Sony dismisses claims it destroyed former director's reputation, alleging he engaged in "consistent misconduct""Multiple victims reported to HR they were afraid for their jobs"Image credit: Bungie News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Feb. 20, 2025 Sony has hit back at claims it maligned the reputation of former Marathon reboot director Chris Barrett, purporting its investigations had uncovered "consistent" misconduct wherein he would target a "lower-level, female employee he wasn't working with directly, initially engaged in friendly conversation, and progressively pushed boundaries", "often referenc[ing] his wealth and his ability to advance their careers."Back in December, former Marathon reboot director Barrett filed a lawsuit against Bungie and Sony for "deliberately destroy[ing his] reputation by falsely, and publicly, insinuating they had 'investigated' Barrett and 'found' he had engaged in sexual misconduct," and to avoid paying him a $45 million payment.Barrett was fired by Bungie last year following an internal investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour against female colleagues. In court papers, Barrett's lawyers suggest his former employer "did not care that none of it was true; they had blatant motivations for their brazen scheme," only wanting to "shift blame for and deflect attention away from their massive business failures."As first reported by Game File's Stephen Totilo, Sony has now responded to Barrett's claims."The investigation revealed that Barrett's misconduct with each employee was consistent: he targeted a lower-level, female employee he wasn't working with directly, initially engaged in friendly conversation, and progressively pushed boundaries with the employee by making subtle references to her physical appearance or expressing his interest romantically," its response stated."Barrett attempted to create an unprofessional level of intimacy with his victims. He requested to follow personal Instagram accounts and would express anger to the women if they failed to respond to his messages. He would bring up inappropriate topics like their body, their relationships, his marriage, or his desire to date them."He would demand that they participate in sexually charged games of 'Truth or Dare' and 'Ask Me Anything'. He texted them at all hours of the day and night. He offered to buy them gifts. He often referenced his wealth and his ability to advance their careers," the statement continued."Barretts predatory behaviour caused victims to seek guidance from other Bungie employees on how to manage Barretts constant boundary-pushing given that he was a long-standing, senior member of the company. Multiple victims reported to Human Resources during the investigation that they were afraid for their jobs during these encounters."In response to Totilo's report, Barrett's legal representative said: "Sony continues to disingenuously cherry-pick text messages and alleged conversations and make unsupported and conclusory statements to defame Christopher and justify terminating him to avoid paying him what he was owed under his employment agreements. It is telling that Sony does not include the full text messages as exhibits, or the full content of these conversations, and nothing in Sonys response provides a legitimate legal or factual basis to terminate Christopher for cause."Christopher is confident that when all the evidence is presented, it will be clear that Sony engaged in a scheme to strip him of his role and the equity awards he earned for his 25 years of loyal service to the company."

Developer Supergiant Games is facing scrutiny today over a possible dispute between it and actor Marin M. Miller, the voice of Athena in Hades and Hades II. Earlier today Miller posted on Bluesky that their role may be "recast" by the studio following its alleged decision not to sign the SAG-AFTRA voice actor's interim agreement. The post did not name Supergiant Games directly, but in a follow up post they wrote that it would be "SUPER helpful" if their followers wrote a "GIANT email" asking the studio to "flip" for their actors.Now Supergiant Games has responded, saying it has not re-cast any characters in Hades II, that it hopes to keep working with its "wonderful cast."This dispute echoes our December 2024 reporting on a similar conflict between Call of Duty Black Ops 6 developer Activision and the cast of the game's Zombies campaign. In both cases, it's been alleged that the studio declined to update their contracts with actors under the SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, and as a result the original actors are not reprising their roles.But there are key differences between the two casting disputes. Activision is a member of the interactive media bargaining group, a collection of studios that collective bargain with the union to cast SAG-AFTRA members in their games. In its statement, Supergiant Games says none of its games have been made under SAG-AFTRA contracts.Related:If Miller had been initially cast under a non-union contract and was requesting the studio re-up them under an interim SAG-AFTRA contract, that would be a different situation than the one Black Ops 6 actors faced last year.Who protects voice actors from AI and contract violations?In follow-up posts on Bluesky Miller offered further insight on why they might turn down a contract from a non-union client even if that client offers robust protections against using their voice for generative AI. They explained that as a union member, they receive legal protection from SAG-AFTRA that can go after any company that decides to violate the terms of a contract. "I can't afford a lawyer without the union," they stated.If Miller signed a non-union agreement with a studio that promised not to use their voice for generative AI, but the studio turned around and did so anyway, they would need to pay out of pocket for a lawyer to fight the case.To be clear, Miller does not accuse Supergiant of attempting to use generative AI, and Supergiant vociferously shot down the idea that it would use AI technology. "Our games are intentionally made by human beings; no generative AI is being used in the creation of the voiceover, artwork, or any other content that goes into them," it wrote. "We offer the strongest AI protections in the industry to our talent, as we think their work is irreplaceable."For now Miller and the company appear to be at a standstill. The actor stated that they will only work on projects signed to a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, and Supergiant stated that it "[respects] and will continue to respect any actor needing to pause work during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game strike.""While none of our games have ever been subject to SAG-AFTRA contracts for a variety of reasons, we wish SAG-AFTRA the best in their negotiations to compel larger signatory studios to provide the kinds of protections we think actors deserve," it added.It's unclear at this time if any other Hades II cast members have made similar requests of the company. When reached for comment, Supergiant directed Game Developer to its statement posted on social media.We've reached out to Miller for their response, and will update this story upon their reply.

Last month, Fitbit Versa 3 and Sense owners started getting notifications to download a mandatory firmware update. The problem? Overheating batteries. In an official consumer notice, Google (which owns Fitbit) notes that the firmware update would reduce the risk of battery overheating and reduce battery capacity. Affected users, of which Google says there is a limited number, were also eligible to apply for a $50 credit.Technically, fixing this kind of problem is a good thing. You dont want batteries to overheat and burn a customer and the official notice also notes that this issue doesnt impact all Versa 3 or Sense devices. However, affected users have reported on Fitbits forums and subreddit that the update dramatically reduced their devices battery life.Multiple users have complained that devices that used to last anywhere between 2-6 days now barely last a single day after updating to the new firmware. Some have said the reduction has now made their devices useless. Others are upset that Fitbit is only offering $50 as an appeasement.RelatedIn its notice, Google does note that the firmware update will result in the battery lasting for shorter periods between charges and [users] may need to charge [their] devices more frequently. However, to smartwatch users, theres a big difference between charging more frequently and charging daily. Many people who opt for Fitbits do so precisely because the brands smartwatches are known to last longer than a single day. The Verge reached out to Google for further details, but the company declined to add any additional commentary beyond the official notice.Itd be one thing if this was a rare one-off. However, Fitbit was just fined $12 million after its Ionic watches batteries overheated and burned 78 users. And while its unrelated to overheating wearables, it certainly doesnt help that Google recently issued a similar firmware update capping battery performance tied to a $100 credit for its Pixel 4A phones.Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed in 2022 alleges that Fitbits problem wasnt limited to the Ionic. The plaintiffs claimed the issue also impacted the Versa Lite and a Versa 2. The lawsuit also included photos of burns that people said came from their Fitbit Blaze, Inspire, Inspire 2, Sense, and Versa 3 devices. The latest firmware update seems to validate that battery overheating at least was a problem with the Versa 3 and Sense.These sorts of battery complaints with Fitbits arent new. Peruse the r/Fitbit subreddit, and youll find years worth of Fitbit owners questioning if their devices are burning them or just causing skin irritation. There are also numerous threads of users pondering sudden, rapid battery drain. Almost all these threads also highlight difficult experiences with customer support. In other words, this most recent case just underscores how this has been a problem for quite some time an issue exacerbated for longtime Fitbit users by a messy transition period since Google acquired Fitbit.See More:

Rivian announced a significant milestone today, reporting its first positive gross profit in its fourth quarter earnings for 2024. It was a sign that the struggling companys efforts to slash costs through the gut overhaul of its R1 electric vehicles is starting to yield some positive results. But dark clouds loom ahead, as the company said it expects to sell fewer vehicles in 2025 than last year.Rivian reported $170 million in positive gross profits, which includes production and sales but does not factor in other expenses, for the three-month period that ended December 31, 2024. That was based on $1.7 billion in revenues. The company said its net loss for the fourth quarter was $743 million, as compared to $1.5 billion in net losses in the same period in 2023.Rivian earned $4.5 billion in revenue for the full year 2024, based on the delivery of 51,579 vehicles. It record a net loss of $4.7 billion, compared to $5.4 billion in 2023. Rivian cited increased revenue from the sale of regulatory credits to other automakers, which is also a primary revenue driver for Tesla. The company said it saw a $260 million increase in regulatory credit sales in the fourth quarter year over year.It record a net loss of $4.7 billion, compared to $5.4 billion in 2023.Our variable cost reductions were driven by the launch of our second generation R1 vehicles, which included significant engineering design optimizations, supply chain driven cost reductions, and improvement in commodity costs, the company said in a note to shareholders.For the year ahead, Rivian said it expects to sell 46,000-51,000 vehicles, citing changes to government policies and regulations, and a challenging demand environment. Despite this, the company says it expects to achieve modest gross profit for the full year.While uncertainties persist, we remain focused on executing against our key value drivers and are confident in electrifying the world in the long term, Rivian said. Our guidance represents managements current view on potential adjustments to incentives, regulations, and tariff structures.The company recently announced plans to open up sales of its electric delivery van to any commercial fleet owner. And it unveiled its first special edition R1 vehicle for soft sand off-roading.Rivian is certainly facing tougher months ahead, with the Trump administration promising to apply tariffs to a range of auto parts, as well as rolling back Biden-era EV incentives. On the plus side, the company has a $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen on software and vehicle development.See More:

