NLG - Next Level Gaming

Hu Tao is the spooky 77th director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, presiding over all manner of funeral services in Liyue, and she's coming to Genshin Impact soon . Hu Tao is a polearm wielder and pyro element, so she'll likely take over a spot in your crew that's currently being filled by Diluc or Xiangling. Of course, that's if you're lucky enough to get her out of the gacha. Hu Tao has an adorable little ghost companion that syncs up and synergizes with her core mechanics, which seem to hinge around self-injury for massive damage boosts. Don't worry, Hu Tao can heal herself via regeneration with her skillset as well. Before we dial down into specifics, check out Hu Tao's teaser trailer below! Click here to watch embedded media To dig a little deeper, Hu Tao  contains a suite of abilities designed to push out big burst damage. Hu Tao can trade HP for massive attack bonus that converts to fire damage, suitable for triggering elemental effects on your en

Click here to watch embedded media The reveal of Pokémon Legends: Arceus stole the show during this morning's Pokémon Presents presentation. The upcoming open-world game launches on Switch early next year and transports players back in time to the feudal period of the Sinnoh region. Trainers are let loose to explore a seemingly vast open-world teeming with Pokémon across several generations. Per the title, the game is headlined by the legendary Arceus who, from what I understand, is basically God? So far Pokémon Legends Arceus looks great (if not a bit choppy) but what does it actually entail, and most importantly, what do we as players want to see from it? Join Pokémon enthusiasts Alex Stadnik and Brian Shea as well as  lapsed fan Marcus Stewart (that's me!) as they share their heart's desires for Pokémon Legends: Arceus and analyze the debut trailer frame-by-frame. Will we get a thorough look at the lore and story of the origins of the Sinnoh region? How will catchi

With the recent confirmation from Sony Interactive Entertainment head Jim Ryan stating that more PlayStation games will be making the jump to PC , starting with Days Gone this Spring, it got us thinking: what  other  PlayStation adventures would we want to see make the leap onto the mod-friendly platform? While we could easily just say Bloodborne across the board (which we are very tempted to, mind you), here is an actual list of 10 PlayStation games we'd like to see on PC.  While there is always the PlayStation Now service, it's not quite the same as an actual PC port. Modding Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding when both games made their way to PC was so much fun, and to have that freedom with more titles in addition to an excuse for another playthrough would be amazing.  Let's get started with our first pick: Bloodborne.  Bloodborne Because obviously You can't have any PlayStation to PC list without Bloodborne, let's be real. Dark Souls making

Click here to watch embedded media Stonefly the eye-catching new project from Flight School Studios, makers behind the 2019 indie title Creature in the Well . The game blends two disparate yet inherently fun elements, armored mech suits and giant bugs, to create a neat looking adventure coming this summer.  Stonefly centers Annika, a young but brilliant inventor who is on a quest to recover her father’s lost mech armor. To do so, Annika will have to do her best Tony Stark impersonation and craft an insect-like suit of armor of her own. Doing so involves gathering materials to craft into parts, which you’ll find scattered through the beautiful, hand-crafted forest. The sense of scale gives a sense that Annika is a small human in a big world, as she walks over street-sized branches and soars over leaves at least twice the size of her mech.  Or maybe she’s a normally proportioned human and the environment is just really, really huge.  Click here to watch embedded media Players use th

Fortnite and DC Comics have crossed over in the past, including giving players a chance to live out those fantasies of becoming key icons like the Joker, Cat Woman, and Batman himself, but now the two universes will meet again for a new adventure: a new comic series. The latest Fortnite x DC crossover is a new Batman comic series that will feature the battle royale title in an entirely different way.  While a crossover in itself isn't at all surprising (seriously, the list of mashups is almost too long to count at this point ), the fact that it's via a new comic series is a little unexpected. The new comic series is called Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point and will offer six issues for a new storyline centering around yet another tear in reality.  A new rift rips Gotham's sky asunder in the new miniseries and drops Batman dead center into an unfamiliar world. Batman invaded the game, now he's invading the entire universe, as he tries to escape an endless loop of nonsensic

In September of last year, it was confirmed that the industry was moving toward  a $70 price tag for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X games, and it likely only a matter of time until it becomes the norm. It looks like Final Fantasy VII Remake is joining the ranks of $70 games with its  PS5 version , officially called Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.  PlayStation fans got a first look at how the Final Fantasy VII remake plays on the PS5 earlier this week during the most recent State of Play showcase. In addition to the Yuffie episode , Square Enix shared the differences players can expect with PS5 upgrades. What we didn't know until after the showcase was that the price was getting an upgrade as well.  The standalone digital and physical versions of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will both retail at $69.99. The new Yuffie episode is included in that package, but for those who want a little more, there is also a Digital Deluxe version of Intergrade that will come with goo

The upcoming release of Monster Hunter Rise is an exciting launch for longtime fans of the RPG series from Capcom, bringing with it more combat, more palicoes, and even some good puppers . While the Switch release is set in stone for March 26, Capcom has confirmed that a Monster Hunter Rise PC port is on the way but will be a staggered launch like games in the past. Much like Monster Hunter World, Rise is slated for a PC date sometime in 2022.  With Monster Hunter Rise dropping soon next month, many PC fans wondered if and when the game would be making it over onto a more moddable platform. Capcom has confirmed yes following several leaks in a recent interview with  GamesRadar.  During the interview, series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto confirmed that a PC release is in the cards, but it won't be happening this year.  During the interview, Tsujimoto confirmed that a PC port is already developing because Capcom gets "many fan requests" for this platform. When Capcom brought

This week, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War got a new Zombie mode, Outbreak . Well, “mode” is kind of treating this experiment lightly, because it very well could be the framework of an entirely new Zombies experience - and one that’s far more compelling for folks that aren’t already immersed in the round-based puzzle-hunting and metasolving that Zombies is known for. In short, Outbreak is an open-world, co-op romp that draws upon many, many enjoyable elements that you can find in other CoD games and modes, today’s looter shooters, ARPGs, and even roguelites. Now, I don’t think what’s there in Outbreak is the final, realized version of what this mode can be, but rather some nascent aether where a breakout, big deal mode (or even game) could one day be. Let’s dive in. Click here to watch embedded media First, something needs to be stated. I’ve tried to drag friends along from CoD multiplayer modes into Zombies for years and years, but they always bounce out after a round or two to h

The PlayStation 5 is an impressive machine, but a big issue has plagued its players across the board: the inability to upgrade its internal storage . The PS5’s SSD only has 667GB of available storage (a lot less than Xbox Series X's 885GB SSD), and with triple-A games typically sizing up at around 50GB to 70GB minimum, managing new game downloads – plus updates – has been a bit of a nightmare for PS5 owners. Thankfully, a new report  indicates that Sony is working on a firmware update that will finally allow PS5 owners to upgrade its internal storage.  According to Bloomberg ’s anonymous sources, Sony's upcoming update will enable the PS5's expansion bay, allowing players to install a second M.2 SSD to the console. If you remove the detachable “fins” covering the PS5, you’ll notice the internal slot meant to house an additional drive. The slot has been disabled since launch, with Sony promising last November that external storage support would come in a future update. T

In January, Nintendo announced an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Sanrio crossover would be happening with a new card pack. Still, the company didn't show off exactly what these cards will bring to the calming simulator game. Now, we've got our first look at the adorable Hello Kitty items  (plus other Sanrio properties) and villagers coming to our islands when the new pack arrives next month.  My Meloy, Hello Kitty, and Keroppi are all making their way to islands everywhere with new villagers, items, and styles to don celebrating all things Sanrio. Check out what's on the way next month with the full card reveal below:  Click here to watch embedded media The trailer above reveals a few returning faces from Animal Crossing: New Leaf, including Marty, Etoile, Chai, Toby, Chelsea, and Rilla. Players can also scan the cards over at Harv's island for a few exclusive Sanrio-themed posters as well.  The Animal Crossing Sanrio Collaboration Pack arrives on March 26 exclusive

Click here to watch embedded media Pokémon Diamond and Pearl released in North America in 2007 on Nintendo's DS handheld, and now today's fans will get a chance to revisit these installments with a new, modern makeover. Announced during today's  Pokémon Presents festivities , this pair of games – called Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl – is coming to Switch later in 2021. Though it may not have been the biggest reveal during the show (that honor belongs to  Pokémon Legends Arceus ), it's still an exciting opportunity to jump into the classic Pokémon formula with a fresh spin.  According to The Pokémon Company's Takato Utsunomiya, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are "faithful remakes" of the games originally released 15 years ago. The most obvious change is the distinct visual overhaul, but fans can undoubtedly expect other tweaks to the experience while retaining the core elements that made the original releases so well-received.

New Pokémon Snap got some spotlight during today’s 25th anniversary stream, showing off the game in action and how players can lure and capture the best photos.  The game is set in the Lental region, a biodiverse area where players will explore a jungle, desert, and underwater areas. The world is teeming with wildlife, with various types of Pokémon as far as the eye can see. The game has a who-who of monsters, including legendary and mythical types such as Celebi. Between the creature animations and the game's vibrant presentation, New Pokémon Snap looks very nice as far as visuals go.  Click here to watch embedded media Like the original N64 game, luring Pokémon into the perfect shot involves tossing food to get their attention. You can also use special lures to make any Pokémon glow or change the color of their attacks to really jazz up those shots. While just snapping pics of Pokémon doing their thing will satisfy Professor Mirror to an extent, capturing rare behavior (like

Nintendo is celebrating all things Pokémon today and one of the announcements showed off the latest game in the iconic franchise, a title that takes a page from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with a stunning open world set in the Sinnoh region for Generation 4. The latest Pokémon adventure is Pokémon Legends Arceus. One of the coolest aspects of the new game is that trainers aren't just in the "gotta catch 'em all" mindset , now players can ride their Pokémon to ride, to fly on, or to run with. It's an entirely different way to interact with the pocket monsters that we've come to know and love through the years while giving fans even more freedom to roam to their heart's content.  The Feudal Japan stylization of this new game is a nice touch, giving that open-world exploration even more of a beautiful edge when becoming the very best. The idea of going back in time with the franchise is also an interesting take, especially when looking at the rece

February is officially coming to a close and just like with every new month, Sony is offering active PlayStation Plus members a chance to snag a few free games. While February's freebies are available for a little while longer, the free PS Plus March 2021 games lineup has just been revealed for the month ahead.  PS Plus March 2021 Games The month of March has a pretty stellar lineup, including one game that was a major focus for the most recent State of Play . Earlier this week, Sony revealed more about the Yuffie-driven episode of Final Fantasy VII as well as what the remake looks like on current gen titles. That segway was absolutely perfect going into the March PS Plus games, because the remake for PlayStation 4 is one of the free titles being offered.  "The original Final Fantasy VII is one of the most influential and adored games of all time, representing the best storytelling, gameplay, and technology its era had to offer," said our own Joe Juba about the remake

Click to watch embedded media Fortnite's newest season, Zero Point, is uniting some of the greatest hunters in movies, games, and comic books for an epic battle royale showdown. This event kicked off with The Mandalorian and his child companion leaping through a dimensional rift, and almost every week after has brought new hunters like the Terminator, Predator, and this week's addition of Ripley from the Alien films. Unfortunately for her (but fortunately for us) she didn't emerge from the rift alone. A Xenomorph also made it through. Both Ripley and the Xenomorph are now available for purchase. You can get both of them together for 2,200 V-Bucks, or you can get Ripley on her own for 1,500, and the Xenomorph for 1,600. Ripley has two looks you can switch between, and the Xenomorph has a built in emote. The Alien fun is rounded out with the P-500 Power Loader Arm Pickaxe, Jonesy the Cat in a carrier, a Cheyenne Dropship Glider, and a chest-burster emote. The Zero Point

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Developer: 343 Industries Release: 2021 Rating: Rating Pending Platform: Xbox One, PC 343 Industries has taken to offering up regular monthly check-ups on the status of Halo Infinite as it steers toward its much anticipated launch later in 2021. After earlier looks into art, graphics, and the work of the live team, this month the team is shining a spotlight on the setting itself. The Zeta Halo is a massive explorable environment that seems to dramatically outstrip the scope of many previous games in the series, especially in terms of freedom and discoverability. One of the big focuses for creating the game world for Halo Infinite is described as focusing on two central tenets – legacy and simplicity. “For 'Legacy' we really want players to feel like they are experiencing a game that they remember fondly (Halo: Combat Evolved), but with modernized graphics of course,” says Justin Dinges, the campaign art lead on the project. “As far as

343 Industries has taken to offering up regular monthly check-ups on the status of Halo Infinite as it steers toward its much anticipated launch later in 2021. After earlier looks into art, graphics, and the work of the live team, this month the team is shining a spotlight on the setting itself. The Zeta Halo is a massive explorable environment that seems to dramatically outstrip the scope of many previous games in the series, especially in terms of freedom and discoverability. One of the big focuses for creating the game world for Halo Infinite is described as focusing on two central tenets – legacy and simplicity. “For 'Legacy' we really want players to feel like they are experiencing a game that they remember fondly (Halo: Combat Evolved), but with modernized graphics of course,” says Justin Dinges, the campaign art lead on the project. “As far as 'Simplicity' is concerned, we wanted to ensure that we steer away from overly noisy designs and details which is a key

Bungie confirmed earlier today that Destiny 2: The Witch Queen has been pushed back until 2022. You can read the heartfelt post about that right here with our previous coverage , but the team also confirmed when players can finally expect transmog in addition to changes expected for the way rewards work in-game.  Ada-1 returns to the Tower in Season 14, the very next season following Chosen. With her return comes the ability to finally ‘think Destiny 2 but then make it  fashion’  with the ability to transmogrify those "lewks."  Currently, players can go to the in-game Collections tab to change up how their Guardian looks by reacquiring certain gear and any unlocked shaders, but it's still pretty limited. There are also ornaments that can alter the way certain items look, but again; limited. With the newly implemented transmog system, called Armor Synthesis, arriving with Season 14, players will be able to take  any  armor they have in their Collections and turn it into

If you thought the one-two punch announcement of Final Fantasy VII coming to PS5 and its  Yuffie-focused content  was all the new stuff you were getting from the series, think again! Square Enix took to Twitter right after State of Play wrapped up to announce not one but two different Final Fantasy VII related titles for mobile devices. The first is Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier. It’s a battle royale (you read that right) set in Midgar before the events of the game, where you control a candidate for Soldier and battle an unknown number of other players. Players use a combination of third-person melee, gunplay, spellcasting, and even summons to take out opposing players and be the last Soldier standing. In addition to other human players, it looks like you face off against A.I. enemies as well. The game launches later this year for iOS and Android. Click here to watch embedded media Next up is Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, a single-player title that combines the entire FFV

Final Fantasy VII Remake is coming to to the PlayStation 5 with upgraded visuals, faster load times, and new features such as a photo mode, developer-publisher Square Enix announced today during Sony's latest State of Play livestream . The game is expected to be re-released on June 10. While the port comes with the standard upgrades people have come to expect, such as updated textures, fog, and lighting effects, a few quality of live improvements to note are the inclusion of faster load times, the option to choose between a graphics mode (which displays at 4K resolution) or a performance mode (running at 60 frames-per-second), and a new Normal (Classic) difficulty mode, which allows the player to automatically attack and defend. Previously, this playstyle was only available for the game's Easy difficulty. Lastly, Square Enix unveiled that Final Fantasy VII Remake is getting a photo mode, though it's unclear if this is exclusive to the PlayStation 5 version of the game.