Frogwares has just launched their Kickstarter campaign for The Sinking City 2, a Lovecraftian survival horror set in Arkham.
"Set in an eerie, Lovecraftian reimagining of 1920s America, The Sinking City 2 is a narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2025."

I recently finished Assassin’s Creed Unity and loved every minute of it. The story, the gameplay, the revolutionary Paris setting, the movement—everything was amazing. Even in 2025, Unity’s ultra settings look incredible, and I don’t think any other game has managed to handle crowds of NPCs as well as it did.

Since I also love London, the Victorian era, and industrial themes, I picked up Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, thinking it would offer a similar experience. After three hours of gameplay, I can confidently say this is the worst AC game I’ve ever played.

• Story? What story? We’re just running around punching people from the start. The first assassination mission barely had any dialogue—just a lazy “now it’s done” or something equally uninspired. It feels like they didn’t even try to write a compelling narrative.

• Parkour is an absolute downgrade. After Unity‘s smooth and immersive movement system, I can’t believe how clunky and unresponsive Syndicate feels. It’s as if two completely different studios made these games, and the one behind Syndicate had no idea what made Unity great.

• Why am I fist-fighting instead of using real weapons? Where are my blades, swords, or anything fitting for an assassin? I assassinated my first target with punches. What is this nonsense? The combat feels mindless and disconnected from the series’ core identity.

• The world and characters feel lifeless. Nothing about the city feels as alive or immersive as Unity’s Paris. The characters move weirdly, and the world design just doesn’t pull me in.

• Red-coated enemies everywhere, for no reason. Why are these guys constantly hunting me down? Where’s the logic? It just feels like lazy game design, throwing enemies at you without any meaningful explanation.

I truly regret spending money on this game. It’s shocking how much Syndicate sucks after Unity. Did anyone else have the same experience?

This is something i haven't played for a while, but me and my friend decided to play some Sea of Thieves again. We didn't do much, mostly just sailed around and did a gold hoarders quest. Along the way we bumped into these guys who ended up asking us to join an alliance with them which is fun. I feel a little guilty though because they sold all their stuff and we made money off it too, and then they logged off before we could sell all our stuff so they could benefit. They were nice though.

at one point we got into a storm which i really loved, because it was this huge storm which was tossing our ship around. My friend didn't love it so much, but i've always had a love for the ocean. The way those waves were just double my size and towering over me just felt really relaxing. The whole storm was basically just me chilling while bailing out water and occasionally adjusting sails.

After the storm cleared we found a star which we think is the north star and used it to get our heading. We managed to land and get the treasure before promptly sailing back to a port. We landed while a ship crewed by two people was docked on the other side. We sold everything, but they came over and raided our ship right after.

They ended up getting unreasonably pissed and swearing us out in the Voice Chat because there was nothing of value while me and my friend ended up just watching and laughing to ourselves about it. They ended up burning our ship, but we left before any permanent damage could be done.

https://archive.is/2025.03.06-011758/https://www.ft.com/content/4ab9efe7-36bc-44ff-b2cd-06eb2c38203a

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Gaming chat platform Discord in early talks with banks about public listing

US group has sought to broaden its appeal to a mass audience

Video game developer Jason Citron founded Discord in 2015 © Kimberly White/Getty Images/TechCrunch

Discord is in early talks with banks about a public listing, according to people familiar with the matter, in a sign of a possible revival in the sluggish US IPO market.

Founded in 2015 by video game developer Jason Citron, Discord offers multi-person voice, video and text-based spaces to its 200mn global monthly active users.

The San Francisco gaming chat platform was considering listing as early as 2021, according to people familiar with the matter. However, many technology companies and investors have put their IPO plans on hold due to political and market uncertainty.

That is expected to change this year as interest rates have fallen and US President Donald Trump has laid out a more tech-friendly regulatory agenda.

Discord was last valued at about $15bn in a 2021 fundraising, according to PitchBook. The company’s revived IPO plans remain subject to change, one of the people said.

“We understand there is a lot of interest around Discord’s future plans, but we do not comment on rumours or speculation,” the company said in a statement shared with the Financial Times. “Our focus remains on delivering the best possible experience for our users and building a strong, sustainable business.”

CoreWeave, an artificial intelligence cloud computing provider, filed for a New York IPO this month that would raise about $4bn and value the group at more than $35bn, which could make it the largest tech flotation of the year.

A series of valuable start-ups, including fintech groups Stripe and Chime and data platform Databricks that had been forced to stay private far longer than planned are expected to reignite plans to list their shares.

Discord initially found popularity among gamers, as well as retail trading and cryptocurrency communities, but has since sought to broaden its appeal to a mass audience.

The company has largely shunned advertising, in contrast to larger rivals such as Meta, X and Reddit, in favour of offering its users premium features for a fee.

In 2021, it attracted interest from multiple Big Tech groups, rebuffing a $12bn takeover bid from Microsoft. The recent IPO plans were first reported by The New York Times.

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Hello, @everyone. We regret to inform you of some unfortunate news.

Epic Games has decided to delist Dark and Darker from the Epic Games Store.

This decision appears to be based on claims made by the opposing party in the ongoing legal dispute. We are currently working to understand the exact reasoning behind this removal.

It seems that the removal process is not yet fully complete, as Dark and Darker is no longer listed, but Dark and Darker: Legendary Status is still available for purchase. Please be aware of this potential confusion.

In preparation for the possibility that Dark and Darker may no longer be playable on Epic Games, we are working on alternative solutions to ensure that players can continue enjoying the game. We will share more details as soon as possible.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The game was already delisted from steam back in 2023 before being restored in June 2024.

Here's an article that takes an in depth look at the case that Nexon filed against Ironmace:
https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2023/04/18/understanding-the-dark-and-darker-lawsuit/

cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/36332291

AI Summary:

After many years, fans have successfully created a native PC port of Sonic Unleashed, called Unleashed Recompiled. This allows the game to run on modern PCs. The project utilized tools like XenonRecomp and XenosRecomp, which convert PowerPC code and Xenos shaders into x86 PC-compatible C++ and HLSL code, respectively. This means that, in theory, any Xbox 360 game can be recompiled for PC. The PC port supports modding, allowing players to enhance the game with new features and customizations, such as Music Attenuation and raising the FPS cap above 60 FPS. Users who want to play with Unleashed Recompiled or create their own Xbox 360 recompilations must legally obtain their copies of the Xbox 360 titles and DLC.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/26379947

I continued working my way through Red Dead Redemption 2 today. I did the Bank Heist in Valentine and did a stage coach robbery camp activity too.

The game looks really gorgeous now that i don't have to worry about FSR muddling everything up.

One example is the mentioned robbery mission. The whole quest had raindrop falling from the roof that i just couldn't see before. Not to mention the way the bricks and stuff were wet from it.

I've done this robbery mission so many times now (in all honesty it's probably about 4 though) that it feels like second nature. Usually i just blow the safes open. But this time i decided to pick them all. I made off with $3000.

While on my way back from this mission, i had to stop to do the Second part of the Downes quest. I stopped at their farm, and before talking to them i went and played with their animals. They had this adorable dog chilling in the back by the goats.

GitHub link to Nintendo's claim - all the details you need are here

The emulator forks which are being taken down are as follows:

Despite this, the one fork that continues, and will continue without takedown is Ryubing - by Greemdev. This is created by an original member of the Ryujinx team. It's safe, the code is beyond reproach (and violates zero laws or Nintendo code) and actually brings helpful updates.

Still...shitty news. And more indication that the Switch 2's architecture will be damn similar to that of this current Switch. Them taking emulators down means the upcoming games have a solid chance of being emulatable on release. But...that's my own (and others') conjecture, so we'll see when the time comes.

Gail Simone on her disappointment of the canceled Wonder Woman game she was a consultant for: "The game was gorgeous and expansive. Every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great Wonder Woman game"

I can't believe I slept on this title for so long given how it has a free demo. As a Slay the Spire fan who has also played Monster Train, Indies' Lies, Pirates Outlaws, Dawncaster, and a bit of Dicey Dungeons, I was utterly and immediately gripped. It is so well-done with a snappy, responsive UI and turn action, and it's just as excellent on mobile as it is on PC.

I feel it solves UI issues in, and has way more diversity relative to, other dice-builders like Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles (which was way too tedious in its die face-checking) and Circadian Dice (whose UI just seemed to be too small and similarly a little harder to work with). S&D's numerous hero classes and just how many branches they can randomly take in leveling-up between fights are staggering. It's also extremely efficiently programmed, using very few CPU resources (which you'd think should be standard for these kinds of games, but isn't necessarily).

Give the demo a shot! It's only content-limited, not time-limited.

First Things' First:

Maybe you're used to all of this now, but my attempt is to share an older style of gaming news post. Something maybe a lil bit like the old gaming blogs / news sites that the internet used to have. Casual, opinion-based, image-heavy and maybe-filled-with-things-you-already-spotted.

My last post (News #2) is here via this link, if you wanted to read over it before I share some more things I have spotted :)

This might lean towards a more Steam Deck-oriented post, but of course I'll inevitably deviate and ramble on and most likely cover everything but the Steam Deck. So let's begin!

Emulation:

NxEmu

Another Nintendo Switch emulator - NxEmu, which saw some focus and activity some time ago before seemingly disappearing into abandonment - has come back with a post sharing the dev will be refocusing on the project.

Personally, I recommend everyone focuses on the more reputable Switch emulator called Ryubing / Ryujinx. It is made with one of the original devs of Ryujinx itself, and the updates actually have substance - and you can see by the GitHub: work is consistent and constant on this one.

But back to the point of this, the NxEmu dev states: "the plan is to be able to run pre-decrypted games, so if people want to run a game it will have to be decrypted first with some other tool."

• You can find the site/blog/announcement here with this link

• You can find the GitHub link with this link

RCPS3 on Android

If you don't recognize the emulator name, it's an emulator for the PS3. This was announced, build and released (the alpha test build, at least) in less than a week. This is not perfect, and at the moment I'm going to look at it as more of a proof of concept than something you should really install, but it's still incredibly interesting news.

The original devs of RPCS3 stated around December that they wouldn't be entering the Android emulation scene because the fandom is toxic as heck, demanding as heck, and rather unpleasant. However, just a few months after that we see DH (a member) take the lead and release this for Android gamers.

• If you want to visit the bare-bones GitHub page, you can with this link

Following though, is an image showing Dragon Ball Burst Limit demo booting in emulation:

Games News

Abuse

Do you remember the 1996 run-and-gun DOS game called Abuse? I sure don't, since I wasn't alive, but if you did and do, and want to re-play the game, a developer has cleverly removed the notorious 15 FPS lock on the game, and released it as an AppImage, DEB , RPM and tar.gz

• The link to the GitHub page is here, if you're interested

• [If you want to see what the heck this all means, then this link to the YouTube video might be more suited to you, showing the 15 FPS locked version (original) and the unlocked FPS version (this mod)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTwDu3ZNE68]

Heroic Games Launcher update

Heroic, "...a Free and Open Source Epic, GOG and Amazon Prime Games launcher for Linux, Windows and macOS. Also available on the SteamDeck!" has just released an update.

This is one of their biggest releases so far, and a lot of work has gone into this, especially considering the dev team's busy life and commitments outside of Heroic.

Some changes include:

• Env Variables in Known Fixes: Customize game fixes with environment variables for better compatibility.
• Launch Arguments via URLs: Pass game arguments directly through protocol URLs for streamlined launching.
• Steam Shortcuts for Uninstalled Games: Add Steam shortcuts for games you haven’t installed yet.
• Anti-Cheat Logging: Anti-cheat details now appear in logs for easier troubleshooting.
• Gamescope "Force Grab Cursor" Toggle: Prevent cursor escapes in full-screen games.
• GOG game setup improvements.
• DXVK-NVAPI Enabled by default for NVIDIA GPU users on Linux.
• Various UI improvements and other smaller updates.

The full list and detailed explanation of all their changes is here on GitHub, via this link if you want to read all they have done!

Xbox Game Pass games leaving:

I personally both own a Series X console, and use the XBPlay program to play my Xbox games, and the Xbox Game Pass library. I use XBPlay on my Steam Deck. Their site can give you an idea of what they do, but the benefit to me (buying on Steam for a once-off $5 USD payment) is that it allows higher resolution upscaling that is possible just by streaming the games directly from a browser.

• The site is here
• The Steam page is also here if you want to see some reviews

Anyway, back on topic, some big games are leaving the Game Pass library this month:

• Yakuza 5

• Yakuza 6

• Lies of P

• No More Heroes 3

• Evil West

• Solar Ash

• Spongebob Squarepants Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated

• MLB The Show 24

DREDGE MOBILE

DREGDE is my favorite game of a couple years back. Maybe in the top 3 of all time for me. It's the perfect combination of cozy and creepy - beautifully stylized graphics and art style, story and Lovecraftian horror.

The dev team (Black Salt Games, based in New Zealand) released their Android and iOS port of the game a couple of days ago. It's not a simple straight forward port process, they've gone to a lot of custom work on making the game perfect for the 'small screen'.

Here's a lovely review on Forbes, if you want to read more about their game on mobile, and the process it took to get it there!

One Gamer Plays Epic's Free Games Each Week:

I've discovered one user on the Epic Games (unofficial) sub-reddit who came up with a plan to help them clear their backlog of games, and stop them buying more games.

Simply, they're going to play and review one of the games Epic gives away for free, each and every week. This was their New Years' Resolution:

"I need to branch out my video game taste, and I'm going to have quite a lot of free time next semester. However, there's a big problem. I'm a broke college student.

So I've resolved that for the first four months of 2025, I will play every free weekly Epic game to completion before the next one launches. That should be 17 games in 17 weeks. I'll make a post on this subreddit after finishing every game detailing my thoughts. I don't expect very many people to read, but this is mostly to keep myself accountable."

I find this amazing. And it's been fascinating (and helpful) to read someone's review of the games so far, meaning if they're terrible...I won't bother.

The link to their initial post (on Reddit) is here, and you can find their weekly posts by clicking on their profile, and filtering by posts

Quick Fire Interesting - Dot Points:

• 10 years ago, Steam announced the release of the Source 2 engine - free to use for all developers
• The Nintendo Switch was released 8 years ago now. Sure, they show their age, but they really did so much for the modern handheld gaming market (and I have a V2 on its way from Japan right now, for me to micro-solder a mod chip in for CFW when it arrives!)
• Both IndieGala and Fanatical have Robocop: Rogue City on heavy discount right now - at 90% off. The general consensus is though to hold off at least a day, so that the chance of it being included on Humble will be proven, or disproven
• Steam passed 40m CCU (concurrent users) for the first time. It's crazy to think their previous highest number a few short years ago (March 2020) was only 20m!

FUN!

Steam Deck Power Button:

This one is a specific and super amazing little one I found. An acquaintance on Mastodon shared with me this little creation they made for the Steam Deck's power button:

The user is @[email protected] on Mastodon.

• Tinkercad link here
• Printables link here!

(thanks for being able to share this!

Steam Giving a User $4,000 of Free Games:

A user named "Sonix" discovered a bug in Steam’s refund system that mistakenly refunded his money but let him keep the games. He reported the issue to Valve, and instead of punishing him, they thanked him for his honesty!

• Sonix now owns 37,474 games, making his collection one of the largest on Steam.

• now owns 20,898 DLCs.

• and 22,490 games on his wishlist.

• Despite having thousands of games, he primarily plays Dota 2 (76% of the time).

• His Steam account is Level 299, with 105 badges

• The estimated total value of his library is around $372,543.

His profile on Steam can be seen here

Sonic Unleashed:

I wrote a guide (which you can find here, with this link!) for running (installing) and playing the new recompiled PC port of Sonic Unleashed. If you're interested, take a look!

finally?

I hope you enjoy this. My plan is to just...post these when I get the urge to, with no fixed schedule (I know they've been far too regularly rapid lately. If you can think of any improvements you want me to make on them, or want to tell me off for formatting or some error in the post...do feel free!

And, you can reach me elsewhere:

(Matrix)

(Mastodon)

Game Information

Game Title: Split Fiction

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Mar 6, 2025)
• PlayStation 5 (Mar 6, 2025)
• PC (Mar 6, 2025)

Trailers:

• Split Fiction | Official Co-op Gameplay Trailer
• Split Fiction World Premiere Trailer from The Game Awards 2024
• Split Fiction | Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Developer: Hazelight Studios

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 91 average - 100% recommended - 45 reviews

Critic Reviews

But Why Tho? - Arron Kluz - 9 / 10

The most impressive element of Split Fiction is how well it ties everything together. Its disparate locales and subplots all share a beautiful, unified art style with a story that melds perfectly with its gameplay.

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CGMagazine - Justin Wood - 10 / 10

Split Fiction reminded me how fun games can be, and was like rediscovering video games as fun as an adult. It let me forget the world around me and lose myself in this incredibly emotional, fun, and engaging game.

---

Checkpoint Gaming - Omi Koulas - 9.5 / 10

Split Fiction is Hazelight Studios at its most ambitious, delivering a bold, inventive co-op adventure that pushes boundaries. Every level introduces fresh mechanics, keeping gameplay dynamic and challenging. The writing is sharp, the world design is stunning, and the boss fights are some of the most creative in years. While the villain falls flat, the emotional depth of Mio and Zoe's journey makes for a compelling story about creativity, identity, and collaboration. It's a must-play for co-op fans who love a challenge. Hazelight Studios proves once again that no one does co-op better.

---

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 9 / 10

Hazelight Studio's Split Fiction elevates the co-op experience to new heights while telling a touching story about loss and friendship.

---

Digital Spy - Jess Lee - 4 / 5

While Split Fiction doesn't necessarily break new ground, it's an entertaining ride and delivers a polished co-operative experience with an infectious level of enthusiasm.

---

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3.5 / 5

Split Fiction is hokey, muddled, and needlessly self-defeating. It’s also lively, inventive, and so earnest that it’s hard to be mad at it for long. These aren’t opposing forces that tear Hazelight’s latest apart; the clumsiness is inseparable from the delight. Both are born from the ambitious vision of artists who still believe in the magic of creativity and are willing to take big swings in its honor. Sometimes it absolutely whiffs. We all do. Fail again. Fail better. But it’s those moments where it connects, where simple ideas turn into unforgettable spectacle, that remind us why art can’t be automated. Even the most advanced machine can never dream bigger than a human with a heart.

---

DualShockers - Ethan Krieger - 9 / 10

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GameSpot - Jessica Cogswell - 10 / 10

Split Fiction is more than a hilarious, compassionate, and delightful new benchmark for multiplayer experiences--it is a remarkable love letter to creativity, video games, and companionship.

---

Gamepressure - Matt Buckley - 9 / 10

Split Fiction is another jewel in Hazelight Studio’s ever-growing crown of co-op adventures. This game constantly introduces new mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh, and each new story feels unique, despite continually returning to the same two genres. There are random difficulty spikes that can easily trip up inexperienced players and lead to frustration, but this was some of the most fast-paced, light-hearted fun I’ve had in a long time.

---

Gamer.no - Espen Jansen - Unknown - 8 / 10

Despite its somewhat lackluster story and a few wearisome sci-fi sequences, Split Fiction is a solid next outing for Hazelight. The game delivers a plethora of charming vistas, some truly engaging gameplay mechanics and great co-op innovations through most of its 12 hour journey.

---

Gamers Heroes - Johnny Hurricane - 95 / 100

Split Fiction is truly a blast to play and is one of the only games this year that I recommend to everyone. Needless to say, 2025’s Game of the Year discussion just got even more complicated with Split Fiction.

---

Gaming Age - Matthew Pollesel - 8.5 / 10

Regardless of whether you want to play with someone else in-person or online, Split Fiction is well worth your time. It’s an excellent co-op adventure, and it’s easy to imagine the game garnering the same kind of following – and accolades – as It Takes Two.

---

Gaming Nexus - Joseph Moorer - 10 / 10

Split Fiction is one of the best genre crossing, action packed, adrenaline rushing, heart wrenching games both Jason and myself have ever played. A few hours in, we were dodging ogres and shooting down ships. By the end of the game, our friendship became stronger, our hearts grew three times larger, and we realized that Split Fiction is one of the best games of this era. Anyone saying otherwise, is spitting fiction.

---

IGN Deutschland - Achim Fehrenbach - German - 9 / 10

Colossal co-op entertainment: The action-adventure Split Fiction ignites a veritable firework of gameplay in breathtakingly beautiful game worlds - and tells a touching story along the way.

---

Kakuchopurei - Lewis Larcombe - 80 / 100

At the end of the day, Split Fiction is exactly what co-op gaming should be—fun, engaging, and just frustrating enough to make you want to throw the controller, but not the relationship, out the window. It’s not a revolutionary experience, but it’s a damn good one. And in a world where split-screen co-op is becoming rarer than a good Nicolas Cage movie, that’s worth celebrating.

---

MKAU Gaming - Dylan Kocins - 10 / 10

Hazelight Studios has once again proven with ‘Split Fiction’ that they are masters of the co-op genre, crafting an experience that is both emotionally resonant and mechanically brilliant.

---

Noisy Pixel - Azario Lopez - 8 / 10

Split Fiction is a wildly imaginative co-op adventure that thrives on unpredictability. Hazelight Studios masterfully blends platforming, puzzles, and genre shifts into a thrilling yet sometimes overwhelming experience. While its narrative structure can feel disjointed, the inventive gameplay and forced collaboration make it a must-play for co-op fans.

---

One More Game - Vincent Ternida - 8 / 10

Split Fiction presents a blend of game mechanics, story ideas, and narrative elements that offer an entertaining and engaging affair from start to finish. The main campaign deserves to be followed, with numerous intriguing side stories that enrich the overall experience.

Although the title starts slower than It Takes Two, Split Fiction ultimately delivers the same signature, satisfying co-op adventure that can only be experienced through the creative vision of Josef Fares and his team at Hazelight Studios.

---

Press Start - 9.5 / 10

Split Fiction is a masterclass of game design, and is yet another instant classic from a team who have, across a span of three games, rewritten the handbook on how to develop fun and insanely inventive stories that'll be remembered for one thing, among others: spotlighting the power of friendship.

---

Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 10 / 10

Split Fiction is Hazelight Studios' best game yet, and stands out as one of the most accomplished and fun co-op titles on PS5 to date. Its peerless variety means there's never a dull moment, and all of its different mechanics are consistently well-executed. There are one or two minor complaints you can throw at this, but they all fade into the background when the game is constantly showing you new ideas and almost never pausing for breath. This is proof, if more was needed, that Josef Fares and his team has found a really special formula, one that allows them to explore an incredible range of gameplay that's only enhanced by its singular co-op vision.

---

Quest Daily - Julian Price - 10 / 10

Split Fiction isn’t just one of the best co-op games I’ve played — it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played, period. A truly unforgettable experience, its relentless creativity, thrilling set pieces, and emotional storytelling set a new bar for co-op adventures.

---

SIFTER - Gianni Di Giovanni, Adam Christou - Loved

Asymmetrical design really stands out with some funny and absolutely unforgettable gameplay that had us cackling when we just lost ourselves in play. The story merely serves as the thinnest veneer to get you from one set piece to another but that's fine, SPLIT FICTION might not have the same emotional resonance of previous Hazelight games, but we couldn't wait to switch characters and try it again.

---

Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 8 / 10

The game is brimming with ideas and homages and bombards you constantly with new gameplay styles, with varying degrees of quality, but the good outnumbers the bad easily.

---

Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 9 / 10

Quote not yet available

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Sirus Gaming - Lexuzze Tablante - 10 / 10

Split Fiction goes beyond just another great co-op game from Hazelight; it reignites the importance of couch co-op. It's a reminder that truly memorable co-op experiences are built in the living room, sharing laughter, brainstorming, and emotional moments together. This game is a grand spectacle of co-op.

---

TechRaptor - Erren Van Duine - 9 / 10

Split Fiction is one of the most ambitious games ever made. Despite its lofty goals, the team at Hazelight has put together a solid character narrative, with so many fun gameplay mechanics to help the protagonists on their big adventure.

---

The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 10 / 10

Split Fiction goes beyond offering the greatest co-op adventure this year. It is a love letter to many game genres and franchises that reminds us that games can be all about having fun with someone else.

---

Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 9.1 / 10

Whether you're being propelled through the air with the power of pig farts or tearing up thanks to an emotional reveal, Split Fiction is so densely packed with hilarity, heart, and hectic action that you'll never forget every moment you spent playing it with a friend. 📚

---

WellPlayed - Adam Ryan - 8.5 / 10

Building off the strong foundation that is It Takes Two, Split Fiction is a consistently charming and entertaining co-op adventure that doesn't take a single second to rest between its frankly insane number of unique and well-designed gameplay mechanics.

---

Worth Playing - Cody Medellin - 9 / 10

Split Fiction is fantastic. The story and characters are great thanks to the nuance sprinkled throughout to give everything and everyone some unexpected depth. The constant switching of various genres keeps the game fresh, since none of the tales linger for too long, and the same can be said for the various gameplay additions in conjunction with the solid platforming. Combined with the cross-platform play and accessibility features to ensure that everyone can get through the title, the only reason to not pick up Split Fiction is if you despise co-op play. For everyone else, grab this early contender for "Best Of" lists for 2025.

---

Xbox Achievements - Richard Walker - 88%

Director Josef Fares' studio Hazelight has carved itself out quite the niche. A Way Out and It Takes Two demonstrated how adept the developer i...

---

XboxEra - Jon Clarke - 10 / 10

Split Fiction is, at its heart, a celebration about how wonderful, imaginative and downright clever videogames can be when they choose to embrace what they are – an art form that thrives on interactivity, creativity, and boundless possibility. Hazelight have proven that once again, when it comes to building distinct experiences that blend storytelling, mechanics, and player agency – they have no equal.

Spectacular.

Today's game is Red Dead Redemption 2. After years of not finishing the story after making it too Chapter 6 on my Xbox, i decided now's the time. Especially since i just finished Halo MCC on Legendary. Ideally, i'd love to get all the achievements because i love the fuck out of this game despite never getting to beat it (and getting all the achievements is my favorite way to pay respect to games), but right now i'm just aiming for the story.

Just tonight i did the mission where you burn down the Gray's Tobacco farm with Moonshine. I did this one last time too, but the shoddy cloud backup system didn't update it with it. So i had to do it again. I'm pretty sure i'm close to the end of the chapter though.

This game has some of my favorite landscapes to look at. I legit have a problem where i'll take like 30 photos any time i open the game. That's how good it is. My new desktop makes this worse too because i'll have a pretty view 24/7.

I took this one before starting the mission. I was originally just distracted because it's a big basin of water, but then the reflection caught my attention and i took it for a screenshot. I really like how it turned out though. It's one of my favorites out of this batch.

I also got this one at the end of the mission with the farm burning down. I think it looked sick. Not perfect by any means, but really cool none the less.

Into The Breach is a fun, lightweight puzzle game disguised as a strategy game. The key to consistent victory is map control.

I've been replaying it recently since it is good to pick up and play to completion in one sitting.

I've stumbled into what has become my favorite overpowered custom squad:

Rocket Mech.

Smog Mech (immediately remove the nanofilter mending ability from the mech).

Jet Mech. I usually put Camila in this mech as my chosen pilot.

This squad outputs smoke from every mech, and thanks to the Smog Mech the smoke causes damage to enemies (but not friendlies). This allows for map control by smoking up and causing fire all over the board. Upgrades that allow for bonus smoke damage, more smoke output from the Smog Mech, and more smoke from the Jet Mech makes the damage per turn and map control insane. The only missions that cause any trouble are those where an unstable vek has to be kept alive or there is a limit on how many vek can be killed.