Over the summer, a story circulated across news outlets claiming that eating plant-based burgers led to heart disease. New research, the Washington Post reported in June, found eating plant-derived foods that are ultra-processed such as meat substitutes, fruit juices, and pastries increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Vegan fake meats linked to heart disease, early death, the New York Post declared. There was just one problem: The narrative was totally fake. The claim emerged from a study on plant-based ultra-processed foods by a team of nutrition researchers at the University of So Paulo and Imperial College London. Using data from a sample of 118,397 people in the UK who had reported what they ate over at least two days, the paper found that increased consumption of ultra-processed plant foods was associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and premature death, while eating non-ultra-processed plants like fruits and vegetables was linked to better health outcomes. But plant-based meats were virtually absent from the study: Just 0.2 percent of calories across the sample came from meat alternatives. The bulk of the plant-based ultra-processed calories instead came from what the authors describe as industrialised packaged breads, pastries, buns, and cakes, and biscuits, better known in the US as cookies foods that have little to do with plant-based meats or other specialty vegan products. The new generation of vegan burgers, including Impossible and Beyond burgers, did not yet exist when the data was collected between 2009 and 2012. With such a small contribution, we cant draw any meaningful conclusions about plant-based meat alternatives specifically, University of So Paulo researcher Fernanda Rauber, lead author of the study, told me in an email. That makes sense. Not many people, after all, regularly eat vegan meat alternatives. So why did the media focus on plant-based meats? The answer is bigger than just one misreported study. It connects to deeper tensions within the science of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a relatively recent category in nutrition research used to describe packaged foods with dubious-sounding ingredients not typically used in household kitchens. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trumps pick to lead US health policy, promises to crack down on ultra-processed foods and has called plant-based meats instruments of corporate control over our food system and humanity. And its not just RFK Jr. and his MAHA supporters. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), too, has recently called for regulating UPFs. Last week, however, the scientific panel that advises the creation of the federal dietary guidelines concluded that there was limited evidence on UPFs health effects and that few studies were designed and conducted well. The supposed danger of ultra-processed foods has resonated among the general public in the last several years, tapping into anxieties about industrial modernity and a sense that were being poisoned by big food companies. It really responds to this feeling that a lot of consumers have, which is that the food industry is not protecting their health, Aviva Musicus, science director for the health policy advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, told me. Consumers are right about that: The American food environment is unhealthy and disease-promoting, and the food industry bears much of the blame. But ultra-processed foods a framework so broad that it borders on useless, as Oxford nutrition researcher Nicola Guess argued in the New York Times this week does little to clarify the reasons why. Taken at face value, it could even steer consumers away from healthier, more planet-friendly plant-based foods. What happened with that study and why the ultra-processed concept is so confusingJournalists have a responsibility to verify the facts of any research they cover. But the framing of that University of So PauloImperial College study, and the promotional materials associated with it, might have made it easy for reporters to misunderstand what the research really found.A news release from Imperial College London led with a photo of plant-based burgers, sausages, and meatballs, as one nutrition researcher not associated with the study pointed out at the time, and the first example the release mentions of ultra-processed plant foods is plant-based meat. Many plant-based foods, including meat-free alternatives such as some sausages, burgers and nuggets, can be classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs), despite often being marketed as healthy options, the release reads. Thats neither a fair representation of the research nor of plant-based meats relatively small role in most diets. The use of these examples, Rauber told me, are technically correct because they do fall into the ultra-processed plant-based group. That said, these foods contributed very little to the overall calories in our study, she acknowledged. I probably wouldnt have chosen that specific photo to illustrate the findings, since our study examined broader dietary patterns comparing ultra-processed plant-based foods with their non-ultra-processed counterparts not specific food categories. But press teams often need concrete examples for clarity, and we understand the medias role in shaping how findings are presented.Things get weirder when you dig into how the study defined ultra-processed meat alternatives. Included on that list are tofu and tempeh, soybean-based foods that have been used in East and Southeast Asian cuisines for centuries. They bear little to no resemblance to products like Impossible and Beyond burgers.This fact, more than anything else about the study, set off my BS detector. Ultra-processed foods researchers categorize foods according to the Nova classification, which consists of four tiers, going from least to most processed: Group one, which includes unprocessed or minimally processed foods, like whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts, milk, and cuts of meat.Group two, or processed culinary ingredients, including cooking oils, butter, lard, sugar, and salt. Group three, or processed foods, often made by combining group one and group two ingredients into things like homemade breads, desserts, sauts, and other dishes. Group four, or ultra-processed foods, defined as formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes, including dyes, flavors, emulsifiers, certain sugars like fructose, and other ingredients rarely or never found in home kitchens. Depending on how you interpret these categories, tofu probably belongs in group three, and tempeh, which is just fermented soybeans, may belong in group one. Neither of them fit the ultra-processed category. Foods with added gluten, too, have been arbitrarily slotted into category four by the creators of the Nova classification, although gluten has a long history as a meat alternative (known as seitan) in East Asian cuisines. Not only can you use it in your home kitchen, but you can make it yourself from flour.If youre confused, dont feel bad some of the worlds top nutrition experts are, too. You look at these papers, and its still very hard to pin down what the definition [of ultra-processed] really is, Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard, told me. Its a concept prone to illogical free association, lumping together Cheetos with ultra-healthy fermented beans. Asked why tofu and tempeh were classified this way, Rauber said the dietary questionnaire filled out by people in the dataset grouped together tofu, tempeh, and soya mince, also known as textured vegetable protein (a UPF, but one thats a perfectly reasonable source of protein and fiber made after the fat has been removed from soybeans in the production of soybean oil). While plain tofu itself might not be considered ultra-processed, we observed that many options available on the market at the time of data collection contained natural flavourings, thickeners like guar gum, and other ingredients that align with the Nova definition of UPF, she wrote. Thats true of some flavored tofus though the addition of an ingredient like guar gum wouldnt much impact their nutritional properties. Added sugar, however, definitely would but sugar is not an ultra-processed ingredient, according to the Nova classification, unless it comes in the form of something like high-fructose corn syrup, which is.This story was first featured in the Processing Meat newsletterSign up here for Future Perfects biweekly newsletter from Marina Bolotnikova and Kenny Torrella, exploring how the meat and dairy industries shape our health, politics, culture, environment, and more.Have questions or comments on this newsletter? Email us at futureperfect@vox.com!For the most part, the UPF category targets ingredients that have only come into use with modern food science and industrial technology. Without a doubt, many foods that meet the ultra-processed criteria are bad for us, and were better off eating mostly unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Processed meat is classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization because of the specific harms of that type of processing. UPFs like Twinkies and Oreos are unhealthy because theyve been processed in a way that strips important nutrients and adds super tasty, health-damaging components like sugar things that are well-established in nutrition science, without reference to the concept of ultra-processing.The relevant question about a novel scientific concept is not whether it happens to correlate with stuff we already know is true, but whether it adds something genuinely new to our knowledge, without also being wrong about a bunch of other things, as New York University environmental scientist Matthew Hayek pointed out to me. UPF, at least so far, doesnt seem to clear that bar it casts a net that manages to be overbroad while excluding some unhealthy forms of processing that have been around longer. Meanwhile, the ultra-processed framework has needlessly cast aspersions on foods that are perfectly fine (like store-brought 100 percent whole-grain bread with some added gluten generally still a better choice than less processed white bread) and that can make it easier to enjoy unprocessed whole foods (like MSG, another ingredient I use at home). On the Nova scale, homemade soup is a 1 unless you use a bouillon cube, in which case it catapults to a 4, Washington Post food columnist Tamar Haspel wrote earlier this year.These arbitrary categorizations can make it harder to make informed comparisons between foods. Some of the plant-based alternatives to meat are quite a bit healthier, it looks like, than the actual beef or pork that people are consuming. Its a big step in a healthier direction, a huge step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Willett said, citing meats high carbon footprint.Beyond Meat, which has recently switched the fat source in many of its products from coconut and canola oils to avocado oil, fares particularly well against beef, with much lower saturated fat, lots of protein, iron, and even a bit of fiber. Would it be better to eat an unprocessed source of plant protein, like beans? Sure. Minimally processed foods are almost always the optimal choice, Willett said.I wouldnt eat Beyond burgers every day, much like it would not be a good idea to eat a beef burger every day. But theres no reason to be afraid of them. What this means in the real worldHaving said all that: I get it. It feels intuitive to think there is something fundamentally not right about ultra-processed foods. I can understand why people would be freaked out by a vegan burger that looks and tastes like meat. I shudder at the junk that was normal for kids to eat when I was growing up Gushers, Fruit Rollups, Coke and think: That is not food. (Though someone might have said the same thing the first time sugarcane was processed into granulated sugar, and theyd have a point.) It makes sense to have humility about how much we have yet to learn about the impacts of the sweeping changes to our diets that have taken place over the last century. We do need more research into how specific food additives might contribute to specific health outcomes, like impacts to our microbiomes, an area not yet well understood. Emerging evidence suggests some of them might harm health, particularly through gut microbiome disruption, inflammation, and even DNA damage, Rauber said. If UPF were a more intellectually modest concept, it might have more analytic value. But much of the UPF literature has committed itself to the untenable position that whatever it classifies as ultra-processed is automatically an inferior choice, even a dangerous one. Meanwhile, people in the real world are making real food choices under all sorts of constraints, and it would make no sense to tell them that they should avoid unsweetened soy milk just because it contains a thickener. Yet thats what another, more recent UPF study, with some of the same authors as the University of So PauloImperial College paper, suggests doing. Pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans were more likely to include plant-based milk and meat alternatives in their diet, the study concludes, a finding that the authors find concerning. They argue that it is, therefore, important that urgently needed policies that address food system sustainability like encouraging a transition to more plant-forward diets also promote rebalancing diets towards minimally processed foods away from UPFs.Getty ImagesThis kind of rigidity only makes it harder to make healthier, more sustainable, more humane food choices free of animal products. Soy milk is almost for sure, in the long run, going to be healthier than cow milk, Willett said. The breadth and ambiguity of the campaign against ultra-processed foods make it vulnerable to sloppy thinking and manipulation by pseudoscience purveyors like RFK Jr. Combine that with a political climate in which multiple red states have banned cell-cultivated meat and meat producers seize every opportunity to thwart plant-based competitors, and you can imagine how plant-based meats could be targeted by an unprincipled, politicized application of ultra-processed food research.Vegans and the products associated with them make an easy punching bag for everyone from RFK Jr. to universities chasing media coverage to news outlets seeking reader eyeballs because they make people feel bad about eating meat. Its easier to write off meat alternatives as weird and synthetic than it is to reckon with the environmental and ethical degradation of animal agriculture. But the vilification of these foods, as ever, is not based in well-founded fears about their health effects. Its really just about the vibes.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

