When I think about it, I’ve probably spent more time looking at Steam than I’ve spent doing grown-up and useful things, like staring at my washing machine’s controls. And like someone who knows where all the bits are, I’ve gotten used to some design choices that could be better. I’ve been using external storage programs to deal with space issues across my multiple Steam installs, but Steam’s beta channel updated last night, bringing a new download manager and, importantly, a storage manager.
I know I've already mentioned it in the strap, but I should probably just let you know the end result of this week's Mystery Steam Reviews now. It'd be in line with this MSR's theme. But, my goal is to entice you past this opening paragraph that appears on the latest page, so click the thing and then watch the thing, alright? If you're reading this after clicking through, know that you are the real hero.
I have failed at creating a Dwarf Fortress many, many times. No tileset has managed to help me, no mod finally made it work. I just can’t get over the lack of a mouse-driven interface. And I won’t have to in the future. The latest development update for the Steam release of the detailed fantasy sim shows menus and mouse control in pefect harmony. Creator Tarn Adams casually flicks through screens without a wiki open on his other monitor, and finds things without phoning the Dwarf Fortress helpline and asking himself for help.
The Samsung T7 is a rather good portable SSD, available in the extra-secure "Touch" version (shown in the photo above) or as the cheaper and equally speedy "vanilla" variant. Today, that plain Jane Samsung T7 has been discounted heavily at Newegg, with the company offering a 500GB capacity drive for just $59.50. That's well below the original $100 asking price of the drive, and makes for a great deal against more expensive competition like the Crucial X8.
The Gigabyte M27Q is one of the best value 1440p monitors on the market, packing in a 170Hz refresh rate, a Fast IPS panel and unique KVM functionality into a package that normally retails for $360. Today, this 27-in monitor has become even more appealing at Newegg, where it's been reduced to $290, the lowest price we've yet recorded for it. It even comes with a free game, Outriders, for PC. Here's why you should consider this particular model while it's on sale.
Tonight's Annapurna showcase brought news of many games, and among them was Stray. First announced at E3 last year, it's a gorgeous-looking third-person adventure in which you control a cat trying to survive in a cybercity.
The first developer walkthrough of Stray revealed that someone has given the cat a gun. Watch the trailer below.
After a day short of a year in early access, turn-based anthro-animal battler Banners Of Ruin has launched in full. It's Wind In The Willows crossed with Slay The Spire, or Animals Of Farthing Wood crossed with Game Of Thrones. Check out the launch trailer below.
We learned a little more about the Steam Deck yesterday via Gabe Newell's chat with IGN, but that wasn't all that was discussed. IGN also asked Newell how he felt about Half-Life: Alyx one year on - and (with no spoilers), how he felt about the game's ending.
Minecraft Dungeons's latest DLC is out now, promising "the conclusion of the Minecraft Dungeons story." Conclusions sound to me like the sort of thing you ought to include in the base game - but the DLC does also add the Minecraft biome known as "The End", Endermen mobs, and new items. There's a trailer below.
Mobius Digital's excellent space exploration game Outer Wilds is getting an expansion. Announced during Annapurna Interactive's NotE3 showcase, Echoes Of The Eye is set to release on September 28th. While the devs say it will be involved in the game's existing narrative, they're keeping quiet on what exactly we'll be getting up to. But, judging from the name, it likely has something to do with Eye Of The Universe, a mysterious object in the solar system that you spend most of your time in Outer Wilds trying to reach.