GamersHeroes Sunday, November 9, 2025 4:08 PM Meshing together grand strategy elements with political management, the future of France lies in one's hands this Sunday with the 1.0 release of Studio Imugi's Bonaparte - A Mechanized Revolution on Steam. The post Bonaparte – A Mechanized Revolution 1.0 Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:36 PM I can't believe I'm saying this in the same year we've had Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and The Alters, but ARC Raiders is a real contender for Game of the Year. The post ARC Raiders Anonymous Review appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
PCGamesN Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:05 PM Grab some easy rings, a skin, or something else entirely with new Sonic Rumble codes for the release of the Blue Blur's speedy party game. |
PCGamesN Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:00 PM Whether you want to be a brave medic or the commander of your entire army, Hell Let Loose is a brutal, strategic, and gripping FPS. |
Siliconera Sunday, November 9, 2025 3:00 PM
The shojo manga The Emperor's Caretaker features a love story, of course, but it sometimes it feels like that comes in second to showing depictions of court life and what a child emperor and his aides go through. There are many segments showing the training young Zhiyou is experiencing, what Linhua experiences as his caretaker, and the responsibilities of his regent and brother Souren. There's some familiarity, but it is very professional and respectful. In contrast, volume 5 in the series gives us a first opportunity to see what Linhua, her brothers, her mother, and her father the Chancellor of the Right Liu Xiaoming are like in more casual settings at home. It ends up being charming and relatable.
Editor's Note: There will be spoilers for volume 5 of The Emperor's Caretaker manga below.
We'd already met two members of Linhua's family in earlier volumes. Her older brother Xiuying is in the service of the acting ruler Souren. Her father Xiaoming is a leader in the country and advisor, acting as the Chancellor of the Right. The fourth volume even teased her free-spirited little brother Feilong, who is about the same age as Emperor Zhiyou. But in the fifth novel we get to see the Liu family home and their dynamic when they aren't forced to be professional and on their best behavior. It ends up being sweet, insightful, and funny for so many reasons.
To start, the whole idea behind the trip is an endearing one. Emperor Zhiyou worked with Souren for this surprise excursion for Linhua to give her a chance to visit with her mother and little brother, who she hadn't seen for a while due to her role caring for the young boy who'll become the country's leader. It shows how considerate this child is, for one. And mature, since as a kid who misses his own mother, he thought enough to help arrange and surprise this for Linhua. Plus, it's just sweet to see a young emperor be that kind.
From there, it jumps right into humor. Feilong is an incredibly spirited child who is kind and fun, but has no sense of decorum or knowledge of how to interact with a young emperor his own age. So he runs up, completely a mess from playing, to greet Linhua, Zhiyou, and Souren. It's hilarious to see him being a pure, innocent, exuberant child, Zhiyou stunned by that, and Linhua shocked about how to react. The fact that her mother Han Meiling is so deadpan about it and offers such a practical solution is equally funny, while also highlighting that this is normal for him and the household. It's so well handled.
From there, we get the fantastic insights into how kind and thoughtful Linhua's mother Meiling and even seemingly serious and strict father Xiaoming are. We learn that, after the events of the first volume and the scandal with the Li family, news came to light that their young daughter who was a "candidate" to possibly marry Zhiyou was an abused child adopted just as a pawn. After the Chancellor of the Left was deposed and replaced by his son, his son and the Liu family decided to adopt young Cuilan. So we meet Linhua's new, adorable little sister and see segments showing how kind her mother and father were to that child. Likewise, her mother offers insights that highlight that, while Xiaoming seemed ready to pull a cheap trick to perhaps get Linhua married off in the first volume, he's more caring and considerate than expected and not everything was how it seems.
By the end of the fifth volume of The Emperor's Caretaker manga, it gets back into more serious matters and insights into the dangers and protocol that comes from being associated with the royal court. But for a time in this installment, we get a reprieve. We see what Linhua's life is like when she isn't at court, and how her family really is behind closed doors. The result is heartwarming and humorous, which is a very much appreciated series of insights.
Volume 5 of The Emperor's Caretaker manga is available now, and Square Enix will release volume 6 on February 3, 2026.
The post The Emperor's Caretaker 5 Shows Differences Between Court and Home Life appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 4:30 PM
Switching the Supply is one of many water-related quests to complete in ARC Raiders, and this one takes place on the Spaceport map.
Switching the Supply begins after you obtain it from Celeste. The quest involves turning on a valve in the tunnels of Spaceport. The location of the valve can be pretty confusing, and this guide will make it easy for you to finish the tasks.
Table of contents
ARC Raiders Switching the Supply quest walkthrough
The Switching the Supply quest can be broken down into the following parts.
Our first task is to find the tunnels that run under the Spaceport map. There are multiple ways of entering the tunnels. I have marked the entrance from where it will take the least amount of time for you to reach the valve.
You'll find that a part of the tunnel's upper surface has caved in at the spot that I have marked above. The Spaceport tower will be to your exact left, and you can use the opening to get down into the tunnel. Once done, turn back, and the valve will be to your right on the wall.
Go close to the valve, and you'll be able to interact with it. The valve is hard to miss as it's highlighted by a gas lamp on the wall. Switching the Supply doesn't require a successful extraction. Just speak with Celeste when you're back in Speranza, and you'll be able to complete the quest.
All Switching the Supply quest rewards in ARC Raiders
Here's the complete list of rewards you get from completing the Switching the Supply quest.
If you're close to approaching the endgame quests, try completing Power Out and Armored Transports for more rewards.
The post How to complete Switching the Supply in ARC Raiders appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 4:03 PM
Elden Ring Nightreign is getting a DLC, and pretty soon, according to a recent financial report by FromSoftware's parent company, Kadokawa. We can expect the game's new expansion to come by the end of this fiscal year, but I would've been a lot happier if it were a free update.
A few months ago, I spoke about Nightreign's overall flaws and design philosophy that made the game become dull and boring rather quickly, with a few things allowing for greater replayability after you've beaten some of its bosses. This is in stark contrast to most roguelikes out there, which usually can retain their players for much longer and take a lot more time to be experienced in full.
The best way to solve this would've been to introduce new bosses, maps or map variations, and new characters, not as paid content but free updates akin to what other high-caliber games have done.
But it appears we're getting a DLC instead.
Kadokawa, FromSoftware's majority owner, has disclosed that a DLC is coming for Elden Ring Nightreign, which performed above and beyond what the company initially expected (thanks Eurogamer). The IP is so strong that people seem to have flocked to it even if it didn't have much to do with Elden Ring at all, inspiring Kadokawa and FromSoftware to pursue it further with a DLC.
That would be fine and dandy in any other case. After all, Elden Ring had a DLC, and so did most of FromSoftware's games. Some even had multiple. But Nightreign would have benefited from continuous, incremental content expansions that saw the game grow as time went by. More and more folks would jump in with each subsequent "major" update, and those coming later would be met with a title far bigger than what it was on launch.
Dropping a paid DLC (assuming it will be paid) is not the way to go for a game like this, especially when so many smaller studios have been putting out free, constant updates for their titles, enriching the experience through time and allowing it to grow in a live environment. The usual FromSoftware structure cannot, and should not, apply to Nightreign, which is far removed from its traditional game.
I hope the DLC does end up being a significant improvement and expansion to Elden Ring Nightreign, because, as I said a few months prior, the game really needs it.
The post FromSoft's latest and weirdest game is getting a DLC—but I'd rather they gave us a free update instead appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 3:47 PM
The Armored Transports quest can be one of the hardest ones to complete in ARC Raiders, and knowing the correct steps will make your life easier.
You can begin the quest after obtaining it from Tien Wen. Structure-wise, the Armored Transports quest is pretty simple, where you need to locate an armored Patrol Car. This guide will make it easy for you to complete all the required steps.
Table of contents
ARC Raiders Armored Transports quest walkthrough
The Armored Transports quest can be broken down into the following tasks.
The first task is to get the Armored Patrol Key Card from a guard kiosk. If you're at the location marked on the screenshot above, head inside the hut. You'll find a table with a folder on it. Interact with the folder to pick up an Armored Patrol Key Card and add it to your inventory. Make sure to add it immediately to a safe pocket to avoid losing it in case you die.
Armored Car locations in ARC Raiders
The next part of the quest is the harder one. First, we will have to head to Headspace, located in the northern part of Blue Gate. Take the stairs down and you'll reach a zipline. Use the zipline to go all the way down, and you'll have reached the Blue Gate Checkpoint.
Here's a fun fact: there are five Armored Patrol cars that you can find at this location. I have marked the location of all five for you to roam around and locate. Once you find the correct car, use the key from your inventory to gain access.
Add all the loot that you can find from the car and extract safely. This is extremely important to complete the Armored Transports quest.
All Armored Transports quest rewards in ARC Raiders
Here's a complete list of rewards that you can obtain by completing the Armored Transports quest.
You can also open the Armored Patrol car outside of the quest by using a suitable key card. Alternatively, the Bees! quest is a good choice if you're looking to find a few utility items.
The post How to complete Armored Transports in ARC Raiders appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 3:14 PM
The indie title about carrying an RV through a gauntlet of geographical obstacles is on its way to sell many million units, and I get why. Despite its simplicity, RV has a lot of what I'd originally hoped Death Stranding would be, and none of its bloat.
The maturation of platformers from the 2D of Mario and Sonic, to the 3D of Lara, and, well, also Mario, had a huge impact on me and on my love for games in general. The extra dimension, when combined with the graphical boost, naturally led to games that would benefit from a more grounded and realistic approach to platforming.
It was a great time for games, but the genre really hasn't evolved that much since. Even beloved games like Uncharted and Assassin's Creed, the closest we have to AAA realistic platformers nowadays, are pretty much that in name only. Long gone is the need to perfectly time your jumps, as these games care a lot more about a hero that will look cool performing the coolest-looking leaps and automatic ledge-grabs this side of Hollywood.
But maybe my assessment wasn't entirely accurate, because I was simply looking in the right direction. Maybe the evolution of the classic platformer actually ditched platform-hopping and even platforms altogether, instead opting for less obvious geographical obstacles. That's where titles such as Peak, Jusant, and RV shine. Games with fun obstacles that require not just great timing, but actual ingenuity to surpass. These are the true successors of the old platformers, and more.
When I finally learned what Death Stranding's gameplay would be like, over a year after they started promoting it, it rocked my world. A game by Hideo Kojima where the biggest challenge was traversing the world itself? I was immediately sold. Sadly, the series suffers from an inescapable plot that fluctuates between overcomplicated and bizarrely silly.
Subpar action, too. Yes, even if you'll only ever spend full price on a game featuring some sort of armed combat, you can at least agree that the version in Death Stranding is immensely inferior to what we'd seen in Kojima's very own Metal Gear Solid V. It feels like an afterthought, a weird, lingering one, since it remains in its full blandness in Death Stranding 2. The series could do great without combat, or at least without its form of combat, and with its stealth elements, or being the AAA version of Peak and RV.
I'll have Death Stranding 3 anyway
I think Death Stranding and its sequel truly shine when Sam is up against seemingly insurmountable threats that one can actually encounter in the real world. And that's what I want more of from Death Stranding. I want to find a way to go through a massive tornado, perhaps getting the chance to take screenshots while I'm in the eye of the storm. I want the game to task me with going around a volcano mid-eruption. Perhaps even jump over it.
RV, despite its success, doesn't have the budget to do that, or to at least make players get immersed in such a blockbuster event in a way that surpasses Hollywood—something that Kojima Productions definitely could pull off, and that they should pull off, given his undying fascination for all things Hollywood.
With that being said, I'm immensely grateful that Death Stranding exists. Even with all the gameplay compromises it makes to appease the AAA gods, it remains the most daring big-budget series out there, and I'd still have its regular wackiness over seeing it become yet another clone of a bland yearly-slated shooter series.
The post I hope Death Stranding 3 is hugely inspired by RV There Yet? appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:15 PM
Path of Exile 1, the 12-year-old revolutionary free-to-play ARPG, is leagues above its own successor, having six times its concurrent players. The sequel, currently in early access, is actively bleeding players as development grinds away slowly ahead of the full release.
According to SteamDB, the original Path of Exile has around 115,000 concurrent players on Steam, with the sequel hovering around 20,000 during peak hours. The former recently received a new expansion, Keepers of the Flame, which launched on Oct. 31 and immediately drew in tons of players, propelling the game from an average peak of 10,000 to over 185,000 players. It's the first proper expansion in a long while and a major show of appreciation for GGG's original title, which many feared would be sidelined in favor of Path of Exile 2.
While on the topic of PoE 2, the game has been in early access for almost a year now, but instead of spending a planned six months in development before its full, free-to-play release, it has been in early access for, well, almost 12. The last major update was patch 0.3, which added tons of new content and saw the game soar to over 300,000 peak players, but they quickly abandoned ship as content ran out.
Ever since the patch in September, PoE 2 has been steadily declining over the months, with many likely opting to return to the much more content-rich PoE 1 and its new expansion. We're a month away from the first anniversary of PoE 2's launch, which will hopefully be a major milestone that will see the release of patch 0.4, but we'll likely have to wait until 2026 for that to happen.
PoE 2 is an amazing game by all accounts, but I cannot say that the slow development hasn't driven me away from it. I bought in on launch day and played as much as I could, but the three acts available then ran out quickly and left me yearning for more. Bits and crumbs did come our way, including a fourth Act, but it's simply not enough, and I hope to see GGG pick up the pace and make PoE 2 into the giant ARPG masterpiece it's meant to be.
In the meantime, it seems I and many others have another thing to play. For free, mind you.
The post 12 year old Path of Exile is beating its sequel with six times the player count as GGG's new title suffers massive player losses appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 1:45 PM
The Base Hero Upgrade SBC has arrived in FC 26, and it's a fantastic shot at obtaining a guaranteed Hero item.
For the first time, EA Sports has removed overall restrictions usually associated with these SBCs. However, you'll have to invest a fair amount of your fodder to obtain the rewards. Let's look at all the available cards you can find from the rewards pool.
Complete list of FC 26 Base Hero Upgrade SBC rewards
As mentioned earlier, there's no overall restriction. Every Base Hero currently available in Ultimate Team is part of the rewards.
Always be careful to use your fodder smartly since there are plenty of cards worth less than the price of completing the challenge.
The post All FC 26 Base Hero Upgrade SBC rewards appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 1:44 PM
Quests are the best way to progress in ARC Raiders. Whereas you can set goals for yourself on every trip topside, quests give you a proper sense of purpose and are a great avenue to unveiling more details about the game's unique story and world.
But not every mission is made equal, and some can and will confuse players. One of those assignments is the A Lay of the Land quest issued by Shani that requires you to visit a few locations, check out a couple hidden places, and extract with an item, all in one round.
So, if you felt stuck, here's what you ought to do.
A Lay of the Land ARC Raiders quest walkthrough
A Lay of the Land takes place on the Spaceport map and is a multi-assignment quest. Each of its parts has to be completed in the same round, and you'll even have to survive (or put the quest item in your safe pocket) to meet all the prerequisites for turning it in.
These are all the steps you need to do to clear this quest:
This last bit is a mandatory requirement of the quest, so I suggest taking an Augment with you that contains safe pocket space, which will ensure you extract with the quest item no matter what happens. The world is cruel, and many players shoot on sight, so save yourself the trouble of repeating this whole quest by equipping the proper Augment.
The post How to complete A Lay of the Land in ARC Raiders appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 1:24 PM
The Wing Wizards Evolution is now live in FC 26, and you can spend a bit of your coins to upgrade a card of your choice.
With stat upgrades, role, and palystyles on offer, you can upgrade a gold-rated item of yours. This guide will help you lock down the best possible choices based on the requirements and upgrades.
Table of contents
FC 26 Wing Wizards Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements of Wing Wizards Evolution in FC 26.
FC 26 Wing Wizards Evolution upgrades
The evolution has four levels of upgrades, each with certain conditions to fulfill.
Level 1 upgrades
Level 2 upgrades
Level 3 upgrades
Level 4 upgrades
Level 1 upgrade requirements
Level 2 upgrade requirements
Level 3 upgrade requirements
Level 4 upgrade requirements
Best players to use in Wing Wizards Evolution
Here are some of my best recommendations for inclusion in the evolution.
While the upgrades are significant, you will be able to include these cards in future evolutions to create a chain and evolve their stats further.
The post Best players for FC 26 Wing Wizards Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Sunday, November 9, 2025 1:04 PM
Paradox Interactive has done it. I can't say it did it "again," because it usually botches every single launch and release and forces us to wait for years until its game becomes "good." But EU5 is the exception, and its overwhelming launch-day content makes it PDX's finest release.
I've already put in some 10 or so hours into the game, starting as Holland with a few ducats and a dream to one day unite the Lowlands into the glorious Dutch Republic. The road there was going to be tough, I knew as much from my thousands of hours in Europa Universalis 4.
But what I was not prepared for in the slightest was the immense and overwhelming complexity of EU5's new and detailed systems, which were nautical miles above what its predecessor had.
The first few hours saw me staring at screens I had no clue about. Pops were demanding various resources, food was nowhere to be seen, and I kept losing money but knew not where it was going. It was chaotic, disorganized, complicated, but that's precisely what invited me to dig deeper, try harder, and eventually turn this small county into a colonial powerhouse.
I had to figure out how to manage supply and demand, listen to the parliament for once, and learn how to even conquer a province that I needed for my ultimate goal. Everything I knew in the thousands of hours spent with other Paradox games was out the window and had to be relearned, reconfigured. It took a while, but I managed it, and once I got the hang of the countless systems that were more Victoria than Europa Universalis, things started to really "click" for me.
My country suddenly expanded, Holland was now a Duchy, the first expeditions to Terra Nullius were sent, and before I knew it I was in control of the Netherlands, but still far from a republic.
It's an incredibly challenging game, one that tests your very understanding of grand strategies and has so much content on launch that it puts most other PDX releases to shame, even with all their DLCs. The base game here is as wide as the Atlantic Ocean you so desperately wish to cross in search of better fortunes, and deeper than the greatest mines of gold of the New World.
A fantastic, demanding, and incredibly fun experience that took the simplified base of Europa Universalis 4 and sprinkled in just the right amount of CK and Victoria into it. Johan, you mad lad, you've outdone yourself.
Paradox Tinto has set a new precedent for the company, and every time a new grand strategy launches, we'll be looking back to EU5 as the new baseline.
The post I have no idea what I'm doing in Europa Universalis 5—and that's what makes it Paradox' finest appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:25 PM Announced in the latest Community Livestream. The post Halo Infinite Will Stop Getting Major Content Updates appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:00 PM A backend image was leaked. The post Silent Hill 2 Remake Xbox Release Date Seemingly Leaks appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Sunday, November 9, 2025 1:53 PM Revealed in a recent earnings report. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Now The Fourth Best Selling Game of All Time appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |