Kotaku Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:00 PM  We've been playing quite a bit of Obsidian's great new first-person RPGAvowed lately, and we have thoughts about the companions who fight by your side during your journey. Also, we share our impressions on Elden Ring Nightreign after spending time with its recent network test, and look at how the internet reacted to… |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 3:54 PM  February 22, 2025: The Mariana's Veil update for Fisch is live. Check back as we continue to add guides covering the various chambers of the new zones and detail how to get items like the Cryoskin. What's in the Fisch Mariana's Veil update? Here's the low-down. From the fresh rods to a quick way to complete the new bestiaries, we'll walk you through the major February Fisch expansion as it drops, including guiding the game's now traditionally tricky puzzles. Here a little early? Stick around to learn the latest Mariana's Veil leaks, teases, and new content hints. While you wait, check out our list of the best Roblox games. That way you can find something new to play to pass the time. Or check out our guide on the Fisch Volcano guide to complete the Ashfall event before it's too late. We also have a guide to the best Fisch rod for the mid, late, and endgame. Continue reading Fisch Mariana's Veil location and bestiary guide MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:33 PM  If Civilization 7 isn't quite floating your boat yet, don't worry. Every new generation of the mighty Firaxis 4X games feels like it takes some time to settle. There are balancing issues to sort, tweaks to be made, and it's tough to compare a newly launched game with its previous installment, now polished to perfection and with a full complement of DLC. The natural conclusion, then, is that now is the best time to buy Civilization 6 - and that thought would be correct, because if you're quick you can get its complete Anthology edition at a massive 91% discount on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Civ 6 mods, The best Civ 6 civs, Play Civilization VI |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:13 PM  February 22, 2025: Three new Spongebob Tower Defense codes have arrived for the big Bubble Bowl update. What are the new SpongeBob Tower Defense codes? Bikini Bottom is in danger and only the sub-aquatic city's goofiest goobers can protect it. From SpongeGar to double Krabby Pattied-up Squidward, there's a wild cast of characters that can be called upon to aid the defense effort. Of course, these iconic faces come at a cost, requiring you to cough up Gems and Magic Conches to partake in the Roblox game's gacha system. Fortunately, the SpongeBob Tower Defense codes often reward you with these precious materials, so load up Roblox, dive into Bikini Bottom, and use the following codes to keep it safe. Continue reading SpongeBob Tower Defense codes February 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:46 AM  February 22, 2025: We've added the latest Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls and tokens. How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links February 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:51 AM  February 22, 2025: It's official. A new best Fisch rod has been decided. What is the best Fisch rod? It's a complicated question. You can't just jump from the beginner rod to the arguably best reeler around, so you'll often have to make do with the best rod for your current level of progress and skill. However, some of the 55 currently available rods are obviously only for collectors. So there's reason to pick out a few choice sticks. We'll break down the best Fisch rods into tiers - efficient progression paths to the best rods in Fisch. It's important to check back here as you play the game. New rods are added to various tiers with each update like Mariana's Veil, so the best rod one week may get replaced by a different one in the next. We won't include rods from Fisch codes here as they're likely only available for a limited time. Continue reading Best Fisch rod tier list - all 60 rods ranked MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:22 AM  I've been eagerly awaiting the full launch of Die in the Dungeon ever since I first played its free prequel. The new roguelike deckbuilder has just hit Steam, and much as Balatro diverged from the traditional format popularized by Slay the Spire, it does something similar with a clever dice-based combat system and a tremendously charming art style. Now, developer Atico has finally launched Die in the Dungeon into early access, and if you're tempted to give it a try you can even grab it cheaply at release thanks to a Steam sale. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelikes, Best strategy games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:00 AM  I've seen some unusual gaming PC builds in my time, but this futuristic space pod build is certainly up with the best with them. Named Ugahari, a word meaning frugal or modest in Indonesian, the philosophy behind this build is set around a hypothetical apocalypse, using a "satirical, surrealistic style" to form the design of a pod, lost in time, and reclaimed by nature. That's certainly a bold story. I like it when a designer creates a PC build with personality behind it, abandoning the typical black boxes of most builds to create something a little bit different. This custom build could certainly win an award as the best gaming PC from an artistic point of view, because its specially-designed, three-sided case really stands out. The spec sheet is otherwise fairly modest, with just a four-core Intel gaming CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card powering it. Continue reading This fantastically futuristic gaming PC build is out of this world MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K review, Best gaming CPU, Core i9 14900K review |
PCGamesN Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:50 AM  When you cast your mind back to the year 2000, the defining RTS games of the era are likely names such as Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2, or the slightly earlier StarCraft: Brood War. But if you had a PlayStation at the time, you might have been playing classics such as Team Buddies. Originally developed by Psygnosis, if you want to get your hands on an original copy via eBay today, you'll be looking at a price tag of more than $100. But out of nowhere, a listing for a full remaster of Team Buddies has just mysteriously appeared on Steam. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best multiplayer games, Best classic PC games |
Siliconera Saturday, February 22, 2025 3:15 PM
To celebrate National Cat Day in Japan on February 22, Atlus started a new poll to select the most popular cat character from a variety of the games. 17 feline characters have been chosen as examples, and the deadline for voting is February 24, 2025.
Anyone can participate in the poll regardless of region. To vote for the most popular Atlus cat, all people need to do is like the X (formerly Twitter) post featuring their cat of choice on the Atlus social media account. Multiple votes are allowed, and people are also free to vote for any other Atlus cat character other than the 17 selected, by adding their own vote alongside the hastag #アトラスねこの日総選挙 (which translates to Atlus Cat Day General Election) in their post.
Here is the list of pre-selected 17 cat characters for the Atlus poll:
You can also see the characters here:
In other related news for cat lovers and Atlus fans, Good Smile Company recently started taking orders for a figure of Morgana based on his appearance in Persona 5 Tactica, and the deadline for pre-order is March 5, 2025.
The post Atlus Starts Poll for Most Popular Game Cat appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Saturday, February 22, 2025 3:00 PM
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is a welcome release for those who have been wishing Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown had Rollback Netcode and 4K visuals. Being able to play online with speed and accuracy makes this a worthwhile purchase no matter what, although it is a bit of a disappointment that more stuff didn't come with this new release. Just the same, if you're interested in some good online play with a fighting system that seems at first (but hides monstrous depth), this is a solid and affordable purchase.
With Rollback Netcode being a core part of why this game exists, I dove into online play for a while to see how things were holding up. Across several nights of matches, I rarely had any problems with stuttering matches or janky play. Even when I did, it usually had something to do with the other player's connection when I was running off of a wired connection. To further test things out, I played the game on Steam Deck with a wireless connection, and even then, things stayed fairly solid and steady unless the other player's connection was extremely bad.
You can set what sort of connections you allow to go through in the Matchmaking options, as well as what Disconnect Rate you're willing to deal with from your opponent as well. It gives you a lot of room to dictate how patient you want to be with bad connections. Even set to regular standards, I only ran into a bad connection or two every night. Those connection rates seemed pretty solid to me as I was playing against other low-level players like myself. I am far from skilled at Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., so the players I was facing were the types of folks to be running on all manner of connections. Still, things seemed pretty good when I played.
My performance was another story. I mentioned in previous coverage of Ultimate Showdown that the game's three-button combat style was beginner friendly. That's true to the extent that you have punch, kick, block, and the ability to press some directions or multiple buttons to get varied strikes. You can mash a decent amount in this game and still have some fun and pull some light combos (nothing like Special Style from Tekken 8, though). You can goof off here if you like, and thankfully there are ranked players at my level doing the same, but you will need to commit to this game and learning it to get anywhere. And, like I said in that other review, besides Arcade Mode and local matches, there's not much to do here besides compete online. If you don't want to improve, there isn't much here for you.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. does offer a tutorial to get you going. This is vital, as I felt that I had an idea of how movement, blocking, and striking worked, but I did need some guidance on how to make use of the moves and take note of how they interacted in a match. Moving around the ring and evading felt fairly intuitive and were a big focus on how a match played out, and I needed a lot of practice to get that drilled into my head since I largely play 2D fighters. The game offers some brief explanations of how your movements work in the basic tutorial so that you know why you're sidestepping, but I still found I needed the lessons beaten into me before they started to click. Not that it's the fault of the game. I just learn better when practically applying something over reading it.
The thing that tripped me up the most as I learned movement was the dedicated block button. Having to push a button to block (and use it to jump) took some time to nail down. This is a necessity due to the game's focus on freedom of movement, which was nice as it made the game feel very different even from Tekken 8. Not that Tekken 8 doesn't also emphasize movement and positioning, but it felt like I had so much freedom to step around the opponent and move back and forth in this game than I did in Tekken 8. It's just much easier to take a little step around your foe with this control scheme, although my blocking suffered a great deal in the trade-off. It does add a little something unique to this title, but you may find the trade-off in blocking and jumping to be more irritating than it's worth. Just prepare yourself to spend some time on movement to get used to it.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. has a solid roster of fun characters to mess around with. El Blaze gave me some high-flying grapples (a decent complement to my beloved King from Tekken 8). Shun might remind you a bit of Jamie from Street Fighter 6 with his need to down drinks to give himself different moves and strikes. Akira just does a solid job at stomping the competition with damage output. They're all fun and felt unique. That said, and this may be unfair to say given the source game's age, but I just felt like the character designs didn't grab me. They all feel a bit plain (maybe grounded in reality is more accurate to say), so I didn't feel an immediate visual draw to anyone. It made it harder to really lock into a main and also left me feeling less interested in playing long-term. I just don't find the designs here to be all that compelling when compared to other fighters over the years, and when I need to make a huge commitment to learn the moves of a character, I need to feel some visual pull keeping me locked into my character. Especially when movement and blocking feels weird.
There are some customization options to make your character feel more like your own, but they're fairly bare-bones. I tinkered a bit with various pairs of pants and colored outfits, but there just weren't that many options for the characters. You can tweak some colors, but that's about it. This meant I could make some really gaudy characters, sure, but I was hoping for a bit more freedom or creativity in the base creation system. As is, you can make some small changes if you like, but I didn't see anything that really made me want to keep coming back and making new outfits.
I came into Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. knowing that it wasn't offering anything new besides Rollback Netcode and 4K visuals, but I still felt that I wanted more the longer I played with it. I am still puzzled that the single player Quest Mode was not put back in as it might have helped justify purchasing a game I felt I already bought years ago with Ultimate Showdown. Many other games have added Rollback Netcode in an update of some sort, so having to buy a game I already own again to get it felt a bit silly without some other features to get me interested. The 4K visuals do look nice, but I just personally felt like these features weren't enough to ask me to pick up the game again. Yes, Ultimate Showdown is only on PlayStation and this version is only on Steam, but it still feels like a little something more would have made this an easier purchase to make.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is worth picking up if you just want to play as Akira and smash some folks with more accurate online play thanks to the game's Rollback Netcode. The game is solid online and features a large roster of fun, unique characters (even if I find them visually dull) to keep you busy for years as you learn the nuances of how they fight. All the same, a few more extras or modes from past games might have made this purchase a bit more palatable. Even so, there's a lot of fun and challenging fights to be had here.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is available on PC.
The post Review: Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is Solid But Needs Something More appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Saturday, February 22, 2025 12:00 PM
Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is the latest game from the Holo Indie initiative, where small developers put together games full of everyone's favorite VTubers. This time, the focus is on Kronii, the personification of time itself, as she heads out on a platforming adventure developed by the team behind Freedom Planet.
I have a confession to make up front. I know next to nothing about Hololive. I don't tend to watch a lot of streamers, whether human or animated, so their work has never been on my radar. I'm aware of how dedicated the fanbase is and honestly pretty impressed with the tech that makes VTubing work as a concept, but it's just not for me. What I do know, however, is platformers, and Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is a decent one.
If you've ever played Freedom Planet, or one of the Genesis-era Sonic the Hedgehog games that inspired it, you have a small window into what to expect here. It's not exact, as the persistent acceleration that defines those games isn't present here. Kronii has a natural top speed when she runs, and it's a fairly standard speed for most platformers.
That said, momentum does factor into the gameplay, as multiple mechanics can be combined to enhance Kronii's movement. These include a ground dash, a deadly spinning air dash and time manipulation powers including the ability to temporarily increase her speed. These can be combined with level gimmicks and terrain to effectively fling her around and keep the momentum going. For example, grind rails provide consistent speed or you can jump through rings that propel Kronii forwards.
When you hit the sweet spot of chaining all this together, it can feel hugely satisfying. The circus level that introduces the aforementioned rings is a particular highlight because of how expertly placed those rings are. You'll be hopping between them with ease, flinging yourself through the level with wild abandon and having a great time.
Sadly, not every level has this feeling though. There are more than a few Labyrinth Zone style levels in Chrono Gear: Warden of Time, where the pace slows down and the game's flaws become a little more obvious. It still feels like a 90s platformer, but it becomes less Sonic and more like something that could have been a massive hit on the Amiga. Depending on your view, this comment could be seen as immensely derogatory or the greatest thing in the world. It's got the same chunky feeling as many platformers on that system, the levels seem determined to throw every theme under the sun at you without much cohesion and the camera is weirdly zoomed in.
For the record, this is mostly fine. Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is a fun game the vast majority of the time. But the cracks show often enough. The slower-paced levels often feel thrown together, an assortment of obstacles lined up in ways that don't always make sense. Sometimes puzzle sequences can be repeated an excessive number of times to the point it feels like padding. The close camera view leads to enemy attacks coming from offscreen, which is often frustrating. Some stage gimmicks have a tendency of wrenching control from you and throwing you directly into an obstacle – the fluid passages in the submarine level were especially bad for this.
I also felt like some aspects of Kronii's moveset weren't as fleshed out as they could be. Basic air attacks felt toothless, as she falls like a rock while using them. At best you'll get one hit in before falling away from your target. I guess this was to encourage greater use of the spinning air dash. However, if you don't have some distance ahead of the enemy, the dash feels a lot less viable so it would have been nice to have better options. I would have liked a system similar to The Messenger, where successful air attacks could be turned into additional jumps. I feel this would have also opened the game up to greater momentum sequences, where you could bounce off a succession of enemies before air dashing to more platforms.
The real question is, how well did I navigate the writing of Chrono Gear: Warden of Time when I have no knowledge of Hololive? Honestly, pretty well. There's a quick introductory cutscene that explains that Kronii is part of the Council that governs the universe, along with the other members. A mysterious figure has broken Kronii's Chrono Gear and broken the space-time continuum. Since it's her mechanism that's been broken, she's tasked with collecting all the Golden Gears that can be used to fix it. That's all you need to know, now go jump around a bit.
Every level features scenes starring other Hololive talent, as they're all wandering around the galaxy, caught up in the chaos. I have basically no idea who anyone is and no one is given a proper introduction, so this is absolutely designed as a game for fans. That said, it didn't really matter as most of the scenes were just banter and nothing was required to understand the game's extremely basic plot.
Instead, I just went along with whatever shenanigans unfolded. Did it matter that I felt like I was peering in on the in-jokes of a bunch of strangers? Sometimes, yet somehow it managed to be consistently entertaining. The cast are a fun bunch of goofballs and they managed to get plenty of laughs out of me. Some jokes are a little corny but it works with the general tone if you let it wash over you. Most of it is just chaos, and I mean that entirely affectionately. Does this mean I'll start watching their streams? Absolutely not, but I was definitely having fun here.
The rest of the presentation is generally excellent. Admittedly, the pixel art isn't necessarily the best out there. The character portraits are expressive even if I felt some of the character sprites looked a little muddy. The music, however, is full of bangers. The Sonic influence is present, but it also takes influence from other great platformer soundtracks. One level in particular reminded me of the transcendent ambience of the Donkey Kong Country games. On top of that, it still maintained a strong identity of its own and I don't recall a single level where the music was bland or forgettable. And the developers clearly knew it too, as one of the main collectibles is music tracks for an in-game jukebox, so you can listen to them any time you want.
Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is exactly what you'd expect from a project like this. It's rough around the edges but made with such obvious love that it's hard not to find it charming. It's far from the best in the genre, but there's still plenty of enjoyment to be found here, especially for Hololive fans.
Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is set for release soon for PC via Steam and itch.io.
The post Review: Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is Hololive via 90s Platformers appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 2:20 PM
The Ruud Gullit Icon SBC is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete the challenge to unlock the Dutch legend for your Ultimate Team squad.
While the base version of Gullit has been available in the market for a long time, this SBC guarantees you the card. It's certainly an expensive challenge to consider, as there are 14 tasks.
EA FC 25 Ruud Gullit Icon SBC tasks
Here are the requirements of all 14 tasks.
Task 1 - Born Legend
Task 2 - Rising Star
Task 3 - On a Loan
Task 4 - The Dutch Tulip
Task 5 - Blue is the new Red
Task 6 - Oranje Machine Captain
Task 7 - League Finesse
Task 8 - League Legend
Task 9 - Top-notch
Task 10 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 11 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 12 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 13 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 14 - 89-Rated Squad
EA FC 25 Ruud Gullit Icon SBC solutions
Here's a set of solutions you can use to complete the latest Icon SBC in Ultimate Team.
Task 1 - Born Legend
Task 2 - Rising Star
Task 3 - On a Loan
Task 4 - The Dutch Tulip
Task 5 - Blue is the new Red
Task 6 - Oranje Machine Captain
Task 7 - League Finesse
Task 8 - League Legend
Task 9 - Top-notch
Task 10 - 87-Rated Squad
Task 11 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 12 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 13 - 88-Rated Squad
Task 14 - 89-Rated Squad
It's best to avoid the SBC unless you're a die-hard fan of Gullit. As good as the card is, it's already below the current power curve. With items having two playstyle+, there are better cards at cheaper prices to consider. The recently launcher Guti Fantasy FC SBC offers far better value, and it costs lot less to complete.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 1:42 PM
The Fantasy FC Player Pick SBC is a really interesting challenge to consider in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, as it allows you to pick between two promo cards.
The latest SBC features promo items for Emi Buendia and Kerolin Nicoli. You can pick only one, but to do so, you'll first have to complete the challenge. Let's take a look at how you can complete the SBC without breaking the bank.
EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Player Pick SBC tasks
The Fantasy FC Player Pick SBC has two tasks, and here are the conditions.
Task 1 - Top Form
Task 2 - 86-Rated Squad
EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Player Pick SBC solutions
Here's a set of solutions you can use to complete the challenge in Ultimate Team.
Task 1 - Top Form
Task 2 - 86-Rated Squad
Incidentally, both cards have similar stats and the exact same playstyles+ (Trivela and Quick Step). My favorite pick is Buendia, as I believe he will have more chances to get upgrades in the near future. Additionally, Bundesliga items will be easier to fit in as well if you consider league chemistry. If you have a WSL-based squad, Nicoli might be the card to go for.
If you have a higher budget, the Guti Fantasy FC Hero SBC offers amazing value even without any upgrades in the future. Unlocking the card will grant you a brilliant creative playmaker.
The post EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Player Pick SBC solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 1:30 PM
The Fantasy Captain Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and you can use the paid option to upgrade one of your lower-rated items.
It's one of the strangest evolutions to have been released in recent times, but it takes the Dribbling Face Stat of your card to 99. This can create some incredible cards once the upgrades are complete, so let's take a look at which items are best suited for this evolution.
EA FC 25 Fantasy Captain Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements of the Fantasy Captain Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Fantasy Captain Evolution upgrades
There are two levels of upgrades, and here are the required conditions.
Upgrade level 1
Upgrade level 2
Upgrade level 1 requirements
Upgrade level 2 requirements
Best players to use in EA FC 25 Fantasy Captain Evolution
There are over a million options to use in this evolution, and here are some of the best options according to me.
Make sure to use cards that have decent stats in other key areas, as the evolution only boosts the dribbling of your chosen item.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:03 AM
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the best-selling game published by Nintendo in January 2025, at least in the US. We don't know how many copies the game sold, but having been released midway through the month, it must have sold a lot, and very quickly.
According to games industry analyst Mat Piscatella, this remaster ranked eighth in the list of highest-selling games in the US last month, and that's without counting digital copies. It also took the spot of highest selling Switch game of January.
That's hardly surprising for a remake of a popular Nintendo title. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD sold over 4 million copies on Switch. Even remakes like the poorly timed The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, released on the unsuccessful WiiU one year before the Switch, managed to cross the 1 million copies milestone.
Nintendo remakes rarely add much to the original. The Donkey Kong remaster comes with an oddly named "Modern Mode, " and the game does look better and run smoother than the original, but that's it. The only major exception is TLoZ: The Wind Waker HD, a full remake of a not-so successful title which could probably be ported as-is on the Switch and sell like hot cakes.
So why are there so few Nintendo remakes on the Switch? They sell millions of copies at full price and are relatively cheap to produce, so why are Mario Galaxy and Mario Sunshine only available in the discontinued Super Mario 3D All-Stars? Some, like Rare's n64 titles, are hard to license, but first-party games like Luigi's Mansion, Metroid Prime 2 and 3, Fire Emblem, Wario Ware, and many more should be a no-brainer.
Some might say that it's not a problem if a company decides not to make all the money in the world, and they'd be right. But the problem isn't leaving money on the table; it's leaving fans without easy, legal access to older games and seasoned developers unable to show everyone the fruits of their work. Ultimately, the problem is that I, personally, have to keep a Wii around for when I replay Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 10:11 AM
Is there any better genre than science fiction? Reasonable people may disagree, but the answer is no.
Sci-fi novels take us out to the stars or force us to confront our pasts or lock us inside the dark cages of our minds. The best novels in the genre can change your life. Here are the 10 best sci-fi books of all time in chronological order.
The best sci-fi books of all times
Frankenstein - 1818
No "best of science fiction" list would be complete without the book that unofficially gave birth to the genre. Some people might not immediately associate the story of Frankenstein with sci-fi, but when you read Mary Shelley's original novel, all the hallmarks of the genre are already there.
Frankenstein, or a Modern Prometheus, is basically the first speculative sci-fi novel all about how far some men are willing to go in order to pursue scientific discovery. It's as prescient today as it was back in the 19th century.
While it might be easy to consider it a horror novel, the original text by Mary Shelley definitely veers more into the scientific and the implication of creating new life from the dead rather than towards shocking horror scenes or gore.
Dune - 1965
When you think of the term sci-fi epic, nothing fits the description better than the original novel by Frank Herbert. This is still a classic for a number of reasons. Dune is not just an action-packed sci-fi epic set on one of the most memorable alien planets in the entire genre.
It's also a dense story about politics, religion, and intergenerational trauma. When his family is betrayed shortly after taking control of the desert planet Arrakis, Paul Atreides rises up against the planet's imperial oppressors, but just because he saves Dune doesn't mean Paul is really a hero.
While the cinematic adaptations could leave a bit to be desired, think of the ultra-weird David Lynch movie or the way too pedantic TV movie adaptation, the original novel still remains as powerful as the day it was published.
Anathem - 2008
In today's sci-fi world, the epic is still going strong, and it is often hard to find a stand-alone book that can be enjoyed without having to dive into a 3000+ four-book epic. Anathem by Neal Stephenson is definitely one of them.
The young Fraa Erasmas has been living a separate life for decades, locked in a convent that was made to protect certain people, such as scientists and philosophers, from the corrupt world outside. Now, the convent is finally opening its doors, and Erasmas will have to face a new life, along with a planet on the brink of cataclysmic change.
This is a book made to challenge readers with the use of a new language and many uniquely creative ideas that will make it hard to put down. If you are looking for something different inside the sci-fi genre, Anathem will more than satisfy you.
The Left Hand of Darkness - 1969
There are few sci-fi authors as beloved as Ursula K. Le Guin. She could expertly shift between genres, and though she's created some great sci-fi novels, she's also responsible for the enthralling Earthsea fantasy series.
The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a human diplomat named Genly Ai, who's sent to the planet Gethen to convince them to join his planet's federation. Ai experiences extreme culture shock as the novel explores the utterly alien culture of the Gethen people.
Today, The Left Hand of Darkness is even more relevant for how it explored androgyny in science fiction for one of the first times in history. The author explores how sex and gender influence both culture and society.
Rendezvous with Rama - 1973
Speaking of one of the most influential sci-fi novels ever, Arthur C. Clarke is probably best known for writing 2001: A Space Odyssey, but honestly, any of his novels deserves a spot on this list. I'm particularly fond of Childhood's End, a deeply haunting first-contact story like no other.
Still, Rendezvous with Rama might just be Clarke's masterpiece. The book is set in the 22nd century and begins as a strange alien object enters the solar system. The crew of the Endeavour go to scout the object out, but they couldn't be less prepared for what they discover.
It is the first book in the long Rama series that would span four books written by Clarks and Gentry Lee. The first book was also adapted into several video games, the most recent one being Sierra Entertainment's 1996 point-and-click adventure Rama, which is every bit as weird as its source material.
The Martian - 2011
Going to Mars is definitely not a distant possibility and a faraway dream like it was described in many sci-fi books from the 60s and 70s. Indeed, the story that Andy Weir traces in The Martian is more down to earth (pun intended) than many others.
When Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars, he did not imagine he might also be the first one to die there. After an accident, Mark is alone on an unknown planet, with no way to contact Houston and get himself back.
It is a story of both technology and also how human beings react in the face of adversity. The Martian also explores our relationship with space travel and its many dangers and perils. While the novel is much more recent than many others on the list, it is already on the way to becoming a bonafide classic of the genre.
Kindred - 1979
Octavia E. Butler's brilliant novel weaves together the world of 1970s Los Angeles and antebellum Maryland to explore themes of race, power, gender, and love.
The book follows a writer named Dana who finds herself shifting through time, stuck between life with her white husband in California and another life on a plantation with her enslaved ancestors. Dana is forced to confront a dark history while trying to find a way to stay locked in the present.
Through the juxtaposition of classic sci-fi tropes such as time travel, with more current topics of interracial couples and the way society feels towards different ethnicities, Kindred remains a current and important novel that is sure to spark intelligent discourse and debate.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - 1979
Not every sci-fi novel needs to take itself seriously to tell a great story. Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a tongue-in-cheek romp through a wildly imaginative version of outer space.
After Earth is destroyed for the construction of a hyperspace express route, surviving human Arthur Dent is thrust into the universe against his will. The novel's world is rich with characters and exotic settings, and just about every page will have you laughing until you're in tears.
If you are looking for a fun and light read, then the original book by Adams is a great place to start with. But if you liked his style, we are sure that you would also love its sequels, especially the continuation of Arthur Dent's adventures in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Neuromancer - 1984
Neuromancer is William Gibson's debut novel and the book that really kicked off the cyberpunk subgenre. The story is set in a high-tech, low-life future where corporations control just about every aspect of modern life, and cyberspace cowboys are the stars of society's criminal underbelly.
Everything that you might have seen from the classic cyberpunk vision, from The Matrix to the recent Cyberpunk 2077 game, was inspired by Gibson' seminal novel.
Neuromancer elevates a typical heist plot into an enchanting tale about the birth of AI and how the past haunts people. Cyberpunk has never been more popular than it is today, but the genre's also never been better than it was in Neuromancer.
Oryx and Crake - 2003
Margaret Atwood is a masterful writer whose contributions to fiction span multiple genres. Her best-known work, The Handmaid's Tale, leans into some sci-fi tropes while telling what's essentially an alternate history story, but Oryx and Crake dive headfirst into heavy sci-fi elements.
The book explores an Earth decimated by climate change and other apocalyptic catastrophes, but it's as touching and human as anything Atwood has ever written. Proof that love can exist even in a place that is now a full bio-wasteland rather than the classic dystopic future.
With climate change and catastrophic events now being parts of our daily lives, Atwood's novel resonates louder than ever before. We can only hope that someone is listening.
Which sci-fi book should I start with?
Sci-fi is a genre that can be a bit intimidating sometimes and even feel slightly dated if you just throw yourself into some classic books from the 50s. If you want to start with a classic that still has maintained intact its original power, we recommend Isaac Asimov's Robot stories and Stanislav Lem's Solaris.
While Asimov might feel a bit dated at times, the stories are all quick and to the point and will be a great way to see if you can be passionate about sci-fi. Solaris is also a quick and light read that will still leave you to ponder questions on humankind and their relationship with space and technology. If you find yourself loving them both, then you know you are on the right track.
Also, 1984 by George Orwell is also a great way to move your first steps into an unfamiliar genre since, even though at the time many of its concepts were new, with our society rapidly becoming more and more dystopic, you will feel right at home from the first few pages.
What are the most influential sci-fi novels of all time?
While many of his books haven't aged as well as others in our list, Jules Verne is definitely one of the most influential authors of all time. He began writing sci-fi before the term was even a thing, imagining a future where human beings could travel fast underwater or in space.
Edgar Rice Burrows and HG Wells' works are also authors that should definitely be considered highly influential. Again, it would be difficult to recommend something like The War of the Worlds today, and the overall scope of their novels is quite small compared to big universe builders such as Dune. Still, their role in shaping how science fiction became accepted cannot be diminished.
Still, despite Verne's influence on early sci-fi cinema and many other authors, it'd be difficult to define any of his books today as cultural touchstones. In that regard, we believe 1984 definitely fits the bill, as inventing the modern concept of the dystopian future and many of its rules and its overall look. Neuromancer by William Gibson is also another novel that would be considered still today highly influential.
What's the difference between the sci-fi and fantasy genre?
Often, the differences might be fewer than one thinks. In science fiction, often the author tries to apply our current understanding of the world and its technologies in order to predict their potential evolutions, along with its consequences and issues. It rarely goes beyond that.
In the fantasy genre, usually, there is no realistic viewpoint that the author uses as a base, since the fantasy genre often goes way beyond our present day, looking at ancient myths and classic roles, along with monsters and heroes that first debuted in the Dungeons & Dragons rulebook.
Overall, a good distinction between the two genres is that one is rooted in reality, while the other will often deviate from it and, instead, look somewhere else for its inspiration. But there are still plenty of exceptions to this.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 10:06 AM
Once you touch down on the lands of Dawnshore, you'll never be alone with the help of your allies. Although there isn't necessarily a bad choice with your teammates, some will prove more beneficial than others. We're here to rank them all with this Avowed Companion tier list.
Best Avowed Companions, ranked
With this tier list, we'll look into each Avowed Companion's Commands and Abilities to determine their advantages for your journey. We'll begin with the best of the best with S Tier, then work our way down to the slightly lower ones with B Tier. Each section will also deep dive into the Companion's skills if you want to know more about them.
S Tier - Yatzli
Having a formidable mage like Yatzli by your side will often turn the tide of battle, making every challenge feel like a breeze. All her Abilities focus on offense, from her bursting Essence Explosion to the deadly Minoletta's Missile Battery. Enemies won't really stand a chance against her, especially when they get caught up in her Arduous Delay of Motion.
To top it off, Yatzli clears out a bunch of enemies with her Blast, covering a small area of impact for multiple hits. Like Kai and Giatta, she'll help clear out "Illusionary Objects" blockages using the handy Companion Command.
Yatzli Abilities
S Tier - Giatta
Giatta is the best support character in Avowed, providing a vast array of buffs to your entire team. Her Purification skill offers an additional 25 percent of your maximum health, which will pair nicely with her Reconstruction healing ability. Not only does she restore health, but she also coats a shield around you through her Barrier skill and boosts movement and attack speed with Acceleration.
It'll be hard to knock you down when Giatta's around, even against Avowed's colossal creatures. Furthermore, she'll help you with puzzles by opening locked doorways with her electrifying Spectral Jolt.
Giatta Abilities
A Tier - Kai
Kai is one of the most balanced Companions, thriving in defensive and offensive strategies. Many of his Abilities will halt enemies through its stunning properties, including Fire and Ice and Leap of Daring. You also don't have to worry too much about Kai while he's on the field since he can revive himself with Second Wind, giving him another chance on the battlefield.
In addition to his Second Wind, Kai's Unbending Defense regenerates health and reduces damage by 25 percent to further his survivability. And, as a bonus, he can burn off most debris, so you don't have to waste your Essence with a flame-based spell. It'll assist you with quests like the Totem of Rightful Rulership.
Kai Abilities
B Tier - Marius
Although Marius is at the bottom of the list, his unique strengths make him a valuable Companion, especially for exploration. I've relied on his Hunter's Sense Command, pinpointing enemies, loot, and plants nearby. His guiding waypoint ensures you don't miss out on any valuables, specifically with hidden chests.
As for Marius' Abilities, he's a beast in combat, inflicting bleeding accumulation through Wounding Shots and firing piercing shots with Heart Seeker. He's relatively swift on the battlefield, too, sneaking up on foes using his Shadow Step.
Marius Abilities
If you fully max out each of the Companion's Abilities in Avowed, you'll earn achievements, including Bullseye, Luckier Than They Know, Slay!, and A Little Power Goes a Long Way. It'll take a while to earn the points for them, but you can try to aim for the Avowed max level to get there much quicker.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 10:00 AM
As you explore the Realm of Shadow in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, you're bound to encounter at least some of its dozens of bosses. And because the world is so open, it's good to know which order to challenge each boss so you're always on a level playing field.
The best boss order in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
In this guide, we'll only list the bosses that are a part of Shadow of the Erdtree's main story or its major side quests. The smaller dungeon bosses are even more optional, and while they can drop useful items and spells, you'll find the vast majority of rewards before facing them rather than one for beating the dungeon boss.
You only need to defeat four bosses out of the fifteen on this list to "finish" the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Those bosses are Messmer, the Impaler; Romina, Saint of the Bud; Needle Knight Leda and her companions; and the final boss. Many of the remaining ten require additional exploration and quest progression to unlock. Almost all the side bosses are harder than the required ones, though the final fight beats them all for difficulty.
I've primarily listed the bosses in order of difficulty, but because you can skip and/or return to so much of Shadow of the Erdtree, I've also taken the most natural order into account. Lastly, the bosses you have to go way out of your way to find are listed further down than those you would reach via more common progression.1
Rellana, Twin Moon Knight
Found at the top of Castle Ensis, Rellana is a bit further into the map than the Dancing Lion of Belurat Tower, but she's also significantly easier to beat. She's a more traditional Elden Ring humanoid boss with a shorter attack list, attacks that have simple tells, and a large but not overwhelming amount of health. She won't ask you to learn or relearn any mechanics from the base game, and her movements should be familiar, if a bit floaty, compared to enemies you've faced before.
You can skip Castle Ensis, and thus Rellana, entirely by using a sealed spiritspring in the southeasternmost portion of the Gravesite Plain, which takes you to the Fort of Reprimand in the southeast of the Scadu Altus. As such, you can return to Castle Ensis with more collected Scadutree Fragments, making Rellana a much easier fight.
Divine Beast Dancing Lion
I suggest saving the Dancing Lion until you have at least level 8-10 Scadutree Blessing. Much less, and it can easily two or three-shot even level 200 characters with almost any attack. That's especially true of the second and third phases. You can get up to seven Fragments if you fully clear the Gravesite Plain, which can be enough to justify the fight.
The Golden Hippopotamus
Between the two optional Shadow Keep bosses, the Golden Hippopotamus is both easier to beat and easier to find. You'll face it as your first challenge shortly after walking through the Keep's front gate and taking the elevator up. The biggest problem with the fight is the size of the arena compared to the boss's girth — it's easy for the hippo to fill a good half of the area in a single attack. However, its attack list, relative difficulty compared to the other options, and simplicity of discovery put it first.
Commander Gaius
To even reach Commander Gaius, you need to enter the Shadow Keep from the east via the Church District. You'll need to travel around Bonny Village to get there. However, I recommend always beating Commander Gaius, the second optional Shadow Keep boss, for a few reasons. Five of them in fact: the five Scadutree Fragments you'll find west of his arena. The fight isn't particularly fun, bordering more on annoying than enjoyable, but it's also fairly straightforward to master. The roll timings for Gaius's attacks and the attack patterns are well-telegraphed, leaving execution the main determining factor in achieving victory.
Messmer the Impaler
You should have a Scadutree Blessing of at least ten by the time you fight Messmer at the top of the Shadow Keep, so long as you collected most of the Fragments in the Gravesite Plain, Scadu Altus, and within the Keep itself. The Messmer fight should be your first real challenge in Shadow of the Erdtree. If nothing else, it's the best fight you can reach by this time in the DLC, providing a brutal fight that's satisfying to master.
Putrescent Knight
The Putrescent Knight is the first boss in Shadow of the Erdtree that takes you well off the beaten path, found as it is deep in the Stone Coffin Fissure. The entrance is at the southern edge of the Cerulean Coast, and you enter the zone after Miquella shatters his Great Rune as you approach the Shadow Keep. The Knight is at the very bottom of the Fissure, guarding St. Trina, and it's a less technical fight than Messmer or the Dancing Lion. It's also a bit easier, so long as you know that you can jump to avoid the blue flame the boss summons in its second phase.
Metyr, Mother of Fingers
I've placed Metyr here on the list for two reasons. First, by this point, you'll have easy access to the Church of Manus Metyr and both of the finger ruins. You'll encounter the Church on your way toward the Shadow Keep from the east. You should also have the O, Mother Gesture from Bonny Village, and you'll need it to open the way to the Hinterlands Finger Ruins. Second, beating Metyr gives you a chance to grab the Sword of Night from Jolan and the ability to craft the Staff of the Great Beyond from Metyr's Remembrance. The Sword of Night is one of the best Katanas in Elden Ring, and the Staff of the Great Beyond can cast both Sorceries and Incantations.
Jori, Elder Inquisitor
No FromSoftware game would be complete without a boss made of mobs, and while Jori, the Elder Inquisitor, is one of the studio's better showings, it's still more frustrating than fun. You can't even reach Jori without completing the Darklight Catacombs, which you can only get to by the end of the river leading south from the Shadow Keep. Said river is only accessible via a coffin hidden behind two illusory walls beneath the bridge leading to Specimen Storage in the Keep. Oh, and you can't access the Abyssal Woods or Midra's Manse without beating Jori, making him "mandatory" if you want all the Remembrances in the DLC.
Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame
In the far west of the Abyssal Woods, at the top of Midra's Manse, is poor Midra. I much prefer fighting him to Metyr, but I do think Metyr is harder. I've placed Midra later than Metyr due to how deadly the path to reaching him is. A hidden catacomb, the Jori fight, the Aging Untouchables in the Abyss, and all the madness effects in Manse — getting to him is a lot. Your reward is one of the best fights in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Scadutree Avatar
Deep below the Shadow Keep at the literal Scadutree Base is its rotted sunflower avatar. The Scadutree Avatar is one of the easier later-game optional bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree. I recommend facing it when returning to the Shadow Keep once it's time to proceed west and progress the story. The Avatar's attack list is relatively short, very weak to fire, and technically still three-shot the unprepared. Still, the fight is much more manageable than any other in the DLC, provided you hit the boss in the head.
Romina, Saint of the Bud
Found at the western portion of the Rauh Ruins, Romina is one of the easier bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, though that doesn't make her actually easy. Her attacks have a long reach, and many apply Scarlet Rot. She's also one of the few required fights in the DLC, as access to the final dungeon is impossible without beating her. I've placed Romina at this point in the list because if you follow the bosss order I've presented, Romina will be a nice bit of relief from the barnburners you've fought so far.
Needle Knight Leda
Near the top of Enir-Ilim, guarding the path to the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree, are Needle Knight Leda and whatever companions she can claim. The number of enemies you fight in this encounter and who you can call on for aid depends on how many or how few NPC side quests you've completed and their outcomes. For instance, Thiollier and Hornsent can be enemies or friends in this fight, whereas Morne can only be an enemy. Dead NPCs, or those whose quests you don't complete, won't show up. You might notice a glaring boss omission at this point in the list. We're getting to him.
Ancient Dragon Man
The Ancient Dragon Man is on this list for the same reason Jori is: you don't reach the boss beyond without defeating him. He's essentially an NPC fight, and while his damage is absurd, it's no less than other Elden Ring NPCs. Too much damage and health, the ability to act in ways regular player characters can't, and so on. However, the great katana the Dragon Man drops is a fantastic weapon for the next boss on our list.
Bayle the Dread
As optional superbosses go, Bayle is no Malenia, but we do have a guide on how to beat him if you need help. That said, he's probably the hardest boss in the DLC outside of the final one, so saving him to the end of a playthrough only makes sense. And while he's not the only boss on the Jagged Peak, you can't run from his fight like you can against Sennesax. Additionally, even with maximum or near-maximum Scadutree Blessing, Bayle's two-shot potential is incredibly high. That goes double for his second phase. His weakness against anti-dragon weapons can give you an advantage.
The Final Boss
The final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree has been significantly nerfed since the release of the DLC, but he remains the greatest challenge you'll face in the Realm of Shadow. His health pool, damage output, and the chaos he can bring to the fight are unmatched. This final fight can spiral out of control faster than anywhere else in the DLC, and my first fight took 40 hours before I saw the victory screen. Learning this fight is much easier than it once was, and if you have a solid handle on the mechanics, a lot of the difficulty melts away. Just don't get cocky.
That's my best boss order for experiencing the main and side story beat in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. You can find more than 20 other bosses in the catacombs scattered throughout the Realm of Shadow, but they offer nothing to the DLC's narrative beyond the lore in the items they drop. Many are also suped-up world enemies, earning them another demerit.
Now go, Tarnished, and explore the Realm of Shadow, and don't forget to enjoy the ruckus!
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:46 AM
One of the best parts of Hades 2 is being able to recruit animal companions to come with you in your fights against time or in Olympus. But if you have been wondering how to recruit Hecuba the Hound in Hades 2, then you just need to keep reading to find out what to do.
How to recruit Hecuba in Hades 2
Hecuba is the fourth animal companion in Hades 2 that Melinoe can get to come with her. You might have seen Hecuba in Echo's room a few times, but besides a few pets, the dog does not seem very interested in coming back with us.
In order to get the sweet hound to join you, you have to become friendly with your other three companions. Make sure you have done several runs with your other animals, Raki the Raven, Toula the Cat, and Frinos the Frog. Get friendly with them, and also be sure to upgrade them a couple of times whenever you can.
Eventually, you should see the titaness Hecate with an exclamation mark over her head. Speak to her, and she will mention how much closer you have become to your familiars.
You can also talk to Hecate in Chaos trials, so you are not required to complete a full run just to speak to her. Once the Titaness is sure that you are good enough with animals, she will agree to let you meet Hecuba and lend her to Melinoe. You will find the dog in Echo's room, make sure you have some animal treats with you, and the hound will be more than happy to come back with you.
How to upgrade Hecuba
If you decide to bring Hecuba in your next run, you will find she is great at finding digging spots for you. But she can also protect you during runs by stunning enemies. She can also add 15 points of magic to your maximum Magick, which increases over three ranks.
Just like other companions, by using proper training and diet, it is possible to unlock further powers for your companion.
Hecuba is a great companion once she is ranked up, guarding Melinoe by stunning foes and helping her raise her Magick points. Also, what better companion than a friendly dog if you are stuck in hell?
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:42 AM
In this unique Roblox experience, you will fight hordes of zombies aboard a train while desperately looking for a cure to fight this aggressive virus. If you are looking for more information on Dead Rails, read on to find its Discord server and all official links.
How to use the Dead Rails Discord server
If you want to access the Dead Rails Discord server, simply click here. To join this server, you'll first need a Discord account (if you have one, you can simply log in). Once you click the link and confirm the invite, you'll be automatically added to the server.
With more than 30k current members, you will find quite a huge community on the server, along with being able to interact directly with the developers. Each channel on the server contains various information and ways for you to join the Dead Rails community.
You will be able to vote in polls deciding future features in Dead Rails, participate in giveaways, and get exclusive sneak peeks at future alpha versions of the game. You won't ever miss out on any news related to the game. Be sure to take a look at the rules before posting to avoid being banned or experiencing any unpleasant situations.
If you are looking for other ways to keep up with all news related to Dead Rails, you can also join the developers' Roblox group.
How to access the Dead Rails Trello board
To access the Dead Rails Trello board, simply click on this link. The Trello message board, at the time of this writing, is public and free to access. While you don't need a Trello account to access it, you can create one to add the Dead Rails board to your favorites.
Keep in mind that this board is not only unofficial but also still under construction, as the game has only just been released in alpha. Don't be surprised if some information is inaccurate or outdated.
Despite this, the board already features several columns with information related to the structures available in the game, such as the General Store, with details on what items you can buy there and a brief description.
You can also find the breakdown of several enemies, such as the zombie and the vampire, plus a treasure trove of details on each weapon currently available in the game.
Unlike Discord, though, you can't type anything on Trello, nor can you interact with its creators. It's a purely read-only source of all the help you can get regarding the game. Still, it's a great board to visit again and again, especially if it will be kept updated in the future, so you will never miss out on precious information to survive in the harsh world of Dead Rails.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:42 AM
The Mariana's Veil Bestiary is now live in Fisch as part of the major update, and there are plenty of new species to catch and add to your in-game collection.
The new bestiary can be divided into five different parts based on the location. While we keep working on finding out how to catch all the fish (and items) that are exclusive to the new location, here's all the available information we currently have.
Disclaimer: All regions to be updated.
All 10 fishes in Volcanic Vents bestiary in Fisch
Volcanic Vents is going to be the very first area you'll come across after you gain access to your submarine. Without the new vehicle, it will be impossible to enjoy the contents of the update. Check out this guide to find out more about how you can get your submarine.
Just proceed through the opening in Roslit Bay and follow the light emitting from the vines to reach the Volcanic Vents. Be very careful around the burning rocks, and use your gliders to gain access to the fishing area. Here is all the information we have about the ten species you can catch at this location.
All 9 fishes in Challenger's Deep bestiary in Fisch
Challenger's Deep is the second area you can access in Mariana's Veil, and it has nine unique species of its own. Two of them are more crucial, as they will help you to upgrade your submarine and gear.
There are three more regions to be added to this article as we come across more information.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:37 AM
The Warsong update of Hades 2 has added a fair few bits of new content in the early access title, and you can now unlock a new animal familiar called Gale.
If you're a returning player to Hades 2, unlocking Gale the Polecat will be a simpler task. However, even if you've picked up the game for the first time following the new update. The steps mentioned in the following section will allow you to unlock the new familiar pretty quickly.
How to unlock Gale in Hades 2
There are two prerequisites you must meet in order to unlock Gale. Two incantations must be completed: Faith of Familial Spirits and Shared Familiar Bonds. This is why I said that it will be easier for returning players to unlock Gale. These incantations have to be completed if you want to unlock any animal that is familiar with that matter.
Once the two incantations are complete, start a surface run. To find Gale, you'll have to get to the final chamber before you come across Prometheus. This usually means completing several tasks along the way.
From here, you'll be able to reach Prometheus, but before that, you'll come across a shop. Keep a treat with you before encountering Gale, as it will prevent the new familiar from giving you a slop. In my case, I had to encounter the creature for the second time to recruit. Based on the experiences of other players, you can't recruit and provide Gale with a treat the first time you meet.
Like all familiars, you'll be able to upgrade Gale's abilities to make the Polecat even more powerful. It can attack your enemies, along with land powerful blocks. It will be interesting to see if the new addition becomes the community's favorite, replacing the likes of Hecuba.
If you're a new player and have yet to unlock any familiar, make sure to check this list of all the animal familiars that are available in the game. The guide will not only help you to unlock a familiar of your liking, but also upgrade them with the required resources.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:34 AM
It's safe to say that gamers eagerly await news regarding a release date for Grand Theft Auto VI, with every official bit of news or trailer being overly dissected to the point of frame-by-frame analysis. It's set to be the biggest game release in years, so how can you guarantee your copy?
Well, you can't yet, at least not officially. Rockstar hasn't provided a release date, let alone offered any details about an official pre-order. However, one business in Malaysia is getting ahead of the curve.
Is an international game store already selling GTA VI pre-orders?
One attentive fan eager to get their hands on GTA VI noticed that Gamer's Hideout, a video game and tech store with 5 physical stores in Malaysia and a successful online store, seemed to have a mock-up physical copy of the game on the shelf at one of their stores.
The box, featuring the same artwork that's become embedded in players' minds by this point, also has a "pre-order" sticker on it, along with a price of RM14.90 (roughly $3 USD). A quick visit to the Gamer's Hideout website confirms this to be true, but don't get your hopes up just yet.
First off, this isn't actually the start of pre-orders. The store is just letting you reserve your pre-order early with a small downpayment, which allows them to judge how many copies they need to order for release day and lock in a few early sales. If you're in the States, stores like GameStop have done a similar practice for years, and will likely do so for Grand Theft Auto VI closer to release.
According to the Gamer's Hideout website, the small deposit is non-refundable for any other reason than non-fulfillment, and anyone who pays this small price will need to then pay the full cost of the game (when it's finally revealed) no less than 14 days before the launch day, whenever that eventually ends up being.
Second, and I'm sorry to burst any hopeful bubble that might have been created by the original post on Reddit, but this "pre-order" is not available to anybody outside of Malaysia. Gamer's Hideout does not deliver internationally, so unless you're planning to add a trip to the country on top of what might already be a higher-than-average game cost, you're out of luck.
Hopefully, Rockstar will decide to release an actual release date for GTA VI, along with pre-order details, soon. Until then, I guess it's back to looking at the same old artwork.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:27 AM
With Black and White Kyurem coming to Pokémon GO for all players as part of the Unova Global event, the two legendary forms are already proving popular. Both are epically strong, and each is worth getting, but you'll need to defeat them before you can get your own.
Black and White Kyurem will only be showing up in Tier 5 Raids after March 1, and both offer a tough encounter to get through. If you want to know what to expect and what Pokémon are worth taking along to fight your battles, here's everything you need to know.
Black and White Kyurem weaknesses in Pokémon GO
All Pokémon have their strengths and weaknesses, and Black and White Kyurem are no different. As dual Dragon and Ice-type Pokémon, they are both weak to Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, and Steel-type attacks. That presents a huge number of possible allies for your team when taking them on.
In terms of their resistance, Black and White Kyurem will withstand Electric, Grass, and Water-type attacks for hours on end while sustaining very little damage, so Pokémon with those types of attacks should sit this one out.
Black and White Kyurem Raid Guide
Black and White Kyurem are both formidable foes, with a massive 56,009 CP each. It's safe to say taking either one of them on is going to prove challenging, but it's not impossible to get it done with just two players if their setup is on point and leveled up sufficiently. However, it's best to go into this with at least 3-5 trainers or more if you don't have an ideal collection of counters to take with you.
By default, Black Kyurem will absolutely decimate any Pokémon that are weak to both Dragon and Ice-type attacks, so those are best avoided going into a Raid with it. White Kyurem, on the other hand, is the strongest Ice-type Pokémon currently in Pokémon GO, so it's best to avoid anything with a weakness to Ice-type attacks.
Thankfully, you don't need to worry about changing your setup between fights, as both Black and White Kyurem have near-identical counters. If you want to build up a strong team, here are the best counters for both Black and White Kyurem (ordered from strongest to "still strong but not ideal"):
And, of course, once you've defeated enough Black or White Kyurem in Pokémon GO, you'll be able to fuse your unfused Kyurem with either Reshiram or Zekrom to get your own.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:23 AM
Out of the many gods and goddesses to appear in Hades and its sequel, there are still some that we've yet to see. Still, the recent appearance of a certain boss has had gamers speculating about Echidnas possibly coming to Hades 2. Let's look at the clues and what we know.
Who is Echidna?
In ancient Greek mythology, Echidnas is referred to as "the mother of all monsters." She is a half-woman, half-snake who lives in a cave, her only pastime eating the flesh of whoever was foolish enough to venture into her abode.
If you are looking for a titan who can be both vicious and cruel, along with very protective of her children, then Echidnas will fit the bill. If you are familiar with the Hercules animated series, then you definitely know who she is.
The reason why people are speculating about the possible future inclusion of Echidnas in Hades 2 is because of the recent appearance of her mate, Typhon. This huge beast is waiting in an area known as The Summit after eliminating Prometheus at the gate of Mount Olympus. This hulking beast has often been referred to as one of the biggest threats against the gods, a primordial giant that simply wallows in destruction, pain, and suffering.
Typhon is also often named the father of all monsters, and he is Echidna's boyfriend of sorts, so there's definitely a chance that she will come to help him as well.
Will Echidna come to Hades 2?
Considering we have seen many of the beasts fathered by Typhon and Echidnas already in the game, such as Cerberus, the Sphinx, the Chimera, the Hydra, and even Scylla, it stands to reason that Echidna might also make an appearance.
The recent Warsong update also hints that there might be more to the story after the fight against Typhon is won. Could Echidna really be hiding behind him?
Considering that Typhon is already quite the tough final boss, we think that Echidna will not be included just yet, at least not as another final boss. Perhaps she will shop later on or, more probably, in a future DLC. Before Hades 2 comes out of early access, we will probably see more bosses join the ranks of the Titan of Time since we are sure that someone else is waiting behind the door after Chronos is defeated.
Can it really be the mother of all monsters waiting behind that door? There isn't long to wait; in a few months, Hades 2 will receive another big update, which will probably be the last before the game is released in its stable version. We can't wait to see what happens.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:16 AM
Great news, folks: Nvidia has just confirmed that the production lineup of the fancy new RTX 5000 graphics cards has experienced a hiccup at one point. This manufacturing issue has, in turn, led to a performance reduction on an allegedly small number of cards.
This confirmation comes thanks to TechPowerUp's sleuth-work on the matter, which in turn came about only after RTX 5000 buyers discovered something was amiss. More specifically, a number of RTX 5090 and 5070Ti graphics card users found that their hefty new purchase had a lower number of ROPs (i.e., Raster Operations Pipelines) than advertised. The difference wasn't massive in most cases, but it constituted a roughly 4-5% loss in effective raster performance. And, naturally, when you're paying Nvidia money, you're not going to be happy that you're getting less than was advertised.
If your RTX 5000 GPU isn't actively burning, it might be because it's hobbled, instead.
It's downright befuddling to me just how big of a mess the RTX 5000 is proving to be. Look, I'm no hater, as I'm all for ray-tracing and DLSS and all the other fancy new shindigs Jensen's team of experts comes up with. At the same time, I've got to admit I'm positively thrilled with the fact that I didn't end up selling a kidney to purchase a new GPU that may end up outright burning in my rig. And hey, if it's not trying to kill itself with fire, I suppose the latest is that it might be less performant than it's supposed to be!
TechPowerUp was at the tip of this particular green-shaded spearhead from the get-go, and it didn't take more than a couple of hours before their testing revealed that a non-insignificant number of Nvidia GPUs suffered from reduced ROP count. GPUs from Zotack, MSI, Gigabyte, Palit, and Inno3D were all found to have this problem with a measurable performance impact in rasterized gaming. Nvidia responded quickly enough, but I find it deeply annoying that this problem wasn't announced well ahead of time.
As per Nvidia's global PR director Ben Berraondo's response to The Verge, "We have identified a rare issue affecting less than 0.5% (half a percent) of GeForce RTX 5090 / 5090D and 5070 Ti GPUs which have one fewer ROP than specified. The average graphical performance impact is 4%, with no impact on AI and Compute workloads. Affected consumers can contact the board manufacturer for a replacement. The production anomaly has been corrected."
Note that Nvidia's reference to "one ROP unit" actually means 8 ROPs in the context of rasterization performance. As per TechPowerUp's findings, a single ROP hardware unit processes eight pixels per clock, which explains the discrepancy in reports from different sources.
The silver lining, then, is that should you find that your RTX 5000 GPU is affected by ROP performance losses, you should be able to request a replacement unit at some point. Regardless, for a company as prolific as Nvidia, the inability to deliver a reliable product is downright staggering.
Let's not forget that the RTX 5000 series is also dropping support for admittedly niche but gosh-darn fun features such as 32-bit PhysX in older titles. I understand and appreciate the performance uplift we're seeing with these new GPUs, but between power draw problems leading to melting power cables, these ROP production issues, and the ridiculous real-world pricing... it just rubs me the wrong way.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:15 AM
The Mariana's Veil update is now live in Fisch, and it unlocks a new area for the players to explore.
Being a core update, this content drop includes five new bestiaries to complete. But of course, the first step is to gain access to the new region, and you'll need your submarine to do that. Let's take a look at how you can open your path to the Volcanic Vents as part of the new Fisch update.
How to access Mariana's Veil in Fisch
The first job is to speak with Dr. Glimmerfin, who can be found on his platform at Roslit Bay. If you have a GPS device on you, just travel to the following coordinates (XYZ: -1320, 130, 300). Once you speak with Dr. Glimmerfin, you'll be assigned a drill. You'll also notice that there's a shadow of a submarine beside him. Your task is to find the five different parts of the submarine.
You'll observe black rocks lying all around the Roslit Bay region. You'll have to equip your drills to break down these rocks to try and find the parts. It's not guaranteed that a rock will reward you with a part. The odds of finding a part are 5%, and there's no way to trade with other players. Hence, it's going to take at least a couple of hours to find all the parts.
Once you have all the parts, go back to Dr. Glimmerfin. You'll be able to place all the parts of the submarine into its shadow to obtain your new vehicle. Talk with Dr. Glimmerfin, and your path to Mariana's Veil will be open. Travel to it through the middle of the Roslit Bay, and you'll need to use your submarine.
The submarine pretty much moves like a boat, but you can ascend and descend with it. Just follow the light emitting from the veins, and you'll come across the Volcanic Vents region (the first area of the new update). From there, you can travel deeper or find up to ten new creatures, including the secret Magma Leviathan.
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Destructoid Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:14 AM
The Ruined Idol achievement came alongside the second Eternal Night falls level in Marvel Rivals. If you're having trouble finding the Bloodstorm One statue, here's where you can locate it.
How to complete the Ruined Idol achievement in Marvel Rivals
This achievement requires you to "shatter the Bloodstorm One statue when Eternal Night falls on New York". This is in reference to the new Central Park level that was introduced in Season 1.5 (the season 1 midseason update).
This also has to be done in a Quick Match or Competitive playlist. The achievement in Marvel Rivals can not be farmed for in a Custom Game or a Practice vs. AI match.
You simply have to locate the statue and destroy it, so here's where you can find it.
Where is the Bloodstorm One statue in Marvel Rivals?
As mentioned earlier, you have to play the Central Park level in the Eternal Night Falls. It doesn't matter if you're on attack or defense.
Once you're at the very end of the second phase (after completing the capture point), you'll come across a large door to a castle. Attackers will most likely see the door as the objective is pushed closer to this door.
You can also get this in the final push phase of the map, though as a defender, it'll be harder to get here.
There's a hole on your left-hand side if you are facing the door. Head through there to find another room with another entryway. If you're in the right room, you should see a health pickup in front of the statue you're looking for.
Simply go up to it and attack it until it breaks. Shooting this won't take as long as a previous challenge like activating recursive destruction.
As a defender, the easiest way to get this is during the match setup phase or while defending during phase two. For attackers, it's easiest to get this at the end of the second attack phase or the start of the third attack phase.
The post Marvel Rivals Ruined Idol achievement guide: How to shatter the Bloodstorm One statue appeared first on Destructoid. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, February 22, 2025 11:13 AM  Updated February 22, 2025: We added new codes! There are many dungeons to crawl in Fabled Legacy, and who else is going to do it other than you—the hero destined for greatness? The good news is that you can bring your friends along with you. If you need better weapons and armor, Fabled Legacy codes can help. All Fabled Legacy codes list Active Fabled Legacy codes LAMENTUM — 100 Gems (New) HEARTBREAKER — Free rewards (New) 100MVISITS — 200 Gems LEGACY — 200 Gems CURSED — 200 Gems 105KLIKES — 200 Gems NEWYEAR — 200 Gems CELEBRATIONS — 200 Gems HELLBOUND — 200 Gems DARKNESS — 100 Gems PATIENCE — 200 Gems TURKEY — 100 Gems 100KLIKES — 200 Gems THANKSFOR100K — 15 minutes of All Boosts HALLOWEEN — 100 Gems DELAY — 100 Gems SOULS — 100 Gems FLAMINGO — 100 Gems 95KLIKES — 100 Gems PEARLS — 100 Gems CALAMITOUS — 100 Gems 90KLIKES — 100 Gems EMBERWING — 100... |
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Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, February 22, 2025 3:31 PM The publisher reveals details of the game's regions. The post Atelier Yumia Gets New Opening Movie And Details appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, February 22, 2025 2:55 PM A AAA game based on a "tentpole" IP. The post Saber Interactive Is Developing a Game Based on a Hasbro IP appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |