Hello everyone, Im Yonghe Wang Creative Director at Pollard Studios and today I am very excited to announce on behalf of my team and our publisher Wired Productions that Karma: The Dark World will be launching on PlayStation 5 on March 27. The game will also support PS5 Pro enhancements.To celebrate, we thought we would share a breakdown of how the team is making the most of the PS5 Pro features to enhance the games visuals and performance and to share the second in a trilogy of trailers showcasing some of the surreal environments and characters in the game hinting at their relationship to you the player. Please Enjoy!Play VideoWhat Is Karma: The Dark World?Karma: The Dark World is a first-person cinematic psychological thriller which takes place in a cassette future alternate timeline set after World War II. In our game, a company known as Leviathan obtained unfathomable technology that allowed them to wrestle Eastern Germany under their control, installing a regime that oppresses the citizens and places productivity and obedience as gospel.They achieve this through a variety of means, from mass surveillance and mind-altering substances, to their secret organization of Nightcrawlers, special ROAM Agents who have the authority to investigate crime scenes and arrest citizens for interrogation and for Mind Dives a special technology that allows them to dive into the memories of their subjects, and inhabit their memories, living and interacting with the events in their memories as they seek out the truth dealing with the horrors of peoples pasts and twisted interpretations of emotions, guilt, and trauma from their harshest experiences.You play Daniel McGovern, a ROAM agent tasked with investigating a theft at one of the Leviathan scientific institutes, and a job that leads to much greater investigation into love, humanity, empathy, and the complexities of morality.Creating the Dark WorldI believe creation is a profound dialogue with the human soul, transcending books or films to encompass real-life experiences and emotions. We focus on integrating philosophical reflection into game design, as reflected in the title of this work. The relationship between cause and effect is interlinked, with each moment, character connection, event, and more spirally constructing the entire world.Through Karma, we aim to break the boundaries of traditional storytelling, crafting an experience that entertains while provoking thought. It is not just a virtual journey but a mirror to reality, urging players to seek their own answers within the game.Our team employ stark contrasts in lighting and bold color palettes, aiming to immerse players in an experience that merges realism with surrealisminspired by the vibes of games from Remedy (Alan Wake, Control) and the abstract nature of visual storytelling found within the works of the late, great David Lynch (Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me, Eraserhead) whose artistry profoundly influenced our game development, inspiring us to pay tribute to and learn from his works. At the core of our creation is a pursuit of a unique experiential qualitysomething hauntingly beautiful that lingers even after closing ones eyes, and an effort to blur the boundaries between reality and illusion.Within the game, we pay homage to Mr. David Lynch, and we hope players will cherish this journey.The power of PS5 ProDuring development we had the opportunity to start utilizing the PS5 Pro kit, and further enhance the visuals and performance of the world that we have created. Wed like to take a moment to share with you the features that PS5 Pro players can look forward to as well as some exclusive environmental footage captured directly from a PlayStation 5 Pro.Play VideoPSSR integrationOur game fully leverages PlayStations Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology, delivering:Superior image quality with advanced reconstruction techniquesEnhanced edge definition and texture clarityMinimal performance overhead while maintaining visual fidelityImproved detail preservation in motionPerformance metricsThrough careful optimization, weve achieved:Native 4K resolution (38402160)Rock-solid 60 FPS performanceConsistent frame pacing for smooth gameplayEnhanced texture streaming utilizing PS5 Pros increased memory bandwidthVisual enhancementsThe PS5 Pro version delivers:Higher quality texture filteringEnhanced volumetric effectsImproved distance renderingSuperior temporal stabilityTechnical InfrastructureOur implementation takes full advantage of PS5 Pros hardware capabilities:Optimized memory utilizationEnhanced shader processingImproved asset streamingAdvanced post-processing effectsI hope youve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into how we crafted the visual design of Karma. Whether you are playing on PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro we promise this is a story that will stay with you for a long time.Karma: The Dark World launches on PlayStation 5 on March 27. And we are excited for you to step into the shoes of a ROAM agent but remember the mind is a dangerous place.

Parrying in Avowed is when you achieve a perfectly timed block against a melee attack.Mastering how to parry is especially useful for fighters and players using melee weapons you have to be up close and personal, where swords, axes, and even claws are flying about. However, you cant parry out of the gate in Avowed because you need to unlock it first, of course.Heres how to unlock the Parry ability and how to parry in Avowed.How to unlock Parry in AvowedTo parry, you must first unlock the Parry ability in the first row of the ranger tree. You can unlock Parry once you place at least one ability point in either of the fighter, ranger, or wizard class ability trees.You can place three ability points into Parry to gain multiple effects:Rank 1 Unlocks ParryRank 2 (level 5) Increases Parry efficiency by 25%, dealing greater stun when parrying enemies.Rank 3 (level 8) Increases Parry efficiency by 50%, dealing greater stun when parrying enemies.How to parry in AvowedAfter youve placed at least one ability point in Parry, you can now parry by pressing the right mouse button or LT on controller as an enemys attack is about to hit you.Unfortunately, this does mean that you wont be able to use two one-handed melee weapons, as you can only block when your off hand is empty or holding a shield.A successful parry will play a clanking sound as the attack is deflected by your weapon and stagger the enemy. Additionally, parrying attacks will greatly fill the yellow stun meter below the enemys health bar, which, once full, will allow you to perform a special attack for a lot of damage.The timing will take a little to get used to, but, fortunately, the timing window to parry in Avowed is very generous!For more Avowed explainer, heres how to play in third-person, how to get adra and Paradisian ladder, and how long it takes to beat. Or see our full Avowed walkthrough.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally coming out from the shadows, and while we dont know the price of the console or its games yet, Nintendo has announced that Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers cannot be redeemed for Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games, according to a page on its website confirming titles eligible for the Game Voucher program.The Game Voucher program allowed Nintendo Switch Online members to purchase a pair of Game Vouchers, redeemable for many Nintendo Switch exclusive titles, for just $100 a decent discount on Nintendos famously un-discounted $60 titles. While it may seem uncontroversial not to extend this program from Switch 1 to Switch 2, the move has players worried that it may signal an increase in retail price for first-party titles. Both Sony and Microsoft increased the price of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series titles this generation from the traditional $60 to $70, citing the increased cost of game development.Nintendo has also announced the discontinuation of the My Nintendo Gold Points program, which will come to an end on March 24. The program granted points for both digital and physical purchases, which could be redeemed against future purchases. Nintendo has a list of all the details of when Gold Points can be earned and when thats changing. The important detail for those of us with Gold Points in our Nintendo accounts: All earned Gold Points will continue to be valid and redeemable for 12 months after they are issued, so plan accordingly.There is no mention of the My Nintendo Platinum points program, which rewarded users with a different point currency for playing certain mobile games, finding secrets across Nintendo websites, and more. Those points could be used to purchase digital goods (boring!) or more excitingly, physical goods (such as my beloved Splatoon 3 shopping bag). This program was a continuation of the classic Club Nintendo loyalty program, which ended in 2015 before the Switch was released.

The Bidri Collection by award-winning Nolwa Studio, based in Hyderabad, India, offers an intricate and thoughtful take on modernity through the lens of the ancient. The four pieces, the Horizon Lamp, the Drop Table, the Monolith, and the Facet Mirror, each celebrate Bidri style of metal inlaying, a 600-year old practice from Karnataka. This eight-step process, which must be completed by skilled artisans, produces a brilliant contrast between the silver inlay and the oxidized base, which takes on a beautiful inky black. Uplifting techniques honed over millenia, Nolwa Studio aims to foster a new sense of luxury and style with tradition at its core.The Drop Table features a custom Bidri pattern that reflects the delicate, hand-hewn luster of the metal, etched into the side of the bowl-like form of the base. Small inlays form ripples extending from different points on the concave side, as if one was watching a light rainfall underwater. These divots are formed by hand then filled with silver, an elegant marriage between the aquatic quality to the texture and fluid nature of the etching. This tranquil, intimate piece inspires calm, the circular glass top offering full view of the rounded base.What a showstopper the Horizon Lamp is a stunning example of the Bidri technique in a modern form, layers of inlay forming a golden, illuminated plane. Encapsulated by a solid dark border, a satin finish offering a sense of richness without detracting from the expanse of night sky inside. The warm light seems to be born from another time, illuminating the sparks of generations past as they build upon each other, layers of transparency growing brighter as they near the bottom. Ancient techniques shine in a contemporary context, offering an intimate and contextual perspective.The Bidri engravings take on a more geometric quality in the Facet Mirror, two equal halves balancing the introspection of the past with the possibility of the future. Delicate, golden planes are filled with hand-laid striping, graphic design influences clearly present within the piece.The Monolith is a multi-cuboid structure, with towering forms interacting in a vertical trajectory. As Nolwa Studio puts it, The Monolith combines dazzle camouflage patterns with mid-century graphic and perpendicular art, creating a delightful uncertainty of spatial dimensions. The variations in line gaps and thicknesses, along with the use of negative space all come together to distort perception and reveal the secrets of the Standing Lamp only as you walk around it.Nolwa Studios founder and creative director, Rohit Naag, had long felt that his passion for design didnt have a place in his career. In a culture where medicine, law, and engineering were the norm, there seemingly wasnt a space for his artistic vision. After working for top companies across the renewable energy, consulting, and agribusiness sectors in the United States, Europe, and Asia, he moved back to India to immerse himself in traditional Indian crafting techniques, ancient methods of adornment brought to life. Collaborating with talented designers from across the globe, he created the Bidri Collection in homage to the strong craft tradition so integral to Indian culture.To learn more about the Bidri Collection by Nolwa Studio, visit their website at nolwastudio.com.

Theres no better way to put the final touches on a home and punctuate a space than with thoughtfully designed hardware, and Danish studios BRANDT Collective and Norm Architects have elevated this concept to an art form with their BRANDT x Norm Architects collaboration. The result is four striking hardware collections that seamlessly merge form and function, transforming everyday fixtures into sculptural elements. Grounded in timeless materials and inviting surfaces, these collections blend functional utility with visual elegance, offering the perfect finishing touches for any interior.The vision behind this collaboration treats hardware like pieces of functional jewelry for interiors. Each collection is distinct with design expressions that encapsulate the interplay between form, materiality, and space. Visually refined and intimately tactile, they bring a luxurious experience to your daily touch points.The LEAF collection offers a sharp, minimalist edge to cabinetry with hardware that features a blade-like silhouette. The subtle curves are enhanced by light while the solid, dense base provides contrast to the delicate surfaces.The BUTTON collection takes inspiration from the past, with softly rounded knobs that evoke a sense of nostalgia. These pieces age gracefully over time, developing a patina that tells a story of use and touch, creating a visible, tactile connection with the objects we interact with daily.Inspired by classical architecture, the TERRACE collection brings sculptural depth to even the tiniest objects. Drawing on ancient Roman staircases and Art Deco archways, these handles offer a rich visual experience where light and shadow create dynamic rhythms that transform with every shift in natural light.Finally, the CARVE collection adds a handcrafted, artisanal touch to the mix. Its chiseled surfaces, reminiscent of traditional Japanese woodworking, celebrate the beauty of imperfection and change. Each piece becomes more textured and dynamic as time and light passes.Together, these collections from BRANDT Collective and Norm Architects offer a new perspective on hardware design where beauty, simplicity, and functionality meet in perfect harmony.To learn about the new hardware collections by BRANDT Collective and Norm Architects, visit brandtcollective.com.

