Nov 25, 14:00


GamersHeroes Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:35 PM
    

Now available for PC and consoles, the world of Cryptic Studios and Arc Games' free-to-play Dungeons & Dragons MMORPG Neverwinter is getting that much bigger with Red Harvest Part II - The Soul Collector.

The post Neverwinter: Red Harvest Part II – The Soul Collector Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:30 PM
    

The Steam version of Digital Eclipse's Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection has begun a highly-anticipated lobby system rollout as part of its new beta.

The post Online Lobby Steam Beta Now Available for Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:45 AM
    

Quite the ambitious one, Mr. Big will make his way to SNK's FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves December 9.

The post Mr. Big Coming to FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves December 9 appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:15 PM
    

Microsoft Office

This deal takes $180 off the lifetime subscription of Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows.

The post Microsoft Goes Beyond Laptop Deals, MS Office Pro 2021 Lifetime License Is Nearly Free at 90% Off for Black Friday appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:51 PM
    

Blue Prince, Borderlands 4, Silent Hill f, Metal Eden, Oblivion Remastered, and Battlefield 6 are all cheaper than normal on Valve's digital store

The post Steam's Black Friday Sale Features A Lot Of Great 2025 Games You Still Don't Have Time To Play appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:49 PM
    

Image (36)

These aren't even practical to eat out of, at this point

The post <em>Wicked: For Good</em> Is Taking The Popcorn Bucket Craze Too Damn Far appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:45 PM
    

Asusrogstrixg16

Save 23% on this 2025 gaming laptop from Asus for a limited time over at Amazon.

The post ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop (RTX 5070) Crashes to a No-Margin Price as Amazon Clears Out 5-Star Bestsellers for Black Friday appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:35 PM
    

Anker Usb C Cable Usb C

Charges at 60W, reaches 3.3 feet, carries Apple approval and survives daily abuse.

The post Anker Goes Full Giveaway on USB-C Cables, 60W 2-Pack Selling for Mere Pennies at Amazon appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:15 PM
    

Microsoftsurfacelaptop2024

Save as much as $450 on the 2024 model of the Microsoft Surface Laptop for a limited time at Amazon.

The post Microsoft Cuts the Surface Laptop Harder Than Apple, Turning It Into a Black Friday Budget PC appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:06 PM
    

Trump talks to MBS under blue light.

Also: James Cameron explains his hatred of Netflix

The post Saudi Arabia Might Be Headed For Its Own Embracer Moment appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:46 AM
    

Dog Heal

Perfect baby angel Pea learned how to heal with the press of her paw

The post This Dog Heals Better Than Most Of My <i>Marvel Rivals</i> Teammates appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:45 AM
    

4tb Seagate

Bid all your storage problems goodbye with this massive 4TB drive.

The post This $0.02 per GB Seagate Hard Drive Deal Makes Storage Practically Free, Even the 1-Year Rescue Service Is Included appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:35 AM
    

Galaxy Z Flip7 Samsung

Folds into your pocket, unfolds flagship performance.

The post Galaxy Z Flip 7 Makes Zero-Profit Play, Samsung Sells Foldable Cheaper Than Its Own Galaxy S25 appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:15 AM
    

Logitechmxmaster3s

For a limited time, you can get the Logitech MX Master 3S gaming mouse for as low as $80.

The post Logitech Pushes MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse Into Black Friday Giveaway Mode After Last Month's Sales Wipe Out Most Stock appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:10 AM
    

Xbox themed Crocs sit against a green gradient.

They literally could've named them Xcrocs and chose not too

The post Xbox Is Taunting Fans With The Worst $80 Purchase Of Their Lives appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:05 AM
    

Ugreen 65 W Wall Charger

Best in class USB-C charger.

The post Amazon Quietly Liquidates Ugreen Nexode 65W, 4-Port Fast Charger Almost Free Now appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:49 AM
    

Persona 5's Joker appears in pre-release footage.

I have no idea what he's cooking but I'm here for it

The post <i>Persona</i> Director Says 'JRPG 3.0' Is Coming To Re-Shape The Genre 'At A Fundamental Level' appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:47 AM
    

The Freaky Friday poster with Mario and Spyro's heads on the main characters.

Homebrew modders are giving us a look into an alternate timeline

The post <em>Mario</em> And <em>Spyro</em> Just Swapped Consoles And It's Breaking My Brain appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:45 AM
    

Wd 5tb Elements Portable External Hard Drive For Windows

The fast and reliable Elements 5TB portable hard drive is the way to ward off catastrophic data and file loss, and it's just $110 at Amazon.

The post WD 5TB Portable External Hard Drive at $0.02 per GB Shows Black Friday Is All About Clearing Stock, Not Profit appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:35 AM
    

Philips Hue Starter Kit

Enjoy 16 million colors, voice control and even dozens of preset scenes.

The post Philips Goes Zero-Profit on Hue A19 Smart Bulbs, 3-Pack Set Now Selling for Basic Bulb Money appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:32 AM
    

'Threatening' language and loud 'pop' noises were reported over the weekend in California

The post Guy Played Video Games So Loud The Cops Showed Up appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:15 AM
    

AppleiPada16chip

Save as much as 21% over at Amazon on the Apple iPad powered by the A16 chipset.

The post This A16 iPad Falls Even Further After Amazon Black Friday Began, Landing at a Price Apple Normally Wouldn't Allow appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:45 AM
    

Govee Christmas

Choose from 16 million color options, and over 130 animated lighting effects.

The post Govee Christmas LED Lights Go for Peanuts, Holiday Decor Basically Comes Free Thanks to Exceptionally Low Black Friday Pricing appeared first on Kotaku.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:54 PM
    

Shores of Vaelithar began as a divisive Midjourney clip, but its developer tells us they won't be using gen-AI for the full release.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:31 PM
    

The Stellaris Infernals Species Pack offers more than first meets the eye, including a new Crisis Path, volcanic worlds, and thermophilia.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:02 PM
    

Due to a mysterious issue with a recent Windows 11 update, some games are seeing frame rates drop by up to 50% if left unpatched.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:13 AM
    

The Chaos Gods are finally appeased as Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2's Reclamation update brings much-needed improvements to evil cosmetics.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:00 AM
    

Spellcasters Chronicles is a departure from Quantic Dream's usual narrative fare, but that doesn't stop it from being loads of fun.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:30 AM
    

Three ships and more cargo types have just arrived in the latest Seafarer update, alongside the ability to take snaps in the new photo mode.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:00 AM
    

Inspired by the likes of Baldur's Gate 3, Dragonheir Silent Gods' huge Season 3 update adds a new region and brings back its D&D event.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 8:18 AM
    

A Battlefield 6 free trial is now underway, letting you play core modes like Conquest and Breakthrough without having to pay a dime.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:33 AM
    

The BlackShark V2 Hyperspeed packs 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and great sound quality, all at an amazing 54% discount right now.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:31 AM
    

Treyarch made some big promises to fans about Astra Malorum, and now new details about the next Black Ops 7 Zombies map have emerged.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:21 AM
    

The Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event unlocks golden sticker trading to help you complete missing album stickers and complete your collection.


PCGamesN Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:44 AM
    

The Chapter 6, Season 5 Fortnite map changes once again, and this time, we're headed to Springfield to cause chaos with The Simpsons.


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:57 PM
    

This week's most popular game is not a robovoiced extraction shooter or a buggy martial arts RPG, but Guess The Steam Machine Price: a well-meaning (if largely speculative) timepasser wherein whoever most accurately converts Valve's teasing into a final street price for the resurrected SteamOS mini-PC wins. In 2026, when it launches.

I feel left out, so will have a go myself below, though there's quite a serious kink in mine or indeed anyone's plan to ticket the Steam Machine by speccing an equivalent DIY PC. Alas, RAM prices have gone stratospheric, in a manner not seen among computing components since the Great Graphics Card Dumpster Fire of 2020.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:13 PM
    

Saturnalia and Wheels of Aurelia developers Santa Ragione have announced that they will "wind down operations and face a high risk of closing the studio", following Valve's refusal to allow their upcoming horror game Horses on Steam, PC gaming's largest digital storefront by some distance. They say they have the funds to support and update Horses after launch for around six months, but claim they "will not be able to start new projects unless Horses somehow recoups its development costs without access to more than 75% of the PC gaming market".

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:30 AM
    

If you're fond of crispy South Indian cooking, JRPG-style road-trips that take you from village to village, older female protagonists, turn-based combat with a healthy garnish of QTEs, slapstick satire, and food-themed reinventions of familiar mechanics... you have probably already wishlisted, bookmarked or otherwise made preparations to buy Dosa Divas, the next game from Thirsty Suitors developers Outerloop.

In this low-angle diorama-style fantasy, you play Samara and Amani, two wandering chefs who are fighting a fast food corporation run by their estranged sister Lina. Samara and Amani travel and battle by way of their "spirit mech", Goddess, an ambulatory LEGO forklift in optional oven mitts, whose tricks include clubbing enemies with her own unplugged leg, and whipping up fresh dosas from gathered ingredients in a sort of culinary mind palace.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:00 AM
    

One of 2025's unlikeliest game announcements was Spellcasters Chronicles, a 3v3 MOBA in development at erstwhile singleplayer specialists Quantic Dream. It's a three-lane magic-slinger starring a selection of flying mages, with an emphasis on summoning creatures to do your structure demolition work for you, and I've now played a couple of games ahead of its closed beta on December 4th-8th.

I wasn't overly enthusiastic about Spellcasters based on the original reveal. And after two games of mostly bodyguarding other, bigger, cooler magical beings, I'm still not convinced. That said, it wasn't as bad as I'd feared: it makes bold, maybe even brave departures from wizard fight genre conventions, some of which pay off rather nicely.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:11 AM
    

I get no joy from skills and gear in games that tweak back of house stats. An upgrade that adds 0.5% to explosion radii. A helmet that multiplies your base 'luck' total. A god's blessing that increases your character's attack rate by 4%. On paper these boosts change a game, but I often find them unsatisfyingly intangible in practice. I am but a simple editor of words and, as such, numbers confuse me. If I had wanted to be up to my chin in numbers, I would have followed my uncle into the abacus-making business. (For one thing, I'm glad my house isn't filled with loose beads waiting to be painfully trod on while barefoot.)

Which is why I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying Monsters Are Coming, a game that if you lifted up and shook would rattle with invisible numbers like a rainstick.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:42 AM
    

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's multiplayer is better than its awful, terrible, abominable, ghastly, hideous, not very good campaign. But 'better' in this case does not necessarily mean 'good'. This year's anxious flurry of maps, modes and zombies achieves the base requirement for a satisfactory shooting experience, and there are a couple of ideas that are interesting if inconsistently successful. But the overall quality is wildly incoherent, while the whole package is overshadowed by the spectre of generative AI.

The biggest change to this year's multiplayer is also the least interesting to discuss, its approach to skill-based matchmaking. Call of Duty's habit of matching you with players allegedly on your ability level has come under fire in recent years for flattening the experience. So this year, Treyarch offers you a choice, letting you play with 'standard' SBMM, or in a pool where SBMM is 'minimally considered'.

Read more


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 2:00 PM
    

Vote in Danganronpa Series Nendoroid Request Poll

Good Smile Company and Spike Chunsoft announced a new Danganronpa Series Nendoroid Request Poll that tasks people with picking characters they want to see turned into figures. The official site is open for in English, Japanese, and Traditional Chinese, with votes being accepted until December 9, 2025. The companies also confirmed that Shuichi Saihara from Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony will join the collection in the future and shared concept art of him.

Here's how the process works. Characters are divided up by game, though only the mainline entries are shown and Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls doesn't appear. Someone clicks the portrait of the person they want to see become a figure. They can choose one per person. You then scroll down and click the vote button. Good Smile Company and Spike Chunsoft will take that into consideration when working on future Danganronpa figures, then might use those opinions to decide on possible Nendoroid designs. The site will remain open even after voting, so people can check back to see results and products. 

Here are all the characters listed as possibilities, divided up by game:

  • Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

    • Aoi Asahina
    • Byakuya Togami
    • Celestia Ludenberg
    • Chihiro Fujisaki
    • Genocide Jack
    • Hifumi Yamada
    • Kiyotaka Ishimaru
    • Leon Kuwata
    • Mondo Owada
    • Sakura Ogami
    • Sayaka Maizono 
    • Toko Fukawa
    • Yasuhiro Hagakure

  • Danganronpa: Goodbye Despair 

    • Akane Owari 
    • Byakuya Togami
    • Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu
    • Gundham Tanaka
    • Hiyoko Saionji
    • Ibuki Mioda
    • Kazuichi Soda
    • Mahiru Koizumi
    • Mikan Tsumiki
    • Nekomaru Nidai
    • Peko Pekoyama
    • Sonia Nevermind
    • Teruteru Hanamura

  • Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony 

    • Angie Yonaga
    • Gonta Gokuhara
    • Himiko Yumeno
    • Kaede Akamatsu
    • Kaito Momota
    • Kirumi Tojo
    • K1-B0
    • Korekiyo Shinguji
    • Maki Harukawa
    • Miu Iruma
    • Monodam
    • Monokid
    • Monotaro
    • Monophanie
    • Monosuke
    • Rantaro Amami
    • Ryoma Hoshi
    • Tenko Chabashira
    • Tsumugi Shirogane

As for Shuichi Saihara from Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, here's the concept art for him. As only an image appeared, it will likely be a while before we see a full release. 

The end of the site showed all the characters who already ended up turned into Nendoroids. Among the newest ones are Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair's Hajime Hinata and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony's Kokichi Oma.

The Danganronpa Series Nendoroid Request Poll voting for characters that we'd want to see become figures remains open until December 9, 2025. 

The post Vote in Danganronpa Series Nendoroid Request Poll appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:00 PM
    

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Free Update Arrives This Week

Nintendo announced on social media that a free update for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will arrive on November 27, 2025. There are four screenshots showing off what to expect, with one of the highlights being a team-up Sync Strike attack that involves Zelda and Calamo working together to fight back against foes.  

We don't know exactly how we'll get access to the new additions in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment after the patch. The announcement only confirmed "new challenges" will be added. This could mean new challenges will appear in spots on the map of Hyrule for us to access after getting to a certain point in the story. We do know that by going through them, we'll get to see Zelda and Calamo be able to fight alongside each other and team up for their Sync Strike. Two of the four new screenshots even show the characters together. As for the new weapons, a spear and two-handed claymore-style sword are shown in one of the screenshots. The fourth and final screenshot shows Zelda heading into a fight against some intimidating-looking foes.

Here are all four of the images Nintendo shared for the upcoming update.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is available for the Switch 2, the free update will appear on November 27, 2025, and the original Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity appeared on the Switch. 

The post Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Free Update Arrives This Week appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:00 PM
    

Danganronpa 15th Anniversary Junko Enoshima figure by Good Smile Company

Good Smile Company has revealed that it will produce and release a new figure featuring Junko Enoshima to help celebrate the 15th anniversary of Spike Chunsoft's Danganronpa series. The company has also opened pre-orders on its Japanese international and North American websites. The figure will appear worldwide in 2027 with a price tag of ¥29,800 / $185.99.

The new figure will have a scale of 1/7. The total height will be approximately 28 cm / 11.02 inches, measured from the bottom of the base to the highest point of Junko's hair.

The figure's base will feature several items themed after punishment scenes from the game series. The franchise mascots Monokuma and Monomi will also appear in this figure set.

Here are some of the sample images for the upcoming Junko Enoshima figure:

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, the series' inaugural entry, came out first on PlayStation Portable in Japan exactly 15 years ago on November 25, 2010. Spike Chunsoft has also been revealing many other kinds of merchandise made in collaboration with other companies and artists, such as Bkub Okawa of Pop Team Epic fame, Sakusya2, and Bushiroad. The latter company will produce chibi Petatto Nejimaki and Puchish keychains featuring characters from the series.

The pre-order window for the Danganronpa Junko Enoshima 15th Anniversary version figure will close on February 11, 2026. Good Smile Company will release the figure in Japan in February 2027 and in North America in Q3 2027.

The post Danganronpa 15th Anniversary Junko Figure Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:00 AM
    

Tifa Gets 2B Costume for FFVII Ever Crisis NieR: Automata Crossover

Back when Square Enix shared the roadmap for Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis for the end of 2025, it confirmed a NieR: Automata crossover would come to the FFVII spin-off. Now we know that will start on November 27, 2025. In addition to a story event with 2B, the company confirmed Tifa Lockheart will get a costume based on her standard dress from NieR: Automata. It's unknown when the event and its banners will end.

The first trailer went over some of the things we can expect. First, the event will be called YoRHa No.2 Type B Intercept - Encounter in the City Ruins. As we go through it, it will mean pitting our party against YoRHa member 2B. There will be an opportunity to get an Enemy Ability from her via going through Event Panel Missions. 3,000 Blue Crystals will be given via a tie-in login campaign for the mission, there will be a daily free 10-draw, and one free crossover draw each day. 

There are also two full outfits confirmed. One is the NieR: Automata 2B costume for Tifa called Battler Ensemble. She'll also get the Demon's Impetus gloves weapon inspired by the game. Yuffie is the other character to get confirmed equipment. Her weapon will be Fatum Ex Machina, and her gear is called Savior Ensemble. 

Here's the full trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed-Z-AsI0C4

This is the second major crossover in a row in FFVII Ever Crisis that involved Tifa getting a costume inspired by a prominent Square Enix heroine. During the FFXIII event, she ended up getting to dress like Lightning. That outfit was inspired by the one the character wore in the first game, while Young Sephiroth dressed like Lightning in FFXIII-2 and Cloud got her Lightning Returns: FFXIII costume.

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the NieR: Automata event will come to FFVII Ever Crisis on November 27, 2025. 

The post Tifa Gets 2B Costume for FFVII Ever Crisis NieR: Automata Crossover appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:00 AM
    

Octopath Traveler 0 Includes Characters From First Game

In one of the recent Square Enix updates on Octopath Traveler 0, developers noted about 30 allies could join us, and the latest update on characters and relationship building confirmed that eight characters from the first game in the series will appear. The latest announcement also confirmed we'll pick up some companions by following the main campaign questlines and be able to raise their Amity levels once they move to Wishvale.

The Octopath Traveler 0 character updates included the eight characters from the first game, six that we will meet as we deal with the Master of Fame Playwright Auguste, Master of Power Commander Tytos, and Master of Wealth Lady Herminia, and three additional travelers. Ophilia the cleric, Cyrus the scholar, Tressa the merchant, Olberic the warrior, Primrose the dancer, Alfyn the apothecary, Therion the thief, and H'aanit the hunter will all appear. As we complete campaigns, we'll also see Alaune, Bargello, Eltrix, Richard, Rondo, and Solon. Meanwhile, as we travel, we might meet and be able to recruit Delitia the hunter, Esperre the apothecary, and Goodwin the dancer.  

Once someone is in our party and we develop Wishvale enough, we'll be able to spend time getting even closer to them. While we can use the Path Action Inquire at any time, with varying degrees of success, eventually we'll be able to Inquire Further when in our town. Learning more has conditions, but unlocking it lets you check Amity, see possessions, and do things like further Entreat them to get additional items. The example screenshots show Stia at initially Amity level two and only having Healing Grape and Invigorating Nut (M) as possessions we could get as gifts by Entreating. By getting to level three Amity, the Dual Axe weapon also shows up as an Entreat item.

Here are the latest screenshots Square Enix shared:

Octopath Traveler 0 will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on December 4, 2025, and a demo is available.

The post Octopath Traveler 0 Includes Characters From First Game appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:00 AM
    

Preview: Moonlighter 2 Feels Familiar

A lot of concerns can come up when a developer releases a sequel. Will it properly build on the original? Is there still a story to tell? Will the studio be able to define and differentiate it enough that its merits come through? With Moonlighter 2 there's another challenge, in that it is going from an what seemed like a successful end for Will, Moonlight, and the town of Rynoka in the first game and is shifting from 2D to 3D. While it's still early days for this early access game, as Digital Sun noted on Steam it will be in this state "as long as the game needs it," what's here now feels comfortingly familiar and promising.

To provide an excuse for Will, Tomo, and Zenon being back at square one, Rynoka is gone. The Collector took the town, and the three are now refuges in a new, small, ramshackle place called Tresna. They also don't seem entirely welcome or well-situated at the start, as the landlord Ms. Scratch is frustrated by the fact that Will isn't pulling his weight at the new shop where he works and tosses him into a portal to find Relics to sell. While there, he starts hearing a mysterious voice that guides him through the area and seems to go out of its way to assure him that they are a friend. Upon returning to town with a newly acquired pendant and going through a quick shop management tutorial, a mysterious Endless Vault appears and promises to open and grant a wish if Will continues to make money. Ms. Scratch sees it as a chance for success, Will sees it as an opportunity to get into heroics again, and Tomo wonders if the wish could be used to restore Rynoka.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edRTbMtF4Qc

In terms of gameplay, Moonlighter 2 feels a lot like the original in many ways, even though there are immediately visible changes and quality of life adjustments. Will starts with a broom as a weapon, but we immediately gain access to the opportunity to pick a sword, large sword, spear, or gauntlets after that introduction. In addition to the normal attack, there's a special for each weapon type that offers an additional options for things like AOE damage or greater speed. Will has access to a gun for ranged hits, which can be aimed with a joystick, and refills as you deal standard attacks. There's also the standard dodge for rolling out of the way of attacks, and we have a potion we can use to recover with the tap of the D-pad and a pendant for escaping back to town. 

Gathering Relics works similarly to the first game. We get the opportunity to grab one typically after clearing each node on the map when we're going through an area. These fall into different types, have different elements of quality, and can include a curse or influence that affects other Relics in the bag. For example, one of the earliest is one might burn Relics in specific positions indicated, eliminating them. However, some Relics might offer a buff and do things like grant armor to adjacent items when burned. If you get one item, it might add increase the quality of others in that column. Inventory management still feels like it carries weight.

Going through areas when outside of town feels like other types of roguelikes, such as Slay the Spire or Monster Train, as you'll have an idea of what to expect in the next location when going through the Moonlighter 2 map. This means you could make decisions about which direction you take based on the risk and reward. In terms of other roguelikes, I almost feel like it's a bit more forgiving in its earliest hours so far. We do have the pendant that allows us an easy escape while maintaining our inventory. And the earliest areas do still feel like something of a tutorial even though there can be some challenging enemy groupings and boss-type encounters. 

Once you get back to Tresna, the shopkeeping element begins. Will's new, tiny storefront starts with four pedestals for selling things and absolutely no record of proper pricing. So everything you place is guesswork, and you need to watch potential buyers' reactions to gauge if you should be going lower or higher. It's simple enough to adjust on the fly. This time there is also robot named K33P3R that Ms. Scratch brings in that can store Relics for you and let you take advantage of a buying buff you select for each round of sales to help move merchandise and increase profits. The Endless Vault also automatically tracks the income milestones. Since we are seeing in real-time the effects of quality on sales and desirability of rare finds, it's once again a situation where we get an immediate sort of dopamine hit that shows "we did good" after a run. 

What I also noticed during this early access phase is that the pacing is really spot-on in Moonlighter 2 even during this point in development. While we start with the four weapons, after getting to only a halfway point in my first real run, I already unlocked a recipe node for the next sword. By my second run, I unlocked access to Silver to expand my backpack space when going through Kalina. (Keep an eye out for the character by going to a spot with a question mark on it.) Within a few hours, I'd even unlocked a second Perkmeter for K33P3R to ensure I'd make more money from sales. 

While it's early days, it really seems like Moonlighter 2 is already a roguelike in a pretty stable and promising position. The gameplay loop is identical to the original and as satisfying as ever. The transition to 3D means a few more combat elements, with the gun and specials proving handy. The K33P3R robot for shop management perks and storage is handy. Plus, the progression also seems to move at a steady pace. It seems on track to be another success. 

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is in early access on PCs via Steam, and it will eventually also be on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. 

The post Preview: Moonlighter 2 Feels Familiar appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:49 AM
    

A witch in a magical room with magical items including a bubbling cauldron and some brooms in disney dreamlight valley

The Witchful Thinking Star Path has arrived with Disney Dreamlight Valley's Return to Beast's Castle update, and it features loads of festive fun to enjoy. This event is packed with duties you can tackle to claim exclusive rewards.

All the Star Path events are fairly large, which can make them a bit tricky to navigate. You can also only see a few missions at a time, making it tough to plan ahead as needed. If you want to ensure you're prepared to get the full event done, here are all the Witchful Thinking Star Path duties and rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

All Witchful Thinking Star Path duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley

A witch with a mushroom hat and leafy dress riding a glowing green book glider in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

In total, there are 74 duties to complete throughout the entire Witchful Thinking Star Path event. These missions involve tasks like mining, fishing, cooking, crafting, and much more, so there's plenty to get done around your village. Here's a breakdown of all the tasks you need to complete and how many Tokens you get for finishing each one.

Duty How to complete Quantity Reward
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 10 15
Practice Mine-fulness. Mine rock spots. 5 15
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 1 20
Get crafty! Craft items at any crafting station. 3 15
Whip up a one-star meal. Cook one-star meals. 5 20
Go fish! Catch fish. 5 15
Earn 5,000 Dreamlight. Earn Dreamlight. 5,000 20
Dig anywhere in the Valley. Dig using your Royal Shovel. 15 15
Pick the Fruit that put Snow White to sleep. Harvest Apples. 25 20
Mine precious Gems with a Royal Tool. Mine Gems. 10 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Finish Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 1 20
Hang out with Goofy. Hang out with Goofy for 30 minutes. 30 30
Sell Gems. Sell any Gems. 5 15
Cook any two-star meal. Cook any two-star meal 10 20
Catch fish somewhere peaceful. Fish around the Peaceful Meadow biome. 10 15
Pet your animal Companion. Pet a Critter Companion. 5 15
Gain 15,000 Star Coins. Earn Star Coins. 15,000 15
Uproot Night Thorns. Clear away Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 10 15
Mine for Blue gems. Mine blue Gems, including Aquamarine, Pure Ice, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, and Blue Zircon. Shiny variants count too. 10 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 3 20
Dig for pottery material. Dig up Clay. 20 15
Cook a fairly fancy dinner. Cook any four-star dinner. 10 20
Catch fish somewhere dazzling. Catch Fish around Dazzle Beach. 10 15
Sell Seaweed. Sell Seaweed at Goofy's Stall. 5 15
Complete Boutique Challenges. Complete one of Daisy's Boutique Challenges. 1 25
Mine for Red gems. Mine red Gems. This included Garnet, Spinel, and Ruby. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Tackle Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 5 20
Harvest different Fruits. Harvest any Fruit. 5 15
Pick blue Flowers. Forage for blue Flowers. 20 15
Cook a fairly fancy appetizer. Cook any four-star appetizers. 5 20
Fish somewhere valorous. Catch fish in the Forest of Valor biome. 10 15
Sell items. Sell any items at Goofy's Stall. 20 15
Earn 30,000 Star Coins. Earn Star Coins. 30,000 25
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 20 15
Mine for yellow Gems. Mine yellow Gems, including Citrine and Topaz. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 10 20
Sell Fruit. Sell any Fruit at Goofy's Stall. 15 15
Buy seeds from the Forgotten Lands. Buy any seeds from Goofy's Stall in the Forgotten Lands biome. 50 20
Cook a fairly fancy dessert. Cook any four-star dessert. 3 20
Fish somewhere trustworthy. Fish in the Glade of Trust. 10 15
Earn 7,500 Dreamlight. Earn Dreamlight. 7,500 20
Harvest something white and fluffy. Harvest 15 Cotton. 15 15
Mine for green gems. Mine green Gems. This includes Emerald, Peridot, and Jade. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Finish Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 15 20
Craft a potion you can really "dig." Craft one Miracle Shovel Varnish or Even More Miraculous Shovel Varnish. 1 25
Hang out with Donald Duck. Spend 30 minutes hanging out with Donald. 30 15
Take a picture of Scrooge McDuck's shop. Take one picture of Scrooge McDuck's shop. 1 15
Open up fresh Memories. Find and open Memory Shards. 10 20
Fish somewhere that's always sunlit. Fish in the Sunlit Plateau biome. 10 15
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 15 15
Mine for purple Gems. Mine purple Gems, including Amethyst and Alexandrite. Shiny variants count too. 5 15
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 20 20
Earn 10,000 Dreamlight. Acquire 10,000 Dreamlight. 10,000 20
Have a daily discussion with Lumiere. Have one daily discussion with Lumiere. 1 15
Cook a perfect appetizer. Cook any five-star Appetizer. 3 20
Fish somewhere frosty. Catch Fish in the Frosted Heights biome. 10 10
Hang out with Lumiere. Spend time with Lumiere. 30 30
Dig up a root vegetable with many eyes. Harvest Potatoes. 15 20
Mine for white gems. Mine white Gems. This includes Opal and Diamond. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Tackle Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 15 20
Have a daily discussion with Cogsworth. Have a daily discussion with Cogsworth. 1 15
Craft any refinement item. Craft any items from the Refinement category. 30 20
Cook a perfect Dessert. Cook any five-star Dessert. 3 20
Fish somewhere forgotten. Catch Fish in the Forgotten Lands biome. 10 15
Hang out with Cogsworth. Hang out with Cogsworth for 30 minutes. 30 30
Mine for square Gems. Mine square Gems. This includes Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Sapphire, and Spinel. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Collect some shoreline shellfish. Forage for Seafood. 10 15
Give the Sea Turtle critter their favourite food. Feed Sea Turtles their favorite food. 5 15
Mine for oval Gems. Mine oval Gems, including Citine, Aquamarine, Garnet, Blue Zircon, Peridot, and Tourmaline. 10 20
Cast around for Seafood. Fish and catch Seafood. 15 20
Feed the Sunbird critters their favourite food. Feed Sunbirds their favorite food. 5 20
Mine for something shiny. Mine shiny Gems. 10 15
Catch Fish in gold ripples. Catch Fish from gold ripple spots around the valley. 5 25
Hang out with Daisy. Hang out with Daisy for 40 minutes. 40 30

All Witchful Thinking Star Path routine duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley

A man with a glowing pumpkin head running toward a mushroom witch holding a staff in front of a greenhouse in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

In addition to the main duties, you can also tackle some routine duties, which unlock across the course of eight weeks. Here are all of the routine duties you can tackle, which will be updated each week as they arrive.

  • Week one: Cooking – 10/01/2025

    • Sell 10 Flowers to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Sell 10 Fruits to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Sell five Meals to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week two: Friendship – 10/08/2025

    • Spend 30 minutes with a villager to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Give 10 favorite gifts to villagers to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Have six daily discussions with villagers to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week three: Pictures & DreamSnaps – 10/15/2025

    • Take a picture with one villager to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Save one photo to your gallery to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Submit one photo to the weekly DreamSnaps competition to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week four: Go Fishing – 10/22/2025

    • Pick up five flowers from the Forest of Valor biome to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Catch five Fish from the Forest of Valor to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Sell five Fish to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week five: Shop & Craft – 10/29/2025

    • Buy two items from Scrooge McDuck's shop to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Craft any two items to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Purchase five items from any stalls to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week six: Visit Your Friends – 11/05/2025

    • Have one daily discussion with Mickey Mouse to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Have one daily discussion with Minnie Mouse to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Have one daily discussion with Merlin to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week seven: Frosted Heights Adventure – 11/12/2025

    • Gain 10,000 Star Coins to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Collect five Snowballs in the Frosted Heights biome to claim 25 Tokens.
    • Gift five Snowballs to villagers to claim 40 Tokens.

  • Week eight: Animal Companion – 11/19/2025

    • Pet an animal Companion five times for 25 Tokens.
    • Take one picture with an animal Companion for 25 Tokens.
    • Equip a level five animal companion for 40 Tokens.

All Witchful Thinking Star Path rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Witchful Thinking Star Path rewards in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshots by Destructoid. Remix by Destructoid

There are six pages of main rewards you can earn throughout the Witchful Thinking Star Path, plus four pages of bonus prizes to claim after that. Here's everything featured in this event and how many Tokens you need to purchase each item.

Page Type Reward Cost
1 Critter Purple Fiery Raven 50
1 Clothing Green Witch Dress 50
1 Clothing Green Witch Hat 40
1 Clothing - Glider Green Witch Book Glider 70
1 Motif Bat Motif 10
1 Clothing Green Witch Boots 30
1 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 10
2 Furniture Hocus Pocus Cauldron 40
2 Furniture Witch's Bookcase 40
2 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 20
2 Furniture Green Witch's Glass Window 20
2 Furniture Glass Potion Case 20
2 Motif Potion Drip Motif 10
2 Furniture Luminous Vivarium Wall 50
3 Clothing - Accessory Green Witch Staff 70
3 Furniture Watchful Spell Book 45
3 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 20
3 Clothing Green Witch Gloves 20
3 Motif Magic Power Motif 15
3 Motif Purple Magic Flame Motif 15
3 Motif Green Magic Power Motif 15
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Frame 80
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Door 30
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Wall 30
4 Furniture Greenhouse Bench 20
4 Photo Frame Thorn Photo Frame 10
4 Furniture Bewitched Garden Tools 10
4 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 35
5 Furniture Twisted Tree 30
5 Furniture Night Thorn Lights Arch 40
5 Wallpaper Mossy Witch Wallpaper 25
5 Flooring Mossy Witch Flooring 25
5 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 40
6 Dream Style Spiderweb Dress Daisy 100
6 Clothing Purple Witch Robes 50
6 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 60
6 Clothing - Accessory Purple Witch Purse 30
6 Furniture Wooden Potion Cupboard 30
6 Clothing Purple Witch Boots 30
6 Clothing - Hat Pumpkin Helmet 50
Bonus 1 Furniture Sanderson Sisters' Flyers 40
Bonus 1 Furniture Witchy Vanity Desk 60
Bonus 1 Furniture Witch's Cooktop 50
Bonus 2 Furniture Wicked Fiery Thorns 50
Bonus 2 Clothing - Glider Purple Witch Book Glider 70
Bonus 2 Furniture Witch's Dark Bookcase 60
Bonus 2 Clothing Purple Witch Hat 35
Bonus 2 Clothing Purple Witch Gloves 35
Bonus 2 Photo Frame Thorn Photo Frame 10
Bonus 3 Player House Witch's Forest Cottage 300
Bonus 4 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 90 (Repeatable up to 900) 10

The post All Witchful Thinking Star Path duties and rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:47 AM
    

A ghost trapped in a summoning circle in front of a flaming cross in Phasmophobia

If you think you've mastered the art of ghost hunting in Phasmophobia, you may be ready to put your skills to the test. Weekly challenge modes are a great way to see just how good you are.

These special trials modify how the game works, usually with rules that make the experience a lot harder. Successfully finishing the challenge gets you plenty of XP and cash, so it's well worth the effort. Here's the weekly challenge in Phasmophobia and everything you need to know to beat it.

Phasmophobia weekly challenge mode (Nov. 23-30)

The paranormal paparazzi challenge in phasmophobia
Screenshot by Destructoid

From Nov. 23-30, the weekly challenge is Paranormal Paparazzi in Phasmophobia. In this challenge, you've got lots of high-quality video, light, and sound equipment, but you're missing some of the most important items like Sanity Medication and Incense.

How to complete the weekly challenge in Phasmophobia

To finish the weekly challenge mode in Phasmophobia, you need to correctly identify the ghost present on the featured map three times. The specific changes present in each trial mode vary, but your goal is always the same.

All Paranormal Paparazzi weekly challenge modifiers in Phasmophobia

This challenge mode has several specific rules that modify the way the contract functions. Here are all the key details you need to know about this trial.

  • Map: Point Hope
  • Starting sanity: 100 percent
  • Sanity drain speed: 150 percent
  • Hiding spots: Lots
  • Setup time: Two minutes
  • Ghost speed: Normal
  • Cursed Possession: Monkey Paw
  • Equipment: Mix of Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III items.

    • Tier I: Ghost Writing Book and DOTS Projector.
    • Tier II: Sound Sensor, Head Gear, Spirit Box, and Parabolic Microphone.
    • Tier III: Sound Recorder, Igniter, Tripod, Video Camera, Motion Sensor, Firelight, Ultraviolet, Flashlight, and Photo Camera.

  • Missing Equipment: Salt, Sanity Medication, EMF Readers, Thermometers, Crucifixes, and Incense.

All paranormal paparazzi challenge equipment hung on wall in phasmophobia
Screenshot by Destructoid

Phasmophobia Paranormal Paparazzi weekly challenge mode tips

The Paranormal Paparazzi challenge is one of the trickier ones you can attempt in Phasmophobia, so here are some of the best tips to help you get it done.

  • Learn Point Hope's layout. The 10 levels of this massive winding lighthouse map are extremely tricky to navigate if you're not familiar with this location. Before attempting this trial, load a custom version of the game with the friendly ghost option turned on to freely explore this map and learn everything there is to know about it.
  • Use your fancy Motion Sensors and Sound Sensors to find the ghost. The Paranormal Paparazzi challenge grants you an array of advanced technological items, so make use of them to quickly find the ghost. I recommend using all of your Motion Sensors and Sound Sensors right away to make finding the ghost easier. You can place one on each level to see where you pick up activity, and move them around to check other areas as needed.
  • Bring all your equipment to the front door. Before you start investigating, bring all of the items you need to the front door. It can be a bit annoying to do, but bringing all of your items to the front door early on buys you back a lot of time throughout the match.
  • Play with friends. Your odds of success are a lot better with allies helping you through this tricky trial. With additional ghost hunters at your side, you can explore the map more quickly, work together to gather evidence, and continue the investigation even if you perish.
  • Don't give up. Since all equipment is provided for free, there's nothing to lose in this challenge. Because of this, you can keep trying without worrying about losing money or equipment. Give each contract your all and keep at it until you get it done.
  • Make an educated guess. Some ghosts are just easier to identify than others, so luck plays a large role in how easy or tough this trial is. You should always make a guess before you leave, then reroll to try again, even if you have no idea what the correct ghost type is.

When does the challenge mode change in Phasmophobia?

The challenge mode changes every Monday at 12am UTC, which translates to 6pm CT every Sunday. You have a full week to tackle each challenge mode when it's available. All challenge modes return regularly since they're on a rotating schedule, so if you don't get to finish one, you can always try it again in the future.

Next weekly challenge mode in Phasmophobia

The next weekly challenge mode, which will run for a full week from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, will be Hide and Seek: Extreme. This challenge mode will begin as soon as this week's featured one, Paranormal Paparazzi, ends.

All weekly challenge modes in Phasmophobia

Map board in Phasmophobia
Screenshot by Destructoid

There are 26 challenge modes in Phasmophobia. A different one is available to complete each week, and the challenge order stays exactly the same, so it's easy to know which one is coming next. Here are all of the challenges you may face in Phasmophobia.

Name Description Map
Lights Out! Get your candles at the ready, all the lights are out! 6 Tanglewood Drive
Speed Demons There must be something in the air, everyone's going crazy! Maple Lodge Campsite
Detectives Only Put your detective skills to the test, this ghost is giving nothing away! 42 Edgefield Road
Hide and Seek: Seeker There's a very quiet ghost hiding somewhere, can you find it? Brownstone High School
Hide and Seek: Hide! This ghost wants to play a game, you better hide quick! Point Hope
Frostbitten It's so cold that it's slowing everyone down, including the ghost! Camp Woodwind
Do as I Command You'll have to force this ghost to give you evidence, luckily, we've found some extra items to help you out. Grafton Farmhouse
Tortoise and the Hare: Hare Give it your all, this ghost is feeling especially frail. Bleasdale Farmhouse
Tortoise and the Hare: Tortoise After last week you're feeling a bit worn out, and to make matters worse, the ghost has recovered! Grafton Farmhouse
Gotta Go Fast! No hiding, no sanity, get going! Prison
Sanity Survival Sanity is a scarce resource with no pills or lights. Be careful finding this Nightmare ghost. 10 Ridgeview Court
Speedrun! Maybe you could start a timer, how quickly can you find this ghost's identity? 6 Tanglewood Drive
Survival of the Fittest You've got no pills, no sanity and no evidence to work with. It's gonna be a tough one! 42 Edgefield Road
Primitive I'm afraid all of the electronic equipment has short-circuited, you'll have to make do without 10 Ridgeview Court
Vulnerable You'll be going into this one with no defenses, be careful out there. 13 Willow Street
Missed Delivery We didn't receive our full equipment delivery this week, so you won't have everything you might need! Brownstone High School
Audio Only We've managed to get hold of some extra audio equipment. You'll have to use your ears on this one. Sunny Meadows Mental Institution
Technophilia We've thrown out all of those prehistoric items, this contract is all about technology! Bleasdale Farmhouse
No Evidence These ghosts really don't wanna help you out, but we're sure you're up to the task. Grafton Farmhouse
The Apocalypse Draws Near The hardest possible challenge, but with normal investigator speed. Good luck. Sunny Meadows Mental Institution (Restricted)
Slow and Steady This ghost may be slow, but it's angry. Keep on your toes! Camp Woodwind
Paranormal Paparazzi You've got cameras, lights and sound. Find that ghost type! Point Hope
Hide and Seek: Extreme This ghost wants to play a game, you better hide. Camp Woodwind
Glow in the Dark Some of our equipment has stopped working, hopefully this'll be enough for you to see. 42 Edgefield Road
Deja Vu This one feels pretty nostalgic, don't you think? 6 Tanglewood Drive
Tag! You're It! This ghost will chase you immediately, better get running! Brownstone High School

Special challenge modes

In addition to the regular challenge modes that rotate in and out on a consistent basis, there are also sometimes special challenge modes that have only ever appeared once and left the rotation afterward. These trials are generally designed for testing out features that are new at the time, like fresh equipment and maps.

Name Description Map Date
On Record Try out the media overhaul in this new challenge, can you get a perfect game? Bleasdale Farmhouse June 24 to July 1, 2025
Open For Business A storm is brewing outside the diner...but is it really safer inside? Nell's Diner Nov. 11 to 16, 2025

The post What is the weekly challenge in Phasmophobia? appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:28 AM
    

Foliage-covered corpse in fridge, handing protag an eyeball

Technological dreams and realities morph into one as something sinister hides beyond the door you're too scared to open. Yet, A.I.L.A wants nothing more than to remind you of what's behind it. What mistake have you made, and just how far are you willing to go to escape your past?

Thrown into the world of advanced technology, A.I.L.A sees you play as Samuel, a video game tester. With talks about a killer taking the eyes and hands of their victims, escaping into the virtual realm of horror felt fitting for the broken Samuel. One of the indie horror games I was most looking forward to playing this year was the November 25 horror release, A.I.L.A.

A technological horror that blurs the line between the virtual world and reality, A.I.L.A throws you into different worlds in hopes of reminding you of a past Samuel tries so desperately to forget.

A.I.L.A has a lot of ideas and doesn't suffer from them

The city of apartment complexes with billboards of human and AI relations placed sporadically over the buildings
I see the lack of a map feature as a highlight of A.I.L.A. Screenshot by Destructoid

A.I.L.A cleverly and effortlessly combines ideas and horror subgenres together without ever feeling confused. The inclusion of collectible hunting, both in the form of figurines and Red Wagon pages, strengthens the inviting level design throughout this title. The compact level design was tidy and polished, so much so that A.I.L.A doesn't provide a map. Surprisingly, didn't need it. I found myself easily getting through the game with little hesitation or struggle, as each level had good pacing and flowed well together.

The problem is that while the setting and idea shift with each world you explore, the gameplay remains identical throughout. The survival and action horrors blur together, and outside of A.I.L.A's promising opening, the one-note, unscary enemies appear in three forms: the small and common enemy, the larger and stronger foe, and the level boss. The format makes A.I.L.A repetitive and removes any challenge altogether. The puzzles are also simpler than most horror games, and the boss fights feature the same tiny arena, where running in a circle and turning to shoot is sufficient every single time.

An intriguing karma system

AIDA standing in Samuel's apartment
At its core, A.I.L.A is a story about grief, acceptance, accountability, and moving on. Screenshot by Destructoid

While the game does offer narrative choices, each devolves into two obvious, binary moral options. The outcome of the game also looks at a final decision, where choosing the right option is as clear as Mass Effect's Renegade and Paragon paths. Karma is not expanded upon further than the occasional choice and provides little depth to the story, for you're not shaping Samuel like a Quantum Dream game or Baldur's Gate.

Your decisions are really about whether you accept or deny a truth you haven't yet learnt (but can easily guess). Truthfully, the karma system doesn't change much, but it's a fun inclusion. You're told very early on that A.I.L.A keeps track of your karma and listens to your feedback. This only seems to matter in the first hour, however. What seemed like a big selling point of A.I.L.A in its karma system (which had great potential) offered disappointment as it was underutilized.

Unreal Engine 5 in full force (except the janky character models)

A skeleton inside the AILA catacombs
Each setting is interesting enough to easily immerse yourself in. Screenshot by Destructoid

The atmosphere you'd expect from a horror title was severely lacking. Outside of the first half hour of gameplay that clearly took a leaf out of P.T.'s book, the rest of A.I.L.A offered little tension as I breezed through each level, solving mostly easy puzzles and brute-forcing the rest, engaging in simple yet repetitive combat along the way.

While I enjoyed the lore each level had to offer, I couldn't immerse myself in the story, for I knew they were created by the A.I.L.A. software. This is hopefully something only I noticed, but it's hard for me to invest in characters that are inconsequential to the overarching plot when their existence is purely video game filler. Like Inception's dream-within-a-dream, no one cares for the extras that fill Cillian Murphy's subconscious, but rather the real people that are invading his mind.

Similar to Cronos: The New Dawn, there is nothing new or inspiring in A.I.L.A

The robot disarming Samuel's crowbar
Scripted chase sequences, slow-moving enemies, unchanging combat, and tiresome, poorly-designed boss fights quickly made A.I.L.A rather monotonous. Screenshot by Destructoid

While I don't expect something original, borrowing so obviously from Resident Evil and Silent Hill, acknowledging the inspiration with references like Leon Kennedy's ID and combining the health item with a flower for increased effectiveness, makes A.I.L.A feel like a copycat.

The P.T.-style opening sets up the usual psychological horror take, but it has unique elements in its use of glitches, televisions, and a remote control to shift reality. This, paired with the overall creepy sound design, gave A.I.L.A a strong start. It wasn't until I saw the ubiquitous mannequin that features in many indie horror games that my enjoyment dipped. Overtired, oversaturated, and sadly predictable—those were my thoughts an hour into A.I.L.A and remained until the end, eight hours later.

I hoped the story would save the game, but it was clear from the start where it was headed. The reveal was expected, evident by the various hints thrown in your face from the onset. Most will quickly catch on if you're used to horror games.

If you wanted a terrifying experience, you won't find it here. However, if you're not desensitized by horror as I am, then A.I.L.A should offer entertainment, tension, and intrigue with its narrative. Those who are fans of P.T. and Resident Evil should enjoy this title, so long as you're not looking for the next influential psychological or survival horror.

The post A.I.L.A review — A genre-bending adventure that's sorely missing its nightmarish code appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:24 AM
    

A Master Ball in Pokemon Go, a purple pokeball with pink sides.

New season, new Pokémon to catch. That's right, my fellow trainers—a new season will soon kick off in Pokémon Go, and a couple of species are making their debut in the mobile game.

Niantic unveiled the details today for the next Pokémon Go season, named Precious Paths. In this season, which begins on Dec. 2, a new evolution line from Galar will grapple its way into the mobile game, and it's sure to pack a punch.

Clobbopus and its evolution, Grapploct, will make their way into the mobile game, giving you a new Fighting type to add to your collection. And don't think we won't have new costume Pokémon, either; Precious Paths will be live during the holidays, and Sudowoodo and Charjabug are dressing up to celebrate. Sudowoodo checks out, given that it's a tree and all. Charjabug, though? Well, we're just happy the little battery pack is getting its time to shine.

A screenshot from Pokemon Go showing Grapploct, a blue Octopus with yellow designs, Sudowoodo and Clobboctopus
Image via Niantic

Additionally, there will be new Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon to catch. The Fighting types Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are appearing in Dynamax Raids and will be joined by Gigantamax Meowth, the lanky long fellow who looks more like one of those inflatable tube guys you might find outside of your local used car dealership than the lucky cat it's based on.

As with other seasons, the pool of Pokémon you can get from eggs will rotate out, with new species coming in. From 2km eggs, you can expect Smoochum, Cleffa and Bermite as the newest additions. From 5km eggs, look out for Audino, Elgyem, and Snom as the highlights. Lastly, Beldum and Tinktaink will lead the charge for 10km eggs, in addition to a few others. I'm quite excited to hatch some Snom, given how it takes 400 Snom candies to evolve the sucker into the gorgeous Ice and Bug type, Frosmoth.

During Precious Paths, players will have a chance to earn a Master Ball if they purchase a Master Ball Special Research ticket for $7.99. Master Balls allow trainers to catch any wild Pokémon without fail and can be used during any encounter—even ones that would normally restrict you to Premier Balls, like Team Rocket battles or raids. The last time a Master Ball was obtainable in Pokémon Go was in October 2024 during the Galarian Expedition if you bought a Masterwork Research: Master Ball ticket. Since the item's debut in 2023, players have had four opportunities to obtain one, making Precious Paths the fifth.

Pokémon Go's Precious Paths season kicks off Dec. 2 at 10am local time and runs until March 3 at 10am. To view the full list of upcoming additions with the season, visit Niantic's website.

The post Pokémon Go's upcoming Precious Paths season is ready to throw down with new Fighting-type and costume species, another chance for a Master Ball appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:16 AM
    

Promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows Attack on Titan quest

Update 1.1.6 has added plenty of new content in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and you can complete an Attack on Titan quest to get some unique rewards.

Titled Beyond the Walls, this quest is pretty simple once you know what to do. You'll first need to activate the quest and complete a few additional steps to finish it. This guide will provide you with all the required details to complete the quest.

How to start the Beyond the Walls quest in Assassin's Creed Shadows

The first task is to reach north of Hanazono Castle, which is situated in the Yamashiro region. I have marked its location on the screenshot below to help you find the exact spot.

Once you're there, you'll find a dead soldier on the ground dressed in Attack on Titan-influenced clothing, along with a letter. Once you retrieve and read the letter, it will start the Beyond the Walls quest.

Beyond the Walls quest location
Remix by Destructoid

Unlike other quests, Beyond the Walls didn't appear on the in-game objective board for me. The only option is to reach the correct location and retrieve the letter.

Assassin's Creed Shadows Beyond the Walls quest walkthrough

The complete quest can be broken down into the following parts.

  • Investigate the castle ruins
  • Help the captive

Investigate the castle ruins

To complete the task, head south towards Hanazono Castle. Once there, you'll hear a few enemies speaking about the captive. Your next task is to help rescue Ada (the captive).

Help the captive

Captive Ada in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Image via Ubisoft

Once you reach the castle, go inside and kill the enemies. This will update the quest marker and highlight the spot where Ada is being kept. Once you reach her, help Ada to finish the rescue. Ada, upon being rescued, will reveal a plan to save Gautwin. Choose any of the prompts shown on the screen before selecting "I'm ready to follow Ada."

This automatically completes the Beyond the Walls quest in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The post How to complete the Attack of Titan quest in Assassin's Creed Shadows – Beyond the Walls walkthrough appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:16 AM
    

Marvel Rivals Jeff anniversary

It's hard to believe that Marvel Rivals is already turning one year old soon, but that may just be because I have lost all concept of the passage of time over the past five years.

But to celebrate the game's first anniversary, Marvel Rivals will be throwing some freebie-centric festivities over the next few weeks. NetEase revealed the details about what players can expect, and it's mostly a bunch of free Units to spend on skins in the store.

Screenshot by Destructoid

Rivals' main mascot Galacta is coming to Earth to livestream the celebration, which includes 1,500 free Units as login rewards throughout the event's duration. But the game's second mascot, arguably the most popular since it launched, is Jeff the Land Shark, and he's getting a free skin as a reward simply for playing matches in the event.

Jeff looks all snazzed up in his suit and tie with glasses, but he's also got little dress shoes on his hind legs as well, showing that he's ready to show up to the office and wreak absolute havoc with his oppressive water gun abilities and big sharp teeth.

The skin is customizable, and players can pay for the premium event track to unlock different suit colors, ties, tail decorations, and glasses that he can wear in the costume that may become my new favorite (although the symbiote skin and Jack-o-Lantern Halloween costume will be tough to dethrone). The premium track also has new skins for Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman.

The anniversary event is also calling players to re-enlist their friends, and those who invite their pals can earn even more free Units by completing challenges together, and NetEase is teasing 400 more free units "and more" on Dec. 4. So, in total, it's over 2,500 Units that can be earned, and that's enough for one of the store's most pricey bundles.

https://twitter.com/MarvelRivals/status/1993348961508249636

Rivals' First Anniversary even begins on Thursday, Nov. 27, and more cake-themed skins will be added throughout the event as part of the celebratory festivities.

The post Marvel Rivals' first anniversary celebration gives free currency, puts Jeff the Land Shark in a suit and tie appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:13 AM
    

Standing behind wishblossom ranch gem table in disney dreamlight valley

There are many essential materials you need to scour each world for and stock up on in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Gems are some of the most important ones, and Wishblossom Ranch has a collection of unique ones to obtain.

All gems can only be found in certain regions, which can make finding and gathering the ones you need rather tough. It's much easier to get done once you know where to look, so here's how to get all Wishblossom Ranch gems in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Where to find all Wishblossom Ranch gems in Disney Dreamlight Valley

wishblossom ranch gems in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

There are six gems you can find throughout Wishblossom Ranch in DDV. Three of them are technically just shiny variants of the others, so depending on how you look at it, you might say there are only three instead.

Name Location Sells for
Honeycomb Stone Rock nodes throughout Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). 550 Star Coins
Shiny Honeycomb Stone Rock nodes throughout Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). 2,200 Star Coins
Jasper Rock nodes throughout Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). 400 Star Coins
Shiny Jasper Rock nodes throughout Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). 1,600 Star Coins
Pyrite Rock nodes throughout Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit). 250 Star Coins
Shiny Pyrite Rock nodes throughout Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit). 1,000 Star Coins

Although it's not exclusive to the Wishblossom Ranch region, you may also sometimes find the Onyx gem while mining around here. It's the one gem that can be found anywhere, including around the main valley and all DLC worlds.

Before you go mining for any gems, be sure to invite a mining companion to hang out with you. Having a mining buddy at your side means you will occasionally get extra gems when you find them, thanks to the helpful character role bonuses.

Standing by wishblossom ranch rock spot in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

If you're really eager to mine a lot of gems, you also might consider crafting and using a mining potion, either a Miracle Pickaxe Polish or an Even More Miraculous Pickaxe Polish. Both options increase your mining drops for a while after being applied.

There are plenty of other important resources you can gather from around the ranch. Next, you might work on catching all Wishblossom Ranch fish, obtaining Old Braided Rope, and gathering Honey Coral.

If you need a break from resource gathering, you might enjoy spending some time with the local critters instead. This means you'll need to know how to feed Geese, Skunks, and Sweet Bees, all of which can eventually be unlocked as Companions if you give them what they like.

The post How to get all Disney Dreamlight Valley Wishblossom Ranch gems appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:54 AM
    

Bloodborne Horror

If there's one thing Fromsoft is known for other than the intense challenge of their games, it's the quality of their DLCs, and Bloodborne: The Old Hunters, arguably the best DLC in existence, is now one decade old. Let's sing it some praise.

Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is lightning in a bottle

The original Bloodborne is already one of the greatest games ever made, and, 10 years later, I feel no guilt or shame declaring it the best game in the already stellar PS4 catalog. Yes, even with its sometimes shoddy framerate.

One of the best things about the original title is how it uses the most fun version of the Souls gameplay formula to tell a complete mind-bending story in a fully realized and unique world. Nowadays, we usually get one out of the three per game. Nothing's amiss in the original Bloodborne. A DLC wasn't necessary, as it could damage the perfect "balance" of this beautiful monster-ravaged place. Fortunately, the fear was proven unfounded, as Old Hunters not only filled a few curiosity gaps, but also delivered in what we all know damn well we're here to see: big bad bosses.

Anyone who's experienced The Old Hunters will know that I might be wrong, but I definitely believe it when I say that it has the top three best boss encounters in the entire From boss catalog, quite the achievement for a DLC featuring just five bosses. Up until The Old Hunters, FromSoftware DLCs had never disappointed, even with most of the Dark Souls 2 DLCs proving better than the main game itself, but they never brought all that many new bosses to the table. Five was a new record, and most of the encounters, I won't spoil which, are all-timers. And the greatness of Old Hunters goes much further than the bosses, as it shows not only a beautiful alternate version of Yharnam segments, as well as two other immediately memorable areas, each filled with some of the most fun and uniquely terrifying enemies in the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdWOFrFbcz8

Why is Old Hunters such a great package

The overall quality and off-the-charts bang for the buck fans got out of Old Hunters is no accident, as it's also a testament to FromSoft's generosity. The reason why it features so much great content, and in an area so large it would only later get dwarfed by the amazing Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, is that Old Hunters was originally envisioned as two different DLCs, but Miyazaki and co ended up merging it to become a super DLC. We didn't notice that because it was sold at a pretty reasonable price, especially for such a package, and even more especially for a game that, despite selling well, had numbers that greatly paled in comparison to most other big PS4 blockbusters.

We're eagerly waiting to learn if FromSoft will ever follow up on Bloodborne, or at least port it to the PC to run at 60 FPS, but right now, fans can pre-order the 10th anniversary Vinyl box set. Hey, it's something.

The post The best DLC ever made is now ten years old appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 10:14 AM
    

Standing behind table with honey pancakes on them in disney dreamlight valley

Wishblossom Ranch has loads of fun recipes you can cook up, but it can be rather tricky to figure out how to make them in Disney Dreamlight Valley. One of these dishes is Honey Pancakes, an essential meal for progressing in numerous ways.

You'll be tasked with cooking this dish at least a few times as you explore Wishblossom Ranch, so it's a good recipe to learn early on, so you can be ready to make it as needed. Here's how to make Honey Pancakes in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Honey Pancakes recipe in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Cooked honey pancakes in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

You can make Honey Pancakes by combining one Honey Coral, one Wheat, and one Eggs at any cooking station in DDV. It's a three-star dish, so you only need these three essential ingredients to cook it up, making it one of the easier Wishblossom Ranch recipes to make.

The only Wishblossom Ranch exclusive ingredient included in this recipe is Honey Coral, making it the overall trickiest component of this dish. The other two are cooking staples you're likely already very familiar with.

How to get Honey Coral in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Honey Coral is classified as a Wishblossom Ranch fish, which means you need to equip and use your Royal Fishing Rod to catch it. You can fish up Honey Coral out of white ripple spots all around the Pixie Acres biome, including around Sundae Shores, Pixie Flats, Hundred-Acre Fields, and Hunny Falls.

Each time you fish out of a white bubble spot in Pixie Acres, you have a chance of catching some Honey Coral. It's not guaranteed, though, as you could also catch something else instead. To ensure you're able to quickly stock up on this item, be sure to bring a fishing companion with you so they can potentially find extra.

Caught honey coral in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

How to get Wheat in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Wheat is a classic cooking staple that can be obtained from the main village in Dreamlight Valley. You can purchase seeds to grow it from Goofy's Stall in the Peaceful Meadow biome. These seeds cost just one Star Coin and can be planted, watered, and harvested in about a minute, making it a very easy crop to stock up on.

How to get Eggs in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Eggs are a pantry ingredient that can be purchased from either restaurant for 220 Star Coins. This includes both Remy's establishment, Chez Remy, as well as Tiana's, which is Tiana's Palace. Buying Eggs from these two spots is the only way to obtain them.

There are many situations where you may need to cook up Honey Pancakes, including quests like Bounce Up, Never Down, and other key tasks like feeding your horses and mounts. The recipe is fully unlocked once you cook it for the first time, which means you can search for the name of this dish prior to cooking to auto-select all of the ingredients you need.

The post How to make Honey Pancakes in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:21 AM
    

A skaven with a flamethrower in Vermintide 2.

I've been back on Warhammer: Vermintide 2 recently and am having more fun than ever. But while roaming the streets of Ubersreik, or wandering the Skaven-infested fields, I couldn't help but wonder: why aren't there many Warhammer Fantasy games?

Warhammer Fantasy is a setting that could not be more perfectly suited for video games. It is as broad as it is deep, has an entire world with infinite pages of lore written (and more constantly added), and is, generally, one of the best fantasy settings overall. It is serious, gritty, and uncompromising, which are traits uncommon in modern fantasy that is, for my taste, way too optimistic.

What's more, it takes significant inspiration from sword-and-sorcery and more traditional fantasy genres, those that predate Tolkienesque fantasy that is, as I've said, concerned a lot more with chasing genre tropes than doing anything of substance.

Both aesthetically and narratively, Warhammer distinguishes itself from most of its genre peers, incorporating elements of early Gunpowder times, the Renaissance, and generally satirizing our own world, which would, if done correctly, be yet another way for a great game to look critically at the history of mankind through the lens of a fantasy world.

A dwarf jumping at an enemy in Vermintide 2.
Getting up close and personal with this amazing world always warms my heart. Image via Fatshark

Its themes, ranging from tales of heroism to nightmarish stories of genocide, war, famine, and suffering, are as rich as they come, allowing any potential developer to make a game based on any aspect of its world, or any location (all of which are, as I've said, super diverse and varied).

So how come we only really have Total War: Warhammer and Vermintide to speak of?

I won't argue that Fantasy is more popular (or even at the same level, really) as 40K. The latter, being sci-fi, has always been the big brother, despite the former coming first. It appeals to more people, has a much more unhinged and vast lore, and is, overall, better written. But even in its case (and this could be a feature of its own), most games focus on a small semi-representative subset, i.e., the Space Marines, and rarely venture out to cover the rest of the infinitely large universe of 40K.

In the case of Fantasy, we have a Total War game, which, no matter how much it tried to weave narrative threads into it, can never truly encapsulate the world of Fantasy. It does help us sort of relive the grand battles and sieges, play as any faction, and experience the world to as much detail as this format can afford, but it is merely a bird's eye view of the situation, and not a true exploration of what is one of the richest settings in the history of fantasy as a whole.

On the other hand, there's Vermintide 2 which, by my account, does a much better job at that face-to-face immersion into the world of Fantasy. You get to visit recognizable locations, see the architecture, style, and way of life from up close, and even if everything is mucked to hell by the rats, you are given a chance to take The Empire in. What's more, there are narratives tied to every map and level (and even character), which greatly improve the sense of immersion. But it's still far from perfect.

A massive troll fighting players in Vermintide 2.
So much unused potential. Image via Fatshark

Both of these games are observational. They take the setting, place us in it, but seldom give us much to do. One is a grand strategy title where the setting is quickly sidelined in favor of, well, strategizing, whereas the latter is a L4D-style game where gameplay is the main point, and the setting merely a means to an end.

Outside of these games, there hasn't been an honest or recognizable attempt to make a Warhammer Fantasy title. Both of these sold well from what I could gather and continue to do so, especially through their DLC schemes. So my question remains: why haven't we gotten a proper Warhammer Fantasy game (outside of a handful that, even at their best, do not take full advantage of the setting)?

Why isn't there a singleplayer, narrative-driven game (or RPG) set in this tremendous universe? Hell, if Games Workshop wants us to go to Age of Sigmar, even that could be made to work. So much potential is there for the taking, so much lore and worldbuilding, and yet everyone keeps stumbling head over heels to pursue 40K, which has been oversaturated to the max.

I certainly hope this changes eventually, as I'm sick and tired of "the next game with Space Marines but this time it's a different chapter," given how much unused potential remains ripe for the taking in both Fantasy and 40K itself. And the former especially.

The post Vermintide 2 reminds me of how perfect Warhammer Fantasy is for games—so why are there so few of them? appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:11 AM
    

Posing in front of Cruella's car in disney dreamlight valley

Although you previously helped Cruella get her car back, it's not functioning properly, which means she needs your help to fix it up in Disney Dreamlight Valley. She calls upon your services during the Automotive Appeal quest.

This mission is Cruella's first friendship quest, so it's a crucial one to work through if you want to build your bond with her and unlock additional tasks to work on afterward. It can be a bit tricky to tackle, though, so here's how to complete Automotive Appeal in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

How to complete Automotive Appeal in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Talking to goofy and cruella in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

To complete the Automotive Appeal quest, you need to help Cruella fix up her car. Repairing a car is no easy task, as it's not something you've attempted in the valley before, so it can be a bit tricky to work through this mission. Here's a full breakdown of all key quest steps.

Talk to Goofy

You don't know much about fixing up vehicles, but luckily, you have a friend who does, so start by tracking down Goofy to chat with him. He doesn't think he can get the car running again, but Cruella only cares about getting the dents and dings out so she can use it as a status symbol, so there's still work to be done.

Dress up like a mechanic

Before you can help, you need to look the part by dressing up as a mechanic. Open your Inventory, select the Wardrobe tab, and click on each of the Cruella quest icons to choose three articles of clothing that are rustic or casual. Overall, you need to be wearing:

  • One rustic or casual top
  • One rustic or casual pants
  • One rustic or casual shoes

Dressing up like a mechanic in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

Gather resources for an Automobile Mechanic's Toolbox

Now that you look the part, it's time to gather the materials you need for an Automobile Mechanic's Toolbox. All of the items required in this mission can be found around Wishblossom Ranch.

  • 20 Antique Clothes Irons – Can be mined from rock nodes all around Glamour Gulch, including in Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park.
  • Five Rusty Hinges – Can be dug up from the ground around Wishing Alps, including in Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit.
  • Three Wire Coat Hangers – This item falls under the Wishblossom Ranch fish category and can be caught out of open water all throughout Glamour Gulch, including in Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park.
  • Two Jasper – Can be mined from rock spots all throughout Glamour Gulch, including in Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park.

Craft an Automobile Mechanic's Toolbox

Once you have all of the required materials, head to any crafting station around the ranch. Switch over to the Functional Items tab to select and make the Automobile Mechanic's Toolbox. Then, meet up with Goofy to give it to him.

Crafting a toolbox in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

Mount Maximus and head to Cruella's Car in the Quarry to pick up the Upholstery Fabric scent trail

Goofy's got most of the repairs handled, but he does need your help finding some Upholstery Fabric. Call upon your trusty horse, Maximus, mount him, and head into the Quarry near the very north end of Paisley Park. Approach and interact with the red smoke by Cruella's car to activate the trail.

Track the scent trail from Cruella's Car to the Upholstery Fabric

Follow the scent trail up the wooden ramp to exit the Quarry and make your way south in Paisley Park. Continue following the scent trail over the stone bridge, through Runway River, up the stone steps into Haute Plateau, across the iron bridge, and into Cruella's estate area, which is where you previously tackled The Skunk Rebellion quest.

Once you're at the right spot, you can find the Upholstery Fabric sitting on the ground near the stone wall close to the east end of the biome. Pick it up and head back to Goofy to give it to him. Then, follow him back to the Quarry in Paisley Park to get the repairs going.

Upholstery Fabric on the ground in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

Make a fancy display around Cruella's Car

Now that her car is fixed, Cruella wants to properly show it off, which means you need to set up a fancy display around it. Open your Inventory, select the Furniture tab, and click on each of Cruella's three quest icons to select the items you need, including:

  • One purple furniture item
  • One modern furniture item
  • One traditional furniture item

I chose to place a Gleam Celebration Banner, Party Confetti Machine, and Illuminated Regal Fountain to fulfill these requirements. Any three items that fall under the proper categories work, though, so feel free to use whatever you like.

Take a picture of Cruella's Car

Once you have your fancy display set up, equip your Phone from the tool wheel and use it to snap a picture with Cruella's Car. Have a chat with her once you're done to officially complete the Automotive Appeal quest. You get lots of friendship points with Cruella and unlock her car as a placeable furniture item for finishing this quest.

The post Automotive Appeal quest walkthrough in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:04 AM
    

Players entering a building in Escape from Tarkov

The Reshala's Bunkhouse is one of the many locations in Escape from Tarkov that requires a key to access.

Once you get the key, you'll be able to access the area. However, the exact location of Reshala's Bunkhouse can be tough to find on the map. This guide will offer the precise location of where the key is to be used.

Reshala's Bunkhouse location in Escape from Tarkov

To reach Reshala's Bunkhouse, you'll first need to unlock the Customs map. The bunkhouse is located towards the middle of the map. I have marked its location on the screenshot below to make it easy for you to find the spot.

Reshala's Bunkhouse location in Escape from Tarkov
Image via Escape from Tarkov Wiki. Remix by Destructoid

The bunkhouses are located near the Stronghold. You'll see the bunkhouses to your right if you're at the location. There are nearby vehicles, so use those as your markers. There are five small houses all connected. The correct one is the second from the right.

Go close to the door, and it will ask you for a key that should be in your backpack. The items inside will be random, and this location isn't related to any quest. However, the items you can get from the bunkhouse tend to have quite a high valuation and have plenty of rare loot.

Reshala's Bunkhouse in Escape from Tarkov
Screenshot by Destructoid

I managed to get a BTC that can be used as a Cultist Circle recipe item in Escape from Tarkov. Once you manage to find the key, make sure to visit the location to claim your free loot.

How to get Reshala's Bunkhouse key in Escape from Tarkov

The easiest way to obtain the key is by eliminating Reshala in Escape from Tarkov. You can then pick the key up and add it to your backpack. You can also purchase the key from the Flea Market once you're level 25 or higher. This method can prove to be expensive, since keys aren't the cheapest items to obtain from the market.

The post Where to use the Reshala's Bunkhouse key Escape from Tarkov appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 8:54 AM
    

Player in Of Ash and Steel

Of Ash and Steel is now available globally on PC and console, and you can enjoy different missions on your adventures.

Unlike recent launches, Of Ash and Steel feels very much like an old-school RPG in gameplay and design. You'll be spending most of your time completing the missions in the main campaign. However, you'll also want to invest your energy in tracking and finishing the side quests. They will provide you with the necessary XP and other rewards you'll need for an easier time.

Disclaimer: Work in progress.

All main missions in Of Ash and Steel

The main storyline is divided into different Acts. Once you finish the prelude, it will mark the start of Act 1. I have listed all the main campaign quests that I have discovered so far on my journey.

Act 1

  • Pull Up Weeds
  • Move The Barrels
  • Clear Wolves Den
  • Bandit Troubles

Act 2

  • Ancient Artifact Recovery
  • Dragon Egg Theft
  • Plague Cure Quest
  • Pirate Treasure Hunt
  • Golem Awakening
  • Ghost Ship Mystery
  • Volcano Crisis
  • Royal Assassination Plot

Act 3

  • Seal the Dark Portal

All side missions in Of Ash and Steel

Every act has its own set of side quests you can complete for extra rewards.

Act 1

  • Merchant's Delivery
  • Herbal Collection
  • Find Missing Cat
  • Knight's Trial
  • Missing Miner Rescue
  • Fairy Queen's Blessing

Act 2

  • Plague Cure Quest
  • Pirate Treasure Hunt
  • Golem Awakening
  • Ghost Ship Mastery
  • Diplomatic Mission

Act 3

  • Time Portal Paradox
  • Ancient Weapon Quest
  • Ultimate Champion Tournament

Once again, both sets of quests will be updated once I explore Of Ash and Steel more and experience what it has to offer. All quests reward you with Gold and Experience points, and you can access them from various NPCs.

While completing the main storyline should be your primary objective, the side quests drop plenty of extra XP. Leveling up is one of the most critical tasks, so try to complete side missions whenever possible.

The post All acts and quests in Of Ash and Steel appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 8:34 AM
    

Destiny 2 Renegades

Destiny 2's next expansion looms, and some guardians are already engaging in their usual rituals before the new content drops. If you didn't get everything you wanted, you can still farm some weapons before Renegades kicks off on Dec. 2.

Our usual pre-expansion rituals include getting our builds ready, keeping a clean inventory, and figuring out the seasonal fashion—arguably the most important part. Farming gear is a part of the preparations: it's a good way to guarantee certain items before their drop sources see potential alterations, and it also offers powerful gear that should be in any guardian's arsenal.

For instance, you shouldn't drop into Renegades without a Mint Retrograde in your vault, after all, even if you're probably swapping it out for some of the Star Wars-inspired guns in the expansion. Here are the top weapons we recommend farming before Renegades lands on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Mint Retrograde

The Mint Retrograde pulse rifle in Destiny 2, which uses the same model as the Hailing Confusion pulse rifle from Europa.
We couldn't leave this one out of the list. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Pinnacle Ops

The gun that's at the top of the food chain in the current Destiny 2 sandbox is, unsurprisingly, at the top of our list of the best weapons to farm before the next expansion. Mint Retrograde will maintain its high damage but take a nerf to its ammo economy in Renegades, so you can still keep it glued to your Kinetic slot—just like the other 45 percent of guardians using this weapon, as per Bungie's own stats.

Unfall

Unfall, a Drang-inspired rocket sidearm with the Vanguard logo.
The cooler Drang. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Portal

Rocket sidearms may not be as much of a big-ticket item as they were when the archetype was born in late 2023, but they're still in quite a comfortable place in the sandbox. Bungie added Unfall in the Ash & Iron update, bringing with it a new perk pool, synergy with Sturm, and a New Gear tag. This weapon performs just fine without its Exotic counterpart, though. It doesn't roll Voltshot like Indebted Kindness, but it does bring Jolting Feedback and Master of Arms to the mix.

If you're up for some PvP, you can also snatch Returned Memory from the Crucible, which comes in Solar flavor and boasts excellent perks for a rocket sidearm, such as Heal Clip and Impulse Amplifier with Redirection and One For All.

MIDA Mini-Tool

The MIDA Mini-Tool SMG, a compact weapon with "MIDA" engraved onto it.
Return of the King. Kind of. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Portal

After the reissued CALUS Mini-Tool made a splash in Season of the Haunted, it's time for the post-Edge of Fate MIDA Mini-Tool to shine. This SMG is a powerful workhorse weapon with some best-in-slot perks and Solar synergy. Heal Clip and Incandescent, the usual suspects, now have a new sibling in Burning Ambition, and the Mini-Tool can roll with all of those—plus old favorites such as Attrition Orbs, Frenzy, and Master of Arms.

The MIDA Mini-Tool is a good weapon to get before Renegades, especially if you're using a Solar build. Odds are you won't ditch a god-rolled Yeartide Apex for it, but this SMG is the best option if you missed Solstice's most coveted gun.

Outrageous Fortune

The Outrageous Fortune heavy grenade launcher, with the red hue from Pinnacle ops.
Don't blow yourself up. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Pinnacle Ops

Grenade launchers have stayed steady in the meta for a couple of years now, so Outrageous Fortune is a great option to bring into your first run of the Renegades campaign. This powerful heavy weapon can roll Envious Arsenal paired with Bait and Switch, which is top-tier for damage, and it comes with a New Gear tag to match.

Haliaetus

The Halietus rocket launcher, which has the same model as the BrayTech Osprey
We don't use it as much as Outrageous Fortune, but it does well, especially if someone is running Gjallarhorn. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Pinnacle Ops

If you need a rocket launcher in your back pocket, the Strand-based Haliaetus is a good choice. Of course, it's not Hezen Vengeance, but it does still fire rockets. Aim for Cluster Bomb, Envious Assassin, Impulse Amplifier, or Auto-Loading Holster as your first perk and pair them with Elemental Honing, Aggregate Charge, or Bipod depending on the role you want it to play.

Seraphine Haze

The Seraphine Haze SMG in Destiny 2, seen with a Warmind-esque pattern in blue, yellow, and light gray.
Crystalline Corpsebloom really needs a duration buff. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Portal

The Seraphine Haze SMG makes for a decent New Gear workhorse primary for your Kinetic slot, particularly if you're running Stasis builds. Rimestealer/Crystalline Corpsebloom grants you Frost Armor in any subclass, provided you can trigger the second perk often during its short timer. If you want to lean away from Stasis, it has Demolitionist or Subsistence with perks like Adrenaline Junkie and Desperate Measures. It won't dethrone Banshee-44's curated Multimach CCX, but that's too high a bar to clear.

Theodolite

The Theodolite breech-loading grenade launcher with the red pattern from Pinnacle Ops.
It's not The Mountaintop, but it'll do. Image via Bungie

  • Source: Pinnacle Ops

The Mountaintop has a younger sibling, and this time, it goes on your Energy slot. Theodolite is the new Arc-aligned micro-missile frame with strong damage potential for Majors. Aim for Reconstruction or Blast Distributor with Voltshot, Reaper's Tithe, Frenzy, or Elemental Honing for big damage numbers.

Lionfish-4FR

The Lionfish-4FR VEIST fusion rifle in Destiny 2.
Lives up to the Veist name. Screenshot by Destructoid

  • Source: Portal

Even now, over three years after its debut, Riptide is basically synonymous with Stasis fusion rifles, so Lionfish-4FR has some big shoes to fill. And it seems up to the task.

Lionfish has Reconstruction paired with Chill Clip, an improvement on Riptide's Auto-Loading Holster/Chill Clip. It also rolls with Controlled Burst, Elemental Honing, or Reservoir Burst in the fourth column, which you can use for a more damage-based role.

Honorable mention: Smoke Jumper armor

A Warlock clad in Smoke Jumper armor in Destiny 2.
The little sirens light up, in case you were wondering. Screenshot by Destructoid

The Smoke Jumper armor is, by most definitions of the word, not a weapon. That said, it's one of the most popular and powerful new sets in Edge of Fate. Community figure TheAegisRelic put this "disgustingly OP" set in the S-Tier in their endgame list, which is high praise. Since this list is about grabbing good gear before Renegades, Smoke Jumper couldn't be off the menu, even if just as an honorable mention.

The best part of the Smoke Jumper set by far is Ride Together, Die Together, its two-piece bonus. It gives a short-lived damage reduction when picking up orbs of power, which are easy to generate in the current sandbox. The four-piece isn't bad (Aegis gave it a B), but grab at least two well-rolled pieces of armor before Renegades.

The post Best weapons to get before Renegades in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 8:02 AM
    

Hytale promotional image of a rabbit

Hytale, having been revived by the same people who sold it off way back when, is now back in the spotlight. Players are now wondering when the game will release, how much it will cost, and, as interests us here, what platforms it'll be available on.

If you're in that last batch, here's all you need to know about potential platforms Hytale will release on.

Hytale platforms, explained

A character flying around with a helicopter on their head in Hytale.
Image via Hypixel

As of this article, Hytale is only going to release on PC, particularly Microsoft Windows. There appear to be additional plans to expand into macOS and Linux to capture the entirety of the PC market, but it's fair to assume this will happen way later down the line.

The reason for this is simple: Minecraft, where Hypixel first came to be, is primarily a PC experience, and though it did eventually release on every platform under the sun, that wasn't the case for quite some time. Additionally, Minecraft only really started branching out after Microsoft acquired it, bringing untold money and resources along with it.

Hypixel has just completed its reacquisition of Hytale from Riot Games, and is likely going to focus on getting the game out and developing it alongside the community, turning it into the experience it was meant to be. This is supposed to happen as soon as possible, according to Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflamme, and will likely be exclusive to Windows and PC for the foreseeable future.

That isn't to say Hytale won't come out on PS5 and Xbox, among other platforms. If anything, one should expect it to, given that it's aiming to compete with Minecraft and would be leaving a lot on the table by avoiding consoles and handheld devices. Hytale can be a new vessel for casual gamers, so it's safe to say we'll see Hytale outside of the PC sphere at some point.

When exactly is anyone's guess.

The post Will Hytale be on PS5 and Xbox? Hytale platforms, explained appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:57 AM
    

the forge trello and wiki guide

The Forge has multiple islands to explore, fight enemies, mine ores and craft unique gear. With all the different enemies, races, runes and gear combinations a Trello and a Wiki are badly needed. Luckily, below you can find the official The Forge Trello, Wiki and Discord.

The Forge Trello, Wiki and Discord Guide

Here are all the useful links you need to fully stay informed on The Forge:

the forge trello board
Screenshot by Destructoid

I would start with either our BloxInformer Wiki or the official one. Both will guide you through the essentials of the game like getting your race, mining and crafting. Then, you can check out more advanced stuff on there like:

  • All Ores
  • All Weapons
  • All Armor
  • All Races
  • All Runes
  • All Enemies
  • All NPCs
  • All Pickaxes
  • All Items & Locations

Last but not least are the tier lists and the official Discord Server. Discord and the tier lists will give you a more in-depth overview of the most optimal build components. Specifically the Discord is a great place to ask specific questions since there's always a tester or experienced player who can help.

Also, the Announcement, Update Log and Sneak Peak channel will allow you to stay up to date on the game. They have a detailed list of all the latest additions, new content, buffs and nerfs. It pays to stay tuned in case you need to adjust your build.

That's it for my The Forge Trello, Wiki and Discord guide. Don't forget to check out our The Forge codes for a bunch of free goodies.

The post Official The Forge Trello, Wiki and Discord – Roblox appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:43 AM
    

Standing behind some wishblossom ranch fish in disney dreamlight valley

To complete all quests Wishblossom Ranch has to offer in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll need to catch an array of unique fish lurking around this region. The ranch has quite a collection of unique species to catch, but it can be tough to know where to find them.

Every fish is unique and comes with special fishing requirements and locations. Wishblossom Ranch is quite vast, with plenty to uncover, so you may need some help finding the specific one you're after. Here's how to catch all Wishblossom Ranch fish in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

How to get all Wishblossom Ranch fish in Disney Dreamlight Valley

All wishblossom ranch fish in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

There are 11 exclusive fish you can catch throughout the entire Wishblossom Ranch region in DDV. This includes mostly actual fish, but also some miscellaneous items, too. There are also some fish that originate from the main valley that can be caught here, but these ones aren't exclusive.

Name Location Ripple color
Balloon Fish All of Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). None, is caught in open water
Goose Feathers All of Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). None, is caught in open water
Honey Coral All of Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). White
Jellied Fish All of Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). Gold
Measuring-Tape Snail All of Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). White
Mountain Whitefish All of Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit). White
Old Braided Rope All of Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit). None, is caught in open water
Red Alpine Bass All of Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit). Gold
Satin-Finned Beta All of Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). Blue
Tigger Fish All of Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats). Gold
Wire Coat Hanger All of Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park). None, is caught in open water

In addition to the 11 fish that can only be found around Wishblossom Ranch, there are four species that originate from Dreamlight Valley that you may sometimes find while fishing around here, too. This includes:

  • Tilapia – Can be caught from blue ripple spots around Pixie Acres (Sundae Shores, Hunny Falls, Hundred-Acre Woods, and Pixie Flats).
  • Cod – Can be caught from white ripple spots or open water around Glamour Gulch (Haute Plateau, Runway River, Modish Marsh, and Paisley Park).
  • Tuna – Can be caught from white and blue ripple spots around Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit).
  • Crab – Can be caught from white and blue ripple spots around Wishing Alps (Wishing Way, Wishblossom Ranch, Delver Dale, Ranch Highlands, and Silver Summit).

A caught tigger fish in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

There are many times you'll find yourself needing certain Wishblossom Ranch fish while exploring this region. The main time is when cooking up Wishblossom Ranch recipes, but there are many key quests that call for them too, like The Balloon Family, Fun! Fun! Fun!, and The De Vil Crash.

The post How to catch all Disney Dreamlight Valley Wishblossom Ranch fish appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, November 25, 2025 7:09 AM
    

A character holding a torch in a forest in Hytale.

Hytale was officially saved on Nov. 17 after it was reacquired by its original creators, who sold it to Riot Games in 2020.

No longer in stasis, the Minecraft competitor could be out sooner than we thought, finally putting an end to a decade-long wait. If you're just as excited, you might have been wondering about how to preorder and how much it'd cost you.

So, here's all you need to know.

Hytale preorders, explained

A character running away from a monster in Hytale.
Image via Hypixel

At the moment, preorders are not yet live for Hytale, though they should start soon. Per a Nov. 21 post, Hytale will have three editions, ranging significantly in price, all of which will be open for preorders in the coming weeks. The editions are as follows:

  • Standard: $19.99
  • Supporter: $34.99
  • Cursebreaker: $69.99

The standard edition includes the base version of the game and all relevant content, whereas the Supporter and Cursebreaker editions are there for people to pitch in with extra funds to help the developers see the project through to the end. They'll contain unique cosmetics and other symbolic items as ways of thanking those who believed in the game despite all the setbacks it may have faced.

The exact date at which the preorders will be open is still to be announced, but it's safe to assume it will be in the next few weeks. The game is slowly picking up steam and is likely to release early next year, if not by the end of 2025, which should reflect preorder timings.

The post Can you preorder Hytale? Price, editions, and more info appeared first on Destructoid.


WGB Tuesday, November 25, 2025 9:40 AM
     Ubisoft's Far Cry TV show is confirmed by FX, featuring an anthology format with new stories each season. Producers Rob Mac and Noah Hawley aim to explore humanity through action.

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Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, November 25, 2025 1:14 PM

MonsterVine Tuesday, November 25, 2025 12:00 PM
     Square Enix dropped a new batch of information for Octopath Traveler 0, outlining companions, systems, exploration, and what you can expect from the newly released demo. This update gives you a clearer sense of how the prequel changes the structure of the HD-2D RPG while keeping the tone and style of the earlier games. New […]

Level Up Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11:01 AM
     FX Announces Far Cry Anthology Series Coming To Hulu From Alien: Earth And It's Always Sunny Creators 1FX is developing an anthology TV series adapting Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise. The upcoming show…