The villain's monologue is a common trope in video games, often replaced by musical performances from antagonists in some titles.
In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, The Singer is an orc who sings operatic verses about battles, enhancing the experience.
In Hades 2, Scylla's performances are humorously interrupted by a witch, contrasting her siren songs with Melinoe's indifference.
The Joker in the Arkham series incorporates musical interludes, including a haunting rendition of "Only You" during the credits of Arkham City.
In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Teh Earworm is a creature that plays catchy tunes, leaving players with memorable melodies.
GLaDOS's song "Still Alive" from Portal has become a cultural touchstone, reflecting her personality and enhancing her character's narrative.
Total Distortion features guitar warriors, where failure results in a memorable game-over song, integrating music into gameplay.
Conroy Bumpus in Sam & Max: Hit the Road offers a satirical country song, critiquing the big-game hunter archetype.
In Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, Satan sings with Broadway flair, adding humor and depth to his character.
Ursula in Kingdom Hearts 2 showcases her villainy through song, providing comedic relief with her playful references.
I.M. Meen opens with a song that sets the tone for a game blending education and entertainment.
In Cuphead, King Dice performs a jazzy number in "Die House," enhancing the stakes and his flamboyant personality.
Valve's Steam Machine, priced at ,000, was tested with a 2TB unit using default settings at 1080p resolution, upscaled to 4K. Various games were evaluated for performance, including:
- Cyberpunk 2077: Smooth 60 FPS with light ray tracing; stability issues at resolutions above 1080p.
- Mouse: P.I. for Hire: Ran flawlessly at 60 FPS with default settings.
- Left 4 Dead 2: Performed admirably.
- Borderlands 4: Had visual issues initially; became playable after adjustments.
- Hades 2: Ran seamlessly at default settings.
- Silent Hill 2: Struggled with performance.
- Doom: The Dark Ages: Played smoothly; could use visual adjustments.
- Megabonk: Performed impressively.
- Spider-Man 2: Decent at default settings; improved with resolution increase.
- Windrose: Struggled at default settings; medium settings improved performance.
- Overwatch: Exceptional experience at default settings.
- Grand Theft Auto V: Ran well after initial setup issues.
- Gears of War Reloaded: Visuals improved after tweaks.
- Fallout 4: Maintained solid performance without adjustments.
- Control Ultimate Edition: Needed settings lowered for stable performance.
- Arc Raiders: Playable but with fuzzy image quality.
- Elden Ring: Performed admirably with some tweaks.
- Vampire Crawlers: Provided a sharp experience.
- Resident Evil 4 remake: Satisfactory but needed adjustments for better visuals.
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: Became playable after adjustments.
- Helldivers 2: Ran well but lacked sharpness compared to PS5 Pro.
- Resident Evil Requiem: Solid experience but fell short against PS5 Pro.
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered: Ran exceptionally well.
- Peak: Required no adjustments and performed comparably to high-end PCs.
- Warhammer 40K: Darktide: Achieved stable 60 FPS after tweaks.
- Halo: Master Chief Collection: Unplayable due to login issues.
- Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip: Ran smoothly at maximum settings.
- Rage: Ran smoothly after adjustments.
The Steam Machine is seen as intriguing but its high price limits appeal to dedicated enthusiasts. It offers access to a vast library of Steam games, particularly older or 2D titles, but may not be justifiable for non-PC gamers, especially with upcoming titles on rival consoles.
Old and new games were tested on a phone using GameHub. Low-power 2D games work best, while some newer 3D games struggled to launch or had performance issues. Older games like Skyrim ran smoothly, while a newer game like Dead as Disco required additional components to run. Playing games on GameHub is unpredictable, with older and 2D games being more likely to work well.
Realm of Ink is a roguelike game currently in early access, featuring a stunning art style inspired by Chinese ink-wash painting and fast-paced action reminiscent of Hades and Dead Cells. Players control Red, a swordswoman on a quest to defeat a Fox Demon, navigating arenas filled with enemies and utilizing randomized power-ups to enhance gameplay. The game includes a unique 'pet' system with a companion named Momo that can change forms based on the player's Ink Gem loadout. It is available for purchase on Steam for PC and Steam Deck, as well as on console, with a full 1.0 release scheduled for May 26.
Xbox Game Pass is evolving with a variety of gaming experiences.
Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan, features 550 cars, and allows players to race at speeds up to 100 mph.
Hades 2 allows players to control Melinoë, expanding on the original's themes and gameplay while maintaining engaging combat and narrative.
Vampire Crawlers combines gameplay from Vampire Survivors with roguelike deckbuilding, offering strategic gameplay and unique mechanics.
Subnautica 2 is the most wish-listed game on Steam, enhancing exploration and survival mechanics from the original game.
Mixtape is an indie game that offers a three-hour experience filled with nostalgic storytelling and a vibrant soundtrack reminiscent of the '90s.
Hades 2 is a sequel that allows players to control Melinoe, who must protect the underworld and overworld from various threats. The Zagreus' Journey mod integrates the original game’s roguelike experience into Hades 2, featuring new prophecies, cosmetic upgrades, chaos trials, and new boons from characters like Sisyphus and Eurydice. Players can confront Hades as Melinoe, using her unique weapons and abilities. The mod is available for download but requires completion of the original Hades and its installation to function properly.
Hades 2 transitioned out of early access in September of last year. Following player dissatisfaction with the game's conclusion, Supergiant Games released a patch in October to address concerns. Recently, they released another patch with various improvements to enhance gameplay. The ongoing enhancements reflect the studio's commitment to refining narrative and gameplay elements based on player feedback.
Hades 2 has been recognized as one of CNET's best games of 2025, winning Best Action Game at the 2025 Game of the Year awards and Best Game on Steam Deck at the Steam Awards. It will be available on Xbox Game Pass starting Tuesday. Xbox Game Pass offers a library of games for a monthly fee, with the premium Game Pass Ultimate subscription providing access to hundreds of games, including new releases on launch day.
DayZ, a multiplayer survival game, is now available on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass. Endless Legend 2, a fantasy strategy game, has been added to Game Pass Premium. FBC: Firebreak, a first-person shooter, is also new to Game Pass Premium. Planet Coaster 2, a park management game, is part of Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Tiny Bookshop, a management game, is available on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Football Manager 26 has been added to Game Pass Premium.
Hades 2 is set to launch on April 14, continuing the story of Melinoe. Replaced and The Thaumaturge will also debut on April 14. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered will be available on Game Pass Premium starting April 16, along with EA Sports NHL 26. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will launch on April 17. Little Rocket Lab and Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato will be new to Game Pass Premium on April 21, along with Vampire Crawlers. Kiln will launch on April 23. Game Pass Essential has added two new titles as of April 8. Five games, including GTA 5, will be removed from Game Pass on April 15.
Xbox is adding several titles to its Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass offerings in April. Key dates and titles include:
- April 7: Final Fantasy IV
- April 8: DayZ, Endless Legend 2, FBC: Firebreak, Warhammer Vermintide 2
- April 9: Planet Coaster 2
- April 10: Tiny Bookshop
- April 13: Football Manager 26, Football Manager 26 Console
- April 14: Hades 2, Replaced, The Thaumaturge
- April 16: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, EA Sports NHL 26
- April 17: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- April 21: Little Rocket Lab, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato, Vampire Crawlers
- April 23: Kiln
On April 15, the following titles will be removed from Game Pass: Grand Theft Auto V, Ashen, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery, and Terra Invicta.
