GamersHeroes Wednesday, March 19, 2025 9:44 PM This summer's Fire & Ice RGX 2025 is playing with power - Nintendo Power! - with the Art of Nintendo Power special museum display by the Interactive Art Collection Inc. The post The Art of Nintendo Power Special Museum Display to Appear at Fire & Ice RGX 2025 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:17 PM See how players will be able to ollie, kickflip, and grind their way through the ash and smoke of the Underworld with the latest trailer for developer Sam Eng and publisher Devolver Digital's Skate Story. The post Skate Story Overlord Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:05 PM  A surprise trailer for Ark: Survival Evolved teased its new water-based expansion Aquatica this week and fans are livid. That's because the video appears to make generous use of AI-generated footage to show a bland and incoherent mashup of underwater scenes that have nothing to do with the game. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:40 PM  Multiplayer is one of the staples of Monster Hunter. It's a far different game when playing alone, and the game doesn't make it terribly easy to understand the nuances of its co-op system. So let's go through the (unfortunately) convoluted "friend" system in Wilds so you don't have to suffer wandering alone. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:30 PM  These days I appreciate any good news we get and hold onto it for dear life. And today, the good news keeping me going is a new report that claims Warner Bros. is negotiating a deal that would finally bring the canceled Coyote Vs. Acme movie to theaters in 2026. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:25 PM  PlayStation's Mega March sale is currently available on PS4 and PS5 (sorry, fellow Vita owners) and has some great deals on older games, especially stuff from the 2010s. If you're looking for something to play and don't want to break the bank, I have some perfect picks to add to your library. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:30 PM  After spending so much time drifting between minor islands, stumbling upon a massive city like Honolulu, in a pirate ship of all things, is quite the spectacle. Of course, despite your arrival being positively dramatic, the locals still want to fight you! But worry not: The city contains much to see and do besides… |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:20 PM  Released earlier this month, Zombieville USA 3D is a new, super-stylish top-down indie roguelike zombie shooter that is both simple and incredibly well made, with fantastically responsive controls and impressive animation and art. And it currently costs less that $10. |
Kotaku Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:10 PM  You've no doubt encountered someone who posts on social media like they're Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, right? You know what I mean. These people, usually to simp for billionaires, voice their support for AI taking over creative fields, or justify discriminating against people, love to make their arguments in the… |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:00 PM  Capcom's Monster Hunter Wilds and Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 are two games that have kept us eating good this year. One offers vibrant fantasy worlds filled with incredible beasts for you to battle with your friends on all platforms, while the other provides an intricately detailed medieval RPG experience with a penchant for realism. Grabbing both of these games isn't going to be cheap, but fortunately, we've got a couple of exclusive offer codes for you that can not only help to make these two games cheaper but also save you money on the majority of 2025's triple-A releases. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Monster Hunter Wilds armor, Monster Hunter Wilds weapons, Monster Hunter Wilds review |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:34 PM  Pirate games have been making something of a comeback over the last decade or so. One of the most celebrated Assassin's Creed entries is Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii continues the crime series' tradition of popular spin-offs. And Sea of Thieves has enjoyed ongoing popularity since it launched in 2018. Still, with Skull and Bones marking a disappointing recent attempt at a new multiplayer pirate game, there's plenty of room for competitors. Fortunately, a new free-to-play MMORPG game called Crosswind has just appeared on the horizon, with a playtest available for interested players to check out. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:28 PM  League of Legends has managed to stay relevant for more than 15 years now thanks, in part, to creator Riot Games' constant work to spin off characters and concepts from the MOBA into new game genres and other media. These have included comics, the animated Arcane TV series, and, of course, games like Ruined King, Teamfight Tactics, Bandle Tale, Song of Nunu, and Legends of Runeterra. And now, in a surprise announcement, League of Legends' client will include a non-Runeterra card battling mini-game in the vein of Inscryption or Balatro called The Demon's Hand. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends ranks explained, League of Legends Mythic shop rotation, LoL tier list |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:14 PM  The Thrustmaster SOL-R Flightstick takes the concept of a bulky, desk-invading HOTAS setup and reduces the required space massively, and it does this without major compromise. You still have throttle controls, 44 total inputs, and a Hall Effect joystick, but rather than needing two separate units or one overly wide contraption, it's all contained within a 196mm x 196mm square that sits comfortably even on the most crowded of desks. The Thrustmaster SOL-R 1 Flightstick is among the best PC controllers for flight and space sims, even though it is not limited to just these genres. As an isolated unit, I've had more fun and a better overall in-game experience when using the SOL-R compared to any other joystick, HOTAS (Hand On Throttle and Stick), or HOSAS (Hand On Stick and Stick aka dual joystick) system. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:05 PM |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:33 PM  Remember how it felt in Bloodborne when you discovered a shield and learned that it existed purely to shame and humiliate returning Dark Souls players who are over-reliant on blocking? Do you remember reading those awful, judging, fourth-wall-besmirching words, "Shields are nice, but not if they engender passivity"? Well, The Knightling is the opposite of that feeling. It's a bouncy, breezy open world platformer in which you are a novice chevalier equipped with a circular, gear-toothed shield he uses for absolutely everything. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 7:45 PM
When it comes to cozy sandbox life sims about anthropomorphic animals, Animal Crossing is king. In recent years, though, especially as it's more widely available now, Hello Kitty: Island Adventure has gotten people's attention. While there's nothing stopping you from playing both, some people might only have time for a single one. So which one should you pick?
Pros and Cons of Animal Crossing: New Horizons
One of the biggest pros in Animal Crossing: New Horizons over Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is the level of personalization you can have on your island. Not only do you have more freedom in what villagers you have wandering around, but you can also completely overhaul the entire island if that's what you so wish. A lot of creative people have released some really cool content, such as turning their island into an autumn-core paradise or transforming it into a Showa-era Japanese city.
Because Animal Crossing: New Horizons lacks real set goals outside of expanding your town, filling up the museum, paying off your debts, and beautifying the place up, you can spend all day playing it if you wanted to. Perhaps since it's a live service game that encourages repetitive logins, a lot of content in Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is time-gated. For example, you can catch fish all you want, but you can only trade it in or gift it a set number of times a day. This arbitrary lock on how much progress you can accomplish per day may frustrate some players. That being said, Animal Crossing: New Horizons can devolve into that in the early stages of a playthrough as well.
It's not all perfect, though. A big draw of these cozy life sims is the characters inhabiting your town or island or what have you. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a lot of cute animal friends to potentially move in. But the New Horizons iteration of villagers only have so many lines of dialogue they can say per personality type, and there isn't that much variety in the game. Their canned, repetitive dialogue can get really boring really fast. A lot of my favorite villagers happened to all share a personality type, so I was reading the same jokes or comments every day until I finally moved some out. The lack of bite in some villagers' personalities also caused a lot of players to become unhappy in the early days of New Horizons, especially if they played previous entires in the series.
Pros and Cons of Hello Kitty: Island Adventure
Continuing on from the con I gave for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the characters feel more fleshed out and unique in Hello Kitty: Island Adventure. Even if you read a lot of of the same dialogue lines through your play sessions, it's not like everyone talks in the same way. Talking to Hello Kitty feels distinct from Keroppi, who also felt like his own character from Pochacco or Daniel.
While I personally consider it a con, some people might like the more quest-oriented play style of Hello Kitty: Island Adventure. Unlocking your island over the course of days or weeks requires more steps than simply collecting Bells and materials. You might have to befriend a certain villager first (which is yet another time-gated mechanic) or complete a prerequisite quest. It might feel more like an RPG than an open-ended life sim. But some players who have trouble staying entertained in a life sim might prefer the somewhat more rigid structure and increased level of activities Hello Kitty: Island Adventure.
Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is also receiving active updates, which introduce new customization options, furniture or clothing, and villagers. This might appeal to someone who's already invested a lot of time in Animal Crossing and are bored of it now.
