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Playing 33 Immortals for the first time is like going to a party at a coworkers friends house. The first few minutes are marked by curiosity, light suspicion and a constant hum of awkwardness, but as you mingle, the strangers become less intimidating and you start to feel like youre a part of the flow of the night. You might even make some friends of your own. The main difference is that, with 33 Immortals, you never have to take off your fuzzy slippers. Im not kidding about flow when it comes to 33 Immortals. I fell into the games rhythm about 15 minutes into my three-hour preview, and by the end, I was shepherding small groups of lost souls across Inferno like I worked for Satan himself. In its simplest terms, 33 Immortals is like a multiplayer Hades, though its world is based on the lore of Dantes Divine Comedy rather than Greek myth. Its vibe is also a tad more wholesome than Hades maybe more crowd-pleasing, which makes sense considering the focus on large-scale multiplayer maps in 33 Immortals. I played the preview solo because I was feeling particularly antisocial that day, but of course that doesnt mean I was alone. Other players occupy the hub world and the main maps in 33 Immortals, and though I initially tried to fade into the pixels and treat it as a single-player game, I quickly found myself emoting and seeking groups of warriors to join. With so many random players on the map at any time, its easy to feel like your small mistakes arent spotted, while your successes are clear for all to see, and even participate in. You start a run by picking a weapon justice sword, sloth staff or greed daggers and each has a special ability that only works when three players stand together and activate it. Its different for each weapon, but the effect is consistently grand. I stuck with the Staff of Sloth, a weapon that flings purple balls of magic and whose special ability slows enemies across a large swath of the battlefield. In the heat of combat, with swarms of demons flooding the immediate area, its actually tricky to get three people to stand in the proper spots, but it takes just a moment of synchrony for the special ability to activate, and its a palpable relief every time. And then everyone immediately gets back to hurling spells, shooting arrows, flinging daggers and reviving allies, eyes peeled for the next special ability. Teamwork is an essential mechanic in 33 Immortals, and its not an intimidating one, even on an extra-introverted day. Amid all the chaos of combat, I never lost sight of my character for more than a split-second, and my dashes, interactions and attacks felt crisp and responsive. With dozens of enemies and allies on-screen at any given time, this alone is a notable achievement by developer Thunder Lotus. Thunder Lotus The game begins with a 33-player map, Inferno, which is an arid wasteland of roaming demons, 12 Torture Chambers and one big ascension battle to complete. The minions running around Inferno are easy enough to dispatch for practice and extra bones (the games currency), or you can run right by them without punishment. Torture Chambers are miniboss rooms designed for six players to tackle at once, but you can enter them with fewer than six, even alone. However, youre unlikely to get far solo. The minibosses are hulking skeletons and big, flopping demon worms with plenty of health, and they always have hordes of minions as backup. Luckily, allies can join the chamber any time after a fight starts, up to six total, and no one can voluntarily leave until two swarms have been cleared. Each Torture Chamber rewards successful teams with two relic chests containing useful items and bones. One chest is always locked, requiring a key to spill its goods. You can carry up to eight relics at a time, buffing your stats in various ways, and youre able to reroll chest items for a fairly low price. I had good luck defeating Torture Chambers with just three or four fighters total, but six was always welcome, hence my eventual shepherding. I also ended up prioritizing keys when shopping at the Bone Shrines scattered around Inferno because, dang it, I love unlocking chests. Once all of the Torture Chambers are defeated, holy fire spreads across Inferno, pushing players into one of three ascension spots designed for 11 fighters each. Here, enemies flood the fire-ringed circle and its a Thunderdome situation. If you live, you get a legendary relic and ascend alongside other surviving players to Infernos three-headed, bat-winged boss, Lucifer. This is where 33 Immortals art style really shines: Lucifer is a big blue beast who feels ripped straight out of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and there are pleasant touches of 1980s cartoons all over the game. Thunder Lotus Though I battled Lucifer three times with varying team sizes, I never beat that first overworld. Im eager to try again and unlock the next map, Purgatorio, which maxes out at 22 players. Like in Hades, 33 Immortals has a hub world, The Dark Woods, that players return to after each loop. This is where youre able to apply upgrades, equip new weapons, alter your appearance and get some training in. I didnt find any of the characters in the hub world particularly intriguing, but they serve their purpose just fine. Besides, its not about them the main focus in 33 Immortals is all of the other actual people. As Engadgets UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith prophesied in June 2023, 33 Immortals only gets better with more players. 33 Immortals is available today in Early Access on Xbox Series X/S and PC (via the Xbox app and Epic Games Store). Its also included in Game Pass.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/33-immortals-preview-a-multiplayer-game-that-feels-great-to-play-solo-130029157.html?src=rss
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It hasnt happened yet, but if rumors are to be believed, Microsoft may be finally working on an Xbox-branded gaming handheld. In a lot of ways, portable PCs represent a perfect evolution to the companys consoles. But with Microsoft arriving late to the party, there are a few things this device needs to get right. Between Microsofts 20-plus year history making consoles and the Surface divisions expertise in engineering laptops and other mobile devices, youd think creating a portable PC with a built-in screen and attached controllers would be as easy as sticking an AFK opponent with a nade in Halo. And after the Steam Deck built a fort on Valves top sellers list since its release in 2022, theres an obvious financial incentive for Microsoft as well. Hell, weve even heard about how much Xbox CEO Phil Spencer likes traveling with his Legion Go, so its not like this is a foreign concept to the folks in Redmond. Regardless, aside from the Xbox-branded gaming laptop that well probably never get (MSFT please?), a handheld console makes so much sense. The Nintendo Switch has already proven that theres a massive appetite for a device you can easily connect to a TV but still take on the go. But more importantly, Spencer has been out there for years saying I dont want my teams focus on console sales. The primary outcome of all the work that we do is how many players we see, and how often they play. That is what drives Xbox. And right now, theres no better way for the company to grow its user base than by making its first handheld console. Not only could a portable Xbox play games locally, it could also stream titles from the cloud (via Game Pass Ultimate), serve as another home for social features like the friends list, activity feed and so much more. According to Windows Centrals Jez Corden, the device codenamed Project Kennan will feature a design similar to existing handhelds like the ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go (though it probably wont have detachable controllers). While it appears Microsoft wont be making the device itself, the company is said to be tapping ASUS (or possibly another OEM) to build it instead, which makes a lot of sense given the latters experience with the Ally and Ally X. From there, Microsoft is expected to add some Xbox-y twists like support for the Xbox Game Bar, Play Anywhere functionality and of course Game Pass Ultimate. Unfortunately, there isnt concrete pricing or a specific release date, but its possible that this device could come out before the end of the year for between $499 and $599. But again, those numbers are mostly speculation, and theres not much info regarding its screen size, processor or any other special features it might have. But lets be real, the specs for this rumored portable Xbox arent all that important. Right now, there are a seemingly endless number of handhelds available from companies like ASUS, Lenovo, MSI, Ayaneo and GPD, with even more on the way. So if Microsoft comes out yet with another option that doesnt address the flaws of current devices, it wont make that big of an impact. Thats because, for my money, the Steam Deck still feels like the best portable gaming machine on the market. Sam Rutherford for Engadget While the Decks performance is often eclipsed by its Windows-based rivals, Valves machine offers a more polished and intuitive experience, thanks in large part to its purpose-built OS. When I use it, I dont have to deal with annoying notifications or pop-ups that force me to awkwardly switch between various control schemes just to get into a game. On the Deck, I never have to use desktop apps (unless I want to), as Steams Big Picture mode (unlike Windows) was designed around a simple UI that can be navigated using joysticks instead of a mouse. The most important thing Microsoft can do for its upcoming handheld is to remove or sidestep the clunkiness you run into on practically every Windows-based device. This is something the company has tried to do before via improvements to the Windows Game Bar and may revisit again with its rumored Project Bayside, which could provide a standardized framework that would allow for a more streamlined UI. But what does this actually look like in the real world? When its all said and done, Microsofts goal should be to make it so that gamers can boot up the system, log in and install or launch a title without ever needing to move their hands away from the joysticks and face buttons. That means no shifting your fingers to tap a prompt on its touchscreen or needing to pull up a virtual keyboard/touchpad. And no add-on apps like ASUS Armoury Crate or Lenovos Legion Space, eithe. Those are simply Band-Aids that cover up the core issue of Windows 11 not being properly optimized for portable gaming PCs. If the company can do that, everything else will fall into place. Only then does it need to worry about specs and features. That said, I would like to see a portable Xbox include an OLED display with support for variable refresh rates that go up to either 120Hz or 144Hz. A microSD card slot is also a must, as it has become a standard component across gaming handhelds (especially as the size of AAA games continues to balloon). Id also like to see Hall Effect sensors powering its joysticks (and triggers) for increased responsiveness and durability. A dock for connecting it to a TV or monitor would be a nice accessory too. And while its not an absolute necessity, I think some sort of built-in touchpad (or two, like on the Steam Deck), would go a long way toward making traditional mouse-and-keyboard games much more enjoyable on a handheld device. Honestly, the case for an Xbox handheld seems so obvious its kind of surprising Microsoft didnt announce one years ago. Granted, its possible that the company has been waiting for the next version of its OS (i.e. Windows 12) to make a major concerted push on both traditional PCs and handhelds. But every month that goes by without a true first-party streamlined portable Xbox gaming machine feels like a wasted opportunity.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/its-about-damn-time-microsoft-made-an-xbox-gaming-handheld-130046591.html?src=rss
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The iPhone 17 Air (even the name is a rumor) is reportedly arriving this fall. As that Air suffix suggests, it could be Apples thinnest iPhone ever. However, while thin is all good, an arguably more intriguing change didnt quite make it through the design process. In the latest Power On newsletter (we love a newsletter), Bloombergs Mark Gurman said Apple had planned to ditch the USB-C port, making Apples first completely port-free iPhone. The notion was ditched in the face of more EU regulator issues, but it could appear in subsequent iPhones. Dont worry, though, Apple has plenty of incoming phones to distract you. Were expecting Apple to release another four iPhones this year, with the one currently nicknamed the iPhone 17 Air roughly 2 millimeters thinner than the rest. It could replace the Plus iPhone, with the family running from an entry-level iPhone 17 through to two higher-end Pro models. The new iPhone Air would nestle somewhere in the middle, for around $900. Rumors about the iPhone Airs specs are still coalescing and shifting, but many reports suggest a single-camera system, the Dynamic Island and the Camera Control button. Alas, no iPhone mini. Thinner, not smaller. Mat Smith The biggest tech stories you missed Bumble adds ID verification and other safety features Microsofts latest Windows update accidentally uninstalled Copilot The best kitchen gadgets The best mesh Wi-Fi systems Get this delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! What to expect at NVIDIAs annual GTC conference with CEO Jensen Huang Quantum computing, AI, AI and AI. NVIDIAs GPU Technology Conference has kicked off, with CEO Jensen Huangs keynote due in a few hours, at 1PM ET. Last year, NVIDIA used the event to unveil its Blackwell line of GPUs for faster and less demanding computations. Were guessing Huang will introduce another iteration of Blackwell GPUs with even better specs. Many observers are looking for a strong showing, following the emergence of DeepSeeks cheaper, lighter AI models, which shook up NVIDIAs share price. Meanwhile, there have been many issues related to its latest RTX product launches so will the company have a solution? Continue reading. The Pixel 9a has leaked so hard that YouTubers are reviewing it We dont have our own review models yet. The Mobile Central At least two YouTubers have reviewed Googles next entry-level Pixel phone. Both The Mobile Central and Sahil Karoul have Googles new phone, confirming a lot of the stuff we knew about the Pixel 9a already. Seriously, there are few surprises and at this point, it looks like leaking everything to do with its phones is part of Googles PR strategy. Prove me wrong! After all that thin iPhone chat, the Pixel 9a doesnt have Googles trademark camera bump. Instead, the cameras are almost flush with the plastic back of the phone. The Pixel 9a also has a Google-made Tensor G4 chip, with a 48-megapixel wide and 13-megapixel ultrawide for photos and video. Continue reading. Boeing Starliner astronauts finally head home, nine months later The President and Elon Musk turned a routine mission into a political circus. Boeing Starliners mission its first flight test with crew aboard was supposed to take only eight days. However, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have, instead, spent the past nine and a half months aboard the International Space Station. Finally, theyre heading home, later today, according to NASA. We unravel why it took this long and what went wrong. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-112230540.html?src=rss
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