Royal portraits are not very typical of the 21st century, but since kings still exist, royal portraits continue to exist… with hilarious results.
There are many traditions that, even though they are archaic, still make sense. For example, creating an official portrait of a new incoming king. In the past, it served to immortalize the rulers and give them a sense of importance, something that may not be necessary today with photography, but still holds some meaning. It is a demonstration of status. Of power. Even if it doesn’t turn out as well as the represented individuals would like.
On May 14th, King Charles III of England presented the first official royal portrait alongside Queen Camilla and artist Jonathon Yeo. The painting depicts the king wearing a scarlet uniform of the Welsh Guard, with a background of red, pink, and scarlet brushstrokes. This gives the whole ensemble an ominous and unique appearance, far from what we expect from a royal portrait. Something that, along with the inclusion of a butterfly, the painter has defined as “a symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth”. In addition to “a visual contrast with the military rigidity of the uniform and sword”.
The problem is that this painting, besides having a quite questionable adaptation to the context, does not fit at all with the image that a real portrait wants to convey. This has led people on the Internet to compare it to something that we don’t believe would please the English king: the final bosses of From Software games.
Comparisons with Dark Souls and Elden Ring have not been delayed, but they should not surprise us either. The use of colors and the contrast between the real and the military situates it well in a dark fantasy context. Even more striking is how well it fits into other contexts, such as the steampunk fantasy of Dishonored, the game from the recently closed Arkane Austin, or even in the walls of Doom, a game with which it shares a certain taste for color-based textures.
Anyone who was connected to social media trends or how memes work could have seen what was going to happen. Of course, the artistic community that can make a real portrait and the world of nobility are not exactly characterized by having a great awareness of the present. That’s why we’re not surprised that this work of art, in more than one sense, is killing Internet with laughter. Not without good reasons, if you ask us.
the bloodied horses that rampaged through london 2 weeks ago and the king charles slaughterhouse floor portrait are related. I don't know how yet but they are pic.twitter.com/8a36FCAgTT
Shadow of the Erdtree will be the only DLC for Elden Ring, as confirmed by the president of From Software, but he does not rule out making a sequel in the future.
Shadow of the Erdtree, the DLC for Elden Ring, will be released on June 21st. This is generating a lot of excitement, as Elden Ring was one of the biggest games of 2022. If not the biggest. That’s why there is a tremendous curiosity about what it will contain, what things it will change, and above all, if it will be the last time we hear about the Intermediate Lands. Something that the game director and CEO of From Software has come out to clarify.
In an interview with Campfire Camp, a Chinese media outlet, Hidetaka Miyazaki has commented on the possibility of there being more DLCs for Elden Ring in the future. While the company has a history of releasing multiple DLCs for their games, it has been confirmed that this will not be one of those cases. Shadow of the Erdtree will be the only DLC that Elden Ring will receive, confirming it as the game’s only official expansion.
Does that mean this will be the last time we return to the Intermediate Lands? Not necessarily. The reason they have specified for not making more DLCs is that they have not ruled out the possibility of making a sequel to Elden Ring. This is because, due to From Software’s game development approach, they always leave the door open to making sequels to their games. This neither confirms nor denies the existence of Elden Ring 2, but it leaves the possibility hanging, if it were to happen in the future.
All of this adds up to the fact that Bandai Namco, the game’s distributor, confirmed that Elden Ring is the beginning of a franchise “that goes beyond the game itself”. So far, this has translated into an art book and figures, as well as a manga: Elden Ring: The Second of the Golden Tree. But for now, that’s all that Elden Ring has expanded beyond the game.
What we do know for sure is that, due to the success of Elden Ring and Armored Core 6, From Software is currently working on several new projects. Whether one of them is related to Elden Ring in any way, we do not know. But it is a fact that we will have new games from From Software in the years to come, with or without it. And just for that, we celebrate.
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It seems that Elden Ring has a lot of discarded content, as demonstrated by the dataminer Sekiro Dubi, who has even uncovered unused mechanics.
Elden Ring is far from being fully explored. It still has a lot of unknown content, even among those who dedicate themselves to dissecting every last detail. It’s part of its magic. It also helps that we have a DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, on the horizon. But that doesn’t mean that people who want to know everything are patiently waiting for its release.
A dataminer named Sekiro Dubi has discovered a lot of deleted content from Elden Ring within the game’s source code. Showcasing alternative maps of known areas, previously unknown areas, and mechanics that were not implemented, they have created a nearly 17-minute video full of information. One particular detail stands out for what it would have meant for the game if it had been implemented.
Perhaps the most striking is the Cataclysm mechanic. A system that would allow players to interact with objects on the map, causing different natural disasters to occur in the game. The two examples found are meteorites falling from the sky and snow avalanches causing dramatic changes in the topography of the map. These events would cause certain areas to become inaccessible now, and other previously hidden areas to become passable. Something that would have made Elden Ring even more massive and interesting than it already is.
If they decided not to do it, it was probably because of the cost involved. The most likely reasons for not going ahead with it were that it could generate confusion, make level design much more difficult, and could create situations where players would get stuck without the possibility of reversing the situation.
Is it possible that we will see cataclysms in Shadow of the Erdtree, the Elden Ring DLC? It doesn’t seem likely. This is deleted content from the game, abandoned in the source code, andthere is nothing to indicate that they can recover it in the future. At least not for Elden Ring. That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t be excited to see what a studio like From Software can do with a mechanism like the cataclysm. That and, when Shadow of the Erdtree is released, they will surprise us in ways we can’t even imagine at this moment.
Final Fantasy is having an excellent year in 2024, and it seems that it will only get better with the imminent release of the new expansion for FFXIV.
Few years have been as good for Final Fantasy fans as this 2024. Not only did we receive a new iteration of the main franchise last year, but also Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has just been released, being an absolute success both critically and commercially. But Square Enix doesn’t plan to stop there. Because it seems that their goal, even beyond Rebirth, is to make 2024 the year of Final Fantasy.
There are few expansions more anticipated than the new one for Final Fantasy XIV. The previous one, Endwalker, was released over a year ago, and fans of this popular MMORPG are eager for more. Fortunately, the game director, Naoki Yoshida, has announced the release date: July 2nd.
Named Dawntrail, this expansion will include everything you can expect. This implies a new story, two completely new classes with mechanics very different from anything seen before, and more dungeons in which to demonstrate our skills. In addition, to address all the challenges it will present, the maximum level will be increased to three digits, setting it at level 100. All this in an expansion that will cost $40 and will include all the content from the previous expansions, Shadowbringers and Endwalker.
About the release date, Yoshida wanted to clarify something important. Because as no one will miss, it comes out a week after the Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Something that Yoshida joked about giving us a week to play Shadow of the Erdtree and then immerse ourselves in Dawntrailer. Something he finished by saying that there was also another reason for that date: he also wants to play the DLC of the From Software game.
Meanwhile, if you don’t want to wait for the two most anticipated expansions of the year, you should know that Square Enix has you covered. Because the second DLC of Final Fantasy XVI, The Rising Tides, will be released on April 18th and will include new stories, a new Eikon, and a new mode called Kairos Gate, more focused on action. So, if you are a fan of Final Fantasy, you have no excuse not to fully enjoy this 2024. Not when the remake of Final Fantasy IX seems to be on the way.
“Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree” has been a major announcement that has caused a lot of excitement, so much so that an already announced game has decided to change its release date.
The announcement of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the DLC for the From Software game, has caused a sensation. And with good reason. Elden Ring was the 2022 GOTY, sold like crazy, and is the biggest title From Software has ever made. That doesn’t mean there won’t be people affected by this. Because a release like Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is going to overshadow everything that happens around it.
Jyamma Games are perfectly aware of this. That’s why they have announced that they are going to delay the release of their first game, Enotria: The Last Song. The reason is because the game was going to be released on the same day as the Elden Ring DLC, a move that would be suicidal.
In addition, in this case, the delay is more than justified. Enotria: The Last Song is a soulslike game that draws from Italian folklore and aims to create a Souls-like experience, with an emphasis on character strategy flexibility and the ability to modify the environmental state. The type of game that would undoubtedly be overshadowed by Elden Ring.
However, that doesn’t mean we won’t know about Enotria soon. The studio has announced that they will reveal the game’s release date on March 21st during the Future Game Show. If you’re interested in this interesting twist on souslikes from Italy, Enotria: The Last Song will be available for PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PlayStation 5.
Obviously, they want to make the most out of ‘Elden Ring’ and have already begun its development, although, according to Reuters, it’s progressing excessively slowly.
It is one of the best-selling games of the decade with over 20 million copies, and it continues to be recommended by everyone. In fact, it would be rare if they didn’t prepare a good bunch of remakes and remasters, in which the changes are minimal and only an expert could find the differences. ‘Elden ring’ is one of the spearheads of FromSoftware, and today we have learned that Tencent, owner of 16.25% of the company’s shares, is already preparing a version… for your mobile.
Tencent may go unnoticed as we constantly hear news about Activision Blizzard or Nintendo, but it is the most powerful video game company in the world, especially after acquiring Riot Games and their ‘League of Legends‘ a decade ago. Obviously, they want to make the most out of ‘Elden Ring’ and they have already started its development, although, as reported by Reuters, it is progressing too slowly and no one knows how it will fit on a phone screen or how to monetize it without causing painful microtransactions.
It is also possible that they end up completely erasing it from existence: that’s what happened, for example, with its mobile version of ‘NieR’, which had monetization issues and was removed from all app stores. Apparently, Tencent has been struggling to find its next success since it launched the mobile version of ‘League of Legends’ (‘Wild Rift’) in 2020. It’s not that players are not used to mobile ports like ‘Resident Evil 4’ or ‘Death Stranding’. The only question is… How much are they willing to pay to play on the screen of their iPhone or Android? That’s where Tencent can make a difference.
This mod turns Elden Ring into the most famous episode of Doctor Who, making it a horror game… And a truly terrifying one
Elden Ring received numerous Game of the Year awards during 2022. That explains why the game remains as vibrant as the day it was released. Even while waiting for its announced DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, the community hasn’t waited for From Software to add new content to continue enjoying the title. That’s where modders come in. And the latest mod made for Elden Ring is not only brilliant but also reminiscent of the most famous episode of Doctor Who.
“Sinister Statues” is a new Elden Ring mod that invites us to experience the Lands Between in a completely different way than we’ve done in the past. In this mod, all enemies will remain completely still. Except every time we turn our backs or blink, they will lunge at us, returning to a motionless state when we look at them directly again. This creates constant tension by never being able to take our eyes off our enemies or fleeing from them without exposing ourselves to potentially greater dangers.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s directly inspired by an episode of Doctor Who. In episode 188 of the series, titled “Blink,” there were a series of alien-like statues that could only move when nobody was looking at them. This concept resulted in one of the most satisfying horror episodes in the series’ history and is often remembered as the most iconic episode of Doctor Who.
Sinister Statues takes that concept and brings it into Elden Ring, introducing a new mechanic called blinking. Now, whenever we encounter an enemy, we’ll have to blink at regular intervals. The less health we have, the longer our eyes will stay closed, leaving us more exposed. Our only way to prevent this is by trying not to blink, something we can do by pressing the action button to consciously keep our eyes open, at least for the duration allowed by our maximum health.
If you’ve already finished Elden Ring, are a fan of Doctor Who, or want to turn From Software’s latest soulslike into a horror game, Sinister Statues is the mod you’ve been waiting for. It’s a true fantasy we didn’t know we wanted but turns out we needed.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is an excellent game, but it’s also a game that can be difficult, so here are some tips.
While summer usually isn’t the best time of year for video games, this year is an honorable exception. Due to delays, the avoidance of competing with other major titles, and specific decisions from certain big studios, we have a very eventful August full of announcements that would typically have occurred between February and April or between September and November. That’s why it’s impossible for anyone not to have something to sink their teeth into during the holidays. Even if what excites them are giant robots.
The latest from From Software, the creators of Dark Souls and Elden Ring, is a mecha game. For the uninitiated, that means giant piloted robots. Although calling it new is a bit misleading. Armored Core is a franchise that has been around since the first PlayStation era and is revered as one of the deepest when it comes to customizing these giant robots. That’s why, at first glance, it might seem intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be! Not if you have our help.
That’s why we’re going to provide you with five tips to make sure the game doesn’t give you a hard time. Because while it’s true that Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a rather unique game with a rich history, it’s not necessarily a difficult game. You just need to learn to speak its language. And we’re going to show you how to do it.
The thruster is your best friend
You’re piloting a several-ton machine. Moreover, it doesn’t have wheels; it has legs. That means its movement is slow and very, very heavy. If you try to move like in a shooter game, using the left stick to achieve agile and smooth movement, you’ll die constantly. The first thing you need to learn is that if mechs have thrusters on their back, it’s meant to be used. To be used constantly. What do we mean by “constantly”? Literally every second of gameplay. That’s why we’ll provide you with a summary of each and every one of them.
Just remember one thing: all of this consumes EN (and you won’t be able to do it if you don’t have EN), unless we say otherwise. The EN bar recharges when we are on the ground and not using any ability that consumes EN.
Vertical Thruster (Hold A/X Button): Similar to jumping, but by holding it, you stay in the air for a certain amount of time. Necessary to avoid the blast radius of missile explosions and to move in the air to engage airborne enemies in melee attacks.
Quick Thruster (Press X/Square Button and a direction): Perform a quick dodge, highly useful for evading melee strikes and projectiles.
Assault Thruster (Press Left Stick): Propel forward rapidly. This not only makes you move much faster but also catches your enemies off guard, quickly positions you, and deals more damage—essential if you want to engage in close combat or land a shotgun blast.
Movement Thrust (Press B/Circle Button): Your mech activates the thrusters to move instead of its mechanical steps. This significantly increases your speed and doesn’t consume EN. Always activate movement thrust to navigate the environment and stay mobile in combat while you recharge the EN bar. You don’t want to be dodging bullets with a robot limited to leg movement speed.
Don’t skip the tutorials
You might think that you’ve played enough action games in your life to never need another tutorial again. Well, you’re mistaken. Unless you’re a veteran of the series, you need the tutorials because Armored Core operates on its own terms. Its customization system is quite complex, and when you add to that an equally complex mechanical system, learning it takes a more than reasonable amount of time.
After all, it’s not just about learning the specifics of each limb controlling a weapon or the different types of propulsion. It’s also about understanding the different configurations, weapons, radars, and heads. Even the fact that this is a game where movement is 100% in 3D. If you don’t learn to fly and control the amount of EN you have left, don’t expect to get any platinum medals. Let alone defeat any bosses. That’s why you shouldn’t skip the tutorials — don’t say we didn’t warn you.
We understand that in other games, legs might not be something you even consider, but seriously, we’re not joking: legs are important in Armored Core. So much so that your mech’s gameplay style will completely change based on the type of legs you equip. Bipedal legs are all-around, capable of doing a bit of everything without excelling in any particular aspect. Inverted limbs are excellent for quickly transitioning between ground and aerial combat, making them outstanding targets that are hard for distant foes to hit. Quadrupedal legs allow for extended periods of floating, turning into mini battle stations. Tank legs allow you to carry much more weight and heavier equipment, turning them into walking fortresses of cataclysmic power.
What are the best legs? It depends on the mission’s requirements and your play style. When in doubt, bipedal mechs will always get the job done gracefully. But a well-configured specialized mech will easily accomplish what a biped might struggle to achieve.
Save your settings
Armored Core is a game that, from its origins, has been based on spending more time designing mechs than using them in combat. And that’s perfectly fine—it’s part of the charm. Therefore, please, save every mech design you create. You have 100 save slots, so running out of space is unlikely. Save every mech configuration that has helped you overcome a particular mission, because it’s almost certain that it will come in handy in the future. That’s the essence of the game—constantly switching between mechs and configurations. Don’t be afraid to change. The beauty of this game lies in adapting your mech to suit each mission. The idea of getting attached to a single build and never changing it is reserved for games from other companies, not From Software.
Auto-lock is what keeps you alive
This may sound sacrilegious to anyone who is not a veteran of the franchise —for the veterans, not so much because, well: they’re used to entries where manual aiming doesn’t even exist as such—, but you’re going to have to put your gamer pride aside. Auto-lock is going to save your life in practically every situation.
You can choose not to use it. We understand that if you come from Souls or Elden Ring, and you’ve spent many hours, you’ve already gotten used to not using it, but Armored Core is a different beast. Manual control is much more delicate and complex, highly dependent on the particular parts of your mech. That’s why you should take advantage of the auto-lock feature, which you can use by clicking the right stick. You’ll have plenty of time to switch to manual aiming once you get used to the wonders of this fascinating game.
