Jumping and shooting have been two of the primary actions in video games since the mediums inception, and yet theyve rarely been smooshed together certainly not with the hilarious, maddening verve of Shotgun Cop Man. The only other example that springs to mind right now is rocket jumping in Quake, and that started life as an exploit, it wasnt an intended part of the game design.Not so in Shotgun Cop Man. Shooting to jump is the concept this entire game revolves around, and its exploited with great ruthlessness and wit by DeadToast across the levels available to play in the games demo. The demo is available now and will be featured in next weeks Steam Next Fest, which runs from Feb. 24 to March 3.The latest from My Friend Pedro developer DeadToast Entertainment is a minimalist 2D platformer about a bald, stick-limbed, slab-chested cop called well, you can guess. Shotgun Cop Man is on a mission to enter hell and arrest Satan. He has a shotgun and a handgun, which you can aim with the right stick and fire with the left and right triggers respectively. Shotgun Cop Man is not the most athletic sort, and can only waddle left and right relatively slowly but if he fires his gun at the floor, he flies upward. The handgun produces a little hop; the shotgun a massive leap.Its a brilliant idea as it is, but DeadToast cleverly iterates on it to produce a tricksy-but-exhilarating form of movement. The guns reload automatically every time Shotgun Cop Man stands on the ground. You can chain up to three shotgun blasts, changing your aim as you go to send our hero on pinwheeling arcs through the air. Firing the handgun while airborne makes Shotgun Cop Man hover. The best tactic for dealing with enemies little red devils carrying pistols is usually to launch yourself into the air with the shotgun and then blast away with the pistol from midair, gracefully floating through their hail of bullets.The level design is simple, geometric, and devious, studded with lethal buzzsaws. The graphics are functional, but the joy is in the games exuberant physics and chaotic but precise carnage it plays very much like a ballistic Super Meat Boy. In a nod to the classic Nintendo platformer Yoshis Island, your heart floats off if you get hit, and you have a chance to recover if you can reach it. You can pick up tasty handgun upgrades too, like a machine pistol or mini-shotgun, that enhance both your firepower and your power of flight.Shotgun Cop Man quickly gets very hard, but its so much fun to control that it will always bring you back. Oh, to be Shotgun Cop Man, blasting himself into the sky, sailing elegantly into hell.Shotgun Cop Man is set for release on Nintendo Switch and Windows PC in 2025.

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2, officially titled Lawless, is here with new POIs, weapons, mechanics, and more!With a heist theme, Chapter 6 Season 2 introduces three ways to get your hands on a ton of bars robbing banks, armored cars, and trains. Use your abundance of bars to acquire a bunch of new weapons and boons from the black market.Heres everything new in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2, including the map, weapons, and more.Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 map and POIsSee the Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 map above, alongside a list below of the new POIs:Crime City (replacing Warriors Watch)Lonewolf Lair (replacing Lost Lake)Outlaw Oasis (replacing Nightshift Forest)Shiny Shafts (replacing Twinkle Terrace)In addition, Burd has been removed and Shining Span has been repaired.Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 weapons and itemsFortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 is introducing a variety of new weapons and items into the game with a few having a specific purpose. Three new items have been added to break into vaults: thermite, a plasma burst laser, and a rocket drill arriving later in the season.For a list of new weapons, check out the list below:Collateral Damage Assault RifleFalcon Eye SniperOutlaw Shotgun (Patch v34.10)Pump & Dump (Patch v34.10)The KneecapperSub-Zeros Kombat KitFletcher Kanes Double Down PistolThe following weapons have been unvaulted:Mammoth PistolSticky Grenade LauncherStriker Burst RifleAdditionally, new utility items have been added to assist you in battle:Gold SplashMed-Mist GrenadePort-A-CoverPulse ScannerAs always, with a new season, some of your favorite weapons and items have to be tucked away in the vault. Here are all of the vaulted weapons and items:Fury Assault RifleRanger Assault RifleOni ShotgunSurgefire SMGLock On PistolRail GunHunting RifleKinetic BladeTyphoon BladeOni MasksChug SplashShield KegThe elemental boons are being replaced with a new set of boons, which are only available from black markets or rare chests.What else is new in Chapter 6 Season 2?With Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 being called Lawless, there are three new heists for you to tackle:Bank Vaults: Break into one of four vaults using thermite, the plasma burst laser, or the rocket drill.Armored Transport Convoys: Hunt down Fletcher Kanes convoy to gain valuable items, and, if you can get control of the steering wheel, a new ride.Trains: Hop onto the train and take on Fletchers crew to crack open the vault car.After a successful heist, youll receive a lot of bars that can be spent at one of three black markets around the map. At the black market, you can purchase mythic and legendary items to improve your arsenal and boons to strengthen your character.Additionally, there are two new medallions for you to acquire. The new mob boss, Fletcher Kane, will drop the Unstoppable Medallion, allowing you to sprint faster and bash enemies while sprinting. Shogun X is sticking around, but now drops the Super Shield Medallion. This medallion places a Shield Bubble Jr. when you use a self-healing item like a med kit or shield potion.

Tokyo-based Emmanuelle Moureaux, architect, artist, designer, and founder of emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design, collaborated recently with Google to unveil the new entrance to their headquarters in Mountain View, California. Titled 100 colors no.52 MIRAGE, the piece spans the width of the Google campus, encasing the grounds in a richly colorful, metallic binary. The panels of delicate ovals locked together resemble zeroes, while when viewed perpendicularly, the zeroes become ones. An elegant interpretation of binary code, the headquarters are both protected by and limited within the language of computing.A parade of colors greets the viewer at first blush, the distinct motifs blending into one another, creating cascades of hues from across the color spectrum. The science behind how color makes us think and feel is powerful, defining emotions, energy levels, and even brain function. Becoming intentional about which colors we surround ourselves with can bring peace and serenity, or create an activating and energetic feeling, depending on the desired effect. The way the colors interact allows us to focus on the confluences of our personal favorites, all while walking to work. While the morning commute is usually a dreary one, the bold hues of the entrance add a splash of energy to an otherwise gray facade. As products overall become more greige, Moureaux helps us celebrate the difference and beauty between distinct shades, diversity ever present as we move forward together.Created over five years with 100 colors represented in the work, the 60-meter-long installation holds zeroes in an infinite grid, seemingly endless, as the number Googolplex defines. At each of the five entrances, the angles have been carefully calculated to reveal and then obscure the zeroes, suggesting the ineffability impermanence of infinity.With enough zeroes to denote a google itself, the symmetry created staring straight down the middle is bound to scratch any balance enthusiasts itch. Endless ovals stretching as far back as one might dare, by nature obstructing more and more of their neighbors colors. The effect created is so different one module down, each hue obscured in a different yet intriguing way.Emmanuelle Moureaux is a French architect living in Tokyo, where she established emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design in 2003. Inspired by the layered density and color present on the streets of Tokyo, she developed the concept of shikiri, which literally means dividing (creating) space with colors. This has been a defining principle of her work, collaborating with UNIQLO, ISSEY MIYAKE, and the National Art Center in Tokyo. She shares: The title of the work, MIRAGE expresses the hope that a colorful mirage will rise in the hearts of those who see this work, sublimate into a dream that emits a magnificent light, and eventually be realized in the real world.To learn more about the various 100 Colors projects, please visit Emmanuelle Moureauxs website at emmanuellemoureaux.com.Photography by Daisuke Shima.

