Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 1 $16.39 (was $17) See at Amazon Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 $15.34 See at Amazon Death Stranding is a fascinating game about connection, post-apocalyptic society, and finding meaning in the face of extinction. It's also a long game to play through, so if you'd prefer to take a shortcut, you can always read the official novelization instead. Split into two volumes, the books retell the story of Sam Porter Bridges and his mission to reconnect North America following a devastating event that saw the worlds of the living and the dead collide. Both volumes are available in paperback and Kindle format at Amazon, or as audiobooks narrated by actor Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers, Beverly Hills Cop). The audiobook versions are included in the Audible Premium library available to Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers. Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 1 $16.39 (was $17) The two-part Death Stranding: The Official Novelization was written by Hitori Nojima. The books faithfully follow Death Stranding's plot, but offer more insight into the characters and their motivations that the game didn't cover and provide more context on Death Stranding and its intricate worldbuilding.The first book covers the beginning of Sam's journey to reunite the scattered cities of post-apocalyptic North America in the wake of the Death Stranding--a strange supernatural event where the spirits of the dead make physical contact with the world of the living, triggering cataclysms on par with nuclear explosions. See at Amazon Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 $15.34 Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 follows Sam on the second half of his journey, while also investigating a conspiracy involving his dead mother, estranged sister, and eventually uncovering the truth behind the Death Stranding and the world's ultimate fate. See at Amazon As mentioned above, the Death Stranding novelization is also available in audiobook format at Audible. The books are included in the Audible Premium Library, meaning Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers can access them immediately at no additional cost. Audible Premium normally costs $8 per month, while Premium Plus is $15--however, if you're a new subscriber, you can join now and get three months of Audible Premium Plus for $0 if you sign up before July 31. Death Stranding audiobooks at Audible Along with access to the Audible Premium Library, Audible Premium Plus memberships also include a monthly credit to redeem one free audiobook that's yours to keep forever, even if you cancel, plus access to member-exclusive discounts, all for $15 per month. And if you're already a Prime subscriber and sign up using this deal, you'll get an additional two Audible credits. You can use this deal to listen to the Death Stranding audiobook for free--not to mention thousands of other audiobooks. Note that after the free trial ends, your membership will automatically roll over to the full $15/month subscription unless you cancel before the three months are up.Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has been a favorite in the modding community for years, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered may become one as well. Now, a fan has released a new Oblivion Remastered mod that gives players a Glock they use to shoot up Cyrodiil's creatures. You can see it in action in the video below. A user going by CosmicBoogaloo posted the Oblivion Remastered Glock mod on Nexus Mods, and humorously added, "Mehrunes Dagon owes me some money and I'm gonna get it one way or another."CosmicBoogaloo went on to explain that the mod was created by making changes to the game's archery system to mold the shape of the weapon. But it took a second mod--Dicene's SlickArchery--to reproduce the rapid fire of a gun. From there, bullets were swapped in for arrows, gun sound effects were added, and there's even a holster for the gun.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Nintendo has given a number of Switch 1 games some extensive upgrades on the Switch 2, but none more so than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. Not only do both titles look and run much better on the new hardware, with crisper visuals and smoother frame rates, they can also sync up with a brand-new companion service called Zelda Notes. But as novel as some of its features can be, the service often contradicts the games' most captivating qualities--their sense of discovery.Accessed through the Nintendo Switch mobile app, Zelda Notes offers a suite of features to supplement your adventure in Hyrule. You can view detailed records of your own playthrough, including the number of enemies you've slain and materials you've collected, as well as global stats to see how you stack up with the wider player base. The service also has its own achievements system in the form of medals, which are awarded when you hit different milestones (such as using Zonai powers 1,000 times), along with a function to share items and autobuild designs with other players.All of this is neat, but inessential; you can play through either title without once consulting the app and your adventure would not feel any less fulfilling. However, one feature that does have an appreciable impact on the experience is Navigation. On top of being a repository of personal stats, Zelda Notes can effectively act as a GPS for your game, leading you to a specific point of interest or collectible. As you're exploring Hyrule, the service displays your current location on the map along with an extensive list of things to discover around the kingdom, from shrines and cave entrances to different treasures and enemies. Select a destination--such as a Korok you've yet to find--and the app will guide you there with audio directions, helping you mop up any collectibles you've missed or had trouble locating.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Microsoft is working on multiple new Halo projects, but what are they and when will we learn about them? It might not be a whole lot longer until Halo's future comes into focus. Halo Studios has announced that it will share more information about what's next for Halo at the Halo World Championships event this October.In a blog post, Halo Studios said it's observed "a fair amount of speculation about when and where more details might emerge" about the next Halo projects currently underway. "We don't usually comment on such matters, but this time we want to enter the chat and share a little more perspective for Halo fans who might be on the fence about whether to attend this year's event," the developer said.It was at last year's Halo World Championships that Microsoft revealed the "A New Dawn" trailer that showed off concepts for new Halo projects in the Unreal Engine, including Project Foundry. This was also when Microsoft announced that 343 Industries was rebranding as Halo Studios.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva on Blu-ray $16.22 (was $25) | Restocked on June 30 See at Amazon See at Crunchyroll With a new Professor Layton game on the way, now is a great time to get reacquainted with the crime-solving sleuth. You can do just that with Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, which finally released on Blu-ray in North America on May 27. Amazon sold out of full-priced copies at launch, but the animated film is back in stock as of June 30. Best of all, it's on sale for only $16 (was $25) at Amazon and Crunchyroll.The original DVD release is out of print and tends to be sold for high prices, so fans should snag the Blu-ray while they can. Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva on Blu-ray $16.22 (was $25) | Restocked on June 30 The new Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva Blu-ray includes both the original Japanese language track and its English dub. That includes Christopher Robin Miller as Professor Layton--a role that he first took up with the original Nintendo games--and several other familiar voices from the games.While the film has been available on streaming platforms before, this is the first time that it has received a Blu-ray release in the US. Along with the 100-minute film, you'll get the original trailers as extras. See at Amazon See at Crunchyroll For those unfamiliar, Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is the first animated feature based on the popular detective series. "Shortly after taking the young Luke under his wing, the world-famous Professor Layton finds himself humming along to the tune of an age-old mystery," the official plot synopsis for the film reads. "When an old student calls upon the professor for help, his investigation leads him to a night at the opera. But what starts off as a riveting night of song is quickly transposed into a game of eternal life or death. Can Layton and Luke solve this deadly puzzle in time? Or is a devious dissonance lying in wait?"Continue Reading at GameSpot

Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works $54.70 (was $75) | Limited Time Deal See at Amazon Persona fans can get the recently translated Persona 5 Royal art book for its best price yet. Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works is on sale for $54.70 (was $75) at Amazon. This is a limited-time deal with limited availability. At the time of writing, 20% of Amazon's stock has already been claimed by Atlus fans. Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works $54.70 (was $75) | Limited Time Deal This is essentially a two-in-one art book, as you're getting an in-depth look at both Persona 5 and its enhanced and expanded edition, Persona 5 Royal.Because it covers two games, this recently translated work is bigger than the average video game art book. The 544-page hardcover is filled with artwork from the earliest stages of development to materials used to promote the finished games.The concept art, sketches, character illustrations, and design drawings are accompanied by commentary from the development team throughout. It also includes an exclusive interview with Persona series artist Shigenori Soejima.If you're interested in picking up a book that takes an in-depth look at the art direction of one of the most stylish games in its genre, you probably shouldn't wait too long. Official Design Works books covering older entries in the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series have been out of print for years. See at Amazon If you haven't played it, Persona 5 tells the story of the Phantom Thieves, high school students who save people from the twisted desires of those around them by awakening the power of their true selves. It's wonderfully weird stuff, and worth checking out. It's available on all modern platforms, and since it has been out for a few years, you can usually get a pretty good deal on the incredible RPG that'll keep you busy for dozens of hours. If you really want to spoil yourself, you can also check out this collector's edition for Persona 5 Royal. The 1 More Edition is back in stock for its original $120 retail price for Nintendo Switch.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Shortly after the release of the Backyard Baseball '97 remaster in October 2024, Playground Productions and Mega Cat Studios revealed that Backyard Baseball '01 will be one of the next remastered titles. Now, the game has been set for a release date in early July, and Playground Productions has confirmed that 28 out of 31 MLB players from the original Backyard Baseball '01 will return for the remaster. The announcement didn't specify which of the three MLB players didn't lend their names and younger likenesses to Backyard Baseball '01's remaster. But some of the confirmed returning players include Cal Ripken, Jr., Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter.In partnership with Major League Baseball, Backyard Baseball '01 will feature logos from MLB's professional teams in addition to the players representing the league. Like the earlier Backyard sports remasters, Backyard Baseball '01 will recreate the classic gameplay for touch and modern PC controls.Continue Reading at GameSpot

There are a lot of things for players to find in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, but a few fans have already discovered an issue that appears to be overheating some PlayStation 5 consoles.Players on Reddit (via Push Square) have shared multiple accounts of Death Stranding 2 apparently causing PlayStation 5s to overheat when the map menu is called up on-screen. Fans have reported that the map causes the PS5 fan to loudly go into overdrive before they receive an overheating warning from the console itself.The working theory among players is that the map menu is running with an unlocked frame rate, which may be causing the PS5's overheating issue. So far, no one has reported the same issue on PS5 Pro, but at least one user shared a video on YouTube that demonstrates the map menu's effect on their PS5 multiple times. Presumably this issue can be addressed in an update from Kojima Productions once it becomes aware of the problem.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Rumors about a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag have been circulating since 2023, but they're picking up momentum in 2025. Ubisoft has yet to officially announce Black Flag's return to modern consoles and PC, but voice actor Matt Ryan recently hinted that a remake is on the way.On social media, an X user going by @TheRealZephryss shared a video from @SuperDropKick17 that features Ryan signing autographs at a convention. Ryan--who voiced Black Flag's leading character, Edward Kenway--was asked if he had beaten the game and he affirmed that he had. Ryan then noted that he may need to beat the game again. "There's a reason I say that, but I can't say anything," added Ryan.Edward Kenway's voice actor, Matt Ryan, said this during a fan interaction. It looks like he hinted at the Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake. 🔥🟢 Quote:“Have you beat the game?… well you may have to beat it again”And “There’s a reason I say that but I can’t say… pic.twitter.com/n3PwF8Q7Ri — Zephryss⛩️ (@TheRealZephryss) June 29, 2025 Earlier this month, a report put the spotlight on a live-stream from Pure Arts--the company behind PVC statues of Assassin's Creed characters--that addressed Edward's absence from the statue line. The hosts appeared to be confused about whether a Black Flag remake was announced, but went on to say that "there’s going to be something going on with Edward, and our PVC ⅛ scale statue will reflect that accordingly."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Monster Hunter Wilds players on PC have been making their displeasure known on Steam by leaving a string of bad reviews over some performance issues with the game. The number of concurrent players has dropped so rapidly that Wilds' predecessor, Monster Hunter World, has a higher count. Today, Capcom is attempting to address PC players' issues as part of the massive Free Title Update 2. The publisher has also shared a glimpse at the next two free updates beyond this one. While Free Title Update 2 doesn't make any changes to Wilds' minimum or recommended system requirements, the Steam version has been adjusted to amount of VRAM used in texture streaming to lower the amount of VRAM overall. One of the bug fixes will also make the Estimated VRAM Usage display the correct amount in Display Settings and Graphics Settings.It's too soon to say whether these changes alone will turn things around for Wilds on Steam, but Capcom notes that further performance and optimization improvements are still in the works. Across all platforms, Free Title Update is adding two new monsters, Lagiacrus and Seregios, as well as underwater combat.Continue Reading at GameSpot