GamersHeroes Monday, February 3, 2025 11:00 AM Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has quickly become one of my favorite open-world RPGs of all time. Warhorse sits atop RPG Mount Rushmore with the best this industry has to offer. The post Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Review appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 5:00 PM  When Switch cases arrived back in 2017, they looked comically unnecessary. The SD cards the games were installed on were tiny while the plastic surrounding them was exponentially bigger. Most cases didn't even come with anything else inside. I've enjoyed collecting them but they were a huge waste. According to a new… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 2:45 PM  ARPGs like Path of Exile 2 and portable gaming devices like the Steam Deck go together like spaghetti and meatballs. Fighting huge mobs of enemies and grinding out rare loot is perfect for pick-up-and-play gaming, especially while you lay in bed listening to all those podcasts your friends keep bugging you to check… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 2:35 PM  Marvel released a new sneak peak teaser for its upcoming and highly anticipated Fantastic Four film. And that's cool I guess, but why did they include a very overused sound effect of kids laughing? And why does it pop up not just once, but twice in the 15-second clip? |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 2:32 PM  Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the second re-release of the original Wii version of this classic platformer. Prettier graphics aside, basically everything fans love (or hate) about this Kong outing remains intact to enjoy all over again—or for the first time. If you're new to the game, we've got three tips that we… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 1:40 PM  Let's cut to the chase; it's a small miracle that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth runs on the Steam Deck. This is a game so visually demanding that it's the poster child for the $800 PS5 Pro. Yet, the power of Valve's handheld device is roughly comparable to last gen's PS4. On top of that, even Square Enix games that can run… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 1:30 PM  If Severance hasn't commandeered enough of your real life already, now it's going to try and teach you about yourself. Apple Books recently released the eight-chapter ebook The You You Are: A Spiritual Biography of You written by Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale, PhD, the Severance character played by Michael Chernus who is the… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 1:25 PM  Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out this week, and reviews for the overwhelmingly massive open-world RPG sequel are here and mostly positive–though not all. It sounds like the new medieval sim, similar to its predecessor, won't be everyone's cup of tea. Some critics are calling it a Witcher 3-level breakout while… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 1:15 PM  Donkey Kong Country Returns HD marks the second time the popular Wii game has been ported to another Nintendo console. But it's the first time it's been given the full high-definition treatment. The game certainly looks better than ever, though it's worth noting there are no meaningful changes to the gameplay added in… |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 12:00 PM  EA has pulled back the curtain on the next mainline entry in its long-running Battlefield franchise, explaining a new development plan involving four different studios, as well as a new way for players to hop in early to provide feedback on what the teams are making. |
Kotaku Monday, February 3, 2025 11:18 AM  What do PlayStation 5 owners have to look forward to in 2025? A new Sony showcase later this month might finally give fans a better idea of what to expect. According to gaming insider NateTheHate, a State of Play presentation is slated for mid-February. Will we finally get a real look at how Insomniac Games' Wolverine is… |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 5:40 PM  Boy, did my heart sink when I saw that developer Roll7 was shut down following Take-Two's sale of its Private Division publishing arm. And boy, did it sink all over again when OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome were delisted from Steam out of nowhere, seemingly as casualties of the Private Division deal. While OlliOlli World is great, Rollerdrome is a title I hold dear - it's one of my favorite indie games ever, in fact. However, I now come bearing good news: both games will be returning to Steam in the near future. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best PC games, New PC games, Best skateboard games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 4:40 PM  If Balatro's captivating blend of roguelike antics and poker wasn't intense enough for you, maybe this Edgar Allen Poe-esque riff on solitaire will be. The ominously titled Forbidden Solitaire drags you into a dungeon straight out of the scariest mid-'90s adventure that never existed, with your skills with a deck of cards being your only true asset. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best card games, Best horror games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 3:35 PM  It's not every day you can get a bona fide game of the year for absolute peanuts. Even by Fanatical's standards, the Winter Superstars Collection is an embarrassment of riches, offering Deathloop, Fallout 76, Dying Light, and plenty more in a custom package for the grand total of $28. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Deathloop review, Deathloop system requirements, The best FPS games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 2:16 PM  Open-world racing games have been transporting us to various corners of the world for many years. Whether its the gorgeous islands of Hawaii, the diverse lands of Mexico, or the neon-lit streets of Japan, they've all been used as sprawling makeshift race tracks. However, racing games rarely stray too far from the present day - largely so that iconic cars of the past and glistening new models that are hot in moment can be faithfully recreated. Punk Runner wants to change that, as it takes the formula of series like Need For Speed, blasts you into the future, and puts you behind the wheel of levitating cars in a cyberpunk city. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best cyberpunk games, Best racing games, Best open-world games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 2:35 PM  Everwarder, the new roguelite tower defense game, is begging to be explored. Where most titles in the genre glue you to a single spot, this one gives you the freedom to roam, collecting crucial resources and uncovering evolving enemies. After receiving plenty of praise during Steam Next Fest, the full game will finally release on February 6. We've spent some time playing, and there's plenty to get excited about. Continue reading Everwarder, a dazzling indie tower defense game, launches February 6 |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 1:27 PM  Even the Doomslayer might need to look something up from time to time. Ammo, weapons, new abominations to kill in glorious fashion, there's a lot to keep track of if you're taking on the armies of hell. Now, when he does, he can keep up on his demon slaying, because Doom has been ported right into the Google search bar. Continue reading You can now play Doom on the Google search bar MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best old games, Best FPS games, Best zombie games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:46 PM  What are the best civilizations in Civilization 7? At launch, there are 30 civilizations to pick from, including brand-new options like the Aksumites, and with the mix-and-match leaders and civilizations mechanic, you might be struggling with the mammoth choice in front of you. Civilization 7 marks a new era for the legendary series of 4X games, introducing a host of leaders and additional ways to secure victories. The only restriction when mixing and matching is that certain civilizations can only be played in specific eras using specific leaders. With all that said, we're here to break down the best Civ 7 civilizations to help make your decision that much easier. Continue reading Civilization 7 - the best Civilizations for each Age MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Civilization 7 review, Civilization 7 release date, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:37 PM  Strategy games need to be easy to understand at a glance. With so many decisions bouncing around your brain at any given moment, a cluttered UI or dizzyingly busy screen can quickly lead to your demise. That's why I love the minimalist approach of Thronefall, which uses clear delineation, bold colors, and a surprisingly cozy vibe to make everything simple. The game's just got even better, as the last content update is here with even more ways to play. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best strategy games, Best tower defense games, Best city building games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:22 PM  With their heavy reliance on AI frame generation to get their big frame rate boosts, Nvidia's latest RTX 5000 GPUs have proved divisive among commentators, and renowned tech privacy whistleblower Edward Snowden has waded into the discussion, describing the release of the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 as a "monopolistic crime" on social media. While you do indeed need to enable Multi Frame Gen to get the most out of the new Nvidia GPU, as we found in our recent RTX 5080 review, we liked its $999 price tag (assuming you can find any RTX 5080 stock), especially after Nvidia priced the RTX 4080 at $1,199 when it first came out. The lack of competition is undoubtedly a factor here, though, with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT only expected to challenge the RTX 5070, rather than the 5080. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: RTX 5090 review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:21 PM  Missed out on an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 on launch day? You and me, both. Unfortunately, it's looking like the wait for new stock to find its way to retailers could be a long one, at least if one UK retailer's thoughts are anything to go by. With the RTX 5090 proving to be Nvidia's fastest gaming GPU yet and rightfully earning its place atop our best graphics card guide, demand for it has been huge. Not only that, but supply has been very slim, leading to the meager level of RTX 5090 stock initially available selling out in mere minutes. However, while an initial rush of enthusiasm and stock selling out might be expected, the potential future level of scarcity is looking like it could be unprecedented. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: RTX 5090 review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:16 PM  AMD's new Ryzen 9000X3D gaming CPUs are reportedly due to arrive in just a few weeks, according to the latest leak. The new 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has already been officially announced, as has the 12-core 9900X3D, but AMD has so far only given the release date window as Q1 2025. That's exactly the same timeframe as the official Radeon RX 9070 release date window, leading to speculation that AMD plans to release the new CPUs and GPUs at the same time. According to AMD, the new Ryzen 9 9950X3D is, on average, 20% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K across a suite of 40 games the company has tested. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:15 PM  Can you romance companions in Avowed? A major pull for many to the whimsical worlds of fantasy RPGs is the opportunity to rizz up otherworldly hotties that you'd most likely fumble were they to exist in the real world. Additionally, there's something special about deepening your bond with your closest compatriots throughout a playthrough, which oftentimes leads to romance. While Pillars of Eternity 2 featured romance-able characters, there's never a guarantee developer Obsidian Entertainment will include the feature in its RPG games - Avowed included. Read on to discover if yo're able to romance your Avowed companions when the Avowed release date rolls around. Continue reading Can you romance companions in Avowed? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Avowed release date, Best RPG games, Best story games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:08 PM  How do you sign up for Battlefield Labs? The Battlefield team is hard at work on the iconic series' next installment. While it's still in the very early stages of development, the devs at the newly formed Battlefield Studios are now turning to the community to "test specific focus areas" and help them fine-tune the experience with a new initiative, Battlefield Labs. Providing a test bed where you'll be able to try out "combat mechanics, modes, and more," Battlefield Labs is similar to what the team has done with previous games, though on a much larger scale. As many (ourselves included) feel the FPS series' most recent blockbuster attempt, Battlefield 2042, wildly missed the mark, gleaning player sentiment from even the earliest playable builds of the upcoming game will hopefully help produce the best Battlefield yet. To find out how to get involved, read on. Continue reading How to sign up for Battlefield Labs MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 12:01 PM  Now that official Baldur's Gate 3 mod support has arrived, I'm excited to download all of the custom campaigns. The scope for fully realized, expansive, and detailed player creations is endless, and these original narratives give us entirely new worlds and characters to play with. One of my most anticipated mods is finally here, and it blends BG3 with the best starting zone in all of World of Warcraft. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds, BG3 mods, Baldur's Gate 3 classes |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:33 AM  You're down to your last few VP70 bullets. The Licker on the ceiling of the STARs corridor is scuttling rapidly towards you. Somewhere in the distance, you hear the increasingly loud bootsteps of the tyrannical Mr. X. Originally released in 2019, Resident Evil 2 Remake, particularly on the higher difficulty settings, can be one of the toughest survival horror games on PC. But with RE9 presumably in the works and the possibility of a Code Veronica remake lingering in the air, Capcom's reimagined version of RE2 has just been transformed into one of the hardest PC games, period. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best zombie games, Best horror games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:31 AM  What are the best Minecraft house ideas? Here, you'll find some of the best Minecraft houses to inspire your next creation. There are many themes and materials at your disposal in 1.21, so we've dug deep into the Minecraft house designs available to set you on your way to creating your dream home. As you play one of the best PC games of the decade, whether you're an adventurer, builder, or Redstone engineer, you still want a nice, cozy home to go back to at the end of a busy day. While constructing your perfect Minecraft house is a time-consuming venture, nothing beats that feeling of returning to the safety of your home in the survival game, pockets full of treasures from a day of exploring. Whether or not you boost the look of your builds with Minecraft shaders or texture packs, these Minecraft house designs and ideas will look stylish in any world. Continue reading The 67 best Minecraft house ideas for 1.21 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:49 AM  February 3, 2025, 08:30 PST The community testing initiative Battlefield Labs has now been confirmed and a short gameplay montage of the new Battlefield game has been revealed. We've been waiting eagerly for news on the next Battlefield game for quite some time now, but that's just changed. Back in September, EA's Vince Zampella, who took charge of the series following his work with Respawn Entertainment on Titanfall and Apex Legends, revealed some initial details. Along with the confirmation that the currently untitled new Battlefield game will return to a modern setting after the yo-yo back and forth between Battlefield 1 and V's World War I setting and the near future of Battlefield 2042, he also mentioned plans for a community testing program. Now, the publisher has revealed a short snippet of early gameplay and fully unveiled Battlefield Labs, its huge pre-launch playtesting initiative. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:20 AM  I'm always on the lookout for my next favorite deckbuilding roguelike, and I may have just found it. With a dash of Slay the Spire and strategy games, Shadowveil: Legend of the Five Rings is everything I love. You've got to rely on positioning, building up your team, and risk-taking, with a healthy dose of card-based luck thrown in. We don't have long to wait for launch, either, as the release date has finally been announced alongside an upcoming demo. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best indie games, Best samurai games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:10 AM  What are the best multiplayer games? Intricate gameplay and glistening visuals only go so far; humans often provide the biggest surprises with schemes that transform even the most average game into an unforgettable experience you'll be talking about until the end of time. Fast and frantic or tense and calculated, the best multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's vying for control of the payload in an FPS game or fighting for survival in a co-op game with your friends, these experiences wouldn't be the same without a bunch of real people. We've curated a list of the best PC games with multiplayer functionality so you can go around killing, maiming, or, occasionally, helping random people on the internet. Continue reading The best multiplayer games to play with friends 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends tier list |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 1:07 PM  The first Kingdom Come: Deliverance sold itself as a historically grounded medieval RPG and earned praise and criticism for its obtuse, sim-like mechanics and methodical pacing. It was a scuffed gem many skipped over, especially given its poor technical state at launch. However, its renown has only grown over time thanks to its wonderful cast of characters, their camaraderie, and the often ridiculous scenarios they find themselves in, from bar brawls to psychedelic trips with wannabe witches, that juxtapose a bleak but well-told tale of war and revenge. Continue reading Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review - a must-play medieval RPG MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 release date, Best RPG games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 3, 2025 11:01 AM  What are the best CS2 crosshairs? Choosing the perfect crosshair to suit your playstyle is no easy task. If you pick a large crosshair, you could end up blocking potential targets from your sight line. Too small and you might not be able to hit your targets from a distance. You'll want to test each crosshair type to see what works best for you. Fortunately, Deathmatch has been revamped in Counter-Strike 2, so there will be no shortage of targets for you to gun down. Picking the best crosshair and using the best CS2 binds should help you on your quest to earn the highest CS2 ranks and rating. Here are all the best CS2 crosshair codes in 2024. Continue reading Best CS2 crosshair codes list used by pros MORE FROM PCGAMESN: CS2 crosshair, CS2 review, CS2 skins |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 3, 2025 12:43 PM  Watch out for that falling breezeblock! It's about to-- ah, too late, you've been donked. A clip of loud wreckage, gunfire, and bazooka'd buildings has fallen dustily into our lap via a promotional video for Battlefield 6 (or whatever the developers plan to call the next of these large-scale first-person shooters). Mostly, it's a lot of producers talking a big game about "levelling up" the "core experience", which seems to remain blasting a building you don't like with a rocket-propelled grenade. We can tell from the final 10 seconds of the video, which show some of the game's actual running and/or gunning. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 3, 2025 12:32 PM  The battle for medieval Bohemia is about to kick off again with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, launching on February 4, 2025. Fanatical has a cracking preorder deal that saves you some coin while guaranteeing your Steam key will be delivered on or before release day. No nonsense, no delays, just instant access to swords, shields, and questionable 15th-century hygiene. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 3, 2025 11:23 AM  Once upon a time, Alice B (RPS in peace) was frustrated that the villagers in Early Access medieval townbuilder Foundation would not eat their bread and were furiously starving. Then it turned out Alice was the one starving them. Hoho! Pure japes. Five years later, Foundation has just hit 1.0. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 6:00 PM
A series of Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll Pop Up Shops will appear in Sapporo starting February 7, 2025. The Pop Up Shop will appear at five locations within Sapporo, Japan. The Pop Up shops will be selling exclusive merchandise not limited to the Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll collaboration. It will include merchandise featuring other Vocaloid and Sanrio character collaborations.
The official website for the Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll collaboration features a look at various pieces of merchandise consumers can purchase at these select locations. Other merchandise featuring Vocaloid characters and their respective Sanrio mascot counterparts include acrylic standees, key chains, badges, ice cream spoons, and handwarmers.
You can take a look at the Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll Pop Up shop merchandise below:
You can check out the price for the merchandise show above below:
Sanrio hasn't been shy when it comes to brand collaborations. One of the most hotly anticipated crossovers with the brand came in the form of a collaboration with Yu-Gi-Oh! which resulted in more than a handful of exclusive crossover merchandise. Much like the Vocaloid collaboration, a series of keychains and other items were available to purchase for a limited time.
The post Hatsune Miku x Cinnamoroll Sapporo Pop Up Shops Opening appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 5:00 PM
A new Kill la Kill Ryuko and Mako figure has been revealed. Pre-orders will remain open until May 7, 2025. The figure is 1/7th scale and will cost 79,000 yen or somewhere around $510. It can be pre-ordered through the Japanese ANIPLEX online storefront. The Kill la Kill Ryuko and Mako figure will ship sometime in September 2025.
As mentioned above, it will be a 1/7th scale figure and will feature both Ryuko and Mako. The website warns that images shown may not reflect the final product, and that the figure is currently in development. It will also be hand painted, which means that there could be differences between individual orders.
You can take a look at the Kill la Kill 1/7th scale Ryuko and Mako figure below:
Kill la Kill has received a plethora of various merchandise. This has included acrylic standees, Good Smile figures, various Pop Up Parade items, Nendoroids, and figures featuring characters like the series protagonist Ryuko.
Kill la Kill is now readily available on streaming services such as Crunchyroll. You can check out our list of the best Kill la Kill merchandise here.
The post New Kill la Kill Ryuko and Mako Figure Revealed appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 4:30 PM
On February 3, 2025 Marvelous Games announced it will have a new President and CEO. Executive Director, Shinichi Terui has now been promoted to President and CEO of Marvelous Games. Former CEO Suminobu Sato will step down from his position officially on March 31, 2025.
As of April 1, 2025 Shinichi Terui will assume the role of President and CEO. The reason for Sato stepping down is due to the poor performance of Marvelous Games. Two executives within Marvelous Games have volunteered to receive a 10% pay cut through the months of February and March 2025.
In August 2024, Marvelous and XSEED announced publishing duties between both companies would be split. An image was released detailing which company would be handling the publishing of individual titles such as Corpse Party, Ys, and Western titles such as Potionomics.
Marvelous Games currently publishes the Story of Seasons and Rune Factory series. A new Rune Factory game is on the horizon, which will feature a sizable amount of marriage candidates. Additionally, it will receive a Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin DLC. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin was one of Marvelous Games' standout titles the year it released, selling upwards of a million copies in 2021.
The post Marvelous Games Has a New President and CEO appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 4:00 PM
Koikeya teased a new potato chip collaboration with Square Enix and Final Fantasy XIV on social media. The company will share more information about the collaboration on February 4, 2025 at 12:00 pm JST.
The post shared by the company's official account teased that the Don Tacos tortilla chip brand could be the next Koikeya chip to receive a flavor inspired by the MMORPG. The post itself features the silhouette of a FFXIV moogle wearing what looks like a Mexican sombrero hat and holding some maracas. The image is accompanied by the aforementioned date, and the hashtags included are FF14 and "Tural De Tacos," referencing the FFXIV: Dawntrail new location, as well as the Tacos al Pastor dish introduced in the new expansion.
The first Koikeya potato collaboration with Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on August 25, 2023 in Japan, and it featured "Crystal of Light" themed salt-flavored chips, inspired by the world of Eorzea and the in-game popoto vegetable. The bags featured different characters and illustrations of the MMORPG.
Final Fantasy XIV is readily available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. More information about the new FFXIV Koikeya chip collaboration will appear in the future.
The post New Final Fantasy XIV Koikeya Chips Collab Coming appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 3:00 PM
Moonfrost, a new life sim that's been in an alpha state for invitees, will enter early access in 2025. Oxalis Games noted will offer an opportunity for anyone to play the game, as well as involve new content for the title. There's no exact release window for that build beyond Spring 2025.
Moonfrost is a multiplayer life sim, with players able to encounter each other, play together, take part in events, and work alongside one another. For example, one activity is a House Hunters event that involved going into Build Mode, design a place and take a photo, and submit it for community voting to see if you'd win. Among the new additions will be the fully-fledged fishing activity, which is set to first appear in the game during Alpha Release 5 in February 2025. A Collection Album will appear to keep track of everything you've found, and a teased NPC will show up.
In the announcement, Oxalis Games also brought up the possibility of progress being reset ahead of or after the Moonfrost early access release. The company noted there are no plans for that. It did note purchases and progress of some sort will be saved if that happens.
As for fishing, it will be in the testing phase in AR5. The update for it noted that Oxalis is only starting the new gameplay element. It won't involve any quests just yet. However, closed alpha testers who play through new quests will get an exclusive Fishing Gnome Blueprint for a new decorative item they could place around their homes.
Here's the official screenshot of the Fishing Gnome alongside the other gnomes that are available to craft and place in the game.
Moonfrost is available in an alpha form now on places like Epic Games Store, and it will enter early access in Spring 2025.
The post Early Access for Life Sim Moonfrost Starts in Spring 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 2:30 PM
HoYoVerse will be celebrating the eighth anniversary of Honkai Impact 3rd in the next update, and it teased the AstralOp character, Battlesuit addition, and other rewards we'll find in 8.1. Everything is poised to arrive later in February 2025 when the update dropped.
First, HoYoVerse shared a number of infographics highlighting when some of the anniversary rewards will start to roll-out in Honkai Impact 3rd ahead of and during 8.1. The three login bonus events will be held on February 13, 2025, February 20, 2025, and February 25, 2025. Among these will be an option to pick one of four Battlesuits as a free bonus. Supply bonuses will include an option to get a discount on pulls for the new Kiana Battlesuit and an additional outfit, with those kicking off on February 20, 2025. There are also some event bonuses, like another costume and in-game currency, which start on February 20, 2025, and more promised for March 2025. The First Top-up Reset for currency will also reset.
Here are all four of those infographics.
As for the two new YouTube shorts, those offer quick glimpses of the 8.1 Honkai Impact 3rd Kiana Kaslana Battlesuit and Theresa Apocalypse AstralOp characters. First, here's Ba-Dum! Fiery Wishing Star:
Next, here's the Theresa S-rank AstralOp.