20. SatisfactoryPC It starts with a single machine: a landing pod on an untouched planet. Then a drill, built with iron mined by your own hand. Hours later, the planet is covered in neat (or not) arrays of extractors and conveyor belts, machines whirring comfortingly as they create their infinite thingummies. Corporate strip-mining simulator it may be, but its just so absorbing.19. Thank Goodness Youre Here!PS4/5, PC, Nintendo Switch Like much of the best British comedy, this slapstick puzzle game is topped off with just a smattering of unease. As a tiny travelling salesman, you explore a barmy Viz-flavoured northern town, solving its citizenrys weird problems (a boy with a fear of milk, pie meat of questionable provenance, a lost screwdriver stolen by sentient rats). Unfailingly funny.18. Crow CountryPS4/5, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch A cleverly self-referential horror game about a gruesome theme park that draws on all of the genre classics of the 90s, and borrows their fuzzy polygonal aesthetic. Its twisted-fairground settings are as detailed as a dolls house, evolving unsettlingly as the hours pass and Crow Countrys mystery unfurls and the bold ending is worth the effort.More than a PS1 pastiche Crow Country. Photograph: SFB Games17. Pokmon Trading Card Game PocketSmartphones What first appears to be a manipulatively compelling card-collecting mobile game with a bunch of different inscrutable currencies is well, exactly that, but with the addition of impressively well-balanced, snappy and enjoyable competitive battling. It plays fast and smart, and allows for creative deck-building and creature combinations that let each player put their own twist on their game.16. Fear the SpotlightPS4/5, Xbox, PC A seance in a high-school library goes very wrong in this adventure game, a creepy, fun tribute to the best of 90s horror, both film and games. Thanks to its heartfelt, lightly metaphorical story and merciful absence of gore, this is the kind of game that even people who usually hate horror can enjoy.Gore-free horror Fear the Spotlight. Photograph: Cozy Game Pals15. Final Fantasy VII RebirthPS5, PC (2025) Using 1997s Final Fantasy VII as a foundation, Rebirth creates a bigger, richer and, of course, much more beautiful world for Cloud Strife and his companions to roam. A maximalist miracle of fan service replete with things to do, and new, expansive detail on some of the most beloved characters and stories in gamings history.14. Tactical Breach WizardsPC From the title, you would expect a game about a magical special ops team blasting their way through enemy territory with spells and time-rewinding powers. You might not expect a quietly radical story with superb characterisation and the courage to question the morality of the entire military-shooter genre it borrows from but youll get that, too.13. Tekken 8PS5, Xbox, PC Just a splendid modern fighting game, polished in every aspect. New contenders join the highlights of 30 years worth of Tekken rosters (including martial artists, cyborgs, a demon and two giant bears) to smack each other about in thrillingly ostentatious bouts that can turn around at any moment.Thrillingly ostentatious Tekken 8. Photograph: Bandai Namco Entertainment12. Lorelei and the Laser EyesPS4/5, PC, Nintendo Switch An artist invites you to an abandoned baroque hotel where nothing is as it seems. When you get there, you can rely only on your mind to disentangle the confused timelines and bespoke puzzles that await you, finding fragments of answers in paintings, discarded documents, behind locked doors and on the other end of a ringing phone. As ambitious, compulsive and stylish as puzzle games come.11. Animal WellPS5, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch The eeriness of this subterranean maze, filled with disquieting pixellated animals trying to snap you up for a snack, is offset by quiet beauty. Fronds of luminescent plants sway as you pass them; drips and creaks and distorted animal cries echo off the damp walls of intricate caverns. Exquisitely clever and atmospheric.10. Indiana Jones and the Great CircleXbox, PC The adventurous archaeologist whips around fascinating recreations of the Vatican City and the Pyramids of Giza in the 1940s, delving into ancient crypts and, naturally, punching Nazis. Anyone expecting a first-person Uncharted or Tomb Raider will be pleasantly surprised by the emphasis on puzzles, disguises and exploration over whipping out a revolver.9. UFO 50PC A compilation of 50 games from the long-defunct (fictional) 1980s game company, UFO Soft, encompassing a stunningly creative variety of themes and gameplay styles while remaining faithfully retro in look and feel. Almost any one of these games individually would be an indie release worth paying for. Together, they are an absurdly generous package.8. Black Myth: WukongPS5, PC It is rare to play an action game in 2024 that feels truly original. Black Myth: Wukongs spectacular take on Journey to the West is as flashy as Devil May Cry and (almost) as rewardingly challenging as Dark Souls. A tightly curated journey through Buddhist legend and jaw-slackening scenery.Truly original Black Myth: Wukong. Photograph: Game Science7. Helldivers 2PS5, PC This hit shooters premise is so simple and so well trodden: four players land on a planet full of insectoid aliens and blast it all to bits. But everything from the feel of the guns to the rhythm of each mission to the jingoistic satire is precisely engineered to entertain, and with the right friends, every session has the potential to devolve into slapstick hilarity.6. NevaPS4/5, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch A warrior and her wolf pup fight to survive and repel an incursion of oil-black demons into their natural paradise. As the seasons pass, the wolf grows, and so does the threat. One of the most extraordinary-looking games youll ever play, infused with deep and sincere feeling.5. Dragons Dogma 2PS5, Xbox, PC A highly unusual and unfailingly entertaining quasi-medieval fantasy role-playing game that has no qualms about dropping you into hot water and challenging you to figure things out for yourself. Stuck out in the woods at night after forgetting to pack your camping kit, surrounded by ghosts, you cannot fail to find your way to adventure.Adventure awaits Dragons Dogma 2. Photograph: Capcom4. BalatroPS4/5, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, smartphones The years biggest breakout indie hit, this chillwave psychedelic take on poker can make hours disappear. Create outrageous hands with decks of cards that transmogrify with each playthrough, making your score ping higher and higher (if you know what youre doing). Wins are elusive but every attempt brings you tantalisingly closer.3. Metaphor: ReFantazioPS4/5, Xbox, PC Extraordinary art direction, an operatic soundtrack and theatrical battles between transforming fantasy robots and grotesque Boschian human-adjacent monstrosities come together in an impassioned plea for the embrace of multicultural society and an end to divisive politics. A role-playing game as intelligent as it is grandiose, pairing philosophical postulating with intense strangeness and outrageous style.2. Elden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreePS4/5, Xbox, PC Not technically a sequel to 2022s dark fantasy masterpiece, but it may as well be. Shadow of the Erdtree adds tens of hours, more creatively disturbing foes and yet more fascinatingly defiled locations to FromSoftwares peerless realm. It reinvigorates an already superb game with a renewed sense of danger and possibility.More than a sequel Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Photograph: Bandai Namco Europe1. Astro BotPS5 A cute blue-and-white robot and his hundreds of little friends romp across a galaxy of fun-packed planets, aided by backpack monkeys, extendable frog boxing gloves and a rocket-powered chicken. A brisk 10-plus hours of pure, concentrated playfulness from Sonys Team Asobi, this inventive and adorable adventure shows exactly what modern consoles advanced technology can add to the business of fun.

Alongside some worthy winners Balatro, Astro Bot and Metaphor: ReFantazio swept the board the Game awards last Thursday brought a generous bounty of end-of-year announcements, like unexpected gifts under the tree. In terms of newsworthy reveals, it was the best show yet: it felt a bit like an old-school E3 conference. If you were, quite understandably, not watching a three-hour video game awards show live from LA that aired after midnight UK time, heres whats worth knowing about.A first look at The Witcher IVWeve known that another dark-fantasy RPG has been in development in Poland at CD Projekt for some time, but now weve seen it. The next Witcher game stars white-haired warrior badass Ciri, instead of her sort-of-father-figure Geralt, and the trailer shows her locked in combat with an impressively gruesome monster. I hell yeahd my way through this whole trailer I spent about 200 hours on The Witcher III back in the day and I am looking forward to this immensely.A new game from Naughty DogJudicious use of the Pet Shop Boys Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Photograph: Naughty DogThe next project from the developers of The Last of Us is called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and, as the name would suggest, its science fiction. You are trapped on a planet at the edge of the known galaxy from which nobody has returned in 600 years, cut off from communication with civilisation. The premise feels a little tired, but Im loving the stylish lines and bright colours of this space fantasy, and the judicious use of Pet Shop Boys in the trailer.We also saw a new trailer for another promising-looking AAA game: Mafia: The Old Country, which is set in Sicily. (Our Guardian games columnist Dominik Diamond recently played the remake of the original Mafia, to see if he was too old to finally become a mafioso.)Sequels I never expected to seeThe painterly kami from 2006, pictured here, is getting a sequel in 2026. Photograph: CapcomI loved the 2006 painterly Zelda-alike kami, in which you play a wolf-god fighting demons across ancient Japan with the help of a magic ink brush but I had long since given up hope of seeing a sequel (aside from 2010s kamiden, made by a different studio). So the announcement that Hideki Kamiya, the games original director, is working on kami 2 at his new studio Clovers was a surprise on a par with the unveiling of Shenmue III at E3 2015. The studio name is an in-joke: Kamiyas former studio, which made the original kami, was Clover.Another unexpected Capcom announcement was a new Onimusha game another PS2-era hit about samurai in feudal Japan, just as exciting but significantly more forgiving than the Ninja Gaiden action games (which are also getting a side-scrolling sequel). Sega is also getting in on the revivals the team behind Like a Dragon have been tasked with working on a new entry in the Virtua Fighter series. And even 90s dinosaur hunter Turok is getting another shot in a new game called Turok: Origins (warning: violent trailer).Future co-op classicsIn Split Fiction, two aspiring writers get trapped together in a VR simulation of their stories. Photograph: Electronic ArtsSwedish developer Hazelight is known for its cooperative games A Way Out, about two brothers attempting a prison break, and It Takes Two, a magical-realist platformer about a couple on the edge of divorce. The next one is about two aspiring writers sci-fi and fantasy who get trapped together in a VR simulation of their stories. You switch between fighting dragons and mechs. Its called Split Fiction.Meanwhile, the new game from the creators of Overcooked! is a creepy cooperative horror affair called Stage Fright, which has two players working through escape-room style scenarios. And also, FromSoftware has a new Elden Ring co-op spin-off that looks a bit like Elden Ring meets Monster Hunter I am slightly sceptical of this but also delighted at the prospect of a new FromSoftware game that I may actually be able to finish, because playing it will totally count as quality time with my partner.And finally Fumito Ueda led the team at Sonys Japan Studio that made Shadow of the Colossus, Ico and The Last Guardian, a trilogy of standard-setting games that all made me think differently about how games can express ideas. Now at a new studio in Tokyo, hes back in game development with Project: Robot. Theres barely enough here for a one-minute trailer but, nonetheless, I will play anything this man makes any chance I get.What to playSubmerged in nature Naiad. Photograph: SteamIn the madness that is being a working parent in December, I have found some peace in Naiad, a free-flowing game about being a water nymph. Followed by small shoals of fish, you swim through beautiful river scenes, singing to the birds and enjoying piano music and the sounds of nature. Sometimes you reunite lost ducklings with their mother, or make a brief appearance in the human world (these are, alas, the most frustrating parts). It has made me feel submerged in nature on my Steam Deck.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionAvailable on: PC Estimated playtime: What to readThe CD Projekt logo at its headquarters in Warsaw, Poland. Photograph: Kacper Pempel/ReutersBloomberg interviewed the CEO of CD Projekt Red to get more context on how the studio has changed since Cyberpunk 2077 in preparation for The Witcher IV.And if you want to hear more about the background of that kami sequel, VGC has a great interview with Hideki Kamiya.Classic adventure game Beneath a Steel Sky turned 30 last week Eurogamer ran an entertaining interview with its makers to mark the occasion.What to clickQuestion BlockFun for all the family Super Mario Party Jamboree. Photograph: NintendoThank you to everyone whos sent in a pick for our upcoming readers games of the year issue, and also to those whove just written in to say how much they enjoy the newsletter. It truly makes my day. One last question for the year is a perennial classic from reader Jessica:As usual I have family descending upon me for Christmas, and Im hoping theres a video game that different generations might be able to play together. Everyone is bored of Overcooked. Help?!The Christmas gaming classics never seem to change: Wii Sports, the Jackbox series for gameshow-esque quizzes, Just Dance, Mario Kart, 1-2-Switch, Heads Up! for a hilarious phone version of charades, and Clubhouse Games for a beautifully put together collection of virtual board and card games. But in the interests of providing an actually new recommendation: Super Mario Party Jamboree is the best that virtual board games have ever been. My five-year-old can play it, so I reckon anybody could.If youve got a question for Question Block or anything else to say about the newsletter hit reply or email us on pushingbuttons@theguardian.com.

