GamersHeroes Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:26 PM The team at Saga Origins has partnerships with Super Company, OV Entertainment, Didimo and Northern Lights Entertainment as part of its Sidekick Showcase at GDC 2025. The post Saga Origins Announces Partnerships at GDC 2025 Sidekick Showcase appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:51 PM Players will be able to join forces with Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki in Honor of Kings with the Jujutsu Kaisen Collaboration 2.0 in the title. The post Honor of Kings x Jujutsu Kaisen Collaboration 2.0 Live appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:08 PM A heartfelt visual novel where one can run their very own flower shop, FantaJI Games new title Hanako's Flower Shop is set to release this April. The post Hanako's Flower Shop Launching This April appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:59 PM Battle is evolving with the release of the Beast Mode Event in Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts' Apex Legends from March 25 to April 15. The post Apex Legends Beast Mode Event Beginning March 25 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:48 PM All those that dive into Rockstar Games' GTA Online can take advantage of Double GTA$ and RP on The Titan Job and The Vespucci Job (Remix). The post Double Rewards on The Vespucci Job (Remix) This Week in GTA Online appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:45 PM  Games from Remedy Entertainment—like Alan Wake 2, Control, and Max Payne—tend to be single player, third-person, linear adventures with cutscenes, lots of dialogue, and endings. FBC: Firebreak isn't like those past games at all. And while it might disappoint some Remedy fans, I'm excited to see the studio doing… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:10 PM  There are more folks spending more time playing PC games than ever before, but they're increasingly spending their time playing older stuff. A new report by market research firm Newzoo estimates that only 8 percent of PC gaming hours in 2024 were spent on games that came out in that same year. It turns out the… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:00 PM  "The quality of health of my morning shit had a bigger impact on my thought process today than you being upset that there's a Black guy in Assassin's Creed." |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:35 PM  I'm an absolute sucker for taking in-game screenshots of my favorite games and even those I don't particularly enjoy. And I'm not alone. Virtual photography has become quite the movement among us digital shutterbugs. |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:25 PM  You'd be forgiven for thinking Yasuke is the starting character in the early moments of Assassin's Creed Shadows. The opening cutscene follows his introduction to Oda Nobunaga; then time skips to an action-packed tutorial that showcases Yasuke's basic controls. Afterwards, the game shifts to deuteragonist Naoe, and… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:15 PM  Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't lacking for ways to just drift around the Japanese countryside for hours and hours. But eventually, once you've done a bit of legwork and made a few new friends, Naoe will have to get her gameface on so she can get some of that revenge she's been thirsting for since the Onryo left her… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:05 PM  Overwatch 2's next hero is Freja, and the crossbow-wielding damage character is getting an early trial period this weekend. To celebrate, Blizzard released a new animated trailer featuring her doing some sick acrobatic tricks and taking out synthetic omnic goons. That's all well and good, but what fans are honing in… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:30 PM  These days it's very expensive (and annoying) to order food via popular delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats. In fact, its so pricey that DoorDash is teaming up with another company to offer customers yet another way to pay for future burritos and burgers via multiple smaller payments. |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:20 PM  Like any open-world game, it can take a second to get your bearings in Assassin's Creed Shadows. After the game's opening act, your first line of business is to find Tomiko and establish your hideout. This is your base of operations where you'll accrue allies and build facilities, though you'll quickly find one of the… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:10 PM  Life Is Strange: Double Exposure was a divisive sequel to a beloved narrative-driven adventure series. It ended up winning the Social Impact award at the Game Developers Choice Awards last night, but following mass layoffs at developer Deck Nine Games last year, it was also one of the only games where no one was… |
Kotaku Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:50 PM  Monster Hunter Wilds changes up some of the series' regular mechanics, but perhaps the most important is the introduction of the new Wounds system. |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:41 PM  It's called thalassophobia, the fear of deep and large bodies of water. Subnautica has it - it looks pretty, sure, and there are a lot of marvels below the ocean's surface, but when your sensors start blinking and a Leviathan is closing in, well, that's about as frightening as games can get. Soma, the occasionally overlooked horror classic from Amnesia's Frictional has it, too, those awful moments when you're wandering the sea floor in total darkness. Take that enormous sense of isolation, vulnerability, and smallness, and mix it with the stalker-killer type enemies you get in Alien Isolation and Resident Evil, and you get Dark Mass, just announced at the Future Games Show. |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:30 PM  Naturally, when you play a city-builder or a strategy game, you expect pressure. In Civilization 7, you oversee the entirety of human history. Manor Lords puts you in charge of a burgeoning but fragile Middle Ages township, while Stellaris taks you with safeguarding the galaxy. But how about something a little more…peaceful? City Tales: Medieval Era is a builder with a cozy twist. Nevertheless, it has some majorly detailed mechanics. And now, it's also got an early-access release date. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best strategy games, Best city-building games, Best medieval games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:23 PM  It's been more than 20 years since Painkiller, the horror FPS game from Bulletstorm and Outriders creator People Can Fly, first came out. Players who loved its blend of demonic menace and fast-paced shooting have been able to find plenty to enjoy in games from the intervening years, like 2016's Doom and its sequel Doom Eternal, or Metal: Hellsinger and Devil Daggers. But there's nothing likely to scratch the exact same itch quite as well as a brand-new announcement made earlier tonight: A surprise Painkiller reboot. |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:42 PM  It's been five years since Mount and Blade Bannerlord launched. In the time since, the strategy and action RPG hybrid has remained one of the best choices for players looking to blend the management aspects of medieval games like Crusader Kings 3 or Manor Lords with the more direct action of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 or Chivalry 2. Now, in a surprising new announcement, creator TaleWorlds Entertainment has just revealed a massive new DLC for Bannerlord: The Viking-inspired War Sails. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord release, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord battles, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord PvP |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:33 PM  A co-op FPS set in the reality-bending universe of Control? It sounds like a great concept, but I had my reservations about FBC Firebreak when it was first revealed. We've seen a lot of multiplayer spinoffs of single-player diamonds that have been mediocre at best, and flops at worst. If you're PlayStation, you'll cancel most of them before they even get out the door. As a result, I treat any game like FBC Firebreak with apprehension. However, after learning more details from Remedy and watching some extended gameplay at a recent preview event, I think I'm now swaying more toward optimism than pessimism. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best co-op games, Best FPS games, Best Game Pass games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:40 PM  Post-apocalyptic turn-based strategy game Chains of Freedom brings XCOM-style tactical combat to a dark-fantasy dystopia set in Eastern Europe. In the shadow of a government on the edge of collapse, the intervention of a rogue scientist brings dangerous mind control serums to the table, while even more dangerous horrors lurk in the darkness. With your elite squad of highly trained specialists in tow, it's up to you to unravel the conspiracy that threatens to tear civilization apart. Now, developer Nordcurrent reveals that we're less than a month before launch, with a free demo that you can try right now on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best turn-based strategy games, Best story games, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:22 PM  Last year saw V Rising, the vampire survival game, finally hit 1.0. Since then, it's established itself as a cornerstone of its genre, inflecting the style of design featured in popular games like Valheim, Palworld, or Don't Starve with vampiric flair. Its creator, Stunlock Studios, hasn't been resting on its laurels, though. The studio has been hard at work on V Rising's 1.1 version, which is set to roll out new features over the course of 2025. Now, we've been given a glimpse of exactly what's on the horizon thanks to a dev update post on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best vampire games, Best RPGs |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:52 PM  There's something to be said for building your own society in a videogame. Starting from nothing, you place very shack, mine every resource, and come to know every citizen. I'm a real sucker for when this involves an awful lot of history, though, which is why Romestead has caught my attention. The survival town builder boasts cozy pixel art, Stardew Valley stylings, and even what looks like some Manor Lords strategy. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, New PC games, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:40 PM  League of Legends is a lot of things. At its foundation, it's an immensely popular MOBA. It's also, thanks to a plethora of multimedia spin-offs, a TV show in the form of Arcane; a life sim, thanks to Bandle Tale; and a platform game in Song of Nunu. Another arena that LoL briefly looked to have ventured into earlier today was branded cryptocurrency. But Riot now confirms to PCGamesN that this was actually the result of a hacked social media account. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends ranks explained, League of Legends Mythic shop rotation, LoL tier list |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:28 PM  If videogames are meant, in certain cases, to serve as escapist fantasies, it's pretty easy to explain the appeal of those that allow players to demolish a car without having to worry about personal safety or taking the smouldering vehicle to the shop after for repairs. This is part of the reason alternative racing games with a focus on destruction — entries to the Burnout, Dirt Rally, and Destruction Derby series — are so enjoyable, and new games in the subgenre so welcome. Fortunately, one of the most highly anticipated sequels in this category has just arrived in the form of Wreckfest 2's Early Access launch. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best multiplayer games, Best racing games, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:44 PM  Of the many action roguelikes that have followed in the wake of the mighty Hades, Sworn has been a real personal favorite. Launched into early access in February, the co-op game allows up to four of you to fight through the lands of Camelot and attempt to save the kingdom from a fallen, corrupted King Arthur. But it turns out the rot doesn't stop with the ruler. New Sworn update The Mutinous Fae is now live, and drags you on a quest to uncover the source of the corruption itself. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best fantasy games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:36 PM  AMD reportedly has no plan to use its new RDNA 4 gaming GPU architecture for the integrated graphics in its new Ryzen CPUs. After being really impressed by the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, we were hoping the company's new GPU architecture could be used as the foundation for a new, smaller GPU inside the company's chips, but it looks as though that's not going to happen. As we found in our AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT review, the company has made great strides with its latest RDNA 4 GPU architecture. With its massively improved ray tracing performance, as well as the vastly superior image quality of FSR 4, this new AMD GPU went straight to the top of our guide to the best graphics card, but it looks as though this new GPU architecture isn't going to move into the company's next-gen CPUs. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 9070 XT review |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:29 PM  Are there tattoos in InZOI? There are many reasons to give InZOI a try, like its realistic setting and powerful karma values and consequences, but its character creator is certainly one of the most appealing draws. Offering an almost limitless options thanks to AI custom creation system and an incredibly detailed tools for tweaking facial features, Create-A-Zoi promises a complex playground to flex your creative muscles. However, when you get into it, some character customization options are quite limited in the early access version of the life game. More specifically, when it comes to the accessory options in InZOI, your options are extremely limited. You can give your Zoi tattoos and piercings though, and here's how. Continue reading InZOI tattoos - How to give your Zoi tattoos and piercings MORE FROM PCGAMESN: InZoi release date, Best simulation games, InZoi system requirements |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:19 PM  It looks like your next gaming SSD could be more expensive than planned. A new report claims that a perfect storm of high demand and recent production issues could force major manufacturers like Samsung and SanDisk to raise their prices, leaving gamers with a higher bill as a result. While the best SSDs for gaming aren't always the cheapest, price rises are never going to be well received by gamers. Unfortunately, with NAND flash manufacturing limited to just a few core suppliers like Samsung, the gaming SSD market isn't able to insulate itself from the troubles of its manufacturers. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung Odyssey G9 G95SC review, Samsung 980 Pro SSD review, Samsung T9 Portable SSD review |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:17 PM  What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates. Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some free Monopoly Go dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started on the next Monopoly Go tournament. Continue reading All Monopoly Go events, tournaments, dates, and rewards - March 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:08 PM  What is the current and next Wuthering Waves banner? Otherwise known as Convenes, WuWa banners run on a three-week rotation, which doesn't give you much time to decide which characters to pull and which to skip. Our banner schedule includes both phases of the current Wuthering Waves update, along with all the upcoming banners to help you decide. The Wuthering Waves banner system is typical for gacha games, allowing you to spend your hard-earned Wuthering Waves Tides for a chance to acquire some of the best characters and weapons in WuWa 2.1 banners. The latest Wuthering Waves codes and events can help you redeem free currency to get started. Once you're flush with Tides, it's time to spend them all on the current and next Wuthering Waves banners. Continue reading Wuthering Waves banners - next, current, and 2.2 banners MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Wuthering Waves codes, Free PC games, Best anime games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:11 PM  The third big game drop of March is here and there are now over 30 free Steam Deck games for you to download, provided you have an active Amazon Prime subscription. New games include Wolfenstein The Old Blood and Mortal Shell. If you're lucky enough to own the best handheld gaming PC of the moment, this is a great deal. You may well already pay for your Amazon Prime subscription to use the free delivery service, or watch movies and shows via Prime Video. However, there is an extra level to Amazon Prime, which includes free video games, and there just so happens to be some fantastic Steam Deck experiences included. If you don't already have Prime Gaming, you can get your first month for free by following this link. Continue reading Claim over 30 Steam Deck games, thanks to Amazon MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:02 PM  Horde-survival RTS Cataclismo is making the jump out of early access today with its 1.0 launch. A destruction-oriented combination of dark fantasy tower defense and piecemeal base building reminiscent of Lego, the Digital Sun strategy game first arrived in July 2024 and has since earned itself a 'very positive' Steam rating, with 91% of user reviews recommending it. Following more than a dozen major updates since, it's now feature complete for launch, and its Steam release is being joined by GOG and the Epic Games Store. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best city-building games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:09 PM  March 20, 2025: We checked for new Throne and Liberty coupon codes. What are the new Throne and Liberty coupon codes? The highly-anticipated global launch of NCSoft's MMO is right around the corner, and if you're here then that probably means you're hoping for a nice day one boost. Fortunately, the studio drops coupon codes for the game from time to time, awarding all sorts of in-game goodies that you can use to improve your character. The Throne and Liberty coupon codes we've seen so far have offered up all sorts of rewards, including growth stones, skill books, crafting materials, and more. NCSoft has given these out during livestreams and at live meets, so expect to see more codes for the MMO game when major events and update streams take place. We've collated all the codes we've found so far below. Continue reading Throne and Liberty coupons and all active codes MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Throne and Liberty codes, Throne and Liberty weapons |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:55 PM  When is the Subnautica 2 release date? A decade after the original Subnautica launched into the deep blue sea of early access, Unknown Worlds has finally revealed the hit series' next evolution. While it promises more of the same open-water exploration we love, Subnautica 2 is finally bringing a native multiplayer experience to the table. However, just because you've got a few buddies to go diving with, that doesn't mean the survival game will be any less terrifying than its predecessor. To find out all we know about the Subnautica 2 release date and what the game entails, read on. Continue reading Subnautica 2 release date window, early access, trailers, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Subnautica 2 release date, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:59 PM  What are the best Balatro mods? The indie smash hit made by one person in his spare time, topped the best games lists across the board last year and was a Game of the Year nominee at The Game Awards. Can a game like this be made any better? Well, whether or not you think there's room for improvement, there are a bunch of cool Balatro mods that make mechanical and aesthetic changes to the card game. Previous official updates have added card variants inspired by the likes of Stardew Valley and Cult of the Lamb, but what if you want Sailor Moon or Pokemon in Balatro? Alternatively, we've found mods that add new cards, new challenges, and new rules. All of them are here, thanks to the community's hard-working modders. Continue reading The best Balatro mods 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best card games, Best new PC games |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:19 PM  March 20, 2025: We added a new Warframe code. What are the current Warframe codes? You're in luck if you're looking for free glyphs and cosmetics. There's a long list of available codes released by content creators for the Digital Extremes shooter. If you don't want to spend money on unlocking cosmetics, then using codes for in-game character cosmetics, emotes, and glyphs is the best way to get around it. You can usually obtain new codes from content creators and codes are easy to redeem. Below, we've listed every live code and how to redeem them. It's also worth noting that sometimes temporary promo codes for boosters, cosmetics, and items pop up around big updates or special events and rewards from Warframe Twitch drops. We update this guide as and when promo codes are available, so bookmark this page and check our hub for all the latest Warframe news. Continue reading Warframe codes March 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Warframe on Steam Deck, Warframe builds, Warframe codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:14 PM  March 20, 2025 We checked for new Borderlands 3 Shift codes and removed expired codes. What are the new Borderlands 3 codes? Gearbox's chaotic shooter has plenty to offer, but we can never say no to even more free loot. Redeem codes are released regularly and include keys to open loot chests and other trinkets to expand your arsenal further. Some Borderlands 3 codes are permanent fixtures, while others are only available for a limited time. We've collected all the latest codes so you never miss out. You can even redeem these codes in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands if you just can't get enough of the FPS game series. Now you're all set, gear up for new Borderlands 3 updates with the latest promo codes below. Continue reading Borderlands 3 Shift codes March 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Borderlands 3 Shift codes, Borderlands 3 legendary weapons, Play Borderlands 3 |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:02 PM  Asus is reportedly working on a super high-end motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs with an extremely high price tag. According to the latest rumors, based on European retailer listings, the price of the new Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme motherboard could be as high as €1,313 (around $1,422), putting it at around twice the price of AMD's current top-end Ryzen 9950X3D gaming CPU - that could buy you three Steam Decks, and you'd still have some change. In terms of features, the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme would have to be the absolute best gaming motherboard you can buy in order to justify that price, and even then it would still be bordering on ridiculous for a component that will be obsolete in a few years. This leak follows the release of the MSI X870E Godlike, which launched at $1,100, showing that there's potentially a huge upper limit to what some gamers are willing to pay for the ultimate motherboard. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 9070 XT review |
PCGamesN Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:00 PM  Ever since Crichton's 1990 Jurassic Park, and the Spielberg blockbuster adaptation that followed in 1993, every dinosaur lover in existence has dreamed of how they could build the park right. "If I was in charge, it would have all gone smoothly." Jurassic World Evolution 2 demands you prove that bold claim, putting you in charge as the park master, accompanied by iconic faces from the series as you build your very own tourist attractions. One of the best building sims on PC, with an 89% recommendation score from Steam users to match, you can pick the dinosaur strategy game up completely free this week thanks to Epic. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best managment games, Best dino games, Best simulation games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:55 PM  In Remedy's Control spin-off FBC: Firebreak, trios of gadget-toting humans from the Federal Bureau of Control descend to the shapeshifting halls of the Oldest House, fighting eldritch Hiss invaders and possessed objects such as swarming Post-It notes. Where Control cast you as the FBC's newly appointed director, equipped with executive perks such as telekinesis, the folks who make up the Firebreak initiative are regular office shmucks brandishing comparatively straightforward guns and bludgeoning implements. They're here years after Control's denouement to do some clean-up, with the Oldest House still under lockdown while the FBC seek a proper, lasting solution to the Hiss menace. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:53 PM  Tonight's Future Games Show obviously wasn't about any one game or studio in particular, but funnily enough, it did open and close with games from (technically) one developer. The show started things off with a look at Lost Rift, a supernatural, survival, PvPvE extraction game - that's a lot of things - from People Can Fly. In case you were wondering, this is what became of Project Victoria which was shelved only three months ago. Weirdly enough, the show then ended with the series that put PCF on the map: Painkiller. Or, a remake of it anyway. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:30 PM  Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, is coming up to three years now, but at the Future Games Show this evening, all these years on, developer TaleWorlds Entertainment announced that the strategy action game will be getting its first bit of DLC, War Sails. If you can't gather from the name, featured image above, and trailer below, the DLC is all about boats; sailing 'em, fighting with 'em, trading with 'em, you name it, these boats can do it (within reason). |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:22 PM  Xbox shared a blog post earlier today that's mostly just a bunch of self-congratulatory waffle about how easy it is to play games you own on the service anywhere, and for the most part, it wasn't very interesting. There was one notable thing about it that has now been scrubbed from the post: an image of a bunch of devices you can play Xbox games on with some new UI, and oh, would you look at that, one of the filters for your game library is for Steam. Now isn't that interesting? |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:17 PM  Frosthaven - the sequel to Cephalofair's knock-a-horse-out massive board game - is getting a digital version from Julian Gollop's Snapshot Games. You can sign up here to its closed beta kicking off March 27th, and it's coming to Steam early access later this year. Like predecessor Gloomhaven, Frosthaven is a tactical RPG where you'll resolve story events and encounters between dungeon delving, retiring old characters and unlocking new classes as you progress. New to Frosthaven is a fleshed-out management game that has you build up and protect an outpost, while dealing with harsh seasons and invaders. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:00 PM  You know, with there being so many games set in ancient Rome, most of them being strategy games, I'm not sure I've ever seen a pixel art game with that setting. I bring this up because Romestead, a pixel art game with that exact setting, just got announced at the Future Games Show. From the offset it looks a little bit Stardew Valley, a little bit Terraria, and according to the publisher behind it Three Friends themselves, the latter is in fact a source of inspiration, alongside SNES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:06 PM  InZOI kind of looks like an exercise in pushing the uncanny valley to me, something I'd wholeheartedly respect if that were definitely the intention behind the game, but I have a hunch that it really is just meant to be The Sims, but if it looked like real life. Whether that's enough to win over Sims lovers or not, I'm not sure, its early access release isn't until next week so we'll all know more then. However! You do now have the opportunity to try and test the limits of its character creator, as like a few games have done in recent years, its Create a Zoi feature is available to download as its own thing… if you're happy to do a bit of homework. |
Twinfinite Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:32 PM  |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:30 PM
Toei Animation has revealed the first key visual for Digimon Beatbreak, which will be the newest mainline Digimon anime series. It'll start airing in October 2025, with more details to come later.
The Digimon Beatbreak key visual shows the protagonist with his partner Digimon. The protagonist for this show has spiky hair, as well as glasses rather than the traditional goggles (though Hiro of Ghost Game didn't wear them either). He's also wearing Crocs in sports mode, so you know he means business. As for his partner Digimon, it looks like a lizard with three spikes on its head and an upside-down crescent moon on its forehead.
You can watch a short teaser video below:
The catchphrase for the series describes Digimon as "creatures that devour emotions." As a whole, the aesthetic and vibe of the key visual seems quite different from previous shows in the franchise. Aside from the protagonist's cooler fashion sense, we can also see words that look like graffiti on the background behind him. Without a detailed synopsis or trailer, though, it's hard to tell if Digimon Beatbreak will take the series in a different direction.
Digimon Beatbreak will start airing in October 2025. More information on the plot and cast, as well as where to watch it, will appear later on.
The post New Digimon Anime Is Called Beatbreak appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:00 PM
Toei Animation uploaded Digimon Adventure -Beyond-, which is a promotional video for the 25th anniversary of Digimon Adventure. The entire video is a little over four minutes long, and you can watch it via the official Toei Animation YouTube channel with English subtitles.
The video takes place around the final episode of Digimon Adventure 02. For the first half of the video, we see Taichi and Yamato bantering as they, with Iori's help, are rescuing a kid with a Digimon partner. After a Digimon attacks them, they send the kid and Iori ahead via a Digital Gate, before they order Agumon and Gabumon to evolve and attack. The latter half of the video shows the grown-up versions of the Chosen Children from Digimon Adventure and Adventure 02.
During the video, we can also hear a 25th anniversary arrange for "Brave Heart." This song played in the original Japanese version of Adventure every time an evolution scene happened. Ayumi Miyazaki, the artist for the original version, also sang the 25th anniversary version of it.
Digimon Adventure aired from 1999 to 2000, and followed the adventures of seven (later eight) children who find themselves in the Digital World and gain Digimon (Digital Monsters) partners. The anime chronicles their journey to return home and then save the real world from invading hostile Digimon. As a result of the show's success, it kicked off an entire series of Digimon. This includes the direct sequel, Adventure 02, and the more recent Ghost Game. A series of films detailing the Chosen Children after they grew up also started with tri. in 2015.
You can watch Digimon Adventure via Crunchyroll.
The post See the Digimon Adventure Beyond 25th Anniversary Video appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:45 PM
The Kabukimono are a group of ronin causing trouble in Assassin's Creed Shadows. One extended sidequest requires you to track them all down across Settsu and take them out.
You can find the initial quest at the Nishinomiya Shrine, west of Amagasaki. You'll find one of the priests standing at the entrance, trying to calm down a child. He explains that the Kabukimono are a group of ronin who are causing trouble across the region, and he would like something to be done about them.
He gives you clues to the locations of most of them, and they can be dealt with in any order. However, this is the order I recommend, going from easiest to hardest.
How to Find and Defeat the Ghost General Kabukimono in Assassin's Creed Shadows
The easiest of the Kabukimono in Assassin's Creed Shadows. The Ghost General can be found at the port in Sakai, traveling along the piers and interacting with merchants. Simply head to the port and you can overhear locals talking about his habit of stealing food.
Fortunately, his open public presence and limited bodyguards make him easy to take out. To make things easier, he also loves standing near the water, usually while his bodyguard walks elsewhere. Wait for him to held along a pier and swim out. If you can't get him from the water, climb out behind him and take him out. You will need to fight him to remove the last part of his health bar, but once he's gone, escape into the ocean.
How to Find and Defeat the Grave Dancer
Another relatively easy member of the Kabukimono. The Grave Dancer hangs out at the Sumiyoshi Shrine southeast of Osaka. It's another public location and, like the Ghost General, only has one bodyguard. He also likes to walk near tall buildings, perfect for pouncing on him from above.
Of course, that is the strategy. Climb onto one of the shrine's buildings, move above him and perform an assassination. You won't kill him outright but this does remove a lot of his health. With a big chunk of his health bar removed and only one assistant, this is a relatively easy fight.
How to Find and Defeat Ember
The clues for Ember are slightly misleading, as they state he is southwest of Osaka Castle. This just means he's in Osaka, inside a block on the west side, near the southern bridge to Kojo Ruins. This block is a guarded area, so you'll be attacked on sight when you enter.
However, there is an extremely simple solution to this. There are two straw awnings you can climb onto – one to the east and one to the south. Ember and his guards are also standing next to a pile of explosive urns. Simply throw a kunai at this pile to cause significant damage. You may need to hop in to finish him off, but the explosion will do most of the work for you.
How to Find and Defeat Big Sueki
Big Sueki is the first of the Kabukimono who might prove a challenge. He can be found in a private garden in Muko Post Town, north of Amagasaki. There's a small building with an alley into a garden next to it. Big Sueki and his cohorts are hanging out in this garden, but with so many of them, you shouldn't really enter through the alley.
Instead, head to the building next door and head into the area behind it. There's a gap in the fence that takes you behind the foliage in the garden and provides a helpful patch of grass to hide in. Sneak around and perform a sneak attack on Sueki. You won't take him out immediately, so you'll be forced into a fight with the whole crew. However, a smoke bomb should help cause a distraction. Focus on Sueki, then flee as soon as he's dealt with.
How to Find and Defeat Chief Cuckoo
Chief Cuckoo is the hardest member of the Kabukimono to assassinate in Assassin's Creed Shadows. This is because he's located in the Katano Oil Trading area southwest of Katano Castle (or south of Katano's Ornament Vendor). This is a heavily guarded area, and his patrols are usually through areas with a high density of guards.
If you've got Yasuke, it may be easier to charge in with him and make use of his higher defence, but if you want to be stealthy with Naoe, there are some options available to you. Upgrading your kunai skills to do more damage will help in softening him up from a distance, and smoke bombs can help cause a distraction. If there's too much pressure, it may be worth fleeing temporarily and coming back to finish him off when they've lost sight of you.
How to Find and Defeat the Final Three Kabukimono in Assassin's Creed Shadows
The final three slots on the Kabukimono quest can now be opened up with all the other targets defeated. You'll need to head back to the Nishinomiya Shrine and leave a message to draw out the remaining trio. You get the option to hunt them individually or gather them in one place. I would recommend the latter option, mainly because it's the quickest and easiest.
However, you will need to wait a little while, as the trio are level 23, and located in Harima, which is likely to be difficult to get through at the level the initial targets become available. When you're an appropriate level, head into Harima west from Amagasaki. If you follow the coastal road towards the Kakogawa Estuary then head north before crossing to the Estuary island. This road leads to the Takagi Otsuka Fort. The Kabukimono camp is southeast of this fort.
To take out your targets, you'll need to get into the camp. The east side has a rock formation that you can climb that allows you to jump the fence onto the roof of a building. Drop down between this building and the fence and sneak around behind the opposite building, placing it between you the targets. From here, you can peek around the corner to see them, but this also gives the perfect angle to throw a kunai at an explosive urn near your targets. This is the ideal way to weaken them and make the fight easier.
In the chaos, you have the ability to throw a couple more tools as they start moving towards you, and a smoke bomb will confuse them and allow you to do more damage quietly. Despite the numbers, this surprisingly isn't as difficult as it first seems. Once they're all down, return to the priest who gave you the quest to receive your rewards.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is out now for PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S.
The post How to Find and Defeat the Kabukimono in Assassin's Creed Shadows appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:30 PM
During the Digimon Con 2025 event, Bandai revealed the Godzilla edition of the Digimon Color toy that it announced back in November 2024. In total, there will be 34 Digimon to raise in this toy, including collaboration ones that are Digimon infected with G cells.
You can watch the trailer for the Digimon Color: Godzilla 70th edition toys at this point in the stream:
The entire device features artwork of the collaboration Digimon by Kenji Watanabe, the monster designer for the franchise. When you have to fight off kaiju, the Godzilla theme plays. As well, the G cells play an important role in how your Digimon evolves. So aside from the toy being a collector's item for fans of both Digimon and Godzilla, it also plays somewhat differently from a usual Digimon Color.
As for the collaboration Digimon available, you can get the "G" Corrosion Modes of MetalGreymon, SkullGreyMon, Mugendramon, and WarGreymon.
The Digimon Color: Godzilla 70th Edition is available for pre-order via Premium Bandai. Pre-orders are open until April 21, 2025, and the toy costs 7700 JPY ($51.75). As Premium Bandai only delivers to Japan (and only lets people in Japan see its site), those outside of it can try sites like Tokullectibles. On there, the toy will come out in August 2025 and costs $146.
Some other Digimon news that came out during Digimon Con includes details on Digimon Alysion and Digimon Story: Time Stranger.
The post Digimon Color Godzilla 70th Edition Digital Pet Revealed appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:00 PM
Yoasobi uploaded its new song "Players," which appeared in a commercial to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation. Usada Pekora of Hololive also appeared as one of the trio of characters in said commercial.
The video starts with the three characters holding up a PlayStation memory card bearing the anniversary logo, only for it to suck them into a fantasy world. After the train transforms into something more reminiscent of a flying centipede, they jump out of it while the "Play has no limits" catchphrase appears. You can watch the commercial with the "Players" song via the official Yoasobi or PlayStation social media channels, as well as here:
As mentioned earlier, Usada Pekora, a hololive VTuber, appears in the PlayStation Yoasobi commercial. She also provides the voice acting. The others with her are Nanase Nishino (an actress, television host, and former Nogizaka46 idol) and Kiyo (a Japanese YouTuber with over 5.19 million subscribers as of the time of writing. Animator and illustrator, Kenichi Yoshida, designed the characters for this commercial. He previously worked on shows and films such as Eureka Seven, Gundam Reconguista in G, and Princess Mononoke.
Sony commissioning Yoasobi to write "Players" for its PlayStation commercial is only the latest of high-profile collaborations with the band. Just earlier this year, Yoasobi's "Gunjou" appeared in McDonald's Japan's Tirori Mix for 2025. They also wrote and performed the NHK Sports theme song back in 2024.
The post Yoasobi PlayStation "Players" Commercial Includes Usada Pekora appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:00 PM
Idea Factory International shared the PS4 and PS5 release date for the horror JRPG Death end re;Quest: Code Z. It will be available digitally and physically, and there will be a $89.99/£84.99/€89.99 limited edition sold direct through the company's online store.
In addition to the game, the collector's edition includes three other items. One is a padded mouse pad of the heroine Sayaka, which feature's the game's logo in the background. The other is the Death end re;Quest: Code Z Official Art Book and Stories volume offering extra insight into the game's development and its world. Finally, you get a CD of the official soundtrack. An IFI's Online Store trading card for the game is included with purchases as well.
Here's the Death end re;Quest: Code Z Limited Edition:
The opening movie for the third entry in the horror JRPG series is also online now.
As a reminder, Death end re;Quest Z isn't appearing on as many platforms as expected, even though the PS4 and PS5 ones are appearing as planned. Initially, it was supposed to debut on the Nintendo Switch as well. However, that version ended up canceled in December 2024. Idea Factory International didn't explain why plans changed. However, at the same time it also canceled the Switch versions of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 Sisters Generation, and Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3 V Generation.
Death end re;Quest: Code Z will appear on the PS4 and PS5 outside Japan on May 13, 2025, and it is already available on the consoles in Japan.
The post Death end re;Quest: Code Z PS4 and PS5 Release Date Set appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:00 PM
Bandai Namco announced the development of a new free-to-play card game app called Digimon Alysion, which is set to come to mobile devices. The announcement came during the Digimon Con 2025 livestream, and it appeared alongside a trailer showing several new characters.
The new game will include both classic cards and new cards original to Digimon Alysion, with details surrounding a closed beta test expected to appear sometime on the official website. Meanwhile, the trailer shows new characters like Kanata Hondo, who appears to be the protagonist. Futre may be a digital guide of some sorts. Valner Dragnogh who looks like she may play the role of a rival. Also shown is a new Digimon partner called Gemmon, along with the return of favorites like Gabumon, Renamon, and WarGreymon.
You can watch the full presentation via Youtube below, with the Alysion announcement beginning at around 1:08:45.
Or you can find the trailer on its own here:
A new Digimon mobile card game was previously teased at the Bandai Card Games Fest earlier in March 2025. The next day, it was revealed that Bandai had filed a trademark for the Alysion name earlier that same month.
Digimon Alysion is currently in development for mobile devices, with a closed beta test planned for sometime in the future.
The post Digimon Alysion is the Mobile Card Game App appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:00 PM
Infold Games announced some of the new elements we can expect in future updates for Infinity Nikki, and these include a new event map, general updates, and a new control customization option. The 1.4 update is expected to arrive via a patch on March 25, 2025, and the new event map arrives in 1.5.
Some of the updates will show up sooner than others, and that includes some of the ones related to the Infinity Nikki map. Currently, you don't see Warp Spires you didn't find on it. After a future update, the ones you haven't activated will appear so you can better reach all of these fast travel points. Existing map markers for items already highlighted, like shops and minigames, will feature more details about exactly what is at that point. So it'll be easier to head to the exact place you want or need to.
In the case of the new event map in Infinity Nikki, that will be called Serenity Island. It will show up in 1.5 as part of a new activity. Like Firework Isles, which appeared in the 1.2 patch, there will be new places to check out, more fast travel points, extra quests tied to the location, and unspecified "Rewards."
As for the new control customization options in Infinity Nikki, two specific ones were teased. One will involve the ability to invert X and Y axes. The other will allow someone who is playing on a computer to more easily switch between using a controller and a keyboard with mouse. Infold described that new shift as "seamless."
A few other adjustments also came up. Momo's Camera will support vehicle photos and new poses. Some of those will be able to be bought in-game from a new NPC called Camera Modifications Merchant Leila. The Pear Pal cards will let people show off outfits. The Compendium will also make it easier to track outfits you haven't completed yet. There will also be a creature compendium to help keep track of Esseling enemies and animals. Finally, general mobile optimizations are confirmed.
Infinity Nikki is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 1.4 update is expected to arrive on March 25, 2025.
The post Infinity Nikki Getting a New Event Map, Control Options appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, March 20, 2025 12:30 PM
A new website registration may suggest that a Persona 4 remake is in development. On March 20, 2025, the domain p4re.jp was registered, though going to the site currently leads to a dead end. It is not known which company or individual registered the address. This follows Atlus' Persona 3 Reload.
If you go to the website p3re.jp, it leads to the official Japanese website for the Persona 3 remake called Persona 3 Reload. The remake launched early in 2024, and it was followed by the release of the Episode Aegis DLC that added content originally found in the Persona 3 FES PS2 game. The website domain was registered a few months before Atlus announced Persona 3 Reload, and about a year before it was released.
The popularity of both the Persona series, and Persona 3 Reload, as well as the similarity of the freshly registered domain to Persona 3 Reload's website, has led some to believe that the p4re.jp domain has been registered for an unrevealed, upcoming Persona 4 remake. However, there is no concrete evidence and no official announcement from Atlus or Sega about a new version of Persona 4.
Persona 4 was first released for PS2 in 2008, and an updated version called Persona 4 Golden launched in 2012 for PlayStation Vita. Golden was ported to PC in 2020, and it later showed up on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S in 2023.
The post P4RE Website Registered and Could Be Tied to Persona 4 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:56 PM
Early Katana builds are great for the beginning stages of the game, but Legendary types stand out as the best well-rounded weapons. Due to their high rarity, acquiring them requires a scavenger hunt. We're here to show you all Legendary Katana locations in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
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Where to find all Legendary Katanas in AC: Shadows
A few Legendary Katanas can be found early on in your journey, starting from the beginner Izumi Settsu region. Each weapon's stats will differ depending on your current rank (the higher the level, the higher the DPS rates). However, it'll always have the same unique skill attached to it, which can be upgraded through the Hideout's Forge. Let's break down each Legendary Katana location in AC: Shadows (I'll also note the recommended levels for these regions):
Bloodshade - Izumi Settsu
You'll see a ship off in the distance to the left of Osaka, where a Legendary Chest resides. Like most places, you'll have to fend off enemies here to roam around this vessel freely. Travel up to the building at the top to unlock the Legendary Chest for the Bloodshade Legendary Katana.
Masked Death - Iga
On the northern side of Iga, you can open the Masked Death Legendary Chest near Otogi Pass. You'll likely have to conclude Act 1 to reach this area, where you should be approaching the Level 20 mark. Once you gain access to Iga's Otogi Pass, look below a large rock to spot the Legendary Chest next to some crates.
Yami no Kage - Harima
The Yami no Kage Legendary Katana is deep inside the Hiraiyama Fort. As a Level 25 fortress, you'll undoubtedly face some challenges along the way, especially with the might of the two Samurai Daishos. I highly suggest increasing your rank before embarking on this level since the enemies can one-hit kill you. If you can defeat the Samurai Daishos, you'll unlock the Yami no Kage Legendary Chest at the very top of the castle.
Iga's Flame - Yamato
Head towards the Mount Nukai fast travel point on the western side of Yamato. While at this location, look above to see a gold circle in the bamboo. If you're using Yasuke, you must switch to Naoe to climb to this spot. A hidden cave will be there, containing yet another Legendary Chest.
Carved Bone Katana - Store
You can acquire the Carved Bone Katana through the Naoe Gashadokuro Pack. It'll cost you 1,800 Helix Credits, around $19.99 in the store. However, you can also get the sword by itself for 450 Helix Credits ($4.99).
Eye of the Dragon - Store
Like the Carved Bone, the Eye of the Dragon Legendary Katana can be found in the store. The pack costs $19.99, while the standalone sword version goes for $4.99.
There may be more Legendary Katanas in the other regions, so I'll be sure to update this AC: Shadows guide once I've uncovered them. For more tips on tools, check out our weapons tier list for Naoe.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:47 PM
With the introduction of Coda weapons in Warframe, some mods have become a bit more popular. One, in particular is the Volatile Variant mod. If you want to know how to get the Volatile Variant mod in Warframe, here's what you need to know.
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How to get the Volatile Variant mod in Warframe
To get the Volatile Variant mod, you would have had to complete up until Rank 25 in the Nora's Mix Vol. 5 Nightwave episode. This ended in May 2024, with the mod not being obtainable since then.
But with there now being a Coda variant of the Sporothrix, this mod is going to be a lot more potent in status builds or even crit builds (despite the low critical chance).
Alternate ways to get Volatile Variant
If you missed out on that Nightwave episode, you can still obtain it by trading with other players.
Be warned, though. With the increase in the mod's popularity and its scarcity, you're looking to spend anywhere between 80 to 120 Platinum. If you want to wait for a price drop or another chance to get the mod, there's always a slim chance it'll be rewarded again in a future Nightwave episode or through Baro Ki'Teer.
How to use Volatile Variant
Since this is a weapon-specific mod, Volatile Variant can only be used on the Sporothrix and Coda Sporothrix. It increases your Punch Through by three while also making the projectiles explode on direct impact with enemies, increasing blast radius by four and status chance by 50%.
It's a strong mod on paper and can turn this into a mobbing machine, especially in narrow corridors. But with the aforementioned Coda variant of the weapon, this will be able to do so much more with the added element on top of its boosted stats.
Is Volatile Variant worth it?
If you're a min-maxxer in Warframe, the mod is worth getting your hands on, despite its hefty price. It has a few very powerful synergies, especially when paired with crit frames like Harrow or sniper frames like Cyte-09.
But if you plan on only using this as mastery fodder or for big single-target purposes, you can skip out on it. There are other snipers out there that can do a lot without augments like this.
The post How to get and use Volatile Variant in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:47 PM
If you haven't had the chance to claim all the goodies for The Blast From the Past event in The Sims 4, have no fear! EA is extending the event until April 1, which gives you plenty of time to complete the quests.
While the requirements for Blast From the Past are fairly straightforward, there's one step that's causing even veteran players to stumble. If you need help finding the Special Time Capsule, we're here to help, so you can earn all the sweet rewards.
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Special Time Capsule locations in The Sims 4
After you've met time traveler Emit Relevart and completed all the prerequisite steps, you'll be tasked with finding a very Special Time Capsule to open. You're not given more information than to simply look for some rocks, which can be tricky if you don't know where to go.
Luckily, digging up Special Time Capsules is the same as you would find any other time capsule. Find any of the rocks with crystals, metals, or fossils on them, and you can click on them and choose the option to dig.
These same rocks will have the quest-exclusive interaction to dig for the Special Time Capsule. You'll likely have to dig a few rocks up before finding the item. But as long as you're in the right spot, there will be plenty of stones to check.
Best places to find the Special Time Capsule in The Sims 4
The rocks meant for digging are not as common everywhere you go, so we recommend heading to either the park in Willow Creek or the park in Oasis Springs. Both of these lots are very large, and have a lot of outdoor space. There will be far more rocks to dig here.
Since you meet Emit at the Magnolia Blossom Park in Willow Creek anyway, it's simple to head back and dig up the time capsule there.
What's inside the Special Time Capsule in The Sims 4
Once you've successfully dug up the Special Time Capsule, you can find it in your Sim's personal inventory. Simply click on it and then choose to open it up. Inside is nothing more than an IOU note, which you can read to continue on in the event.
Since finding the Special Time Capsule is early on in the event, you'll still have quite a few more steps to go before you unlock all the rewards you can earn. But the entire event only takes a few real-life hours to complete. Be sure to check out all the Blast From the Past quest rewards and how to get them to make sure you're not missing out on anything.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:43 PM
Split Fiction is the new co-op adventure game from Hazelight Studios, the same studio behind popular games such as A Way Out, It Takes Two, and more.
Like other games, Split Fiction also has a ton of achievements to unlock, and the best part is they're fairly easy to get. Here's a list of all Split Fiction achievements and the ways to unlock them.
How many trophies are there to unlock in Split Fiction?
There are a total of 20 achievements to unlock in Split Fiction if you're on PC or Xbox consoles. PlayStation players get to unlock an extra trophy, the Platinum one.
All Split Fiction achievements and how to unlock them
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 6:01 PM
Most enemies from Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne would naturally fit in any medieval-themed horror story simply for how easily they'll tear you to pieces after you make one simple mistake during combat.
Still, some have such uniquely off-putting looks that they deserve to be observed in very well-guarded cells in the video game museum of grotesquerie. Let's look at the gnarliest-looking monstrosities in this series, and check out if they're perhaps even worse than they look, shall we?
10. Nightmare Apostle (Bloodborne)
Ok, I'll start off simple. Don't ask me for sources, but 40% of the human population is afraid of spiders, and 50% is terrified of them. Even those who aren't probably wouldn't like them ten times our size. Spiders don't need anything other than sheer scale to be some of the scariest things in existence, but Bloodborne does you one better.
The Nightmare Apostle's room is a horror masterpiece because as soon as you enter it, you see a bunch of huge spiders hanging from the ceiling, and you just know they're going to drop to ambush you, leaving only the "when" as a mystery.
I won't spoil it, but this is one hell of a memorable encounter that would elevate any full-on horror game or film.
9. Great Feline (Dark Souls)
The case for the Great Feline is the exact opposite of the one from the entry above. Mostly everyone loves cats — especially people who have ever been in contact with the internet — but this isn't a regular cat. This isn't even like a lion or a tiger, big cats that might — even when they don't want to — eviscerate you with ease.
Something about these huge roided-up cats just looks wrong — intentionally so. They're clearly sick and, sadly, capable of equally sick moves that will immediately obliterate any poor fool wasting time wondering if the game features any secret way of petting them.
8. Glow Worms (Elden Ring)
Did you know that Australia has actual glow-in-the-dark worms? I've been haunted by that knowledge for many years. Still, I've always enjoyed the solace of knowing Australia is so far away from where I live that it barely even counts as a real place.
Miyazaki isn't ok with us feeling safe, so he brought Glow Worms closer to everyone by putting these things in something more real than Australia to most: Elden Ring. What the hell even are these things? They don't really do anything other than just creepily stand there and use their bioluminescence to prevent players from forgetting they share reality with them — but they're really good at that.
7. Deep Accursed (Dark Souls 3)
Even though the Deep Accursed features various creepy elements in its design, the scariest thing about him is how his ambushes provide jumpscares worthy of the best horror movies out there. The Souls series is known for its ambushes, but there's being ambushed by everything else, and then there's being ambushed by this grisly, long-legged, shiny-eyed beast.
The Deep Accursed is great at scaring the player like a huge predator would scare a tiny rat. He rarely shows up in the game, but as soon as he's dropped from the ceiling to get you the first time, your era of nonchalantly entering new rooms on Dark Souls 3 without fearing for your life will be over.
6. Monstrosity Of Sin (Dark Souls 3)
I don't know if one of the artists was trying to come up with the most off-putting thing they could come up with for Dark Souls 3, then asked their colleagues to come up with a fitting name, or if FromSoft's name-giver came up with the most egregious name for a beast and then the artists did a wonderful life realizing that vision.
The Monstrosity Of Sin has a human-like body, but at the end of every single one of his limbs, there's a hand with way too many fingers. Even its head is a gigantic hand — also with too many fingers. That would've been enough to earn it a place on this list, but this head/hand is also covered in eyes or strange parasites that produce a type of goo you don't see anywhere else in the game.
This is one of the rarest enemies in the game, and that's probably because the developers were well aware that one encounter would probably be enough to ensure no player would forget about the Monstrosity Of Sin.
5. The Beggar (Bloodborne)
It should come as no surprise that Bloodborne populates most entries on this list, and that's because it features all horrors of all kinds. This guy doesn't feature a suspicious number of eyes, tentacles, or any goo-secreting organ, but he's a walking, talking, stalking, blood-spitting red flag.
The afflicted beggar presents himself as but a skinny guy covered in blood and in need of your help. The problem here is that when we first encounter this man, he's munching on a human corpse. Yarhnam is already a place where consuming blood is the norm, so can you really blame them for giving this man the benefit of the doubt? Who's to say what the consensus on cannibalism is in this god-forsaken, elder god-invaded realm? That's what the main character is likely thinking while they interact with this man, all the while the player controlling him is probably petrified by what he's witnessing.
Then, surprise, surprise, it turns out that any suspicions would be correct, and the Beggar reveals himself to be a figuratively and literally huge monster. Still, its original appearance more than would've sufficed to grant him a place on this list.
4. Chaos Eater (Dark Souls)
When you look at the Chaos Eater from afar, he looks goofy. When you get closer, his multitude of eyes combined with his pervy tentacles will make you realize he's one of the creepiest-looking entities in the game. When you let him get too close, you'll realize that every step towards this thing was an obviously dumb mistake. I, like many other innocent players before me, originally imagined the Chaos Eater would get his nourishment by sucking things up through his tentacles. Nasty, but it's even worse than that, it turns out.
The Chaos Eater is closer to a human than I thought, as he also chews on his food just like we do. Unfortunately, however, I went on to learn that instead of jaws, his head serves as the home for a rotating teeth-covered hell pit that he loves feeding players to.
3. Grafted Scion (Elden Ring)
This cobbled-together monstrosity is the very first thing we face on Elden Ring — the classic FromSoft boss that exists solely to put players in their place — and that's reason enough for it to populate the nightmares of many players. Still, that's far from the worst thing about it.
The Grafted Scion is composed of the bodies of many deceased adults — already not great — but upon closer inspection (or simply by looking at the head), you'll see how it also features the limbs of many children. If you thought the worlds of games were dark but at least kind enough to protect children by not featuring them at all, then I apologize for dispelling that illusory wall in your mind.
2. Winter Lantern (Bloodborne)
The later segment of Bloodborne isn't as challenging as its early and middle sections — except for the part where we have to deal with this thing. The Winter Lantern is such a masterpiece of enemy design that even though it doesn't look threatening on a physical level — and it kind of isn't — one glance is all it takes to inform your brain that you're about to have a bad time. You'll get the idea that this thing is terrifying just from looking at screenshots, but nothing beats looking at it in motion, killing you simply by existing and looking ugly.
This is like if Naughty Dog had a slider for creepiness when making the infected from The Last Of Us and accidentally turned it up to 11.
1. Brain of Mensis (Bloodborne)
The Brain of Mensis is number one and it isn't even close. If the Winter Lantern terrorizes you, this should affect you in a way we don't even have words to describe yet. In essence, the Brain Of Mensis is a gigantic Winter Lantern, an entity powerful enough to ultimately kill anyone in its line of sight — and it's very good at looking.
On top of its tremendous power, the Brain of Mensis is also the gooiest and most eldritch monstrosity we've seen in FromSoft games, an amorphous mix of giant eyeballs and what looks like decaying brain matter. The optional segment, when we finally come face to brain with this thing, features no combat or any sort of deadly trap, yet it remains one of the most eerily memorable moments in gaming.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:23 PM
Apex Legends Patch 24.1 is now on live servers. The update brought several big changes to several Legends, weapons, the game's Ranked mode, and more.
Table of contents
Biggest highlights from Apex Legends 24.1 patch notes
Alter has been slightly reworked in this new update. Her Void Passage now has four charges while the maximum portal depth has been increased to 30m from 20m and the cooldown reduced to 20 seconds from 30 seconds.
Two Void Nexus can be active now at the same time while Ringmaster and Void Vision from level two and Multidimensional and Tactical Cooldown+ from level three upgrades are removed.
The Ranked mode has now got a Tier-based Split Reset rule where "every split system will reset players to the lowest division of their last split rank tier." Here's how the reset will work across all ranks:
Another highlight includes the Power Sword Royale limited-time game mode. It will run from March 25 to April 14, 2025, and will be one for Trios where you can use a Power Sword (melee weapon) that will deal strong and fast close-range attacks. For long range coverage, you can launch energy slashes with ADS. Aiming down sight will also absorb incoming damage while defending.
All Legends changes
Skirmisher Class Perks
Trailblazer: receive a speed boost when sprinting towards an ally Skirmisher
Charged Knock: Skirmishers gain an extra ability charge and 50 HP regen on knock
Ash
Horizon
Upgrades: Level 2
Upgrades: Level 3
Loba
Pathfinder
Upgrades: Level 3
Revenant
Assassin's Instinct
Shadow Pounce
Forged Shadows:
Upgrades Level 2
Upgrades Level 3
Wraith
Into the Void
Dimensional Rift
Upgrades: Level 2
Upgrades Level 3
All weapon buffs and nerfs in Apex Legends 24.1 patch update
SMG
Alternator SMG
C.A.R. SMG
R-99 SMG
Volt SMG
Assault Rifles
Nemesis Burst AR
LMG
Devotion LMG
L-STAR EMG
Marksman
30-30 Repeater
G7 Scout
Pistols
P2020
Wingman
Shotguns
EVA-8
You can check the entire Apex Legends 24.1 patch notes on their official X post.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:11 PM
Assassin's Creed Shadows began getting crap for "historical inaccuracies" before it was even out. Back then, I remember chuckling at the notion that the series about reliving genetic memories via a sci-fi contraption was getting that kind of scrutiny, and I can't help but laugh at it now.
Regardless of what it gets right and what it portrays with a completely acceptable — and welcome — degree of artistic license, Shadows definitely got one detail correct, and that's the usage of the Portuguese language. I marveled right at the start of the game when Yasuke — then still going by the name of Diogo — and his masters began not only speaking Portuguese but the period-accurate continental version to boot.
Even better, the Jesuit priests accompanying Yasuke show way more fluency, whereas the actor playing Yasuke displays a nuanced unease with his words. This is caused not by his lack of knowledge but by his decision to seem uneducated to his captors.
In comparison, last year's otherwise excellent show, Shogun, merely has characters say that they're speaking fluent Portuguese — in English.
That's Ubisoft clearly taking the time and putting money into historical accuracy — in a way that'll fly over the heads of 99.5% of the people playing the game — but you cannot deny that it's there. I only caught this because I'm Portuguese and because I'm not used to my language getting this kind of treatment in media, so it's guaranteed I'll miss so many other brilliant examples of attention to detail in the game.
I don't remember Shogun catching crap for not having their Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking characters speak the actual language, and I won't pretend to wonder I don't know why.
Why are people hating on Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Right at the start of the controversy, we quickly learned from an actual Japanese historian from Japan — not from the country of Twitch or YouTube — that Yasuke, the black man that the Portuguese brought from Africa, was, indeed, a samurai. It shouldn't have even gotten to it, but it did, so that should've been it.
Still, the complaints continued in a way that would lead anyone to believe they're less about video game fans' historically low thirst for historical accuracy and more of a dog whistle some grifters have been using to convey a combo of racist and misogynistic talking points. Now that the game is out, we can assert that these voices were even more wrong than we'd thought.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:48 PM
While most games tend to deal with moments of conflict with violence and war, developer Big Blue Sky Games aimed to pose an interesting alternative with their newly released fantasy shopkeeping sim Merchants of Rosewall. How would a diverse world handle these conflicts if violence and war simply weren't an option?
It's an interesting concept, but more interestingly, it can create some rather unique problems that need to be answered from a narrative point of view. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with one of Big Blue Sky Games developers and the Narrative Lead on Merchants of Rosewall Suriel Vasquez to talk more about the intricacies of crafting a meaningful and entertaining story. We talk about the unique challenge of telling a worthwhile narrative while staying bound to the constraints of commerce and mercantilism in a world where the gameplay is all about buying low and selling high.
DESTRUCTOID: Hello Suriel, thank you for chatting with me today! Full disclosure, I've only played a few hours of Merchants of Rosewall, but I feel like I've got a good understanding to ask some good questions in regards to the story and design process from a narrative stance. What was the initial inspiration both for the world and the overall narrative of Merchants of Rosewall?
SURIEL: The inspiration was us at Big Blue Sky Games wanting to do something different in the fantasy genre. We wanted to focus on what happens between large conflicts that other fantasy games cover like things involving wars, clashes, or humans fighting orcs and such. We wanted to explore what those worlds are like without war. It started us on the path of "What kind of fantasy game could be interesting in that sort of context?" and one of the earliest ideas we agreed on was the idea of running a shop in that kind of world. From there we started incorporating ideas of how to make running a shop in that world more interesting and we landed on the idea of there not being a real conflict around it. In our world there aren't any wars going on as there is a worldwide armistice where people aren't allowed to make or produce weapons, and going from there it raises a lot of interesting questions about what other kinds of conflicts would exist in that world and how do we address them and talk about things like different cultures clashing and what methods of negotiation do they use when they don't have weapon to use.
DESTRUCTOID: It feels like a uniquely timely piece, and I felt early on in my experience that it felt like Merchants of Rosewall was released at a perfect time based on the current status of the world. Rosewall is certainly a fantastical world, but it takes a lot of real-world issues and interweaves them into this fantasy world. What's the process like taking heaving real-world issues and placing them into a more fantasy world but still making them feel meaningful?
SURIEL: When you start the game, you can select which sort of fantasy character you want to be. We wanted to have a game where you immediately feel like you are someone else rather than "This is my transposing myself into this world" which most games do for good reason, such as in Mass Effect or similar games. But we wanted to create the experience of you being a stranger in a stranger's land, so there aren't any Human characters, so you have to choose to be a race that isn't like yours. There are some that look close like Corkgnomes or Dwarves which look like Humans, but you have to choose to be someone else. This is an idea of planting the idea that this is a game that is interested in diversity and having a number of perspectives that are all equal. From here we thought about what are some interesting questions we want to answer. So without there being any kind of war, what are the most interesting things we want to talk about? Business and how they operate and how they related to governments was a big one we wanted to tackle, and so figuring out how to ask those questions without making it feel very preachy or boring, and finding ways to reference those kinds of things while keeping it interesting which allows us to sort of 'have our cake and eat it too.' We want to have a fun story where you don't feel like you're constantly being confronted by difficult questions, but also making it interesting by having you consider some of these questions in the back of your head while you're playing through the gameplay loop of building up your business. We felt this was an interesting way to seed some narratives early on then as players progress have them dealing with things more directly.
DESTRUCTOID: The characters in Merchants of Rosewall feel like such an important part of the game. Were there any characters or narratives that evolved significantly from the original vision as the team fleshed out the gameplay for the game?
SURIEL: A lot of the characters ended up undergoing some major changes. For some backstory, I started on Merchants of Rosewall after it was more or less halfway ideated, so a lot of the characters were already on paper. The high-level story was already mapped up. As I started working with the team and adding more characters and having them interact, a lot of them started undergoing some changes. Mehdi was originally supposed to be more friendly, and had a more jovial tone. Once I started getting into the writing it felt more appropriate for Mehdi to be more representative of bureaucracy, and a character reminding you that this world is different and that you are playing by different kinds of rules here. In a way, he's your introduction to the world. We had established some quirks about the way Brolly talked but as we explored how he sounded, he became more representative of someone who is a working-class person as opposed to Mehdi who is more representative of the higher-ups and government. Most characters changed and very few are the way I originally wrote them.
DESTRUCTOID: Were there any unique challenges with telling this narrative with the game being primarily about trading and running a shop?
SURIEL: One of the hardest things was figuring out sources of conflict without falling into this same trap of commerce sim that is interested in what commerce means as opposed to just having you do a bunch of commerce. Figuring out the right way to get players to think critically about these concepts without undermining them was a pretty big challenge to make sure players don't feel bad about what they are doing but also finding some interesting questions that this unique setup raises. Also finding new answers to them, so the player feels like they are learning something rather than just being made to do something they don't want to do. It also took a while to nail making the player feel welcome without constantly praising them just for being around. This was partially motivated by having played some JRPGs around the time this was being ideated, where the characters were getting all this undue praise for having all the right answers to everything and everyone lavishing praise on you. I wanted to avoid this for a few reasons, one of which is, that if characters are trying to embody someone other than themselves, we want them to see the world al little bit differently. Being in a world that is fairly fantastically but characters aren't always quick to say "Hey you're doing great, you're the most important character in the world!" I thought it was important for characters to maybe look at you skeptically but not be outright mean; you don't want an introduction that's outright hostile to the player. But we wanted the feeling of nervousness around arriving in a new city and the trepidation of entering a new world but having that slowly be peeled away as people get to know you better and warm up to you.
DESTRUCTOID: Being a game about commerce and trade, were there any narrative elements that had to be sacrificed for more gameplay elements?
SURIEL: There were some. A lot of it wasn't necessarily for narrative reasons, but more for scope. There were a lot of cut characters in some areas we couldn't really use, but that was more because we didn't have time to create all the locations or really flesh out the characters. One of the things I really enjoyed was being given the leeway to explore some of these questions and figuring out how to make sure the line was being threaded between having the player ask certain questions about what they are doing without completely undermining them. I think the team is overall very happy about where we threaded that line.
DESTRUCTOID: Are there any plans for DLC or future content where you plan to flesh out more of the story or characters, or are most threads tied up at the end of Merchants of Rosewall?
SURIEL: We don't have any plans for follow-up DLC or anything like that. We have a patch that just dropped and from here we'll see where the audience takes us. If they really respond to the narrative and want to see more we can always reconsider, but for now no plans to expand the story out that way.
DESTRUCTOID: What sort of techniques did you take from other forms of media like books and movies that you adapted for a more interactive storytelling approach in a fantasy setting like Merchants of Rosewall?
SURIEL: In terms of techniques I took from other mediums, outlining was the big one which I had done as press before, things like writing a big story with an outline before you start writing it. With creative writing, you get to make up all the quotes in a weird way, and pick which moments you want to hit. Writing is similar to animation where you have things you want to focus on that may be the more central beats, and then you fill in the rest with, compared to animation, frames that lead up to it. That's more or less a frame of writing that adapted greatly to creative. I used a loose adaptation of the traditional screenwriting format to write out all the scenes first and adapted that so that there are cues for certain gameplay functions like transitions and music queues.
DESTRUCTOID: Time for some fun questions! What aspect of Merchants of Rosewall are you most proud of? Anything in particular that you specifically are proud of about how it turned out narratively?
SURIEL: The thing I'm happiest with is the characters. This is a game about building a business and buying low and selling high. I'm really happy we were able to make that trend work so that doesn't feel like you are looking at spreadsheets all the time, and the characters do a great job of assisting in that by being fun to be around. When I started this project it was intimidating to write for so many voices as I didn't have a ton of creative writing experience professionally, but having to find all the different voices and making them different than each other, I feel like I was able to explore and challenge myself to make sure every character had a purpose and wasn't just there to feed you information. You didn't have to like every character, but hopefully, it feels like the character has a certain amount of effort behind them whether you like or dislike them. That took some time to nail and I was interested in and I feel like we pulled off well.
DESTRUCTOID: Of all the characters in Merchants of Rosewall, which is your favorite?
SURIEL: Chrys is probably the character I put the most work into because her quirk is less about the words she uses and how she inflects certain sentences and what she is or isn't aware of. I had a lot of fun writing her once I figured out her whole tone and purpose. That's the character that felt the most indicative of my kind of imprint on the game. She's one of the few characters I created myself as opposed to adapting from when I joined the team, so she's one I got to build from scratch.
DESTRUCTOID: Very cool, thank you for the opportunity to peel back the curtain on this unique process and learn more about Merchants of Rosewall. Your answers have me even more excited to delve more into the game and getting my productive shop up and running!
SURIEL: I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for talking to us today!
Merchants of Rosewall is currently available on PC via Steam for $24.99.
The post Merchants of Rosewall Developer Interview: The Intricacies of Building a Meaningful Story about Commerce appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:27 PM
Yee-haw, pardners, Helldivers 2 is going to the Wild West with the Borderline Justice Warbond, and here's everything it includes and their cost. Saddle up for a trip across the great space frontier.
Despite the clear Western themes, the biggest draw (heh) of the new Warbond is likely the Hover Pack. The device allows you to float as gently as a dandelion seed in a desert breeze while raining down hell from above. Helldivers 2 - Borderline Justice goes for 1,000 Super Credits, the in-game currency, or $10 in real-life
Everything in Helldivers 2 - Borderline Justice Warbond
The Borderline Justice Warbond is saddled up with two weapons, a Stratagem, a Booster, a new throwable, two armor sets, an emote, and a Player Title. Both the new Booster and Armor Passive sound rather great and should end up proving to be quite popular.
Weapons
Throwable
Stratagem
Armor
Borderline Justice includes two new armor sets: the armor, cape, and helmet. The new Armor Passive is called Gunslinger, and it buffs sidearms.
Capes
Helmets
Emote
Player Cards
Title
Super Credits
That just about wraps up everything you can unlock in the Helldivers 2 Borderline Justice Warbond and their cost. Dust off your hat and mosey on over to the Acquisitions menu if it's something you feel worth the price. See you on the wild frontier.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:22 PM
The veil between video games and cryptocurrency has been thin in recent times. But League of Legends is not launching its own digital currency any time soon—despite what a now-deleted tweet might suggest.
If you're like me and came across a fishy tweet from League developer Matt Leung-Harrison, it would have read exactly like the image below. The now-deleted tweet made it appear as though Leung-Harrison, the lead gameplay designer for League, was trying to push what appeared like a crypto project from Riot Games. This was not the case.
LoL's cryptocurrency charade was a result of a hack
It didn't take the League dev team too long to notice what happened. A public X post was made to inform the audience that Leung-Harrison's account was compromised (and, as of this writing, it still is).
"Hey folks, looks like @RiotPhroxzon's account was compromised," the tweet from the League dev team read. "Please do not click any links from his account or send anything to it. We'll let you know when we have it back under control. If you did click anything we recommend you reset your passwords asap to be safe!"
The fake post was quickly deleted, and it is no longer available on X. It announced what the hackers called $LOL, which was apparently based on the Solana network. As with any crypto scam, an address was also included to lure people in. Despite all the efforts to make the tweet authentic, the initial plans for the scammers have fallen off.
Whether we get a League or Riot-backed crypto in the future is a topic of discussion for another day. Given how crypto has gained steam over the years, we won't rule anything out. But if you're in March 2025, rest assured that there is no League cryptocurrency, and any post you might see on social media is a scam waiting to trap as many folks as possible. The best job will be to immediately report such a post so that it can be taken down immediately.
As for real League announcements, you can enjoy a new Balatro-esque content called The Demon's Hand minigame. Make sure to check out our guide to learn what to expect and how to win.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 4:05 PM
During the Searching for Sakai quest, you'll have to find Imai Sokyu, who may have some information about the deadly Onryo group. Since the instructions for this mission are relatively vague, we'll show you Imai Sokyu's location in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
AC: Shadows Imai Sokyu location
You can find Imai Sokyu south of Sakai, near the Money Changer and Sakai Firearm Districts. Use your aim to pinpoint his quest marker, saving you from using your Scouts.
It'll take you over to a house, where you'll discover Sokyu and his son, Sokun, sitting at a table. Unfortunately, Sokyu won't speak to you quite yet, but you can request an audience with him through Imai Sokun.
Searching for Sakai: Shizuka, Sanuki, and Shigure choice, explained
When speaking to Sokun, he'll ask, "What shall I call you?" You can't reveal Naoe's real name, so you must choose between Shizuka, Sanuki, and Shigure. It doesn't matter which one you pick; however, you'll need to remember the one you've selected. NPCs will ask you for your name later on, and they can get confused when you use a different one.
If you do happen to choose the wrong name in the future, it shouldn't impact this quest's outcome too much. You'll just have to go through the embarrassment of the NPC's snarly looks when you pick the incorrect dialogue point.
You'll conclude the AC: Shadows Searching Sakai quest shortly after this conversation. Expect an XP boost of +1,000, increasing your player rank for high-tier weapons and equipment. It'll also open up two more side quests in the Onryo's Golden Teppo storyline. You must prepare yourself for a tea ceremony, including acquiring a Kosode in southwestern Sakai and speaking to a tea merchant in northern Sakai. Complete these two tasks to get closer to the woman with the gold-trimmed teppo, rewarding you with one of the best weapons for Naoe.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:03 PM
Assassin's Creed Shadows has only been available for a few hours but is already proving to be a successful launch based on its player numbers.
During pre-sale, AC Shadows broke several sales records, including climbing to the top of the Steam Top Sellers chart. Just a few days ago, it was in second place, but now it's the best-selling game on Steam. The game has also topped sales charts on various platforms in Japan, fitting given that it's set there.
This early success suggests Shadows could become one of the top-performing titles in the Assassin's Creed series on Steam pretty soon.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' launch beats Black Flag and Valhalla
As of 3 PM ET on March 20th, Assassin's Creed Shadows reached a peak of 41,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, according to Steam Charts. This number doesn't even include players using other platforms or Ubisoft Plus.
This peak surpasses all previous Assassin's Creed games on Steam, including Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag and Valhalla, both of which peaked at just under 16,000 players.
The only Assassin's Creed game Shadows hasn't surpassed yet is Assassin's Creed Odyssey, which peaked at nearly 62,000 concurrent players shortly after release. However, this doesn't necessarily mean Shadows won't outperform its predecessor.
Shadows should eventually outperform Odyssey
Historical trends show that peak player counts for AC games usually happen a few days after launch. Odyssey, for example, hit its peak two days after release, over a weekend when more people typically play games. That's why it's highly likely that Assassin's Creed Shadows will see a higher peak during the upcoming weekend, especially in the late afternoon and evening hours in North America and Europe.
Given that Shadows currently holds a good 80% positive review rating on Steam and averages a little over 8 out of 10 from critics reviews, the game is already recognized as a strong entry in the series. Assassin's Creed Shadows seems ready to set new records for the franchise, but we'll have to see if it can hold a steady player base throughout the years the way Odyssey has been doing.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:40 PM
After completing a level in R.E.P.O., you'll access a Service Station full of player upgrades, weapons, and utility items to help you on future maps. Beyond this, a small Secret Shop houses extra items you otherwise wouldn't find in the main store.
However, this location is difficult to find if you're not actively looking for it. There's even a chance you've walked by it dozens of times, unaware of its existence. Here's how to find the Secret Shop in R.E.P.O.
Table of contents
R.E.P.O. Secret Shop location
R.E.P.O.'s Secret Shop is accessible by flipping over a ceiling tile in the Service Station. As you walk out of your ship, look up and count three squares forward before grabbing the ceiling and jumping. If you pick the right spot, the tile will flip over, revealing an attic-like entrance. You can also use grenades to open it.
However, doing this is only half the battle. Your next goal is to jump up to the Secret Shop's space. It's too high up to access by jumping normally. Fortunately, you can use the following strategies to reach it:
Once you reach the Secret Shop's entrance, you can check out its wares and decorative items. If you jump out and want to revisit it, you'll have to repeat one of the tricks above to access it again.
What can you buy in R.E.P.O.'s Secret Shop?
The Secret Shop is the only location in R.E.P.O. that lets you buy Duct Taped and Human Grenades. Both cost $2,000, making them inexpensive compared to most items. They also have pros and cons that warrant their price, but they're generally handy if you're low on cash and need extra support.
The Human Grenade is a weaker version of regular grenades that, after activating, will explode after a couple of seconds. While using the Human Grenade on smaller monsters like the Apex Predator will still kill them in one go, larger enemies will only take a bit of damage. Overall, you're better off saving up for stronger weapons like the Tranq Gun or strength upgrades unless you want something cheap and somewhat effective.
The Duct Taped Grenades work a little differently. Rather than detonating in one spot, it'll launch multiple smaller grenades in random spots nearby. If you're not careful, it can even land at your feet, inflicting more damage to your character than your enemies. While this can be problematic in some cases, it's helpful if you're in a room with multiple enemies but can't get them grouped into one spot.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:29 PM
Everyone wants to ride the GTA 6 hype train, and it looks like Domino's Pizza is next in line.
John Cena recently made a post about the game, causing many fans to speculate he was hinting at a role, though he was simply joining the meme trend like everyone else eagerly awaiting the game's release.
Now, Domino's Pizza has jumped on board, using GTA 6 references in their own marketing, causing some players to read too much into the post, given the full context.
Domino's Pizza tells Rockstar to deliver GTA 6 on time
On Domino's Pizza Canada's Facebook page, a post about the release of their newest product directly references Rockstar Games, joking that now that Domino's has delivered, it's Rockstar's turn to deliver GTA 6 "on time."
While this kind of cross-brand social media interaction is common among major brands looking to boost reach and interaction, some fans took it as a sign that GTA 6's official marketing campaign has begun.
"Gta VI marketing is starting," a player wrote on GTA 6's subreddit. "Let the marketing campaign begin," another one added. A third one joked, "My antenna is officially up!"
This is technically possible but unlikely. Two hours after the post, there were no similar references on Domino's other regional social media pages or on Twitter. It appears to be a local effort, probably by a regional social media manager at Domino's, simply aiming to grab some extra attention—which it successfully did.
But GTA 6 marketing should start soon... right?
However, excited fans aren't entirely mistaken. GTA 6 is expected to release in Fall 2025, between late September and late December. This means Rockstar's official marketing campaign could realistically start soon.
Rockstar might consider cross-brand collaborations, similar to the Domino's Pizza mention, or might begin releasing GTA 6 pre-order editions, creating anticipation among players and retailers.
While Domino Canada's post probably isn't the kickoff to GTA 6's marketing campaign—since it would be unusually quiet and reserved for Rockstar—it might indicate they're starting to test the waters, signaling that more official marketing could begin soon. Or, at least, this is not just a fake GTA 6 ad or an entirely fake guidebook.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:24 PM
The Birthday Finale Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete the upgrade to improve a lower-rated item from your squad.
While the boosts are not top tier by any chance, it's a free evolution. There's not much room for complaints, and let's take a look at the best players to upgrade, along with the requirements.
EA FC 25 FUT Birthday Finale Evolution Requirements
Here are the requirements for Birthday Finale Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Birthday Finale Evolution Upgrades
Here are the upgrades offered by the evolution, along with the required tasks.
Level 1 upgrades
Level 2 upgrades
Level 3 upgrades
Level 1 upgrade requirements
Level 2 upgrade requirements
Level 3 upgrade requirements
EA FC 25 Birthday Finale Evolution
There are over 60,000 items that you can use in the evolution, and here are my top choices.
As I said, the boosts offered aren't substantial, but it's an useful one to improve a lower-rated cards. You can also use on a Silver item to make it eligible for a potential evolution chain in the future.
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Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 2:19 PM
Every new game in the hero shooter genre aims to become the next Valorant or Overwatch 2 killer. Unfortunately for FragPunk, that doesn't seem likely right now.
Overwatch 2 has kept stable on Steam with constant updates, new heroes, and regular new content pubished. Valorant's player base also remains strong and keeps it especially relevant in the esports scene.
Amid this strong competition, FragPunk, which had a successful launch in early March and peaked impressively at over 110,000 concurrent players on Steam, is already struggling to maintain its player base.
FragPunk has already lost almost 60% of its players
FragPunk, a 5v5 hero shooter released on March 6, has experienced a significant drop in active players, peaking at just over 48,000 concurrent players by March 20—a decline of almost 60% compared to its March 9 peak, according to SteamDB.
Despite similarities to Valorant and Overwatch 2, Fragpunk has had trouble keeping players engaged. Many gamers have returned to the titles they played previously or simply dropped the game, raising questions about how many players will remain dedicated to Fragpunk long-term.
The game's popularity has decreased steadily on Steam's Top Selling list as well, where it now ranks 55th as of March 20, a drop of 46 positions. For free-to-play games like Fragpunk, this ranking reflects spending on in-game microtransactions and add-ons.
FragPunk's declining player base is not problematic—yet
While such a decline is not unexpected for multiplayer games—especially those competing against established giants—this consistent downward trend could be a concern for the developers, though not necessarily a major issue for the player base yet.
With a peak of 40,000 players, it should still be easy for players to find Fragpunk matches and enjoy online play. But it's unclear where the decline will plateau. Other multiplayer games, like The Finals, which peaked at 242,000 concurrent players, settled around 15,000 to 20,000 concurrent player peaks, with bigger spikes following major updates. Fragpunk might follow a similar cycle, regaining players as new seasons and updates are released.
The current decline doesn't mean Fragpunk is dying, and many games experience sharper drops, but it's also not entirely secure. If the downward trend continues steadily, the player base could shrink significantly in the coming weeks or months. Fragpunk isn't finished yet, but clearly, something about the game hasn't been able to hold players' attention once the novelty wore off.
The post Two weeks after launch, FragPunk's player base decline sends a clear warning appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, March 20, 2025 1:52 PM
Not only does Assassin's Creed Shadows challenge you with combat, but it also tests your mind with tricky questions. One such moment arises when a noble asks you about the origins of a mysterious seashell. To solve this riddle, here's which province the seashell hails from in AC: Shadows.
What is the correct answer to the noble's riddle in AC: Shadows?
In the Iga region, you may encounter a noblewoman (her appearance may look different each playthrough) near the Mibuno Vale's Gear Vendor. However, keep in mind that her location can change due to the randomness of these NPC events. You may also need to switch to Naoe to get her to spawn. The woman will shout out that she wants to show something to you, and you must accept the 'Look' prompt to uncover a tiny seashell. The noble will then ask, "Which province is it from?" Choose 'I believe it's from Wakasa' to get the correct answer.
If you choose the other answer with Kyoto, the woman will explain how this area is a city, not a province. The second option relating to Omi produces more or less the same result, as there are no beaches in this area. When selecting the final answer with Wakasa, the noble will be delighted and compliment your cleverness. She'll reward you with a World Rumor and mark a waypoint on the map, similar to the Scout system.
For me, the World Rumor triggered a waypoint in Hijiyama, where an enigmatic ronin fights to defend a village. This may differ for you, but no matter what, it should bring up a quest for you in Iga.
Although the Omi answer produces a negative result, it could potentially include another event later. After I selected this option, Naoe told the woman, "See you in Tsuruga," as if they were meeting up later. The other two options don't have this dialogue scene, so I'd be curious if you can find her in Wakasa afterward. Fortunately, Wakasa isn't too far from Iga, and you can try to see if another questionnaire pops up with her there. If you need more help on Assassin's Creed Shadows random events, check out our riddle answer for 'What sucks in from the bottom and lets out from the mouth?'
The post AC Shadows Riddle answer: Which province does the seashell come from? appeared first on Destructoid. |
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