Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:50 AM  I don't have any room to judge all the times Naughty Dog has found some way to repackage The Last of Us and its sequel because I keep buying every new box set the studio releases. However, the newest way the company has found to print money without making a new game isn't a bad live-action adaptation, a questionable… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:40 AM  Anduril Industries cofounder Palmer Luckey has pulled back the curtain ever so slightly on his retro gaming company side project's next console. We still don't know what the M64 looks like, or what exactly it's capable of, but a brief new teaser shows it running Mario Kart 64 on a CRT for the "early bird" price of… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:25 AM  Finally, after what feels like a lot of teasing, talking, and leaking, EA and Battlefield Studios released the first official trailer for Battlefield 6. This new trailer is focused on the upcoming military shooter's single-player campaign and looks a lot like the grounded action seen in Battlefield 3. But hey, that's… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:15 AM  VTubers, short for "Virtual YouTubers," are here to stay. Most newcomers are introduced to the field through popular streamers like ex-VShojo talent Ironmouse, who recently featured on bbno$'s 1-800. But the Twitch star is part of a far bigger industry that spans various countries, cultures, and languages. According… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:05 AM  2023's Five Nights at Freddy's ended up being a big blockbuster hit for horror makers Blumhouse, so it wasn't a surprise that the company fast-tracked a sequel. And now we have our first official trailer for Five Nights at Freddy's 2, which features more lore from the original horror games and even more deadly… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:45 AM  Street Fighter 6 is holding an art competition for fans, with the winners' work set to be featured in the fighting game itself as New Challenger screens. These are art pieces that show up during online matches when you are challenged by another player, and feature some sick art of their chosen fighter. It's a pretty… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:30 AM  There's more than a few echoes of Stellar Blade in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, which invests as much into its main character's wardrobe as the rest of the action-RPG experience. Bai Wuchang is a female pirate who can dodge, parry, and punish all manner of demonic foes from the underworld whether she's wearing ancient… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 8:45 AM  The Fantastic Four: First Steps is obsessed with time. From the opening moments, which drops the audience in media res, brilliant scientist Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) is scouring the cabinets of his 1960s-retro-future-inspired bathroom for iodine. The man known as Mister Fantastic calls out to his wife, Sue Storm… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 8:00 AM  The Switch 2 is in that awkward early phase where most of its best games are old. Nintendo has put out a couple of big exclusives, sure, but by and large, the draw of the system largely lies in the ability to play games on the go that used to demand you be tethered to a TV. So if you're thinking of buying the thing in… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:00 AM  Nintendo appears to be having a great time of late, recreating its classic TV ads for new products. A few months back, Paul Rudd reprised his pre-fame role in a classic SNES commercial in a new one for the Switch 2, and now we have a modern reimagining of a 1989 Game Boy ad for the fantastic-looking Lego Game Boy that… |
Kotaku Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:30 AM  Following on from Steam's delisting of hundreds of extreme adult games, indie gaming site Itch.io has made the even more extreme move of (in some cases temporarily) removing all NSFW games from its store pages and search results. The action, made in response to pressure group Collective Shout, has led to even this… |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:46 AM What are the new Prospecting codes? Whether you need a new pan with a finer filter or a simple luck boost, these Roblox Prospecting game codes should be able to help. This experience borrows from the simple gameplay loop of Fisch, Dig, and other foraging simulators, simply tasking you to find the diamond in the rough and the gold from the garbage. Want to see where the idea likely stemmed from? Check out the latest Dig codes, the best Dig shovels, and the Dig Charms tier list to get off to a flying start in unearthing treasures. Prefer a little less manual labor? Pair the latest Fisch codes with the Fisch rods tier list to make it through the content from that game's prime time in the spotlight. Continue reading Prospecting codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:48 AM What is the Battlefield 6 release date? When Battlefield is firing on all cylinders, it's a thing to behold: tactical, dynamic, and immersive, there isn't much else like it out there. Some games have tried to emulate the feel of Battlefield, admittedly with mixed results, so a brand new, numbered entry in one of the best FPS series is something to get excited about. The last Battlefield game that graced our screens was 2042, and it left a bitter taste for some, having eschewed some of the core principles that made the multiplayer game great. Battlefield 6 looks to learn from those mistakes, hopefully capturing some of that early magic, gathering old players and, with any luck, a new audience in the process. Continue reading Battlefield 6 release date estimate, trailers, and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best multiplayer games, Best war games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:28 AM Tower defense games are a mainstay of PC gaming, testing your ability to strategize on your feet. Plenty of examples have stood the test of time, from Sanctum 2 to Orcs Must Die, but if there's one more recent release that stands out, it's Legion TD 2. And there's no better time to give it a shot, as it's currently free on the Epic Games Store for the next week. |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:09 AM There are plenty of hit 4X games that successfully scratch that strategy itch, from the galaxy-spanning Stellaris to the more historical setting of Civilization 7. But there's one title in particular that has consistently stood out against Civilization over the years: Old World. And if you haven't had a chance to dive into this strategy rich title, then there's no better time as a new update has just dropped. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Upcoming PC Games, Best strategy games, Best 4X games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:05 AM What are the free games on the Epic Games Store this week? Each week in 2025, Epic is giving away free games for you to own forever. These games are separate to the free-to-play games available on the store, and you only have one week to claim them. Epic has given away over $10,000 worth of games since 2018, and it doesn't look like they're going to stop any time soon. It's worth checking in each week to see which games are on offer. Occasionally, you can even redeem in-game goodies and exclusive items for your favorite free PC games. Let's take a look at the free Epic games right now, and what to expect from upcoming games on the Epic Games Store. Continue reading Free Epic games this week July 2025 |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:29 AM A new rumor suggests that a next-gen Intel CPU with technology to rival AMD's gaming processors is on the way. The details about future Nova Lake gaming CPUs, while very much unconfirmed so far, suggest that the company is ready to finally challenge the dominance of AMD's 3D V-cache technology. That includes a 24-core CPU with a bigger L3 cache, potentially allowing for truly competitive gaming performance against AMD's best for the first time in several years. The best that Intel has to offer simply hasn't been good enough in recent years when it comes to gaming, so this would be a very welcome change if it's true. The performance tests in our Intel Core Ultra 7 265K review were unimpressive at launch, with our best gaming CPU guide led instead by AMD options with 3D V-cache, such as the AMD Ryzen 9800X3D. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:13 AM The FF14 7.3 release date is official, and it's coming in the first week of August. Game director Naoki Yoshida and community producer Toshio Murouchi are back again to show off the climactic patch for Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail. With the current expansion story set to reach its conclusion, there's a lot to look through, including the returning FF11 alliance raid and a new deep dungeon. In today's FF14 Live Letter 88, the pair walk us through an in-game look at everything coming in patch 7.3, including a newfound emphasis on creating something for everyone. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMOs, FF14 Dawntrail review, FF14 Island Sanctuary guide |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:03 AM Killing Floor 3 has burst onto Steam today after suffering a tricky few months and the ire of disappointed playtesters, but Tripwire Interactive is already looking ahead at what's to come post-launch in its substantial content roadmap. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Killing Floor 3 system requirements, Best horror games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:51 AM What's the best Warzone VPN? Call of Duty: Warzone continues to improve with each passing season, and if you're keen to maintain a competitive edge without getting matched up against someone much more skilled than you, you'll need a Warzone VPN. Think of it this way - with loads of other players out there already using one, you're at a disadvantage if you don't. You can cultivate the best Warzone loadout and know how to use the best Warzone guns, but if the other player is using a VPN to avoid throttling from their internet service provider (ISP) and to get matched up with players below their skill level, they're going to be the ones climbing the leaderboards. By using one of the best game VPNs, you can help level the playing field and have a much better experience in the game. Continue reading Best Warzone VPN for 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Warzone loadouts, Best Warzone AR, Best Warzone guns |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:40 AM July 24, 2025: We checked for new codes and removed expired Dreamlight Valley codes from our list. What are the latest Disney Dreamlight Valley codes? We've done some digging to make sure we've got the latest codes available from Gameloft. To celebrate the release of Dreamlight Valley multiplayer, there are two new codes below. The Dreamlight Valley golden potato code was the first to come to the Disney game, and gives you just that, a golden potato. It doesn't even do anything yet, but the exciting news is that it appears to be part of a future Dreamlight Valley quest. The code might no longer be available, but if you still don't have a golden potato, you can pick one up in Scrooge's shop, and notes hidden around the valley suggest that the potato might be put to use any day now. Other codes have since been released with various celebrations and events, and all current Dreamlight Valley codes can be found below. Continue reading All Disney Dreamlight Valley codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dreamlight Valley recpie list, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:38 AM July 24, 2025: We've checked for the latest Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls. How can I get free Monopoly Go dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:37 AM You can grab yourself some incredible Steam Deck Verified games and save big at Fanatical right now. A new On The Go bundle is live now, offering a tiered discount that gets better as you buy more games, with bundles starting from as little as $7 per game. We have the Steam Deck situated at the top of our best gaming handheld guide, and still love Valve's portable despite its aging hardware. If you're short on games to play on your handheld, or you're just looking for something new, this Fanatical On The Go bundle offers a great way to build up your game library. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 AM When sliding down the bone-ridged hills of its Unreal Engine 5-powered underworld, Anshar Studios' undeniably gorgeous Painkiller reboot feels like a genuine continuation of the cult-classic boomer shooter series. In these fleeting moments, slick movement and bass-pounding gunplay combine to a fervor of FPS greatness, but it's all ripped away as soon as the core co-op objectives pummel you back down to earth. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best co-op games, Best old games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:02 AM Don't sit on this awesome Razer gaming mouse deal if you're looking for an upgrade. The Razer Viper V2 Pro is on sale right now for just $83.99, giving you a huge 44% discount on the list price that saves you $66. This particular mouse scored big when we tested it in our Razer Viper V2 Pro review, winning praise for its ultralight shell and "class-leading" performance, which was enough to find it a place in our best gaming mouse guide for a time. It might have been superseded since by the Viper V3 Pro, but that doesn't mean this Razer model doesn't still impress, especially with this discount. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Razer Blade 16 2025 review, Razer DeathAdder V3 review , Best gaming mouse |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:39 AM July 24, 2025 We checked the status of the Dune Awakening servers. Is Dune Awakening down? While we still love single-player games, there's also something to be said for the chaotic joy to be had in multiplayer experiences, especially massively multiplayer ones. One of the few downsides to playing with friends and strangers around the world is the instability of online servers. As a survival MMO, Dune Awakening could fall victim to severe server downtime, so if you're struggling to get into Arrakis, that could be why. Here, we've got the latest on maintenance in the crafting game, and the current Dune Awakening server status. Continue reading Is Dune Awakening down? Server status right now MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best MMOs, Dune Awakening release date |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:34 AM July 24, 2025: We checked for new HSR codes. What are the new Honkai Star Rail codes? If you're just starting your adventure through developer HoYoverse's gacha RPG, you might be wondering if there are any freebies to give you a boost. Thankfully, HoYoverse has delivered, and we've got the complete list of working promo codes for you to redeem. HSR codes are released periodically and often appear in livestreams and social channels ahead of major updates. These codes can net you some high-value currency, including Honkai Star Rail Stellar Jade, which you can use to pull the best characters from Honkai Star Rail banners. To save you time, we've collected all the latest promo codes in Honkai Star Rail, so be sure to check back regularly before they expire. Continue reading HSR codes July 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:27 AM 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 2.5 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 2.5 banners MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Wuthering Waves codes, Free PC games, Best anime games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:04 AM Borderlands 4 is set to burst onto the scene shortly, which means there's limited time to decide which character I'll be choosing to crash into Kairos with first. Thankfully, Gearbox is here to make my life easier by releasing gameplay deep dives on each of its playable characters - and the latest to get a full reveal is intriguingly agile vault hunter Rafa. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Borderlands 4 legendary weapons, Borderlands 4 characters, Borderlands 4 system requirements |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:06 AM July 24, 2025: We checked for new Warframe codes. What are the new Warframe codes? If you're on the hunt for free glyphs and cosmetics, you're in luck - we've got a complete list of available codes 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. Content creators periodically reveal new Warframe codes, and we've listed every live code and how to redeem them below. Temporary promo codes for boosters, cosmetics, and items also occasionally pop up around big updates or special events and rewards from Warframe Twitch drops. No matter the occasion, check back regularly to redeem the latest Warframe codes. Continue reading Warframe codes July 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Warframe on Steam Deck, Warframe builds, Warframe codes |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:56 AM When is the Hades 2 release date? The mythological roguelike game was revealed during The Game Awards 2022. Despite receiving critical praise for their previous titles, Hades 2 is the first sequel Supergiant Games has ever made. Hades 2 sees players taking control of Melinoë, a daughter of Hades and sister to the original game's protagonist, Zagreus. Her goal is to defeat the titan Chronos, who attempts to escape imprisonment in the Underworld to seek revenge against the gods of Olympus who trapped him there. The roguelike game is already out in early access, but here's what we know about the full release. Continue reading Hades 2 guides and release date estimate MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Hades 2 boons, Hades 2 Gods |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:45 AM When was Supervive released? Billed as a top-down hero shooter, Supervive plays like a MOBA with the ruleset of a battle royale. You fight for supremacy in an ever-shrinking arena, visiting shops to increase your power, and inevitably, buy your teammates back from their time in the afterlife. There have been a handful of Supervive playtests, where players have had a chance to get to grips with the novel battle royale game, and taken the Supervive characters out for a spin. The MOBA game might still be a little ways away, but we have the Supervive release date window and all of the trailers released so far. Continue reading Supervive release date, trailers, and more MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MOBAs, Best battle royale games, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:34 AM Finding the best Wuchang Fallen Feathers settings on PC is no easy task, due to some initial performance issues rearing their ugly heads. The game is also a non-starter on the Steam Deck, but we're hoping future updates could change this situation. Check out our Wuchang Fallen Feathers review to see what we think of this latest soulslike game, and be sure to check out the Wuchang Fallen Feathers system requirements to make sure your gaming PC can handle it before you commit to a purchase. While you won't need the best GPU from our buying guide to run it, the specs in the system requirements are also deceptively low, thanks to the inclusion of Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR. Continue reading Best Wuchang Fallen Feathers settings for PC and Steam Deck MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:49 AM The Wuchang Fallen Feathers system requirements just received a major update, and at face value, it looks great for those playing on older PC gaming hardware. However, when you look beneath the surface, there's a quite alarming discovery that suggests this change isn't for the better. Now that Wuchang Fallen Feathers is out, our fears have been confirmed, as PC performance has quickly become a hot topic on Steam. Alongside this update, we now know the total file size, and we still recommend grabbing one of the best SSDs that your gaming PC can take from our buying guide, even though the SSD requirement has been dropped to a recommendation. Wuchang Fallen Feathers is shaping up to be another strong contender for the best soulslike crown, but you're going to need our guide to the best Wuchang Fallen Feathers settings, given that the game is suffering from some teething issues during launch. Continue reading Wuchang Fallen Feathers system requirements MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:33 AM July 24, 2025: We added the latest Genshin Impact codes and verified our list of active codes. What are the new Genshin Impact codes? Gathering Primogems and Mora in Genshin Impact can be quite the grind. Fortunately, developer Hoyoverse occasionally sends out gifts in the form of Genshin redeem codes. Most codes only work for a limited time, so it's best to redeem them as soon as possible to avoid missing out. Genshin Impact codes are released periodically, frequently appearing in Hoyoverse special programs: regular video updates detailing future updates to the free PC game. Redeem codes can also drop to celebrate milestones or to coincide with new Genshin Impact events. You can find all the active Genshin codes below, including what they have to offer, how to redeem them, and where you can look for more. Continue reading Genshin Impact codes July 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide |
PCGamesN Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:28 AM 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 - July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:56 AM  I promise this isn't a "gAmErS aRe MaD" story – there's actual testing and advice and stuff here, honest – but it must begin that way, as I wouldn't have guessed that birdlike soulslike Wuchang: Fallen Feathers would launch with PC performance issues without a cacophony of (currently 'Mostly Negative') Steam reviews saying so. Not after those easygoing system requirements, surely? Surely yes, it turns out, though maybe not to the extent that a page of 7,000 thumbs-down symbols might suggest. It's not good. It runs slowly on max settings. There's stuttering. DLSS 4 frame generation is either broken, or implemented in a uniquely vexing way. But you can smooth things out considerably with a few choice settings adjustments, including on lower-end graphics cards. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:29 AM  If you're partial to a bit of sticking a thing on top of another thing, then having little people live in those things while you lord over them as an omnipotent and potentially wrathful god that's busy listening to yoga class music, pay attention. Pile Up!, which is about strategically building cities on little islands, has just emerged from early access and gotten a bunch of new additions. One of these fresh things comes with an insistence from Turkish developers Remoob that you "try fearmongering". Bold of them to assume I'm not already covertly steering the world around me towards a state of rabid paranoia. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:01 AM  You don't use the mouse in S.p.l.i.t, but you won't miss it. Games are sometimes described as 'clunky', but what's more satisfying than good clunk? Each key clank here hits like a heart thud. Axel and two associates are scrambling for root access to launch a malware attack on "the facility" - as in "death is the least of my worries. Being dragged into the facility is what scares me". S.p.l.i.t is about an hour long and describes its own dingy skeuomorphism as a "diegetic & immersive UI" and it is that, except when it's alienating; esoteric; repellent. The game starts and I enter the group chat as Axel. A flashing line prompts me to speak but it doesn't matter what keys I press, Axel types what he wants. Inhabit. Dissociate. It feels like having an out of body experience with a body that doesn't belong to me in the first place. There is an unnervingly subtle lag to it all. Axel feels exactly one key slower than me. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 8:45 AM  The last patch is never the last patch. CD Projekt have been teaching us that lesson for about a year with Cyberpunk 2077, and now Hades 2 is the latest game to have its devs go 'no, wait, one more'. To be fair to Supergiant, they did specify that the roguelike's previous update would "likely" be the last one before full release. It wasn't. An eleventh early access patch has hit the underworld, but the devs swear it'll be the last one for realsies this time. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 7:42 AM  Say what you like about Valve, they make the trains run on time. Eventually. Half-Life 2 got a small surprise update yesterday which changed the speed of a train in the 2004 shooter's driving sequence (the level called "Highway 17"). This change will let you once again beat said train in a game of chicken that it has been winning against most players for nearly two decades. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:37 AM  Ahead of Battlefield 6's reveal trailer later today, July 24th, the camo-clad shooter's release date appears to have been shot out into the universe by a leaker. This isn't the first time EA's latest instalment of putting bullets in faces while someone shouts orders in your ear has been subject to some leaks. This time it's Dealabs' Billbil-kun, who'se got a strong track record when it comes to pulling back the covers on details about games and hardware prior to official reveals. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:54 AM  The exact difference between a cool, fun sci-fi reference and a tiresome, please get out of my house and into the sea sci-fi reference will remain a mystery to me, but I haven't seen anyone try and do Milliways from Hitchhiker's Guide as a management sim yet, so sure, I'll bite. Things do start off firmly in Mos Eisley territory though. You recycle industrial trash heaps to clear space for dining rooms, where the shanky lookin' clientele sit on rusted barrels and order a soup made from canonically repulsive beans. The advisor informs me the beans taste so awful that they used to be illegal. This implies the existence of some sort of rough-edged intergalactic bean squad. See if you can spot them in the trailer below. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:25 AM  Thousands of creators today found their Itch.io projects missing from the online storefront - effectively delisted to anyone searching or browsing the site. Others still are reporting actual takedowns "with no notice", halted payouts, and those who have previously purchased their games being unable to download them. Going by one image posted on the Itch Discord and shared on Bluesky by game developer Daffodil, filtering by the site's 'NSFW' category previously showed 28,114 results. It now shows 7,008. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:08 AM  Right, here we go, this is gonna have to be be quicker than the tempo of your average Motorhead thrashathon. Brütal Legend, the heavy metal action-adventure Double Fine put out on console back in 2009 (before coming to their senses and doing a PC port in 2013), is free to grab as I write this, but won't be for much longer. Following the death of Black Sabbath frontman and general face of the metal Ozzy Osbourne earlier this week, the studio have decided to give out the game in which he talks to a roadie voiced by Jack Black for zilch. However, it's a deal that kicked off in the dead of the night UK time, and isn't set to run for much longer. |
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Siliconera Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:00 AM
A Nendoroid of Phainon from Honkai: Star Rail will come out in China in May 2026. Like previous Nendoroids and figures for the game, it'll be available in other territories at a later date. [Thanks, Star Rail Goods!]
As with other Nendoroids, the Honkai: Star Rail Phainon Nendoroid will come with three face plates. He'll have a serious face, a smiling face, and a more neutral smiling face. He'll also come with three accessories: his phone, his wings, and his sword. The Nendoroid will also come with a badge that depicts Phainon in more casual wear. However, the picture is blurred, so it's difficult to make out further details.
Phainon in Honkai: Star Rail is a 5-star Physical Destruction character who, until July 23, 2025, was available in the game's gacha. He is one of the Chrysos Heirs of Amphoreus, as well as a key character in the Amphoreus story quests. While key details about Phainon's character and Amphoreus only came out in the most recent 3.4 patch, the Nendoroid itself does not have any details that could significantly spoil a player who isn't caught up.
Previously, miHoYo released Nendoroids (and other merchandise) of Honkai: Star Rail characters in its home country of China first. Then, they would appear in storefronts like AmiAmi or Good Smile Company, which can deliver to other countries. This happened with the Dan Heng Nendoroid, as well as the Aventurine box set.
Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. More details on when the Phainon Nendoroid will come out outside of China will appear later on.
The post Honkai: Star Rail Phainon Nendoroid Comes With Wings appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:00 AM
The Final Fantasy XIV Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXXVIII aired on July 24, 2025, and FFXIV Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida and Global Community Producer Toshio "Foxclon" Murouchi went over the release date for patch 7.3 and things we'll see in it. The update debuts on August 5, 2025, which falls in line with the promised launch from LXXXVII.
We already knew about some additions, thanks to the previous stream and special site. This showcase served as a means of getting a better look at things and firsthand looks at some additions. There will be new main scenario quests (MSQ). If you finish them, you'll gain access to a new trial and the Meso Terminal Expert dungeon. The treasure dungeon Vault Oneiron will appear too, and Cutter's Cry will be updated to add Duty Support. The former is the one that ended up showed off on-stream. Another unnamed Deep Dungeon will show up, but that won't appear until 7.35 with the Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures quests and Yok Huy Allied Society Quests. Echoes of Vana'diel: San d'Oria the Second Walk will continue the FFXI crossover. That involves a new Alliance Raid, and the stream involved a closer look at that encounter. There will be new glamour looks added too.
There's also a trailer for FFXIV patch 7.3 already live, and you can see some of the MSQ, fights, and additions ahead of its launch.
You can watch the full FFXIV Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXXVIII stream below:
Some of the changes already ended up discussed in the previous stream, such as the new hat and headgear options for Hrothgar and Viera. We also know European automatic housing demolition will restart with the next patch.
Final Fantasy XIV and the FFXIV Dawntrail expansion are available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the 7.3 patch arrives on August 5, 2025. The official site for the update is also live.
The post 7.3 FFXIV Patch Release Date Set appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 AM
It's the year of the Princess Maker game, baby! We've got Umamusume: Pretty Derby tearing up the Steam, Google Play, and App Store charts and consuming people's free time. A new actual entry called Princess Maker: Children of Revelation entered early access. One game like Princess Maker that might have slipped under your radar is Mortally Moonstruck Games' Mushroom Musume, a simulation about raising a daughter who is also a fungi. You shouldn't let that happen though, as it's also a pleasant, quick roleplaying experience.
Now, while stats do matter in Mushroom Musume, this does have more of a choose your own adventure like vibe mixed in with Princess Maker game concepts. Each run begins with players being a recluse who lives in alone in a forest. A witch comes along and offers a chance at a family by giving you a daughter. After fulfilling her tasks, which determine the starting situation, you start living with your "child" and making decisions. Once some time passes, you then step into the shoes of the daughter and go through some of her life experiences.
In practice, Mushroom Musume feels like a visual novel with some RPG elements. Decisions will come up, which will involve selecting a card or "rolling a die" to determine the direction or success of certain actions. From my experience, the parental choices at the outset tend to influence starting stats, with choices made by the child doing more for the Shroomy Qualities and results at the end.
There's also a roguelike element to things. Your first Mushroom Musume playthrough will always be the most stark. Your actions and results earns Spores to get upgrades that can influence additional routes. This, in turn, can make it possible to raise new types of daughters, see new events, or find success when pursuing different branches. All of this is also collected in a Mushroom Almanac, which allows you to keep track of what you have seen.
This does mean there's less control in Mushroom Musume than in a typical Princess Maker game, even though I'd lump both into the same stat-raising, character-management genre. In a game like Umamusume and Princess Maker, you can have a general idea of what will happen, what sorts of events will pop up, and how things may go based on your school decisions and responses. There's more randomness to Mushroom Musume, so you can't 100% plot out and guarantee similar sorts of experience each time.
Also, it's short! I got through my first run in about 30-40 minutes? Maybe it was even a bit less? (I was taking some screenshots and dawdling a bit.) Considering how much can happen and the variations, I honestly wish each run lasted a bit longer. In games like Princess Maker and Umamusume, you really get a chance to know and value your virtual daughters, and I didn't experience that same kind of connection due to Mushroom Musume's brevity even though I enjoyed each experience.
The one thing I do wish Mushroom Musume better explained is that the "color" direction early on affects the color palette for the rest of the game. Some of the decisions can make it a little difficult or uncomfortable to read. I wish there was more information at this point about that decision, so you could know what you're getting into before making a choice.
Mushroom Musume is a whimsical approach to the Princess Maker genre, while still being a game that could get dark or a little unsettling depending on the choices you make for your character. It goes quite quickly and it's really easy to make things work, eliminate some of the dangers or disheartening endings other stat-based raising titles can present. This makes uncovering different types of mushroom daughters and seeing new events easier. However, I do wish runs lasted a little longer considering how much potential there is for each child.
Mushroom Musume is available for PCs.
The post Review: Mushroom Musume Is a Quick Princess Maker-Like Game appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:58 AM
Phrolova has finally debuted in Wuthering Waves, bringing to players both the full might of Hecate and one of the game's most convoluted kits to date.
But if her in-game descriptions were not enough to get you to scratch your head, building around Hecate's ability to deal mainly Echo Skill DMG might. Here's the best Phrolova build in Wuthering Waves, as well as a few teams sure to awaken the Fractsidus Overseer's true might.
Table of contents
The best weapons for Phrolova in Wuthering Waves
To no one's surprise, the best weapon for Phrolova in Wuthering Waves is her signature 5-star Lethean Elegy. The rectifier will boost her Crit Rate by 24.3% and increase her ATK by 12% (R1). Most importantly, upon dealing Echo Skill DMG, the weapon allows Phrolova to ignore 8% of her target's Havoc Resistance for 12 seconds, all while getting a 32% boost in both Echo and Resonance Skill DMG (R1).
If you don't have her signature, Yinlin's Stringmaster continues its streak as the game's best jack of all trades by providing both 36% Crit Rate and a non-situational 12% All Attribute DMG increase. Cantarella's Whispers of Sirens is also a fair pick for Phrolova via its massive 72% CRIT DMG substat and ability to ignore Havoc Resistance.
Best 4-Star and F2P picks
Although her unique strengths make most of the game's F2P weapons poor choices, Cosmic Ripples' high ATK sees it take the spot as Phrolova's best option. In the 4-star front, the Pioneer Podcast-exclusive Augment is by far the best fit, mainly for its 20% Crit Rate increase. To recap and give you one more option, here are the best weapons for Phrolova in Wuthering Waves:
The best Sonata and Echoes for Phrolova
Given its 20% Crit Rate and 35% Echo Skill DMG Bonus effects, Dream of the Lost is the best Sonata for Phrolova in Wuthering Waves. Nightmare: Hecate then takes the spot of her non-debatable main echo via its 12% Havoc and 20% Echo Skill DMG boost passives. To close it off, pair the Sonata with a 2-piece Havoc Eclipse or Midnight Veil for another welcome 10% Havoc DMG increase.
