Nearly every year, Bob's Burgers releases a Thanksgiving-themed episode. And these tend to be some of the best episodes of the year, often pushing Bob—who loves the holiday—to his breaking point and featuring charming moments between all the family members.
It's the Thanksgiving holiday week, and that means if you work for a company worth a damn (and some that aren't worth a damn, but I digress), you probably have the next couple of days off. (Apologies to anyone who works retail.) You might be buying some games you missed this year during Black Friday sales, or perhaps…
The Steam Autumn Sale 2024 is now underway, with Valve bringing PC players another huge slate of savings. From old gems that are now just a couple of bucks, to fresher releases with some generous early discounts, there's a lot to sift through. Luckily, we've done some of the legwork for you and picked out our ten favorite deals.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016. After months of hype, Hello Games' hugely ambitious space adventure No Man's Sky is finally released. And it's a letdown. It's not what anyone hoped it would be. In the past, this would be the entirety of the story. But in the modern gaming world, the end of development is just the beginning. Between updates, overhauls, new versions, patches, and a gradual expansion of the original vision, in eight years, No Man's Sky has finally become the game of which its creators and its players dreamed. Its success is reflected in various metrics, but now, NMS can lay claim to that most coveted of PC gaming status symbols: 'very positive' Steam reviews.
Warframe 1999 is right around the corner, bringing fans of the live service shooter back to a wild but enticing setting that mixes dark tech fantasy with turn-of-the-millennium vibes. It looks marvelous, and now developer Digital Extremes is being incredibly generous by giving away Dark Sector, its debut game that was a predecessor to what you see in Warframe today, totally free to those on Steam.
Let's face it, nothing important happens in December. I'm scheduling 24 advent calendar posts this week and then spending the rest of the year eating boxes of Cadbury Mini Yule Logs Triple Chocolate. So it's no surprise that Devolver have announced their remaining slate of games aiming for release in 2024 are actually coming out in 2025.
The games that slipped are Baby Steps, Skate Story, and Stick It To The Stickman. Devolver released the news with typical style, via the 15th annual Devolver Delayed awards, which you can watch below.
Slipways was the best grand strategy game I'd played in years, because it tossed out all the genre's micromanagement in favour of a strategy puzzle where all your exploiting, expanding, et ceteraing could be squeezed into an hour's play. That game began as a PICO-8 prototype by designer Jakub Wasilewski before being polished to a fine shine in its full release.
All of which is just lead-in to talking about Solitomb, a solitaire-based dungeon crawler in which you fight demons by building hands of playing cards. It's currently - heywaitaminute - a pay-what-you-want PICO-8 prototype by designer Jakub Wasilewski where "all money earned goes towards making the bigger version possible." Like Slipways, it already seems like a frightfully clever piece of design.
Announced last year, Exo Rally Championship does what the name suggests: takes the rugged, weather-battered terrain of Exo One's interplanetary journey and replaces the ponderous plot and gravitational rise-and-fall spaceship movement with a six-wheel, space buggy rally competition. Or put another way, if Exo One was Christopher Nolan's Tiny Wings, then this is Colin McRae's Interstellar.
Now there's a demo, and it's substantial with a tutorial, a 10 stage rally, and three "ever-changing Daily Stages with online Steam leaderboards."
Songs from the Oshi no Ko series have appeared for DLC in Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival. This is paid DLC.
The collaboration pack will not only contain songs from the anime, but it'll also have different cosmetics for your game and profile. You'll be able to dress up your Don Wada like Ai, as well as state which character you stan using different nameplates. There are only three variations: Ai, Ruby, and Aqua. The collaboration pack will also contain eleven different mini-characters. As for the songs, you'll be able to play "Idol," "Our Sign Is B," and "Fatal." "Fatal" and "Idol" were both openings for the show.
Here is a trailer for the Oshi no Ko collaboration DLC in Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDU5Lt8i_c0&t=2s
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is the latest main entry in the long-running Taiko no Tatsujin rhythm game series. It initially came out for the Nintendo Switch on 2022, though it later appeared on other consoles. Aside from over 70 songs in the base game alone, there are new modes. You can cooperate with players on a song, or activate obstacles to try and disrupt your opponent depending on the mode you play in.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is readily available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.
Mos Burger will release One Piece Lucky Bags containing various goods and coupons. There will only be limited stock of the Lucky Bag, so they're on a first come first serve basis. [Thanks, Game Watch!]
You'll be able to put in your pre-orders for the One Piece Lucky Bag at Mos Burger between December 10 and 25, 2024. Then, they'll ship out on December 28, 2024. The price for a Lucky Bag is 5000 JPY, which converts to around $33. Each individual can pre-order five bags at once. As mentioned earlier, they're on a first come first serve basis, and there's a chance that pre-orders will close early if they run out of stock. So if you're interested, you should try to get in your pre-order as soon as possible.
Here are the items that are available in the One Piece Mos Burger Lucky Bags:
A4 clear folder
Chopper-themed water bottle
Coupons (expire in late March 2025)
Gomu Gomu snack tongs with case
Hand towel
Original Mos Burger Luffy card for the card game
This is not the first time that Mos Burger had a collaboration with One Piece. Earlier this very year, Mos Burger brought back the One Piece kids' meal campaign. During this time, if you ordered a kids' meal, you could get a prize such as a cutlery set or a slap bracelet. This promotion ended in early October 2024.
One Piece is readily available to watch on streaming services like Crunchyroll, whereas Viz Media licensed the manga for an English audience.
From January 7, 2025, Aniplex will stream an episode of Puella Magi Madoka Magica every week for free. It will only stream each episode once, so it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to catch it via archives if you miss the stream.
The reason why Aniplex will start from January 7, 2025 is to match up with the original broadcast date of the anime. Back when Puella Magi Madoka Magica first started airing in 2011, it started on January 7. You'll be able to catch the streams every Tuesday from 9:00 PM JST. That would convert to 4:00 AM PDT/7:00 AM EDT. Since this will be an Aniplex Japan stream, it's highly unlikely that there will be any subtitles other than Japanese.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a psychological thriller magical girl anime from Shaft and written by Gen Urobuchi, who also worked on Fate/Zero and Song of Saya. The plot follows Madoka Kaname, an ordinary girl, who encounters a bizarre animal named Kyubey while with her best friend Sayaka Miki. Kyubey turns out to be a creature that can form contracts with girls and turn them into magical girls to fight against witches. However, Kyubey's contract is a lot more sinister than it seems. The show was highly popular for its subversive nature and visuals, and the series is still going on today in the form of movies.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is readily available on streaming services like Crunchyroll, and Aniplex will start streaming it from January 7, 2025.