A third Sonic film rolls off the production line with remorseless inevitability, and no little excitement among its core early-teen fanbase; the Marvel Cinematic Universe could take a lesson or two in how to keep the audience onside. The kerfuffle over Sonics weirdly designed teeth seems a long time ago and if Jim Carrey is really only in it for the money, he certainly gives his double role here some major welly. And while no one could deny the cash-grab fan-service underpinning to the entire project well, its actually a not unenjoyable experience, even if you are someone on whom the intricacies of early-00s game narrative are lost.So this Sonic reboot takes the time-hallowed third-instalment approach by foregrounding a dark version of Sonic in fact near-identical hedgehog Shadow, distinguished from our hero by his black and red colouring. At the start of proceedings, Shadow escapes from a containment unit where he is being held for various convoluted reasons, and Sonic (along with his echidna and fox sidekicks) is called in to deal with him. Pretty soon, for further convoluted reasons, they briefly find themselves fighting alongside Ivo Robotnik before and I dont think this is a major spoiler unearthing Robotnik grand-pre in an abandoned military base. Then it starts getting complicated.Having a rich stew of plotlines, character arcs and dramatic incident to draw on from more than three decades of games means that this film is, frankly, groaning at the seams with switchback story-moments, seemingly random flashbacks (often unannounced) and bizarre sideways leaps; but its all held together, just about, by a kind of delirious energy that creates its own momentum. The human elements are a bit hit and miss: the big name voices from Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba (as Shadow and Knuckles respectively) arent knocking anyones socks off, and James Marsden and Tika Sumpter (as Sonics adopted family the Wachowskis) are a chemistry-free zone, looking like they met for the first time seconds before the cameras started rolling. Carrey, though, is very good value, getting off a couple of lines that might actually make grownups laugh, and generally putting himself about to decent effect. Without him, this film could have been a lot, lot worse.

Call of Duty 2026 could be a bizarre mix of old and new according to a new rumor even though we haven't seen next year's game in the series yet, if fans can handle the suspenseTech15:12, 19 Dec 2024This year's CoD has been a huge success(Image: Activision)Call of Duty players are enjoying everything Season 1 Reloaded has brought to Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and while we're almost a year away from Call of Duty 2025, the 2026 entry in the franchise sounds like a wild ride.The game, reportedly set to be developed by Infinity Ward (who's most recent release was the divisive Modern Warfare 3 in 2023) will have a surprising set of features and maps according to a new rumour.The rumour comes from longtime Call of Duty insider TheGhostOfHope on X (formerly Twitter), who says the game is slated for late 2026.Content cannot be displayed without consent"Infinity Ward will be utilizing Omnimovement and Wall Running (Which is currently rumored to be a feature in COD2025 as well) in their game," the post reads."Infinity Ward will also be remastering a majority of Modern Warfare 3 (2011) maps for their game alongside new original maps."Modern Warfare 3 (the 2023 one, stick with me here) drew criticism for its short campaign, but many fans acknowledged the inclusion of classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) was a great choice.Modern Warfare 3's campaign was short, but its multiplayer maps were greatAdding 2011 maps, but potentially retrofitting them for returning movement mechanics like wallrunning, as well as Black Ops 6's Omnimovement, sounds like a surprising choice.As TheGhostOfHope goes on to say, "2026 is a long ways away but these are the current plans. Infinity Ward do not look to be making the same mistake again," presumably referring to the critical malaise surrounding the studio's last Call of Duty title.Rumours have previously suggested that 2025's Call of Duty title will be a direct sequel to Black Ops 6, potentially with a time jump back to the near-future setting of Black Ops 2.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

With Christmas approaching, here are the biggest gaming Christmas requests over the last decade let us know how many you own, or which ones you're still looking to playTech14:40, 19 Dec 2024Was Pokemon Legends: Arceus on your Christmas list?(Image: Steam)Christmas is coming, and while weve covered a whole host of gift ideas for gamers, were expecting Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and the PS5 to be very popular in 2024.Weve dug back through the last 10 years of gaming history to put together a list of what we think the biggest gift requests were. From games to consoles, theres a whole host of titles to take you down memory lane.Which have you played? Which do you still own? Heres our rundown of the biggest gaming Christmas gifts of the last decade.Advanced Warfare was a surprise turn for Call of Duty(Image: Steam)Call of Duty Ghosts had struggled at the launch of the PS4 and Xbox one the year prior, and had Battlefield 4 not launched in a sorry state theres a good chance things would be different today.Still, Advanced Warfare brought players back in their droves, with a new exosuit that acted as a jetpack and a dash ability, and, um, Kevin Spacey.The Witcher 3 was many players' first introduction to Geralt(Image: Steam)If you were playing on the Wii U, theres a good chance you spent Christmas 2015 building Mario levels while two open-world titans duked it out on PlayStation and Xbox.Metal Gear Solid 5 saw the final Hideo Kojima entry in the stealth franchise add two huge fully explorable worlds rife with tactical opportunities, while The Witcher 3 captivated fans and, judging by the reception to The Witcher 4, made us all fans of the series for life.Overwatch 2 has replaced the original, but not in our hearts2016 was the year of the shooters, with Call of Duty Infinite Warfare strung up by its jetpack this time around as fans demanded a return to boots on the ground action, and Titanfall 2, despite being the best of the bunch, was swept away by a release date sandwiched between CoD and Battlefield.Battlefield might have been the one that many opted for at Christmas, had it not been for Overwatchs debut which made huge waves earlier in the year and spread like wildfire. Say what you want about the years since, but the first few months of Overwatch were magic.The Switch changed Nintendo's fortunes(Image: Future via Getty Images)Assassins Creed Origins shifted the series to an RPG, NieR: Automata captured hearts, but the biggest thing that happened in gaming in 2017 was the Nintendo Switch.Not only did Nintendos hybrid console have us taking our games on the go, but it launched with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and saw out 2017 with Super Mario Odyssey, two of the best games of the last decade. Talk about hitting the ground running!Red Dead Redemption 2 is unforgettable(Image: Steam)2018 finally saw the return of Rockstar Games, with Red Dead Redemption 2 offering a lengthy tale of broken trust across the Old West that I keep thinking about all these years later.It also saw the long-awaited comeback of Super Smash Bros, which came out at the end of the year. It brought a huge roster, a lengthy single-player mode, and so many nods, winks, and outright inclusions from gaming history that you could feasibly play for dozens of hours and still not see it all.Modern Warfare 2019 brought the series back with a bang(Image: Steam)After Black Ops 4, Activision Blizzard returned to Modern Warfare in 2019, and while it was divisive among hardcore fans, the comeback of Captain Price and crew kickstarted a fresh trilogy that saw two subsequent entries of varying quality.It also started the rumours of a Call of Duty Battle Royale, with the free-to-play entry landing in 2020 right when lockdown was in effect.PS5 flew off shelves in 2020(Image: AFP via Getty Images)2020 was the year of new consoles, and while COVID made them hard to come by for a long time, the PS5 arrived with Demons Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Spider-Man Miles Morales.On the other hand, the Xbox Series S and X launched with patches for older titles but less in the way of fresh new arrivals. That made the PS5 the console to buy for many, and Sony has kept up that momentum.And, if you couldnt get a PS5 or Xbox Series console, you could play the incredibly popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch.It Takes Two is a one-of-a-kind co-op experience(Image: Steam)It was a solid year for games in 2021, with It Takes Two grabbing multiple Game of the Year awards and offering a fantastic festive co-op session.Forza Motorsport 5 and Halo Infinite made it a great end of the year for Xbox, with the former likely to be the top pick for many this year if it wasnt already included in Xbox Game Pass.Elden Ring is one of the greatest games of all time(Image: Steam)What a year 2022 was. Horizon: Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarok, Stray, Tunic, Immortality and Cult of the Lamb all launched and yet the biggest request at Christmas was likely between the first open-world Pokemon game, and Elden Ring.With Pokemon: Legends Arceus, Switch players got a new open-world adventure to tide them over until Zelda, while Elden Ring swept Game of the Year discussions with its dark fantasy world and challenging combat.It still feels like magic that Tears of the Kingdom runs on the Switch(Image: Steam)Article continues belowGame of the Year winner Baldurs Gate 3 blew everyone away last year, but with a digital-only release, it may have missed Christmas shoppers.That likely brought the biggest Christmas game down to Spider-Man 2 or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Xbox fans could play Starfield, too, meaning everyone had something last year.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

The next Nintendo console won't have the most imaginative name, but it will reportedly fix the issue of Joy-Con drift that has plagued the original if Switch 2 leaks are to be believedTech14:06, 19 Dec 2024The Nintendo Switch is one of the most successful consoles of all time(Image: Getty Images)The new year is expected to be huge for Nintendo with the company planning to announce and release its successor to the Switch, one of the best-selling consoles of all time.While some reports have suggested it will be backward compatible, details have been scarce, but we now have much more of an idea of what to expect thanks to someone who claims to have already played it.According to a new report from The Verge, the next console from Nintendo will be called Switch 2, and will again feature a handheld system and a dock for connecting it to a TV.Joy Con controllers are neat, but have some major drift issuesThe Verge spoke to a Reddit user called 'NextHandheld' who claims to have seen, and even touched, the new Nintendo system.The Verge has also seen photographic evidence of the console, notably its controller rails and a dock which carries the 'Nintendo Switch 2' branding.The Redditor says there are only the same ports as the current Switch's (HDMI, ethernet, and a USB-C port for charging), but is rated for higher wattage than the original which could mean a significant increase in performance (the dock is rated for 60W, while the console is rated for 45W.The Switch controllers have been an issue since launch(Image: Getty Images)Still, the real difference could be the controller rails.The Switch arrived with swappable controllers called Joy-Cons that slide onto the system, but according to the report these could be replaced by magnetic controllers instead.One of the Switch's biggest issues since launch has been that its controllers can suffer a phenomenon known as 'drift', where they sticks don't return to centre and games think the sticks are being pushed in a certain direction.Article continues belowAccording to The Verge's source, this could be alleviated with magnetic Hall Effect sensors used in the controllers.With Nintendo expected to unveil the console next month, we'll find out soon.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

Squid Game: Unleashed now with added baseball bats (Netflix)As the second season approaches, Netflix provide their own adaptation of Squid Game, in a more violent rival to Fall Guys.When Korean TV series Squid Game was released to an unsuspecting public in 2021, its enormous popularity took everyone by surprise. What was less surprising was its deadly game show subject matter, which occurs with surprising frequency in fiction of all varieties. Forget The Truman Show with its boring non-lethal, humiliation-only tropes, Squid Game is about killing almost everybody involved.The concept goes back decades, through Arnold Schwarzenegger film The Running Man (which is getting a remake thats closer to the original Stephen King story), and fellow book adaptations Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. The details are always different but the idea that people would want to watch others risking and losing their lives performing silly game show tasks has been around for a long time.In ancient Rome it happened in real life, but these days, of course, its only simulated. Players of Fortnite and Among Us will be more than familiar with the challenge of being the last person standing, while Fall Guys tries to play things purely for laughs. And so it is that Squid Game: Unleashed has also been released, where you once again compete against random internet foes who are also all trying to be the sole survivor.Each round of Unleashed comprises three mini-games based on the ones seen in the TV show, albeit with considerably fewer contestants. Starting with 32 players, 16 survivors go on to compete in round two, and the eight survivors of that go into a final round in which there can only be one winner. The presentation is very cartoony, so the constant gore doesnt really come across as any more savage than Tom & Jerry.Its also been thoughtfully ported to a video game format, so in the first two mini-games in each round, when you die you instantly respawn and carry on with the game until there are 16 winners. How thats decided depends entirely on which of Unleasheds 40+ games youre playing, which offers a fair bit of variety.Perhaps the most familiar is Red Light, Green Light, which is a race to the finish with the twist that theres a giant doll at the end of the room. When shes facing the wall you can run forwards, but when she turns around, if youre spotted moving you get shot by hidden snipers. To spice things up sometimes youll play on a featureless pitch, other times there are patches of grass to hide in, or it can take place on an ice rink that makes it trickier to start and stop in time.Snakes & Ladders starts everyone at the top of a tall tower, its floor panels turning red and then disappearing, the object being not to fall to your death. The Floor is Lava happens above actual lava, so staying on its gradually submerging hexagonal columns is the only way to live through it. Late for School has you rushing for a school gate via electrified swimming pools, moving circular saws, and Frogger-style school buses trying to run you over. The commonality is that all the games are very lethal.To makes things even sketchier you can pick up weapons. Baseball bats, knives, dodgeballs, snowballs, and more, which vary in their effectiveness depending on the game youre playing. A dodgeball in the back at just the wrong moment can get you shot in Red Light, Green Light, while a mistimed swing of a bat can actually help you across the finishing line. It adds a small extra dimension to the chaos, which is at its most palpable in the first round, with all 32 players still alive and participating.While every character you unlock starts off equal, each has a special ability that unlocks at level two and increases in its potency as you continue levelling up. That could be a chance to start with an invincibility shield, knife or baseball bat, or a speed boosting running shoe. Youll also unlock cosmetics for each character, making the field of competitors look increasingly variegated as you progress.Another thing youll notice is the increasing difficulty. Games are ranked between one and five stars, and at one star its hard to lose, while at the other end of the scale youll need luck and a lot more savvy. Thats useful because with a decent number of mini-games, many with several variants, your approach to winning will constantly need to evolve. We found in most games knowing what to do proves less important than knowing what not to do; which areas to avoid, and ways of preventing the inherent random factor of more than 30 other players getting you killed too quickly.There is a store, but in line with other Netflix titles, you can only spend in-game currency to unlock new characters and outfits. Prices seem pretty arbitrary, with one suit costing 1,000,000 and new characters priced anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000. Importantly though, nothing you can buy delivers an advantage in play, although levelling up your favourite character will eventually start giving you a small edge.More TrendingGames feel well populated sometimes overpopulated resulting in disconnections and server errors, something that a great many multiplayer games get wrong in their launch weeks. Given that its free and rounds are very short its hard to feel too short-changed when you get booted out early, but wed expect these glitches to be ironed out in short order.The big question is whether it will have any longevity. Its mini-games are fast and fun, and its mildly compelling unlocking cosmetics and progressing through the seasons league, but its a far less tactically involved game than Fortnite, or indeed any of the more complex battle royale games that have thrived over the past few years, most of which are also free to play.Still, as a phone game its short rounds and rapid learning curve make it a winner, even if its highly unlikely youll still be playing it in three months time.Squid Game: Unleashed review summaryIn Short: Fast, fun and a little bit silly, Squid Games battle royale works surprisingly well on mobile, but it lacks the depth to provide any long term interest.Pros: Plenty of mini-games, many of which have different variants. The first two rounds respawn you instantly, making for less downtime, and the games involve real skill and tactics.Cons: While compelling it is eventually a bit shallow, and there are far more fully formed free-to-play battle royale games available.Score: 6/10Formats: iOS (reviewed) and AndroidPrice: Free for everyone at launch, but eventually only available to Netflix subscribersPublisher: NetflixDeveloper: Boss Fight EntertainmentRelease Date: 18th December 2024Age Rating: 12+ Squid Game: Unleashed last man standing (Netflix)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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Despite all the leaks, the dock has been rather elusive (Nintendo/Metro)A recent Nintendo Switch 2 leak is believed to be legitimate according to a new report, which claims to have seen more photographic evidence.There has been an excess of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks this past month thanks to accessory companies, but the boldest of the lot came from a Reddit user claiming to have actually got their hands on the console itself.Going by the name NextHandheld, they suggested the Joy-Cons mysterious extra button was tied to new experiences and that there will be a special bundle containing Mario Kart 9 with a promise to share definitive proof on Christmas Day.He offered no proof, but not only did the moderators of the Nintendo Switch 2 subreddit deem NextHandheld trustworthy, but so has a reputable outlet that says theyve seen enough evidence to believes the claims are legitimate.A new report from The Verge says NextHandheld shared with it photos of what it believes are the inside of a Switch 2 controller rail (complete with certification logos) and, most intriguingly, the Switch 2 dock.While enough details of the Switch 2 have made their way online for people to construct 3D renders of it, theres been very little, if any information about the consoles dock.Although NextHandheld has remained pretty tight-lipped about certain details, The Verge believes the Switch 2 might run faster when plugged into the dock. Not only has NextHandheld hinted the dock has a fan built into it, but it apparently also has an extra large stand at the back.The Verge theorises this is so vents on the dock wont be blocked and result in overheating, should it fall on its side. Its unlikely, though, that youll be able to lay the dock horizontally (like you can with the PlayStation 5) since the console itself would then tip out. Magnetic Joy-Cons should hopefully make Joy-Con drift a thing of the past (Global Source)Aside from that, NextHandheld has discussed details already widely assumed, based on prior leaks, such as the U-shaped kickstand and the Joy-Con controllers being magnetic.The Verge says the rail for attaching the Joy-Cons is more of a hollow area that you can slot a controller into, with NextHandheld adding theres a much larger button you press to release it. That does line up with a previous Joy-Con leak, that showed such a button on the controllers back.NextHandheld also reiterated how a Switch 2 reveal could happen as early as January (something others have also claimed to have heard) and that the consoles final name is just the Nintendo Switch 2.More TrendingThey refused to discuss more than that, stressing they werent able to turn the console on, so further specifics about its backwards compatibility (like whether it can run physical games for the original Switch), storage space, and possible extra features like a microphone and camera remain a mystery.Considering Nintendo has already promised to show off the Switch 2 before April 2025 and there have been claims of a possible March or April launch, a January reveal does seem very plausible.Then again, others have suggested the Switch 2 is aiming for a summer launch, following a May event of some kind. Perhaps the January reveal will serve as the reveal of the console while the May event will be something akin to a Nintendo Direct, tohighlight upcoming games.Whatever the case, Nintendo may be encouraged to move up its announcement plans if these sorts of leaks keep happening. With the switch 2 said to be bigger than the original, the dock should see a size increase too, right? (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Sony forms business alliance with Elden Ring firm but doesnt buy all of itMichael BeckwithPublished December 19, 2024 11:24amUpdated December 19, 2024 11:24am Looks like Elden Ring is staying multiplatform after all (FromSoftware)A team-up between Sony and Kadokawa seems more focused on accelerating movie and TV adaptations than making Elden Ring a PlayStation exclusive.Last month, it was reported that Sony was gearing up for a potentially massive acquisition, of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware and its parent company Kadokawa Corporation.Kadokawa itself later confirmed Sony had expressed interest in acquiring further shares in the company. This, of course, reignited debates about monopolies and further consolidation of the industry, especially since Sony would be getting more than just one game developer.Sony and Kadokawa have now confirmed theyve reached an agreement, and the result isnt as dramatic as some feared but will see the two collaborating far more closely on multimedia initiatives, like film and television.Ultimately, Sony isnt buying out Kadokawa in its entirety, so dont expect any future Elden Ring sequels or spin-offs to suddenly go PlayStation-only.However, Sony is buying more shares in Kadokawa; 12,054,100 of them to be exact. This is set to cost Sony approximately 50 billion yen, which is about 252 million.Sony originally only had a 1.93% stake in Kadokawa, but these additional shares will bump that stake up to 10%. That will make the PlayStation company Kadokawas largest shareholder, according to a joint statement from both companies, giving them more influence than anyone else over the companys future.The pair are calling this a strategic capital and business alliance agreement, with the goal being to maximise both companies IP value globally and facilitate wider and deeper collaboration. Other Kadokawa properties include visual novel series Danganronpa (Spike Chunsoft)While this does make it easier for Sony to negotiate more FromSoftware exclusives (like Bloodborne and the original Demons Souls) their primary interest in the deal seems to be in assisting Kadokawa with adapting its franchises into film and/or TV. So, expect any Elden Ring movie or anime spin-off to be a Sony production.The companies exact words are, In the future, the two companies plan to discuss specific initiatives for collaboration, such as initiatives to adapt Kadokawas IP into live-action films and TV dramas globally, co-produce anime works, expand global distribution of Kadokawas anime works through the Sony Group, further expand publishing of Kadokawas games, and develop human resources to promote and expand virtual production.As a reminder, Kadokawa also owns a number of businesses throughout the entertainment sector, including not just video game companies, but anime studios,andpublishers for manga and light novels.More TrendingIn fact, it was speculated Sonys interest in Kadokawa was primarily to gain more control of the anime business. A Bloomberg report from November claimed Kadokawa wanted a full takeover from Sony, but the latter only wanted to extract their anime and gaming related assets.This lines up with Sonys statement that it has no plans to buy further shares in Kadokawa, although it could always change its mind later down the line.While the exact implications of the partnership remain unclear it does now make it impossible for Microsoft, or any other PlayStation rival, to acquire FromSoftware, which is likely to have also been a motivation although not one Sony would admit in public.Its speculated that they acquired Bungie for similar reasons, which is somewhat borne out by their rough treatment of the studio since then. Theres already an Elden Ring manga, so a movie or anime isnt too unreasonable (Kadokawa)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy