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Destiny 2: Beyond Light – The Dawning Trailer Reveals New Event Armor and Emotes

Destiny 2 Beyond Light - The Dawning

The Dawning is coming to Destiny 2: Beyond Light owners, providing some Christmas decorations for the Tower and winter-themed shenanigans (that too on Europa). New armor, emotes, Sparrows and such will be available via Eververse and Eva Levante also returns. Check out the reveal trailer below.

A new recipe is available with Eva Levante, which seems to provide a new fusion rifle to earn. If this is akin to previous years, then expect older weapons to make a return. Players can also throw snowballs or grind on rails with their Sparrows.

The Dawning starts on December 15th and lasts until January 5th 2021. Bungie recently added Hawkmoon and an Exotic quest to obtain it as part of Season of the Hunt. It's worth pursuing for the weapon's new perk, Paracausal Shot, or if one wants some new content to grind. Stay tuned for more details on The Dawning when it goes live next week.

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Guide – How to Level Up Quickly, and How Flying Works

world of warcraft shadowlands

So you've just landed in Blizzard's World of Warcraft and want to level up as fast as possible, either with or for the new Shadowlands expansion. Whether you're going from level 1 to 50 or from level 50 to 60, there are some pretty straightforward strategies for quick leveling. First off, focus only on the main quests which can be differentiated by a new shield icon.

Exclamation marks represent side quests but you should only take them if they provide decent XP rewards and work alongside the main quests. You also might want to turn on War Mode, which provides an extra 10 percent of experience earned. This does enable PvP against other players in the world so be careful.

If possible, try to get some mount equipment like the Light-Step Hoofplates, which provides an additional 20 percent speed for mounts. The Comfortable Rider's Barding is also recommended – enemies won't be able to dismount you so easily with it equipped. Some free add-ons, like AutoTurnIn, are also recommended. It will automatically turn in quests after completion, saving you valuable time. Zygor's Guide, which is a paid add-on, recommends which quests to do and gear to upgrade, further maximizing your time spent.

For more details on leveling from 1 to 50, check out HazelNuttyGames' guide below. For getting to level 60, check out BellularGaming's guide.

How Flying Works Now

Flying, like many other things, has undergone some significant changes following the release of Shadowlands. You still need to hit the level cap (which is now 60) and flying to the new zones isn't possible from the outset. It seems players will need to earn Renown for their Covenant to unlock the Pathfinder achievement for this expansion, as per executive producer John Hight when speaking to HazelNuttyGames. However, nothing has been confirmed thus far.

The good news is that Pathfinder achievements for flying in Draenor and the Broken Isles are no longer necessary. You can still pursue them and receive mounts though. Battle of Azeroth zones still require completing their own Pathfinder achievements before flying in them though. It's also worth noting that the Riding skill has seen some changes.

You now earn Apprentice Riding and Journeyman Riding, which increase ground speed for mounts by 60 percent and 100 percent, at level 10 and 20 respectively. Expert Riding and Master Riding, which provide 150 percent and 310 percent increased flight speed for mounts, are unlocked at level 30 and 40 respectively. Artisan Riding has been removed entirely.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light Guide – How to Beat the Deep Stone Crypt Raid, and Where to Get Cloudstrike

Destiny 2 Beyond Light - Deep Stone Crypt

The Deep Stone Crypt is open and has been cleared by a number of teams within the first few days. For those looking to try it – which they absolutely should, given some of the weapons and loot caches at the end – learning the mechanics involved is key. First up is a Sparrow section which involves racing through the cold on Europa to different "Shelter" zones.

Throughout all of this, you'll be racing across gaps which can result in your demise and a quick ticket back to the beginning. When outside of the Shelter zones, a debuff called "Frostbite" will slowly build up. Once it hits x10, you're dead. The Shelter zones are called as such because they can clear the Frostbite status. Beware though because various enemies will spawn in them and make life miserable.