In 2024, a new Battlesuit for her called Schicksal's Imperative appeared.
Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and mobile devices, and players can register for the 8.1 test server in-game now.
The post 8.1 Honkai Impact 3rd Anniversary Gifts, Battlesuit, and AstralOp Shown appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 2:00 PM
There will be a whole collection of Pokemon jerseys and clothing sold as part of a tie-in between The Pokemon Company International and Atlanta, Georgia's Overtime Elite basketball league. Things will start with Pokemon Playoffs on February 18, 2025. Then, after that, the clothing will be sold at the official Overtime storefront online on February 27, 2025.
The event will take place at the OTE Arena at 230 17th Street in Atlanta, Georgia. The official site hasn't updated yet with ticket sales. However, the announcement mentioned the jerseys, special referee uniforms, and themed LEDs. An official image already shows how each team's uniform will look and confirmed Pokemon paired up with them.
Here's the list of Overtime Elite basketball teams paired with the Pokemon that will appear on their jerseys for this crossover event.
One of the other basketball tie-ins we saw happened in January 2024. Anycolor teamed up its Nijisanji Vtubers with NBA teams.
The Overtime Elite Pokemon Playoffs will be held on February 18, 2025 and mark the debut of the new basketball jerseys, and those will be sold alongside other clothing at the Overtime store on February 27, 2025.
The post Overtime Elite Pokemon Basketball Jerseys Appear at Pokemon Playoffs appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 1:30 PM
Square Enix confirmed that yes, Final Fantasy XI will celebrate Valentine's Day again this year, as the Valentione's Day FFXI event starts on February 10, 2025. It will run until February 24, 2025. We can earn a festive pink-and-red apron with white ruffled shirt, as well as a flower bouquet in a vase with a bow, by taking part.
To get the outfit, you need to help out Moogles with a new quest in FFXI. There are ones in six different locations. Helping them find people to bring love to others will net you the new attire.
You can find those Moogles for the Valentione's Day quest at the following spots:
For the flowery furnishing, you need to play a Chocobo minigame. It involves pairing them up. You'll only be able to play it by talking to characters at the three locations below:
Here's how both of the rewards look. As you can see, the attire is available for everyone:
Both Final Fantasy MMORPGs are celebrating Valentine's Day, as FFXI and FFXIV both celebrate Valentione's Day. While we need to wait for the older game's event to begin, it already started in the newer one. That runs February 3-17, 2025.
Final Fantasy XI is available on PCs, and the Valentione's Day event runs over Valentine's Day in FFXI between February 10-24, 2025.
The post FFXI Valentione's Day Event Starts Ahead of Valentine's Day appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 1:00 PM
Persona 3 Reload has been available for over a year now, and Atlus is celebrating its first anniversary by gradually publishing various kinds of content like art and music related to the game. Some of the more specific pieces range from illustrations to memorabilia giveaways and new collaboration products.
The first one is a new illustration featuring the nameable protagonist with Aegis and Koromaru by Azusa Shimada, the main character designer of Persona 3 Reload. Atlus has also published a new video showing her step-by-step drawing of the same picture:
There is also a podcast themed after the game game published on Atlus' YouTube channel. The rapper Lotus Juice joined the game's key staff members in reminiscing about the development of the game's music, storyline, and gameplay system.
This podcast does not have any spoiler restrictions, so people who have not played the game but can understand Japanese or turn on caption translations will have to exercise caution against story spoilers.
Atlus is also holding a Japan-exclusive sweepstake where it encourages Persona 3 Reload players who have also followed the series' official X account to tweet the game's highlights with the provided Japanese hashtag by February 14, 2025. The company will hand over acrylic plates signed by the game's general producer Kazuhisa Wada and director Takuya Yamaguchi to ten winners.
In addition, the company announced a new collaboration product with the Japanese protein drink brand My Routine. The companies have opened pre-orders for a Persona 3 Reload branded dark chocolate-flavored whey protein with a shaker and bonus card featuring Akihiko Sanada. The product will officially go on sale on May 8, 2025.
Persona 3 Reload has been available worldwide on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC since February 2, 2024.
The post Atlus Celebrates Persona 3 Reload First Anniversary appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 12:30 PM
In Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, there will sometimes be promotional events to get certain cards, and the latest one is a Cresselia ex Drop Event. How it works is until February 16, 2025, taking part in Solo Battles can net you a chance at getting the featured card.
So here's how it works. You need to play through the tutorial until you can access the Solo Battle function in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket. Once you do, you will find some battles offer the option to win a Promo Pack A Series Vol 4. While it says it is a pack, it isn't like a typical one in the game. You'll only get one random card out of it.
The Cresselia ex card is one of the options shown in the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket Solo Battle Drop Event. Other highlighted ones include Electivire, Misdreavus, Skarmory, and Turtwig. All of these cards feature a special promo insignia in the bottom right corner of the character art. If you miss one during the event, these can be found randomly in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion booster packs in-game.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket is available on mobile devices, and the Cresselia ex Drop Event ends on February 16, 2025.
The post Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket Cresselia ex Drop Event Starts appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 12:00 PM
Shueisha has announced via the Oshi no Ko anime X account that there will be a new puzzle game based on the same franchise coming to smartphones in Japan. The company has also set up a new X account dedicated to the mobile game.
Details about the new mobile puzzle game are still very scarce as of the initial reveal. Shueisha has not even announced the game's full title yet. The company only noted that the game is still under development, and it will gradually publish more information in the near future.
Oshi no Ko originated as a manga launched in Shueisha's Jump magazines in 2020, which has also concluded around the end of 2024. The franchise made a major breakthrough with an anime adaptation that launched in 2023, with its third season also in the works as of early 2025. While there is also a growing number of adaptations based on the title, such as a live-action series, the newly announced mobile puzzle game will be the first-ever game adaptation dedicated to the franchise.
Prior to this announcement, Oshi no Ko only appeared via crossover DLC and events in other existing games. Some of the examples included Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis in September 2023 and The Idolmaster: Shiny Colors in July 2023 and August 2024. Bandai Namco also released an Oshi no Ko-themed DLC pack for Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival in November 2024, and the latter is still purchasable as of February 2025.
The official Oshi no Ko puzzle game will be available on smartphones in Japan. Shueisha will announce more details about the mobile game, including its full title and release window, at a later time.
The post Oshi no Ko Puzzle Game Is Coming to Smartphones in Japan appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 3, 2025 11:30 AM
A new soccer manga just started its run, with the sports series Embers now in Shonen Jump. It is also available to read worldwide in English. MangaPlus and Viz Media both already shared the first chapter.
Embers is the story of a soccer team filled with delinquents. Most notable is Haitani, who's the toughest in the school and constantly being challenged to fight. A teacher named Oshimi sees potential in him and challenges him. First, he tells the student no brawling unless he can steal a soccer ball from him. When Haitani fails, he says he won't offer a rematch until he juggles the ball five times in a row. He keeps needing to rematch, learning new soccer skills each time. Eventually, Haitani and his friends get a chance to actually play soccer and get into something, and Oshimi fights for them saying they have potential to become a great time and major players.
As both MangaPlus and Viz Media always offer the first three chapters of a series to read for free, you'll have plenty of time to catch up with Embers. However, as time goes on, you'll eventually lose access to chapters after the third for free.
One of the most famous soccer anime and manga series is Captain Tsubasa, which also ran in Shonen Jump. Multiple games also appeared based on it, with many appearing worldwide. Blue Lock is also one of the more recent series based on the sport, with the manga for that running in Weekly Shonen Magazine and the anime appearing on Crunchyroll.
The first chapter of the Embers soccer manga is now live worldwide, and the second entry in the sports series will appear in Shonen Jump and online on February 9, 2025. There's no word yet on how long this series might run.
The post New Shonen Jump Sports Manga Is Soccer Series Embers appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 4:03 PM
Iron and ingots are two of the most important resources you'll find in Hello Kitty Island Adventure. You'll use it in numerous crafting recipes, including ones for quest items and valuable gifts for villagers. Fortunately, there are two easy ways to farm iron early in your playthrough.
Best ways to get Iron in Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Typically, the main way to get iron in Hello Kitty Island Adventure is to travel around Mount Hothead and pick it up off the ground. However, there are two better methods to obtain iron quickly and consistently:
The best strategy for maximizing your iron farming is to activate the Nul Collection Box in Seaside Resort as soon as you log into Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Once you do, you'll have 24 hours to play in the Gemstone Match House or roam around Mount Hothead for extras.
Nul Collection Box
The Nul Collection Box is one of the best ways to get resources around Friendship Island if you don't want to go around and grab them yourself. After progressing through the main story enough to complete Meet the Island Beings and Terra Nul, you'll equip one of the island's Nuls with a Collector Hat, allowing you to use the Collection Box to get various materials. You'll obtain the resources — in this case, 14 iron — after 24 real-world hours.
Overall, if you want to prepare for the following day or don't have enough time to play Hello Kitty Island Adventure, the Collection Box is one of the best ways to get any resource with little effort. However, the Gemstone Match House is a great alternative if you prefer active gameplay and item-collecting.
Gemstone Match House
The Gemstone Match House is located in Gemstone Mountain, north of Spooky Swamp. You'll find it above the Gemstone Town mailbox in a building with a yellow roof.
The main purpose of the Gemstone Match House is farming resources like iron, Shiny, and a few miscellaneous collectibles using Game Tickets. In exchange for one Game Ticket, you'll swap up to two pairs of grayed-out crystals, lighting them up in hopes of matching two of the same type. A successful match gives you another chance to match, letting you chain them if you find several.
Each successful match gives you either two irons, Shiny, or other rewards like furniture and music. Iron is by far the most common prize you'll get from this, letting you get upward of eight to ten with one Game Ticket if you get lucky with your matches. Even if you don't find any matches right away, the puzzle won't reset, letting you memorize their locations and create some chains.
The Gemstone Match House is a fantastic way to get iron quickly if you have enough Game Tickets to play a few rounds. Game Tickets also spawn on the ground daily, so you can grab more the next day if you run out.
How to make Iron Ingots in Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Before you can craft ingots using your newly acquired iron, you'll need to find its crafting recipe blueprint in Gemstone Mountain. The ingot crafting blueprint appears on a small barrel near the Gemstone Match House.
Once you collect this ingot blueprint, head to Chococat's crafting table to find the recipe. You'll need three iron for every ingot you create, so be prepared to farm the Gemstone Match House and ask the Nuls to collect some iron for you occasionally.
The post How to farm Iron and Ingots in Hello Kitty Island Adventure appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 2:17 PM
The Seafood Salad Disney Dreamlight Valley recipe is a fantastic healthy option for your friends like Donald and Mulan. You'll only need two ingredients to create this dish, thankfully.
Seafood Salad Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients
To create the two-star meal Seafood Salad, you'll need two ingredients. They include:
Lettuce is easy to find. You can buy the seeds for 3 Star Coins from Goofy's Stall in the Peaceful Meadow. You may also be lucky and be able to purchase the actual ingredient itself. Thankfully, the seeds don't take long to grow after being planted and watered. The growing process takes just three minutes.
You can use any seafood for this dish. One important thing to note, however, is that fish don't count towards the Seafood Salad. You'll need to catch lobsters, squid, basically anything without fins. Clams, Oysters, and Scallops are the easiest to find as they can be picked up from the sand at Dazzle Beach.
If you want the dish to be more valuable, however, you may want to find Lobsters instead. You can find the crustacean in the Glade of Trust within orange ripples. Use your fishing rod and try to catch the lobster.
By the way, you should hang out with a valley friend who has the fishing specialty on them. Not only will their friendship level progress, but they have a chance to double your catch, so you can get two lobsters with one cast.
Create the dish
Head to any cooking station within Chez Remy or your house and chuck both ingredients in the pot. You'll then have the Seafood Salad ready to eat. If you have Lobster in your dish, you can sell it at Goofy's Stall for 1,245 Star Coins or eat it for 2,865 Energy.
Have spare lobsters in your bag? You can make an awesome Lobster Roll. It probably won't beat the one I had in Boston though!
The post How to make Seafood Salad in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 1:19 PM
The Ivan Ilic Future Stars SBC is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete the challenge to unlock a special card.
This is the first time Ilic has received a special card in this year's Ultimate Team. The SBC is pretty cheap, but you'll have to complete all the tasks to play with him in the game. Let's take a look at how you can complete the challenge in the cheapest fashion possible and see if he is worth grinding for at all.
EA FC 25 Ivan Ilic Future Stars SBC tasks
The Ivan Ilic Future Stars SBC has two tasks, and here are the requirements.
Task 1 - Serie A
Task 2 - 84-Rated Squad
EA FC 25 Ivan Ilic Future Stars SBC solutions
Here's a set of solutions to complete the latest Future Stars challenge in EA FC 25.
Task 1 - Serie A
Task 2 - 84-Rated Squad
You're not going to get a top-tier midfielder by completing the SBC, but you have to spend less than 40,000 coins worth of fodder. Additionally, the card is likely to be part of a future evolution pretty soon. The base stats are pretty decent, and he has three different roles++.
There are very few downsides to this Ilic item, which offers Anticipate+, Incisive Pass, Long Pass, Intercept, and Technical. It's a bargain SBC that can also be an excellent addition for Ultimate Team beginners. With a great evolution shortly, the card can become a great fit in many Ultimate Team squads.
The post EA FC 25 Ivan Ilic Future Stars SBC solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 1:13 PM
February will have some cozy offerings for all Pokémon Sleep players as part of the Valentine's Event 2025, which will take place during the middle of the month.
The latest event will be strictly themed around the season of love, and there's plenty to enjoy for fans. During the event, players will be able to get some unique bonuses, along with the chance to experience two new monsters. Let's take a look at all the essential information you need to keep in mind in preparation for the event.
Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025 dates
The Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event will begin on February 10 at 4 a.m. local time and will be a week-long saga. You'll have until February 17, 3.59 a.m. local time, to fully enjoy the event and all its offerings. The event will be available on all islands, making it easier for you to maximize your rewards.
Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025 bonuses
Different bonuses will go live during the event.
Every dish has a random odd for it to be Extra Tasty. Each dish will have an additional 10% chance of being Extra Tasty on Sunday. If you use a Pokemon with a Tasty Chance S skill, you'll have a higher chance of cooking an Extra Tasty dish. Additionally, all featured Pokemon (explained in the next section) will offer chances to appear as a Shiny variant.
Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025 featured Pokemon
The Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025 will have featured Pokemon, which includes two new debutants.
The two names at the bottom will be debutants during the Valentine's Event. Among the other names, Bulbasaur, Jigglypuff, Slowpoke, Pinsir, Chikorita, and Absol. If you want to maximize your chances of grabbing a Shiny, completing two sleep sessions per day will be necessary. The event will also have basic missions you can complete to get more rewards.
Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025 missions
It's more than likely that we will also get special event missions during Valentine's Week, so make sure to be on the lookout for them.
The post Pokémon Sleep Valentine's Event 2025: dates, bonuses, and 2 Pokémon debut appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 1:08 PM
To the delight of all looking to fast travel early on, Minecraft allows players to boost their minecart speed from the known value of eight blocks per second to a striking and honestly game-breaking 1,000.
But contrary to what you might think, doing that won't demand the use of outlandish rail compositions. Instead, it's possible by completing a series of requirements before utilizing a very specific command. Here's how to change the speed of your minecarts in Minecraft, no matter if you are playing alone or on a server with friends.
How to change your minecart speed in Minecraft
You can change the speed of your minecarts in Minecraft by heading to Edit Game Rules while creating your world and toggling on Allow Commands. Make sure to also head to Experiments and enable Minecart Improvements. After doing the above and creating your world, you will be able to change the maximum speed of your minecarts to any value up to 1,000 blocks per second by doing the following:
If playing in a multiplayer server you did not create, you will only be able to activate the commands after attaining a high enough permission level (in this case Operator). To do that, the server's administrators must click on the icon next to your profile (which showcases your rank) and then enable the use of Operator Commands.
At the time of writing, the code can only be used when playing the Java version of the game, which means that those playing on Bedrock will have to either wait a little longer or try to get the most out of their carts in the usual way.
How to make minecarts faster on Minecraft Bedrock
Although their speed will still pale in comparison to that of the Ice Boats, you can boost the speed of your minecarts while playing Minecraft Bedrock by using both the environment and the right types of rails. More specifically, I recommend adding Powered Rails at key spots throughout your tracks, all while relying on drops for a natural boost in momentum. Ideally, you want to have a few Powered Rails within every 25 to 30 blocks or after each descent.
You can make sets of six Powered Rails in Minecraft by gathering 6x Gold Ingots, 1x Stick, and 1x Redstone Dust before placing them in a 3-2-3 formation on your crafting grid. The Stick must then be placed above the stone, in the middle of the grid.
The post How to change minecart speed in Minecraft appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 11:59 AM
Hello Kitty Island Adventure features a massive map full of treasures, villagers to befriend, and mysteries to solve. Some areas require having several stamina wheels to access. The only way to permanently increase your stamina is to eat Stamina Apples after collecting their slices.
Here's how to find all the Stamina Apple Slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
Table of contents
How to make Stamina Apples in Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Making a Stamina Apple in Hello Kitty Island Adventure requires collecting five Stamina Apple slices and using them at Chococat's crafting table. When you obtain your first five slices, Chococat will automatically assign you a quest, Fantastic Fruit, letting you unlock the apple's crafting recipe. Without talking to Chococat first, you won't be able to make a Stamina Apple even if you have enough slices.
There are two ways to get Stamina Apple slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure:
Early on in your playthrough, the easiest way to get Stamina Apple slices is to befriend a few characters. After eating your first apple, you'll have enough stamina to explore most of the map, giving you access to most locations outside of ones that require more stamina or are locked behind certain quests.
You can find 25 Stamina Apple slices during your Hello Kitty Island Adventure, giving you up to five extra stamina wheels. Let's take a look at every Stamina Apple Slice friendship level requirement and map location.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Stamina Apple Slice friendship levels
You can also obtain up to 15 Stamina Apple slices by befriending villagers in Hello Kitty Island Adventure. While some are available as early as friendship level three for some characters, others require reaching late-game levels of 20 or higher. Here's the complete list of villagers who give you Stamina Apple slices and their level requirements.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Stamina Apple Slice map locations
The remaining 10 Stamina Apple slices in Hello Kitty Island Adventure are tucked away in golden treasure chests around Friendship Island. Some are accessible early on, while others require a few stamina upgrades. Here are all 10 Stamina Apple slice chest locations:
Seaside Resort
The first Stamina Apple slice location in Seaside Resort requires completing the main story quest Power Up the Gate and entering the Beginners Bridge puzzle chamber. After befriending Chococat, you'll craft a Power Crystal Sensor that leads you to several puzzle rooms, including one directly west of his crafting station. This chamber houses the first golden chest and Stamina Apple slice.
The second location within Seaside Resort requires traveling to Hopscotch Islands. These islands are directly northwest of the main Seaside Resort area, with the golden chest on top of its highest point. Although you can get here without flippers, having them available makes this trip much easier.
With these two locations out of the way, it's time to travel to Spooky Swamp.
Spooky Swamp
Spooky Swamp has one golden chest location directly south of the Ghost Tour Ride's mailbox. If it's your first time in the swamp, you'll have to travel to the northernmost section until you start seeing railway tracks before heading west onto a raised cliffside. The chest containing the next Stamina Apple slice is nestled next to a tree and some peculiar blue-gray rocks.
Rainbow Reef
Rainbow Reef has two Stamina Apple slice chests, with the first chest only being accessible if you have flippers. The second requires the snorkel and either the Mermaid Outfit or extra stamina from apples.
Starting with the easier of the two, teleport to either the Moon Island or Cozy Islands mailbox and start swimming toward their middle point. If you zoom into your map, you'll find a tiny gray circle, indicating the stone platform housing your next golden chest. Head to this spot to find another Stamina Apple slice.
The second chest is a little trickier, requiring at least three stamina wheels or the Mermaid Outfit. Directly north of Kelp Maze and south of Gemstone Mountain is a massive trench with a blue Power Crystal and a golden Stamina Apple chest at the bottom. Using your snorkel, descend to the very bottom to find the next chest.
Gemstone Mountain
Next is Gemstone Mountain, a region north of Spooky Swamp with three Stamina Apple slice chests. The first is the easiest of the three, located on a cliff south of the Oasis Mailbox and Pompompurin's Dessert Boat. Although you don't need an extra stamina wheel for this location, having one from now on will help you in the next few locations.
Our next destination is tricky to navigate, as it requires traveling to the entrance of Icy Peak in Gemstone Mountain. Icy Peak is the mountain and cave system in the area's northeast corner. Fortunately, we won't have to enter this dangerous area, as the next stamina apple chest is east of the entrance's Mailbox along the cliff's edges.
I'd recommend having an extra stamina wheel or two for this climb, as it's very easy to run out even if you take the long route along the main path. With enough parkour skills, though, you can get away with doing this without extra stamina.
Our final Stamina Apple slice location in Gemstone Mountain requires venturing directly into Crystal Caves. You can find this cave system below the Icy Peak Entrance mailbox, with its entrance surrounded by purple crystals.
Before entering the cave, make sure you've unlocked the snorkel and either the Mermaid Outfit or some extra stamina. You only need one extra wheel, but having a second will make swimming much easier. Once you head inside, jump into the water directly south of you and swim all the way down until you spot the golden chest next to a puzzle chamber.
Mount Hothead
Last on the list is Mount Hothead, which holds two more Stamina Apple slices. If you haven't completed story quests like Enraging Ruins and Fire Up the Volcano, you'll need at least two extra stamina wheels to access these chests. In most cases, these will be the last two slices you collect outside of friendship-level ones.
Once you've acquired some stamina upgrades, climb up the mountain past Retsuko, the pizza oven, and the Mount Hothead mailbox until you reach the levels below the Upper Ruins entrance. You may have to get a little creative with climbing up, but a good rule of thumb is to look for ledges to rest on if your stamina gets low.
If you already have the Upper Ruins entrance mailbox unlocked, jump down to the right-most platform directly below it to save time. Either way, head up (or down) Mount Hothead until you find the golden chest next to a rope fence in front of one of the ruins' entrances.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure's final Stamina Apple slice location is deep within Mount Hothead's caves. More specifically, you'll need access to the Lava Caves, which you can access either through the Caldera mailbox if you've visited before or by climbing up the mountain. Completing Enraging Ruins and Fire Up the Volcano will make this much easier, but you can get through here without the quest if you haven't met Retsuko's friendship requirements.
Regardless of your strategy, you'll initially find the Lava Caves entrance directly east of the Caldera mailbox. Much like the rest of Mount Hothead, you'll encounter several ledges that make traversing this area possible, albeit tricky if you accidentally fly or step on lava. Hug the walls, land on as many safe ledges as possible, and conserve some stamina to fly around the molten rock spots for the best chance at getting past these rooms.
After the first room, you'll have a break from moving along a minecart track and running around safe paths. Shortly after the minecart ride, you'll encounter an area in the top-left corner of the map, requiring you to travel north across the lava river and enter a small cave entrance to access the final golden chest.
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Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 11:56 AM
The Apple Cider Glazed Salmon Disney Dreamlight Valley recipe is a tantalizing meal for any of your Disney friends like Minnie or Goofy. This three-star dish can be created from ingredients you can find in the original valley, no DLC is needed.
Apple Cider Glazed Salmon Disney Dreamlight Valley ingredients
To create Apple Cider Glazed Salmon, you'll need the following ingredients:
You can fish for Salmon in the Sunlit Plateau or the Frosted Heights. If you have some of the DLC, you can also catch it from The Grasslands or The Promenade. They are caught from white ripples in the water as they are a common fish to obtain. Bring a friend from the valley who has the fishing specialty attached to them. For example, I had Mirabel with me. Catching fish with a person with this specialty increases their friendship level and gives you a chance to double your catch.
Apples can be picked from trees in the Plaza. There is one tree that's right next to my house in the game, making this fruit easy to grab.
Lastly, Sugarcane seeds can be bought from Goofy in Dazzle Beach. He sells them for 5 Star Coins each. They'll take seven minutes to grow once you've planted and watered them.
Let's bring this dish together
Now you have all of the ingredients, you can now bring them together in any cooking station. Head to your home or Chez Remy (Remy's restaurant, which also sells Butter, Eggs, and more). Throw all three ingredients into the pot, and you'll have the Apple Cider Glazed Salmon ready to serve. C'est magnifique!
You can sell the Apple Cider Glazed Salmon for 271 Star Coins or eat it for 1,572 Energy. It may also be a dish that a villager requests at Chez Remy. If you give it to them, their friendship level rises significantly. If you keep cooking three-star dishes, this will contribute to your Dreamlight tasks.
The post How to make Apple Cider Glazed Salmon in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 11:53 AM
I'll be the first to admit that Destiny 2 isn't in the best of states right now, what with all the hubbub around its post-Final Shape seasonal releases. Yet, there's no denying the fact that the fancy new Heresy trailer is every bit as cool as Destiny's very best showpieces.
Seriously, though, Destiny 2: Heresy's launch trailer is an impressive piece of marketing kit. It looks stunning, to begin with, and even if you're a total newcomer to the series, the setup is quite obvious. For the veterans among us, hearing Oryx, the Taken King, speak again is awesome. Somewhat curious, too, as we've been told time and again that Oryx had been killed for good, never to return again. So much for that, eh?
Jump straight into Destiny 2: Heresy on February 4 to help (?) Oryx, somehow
Granted, it's quite unclear as of yet whether Oryx has properly returned, or if this is just an expy of some sort. Regardless, it's not just refreshing to have the old Hive god back, but also to see him in a kind of a support role to the Guardians' efforts. As per the trailer, the Guardians are seemingly going to have to work alongside Oryx to secure his power to Take, as well as ridding the Dreadnaught of his newfound Dread infestation.
One of the things I appreciate the most about the trailer is that the two featured vendor NPCs aren't just standing around, waxing poetic. One of Destiny's biggest problems, as far as cutscenes go, was that the characters would actually do something only on very select occassions, making it all seem very wooden and unconvincing.
Here, we've got Eris being attacked by a major Dread enemy, the Drifter doing a Leap of Fate straight into nothingness, and a whole bevy of other animation goodness. It's not a huge deal for Destiny 2: Heresy's longevity, no, but it sure as heck is neat to see.
Episode: Heresy is set to release on Tuesday, February 4, as part of Destiny 2's new weekly reset. If you, too, are hyped to see Oryx return and want to check out if this is the content drop we've all been waiting for, you know what to do.
The post Destiny 2: Heresy's launch trailer is here, and it is rad appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 3, 2025 11:42 AM
Almost exactly seven years ago, Czech developer Warhorse Studios released the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It was the studio's first project and aimed to be part open-world RPG, part medieval life simulator. An ambitious endeavor, but one that Warhorse Studio proved very capable of pulling off.
With the sequel, Warhorse Studios has essentially doubled down on every aspect of Kingdom Come: Deliverance refining the core systems that made the original great while also adding some new ones as well.
Let's be real, if you were a fan of the original, you probably just want more KCD. And Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is exactly that, and then some. Many of the issues in the original game have been addressed. And as a result, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a truly remarkable open-world RPG.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PC [reviewed], PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 continues the story of Henry of Skalitz, the protagonist you play as in the original. Things pick up shortly after the events of the first game, following Henry as a more experienced warrior on a quest for vengeance against Sir Markvart von Aulitz, the antagonist of KCD responsible for burning down Henry's village and murdering his family.
Playing as Henry this time around is similar, but also very much different. He's no longer just the son of a blacksmith trying to learn the ropes as he goes. He's now a full-fledged knight, sent on an important quest along with Sir Hans Capon of Rattay—Henry's best friend in the original KCD—to deliver a message to Otto von Bergow. The quest goes awry, the pair loses the important message. This sets up the first part of the game where you must roam the Trotsky region of the Kingdom of Bohemia while trying to find a way to complete this quest.
The region of Trotsky is massive, with various villages and castles scattered throughout, connected by dirt roads that wind through dense forests and muddy rivers and streams. It's a beautiful region much like the map you explore in the original game. But later on, you'll gain access to Kuttenburg, an entirely separate region centered around the massive city that played a pivotal role in the early 15th century due to its silver mines.
Both regions are peppered with dozens of side quests that not only give you ways to level up, acquire some loot, and earn some Groschen (money), but also flesh out the immersive world of KCD2. Every piece of dialogue is fully voiced acted, and features perhaps the best voice acting ever in a game. Seriously, I wish every game had the quality of voice acting that KCD2 has. Have you ever been playing a game where the response from an NPC catches you off guard, but then you go, "Actually, I could see someone saying that if they were really in this situation!" Well, that's every line of dialogue in KCD2. It takes the immersion a step further, which you'll notice is a common theme throughout the entire game. Realism.
Speaking of the world, it's absolutely stunning. I'm playing on PC, on an AMD 7700X CPU and an AMD RX 7900 XT GPU with FSR, and for the most part, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 runs as smooth as butter performance-wise. It's very impressive just how good the game looks visually, and while I remember the original having a ton of performance issues, at least early on, that's not the case. There are some minor FPS drops here and there around Kuttenburg, but that's about it.
Of course, we have to talk about the elephant in the room: bugs. If you've played a massive open-world game before, you know bugs are simply part of the package. When you have so much going on at once, things are bound to break from time to time, and break they do. Most of the bugs I've encountered in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 were very minor; in fact, some added some extra charm and even welcome comic relief, like one I kept experiencing where my horse would for whatever reason consistently try to turn and run in on itself. No matter what direction I'd turn or look, as soon as I'd try to move forward it would snap around towards itself and continue doing so. This was a quick fix; jump off the horse and back on.
However, I also encountered some bugs that were pretty annoying, mainly due to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's finicky Saviour Schnapps save system. It's the same as the first game, meaning you only save when you sleep in a bed or consume a limited consumable called Saviour Schnapps. You also get one single "Exit Save" that occurs every time you exit the game. I get why Warhorse Studios chooses to handle saves this way; it adds to the realism by preventing save scumming, especially when your choices mean so much.
But it can be quite annoying when you're traversing through a long quest only to have your character clip into a random doodad like a wagon and get stuck, unable to move. Or when you engage in combat with several enemies only to clip into one and get stuck in a perpetually never-ending rotation of the camera as it tries to pull your body out of theirs while the enemies continue to carve you up until you die and have to reload and lose some progress.
There are a lot fewer bugs in KCD2 compared to what the original launched with, and in the few weeks I've had access to the review build of the game, Warhorse Studios has released several patches fixing tons of bugs. Like I said, in a massively open-world game like this, it'd be silly not to expect some bugs. And for the most part, I didn't encounter anything too game-breaking, only variable levels of annoying.
I wasn't too far into KCD2 when I had somewhat of an epiphany. I had encountered a group of Cumans, which Henry has come to hate seeing as they were responsible for destroying the village in which he grew up and killing his family. After speaking with the leader of the group, I started to change my view on the situation a little bit. As he explained it, he was just trying to get by himself, serving a lord and doing what he was ordered to do. He was very blunt and direct about everything, while also having a comical tone. A very entertaining character, to say the least.
Not long after, I was with the Cumans at their camp, getting completely drunk, and sharing tales. Turns out that this group very well could have been part of the group that attacked Henry's village back in the original. After many drinks, Henry and the Cuman stumbled their way into the woods, where the leader eventually tripped and passed out, completely wasted. Curious, I looked at the Cuman lying on the ground to see if the game would let me loot him while he was drunk. I could, of course, but more interestingly, I had the option to murder him.
This revelation is what triggered my epiphany: a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one I often dreamed of existing when I was growing up watching a ton of medieval-time movies and TV shows. One where you get to actually make decisions, and have complete control over your choices, right or wrong. To help drive this point home, I feel it's important to note that this wasn't some main quest decision or anything like that. It was a side activity amongst many throughout KCD2, and I'm pretty sure someone else could play through the entire game and not even encounter this group of Cumans or have to make this choice. A true open-world RPG in every way.
If the open world is half of the formula for Kingdom Come: Deliverance, combat in that open world is the other half. A similar yet refined style of combat system is at play in the sequel, once again featuring a crosshair-style indicator over your enemy when engaged in combat. The indicator has been somewhat simplified; instead of a star-like indicator with five points, the bottom two points have been merged into one. This means that you still have the left, right, and overhead stances of holding your weapon, but the bottom choice now symbolizes a stab or thrusting attack with your weapon.
You'll spend much of the early game playing a sort of patient game of rock paper scissors, often waiting for your opponent to attack first, so you can block it, then following up with a counter-attack on the side they left unprotected. It's similar to the original, but also much more fluid. Attacks with your weapons respond immediately where they connect with their target, rather than seeming like a timed animation going through the motions. And much of the major combat-assisted systems from the original are still here. For example, a successful block from a shield will see that shield take some wear and tear, with wooden shields splintering and breaking over time.
It's such a satisfying and rewarding combat system, and I think the decision to make it mostly similar to that in the original was a good choice. After all, we're playing a more experienced fighter this time around with a more knowledgeable Henry, and with all the enhancements to the combat system, it naturally feels that way.
There are some new weapons as well including one of my favorites, the Crossbow. I wasn't a fan of the bow in KCD, probably because I sucked with it. But in KCD2, the Crossbow feels a lot more accurate and effective. You still have to account for uhh... bolt drop, of course, but it feels as though you could focus primarily on using the Crossbow and have decent results with it. I chose to use it alongside an axe and the occasional longsword, as the combat style is so different with each weapon that it was fun to switch it up from time to time and get better with a variety of weapon types.
Speaking of which, alongside just practicing and getting better at combat, there are two other major ways to improve your combat prowess. First, there are multiple combat experts throughout the world that you can visit to train with. Doing so will unlock new combos and skills that you can use in combat, some of which really change things up.
You'll also increase your skill level with each weapon type and gain Perk Points as you use that weapon type. There are six combat skills in total: Warfare, Swords, Heavy Weapons, Polearms, Unarmed, and Marksmanship. Each combat skill has over a dozen perks you can learn for them that make you better at that specific type of combat. For example, Polearms have a perk called First Strike that makes your first attack in every fight with a Polearm weapon 35% stronger. The Heavy Weapons combat skill on the other hand features perks like Shieldbreaker that make your heavy weapon attacks harder for opponents to block as a shield, as well as increases the damage you do to shields with your heavy weapon attacks.
Combat skills aren't the only skills with perks in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, however. There are skills and perks for Thievery, Survival, Stealth Scholarship, Houndmaster, Horsemanship, Drinking (yep, drinking), Craftsmanship, and Alchemy. Speaking of which, Alchemy and Blacksmithing have their own new and more intricate systems.
For Alchemy, you can collect herbs and other materials before visiting an Alchemy Bench and concocting various potions and elixirs. It's a pretty complex system, with most recipes requiring you to use a certain liquid as a base, and then bring it to a boil over a pot before adding a specific amount of ingredients and boiling it for a specific amount of time. The better quality materials you use and the closer you are to the exact boil time, the better quality the potion you make will be.
Blacksmithing isn't as complex as Alchemy, but is a fun and honestly relaxing reprieve from gallivanting around Bohemia. Once you've gathered the necessary materials for the recipe—oftentimes various metals—you can head to an anvil and begin the Blacksmithing process. First, you'll have to heat the metals over a furnace, bringing the metals to a bright yellow glow. Then, you move the metal to an anvil before shaping it with your hammer. The goal is to spread out where you hit the metal with your hammer, though it can be tricky to do without any sort of indicator of where your hammer swing is going to land. I actually made a good bit of Groschen throughout my playthrough by heading to the anvil in between quests and blacksmithing what I could with the materials I found.
Overall, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 exceeded my expectations in every way. Henry has cemented himself as one of my favorite game characters, and the world of 15th-century Bohemia that the developers have crafted will certainly be one I will always remember. Many games these days proclaim to have a living breathing world full of choices that matter, but few actually do. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 gives you that lively and immersive world full of choices and then implores you to make the wrong ones, and it's a hell of an experience because of it.
While Kingdom Come: Deliverance was a solid title worthy of being called a great open-world RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 essentially redefines what it means to be a great open-world RPG. It's one of those worlds you not only want to tell your friends about, but you want to watch them explore it as well. I'm so torn on what I want to see Warhorse Studios do in the future. On one hand, I'd love to see what such a talented studio can do with another setting. On the other, they're absolute masterminds at crafting such an immersive and realistic early 15th-century medieval world that I just want more of it. The year just started so it's too early to be talking about GOTY, but for me, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is already at the very least a contender.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
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