Unknown 9: Awakening


After a 3 year wait, Unknown 9: Awakening is nearing the finish line for our enjoyment.

Unknown 9: Awakening presents itself as a captivating entry into the adventure game genre, headlined by a protagonist who is a female Quaestor named Haroona. With an intriguing ability to tap into powers from an alternate realm that she explores—a realm aptly dubbed the Fold—players are enticed with the prospect of tailoring their gameplay experience. Mastery of the Fold, it seems, offers a variety of playstyles, potentially catering to a diverse range of gamers' preferences.

Haroon's compelling narrative arc intertwines her thirst for knowledge with the perils of her connection to the Fold. In a plot twist reminiscent of enthralling cinematic narratives, Haroona finds herself thrust into a defensive corner when the Ascendants, a splinter faction, target her in their quest to exploit the Fold's enigmatic powers.

At the outset, the game's aura could easily be mistaken for a fresh chapter in the "Assassin's Creed" saga. However, "Unknown 9: Awakening" promises to carve out its own niche in the action-adventure landscape, teasing a synthesis reminiscent of franchises such as "Tomb Raider" and "Control" + "Assassin's Creed". It's an ambitious blend that piques curiosity about how this title will distinguish itself upon its anticipated release on PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2024.

Cheers to new adventures, and as always, game on, mga ka-tropa!


Sophima

Support us via the helpful links below!

Women's Month: Women + Gaming!

During Women's History Month, my mind fondly turns to my mother, who played a pivotal role in introducing me to the world of console gaming. While it was a shared interest fostered by both my parents, with the tabletop Pac-Man arcade game as a nostalgic starting point, I credit my mother particularly. She was my steadfast companion in gaming, offering even greater encouragement for the passion we shared. Of course, my experience with my mom isn't just about gaming. It's important to counter the enduring stereotype that questions women’s interest in video games though, because I honestly didn't come from that. My mom, my female siblings, and my female cousins gamed (and still do). There's a certain pride in defying such narrow expectations. Existing in that grey area is a beautiful thing because we had a blast together... and some of you can say the same thing.

Reflecting on this theme, a situation from my past springs to mind. As a project manager for a game development project, I encountered resistance when I appointed a woman to a leading role within a department. The project was already underway, but they needed someone to bring structure... so I was brought in to make sense of it. Despite the urgency of our development timeline, this appointment unexpectedly became a controversial issue due to one team member's inability to accept her leadership. His reaction was so extreme that he shut down altogether. I was honestly like... WTF is this?

Confronted with this obstacle, I engaged in a sincere discussion with the disgruntled team member. His unease, as he revealed, stemmed from the false notion that reporting to a female leader was demeaning. My approach wasn't to embarrass him but to highlight the valuable experience and insight he forfeited by not acknowledging her expertise (which was far greater than he had). I emphasized the importance of being open to female leadership, which is an inevitable reality in any professional landscape (it just boiled down to where he'd end up working). It's irrational to jeopardize one's career because of a woman's leadership role. And it wasn't like she was being mean to him, she went by the book... followed objectives and everything ran smooth outside of that guy. That is... until I got his mind right.

Addressing such bias is crucial, and he had to be challenged on what his experience was (in one of a series of one on one meetings so that he understood that her experience exceeded his and it has nothing to do with her gender) – and not to generalize; this isn’t the mindset of all men which is a good thing but does it exist? Yes! Is it a win? No, undermining or contesting a woman's leadership based on gender can hold back the individual pushing prejudice (in this case sexism)... along with their growth. Don't let this be you.

Anyway, let's acknowledge and celebrate the women whose leadership has shaped some of the incredible games that enliven our leisure time and to the ladies who don't game... pick up a controller and game on! There are varioius options from casual games to the most challenging games that some guys even shy away from... because it's all about what you prefer to play.

By the way... don't miss out on the current Humble Heroines game bundle!



 + Sophima 

Support us via the helpful links below!

Top Audiences Last Week + A Free Game!

I waited to see if there would be a change, but... nope! Top 10... let's go:



1. 🇺🇸 USA

2. 🇸🇬 Singapore

3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

4. 🇳🇱 Netherlands

5. 🇨🇦 Canada

6. 🇯🇵 Japan

7. 🇭🇰 Hong Kong

8. 🇩🇪 Germany

9. 🇵🇭 Philippines

10. ðŸ‡¦ðŸ‡º Australia


Thailand, South Korea, and... South Africa came close!


+ a free game!


Free Until Mar 14 @ 11AM!



            

Support us below!

Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game... Reviewed!


A challenger appears! Brace yourselves, folks, Saber Interactive has done it again with its latest release... Expeditions: A MudRunner Game! With the same creators behind the critically acclaimed SnowRunner, Saber Interactive offers yet another physics-based off-road simulation installment. Does it hit the mark? Let's find out!


Gameplay: As a player, you lead research missions, driving a variety of all-terrain vehicles across expansive open worlds - from the arid landscapes of Arizona to the rugged beauty of the Carpathian Mountains. The game emphasizes realistic off-road driving, challenging terrain, and strategic planning.

You'll utilize high-tech tools/lifelines like the Winch & Anchor to pull you out of trouble + the Echo Sounder to show you how deep the water is (so that you can adapt and avoid certain areas) + the Drone to identify air drops and better locations to approach your destinations and other useful tools. These are lifelines though, never venture out with these, and... it's also beneficial to take your team with you. A heavy truck can pull up a heavy scout or a light scout, but... don't look at the light scout like it's useless beyond scouting out the objectives.

Tip: If a heavy truck is stuck and doesn't have an Anchor, a light scout can roll through and place an anchor in the right location. Especially if it's able to reach higher ground a lot easier. 

So make sure to manage your camp and crew effectively, and expect rugged conditions, unpredictable weather, and the need for resource management... because they can run out. You can by more than one set of anchors if needed, and trust me... some areas will make you wish you did. If not you will find yourself pumping the brakes even more to avoid flipping your truck... trust me; I learned it the hard way. I flipped my heavy truck... right into the water! Of course, you have your Jack-Screw to help flip the vehicle, but... do you want to end up in that type of situation when you can avoid it? Bring the right tools for the job.

Saber Interactive has done an excellent job providing proper instructions and decreasing the learning curve here, ensuring that you can start and function through your missions properly with the challenges only stemming from the ones you're supposed to face (I'm not a newcomer to Mudrunner). The controls are simple enough, and the initial tutorial equips you with enough knowledge the get the party started by way of walking you through a challenge... which... you know what, let me just show you:

 

Before I forget... the average playtime to finish the main missions of the game is well over 100 hours. We aren't talking about the extras, so if you want a challenging sim to enjoy overtime... this will have you covered. Forcing you to pump the brakes to avoid flipping your truck... trust me; I learned it the hard way. I flipped my truck pretty badly right into the water!



Visuals: The visuals in this game are sweet! What makes them even better is the realism injected into the trucks with animation that captures the authenticity of off-road vehicles. Your graphics capabilities will increase the quality of the visual experience, so don't be shocked if the Switch version doesn't compare to other consoles... or PC. Every detail was taken into consideration, including the horn that shows the power of the sound. Trust me; those small details go a long way.

Here are the Expeditions: A MudRunner Game System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i3-9100 / AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: 2 GB VRAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 / AMD Radeon R7 370
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit PC


Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Recommended Requirements
CPU: Intel Core i7-10700 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
RAM: 16 GB
VIDEO CARD: 6 GB VRAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 6144 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit PC

Make sure to have 20 GB of free disk space or... get some more!


Audio: When it comes to audio, I highly recommend a surround sound system, especially if you prefer to drive from the cab view. The sound quality is genuinely authentic, from the shifting gears to the horn, which you feel in the sound. Speaking of shifting gears, the game's rumble feature is a bit on the shy side, giving you a subtle feedback experience as you drive through rough terrain. For the most part, the shifting is when I felt the feedback for the most part.

By the way, I found myself enjoying the experience more when I cut the music because I could hear what I wanted to hear.


Price: In terms of pricing, "Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game" is available for $39.99 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and the Nintendo Switch, ensuring a fair price for a stellar game. 

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game... offers different editions - Base Game, Year 1 Edition and the Supreme Edition. In addition to the core experience, Year 1 and Supreme Editions add extra content, including the Great Don 71 cosmetic for the Don 71 SUV and the Year 1 Content Pass.



Gameplay 5

Visuals 5

Audio 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points


Support us via the helpful links below!