After the Sparrow portion, you'll reach Crypt Security. This is where you'll learn more about the Scanner and Operator buffs. Essentially, the Scanner calls out different lit panels while the Operator shoots them. The area is divided into two parts – Light and Dark – so have two teams on each side. There's also an underground section which the Operator will have to venture to. For more details on how this encounter – and the forthcoming ones – work, refer to Datto's extensive video guides.

The next encounter is against Atraks-1. Divide the team into two sets once more – the Space team and the Base team – and search for the Operator and Scanner buffs. Both are acquired from different Vandals so look for the respective symbols on their heads. The encounter essentially sees one team identifying the real Atraks-1 among his copies with the Scanner buff and then interrupting his attack before dealing a significant amount of damage.

The Lament is recommended for this part but even Falling Guillotine will do for damage. Upon striking down Atraks-1, he'll drop a ball – the person who picks it up will have a timer for "Atraks-1 Replication". It's the Operator's job to lead the person with this to a nearby airlock, shoot the switch to open it and then shoot the debuff off of the person when they're in the airlock.

The Scanner buff is then sent down to the other team (usually, from Space to Base) and they perform the same tasks but with a twist. This time, the person who has Atraks-1 Replication has to take the space elevators to join the Space team. Once again, their debuff will be shot by the Operator in the airlock. After doing this several times, Atraks-1 will have his final phase where he'll try to initiate Extinction Protocol multiple times in a row. Stagger each version of him until the encounter is complete (and remember to pick up the Atraks-1 Replication that drops or it's a wipe). Again, for a more in-depth guide, refer to Datto below.

Next up is a platforming puzzle. This isn't too difficult though it's advised to have a sword equipped for an easier time. Make sure your class has more in-air control and beware of enemies.

The third encounter is against Taniks Reborn. Along with the Scanner and Operator buffs, there's the new Suppressor buff. Essentially, Taniks is invulnerable and can't be damaged throughout this phase. Throughout the room are terminals that provide nukes – you need to pick up and deposit them in the containers near Taniks. The Operator is in charge of shooting a terminal. Doing this will cause the others to spit out nukes.

Pick up the nukes soon or they'll detonate and cause a wipe. The Scanner's job is to point out which containers to deposit in while the Suppressor is in charge of suppressing Taniks. There are three orbs that the Suppressor has to stand under and shoot Taniks from. After this, the containers will open and the nukes can be deposited. Nuke holders will receive a Radiation debuff which will kill them when it hits x10 so don't hold on to them for too long

During this segment, someone will have their buff disabled. Locate a nearby terminal and deposit it there for another team member to take your role. Repeat as before and be careful of Overload Fallen Captains. Once this process has been done enough times, everyone should head to the middle – a door will open in the floor. Drop down and escape from the station as it blows up around you.

You're back on Europa but the raid isn't over yet. An overview of the final encounter's area can be seen beforehand so take the time to familiarize yourself with the next part. Much like the previous encounter, there are Scanner, Suppressor and Operator buffs with one role being locked out at random. Again, find a nearby terminal and deposit it for a teammate to take over.

This time, the containers are divided into three different areas, each having two. These are the spawn area, orange area and blue area. The Scanner's job is to point out the correct places to deposit the nukes. Begin the encounter by approaching the rubble, from which Taniks, the Abomination will rise.

In this fight, Taniks will hover around the battlefield, attacking players while enemies spawn (including the Vandals with the Suppressor, Operator and Scanner buffs). Again, once the buffs are obtained, the Suppressor staggers Taniks while the other players shoot the small cores – one on each corner of his body – to drop nukes. Pick up the nukes and deposit them in the correct containers called out by the Scanner. Taniks will detain players during this phase and it's up to the Operator to free them. Simply shoot the detainment bubble to do so. The Radiation debuff is in play again so make sure to pass the nuke to another teammate if your country is getting high. Taniks also has a habit of using orbital attacks, denoted by columns of purple light. Stay far away from them when they appear.

One strategy is to lookwhere Taniks is standing before suppressing him. If you attack him in this phase and pick up all four nukes, then they can be deposited in the remaining containers without the Scanner's help. This is because the nukes will never need to be deposited in the area that Taniks is standing in. If you deposit all four nukes, then the damage phase can begin immediately and you have more time for DPS.

In the DPS phase, Taniks will generate an electrical field with rubble flying around. Outside of this field, he can't be damaged so you must jump inside. Be careful of the flying debris and don't get too close to him, lest his electricity kills you. After a certain amount of time, Taniks will send players flying so jump back into the field and damage him again. Once he's lost enough health, Taniks teleports to different areas in the arena. Keep laying in the damage until he goes down. Congratulations – you've just beaten the Deep Stone Crypt raid.

How to Obtain the Exotic Sniper CloudStrike

Cloudstrike, the latest Exotic sniper added with Beyond Light, is quite powerful. Hitting rapid precision hits on a target will create a lightning storm for added damage. The same effect can be achieved with precision final blows as well. But how do you get it?

First off, you need to unlock Empire Hunts on Europa through Variks. Complete the European Explorer 1 and 2 missions for him along with the Exo Stranger's "A Hard Rain Falls" mission. You can then choose either Adept or Master difficulty for the Empire Hunt: The Dark Priestess to obtain Cloudstrike. We recommend Adept difficulty since it can be farmed more effectively. The weapon's drop is completely dictated by RNG so choose the most comfortable option for yourself.

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Guide – How to Obtain and Upgrade Legendary Items

world of warcraft shadowlands

A new expansion for World of Warcraft means new Legendary items. First you need to hit max level in Shadowlands and then finish the Torghast intro in The Maw. Upon vanquishing Warden Skoldus and receiving a key, you'll meet the Runecarver and get started on the journey of crafting a Legendary. Legendaries start at item level 195 and cap out at item level 235.

A Legendary item is created by finding a Memory of the Runecarver in specific activities and then enchanting an armor piece with that power. These powers can end up altering core abilities for one's class and providing different bonuses. Some even feature skills from previous expansions like Legion and Battle for Azeroth though there are some new ones to find. You get these from dungeons, raids, the new Covenant quests and much more. Each class starts with four Memories and certain types can only be used in certain slots.

As for the armor pieces, these can be found in the Auction House or crafted. Don't worry about the level of the Legendary since it can be upgraded later. After this, you'll need to run Torghast for Soul Ash – delve deeper into the dungeon and more Ash is obtained overall. Look for an Inscriptionist to craft Missives like haste or critical strike chance on the Legendary and spend Soul Ash for the same.

For more details on obtaining and upgrading Legendaries, check out Bellular Gaming's guide below. Check out our official review for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands here.

Demon's Souls PS5 Guide – How to Upgrade Weapons, and Best Spells and Miracles

Demon's Souls

Upgrading weapons in the Demon's Souls remake works a lot like Dark Souls. Collect the required material – with each item having different requirements – and take them to a Blacksmith for upgrading. Boldwin will be your default option since he's in the Nexus. However, you can also locate Ed in World 2's Archstone near Stonefang Tunnels.

Let's look at the basic upgrades, starting with Hardstones. This is used for upgrading weapons like axes, straight swords, halberds and so on up to level 10. It's divided into four types – Hardstone Shard, Large Hardstone Shard, Hardstone Chunk and Pure Hardstone. There are a number of different places to find them but you can purchase Hardstone Shards and Large Hardstone Shards from the Filthy Man in Stonefang Tunnel near the Archstone. You'll need to obtain Hardstone Chunks and Pure Hardstones from Crystal Lizards, though the former also drops from the Scale Miners in Stonefang Tunnel and the Armor Spider Archstone.

Sharpstones function in much the same way. They can be used to upgrade daggers, curved swords, spears, claws and so on up to level 10. Their different types include Sharpstone Shard, Large Sharpstone Shard, Sharpstone Chunk and Pure Sharpstone. Sharpstone Shards and Large Sharpstone Shards can also be purchased from the Filthy Man while Sharpstone Chunks and Pure Sharpstone drops from Crystal Lizards (and the former, again, from Scale Miners).

Next up are Clearstones, which are used to provide Quality upgrades to gear up to level 5 after a weapon is upgraded up to +3. Quality Gear provides a balance between Strength and Dexterity with Clearstones divided into Clearstone Shards, Clearstone Chunks and Pure Clearstone. Several Clearstone Shards and Clearstone Chunks can be found in the Armor Spider Archstone with the former also purchasable from the Filthy Man. Pure Clearstone drops from a Crystal Lizard in the Flamelurker Archstone, located next to the second harpoon in the Dragon God fight and as a reward for rescuing Ostrava, of Boletaria.

Greystones bestow the "Crushing" prefix to weapons at +3, which provides a boost to Strength but reduces the bonus provided by Dexterity. Greystone Shards can be acquired from the Scale Miners and the Rock Worm in the Armor Spider Archstone. Greystone Chunks and Pure Greystone drop from the Rock Worm but you can also obtain the latter by meeting Scirvir, the Wanderer and showing the Dragon Bone Smasher. You need Pure White World Tendency for this though.

Next is Bladestone, which bestows the "Sharp" prefix to upgraded weapons and provides a boost to Dexterity but a decreased bonus to Strength. Bladestone Shards drop from Silver Skeletons in the Shrine of Storms, Old Hero Archstone and Adjudicator Archstone. Bladestone Chunks can also drop from Silver Skeletons along with Gold Skeletons and Black Skeletons. However, Pure Bladestone only drops from Black Skeletons in the Adjudicator Archstone.

Mercurystone provides the "Mercury" prefix to weapons with each attack having a chance to inflict Poison damage. Mercurystone Shards can be found from Prisoners in the Tower of Latria along with Man Centipedes and Giant Man Centipedes in the Fool's Idol and Maneater Archstones. Mercurystone Chunks can only be found from the Centipedes while Pure Mercurystone is only obtainable from the Giant Man Centipedes and the Plague Swamp in the Dirty Colossus Archstone.

Cloudstones are used to enhance shields, increasing their ability to block magic. Cloudstone Shards drop from Storm Beasts in the Shrine of Storms, Adjudicator Archstone and Old Hero Archstone but can also be acquired from Graverobber Blige in the Adjudicator Archstone. Cloudstone Chunks and Pure Cloudstone can only be obtained from Storm Beasts in the above locations but you also receive a Pure Cloudstone from defeating the Storm King.

Spiderstones are used to upgrade bows, strengthening them up to level 5 after the weapon is at +3. Spiderstone Shards and Chunks are dropped by Scale Miners in the Armor Spider Archstone and Crystal Lizards in the Stonefang Tunnel. Pure Spiderstone is also obtained from Crystal Lizards in Stonefang Tunnel but also drops from the Armor Spider boss.

Suckerstones are used to enhance weapons to inflict bleed damage on foes. Suckerstone Shards and Chunks drop only from Phosphorescent Slugs in the Adjudicator and Leechmonger Archstone. You can also find Pure Suckerstones in these locations but there's one near the Meat Cleave Black Phantom in the Leechmonger Archstone and another in the Plague Swamp in the Dirty Colossus Archstone.

Best Spells and Miracles

Tackling everything with melee weapons is certainly the way in Souls games but there are alternatives. Different spells can provide strong buffs and attacks while Miracles are capable of feats like healing and resurrection. Let's take a look at the best spells and Miracles in the game, starting with the spells.