Over the years, the average keyboard has become a whole lot more interesting, especially with the rise of mechanical keyboards. But I dont think Ive ever seen anything like The Icebreaker, a new Brutalist-inspired mechanical keyboard from Serene Industries.What makes The Icebreaker keyboard unique? Well, its milled from a solid block of aluminum, and has a somewhat unconventional wedge shape, with the keyboard itself towards the top of that wedge. It measures in at a hefty 17.7 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches, which is pretty huge and will take up a sizable portion of your desk.On top of the body of the keyboard being made from aluminum, the keycaps are actually made from aluminum too, which helps set the design apart even more. There are other aluminum keyboards out there, but they dont have a design like this, and typically their keycaps are made from a different material. Despite their aluminum build, they still have RGB light functionality, and Serene Industries says that the keycaps had to undergo 800 micro-perforations to allow for the visible legends.The keyboard houses a 4,000mAh battery that can power the it for around three months. It also offers a dual dampening system designed to absorb any unwanted vibrations and other noise, and it supports both VIA software and Serene Industries own configuration tool for customization. The keyboard itself is a 65% layout, but its actual size is closer to full length, with the long palm rest and rotary knob.So how much do you have to pay to get the Serene Industries Icebreaker for yourself? Available for pre-order in clear or black, the Bluetooth wireless version is $1,600, while the wired model goes for $1,500.For more information, visit serene.industries.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.Body Horror is one of those sub-genres that can be a bit tricky to define, though one that sometimes gets conflated with anything gory. There has to be a human body (preferably several) facing any number of forms of grotesque alteration or violation but, for my money, true body horror needs an extra layer: it has to mean something. There's no greater fear, perhaps, than the terror of our bodies breaking down and betraying usand we're easily repulsed by the simple functions that go on within and without our own forms. Even if we've been lucky enough to have bodies that are relatively healthy and able, it's only a matter of time before something goes wrongperhaps horribly wrong. Good body horror reminds us of our fears in that area: loss of physical control, the toll of disease, the ravages of aging, and it often adds some new ones that we maybe haven't thought of yet. It's not a genre for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but it's one that can have an awful lot to say, as is the case with writer/director Coralie Fargeat's The Substance, starring Demi Moore, which points a very sharp stick at our fears of aging and, even more, our fears of watching other people (particularly women) age.The Substance (2024) Demi Moore's comeback has made such a cultural splash that it might just pave the way for horrorand body horror, no lessto make it big at the Oscars. The movie earned five nominations, including for Best Picture. Demi (I can call her Demi, right?) plays a celebrity aging out of the A-list who learns of a black market drug that creates a younger version of herself. Of course, there are increasingly gruesome side effects. It's as good and queasy a satire of our terrible misogynistic beauty standards as you're likely to find. You can rent The Substance from Prime Video. The Substance (2024) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Fly (1986) Sometimes body horror is about how skewed out we are by our own bodies, a perfectly valid and potent topic. But, at other times, there's more going on. No one has ever done body horror like David Cronenberg, and The Fly came along at a very specific moment in history: In 1986, the AIDS crisis was at its height, and thousands were fighting and succumbing to a still mysterious disease that had seemingly come out of nowhere just a few years before. Jeff Goldblum plays Seth Brundle, a scientist working on molecular teleportation who makes one small and largely innocent mistake only to find his body betraying him in increasingly grotesque ways. Though it probably wasn't intended as a straight metaphor, the timing and the applicability to the era give the movie an added power. You can rent The Fly from Prime Video. The Fly (1986) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Thing (1982) Perhaps John Carpenter's greatest film, but certainly his goopiest, The Thing adapts the classic John W. Campbell novella Who Goes There?, which was itself adapted as The Thing from Another World, one of the best sci-fi/horror films of the 1950s. This '80s version is nearly two hours of concentrated paranoia and isolation, as a malicious alien lifeform stalks an arctic research base, sowing mutual mistrust by taking on the physical forms of the various researchers. While the earlier take hinted at Communist infiltration, Carpenter's bleak (but thrilling) film argues that our biggest threat will always be our fear of each other. Effects creator Rick Bottin's gloriously gory creature effects, capturing our alien intruder in various phases of shifting into human (and animal) forms, are an absolute highlightfor viewers with strong stomachs. You can rent The Thing on Prime Video. The Thing (1982) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Titane (2021) Just another film about a gender-fluid erotic dancer (Alexia/Adrien, played by Agathe Rousselle) who fucks a car, gets pregnant as a result, and is then taken in by a man (Vincent Lindon) who believes he's found his long lost son. Oh, and our lead character is also a serial killer. There's a lot going on in writer/director Julia Ducournau's wildly unconventional love story, but what stands out is the ways in which Alexia/Adrien's gender nonconformity is not treated as a subject of horror, but, ultimately, her greatest asset and a focus of affection. You can stream Titane on Tubi. Titane (2021) Learn More Learn More Hellraiser (1987) Let's say that you gave up your body to these sexy kinky hell priests and, while it was fun for a while, you find yourself wondering: What's next? Frank (Sean Chapman) wants his girlfriend (Clare Higgins, deliciously nasty) to bring him fresh supplies of flesh and blood so that he can gradually rebuild his human body. There's a lot here about links between pleasure and pain in an S&M kinda way, but it's also a movie that absolutely revels in the gloopy viscera of human bodies stripped of skin. You can stream Hellraiser on Tubi, Prime Video, Pluto TV, AMC+, and Shudder. Hellraiser (1987) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cabin Fever (2002) Eli Roth (Hostel, Thanksgiving) kickstarted his directing career with this cabin-in-the-woods-style horror movie, albeit one with a giant twist. A group of college friends head out into the woods for October break when they encounter, and refuse to help, your typical weird old hermit (a slasher movie staple)except that Henry's not trying to warn them about a human killer, but a deadly flesh-eating virus. Using slasher tropes, Roth and company tell a story about a rather gory infection that, inevitably, turns friend against friend as they each try to avoid contagion. You can rent Cabin Fever from Prime Video. Cabin Fever (2002) Learn More Learn More Thanatomorphose (2012) Laura (Kayden Rose) is a depressed and introverted young woman with an abusive boyfriend...but wait, it gets worse. She wakes up in the middle of the night to find a strange spot on her groin. And then one of her fingernails falls off. Laura begins literally decomposing, following the various stages of decay of a human body while very much alive and conscious. It's extremely visceral, but the movie has bigger ambitions than just grossing us out; Rose's impressive lead performance makes clear that we're watching a movie about psychological trauma via an extremely grisly body horror metaphor. You can stream Thanatomorphose on Tubi. Thanatomorphose (2012) at Tubi Learn More Learn More at Tubi Raw (2016) A vegetarian veterinary student develops a taste for meat. A lot of meat. All the time. Much of it human. Human cannibalism is disturbing, but hardly unheard of. Raw takes it several graphic steps further, leaving even the most jaded audiences feeling queasy, though it's also a coming-of-age story. Its director, Julia Ducournau, went on to win the Palm DOr at Cannes for the previously discussed Titane, having already established herself as a purveyor of fucked-up modern classics. You can rent Raw from Apple TV. Raw (2016) at Apple TV Learn More Learn More at Apple TV Swallowed (2022) Ben (Cooper Koch) just wants to pop off to Los Angeles for an exciting new life as a gay porn starbut, first, his friend Dom (who has a secret crush) has a great idea: They'll make a quick drug run across the Canadian border for some seed money, if you will. Actually, and unsurprisingly, it's a very bad idea, as the two are forced to swallow condoms full of a mysterious...something. Some of the condoms are broken during a confrontation with a bigot in a bathroom truck stop, and things go from bad to worse when they finally meet the drug boss (Mark Patton) who's simultaneously ruthless, and also extremely hot for Ben. Oh, and did I mention that the condoms are filled with the larvae of a bug that bites to get you high and/or erect? Classify this one as Boner Body Horror. You can stream Swallowed on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Swallowed (2022) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Mad Love (1935) Just a boy-meets-girl story with an A-list star from Hollywood's golden age! Except that the boy is a surgeon played by Peter Lorre, and the girl is a married actress with whom hes obsessed. When her pianist husbands hands are mutilated in a train accident, Lorres character gives him the hands of a murderer, and then proceeds to attempt to drive him mad by pretending to be the beheaded former owner of said hands. Its gloriously demented, with bits of beautiful expressionist cinematography. For the characters of Mad Love, hands are central to every endeavor: They can make music, practice science, conduct surgeryat least when whole. When these tools are damaged, the film suggests, we are at the mercy of fate (and also of Peter Lorre). You can rent Mad Love from Prime Video. Mad Love (1935) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Eraserhead (1977) Its the David Lynch-iest of all David Lynch films, and an early arthouse masterpiece, so it probably goes without saying that trying to sum up the plot is an exercise in futility. Its something like: Man reconnects with an old fling just in time for her to give birth to their child, a lizard creature, while woman who lives in a radiator looks on. What stands out here is an equal fascination and horror with the reproductive impulse and actnot only birth itself, but the entire weird and disturbing process by which we propagate ourselves. You can stream Eraserhead on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Eraserhead (1977) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max From Beyond (1986)Director Stuart Gordon re-teamed with Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton from Re-Animator for a further H.P. Lovecraft adaptation that does the earlier film one better, at least in terms of horrific effects. Combs plays Dr. Crawford Tillinghast, assistant to Ted Sorel's Dr. Pretorius, both working on a machine that can make visible a world that exists just outside of our perception. It turns out that what exists just beyond the veil isn't particularly friendly, though Pretorius discovers that, by surrendering his body, he can expand his consciousness or, at least, the parts of his consciousness that are both insane and evil. Returning from the void with only a suggestion of a body, the doctor is an increasingly repulsive and generally amorphous blob, at odds with science fiction ideas about mentally evolved humans as somehow more beautifulor at least not murderous and dripping with ooze. You can stream From Beyond on MGM+ and Pluto TV. From Beyond (1986) at Pluto TV Learn More Learn More at Pluto TV Possessor (2020) In the near future, a corporation offers assassinations to wealthy clients, by proxy: They'll kidnap and drug a friend of family member of the target and put the body in the control of a killer with 48 hours to get the job done. Andrea Riseborough plays Tasya Vos, a top assassin who is, nonetheless, starting to lose track of her own identity. Director Brandon Cronenberg (son of David and very much a chip off the ol' block) has created here a bloody, exceedingly gory science fiction story following characters with tenuous connections to their own bodies, and even more tenuous connections to other people's bodies. You can stream Possessor on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Possessor (2020) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video

Losing your job can be overwhelming, but taking immediate control of your finances is crucial for maintaining stability during your job search. I've written before about the steps you need to take immediately after losing your job. One of those is to assess your budgetbut what does that look like, exactly? If you've never used a formal budget before, now is the time to start. But if you already have a budget, how should you adapt it to your current situation? Here's how to evaluate your budget and make strategic cuts that will help extend your financial runway.First off, calculate your new monthly cash flowBefore making any cuts, assess your current financial situation. Here's what that looks like in actionable steps:List all sources of emergency income (unemployment benefits, severance pay, emergency savings).Calculate how many months of expenses you can cover with existing resources.Review your last three months of expenses to understand your spending patterns.Categorize expenses as essential (housing, utilities, food) vs. non-essential.Once you've listed out these numbers in a handy spreadsheet, you'll be able to map out by just how much you need to cut back your expenses.Find where to make strategic cutsThe average monthly expenses for American households total $6,440, according to the 2023 Consumer Expenditures Survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and released in September 2024 (the latest data available). Using this number, and taking a look at my own bank statement, let's take a look at some sample categories where you could cut those costs immediately.Subscription services ($50-200+ monthly savings)Review all recurring charges and cancel non-essential subscriptions. This includes:Streaming services (keep one, cancel the rest)Gym memberships (switch to home workouts)Any sort of premium app featuresEntertainment and dining ($200-500+ monthly savings)Some ideas to adjust your social and entertainment budget:Replace restaurant meals with home cooking.Host potluck gatherings instead of going out.Use free entertainment options (libraries, parks, community events).Look for happy hour specials and restaurant deals when you do go out.Transportation ($100-300+ monthly savings)Optimize your transportation costs:Reduce non-essential driving to save on gas.Consider temporarily suspending extra car insurance coverage.Use public transportation when possible.Combine errands to minimize trips.Phone and internet ($50-150+ monthly savings)Negotiate or downgrade services:Switch to a cheaper phone plan.Remove unnecessary add-ons.Consider a prepaid plan.Downgrade internet speed if possible.Call providers to request temporary hardship rates.Bill negotiation can work because companies have incentives to keep customers happy and retain business. It costs more for them to acquire new customers than to keep existing ones. As long as you make reasonable requests and politely threaten to take your business elsewhere, many service providers will offer discounts or perks.Utilities ($50-200+ monthly savings)Minimize utility costs:Adjust thermostat settings.Use energy-efficient lighting.Fix any leaks.Line-dry clothes when possible.Shopping and personal care ($100-400+ monthly savings)One place to start with your specific spending goals is to physically write down the things you want to buy before you buy them. Another tip is before making a purchase, especially online, add items to your cart and wait at least 24 hours before completing the transaction. This cooling-off period allows you to reassess whether you truly need or want the item.Here are more of my tips to becoming a more conscientious spender, so that you can cut back on spending that isnt adding true value to your life.Insurance and financial services ($50-200+ monthly savings)After losing your job, you'll need to review and optimize coverage:Shop around for better insurance rates.Increase deductibles temporarily.Pause credit card reward programs that cost annual fees.Review and cancel unnecessary warranty services.Consolidate accounts to avoid multiple maintenance fees.Looking forwardWhile you're focusing on reducing expenses, remember that this is a temporary situation. Maintain a balance between aggressive cost-cutting and maintaining your well-being. I recommend starting with the easiest cuts first to build momentum. From there, start to track every dollar to identify additional savings opportunities. Be realistic about what cuts you can sustain long-term, and keep some small treats to maintain morale during your job search.As you implement these budget cuts, you'll be working on an active job search strategy to minimize the time you'll need to operate on such a minimal budget.Your next steps should include:Implementing these budget cuts gradually, but systematicallyCreating a weekly budget review routineSetting up job search alerts and networking activitiesTracking your progress in both areasRemember, the goal is to stretch the funds you have now until you can secure a new gig. Be sure to read up on your rights, apply for unemployment benefits if you qualify, and check out your health insurance options. All of this can be done within the first few days of losing your job and it will make you feel better just to get started. And for an even more stringent approach, check out our guide to a minimally viable budget.

The most surprising thing about Moroi is its sense of humor. Moroi is a top-down, dual-stick action and puzzle game set in a dungeon of surreal horrors, where each cell contains a unique and grotesque vignette. In the first area of the map, theres a cell containing a sentient meat grinder that craves human flesh. In another, a dead man is strapped to a feeding tube thats still pumping slop into his bulbous, pulsing stomach. The next room over, you meet a talking duck with far too many human teeth in its mouth. One tooth would be too many, but this duck has a full, smiling set. And then he rips them all out for you, leaving behind a bloody, empty bill.And this moment makes me laugh out loud. The gore in Moroi is so ridiculous that it turns the corner into hilarity, tapping into the gruesome absurdity that makes b-horror movies so charming. You dont expect the duck to have human teeth, but whats even more surprising is their sudden removal and the ducks leftover, blood-smeared smile. These shocking moments of levity appear in Moroi at a rapid-fire pace, twisting the vibe from brutality to bizarreness and back until it feels like youre trapped in a Francisco Goya fever dream directed by Sam Raimi. Its pretty awesome.Moroi comes from creator Alex Stanescu and his independent studio, Violet Saint. Though hes now based in Switzerland, Stanescu is Romanian and Moroi is filled with grimdark takes on his homegrown fairy tales. The games name refers to a vampire in Romanian folklore, even. Stanescu was also inspired by David Lynch, Heironymous Bosch, H.R. Giger and Little Nightmares, with a dash of Robert Sheckley and Douglas Adams for humor. But at its core, Moroi is a completely original world of creepiness, Stanescu explained during a media briefing hosted by the games publisher, Good Shepherd Entertainment.There's a big pool of things in my subconscious from which I pull, he said. General grotesquery, maybe carnival art, Bosch and early medieval art, and caricature. I always try to find my own style. Stanescu later clarified further, saying, Creepy things. Like, for example, in a puzzle, you have to vomit blood into the