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Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Guide – 10 essential tips and tricks

It's launch day for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and, chances are, if you've got a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S on preorder, this is one of the games due to arrive alongside your shiny slab of next-gen hardware.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla should be largely familiar to those who have previously played Origins and Odyssey. It's a gritty action roleplaying game layered with new and refined features to keep the rebooted formula feeling fresh.

Whether you're a seasoned assassin or just happen to fancy a Viking romp, we've come up with XX tips to help you and Eivor on your joint voyage.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Tips & Tricks

1. You should boot up Ubisoft Connect as soon as you can. This is a meta layer for Ubisoft titles that offer exclusive challenges and rewards. It's purely optional though there's an item here that can help you out in those early stretches of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. Spend 100 U points to unlock the Spartan Bow. Even after a dozen or so hours, it remains a permanent part of our Eivor loadout.

2. Experiment with every weapon type. In Assassin's Creed: Valhalla you'll come across various weapon classes from two-handed swords to flails, each with their own unique movesets. Mix, match, and get a feel for which combination suits you.

3. Staying with weapons, let's talk about shields. If playing on tougher combat difficulty settings you'll want to use that free fighting hand to defend yourself. While dual-wielding and two handed-weapons allow for quicker or more powerful attacks, the defensive capability of a shield can counter this. That said, if you master the parry in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla then you can pick up any weapon.

4. Upgrade your settlement as often as you can. While it's tempting to blitz through story quests, raid monasteries, and explore England, you should be returning to Ravensthrope and spending resources on new buildings, each of them yielding new activities or bonuses.

5. Gunnar's forge is the first upgrade you'll buy for Ravensthorpe. Whenever making a journey to your base, pay the Norse smithy a visit – here you can exchange Ingots (looted from chests and elite enemies) to upgrade your weapons and armour, boosting their stats and allowing you to slot runes.

6. You should also waste no time in building a bureau for the Hidden Ones. This is where Assassins Basim and Haytham will be quartered and while it's easy to try and ignore the Templar/Assassin conflict as on your Viking escapades, you'll learn new techniques. It will also open a new menu tab called "Order", populating the world with agents who need killing. If you're late in constructing the bureau there's a good chance you'll need to backtrack to kill these Order members.

7. Sýnin the raven is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. From the sky, your avian assistant can get a general overview of your surroundings, scout enemies camps, and relay important intel. If you're a keen treasure hunter then sending Sýnin can often reveal entrances and pathways which you can mark out.

8. Tailor the difficulty settings in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla to suit your playstyle. Instead of the bog standard "easy, normal, and hard" you can dial combat, stealth, and exploration to your own tastes. Fancy challenging battles but suck at stealth? You can adjust accordingly, making enemies tougher yet less aware when Eivor is sneaking around.

9. Acquire Books of Knowledge whenever they are in reach. Looting treasure is great, sure, though these chunky tomes will bless Eivor with new abilities. You can slot four melee and four ranged abilities at one time, each one helping to make battles more dynamic and flashy.

10. Gather natural resources as you move between objectives. Ore deposits and patches of wildlife are scattered throughout Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, offering the materials needed to upgrade gear. They can also be spent on increasing Eivor's arrow and ration capacity. If hunting is proving too hard you can always buy leather, ore, and more from merchants. While you're at it, check their stock for runes.

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Stench of Treachery quest guide

Upon leaving Norway and first sailing to England, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla will give you a choice as to which faction you should forge an alliance with. If you choose Grantebridgescire this will start a new story arc for Eivor as you travel south of your newly made home in Ravensthorpe.

It turns out that the Vikings occupying Grantebridge have been driven out by Wigmund's Saxons following a surprise attack. You quickly team up with Soma to find her companions and retake their settlement.

Even after your victory, there's a cloud hanging over Soma. The only way the Saxons could have besieged the town is via the secret tunnels beneath Grantebridge. Tunnels only Soma and her three closest advisors know about.

It's time for Eivor to play detective, scouring the nearby region for clues while questioning the three suspects and those who might have seen anything strange on the night of the attack.

This Assassin's Creed: Valhalla "The Stench of Treachery" quest guide will talk you through the mission. You can either follow the steps below or skip to the end for a fast solution.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla "The Stench of Treachy" Guide

Your three suspects in The Stench of Treachery are Lif, Birna, and Galinn, all of whom you have already met in previous quests in this story arc. Soma will ask you to do some digging but you can just as easily make your accusation there and then. We provide the correct answer in a later part of this guide, but here's how to do it the proper way.

Your first step should be talking to Lif, Birna, and Galinn in their homes around the town.

First we have Galinn, a warrior who wandered the land in a bedraggled state before being brought into Soma's service. He's been through some hardship and is obsessed with hallucinatory visions. On the night of the Saxon ambush he has no firm alibi but at the same time no real motive to betray Soma.

Next up we have Birna, one of Soma's best fighters who parries every grave blow life has to throw at her with a quip and a smile. There's something more to her relationship with Soma and it appears as though her bags were packed to leave on the night of the raid.

Finally we Lif. He's been beside Soma for a long time now, serving as a master shipwright. He has served loyally though tells Eivor he had originally put his name forward to lead the tribe, too. On the night of the raid, this ambitious advisor was working in the shipyard.

Exhaust all dialogue options available. Also, make sure you are speaking to nearby NPCs who can give you more clues. Report back to Soma with your findings and your search will be directed to the swamps beyond Grantebridge.

Pop open your Asssassin's Creed: Valhalla world map and look north. You will see a scattered cluster of islands. You can begin your search anywhere in this region though we'd recommend starting with the tunnel where the Saxons got in. At the entrance you'll find a painted yellow cross, triggering a cutscene recreation. To find clues, use your eagle vision to scan the area around Eivor, highlighting anything of interest. Quest objectives will glow green.

You'll be guided further north along the riverbank where you'll discover wrecked longships and another cutscene. Lif is the master of ships and you'll find his poem carvings inside these scattered boats. If you examined the shopping list in Lif's hut you will have also seen that he purchased yellow paint…

There are two more major clues to be found. If you follow the same path shown in the recreation you will come upon a longship painted in yellow. As you'll know by now, the conspirator painted the ship, marking it for the Saxons to attack. Galinn's ship.

All the clues are pointing to Lif, but there's one more crucial piece of evidence. In the nearby Saxon camp west of the river, you can kill a large group of enemies and claim their loot. However, there's also a clue here – a letter from Wigmund ordering his men to allow a yellow longship safe passage. The plot thickens…

This should give you all the information you need to make the correct accusation. Galinn is the traitor, having brokered a deal with Wigmund. He painted the ship yellow and tried to escape though was set upon by bandits. The place where Eivor finds Galinn at the beginning of this story arc is just north of the yellow ship – convenient, eh?

Report back to Soma and watch the rest of the quest play out.

The Stench of Treachy solved – who is the traitor?

Galinn is the traitor. Select him and Soma will call a meeting of her trusted advisors, killing Galinn despite his protests – he lies through his teeth even in death. You, Soma, Birna, and Lif will head to the Ely Monastery in the final stage of this quest, to kill Wigmund.

If you choose correctly then the raid will go ahead as planned. You will return to camp after slaying Wigmund and Soma will reward you. Birna will also join your clan.

If you wrongly accused Lif or Birna, you will return to camp to find Galinn holding the surviving advisor with an axe to their throat. They'll break free only to be cut down as Galinn launches an axe at them. You'll then have to face him in a boss battle. A bloody end to this small saga.

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BT have launch day Xbox Series X|S stock for BT and EE customers

Alongside Game, BT have also announced that they will have some launch day stock of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, with the caveat that it is available exclusively for BT broadband and EE mobile customers.

BT customers will have to log into their MyBT account to spot the offer, with consoles and a range of accessories to be made available, while EE customers have the option to throw the cost of the their next-gen console on top of their existing mobile contracts, paying through 11 interest-free instalments with the Add to Plan service.

It's touted as a new partnership between Microsoft and BT, as BT look to strengthen their position as a partner for gaming companies. They were also the first European network to partner with Google Stadia back in January.

Stock will likely be quite limited, and hopefully this isn't the only avenue that punters have to pick up a launch day console – Game announced yesterday that they will have launch day PlayStation 5's next week.

Is the Xbox Series X worth they outlay? We'd say so, if you prefer the green team over the blue. The console is fast, it's clearly very powerful and it builds on the Xbox One X. You'll see a huge jump forward if you're coming from a base Xbox One or PlayStation 4, but might be feeling there's a lack of meaningful exclusives on day one.

We said in our Xbox Series X review:

The Xbox Series X is the continuity candidate. It's built on the foundations of familiar system software and comprehensive backward compatibility that actively enhances everything you want to play on it (within limits) and it's effectively silent no matter how hard we've pushed it. At this time we're still on the outer threshold of what it can offer for the next gen gaming, but we'll explore that over the coming days, weeks and months. What's certain is that you'll want a high-end TV or monitor to get the very best out of it, and that if you're coming from a base PS4 or Xbox One in particular, this will be a huge step forward.

Source: press release

If you missed it, catch up with Destiny 2's end of season live event here

At stupid o'clock this morning a small live event took place in Destiny 2 to signal the end of the current version of the game and prepare for the launch of Beyond Light. Check out the video below to see what happened.

Those who logged in saw the Traveller go all sparkly and begin healing itself, as did all the Guardians watching. That was about it until right at the end the game shifted to the map view and some dark swirls crept from the left side out the map, removing Io, Mars, Mercury, and Titan, before the Traveller glowed and stopped the spread of the darkness.

Honestly, I'm a bit annoyed. This was billed as a small event and it was in terms of theatrics, but as part of the lore it was huge and most players in Europe missed it due to the timing. Also, after months of build up, story missions, and saying goodbye to Brother Vance and the others, they just get removed from a map? That's it? No cut scenes, no explosions, no last stand, they just get removed, what an anti-climax.

The game is now offline while Bungie get everything ready for Beyond Light which launches later today. Here are the details, remember UTC is the same as GMT.

November 9, 7:00 PM PST (0300 UTC): Destiny 2 will be brought offline for expected maintenance. Players will be removed from activities and won't be able to log back into Destiny 2 until 9 AM PST on November 10.

November 10, 9:00 AM PST (1700 UTC): Destiny 2 Update 3.0.0.1 will be available across all platforms and regions. Players will be able to log back into Destiny 2.

November 10 12:00 PM PDT (2000 UTC): Destiny 2 maintenance is expected to conclude.

You should be able to preload the new version of the game right now, Bungie warn that you should delete your existing copy of Destiny 2 to make space for the new version.

Source: YouTube

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guide – Where to find all Missing Cats

If you're looking to make some yen fast in Yakuza: Like a Dragon then you'll want to get to Chapter 5 where you'll unlock the Part-time Hero service, which happens as part of the story.

This is essentially where you carry out fetch quests like finding X number of items or defeating Y number of enemy types. While each quest will net you cash and item rewards, there's a few that are a very nice earner for when you're broke for much of the start.

First, in order to start the cat quest in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, you will need to go visit the Part-time Hero office in person (although you do go to the office during the substory when the mode unlocks, it doesn't count). The office is located in the northwest of Ijincho.

Once you're there, a cutscene will play featuring a number of stray cats. However, as soon as you leave, you'll get a call to say they've all escaped, so now you'll have the quest to find all 9 stray cats around the city. You should be able to locate them all from Chapter 5 onwards and once done, just return to the Part-time Hero office to collect a 1 million yen reward!

In the following guide, we've listed all the missing cat locations in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, complete with screenshots of where to find them.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Guide – all Missing Cat locations

Located on Sunrise St in the Commercial District just north of the brothel where you and your party are staying at early on.

2. South of the Bar District, this cat is tucked away in the doorway of this club that has this big garish head statue on the outside (hint: it's one that the others say looks a bit like Adachi).

3. Behind a car on the upper floor car park in the Commercial District, right above where the Can Quest mini-game is located.

4. West and across the road from Ounabara Vocational School, you have to go through the gates into the grounds of this large square building where the cat is perched on top of a green meter box.

5. West of Jinnai Station, as you come out the station, veer south and go across the road and you'll come to an enclosure you can enter lined with trees. Head further down, past a row of silver safes (which you might as well open for loot as well) and you'll find the cat at the very end perched on top of a large bin.

6. At the most northwest of Ijincho next to the batting center. This one's just on the ground behind a couple of huts.

7. In the west-central part of Hamakita Park there's a water fountain. The cat is hiding behind that.In the centre of Chinatown, this cat is perched just outside this restaurant.

8. In the centre of Chinatown, this cat is perched just outside this restaurant.

9. Deep inside Restaurant Row in Liumang territory, the final cat is just tucked away in this tiny alleyway.

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon Job Guide – Every female character job and skills

Yakuza: Like a Dragon changes up the series' history of real-time brawls to a turn-based JRPG, and with that a modern-day twist on job class systems based on real-life jobs.

In order to change jobs, you have to go to Hello Work in the Commercial District and then speak to Ririka.

Job rank levels are separate to character levels. As your job rank increases, you will learn new skills related to that job. While it's possible to max out your job rank to Lv.99, you will learn all skills by Lv.28, and thereafter levelling up further simply improves other stats. Also note that you can also learn Character skills, which can be used by your character even when in a different job.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Female Character Job Guide (Saeko and Eri)

The availability of jobs is based on gender however, and unfortunately for the female characters, there are considerably less jobs, which also appear to fall into fairly stereotypical categories. Nonetheless, that should not discount how important these jobs are in battle.

Note that there are also conditions that need to be met in order for a job to unlock for each character, which is usually based on character level as well as their bond level with Kasuga.

Hostess

Lure your enemies in for a good time and then put the freeze on them with a range of ice-based attacks.

Unlocks for: Saeko (at Lv.1) and Eri (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.2)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Card Shot	Blade attack that may cause bleeding	Job skill
1	Sparkling Cannon	Ice-based attack that may leave enemy cold and drunk	Job skill
4	Ashtray Crush	Attack that may lower enemy's accuracy	Job skill
6	Cutie Smile	Removes mental status ailments from all allies	Job skill
10	Sexy Pose	Lower enemy's defence and may leave them charmed	Character skill
12	Nail Scratch	Blade attack that may lower enemy's evasion	Job skill
16	Platter Shatter	Ice-based attack that may leave enemy cold	Job skill
18	Penalty Roulette	Attack with a random self-defence weapon	Job skill
22	Ice Spreader	Heavy ice-based attack that may leave enemy cold	Character skill
24	Essence of Damnation Date	If successful, will instantly KO enemy	Job skill
28	Essence of Lighter Service	Extreme fire-based attack to a single enemy that may cause burn	Job skill

Idol

Equivalent to the white mage, your pop star power can heal allies, though they can also debuff enemies and even use their cutesy poses to charm the enemy

Unlocks for: Saeko (at Lv.15), Eri (at Lv.1)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Smash Step	Attack that may leave enemy charmed	Job skill
1	Twirling Beat	Attack combo that may leave enemy silenced	Job skill
4	Magical Voice	Restores HP to an ally	Character skill
6	Magical Song	Restores HP to all allies	Job skill
10	Miraculous Voice	Removes physical status ailments from all allies	Job skill
12	Lovedrunk Typhoon	Lowers defence of all enemies that may leave them charmed	Job skill
16	Impish Wink	May leave an enemy brainwashed	Character skill
18	Playful Splash	May leave the enemy with a cold	Job skill
22	Magical Concert	Fully restores HP to all allies	Job skill
24	Essence of Glowstick Fury	Extreme attack on an enemy, damage is greater based if charmed	Job skill
28	Essence of Idol Spirit	Revives an ally	Job skill

Nightqueen

Got a whip handy, because it's time to bring the punishment as a sadistic dominatrix. Whether with a whip, dancing pole, or a bit of bondage, your enemies will feel the pain so much they may even be brainwashed.

Unlocks for: Saeko (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.2), Eri (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.4)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Heel Stomp	Attack that may brainwash enemy	Job skill
1	Luscious Guillotine	Attack with chance to instantly KO enemy	Job skill
4	Whip Service	Attack combo that may brainwash enemy	Job skill
6	Somersault Leg	Attacks enemy area that may leave enemies brainwashed	Character skill
10	Spinning Queen	Attacks enemy area that may leave enemies brainwashed	Job skill
12	Tough Love	May leave enemy brainwashed or silenced	Job skill
16	Candle Rush	Heavy fire-based attack to enemy area that may cause burn	Character skill
18	Vital Vibration	Heavy attack combo that may leave enemy brainwashed	Job skill
22	Essence of Titillating Claws	Greatly restores HP to an ally	Job skill
28	Essence of Extreme Bondage	Extreme attack that may instantly KO enemy	Job skill

Dealer

As a high-rolling casino dealer, many of your best attacks are dependent on the roll of the dice, with a mixture of melee, blade and gun attacks thrown in for good measure.

Unlocks for: Saeko (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.4), Eri (at Lv.15)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Card Sharp	Blade attack, damage depends on the card's number	Job skill
1	Joker's Juggling	Juggling attack, damage depends on items that fall back down	Job skill
4	Jackpot Chip	Throws mysterious chip at enemy with high chance of critical hit	Character skill
6	Darts Airstrike	Gun attack at enemy area	Job skill
10	Lucky Dice	Boosts ally's stats	Job skill
16	Unlucky Dice	Lower's an enemy's stats	Job skill
18	Tricker's Top Hat	May leave enemy burned, poisoned or with a cold	Character skill
22	Essence of Russian Roulette	Extreme gun attack all multiple enemies but may strike allies too	Job skill
28	Essence of Fortune's Wheel	Mysterious roulette with one of many possible outcomes	Job skill

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon Job Guide – Every male character job and skills

Yakuza: Like a Dragon changes up the series' history of real-time brawls to a turn-based JRPG, and with that a modern-day twist on job class systems based on real-life jobs.

In order to change jobs, you have to go to Hello Work in the Commercial District. Although you reach this place for the first time in Chapter 3, you'll have to go through the story for a bit before switching jobs becomes available. But once it's unlocked, you just need to go there and speak to Ririka at her desk.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Male Character Job Guide

Availability of jobs is based on gender, so we'll be going through the jobs available to the male characters here. Note that there are also conditions that need to be met in order for a job to unlock for certain characters, usually based on character level as well as Kasuga's personality stats or bond levels with his allies.

Bodyguard

Uses katana attacks that deals heavy damage but also inflicts harm on the user – similar to a dark knight

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.1), Nanba (at Lv.15), Adachi (at Lv.1), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.1), Zhao (at Lv. 20, Bond Lv.3)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Fiendish Slash	Blade attack that may cause bleeding	Job skill
1	Thoughtless Skewer	Blade attack that also damages user, the lower your MP the higher the damage	Job skill
4	Beserker Spirit	Boosts attack	Character skill
6	Haywire Havoc	Attack that when timed right results in critical hit	Job skill
10	Smack Talk	Taunt enemy to enrage	Job skill
12	Nightmare Glare	May cause enemy to be afraid	Job skill
16	Diehard Skewer	Blade attack that also damages user, the lower your HP the higher the damage	Character skill
18	Devilish Slash	Heavy blade attack that may cause bleeding	Job skill
24	Essence of Lightning Rod	Extreme blade and electric-based attack that damages user as well, the lower your HP and MP the higher the damage	Job skill
28	Essence of Diabolic Slash	Extreme blade attack that may cause bleeding	Job skill

Host

Here to bring the pain through good times, from sparkling champagne to birthday cakes to the face. Hosts can learn both fire and ice attacks, while also stealing from enemies (or rather coercing them to give up items) – sort of a mage and thief rolled into one.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.1 and Style Lv.3), Nanba (at Lv. 20 and Bond Lv.4), Adachi (at Lv. 20 and Bond Lv.4), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.1), Zhao (at Lv.15)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Sparkling Splash	Ice damage that may leave enemy cold and drunk	Job skill
1	Hyper Shout	Boost ally's attack	Job skill
1	Golden Finger	May cause an enemy to hand over an item	Job skill
4	Rose Stinger	Attack that may leave enemy charmed and burned	Job skill
6	Birthday Bash	Attack that may lower enemy's attack	Job skill
10	Ice Spreader	Ice damage that affects enemy area, may leave enemies with a cold	Character skill
12	Birthday Bonanza	Attack that may leave enemy silenced	Job skill
16	Platinum Finger	Chance of enemy handing over a rare item	Job skill
18	Secret Cocktail	Restore own HP but may leave them drunk	Character skill
22	Essence of Rose Typhoon	Extreme fire attack to all enemies that may leave them charmed and burned	Job skill
24	Coercive Shout	Boost ally's magic	Job skill
28	Essence of Champagne Wave	Extreme ice attack to all enemies that may leave them cold and drunk	Job skill

Yakuza: Like A Dragon_20201106104601

Breaker

Bringing the bling and the beats, a breakdancer uses dance-based attacks that can also provide buffs to the user.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.1), Nanba (at Lv.1), Adachi (at Lv.15 and Bond Lv.2), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.15), Zhao (at Lv. 15 and Bond Lv.2)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Maximum Flair	Unblockable attack that may boost defence	Job skill
1	Rolling Thrash	Attack that may recover MP	Job skill
1	Accel Step	Boost evasion	Job skill
4	Collapsing Chair	Unblockable attack that may boost attack	Job skill
6	Windmill	Attack combo to enemy area	Job skill
10	Atlas Hold	Unblockable combo attack that may boost defence	Character skill
12	Goblin Swipe	Attack combo to single enemy	Job skill
16	Spin Sweeper	Attack combo to enemy area that may boost attack	Job skill
18	Hangman Twist	Throw attack that may boost attack for all allies	Job skill
22	Double Hatchet	Attack that may boost magic	Character skill
24	Essence of Rolling Mixer	Extreme attack to single enemy that may remove your debuffs	Job skill
28	Essence of Breakdance Delight	Extreme attack on all enemies that may restore allies' HP	Job skill

Foreman

A construction worker who wields a big hammer to bring in heavy damage as well as explosives that bring fire-based damage.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.1 with Charisma Lv.3), Nanba (at Lv. 25, Bond Lv.5), Adachi (at Lv.1), Joon-gi Han (at Lv. 20, Bond Lv.3), Zhao (at Lv. 25, Bond Lv.4).

Note: ensure you equip this job for Kasuga at least once as it also unlocks an important exploration ability called Demolish that's essential for accessing certain locations.

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Boss Hammer	Powers attack on first turn followed by heavy damage on next turn	Job skill
1	Healthy Routine	Reduce allies' chance of suffering status ailments	Job skill
4	Hammer Swing	Attack enemy area	Job skill
6	Get Pumped	Boosts own defence	Job skill
10	Explosive Throw	Fire-based attack at multiple enemies, can cause burn	Job skill
12	Master Hammer	Powers attack on first turn followed by extreme damage on next turn	Job skill
16	Ocular Assessment	Greatly boosts accuracy	Character Skill
18	Upswing Smash	Heavy damage to an enemy	Job skill
22	Essence of Labor Parade	Extreme attack to all enemies	Job skill
24	Megaton Throw	Heavy fire-based attack at multiple enemies, can cause burn	Character Skill
28	Essence of Wrecking Ball	Extreme attack to all enemies	Job skill

Musician

A modern day bard, use the power of music and song to heal and buff allies while debuffing enemies. Skills can also raise your voltage level, which affects the power of your attacks.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.15, Kindness Lv.5), Nanba (at Lv.1), Adachi (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.3), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.4), Zhao (at Lv.1)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Guitar Crush	Attack that causes more damage with higher voltage	Job skill
1	Album Drop	Blade attack that deals more damage with more musicians in party	Job skill
2	"We Are The Globe"	Lowers attack of all enemies, may raise your voltage	Job skill
4	"Endless Desire"	Gives HP regeneration to all party members, may raise your voltage	Character skill
6	"Scar Me"	Attack enemy area, may raise your voltage	Job skill
10	"Relax"	Lowers defence of all enemies, may raise your voltage	Job skill
12	"Those Who Protect"	Raises defence of all allies, may raise your voltage	Job skill
16	"Be My Shelter"	Absorb enemy's MP, may raise your voltage	Character skill
18	"Your Wackiest Dreams"	May cause enemies to fall asleep, may raise your voltage	Job skill
22	Feel the Crowd	Defend and counter-attack any close range attacks, voltage is raised for each counter-attack	Job skill
24	Essence of Surprise Concert	Extreme attack on all enemies, the higher your voltage the higher the damage	Job skill
28	Encore	Increase the strength of your skills for 3 turns	Job skill

Chef

Coming roaring out from the kitchen, the chef's recipes include blade-based attacks that have a chance of making enemies bleed as well as a fire-based attacks.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.15, Passion Lv.5), Nanba (at Lv.15, Bond Lv.2), Adachi (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.4), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.4), Zhao (at Lv.1)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Flattening Pan	Attack that deals greater damage to stunned enemy	Job skill
1	Medium Well	Fire-based attack to enemy area that may cause burn	Job skill
1	Saucer Discs	Throws blade attack to enemy and any enemies in path of trajectory	Job skill
4	Sashimi Slice	Blade attack combo that may cause bleeding	Job skill
6	Cutlery Crash	Blade attack combo that may cause bleeding	Job skill
10	Peppermill Blow	Attack that may lower enemy's accuracy	Character skill
12	Wound Opener	Blade attack that deals greater damage to bleeding enemy	Job skill
16	Well Done	Heavy damage to enemy area and may cause burn	Job skill
18	Vanquishing Pan	Heavy attack that deals greater damage to stunned enemy	Character skill
22	Essence of Human Grating	Extreme attack on a single enemy	Job skill
24	Pressure Cooker Slam	Heavy damage to enemy area that may cause stun	Job skill
28	Essence of Searing	Extreme attack on a single enemy that may cause burn	Job skill

Enforcer

Basically a riot police officer wielding a baton and shield like a knight, an enforcer can protect allies while also learn electric-based attacks that can paralyse enemies.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.20, Confidence Lv.7), Nanba (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.4), Adachi (at Lv.15), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.15, Bond Lv.2), Zhao (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.5)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Strike Down	Attack that may enrage enemy	Job skill
1	Transfer Shield	Shield that reduces damage an ally receives but greatly reduces your defence	Job skill
4	Shield Blast	Attack enemy area	Character skill
6	Paralysis Prongs	Electric-based attack that may paralyse enemy	Job skill
10	Shield Bash	Heavy attack that may enrage enemy	Job skill
12	Sleep Grenade	May cause enemy in area to fall asleep	Job skill
18	Power Lift	Extreme attack that may enrage enemy	Character skill
22	Essence of Shield Rupture	Extreme attack to all enemies that deals greater damage to enraged enemies	Job skill
28	Essence of Electromagnetic Storm	Extreme electric-based attack on all enemies that may cause paralysis	Job skill
24	Pressure Cooker Slam	Heavy damage to enemy area that may cause stun	Job skill
28	Essence of Searing	Extreme attack on a single enemy that may cause burn	Job skill

Fortune Teller

Uses magic to buff and revive allies while inflicting status ailments on enemies.

Unlocks for: Kasuga (at Lv.20, Intellect Lv.7), Nanba (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.3), Adachi (at Lv.25, Bond Lv.5), Joon-gi Han (at Lv.15, Bond Lv.2), Zhao (at Lv.20, Bond Lv.4)

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Directional Doom	Attack that may brainwash enemy	Job skill
1	Holy Water	Cure enemy of status ailment	Job skill
4	Soul Tether	Revive fallen ally	Character skill
6	Leyline Logarithm	Attack that may brainwash enemy	Job skill
10	Pulsa Denoura	Spell that may leave enemy afraid, brainwashed, charmed, enraged or silenced	Job skill
12	Auric Insight	Boosts attack of all allies	Job skill
16	Bad Omen	Spell that may leave enemy brainwashed or silenced	Job skill
18	Fulminating Forecast	Electric-based spell on multiple enemies that may cause paralysis	Character skill
22	Essence of Spirit Bonding	Revives all fallen allies	Job skill
28	Essence of Divine Punishment	Extreme magic attack on an enemy that may leave them afraid	Job skill

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
Every Yakuza game ranked from worst to best
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all mini-games and where to find them
Yakuza: Like a Dragon starting jobs guide
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all female jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all male jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Kappa Statues
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Missing Cats
Tokyo in video games: a brief history

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Job Guide – Every character starting job and skills

Yakuza: Like a Dragon marks a huge departure from the previous entries in the long-running series as it changes from real-time action brawling into a turn-based JRPG. That also includes party members and its own twist on job class systems.

A lot has been made of being able to swap around to a variety of real-life jobs but each character also has their own starting job that's unique to them, and while it's fun to try your hand at being a breakdancer or chef, your starting job can be just as important, with skills you don't want to neglect.

One thing worth noting is that as you learn new job skills, a couple of skills are classed as Character skills, which means once you've learned it, your character can use it irrespective of what other job they have at the time.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Starting Job Guide

In this guide, we'll outline each character's starting jobs while also listing their unlockable skills, starting with the game's main protagonist.

Ichiban Kasuga

Ichiban actually has two exclusive jobs. He starts as a Freelancer fighting with just his fists and can learn terrain-based attacks. He eventually defaults to Hero in Chapter 4, using bat-based attacks but can also learn a mixture of offensive and healing skills. Take note that Freelancer remains a separate job that you can always switch back to.

Freelancer

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
2	Tenacious Fist	Punch attack that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
4	Rock Swing	Puts enemy in headlock and throws them	Job skill
5	Headbutt Barrage	Damage an enemy with headbutts	Job skill
8	Hyper Swagger	Boosts evasion and attack for 2 turns	Character skill
12	Dropkick	Flying kick attack with high chance of critical hit	Job skill
16	Ruffian's Kick	Heavy kick attack	Job skill
20	Atomic Drop	High damage with high chance of critical hit	Job skill
24	Release German Suplex	Suplex move that may instantly KO enemy	Character skill
28	Essence of Roadside Weapon	Extreme damage on enemy with an improvised weapon in environment	Job skill

Freelancer

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Bat Buster	Swing bat at enemy	Job skill
1	Mega Swing	Damage enemy and anyone within attack area. Damage is higher when HP is lower	Job skill
4	Fearless Command	Boost allies' attack	Job skill
6	Bat Breaker	Heavy damage with a bat swing	Job skill
8	Hero's Vigor	Revive ally from KO – does not always succeed	Job skill
10	Hero's Compassion	Restores HP to all allies	Job skill
12	Giga Swing	Heavy damage to enemy and anyone within attack area. Damage is higher when HP is lower.	Job skill
16	Peerless Resolve	Allows you to survive a hit that would otherwise result in KO.	Character skill
18	Indomitable Courage	Removes all allies' status ailments	Character skill
22	Essence of Bonecrushing Bat	Extreme damage to an enemy	Job skill
23	Hero's Embrace	Restores all allies' HP	Job skill
28	Essence of Full Swing	Extreme damage to enemy and anyone within attack area. Damage is higher when HP is lower.	Job skill

Nanba

You meet Nanba in Chapter 3. An ex-nurse who is living in Yokohama's homeless camp, his hobo-based skills includes using alcohol to light up enemies with fire, bad breath to cause debuffs and summoning attack pigeons.

Homeless Guy

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Pigeon Raid	Attacks enemy with flock of pigeons	Job skill
1	Gnarly Breath	Lowers enemy defence	Job skill
1	Pitiful Look	Chance of making enemy hand over an item	Job skill
4	Pyro Belch	Fire attack that affects enemy area and may inflict burn status	Job skill
6	Push and Shove	Attack that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
10	Pyro Breath	Heavy fire attack that affects enemy area and may inflict burn status	Character skill
12	Nauseating Breath	Lowers enemy attack	Job skill
16	Pigeon Storm	Heavy attack on enemy with flock of pigeons	Job skill
18	Stunning Cane	Heavy damage that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
22	Malodorous Stench	Lowers attack and defence of all enemies	Character skill
28	Essence of Pigeon Migration	Extreme damage to all enemies using pigeons	Job skill

Koichi Adachi

You meet Adachi in Chapter 2 though he's not properly part of the party until Chapter 4. A washed up detective on the verge of retirement, he's quite tanky and able to dish out heavy attacks.

Detective

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Beatdown	Attack that may enrage enemy	Job skill
1	Slick Tongue	Provoke all with chance to enrage	Character skill
3	On Guard	Defend and counter-attack any close-range attacks that turn	Job skill
4	Heavy Beatdown	Combo of attacks	Job skill
6	Detective's Determination	Chance of striking fear into an enemy	Job skill
10	True Grit	Allows you to survive a hit that would otherwise result in KO.	Job skill
12	Helmsplitter	Damage that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
16	Detective's Eye	Boost accuracy	Job skill
18	Arrest	Restrain enemy and if successful will instantly KO	Job skill
22	Grand Helmsplitter	Heavy damage that may leave enemy stunned	Character skill
24	Essence of Bulldozing Throw	Extreme damage	Job skill
28	Essence of Body Stacking	Extreme damage to two enemies	Job skill

Saeko Mukoda

Joining the party in Chapter 5, Saeko is a hostess turned bartender who's as tough and witty as any of the guys. She specialises in physical attacks on single enemies while using a range of cosmetics to buff herself.

Barmaid

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Clobberbag	Attack that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
1	Boxercise Blow	Attack combo	Job skill
1	Sharp Perfume	Raises attack	Job skill
4	Beautician's Finesse	Raises defence	Character skill
6	Powderpuff Press	Attack that may lower enemy accuracy	Job skill
10	Clobberwheel	Damage to enemy area	Job skill
12	Tweezer Toss	Throw damage that may leave enemy afraid	Job skill
16	Yoga Meditation	Recover HP and heal burn or bleeding status	Character skill
18	Branding Blow	Damage that may burn enemy and seal skills	Job skill
22	Curler Throw	Attack that may lower enemy accuracy	Job skill
24	Essence of Handbag Hurricane	Extreme attack to single enemy	Job skill
28	Essence of Facial Gone Wrong	Extreme throw attack to enemy that may cause debuffs	Job skill

Joon-gi Han

Second-in-command of secretive Korean gang the Geomijul, Joon-gi Han is actually the body double of the man of the same name who once led the Jingweon Mafia (for those who played Yakuza 6). Though an adversary to begin with, he later joins the party and can provide gun skills that damage multiple enemies.

Hitman

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Head Trauma	Damage enemy	Job skill
1	Combo Beat	Attack combo	Job skill
1	Sniper Shot	Ranged attack	Job skill
4	Banshee Bayonet	Disappear for a turn then unleash powerful attack the next turn	Job skill
6	Rapid Shot	Ranged attack combo	Character skill
10	Point Blank	Close gun attack that can stun or even instantly KO	Job skill
12	Cheap Shot	Stomp on enemy foot then strike	Job skill
16	Neck Twister	Heavy throw damage	Job skill
18	Divine Shot	Damage multiple enemies within range	Job skill
22	Essence of Phantom Drive	High blade damage that may leave enemy bleeding	Job skill
24	Phantom Shift	Boosts accuracy and evasion	Character skill
28	Essence of Trick Shots	Heavy damage to all enemies but damage is higher when there are less enemies	Job skill

Tianyou Zhao

The young leader of Chinese mafia, the Yokohama Liumang, Zhao joins the party late in the game but offers fierce blade-based attacks as well a dose of martial art kicks.

Gangster

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Falling Fang	Blade attack that may leave enemy bleeding	Job skill
1	Dragon's Vortex	Combo attack	Job skill
1	Blinding Viper	Attack that may lower enemy accuracy	Job skill
4	Whirling Blade Dance	Attack enemy area and may cause bleeding	Job skill
6	Dragon's Ascension	Attack combo that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
10	Shell Shatter	Attack that may lower enemy's defence	Character skill
12	Rapd Crane Kick	Damage an enemy and may leave stunned	Job skill
16	Sanguine Blade Dance	Combo attack that may cause bleeding	Job skill
18	Seismic Shockwave	Builds up power on first turn followed by devastating attack the next that damages enemy area	Job skill
22	Drunken Tiger Fist	Damage enemy, critical hit more likely when drunk	Character skill
24	Essence of the Phoenix Blade	Extreme attack that may leave enemy burned	Job skill
28	Essence of the Ladder Acrobatics	Extreme attack to all enemies, may instantly KO the last enemy hit	Job skill

Eri Kamataki

Eri is an optional character you meet towards the end of Chapter 5. While her story is focused on the management mini-game, you're advised not to ignore this if you want to make a lot of money in the long run. Upon reaching the Top 100 in the management mini-game, Eri joins the party, bringing the pain using blade-based attacks – based on a variety of office supplies!

Clerk

Job rank	Skill	Summary	Skill type
1	Healing Vibrations	Restore HP to self	Character skill
1	Rolling Kick	Attack that deals more damage to enemies with status ailments	Job skill
1	Flying Crane	Blade attack that may leave enemy bleeding	Job skill
4	Thumbtack Scatter	Sharp attack affecting enemy area	Job skill
6	Inkblot Nocturne	Lower enemy and nearby enemies' accuracy and evasion	Job skill
10	Shadow Stitch	Heavy blade damage that may lower enemy evasion	Character skill
12	Sealing Lamp	Attack that may silence enemy	Job skill
16	Stapler Striker	Attack combo that may leave enemy afraid	Job skill
18	Paper Drop	Heavy damage that may leave enemy stunned	Job skill
22	Papercut Reversal	Heavy damage that may leave enemy bleeding	Job skill
24	Essence of Flying Swallow	Extreme attack that may leave enemy afraid	Job skill
28	Essence of Telephone Nunchaku	Extreme attack to all enemies, may cause silence and fear	Job skill

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
Every Yakuza game ranked from worst to best
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all mini-games and where to find them
Yakuza: Like a Dragon starting jobs guide
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all female jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all male jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Kappa Statues
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Missing Cats
Tokyo in video games: a brief history

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guide – All Mini-Games and where to find them

Yakuza games have always been known for having a wealth of mini-games to distract you, and Like a Dragon is no different.

There's plenty for you to do in Yokohama's Isezaki Ijincho, but it's also a considerably larger place than Kamurocho, so it can take some time to get your bearings on just what's available in. There's a mixture of familiar as well as completely new activities, although some have certain conditions before you can access them.

This guide will give you a breakdown on all the dizzying mini-games in Yokohama and how to unlock them.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Mini-Game Guide

Arcades

There's actually two arcades in Ijincho, the small run-down Sasaki arcade in the Commercial District and the Club Sega in Chinatown (which is exactly where you'd find a Sega arcade in the real Yokohama).

Sasaki is located on Tsurukame Alley, a side street off W Central St. on the way to Hello Work, so it's one you can access very easily in the beginning. Inside you'll find playable versions of Virtua Fighter 2, Fantasy Zone and Out Run, as well as some UFO catcher machines. The photo booth unfortunately is just for show.

Club Sega is just at the end of Chinatown on the North East part of Ijincho. Inside you'll find playable versions of Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, Super Hang-On and Space Harrier.

Can Quest

This is the first substory you'll play and is part of the story. Essentially, you're riding a bike around the homeless area collecting cans while trying to avoid rival collectors – unless of course you've got an energy drink, in which case you can ram into them and steal their cans!

Seagull Cinema

This small arthouse cinema shows vintage films but the comfiness of the seats, and possibly the quality of the old movies, means it can be tough to stay attentive and not fall asleep. Fight back against the sheep to stay awake to get through the film!

You'll find this on the corner of Ijin Street north of where Otohime Land is. You can't really miss it as you'll have to go to Ijin Street as part of the story. You'll have to complete 'Substory 8: Old Cinema Paradiso' first before the cinema unlocks as an activity you can come back to anytime. You can even go see a film with a friend to build up your bond level.

Shogi

Japan's own version of Chess, you'll find a homeless guy set up just north of the homeless camp who will challenge you to a game. You can play ranked matches, challenges or puzzles.

Hostess cabaret clubs

Hostess clubs are a long-running staple in the series although their function is much reduced here. It's not so much a minigame but a more costly equivalent of a restaurant where you can splash out on food and drink to restore your allies' HP and MP, although if you treat the hostesses right, it puts your male allies' in a better mood, boosting your bond level with them.

There's two hostess clubs to choose from, the Rose Blossom Cabaret that's on the same street as Otohime Land in the red light district, and Lin Lin Hostess bar, a Chinese hostess bar located in Ijin Street. You'll go to the latter as part of the story in Chapter 5.

Karaoke

Another series staple returns – except you can even sing in English! This rhythm game is available in Survive Bar which you'll unlock in the story. You'll also unlock more songs as more characters join the party.

Slot machines

You can play Pachislots at PIA on Isezaki Road, one street away from Otohime Land. These feature real Pachislots machines including 'Pachislot Souter-no-Ken Ponyou' based on the Fist of the North Star manga. You do however have to download free DLC before you can actually play these machines.

Mahjong

You can play Richi Mahjong in two places. There's Citron Majhong, a basement parlour for lower tier games in the south of Koreatown, and located below where Sujimon Sensei is based. For higher ranking Mahjong games, head to Vista Mahjong on Pier Street in Chinatown north east of Ijincho.

Ounabara Vocational School

This school is on Daikokuten St. just north east of Jinnai Station in the centre of the map. You'll trigger 'Substory 10: Fast times at Ounabara' (which also features a brilliant bit of localisation if you're playing with English audio) before it unlocks.

Basically, this is the place to go to raise Ichiban's personality stats by taking a series of vocational tests, which range from trivia to math to your Sega knowledge. Just make sure you have plenty of money as these tests cost a fair bit.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon_20201106150626

Darts

Based on the darts mechanics from Yakuza 6, you can play darts in basement bar Bee. This is located on Bayside St. almost in the centre of the map just north of Jinnai Station, and around the corner from a Poppo store.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon_20201106145516

Golf

Heaven's Golf is located on Kinka St. north west of Jinnai Station around the corner from gourmet sushi restaurant Kappo Katsumi.

Batting Center

Just like the batting centre in Kamurocho, the MIRAI Batting Center is located at the most north west of Ijinco by the sea.

Dragon Kart

A surprisingly decent and meaty Mario Kart clone (and perhaps a parody of those unlicensed Mario Kart go-karting businesses found in Japan), this can be found in Hamakita Park, the most north eastern part of Ijincho by the sea. Those who've played Yakuza 0 and recall the pocket circuit racing mini-game may also recognise the owner of this activity.

To unlock Dragon Kart, just complete 'Substory 40: Welcome to Dragon Kart!' when you approach the area for the first time. After that, you can return and compete in up to four cups, each with three different tracks based around the city. Each cup is also tied to a substory with racing rivals while you can also upgrade your kart or unlock new ones over time. Bear in mind that the final cup isn't available until the final chapter of the game.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon_20201027153315

Business management

The most substantial mini-game of the lot, you're introduced to this one in Chapter 5 when you meet Eri where 'Substory 15: Ijincho's Safety Net' begins as part of the story. In the long term, this is the best route to making lots of money in the game, which you do by investing in new businesses, recruiting and training staff, then battling angry investors at shareholder meetings.

Once you've unlocked it, you can resume the management mini-game by going to the upstairs office above Ichiban Confections just north west of Tsurukame Bridge.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon_20201106150819

Gambling

There are two underground gambling spots but both are hidden away and require meeting certain conditions to unlock.

The first one is a casino next on Breakwater Drive just next to Chinatown and the taxi point. However, this is hidden in the men's toilet at this spot and in order to access it, your style level needs to be at Lv.4. Once you've reached this level, speak to a guy outside the toilet and he'll tell you to go into the cubicle at the end and there'll be a wall that slides open! Underground, you'll find a casino where you can play Poker and Blackjack.

The second one is a gambling hall that's easy to miss. You have to climb down a ladder on Kinka Bridge to access it, located just across from Kinka Pharmacy – not far from Survive Bar. But your path to this ladder is blocked by a couple of guys. In order for them to let you through, you need to have your confidence level at Lv.4. The games played here are traditional Japanese card games using hanafuda cards.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
Every Yakuza game ranked from worst to best
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all mini-games and where to find them
Yakuza: Like a Dragon starting jobs guide
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all female jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all male jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Kappa Statues
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Missing Cats
Tokyo in video games: a brief history

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guide – Where to find all Kappa Statues

If you're looking to make some yen fast in Yakuza: Like a Dragon then you'll want to get to Chapter 5 where you'll unlock the Part-time Hero service, which happens as part of the story.

This is essentially where you carry out fetch quests like finding x number of items or defeating y number of enemy types. While each quest will net you cash and item rewards, there's a few that are a very nice earner for when you're broke for much of the star.

One way to earn a million yen quickly is to complete the request to take a picture of all the kappa statues in the city. You'll have probably come across a kappa statue early on by the river next to the homeless camp, and a boy there will even mention that there's supposed to be 10 of these hidden around Ijincho.

What you don't realise is that, with one exception, these other statues are not as conspicuous as this one with a sign next to it. But you've come to the right place as this guide will detail just where you can find all the kappa statues to get rich quick.

Take note that to do this properly, you need to open the camera on Ichiban's smartphone, which you can do by pressing up on the d-pad. You also want to make sure you get a prompt telling you to 'take picture' in order for it to count.

Also, while this quest is available as soon as Part-time Hero is available, a couple locations are out of bounds until you've progressed further in the story to about Chapter 7.

In the following guide, we've listed all the missing cat locations in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, complete with screenshots of where to find them.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Kappa Statue Locations

The most obvious you'll come across early on nearby the homeless camp in the Commercial District where you also find a few of the game's earliest substories.

2. This one is hidden through a window in a building that can be found in between Hamako's restaurant/brothel and one of the Part-time Hero reps.

3. In Survive Bar, go upstairs to your hideout where you can restore the party's HP/MP and if you look to the right, this one is sneakily tucked inside the cupboard on its side on top of blankets.

4. West of Jinnai Station, and not far from one of the missing cat locations, this statue is actually inside an outside accessibility elevator.

5. This one is tricky to find, but you want to go to the red light district south east of the map. East of the Romance Workshop is a back alley parking lot where you'll also find a silver locker, and a shady businessman (if you've made progress in the management mini-game). This is also surrounded by green fencing. The statue is actually located behind the fencing, and though you'll likely not get a clear picture, as long as you get the prompt it will count.

6. Tucked to the side in Chinatown on the same street where the Yi Xing Tang herbal shop is located. It's to the right of a restaurant advertising roast duck (as seen in this picture).

7. The only other statue accompanied with a proper sign, this one can be found on the most northwestern corner of Ijincho just behind the batting center.

8. This cheeky chappy can be found inside the Hero's Harvest food truck in Hamakita Park, next to Dragon Kart.

9. For this one, you'll need to have access to the Liumang's hideout, which you won't be able to reach until late into Chapter 5 (though you can't freely access until Chapter 7). To reach it, head into Restaurant's Row and just take the stairs to the right partway in. You'll likely have to fight some bad guys once you head up here, but once that's done you should see the statue perched up in front of you on another building's balcony.

10. The last one is in Geomijul territory in Koreatown, which is out of bounds until you go there in Chapter 7 of the story. If you follow the path you do for the story, you just climb up the stairs (near a place you can also plant seeds) and if you look across from you, the statue is just there on a balcony.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
Every Yakuza game ranked from worst to best
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all mini-games and where to find them
Yakuza: Like a Dragon starting jobs guide
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all female jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – all male jobs and skills
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Kappa Statues
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – find all Missing Cats
Tokyo in video games: a brief history

Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4 to be patched to allow you to use your saves with PS5 remastered version

Insomniac Games has announced that Marvel's Spider-Man on PlayStation 4 will be patched to allow you to use your saved games from that version in the new Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered for PlayStation 5.

We have heard you – in an upcoming update for #SpiderManPS4, we will add the ability to export your save to Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered. This update will also add the three new suits from Remastered to the PS4 game. We expect to bring you this update around Thanksgiving.

Great news, and shows that Insomniac are listening to their fans. They have also recently revealed some of the additional content that PS5 players will get when Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is released for the console.

That new content is two new suits with those suits being the Arachnid Rider and Armored Advanced suits. It is likely these suits will also be added to the PS4 version of Marvel's Spider-Man at a later date. Of course the new suits are not the only differences PS5 players will experience differently to PS4 players.

Your first glimpse of the Arachnid Rider and Armored Advanced Suits, two all-new looks for Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered.

Details on this enhanced version of the PS4 classic: https://t.co/ApMwCYI5qs pic.twitter.com/ysN8zb3V8a

— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) November 6, 2020

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered will run in dynamic 4K at 60 fps, and the adaptive triggers of the DualSense will give players the feeling of shooting webbing. The DualSense's haptic feedback will also be used to immerse you into the world with gadgets almost being felt in your own hand while using them. The sounds will be more improved than the PS4 version due to the PS5's Tempest 3D AudioTech which will allow players to pinpoint sounds, and hear things that would have been missed on the PS4. Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered launches alongside Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and in our review for that Jim wrote:

Spider-Man: Miles Morales feels like more of a sequel than it is a stopgap, entangling players within its web of cleverly refined mechanics while delivering some familiar web-slinging thrills. A heroic technical showcase for PS5 owners picking up their consoles on day one, this meaty side story in the Spider-Man saga has us even more excited than before to see what Insomniac Games have planned next.

You can read the full Spider-Man: Miles Morales review here. Both Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be launch day titles for the PS5, with Miles Morales also releasing on PS4. PS5 owners can get both games in the Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition.

Source: Twitter

GAME will have limited stock of PlayStation 5 consoles for sale on launch day, but online only

UK retailer GAME are sending out emails to customers to let them know that they will have a limited amount of PlayStation 5 consoles available for purchase on launch day, November 19th. However, these will be online only sales, due to Coronavirus restrictions across the U.K. you will not be able to stop by a store and buy one. Presumably you will be able to order online and then run round to the shop to pick up your shiny new console.

No further details have been announced but if you are hoping to get a console then load up the GAME website as early as possible on the 19th and start hammering that F5 key.

In other PlayStation 5 news, Sony have released a huge FAQ covering the console, games, DualSense, PS5 camera and lots more.

We've also got a review of another PlayStation 5 game. BugSnax, which will be available for free to all PlayStation Plus subscribers on the console launch day. "Bugsnax is a unique and wonderful experience, and a must-play for anyone who can get their hands on it," we said. "If you're lucky enough to have secured a PS5, make sure you make the most of PlayStation Plus and pick up your free copy while it lasts. If not, this game is still well worth your hard-earned cash."

Sony's latest TV advert for PlayStation 5 has a small disclaimer at the bottom of the screen that reveals that Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal are all expected to launch before the middle of 2021. Horizon Forbidden West is going to take longer and will arrive in the second half of 2021, I would guess that's going to be the big Christmas release for Sony.

You can see the advert below, or,. you know, just turn on your television as it's showing in the UK right now.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Review

I've played plenty of games about farming and harvesting and prepping food. From Harvest Moon and Rune Factory to recent hits like Stardew Valley and Ooblets, there's a charm to games that let you experience the tranquil thrill of living off the land and raising natural resources. It wasn't until I played Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, though, that I realised just how many steps in the process of farming and harvesting these games tend to skip over. A lot of these lifestyle games may be content in telling you that growing grains is as simple as planting a seed, dropping water on it for a few days, and then pressing the A button to reap your rewards. Not Sakuna, though. This surprising Marvelous title combines fast-paced side-scrolling character action with the slow tedium of developing and cultivating a rice farm, and the result is one of the most interesting genre-fusions I've played in a while.

Titular protagonist Sakuna doesn't know squat about growing rice when the game begins, despite being the harvest goddess of the Lofty Realm. Spoiled, conceited, and pretty drunk, Sakuna is wandering the realm when she comes across a family of human refugees who have somehow made their way across the bridge connecting the human realm to the spiritual realm. She warns them to turn back, but when they ignore her warning and make a mad dash to find food in the Lofty Realm, she chases them down in a tizzy, accidentally destroying the ritual offerings of rice that were meant to be delivered that day to the highest goddess in the realm. As punishment, hotheaded Sakuna and the human family are exiled to a far-off island full of untamed wilderness and destructive demons.

To make it back home, Sakuna has to clear the demon infestation. In order to become strong enough to do that, though, the gang needs to cultivate a bountiful rice harvest that, on top of feeding them every night, will increase Sakuna's strength as the harvest goddess. Spoiled slacker Sakuna honestly carries the story of the game, especially with her fittingly whiny and pretentious voice acting. She's got a weird and hilarious personality, but the more time she spends on the island with her new human companions, the more she begins to open up and see things from a new perspective.

You've got a lot of tasks to juggle in Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, and with a constantly-moving day-and-night cycle, you'll often need to settle on some priorities. A big chunk of the game sees you going to the world map to dive into various gathering locations full of items to grab and demons to destroy. When you're in these modestly sized levels, the game mirrors the sort of simple-yet-satisfying hack-and-slash action of Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

You've got a light attack and a heavy attack that are modified based on the direction of your left stick, but you'll also gain special attacks as you level up. The most interesting tool at your disposal, though, is the divine raimant. This glowing scarf around Sakuna's neck can be flung out in eight different directions to latch onto enemies or walls. Latching onto walls lets you do some tricky platforming, but attacking foes with the raimant lets you swing around them to dodge incoming attacks, fling your foes to the other side of the arena, snap them back with a quick stun attack, and more.

You won't be able to dive into maps and tear through demons forever, though. When night falls, the demons grow immeasurably stronger, signaling that it's time for you to head home immediately. On top of that, there's a hunger system to the game that operates a bit differently than your typical survival-game hunger mechanic. Sakuna and the crew eat a different kind of dinner each night, and the types of food you pick to dine on will reward you with different status buffs and passive healing abilities the next day.

Take enough damage or stay out too long, though, and Sakuna is gonna be hungry again. Once she is, you won't be able to passively recover health anymore, making challenging battles all the more tougher. It can be a bit frustrating to not have any other way to restore health, especially when dying often forces you back to the beginning of the map with some of your collected items gone.

Back home, you won't be able to do much during the night besides preserve your freshly gathered meats and eat dinner. The next morning, though, you might decide to focus on your crops instead of the demon threat. Sakuna, and likely a majority of the people who play this game, must learn and perform each of the many steps it takes to grow a simple grain of rice, from tilling the soil to the evenly planting seeds to monitoring water levels to cultivating fertilizer to drying your grains to treshing the rice to, finally, hulling it into edible white rice. It's a lot, and the game never attempts to sugar coat it.

Planting seeds evenly is slow and difficult, while hulling the rice is a painfully long process. It's easy to get lost in the zen-like repetition of each step, though, and the more you do it the more you're rewarded with skills that enhance your efforts, like a grid that shows you optimal seed spacing or the ability to see when your soil is perfectly tilled. There's purpose to the slow repetition of this side of the game, and it does a great job of making you appreciate just how much effort goes into making a food many of us so easily take for granted.

And so it goes, demolishing demons and managing your harvest with each passing day, making sure to gather useful meal ingredients and crafting materials in-between. The repetition of the rice farming is well-executed, but the amount of times you'll be revisiting the same demon-infested levels to gather specific items or clear exploration challenges in order to unlock new areas can sometimes be a bit of a pain. It mainly hurts because the enemy placement and variety never changes in each map, turning the hectic battles into a bit of monotonous muscle-memory at some points.

PS5 FAQ: Sony might let your store PS5 games on an external drive in future, no Dolby Vision or Atmos support

Sony have posted a huge FAQ about their new console, the PlayStation 5, answering many of the questions that have been on gamer's minds. You can read the whole thing here, but here are some key points we have noted.

First up, as we noted earlier, you can't backup PS5 games on an external HDD, but you can on Xbox Series X|S.. yet.

Can I store or play PS5 games from a USB drive?

No, players cannot transfer PS5 games to a USB drive. PS5 games must be stored on the console's internal ultra-high speed SSD for gameplay. Explorations for allowing players to store (but not play) PS5 games on a USB drive in a future update are underway.

Sony are also warning not to buy an internal expansion drive yet, so if you have pre-ordered one might be best to wait and live with the rather stingy hard drive space you get on the console.

Should I buy an M.2 SSD drive for my PS5 at launch?

No. For now, we recommend that you hold off on purchasing any M.2 SSD drives intended for use with PS5. We will share more details on recommended drives in the future. M.2 SSD storage functionality will come to PS5 after launch with an upcoming system software update.

We also get some top tips on how to position your PS5, mostly common sense – don't put a blanket on your PS5!

What are the best practices when setting up my PS5 at home?

To maintain good ventilation, follow these guidelines below:

Place the console at least 10 cm (4 in) away from a wall surface.
Do not place on a carpet or rug with long fibers.
Do not place in a narrow or cramped space.
Do not cover with cloth.
Do not allow dust to build up on the vents. Use a cleaning tool such as a vacuum cleaner to remove dust buildup.

The following audio formats are supported, Dolby Atmos is conspicuously absent, which will be a disappointment to film enthusiasts. They also note that the PS5 only supports HDR10, with Dolby Vision an Xbox exclusive that is "coming soon" to their new machines.

Which audio output formats does PS5 support?

PS5 will support the following audio formats:

Dolby Digital (max 5.1ch)
Dolby Digital Plus (max 7.1ch)
Dolby TrueHD (max 7.1ch)
DTS (max 5.1ch)
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio (max 7.1ch)
DTS-HD Master Audio (max 7.1ch)
AAC (max 5.1ch)
Linear PCM (max 7.1ch)

After many years of Sony trying and failing to make them a thing at home, 3D movies are dead.

Does PS5 support 3D Blu-ray movies?

No, 3D stereoscopic output is not supported on PS5.

Good news for PC gamers…

Can I connect a keyboard and mouse with PS5?

Yes, USB and Bluetooth keyboards and mice are supported at a system level, though game developers will decide whether to support at a game level.

It's also goodbye to the least used app on your PS4…

Does PS5 feature a web browser?

No, the PS5 system doesn't include a dedicated web browser app.

(There is technically a web browser built in as a portal for help documents, but it's not possible for users to visit other sites.)

There's a lot more in the FAQ, we do suggest you read it. Well, read it if you are buying a PS5, if you are not then do something else with your time. Crochet a nice hat or something.

Source: Sony

Snowrunner Season 2 will add two new maps and game's biggest truck

Snowrunner developer Saber Interactive have confirmed a release date for their second season of premium content dubbed Snowrunner Season 2: Explore & Expand.

The new expansion will be available from next week on November 16th, rolling out across all versions of the popular terrain traversing sim including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

This is the second of two "phases" Saber Interactive have promised as part of the Snowrunner season pass. Season 2: Explore & Expand will be unlocked for everyone who has a pass or can be purchased and downloaded separately for those who only want this latest DLC.

Two new maps are coming alongside a number of bonus vehicles including, creating even more ways for players to explore and take on Snowrunner's challenges. Here's what's coming:

Season 2 brings two new maps set in Canada's Yukon wilderness, filled with snow-blanketed valleys, treacherous rivers and dangerous mud banks, featuring missions that allow for more creative gameplay than ever. Expand your operations into this new frontier, gathering raw materials and using the brand new cargo crafting mechanic to build a huge processing plant from scratch. Three new vehicles join the vehicle roster, including the CAT 770G: the biggest truck in the franchise yet. Current vehicles can also be customised even further, with new exclusive skins, hood ornaments and exterior stickers.

Even if you don't own the season pass, you'll still want to hop in your truck on November 16th. Snowrunner will be receiving free new trials, Xtreme cargo, customisation items, and missions when Season 2 lands, available to all players.

Dom reviewed Snowrunner earlier this year, scoring the Murdrunner sequel a stunning 9 out of 10. Here's what he had to say:

"SnowRunner is a game thoroughly, single-mindedly, in love with the open road. It just happens that it's the kind of love that's bred by getting that road so thoroughly under your nails, you occasionally have to wonder whether it's actually hate. Care, attention and time will show that SnowRunner is a passion project worth putting the extra mile in for."

Source: Press Release

Bright Memory Review

While there's often parallels drawn between cinema and video games for their storytelling, character work, and the use of violence and sexuality to appeal to consumers, one of the things that hasn't really translated across is the concept of a "good-bad" movie. The closest we get is in the horror genre, where games like Until Dawn and Five Nights at Freddie's embrace the often schlocky and silly nature of horror, but for the rest of the industry? Games are either good or bad, with little room for anything in between.

Bright Memory is a good-bad game.

You might know the game's title from the appearance of the successor, Bright Memory Infinite, in the first Xbox Series X showcase. Coming from solo Chinese developer Zeng "FYQD" Xiancheng, it grabbed attention with its cutting edge graphics, stylish looking combat and the mystique of a game that many console gamers would never have heard of.

With Bright Memory Infinite expected for release in 2021, publisher Playism are hoping to capture some of that interest with a port of the original Bright Memory from PC to console.

Bright Memory throws your protagonist Shelia right in at the deep end. There's next to no preamble outside of some brief, you're just in the middle of a high stakes covert mission, wielding a pistol to take out a few enemy goons. Then, some basically meaningless dialogue and one exploding security door later, it's time to fight them again with a submachine-gun before you and a terribly generic-looking bad guy who you seem to know are sucked up through an inter-dimensional portal.

Now it's time to fight tigers with Jurassic Park Dilophosaurus neck frills, reanimated enemies with swords and shields, fire-shooting giant bats and more. There's still the encounters with special forces goons thrown in for good measure, and it all adds up to a completely mad hodgepodge of ideas.

You're given a number of abilities right from the off, with your SMG, shotgun and pistol accompanied by a dash ability, EMP force blast, energy-based zipline and a sword that can send slashes of power at your enemy. There's more to unlock as well, but it means that from the very first moment you feel empowered to engage in high-paced front foot combat.

You might feel that way, but in truth, it's often better to lean on more typical FPS techniques of backing away and strafing. Your sword is your only real close-ranged attack, and even that can deal damage from afar. Only a handful of enemies, predominantly the spec ops baddies, will fire weapons at you, but even then, it's best to think about breaking line of sight to try and manage how much damage you're taking.

Still, the combat remains fast and fluid, with plenty of flexibility to mix and match abilities and weapons together. You can use the EMP to knock enemies flying, leaving them floating in a temporary stasis while you unload your shotgun into them, which can fire as fast as you're pulling the trigger. However you tackle the enemies you face, you're awarded a Devil May Cry-esque rating for each fight, building up from D through to SSS if you can continually land attacks and headshots.

The challenge that you face across the game's 30-60 minute runtime sometimes feels randomly unfair. Having battled through the first few arenas of mythical and reanimated enemies, Shelia spies the spec ops goons clambering up into a cave up ahead. Haring after them, you drop down into a smokey cavern, get flash-banged and find yourself being shot at by a dozen different enemies with only one or two rocky stalagmites to provide any kind of cover. It's a sudden difficulty spike that's instantly off-putting, alongside the difficulty of hitting those damn bat things.

Yet I unashamedly find myself enjoying the game, often laughing at how ridiculous some of these elements are. There's a puzzle early on where you rotate discs with glowing symbols on the floor, Aleshia commenting that they match up to the drawings on the walls. I mean, they don't, but spinning them round a bit let me line them up in a random fashion and the so-called puzzle let me through. Later, I encountered a sword sticking out of a fire. Interacting with it through the words "BONFIRE LIT" across the screen, just moments before fighting a boss that can only be described as the stock Dark Souls knight.

Then there's the often quite odd localisation – creatures that are clearly dragons are called "Sea Serpents" for one – which gleefully skips toward unintentional comedy as Shelia talks about things in this world that "the Doctor" told her about. Which doctor? Doctor Who?

Bright Memory for Xbox Series X is also one of the most surprisingly literal ports of a PC game I've seen in a long, long time. With the main menu loaded, I started tapping at the D-pad to head to the settings, only to discover that it's the analogue stick you need…. because you're using a mouse cursor. That's acceptable these days (I think we all tolerate it in games like Destiny 2), but once you get to those game settings, you'll see PC-esque graphics settings for V-sync, SSAO, texture quality and more. When you're in game and are notified that you have an upgrade available to you, the only way to leave that menu is to move the cursor and press 'A' on the 'X' to close the window. Then there's just how the game's control scheme bafflingly maps some of the sword attacks to the D-pad. Oh, and a smattering of minor glitches and bugs.

In essence, this feels like a time capsule for FYQD. It's clear this was a passion project and a learning experience that's a stepping stone toward Bright Memory Infinite. It also demonstrates just how empowering modern game engines like Unreal Engine 4 can be for solo developers. While there's plenty of rough edges, it's enabled him to craft something that can sometimes go toe to toe with games that have much larger budgets.

Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition Review

As sure as tick follows tock, as certain as Dante and Vergil's brotherly rivalry will see them embroiled in demon battling adventure, a Special Edition of Devil May Cry 5 is here. A next-gen exclusive (well, they'll be current gen in a matter of hours and days), this release adds Vergil as a playable character, with increased difficulty, extra game modes and some fancy-pants new graphical options.

For those who've already played DMC5 on current systems (or read the plot synopsis on Wikipedia), you'll already know how Vergil factors into the original game and, look… his connection has been quite clearly marketed by Capcom now, but in case you have remained unaware, consider this your SPOILER WARNING for the original game. The Special Edition (and the Vergil DLC for the original release coming in December) lets you play through the main game as Vergil.

And that main game remains fantastic. From our original Devil May Cry 5 review, Nick wrote:

Each character has a raft of abilities at their disposal, giving people ample opportunity to find something that suits their play style – and Smokin' Sexy Style is the name of the game. Stringing together combos, swapping weapons mid-combat and utilising different abilities raises the classic style rating that pops up on the right hand side when you do something cool. I've never been fantastic at maximising this in previous games, but something clicked in DMC5.[…]

The silly arguments on whether the original DMC or DmC is better can stop now, because DMC5 is here and it's bloody brilliant. This is a proper return to form for the series, something that fans of both can get behind.

Those who've played Vergil in previous Special Editions will find that an awful lot about him is familiar. He has three weapons to choose from, the Yamato blade, Beowolf gauntlets and the Mirage Edge in place of the Force Edge. His Devil Trigger, meanwhile, summons a doppelgänger with a Yamato that will try to mirror your moves with the main Vergil, doubling your potential damage output for a short time.

Vergil's unique Concentration gauge also returns, rewarding players that approach the game with considered action as opposed to the button mashing that I (to my discredit) often find myself slipping into in action games. Staying still in combat and not moving unless necessary plays into Vergil's character, boosting the power of whatever weapon you're currently using.

Of course, he can also transform, stabbing himself in the stomach to pull V from his body and perform all of V's summons at once, or morphing into his demon form through the use of his Sin Devil Trigger.

As well as new content, the Special Edition offers some new technical flourishes to savour as a release that's exclusively targeting the next generation PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Capcom have taken their already cutting edge RE Engine and sharpened it even further. The game's exceptionally human character models, the way they turned real world costumes into game assets, the highly-detailed environments also hold up and feel at home on the next-gen machines.

Choosing the like-for-like graphical experience, DMC5 SE can target a full 2160p at 60fps on the new consoles, but it can also go much further than that. Ray traced reflections, lighting and shadowing is also an option, but this comes at the cost of forcing to either halve the frame rate to 30fps, or sacrifice resolution for 1080p60. We'd pick 1080p60 over 2160p30 in this case. The other option is to go for high frame rates, with screens and TVs that have a 120fps mode allowing you to play at an almost locked 1080p120, furthering the fluidity of the game's silky smooth animations.

We tested this on PS5, but to get 120fps mode to actually work with our loaned Asus VG279QM monitor, we had to have our capture PC as a go-between to spoof display settings for the console. This isn't on Capcom, it's on a system level, where the Xbox Series X has better support for 120fps output to a wider range of displays.

Recognising that performance and responsive gaming are the real priority for this game, ray tracing is actually automatically disabled in Legendary Dark Knight difficulty and Turbo Mode. The default setting is also to have ray tracing turned off.

Speaking of which, those difficulty modes. Turbo Mode is as you'd expect from previous Special Edition releases, making the game play 20% faster than before. Legendary Dark Knight difficulty, however, is something else entirely, throwing much larger numbers of enemies at you. It's kind of crazy, almost amusing, going from encounters where you'd typically only deal with half a dozen at a time to having to stepping into an arena and seeing two dozen of these enemies and those from later in the game all spawning in at once. It completely changes the tone of the game's battling, especially when in close quarters.

Demon's Souls trophies have been remastered for PS5, too

Living rooms around the world are about to light up with the soft glow from their shiny new PS5 consoles. Many of those same living rooms will also play host to moans, gasps, and rogue shards of DualSense controller flying through the air with Demon's Souls making its grand return.

The tough-as-nails RPG that started it all, Demon's Souls was shrouded in obscurity for a long time before making its way west. Having read about it in an issue of OPM, I remember scouring eBay to import a Hong Kong copy which played in English – little did Demon's Souls players know that it would snowball into a flurry of back-to-back stunners from developers FromSoftware.

This remaster comes from the fine folks at Bluepoint Games who recently gave us Shadow of the Colossus in 2018 – here's why it's still a masterclass in storytelling.

They've rebuilt Demon's Souls in its entirety, including the list of trophies available for this PS5 remake. The original PS3 trophy was tough but straightforward, tasking players with slaying bosses and obtaining certain items. There's some overlap here, plus some extra trophies for completing other activities such as multiplayer interactions.

Demon's Souls PS5 Trophy List

Trophy Name	Description	Rarity
Slayer of Trophies	All Trophies Obtained	Platinum
Phalanx's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Phalanx"	Bronze
Tower Knight's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Tower Knight"	Bronze
Penetrator's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Penetrator"	Bronze
False King's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "False King"	Bronze
Armor Spider's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Armor Spider"	Bronze
Flamelurker's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Flamelurker"	Bronze
Dragon God's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Dragon God"	Bronze
Fool's Idol's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Fool's Idol"	Bronze
Maneater's Trophy	Slayer of Demon "Maneater"	Bronze
Old Monk's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Old Monk"	Bronze
Adjudicator's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Adjudicator"	Bronze
Old Hero's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Old Hero"	Bronze
Storm King's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Storm King"	Bronze
Leechmonger's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Leechmonger"	Bronze
Dirty Colossus' Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Dirty Colossus"	Bronze
Maiden Astraea's Trophy	Slayer of the Demon "Maiden Astraea"	Bronze
Return to Form	Help a player vanquish a boss	Silver
Unwelcome Guest	Vanquish a player as an invader	Silver
One Shall Fall	Vanquish the Tower Knight without killing any archers	Silver
Brother-in-Arms	Vanquish Penetrator with Biorr	Bronze
Fists of Legend	Vanquish Dragon God with the Hands of God	Bronze
Time for Rolling	Cross the walkway through the Idol's volleys of arrows	Silver
Not Fooled	Vanquish the Fool's Idol without hitting any clones	Silver
One Shall Stand	Vanquish Adjudicator without having him fall down	Silver
May you be unharmed	Vanquish Maiden Astraea without killing Garl Vinland	Silver
Seekest soul power	Embrace the power of the Old One	Gold
A Dash of Sage	Rescue Sage Freke the Visionary	Bronze
Umbasa	Rescue Saint Urbain	Bronze
Worthy of the Sword	Deliver Makoto to Satsuki	Silver
Road to Possibilities	Give the Searing Demon Soul to Blacksmith Ed	Bronze
One of the few	Obtain Istarelle	Silver
Witch in the Tower	Rescue Yuria the Witch	Bronze
Legacy of the Kings	Obtain the Northern Regalia	Gold
Sage's Trophy	All Magic Spells Obtained	Gold
Saint's Trophy	All Miracles Obtained	Gold
King of Rings	All Rings Obtained	Gold

Source: PSN Profiles

Bugsnax Review

You are what you eat. It's wisdom that has been passed down over the ages to remind people to stick to healthy food and only eat junk in moderation, but Bugsnax leans into the absurdity of the phrase. It posits an interesting question: what would life be like if you literally became what you eat?

It's an interesting idea, and one that catches the eye of our protagonist. You're a photojournalist who sets off to Snaktooth Island to find the enigmatic explorer Lizbert, who tipped you off to the existence of the game's eponymous Bugsnax.

You set off for Snaktooth Island and quickly learn two things: first, Liz has gone missing and, second, everyone else around you is utterly useless. Rather than helping you find their leader, you are tasked with running around the island, catching a menagerie of Bugsnax and feeding them to the residents.

A Bugsnak is a peculiar little beast — the animalisation of a given food or drink that gives it googly eyes and a cute personality. Eating a Bugsnak causes a mutation, known as Snakification, instantly turning a limb into a representation of the Snak you just ate. Although this is random at first, you quickly gain the ability to target these mutations to the limb of your choice.

And thus begins your intrepid journey to body-mod an entire island's worth of grumpuses (your species of furry humanoids) in the most irresponsible and amusing ways you can think of. Sure, they wanted to eat a pickle, but they didn't specify whether they wanted their arm or their nose to represent it — that's your choice entirely.

Catching the 100 different species of Bugsnax across the island's diverse range of biomes, from the frozen mountains to the volcanic springs at the beach, is no mean feat. Each one has its own unique way of fitting into the world around them, from the walking popsicles to the flaming buffalo wings. The level of creativity here really is impressive and it is a joy spotting a new Snak for the first time.

Getting your hands on the Snak, however, is far less simple. As you set about your mission, wondering how you're gonna Snak 'em all, you pick up a range of tools to help. These are simple to use, but surprisingly tricky to master.

Some snax are very enough to catch. Simply lay a trap and step back, and the idiot Strabby (a strawberry with googly eyes) will walk right into it. Others, such as the flying Cheepoof, require you to combine your portable launchpad with your trap for a more dynamic tool. Others still ask you to manipulate the elements, lay fiddly traps on the fly or wait for certain weather conditions.

In this way, Bugnsax is like a Pokémon game without the ability to rely on Pokéballs and a decent pitching arm. Although there are fewer things to catch than Red and Blue, there's a good 20 hours of gameplay here to keep you occupied.

And much like Pokémon, beneath the cute and cuddly veneer, there is a very dark story unfolding.

Truly, any spoilers would ruin the experience, and I wouldn't want to take away the sheer brilliance of experiencing Snaktooth Island for yourself, but I will say that despite its appearance, this isn't the kind of game you should leave with your impressionable six-year-old.

Bugsnax is undeniably cute and it looks like the kind of thing you'd see on a Saturday morning kid's TV channel. It's adorable when you catch a Snak and your controller trills "Strabby!', "Kweeble!" or whatever it is you caught (again, like Pokémon, they can only say their own names), but there are some dark themes that you probably don't want to explain. The inevitable topics of addiction and cannibalism that comes from running around like Mother Superior to the island's snakheads, who have limbs made of french fries and Cheetos.

For all the darkness, there is also a lot of light to enjoy here. One of my first moments of genuine appreciation for this game was seeing that Liz, our absent leader, is dating another female character. There is no comment about how these characters are gay and there is no trace of homophobia from the other residents. They are accepted for being themselves. Given the sly innuendoes this pair of characters slip in (like Shrek and the Lego Movie), these moments of joy just keep coming.

This kind of diversity (minus the smut, of course) is the kind I'd love a future six-year-old of mine to see. Although it doesn't normalise ethnic diversity in the same way — everyone is a different colour of the rainbow — it is a powerful message putting LGBT characters in such a prominent position. Well played, Bugsnax.

Gran Turismo 7 & Ratchet & Clank target first half of 2021, Horizon Forbidden West set for second half 2021

You can see the advert below, or,. you know, just turn on your television as it's showing in the UK right now.

Sony have confirmed that three of the games previously assumed to be next-gen PlayStation 5 exclusives are also actually coming to PlayStation 4. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy A Big Adventure, and Horizon Forbidden West will all be cross-gen releases, coming to PS4 as well as PS5.

All three will also offer free upgrades from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, whether you buy digitally or physically.

Sony wrote on their blog:

While these three games were designed to take advantage of PS5 and its unique next-gen features like the ultra-high-speed SSD and DualSense controller, PS4 owners will also be able to enjoy these experiences when they launch. The PS4 digital versions of launch games include a free upgrade on both PS5 consoles, while the PS4 disc versions of these games include a free upgrade on the PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drive.

Horizon Zero Dawn sequel Horizon Forbidden West was revealed during the PS5 event and will see Aloy and the mechanical creatures arrive on the console in a big way. Guerrilla Games has released two new screenshots that show very different areas of Horizon Forbidden West. The first shows a downed plane in a waterful surrounded by greenery and what appears to be machine pterodactyl. The second is in the desert and seems to show some kind of encampment.

Source: YouTube

Borderlands 3's November patch and hotfixes are out today, read the notes here

A new update to Borderlands 3 is out today and it will be live across all platforms by 12:00 PM PST (that's 8pm UK time). Matchmaking has been improved, and there are changes to skill trees and weapons. Here are the notes!

NEW CONTENT

Added support for Designer's Cut

– Added a fourth Skill Tree for each Vault Hunter
– Added Arms Race
– Added Multiverse Final Form Cosmetics to those that own the Season Pass

Added Mayhem 11

Dev Note: Mayhem 11 is a copy of Mayhem 10 without any active modifiers. In this Mayhem level, the quality and amount of rewards from world drops are cut in half. Mayhem 10 gear does drop in Mayhem 11, so there is no need to re-farm any gear at this level. You can choose to gear up your characters quickly using Mayhem 10 or use Mayhem 11 to gear up more slowly with no modifiers.

Updated Anointments to Support Fourth Skill Tree

Dev Note: As part of updating Anointments to support the new trees, we've also changed them to not activate on missed activations. The Siren can no longer "Fakegrasp" to activate Anointments, and the Beastmaster can no longer Gamma Burst while looking at the sky to trigger Anointments. We are monitoring how these changes affect these characters and their builds and are looking to adjust as necessary in the future. Our goal is to make sure that no Vault Hunter has an unfair advantage related to Anointments activating.

Added 14 new Action Skill Damage Anointments

Dev Note: We've added a new series of Action Skill Damage Anointments for all skill trees. Now all Vault Hunter Action Skills have Anointments to buff their damage.

GENERAL

Removed Mayhem Level Gear from enemies

Added support Final Form character cosmetics to New-U stations

Updated some loading screen tips for added clarity

Modified audio priority system for player gunshots

Optimized audio memory

Optimized animation memory

Prevented the Countdown at the start of Takedowns from flashing on the screen too quickly

Updated the ECHO device to show the correct character portrait when characters spoke

Addressed a reported concern where the Photo Mode would not activate when accessing it through the Quick Menu

Resetting the camera using the Reset Camera function in Photo Mode will no longer reset to a random location

Loading screens no longer appear zoomed in when in non-standard aspect ratios

Optimized UI performance

Prevented the ECHO Map from rotating unexpectedly

Updated the Citizen Science Machine to prevent it from occasionally not functioning

Addressed a reported concern where enemies did not spawn during the "Defend BALEX" objective during the mission "The Family Jewel" in Voracious Canopy

Addressed a reported concern where the Eridium deposit failed to appear during the "Break Eridium Deposit" objective during the mission "Beneath the Meridian" in The Forgotten Basilica

Nativized Hotfixes

STABILITY

Fixed a reported concern where the host could crash when a client ended the Iron Bear Action Skill

Fixed a reported concern where the game could crash when viewing Fast Travel Stations on the ECHO Map

MATCHMAKING

With the changes below, we hope to improve the matchmaking times for all types of content. As a reminder, you can always access Matchmaking via the Social menu.

Added Arms Race to Matchmaking

Combined Trials and Circle of Slaughters into a single matchmaking pool

Addressed issue where players matching from a Takedown map would be put into a separate matchmaking pool

Updated matchmaking pools to only consider whether Mayhem Mode is enabled or disabled, instead of creating a pool for each Mayhem Level

CHARACTERS

ZANE, THE OPERATIVE

With today's patch, we have made several changes to Zane's Skill Trees and Class Mods. Our goals with these changes are to increase the Skill Tree build diversity as well as remove the reliance on one Class Mod for builds. While making these changes, we determined that certain skills should be moved on their respective skill trees to a different position.

For these skill changes to apply properly, Zane players will need to save/quit their characters once to have their trees updated to these new layouts. Skill points that were in the four swapped skills will be refunded when they load their characters the second time. If a player does not have enough points invested to unlock a high-tier skill they have previously applied points to, they will need to re-apply the refunded skill points before using those high-tier skills.

SKILL TREE CHANGES

Hitman Tree

Death Follows Close is an incredibly strong passive skill, much stronger than the effects of the capstone Seein' Red. This feels backward, so we have swapped the position of these two skills to better represent their value relative to each other. Please remember the changes require you to save/quit your character once to function properly.

Swapped the positions of Death Follows Close and Seein' Red on the Skill Tree

Added Kill Skill Bonus +15% to Seein' Red

Under Cover Tree

Like the Hitman Tree, the mid-tier passive and capstone skills of this tree had an inverted value relative to their position. This change also allows players to get more value out of their shields and Barrier via Distributed Denial being much lower in the tree. Please remember the changes require you to save/quit your character once to function properly.

Swapped the positions of Confident Competence and Distributed Denial on the Skill Tree

Buffed Gun Damage from Confident Competence

Double Agent Tree

Given the percent chance of Duct Tape Mod proccing, it could spell disaster for Zane in close quarters combat. Now players don't have to worry about accidentally downing themselves when a grenade is launched.

Duct Tape Mod now grants Zane immunity to damage from his weapons and grenades

CLASS MODS

Infiltrator

Reworked the ability to allow the shield to refill before it is broken whenever an Action Skill is activated

Seein' Dead

This Class Mod has been over-performing, so we have removed some of the power from the mod. To counter this change, the Seein' Red passive skill within Zane's Hitman Skill Tree has been given a buff, effectively giving all players access to additional damage without the requirement of using this Class Mod.

Lowered the Kill Skill Damage bonus

AMARA, THE SIREN

Certain types of damage were unintentionally being passed to other enemies caught in the Siren's Phasegrasp. This change prevents those interactions, but no other changes have been made to this skill. A previous hotfix did not address all the issues discovered and this solution is a more robust, permanent solution.

Updated Ties that Bind to only pass weapon and melee damage to enemies

Weapon Anointments that increase weapon or melee damage after Phaseslam now properly increases damage

Updated Muse Class Mod to prevent double-dipping on damage modifiers

FL4K, THE BEASTMASTER

Pets will now receive damage buffs from the global grenade anointment

Addressed a reported concern that when dealing critical hits in rapid succession while using the Rakk Attack Action Skill and Headcount Passive, Rakk Attack charges would not be gained properly, and the cooldown timer was reset

ECHOCAST UPDATE

Added support for next-gen consoles, Microsoft Xbox S/X and the Sony PlayStation 5.

Added support for 4th Skill Trees to Twitch ECHOcast

Added support for Arms Race to Twitch ECHOcast

When watching a streamer using the ECHOcast during Arms Race, the inventory, skill trees, and Guardian Rank tabs are hidden. The Rare Chest Event is also deactivated and replaced with the Extractor Breach Event

When in Arms Race, a new Map Tab is shown, which renders the in-game map along with points of interest. Points of interest are:

– Player location
– Respawn locations
– Extractor locations
– Boss area
– Death circle size, location, and time between states

Added a new Arms Race event to the ECHOcast: Extractor Breach!

This new ECHOcast event will allow viewers an opportunity to win streamer items in a setting that makes sense for Arms Race! In Arms Race, players must extract dropped gear to keep it to use outside of the game mode. This event gives viewers the chance to win items the streamer extracts from the game mode during play and after defeating the final boss.

HOTFIXES

These changes will be live on all platforms by 12:00 PM PT. To apply hotfixes, wait at the main menu until you see a sign that reads, "Hotfixes Applied!" If you are experiencing any issues or want to provide feedback, please submit a ticket to support.2k.com.

Enabled purple E-Tech pistols to drop in-game

Increased the resolution of the images on Zer0's Bounty Board in Sanctuary III

Addressed a previous change that was causing some PC users to be unable to drop equipped gear

WEAPON ADJUSTMENTS

Faisor

Increased weapon damage

ION LASER

Increased weapon damage

Increased number of projectiles that are released when the laser stops

Shredifier

Increased weapon damage

Trevanator

Increased weapon damage

Tunguska

Increased weapon damage

Linc

Increased weapon damage

Rebel Yell

Increased weapon damage

Hornet

Increased weapon damage

Increased splash damage radius

Nemesis

Increased weapon damage

Flakker

Increased weapon damage

Source: Borderlands.com

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Review in Progress

While many fans would have had ancient Rome pegged as the next setting for Assassin's Creed to follow Egypt and Greece, we can't really complain with Ubisoft's decision to jump us further ahead in history, planting their flag within the Viking era. In many ways Assassin's Creed: Valhalla feels like the culmination of this rebooted trilogy; a sprawling epic that embraces both its newfound western RPG influences and the series' core DNA in one huge, rib-busting bear hug.

We've been raiding our way through Assassin's Creed: Valhalla but, as you can guess, this is yet another huge entry in the series and one we're not quite finished playing. Therefore, this is very much a review in progress and while we've explored much of what Valhalla has to offer – both in terms of its settings and gameplay systems – we're not ready to give a final verdict but we still wanted to share our impressions of the game in time for launch day.

Pacing has always been an issue for the Assassin's Creed series, at least in those opening hours. It was easy to overlook when first exploring the Holy Lands through the eyes of Altair or watching Ezio grow up sauntering the streets of Venice, but since then we've seen the franchise settle into a familiar pattern. As Ubisoft attempt to create new protagonists with each new game, we're forced to sit through their origin story, waiting for the training wheels to come off. Valhalla is more forgiving in this respect, plunging players into a Viking saga of treachery from the off.

We'll not go into the particulars here, but it doesn't take long for Eivor and their companions to embark on a journey to England. This is where the game really gets going, some two to three hours in, though you're free to explore Norway as much as you want before setting sail. Eivor (who can played as either male or female, allowing you to switch whenever you like) has a fiery temper, yet is honour bound to her brother and clan. Firm but fair and loyal to the gods, yet with enough leeway for player's to inject their own personality.

When the series was effectively rebooted in 2017 with Assassin's Creed: Origins, we saw Ubisoft tear down those gameplay pillars that had been standing for more than a decade. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla pushes even further into the realm of games like Skyrim and The Witcher, thanks to a more recognisable Middle Ages setting and a deeper web of roleplaying mechanics.

With that said, Ubisoft have tried to loop back on themselves a bit, reintroducing the ability to blend with crowds and assassinate boss characters with a single, well-timed lunge using Eivor's hidden blade.

If you've played Origins or its much-loved sequel, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, then you'll feel right at home weaving together stealth, ranged, and melee attacks as your raid monasteries and haul loot back to your settlement, watching it steadily grow and gain influence over time.

The weakest link in this triangle is Valhalla's close combat. While there are plenty of weapon choices on offer (with bizarre combinations, such as using dual shields possible) attacks feel slow and lack finesse. Ubisoft were clearly aiming for a more skill-based battle system, but dodges, parries, and blocks are all too sluggish. That's on top of the number of characters fighting at one time – it's more chaotic than cinematic. As a result, we had the most fun when dialling down the difficulty and hacking away wildly, popping off Eivor's flashier combat abilities.

Both Norway and England have been stunningly recreated. These are vast yet busy landscapes that are resplendent in primordial, natural beauty as you gallop and sail through them.

We've been primarily reviewing the game on PlayStation 4, twiddling and tapping with our thumbs while patiently waiting for the ability to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version of the game, but have also had access on Xbox Series X. While it looks as good as you'd expect from the recent series on PS4 Pro and performs nicely, there's a healthy step forward for resolution and frame rate with the next-gen console. Load times are shorter, shrinking down to around 10 seconds of Eivor standing in a watery void, while the world is crisp and sharp at 4K and runs with a 60fps target. The only real blemishes are some light, but noticeable environmental pop-in, and ripples of screentearing down the screen that seem to occur more commonly during cutscenes, but can also happen during regular gameplay at times.

PHOGS! is all set to be your two-headed canine companion this December

Sometimes a game's artwork tells you all you need to know about a game, and thanks to a picture of a joyfully happy doggo with two heads we are totally here for PHOGS! What's even better is that PHOGS! and that cheery canine are going to arrive from the pound on the 3rd of December for Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. If you're one of the lucky folk who've picked up an Xbox Series X|S or a PS5 by that point, you'll be able to get in on the fun via backwards compatibility too!

Coming from Coatsink and Bit Loom Games, PHOGS! sees you play as a pair of dogs on a charming puzzling adventure. The two doggos are joined by a long and stretchy sausage-like belly, and you'll find yourself barking, biting and bouncing your way through a host of obstacles and challenges. There's also a raft of themed worlds to make your way across, labelled as Food, Sleep and Play.

PHOGS! boasts a single player experience, as well as local and online co-op where you're going to have to collaborate on your doggy adventure to make sure you get home for a nap in your basket.

It looks delightful, with your two headed doggo stretching its way around all sorts of colourful worlds including a sun-kissed beach, a creepy haunted house and a mountain made of ice-cream which is already making me hungry just looking at it. It claims to be family friendly, but I'm presuming that the co-op mode sees each player taking control of one end of the dog, which is bound to create all sorts of family-ruining shenanigans. There seems to be an emphasis on chewing on things, with both of your dog's getting their teeth into everything in sight. December 3rd can't come soon enough!

Rainbow Six Siege Y5S4 new Operator and map rework confirmed, full details

Ubisoft have revealed their final Year 5 update for the hugely popular Tom Clancy shooter, Rainbow Six Siege.

Showcased during the November Six Major (which was originally meant to be hosted live in the Netherlands) Year 5 Season 4 (Y5S4) Operation: Neon Dawn is expected to launch this December with a new playable Operator, a new map rework, and other game-changing features.

A new teaser for this latest season update was made available ahead of the Y5S4 reveal and can be seen below.

New Operator: Aruni

Headlining Rainbow Six Siege Y5S4 is a new Thai Operator named Aruni. She's a defender with medium speed and medium armour, her playstyle defined by the new Surya Gate gadget. This device can be thrown, covering windows, doors, and hatches with a Tron-like laser wall that will destroy any projectiles and drones that pass through it. The lasers will also inflict third degree burns on attacking Operators, biting into their health – defenders will be able to safely pass through, however. When triggered the Surya Gate will need to recharge, though the device can't be shot to deactivate it completely.

A quick preview of Aruni's loadout includes the Mk14 EBR and P10 Roni submachine gun as her primary weapon choices, paired with the PRB92 sidearm. As for equipment, you can either take Barbed Wire or Proximity Alarms, dialling Aruni's defensive capabilities up that little bit higher. Another cool highlight with this new Operator is her bionic arm which can punch holes through breakable surfaces.

Map Rework: Skyscraper

Next up, we have the highly anticipated rework for Skyscraper. Instead of adding new maps to the current rotation, the team at Ubisoft have been going back to improve existing ones, making them more viable for competitive play while responding to community feedback. This updated version of Skyscraper offers a new angle of attack with players able to rappel up onto the roof. Entryways and balconies have been removed/repositioned to discourage camping too with the whole map receiving a visual upgrade.

Other Gameplay Features

That's not all Siege fans can expect from the Y5S4 update. Ubisoft have also tweaked several Operators, the first of which we'll look at is Hibana. Her X-KAIROS 40 mm calibre launcher has been adjusted, allowing players to shoot 2, 4, or 6 projectiles instead of the default 6, meaning you can manage Hibana's resources better.

Meanwhile, Echo's Yokai gadget will be much less ghostlier as we push into Y5S4, losing its invisibility to encourage better strategic, skill-based play. Another defender undergoing changes is Jäger whose ADS gadget will have infinite charges instead of 2, though has a 10-second cooldown between activations.

Other changes include a runout timer decrease to 1 second to prevent defenders from stalking map spawn points. Ubisoft have also looked into how gadgets interact, specifically mentioning how sticky gadgets will latch onto bulletproof defences more efficiently, Ash's Breaching Rounds vs. Melusi's Banshee being given as an example.

There's no elite skin this time around though Ubisoft have announced their Sixth Guardian initiative, selling charity cosmetic packs.

Rainbow Six Siege Y5S4 Summary

New Operator – Aruni
New Gadget – Surya Gate
Skyscraper map rework
Hibana X-KAIROS update
Echo Yokai drone update
Jäger Active Defense System update
Reduced runout timers
Improved Gadget on Gadget interactions
Sixth Guardian charity initiative
Vigil, Zofia, Dokka, Nomad, Kaid, Wamai and Kali Operator price reductions

We don't have a confirmed release date for Rainbow Six Siege Y5S4 Operation: Neon Dawn though given the launch pattern of previous seasons, it should be going in December.

Astro's Playroom Review – The first game you should play on PlayStation 5

Plugging in a new games console for the first time, there's always a question over what you're going to play on it first. With PlayStation 5 you might be looking forward to a first party exclusive like Spider-Man: Miles Morales or Demon's Souls, or you might have been holding off for a few days to experience Watch Dogs Legion or Dirt 5 at its best, but let me tell you this: you should play Astro's Playroom. I mean… it's free and it comes preinstalled, so why wouldn't you?

Every era of PlayStation needs a characterful platforming star as its family-friendly mascot, and Astro has seemingly taken on that mantle from Sackboy – I'm sure Sackboy will have some expressive emote in response to this. Astro is simply charming, with his back-leaning running animation or as he spots your camera panning around him and waves, and all his animations have a hyperactivity to them – it barely takes a few seconds before he'll whip out a PSVR headset or drop to the floor to play PS Vita. That's really why he's the new mascot: he is PlayStation, he shares the two-tone design of the PS5 and PSVR before it, he lives in a world that is utterly obsessed with everything PlayStation – the game as a whole is celebration of everything to do with Sony's gaming brand.

The game is split up into four distinct areas, highlighting the PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 eras with all manner of collectable trinkets to find. There's the consoles themselves, of course, their iconic DualShock controllers, and even more obscure things like the PocketStation, the PS Move gun accessories, PS2 network adapter, and so much more. Each area also represents different parts of the PS5 architecture. Cooling Springs starts off on a beach with a giant fan overlooking before you head inside, while the SSD Speedway has plenty of wooshing flying vehicles and rocketry.

It's presented in a lovely visual style, running at 4K with a perfectly smooth 60fps while showing off many of the new visual techniques that the PS5 can offer. Astro's design has plenty of metallic elements, the back of his head reflecting the worlds he's exploring and making use of the PS5's ray tracing as it does so. There are limits to how far they can push the ray tracing though, as shown in the PlayStation Labo area where all your collectables are displayed. As you run around and slap things, you might notice how quickly the ray traced reflections on all the shiny surfaces drop off and make way for standard cube maps, and how they only seem to appear at certain angles even on perfectly shiny surfaces like the original PS3. As much as ray tracing is talked up for the next generation, this is another sign that it will have to be used in moderation.

When you get down to it, Astro's Playroom isn't really about graphics and collecting cute trinkets, it's about the DualSense controller. It opens with a tour of the controller's capabilities, from the haptic rumble to the adaptive triggers at their most violent excess, from the motion sensors to the touchpad, to how the loudspeaker is now paired with a microphone.

Astro's Playroom does not hold back in using all of these elements at every possible opportunity. Simply running around the world, his little footsteps are accompanied by little tip-taps from the haptic motors that change in strength and texture depending on the surface he's running on. That's augmented by having the sounds of his running fed through the little speaker on the controller.

It doesn't take long before you're zipping (with the touchpad) Astro into a springy frog suit, that you power up by pulling on the triggers that resist your pressure, before letting loose and directing his jump with the motion controls. Then there's the monkey suit, where you're tilting with the motion controls to reach before grabbing onto handholds with the triggers that offer an additional click as you depress them past the midpoint, or rattles your fingers as you swing and grab onto bouncy ropes. Or there's the ball which is a showcase for the way that the haptic motors can relay different feeling textures to you, from the different between road and sand, from juddering metallic rumble strips to bouncing over uneven rocks. It's truly impressive how effectively it conveys all these elements through the controller.

It's pretty clear that this game is intended as a showcase, as a tech demo not far removed in intent to PlayStation VR Worlds. It uses all the DualSense's capabilities to their gimmicky maximum, where most games will use these effects more sparingly as more of an additive instead of the main attraction. You might be finished with it after a couple of hours, but Astro's Playroom will feel special for quite some time to come.

Then again, it can also feel a bit much. Unless you've got your TV pumping out sound at its loudest, the default volume of the DualSense speaker becomes pretty obnoxious within minutes with so much audio piped through it – I turned it down to around 30-40% of its volume in the system settings.

Speaking of audio, the soundtrack is cheery and chirpy, but it's all endlessly looping eight bar refrains that goes beyond being a catchy earworm to the wrong kind of infectious by the time you reach the end of a level. Not only that, but you can't turn the music down or off, and it actively gets in the way of letting you appreciate some of the spatial audio effects that the game can produce. Pop a set of USB or DualSense-connected headphones on and you'll surely want to hear things wooshing past you clearly, but you'll get an earful of repetitive music that drowns it out.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered Review

As the current generation starts to slow down and the new batch of consoles promise to essentially upgrade swathes of your old games, it's likely that we'll see fewer and fewer remasters, deluxe or definitive editions in the coming years. That could well mean that Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is part of a dying breed. If that is the case, you'd have hoped that EA would make sure that this re-buffing, spit and polishing sub-genre went out on a high. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is certainly welcome, but it's not the best example of a returning classic we've ever seen.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit was a truly great Need for Speed game. Released in 2010, its iconic position in the franchise is due in part to the fact that it was developed by Criterion Games, the team behind the Burnout series. While it carries the Need of Speed name, Hot Pursuit melded the two franchises together, creating a fast and brash arcade racer that stood head and shoulders above the other racers of the time.

Set amongst the undulating hills of Seacrest County, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered's primary goal has been to buff the ten-year-old game back up to a top-end 4K shine. On PS4 Pro and Xbox One X you've got the option of Quality or Performance visuals, with Performance aiming for a 60fps refresh rate that it manages to hit most of the time, at least on Xbox One X.

Being honest, a Quality-style setting feels unnecessary for any racing game, and that's true here, with the few extra visual bells and whistles little reward when you're sacrificing the smoother frame rate. Sadly, the regular PS4 and Xbox One have to suffer along with 30fps, which is exactly the same as the original game. When we're on the cusp of another generation, 30fps racing games feel like a remnant of the past.

Hot Pursuit Remastered provides a clean and attractive image. The cars are suitably shiny, though they're never going to match up with a modern racer like Forza Horizon 4 or GT Sport for fidelity. Still, considering this is a ten-year-old game they look very good indeed. Seacrest County does show its age though, with simplistic textures and basic assets. Fortunately you're whizzing along at such a lick most of the time that you'll barely notice.

If we're being mildly unkind, Hot Pursuit Remastered's appearance this year is probably just to keep the franchise's name in the public consciousness. If we're being doubly unkind to the franchise, it's probably better than the last three mainline games. Despite the advancements that we've seen from the franchise in the last few years – and the soft spot I have for Payback – Hot Pursuit's focussed and fun series of events is the perfect antidote to open-world maps littered with more things to do than any human really needs.

The remaster includes every car from the original, plus all of the extra ones that were added via DLC, but it still feels like there's a restrictive list of cars to choose from. All 77 are performance-style vehicles, but when every second car is a Lambourghini or Porsche, it loses a lot of the impact. The game throws new cars at you like candy, but you soon discover that it's not as sweet as it seems.

Like a long-lost friend, Autolog is back. The once revolutionary social system pits you and your friends in a constant battle for car-based supremacy. As you hit the main menu you'll see your friend's achievements and progress, and if you head on over to Autolog Recommends it'll provide you with a curated list of events where a friend has posted a better time. You can then attempt, over and over again, to set things right and put them back in their place.

It's still a fantastic way to engender competition, but it feels as though you're going to need to commit as a collective if you're going to get the most of it. The TV advert makes a big deal of restarting conflicts that you were embroiled in ten years ago, but with a chunk of my friends about to stump up all of their cash for new consoles and next-gen games, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered would have been the perfect game to arrive six months ago. Not only that, but while the advert seems to imply otherwise, there's no sign of your times from last generation so you are starting from scratch. It's a shame, but it feels like a game that's truly out of time.

One thing that might help with that is the addition of cross-play. No matter what platform you're playing on, you can grab some friends from either the green, red, black or blue camp to tear up the road in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered. It's truly universal.

Of course, if you don't want to play with anyone else, whether it's filthy Sony fanboys, PC master racers or those N00bs on Xbox, you can turn the whole internet connectivity thing off. When the social aspects are so important, and probably limited by player numbers, I don't think you can afford to be picky.

Tokyo in video games: a brief history

When do you recall first seeing Tokyo? For me, it might have been the same time as when Bill Murray opened his jetlagged eyes, peering out of his limousine and taking in the assault of neon signs around him at night in Lost in Translation. Nowadays however, it's not hard to instantly recognise Japan's capital city, which in itself has become synonymous with video games. We can't get enough of virtual recreations of real-life places, undoubtedly why playing Watch Dogs Legion in London is an exciting prospect for many, but I can't think of a city more represented in games than Tokyo.

It wasn't always like that however. Even as someone who grew up on Japanese games, I don't recall playing any that were explicitly Japanese, mostly because those were either only available as imports or localised in such a way to appeal to a Western market. Super Mario doesn't immediately cry out as a Japanese creation, Sonic the Hedgehog was designed to target an American audience, RPGs took inspiration from Western tropes, while Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid had American settings.

My first taste of Japan in games then didn't happen until the Dreamcast era, incidentally the first and only time I imported a console at launch. Due to its lacklustre launch line-up apart from Virtua Fighter 3tb, I also bought a copy of the Japan-exclusive Godzilla Generations. A truly god-awful game that basically lets you control a tanky version of the famous kaiji, and a few other unlockable variants, stomping around cities with nary a challenge.

And yet, I imagine the appeal for Japanese players was that it allowed you to wreak havoc on real Japanese cities, as the big lad made its way from the shores of Fukuoka to Osaka all the way to Tokyo. I'm pretty certain it's still one of the first games to realistically represent their cities – like not 1:1 accuracy but you can certainly spot famous landmarks like Osaka Castle or Tokyo Tower amidst other buildings that crumble like cardboard on a cheap tokusatsu set. No doubt this was the first time we were able to see these representations because of the Dreamcast's graphics and processing power.

This would also be the start of a distinct Japanese identity making itself visible in the mainstream, especially with the Dreamcast's big expensive killer app Shenmue that put players in the shoes of a Japanese high school martial artist on a quest for revenge. That was admittedly set in the small harbour town of Yokosuka, in real life about an hour's train ride away from Tokyo. But the capital plays a recurring role in other Dreamcast titles, including Jet Set Radio and Metropolis Street Racer, the latter which did model its setting on the real thing.

It's perhaps no surprise that Sega takes inspiration from Tokyo as it's after all its home, even though at the time its headquarters were in a rather bland corporate space nearby Haneda International Airport – that said, Tetsuya Mizuguchi opted to have his division United Artists – responsible for the rhythmic delights of Rez and Space Channel 5 – based in the cooler hub of Shibuya. Of course, they're far from the only developer in Tokyo, but the still prominent visibility of Sega from its arcade centres does make the place more like their backyard, and where annual Sega Fes celebrations also take place.

They would then take this even further on PlayStation 2 with the beginning of the Yakuza series. It's as close as a Japanese studio has done in creating a game set in an open world city in the vein of the Grand Theft Auto series, albeit in a more intimate scale, confined to the small but dense and seedy district of Kamurocho, based on the real-life Kabukicho in Shinjuku.

On PS2 tech, there were limitations to what could be done, with a camera often fixed and looking down from above, while the game would momentarily pause as you reached another street to load up the next section. But even as a fictionalised version of a real place, the developers put a lot of attention to detail in its realism, bolstered by licences such as the now iconic Don Qujiote bargain chain store on the street corner, which it continues iterating on with each subsequent entry.

Kiryu's saga might take him to new places as far as Osaka or Hiroshima, but you're always back in Kamurocho like a second home. The city as a character does get bandied around a lot these days, but I think it resonates most truly for Kamurocho, which you gradually become intimately acquainted with, eventually feeling like a local yourself, as you pop into Kyushu No. 1 Star for its house Char Siu Ramen or see what new games are in the Club Sega centres. With each iteration, it looks more visually impressive while buildings and businesses also change over time, much like Tokyo itself.

But it's one of those places that when you actually get to visit it for yourself that you realise just how remarkably recognisable Kamurocho is to Kabukicho, even after taking into account the embellishments such as the Millennium Tower or the way they've had to condense Golden Gai into the Champions District. It's that ability to capture an experience at ground level that really makes it more memorable than larger but ultimately empty open worlds.

It does make me wonder what it would be like if a big budget studio like Ubisoft were to ever incorporate the city into one of their own games like The Division or Watch Dogs. Imagine those resources going to recreate Tokyo in mouth-watering detail whereas a game like Persona 5 has to make do with trying to capture its many facets with postcard-like backdrops. Yet I'm not sure technological grunt, money and photogrammetry necessarily means a more realistic city.

In attempting to make up for my cancelled trip to Japan this year, I tried using Flight Simulator to fly over Tokyo. As others may have discovered with most non-US cities, including London, the tech has limitations, so while artists may have added a few proper landmarks, a lot more has been left out. Suffice to say, my attempts to fly over Shinjuku or Shibuya, or even the area of Asakusa where I previously stayed at, were somewhat disappointing.

In contrast, if I wanted to feel immersed in Tokyo, Atlus succeeds despite its limitations. Playing Persona 5, it captures the sense of confusion of trying to figure out how its subway system works, and the way new destinations pop up just a train ride away make sense of a huge bustling metropolis where you're gradually discovering new exciting places to hang out.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to them being Tokyo developers and knowing the city like the back of their hand. You don't need a 1:1 virtual map for the player to wander around so long as a few frames are able to evoke a sense of a place or reveal little details that an outsider wouldn't pick up on (this is done equally well in anime like Steins;Gate or Makoto Shinkai's films). Yes, you've got the touristy spots like the Scramble Crossing or Hachiko's statue in Persona 5, but then there's also the remote suburban backstreets of Yongenjaya, based on the real-life Sangenjaya, the same district where Atlus is based.

Yet what I find these games get most authentic about Tokyo (although it arguably applies to Japan in general) is on a more mundane level. It's the presence of those drink vending machines and hot fried snack counters at the front of a convenience store. Ridiculous or not, that's what I find myself missing the most about Tokyo: starting the morning with a can of hot coffee from a machine while by night I can wind down with the comfort of cheap and tasty karaage from the local Lawson. Seeing these presented in-game with such attention to detail then couldn't feel more authentically Japanese.

Tekken 7 Season 4 launch trailer drops ahead of this week's release

Bandai Namco has released the launch trailer for Tekken 7 Season 4, with the footage highlighting what will be coming in the first batch when the new season starts on November 10th. The character Kunimitsu is the obvious main attraction for the first part of the season. Her costume sets will include Regular set, Urban Ninja set, and Tenko set. The first batch of content also adds the Vermilion Gates stage. You can check out Kunimitsu in action in this new trailer.

That is not all that Season 4 of Tekken 7 is bringing. There is going to be a huge balance update with new moves being added for every character on the roster. The user interface is also being overhauled to make the main menu look cleaner, and the health bar will also be tweaked. The netcode has also been updated for Season 4 so responses are quicker when fighting online. A player's Tekken Prowess will be shown by a score system showing just how you and your opponents compare, with name colour changing as the score increases. The rank system will have a new rank added to it, and that rank is called Tekken God Omega. A Pacman 40th anniversary collaboration is taking place for a limited time with a new Pacman arena stage. The next new character and stage will arrive in Spring 2021.

If you're yet to play Tekken 7 here's what Dave wrote in his review:

Tekken 7 is a phenomenal fighting game experience and one I'd highly recommend. It's by no means perfect, as the game is not without a few technical issues online, some long loading times, and minor continuity errors, yet as far as most people will be concerned, it delivers a stunning, up-to-date fighting game experience from one of the masters of arcade fighting games. A solid return to form.

You can read the full Tekken 7 review here.

Source: YouTube

I Am Dead Review

There are a lot of tales about people hanging around after they have died as a ghost, usually due to a spot of unfinished business. A number of these stories are deeply macabre, with a lot of focus on things like murder and revenge. I Am Dead is different. This is a tale about a ghost called Morris Lupton who is reunited with his dog Sparky, and together they head out on a mission to save their home of Shelmerston island.

One of the best words to describe I Am Dead is quaint and charming. Morris is a kindly soul who spent his time on Earth creating a museum for Shelmerston to document the island's history, but even he doesn't know all the stories. In death, Morris learns that Shelmerston's volcano is ready to erupt because the island spirit, called the Custodian, is weakening after keeping the island calm for so long. Morris' job is to find a suitable replacement.

There are five candidates to choose from, all of whom are other ghosts, but they are not easy to track down. Instead, the way Morris has to track them down is to find objects that were important to these people in life and there are a couple of steps. First is finding people with memories of the deceased and then listening to those memories. There is some interactive element here as your move forward and back through a series of images that warp into one another, a bit like a kaleidoscope. You must get each image clear before being able to move onto the next part and hearing the next part of the memory. The memories show the object you need to find and the stories themselves hold some clues.

After finding out what the object is you have to find it. I Am Dead is a hidden object game with its own little twist. As a ghost Morris has the ability to slice through objects, which means his vision can pierce through different layers of items. This is undeniably helpful since he can't actually hold anything what with being a ghost. Each person you are searching for has a location that they were tied to and you will move around these places searching through objects. If you follow the clues most of the objects are quite easy to find but some can be head scratchers, and you have to think a little bit outside the box. The controls can be a little strange, with rotations feeling a bit sluggish, but overall the gameplay experience is smooth.

Outside of the objects are other hidden creatures called Gremkins who are connected to the island spirit. Sparky can sniff out their general location, but you have to rotate and slice through objects until they are in a specific state before the Gremkins show themselves. These are optional to find but do add to the puzzle nature of I Am Dead.

I Am Dead has a pleasing visual design to it with a simplicity that is eye catching. There's also a satisfying amount of lore to delve into, and you can spend quite a lot of time just reading the descriptions of objects across locations to learn more about Shelmerston and its people. The stories themselves touch upon everything from love, animal protection, and the island's mysteries.

Something for the Weekend – 07/11/20

It's been a hella busy week, as we've had not one, but two next-gen consoles to review. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are both exceptional new bits of gaming hardware with power to push stunning graphics and/or high frame rates, carefully considered designs and interesting new possibilities, especially with the DualSense controller.

So… let's break with the usual format and start this week's round up with our console reviews. I hope you like my dinosaur planter!

Next-Gen Consoles in Review

I have a feeling that many of you in the comments will be more interested in our PlayStation 5 review. We separately discuss the capabilities of the DualSense controller as well, and how it truly transforms the feel of games.

We also took a long hard look Microsoft's rival in our Xbox Series X review, describing it as "the continuity candidate" for next-gen gaming. It's still powerful, fast and nigh on silent, but as we look at the nigh on identical new Xbox controller, will that be enough?

The consoles done, let's check in on the news, and then visit some of the cross-gen and next-gen games we've been able to review.

In the News This Week

Games in Review

It was another strong week for the reviews, proving that this generation is ending on a high:

Re:Turn – One Way Trip – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 9/10
Supraland – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 9/10
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales – PS5, PS4 – 8/10
Dirt 5 – PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC – 8/10
The Falconeer – XSX|X, XBO, PC – 7/10
Jurassic World Evolution Complete Edition – NSW – 7/10
Cloudpunk – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 6/10
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 5/10
Commander '85 – XBO, PC – 4/10
Fuser – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – Review in Progress
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC – Review in Progress

Featured Articles

Stepping away from the reviews, Francis Kenna blogged about Shadow of the Colossus and 15 years of storytelling mastery. Alan Wen also joined us to look back at the legacy of the Yakuza series, by ranking every Yakuza game from worst to best. Alan also interviewed Mizuki Hosoyamada on Puyo Puyo Tetris 2and some of its new ideas and inspirations.

Steve said that Twin Mirror looks set to be the culmination of Dontnod's work so far, and I went hands on with Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition on PlayStation 5, soaking in its super sexy frame rates with the 120fps mode, and its thoroughly next-gen ray tracing effects.

Finally, What We Played featured Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X as our gaming highlights.

Trailer Park

Demon's Souls State of Play released, watch 12 minutes of PS5 gameplay

Watch nine minutes of Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay captured on Xbox Series X

Godfall's launch trailer has landed, see some more gameplay here

Outriders post campaign content is called Expeditions, will feature the toughest challenges

Your Achievements

Here's what you in our community has been up to this week:

Crazy_Del got us going by completing the Star Wars Squadrons single player, started Watch Dogs Legion and is hoping to snatch his 499th platinum trophy with Diablo III this weekend.
Earning his 14th platinum trophy, hornet1990 has been playing Horizon Zero Dawn. He'll take a break before he returns for the Frozen Wilds DLC, but with what?
MrYd has spent a lot of time in VR with Star Wars Squadrons and No Man's Sky, while checking out Rage 2 and Warhammer: Vermintide 2 from PS Now.
It's been more Bloodborne for TSBonyman who has returned to an old save to see if he could get any further. (Spoiler: he couldn't!)
And to celebrate getting his internet access back, Andrewww has finally finished off The Last of Us Part II.

Well that's it for this week, I'll see you again soon!

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Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Tips & Tricks

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla "The Stench of Treachy" Guide

The Stench of Treachy solved – who is the traitor?

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Guide – all Missing Cat locations

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Female Character Job Guide (Saeko and Eri)

Hostess

Idol

Nightqueen

Dealer

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Male Character Job Guide

Bodyguard

Host

Breaker

Foreman

Musician

Chef

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Starting Job Guide

Ichiban Kasuga

Freelancer

Freelancer

Nanba

Homeless Guy

Koichi Adachi

Detective

Saeko Mukoda

Barmaid

Joon-gi Han

Hitman

Tianyou Zhao

Gangster

Eri Kamataki

Clerk

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Mini-Game Guide

Arcades

Can Quest

Seagull Cinema

Shogi

Hostess cabaret clubs

Karaoke

Slot machines

Mahjong

Ounabara Vocational School

Darts

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Batting Center

Dragon Kart

Business management

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Kappa Statue Locations

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Guides & more from TheSixthAxis

Demon's Souls PS5 Trophy List

NEW CONTENT

GENERAL

STABILITY

MATCHMAKING

CHARACTERS

ZANE, THE OPERATIVE

SKILL TREE CHANGES

CLASS MODS

AMARA, THE SIREN

FL4K, THE BEASTMASTER

ECHOCAST UPDATE

HOTFIXES

WEAPON ADJUSTMENTS

New Operator: Aruni

Map Rework: Skyscraper

Other Gameplay Features

Rainbow Six Siege Y5S4 Summary

Next-Gen Consoles in Review

In the News This Week