PlayStation PSVR owners can now experience the world of Minecraft in VR. A free update for those that own the game will now allow you to use your PSVR headset to play.

If you haven't tried Minecraft in VR, you're in for a treat. I've played in the PC using Vive wands where you would do the motions to swing the pick axe of pull back a bow and arrow and it makes the game so much more immersive.

I'd like to see how the game performs with VR as it does add some additional load onto the console to render the two images needed. And hey, it's free if you already own Minecraft which is fantastic.

Publisher Bohemia Interactive and third-party developer CSLA Studio announced the upcoming release of Arma 3's second Creator DLC: CSLA Iron Curtain. Scheduled for release later this year, the CSLA Iron Curtain downloadable content pack will take players back to an alternate version of the Cold War in 1980s Czechoslovakia.

CSLA Iron Curtain will include:

• Original "Gabreta" landlocked terrain, with deep forests, windy mountains, and calm valleys
• Cold War-era armed forces of the United States and Czechoslovakia, as well as local rebel fighters
• Ground and air vehicles
• Weapons and gear
• Single-player and multiplayer scenarios

CSLA stands for "Ceskoslovenská lidová armáda" in Czech and "Ceskoslovenská ludová armáda" in Slovak, which refers to the Czechoslovak People's Army. These were the armed forces of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1954 until 1990. As both Bohemia Interactive and the CSLA Studio developers come from the Czech Republic, this particular Creator DLC stays very close to home by exploring the country's contemporary history and taking a look at what life in Czechoslovakia and its heavily-guarded border with West Germany during the 1980s could have been like.

When Elden Pixels first launched Alwa's Awakening back in February 2017, I decided to check it out as I'm a sucker for retro-inspired games, especially Metroidvania-style games. Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game, so when another game in the series was announced on Kickstarter I backed it pretty quickly. While I backed Alwa's Legacy on PC, it's nice to see the game come to the Nintendo Switch next week on September 29th. As the game has been getting a lot of praise on Steam, Elden Pixels will be incorporating all of the latest updates and features when bringing it over to the Switch. Alwa's Legacy is technically not a sequel to Alwa's Awakening, though it is set in the same universe and features the same protagonist.

Alwa's Legacy will be available on September 29th for $17.99 on the Nintendo Switch, the same price as the Steam version. If you wish to check out the first game in the series, Alwa's Awakening can be purchased on Steam for $9.99.

The Stadia Makers program, announced back in March, is a program aimed at supporting small teams creating Unity-based games for the platform. Now - 1/2 of a pandemic later - Stadia is already showing off trailers for seven new games created as part of the program. 

As a bonus, there are trailers for all seven games. I'm going to post the trailers and a small blurb about each game, but those that really want to dig in should check out today's post on the Stadia Community Blog.

TOHU - an adventure title by Fireart Games, TOHU is a gentle-looking game about a little girl making her way through a system of - ready for this? - "fish planets". The game promises intricate puzzles, set within a unique world.

Death Carnival - can you really go wrong with a game named "Death Carnival"? This online multiplayer top-down shooter takes players into a bleak world where the favored entertainment is a deadly gameshow. With 4-player online co-op and PVP, this one is sure to please shooter fans.

Unto the End - This cinematic platformer takes players into a snowy world of desperate combat, with the main Viking character struggling to survive long enough to reach his home. This is a game that uses words like "unforgiving" and "challenging" in its description, which is catnip for a certain subsection of the gaming community.

Figment: Creed Valley - This spirited action-adventure title uses music as the lynchpin of its imaginative storytelling. Players work their way through a hand-drawn world (The Mind), while confronting singing nightmares in an attempt to restore their own Moral Compass. Think Psychonauts, but with less platforming and more musical numbers.

Nanotale - Typing Chronicles - What is this? A typing RPG? Sweet! Players will want to break out the PC for this one, as the entire game is played on your keyboard. Players take on the role of Rosalind, a novice Archivist, as she explores an ancient world of magic.

The Darkside Detective Season 2 - I am unfamiliar with The Darkside Detective, but it is apparently successful enough to get a second iteration. The point and click comedy adventure is described like this on the Stadia Community Blog post: "A year after the “Motel Incident” of Season 1, we find our reliable Darkside Detective, Francis McQueen, picking up the pieces that left the Darkside Division’s dynamic duo as a slightly less-than-dynamic solo. While the best line of defense against the unknown took a hit to their ranks, the Darkside’s ominous influence remains ever-present with the supernatural running amuck and the paranormal causing havoc around the completely (ab)normal city of Twin Lakes."

Kaze and the Wild Masks - Anyone that gamed back in the 90's will instantly recognize the playstyle of Kaze and the Wild Masks - this is an old school platformer through and through - but with modern graphics and a cool new hero.

Big Brother is watching you...

The latest Civilization VI DLC, the Byzantium & Gaul Pack, will launch on September 24 for Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and PC. This represents the third of six new packs as part of the New Frontier Pass, which will release content on a bimonthly basis until March 2021. 

True to its name, the pack introduces two new civilizations to Civ VI: Byzantium and Gaul. In addition, there are also new wonders, a new map, and a new game mode - Dramatic Ages. The new game mode tweaks the Ages feature in Civ VI by nixing Normal Ages. In other words, players will enter either a Dark Age or a Golden Age, leading to more dramatic penalties and bonuses. 

For an overview of Basil II and the Byzantium civ, check out this first look trailer:

Basil II (aka Basilius II) was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 976 to 1025 CE. He is remembered for conquering ancient Bulgaria, where he became known as the Bulgar-Slayer (Bulgaroktonos). Basil II's reign is one of the most significant in Byzantine history due to his constant military campaigns; these exploits led to the zenith of Byzantine power in the Middle Ages. The restoration of the Danubian frontier helped establish a more stable and secure border for the empire in Europe, maintaining a stronger frontier against Hungarian and Pecheneg raiders. (Source)

I love the Civilization series. It's not only entertaining but also educational (which was my justification for playing hours on end). 

Well, talk about surprises. I don't think anyone saw this one coming, but this is a big get for Microsoft.

Today, Microsoft announced they are acquiring ZeniMax Media. ZeniMax owns Bethesda Softworks and soon, Microsoft will be overseeing the company that has built its reputation on open world RPGs.

To say this announcement came out of the blue is an understatement. I think there have been rumors over the years that someone would pick up ZeniMax. And now, Microsoft is that company.

We have a few fans of Bethesda on our site. Skyrim's still played by a lot of us and I'm a huge Fallout not numbered 76 fan. With this acquisition, Microsoft has added a huge lineup of games to their library. This could be great news for Ultimate Game Pass subscribers as many of their upcoming and maybe past games will hit the service. There's already Fallout 76 and Fallout New Vegas to name a few, but I'm sure we'd love to see a lot more come out.

What will this mean for future titles coming to the PlayStation? I think it'll still be status quo. Whether the games are bought on the Xbox or PlayStation brand, Microsoft's still going to benefit. I don't think they'd make the games Xbox exclusives, but I can see them doing a Sony and making some content exclusive to their console like Spider-Man in Marvel's Avengers.

Talk about a way to start off a work week.

Console Publisher Bandai Namco & Developer Dontnod Entertainment (with assistance from Shibuya Productions) have announced narrative-adventure game Twin Mirror will launch on December 1st 2020.  Fresh off their sensitive story in Tell Me Why, Dontnod appears to be following a similar framework in respect to uncovering a guarded truth.  It is set to release on PC (Epic Games Store), Xbox One, and PS4.  If that's not enough to garner interest, check out the release trailer below to learn more.

About the game:

Sam Higgs was done with Basswood, West Virginia, but it seems it wasn’t done with him. When the former investigative journalist returns to his hometown to say a final farewell to his best friend, it soon becomes clear that there are more chapters to be written in his troubled history.

Forced to confront his past, Sam finds himself torn between reconnecting with his loved ones and using his unique intellectual abilities to uncover the town’s dark secrets. But how do you know who to trust when you’re not even sure you can trust yourself?

The award-winning storytellers at DONTNOD invite you on another twisting adventure.

GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Lose yourself in a rich, intricate storyline anchored in the gritty reality of small-town America. As his investigation progresses, Sam will uncover a web of intrigue that winds through Basswood's evocative locations and draws in its colorful residents.

ENTER AN EXTRAORDINARY MIND

The same deductive reasoning and memory visualization skills that made Sam such an accomplished investigative journalist can help him untangle this mystery. Reconstruct key events, revisit his past and more to unlock the truth buried deep within his unique mind.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN PATH

Every decision, every interaction, every discovery will influence the direction of Sam’s investigation and ultimately determine how much of himself he’s willing to sacrifice. There are no right or wrong answers – just follow your instincts and values to complete your story.

 

Developer/Self-publisher Frictional Games have returned!  After their extended time since their previous masterwork, SOMA, they've returned to the franchise that put them on the map.  Amnesia: Rebirth is a brand-new story and is promising to scare you like it had in the past.  It's set to launch on PS4 and PC (Epic Games Store/Steam) on October 20th for $29.99.  For more info check the trailer below.

About the game:

You can’t let out a breath. The creature is only inches away. Its sole purpose - to feed off your terror. And so you crouch in the dark, trying to stop the fear rising, trying to silence what lies within you.

“I know you. I know what you're capable of.”

In Amnesia: Rebirth, you are Tasi Trianon, waking up deep in the desert of Algeria. Days have passed. Where have you been? What did you do? Where are the others? Retrace your journey, pull together the fragments of your shattered past; it is your only chance to survive the pitiless horror that threatens to devour you.

“Do not allow yourself anger, do not allow yourself to fear.”

Time is against you. Step into Tasi’s shoes and guide her through her personal terror and pain. While you struggle to make your way through a desolate landscape, you must also struggle with your own hopes, fears, and bitter regrets. And still you must continue, step by step, knowing that if you fail you will lose everything.

• First-person narrative horror experience
• Explore environments and uncover their histories.
• Overcome puzzles that stand in your way.
• Carefully manage your limited resources, both physical and mental.
• Encounter horrific creatures and use your wits and understanding of the world to escape them.