Since its launch in the summer of 2020, Peacock has expanded its catalog of shows and movies (The Wild Robot, Nosferatu, Twisters) to compete with the big names in streaming. With their exclusive access to all things owned by NBC (including every season of The Office), Peacock is starting to gain some traction in the streaming wars. As streaming has evolved and changed throughout the years, streaming services have also changed in layout, content rights, and pricing. Despite the increase in competition, Peacock does not offer any sort of free trial. Can You Get Peacock for Free in Other Ways?Peacock PremiumSee itWhile there is no clear trial version of Peacock, users can access Peacock through a couple of other methods. Instacart PlusUsers who subscribe to the $10 monthly Instacart Plus service can now add Peacock Premium to the bundle for free. Xfinity Now TVComcast internet-only subscribers who have plans at the 75 Mbps tier or above can add the Xfinity NOW TV service at any time, which will then grant access to a free Peacock Premium plan.Editor's note: if you are a user who subscribed to the free Peacock plan before the cut-off date in February 2023, there is still select content you can access without a paid subscription. What Peacock Alternatives Have Free Trials?Luckily, if you are looking for a free streaming service trial, there are still multiple competitors that offer quality content and a chance to sample their streaming library for free. Check out these various alternatives below:1. Amazon Prime (30-day free trial) - Starting at $14.99/month30 Days Free Amazon Prime Free TrialPrime Video is included with an Amazon Prime subscription.See it at AmazonAward-winning, original contentFree shipping on Amazon orders with membership2. Hulu (30-day free trial) - Starting at $7.99/month7 Days FreeHulu Free TrialSee it at HuluDozens of premium add-ons and Live TV optionsA treasure chest of classic to modern TV shows and series3. CrunchyRoll (14-day free trial) - Starting at $7.99/month14 Days Free Crunchyroll Free TrialSee it at CrunchyrollThousands of hours of animated series (anime) instantly available to streamFirst streaming service to stream new seasons of anime after Japan4. Paramount+ (7-Day Free Trial) - Starting at $4.99/monthParamount+See it at Paramount+Available add-ons for increased streaming libraryPremium content with new releases coming exclusively to Paramount+5. Apple TV+ (7-Day Free Trial) - Starting at $9.99/month7 Days Free Apple TV+ Free TrialSee it at AppleHome to brand new, hit original films and original seriesExclusive access to select original films shortly after theater release6. DirecTV Stream (5-Day Free Trial) - Starting at $79.99/month5 Days FreeDirecTV Stream Free TrialSee it at DirecTV StreamOne of the top providers for streaming sports and TV on top of their movie/series streaming libraryUnlimited Cloud DVR Storage, unlimited streaming devices, and unlimited access to local and premium channels. Looking for the best possible deals on streaming? You can check out our guide to the best streaming bundles available online for potential savings.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii releases today on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, so it's time to get you savvy on the cheapest copies. This latest in a long line of Sega games about Japanese organised crime is centred on a beloved miscreant, Goro Majima, and got praised heartily by our reviewer to the tune of 8/10. Not only is the game available to be yours now in a variety of storefronts, but we've also found some collectable side curios related to this title. Some of them reside in collector's editions, others can be bought as side promotions, and one is just a cool custom thing that Sega seems to have whipped up purely to raise pirate awareness in general. Read on to see what's out there on the high seas.Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Standard EditionOut Now!Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in HawaiiAmazon A$89JB Hi-Fi A$89Big W A$89MightyApe A$89Gamesmen A$89.95PS Store (digital) - A$99.95Xbox Store (digital) - A$99.95Steam - A$99.95If all you want is the game, pick up this edition, which just comes with the game and the preorder bonus (see below for details).Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Collectors EditionThe collectors edition costs A$229.95 and comes with the game itself, plus the following extras:15cm Acrylic StandeeEye PatchTreasure Coin PinDigital Deluxe Content: Legendary Pirate Crew Pack, Legendary Outfit Pack, Ship Customization Pack, and Extra Karaoke & CD PackPirate Yakuza in Hawaii Digital Deluxe EditionPS Store (digital) - A$122.95Xbox Store (digital) - A$122.95Steam - A$122.95Those ready to embrace the all-digital lifestyle and want more than just the game can pick up the digital deluxe edition. It includes a digital copy of the game, plus the following digital extras:Legendary Pirate Crew PackLegendary Outfit PackShip Customization PackExtra Karaoke & CD PackPirate Yakuza in Hawaii Preorder BonusPreorder any version of the game, and youll get the following digital items for free:Ichiban pirate crew setIchiban special outfit setWhat Is Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii?PlayGoro Majima is back in this installment, with a memory thats been wiped as clean as the chalkboard in your granddaddys kindergarten classroom. Hes also in Hawaii, so he hops aboard a ship and sets out to do pirate things. As you can probably tell, the series goofy humor remains fully intact in this installment. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii MerchAloha Beer - Captain's MugA wooden mug with protective sealant exterior, stainless steel inner lining. Chug in style! Capacity: 650mlA$125Get it hereShipwreck TeeLive the Pirate's Life with the exclusive Aloha Beer collaboration Shipwreck Tee! Sizes Small - 2XL available in White or BlackA$50Get it hereCosplay CostumeIncludes coat, trousers, belt x 2, gloves, hat, and eyepatchA$379Get it here

The best Avowed builds take advantage of the games generous equipment and skill systems that essentially allow you to create a custom class. While youll be pulling from the basic ability and stat pools, the ways you combine those core character concepts with all the items youll find enable an incredible number of possibilities.Thankfully, getting started is much simpler. Today, were going to focus on the best builds for the early parts of the game (the first 10 levels). While these builds are designed around the background options youll choose when you create your character (and thus your starting stats), please note that they dont limit you in the long run. For that matter, you have quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to the order you acquire your skills and the equipment you use, though well point you in the right direction in those areas.And while well talk about late-game builds another day, these builds do offer ideal starting points for optimal styles of play that can carry you to the end of the RPG. Just dont forget to play around with the possibilities or youll risk losing out on half of the fun of the game.Best Arcane Scholar Build Grimoire WizardWeapons: Grimoires and WandsPrimary Stats: Intellect, Perception, DexterityFirst 10 Abilities:Minor MissilesGrimoire MasteryArmored EssenceConstant RecoveryGrimoire MasteryWand MasteryGrimoire MasteryBounceGrimoire MasteryWand MasteryAs a pure wizard, the best thing you can do for yourself early on is focus on leveling up your Grimoire Mastery ability. Doing so will allow you to access more powerful spells earlier in the game and help manage the often daunting resource requirements that otherwise limit magic users early on.So, the basic idea is to buy or loot a better Grimoire as soon as possible and start chipping away at those Grimoire Mastery upgrades. Doing so will allow you to rely on your spells earlier and more often, though itll take some wand upgrades early on for when you need to conserve Essence. Still, youll be surprised by how quickly you become a true spell slinger.Armored Essence is highly recommended for resource management, but Constant Recovery and Bounce are flex spots. The former is a nice health regeneration ability from the Fighter tree and the latter makes your wands more viable in fights against larger groups of enemies (typically the most dangerous kinds of fights). If you find yourself longing for more spells (or other Fighter and Ranger abilities), you can swap those as needed.Best Court Augur Build Magical GunfighterWeapons: Pistols and GrimoiresPrimary Stats: Perception, Dexterity/Resolve, IntellectFirst 10 Abilities:EvasiveSteady AimCorrosive SiphonParasitic StaffArmored EssenceMarksmanshipGrimoire MasteryMarksmanshipGrimoire MasteryHarvest EssenceIf youve ever dreamed of wielding a pistol and a spell book well, I have a few questions for you if youd like to reach out and talk about your interests and background. Until then, this build is what youre looking for.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!First off, youre going to want to acquire Beothels Grimoire as soon as possible to make this build work. Fortunately, thats pretty easy to do relatively early in the game. Youll also want to find a decent pistol. I recommend going out of your way for Caerocs Pride early on, but anything will do until you can snag an upgrade.With your core components in place, youll be relying on the Corrosive Siphon and Parasitic Staff abilities to both deal damage and help you restore your Essence and Health. Those siphoning abilities pair perfectly with your pistol, which allows you to stay on the edge of a fight and will be buffed by Marksmanship and Steady Aim. Youre ultimately working your way towards Harvest Essence which makes it much easier to rely on your spellsthough your pistol will carry a surprising amount of weight through the leveling processBest Noble Scion Build The RenegadeWeapons: One-handed melee weapons and a Pistol/BowPrimary Stats: Might, Perception, Resolve/DexterityFirst 10 Abilities:TanglefootChargeEvasiveSteady AimMarksmanshipPiercing ThrustsFinesseConstant RecoveryDevastating CriticalsPower SlideNoble Scions offer a nice blend of combat abilities that allow them to easily dance between the incredibly valuable early abilities found in the Fighter and Ranger skill trees.The basic idea here is to use a bow/pistol power attack to open most fights. Steady Aim and Marksmanship will help enhance the effectiveness of those attacks. When the opportunity presents itself, youre going to finish those fights with (preferably) dual-wielded one-handed melee weapons that are bolstered by Piercing Thrusts and Finesse. All the while your high Critical Strike chance (combined with the Devastating Criticals abilities) ensures the effectiveness of every blow.Tanglefoot and Charge make this build especially enjoyable. The former allows you to root an enemy for a follow-up power attack while Charge lets you easily transition from ranged to melee combat. By the time you get to Power Slide, youll be able to weave in and out of melee range while dealing a steady stream of damage all the while.Best Vanguard Scout Build The Stealth ArcherWeapon: Bows/GunsPrimary Stats: Dexterity, Perception, MightFirst 10 Abilities:TanglefootSteady AimEvasiveArmored EssenceShadowing BeyondMarksmanshipEvasiveTanglefootShadowing BeyondMarksmanshipWhile I dont necessarily recommend going the stealth archer route until youre a little later in the game, this early version of that build does take advantage of the Vanguard Scouts starting stats and will get you through a lot of early fights.This build is all about unleashing devastating ranged attacks with a bow or rifle (thematically, I prefer a bow). While its not the most exciting playstyle early on, Shadowing Beyond takes this strategy to the next level. That skill lets you turn invisible and unleash a melee backstab or simply escape to a safe distance. When combined with Tanglefoot (which lets you trap enemies) and Evasive (which greatly reduces the Stamina cost of your dodges), Shadowing Beyond allows you to transform into a sniping ghost during most fights.Ideally, this build will take Parry, Arrow Deflection, and Quick Switch to weave in melee counter-attacks/blocks while allowing you to operate at a distance. Since its kind of hard to grab all the skills you need to make that strategy work in the first 10 levels, though, I recommend respeccing around Level 11 or 12 to start incorporating melee counters.Best War Hero Build The BarbarianWeapons: Two-Handed Axe/SwordPrimary Skills: Might, Constitution, ResolveFirst 10 Abilities:ChargeArmored GraceToughnessConstant RecoveryBleeding CutsEvasiveBrawnBleeding CutsChargeBrawnPlaying a straight-up bruiser in Avowed (aka a two-handed weapon weilding tower of strength) is not only surprisingly fun but is one of the best ways to get through the early parts of the game with little trouble.Charge is the engine that makes this two-handed beast go vroom. Its one of the best overall abilities in Avowed, and it shines when you pair it with one of the buffed two-handed weapon strikes youll be building towards with the rest of this set-up. Charge into battle, disrupt your enemies, deal massive damage with an equally large weapon, and dodge when needed at a reduced Stamina cost.You will want to rely on an axe or greatsword early on to take advantage of the Bleeding Cuts ability. Later, you can swap to a mace or hammer when Stunning Blows becomes a bit more valuable. You could spec into a shield with this build, though it doesnt feel nearly as valuable as killing the enemies outright at this point in the game. Barbaric Shout is also a viable early option if you find yourself longing for another skill, though not having to manage your Essence quite as much early on is a blessing in disguise.