Recommended stats and substats
Thanks to the Crit Rate provided by the above, we will be investing in a 4-3-3-1-1 formation featuring a CRIT DMG main echo and duos of Havoc DMG and ATK. For substats, focus on CRIT DMG and Rate until you reach at least the recommended 70/250% threshold.
The best Phrolova teams in Wuthering Waves
As shown in her trial, the best Phrolova team in Wuthering Waves features her, Roccia, and Cantarella, with the latter two working as sub-DPSs. When in the field, this team will revolve around triggering Phrolova's Liberation via her Basic Attack and Skill chains before switching to Roccia and Cantarella, the latter of which can both provide healing and allow our conductor to stack Aftershock at record time before taking the field again.
If you don't have Roccia, a fully upgraded Havoc Rover is our ideal backup, as even if unable to offer Outro buffs, their passives and solid on-field damage will more than make up for it. If you don't have Cantarella, just go for a regular healer instead.
The best F2P Phrolova team
The best F2P Phrolova team features her, the mentioned Havoc Rover, and Danji in what I like to call a Berserker composition. But why Berserker? Well, while Phrolova's off-field focus allows her to stay mostly safe, Rover and Danjin will have to rely on their self-healing to stay up. In other words, the more damage you deal, the more you heal.
To recap, here's an overview of the best premium and free-to-play Phrolova teams in Wuthering Waves:
Now that you know how to build Phrolova, we also highly recommend that you take a look at the game's most recent codes. After all, who can say no to free Astrite?
The post The best Phrolova build in Wuthering Waves – Best weapons, Echoes, and team compositions appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:29 AM
Battlefield 6 has finally been officially revealed with a flashy new, Hollywood-esque trailer. Featuring the United States President (fictional), all-out war, a lot of grime and grit, this is the best BF trailer we've had since Battlefield 1 dropped, and it's not even close.
Though only two minutes long, Battlefield 6's reveal trailer has a lot to show. A new, more serious tone and a look reminiscent of 2000s Hollywood war flicks dominate, while scenes of total urban annihilation give us a glimpse into what we can expect from its actual gameplay. The trailer indicates that Battlefield 6 will have a single-player campaign with war coming to the U.S. itself, as we can see clearly American cities and recognizable landmarks blown to smithereens.
And it also announced that multiplayer will be revealed on July 31, just a week ahead as of this article.
This heavily militarized and gritty Hollywood approach actually looks damn fine, like straight out of a Michael Bay movie. There is not an atom of the more lighthearted Battlefield V nor of the futuristic, over-the-top 2042, but mere guns, explosions, set pieces, and war. And, really, let's not pretend like Battlefield ever needed anything more.
Battlefield has been in a dicey (pun intended) position ever since 2042 came out. With changes to the game's core formula that simply did not land well with players, the game faded into obscurity, revived every now and again by EA's constant ultra low-price sales. This forced players to look even more into the past, playing decade-old Battlefield titles just to feel that same level of epic war again.
Now, if this trailer is anything to go by, we're going back straight into what made Bad Company 2 and thematically similar BF games popular—urban warfare on recognizable locations, planes, helicopters, tanks, deserts, and complete unfiltered chaos.
The post With grime, grit, war, and destruction, Battlefield 6's reveal trailer sure looks promising appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:04 AM
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, taking a good chunk out of the FromSoftware Souls book, introduces various mechanics tied to combat, particularly to dying.
Instead of reverting to a hollowed state, getting cursed, and losing half of your HP, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers features Madness. This mechanic, tied to the enemies you kill and your likely countless deaths, influences the game significantly, increasing (or decreasing) how much Red Mercury you lose, how much damage you take and deal, and whether the Inner Demon is going to spawn.
As a layered mechanic, it needs proper explaining, which is precisely what we're going to do in this Wuchang Madness guide.
What is Madness in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers?
Madness is a unique mechanic in Wuchang which adds a lot of complexity to the game's combat system. Much like in the OG Souls trilogy and Demon's Souls as well, killing and dying influences the world state and your character, and in the case of Wuchang, even spawns a formidable enemy.
Madness is increased each time you kill a non-feathered human enemy or every time you die. The exact amount of Madness you've accumulated can be checked at the Character screen.
But what does Madness do, exactly? A lot. Firstly, depending on how much you have, it impacts how much Red Mercury (the game's equivalent of souls) you'll lose. If you're under 50 percent Madness, you'll lose only a bit of your hard-earned Red Mercury; between 50 and 90 percent, you'll lose a lot of them; at over 90 percent, you'll lose all the Red Mercury you have.
Madness build-up can also be used to your advantage, depending on which nodes you've activated in the Impetus Repository. These effects kick in at 50 percent or more Madness.
When Madness is above 90 percent, you will start seeing Demonic Marks, granting you increased damage and Red Mercury gain, while making you take more damage from enemies. If Conversion is unlocked, you'll also have stronger Swift Draws that will heal you on-hit.
If Madness reaches its maximum level, and you die with it at 100 percent, an Inner Demon will spawn. This is a copy of your character and is quite the opponent. If you defeat them, you'll get all your Red Mercury back, but if you don't, they'll be lost forever.
How to cure Madness in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers?
If you simply don't wish to interact with such a complex mechanic, you can always ensure Madness is at a low level and cure it if it gets too high.
The first would be to target feathered enemies, like birds. Killing them reduces your overall Madness, while killing humans makes it go up. You can also pray at altars and offer gifts, particularly the Divine Gift and Divine Gift Shards, to cleanse your Madness build-up.
Certain items, like the Plumed Branch, Feathered Pearls, and Pills can increase Madness when used, so if you don't want it to go up, avoid using them if you can.
Lastly, you can also lose all your Madness by letting the Inner Demon kill you. Be sure to spend all your Red Mercury beforehand, though, as you'll lose them all otherwise.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:03 AM
We got the first glimpse at the cards coming to the Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and there are some interesting items, to say the least.
The full set of cards is expected to be available when the expansion goes live later. However, the maiden trailer gave us the first glance at the new expansion, its theme, and some of the cards that will be added to the game. Based on what we have seen so far, there are plenty of reasons to be excited.
Table of contents
Complete list of Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky set cards
The list of cards includes Commons and Rares that we will be able to find in packs. While I am expecting over 100 cards to be part of the official data log, here's a rundown of all the names that were shown to us as part of the opening trailer.
Once the full list of cards is available, they will be added to this guide. The headliners for the upcoming set are the mighty duo of Ho-Oh and Lugia. Both will have their respective EX cards and packs for the players to open. We also witnessed two other EX items for Espeon and Umbreon in the trailer.
Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky release date
The trailer also confirmed the release date for Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky. The new set goes live on Wednesday, July 30, on both Android and iOS. Once the set is live, we will have two themed packs to open inside the game.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 10:43 AM
Killing Floor 3 is now out on consoles and PC, and there's plenty of new content coming our way in the near future.
Developers Tripwire Interactive has already revealed the roadmap on day one, which lists some of the main additions later this year and in 2026. This not only includes more information about future seasons, but we have confirmation of new map and enemy types. Let's quickly take a look at all the important notes to take from the latest roadmap.
Table of contents
Killing Floor 3 Year 1 roadmap explained
The latest roadmap is possibly the first of many things to come. The content promised on it is scheduled to become available to us over the next four quarters. Some of the upcoming content will be permanent, while others will be far more seasonal.
Permanent Updates
Season 2
Season 2 is expected in the latter half of this year.
Season 3
Season 3 is expected in the first quarter of next year.
Season 4
Season 4 is scheduled to go live in the second quarter of next year.
If Tripwire follows the same pattern as they did with Killing Floor 2, there should be plenty of content apart from what is mentioned in this guide.
The post Killing Floor 3 Year 1 roadmap revealed – new Zeds, map, seasons, and more appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:54 AM
There's fresh content being added to Marvel Rivals quite frequently, but season and mid-season updates always deliver the most new additions. The next big update is season 3.5, and if you're eager to start playing, you need to know when it begins.
Blade's finally joining the roster with this update, and he's bringing plenty of exciting additions with him. To ensure you're ready to go as soon as possible, here's the exact time and date when season 3.5 of Marvel Rivals begins.
Table of contents
When is Marvel Rivals season 3.5?
Season 3.5 of Marvel Rivals starts on Aug. 8. This was officially confirmed by the season 3 roadmap. An official launch time isn't usually shared ahead of release, but Marvel Rivals has stuck to the same update schedule for every major update so far, so we can likely expect season 3.5 to begin at 3am CT.
We've set our countdown to precisely this time, so you can check back here to see how much longer you have to wait leading up to the launch. If a different time is shared or any delays occur, we'll update all key details here.
How long is Marvel Rivals season 3.5?
Season 3.5 will last exactly one month, as all seasons starting with season 3 now run for two months in total. Season 3 is the first in a new form for Marvel Rivals, as we're now guaranteed to get a new hero every month and have overall shorter seasons because of this. This also means season 4 will begin as soon as season 3.5 comes to an end sometime in September.
Marvel Rivals season 3.5 features
Season 3.5 is the halfway point for season 3, so it won't be quite as big as the first half, but it still promises plenty of fresh content to explore. Here's everything we know is coming in 3.5 so far.
While you wait for season 3.5 to arrive, there's plenty to get done in season 3. Achievements are a great place to start, so consider working on Echoes of the Abyss, Days of Future Past, Arrako Goes Analog, Mutant and Proud!, and Whispers in Pieces.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:43 AM
Pokémon TCG Pocket has revealed its next big expansion set, with the mobile TCG community getting cards based on Johto later this month. The set is called Wisdom of Sea and Sky.
The A4 set was officially revealed during today's and not during the Pokémon Presents stream like many trainers assumed it would be, in a brief trailer, showcasing some of the cards coming in the new set, alongside the usual array of new rare cards to find.
The reveal shouldn't be too surprising, as Pokémon TCG Pocket has been getting monthly set releases for some time now, with the occasional small set to fill in time between these larger, multiple pack expansions.
Like with usual sets, you'll be able to open two packs based around Lugia and Ho-Oh, with each pack having its own exclusive array of cards to find. The short trailer has already shown off a bunch of new stuff for the pack, including a Ho-oh and Lugia ex card, a bunch of new trainers, and some shiny new rares to find if you are so lucky.
In a strange twist, it looks like Ho-Oh and Lugia ex work together, with Ho-Oh ex's attack effect adding a Fire, Water, and Electric-type Energy to one of your backline, while Lugia ex uses those Energy types to use its attack, and then needs to discard them afterwards. Whether or not the deck will be a powerhouse or a gimmick remains to be seen.
Other new cards shown off seem to all revolve around adding cards or Energy to your bench, with a Shiny Gyarados card also teased to be coming. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the set still, though, so only time will tell if anything takes off in Ranked play.
Pokémon TCG Pocket's Wisdom of Sea and Sky set launches July 30 and will be live around 2 am CT for everyone to start opening packs at the same time. If the pack follows the same release formula as previous ones.
The post Pokémon TCG Pockets's new Ho-Oh and Lugia-themed set launches July 30 appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:29 AM
Reviews for Killing Floor 3 are slowly trickling in, and while our team over at Destructoid seemed to have a blast with it themselves, other websites paint a picture of a game that doesn't seem to do much differently.
It's a pretty mixed bag across the board with various scores from horrific to mid, as critics try to grasp at what makes the game tick. But let's round up what everyone is saying, and then you can make your own informed decision on whether you like it or not!
Let's begin with us at Destructoid, which gave the game a solid 8.5/10, despite having an uninspired loop and technical issues, we still found the gunplay and soundtrack enjoyable.
PC Gamer gave it a 74/100, showcasing how well it builds on its previous game despite not doing anything to help it stand out.
IGN also gave it a 7/10 score, praising it as a polished sequel, if nothing else.
GAMINGBIBLE gives it a 5/10, calling the game average at best with a lot of problems that need solving at launch.
Lastly, from EndlessMode, which gave it the lowest score of 48/100. The team laments the monotone look of the game and how it doesn't leave a lasting impression at all.
Killing Floor 3 is out now on Console and PC, so let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and if you agree with any or all critics from this mixed palette.
The post Round up – The Killing Floor 3 reviews are in but does it hold up? appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:12 AM
Killing Floor 3 features cross-platform support at launch, making it extremely easy for you to squad up with your friends and play together.
Tripwire's shooter lets you play alone or team up with random strangers online. While matchmaking is pretty straightforward and will enable you to enjoy co-op, you can form a squad with other players if you want. This can also include your buddies, and the platforms they're using don't matter.
This guide will help you matchmake with your friends, as the process can be slightly complicated depending on whether you are all on the same platform or not.
How to form a squad with friends in Killing Floor 3
Killing Floor 3 allows you to form a squad of up to six players. Hence, you and any five of your friends can play together to massacre zeds with extreme prejudice.
If you're like me and on PC, all your Steam friends should automatically show on your list if they own the game. You can also manually invite other players from the online play menu (as shown in the screenshot above). Press the Esc button to open the menu, and you'll get the option to invite other players (on the same platform).
To make matters easier, you can also send a friend request to players you've played with recently. This allows you to form a squad with another compatriot who might not be your friend, but you'd like to play with.
If you have friends on another platform, you'll need to share your cross-platform lobby code (alternatively, you can use their code). Doing so will allow you and your friends to get benefits from Killing Floor 3's cross-platform support and play in the same lobby.
That's pretty much all you have to do to play with your friends in the same lobby. Squadding up increases your chances of winning as you get to communicate with one another and coordinate your attacks.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:08 AM
Killing Floor 3 offers six Perks at launch for players to enjoy, but things seem very different when you're going alone.
In my first few hours, squad-based play seems like the optimum way to enjoy the game. While it's more fun and easier to win in the relative sense, your goals might be different than those of your squads. Moreover, there's a narrative campaign that you might like, and solo play is the best option for such cases.
However, not every Perk is going to feel nice when playing alone, and there are two clear choices.
Table of contents
Best single-player Perks in Killing Floor 3
At launch, we get to choose from six different options:
Every Perk has its respective strengths and weaknesses. The aim in solo play is to use a Perk that's well-rounded in terms of abilities and attributes. I strongly feel that the two following choices will be more suitable when you're all alone in Nightfall.
Commando
The Commando Perk has one of the best, well-rounded kits in the entire game. The Hallicon drone doesn't make you feel alone, and it's extremely powerful. While the drone comes with limited ammo, its shots can one-shot most Zeds. I was using it first in a random fashion, but it's best to activate it towards the end of a round when there are bosses to clear.
If you get cornered (highly possible when playing alone), your grenades allow you to open up space. Sure, you'll have to aim and be careful of your throw, but the grenades have come in handy in certain situations.
The Commando uses plenty of assault-based weapons that have recent range, great ammo capacity, and satisfactory damage. As you earn more credits, you can keep upgrading your arsenal to raise your chances of success. The Commando is one Perk that fits any of the three roles (damage, survival, and support) perfectly. This is the best choice if you're looking to dip your foot into solo play.
Engineer
The Engineer is a good alternative to consider if you don't want to choose Commando in solo play. One of this Perk's greatest strength are the twin turrets attached to your power pack. When active, they will shred enemies at a rapid rate and allow you to escape tight situations. The turrets can be further improved as you play more and gain proficiency points.
This Perk also offers plenty of ways to crowd control enemies with additional skills that you get to unlock later. This allows you to raise your chances of success, especially when you're playing alone. The Engineer isn't my favorite with that being Commando, but it's a really good alternative for any missions that involve solo play.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:07 AM
Killing Floor 3 sends you back to the Army Depot in the Containment Measures mission, just after you obtained a few samples from this area. Completing this mission can be a bit trickier than others, since you must interact with certain elements in two objectives.
Your last visit to the R&D Lab yielded some slightly creepy results after scanning the samples. While you can't undo the outbreak, you can do some damage control. Here's what you need to do for this mission in Killing Floor 3.
Containment Measures mission guide in Killing Floor 3
Containment Measures has two main objectives: burn tainted corpses and scan shipping containers. They're spread out over different areas in the close-quarters Army Depot, so knowing how to move through this zone is key.
Where to find tainted corpses in Containment Measures in Killing Floor 3
Here are the corpses we found during our run of Containment Measures. We located four tainted corpses taking the path in Absolute Massacre, which leads you through the train wreckage and deeper into the main building. Locations may vary depending on runs and spawn points, but you can get more than five of them in a run.
If the helicopter drops you off in the garage, you can find a tainted corpse just to your right and another one past the broken blast door that connects to the warehouse up ahead. Light up at least one of them, then take the ramp or the stairs into the train pit. Cross over and you have four tainted corpses in a somewhat straight line.
One is by the tunnel, near a blast door marked with a D, to the right of the regular spawn. Another is on your left, near a broken wall with an explosive barrel on it. Find one more in the train's wreckage and look for the last one by an armor box nearby.
Burning five corpses and surviving the way points you to the next main objective, which is further inside the warehouse and requires you to scan three different containers.
Where to scan shipping containers in the Main Building Interior
The next step requires you to scan three shipping containers, which are easier to find when you're not being chased by hordes of the clinically undead. The first two are close to each other, but the third takes a bit of backtracking.
Grab the first two as you're heading into the main building interior, then hunt the last one when you're free to go to the inspection room. You can climb the second-floor platform with a red light, emerge on top, and work your way down.
After finding all containers, clear the run and you'll advance to the next mission in Killing Floor 3, Shipment Tracking.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:05 AM
The Sharpshooter is Killing Floor 3's resident sniper, sporting a few heavy-hitting, high-caliber weapons.
With a more unconventional approach to Killing Floor 3's gameplay loop, what with all her weapons being slow as all hell, she needs a bit of work and effort to become truly useful. That's why we've crafted the following build, focusing on high damage output, good utility and control, as well as survivability, all of which will ensure your Sharpshooter gameplay goes smoothly and without a hitch.
The Best Sharpshooter Build in KF3
Sharpshooter heavily relies on long-range, slow-shooting rifles that have low ammo but pack a serious punch. Her relative lack of defenses forces her to take up a proper position, allowing her allies to tank the damage while she picks off enemies big and small. However, this won't always be the case, and sometimes she will be forced to fend for herself at close range, which is why our build focuses both on damage output and survivability.
Loadout
The loadout I've picked out is a hefty one and will cost you a little Dosh, but ensure Sharpshooter's at her maximum.
The first weapon, ESR 36, is one hefty beast. It can easily one-shot most enemies in the game, except the biggest and baddest. Even then, it doesn't take all too many shots to settle them down for good. It can also pierce through multiple enemies at once, an effect further enhanced by its Armor Piercing Rounds that we've chosen.
Samaritan is a late-game beast, capable of AOE wrecking and freezing several enemies, chunking even the tankiest of Zeds, and helping out a ton in boss fights. It has a good range but works exceptionally well closer up, making it a good defensive option in large lobbies where Zeds just start coming, and they don't stop coming.
For the sake of good AOE and some extra defenses (as well as a stronger punch on the occasion you get downed) we'll equip Disciple with Explosive Rounds and some stabilization attachments to ensure it's properly used when the time is right (hopefully never).
Skills
Like any other Perk, Sharpshooter has a bunch of passive skills that enhance her overall kit, throwable, and gadget. Here we can finally add some extra survivability to the mix, focusing on those skills that expand her damage output, give her additional healing, and make her gadget a true menace to the Zeds.
My recommended skills for Sharpshooter are as follows:
With this set of reliable passives, you should have zero issues with Sharpshooter, no matter the difficulty setting. Even so, you should still maintain a healthy distance between yourself and your targets for the sake of maximizing your output. Pairing Sharpshooter with someone like Ninja is a good idea, since he'll keep the Zeds occupied enough so you can paint the walls with their guts and not worry about a thing.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:04 AM
Zeds come in different shapes and sizes in Killing Floor 3, and understanding their weak points will help you to eliminate them quite easily.
Ordinary zeds are easy to eliminate, and a headshot should be enough in most cases. As you survive the initial waves, the difficulty cranks up. You'll come across monstrosities doing plenty of damage, and you'll have to target their specific weaknesses.
All Killing Floor 3 Zeds and their weaknesses
Before we deep dive further, know that targeting an undead's weakness isn't necessary. However, doing so will make your life easier by clearing the waves quicker.
We're expecting to get more zeds coming our way in future updates. They will be duly updated on the table above. Always remember to coordinate and communicate with your teammates, which will make it easier to eliminate all the undead hordes, and increase the amount of rewards you obtain.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:02 AM
Killing Floor 3 is all about the fast-paced, action-fueled, zed-slaying gameplay—but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a story while you're at it. The game boasts a number of missions that come together to make a short campaign mode.
Those familiar with the lore may recognize the name of the classic bioweapons manufacturer Horzine, who made the zeds you fight. Think of it as Killing Floor's Umbrella Corporation, and you're close enough.
The lore evolves throughout 10 short assignments, each asking you to interact with objects during your runs in the game's maps. Here's the full list of missions for Killing Floor 3.
Killing Floor 3 mission list
Each mission tasks you with a handful of objectives, giving a bit of extra purpose to each sortie. While a research lab seems like a staple choice for a map in a zombie game, you'll actually use its devices to uncover new zed technology in an attempt to stop the experiments made by a rogue group of Horzine scientists driven by fame, faith, or fear. We've written a simplified, spoiler-free version of the story below.
What's Killing Floor 3's story about?
The newest title follows the story from its predecessors, though with a considerable timeskip in between. Killing Floor 3 is set in 2091, after Cordelia Clamely—staunch anti-bioweapons activist and granddaughter to Horzine co-founder Kevin Clamely—establishes a response team called Nightfall to stand up against the rogue company.
In the new title, the Nightfall special ops team find evidence of a potentially devastating type of biotechnology. Now, they must track the people making these new experiments or risk even deadlier consequences. Cordelia is your handler throughout the missions, giving you valuable intel in each assignment (when she's not waiting for you to finish a wave, that is).
Off the bat, the game mentions three Horizon staff members by surname in the Codex: Moorcroft, Hobbes, and Medford. They appear throughout the campaign in some form, and they're all embroiled in the plot.
Dr. Moorcroft is Killing Floor 3's bona fide mad scientist, the founder of the R&D Red division, who is developing new zeds with the use of a substance called the Mire. Edgar Hobbes is a vehement zealot, trusting the doctor above anything. Pam Medford, on the other hand, is the only reluctant one of those three. Each plays a role in the story, and the Nightfall team will try their best to stop this new threat.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:02 AM
Killing Floor 3's campaign missions are short, sweet, and slightly chaotic. Shipment Tracking sends you off into a radar tower to unveil a radio log from "Captain Patrick Hendry," who was shipping specimens to the Army Depot you just visited.
In Shipment Tracking, you and the rest of the specialists must figure out the provenance of the tainted samples you picked up in Absolute Massacre and burned down in Containment Measures. In the wrong hands, that biotechnology could be tragic (and the bar for a "catastrophe" in a world already experiencing a zombie outbreak has to be quite high).
Killing Floor 3 Shipment Tracking mission guide
Unlike other missions in Killing Floor 3, you don't need to find multiple interactables like tainted corpses. This mission only has three main objectives:
Load into the area and look for the large radar antenna nearby. This is the most striking POI on the map, and most of your objectives are around it. Use it as a reference if you're lost.
The station log is on the second floor of the radar control room, the building below the antenna. If you go in through the ground floor, find it in front of you as you climb the first set of stairs or, if you took the zipline, look right.
Clear the next wave and search for the garage basement. It's easier to enter the garage from the second floor, where you found the station log. Take the only door that leads straight outside, then go down a flight of stairs near the armored vehicle. You can also reach this area from the woods outside.
When you're in the garage basement, look for an interactable on a small orange locker. This lets you activate the sewer pipes on the wall across from it and ends this objective. Turns out finding the garage was the time-consuming part.
Next, run to the Ravine, which is the wide, open area in the woods. There are multiple paths to get here depending on where your trader was, but the sewer grate you're looking for is near the radio tower, just by the entrance to the garage and the control building. If you're taking the long way through the woods with the morgue, keep the antenna's location in mind as you go around it.
Find the sewer grate and look for an interactable right next to it. This is the data you came here to find, so complete the mission and return to HQ for your next main assignment, which takes you to a Horizone industrial building.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:01 AM
Taking down zeds in Killing Floor 3 might be tricky enough on its own, but it can be even more challenging to do it while completing objectives. The game's first full mission, Absolute Massacre, kicks off a storyline that brings more lore to the beloved franchise.
Missions in Killing Floor 3 are usually straightforward, especially at the beginning. For instance, Absolute Massacre tasks you with finding an incident log, collecting tainted corpse samples, and getting out of dodge. Here's what you must do.
Killing Floor 3 Absolute Massacre mission guide
Your first objective after flying into the Army Depot is to find a message log. The device is near the train wreckage right in front of you, marked on your map. Grab it just after climbing the ramp into the depot, before the locked zipline, and finish the wave for the next step in this mission.
After that, you must head into the inspection room. Head straight and make a left once you see the containers in the shipping area. This should lead you through the large set of blast doors into a part of the room with a square marked on the floor and a set of stairs to your right. There are three tainted corpses in this room, and we'll tell you where to find them.
All Tainted Corpse Sample locations in Absolute Massacre in Killing Floor 3
If you walked in from the large door, the first corpse should be just to your left, lying on top of a container. Climb on it to grab this sample, then look to your left (away from the door) for the second tainted corpse on the ground.
The last tainted corpse sample is up top. Climb the first set of stairs, then either jump on the hanging container or go the long way around it. The final corpse sample will be at the foot of the container, on a wall with an A painted over it.
Once you've found all the samples, all you need to do is complete the mission. Don't worry if you fail: this mission progresses regardless of outcome, so you can move on to the next mission in Killing Floor 3.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:01 AM
At its core, Killing Floor 3 is a hardcore FPS co-op survival experience, and getting as much FPS, along with minimal stutters, is optimal.
The core gameplay rewards you for being accurate, as headshots fill up the meter at the top of your screen. Once complete, it will trigger a phase where time slows, allowing you to dispatch the zeds with ease.
Let's take a look at the best display settings and a few tricks that will offer you the smoothest experience.
Table of contents
Best tips and tricks to get no lag in Killing Floor 3
Before deep diving into the best settings, here are a few tips to keep in mind, especially on day one.
Let's now take a look at the best display settings to enjoy a lag-free game.
Best Killing Floor 3 display settings
My setup uses an AMD Ryzen 5600G, along with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 12 GB Nvidia RTX 3060. If you're using a 40 series card (or its AMD equivalent), you can raise the quality preset to High. I will avoid going Ultra because it's better to prioritize smooth gameplay.
Once we get a few post-launch patches, I will prioritize either increasing the FPS cap or removing it completely. 90 FPS should be good enough since this is more of a co-op adventure than a competitive shooter.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:01 AM
The highly anticipated Killing Floor 3 is here, bringing a new engine, story, and ways to conduct slaughter. Many recognizable faces return from Killing Floor 2, including the Commando, the game's go-to Ballistic damage Perk.
Just as any other Perk, Commando sports a wide variety of weapons, modifications, and skills that can make him difficult to figure out. So, here is our best Commando build in KF3, made for your convenience.
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The best build for Commando in KF3
Loadout
Every Perk in the game can carry two primary weapons during a match. Commando, being very ammo hungry, could really use to sport as many weapons as possible, plus an Ammo Bag for safe measure. His skills amplify the amount of bullets he can carry, but it still poses a real problem, especially in higher difficulties.
Here is our recommended Commando loadout:
With this pair of weapons, both your ammo and damage worries will be gone. The enhanced Stormguard will provide Soundwave and Force damage at high fire rates and amazing accuracy, whereas the stronger X295 Wraith will retain its Ballistic damage output with the addition of some Force damage. It will shoot slower but hit much harder, making it perfect as a contingency weapon against Bosses, particularly against heavily armored ones.
Pistols are a last resort for when you're completely out of ammunition. With these attachments, your P330 will prove quite useful, especially in case you get downed and are left only with your pistol. It'll provide nice damage, a faster fire rate thanks to the Burst Fire Mode, and be as accurate as possible (though the P330 is already quite precise by default).
Skills
Commando is a typical gunrunner, prioritizing spending lots of ammo and high DPS. The following skills have been chosen particularly to increase Commando's overall damage output while synergizing well with his Ballistic damage weapons.
Picking up these skills will ensure you always have a steady supply of grenades, amazing Ballistic DPS, and a reliable Gadget, all of which will help you decimate Horzine's endless waves of Zeds.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:01 AM
Killing Floor 3 has something familiar in store for all KF2 players in the form of Perks, and each of them offers something unique.
For the uninitiated, Perks refer to a class system, where you get to experience different archetypes. As of writing, you can't separate characters from Perks, but that will change in future updates. While the choices at launch are limited (due to the lack of ability to mix and match between Perks and characters), some of them are clearly ahead of the rest.
Table of contents
Complete Killing Floor 3 Perks tier list
At launch, we have six different options on our hands. It's important to understand that every Perk is viable. In a six-person team, it's best to have a squad with all six Perks. I have tried it out (to a limited extent) and it's the best combination. However, that doesn't mean that a slightly unbalanced squad is going to be bad.
Additionally, I have used just two tiers to rank the Perks. Every Perk feels good to use, and the main difference is partly based on my play style. I have also considered which Perks are crucial to have in a squad, and which can be worked around.
Commando (S-tier)
The Commando is a perfect jack of all trades, and also my go-to recommendation for beginners. He comes with assault rifles and has a well-covered kit. His Hellion gadget automatically targets and shoots down enemies with acidic projectiles. His default kit also includes grenades to wipe out hordes quickly.
While the Commando's main strength is in damage, he has a good base survival rate even without any upgrades. With proficiency bonus, you'll increase his Zedtime fire rate and reload speed. I have enjoyed playing with this perk on solo play, and you can easily fit him into any squad.
Engineer (S-tier)
The Engineer is another amazing choice for both squad-based and solo play. His twin turrets combine seamlessly with his power suit and use sonic projectiles to behead the zeds. His throwable, Bouncing Betty, is perfect for setting up strategic ambush points. The damage increases as you gain more proficiency bonus with this Perk.
With extremely well-rounded attributes in survivability, assault, and support, the Engineer is a great choice for beginners and KF2 veterans alike.
Ninja (A-tier)
The Ninja is perhaps the most unique Perk in the entire game. Unlike other Perks, it aims to focus on melee damage. Nakata can wield his sword to chow down Zeds, and use his Hebi-Ken to strategically target harder bosses. The Hebi-Ken does both Electrical and Force damage, and the Caltrop Canister does AoE attacks when triggered.
Thanks to incredible speed, the Ninja has one of the highest survivability rates among all Perks. However, he is not my cup of tea, and should fit well with those who are looking for something different from using guns.
Sharpshooter (A-tier)
The Sharpshooter isn't a bad Perk, but its usability is affected slightly by the type of gameplay Killing Floor 3 offers. You'll require a class that isn't slow in terms of attacks, and that's the general feeling I had with Sharpshooter.
However, the Sharpshooter becomes better in squad-based play. Death's Hand is a perfect counter to those hard bosses who need to be hit at specific target points. Cryo-grenade is more than decent when it comes to slowing down enemies on their tracks, allowing your teammates to eliminate them. While the game highlights the Sharpshooter's damage potential, I low-key feel that he can be an excellent support character.
Firebug (A-tier)
The Firebug Perk has received some massive upgrades since the beta days, and you should certainly consider it if you're looking to blow big on the maps. This Perk has no shortage of incendiary devices, and they can be used strategically when the situations look dire.
Wildfire sticks true to its name as it releases an explosive, fiery ring that burns down any enemies on its path. You can also throw the Molotov Cocktail at bosses, and combine the damage by using them with oil barrels. It also offers one of the most fun proficiency bonuses in the entire game: infinite ammo.
Medic (A-tier)
The only reason I haven't put the Medic to S-tier is because of the limitations in solo-play. Every squad must have a healer, aka our Medic. This is my main Perk, and I have enjoyed it (amidst the limited matchmaking). There are many reasons to love the Medic, all thanks to his multiple healing potential.
His Sanctum creates a barrier that will not only heal allies but also damage enemies. The same role is also played by his Biotic Grenade, which can debilitate Zeds. If you play with the Medic, leave the Zed killing to your teammates. Concentrate on healing your allies to keep them alive, and that will certainly raise your team's chances of surviving till the end.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 AM
Killing Floor 3 is finally here. The third installment in the decades-old series brings a lot of recognizable faces back, including Firebug, the franchise's dedicated pyromaniac.
In this game, her flaming skills and weapons are the cream of the crop as she sports some of the heaviest-hitting, fun-inducing, Zed-slaughtering guns out there. With such a variety of weaponry in the game overall, it might be challenging to know what the best loadouts, passives, and skills are. So, here is our best Firebug build in KF3.
The best Firebug build in KF3
Loadout
Every Perk in Killing Floor 3 has a primary weapon and a sidearm by default, though they can carry two primaries during any given match. Each gun can be fitted with various attachments that can fundamentally change how it functions, from swapping out its Afflictions (damage types) to improving accuracy and providing team-wide buffs. Here are my picks for Firebug's loadout:
Firebug's primaries are many, but these two are the best to pair up in any given run. Dragon's Breath is bar none the best gun in the game and will solo carry you through the toughest of difficulties, whereas Vulcan TA is a fantastic AOE gun to take with you against massive waves of enemies and bosses, especially smaller ones that you do not want to waste a Dragon's Breath shot on.
The Pyre .357 is the only sidearm available to Firebug at the moment, but it's by no means a bad pistol. With the attachments above, you'll have maximum Heat Damage output, high on-hit damage, and solid handling that'll stop the gun from flinching too much all the time.
Skills
Like other Perks, Firebug has three skill trees, each tied to a particular category. Here are our picks:
This selection of skills will ensure that you dish out maximum Heat damage, induce as much Panic into Zeds as possible, and heal at the same time. With this build, I have prioritized AOE, direct and indirect Heat Damage, creating massive and high DPS ground fires, and granting you passive bonuses that'll ensure you're never vulnerable or near death.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 AM
Killing Floor 3 wouldn't be a Killing Floor game if it didn't have some awesome melee butchery. Of course, no other Perk in the game is as good at slaughtering Zeds as Ninja, Killing Floor's ultimate swordsman.
The ultimate swordsman is also a quirky pick, having quite a few caveats that make him exceptionally vulnerable, particularly at higher difficulties. Constantly forced to get up close and personal with the strongest Zeds, Ninja is a challenging Perk to play. Thankfully, we've got just the build to ensure you'll never go down and always emerge the wiser in any Zed encounter.
Table of contents
The Best Ninja Build in KF3
Ninja is, as the name implies, savvy with all things Japan, including Shurikens, Katanas, and Kunai knives. Of course, being such, he's very melee-oriented, sporting no actual gun of his own. His ranged capacity rests on the Kunai and Shurikens, the former of which he can also use in melee. He also has quite cheap weaponry and effective default stats, making his one of the easiest builds to get early in the game.
Loadout
Though Katanas are effective, their Dosh price simply doesn't warrant their use instead of the Kiba, which Ninja gets by default. Even when fully kitted out, the Kiba will be exceptionally cheaper than the Katanas, allowing him to get everything else very quickly. Therefore, this is the loadout I think works best for him:
These two primary weapons will let Ninja have it all: massive blocks, melee damage, and ranged options. The Kiba can do some incredible damage when kitted out properly, and even without any additions does tons of damage and cuts through Zeds like butter. With an improved blade and some other attachments, that damage is significantly increased, allowing him to cheaply acquire one of the strongest weapons in the game.
The Kunai are also great and can be used infinitely, so long as you pick them up after throwing (and don't throw them outside the map).
Given how much you get out of it, the Shuriken has the best price-to-performance ratio of all the side arms in KF3. With the attachments above, it'll also pack a significant punch, even penetrating through Zeds and potentially slashing multiple of them at once.
Skills
All Perks in KF3 have their own unique skill tree, concerning their overall character, gadget, and throwable grenades. Ninja is no exception and has some of the strongest buffs in the game overall, allowing him to become nigh-immortal and fight at close range without a worry in his mind. From armor buffs to HP per kill, this is my recommended Ninja skill tree:
With these skills under his belt, Ninja becomes the ultimate killing machine, capable of fighting a hundred Zeds at once. He'll heal a lot, have 150 armor total, block for immense amounts, and, on top of it all, deal tons of damage with each swing of the blade. What's more, he'll do it for next to no Dosh cost, given how powerful his default weapons are, even with the attachments.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 AM
Killing Floor 3 brings a lot to the table, trying (and often succeeding) to surpass its stellar predecessor. With visceral gunplay, lots of gore and carnage, and a fun loop, KF3 is all sorts of awesome. However, underlying issues prevent it from being the perfect game, but it's by no means a bad one.
An all too recognizable loop
Killing Floor 3 essentially follows the same gameplay loop we've gotten used to with Killing Floor 2. You spawn in, fight waves of enemies, run around the map to purchase new gear, fight a boss at the end, and repeat. It is simple and effective, and with so many maps (even if they could use some thematic variance), things stay fresh throughout.
On top of that, the game sports several difficulty levels, adding an extra layer of freshness to each individual run.
You pick one of six Perks (currently tied to characters), each with its own set of weapons, abilities, gadgets, and throwables. These are Commando, Firebug, Engineer, Sharpshooter, Ninja, and Medic, all of which featured in previous Killing Floor titles. Gameplay varies significantly between each of the Perks, who are highly specialized, although you can mix and match their weapons.
As of this review, Killing Floor 3's Perks and characters are bound, meaning that you cannot currently play as any character and choose any Perk (class) you want, much to my dismay and of many players. From the game's roadmap, however, this is planned to change post-launch, which would be fantastic given how good the characters are.
They throw quips, one-liners, have incredible voice acting, and check just about every box of what constitutes a good video game character. It would then be a damned shame to be locked out of playing your favorite one because their particular strengths do not align with your preferred build.
Additionally, some Perks are just not strong enough to deal with the game's overall inconsistent enemy spawns, particularly on higher difficulties. Balance patches are bound to fix this, though, as KF3 will be a live-service title much like the older ones.
Even so, if you've ever played any KF title, then Killing Floor 3 will feel right at home, providing you with that same loop with numerous improvements (and some drawbacks).
Gunplay so good it'd make a grown man cry
Where Killing Floor 3 really shines above its predecessors is the gunplay. And here I don't just mean weapon feedback, but the new and improved gore system as well.
Speaking of weapons, they're some of the best-feeling guns I've ever used in a video game. Each bullet feels like it's actually being fired, the weapons kicking back, swaying, and responding as realistically as possible (and just as fun). When they land on an enemy, they are immensely satisfying, especially if you use higher caliber weapons and see limbs flying all over the place.
The gunplay alone is more than enough to make you consider getting this game. While its maps, without a decade's worth of additions, could be better and their loop improved (made more linear, more story-oriented, etc., much like KF2's later maps were), the gunplay is incomparably better, as is combat overall. No matter what you're holding in your hand, it will feel like a proper, deadly weapon, especially heavier ones (shotguns, sniper rifles, etc).
Zed Mode, that recognizable slo-mo mechanic, also looks very cool, with monochromatic coloring (except for the reds) adding a layer of cinematography to the game. What I didn't find interesting is how it's activated, with just a bar filling up and popping at any moment for the entire lobby.
This led to many situations where Zed Mode would just be wasted, which is a shame since there are more than a few weapons and attachments specifically made to fill it up faster. This more or less makes those useless, as Zed Mode tends to fire pretty quickly anyway, and not always as effectively.
Technicalities a potential barrier for many players
And now for the usual. Killing Floor 3 is built on Unreal Engine 5, the most advanced one there is. Because of that, it's one of the prettier games out there, and in turn, one of the more demanding. While knocking down settings can and will improve overall performance, it is inevitable that technical issues will arise, especially since Unreal Engine is known for prioritizing looks over stability.
I played through the game with an AMD RX 9070XT, a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and 32GB of DDR4 memory and still had to keep the settings at High preset to achieve solid stability. Settings like Global Illumination and Texture Quality, too, had to stay at High, and increasing even a bit led to massive stability issues, stuttering, and FPS drops.
I also had countless freezes just by opening the Skills menu, forcing me to close the game via Task Manager.
Aside from that, the bigger the lobby, the worse the performance. This is a strong technical drawback of Killing Floor 3, and one that the developers have already recognized. In a co-op title with a six-man lobby, the FPS can become horrendous, which isn't helped by the fact that the game scales enemy numbers up based on lobby size.
Speaking of scaling, it's by no means great. While some bosses have solid scaling with lobby size, the Impaler boss just spawns several versions of itself, making the boss wave chaotic and not fun, as making a single boss entity would have been the better solution.
Despite these performance issues, however, Killing Floor 3 is still among the better-performing Unreal Engine 5 games, so long as you have a capable machine.
Overall, Killing Floor 3 is a very good game. It uses technological novelties to enhance the recognizable gameplay loop of its predecessors, adding on top of that a new story, setting, and variance that is bound to draw in a lot of veterans as well as new players. However, its particularities need refining and optimization, which would ensure it lasts well into the following decade, much like Killing Floor 2.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 8:36 AM
Snippets are one of the most important resources you need to stock up on for The Storybook Vale in Disney Dreamlight Valley. They can be quite difficult to find, though, especially the elusive White Bird Snippets.
This special Snippet isn't found around Storybook Vale like all other Snippets. Instead, you must venture elsewhere to find them, so here's how to get White Bird Snippets in Disney Dreamlight Valley.
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Where to find White Bird Snippets in Disney Dreamlight Valley
White Bird Snippets can be caught using your Royal Net around a specific randomized biome in the classic base game area of Dreamlight Valley. These Snippets are the only ones you can't find around The Storybook Vale, so catching them is a bit tricky.
The exact location of White Bird Snippets changes randomly and fairly frequently, but you'll only ever find them around the biomes in classic Dreamlight Valley. The areas you can check for them are:
There are generally only around four White Bird Snippets present at a time, so it can be tough to find which biome they're flying around. They all stick to just one biome for a while before moving to a new one, though, so you'll find all available ones around the same region.
If you search all Dreamlight Valley biomes but don't see them, do another search and be sure to check behind all buildings, trees, and other obstacles that might have them trapped or hidden from view. As long as you haven't recently caught all of the available ones, there should be some flying around for you to grab.
When do White Bird Snippets respawn in Disney Dreamlight Valley?
White Bird Snippets don't seem to have a set respawn time or frequency for appearing. All of my encounters with them have been quite random, unpredictable, and inconsistent, so there doesn't seem to be any way to predict what they'll do.
Sometimes, I find a lot more than four zipping around a biome, and they seem to reappear quite fast. Other times, though, I can only find one or none at all, even though I haven't caught any recently. Your best bet is to carefully scour all biomes in the hopes of coming across one.
How to use White Bird Snippets in Disney Dreamlight Valley
You can use White Bird Snippets to craft any other type of Snippet. They're quite useful for acquiring the tougher to find variants, although you do need to spend three White Bird Snippets to make just one of any other type of Snippet.
To transform your White Bird Snippets into something else, head to any crafting station, select the "Refined Material" category, and choose any type of Snippet you want to create. Select the "Make" option once you've found the one you want to change your White Bird Snippets into a different Snippet variant.
There's lots more to get done around the Vale, so if you're unsure what to tackle next, consider unlocking Maleficent, finding Olive Green Tale Cone Flowers, completing Collateral Damage, and finding all The Unwritten Realms keys.
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 6:11 AM
A few days after one of the biggest Nintendo Switch 2 releases of the year, we have our first big Nintendo Switch 2 Edition release (that wasn't out during launch) in the long-named Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV.
With the game out today, critics have been casting their judgment on the game, including us over at Destructoid, so as usual, we have put together a list of some reactions from across the internet to see what everyone thinks about it.
Our friends once again at Siliconera gave the game a respectable 80/100, highlighting it as a natural pick-up, while warning those who try to play both versions together won't be able to experience the full magic.
Nintendolife has been singing the game's praises by giving it a 9/10, calling it an easy-to-use delight for the whole family, packed with content. Though they lament the loss of Pro Play as an option in the new version.
Not everyone is in high spirits, though, with TechRadar in particular giving it a 5/10, saying that while the game is charming, its new content doesn't integrate with the base game, making it a pricey package.
IGN has hit a middle ground, giving it a 7/10, citing frustrating limitations and strange decisions to what was already a polished experience.
And last but not least. We at Destructoid gave the game an 8.5/10 and felt it had a few gimmicks that didn't warrant a full pickup if you already had the Switch 1 version, but still felt it was a solid title overall.
Let us know what you think about the game if you picked it up for yourself in the comments below!
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Destructoid Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:06 AM
Mega Dragonite's reveal should have been a cause for excitement for new Mega Pokémon appearing in Pokémon Legends Z-A, but a vast majority of the Pokémon community haven't exactly fallen in love with its design.
While not everyone dislikes it, there's a vast number of trainers who are unimpressed with the official design, so much so that they've gone out of their way to create their own designs or iterations of Mega Dragonite that they feel would be so much better.
While a lot of these new versions keep the same theme or idea, most have tried to improve on this Dragonite-Dragonair hybrid design by making slight adjustments or complete reworks at what they feel would make for a better-looking Pokémon overall.
For a majority of these designs, trainers have taken the wings off of the official Mega Dragonite's head and put them on the back instead, replacing the head wings with little Dragonair fluff ears, and I like this design so much more. You can argue Mega Dragonite's head wings give it a unique look, but the wing placement, I feel, does make a huge difference.
Some trainers have also added a ball around the neck, which I think also adds more dimension to the design and gives it something extra over the usual plain look.
Some trainers, though, have taken a step back from completely reworking the design and instead have looked into slight differences from the official design, adding small extra details or slimming up body areas to make it feel more like a Dragonite and Dragonair hybrid than just a Dragonite with extra steps.
Of the ones we picked out, there are a handful more that do their own thing and sometimes go a bit away from the original design to do some left-field things, but we feel the above designs offer a glimpse into what could have been. But what do you think of Mega Dragonite and the various redesigns coming out lately? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Pokémon trainers hate Mega Dragonite's design so much they're creating their own versions appeared first on Destructoid. |
WGB Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:19 AM Battlefield 6 has been revealed in a trailer which provides a small look at the singleplayer portion. A multiplayer reveal is planned for July 31. |
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