Rise & Shine

The Steam Machine is Valve's new piece of hardware entering the scene as a mini PC built for living room gaming. I love a lot about it, had some issues with it, but overall came away from my time with it feeling very positive. The big question mark has been around the Steam Machine price. After the Steam Deck had a jump in price, we knew that would be a major factor in who to recommend this to for PC gaming. The Steam Machine specs in coordination with how well it works with the Steam Controller being still make this an appealing PC rig to consider.

A wonderful design can't beat the ugly realities of pricing, performance, and consumer value.

Earlier this week, UK studio Kinetic Games (of Phasmophobia fame) showcased the first batch of titles to be released under their new indie publishing arm, Kinetic Publishing. From a whimsical wizarding life-sim to a metroidvania that takes place on the back of a giant snail (!), here’s a breakdown of what was revealed.Contact ProtocolChoices, paperwork, torpedoes and teabags – that’s how the dev team behind Contact Protocol describe their game, but this sci-fi workplace sim has a lot more going on beneath the surface.You play as the security officer aboard PALE HORSE, a vessel owned by Galileo