Now available for free, Fallen Tree Games and Kwalee's latest update for The Precinct brings with it a new K-9 unit alongside a number of quality-of-life improvements.
Providing the definitive Yooka-Laylee adventure, Playtonic Games and PM Studios' platforming adventure Yooka-Replaylee now has a Nintendo Switch 2 demo.
I am sure the words "new" and "Ace Attorney game" have functioned as a sleeper agent's activation words for some of you, and these are words that Capcom themselves have sort of put together, but let's slow down before we get carried away. As spotted by Mega Man fansite Rockman Corner, Capcom have released their integrated report for 2025, which for the most part is boring, corporate nonsense. Here comes the but. But! It also appears to suggest that the developer is thinking about new ways it can further develop series like Ace Attorney, as well as Mega Man and Devil May Cry.
Cassette Boy is a game that looks to follow in the footsteps of perspective puzzlers like Fez and Tunic, two games I bring up because of their explicit use of space to hide more, tantalizingly secret space. Out of the two, it's much closer to Fez, being a 2D world you can rotate to gain new, three dimensional perspectives. Where Fez is a platformer that switches between different, still 2D planes, Cassette Boy lets you switch between front on and more isometric views, and in its world, anything that can't be seen, doesn't exist.
Square Enix shared the dates and details for the Final Fantasy XI Christmas event this year, with Starlight Celebration returning to FFXI on December 16, 2025. It will run until December 31, 2025. This year also marks the first time the Gobbie Mystery Box Festival Dial and its #FES Dial Keys will appear.
First, we can get one #FES Dial Key each day. This only happens if we already went through the Starlight Celebration event once before. While exact rewards weren't mentioned yet, Square Enix noted the items come from "high-tier mission battlefields and high-tier avatar battlefields." Divine Interference and The Orb's Radiance were specifically mentioned. The things could reward the new key are "Games for the Willing and Able," "The Gift of a Child's Laughter," "Master the Art of Turning Frowns Upside Down," "Nab Presents Held Hostage by Nefarious Goblins," and "Presents in Exchange for Gift Tokens."
Those applicable minigames and missions are only part of the ones available. In addition to all of those returning, there will also be "Lend the Moogles a Capable Adventurer's Hand" back again. That involves talking to Moogles at Bastok Mines, San d'Oria, and Windurst Waters and Woods, then delivering cards and letters to NPCs for them. Seasonal Stalls will be open again too, with some of the items on sale being Dream Hats, Sheet of Starlight Celebration, and Snowman Caps.
Final Fantasy XI is available for PCs, and the Starlight Celebration will return to FFXI over the Christmas season between December 16-31, 2025.
Veteran voice actor Tomomichi Nishimura died. He was 79 years old at the time of his passing. [Thanks, Livedoor!]
Though Arts Vision, his agency, announced the news on December 8, 2025, he passed away on November 29, 2025. His family held a private service and funeral. He went on break in September 2025 for health reasons, and he had planned on returning to voice acting after recovery. His illness was not reported, nor was his cause of death.
Nishimura started voice acting in 1974 and appeared in many popular properties. Prominent anime roles include Anzai in Slam Dunk, the Narrator and George in Yu Yu Hakusho, and Jamitov Hymem in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. His major video game roles include Akuma and M. Bison in the Street Fighter games (as well as spinoff works like Namco x Capcom), Mayvin in Tales of Zestiria, and the Arbiter of Time in Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Other Japanese voice actors, such as Junichi Suwabe (Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen), have made posts on social media to mourn Nishimura's passing. Nishimura is not the only voice actor who died this year. In March 2025, Yoko Kawanami passed away at the age of 67 due to peritoneal metastasis. She was well known for her role as Coconna Vartla in Armored Trooper Votoms.
Tomomichi Nishimura passed away in late November 2025.
The Game Awards returns this week for another ceremony to honor the biggest and best games and devs of 2025, but that's just part of the reason gamers everywhere will be watching along.
As usual, the best part of The Game Awards (other than the awards themselves, which recognize good work in the industry) is the surprises. But there are some games that we know for sure will appear in some capacity, whether it be a trailer or release date announcement.
Here's what we know so far will be shown at The Game Awards 2025, and some rumors on what else may pop up. More confirmations are expected throughout the week, and we will keep this info updated as it comes in.
The long awaited new adventure for Lara Croft will be revealed at TGA. The news was initially confirmed in the Game Awards experience in Fortnite on Dec. 8 and then announced by Keighley not long after.
Is it finally time? Will we get our Leon S. Kennedy reveal just over two months before we return to Raccoon City one final time? "Tune in for a terrifying new look" at RE9, the show teases.
The upcoming sci-fi RPG from many former BioWare devs will showcase a new trailer ahead of its 2026 release window, and I'm excited to see what's being cooked here.
Whatever the heck is going on with this (it's NOT Bloodborne 2, sorry) will be revealed during the stream. Speculation about this game is all over the place, but my money is on it being absolutely nothing anyone was expecting and thus a disappointment to everyone, no matter how cool it might actually be.
The upcoming new LEGO Batman game that looks more like a new Arkham City in LEGO form confirmed its participation in the showcase.
Rumors and baseless speculation
It's always fun to speculate on what may appear, even though it always sets everyone up to be let down. Half-Life 3? Probably not. Grand Theft Auto 6? Also negative. But we can expect something from Hideo Kojima (Keighley's pal is always down to show up, and he is currently in Los Angeles), like Death Stranding 2 PC port or DLC news.
There are plenty of games that are due for some news or announcements, like Final Fantasy VIII Remake part three, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Marvel's Blade,Fable, and countless others. But for now, stay tuned to see what leaks ahead of the show.
A safe bet is some Hollywood appearances, like for Fallout season two and other upcoming video game adaptations. That always makes for some uncomfy situations. And you can bet there will be an acceptance speech that goes on a bit too long as well, but don't forget, that's what this stuff is truly all about.
The Game Awards 2025 begins at 6:30pm CT with its half-hour pre-show on Dec. 11, with the three-hour showcase beginning at 7pm CT.
Another new FC 26 Ultimate Team promo in the form of Unbreakables is coming soon, and it could usher in new celebrations ahead of the festive season.
Unbreakables, like the ongoing Joga Bonito campaign, will be a fresh promo in Ultimate Team. So far, EA Sports has remained tight-lipped about the promo, and we still have a few days of Joga Bonito left on our hands. However, the first bit of social media rumors has already started to pop up, which hints at the possible release date and footballers who will be part of the campaign.
So far, only one footballer has been revealed to be part of the Unbreakables promo.
Serhou Guirassy
More names are expected to appear closer to the release date. The Unbreakables promo is also rumored to include Icons and Heroes, which will undoubtedly make the campaign quite exciting. While most of the new cards will be in packs, we can expect a few of them as part of objectives and SBCs. It will be easier to obtain them as you won't have to rely on luck. It will be interesting to find out if Guirassy or any of the other leaked items will be part of SBCs and objectives.
FC 26 Unbreakables release countdown
The Unbreakables promo is likely going to be a one-team affair, releasing worldwide on Friday, Dec. 12. It will mark the end of the ongoing Joga Bonito promo, and the following countdown will help you keep track of when the new cards go live in Ultimate Team.
[hurrytimer id="1152506"]
The countdown is based on the following timings.
10am PT
12pm CT
1pm ET
6pm UTC
7pm CET
This is the usual schedule that EA Sports follows for any promo launch in Ultimate Team. It will be interesting to find out more about the upcoming promo and how many of the leaked items ultimately make it to the official launch.
The Game Awards is set to reveal a new Tomb Raider, confirmed by host Geoff Keighley. The game reportedly connects the previous trilogy and newer titles, featuring a confident Lara Croft in an open-world India.
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 8, 2025 4:06 PM
Niantic, together with the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, will bring a brand-new Pokémon GO event to State Farm Stadium December 21 before and during the Falcons-Cardinals matchup.
From December 18 to January 5, fans can celebrate all things The Sims with the latest Holiday Sale, along with a curated list filled with iconic merch and discounted content.
Paying host to truly free character placement, interactive environments, and hardcore resource management, the world of Unfinished Pixel's turn-based roguelite RPG Blightstone will launch in Steam Early Access January 20.
A relaxing survival title featuring cozy base building in the middle of a flooded post-apocalyptic city, Mandragora and tinyBuild's I Am Future is set to release for consoles January 8.
From now through December 27, Genshin Impact is collaborating with the popular language learning app platform Duolingo for a limited-time 3-Day Streak Quest.
The Alters update! Get your The Alters update! Fresh, hot and ready to download, it's got some quality of life bits, some new features and base things like a "gamer's den", distressingly, a photo mode, and a number of other things. And now, for your pleasure, I will relay unto you in detail what these things are.
Earlier this week you may have seen what was framed as a leaked trailer for Shenmue 4. Admittedly, thanks to Dwitter compression and supposedly being a recording of a screen rather than direct capture, it looked convincing enough, as long as you don't look too hard at it. There's that pesky thing called "Ay Eye" going around these days though, so you should never trust something right off the bat these days. Now, as confirmed by Shenmue developer Ys Net, it turns out that that footage has nothing to do with them, and may even lead to legal action.
In an ideal world, none of us would have to be bound by the rope called copyright, we could produce all the media we want about our favourite things, like that Sukuna from Jujutsu Kaisend and Cinderella ship I have now likely made many of you aware of. Alas, this is not the world we live in, and because of that fact the team by the upcoming mod Team Fortress 2 Classic is having to rename it after a bit of a prompting from the original game's creators, Valve.
For the past five years, the team at RPS have got together to pick what we consider to be the best 100 games you can play on PC. There's very little science involved, and we try not to get too hung up on what games should make the cut. From year to year, our rankings and choices vary wildly as the formation and tastes of the team changes.
We've just finished revealing what we currently consider to be the Best PC Games of All Time and now it's your turn.
They might not have committed to making any New Vegas ending the canon one, but the folks behind Amazon's Fallout TV show have been quick to decide they'd like to get started on filming a third series as soon as they can. Summer 2026, if all goes well, so the radioactive glow of the imminent second series hasn't totally faded to background levels by the time a follow-up drops.
The modders behind Beyond Skyrim: Cyrodiil, the massive modding project aiming to add a post-Oblivion-crisis version of the Imperial province to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's map, have given a lengthy tour of the latest city they've whipped into shape. As teased the other week, that city is Anvil, and it's certainly home to some quirky folks.
Just in case of confusion, what makes Beyond Skyrim different to both Bethesda's Oblivion Remastered and recently delayed Oblivion remake mod Skyblivion is that it'll be introducing a fresh cast of characters and stories to familiar locations from the fourth Elder Scrolls game. After all, by the time of Skyrim, Martin Septim and his contemporaries are long gone.
Cygames' next Umamusume: Pretty Derby Trainee character banner will be Manhattan Cafe, and we can expect that banner to show up around 2pm PT/5pm ET on December 8, 2025. That's also when a new Support Card banner that introduces the SSR Stamina card for Nakayama Festa will show up.
Manhattan Cafe is notable and popular in Umamusume: Pretty Derby for many reasons. One is her outfit and character design. Another is a fact that the character has an "imaginary friend" that she will talk to. She is also unusual in that her Growth Rate only gives a 30% boost to Stamina, in a nod to her love of coffee, and no other boosts to other stats. Her Unique Skill is Chasing After You, which increases her velocity while "intimidating" runners ahead of her. She also can get the Stamina Siphon skill, if you increase her potential, and the Relax and Passing pro endurance and fatigue-reducing skills.
While the SSR Nakayama Festa Stamina card doesn't have a Career Event skill that restores endurance, it does feature some other notable elements. Its Career Event skill is Come What May for Medium runners to increase their velocity when "well-positioned" on a straight at the end of a race. It can also get Specialty Priority 50, to ensure the character shows up for Stamina Training, a 30% Mood Effect, a 20% Friendship Boost, and Stamina initial stat and bonus.
Here are the official infographics for the Manhattan Cafe Trainee character and Nayakama Festa SSR Support Card.
