be like, ‘But you won’t be charged because your kids were so well-behaved.’” Lyndsey told TODAY.com.

    Instead, the owner informed them of the added fees per bill. In addition to being “too loud,” Richter was allegedly “angry” about the kids “running around outside.”

    Meanwhile, Lyndsey says the children were “sitting at one end of the table” and “being so good.” She added that their well-mannered behavior was even a shock to her that day.

    Lyndsey says she challenged the owner’s claim but that he reacted by questioning their presence at the restaurant.

    “He got in our faces and told us that we belonged at Burger King and not at his restaurant. We asked to speak to the owner, and he said he was the owner,” she said.

    RELATED: Spanish Authorities Accuse Man Of Faking Heart Attacks To Avoid Paying Restaurant Bills

    As for the other patrons, Lyndsey alleges “everyone was frozen watching” while Richter yelled at them about the policy.

    After going viral for the charge, TODAY.com reports that it was unable to reach the restaurant owner. However, the outlet revealed that an employee refused to comment further on the phone.

    “We’re not going to comment on a policy we’ve had for years. We just want to live in the woods and cook,” the employee reportedly said.

    As of Friday, the restaurant has a 4.1 rating on Google and features over 2,000 mixed reviews.

    RELATED: Widow Sees Late Husband Eating In Restaurant Advertisement Despite Him Dying 9 Years Earlier

    Cassandra S

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  • ‘Barbie DreamHouse Adventures’, ‘Hero Survival’, Plus Today’s Other Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    ‘Barbie DreamHouse Adventures’, ‘Hero Survival’, Plus Today’s Other Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 27th, 2023. In today’s article, we dip into a little news before heading into the new releases of the day. It’s a fairly humble batch of new games, but you might find something that tickles your fancy. We also have a bunch of new sales to dig into, plus the list of discounts that are expiring over the weekend. Let’s finish the week!

    News

    ‘Samba de Amigo: Party Central’ Gets ‘Persona 5’-Themed DLC, Available Now

    Announced last month and available now, the latest DLC packs for Samba de Amigo: Party Central bring new tunes from two different franchises. One won’t be very familiar to Western players, as the songs are drawn from Japan-only mobile game Project Sekai. The other, however, should be known by most. The Phantom Thieves DLC brings three songs from Persona 5 to the game, and you can even purchase some costumes and accessories to suit up like Joker and use Morgana as an avatar icon. The next two DLC packs were also announced. Arriving at the end of November will be Amigo’s Favorites and Party Music. The latter seems to be holiday-themed tunes, while the former is more mysterious. My hunch is that it features some songs from the original game that didn’t make the initial cut here, but I guess we’ll see. These appear to be the last DLC packs on the road map, but is this the end of the road for Amigo? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

    New Releases

    Barbie DreamHouse Adventures ($39.99)

    Right, it’s easy to forget but this is what Barbie actually is. Good movie, that was. For the kids who love to play with Barbie though, this might be more their speed. Design your own DreamHouse (sadly no option for a Mojo Dojo Casa House), invite over friends, dress everyone up in cool fashions, and play some mini-games. This is definitely aimed at the younger set, and that’s not a bad thing at all. If your kid enjoys playing with Barbie dolls, I imagine they’ll have a good time with this.

    DreamWorks Trolls Remix Rescue ($49.99)

    Game Mill has another licensed game for us today, this time a 3D platformer based on the DreamWorks take on those hideous little troll dolls that have been haunting children for absolute decades. Customize your own troll and embark on a platforming adventure with some mini-games scattered along the way. Up to four players can play together via local multiplayer, so it might be an amusing one for families to enjoy if you’ve got a kid who loves these beastly things.

    EGGCONSOLE THEXDER PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

    Gosh, quite the title there. Egg Console’s second title is the PC-8801 mkII SR version of Thexder. If you remember Thexder, you might have lower back pain. Anyway, Thexder. You’re a giant robot, you can turn into a ship, and you have a neat laser that homes in on everything. You need to navigate some tricky mazes destroying a lot of things that look like weird hamburgers. I’m a big fan of this one, even if it feels every bit of its 38 years of age. Six and a half bucks, which isn’t bad. Sorry Canadians, D4 Enterprise can’t be bothered to do the paperwork to release this in your region.

    Hero Survival ($4.99)

    There’s no point dancing around it: this is another Vampire Survivors clone. It has a very similar vibe to Brotato where you collect weapons that float around your character and battle in fairly small arenas instead of large open areas. The monsters include a lot of classic movie monster stereotypes, and your upgrades lean into different character class types you can choose from your first level-up. There are unlockable characters and weapons, as usual. It’s not a bad little game as these things go, though it really struggles to distinguish itself. I’ll have a full review soon.

    Kraken Odyssey ($16.99)

    Play as a little crab trying to rescue his brother in this 3D action-racing-ish game. You have to run at full speed through the thirty or so levels and reach the finish line intact, which will require some jumping and dodging to avoid obstacles. There are a variety of costumes you can unlock, and a three-star system that may or may not keep you coming back. The price seems a little on the high side for what it is, but that’s just my take.

    Desolatium ($29.99)

    A point and click-style adventure game steeped in Lovecraftian lore. Haven’t seen that before. Someone goes missing, and four of their friends are investigating what happened. You’ll get to see what unfolds through all of their points of view, and suffice it to say that all is not what it seems, unless it seems like Cthulhu in which case all is exactly what it seems. This was designed as a VR game over on PC, and the Prologue chapter seems to have gone over well in that form. Will the full game have the same sizzle minus the headset? I’ll never find out, because I don’t like horror and I’m getting a bit tired of Lovecraft-themed games. But don’t let that stop you from looking into it. I’m just an internet clown.

    30 Sports Games in 1 ($26.99)

    One of the harsh lessons you probably learned as a kid is that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. In particular, something that seems like it’s offering a ridiculous quantity of items for the same price as one is likely going to disappoint on each individual item. So when I see a game offering thirty sports games, my hunch is that they’re going to be mini-games at best and an absolute mess at worst. Up to four players can join in on this one via local multiplayer, and that’s probably going to give you the best experience here.

    Murder Is Game Over ($4.99)

    This is a murder mystery adventure where you play as a detective investigating the killing of a game designer in some sort of fancy castle. You have a helpful pup with you who has a keen nose for solving crimes. Very much on the shorter side as this kind of thing goes, but it’s not a bad experience at all. The mystery is set up well and you can actually solve it without going down any wacky-bananas logic paths. Decent for a fiver.

    Save The World ($7.99)

    Kiss her back, dismiss her worries. There are no other options. Choose one. This is the latest from Gamuzumi, starring a young woman named Ekiya who is kidnapped by aliens bent on killing the wealthiest individuals on Earth in greater numbers each day. Um, thanks? No, no. This is a bad thing, it seems. As the conflict between humans and the aliens heats up, Ekiya finds herself stuck in the middle. There are two romantic options and four endings, but make no bones about it, you’re going to have to make that hard choice: kiss her back, or dismiss her worries? Your decisions will decide the fate of the entire world.

    Wetory ($10.99)

    This is a 3D action roguelite game where you play as a character that can create color from their feet exploring a largely colorless world. You’re unable to directly attack your foes, so you need to be careful to avoid them and find other ways to deal with them. It certainly has a distinctive look to it, but will that be enough to help it stand out in the Switch’s most crowded genre? Only time will tell.

    Sales

    (North American eShop, US Prices)

    It’s a good sales day if you’re interested in Witching, singing, or pinballing. There are a few other nice things in there, so scan that list with your peepers to see if anything strikes your fancy. The weekend outbox is teeny-tiny, and I’m not sure if there’s anything to get too excited about, but have a look and see anyway.

    Select New Sales

    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/1)
    The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/1)
    The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/1)
    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/1)
    Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/1)
    Ultionus: A Tale of Petty Revenge ($3.99 from $9.99 until 11/2)
    Love Love School Days ($8.39 from $10.49 until 11/2)
    Super Lone Survivor ($10.00 from $20.00 until 11/3)
    Penko Park ($5.19 from $12.99 until 11/3)
    ANNO: Mutationem ($17.49 from $24.99 until 11/3)
    Yonesawara Hospital ($12.60 from $18.00 until 11/3)
    Goodbye World ($9.59 from $11.99 until 11/3)
    A Robot Named Fight ($9.09 from $12.99 until 11/3)
    Blade Assault ($14.39 from $17.99 until 11/3)
    Super Adventure Hand ($9.74 from $12.99 until 11/3)


    Alchemic Cutie ($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
    Snow Bros. Special ($16.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
    Molly Medusa: Queen of Spit ($9.50 from $19.00 until 11/3)
    UnMetal ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/5)
    Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition ($12.49 from $49.99 until 11/5)
    Hades ($12.49 from $24.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing 2018 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing 2019 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing 2020 ($17.99 from $44.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing 2021 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing Queen ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing ABBA ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/6)
    Let’s Sing Country ($17.99 from $44.99 until 11/6)
    Pinball FX3: The Walking Dead DLC ($1.01 from $2.99 until 11/6)
    Pinball FX3: Universal Monsters DLC ($3.39 from $9.99 until 11/6)
    Pinball FX: World War Z DLC ($1.86 from $5.49 until 11/6)
    Pinball FX: The Addams Family DLC ($3.39 from $9.99 until 11/6)

    The Battle of Polytopia Switch review
    The Battle of Polytopia ($10.49 from $14.99 until 11/9)
    SUPERHOT ($9.99 from $24.99 until 11/9)
    Grim Fandango Remastered ($3.74 from $14.99 until 11/10)
    City of Brass ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/10)
    Everdream Valley ($14.99 from $24.99 until 11/14)
    Crypt of the NecroDancer ($3.99 from $19.99 until 11/16)
    Rise: Race The Future ($6.59 from $16.49 until 11/16)
    Vasara Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/16)
    Herodes ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/16)
    Dead or School ($8.99 from $29.99 until 11/16)
    Assault Gunners HD Edition ($3.99 from $9.99 until 11/16)
    Dinobreak ($14.99 from $19.99 until 11/16)
    Undergrave ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/16)
    Midnight is Lost ($1.99 from $3.99 until 11/16)
    Pulling No Punches ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/16)
    Talk to Strangers ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/16)
    Sokolor ($2.49 from $4.99 Until 11/16)
    Terra Flame ($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/16)
    Wild Dogs ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/16)

    Sales Ending This Weekend


    Driving School Sim ($1.99 from $14.99 until 10/28)
    Cat Quest ($3.89 from $12.99 until 10/29)
    Spirit of the Island ($22.49 from $24.99 until 10/29)
    The Game of Life 2 ($5.99 from $29.99 until 10/29)

    That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more sales, some reviews, some news, and… that’s about it, really. I’ve been playing my PlayStation Portable again recently, soaking in a bit of nostalgia. It’s going to be nineteen years old soon, which is wild to think about. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

    Shaun Musgrave

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  • Jay-Z Sheds Light On How He & Beyoncé Picked Blue Ivy’s Name

    Jay-Z Sheds Light On How He & Beyoncé Picked Blue Ivy’s Name

    As Blue Ivy Carter approaches her twelfth birthday, her superstar father — Jay-Z — is sharing some long-awaited insight into his firstborn’s noteworthy name.

    RELATED: Beyoncé Pens Sweet Message For Blue Ivy After Mother-Daughter Performance In Paris

    He Says Blue Ivy Was Originally Supposed To Be Named “Brooklyn”

    The “On to the Next One” rapper shared his commentary during a sit-down with Gayle King on CBS Mornings.

    While chatting it up, Jay-Z revealed what he and Beyoncé had initially wanted to name their daughter, and it’s apparently a homage to the NYC borough where he was born and raised.

    “It was supposed to be Brooklyn. That was the name that we had in theory.”

    However, their plans swiftly derailed after they came up with a cute nickname after an ultrasound.

    “When we got the little sonograms, [she was] super small there, and we was calling her ‘Blueberry.’”

    He added, “It was like a nickname. For nine months, we were like, ‘Look at the little blueberry!”

    As a result of the cute nickname, Blue Ivy’s name iconic name came about. The rapper declared, “It just was natural. We just took the ‘-berry’ off and just called her Blue.”

    The Roomies React To Jay-Z’s Revelation

    Beneath The Shade Room‘s upload on the matter, the Roomies came thru to share their reactions to Jay-Z’s revelation.

    One user going by @creatively_chi humorously expressed her disbelief over the inspiration behind Blue Ivy’s name.

    “All this time we were thinking Blue’s name had some type of deep meaning behind it, and you mean to tell me her name is Blue because she was small like a blueberry… A BLUEBERRY!?”

    Additionally, @mochahontas.__ got folks laughing by declaring, “all the girlies named brooklyn… You ain’t no divaaaaaaaa.” 

    Another Roomie, @sunnysscene, said she “thought it was symbolic of The Blueprint 4.”

    “I thought it was symbolic of The Blueprint 4; Blue IV meaning his greatest album personified. I still think that…”

    Similarly, @bashbaeby shared a whole account of how there has to be more to the story, citing her belief that Beyoncé had previously mentioned a “blue ivy tree” playing into the decision.

    “There’s actually waaayyy more to that story too. Didn’t Bey say one day they were on vacay and she saw a ‘blue Ivy tree’ and saw that as a sign. (blue + IV…. Which is the Roman numeral for 4. 4 is their fav number. 4 also being the day Bey and Jay were born (9/4 and 12/4) and 4/4 is their anniversary.”

    As for @grace.my.face, she proclaimed that Beyoncé “definitely said that was that man’s favorite color.”

    “Beyoncé will tell us anything to get up out of her face…. She definitely said that was that man’s favorite color.”

    RELATED: Take Or Break Bread? Jay-Z FINALLY Weighs In On The Viral ‘$500,000 Or Dinner With Him’ Debate

    Nick Fenley

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  • Blac Chyna Says Tyga Refused To Settle Custody Battle Out Of Court

    Blac Chyna Says Tyga Refused To Settle Custody Battle Out Of Court

    Amid her custody battle with Tyga, Blac Chyna (aka Angela White) is dishing on the ongoing situation between the exes as they navigate co-parenting their 11-year-old son, King Cairo.

    RELATED: Co-Parenting Clash! Tyga Reportedly Files For Sole Custody Of Son With Blac Chyna

    Blac Chyna Speaks On Their Initial Custody Agreement, “Can’t Wait” For The Battle To Be Over

    Blac Chyna, 35, discussed the situation during a sit-down with The Bachelor star Nick Viall for The Viall Files, which aired on Thursday (Oct. 26).

    At one point during the interview, Viall asked White about her experience co-parenting with Tyga after their breakup. In turn, she explained that, although she initially had King all throughout the week, the schedule changed after she became overwhelmed with other responsibilities.

    “For the first four years of Kingy’s life, I had him Monday through Friday. And then that’s when I had became pregnant with Dream. And it was like, the school and [being] pregnant and [in] a new relationship — it was a lot for me. So then that’s when our schedules had changed.”

    As a result, she shifted to having King on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays before taking him to school on Mondays.

    “It was like the same amount of days, but we just had to just kind of switch because of the schooling. I was like, ‘I’m just going to be realistic with myself,’ and this was the best schedule for me.”

    While Blac Chyna noted that everything was “good until recently this year,” she noticed that Tyga began “keeping King longer right after [she] did the case with the Kardashians.”

    As a result, she confirmed, “We’re in a custody battle right now. Can’t wait ’til it’s over with.”

    Additionally, she alleged that Tyga refused to handle the matter outside of court.

    “You have obviously more money than me. Why can’t we just settle this stuff outside of court, like [by] talking to you? He didn’t wanna do that, so now I have to go to court.”

    She added, “We just both don’t need this. … The whole world’s watching, and it’s like, ‘We could’ve just had a conversation, man.’”

    More On Her Ongoing Situation With Tyga

    Blac Chyna’s statements come on the heels of her and Tyga’s lil’ co-parenting clash coming to public attention.

    From filing to establish paternity, custody, and child support to selling some of her belongings to finance the battle, Blac Chyna and Tyga have steadily been makin’ headlines lately!

    The latest development in the matter involves Tyga allegedly filing for full custody of King, as The Shade Room reported.

    It’s worth noting that, shortly before word of the custody situation publicly broke, she spoke positively of her co-parenting situations with Tyga and Rob Kardashian.

    What are your thoughts on the overall situation, Roomies?

    RELATED: Tokyo Toni Praises Blac Chyna’s New Beau, Derrick Milano, As The Couple Celebrates Toni’s Birthday: ‘This Man Is Everything’

    Nick Fenley

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  • ‘Kingdom Eighties’ Mobile Review – iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck Tested – TouchArcade

    ‘Kingdom Eighties’ Mobile Review – iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck Tested – TouchArcade

    Well it happened again. I’m reviewing a game that Jared picked as our Game of the Week. I’d like to believe this is because we see the quality in specific games, but it is also because we both enjoy writing about great games on mobile. That’s where Kingdom Eighties ($4.99), the newest standalone entry in the Kingdom series from Raw Fury comes into the picture. It debuted on PC a few months ago, and finally made its way to mobile and consoles last week. While I’ve enjoyed prior games, the Kingdom Eighties setting had me very interested. Having now played it across iPhone, iPad, Switch, and Steam Deck for this iOS review, I love most aspects of Kingdom Eighties, but it might leave some longtime fans a bit disappointed for one aspect.

    Unlike prior games in the series, Kingdom Eighties is a standalone singleplayer expansion that actually has a notable story. When Jared mentioned Stranger Things, he hit the nail on the head. In a lot of ways, Kingdom Eighties feels like a Stranger Things game, but it isn’t, and it is still excellent if you’re after a polished tower defense and building hybrid like the prior games in the series. If you never clicked with those, this isn’t going to change your mind, as it builds on the base (no pun intended) of prior games and plays very similarly.

    In Kingdom Eighties, you basically move on a 2D plane, collect coins, explore, interact with NPCs, and build by investing said coins at specific locations or points of interest. You eventually unlock all sorts of wild things to help you against the greed in the different chapters and locations of the campaign. While I feel like these games are very much “learn from experience”, the tutorial does a good job of getting you up to speed with the basics of the game flow.

    The narrative or campaign in Kingdom Eighties has you playing a camp counselor recruiting people to build or defend as you face off against the Greed. As this is a Kingdom game, you cannot afford to lose your crown or it is game over. The story here isn’t just some dialogue like a visual novel, but there are actual retro-style animated cut-scenes. Depending on the difficulty you choose, expect to get through Kingdom Eighties in about 6 or 7 hours with the survival mode unlocking after the campaign.

    Kingdom Eighties nails its aesthetic and music for the 80s setting, and I love both aspects of the game a lot. The only thing I’d have changed is maybe adding some music from The Midnight, but that’s more of a want than a need for me. I love the reflections in the water, the subtle animations while riding the bike, and the VHS effect on the cut-scenes. I’m all for developers pulling out of left field things like the 80s setting here in their games. This obviously isn’t meant to be the next full Kingdom game, but as a standalone expansion, it is so good.

    The lack of co-op might be a dealbreaker for many given the focus it had in Kingdom Two Crowns. I know many folks who loved that aspect of Kingdom Two Crowns, and keep playing that even today. Kingdom Eighties isn’t going to replace that, but it does do things a bit differently with its story and setting. The lower asking price compared to the main games definitely helps as well.

    On mobile, I played Kingdom Eighties on my iPhone 11, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPad Pro (2020). I tested progress syncing between the iPhone 11, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPad Pro with no issues. The game runs mostly fine, but I noticed some of the similar scrolling issues the Kingdom games have also present here to varying degrees depending on the device. Barring that, they have controller support or touchscreen controls that both are implemented well. On iPhone 15 Pro, performance was great, but that scrolling issue was still present to some degree, though not as bad as on Switch and older iOS devices.

    Since I had access to the Switch version and bought Kingdom Eighties on Steam to play on Steam Deck as well, I was curious how it scaled. The Steam version is Steam Deck Verified, and it had the least amount of performance issues across the platforms I played it on barring iPhone 15 Pro. The Switch version while decent, has quite a bit of frame pacing issues in some parts, but it isn’t game breaking. I see no reason to recommend Kingdom Eighties on any platform other than iOS from the ones I own, since you get the full experience here at less than half the asking price of consoles and PC and with a conversion that runs much better than the Switch version. The Switch version also lacks touchscreen support.

    Having now played Kingdom Eighties with its latest updates on iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck, it absolutely delivered in its promise of being a story-based expansion to the world of Kingdom. I was interested thanks to the setting, but the team nailed almost everything about this across its aesthetic, music, and story. The lack of co-op will no doubt be disappointing for some though, and I wish it ran without the few scrolling issues I encountered. Barring that, I have no issues recommending Kingdom Eighties at its current asking price. I hope the team builds on this setting for a future mainline game though.

    Mikhail Madnani

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  • Hellcow Strikes Back in the Latest ‘Marvel Snap’ Update – TouchArcade

    Hellcow Strikes Back in the Latest ‘Marvel Snap’ Update – TouchArcade

    I was more than a little under the weather the last time a Marvel Snap (Free) update came through, so I do apologize if you were blindsided by any sudden balance changes a couple of weeks ago. I’m back to full fighting shape this time, and that means I can give you a proper breakdown of the latest changes to my favorite card game. There are some interesting balance adjustments here, with some nerfs that will make a few players groan and a few curious buffs. Let’s dig in.

    It’s extremely rare to see Second Dinner nerf the featured Season Pass card during the season they debut in, but that’s just what’s happening with Elsa Bloodstone. She’s proven to be a very powerful card, so she’s getting a tiny bit of power shaved off her ability in hopes that she’ll settle in better. Elsa Bloodstone’s ability previously granted +3 Power to any card used to fill a location, but now will grant only +2. She’s still quite the force to be reckoned with, however.

    Loki’s had his nerf coming, and it was clear the developers were just waiting for his season to be over to make a more direct shot at him. Well, here it is! Loki retains his ability as-is, and he doesn’t lose any Power either. He does, however, gain an extra point of Cost. Loki moves from a Surfer-friendly 3-Cost 5-Power to 4-Cost 5-Power. Crafty players will still be able to get him out early if they strategize, but he’s going to be slightly less versatile now.

    It’s not all bad news for Loki decks, however. The grave injustice that was the nerfing of The Collector, done to curb Loki decks a bit, has now been reversed. The Collector returns to being 2-Cost 2-Power after his brief exile at 2-Cost 0-Power. Now other decks that used him will have him back to speed, and that’s a good thing.

    Angela is getting addressed as well, and it’s probably about time. I love Angela. We all love Angela. But Angela just keeps finding new friends that she works way too well with, so it seems like it’s time for this angel to fall. While her stats of 2-Cost 0-Power improve to 2-Cost 2-Power, she now only gains +1 Power from each card played at her location instead of +2 Power. Angela is a favorite card in many kinds of decks, so it will be interesting to see how this change shakes out.

    I don’t know how I feel about Sauron getting nerfed. I know he’s a presence in some strong decks, but I rarely feel like he’s the captain on those teams. Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter what I think. Sauron gets a light slap on the tail, moving from 3-Cost 3-Power to 3-Cost 2-Power. I feel like the way he tends to be used isn’t going to be affected much by this, but it’s again a case where we’ll have to see how things work in practice.

    Alright, that’s enough of the depressing nerfs. Let’s look at some nice buffs. Uatu got his ability adjusted recently, and his stats were tweaked down to compensate. He’s getting his groove back today, going from 1-Cost 1-Power to 1-Cost 2-Power. You can use this card in a lot of neat ways, and it can outright help you win games sometimes. Give him a try if you’ve previously written him off.

    Speaking of cards some have written off, Hellcow. Mighty Hellcow! She fell by the wayside over time because her discard effect is completely random and her stats just don’t make it worth that risk. Well, she’s moo-ving on up with this update, going from a so-so 4-Cost 6-Power card to a 4-Cost 8-Power card worthy of a cow-abunga or two. No apologies! Ever! That’s a lot of Power for the Cost, and I think she might be worth keeping around in a discard deck now.

    The last buff is a nice one to see, especially going into the next Marvels-themed season. Spectrum is a card we all use a little in the beginning when we’re just starting out, but it doesn’t take long before she just doesn’t measure up to other options like Blue Marvel or Odin. To push her a little more, the developers have moved her from 6-Cost 5-Power to 6-Cost 7-Power with no adjustment to her ability. I still don’t know if I’ll find a home for her in any of my decks, but I’ll try.

    And that’s the lot for this time, friends. Does anyone need to shuffle around their decks after this? These ones don’t hit me too hard in any way, but I’m also a bit cagey about using some of the buffed cards even with the improvements. Well, one of the fun things about Marvel Snap is experimenting with decks, and this at least gives me a greater excuse to do so. Happy Snapping, everyone!

    Shaun Musgrave

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  • 1999’ with These Essential Tips and Tricks – TouchArcade

    1999’ with These Essential Tips and Tricks – TouchArcade

    Reverse: 1999 has taken the concept of time, and flipped it on its head. At the outset of the millennium, the mysterious Storm hits Earth and reverses the flow of history. It is down to Vertin, the only human immune to the Storm, to recruit a team of Arcanists and repair time itself. A tall order to be sure, so we have put together a few hints on how to re-navigate 1999.

    Before we jump into combat, let’s address something a bit overwhelming; the sheer amount of resources you will be given. Thanks to the eight-day login campaign, the utterly smashed pre-registration campaign, and the early Star Task and onboarding session, you will find yourself in possession of a total 73 gacha pulls between the Unilogs and Clear Drops. You can recover stamina with the Drops, but that’s a waste.

    A shocking amount of resources to start

    You might be tempted to throw them at the summon banners immediately for a tough team, but we advise you hold off, because you will get yourself a top-tier squad of five-stars pretty early. You will quickly get Sonetto as you play, a powerful fighter that can prevent enemies from attacking and buff her allies. Through the pre-registration campaign, after you clear stage 1-4, you will receive Matilda, a dedicated offensive option with single and AoE damage. Finally, after eight days of logging in, you will recruit Dikke, who can mass heal your team.

    That is a damage dealer, support, and healer for nothing who will carry you through a lot of the content. The First Drop of Rain banner is still worth pulling on, as you are guaranteed a six-star in 30 summons, under half your total resources. After that, we advise you to play a few stages with this team and decide who to update before you try the other two banners.

    One Gram of Curiosity can get you the six-star Sotheby, a fantastic healer if Dikke is lacking for you, or Clang of Sword & Armor has the six-star A Knight on offer. They are an incredibly powerful fighter if Matilda isn’t doing enough for you, or if you want two heavy hitters instead of Sonetto’s support. You have until November 9th before the banners leave to decide.

    Is this your card?

    Now that we have the squad all squared away, let’s look at where you will spend most of your time; combat. At the beginning of each turn, you will draw – or draw up to – seven cards, each representing one of your team’s skills. You get three actions to take per round, so you need to know what you are doing, starting with Moxie.

    Each of these cards has a star value on it, and playing it will give the character it belongs to that much Moxie. Fill up the gauge underneath their health, and then next turn you will draw an ultimate move which can turn the tide of battle, or help you completely obliterate your already beaten foe. Whilst you can just keep throwing one-stars at enemies to gain one Moxie each, there is a better way.

    Maximize your Moxie

    In order to get the most out of your characters’ skills, you will need to combine duplicate cards of the same star level. For example, if you have two one-stars of Sonettos’ Commandment V attack, you can combine them to make a two-star Commandment V. Doing this makes attacks stronger, and can add additional effects to skills. You will even get a Moxie for your character as you combine their skills. This does take up one action, but if you are clever and a bit lucky, it doesn’t have to.

    Staying with Sonetto, say you have a card for Exhortations IX on the board, and on either side of this you have a one-star copy of Attention Everyone, Matilda’s AoE attack. To combine these, you would normally have to spend an action, but not in this case. Simply play Exhortations IX, and then these two copies will automatically close the gap, end up next to each other, and combine for free. You get a more powerful card without using an action to combine, and you still get the extra Moxie for the merge. A nice trick to keep an eye out for.

    Our final tip; if you are at all interested in playing Reverse: 1999, make sure to download and pick it up early. Completing the onboarding session within the first release month will get you the Witness of the Storm portrait, and the Beginning of the Tale Starter Task will get you Sonetto’s special outfit, Parade Anthem. You will get yourself some exclusive goodies, and mark yourself as one of the first to brave the Storm.

     

    Sponsored Content

    This article is sponsored content written by TouchArcade and published on behalf of Bluepoch Games to promote the launch of Reverse: 1999. For questions or comments, please email [email protected]

     

    TouchArcade Staff

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  • Reviews Featuring ‘Dave the Diver’, Plus Tons of New Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    Reviews Featuring ‘Dave the Diver’, Plus Tons of New Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

    Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 26th, 2023. In today’s article, we start things off with a hefty review of Dave the Diver courtesy of our pal Mikhail. He’s still feeling sick, but that didn’t stop him from slinging some sick prose about this hot new game. I apologize for nothing! After that, I summarize the not-inconsiderable list of new games for the day. We finish things up in the usual fashion, with some lists of new and expiring sales for you to think about. Let’s get to it!

    Reviews & Mini-Views

    Dave the Diver ($19.99)

    Dave the Diver is the one that almost got away from me. I skipped it on PC around launch despite a close friend constantly telling me that I specifically would love it. This year has been bonkers for game releases, and I knew I’d eventually get to it, because I love fishing games, and Dave the Diver felt like it would be special based on one short clip I watched. Fast forward to it being announced in a Nintendo Direct for Switch, and I’ve played and adored almost everything about it.

    Dave the Diver is a very interesting game in how it blends together polished mechanics from different genres while oozing charm. Usually, a game based on fishing, pool, or golf is enough to get me interested, but there is one specific cut-scene in Dave the Diver that told me everything I needed to know about it. I will not get into spoilers because there is a lot of love put into the story and characters here, but that moment took me back to Steins;Gate. That’s all I will say.

    The core gameplay loop in Dave the Diver is a blend of diving and restaurant simulation. What really impressed me, is in how the developers keep up a steady flow of new mechanics, upgrades, unlocks, and more while having great mission variety. There are a few missions that felt too close to boring fetch quests, but those were probably the only ones I disliked in the long runtime Dave the Diver offers for its main story.

    The diving aspect usually involves you exploring the depths, avoiding or attacking the aggressive fish that try to kill you, using your harpoon or weapons to catch some fish, and completing missions. As you dive deeper, the variety of creatures increases, and you can also pick up objects like treasures, weapon blueprints, refills for ammo/oxygen, and find points of interest to use to fast travel back up.

    These aren’t all instant though, and you need to plan to have some oxygen left and not many dangerous creatures near you while you call to be taken back up. I had many instances of getting greedy and ending up being eaten by a shark causing me to just be able to bring back one item from the massive stack of treasure and fishes I collected down. Remember to not be greedy.

    The simulation is what happens after you finish your morning and afternoon diving session. This is where you plan your menu, hire people, customize your restaurant, and take part in mini-games of serving people, cleaning up, and more.

    All of this is tracked by Dave’s phone which has a surprising amount of usable apps including a music player, todo list, calculator, and more. This also lets you upgrade Dave, craft weapons, fulfill requests for specific people, and track how the restaurant is doing. There is a lot of depth (HA! -Shillin’ Shaun) in Dave the Diver.

    So far, a lot of the mechanics seem pretty straightforward, but there are so many instances of delight thanks to scripted missions underwater or characters appearing in the restaurant that make every day in-game feel special. If you don’t want to spend too much time with upgrades and stuff, you aren’t really penalized. This can get hectic, but is a very relaxing game.

    The structure of the game perfectly suits portable play, which explains why it was so popular on Steam Deck. I played Dave the Diver on both Switch and Steam Deck. The latter is definitely the better experience, but Dave the Diver is a competent port on Switch. The frame rate is lower as expected, but it looks good. The major issue is the load times on Switch. One issue I have with the game in general, is with the many canned animations that seem to take too long. You can skip the cut-scenes after seeing them once, but the diving animations and some other sections should’ve been skippable or shorter. This reminds me of how Starfield is full of those canned landing and take-off animations.

    Dave the Diver is an amazing game. I’m shocked at how well it keeps up its pacing of unlocks and new missions throughout its two dozen or so hours of runtime, and there’s just so much to do. I never got tired of playing it, but I hope future patches can address the long load times on Switch. Barring that, Dave the Diver is top tier, and essential for Nintendo Switch. Just download the demo right now. Don’t waste time. -Mikhail Madnani

    SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

    New Releases

    Dave the Diver ($19.99)

    There’s a nice, big, detailed review right above this, so you don’t need me to yammer on about anything. It’s a really cool game and I back up Mikhail’s enthusiasm for it. Give it a go.

    Spin Rhythm XD ($24.99)

    You know, I have a lot of respect for games that communicate how their gameplay works through a single screenshot. It’s immediately obvious how this one works. You have to hit the beats by spinning the dial on the tube. Got it, cool. This is actually a really great rhythm game, well worth picking up if you like the genre. I give it a solid thumbs-up.

    Gordian Quest ($19.99)

    Speaking of games that say it all with a screenshot, here’s Gordian Quest. Yes, it’s another Darkest Dungeon-style game that blends roguelite elements, deckbuilding, and turn-based battles. I’ll have a review of this one, but it’s pretty much what it appears to be. The only question is if you’re still hungry for this kind of affair.

    CometStriker DX ($14.99)

    Shoot left, shoot right, boost to dodge in any direction. Those are your tools in this intense action game. You’ve got five levels to explore, and they’re fairly roomy affairs. Each one culminates in a wild boss battle with bullets aplenty to avoid. You can play on four difficulty settings, and they actually change layouts and add new behaviors to the enemies so there is a meaningful difference. There are some unlockable characters, a couple of unlockable modes, and support for local two-player co-op across the entire game. I like it.

    Varenje – Don’t Touch The Berries ($9.99)

    This is kind of a puzzle adventure game where you’re shrunk down and need to find the necessary ingredients to make a potion that will return you to your original size. There are eight chapters to play, and the art certainly does look nice. It seems relatively light as this genre goes, so if that sounds to your taste then by all means.

    Great Ambition of the Slimes ($11.99)

    I really enjoyed Ambition of the Slimes. It was a quirky twist on the turn-based tactical RPG genre that had some fun with tropes of the genre. The spin-off didn’t work as well for me, so I’m glad to see we’ve got a more orthodox sequel here in Great Ambition of the Slimes. More slime types, more units to take over with them, and lots of new battle scenarios as you show the world that slimes shouldn’t be messed around with. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

    Kickback Slug: Cosmic Courier ($11.99)

    Slugs don’t usually get around too well, and that could be a problem if one has to work as a space courier. Fortunately, Slippy Slug has figured out that if he fires a gun, he’ll fly off in the opposite direction. You’ll have to master this in order to clear more than fifty levels spread across five different zones. Not only will you have to navigate the tricky terrain, you’ll also have to deal with some nasty bosses from time to time. And if it’s not too much trouble, see if you can’t collect all the lost parcels hidden along the way. There are a lot of fun games releasing today, and this is another one.

    World of Horror ($19.99)

    This is a roguelite cosmic horror RPG where you choose a character and try to solve a variety of mysteries in a Japanese city plagued with supernatural terrors. You’ll encounter different mysteries in each run, and you’ll have to engage in turn-based battles against a variety of monsters and ghosts. The look of the game is striking, calling back to classic computers. It looks cool, and I hope to make some time to try it out soon.

    Get Me Out, Please ($29.99)

    A horror game for up to four players via local wireless or online multiplayer. You’re in a school and a monster is stalking you. Hide, run, and do whatever you can to survive. It looks like it might be interesting as long as you have others to play with, but unless you set that up yourself I don’t like your odds of making that happen.

    even if TEMPEST Dawning Connections ($49.99)

    Where there is a successful otome visual novel, there is a fan disc follow-up. Here’s the one for even if TEMPEST. You get three stories, one showing you what happens after the events of the original, one showing an alternate story, and one showing side stories of minor characters. If you enjoyed the original a lot, you’ll probably like this. If you haven’t played it yet, then don’t even think of buying this. It’s like that.

    Hana Awase New Moon ($36.29)

    An otome visual novel with a hanafuda motif. It comes in four different flavors, so if you want to get all the handsome boys you’ll need to drop around one hundred and forty-five US dollars. Wow! The nice thing is that there is a free demo you can try out to see if it’s something you want to splash out on. I’ll leave that to you.

    Visco Collection ($19.99)

    QUByte has another collection of vintage games for us, but this time it’s really a collection. Seven arcade games from Visco, including Andro Dunos, FlipShot and its sequel Bang Bead, Captain Tomaday, Ganryu, Goal! Goal!, and Neo DriftOut are here, with some modest options and online play in some games. I’ve played around with this a little and while it’s a bit bare bones in terms of extras, the games themselves play well and are rather fun.

    Arcade Archives Burning Force ($7.99)

    SEGA’s Space Harrier was a huge arcade hit, so it’s little surprise Namco made more than one attempt at trying to cook up their own reply to it. Those two did a good job of keeping the other one motivated back in the day. Burning Force isn’t as famous as Space Harrier, but if you enjoy that game then you have to play this. It’s fast, furious, and fun. I picked up this release the minute it went up, so you know it’s good. Well, as long as your tastes match mine. If they don’t, then I don’t know what you should take away from that anecdote.

    Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery ($19.95)

    This is a cute little detective game about a frog detective. You get three different cases to solve here, and they’re all quite funny in a family-friendly way. Anyway, if you’re looking for something relatively chill and light-hearted to relax with this weekend, this might fit the bill.

    Nyanzou & Kumakichi Let’s Make a Flower Garden ($1.00)

    If you have a buck and an urge to arrange flowers in a garden, here you go. Do a good job and you’ll get a lot of customers. Get a lot of customers and you’ll get a lot of money. Get a lot of money and you’ll be able to buy more stuff for your garden. That’s the game.

    THE KITTY in The Trapping Garden ($9.99)

    Hey, it’s another room escape-style adventure game using this same interface. Regista has a row that it knows how to hoe, and hoe it it shall.

    Space Storeship ($4.69)

    You’re a little sheep girl on a spaceship, and you need to work your way through more than fifty puzzling rooms. The main gimmick of the game is that you can swap the viewpoint from top down to 2D, which will shift the room’s layout and how you can interact with it. Kind of neat, really. An affordable little puzzler for those on the lookout for one today.

    Illuminaria ($14.99)

    This is a strategy game where you control robots that you’ll send out to gather resources, build and defend bases, and so on. It’s on the easier side as this kind of thing goes, and it wraps up within a few hours. Reviews for other versions have been on the positive side if not overwhelmingly so, so if you like the premise it’s probably worth looking into further. This is as far as I can take you, however.

    Hamster on Rails ($14.99)

    In this puzzle game, you have to build railroads that will take the hamsters to their goal on each of the sixty-four stages. You’ll also need to work levers to activate or deactivate various gimmicks as the hamsters travel. Keep an eye out for hidden chests, as you can earn some fun costumes to dress your hamsters up in.

    Seaside Driving ($4.99)

    This is an endless driving game. Drive by the seaside in one of eight different vehicles on five randomly generated tracks. Listen to synthwave and think about how we as a culture seem to be having an inordinate amount of difficulty moving on from the 1980s. Don’t think about why; it’s too depressing. Collect coins! That’s better. Look, this isn’t fancy dining by any means, but for a fiver it doesn’t really have to be. Just keep in mind that you can throw three more bucks in that pot and get the actual OutRun to play.

    Wet Steps ($4.99)

    A visual novel about a guy who ends up with four charming ladies after his lips. Gosh, that seems to happen a lot in these games. Well, smooching makes the world go ’round, after all. Make your choices and reach one of four different endings. Hey, I’m not going to stop you.

    LumiereMagna ($15.99)

    A very, um, modest 3D action game. You play as a magician who has to battle monsters in some ancient ruins to uncover the secret of ultimate wisdom. You have four types of magic to use against your foes. I don’t know if I would spend sixteen bucks on this, but maybe someone would.

    The Bin Bunch

    Paintball 3 – Candy Match Factory ($9.99)

    Halloween Bubble Shooter ($1.99)

    Yatzi ($19.99)

    Dog ($19.99)

    Animal Kart Racer 2 ($19.99)

    Horror Gallery ($9.99)

    Horror Tale 2: Samantha ($9.99)

    Paper Dash – Ghost Hunt ($9.99)

    Sales

    (North American eShop, US Prices)

    The big thing today is the discount on Cult of the Lamb, which is happening as a result of it being the latest Free Game Trials for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. I’ll also point out Xeno Crisis at a new low price of just five bucks. Have a look through both lists as usual, however. You might find something that strikes you. In the good way, not the ouchie way.

    Select New Sales

    Cult of the Lamb ($14.99 from $24.99 until 11/1)
    Goosebumps: Dead of Night ($9.89 from $29.99 until 11/1)
    Snake Game ($2.99 from $3.99 until 11/3)
    Dominant Mind: Code Breaker Game ($3.99 from $4.99 until 11/3)
    Xeno Crisis ($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
    Pilgrims ($2.79 from $6.99 until 11/6)
    Machinarium ($5.99 from $19.99 until 11/6)
    Creaks ($5.99 from $19.99 until 11/6)
    The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation ($20.99 from $29.99 until 11/6)
    Happy Game ($5.25 from $13.13 until 11/6)
    Loco Parentis ($6.69 from $9.99 until 11/9)
    Kaichu: The Kaiju Dating Sim ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/9)
    Sacred Zodongga Defense ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/10)
    Rice Bowl Restaurant ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/10)
    Seven Pirates H ($27.99 from $39.99 until 11/10)


    Moe Waifu H ($2.99 from $4.99 until 11/10)
    Satay Shop Tycoon ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/10)
    Otoko Cross: Pretty Boys Klondike Solitaire ($3.49 from $6.99 until 11/10)
    Kao the Kangaroo ($12.89 from $29.99 until 11/15)
    OTTTD ($1.99 from $7.99 until 11/15)
    Death Squared ($2.24 from $14.99 until 11/15)
    Super One More Jump ($1.99 from $7.99 until 11/15)
    Tokyo Dark Remembrance ($5.99 from $19.99 until 11/15)
    Tiny Metal ($4.49 from $14.99 until 11/15)
    Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers ($2.99 from $9.99 until 11/15)
    Fall of Porcupine ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/15)

    Sales Ending Tomorrow, October 27th

    Burrow of the Fallen Bear ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/27)
    Hyper-5 ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/27)
    Laserpitium ($10.49 from $14.99 until 10/27)
    Macrotis: A Mother’s Journey ($4.19 from $11.99 until 10/27)
    Neko Journey ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/27)
    Neko Secret Room ($3.49 from $6.99 until 10/27)
    Paradise Marsh ($7.49 from $14.99 until 10/27)
    Pirates on Target ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/27)
    Pretty Girls Rivers ($2.99 from $5.99 until 10/27)
    Pretty Girls Speed ($2.99 from $5.99 until 10/27)
    Rainbow Skies ($13.99 from $19.99 until 10/27)
    Robo Revenge Squad ($6.00 from $20.00 until 10/27)
    Sea Horizon ($8.99 from $14.99 until 10/27)
    Spacewing War ($2.79 from $6.99 until 10/27)
    Super Chicken Jumper ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/27)
    Teratopia ($3.99 from $9.99 until 10/27)
    Wire Lips ($3.49 from $6.99 until 10/27)

    That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, along with whatever sales and big news roll in during the course of the day. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

    Shaun Musgrave

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  • Oop! Ceaser Emanuel Alleges ‘Black Ink Crew’ Made $1.2B While The Cast Didn’t Receive A Percentage Of The Money (Video)

    Oop! Ceaser Emanuel Alleges ‘Black Ink Crew’ Made $1.2B While The Cast Didn’t Receive A Percentage Of The Money (Video)

    Ceaser Emanuel is opening up about the reality show in which he previously starred, ‘Black Ink Crew New York’ and alleging how much money the show garnered in advertising profits. Additionally, Emanuel is alleging that he and the cast have not received a percentage of those profits.

    RELATED: Ceaser Emanuel Claps Back At Masika Kalysha For Her Comments After VH1 Parted Ways With Him Over Dog Abuse Video

    Ceaser Emanuel Alleges VH1 Made $1.2 Billion Off ‘Black Ink Crew’

    Ceaser Emanuel recently sat down for an exclusive interview on the ‘Bagfuel’ podcast hosted by DJ Esso and Hynaken. A clip of the interview was released earlier this week, in which Emanuel explained how much VH1 allegedly profited from the show in advertisement checks.

    “I was just curious, right… I had my lawyer look into it. [I asked him], ‘How much advertisement money [did] Black Ink make for the whole 10-year span?’ Bro, when he brought the numbers back, I p****d my f*****g pants.”

    Emanuel alleged that the reality show garnered the network $1.2 billion.

    Additionally, the entrepreneur went on to allege that he and the cast did not receive “a percentage of that” money.

    The Former ‘Black Ink’ Star Alleges He Doesn’t Receive Residual Checks From The Series

    As the conversation continued, Emanuel added that the alleged amount is only VH1’s alleged profit from “one show” and only a period of “ten years.” According to IMDb, the series was launched in 2013 and remains on-air.

    “And that’s just for that ten years, we’re not talking about now ’cause if we’re streaming on Peacock — this, that,” as he explained, Emanuel was interrupted by a question DJ Esso.

    The host then inquired if Emanuel receives “residual” checks from the television series. ABC News notes that “residuals” are “long-term payments to those who worked on films and television shows.” Additionally, the outlet adds that they are usually “negotiated by unions, for reruns and other airings after the initial release.”

    “Residual what, bro?” Emanuel replied.

    Social Media Reacts To Ceaser Emanuel & His Allegations

    Social media users entered The Shade Room’s comment section with mixed reactions to Emanuel’s allegations. Some seemed to believe the entrepreneur, and shared their sympathy. While others seemingly chastised Emanuel for allegedly not reading his contracts with the network.

    However, reality star Tami Roman also entered the comment section with insight.

    “Reality stars are not actors BUT if networks play the season & let it go, the pay is appropriate-you get what you negotiate. However if networks are going to license & continue streaming that season & past seasons in perpetuity, the people who were apart of those seasons should be compensated. Unfortunately there is no union for reality tv so networks will continue to make money & not have to pay residuals 🤷🏽‍♀️”

    Additionally, talk show host Quentin Latham, also known as Funky Dinvea, shared his commentary.

    “There is no amount of negotiating they could have done. This is how the entire reality tv environment is structured”

    RELATED: Joseline Hernandez Talks Returning To ‘Love & Hip Hop’ And Her ‘Negative’ Portrayal On Reality TV

    Jadriena Solomon

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