Atlus and Perfect World have posted some guidelines regarding fan content and gameplay uploads for Persona 5: The Phantom X. You can read both guidelines on the official website for the game.
Both guidelines are very similar to ones for other games, such as the streaming rules and restrictions for Persona 5 Royal. When uploading content, you should make sure that you're not posting anything with spoilers, since this could rob other people's opportunity to enjoy the story on their own. Atlus and Perfect World also restrict uploading music and voice clips of the game for the express purpose of simply listening to them. You can't upload anything that may infringe on other companies' copyrights, slander or insult others, or cause damage to Atlus and Perfect World's reputations. Finally, you can't upload mod gameplay.
The following guidelines for fan content only apply to Japan. Outside of ones dealing with money, they're common sense rules that are pretty universal in fandoms though. You can't make anything socially inappropriate, or anything that insults or distresses others. Like with the above rules for social media uploads, you can't post anything damaging to the companies' reputation, or anything implying mod usage. Finally, you can't post or sell anything that uses content directly from the game.
Persona 5: The Phantom X is readily available on mobile devices and Windows PC in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. The Japanese closed beta of the game will run from November 29 to December 5, 2024.
After skipping 2024, the Hatsune Miku Japan Live Tour will return for 2025 with "Blooming" as the theme of the year. It will visit more locations than last time as well.
Though there isn't a set list just yet, the official announcement stated that the Vocaloids will perform recent songs, classic pieces, and new ones, as well as songs that had been performed in domestic and international concerts. The concert theme is "Blooming" not only because the concert takes place in spring, but also because Piapro wants to make creativity bloom all across the country. Though the concert is a "Hatsune Miku tour," it will also feature Rin, Len, Luka, Meiko, and Kaito.
Okinawa - Naha Cultural Arts Theater NAHArt May 31, 2025
If the 2025 Blooming tour will be like 2023's Thunderbolt tour, there will be official goods available to purchase as well, both during and after the tour.
Larian Studios has released the 30th Community Update for Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam. Patch 8, which will be marking the end of major feature-heavy updates for the game, will bring cross-play for all platforms, a photomode, and a new subclass for every major class in the game.
The crossplay functionality, according to Larian will not only allow players on Xbox, PlayStation, Mac and PC to play the game together, but also will introduce full cross-platform progression for Baldur's Gate 3's multiplayer. Lobby functionality will also be introduced to easily join multiplayer games through the Larian network.
Photomode will arrive with Patch 8. This feature will allow you to take pictures of your favorite characters in varieties of scenarios from scenery shots to posed and framed character scenes with a variety of special borders and stickers players can apply.
Lastly, is the subclasses that will be added. There is the College of Glamour for Bard, the Path of Giants for the Barbarian, Death Domain Clerics, the Circle of the Stars for Druid, Oath of the Crown for Paladin, Arcane Archer for Fighter, Drunken Master Monks, Swarmkeeper Rangers, Swashbuckler for Rogues, Shadow Magic Sorcerers, Hexblade Warlocks, and Bladesinging Wizards, along with some narrative and gameplay updates for the Oathbreaker.
Earlier this year, Baldur's Gate 3received enhancements for PS5 Pro as well as enhanced mod functionality across all platforms, including an in-depth roguelike mod from the community. A playtest will also be headed to players to ensure that the cross-play functionality with an expected arrival in early January 2025. The release date for Patch 8 and its additional content will be revealed sometime in the future.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Mac OS, and PC.
Taito announced the release of two new FFXIV plushes based on the Hydaelyn and Zodiark idol minions from the popular MMORPG. The plushes are set to release as crane game prizes at select arcades throughout Japan from November 29, 2024.
The Hydaelyn idol plush is represented in light blue colors with yellow accents, while the Zodiark plush is depicted in various shades of dark purple, with the same light yellow accents. Both plushes appear to have its arms crossed and have halos over their heads. Each plush is approximately 30cm tall (or about 12 inches.)
You can also check out the FFXIV Hydaelyn and Zodiark idol plushes here:
Given the importance and popularity of Hydaelyn and Zodiark in FFXIV, plenty of merchandise goods based on the characters have appeared throughout the years. Some of them include a line of gaming PC rigs with logos featuring both characters, as well as a figure depicting Hydaelyn and Zodiark, both of them revealed on January 2024.
The FFXIV Hydaelyn and Zodiark idol plushes will appear from November 29, 2024 as crane game prizes at arcade centers in Japan. Final Fantasy XIV is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Sony revealed the latest trio of monthly free PlayStation Plus games for December 2024. They will be available for members from December 3, 2024. The three games are It Takes Two, Aliens: Dark Descent and Temtem. These are all for PS4 and PS5, except for Temtem. It is exclusively available for the PS5.
It Takes Two is a co-op platformer from Hazelight Studios, where two players take on the roles of a married couple who have been turned into dolls and tasked with working together to fix their broken relationship. It won Game of the Year at the 2021 Game Awards. Aliens: Dark Descent is a tactics game based on the Alien movie franchise. You guide a team of space marines going up against xenomorphs that are taking over a space station. Temtem is an MMO inspired by Pokemon, where players venture across six islands to capture creatures named Temtem.
Ahead of the release of the December 2024 lineup, November's PlayStation Plus games can still be downloaded. Until December 2, 2024, subscribers still have access to Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Ghostwire Tokyo and Death Note: Killer Within. These are all playable on the PS5.
The December 2024 PlayStation Plus lineup will be available from December 3, 2024.
Greeted with a muted cry of "who asked for this?" upon its announcement, Lego Horizon Adventures has faced an uphill battle from the start. So I'm here to inform you that when the question was asked, Lego Horizon Adventures should have said, "Good point," and stopped there.
A special compilation of music from game composers worldwide to celebrate the holidays, Scarlet Moon Christmas Volume IX is now available on all digital storefronts and streaming platforms.
Sac Gamers Expo 2024 has announced a trio of Sonic heroes with Special Guests Ryan Drummond (the original voice of Sonic the Hedgehog), David Humphrey (the original voice of Shadow the Hedgehog), and Scott Dreier (the voice of Knuckles the Echidna).
A wholesome puzzle game full of cats for up to four players, Monster Couch announced that their title Quilts and Cats of Calico is set to release for the Nintendo Switch December 18.
It's cold outside and nearly Thanksgiving, so its time for Valve's annual Autumn Sale, or Fall Sale for those of you who ain't too fancy. A lot of games are currently discounted on Valve's massive digital storefront, so we've dug in and found some of the biggest and best discounts to check out.
Baldur's Gate 3 is over a year old now, and developer Larian Studios is still bringing a bevy of new features to the RPG in its upcoming eighth patch. Some of these features were announced a while ago but are finally making their way to the game with this update which, it seems, is currently a few months out. Larian…
Sony has announced more PlayStation 2 games are coming to PS Plus' Classics Catalog next month, and the lineup includes two of the best platformers ever released on the console:2004's Sly 2: Band of Thieves and 2005's Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves. Oh, and of course, some other stuff will be arriving in December for all…
Artificial scarcity sucks for all manner of reasons, from encouraging a completely needless scalping industry to ruining an indefinite number of Christmases. And where it makes less sense than anywhere else is "limited editions" of video game hardware in different colors. Just stop it.
Second seasons are hard. Great TV shows establish familiar rhythms and ensemble chemistry in their initial runs that then gets uprooted and can take time to reestablish. At least with Squid Game, the Netflix hit has the luxury of returning to a sadistic premise that structured its first batch of episodes. Will season…
Neva is a linear experience from start to finish, but that doesn't mean it doesn't feature some secrets to uncover. In particular, each chapter tends to have a few unique collectibles, including Winter I's hidden birds. If you're wondering where each of these little guys are located, we've got you covered.
It's only been two months since Mortal Kombat 1 saw the arrival of a huge expansion that added a new campaign and three more characters as well as the return of Towers of Time mode. The brutal fighter has now been updated once again with the playable debut of Ghostface from the Scream franchise. While that is…
Gems are one of the most important things to keep a collection of in Disney Dreamlight Valley. They're an essential material for crafting furniture in the game, both for fun and for completing various story and character quests. This goes for The Storybook Vale expansion, too, which introduces multiple new gem types,…
In mid-2019, then-President Donald Trump threatened to extend existing tariffs on industrial components and other goods to popular consumer products like iPhones, laptops, and video game consoles. The big three—Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, long-time competitors in the gaming space—rallied together to try and fend…
Warframe 1999 is right around the corner, bringing fans of the live service shooter back to a wild but enticing setting that mixes dark tech fantasy with turn-of-the-millennium vibes. It looks marvelous, and now developer Digital Extremes is being incredibly generous by giving away Dark Sector, its debut game that was a predecessor to what you see in Warframe today, totally free to those on Steam.
It's not like Baldur's Gate 3 really needed much in the way of improvement and additional content, but not satisfied with its GOTY-hoarding base game, Larian Studios has been bolstering the RPG with major content updates ever since launch. It has now revealed plans for BG3 Patch 8, the game's final update before the studio fully moves onto its next project, and quite rightfully, it's a big one. Photo mode, cross-play and a dozen new subclasses are all coming to Baldur's Gate 3.
Usually, when reviewing a game, I find it easy to put together a list of criticisms and areas for improvement. However, Metaphor: ReFantazio is an exception to the rule, delivering a fantastic RPG experience that everyone should try - and, right now, you can get it for a huge 35% discount, just over a month after its release.
What are the Path of Exile 2 classes? There are six new and six returning classes coming to Path of Exile 2, but if you're unsure on which class suits you, here's what to expect from their weapons, combat style, and attributes.
Though 12 classes are coming to the full Path of Exile 2 release date, there are only six classes available at the early access launch: the Ranger, Witch, Warrior, Monk, Sorceress, and Mercenary. Let's take a closer look at all the PoE 2 classes and more on which Path of Exile 2 class to pick based on what we've seen so far in the RPG game.
If you're quick you can snag yourself a serious Samsung gaming monitor bargain in this early Black Friday discount. With a saving of 39% against its MSRP, you're getting a massive 32-inch panel that can run at up to 165Hz for just $199.99.
With Samsung regularly finding its OLED displays on our best gaming monitor guide - check out our Samsung Odyssey G95SC review as an example - its prowess in panels is proven. However, while that display costs north of $1,000, today's deal is far more affordable.
When is the Delta Force release date? The Delta Force series was introduced back in 1998, establishing a foothold in the tactical shooter genre for the following decade. Much to the dismay of fans, the series disappeared, but it has returned 15 years later with a new look, a new developer, and new game modes, all while reinventing the fan-favorite Delta Force: Black Hawk Down.
As we wait patiently for the FPS game, we're being kept up-to-date with dev diaries, trailers, and the Delta Force Hawk Ops alpha playtest. The game was known as Delta Force Hawk Ops until August 20 when the devs shortened it down to Delta Force. While we know all the Delta Force Hawk Ops operators, and some maps coming at launch, we all want to know when we can expect the Delta Force release date.
Set in the backwaters of the bayou in 1896 and packed with authentically clunky weaponry, Hunt Showdown is the last place I'd expect to see a real-life pop star appear. In the new Hunt Showdown Post Malone's Murder Circus event, the one and only Post Malone enters the bayou. Sure, there are massive spiders, pigmen, zombies, and more - which I don't think you'll find if you traveled to Louisiana (now or back in the nineteenth century) - but this might just be one step too far for a game known for its haunting atmosphere and authenticity.
The shopping event of the year is almost here, as Black Friday 2024 is coming quickly. It's also the best way of getting a solid upgrade to your existing setup, so we've collated all of the best Black Friday gaming keyboard deals ahead of the late-November occasion.
If you've been looking for an excuse to upgrade to the best gaming keyboard, or for something as excellent as your best gaming mouse, the Black Friday celebrations are the perfect time. While the chaotic shopping period ahead of the holidays hasn't arrived just yet, we've got some excellent deals for you to take a peek at before Black Friday arrives.
Is Path of Exile 2 on Game Pass? Having been running for over a decade, it was only a matter of time before the classic RPG Path of Exile received a well-crafted sequel. Path of Exile 2 is just that - a refined version of the game you love, built in a new engine, designed with fresh mechanics and environments.
The Intel GPU rumors are coming thick and fast now, and the latest piece of information to leak out of the tech rumor mill is the price of the new Arc B580 graphics card, and it looks good. If the latest rumors are true, then the price of this Battlemage card isn't only cheaper than any of Nvidia and AMD's current desktop GPUs, including the entry-level models, but it's potentially also more powerful than them. If Intel gets this launch right, there's reason for Nvidia and AMD to worry.
