Like many, I currently exist in one of two states: playing Eldin Ring and not playing Eldin Ring.

It’s an immaculately crafted game, an open-world with the classic, brooding, Souls ambiance and grade-A world-building. The design of every vista, architectural triumph, and grotesque monster is stunning, a feast for the mind as much as the eyes.

Wrapping my head around the lore of every fort is the perfect capstone to every fuck up. What happened here? What’s happening here? Why am I caught in the middle of all of it? I’ve found dungeons that provide explanation only by way of the boss’s name. I’ve found treasures that open new rabbit holes (just where is this Grand Lift of Dectus?), and followed them down to their glorious payoff. Some provide answers. Always they leave more questions.

It’s an experience familiar to Souls players. Sleuthing out environmental clues and trickling text is what makes the Souls games so engaging, and it’s only compounded with the open-world nature of Eldin Ring.

In their way, the Souls games have long been open-world in the way their dizzying towers and dank nadirs miraculously weave together. But Eldin Ring’s wide landscapes and plentiful points of interest are much more akin to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it’s one of the first games to truly learn from that title’s innovations (which, contrary to popular belief, go beyond the ability to climb every surface—something not included here).

It’s about discovery and environmental story-telling, it’s about being free to traverse a fascinating world at your own leisure and interest, and it’s about being rewarded with meaningful feedback every step of the way.

Yes, Eldin Ring can be a real devil, but any ready rage can be turned into eye-twitching annoyances with the right attitude (losing thousands of souls doesn’t really matter, because the real souls you earned was the knowledge you gained along the way). Or a co-op partner. If you’re stuck at a wall and it’s turning your relationship with Eldin Ring sour, give up on any preconceived notion that this is a mountain to be conquered on your own.

Like its predecessors, Eldin Ring is a community-driven experience. Do most messages lie? Yes. Don’t jump. But beneath each ill-meaning murder and pickle butt joke is a heart of cooperation. Engage with it. Do not scorn the help of others. Embrace it. And when you’ve made Godrick your bitch (and trust me, you will), pay it forward with a little fingering.

I once told you the best way to get into Monster Hunter was by playing with a friend.

If you’re one of those people who got swept up in the hype but can’t break through the first wall (or bridge) of Eldin Ring, then the answer is much the same: make yourself a Furlcalling Finger Remedy and get yourself a Souls-familiar friend.

Because full disclosure: I wouldn’t have made it 30 hours into this game without my brother. I’m a relative Souls novice (six hours of Demon’s Souls and six attempts at the Watchdog of the Old Lords in Bloodborne’s Chalice dungeon when my brother needed a break) who was fortunate enough to learn the most important lessons by watching my brother platinum every title in the series. Now I relish in finding bosses too difficult for me because each fight I fail is just another fun co-op challenge to enjoy together.

(If you really have to go it alone, ease your suffering by compartmentalizing Souls grinding and dungeon progression; When you find a new place, focus first on gathering items, learning the terrain, and finding your way. After that, you’ll be much more equipped to fight your way through and grind out some souls!)

Eldin Ring is so much more than its difficulty. If you love the world, the art, or the ambiance but can’t get through its challenge, there is a way forward. It’s an effort worth making, especially if it’s one we have to make together.

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nick-Stars

This one kind of came out of nowhere, but if you’re a fan of Nickelodeon’s various properties, it should rise an eyebrow. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl looks like a very ‘Smash Bros’-like fighting game that includes a pretty big selection of the network’s cartoon characters.

Included are the likes of the TMNT, Invader Zim, the Rugrats, and of course the ubiquitous SpongeBob SquarePants.

• All-Star Cast: Fan-favorite characters from the Nickelodeon cartoon universe are here! Each fighter delivers a unique move-set and playstyle to master as you try to send your foes flying off the level to win.
• 20 Nickelodeon-Themed Levels: Battle across a variety of stages inspired by iconic Nickelodeon universes, including Jellyfish Fields from SpongeBob SquarePants, TMNT’s Technodrome, and more!
• Single-player & Multiplayer Game Modes: Challenge your skills against the AI, or face off in competitive online and local multiplayer for up to four players.
• Discover Bonus Content: Unlock advanced moves unique to each character’s personality and more in the in-game Gallery!

Look for the game to hit for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch some time this fall.

Source: IGN

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A classic

Who could forget the original Conker’s Bad Fur Day? You know the one; it looked all cute and cuddly, but… wasn’t. No, Rare’s N64 title was raunchy and comedic to the extreme, built around a serviceable 3D platformer.

It wasn’t long before Rare was snatched up though, by Microsoft. And while I don’t think that deal ever really paid off how the Xbox company was thinking, it did result in a re-release of Bad Fur Day. That came in the form of 2005’s Conker: Live and Re-Loaded.

The much-improved title debuted on the original Xbox, though never actually led anywhere. I remember thinking a sequel had to be in the works, but nope. In fact, here we are in 2021, and there still hasn’t been much word about the little foul-mouthed squirrel. Though, fans do have a free copy of the remake to play this month.

Live and Re-Loaded is part of July 2021’s slate of subscriber freebies, along with Midway Arcade Origins, Rock of Ages III, and Planet Alpha.

• Planet Alpha: Available July 1 to 31
  
• Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break: Available July 16 to August 15
  
• Conker: Live & Reloaded: Available July 1 to 15
  
• Midway Arcade Origins: Available July 16 to 31

Source: Xbox News Wire

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Showing its age

There’s little doubt that Xbox Live Gold has taken a backseat to Game Pass. It’d have been kind of hard to imagine otherwise honestly, since GP delivers a rotating selection of all-you-can-play offerings for one monthly fee. And Gold… well Gold delivers a 4 pack of titles. Of course, the latter games are “free” to keep as long as you have your subscription going, and GP games rotate in and out, but it’s kind of no contest as to which one is better.

Does that play into the fact that Gold has been somewhat lacking in its monthly selection in the last few years? Maybe. Whatever it is though, this month isn’t breaking the strong of forgettable stuff.

Yes, LEGO Batman and Tropico 4 are good games, but they’re Xbox 360 games (and old ones too). And the Xbox One stuff for the month isn’t that much better. While it’s definitely newer, neither Armello or Dungeons III are ‘must play’ titles, especially at this point.

Nevertheless, they’re all free for you if you have your sub going. So you might as well log in and claim ’em.

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Re-released

If you were waiting on the PS5 or Xbox Series X|S version of a title that somewhat recently saw release on the last-gen version of that hardware, this could be your month. A bunch of stuff that fits that mold exactly is scheduled to arrive over the rest of March.

Those are games that include excellent titles like Activision’s Crash 4 and THPS revival, and also the divisive Avengers from Square Enix. As far as new stuff goes though, March is pretty thin. Not to say though, that there aren’t some gems.

Returnal arrives for PS5, as does the excellent (Multiplatform) Narita Boy, and Evil Genius 2 on the PC. There is a ton that’s just around the corner in April too, though we won’t get too excited about that just yet. It’s only the 10th.

Here’s are the highlights of what’s landed already in March 2021, and what’s on the way.

3/02/21

• Yakuza: Like a Dragon – PS5
• Maquette – PS4, PS5, PC

3/04/21

• Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition – PS5, Xbox Series X|S

3/12/21

• Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch

3/16/21

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning – Switch
• Samurai Showdown Enhanced – Xbox Series X|S
• Stubbs the Zombie: Rebel Without a Pulse – PS4, Xbox One, Switch
• Monster Truck Championship – PS5, Xbox Series X|S
• RBI Baseball ’21 – PS4, Xbox One, Switch

3/18/21

• Marvel’s The Avengers – PS5, Xbox Series X|S
• Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville – Switch

3/23/21

• Overcooked! All You Can Eat – PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

3/26/21

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 – PS5, Xbox Series X|S
• Monster Hunter Rise – Switch

3/29/21

• Doom 3 VR – PSVR

3/30/21

• Narita Boy – PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
• Evil Genius 2: World Domination – PC
• Bladed Fury – PS4

The post Coming up: The games of March 2021 appeared first on BrutalGamer.

Golden

Four games spread out over 2 consoles hit Live, free for subscribers this month. Those include a pair of Xbox 360 games that I personally would mention as the more interesting of the 4-pack. Landing on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S thanks to the magic of back-compatibility are the venerable Metal Slug 3 and Port Royale 3.

If you’ve been gaming for any length of time at all, then you’re likely familiar with the Metal Slug series. The side-scrolling action titles hail from the land of Neo Geo, and are pretty much all great fun. Run and gun with cartoony characters and (super) over-the-top action. What’s not to like?

Port Royale 3 though, is the other side of the spectrum. Slow paced and strategic, that series puts you in command of a Caribbean empire, shipping foods and dealing with pirates. I was just thinking about the latest game in that set, so I’m definitely in for trying its forebear for free.

As for the more current of the free games, well I’d say they’re both acquired tastes.

The first is Warface: Breakout, an online FPS with purely PvP play. And the second? That’d be VALA, which stands for Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse. The Llamas are revolting apparently, and it’s up to you to put them down in your mech-suit. Twin-stick shooting is the gameplay there.

All of the above are free at differing times this month, but the festivities start off with Warface and Metal Slug 3. You can grab both right now if you’re an Xbox Live Gold subscriber.

Full details are right here.

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Not too rusty

If you’re not familiar (and I’m really not, so I had to do some reading), Rust is an open-world survival game. It’s an incredibly popular open-world survival game, that’s still rocking on the PC. And thanks to publisher/developer Double Eleven, it’ll soon be doing the same on consoles.

In Rust, there is one goal above everything else: survive. Conquer thirst and hunger, battle the elements, create clothing and stay safe against hostile forces including other players, scientists, bears, wolves or even succumb to fire, drowning or radiation poisoning. A game without rules, Rust doesn’t tell its inhabitants what to do. Players are free to be deceptive and aggressive with intense player vs. player combat, raiding and looting, but there is potentially even more to be earned with a team of friendly players by your side. In the struggle for survival and supremacy, players can build tiny cabins in the woods to huge scrap metal fortresses in an attempt to stay safe, as well as craft a variety of weapons, bombs and traps.

Double Eleven

Billed as the “ultimate competitive survival experience on console”, the console version of Rust promises 100-player online games. It also promises much of what the PC edition offers in terms of gameplay, which means a tough and unforgiving experience. Apparently, Rust players are quite the cutthroat crew, and all you get to start out is a rock and a torch. So, yeah.

Rust on the Xbox One and PS4 has no release date just yet, but you can expect to see it wash up on the console-shores some time this spring.

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Pass the game

So, first, if you’ve yet to play NBA 2K21 you should know that it’s a pretty great basketball sim. The Visual Concepts-developed title offers a load of game modes, terrific looks (no matter the generation), and solid gameplay.

Even for a lapsed fan like myself, it’s a fun time. We reviewed the game here, and tagged it with an 87%, saying:

NBA 2K21 is terrific, offering a bunch modes that include season play, WNBA, playground games, and a hearty creation suite. It also looks awesome, with excellent levels of detailing on both players and courts. I have a hard time imagining that fans of the sport wouldn’t have fun with this one.

Our score: 87%

So basically, it’s a pretty good time. And now, it’s set to be more or less free for Xbox gamers. You do have to be a Game Pass subscriber to get in on the action, but as long as you are then you’re in b-ball heaven.

NBA 2K21 is coming to Xbox Game Pass! 

Starting March 4, Xbox Games Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service, lets fans jump into NBA 2K21’s best-in-class gameplay, competitive and community online features, and more through one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and basketball culture – where Everything is Game.

Players will be able to jump right away into a variety of modes including MyCAREER, Neighborhood and MyTEAM, which is currently in Season 5 – Age of Heroes.

Check out more details in the latest Xbox post here. Follow NBA 2K on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for the latest NBA 2K21 news.

2K

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YellowRedBlue

From the press release:

• Go back to the future: A homage to the eighties with a new spin on classic gameplay styles, Narita Boy takes players back in time for a blast from the past
  
• You have the power!: The Techno-Sword can be used alongside mysterious magic so that players can carve and blast their way through enemies great and small
  
• Might as well jump: The classic 2D platformer will see players explore imaginative landscapes and navigate a plethora of pixel art environments
  
• Pixel-perfect story: Encounter weird and wonderful digitised characters on a journey to discover the secrets of the Digital Kingdom and its elusive creator
  
• Pump up the jam: Inspired by the glory days of analogue synthesizers, the pumping soundtrack turns back the clock for this techno-journey.

Narita Boy will land on the Xbox One (and Xbox Series X|S) as a part of Microsoft’s GamePass, right at launch on the 30th. The PS4 will also get a copy then, which is back-compatible with with the PS5, and you can expect to see Switch and PC versions too.

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The… Prime Minister?

Officially downloadable content pack #18 for Tekken 7, the new character was teased during the “Japan Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable #2” livestream. No context or description was given however, so your guess as to who that is in the above video is as good as ours.

Stay tuned, lots more to come on who this might be, and when you can expect to add her to your copy of the game.

Tekken 7 is out now for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

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