Genshin Impact Guide – Elemental Attacks and How to Perform Elemental Combos

genshin impact

Despite its appearance and gacha game systems, Genshin Impact has a fairly deep combat system. There are seven main elements – Anemo (Wind), Geo (Earth), Electro (Lightning), Dendro (Nature), Hydro (Water), Pyro (Fire) and Cryo (Frost). When playing through the initial story quests, you'll have a party with Wind, Fire, Frost and Lightning elements.

Elements inflicts unique status effects on their own. Cryo will slow down enemies; Hydro will make them wet; and Pyro will inflict slight burning damage-over-time. Electro can Electro-Charge enemies that are wet, especially if they're in a body of water – this is the first major example of combining elements for different effects.

Executing an elemental combo is as easy as using a character's unique ability and then switching to another character and doing the same. This will also apply to Ultimates and it's possible to deal some crazy damage with combos. Here are all the different elemental combos and their effects.

  • Burning – Use Dendro and Pyro for dishing out Pyro damage over time.
  • Swirl – Cast an Anemo ability. Then use Cryo, Electro, Hydro or Pyro. This will create a strong attack that deals additional elemental damage while also spreading forth. If you want to make a fire tornado, this is your best bet.
  • Electro-Charged – As noted above, cast Electro on a wet enemy or use a Hydro attack and then Electro. This will deal Electro damage over time.
  • Superconduct – Cast Cryo and then Electro to deal an area of effect Cryo attack. It will reduce an enemy's defense by 50 percent, ignoring their level and buffs. Best used on multiple foes since the number of hits dished out increases in turn. For instance, one enemy will take a single hit from the combo. Two enemies will take two hits each while five enemies will be hit five times each.
  • Vaporize – Use Pyro and Hydro together for additional damage.
  • Crystallize – If you start with Geo and then use Cryo, Electro, Hydro and Pyro, a shield will form around the character. This provides absorption against all damage. The element combined with Geo will influence the shield and absorb more damage from attacks of the same element.
  • Overloaded – Use Electro and Pyro to create an area of effect Pyro attack.
  • Melt – Combines Cryo and Pyro for extra damage. If Pyro triggers the combo, then damage dealt is doubled. If Cryo triggers the combo, then damage dealt is 1.5 times more.
  • Frozen – Cast Hydro and then Cryo to completely freeze an enemy.

But that's not all. If you choose two characters with the same element, it's possible to pull off some cool Elemental Resonance techniques. These include:

  • Soothing Waters – Use two Hydro characters to increase healing by 30 percent and cut down on the effect time of Pyro by 40 percent.
  • Fervent Flames – When using two characters with Pyro, you gain Cryo resistance (which can be shook off in 40 percent less time) and 25 percent increased attack damage.
  • Impetuous Winds – Use two Anemo characters for 15 percent decreased stamina depletion and 10 percent increased movement speed. Skill cooldowns are also reduced by 5 percent.
  • Enduring Rock – When having two Geo characters, resistance to interruption is increased. Having a shield will also increase attack damage by 15 percent.
  • High Voltage – When using two Electro characters, you're affected by Hydro for 40 percent less time. Effects like Superconduct, Overloaded and Electo-Charged also have a 100 percent chance of creating an Electro Elemental Particle. This effect has a five second cooldown though.
  • Shattering Ice – By having two Cryo characters, you're affected by Electro damage for 40 percent less time. Critical rate is also increased by 15 percent against enemies suffering from Cryo (including those frozen).
  • Protective Canopy – Grants 15 percent elemental resistance when each character in the party has a unique element.

It's also important to know more about Ley Line Disorders. These are special elemental debuffs in the Spiral Abyss that will adversely affect your party. Using an Elemental Reaction on one's self can provide temporary immunity to these effects. The disorders and their effects are:

  • Engulfing Storm – Electro effect that continuously drains energy.
  • Slowing Water – Increases skill cooldown time.
  • Smoldering Flames – Pyro effect that deals burn damage over time.
  • Condensed Ice – Causes increased stamina consumption.

Nioh 2: Darkness in the Capital DLC Launch Trailer Reveals New Weapon

Nioh 2 Dakness in the Capital_02

Team Ninja's second major DLC for Nioh 2 is out today with Darkness in the Capital. It sees the player venturing back in time to Heian in Kyoto, working with a powerful demon slayer and Onmyo mage to fight off the Yokai. Check it out below.

Along with a new storyline, the DLC introduces a new claw weapon type. This means up close and personal brawling, along with the ability to tackle enemies into orbit. There are also new Yokai foes to fight, including a creepy enemy that impales the player and hits a doll to keep damaging them.

Players can also expect a new difficulty level and new equipment rarity to go with all of the new weapons, armor and accessories. You'll also have new Guardian Spirits, Soul Cores and Yokai Abilities to harness. Nioh 2's Darkness in the Capital DLC can be purchased standalone but it's also included in the Season Pass. Stay tuned for more details when it arrives.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Trailer Showcases 40 Player Mode Ahead of Beta

Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War - Fireteam Dirty Bomb

The multiplayer beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War goes live later today for Xbox One and PC pre-orders (while all PS4 players gain access). What's different this week is the addition of Fireteam: Dirty Bomb, a 40 player mode on two maps. Check it out in action below.

Fireteam: Dirty Bomb sees 40 players divided into 10 teams that traverse the map, collecting Uranium and detonating dirty bombs before the others. Detonating a bomb will create radiation that's harmful to all players. But interestingly enough, trying to hang on to Uranium will affect movement and health regen before inevitably killing the player.

Don't worry though – you can respawn on a teammate (even in their vehicle) or parachute in to get back to the action on death. The first team to reach the score limit, either by killing other players, detonating bombs and depositing any Uranium, wins. Two maps will be available during the beta so keep an eye out for that.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is out on November 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Xbox One.

NBA 2K21 Details DualSense Enhancements For PS5 Version

NBA 2K21 (3)

As is almost always the case, with a new generation of consoles comes a slew of the annual sports titles in tow. It's one thing you can rely on for most console launches time and time again, and 2020 is no different. The current gen version of NBA 2K21 is already out, which you can read more about through here, and the next gen one will be here soon. Specifically, the PS5 version has got some new details about how the longstanding franchise will use its new DualSense controller.

As detail on the official PlayStation blog, the game will make use of both the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the new DualSense. The triggers seem to be used in a very creative way where they will increase resistance on the Sprint trigger as your player's energy begins to drain. Strong post players will also feel slower resistance when backing down weaker opponents, but you'll have to pull the trigger harder when the situation is reverse.

For haptic feedback, they are using it for collusions. Any of kind of potential collusion from boxouts or body up rides will result in a vibration, but the vibration will be more or less intense depending on the level of said collusion. You can read more details on these as well as some next generation improvements here. You can also read a few more gameplay tweaks coming through here.

NBA 2K21's next generation version will launch on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on their respective launch dates. You can get a look at the PS5 version of the game to check out what to expect.

GameStop To Get Revenue Share From Digital Content On Xbox Devices They Sell

GameStop

As the focus of sales shift to online and digital becomes more prominent (and more pushed by publishers), the woes of physical retail has become a big thing. Wrap that all up with the current COVID pandemic, and you have nothing but a hard time. The last major video game-focused retail specialty chain, GameStop, has been no stranger to those woes, as they've been forced to close multiple stores as well as seen slumping sales. But a new partnership with Microsoft has been announced, and it seems that the retail chain isn't going down without some fight.

As reported by DOMO Capital, GameStop has entered a deal with Microsoft to share downstream revenue from digital sales on Xbox systems that GameStop sells. While the exact details are not known, it seems as if the retailer will get some degree of revenue on all digital content from whatever systems they sell that will get customers into the "Xbox ecosystem." That's obviously the upcoming Xbox Series X and Series S, but presumably would also include any Xbox One or even spare 360 sold, though again, the exact details are not made clear at this time. There are also a lot of questions that aren't answered now, such as whether Game Pass revenue is counted. Those specific details may very well never be shared.

It's an interesting move by both parties. GameStop no doubt sees this as a move to heal some of their financial wounds and Microsoft probably sees an opportunity to push their systems to those who still shop brick and mortar. Whether or not it will benefit either significantly remains to be seen, but it's an inventive partnership all the same.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Trailers Features Miles and Peter Swinging Around

marvel's spider-man miles morales

With Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales coming next month, Game Informer has quite a lot of new details and footage as part of its coverage. We've seen the game's first boss fight but how about seeing Peter Parker and Miles Morales just swinging around? There's some of that as well – check it out below.

Though it's short, the initial scene provides a look at Miles's unique movement (including the nifty reverse dive). It definitely portrays him as still fairly new at the Spider-Man gig, even though it doesn't affect gameplay. Eventually, Miles rendezvouses with Peter to escort a major villain to the Raft.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is out on November 10th for PS4 and PS5 with cross-gen saves and a free upgrade for those who buy the current-gen version. Purchasing the Ultimate Edition for $70 also provides Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered which features improved visuals, 60 FPS performance mode and ray-tracing. For more details on Miles's journey, head here. Of course, there's also Spider-Cat gameplay to behold.

Watch Dogs: Legion Looks To School You About The Game In Bizarre Live Action Trailer

Watch Dogs Legion

The third entry in the Watch Dogs saga has a lot of checks to cash in its many promises. Legion will allow you to recruit literally anyone to your cause against a fascist regime that's taken over London and make them all unique in a solid story. Whether it can really pull it off is something we'll find out at the month's end, but in the meantime, Ubisoft wants to school you on the ambitious title. And they are doing it…in an odd way, to say the least.

Yesterday, the company released what you'd probably consider a pretty traditional trailer hyping up the release in a few weeks. Today they released a live action trailer titled, "Classroom 101," and it's…well, it's something. While I got a chuckle out of it, I'll admit it's a bit hard to parse exactly what they were going for, but there are legitimate nuggets of information there on the game, and there's small bits of it shattered throughout to demonstrate. It's worth a watch if for nothing else but its bizarreness.

Watch Dogs: Legion will release on October 29th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Stadia. The Xbox Series X and Series S version will come on November 10th with the PlayStation 5 version following on the 12th. For all the information you'll need for the game that you may not get from this video, we have you covered through here.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Reveals First Adorable Look At Spider-Cat

marvel's spider-man miles morales

While the superhero genre has evolved quite a lot since the days of Adam West's pure camp take on Batman, it's still inherently a pretty silly thing. Ultimately, it's about men and women running around with crazy and impractical powers in their pajamas. There comes a point where you have to embrace the goof, and the upcoming Miles Morales has some goof, and it's adorable.

Game Informer has been sharing a lot of information about the upcoming Spider-Man game, such as details on its combat as well as information about upcoming villains. But they may have revealed the true star of the show with our first look at the adorable Spider-Cat. If you're wondering what that's all about, it is…exactly what you're picturing as what a Spider-Cat would be. I mean, it's is exactly that. While it's unclear how much crime you'll be able to fight with Spider-Cat or if it's more of a mission by mission thing, I implore you to not only watch the video but see it to the end. It's worth it.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will launch on both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 November 12th. You can also see some more footage of the game from its first boss fight through here.

Gearbox CEO Gets Sweaty With "First To Manufacture" Next Gen Retail Copy Of Godfall

Godfall_02

One of the first next generation games that we saw revealed was Godfall. Since that time, we've gotten a very steady amount of information about the title, from its endgame content, its side quests and even how it will differ playing solo or co-op. So it's probably fitting that the game will now be the first game to be shown as a retail copy, even if the way it's being shown is…odd.

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford took to his official Twitter to post some pictures of him holding what is apparently the first retail copy of a PS5 game in Godfall, which is being published by his company. It's neat and more or less confirms that discs are now being printed for next generation systems, but uh, as you can notice (and many others have as well) is that Pitchford is rather tired and sweaty looking here. What exactly has he being doing to get to this state is anyone's guess. Maybe he is just that excited for Godfall.

Godfall will launch alongside the PlayStation 5 on November 12th. The game will also come to the PC on the same day via the Epic Games Store.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla PC Requirements Revealed, SSD Recommended

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Ubisoft has finally released the minimum and recommended requirements for Assassin's Creed Valhalla on PC. As with Watch Dogs: Legion, different specifications have been outlined for 1080p, 2K and 4K resolutions. Interestingly, it seems the highest frame rate for Ultra High settings at 4K is 30 FPS but we'll get to that.

If you're seeking the bare minimum needed to run the game, then an Intel Core i5-4460 at 3.2 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 at 3.1 GHz, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 960 4 GB or AMD R9 380 4 GB are necessary. Installation space is 50 GB across the board with an SSD recommended. But in this case, it seems that a normal HDD should suffice.

For 4K at 30 FPS with Ultra High settings, an Intel i9-9700K at 3.6 GHz or an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X at 3.6 GHz is needed. You'll also require 16 GB of RAM and either a GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB or AMD RX 5700XT 8 GB. A solid state drive is mandatory here. For the full list of minimum and recommended specs across other resolutions, check below.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is out on November 10th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PC, Xbox One and Google Stadia with the PS5 version releasing on November 12th. For the latest "Deep Dive" trailer and gameplay walkthrough, head here.

Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p/30 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 3 1200 – 3.1 Ghz / i5-4460 – 3.2 Ghz
  • RAM: 8GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD R9 380 – 4GB / GeForce GTX 960 4GB
  • Storage: 50GB HDD (SSD Recommended)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

Recommended (High Preset, 1080p/30 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 5 1600 – 3.2 Ghz / i7-4790 – 3.6 Ghz
  • RAM: 8GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD RX 570 – 8GB / GeForce GTX 1060 – 6GB
  • Storage: SSD (50GB)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

Recommended (High Preset, 1080p/60 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 7 1700 – 3.0 Ghz / i7-6700 – 3.4 Ghz
  • RAM: 8GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD Vega 64 – 8GB / GeForce GTX 1080- 8GB
  • Storage: SSD (50GB)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

2K (Very High Preset, 1440p/30 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 7 2700X – 3.7 Ghz / i7 – 7700 – 3.6 Ghz
  • RAM: 16GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD Vega 56 – 8GB / GeForce GTX 1070 – 8GB
  • Storage: SSD (50GB)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

2K (Very High Preset, 1440p/60 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 5 3600X – 3.8 Ghz / i7 – 8700K – 3.7 Ghz
  • RAM: 16GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD RX 5700XT – 8GB / GeForce RTX 2080 S – 8GB
  • Storage: SSD (50GB)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

4K (Ultra High Preset, 2160p/30 FPS):

  • Processor (AMD / Intel): Ryzen 7 3700X – 3.6 Ghz / i9 – 9700K – 3.6 Ghz
  • RAM: 16GB (Dual-channel mode)
  • Video Card: AMD RX 5700XT – 8GB / GeForce RTX 2080 – 8GB
  • Storage: SSD (50GB)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • DirectX Version: DirectX 12
  • Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support