Dark Souls Archives

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

They put a revolver in Dark Souls—Mortal Shell 2 looks like it wandered out of an edgy teenager’s heavy-metal fantasies, and I cannot wait to play it

Mortal Shell 2 was announced at the Summer Game Fest 2025, generating excitement among soulslike genre enthusiasts. The reveal trailer has a heavy metal aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s album covers. The game features a mix-and-match class-based system where players can awaken and possess various Shells, each with unique strengths and abilities. The combat system is described as "unrestricted by stamina," offering a more fluid experience similar to titles like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Phantom Blade Zero. The first installment of Mortal Shell received a score of 80, with positive reviews highlighting its engaging gameplay.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

I found a mysterious demo disc with no name hiding a game almost no one in the world has ever seen, and it made me feel like I’d uncovered buried treasure

The text describes the experience of organizing a retro gaming collection, highlighting the discovery of a doujin game demo CD labeled "Action RPG (Temp) C81 Demo Version" developed by Foxtail. The game features a straightforward action RPG format with crisp pixel art, intuitive controls, and a stamina system that requires strategic gameplay. It consists of 20 stages with various challenges and enemy types, culminating in a simple message upon completion. The overall experience is characterized by a sense of creativity and passion from the developer, despite the game's lack of polish.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign is the first FromSoftware game that I honestly wish I could play on easy

Elden Ring Nightreign features a fast-paced, randomized gameplay experience that contrasts with traditional FromSoftware titles. Players face high-stakes encounters against powerful bosses, with a focus on survival and defeating Nightlords. The game lacks a progression system, leading to frustration when players are defeated without rewards. Critics have labeled it a cash grab, but it diverges from genre conventions. The absence of difficulty adjustments and varied gameplay experiences limits player engagement, though there is hope for future content that could introduce new characters and mechanics.

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign artist wanted part of the game to feel ‘more cozy, more welcoming, more at home,’ so naturally she drew on Dark Souls for inspiration

Saori Mizuno, an Environmental Artist at FromSoftware, discussed the world design of Elden Ring Nightreign, highlighting the intention to create an environment that starts off familiar but gradually shifts into the unknown. The design team focused on themes of light and dark to enhance the atmosphere, with Limveld initially appearing beautiful but revealing a haunting quality. Mizuno drew inspiration from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away to evoke a sense of longing for home. The Round Table Hold is designed as a cozy and welcoming hub, reminiscent of the Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls. Despite the game's challenges, Mizuno's design encourages players to explore the beauty of Limveld.

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

Why Elden Ring: Nightreign is both a hit and a headache for fans

Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer game developed by FromSoftware, featuring fast-paced combat mechanics and eight distinct characters called Nightfarers, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Players aim to defeat the Nightlord while surviving three in-game days on Limvel Island, facing various bosses and challenges, including a night boss that tests their skills. The game lasts approximately 14 real-time minutes per day, with a storm circle that closes in, causing damage if players do not move. Players can unlock new characters and relics through boss victories. The game is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series consoles, priced at an undisclosed amount. It has received a mixed reception, with a 78% aggregate score on OpenCritic and a "Mixed" rating on Steam from over 31,000 reviews. Players have expressed frustration with solo difficulty and matchmaking issues. In response, FromSoftware plans to release patch 1.02 to introduce automatic revivals for solo players and increase rewards. A mod called Seamless Co-Op allows PC players to team up without needing a third player.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

I can’t believe Elden Ring Nightreign is missing this feature on PC

FromSoftware has released Elden Ring Nightreign, a co-op roguelike spin-off of the Elden Ring universe, now available on Windows PC and Steam, with console versions coming soon. The game features a 60 FPS cap and has received positive feedback for its performance, despite some framerate drops. However, it lacks ultrawide support, which has disappointed some fans. The game is priced at .99, currently available for .99 at Newegg with the promo code XVSAVE.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Capcom may finally bring one of its greatest co-op games back to PC, but it also just deleted everyone’s saves for it

Capcom may be preparing to re-release Lost Planet 2 on PC following a recent update that deleted players' saved games and disrupted online functionality. The company previously used Games For Windows Live for titles like Dead Rising 2 and Resident Evil 5, which have since transitioned to Steamworks. Lost Planet 2 is noted for its co-op multiplayer features, and fans are hopeful that a re-release could retain these elements. Additionally, Capcom announced significant buffs to the hammer weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, which may require multiple patches to fully implement.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

FromSoftware warns of potential “significant frame rate drops” in early Elden Ring Nightreign patch, especially for PC gamers “using the latest graphics cards”

Bandai Namco has released patch notes for version 1.01 of Elden Ring Nightreign ahead of its launch, warning PC users that some configurations with the latest graphics cards may experience frame rate drops. Players experiencing performance issues are advised to lower graphics settings and screen resolution, and ensure their graphics drivers are up to date. The game has been criticized in a performance analysis as a "bare-bones console port with glitches," but improvements have been noted compared to the original Elden Ring PC version. Despite challenges, the PC fanbase remains resilient.

BetaBeacon

May 24, 2025

No English release? These fan-translated games are worth emulating

- Fans have been clamoring for an English version of Mother 3 since its release in 2006 - Enthusiasts translated the game into English and released a patch in 2008 - Game Boy Advance emulation is easy on Android phones and TV boxes - Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden was fan-translated for the PS1 - Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere had a different version in Japan with more content - Policenauts, directed by Hideo Kojima, was fan-translated years after its release - Tear Ring Saga, a spiritual successor to Fire Emblem, received an English translation patch in 2016 - King's Field, Monster Hunter, Namco x Capcom, and Marvelous are other Japan-only games that received fan translations.

AppWizard

May 3, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Star Wars specials, XCOM bundles, Wargame festivals, and more

This week, the Humble Store launched the Tycoon Titans Bundle featuring titles like Transport Fever, PlateUp!, Frostpunk, and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition. The bundle also includes Mad Games Tycoon 2, Espresso Tycoon, and Farm Manager 2021 with its Agrotourism DLC. Additionally, the XCOM Bundle includes all 17 modern titles from the XCOM and XCOM 2 series, along with expansions and classic games. The Epic Games Store is offering the game Super Space Club for free until May 8. Forza Motorsport is available for free this weekend on Steam. Sales are ongoing for franchises such as Lord of the Rings, Dark Souls, and Star Wars, while the GOG store has DRM-free specials including discounts on indie games and classic titles. Availability and pricing may vary by region.