But if the sheer levels of personalization in Animal Crossing are one of its strongest points, then the lack of customization in Animal Island is its weakest. You don't have a lot of room to exercise in creativity when it comes to what regions you want and where on the island. This makes sense considering the different relationship you and everyone else have with the island, as well as its scale. When making your avatar, you can only use the parts the game gives you, too.
This last point is very subjective, but I prefer the visuals of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The aesthetic of the game can feel too mobile-y, and the models for the Sanrio mascots don't always match with their appearance on merchandise or in other media.
Which One Should You Play?
If you want to play a game to play over long sessions at once while providing you an outlet for your creativity, then I recommend Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I personally prefer the co-op in this game more too. It's always fun to go to my friends' islands to check out what they're doing with it or who they moved in. Since there's no limit on how many Bells you can make per day or anything, you can spend a lot of time just fishing or crafting together, whereas I never stayed long in Hello Kitty: Island Adventure's co-op mode.
The more quest-heavy nature of the game works well with Hello Kitty's friend mode. You can complete tasks or fill up a checklist with your friend to unlock some special actions or bonuses. This is really cool, don't get me wrong. I just personally would prefer to do what I wanted with my buddies without feeling like I have to perform certain tasks for better quality-of-life in my co-op gameplay. Speaking of quests, the RPG-like style of Hello Kitty Island Adventure might cater to some people more than the open sandbox of Animal Crossing does. Though I prefer Animal Crossing and recommend that one, Hello Kitty: Island Adventure has its own pros that might make it someone else's dream game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on the Nintendo Switch. Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is available on the macOS, iOS, Apple TV, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. PS4, and PS5 versions will come out in 2025.
The post Hello Kitty Island Adventure vs Animal Crossing: Which Should You Play appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 7:15 PM
Western RPGs like Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, Fallout, and Dragon Age are all well known for having dating and romance options, but they are less common in JRPGs. While many JRPGs have romantic storylines, it's less common that they have dating sim elements where you can choose from a variety of different partners. If you're looking for a JRPG to play with dating sim or romance options, here are 10 of our favorites.
Fire Emblem: Awakening
When people think of JRPGs with romance options, many think of the Fire Emblem series, which has long allowed people to marry certain units and strengthen them. Fire Emblem: Awakening gets exceptionally deep into the romance options, and you almost need a spreadsheet in order to organize everyone optimally. Not only will you be planning out your marriage – and the spawn that ultimately comes from that relationship – but the marriage and children of your other units. Certain marriages will produce offspring with different traits that can give an advantage in battle, making romance strategic.
Persona 3 Portable
Almost since the beginning the Persona series has had romance and dating options – more on that later – but they became far more overt with the modern series. In these games you can romance as many people as you like, but just be aware that if you invite them out for a date at the same time, they tend to not vibe with it. We've chosen Persona 3 Portable to represent the series, as it has a male and female MC with different dating opportunities. One of the cheesy things I love about this is that if you date one of the characters that dies mid-game, there is a post game dialogue that lets you know they are just in a coma. There aren't many JRPGs where smooching will save lives.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
Most of the games in the long-running The Legend of Heroes series have some dating or romance aspects, but the Trails of Cold Steel subseries takes it to a new level. There are four games in Trails of Cold Steel and while romances start fresh in every game, there are bonuses for characters that you romanced in other titles. In the first entry, if you choose someone to take to the dance near the end of the story, they'll receive an EXP boost in the second game. It doesn't just offer you additional cutscenes, but a few sweet rewards for your affections.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Dragon Quest hasn't always had romantic or dating options, but Dragon Quest XI added the option to date certain characters in the post game. It's still completely optional, but it adds an extra layer to the after credits quests for those who are deeply invested in the game. After you've finished the main story you'll be asked to rebuild Cobblestone and once done, you can choose another character to live with forever. While you can only technically marry Gemma, you can choose to cohabit with a number of other characters giving you some options.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Most of the Yakuza games don't have dating sim or romance options outside of hostesses and that always felt more friendly than romantic. Yakuza: Like A Dragon switched this up with its personality stats that dictate which of six women our protagonist Ichiban can date. While it's completely optional, dating certain NPCs and party members has huge benefits, and there is even a side story related to dating all six women at once. For a man who fails so completely in love in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth he's quite the lothario in his debut game.
Summon Night 6: Lost Borders
Many of these games have dating or romance elements as an aside to the story, but Summon Night as a series is known for being part JRPG, part visual novel, and part dating sim. This is the series you will want to jump into if you want the dating to be at the core of your gameplay. At the end of every chapter someone will join you up on the rooftop, and you can decide how much you vibe with them. While Summon Night 6 has some localization issues, you should try out the series if you want the quintessential JRPG meets dating sim experience.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Just like in the original Final Fantasy VII there are some hidden dating and romance options in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Things you do and say with different party members throughout the game will determine how they feel about you, and this culminates in a date that you have at the Gold Saucer. In the original FF7 you could date Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, or Barrett, with Aerith being the standard option – sorry Tifa fans – but Final Fantasy VII Rebirth adds two new options. Cloud can also date Red XIII in Rebirth, or if you haven't shared enough romantic moments with any of these characters you'll share a romantic date with the boys: Cid, Vincent, and Cait Sith. Yes, at the same time.
Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord is one of the best games of 2024, and it also is the JRPG with the most dating and romance options. It's all about recruiting characters and organizing them into armies to fight for the cause, and almost everyone you recruit can be romanced and married. In fact out of 70 recruitable characters you can smooch more than 60 of them. You need to build your bonds with everyone, by giving gifts, eating with them or having discussions, and maxing out your rapport means you can hand over the Ring of the Maiden and marry them. Aside from showing your love to that character they gain +5 in every stat, so there are definite benefits to falling in love.
Tokyo Xanadu Ex+
Technically Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ isn't a dating sim in the sense that you don't pledge yourself to one person, but you do choose which characters to spend your time with, and there isn't enough time to get to know everyone. Finishing your bond with a certain character will give you a special final scene and item near the end of the game, giving you more incentive to spend as much time as possible with your favorites. There is a canon choice here that gives you more insight into the ending, but if you have a favorite teammate, you'll want to make sure you spend your time with them as well.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
The modern Persona series – Persona 3 onwards – put romance and dating at the forefront as an integral part of the gameplay. However, romance options began with Persona 2: Innocent Sin where our protagonist Tatsuya can choose to date Maya, Lisa, or Jun. Yes, Persona 2 had a same sex dating option, which the modern series will not give us for some reason. Your choice of romantic partner doesn't have any major outcomes on the story, and if you play Persona 2: Eternal Punishment you'll know that Maya is Tatsuya's canon romantic partner, but it is still a beautiful touch to this early story.
Let us know what your favorite JRPG that has dating sim options is in the comments below!
The post Best JRPGs with Dating Sim Romance Options appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:15 PM
Otome is one of the most popular genres of visual novel, and there are plenty of girl seeking guy romances to keep us entertained this year. If you're looking for something to play that will make your heart pump, we've listed all of the otome games and other games with otome-style romance that are launching in 2025.
Otome Games Releasing in 2025
This year is sure to please otome fans, with dozens of games scheduled to be released. The list includes both Japanese and Western romance games releasing for PC and/or Nintendo Switch in 2025. Click on the links if you want to see our reviews.
Games With Romance Options Releasing in 2025
The following list of games are not strictly otome games, but have girl meets boy romance options. Again, you can click on the links to read our reviews.
Let us know which game you're most excited for in the comments below!
The post All Otome Games Debuting in 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:00 PM
Voltage announced the release date for its next Switch otome game following Even if Tempest and its sequel. The Red Bell's Lament now has a June 5, 2025 release date. It will be available worldwide. The official website also updated, and there additional sample voices for the main characters available.
