XboxDesign Lab’s highly anticipated relaunch is here, though it has not come without issue. ManyXboxfans made a frustrating discovery after submitting custom controller designs, and Microsoft is now compensating those who were affected. Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab is an online tool allowing users to customize their own Xbox One controller designs, add an optional engraving, and then have it constructed and shipped.Xbox Design Lab went offline last yearand only recently came back to life....

Balancing form and function is difficult in any game. In horror, the challenge is even greater than in some other genres. Fear is delicate, hard to build, and easy to destroy. For some games, creating an atmosphere of dread is the focus. Whether the player is given an arsenal of weapons or nothing at all, the challenge remains the same: endure, survive, and attempt to preserve one’s sanity. RELATED:Scorn: How To Sole The Crane Puzzle In Act 1 Scornleans heavily into body horror to disconcert players, mixing puzzle-solving, exploration, and combat to keep players on their toes....

Thursday’s Nintendo Direct was full of big reveals and announcements, including new looks atMetroid Dread,Splatoon 3, andBayonetta 3, as well as the reveal ofKirby and the Forgotten Land. One game announcement, in particular, stood out to retro gaming fans. The classic Super Nintendo gameActRaiser, developed by long-defunct studio Quintet, had a modernized remake and expansion announced. Further, the newActRaiserwas confirmed to be launching alongside the announcement. IntroducingActRaiser Renaissance, a fully updated and expanded version of the original Super Nintendo game from Sonic Powered and Square Enix....

Frictional Games' newest addition to their critically acclaimed survival horror series,Amnesia, features a monster often referred to as the Stalker. InAmnesia: The Bunker, players cannot get rid of the Stalker untilthe very end, but they can certainly scare him away with bullets and throwables like grenades or Molotov cocktails. However, the Stalker has a sad backstory, and oddly enough, a rabbit toy plays a huge part in it. The rabbit toy in question is definitely an essential item for players to obtain in order to complete the game, but it is extraordinarily helpful for distracting the stalker....

Apex Legendsis going into its fifth season soon, and has new content ready to keep players entertained. The newest legend,Loba, is popular with the community, and players are anxious to see how the changed map plays. Not all is well with theApex Legendscommunity however, particularly when it comes to matchmaking. Last year, Respawn Entertainment implemented Skill Based Matchmaking, or SBMM, for casual play inApex Legends. Thus, players enter a game with other players of a similar skill level even in casual play....

Media Molecule’sDreamson the PlayStation 4 is one of the most innovative and greatest tools available on game consoles that encourages creativity from its users. Instead of being a game in its own right,Dreamsis a tool that lets aspiring game makers create their own games that they can then share with other players. RELATED:Game Builder Garage - Other Titles That Let Players Make Their Own Games The creativity of the community behind Dreams is astonishing, with many fantastic games of varying genres available for its users....

Summary There are many well-known magic users in media, from characters in games likeCastlevaniaand huge franchises likeHarry Potterto otherslike the horror filmBlair Witch. While magic can be a small part of some games, several make it the focus. One of the easiest ways to do this is to make the main character a witch, wizard, mage, or anything in between. With fantasy being popular in the gaming industry, it’s no surprise that many indie developers are making games based on magic....

CD Projekt Red staff are angry at management regarding the development and release ofCyberpunk 2077. Staffers are voicing their anger at how they’ve been treated and the potential damageCyberpunk 2077’s troubled release may do to the company’s reputation. The long-awaited RPG officially released on December 10, after multiple delays. Since then, the game has been plagued with numerous bugs, particularly with base models of the PS4 and Xbox One. ACyberpunk 2077player created a bug trailershowcasing some humorous situations, which has since gone viral, though there are game-breaking issues too....

Civilization 6has gotten several DLC patches over the years; they usually include new civilizations, new leaders, new game modes, and new scenarios. Receiving a new leader and exploring their unique abilities is always interesting and a great way to spice up the gameplay. RELATED:Civilization 6: Julius Caesar Leader Guide Gamers can actually unlock Julius Caesar as a leader inCivilization 6by following a few simple steps. They can acquire this leader completely free of charge, but he’s only available for a limited amount of time, so they have to act before he’s no longer accessible....

When a franchise has been around for almost fifty years, elements of its presentation have a tendency to rely on legacy and have a hard time evolving. The Star Wars franchise has spent far too long wading in stuff fans remember and its ability to move forward grows more questionable. One of the biggest culprits of trying to turn memories intomaterial wasRogue One, which barely bothered to feature a story and relied almost entirely on callbacks....

Dark Souls 2is something of a black sheep among the beloved FromSoftware titles, As there are many with mixed feelings about its standing in the trilogy. Despite this, there exists asmall but passionate group of gamers that love the awkwardDark Soulsmiddle child, and they are doing everything they can to keep the fire from fading. “Return to Drangleic” is an annual community event in which gamers flock back to the game all at once, allowing for the full experience including PVP and co-op to be relived in a way that wouldn’t be possible without this type of planning....

Despite launching all the way back in 2016,Dead by Daylightcontinues to receive frequent updates and new characters to enhance the experience for players. Last year alone saw the addition of four major content packs, addingSilent Hill’sPyramid Head, The Deathslinger, The Blight, and The Twins alongside an array of new survivors, skins, and maps. Behaviour Interactiveis now teasing its newest batch of content, with the developer posting a cryptic clip over on its Twitter account....

The Festival of the Lost started this week inDestiny 2and brought with it new armor ornament sets, new Haunted Sectors, and the Jurassic Green pulse rifle. All of these limited-time features are specially designed for Festival of the Lost, but they’ve also renewed a consistent topic forDestiny 2, the game’s struggle with FOMO. Many long-running games have run into problems where players feel like they’re missing out butDestiny 2fans seem to struggle with this problem continuously....