Gaming
The Witcher 3 Hearts Of Stone Review – Dues Need Be Repaid, And He Will Come For You
The Witcher 3 is a game that needs no introduction. The role playing game developed by CD Projekt RED is a massive open world open game featuring an engaging story, charming characters and some very good quests that take the player in and only let go when the quest is done, like the Bloddy Baron questline where the Witcher Geralt gets involved with a rather dysfunctional family in order to gather information need to complete another quest. More of this has been added to the Witcher 3 by the first expansion called Hearts of Stone.
The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone main quest is a quest intended for players who have reached level 30 and, as such, it’s quite difficult to complete it as soon as it’s possible to reach the Seven Cats Inn near Novigrad, where the events of the expansion begin. Thankfully it’s also possible to play Hearts of Stone as a standalone with a pre-leveled Geralt and a selection of potions and items. The main story quests of the base game are unavailable when playing Hearts of Stone this way but it’s still possible to complete Witcher Contracts and other sidequests if the player so desires.
The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone expansion, unfortunately, doesn’t include any major gameplay change. The only real additions are a couple of skills and Runewright Enchanting which allows players to add a variety of enhancements to weapons and armor pieces by using Runestones. It’s a nice addition but it’s not a really big one, considering how very few will be able to take advantage of it due to the huge amount of coin needed to enchant items. Not that it’s really necessary, as at difficulty levels below Death March, these enchantments are pretty much superfluous.
With the gameplay experience not really getting expanded, one is left to wonder what Hearts of Stone exactly expands. The map, for starters. Once Hearts of Stone has been purchased, players can explore new areas close to Oxenfurt like a few new villages and Points of Interests such as new Monster Nests and new Bandit Camps, which reward players with a variety of items, many unavailable in the main game such as the Order of the Flaming Rose equipment set and more. The enemy roster has been expanded by Hearts of Stone as well, with players having to fight the new nasty Arachnomorphs, the warriors from the exotic region of Ofier and more. As a book reader, I have been pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of the Ofieri warriors: the region is only mentioned once during one of The Witcher short stories and it’s nice to see the team expand on the world Andrzej Sapkowski created in his novels.
With not much getting added to the game by the expansion, it’s up to the main quest’s story to make Hearts of Stone a worthy purchase for fans of The Witcher 3. The story begins with Geralt, perpetually lacking funds, looking for work near the Seven Cats Inn located not far from Novigrad. A contract pinned on the nearby notice board catches his interest, leading him to meet the charismatic Olgierd von Everec and his gang. Little does Geralt know that this job will lead him to battle truly hellish creatures, receive unexpected help from Gaunter O’ Dimm, the vagrant Geralt met at the beginning of the game in White Orchard and get involved with powers and mysteries that were better left alone. It’s very difficult to say why the Hearts of Stone story is good without spoiling everything but be assured that it’s definitely one of the best quests of the game, a multi-layered quest with plenty of twists, surprises and nice little touches, such as the children singing the Master Mirror song, that make it feel incredibly fulfilling. The return of the medic Shani from the novels and the first entry of the series is also very welcome for long time fans of The Witcher. Making the main quest of Hearts of Stone even more memorable are also some very unique bosses, which are quite challenging at times, choices that can lead to different outcomes and different endings and a permanent change for Geralt that players can talk about with Yennefer, Triss and Ciri, something that makes the events of Hearts of Stone feel truly part the game’s story.
Everything considered, The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone is a terrific addition to the game developed by CD Projekt RED. The expansion doesn’t include any major gameplay change or feature but the excellent story , intense boss battles and a variety of nice touches make it a more than worthy purchase. Hearts of Stone is simply more of the best features of the Witcher 3, that0s true, but when the quality is so high, there’s really nothing to complain about.
Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.
According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.
He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.
Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.
Gaming
The developer of Stellar Blade for the PS5 Expressing gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support amidst a recent controversy surrounding censorship
Shift Up, the Korean developer, seems to be reconsidering its contentious alterations to the Stellar Blade outfit. In a message to fans, they have urged everyone to stay tuned for updates and expressed gratitude for the passionate feedback from players. For those who may not be aware, a petition gained significant attention over the weekend when gamers discovered changes made to a few of the game’s costumes through a day-one patch.
The launch day update includes a fantastic New Game + mode, but some players were disappointed by the changes made to protagonist Eve’s outfit. These alterations sparked debates about censorship. Director Hyung-Tae Kim later clarified that this was the studio’s original vision, but he acknowledged that it may require further persuasion to win over users. Internal discussions were also underway to address any concerns.
Thanks to all our Stellar Blade fans for your passion & feedback. Stay tuned for updates🤍 pic.twitter.com/jCRzM4OQBS
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) May 1, 2024
There is no definitive confirmation regarding the reversal of the outfits, but considering the language used in the statement and the widespread controversy surrounding the alterations, it is highly likely that a future patch will restore the original costumes. If you want to get a sneak peek at all of Eve’s different outfits and learn how to unlock them, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide, All Outfits and How to Get Them.
It’s quite possible. Fans all over the world are interested in Shift Up’s highly anticipated action-adventure game, Stellar Blade. With its captivating post-apocalyptic setting reminiscent of Nier and a compelling protagonist named Eve, it’s no wonder the game has generated such widespread attention.
The game consistently impresses with its stunning visuals and high-octane action, leaving players in awe with each new trailer.
Yet, just like other noteworthy second-party and third-party game releases, fans are pondering: Will Stellar Blade be available on PC?
In this article, we delve into the details to determine the platform availability of the highly anticipated title.
Will Stellar Blade be available on PC? Allow me to provide you with the answer.
Unfortunately, Stellar Blade will not be available on PC, at least not initially. Currently, the game is only available on PlayStation 5 starting on April 26, 2024.
Regrettably, it appears that there is no indication of a potential PC release for Stellar Blade in the future. In most cases, trailers for PlayStation timed-exclusive titles conclude with a disclaimer that specifies the duration of their exclusivity.
In the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launch trailer, it is explicitly stated that the game will only be accessible on other platforms starting on May 29, 2024.
Regrettably, when it comes to the stellar blade, there is no indication of such.
It’s important to note that Sony Entertainment Interactive published Stellar Blade, unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This means that the chances of it being released on PC or other platforms in the near future are even slimmer.
However, it is worth noting that there is a chance the game might be released on PC in the future, given PlayStation’s track record of bringing their exclusive titles to the platform. However, it could be a while before this comes to fruition.
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