The Red Bell's Lament is a story about vampires and the people who hunt them. The heroine Juliet lost everything due to these monsters, and she became a vampire hunter as a result. She's so talented, she's part of a group called Elpis 7 that will head to face vampires head-on in Nyx, their own world. She's accompanied by her fellow hunters.
Like Even if Tempest, it seems The Red Bell's Lament will be a more serious Switch otome game with a darker tone. Initial imagery on the official sites suggests both humans and vampires will appear as love interests. There's also the suggestion that people could end up being turned or killed as the story goes on.
Here's the opening trailer for the game. It shows Juliet alongside characters such as Eileen, Flynn, Jack, Lyanaria, Mulberry, Nicola, Oleander, and Vlad, as well as love interests like Asher, Ciaran, Garrett, Rhodes,
This is one of three Switch otome games to recently get a release date. 7'scarlet will debut in May 2025. And on July 2025, we'll see La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato.
The Red Bell's Lament will come to the Nintendo Switch on June 5, 2025.
The post The Red Bell's Lament Switch Otome Game Debuts in June appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:30 PM
Several people have been arrested and charged for a scam that took place in August 2024 regarding fraudulent in-game purchases for Sega games. Sega once again reiterates that it forbids people from lending, selling, or giving away game accounts, as it can lead to incidents like fraud and account hijacking.
In a news article from the August 2024 case in question, it demonstrated how such swindlers operate. They attracted customers on RMT ("real money trading") sites by offering to sell them in-game currency or items for a cheaper price. After gaining access to the customers' accounts, they would to send false information to Sega, collect the currency, and then return the account to the owner.
According to the August 2024 news article, the Tokyo police only arrested one person, who was a Chinese national, for fraud. However, Sega states that the police also arrested, sued, and charged the customers who asked for the service in the first place. So even if you're not committing the fraud yourself, hiring people to do this for you will still land you in legal trouble.
Near the end of the warning, Sega once again stresses that players should avoid buying in-game currency from third-party services and sites, and to avoid sharing their game ID and password with other people, as this can lead to potential scams. This is something that's in the terms of use you have to sign when you play their games.
The post People Arrested for Illegal Sega Game In-Game Purchases Scam appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:00 PM
AmiAmi is now accepting pre-orders for a new AliceGlint figure of Marcille from Delicious in Dungeon anime and manga that based on her appearance as a student. The figure currently costs ¥22,070 for the standard version and ¥22,570 for the limited edition version, with shipping expected to begin worldwide in September 2025.
This is a 1/7 scale figure, and it features Marcille as she appears during the flashback to her student days. She comes sitting on pile of books and, according to the photos, her hat appears to be detachable. There is also a limited edition version exclusive to AmiAmi, which comes with an additional faceplate of Marcille smiling with her eyes closed.
You can get a better look at both versions of the Marcille figure via the gallery below:
Back in February 2025, Good Smile Company opened pre-orders for plush toys of both Falin and Izutsumi from Delicious in Dungeon. More recently, the mobile game Arknights began running a Delicious in Dungeon-themed in-game event featuring Senshi as a free operator.
The Delicious in Dungeon Marcille Student Version figure is available to pre-order now from the AmiAmi Web Store. Shipping is expected to commence in September 2025.
The post New Delicious in Dungeon Figure Shows Marcille as a Student appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:00 PM
Bandai Namco has revealed that it is working with Lantis to release an album containing tracks from the now-defunct online game Blue Protocol. The album, titled Blue Protocol Music Collection, will be available exclusively on digital platforms in Japan on March 26, 2025.
The digital-exclusive album will contain 45 tracks in total. It will mostly feature in-game BGMs composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and Kohta Yamamoto. However, it will also include L'Arc~en~Ciel's theme song "Mirai" as the last entry. In addition, some of the tracks will feature vocals by Ayaka Senbongi, Yoko Hikasa, and Ayaka Ohashi, who were the respective voice actresses for Charlotte, Millene, and Lalaforte.
Blue Protocol seems to still get much attention from Bandai Namco even after its untimely demise. The company shut down the online game, which was still running only in Japan, on January 18, 2025. The English global release, which was still under development back then, was also ultimately canceled. The restructuring does not end there, however, as Bandai Namco Entertainment will absorb the now-defunct game's development studio, Bandai Namco Online, at the start of the upcoming fiscal year on April 1, 2025.
The Blue Protocol Music Collection album will be available digitally on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. It will contain tracks from the online game that was available in Japan for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
The post Blue Protocol Music Collection Will Appear Digitally Next Week appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:00 PM
The local government of Oita prefecture in Japan announced that the local airport will be temporarily renamed "Oita Hello Kitty Airport" starting on April 13, 2025. This will remain in effect until October 13, 2025. The move is intended to encourage tourism during the Osaka World Expo, which takes place over the same period of time. [Thanks, The Mainichi!]
The plan was signed by both Sanrio and the Oita Prefectural Government back in December 2024 and announced on March 17, 2025. The government and company stated that the two hope to take advantage of the increased tourism during the Osaka World Expo 2025. While the name change is in effect, the airport will host various Hello Kitty-themed decorations and photo spaces, as well as advertisements promoting prefectural specialties. Additionally, a bus route is planned to take visitors from the airport to the nearby Sanrio theme park of Harmonyland, which appears to be part of the impetus behind the name change.
Back in January 2025, Hello Kitty owner Sanrio also partnered with Razer to release a collection of Kuromi-themed gaming accessories including headsets and keyboards. Meanwhile, in 2024 Seiko and Sanrio opened pre-orders for a limited run of Hello Kitty Anniversary Watches.
Oita Airport in Japan will be temporarily renamed to Oita Hello Kitty Airport for the duration of the Osaka World Expo, which takes place starting on April 13, 2025.
The post Hello Kitty Getting an Airport Named After Her appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:46 PM
Riot Games released a roguelike card seasonal mini-game in the League of Legends client today titled The Demon's Hand, and there's little instruction on how to play it. Thankfully, we've got you covered on how to play The Demon's Hand in League of Legends as well as detailing all ranks, suits, hand types, and more.
How to play The Demon's Hand
From a technical standpoint, you can play The Demon's Hand directly in the League of Legends client simply by updating to the latest version.
The easiest way to understand The Demon's Hand is to relate it to Poker. Each card has three elements: a picture, a number(including those similar to Jack, Queen, King, and Ace from Poker), and the card's suit. The picture relates to the card-ranked number, so don't let that overwhelm you. For example, if you have two cards with the number 5, their picture will be the same.
Your goal is to build the best five-card hand to attack your opponent. To do so, you'll unlock various Sigils (powerups) as you progress that allow you to increase the damage you deal. You can also discard three times each round and discard up to five cards each time.
After making your best five-card hand, click the Attack button, and the game will calculate your damage output based on the ranking of your five-card hand as well as any multipliers, buffs, or debuffs from your Sigils or match conditions.
On the table, you will also find an Attack Coin. Each time you attack, this number decreases by one. Once the value of the coin reaches zero, your opponent will attack back.
Your opponent has their own single card, represented by the larger card at the top of the table. It will feature a picture of your opponent as well as two numbers. The black number in the bottom left indicates how much damage it will deal to you each time the Attack Coin reaches 0, while the red number in the bottom right indicates its current health.
For each encounter, your goal is to attack enough to deplete your enemy's health while taking the least amount of damage possible from your enemy.
As you take out enemies, you'll progress on a branching map with different destinations to choose from along the way including stronger enemy encounters that yield better rewards, a shop to buy new Sigils, and a campfire to rest at and restore Health. At the end of each map is a boss encounter that has a special mechanic as well as higher-than-usual Health and Damage.
The ultimate goal of The Demon's Hand is to progress through each map while strategizing your Sigils to take out each map's boss and survive to the end.
