Hitman 3 Year 2 brings VR and Freelancer mode

Hitman 3 Year 2 begins on January 20th

IO Interactive will start releasing Hitman 3 Year 2 content on January 20th, and you can learn more about what's to come from the developer's showcase stream.

Year 2 introduces a new game mode, Elusive Target Arcade, which offers the “ultimate challenge” by adding multiple targets. You can retry them, and they are always ready to start with exclusive rewards.

• Two new game modes will be introduced in Year 2
• Freelancer mode inspired by rogue-like games
• Customisable safe house for 47
• New hidden and deadly NPCs lie in wait
• New final missions with random lead targets

Hitman VR: Virtual reality support is also coming to the PC version on January 20th, while the Hitman Freelancer mode will be added in spring alongside a safe house.

Homeowner: Freelancer will require some planning and foresight since you won't get tips and predetermined paths like in the campaign missions. The goal is to let you make 47 your own and “configure how your Hitman should live” through extensive customization options.

Which of these was a musical?

a) Rhapsody
b) Xenogears
c) Vagrant Story
d) Wild Arms

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Sony pulls PlayStation Now cards

Sony is apparently recalling PlayStation Now cards from retail, which could be a sign that the rumoured Xbox Game Pass competitor is about to launch.

PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now are expected to merge into a single subscription service that will compete with Microsoft's Game Pass, which reached over 18 million subscribers in January 2021 and had grown another 37% by June last year.

Retail deadline: PlayStation Now retail cards will be unavailable by January 21st according to VentureBeat, and Sony's new subscription service – codenamed Spartacus – is expected later this spring.

Tiered features: Spartacus is rumoured to offer three membership tiers: Tier one includes online multiplayer and a handful of free games every month, the second tier provides access to a library of games while the third tier includes access to demos and a range of classic titles.

The Settlers reboot launching March 17th

Ubisoft has rebooted the popular city-building and strategy series The Settlers, and the fruits of its reimagining launches for PC on March 17th.

A closed beta test will begin on Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect on January 20th, and you can sign up for a spot on Ubisoft's website.

Teaser: The recently released trailer promises a game that has been “fully reimagined from the ground up” with three new factions, all-new environments and ancient ruins to uncover and exploit.

New era: Each faction offers a unique presentation and play style with different strengths, weaknesses, and abilities that you can explore in a story-driven campaign.

Rescue Party: Live PC keys need a home

We have some Rescue Party: Live! keys for Steam burning a hole in our virtual pocket, so you could be the lucky owner of a charming local co-op party game by Tag Studio and 505 Games!

Here's this week's winners:

• Amy Jo Turner
• Kevin Caicedo
• Devon Howe
• Howard Olson
• Stefanie Vlcek

Brave Browser rewards you for surfing

Maybe your internet connection is fast, but what about your browser? The Brave Browser is built from the ground up for speed, privacy and providing an ad-free Internet.

You can opt-in for ads that respect your privacy, and even earn rewards. It’s quick and easy to use, featuring the same comforts and conveniences you expect from a modern browser.

• Play Captain Toad Treasure Tracker for free this week on Switch Online between January 13th and 20th
• Sony reveals last year's biggest games on PlayStation Store with NBA 2K22 and FIFA 22 topping the charts in the US and Europe respectively
• Microsoft stops manufacturing Xbox One to focus exclusively on Xbox Series X/S hardware
• Another Pokémon Legends: Arceus gameplay trailer available just ahead of the January 28th launch
• Fornite is now available on Nvidia's GeForce Now service in a time-limited closed beta on iOS and Android

Which of these was a musical?

ANSWER: Rhapsody!

Games may be a musical medium, but there are not a lot of videogame musicals. One of the few is the JRPG Rhapsody, by Disgaea developer Nippon Ichi Software. It was a cute and cheerful affair but didn't fare too well in a market that was turning towards a darker and grittier nature.

Rhapsody replaced FMV sequences with musical numbers, and it's a spectacularly cheesy game filled to the brim with cutesy characters and profoundly wacky songs. While the original PlayStation release is hard to come by, there's a DS version that sticks to the Japanese lyrics – for better or worse.

Talking about Fortnite and Geforce now, how about if you could stream and play GTA V on your Game Boy? Yes, a nice project for the weekend… 

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey. If you have any feedback or news tips for the team, please email us!