This week on the Eurogamer Newscast, we look ahead at 2025 on PlayStation 5, in the wake of last night's State of Play. If you tuned in for big games, you were well served. But if you wanted to see exclusive first-party PlayStation titles... well, it's clear there's something of a lull right now in Sony's pipeline. Read more

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Arrowheads Helldivers 2 is ramping up its new storyline with a bang. As the Meridia singularity continued to move across the Galactic Map, players have just been met with a major loss: Angels Venture has been destroyed.Helldivers 2 players lose Angels VentureAs players failed to complete the latest major order and the Merdian Singularity continued to gather Dark Energy, players have just been hit with their first major loss. After days of fighting, the Singularity made contact with Angels Venture, destroying the entire planet to spectaular effect.Players fighting on the planet were met with instant decimation as the planet cracked and exploded. Those in orbit were able to see the planets decimation, cracking into huge chunks as the Meridian Singularity ripped it apart. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. This planetary explosion is only the start as Helldivers 2 players fight against the increasing threat of the Illuminate and new invasions from Terminids and Automatons into urban environments. As the Singularity continues to move across the Galactic Map on its way to Super Earth, it appears that the long-leaked invasion of the planet is occurring soon.After the disappointing DSS storyline, developer Arrowhead has certainly cranked up Helldivers 2 to 11. With new enemy forces, fresh invasions and entire planets being wiped from the Galactic Map, players are now more scaredand better yet, determinedthan ever. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now With terrifying new Automaton enemies also on the way, including scary flamethrower-wielding base bots, as well as massive new fabricators, Helldivers 2 is getting bigger and more intense than ever before. With Arrowhead already planning for super epic 5.0 storylines years into the future, this is just the start of Helldivers 2. Alongside the addition of weapon customisation systems and future crossovers in the works, the team is planning to turn the game into an eventual Helldivers 3. About the AuthorSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Epic Games is gearing up to release the next Fortnite season and a new Battle Pass. Once again, the seasonal pass will include numerous cosmetic items, from skins to emotes. On top of that, both free and premium versions of the pass will have free V-Bucks that can be earned by simply playing the game and leveling up.On Wednesday, Epic confirmed the theme of the next Fortnite season. The image posted by the game developer also revealed a couple of characters that will come with the Battle Pass and hinted at a few more, so lets check out whats waiting for us!What skins will the Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 Battle Pass have?The first major reveal of the next season showed us two skins that will come. One of these skins will be Big Dill, a pickle that was leaked earlier this week. This seems to be another meme skin in Fortnite and may end up being very popular. The pickle seems to be the protagonist of the next season, so we expect the storyline to revolve around him. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. Midas, one of the most popular Fortnite characters, is also returning. The crime boss will have a new outfit in the Battle Pass, which was shown in the image.The next Fortnite Battle Pass will have another version of Midas. Image by VideoGamerAside from these two skins, the Fortnite community speculates that the Battle Pass could feature a pig skin. This skin was previously spotted in a Fortnite survey, and the new seasons image may have teased its addition. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now The upcoming Fortnite season will likely feature several major collaborations. From Devil May Cry to Yakuza, Epic has a great opportunity to release many hit skins. On top of this, the Fortnite x James Bond collaboration was also leaked, and it would fit the theme of the next season perfectly.Finally, the price of the next Fortnite Battle Pass will be 1,000 V-Bucks. However, Fortnite Crew subscribers will automatically receive it if they have an active subscription. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsFortnite Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

The phrase ancestral home typically evokes images of romantic dwellings in faraway landsa sprawling English country manor, an antiquated Italian palazzo, a fabulous Russian dacha. But as Neda Kakhsaz and Zabie Mustafa can ably attest, a true ancestral home need not stretch back multiple generations and centuries. In fact, any home that stores collective memories and honors the lives, spirit, and cultures of ones forebears qualifies as ancestral. Even a humble mid-century house located in the suburban sprawl of Los Angeless San Fernando Valley canand doesfit the bill.Zabie Mustafa (left) and Neda Kakhsaz in the dining room.A few years ago, Kakhsaz and Mustafa, husband-and-wife partners in the emerging design firm Studio MUKA, found themselves at a personal crossroads, facing the challenge of what to do with the childhood home formerly occupied by Kakhsazs late father and mother. We thought about moving to the east side of LA, closer to our friends and colleagues, but we ultimately decided that my parents house was a good place to put down roots, Kakhsaz recalls. That decision raised lots of questions and set us on our journey. What happens to a physical space that was filled with so much emotion? How do you give life back to something that is seemingly void? What is the real meaning of home? We had to figure it out, she adds.There are, of course, no easy answers to those questions, but the couple seized the opportunity to investigate solutions determined by concept as much as form. Our home is a portrait of our collected histories and sensibilities. We wanted to embrace our Persian and Uzbek roots in a way that doesnt feel like a trope. Our mission was to celebrate the ceremonies and rituals of our ancestral cultures while creating a home that feels revitalized, Mustafa explains. We embarked on a mission to pioneer a new vocabulary of contemporary design, drawing inspiration from a host of far-flung influences, he continues.

Given his long and prosperous career, one might assume that Snoop Doggs homes span the globe. But the famed rapper and producer, whose full name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., has mostly stayed faithful to his home state of California throughout his entire life. For almost three decades, the West Coast icon has primarily resided in the SoCal city of Diamond Bar, about 40 miles from his native Long Beach. Despite the wealth that has come with his long and successful career (he has an estimated net worth of $160 million), Broadus has kept things pretty modest when it comes to real estate and has opted to stay put in the same residence since the 90s. Of course, he can always ask his bestie Martha Stewart for redecorating advice whenever the place is in need of updating. In 2019, Snoop discussed the difference between his and his Potluck Dinner Party costars homes on Ellen. I like to stay at her house. Her house is so big, her horses house is bigger than my house, he joked. Below, we explore the few real estate transactions that we can confirm the Young, Wild & Free artist has made over the years.Claremont starter homeStill fresh off the release of his debut album, Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg spent $660,000 on his first house in 1994. It was the same year that he and his wife (then girlfriend), Shante Broadus, welcomed the first of their three children. The growing family settled in a 3,700-square-foot Mediterranean-style abode in Claremont, California, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Before moving on to his next property, the Gin and Juice rapper expanded it into a 6,500-square-foot structure with eight bedrooms and six bathrooms. According to listing details, the dwelling was renovated in 2006. It featured a marble-floored foyer with a grand winding staircase, a movie theater, a recording studio, marble fireplaces, and crown molding. Outdoor amenities included a basketball court, a pool, and a spa.Snoop sold the home for $1.83 million in 2007, but not before opening its doors to viewers of MTV Cribs in 2000. During the tour, Broadus showed off the abodes formal living room (This the room where nobody get to kick it at, he jokes), the formal dining room (All of this area right here, the wife put that together, the elegance and all, to look good), and his custom basketball court, which was customized with the Lakers logo (I need to have a place like this where I can just relax).Diamond Bar residenceBroadus bought his primary residence in 1998, a couple of months before he released his album Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told. He spent $720,000 for the Diamond Bar, California, property, which Zillow currently values at an estimated $2.2 million. Located in a gated neighborhood, the 3,808-square-foot dwelling was originally built in 1977 and reportedly boasts an enviable backyard complete with a pool, a spa, and a basketball court. Inside, the pad offers four bedrooms and four bathrooms.Snoop likes to keep his private life private, so the homes interior is a bit of a mystery. However, we do know that the hip-hop star has made some significant renovations during his lengthy ownership of the property: in 2018, he sued a contractor for $500,000 after they allegedly failed to perform all work as promised, failed to pay subcontractors and failed to satisfy regulatory requirements.

HomeBlog DOGE as a National CyberattackIn the span of just weeks, the US government has experienced what may be the most consequential security breach in its historynot through a sophisticated cyberattack or an act of foreign espionage, but through official orders by a billionaire with a poorly defined government role. And the implications for national security are profound.First, it was reported that people associated with the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had accessed the US Treasury computer system, giving them the ability to collect data on and potentially control the departments roughly $5.45 trillion in annual federal payments.Then, we learned that uncleared DOGE personnel had gained access to classified data from the US Agency for International Development, possibly copying it onto their own systems. Next, the Office of Personnel Managementwhich holds detailed personal data on millions of federal employees, including those with security clearanceswas compromised. After that, Medicaid and Medicare records were compromised.Meanwhile, only partially redacted names of CIA employees were sent over an unclassified email account. DOGE personnel are also reported to be feeding Education Department data into artificial intelligence software, and they have also started working at the Department of Energy.This story is moving very fast. On Feb. 8, a federal judge blocked the DOGE team from accessing the Treasury Department systems any further. But given that DOGE workers have already copied data and possibly installed and modified software, its unclear how this fixes anything.In any case, breaches of other critical government systems are likely to follow unless federal employees stand firm on the protocols protecting national security.The systems that DOGE is accessing are not esoteric pieces of our nations infrastructurethey are the sinews of government.For example, the Treasury Department systems contain the technical blueprints for how the federal government moves money, while the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) network contains information on who and what organizations the government employs and contracts with.What makes this situation unprecedented isnt just the scope, but also the method of attack. Foreign adversaries typically spend years attempting to penetrate government systems such as these, using stealth to avoid being seen and carefully hiding any tells or tracks. The Chinese governments 2015 breach of OPM was a significant US security failure, and it illustrated how personnel data could be used to identify intelligence officers and compromise national security.In this case, external operators with limited experience and minimal oversight are doing their work in plain sight and under massive public scrutiny: gaining the highest levels of administrative access and making changes to the United States most sensitive networks, potentially introducing new security vulnerabilities in the process.But the most alarming aspect isnt just the access being granted. Its the systematic dismantling of security measures that would detect and prevent misuseincluding standard incident response protocols, auditing, and change-tracking mechanismsby removing the career officials in charge of those security measures and replacing them with inexperienced operators.The Treasurys computer systems have such an impact on national security that they were designed with the same principle that guides nuclear launch protocols: No single person should have unlimited power. Just as launching a nuclear missile requires two separate officers turning their keys simultaneously, making changes to critical financial systems traditionally requires multiple authorized personnel working in concert.This approach, known as separation of duties, isnt just bureaucratic red tape; its a fundamental security principle as old as banking itself. When your local bank processes a large transfer, it requires two different employees to verify the transaction. When a company issues a major financial report, separate teams must review and approve it. These arent just formalitiestheyre essential safeguards against corruption and error. These measures have been bypassed or ignored. Its as if someone found a way to rob Fort Knox by simply declaring that the new official policy is to fire all the guards and allow unescorted visits to the vault.The implications for national security are staggering. Sen. Ron Wyden said his office had learned that the attackers gained privileges that allow them to modify core programs in Treasury Department computers that verify federal payments, access encrypted keys that secure financial transactions, and alter audit logs that record system changes. Over at OPM, reports indicate that individuals associated with DOGE connected an unauthorized server into the network. They are also reportedly training AI software on all of this sensitive data.This is much more critical than the initial unauthorized access. These new servers have unknown capabilities and configurations, and theres no evidence that this new code has gone through any rigorous security testing protocols. The AIs being trained are certainly not secure enough for this kind of data. All are ideal targets for any adversary, foreign or domestic, also seeking access to federal data.Theres a reason why every modificationhardware or softwareto these systems goes through a complex planning process and includes sophisticated access-control mechanisms. The national security crisis is that these systems are now much more vulnerable to dangerous attacks at the same time that the legitimate system administrators trained to protect them have been locked out.By modifying core systems, the attackers have not only compromised current operations, but have also left behind vulnerabilities that could be exploited in future attacksgiving adversaries such as Russia and China an unprecedented opportunity. These countries have long targeted these systems. And they dont just want to gather intelligencethey also want to understand how to disrupt these systems in a crisis.Now, the technical details of how these systems operate, their security protocols, and their vulnerabilities are now potentially exposed to unknown parties without any of the usual safeguards. Instead of having to breach heavily fortified digital walls, these parties can simply walk through doors that are being propped openand then erase evidence of their actions.The security implications span three critical areas.First, system manipulation: External operators can now modify operations while also altering audit trails that would track their changes. Second, data exposure: Beyond accessing personal information and transaction records, these operators can copy entire system architectures and security configurationsin one case, the technical blueprint of the countrys federal payment infrastructure. Third, and most critically, is the issue of system control: These operators can alter core systems and authentication mechanisms while disabling the very tools designed to detect such changes. This is more than modifying operations; it is modifying the infrastructure that those operations use.To address these vulnerabilities, three immediate steps are essential. First, unauthorized access must be revoked and proper authentication protocols restored. Next, comprehensive system monitoring and change management must be reinstatedwhich, given the difficulty of cleaning a compromised system, will likely require a complete system reset. Finally, thorough audits must be conducted of all system changes made during this period.This is beyond politicsthis is a matter of national security. Foreign national intelligence organizations will be quick to take advantage of both the chaos and the new insecurities to steal US data and install backdoors to allow for future access.Each day of continued unrestricted access makes the eventual recovery more difficult and increases the risk of irreversible damage to these critical systems. While the full impact may take time to assess, these steps represent the minimum necessary actions to begin restoring system integrity and security protocols.Assuming that anyone in the government still cares.This essay was written with Davi Ottenheimer, and originally appeared in Foreign Policy.Posted on February 13, 2025 at 7:03 AM23 Comments CommentsSubscribe to comments on this entryBlog moderation policy Delivering Malware Through Abandoned Amazon S3 Buckets Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.Powered by WordPress Hosted by Pressable

PurpleBlade and Soul NEO will not be launching on Steam, will be sticking to NCSoft's own platform PurpleHow big of an impact will this decision have on new player engagement? Time will tell!Image credit: NCSoft Article by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on Feb. 13, 2025 Blade & Soul Neo is a re-release of NCSoft's action MMO, bringing the world back to its original state with a healthy number of quality of life changes and significant gameplay additions to make the whole experience a bit smoother. It's a cool idea, perhaps inspired somewhat by Blizzard's World of Warcraft: Classic, and has certainly convinced me to jump back on board and give the game a try later this month.However, despite what appears to be a grand opportunity to get as many new folks into Blade & Soul as possible, the game will not be launching on Steam. Instead, the game will solely be available on NCSoft's own platform: Purple. This was revealed during a press preview and Q&A held last week, in which NC America's Andrew Long (senior producer) and Andrew Gant (community manager) provided some insight into the game and its goals. The following answers were provided in an interview shortly after that preview.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. VG247: Who is your target audience here?Long: "We want to grab people who maybe played Blade & Soul at launch, who maybe left over the past nine years. So we want to target those users, we have a large user pool too! We also want to target new audiences! We want to get people who've heard about Blade & Soul, but maybve don't know what it is, and want to explore it now. So we want to make sure both Blade & Soul live and Neo are supported, but with Neo tap into lapsed users, new users, anyone who wants to enjoy our product."VG247: Are you concerned at all that this game launching solely on Purple to begin with will hamper the game's ability to reach new or lapsed players?Long: "I think there are unique challenges to having your own launcher. Steam is a juggernaught in the industry, and when we do, we'll reach out over platforms for expansion, areas to grow. So, it's something we're aware of, but we're confident in our launch and plan on Purple."VG247: Would you say that outreach to new audiences is one of the primary challenges with having your own launcher?Long: "Yeah I would say, the product is going to be what's going to draw those users in. They're going to want to play Blade & Soul, they check where it is, they find out it's on Purple. So what is Purple? There is going to have to be an education space there, on how do I make an account, things like that. So there's that one step they're going to have to do, and that can be challenging. But we're ready, we're ready to make as manner introductions into what Purple is, how to use it, and all the cool features on Purple! There are a lot of cool features on Purple that may not be on Steam." Neo is a stunner to be fair, with old zones visually refreshed. | Image credit: NCSoftVG247: I have one final question on Purple. NCSoft launched Throne and Liberty on Steam, but isn't doing it here. I'm curious why there's a difference in strategy between the two games. Obviously, both games would want as many players as possible to jump on board, you guys will have worked hard on Blade & Soul Neo. So why choose just Purple for this?At this point, Douglass Perry (senior director of public relations at NC America) spoke up to provide some additional context to the decision.Perry: "Easy answer. Throne and Liberty is published by Amazon, it's not an NC America game, so it's a different publisher. This publishing team is only a year and a half old, we have a staff of 30-35 people. We're really establishing ourselves as a new publisher. Our mandate from NCSoft is to use the Purple launcher, and as we progress through this year and the next, we'll be looking at all the different platforms we can."VG247: Other Andrew! How do you anticipate the audience will split in Neo between totally new players, and players of Blade & Soul live? Do you think it'll be its own distinct audience, or will it be a mix of players jumping into both games at once? New features, like infinite wind walking, may tempt long time fans over. | Image credit: NCSoftGant: "That's a really good question. I've been blown away by our own community in our Discord and our live player base - they're really passionate. They're excited about Neo, they're still eager to play Live, but will try out Neo for sure. I can't predict whether they'll leave Live behind as they're still so passionate, but of course they're going to try Neo and make their own decision on what version is right for them. The two versions are wildly different, so that's a question that'll be answered shortly.""If we look at the community, a lot of the hype has been from returning users joining our Discord, who maybe tried Blade & Soul back when it launched, have all of these great memories, and they're back to see what this new game is all about. But also, it's been interesting to see a lot of new players who have no idea what Blade & Soul is. So we have a lot of potential with people who missed it [...] There are new generations that have missed it, they weren't here for the beginning of the MMO rise, so it's been important for us to realize there's a massive market for new players as well.""Also, if I may add to the Purple thing, we've been using Purple for a year plus, all three of our games and a mobile game we have all exist on Purple. So it's kind of an old hat for us, but it's getting new features that we're excited to show to a new audience".It's an interesting debate, whether or not to keep your own games on a dedicated launcher to create a hub for fans of NCSoft, while taking into account the potential loss of players that decision may bring. It's especially interesting that Throne and Liberty's PC release and it's initial peak of 333,000 players doesn't appear to have shifted NCSoft's own philosophy when it comes to other MMO releases. That's an audience that Amazon clearly wanted to tap into with its involvement in the release, but given that figure has dropped siginificantly since then to a steady 30-ish thousand concurrent, perhaps there's merit to building your own platform. Would those dedicated Throne and Liberty fans be any less eager if they had to boot up Purple? Something to think about.Nevertheless, Blade & Soul Neo is launching on Purple on February 25. It's not touched on in this interview too much, but the game does really seem like a great jumping on point for those unfamiliar. We'll have another interview feature on Blade & Soul Neo out tomorrow, so keep an eye out if you want to read more about the release.

Vigilante JusticeArmie Hammer is becoming The Dark Knight for Uwe Boll, and no, that doesn't mean the Batman IP is going down the toilet againI mean, it's already bad out there for the fallen actor.Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Feb. 13, 2025 You might still remember the whole thing that went down with once-acclaimed actor Armie Hammer a few years ago, but that didn't go anywhere in the end. Regardless, the actor's public image and reputation in the Hollywood circles was damaged, and after some time away from the cameras, he's returning to the screen under Uwe Boll's lens with The Dark Knight.No, James Gunn's DC Studios hasn't gone chaotic (yet) and hired one of the modern masters of poopy filmmaking to make his own take on the Caped Crusader, but his new movie is about a vigilante regardless. The story follows Sanders (Hammer), "a man who takes justice into his own hands as he sets out to hunt down criminals." After some time, an Interpol officer (Costas Mandylor) sets his sights on him, and you already know where things go next.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Variety exclusively revealed the details for The Dark Knight on February 12, indicating the movie is currently shooting in Zagreb, Croatia. For Mandylor, this is a second run with Uwe Boll, who's currently also deep into post-production of his previous feature, Run. That one is currently looking for a distributor in the United States.Despite a crushing number of video game-related misfires (on the big and small screens, to be fair), Boll is also reportedly working with relatively unknown developer Polygon Art "to develop a video game based on the movie." If anything, he's confident about what he's cooking and open to have fun with it.Mind you, Boll's career isn't wall-to-wall garbage, and I've stated in the past his completely bonkers Postal adaptation had a few things going for it. Furthermore, he's found relative success away from video game adaptations, with his Rampage movie series and Assault on Wall Street even landing somewhat 'positive' reviews.He ain't slowing down anytime soon, that's for sure, and it'll be interesting to see whether some of that momentum also applies to Hammer's currently deceased acting career. Funnily enough, the actor was at some point suggested as a pretty good option for the role of Bruce Wayne aka Batman, so this outcome feels like a joke that's arriving with delay.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Back in 2020 a little game called Coffee Talk boomed onto the indie scene with its visual novel deliciousness. Since then, one could argue the Switch has brought about stacks of visual novels perhaps because handheld mode feels like reading a book.Coffee Talk creator Mohammad Fahmi tragically passed away in 2022, before he could complete his latest project Afterlove EP. Now, Fahmis colleagues at Pikselnesia and Fellow Traveller have brought us the posthumous release. This visual novel/dating sim/rhythm game is a heartwarming tribute to Fahmi, a love letter to music and Jakarta, and a cosy play though it doesnt always meet its full potential.In Afterlove EP you experience things through the eyes and ears of Rama, a young person mourning the death of his girlfriend Cinta. One year after she passes, Rama hears her voice in his head. Through this device, the game mixes heavy topics with everyday mundanity; sometimes its a successful strangeness, other times a jarring juxtaposition.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Over a month, Rama converses with Cinta and counts down to a gig with his band (cleverly named Sigmund Feud). Meanwhile, the band struggles to reignite the harmony they once had. You follow Rama through the grieving process: writing songs through his pain and anguish, trying to get back to 'normal', seeing friends (and dates more on that later), all with Cinta following him and commenting.Cintas is the only voice with VO in the game (and talented VO at that). Shes also the only imaginary character. Ramas conversations with Cinta reveal his mind isnt very mentally healthy. He has experienced significant trauma, after all. We learn that his reality doesnt always align with everyone elses. He has a strong network of friends, yet he doesnt always see it himself. Hes unsure how to perceive actions and words. And even his memories differ from his friends.Slow play is the nature of the game here, and you take things one day at a time akin to the grieving process itself. Each day passes when you play through two sections of characters narratives. Ramas friends and suitors all have layered personalities and relatable modern-day experiences: one explores a new career as a chef; another deals with homophobic bullies at a local park; yet another faces sexism in her work as a model. You make dialogue choices in both in-person conversation and in text messages, which can affect other events but are mostly inconsequential.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)The dating sim area is where most of the dialogue choices do affect the narrative. You build relationships with three potential suitors by spending time together. You learn about them and about yourself as you play through each ones story. We wouldnt have expected a dating sim element in a game like this, and it felt a little offbeat since the core story is about losing a partner. In these scenes, Rama doesnt talk much about Cinta, and he doesnt talk to her which, in contrast to the way she distracts him from band conversations, seemed a little odd.Even outside the dating sim, the characters behaviour can feel a little disjointed. Conversations jump from the benefits of therapy to band practice to heated arguments with barely a beat in between. In a different genre this wouldnt weigh so heavily on us, but in visual novels the story and dialogue are everything, and we wanted just a little more cohesion here.Like Coffee Talk and another Fahmi creation What Comes After, Afterlove EP deals with a broad range of sensitive subjects. In addition to bereavement and healing, there are themes of homophobia, gender inequality, creative block, and friendship. Its clear the developers wanted to explore these in a respectful way, yet keep the tone relatively light. That light tone means the emotional notes dont always make up a swelling ballad in the style of, say, Spiritfarer. It's good if you want to keep your eyes dry, but we did find ourselves wishing Afterlove EP had tugged on our guitar heartstrings a little more.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Interestingly, some of the strongest, most poignant moments were in short, dialogue-less 'films' of Rama and Cintas history, that you unlock as you explore, encountering spaces where big and small moments took place for the couple. Here the game lets you put the pieces together, the music swells, and we couldnt help but smile.The narrative is broken up by music-based minigames played to Ramas songs. There are more traditional rhythm games where you time button-pressing to notes on the screen, and others where you fill in song lyrics. Both were quite cute and fit with the band storyline. In particular, the note rhythm games are just challenging enough. Theres no visible scoring but you can get achievements for 'perfect' rounds.That said, we sometimes felt they werent aligned with the rhythm. Less coordinated players may also have trouble with the notes coming from two directions. Easy mode is an option, though we couldnt detect any major difference when we togged it on.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)We loved the soundtrack in the minigames and overworld, though. Written and performed by real Indonesian band Lalphalpha, its soft rock: relaxed electric guitar, bass, and drums, like a band on holiday. A great accompaniment to the cosy vibe and the music theme.Indonesian manga artist Soyatu's illustrations evoke the feel of a moving manga: the hand-drawn look, cutaways to panels, and even handwritten typeset throughout. The backdrop transports you to sweltering Jakarta: soft blur at night for the humid air, sprinklings of Bahasa Indonesia, and even details like Grab drivers.Afterlove EP performs pretty well on Switch, although we did stumble upon a few issues. It froze and forced us to restart early on, and, in the final chapter, we encountered several bugs that crashed the game between areas. There are other glitches, like Rama suddenly changing from sitting to standing, the too-fast-to-read text autoplay, and events being randomly triggered, but they shouldnt hamper your rhythm too much.ConclusionAfterlove EP definitely fits with the cosy set: slow tempo, heartwarming narrative, and sad story (yes). The themes of grief, mental health and their impacts on our lives are explored in a way that feels gentle, much like Fahmis earlier releases. There were a few wrinkles as things unfolded, and the dating sim aspect was unexpected, but still theres easygoing fun to be had. If youre looking for a light touch on serious issues, this one could be worth a play, and a replay. If you want a heavy-hitting game to wreck you emotionally, you might want to hit skip.Charming manga stylePoignant short filmsDidn't make us cryDating sim aspects seemed out of placeNarrative was a little disjointedDidn't make us cryGood 7/10

Image: Nintendo LifeThe latest Japanese charts are in courtesy of Famitsu, and you'll never guess who's snuck back into first after grabbing another star this week...We thought its reign was over, but Super Mario Party Jamboree has knocked DK off the top spot this week with an additional 17,355 sales to its name. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD hangs around in second, and other familiar Nintendo faces pad out the rest of the top 10.There's only one newbie this week in the shape of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on the PS5, which debuts in fourth place with 6,484 units sold. And it's by no means a new release, but check out It Takes Two making it back into the top 10! Hey, Valentine's Day is almost upon us...Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube796kWatch on YouTube For the full breakdown, here's a look at the latest top ten:PositionGamePlatformUnit Sales (3rd - 9th Feb)Total Unit Sales1Super Mario Party JamboreeSwitch17,3551,175,2722Donkey Kong Country Returns HDSwitch16,254180,6963Mario Kart 8 DeluxeSwitch10,2636,237,9474Kingdom Come: Deliverance IIPS56,484NEW5Black Myth: WukongPS55,63615,7726Animal Crossing: New HorizonsSwitch5,2448,068,3287MinecraftSwitch4,8173,806,1658Dynasty Warriors: OriginsPS54,72394,5839Nintendo Switch SportsSwitch3,6201,544,32010It Takes TwoSwitch3,557123,650Things remain pretty much unchanged on the hardware side of things. The Switch combined for 43,672 sales across its three SKUs, while the PS5 models totalled in at 14,408 with a slight boost thanks to the PS5 Pro moving into fourth place.Numbers are pretty low, all in all, but gosh, isn't it going to be exciting when we first see Switch 2 at the top of that list?Here's your look at this week's Japanese hardware chart in full:PositionConsoleUnit Sales (3rd - 9th Feb)Total Unit Sales1Switch OLED29,8868,743,8842Switch Lite9,4626,444,4193PlayStation 57,2275,460,2744PlayStation 5 Pro5,137153,8165Switch4,32420,055,9166PlayStation 5 Digital Edition2,044913,7847Xbox Series X - Digital Edition1,10418,9188Xbox Series S696330,2419Xbox Series X520317,79310PlayStation 4217,929,230< Previous charts Worthy of a jamboreeWhat do you make of this week's charts? Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.[source famitsu.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Talks About Future Switch Support Ahead Of Switch 2 Launch"We would like to continue releasing new titles"Lunar Remastered Collection Physical Release Will Not Be Up For Pre-Order (North America)You'll have to wait until releaseRound Up: The Reviews Are In For Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Switch)Featuring Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and more!