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The best moments of Break The Record: LIVE Break the Record: LIVE lived up to its name when speedrunner Xiae smashed the Doom Eternal world record in a time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 52 seconds. Check out the highlights from the event: However, with many personal bests recorded over 14 intense hours of speedrunning action, Xiae’s no major glitches run wasn’t the only highlight of the day. A peak of 10,000 concurrent viewers enjoyed the event, and now you can relive some of the finest moments with casters Karl Jobst, Bowie ‘BOWIEStheHERO’ Alexander, and James ‘ALTInsider’ Winovich, who shared their highlights with us. Visconic’s final run was beautiful ALTInsider: I will always have a special spot in my speedrunning heart for visconic’s final run that provided a beautiful end to the whole event. While he didn’t end up with a PB for that particular run, he did wear his emotions directly on his sleeve. I think everyone watching was ride or die with that run. After 13 or so hours had passed, visconic (and Xamide who PB’d as well) put a great exclamation point on the last hour of the proceedings. Bowsr’s amazing chase ALTInsider: While it didn’t end up with a change in the leaderboards, given how much time bowsr has been on the top of Doom Eternal’s NMG leaderboards, you knew he had a chance to take home the WR during this event. After Xiae set the bar extremely high by getting the new WR however, focus for me shifted to Bowsr. Would he be able to reclaim his spot on top? While he ended up coming up short, his best attempt at doing so was a great run the whole way through, and it would have been a new WR just a few short days ago. It was a great effort by him and I hope the battle for #1 on the leaderboards doesn’t end here. Xiae and bowsr’s rivalry BOWIEStheHERO: Xiae and bowsr’s rivalry was apparent from the start. The two fastest runners from the community put on an amazing show. Xiae would go on to post more PBs as bowsr struggled to get one across the line, and it really was fascinating to see the two sides of the coin. Read More: How to get faster at Doom Eternal – Eventually, Xiae put in a historic run with his brand new world record of 1:08:52. The first-ever Sub-1:09. Once again, another broken record. BTRL is now 2/2 on that front! Huge outcome. Bowsr eventually knuckled down, and after a few lackluster runs, posted his own new PB of 1:09:26, making them the second ever runner to sub 1:10! Commentator’s curse BOWIEStheHERO: We can’t just talk about highlights in terms of everything going right. But what about when things go wrong? The opening race. 43-ish minutes in, on the stage ‘Mars Core,’ my co-commentator Karl Jobst mentioned a potential situation whereby the game could sadly crash (the game is run on an older version for the sake of some cool strategies). No more than five seconds later, that dark prophecy came true as Xiae queued up a BFG shot, and bosch… Blackscreen, in one of the most stunning cases of commentator’s curse I’ve been party to. Absolutely heartbreaking for the runner, but hilarious at the same time, in the timing of it all. Everyone showed up with their A-game Karl Jobst: My personal highlight was the overall level of play we saw on the day. You can never be sure going into an event how well the players will handle the pressure, but everyone showed up with their A-game and performed well. Six out of the seven runners achieved new personal bests, and of course, we saw a new world record with Xiae’s 1:08:52. You couldn’t ask for a better showing. Bloodshot9001’s clutch last run Karl Jobst: Bloodshot9001 was on a run that was behind the pace of his current PB, and we were approaching the cutoff at the end of the day for when players were allowed to reset. We were debating if he should reset and perform a new run, or if he should risk it all and see if he could clutch a good finish. Bloodshot9001 decided to keep going with the run he was on, and it was obvious by his demeanor that he was under a lot of pressure to finish strong. Read More: How Xiae beat the Doom Eternal world record – Despite having already played for 12 hours and feeling incredibly fatigued, he managed to overcome the pressure and perform his best finish of all time, setting a huge new personal best. It was a great moment. A tough act to follow BOWIEStheHERO: There’s a few things that truly made Break the Record: LIVE presented by Kaspersky exciting and memorable. Doom Eternal is a brand new experience, and the community hasn’t had the longest time to build their conquest of the speedrun. That said, since the event got announced, we started seeing our first few highlights. Qualification was pretty fierce, with the world record coming down from 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 9 minutes in the lead-up. It was a great showcase of the work speedrunners do to improve in their game. It’s likely the only chance to see more than two or three runners in the same place at the same time to really see how each runner handles it.

The best last-minute gifts for Christmas: LEGO, games, tech & more PexelsLeft your Christmas shopping until the last minute? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with some great deals and options to ensure things are here for the big day. While most stores will be stopping shipments for the holiday season, there are still a couple more days before the break. One of the main stores still shipping until December 22 is Amazon. If you take advantage of the free trial for Amazon Prime if you haven’t signed up before, you should get your things before then. Remember that certain stores like Best Buy and Walmart will still be doing Click and Collect until they shut for the holidays too. Looking for some suggestions? Of course, you are. That’s why you’re here. Christmas is stressful, so let us take the load off you. Best Christmas gift ideas for gaming fans Lucky for you, there’s a tonne of sales for downloadable games at the minute. Don’t worry, we’ve also got deals for physical games as well. Xbox Microsoft is running deep discounts on a tonne of games, including some major hitters for 2023. If your special one has an Xbox or PC, this would be the perfect time to delve deep into the sales. These include things like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 being reduced by 30%, or the excellent Resident Evil 4 Remake getting a deep 50% discount. Modern Warfare 3 being discounted this much this time of year is extremely rare, and a deal we’d recommend anyone take advantage of if they can. While the campaign didn’t seem to hit as well, the meat of things is in the multiplayer, which we said was excellent in our review. Fortnite & Roblox For younger fans of Fortnite and Roblox, there’s nothing better than gifting them some V-Bucks and Robux to spend on their favorite game. It also saves the parents’ credit cards from racking up extortionate fees. These come as a code that you can then send or write out on the Christmas card. PlayStation For those PS4 and PS5, if you don’t want to wait on the delivery for a physical game, why not just give them a gift card? Give the gift of freedom of choice this year, but try to point in the way of some high-quality games if you can. PlayStation is running its own sale, similar to Microsoft’s Xbox deals, so they’ll not be missing out on some killer offers. The PS5 bundle with Spider-Man is also available for pick up and delivery before December 22 from Best Buy: PC & Steam Deck On PC, of course, it’s got to be some downloads. While Steam gift cards are great, there’s almost always a bevy of sales happening across the web. We’d recommend looking into Humble Bundle, Gamebillet, and Fanatical, as well as Green Man Gaming. All these sites offer some excellent deals year-round, and Christmas time is no different. Check out all of Humble’s deals (including Steam & Epic support) – GameBillet (excellent for offers) – Fanatical (Tons of options and bundles) – Green Man Gaming’s winter sale – Nintendo Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch owners can seek similar deals for the handheld console. We’d recommend some of the latest titles from Nintendo, including Super Mario Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. These games are both deep enough for hardcore players to get lost in, but also, easy enough to grasp for everyone too. Top figures & Funko Pops for Christmas Figures aren’t just for Christmas. From the slew of anime figures for your precious nerds to Funko Pops for the collector, there’s a bounty of choice. While we’ve seen some excellent ones up for preorder, you can gift a preorder… or can you? No, you can’t. That’d be cruel. However, these figures we recommend should bring some much-needed spice of life to your loved one’s collections. Anime figures Jujutsu Kaisen: Megumi Fushiguro – Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha – Demon Slayer: Nezuko Kamado (Blood Demon) – Dragon Ball Super: Goku Black (Rose) – Bleach: Ichigo Kurosaki – Demon Slayer: Tanjirou eating rice balls figure – One Piece: Nami – One Piece: Zoro – Berserk: Guts (Berserker Armor) – Non-anime Figures Five Nights at Freddy’s Foxy Nutcracker figure – Stranger Things Demogorgon – Marvel Legends: Guardians of the Galaxy pack – Super Mario Movie Van Playset – Star Wars The Mandalorian with Grogu (Baby Yoda) set – Dune figure pack – Star Wars Troopers pack – Funko Pops A lot of these Funkos have been dropped in price for the holiday season, which we’ve collated below: Marvel’s War Machine – Captain Marvel (Modern style) – Star Wars Obi-Wan – Goofy (Three Musketeers) – Whitney Houston – Black Adam – Cinderella (Disney 100) – Johnny Knoxville (WWE) – Funko Bitty Pop: Disney Princess collection – Last-minute LEGO gifts for the Christmas holidays LEGO is massive with everyone these days. There’s also a tonne to look at and buy. While ordering from LEGO direct would give you access to the VIP points, it might not get here till the end of the year. So, Amazon it is! Thankfully, Amazon is running deals on almost every LEGO set on the site. Everything from Star Wars, Marvel, and classic additions has been reduced. Who doesn’t love LEGO? Plus, with a lot of the sale items being retired from shelves altogether next year, it could be the last chance to grab some killer gifts. LEGO Ideas The Insect Collection – LEGO Icons Succulents – LEGO Jurassic World Blue and Beta Velociraptor Capture – LEGO Star Wars 501st Clone Troopers Battle Pack – LEGO Indiana Jones Temple of The Golden Idol – LEGO Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V – LEGO Marvel Captain America’s Shield – LEGO Architecture London Skyline Collection – Best tech gifts for Christmas A little more pricey than the others on offer here, but who doesn’t love unwrapping something new? Our favorite pieces of tech for Christmas range from cameras, to even the more “boring” things like SD cards and storage. While the tech team has its recommendations you should check out, here are some excellent options for those last-minute buys. GoPro Hero 12 Black – Corsair K70 RGB Pro Wireless keyboard – Roku Streaming Stick (4K) – AirPods Pro (Gen 2) – Apple Watch Series 9 – Logitech G305 Lightspeed gaming mouse – Movie & TV deals for the holidays: Amazon Prime, Paramount+ & more Do you know what’s excellent during Christmas? Catching up on a tonne of movies you might have missed during the year. Between Netflix, Prime, and Disney+, it can be hard to choose where to start. However, Amazon Prime does do some killer deals for the holidays. These include movies discounted super low on a rental basis (they’ll expire 24 hours after you watch them), but you also have a massive selection of physical media too. Here are some of our top recommendations to dig into with the family this Christmas, just after that delicious dinner meal: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Barbie – Oppenheimer – Trolls Band Together – Cocaine Bear – Elf – Mission Impossible Blu-Ray collection – Harry Potter Blu-Ray collection – Interstellar Blu-Ray – The Office: Complete series – Mad Max High Octane Collection – Board & trading card game last-minute gift ideas for Christmas Who doesn’t love sitting around over the holiday season and relaxing with a good board game? As long as it’s not Monopoly, it’s safe to assume that things won’t devolve into a fight. Magic: The Gathering If there’s one thing Magic: The Gathering (MTG) fans love, it’s more cards. With developers Wizards of the Coast branching out into releasing more “collector” items, it can be daunting with high prices. That’s why we’re recommending the Aftermath Collector booster box. It’s been reduced by a ridiculous 68% and offers some great cards for MTG’s Commander format. With its limited assortment of cards, the booster box should also let them grab almost every card available. Pokemon TCG Got a Pokemon fan? The Pokemon Trading Card Game’s (PTCG) Elite Trainer Boxes aren’t just excellent boosts to the collection but offer some valuable storage for budding players. A recent special set, Scarlet & Violet 151, has been reduced by 24%. This is similar to the MTG Aftermath box, in that it’s a special set with a unique offering. It brings all 151 original Pokemon in new cards for the game with a random chance at them in the 9 included booster packs. There are also extra bits for playing the game, like dice. Warhammer & Warhammer 40K Meanwhile, your favorite Warhammer fan might be in need of some paints and units. Take a look below for some of our top recommendations to keep them busy during the Winter: Traditional board games Though, these games are great and all, but, what about some “true” board games? Well, lucky for you, Amazon has some neat discounts on classics and ones you might never have considered.

The best Funko Pops to gift for Valentine’s Day Looking for an ideal gift for the Funko Pop fan in your life? We go over some of the best options out there, from the magical Scarlet Witch with a rose-red heart to a Star Wars force ghost with a box of chocolates, obviously. Valentine’s Day calls for thoughtful gestures to share affection with partners, friends, and family members. Funko Pop vinyl puts a fun spin on traditional gifts like flowers and chocolate with their quirky designs spanning between several fandoms. This list covers the best Funko Pop gifts perfect for bringing joy and smiles on Valentine’s Day. Funko Pop! Scarlet Witch with Heart Hex The reality-warping Avenger conjures a glowing red heart that aptly matches her red costume accents on this convention exclusive. Scarlet Witch makes a fitting Valentine’s Day Pop representing beloved characters using magic in creative ways. Valentine’s Day Pop! Obi-Wan Kenobi Everyone’s favorite wise Jedi Master sports a themed makeover for the romantic holiday. His traditional robes receive red, white, and pink paint over as he clutches a heart-shaped gift box with a white ribbon on it. Funko Stitch Be Mine Plush The cute alien Experiment 626 hugs a heart proclaiming “Be Mine” as a cuddly plush perfect for snuggling. His fluffy blue fur and big smiling face share Disney magic and hugs to anyone on Valentine’s Day. Pop! Jack Skellington with Flower The Pumpkin King is dressed to impress in a pink suit adorned while presenting a dark flower. His grinning skull captures mischievous glee sure to delight Nightmare Before Christmas fans with some Halloween spilling into the February holiday. Joker Popsies Greeting Bursting with confetti when opened, this grinning Joker spread his arms wide alongside a sweet message to surprise that special someone. The Popsies format mixes vinyl figures with cards to recreate the Clown Prince of Crime in Valentine mode. Harley Quinn Popsie Greeting Harley Quinn pops open with arms wide and an endearing message sure to make anyone smile. Her outfit and pink costume fit the theme beautifully as a memorable Popsie card. Pocket Pop! Marvel Valentines 4-Pack Four Pocket Pop minis come housed inside a heart-shaped box perfect for treating comic book fans. Captain Marvel, Hulk, Thor, and Doctor Strange each imagined in red and pink paint jobs to represent the Avengers and Defenders in cupid’s signature style. Popsies Valentine’s Day Edition Beast The furry prince opens his arms while declaring “You’re an enchanted beauty!” in a charming sentiment. This Popsie makes for a sweet gesture to share positive vibes on Valentine’s Day for Disney fans. Funko Pop vinyl adds some funky flare through fandoms to traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. Whether it’s magical hearts, Star Wars messaging, plushies, or pop-up card hybrids, Funko offers novelty ways to share affection with that special someone. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Best Crossplay Games: 10 must-play cross platform games in 2022 In 2022, most multiplayer games can be enjoyed on several different platforms such as PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and many more. With so many to choose from, cross-platform games are slowly becoming the norm. But what are the best crossplay games currently on the market? Multiplayer games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. From the likes of Battle Royale juggernauts such as Fortnite and Apex Legends to the highly popular Dead By Daylight, opening the borders between gaming platforms has never been more worthwhile. But with so many options to choose from, it can prove difficult to narrow it down to the best crossplay experiences. Whether you enjoy slaying enemies in Warzone’s Pacific island of Caldera or hiding from terrifying killers in Dead By Daylight, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top 10 best crossplay games of 2022. The best crossplay games of 2022 10. Among Us Among Us was released back in 2018, but eventually skyrocketed to new heights in mid-2020 during the pandemic. This game‘s success can be attributed to its immense popularity among content creators and streamers. Even though it has lost quite a bit of traction, this cross-platform title still remains hugely successful on Steam as well as on consoles and mobile devices. After many updates, it is now available on basically every mainstream platform including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and iOS/Android. Among Us is a game of deception and wit — a crossplay experience that we strongly recommend. 9. Overwatch While players anxiously await the sequel to Overwatch, the base game still offers a quite enjoyable experience. Although the crossplay feature was only recently added, enabling it simply requires you to have a Battle.net account. Once that’s set up, you’ll be able to play with friends on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Overwatch is an FPS game that allows you to play completely different and unique roles. Whether you’re a damage dealer, a tank, or a healer, you’re sure to find a playstyle that suits you. 8. Rocket League Rocket League has managed to stay relevant since its initial release almost six years ago. This is heavily due in part to its unique and insanely enjoyable experience, made even better when playing with friends. Did we mention it’s also free to play? Read More: Is Path of Exile cross-platform? – Crossplay in Rocket League is enabled by default, allowing you to share games with players on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. In terms of cross-platform games, it is one of the best. 7. Destiny 2 Bungie’s flagship FPS has been heavily discussed since the release of its prequel in 2014. Since then, Destiny 2 has seen major improvements. Not only is it a cross-platform game, but it also contains a feature that many games lack: cross-progression. Simply put, this means that you can transfer from one platform to another without losing all of your progress and stats. This game boasts an especially unique crossplay experience as it bridges the gap between PvE and PvP experiences. Whether you choose to challenge A.I. bosses in raids and strikes or take on players in the Crucible, Destiny 2 will definitely keep you occupied. 6. Dead By Daylight Dead By Daylight has not only managed to stay relevant since its initial 2016 release, but its popularity has only surged since then. This can be attributed to regular updates, the introduction of new killers and survivors, and of course, the fact that it is cross-platform. As is custom with most crossplay games currently on the market, players can enjoy Dead By Daylight with friends on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Switch. So, if you’re looking for a fun and slightly terrifying experience, then it is perfect for you. 5. Genshin Impact Genshin Impact took the gaming industry by storm, generating $400 million in the first two months of release. Though it boasts an interesting single-player experience full of humor, heartache, and interesting plot twists, its multiplayer mode is not one to be forgotten. Once you reach the required level, you will then have the ability to play with friends on different platforms. However, keep in mind that this game is not yet available on Xbox consoles. 4. Warzone Call of Duty’s iteration into the Battle Royale genre has been hugely successful. Releasing back in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, Warzone is one of the few games on this list that has always had crossplay enabled. Not only does this allow matchmaking to provide better experiences in-game, but it also lets you play with friends on different platforms. Whether you’re on PlayStation, Xbox, or PC, Warzone is an FPS experience that is enjoyed by many. When it comes to cross-platform games, it is a must-play. 3. Apex Legends Apex Legends was initially dubbed the “Fortnite-killer” following its sudden 2019 release. However, it has since shown why it deserves its place among the best Battle Royale games of all time. This game is especially praised for its gunplay, and the in-game dynamic between all the different characters or “legends”. This is a Battle Royale experience that is tailored towards team play. So, if you have friends who play on different platforms, then you should be happy to know that crossplay can also be enabled. Currently, Apex Legends can be played on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and mobile in some territories. 2. Fortnite In the past five years, Fortnite has become synonymous with the Battle Royale genre. This game has completely revolutionized the way the industry looks at gaming, not just from a commercial standpoint, but also in terms of content and updates. With the kind of success that Fortnite has enjoyed, it’s no secret that it has crossplay. Available on basically every single gaming platform, it offers consistent updates, lots of customization, and a polished gaming experience. 1. Minecraft Minecraft is the second most successful video game of all time. And the secret to its success lies in its incredible simplicity. While this was mainly a PC game at first, it has now spread to a multitude of platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Mac, Nintendo, and mobile. In essence, it is a game about creativity and social interaction. The sky is truly the limit. So there you have it, the best crossplay games you can play right now. Be sure to check out our gaming page for more entertaining stories and guides.

The best Cool Math games and apps for May 2019 Coolmath.comA lot of growing gamers have explored the seemingly endless catalogue offered by the popular site Coolmath Games, but sometimes it’s hard to filter the bangers from the more tedious titles from the platform. CoolMath Games launched in 1997 and has since given players of all ages access to a treasure trove of invaluable programs for learning everything from pre-Algebra to Precalculus and beyond. The Flash games are popular with all sorts of people including YouTube celebrity Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg who once turned to the site in help to overcome then-rival T-Series. But to fuel the best environment to really lock down the mathematical concepts, here are some of the best CoolMath Games to grind long hours into. CoolMath Games isn’t just playing with numbers, there are more than enough games to understand hard concepts without strict math involved. 5. Basketball Master 2, the best kind of calculating The best cool math games on the internet are the ones that have you applying mathematical concepts without using numbers. With Basketball Master 2, players need to calculate everything from height to distance for the ball to travel in order to make the bucket while collecting gold stars on the way. 4. Fireboy and Water Girl in the Forest Temple, a great mix of juggling mechanics Before heading into what this CoolMath game has to offer, be ready since there’s a lot happening in this Flash side scroller. The player controls the two titular characters using the ASDW and the directional arrows. Different levels range in objectives, but the tricky part lies in plotting ahead as to not let the two characters touch their opposite element. It’s all fun and games until your character goes up in smoke. Red Ball 4 has to be one of CoolMath Games’ best side scrolling adventure games. 3. Space is Key, a frustrating but rewarding game Merely playing the game for a minute, you get the pun they were going for in this one, but the objective is simple: move your block out of harm’s way by jumping over obstacles. After getting through some of the early courses, you don’t really notice the difficulty until you’re redoing the same level a few dozen times. 2. Red Ball 4, a worthy side scrolling adventure In one of the more delightful Mario clones, the player takes control over a Red Ball and has to make their through threatening geometric fiends and calculate their way across quick puzzles. The game is simple in its approach but starts ramping up the pressure the more you make it through some of the early terrain. As simple as the game starts out, B-Cubed is deceptively hard. 1. B-Cubed, into this puzzle game The top cool math games are the ones that don’t force numbers on you, and B-Cubed falls right into that category. The aim of the game is to “slide the cube… to pass over every single square on your way to the final square.” This one is definitely the most welcoming game on the list, until you start noticing the timer on the top left pressuring you to quickly think of the solution.

The best cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! Infinite Forbidden booster set Konami/DexertoAs Yu-Gi-Oh! releases go, few could have seen how impressive the offering from the Infinite Forbidden booster set was going to be. Here’s everything you need to know about some of the best cards in the set. Starting from a collector’s perspective, there is a lot to like. Of the 101 cards available in the set, 24 are additionally available as Quarter Century Secret Rares, with one extra card only available in that rarity (Dragon of Pride and Soul). The major win for this set is the slew of highly competitive cards it introduces to the meta. Though it isn’t quite an Age of Overlord levels of ridiculousness, Infinite Forbidden has a ton of support for already competitive archetypes and some nice new themes for players to explore. The best cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! Infinite Forbidden Fiendsmith Engraver Possibly the strongest card in the entire set (and with a price tag to match), Fiendsmith Engraver is one of those cards that really does have it all. Ignore the bang average ATK stat and head straight for the card effects. You should find this card can do almost anything you want. It can special summon itself from the graveyard and bring another back into the deck from the same place. It also allows the player to search for spells and traps from within the archetype, in a similar vein to Diabellstar the Black Witch. Astellar of the White Forest Speaking of Diabellstar/Sinful Spoils decks, Astellar of the White Forest is a fantastic addition to an already stacked archetype. Like other cards within the archetype, Astellar will be a constituent in a rolling combo of card draws and summons. Special summoning a Tuner at the cost of one Spell or Trap is already a solid trade-off, but it can also bring itself back from the graveyard. Added to decks alongside the likes of Snake-Eyes Poplar, it should quickly become a regular feature in local competitive play. Fiendsmith’s Requiem Designed to work in tandem with Fiendsmith Engraver, Fiendsmith’s Requiem is a low-cost Link card that should allow you to start summon chains pretty easily if your deck is built correctly. The Light/Fiend type requirement is also a solid sign that more cards of that ilk could be on the way. While it will probably be largely restricted to Fiendsmith-specific decks at the moment, it’s not difficult to see this getting a lot of play in decks of various ilk’s and archetypes. Mulcharmy Purulia Maxx C irreparably changed the Yu-Gi-Oh! landscape, and mercifully, few cards have come along since that come close to achieving the same thing. Infinite Forbidden might change that with Mulcharmy Purulia, though its restrictions should prevent it from becoming game-breaking. The effect sees players discard Mulcharmy Purulia, in turn allowing them to draw any time the opponent normal or special summons a Monster from the current hand. With the way matches play out in the current meta, this card has the potential to be a hugely useful tool across a wide variety of decks. Dark Magician the Magician of Black Magic Though Dark Magician decks may forever remain a meme, Shining Sarcophagus has become a more interesting archetype by the day. Dark Magician the Magician of Black Magic only furthers that push for the top, allowing players to roll out a 2500 ATK card with relative ease. Given how simple it is to get Shining Sarcophagus onto the field, you should have no problem getting this card out. The fact that it becomes “Dark Magician” while on the field also gives it a ton of bolstering support from utility cards. Additionally, the ability to draw a Spell/Trap with Dark Magician in the title is also a huge boon, and this should be a popular choice, even if it doesn’t show up much at the highest levels of play. Those are our favorite cards in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Infinite Forbidden booster set. This was a tough one to whittle down, so make sure to take a look at the other cards on offer, as there are plenty of impressive pulls throughout.

The Batman fight scene turned into an Arkham game is a must-watch Warner Bros.A fan has turned a fight scene from The Batman into an Arkham game-style edit, and it’s a must-watch. Here’s what it looks like. With its comic book sequences and traditional detective spin on Gotham’s Dark Knight, The Batman has been praised by fans as one of the most famous DC universe comic book flicks. Based on Batman: Year One comics, the 2022 film adaptation by Matt Reeves received widespread praise upon its debut, with some even going so far as to say it was the second-best Batman film of all time, after Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. But in the gaming sector, comparable praise has been bestowed upon Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham trilogy games, which established a standard for open-world superhero games and served as an inspiration for Insomniac’s Spider-Man. The best of both worlds have been brought together by one Batman fan who has edited the Iceberg Lounge scene from The Batman in a unique way. Several key presses and visual effects give the impression of genuine gameplay as if they had managed to include components from the Arkham games. Here’s a look at the video edit and the reactions from fans of the two properties. Fan turns The Batman fight scene into an Arkham gameplay in a viral edit An X user named GothamChief turned the iconic Iceberg Lounge fight scene from The Batman into an Arkham gameplay by adding elements such as the location, XP bar, Health Bar, Combo bar, and key presses at crucial combat moments on the screen. They also included the HUD elements around enemies’ heads right before they attacked. Furthermore, as the fight continues, viewers see Batman’s health bar go low due to a gunshot and icons grapple and pull an enemy closer to them. The scene ends with a menu screen where the user clicks on Restart. The sequence itself is so incredibly shot it resembles an actual gameplay cinematic from the Arkham trilogy games. Upon looking at the clip, several fans of The Batman turned in their comments to praise the editor’s work. One such fan said, “This is so peak.” Another chimed in, “If film tie-in games were still a thing, this would’ve been a mean game.” A third user added, “Fabulous edit! And when Penguin asks: Looking for me?, I cannot stop imagining Batman “visiting” him again and disrupting his plans. Don’t know, it just feels right!” A fourth one commented, “This is so awesome because this and many other scenes did feel straight out of the Arkham games.”

The Ascent review – A breathtaking cyberpunk RPG bogged down by frustrating flaws Neon GiantStunning twin-stick shooter action in a rich cyberpunk RPG may keep you and a few friends engaged with The Ascent, but a number of painful flaws hold the experience back from ever reaching its full potential. For a first outing by a small dev team at Neon Giant, the technical achievement on display throughout The Ascent is nothing short of spectacular. Despite its cheaper price point, the top-down action game provides some of the best visuals today with a stable performance, no matter how chaotic a scene you may find yourself in. It’s in the title’s twin-stick action gameplay where critical issues rise to the surface, however. From deep balancing oversights to frustrating bugs, The Ascent can often fluctuate from a thrilling joyride to a painful wreck. If you can look past its aggravations there’s a fun, if fairly forgettable, cyberpunk RPG ready for you and friends to unravel. Just don’t expect a flawless journey through the arcology. The Ascent – Key Details Price: $44.95 (AUD) | $29.99 (USD) | £24.99 (GBP) – Developer: Neon Giant – Release date: June 29, 2021 – Platforms: Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, & PC – The Ascent trailer A true technical marvel As you venture through The Ascent’s dystopian universe, it’s impossible not to be taken back by the consistent level of detail throughout. Every thriving social hub, all the grimey alleyways, and the many gang-controlled territories are realized with an extraordinary degree of polish. Whether it’s your first time trekking through some downtrodden slums or your tenth time visiting a crowded city center, it never gets old taking in the rich and varied environments. Gorgeous lighting breathes life into every corner of these sprawling locales as the developers make full use of stunning ray-tracing effects. The cyberpunk aesthetic shines bright here: vibrant neon signs and immense digital billboards illuminate the brutalist architecture and keep you hooked through every twist and turn. As gameplay breaks through moments of peaceful exploration, this remarkable detail only ramps up. At any given time you could find yourself in the center of a densely populated area before all hell breaks loose. In the blink of an eye, you’ll see hundreds of particle effects and animations come into play as NPCs scatter, enemies begin to unload, and chaos ensues. Every time an encounter kicks off in one of the game’s busier environments, it’s always an astonishing sight. Not purely due to the level of polish, either, but also due to how seamlessly it all functions. Even in the most absurdly hectic moments, with countless foes attacking all at once, it never became overwhelming. Many similar titles can often suffer from such visual clutter as you lose your place in the world, or have difficulty tracking down targets. Fortunately, thanks to the aforementioned lighting, great camera placement throughout, and even some finer UI details, The Ascent never struggled in this regard. Not once throughout the experience did frame rate become an issue either, even on fairly dated PC hardware. Considering the sheer amount happening in every single frame during The Ascent, it’s a commendable accomplishment that its quality never became a hindrance. Bang for your buck While The Ascent may be a more affordable title, it certainly never feels like a cheap experience. Crammed full of meaningful content that takes around 20 hours to get through once the many side-missions are factored in, you rarely feel as though your time is being wasted. The main storyline has you rising through the ranks in a world gone mad. A central mystery ties everything together as you engage with various factions to uncover the truth behind a greater threat. With well over a hundred lore tabs to sift through detailing different areas, characters, gangs, technology, and everything in between, there’s plenty to learn. If you’re just interested in beelining through the main narrative, however, it’s safe to say you’ll be lost rather quickly. Right out of the gate The Ascent hits you with new terminology for every little thing. From your place in the social hierarchy to various corporations and their goals, there’s lots of new language to wrap your head around. While this serves as neat worldbuilding, especially for those willing to dig through the dozens of intricate lore entries, the early hours can definitely be a little tough to digest. In the moment-to-moment gameplay, you’ll find yourself dipping in and out of combat as you push through new regions to advance the story. As a top-down twin-stick shooter, The Ascent throws waves of randomly generated foes at you while mixing in a handful of curated encounters along the way. Read More: Nier Replicant review – It’s your goal to avoid incoming fire while dishing out damage by any means necessary. Through an assortment of weapons, tactical equipment, and unique power-ups, you’ll be mowing targets down with miniguns, throwing explosives, and dashing through crowds as a heart-pounding techno score makes it all the more exciting. One of the unique ways The Ascent differs from similar twin-stick shooters is with its focus on elevation. The game offers a fluid cover system that allows you to duck behind terrain to avoid incoming damage. Not only that, but various enemies are also designed with height in mind. You may only be able to damage smaller critters with a standard method of fire, but for drones circling overhead, you might need to focus your aim and shoot upwards instead. This can drastically change the pace of any encounter and provide a fresh approach from the usual destruction. After clearing a room full of enemies, you’ll see the floor scattered with health and ‘mana’ pickups, along with a wide range of new armor, weapons, and the like. As a loot-driven RPG, you’re always chasing that next item to push you over the line and give you an advantage in tense situations. In this style of game, too many titles fall into the trap of constantly feeding you objectively superior gear as you progress. In The Ascent, while there are certain intervals that provide a significant bump, things aren’t always black and white. Read More: Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review – Even if you’ve leveled up a few times and reached a new area, that doesn’t necessarily mean the loot you stumble upon will be better. Rather, new weapons, armor, and augments often provide you with options. Do you want the headpiece with low damage protection but a boost to accuracy? Or would you rather the headpiece with a massive armor boost but no other benefits? This encourages you to consistently alter your build and thus, your playstyle on the whole, rather than just mindlessly equipping the latest drop because all the stats were one or two points better than the previous set. Although it’s a loot-driven RPG, there’s no real ‘endgame’ to speak of, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing in this case. While you might not be grinding for hours on end after the credits roll, the content that is there feels substantive and well worth your time when all goes according to plan. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. While The Ascent can definitely shine, a good chunk of the experience can also be painfully frustrating. Frustrating gameplay issues halt the fun The Ascent can provide plenty of enjoyable moments through its stunning visuals and exciting gameplay, but it falls short of consistently meeting that mark and reaching its true potential due to a range of bugs and design flaws. Take for example, the game’s open world. On one hand, being able to freely explore the huge map lends itself to some fun moments of discovery. On the other, it also punishes you for going down the wrong path, despite your limited knowledge. Walking down a single street, you might start by encountering a group of thugs well beneath your current level. You can either one-hit all of them or choose to simply walk through, ignoring the gang entirely as they deal minimal damage. Continuing down that same street, you may then bump into a larger crowd of foes 10+ levels ahead of you. Without explanation, without any real context, the game will drop different tiers of opposition seemingly at random around the map. There’s no noticeable level creep as you progress so that you know to gradually avoid certain high-level areas. Making matters worse, you can’t even tell that you’re in trouble until it’s too late. Enemy levels only come into focus after you shoot at them, meaning you could start a gunfight against a max-level target without knowing, only to be eviscerated in a single shot. On that note, leveling issues are prominent throughout the entire experience, not just open-world exploration. Rarely does The Ascent strike that perfect balance between ‘impossibly difficult’ and ‘laughably easy.’ Even when overleveled beyond the recommended point for certain main quests, the game tends to do its own thing and ignore the basic experience system. Some boss fights may be at your level and outrageously difficult, while other boss fights might be above your level yet prove to be a walk in the park. Oftentimes, it simply doesn’t make sense. A number of particular fights, which we won’t spoil here, almost prevented a full run through the game due to this very issue. When targets are near-invincible bullet sponges and capable of wiping your squad in a few hits, any form of strategy goes out the window. It doesn’t matter what loot you may have or how advanced your armor is. These frustrations are only compounded when other factors are added to the mix. Read More: Returnal review – Trying to play through the game solo means every single enemy is immediately aggroed to your character. This makes the more challenging fights even more excruciating. Certain targets also happen to glitch upon spawning in, causing them to enter an ‘invulnerable’ state and thus, preventing you from clearing the room and moving on. That’s exactly what happened during the very last boss fight, as dozens of unhittable targets flooded the screen and forced a restart countless times. It took almost three hours of smashing heads into walls before a lucky run finally saw the boss encounter draw to a close. As an aside, while the game never had any true performance issues, the key fast travel system was completely broken on this version of the title. Upon using the feature, the game crashed without fail, every single time, forcing players to manually move around the map instead and therefore adding to the overall playtime. Rating: 6/10 While The Ascent brings a beautiful cyberpunk world to life with astonishing detail, gameplay issues hold it back from being a thoroughly enjoyable adventure from start to finish. It certainly has its high points and for an affordable co-op title, the good can outweigh the bad if you’ve got a group of friends along for the ride. Ultimately, The Ascent has some true potential but never really reaches its pinnacle thanks to the deadweight of glaring gameplay issues, and a few fundamental flaws.

The Artful Escape review – A wondrous trip down the rabbit hole Beethoven & DinosaurThe Artful Escape thrusts you down the rabbit hole into a whimsical wonderland overflowing with creativity in every facet. If you’re seeking a gaming experience wholly unique or just want something a little out of the ordinary, this lively indie title is not one to miss. At a glance, The Artful Escape is a simple side-scroller with narrative focus at the forefront. Though what transpires as this visually stunning escapade gets underway is unlike anything else you’ll play this year. The places you’ll go, the characters you’ll meet, and the sights you’ll see, will all stick with you long after the credits roll. While the gameplay itself is nothing particularly memorable, it’s the breathtaking designs and endless creativity that will keep you hooked from start to finish. In an industry that too often rewards repetition, The Artful Escape is perhaps the most aptly-titled release in recent years. It affords an escape from the traditional gaming experience, daring to experiment in entirely unique and rewarding ways. The Artful Escape – Key Details Price: $19.99 (USD) | $29.95 (AUD) – Developer: Beethoven and Dinosaur – Release date: September 10, 2021 – Platforms: Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, & PC – The Artful Escape trailer A gaming drug trip without comparison Assuming the role of Francis Vendetti, a hometown musician struggling to escape the shadow of his legendary uncle, it’s your job to help the budding rockstar discover not only his purpose, but his passion. What begins in a small American town quickly evolves into a grand, cosmic adventure. From the quietudes of his neighborhood the night before a big show, to the loud, unrelenting locales you’ll visit in pursuit of Francis’ identity, The Artful Escape moves from one beautifully rendered scene to another. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant an area may be, creativity can be felt bursting at the seams of every frame. It’s the type of painstakingly detailed game where pausing in any given moment could land you a gorgeous new wallpaper. Each new environment is distinct from the last, giving you something completely new to drool over with each chunk of the three-to-four-hour experience. This boundless ingenuity extends to everything from character design to dialogue as well. You’ll mingle with incomprehensible creatures, stumble upon mind-boggling architecture, and float through dream-like landscapes, all with a guitar in hand. It’s this phenomenal design, backed by a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Mark Strong and Lena Headey, that will draw you in and keep your eyes glued to the screen. However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows throughout the unapologetically original title. A far cry from the bog-standard gaming experience Arguably the greatest strength of The Artful Escape is its creativity. This emphasis on the audiovisual stimuli does come with its setbacks in terms of actual game design, though. There was one particular moment that stood out early into the experience as a prompt appeared on screen, asking me to hold a button down in order to “jam with the environment.” That’s a real function and surprisingly one of the only tasks that repeats throughout the game. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t ask much of you beyond simple inputs of that variety. Core mechanics in The Artful Escape boil down to moving from left to right, occasionally jumping, and shredding through a handful of guitar battles. These quasi-combat sequences are the pillars of each region, but they’re effectively nothing more than simple bouts of Simon Says. Once you’ve ventured through the first area and knocked off your first musical challenge, you’ve all but played everything the game has to offer. There’s nothing new in terms of physical input beyond this point. Therefore, it’s easy for the remainder of the journey to grow somewhat monotonous. Rather than properly engaging with the title and feeling as though you’re playing an impactful role, it can come across as more of a playable art gallery at times. Walking across the screen is often the only thing you have to think about while watching the wonderful artwork come to life. It left me wishing there was a little more game to the game. Obviously overdoing it with proper combat, XP systems, or even a death feature would have an adverse effect and more than likely ruin the flow. But the occasional puzzle, platforming challenge, or the like, would have gone a long way to keep it all engaging. Rating: 8/10 The Artful Escape certainly won’t tick all the boxes for everyone that comes through. It’s an abstract title that isn’t afraid to go against the grain in every capacity. From the visuals down to the actual mechanics, it’s unlike anything else on the market. But for that exact reason, it’s absolutely an experience worth your time. Creativity to this degree is rare in the modern gaming industry and therefore, The Artful Escape shouldn’t go amiss. Reviewed on Xbox Series X

The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour graphic novel – Release date & how to buy The Adventure ZoneFans of the podcast The Adventure Zone will be able to delve into the next graphic novel adventure – The Eleventh Hour. Here is everything to know about the release date and where to buy it. The Adventure Zone: Balance is a beloved Podcast adventure and Graphic Novel made by the McElroy family. The story, which blossomed from a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, tells the story of Taako, Merle, Magnus, and their friends as they travel through a lore-rich world. While the Balance arc of The Adventure Zone ended in 2017, fans of the series were delighted to hear that the story would be adapted for graphic novels. Drawn by Carey Pietsch, the illustrated volumes bring new details to the Balance storyline, and breathe life into the already well-loved cast of characters. The previous volume, The Crystal Kingdom, was originally released in 2021, making it almost two years since fans have had a chance to pick up the next edition. Now, The Adventure Zone Volume 5 will take the heroes of the story through The Eleventh Hour, releasing February 21, 2023. Where to buy The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour Graphic Novel As shared on the First Second Books Twitter account, players can purchase copies of The Eleventh Hour ahead of release, and join in for a free live stream event on February 21, at 8 PM ET. Those wanting to join in can purchase their copy of the graphic novel at local bookstores like Barnes & Noble, or via online websites like Amazon. Follow the link below to pick up your copy: Fans who pre-order the book can also submit their receipt to receive a special, lenticular sticker similar to the one seen in The Crystal Kingdom. However, these stickers are available only to those who pre-order, and who submit their receipt online. With the story ramping up, fans of The Adventure Zone will soon get to see how Merle, Taako, and Magnus handle the challenges in front of them, and how they may differ from the original podcast storyline. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

The 5 most exciting card reveals for Disney Lorcana Shimmering Skies RavensburgerDisney Lorcana’s next set Shimmering Skies is getting closer. We’ve picked out five cards that we can’t wait to get our hands on. The realm of Lorcana is celebrating Ursula’s defeat in the next set of the Disney Lorcana TCG. Shimmering Skies looks to be a turning point for the TCG with its first-ever global release and a bunch of new product types hitting stores. Whether you’re a collector looking to track down the most expensive cards or a competitive player hoping to keep on top of Disney Lorcana’s meta, Shimmering Skies will add plenty of killer cards to hunt for. The reveals have been slowly rolling out, including our own, and we’re ready to name our picks for the most intriguing cards of the set. Whether it’s power or flavor, these are the five most exciting cards from Disney Lorcana Shimmering Skies. Mufasa – Ruler of Pride Rock Starting out strong, and we mean really strong, Mufasa – Ruler of Pride Rock is going to be a major hit with Sapphire players who love a bit of ramp. With the right lines, this potentially meta-warping Disney Lorcana card can hit the field on turn four. His nine Willpower will keep him safe from most damage-based removal and all but the hardest of Ruby’s. The ‘A Delicate Balance’ ability might seem like a bit of a drawback at first given that you lose two Ink. But six isn’t exactly low, and those cards return to your hand. Mufasa – Ruler of Pride Rock’s real draw is that on top of Questing for three Lore, you’re able to ready your entire Inkwell when he does. In theory, after he dries, you could summon two copies of Mickey Mouse – Detective who adds an exerted card to your Inkwell, Quest with Mufasa, and have another eight Ink ready to go. That prospective combo makes this one of Shimmering Skies’ most desirable cards and it’s just one potential option. Prince Naveen – Ukulele Player If you love serenading your opponents with your favorite Disney hits, you’re going to love Prince Naveen – Ukulele Player. Keeping up Amber’s Song-focused Character identity, this charming prince has the Singer 6 ability allowing him to punch up when singing. We cannot think of a Song card in Disney Lorcana that costs six Ink for the life of us but that doesn’t really matter thanks to Prince Naveen – Ukelele Player’s ability. When you play him, you can also play a Song that costs six Ink or less for free. This gives you access to power plays like Grab Your Sword, Along Came Zeus, and Be King Undisputed without spending Ink or exerting Naveen. That kind of value makes this card an auto-include for Steelsong decks in the Disney Lorcana Shimmering Skies meta. Daisy Duck – Donald’s Date Shimmering Skies is being really kind to Amber players. Daisy Duck – Donald’s Date is a perfect addition to any aggro deck that’s looking to win the race for Lore as fast as possible. She may not appear as flashy as the other cards in this list so far but we’re excited about this variant of Daisy for a reason. As a one-cost character, she has the biggest pool of Willpower we’ve seen in the bracket so far. It’s practically guaranteed to keep her on the board despite early challenges and removal options. Given that she Quests for two Lore which is amazing for her cost, you can be certain you’ll get at least four out of her as you build your early-game board. The only apparent drawback is the possibility that you’ll lose an important Item or Song, but we’ve already seen some tournament-winning aggro decks that don’t include any. Pete – Game Referee With so many of Disney Lorcana’s meta decks running Steel, Pete – Referee is looking to be one of Shimmering Skies’ most impactful cards in the competitive scene. Online buzz is even referring to him as the next Bucky – Squirrel Squeak Tutor. After you play Pete, his Whistle ability prevents your opponents from playing Actions until the start of your next turn. Coming in as early as turn three lets you potentially hold off things like Be King Undisputed, Along Came Zeus, or slow down Sapphire’s ramp with How Far I’ll Go. This card’s real utility however comes by saving him to nullify potential board wipes from Grab Your Sword or Be Prepared. An extra turn with a wide board in a match-up against a Ruby deck is game-changing. Merlin – Intellectual Visionary We were a little hesitant to put Merlin – Intellectual Visionary on this list because he wants for better Shift targets to pull off his key ability. Still, Shimmering Skies added another four-cost Merlin in Sapphire to help out somewhat. The reason he made it in over cards from Ink Colors we’ve missed is because he represents the first true search in the game. While other cards allow you to search for Items, Songs, or Characters with particular keywords, Merlin – Intellectual Visionary will let you sift through your deck for any card your heart desires, provided you Shift him in. No more hoping and praying for a Lucky Dime or Be Prepared off the top of your deck to close out a game. While it remains to be seen how viable he will be, that prospect is too enticing to completely ignore.

The 5 best Funko Rewind Pops in 2024 Our guide to the most nostalgic and unique Funko Rewind Pops encapsulates retro magic through VHS-style packaging & rare alternate looks. Funko embraces nostalgia by resurrecting beloved franchises in retro VHS-style packaging. The aptly dubbed “Rewind” series encapsulates the magic of 80s and 90s media in collectible form. Chase variation Pops with alternate looks further the fun. 1. The Lord of the Rings Rewind Sauron Sauron brings iconic evil essence from Middle Earth in his flowing dark robe Funko form. On top of that, the Sauron collectible comes in VHS-inspired packaging with a matching character card! This figure also can net you a rare version of it, hidden in random boxes. 2. Back to the Future Rewind Doc Brown Funko Pop Power up your DeLorean time machine and rewind into eccentric Doc Brown’s era. Pose the scientist alongside the distinct VHS-styled case. The bonus chase depicts Doc wearing his special brain-boosting helmet! 3. Rewind Scooby-Doo Funko Pop Lazy, sloppy Scooby-Doo arrives prepared to sniff out snacks and clues with equal enthusiasm. The nostalgic packaging mirrors discovering an old recorded episode to revisit Mystery Inc. adventures with and the Pop comes with a matching character card. Unmask the Creeper chase! in one out of six chances of securing the chase variant. 4. Rewind Buzz Lightyear! Funko Pop Buzz Lightyear bravely goes to cheat plastic degradation in his signature spacesuit style. The throwback theming perfectly encapsulates the earliest Toy Story VHS. Try your luck to obtain a helmetless chase Buzz! 5. Rewind Batman Funko Pop No laughing matter when Batman spreads his vengeful plastic wings to protect Gotham City citizens. The Pop comes with VHS-inspired packaging and with a matching character card! But that’s not it! There is a chance you can find an Evil Batman as the chase variant. The Rewind line features something for all pop culture fans. Chase variants with alternate looks add an extra layer of surprise. For those seeking figures that spark sweet memories of the 80s and 90s, look no further than these playful vinyl capsules of timeless media moments. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

The 25 best Batman games to play in 2024 ranked: from Arkham to Lego Batman Warner Bros Montreal, Ubisoft, DC ComicsBatman has been part of the cultural media landscape for generations spanning many iconic movies, games and comics. We’ve ranked every Batman game ever released from worst to best. The Caped Crusader is one of the most dynamic characters in pop culture with each iteration of the character reinventing the character mythos in some way or another. Be it Tim Burton’s dark take on the character, Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed trilogy, or the quintessential Arkham series showcasing the character’s best representation yet. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that Batman as a character has evolved drastically over the years and this evolution has been prevalent in gaming media as well. So, we’ve curated a list of each game with Batman ever released ranking from worst to best. 25. Batman: The Video Game – Developer: Sunsoft – Platforms: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) – Release year: 1989 – Developer: Ocean Software – Platforms: ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amstrad PCW – Release year: 1986 – Developer: Probe Entertainment – Platforms: SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Game Boy, R-Zone, MS-DOS – Release year: 1995 – Developer: Special FX Software – Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Apple II, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum – Release year: 1988 – Developer: Sunsoft – Platforms: Genesis, Super NES – Release year: 1995 – Developer: Probe Entertainment – Platforms: PlayStation – Release year: 1998 – Developer: Kemco – Platforms: GameCube, Xbox – Release year: 2003 – Developer: Eurocom – Platforms: Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox – Release year: 2005 – Developer: Aspect – Platforms: Game Gear, Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Amiga, MS-DOS – Release year: 1993 – Developer: WB Games Montréal – Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S – Release year: 2022 – Developer: Konami – Platforms: SNES, Sega CD, Sega Genesis, Game Gear – Release year: 1995 – Developer: Ubisoft – Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube – Release year: 2003 – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – Platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows – Release year: 2016 – Developer: Armature Studio – Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 – Release year: 2013 – Developer: NetherRealm Studios – Platforms: PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows, iOS, Android, Arcade – Release year: 2013 – Developer: NetherRealm Studios – Platforms: Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows – Release year: 2017 – Developer: Telltale Games – Platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch – Release year: 2016 – Developer: Traveller’s Tales – Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, OS X, iOS, Android – Release year: 2014 – Developer: Ubisoft – – Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox – – Release year:2001 – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – – Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation, Vita, Wii, Wii U, OS X, iOS, Android – – Release year: 2012 – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – – Platforms: PlayStation 3, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360 – – Release year: 2013 – Developer: Traveller’s Tales – – Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360, Mac OS X – – Release year: 2008 – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – – Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch – – Release year: 2009 – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – – Platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch – – Release year: 2015 – – Developer: Rocksteady Studios – – Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, Wii U, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch – – Release year: 2011 – –

The 10 rarest and most expensive amiibo of all time NintendoAmong the 206 Amiibo figures that are now on sale, a few are very costly and difficult to locate. Here’s a breakdown of the 10 rarest and most expensive Amiibo ever released. Nintendo fans will no doubt be familiar with the company’s amiibo figure line, which consist of small statues, plushies, cards, or figurines with Near Field Communication, or NFC, capability. Nintendo first introduced amiibo during the Wii U era, beginning Super Smash Bros. for Wii U’s fighter roster. Since then, Nintendo has introduced over 206 amiibo, not including variations and alternate forms. Naturally, some of those amiibo have become extremely hard to find, and when fans do find them they’re incredibly expensive. Here’s a breakdown of the 10 rarest and most expensive amiibo ever released. 10. The Legend of Zelda: Toon Link and Zelda 2-pack To start this list we have the Toon Link and Zelda 2-pack amiibo, which was released for The Legend of Zelda series’ 30th anniversary. The two iconic characters are rendered in their Wind Waker appearances. This specific amiibo pack is rare for a handful of reasons. For one, Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises, meaning this pack was snatched up fast. Additionally, this 2-pack was a limited release for the 30th Anniversary, so finding them in good condition in the wild is a bit hard to come by. While fans can find Toon Link on his own fairly easily, finding Toon Zelda or the 2-pack for a reasonable price is quite. According to pricecharting.com, these figures can sell on eBay anywhere from $45 to $60. 9. Mega Man (Gold Edition) The Gold Edition Mega Man amiibo is only available as part of the Mega Man Legacy Collection Collector’s Edition. While Mega Man does have a normal variation as part of the Super Smash Bros. series, the only way to get the Gold Edition is through this specific collection. As such, it can be a bit difficult to find now that the collection is over 8 years old on Nintendo hardware. Pricecharting.com lists this amiibo as anywhere from $65 to $90. 8. Super Smash Bros. Mii Fighter 3-pack While Japan received individual releases for the three Mii Fighter characters in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, overseas territories only received these figures as a 3-pack. What’s more, these figures were first released back in 2015 and have not received reprints since then. Pricecharting.com estimates the loose price for all three figures around $90 each, while a complete box set costs around $135. 7. Poochy amiibo (Yarn-style) The next amiibo on this list is one of the special variations, which strayed from the standard statuette design. Yarn Poochy was only available to purchase as part of the Poochy + Yoshi’s Woolly World game on Nintendo 3DS and has never been reprinted since its release. It can be very hard to find Yarn Poochy complete in-box, and many are simply sold loose. This makes them quite hard to find for most collectors. Pricecharting.com generally lists the Poochy amiibo loose around $90, while the complete in-box amiibo goes for around $130 to $150. 6. Mario Odyssey Triple Wedding amiibo set This specific Mario Odyssey amiibo set is a bit of an interesting case. Nintendo released a special 3-pack amiibo set featuring Mario, Bowser, and Peach in their wedding outfits from the game, but only in a limited run. However, fans can fairly easily find individual figures of these three floating around. This 3-pack however is much harder to find and may feature some of the largest price swings on this list. According to Pricecharting.com, the loose figures sell for around $60, while the box set sells for about $150. Unfortunately, the last sale of a box set was over one year ago. Now, the complete, in-box set can sell for nearly $300 on places like Amazon and eBay. 5. Samus Aran and Metroid 2-pack The Samus Aran and Metroid 2-pack amiibo is another rare collection pack. Both amiibo are unique in many ways. Though Samus has had a handful of amiibo iterations, this pose and texturing are unique. Additionally, the Metroid amiibo is one of the only figures to feature soft and squishy plastic as part of the figure. Like other limited edition amiibo, these two figures have since gone out of print — thus making them quite hard to find. According to Pricecharting.com, the loose price for these figures is around $110 while the complete in-box price is around $165. 4. Mega Yarn Yoshi Similar to the Poochy amiibo, Mega Yarn Yoshi is another crochet plushie and was a special amiibo released alongside Yoshi’s Woolly World on the Wii U. Originally, Mega Yarn Yoshi was only sold at Toys R Us locations, which made it that much rarer. While it eventually reached other retailers, it was never reprinted out of its original run. As a result, this special amiibo is incredibly hard to find. For a loose figure, it usually sells for around $150. A complete boxed version can cost anywhere from $165 to $185. 3. Splatoon Wii U Series 3-pack (Alt Colors) This next amiibo set marks one of the few alternate variations of amiibo figures released, being the Splatoon Series 3-pack (Alt Colors) released for Splatoon 1 on the Wii U. Instead of the standard Orange Inkling Girl, Green Squid, and Blue Inkling Boy, this set features those characters in the same poses, but with different colors. Given that this set was an Alternate version, it was much more limited than the original set. Pricecharting.com lists all three loose figures around $140 with the complete boxed set costing anywhere from $250 to $275. 2. Navirou Monster Hunter Stories amiibo The Navirou Monster Hunter Stories amiibo claims its spot on the list thanks to it being a Japanese-exclusive amiibo. While American and European MHS fans did get some of the related amiibo, Navirou was not one of them, making him quite rare overseas. Pricecharting.com lists a loose Navirou amiibo at around $95, with boxed versions costing anywhere from $230 to $255. 1. Qbby (BoxBoy! Series) amiibo The rarest and most expensive amiibo, out of all 206 figures ever released, is the Qbby BoxBoy! series amiibo. This amiibo was released in 2017 — though only in Japan. Additionally, it was only packaged with the physical version of a BoxBoy! series game on 3DS. Thanks to the fact that this is essentially a region-exclusive amiibo for an incredibly niche video game series, it is extremely rare and extremely expensive overseas. Pricecharting.com estimates a loose Qbby amiibo will sell for around $250, while a boxed version could sell from $280 to $310. And there you have it! That’s a list of the 10 rarest and most expensive amiibo ever released! Maybe some of you lucky collectors have some of these rare figures as part of your collection already. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

The 10 best Street Fighter games ranked: From Street Fighter EX to 3rd Strike DexertoThere have been a lot of entries in the Street Fighter franchise over the years so it can be difficult to work out what the best game is. Here’s our list of the top 10 Street Fighter games. Ever since the arcade release of Street Fighter II, the fighting game genre exploded in popularity and the franchise itself has splintered off into all kinds of directions that nobody could have anticipated. There are plenty of Street Fighter games for players to enjoy now and it can be tricky to figure out which title is the best, so whether you’re eagerly awaiting the release of Street Fighter 6 or are a dedicated FGC-head looking for the latest EVO results, we’ve got you covered with our rankings of the 10 best games in the franchise. On our list, as a rule, we’re only putting a single variant of a tentpole release in this list. So you will not see Street Fighter II: Super Turbo and Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers get two separate entries. 10. Street Fighter: The Movie (1995) The 90s were a wild time. The Street Fighter Movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme might not have been a critical hit, but it was released at a time when the franchise was hitting a critical mass. Eager to not miss out on releasing a tie-in title, Capcom set Incredible Technologies, an American company to develop the game, since they had previous experience working on Time Killers, and with digitized graphics, which put the actors into the game. Yes, the game features Jean-Claude Van Damme and Ming Na Wen, and the final product looks a lot like Mortal Kombat, too. But, the game encountered multiple issues with getting talent to show up for digitization, and the animations looked very rough. The resulting product was a critical and commercial failure. Though it does retain some charm due to the actors, and the novelty of the title as a whole. 9. Street Fighter EX (1996) The 3D era in the late 90s and early 2000s saw many franchises moving forward with polygonal games, moving on from the tried and true sprite-based titles of the past. Not wanting to miss out, and seeing the meteoric rise in games like Virtua Fighter and Tekken, Capcom wanted a slice of the pie for its premiere Street Fighter franchise. Arika was commissioned to create the game and brought with it a blocky, polygonal transition of the Street Fighter franchise in 3D in 1996. Street Fighter EX keeps the six-button layout of the Street Fighter franchise and featured classic characters including Ryu, Guile, and Ken. However, Arika also included original characters, such as the fan-favorite Skullomania. With dynamic camera angles, and super combos a guard-break mechanic that differs from the Alpha series. Street Fighter EX was more like a redheaded stepchild of the franchise and doesn’t feel great to play compared to other Street Fighter games, or other polygonal fighters from the era. It’s not aged very well, meaning that Street Fighter EX has pretty much been forgotten in the franchise’s history. 8. Street Fighter (1987) Street Fighter is the one that started it all. It focused on elaborate and tactical fights, with the player able to control Ryu, and a second player, who is able to control Ken. The game focused on a single eight-way joystick for movement, and two larger buttons for punches and kicks, whose moves differed on how hard you pressed them. However, this version was very unpopular, and Capcom decided to release a six-button version instead, which birthed the modern Street Fighter control system. Special moves like the Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku were also featured here as hidden moves. You fly out across the world, taking on various challenges along the way. But, the original game is still difficult to return to, and is more of an interesting curio than a title that fans should go back to. 7. Street Fighter Alpha (1995) Street Fighter Alpha was the first-ever followup to the smash-hit Street Fighter II, and serves as a prequel to the original title, featuring a fast movement speed, air blocking, and something named Alpha Combos, where you can effectively cancel an attack into another. Another mechanic, named Alpha Counters allowed you to predict and punish an opponent’s attack, sending them flying to the ground. Finally, Street Fighter Alpha also split the Super Combo gauge into three segments, introducing the concept of meter management, as Alpha Counters also required a segment of the Super gauge to perform. This allowed for deeper strategies against opponents compared to previous titles. With an updated roster that features characters from Final Fight, like Guy, in addition to series stalwarts like Nash and Dan. 6. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996) Much like its predecessor, Street Fighter Alpha 2 features a wealth of new mechanics for players to enjoy, all the while running on the fantastic-looking CPS-II system. Alpha 2 added an additional Alpha Counter for each character, in addition to adding in a ‘custom combo’ system. This replaced chain combos in the original title and generally made for a much more balanced experience as a whole. Some have criticisms about the game, which was that the game has a number of attacks that are wholly unsafe to use, but this does not detract from Alpha 2 being an incredibly accomplished title, which managed to introduce series stalwart Sakura to the franchise. 5. Ultra Street Fighter 4 (2014) Ultra Street Fighter 4 has it all. The game brought forth new mechanics like Ultra Combo double, which allowed you to select both Ultra Combos, at a price, in addition to Red Focus which absorbs multiple hits at once for greater tactical freedom. The gameplay was still mainly focused on setting up highly-damaging Focus attack dash cancel combos, with the twitchy movement and single-frame links still in place from previous entries in Street Fighter IV, which encouraged high-level play. Some of the matches played on Ultra Street Fighter IV were incredible at events like EVO. As well as being somewhat of a victory lap for Street Fighter 4 in general, Ultra introduced five characters, including Elena, who dominated many high-end sets with her healing abilities. 4. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998) Street Fighter Alpha 3 didn’t look too visually distinct from other Alpha titles, but it brought in a huge roster of characters, ahead of a home console release. Capcom ditched the ‘Auto’ or “Manual” control systems in previous Alpha titles. In Street Fighter Alpha 3, you can select three different fighting styles, named ‘ISMs’ which switch up the gameplay, dependent on what you pick. Here, guard crushes were also introduced, where you are vulnerable to attack if you guard for too long. In addition to this, you also got the introduction of a ‘Just defense’ system, where you can time your block, which will reduce the reduction of the Guard Power gauge each time, much like lauded title Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Each of the three styles, in addition to the massive cast, makes Street Fighter Alpha 3 one of the best Street Fighter games to come back to, and is still commonly played amongst fighting game enthusiasts today. 3. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo (1994) Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo kicked things up a notch for the highly-successful fighting game. With additional modes added which speed up the pace of gameplay, in what was a reaction to the popularity of various hacks like Street Fighter 2: Rainbow Edition. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo also introduced Super combos, which is a powerful version of a special move for all of its characters, which remains to be a staple mechanic of the fighting game genre today. You also had the addition of air combos, and launchers for upward momentum, which expanded the heights of strategy and gameplay at the time. Super Street Fighter 2 is a foundational game for the franchise, and feels fantastic to play, whether you’re on an original arcade board, or playing via one of the various rereleases or remakes over the years. 2. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (2020) Street Fighter 5 had a very rough launch. However, it grew into one of the franchise’s best entries yet. Focusing on a slightly slower pace and a shift to being a neutral-focussed game, you could argue that Street Fighter 5 is all about fundamentals. Champion Edition included another V-Trigger for all characters and continuing improvements to gameplay that continually shift the meta in new and interesting ways. Except for Luke. We don’t talk about Luke. If you play Luke, you’re not invited to our super cool barbeque. With a cast of over 40 characters, Street Fighter 5: Champion edition has the largest roster in the Street Fighter franchise, exceeding even that of Ultra Street Fighter 4. While it’s a shame that the netcode could be slightly better. This game has been quietly improving for years, and showcases just how fantastic the Street Fighter franchise can be, through the sheer options and characters available to you. 1. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike (1999) Street Fighter 3 had a rough few versions, with many looking at the franchise as an older relic, in place of the more modern, fresh-looking 3D fighters. However, 3rd Strike turned all of that around with a total rebalancing, a fresh coat of paint, a handful of new characters, and an incredible soundtrack. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike is also adorned with incredible character animations and an iconic parry system which lead to one of the most iconic moments in esports history, the infamous Daigo parry from EVO 2004. The best part? You can still pick up Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike and have an excellent time with it today, it remains in the halls of being one of the greatest fighting games ever made and is the best Street Fighter game in its storied 35-year history. There you have it, that’s our list of the top 10 best Street Fighter games! For even more Street Fighter content, check out our guides below: Street Fighter 6 PC Requirements: Minimum & recommended specs | Street Fighter 6 World Tour: Everything we know about the single-player mode | Street Fighter 6 Character Roster: All confirmed & leaked fighters | Is Street Fighter 6 coming to Xbox Game Pass? | Will Street Fighter 6 be on Nintendo Switch? | Will Street Fighter 6 have microtransactions?

The 10 best Lord of the Rings games ever, ranked Whatever your personal preference, few would argue against the significance of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth works. Their influence is unmatched, and video games are no exception, with more than 35 licensed adaptations in the medium. That said, these are wildly varied in quality and direction. Some serve as direct adaptations of books or films in the franchise, while others are original efforts set within the same universe. From beloved strategies to fast-paced action titles, there should be something for everyone. The fascination with Tolkien’s creation is showing no signs of slowing down. With the second season of Rings of Power on the way later this year, it seems as good a time as any to go over the very best video games set in the expansive world of Arda. 10. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North War in the North is a bit of a mixed bag, but it does have enough to warrant inclusion here. The game takes elements from both the books and the films to create an original story that takes place in tandem with the main narrative. This hack-and-slash adventure allows players to take control of one of three original characters, which can be switched between at the start of each level. The combat can be repetitive and a little clunky, but it remains a fun exercise in chopping errant goblins to bits. There are many reasons why War in the North ended up consigned to relative obscurity, but it generally warrants a playthrough for any Lord of the Rings fans. 9. Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War Though the sequel to Monolith’s Shadow of Mordor was somehow more ambitious in scope than its predecessor, it failed to deliver effectively on all of its promises. The combat, movement and in-game systems remain highly effective game design, but Shadow of War suffers from bloat that the original doesn’t have. Siege scenarios are a brilliant idea in theory, but their execution left them feeling repetitive and, at times, clunky and annoying to complete. The story was also more convoluted and difficult to relate to Tolkien’s existing lore, making the whole thing feel more like an offshoot, rather than an embedded part of the world. All of that said, it’s still hugely enjoyable and exciting when surrounded by a bunch of Orcs who want nothing more than to remove our protagonist’s head. 8. Lego The Lord of the Rings It wouldn’t be an iconic franchise list without an appearance from the world’s bestselling toy brand. Lego effectively imparts its unique brand of humor and aesthetic in this 2012 effort. As with all Lego games, this follows the main story from all three films, with some characteristic spoofs along the way. If you have played any other Lego game adaptations, you should find reasonably similar fare here. Though it doesn’t quite reach the levels of Lego Star Wars, there is more than enough here for fans of either franchise to enjoy. 7. The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers After the immense disappointment of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring game, it would have taken a brave person to bet on the success of The Two Towers. That said, it remains a hugely impressive example of what can be done with a movie adaptation with a clear direction. The Two Towers elected to do a few things brilliantly, rather than overextending and churning out something disappointing. The combat is simple but appropriate for the setting, and it does a brilliant job of making the player feel like one of the major heroes of the story. Though it doesn’t have quite as much to sink your teeth into as its successor, it’s a beautiful action game by any stretch of the imagination. 6. The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-Earth The first of two real-time strategy titles in this mini-series, The Battle for Middle-earth blew people out of the water when it launched in 2004. EA Games may have a slightly patchy reputation for games of this ilk, but they nailed all of the major elements that fans were looking for. The game is split into two campaigns, with players able to select from either side in The War of the Ring. Within that, there were four factions with their own unique units, each realized in a way that is immediately reminiscent of what fans were treated to in the movies. Though army size was limited by in-game systems designed to prevent the bricking of player PCs, it did provide the feel of being a part of the series’ many massive battles. The addition of Heroes and their unique abilities only added further layers to a criminally underrated strategy title. 5. The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King Serving as the best of the direct movie tie-ins, there is a lot to like about The Return of the King. In fairness, this entry has an immediate advantage over its predecessor, thanks to the vast setpiece battles that take place here in the film. Further depth is also added to the experience thanks to many of the film’s original cast reprising their roles as voice actors. The game features fast-paced action and button combo combat that grants players a rating from fair to perfect, based on their prowess. The arcade-style elements feel oddly at home here, and progressing through the iconic story is a real thrill. Terrible Gameboy Advance port aside, this remains arguably the best direct movie adaptation ever. 4. Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor Few expected Monolith Productions 2014 action-adventure to be as accomplished as it is. The game follows a Gondorian Ranger named Talion who, after his family is killed, accidentally bonds his soul with that of the great Elven craftsman Celebrimbor. The latter is responsible for creating the Rings of Power, and dark forces seek to bring him back to produce more. Shadow of Mordor’s most lauded feature is the Nemesis System. This essentially allows the game to track any Uruk that Talion encounters. These Uruks can form rivalries, become more powerful or change entirely, depending on what happens in-game. It was this significant advancement that made the world come alive. Equally, the game had an intoxicating blend of impressive combat and Assassin’s Creed-style movement and climbing. Add that to the interesting, though admittedly apocryphal, story and Shadow of Mordor quickly becomes a Lord of the Rings game for the ages. 3. The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-Earth 2 There are few RTS fans in the 21st century who haven’t played The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-Earth 2 at some point. As the popular sequel to the 2004 game of the same name, it built upon the mechanics and design of the original to deliver a remarkably complete offering to players. The game is divided into a Good and Evil campaign, which players can choose between, depending on whether they wish to save Middle-earth or bring about its ruin. Players could take advantage of powerful heroes and iconic troops to bring about victory. Although this led to some problems in multiplayer, it remains beloved among the community that still plays with regularity. 2. The Lord Of The Rings Online Though games like World of Warcraft often overshadow it, The Lord of the Rings Online is an impressive and broad MMO. Developed by Turbine Inc., the game is set to celebrate its 17th anniversary in April 2024, and it’s just as remarkable today as it was on release. As is the case with many MMOs, LOTRO is hugely broad in scope, with more than 25 vast regions for players to explore. These cover all of the most iconic locations in Middle-earth, and the developer releases regular expansions that keep these areas feeling fresh and exciting. Though the player base is smaller than it used to be, a healthy number of people still call this game home, and it’s worth visiting to see if it could be yours, too. 1. The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age What would happen if someone took the Final Fantasy formula and thrust it into the Middle-earth setting? The Third Age is the answer, and it is a genuinely brilliant game in its own right. Playing alongside the movie’s main story, players control original characters with unique abilities and varied personalities. At specific points, the story intersects with the main characters’ adventures, and it’s a genuinely thrilling experience. Being able to control Gandalf against the Balrog briefly is emblematic of what video game adaptations of this beloved property should be about. The Third Age also had impressive mechanics, game design, and story elements for a package that has yet to be equaled or replicated.

The 10 best Jujutsu Kaisen figures The 10 best Jujutsu Kaisen figures from Bandai, Kotobukiya & more – stunning sculptures of Yuji, Gojo, Nobara & all your faves. Jujutsu Kaisen has exploded in popularity in recent years. With its eccentric characters, intense action, and mysterious story, it has developed a dedicated fanbase eagerly snapping up Jujutsu Kaisen merchandise of all kinds. For serious collectors and superfans, high-quality figures are a must-have. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best Jujutsu Kaisen figures on the market from top manufacturers like Bandai, Kotobukiya, and more. Whether you stan Yuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, or the sinister Sukuna, there’s a perfect figure for displaying your fandom. Yuji Itadori Figuarts Zero figure This dynamic Yuji figure from Bandai’s Figuarts Zero line captures him mid-battle, unleashing his Black Flash attack. The translucent effect parts accentuate the drama and energy. At 7 inches tall, it will stand out in any collection. Sukuna Figuarts Zero figure The cursed spirit himself joins the Figuarts Zero lineup in this menacing piece. With interchangeable arms and heads, you can recreate Sukuna’s most terrifying scenes. Nobara Kugisaki Figuarts Zero figure Nobara makes her Figuarts Zero appearance in this figure based on a scene from the Kyoto Goodwill Event. Paired with exciting effect parts, the detail on her uniform and hammer is exceptional. Satoru Gojo Figuarts Zero figure The most powerful sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen stands 7 inches tall in this accurately sculpted Figuarts edition. Gojo looks ready for action with his Hollow Technique Purple! Megumi Fushiguro Figuarts Zero figure Capturing Megumi mid-attack summoning his shikigami, this dynamic Megumi figure is packed with impressive detail and stands 8 inches tall with the emanating aura effect parts. Toji Fushiguro ARTFX J figure From Kotobukiya’s ARTFX J line, this highly detailed 1/8 scale Toji figure has him swinging his Tensakahoko weapon with a fierce grin. The cursed spirit coiled around him can also be removed. Satoru Gojo Shibuya Incident figure Gojo stands triumphantly atop intricately detailed grasping skeletal hands and arms, modeled after the Gokumonji that sealed him away during the intense Shibuya Incident arc. His confident stance and precisely sculpted school uniform capture Gojo’s immense strength and charisma. Yuji Itadori Figuarts Mini figure Part of Bandai’s Figuarts Mini lineup, this pint-sized cutie puts a chibi spin on beloved protagonist Yuji Itadori. Standing at a compact 9cm tall, mini Yuji features big shining eyes, a bright smile, and interchangeable arms so you can customize his pose. Satoru Gojo Figuarts Mini figure Gojo gets an adorable super deformed makeover as part of the Figuarts Mini series. This little Gojo may be tiny at 9cm but still packs a powerful punch, featuring his iconic blindfolded gaze and interchangeable arm. Pair him with mini Yuji for double the cuteness. SEGA Jujutsu Kaisen Yuji figure SEGA’s FIGURIZM collection added Yuji, capturing his willpower and intensity in a dynamic figure full of action with an included base. Whether you’re just starting your Jujutsu Kaisen figure collection or adding the next great piece to your shelves, these exquisitely crafted options are guaranteed to impress. With major characters, iconic moments, and poses recreated, they encapsulate the spirit of what fans love about the series. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

The 10 best games of 2021 Microsoft/BethesdaFollowing a year that included the launch of PS5 and Xbox Series S|X consoles launch was always going to be tough, but there have been plenty of great new games to play in the last 12 months. Here are Dexerto’s best games of 2021. 2021 has brought new installments in iconic franchises, big-budget console exclusives from developers that cut their teeth on arcade-style titles, and the kind of platformers that give the best in animated movies a run for their money both in terms of visuals and storytelling. We also welcomed new adventures from heroes we hadn’t seen in a while, MOBA spinoffs, and plenty more. We kick off Dexerto’s celebration of the best of 2021 with our top games of the year. Stay tuned between December 13-23 to discover our picks for the best streamers, YouTubers, and esports players. But first, check out our top 10 best games of 2021 below – how many have you played? Dexerto’s Best Games of 2021 10. Ruined King: A League of Legends Story Developer: Airship Syndicate/Publisher: Riot Forge Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC If Arcane has got you curious about League of Legends’ world and characters, Ruined King: A League of Legends story is a great place to jump into the franchise’s lore and the charming world of Runeterra. Not only is the turn-based RPG mechanically sound, offering an interesting combat system that makes the most of timing and resource management, but it also brings together a group of disparate characters into a sort of Suicide Squad. The way each member plays off the next is a treat, and we can’t wait to see what other stories are on the way. (Lloyd Coombes) Read our Ruined King review. 9. Life is Strange: True Colors Developer: Deck Nine/Publisher: Square Enix Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC A marvel in storytelling and characterization, True Colors introduces a diverse cast of relatable personalities into Life of Strange’s melancholic world. Chief amongst those is Alex Chen, who has to discover what happened to her brother on a fateful night in Haven Springs. What follows is a thrilling tale of mystery and intrigue as she uses her empathetic superpower to explore the psyche of the town’s population. It’s another classic Life is Strange story packed with references for the fans, but accessible enough for new players. (Ava Thompson-Powell) Read our Life is Strange: True Colors review. 8. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Developer: Insomniac Games/Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Platforms: PlayStation 5 When the blockbuster sequel Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart came out in June, we called it “a technical marvel that looks amazing and pushes the PS5 to its limits”. The iconic duo’s latest outing is a ridiculously fun shooter-platformer that’s brimming with imagination and chaotic weapons to try out, moving at such a breakneck speed that you’ll barely have a chance to stop and enjoy how stunning it looks. It’s worth trying it out for the hardware alone; Rift Apart takes full advantage of the console’s ultra-fast SSD and DualSense controller, with each movement amplified through vibrations and sound, and every gadget feeling different in the hand. It’s an incredible showcase of what the PS5 is capable of. (Daniel Megarry) Read our Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart review. 7. It Takes Two Developer: Hazelight Studios/Publisher: EA Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC With charming graphics reminiscent of a Disney-Pixar movie, a plot that involves a talking book guiding a couple through a rocky relationship, and co-op-only gameplay, It Takes Two isn’t your average platformer. It toys with scale and offers incredible variety in its gameplay to ensure every level is not only memorable but entirely different from the last. Whether you’re turning back time or fighting off military squirrels, the best thing about It Takes Two is that it never stops surprising you; as soon as you’ve gotten used to one style of gameplay or stunning location, you’re swiftly onto the next. In a world where battle royales and first-person shooters seem to rule the multiplayer roost, It Takes Two is proof that great co-op games aren’t dead – and that some of life’s best experiences can be had with a couple of controllers and your best buddy beside you. (Daniel Megarry) Read our It Takes Two review. 6. Metroid Dread Developer: Mercury Steam/Publisher: Nintendo Platforms: Nintendo Switch Gaming’s greatest bounty hunter, Samus Aran, returned for one of her best adventures yet in Metroid Dread. It’s a sprawling and highly-atmospheric 2D platformer that successfully leans into the franchise’s horror elements to deliver a game that effortlessly flips between thoughtful puzzle-solving and fear-inducing encounters with the E.M.M.I., deadly robots that will stop at nothing to track you down – and take you out with one swift stab. Working through the various areas on Planet ZDR and unlocking all of Samus’ upgrades is like solving a massive jigsaw, and it’s incredibly satisfying to watch it all come together. With gorgeous locales, tough-as-nails gameplay that refuses to hold your hand, and some of the best boss fights we’ve ever experienced, it’s a must-play for Nintendo Switch owners. (Daniel Megarry) Read our Metroid Dread review. 5. Returnal Developer: Housemarque/Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Platforms: PlayStation 5 Difficulty in gaming is a tough line to walk. While the Souls titles pride themselves on a methodical combat rhythm that punishes mistakes, Returnal is a fast-paced arcade shooter at heart, all wrapped in a gorgeous rogue-lite on a creepy planet. Upgrades are rolled out at a perfect cadence, while the narrative mysteries, fantastic usage of the Dualsense controller, and buttery smooth combat make Returnal a joy to play – even when you’ve died to the same boss for the fifth time in a row. (Lloyd Coombes) Read our Returnal review. 4. Resident Evil Village Developer: Capcom/Publisher: Capcom Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC After Biohazard restored faith in the long-running Resident Evil franchise, expectations were through the roof for its follow-up, Village. Fortunately, Capcom went above and beyond, taking the series to new heights with a blend of heart-pounding action, classic survival-horror, and a sprinkling of jump scares for good measure. That’s not to mention villains like viral sensation Lady Dimitrescu and the beating heart of the gothic, grandiose European setting that’s pretty much a character in itself. For horror fans, it doesn’t get any better than this. (Daniel Megarry) Read our Resident Evil Village review. 3. Deathloop Developer: Arkane Studios/Publisher: Bethesda Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC In Deathloop, you’re stuck in an endless time loop, where the only way out is to piece together your memories and eliminate the eight eccentric Visionaries keeping you trapped inside it. Solving this puzzle is devilishly addictive, but it’s just as much fun to cause havoc with all the special powers and weapons you’ll unlock, enjoy the razor-sharp banter between rivals Colt and Julianna, and explore the effortlessly stylish Blackreef Island. Is it a first-person shooter? A time-bending murder-puzzle? Or a PvP assassination face-off? The truth is, Arkane’s incredibly ambitious Deathloop is all of these things and more, blending multiple genres and gameplay elements for what’s easily the most unique gaming experience of the year. The fact that it manages to pull all of this off – and execute it near-flawlessly – makes it more than worthy of a place near the top of any end-of-year gaming list. (Daniel Megarry) Read our Deathloop review. 2. Forza Horizon 5 Developer: Playground Games/Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC Forza Horizon 5 feels like the video game equivalent of a joyride with the roof down and your favorite songs playing as loud as possible. Playground Games’ open-world racing formula has been perfected and honed after four (excellent) entries, and tearing through the Mexican desert in an off-roader or skidding around corners in one of the world’s most expensive hypercars feels like a perfect showcase for Xbox Series X. Perhaps most importantly, Forza Horizon 5 respects players’ time – you can play your way and be rewarded, and it’s hard to put down. (Lloyd Coombes) Read our Forza Horizon 5 review. 1. Halo Infinite Developer: 343 Industries/Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC A late addition to our list, and one that undoubtedly came with some skepticism, Halo Infinite has rejuvenated a franchise that’s been dormant for six years. It steadies the ship, narrative-wise, after Halo 5, while also pivoting to a more open-world style structure that makes the most of Chief’s new mobility options. In fact, it’s tough to imagine Halo without the grappleshot now. Add to that a multiplayer suite that’s free to play and expected to grow over the coming months and Halo Infinite marks a confident return to form for the series and has us itching for more Master Chief adventures. (Lloyd Coombes) Read our Halo Infinite review. That’s a wrap on 2021’s gaming releases, but there’s plenty to look forward to in the coming months. Be sure to check out our release hubs below: The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | Overwatch 2 | League of Legends Project L | Destiny 2 The Witch Queen | Rainbow Six Extraction | Elden Ring | Diablo 4 | Diablo Immortal | Gotham Knights | Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | Hogwarts Legacy | God of War Ragnarok

Tfue claims Apex Legends and Fortnite are not “real competitive games” like Valorant Twitch: TfueTurner ‘Tfue’ Tenney has suggested that professional battle royale players in games like Fortnite and Apex Legends should play a “real” competitive game like Valorant if they’re not happy with content creators getting invited to big tournaments. Tfue is one of the most well-known names in the gaming world, having had his come-up, ironically, as a top battle royale streamer and one of the best Fortnite pros out there. Since then, he’s flitted between different games, predominantly staying in the battle royale realm but not so much as a competitor but more as just a Twitch streamer. The discussion around BR esports has long been a divisive one, with some critics arguing that no battle royale game can be genuinely competitive due to their random nature, but that hasn’t stopped many top players making very comfortable livings as pro players in Apex Legends, Fortnite, or Warzone. One other criticism that battle royale esports have always faced, too, is how often content creators are invited to compete in tournaments where pros are also playing, saying that it takes away the opportunity from legitimate competitors who have yet to break through. Tfue doesn’t believe this to be as big of an issue as others, as he explained during a Twitch stream on July 20. “At the end of the day, you’re playing a competitive battle royale,” he said. “If I own Fortnite or Apex Legends, I’m inviting every big streamer to play in my events, no matter how much money’s on the line. “It’s a f**king battle royale. If you want to play a real competitive game, go play Valorant, you know what I’m saying? F**king CS. Rocket League. League of Legends.” Of course, many battle royale competitors have gone on to compete in other titles, Valorant being the main one. Players such as Psalm, Poach, and Thwifo, who were top names in Fortnite, switched to the Riot Games FPS when the game came out. It’s likely that, with battle royale games being so popular for streamers, content creator invites will never actually stop completely — but Tfue thinks that if you’re concerned about that, you might want to switch to a “real” competitive game.

TFT patch 13.5 notes: Item Distribution Rework, Infinity Force nerf & hero augment changes Riot GamesTFT patch 13.5 is the last patch before the 8.5 mid-set update, and it’s got some sweeping system changes when it comes to items and augments along with some light balance changes. Here are the full TFT patch 13.5 notes. Patches that come right before a massive mid-set update like what we’ll be getting in 8.5 are often light, and this patch is no different. While there are a fair amount of champions getting changed, the changes themselves are fairly small for the most part and won’t have too much of an effect on overall win rates and strength of meta team compositions. However, the item distribution changes are a huge deal for every level of play. While they were implemented for the sake of evening things out and reducing RNG’s effect on the outcome of high-level TFT games, they’re worth knowing about and understanding for every player. What’s changing on patch 13.5? It may look like there’s a lot changing with a pretty large changelist on this patch, but the reality is that most of these changes are pretty small all things considered. Slight mana increases or decreases here and there on some items, scaling changes with some hero abilities both positive and negative, changes of that nature. However, when coming through the massive set of changes, there are a few items and champions that stand out as serious buffs and nerfs. Additionally, there are some sweeping systems changes to both hero augments and item distribution as a whole, making this a massive quality of life patch with some big rammifications for high level play. Here are the full TFT patch 13.5 notes: Item Distribution Rework The gist of what’s changing here is that Riot wants there to be a bit less RNG than before when it comes to gaining item components. In the pre-patch 13.5 version of TFT, it’s sometimes possible for players to roll almost double the amount of item components in comparison to their opponents in the early stages of the game, and that puts highly skilled players at an extreme disadvantage. So, the balance team has implemented an entire set of changes that will make item distribution much more even ahead of the coming mid-set update. Here’s the full list of changes so far: You’ll always get one of your bonus orbs on 1-2. – You’ll never be down more than 2 components at any point, and never for more than one stage. You’ll also have bonus orbs to compensate. – Bonus orbs now take value into account when given out instead of just quantity. – There are some new unique variants of loot that can happen. – There isn’t too much clarity on what that last change means just yet, but just keep in mind that you’ll be much closer to your opponents when it comes to how many item components you get. Hero Augment Distribution Hero augments will now be tailored more closely toward what players are opting into, and the order in which players get specific augments is being shifted across the board. Paired with the massive set of changes to hero augments in patch 13.4 makes these two patches the biggest set of changes to augments since their implementation. Active traits affect how often you get certain hero augments, and the timings in which you get other augments have also been affected on TFT patch 13.5. The number of tailored augments each reroll is determined by your number of active traits (which includes Threat and Ace). Which slot is random changes with each roll. – 0 Active Traits >>> 0 tailored slots – 1 Active Trait >>> 1 tailored slot – 2 Active Traits >>> 2 tailored slots – 3+ Active Traits >>> 3 tailored slots – The third slot is no longer locked into being a support augment. – Threat augments are more likely to show up if you are running a threat. – Hero augments on 3-2 and 4-2 can no longer show all units of the same tier. – Lowered the chance of seeing 3-cost hero augments on 4-2 – Stage 4-2 hero augment odds: 65/30/5 >>> 40/55/5 – Chance of 2-cost augments upgrading to 3-cost on 2-1: 15% >>> 5% – Traits Brawler Brawler bonus HP: 20/45/70/99% >>> 20/45/75/110% – Gadgeteen Damage and damage reduction per item: 3/12% >>> 3/10% – Underground Underground average payout reduced at heist levels 1/2/3 – Underground average payout increased at heist levels 4/5/6/7 – Units Tier 1 Ashe Ranger’s Focus duration: 4 seconds >>> 5 seconds – Blitzcrank AD: 50 >>> 65 – Mana: 45/90 >>> 40/80 – Tier 2 Fiora AD: 50 >>> 55 – En Garde! AD scaling: 225/225/235 >>> 250/250/260% – Vi Blast Shield: 275/350/450 >>> 270/330/400 – Yasuo Mana: 0/90 >>> 0/80 – Tier 3 Nilah Apotheosis Heal: 250/300/400 >>> 235/270/330 – Tier 4 Aurelion Sol Attack speed: .7 >>> .75 – Tier 5 Janna Twister! damage: 50/75/1000 >>> 65/95/1000 – Twister! stun duration: 1.25/2/10 >>> 1.25/1.5/8 seconds – Forecaster Trait Windy AD & AP per 5 seconds: 10/20/99 >>> 8/15/99 – Syndra Force of Will damage: 100/300/2000 >>> 250/375/2500 – Stun duration: 1/1/8 >>> 1/1.5/8 seconds – Urgot AD: 70 >>> 65 – Mana: 100/175 >>> 75/175 – Items Most of these changes are fairly minor, but a few changes have the potential to have some massive impact on the meta. The most important changes will be highlighted in bold. Archangel’s Staff starting mana: 15 >>> 30 – Quicksilver CC Immunity duration: 15 >>> 18 seconds – Rapid Firecannon attack speed: 50% >>> 55% – Infinity Force Crit Chance: 25% >>> 0% – Chainsword Bloodthirster AD: 10% >>> 30% – Chainsword Bloodthirster Omnivamp: 20% >>> 25% – Radiant Archangel’s Staff starting mana: 15 >>> 30 – Radiant Archangel’s Staff starting AP: 40 >>> 50 – Radiant Bloodthirster AD: 30 >>> 40 – Radiant Bloodthirster Omnivamp: 35% >>> 40% – Radiant Bloodthirster HP shield: 35% >>> 40% – Radiant Bramble Vest armor: 160 >>> 120 – Radiant Guardbreaker AD & AP: 30 >>> 40 – Radiant Hand of Justice AD & AP: 40 >>> 50 – Radiant Infinity Edge AD: 50 >>> 55 – Radiant Locket of the Iron Solari bonus HP: 200 >>> 125 – Radiant Rapid Firecannon attack speed: 75% >>> 99% – Radiant Titan’s Resolve base armor: 20 >>> 30 – Radiant Titan’s Resolve base attack speed: 10% >>> 30% – Radiant Zz’Rot Portal HP Multiplier: 200% >>> 180% – Hero Augments Camille – Adaptive Defenses AD shield: 600% >>> 500% – Draven – League of Draven bonus AD: 35% >>> 25% – Nunu – They See Me Rolling starting AP: 20 >>> 15 – Soraka – Infuse mana per 5 seconds: 15 >>> 20 – Zac – Elastic Slingshot stun duration: 3 >>> 4 seconds – Augments AFK gold granted: 20 >>> 18 – Built Different II HP: 175/225/275/325 >>> 190/245/300/355 – Built Different III HP: 250/350/450/550 >>> 270/380/490/600 – Cybernetic Shell I/II/II armor: 20/30/50 >>> 30/40/60 – Electrocharge III damage: 100/135/170/205 >>> 115/155/195/235 – High Roller gold: 3 >>> 5 – Luden’s Echo III damage: 80/115/150/185 >>> 90/130/170/210 – The Golden Egg turns to hatch: 10 >>> 11 – Anima Squad Crown Item: Protector’s Vow >>> Tear of the Goddess – Prankster Crown Item: Morellonomicon >>> Giant’s Belt – Gadgeteen Crown Item: Ionic Spark >>> Negatron Cloak – Recon Crown Item: Hand of Justice >>> Recurve Bow – Spellslinger Crown Item: Hand of Justice >>> Tear of the Goddess – Team Planner The team planner is coming to PC! It’s been on the mobile version of the game for a while now, and this feature is coming to PC on patch 13.5. A small icon next to the ‘Find Match’ button will bring you right to your team planner so you can set up your ideal team in advance of your next match. Neat! Bug fixes H4ckerr!m is now untargetable on away boards – Hackers should no longer target untargetable units – Jax with Spellslinger now properly gets his empowered attacks – Items can no longer be equipped on cheering mascots – Gadgeteen Crest and Crown will no longer be offered outside of 2-1 if you aren’t playing Gadgeteen – They See Me Rolling (Nunu Carry Augment) now grants the correct amount of AP. – Melee Pranksters will now not move towards corner hexes when Prankster is triggered and they are surrounded by other units – 3-star Urgot’s Undertow Magic Damage % is now set correctly at 75% – Fixed a bug where some ADMIN gold drop percentages were too high – Fixed a bug where Rascal’s Gloves could be equipped on a unit already holding items – Fixed a bug where Vi’s Armor shred amount was not reflecting her tooltip numbers – Added text specifying the damage type on the tooltip for Ekko, Lux, and Lulu’s abilities – 2-star Leona now deals the proper amount of damage to secondary targets – Nunu is now untargetable when affected by Zephyr – Jinx should no longer fail to stun adjacent targets if her primary target is too large – Fixed visual bug where Miss Fortune’s Bunny Mercenary Augment shield visual was not removed at the end of the effect – Fixed a bug where Urgot was not benefiting from Fiora’s Vitality of the Ox Augment – Fixed a bug where Aurelion Sol’s meteors with Extinction Event did not visually appear larger – Fixed various minor text bugs. – Shroud of Even-Stillerness (Gadgeteen Shroud of Stillness) now correctly grants 250 Health –

TFT patch 11.9b notes: Aphelios nerfed, Revenant heal reduced, more Riot GamesTFT patch 11.10 is around the corner, but in the lead-up to the massive overhaul, the developers dropped patch 11.9b to iron out some flaws. Here’s a list of everything that’s included. TFT Set 5 has been a resounding success for the most part. However, it has suffered from some balance issues, particularly with Aphelios, Mordekaiser, and the Revenant trait. Fortunately, those have now been addressed in the latest B-Patch. Stephen ‘Mortdog’ Mortimer broke the news on Twitter. “In approximately 24 hours, we’ll be applying a B-Patch to hit some balance outliers,” he said. “In order to give you time to theory craft, here are the notes. Some bigger swings that we hope will open things up. More coming in 11.10 as well.” In approximately 24 hours, we’ll be applying a B-Patch to hit some balance outliers. In order to give you time to theory craft, here are the notes. Some bigger swings that we hope will open things up. More coming in 11.10 as well. Will post again once it’s live. pic.twitter.com/EXaowxuwi7 — Riot Mort (@Mortdog) May 4, 2021 Aphelios, Ivern and Mordekaiser nerfed TFT players have been calling for Aphelios to be nerfed for quite some time, and although there’s more to come in patch 11.10, the developers have already gotten the ball rolling. His Attack Damage has been reduced from 80 to 70, and his Attack Speed has also been reduced from 0.9 to 0.85. The changes are subtle, but they should be enough to satisfy fans for the time being. Read More: TFT patch 11.10 early notes – Meanwhile, two other 4-Cost Heroes, Ivern and Mordekaister, have also been slightly nerfed. The spell radius of Ivern’s Daisy has been reduced from two hexes to one, while Mordekaiser’s Spell Damage has been reduced from 500/650/5000 to 450/600/5000. Revenant trait heal reduction You don’t have to look far to see fans complaining about the Revenant trait. The consensus is that the heal was a little too strong, and the developers agree. They’ve effectively halved it, reducing the output from 30/75 to 10/40. Most fans are delighted with this change. However, some expressed concern about whether it will impact specific champions like Nocturne. We’ll have to wait and see how he performs with the new changes. LeBlanc bugfixes The developers fixed two bugs that have made LeBlanc an absolute nightmare to play against. From this patch onward, her chains will no longer hit the same target, and the cast animation will always begin instantly. This means players can’t incessantly spam her ult anymore, which is music to the ears of everyone who has fallen victim to it. TFT patch 11.9b notes Traits Legionnaire Attack speed reduced from 25/60/150/250% to 25/60/110/180% – Revenant Heal reduced from 30/75% to 10/40% – Champions 1-Cost Ziggs Attack speed reduced from 0.85 to 0.75 – 2-Cost Kennen Mana reduced from 50/100 to 40/100 – Spell Damage reduced from 150/200/300 to 150/200/250 – Spell Stun Duration redacted from 1.5/2/3 seconds to 1.5/2/2.5 seconds – LeBlanc Spellcast Mana Lock increased from 1 second to 1.5 seconds – Mana increased from 0/50 to 20/60 – Bugfix: Both chains can no longer hit the same target – Bugfix: LeBlanc now always begins her cast animation immediately at the beginning of her cast time – 4-Cost Aphelios Attack Damage reduced from 80 to 70 – Attack Speed reduced from 0.9 to 0.85 – Ivern Daisy Speed Radius reduced from 2 hexes to 1 hex – – Mordekaiser Spell Damage reduced from 500/650/5000 to 450/600/5000 – 5-Cost Volibear Mana increased from 100/170 to 80/200 –

TF2 cast reunion proves the decades-old game is still thriving ValveFrom seeking a Sandvich to singing the blues about said Sandvich, the voice cast of Team Fortress 2 is up to some strange yet wholesome shenanigans. The voice actors behind the mercenaries of TF2 have made a name for themselves, and despite a drought of content in recent years, they’ve regularly reunited to create gut-busting content themed around the very game they star in. The cast initially came back together thanks to Team Fortress 2 Youtuber ‘ShorK’ hosting an interview with several members of the game cast in 2022 during which they answered questions from their host as well as the community. Since then, the cast has become more tight-knit, with each of them appearing in an odd online series hosted by Sniper voice actor John Lowrie called “The Sandvich Saga.” The series references the Heavy class’s strange affiliation with Sandwiches, portraying their in-game characters on a nonsensical quest for a sandwich. Most recently, the cast has reunited once again, working with Shork to recreate another of the Meet the Team videos, a series of promotional videos featuring a sole class from the game. Though the entire cast of all nine TF2 classes is not there, the voice actors of the Scout, Nathan Vetterlein, and the Engineer, Grant Goodeve, both have left the video game industry to focus on future prospects. Unfortunately, the voice actor for Soldier, Rick May, passed away in 2020 due to COVID-19-related complications and has since received an in-game tribute. The cast coming together and creating Team Fortress 2-themed content gives me the feeling that not only is the game, and by extension, the fans, genuinely appreciated by the people behind iconic characters’ voices. There’s also hope of direct communication with Valve concerning the state of the game. The Team Fortress 2 community is infamous for absolutely nonsensical content with Garry’s Mod and Source Filmmaker videos. They’ll be happy to know the voice actors whose lines they’ve been sentence-mixing for funnies are matching the vibe with a blues song about a Sandvich while dressed as their characters in a Jazz club. All TF2 players hope for more action on Valves’ part to provide the game with a steady release of new content. Though the likelihood of that is up for debate, the community certainly appreciate the cast of Team Fortress 2 providing us with ridiculously entertaining content to keep our spirits up.

States with the most rage quitters revealed in recent study CNETOnline casino company Datslots conducted a study to determine what states broke the most controllers over rage-quitting incidents from annoying situations in video games. Players rage quit video games for various reasons. Frustrating instances include being continuously head-shot or dying to a certain boss over and over again. Serious anger can lead to gamers throwing and breaking their controllers. Datslots analyzed the data from Google searches for new Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo controllers from each of the 50 states. Then, Datslots ranked the states by Google searches for new controllers per 100,000 people. Here’s what state they discovered topped the list. Which state has the angriest players? As first reported by GameRant, Datslots found out that Texas likely had the most rage quitters. On average, Texans searched for video game controllers 181,000 times per month. Over 30 million people live in Texas, which averages around 603 controller searches for every 100,000 residents. Coming in a distant second, Nevada represented a monthly average of 18,640 searches based on its population of 3.1 million people. This accounted for around 587 rage-quitters a month per 100,000 residents. The other states that made the cut include Illinois, Georgia, California, Utah, Colorado, Ohio, Arizona, and Michigan. The awards for the least angry players went to Hawaii and Alaska. However, Datslots data doesn’t necessarily equate to the number of rage-quitters who broke controllers. Part of the statistic could just mean gamers wanted to buy another controller. Alongside smashed video game controllers, it would have been interesting to find out which video game resulted in the most outbursts. Not just everyday gamers vent by rage-quitting the most anger-inducing titles. Internet personality Dr. Disrespect gave up on Elden Ring and blasted the game’s controls. Additionally, Twitch streamer Sodapoppin ended his stream after losing a League of Legends match. To best avoid broken controllers, gamers should check out our guide on the best PS5 accessories in addition to Nintendo Switch gear.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre servers down? Server status, maintenance & outage updates Sumo DigitalAre The Texas Chain Saw Massacre servers down? Find out everything you need to know about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre server status and if there are any known issues. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game enables players to relive the horrors of the iconic 1974 film, with its terrifying cat-and-mouse style online PvP. Whether it’s working together with a band of survivors or chasing your victims down as Leatherface himself, there’s plenty of adrenaline-fueled action for horror aficionados to enjoy. However, like most multiplayer games, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game servers may go down or have issues that impact your in-game experience. This can obviously be very frustrating, especially when you don’t know if there are any known problems that are preventing you from playing. Fortunately, our Texas Chain Saw Massacre server status hub provides all the necessary information regarding maintenance, server-related issues, and updates from the developers. Are Texas Chain Saw Massacre servers down? The Texas Chain Saw Massacre servers are currently up and running across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles. However, the developers are aware of the invalid code bug that is currently preventing people from joining lobbies. This obviously impacts players that wish to play with friends or team up using the game’s crossplay functionality. While this issue may be frustrating, the game’s multiplayer modes still work, which means you’ll be able to queue up for matches. Quite when the invalid code bug will be fixed remains to be seen, but if you’re encountering server-based issues, then be sure to check your internet connection to see if the problem exists on your end. Should your internet connection be stable and you still can’t gain access to the game, then head over to the official Texas Chain Saw Massacre support page. It’s here where you can check existing problems with the game, and receive help with any issues impacting your experience. Texas Chain Saw Massacre server status To keep track of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre server status, bookmark this article and come back if you encounter any problems. You can also check the game’s social media channel for quick updates on any issues. That’s all the info on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s server status and maintenance. In the meantime, check out our Texas Chain Saw Massacre tier list to ensure you get an edge over your opponents.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre game’s bloody Red Band trailer reveals 2023 release date An unrated gameplay trailer The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game confirms the multiplayer title will release sometime in 2023 for PC and consoles. Developed by Gun, the studio responsible for Friday the 13th: The Game, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was announced late last year during the Game Awards 2021. Akin to Friday the 13th: The Game, Gun’s newest experience will pit players against one another in asymmetrical multiplayer matches. Instead of seven survivors attempting to escape Jason, though, three terror-inducing family members will prey on four scared survivors. The first look at gameplay reveals exactly how the 3v4 format doesn’t offer an advantage to the four attempted escapees. Texas Chain Saw Massacre game gets a release window During the Xbox + Bethesda Extended Showcase, Gun unleashed footage of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s gameplay. Notably, the new trailer finally confirmed the horror title will come to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series, and Game Pass on an unspecified date in 2023. Read More: Sci-fi horror game Scorn release date confirmed at Xbox & Bethesda Showcase The footage proved so bloody, however, that Xbox would only showcase an edited version of the video. As such, those who want a glimpse at Texas Chain Saw Massacre in all of its grindhouse-esque glory will need to check out the Red Band trailer on Gun‘s YouTube channel. Inspired by the franchise’s 1974 film, hence the “chain saw” spelling, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will boast plenty of nods to the past. Horror movie icon Kane Hodder is reprising his role as Leatherface for the project, for example. In addition, Ed Neal who played the Hitchhiker in the Tobe Hooper-directed original also returns in the upcoming game from Gun. Classic locales such as the Family House, Gas Station, and Slaughterhouse will serve as some of the title’s playable maps. Players will no doubt be excited to test their mettle against Leatherface when the Texas Chain Saw Massacre releases.

Is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre cross-platform? Crossplay & cross-progression on PlayStation, Xbox & PC Sumo DigitalAre you wondering whether The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has crossplay between PlayStation, Xbox, and PC? Well, our handy hub has everything you need to know. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the latest survival horror game that aims to send players kicking and screaming with its grizzly PvP multiplayer mode. Taking on the role of either the notorious Slaughter family or their victims, the latest game aims to capture the adrenaline-fueled action of the 1974 classic horror film. However, many players will be wondering whether they’ll be able to team up or spook their friends across various platforms. After all, crossplay and cross-progression can certainly help to enhance your in-game thrills. So, if you’re aiming to team up or terrorize players across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, then our handy Texas Chain Saw Massacre crossplay hub has you covered. Does The Texas Chain Saw Massacre have crossplay? Yes, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre supports crossplay between PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. This means you can team up and hunt players across these platforms. However, it’s important to note that the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game do not support crossplay. This means those on older-gen consoles can only play with those on the same platform, which may come as a disappointment. So, if you wish to play with friends across other platforms, then you’ll want to pick up a current-gen copy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Does The Texas Chain Saw Massacre support cross-progression? No, Texas Chain Saw Massacre does not support cross-progression. At present, players are unable to maintain their gameplay progress if they switch between PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. There have also been no further plans from the developers to add this feature in the future, so be sure to pick the platform that you wish to progress on. So, there you have it, that’s everything you need to know about whether The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has crossplay and cross-progression. Make sure you check out our Texas Chain Saw Massacre hub for the latest info on the game.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown: Full car list NaconTest Drive Unlimited has returned with Solar Crown bringing the historic racing game franchise back, and it features a new and exciting car list. One of the most defining features of TDU that differentiates it from the likes of Forza Horizon and Need For Speed is its focus on collection. From clothes to houses to cars, the franchise has always offered players plenty of options for building their enterprise. Solar Crown is no exception, with Nacon’s ambitious open-world racer offering a wide range of cars for you to earn and buy. There’s so many that it can be tricky to keep on top of what cars are even available, especially as they are scattered across the game’s many unique locations. To help you out, we’ve put together this complete car list, detailing every single vehicle you can own in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. All cars in TDU Solar Crown Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown features 98 cars from 30 different manufacturers. These are unlocked by purchasing them from a suitable dealership, finding wrecks scattered across the map, or owning the game’s premium editions, with each car having its own requirements. Here’s the full car list for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown: Abarth Abarth 500 Abarth (2008) – AC Cars AC 427 (1966) – Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe (2013) – Alfa Romeo 4C Spider (2015) – Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007) – Alfa Romeo 8C Spider (2008) – Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (2010) – Alpine Alpine A110 (1973) – Alpine A110 Legende (2018) – Aston Martin Aston Martin DB11 (2018) – Aston Martin Vantage (2010) – Audi Audi Q7 V12 TDI (2009) – Audi R8 Coupe V10 RWS (2018) – Audi R8 Green Hell (2020) – Audi R8 RWD Panther Edition (2021) – Audi R8 Spyder V10 RWS (2018) – Audi R8 V10 Decennium Coupe (2019) – Audi TT RS Coupe (2017) – Audi e-tron GT quattro (2023) – Bentley Bentley Continental GT (2018) – BMW BMW i8 Roadster (2018) – BMW M4 Competition (2021) – Bugatti Bugatti Chiron (2016) – Bugatti Chiron Sport (2018) – Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 Ans Bugatti (2019) – Bugatti Veyron 16.4 (2015) – Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (2011) – Caterham Caterham Seven 620R (2016) – Caterham Seven CSR 260 (2005) – Chevrolet Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE (2024) – Chevrolet Corvette C1 (1956) – Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 (2019) – Chevrolet Corvette Stringray C8 (2021) – Citreon Citroen 2CV (1967) – Dodge Dodge Challenger SRT HellCat Widebody (2018) – Dodge Viper SRT Coupe (2017) – Ferrari Ferrari 250 GTO (1962) – Ferrari 308 GTS (1977) – Ferrari 488 Pista (2018) – Ferrari 812 Superfact (2017) – Ferrari Dino 246 GTS (1972) – Ferrari Enzo (2002) – Ferrari F40 (1987) – Ferrari FXX-K Evo (2017) – Ferrari Portofino (2017) – Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M (2008) – Ford Ford F-150 (2018) – Ford GT (2006) – Ford GT (2016) – Ford GT Carbon Series (2016) – Ford GT Heritage Edition (2021) – Ford GT40 Mk.1 (1964) – Ford Mustang (1967) – Ford Mustang GT (2018) – Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R (2018) – Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (2010) – Ford Shelby GT500 (2010) – Jaguar Jaguar D-Type (1954) – Jaguar E-Type (1965) – Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe (1965) – Koenigsegg Koenigsegg Agera RS (2015) – Koenigsegg Regera (2018) – Lancia Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16V (1989) – Lancia Stratos (1973) – Lamborghini Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (2018) – Lamborghini Centenario (2016) – Lamborghini Countach LP400 (1973) – Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 (2021) – Lamborghini Huracan Performante (2017) – Lamborghini Miura SV (1971) – Lamborghini Urus (2020) – Lotus Lotus Emira (2021) – Lotus Evija (2020) – Lotus Exige Cup 380 (2018) – Maserati Maserati MC20 (2024) – McLaren McLaren 570S (2015) – McLaren 720S (2017) – McLaren MP4-12C (2011) – Mini Mini John Cooper Works GP (2020) – Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1954) – Mercedes-Benz AMG G65 Final Edition (2018) – Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R (2016) – Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series Performance Pack (2009) – Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG-Performance Pack (2009) – Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (2013) – Nissan Nissan 370Z (2011) – Nissan GT-R R35 (2009) – Porsche Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe 930 (1986) – Porsche 911 R 991 (2018) – Porsche 918 Spyder (2013) – Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo (2021) – Shelby Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (1965) – Sientero Sientero Reinita (2011) – Volkswagen Volkswagen Beetle (1965) – Volkswagen Beetle Buggy (1972) – W Motors W Motors Fenyr SuperSport (2017) – With Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown being a live service game, more cars are bound to be added in the future, so be sure to revisit this page to see what new rides are introduced in future updates.

Territorial IO: How to expand your territory, strategy tips & tricks David TschacherTerritorial IO is all about expanding your territory and growing the largest empire possible on the game’s map. If you’re looking to expand your territory further, here are some handy tips and tricks. The mobile game Territorial IO is a strategic title where players compete to claim the largest territory on the map. There is a single-player mode available but the multiplayer features are the most exciting. As you build your empire in the game, you’ll be exploring new regions, attacking enemy territory, and discovering various islands. There are lots of factors to take into account while conquering the map in Territorial IO, so here’s everything you need to know about capturing territory in the game. Contents How to expand your territory in Territorial IO – What is Balance and how does the percentage bar work? – Best strategies, tips, and tricks for Territorial IO – How to expand your territory in Territorial IO The best method to expand your colony in Territorial IO is by attacking enemy territories and fending off their attacks. However, both of these tasks can be fairly difficult if you’re not aware of the game’s mechanics and how things work. Having said that, one of the most important aspects of the game is Balance and the Percentage Bar. Both these factors have an important role in determining whether your attack/defense will be successful or not. Let’s dive in and check out everything that you need to know about these in the game. What is Balance in Territorial IO? Balance is arguably the most important aspect of the game. For this reason, it is extremely important for you to know how it works and what effect it can have on your in-game performance. Here are a few points that will help you understand more about Balance in Territorial IO. There is a limit to the amount of Balance you can have during the course of a match. The limit depends upon the area of your in-game territory. – Having a higher amount of Balance gives you a better chance to fend off enemy attacks. – Performing attacks on enemy territories also requires Balance and the amount used plays a huge role in determining the outcome of the attack. – The more Balance you have stored, the more interest income you’ll receive. – With that out of the way, let’s check out why the Percentage Bar is important in Territorial IO. How does the Percentage Bar work? The Percentage Bar in Territorial IO is a measure of how many units you wish to invest for a specific attack. The amount you set on the bar is exactly how much of your Balance will be used up to perform the next attack. However, you should note that expending all of your Balance for one attack is a huge waste and also leaves you vulnerable to enemy attacks. Owing to this factor, we echo the developers and recommend you to use about 20% of your Balance for conducting attacks. This will ensure that you have a substantial amount of Balance stored for a random invasion. Additionally, you will also receive higher interest income due to more Balance being stored in your armory. Best strategies, tips, and tricks for Territorial IO Now that we have gone through the basics of the game, let’s check out a few strategies, tips, and tricks. These will definitely help you have a much more enjoyable time in Territorial IO. Make sure to master the single-player mode before jumping into multiplayer. This will allow you to get acquainted with all the mechanics that the game has to offer. – Try out the various kinds of maps that the game has to offer. However, make sure to select only the maps that you’re good at when playing multiplayer. – One of the best starting strategies is to choose a coastal region to begin with. This allows you to use the ocean as a natural barrier against enemy invasions for the starting few minutes. – Always remember that the amount of Balance you can store depends on the area you control. For this, we advise that you try and capture as many empty lands as possible to grow your Balance. – Make sure to maintain diplomatic relations with your neighbors so that they don’t end up invading you. While attacks and invasions are important, sometimes it can be even more crucial to keep the peace. – Following these tips and tricks will allow you to outplay your opponents as you continue to grow your colony and increase your interest incomes in Territorial IO. So, there you have it – everything you need to know about expanding your territory in Territorial IO. For more mobile gaming content, check out our lists and guides below: Best free mobile games | Best gacha mobile games | Mobile Legends Bang Bang codes | Idle Heroes codes | Mobile Legends Adventure codes | Wild Rift tier list | Best Clash Royale decks | Every card in Marvel Snap | Genshin Impact codes | Honkai Impact codes

Terrifying horror game forces you to restart every time you scream Joure & JoeAn absolutely terrifying indie horror game, DON’T SCREAM, is forcing you to restart your progress every time you scream. If you as a gamer want to explore some of the most boundary-pushing gameplay that utilizes as much of your body as possible, chances are you should be checking out DON’T SCREAM. 2021’s Before Your Eyes came onto the scene with its unique usage of your webcam, forcefully progressing the game every time you blink. And now, another indie title is coming out in its ilk. DON’T SCREAM, developed by a pair of indie devs, is a horror game that forces you to restart every time you scream. Using your microphone to pick up your voice, the game throws unpredictable jump scares at you and you’ll need to try your best to hold in your terror. All rendered in Unreal Engine 5, the 90s camcorder found footage-inspired game asks you to explore the “mysterious Pineview Forest” for 18 minutes all without making a sound. However, time only progresses when you move, so you can’t just sit idly while the 18 minutes tick down. Your microphone can be calibrated depending on your chosen difficulty. You can completely disable the feature, but the devs discourage it, or even have it register a minor squeak as a full-on scream. The game claims to include dozens of “dynamic scares” with each playthrough providing a unique experience. As their Steam description cheekily writes, “It’s the perfect game to scare the pants off your friends and family. Our lead playtester (also my wife) is currently in a clinic recovering.” Ending off with a funny disclaimer reading, “We accept no responsibility for any underwear that may become unusable should you play our game.” The game is currently in early access, with a planned release date of around 2023. You can check out their Steam page here.

How to craft Terraria potions: Differences, Health, Buff, Flasks, more Re-LogicIt’s always a good idea to bring a variety of potions before diving into a dungeon or tackling some monsters within Terraria, and it’s best to make sure you have a full understanding of what they all do within the game. Here, we’ll show you how to craft Terraria Potions. The side-scroller survival game Terraria has been making leaps and bounds for numerous years now, and even with new AAA titles being released, it’s still remained one of the best games out there for solo players or co-op players. One of the main aspects of Terraria is the numerous potions it offers. Due to its popularity and use, it’s a good tactic to try and understand all of them, and how to craft some of them. Contents: What kind of potions are in Terraria? Alchemy plays a big role within Terraria, and a lot of these potions are going to be used in certain situations. Whether you need to recall to your base, or simply need a little boost in your health or mana, they all play some sort of role in your journey. Terraria has separated the different types of potions into a few categories depending on the function they serve, and we’re going to break them down below for you. Differences Recovery potions Mainly health or mana potions that recover these attributes individually or both at once – – Food/drink potions These are used to fill up your hunger bar – – Buff potions Used to increase certain characteristics for a short period of time – – Flasks Similar to Buff potions, these allow the player to gain increased melee attributes among other buffs – – There’s also another category for potions that don’t directly belong in one of the above sections! How to make potions in Terraria While Alchemy are primarily used for crafting these potions, players will also be able to take advantage of placed bottles around the map. This is another way you can make these potions, but it’s also good to know some of the generic crafting guides for some of the most useful potions. While some of these potions may be found within chests, or through completing missions via certain NPCs, it’s always good to get a basic understanding of some of the most essential potions. We’re going to run over a few potions we think are fundamental to your journey in Terraria. Terraria potions list Greater Healing Potion 3 Bottle Water – 3 Pixie Dust – Crystal Shard – – Healing Potion Bottled Water – 3 Pixie Dust – Crystal Shard – – Mana Potion 2 Lesser Mana Potion – Glowing Mushroom – – Battle Potion Bottled Water – Deathweed – Rotten Chunk – – Endurance Potion Bottled Water – Armored Cavefish – Blinkroot – – Invisibility Potion Bottled Water – Blinkroot – Moonglow – – Flask of Fire Bottled Water – 3 Hellstone – – Be sure to fully utilize some of these potions, as they’ll go a long way within your ventures in Terraria. Why not check out our Terraria hub for more news and guides? Or try out some of these: How to go fishing in Terraria | How to get Enchanted Sword in Terraria | How to download Terraria Calamity mod | What’s Terraria Master Mode? | How to get a Yoyo | How to get Wings in Terraria | All Terraria bosses

How to get Enchanted Sword in Terraria Re-LogicTerraria is full of masterful weapons for players to snag while adventuring throughout the world, and the Enchanted Sword is one that’s greatly going to increase your success in combat. The overly popular survival side scroller game, Terraria has stayed as one of the world’s most popular games for numerous years now, and this is largely due to the sheer amount of content within the game. With players able to craft potions, build houses, and a whole lot more, there are endless possibilities to what you’re able to do. But, if you’re looking to spice up your combat a bit, then you’re going to want to snag yourself one of the Enchanted Swords. We’re going to run over how players will be able to craft one, along with where you’ll be able to find this sword. Where to find Enchanted Swords in Terraria What makes these swords so unique within Terraria, is that instead of getting up close with an enemy and striking them as you would with any other sword. Swinging the Enchanted Swords fires an array of projectiles at the opponent, dealing significant damage. Read More: What’s Terraria Master Mode? – If you’re looking to obtain one, you will have to discover an Enchanted Sword Stone/Shrine. These spawn at an incredibly low rate and are difficult to come by, so much so that sometimes within your Terraria world, there won’t be any generated shrines. When players find these Shrines, you’ll be rewarded with an Enchanted Sword to use in combat, and they’re extremely useful while battling some of the more difficult monsters. Read More: How to craft potions in Terraria – Now that you have one of these Enchanted Swords, you’ll be able to battle enemies from a distance. Which should give you an advantage if you’re struggling to defeat certain ones up close.

Terraria devs donate $100k to Unity alternatives after Runtime Fee controversy Re-LogicRe-Logic, the developers behind Terarria, have pledged to donate $100k each to two Unity alternatives following the company’s recent controversy. Many developers in the gaming industry are still reeling from Unity’s controversial Runtime Fee policy change. The announcement said that starting in 2024, the company would charge developers money each time a game built in Unity is downloaded. Reactions to the announcement have been largely negative, with developers like Massive Monster, the team behind Cult of the Lamb, threatening to delete the game altogether on January 1, 2024. However, other developers have started to take action to support Unity alternatives. For example, Terraria developer Re-Logic has promised to donate $100,000 to two source engines following the Unity controversy. Terraria devs donate huge sum to Unity engine alternatives On September 19, 2023, the official Terraria Twitter/X account tweeted a statement denouncing Unity’s policy change. “The loss of a formerly-leading and user-friendly game engine to the darker forces that negatively impact so much of the gaming industry has left us dismayed to put it mildly.” While Re-Logic admitted it doesn’t use Unity when making games, it made its feelings on Unity’s new policy very clear. “We unequivocally condemn and reject the recent TOS/free changes proposed by Unity and the underhanded way they were rolled out.” As such, Re-Logic has pledged to donate $100,000 each to two open-source engines: the Godot Engine and the FNA engine. Additionally, the developer will be sponsoring each of the engines with $1,000 a month for the foreseeable future. In return, the developer asks, “They remain good people and keep doing all they can to make these engines powerful and approachable for developers everywhere.” While Unity has claimed it will adjust the Runtime Fee policy following the backlash, for many developers — including Re-Logic — the damage has already been done. “Even if Unity were to recant their policy and statements, the destruction of trust is not so easily repaired.”

Terraria console commands on PC: How to use console commands Re-LogicYou can use console commands in Terraria to make your gameplay experience a bit easier. So, here’s a full rundown of all the available console commands in the game. Terraria is a beloved adventure game where you can build and craft until your heart desires while exploring a stunning fully realized 2D world. Console commands in the game can make things a bit easier for players, particularly if you’re primarily playing on the game’s multiplayer servers with friends. Console Commands allow players to change different aspects of the game related to the online servers so they can be especially handy if you’re playing with friends. We’ve provided a full list of the commands in Terraria below. Contents All Terraria console commands – How to bring up Terraria console commands – Are there console commands in Terraria for PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch? – All Terraria console commands Console commands are used to access certain features that are within the game’s coding. Players will be able to perform functions such as showing who is currently on the server, as well as being able to easily save, close, or clear the world. These controls are only available to use on PC. Below, you’ll find every available console command, alongside what action they perform: How to bring up Terraria’s console commands To utilize the game’s console commands, you’ll first need to make sure that you’re on a Multiplayer server, as the above codes do not work in Single Player. Follow these steps: From the main menu, select ‘Multiplayer‘. – Join your server of choice. – Once in-game, press the backtick key (`) to bring up the console. – Enter any of the Terraria commands listed above that you want to input. – Press Enter, and that’s it! – If the above codes have been entered correctly, the function will now activate for you to use. Are there console commands in Terraria for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch? There are no commands currently available to use in Terraria on other platforms. If any information regarding this changes, we’ll be sure to update you right here. So, there you have it — that’s everything you need to know about console commands in Terraria. For more tips and tricks to help you out as you explore the 2D world, check out our guides: How to craft Terraria potions | All Terraria bosses | Terraria Fishing guide | Terraria Master Mode guide | How to get a Yoyo in Terraria | How to download the Calamity Mod | How to get the Enchanted Sword in Terraria | How to craft potions in Terraria | How to get Wings in Terraria | Is Terraria cross-platform?

How to download Terraria’s Calamity mod Re-LogicTerraria is an extremely popular game where players can express their creativity, but if you want to shake up your experience, the Calamity mod is a great option. Here’s exactly how you can download the Calamity mod for Terraria and how it impacts the game. One of the most beloved survival games on the market is Terraria, thanks to the amount of freedom it provides players with. You can build and craft a number of exciting things while navigating a vast 2D landscape. There’s a huge amount of content to enjoy in Terraria, including a big list of missions to complete — but if you’ve put countless hours into the game already, you may hit a point where you find yourself running out of things to do. Thankfully, that’s where mods come in and the Calamity mod is one of the most beloved in the community. Here’s everything you need to know about the Calamity mod in Terraria, including how to download it. What’s Terraria’s Calamity mod Mods are one of the best ways to improve the stock value of Terraria, and there’s a wide array of them that’ll add certain features to the game that’ll greatly improve your experience. The Calamity mod is one of the premier ones within Terraria, as it implements a boatload of content for players towards the endgame. Players will be able to encounter new bosses and enemies among other features, such as new biomes and items for players to obtain. The official Calamity site has also noted that it adds “four harder difficulty modes . . . the mod also expands the game map by offering five new biomes and new structures. With this, you’ll have more places that you can explore. You can also try a new leveling mechanic, a new class, and over thirty new songs.” How to download the Calamity mod for Terraria Players looking to download the Calamity mod will need to go about a certain process to be able to get the mod into your game. We’re going to run over this process down below. Download tModLoader, which can be found here. – Have a program that’ll unpack ZIP files. – Download the Calamity mod through their official download site here. – Enable the Calamity mod through the in-game client after you’ve downloaded it. – Once this is completed, hit the reload mods button, and you should be good to go. – It may be a bit confusing at first glance, but you should be able to complete this process rather easily and be able to use the modifications right away. That’s everything you need to know about Terraria’s Calamity mod! For more content on the game, check out our guides below: How to craft Terraria potions | All Terraria bosses | Terraria Fishing guide | Terraria Master Mode guide | How to get a Yoyo in Terraria | How to get the Enchanted Sword in Terraria | How to craft potions in Terraria | How to get Wings in Terraria | Is Terraria cross-platform?

Terminator survival game: Trailers, plot and everything we know Teyon, Tri-Star PicturesTerminator: Resistance publishers Nacon are back with a new open-world action game. Here’s everything you need to know about the next Terminator game. Nacon Milan are re-entering the world of James Cameron’s beloved action franchise. After publishing the Teyon developed Terminator: Resistance, its time to face the dreaded T-800 cyborgs in a battle for humanity’s future once again. From trailers to plot details, here’s everything you need to know about Nacon’s new Terminator game. Contents Terminator survival game: Is there a release date? – Terminator survival game: What platforms will it release on? – Terminator survival game: Trailers – Terminator survival game: Gameplay – Terminator survival game: What will it be about? – Terminator survival game: Is there a release date? Currently, Nacon Milan has yet to reveal an official release date for the Terminator survival game. While there’s no release date for the game yet, we’ll update this article upon any new details. What platforms will it release on? The next Terminator game has been confirmed to release on PC, while consoles are yet to be specified. It is likely that this could be a next-gen only title, releasing on PS5 and Xbox Series S|X consoles. Terminator survival game: Trailers Nacon Milan shared the reveal trailer for the open-world game on July 7, 2022. Fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic open world where the last vestiges of humanity are hounded by terrifying machines.@NaconMilan are developing the first survival game set in the Terminator universe with an original story building on the events from the films. #NaconConnect pic.twitter.com/KFYQceWvpv — Nacon at #NaconConnect (@Nacon) July 7, 2022 Terminator survival game: Gameplay In a first for the Terminator franchise’s gaming history, players will be placed into an open-world survival setting. Rather than following traditional mission paths, it is speculated that players will travel across a war-torn Los Angeles. What will it be about? A full story synopsis has yet to be unveiled by Nacon Milan. However, we do know that the game will be set after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. According to the developers, the game will be set in “Terminator universe with an original story building on the events from the films.” And there you have it – we’ll be keeping updated with any developments as they occur. In the meantime, be sure to check out the latest news in the world of gaming. The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | God of War: Ragnarok | Wolverine | Spider-Man 2 | Forspoken | Pokemon Violet & Scarlet | Wonder Woman | DokeV | FFXVI | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Sonic Frontiers | Dragon Age 4 | Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild sequel | The Witcher 3 next-gen patch | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Haunted Chocolatier | Hogwarts Legacy | The Expanse: A Telltale Series

Terminator open world survival game announced by Nacon NaconA new untitled Terminator open-world survival game was been announced during the Nacon Connect 2022 showcase and will be developed by Nacon Studio Milan. The Terminator franchise has been quiet in the gaming space for quite some time. The last game release from the series was 2019’s Terminator: Resistance, an FPS which was panned by critics across the board at release. Terminator’s most notable appearance since then is in Call of Duty’s Season 4 of Warzone, with a potential skin bundle soon on the way for the iconic 80’s film star. Now, a few years later, Terminator is returning to the gaming space with an all-new trailer. Terminator survival game gets debut trailer At the Nacon Connect 2022 showcase on July 7 the company released a trailer for an unannounced Terminator project. An incredibly brief 20-second trailer shows off the shiny Terminator without revealing much else. The game is set to be an open-world survival game, developed by Nacon Studio Milan. According to Nacon’s website, this Terminator project will be the company’s only title outside of RiMS Racing, a motorcycle simulation game. As far as setting the company revealed the game takes place, “[b]etween the events of Judgment Day and the formation of John Connor’s resistance.” There is no official name for the project and no timetable for a release date has been announced.

TenZ gives his verdict on Overwatch 2: “Feels like an aim trainer” Liquipedia / Blizzard EntertainmentTenZ has been playing Overwatch 2 since its release and here’s what he had to say about how he feels after playing the game. Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, the face of Sentinels, often plays Overwatch 2 in between his Valorant games while he is live. On his October 12 stream, he gave his verdict on how he feels about the Overwatch sequel. TenZ explains that he actually enjoyed the game, and said “it’s a nice change of pace [from Valorant]”. What makes Overwatch different from Valorant is the action is more continuous, the pro player said. “I think the way Overwatch feels to me is like I’m playing an aim trainer.” “It’s constant movement and constant stimulation is quite nice.” TenZ mostly plays DPS characters like Genji, Cassidy, and others in Overwatch 2. Landing the shots using these characters requires precision and that ultimately helps out in Valorant. He further expressed that the original Overwatch game used to feel less enjoyable as players mostly had to “constantly shoot at barriers”. “Everyone in the first game was a DPS player and everything was just barriers.” With the arrival of Overwatch 2, the tank role now has been limited to one. This means only one player from the team can now play as a Tank which made the game even more fast-paced than it was before.

Dungeons & Dragons owner denies rumors of selling rights to Tencent Wizards of the CoastUpdate: Wizards of the Coast has reached out to Dexerto with a statement denying the rumors regarding Tencent looking to acquire the video game rights to the Dungeons & Dragons IP from parent company Hasbro. The original story has been amended with the statement below. Dungeons & Dragons has seen a swell of popularity throughout the last decade. The tabletop roleplaying game has enjoyed a cult following since its first edition back in 1974. However, since the release of its latest and fifth edition of its rule set, and thanks to content like Critical Role, and the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3, the popularity of the D&D franchise has seen a massive growth in new players and a surge in interest worldwide. Toy company Hasbro has owned the rights to the D&D video game franchise since they acquired Wizards of the Coast back in 1999. However, despite the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D 5th Edition, Hasbro has seen itself hit by financial troubles in recent quarters. Wizards of the Coast has denied rumors of selling D&D’s video game rights to Tencent Originally, a report on Beijing-based pandaily claimed Tencent and Hasbro have been in contact about the possibility, with Larian Studios serving as an intermediary between the two during preliminary discussions. However, Wizards of the Coast has since released a statement to Dexerto denying the validity of these rumors: “We regularly talk to Tencent and enjoy multiple partnerships with them across a number of our IPs. We don’t make a habit of commenting on internet rumors, but to be clear: we are not looking to sell our D&D IP.” “We will keep talking to partners about how we bring the best digital experiences to our fans. We won’t comment any further on speculation or rumors about potential M&A or licensing deals.” As pointed out by Christian Hoffer on comicbook.com, much of the report’s speculation bears a strong similarity to a YouTube video posted by Roll for Combat. The timing of a sale would also be off, considering Hasbro has already licensed out several D&D video games recently, including a VR one by the Demeo developers and a multiplayer game by the Pay Day 3 team. The D&D license and its potential for use in other forms of media is a huge jewel in Hasbro’s crown, as proven by the runaway success of Baldur’s Gate 3, so it makes sense that the video game rights aren’t up for sale at the moment.

Temtem tier list – Best Temtem in 2024 Crema / Humble GamesChoosing the right monster among 150 creatures in Temtem is quite a challenging task. So, we’ve compiled a tier list to help you choose the right Temtem that will best align with your playstyle in July 2024. Much like Pokemon, Temtem gives you the option to choose from a plethora of creatures to embark on your journey with. More than 12 types of creatures are found in this game but Wind, Earth, Fire, and Water are the most common. Going head-to-head and engaging in direct both PvE and PvP battles with other creatures is crucial to hone your skills as a trainer — or in this game, as a Tamer. For the same reason, it can be a difficult task to start off with the right Temtem. Having said that, our handy TemTem tier list has sorted out the best Temtem that will help you on your journey according to your own playstyle in July 2024. How many Temtem are there and what are their types? With the release of version 1.3, there are a total of 164 creatures in Temtem. However, with the game being an MMO, more creatures could be added in the future. In Temtem, all creatures are divided into 12 types. Here’s a rundown of all types of Temtem in the game: Crystal – Digital – Earth – Electric – Fire – Melee – Mental – Nature – Neutral – Toxic – Water – Wind – Like Pokemon, these Temtem are also effective against specific types of creatures while being weak against others. With that being said, let’s break down the best Temtem to use with our tier list below. Temtem tier list: Best Temtem Ranked Our Temtem tier list sorts the game’s creatures between S-Tier and D-Tier, with the former consisting of the best Temtem to use in 2024, and the latter including those creatures that are best to avoid using in battles. S-Tier Temtem Temtem that are featured in the S-Tier are the strongest in the game. They either possess raw strength or provide the best support for the entire team. A-Tier Temtem A-Tier Temtem falls a bit short in terms of efficiency in comparison to the S-Tier Temtem but still, they can be a great choice. Their strengths are similar to the S-Tier Temtem and can be used in a large number of teams. B-Tier Temtem Temtem falling under B-Tier are not as flexible or efficient as the previous tiers but they are pretty well-balanced and they can still come in handy in 2024. They bring variety to the teams and are dependent on the other members of the team. C-Tier Temtem Temtem that are present in the C-Tier can be useful in certain situations only. They may either be efficient in a single type of team or in a team built around their capabilities. D-Tier Temtem Creatures in D-Tier are the ones that you should try to avoid including in battles. They mostly struggle to perform against most creatures and are not a recommended choice. If and when Crema adds more Temtem into the game, we will make sure to update our tables accordingly. So, there you have it — that’s our tier list of the best Temtem to use in battle in 2024. For more about the game, be sure to check our other Temtem guides and content: Does Temtem have crossplay? | Temtem Twitch drops | Temtem server status | Temtem player count

Temtem server status: Is Temtem down? Crema / Humble GamesWondering if the Temtem servers are up and running or down for maintenance? Find out everything you need to know about the Temtem server status. Temtem is the latest massively multiplayer creature-collection adventure game, inspired by the likes of Pokemon. Putting an end to its early access period, version 1.0 of the game was launched on September 6, 2022. Since the game is heavily based on multiplayer, there can be times when the servers occasionally go offline. Chances will be the devs are either working to apply a new update, fixing some game issues, or just pulling it down for maintenance. If you’re wondering if the Temtem servers are down, our Temtem server status hub has everything you need to know about upcoming maintenance, server errors, and developer updates. Temtem server status At the time of writing, all Temtem servers are up and running. The last instance when the servers went offline was on September 7, 2022. The devs took the servers offline to fix some issues related to Twitch drops, DigiLair, and the Deluxe edition with Xbox. The maintenance period was for around 20 minutes and the servers went back up after that. Prior to that, the servers were also down for more than 30 hours on September 5, 2022. This was because Crema decided to launch Temtem’s version 1.0 on the day after, ending its Early Access run. Temtem server maintenance resources You may want to bookmark this article if you want to keep yourself updated on Temtem’s server status. We’ll make sure to update it whenever there’s ongoing maintenance or the servers are offline. The official Temtem Twitter account is also a great resource as the developers post constant updates on the game’s content and server issues. So, there you have it – that’s everything you need to know about the Temtem server status. For more about the game, make sure you check out our Temtem hub for all the latest news and updates.

How many people play Temtem? Player count in 2022 CremaWondering how many people play Temtem? Well, our player count tracker will give you insights into the latest stats for the Pokemon-inspired creature-collecting MMO. Temtem has finally left Steam early access and now the full game has officially released, giving Tamers even more content to delve into. The recent launch has led to even more players delving into the colorful Airborne Archipelago in pursuit of the best Temtem. In fact, both Pokemon and monster battling fans have been praising Temtem for its combat system and competitive multiplayer. With the hype surrounding Temtem, it’s not hard to see why the game’s player count has skyrocketed. So, if you’re curious to know how many people play Temtem or just wish to see how the figures stack up in 2022, then our player count hub has you covered. Temtem player count tracker As of writing, the Temtem player count currently sits at 39,501 peak players on the Steam version of the game. Obviously, these figures don’t take into account those playing on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PlayStation 5. With the title recently coming out of early access, Temtem’s player count is expected to increase in the weeks and months to come. If that wasn’t exciting enough, there’s also the addition of crossplay, which means the title’s community will be healthy thanks to the ability to play with Tamers across all platforms. So, those looking to download Temtem will have no trouble finding people to battle and play with. Of course, like all games, Temtem’s player count will fluctuate as time goes on, but for now, the community is looking incredibly healthy. Make sure you bookmark this page to stay up to date with the latest Temtem player count stats. Check out our other player count pages for all the latest info on your favorite games: How many people play Fortnite? | How many people play Monster Hunter: World? | How many people play Guild Wars 2? | How many people play Apex Legends? | How many people play Fall Guys?

Temtem patch 1.0.1 notes: Tamer Pass changes, economy balances, bug fixes & more CremaTemtem patch update 1.0.1 has been released and brings a ton of changes to the game. Here’s a rundown of everything included with the new Temtem patch. With patch 1.0.1, Crema has introduced several improvements to their game, starting with the Tamer Pass experience, bug fixes, and a lot more. As you hop into the game after updating to the latest version, you’ll notice that your pass has levelled up. Apart from that, the in-game economy has also been balanced. Feathers will play a much bigger role as they will help in trading for several other items in the game. The patch also focussed on fixing multiple issues that were spread across all the platforms the game is available for. Having said that, here’s the full list of changes in Temtem update 1.0.1 from the official patch notes. Contents Improvements Temtem patch 1.0.1 has improved the Tamer Pass experience. From now onwards, you’ll gain additional experience in challenges as well as while battling against NPC tamers. Here’s a rundown of every improvement brought to the game: We’re carrying out a set of improvements to Tamer Pass experience gain:Battles against NPC Tamers will now give Tamer Pass experience. This experience has been added to all of your passes retroactively.While Weekly Challenges and endgame activities, unlocked after completing the story campaign, will still be the easiest and main form of progressing through the Tamer Pass, it was a mistake to leave people progressing through the campaign out of it. – With this change, completing the campaign and all side quests will give you ~15 Tamer Pass levels. – This new way of gaining experience will stop being granted at Tamer Pass level 20 and higher, in order to prevent (or avoid forcing) players to keep resetting their accounts constantly to farm this XP. – – All forms of gaining Tamer Pass experience now give 70% more experience, including Weekly Challenges. This experience has been added to all of your passes retroactively, too.While some of the most dedicated players have already reached level 60 on the Pass, we wanted to improve the general feeling of progression on the Tamer Pass for the regular or more casual user. – Our goal is that completing the Tamer Pass feels rewarding and is something achievable for the majority of users by dedicating some hours during the week. – We’ll still be keeping an eye out for progression to see if there are any further changes needed. We’re also going to do some backend work so it’s easier in the future to change these values on the fly, without the need for a new patch. – – – Battles against NPC Tamers will now give Tamer Pass experience. This experience has been added to all of your passes retroactively. – We’ve fixed an issue on the recently added new Tempedia icons that offer information on OT and caught Tems, regular and Luma.Some of you might’ve noticed the icons weren’t always accurate or consistent with what you had tamed in the past. It was missing pre-evolutions, or anything that wasn’t in the box at the time of the update. We’ve fixed all these and you should now see everything you’ve Tamed since the launch of Arbury, which is when we started keeping track of this data. – – Balance With Temtem patch 1.0.1, the in-game economy has been balanced. You can now sell Telomere Trait Swaps for Feathers while TemSafari gives fewer Feathers now. Here are the details of all economic balances in Temtem: Economy Telomere Trait Swaps can now be sold for Feathers: Telomere Hack – Trait Swap for 30 Feathers, and Telomere Hotfix – Trait Swap for 100 Feathers. – Evershifting Tower now gives 50% more Feathers.After reviewing our analytics, the Feathers one could obtain by playing the Evershifting Tower were low compared to the amount of time invested. Although we believe the Evershifting Tower has a very steep learning curve, and that better and better runs will be achieved in the future, Feather reward was still far from where we wanted it to be, so we’ve boosted it. – The GritArena will receive a similar increase in Feathers in the next patch. – – TemSafari now gives less Feathers. Since this is a formula and not a fixed number, we can’t give you an exact percentage.Opposingly to the Evershifting Tower, analytics showed that the Feather gain was high for the time investment, and it was over the rest of activities and far from where we wanted it to be. – – Fixes Temtem patch 1.0.1 has addressed several issues that were present on every platform and released a fix for each. Here’s a rundown of every issue fixed with the new patch update: All platforms Fixed a hardlock when interacting with an invisible NPC at the Evershifting Tower. – Fixed not being able to progress on the quest Rebuilding Bridges. Please note: if you have already started the Naolin quest for Tamer’s Paradise you won’t be able to complete Rebuilding Bridges. This will be fixed in the next patch. – Fixed getting softlocked in the Archtamers’ cinematic while being in a Co-op Party where one of the players had completed the Archtamers Challenge and the other one hadn’t. – Fixed getting stuck after fighting two NPCs at the Xolot Reservoir. – Fixed Tamer’s Paradise Tokens quantity not updating client-wise after doing an activity. – Fixed a delivery quest that could not be completed (Exhausted Refugee in Tucma). – Fixed not being able to deliver the Postal Delivery to Local Scholar in Zadar. – Fixed being able to put the Early Access Crystal Skates’ furniture in the Vault client-wise and not being able to use the Vault after that. – Fixed a initial Evershifting Tower room that had no exit door. – Fixed not being able to properly scroll in the bag after opening an items folder. – Fixed the speed arrow was not being shown on the battle log while fighting NPCs. – Fixed Temtem in the TemDeck being put in the wrong position if a Tamer was moving them between boxes when a ranked match started. – Fixed that all gender pronouns were being displayed at once in the description of the Twitch Drops items. – Fixed showing a transformed Mimit in the middle of the battle zone if a ranked match started in the exact moment a Tamer was in a wild encounter and their Mimit was in the middle of a transformation. – Fixed rainbow and bitonal dyes not showing correctly when applied on the last dye spot of a cosmetic set. – Fixed emote images not loading correctly if the player opened and closed the emote wheel fast. – Fixed text “Arbury The Alma Matter” in the Pansun. – Fixed Temcard seals’ preview background. It now shows a competitive battlezone. – Fixed Battle Intro animation preview reproducing twice when entering the Customization/Competitive menu. – Fixed Drums emote previewing without animation. – Fixed the cosmetics preview getting darker after previewing some mounts. – Fixed the Spanish gender pronouns not applying properly when initiating dialog with Yiota at the Prasine Coast. – Fixed gears not appearing translated in Spanish. – Fixed descriptions of dyes at the Trade House. – Switch, PS5, Xbox Fixed the gamepad vibration when passing through a jump or from ground to water (and vice versa) while using a flying mount. – Fixed the collision of a pickable item remains even after picking it up at the Properton Sewers. – PS5, Xbox Fixed remaining inside the Dojo Park after reaching 0 encounters. – Fixed the possibility of skipping NPC battles in the Evershifting Tower by disconnecting and reconnecting when the NPC engages the player. – Fixed players being able to change SVs, TVs and Techs of the Temtem included in a locked Battlebox during a Tournament/Dojo War. – Fixed that stickers could be stored in vault. – Fixed bag items remaining highlighted after being selected but not used. – Fixed the Temessence Phial remaining highlighted in the bag when selecting it and quickly moving the cursor to other item. – Fixed selecting the Temessence Phial in the bag with keyboard or gamepad makes the focus go to the first item on the list for a few frames. – Fixed the layout of the Premium Store in French when not having sufficient funds to buy an item – Fixed an error when trying to open the bag at the first encounter with Max. – Fixed an error when using an item from the bag twice on a Temtem of the squad. – Fixed losing focus after selling an item at the store. – Fixed the scroll when changing between different sections of the Housing inventory menu. – Fixed Stowaway running instead of walking in some cutscenes in Arbury. He ran so the player could walk. – Fixed previews of housing items while at the Edit House menu. – Fixed that previews of some titles show the three gender pronouns instead of just the one corresponding to the player’s choice. – Fixed flying mounts leaving ripples when moving above water. – Fixed the VFX of the top TMR Tamer holograms in Tamer’s Paradise. – Fixed the VFX particles of some mounts. – Fixed Umishi’s and Ukama’s 3d models suddenly getting plump in the Gear/Seal equip menu. – Fixed player’s bag physics when dismounting from a mount that hid the bag. – Fixed some holes in scenery around various places in game. – Fixed popping of some scenery in the water reflections at Briçal del Mar. – Fixed a missing collision at the Temporium of Lochburg. – Fixed the default text when activating and deactivating items from the bag. – Switch Fixed a black screen and posterior lock that could happen during the evolution scene. – Fixed a black screen that could happen while doing a radar on Switch. – PS5 Fixed a shadow not being displayed correctly at the second floor of the Accademia. – Steam Fixed not getting Shuine’s Idol while doing the Free Matthew quest. – Fixed radar chain breaking if one played TemSafari and Evershifting Tower activities. – Fixed being able to gain tamer pass experience beyond level 60. – Fixed Premium Store prices appearing as zero when the player receives a Lair bonus store discount. – Fixed gender pronouns not being applied when talking with the Evershifting Tower minder NPC at Tamer’s Paradise. – Fixed that the Data Processing message is always being shown after the initial loading. – Fixed that a Temtem with a DNA Strand equipped could be traded without unequipping it. – Fixed wrong main quest markers while doing the Omninesia portion of the main quest. – Fixed spectating ranked matches was counting towards the completion of the “Defeat enemy Temtem in ranked” Weekly Challenge. – Fixed that players could receive trade requests from other players while doing the Evershifting Tower activity. – Fixed the Trade House’s advanced filter not working properly if the dropdown was open when the player open the Trade House UI. – Fixed captured Mimit maintaining its transformation into the next battle in the Evershifting Tower. – Fixed One-Eyed Matthew’s battle intro at Nanga always being displayed in English even if other language is selected. – Other Tamer ID and Temtem version have been hidden from the screen, including battles. You can still see it on your Tamer card, accessible from the character section in the menu. – So, there you have it — that’s everything included in Temtem 1.0.1 patch notes. For more about the game, make sure to check some of our other Temtem content: Temtem redeem codes | Temtem tier list | Temtem server status | All Tamer’s Paradise activities | Temtem’s crossplay and cross-progression support | Temtem player count | Pokemon vs Temtem: which game is better

When does Temtem launch on Xbox and Switch? Release date, trailers, gameplay CremaPopular Pokemon clone, Temtem, is about to expand to other consoles with its full release following successful early access periods on PC and PlayStation 5. Here’s everything you need to know about Temtem including trailers, gameplay, and more. Crema and Humble Games are getting ready to unleash the world of Temtem to wider audiences by bringing players on Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The expansion into other consoles will also bring refined modes and new competitive environments for players to face-off. The studio has made a lot of headway on its online multiplayer monster-catching game and they’re ready to take it to the next level once Temtem gets its 1.0 patch update. Temtem release date Temtem is going to release in full on September 6 when it exits out of early access on PS5 and PC while debuting on Nintendo Switch and Xbox. The devs are going to revamp everything from Temtem’s campaign to the competitive systems within it, giving players a lot more to experience since it initially came out. Temtem trailers For people already paying attention, we know all about what Temtem wants to bring to the table with gameplay and trailers that show its world exploration with Pokemon-esque collecting. In the lead-up, Crema released another look at how social features and endgame content will look once the TemTem 1.0 update lands, giving the game a top-down bump in content. Temtem – 1.0 trailer Temtem gameplay overview trailer Temtem Launch trailer Temtem gameplay Temtem invites tamers to explore the vast worlds of its Airborne Archipelago where they will find species and while challenging the eight Dojo Leaders scattered across the world. There’s over 160 Temtem species to collect and players will be able to find their perfect matches to take against players around the world. From tons of character customization options to house decorations, there’s a lot to explore in the colorful world of Temtem. Temtem co-op and multiplayer Temtem will let players experience the game by themselves or with their friends across the entire campaign. Meanwhile, the MMO part of the title will let people join other players’ worlds to populate the different islands. Though tamers can tackle the game by themselves, there’s going to be a bigger social component than what we’ve seen before with games like this. That’s all there is to know about Temtem ahead of its anticipated 1.0 launch release in Fall 2022, as players wait to dive into Crema’s full version of the game.

Temtem endgame content explained: all Tamer’s Paradise activities CremaTemtem is finally out of early access and it’s got plenty of monster collecting action for players to enjoy including a hefty amount of endgame content. If you’ve completed the game‘s story or are simply wondering what else there is to do, we’ve got you covered with our guide to Temtem’s endgame content. After two years in early access, Temtem has finally had its full release, and fans of the monster collecting genre are excited to dive into the colorful MMO world developers Crema have created. While Temtem does feature a lengthy story, there’s also a lot of additional content for players to enjoy, including a number of challenging endgame activities. Whether you want to compete against other Temtem tamers in ranked PvP matches, or band together to take on co-operative challenges, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied in the Airborne Archipelago well after the credits role. Temtem endgame content One of the biggest additions to Temtem that came with it’s 1.0 release was the reveal of Tamer’s Paradise – the final island on the Archipelago that’s completely dedicated to endgame content. There are a number of facilities on the Island that offer various activities to engage in. Tamer’s Paradise PvP endgame activities PvP is a huge part of Temtem’s endgame so if you’re itching for a fight, you can start battling the best Temtem tamers across the world in exciting competitive ranked matches. If you’d rather team up with fellow players, however, Raid Lair challenges are available on Tamer’s Paradise. Raid lairs are co-op dungeon-crawler activities that are run by a team of 3 – 5 players. Each tamer receives a random loadout of Temtem and must decide which encounters they face on the way to defeat the boss. If the boss is defeated you’ll receive a Temtem egg of the creature as well as some rare items. The Digilair provides a similar challenge but is limited to 2 players and allows you to customize the difficulty of matches. Tamer’s Paradise PvE endgame activities There are also a handful of PvE challenges to tackle on Tamer’s Paradise. The Arch Tamer’s Sanctum tasks tamers with consecutively facing off against the four Archtamers (much akin to the Elite Four in Pokemon.) You’ll be able to heal your team after every match but you won’t be able to switch out any of your Temtem or their items. The Grit and Draft Arenas hosts battles with Holo tamers where you’ll be drafted a random (Draft) or use your own (Grit) team of four Temtem to battle it out against endless opponents. In the Draft Arena, you’ll gain access to one of your opponent’s Temtem every time you win a battle, and as your creatures will constantly be changing, this arena is all about adaptability. In TemSafari, players have to survive in the wild for as long as possible. Upon entering the area, wild Temtem will constantly challenge you and you’ll have a limited set of items to use in battle and won’t be able to flee. Finally, the Shifting Tower has tamers explore a randomly generated dungeon with just a single random Temtem initially in their squad. As you progress through the floors you’ll find more Temtem and items along the way with the ultimate goal of reaching the very top. Alongside everything we’ve mentioned here, tamers can also collect all 164 Temtem, decorate their own house, and complete daily and weekly missions – although these activities aren’t technically considered endgame – it further highlights just how much content there is on offer. That’s everything we know about the current endgame content in Temtem! For more Temtem content, check out our guides below: Does Temtem have crossplay and cross-progression? | Temtem tier list: best Temtem in 2022 | Is Temtem free to play? | How many people play Temtem? | Temtem server status | How to claim Temtem twitch drops

Does Temtem have crossplay and cross-progression? CremaDoes Temtem have crossplay? Find out whether the Pokemon-inspired MMO has crossplay between PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. Temtem is the latest creature collecting game that is proving popular on PC and console and while it may look similar to Pokemon, it aims to distinguish itself with its unique battle system and multiplayer elements. In fact, the colorful world of Temtem can be experienced with other players. Whether it’s playing through the game’s story mode or taking on other Tamers in intense PvP battles, there’s certainly a heavy emphasis on community. While Tamers will be busy discovering the best Temtems, there are two important questions that need answering: Is Temtem crossplay and does it feature cross-progression? Well, fortunately, our handy hub has the answer to this question. Does Temtem have crossplay & cross-progression? Yes, Temtem features full crossplay and cross-progression between PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. This means your character’s progress, resources, and Temtem will be shared between all platforms. More importantly, you’ll also be able to play with and against other Tamers on any platform. So, if you wish to battle, trade, or play co-op with your friends across multiple devices without purchasing multiple copies, then Temtem enables you to do exactly that. Simply login into the game and begin your adventure either solo or team up with other players for some jolly teamwork. There you have it, everything you need to know about crossplay and cross-progression in Temtem. Make sure you check out our Temtem page for all the latest news and information on the creature-collecting game. Temtem Twitch drops | Temtem player count | Temtem server status | Temtem community feedback

Tempest Rising is a new RTS from reformed 3D Realms and THQ Nordic THQ NordicTempest Rising, an epic-looking sci-fi RTS game from the team at 3D Realms, is on the way and we’ve had our first glimpse at the game. With over 35 years in the gaming industry under their belt, 3D Realms are going as strong as ever, and the team behind iconic franchises like Duke Nukem and Shadow Warrior is working on a new project. Tempest Rising is a shift away from some of its recent first-person shooters as the company is going full real-time strategy with intense combat between men and machines. Tempest Rising RTS coming in 2023 At the end of the game’s first trailer, we were given a message that simply says: “Connecting to your battle uplink in 2023,” so we at least have a rough idea of when to expect the title. The screenshots and trailer haven’t revealed too much about the upcoming game’s story or characters, but we’ve been able to ascertain its era and style – in the future and very sci-fi-like. One of the factions is called the “GDF” and they appear to be feuding with another rival group on a desolate planet. Between icy fields and ruined forests, it looks like there will be plenty of land to traverse and capture. The early footage looks pretty much like what you’d expect from a classic RTS game: attacking, defending, carefully moving, and advancing your forces to strike at the right time, all the while trying to apply upgrades to make yourself stronger. Also helping with Tempest Rising are Slipgate Ironworks and 2B Games, and with all the teams working hard on the game you’d expect that THQ Nordic might have a hit on their hands to rival other games in the genre such as the legendary Starcraft franchise. As the game’s development continues to move along, we expect to hear more about Tempest Rising and perhaps get a more locked-in release date.

Where to find Telok Penjarah in Skull and Bones – Pirate Den location UbisoftSkull and Bones is the latest Ubisoft game and it gives players a huge world to explore on their pirate adventures with plenty of unique locations to explore including Telok Penjarah. Here’s exactly how you can find the bustling town in the game. Telok Penjarah is more than just a dot on the map in Skull and Bones; it’s a beacon for pirates seeking to enhance their naval might and expand their dominion over the Indian Ocean. As the game unfolds, finding this location becomes pivotal for players aiming to carve their legacy into the annals of pirate lore. Whether you’re a seasoned captain or a fresh recruit to the pirate life, understanding how to navigate your ship to Telok Penjarah is essential for your journey. Here’s how you can get yourself to Telok Penjarah, in the East Indies region. Telok Penjarah location in Skull and Bones The fastest route to Telok Penjarah requires a sturdy ship and a heart brimming with adventure, as you’ll have to traverse through the dangerous Open Seas. From the familiar shores of Sainte-Anne, players must set their compass northeast, pushing through the treacherous waves and menacing storms that guard the path to the Logam Highlands. Skirting the Highlands, a daring traverse across the sea unveils the lands of Telok Penjarah, a sight for sore eyes amidst the vastness of the ocean. However, the journey is fraught with peril. Pirates embarking on this quest must brace for encounters with hostile vessels and nature’s fury. Storms can brew without warning, and rogue waves stand ready to test the mettle of even the most seasoned sailors. If you’re not ready to go through the Open Seas, you can do the long route which has multiple stops. From Sainte-Anne go north to the Moyenne Crique outpost, then move to the Three Brothers, and finally travel to Return Fleet Bight. There you can just go a little southeast for passage between Logam Highlands and the Naga Coast. Once you’re through, just move north until you reach Telok Penjarah. Why sail to Telok Penjarah? The allure of Telok Penjarah goes beyond its strategic location. Upon setting foot on this pirate haven, players unlock the ability to fast travel in the game, a boon that significantly eases the burdens of long voyages. The town is brimming with merchants, offering quests, gear, and the opportunity to build new ships, expanding your fleet and preparing you for the battles ahead. Telok Penjarah is not just another stop on your pirate journey; it’s a milestone that marks the growth of your infamy and prowess on the seas. With high-level cannons available from the local blacksmith and a plethora of NPCs ready to aid your cause, this town is a cornerstone for any pirate’s ambition. Navigate wisely, fight bravely, and let Telok Penjarah be the springboard to your dominion over Skull and Bones’ treacherous waters. For more Skull and Bones content, check our guides below: Is Skull and Bones crossplay? | Skull and Bones: All Achievements and Trophies | Does Skull and Bones have land combat? | How many players in Skull and Bones multiplayer? | Skull and Bones voice actors & cast list | Is Skull and Bones coming to Nintendo Switch? | Is Skull and Bones coming to Xbox Game Pass? | All Skull and Bones editions & pre-order bonuses | Skull and Bones PC requirements | All Ship types Skull and Bones | Does Skull and Bones have microtransactions

Telltale Games gives long-awaited update on The Wolf Among Us 2 Telltale GamesTelltale Games has released its first update on The Wolf Among Us 2 in over a year and assures fans the project is still in progress. It has been over a year since the last update for The Wolf Among Us 2. The beloved thriller-mystery was an instant hit when it was released by Telltale on October 11, 2013. Over a decade later, fans of the franchise are still waiting for the chance to play the sequel. Telltale announced a delay for The Wolf Among Us 2, pushing its release date out of 2023 at the time, a date that’s clearly been missed. Even in 2024, the release date for the game remains shrouded in secrecy as many doubted the game would ever come out at all. However, they’ve broken that silence and given a promising update on how development is going. “We’ve been quiet because we’ve been heads down, focusing on the promise of The Wolf Among Us 2. While we can’t give a big update yet, here’s a little something for you: In-progress shots from the current build. The work continues. The Fabletown gang will be back. Thanks for being fans.” stated the developers. Although a lack of an update regarding the official release date is disappointing, the screenshots shown do make up for it. The sequel will continue Telltale’s signature comic book style, but the graphics are way beyond what the original title had. The final screenshot included in the post shows a brief look at the gameplay of The Wolf Among Us 2 as well. Like the original, the player will play as Bigby Wolf, a detective looking for clues to solve an unknown mystery. The image shows clues circled with a blue text icon in the upper right corner. These icons actively guide the player by indicating the direction they must follow. However, there is no guarantee that the current state of the game will look exactly like what will be released by the public.

Tekken mod finally gives Godzilla fans the fighting game they always wanted @uwais_alqaraniGodzilla’s been around for decades, and an entire universe has been built around him. All sorts of different monsters have been pitted against him across dozens of films. This begs the question: Why don’t we see Godzilla fighting games? Tekken modder Ultraboy (@uwais_alqarani on Twitter) released an incredibly hype trailer showing what a modern Godzilla fighting game might look like. In addition to iconic monsters like Godzilla, Mecha Godzilla, and King Kong, this modder also chose to add a Gundam and some Ultraman characters. Because… well, why not? This mod pack of 7 skins for Tekken characters all work surprisingly well for the existing movesets of the characters they’re attached to, and was clearly made out of love for the Japanese genre of Kaiju (giant monster) genre of movies and TV shows. While this mod doesn’t add any new moves to the existing characters these models have been placed on, seeing Godzilla body slamming people will never get old. Carrying the legacy of Godzilla It’s worth mentioning that Kaiju fighting games do exist, but there hasn’t been a new one in a long time. Game studio Pipeworks released a series of Godzilla-based fighting games for the original Xbox and Gamecube back in the early 2000s. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is a game still beloved by fans, even if the critical reception at the time of release was mixed. The large scale combat and environmental destruction in these games really enhanced the experience of playing as a giant monster. That isn’t to say that Godzilla has been entirely absent from video games. Far from it, actually. A collaboration with Call of Duty: Warzone brought King Kong and Godzilla to Caldera in 2022, along with skins themed around these two titanic characters. These iconic characters still resonate with fans, and the stage is left wide open for a Godzilla fighting game to make a meteoric impact in the FGC. While this Tekken mod is no substitute for a proper new Godzilla game, it shows how much potential there is for a new fighting game based on the series. The full mod pack is free to download and can be found here.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game announced – Release window, plot details, more PARAMOUNT PICTURESAfter the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the whimsical film is getting its very own video game follow-up. From a release window to the earliest plot details, here’s everything you need to know. Everyone’s favorite heroes in a half shell are finally back in the spotlight. Years removed from the live-action Michael Bay films, Jeff Rowe’s reimagining captured the hearts of turtle fans once more with Mutant Mayhem. In just a matter of weeks, the hit 2023 release made its budget back twofold and triggered a wave of nostalgia for cartoon lovers around the globe. Now, following up on its success, the Mutant Mayhem spinoff is getting its very own video game. While it’s early days yet and details are scarce, here’s everything we know about the TMNT: Mutant Mayhem video game thus far. Contents: Is there a release date for the TMNT Mutant Mayhem game? – TMNT Mutant Mayhem game platforms – TMNT: Mutants Unleashed gameplay – TMNT Mutant Mayhem game plot details – TMNT Mutant Mayhem game developers – Does the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game have a release date? Although the Mutant Mayhem game doesn’t have an exact release date set in stone, we do know it’s targeting a 2024 launch. In a recent Game Informer exclusive, the outlet claimed Mutants Unleashed is targeting a launch “near of the end of this year.” Beyond that, we’ll have to wait and hear on a specific month further down the line. Though given its announcement only just came in September of 2023, it’d be safe not to expect anything in the first quarter of the new year. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game platforms TMNT: Mutants Unleashed is set to arrive on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. We know for certain the game is targeting the widest audience possible in releasing across multiple platforms spanning multiple generations. What kind of game is TMNT: Mutants Unleashed? Although we’re yet to see the game in motion, a few images and a brief description have revealed the first details. We now know to expect a 3D brawler/platformer, one that lets players control the four turtles. Each turtle has a unique moveset along with some features of their own, though it’s unclear if one player will be able to swap between all four turtles on the fly, or if you’ll be locked to a single role for the entire game. Co-op is heavily emphasized here though, with support for local couch co-op already locked in. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game plot details Without spoiling anything from the 2023 movie, it has been revealed that the Mutant Mayhem game will take place months after the film. Rather than simply retelling the story we saw on the big screen, the video game follow-up is set to chart its own course and give us a deeper look at this rendition of the turtles. As you would expect, the brothers are set to reunite with a “host of memorable characters from the franchise” on their way to saving New York City from a “new mutant threat,” a press release detailed. At this point in time, the turtle bros “have been accepted by society,” the Game Informer exclusive reads. However, a new wave of mutants find their way into town and it’s up to the ninjas to save the day. Whether we’ll see any of the film’s cast returning to voice their characters remains up in the air at the time of writing. Who’s making the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game? Outright Games is the studio working on this new TMNT video game. Know as a “family-friendly” publisher, the British company has seven years of experience working on licensed games. Transformers Battlegrounds, Jumanji: The Video Game, Paw Patrol, and Peppa Pig all being among their biggest projects. That’s all we know about the TMNT Mutant Mayhem game for the time being, but check back soon for further details.

Teen girl spends family’s life savings on $64,000 worth of mobile games A teenager in China is making headlines after she spent a whopping $64,000 on mobile games, completely draining her family’s life savings. Mobile game expenses can really add up if you’re not careful, but one gamer went way too far after spending everything her family had earned, all without her parent’s knowledge. According to a report from Insider, Gong Yiwang, the mother of the 13-year-old, received a call from her daughter’s school, expressing concern that she was playing too many games. This resulted in Yiwang checking her bank balance and was absolutely mortified to see the damage her child had caused over the course of a few months. Teen spends $64,000 on mobile games What Yiwang discovered was that her daughter had spent $64K on games including $30,000 on microtransactions over the course of five months. Plus, she spent money on classmates so they could play with her. Yiwang’s daughter told Elephant News that she had no idea where the money was coming from or how much she was spending. However, she reportedly tried to hide the evidence from her parents by deleting the transactions off her phone. The mother meanwhile, who has only 7 cents left to her name, is trying to recoup the lost money by requesting refunds, but so far, she hasn’t gotten any of the funds back. “I never thought a 13-year-old girl could do this,” the mom said. “I’m in a daze; my head feels like it’s going to explode.” Needless to say, this is one of the wildest mobile gaming stories we’ve encountered here at Dexerto and yet another reason why parents should monitor their kids’ cellphone use and the money they’ve been spending.

Techland gives first glimpse into Dying Light 2’s story TechlandThe sequel to the overly successful zombie survival RPG is highly anticipated, and Techland has given us some clues into how the story is going to play out in Dying Light 2. Dying Light was an interesting concept that was executed perfectly when it was released back in 2015. Developer Techland took the popular concept of zombies within video games and molded it into an interactive story-driven game based around Kyle Crane. Now, with the sequel to Dying Light already being announced back at E3 2018, the anticipation has been high for the next installment of the series. But, with no release date in sight as of now, Techland has provided us with a first look at some components surrounding the story of 2. There are an ample amount of questions regarding the story in Dying Light 2, and Techland’s first clue about their sequel may have revealed some promising details. Let’s take a look! Dying Light 2 dispatch package In the lead-up to the game’s eventual release, Techland has sent some dispatch packages out to publications including us, which contained some interesting content regarding Dying Light 2. Within the package received by Dexerto included the following: Dying Light 2 ‘Stay Human’ Flashlight – A letter containing some details about Dying Light 2’s story – Dying Light 2 sticker – Within the dispatch, the most interesting component without a doubt has to be the cryptic letter sent out by Techland. The story of the original Dying Light title was one of the best from 2015, and it drove the game to the success it had within the market. Now, it appears Techland is trying to send a message to all survivors looking to take on the challenge of the ruthless zombie horde in the sequel. The letter within the Dying Light 2 dispatch reads as follows. Read More: How to watch E3 2021 – Hello, survivor! Remember Harran? Of course you do. But all that-that was just the beginning…. Now The City is our refuge, and it needs your help. Want to know more? You will, but you’ll have to hunt. I had to hide the info-this place isn’t safe. Track down the clues and remember, it’s all for your eyes only. This message cannot fall into the wrong hands. You’re our last chance, survivor! For those who do not know, Harran was the city where Kyle Crane had to infiltrate within the first game, but the ending of the game is one that is still controversial to this day. Fans felt there was a lot left to be desired, but thankfully, there is another game rolling around sometime soon. Read More: How to watch EA Play July Livestream – Based on the letter we received from Techland is going to a brand new location for the new game, and all we know as of now is that it is called The City. However, they have revealed certain details around the new map in past developer updates, and we know it is set somewhere in Europe and it will be a staggering four times larger than Harran. So, it appears the survivors within the city are in a bit of danger according to the letter, and we can assume there are going to be more clues coming to us soon. Using the provided flashlight on the letter, we could not find any hidden details on the letter, so hopefully, this is not the last dispatch we receive.

Teamfight Tactics Patch 14.2 notes: Unit changes, Lunar Festival and more Riot GamesPatch 14.2 will see Teamfight Tactics receive some minor changes to its balance as the set introduced for Season 14 gets some fine-tuning ahead of the mid-set revival. Patch 14.2 is bringing the Lunar Festival to TFT. Players will be able to access an in-client hub where they can play the Set 3.5 Revivial: Galaxies game mode while also keeping track of their event pass progress. The patch will also bring much-anticipated cosmetics like Chibi Sona, Golden Dragon Skyscraper Arena, and Chibi Porcelain Lux. Riot will further add a Loadout randomizer to the lobby screen for players who have multiple cosmetics for their Tactician, Arena, and Boom. System changes appear in this patch as well, though they are relatively minor in scope. The biggest changes mainly impact the Units. When is TFT Patch 14.2 going live? Teamfight Tactics’ new patch will be released at the same time as League of Legends Patch 14.2 on January 24, 2024. As per usual, expect a brief period of server downtime before the patch goes live. What’s changing in Patch 14.1? Augment Adjustments This patch has a smattering of changes, but one of the bigger tweaks has come to Augments. Riot has reworked Heartthrobs and changed the numbers around for Last Stand, Too Big to Fail, and Twin Terror. Teamfight Tactics Patch 14.2 notes The full patch notes can be found below. Systems Portals Cruel Pact can no longer be offered in the Radiant Blessing portal. – Silver Symphony & Decrescendo have been removed. – Streak Notifications Winstreak scoreboard notifications now display at 5 wins and at 8 wins, and show the correct streak length. – Recommended Item Categories AD Carry: Edge of Night >>> Red Buff – AD Caster: Edge of Night >>> Red Buff – Headliner Rules Updated a rule that blocked units that shared a trait with a previously offered Headliner. This rule should now only block the trait skipped from being the Headliner and still allow the unit to appear as their other trait(s). – Large Changes Traits Disco Attack Speed Per Tick: 5/10/15/20% >>> 5/8/12/20% – Disco Healing Per Tick: 2/3/3/5% >>> 2/3/3/4% – Punk AD: 17/28/42% >>> 18/30/45% – Punk HP: 170/280/420 >>> 180/300/450 – Units: Tier 1 Jinx AD: 45 >>> 50 – Kennen HP: 650 >>> 700 – K’Sante Spell Base Damage Reduction: 25% >>> 20% – Units: Tier 2 Katarina Spell Damage: 140/210/315% AP >>> 150/225/340% AP – Kayle (REWORK): Now passively deals magic damage on each hit. Active now immediately deals the AoE (finale) damage and applies Shred. – Mana nerf: 0/30 >>> 0/120 – Units: Tier 3 Lulu Spell Third Cast Damage: 120/180/280% AP >>> 150/225/360% AP – Riven Ability Damage: 100% AD >>> 90% AD – Urgot (REWORK): Now deals 50% bonus damage if his spell only hits 1 target. – Urgot Spell Damage: 175/175/180% AD + 15/25/40% AP >>> 160/160/165% AD + 15/25/40% AP – Vex Stun duration: 1.5s >>> 0.75s – Units: Tier 4 Karthus (REWORKED): Karthus’s ability will now always critically strike if able to. – Gains bonus Ability Power based on his Critical Strike Chance – No longer gains mana from kills, now gains 30% Ability Power after each cast. – Mana: 30/120 >>> 15/105 – Ability Damage: 270/405/900 >>> 175/260/580 – Twisted Fate Mana: 30/105 >>> 30/120 – Card Damage: 50/75/225 >>> 45/70/225 – Headliners Kai’Sa +15% AD >>> +25% AD (Still has +2 range and dashes farther) – Yone +200 HP & +20% AD >>> +150 HP & +15% AD – Augments Bigger Shot (Big Shot) Damage: 75% AD >>> 85% AD – Heartthrobs (REWORKED): You now gain 20% more Heartsteel Hearts instead of keeping 20% each time you get rewards. – Last Stand Bonus Stats: +180 HP, 18 Armor/MR, and 18% Omnivamp >>> +160 HP, 16 Armor/MR, and 16% Omnivamp – Submit to the Pit (Mosher) Stats: +3 Armor/MR/AP/AD/AS >>> +4 Armor/MR/AP/AD/AS – Too Big to Fail (Bruiser) Damage: 40% HP >>> 35% HP – Twin Terror I Critical Strike Chance: 25% >>> 0% – Twin Terror I Health: 250 >>> 350 – Twin Terror I Attack Speed: 25% >>> 35% – Twin Terror II Critical Strike Chance: 35% >>> 0% – Twin Terror II Health: 350 >>> 500 – Twin Terror II Attack Speed: 35% >>> 50% – Items and Artifacts Thief’s Gloves are less likely to roll ideal items at level 7,8, and 9 – Goldmancer’s Staff (Artifact) Gold per kill: 2 >>> 1 – Small Changes Traits Mosher Attack Speed: 20/40/60% >>> 20/40/70% – Units Corki Spell Damage: 300% AD >>> 320% AD – Lillia Mana: 70/130 >>> 70/120 – Olaf Now categorized as an AD Fighter – Yasuo Spell Damage: 300% AD >>> 280% AD – Jax Attack Speed: 0.85 >>> 0.9 – Miss Fortune Spell Damage: 280/280/290% AD >>> 295/295/305% AD – Ezreal Spell Damage (single target): 350/350/700% AD >>> 370/370/740% AD – Poppy Spell healing on hit: 5/5/5% HP >>> 5/5/10% HP – Sona (Heal Form): Sona will no longer send her healing auto attacks at non-champions (dummies and Illaoi tentacles) unless they’re the last units alive – (Attack Speed & Ability Power): Sona can no longer target training dummies and Illaoi tentacles – Augments Good for Something Gold drop chance: 30% >>> 35% – Lategame Specialist Gold: 30 >>> 33 – Gameplay Too emotional: Emotional connection no longer reduces your units max mana to 10 the first time you take the Augment. – Multi-Talented Akali no longer keeps an additional trait when swapped in shop. (fixed in 14.1A) – Radiant Nashor’s Tooth correctly grants Attack Speed on-cast with Twisted Fate. – Lucian’s number of shots correctly scales with the displayed tooltip amount. Now scales 1 shot per 20% AS instead of 1 shot per 40% AS. – Nashor’s Tooth will apply Attack Speed before Lucian’s cast rather than after. – Lucian’s number of shots will no longer scale past 5.0 Attack Speed. – Thresh can now properly damage CC immune units. – Akali no longer sometimes messes with non-Akali’s headliner traits. – True Breakout: True Damage Akali can no longer bypass the 3 star 4 cost rule. – Scrappy Inventions now gives components as intended. – Floating through space: When Superfans pop off items, those items now return to your bench at the appropriate speed. – Salvage Bin can no longer grant a Spatula as its random component. – Recomdevastated: The Disco Ball is no longer permanently deleted by Recombobulator. – Heartsteel’s 3000+ heart cashout now has the correct odds for each cashout. – Epic NPCs now drop their loot in the correct order. –

Teamfight Tactics patch 13.11 notes: Star Guardian Urgot arrives! Riot GamesTeamfight Tactics patch 13.11 largely focuses on tier 4 and 5 units, with some of the most potent late-game units getting some serious buffs along with a few nerfs to some popular traits. Teamfight Tactics patch 13.11 is looking to seriously shake up the meta with some adjustments to high-cost units and give fast 8 comps with a focus on late game scaling a bit more power and flexibility. Units like Miss Fortune and and Twisted Fate are capable of hard carrying team compositions that get a strong start early, so this patch is looking to change that. What’s changing on TFT patch 13.11? Along with Urgot being given the Star Guardian Trait, many other Threat and tier 4-5 units are getting some adjustments. Additionally, many underperforming Hero Augments are getting a facelift. Whether or not any new meta comps emerge from these changes remains to be seen, but this patch’s focus on late-game scaling may see fast 8 comps being much more common in most matches. Additionally, several hero traits that weren’t being picked up very often or were overall underperforming have been buffed up to give players some more options. People who love playing Normal mode casually also get a ton of out of this update, with Portals getting some big changes. Even with Runeterra Reforged on the horizon, there are still some big changes coming to TFT. And now’s the perfect time to hop in to TFT with an open bracket LAN tournament coming at the end of this year. When is Teamfight Tactics Patch 13.11? Teamfight Tactics Patch 13.11 is set to release right on schedule, with it going live on June 1, 2023 at the same time as League of Legends patch 13.11. Expect brief server downtime as the patch goes live. Teamfight Tactics Patch 13.11 Notes Traits Infiniteam Health and Damage: 50/55/85% >>> 45/50/85% – Quickdraw Bonus Damage: 70/140/220% >>> 70/150/235% – Star Guardian Mana Generation: 35/70/120/175 >>> 30/60/100/175 – Units: Tier 1 Gangplank AS: 0.7 >>> 0.75 – Kayle Starfire Spellblade AD ratio: 155% >>> 175% – Kayle Starfire Spellblade Base Damage: 25/35/50 >>> 30/45/65 – Lucian Chrono-Barrage Passive Magic On Attack: 20/30/45 >>> 25/35/50 – Lux Lucent Singularity Damage: 230/345/520 >>> 240/360/600 – Units: Tier 2 Fiora En Garde! Damage Reduction: 20% >>> 25% – Units: Tier 3 Rammus max Mana buff: 60/120 >>> 50/110 – Rammus Sand Slam Passive Armor: 60/90/150 >>> 61/91/151 – Riven Bunny Blade empowered attacks Damage: 90/135/225 >>> 100/150/250 – Units: Tier 4 Aatrox Soul Crush Damage (Both Casts): 220/330/1200 >>> 250/375/1200 – Bel’Veth AS Per Endless Banquet Cast: 30% >>> 35% – Neeko Hop Blossoms Small Frog Damage: 75/110/300 >>> 80/120/360 – Neeko Hop Blossoms Big (3rd) Frog Damage: 150/225/700 >>> 160/240/720 – Warwick hack&SLASH AD ratio: 460/480/1200% >>> 500/500/1500% – Units: Tier 5 Fiddlesticks Dark Harvest Damage: 90/135/800 >>> 100/150/800 – Leona max Mana buff: 0/75 >>> 0/50 – Ultimate Ezreal AD: 60 >>> 64 – Ultimate Ezreal Attack Speed: 0.9 >>> 0.95 – Urgot is now a Star Guardian Threat! – If Urgot’s Undertow wave deals lethal damage, a chest will spawn giving a 1-star copy of the friend he made along the way. – Urgot Mana nerf: 80/160 >>> 100/200 – Hero Augments Lucian – Enchanted Ammunition base AP: 20 >>> 30 – Poppy – Steadfast Presence HP Shield: 325 >>> 375 – Renekton – Reign of Anger AS per 100 missing HP: 5% >>> 6% – Wukong – Re-Energize Mana Restore: 50% >>> 66% – Fiora – Grand Challenge Heal Percent: 9% >>> 12% – Malphite – Rock Solid – Armor to AP ratio: 111% >>> 130% – Shen – Time Knife Bonus Damage: 250% >>> 300% – Bel’Veth – Voidmother Voidling HP: 60% >>> 88% – Ekko – Destructive Resonance Damage Amp: 200% >>> 240% – Ekko – Chronobreak Stun Delay: 10 sec >>> 8 sec – Ekko – Chronobreak Stun Duration: 2 >>> 2.5 sec – Miss Fortune – Make It Rain Gold in Stage 3: 8 >>> 10 – Miss Fortune – Make It Rain Gold in Stage 4+: 20 >>> 25 – Neeko – Starlight Resonance AP on cast: 15 >>> 18 – Janna – Exaggerated Reporting Bonus Weather: 100% >>> 200% – Syndra – Not In Vain AS per ally death: 40% >>> 75% – Normal Mode (With Portals!?) For normal mode enjoyers, there are a ton of changes coming to portals that’ll really switch things up in your matches. Portals are still restricted to normal mode, though. Stage 2-6 Portals Stage 2-6 Portals have a 100% chance of appearing. Demacia, Piltover, and Targon each are equally weighted here. Demacia: Gain 2 item components – Void: Gain a Thief’s Gloves – Zaun: Gain 10 gold – – Stage 3-3 Portals Stage 3-3 Portals have a 100% chance of appearing. All portals have an equal chance of appearing. Ionia: Target Dummy + 15 gold – Shadow Isles: Champion Duplicator + Two 4-cost Champions – Noxus: 2 full Item Anvils – Freljord: Ornn Anvil – – Stage 4-3 Portals Stage 4-3 Portals have a 100% chance of appearing. Each Portal type has an equal chance of appearing. – Targon: Gain a Tactician’s Crown – Piltover: Gain a Loaded Dice, a Lesser Champion Duplicator, a Remover, and a Reforger – Shurima: Gain a Tome of Traits and 6 gold. –

Team Vitality sign popular Indian content creators with over 9m subs Team VitalityFrench esports organization Team Vitality have officially entered India by signing four content creators that, combined, have a subscriber count of almost 9.5m. The org formally announced that they planned to enter the country in October 2020 and their first priority is establishing their presence within the community. They have established a base of operations in Mumbai alongside signing four prominent content creators, namely Live Insaan, Rachitroo, Classified YT, and Mili kya Mili. Team Vitality’s plans for the regions are lofty, looking to become the “best esports organization in the region.” The organization will be launching their competitive efforts in India in 2021, though the titles that they’re looking to expand into have not been disclosed at this time. “Team Vitality constantly strives to build winning teams on the international stage,” Team Vitality’s CEO Nicolas Maurer said. “Our entry into India is a big milestone for us and part of our endeavour to conquer the world of esports. Our mission here is to not just build professional teams but to also make ourselves the most aspirational esports brand in the country. “We’re very keen to engage with our fans in India via our content creators before competing in the biggest local tournaments with our incoming professional teams.” Team Vitality launches in India, starting with 4 content creators to establish presence before going competitive in 2021. 🐝 Full read >> https://t.co/boK10YNNZw pic.twitter.com/if5TUAsqhT — Team Vitality 🐝 (@TeamVitality) December 4, 2020 PUBG Mobile was the most popular esports title in India up until it was banned in September 2020, leaving questions as to what game will step up and take its place. Team Vitality’s new content creators have a large presence in the mobile battle royale title, though they also have recently produced videos on titles such as Minecraft and Among Us. In November 2020, Team Vitality partnered with software giants SAP to streamline and optimize their processes. The partnership will help them monitor contracts, manage data, and improve their financial flow, subsequently freeing up time to allow them to look into expanding internationally and make better-informed decisions.

Team Fortress: Source 2 officially cancelled after DMCA from Valve ValveDevs from the popular Team Fortress port, Team Fortress: Source 2, have announced they’ve received a DMCA from Valve for their entire github repository. Team Fortress: Source 2 began as a passion project from fans of Valve’s classic shooter. Back in 2021, a group of over twenty modders banded together under the name Amper Software. Over the next three years they worked to rebuild the 17-year-old game for the Source 2 engine in the hopes it would reinvigorate the player base. And for a time, it did, with many fans praising the updated version and the mod’s work on social media. Today the devs made the announcement on Twitter as well as in the Team Fortress: Source 2 community Discord that Team Fortress: Source 2 was no more. A DMCA from Valve, requesting the takedown of the entire github repository, effectively spells the end of the community-led project. In their announcement, the TF: Source 2 team explained the DMCA was “the nail in the coffin,” for the team, who were already discussing the project’s future in light of recent changes. It’s an abrupt end for a project so passionately received by TF2 fans. And there was plenty of speculation from the community about what caused Valve to take notice. Team Fortress: Source 2 was not the only project using Valve IP to receive a DMCA either. Portal 64, another popular port of Valve’s game, Portal, also got slapped with a notice for takedown. Some fans drew comparisons between Valve’s handling of CS:GO ports to Source 2 ahead of the release of Counter-Strike 2. However, most acknowledged that sadly, a new version of TF2 probably isn’t on the developer’s agenda.

Team Fortress 2 voice actors go viral with IRL ‘Sandvich Saga’ reunion Twitter: John Patrick LowrieCast members from Valve’s Team Fortress 2 recently reunited as they ran amok in character, in hopes of completing the ‘Sandvich Saga’ and they’ve gone pretty viral. Team Fortress 2 launched in 2007 and quickly asserted itself into the pantheon of iconic multiplayer shooters. Praised for its sharp humor, art direction, and addictive gameplay, another element that players have consistently enjoyed is the talented voice-acting cast. Whether you’re a Pyro, Scout, or Sniper, each character was made memorable in part to the hilarious performances behind them. The fun doesn’t end with the game though, as several Team Fortress 2 cast members have reunited for a brilliant IRL adventure. Team Fortress 2’s Sniper voice actor runs wild during cast reunion Since September 7, John Patrick Lowrie has added new installments to the ‘Sandvich Saga’. Assuming the role of his character, The Sniper, Lowrie’s comical videos have seen other cast mates return to find the fictional secondary weapon. Alongside Lowrie, Team Fortress 2 players have seen the return of Robin Atkin Downes (Medic), Ellen McLain (Administrator), and Gary Schwartz (Heavy and Demoman). “It’s not just a sandwich, we gotta find something that the Medic is willing to eat,” jokes Lowrie in the saga’s initial installment. Lowrie has posted several updates throughout September, though October has seen some interesting turns in the tale. On October 15, Lowrie joined forces with Dennis Bateman and Gary Schwartz, as they donned some makeshift costumes for the occasion. The trio scoured the vessel in hopes of retrieving their precious prize but were met by Portal franchise alumni Ellen McLain and Twin Peaks star Elizabeth Ann McCarthy. They had the last laugh, however, as McCarthy left the scene with nothing more than a half-eaten sandwich on the table. Team Fortress 2 players have been loving these interactions, with @mundygator commenting that they “can’t explain how much I love these videos, thank you.” “I love you guys. They have a special place in my heart,” another player said. The cast’s antics have gone viral too, as one player’s admiration for the saga continues to be shared among long-time fans. As the search continues, we can’t wait to see who else will join the fun.

Team Fortress 2 Summer Update goes viral as Valve adds iconic MF DOOM reference Steam/Stones ThrowTeam Fortress 2’s Summer Update has gone viral after Valve added a reference to hip hop’s very own mad villain, MF DOOM. Over the past few months, TF2 has been going through a rough patch as the game made headlines throughout 2024 for all the wrong reasons. Frustrated fans even started up a petition to “save TF2” and review-bombed the iconic hero shooter. However, as TF2 marched towards its annual Summer Update, players received good news after hearing that the fan-favorite comic was finally being worked on after seven years of inactivity. Now that the Summer Update is here – bringing along 10 new maps and tons of cosmetics – fans have immediately noticed that a certain new hat references the internet’s favorite rap villain. Created by ‘DJ L3G3ND’, ‘pidialski’, and ‘warcourse’, the Vaudeville Visor was added to the Summer Update as part of the Summer 2024 Cosmetic Case. It should be obvious to any rap aficionado that the name itself is a reference to the album Vaudeville Villain, an album MF DOOM made under his alter ego Viktor Vaughn. Additionally, in its Steam Workshop post, the thumbnail is an obvious reference to MF DOOM’s legendary collaboration album with Madlib, Madvillainy. Technically, the hat – or shall we say helmet – is a direct reference to the film Gladiator, as the headpiece of the helmet, with its spikes and mohawk, was originally from the movie. However, for those not in the know, DOOM’s mask was originally a modified version of the film’s helmet, taking the face piece and using it as a mask. One of the best parts of this unexpected reference is that one of the most popular TF2 from the past year is of an old pro montage with questionable MC-ing being overlayed with an MF DOOM instrumental.

Team Fortress 2 Summer 2023 update patch notes: Versus Saxton Hale now an official game mode ValveTeam Fortress 2’s Summer 2023 update is here and has added Versus Saxton Hale as an official game mode, introduced new cosmetics and taunts, and implemented whole host of bug fixes and quality-of-life changes. On February 10, Valve teased the Team Fortress 2 community with an upcoming Summer update that promised a big shakeup after years of silence from the devs. And on July 13, TF2 fans can finally see what it is all about with a whole new Summer 2023 update now live. This patch just added the fanmade VS Saxton Hale as an official game mode, introduced several new community-made maps, and rolled out a Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case too. So here is all you need to know about the new TF2 Summer 2023 update. Team Fortress 2 Summer 2023 update Summer 2023 Featuring 14 new community maps: Sharkbay, Rotunda, Phoenix, Cashworks, Venice. Reckoner, Sulfur, Hardwood, Pelican Peak, Selbyen, VSH Tiny Rock, VSH Distillery, VSH Skirmish, and VSH Nucleus. – Added Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case: Contains 25 new community-contributed items – Added 6 new community contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store Taunt: Killer Joke – Taunt: Star-Spangled Doctor – Taunt: Tuefort Tango – Taunt: The Road Rager – Taunt: The Killer Signature – – Added 20 new community-created Unusual effects 12 new effects for Unusual hats – 8 new effects for Unusual taunts – – Added the Summer 2023 War Paint Case Contains 10 new community-created War Paints that make-up the Summer 2023 Collection – Has a chance to give a taunt Unusualfier as a bonus item – – All cosmetics and taunt cases will grant Summer 2023 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the Summer event. This does not include crates – The Summer event runs through September 15 2023 – General Security and stability improvements – Fixed the Mann vs Machine upgrade panel closing after receiving a matchmaking party invite – Fixed an exploit related to the ConTracker and being able to move/shoot while it’s deployed – Fices the Stange Count Transfer Tool not being able to transfer stats for Sandvich items – Fiex the Engineer not being able to move for a short period of time after doing The High Five taunt – Fixed missing No Headphones style for the Universal Translator – Fixed Engineer teleporter audio that was referencing the dispenser by mistake in Spanish – Fixed incorrect alpha channels for the Smissmass 2021/2022 Cosmetic Case models – Fixed the Winter 2019 War Paint Case not being shown in the Mann Co. Store – Updated/Added some tournament medals – Updated pl_enclosure_final to fix localization issues – Updated cp_gravelpit_snowy Boosted volume of snowman explosions – Added occluders to C to improve performance – Improved clipping – – Updated cp_steel Prop collision cleanup and improved player clipping – Explosive splash bug collisions on stairs, props, etc., around the map – Spawn point issues (collision, prop blocking, clipping, etc.) – Fix Pyro door exploit on A – Fix choke and spam issues into Blu & Red spawns – Fix Pixel walk collision issues – Fixing ceiling clipping and stuck spots including exploits – Clean up geometry in spawns, the spawn locations and their exits – Fix roof readability issues, with sticky and rocket jumping – Fix rare double death bug when falling into pit – Fix Cliff stuck spots and ledges in E pit – Removed head glitch tele spawn on A-B connector – Fix rare overtime cap bug – Fix Red team getting stuck in spawn door to A – – Updated cp_mossrock Fixed numerous perch points – Fixed players being able to get under Blu spawn – Fixed a location where a teleporter could be build out of the map – Fixed collision on rock near final point so it is more accurate to the visuals – Fixed lots of small visual bugs – Fixed some small exploits – Improved optimisation – –

Team Fortress 2 review bombed on Steam as players protest Valve’s silence ValveTeam Fortress 2 has been review-bombed on Steam as players continue to protest Valve’s silence in addressing the game’s biggest problems, namely its ongoing struggle with bot lobbies. Without Valve’s seminal hero shooter Team Fortress 2, cultural touchstones like Overwatch or countless memes from Garry’s Mod and Source Filmmaker wouldn’t exist. However, despite the 2007 iconic shooter’s importance, the game has been slow to receive new content in recent years, and lately, TF2 lobbies have frequently been overtaken by bots. In response to the inaction on Valve’s part, players started the Save TF2 petition as a way to raise greater awareness for the state of the game. Amid the protest, Team Fortress 2 has since been review bombed on Steam, falling to a ‘mostly negative’ rating on the dev’s very own platform. The negative reviews started on May 26, the same day the Save TF2 petition was announced, with TF2 getting hundreds of negative reviews. However, it wasn’t until June 3 that the floodgates truly began to open up. The review bomb was planned by the fans who started the Save TF2 petition, that on June 3, they would flood social media with the #FixTF2 to showcase the massive problems players face against rampant bots, hackers, and DDoS attackers. On this date, TF2 received 6,793 negative reviews, and on the next day, it received a further 10,473 negative reviews, which resulted in the game’s rating on Steam to plummet. “Very sad to see what this game has degraded to,” a negative reviewer wrote of the current state of TF2. “I haven’t played TF2 for years, I come back a few months ago and this is how the game is treated? I have lost all respect in Valve as a company for the consumer.” Another TF2 fan’s negative review reads, “The pain I feel to see a game that I love to play with friends, and has brought me moments of unbridled joy, be backhanded by Valve through and through again is saddening.” As of writing, 214,554 players have signed the Save TF2 petition, with the number rising by the second. Valve has yet to respond to the player petition.

Team Fortress 2 is having a renaissance after Valve listens to player concerns ValveTeam Fortress 2 has seen a surge in players and online activity in recent months, with community discourse and action a major contributing factor to what now appears to be a reinvigorated and re-energised TF2 game. Team Fortress 2 has always been a beloved title, one that has created a loyal and adoring fanbase. However, it’s been a hard time for TF2 players in recent years with a complete lack of support from Valve leaving the game in an almost unplayable state. Thankfully, Valve have finally begun to pour love back into TF2 and with this new support, players are beginning to flock back to the game as though it has been given a second life. According to Steam Charts, the average players for the month of June skyrocketed to over 90,000, an increase of over 20,000 from the previous month in May. This marks a 31% gain for the amount of Team Fortress 2 players. Even more impressive is that this increase in June came off the back of what was the worst turnout the game has had since September 2020. Based on early numbers for July combined with the tail end of June, it appears this month will build upon June in an even bigger way. Since June 24, the game has consistently had over 100,000 players logging on each day. July’s peak so far is just shy of 140,000 players. If these numbers are maintained for the whole month, the game could yet again see around a 30 percent increase in concurrent players. Players have expressed their gratitude on social media as Valve finally pours some love into the cult classic. However, while this is an impressive achievement, it’s important to recognize it hasn’t come out of nowhere. The impact of #SaveTF2 in saving Team Fortress 2 The biggest issue Team Fortress 2 and Valve have been facing is major problems with bots. This issue, which has been going on for the better part of two years, has turned many players away from the game and has been a great source of frustration for those who have still been logging on. Given how long the issue had been going on for, it appeared as though Valve had no intention of addressing the issue and that as a result, Team Fortress 2 would continue its decline in players. However, in a last ditch effort to get Valve’s attention, the Team Fortress 2 community staged a “peaceful protest” as a way to garner attention for this bot issue — and the #SaveTF2 hashtag was born. In May 2022, the community was able to get it trending, with over 310,000 tweets at the peak of the movement. This then sparking a response from the official Team Fortress 2 twitter account, a first since October 2020. “TF2 community, we hear you! We love this game and know you do to. We see how large this issue has become and are working to improve things.” TF2 community, we hear you! We love this game and know you do, too. We see how large this issue has become and are working to improve things. — Team Fortress 2 (@TeamFortress) May 26, 2022 Big June updates help fix up many major TF2 issues After promising updates and changes at the end of May, Valve made good on their word by issuing two patches to the game on June 21 and June 23. The former was the more extensive of the two and included fixes to the following issues that were plaguing the game. In game exploits such as clearing the in game chat as well as general cheating and glitch problems – Animation and visuals issues and lagging – Gameplay bugs and crashing – Valve also updated the voting system and even brought in some new tournament medals. These fixes, ultimately, reduced the amount of bots players saw in game too — a core gripe. While official figures aren’t available, players suggest there’s about 60-70% less bots in their games, making casual TF2 a much more enjoyable experience. A hopeful future for TF2 with more content on the way With more optimism around the state of TF2, players are coming out of the woodwork and events are being planned. TF2 Summer Jam is set to be bigger than it has been in previous years, with the 72-hour event ready to engage thousands. In this past this has included artwork, maps, animations and much more. The TF2 Summer Jam event will also be a great way for players to support the charity cause Doctors Without Borders. Anyone who donates five dollars or more will receive an in game charity medal for 2022. And if Valve’s earlier commitment is anything to go by, there’s set to be more improvements on its way as Team Fortress 2 gets its second wind.

Team Fortress 2 is finally getting new content after almost 4-year drought ValveAfter years without new content in Team Fortress 2, with most TF2 fans considering the game abandoned, Valve has finally announced a new update on the horizon. Fans of TF2 have long thought that the game has been abandoned by Valve as the popular shooter hadn’t had a major update in almost 4 years. The last event to happen in TF2 was the Jungle Inferno and Scream Fortress in late October 2017. As reported by Rockpapershotgun in 2019, Valve had “hardly anyone” working on the game due to Team Fortress 2 not being as monetarily viable as their other games. But devs has finally teased a proper update to come in the future with a rare blog post in 2023. Valve and blog posts are synonymous as the developer still sticks to the tradition despite many companies opting for live broadcasts instead. Thus, each time a 150-word blog post is released of any significance, it tends to leave fans hyped. TF2 has not had such luxury over the past half-decade as major content updates slowed to a snail’s pace. Skin announcements, a farewell to Rick May the voice of the Soldier, and old appearances in Insomnia were all fans got the past few years. Needless to say, TF2 fans have been starved for new content for a very long time. But finally, after the last blog post three years ago, devs have announced, a proper “full-on update-sized” patch for the game in a brand new announcement. In it, they poke fun at themselves for still announcing major events through blogs rather than videos or social media posts. But more importantly, they have confirmed they are releasing new content for the game. And not just the item updates fans are so used to. New items, maps, and taunts are all being added to TF2 in the near future, and in Valve tradition for all their multiplayer games, they are choosing all of the upcoming selections from community artists. The update will come sometime in summer this year, but the theme of the update is still “as-yet-unnamed, un-themed, but still very exciting summer-situated.” The cut-off date for submissions for the update is May 1. Any and all submissions should be put through the Steam Workshop.

Team Fortress 2 hits new peak player count as Summer 2023 update reinvigorates Valve title ValveThe Team Fortress 2 community is celebrating the long-awaited Summer 2023 update as its player count peaks in light of the first content drop in quite some time. Despite being one of the most culturally significant games of the 2010s, Team Fortress 2 has seen its better days as Valve shifted its focus to its other titles over the past few years. However, on February 10, Valve teased the community with a rare blog post, announcing a forthcoming update with plans for a Summer 2023 content drop, with the community being able to contribute to its additions. Finally, on July 13, this highly anticipated update arrived. The TF2 community can now experience the Summer 2023 update featuring a community-made game mode now turned official, community maps added to the rotation, and a plethora of new cosmetics available too. All of this has resulted in TF2 reaching its player count peak. According to SteamCharts, Team Fortress 2 has soared past its all-time peak on Steam, with more than 200,000 concurrent players jumping in over the past 24 hours, at the time of writing. Its new peak shot TF2 to third place overall on the Steam charts, only lagging behind Valve’s other titles, Dota 2 and CSGO. Naturally, the update built a lot of hype in the community with many celebrating the patch implementing VS Saxton Hale as a legitimate mode, and for adding a whole host of community-made maps. Not only that, but one map even includes a seal-feeding competition. No, really. In the new map Selbyen, a seal appears and both teams will compete to see who can feed the seal the most amount of fish before it waddles back into the ocean. Meanwhile, Versus Saxton Hale was a long-existing fan-made game mode that saw a team go up against the in-universe antagonist, Saxton Hale, who would be controlled by a single player. All of these fresh changes and new additions have seen TF2 climbing back up the mountain as the player base is reinvigorated once again. Where it goes from here, remains to be seen. But it’s certainly clear the TF2 community would love nothing more than regular support again for the hit title.

Team Fortress 2 devs finally respond to botting controversy after in-game protest ValveTeam Fortress 2 devs have finally addressed the game’s widespread botting problem that has been going on for close to 2 years. Anyone who’s logged on to Team Fortress 2 in recent memory will be able to tell you bots are a massive problem in the game. Not only are bots openly hacking, but they often bear racist and bigoted names, as well as straight up advertisements. To try and get something done about it, the Team Fortress 2 community staged a “peaceful protest” and got the hashtag #SaveTF2 trending on May 26. The next day, devs tweeted from the game’s Twitter account for the first time in almost two years, promising action. “TF2 community, we hear you!” TF2 community, we hear you! We love this game and know you do, too. We see how large this issue has become and are working to improve things. — Team Fortress 2 (@TeamFortress) May 26, 2022 A new tweet from devs appeared on the TF2 Twitter on May 27 for the first time since October of 2020, reassuring the community their complaints were being heard. “TF2 community, we hear you! We love this game and know you do to,” devs tweeted. “We see how large this issue has become and are working to improve things.” The botting issue has gotten so bad, that it’s almost guaranteed you’ll run into some while playing. It’s also become so widespread, that players have started calling the game “unplayable.” Valve didn’t elaborate on what exactly they plan to do about the botting problem, whether it’s devote more resources to combatting it, or expand the tiny team allocated to keeping the game running. The simple fact they’ve finally acknowledged it is huge news for players, who had all but given up on any kind of action being taken. Hopefully this means the bots do get taken care of, and Team Fortress 2 can once again be “playable” for actual humans.

Team Fortress 2 devs finally address community protest over its “unplayable” games Valve CorporationAfter a lack of updates and communication, Team Fortress 2 fans had enough and decided to protest the game’s current state. It appeared to work as the devs have issued a rare response on the game’s status. Did you know that Team Fortress 2 is consistently one of Steam’s top 10 most-played games? Well, it is. The team-based online multiplayer game is still clearly revered and much loved 15 years after its release. Despite this, the game hasn’t actually received a content update since 2017, and a lack of updates and a constant influx of hackers have tainted the core TF2 experience. This was the basis for the “peaceful” community protest on May 26, 2022, that simply wanted the love for the game to be known. The result? The first response from the dev’s Team Fortress 2 Twitter account in nearly two years. Let’s save TF2 together! (read replies) pic.twitter.com/1t7LXCiUGR — TF2OutofContext (@TF2OutofContext) May 24, 2022 #SaveTF2 protest gets devs attention After a calm Team Fortress 2 Tweet suggested players use the hashtag “SaveTF2,” and bombard Twitter with happy sentiments regarding the game with “No direct aggression and harassment towards Valve!” Lo and behold, the TF2 community did just that and honored the game with tons of great Tweets and votes of support. As well as incredible Team Fortress 2 memes and fanmade tribute videos, the movement also garnered some support from wider-known content creators and members of the video game industry. Muselk has nearly 10 million subscribers on YouTube and showed his support for the game. Wanted to give a shoutout to everyone supporting #SaveTF2 today. The way Valve treats this legendary game is already disgusting. Even moreso when they CONTINUE to try and sell cosmetics and profit from it.— Muselk (@muselk) May 26, 2022 Yahiamice is a popular Twitch streamer and they offered their two cents on the whole community debate too. Team Fortress 2 is a game a game i’ve played countlessly for over a decade a game dear to me, with hundreds of memories to share a game that’s been neglected and left to rot for over five years nowand i wish it wasn’t the case#savetf2 pic.twitter.com/lfeGl38AV9 — yahiamice. (@Yahiamice) May 26, 2022 Not only that, but even Robin Atkins Downes, the voice actor for TF2’s Medic class, made his thoughts clear through a creative and constructive Team Fortress 2 poem! Zeres a place in space Where you can play #TF2 It’s a game from Valve Zey also made Half Life 2! It’s got amazing characters and animation too! It’s a vinderful game you can choose RED or BLU!#SaveTF2 #Medic pic.twitter.com/5F7kvBtrbz— Robin Atkin Downes (@Robin_A_Downes) May 26, 2022 After thousands of Tweets of support, it appears that the protest actually had a positive effect and caused the official Team Fortress 2 Twitter to be verified after a nearly two-year absence. The dev account issued an honest and frank response. TF2 community, we hear you! We love this game and know you do, too. We see how large this issue has become and are working to improve things. — Team Fortress 2 (@TeamFortress) May 26, 2022 This seems like a pretty positive message from the devs and you’d have to think that maybe Valve have realized that there is plenty of life left in Team Fortress 2. Its popularity can be quantified too as in the last 30 days the game has had an average of 67,111 players still enjoying the game. We’re not 100% sure if this figure includes bot accounts, but it does seem like TF2 is still alive and well. We’ll monitor the situation to see if any content updates or maintenance fixes are announced.

Team Fortress 2 comic finally gets an update 7 years after last issue ValveTeam Fortress 2’s comic has finally gotten an update for its next installment seven years after the last issue was released in 2017, with its creators confirming it is being worked on. The legendary hero shooter, and arguably the one that spawned the genre, Team Fortress 2, has been going through a very rough patch the past few years. Despite getting a relatively big update in 2023, the game has been mostly set aside by Valve, to the point its players start a petition to save TF2 from bots as players review bombed the game. Now a month after the petition has started, fans have gotten good news that the beloved TF2 comic series isn’t dead and its newest issue is currently being worked on. The last time TF2’s comic series received a new issue, was in 2017, titled The Naked and the Dead also known as Team Fortress Comics #6, which ended on a cliffhanger. Finally, fans will know how the comics will end. A member of a project who is putting together a community-made TF2 comic emailed one of the creators of the original comics, asking if they could help them by telling them where the story was supposed to go after the last issue. As it would turn out, Jay Pinkerton, who wrote most of TF2’s comics (alongside Portal 2 and Half-Life: Alyx) responded, revealing that the very same team responsible for the last six issues had been working on the seventh one for a while, with its script being completed. Despite the script being completed, the story hasn’t been drawn year, so “no promises” for when it will be released, Pinkerton said. Instead of leaving the community in the dark, however, Pinkerton attached a page of the script and a snippet of the comic’s art with his reply. “Don’t feel like you need to stop the community-made one if this is something you’re all passionate about doing! Just wanted you to know we hadn’t forgotten about it,” Pinkerton ended his email. Erik Wolpaw, another one of the original writers of the comics, also confirmed on Twitter that it wasn’t a hoax and that it is real, revealing the comic will have 184 pages.

TCG fan devasted after pulling rare but damaged Pokemon card PokemonA TCG player who pulled a damaged Pokemon card worth $600 from a bent pack was given sage advice by the Reddit community. Damaged Pokemon TCG cards can still be worth a lot of money, especially if they’re known misprints. However, one fan was devastated after realizing his rare Umbreon VMAX had a bent corner. Umbreon is a highly collectible evolution of Eevee, and this Umbreon Vmax fetches prices of over $600, ungraded. So, after seeing the damage, they immediately took to Reddit with the question, “What can I do with it?” Can you fix damaged Pokemon TCG cards? Depending on the kind of damage, some collectors try to fix their damaged Pokemon cards by placing them in a heavy book with some weight stacked on top. A lot of Pokemon TCG grading companies won’t mind receiving bent and curved cards. One comment even told the original user, “Grade it, that’s the type of shit PSA slaps a 10 on.” However, not everyone was quite as optimistic. Off the bat, one Pokemon TCG fan offered the original commenter money for the card, jokingly saying, “50 bucks or just keep it; I can’t fix that.” Another comment told him to “weep” over the damaged Pokemon card, while another Reddit user explained that they didn’t believe “for 1 minute that Pokémon would replace this card.”. Someone else suggested they could email The Pokemon Company International, who would let them choose from a “set list” but, that they would not receive the “exact card that’s damaged [Umbreon].” The top comment suggested selling the damaged Pokemon card on eBay and then using “the money towards buying a nicer one” as the replacement program waiting times range from “2 years to… forever.” One writer put in the research: “Damaged still goes for ~$400, so still a great pull!” he said, adding that the Moonbreon would “probably be an easy sell since you can’t really tell from the front.” Although TPCI recommends first getting in touch with the retailer that sold you the cards, they do also offer a card replacement program, you can submit a ticket via their support desk. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Taylor Swift fans unearth easter egg in Marvel’s Spider-Man game CBS, SonyAn eagle-eyed Swiftie recently discovered a hidden Taylor Swift and Cornelia Street easter egg in Marvel’s Spider-Man. Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales are both packed to the brim with easter eggs. Those who pay close enough attention will spot references to several Marvel heroes and villains, including the likes of Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Sandman. However, it appears a few surprises still lie tucked away. And there’s one, in particular, that many players wouldn’t think twice about looking into. While watching her husband play Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PS5, one woman made a special request that led to an incredible find. Marvel’s Spider-Man is hiding an awesome Taylor Swift easter egg TikTok user Taylor Selby says that while watching her husband play Marvel’s Spider-Man, she asked him to visit Cornelia Street in Manhattan. Famously, Taylor Swift once resided on this street and even wrote a song named after it. Given developer Insomniac Games’ incredible attention to detail, it’s hardly a surprise that the location can be found in-game. There’s one problem, though. In Marvel’s Spider-Man, Cornelia Street intersects with 13th Street – a geographic inaccuracy. In reality, Bleecker Street and West 4th Street surround Cornelia. So where does the 13 come from? It’s Taylor Swift’s lucky number. As the TikToker pointed out in their caption, “Whoever made this game is a swiftie.” Needless to say, Swifties are more than pleased that this Spider-Man and Taylor Swift easter egg has been uncovered. Wrote one person in response to the above post, “Hold on. The real Cornelia st does not intersect with 13th Street. What Swiftie intern put this in?!” Said someone else, “13th and Cornelia? yeah one of the devs is fs a swiftie.” Since it’s been confirmed that Manhattan will feature in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, it’s possible Swifties will come across the reference yet again. The long-awaited Marvel’s Spider-Man sequel hits PS5 this fall on October 20.

Taunting Mario Maker 2 troll gets a sweet taste of karma Nintendo – Mario Maker 2Mario Maker 2 can promote some extraordinary level designers from the Nintendo community, but it can also serve as host to a plethora of trolling creators who just want to watch the world burn. Released in June of 2019 on the Nintendo Switch, the second entry in the popular Mario Maker franchise saw the introduction of a wide range of new tools and creative features. From a Super Mario 3D World theme to the implementation of online and local co-op creative mode, the sequel has given new tools to the great creators in the community and thus, the amusingly evil creators in the scene as well. One such devious level has gone viral after the hilarious antics of a cocky player got the better of him online. Clearly ahead in the race to the goal, rather than continuing on his path and reaching the finish line, the player controlling Mario instead decided to stay put and mock his competition that found themselves trapped below some troll Question Blocks. BAHAHAHA MARIO KRIEGT EINFACH SO HARTES KARMA AB WIE GEIL pic.twitter.com/mQ4po1QAb4 — Jauer (@Jauer_) September 29, 2019 After a few seconds of crouch spamming or ‘teabagging’ for those familiar, Mario simply dropped down to the next opening and soon found himself similarly trapped under some hidden blocks. This hilarity unfolded right as Luigi was making his own way through the course, jumping straight overhead and reaching the goal without so much as a single interruption. It’s safe to say that the Mario player was more than kicking themselves after that display, to let it all slip with victory just a single jump away. Let this serve as a lesson to everyone Mario Maker competitor out there, finishing the level with class goes a lot further than arrogantly failing. Recently we’ve seen popular streamers tackling near-impossible levels that require marathon sessions just to figure out. Whether it’s trolling level designers or creators that want to tell a story through the tools of the game, it goes without saying that Mario Maker 2 leads to all sorts of entertainment.

Target aim for the Death Star with first LEGO Star Wars Black Friday Deals Target is offering serious deals on LEGO Star Wars sets of all sorts that are not to be missed before November 11. As we approach Black Friday, a lot of retailers will throw their best deals of the year at you. However, if you’re in the market for any LEGO from a galaxy far, far away, Target has got you covered with up to 20% off of sets. Kicking it off from The Clone Wars, sporting a piece count of 262, a notable cast of mini-figures, including Mace Windu, and a low price of $31.99 (down from $39.99), this deal isn’t one should pass up. If vehicles are your thing, check the Best LEGO Technic Sets of 2023. If you’re looking to recreate the iconic scene of Luke Skywalker saving the day from The Mandalorian season 2 finale in 166 LEGO Pieces. Target has made that significantly easier by cutting the price to $21.59 (down from $26.99). If you’re feeling a bit more Rebellious, Target is also offering deals on these sets from the original Star Wars trilogy. These Snowtroopers prepping for a fight is a low $14.99 (down from $18.79) that’s a price cooler than Hoth for a set with four characters and 105 Pieces. Even the smallest of sets can measure up against the Best Star Wars Ultimate Collector Sets and the Best Lego Sets for Kids. Going up to space, at 432 Pieces, the iconic TIE Fighter flies into target for $29.19 (down from $36.49). That’s a price worth joining the Empire for. If vehicles are your thing check out the Best LEGO Technic Sets. Any Star Wars fan worth their salt should want an X-Wing. Containing 474 Pieces and costing $32.39 (down from $40.49), blowing up a LEGO Death Star has never been cheaper. More of a Mando fan? The Mandalorian Starfighter is at it’s historical lowest-ever price through Amazon. The LEGO Star Wars Helmets line can make for one of the Best LEGO Sets for Adults. This set contains 675 Pieces and costs $43.19 (down from $53.99), a great gift for older LEGO fans. After all, you can’t fly an X-Wing without a helmet. These deals at Target end November 11th, so you’d best make a hyperspace jump over there. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Taoqi in Wuthering Waves: Element, weapon, more Kuro GamesTaoqi is a 4-star unit in Wuthering Waves who utilizes the Havoc element. Here is what we know about her so far. Wuthering Waves is a brand-new free-to-play gacha game set for release on May 22, 2024 that features several characters players will have to earn the ability to play as. While some will be available as rewards, others such as Jiyan, Yinlin, and Calcharo will be available from gacha rolls. Among them, one of the characters you will come across is Taoqi. She is one of the most popular units so far among the ones that have been revealed so far. Thus, here’s everything you need to know about Taoqi in Wuthering Waves. Contents When does Taoqi release in Wuthering Waves? – Who is Taoqi in Wuthering Waves? – Taoqi element in Wuthering Waves – Taoqi weapon in Wuthering Waves – Taoqi gameplay in Wuthering Waves – When does Taoqi release in Wuthering Waves? Taoqi will be released on May 22, 2024, alongside the release of the game. Who is Taoqi in Wuthering Waves? Taoqi is a calm and collected character in Wuthering Waves. She works for the Ministry of Development and is in charge of border defense in Jinzhou. She is extremely reliable, and her goal is to protect everyone and provide them with a safe and secure life. She is also quite diligent and has a perfect balance between her personal and professional life. Taoqi’s Element in Wuthering Waves Taoqi uses the Havoc element in Wuthering Waves. This is a mysterious element that is known to destroy other forms of matter. Taoqi’s weapon in Wuthering Waves Taoqi is a Broadblade user in Wuthering Waves, similar to Jiyan. She will be a DPS character, but she has a unique mechanic. As per information from the beta, her damage comes from perfect counters and timed dodges. She has similarities to Beidou from Genshin Impact. Taoqi gameplay in Wuthering Waves Here is a gameplay clip of Taoqi in Wuthering Waves. This gameplay is from the Closed Beta Test 2 which was released in April 2024.

Tales of the Shire is less Stardew Valley and more Cooking Mama Private DivisionPlaying Tales of the Shire for the first time, we were left surprised by its approach to the cozy genre, with a heavier emphasis on cooking than expected, but walked away utterly charmed by its adorable and faithful presentation. There’s no two ways about it, Tales of the Shire is a dream game for millions of Lord of the Rings fans around the world. A cozy, slice-of-life portrayal of the whimsical ways of hobbits. It’s a brilliant blend of IP and genre, bringing the ever-popular works of J. R. R. Tolkien to audiences in a way they’ve never quite experienced before. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited to get some hands-on time with an early build of the game over Summer Game Fest, the first playable demo of its kind. While it surprised me in a number of ways, namely with its hilariously fitting focus on cooking, I came away entirely convinced. Should Wētā Workshop stick the landing here, they’ve got gold on their hands. Even from a brief 30-minute preview, it’s clear Tales of the Shire is set to captivate LotR fans for countless hours. From its overall structure down to the minuscule details, they’re nailing it thus far and I couldn’t be more excited for the full release later this year. Tales of the Shire knows itself Hopping right into the mix, our demo jumped across multiple points, starting early before transporting to a save much further on. What quickly became clear is just how much effort has been put into capturing that Tolkien charm. This shockingly large town is chock full of personality and charm. From the local hobbits to the creatures you’ll happen upon in the wild, down to the adorable sound effects complementing every little interaction, it’s all deeply considered and sure to warm the hearts of lifelong fans. If you’re eager to get lost in an adorable Shire all your own, look no further. Above all else, the dev team is on track to absolutely nail the game’s atmosphere, ensuring it’s a cozy environment you won’t want to leave anytime soon. Even how you move through the gorgeous locale is unique here. It would’ve been all too easy to just adopt any old movement system, but Wētā has gone the extra…leap. That’s right, rather than running through the fields, the ‘sprint’ button instead has you skipping in the most fittingly hilarious way possible. It’s another layer of consideration that helps keep you immersed in the world. But what are you actually doing beyond frolicking around? Let us explain. Cooking up a feast in Tales of the Shire On the surface, Tales of the Shire is a familiar cozy-style game. You’ve got your humble abode to customize as you see fit. There’s your garden space to utilize, growing crops in order to trade with the locals and support your easygoing lifestyle. A vast open town is ready to be explored as dozens of NPCs share their stories with you. But above it all, what stood out the most during our hands-on demo, was just how much of an emphasis has been placed on cooking. It may come as no surprise to experienced fans, after all, we know hobbits love a good feed, but cooking is central to just about everything you do in Tales of the Shire. As a result, the gameplay systems around it have been fleshed out in such a way as to keep it all engaging. Up first, we were tasked with making a savory dish for a friend across town. After gathering some ingredients from our homegrown crops outside, we stepped over to our very own kitchen and began preparing. Before any cooking began, we had to pick which recipe we wanted to focus on. Even with an early save, there were dozens of options and no doubt dozens more yet to be discovered. Some sweet, some spicy, some savory, some yet to be determined. Sticking with our goal, we picked out a savory dish and moved to the next step. This particular meal required just four ingredients, though each had to be added one at a time. Vegetables need to be chopped, something the game gives you manual control over. If you chop them quite fine, it might make the dish sweeter. If you leave them a bit more chunky, the opposite. Then, the meat had to be cooked, again letting you manually control the specifics to influence the taste of the dish. In the midst of it all, seasoning comes into play. Depending on what you have available in your kitchen, you’re able to alter the taste of any given dish to suit your needs. In this case, we knew our friend wanted something a bit salty, so we could mix more in to get things just right. Everything you’re doing is tracked on a nifty little graph in the bottom right corner, mapping out flavor profiles and letting you adjust on the fly as you cook. In another instance, we needed to make a spicy dish. Following the same steps as above, we made the spiciest dish possible to really nail the assignment. It’s more than just a minigame here, cooking is properly part of the Tales of the Shire experience. It’s at the core of everything you’re doing as a hobbit. Preparing snacks for friends, hosting second breakfasts, and serving up wondrous feasts, we’re going to be spending lots of time in the kitchen, and rest assured, it’s plenty of fun. Making your time in the kitchen all the more sweet is the fact most of your ingredients can be homegrown. With tons of space to grow your own crops, there’s room to gather all sorts of delicacies. So as much as Tales of the Shire focuses on cooking, you can’t even get to that stage without first taking care of your garden. While we obviously didn’t have time to deck out our very own plots of land, planting specific crops where we saw fit, we did get a glimpse at how customizable it all is. Entering a fleshed-out customization screen, we were shown how every little thing can be tweaked. You can move crops at any given time, you can expand your plots of land as you become more experienced, and you gain access to new seeds as you progress, it’s all here and it’s all set to keep aspiring hobbits’ thumbs green for hours on end. A cozy adventure with no end in sight A game of this sort does indeed follow a mostly linear progression. Through your mailbox, you’ll have new missions to complete, new goals to achieve, and new mouths to feed. As you advance and grow your farm, seasons will change, new experiences like fishing will come into focus, and no doubt some familiar faces will roll into town. It’s set to offer up countless hours of fun even from launch, and no doubt content drops down the line will keep things fresh in the years to come as well. Our one remaining desire is to see online functionality added, letting multiple hobbits look after their crops and cook up delicious meals together. Though in asking the devs, they assured co-op isn’t in focus whatsoever for the time being, so it’s just wishful thinking for now. There’s still no solid release date for Tales of the Shire just yet, but best believe we’ll be diving in on day one, eagerly improving our skills in the kitchen.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau review – First time’s the charm Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a bold first outing from developer Surgent Studio. While not without flaws, this well-crafted Metroidvania should delight fans of the genre as well as those who love a heartfelt story. Since Tales of Kenzera: Zau was revealed at The Game Awards 2023, I’ve been very keen to try it out. I’ts uncommon inspirations and setting within Bantu mythology offer a distinct experience in a medium stuffed to the brim with samurai, Vikings, and knights. Playing the role of a Shaman feels remarkably fresh while still being housed within the familiar trappings of the Metroidvania genre. Balance is a prevalent theme throughout the game and Tales of Kenzera: Zau strikes this one deftly. Excellent traversal, considered combat, and a well-structured, engaging story make the 10-12 hours it takes to complete fly by all too quickly. The fact that Tales of Kenzera: Zau is Surgent Studios‘ first crack at telling a story in this fashion makes it all the more impressive. Tales of Kenzera: Zau – Key details Price: $17.99 USD | £16.20 GBP | $26.95 AUD – Developer: Surgent Studios – Publisher: EA Originals – Release Date: April 27, 2024 – Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S – Two tales in one Drawing on Creative Director and studio founder Abubakar Salim’s own experience with grief – and that of his team – Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s story follows two main characters. Zuberi; a young man who is dealing with the recent loss of his father, and Zau; a headstrong Shaman that serves as the protagonist of an unfinished book that Zuberi’s father left him. You’ll spend the vast majority of the game experiencing the perilous journey of Zau as Zuberi reads his tale. The young Shaman has lost his own father and strikes a bargain with the god of death Kalunga to bring his father back to life. Kalunga serves as a guide on Zau’s journey and a constant companion. In contrast to many other gods of death in gaming, Kalunga forms a genuine bond with Zau in the absence of his father and the two character’s emerging relationship is one of the high points of the game. Throughout Zau’s journey to calm and guide three spirits that have denied Kalunga, you travel through a diverse range of biomes meeting fantastically realized characters. The inhabitants of Kenzera are brought to life by the game’s superb cast of voice actors, all of whom give emotive performances that more than make up for the dialogue being delivered in relatively static conversational scenes. A shout-out certainly needs to be given to Abubakar Salim’s voicework with Zau and Tristan D. Lalla’s as Kalunga. The two Assassin’s Creed alumni carry the story of Tales of Kenzera: Zau on their backs with ease. Of course, the game’s story isn’t just told through dialogue and performance. Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s gameplay works in tandem with these aspects to create a well-rounded experience that never forgets its focus: coping with loss. Traversing the world of Kenzera For a game about grief, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is surprisingly colorful. Your journey takes you through a number of distinct biomes with their own sets of challenges from peaceful plains to blighted forests and volcanic wastelands. All of which offer some staggering spectacles for a sidescroller. The genre trappings of Metroidvania function remarkably similar to a journey through the grieving process. Players are placed in an unfamiliar world and steadily discover tools for navigating it. The intention is to align the gameplay elements and narrative direction of the game and it pays off tremendously in the end. Much like its peers in the genre, Tales of Kenzera: Zau has players explore a maze-like world that continuously loops back on itself or bars progression. Unlocking new powers of traversal from Shaman Shrines will allow players to progress forward or explore new areas in places they have already traveled. Simple additions like a grappling hook that launches you to new heights or the ability to break and reconstruct platforms or barriers open up a wealth of traversal possibilities. One of the earliest abilities you acquire is the ability to freeze water which completely alters previously navigated areas. You go from dashing through obstructive waterfalls to freezing them temporarily so that they might act as tools for wall jumping. This is one of many tools that open up the world of Kenzera’s many branching paths. While there is a primary route that you will need to progress through the game’s story, Tales of Kenzera: Zau never fails to reward you for straying off that path. Exploring will always give you something in return whether it’s more lore to flesh out its fantastic setting and characters, or various upgrades that increase Zau’s combat effectiveness. Optional Shamanic Trials are platforming challenges that need to be completed in a single run and award Trinkets that can be equipped for game-changing passive upgrades. Finding and meditating at a Baobab Tree will increase your maximum health and there is even more to discover for those who are willing. These will often be locked away behind challenges or puzzles that require you to weave the various abilities you find together deftly. Mastering the careful application of these at the right time creates a fantastic traversal experience that feels rewarding to master. A similar intent exists in the game’s combat though there are instances where it fails to come together. The Dance of the Shaman Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s combat is referred to in-game as The Dance of the Shaman and its title is understandable. Zau possesses two masks through which he channels his shamanic power to devastating effect. The Mask of the Sun offers an aggressive melee moveset that focuses on quickly dispatching single targets. The Mask of the Moon gives Zau ranged attacks and crowd control abilities. The traversal powers you find along your journey almost always have combat applications tied to the two masks. For instance, the ability to freeze water also allows you to freeze enemies which temporarily removes them from combat and lessens the danger of encounters against large groups. A skill tree for each of the masks allows you to expand your options in combat with abilities like deflecting ranged attacks or setting your enemies on fire. The game does a very good job of incentivizing the player to use both sets of abilities in combat meaning you never prioritize one or the other. Tales of Kenzera: Zau has a decent variety of enemy types with varying ways to hamper you like siphoning your health to heal their allies. This creates priority targets that make combat encounters feel like a sort of puzzle. Attacking enemies rewards you Spirit which can be used to either heal Zau or unleash devastating ultimate moves. Unfortunately, I found myself leaning more toward healing myself and very rarely used the flashy ultimates outside of the boss fights that punctuate each chapter of the game. Particularly in encounters with large groups of enemies which could oftentimes interfere with the measured pace of combat and throw off the dance aspect that is supposed to be its focus. The chaotic nature of these encounters did ramp up the difficulty but the price of this was that these encounters felt like trial and error and in some cases, it seemed like clearing them was more a matter of luck than skill. In these instances cases, clearing certain combat encounters left me feeling relieved rather than triumphant. These moments were rare but they did detract from an otherwise engaging gameplay loop. Verdict: 4/5 Tales of Kenzera: Zau is Surgent Studios’ first attempt at creating a video game experience and they’ve knocked it out of the park. It offers a compelling journey that expertly weaves its narrative and gameplay together to tell a heartwarming story about grief and acceptance. The parallel journeys of Zau and Zuberi and their final convergence is a wonderful love letter to those we have lost. Unblemished by any performance issues or bugs in my playthrough on the PlayStation 5, its only shortcomings are a few frustrating but bearable combat encounters. EA Originals has a knack for spotlighting indie projects for publication and it’s very easy to understand why they chose this one. Given its very accessible pricepoint and day-one addition to the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog, the game has tremendous value and it’s impossible not to recommend it.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau preview: A mythical Metroidvania Surgent StudiosTales of Kenzera: Zau is an intriguing Metroidvania launching on April 24. The devs were kind enough to give us a rundown of how it came together along with opening the door for some hands-on time with the game ahead of its full release. Originally announced at The Game Awards 2023, Tales of Kenzera is the passion project of Abubakar (Abu) Salim who you might recognize as the voice of Bayek from Assassin’s Creed Origins. Along with a tight-knit team of 30, Abu has been working on the game for over four years and it’s nearly ready for the world to enjoy. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a visually striking and mechanically rich Metroidvania that draws on Abu’s cultural background as well as his personal experiences of grief. Made to honor his late father and those who have touched the lives of his team, it’s a labor of love with a powerful story. We attended a preview event where Abu and some other Tales of Kenzera devs unpacked their journey. We got some hands-on time with the finished product and while we can’t offer any story spoilers, we’ll let you know how it stands up to peers in the genre. Tales of Surgent: Abu Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the first video game by Abu and the company he founded; Surgent Studios. Along with some help from publisher EA Originals and some friends at Critical Role of course. According to Abu, Surgent’s goal is to “tell stories that connect to the human truth”. “We want to tell stories that go beyond race or gender, it’s raw, it’s real, it taps into what makes us all human.” The studio is doing just that with Tales of Kenzera: Zau which is intended in part to mirror Abu’s own journey with grief. As a longtime fan of the Metroidvainia genre, the team at Surgent felt that it was the best vehicle to communicate that journey. “The genre’s rules and structures behave like grief. You’re thrown into an alien world that you couldn’t prepare for,” Abu explained. “Yet, the longer you stay in it, y’know, explore its corners in your own time, the more comfortable you get with it.” In my brief time with Tales of Kenzera: Zau so far, the escalating challenge of its gameplay – coupled with a steady rollout of tools to handle it – has revealed snippets of that intent. There and back again While the formula of Metroidvanias is tried and true, Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s Bantu-inspired setting and the unique character, enemy, and environmental design choices that come with it make it feel remarkably fresh. I’ll out myself and say I have no pre-existing knowledge of Bantu peoples or their varying cultures but that lack of familiarity works in the game’s favor. It’s an uncommon basis for a video game that gives Tales of Kenzra: Zau an edge. The world I’ve traversed so far is filled with amazing spectacle for a 2D sidescroller as well as interesting and well-thought-out characters. Of course, for a Metroidvania, it’s the traversal of that world that should shine. The usual structure is here in which you’ll explore varying biomes while looping around and doubling back where you meet resistance. Your reward for exploring are keys or movement abilities that allow forward progression. Power up to progress The young warrior-shaman Zau begins the journey with the ability to double jump and dash but along the way, you’ll pick up new powers handed down by legends of the past. Upon acquiring the ability to freeze water, I found that previously traveled areas took on an entirely different feeling and challenge. Inclusions like this do a lot to combat the linearity that some games of the genre can fall into. Learning to quickly switch back and forth between multiple traversal abilities made its fast-paced platforming challenges feel rewarding to beat. Expanding your movement capabilities doesn’t just allow you to push further along Zau’s quest. Tales of Kenzera has many hidden collectibles and optional challenges that reward you with powerful upgrades. It’s worth taking the time to cover every inch of its expansive map. These newfound abilities also have applications in the game’s combat and a similar feeling of satisfaction can be found in expertly deploying multiple tricks to make light work of the game’s varying enemy types. A tale of two masks Combat in Tales of Kenzera: Zau is aptly referred to as “the dance of the shaman”. It involves carefully switching between two styles that draw their power from mystical masks. The Mask of the Sun centers around fiery melee combat that usually focuses on a single target. The Mask of the Moon offers ranged attacks and crowd-control techniques that will even the scales in some of the game’s more frantic encounters. For example, that water-freezing ability I mentioned earlier also freezes enemies to take them out of the fight momentarily. Each mask has its own skill tree that offers new combat techniques as well as improvements to the basic ones. If you’re thinking about prioritizing a particular style, don’t. Tales of Kenzera: Zau has done a great job so far of making each one feel essential. After a few hours of play, I was able to master the dance of the shaman and quickly switch between masks in order to take advantage of enemy weaknesses. It’s a good thing I did too because the game’s first major boss is no slouch. It was a surprisingly difficult encounter that tested all of the mechanics I had learned to that point. Thankfully, that made beating it all the more satisfying.

Take-Two slammed by game devs after ‘R’ logo results in “absurd” Rockstar lawsuit Rockstar/RallyHereRockstar’s owner Take-Two Interactive has hit another ‘R’ logo company with a trademark lawsuit, and the developers behind it aren’t very happy about the legal battle. Stewart Chisam, CEO of Hi-Rez Studios (Smite 2 developer) and RallyHere, was the first to call out Take-Two and its trademark lawyers for discovering what he called an “infinite money glitch” and arguing with the studio about RallyHere’s ‘R’ logo. RallyHere is a cross-platform multiplayer backend as a service provider for game studios. The image in the post below demonstrates how its ‘R’ logo looks. Evidently, Take-Two believes RallyHere’s emblem is too similar to Rockstar’s logo, resulting in a trademark dispute. Chisam called out Take-Two on X by explaining how he feels they “harass anyone in the games industry that tries to use an R in their logo, no matter how far away from the Rockstar logo, and bank easy money that could have gone to making games instead.” He continued, “No creature in our star system is ever going to confuse the logo below with Rockstar’s iconic ‘R with Star’ logo.” Jessica Flowers, general counsel for RallyHere and Hi-Rez Studios, replied to Chisam’s post. “Apparently nobody in gaming can use the letter R except for them, even when [the] likelihood of confusion is zero. It’s been an awesome use of our time and resources,” Flowers said sarcastically. Responses from Chisam’s original post were just as confused and annoyed by this dispute. “Absurd. The logos do not share ANY resemblance. I’ll be honest I didn’t even know that was an R on the RallyHere logo,” one reply said. There were even some commenters who were grateful for Chisam speaking up about this issue: “I love these kinds of tweets. Gives a [peek] into the side of the games company not very well known or thought about.” Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the only dispute Take-Two has initiated with a company over an ‘R’ logo. Back in January, Grand Theft Auto’s publisher filed a dispute with Remedy, the developer behind Alan Wake and Control. It didn’t stop at just ‘R’ logos, as Take-Two also filed a lawsuit against It Takes Two developer Hazelight Studios in 2021 for the game name’s similarity to the company name.

Take-Two launches DMCA to stop VR mods for GTA 5, Red Dead & Mafia Rockstar GamesVideo game publisher Take-Two has issued a DMCA to stop VR mods for their most popular titles like GTA 5, Red Dead, and Mafia. The VR modding community for Take-Take games has been alive and going strong for years now, but a new roadblock may be stopping them in their tracks. The dedicated community has brought a whole new virtual reality visual perspective for players of mega popular titles like GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Unfortunately for VR modders, Take-Two has issued a DMCA against modders bringing their creative works to a grinding halt. Take-Two DMCA’s VR mods for GTA 5 and Red Dead On July 6, Take-Two submitted a DMCA request for the removal of mods from their titles such as Grant Theft Auto 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, Mafia, and more. VR modder Luke Ross shared that they had been DMCA’d by the gaming giant. In his announcement on his Patreon about the DMCA he said, “I just received a DMCA takedown notice from Take-Two Interactive Software in relation to GTA, REDER2, and Mafia. They are demanding that I remove all their copyrighted works from my Patreon page.” He continued, “As you all know, I do create and distribute original modifications for those games, i.e, original pieces of software of my own creation that allow users to experience those games in a different and hopefully more intense and profound way. However, none of my modifications are built using software belonging to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc, and the modifications are not intended to replace their games, nor are they a means of exploiting Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc’s proprietary IP or assets.” A sad day for the Flat2VR modding community. @Take2Interactiv has submitted a quite anti-consumer DMCA request to remove ALL VR Mods for their games (GTA V, RDR2, Mafia, etc.)@LukeRoss_00 Has always been extremely careful not to use any IP in his mods. pic.twitter.com/GH6OX1eZIy — Flat2VR (@Flat2VR) July 6, 2022 Luke admits he has no history in dealing with DMCA notices so he doesn’t know if an inquiry into clarification on the matter will lead anywhere. Ross finished his post and said, “I refuse to believe that is what Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. wants because that would be an extremely anti-customer and anti-gamer move on their part. But I am not getting into a legal battle with them. If what they want is to assert their corporate dominance with gamers’ interests as collateral damage, I have no power to stop them.” We will provide an update if Take-Two does provide the VR modding community with clarifications regarding the DMCA.

Take-Two CEO hints GTA 6 may be coming sooner than expected CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has fueled speculation regarding the release date of GTA 6 – hinting the game may hit the shelves far soon than anyone anticipated. Rumors have been rife regarding the development of the next game in the Grand Theft Auto series – presumably GTA VI – with fans desperate to see what the developer will bring them next following the overwhelming success of GTA V. There was plenty of leaks in April and May which seemingly confirmed that the game could be released alongside the next generation consoles from both Microsoft and Sony – November 2020 has been suggested as a potential release date. Nevertheless, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick believes the gaps between their big releases may be smaller in the future with “less pressure” on developers to bring new titles to market. Speaking to gamesindustry.biz, he said: “I don’t see [the gap between games] expanding further. In fact, I would expect in many instances it may compress. And we believe in resting titles as a great thing. “But I think eight years is probably too long,” Zelnick said, speaking specifically about the eight-year gap between the first and second Red Dead Redemption games Zelnick highlighted that games may be shorter overall as a result, with the ability to regularly push out new content updates allowing new titles to be released quicker, albeit with less content on initial release. “It’s possible that games may be a bit shorter than they were in certain instances,” he added. “It’s possible that the ability to deliver content on an ongoing basis for a long time after an initial release of a hit would mean that perhaps that initial release wouldn’t be as long in terms of number of hours of gameplay.” While GTA 6 hasn’t been officially confirmed, it remains one of the world’s most eagerly anticipated future releases. Judging by Zelnick’s comments, it may be released much sooner than anyone expected.

Take-Two CEO admits historic GTA 6 leaks affected devs ’emotionally and personally’ Rockstar GamesTake-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick just commented on the historic leaks GTA 6 leaks from 2022, saying it was ‘an emotional matter’ for the developers having their work spill out early. Talking to IGN before Take-Two’s latest earnings release, CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about last year’s massive leaks of GTA 6. The historic leaks showcased early gameplay, revealing new protagonists, combat systems, and potentially even spilling the beans on where GTA 6 will be set. Footage immediately went viral as Rockstar was involved in one of the biggest leaks the gaming industry has ever seen. In his latest comments, Zelnick said it was a very disappointing situation despite the leaks not impacting Take-Two’s earnings one bit. “We take leaks very seriously indeed and they disappoint all of us, it’s really frustrating and upsetting to the team,” Zelnick said. “However as a business matter, we’re not affected.” He also said the leaks were a personal and emotional matter for the teams that are working on the game currently. This isn’t the first time Rockstar, the developers of GTA and owned by Take-Two, have expressed their disappointment in the leaks. Saying in an earlier tweet last September they were disappointed that details of the highly anticipated game were revealed through unintended leaks. Last year’s leak of GTA 6 was revealed due to an unauthorized intrusion by a hacker into the developer’s servers, and it revealed early game development footage of the game. It was subsequently posted on the GTA Forums. Today’s new earnings release did not reveal any fresh information on GTA 6, but it pointed to potential layoffs due to Take-Two falling short of its financial targets. They said the company will be undergoing cost-cutting measures in the near future. Meanwhile, GTA 5 has surpassed 175 million copies sold, with roughly another five million last quarter. It still holds the title of the second best-selling game of all time.

T3 Arena hero tier list: Best characters ranked (July 2024) XinDong Entertainment Pte LtdIt’s quite an uphill task to choose the right hero as T3 Arena brings new characters regularly – so, our tier list has everything needed so you can prioritize the best heroes for ranked mode in July 2024. T3 Arena is a fast-paced arena shooter in a 3v3 format that gives you an Overwatch-like experience on mobile devices. Developed by XD Entertainment, it’s now available for Android after being exclusive to The App Store for a while. Currently, there are over 30 characters in the game, and you need to spend hours in it to unlock all of them. However, the roster is fairly sizable so prioritizing the right heroes can give you a huge advantage in your matches. With that said, if you’re wondering which characters to choose in T3 Arena for July 2024, then keep reading as our tier list has everything you need to know. T3 Arena character tier list On October 13, 2022, T3 Arena had a global launch along with Season 3. Currently, in Super Season 4 – Lunar Royale (SS4), the roster size has increased to a total of 31 heroes. The latest character to have joined the hero pool with the new season is Tigris. This season update brings a new feature called Royale Arena where ten heroes will clash in Frontierland, and survival is key. Some heroes have undergone balancing as well like last season. You can read more about the updates here. Since you have to grind to unlock all the characters in the game, it only makes sense to unlock the best ones first. In our tier list below, we have sorted all of these characters from S-tier to C-tier, helping you choose your characters easily. T3 Arena: S-Tier heroes Chemist Active Ability 1: Rapid-shot – Active Ability 2: Life-Blocking Cannon – Passive Ability: Improved Compound – Ultimate Ability 1: Potent Trigger – Ultimate Ability 2: Life Resonance – Chemist is one of those characters who can both inflict damage and heal her teammates at the same time. She carries a biotic grenade launcher that allows her to do the same. Her first Active Ability fires multiple grenades at once while the second Active Ability fires a blocking cannon preventing opponents from healing temporarily. Her Ultimate ability can boost one of her teammate’s combat effectiveness for a short amount of time. Diggy Active Ability 1: Illusory Touch – Active Ability 2: Submarine – Passive Ability: Particle Mending – Ultimate Ability 1: Illusory Blast – Ultimate Ability 2: Cosmo Barrier – Diggy is all about firepower in T3 Arena. Her shotgun can deal an insane amount of damage in close-quarter combat and she also has the ability to turn into a shark! Her first Active Ability transforms her into a shark while the second one opens a submarine via which she can teleport to a different location after a slight delay. The Passive ability helps to regain some of her lost health. Her Ultimate ability does the same with the bonus of extra damage inflicted and stunning her enemies at the same time. Gloria Active Ability 1: ZMR Assault Rifle – Active Ability 2: Air Blast Mine – Passive Ability: Dashing – Ultimate Ability 1: Quicksand Bomb – Ultimate Ability 2: Amplifier Module – Gloria is one such character who is efficient in both close and long-range combat. Her ZMR Assault Rifle acts like a shotgun at close range while zooms in with 30 bullets when you try to take down an enemy from a distance. Air Blast Mine is the second Active Ability that tosses an invisible mine that can explode twice and knock enemies away. Her passive ability gives her a movement boost and can be quite useful when chasing down opponents or running away from intense moments. Hua Ling Active Ability 1: Snare Bomb – Active Ability 2: Petal Out – Passive Ability: Infrared Scan – Ultimate Ability 1: Blast Arrow – Ultimate Ability 2: Whirlwind – Introduced in Season 1, Hua Ling is the master of archery in the game. When she combines her Snare Bomb with Blast Arrow, it becomes almost impossible for the enemy to survive. Her second Active Ability allows her to jump backward and turn invisible. She’ll be visible after firing a weapon, much like Sombra from Overwatch 2. Iris Active Ability 1: Pie-Bot – Active Ability 2: Bursting Electric Arc – Passive Ability: Med Sampling – Ultimate Ability 1: Healing Field – Ultimate Ability 2: Blinding Orb – Iris’s abilities make her the ideal healer in the game. Her active abilities involve a Pie-Bot and Bursting Electric Arc that can inflict additional damage upon taking damage. Her ultimate ability deploys a healing drone that can help to restore the HP lost. Her passive ability makes knocked-out opponents drop health pickups. This can be crucial for her teammates when the fight gets intense and the healer is not nearby. Labula Active Ability 1: Bouncy Spores – Active Ability 2: Eternal Generator – Passive Ability: Charging Barrier – Ultimate Ability 1: Coral Blast – Ultimate Ability 2: La La Pop! – Labula is one such character in the game who can take down an enemy almost in an instant. His Bouncy Spores inflict a good amount of damage when hit, both in close and long-range fights. The second Active Ability summons an Eternal Generator that prevents allies from dying, but it’s limited to a certain range. His ultimate deploys a non-moving clone but can double down on the damage where Labula is aiming at. Neon Active Ability 1: Floral Radiance – Active Ability 2: Floral Repay – Passive Ability: Floral Gale – Ultimate Ability 1: Floral Wall – Ultimate Ability 2: Wrath of the Blossom – Neon is a healer introduced in Super Season 1. Her Active Abilities include Floral Radiance and Repay which allows her to heal and also teleport to allies. The Floral Gale ability gives her a move speed boost when she’s using Floral Radiance. The ultimate makes her and the targetted ally’s first active ability temporarily invincible. These abilities make her one of the best active healers across the entire roster. Tigris Active Ability 1: Charged Guard – Active Ability 2: Shield Slam – Passive Ability: Charged Shield – Ultimate Ability: Decisive Cast – Tigris was added in January 2024 and you may say this character is the Captain America of T3 Arena. It throws a charged shield at opponents that ricochets and explodes on contact. The ultimate ability goes a level beyond where the shield automatically seeks out opponents and stuns them. Victor Active Ability 1: Tackle Charge – Active Ability 2: Well-built – Passive Ability: Speed Loading – Ultimate Ability 1: M.G.P – Ultimate Ability 2: Ramming Speed – Victo, using his powerful shotgun, hits heavy in the game. He has a whopping 6600 HP and 4200 Shield counts, which can prove to be a nightmare when going head-to-head against the enemy team. T3 Arena: A-Tier heroes Cristina Active Ability 1: Sticky Bomb – Active Ability 2: Blasting Jump – Passive Ability: Incendiary Casing – Ultimate Ability 1: Cluster Grenade – Ultimate Ability 2: Trap Blossom – Cristina carries a grenade launcher that shoots projectiles, much like Junkrat from Overwatch. These projectiles can deal some severe damage when hit, which means the accuracy needs to be very precise. Daimon Active Ability 1: Greedy Leap – Active Ability 2: Lazy Bomb – Passive Ability: Arrogant Shield – Ultimate Ability: Glutton Beam – Daimon was introduced to the game with Super Season 3 – War of Gods. A genetically modified human, you can unlock this character after reaching Level 30 of the Premium Battle Pass. Daimon’s Wrath Cannon is capable of insane damage while the active abilities allow her to reposition herself and deal additional damage. Fade Active Ability 1: Plunder Rush – Active Ability 2: Quantum Shield – Passive Ability: C-Conversion – Ultimate Ability 1: Atom Fade – Ultimate Ability 2: Naval Bombardment – Fade is the 26th hero in T3 Arena and his main weapon, Quantum Cannon, can deal massive damage to opponents in close range. His first active ability allows him to dash forward aggressively, and if an opponent gets stuck along the way, they get damaged heavily and also become immobile for a moment. The second active ability casts a Quantum Shield that blocks the attacks of the opponent. Fort Active Ability 1: Antimatter Barrier – Active Ability 2: Antimatter Armor – Passive Ability: Impact Shield – Ultimate Ability 1: Gravity Swirl – Ultimate Ability 2: Annihilation Bomb – Fort is the antimatter king as his primary weapon can shoot four missiles that can stick to surfaces. He can also act like a tank as his active ability brings out a deployable barrier that can stop the incoming fire. Gatlyn Active Ability 1: ÜberCharge – Active Ability 2: Restriction Lifter – Passive Ability: Force Field – Ultimate Ability 1: Crippling Rounds – Ultimate Ability 2: Armor Warp – Gatlyn is quite versatile when it comes to her usage of weapons in the game. Her XM2140 Rotary Gun shoots at a very high rate, while her active ability wraps her with a shield to minimize damage intake. Judex Active Ability 1: FS-105 Stunner – Active Ability 2: G10 Stun Grenade – Passive Ability: Tenacity – Ultimate Ability 1: Dragonbreath Bomb – Ultimate Ability 2: SD60 Energy Suppression – Judex is a fierce heroine in T3 Arena, rocking a powerful lever-action rifle. This rifle is effective in both mid-to-long range gunfights and when combined with her FS-105 Stunner, enemies get blinded and don’t get to stand a chance against her. Mark Active Ability 1: Seeker Rocket – Active Ability 2: Blasting Surfing – Passive Ability: Proximity Sensor – Ultimate Ability 1: Battle-Hardened – Ultimate Ability 2: Optic Disrupt – After serving in the military, Mark has now taken the responsibility of dealing with the agitators in T3 Arena. His auto rifle is efficient at both mid-to-close range gunfights and his passive ability can restore his lost health after disengaging. Ossas Active Ability 1: Shadowfall – Active Ability 2: Shadow Jump – Passive Ability: Whispers in the Night – Ultimate Ability 1: Dark Surge – Ultimate Ability 2: Teleporter – The only thing that you should avoid against Ossas is peeking! Being the only sniper in the game, his rifle can one-shot most enemies when fully charged. The only reason that puts him in this tier instead of S is that his learning curve is relatively steeper when compared to the rest of the characters. Shell Active Ability 1: Shadow-Walk – Active Ability 2: Dimension Blast – Passive Ability: Energy Resonance – Ultimate Ability 1: Dimension Rift – Ultimate Ability 2: Mass-Nullify – Shell is more like an all-rounder in the game. She can deal damage and restore her lost HP with each hit, thanks to her passive ability. While she has activated her Shadow-Walk, she becomes invincible for a short period of time, much like Reaper’s ‘Wraith Form’ from Overwatch. Skadi Active Ability 1: Dub-STOP – Active Ability 2: Low Altitude Climb – Passive Ability: Amped-Shot – Ultimate Ability 1: Rock Blast – Ultimate Ability 2: Wanna-Dance – Skadi rocks a large-caliber pistol that is capable of melting down opponents from a distance. Her abilities mostly deal with sonic waves that can be used as surprise attacks when situations get intense. T3 Arena: B-Tier heroes Hunter Active Ability 1: Flare Round – Active Ability 2: Healing Field – Passive Ability: Rotation Runner – Ultimate Ability 1: Charged Shot – Ultimate Ability 2: Phantom Light – Unlike the S-tier and A-tier characters, Hunter is quite situational. His primary weapon is a 3-round burst assault rifle while his abilities provide a speed boost and increase damage. Johnny Jet Active Ability 1: Veil of Chaos – Active Ability 2: Auto-Spray Can – Passive Ability: Blending-in – Ultimate Ability 1: Jet-Stim – Ultimate Ability 2: Safe-Jar – Johnny Jet is mostly viable in close-quarter combats as his rapid-firing spray gun will trigger a critical hit only on multiple successful hits. His active ability can make him invisible and also recover HP while his passive ability gives a speed boost. Lacia Active Ability 1: Wind Evasion – Active Ability 2: Galeshadow Kunai – Passive Ability: Reincarnation – Ultimate Ability: Secret Art : Void Bolt – Lacia is the second character introduced in Super Season 3 – War of Gods. Her gravity-defying active abilities allow her to gain an advantage over enemies in unexpected ways and also deal additional damage on the way. Ono Active Ability 1: Portable Barrier – Active Ability 2: Furious Slash – Passive Ability: Enhanced Blade – Ultimate Ability 1: Shock Beam – Ultimate Ability 2: Battlefield Rebirth – Ono is the 28th hero in the game and specializes in damage. His Storm Blades can vandalize enemies but you’ll need to master the throws, which can be a bit difficult during intense combat. Ruby Active Ability 1: Mystic Shields – Active Ability 2: Blast Card – Passive Ability: Reflux Barrier – Ultimate Ability: Seeker Bolt – The reason Ruby is in this tier is that she is quite difficult to master. She fires three light bolts in a horizontal line and her activity ability brings out a three-piece barrier that moves forward. Sindri Active Ability 1: Rage Ball: Deploy – Active Ability 2: Light of Rage – Passive Ability: Rage Ball: Assist – Ultimate Ability 1: Rage Ball: Upgrade – Ultimate Ability 2: Rage Ball: Drop-Pod – Sindri’s Plasma Drill has the ability to fire three flying and exploding projectiles at a time. One of her active abilities deploys a Rage Ball that automatically starts to fire at enemies. It also helps to restore HP over time while her passive ability gains a temporary shield upon retrieving it. The second active ability, Light of Rage, upon activation, boosts the recovery effect significantly. Vincent Active Ability 1: Mater of Disguise – Active Ability 2: Disguise Core – Passive Ability: Opportunistic – Ultimate Ability: Optimal Cloaking – Vincent is a pistol expert in T3 Arena. His active ability allows him to take the form of an opponent while his ultimate ability makes him invisible for a short time. Zero-Kelvin Active Ability 1: Snowball – Active Ability 2: Fro-yo – Passive Ability: Icy Healing – Ultimate Ability 1: Snowballing Effect – Ultimate Ability 2: Zero Zone – Zero-Kelvin is a tank in the game, carrying a portable blizzard launcher. His first active ability summons a snowball that can block damage and you can make it roll forward with the hockey stick and inflict damage. The second one, Fro-yo, turns him into an invincible snowman temporarily, which restores his health. His passive ability restores HP while his ultimate ability summons three snowballs that can bounce off and inflict damage multiple times. T3 Arena: C-Tier heroes Aleta Active Ability 1: Holo-Dash – Active Ability 2: Image Return – Passive Ability: Duble-Jumper – Ultimate Ability 1: Decoy-Bomb – Ultimate Ability 2: Holo-Burst – Aleta is very similar to Tracer from Overwatch, She has dual-wielded pistols and can dash fast but comes at a cost of inaccuracy. Her Image Return ability allows her to teleport back to the position she was in three seconds ago, also recovering her HP to the highest level during that period. Jabali Active Ability 1: Energy Barrier – Active Ability 2: Thunder Impact – Passive Ability: Electro-Feedback – Ultimate Ability 1: Arc Storm – Ultimate Ability 2: Pulsar Response – Jabali is more of a tank in this game as he boasts a massive 7200 HP count along with an active shield that can block any attack from the enemy team. However, this comes at the cost of slowed movement speed. Kazama Active Ability 1: Flight Mode – Active Ability 2: Blasting Flight – Passive Ability: Munition Pack – Ultimate Ability 1: Cannonball Dive – Ultimate Ability 2: Orbital Strike – Kazama’s rocket launcher can explode enemies on impact while also having the ability to hover in the air for a short while. His passive ability helps to restock one round to his weapon upon hitting opponents. Yaa Active Ability 1: Windshift – Active Ability 2: Counterattack Storm – Passive Ability: Stormward – Ultimate Ability 1: Breezeblast – Ultimate Ability 2: Tempestwalker – Yaa is swift and flows like the wind while shooting down enemies using her wind-energy pistol. Her first active ability helps her to dash forward and escape intense gunfights, while Counterattack Storm generates a shield and the blade launches a counterattack. Her passive ability gives her a temporary shield for three seconds after dashing. So, that’s our T3 Arena tier list with all the best characters you should be using. For more on mobile games, check our other guides and tier lists: Clash Royale Tier List | Clash Royale social guide | Pokemon Go codes | Clash Royale Star Levels | Clash Royale Chest Cycle

T-Pain claims Rockstar won’t let him play NoPixel due to GTA 6 involvement American rapper T-Pain has claimed Rockstar Games told him he’s not allowed to play popular GTA 5 roleplaying server NoPixel because of his involvement with GTA 6. The world finally got a look at the next title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise in late 2023, with the first trailer for GTA 6 riddled with various easter eggs and nods to past titles. Although the long-anticipated game isn’t slated for release until 2025, fans are still analyzing every part of the trailer in hopes of finding out more. Many are convinced they’ve already figured out some of those involved with the game, and it appears that we’ll be seeing rapper T-Pain make an appearance. T-Pain claims he can’t play NoPixel because of GTA 6 In a recent livestream, the 39-year-old responded to a fan questioning why he no longer plays NoPixel — a popular GTA 5 role-playing server. According to T-Pain, the Rockstar devs told him he’s no longer allowed to play NoPixel due to his involvement with GTA 6. “I used to be on NoPixel then I started working on GTA 6 and they told me I couldn’t do RP anymore,” he claimed. “They had this whole speech like ‘what if somebody took your album and re-recorded it and more people were listening to that’.” T-Pain added: “Then I’m like okay, I kind of get that but I was having a good time. Alright, that’s fine.” Furthermore, T-Pain made note that he began working with Rockstar on GTA 6 before the company acquired FiveM, the developers behind GTA 5’s role-playing mod. It’s unclear what role T-Pain could play in Grand Theft Auto 6. For now we’ll just have to wait and see until the game’s expected to release sometime in 2025.

T-Pain claims Apex Legends is too “sweaty” with pros and streamers like NICKMERCS Respawn EntertainmentDespite Apex Legends’ boom in popularity in Season 10, rapper-turned-streamer T-Pain has complained that the game is too sweaty, suggesting it’s just the top players, content creators, and streamers the ones having all the fun. Following continuous issues within Warzone such as hacking and balancing problems, high-profile streamers like DrDisrespect and NICKMERCS made the leap over to Respawn Entertainment’s futuristic take on battle royale. All these big streamers coming back to Apex has led to a resurgence in popularity, both in terms of players and viewers on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. But, has it also had a negative impact? Rapper T-Pain thinks there is now an abundance of ‘sweaty’ players, making the game less enjoyable for the more casual player. T-Pain disappointed with Apex & Titanfall T-Pain is just one of many celebrity fans that Apex boasts, which also include Bryson Tiller and Soulja Boy. Veering off into a different direction than the gritty flavor of Warzone, Apex Legends is focused on momentum and traversal. Boasting slick movement and faster approaches to gunfights, the alternative to Activision’s battle royal has become a surefire competitive hit. The change in gameplay can be jarring for newcomers, especially as the skill ceiling grows higher and higher. T-Pain has made it clear that Apex Legends’ sweaty opponents are making the game less enjoyable for him. “Apex is like a sauna sitting outside in the middle of Arizona it’s so sweaty,” he said. And Apex is like a sauna sitting outside in the middle of Arizona it’s so sweaty. If @NICKMERCS is having a good time playing a game, you’re probably not gonna have a good time playing that game. Y’all killed a classic like TF2 for some laughs and it’s sad 🤦🏿♂️ — T-Pain (@TPAIN) September 11, 2021 Mentioning the likes of NICKMERCS and nodding towards his prowess within the game, T-Pain feels more casual players are “not gonna have a good time playing that game.” T-Pain also bemoaned the state of Titanfall 2 – Respawn’s previous game before Apex, which has now been largely made unplayable due to hackers. Man I can’t believe y’all killed TitanFall 2. Im so disappointed ☹️ — T-Pain (@TPAIN) September 11, 2021 Joining in the rapper’s rally cry, one fan added that the problem is “because all these big streamers/esports players make it sweaty.” Apex Legends might not be on the cards for T-Pain, but who knows, maybe we can enjoy a TF2 stream in the future.

System Shock Review: Faithful remake at its best System Shock is an iconic FPS from 1994, and Nightdive Studios remake has now brought it into 2023. But does it live up to the original or fail to impress the fans of the classic? Few FPS games have the level of acclaim in the retro gaming community as System Shock. The first of its kind, it revolutionized the immersive sim genre with its riveting story, and ground-breaking gameplay. That’s why Nightdive Studios remake is a daunting prospect. Bringing the cyberpunk classic back to life is a precarious task considering how beloved the original is. The nearly eight-year development cycle began after a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $1 million in funding. However, it was repeatedly delayed due to the switch to Unreal Engine and the restarting of development from scratch twice. After such a troubled development, it’s easy to be a little wary of the release. Hence, I was eager to see how this stacked up against my fond memories of exploring the eerie corridors of Citadel Station. And after a 20-hour playthrough, I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. System Shock – Key Details Price: $39.99 (USD) – Developer: Nightdive Studios – Release Date: May 30, 2023 – Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S/One, PC, MacOS, Linux – System Shock trailer Experience the Citadel Station like never before System Shock takes place in a cyberpunk version of the year 2072, onboard a space station called The Citadel. You assume the identity of an anonymous Hacker and work to thwart the schemes of an evil AI known only as SHODAN. Nightdive Studios has put in a lot of work on the presentation of this remake. The landscapes are rich in detail, and updated graphics bring Citadel Station to life in high definition. Every element of the game’s cyberpunk style, from the flashing neon lights to the dirty machinery, has been given a fresh coat of paint while still maintaining the dark and menacing feel of the original. The seamless blend of modern 3D graphics and 16-bit pixels give the game the hauntingly nostalgic appearance Every aspect of the game’s setting, from the Citadel Station’s shadowy hallways to the mutated creatures, has been thoughtfully redesigned. There’s a distinct sense of fear that builds throughout the journey, thanks to the lighting effects and creepy aural cues. Cyberspace is stunning as you glide and use your Pulser Combat to eliminate computer viruses and override SHODAN’s security measures. System Shock recognizes the importance of a game’s soundscape in creating a fully immersive experience too. The restored audio is exceptional, full of ghostly ambiance, faraway machinery, and the unsettling mutterings of the looming AI nemesis. Excellent voice acting captures the ominous atmosphere of SHODAN, as well as the desperation of the station’s last remaining residents. The game makes no attempt to conceal its gory undertones either. In fact, in one of the levels, you’re tasked with finding and carrying a severed head in your inventory to gain access to an area. All of these elements play together like a terrifying harmony, helping sell the horror aboard the citadel. Swing that Rapier and slash cyborgs System Shock strikes a balance between staying true to the original and adding new, exciting gameplay elements. That’s not easy to do, especially with a game this revered, so Nightdive Studios did a great job of keeping what made the original so engaging while also improving dated mechanics. Complex stages and intense combat are now easier to navigate than ever before, thanks to the game’s well-implemented modernized controls. This allows for exciting encounters with menacing creatures that inhibit the Citadel Station. The game’s diverse arsenal of weapons also gives players a lot of leeway to tackle difficulties however they choose. You have the option of going guns blazing with the Mark III Assault Rifle or slashing cyborgs to bits with the stunning Laser Rapier. All the classic weapons from the original return, however, each has been given a complete makeover so that they can stand toe-to-toe with other first-person weapons in the current age. Levels are exceptionally designed, with a non-linear structure that beckons players to explore them. You’re immersed into Citadel Station thanks to its many hidden clues, audio logs, and environmental storytelling elements that help paint the picture of what has happened. While these might feel like outdated and overused now, it’s fascinating to see where this narrative delivery device started. The puzzles are as well-thought-out as they were previously, presenting a worthy challenge, which, I’ll admit, did impede my progression several times. Stuck in the middle with SHODAN While improving upon its predecessor in the technical departments, the System Shock remake’s story remains faithful to the original. While the core of the story changes, the new script adds more depth to the characters and raises the emotional stakes, making the journey more interesting. Terri Brosius’ excellent voice acting captures SHODAN’s malevolence and cunning, making her return as unsettling as ever. Deepening the adventure is the opportunity to converse with the fascinating supporting cast. Especially considering the era it came out in, this story is more than simply a thrill trip, thanks to the story’s persistent themes of identity, humanity, and the perils of unfettered technology growth. Quite timely, no? Although, the game does have a few hiccups. Occasionally, I suffered technical issues like frame rate drops or texture pop-ins that would temporarily ruin the flow. Also, while the game gives you multiple options to change the color of your Heads Up Display (HUD), most of it doesn’t quite blend with the changing environments. Verdict – 4/5 The System Shock remake acts as an excellent model for how to modernize a great game without diluting its core values. Its impressive visuals, polished gameplay, enveloping atmosphere, and intriguing story make for a remarkable adventure. System Shock is a must-play for anyone interested in the origins of the immersive simulation genre or a die-hard fan of the original. Nightdive Studios has done a brilliant job of paying tribute to the original, creating a game that will appeal to both new and veteran players. Insects, get ready to become SHODAN’s slave and dive into the terror that awaits you. Reviewed on PC.

Synduality: New shooter from Bandai Namco – Trailer, gameplay & more Bandai NamcoSynduality, a new third-person shooter from Bandai Namco, made its debut at the Sony State of Play in September 2022. Here’s everything we know so far about this interesting sci-fi project, from its dystopian setting to when it could release. The Sony State of Play in September 2022 was jam-packed with new reveals and trailers. From the announcement of Tekken 8 to a breathtaking God of War Ragranok trailer, it gave players plenty to look forward to. One of the major game announcements was Synduality, a brand-new IP from Bandai Namco that transports players into a dystopian future where humans are forced to live underground. Here’s everything we know so far about Synduality, from its fascinating sci-fi setting to its gameplay. Contents Is there a Synduality release date? – Synduality platforms – Synduality setting – Synduality gameplay – Synduality trailers – Is there a Synduality release date? There is currently no exact release date for Synduality, however, the game’s debut trailer did reveal that it will arrive sometime in 2023. The devs haven’t given any hints on whereabouts next year Synduality will fall, but since we’ve only just had the first reveal our money would be on Q3/Q4 of next year. Synduality platforms Despite being revealed at the Sony State of Play, Syduality will be available on all next-gen platforms, so PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There is no word yet on any plans to release a version for the PS4 and Xbox One, but given the size and scope the developers are going for, it’s hard to imagine we’ll see Synduality on older hardware. Synduality setting Syduality takes place on earth in the year 2222, after a poisonous rain known only as The Tears of the New Moon took out the majority of the population. Mutated monsters now roam the world, and humans now live in an underground shelter named Amasia. While hiding from the horrors on the surface, the survivors discover an artificial intelligence called Magus, with which they must work together to stay alive. You control a Drifter, who makes their way by heading out into the world and collecting AO crystals, a vital resource in humanity’s bid. Synduality gameplay Syduality is a third-person shooter that puts players in control of powerful mechanical suits named Cradles Coffins, armed with devasting weapons to help you tear through the mutated creatures that inhabit the planet. You will be able to fully customize your armor both in terms of its look, and the weapons it carries to suit your personal playstyle. Syduality will also feature a multiplayer component, which will see Drifters team up to take on missions, or go head-to-head to fight over precious recourses. Synduality trailers There has only been one Syduality trailer released so far, the reveal trailer shown at the September State of Play. You can check that out below. That was everything we know so far about Synduality. More details are sure to be revealed in the coming months, so make sure to check back here for the latest updates. For more on the biggest upcoming games, take a look at some of our other pages: The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | Wolverine | Spider-Man 2 | Forspoken | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | FFXVI | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Sonic Frontiers | Dragon Age 4 | Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | The Witcher 3 next-gen patch | Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Synapse is the shooter the PS VR 2 desperately needs right now We recently got to strap into a PS VR2 headset and jump into the new shooter Synapse. Coming from VR maestros nDreams, is this the game the headset needs to excite its user base? VR has always been a passion of mine. I was there as an early adopter of the ludicrously expensive HTC Vive (though thankfully it was nowhere near as expensive as Apple’s mind-boggling Vision Pro). However, as anyone who owns VR knows, headsets can lack substantial core games. VR still feels like it’s in an experimental phase. Translating the technology into a fully-fledged AAA experience has remained elusive. That’s double-y true of the first-person shooter – and it’s a genre that fits the form of VR so well. Still, most offerings are just a couple of shooting galleries with a minimal story attached. Well, that’s if you put Half-Life: Alyx to the side, as that game remains an exception in many ways. Even with Valve’s excellent effort considered, it feels about time we got another great FPS in VR. That’s where Synapse comes in – or where it’s attempting to come in. The PS VR2 game is being made by VR savants nDreams, who I got to visit recently to check out their upcoming VR offerings. You likely remember Synapse from PlayStation’s recent showcase, and it’s hard to forget due to its striking visual style. Mind yourself When you don the headset, Synapse’s style will be the first thing that jumps out. Developer nDreams has found an excellent visual language, with a mostly black-and-white palette. However, it’s elevated with flashes of red and multicolor magic. It’s a striking hook to get you into this world. That world is one of mind-bending mental espionage too. You’re tasked with entering the mind of an old Colonel and retrieving information from him. This is very much in the vein of Inception. You will be interrogating a character, who is voiced by Solid Snake voice actor, David Hayter, while being directed by an unseen voice, played by Mass Effect’s Jennifer Hale. It’s an impressive duo of voice actors to build this story around. They both appear to be having a lot of fun as they direct and taunt you as you go deeper into the mental defenses of the subject. However, this isn’t LA Noire, by way of Christopher Nolan. Instead, you’re going to have to blast your way through this mind gauntlet with firearms and nifty telekinesis. Telekeni-this! The marriage of concept and technology is not lost on Synapse. You’re entering an artificial representation of the mind. This only helps contextualize the PS VR2 you’ve strapped to your head. It works surprisingly well to sell the reality the game is building. That reality is a space filled with gunfire and superpowers, a pretty potent mix when paired with the Sense controllers. A level, at least from the handful we played, works like this: You enter an arena, and you’re then tasked with taking out all the enemies in that space. As you progress you unlock more weaponry, as well as psychic upgrades. Guns go in one hand, whereas the other allows you to grab objects to reshape the battlefield in your favor. The rest is up to you to figure out. In my instance, I found myself taking fire from my front but was getting impatient sitting behind cover. So, I grabbed a box next to me and held it up in front of me as a makeshift shield. To my surprise, it worked. I then held it between me and one enemy, while shooting another. Once I’d dispatched one, I then flicked my wrist sending the box flying at the man shooting me. It crashed into him sending him crashing to the floor. I merely stood over him and put a bullet into his head to finish him off. Being given these tools for destruction can lead to some hilarious if not brutal outcomes. The poor defenders of this man’s mind are thrown around and crushed by flying objects you hoist at them. A treat for PS VR2 users That experience was indicative of the creative, physics-based puzzle-solving Synapse offers up. You’re given a sandbox of destruction, the tools execute your diabolical plans and sent you on your merry way. It’s a pretty freeing VR experience. That telekinesis, combined with the game’s visual flair, is what sells Synapses as a VR game to have your eye on. NDreams have done a great job of selling that ‘superpower’ feeling with this form of telekinesis. This is really in the details too. For example, if you pick up an explosive barrel, and pull the trigger until you meet haptic resistance, you can carry it around. However, if you push past that resistance, it explodes. It creates the awesome tactile feeling of closing your fist to crush the barrel. If Synapse can find more of these moments throughout its playthrough, especially through the extensive unlock system, there’s something unique here. It couldn’t be coming at a better time either. Synapse is set to launch on July 4. The PS VR2 has felt a little lost since its release earlier this year, and it needs games like Synapse to drag it back into relevance. I’m not yet convinced that it will be the killer app the console headset needs to convince more people to buy, but it’s shaping up to be an action-packed treat for early adopters of the tech. If you have a PS VR2, this could end up being the best thing released on it to date.

Sykkuno ruthlessly sabotages Disguised Toast in Squid Game clone Twitch: Sykkuno/Disguised ToastTwitch star Sykkuno hilariously sabotaged his pal Disguised Toast in a custom Squid Game mode after offering to give one of his rivals a gifted sub to his channel. The phenomenon that is Netflix’s Squid Games series has taken over the internet. It’s become the most-watched show in the history of the streaming service, and fans have been clamoring for more. It’s also taken the gaming world by storm, too. Warzone players have been making Squid Game loadouts, GTA RP’s NoPixel server held a Squid Games-inspired ‘Octopus Games’ event, and there is a title by the name of Crab Game on Steam that bears a big resemblance to the TV show. A number of Twitch streamers have been giving the ‘Crab Game’ title a try, and have had hilarious highlights – personified by xQc losing his mind with a rival player who denied him in Red Light, Green Light. Sykkuno has also joined the ranks of streamers getting involved with Crab Game, teaming with some of his friends and viewers in a few rounds of the PC game. And, he’s been pretty dastardly himself. While spectating Disguised Toast and other players trying to complete the Floor is Lava level, the streaming star had a devilish offer for one of Toast’s rivals. “Aries, if you’re watching, push off Toast, I’ll gift you a sub,” he called out to his chat. Luckily for Sykkuno, the fan obliged seconds later, denying Toast from making the final leap to safety. Aries yeeted the Offline TV member into the sea and eliminated him, leaving Sykkuno in a fit of laughter. “He actually did it,” the streamer said, taking a brief pause from his laughing. While Aries made it to safety, the tables were quickly turned on them as other players consigned them to the same fate as Toast. Regardless, the hilarious moment was loved by Sykkuno and his viewers, though Toast probably wasn’t the biggest fan.

Sykkuno pops off in Valorant and leaves entire lobby speechless Riot Games / Twitch: SykkunoSykkuno left an entire Valorant lobby speechless after he popped off hard and single-handedly won a team fight, but it’s not the first time he’s impressed others with his mad skills, and it won’t be the last. Sykkuno isn’t known for his competitive gaming skills. Most people see him as an entertaining variety streamer. However, he does dabble in competitive games like Valorant from time to time. And when he does, he almost always adds something to his highlight reel and reminds everyone that he’s no slouch. In a recent stream, he popped off hard on Valorant and left an entire lobby stunned. However, it also seemed like he impressed himself. It started with a mistake, but he quickly turned it around into something magical. At the beginning of the clip, Sykkuno is fumbling around and trying to settle on a strategy. “Alright, I’m going to rush down mid,” he said. “I know how to charge at them like a maniac and hope it works, and usually, I die.” Once the fight broke out, he managed to get an early pick off. But then he got a bit too keen and made a crucial error. He pushed the wrong button and teleported onto the other side without any cover. “Oh! I pushed the wrong button,” he said. However, just when it looked like his prediction was about to come true, he got into the zone and popped off hard. Read more: Why isn’t Sykkuno streaming? – He blindsided two unsuspecting enemies and took them out. “Wait! No, I pushed the right button! I pushed the right button!” Then, he took out a third from long-range and won the round. It’s not the first time he’s impressed others with his mad skills. Michael ‘shroud’ Grzesiek was left speechless after being destroyed by him on the OfflineTV Rust server. “Sykkuno, you killed me. You’re amazing!” he said. “You destroyed me! You’re the better gamer, man.” Read more: Sykkuno fans call out “uncomfortable” gifts – Charles ‘Moistcr1tikal’ White also talked about how good Sykkuno is at Valorant. “He’s got a killer instinct on him,” he said. “He’s got some sharpshooting. I think when the stream’s off, [he goes] around clapping children on these games for some fun. He can get real gross at this game. He was pulling off some nasty clips.” Sykkuno comes across as humble and reserved, so he’ll probably play down the compliments and deny that he has a killer instinct. It’s one of the things his fans love about him. However, when push comes to shove, it’s clear he’s got a knack for shooters. Hopefully, it’s something he’ll tap into more on his streams as time goes on.

Switch 2 leaks claim console runs “like a PS5”, FF7R to be launch title & more Square Enix/NintendoLeaks related to both Sega and Square Enix have revealed that devs are already working with Switch 2 dev kits. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is reportedly running great on the console and is likely to be a launch title. It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch is aging hardware. Since its initial release in 2017, the hardware hasn’t gotten any newer. And, unlike the PS4 pro and Xbox One X, the Switch hasn’t had any sort of hardware refresh to give it some help running modern titles. So, those who love Nintendo games have been anxiously awaiting a way to bring their favorite into the modern age with a resolution and graphical fidelity that doesn’t feel like a step back from their contemporaries. And, while the Switch 2 has been rumored for a while, information has been scarce. Until now, that is. According to a new leak related to Sega and Square Enix, the Switch 2 is on its way and devs have been working with development kits for these consoles for some time. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is reportedly running well on the console and has a good chance of being a launch title. Switch 2 leaks claim that devs are working with the console The biggest news from these leaks is that devs have their games running on a Switch 2 dev kit, and they’re running well. The Final Fantasy 7 remake didn’t take much effort to port over according to the leaker’s claims as to what devs have been saying, and that it didn’t take much time at all to bring the game over. Considering how difficult it is for modern AAA games to run on the Switch, the contents of this leak point to the Switch 2 being a huge technological leap. “FF7R looks and runs like a PS5 game on Switch 2 devkit. Port took no time I’m told. Could be a launch game, not sure.” claims the leaker. The leaker also had some similar claims coming from Sega, with the dev kits reportedly having been around for a while now and available for developers to work on. The most important information to wean here is that it’s backward compatible with some Switch games so far, and that the console is likely working toward full backward compatibility. “Switch 2 devkits have been here a while, I can verify it is backwards compatible with a few games tested. New cartridge. New camera feature.” The idea that there’s a new cartridge has made fans question whether or not the physical versions of their Switch games will be backward compatible, but some commenters on the original resetera post have pointed out that the 3DS had a similar problem and a solution for it. “It can just be like the DS > 3DS change where they just add a nub to it so that 3DS games can’t be inserted into a DS.” said one commenter. Additionally, the packaging on amiibos being changed has sparked speculation that they could be gearing up for the launch of the Switch 2. Compatible hardware is no longer listed as a part of the new packaging, making some believe that Nintendo is putting in the work now to “future proof” amiibos. It’s yet unclear what the Switch 2 will change, but, if developers have been working with the dev kits for a while now, it’s likely that we’ll hear more news about the upcoming console soon.

Swagg explains why TAQ-56 is Warzone 2’s “best” AR in Season 1 YouTube: SwaggWarzone 2’s meta favors long-range weapons, and CoD streamer Swagg explained why the TAQ-56 is his go-to AR for the battle royale sequel. We are still in the early days of Warzone 2, and the game’s meta has yet to fully develop. Just recently, players discovered weapon tuning is not linear, and each weapon and attachment has a specific sweet spot. As with the case in every battle royale title, players want to know what weapons they should be using. We ranked the top five Warzone 2 weapons and concluded the TAQ-56 is the game’s best gun. Swagg crowned the TAQ-56 as WZ2’s best AR, begging the question, what makes it so powerful? The CoD streamer explained why the Scar-H-inspired weapon is undeniably better than any other AR. Swagg claims the TAQ-56 is better than the M4 In his November 30 YouTube Video, Swagg shared his TAQ-56 loadout he used during a 26-kill game. The streamer claimed the TAQ-56 performs better without a scope and conceded that ADS speed might be a little bit of an issue. However, he concluded by saying, “this weapon doesn’t miss from long range.” Here is Swagg’s TAQ-56 loadout: Barrel: 17.5″ Tundra Pro Barrel – Muzzle: Harbinger D20 – Underbarrel: Phase-3 Grip – Ammunition: 5.6 High Velocity – Magazine: 60 Round Mag – As for the weapon tuning, Swagg maxed out recoil steadiness and damage range, but we advise against following suit. WhosImmortal recently explained how maxing out stats does more harm than good. The best way to weapon tune would be to increase recoil steadiness and damage range right up until the radar graph begins to dip in other areas. The same concept applies to every other attachment tuning. Swagg increased recoil smoothness and bullet velocity for the Harbinger D20, recoil stabilization, aiming idle stability for the Phase-3 Grip, and damage range and bullet velocity for the 5.56 High Velocity rounds.

Survival game Duckside gives guns to ducks and it’s not an April Fool’s joke tinyBuildtinyBuild is developing a survival game about combat-trained ducks. Don’t worry, Duckside is real. It’s been an interesting year for survival games so far with Palworld coming out of nowhere and taking the world by storm. The lovingly titled ‘Pokemon with guns’ set a precedent that tinyBuild looks to follow. This time, it’s ducks with guns in a hilarious-looking title called Duckside. Naturally, they chose to announce Duckside on April Fools’ Day leading the internet to wonder if the game even existed. Fortunately, it does and it looks like a whole lot of fun. The Duckside Steam page and an announce trailer reveal what to expect in this off-the-wall experience. Duckside brings all the usual survival fare with resource gathering, crafting, and base building all present in its persistent, multiplayer world. This all comes with the added bonus that you’re a duck so you can fly with precision flight controls in its 50-player servers. The developers explain a little bit of the ethos of Duckside and the decision to arm ducks with assault weaponry in the game’s brief synopsis. They describe the title as being “a persistent world survival game like DayZ or Rust… but you’re a duck, and so is everybody else.” “Duckside isn’t just about surviving; it’s about getting into the mind of a duck. Being a duck. Feeling the cold steel of a machine gun on your feathers. And the peace of mind that comes with settling down after a long day, in a house you built out of trash that you’d looted off some guy’s corpse.” While humans – or “the featherless” as ducks call them – are the real enemy, tinyBuild has revealed that players can face one another in PVP. Some of the more dastardly ducks out there may even choose to raid other players’ settlements or ambush them during a migration. There’s no official word on a release date for Duckside yet but prospective players can register for the game’s open beta on Steam.

Survey reveals tight race between PS5 and Xbox for next-gen console war MicrosoftYou might expect PS5 to be the clear winner next-gen, given how the PS4 performed during the current generation. But, a new survey suggests that assumption is wrong, and that Sony’s and Microsoft’s console battle might be closer than you might think. According to a new survey by Baird Equity Research, the PS5 and the Xbox family of next-gen consoles, which includes both the Series X and the less-powerful Series S, are in a deadlock tie this fall, which doesn’t line up with previous expectations. The survey asked players what their plans were for next-gen. While 41% of players said they were waiting until next year to pick up the new consoles, 18% said they would be picking up the PS5, 13% said they would be picking up the Xbox Series X, while only 5% said they would be picking up the Series S. Looking at those numbers, as originally reported by gamesindustry.biz, PS5 would be the winner if you compared to it each individual console in the family. However, combining both the Series X and Series S numbers (especially considering they can both run the same games) reveals that, overall, the same percentage of gamers said that they were getting Sony’s and Microsoft’s console. While this certainly isn’t the best-case scenario for Microsoft, (beating Sony would definitely be preferable) it’s certainly good news for them, as it means that whatever the company is doing is working. Could this be attributed to the fact that the company is making an affordable version of the console in the form of the Series S? It’s certainly possible but at this point, it’s impossible to know. It’s also worth pointing out that these are based on surveys. How people actually choose to spend their money could shake up completely different when the consoles actually launch and especially when they become more available. Still, it’s an interesting point, nonetheless. The Xbox Series X/Series S is set to launch on November 10, 2020, while the PS5 hits store shelves on November 12, 2020.

Witchfire gameplay revealed at Summer Game Fest with early access news AstronautsSummer Game Fest surprised fans with a new look at Witchfire, with a gameplay reveal and early access announcement. The first-person shooter is expected to launch into early access in late 2022, developed by Polish independent studio The Astronauts for Microsoft Windows. It was first announced to be in development back in 2017. On June 9, during the Summer Game Fest livestream, new footage of the dark fantasy title was unveiled – and it looks like fans of Destiny are going to lap this one up. Watch Witchfire trailer from Summer Games Fest 2022 The presentation was hosted by Geoff Keighley, who was joined by not just a number of game developers and publishers from around the world, but also Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Read More: Summer Game Fest MW2 gameplay revealed – While the WWE superstar loves the spotlight, it was Witchfire that stole the show for that segment – as Astronauts gave more insight into their world. A castle stands high in the mountains as the gameplay starts up, and viewers are walked through a number of guns and enemies that will appear in Witchfire. During the press conference, it was stated that Witchfire early access is coming to early access “soon” with the wishlist being opened up for those interested. “Witchfire is a dream project for us,” said The Astronauts Creative Director and Co-Founder, Adrian Chmielarz in a press release. “After The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, we’re back to familiar shooter territory, but with the benefit of 2022 graphics and design. Now we’re able to bring our dark fantasies to life with spine-tingling realism!” The game is being developed in Unreal Engine 4, and comes from a team of just nine developers.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble review: Banana-rama and multiplayer drama SEGAWe’re in the midst of a Super Monkey Ball renaissance, as Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the third entry in the series for the Nintendo Switch. Each building on the strength of the previous one, this new era has consisted of remakes, but finally, a new entry is pushing the series forward. After Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD and Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, Banana Rumble is stuffed with fresh things for fans to enjoy. SEGA promises hundreds of new levels, a bevy of new banana-based battle games, and even some fun changes to the core gameplay like the addition of a spin dash. So with so much to see and do, it might actually be tough to figure out whether this new battle-focused entry is a real Rumble in the Jungle, or if the appeal has worn off and left us with a Banana Fumble. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble key details Price: $49.99 | £39.99 – Developer: SEGA – Release Date: June 25, 2023 – Platforms: Nintendo Switch – It’s not what you do it’s the way you do it A type of reverse-platformer, or at least an interesting spin on the genre, Super Monkey Ball is a bit like moving a marble across a level. Just as you cannot control a marble, here you do not control the monkeys (as such), instead tilting the level around them to inform their movement. Now, this is all very tricky but addictive, and the quick-fire nature of these stages makes it an exhilarating thrill to continually throw yourself at these levels, despite dozens of failures. There is one element with control, however, as this new entry introduces the idea of a spin dash. Yup, Sonic fans might be familiar with this one, as you press A to charge your move, then release it after you have reached the desired amount of charge, propelling your monkey forward with force. What starts as a simple and pleasant adventure soon accelerates into a different beast. You begin guiding these sweet monkeys to a goal over a slightly wobbly platform, propped up with safety barriers Then, before long these monkeys are being thrust forward like an Olympic shotput, while the stage is barely bigger than two pieces of tagliatelle, and even then there are bumpers and moving platforms waiting to lead your poor monkey mate to their doom. It’s frantic, it’s terrifying, but the crux is the satisfaction of the gameplay, as the monkeys themselves feel great to control, moving with weight and purpose. A cruel summer for Simians With its bright art style and joyfully adorable cast of monkeys, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is designed to be a children’s game. But, the devious design of some of the later levels made me jealous of some of my friends currently playing easy games like Elden Ring. This is a huge new suite of levels for fans to enjoy, and thankfully, there are some real highlights among the bunch. Even the beginning levels add some fun new mechanics – but the new spin dash technique has made the developers approach things in a fresh light. While the Super Monkey Ball series isn’t quite up there with Crysis for visual impact, it still looks lovely thanks to a great design and gorgeous choice of colors. The different styles in each world are great, with some traditional worlds like a stone or candy design giving way to some more… grandiose stages later on that look really impressive. It all runs at a silky smooth 60 fps, which is exactly what you want with this sort of sensitive gameplay, though there is a dip in performance when playing multiplayer. Super Monkey Ball has always been about finding shortcuts, and the challenge times for each stage often demand you find them. But the spin dash allows you to quickly propel yourself forward, instead of slowly building momentum by moving the stage, allowing you to use lips or other raised edges/platforms to jump across the stage with ease. Initially, when starting up Banana Rumble, the game didn’t feel quite as responsive as Banana Mania but a few settings adjustments brought things in line. As soon as things clicked in place, I adored this mechanic and the new levels were begging for me to use it. For the main solo adventure mode, I am seriously impressed with the massive amount of levels, the different ideas spread across the world, and some interesting and gorgeous designs for the levels and worlds themselves. Any Monkey Ball veteran will find it tough to get to the end, and even then, there are three challenges in each stage waiting to truly test you. These include a time trial, a hidden golden banana, and a mission to collect a select amount of bananas – all of which also demand you finish the level to complete the task. A split in the gameplay Adding to the already impressive number of things to do are a series of Battle or multiplayer modes. Previous entries in the series ordinarily have a few minigames for players to enjoy, but things have been kicked up a notch this time, with online gameplay and even a season of rewards. Much like Mario Kart’s infamous Battle Mode, whether you want to play locally or online, you can throw yourself into some intense matches with up to four players in local multiplayer, or up to 16 in larger online matches. During the multiplayer matches, the chaotic nature of the games really comes through, but there is enough restraint to stop it from feeling like you’re just constantly falling off the stage. Other modes include a banana collecting game, which is exactly what you think. Then, Ba-Boom is a game of hot potato, where you desperately try not to explode. Robot Smash has you throwing yourself into obstacles with the new spin dash, and the more robots you defeat the more points you gain. Finally, my favorite of the modes is Goal Rush, where you repeatedly travel through a short level, trying to move through one set of goalposts to gain points for your team. An easy goal is just 10 points or something similar, but a few daring tracks will reward your skills with much more. Ba-Boom is my least favorite, not quite capturing what I love about Monkey Ball, but I got a lot of fun out of the other modes. If you play online with random opponents, you also earn points for the season pass, unlocking a steady stream of new cosmetics to help your monkey look the business. There’s even a Lucky Monkey Lottery gacha machine that rewards you with a prize once per day, so long as you play at least one online match. The progression feels good, even if you don’t come first, and between the fun of online matches and the urge to unlock more, I’m really excited to head back into this mode when more players are rolling in. However, the season prizes feel a little lackluster, and the lack of some older mini-games like bowling or billiards is sorely felt. I hope future seasons spice things up with more exciting cosmetics and some of the more silly game modes. Plus, while the visuals can just about keep up when playing in solo mode, things start to deteriorate when more players join the fray. Thankfully the framerate stays somewhat consistent, but the graphical fidelity drops quite a lot when playing with others, especially in handheld mode. It’s not a deal breaker, and you can still see everything you need to see to play the game, but it’s noticeable and the drop in framerate can definitely affect gameplay. Considering multiplayer is fun – but not amazing – it’s a shame to also see it hampered with performance woes. I want you back I’ve been really impressed both with the quantity and quality of gameplay in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, and there is even quite a lot to unlock as you progress. As well as the steady stream of levels, you can find outfits for your characters and different balls for them to roll around in. These are cute – if lacking a little – but give players something to do with the many bananas and points accumulated through normal gameplay. It’s great to have more options, especially as each character has their own balance of weight, spin, speed, etc. This makes it fun to find your preferred gameplay style, but it’s a bit of a bummer if you prefer one of the new characters and have to stare at the single outfit they possess. The Super Monkey Ball games have been steadily increasing in price in the last few years, with Banana Rumble more expensive than Banana Mania, which was more expensive than Banana Blitz before it. Fine, there’s a lot of new content here, that’s absolutely deserved. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble may not take any money for its online mode or the season pass but there is an enormous library of paid DLC, with additional playable characters from SEGA’s iconic history, and over a dozen customization options. At the time of writing, each character – such as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and even Jet Set Radio’s Beat and Crazy Taxi character Axel – costs around $4.99 each. Many characters like Sonic, Knuckles, and even Kiryu and more were included in the price of the previous entry Banana Mania. Players can buy a SEGA pass to shave something off the price of all these additional characters, but ultimately anyone hoping to pick up all of the unlockable options through DLC will be paying through the nose. If I hadn’t found the main game’s offerings so lukewarm I wouldn’t be quite so bothered, but it feels like the best customization options have been gouged out of the game this time around in the hopes of making extra profit. Verdict – 3/5 The first new entry in the Super Monkey Ball franchise in over a decade, Banana Rumble feels like a smart move for this series, bringing in the sort of chaotic online multiplayer that has given titles like Fall Guys so much success. It works well here, and I adored my moments of madness against over a dozen players online across the world. Ultimately, despite some criticisms, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a thrilling return to form for the series and is stuffed with fresh content and new ideas. A massive solo mode offers enough challenge for months of monkey-madness, and the online Battle Mode could just be the shot in the arm this franchise needs to progress forward. Whether you want to enjoy some challenging platforming, have fun with friends, or just unwind with some really silly battles, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble has charm in spades and enough content to keep you going for months. I just hope the multiplayer and some customization options improve. Reviewed on Nintendo Switch If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Super Mario Wonder players delighted as “outdated” featured is removed Super Mario Bros. Wonder has done away one of the most disliked features in the series, and fans are expressing their delight, especially those who want to take their time or use the game to teach others about platformers. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the most unconventional games in the franchise, which includes removing an element that has been in nearly every single Mario title in the past. For once, this hasn’t displeased fans, as they have praised the removal of this antiquated piece of game design. As the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES was released in the ’80s, it has a lot of arcade game DNA in its design. Things like the lives system originated in arcade titles, where they acted as a punishment for failure, but this element was downplayed over time, with later Mario games making it easy to stock up on lives with no issue. The older Mario titles were meant to test the player’s skill, but the newer ones are more about the experience, with games like the incredible Super Mario Odyssey encouraging players to enjoy exploring its many worlds and power-ups. Super Mario Bros. Wonder players love that the time limit has been scrapped Super Mario Bros. Wonder has finally scrapped the time limit in stages, which is something that has been in nearly every entry in the franchise. While video game fans are often resistant to changes like this, a thread on the official Nintendo Reddit is overflowing with praise for the removal of the time limit. “The time limit and the score were not really vital or necessary so I don’t care about them not being there.” One user wrote, “I love it!” and another commented “It really allows you to explore the levels now and be truly captivated by each level design. It’s stress-free, and also the game is totally more appealing to younger children and newbies at 2D Mario, which is another plus.” One of the recurring themes among the comments is that the removal of the time limit is great for Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s multiplayer. A lot of Mario fans might not even notice the time limit, but if they’re playing alongside a child or someone who isn’t familiar with the series, then they can spend as long as they want teaching the other player the ropes, without fear of a game over. Super Mario Bros. Wonder technically didn’t remove the time limit completely, as there are some challenges involving the Wonder Seeds that pit the player against the clock, though these are for optional unlocks and won’t prevent the player from completing the stage. The consensus is that the time limit is an outdated piece of design for a game like Super Mario Bros. Wonder. This is a game that’s all about spectacle, exploration, and experimentation, so enforcing a timer just restricts the enjoyment that can be had with one of the best Mario titles in years.

Super Mario Wonder player uncovers romantic throwback Easter egg A Super Mario Bros. Wonder player has discovered a surprising Easter egg, as an obscure romantic scene involving the Mega Urchins from New Super Mario Bros. Wii is followed up on via a secret room. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has a hidden Easter egg that brings back a romantic couple from New Super Mario Bros. Wii in a surprising callback to one of the older entries in the series. The Mario games don’t have a solid continuity, with the events of each title counted as their own moments in time. The most continuity fans get is the addition of new recurring Mario characters, such as Captain Toad, Rosalina, or Nabbit. This isn’t to say that the Mario franchise doesn’t love referencing its own history, as they are filled with Easter eggs to the 8-bit and 16-bit entries in the series. It’s just rare for events from older games to be directly referenced in later entries. Super Mario Bros. Wonder brings back the Mega Urchin secret love room Super Mario Bros. Wonder is filled with all kinds of new content, such as the elephant transformation power-up and the Flower Kingdom. A user on the Mario Reddit page has discovered a direct reference to an older Mario game, but you have to look for it. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, if the player travels to World 4-3 and finds the secret pipe, they’ll enter a chamber with two Mega Urchins, a Star Coin, and smaller coins in the shape of a heart, suggesting that they are in love. This scene is replicated in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, as there is a hidden chamber with two Urchins and two Cheep Cheeps. Like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a heart is made from coins, suggesting that it’s the same two creatures appearing years later, with the Cheep Cheeps being their kids. Unfortunately, true love isn’t always meant to be, as users in the same Reddit thread commented on how they killed the Urchins with the Fire Flower power-up. This might beat Tomb Raider 2’s locking the butler in the freezer in terms of video game cruelty. It’s always cute when Nintendo throws in obscure references like this for the series’ longtime fans. Mario is creeping toward its 40th anniversary, which means there are many games that people fondly remember, all deserving of a shoutout in the newer titles.

Super Mario Wonder: How to find the secret exit in Piranha Plants on Parade NintendoSuper Mario Bros. Wonder has some tricky secrets, such as the secret exit found in World 1’s Piranha Plants on Parade. Here’s how to find this secret exit and what you get for unlocking it. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is finally here and many Nintendo fans are already finding it to be an excellent next step for 2D Mario platforming. While Nintendo has spiced up the classic 2D Mario formula with new power-ups, and new mechanics like the Wonder effect, the development team has also kept in many 2D sidescrolling staples like secret exits. One of the trickier secret exits actually comes in the second level in the entire game, called Piranha Plants on Parade. Here’s how players can find this secret exit and see what it unlocks for themselves. How to reach the secret exit in Piranha Plants on Parade First things first, players need to enter Pranha Plants on Parade, which is the second level located in World 1 Pipe-Rock Plateau. From here, progress through the level as normal until you come across a floating Wonder Flower, floating side-to-side on the music blocks below. Grab the Wonder Flower and enjoy the unique Wonder Effect while avoiding the Piranha Plants. After the Wonder Effect is over and you’ve collected the Wonder Seed, look for a series of Music Blocks next to a large pipe as seen in the image below. Getting a running jump from right to left, sprint jump on the very last yellow Music Block and land on the diagonal pipe on the platform above. Jump up and head down the warp pipe all the way to the left. From here, you will enter the foreground and pass the regular exit of the course. Keep going left until you make it to another warp pipe. Enter the pipe and you will exit into the regular course to find the secret exit Flag Pole. Jump off the blocks at the highest point to get the Golden Flag and exit the course through the secret exit. Finding the secret exit will not only give players a sneak peek at the Petal Isles but also introduces Captain Toad in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Speak to Captain Toad to collect 50 Flower Coins.

Super Mario Wonder fans love Elephant Peach but feel bad for Yoshi NintendoThe Super Mario Wonder Direct revealed it’s not just Mario who will be able to transform into an Elephant form, and fans have a lot of thoughts on the new mechanic. Excitement for Super Mario Wonder has grown following a Nintendo Direct focused on the upcoming game. Wonder is the first brand-new traditional 2D Mario game in over a decade, and it’s adding quite a bit to the series. One of these features is the new Elephant power-up. The game’s initial reveal showed Mario using this ability, but the Direct showed he won’t be the only one transforming. This has delighted fans, but another elephant-related mechanic has players concerned for Yoshi’s well-being. Mario fans already love Princess Peach’s elephant form The Super Mario Wonder Direct gave us a first look at elephant versions of Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Toadette. While Yoshi and Nabbit are also playable, these characters don’t take damage and, as a trade-off, can’t transform. Overall, fans seem delighted by these new designs. Just hours after the Direct, there was already fan art of Elephant Peach. Mario x Peach but they’re goofy elephants ❤️🩷 https://t.co/xoLqmLKP5w pic.twitter.com/3p34aaTJss — idk i’m just here (@akiiame) August 31, 2023 Some questioned why Peach and Daisy don’t have hair while Mario and Luigi have their mustaches, but others thought it was the right choice. However, one character in particular got the short end of the stick in this Direct. In addition to not getting an Elephant form, Yoshi can be used as a mount in Super Mario Wonder. If someone is playing as Yoshi, other players are able to jump onto their back – even while transformed. This is led to quite a strong reaction from fans either questioning how Yoshi is able to carry around an elephant or just feeling sorry for the little guy. One fan even joked that this mechanic should be part of the next Super Smash Bros. game. Some fans are still not sold on the Elephant forms, which do look a bit goofy. Still, Mario games have long had strange power-ups, from turning the eponymous plumber into a flying tanuki to transforming him into a cat. Of course, fans will certainly miss Mario voice actor Charles Martinet, who Nintendo announced is stepping away from his roles starting with this game. All in all though, Super Mario Wonder appears to be a strong entry in the vast franchise thanks to innovations like Elephant forms others that shake up the basic formula.

How to switch party members in Super Mario RPG NintendoSuper Mario RPG allows you to bring along many other party members for the ride, but how do you switch which ones are active? Here’s everything you need to know. Exploring the world of Super Mario RPG means you’ll need a lean, mean fighting machine when it comes to who makes up your party. Each character in the game has different moves, strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important you get what works for you. And if you’d rather swap out one of your party members for another, in case you’re unhappy with the current roster, there is a way to do it. Here’s everything you need to know about how to switch your party members in Super Mario RPG. How to switch party members in Super Mario RPG First of all, to switch party members you’ll need to acquire your 4th character. This will be Bowser, who appears at Booster Tower. Once you have four party members, you can switch them. All you need to do is pause the game while exploring and select the Party option on the menu. From here, you’ll see your Active Party, which are the characters who you will bring into battle. Any other characters will be left in Standby. To switch characters out, simply select the Active Party member you’d like to switch and swap them with a character in standby. It’s worth noting that Mario can’t be switched, and will always be an Active Party member. So while you can switch out Mallow or Geno, Mario will stay where he is. Can you switch party members during battles? Yes, you can switch out party members during battles. When you’re currently selecting an action for a party member who isn’t Mario, you will be able to switch characters by pressing + on the controller, if another party member is available in standby. Switching to another party member during a battle does not use up their turn, and you will be able to perform a move with the new character immediately after they are switched. And that’s all you need to know about switching party members in Super Mario RPG. See our other Super Mario RPG content here: All Super Mario RPG characters | Action Commands explained | All treasure chest items | Difficulty settings | How to switch party members

Super Mario RPG review: Faithful remake of a daring adventure While the Super Mario RPG branding had been abandoned for Nintendo’s RPG titles featuring the mascot character in favor of the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi franchises, a remake of Legend of the Seven Stars is releasing this month. But does it stand the test of time, and has Nintendo made any notable improvements? In 1996, a collaboration between Nintendo and Square led to a more ambitious title, which placed Mario and his friends in a world that drew many inspirations from Square’s Final Fantasy series. Releasing to many positive reviews, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars has entered a legacy of being one of the most popular Mario games of all time. So given its age, its popularity, and the fact that the original wasn’t released in Europe at the time, it is no shock that Nintendo has decided to give the classic RPG a much-needed facelift in 2023. Super Mario RPG remake: Key details Price: $59.99/£49.99 – Developer: ArtePiazza, Square (original release) – Release Date: November 17, 2023 – Platforms: Nintendo Switch – Super Mario RPG release trailer In Super Mario RPG, a giant sword crashes into Bowser’s castle, displacing Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser across the land, as well as the Seven Star fragments. It’s up to Mario and his friends to save the land and recover the missing star fragments. Similarly to the original game on the SNES, Super Mario RPG has you journeying to the different areas of the overworld and battling enemies in your quest to recover the Seven Star fragments. These locations differ in theme, taking you deep into rocky volcanic caves, through maze-like forests, and across the skies themselves. If you’ve played the original title, or any turn-based RPG for that matter, you’ll be familiar with how Super Mario RPG remake works. You travel across an overworld, visiting many different sub-areas that have their own share of enemies and bosses. Along the way, you’ll pick up special items and power-ups that enhance the combat. A visual and audio marvel, for better or worse The first and most obvious change regarding the remake is the touch-up to the graphics, utilizing more modern, detailed 3D visuals as opposed to 2D sprites from the original. Whether or not that’s an improvement is going to be down to individual preference. 3D graphics feel more modern, and will likely help the game be more approachable to newcomers and younger gamers. However, there’s no denying those crisp 2D renders from the original game helped Super Mario RPG gain a unique identity. It’s a shame Nintendo didn’t try to emulate this in the remake by bringing in a more refined pixel-art style — something that the publisher has not really explored in recent years. Still, even with this caveat, Super Mario RPG on Switch looks gorgeous. The original game’s vibrant colors have been converted well onto the modern platform. And especially on the OLED, everything in both the foreground and background really pops out. On the other hand, Super Mario RPG remake shines in the music department. Original composer Yoko Shimomura has returned to develop new tracks for the remake, with them having their own modern spin on the beloved classics. While I was less impressed by the game’s visuals, the soundtrack shines brightly. And if you’re not a fan, you’re even allowed to toggle on the original music from a menu setting. A more approachable RPG experience Most of the more substantial changes in Super Mario RPG come in the form of new accessibility options and playstyles, which assist new players in getting to grips with the systems on offer. They also provide new choices when it comes to different combat scenarios. During any battle now, performing any ‘Action Command’ causes a meter to slowly fill up as you execute successful moves. This includes attacking, blocking, or using your special attacks. When this meter fills up, you’ll be able to enact a gauge move (or triple move if all three party members are available) which sees your party perform an attack that decimates opponents with massive damage. In my testing, these moves seemed to not necessarily dole out any additional damage than the regular special moves. However, they did negate some status effects and buffs opponents had, which made it a useful tool in dealing as much damage as possible. In general though, despite some enhancements to the combat, the game is still quite tough. The original was famously difficult depending on your leveling choices and previous experience with RPGs. In that regard, the game feels largely unchanged and players after a challenge may still find one here. On the other hand, newcomers and less experienced RPG gamers who may need a bit of a leg up when it comes to these challenging battles can activate a “Breezy” mode difficulty option. This tunes down some of the stress, as well as tweaks the number of items you can hold. It’s a fantastic addition that makes the game more approachable to those who are struggling with the initial early stages. It doesn’t affect anyone who wishes to stay on the default difficulty level, and you can switch between both modes at any time — meaning if one battle is particularly daunting, you can briefly switch over to Breezy mode and then switch back once you’ve beaten it. In terms of other improvements to the remake, a better user interface allows more useful information to appear on the screen. A help menu is also accessible at any time within battles, and a few additional control options are available too. On the whole, it feels very much like the original Super Mario RPG you know and love from 1996, with some additional improvements to help modernize it. While there are some awkward qualities to it as a result of being a game designed in the mid-1990s, such as those clunky minigames that remain largely unchanged — the game is a must-have for Mario fans. The Verdict — 4/5 A new lick of paint and some enhanced accessibility improvements bring the Super Mario RPG remake into the 21st century. While the game was already a great outing back in 1996, new players should have no problem jumping into Mario’s first RPG title, hopefully opening the door for next year’s Paper Mario remake and potentially more RPGs later down the line. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Super Mario RPG: How to get Work Pants The Work Pants are one of the few armor items that can be worn by any character in Super Mario RPG, making them extremely valuable. So, here’s everything you need to know to quickly find this handy item in the newest Mario adventure. Super Mario RPG is the remake of the beloved game from 1996, and as any other game in the genre, it’s filled with different armors for every playable character. Though armor, accessories, and weapons won’t change the looks of Mario, Peach, Bowser, Mallow or Geno, it’s worth spending some time searching for them in order to become stronger as the adventure unfolds. Where to find the Work Pants in Super Mario RPG The Work Pants can be bought at the Mushroom store in Moleville for 22 coins. However, you can’t get to this location from the get-go. Super Mario RPG has a linear progression in which you unlock one area after another in a particular order. So, to get into Moleville, first you’ll need to finish the game’s second chapter and collect the Star. As soon as this is done, Geno will join your party and you’ll be able to get into Moleville. What are Work Pants for in Super Mario RPG These particular items, as well as the Super Suit and the Lazy Shell, are the three armor items that can be used by any character in your party. The Work Pants effects and stats are: Attack (+10) – Defense (+15) – Speed (+5) – Magic Attack (+10) – Magic Defense (+5) – While each character has a bunch of exclusive armor items, the Work Pants have more pros than many of them, and that’s why they are a ‘must have’ item. That’s all you need to know about the Work Pants and how to get them. For more guides about Super Mario RPG, check the list below: All Super Mario RPG characters | Action Commands explained | All treasure chest items | Difficulty settings | How to switch party members

Super Mario RPG: How to get the Quartz Charm & what does it do? Super Mario RPG is filled with accessories that grant characters special skills or boost stats. The Quartz Charm is certainly the best of them, so here’s all you need to know about this valuable item and where to find it. Despite its deceiving cute visuals, Super Mario RPG is a tough turn-based adventure in which players must strategize properly in order to get through the many chapters the game offers. As in any RPG, this remake allows players to equip armor, weapons, and accessories to each one of the five playable characters. That way, you can increase your party’s survivability by boosting stats or getting special skills. Of course, between the pool of options available, it’s hard to pick just one accessory to equip, so stay with the Quartz Charm, which is the best there is. Here’s how you can get your hands on it. Where to find the Quartz Charm in Super Mario RPG The road to the Quartz Charm is a tricky one. This precious item is granted as a reward for beating the game’s secret optional boss, Culex. In order to get to him, you’ll need to follow a series of steps first: Find the little mole girl in Moleville that’s behind a set of five wooden boxes. – Go inside the building next to her and purchase a firework (500 coins) from a mole. – Go back to the young girl and exchange the firework for the Shiny Stone. – Travel to Monstro Town and head to the darker set of doors in the middle of the town. – Use the Shiny Stone to open the door. – Fight Culex and get the Quartz Charm. – Keep in mind that the Final Fantasy-inspired boss is no push-over, and will use four elemental crystals during the fight. This means he can attack five times in a row, so be well prepared before engaging. What does the Quartz Charm do in Super Mario RPG Even though the Quartz Charm is hard to get, it’s totally worth it. Once you equip this accessory, it will halve damage – like the Ghost Metal – while also raising attack power by 50%, and preventing mortal blows at the same time. It’s the perfect defensive accessory as it prevents instant death. You can use it to keep your healer – Peach – safe, or to keep your main attacker – Mario – alive. That’s it! That’s everything you need to know about the precious Quartz Charm and where to find it. Check our list below for more content on Super Mario RPG. All Super Mario RPG characters | Action Commands explained | All treasure chest items | Difficulty settings | How to switch party members