Video Games
Modified Version of ‘DayZ’ Granted Classification in Australia
DayZ is officially off the hook in Australia. After Australia’s Classification Board was set to ban Bohemia Interactive’s open world zombie survival game over its depiction of marijuana use, the Classification Board has issued a new MA15+ classification, allowing the game to be sold in the country.
However, the new classification comes at a cost, as a modified version of the game was submitted for approval. This version has removed the offending depictions of drug use from the game, which involved the use of marijuana as a health item. Frustratingly, marijuana isn’t currently in the official build of the game, as it was set to arrive via DLC. Even more frustrating is that this change affects all regions, so North American and European players get the censored version, as well.
This echoes a similar situation with Compulsion Games’ We Happy Few, where the game was initially refused classification over the fictional drug “Joy” being used in the game. The game was granted a classification on appeal, with no changes made.
The game is still not available for purchase in Australia yet, however that should change within the next few days.
Video Games
Free-to-Play Survival MMO ‘Once Human’ Launches on PS5, Xbox Series on August 25 [Trailer]
Originally launching on Steam and mobile back in 2024, developer Starry Studio has announced that their free-to-play co-op survival MMO Once Human will be making the jump to PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series on August 25. Alongside the console release, Once Human will receive an update that allows for first-person perspective play, and full cross-play and cross-progression support right from launch.
Pre-orders are now open for the game, which includes the “Starter Pack” and “Radiance Pack” bundles. Purchasing these packs include exclusive, limited pre-order items unique to the PlayStation and Xbox:
- Starter Pack ($9.99): Offers the Black Gold Butterfly cradle skin, 3 Midnight Rave weapon skins, a 30-day METAPASS, a special home facility skin, and exclusive profile customization items.
- Radiance Pack ($14.99): Provides an Outfit Selection including 3 character skins, a Premium Battle Pass, a 30-day METAPASS, 2 Siderite lottery tokens, and an exclusive avatar frame.
Once Human sees players waking up after a cataclysmic event where everything has become infested by an alien entity known as Stardust. You yourself have been affected, turned into a meta-human with no memory of who you were. As a meta-human, your quest is to find the truth about Stardust, find out where it came from, and what it wants. Along the way, you’ll need to navigate between the five different factions in the world, which each have their own goals.
Just because you’re a meta-human, doesn’t mean you’re invincible. Stardust has infected everything, including the soil and water. Similar to what happens in Fallout 76, if you eat polluted food and drink dirty water, it will cost you. In this case, it’s your Sanity. When your Sanity drops, your max HP will also drop.
Seeing as this is an MMO at heart, Once Human will have you and your friends (or without, if you so choose) collecting gear, finding new blueprints for weapons (about 100 blueprints spread across seven different categories), building and defending your base known as a Territory Core, as well as tackling numerous enemies that are once human. That includes challenging bosses from another dimension to reap the rewards of powerful items, and to ultimately ease the spread of Stardust.
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