This week, I explain why generations A and Z are eating rotten meat, making fun of cave explorers, showing off their emergency contacts, and becoming very emotionally invested in an angler fish. Everyone is having a very normal week. What do all the cave diving memes mean?If your various social media feeds are full of videos of upside down shoes and boots in different locations, you're witnessing "cave diving" memes. While "cave diving" actually refers to underwater cave exploration, the memes are not about that: Younger people are making jokes about the way cave explorers will wedge themselves into tiny crevices until all anyone can see are the bottoms of their boots. Here's a real life example: And here are some of comedic takes. How a cave diver checks their oil: A cave diver going through a door: A cave diver notices a crack in the wall: A cave diver at the Sydney Opera House: I'm sure you get the idea. The meme spread because it's easy to do, and it's funny, but it's partly based on a photo taken of the boots of John Edward Jones, who wriggled into a tiny crack in Nutty Putty Cave in 2009 and could not wriggle back out. Despite the efforts of hundreds of rescuers, Jones was so firmly wedged in the tiny fissure, nothing could be done to free him. He died 28 hours later while his would-be rescuers looked on helplessly. Way less funny than the memes. What is "high meat?"For the past several years, young people online have been sharing stories and recipes for "high meat," or "fermented meat," which is raw meat that is left to rot, then eaten. "Why?" you might be asking. Because it supposedly gets you high. Do not follow the recipe below: To be fair, making your own high meat, also known as "fermented meat," is not a widespread trend, but it's interesting because it's on the far fringes of two larger movements. High meat's proponents are generally people who follow a "carnivore" or "paleo" all-meat dietlike this guy. The "it gets you high" part puts fermented meat on the fringes of the psychonaut community, where people are always searching for novel substances to alter their minds. It also reminds me of the many hoax "things that get you high" that crop up every few years among young people, like Jenkem or smoking banana peels. Fermented meat seems like a way of making an already extreme diet even more hardcore. Burly carnivore dudes eating rotten meat remind me of those hippies for whom veganism isn't enough, so they become raw food vegans or fruitarians. I almost hate to break it to the hardest-of-the-hardcore cavemen out there, but a ton of people eat raw, fermented meat all the time: pepperoni and salami are made of fermented, raw meat, and so are a bunch of other common foods. They're made by professionals using time-tested methods so they (usually) don't give you food poisoning, and they don't get you high, but still: raw fermented meat, right in my sandwich. What does get it twisted mean?"Get it twisted" is a, well, twist on the older phrase, "don't get it twisted." When someone says "don't get it twisted," it's a promise that what is to follow will be the unvarnished truth. When someone says "get it twisted," they're going to tell you lies. It started in the online gambling community, where a couple of well-known streamers overused the phrase "don't get it twisted" leading to remixes where a speech like this: became this: (For more young people slang, check out my post "'Mewing,' 'Sigma,' and Other Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang You Might Need Help Decoding.)"Jerkmate Ranked: The Game" released for realLast month I covered the internet making funny memes about "Jerkmate Ranked," an imaginary competitive video game based on the pornographic media platform. This week, in a case of life imitating memes, Jerkmate actually released a game. "Jerkmate Ranked: The Game" doesn't create a leaderboard based on the amount of time one spends on the site though. It's a "clicker" game where the users click the screen to make a robot enjoy itself. The more clicks, the higher you climb on the leaderboard. I try not to judge, but maybe there's something else people could be doing?What is the "my emergency contact" trend?Not all young people are eating rotten meat and clicking for no reason. There are normal people out there too, like the people making "my emergency contact" videos. This wholesome, funny meme template involves showing your partner doing something silly with the text "my emergency contact" laid over it, as if to say, "Can you believe this person is who the hospital will call if I'm in an accident?" That's really all there is to it, but the result is a funny, touching reminder that we're all a bunch of goofballs.Here are a couple examples: Viral videos of the week: the heroic angler fish and Wiwiwi kittenThis week, two animal videos are going viral for very different reasons. First up, the sad tale of the heroic angler fish. Last week, scientists off the coast of Spain filmed a black seadevil fish, aka humpbacked angler, for the first time ever. They usually stay hundreds of meters below sea level, but this one, for reasons unknown, swam right up to the surface. Then it died, leading people to imagine an angler that only wanted to see the sun: I mean, people got emotional over the fish: Or pretended they were going to save it: I'm gonna leave things on upbeat note though: This week's second viral video isn't emotionally wrenching at all. It's just a kitten being so cute that people all over the world are watching the little guy eat its little food and say "wi-wi-wi" and "oooh!" Adorable.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.When it comes to upgrading your home's aesthetic, you don't need to spend a lot of time or money to have an impact. In addition to inexpensive improvements that increase your home's comfort and efficiency, there are a number of small swaps that can have a big impact without busting your budget. All of these swaps are renter-friendlythey are unlikely to cause damage in the installation process and are easy to return to their original state. Simply save what you remove and replace when you leave. Get new switch plate and outlet coversRemove the cheap plastic light switch and outlet covers around your home and replace them with plates made of brushed metal or wood, or look for uniquely shaped or painted covers from marketplaces like Etsy. Hardware stores also sell paintable covers so you can either blend them into your walls or add an accent color. Wall plates are among the easiest and least expensive swaps you can make while adding a decorative element to your space: A set of six duplex outlet covers in brass costs just $20 on Amazon, and all you need to do is unscrew the plates from the wall using a screwdriver. Replace vent coversStandard-issue vent covers installed in your floors, walls, and ceilings can also be swapped for more decorative versions with minimal effort and at a relatively low cost. You can replace both registers, which have louvers and dampers to control air flow, as well as decorative grills. You'll definitely see a difference when you get rid of plastic vent covers in favor of those made of metal or wood, but you can also find more ornate designs or grill patterns in the same material as your existing covers for less than $20 apiece. Be sure to select a material that makes sense for your spacerust-free aluminum is a good choice for bathrooms, for exampleand take care to measure properly before purchasing new covers. Floor grills can often be dropped into place, while those in walls and ceilings will require mounting hardware. Consider new hardwareCabinet handles and drawer pulls are another easy swap that can significantly change the look of your space. If you buy hardware that's the same size as what you're removing, the upgrade is as easy as unscrewing the old and installing the new. Otherwise, you may need to fill existing holes with putty and drill new onesso if you're renting, consider how easy it'll be to return your cabinets and drawers to their original state when you move out. You'll certainly find expensive hardware options, but you can get decent-looking handles and pulls from Amazon or your hardware store for less than $1 per piece. Swap out builder-grade mirrorsBuilder-grade home featuresusually seen as basic and cheapdon't necessarily need to be changed out, but upgrading a few here and there for the sake of your design aesthetic can go a long way. Builder-grade mirrors are often frameless pieces of beveled glass fastened to the wall and are easy to remove and replace with a more decorative alternative. Look for a gently used mirror that's more to your liking on Facebook Marketplace, or consider adding a low-cost DIY decorative edge to your existing mirror. Go for new light fixturesAnother builder-grade feature that you can swap with relative ease for the sake of your home's aesthetic: light fixtures (especially the dreaded boob light). This project does require some basic electrical knowledge and a few materials, but it is totally possible to DIYjust don't forget to turn off the breaker before touching any fixture.

WhatsApp may face greater regulation in the European Union thanks to an increase in users on its open channels. The platform announced Friday that these feeds for news sources, public figures and more averaged approximately 46.8 million users in the EU during the last half of 2024. This increase in users means WhatsApp's open channels, akin to a social network, now qualify as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).The DSA uses the labels very large online platform or search engine when the entity has more than 45 million monthly users in the EU. These designations allow the European Commission greater regulatory power around transparent advertising, content moderation, an annual independent audit, data sharing with the EU and more. Relevant online platforms must also mitigate and assess the risk of damaging and illegal content.WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, is already designated as a VLOP (and not happily), alongside ByteDance, Amazon, Google and more. The European Commission will now need to determine whether to give WhatsApp the designation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-might-impose-further-regulation-on-whatsapp-152832935.html?src=rss

The eufy RoboVac 11S Max is one of our favorite budget robot vacuums, and its now 44 percent off at Amazon, making it only $140. This affordable robot vacuum from a few years back can still trade blows against newer models even without Wi-Fi connectivity. The 11S Max has three power modes Standard, BoostIQ and Max, and the company claims a noise level of around 55 dB. Even so, its suction power is nothing to scoff at. And should it accidentally try to swallow a charging cable, the beeping alerts are loud enough to hear from the opposite end of an apartment. As with the latest robot vacuums, the 11S Max has sensors that prevent collisions and falling down the stairs. Our tests show that it occasionally bumped into objects but also avoided the testers cat play tunnel when other budget vacuums didnt. The 11S Max doesnt have Wi-Fi, but we didnt find that to be a major issue in our testing. The remote control has buttons for scheduling auto cleaning, selecting cleaning modes, manually returning the robot to the charging base and more. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-budget-robot-vacuums-is-44-percent-off-right-now-143706102.html?src=rss

Fortnite will officially add characters from the Mortal Kombat universe in Chapter 6 Season 2.