  • Cursed Weapon – Obtained by exchanging the Silver Demon's Soul from the Penetrator with Yuria, the Witch. Grants 50 percent weapon damage over 60 seconds but drains 1 percent of max HP per second. It can only be used with enchantable weapons.
  • Enchant Weapon – Increases damage of right-hand weapon for 60 seconds. Scales off of Magic stat and requires a Catalyst in the left hand. Obtained from Sage Freke, the Visionary and Freke's Apprentice for 5000 Souls.
  • Homing Soul Arrow – Creates up to five Soul Arrows that will home in on a target. Duration is two minutes. It's obtained from Sage Freke, the Visionary by exchanging the Golden Demon Soul from the Old Monk.
  • Warding – An upgrade to the Protection Spell, reduces physical damage by 70 percent. Lasts 50 seconds and is obtained by exchanging the Iron Demon Soul from the Tower Knight with Sage Freke, the Visionary.
  • Soul Thirst – Increases number of Souls gained by 50 percent for 30 seconds, which can stack with the Ring of Avarice and Silver Bracelets for some great farming. Obtained from Yuria, the Witch by exchanging the Golden Demon Soul from the Old Monk.
  • Relief – Restores full health and removes any status ailments. Casts instantly and only requires 18 MP. Obtained by trading the Pureblood Demon Soul from Maiden Astraea with Yuria, the Witch.

Now let's take a look at the best Miracles in the game.

  • Banish – Sends Black Phantoms back to their world. Obtained by exchanging the Golden Demon Soul with Saint Urbain.
  • God's Wrath – Costs 100 MP but casts instantly and deals tons of damage in a large sphere around the caster. Goes through walls and is further boosted by using the Ring of Sincere Prayer. Obtained by exchanging the Dragon Demon's Soul with Saint Urbain.
  • Cure – Obtained by trading the Writhing Demon Soul from the Leechmonger with Saint Urbain. Cures any status ailment.
  • Evacuate – Obtained from Disciple of God or Saint Urbain by spending 20,000 Souls. Allows the caster to teleport back to the Nexus while retaining their Souls. Can't be used when Phantoms are present and despite being instantly cast, it can be interrupted.
  • Recovery – Obtained by exchanging three Colorless Demon's Souls with Saint Urbain. Based on the player's Faith stat, it heals a large amount of HP instantly.
  • Second Chance – After casting, it activates on death, reviving the player with 50 percent max HP. You're not invincible during the revival process though so keep that in mind. Won't revive any deaths that result from fall damage. Obtained by trading a Hero Demon's Soul from the Old Hero with Saint Urbain.

Epic Games Store Holiday Sale Confirmed for December 17th

Epic Games Store Holiday Sale

With the holidays coming up, Epic Games Store has confirmed the date for its Holiday Sale. It starts on December 17th and promises discounts up to 75 percent, though it remains to be seen if the storefront's entire catalogue will be included. Perhaps more enticing is that the storefront's "15 Days of Free Games" offer will return on the same day.

Much like last year, the store will give away a new game every day for the next two weeks. They'll be free for 24 hours so check back regularly for something that may catch your eye. Until then, however, this week's two free games are available now with Pillars of Eternity – Definitive Edition and Tyranny – Gold Edition.

Both are computer RPGs developed by Obsidian Entertainment and have met with critical praise. These two editions contain all of the bonus content and downloadable content in addition to the base game. Interestingly enough, a new "mystery game" will unlock in about 6 hours and 20 minutes, which is around the time that The Game Awards starts. Stay tuned for more details on in the meantime.

Godfall Update Reduces HDR Bloom and Overexposure on PS5

Godfall_03

Counterplay Games' Godfall didn't receive the warmest critical reception but it's being supported all the same. A new update is available that resolves issues on both PS5 and PC. Key among them is some tuning to HDR on PS5 which reduces overexposure and bloom, in case things were a little too shiny for one's taste.

Along with multiplayer fixes, other issues – like enemies spawning in some inaccessible parts of the map and objectives not updating properly – should also be fixed. If you also noted ranged enemies in the Tower of Trials trying to attack up close instead of, well, at range, that should also be fixed. A ray-tracing issue that could occur in the Air Realm and affect the framerate has also been fixed.

Another nice addition is game server capacity for territories like Singapore, Sydney and Canada, though one has to wonder if there's enough of a player base left. For more details, check out the full patch notes here. You can also read our review for Godfall here.

Godfall Update – 2.2.4

General – All Platforms

  • Solved an issue where the host of a multiplayer match would incur a blank screen if a player in the party had not yet unlocked the boss encounter.
  • Solved an issue in multiplayer when the user browsing a menu during a cutscene would be stuck outside after the cutscene and display the character with placeholder textures.
  • Added additional logic around enemy spawn locations to prevent enemies from appearing in inaccessible spots on the map.
  • Solved an issue where Objectives would not update properly.

The Elder Scrolls Online Developer is Working on a New AAA IP

zenimax online studios logo

ZeniMax Online Studios have been working on The Elder Scrolls Online for many years now, and though it's no World of Warcraft, the MMORPG has built up a solid reputation and sizeable playerbase for itself thanks to regular meaty updates that keep on expanding the scope of the game. And though ZeniMax Online will, of course, continue to work on The Elder Scrolls Online, it seems they have other irons in the first as well.

Quentin Cobb, who recently departed from Sony's not-so-secret San Diego studio, recently announced on Twitter that has has joined ZeniMax Online Studios as Senior Designer, and will be working on a new unannounced AAA IP. He will be working at a newly set up satellite studio in San Diego, with ZeniMax currently hiring for multiple unannounced projects. Interestingly enough, John Bautista, who also left Sony's San Diego studio alongside Cobb, has also joined ZeniMax Online as Principal Combat Designer.

ZeniMax Online Studios is, of course, one of several ZeniMax-owned developers (including all of Bethesda) that will soon join Microsoft's ever-growing and increasingly impressive lineup of first party developers. What that will mean for this unannounced game in particular and whether or not it releases on PlayStation or Nintendo remains to be seen.

Cyberpunk 2077 – 74 Percent of Pre-Orders Were Digital

Cyberpunk 2077

After announcing eight million pre-orders for Cyberpunk 2077, the official Twitter for CD Projekt RED's investor relations provided some other interesting stats. Of total pre-orders, 74 percent were digital while 26 percent were physical. PC was also the key platform of choice at 59 percent of total pre-orders, though consoles were still close at 41 percent.

Perhaps most interesting is the title exceeded $50 million in revenue on Steam over two weeks ago. CD Projekt RED gets to keep 80 percent of royalties, though all revenue from sales goes to the company through GOG. It should be interesting to see how pre-orders panned out on other storefronts.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia with support for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (though full-fledged upgrades are due next year). Free DLC will be discussed in early 2021 along with the company's plans for paid expansions. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Windjammers 2 Delayed to 2021

windjammers 2

Nobody really expected that a sequel to the 1994 cult classic Windjammers would ever get announced, but a couple years ago, much to the elation of many, that's exactly what happened. Dotemu announced Windjammers 2 in 2018 with a planned launch window for 2019, which then got pushed back to some time in 2020. Well, 2020 is almost over and the game is nowhere to be seen- because as many have guessed by now, the game's been delayed once more.

Dotemu recently took to Twitter to share an update on Windjammers 2's development, confirming that the game will now launch some time in 2021, though no specific release date was given. Dotemu says that this has primarily been done to work on the game's netcode- which, honestly, is a pretty crucial element for a game such as this one, so fair play to them.

The developer also apologized for its lack of communication regarding the game's development in recent weeks and months, and promised that more updates and details will be shared on a regular basis going forward.

Whenever Windjammers 2 does launch, it will be available on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia.