Dec 24, 22:00

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:39 PM Surprise Pokémon Leak Reveals Fresh Clues About The New Gen 10 Games       New details about the upcoming Pokémon Wind and Wave show the games' map, battle gimmicks, more The post Surprise <em>Pokémon</em> Leak Reveals Fresh Clues About The New Gen 10 Games appeared first on Kotaku.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 5:39 PM Best 2025 cozy games to play this holiday season       Nothing says happy holidays like sitting down and playing a cozy, relaxing game. Whether you're looking for your next single-player adventure or a casual game to play with family and friends, there's no shortage of good (and bad) titles to choose from. There are tons of options within this genre, from adorable farming games to shop management journeys where you run your own business at a more casual pace. Let's take a look at Destructoid's picks for the ten best cozy games to come out in 2025. Table of contents Best cozy games of 2025 Tiny Bookshop Date Everything! Two Point Museum Hello Kitty Island Adventure Town to City Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time MakeRoom Cast n Chill Gemporium Winter Burrow Best cozy games of 2025 Tiny Bookshop Screenshot by Destructoid As a lifelong reader and game lover, Tiny Bookshop truly feels like it was handcrafted just for me. It's the pinnacle of what a cozy game should be, centering on running a small, customizable, seaside book shop while gently progressing a storyline that runs through the seasons and features a lovable cast of quirky characters. The experience is calm, thoughtful, and deeply comforting, encouraging you to slow down and savor the simple joy of books and community. You can take it entirely at your own pace, making it the perfect game to enjoy no matter what kind of mood you're in. This game filled my heart with joy and my to-read list with more books than I can reasonably handle, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Date Everything! Screenshot by Destructoid Date Everything! is, without a doubt, the best dating sim I've ever played and one of my standout cozy games for 2025. This sandbox-style experience is a genuine love letter to art and creativity, with over 100 unique characters brought to life by an impressively talented voice cast and striking, memorable designs. Witty, charming, and endlessly addictive, it fully embraces its absurd premise with confidence, transforming everyday objects into unforgettable characters and stories you can't help but fall in love with. It's safe to say there's truly nothing else quite like it, and it delivers an experience you'll never forget. Two Point Museum Image via Two Point Studios It's time to jump right into some classic money management with Two Point Museum. The Two Point series is well-known within the casual gaming space as being strange yet oddly fascinating, and Two Point Museum is no exception. If you've played Two Point Hospital or Campus in the past, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Two Point Museum manages to kick everything up a notch with its mix of bizarre humor, satisfying visuals, and enjoyable gameplay that goes beyond just making rooms and watching your money go up. It takes everything that made past Two Point games great and evolves them further, cementing itself as one of the greatest tycoon games to release within the past few years. Hello Kitty Island Adventure Screenshot by Destructoid I still remember my first hour playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure at the beginning of this year. With 2024 being a strange year for me, I started 2025 feeling happier than ever, knowing we were beginning with a title that's still near and dear to my heart. Even if you're not a Sanrio fan, there's still plenty to love here, with a massive open world to explore, tons of quests to complete, and an in-depth, rewarding friendship system. If you're looking for a cozy game absolutely full to the brim with content, Hello Kitty Island Adventure will be right up your alley. Town to City Image via Galaxy Grove I'll admit it: I adore voxel graphics. It's rare for a voxel game to look truly beautiful, but if there's one game that pulls it off flawlessly, it's Town to City. Made by the team behind Station to Station, Town to City masterfully combines feelings of relaxation with a unique spin on city building, building itself up as one of the most interesting games to come out this year. Normally, city builders can be stressful, especially if you struggle with resource management or are prone to min-maxing. Town to City gives you the choice: take on the challenge of building up a town through the game's campaign mode, or jump into Sandbox mode and put all of your energy into creating a bustling settlement. It creates a perfect balance of cozy and challenge, all the while keeping you immersed with its beautiful art style and landscapes. If you're a fan of Station to Station or want to try out a more casual city builder, this one is for you. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Screenshot by Destructoid There are two sides to the Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time coin. For those who played the original Fantasy Life on the 3DS, this is a trip down memory lane with vastly improved graphics, revamped dungeon mechanics, and polished controls to make it feel modern. For the rest of us, it's a fantastic dive into a classic JRPG full of fun combat, unique skilling mechanics, and multiplayer features for wacky shenanigans with friends. Of all the entries in this list, Fantasy Life i is the title I've put the most time into, by far. The main storyline is in-depth and stretches dozens of hours, with fellow completionists out there having well over 100 hours of skilling grinds, dungeon-crawling, and open-world exploration to conquer. It's an adorable and charming entry I couldn't put down for the first few weeks of playing, and I wholeheartedly recommend this one to any classic RPG fan who thrives on mastering life skill progression systems. MakeRoom Screenshot by Destructoid 2025 is the year of expressing creativity in our games, with MakeRoom being another that steals the show. This title is all about unleashing your interior design skills as you take furniture pieces, change their colors, and arrange them in dioramas. You can make anything from cottage-style kitchens to gaming lounges, cafes, or even a place for your pets. Although MakeRoom mainly focuses on interior design, you can do just about anything that your heart desires. It lets you recolor and resize furniture, change room sizes, and even recolor the map's background, giving you more to do than just mindlessly place down furniture. Combine this with an adorable cartoony art style, and you've got yourself a game that you can sink hours into if you're feeling particularly creative. It's quickly become my go-to chill game, especially when I'm in the mood to recreate rooms from a TV show I've recently watched or places I've seen in real life. Cast n Chill Image via Wombat Brawler Let's change things up with some fishing. If you're like me, you'll have at least a few games you enjoy just because they have a fun fishing minigame. Rather than just being a minigame, Cast n Chill is all about you and your pet dog riding in a boat, fishing, and making a whole lot of money. It's a stunning game to boot, donning detailed pixelated graphics and impressive scenery straight out of a wilderness adventure. The twist? It's both an active and idle game. If you want to dive headfirst into learning how to catch fish, you can take a more active approach, master its mechanics, and reap the benefits. Sometimes, though, it's nice to enjoy your surroundings by taking a passive approach and letting the game play itself. Of the many fishing minigames and full games I've played, Cast n Chill is up there as one of my favorites of all time. Gemporium Screenshot by Destructoid If you're tired of fishing, cooking, and combat, maybe mining is for you. Gemporium is a short but sweet game where you play as a mole that recently inherited their Grandmole's gem business. It turns out, though, that she's in some serious debt, leaving you to pay it back by taking over ownership, collecting gems, and selling them to groups of customers. While this might sound like just another shop simulation game, it offers a great mix of strategy and fun without feeling stressful or chaotic. Like others on this list, you can go at your own pace and either speedrun paying off Grandmole's debt or take your time and treat it as a relaxing hidden gem within the cozy game genre. Winter Burrow Image via Pine Creek Games Last but certainly not least is Winter Burrow, a survival game with a heavy focus on exploration and resource management. While it has some strong initial similarities to titles like Don't Starve, don't let its art style fool you—it stands on its own as a completely separate and lovable game that, rather than being brutal and unforgiving in nature, is instead a pleasant and comforting experience. Winter Burrow balances challenging survival mechanics with riveting storytelling in a way that's fun without being overwhelming or stressful. It calls itself a cozy survival game and proves it, letting you sit back and enjoy its story without getting spawn camped by monsters or starving to death every few minutes. It's easily one of my favorite survival games to date, making it a strong contender for one of the best cozy games to release this year. The post Best 2025 cozy games to play this holiday season appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 5:19 PM How to find Frequency Modulation Box in ARC Raiders       The Frequency Mod Box, added to ARC Raiders as part of a post-launch update, has suddenly become a popular item for raiders. This essentially has to do with the new Expedition 2 project, which requires you to commit a few Frequency Mod Boxes to complete the stage. While the item's location is random, this guide will help solve some of your doubts about where to look. Best locations for Frequency Mod Box in ARC Raiders The best spot to find the Frequency Mod Box is Stella Montis. This is by far the only spot where I have found the Frequency Mod Box. Ideally, you can find the item on any corner of the map. For better odds, you'll want to look in the rooms of Medical Research and Assembly Workshops. These two locations are high-tier loot areas compared to the rest of the map. Naturally, the odds of finding rarer items like the Frequency Mod Box will be higher. If you're in the locations, you'll want to look in every container and locker possible. Remember that there's no fixed location where you can find the Frequency Mod Box. As of writing, it's also not part of any quest rewards, but that could change in the future when the next update drops. Screenshot and remix by Destructoid There are also reports of players finding the item on the Spaceport Map. As of writing, I have never managed to find it on the map. However, make sure to look near the Rocket Assembly area if you're on Spaceport. There are no alternate ways of obtaining the Frequency Mod Box apart from obtaining it during a raid. Earlier, we could recycle/salvage the Frequency Mod Box to find valuable items like Advanced Electronic Components. However, you're going to need them to complete the Expedition 2 project if you want to reset your progress and begin fresh. The Stella Montis map is also an excellent area to find Ticks. You'll need to damage and destroy several of them if you're aiming to get three stars from the ongoing Trials. The post How to find Frequency Modulation Box in ARC Raiders appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 4:38 PM I tried Owlcat's Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy RPG, and I can't wait for the full release       Warhammer 40,000 fans are eating good. With Total War and Dawn of War on the way, I don't think there's ever been a better year for the franchise. However, those more inclined toward RPGs instead of strategy are getting something, too, which is Owlcat's new Dark Heresy title. Much like its 2023 game, Rogue Trader, Dark Heresy takes place in the grim darkness of the far future where there's no peace among the stars. It puts you in the role of an Inquisition Acolyte, searching through a God-Emperor-forgotten hive city gutter where many don't even know what the Inquisition represents. You're tasked with piecing together a comprehensive case like a true detective, uncovering the dark mysteries that shroud the putrid corners of Marisportum. Thanks to Owlcat, I played the game early and participated in its pre-release Alpha, and I'm completely enthralled by its innovative approach to cRPGs. The alpha didn't offer much character customization. Image via Owlcat The overarching mechanic of playing as a detective is one of the most fun things I have ever encountered in a video game. You're literally a detective—an Inquisition detective at that—where each and every bit of information feeds into your broader task: finding out what happened to people in Marisportum. You get this huge Inquisitor's journal where the whole narrative blends together, as if you were putting things up on a pin board, not much unlike a detective in a police procedural. You uncover information, connecting it to what you already know, use what you've uncovered to uncover more, and eventually form opinions and literal hypotheses that may or may not be true. It's a comprehensive system, one that has completely transformed the core of what a quest is, making everything a thread to be followed. Every part of the game is important and crucial to the story, as you never know how a random side-quest may shine light on a vital piece of missing information that you just needed to form a solid hypothesis. And while those bits are awesome, to say the least, the combat, too, is as innovative as they come. The last time I played a cRPG and was surprised by its turn-based combat was Divinity: Original Sin 2, a game that proved to me how turn-based combat can actually be fun and intuitive and not slow at all. Now, Dark Heresy takes the crown as my favorite game of this kind, even if it isn't as deep as, say, Baldur's Gate 3. Each of your heroes, and there can be many in your party, has a unique set of abilities and weapons which determine how they'll perform mechanically. It isn't just about melee and ranged, every gun works differently on the battlefield and can be as much an advantage as a hindrance. The combat is complex, fun, and very innovative. Image via Owlcat A lot of 4X is there that puts Dark Heresy somewhere in-between Baldur's Gate and Mechanicus, as you also have to position your heroes before the fight, much like you'd do in the latter. One of the heroes in the alpha, the Acolyte, has a sniper rifle that enables him to enter something like V.A.T.S. from Fallout, where each body part has a percentage to be hit. This sort of variation between each of the weapons and characters makes the combat super fun, replayable, and even complex, allowing your tactical and strategic self to truly shine in each situation. Of course, this is set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, which I've been bawling over for the past few weeks in light of all the different announcements. The setting, the grim darkness, the factions, everything is represented, well-developed, and stylish, as you'd come to expect from a 40K IP. Overall, what Owlcat has done here is superb, and given that it's an alpha and not the full game, I cannot wait to see what else they're cooking behind the scenes. The full release is likely sometime in late 2026 or even early 2027, so there's plenty of time to add a lot more than what's been shown so far. The post I tried Owlcat's Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy RPG, and I can't wait for the full release appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 4:20 PM All Perita Rebellion rewards in Warframe and how to get them       The Perita Rebellion game mode is an excellent addition for Warframe players who have reached the endgame stage. Added as part of The Old Peace update, the mode requires you to complete various missions on Perita. While the missions are reasonably complex, there are excellent rewards available for players. Table of contents How does Perita Rebellion work in Warframe All Perita Rebellion Order rewards rotation Rotation A Rotation B Rotation C How does Perita Rebellion work in Warframe The Perita Rebellion mode sets a timer of 12 minutes for you to complete different objectives. Irrespective of how many objectives you manage to complete, the boss will always turn up after 12 minutes. That said, you'll want ot complete as many objectives as possible to get better rewards. While it's essential to defeat the bosses to get three crucial resources (Ascaris Prime, Lyroic Bridge, and Ren Hypercore), there are more rewards on offer. 10 Ascaris Prime from Prime Vanguard 10 Lyroic Bridge from Hunhullus Drops 10 Ren Hypercore from Dactolyst Image via Digital Extremes As I mentioned earlier, you'll want to complete as many objectives, aka Orders, as possible. Completing an Order raises the amount of rewards by one, and completing ten of them automatically doubles your rewards. Moreover, the Orders themselves have their own pool of rewards that follows the typical rotation order in Warframe. All Perita Rebellion Order rewards rotation The Order rewards follow the AABC order. Rotation A has the highest number of rewards, but Rotation B and Rotation C also consist of some fantastic rewards. Rotation A Rotation A includes parts of Galariak Prime, Sagek Prime, Meso Relics, and random resources. The Perita Rebellion Orders are the only known way to get parts of the Galariak Prime and Sagek Prime. Item Odds of rewards 10,000 Credits 5% 2,500 Endo 5% Galariak Prime Blade BP 5% Galariak Prime BP 5% Galariak Prime Handle BP 4.9% Sagek Prime Barrel BP 4.9% Sagek Prime BP 4.9% Sagek Prime Receiver BP 4.9% Meso A9 3.65% Meso P17 3.65% Meso V11 3.65% Meso V12 3.65% Meso V13 3.65% Meso V14 3.65% Meso X1 3.65% Meso Y1 3.65% 150 Agnovidisc 3% 60 Laudavi 3% 25 Servoris 3% Da-Ren 2.30% Kaal-zidi 2.30% Omn-Evi 2.30% Sil-Tabol 2.30% Vik-Anam 2.30% Empazu-Shol 1% Esto Vel-Ikha 1% Lashta-Vak 1% Metem-Erun 1% Metem-Hakh 1% Ubri-Kaneph 1% Rotation B You'll always get one additional boss resource based on your selected Recall mission. Rotation C Rotation C includes five Tektolyst Arcanes, with each having an odd of 20%. Zid-An Asheir Zid-An Haras Zid-An Osbok Zid-An Sek-Eel Zid-An Uskos The post All Perita Rebellion rewards in Warframe and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 4:04 PM Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Gets NiGHTS Content Drop Update       Adds a new character and vehicle. The post Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Gets NiGHTS Content Drop Update appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:33 PM FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time Gets New Major Update       A new trailer was also released. The post FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time Gets New Major Update appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:06 PM Danganronpa Series Sales Surpass Ten Million Units Worldwide       According to the publisher. The post Danganronpa Series Sales Surpass Ten Million Units Worldwide appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

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Dec 24, 16:00

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:39 PM Surprise Pokémon Leak Reveals Fresh Clues About The New Gen 10 Games       New details about the upcoming Pokémon Wind and Wave show the games' map, battle gimmicks, more The post Surprise <em>Pokémon</em> Leak Reveals Fresh Clues About The New Gen 10 Games appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 12:05 PM Amazon's 40″ Fire TV Drops to an All-Time Low to Stand Out in the Smart TV Deal Crowd, Priced Like Refurbished but Brand New       Upgrade your viewing experience without shelling out big bucks. The post Amazon's 40″ Fire TV Drops to an All-Time Low to Stand Out in the Smart TV Deal Crowd, Priced Like Refurbished but Brand New appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 12:00 PM There's No Better Time Than The Holidays For Time-Traveling Jigsaws       Strange Jigsaws is a stunningly clever and entertaining collection of puzzles that defy time and space The post There's No Better Time Than The Holidays For Time-Traveling Jigsaws appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11:45 AM Clair Obscur Director Says Everything In Its Games 'Will Be Made By Humans' Moving Forward       Also: where the heck is that rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake? The post <i>Clair Obscur</i> Director Says Everything In Its Games 'Will Be Made By Humans' Moving Forward appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11:15 AM Doom Is The Ultimate Holiday Game       Rip and tear around the Christmas tree The post <i>Doom</i> Is The Ultimate Holiday Game appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11:05 AM ASUS Clears Out CPU Liquid Cooler at Its Lowest Price, With Pre-Installed ARGB Fans and Aura Lighting       Enjoy consistent performance for all your tasks. The post ASUS Clears Out CPU Liquid Cooler at Its Lowest Price, With Pre-Installed ARGB Fans and Aura Lighting appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 10:30 AM RIP The Art Of The Old Christmas Time Video Game Commercial       Let's remember some old Christmas time video game commercials The post RIP The Art Of The Old Christmas Time Video Game Commercial appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 10:05 AM Dell Pushes 15.6″ Laptop Into Clearance at 78% Off (Ryzen 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) to Rival HP Windows PC Deals       If a new laptop is in the cards, then head to Amazon for a deal you won't believe. The post Dell Pushes 15.6″ Laptop Into Clearance at 78% Off (Ryzen 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) to Rival HP Windows PC Deals appeared first on Kotaku.

Kotaku Wednesday, December 24, 2025 9:05 AM Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025) Crashes to a Record Low, No Need to Pay More for Older Models       As slightly belated holiday gifting goes, a top-class smartwatch and fitness tracker for 29% off at Amazon is a great option. The post Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025) Crashes to a Record Low, No Need to Pay More for Older Models appeared first on Kotaku.

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 24, 2025 10:23 AM Minecraft criticized for calling solo players "sad" in promo message for multiplayer subscription service       Minecraft developer Mojang has come under fire for an insensitive notification advertising its premium Realms Plus service to players.

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11:00 AM The fourth RPS Christmas Cracker 2025       We eight scribes from RPS are, Bearing jokes, we wrote in the past, Christmas crackers, god we're knackered, After twelve months of graft. O, reader of wonder, loved the most, Why not subscribe to Supporters posts? January leading, still proceeding, See you once we've munched our roasts. But first, time to enjoy your lovely joke! Read more

Siliconera Wednesday, December 24, 2025 2:00 PM New Zenless Zone Zero Figures Are Miyabi, Harumasa, Ellen Joe       Myethos announced three Zenless Zone Zero figures of Asaba Harumasa, Hoshimi Miyabi, and Ellen Joe that are in various stages of development. The Sparkling Wonderland Gift+ version of Harumasa is furthest along, while the Ellen Joe one is only confirmed as a teaser silhouette. There are no release windows for any of them. We should see them worldwide like past figures based on characters from the game.  As Harumasa is furthest along in development, we have the best idea of how he'll look. He's wearing a casual outfit with an oversized blue sweater over white and black shirts and black pants. He has a guitar at his side, with his right arm leaning on it. It will be 1/8 scale and already showed up as a painted prototype, so it's possible we'll see it release in 2026.  The Miyabi and Ellen Joe designs are earlier in the process. Miyabi did show up as an unpainted prototype. That design featured her in a formal-style dress while playing a keytar. The Ellen Joe silhouette only hints at her possible pose, which suggests she'll be holding a guitar and waving. Here are all the Myethos teaser photos for the Gift+ Zenless Zone Zero Asaba Harumasa, Hoshimi Miyabi, and Ellen Joe figures. Images via Myethos and HoYoVerse Myethos is well known for its HoYoVerse series figures. One that we'll see in 2026 is a Honkai: Star Rail concert figure of Castorice playing a harp.  The Zenless Zone Zero Asaba Harumasa, Hoshimi Miyabi, and Ellen Joe Myethos Gift+ figures are in development. The game is available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices. The post New Zenless Zone Zero Figures Are Miyabi, Harumasa, Ellen Joe appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Wednesday, December 24, 2025 1:00 PM Tsunayoshi Sawada From Reborn Suits Up in New Nendoroid       Good Smile Company announced a new Katekyo Hitman Reborn Nendoroid of Tsunayoshi Sawada, and its based on his appearance later in the series when he's wearing his black suit and acknowledged as Vongola Family head, Vongola X. It costs ￥7,200/$44.99. We'll see it in Japan in July 2026, followed by a worldwide release in Q4 2026. It follows the release of a standard and more casual version of Sawada in his school uniform. Since Sawada is all business for this figure, the face plates reflect that. There's one where he looks stoic and serious, one that's similar to that with glowing eyes, and an X-BURNER shouting face. He has a Vongola chair to show his position as heir, with parts that can pose him sitting in it. He also has X-Headphones and Dying Will Flame parts. His Vongola Box Weapon is attached to his suit and Leone di Cieli ver Vongola (Nuts) comes with him as an accessory. Here are all the example photos of the Tsunayoshi Sawada Black Suit Reborn Nendoroid: Images via Good Smile Company There's also a Good Smile Company storefront exclusive. If someone buys the Nendoroid direct from them, you also get two additional hand parts. One involves Sawada holding two Dying Will Pills in his left hand, while the right hand is holding a case for them. Image via Good Smile Company One of the last updates on Reborn merchandise involved a crossover with Sanrio mascots. The Black Suit Katekyo Hitman Reborn Nendoroid of Tsunayoshi Sawada will come to Japan in July 2026 and the US in Q4 2026. Pre-orders are open until February 4, 2026. The Reborn anime is streaming on Crunchyroll, and Viz Media handles the manga. The post Tsunayoshi Sawada From Reborn Suits Up in New Nendoroid appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Wednesday, December 24, 2025 12:00 PM Siliconera's PC Game of the Year 2025       The PC has been a welcoming home in recent years to the best indie releases, letting them catch on and work out bugs before heading to other platforms. Siliconera's PC Game of the Year selections carry on this spirit, with games that did make it to other systems but were made possible through the PC ecosystem. These awards represent the consensus of the Siliconera staff. Multiplatform games are considered on the platform for which they received the most staff support. For more of the year's award selections, check out our Game of the Year 2025 archive. Hades II Building on the ideas of the first game (and developer Supergiant's long line of work building indie darlings), Hades II is a game in which it's hard to find fault. The team's hard work to polish and iterate in Early Access shows through, and the resulting lack of friction makes it a joy to go through its gameplay loop over and over again. Monster Train 2 Following up on the excellent first Monster Train, this sequel pulls a Gold & Silver and effectively doubles the possibilities for strategy. Or maybe more than that? Since it relies on a mash-up approach, doubling the factions means an exponential increase in the number of combinations. And each pair has its own strategies! Its effective daily challenges make it a handy companion for the long term, so we'll be playing it for quite a while to come. Winner: Blue Prince Exploration puzzle games like Myst certainly have their fans, but others bounce off the genre because the solutions seem a bit obtuse. Blue Prince grounds its delightful puzzles in established systems with clues and clear throughlines, making for a solve that feels thoroughly rewarding but never overly frustrating. Add to that the wit and commitment to aesthetic and you have a game that shouldn't be missed. (Just bring along a journal for notes!) The post Siliconera's PC Game of the Year 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11:00 AM Holostars English Concert Taking Place on Christmas Eve       Cover and Holostars English Vtubers announced there will be a Winter Music Festival Concert on December 24, 2025. People can tune in for free at 6pm PT/9pm ET. It will air on the official YouTube Channel for all members in this branch, and we'll be able to find it in the Live section. However, as of time of writing there's no placeholder available.  Leading up to the performance, the official Holostars English social media account shared some descriptive teasers. The first general teaser appeared on December 19, 2025. It suggested a school-themed setting and teased a performance on December 25, 2025. (In some time zones, like JST, the stream is taking place that day.) Subsequent posts teased references to performers like Banzoin Hakka, Crimzon Ruze, and Octavio. Here are all the teaser messages released so far: Images via Cover This will mark the second Holostars English concert to appear in 2025. The first was Everglow, the first 3D live performance for that branch. It showed up in August 2025. That's still free to watch online, and you can see it below to get an idea of what we might be able to expect tonight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWOmxhmp_Ck&t=3626s The Holostars English Vtubers Winter Music Festival concert will stream on YouTube at 6pm PT/9pm ET on December 24, 2025. The post Holostars English Concert Taking Place on Christmas Eve appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Wednesday, December 24, 2025 10:00 AM Free Fantasy Life i Roguelike DLC Debuts       Last week, Level-5 promised it would have the Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time free, roguelike DLC called The Sinister Broker Bazario's Schemes would be out "around Christmas." On December 24, 2025, the developer and publisher released the add-on worldwide. The company billed it as "a Christmas present" on social media. As long as you own the game on any platform, you can download and access this update. After getting to a certain point in the story, the option to visit Snoozaland will come up at your base camp in-game. If you head out on this optional new journey, you'll start out pretty weak and nearly powerless on each run. As you explore the Ginormosia-like location, you'll get opportunities to become more powerful as you beat enemies and gain rewards like new outfit equipment and mounts. These can then be used in any part of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.  There's also one new trailer involving Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. However, it's more of an overview that also explains what Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbGwPqGXJ0s Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is available on the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the roguelike The Sinister Broker Bazario's Schemes DLC is available for free on every storefront. The post Free Fantasy Life i Roguelike DLC Debuts appeared first on Siliconera.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 2:54 PM The Holiday season seems to have brought Steam down       The Holiday season is upon us, with the happiest day of the year almost at our doorstep. Everyone is at home, with their loved ones, enjoying the jingling bells, and likely hanging around Steam. But Steam isn't hanging around us, as it appears the Christmas spirit has brought it down. On Christmas Eve, i.e. tonight, Steam seems to be buckling, either under the weight of all the people using their free time to play some games, or those who are eager to purchase Christmas presents just in time for the big day. The Steam Winter Sale is currently ongoing, after all, so it was only a matter of time before a great influx of eager buyers brought the platform to its knees. It's just one of those days. Image via Steam According to Steam Status, every segment of Steam is currently offline or "unknown," whatever that may mean. For most people, the chat seems to be in order, but the store itself and some other Steam services have been going off sporadically during the entire night. At one point, 25 percent of all Steam users were out cold (pun intended), and it's not just weekly maintenance that Steam usually performs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. However, the service seems to come back up rather soon after going out, meaning Valve is likely actively working on keeping everything in order, so if you're running into various errors, like the one that appears when "processing your request," remember that it's not you but Steam itself. Let's hope all gets resolved and comes back up, permanently, by the time Christmas itself arrives. It'd be a damn waste of a good holiday without a proper round of Christmas gaming. The post The Holiday season seems to have brought Steam down appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 1:57 PM FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC tasks and solutions       The Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC is now live in FC 26 Ultimate Team, and you can add an excellent goalie to your squad. This is the best version of Courtois that we currently have in Ultimate Team. To unlock the card, you'll have to complete two tasks. Both of them have specific requirements to meet, and this guide will help you solve the SBC without breaking your bank. Table of contents FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC tasks FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC solutions FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC tasks As mentioned above, there are two tasks, and here are the requirements. Real Madrid Min. 1 Players from: Real Madrid Min. 1 Players: Team of the Week Min. Team Rating: 85 LaLiga Min. 1 Players from: LALIGA EA SPORTS Min. 1 Players: Team of the Week Min. Team Rating: 86 Let's now look at some cheap solutions that you can use to complete the two tasks. FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC solutions Real Madrid Any 87-rated TOTW card Viggosdottir 84 Nusken 84 Ona Battle 86 Tonali 86 Marc Cucurella 84 Esther 84 Brahim 82 Maddison 84 Zaccagni 84 Orban 84 LaLiga Any 87-rated TOTW item Batlle 86 Buhl 86 Bruno 86 Sancet 84 Schuller 86 Tonali 86 Ruben Dias 86 Zaccagni 84 Joao Cancelo 84 Messi 86 The Courtois SBC will cost around 80,000 coins worth of fodder. You can reduce the completion cost by using cards that are already available in your Ultimate Team. Make sure that they're of the same rating so that you can meet the overall requirements of the squad. The 90-rated item is currently the best goalkeeper you can obtain in Ultimate Team, and it also includes the Cross Collector+ playstyle. It's got decent meta stats and playstyles, making it an ideal choice to use in competitive modes. The post FC 26 Thibaut Courtois Winter Wildcards SBC tasks and solutions appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 1:30 PM Best players for FC 26 Icy Precision Evolution       The Icy Precision Evolution is now live in FC 26, and it allows you to upgrade two items of your choice in Ultimate Team. The latest evolution, available for free, has two charges. You can either use the boosts on separate cards or chain them together into one. There are plenty of great options to consider, and this guide will help you to lock down the best based on the requirements and the offered upgrades. Table of contents FC 26 Icy Precision requirements FC 26 Icy Precision Evolution upgrades Best players for Icy Precision Evolution in FC 26 FC 26 Icy Precision requirements Here are the requirements for Icy Precision Evolution in FC 26. Overall: Max 85 PlayStyle: Max 10 PlayStyle+: Max 1 FC 26 Icy Precision Evolution upgrades The Icy Precision Evolution has only one level of upgrades. To obtain the boosts, you'll need to complete specific tasks. Level 1 upgrades Overall: +1 Curve: +10|88 Finishing: +12|90 Shot Power: +10|90 PlayStyles: Finesse Shot, Low Driven Shot|7 Level 1 upgrade requirements Play 4 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player. Best players for Icy Precision Evolution in FC 26 You can include a wide variety of items in this evolution. I have considered items that will benefit the most from the offered boosts. Karim Adeyemi TOTW Ndoye Winter Wildcards Carlos Pobega TOTW Tajon Buchanan Thunderstruck Haraldsson Winter Wildcards Ndombele Joga Bonito Thomasson Thunderstruck Rafa Leao Raso Thunderstruck These are arguably some of the best options you can include in this evolution. It's another perfect evolution that you can chain with other options. The overall rise is minimal, and we already have evolutions that allow you to use 86-rated cards in them. The post Best players for FC 26 Icy Precision Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 12:26 PM The best indie games in 2025       I've always been a fan of big-budget blockbusters, whether it be movies or video games, but when it comes to the latter, I'm beginning to see the light more and more: indie games are the lifeblood. While 2025 had its fair share of AAA successes (Death Stranding 2, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, and Ghost of Yōtei spring to mind), it was dominated by indie games. Smaller teams, smaller budgets (mostly), but big aspirations and even bigger excitement. Here are Destructoid's picks for some of the best indie games throughout the year of 2025. Table of contents Best 2025 indie games Hades 2 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ball x Pit Absolum Blue Prince Hollow Knight: Silksong Dispatch Best 2025 indie games Hades 2 Image via Supergiant Games The masters of the action roguelike genre returned with the 1.0 release of Hades 2. Supergiant Games iterated on and continues to perfect the addictive and satisfying gameplay, wrapped in a stunning art style set against Greek mythology to create one of the best overall games of 2025. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Image via Sandfall Interactive There's an argument to be made about what's indie and what isn't, but this list was never not going to include Expedition 33. Sandfall Interactive's debut title was Destructoid's 2025 Game of the Year, and just about everyone else's, too. And it deserves it. Ball x Pit Screenshot by Destructoid Ball x Pit caught my eye immediately when it dropped as a Steam demo earlier in the year. Upon release, I had the pleasure of reviewing it for Destructoid, and it became one of my top titles of the year overall. Base-building, ball-breaking, roguelike action wrapped up in a beautiful pixel art style created something truly memorable and still (so far) the most fun I've ever had with balls. Absolum Image via Dotemu Another gorgeous roguelike. Are you noticing a trend? Many of the top indies this year took the roguelike genre and put a lovely spin on it, like Absolum, which is a fantastic co-op beat-em-up with a Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic and also one of my overall favorites of 2025. Blue Prince Screenshot by Destructoid Before Expedition 33 launched a few weeks later, Blue Prince was at the top of many gamers' shortlists for GOTY 2025. It still deserves that honor as one of the more innovative and challenging puzzle games in recent memory. Hollow Knight: Silksong Image via Team Cherry When it comes to hype and anticipation, Silksong had some insurmountable expectations after years of quiet and delays. Fortunately for everybody involved (including us gamers), it delivered and then some, offering a fantastic and challenging expansion of the Metroidvania genre. Dispatch Image via AdHoc Studio I got an early look at Dispatch at a preview event with devs the month before it came out, and knew right away it would be something special. Many who helped create it previously worked at TellTale Games, and that quality shines through in every one of its eight episodes, crafting one of the best narratives of the year. Plus, it's got this hot, towering devil lady. The post The best indie games in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Wednesday, December 24, 2025 10:17 AM All Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive event rewards and how to get them       The Winter Offensive event in Battlefield 6 has three new challenges for you to grind, and you can unlock some unique camos in the process. Winter Offensive has added plenty of exciting stuff ever since it went live on Dec. 9. The current event objectives will allow you to increase your rewards haul if you're unsatisfied with it. This guide will provide all the essential information required to complete the tasks as quickly as possible. Table of contents How to obtain all Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive event rewards Flying High weapon charm Scatterplot SU-57 vehicle Undergrowth B36A4 weapon package How to obtain all Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive event rewards Three new objectives were added to the Winter Offensive events earlier on Dec. 24, and here are the available rewards. Flying High weapon charm Scatterplot SU-57 vehicle skin Undergrowth B36A4 weapon package You can obtain all the rewards by completing three separate tasks over the next five days (more on that in the following parts of this guide). Let's look at how to obtain the rewards. Screenshot by Destructoid Flying High weapon charm To get this charm, you'll need to get 100 kills on freezing enemies. You'll have to take part in the Ice Lock game mode, as it features the freezing zone mechanics. To complete the objective, you'll have to kill 100 enemies that are affected by the freezing status. Scatterplot SU-57 vehicle The next part also needs to be completed in the Ice Lock game modes. Wait for enemies to appear in heat zones (areas that have fire sources). Deal damage to enemy players in those zones to complete this part of the objective. Undergrowth B36A4 weapon package This is the easiest task to complete; you have to simply win 10 matches across any mode. The post All Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive event rewards and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:33 PM FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time Gets New Major Update       A new trailer was also released. The post FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time Gets New Major Update appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 3:06 PM Danganronpa Series Sales Surpass Ten Million Units Worldwide       According to the publisher. The post Danganronpa Series Sales Surpass Ten Million Units Worldwide appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 24, 2025 2:53 PM The Witcher 3 Will Get A New DLC in May 2026 According to An Analyst       In a recent report. The post The Witcher 3 Will Get A New DLC in May 2026 According to An Analyst appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.