mouth of someone else. And you will find reality shifting in some places, like in a room you find someone else than you expect to find, and so on. Let's say dream logic.Violet SaintIts more like nightmare logic, really. Each of the cells in Moroi is connected get the severed hand from the autocannibal so the meat grinder can make bone dust, which you can then give to the creepy wizard, who turns it into salt for the witch, whos then devoured by her own potion, and so on. Eventually in the introductory level, you find a sword, break down a door and continue your quest to escape, but the prison only grows more strange. Every now and then, a voice interrupts your progress, whispering for you to find it. The creatures in the cells seem to know who you are, even though you have no memory of this place. Theres way more going on in Moroi than meets the eye.I tell a lot of it through the lore and collectibles, so those will carry a lot of storytelling, Stanescu said. The storytelling given by the characters and by the gameplay is pretty cryptic. You have to find and pay attention to what's happening.There are no branching storylines in Moroi, but your choices throughout the game will affect how it ends, according to Stanescu. He said the full experience should take about nine hours to complete, but this can be extended if you hunt down all of the secrets.Violet SaintCombat in Moroi is fast and fun, and heavy metal replaces the games moody dungeon music at the beginning of each fight, setting an appropriate tone of chaos and carnage. Dungeon guards are the main enemies and they appear in waves of five or so at a time, some with more powerful moves than others. I ended the hour-long demo with an enhanced sword and a gatling gun in my arsenal. With a sword, you have basic and heavy attacks, plus a finishing move that builds up as you deal damage. The gun doesnt require ammo but it runs on a cooldown mechanic, and it has a basic shot and a finisher. Dodge rolls round out your moveset in the early game, and the balance in these battles feels just right. On top of dodging and attacking, there are fiery cores scattered around the environments that you can explode for AOE damage but be warned, if youre too close to the boom, youll get hurt, too. The end of each battle is marked by piles of intestines and busted corpses hopefully not yours littering the cobblestones.The amount of blood-soaked surrealism, frantic combat and body horror in Morois first hour is impressive, and Im amped to discover all of the secrets in the full game, no matter how many exploded corpses I have to dig through. Or maybe even because of all the exploded corpses.Moroi is due to hit PC pretty soon early 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/moroi-preview-a-grimdark-action-game-thats-actually-pretty-funny-150009465.html?src=rss

Deals on music streaming services tend to be few and far between. But right now, you can snag one of the best deals we've seen, period, on Apple Music. Six months of access is down to just $3 right now and no, that's not a typo. The cost is typically $11 per month, so this sale represents a savings of more than $60. The usual caveats apply. This is an enticement to bring in new subscribers, so current members are out of luck (myself included.) Its also not available for those who currently qualify for a three-month free trial of the service. Finally, this deal must be redeemed on an Apple device, and only iPhones running iOS 16 and later, Mac computers running MacOS 13 and later and the Vision Pro headset are applicable here. Apple Music is a fine little streaming platform. The audio quality is on point, with lossless streaming available at no charge, and the UI is easy-to-navigate. It may not allow exclusive access to Joe Rogan episodes, like Spotify, but thats because Apple Music seems dedicated to, well, music. To that end, the app places a heavy emphasis on curation. There are all kinds of playlists that were created by actual humans, and they receive regular updates. Many artist pages include playlists of deep cuts, essential hits and more. Albums are often accompanied by a review or synopsis, which is a nice touch. The app also gives access to several live radio stations that are hosted by actual DJs, and not AI simulacrums. Apple Music still uses an algorithm for many of its custom playlists unique to each user, but the human touch is still appreciated. The Spotify algorithm for discovering new music is a bit more adventurous, but the Apple algo gets the job done. On the downside, the service works best on Apple devices. Theres also no free tier, which is something of a bummer. To that end, make sure you cancel before the six months runs out, if its not your bag. Otherwise, youll start getting charged $11 each month. 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/six-months-of-apple-music-is-on-sale-for-only-3-130027057.html?src=rss

Here's the full list of everything new on Max in March 2025 including new movie releases Sing Sing and Heretic.

Rumors continue to fly about AMDs RDNA 4 GPUs, and here weve got news on power usage, and a somewhat shaky-sounding story with performance.