GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 6:59 PM Set to release for PC and consoles February 5, the outrageous 8-bit world of LABS Works and DANGEN Entertainment's Lovish is almost here. The post 8-Bit Adventure Lovish Launching February 5 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 6:35 PM Making its debut earlier today, see what the Resident Evil Showcase told about Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem with our highlights. The post Resident Evil Showcase Highlights appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:38 PM Ahead of its release next month, Square Enix has released new details around DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined's expanded vocation system, including character-specific starter vocations. The post DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined Vocation System Detailed appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:58 PM A lore-expanding new DLC, CyberConnect 2 and Bandai Namco announced that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DAIMA - Adventure Through The Demon Realm Part 2 is now available for PC and consoles. The post Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DAIMA – Adventure Through The Demon Realm Part 2 Live appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:11 PM New to Rockstar Games' GTA Online is the Mansion Raid mode, which offers up Double GTA$ and RP and a GTA$200,000 bonus for winning a round for either side. The post GTA Online Mansion Raid Mode Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:48 PM The team behind the GDC Festival of Gaming has revealed the finalists for the 26th annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA). The post 26th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards Finalists Revealed appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:37 PM Truly infecting the masses (in a good way!), Brigada Games and Devolver Digital's Quarantine Zone: The Last Check has sold over 300K copies since its recent launch. The post Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Sells Over 300K Copies appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:02 PM Featuring 35 years of excellence, SEGA is celebrating 35 years of Sonic the Hedgehog with a high-energy slate of anniversary programs throughout 2026. The post SEGA Celebrating 35 Years of Sonic the Hedgehog appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:32 PM Set to release next month, the latest video for Milestone's RIDE 6 provides a deep dive into its rich Career Mode. The post RIDE 6 Career Mode Walkthrough Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:09 PM Back for another round, Season 2 of SNK's FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves will kick off January 22, beginning with Kim Jae Hoon. The post FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves Season 2 Launching January 22 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:39 PM
The update arrives in time for the Switch 2 and Xbox versions The post <i>Final Fantasy VII Remake</i> Is Getting A New Mode Where Every Hit Does 9,999 Damage appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:04 PM
The Trump administration keeps using video games to meme its way through fascism The post Trump Uses <em>Stardew Valley</em> To Threaten Third Term appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:20 PM
Do you want to spend a few weeks living with random people in a fake vault? The post A Reality TV Show Is Going To Put Actual People Inside A <i>Fallout</i> Vault appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:10 PM
The $3.4 trillion company is ditching one of learning's most time-honored institutions The post Microsoft Replaces Its Employee Library With AI 'Learning Experiences' appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:00 PM
Knowing Minecraft gets you most of the way there, but there are surprises The post 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Survival Sim <i>Hytale</i> appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:40 PM
The Russos told fans the trailers had 'clues' they should 'pay attention to' The post A Marvel Fan Thinks They've 'Cracked The Code' On The <em>Avengers: Doomsday</em> Trailers appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:20 PM
The owner of the NYC-based shop is now thinking about hiring an armed guard The post Pokémon Card Shop's First Community Event Ruined By Armed Anime Backpack Robbers appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:00 PM
There's evidence that Fallout 3 is getting remastered like Oblivion, but let's all calm down for a moment The post Here's Why Fans Are Convinced <i>Fallout 3</i> And <i>New Vegas</i> Remasters Are About To Be Revealed appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:45 PM
The City of the Wolves season 2 reveal has been downvoted to hell The post Saudi Arabia-Owned SNK Accused Of Loading <i>Fatal Fury</i> Trailer With AI Slop appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:15 PM
Nintendo shut the operation down, the creator said The post Adults-Only <i>Animal Crossing</i> Island Creator Thanks Nintendo For Waiting Five Years To Ban It appeared first on Kotaku. |
PCGamesN Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:37 PM The Elder Scrolls Online's switch to Seasons is essential for improving its "fundamentals," but Zenimax has seen your ESO Plus concerns. |
Siliconera Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:28 PM
During the Resident Evil Showcase, Capcom focused on the upcoming ninth entry Requiem and showed how first and third-person camera perspectives and ink ribbons for saving will return. Both of these came up during the initial part of the presentation that went over gameplay for the two characters, with the Leon portion being more gun-focused and Grace's being more traditional. We also saw the Switch 2 Pro Controller again.
In the case of the ink ribbons returning as a save option, those only appear in Resident Evil Requiem if we select a certain Game Mode at the outset. The three options are Casual, Standard (Modern), and Standard (Classic). It's that classic option that includes that feature. The exact description mentioned the difficulty matches older games and noted, "Autosaves during Grace's gameplay are limited and ink ribbons are required to save."
At about the seven minute mark of the gameplay preview, the first and third-person camera options for Resident Evil Requiem appeared. The Grace and Leon ones will be separate in the option screen. So you can choose first-person for one of the protagonist and third-person for the other, or go with first-person for both or third-person for both.
You can watch the full January 2026 Resident Evil Showcase below.
Resident Evil Requiem will come to the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and Epic Game Store on February 27, 2026.
The post Resident Evil Requiem Ink Ribbons and First and Third-Person Camera Options Teased appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:00 PM
Idea Factory International set a release date for its next worldwide otome game release, and we'll see Homura: The Crimson Warriors on March 31, 2026. Digital and physical copies will be available, though in Europe the retail release won't happen until April 28, 2026. That region will see it on the eShop on the same day as it launches in North America, though.
The price of the game varies depending on the version you get, as even the standard physical copies come with a bonus. Digitally, Homura: The Crimson Warriors will be $39.99/€39.99/£34.99. The standard retail copy, which comes with five trading cards of the characters, will be $49.99/€49.99/£49.99. A Digital Deluxe Edition will also be available through the eShop. For $54.99/€54.99/£49.99, people get the game, the 20 page digital short stories collection, and a digital copy of the soundtrack with 26 songs from the otome.
Official art is available of the Homura: The Crimson Warriors standard physical release, so we can get an idea of what the cards based on the otome game characters look like. The five love interests appear on them. The regular finish cards feature Juzo Kakei, Kamanosuke Yuri, Saizo Kirigakure, and Sasuke Sarutobi. The holographic one is of Nobushige Sanada.
Homura: The Crimson Warriors will come to the Switch on March 31, 2026 digitally in Europe and digitally and physically in North America.
The post Homura: The Crimson Warriors Otome Arrives in March appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:00 PM
Square Enix started taking pre-orders in its official storefront for a Final Fantasy XIV Starlight mug based on the Gridanian Starlight Celebration Kinderpunsch that was a reward during the FFXIV Christmas holiday events. It costs $42.99 and will ship in August 2026. There is also a matching $39.99 cushion cover that will appear at the same time.
We've seen the Gridanian Starlight Kinderpunsch mug appear multiple times in FFXIV. It first appeared as a furnishing reward during the 2024 installment of the event, both as a single mug and tower. In 2025, it showed up in the Gridanian Gulp and Gridanian Sup emotes. It features a forested Gridania backdrop with Moogles flying around, and the cup resembles the sorts of ones we see at Christkindlmarkets in the real world.
Here's how the cup looks in the real world, and I included some official screenshots of the reward from the in-game holiday events.
The cushion features a similar design. It is almost 18 inches long and 18 inches wide. You only get the cover and not an actual cushion inside of it. The front features the Gridanian design, and the back has the full Final Fantasy XIV logo.
The Final Fantasy XIV Starlight mug and cushion will launch in August 2026, and FFXIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post FFXIV Starlight Mug Based on Gridanian Starlight Kinderpunsch appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 6:07 PM
The Lone Walkers is an endgame Bulletin Board quest where you get to hunt down zombies in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check.
The quest isn't particularly difficult to achieve, especially since you'll have your gun by this point. However, the exact location of the zombies can be the confusing part, as this quest is slightly glitchy. This quest will tell you all you need to know to complete the quest.
Table of contents
How to start the Lone Walkers quest in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
The Lone Walkers quest will be available on day 21 on the Bulletin Board. Interact with the notification when it pops up, and the quest will be automatically active. To complete the quest, you'll have to kill three zombies.
If you don't take care of the undead, they will increase the horde's attraction. Let's look at where you can find the zombies.
How to find the zombies to complete the Lone Walkers quest
Out of the three zombies you'll need to eliminate, two of them will actually be outside your base. However, you'll first need to take down the one that's already within your outpost. You'll find this creature in the Garage region.
Be careful when you enter, and carry your gun because you'll have to defend yourself. The zombie should be there in the open, so shoot it in the head. The next zombies are outside your base. Go to the watchtowers that overlook the backside of your outpost.
Once you've cleared the Garage, go through the doors, and you'll find the watchtowers. From there, you can take down the zombies outside the outpost. Kill two of them (there will be more), and you should have completed the objective without any trouble.
However, it can happen that a zombie doesn't spawn in the Garage. In that case, you'll want to restart the day and make another attempt. A note of caution: deactivate automated defense turrets if you have them bordering your Garage. Don't try to shoot anyone outside your main entrance since they're civilians. Killing them will not only reduce potential survivors but also cost you dearly.
The post How to complete Lone Walkers in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check? All zombie locations appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:29 PM
A new Resident Evil Showcase just closed out with a fun announcement that has implications for gamers just about everywhere...but it's not the demo that everyone was hoping for.
With today's showcase, gamers everywhere were hoping that Resident Evil Requiem would follow a trend of recent RE games, including Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village, and Resident Evil 4 Remake all having playable demos ahead of launch. And with the quality presented in each demo, I'd say that they probably helped generate even more sales for the franchise. I expected RE9 to do the same, but alas, nothing. Not yet, anyway.
During today's showcase, though, Capcom did show off the first look at gameplay from Leon Kennedy's action gameplay segments, played in third-person, with a similar vibe to the Resident Evil 4 remake's gameplay. Leon's focus is on shooting enemies, but he also has a hatchet he can use to parry melee attacks, and he can even pick up weapons like the enemy's chainsaw to fight back.
This sort of gameplay is the foil to Grace Ashcroft's more horror-oriented gameplay in close-quarters, cramped areas, creating a back-and-forth to keep players on their toes. Grace isn't defenseless, however, as the stream showed off a massive hand cannon she can use to fight back. Both segments can be played in either first-person or third-person, and either character can have a dedicated perspective either way.
Capcom also showed off the return of Ink Ribbons for game saves, some new crafting mechanics, and a new enemy type in the game: zombies that retain some minor characteristics of their past lives. The humanity is lingering within the undead this time, and it makes for some unsettling behaviors.
While the rest of the showcase was full of ads for things like collabs with Porsche and Hamilton watches, many left disappointed that there were no real big reveals or a demo shadowdrop like people were hoping for, myself included.
Still, RE9 is one of my most anticipated titles of 2026. It drops in just over a month on Feb. 27, and I can't wait to get my grubby hands on it, so check out the showcase from today to tide you over.
The post Today's Resident Evil Requiem showcase was a bit of a disappointment, but there were some cool reveals all the same appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:51 PM
Voidheart is one of the rarest materials to obtain in Hytale, but finding it is worth the pain you might need to endure in the process.
Like most other items in the game, Voidheart is used as an ingredient for several recipes. However, it's not as common as Copper or Iron. This guide will lay out all the steps to follow if you're looking to obtain and use Voidheart.
Table of contents
How to find Voidheart in Hytale
You can only find Voidheart from Void Spawn entities that can be found anywhere on the map. When you defeat these enemies, you'll obtain Essence of the Void and Voidheart as drop rewards. These enemies only spawn at night. Hence, you'll have to fight the darkness.
The best way to farm Voidhearts in the current build of Hytale is by defeating Void Eye enemies. You can find them in Zone 3, and the best area is the Icy Biome. You'll also find other Void enemies like skeletons and flying entities. Killing them will also reward you with Voidheart.
The major problem is the fact that Voidhearts aren't guaranteed rewards. If you defeat Void Eye enemies, it's not guaranteed that you'll get Voidheart. The item is pretty rare in my experience, so you'll need to kill a fair few (unless you're luckier than me).
How to use Voidheart in Hytale
Voidheart is a necessary item if you're planning to upgrade your Armorer's Workbench. This Workstation is where you make all armor pieces. You'll need Voidheart to upgrade the Armorer's Workbench to Tier 3, which will then allow you to make gear using Adamantite and Mithril (unavailable in Exploration).
You'll need three Voidhearts to complete the upgrade, so be prepared to endure a longer grind.
The post How to get and use Voidheart in Hytale appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:57 PM
Getting Perfect Inspection in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check isn't mandatory to complete the game, but hitting the mark for every survivor will make things a lot easier.
A Perfect Investigation, in simple words, means that you get the best rating on an inspection. Naturally, it has its own set of rewards: 9 RP and extra cash. So let's look at how you can ace every investigation.
Table of contents
How to get Perfect Investigation in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check doesn't clearly explain how to obtain a Perfect Investigation. The process gets more complex once you unlock advanced tools.
Look at every nook and corner
A good inspection is always a thorough one. You'll want to scan a person for any symptoms thoroughly. If you have the scanner, scan him from the sides, front, and back. Similarly, use the hammer on all four limbs (usually, a couple of limbs should work, but why take the risk of missing out on bonus rewards).
Log the symptoms
Yes, logging symptoms manually becomes boring. The list goes up the more you play. However, you'll want to stay vigilant and log all the symptoms manually. While you can occasionally miss one here and there, don't rely on this. You'll also want to use the lab efficiently to detect new symptoms.
Seize the correct contraband
It's important to seize illegal items that survivors might want to carry with them inside the outpost. Allowing that to happen can be extremely dangerous, and removing them will help you get extra cash. However, don't seize any item that's not supposed to be taken. This will not only reduce your cash balance, but it will also reduce the rating of your inspection.
Quarantine when unsure
I have tested this ample times: liquidating a survivor who wasn't infected with the undead virus will always lead you to getting a poor inspection. If you're unsure, don't liquidate the person. Instead, send them to the Quarantine, and wait to find out if they're indeed infected or not.
That's just how simple it is to get a Perfect Investigation every time a survivor comes to your outpost. Don't forget to use the advanced tools, and take time with everyone, and you'll soon be getting plenty of extra Research Points and cash to improve your base and tools.
The post How to always get Perfect Inspection in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:44 PM
The Quarantine Zone survivors are catching onto your inspections and coming up with new ways to smuggle in illegal goods. Thankfully, Charlie is here to save your butt with the Internal Contraband feature.
Just when you thought you were getting the hang of your new role as Inspector Gadget against zombies, someone just had to make your job harder. We're at the start of a zombie apocalypse, and survivors are actively trying to sabotage your pay by smuggling in prohibited items. But not to worry, for there's a "painless" treatment plan for those saboteurs.
Here is how to use the Internal Contraband mechanic in Quarantine Zone.
Quarantine Zone Internal Contraband guide
Conducting inspections in Checkpoint Alpha in the mid-game is challenging now that the survivors are seemingly fighting back. Apparently, surviving isn't good enough that they've got to smuggle in illegal contraband. From beer and pill bottles to a cheeky lil grenade, the survivors are getting creative with sneaking in goodies while they wait for the apocalypse to pass.
The Internal Contraband feature joins the fray on day 15 in the Campaign mode, providing a new way to find and extract items that survivors desperately want to smuggle in. But, not all items require extraction, and their value depends solely on their function—business or pleasure.
Pair Internal Contraband with the X-Ray, and you're good to go. Unlike regular contraband, which you can scan and confiscate via the metal detector, these illegal items are harder to spot. Often located near or around the pelvic bone and tailbone, you can filter through the organs on your X-Ray by selecting it on the item wheel (Q), activating it with left-click, and checking the layers to see underneath the intestines, spleen, kidneys, liver, etc.
Illegal contraband will typically appear in:
Internal and illegal contraband to look out for:
Smugglers will often try to take multiple items at once. These are typically visible on 'Low,' but can appear on multiple layers, so always filter through the layers so you don't miss anything. Make sure to check the survivor's entire body (front to back), the same when you're inspecting their breathing and lungs for black spots.
Quarantine Zone's introduction to the Internal Contraband feature very much implies that the smuggling is exclusive to the place where the sun doesn't shine, but this isn't always the case. You will receive a poor inspection if you fail to remove the illegal contraband. The chance of getting a poor inspection increases when the X-Ray comes into play, making smuggling more common than you'd think. So, don't forget to check all layers, scan the entire body, and zoom in to exhaust all options. Look out for and remove "weapons, drugs, or other prohibited items."
To extract, hover over and select all illegal items you want to extract. Then, head on over to Charlie, who is stationed next to Georgie, and activate the Internal Contraband feature. You must select the items you want to extract before interacting with Charlie. The items will then appear on his tray, which you can take.
The post How does Internal Contraband work in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check? appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:25 PM
In a strange turn of events, Discord, a platform primarily used by gamers of all kinds, is allegedly banning players for the offense of sharing Nexus Mods links with each other. Some now believe a major third-party corporation is pushing for these decisions, with implied copyright infringement claims.
As spotted and heavily documented by users on Reddit, sharing Nexus Mods links specifically tied to Sony's games Spider-Man and Marvel Rivals will apparently result in a two-year ban with no prior warning. Per the shared screenshots of bans, copyright infringement is cited as the reason for the bans, even though these mods are legitimate and free of charge, which should put them in the fair use category.
The users' documentation, which contains supposed communications with both Discord staff and Nexus Mods support, implies that Sony mass-flagged various content related to its games, which led to false positives, banning folk who aren't engaging in any sort of copyright infringement. Discord appears aware of the issue, as does Nexus Mods, but they have yet to offer concrete solutions or unban those adversely affected.
We have reached out to both Discord and Nexus Mods, but haven't heard back by the time this article was published.
In the meantime, if you are eager to check out the massive new The Dawnless Days mod that transports Total War: Attila from medieval Europe to the fantastic world of Middle-earth, or are eager to mod the many indie games released in the past few months (like Megabonk or R.E.P.O.), then you should avoid sharing links for them in Discord. Instead, maybe use other platforms like Thunderstore, which doesn't seem to be getting flagged.
Additionally, try to specifically avoid sharing Sony-related content from its Marvel games like Spider-Man and Marvel Rivals, as that seems to be the most troublesome of all the links.
It's a strange occurrence to be sure, but it's not surprising. Companies have been growing averse to mods lately, especially the biggest ones, with those like Capcom inclined to put layers upon layers of protection on their games to prevent any and all modding.
Which, of course, is a crying shame.
The post Discord is allegedly banning users who share Nexus Mods links, and no one seems to know why appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:06 PM
In ARC Raiders, you are bound to find a ton of items whose purpose might at first be obscure, unknown, or altogether mysterious. This is particularly true during the game's events, whereby its maps are fundamentally changed and given new effects, dynamic mechanics, and other crucial alterations.
The Electromagnetic Storm event transforms any given map into a rainy, stormy, dangerous environment where lightning strikes at every corner. When they do, they leave a physical mark on the world in the form of Fossilized Lightning, which players can pick up and loot.
Its purpose doesn't seem clear-cut at first, but it can be quite a rich source of another, more useful compound. Here's everything you need to know.
Fossilized Lightning item in ARC Raiders, explained
Fossilized Lightning is an item that exclusively spawns on the Electromagnetic Storm event in ARC Raiders. It drops whenever the event's dynamic lightning strikes the ground, though it's not guaranteed. You can then loot it and bring it back to Speranza with you, where it's exclusively used as a tremendous source of Explosive Compound.
This can then be used to craft explosives, which are some of the most powerful anti-ARC tools in the entire game. With them, no ARC has armor thick enough to withstand your onslaught, especially if there are several of you throwing bombs at the same time.
While a unique and rare item, Fossilized Lightning is just a crafting source and not much more, though I'd hang on to a few of them in case the game requires them for the Expeditions or other progressions down the line. We've seen similar things happen to rather useless items before, so it's a safe bet to always keep at least some of each item in your inventory just in case.
The post What does Fossilized Lightning do in ARC Raiders? appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:56 PM
Every six or seven months (yes, I said that on purpose), I reset my brain and come to yearn for The Lord of the Rings. It's become tradition at this point, one where I'd get so obsessed with anything LOTR that I'd re-download every single old game to try out after finishing the movies, including The Hobbit.
But as the years have progressed, I've also come to want to play something new. Unfortunately, outside some small-scale and generally bad-quality projects, there really isn't anything happening in the video game department of Tolkien's Middle-earth.
It could be due to various IP licensing issues (Embracer Group owns the Middle-earth video game IP, after all, and it's not doing all too great these days) or whatever else that's been preventing The Lord of the Rings from being applied to our interactive virtual corner of reality.
But licenses and other issues are by no means barriers for one particular group of people who, of their own volition and free of charge, produce content and AAA-quality games based on existing products that merely serve as a framework for their ambitions.
Yes, I'm talking about modders, and it's exactly they who have saved my current LOTR craze with the full release of The Dawnless Days mod for Total War: Attila.
The mod is, as you could have guessed, a total overhaul of the original game that transforms it into one of the best The Lord of the Rings strategy games out there. The scope is epic, to say the least, with a massive map, a good chunk of factions, beautiful settlements and art, and armies that Peter Jackson would be proud of.
Of course, it is visually congruent with the movies (and uses the films' original score, too), but has a ton of its own unique designs that fit perfectly with the tone and mythological vibes of LOTR itself.
The backdrop is Total War: Attila, and many of its mechanics also apply here. However, The Dawnless Days has its own victory conditions based on dominance and the incessant battle between Good and Evil, with the good guys (Dúnedain, Northmen, Dwarves, and Elves) having to outwit and outfight the Shadow that has come to grip the world (Easterlings, Southrons, Saruman, and Sauron).
You have to exert influence, control settlements, cleanse regions of Evil (or Good), and attempt to establish a new order in Middle-earth, modeled after whatever faction you're currently playing as.
Over the past couple of days, I've tried my luck with Rohan and the Dwarves, these being the factions that are generally easiest for newer players as they start out with some rather good units and can quickly recruit more. On the other hand, they're bordered by not-so-powerful factions (early Isengard and Orc rabble, respectively), and you can speedily dispatch them if need be.
Aside from the dominance mechanic, the unique pros and cons of every faction are lore-accurate and immersive. In the case of Rohan, for example, King Théoden has Grima Wormtongue as his advisor, who whispers black thoughts into his mind as it slowly slips into madness and comes under the control of Saruman. This is reflected in the gameplay as your realm loses stability, Saruman's effects grow stronger, and your King slowly loses his grip on reality.
You can then progress technologies, sacrificing actual technological advancements, to lower Saruman's influence and help the King regain his sense of self.
This adds a ton of roleplay potential to the game, which otherwise doesn't have that much of it (unless you love historical settings and love to LARP as a fifth-century Hun). In that respect, it reminds me a lot of TW: Warhammer 3, which, though it has tons of advantages over older titles, loses in diplomacy and sieges by a wide margin.
Which brings me to another remarkable point where this mod shines. Every single settlement, great or small or unique, is made into an actual, realistic place where people live. That helps you recreate some of the most epic battles in The Lord of the Rings proper, from Helm's Deep to Pelennor Fields.
Each of these settlements is represented on the map, with those unique locations from the lore, including Argonath, Barad-Dûr, Erebor, and literally everything else, clearly being shown on the campaign map in all their glory.
I could continue talking on and on and on about this tremendous undertaking, but my advice to you would be to just go buy Attila or download it if you already did and get the mod from Nexus. It's one of the best things to have ever happened to any Total War game and is a true treat for any LOTR fan out there.
It truly is fantastic.
The post I'm on my umpteenth LOTR obsession, and amid a lack of newer games, this Total War mod is coming in clutch appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, January 15, 2026 1:46 PM
The Premium League Upgrade SBC has returned to FC 26 as part of the TOTY promo (arrived a day ago), and you can grind it infinitely if you already have a few coins in Ultimate Team.
The Premium League Upgrade SBC has been renewed, but the rules and requirements are the same. The rewards are also identical to those we had during the previous run. Let's look at how to run the cycle infinitely, which can be incredibly rewarding.
How to complete unlimited Premium League Upgrade SBC in FC 26
Before we begin with the process, there are some important pointers to keep in mind. First, cards from the following leagues shouldn't be used anywhere apart from the Premium League SBCs.
Additionally, you'll only want to use cards rated 81 or lower in the Premium League Upgrade SBCs.
This is the complete chain.
However, you'll run out of cards from the Portuguese and Jupiler Leagues. You'll want to spend coins to get a card from these leagues. Finding cards for the remaining leagues of the Premium League Upgrade SBC won't be an issue. With all the packs we will be opening during TOTY, the shortage of packs shouldn't be an issue.
The post How to grind unlimited Premium League Upgrade SBC during FC 26 TOTY promo appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:01 PM Announced on social media. The post A New Life is Strange Game Will Be Revealed This Month appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:43 PM Announced on social media. The post New World: Aeternum Delisted, Shut Down Date Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:21 PM Announced on Twitter. The post 007 First Light Gets Updated PC Requirements After Previous Error appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:35 PM According to several reports. The post Batman: Arkham Shadow Developer Hit With "Heavy Layoffs" appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:00 PM Square Enix has released a plethora of new Dragon Quest VII Reimagined screenshots that provide a deeper look at the game's freshly-expanded vocation system. Though the original PS1 version and Nintendo 3DS remake both also featured the vocation system, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined has further built upon it. This time around, characters have unique "starter vocations" in […] |