The Android app price drops include FINAL FANTASY VII for , Cafeteria Nipponica for .25, Skul: The Hero Slayer for , Cafe Master Story for , Beastie Bay DX for , and Backrooms for free.
Edwin is currently sidelined by an illness following TennoCon, and he is expected to submit stories on Soulframe and Warframe: Tau before fully resting. New PC games being released this week include:
- Ascend to Zero: A sci-fi action-roguelike with temporal manipulation.
- Forensics: Crime Scene Detective: A game focused on managing fingerprint and bullet comparisons.
- Soulforge Lost Path: A Survivorslike/bullet heaven game with limited inventory management.
- D-Topia: A puzzle adventure about maintaining an AI-managed society.
- The Incident at Galley House: A visual novel remake of a murder mystery text adventure.
- Happy's Humble Burger Cult: A cooking horror game for 1-4 players.
- Moss: The Forgotten Relic: A 3D platformer available for non-VR PC players.
- Storebound: A cooperative horror puzzler launching into version 1.0.
- Wreck Runners: A multiplayer game set in a haunted Bermuda Triangle.
- Fogpiercer: A tactical roguelike deckbuilder focused on defending a train.
- Frozen Ship: A first-person survival game launching in early access on the 17th.
Additionally, today marks RPS’s 19th birthday, and the team will be scattered in the coming days for various events and holidays.
Super Mario 64 is considered one of Nintendo's best games and is essential for Nintendo 64 owners. It was reimagined for the Nintendo DS, which introduced new playable characters (Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario) and levels, as well as multiplayer experiences. However, the DS version has drawbacks, including graphics that may not perform well on larger screens and controls that are less effective for a 3D platformer. A PC decompilation project led by tangosdev aims to improve these issues, potentially combining features from both the original and DS versions. Progress is ongoing, and while completion is not imminent, it may resolve the debate over which version is superior.
Ubisoft's Black Flag Resynced features enhanced visuals and quality-of-life improvements but raises questions about the essence of the original game. The revamped stealth mechanics allow players to crouch anywhere, eliminating fail conditions from stealth missions and diluting the sense of accomplishment. The original game's combat retains its fluidity with a classic control scheme, while Resynced departs from this style. The movement and climbing mechanics in the original require thoughtful navigation, whereas Resynced allows for a more reckless approach. The ship combat in Resynced is improved with new firing modes and officer upgrades, making naval battles more challenging. The narrative of the original remains compelling, with new quests in Resynced feeling lacking in comparison. Modern additions like an in-game shop and a battle pass mechanic create dissonance between old and new elements. Overall, players driven by nostalgia may prefer the original Black Flag over Resynced.
Modder ‘Blu’ has created a Reshade Mod for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced that removes the yellow color filter, allowing for a more authentic color palette. This mod is available for download and requires the latest version of Reshade with Prod80’s shaders for optimal performance. Comparison screenshots show the differences between the modded and vanilla versions. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced performs better than its predecessor but has a bug that can lock the framerate during cutscenes, which Ubisoft is addressing in an upcoming update. Players can adjust settings like Ray Tracing, BVH, and Terrain Quality to mitigate performance issues.
Nintendo Switch Online offers various games, but some gamers find it lacking in quality and affordability. Several titles available on the service have superior versions on PC, particularly Nintendo 64 games.
- Harvest Moon 64 features quality-of-life enhancements like variable game speeds and streamlined controls.
- GoldenEye 64 has been revitalized by modders with improved framerates, higher resolutions, widescreen support, and online multiplayer.
- Earthbound Beginnings has a fan-made rom-hack that updates visuals and gameplay.
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is considered best experienced on PC via Ship of Harkinian, which offers performance enhancements and gameplay improvements.
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask has PC versions with unlocked framerates, improved resolutions, and customizable day lengths.
- Super Mario World PC ports upscale graphics and introduce new mechanics like a double-jump feature.
- Star Fox 64 PC port runs at 60fps with higher resolutions and customizable controls.
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap has a PC port that modernizes the game and allows for user-created dungeons.
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.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has received a mixed reception on Steam, initially categorized as Mixed but later achieving a Mostly Positive rating. The game features numerous microtransactions, including outfits, weapons, and a map-reveal pack, leading to criticism from fans and reviewers regarding Ubisoft's monetization strategy. Reviewers expressed dissatisfaction with the game's push for additional purchases, despite assurances that downloadable content (DLC) is not necessary to complete the game. One reviewer noted that navigating to the store page can be frustrating due to a design choice that redirects players to the store when attempting to pause and unpause the game.
A working version of the remake of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag has leaked on torrent sites ahead of its scheduled release on July 9, 2026. The leak is believed to have originated from an internal production build at Ubisoft, potentially disseminated by individuals with early access, including members of the gaming press. Despite Ubisoft's security measures, including Denuvo Anti-tamper technology, hackers known as DenuvOwO managed to bypass these protections using a hypervisor-based method. Ubisoft has not yet commented on the leak.
Ubisoft is releasing Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a remake of the original 2013 game, developed by Ubisoft Singapore. The remake utilizes an enhanced Anvil engine, featuring technological advancements such as ray tracing, fluid-based wind simulation, and virtualized geometry. Players will again control Edward Kenway, with a narrative that follows his transformation from a buccaneer to an Assassin. The game includes redesigned environments with new paths and parkour elements, expanded mission designs, and omits modern-day scenes for better immersion. Players can upgrade their ship, the Jackdaw, and interact with historical figures like Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. Naval combat has been revitalized with improved customization, boarding maneuvers, and combat mechanics.
