“This Is Devastating News” – Hackers Force Console Preservation Site “Back To Basics”

“We had to take immediate action”. One of the internet’s largest catalogues of video game hardware has been forced into read-only mode thanks to hackers. Established in 2018, Consolevariations.com aims to be the “ultimate console database” and lists over 12,000 variants and more than 100,000 photos, many of which are uploaded by the community. Read…

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MSI says its refreshed Raider gaming laptops have been designed to combat the one thing I hate most about portable PCs: fan noise

It’s not often that I write about a refresh of a vendor’s gaming laptop portfolio, and it’s simply because there’s rarely anything new to report. A slightly better screen here, a mildly faster processor over there: small changes are pretty much par for the course. But in an announcement for its new Raider and Crosshair…

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Zohran Mamdani turns philanthropy and corporate greed into an extended Mario Kart metaphor: ‘Government is Yoshi’

There’s nothing like watching US politics from the outside to make you feel in-fucking-sane on the daily. For today’s WTF news, here’s New York mayor Zohran Mamdani explaining the benefits of charity with an extended Mario Kart metaphor. And here’s a transcript for those of you on public transport without headphones, or people who just…

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The classic Xenosaga series is finally making its PC debut, but don’t get too excited because it’s a 2004 mobile game port

Bear with me here: the Xenosaga JRPG series belongs to the wider Xeno series, which also includes the lately-very-popular Xenoblade Chronicles games. The Xenosaga trilogy originally released for PlayStation 2, and the first two games were also ported to Nintendo DS. You don’t need to be a JRPG or Monolith Soft fanatic to be aware…

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How to beat the Sector Guard in Pragmata

Pragmata‘s first boss, the Sector Guard, is quite a step up compared to the challenges you’ve faced so far. But it’s also a sign of things to come: the Sector Guard is a breeze compared to bosses and even standard fights later on, not least because it’s a tutorial for the Overdrive mechanic. Because all…

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How to beat the Luna Digger in Pragmata

The Luna Digger might just be my favourite boss in Pragmata, mainly because you’ll run into this mega mechanical worm a few times before eventually delving into its nest. By the time you step into the arena, you’ve more than had enough of it. But killing the Luna Digger isn’t straightforward, as this beast is…

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Best weapons in Pragmata

Pragmata‘s weapon system is a bit weird. Aside from your basic Grip pistol (which you’ll be able to change later on), every weapon is treated as temporary. As soon as you run out of bullets, the gun is used up and disappears, forcing you to scavenge for another one off the battlefield. While you’re pushed…

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