Aug 21, 22:00


GamersHeroes Thursday, August 21, 2025 8:41 PM
    

Reimagined for console platforms, learn more about the streamlined controller support that will be in 11 bit studios' Frostpunk 2 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with the latest trailer for the title.

The post Frostpunk 2 Console Gameplay Trailer Highlights Streamlined Controller Support appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:44 PM
    

See how players will be able to go Plus Ultra!! with the battle systems trailer for Byking and Bandai Namco's My Hero Academia: All's Justice.

The post 3D Arena Fighter My Hero Academia: All's Justice Battle Systems Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes.


GamersHeroes Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:25 PM
    

Now available via its official Steam page, Cyber Temple has released the first playable demo of their vertical survival city builder DarkSwitch.

The post Vertical Survival City Builder DarkSwitch Public Demo Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:42 PM
    

The President's son says the new logo is woke which is more evidence that we live in the worst timeline

The post The New Cracker Barrel Logo Sucks And So Does The Mess Around It appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:25 PM
    

Pete Parsons appears in a Destiny livestream.

The gaming veteran joined back during the Halo days

The post Bungie Boss Pete Parsons Out After 23 Years appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:19 PM
    

Popular Final Fantasy XIV mod Mare Synchronos let players sync up their various mods and was used by many in the community

The post One Of <i>FFXIV</i>'s Most Important Mods Is Shutting Down And People Are Losing It appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:05 PM
    

The cast of Critical Role, campaign four.

The founding cast is returning for the next campaign, but things will be a little different

The post <em>Critical Role</em> Explains Its Big Shakeup, But Some Fans Aren't Convinced appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:01 PM
    

Art shows a soldier in the jungle.

The upcoming milsim features new maps and vehicles

The post <i>Hell Let Loose: Vietnam</i> Takes 50v50 Slaughter To The Jungle In Sequel Fans Have Been Waiting For appeared first on Kotaku.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:16 PM
    

Escape From Tarkov was first made available all the way back in 2017. Since then, it's become perhaps the most recognizable example of the extraction shooter, a high tension style of FPS that also includes games like Hunt: Showdown, Delta Force and Marauders. Tarkov has also been a public work in progress for nearly a decade now, which means you can explore a large part of the game while it's still being made, even if your enjoyment has always been somewhat hampered by the knowledge that its creator, Battlestate, doesn't consider the project 'finished' yet. That's about to change with Tarkov's 1.0 launch, which we've just learned is arriving very soon.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Escape from Tarkov system requirements, Escape From Tarkov Steam, Best FPS games

PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:00 PM
    

If you're using a free VPN, it might not be as legit as you'd hope. Aside from the risk of it not being as private as a VPN should be, or of it mining your personal details, it now turns out that some free VPNs could be leeching from reputable providers. Not ideal...

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best VPN service, Best gaming VPN, VPN deals

PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 5:39 PM
    

Slay the Spire, Monster Train, Balatro, and Griftlands have all proved just how compelling it can be for a game to combine deckbuilding and roguelike design. Cardstronaut looks to follow suit, taking a similar approach while adding in elements from the tower defense genre. It also has a novel hook, casting a hapless astronaut as the 'tower' in need of protection from an onslaught of deadly alien enemies. Now, thanks to a new Steam demo, you can try it out for yourself to see how its unusual mix of genres actually works in action.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 5:29 PM
    

August 21, 2025: A new free Bingo Blitz credit link is here.

What are the new free Bingo Blitz credits? You won't be playing much bingo without them, that's for sure. Even if you've exhausted your usual free credits in Bingo Blitz through login rewards and premium subscriptions, the secret to playing another round is through our Bingo Blitz credits links.

New Bingo Blitz free credits links work in much the same way as Monopoly Go dice links. One click and your account is automatically topped up with credits ready to be used on multiple rounds or one big blow-out session with multiple cards. The choice is yours.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Bingo Blitz credits, Best card games, Best PC board games

PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:52 PM
    

There are a lot of narrative heavy space games out there, but they don't always stress realism in their storytelling and settings. Mass Effect, Starfield, and Dead Space allow players to explore fantastical research stations and strange planets far away from Earth, though more realistic sci-fi games are usually the province of simulators and strategy games. Lunar Strike wants to provide a story-led experience that also models what it would be like to realistically try to survive in space, and its design approach seems promising, based on its recent debut.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:08 PM
    

One way to set a new FPS game apart is by designing it around acrobatic movement abilities. Echo Point Nova, Neon White, Ultrakill, Doom Eternal, and Titanfall 2 all amp up the intensity of their gunfights by presenting them with extra mobility in mind. Active Matter is a new game that looks to bring this style of super fast shooting into an Escape From Tarkov reminiscent extraction game. It's also just announced an early launch date, though its initial 'closed version' won't be available to buy on Steam.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best multiplayer games, Best PC games

PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:00 PM
    

It's been nearly a decade since Stellaris came out, bringing Paradox's usual focus on the more grounded worlds of Crusader Kings 3 and Victoria 3 into the realm of sci-fi. Even as Paradox continues to work on other projects, like the upcoming Europa Universalis 5, the company has continued to support Stellaris with a consistent series of expansions and updates, like the recent Biogenesis DLC. The latest update, 4.0.22, just launched, and, with its focus on the Wilderness and a sweeping range of balancing changes, it looks to be one of the most substantial in quite some time.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Stellaris review, Stellaris mods, Stellaris DLC guide

PCGamesN Thursday, August 21, 2025 2:01 PM
    

After years of waiting, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally announced a launch date earlier today, and it's just around the corner. The first game has established a reputation as one of the most beloved Metroidvanias of all time, standing alongside Nine Sols, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Dead Cells as an exemplar of the genre. While the sequel's relationship to the first Hollow Knight might make Silksong's quality seem like a sure thing, we won't know for sure until after it's been out for a while. That's because Team Cherry has reportedly stated that the game won't be made available to reviewers ahead of launch.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Indie Games, Hollow Knight Silksong release date, Upcoming PC Games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:00 PM
    

NVIDIA's 50-series GPUs had a strange old rollout. From missing cores to marked-up prices, there's also some disappointment about the push to use AI to push things further, rather than good, old-fashioned power.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 21, 2025 2:36 PM
    

Time for your weekly helping of legal Subnaughtiness. Subnautica developers Unknown Worlds are suing recently departed director Charlie Cleveland, CEO Ted Gill, and studio co-founder Max McGuire for, amongst other things, stealing a bunch of game design files shortly before they were fired.

Read more


Siliconera Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:00 PM
    

Ys X: Proud Nordics Switch 2 and PC Versions Set for 2026

The updated version of Adol's tenth adventure is heading westward. At gamescom 2025, NIS America confirmed a release window for the Switch and PC versions of Ys X: Proud Nordics. That will debut in early 2026. The Deluxe Edition is also already showing up on the European version of the NIS Store for £59.99/€69.99, and those listings confirm copies will only be a Switch 2 game-key card and not a true physical copy of the game.

This version of Ys X is designed to both look better and add new elements. This time, we can visit Oland Island with Astrid and Canute to investigate it. It is apparently designed to be a little more challenging. Muspelheim dungeon will be open after get into the title, offering more of a challenge and reason to further build up Adol and Karja. The original game offered some platforming and puzzles to solve, and there will be new tasks that will require us to use a Mana Hold ability to keep moving. 

All of these come up in the new trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjgJnBtV-j4

The Deluxe Edition photos are already in and show what people get. In addition to the Switch 2 game-key card that doesn't actually include a copy of Ys X: Proud Nordics on the cartridge, you get two physical bonuses. One is a mini art book, and the other is a small poster. 

Here's how that looks. The front cover of the game mentions the Switch 2 game-key card.

Ys X: Proud Nordics is available on the Switch 2 and PC in Japan now, and that version will show up worldwide in early 2026. The original Ys X is on the PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC everywhere. 

The post Ys X: Proud Nordics Switch 2 and PC Versions Set for 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 21, 2025 5:00 PM
    

Good Smile Asked What Umamusume Character Figures We Want favorite

Good Smile Company put out a call asking for feedback about which Umamusume: Pretty Derby characters are people's favorites and should be turned into figures. It also asked about what type of figures they'd want to see. The survey is open until September 10, 2025, and people who respond are entered into a contest to win the Oguri Cap: Ashen Miracle 1/7 figure.

The first question asks about the responder about their favorite Umamusume: Pretty Derby characters. Ones that already have figures, such as Special Week, Gold Ship, and Mihono Bourbon, all appear. So do ones that don't, like Haru Urara, Agnes Tachyon, or Nice Nature. Both Trainees that are in the global version of the game and ones only available in the Japanese one appear in the list. 

Here is the full list of all of the options people can choose from when selecting their favorite Umamusume: Pretty Derby characters:

  • Special Week
  • Silence Suzuka
  • Tokai Teio
  • Maruzensky
  • Fuji Kiseki
  • Oguri Cap
  • Gold Ship
  • Vodka
  • Daiwa Scarlet
  • Taiki Shuttle
  • Grass Wonder
  • Hishi Amazon
  • Mejiro McQueen
  • El Condor Pasa
  • T.M. Opera O
  • Narita Brian
  • Symboli Rudolf
  • Air Groove
  • Agnes Digital
  • Seiun Sky
  • Tamamo Cross
  • Fine Motion
  • Biwa Hayahide
  • Mayano Top Gun
  • Manhattan Cafe
  • Mihono Bourbon
  • Mejiro Ryan
  • Yukio Bijin
  • Rice Shower
  • Ines Fujin
  • Agnes Tachyon
  • Winning Ticket
  • Air Shakur
  • Eishin Flash
  • Curren Chan
  • Gold City
  • Sakura Bakushin O
  • Seeking the Pearl
  • Sweep Tosho
  • Super Creek
  • Smart Falcon
  • Zenno Rob Roy
  • Narita Taishin
  • Nishino Flower
  • Haru Urara
  • Biko Pegasus
  • Marvelous Sunday
  • Matikanefukukitaru
  • Meisho Doto
  • Mejiro Dober
  • Nice Nature
  • King Halo
  • Matikanetannhauser
  • Ikuno Dictus
  • Mejiro Palmer
  • Daitaku Helios
  • Twin Turbo
  • Satono Diamond
  • Kitasan Black
  • Sakura Chiyono O
  • Yaeno Muteki

In the section asking about what kinds of Umamusume: Pretty Derby figures we'd like to see, Good Smile Company did not make Nendoroids an available option or allow write-in recommendations. The only choices are figmas, Pop Up Parade figures, and scale figures. 

From there, the other responses are mainly for data gathering and getting higher counts on the company's outreach. It asked when people started playing Umamusume: Pretty Derby, if they already own merchandise based on the series, to follow the X account, and to subscribe to the newsletter.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the Good Smile Company survey asking for feedback on possible figures of characters is open until September 10, 2025. The original anime is on Crunchyroll, and Umamusume: Cinderella Gray is on Amazon.

The post Good Smile Asked What Umamusume Character Figures We Want appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:00 PM
    

FFXIV Free Login Campaign Returns for About a Month

Square Enix announced a means to play one of its Final Fantasy MMORPG entries for free, as the FFXIV Free Login Campaign is back. This time, it runs for just about a month. People with inactive accounts who own the game can take part for a few days until September 23, 2025. 

Now, as usual, we can't play for free for the entire period. Instead, we get four days. No matter when you start, four days after that, it will end at 11:59pm PT/2:59am ET. In order to take part, the account needs to have been inactive since July 22, 2025. If you played sometime after that, you aren't eligible for this run of the event. Make sure you wait to log in until you know you can make the most of the 96 hours. So, for example, with Labor Day coming up on September 1, 2025 in the US, a good choice might be August 29, 2025 to begin. 

This isn't the only Final Fantasy MMORPG welcoming players back, as FFXI kicked off a similar sort of event. Its Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign tends to always run in August 2025. It kicks off again on August 29, 2025, and then also continues throughout September 2025. 

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the FFXIV Free Login Campaign is available until September 23, 2025. 

The post FFXIV Free Login Campaign Returns for About a Month appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:00 PM
    

First Infinity Nikki Crossover Will Involve Stardew Valley

We haven't seen any Infinity Nikki crossover announcements since the game's debut in December 2024, but that is about to change as Infold promised a Stardew Valley event. That will kick off on September 1, 2025. However, while the event is quite close, details are slim. The initial trailer really only confirmed it is happening and one kind of character will appear.

The announcement about the crossover started by showing Stardew Valley footage. Lots of Junimo gather around a huge berry. After interacting with it, one Junimo is sent to Miraland. We watch it land, then wander around the area. 

Here's the full Stardew Valley Infinity Nikki crossover teaser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5omikRCV0E

As this is so vague, we don't know what else could be involved. No other Stardew Valley villager appearances are mentioned. The Hat Mouse is a known accessory vendor who sells hats in the farming sim. However, that title also isn't well known for its characters' clothing. 

We do know this is part of the 1.9 Music Season update due on September 1, 2025. That's also the patch that will add a feature that lets us get and customize our own homes.

Infinity Nikki is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Stardew Valley crossover will appear on September 1, 2025. Stardew Valley is available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PCs, mobile devices, and the PlayStation Vita, with 1.6 available on all platforms except the Vita.

The post First Infinity Nikki Crossover Involves Stardew Valley appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:09 PM
    

Disney Dreamlight Valley Rainbow Energy

After exploring Disney Dreamlight Valley's Inside Out realm, you may have noticed a new recipe in your rafting station for Rainbow Energy. How do you get its required ingredients? How do you use it? Here's everything you need to know about Rainbow Energy.

How to make Rainbow Energy in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Making Rainbow Energy in Disney Dreamlight Valley requires gathering a flashy diamond and a bright bulb lamp. You'll find both within the Inside Out realm, but you'll need to interact with the environment outside of your quest paths for both.

The first item, the flashy diamond, is obtainable by interacting with the vial shelves in the Inside Out realm's starting room. If you start from the console where you found Joy for the first time, turn toward the crafting station before turning right toward the shelf. The diamond will appear after interacting with the spot.

Disney Dreamlight Valley flashy diamond
Screenshot by Destructoid

The bright bulb lamp requires progressing far enough into the Inside Out realm's story to begin the Get Up and Glow quest. During this mission, you'll traverse an orb-filled maze in search of Riley's memories. Partway through it, you'll find a memory along a wall, with an orb routing puzzle nearby. Completing this lowers a chunk of the orb wall, leading you directly to the lamp.

Disney Dreamlight Valley bright bulb lamp
Screenshot by Destructoid

While previous routing puzzles have been straightforward, this one has a twist. One of the consoles has blank panels, so you can't immediately tell which pegs it rotates. Using it once will confirm that it affects the blue and orange pegs, letting you then press the middle console to lower the wall.

Once you have both items, go to any crafting station to make the Rainbow Energy bottle. You're now ready to unlock a special secret item.

How to use Rainbow Energy in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Rainbow Energy is a key ingredient for crafting a Bing Bong Plushie. You'll need the following items to make it:

  • Everlasting Cotton Candy
  • Tiny Bowtie
  • Tiny Bowler Hat
  • Rainbow Energy

The other three items are also available in the Inside Out realm. You'll find Everlasting Cotton Candy inside a locker while searching for a Mind Worker helmet and gloves, with the tiny bowler hat spawning next to a cart of golden orbs during the Out of the Blue quest. The last item, a tiny bowtie, is hiding inside the Dream Production Studio you enter throughout the realm's storyline.

Disney Dreamlight Valley Bing Bong plushie
Screenshot by Destructoid

Once you obtain these three items and craft the Rainbow Energy with your flashy diamond and bright bulb lamp, bring everything to a crafting station to make the Bing Bong Plushie. You won't need it for any quests, so you can safely place it anywhere you'd like for some extra cuteness in your village.

The post What does Rainbow Energy do in Disney Dreamlight Valley? appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:02 PM
    

After the recent trend of permanent season passes like in Helldivers 2, it may be surprising that Bungie is following that same practice with Destiny 2's next major update. It's not as shocking, however, that there's a new currency involved in unlocking their items, as seen in an official blog post today.

The Hive-inspired sets for Heresy's season pass.
These sets will be up for grabs, and the Warlock robes shade really well. Image via Bungie

With the release of Ash & Iron on Sept. 9, the Tower is getting a new kiosk dedicated to old seasonal passes, allowing players to purchase them way past their expiration date. All passes up to season 26 (Heresy) will be available at launch, the studio revealed in today's This Week in Destiny post, with newer releases entering the menu one cycle after their end. The current offerings, for instance, will enter the menu on Dec. 2, with the release of Renegades.

You don't have to worry about grinding through a second battle pass, however. The studio is making a new currency called Chronologs, which drops from the active season pass' offerings. For instance, by obtaining the next rewards pass in Ash & Iron, players will get a new resource to unlock items from an old pass they might be interested in, or exchange Chronologs for other offerings like Deepsight Harmonizers. The new currency will drop from the free and paid tracks on the running pass.

Archived passes come with a discount, costing just 600 Silver as opposed to the usual 1,000. This also comes with 500 Chronologs, which is already enough to unlock "a handful of items," according to Bungie. Legacy passes you already own will be available free of charge. Likewise, if you bought an item during a Flashback Sale—when old, archived season pass rewards became temporarily available for Silver—you'll also receive the associated pass for free.

Archived passes only drop the big-ticket items, such as weapons, ornaments, and emotes, so no boosts, Ascendant Shards, Exotic Engrams, or armor pieces will be available. That's a double-edged sword: there's no need to earn filler items, but you also miss out on potentially useful resources.

It's unclear if players can still access a season's Exotic through the Monument of Lost Lights without having to spend cash, or if unlocking an ornament for a slot unlocks it for all classes, just like in an active season pass.

The Ahamkara-inspired ornament for Dragon's Breath from Season of the Wish.
Ornaments you may have missed are also available. Image via Bungie

As a caveat, each archived season pass costs 600 Silver, which puts it in a finicky spot. Players without any Silver left over can't buy one pass with the 500 Silver pack ($5.99), or get two passes with the $9.99 Silver bundle, which comes with 1,100 Silver.

The new Destiny 2 project seems like a good idea, but the earning rate of Chronologs might just make or break this new system. You can exchange this currency for other items, so there isn't much reason for Bungie to be stingy with its acquisition. All in all, though, allowing players to obtain rewards they may have missed is bound to be a net positive despite the system's growing pains, marking a rare win for Bungie so far.

The post Bungie makes all Destiny 2 season passes available—but of course, there's a new currency appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 5:56 PM
    

the witness in destiny 2 the final shape

Today's weekly blog post is somehow not the biggest news after Bungie CEO Pete Parsons has "retired from his position," according to an official post on social media. Bungie veteran Justin Truman, who has his own share of controversy, is taking over as the studio head.

Parsons rightfully earned flak from the Destiny community and rose to infamy after the studio's brutal sets of layoffs. As Bungie's CEO, he laid off a devastating 220 roles (or 17 percent of Bungie's workforce) at the end of July 2024, all while spending over $2 million on classic cars using an auction website. This was the second time in a year that Bungie fired staff, with another harsh wave of layoffs in October 2023.

The guardians take on the Witness.
The Final Shape seemed like an upward trend, though the goodwill from it quickly went away. Image via Bungie

So, naturally, parts of the Destiny 2 community are over the moon with the news. One Redditor referred to it as the "Pete Parsons sunsetting party," echoing Bungie's 2020 practice of capping the power level of older gear. "I hope all your cars break down, Parsons," another wrote.

Fans have long called for Parsons' resignation, and while some are certainly celebrating, others were quick to point out that Truman, Bungie's new studio head, is responsible for the infamous "don't overdeliver" speech that quickly arises in any Destiny 2 discussion.

His presentation at GDC showed a warning to other developers: "Beware of overdelivery. You're creating patterns!" While there is some merit to this, as Forbes' Paul Tassi explains, it's hard not to look at it as a bleak set of instructions for Destiny 2's dwindling quality in the past few years.

Guardians race in their sparrows in Savathûn's Throne World in Destiny 2.
The Witch Queen released the year before Lightfall, when Bungie seemed to be making strides. Image via Bungie

Truman himself brings it up in his message to fans. "When we're at our best—we create those worlds alongside you, our player community, and build something that matters," the blog post reads. "Something that's worth your time, your passion, and your investment in us. Something that I've learned, hopefully, overdelivers."

The leadership change comes in an emblematic moment for Bungie. The studio is in deep trouble following the cancellation of some of its side projects, Marathon's delay following accusations that its artistic DNA was plagiarized, and the disappointing release of The Edge of Fate, Destiny 2's latest expansion. Bungie is being further integrated into Sony, with today's leadership change marking a huge step in that direction.

The post Destiny fans celebrate as much-maligned Bungie CEO steps down, replaced by 15-year studio veteran appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:06 PM
    

Players aiming at another player in Abyssus

Recently-released title Abyssus throws plenty of guns and weapons at you, so it's essential to understand which ones rock and which fall flat.

Like every good shooter on the market, Abyssus has many options. Being a Roguelite, failure is inevitable. However, the effectiveness of your gun/weapon would determine how successful your runs in general are and how quickly you can reach the endgame.

Table of contents

Complete Abyssus weapons tier list

The Plasma Rifle in Abyssus
Screenshot via Steam

S-tier

Weapon Reason
Tesla Gun This is by far the best weapon in the current build. The spark orbs are perfect for clearing multiple enemies in quick time. While the gun is slightly weak against single targets with bigger pools of health, the overall utility makes it my favorite choice in the game.
Brine Revolver While the Brine Revolver can be considered in the A-tier, it deals an absurd amount of damage against single enemies. This makes it pretty much one of the best options against bosses, and you'll need to kill them as much as you can. Hence, I have included it in the S-tier.
Plasma Launcher The Plasma Launcher is one of the best options available when it comes to AOE damage. On top of that, you can improve its fire rate and damage with the help of suitable amulets, making it a great weapon to invest into.

A-tier

Weapon Reason
Combat Bow The Combat Bow fits very well with the turrets, but I don't like the base version. Once you roll in the upgrades and improve the firing rate, the Combat Bow becomes better, but it's still an A-tier choice in the current build.
Fish Gun A really funny weapon in my books, but extremely effective when it comes to clearing enemies. Upgrades improve its base damage, while the explosion stacks are always useful.
Engine Rifle This gun doesn't excel in one particular area, but it's the perfect jack of all trades. This is also a good choice for beginners who are just getting started in Abyssus, so that's another point to keep in mind.

B-tier

Weapon Reason
Plasma Cannon Decent weapon that sadly has better alternatives in the current meta. It can still do damage in the hands of players who know how to use it properly.
Shotgun I find it hard to yield a weapon that requires a lot of knowledge to master positioning. Good option for short-range damage, but nothing much to talk about elsewhere.
Burst Machine Gun I like its general mechanics, but it's better to avoid it against enemies with more health.

C-tier

Our last tier has one honorable mention: the pistol. There's not much to it apart from being a good choice for beginners.

The post All Abyssus guns and weapons tier list appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:46 PM
    

lego batman key art

It excites me today, Detructoid, to come to you talking about my recent hands-on with Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, mainly because I had such a good time playing and want to gush about it.

It's hard to describe how well the meshing of Batman and Lego has been created here and how massive a labour of love has been made on this title to make it an authentic and probably one of the best Batman games, on top of potentially being one of the finest Lego games too. Yes, I'm that serious. The game plays incredibly well despite only having a small time to play it.

On its surface the game plays basically like an Arkham game from Rocksteady with combat being near identical but in Lego form, a multitude of Riddler trophies available to find, and the occasional puzzle to solve, This all meshes together with Lego mechanics that you would find in other titles such as a large amount of hidden collectibles to find and using specific characters to access areas, like Batman using his gadgets to pull open steel grates.

Image via Warner Bros.

Beyond the obvious Lego humor on display, whether it's using a pie as a finisher move on a crook or the usual gag visuals, I was surprised to learn that this game is actually co-op. You can play with two people and have to switch between characters, such as Jim Gordon. Upon looking at the character and vehicle screen, there were a bunch of question marks, hinting at more members of the Bat Family, likely with their own skills to be revealed in the future.

But even when playing co-op, if you aren't Batman, you still get access to Batman-like controls, such as everyone having a glider, being able to use the grappling hook, and other things, so that you can still feel like Mr. Wayne even if you aren't playing as him.

The game is also open world, and while there is a set mission for you to follow, it's quite easy to jump in the Batmobile or zipline off and fly around Gotham to look for secrets and iconic areas from the comics, the films, and the games.

Image via Warner Bros.

In a small 30-minute hands-on, I was able to both explore Gotham and also take part in a small early story mission revolving around the birth of the Joker before he fell into a vat of acid, which allowed me to try all these mechanics and get a feel for how the team was looking to shape their title. And I was very impressed. And of course, I tried looking for tons of secrets and the usual Lego hidden Collectibles and items that each level has.

Again, it was a pure delight, and while I'm not sold on Batman's voice so far, I'm sure it will grow on me over time. It's a great blend of Lego and the Arkham games, and I'm really excited to see more from this game in the future.

The post Gamescom Hands-On: Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:39 PM
    

Kazer and his companion in Lost Soul Aside

After several delays, Lost Soul Aside is finally coming to PlayStation consoles and PCs, and its launch is imminent.

The upcoming game, already featured on Steam's top sellers, will launch in the last week of August. Before deep diving into what to expect, let's go through the countdown to help you stay on track with the launch schedule.

Lost Soul Aside release countdown

Many console games typically launch regionally, allowing players in some countries to enjoy them early. With Lost Soul Aside, the developers have opted for a simultaneous launch window instead. Whether you plan to play on PC or PS5, the game will go live simultaneously on Aug. 29. If there are no more delays (fingers crossed), we can play Lost Soul Aside in over a week while writing this article.


[hurrytimer id="1107021"]

You can use this countdown to stay on top of the release. The countdown is based on the following timings, taken from the PlayStation Network store.

  • 9pm PST (Aug. 28)
  • 11pm CST (Aug. 28)
  • Midnight EST (Aug. 29)
  • 4am UTC (Aug. 29)
  • 5am BST (Aug. 29)

There's a Digital Deluxe Edition that offers extra goodies to players. However, there's no system of early access or advanced access.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH1Kpu4bHEg

Lost Soul Aside features

Lost Soul Aside aims to be a beautiful story-driven RPG in which you embark on a journey to save your sister and humanity simultaneously. The enemies are mysterious dimensional invaders, and they will vary in difficulty and in-game challenges.

While the basic combat system is easy to understand, you must chain your weapons and land combos to maximize your damage. Earn experience points and then use them to improve your characters in the Skill Tree.

Apart from character evolution, there are weapon skills to unlock, and you can upgrade them further using fragments. In short, there are plenty of in-game mechanics to improve your character builds and weapons to yield more damage and clear the campaign.

The post Lost Soul Aside release countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:32 PM
    

The Crypt of the NecroDancer boss in the game, surrounded by skeletons.

Crypt of the NecroDancer devs seem to have fun with their characters. The way they built the NecroDancer franchise since 2015 makes me imagine them treating their characters like a child making a military toy fight Peppa Pig, then making both get eaten by a plastic dinosaur falling from the sky.

VTuber Hatsune Miku can slay giant red dragons in the dungeons of Crypt. Cadence, the main character in the series, can fight the NecroDancer outside of the Crypt using her guitar powers in Rift. All these characters can end up in a rhythmic yoga session, or maybe turn into Link and Ganon in the world of The Legend of Zelda, as in the spin-off Cadence of Hyrule. The glue that has been keeping the entire franchise together for over 10 years is rhythm.

"Believe it or not, Crypt continues to be one of our studio's biggest sources of income to
this day," Madeleine Gray, communications director at NecroDancer developer Brace Yourself Games (BYG), exclusively told Destructoid. "As long as players are excited for new content, we'll do our best to keep providing. We've got an amazing team, community, artists, and we're still picking up some exciting collaboration opportunities, for both Rift and Crypt."

Madeleine assured that development around the NecroDancer franchise is still in its prime. After BYG turned a multiplayer fan mod into SYNCHRONY, an official DLC for Crypt, the company hired the main dev behind the mod, Adrian Zeyfang, to work full-time on both NecroDancer titles.

She recognizes that game development as a whole is in a rough place, but that the future of rhythm games is bright.

"There's a lot of rhythm games in particular in the near future that have me extremely excited," Madeleine said. "Not only do we have some new rhythm games coming out that look incredible, like D-CELL's UNBEATABLE, but we're getting revivals of iconic titles like Rhythm Heaven." Madeleine also reminded me how Soulslikes and RuneScape are rhythm games in disguise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mo1Pbjqxhc

Community is one of the three pieces that keep the NecroDancer franchise thriving

NecroDancer devs see the franchise having legs for the future based on three pillars: replayability, community, and creative versatility.

"There are players with multiple thousands of hours in Crypt, because the procedurally generated dungeons keep runs fresh," Madeleine explained. "Rift doesn't quite have that, but we make up for it with a steady stream of new songs and content."

The creative energy of NecroDancer players is another element that keeps the franchise alive. "It's still alive and well because of the passion of our players," she added.

Cadence of Hyrule is proof of how the BYG devs created a versatile game style, and this game might not be the last time we'll see NecroDancer blending in with other universes.

"The crossover worked so well because there are so many creative synergies between the NecroDancer and Zelda," Madeleine said. "We're open to large-scale collaboration opportunities, and have been approached with various proposals since Cadence of Hyrule, but there's a lot to consider beyond IP fit, so we take it on a case-by-case basis."

NecroDancer seemingly has all the elements needed to keep this decade-old indie franchise running for another decade, and BYG is willing to make it happen.

"We're always thinking about fun new places we can take the 'rhythm-action' genre," Madeleine concluded. "Whether that's an entirely new design or different platforms."

The post NecroDancer could see more collabs like Cadence of Hyrule, series is 'still in its prime' appeared first on Destructoid.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:36 PM
    

Microsoft has announced the next set of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of August. The games include Persona 4 Golden, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Void/Breaker, and more. The full list of games, DLC, and Perks coming to Xbox Game Pass via Microsoft can be seen below as well as games […]

The post Xbox Game Pass Adds Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Persona 4 Golden, and More appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:14 PM
    

An announcement trailer was also released.

The post Tales of Xillia Remastered Announced For PC and Consoles appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:00 PM
    

Showcases new story details.

The post Silent Hill f Gets New Story Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:47 PM

MonsterVine Thursday, August 21, 2025 9:35 PM
     Publisher Owlcat Games and developer Emotion Spark Studio have revealed that Rue Valley will officially launch on November 11, 2025. Set to release on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, the game is described as a deeply emotional isometric narrative RPG about one man's struggle to break free from a […]

MonsterVine Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:00 PM
     Funcom took the stage during the Into the Infinite showcase at Gamescom 2025 to reveal a massive wave of new content for Dune: Awakening, its open-world survival crafting game. On September 10, 2025, players will be able to continue the main story in Chapter 2, dive into the brand-new standalone DLC The Lost Harvest, and […]

MonsterVine Thursday, August 21, 2025 3:00 PM
     Tripwire Presents and developer Arctic Hazard unveiled the first gameplay trailer for Norse: Oath of Blood during FGS Live from Gamescom 2025. The turn-based tactical Viking saga is set to launch in 2025 for PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and is available now for wishlisting on PC […]

MonsterVine Thursday, August 21, 2025 2:00 PM
     During Future Games Show, Kakehashi Games and developer Serial Project revealed Serial World, a brand-new deck-building JRPG launching exclusively on PC in 2026. The announcement was accompanied by a whimsical trailer that teased its colorful world, mysterious creatures, and strategic gameplay. Milo's Journey Through Bricktown and Beyond Serial World follows a boy named Milo, whose […]