All Attacks (hand combinations) and ranks
The ranking of hands in The Demon's Hand is the same as those used in Poker and games like Balatro, they just have different names. Each Attack or hand has a different Base Damage it will deal when used, though you can increase this via a variety of modifiers including Sigils, Critical Damage Cards, and match modifiers.
Here are each of the Attacks (hand combinations) and the damage they deal in The Demon's Hand:
All Sigils and what they do
Each map has specific points you can reach where you have the opportunity to purchase Sigils in exchange for the Gold you've accumulated so far on your run. The Sigils add different unique effects that allow you to build strong playstyles with each run of The Demon's Hand. You can have up to six Sigils equipped at a time, and have the opportunity to sell unwanted Sigils for 2 Gold each at the Sigil vendor.
Most of the Sigils you receive are Common in quality. By playing League of Legends matches and completing missions you can unlock up to 24 more powerful Rare Sigils.
Here are all the common Sigils in The Demon's Hand:
Sigils Demons Hand
How to get Rare Sigils
According to Riot Graydiance, the Rare Sigils in The Demon's Hand drop randomly based on the time you spend playing various League of Legends games. Graydiance recommends that players who are looking to progress faster and enjoy playing Arena should do so, as it progresses the invisible missions that track progress for the Rare Sigils accumulate 30% faster than in the SR and ARAM game modes.
As there are 24 Rare Sigils in total in The Demon's Hand, it will take some pretty hefty League of Legends grinding to unlock all of them.
Best tips for winning in The Demon's Hand
As a roguelike, it's important to understand that not every run in The Demon's Hand will be the same. With so many randomized elements, some runs will feel much harder while others may seem much easier. It's important to formulate the best possible build and strategy with each run based on what options The Demon's Hand throws at you. That being said, there are some general tips for winning in The Demon's Hand that should improve your overall chance of successful runs.
The post The ultimate guide to LoL's new card roguelike, The Demon's Hand appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:40 PM
33 Immortals is having a Race for Immortality event live with the early access launch, and it involves picking one of the three available factions to win different rewards.
You'll want to be careful about picking the correct faction, as your choice will ultimately reflect in the rewards you earn. Let's look at important details regarding the event, followed by the best choice according to me (as of writing).
33 Immortals Race for Immortality event explained
The Race for Immortality is a cool event associated with the Twitch drops program. To become eligible for the rewards, you must activate Twitch drops (detailed steps explained later in this guide).
There are three factions: Team Amethyst, Team Lazurite, and Team Sardonyx. The race involves finishing as many milestones as possible, and the grind is to get as much Stardust as possible. Of course, this is a community event, and you're not fighting alone (just like in 33 Immortals). You'll have to earn Stardust as part of your faction, and a new set of rewards is unlocked once 250,000 Stardust is collected.
To collect Stardust, you'll have to at least one stream of the game on Twitch for a minimum of 30 minutes. The more minutes you can watch, the merrier it gets for your faction. To begin your journey, the first job is to link your Twitch account, making you eligible for the rewards.
How to participate in the 33 Immortals Race for Immortality
The underlying process is pretty simple, beginning with you activating Twitch drops. Once done, you'll have to start watching streams from streamers actively participating in the program. Click the creator you want to support, and you'll get their redeem code. Redeem it inside the game, and go to Dark Woods. You can equip the cape after talking with Charon.
Make sure to keep the cape equipped before you start collecting Stardust. All the Stardust you collect while wearing the cape will contribute towards unlocking the milestone. Once a new reward has been unlocked for your faction, watch the creator's stream for at least 30 minutes to unlock the rewards.
To connect your Twitch account with 33 Immortals, complete the following steps.
Which Race for Immortality faction should you join
To answer the most important question, choose the streamer you like the most and the faction they're part of. If you want the highest chance of getting all the rewards, Team Lazurite is the one to join as of writing. Based on the last leaderboard refresh, the faction is way ahead of the two remaining choices. In fact, members of the Team Lazurite faction have already unlocked the first reward by going past 250,000 Stardust.
Of course, the numbers will change as we progress through the next few days. Do note that the Race will be available till the end of March 25, so there are a few days left for you to join and do your duty for the team. The Race for Immortality is separate from the 33 Immortals Twitch Drops program, which continues until April 15.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:34 PM
Temple, the poster child of Techrot Encore, is the latest Warframe to join the roster. Octavia now has a musical counterpart who's more about metalcore riffs and bringing the heat.
In any case, here's how to get Temple and how to farm them quickly in Warframe.
How to get Temple in Warframe
To get Temple in Warframe, you have to play the new Stage Defense mission in Hollvania. It'll be located in the Solstice Square mission node when you open up the POM-2 PC in your base of operations or in Central Hollvania Mall.
If you haven't reached 1999 yet or completed the primary part of the quest, you won't be able to access this, so focus on getting that done first.
There are two ways to earn Temple in Warframe: Farming beating heartstrings or farming Temple parts.
Farm Beating Heartstrings
In this mission, you'll receive a new type of currency called Beating Heartstrings. These are earned after every rotation in this mission, which is after every three waves.
You'll earn one Beating Heartstring per rotation on normal mode and two Heartstrings if you're playing in the Steel Path. This is how many Beating Heartstrings you need per part:
In total, you need 390 Heartstrings to be able to purchase all of Temple's parts.
Farm Temple parts in the new mission
Alternatively, and by luck, you can earn Temple parts by playing this new mission. Drop chances are quite low for their parts, but they can be earned after every successful three waves (or one rotation).
Of course, from the third rotation onward, your chances of earning Temple components will significantly increase at the cost of a harder mission difficulty.
How to farm Temple fast in Warframe
To get Temple fast in Warframe, your best bet is to play the new Stage Defense mission on the Steel Path with a frame that can kill enemies fast or defend an objective. Play in public matches too, unless you're confident playing solo.
All you need to do is defend Temple as they rattle the battlefield with music, providing some decent crowd control while you clear waves. Every third wave, you'll face a screamer which acts as a mini-boss that you must defeat.
You'll earn significantly more Beating Heartstrings by playing on Steel Path while also having the occasional chance of earning a part every three waves.
Temple crafting components
Temple Blueprint
Temple Systems
Temple Chassis
Temple Neuroptics
Alternate ways to get Temple
If playing Defense missions isn't your jam, you can always buy them with 370 Platinum. Additionally, they will come in a bundle for 700 with the Riot-848 weapon and other customization items.
There are two other bundles that can be purchased outright with real-world currency, which are the Encore Complete Collection and Ovation Temple Bundle.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:39 PM
UEFA Dreamchasers is all set to be the next EA FC 25 Ultimate Team promo, and it could be a special one.
For starters, this promo will be a fresh entry to Ultimate Team and feature special cards of Heroes, Icons, and active footballers. While EA Sports is tight-lipped about the campaign items, a few leaks have started doing the rounds on social media. We also have confirmation about the release date from the in-game Weekly Play objective, which gives us an idea of what EA Sports has planned for the next four weeks.
EA FC 25 UEFA Dreamchasers promo players (leaks)
We have confirmation about two major pieces of information related to the UEFA Dreamchasers promo. Since TOTY, this will be the first promo to feature cards with three playstyle+. Moreover, the promo will have Heroes, Icons, and active footballers. All three card types will have separate card designs (Heroes and Icons are confirmed to have three playstyle+).
Here are all the cards that have been leaked so far.
More leaks are expected to arrive closer to the release date.
EA FC 25 UEFA Dreamchasers promo release date
The upcoming promo will be released on Friday, Friday 21, and it will replace the ongoing FUT Birthday campaign. Based on our information, Dreamchasers will be a one-week affair. The new cards will be available in packs starting at 6 p.m. UTC on Friday.
