Mar 20, 00:00

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 11:33 PM Two Point Museum X Angry Birds Update Live       The latest addition to its Digiverse, the iconic and chaotic world of Rovio's Angry Birds have made their way to Two Point Studios and SEGA Europe's Two Point Museum. The post Two Point Museum X Angry Birds Update Live appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 10:58 PM SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada Season 4 "Crossroads" Live       Dubbed "Crossroads," Drifters can now dive into Season 4 of Game Studio Inc. and Bandai Namco's mecha-based PvPvE extraction shooter SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada. The post SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada Season 4 "Crossroads" Live appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 8:48 PM Retro Flavored Co-Op Adventure Dark Scrolls Launching This Year       Bringing together shmup-like chaos with compelling roguelike progression, Doinksoft and Devolver Digital's truly unique Dark Scrolls will launch for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam this year. The post Retro Flavored Co-Op Adventure Dark Scrolls Launching This Year appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How To Put Your Weapons Away In Crimson Desert       One of Crimson Desert's main struggles is interacting with items and other characters. It's a cumbersome system, one that requires the player to lock on and press buttons. Further issues arise when the player is attempting to use something with their weapons drawn. Simply waiting for Kliff to put them away manually is a waste … The post How To Put Your Weapons Away In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How To Dye Armor & Clothes In Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert features one of the most impressive armor dye and customization systems in recent memory. Players can dye dozens of parts of their armor, creating custom and unique looks with minimal effort required. There are two main elements to learning to dye armor and clothes. How, and where. Firstly, let's get to the where. … The post How To Dye Armor & Clothes In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How To Make Money Fast In Crimson Desert       Getting started in Crimson Desert is a daunting task. Learning new systems and mechanics, exploring the world, but one challenge persists among all others, making money fast. In this guide, we show you a quick and easy method to getting your first 50-70 silver which is more than enough to get you started, as long … The post How To Make Money Fast In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM Crimson Desert Sealed Abyss Artifact Challenges Guide       Sealed Abyss Artifacts are scattered throughout every corner of Crimson Desert, and each comes with a challenge. For players with the skills and abilities to complete these challenges, unlocking these Abyss Artifacts will provide additional skill points and make for a much stronger character. Below is a list of all the Sealed Abyss Artifacts we've … The post Crimson Desert Sealed Abyss Artifact Challenges Guide appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM What Is The Kuku Iron Pot For & How To Use It In Crimson Desert       The Kuku Iron Pot is one of the more unique and equally confusing items in Crimson Desert. It's a reward for completing the first stage of Chapter IV and promises near infinite storage, but that's not quite accurate. The Kuku Iron Pot in Crimson Desert is a vital component for players as they dive further … The post What Is The Kuku Iron Pot For & How To Use It In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM What Are Keys For In Crimson Desert       There are two types of keys you will discover on your adventures through Crimson Desert, Keys, and Prison Keys. In this guide, we'll break down the use of both so you understand how they work. Keys are found in the game world, marked by a small purse icon on the mini-map. They are also frequently … The post What Are Keys For In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

GamersHeroes Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How To Quickslot Food & Healing Items In Crimson Desert       Healing is vital for survival in Crimson Desert, and in this guide, we'll tell you everything you need to know about how to manage your quickslots and how to heal in combat without having to access the menus. It's important to understand how the quickslots work because in Crimson Desert, they are grouped, and not … The post How To Quickslot Food & Healing Items In Crimson Desert appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Kotaku Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:37 PM Publisher Accused Of Leaking Subnautica 2 Release Date To Spite Co-Founders       The underwater survival sim is planned to launch in May, but the newly returned CEO's lawyers say that Krafton didn't have the authority to announce that date

Kotaku Thursday, March 19, 2026 5:38 PM New Steam Hit Is All About Running A Rental Store In The '90s And It's Rad       Retro Rewind is a store simulator game for all you people out there who miss going to Blockbuster on the weekends

Kotaku Thursday, March 19, 2026 4:34 PM The Switch 2's Best New Feature Is A Battery Power Hog But Still Totally Worth It       Handheld Boost Mode is breathing new life into old Switch games

Kotaku Thursday, March 19, 2026 4:21 PM Steam's Huge Spring Sale Is Happening Now And Here Are The Best Deals       From newer games like Assassin's Creed Shadows to older hits like Fallout: New Vegas, there's something for everyone in this big sale

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How to take in the dog in Crimson Desert       There comes a time in Crimson Desert when you can add a dog to your band of merry Greymanes, although how to do it is a little obscure.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How to beat Tenebrum in Crimson Desert       Here is how to beat Tenebrum, a floating orb of black smoke and easily one of the most frustrating boss fights in all of Crimson Desert.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How to beat the Reed Devil in Crimson Desert       One of the first big bosses in Crimson Desert is the Devil of the Reed Field, and he is a doozy if you don't know exactly what you're doing.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How to steal in Crimson Desert       You can't just take whatever you want in Crimson Desert, at least not at first - here's how to steal in the RPG, and how to get away with it.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How to fast travel in Crimson Desert       The land of Pywel is huge, and sometimes you need to get from A to B quick sharp, so here's how to fast travel in Crimson Desert.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How long is Crimson Desert?       Crimson Desert is an RPG that covers everything from revenge to discovery across three huge biomes - how long will it take you to beat it?

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM Crimson Desert quest list       Crimson Desert isn't a short game, and it's well worth knowing just how far along the epic tale you are, so here is the quest list.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How to get skill points in Crimson Desert       Here is every way of getting extra skill points in Crimson Desert so you can improve and be ready for everything Pywell throws at you.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How to solve the Glenbright Manor puzzle in Crimson Desert       You pass through Glenbright Manor during a mission, but if you look closer, you'll see that this building has a few mysteries of its own.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:01 PM How to solve the Dragon's Stone puzzle in Crimson Desert       You may stumble onto the Dragon's Stone puzzle fairly early on in your playthrough, but to solve it, you'll have to travel far and wide.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to increase your inventory size in Crimson Desert       There is so much to pick up in Crimson Desert, but not a lot of initial inventory space, so here's how to increase your backpack size.

PCGamesN Thursday, March 19, 2026 4:00 PM Get up to $129 off my favorite gaming desk in Secretlab's Spring Sale       The Secretlab Spring Sale is here, saving you up to $129 off the best sit-to-stand gaming desk around, and up to $100 off our favorite gaming chair right now.

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:54 PM CD Projekt Red's Hadar has moved onto the prototyping stage age, as The Witcher 4 team expands       Project Hadar… It's a completely new game from CD Projekt Red, one that the Cyberpunk 2077 studio has been tinkering away at in the background for a while now. And yet! We know next to nothing about it, not even the genre (yes I know it's probably an RPG given CD Projekt's whole thing, I'm creating mystique here). But today was CD Projekt's most recent earnings report, so now we know… not much much, though we do have a better idea of where it's at. Read more

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM Crimson Desert can perform well on PC, but you'll need to win its crash lottery first       The words "consensus" and "RPS treehouse" are normally alien to one another, as is apparent from all the blood splatter on every new RPS 100. Yet among those of us who've been playing open world everything-'em-up Crimson Desert, an agreement has formed that its vastness – its 150-odd gigabytes of ideas, mechanics, and sheer maximalist fantasy – can too easily feel unwieldy. To a degree, the same is true of its PC performance. It's not bad, and often balances its gleaming visuals with smooth framerates quite well. Good support for new (but not too new) flavours of DLSS and FSR, as well. It's also prone to instability and inconsistency, and while it's positively receptive to the right settings changes, even this requires navigating through some confusingly labelled upscaling options and possibly the most unusual implementation of ray tracing – or, more specifically, Ray Reconstruction – in all of PC gamedom. Read more

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, March 19, 2026 5:48 PM Marathon's Cryo Archive drops tomorrow and it sounds like almost every aspect of it will be a pain in the shell       Well, you all did it, Cryo Archive has been unlocked in Marathon. Bungie detailed the new mode in a blog post earlier today, where it shared an important thing to keep in mind with the new map: it's only available to attempt on weekends. Aye, you'll need to forgo any social plans you have out in the real world to tackle this one. Read more

Siliconera Friday, March 20, 2026 12:00 AM Apex Legends Gundam Model Kits Up at Premium Bandai       Bandai Namco opened pre-orders for the three gunpla model kits that are part of the Apex Legends Gundam crossover event. There are three styles that range in price between $49 and $65. All are expected to ship in September 2026, though there's no exact date for their debut yet. As previously announced, these are all RG 1/144 kits. They will all be about five to six inches tall when finished. They will be articulated and all come with weapons. While it is possible to paint them, it isn't necessary due to marking stickers and the colors of the runners. The Freedom Gundam Apex Legends Crypto Version and Wing Gundam Zero EW Apex Legends Valkyrie Version are $49 each. The Gundam Epyon Apex Legends Alter Version is the most expensive at $65. In each case, it involves the gunpla being designed with a new theme tied to the color scheme for the Apex Legends characters. Here is how the Alter version of Gundam Epyon looks: Images via Bandai Namco Here's how the Crypto take on the Freedom Gundam will turn out: Images via Bandai Namco Finally, here are some initial photos of the Valkyrie Wing Gundam Zero EW model kit. Images via Bandai Namco The Apex Legends Gundam gunpla model kits based on Alter, Crypto, and Valkyrie will be released in September 2026. Apex Legends is available on the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, the Gundam crossover event is live now. The post Apex Legends Gundam Model Kits Up at Premium Bandai appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Thursday, March 19, 2026 5:00 PM Black Torch Anime Adaptation Streams on Crunchyroll in July       Crunchyroll and Shueisha announced that the anime adaptation of the manga Black Torch will air on Sony's streaming service, and it currently has a July 2026 launch window. The 100studio project will be a simulcast series, and people with a subscription in any region except Asia will get access.  The series follows Jiro Azuma, a high schooler and ninja who ends up befriending and fusing with the Black Star of Doom mononoke Rago. Due to other spirits seeking out Rago's powers and the situation, the pair then join the Bureau of Espionage to hunt down hostile mononoke. As the series is a relatively short one that only spanned five volumes, it's unknown if the entire story will be told in a single season yet. Here's the latest Black Torch anime trailer. While we do hear one of the theme songs, the footage mainly shows us what main characters Jiro Azuma, Rago, Ichika Kishimojin, and Reiji Kirihara.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL_biwm-hxU 100studio is a relatively new anime studio, so they might not be immediately familiar. Some of their two currently available shows are Quality Assurance in Another World and The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei. The former also is part of Crunchyroll's library. The Black Torch anime will stream on Crunchyroll in July 2026, and the manga is available via Viz Media.  We may earn a commission if you purchase from certain links. Learn more here. The post Black Torch Anime Adaptation Streams on Crunchyroll in July appeared first on Siliconera.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 11:44 PM All Mashle Academy Magics List – All Moves Listed       Updated on March 20, 2026: Added all Secondths modes for all Magics. Unlike other Roblox RPGs, the overall power and viability of the main movesets or Magics in Mashle Academy aren't dependent on rarity. All Magics can be good based on your playstyle and some of the better Magics like Waters is a simple Common rarity. That's why I wanted to do this Mashle Academy All Magics showcase so that you can pick your favorite Magic instead of relying on rarities and power rankings. Table of contents Mashle Academy All Magics Showcase All Common Magics All Rare Magics All Legendary Magics Mashle Academy Magics FAQ Mashle Academy All Magics Showcase Image by Destructoid All Mashle Academy Magics can be viable in both PVE and PVP and you can even reroll them so feel free to experiment. There's both a free-to-play way to get Magic rerolls by farming Gold Coins via ranking up/progression/codes or you can buy them using Robux. Each Magic gives you three base moves and also a special Secondths mode. Below you'll find a list of all Magics and their entire movesets sorted by rarity. Magics Mode (Secondths): Each Magic has a special mode you can unlock and activate which usually gives you that Magics' special weapon, enhanced M1s, special attacks and you sometimes apply that Magics' status effect on-hit. Related: Combine these with the best Clans & Races in Mashle Academy. All Common Magics Common Magic (89%) All Abilities Charm • Heart: Release a charming heart projectile that stuns. • Charm: Charm your focused target, putting a heart tag on them, while tagged they deal 20% reduced damage to you. • In Love: Any targets that have been recently hit by CHARM and have a heart tag will instantly be turned to stone. • Mode: Get a heart flail that applies the CHARM effect on-hit that you can proc with In Love. Tornegus • Tornado: Conjure wind into the tip of your wand forming a tornado that carries your enemies where you choose. • Piercing Wind: Surround yourself in blades of wind slicing up anyone as you soar through the air. • Gale Dive: Leap into the air and dive down piercing anything below with a gale burst. • Mode: Get a wind rapier, attacks apply an after-hit additional damage effect. Roks • Stone Hands: Summon stone hands that move forward and slam down knocking up anything in their radius. • Stone Pillars: Stomp the ground erupting multiple pillars of rock knocking anyone hit by it upwards. • Roks Skin: Solidify yourself with a coating of stone granting you a defense boost and reflecting a portion of the damage back. • Mode: Get a rock mace with powerful AOE attacks. Waters • Water Prison: Imbue your hands with a water bubble trapping a target hit inside it, draining their stamina. • Water Pool: Summon a pool of water that slows movement and drains stamina of those inside it. • Tidal Wave: From the depths of the ocean, arise an unstoppable tidal wave that washes out anyone struck by it. • Mode: Get a water lance with high-damage thrusting attacks. Fire • Fireball: Gather flames to the tip of your weapon, unleashing a fireball that combusts into flames. • Blazing Slash: Sharpen your flames into a fire blade, unleashing a horizontal blazing slash. • Flame Eruptions: Fuel your weapon with flames unleashing four devastating eruptions of fire around you. • Mode: Get a fire sword with special burn M1s. All Rare Magics Rare Magic (10%) All Abilities Lightning • Thunder Strike: Call the god of thunder to form dark clouds that strike down mini-stun lightning bolts. • Thunder Flash: Charge yourself in lightning then flash to a target unleashing a lightning discharge upon arrival. • Gamma Counter: A counter move where if you get hit during it, you counter with a teleporting lightning attack. • Mode: Get a lightning dagger with teleporting M1 slashes. Graviole • Kneel: Lower your weapon manipulating gravity downwards and crushing anyone in its way. • Up and Away: Reverse gravity in front of you knocking anything up then launching it away with powerful force. • Gravitational Pull: Create an attraction of horizontal gravity pulling any target towards you for a combo. • Mode: Get two floating railguns that turn your M1s into ranged attacks and pull enemies toward you on-hit. Sounds • Sounds Orchestra: Conduct a symphony of magic tethering nearby enemies which stuns and damages them when it breaks. • Howling Sounds: Screech deafening sounds into your last target hit, causing them to explode if they cast abilities for the duration of this spell. • Disco Boombox: Manifest a Disco Boombox that resonates throughout the AOE, buffing yourself and any allies within the range. • Mode: Get a sonic guitar axe with long range AOE attacks. Ice • Icicle Shards: Conjure icicles that shoot towards your mouse applying Frost to those hit. If target is Frosted, icicles become empowered and freeze. • Frost Claws: Conjure dual frost claws that slash your foes, Frost Claws are empowered against Frozen/Frosted targets. • Iceberg: Encase yourself or a focus-selected PARTY member in ice, granting invulnerability and healing before shattering the ice freezing those around you. • Mode: Get a frosty twin-sword staff that applies the Frosted effect on-hit. Sands • Piercing Sand: Conjure pits of sand beneath the ground in front of you into multiple piercing spikes. • Absolute Defense: Gather magical sand surrounding yourself and allies within it with the ultimate guard. • Crushing Sandstorm: Transform yourself into the wrath of a sandstorm moving at high speed and ending with a grab. • Mode: Get Crocodile's hook from One Piece with fast and wide AOE attacks. All Legendary Magics Legendary Magic (1%) All Abilities Darkness • Void Orbs: Summon six orbs of darkness, recast this ability to launch the orbs and explode towards your mouse. • Darkhole: Conjure dark energies within your body, unleashing darkness capable of absorbing all matter around you. • Shadow Reaper: Arise the Shadow Reaper, reaping all darkness energy into the blade of its scythe before slashing through the void along its edge. • Mode: Get a shadow scythe whose hits summon a shadowy specter with a scythe to echo your attacks. Partisans • Three Percent Partisan: Summon partisans that shoot forward in the direction you are facing, if a target exists auto-redirect towards them instead. • Partisan Surf: Summon a partisan blade to ride for 3 seconds, if you crash into a target the partisan will break early. • Ten Percent Partisan: Summon giant partisans that rain down from above, if a target exists they will auto-lock on them. • Mode: Get a special trident that has AOE attacks and also each hit summons a partisan to hit the target. Muscles • Hurricane Rush: Pummel your opponents with a series of devastating punches. • Guillotine Kick: A heavy kick that sends someone flying into a speed blitz. • Hell Fall: Grab a hold of an opponent then flip and bury them into the ground. • Mode: Get super punches with the last one being a guardbreak. Timez • Relapse: At the snap of your finger, mark all opponents with time, marked opponents will leave behind a time circle which they will return to after 5 seconds. • Rewrite: Counter-able attacks will be rewritten, reducing active cooldowns by 10% and resetting Rewrite once, if the attack is LETHAL, teleport behind them instead. • Cease of Time: Collapse the time around you, ceasing opponents from being able to act until damaged or the duration ends. • Mode: Get a special Timez scepter with high AOE slashing attacks. Spaces • Celestial Body: Summon stationary planets that detonate from contact or through Supernova. Upon detonation, Refund half the stamina cost. • Dimensional Carve: Carve the space in front of you and drift through the dimension carrying all Celestial Bodies with you. • Supernova: The absolute pressure of energy absorbs all celestial bodies causing a cosmic implosion. • Mode: Get a celestial scepter that applies Spaces' status effect. Mashle Academy Magics FAQ What are Magics in Mashle Academy? Magics are your base movesets consisting of three moves that will be complemented by other moves from your Race, Clan, Gear, Skills, etc. They are divided into Common (89%), Rare (10%) and Legendary (1%) rarities but these rarities don't necessarily determine how powerful they are in PVP since even Common Magics can be quite strong if you play them right. What is the best Magic in Mashle Academy? All Magics are generally viable, especially when you max out their Magic Mastery, but some that stand out in PVP are Water for its Stamina Drain and Darkness for its overwhelming pressure. That said, the power of each Magic largely depends on how well you play it as well as what builds you combine it with. For example, a Timez Magic+Demon Race+Heian Clan combo can be OP for burst damage and a Muscles Magic+Burnedead Clan build can be extremely oppressive in PVP. What is Magic Mastery in Mashle Academy? Magic Mastery is used to unlock your Magic skills and increase their power. Magic Mastery increases the Potency of Magic Power stat for Magic scaling abilities and their effectiveness like longer status effects, stronger output, etc. Check out each Magic's respective page to view its usage since Magics that seem weak at first become drastically better with increased Mastery. What are Magic Canes? Magic Canes is a pseudo title and a set of bonuses given to the Top 10 players of their respective Magics. Each Magic has their own leaderboard where the top 10 players become Magic Canes. If you do, you get bonuses like a special pet, a shining Username on player lists, +50 Magic Mastery hard cap, a special transformation and so on. That's it for my All Mashle Academy Magic showcase list. Check out our Mashle Academy codes for free goodies. The post All Mashle Academy Magics List – All Moves Listed appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 10:34 PM Mashle Academy Race & Clan Tier List       Before grinding for your favorite Magic, I highly recommend getting yourself the best Race and Clan in Mashle Academy. These two aspects of your build will carry you even if you have a lower-tier Magic moveset since they'll complement it well. Here's my Mashle Academy Race and Clan tier list and guide. Table of contents Mashle Academy Race Tier List S-Tier Races A-Tier Races B-Tier Races C-Tier Races Mashle Academy Clan Tier List S-Tier Clans A-Tier Clans B-Tier Clans C-Tier Clans Mashle Academy Race Tier List Image by Destructoid Note that you can start the game with pretty much any race except Human and be happy since they're all good to some degree. This tier list will just nitpick their overall optimality for PVP and harder PVE. The best races in Mashle Academy usually gives you a strong defensive tool for your build or an offensive part of a combo (Like with Demon). Generally with races, unlike Clans, you shouldn't look at rarity since a lot of the best ones are Rares. Let's dive into each race below to analyze both the base passive and advanced active move versions. Tier Breakdowns: S-Tiers are the most powerful races in the game but require skill and timing. A-Tiers are powerful alternatives that don't require as much skill but have a slightly lower power potential. B-Tier races are useful races that are good but just have a lower potential than the others. Hybrid Races: Rankings Coming soon - For now, know that you get these in-game during play by farming drops from specific monsters and then you get their Race abilities plus your base race abilities. Your base race doesn't matter since you can access all Hybrid Races with all base Races (You can't mix base races). Humans get a 25% increased success rate at adaption to Hybrid. S-Tier Races S-Tier Races Ranking Explanation Race Stats Dark Elf Rare Race • In a game all about Magic builds, being able to take reduced Magic damage makes you much tankier • That's why Dark Elf together with Vastaya is the best defensive race • But you also get Dark Sphere which is a reflection counter that blocks Magics and makes you even tankier • That said it does have a long cooldown so try not to spam it and predict high value attacks to block like Darkness' Reaper slash Race Passive • Take 10% reduced damage from all magic power scaling attacks. Race Awakening Move • Dark Sphere: Veil yourself in a dark magic shield that absorbs a singular magic ability then repels that energy in a close explosion. Vastaya Rare Race • Incredibly strong defensive race with better dodges and an insta-dodge ability • The larger perfect dodge frames make it a bit easier to avoid damage • Plus, Hyper Reflex is a frame 1 dodge counter that can be spammed with a 4s CD if you can land it consistently • Otherwise, if you miss-time it, it's a hefty 20s CD so this is a high-reward skill-based race Race Passive • Increased Perfect dodge frames and 10% reduction to fall damage. Race Awakening Move • Hyper Reflex: Your animal instincts are heightened, allowing you to dodge incoming attacks on reflex. A-Tier Races A-Tier Races Ranking Explanation Race Stats Demon Legendary Race • Demon can be quite powerful on certain builds with lifesteal and Blood Severence's high HP scaling damage • You just need to combo it well with other abilities • For example, it's an S-Tier Race if you combine it with Timez' freeze move and Heian Clan's damage boost for burst damage • Otherwise, by itself, I'd value it in A-Tier since it's not OP by itself but still quite good • Leans more towards PVP but the lifesteal makes it good for PVE too Race Passive • Gain 10% life steal on attacks. Race Awakening Move • Blood Severance: Conjure a percentage of your current health into a lethal blood slash executing opponents under the damage threshold. Orc Rare Race • Orc is a pretty good clan both defensively and offensively in PVE and PVP • The main thing you want it for is the AOE howl that reduces defense and slows enemies • This sets them up for combos and makes them a bit easier to catch plus it's AOE so you can affect multiple targets • The defensive aspect is situational since you get defense against muscle moves so it's OP against Burnedead+Muscles Race Passive • Take 10% reduced damage from muscle scaling attacks. Race Awakening Move • Brute's Bellow: Unleash a bellow of terror, fearing all enemies in your presence. B-Tier Races B-Tier Races Ranking Explanation Race Stats Elf Rare Race • A very useful clan for resource management so that you can spam more moves • Both the active and the passive give you so much more resources to spend • This means you don't have to invest as much into stamina • Overall not the most powerful Race but it's incredible for build utility that's useful in both PVP and PVE Race Passive • Regenerate more stamina per tick. Race Awakening Move • Spirit Soul: Summon two nature spirits that track onto an enemy and detonate and leave behind nature orbs, picking them up will restore your mana. Angel Legendary Race • Angel is pretty decent with its hyperarmor move and enhanced parries • It's nothing too powerful but it's a nice bit of damage you have to finish off low HP enemies since they can't interrupt it • Plus the fact that you don't get knocked back means you can counterattack much more smoothly, especially with the speed boost • The active doesn't really combo well with other moves so it's just a useful Race to have but nothing OP Race Passive • Neutral parries no longer knock you back • Successful parries grant you a temporary speed boost Race Awakening Move • Behold: Defend yourself using your angelic wings before unleashing a torrent of feathers. C-Tier Races B-Tier Races Ranking Explanation Race Stats Human Common Race • A weak and negligible clan for a bit of extra cash on grips • The increased Hybrid success rate doesn't add much mechanically and is just a flavor ability • Note that you can get Hybrid races with any base race, not just Human Race Passives • Greed: Gripping enemies robs more coins from them. • Pure Lineage: 25% Increased Success Rate at adapting to a Hybrid Race Mashle Academy Clan Tier List Image by Destructoid Unlike Magics and Races that have powerful non-Legendary options, Clans tend to be one-sided in power with the best ones just being higher rarities - Legendaries. That said, not all Legendary Clans are made equal and there are some decent Rares that are good starters. In general, you can combine most S-Tier and A-Tier Clans and Races for a good build but some work better with others like Demon and Heian or Burnedead and the Muscles Magic. Let's dive into each individual clan and elaborate the rankings. Related: Check out the full list of all Magics in Mashle Academy and their movesets. S-Tier Clans S-Tier Clans Ranking Explanation Razor Legendary Clan • Since a lot of builds rely on Magic/Wand, Razor is incredibly powerful for disabling magic skills • With a max Rank A duration of 20 seconds it's basically an auto-win against full or high Magic builds • You just have to land it and not be fighting a Burnedead/Muscles build and you're good Ira Kreuz Legendary Clan • Ira Kreuz has a lower power potential than Razor but in return it's always good no matter the situation • A scaling percentage-based damage boost is always powerful • Easily either the best or one of the best Clans in the game A-Tier Clans A-Tier Clans Ranking Explanation Heian Legendary Clan • Similar to Burnedead, Heian is situationally incredibly powerful, but less specific and more flexibile than BD • Ancient Chant is just a damage multiplier on your next move • If you combine this with things like Timez's freeze (which doesn't proc Heian) and then a high base damage move like Demon Race's Severence it's OP • There's such a high damage potential but it also depends on what you use it with • So it's A-Tier by itself and S-Tier with the right build Burnedead Legendary Clan • I put Burnedead in A-Tier since its power is dependent on you combining it with Muscles Magic • If you have a Burnedead/Muscles build, it's easily S-Tier and one of the most powerful builds in the game • Otherwise, its non-Magic buffs are situational B-Tier Clans B-Tier Clans Ranking Explanation Zero Legendary Clan • The Mastery boost and the extra points is pretty decent and overall useful • That said, at the end of the day in late-game, it's not that impactful as an anti-magic move or a damage boost Doom Legendary Clan • Being able to see your enemy's HP and Stamina is excellent info for PVP and decent for PVE • Especially with something like Waters Magic to gauge how much Stamina you're draining • This helps you plan whether your opponent is going to counter-attack or retreat or try to M1 until they regen • That said, it's not overall as powerful as the higher-tier Clans C-Tier Clans This Tier and D-Tier is mostly for Rare clans where they're generally much weaker than Legendary Clans. That said, some Rare Clan highlights I like are Perfect for blocking more often on perfect blocks, Macaron for more Evasions and Grantz for more recovery. Those are the best rares and can compete with the lower-tier Legendaries. That's it for my Mashle Academy Clan and Race tier list and guide. Check out our Mashle Academy codes for free goodies. The post Mashle Academy Race & Clan Tier List appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 8:54 PM All Main story chapters and quests in Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert has plenty of quests for you to sink your hours into, and the main story itself is divided into different Chapters and Arcs. Spread across 12 different Chapters, the main campaign of Crimson Desert is pretty expansive. Completing them will take a fair bit of time, and more so if you're also concentrating on clearing the side content. This guide will provide you with a complete list of all the chapters and quests that you get to complete as part of the main campaign. All Crimson Desert Main campaign chapters and quests The table below has the names of every main story quest you can complete inside the game. Screenshot by Destructoid First, here's the list of all 12 chapters (14 if you count the Prologue and the Epilogue) all the Arcs. Prologue: Dead of Night Ambush Unknown Space The First Encounter Trials of Kindness Trace Golden Greed Unexpected Gift Hernand in Chaos The End of Greed Howling Hill Homestead The Face Behind the Mask Pioneering The Price of Knowledge Mysterious Iron Pot Daily Life Forbidden Knowledge Guest Unbidden Uninvited Guest Black and White Cracks in the Shield Blazing Beacon Under the Banner Pike Again Turning Tides The Undying Shields Homecoming Dawn Mist Dawnrise Decisive Battle Twisted Fate Blood Coronation Ashen Steps The Demeniss Traitor The Sage of the Desert The Calling Shattered Ties Thinning Blade Six Pensive Statues and the Evil Spirit Veiled Witch Enlightenment Counterattack Secret Weapon Greater Firepower Truth and Reality Brave New World Foreboding Shadow The Abyss The Final Battle The Void Epilogue: Journey's End Journey's End Chapter Arc Quests Prologue: Dead of the Night Ambush Unfamiliar Lands In Ashes Prologue: Dead of the Night Unknown Space Realm of Uncertainty New Journey Chapter 1: The First Encounter Trials of Kindness Where Rumors Gather Mysterious Man True Wisdom in Kindness Actions Speak Louder Than Words Hearts Beyond Borders Chapter 1: The First Encounter Trace Mystical Key Polar Opposites Abyss Without Balance Woman in White Chapter 2: Golden Creed Unexpected Gift Where the Light Leads Memory Fragment Reunion Chapter 2: Golden Creed Hernand in Chaos For Honor Awestruck Shadow Cast Over the River Where Misery Gathers Trial After Trial The Man Trapped in the Mire Missing Companion Secrets Hidden in the Dark Chapter 2: Golden Creed The End of Greed The Dark Veil The Flames of Greed Kidnapped Healer Rebellion of Revolution Cheers Echoing From the Edge Chapter 3: Howling Hill Homestead Old Friend First Step to Rebuilding A Fresh Start Reward for Their Sweat Return of the Comrade Familiar Curses Chapter 3: Howling Hill The Face Behind the Mask Return Traces in the Manor Nonhuman Seed of Unease Dance with the Devil Chapter 3: Howling Hill Pioneering Hope After the Draught Scattered Comrades Rumors from the Sawmill A Gentle Touch Bustling Hill Greymanes Reunited Chapter 4: The Prince of Knowledge Mysetrious Iron Pot Kilnden Workshop Kiln Repair at the Kilnden Workshop The Mysterious Pot The Iron Pot's Usage Chapter 4: The Prince of Knowledge Daily Life Disturbance at the Arena Skilled in Archery Chapter 4: The Prince of Knowledge Forbidden Knowledge The Words of Alustin Scholastone On the Right Path Gate to the Otherworld Spire of the Stars Obsession and Madness Casted Shadow Chapter 5: Guest Unbidden Uninvited Guest Double-sided Invitation Unwelcomed Guests Demenissian Delegation Exposed Plot Chapter 5: Black and White Black and White The Missing Seal Crowcaller The Crow's Warning Bloodwind Secret at the Church Toward the Nest Chapter 6: Cracks in the Shield Blazing Beacon News To the Battlefield The Counterattack Chapter 6: Cracks in the Shield Under the Banner Pike Again Cradle of Defense The Touch of Deliverance Fire on the Frontlines Chapter 6: Cracks in the Shield Turning Tides Fire Support In Ashes Hidden Fangs Reclamation Chapter 6: Cracks in the Shield The Unyielding Shields A Thousand Troops Traitor All Quiet on the Front News of Victory Return Home Chapter 7: Homecoming Dawn Mist Ashes of Treachery Trust Lost Bared Fang Rekindled Hope Podium of Resolve Chapter 7: Homecoming Dawnrise Shadows Over Pailune Driving out the Shadows Lurking Wolves Reclamation (II) Lonely Jackals Resolution Chapter 7: Homecoming Decisive Battle Shadows Over Pailune Driving out the Shadows The Counterattack Unleashed Fury The Final Bridge Broken Claws Battle at Silverwolf Mountain Incomplete Victory Chapter 7: Homecoming Twisted Fate Ludvig's Whereabouts Time to Face Justice Chapter 8: Blood Coronation Ashen Steps Healing Pailune A Bond Ritual Preparations Where the Wind Guides You Chapter 8: Blood Coronation To Demeniss Chasing a Shadow Blazing Fire Whispering Shadows Bloodied Invitation Resolve Amidst a Storm Rebel Suppression The Cursed Knight The Blood Coronation Chapter 8: Blood Coronation Traitor Clue A Fleeting Dream Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert The Calling An Unknown Voice The Cloister of Enlightenment Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert Shattered Ties Mark of the Scar Shackles of Fate Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert Thinning Blade Crossing Point Unwavering Steps Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert Six Pensive Statues and the Evil Spirit Morning Fog Jijeong Temple in Chaos Path to Enlightenment Path of the Disciple True Strength Face the Inner Self Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert Veiled Witch Fragments of Darkness Pursuit Beyond the Veil Black Witch Chapter 9: The Sage of the Desert Enlightenment The Cloister of Enlightenment (II) The Sage of the Desert New Perspectives Lust for Power Chapter 10: Counterattack Secret Weapon Untouchable The Gate of War Master of the Ironworks Hidden Ace Clockwork Insect Clash Chapter 10: Counterattack Greater Firepower Beating Heart Invaders from the East Frozen Hearted Predator Lingering Shadow Chapter 11: Truth and Reality Brave New World The City of Steel Crossroads Strange Manor Fortress Keys Truth and Lies Chapter 11: Truth and Reality Foreboding Shadow Master of a Forgotten Land Whispers in the Wind Cloud Castle Orbian Chapter 12: The Abyss The Final Battle Precise Execution Deferred Advance Departure of the Brave Forbidden gate Chapter 12: The Abyss The Void A Shadow in the Void Blinding Darkness Epilogue: Journey's End Journey's End A New Beginning Peace in Hernand The Unyielding Shields The Heart of Pywel The Desert's Edge The Enduring Flame Evolving City New Horizons We will have detailed guides on some of the quests that are hard to complete. The post All Main story chapters and quests in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 7:16 PM How to solve light-reflection puzzles in Crimson Desert       The Light-reflection puzzle is one of several types of mysteries that you'll need to solve in Crimson Desert, and you'll come across them pretty commonly when exploring the map. The core strategy to solve these puzzles is to reflect the beam of light on specific spots. Doing so will trigger the mechanisms and allow you to proceed. However, it can be pretty easy to get stuck if you fail to solve these puzzles. While the degree of difficulty of cracking these puzzles can be different, the core method is the same. How to do light-reflection puzzles in Crimson Desert There's no exact location for encountering the light-reflection puzzle. The first one, in all likelihood, is going to be at the Corridor of the Void, where you'll need to solve the puzzle to unlock the main door. So how do you solve the puzzle? Image via Pearl Abyss Assuming you're playing with a controller, press the L1/LB and R1/RB when standing in front of the puzzle. Let go of the buttons after a single press, and it will begin the reflection process. Now, press and hold the L1/LB button to use Blinding Flash. This will concentrate light on the light source and change its color to purple from orange. Image via Pearl Abyss Keep aiming at the puzzle for three seconds approximately, or slightly longer. Once the light source changes back to orange, you have solved the light-reflection puzzle. Later in the game, you'll encounter puzzles that might use a light-reflection variant as part of them. The method of solving the puzzle will remain the same. Here's a quick refresher of the steps. Aim at the light source and use your Blinding Light ability. Keep using Blinding Light until the color changes to purple, and then back to its original one. The Blinding Light ability isn't only required for solving light-reflection puzzles, but it's also used to put fire on vines in the open world. You can also upgrade this ability from the Abyss Artifact to unlock the Blinding Light Finisher, which allows you to blind your enemies and leave them redundant for a few seconds. The post How to solve light-reflection puzzles in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:37 PM How to fish in Crimson Desert? Locations and more       Crimson Desert has no shortage of activities to engage yourself in, and fishing can be one of the most lucrative ones at that. While it doesn't take too long for you to unlock the ability to fish, this guide will still help you out with all the steps. To fish in Crimson Desert, you'll need a rod. You can also get better rods once you spend more hours on your adventure. But first, let's look at the basics, which start with obtaining your first fishing rod. Table of contents How to get a fishing rod in Crimson Desert How to fish in Crimson Desert How to get a fishing rod in Crimson Desert Once you've cleared the first few pieces of content that basically act as an extended tutorial, you need to find a fishing village. Fishing villages are shown as boats on the map. If you're wondering how the villages look on the map, refer to the image below. You can find several of them spread all around the map. Screenshot by Destructoid You'll find a fishing vendor at a fishing village. You can obtain a fishing rod from them. Once you have your first rod, you can start to fish. Do note that not all fishing vendors might be selling the rod. If you don't find it at one vendor, try out another, and you should come across the rod. Screenshot by Destructoid How to fish in Crimson Desert This is the easier part. Once you've found your rod, head to a water body. Make sure that your fishing rod is equipped. Next, you have to cast the line. Be careful not to cast it over any debris. Wait for a few seconds for a fish to catch the lure. Typically, you'll hear three splashes before the fish bites the lure. Once it bites, press the hook button to catch the fish. But first, you'll have to tire out the fish. If the fish goes left, use the LS button to move the rod right. If it's moving right, then use the LS button to take your rod to the left. Then, press the reel-in button to catch the fish. Only try to reel in the fish after it has tired out. You can also get better rods like the Fine Fishing Rod from the Greymane camp, which an NPC sells. Having better rods will allow you to get better catches, and some of them will be a great way to earn money. The post How to fish in Crimson Desert? Locations and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM Crimson Desert save file location on PC       Crimson Desert is now available on PC and console, and if you're on the former platform, you can gain access to the save file quite easily. Thanks to the different puzzles and quests, things can go wrong quite quickly on your save. While you can create multiple saves at different points, you can also manually create a backup. To do so, you'll need to access the save file from where it's stored on the PC. How to find the Crimson Desert save file on your PC The storage location for Crimson Desert save files will be in the root drive of your system. While you can manually change the location from Steam settings (game properties), I assume you're yet to do that. If you're using the default settings, here's the path for finding all the save files. C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Pearl Abyss\CD\save The path for you will be the same, with only the change being for the <Username>. This folder will be located in your root drive (which is the C drive for my PC). Once you reach the path, you'll find the save folder. Open it, and there will be two subfolders within. The numbered folder contains all the save files that you'll create inside the game. Screenshot by Destructoid If you want to manually create a backup for whatever reason it might be, you need to remove the save file and store it in a safe place. That way, you can also use it as a restore point if you overwrite the save file in the game. While I haven't tested it out, you should be able to use the save file of another player. This is possible since Crimson Desert is a single-player exclusive experience. However, I have yet to test this method out as of writing. What I have tested, however, is to manually create backups of your save file and use them to restore past progression. The post Crimson Desert save file location on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:02 PM How to fly in Crimson Desert       Gaining the ability to fly across the map in Crimson Desert can become a true game-changer, but to do so, you'll first need to obtain a specific skill. This skill, like everything else in the game, can be earned by just grinding through the quests. When you're in the initial couple of hours, there won't be much need for you to fly on the map. The need arises once you start to explore the more advanced areas of Pywel. Let's look at how you can gain flight in Crimson Desert. Table of contents How to unlock flying in Crimson Desert How to use your Flight skill in Crimson Desert How to unlock flying in Crimson Desert To gain the ability to fly, you'll need to gain a set of crow wings. These wings will activate when you're mid-air. However, these wings, which allow you to glide across large spaces on the map, won't be available by default. Keep clearing all in-game content until you come across the Woman in White main quest. This quest, available in the Hernand region, will have several puzzles to solve. Once cleared, the game will then lead you to an NPC named White Crow the Witch. Image via Pearl Abyss Speak with her and wait for the dialogue to finish. She will gift you a pair of the crow wings that will allow you to fly. This will also unlock the Flight skill on the red skill tree. Like all other skills, you can enhance your flying ability using Abyss Artifacts. Now, you have everything you need to fly in the world of Crimson Desert. How to use your Flight skill in Crimson Desert For starters, you'll need to reach a high place to take flight. This can be the top of a landscape, the highest platform on a building, and so on. Dive from the height and as you're falling down, press the Square Button/X button on your PlayStation/Xbox controller. This will activate the flying skill, and you'll start to use your wings to glide. When in flight, use the LS button to control the direction of where your character moves. You can press the same Square/X button to deactivate flying. Make sure you don't do this when you're still high up in the air (unless you're ready to bear the consequences!). The post How to fly in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to get more Palmar Pills in Crimson Desert       Though most games would like you to go back to your last checkpoint or bonfire after you've had your life ruined by a powerful boss, Crimson Desert gives you some extra options, the primary one being to revive on the spot with around 30 percent of your total HP. This mechanic is incredibly important and almost mandatory for most boss fights, which, due to their overt lack of balance, tend to win more often than not, forcing you into a battle of attrition of sorts where you can constantly come back to life while they can only die once. Palmar Pills, as the item necessary for revives is called, aren't so easy to come by in the early stages of the game, but you can still rack up a lot of them eventually by following this guide. So, here goes. How to get revive pills in Crimson Desert Palmar Pills are a vital item, and no boss fight should ever be tried without them. Screenshot by Destructoid Palmar Pills are a crucial item that allows you to revive yourself on the spot with 30 percent of your max HP, thus enabling you to avoid resetting the zone or boss. They are of vital importance, as going back to your checkpoint when liberating an area, for example, can take away a lot of your progress, even if the game lets you keep most of your progression post-mortem. Bosses, if you do not have any revive pills, will reset fully if you hit the Retry option, forcing you to do the entire fight from the very beginning. Against bosses with three phases, this could prove more than frustrating, as you'd get almost softlocked trying to take them down. Palmar Pills can usually be found at grave sites or graveyards around the game, often sitting on top of gravestones or other monuments at these locations. These sites usually lie either within cities or at the top of large hills or mountains overlooking Pywel. Revive Pills can be crafted using the recipe found at this location in Hernand. Screenshot by Destructoid But a more efficient way of obtaining them is through crafting. To find the Palmar Pill crafting recipe, you need to go back to the Abyss Nexus just above Hernand Castle, the one you unlock first after coming to the Duchy and escorting the scientist. Once there, descend under the massive bridge behind you, and then go upriver toward the waterfalls while sticking to the left shore. Once you get past the bridge itself, you'll notice a cave in the mountain. Enter it, and you will discover a cauldron, three Palmar Pills, and the Palmar Pill crafting recipe. To craft this item, you will need one of many herbs, such as Lavender, or utilize any sort of mushroom, like Pine Mushrooms or Oakwood Mushrooms, in combination with Water. Herbs can be found across Hernand, and many of them spawn near the city itself, while you can find a respawning bunch of Pine Mushrooms at the foot of the hill where the Greymane camp lies. To craft them, you can use any number of cauldrons in Hernand, but the one where you found the recipe works well in the early stages of the game. The post How to get more Palmar Pills in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM Best Crimson Desert graphics settings for no lag and max FPS       Crimson Desert is finally here. The game's massive open world promises endless exploration and intrigue, as its mystical and techno-fantastical universe holds many mysteries waiting for you to uncover them. It's one of the most beautiful games ever made, and given how good it looks, you'll probably want it to perform so as to enjoy these graphics the way God intended. Thankfully, Crimson Desert is incredibly well-optimized, so the following settings should be a quick and easy way to get that FPS high while maintaining visual fidelity. Here goes. Crimson Desert - Recommended graphics settings for best performance Crimson Desert's graphics are phenomenal. Image via Pearl Abyss Crimson Desert can easily be set up for maximum performance and graphical fidelity via its presets. They already do most of the work for you, and the only setting we will have to be especially mindful of is Lighting (and Ray Tracing) since it can eat up to 30-40 FPS while providing little additional flair to the game's already stellar lighting quality. For those rocking a graphics card such as RX 9070 XT, RX 7900 XT/XTX, RTX 4070 Ti, 5070 Ti, or the equivalent, setting the game at the Ultra or even Cinematic Preset will be enough. You can use Native AA from your relevant upscaler (FSR or DLSS), but it's not mandatory, as setting upscaling to Off is still a good choice. Of course, a mixture of high and ultra settings will produce the best results, so here are our recommended settings: Upscale Mode: Off (or Native AA) AMD FSR Ray Regeneration/Nvidia Ray Reconstruction: Off (unless you have a recent-gen x80 or xx90 graphics card). Model Quality: Ultra Texture Quality: Cinematic Shadow Quality: Ultra/High Raytracing: On Lighting Quality: Ultra. Do not mess with this or turn on RR, it will set it to Max and destroy FPS on all GPUs. Reflection Quality: Ultra Advanced Weather Effects: On Water Quality: High Foliage Density: High Volumetric Fog Quality: High Effect Quality: Ultra Simulation Quality: Ultra, lower if you're CPU-limited. Post-Processing Effect Quality: Ultra, lower if seeing CPU bottlenecks. You can fidget with some of the settings however you see fit, though most GPU-bound settings (except Lighting Quality) will produce similar results while not hampering performance in any significant way. For lower-end hardware, simply set the game on the High preset, turn off RR, and enjoy your time. CPU-limited systems should pay special mind to Simulation, Effects, Water, Shadows, and Volumetrics, since those can shave off a lot of FPS, especially in certain areas like large towns or heavily forested/foliaged regions. The reason for turning Ray Regeneration/Reconstruction off is that the developers made it set Lighting Quality to Max. This combination of settings ruins the FPS, even if it does significantly improve shading and Ray Tracing. If they make it so that you can keep the setting on Ultra while having RR switched on, then you can flip it back, but until then, the performance loss is simply not worth it. The post Best Crimson Desert graphics settings for no lag and max FPS appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to open Axiom Archive in Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert, though a sandbox action-adventure game at heart, can just as easily be construed as a puzzle game, considering how many of them you're going to come across on the continent of Pywel. What's more, it's a game that does not hold your hand whatsoever when it comes to most things, and especially regarding puzzles. Odds are that you're going to get stuck, and one of the first hurdles you're going to have to clear is the Axiom Archive, which has to be opened to progress the main story. So here's how you can do so. Axiom Archive puzzle in Crimson Desert, solved The Axiom Archive is one of the first major puzzles that you need to solve. Screenshot by Destructoid The Axiom Archive is located on one of the first Abyss islands you're going to come across. It's a large domed building sitting at the end of a walkway surrounded by garden trees and foliage. The game tasks you with opening the doors to the Archive, but never actually explains what it is you're supposed to be doing. In Pywel, electricity, or rather power, exists, even though this is a medieval-esque world with fantasy characteristics. It is powered by strange mystical energies, the source of which is entirely unknown. It flows through those grey concrete pipes you've likely come across when you first entered the island. If you still want to solve the puzzle yourself, follow the pipes and see where they lead and how they work. You'll probably figure it out in the end. - Solution beyond this point - You need to turn these wheels around to bring the energy flowing from the top pipe to the bottom one, powering the door. Screenshot by Destructoid For those who do not want to figure it out, you can open the Axiom Archive by turning those two wheels immediately to the right of the archive itself. As you approach the steps leading to the door, turn right among the hedges, and you'll find two wheels on the floor. Use your Axiom Force to grab the wheels and then turn them to bring energy from the top pipe to the bottom one. You can use the Lantern to reveal where the beams are pointing by default and figure out which way to turn them. The post How to open Axiom Archive in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to respec in Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert, like many other similar games, features a skill system where you acquire "levels" and spend points to unlock new abilities and improve old ones. While it doesn't have a numbered leveling system with XP and such, Crimson Desert uses Abyss Artifacts, expendable items that are exchanged for new skills and upgrades. Of course, sometimes you'll come to realize that you may have spent your hard-earned Artifacts on a skill or upgrade that you no longer need and would want to get some of what you used back. That's where respecing comes in, and it works quite similarly to how leveling itself does. So, here's everything you need to know. How to refund skill points in Crimson Desert Faded Abyss Artifacts are a currency of sorts, used to reset your entire skill tree. Screenshot by Destructoid Respecing in Crimson Desert is done by using Faded Abyss Artifacts, items obtained via quests and exploration, which, when used, refund all spent Abyss Artifacts. They are found all over Pywel and given to you by the game on numerous occasions, such as when you help out a crucial NPC or progress important moments in the main story. Once you do have them in your inventory, simply navigate to them and press the Use button on your respective platform, which will take you to the Skill tree. Then, hold down the button tied to your "Reset All" prompt and press yes. Spending one Faded Abyss Artifact will return all the usual Abyss Artifacts to your inventory, allowing you to put them in desired skills. Currently, there seems to not be a way to reset only a specific skill tree or individual skills within those, though I would assume that that will be added to the game at some point in the future. How to get Faded Abyss Artifact crafting recipe in Crimson Desert The Research Institute in Scholastone can help you unlock various items, including the recipe for the Faded Abyss Artifact. Screenshot by Destructoid The Research Institute lies at the bottom of Scholastone's complex, itself in Western Pywel. Screenshot by Destructoid Faded Abyss Artifacts, like many other items in the game, can be crafted. To get the recipe, you're going to need to go to Scholastone, a research institute in the western parts of Pywel. A main story quest will eventually guide you there, and you'll probably have Faded Abyss Artifacts in your inventory by that time, so there likely won't be any pressing need for discovering this area earlier than intended. At any rate, there you will find a researcher who you can prompt to develop the recipe for you. You'll have to complete his request (side quest) before this becomes available, as well as perform one mandatory research prior to being given the ability to focus on the recipe. Once you do have the recipe, take it out, inspect it, and then you'll be able to craft this item in a cauldron. The post How to respec in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to get and use Sealed Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert does not feature a standard leveling system, complete with XP and skills you unlock through levels. Instead, it uses Abyss Artifacts, expendable currency items that are used to upgrade skill trees (Stamina, Spirit, and Health) or unlock and upgrade specific abilities within them. They are obtained in various ways, but Sealed Abyss Artifacts can be a tremendous source of much-needed Abyss Artifacts, since they are also required to refine weapons and armor past a certain point, leading to a relative drought of Abyss Artifacts at some points in the game. So, here's where you can find them and how you can put them to good use. Sealed Abyss Artifacts - How to find and use them Sealed Abyss Artifacts are found all across Pywel, usually by the roadside. Screenshot by Destructoid Sealed Abyss Artifacts are generally an exploration item, found in dozens if not hundreds of locations across the continent of Pywel. Listing out every single one of them and their location would be almost impossible, since the game's world is so large that just finding them all is going to prove a challenge even for the most dedicated players. They are most commonly located on the sides of roads and beaten paths, as well as within shrines scattered throughout the continent. You can spot them from some distance as they appear on your minimap as purple squares, but also shine with a bright light if you point your lantern toward the world from some elevated position. An early Sealed Abyss Artifact can be picked up in this location, alongside a powerful early-game spear. Screenshot by Destructoid Once you pick them up, you can stow them in your inventory, which is when you will get access to the specific challenge related to that Sealed Abyss Artifact. For example, you can pick up one of these in a Shrine right next to the City of Hernand, across the river to the east of Muckroot Ranch. That Sealed Abyss Artifact requires you to hit enemies with a spear 30 times, and there's even a spear to be discovered at that same shrine. These Artifacts can be found in your inventory and, when hovered over, will give you the exact thing you need to do to gain access to their contents. Once the related challenge is completed, the Sealed Abyss Artifact starts pulsating in your inventory, and when you press Use on it, you will gain a regular Abyss Artifact, used to unlock and upgrade skills and skill trees. Some of the Sealed Abyss Artifacts are obscure and unclear, and we have yet to discover their true purpose. The post How to get and use Sealed Abyss Artifacts in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to send Greymanes on missions in Crimson Desert       Aside from its general action-adventure gameplay, exploration, and puzzles, Crimson Desert also has loads of features and activities that signal Pearl Abyss' past experience as an MMO developer. One such activity is camp (or base) management, where you get your own base of operations and a crew to manage and send out on assignments, either to benefit your clan and upgrade its capabilities or to bring you actual usable items to enhance your intrepid adventuring. The game, however, never explains how you're to do so, at least not in the early stages, so here's everything you need to know about Greymane missions. How to start missions in Crimson Desert Greymanes can also be sent to their own camp to upgrade it. Screenshot by Destructoid Once you get access to your own camp in Hernand, you gain the ability to send your Greymane comrades on assignments to earn money or resources that are then used to upgrade and expand your base. To start a mission initially, you need to do the following: Open the map. Select the Factions tab. Find a location that you want to send your crew to, the "subject" of the missions is shown by little icons at the top-right corner of the location's name: wheat means it's farming, a shield means it's a bodyguard mission, etc. Double-click the location to bring it up to your screen. Select the Missions tab. Choose a mission. Select comrades to be sent (be mindful of their skills and how they can help enhance the yield of the mission). Press the Dispatch button on your respective platform. The time it takes to complete a mission varies between them, though whatever hours it does show are related to in-game time, so if a mission needs eight hours to complete, you can just go and rest or wait for eight hours at a campfire to see it through. Missions restart automatically if you do not cancel them, so finding good spots to farm specific things constantly is a good idea. You gain more comrades to send out on missions as you progress through the Greymanes' faction quests and will eventually be able to start missions from a single hub using the Dispatch Coordinator at the Greymane camp. Using him lets you choose missions from a single screen and manage your team without having to use the map at all. Later, when you progress and unlock more areas to send your comrades to, you can get actual items, and your Greymanes can start farming important resources for your actual character, rather than just obtaining camp-specific benefits like wheat, camp money, and so on. The post How to send Greymanes on missions in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to beat the Excavatron in Crimson Desert       Crimson Desert, though not a soulslike in general, has no shortage of boss fights, many of which would put even Elden Ring to shame, not only in design but also in difficulty. These challenging fights are everywhere in the game, and some are less fair than others. The Excavatron, a powerful enemy guarding a story-crucial location called Karin Quarry, is one of those almost unfair fights, but it still bleeds (or leaks oil at least) and can thus be put down, permanently. So, if you're struggling with this boss, here's what you should do to take it out. Karin Quarry Excavatron boss - tips, tricks, and weaknesses The Excavatron hits hard. Avoiding its attacks entirely is just about the only way to leave the fight alive (unless you have a dozen Respawn Pills). Screenshot by Destructoid The Excavatron is a powerful mechanical being with several immensely strong attacks that can shave off most of your HP if you're not careful. Its pattern consists of a single drill attack where it stands and tries to bore a hole in your skull, another such attack but with two drills, a charge attack, and two unblockable strikes where it burrows into the ground and emerges underneath you, dealing massive damage. One of these attacks is "special," i.e., the Excavatron starts burrowing rapidly while your screen goes dark. It constantly goes up and down, trying to catch you off guard. The best way to deal with this boss is to use the Turning Slash attack each time the Excavatron uses the drill attacks, since it becomes wide open and takes massive damage, both to its HP and to its poise bar. Whenever it walks up to you, simply dodge one away while it's stuck in its animation, then use the window after it strikes to land a single Turning Slash before backing off. You can repeat this constantly until the Excavatron starts drilling into the ground. The Excavatron can be easily put down by chaining Turning Slahes. I found the Spear's variant of that skill to be very effective. Screenshot by Destructoid In that case, wait for it to come as close as you can—you'll be able to see it burrowing through the ground as it approaches. Each time it makes a sound and throws sand up into the air is an actual hit, so try to sprint in the opposite direction or use dodges to roll constantly until the attack finishes. Once it's back up, it'll try to strike you with the drills several times, allowing you to spam Turning Slash attacks constantly. If you run out of Spirit, you can use Focus to regain it. It slows everything down so the Excavatron won't be able to get to you before your Spirit gauge is sufficiently restored. Turning Slash attacks need Spirit to be used, so restoring it in time is important. On top of all of this, you should come prepared with at least three Palmar Pills, i.e., Respawn Pills, which you can discover throughout the world or craft at a witch's abode. Note that witches are not unlocked for a while in the main story, but you can still find Palmar Pills by the roadside in places where Sealed Abyss Artifacts are sometimes located. It may be powerful, but it's still mortal. Screenshot by Destructoid Graveyards of any kind also tend to spawn them, and a certain witch cave under the bridge near Hernand also has three of them, as well as the recipe needed to make them when the time comes. With these, if the Excavatron takes you down, you can simply get back up and repeat the same pattern of dodging its melee drill attacks and striking with the Turning Slash. Eventually, its poise gauge will fill up, allowing you to land a Finisher Attack while also opening the Excavatron up to another Turning Slash hit. Using Force Palm will also stagger it, so if you've got Spirit to spare, then combining that with Turning Slashes will turn this fight from a terrifying encounter into a relatively easy one. Repeat enough times, and the thing will go down with relative ease. The post How to beat the Excavatron in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:00 PM How to unlock the Greymane camp Abyss Nexus in Crimson Desert       Unlike similar open-world games, Crimson Desert does not have a traditional fast travel system. While it's become a standard feature for vast titles such as this one, Pearl Abyss decided to make fast travel into an actual mechanic, one that is given as a reward for intrepid explorers. One of the spots you're going to visit the most is certainly the Greymane camp. It is your first base of operations in Hernand, given to you and your clan for your contributions to the Duchy's well-being. Having to constantly make the trek on foot or horseback can become tedious, but there's thankfully a way to unlock fast travel to the camp by opening an Abyss nexus nearby. Here's how you can do that. How to unlock the Greymane camp fast travel portal This is where you can find the disabled Abyss Nexus. Screenshot by Destructoid The Greymane camp fast travel nexus needs several prerequisites to be unlocked. First, you will have to progress the faction quests for House Roberts, who you'll find in the City of Hernand during the earliest stages of the game. The third part of the Estate in Dismay quest chain, titled Stolen Quarry, is your first mandatory assignment necessary to unlock the Greymane camp Abyss Nexus. You'll have to liberate Karin Quarry, located north of Hernand Castle, which will include both clearing the site of Bleed Bandits and fighting and defeating the Excavatron, a powerful boss who we have a separate guide for. Once Karin Quarry is free once more, you need to complete the Sealed in Stone quest, requiring you to pull the ancient relic out of the stone using the massive crane. To do so, aim the crane's claw right above the relic itself, then hold Down and allow it to descend and widen. If you've aimed it correctly, then the relic will be automatically snatched by the claw, allowing you to pull it out. Karin Quarry is defended by the almighty Excavatron, and you should certainly get some good gear before fighting him. Screenshot by Destructoid Before continuing, another quest needs to be done so you can gain access to the Kuku Pot, allowing you to seal massive items and add them to your inventory. This requires you to reach Chapter 4 and complete the Mysterious Pot quest chain, involving your visit to the Kilnden Workshop and helping the local populace reignite their kilns. By doing so, Grimnir, a smith, will make you a Kuku Pot that you can then use for the following step. The Abyss Nexus Platform is located behind a strange wall, which you can open by using the Focus Force Palm skill. Screenshot by Destructoid With the pot in hand, you're going to need to go back to Karin Quarry and go down the hole you pulled the relic out of. Down there, you'll discover a cave system guarded by powerful sentries. Simply run through them and go to the left, and open the room using Focus Force Palm, which is where you will find the necessary Abyss Nexus Platform. Grab it using Axiom Force and then seal it to the pot. Then, go back to the Greymane camp (my advice is to teleport to the Abyss Island above Hernand and skydive off it) and go left to the house sitting on the hill. To the right of the house, you will find an Abyss Nexus covered in brambles. You can use fire arrows or Blinding Light to set them ablaze. Once they are burned off, you can open the pot in your inventory and discard the platform. After burning the brambles, set the platform in place and push it in using Jumping Force Palm. Screenshot by Destructoid Pick it up using Axiom Force and align it with the hole you uncovered. Then climb the hovering platform and use the jumping Force Palm to push it into place. You do this by jumping while aiming at the platform and using Force Palm in mid-air. And that's it, you now have the ability to fast travel to the Greymane camp as much as you want without having to resort to skydiving. The post How to unlock the Greymane camp Abyss Nexus in Crimson Desert appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 4:18 PM Destiny 2 is killing its most broken build, and I'm already mourning John Chunk       Destiny 2 Warlocks, it's time to put on our Superblack and start another candlelight vigil, for we are losing an icon. Bungie is nerfing our obscene amount of damage with Contraverse Holds and Handheld Supernova—also called "John Chunk"—next week. The tweak is coming alongside Guardian Games, an annual event that focuses on class-vs-class competition. The nerf, while admittedly warranted, comes just in time to prevent Warlocks from getting a landslide win this year. Contraverse "chunking," as it's called, was still rather obscure by the time The Edge of Fate launched in mid 2025, but it became nearly ubiquitous as time drew on. Some in the community even gave it a rather catchy name, "John Chunk," following the recent trend. It's a simple glitch that stems from some wonky math regarding damage, buffs, and debuffs, allowing Warlocks to draw huge chunks of a boss' health bar with a single grenade. I guess Prismatic is back on the menu. Image via Bungie Using it doesn't require much setup, even though perfecting it can be tricky. You need the Contraverse Hold Exotic armor with the Chaos Accelerant Void Aspect equipped, meaning it's only available in Void builds. Holding down certain grenades with that combination transforms your skill into a close-range, shotgun-esque spread of Void energy. Hitting it in the right way would deal borderline illegal amounts of damage on your enemies. Think of it like getting a B0re in Borderlands 2. There's still some mystery surrounding how to get the perfect chunk. To some, it's about hitting the enemies in the leg or lower half, while higher frame rates seem to improve your odds of chunking down anything in your way. All that may be moot starting next Tuesday, however. Summarily executing anything in your way was quite a skewed experience, so we'll have to wait to see Handheld Supernova's actual firepower post-update. Thankfully, Warlocks still have a slew of good builds, including Contraverse and Axion Bolts, Getaway Artist with Prismatic, and Stormdancer's Brace on either Arc or the iridescent element—though none have that sheer stopping power. Outside of the death of a hero, Guardian Games is also bringing back the Rushdown boss gauntlet, as well as new weapons and a cosmetic set. It's unclear how much it will impact Destiny 2's catastrophic player counts, but at least it's content in a serious drought. The post Destiny 2 is killing its most broken build, and I'm already mourning John Chunk appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid Thursday, March 19, 2026 4:07 PM Destiny 2 Guardian Games release countdown: Exact date and time       Destiny 2 fans looking forward to a friendly class rivalry (or anything to do in the game, really) don't have to wait that long. Guardian Games 2026 is right around the corner, potentially giving you another reason to open the game other than to check the Eververse Bright Dust offerings. Unsurprisingly, Bungie is giving players more of the same, though with new weapons and a new set of armor ornaments per class. Here's when it begins and what you can expect from the event. When is Guardian Games in Destiny 2? Represent your class in style. Image via Bungie Guardian Games 2026 launches on March 24 and runs until April 14, Bungie confirmed on social media. The popular Rushdown mode is coming back, according to a blog post, and we can also expect three weapons: two new and one reissued. [hurrytimer id="1191349"] The base variant of Rushdown has a set order of bosses each day, but Bungie will also bring in a version with randomized foes, making every run different. This year, Guardian Games gets special Orders worth 50 Bright Dust each until you reach the cap. This is likely a result of the endless fan complaints after the asinine removal of the Bright Dust grind from Dawning 2025, which was a significant part of the event in previous years. The API hinted at two of the weapons coming back: the Triple Laureate Spread Shot hand cannon and a fusion rifle called The Beacon (via light.gg). Bungie confirmed the addition of these two, as well as the return of the Keraunious Arc trace rifle. Perks for unreleased items in the API are always subject to change, particularly when they're still classified. This will be the first edition of the Guardian Games since the addition of the maligned Portal in The Edge of Fate. Thankfully, it's not as one-dimensional as Solstice was, with Rushdown taking center stage. You can obtain Medallions and get copies of the event weapons by doing Portal activities, however, Bungie said in the blog post. This year's Guardian Games doesn't seem to bring anything too special—and "nothing special" might as well be the motto for Destiny 2 in 2026 so far—but it might give content-hungry players a reason to log back in. The post Destiny 2 Guardian Games release countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid.

WGB Thursday, March 19, 2026 6:23 PM CD Projekt RED Might Have Just Confirmed Witcher 3 DLC Launching This Year       A new DLC for The Witcher 3 seems likely to launch this year, hinted at by insiders and CD Projekt RED's financial report. It may bridge The Witcher 3 and 4, developed partly by Fool's Theory.

iDev Games Feed Thursday, March 19, 2026 5:28 PM Tryton Galaxy       Game Overview TRYTON GALAXY is a single-player space trade and war simulator that combines real-time strategy with economic empire building!...