Images via Cygames
The last banner was Kawakami Princess, as she showed up on December 1, 2025. She'll join the general pool after her banner ends.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available for the PC and mobile devices.
Comics on Coffee and HoYoVerse announced there will be three kinds of Zenless Zone Zero coffee flavors based on three characters from the Cunning Hares faction. These will appear in retail stores on December 15, 2025, though the options are on the official site now for $16.95 each.
Each of the types of Zenless Zone Zero coffee is tied to a different in-game character. Each one of them is a medium roast with beans from Costa Rica. They are from the Tarrazu region. Anby's variety is a Pistachio medium roast. The Billy Kid Moonrock Mochaccino variety features a mocha flavor. The Nicole Demara option is Raspberry, which is infused with the berry flavor. When you buy a bag online, you can choose to get the whole beans, select the grind level, or get K-Cup pods.
In-game, coffee actually plays an important role in Zenless Zone Zero. If someone heads to Coff Cafe, they can get Battery Charge and some kind of boost by getting one cup each day. For example, the Tin Master Special only gives someone Battery Charge, but you get more than normal. However, depending on the day of the week, there may be an option that offers another boost. Like since it is Monday, the Barley Latte that offers Battery Charge and a temporary Burn Tactical Chip Boost would be available.
Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and the next update is 2.4. The Coffees on Coffee three varieties based on the game's characters are available to pre-order online now and will show up on December 15, 2025.
Ys Net released an official statement on social media that confirmed the alleged "Shenmue 4" video that appeared on December 4, 2025 is in fact a fake. The company also noted that action will be taken against the person or people who made the false trailer, as the studio stated, "We are currently working with relevant parties and preparing appropriate measures, including potential legal action."
On December 4, 2025, the fake "Shenmue 4" video of questionable quality appeared online. It featured the Ys Net logo, some text at the bottom left corner mentioning "work in progress - game not final," blurred images, and incredibly short scenes and transitions. It seemed to show people like Ryo Hazuki, Shenhua, and even Niao Sun.
Here is the full Ys Net statement on the situation:
"Ys Net Inc has confirmed that a video has been posted on social media which uses our company logo without permission, falsely giving the impression that it is an official 'Shenmue 4' related video produced by us. This video has absolutely no connection to Ys Net. Furthermore, at this time, Ys Net has not released any trailers, footage, or other promotional materials related to 'Shenmue 4.'
"We recognize that the unauthorized use of our logo, and any act that misleads viewers into believing such content is official, constitutes a serious issue that may amount to trademark infringement and unfair competition. We are currently working with relevant parties and preparing approrpirate measures, including potential legal action.
"We sincerely apologize to our fans and all related parties for any confusion this may have caused. We will continue to ensure the proper and accurate dissemination of information, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation."
Shenmue 3 is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Super Robot Wars DD will newly include a Hololive Vtuber as a playable character. Bandai Namco has revealed that it will add Takane Lui into SRW DD as a Code Geass universe character.
The new crossover character shall be known as Lui Hawkeye. She will also get to pilot a new Knightmare Frame named Vincent Hawk. While Bandai Namco has yet to share the exact date of Lui Hawkeye's inclusion, it teased the addition of a new crossover story starring the character.
This addition will pertain to the recent appointment of Takane Lui as a Code Geass series ambassador. The Vtuber had earlier held watch-along streams of the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion anime series from October 2025 to November 2025.
The addition of Takane Lui was not the only SRW DD-related news that appeared at the Code Geass 20th Anniversary event. Sunrise also announced that Tomofumi Ogasawara is working on a manga adaptation of the Code Geass - Gundam Wing crossover that originally appeared in the mobile game.
The same event also featured a couple of major reveals related to the franchise's mainline anime series. Code Geass: Roze of the Recapture, which initially appeared in Japanese theaters in 2024, will air on television in July 2026. Sunrise also revealed a brand-new entry titled Code Geass: Aspar the Star Chaser.
Super Robot Wars DD is available for Android and iOS mobile devices in Japan and East Asia. Bandai Namco will add Lui Hawkeye and her Knightmare Frame Vincent Hawk to the mobile game at a later date.
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio announced the winners of the Like a Dragon Character Popularity Contest poll on the English and Japanese sites, and Yakuza staple Goro Majima was named most popular and won. He came in at first place with over 49,000 votes, beating fellow lead Kazuma Kiryu by 22,281 votes. Majima was the sole lead in the spin-offLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiwhen it debuted in February 2025.
The official social media account for RGG shared some images showing some of the most popular Like a Dragon folks in the Yakuza Character Popularity Poll, with Goro Majima, Kazuma Kiryu, and Taiga Saejima in their own image in honor of them being the top three. 490,278 votes came in worldwide.
Here are the top 30. The official site goes all the way up to 164, though we start to see "ties" around the 72 mark. Vtuber Kson, who plays Kei, came in at 27th. The top 10 will "come to the stage" for performances.
Goro Majima - 49,296 votes
Kazuma Kiryu - 27,015 votes
Taiga Saejima - 22,976 votes
Akira Nishikiyama - 21,437 votes
Eric Tomizawa - 20,205 votes
Fumiya Sugiura - 19,230 votes
Toru Higashi - 18,581 votes
Yoshitaka Mine - 17,748 votes
Daigo Dojima - 17,383 votes
Ichiban Kasuga - 15,012 votes
Tianyou Zhao - 14,880 votes
Shun Akiyama - 14,765 votes
Kosei Shishido - 11,368 votes
Ryuji Goda - 11,200 votes
Yutaka Yamai - 8,772 votes
Tsukasa Sagawa - 7,472 votes
Osamu Kashiwagi - 7,388 votes
Kihei Hanawa - 7,360 votes
Tatsuo Shinada - 7,328 votes
Masayoshi Tanimura - 7,080 votes
Tetsu Tachibana - 6,933 votes
Joongi Han - 6,692 votes
Homare Nishitani - 6,380 votes
Yuki Tsuruno - 6,288 votes
Masato Arakawa - 5,541 votes
Michio Ono - 5,156 votes
Kei - 5,085 votes
Seonhee - 4,896 votes
Nanba - 4,608 votes
Homare Nishitani III - 4,560 votes
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Katsuhiro Harada, who is reknowned for working on a designer, director, producer, and voice actor for Tekken games, announced he will leave Bandai Namco. He took to social media to confirm this will happen "at the end of 2025." However, he will be at the Tekken World Tour Finals between January 29, 2026 and February 1, 2026. The last entry he worked on was Tekken 8.
Harada stated he came to this decision after seeing others retire or die. He also noted he discussed with PlayStation designer and former Sony Computer Entertainment CEO and current Cyber AI Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi about his decision. In his message, he talked about pursing "the time I have left as a creator."
When Katsuhiro Harada Talked about the Tekken World Tour Finals event, he stated Bandai Namco invited him. He will be a special guest at the competition. He's been involved with the series as a voice actor since the original game, but later as a director and member of the development team since Tekken 3.
Here is the full statement from Harada from social media:
Touei will make a replica of the pocket watch from Tales of Xillia 2. According to the press release, the pocket watch not only closely resembles the one that appears in the game to appease Tales fans, but is also a pocket watch that's well-crafted enough for timepiece fans to enjoy. [Thanks, PR Times!]
There will be two versions of the Tales of Xillia 2 pocket watch replica. You can get it in antique gold or antique silver. They both cost the same at 8800 JPY ($56.75). Touei will only produce 2012 units of each—a reference to the fact that Tales of Xillia 2 came out in 2012. The back of the watch will include a serial number, as well as the game title.
As a note, while Touei did its best to get the replica as close to the game's version of the watch as possible, it realistically could not make a one-to-one recreation. In the game, the watch's hand rotates on the outer edge of the case. This is impossible in real life, so Touei had to use a visual trick to simulate the same look.
Pre-orders for the Tales of Xillia 2 pocket watch will start on December 15, 2025. It'll come out in mid-June 2026. Tales of Xillia 2 is available on the PS3, and a remastered version of it is in development. The remastered version of the first game is already out on modern consoles.
The See You at the Bernabeu SBC is now live in FC 26 Ultimate Team, allowing you to complete a new set of fodder challenges.
The See You at the Bernabeu SBC, themed after Spain 1982, has three challenges. All three challenges have their individual rewards, and you'll get a bonus pack. This guide will help you complete the whole set without breaking the bank.
A new update for an existing Steam demo caught my eye this morning, and it created a memorable experience for me in just a little over an hour of playtime. It's now a game I'm greatly looking forward to.
Like 1996's PS1 classic Resident Evil, Rogue Mansion starts with an opulent house filled with monsters and puzzles. But the mansion in this roguelike (playable in first or third-person) is procedurally generated, so randomness refreshes each time you play, and it sports a retro aesthetic, so it feels familiar but wholly new at the same time.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Each run is all about exploring the mansion, defeating the randomly-spawned enemies that harass you, and solving puzzles to progress to the next area. For example, I explored one wing of the mansion (entirely reminiscent of RE1's Spencer Estate) to find a bookshelf with an empty slot.
So, I made my way to the other wing and eventually, after solving a puzzle and killing some enemies with melee combat and well-timed dodges, found a golden book that I had to slot into it. And then I moved on to the next area.
Rogue Mansion has three playable characters with their own unique ability, like the cop Valentina who can charge up a meter to whip out her service pistol and start gunning down the monsters that appear. Otherwise, you start equipped with just a knife and a flash grenade, and it's up to you to survive the horror. Survival horror, get it?
There's an overarching storyline, too, filled with mystery and intrigue. It surrounds the mansion and its former inhabitants, a couple who were "pillars of the community" and were struck by tragedy. That's where you come in, and the mansion is full of secrets to explore and terrors to confront.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Today, Rogue Mansion's developer Alemenara Games announced the first of several closed beta tests that you can sign up for now. Otherwise, the demo is free to try on Steam, and I think this has some potential for good, classic roguelike fun when it launches.
It's just all happening in Fortnite these days, isn't it? It's one collab after another, and this latest just confirmed the next entry in one of gaming's most iconic franchises.
As part of a special UEFN island in Fortnite as part of a partnership with The Game Awards, players have been playing minigames and solving puzzles to help reveal one of the titles that will appear at this year's show. And the results are in.
Screenshot by Destructoid
When you load in to the UEFN Game Awards experience now, the center of the area shows the unmistakable silhouette of Lara Croft, meaning The Game Awards on Thursday will now showcase and reveal the next entry in the Tomb Raider franchise.
Other than a few recent remasters, it's now been seven years since Croft's most recent adventure in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. This new entry is shrouded in mystery for now, but the first look coming this week should hopefully generate some hype moving into 2026.
Amazon is currently working on a Tomb Raider live action series starring Sophie Turner, so it will be interesting to see if the two projects are in any way related. Other than that, all we know so far is that the new title is being published by Amazon Games and developed once more by Crystal Dynamics, makers of the reboot trilogy from 2013 to 2018.
For now, fans of the series can look forward to some exciting news over the next few days and hopefully not too long of a wait until everyone can play it. Either way, the wait is not much longer now.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSAx27Uksp6/
Tune in to The Game Awards on Dec. 11 at 6:30pm CT to catch the reveal along with new info from other games like Resident Evil Requiem, Exodus, Phantom Blade Zero, and many more.
The Ultimate Gauntlet 6 objective is now live in FC 26, and you can win some amazing freebies to boost your Ultimate Team squad.
The latest gauntlet follows a similar pattern to the previous ones, and there are multiple tasks. This guide will provide you with all the necessary information to complete the tasks and unlock all the rewards.
How to get all FC 26 Ultimate Gauntlet 6 rewards
The Ultimate Gauntlet 6 objective has nine tasks to complete. The table below has all the necessary details.
Play 2 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6 to earn an EVO Consumable. All EVO details can be previewed.
85-87 Rare Gold Player Pack and Evo
Play 3
Play 3 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6.
80+ Rare Gold Players Pack x7
Score in 3
Score at least 1 goal in 3 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6 to earn an EVO Consumable. All EVO details can be previewed.
Evo Unlock
Score in 5
Score at least 1 goal in 5 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6.
Quaresma Loan Item + 5000 Coins
Score in 6
Score at least 1 goal in 6 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6 to earn an EVO Consumable. All EVO details can be previewed.
Evo
Score in 7
Score at least 1 goal in 7 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6.
82+ Rare Gold Players Pack x10
Score in 9
Score at least 1 goal in 9 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6.
83+ Rare Gold Players Pack x10
Play 12
Score at least 1 goal in 9 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 6.
86+ Rare Gold Players Pack x3
Completing the full set will reward you with an exclusive evolution and the Joga Bonito Iliman Ndiaye card. The 85-rated Lw card has decent in-game stats, roles, playstyles, and can operate in 3 different positions. Like all Joga Bonito items, the card also has 5* Skill Moves. Make sure to complete all the tasks to unlock the rewards before the Gauntlet expires from Ultimate Team.
The Claudia Pina Liga F POTM SBC is now live in FC 26, and you can earn one of these 'broken' items in Ultimate Team for your squad.
This is the first time we have received a Pina item as part of a challenge. This allows everyone to unlock the card without relying on luck. Let's look at how to complete the challenge without breaking the bank, since there are multiple tasks.
Skate Story is likely the last skating video game we'll see in 2025, and it's one of the most unique that I have ever played.
Launched globally on Dec. 8, Skate Story adds an unexpected flavor to the genre. Of course, I got an early taste with the demo, but the full game offers the entire campaign, along with some additional features.
While the basic gist might be all about doing the sickest kickflip, there's more to this one than meets the eye.
The secret sauce is in the story
Skate Story does both the words in its title justice, but let's start with the story. It's unclear whether you're a hero or villain, because rising as a demon certainly hits different. Oh, and you also need to swallow the moon to escape, and yes, there's no typo in that statement.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Your journey begins with your transformation from a frail shadow to a reincarnated demon with your favorite skateboard by your side. However, skating in the underworld is forbidden, but if you don't skate, you can't escape.
Your primary task is to follow the Rabbit, who serves as your trusted companion. While the bunny shows the way, you'll come across mysterious symbols and interesting characters. While the core story is relatively linear, you can get the same task done in different ways.
Screenshot by Destructoid
The initial story chapters will teach you about the tricks you can perform, and there are plenty. You'll get basic ones at first, like the Ollie, that are simple one-button options you can combine with other tricks.
Skate Story might put a lot of emphasis on the story, but the skating part is just as fun. I also loved the Underworld's design. The nine different layers feel unique and allow you lots of scope for how you want to skate. Every path (even while you're completing the story) allows for different approaches.
Many spots allow you to Ollie over obstacles or simply glide right past. The choice is yours as you race towards the next doorway. How you manage to reach your destination isn't very important.
The core gameplay loop is thus: skate across different layers of the Underworld, complete various tasks, and build yourself up until you can swallow the moon. There are plenty of tricks to learn and master, and you'll want to master them, because that's how you damage enemies. The more complex the trick, the more damage it deals.
Screenshot by Destructoid
You'll have to pay attention to the challenges in front of you, then decide which tricks to perform, and then time those correctly, too. It's a lot, so there's a sense of satisfaction every time you pull off a successful move.
The controls feel intuitive, and when you get into a sticky spot, the game allows you to dodge failure fairly easily. Skate Story has an amazing auto-save feature with frequent saves, allowing you to pick up from before an accidental collision easily. In a world where so many video games punish you harshly for failure, Skate Story allows you to bounce back quickly.
On the surface, Skate Story is a simple game where you skate to destroy enemies and solve puzzles with the sole objective of escaping the Underworld. However, there's plenty of depth and a decent amount of replayability (if you want to solve the same chapters with different tricks).
There's also a bit of customization offered by the Souls that you earn while completing the chapters. You can use them to purchase different stickers to customize the look of your board. I would have appreciated it if there were a way to remove the stickers and start fresh, so that's a slight blemish for me.
Visually, the game really stands out. There's an incredible psychedelic feel throughout every chapter and location. The prismatic glass design for the main character is great. The same can also be said about the general world design. Whether it's a fellow demon, the Rabbit, or a gate, Skate Story really is a feast for the eyes.
I usually don't pay much attention to music in games, but Skate Story has one of the best soundtracks I've experienced in a while. This holds across all chapters, and I loved how the tempo builds up tension. I highly recommend using headphones as the music is worthy of its own album.
My only gripe with Skate Story was the length, as the main campaign can be finished in a single day. That said, not every video game has to be a grind. Despite being short, I enjoyed every minute skating through the Underworld.
Skate Story is a sweet little adventure that presents a fantastic story from the point of view of a demon. This isn't your evil incarnate from horror movies; instead, the demon just wants to free himself from the Underworld to skate and consume the moon in the process.
FC Pro Open's Matchday 4 brings another Mystery Nation objective to Ultimate Team, allowing FC 26 players to earn free rewards by completing a simple task.
This guide will help you fully understand how the objective works. The art is to guess the correct nation and then use a footballer to score goals. We will keep you updated on the mystery nation, which will be revealed later on tonight's Pro Open stream. Chances were that the community would crack it before the official reveal, and that has happened.
Disclaimer: The Mystery Nation has been cracked, and it is Canada.
How to complete Pro Open Mystery Nation (Matchday 4) objective in FC 26
Here's the official description of the Mystery Nation Matchday 4 objective.
Score three goals using a Finesse Shot with a player from the mystery nation in any Ultimate Team game mode. The name of the nation will be hinted at during the broadcast of FC Pro Open Matchday 4."
To complete the task, you'll first have to figure out the mystery nation. As mentioned above, EA Sports will be revealing the nation, but it could be solved earlier by the community. Choose a footballer from the nation (Canada), and then score three goals with a Finesse Shot. You can score the goals across multiple games, and all Ultimate Team modes are included. Just make sure to choose Finesse Shot when scoring the goals.
Once done, you'll get the following rewards added to your Ultimate Team account.
Coin Boost
One untradeable Premium Electrum Players Pack
This is the fourth Mystery Nation objective in FC 26 Ultimate Team, it could have been any nation apart from Scotland, Belgium, and Senegal (since they were the correct choices in the first three matchdays). You can catch all the action from Pro Open matchday 4 on YouTube and Twitch, and we will duly update the correct nation once we figure it out.
The Game Awards returns this week for another ceremony to honor the biggest and best games and devs of 2025, but that's just part of the reason gamers everywhere will be watching along.
As usual, the best part of The Game Awards (other than the awards themselves, which recognize good work in the industry) is the surprises. But there are some games that we know for sure will appear in some capacity, whether it be a trailer or release date announcement.
Here's what we know so far will be shown at The Game Awards 2025, and some rumors on what else may pop up. More confirmations are expected throughout the week, and we will keep this info updated as it comes in.
The long awaited new adventure for Lara Croft will be revealed at TGA. The news was initially confirmed in the Game Awards experience in Fortnite on Dec. 8.
Is it finally time? Will we get our Leon S. Kennedy reveal just over two months before we return to Raccoon City one final time? "Tune in for a terrifying new look" at RE9, the show teases.
The upcoming sci-fi RPG from many former BioWare devs will showcase a new trailer ahead of its 2026 release window, and I'm excited to see what's being cooked here.
Whatever the heck is going on with this (it's NOT Bloodborne 2, sorry) will be revealed during the stream. Speculation about this game is all over the place, but my money is on it being absolutely nothing anyone was expecting and thus a disappointment to everyone, no matter how cool it might actually be.
Rumors and baseless speculation
It's always fun to speculate on what may appear, even though it always sets everyone up to be let down. Half-Life 3? Probably not. Grand Theft Auto 6? Also negative. But we can expect something from Hideo Kojima (Keighley's pal is always down to show up, and he is currently in Los Angeles), like Death Stranding 2 PC port or DLC news.
There are plenty of games that are due for some news or announcements, like Final Fantasy VIII Remake part three, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Marvel's Blade,Fable, and countless others. But for now, stay tuned to see what leaks ahead of the show.
A safe bet is some Hollywood appearances, like for Fallout season two and other upcoming video game adaptations. That always makes for some uncomfy situations. And you can bet there will be an acceptance speech that goes on a bit too long as well, but don't forget, that's what this stuff is truly all about.
The Game Awards 2025 begins at 6:30pm CT with its half-hour pre-show on Dec. 11, with the three-hour showcase beginning at 7pm CT.
Night Swarm has plenty of Artifacts to discover on your run, and some of them will be immensely helpful on your runs.
Artifacts are modifier items with unique in-game abilities. A few Artifacts are unlocked by default, but you'll have to unlock the rest. This guide will provide you all the information required for unlocking every Artifact in Night Swarm.
The table below has information about all the Artifacts you can unlock in Night Swarm. The table also includes Artifacts that are available from the very start.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Artifact
How to Unlock
Hourglass of Decay
Unlocked by default
Skull Cup
Perform the Healing Well ritual 20 times
Cursed Rat Ring
Kill 500 enemies in a single stage
Golden Dice
Reroll 25 times
Witchs Crystal Ball
Complete Gambler's Grave 3 times
Cursed Daggers
Deal 100,000 damage in a single stage
Crystal Bird Heart
Dash 150 times in a single stage
Bloodstone Necklace
Get Roderic to level 50
Sacred Tombstone
Die while fighting a boss
Wooden Sword Cup
Kill 500 enemies while in a Healing Well area
Wolf Slayer Rune
Slay 3 different bosses
Halo of the Fallen Angel
Win 2 duels
Demons Shield
Unlocked by default
Merchant Coin
Spend 2000 Gold
Fugitives Eyeball
Level up the Nocturne Drift to level 6
Priests Coin
Level up the Crimson Bloom to level 6
Cursed Stonerune
Unlocked by default
Obsidian Star
Clear 50 stages
Lords Compass
Collect 200 Shadow Silk
Refillable Bottles
Echoes of Grandeur
Gold Bat Bracelet
Fight for 1 minute without moving
Broken Life Ring
Finish a level with less than 15 health
Diamond Wings
Fight for 3333 seconds
Small Potions of Agility
Unlocked by default
Necklace of Luck
Unlocked by default
Double Necked Bottles
Unlocked by default
Ring of Sanctity
Unlocked by default
Killers Potion
Unlocked by default
Bloody Arrowhead
Unlocked by default
Bloodstone Earrings
Unlocked by default
Bloody Dropper
Drink 20 potions
Shadow Scissors
Level up the Essence Fang to level 6
Amulet of Vital Elixir
Unlocked by default
Bracelet of Sacred Shards
Unlocked by default
Crimson Claw Ring
Unlocked by default
Hourglass Girdle
Unlocked by default
Shattered Skull Gem
Unlocked by default
Nocturne Pocket Watch
Unlocked by default
Fangstone Cufflink
Unlocked by default
Emberfang Sigil
Have your companions die 10 times
Frostveil Pendant
Unlocked by default
Aegis of the Damned
Take 150 damage within 5 seconds
Shadowstep Brooch
Unlocked by default
Gilded Blood Chalice
Unlocked by default
Totembrace Talisman
Unlocked by default
Roots of the Grave
Unlocked by default
Statue of Wrath
Unlocked by default
You'll also need Blood Ore aside from completing the individual requirements for unlocking every Artifact.
How to get Blood Ore in Night Swarm
The Blood Ore resource is obtained from different enemies in Night Swarm. They're dropped at random when you defeat them, and keep building up over time. Once you have enough, you can unlock an Artifact of your liking, as long as you have completed the invidiual requirements.
If you've played any of the Octopath Traveler games, you know how vital companions are to your journey. In the first and second games in the series, you'd pick one of eight characters and play through their storylines. But in Octopath Traveler 0, you have your own storyline to follow, and your companions are there to see you through it.
In Octopath Traveler 0, you'll meet over 20 different companions on your journey around Orsterra. Like in previous titles, each one has a class with a set of abilities and weapons that dictate their playstyle. After you've built the workshop in Wishvale, the game turns you loose and you can travel anywhere in the world. If you'd like, you can focus your time entirely on gathering companions and building your dream team. But before you do so, you'll need to know where to find each character in the game.
Here are all the companions in Octopath Traveler0 and where you can find them.
Disclaimer: This guide is a work in progress. We will add more companions as we find them.
Name
Class
Location
Starting Weapons and Skills
Alexia
Scholar
Theatropolis - Library
Weapons: Tome, Staff Skill 1: Lightning Bolt - Unleash a Lightning attack on all foes. Skill 2: Duskfall - Unleash a Dark attack on all foes.
Alfyn
Apothecary
Clearbrook (after King Pardis III's quest line)
Weapons: Axe, Tome Skill 1: First Aid - Restore HP of an ally. Skill 2: Icicle - Unleash an Ice attack on a foe.
Carinda
Merchant
Donescu (after Bestower of Power Ch. 1)
Weapons: Polearm, Bow Skill 1: Penetrating Thrust - Unleash a Polearm attack on a foe. Skill 2: Recuperate - Grant self increased physical defense and restore HP.
Celsus
Thief
Valore: Main Boulevard - Tavern
Weapons: Dagger, Sword Skill 1: Goad - Focus enemy attacks on yourself and lower their accuracy. Skill 2: Double Throw - Unleash 2 sword attacks with a high chance of a critical hit on random foes.
Cyrus
Scholar
Atlasdam (after Bestower of Fame Ch. 2)
Weapons: Staff, Tome Skill 1: Fireball - Unleash a Fire attack on all foes. Skill 2: Icewind - Unleash an Ice attack on all foes.
Delitia
Hunter
Emberglow
Weapons: Bow, Axe Skill 1: Piercing Shadow - Unleash a bow attack on a foe and decrease their speed. Skill 2: Stray Arrows - Unleash two bow attacks on random foes.
El the Swordsman
Warrior
Cragspear (during Master of All)
Weapons: Sword Skill 1: Aggressive Slash - Unleash 3 Sword attacks on random foes. Skill 2: Radiant Light - Unleash 3 Light attacks on random foes.
Esperre
Apothecary
Sufrataljah Sands (after Bestower of Wealth Ch. 2)
Weapons: Axe, Tome Skill 1: Recuperating Smash - Unleash an axe attack on a foe and restore own HP when attacking from back row. Skill 2: Healing Touch - Restore HP and cure ailments of an ally.
Goodwin
Dancer
Shipwreck Island
Weapons: Fan, Dagger Skill 1: Dance of Mist - Reduce accuracy and evasion of a foe, and force them to act last. Skill 2: Storm's Refrain - Unleash 2 Lightning attacks on random foes.
H'aanit
Hunter
Victors Hollow (after Bestower of Wealth Ch. 1)
Weapons: Bow, Axe Skill 1: Rain of Arrows - Unleash 5 to 8 Bow attacks on random foes. Skill 2: Summon Linde - Linde performs Sweep (multi-target Sword attack) or Charge (single-target Polearm attack).
Heidne
Thief
Wishvale Trail (after Heidne and the Man-Eating Miser side quest)
Weapons: Dagger, Sword Skill 1: Steal - Steal an item from a foe. Skill 2: Reaping Slash - Unleash a Dagger attack on a foe.
Isla
Cait Scholar
Isle of Sages (requires collecting all Letter Fragments)
Weapons: Tome Skill 1: Double Slap - Unleash 2 Tome attacks on all foes. Skill 2: Arcane Meteor - Unleash a non-elemental attack on all foes.
Laurana
Cleric
Wishvale (during Kindlers of the Flame Ch. 5)
Weapons: Staff, Fan Skill 1: Healing Light - Restore HP of an ally. Skill 2: Brain Bash - Select a weapon and unleash an attack on a foe.
Ludo
Merchant
Sunshade (during Kindlers of the Flame Ch. 3)
Weapons: Polearm, Bow Skill 1: Spearhead - Unleash a Polearm attack on a foe and act faster during next turn. Skill 2: Appraisal - Show weak points and possessions of a foe.
Macy
Apothecary
Emberglow Inn
Weapons: Axe, Tome Skill 1: First Aid - Restores HP to an ally. Skill 2: Poisonous Touch - Unleash an Axe attack on a foe and inflict poison.
Olberic
Warrior
Shepherds Rock (after completing Master of All)
Weapons: Sword, Polearm Skill 1: Level Slash - Unleash a Sword attack on all foes. Skill 2: Abide - Raise own physical attack.
Ophelia
Cleric
Flamesgrace (after Bestower of Fame Ch. 2)
Weapons: Staff, Fan Skill 1: Heal Wounds - Restore HP of the entire front row or entire back row. Skill 2: Holy Light - Unleash a light attack on a foe.
Phenn
Hunter
Snowshard Grotto (during Kindlers of the Flame Ch. 1)
Weapons: Bow, Axe Skill 1: Repeated Shot - Unleash 2 Bow attacks on a foe. Skill 2: Stout Wall - Raise own physical defense.
Pius
Cleric
Cragspear
Weapons: Staff, Fan Skill 1: Cleansing Fire - Unleash a Fire attack on a foe. Skill 2: Stalwart Veil - Raise the Physical Defense of an ally.
Primrose
Dancer
Sunshade (during Master of All)
Weapons: Fan, Dagger Skill 1: Lion Dance - Raise the Physical Attack of an ally. Skill 2: Moonlight Waltz - Unleash a Dark attack on a foe.
Reime
Warrior
Victors Hollow Arena (after completing Bestower of Fame/Power/Wealth)
Weapons: Sword, Polearm Skill 1: Twofold Slash - Unleash 2 Sword attacks on a foe. Skill 2: Hilt Strike - Select a weapon and unleash an attack on a foe and reduce their Physical Defense.
Saoirse
Dancer
Theatropolis - Amphitheatre (after completing Master of Fame)
Weapons: Fan, Dagger Skill 1: Mole Dance - Raise the Physical Defense of an ally. Skill 2: Dance of Repose - Grant HP regeneration to an ally.
Sazantos
Flamebringer
Wishvale Trail (During Finale)
Weapons: Sword Skill 1: Aggressive Slash - Unleash 3 Sword attacks on random foes. Skill 2: Radiant Light - Unleash 3 Light attacks on random foes.
Stia
Architect
Prologue
Weapons: Axe, Dagger Skill 1: First Aid - Restores HP to an ally. Skill 2: Chop Wood - Unleash an Axe attack on a foe.
Therion
Thief
Cragspear
Weapons: Dagger, Sword Skill 1: Steal - Steal an item from a foe. Skill 2: Wildfire - Unleash a Fire attack on a foe.
Tressa
Merchant
Rippletide
Weapons: Polearm, Bow Skill 1: Collect - Collect Leaves from a foe. Skill 2: Tradewinds - Unleash a Wind attack on a foe.
Viator
Warrior
Valore - Tavern
Weapons: Sword, Polearm Skill 1: Provoke - Focus enemy attacks on yourself. Skill 2: Wild Blade - Deal Sword damage to random foes two time(s).
Xerc
Scholar
Grandport (after Bestower of Power Ch. 2)
Weapons: Tome, Staff Skill 1: Icewind - Unleash an Ice attack on all foes. Skill 2: Tornado - Unleash a Wind attack on all foes.
Alexia
Alexia, the Scholar. Image via Square Enix
Alexia is a scholar with a bit of a mental block. When you first meet her in the Theatropolis library, you'll learn she's hit a dead end in her research on ancient civilizations. After battling her, she insists on joining in your adventures, hoping you'll lead her to ruins or some other exciting discovery that will spark a breakthrough.
Alexia specializes in Lightning and Dark damage, making her a strong special attacker. As a resident of Wishvale, she offers marginal boosts to JP in the Training Ground.
Battle skills
Lightning Bolt (12 SP) - Unleash a Lightning attack on all foes.
Duskfall (12 SP) - Unleash a Dark attack on all foes.
Elemental Bash (8 SP) - Deal Tome damage to a foe and lower Elemental Defense for 2 turns.
Analyze (1 SP) - Discover 1 weak point of a foe and reveal HP.
Pray (6 SP) - Raise own Elemental Attack for 3 turns.
Lightning Blast (33 SP) - Deal Lightning damage to all foes 2 times.
Duskblight (33 SP) - Deal dark damage to all foes 2 times.
[Ultimate Technique] Ancient Magic - Deal massive non-elemental damage to all foes.
Support skills
Conserve Magic - Restore SP when a spell is not used during turn after spell is used.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Max. SP +50 - Raise the equipped character's maximum SP by 50.
Incidental Analysis - Discover a random target's weak point after the equipped character acts.
Alfyn
Oh, good ol' Alfyn. The kind-hearted Apothecary from the original Octopath is back for more adventure in 0, and we're all happy to see him. You'll meet Alfyn in Clearbrook a bit later in your journey, and you'll have to help him gather a few medicinal supplies. He'll eventually join your team when he sees an opportunity to help even more people travelling with you.
Alfyn's skills and weapons look much like those in the original Octopath. He uses an axe and a polearm, but his skills are where his real value lies. With Vivify, he can revive fallen allies, and Rehabilitate cures and protects teammates from status ailments. As a resident of Wishvale, he occasionally gives you medicinal items to aid you in future battles.
Battle skills
First Aid (6 SP) – Restore HP of an ally.
Icicle (11 SP) – Deal Ice damage to a foe.
Rehabilitate (15 SP) – Grant an ally immunity to status ailments for 2 turns.
Amputation (12 SP) – Deal Axe damage to a foe.
Empoison (9 SP) – Gain a chance to inflict poison on a foe for 3 turns.
Vivify (24 SP) – Revive an ally.
Vigorous Strike (16 SP) – Deal great Axe damage to a foe. More potent the more HP you have left.
[Ultimate Technique] Pomegranate Panacea – Restore 2 BP to all allies.
Support skills
Resist Ailments – Improve the equipped character's resistance to poison/bleeding/sleep/paralysis/blindness/silence/terror/weakness.
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's max. SP by 50.
Max. HP +500 – Raise the equipped character's max HP by 500.
Heightened Healing – Raise the amount of HP/SP restored by the equipped character.
Carinda
Carinda, the Merchant. Image via Square Enix
Carinda shows up in the later stages of the game, and you'll be glad when she finally does. She's a kind and caring soul, but make no mistake: she's still a Merchant at the end of the day, and she's all about that coin.
As a Merchant, Carinda carries around a polearm and a bow, and many of her skills make use of these two types of damage. Her attacks offer a few cool secondary effects, though, like earning JP based on how much damage she does or paralyzing her foes.
Battle skills
Penetrating Thrust (12 SP) – Deal Polearm damage to a foe.
Recuperate (12 SP) – Restore own HP and raise physical defense for 3 turns.
Trade Blizzard (12 SP) – Deal Ice damage to all foes.
Arrow of Fortune (35 SP) – Deal great Bow damage and obtain JP based on damage dealt.
Immobilizing Shot (8 SP) – Deal Bow damage to a foe and gain a chance to inflict paralysis for 2 turns.
Soaring Javelin (14 SP) – For 3 turns, deal special Polearm damage to all foes at the end of the turn.
Mystic Shot (18 SP) – Deal Bow damage to all foes and restore SP equal to 2% of damage dealt to the entire front row.
[Ultimate Technique] Trick of the Trade – Raise physical attack of all allies for 5 turns and grant them the ability to dodge physical attacks 1 time.
Support skills
Blessing of Restoration – When the equipped character is in the front row, grant HP/SP regeneration to the paired ally.
Elemental Defense +50 – Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Physical Defense +50 – Raise the equipped character's Physical Defense by 50.
Iron Will – 50% chance to nullify an attribute-reducing effect.
Celsus
Celsus, the Thief. Image via Square Enix
When you meet Celsus in Valore, he's employed as a bodyguard at the town's tavern. Despite being an expert with knives, this bodyguard is a devout man of faith and uses his skillset to deliver god's judgment on troublemakers. After hearing your story, he'll join you on your travels.
As a Thief, his abilities require a bit of luck; many of them involve hitting random enemies and increasing chances of landing a critical blow. When he's added to Wishvale, he brings the Faithful Heart bonus, which adds one to the helper's original count at the church.
Battle skills
Goad (18 SP) -Attempt to draw the attention of all foes to the caster for 3 turns and lower Accuracy of all foes for 3 turns.
Double Throw (8 SP) - Deal Dagger damage to random foes 2 times. This attack has an increased chance of being a critical hit.
Divine Speed (6 SP) - Raise own Evasion/Speed for 3 turns.
Wild Blade (14 SP) - Deal Sword damage to random foes 2 times.
Sidestep (15 SP) - Grant self the ability to dodge physical attacks 1 time.
Winding Throw (34 SP) - Deal Dagger damage to all foes. This has an increased chance of being a critical hit.
Triple Throw (26 SP) - Deal Dagger damage to random foes 3 times. This has an increased chance of being a critical hit.
[Ultimate Technique] Master of Evasion - Make user the target of enemy attacks and grant the ability to dodge physical attacks for 2 turns.
Support skills
Evil Ward - Raise the party's success rate when attempting to flee. (The effect is not cumulative.)
Evasion +50 - Raise the equipped character's Evasion by 50.
Vim and Vigor - Restore HP of equipped character every turn.
Detect Danger - At the start of turn, gain a 25% chance to dodge physical attacks by 1 turns.
Cyrus
You'll meet Cyrus later on in the game when you dig up a book from the innards of a giant salamander. Gross, right? Well, unfortunately for you, that's how every fateful encounter seems to begin. At least that's how this one begins, so you'd better get to digging!
As a Scholar, Cyrus is all about elemental damage. His skills revolve almost entirely around Lightning, Ice, or Fire damage, making him a damage-first companion. Pair him with a dancer like Primrose who can boost his elemental attack, and you'll have one of the strongest attackers in the game. Back at Wishvale, he'll marginally increase the JP obtained by allies in the Training Ground.
Battle skills
Fireball (12 SP) – Deal Fire damage to all foes.
Icewind (12 SP) – Deal Ice damage to all foes.
Lightning Bolt (12 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to all foes.
Analyze (1 SP) – Discover one weak point of a foe and reveal HP.
Fire Storm (33 SP) – Deal Fire damage to all foes 2 times.
Blizzard (33 SP) – Deal Ice damage to all foes 2 times.
Lightning Blast (33 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to all foes 2 times.
[Ultimate Technique] Grand Trinity – Deal Fire/Lightning/Ice damage to all foes 2 times each.
Support skills
Study Foe – At the start of battle, discover one weak point of each foe.
Elemental Attack +50 – Raise the equipped character's elemental attack by 50.
Vim and Vigor – Restore HP of equipped character every turn.
Rechant – When casting magic, gain a 20% chance to recast the same spell.
Delitia
Delitia, the Hunter. Image via Square Enix
You meet Delitia in Embervale shortly after completing the second chapter of the Master of Power questline. A hunter from the Sunlands, Delitia is searching for her brother, who mysteriously vanished one day. Her brother is next in line to lead the Aqeeq, and as a loyal member of the clan, it's Delitia's duty to find him. She recruits you to help her find him, but in exchange, she promises to help you on your journey as well. Who doesn't love a mutually beneficial relationship?
As a Hunter, Delitia wields a Bow, but she's also got an Axe on standby. She's also a reliable source of Ice damage, which can be hard to come by in Octopath Traveler 0. At Wishvale, she will occasionally provide you with whatever she can bring back from hunting: Mutton and Beef, mainly.
Battle skills
Piercing Shadow (8 SP) - Unleash a bow attack on a foe and decrease their speed.
Stray Arrows (14 SP) - Unleash two bow attacks on random foes.
Soporific Ice Frog (8 SP) - Deal Ice damage to a foe and gain a chance to inflict sleep for 2 turns.
Retreating Shot (9 SP) - Deal Bow damage to a foe, then move to the back row.
Mind Sap (6 SP) - Lower Elemental Defense of a foe for 2 turns.
Ice Boulder (16 SP) - Deal Ice damage to a foe 2 times.
Devastating Shot (28 SP) - Deal great Bow damage to a foe and gain a small chance to instantly kill a target.
[Ultimate Technique] Gift of the Aqeeq - Lower Physical Attack/Physical Defense of all foes for 2 turn(s), and raise Physical Attack/Physical Defense of all allies for 4 turns.
Support skills
Fortitude - Raises the equipped character's attack skill potency the lower their HP.
Physical Attack +50 - Raise the equipped character's Physical Attack by 50.
Extended Enfeeblement - When the equipped character inflicts an attribute-reducing effect, extend duration by one turn.
Exacerbate - When switching from the back row, extend duration of attribute-reducing effects of target by 1 turn.
El the Swordsman
El's a mysterious swordswoman who joins you on your travels later on in the storyline. She wields only a sword but can also dish out Light damage, a reflection of her pure heart. You won't know much about El's true identity when you first meet her, but you discover more as you continue to fight alongside her.
Battle skills
Level Slash (14 SP) - Deal Sword damage to all foes.
First Aid (6 SP) - Restore HP of an ally.
Radiant Light (19 SP) - Deal Light damage to random foes 3 times.
Vacuum Slice (30 SP) - Deal great Sword damage to a foe.
Almighty (12 SP) - Raise own Physical Attack, Physical Defense, Elemental Attack, and Elemental Defense for 3 turns.
Trifold Slash (27 SP) - Deal Sword damage to a foe 3 times.
Divine Light (30 SP) - Deal Light damage to a foe 1 time. Attack count increases based on Boost level.
[Ultimate Technique] Holy Sword - Deal Light damage to all foes 5 times.
Support skills
Of Equal Might - Equalize Physical Attack and Elemental Attack of the equipped character to whichever value is higher.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Physical Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Physical Defense by 50.
Vast Energy - When the equipped character is in the back row, they will have a 25% chance to reduce paired ally's BP consumption to 0.
Esperre
Esperre, the Apothecary. Image via Square Enix
Esperre's intro quest will knock you on your ass—quite literally. But luckily, this Apothecary is there to swoop in to save you. Together, you'll work out a plan to defeat a nasty beast, and from there on out, Esperre won't want to leave your side. He'll travel with you in hopes of learning more about medicine and following in his father's footsteps.
As an Apothecary, he uses an axe and tome for his basic attacks, while his skills are a beautiful blend of heals, status ailments, and elemental damage. At Wishvale, he marginally raises the production speed of crops when placed in the fields.
Battle skills
Recuperating Smash (8 SP) – Deal Axe damage to a foe. Restore own HP if attacking from the back row.
Healing Touch (12 SP) – Restore HP of an ally and cure status ailments.
Thunderclap (12 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to all foes.
Toxify (15 SP) – Gain a chance to inflict toxin on a foe for 3 turns.
Arcane Tome (18 SP) – Deal Tome damage to a foe. Restore own SP if attacking from the back row.
Vivify (24 SP) – Revive an ally.
Weak to Poison (4 SP) – Make a foe weak to poison for 2 turns.
[Ultimate Technique] – Remove attribute-reducing effects of all allies and grant an ally immunity to status ailments for 2 turn(s).
Support skills
Prolonged Ailment – When the equipped character inflicts a status ailment, extend duration by 1 turn.
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's max. SP by 50.
Elem. Def. +50 – Raise the equipped character's elemental defense by 50.
Reciprocate – When inflicted with poison/bleeding/sleep/paralysis/blindness, inflict the same ailments back.
Goodwin
Goodwin, the Dancer. Image via Square Enix
Oh, the Theater King, Shipwreck King, and Pain-In-Your-Ass King. Okay, maybe I made that last one up. You'll find Goodwin crashed out on Shipwreck Island, and the only thing that can rouse him from his state of middling consciousness is Ratatouille. And no, that's not me making that up.
Goodwin's a Dancer, so he wields a fan and dagger in combat. His skills revolve around lowering enemies' attributes and shocking them with Lightning damage. As a resident of Wishvale, he offers a regular Leaf gift, giving you money every now and then. And that, my friends, makes him worth the trouble of recruiting.
Battle skills
Dance of Mist (9 SP) – Lower Accuracy/Evasion of a foe for 2 turns and cause target to act last for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Storm's Refrain (13 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to random foes 2 times. Song skill.
Song of Battle (6 SP) – Make foes more likely to attack paired ally in the back row and raise their Physical Defense for 3 turns, then move to back row.
Double Arc (18 SP) – Deal Fan damage to a foe 2 times.
Levin's Reform (8 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to a foe and gain a chance to inflict paralysis for 2 turns. Song skill.
Thunder's Refrain (19 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to random foes 3 times. Song skill.
Dance of Sloughs (30 SP) – Lower Speed/Evasion of all foes for 2 turns and cause targets to act last for 2 turns. Dance skill.
[Ultimate Technique]Song of Levin - Deal Lightning damage to all foes and for 2 turns, deal Lightning damage to all foes at the end of the turn. Song skill.
Support skills
Hang Tough – When the equipped character is not near death, they will survive an otherwise lethal attack with 1 HP remaining.
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's max. SP by 50.
Elemental Defense + 50 – Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Vast Energy - When the equipped character is in the back row, they will have a 25% chance to reduce paired ally's BP consumption to 0.
H'aanit
Our favorite Hunter duo from the original Octopath has returned. That's right: H'aanit and her leopard partner Linde are back in action, and they'll join your journey in the later stages of the game. You find them in Victors Hollow on a trial put forth by her mentor, Z'aanta, and you'll have to help her take down a fearsome beast. But the real lesson is, of course, companionship. This is a JRPG, after all.
Battle skills
Rain of Arrows (12 SP) – Deal Bow damage to random foes 5 to 8 times.
Summon Linde (16 SP) – Summon Linde and deal sword damage to all foes or polearm damage to a foe.
Thunderbird (11 SP) – Deal Lightning damage to a foe.
True Strike (15 SP) – Deal critical Bow damage to a foe.
Ensnare (9 SP) – Cause a foe to act last for 2 turns.
Arrowstorm (36 SP) – Deal Bow damage to all foes 5 to 8 times.
Take Aim (12 SP) – Raise accuracy/critical chance of the entire front or back row for 2 turns.
[Ultimate Technique] Hunter's Drive - Deal Sword damage to all foes, Polearm damage to a foe, and Bow damage to all foes.
Support skills
Second Serving – 50% chance of unleashing a follow-up strike when the equipped character uses "Attack."
Crit +50 – Raise the equipped character's critical chance by 50.
Accuracy + 50 – Raise the equipped character's accuracy by 50.
Patience – Give the equipped character a 25% chance to act again at the end of turn.
Heidne
Heidne's probably your biggest fan in all of Orsterra—or at least, it feels that way at times. You'll find her first outside of Sunshade and then once again outside of Flamesgrace, and both times, she'll want to battle you to try to steal your ring. Her obsession with you and your jewelry makes more sense after you hear her story during the Heidne and the Man-Eating Miser quest, which begins with One's True Worth just outside of Sunshade.
Once you've helped Heidne defeat Vaughner, she'll ask to join your team. As a Thief, she can impair enemies by lowering their stats and dealing Dagger and Dark damage to them. Her supporting skills are incredibly useful, giving her a chance to steal an item automatically after attacking or taking a second turn. Like Goodwin, she offers Leaf gifts at Wishvale, so be sure to add her as a resident to get as much money as you can.
Battle skills
Steal (3 SP) - Steal an item from a foe.
Reaping Slash (12 SP) – Deal Dagger damage to a foe.
Inhibit Offense (6 SP) – Lower Physical Attack/Elemental Attack of a foe for 2 turns.
Darkest Night (11 SP) – Deal Dark damage to a foe.
Lower Defenses (6 SP) – Lower Physical Defense/Elemental Defense of a foe for 2 turns.
Shield Burst (18 SP) – Select a weapon and deal damage to a foe. Lower Shield Points regardless of target's weak points.
Triple Throw (26 SP) – Deal Dagger damage to random foes 3 times. Has an increased chance of being a critical hit.
[Ultimate Technique] Pilfer – Deal great Dagger damage to a foe and steal an item when attack is successful.
Support skills
Incidental Steal – 25% chance to steal an item when attacking a foe.
Speed +50 – Raise the equipped character's speed by 50.
Patience – Give the equipped character a 25% chance to act again at the end of the turn.
The Ring's Grace – Raise physical attack and elemental attack when the equipped character is paired with the main character.
Isla
Isla is simultaneously the cutest and quite possibly strangest companion you'll meet in your travels around Orsterra. To add the Cait to your team, you'll need to be invited to the Isle of Sages in the Outersea by finding all Letter Fragments. When you visit the island, you'll learn Isla is the minister, but she's willing to drop everything to join the Chosen One on their journey.
Like real-life cats, Isla can be a creature of pure chaos and destruction. Wielding only a tome, she's a master of non-elemental damage, but she also has a couple skills that restore her own HP and SP or raise the elemental attack and evasion of teammates. Back home at Wishvale, Isla regularly retrieves various items with her Capricious Cat resident skill.
Battle skills
Double Slap (21 SP) – Deal Tome damage to all foes 2 times.
Arcane Meteor (24 SP) – Deal great non-elemental damage to all foes.
Fleeting Feline (10 SP) – Raise own speed for 2 turns and grant self the ability to dodge physical attacks 1 time.
Purr-omote (12 SP) – Raise elemental attack/evasion of the entire front or back row for 2 turns.
Curl Up (0 SP) – Greatly restore own HP/SP.
Triple Slap (43 SP) – Deal Tome damage to all foes 3 times.
Arcane Comet (36 SP) – Deal great non-elemental damage to all foes. More potent if attacking from the back row.
[Ultimate Technique] Ulti-Meow – Use all your SP, then deal non-elemental damage to all foes. More potent the more SP spent.
Support skills
Sage's Wisdom – Elemental attacks will also deal critical damage.
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's maximum SP by 50.
Sheer Focus – Focus specific spells on a single target, but raise the potency.
Laurana
Laurana, the Cleric. Image via Square Enix
Like Stia and Phenn, Laurana's one of the original Wishvale residents, but she goes missing after the town is tragically burned to the ground. You won't find her until later on in the Kindlers of the Flame questline, and by that point, she's become a Cleric in Flamesgrace.
As a Cleric, she carries around a staff and a fan, and many of her skills involve some sort of healing effect. Where Laurana shines, however, is in her ability to shield allies from death with Wondrous Veil and her Ultimate Technique, Maiden's Miracle. These two skills grant effects that automatically restore allies' health after they've been incapacitated, making Laurana an incredibly powerful party member at later stages of the game when enemies start hitting a bit harder.
Battle skills
Healing Light (8 SP) – Restore HP of an ally.
Brain Bash (18 SP) – Select a weapon and deal damage to a foe.
Ethereal Healing (30 SP) – Grant HP regeneration to the entire front row or entire back row for 2 turns.
Soporific Ice Fog (8 SP) – Deal Ice damage to a foe and gain a chance to inflict sleep for 2 turns.
Mystical Staff (9 SP) – Deal Staff damage to a foe 2 times and restore SP equal to 10% of damage dealt.
Moonlit Repose (8 SP) – Grant SP regeneration to an ally for 1 turn.
Wondrous Veil (30 SP) – Grant an effect that allows an ally to recover with 25% of their max. HP upon being incapacitated (one time only).
[Ultimate Technique] Maiden's Miracle – Grant an effect that allows the entire front row or back row to recover with 50% of their max HP upon being incapacitated.
Support skills
HP Recovery Up – Raise the amount restored by the equipped character's HP recovery/HP regeneration skills.
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's max SP by 50.
Speed +50 – Raise the equipped character's Speed by 50.
Encore – Grant an effect that allows you to recover with 25% of your max HP upon being incapacitated (one time only).
Ludo
Ludo, the Merchant. Image via Square Enix
You'll meet Ludo during the third chapter of the Kindlers of the Flame questline. At this point in the story, he's running a prominent business down in Sunshade, much to others' disdain. He's a bit pompous at first, especially for a 20-year-old merchant, but he eventually agrees to join your efforts at Wishvale after you take out a band of lizardmen at his behest.
Ludo's all about raking in those Leaves, and his skills reflect that. He fights primarily with a Polearm but also uses a Bow. At Wishvale, he marginally raises the selling price of items at the shop and is locked to that building—though, since he's a merchant, would you really want him anywhere else?
Battle skills
Spearhead (9 SP) - Deal Polearm damage to a foe. Act faster next turn.
Appraisal (1 SP) - Discover 1 weak points of a foe and reveal possessions.
Arm-Crippling Thrust (9 SP) - Deal Polearm damage to a foe 2 times and lower their physical attack by 2 turns.
Negotiation (10 SP) - Target for provides additional EXP and Leaves at the end of battle.
Leg-Crippling Thrust (22 SP) - Deal Polearm damage to a foe 2 times and lower their speed by 2 turns.
War Cry (6 SP) - Raise own physical attack/crit. for 3 turns.
Crippling Thrust (27 SP) - Deal Polearm damage to a foe 3 times.
[Ultimate Technique] Enervating Thrust - Deal Polearm damage to a foe. If broken, lower Shield Points of target by one upon recovery.
Support skills
Extra Items - Enemies are more likely to drop items.
Invigorating Attack - Restore HP equal to 10% of damage deal when using "Attack."
Max. HP +500 - Raise the equipped character's max HP by 500.
Fierce Rush - Raise the potency of multiple-hit attacks against broken enemies.
Macy
Macy, the Apothecary. Image via Square Enix
By far, the most compassionate companion you'll meet on your journey is Macy. She's a caretaker almost to a fault, and she frets religiously about her friends' well-being. You can find Macy early on in your journey at the Emberglow Inn, and she'll quickly join your travels in hopes of spreading her charity to other regions of Orsterra.
As an Apothecary, Macy's battle skills both support allies through heals and SP restoration, as well as damaging enemies with hard-hitting Axe attacks. Back at Wishvale, she offers the Med Supply boon and will regularly give you healing items.
Battle skills
First Aid (6 SP) - Restore HP of an ally.
Poisonous Touch (18 SP) - Deal Axe damage to a foe and gain a chance to inflict poison for 2 turns.
Paralysis Formula (9 SP) - Gain a chance to inflict paralysis on a foe for 2 turns.
Expert First Aid (6 SP) - Restore HP of an ally and move to the back row.
Rest (0 SP) - Restore own HP/SP and cure own status ailments.
Twin Bash (18 SP) - Deal Axe damage to a foe 2 times.
Share SP (Costs 50% of caster's remaining SP) - Grant 50% of the caster's remaining SP to an ally.
[Ultimate Technique] Prism Mist - Grant a random positive status effect to all allies.
Support skills
Boon of Healing - When using an HP recovery skill, extend duration of target's augmenting effects by 1 turn.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Max. HP +500 - Raise the equipped character's max HP by 500.
Healing Item Expertise - Increase the effects of healing items during battle.
Olberic
The Unbending Blade has returned. Given Olberic's capabilities, it's no surprise there are frauds parading around Orsterra using his name, and you'll catch one out later in your journey. After helping him, he decides to travel with you to find the retribution he's looking for.
As a Warrior, Olberic makes the most of swords and polearms. He can be quite the frontline, using his Cover support skill to defend allies from near death and taunting enemies into targeting him with Provoke. At Wishvale, he marginally increases the experience points allies will gain from the Training Ground.
Battle skills
Level Slash (14 SP) – Deal Sword damage to all foes.
Abide (6 SP) – Raise own physical attack for 3 turns.
Spearhead (9 SP) – Deal Polearm damage to a foe. Act faster next turn.
Provoke (12 SP) – Deal Sword damage to a foe.
Stout Wall (6 SP) – Raise own physical defense for 3 turns.
Wild Thrust (29 SP) – Deal Polearm damage to random foes 3 to 5 times.
[Ultimate Technique]Unbending Blade – Deal massive Sword damage to a foe.
Support skills
Cover – Take damage from a single hit meant for a near-death ally.
Physical Defense +50 – Raise the equipped character's physical defense by 50.
Surpassing Power – The equipped character will deal up to 99,999 damage.
Ophelia
O-o-phelia! Octopath fans get to play as the Cleric from Flamesgrace once more in 0 with Ophelia's return. We first meet Ophelia in the Kindlers of the Flame questline, but she won't actually join your team until after Bestower of Fame Ch. 2.
With her holy powers, Ophelia's strengths lie in healing her team, protecting them from death, and dealing Light damage to enemies. As a resident of Wishvale, she adds two helpers to the total count when placed in the church.
Battle skills
Heal Wounds (12 SP) – Restore HP to the entire front or back row.
Holy Light (11 SP) – Deal Light damage to a foe.
Sheltering Veil (9 SP) – Raise elemental defense of an ally for 2 turns.
Luminescence (14 SP) – Deal Light damage to all foes.
Heal More (38 SP) – Greatly restore HP of the entire front or back row.
Stalwart Veil (9 SP) – Raise physical defense of an ally for 2 turns.
Revive (75 SP) – Revive all allies.
[Ultimate Technique] Divine Protection – Nullify damage taken from physical attacks for the entire front or back row 1 time.
Support skills
Extra JP – Receive additional JP at the end of battle. (This effect is not cumulative.)
Max. SP +50 – Raise the equipped character's maximum SP by 50.
Persistence – When the equipped character is granted an attribute-raising effect, extend duration by 1 turn.
Saving Grace – Grants the equipped character the ability to be healed above their max HP.
Phenn
Phenn, the Hunter. Image via Square Enix
A member of the original Wishvale crew, Phenn blames himself for much of the destruction caused in Wishvale's attack. You find him training in the caves surrounding the town, attempting to hone his skills so he'll never have to face such loss again.
Phenn joins your party as part of the Kindlers of the Flame questline to help rebuild the town. He uses a bow and axe as a Hunter, and eventually takes over running the town's tavern in the rebuilding efforts. Phenn brings the Negotiator skill to Wishvale, which marginally lowers the cost of restoring your reputation in the town.
Battle skills
Repeated Shot (8 SP) - Unleash 2 Bow attacks on a foe.
Stout Wall (6 SP) - Raise own physical defense.
Provoke (6 SP) - Attempt to draw the attention of all foes for 3 turns.
Sweeping Gale (16 SP) - Deal Wind damage to a foe 2 times.
Focus (6 SP) - Raise own physical attack and accuracy for 3 turns.
Twin Bash (18 SP) - Deal Axe damage to a foe 2 times.
Avenging Triple Shot (32 SP) - At the end of turn, deal special bow damage to a foe 3 times. This attack is more potent the more hits taken that turn.
[Ultimate Technique] Shield of Hope - Reduce damage taken by all enemies for 2 turns.
Support skills
Vigorous Victor - Restore 30% of the equipped character's maximum HP and SP upon winning the battle.
Physical Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's physical defense by 50.
Eye for an Eye - Gain a 50% chance to counter physical attacks.
The Strength to Protect - Raise physical attack up to 5 tiers every time the equipped character takes damage.
Pius
Pius, the Cleric. Image via Square Enix
You run into Pius after arriving in Cragspear, and although you might not know him, he knows you. He's an old family friend—a distant relative of your mother, actually—and is distraught to hear about the events at Wishvale. Raised in the faith, Pius is a devout bishop and joins you in your journey seeking to provide aid wherever he can.
As a Cleric, Pius offers support in a fight, but he can also dish out damage when needed. His abilities revolve around healing and raising the defense of allies, though he also has a few Fire and Fan attacks. At Wishvale, he adds one to the helper's original use count in the Church—fitting, for a Bishop.
Battle skills
Cleansing Fire (11 SP) - Deal Fire damage to a foe.
Stalwart Veil (9 SP) - Raise physical defense of an ally for 2 turns.
Heal Wounds (12 SP) - Restore HP of the entire front or back row of allies.
Wild Strike (14 SP) - Deal Fan damage to random foes 2 times.
Sweep (34 SP) - Select a weapon and deal damage to all foes.
Flames of Judgement (13 SP) - Deal Fire damage to random foes 2 times.
Sacred Shield (20 SP) - Grant a shield to an ally, reducing damage taken from the next hit by 50 percent.
[Ultimate Technique] Scales of Justice - Lower physical defense/elemental defense of all foes for 2 turn(s) and raise physical attack/elemental attack of all allies for 4 turns.
Support skills
Back Row Support - When the equipped character is in the back row, grant HP restoration to paired ally.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's elemental defense by 50.
Speed +50 - Raise the equipped character's speed by 50.
Recover SP - Restore SP equal to 1% of damage dealt when using "Attack."
Primrose
Primrose is one of the returning companions from the original Octopath Traveler, and her appearance will be a welcome sight to any fan of the first game. You'll meet her later on in the game's story in the Sunshade tavern—though you'll have to rematch Rosso if you want her to join your team.
As a Dancer, Primrose's skills revolve around buffing allies and dealing Dark damage. She wields a dagger and a fan, much like the other Dancers in the party. Her resident skill, Savvy Shopper, marginally lowers the price of items you can buy from Ludo's shop.
Battle skills
Lion Dance (6 SP) – Raise physical attack of an ally for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Moonlight Waltz (11 SP) – Deal Dark damage to a foe. Song skill.
Peacock Strut (6 SP) – Raise elemental attack of an ally for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Mole Dance (6 SP) – Raise physical defense of an ally for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Night Ode (15 SP) – Deal Dark damage to all foes. Song skill.
Panther Dance (6 SP) – Raise speed of an ally for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Song of Lunar Shadow (40 SP) – Deal great Dark damage to a foe. Song skill.
[Ultimate Technique] Twilight Waltz – Deal Dark damage to all foes 2 times. Grant SP regeneration to all allies for 3 turns. Dance skill.
Support skills
Second Wind – Restore SP of equipped character every turn.
Evasion +50 – Raise the equipped character's Evasion by 50.
Speed +50 – Raise the equipped character's Speed by 50.
The Show Goes On – When the equipped character grants an attribute-raising effect, extend duration by 1 turn.
Reime
Reime's easily the toughest companion to impress. She won't become available until after you've completed the Bestower of Wealth, Bestower of Fame, and Bestower of Power quests—but when she does, you'll be glad for the extra training time.
As a warrior in the underground fighting rings, Reime uses swords and polearms, and many of her skills revolve around attacking twice in one move. Combined with he support skill Fierce Rush, this mechanic makes her a powerful opponent who should never be underestimated.
Battle skills
Twofold Slash (8 SP) – Deal sword damage to a foe 2 times.
Hilt Strike (9 SP) – Select a weapon and deal damage to a foe and lower physical defense for 2 turns.
Master of Shadows (8 SP) – Deal Dark damage to a foe 2 times.
Double Thrust (8 SP) – Deal Polearm damage to a foe 2 times.
Vengeful Blade (14 SP) – Counter physical attacks with a sword 2 time(s). Lower Shield Points with counter regardless of target's weak points.
Judicious Blade (18 SP) – Nullify own positive status effects, then deal Polearm damage to a foe. More potent the more status effects nullified.
Stormblade (36 SP) – Deal Sword damage to a foe 3 to 5 times.
[Ultimate Technique] Lotus Blade – Deal Sword damage to a foe 6 times.
Support skills
BP Luck – 50% chance to reduce BP consumption to 0.
Fierce Rush – Raise the potency of multi-hit attacks against broken foes.
Physical Attack +50 – Raise the equipped character's physical attack by 50.
Battle Refinement – Slightly fill the equipped character's Ultimate Technique gauge when exploiting a foe's weak point with physical attacks.
Saoirse
Saoirse, the Dancer. Image via Square Enix
Shortly after the events of the Master of Fame questline, you meet Saoirse, a performer at the Theatropolis Amphitheatre. To get her to join your party, you'll have to select the right combination of dance moves. The correct order of moves is "lightly as a kingfisher," "gaily as a baleful bloom," and then "fiercely as a fungold." Once you've shown off your fancy footwork, Saoirse will declare you her "song," a dedicated dance partner, and accompany you on your travels.
As a Dancer, Saoirse uses a fan and dagger for her weapons, and her abilities revolve around providing buffs to her teammates. At Wishvale, she offers the Abundant Charm effect, which slightly increases the frequency of deliveries regularly provided by the town's residents.
Battle skills
Mole Dance (6 SP) - Raise physical defense of an ally for 2 turn(s. Dance skill.
Dance of Repose (6 SP) - Grant HP regeneration to an ally for 3 turns. Dance skill.
Song of Winds (11 SP) - Deal Wind damage to a foe. Song skill.
Panther Dance (6 SP) - Raise speed of an ally for 2 turns. Dance skill.
Song of Slumber (9 SP) - Gain a chance to inflict sleep on a foe for 2 turns. Song skill.
Song of Howling Winds (12 SP) - Deal Wind damage to all foes. Song skill.
Dance of Respite (33 SP) - Grant HP regeneration to the entire front row or entire back row for 2 turns. Dance skill.
[Ultimate Technique] Ruinous Aria - Grant an ally the ability to exploit weaknesses regardless of weak points for 2 turn(s). Song skill.
Support skills
Invigorate - When the equipped character grants HP regeneration with a skill, grant SP regeneration to the target for 2 turn(s).
Speed +50 - Raise the equipped character's speed by 50.
Max. SP +50 - Raise the equipped character's maximum SP by 50.
Back Row Dancer - At the end of the turn, slightly fill the Ultimate Technique gauge of the entire front row when the equipped character is in the back row.
Sazantos
Just when you thought you could kick back and relax, Sazantos shows up on your doorstep to let you know the journey's not over. He informs you the Rings of Power must be sealed away, and he accompanies you on your journey to do so as Flamebringer, a protector of the Azure Flame.
Battle skills
Aggressive Slash (22 SP) – Deal Sword damage to random foes 3 times.
Radiant Light (19 SP) – Deal Light damage to random foes 3 times.
Almighty (12 SP) – Raise own Physical Attack/Physical Defense/Elemental Attack/Elemental Defense for 3 turns.
Sacred Flame's Grace (18 SP) – Restore HP of entire front row or back row and grant HP restoration for 3 turns at Max. Boost.
Transcendent Light (26 SP) – Deal Light damage to random foes 4 times.
Divine Flame (16 SP) – Exploit weakness with physical attacks regardless of weak points for 2 turns.
Phantom Blade (40 SP) – Deal great Sword damage to random foes 2 times. Attack count increases based on Boost Lv.
[Ultimate Technique] Shadowcleaver – Deal Sword damage to all foes 2 times. Deal more damage if graced with Divine Flame.
Support skills
Master of Offense – More easily land critical hits on broken foes.
BP Recovery on Break – The equipped character will consume no BP when breaking a foe.
Stia
Stia, the Architect. Image via Square Enix
Stia is the first companion you'll meet in Octopath Traveler 0. She's there from the very beginning—long before your journey actually ever starts, in fact. She's the daughter of the head carpenter in Wishvale and a close friend of the protagonist. Stia will be by your side throughout most of your journey around Orsterra, so you'd better get used to her presence.
During the rebuilding efforts, Stia takes up her father's mantle and leads most of the town's construction. In battle, she offers a variety of support skills, healing allies or granting them either SP or BP. But don't underestimate Stia; the Architect can also dish out plenty of Axe damage when she needs to.
Battle skills
First Aid (6 SP) - Restores HP to an ally.
Chop Wood (6 SP) - Unleash an Axe attack on a foe.
Full Swing (28 SP) - Deal Axe damage to all foes.
Stroke of Genius (6 SP) - Grant self 2 random attribute-raising effects for 2 turns.
Donate BP (5 SP) - Grant 1 BP to an ally.
Share SP (Costs 50% of caster's remaining SP) - Grant 50% of the caster's remaining SP to an ally.
Greater Distribution (0 SP) - Grant an ally your attribute-raising effects for 2 turns.
[Ultimate Technique] Full Cheer - Raise BP recovery of the entire front row or entire back row by 1 and grant SP regeneration by 2 turns.
Support skills
Incidental Heal - After the equipped character acts, gain a 50% chance to restore the HP of an ally in the front row with the least HP.
Maximum SP +60 - Raise the equipped character's max. SP by 50.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's elemental defense by 50.
Unsung Hero - When the equipped character is in the back row, nullify status ailments of paired ally.
Therion
Therion is back, baby. For all you fans of the original Octopath Traveler game, you're more than familiar with this edgelord. Sorry, did I say edgelord? I meant totally badass thief.
You'll first run into Therion in Cragspear as he busts a gang's con to scam the town's inhabitants. He'll enlist your aid in taking down the gang's leader and will eventually agree to accompany you on your travels in hopes of keeping you out of trouble.
Therion has very similar battle skills to his appearance in the first game. As a Thief, his abilities involve stealing items, HP, and BP, as well as doing Dagger and Fire damage to enemies. At Wishvale, he will regularly offer you deliveries of battle items.
Battle skills
Steal (3 SP) - Steal an item from a foe.
Wildfire (11 SP) - Deal Fire damage to a foe.
HP Thief (9 SP) - Deal Dagger damage to a foe 2 times and steal HP equal to 50% of damage dealt.
Shackle Foe (6 SP) - Lower Physical Attack of a foe for 2 turns.
Armor Corrosive (6 SP) - Lower Physical Defense of a foe for 2 turns.
SP Thief (9 SP) - Deal Dagger damage to a foe 2 times and steal SP equal to 5% of damage dealt.
Assassination (35 SP) - Deal great Dagger damage to a foe. More potent if attacking from the back row.
[Ultimate Technique] BP Thief - Deal Dagger damage to a foe 2 times and restore 2 BP to self.
Support skills
Incidental Attack - The equipped character gains a 50% chance of also attacking when using a non-damaging skill.
Speed +50 - Raise the equipped character's speed by 50.
Snatch - The equipped character will seize twice the amount when using Steal or Collect.
Extended Enfeeblement - When the equipped character inflicts an attribute-reducing effect, extend duration by 1 turn.
Tressa
After meeting Tressa in Rippletide, she quickly became one of my favorite returning companions in this game thanks to her ability to rake in the Leaves. Her skillset is much of the same as in the original Octopath Traveler, revolving mainly around Wind, Polearm, and Bow damage while offering a few additional abilities that grant herself extra evasion or BP to allies.
Collect (3 SP) – Collect Leaves from a foe.
Tradewinds (11 SP) – Deal Wind damage to a foe.
Rest (0 SP) - Restore own HP/SP and cure own status ailments.
Trade Tempest (15 SP) – Deal Wind damage to all foes.
Donate BP (5 SP) – Grant 1 BP to an ally.
Sidestep (15 SP) - Grant self the ability to dodge physical attacks 1 time.
Peerless Strike (30 SP) – Deal great Polearm damage to a foe.
[Ultimate Technique] Call for Help – Deal Sword/Dagger/Axe/Light to random foes 1 time each.
Support skills
Extra Leaves – Receive additional leaves at the end of battle. (This effect is not cumulative)
Hang Tough – When the equipped character is not near death, they will survive an otherwise lethal attack with 1 HP remaining.
Elemental Defense + 50 – Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
SP Saver – Halves SP requirements for the equipped character's skills.
Viator
Viator, the Warrior. Image via Square Enix
One of the earliest companions you'll meet on your journey, Viator is hanging out in the Valore tavern when you find him. As a Warrior, he makes the most of swords and polearms. He can act as a solid tank, provoking enemies to attack him and raising his own evasion or nullifying damage from hits. At Wishvale, he marginally increases the experience obtained by those in the Training Ground.
Battle skills
Provoke (6 SP) - Attempt to draw the attention of all foes for 3 turns.
Wild Blade (14 SP) - Unleash two Sword attacks on random foes.
Evasive Stance (6 SP) - Raise own Evasion for 3 turns.
Vanguard Spear (18 SP) - Deal Polearm damage to a foe. Act faster next turn.
Charging Strike (18 SP) - Deal Sword damage to a foe 2 times. More potent if attacking from the back row.
Parry (15 SP) - Nullify damage taken from physical attacks 3 times.
Talon Strike (36 SP) - Deal great Sword damage to random foes 3 times.
[Ultimate Technique]Fluid Stance - Deal damage with equipped weapon 2 times when evading or parrying attacks for 2 turns.
Support skills
Elemental Counter - 50% chance to counter elemental attacks.
Physical Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Physical Defense by 50.
Elemental Defense +50 - Raise the equipped character's Elemental Defense by 50.
Foresight - The equipped character will have a 25% chance to restore 1 BP when attacked.
Xerc
Xerc, the Scholar. Image via Square Enix
Shortly after the events of Bestower of Power Ch. 2, you'll meet Xerc, who's in Grandport for an auction. He's a Scholar—but a broke one, apparently, because he bums 10,000 Leaves off you to bid on an abnormally giant Soulstone that you never end up getting back. But when the bidding goes south, you end up having to protect him and his assistant from a band of pirates. He'll eventually join you on your travels in hopes of finding more areas of research worth studying.
As a specialist in Soulstone research, Xerc's skills revolve around elemental damage, namely Ice and Wind. When he's placed in Wishvale, he regularly offers you a delivery of battle items with his Arsenal Supply resident skill.
Battle skills
Icewind (12 SP) – Deal Ice damage to all foes.
Tornado (12 SP) – Deal Wind damage to all foes.
Sweep (34 SP) – Select a weapon and deal damage to all foes
Analyze (1 SP) – Discover 1 weak point of a foe and reveal HP.
Stroke of Genius (6 SP) – Grant self 2 random attribute-raising effects for 2 turns.
Blizzard (33 SP) – Deal Ice damage to all foes 2 times.
Maelstrom (33 SP) – Deal Wind damage to all foes 2 times.
If you think you've mastered the art of ghost hunting in Phasmophobia, you may be ready to put your skills to the test. Weekly challenge modes are a great way to see just how good you are.
These special trials modify how the game works, usually with rules that make the experience a lot harder. Successfully finishing the challenge gets you plenty of XP and cash, so it's well worth the effort. Here's the weekly challenge in Phasmophobiaand everything you need to know to beat it.
From Dec. 7 to 14, the weekly challenge is Glow in the Dark in Phasmophobia. In this challenge, you're missing most equipment that grants light, which means you're pretty much investigating entirely in the dark. A Tier II UV Light is your only light source, and it's barely anything.
How to complete the weekly challenge in Phasmophobia
To finish the weekly challenge mode in Phasmophobia, you need to correctly identify the ghostpresent on the featured map three times. The specific changes present in each trial mode vary, but your goal is always the same.
All Glow in the Dark weekly challenge modifiers in Phasmophobia
This challenge mode has several specific rules that modify the way the contract functions. Here are all the key details you need to know about this trial.
Missing Equipment:Sound Recorders, Flashlights, Firelights, Motion Sensors, Video Cameras, and Tripods.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Phasmophobia Glow in the Dark weekly challenge mode tips
The Glow in the Dark challenge is one of the trickier ones you can attempt in Phasmophobia, so here are some of the best tips to help you get it done.
Learn 42 Edgefield Road's layout. You're basically stumbling around blind in this trial, so if you aren't familiar with this location, it's nearly impossible to get around. Before attempting this challenge, load a custom version of the game with the friendly ghost option turned on to freely explore this map and learn everything there is to know about it.
Bring all your equipment to the front door. Before you start investigating, bring all of the items you need to the front door. You don't have a setup time, so the ghost can technically come after you as soon as you set foot inside. If you prepare a bit by gathering the items you need near the front door, you'll save time and be more likely to succeed.
Use a UV Light to get around. You won't get much light at all, but it's this or nothing, so be sure to use this item as you try to explore the house.
Play with friends. Your odds of success are a lot better with allies helping you through this tricky trial. With additional ghost hunters at your side, you can explore the map more quickly, work together to gather evidence, and continue the investigation even if you perish.
Don't give up. Since all equipment is provided for free, there's nothing to lose in this challenge. Because of this, you can keep trying without worrying about losing money or equipment. Give each contract your all and keep at it until you get it done.
Make an educated guess. Some ghosts are just easier to identify than others, so luck plays a large role in how easy or tough this trial is. You should always make a guess before you leave, then reroll to try again, even if you have no idea what the correct ghost type is.
When does the challenge mode change in Phasmophobia?
The challenge mode changes every Monday at 12am UTC, which translates to 6pm CT every Sunday. You have a full week to tackle each challenge mode when it's available. All challenge modes return regularly since they're on a rotating schedule, so if you don't get to finish one, you can always try it again in the future.
Next weekly challenge mode in Phasmophobia
The next weekly challenge mode, which will run for a full week from Dec. 14to 21, will be Deja Vu. This challenge mode will begin as soon as this week's featured one, Glow in the Dark, ends.
All weekly challenge modes in Phasmophobia
Screenshot by Destructoid
There are 26 challenge modes in Phasmophobia. A different one is available to complete each week, and the challenge order stays exactly the same, so it's easy to know which one is coming next. Here are all of the challenges you may face in Phasmophobia.
Name
Description
Map
Lights Out!
Get your candles at the ready, all the lights are out!
6 Tanglewood Drive
Speed Demons
There must be something in the air, everyone's going crazy!
Maple Lodge Campsite
Detectives Only
Put your detective skills to the test, this ghost is giving nothing away!
42 Edgefield Road
Hide and Seek: Seeker
There's a very quiet ghost hiding somewhere, can you find it?
Some of our equipment has stopped working, hopefully this'll be enough for you to see.
42 Edgefield Road
Deja Vu
This one feels pretty nostalgic, don't you think?
6 Tanglewood Drive
Tag! You're It!
This ghost will chase you immediately, better get running!
Brownstone High School
Special challenge modes
In addition to the regular challenge modes that rotate in and out on a consistent basis, there are also sometimes special challenge modes that have only ever appeared once and left the rotation afterward. These trials are generally designed for testing out features that are new at the time, like fresh equipment and maps.
Anime Ascendants is on the simpler side of Roblox Tower Defense games since the units currently don't have any special passives. That's why we can only rank them based on DPS, cost and whether they have Line, Cone or Full AOE. Here's my Anime Ascendants unit tier list.
The best unit in Anime Ascendants is based more on DPS and AOE types than on passives. This game doesn't yet have a complex passive and unit ability system like Anime Vanguards or Anime Crusaders so I rated units on placement, DPS and single vs AOE damage. I will break down the rankings below. So far Sukuno EVO's Line AOE is incredible but then against most of the Secrets are a league above the Exclusives and Mythics. That said, the Exclusives and Mythics have more specific power gaps which you'll see across the A, B and C-Tiers.
S-Tier: These are a must-have for clearing end-game Raids and harder Challenges.
A-Tier: All of these units are the best for Story and can support other units for more difficult modes.
B-Tier: Excellent for beginners.
C-Tier: Underpowered units that need buffs or really good Legendaries.
D-Tier: Early-game units that you shouldn't use once you get higher-tier DPSs.
Farm: Fit into any team composition to boost cash (always good).
Evo Stats: I ranked the units based on their EVO versions with optimal stat rolls. That's why Free Ren is soo good right now since the other exclusives don't have EVOs.
Farm: I separated the Farm units from the DPS ones since they are always good to bring. Especially on longer game modes like Raids.
Best Legendaries: Currently, the best DPS Legendary is Touci while Orwin offers great support DPS.
Best Beginner: The best beginner units are Hosin and Megomu for Mythics and Touci and Orwin for Legendaries.
Best Anime Ascendants Traits
The best traits in Anime Ascendants depend on the unit you want to place them on. The three main categories are your META DPS units, farm units and regular DPS units. Here are the best traits for every unit category:
META DPS: For the S-Tier units above the best Trait is Ascendant or Singularity for maximum damage and only one placement.
Farm Units: Put Golden on your farm units for more cash.
Secondary DPS: Berserker works wonders for boss damage and overall DPS if you're not using Ascendant or Singularity. Slayer is another option since it's basically the same but slightly weaker.
Support: Orwin, Goju and Gambler are support DPS units so don't put Singularity or Ascendant on them and instead go for Supernova for more range or the Secondary DPS traits.
Beginner: Godspeed is an excellent beginner trait if you're not getting lucky. Strong III and Nimble III also work well if you're just starting out.
Avoid: Any trait below Godspeed including Expertion and try to get Godspeed or higher as a beginner.
That's it for now on this Anime Ascendants tier list. Check out our Anime Ascendants codes for a massive head start on the summons.
Welcome back, Bloodborne dreamers. As ever, the nightmare continues, and this time it's The Game Awards-flavored.
You know that demonic statue in the desert that Geoff Keighley is teasing? I think I accidentally created this latest conspiracy, and I am sorry. In my recent iteration of copium and hopium, I filled in the blanks to a Twitter/X reply with some well-known Bloodborne 2 fan art, and my notifications haven't been the same since.
Image via PlayStation
If you're new to the Bloodborne fandom, welcome. We do this all the time. Ever since the first game launched for the PS4 (and stayed there) back in 2015, fans have been praying to the Old Ones for a sequel, or even a re-release or remaster. And we have not given up.
Many believe that it's From Software's best work, both from a gameplay perspective and worldbuilding/lore. Its unique combat featured off-hand weapons like guns used to parry foes, and transforming weapons that offered different attack styles have had many bloodthirsty for more ever since.
Whenever there's a gaming industry event, like a PlayStation State of Play or any other kind of live stream where games are revealed, we mercilessly and unreasonably hope and believe that Bloodborne will be back. But the issue with this latest cope is that I suppose some people saw my biography on Twitter/X and thought there was some credence to the rumor.
I regret to tell you all that I know nothing about potential Bloodborne news. I was just being a hopium Hunter once again. Some people understood, but others have been in my replies taking it as some sort of hope or even a report that this is actually happening. I'm sorry, gamers, but it's not.
Or maybe it is? I haven't heard anything, and neither has seemingly anyone else, but when TGA's account posted that "redacted"-style tease, naturally I had to make it about Bloodborne, because we are all hoping for From Software's return to the IP to one day come to fruition.
A lot of the people interacting with the post (over 143,000 views since Friday) are hopefully just like me and along for the joke or ride, but if anyone felt deceived or false hope about it, then welcome to the land of delusion that we all live in.
The sad reality is that Bloodborne 2 or even a Bloodborne PC port or remaster is unlikely. Last year, From Software CEO Hidetaka Miyazaki remarked that he knew some of his devs want the port to happen, but in the end, the game and IP are both owned by Sony. For whatever reason (likely money or legal reasons), the PlayStation company hasn't pulled the trigger on this project, which has become a passion for modders via emulation on PC instead.
But anyway, I've had a good time reading the replies on Twitter/X this weekend. There are so many people just like me who know that a sequel or port is not happening, but we continue to cling to the delusional dream that the Elden Ring and Armored Core studio will roll back the clock to 2015 one more time.
I refuse to give up hope. I will continue to yearn for returning to Yharnam one day. It's just probably not happening any time soon, and definitely not this Thursday on Geoff Keighley's yearly awards show and advertisement exposition.
Marvel's Cosmic Invasion is a chaotic, colourful beat-'em-up where you tag between Marvel heroes mid-combo, smash cosmic bugs and cause delicious pixel mayhem. It's fast, fun, gorgeous – and might just be Tribute Games' best brawler yet.
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 8, 2025 3:57 PM
Kwalee and Kwalee Labs pulled back the curtain today on a haunting new look at Luna Abyss, their upcoming first-person bullet-hell action-adventure. The latest trailer, titled "The Eye Has Opened," premiered with a heavy dose of cosmic dread, environmental storytelling, and the unsettling mysteries buried deep within the mimic moon known as Luna. A New […]