Of course, we're not expecting this new Intel GPU to threaten the new Nvidia RTX 5090 when it comes out, but if this price rumor is accurate, the Arc B580 could potentially end up being the best graphics card for gamers on a tight budget. Specifically, this new rumor concerns an Intel Arc B580 graphics card with a limited edition box, so there may even be cheaper B580 cards available at launch.
When is the Monster Hunter Wilds release date? With the recent resurgence of Monster Hunter World and Rise in late 2023, there's naturally a bit of a buzz regarding the first sixth-generation Monster Hunter.
We've already seen some of the big changes coming to the RPG game series with Monster Hunter Wilds, including unprecedented mount mobility and all-new mechanics. Thanks to the power of next-gen consoles, Wilds is shaping up to be a stunning open-world game, as Ken's Monster Hunter Wilds Gamescom preview can attest. Now you're suitably buzzing, here is everything we know about the Monster Hunter Wilds release date and all the new features shown off in the latest trailers.
Game controller specialist, Gamesir, has just unveiled the Cyclone 2 controller, which packs in Hall Effect sticks and triggers, microswitch buttons, and a wireless connection, all while costing under $50. That's an incredible amount of tech for an impressively low price.
The new contender for a spot on our best PC controller guide is Xbox, Switch, and PC compatible and can basically connect to any Bluetooth device too, such as a Steam Deck. Moreover, it packs in an amazing amount of tech for its price.
Tactical FPS Gray Zone Warfare topped the Steam charts with over a million sales when it launched earlier this year and has been holding pretty strong ever since. With many quality-of-life changes and bug fixes out of the way, it's finally time for the main event: Gray Zone Warfare Night Ops, the game's biggest update yet, which introduces a day and night cycle, enemy AI overhauls, and much more.
November 26, 2024: We've added the latest new Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls.
How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way.
You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.
What are all of The Sims 4 cheats? Whether you're after that all-important Sims 4 money cheat for some extra Simoleons, we've listed heaps of handy shortcuts to make the lives of your virtual family more manageable. In this guide, we'll let you know all of the Sims 4 cheats, and more importantly, how to use them.
Cheats are by no means new to The Sims 4, and EA even actively encourages their use. Still, it can be hard to keep track of all The Sims cheats, so we've put them all in one handy place - including those all so important Sims 4 money cheats. Our list is perfect if you've never played past entries in one of the best PC games, or are wondering if all those old cheats still work, and we even add new cheats for new DLCs and expansion packs.
What are the best indie games? The great indie boom triggered by digital distribution a decade ago turned out to be more of a Big Bang, firing small-team development into a plethora of directions that now defy simple categorisation. The sheer volume is intimidating, so we have plenty to choose from when compiling our list of the best indie games. Perhaps too much.
But we should take stock, from time to time, to appreciate everything publisher-less development has given us. Some of the games listed below were built in a weekend by first-time coders, while others were crafted by former triple-A creators who've instilled their independent work with the same technical standards. They barely have anything in common but a healthy dose of idiosyncrasy and ideas that make Steam worth spelunking and make our list of the best PC games.
When The Game Awards' Game of the Year nominees were revealed last week, there were plenty of expected names in the mix, from Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth and Metaphor ReFantazio to Astro Bot. But among the triple-A heavy hitters was the runaway hit indie card game Balatro, which caused some confusion for those yet to take it for a spin. After all, how could a poker roguelike from a solo indie dev beat out the likes of Stellar Blade or Dragon Age: The Veilguard? But, for those who've partaken, the reason is clear: Balatro is brilliant. Now, following its GOTY nomination and the subsequent online grumbling, thousands of players are flocking to Steam to see what all the fuss is about, causing its player count to double. Remember though, just as curiosity killed the cat, picking up Balatro will no doubt kill your productivity. You have been warned.
What are some cool Minecraft build ideas? The sandbox game remains one of the best of all time over a decade on from its release, but such a long time in one game means you might be running out of ideas. We've been there: you've already built a city, a castle, or even a Wild West outpost, so what's next?
Luckily, there are plenty of unique builds, farms, and creations out there to inspire your next Minecraft project. Unlike our favorite Minecraft house ideas or Minecraft castles, for example, this list is more varied, and contains plenty of inspiration. From a stylish Minecraft Nether Portal to automated farms, from massive decorative builds to homely aquariums, these ideas can be copied directly or simply used to inspire your future Minecraft builds.
The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are something of a revelation. While there are now many options available for those seeking a low-cost set of wireless earbuds, few also include an easy means of connecting them to your gaming PC. That's where the 2.4GHz wireless dongle with this in-ear headset comes into play. What's more, the great comfort and sound of these earbuds, combined with their 100+ game-specific sound profiles, makes them a truly effortless and decent-value alternative to a conventional gaming headset.
Razer may have beaten SteelSeries to the punch for 2.4GHz wireless earbuds, with its Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed (review imminent), but the Arctis GameBuds do just enough to earn the crown of the best gaming earbuds on our best gaming headset guide. The differences are subtle, though, so read on to find out why the Arctis GameBuds are so good.
Typically, the best space games are tales of grandeur - No Man's Sky, Elite Dangerous, and Starfield all allow you to live out the fantasy of exploring the stars in their full majesty. Tin Can is a much more horrifying prospect, and not only because you're facing some manner of Alien Isolation-style threat. Thrust out into the vast emptiness in an aging escape pod after your ship explodes, a detailed technical manual is all you have to ensure the systems stay online. A new update has just transformed the ways you can play this claustrophobic survival game, and to celebrate you can grab it at a massive discount in a Steam sale.
How long is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle? Indy's latest adventure is thankfully quite the throwback; The Great Circle takes place smack bang in the middle of the original trilogy, so we'll get to experience the fancy-talking, whip-wielding lovely-hat-wearing schoolteacher in his pomp.
What are the best battle royale games? Each one of these multiplayer games revolves around one core idea: lots of players go in, and only one can leave. Battle royale is a violent, unpredictable, and frenzied multiplayer mode where the only goal is to endure until you're the sole survivor. All tactics and styles of play are equally viable in the best battle royale games. You can win by hiding in bushes and waiting for the herd to thin out, or scavenge a weapon and start reducing the numbers yourself.
With the explosion of free PC games like Fortnite, Warzone, and Apex Legends, you would be forgiven for thinking there are only three battle royales out there, but there are now numerous other contenders to challenge them, each with its own spin on the established formula. Whether you're after a battle royale FPS game or an inventive new twist on the formula, there's something out there for everyone. So, to help you broaden your horizons, we have assembled this handy guide to the best battle royale games on PC.
What is the best Sirin 9mm loadout?? The Overkill Wildcard can sometimes feel like a big limitation if you're running a DMR or sniper, sacrificing three extra Gunfighter attachments for your big shooty stick in return for a short-range sidearm that doesn't suck. Well, the CoD gods have heard your grumbling and may have prepared the perfect solution.
During Season 1 Black Ops 6 introduced the Sirin 9mm - a fully automatic special-class sidearm that functions like a mini SMG. While it may be slower than the best C9 or KSV loadouts the FPS game has to offer, it can more than hold its own against established beamers in a pinch. Here is the best Sirin 9mm loadout for Black Ops 6 and Warzone
There's something so enticing about The Lands Between. As someone who isn't a soulslike person, I found myself wrapped up in the Shadow of the Erdtree hype, and finally took FromSoftware's magnum opus out for a spin myself. I immediately feel in love with its twisted, medieval art style, and while the soulslike combat still isn't really my thing, I spent hours exploring its sprawling universe, fighting those absolutely horrific Fingercreepeers and hating every minute of it. Ayasa: Shadows of Silence's world feels somewhat similar, blending a mix of traditional fantasy vistas with eerie, Little Nightmares-style themes. For me, it was an immediate wishlist based purely on its aesthetic alone.
The best Black Friday monitor deals will be popping up across the internet in no time. If you've been keen to upgrade your set-up with an immersive curved gaming monitor, or perhaps one with an OLED screen for the first time, this is a good opportunity to do so.
Historically, Dell, Samsung, and Lenovo have all gotten in on the Black Friday festivities, and they are already gearing up to do so again this year. Meanwhile, you can often find many of the best gaming monitors on sale over at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, as those retailers all run large Black Friday sales too.
I have one urgent request for Starward Industries, creators of the just-announced "anti-combat" survival RPG Dante's Ring – don't use the phrase "ring of fire" in your English marketing materials. I get that you're going for a cocktail of Divina Commedia and FromSoftware associations, but you have to remember that this is the internet and we're all desperately crude. I can't speak for people from other English-language countries, but when I hear somebody talking about their "ring of fire", I tend to assume they've been at the vindaloo.
System requirements are on the rise, and a glut of recent PC facepunchers has left some of the RPS treehouse wondering if it's time for a graphics card upgrade. Being a helpful colleague and a handsome friend, I dutifully informed them that the highly capable Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super is currently getting the Black Friday price cut treatment, with Zotac's Twin Edge model dropping especially low in both the UK and US. Still, dear readers, if you feel like punishing us for that comment system switch, you could always head over to Amazon and buy up all the stock yourself.
$590 is a decent deal for a model that's spent most of the past few months at $610, but us Brits are getting the better bargain here - even if it's not for the OC version. £500 means a hefty £49 slasheroo, the deepest discount this card has seen yet, and you'll also get a key for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to play when it releases on December 9th.
It's often claimed by liars and fools that our website's title is a clever reference to the ancient Chinese game of shoushiling - or "rock paper scissors", as it's known overseas. The orthodox interpretation is that "Rock Paper Shotgun" is a folksy regional variation on this, with a "shotgun" instead of the "scissors". But friends, this is patently absurd. Think about it: a game that pits a shotgun against a rock or piece of paper would be incredibly one-sided. It goes against reason!
The sad reality is that the origins of our website's title have been deliberately obscured, allowing cold hard fact to slither back into legend. Behind that mockingly nonsensical moniker sleeps an eldritch truth of such gravity it would make Gandalf spill his mead. Friends, the Rock Paper Shotgun is real. The Weapon exists. Or at least, it once did - and will, for I mean to fashion it anew by combing the writing of RPS writers gone by for raw materials. And in this endeavour, I will naturally need your aid.
Earlier this week Humanoid Origin, a studio led by former Mass Effect director Casey Hudson, closed doors without a game to their name. Now, sadly, it's the turn of Worlds Untold, a studio founded by another former Mass Effect developer, Mac Walters. The studio have "paused operations" after apparently parting ways with publisher NetEase. While the announcement makes mention of continuing on with a new funding partner, laid-off staff are describing it as a studio closure.
In hindsight, it's surprising that it took so long for hardware manufacturers to start making "gaming" earbuds. If the likes of chairs, glasses, and chewing gum can be painted stealth-bomber black and prefixed with the G word, why not something that can actually get off its harshly angled bum and help pipe the games themselves into your head?
Then again, maybe gaming earbuds were just waiting for their moment. Obviously the Nintendo Switch is the Nintendo Switch, but the rise of handhelds like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally has driven desires for more portable (yet games-friendly) noise-deliverers 'round these PC parts as well. Thus, for another edition of Should You Bother With – the RPS column where a diaphragm of testing vibrates advice directly into the cochlea of understanding – let's have a listen of these wireless buds and find out whether they're a worthy replacement for your current go-to headphones.
Blaze Entertainment has always positioned the Evercade as a sort of ecosystem, home to lots of hardware variations that could all play the same cartridges. And it's continued to revise and update the handheld and TV-based options! But… perhaps there are more sorts of things? It feels like it was this line of thinking that led to the Evercade Alpha.
The Evercade Alpha is a tabletop arcade machine, designed to evoke its larger brethren and tailored primarily for solo play. It's honestly a bit larger than we expected, occupying a space about halfway between the Arcade1up machines of the world and micro-cabinets like the Taito Egret II Mini. It's just over 16 inches tall with a 12-by-10 base, and the screen clocks in at an eight-inch diagonal. The result is functional but not quite so evocative, a comfortable experience for one with multiplayer treated as the ancillary experience it should be for a screen this small.
As long-time fans of the Neo Geo MVS, an arcade cabinet with two cartridge slots does give us a bit of enjoyment just as a concept! The power button is decorated to look like a coin return, which is a nice touch. There are other nice accents, like a light-up swappable marquee and a headphone jack. A note about the headphone jack, though: if you think you're using it to play quietly but you're still using the arcade controls, you might still be disturbing those nearby! Those things are clacky, as they probably should be.
Speaking of those controls, Sanwa buttons are available on the deluxe model, but the standard model we're reviewing has a totally serviceable set. Can we tell the difference? Yeah, occasionally. But any arcade game worth its salt designed around the controls wearing out, so these seem fine enough to us! Also: no one should be trying to use an Alpha at Evo.
Photo by Siliconera
The Alpha is available in two models, both centered around built-in Capcom games. The version we've reviewed is the Mega Man Edition, which showcases that franchise's two arcade releases. Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters turn the console action platformer into a boss rush, with selectable paths through them built around bosses from particular games. You can fight as Mega Man, Proto Man and Bass, and if you plug in a controller, you can play co-op too. (The sequel also adds Duo. Are there Duo fans out there?)
Also included are Final Fight, Carrier Air Wing, Knights of the Round and Strider. This selection of games offers a variety of genres, which is nice! It makes it feel more like a classic arcade experience, wandering around and playing the different games you find. The other model, Street Fighter Edition, includes Street Fighter II' Champion Edition, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, and the three Street Fighter Alpha games. That's obviously great for fans of Street Fighter, though it leans pretty heavily on Puzzle Fighter (or your Evercade library) to provide some variety.
The Evercade compatibility means the Alpha can play a whole host of other games too, and this might be especially appealing for the company's purple-box line of arcade titles. With the horizontal display and button configuration, it feels most at home with '90s releases! Our top recommendations: In the Hunt from the Irem 1 cart and Snow Bros. 2 from Toaplan 4. It's also a good display for 16-bit games with more of an arcade sensibility, like the Renovation and Sunsoft carts. In general, that era of saturated pixel art just works best. (Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of the latest Evercade cartridges soon!)
Photo by Siliconera
Still, you can play any Evercade cartridges on this thing! And to do so in multiplayer, you just plug in a controller. Blaze sells its own, largely designed for the Evercade VS, but scrappy community members have found that many other controllers will work, too. There's even support for two three-player arcade games by using both controller ports: Knights of the Round and the Technos Arcade 1 cartridge inclusion The Combatribes. We can confirm that they work! We cannot, however, confirm that three people standing around an 8-inch screen are going to have the best time.
Before checking it out for ourselves, we'll admit: we thought the Evercade Alpha would be more like the category of arcade-looking desk toys than a legitimate way to play games. After spending time with it, though, we think it's just barely big enough to enjoy as a solo experience, and the Evercade library access patches up the biggest weakness of home arcades that leads to them quickly collecting dust. (But yes, it's also for looking cool.)
The Evercade Alpha releases November 28, 2024 for $249.99, and a pre-order discount is available until that date.
Hironobu Sakaguchi of Mistwalker teased the next game for the studio. The developer said that the Fantasian team is currently working on the new title and its scope is smaller compared to a AAA title. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]
According to leaker ryokutya2089, Sakaguchi teased his next work in a recent interview with Famitsu about the upcoming release of Fantasian Neo Dimension. Sakaguchi said that the next project is currently in production with only 4 programmers working on it and it is "a game that you would never imagine."
The platforms in which Fantasian Neo Dimension would be released were decided by Square Enix. Sakaguchi said that he is not very savvy about the game market nowadays, so he thought releasing it only on PS5 out of the Sony family of consoles would be enough, but the company knew they game should also be released for the PS4.
Sakaguchi also said that learning that Mistwalker would return to Xbox consoles with the release of Fantasian Neo Dimension was a very moving moment. Likewise, knowing the game would release for PlayStation consoles took Sakaguchi back to the time of the original Final Fantasy VII release. Sakaguchi said that Fantasian Neo Dimension will be available on 4K on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam, and he wants players to be able to see the rustic aspects of the dioramas, such as the glue marks.
Hironobu Sakaguchi announced that he was working on a new game with Mistwalker in late 2023, and revealed that he was working on writing a new scenario in early 2024.
Fantasian Neo Dimension will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC on December 5, 2024. Fantasian is also readily available on Apple Arcade.
Next week, the 2.7 Honkai: Star Rail update arrives and makes Sunday a playable character, but ahead of that we already know what moves he'll use and materials he'll need. HoYoVerse shared a trailer and details about the new unit, so we know what to expect.
To start, Sunday uses a mix of old character materials in Honkai: Star Rail. He needs Tatters of Thought for both his Ascensions and Traces, and it's already available in-game. You can get it from Assignments and certain Memory Zone Meme enemies. He also needs Chordal Mirages for his Ascensions, just like Rappa, and you get that from Stagnant Shadow: Shape of Timbre in Penacony. He also needs the Lost Echo of the Shared Wish Trace material, which you get from beating the Harmonious Choir: The Great Septimus boss in Echo of War: Salutations of Ashen Dreams. Finally, you'll need to tackle the Penacony Dreamscape Calyx (Crimson): Bud of Harmony to get Firmament Notes and its upgraded versions.
As for the moves Sunday will use, they all involve buffing and increasing the action speed of his allies. His basic attack deals damage to an enemy. His Benison of Paper and Rites Skill makes an ally and, if they have a summoned ally like Topaz with Numby or Jingyuan with Lightning Lord, attack immediately and deal more damage when they do. His Ultimate is Ode to Caress and Cicatrix, and that restores an ally's Energy, increases their critical hit damage, and makes them The Beatified. If he uses his Skill on the Beatified, the team recovers a Skill Point after using one to perform it.
Here's the latest "Keeping Up with Star Rail" episode that highlights all of the Sunday Honkai: Star Rail moves in action. It begins by showing his basic attack, before moving on to his Skill and Ultimate.
For the moment, people can still take advantage of two returning banners in Honkai: Star Rail. Both Acheron and Aventurine are available again. They will be around until December 3, 2024.
Honkai: Star Rail is available on the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Sunday banner and character materials will be live on December 4, 2024. December 4, 2024 is also when the 2.7 update arrives.
Yet another Mai Shiranui The King of Fighters figure is on the way, and this latest one is based on her KOF XIV appearance. AniGame announced it will launch in Japan in July 2025. It costs ¥22,000, though AmiAmi is selling it for about $139.56.
While the figure is based on her KOF XIV appearance specifically, she's wearing her typical take on a red kimono with white accents. This is a recurring costume for the ninja in the series. She also arrives holding her fan, though the weapon is closed for this pose. It will be a 1/6 scale figure, so it will stand at about a foot tall. It is also a completely static figure with no additional face plates or parts.
Here's how it is expected to look:
Images via AniGame
We'll see Mai Shiranui in another video game soon. She's a confirmed playable character for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. However, she has a whole new look for that game, and it includes a black leather jacket. It is unknown if her classic costume will also make a comeback in that title.
The King of Fighters XIV Mai Shiranui figure will launch in Japan in July 2025, and KOF XIV is available now on the PS4 and PC.
It's hard to believe that the Beyblade franchise is over twenty years old. However, the concept of two spinning tops duking it out with one another has been ubiquitously ingrained in cultures for generations. It even can be traced back to the Edo Period with the game Beigoma. (You know, that mini-game in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.) There have also been a plethora of Beyblade video games, which do not have the best track record. They tend to fall into the trap of offering repetitive gameplay. Beyblade X: Xone is probably my favorite Beyblade game to date, and it has a ton of admirable qualities. But it still features the same drawbacks of its predecessors, which won't persuade casual fans to give it a go.
Image via Siliconera
Beyblade X: Xone is the first Beyblade title to reach Western audiences since Beyblade: Evolution, which released over a decade ago. The game's premise is set around Beyblade X, the franchise's fourth generation. You don't necessarily need to watch Beyblade X to understand Beyblade X: Xone, as the storyline is primarily focused on new characters. However, the game does feature characters such as Multi-Nana-Iro, Jian Strong, and the protagonist Robin, so there are plenty of easter eggs if you are up-to-date with the franchise.
The entire narrative feels true to the show's spirit and has some upbeat and comedic moments, which any avid fan will find enduring. All these moments unfold with some wonderful visual novel cutscenes, very similar to Digimon Survive. You take control of a brand new character called Sheer, who is entering a Beyblade competition using the Knife Shinobi 4-60LF they inherited from their father. To win this competition, Sheer will have to earn points by beating Bladers and climb to the highest floor of The X Tower. Sheer quickly gets noticed by fellow competitors for their raw talent and the rare Beyblade they use, which results in them forging some unlikely friendships.
Image via Siliconera
The protagonist's default name is Sheer, but you can change this at any time. When I initially started playing Beyblade X: Xone, there was a character limit of four to five words, but a patch the other day has completely solved this issue. You can also change the gender of your character to male or female. I wish there were more customization options for your character, like different hairstyles or clothes, as this would have helped personalize them.
You're quickly thrown into spinning tops with a basic tutorial on participating in Beyblade matches. Sadly, the English translation for this tutorial is not the best, which makes the first few battles confusing. It might take a while to get the gist of the fundamentals because of this, but when it clicks it can be fun. Your goal is to ensure your Beyblade outlasts the opponent, but how you beat the enemy's tops will determine the points you will be rewarded. Whoever earns the predetermined number of points first will be crowned the winner. This adds a strategic element to each fight, as you could win a match in one round if you knock out the foe's Beyblade in the right way. When you first start the battle, you will be in the launch phase, propelling the top into the stadium. Where you launch it in the arena will determine its movement.
Image via Siliconera
When the Beyblades are launched into the stadium, they will move automatically. If they collide with one another, they will take damage. Each Beyblade has the equivalent of two health bars: the spin gauge and the burst gauge. The spin gauge represents how long the Beyblade can stay spinning, and this bar depletes over time. The other health bar, the burst gauge, indicates how many hits the Beyblade can endure before it breaks into different pieces. One point will be rewarded if the Beyblade stops spinning, and two points will be awarded if it bursts.
You can perform attacks and counterattack moves by consuming bars in your active gauge, which, if implemented correctly, can cause a healthy amount of damage to the opposing side. However, the most exciting aspect of a battle is the X Phase. If a Beyblade collides enough times with a rival, the X gauge will become full and will trigger the X Phase. This is basically an elaborate rock, paper, scissors mini-game. If you win, you will inflict a ton of damage to the opponent. Knocking out the enemy during the X Phase will give you a staggering three points, which can sometimes be enough to win a 1v1 Beyblade match. A small cutscene will also transpire as a result. Graphics-wise, these segments are rather solid and somehow make the battles feel far more intense than they actually are. The cutscene will also change depending on what move or Beyblade you're using, which makes these moments more intersting.
Image via Siliconera
The Beyblade battles feel so high-paced that it's hard not to find them entertaining. Even if you blink for a second, the whole course of the match can change. Every battle also has a rock soundtrack, which some may find a bit obnoxious as it leans on the heavier side, but it adds to the octane, exhilarating tone they're trying to achieve. The soundtrack is good, but nothing compares to the Beyblade X opening from L'arc~en~Ciel. I guess anything other than that would have always been interpreted as a downgrade. My only minor critique of the battling system was when I was near the end of the game, some of the matches became a little repetitive because no new gameplay mechanics were introduced. But for the majority of my time, I found them engaging, and the battling system ticked all the boxes for what I wanted from a Beyblade experience.
You can freely move around The X Tower when you're not partaking in battles. This lets you talk to other characters, customize your Beyblades, or head to a shop to spend money you have earned from winning battles. There are three types of Beyblades: attack, defence and balance, which all have different benefits in a match. I gravitated towards offensive beyblade setups, but I often bought different Beyblades in the shop and experimented, as they are relatively cheap to buy. No matter your preference, you will find a playstyle tailored to you, as many options are available.
Image via Siliconera
You can also take on exhibition battles by heading to the world map. These fights will give you points you can spend on a Beyblade to make them more powerful. But when you head to one of these locations, it will activate a cutscene and take you to a battle. So, if you were expecting an experience like Shadowverse: Champions Battle, where you freely walk around environments, then you will be disappointed. The only place you can roam is The X Tower, which is incredibly linear. Call me greedy, but I would have liked to travel around the small locations on the world map, like the Sushi Bar or the Beyblade Gym. This could have been an easy way to make the game feel bigger.
There is also an online mode with three options: casual, ranked and custom. You can pick three Beyblades you currently have on your save file and then bring them to an online game. I could only find matches in ranked mode, but they were pretty decent. That said, if you encounter an overpowered player, they will demolish you within seconds, which is not so fun. If you intend to play Beyblade X: Xone with a friend online, using more basic Beyblades for the fights might be a good idea. I ran into no lag or connectivity problems in any of my matches online.
Beyblade video games have a reputation for not being too great. Although there are blemishes in the gameplay and the environmental spaces, which could have been improved, I think this is the best Beyblade game out there. But by no means is this game stellar, either. Ultimately, you will find redeemable characteristics to Beyblade X: Xone if you keep up-to-date with the franchise or have nostalgic memories of earlier generations.
Beyblade: X Xone is now available on the Switch and PC.
Some sort of Palworld crossover is on the way. Pocketpair announced a collaboration with another game. Exact details about how it will work are slim, but Palworld and Terraria will come together in some way in 2025.
There's only a teaser image for the Palworld Terraria crossover at the moment. It doesn't offer any details about how it will work. It is unknown if this means Pals and types of inspired equipment could show up in Terraria. Or, perhaps it might mean some Terraria monsters and equipment could appear in Pocketpair's title. The teaser image shows a Terraria warrior and bunny on one side. On the other is a Palworld avatar with the Cattiva, Chillet, and Depresso Pals.
It isn't uncommon for elements of Terraria to show up in other games. For example, Moonstone Island features a crossover with the game. You can get the Coolslime in it. Stardew Valley also featured similar crossovers, with Joja Cola being in Terraria and the Meowmere Sword in Stardew Valley.
Palworld is in early access on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the actively updated versions of Terraria are available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices. The crossover between the two games will appear in 2025.
Shuhei Yoshida announced that he will be leaving Sony and no longer be part of the PlayStation brand in 2025. He will be stepping down from his role as Head of Independent Developer Initiative after 31 years at the company.
Shuhei Yoshida has a career that spans the entire lifetime of the PlayStation brand. He joined Sony in 1993 during the development of the original PlayStation, where he worked to secure third-party partnerships for the console. He would soon become an executive producer on many major titles for Sony, including Gran Turismo and Ape Escape.
This experience would lead to him becoming Vice President of SCE America in 2000 and President of SCE Worldwide Studios in 2009, where he would oversee all first-party development. He stayed in this role until 2019 where he took on a new role in supporting external developers. Shuhei Yoshida first considered leaving Sony when he reached his 30-year anniversary, and now feels it's time to move on.
In his departure announcement, he discussed some of his favorite aspects of working at PlayStation. One of his favorite memories was seeing the impact that Journey had on players. He also expressed love on working with indie developers because of how their small scale allows unique and interesting ideas to thrive.
Yoshida has been a popular presence around PlayStation for much of his career. His cheerful presence at conferences and his openness with fans online made him a friendly, human face for Sony. In 2023, he won the BAFTA Fellowship award for his contributions to the games industry.
Shuhei Yoshida will be leaving PlayStation on January 15, 2025 after 31 years with the company.
Studio Supersoft announced a free update for Moonstone Island, with people who return getting access to a new type of house and being able to find a new Spirit. There are also a number of quality of life features, like the ability to reset a Spirit's deck of cards or make the background music loop.
There's no teaser trailer showing the new items in action. However, the social media account and official Reddit account shared official patch notes. The Spirit and house appeared in the official announcement image. The house looks like a yellow and pink mushroom. As for the new character, it is Hoppot.
In terms of quality of life items, it makes it easier to decorate, use items, and adjust characters. If you have a chest in your home and it has items in it, you can pick it up and still move it. You don't need to empty it first. On PCs, you can use numkey shortcuts assigned to each tool to make it easier to swap between items and perform actions. Finally, using a deck reset potion on a Spirit clears out the deck and lets you reselect cards for respec purposes.
Here are the full patch notes for the Moonstone Island free update:
One new Spirit
One new house skin
A deck reset potion
Pick up chests that contain items
The ability to swap the NPC Spirits
New basement staircase
Numkey shortcuts on PC for the tool wheel
Looping music
Moonstone Island is available on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices via Crunchyroll Game Library, and the free November 2024 update is live now on all platforms.
Back in May 2024, we learned there would be a The Summer Hikaru Died anime adaptation, and now there's a teaser trailer for the Netflix show. However, while that and the key art are available, there's still no release window for it yet. The announcement only said it is "coming soon" in Summer 2025. It comes after the release of the fifth volume of the manga and the novelization.
Here's the first teaser trailer for The Summer Hikaru Died anime adaptation. We get to hear Chiaki Kobayashi as Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Shuichiro Umeda as "Hikaru" for the first time in it. It starts just as the manga does, with Yoshiki and Hikaru outside a store talking about the future. It's then that Yoshiki brings up the fact that the "Hikaru" next to him isn't really the Hikaru he knew.
As for the latest piece of key art, it features "Hikaru" and hints at the character's nature:
The last volume of the manga to appear is the fourth, and that showed up in August 2024. The series is still running in Japan. The fifth installment will launch in English on March 25, 2025. It follows what happens when a young man named Hikaru is replaced with an entity that isn't him, and the ensuing relationship between "Hikaru" and Yoshiki. However, the town around them is affected by the fact that a being that isn't human is suddenly living among them.
The Summer Hikaru Died manga is running in Japan, with Yen Press handling the English release, and the anime will air on Netflix in Summer 2025.
The second line of Honkai: Star Rail petit figures, which resemble the characters on carriages of the Astral Express, has opened up for pre-order via Animate. This time, you can get figures of March 7th, Acheron, Aventurine, Argenti, Firefly, and Dr. Ratio. [Thanks, Genshin Goods!]
There are two variations for each character. For example, you can get either the Preservation or Hunt version of March 7th. Meanwhile, one version of Dr. Ratio has him showing his face, and the other one is his marble mask. These figures will come out some time in March 2025, and are blind boxes. So far, Animate is not offering a complete box set, meaning that if you're aiming for a specific one, you're going to have to rely on luck or trading.
Previous versions of the Honkai: Star Rail petit figures included characters like Jing Yuan and Blade. When you open up a package, you get a head part and a train part. Since it's all loose, if you want to make sure that the head doesn't fall off the train, you may need to glue it in place.
Depending on what country you're in, Animate may not deliver to you. You may have to use proxy websites, or visit your local hobby shop after March 2025 to see if they stock these items.
Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.
A Wonder Statue of Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon Eternal has opened up for pre-orders. It costs 99,000 JPY, which converts to about $647.80.
Pre-orders for this statue will close on January 30, 2025, and it'll ship out some time in May 2025. As a note, this statue is available on the Japanese version of Premium Bandai. Only those in Japan can access and order from that version of the site. It is unknown if it will eventually also appear on the storefront worldwide.
Here are some more pictures of the Sailor Moon Eternal statue:
Images via Premium Bandai
The statue stands at around 50 centimeters tall, and it's 67 centimeters wide. It's on a stand made of polyester resin crystals, which can flash and glow thanks to the LED light inside. Since this is a rather large statue, you can see all of the details that the sculptor added to Sailor Moon's hair and wings. There is also a crescent moon in the back.
Sailor Moon Eternal was a two-part film that came out in 2021 and is part of Sailor Moon Crystal. It's technically the fourth season of the show, as it directly continues from where the show stops. Eternal follows the Dream Arc from the manga, with Dead Moon Circus acting as the main antagonist of the film. The sequel to Eternal is Sailor Moon Cosmos, which came out worldwide in August 2024.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is, like its predecessor, a big, ambitious game designed to let you fly over the entire frickin' world in incredible levels of detail. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, I was able to take off from the small airport by my house and fly around my neighborhood, navigate around the city just […]