We can also expect new cards to be released as part of SBCs and objectives. EA Sports has released a few brilliant SBCs over the last two weeks, and I hope the trend continues. The upcoming promo could be massive if it features cards with three playstyle+ as part of the SBCs. New evolutions offering the same could also be released as part of the promo, and we haven't had one since TOTY Blueprint back in January.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:53 PM
The next League of Legends mini-game is a Noxus-themed roguelike card game titled The Demon's Hand. Like the most recently released bullet-hell LoL minigame Swarm, The Demon's Hand will be playable right inside of the League of Legends client.
At an initial glance, The Demon's Hand looks inspired by recent popular roguelike card games like Inscryption and Balatro. Riot Games has dubbed The Demon's Hand a Noxus-themed seasonal strategic turn-based card battler in which players will discover, unlock, and equip powerful Sigils to strengthen their attacks and form new strategies.
For some backstory, Riot explains that after being freed from imprisonment by Leblanc, Atakhan goes on a bloodthirsty rampage around Runeterra before stumbling across a strange and unknown land where he spots a single lone man. The place feels out of time yet the man feels somehow familiar. Atakhan joins him at a table, compelled by a force it doesn't understand. Serious Inscryption vibes, eh?
In The Demon's Hand, players start each game with a set amount of health based on how far they've progressed in the overall mini-game. Each round you draw 8 cards from a deck of 52 to assemble different levels of attacks to deal damage to your opponent's cards. You can also discard three times each round, and up to five cards each time. You then deal damage based on your various attack values and card combinations. At the end of each battle you are awarded currency that you can then spend on Sigils that augment various aspects of the game. The rounds will continue until they end in victory or defeat.
There are several rewards for participating in The Demon's Hand seasonal mini-game by completing limited-time missions. Rewards include an emote, a couple of Icon's, a title, and some Battle Pass experience.
Those interested in checking out The Demon's Hand can do so now by updating to the latest version of League. No additional downloads are needed, as you'll be able to play The Demon's Hand right inside the League client.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:01 PM
When you first play R.E.P.O., your main goal is to collect items without getting killed by monsters. As you advance through each level, you'll discover weapons and strategies that let you defeat these enemies, making your money-making life much easier.
The catch? Some monsters are easier to kill than others. While some aren't particularly threatening, others can wipe your team before you can even blink, completely changing your approach. Here's a complete breakdown of how to beat every monster in R.E.P.O.
Table of contents
Best ways to beat every monster in R.E.P.O.
Every monster in R.E.P.O. has its own health point values, strength requirements, and attacks that influence how you defeat them. While smaller enemies like gnomes are easily broken by grabbing and throwing them to the ground, others, like the Robe or Trudge, are much harder to tackle. In this case, your best bet is using the shotgun or Tranq Gun to stun and kill most larger monsters.
That said, some strategies work better than others for certain monsters, especially ones with mechanics unique to them. Let's dive deeper into specific strategies for defeating all of R.E.P.O.'s monsters.
Apex Predator
The Apex Predator is an adorable duck you'll randomly encounter early in your R.E.P.O. runs. Unlike other enemies, grabbing the duck turns it into a chomping machine that'll rapidly bite your character, inflicting 10 hit points per bite. Generally speaking, if you don't touch it, you won't have to worry much about it.
If you want to kill the Apex Predator because it is damaging your items or being a nuisance, you can shoot it with a shotgun to instantly kill it or lure it into pits, cauldrons, and extraction platforms to defeat it. It'll follow your cursor, jumping if you look up, making it very easy to set up traps for this creature.
Animal
Next on the list is Animal, a terrifying yet surprisingly weak entity mainly here to scare you. It has around the same health as the Apex Predator, making it an easy target for the shotgun, melee weapons, or any other damage-dealing item.
If you upgrade your strength, you can pick up the Animal and knock it into objects, against the floor, or into a pit to defeat it. If your strength isn't high enough level, having a friend to help will get the job done just as easily. Of the creatures on this list, Animal is one of the least threatening once you learn more about it, but you will learn quickly about the benefits of having a friend group join you in R.E.P.O.
Banger
Another small enemy you can encounter in R.E.P.O. is Banger, a small skull creature that runs up to you and explodes shortly after. These explosions pack a bunch, so try to run away if you can.
While they are deadly in these cases, they also have lower health than most enemies, making them easy to pick up and slam into the ground or hit with any weapon. You'll need to do this a few times, but it's much easier to accomplish than with most other monsters. They explode on death, so make sure to hold them far away from you to avoid taking damage.
Bowtie
Bowtie is another enemy that can either be more of a distraction than anything or deadly if you're unprepared for its attacks. It'll shoot wind at you, pushing you back and dealing five damage per hit. It'll also run away shortly after, making it difficult to chase after it.
Like most enemies in R.E.P.O., your safest bet is to shoot or hit it with a melee weapon. It has slightly lower health than the Apex Predator and Animal, eliminating it easier. You can also pick it up if you have high strength, letting you toss it into a pit or throw it against the floor to damage it.
Chef
The Chef, also known as the frog monster, is initially intimidating until you encounter other enemies in R.E.P.O. It'll briefly charge up its attack before launching at you, swinging knives around and inflicting 10 damage per hit. You can easily run away from this attack, but being trapped in a corner can cause some trouble.
If you've upgraded your strength multiple times or have a large lobby, you can pick up the chef and toss it to the ground. Otherwise, you're better off attacking it with a melee weapon or gun, especially since it'll pause for a few moments after slicing you. It has around the same health as the Bowtie, making it somewhat easy to kill.
Clown
The Clown is our first difficult monster in this list when it comes to health, damage output, and strength requirements. If you're far away from it, it'll shoot a laser beam at you, dealing 100 damage on impact. This is an instant KO in the early game, even if you're at full health. Otherwise, it'll kick you if you're in melee range, dealing around 60 damage. You can avoid both attacks by crouching and jumping, respectively, but it's still a pain to handle.
Despite having relatively high health and two deadly attacks, it's susceptible to the Tranq Gun and shotgun. Although both are pricey to purchase, the Tranq Gun can stun it, while the shotgun can one-shot it if you're in point-blank range.
Gnome
Individually, gnomes are by far the easiest enemy to defeat, having very low health and somewhat weak attacks. Their strength comes in numbers, as they'll often spawn in groups of four or more and surround you. Gnomes can very easily overwhelm you if you don't deal with them quickly.
Gnomes are also very fragile, letting you pick up and throw them to the ground, destroying them instantly. You don't need a melee weapon or gun to handle them, making them one of the easiest to defeat.
Headman
Jumping to one of R.E.P.O.'s most challenging enemies is the Headman, a very quick and lethal monster that rapidly chases you on sight. It'll chomp at you if you're within its range, dealing 50 damage with each hit. These guys are nothing to sneeze at.
The Headman is one of the few enemies in R.E.P.O. who can only be killed with a weapon. If you invest enough upgrades into strength, you can lift it like you would a smaller enemy, but its strength requirements are very high. Instead, a quick shotgun shot or melee weapon hit is the easiest way to eliminate it, especially if you have a Tranq Gun to stun it.
Hidden
As the name suggests, Hidden is an invisible enemy that thrives on hiding around the map and kidnapping you, bringing you to far reaches of your current map. It doesn't damage you in any way, but it can bring you into the radius of other monsters or somewhere you've yet to discover, making it very easy to get lost afterwards.
If you suspect there's a Hidden in your current level, look out for small, human-like footsteps on the ground and breath trails where their head would normally be. Once you find these, you can hit the Hidden with any weapon or lift it if you obtain a few strength upgrades.
Huntsman
The Huntsman has several strategies and tips for handling it, as it relies entirely on sound detection and has several moments of weakness. If you make any sound, whether through speaking, using text chat, or handling items, it'll shoot toward the sound's direction, inflicting around 100 damage.
One strategy you can use for handling the Huntsman is to drop items away from you to distract it, letting you attack it with your own weapons. It can also fall down stairs, letting you pick it up even if you've yet to invest any upgrades into strength. As long as you're careful not to get blasted by its gun, you've got a few options for defeating this guy.
Mentalist
The Mentalist is just as scary as it looks, having around as much health as the Apex Predator, high damage output, and an appearance that can spook just about anyone. If you end up in the Mentalist's attack radius, it'll levitate you before slamming you into the floor, dealing 50 damage and making it difficult to fight against.
You can pick up the alien and smack it into the ground if you have a few strength upgrades. Otherwise, friends can save you from the Mentalist's powers or eliminate it using regular weapons while you're distracting it.
Peeper
The Peeper is the only enemy that you can't kill with normal means. It appears as a massive eyeball that forces you to look at it, locking eye contact and inflicting two damage per second. Rather than attacking it, your goal is to break eye contact by hiding behind an object, leaving the room, or holding an item in front of it.
Since it locks eye contact with you, moving around and grabbing items is tricky. Having something in your inventory and pulling it out in front of the Peeper will often do the trick, but you can also run backwards until you find a wall, exit, or object to hide behind. Breaking eye contact will "defeat" the Peeper, causing it to disappear.
Reaper
Another tricky monster is the Reaper, a scarecrow that will walk after you while swinging deadly blades. Although each blade hit does fairly low damage, it can attack you multiple times, leading to quick death if you get stuck or don't have the stamina to escape.
Like other entities in R.E.P.O., you can attack the Reaper using melee weapons or guns or lift it with high enough strength. However, the Reaper is slightly easier to avoid compared to other enemies, making it very easy to run away, crouch, and hide until it forgets about you and moves on.
Robe
Robe is one of the most challenging monsters to face in R.E.P.O. Like the Headman, it has high health, damage output, and strength requirements for lifting it, making it difficult to handle unless you have a Tranq Gun, shotgun, or melee weapons on hand. Even then, looking at it causes it to move toward you quickly, giving you a small window of opportunity to kill it.
This is one of the few enemies I'd recommend running away and hiding from until you have the resources to buy a shotgun or invest in strength upgrades. Hiding under objects will make it much harder for them to reach you, leading to them leaving the area and occasionally despawning. Its movement speed also increases if you look at it, so try your best not to unless you're planning an attack.
Rugrat
The Rugrat is here to be irritating, and it sure does accomplish that. Rather than constantly hurting you, it'll grab your valuables and throw them at you, dealing damage and destroying the item. If you want to watch thousands of in-game money disappear quickly, the Rugrat will do it for you.
Fortunately, it's also easy to handle, with a few strength upgrades being enough to lift and damage it. You can also use a team of players to carry it if you're still early in your match. Regular weapons will also do the trick if you have access to them, but items you find throughout the map are enough, too.
Shadow Child
R.E.P.O.'s Shadow Child entity is challenging to defeat for multiple reasons. It requires high strength to lift, has relatively high health, and attacks if you look at it too long. If you try to attack it with melee or guns, you'll need to do it quickly, or else this enemy will retaliate. Thankfully, as long as you're fast, you can deal with this enemy like any other monster.
Spewer
Be careful of the Spewer. Although it has low health, does low damage compared to larger monsters, and doesn't require much strength to lift, its fast movement makes it tricky to handle. If it sees you, it'll start chasing you, oozing green slime, and latching onto your face if it comes into close contact.
If you have friends around, work together to lift it and smash it into the ground. Otherwise, a quick, well-aimed melee hit will do the trick as long as you don't accidentally step into its slime.
Trudge
It's time for R.E.P.O.'s tankiest and hardest-hitting enemy, the Trudge. It has around to triple the health points of most enemies and deals anywhere between 100 to 200 damage with every hit. It can launch an area-of-effect attack by smashing its mace into the floor, so watch out if you're sticking in a group with other players.
While the Trudge's attacks are deadly, they're also very slow. If you have a weapon on hand, you have plenty of opportunity windows to shoot or hit it to lower its health before running away and repeating the process. You can also hide under furniture if you don't have the resources to tackle it. This is another enemy that I'd recommend avoiding if possible, but you can damage it if you have a shotgun, grenade, or melee weapon.
Upscream
Last but not least is Upscream, a surprisingly dangerous enemy on maps with a lot of holes, pits, or inescapable areas. If you come into contact with it, it'll scream in your face, launching you upward, dealing 10 damage, and briefly stunning you. It'll repeat this as long as you're in range, leading to some unfortunate stunlocking if you're unable to escape.
Outside of this, you can treat it much like a Banger, Spewer, or Gnome with its low health, damage output, and strength requirement. If you have a friend to help, they can sneak up behind it, toss them around, or hit them with any weapon. You can even use small items to damage it if you don't mind losing some loot. Hiding from it won't help, so try to get your hands on a weapon or item to defeat it, or jump out of the stun as quickly as possible if you need to escape.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:00 PM
There's nothing more comforting than curling up with a good book and losing yourself in the words within the pages, temporarily shutting out the trials and worries of the outside world. This experience is only improved when the story is familiar.
We all have books that we love, those that we gravitate back to for different reasons at different stages of life. Maybe it's nostalgia or a need to remind ourselves of the morals woven into the tales, but something is calming about a tale we know almost as well as our own.
Even the most familiar stories can surprise us, though. As we grow and experience more of life, the words within the books we love can take on new meaning, or things that escaped our notice before can suddenly be glaringly obvious with a new perspective. Books are friends, but they can also be teachers.
Here are 10 books that I always gravitate towards if I need something familiar and comforting to read. I believe everyone should read them more than once and compare their changing opinions with each re-read.
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (I'm British, so writing 'Sorcerer's Stone' just feels wrong to me) was published in 1997. I was six, and I can clearly remember feeling incredibly proud of myself for being able to read it (with help; I wasn't a child genius or anything). I was instantly sucked into the Wizarding World and read every further book in the series within days of it being published.
I've grown up a lot since then and been through a lot. While the writing seems almost childish to me now, and I can recognize that Rowling's concepts are mostly borrowed from other, more adult titles, something always pulls me back to the world of Harry Potter. The magic within can carry you through hard times, and it's easy to escape into the Wizarding World when the real one feels a little too much to handle.
1984
George Orwell
In a world where social media has people oversharing their deepest inner thoughts and CCTV captures the average person around 100 times a day, it can feel like we're constantly being watched and judged. I'm not suggesting we live in the Big Brother state of 1984, but the concepts are still relevant, and perhaps even more so today than they were when Orwell penned them in 1949.
Although 1984 is dystopian by nature, some themes ring a little too true as you get older. Winston and his job of rewriting history, because it doesn't fit with Big Brother's current ambitions, can be compared to the way that different countries speak of their past actions, and being a "thought criminal," especially in the days of ever-present social media, is something we can all relate to.
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
While I first dipped my toe into the world of fantasy with Harry Potter, it was The Lord of the Rings that really forced me to admit that I adored the genre. I was slightly older when I first read The Fellowship of the Ring, and it was then that I had to accept Rowling's ideas were not original, but that only makes The Lord of the Rings trilogy more important to me.
There are many concepts in The Lord of the Rings that are familiar to readers, but perhaps the most overarching of all is the idea of being thrust into a role that you wouldn't have chosen, overcoming hardship, and learning to rely on those around you to help you. Sure, it's a fantasy through and through, but there are a lot of important life lessons involved that we all need reminding of every so often.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Hunter S. Thompson
I've re-read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas many times, and I never truly appreciated the true meaning behind the words until I went to Las Vegas myself and vowed never to return. And that was without the drug-induced hallucinations experienced by Raoul and Gonzo.
Admittedly, there aren't any important life lessons to pick up from Fear and Loathing, aside from the should-be-obvious "don't do drugs, kids" theme that soaks every page of the book. However, it's thoroughly enjoyable, and even though it's hard to follow at times, it's almost comforting to read it and remember that however hard your day may have been, it could definitely be made worse with mescaline.
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Listening to the story of The Little Prince as a child, it's easy to get swept away by the story and fall asleep to dream of a nonsensical planetary adventure. However, going back and reading The Little Prince as an adult can bring a new sense of understanding, aided by the perspective of life in the real world.
Being a grown-up does tend to force the childlike wonder out of a person. We sadly forget what it's like to think fanciful thoughts and instead focus on the more "important" things like work, money, and survival. As the popular indirect Peter Pan states: "Don't grow up, it's a trap!" While it's hard, it's just as important to keep that childlike side of yourself alive, and reading The Little Prince is a good way to remind yourself of that.
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens
I know, I know, but hear me out. A Christmas Carol may be a pretty time-restrained re-read unless you enjoy reading about snow and Christmas dinner during the hot summer months, but I'm including it on this list because it's one of the books I've re-read the most. Every year, in fact, ahead of my annual re-watch of the Muppet movie version of the tale. I realize that's a fairly personal reason to include it, but here we are.
Outside of that, there's an important lesson about living for more than just making money that permeates the entire tale, and that's something we all need to hear frequently, especially when simply surviving is such an expensive task these days. How much you earned during your life will be forgotten as soon as you're gone, but the way you touch the lives of the people around you? That's your legacy.
Watership Down
Richard Adams
Watership Down might seem like an odd choice to include here, but if you look deeper within the tale of these little bunnies, there is an epic story of blind faith, survival, and, ultimately, the making of a hero. It's as uplifting as it is terrifying, with the rabbits facing a conflict between tyranny and freedom as they try to escape the destruction of their burrow and find a better, more free home.
Along the way, Fiver, Hazel, and the rest of the rabbits face death and destruction multiple times, learning the true ways of the world. In a way, it feels a bit like growing up and realizing that being an adult feels like a never-ending string of decisions that need to be made. Watership Down is a good way to reorient yourself, and it is always worth re-reading.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Dr. Seuss
If I were counting how many times I've re-read each story on this list, Oh, the Places You'll Go! is the clear-cut winner. Admittedly, it's not hard to do so, considering its short length (and the fact that I have a four-year-old who also enjoys it), but there are multiple reasons that this Dr. Seuss classic will always pull me back in.
Sometimes, we all just need a little bit of inspiration to make us take a step forward when it feels like an impossible task. We might not always have time to consume a thousand-page epic tale, but we still need something to push us forward. One line from this Dr. Seuss story will always push me forward: "On and on you will hike, and I know you'll hike far, and face up to your problems, whatever they are."
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Less about life lessons and more about Shelley's ability to suck you into her gothic world of science and horror, Frankenstein is a wonderful tale to re-read in the fall. I find it a little too easy to relate to the creature in this tale as he learns to avoid human contact for fear of judgment and his insatiable desire to learn everything he can from the world around him.
There's something infinitely enjoyable about a crackling fire, a cup of hot chocolate, a thick blanket weighing down your lap, and a copy of Frankenstein cracked open as the sun sets early in the evening. The only thing that could improve that picture is a cat curled up on your lap, but that part's entirely optional.
Pale Blue Dot
Carl Sagan
Every day, the news is filled with bad news and scaremongering. War is ravaging multiple countries as you read this, and megalomaniacs are battling to the death for control over corners of the planet. Pale Blue Dot is a reminder that all of it is, ultimately, pointless. Humans come and go, war never gets us anywhere, and the Earth will remain long after we're all gone.
That sounds incredibly depressing, I'm willing to admit, but Pale Blue Dot is an excellent reminder that it's better to do something good with your limited time on the planet than it is to spend it battling for some self-imposed sense of self-importance. Earth is not the center of the universe; it's merely a coincidence that everything came together to allow us to thrive, and we're not exactly making the most of it.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:46 PM
If there is one set of weapons in Helldivers 2 that players seem to shy away from, it's the SMGs. But that might change with the latest patch, which rebalances weapons like SMGs and rifles. It also sneaks in some big changes — this time for the Automaton forces.
But first, let's talk upgrades. Five SMGs have been buffed, with all receiving a modest boost to damage. Each gun has been given five more points of damage, though the SMG-72 Pummeler now needs fewer shots to apply a stun. Said stun value has also been tweaked from 1.0 to 1.25 per round. The patch also buffs some Stratagems, increases the use amount from 2 to 3 for the Exosuits, and more.
Helldivers 2 patch brings buffs and unleashes the Incineration Corps
The rebalancing doesn't stop there, mind. Several rifles, such as the BR-14 Adjudicator, AR-61 Tenderizer, and AR-23 Liberator have received increased damage. The trusty Slugger shotgun is even stronger, with a decreased spread from 20 to 6 and a damage increase from 250 to 280. To some surprise, the team at Arrowhead also buffed my sweet baby, the R-36 Eruptor. The rifle's armor penetration has been raised from Medium (3) to Heavy (4), and its projectile shot life was increased from 0.7 to 1 second. Looks like I'm tenderizing some bug meat tonight.
But I will probably focus on the Automaton forces, which the patch has significantly upgraded — though you won't see it in the patch notes. Arrowhead has introduced a new sub-class to the game in the form of The Incineration Corps, Automaton machines that, unsurprisingly, are decked out with flaming weaponry. And there's nothing quite like getting slapped in the face from across the map by a Devastator rocking an Incendiary Shotgun.
The Automatons have also been granted a new fabricator type and objective. Do you like fighting Striders? How about five? Strider convoys are now marching across some maps, which you can wipe out to complete a Secondary Objective called Intercept Convoy. There are also Bulk Fabricators, massive factories that pump out Automaton elites.
Frankly, I'm glad the Automatons are finally getting some more threatening units. As someone who plays high-difficulty missions before breakfast, having overpowered sub-classes is a treat. The Predator bugs made fights against Terminids feel like a real threat again, and I'm sensing the same here with the Incineration Corps. Hopefully, the Illuminate get the same treatment — before they turn Super Earth into a black hole.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:25 PM
Assassin's Creed Shadows seems to have faced every kind of criticism imaginable during its development.
Some of it was fair, such as concerns over potential historical inaccuracies raised by Japanese players, while other attacks were more reactionary—like people calling the game "woke" simply because it features two protagonists who aren't white men: Yasuke, a black man, and Naoe, a Japanese woman.
Now, as the game is rolling out and streamers are creating content around it, trolls are also showing up, attacking both the game and content creators covering it. The latest example happened during FightinCowboy's livestream when he played the opening moments of Assassin's Creed Shadows on YouTube.
FightinCowboy shuts down trolls attacking Assassin's Creed Shadows
Within the first 13 minutes of his AC Shadows stream, FightinCowboy had to pause the game to address negative comments about Yasuke being a black character in a game set in Japan.
"If you're just coming here to get into this weird race s* about a historical figure that existed in Japanese history, I'm just going to remove you," Fighting Cowboy said. "I don't care, your opinion is worthless to me [...] When I was a kid, guess what? If a game came out and I didn't want to get involved with it, I didn't f* play it, I didn't go on the internet and cry like an entitled little child."
He made it clear that he would ban or time out viewers spamming his chat with these comments so he could focus on playing the game.
"I'm here to play a f* game, not listen to you cry about a Black dude that existed in history. [...] If that upsets you, if that makes you not feel like you're in your special place, that's not my f* problem, go talk to your therapist about it."
Indeed, Yasuke was a real historical figure, a Black man taken to feudal Japan in the late 1500s. While Assassin's Creed Shadows takes some creative freedom, such as portraying him as a full-fledged samurai, which is debated among some people, his existence in Japan is a historical fact.
Other than the samurai debate, there has been no pushback against Yasuke's inclusion, especially not from longtime fans of the Assassin's Creed series.
The harassment won't stop, but the game is already selling
Unfortunately, FightinCowboy's experience won't be the last. Trolls frequently target games and content creators, and race-based criticism is something that some toxic gaming communities and streamers even encourage, directly or indirectly.
At this point, it's about seeing how other streamers will handle the same toxic behavior while continuing to cover the game. However, despite the negativity, Assassin's Creed Shadows is selling extremely well, including in Japan, where some originally thought it might struggle.
The game has already become a top seller on Steam, received very positive reviews, and this loud minority of players trying to hate on the game based on its setting and protagonists seems to have little influence over the broader gaming audience—most of whom, as FightinCowboy said, just want to play a game and have fun.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:54 PM
Destiny 2's Barrow-Dyad Exotic submachine gun has already proven itself fearsome in the short time it has been available. And it's only getting stronger as additional Exotic Catalysts are released that maximize the tool. The second Catalyst is straightforward to earn, but it might take Guardians a bit of time.
Many Exotic weapons in Destiny 2 have Exotic Catalysts, offering a bit of a boost to the gun's functionality. Craftable Exotics, on the other hand, offers a selection ofthem. Don't get it twisted, though; you have to go out and earn the right to use that Catalyst, and those requirements aren't often described to players.
Once Guardians complete the Derealize Exotic mission and earn the weapon, they can start working towards the first Barrow-Dyad Catalyst and others. While the requirements to earn the second Catalyst aren't particularly complex, it may take some players a lot of time, depending on how hard they play Destiny 2.
Earning Coalescence of Sorrow
Before players can start the Quest to earn the second Barrow-Dyad Catalyst in earnest, they'll need to unlock it first. To do so, Guardians must complete the first mission of Episode: Heresy's Act II. From there, players must interact with three secrets in The Nether: one in the Trenchway, another in the Mausoleum, and a final one in the Hall of Souls.
These three secrets are hidden mini-events in each area, and you may have already completed them while scouring The Nether.
Getting another Osseous Spine
Each of the hidden objectives rewards a Coalesence of Sorrow. Once Guardians have all three, during a Nether run on any difficulty, head to the hidden room in the Trenchway navigated by revealing platforms with your Ghost (the one with an Essence of Desire chest). An interactable panel sits on the left side of the room. Typically, the interface tells players that they are "not worthy." However, Guardians can now interact with the panel to open a Taken portal in the room. The portal leads to a small alcove with two more chests. Both contain rewards, but one holds the Heavy Osseus Spine, allowing players to start the "A Hammer's Path" Quest.
An important piece of information is that some players have reported mixed success with being deemed "worthy" to open the portal. Some have speculated you must have max rank for Path of Ambition, but that was not my experience. I was Reputation Rank 6 when I accessed the portal. Once opened, Fireteam members with me could also enter the portal and nab the Heavy Osseus Spine, even if they didn't already have Barrow-Dyad.
A Hammer's Path
The requirements to complete the first step of the A Hammer's Path Quest are straightforward: Guardians must hit milestones concerning the Path of Ambition. There are three milestones to hit within the Quest, with the final being Rank 12 or max Rank. Essentially, players will want to prioritize farming Path of Ambition rep if they focus on earning the Catalyst as fast as possible.
Considering the Path of Ambition has only been accessible for a little over a week, it may take some players time to push through the ranks. Once players get there, the next part of the Quest will test those who aren't used to Expert difficulty. To complete A Hammer's Path, Guardians must finish a run of The Nether on Expert difficulty using specific weapons. Here's what's allowed:
While it makes sense to expect the Barrow-Dyad as a part of that loadout requirement, the melee-centric equipment will make The Nether even more dangerous on Expert. Players can take a few approaches to this, with options significantly opening up if you have a Fireteam to tag along. Bringing in some Exotic Class glaives and Legendary swords with one player using a good roll of Ergo Sum could be fun. Either way, once the task is complete, players will gain access to the Hatchling Perk on Barrow-Dyad.
The Catalyst will still need to be applied to the weapon via The Enclave on Savathun's Throne World. However, once that's done, Hatchling will spawn Threadlings when players get a precision kill or three kills within three seconds and the effect can occur every three seconds. It can make for a pretty spicy combo, along with the Artifact's Unraveling Orbs and Horde Shuttle options.
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:44 PM
The James Maddison FUT Birthday SBC is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete the challenge to unlock a special item for your Ultimate Team squad.
This is Maddison's latest promo card to be introduced in Ultimate Team. To unlock the card, you must complete three tasks. Let's take a look at how to complete the challenge and whether it's worth completing the tasks.
EA FC 25 James Maddison FUT Birthday SBC tasks
The James Maddison FUT Birthday SBC has three tasks, and here are the requirements.
Task 1 - England
Task 2 - Premier League
Task 3 - 85-Rated Squad
EA FC 25 James Maddison FUT Birthday SBC solutions
Here's a set of solutions to complete the latest FUT Birthday challenge.
Task 1 - England
Task 2 - Premier League
Task 3 - 85-Rated Squad
If you're looking for a well-valued CAM SBC to complete, this is certainly one to consider. The 90-rated card can also play at CAM but is ideally suited for the CAM positions. He offers Playmaker++ and Shadow Striker++, along with Finesse Shot+ and Incisive Pass+. Like all FUT Birthday cards, he has 5* Weak Foot and 5* Skills. You can't ask for more for 60,000 coins worth of fodder.
If you have other positions to reinforce on the pitch, check out the following SBCs.
Trinity Rodman FUT Birthday | Karim Adeyemi FUT Birthday | Luis Suarez Flashback | Amine Gouiri Ligue 1 POTM
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Destructoid Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:18 PM
The Star's Harvest Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete it to upgrade a card of your choice.
You'll have to spend 25,000 coins to unlock the evolution, and it offers some decent upgrades. Let's take a look at the requirements, followed by the best cards to use.
EA FC 25 Star's Harvest Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements for Star's Harvest Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Star's Harvest Evolution upgrades
There are four levels of upgrades, and here are the required conditions.
Upgrade level 1
Upgrade level 2
Upgrade level 3
Upgrade level 4
Upgrade level 1 requirements
Upgrade level 2 requirements
Upgrade level 3 requirements
Upgrade level 4 requirements
Best players to use in EA FC 25 Star's Harvest Evolution
Here are some of the best cards to consider for this evolution.
These items make the best choices and utilize this evolution well, and you won't even need to combine the cards with other upgrades.
The post Best players to use in EA FC 25 Star's Harvest Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:09 PM It will launch alongside the Steam version. The post Skate Story Gets New Trailer and PS5 Version appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:59 PM Will launch for some platforms first. The post Myst Remake 'Age of Rime' Update Release Date Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:47 PM The game will launch sometime in 2026. The post Lords of the Fallen 2 Will Be Composed by Walter Mair appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 19, 2025 5:32 PM A trailer was also released. The post Resident Evil 3 Remake Now Available on Apple Devices appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
iDev Games Feed Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:36 PM a Difficult rage game about a frog trying to find anti poison.... |
MonsterVine Wednesday, March 19, 2025 4:30 PM German studio Zockrates Laboratories announced today that their hand-drawn 3D platformer, Ruffy and the Riverside, is jumping onto PC and Consoles this summer with a June 26th release date. The new release date comes with the announcement that this delay from the original Q1 2025 release date was made to ensure parity in platform releases. […] |
MonsterVine Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:30 PM Can you live up to Sir Lionstone's expectations if you're just a knightling? Seems we'll get a chance to figure out if we've got what it takes on August 28th when The Knightling launches on PC & Consoles. Twirlbound, developers of Pine, have been toiling away working on their next open-world action-adventure game The Knightling. […] |