Skateboarding games have seen a slight resurgence lately, with the release of games likeSessionandSkater XLbringing back a long-dormant subgenre of games. In the wake of these games gaining some serious traction, now the big boys of skateboarding games have made their presences known. Last year was all aboutTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Remasteredcollection, and perhaps 2021 will give us more info onSkate 4, or whatever the nextSkategame will be. Announced last summer without a trailer or sliver of gameplay, it’s clear development is very early on, but a newSkategame is sorely missed by fans of the previous games and theSkatecommunity....

When it comes to video game world-wide popularity, it arguably doesn’t get any bigger thanPokemon. And when it comes to fan-favorite Pokemon, it arguably doesn’t get any bigger than Snorlax. To capitalize on the popularity of both, Pokemon Thailand has revealed two massive Snorlax plushies that carry equally large price tags and are available for pre-order now. The “small” Snorlax plus is 35 inches tall, while the larger one clocks in at a remarkable 59 inches....

Movies that play out entirely on the screen of a laptop, a phone, or any other modern device, aren’t necessarily novel at this point, having been utilized to great effect in both horror and mystery genres (UnfriendedandSearching, respectively). However, the unique effect these screen thrillers have on their story can’t be understated. The technique is once again used inMissing, the sort-of sequel toSearching, to mixed but mostly good results. The connective tissue betweenSearchingandMissinggoes beyond some references to the latter (including a pretty fun fake-out opening scene)....

Call of Duty: Modern Warfarestrives to give players a semi-realistic world to battle in. Although the game does not include destructible environments, the game still presents a general level of realism with bullet holes and environmental damage. That seems to be the case in almost every object inModern Warfare,but some fans have noticed that glass seems to be posing a problem. Scattered across severalModern Warfaremapsare instances of glass that is invulnerable to bullets, explosives, and almost everything else fans can think to throw at it....

Monopoly GOis a fun board game that allows players to play with friends and family. In this mobile game, players aim to bankrupt their friends in order to complete boards. However, as they progress, the boards become increasingly challenging. This situation leaves many players puzzled, as theyrun short on Dice Rolls. To cope with this issue,Monopoly GOkeeps onintroducing new events, tournaments, and mini-games that give players the opportunity to seize huge rewards....

Summary The recentMultiVersustrailer teased the Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, Harry Potter, and Aquaman for the game’s roster. Following a lengthy beta test,MultiVersusis soon set to have its proper launch. This new version ofMultiVersusis coming out swinging with a PvE mode and an even bigger roster than before. All the characters that were featured on theMultiVersusroster during the beta testing period will be back when the game launches on May 28. The returning characters will be joined by some new additions as well, with The Joker, Banana Guard fromAdventure Time,Jason VoorheesfromFriday the 13th, and Agent Smith fromThe Matrixall confirmed to be making their debuts....

Obsidian Entertainment has gained a lot of fan faith as a company over the last few years. With new releases from Bethesda likeFallout 76floundering and failing to gain the commercial or critical success ofSkyrim, many fans have been turning to Obsidian’sAvowedin hopes that it will be provide the first-person fantasy RPG experience they’ve been craving. However,Avowedisn’t the only big project that Obsidian is currently working on. The developer is pulling no punches as gaming enters the next generation of console hardware, and the fact that Obsidian is working on another huge project alongsideAvowedisn’t just mind-blowing, but has interesting implications for the studio’s development process....

Summary Indie devs are no strangers to unorthodox genre combinations, and neither is the shmup genre as a whole. The shoot-‘em-up genre, or shmup, has been around almost as long as video games themselves, and a recent renewed interest in the genre has seen plenty of novel combinations come about from indie developers looking to introduce something new to its aging formula. There have been shmups with RPG mechanics and progression, shmups that intersperse their gameplay with visual novel sections, and a recent influx of Metroidvania shmups....

Steam’s weekly top-selling games, as measured by total revenue, have been shared for the week ending on April 11.OutridersandIt Takes Twofinished in first and second place for the second week running, meanwhile three different Xbox Game Studios releases surged onto the list as part of a massive publisher sale, and 2021’s biggest hitValheimfell to its lowest positionyet. The number one position for this week is once again the Square Enix-published looter-shooterOutriders....

Season 6 of theOverwatch Leaguewill see a big format shakeup and the inclusion of teams from its Contender’s division in seasonlong competition. TheOverwatch Leaguewill also hold 2 live events that will serve as the main event of its two tournament splits. The 5th Season of the Overwatch League saw teams play the first high-level competitive games ofOverwatch 2and the competition left a big impression among fans. The live streams during playoffs boasted concurrent viewership over 300,000 for the Overwatch League Grand Finals that saw the Dallas Fuel take the San Francisco Shock to 7 games before a winner was decided....

What if Natalie Portman’s Padme Amidala had turned to the dark side instead of Anakin Skywalker? One fan artist imagines the former Queen of Naboo as a Sith Lord in this piece ofStar Warsfan art. Sith Padme, or as one commentator calls her, “Badme”, is the work of Reddit user “Parker_td,” who posted the fan art on the officialStar Warssubreddit. Padme Amidala was a key character in theStar Warsprequel trilogy. First introduced inStar Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menace,she served as the adolescent monarch of the peaceful planet Naboo during a crisis that would see her home-world occupied by the greedy Trade Federation....

Summary The ambitiousPalworldreleased in early access on January 19, and has surprisingly taken the gaming industry by storm in its short time of public availability. It is clear that the project takes great influence from massive franchises such asPokemon,Rust, andARK, yet it has managed to stamp out its own identity while offering some seriously addictive gameplay. It is difficult to overstate just how important the first days of any project’s early access launch are, and it is safe to say thatPalworldhas enjoyed a lot of success during this potentially problematic time....

Whether one startsPalworldas a beginner or has gained some experience, having the right Pals is crucial. Rare Pals, in particular, are game-changers since they are not only stronger and sharper than thecommonly-captured Palsbut also possess multipurpose skills. Therefore, players with such warriors in their team gain an advantage over their opponents. However, these creatures are not only hard to find, but also capturing them requires skill and precise knowledge of their location....