PCGamesN Sunday, January 18, 2026 5:00 PM While a VPN ban for children in the UK outwardly makes sense, I can see some pitfalls that might complicate things. |
Siliconera Sunday, January 18, 2026 3:00 PM
The original Mechanical Buddy Universe felt like there was room for something more, given how the android mercenary Blau and human baby Rainy met, and the 1.0 manga series delivers on that. So much so that I think it's even better than Takuji Kato's original tale. It's so perfectly executed as not only a showcase of the original relationship, with a fantastic introduction to Blau and Rainy, but of many other bonds between humans and both androids, and artificial intelligence entities.
Editor's note: There will be light spoilers for the Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 manga below.
The first thing I love about Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 is how it perfectly establishes who Blau is, which is critical given her role as one of the main focal points of the series. At the outset, you wouldn't know she's an android. Yes, her text boxes look different from her son Rainy's, but she looks human and even has similar blond hair and facial features. But the story then immediately jumps into a flashback showing how she got her name as she reminisces about the sky and becoming a mercenary partner to a human named Lawrence.
Back then, this android was known as M3-C227 and looked completely mechanical. Even so, Lawrence treated her as a human, offering her his coat. We see glimpses of their relationship, resulting them trading in "favors" that started with that initial gift of a coat, and eventually resulting in him naming her Blau for the blue sky after they survived an especially dangerous situation. It's a perfect way to set up one human/artificial being relationship.
From there, the structure in Kato's series is such that we witness other, similar bonds because of their eventual association with either Blau or Rainy as they go about mercenary missions or life. This does give us plenty of opportunities to see exactly how Blau is like a mother to Rainy and he behaves exactly as her biological son regardless of their differences while highlighting how other, similar relationships compare. The context allows us to compare and appreciate the similarities and differences, as well as see how other bonds are formed.
For example, immediately after this, we see Blau preparing for a mission to take down the Street Sniper that's causing trouble for folks in the city. As she's doing so, Rainy is with her and they're shopping at a local store with familiar faces. There are also references to another sniper called Hawkeye. We then meet Hawkeye when Blau is on that mission and discover it is a duo made up of a human and AI that the android knew named Hawk. Said AI used to reside in a stationary gun and enjoyed watching people below, becoming fond of their partner from afar. But then, due to happenstance, they got to meet, and now they work as a pair to try and do good as Hawkeye.
My favorite one involves a more mechanical take on the kuchisake-onna yokai. It presents a complicated relationship between an enhanced, inhuman individuals and ones who are. Because we see an ordinary scavenger named Joey who, with his band of individuals, happens upon a futuristic take on that myth. The resulting partnership that comes from Joey's encounter with what feels like a futuristic urban legend really ensures things end on an interesting note that also provides an incredible cliffhanger.
The original Mechanical Buddy Universe introduced an unexpected family, and the 1.0 sequel manga series seems like an even stronger one. The pairing of Blau and Rainy highlights a wonderful, loving, familial relationship between a mother and her son. By following them on their mercenary roles and assignments, we then also get to see how other bonds between humans and mechanical or artificial beings go. Each one is unique in its own way and worth witnessing.
Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 volume 1 is available now, and Square Enix will release volume 2 of the manga in June 2026.
The post Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 Highlights Many Bonds appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Sunday, January 18, 2026 3:57 PM
The Matioscope is the most advanced infection-detection tool you can use in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, and mastering it will be immensely useful for identifying potential dangers.
Checking a survivor's eye is one of the basic steps in determining who might be infected. The Matioscope takes this to the next level by allowing you to scan their retina. Doing so will allow you to catch certain symptoms that might remain undetectable otherwise.
Let's look at how you can obtain and use the Matioscope like an expert in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check.
Table of contents
How to get the Matioscope in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
If you're playing in the endless mode, you'll obtain the Matioscope from the very beginning. If you're playing the campaign, you'll unlock the Matioscope on the 16th day. If you've started playing, reaching day 16 should take a few hours at a minimum, based on how thorough you are with the investigations.
Select the tool from your item wheel by pressing Q and then choosing the Matioscope. Use the LMB to zoom in and pan across the survivor's retina. You'll be looking for specific symptoms that will help you decide if they're infected, a potential suspect, or harmless (more on symptoms later). You can move the camera with your standard WASD buttons and change layers as required.
All Matioscope symptoms in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
Most devices in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check have at least one hidden symptom. With the Matioscope, things are relatively easy to find.
The following symptoms are safe to have:
The following symptoms can become a worry as they can turn the survivor into a zombie.
The following symptoms mean that your survivor is positively infected and will turn into a zombie.
The post How to use the Matioscope in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||
Destructoid Sunday, January 18, 2026 2:49 PM
It can feel like those Slack Jaw survivors in Quarantine Zone are in awe of your impressive inspection skills, but sadly, that isn't the truth.
Forced to be a mouth-breather in Checkpoint Alpha who cannot help but chain-smoke—because for some strange reason everyone else is—some survivors are dealing with some serious Slack Jaw. And this is no rare occurrence in this apocalypse. Whether they're shocked a zombie apocalypse has reached their doorstep, or are dealing with some kind of ailment, here is what you need to know about Slack Jaw in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check.
How to inspect Slack Jaw in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
Slack Jaw is one of the earliest signs of potential infection that you'll run into inside Checkpoint Alpha. Survivors displaying a Slack Jaw (or open mouth) require a full examination before you send them into The Block, because it's clear that said survivor has an ailment. You must turn to the Reflex Hammer (which you'll get on day 5 in the Campaign mode) whenever a survivor arrives at the checkpoint with an open mouth (when they're not talking).
A Slack Jaw simply means that the survivor exhibiting this physicality needs their reflexes tested. It's not an indication of infection as it isn't on the symptoms list. There are three results from the reflex test to be aware of, which will point you to either Quarantine or Liquidation. The Crossed Reflex is when the survivor attacks you with the arm you didn't test. This can be used in the early- to mid-game as evidence for the zombie virus.
You can then send them to the Lab if you've spotted an Unknown Symptom, or straight to Liquidation. Never assume that a Slack Jaw is a sure sign that they're infected. You must investigate further and look for other symptoms. An open mouth refers only to their reflexes, and if no other symptoms are present aside from the Crossed Reflex, then they shouldn't be liquidized. It is possible (albeit rare) to get an aggressive response during the test in an otherwise healthy patient. That survivor is then a non-infected who should be sent to The Block.
The post What to do with Slack Jaw in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||
Destructoid Sunday, January 18, 2026 1:58 PM
You don't want to send someone to liquidation for getting into a fight before your inspection in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check. It's vital you spot the telltale signs of infection before it's too late, and Necrosis is a clear-cut sign that marks the survivor's days are up.
Here is how to tell the difference between Necrosis and Bruising in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Necrosis vs. Bruising
Necrosis and Bruising typically appear under survivors' clothing. You need to remain vigilant for these symptoms once the Scanner comes into play on day 6 of Campaign mode. There is one distinct difference between Necrosis and Bruising—its color. Necrosis is always a darker shade of brown, near black from afar, and has a blotchy pattern. Both of these symptoms can show on a survivor's face, neck, and upper back, whereas symptoms like Vitiligo will often appear on the face. Necrosis can also display on the hands, but never in multiple places at once. In contrast, Bruising is always a lighter shade of brown, closer to dirt than Necrosis, and is more opaque with a uniform pattern and has limited negative space in it (visible skin).
The further you get in Quarantine Zone, the more thorough your inspections need to be at Checkpoint Alpha. While it is harder to determine whether a person is sick or infected as the days pass, you should use the Scanner to identify any markings, upgrading the feature to 'Clear View' to remove dirt (narrowing your diagnosis), and utilizing the X-Ray to diagnose the survivor with Necrosis by studying their organs. Necrosis doesn't appear exclusively on the skin; it spreads to the organs, with the life and color drained from it and replaced by patches of brown and black. If you're trying to differentiate between Necrosis, Bruising, and Red Bruises, use zoom to closely inspect the color of the markings.
Necrosis doesn't look exactly as pictured on the symptom list. As it is more obvious signs of infection, indicating organ death, you should be sure to scan a survivor's entire body before making your decision.
The post How to identify Necrosis in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||
Destructoid Sunday, January 18, 2026 1:53 PM
The Michael Olise TOTY HM SBC is now live in FC 26 Ultimate Team, and you can add a wonderful card to your Ultimate Team squad.
While Olise missed out on a spot in the starters, he has managed to grab the special card thanks to his performances for Bayern. To get the card, you'll need to complete nine tasks. This guide will help you figure out the cheapest way to complete all nine tasks as per their respective requirements.
FC 26 Michael Olise TOTY HM SBC tasks
The SBC has nine tasks, and here are their requirements.
Task 1 - Bayern München
Task 2 - France
Task 3 - Top Form
Task 4 - Bundesliga
Task 5 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 6 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 7 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 8 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 9 - 89-Rated Squad
FC 26 Michael Olise TOTY HM SBC solutions
Task 1 - Bayern Munchen
Task 2 - France
Task 3 - Top Form
Task 4 - Bundesliga
Task 5 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 6 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 7 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 8 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 9 - 89-Rated Squad
The post FC 26 Michael Olise TOTY HM SBC tasks and solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||
Destructoid Sunday, January 18, 2026 1:26 PM
The Give and Go Evolution is now live in FC 26, and you can boost the passing ability of two of your cards in Ultimate Team.
Available for free, the evolution turns your card into a passing beast. Your chosen card will gain upgrades in the passing attributes, along with all passing playstyles. You can use the evolution to create some wonderful evolution chains, so let's look at the best options.
Table of contents
FC 26 Give and Go Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements for Give and Go Evolution in FC 26.
FC 26 Give and Go Evolution upgrades
The Give and Go have only two levels of upgrades. To obtain the boosts, you'll need to complete specific tasks.
Level 1 upgrades
Level 2 upgrades
Level 1 upgrade requirements
Level 2 upgrade requirements
Best players for Give and Go Evolution in FC 26
You can include a wide variety of items in this evolution. Cards that benefit the most from the upgrades have been included.
These are arguably some of the best options you can include in this evolution. The upgrades on offer don't raise the card's overall ratings. Hence, you can immediately use the upgraded card in another evolution and continue the chain of upgrades. Ideally, use this evolution on midfielder cards as the playstyles will offer immense value.
The post Best players for FC 26 Give and Go Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. |
WGB Sunday, January 18, 2026 3:54 PM Ubisoft is releasing a 60FPS update for Far Cry 3: Classic Edition on January 21 for current-gen consoles, but it offers no additional graphics improvements, just higher framerates. |
WGB Sunday, January 18, 2026 1:43 PM Wanderstop is a gentle, thoughtful game about burnout, identity, and learning to rest. Through Alta's fall from undefeated warrior to teashop helper, it explores obsession and exhaustion with warmth and wit. Making tea becomes ritual, therapy, and British problem-solving, proving that sometimes the bravest act is sitting down and having a cuppa. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, January 18, 2026 4:56 PM Announced on Twitter. The post Yakuza 3 Remastered Will No Longer Be Purchasable Alone appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, January 18, 2026 3:59 PM A trailer was also released. The post Far Cry 3 Classic Edition Gets 60FPS Update appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, January 18, 2026 3:02 PM According to a new video. The post The PS4 Emulator Runs Bloodborne At 60FPS On ROG Xbox Ally X appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |