Surga5000

For decades, Nintendo’s multiplayer games have been defined by what you might generously describe as ‘random garbage.’ Mario Kart’s blue shell is probably the most famous example: an item that can appear out of nowhere the instant the game logic decides you’ve been sitting in first place for too long. There is, perhaps, something admirable in Nintendo’s commitment to keeping things casual in its multiplayer offerings when other developers are hyper-focused on delivering perfectly balanced esports arenas. There is also something deeply annoying in not being able to turn any of this nonsense off.Mario Party has been the poster child for this design ethos since the ’90s. You’re a turn away from the end of the match and everybody has more stars than you? Don’t worry, here’s a hidden block with…

Steam Next Fest has begun, and one unique 1980s noir-style police sandbox game is already dominating the charts.The Precinct – developed by Fallen Tree Games – is currently in second place on Next Fest’s ‘Trending Upcoming’ tab, just behind post-apocalyptic action RPG AI Limit. It also apparently has the fourth highest number of daily active demo players behind MOBA battle royale Supervive, anime girl third-person shooter Strinova, and tactical shooter Delta Force. That’s seriously impressive when you consider how many demos are available right now, and also the fact that the only demos being played more are multiplayer games, so this is the biggest single-player hit.But what’s drawing people in? Perhaps it’s because it’s a “love letter to classic cop movies” – players mu…