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Darkwood: A Survival Horror Game Its Own Developers Want You to Pirate

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Ever heard of Darkwood? It’s an indie horror game that was released a week ago on Steam. It’s also available for free on The Pirate Bay, thanks to the game’s developer, Acid Wizard Studio, of all people.

Earlier today, Acid Wizard Studio posted a sort of tell-all story on Imgur explaining why the company decided to post its game on The Pirate Bay. The story explains how this three man (and one dog) Polish development studio worked for four years on Darkwood, the survival horror game that doesn’t rely on jump scares, because the developers were too scared to play survival horror games. The story goes into detail how the developers quit their day jobs, ran an Indiegogo campaign that almost didn’t succeed, and missed numerous scheduled game release deadlines. But, then the story takes an interesting turn and describes the studio’s mounting frustration with scam emails that asked for free Steam keys that the scammers planned to sell on gray market key-reseller sites like G2A.com. The article also mentions how sorry the guys at Acid Wizard Studio felt when they read why gamers asked for refunds of Darkwood, especially one kid who “didn’t want his parents to be stressed out when seeing the bill at the end of the month.” According to the story, this kid was one of the galvanizing forces behind the Acid Wizard Studio’s decision to post Darkwood on the infamous pirating site The Pirate Bay: because they felt bad for people who didn’t have $15 to spare on a video game. This, my friends, is what a bleeding heart looks like, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.

“So we decided to something about it,” explains the original article. “If you don’t have the money and want to play the game, we have a safe torrent on the Pirate Bay of the latest version of Darkwood (1.0 hotfix 3), completely DRM-free. There’s no catch, no added pirate hats for characters or anything like that. We have just one request: if you like Darkwood and want us to continue making games, consider buying it in the future, maybe on a sale, through Steam, GOG, or Humble Store. But please, please, don’t buy it through any key reselling site. By doing that, you’re just feeding the cancer that is leeching off this industry.”

Interesting words from an interesting developer. Most studios would scream to the heavens that The Pirate Bay is the true cancer leeching off the gaming industry, but I’ve never, ever, seen a game developer actively support gamers pirating its game, let alone post the game on a well-known pirating website. However, many prominent Internet game critics and reviewers actively support Acid Wizard Studio’s decision, including TotalBiscuit.

Gamers who want to take Acid Wizard Studio up on its pirating offer can find the link to the officially pirated version (never thought those words would come out of my mouth) in the original article, but those of who want to support the studio can buy Darkwood on Steam here. Given the game’s quality, I look forward to what Acid Wizard Studio does next.

All you have to do to get my attention is talk about video games, technology, anime, and/or Dungeons & Dragons - also people in spandex fighting rubber suited monsters.

Gaming

Documentary Explores the Making of the Highly Praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5

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Square Enix has launched a captivating documentary series that explores the intricate process behind the creation of the highly praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In the first episode, titled “Shaping the World,” the developer delves into the process of reimagining the expansive PS1 map of the original game into a vast sandbox for the PS5. The film includes personal stories shared by directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Tetsuya Nomura, as well as other important members of the team.

This reimagining of the all-time PlayStation classic was truly enjoyable. In our review, we praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its ability to enhance the already impressive combat system of Remake. The game truly shines in its portrayal of an iconic RPG setting. If you have a deep appreciation for the original PS1 game and found enjoyment in Remake, then Rebirth’s character-focused adventure will surely captivate you from start to finish.

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Gaming

Gran Turismo 7 for the PS5 and PS4 shows continuous improvement

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While Sony may not classify Gran Turismo 7 as a live-service game, the team at Polyphony Digital certainly approaches it with a similar mindset. The game continues to impress with every new update, and although v1.44 may be smaller compared to previous versions, it still manages to enhance the already extensive content of this simulation racer.

The update, now available worldwide, introduces three new cars: the Audi R8 Coupé V10 Plus ’16, the Lamborghini Urus ’18, and the Toyota GT-One (TS020) ’99. Furthermore, it introduces three fresh events to World Circuits, an extra menu to conquer in the GT Café single-player campaign, and a collection of livery stickers inspired by the upcoming Highspeed Étoile anime, set to debut next week in Japan.

If you’re not already acquainted with Highspeed Étoile, you can watch a trailer right here. “Sony has announced that a collection of 26 stickers, consisting of 8 title logos and 18 main character stickers, will be made available for a limited time,” stated Sony on the PS Blog. In addition, Fukushima will be included as a backdrop in the title’s beloved photography mode.

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Gaming

TopSpin 2K25 appears to be a standout title in the recent PS5 and PS4 gameplay showcase

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This author has consistently praised the realistic portrayal of tennis in TopSpin 4. After more than a decade, we are thrilled to witness the release of TopSpin 2K25, which expands upon the success of its renowned predecessor. This gameplay video provides a comprehensive overview of the features discussed in our recent preview while also incorporating relevant footage to enhance understanding.

The series’ swing system sets it apart from arcade-style games like Virtua Tennis, as it requires players to charge up their shots in a different way. In order to succeed, timing is crucial, and fortunately, a new meter above your player will assist you in achieving that. Surfaces have their own distinct characteristics, such as clay, where you’ll experience a noticeable amount of sliding.

The game ensures that every player has a distinct set of animations, adding a touch of individuality to each competitor. The courts, found in all Grand Slams, possess a remarkable amount of individuality and charm. It is mentioned in the video that with each in-game season, players can expect a plethora of additional content, such as animation packs. This indicates that there will be plenty to anticipate even after the game’s initial release.

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