TwistedVoxelYour gateway to the latest gaming, technology, and entertainment news2025-03-12T17:31:48Zhttps://twistedvoxel.com/feed/atom/https://twistedvoxel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cropped-outer-transparent.pngMuhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[PS Plus Extra/Premium March 2025 Lineup Includes Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown & More]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467592025-03-12T17:31:48Z2025-03-12T17:31:48ZThe PS Plus Extra and Premium lineup for the month of March, 2025, has been revealed, and among the prominent additions to its catalog is Ubisoft’s Prince Of Persia: The…
]]>The PS Plus Extra and Premium lineup for the month of March, 2025, has been revealed, and among the prominent additions to its catalog is Ubisoft’s Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown.
The latest additions to PS Plus Extra and Premium are expected to be available to subscribers starting from Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The list includes UFC 5, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champion, Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy, Arcade Paradise, Bang-On Balls: Chronicles, You Suck at Parking, and more.
PS Plus Extra Lineup For March 2025
The lineup of games being added to PS Plus Extra in the month of March, 2025, can be seen below.
UFC 5 | PS5
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | PS4, PS5
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions | PS4
Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy | PS4, PS5
Arcade Paradise | PS4, PS5
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles | PS4, PS5
You Suck at Parking | PS4, PS5
Syberia – The World Before | PS4, PS5
PS Plus Premium Lineup For March
The lineup of games being added to PS Plus Premium in the month of March 2025, can be seen below.
Arcade Paradise VR | PS VR2
Armored Core | PS4, PS5
Armored Core: Project Phantasma | PS4, PS5
Armored Core: Master of Arena | PS4, PS5
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a 2.5D side-scrolling action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft in 2024. It was released on January 18, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. A macOS version followed on December 3, 2024. Players assume the role of Sargon, who is armed with dual blades to engage enemies in combat. Well-timed parries fill his Athra’s Gauge, enabling him to use special abilities when fully charged. Sargon also possesses time-based powers that aid both combat and traversal. “Rush of the Simurgh” allows him to dash forward instantly, while “Shadow of the Simurgh” lets him set a shadow marker, functioning as a temporary checkpoint for quick returns.
]]>0Muhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[GTA V Enhanced And Expanded Faces Backlash Over Missing Text Chat On PC, Fix May Be Incoming]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467572025-03-12T17:12:51Z2025-03-12T17:08:18ZThe Enhanced and Expanded PC version of Rockstar Games’ open world action game, GTA V, is facing backlash over its missing text chat feature. GTA V players on PC are…
]]>The Enhanced and Expanded PC version of Rockstar Games’ open world action game, GTA V, is facing backlash over its missing text chat feature.
GTA V players on PC are expressing their frustration over the Enhanced and Expanded version’s missing text chat feature. Developer Rockstar Games has yet to offer an explanation for the removal of the text-based in-game chat system in the latest PC update, leaving players with awkward means of communicating with one another in GTA Online.
The closest thing we have to an official acknowledgement regarding the lack of in-game text chat in the Enhanced and Expanded PC version of GTA V is a conversation between a player and support staff. The Rockstar Games representative said that the developer is aware that in-game text chat is currently not supported in GTA V Enhanced and Expanded on PC, suggesting that a fix may be coming via a future update. For now, the support representative asked the player to use the game’s SMS option or platform-specific chat features.
The likely scenario for the lack of in-game text chat in the Enhanced and Expanded PC version of GTA V is that it is based on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions, which didn’t include the feature to begin with. It’s also worth noting that the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 didn’t offer an in-game text-chat system for players to use. As such, it’s likely that Rockstar Games has entirely removed the feature from its development pipeline. We won’t be holding our breath for a text-based communication system in the PC version of GTA VI, whenever that happens!
On the positive side of things, the Enhanced and Expanded PC version of GTA V does offer some nice graphical improvements over both the vanilla PC version and the current-gen console versions. Read about it here.
]]>0Muhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[EA Introduces Fully Functional Microtransactions In Skate Closed Alpha]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467492025-03-12T10:01:16Z2025-03-12T09:59:55ZEA has introduced fully functional microtransactions in the Closed Alpha Playtest for its upcoming free-to-play title, Skate. An email has been sent out to participants of the EA Skate Closed…
]]>EA has introduced fully functional microtransactions in the Closed Alpha Playtest for its upcoming free-to-play title, Skate.
An email has been sent out to participants of the EA Skate Closed Alpha Playtest, informing them about the introduction of microtransactions in the latest update, with the addition of a collection of new items, features, and gameplay experience updates.
EA Skate Brings Microtransactions via San Van Bucks
As per the email, EA wants to provide a positive experience to players when purchasing items from the Skate store. To ensure that these goals are achieved at Early Access, the development team has enabled the option to purchase and use virtual currency (known as San Van Bucks) during the ongoing Closed Alpha Playtest. EA is looking to get feedback from participants in order to provide a great experience at Early Access launch.
According to EA, account progress may reset periodically throughout the Playtest and will fully reset before Early Access. Purchases made with San Van Bucks will be converted back to San Van Bucks of an equivalent value and available in player accounts at the Early Access launch. Participants of the Closed Alpha are asked to ensure that they use the same EA account for both the Playtest and Early Access in order to keep their San Van Bucks.
Participants of the Closed Alpha playtest may visit the Skate Playtesting Forums for the complete patch notes.
The upcoming EA Skate will come more than a decade after the launch of Skate 3. To lead the project, EA founded Full Circle, a new studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The studio is led by some of the original creators behind the Skate franchise. EA has confirmed that the game would be available on Microsoft Windows and macOS, alongside unspecified PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as mobile devices. It will be a free-to-play title and will take place in a new location called San Vansterdam.
]]>0Salal Awan<![CDATA[Two Point Museum Review – Where History Meets Hilarity]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467242025-03-12T07:28:38Z2025-03-12T07:28:38ZTwo Point Museum is the latest entry in the simulation genre from Two Point Studios, following their previous successes with Two Point Hospital and Two Point Campus. While I skipped Two Point Campus, I was…
]]>Two Point Museum is the latest entry in the simulation genre from Two Point Studios, following their previous successes with Two Point Hospital and Two Point Campus. While I skipped Two Point Campus, I was eager to see how they’d expand their formula with Two Point Museum. Having spent countless hours in Two Point Hospital, I know these games can sometimes hit a wall where actions start feeling repetitive, and progression becomes more about ticking off a checklist than meaningful engagement.
Two Point Museum feels different right from the start. While it retains the core Two Point gameplay loop of building and managing a museum, it introduces a fresh twist with expeditions. These expeditions allow you to venture out to find new artifacts, which can then be displayed in the museum to boost its appeal and value. What makes this exciting is that expeditions aren’t limited to a single location—new areas are gradually unlocked as you complete more missions. Each expedition comes with its own rewards and risks, such as staff injuries or even permanent losses. Some fossils and artifacts require multiple expeditions to fully uncover, which adds a layer of depth and progression to the gameplay.
At its core, the game is about managing a museum—making it an attractive destination for visitors, keeping staff and budgets in check, and acquiring unique artifacts or building attractions to boost revenue. There are numerous systems tied to this, like training staff, crafting new attractions in the workshop, and decorating the museum to increase the “Buzz” around each exhibit. Visually, the game carries the same charming, quirky style as previous Two Point titles, and while there’s some asset reuse, it still feels fresh and engaging. It’s easy to lose track of time as you work through objectives, constantly striving to improve and expand your museum.
The game features a variety of museums to manage, starting with a prehistoric museum and expanding into unique settings like a supernatural haunted hotel, a science center, and even an aquarium. This variety keeps the experience fresh as you progress, addressing a common issue I had with Two Point Hospital, where opening a new hospital often felt like repeating the same basics. The progression system has also been revamped—instead of a three-star rating, it’s now essentially endless, with shared objectives across museums that encourage players to keep building and improving.
True to Two Point Studios’ style, Two Point Museum is filled with funny and quirky humor. Watching the public interact with exhibits is endlessly entertaining, thanks to the variety of animations based on their reactions. The interface is clean and intuitive, even when using a controller, making the game accessible without needing a mouse and keyboard. There are also plenty of quality-of-life improvements, like sorting staff by their satisfication levels or breaking down monthly expenses to better manage profits.
The main goal is, of course, to make money, and there are multiple ways to do this. Ticket sales are the primary source of income, but you can also place donation boxes near exhibits, set up gift shops, and install food stalls or attractions to encourage visitors to spend more. All this revenue goes toward paying staff salaries, expanding the museum, and funding expeditions to uncover new artifacts. It’s a satisfying loop that keeps you engaged as you balance creativity, management, and strategy.
Most of my playtime with Two Point Museum was on the Steam Deck, where the game runs surprisingly well. I did notice that performance can dip below 60 FPS when the museum is packed with visitors and buzzing with activity, but it never dropped to a level that affected gameplay. Since the gameplay mainly involves managing the museum, placing or moving items, and navigating menus, the experience remains smooth as long as the performance stays above the 30 FPS threshold. The game also includes a fast-forward feature to speed things up, but with so many tasks to juggle in each museum, I found myself rarely using it. The variety of activities keeps you busy enough that time flies by on its own.
Two Point Museum Game Information
Price: $29.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Two Point Studios
Platform: PC (Reviewed)
Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
]]>0Ali Haider<![CDATA[Street Fighter 6 Update 1.19 Introduces Win Streak Bonus for Ranked Matches]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467452025-03-12T06:20:45Z2025-03-12T06:20:45ZCapcom has released Street Fighter 6 Update 1.19, implementing minor game behavior updates without altering battle content. The update introduces a win streak bonus for players in the Platinum and…
]]>Capcom has releasedStreet Fighter 6 Update 1.19, implementing minor game behavior updates without altering battle content. The update introduces a win streak bonus for players in the Platinum and Diamond ranks of Ranked Match and addresses a Training Mode issue related to character colors.
The patch coincides with a brief server maintenance period on March 11 at 9 PM PDT (March 12 at 4 AM GMT), expected to last approximately two hours. No balance changes or new content have been introduced in this update.
Street Fighter 6 Update 1.19 Patch Notes
Ranked Match
Win Streak Bonus Introduced:
Players in Platinum and Diamond ranks will now earn a win streak bonus after securing ten or more consecutive victories.
This change is designed to encourage high-level competitive play and reward consistent performance.
Training Mode
Character Color Fix:
Fixed an issue where certain character colors were not properly applied in Training Mode.
Capcom has confirmed that no battle content adjustments were made in this patch. Further gameplay or balance updates may be introduced in future patches.
Street Fighter 6, developed and published by Capcom, is the seventh main entry in the long-running Street Fighter franchise. Built on the RE Engine, the game features cross-platform play, rollback netcode, and real-time tournament-style commentary. Since its launch in 2023, Street Fighter 6 has received widespread critical acclaim, selling over 4.40 million units as of December 31, 2024.
]]>0Ali Haider<![CDATA[InZOI PC System Requirements and Optimal Settings Revealed]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467412025-03-12T05:33:42Z2025-03-12T05:33:42ZKrafton has officially unveiled the PC system requirements for InZOI, the upcoming life simulation game developed by inZOI Studio. The specifications provide four different hardware tiers—Minimum, Medium, Recommended, and High—ensuring…
]]>Krafton has officially unveiled the PC system requirements for InZOI, the upcoming life simulation game developed by inZOI Studio. The specifications provide four different hardware tiers—Minimum, Medium, Recommended, and High—ensuring players can fine-tune their experience based on their setup. Given that InZOI is built using Unreal Engine 5, the developers have also provided guidance on optimal settings to help players balance performance and visual fidelity.
Since InZOI runs on Unreal Engine 5, adjusting graphical settings can significantly impact performance, even on systems with similar specifications. The developers have outlined how different factors such as resolution, storage type, and rendering techniques can influence gameplay.
Key Performance Factors:
Resolution Impact:
1920×1080 (FHD) = 2.07 million pixels
2560×1440 (QHD) = 3.68 million pixels (1.77x more than FHD)
3840×2160 (4K) = 8.29 million pixels (4x more than FHD)
Higher resolutions require more GPU power and VRAM, leading to lower frame rates.
Storage Considerations:
SSDs improve loading times, texture streaming, and frame rate stability.
HDDs may lead to texture pop-in and slower loading times.
Preset Options for Optimal Performance
The game will feature eight preset configurations catering to different playstyles and system capabilities:
Tier
Better Graphics (Max Visuals)
Better Performance (Smooth Gameplay)
Minimum
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Performance, Ray Tracing On, Low Preset
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Ultra Performance, Ray Tracing Off, Very Low Preset
Medium
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Performance, Ray Tracing On, Medium Preset
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Performance, Ray Tracing Off, Low Preset
Recommended
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Balanced, Ray Tracing On, High Preset
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Performance, Ray Tracing Off, Medium Preset
High
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Quality, Ray Tracing On, Ultra High Preset
DLSS/FSR/XeSS – Balanced, Ray Tracing Off, High Preset
Better Graphics: Maximizes visual fidelity but may result in lower frame rates and longer load times.
InZOI is an upcoming life simulation game developed by inZOI Studio and published by Krafton. The game will launch in early access for Windows on March 28, 2025, with a console release planned for a later date.
]]>0Salal Awan<![CDATA[Rise of the Ronin Performance Issues and Slow Motion Gameplay Receive Temporary Fix]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467392025-03-12T05:12:19Z2025-03-12T05:12:19ZRise of the Ronin players on PC have encountered various performance-related issues since the game’s launch, prompting Team Ninja to acknowledge the problems and offer temporary solutions. The developer addressed…
]]>Rise of the Ronin players on PC have encountered various performance-related issues since the game’s launch, prompting Team Ninja to acknowledge the problems and offer temporary solutions. The developer addressed these concerns in a statement posted on the official Steam forums, confirming that they are actively working on a patch to improve stability and performance.
According to Team Ninja, players running the game on the “Ultra” preset may experience significant frame rate drops, slow performance, and rendering issues, regardless of their PC specifications. To mitigate these issues, they recommend lowering the preset to “High” or “Standard” for better stability. Another issue affects gameplay speed, causing the game to run in slow motion when the “FPS Limit” is set to 120. As a temporary fix, the developers advise setting the FPS limit to 60.
While a permanent solution is in development, Team Ninja assured players that a patch is being prepared and will be released soon. They apologized for the inconvenience and thanked the community for their patience as they work toward resolving these problems.
Rise of the Ronin is an action role-playing game developed by Team Ninja and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 5, with Koei Tecmo handling the PC release. The game takes players to 19th-century Japan, allowing them to experience an open-world adventure in a historically rich setting. It marks the third collaboration between Sony and Koei Tecmo, following the Nioh series.
The PC version of Rise of the Ronin was released on March 11, 2025. It has received mixed reviews from players, primarily due to performance issues. For more information about the PC version, you can read our review.
]]>0Muhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[Naughty Dog Is Allegedly Already In Advanced Production Of The Last Of Us Part 3]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467332025-03-11T20:04:45Z2025-03-11T20:04:24ZNaughty Dog is already in advanced production of the third entry in The Last of Us series, The Last of Us Part 3, based on a new rumor. According to…
]]>Naughty Dog is already in advanced production of the third entry in The Last of Us series, The Last of Us Part 3, based on a new rumor.
According to known industry insider DanielRPK, The Last of Us Part 3 is already in an advanced stage of production. Naughty Dog game director Neil Druckmann is of a different view, however. During a recent interview, he mentioned that fans shouldn’t bet on there being more of The Last of Us, as “this could be it”. If the game is indeed in development, it’s possible that he wants it to remain under the wraps until an official reveal.
For now, Naughty Dog has its hands full with the development of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, so it may be a while before we actually hear something about a third entry in The Last of Us series. As always, we encourage our readers to take all rumors and speculation with a grain of salt until there is confirmation via official channels.
Previous rumors regarding The Last of Us Part 3 had suggested that part of the game’s plot will be about a group scavengers surviving on the outskirts of a post-apocalyptic city, crammed into a Victorian house that serves as their base. The same insider had claimed to have casting and story details for The Last of Us Part III back in September, 2023. Another Twitter user by the name of ViewerAnon, who usually focuses on movie leaks, claimed that motion capture and audio recording for The Last of Us Part III began in 2023, with Ellie having a role at least as big as she had in The Last of Us Part II.
The Last of Us franchise has been one of PlayStation’s most critically and commercially successful series, beginning with the original game in 2013. This was followed by The Last of Us Part II in 2020, which expanded on Ellie’s story. Despite some polarizing reactions to its plot choices, the sequel received widespread critical acclaim and many Game of the Year awards.
]]>0Muhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[Rise of the Ronin Best Settings Guide For PC & Steam Deck]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467312025-03-11T13:38:37Z2025-03-11T13:38:37ZKoei Tecmo and Team Ninja’s action role-playing game, Rise of the Ronin, is now available on PC, and we’ve put together the best settings for getting optimized performance on mid-end…
]]>Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja’s action role-playing game, Rise of the Ronin, is now available on PC, and we’ve put together the best settings for getting optimized performance on mid-end system specs.
Before we delve into the best settings for Rise of the Ronin on PC, make sure you’ve updated your GPU drivers and Windows to their latest respective versions. Additionally, disable or close any unnecessary background applications in order to reduce the CPU overhead as much as possible. The settings detailed ahead should provide a more optimized balance between graphics and frame rate compared to the presets available in-game.
Rise of the Ronin Best Settings
The settings below are there to serve as a broad starting point for further optimization based on your specific hardware specs. As a result, you may need to further tweak some settings until you find a sweet spot based on your display’s refresh rate and the overall performance you seek.
VISUALS
Vsync: Off on a VRR or G-Sync supported display, otherwise On
Display Mode: Borderless
FPS Limit: 120, or as per the max refresh rate of your display or preference
FPS Limit: 60
Resolution: as per the max resolution of your display or preference
Upscaling Type: DLSS if supported by GPU, else XeSS or FSR3
Upscaling Quality: Quality
Dynamic Resolution: Off
Shadow Quality: Standard
Ambient Occlusion: Standard
Model Quality: High
Model Texture Quality: Ultra
Number of Models Displayed: High
Wind Sway: Standard
Anisotropic Filtering: x16
Effects: Standard
Motion Quality: High
Global Illumination: Standard
Screen Space Reflections: Standard
LOD Distance: Standard
Terrain: Standard
Grass Density: High
Subsurface Scattering: On
Volumetric Quality: Standard
Event Quality: Standard
Crowd Density: High
Post-Effects Resolution: High
Motion Blur: Standard
Depth of Field: On
Ray-Traced Reflections: Off (or On if performance headroom is available)
How Does Rise of The Ronin Run On Steam Deck?
VISUALS
Vsync: Off
Display Mode: Borderless
FPS Limit: 30
FPS Limit: 30
Resolution: 1280 x 720
Upscaling Type: FSR3
Upscaling Quality: Performance
Dynamic Resolution: Off
Shadow Quality: Lowest
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Model Quality: Low
Model Texture Quality: Lowest
Number of Models Displayed: Low
Wind Sway: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: Off
Effects: Low
Motion Quality: Low
Global Illumination: Lowest
Screen Space Reflections: Off
LOD Distance: Lowest
Terrain: Lowest
Grass Density: Lowest
Subsurface Scattering: Off
Volumetric Quality: Lowest
Event Quality: Low
Crowd Density: Low
Post-Effects Resolution: Standard
Motion Blur: Off
Depth of Field: Off
Ray-Traced Reflections: Off
As seen in the video above, despite the lowest possible settings, Rise of the Ronin runs at a highly variable frame rate that is mostly above 20 fps on the Steam Deck during gameplay. As such, we don’t recommend playing the game on Valve’s handheld device.
]]>0Muhammad Ali Bari<![CDATA[Circana (NPD): Monster Hunter Wilds Had The Biggest Launch Week Sales Since Black Ops 6, Led By PC]]>https://twistedvoxel.com/?p=467212025-03-11T07:17:54Z2025-03-11T07:17:54ZCapcom’s latest action role-playing game, Monster Hunter Wilds, has had the biggest launch week sales since the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 6. Mat Piscatella, Executive Director and…
]]>Capcom’s latest action role-playing game, Monster Hunter Wilds, has had the biggest launch week sales since the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
Mat Piscatella, Executive Director and Video Game Industry Analyst at Circana (NPD), took to Blue Sky to share that Monster Hunter: Wilds enjoyed a great launch in the US market, with its first week dollar sales being the largest for a title since the debut of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 5 months ago in October, 2024.
According to Piscatella, Monster Hunter Wilds ranked #1 in weekly Dollar sales across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. PC was the best-selling platform.
PC being the leading platform in terms of sales isn’t surprising to see, considering how it was also the lead platform for sales of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. A significant chunk of the series’ player base exists on the platform. Additionally, co-op games are known to sell better on PC than their console counterparts. A recent example is Sony Interactive Entertainment and Arrowhead Game Studios’ third-person shooter, Helldivers 2.
All is not great with the PC version of Monster Hunter Wilds, however, aw launched in an unoptimized state, leading to PS5 Pro players calling the mid-gen console the best place to play the title. Upon experiencing performance issues with Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam, one player ended up claiming a refund and instead opting to purchase it on PS5 Pro. According to them, the game somehow looks and runs better on the console than on their high-end PC. They pointed out that Capcom’s other recent open world action role-playing game, Dragon’s Dogma 2, suffered from similar issues. In its analysis of the PC version, Digital Foundry pointed out that a high-end GPU will only be able to brute force the game’s technical shortcomings to a degree.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