Finding the best weapons in Avowed is one of the greatest pleasures in Obsidian Entertainments new RPG. Exploring dungeons or venturing off the beaten path often leads to discovering powerful gear, but upgrading weapons is also essential to surviving the games toughest challenges.In the early game, combat can feel challenging until you acquire stronger weapons that allow you to experiment with synergies and build strategies. If you want to maximize your effectiveness from the start, here are the best weapons for the early game in Avowed.Best Early Weapons in AvowedThe Philosophers Riddle (Best Early Two-Handed Sword)Abilities: Aggressive Debate: A Full Combo Attack grants +15% Attack Speed for 10 seconds. Poison Lash: Hits deal +10% bonus Poison Damage.The Philosophers Riddle is the best early weapon in Avowed for most players. Even if you dont plan on sticking with a two-handed melee build, this thing will help you get through the toughest early challenges and farm whatever upgrade materials you need.Its stats are impressive, but this swords abilities put it far over the top. Getting that kind of attack speed buff with a weapon this powerful is absurd, and that poison enhancement adds up quickly. You want the most value out of every two-handed strike in this game, and thats what The Philosophers Riddle offers.Where to Find The Philosphers RiddleThis weapon can be found on Castols Folly island southeast of Paradis in the Dawnshore area. There, look for the ruins on top of a mountain on the west side of the island. Climb your way to those ruins (some platforming is required), and youll spot The Philosophers Riddle near their entrance, lying next to some mushroom-like plants. You wont have to kill anyone to get it, but the island is filled with enemies who may block your progress.Beothels Grimoire (Best Early Grimoire)Abilities: Corrosive Siphon, Arcane Veil, Parasitic Staff, Blizzard.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! 20% Ability Cost Reduction. 15% Cooldown ReductionThere are quite a few Grimoires (books of spells, essentially) found throughout Avoweds starting areas, but Beothels Grimoire stands out for a few reasons.First off, the 20% ability cost reduction and 15% cooldown reduction this Grimoire offers is about as good as youll get at this point in the game. More importantly, this Grimoire includes the incredibly valuable Corrosive Siphon spell (which converts damage into health), the Parasitic Staff spell (which helps you restore valuable Essence), and eventually allows you to access the devastating Blizzard ability. Its just an essential item for struggling low-level casters.Where to Find Beothels GrimoireYou can purchase this Grimoire from Merylin in the Market District of Paradis City for 450 Skeyt.Seven Strivings (Best Early Two-Handed Axe)Abilities: Determined Step: Killing an enemy grants +15% Move Speed for 10 seconds. Vicious Strikes: +5% Critical Hit Chance.An alternative (or companion) to The Philosphers Riddle, Seven Strivings offers a little more base damage and an incredibly useful speed buff.That speed buff reveals its value when you start fighting larger groups of enemies who have an annoying tendency to step out of the way of your heavy blows. Being able to consistently close the distance on those enemies makes some of the more frustrating early fights against larger groups much easier.Where to Find Seven StrivingsSeven Strivings can be found in The Falls northeast of Paradis in the Dawnshore area. There, youll fight an ogre named Ralga. Look in the area around Ralga after defeating them, and youll find this axe sticking out of a body.The Long Touch (Best Early Bow)Abilities: Grim Focus: +10% Critical Hit Chance for Power Attacks while Fine Aiming. Lesser Opening Strike: +5% Damage against enemies with full Health.Your bow options are kind of limited in the early parts of Avowed, which makes The Long Touch even more appealing.This bows strong stats and abilities make it perfect for rangers looking to open fights with a sneaky power attack (as they often should). Its a little less effective in longer battles against multiple enemies, but thats just the early ranger lifestyle for you.Where to Find The Long TouchYou can buy The Long Touch from the Paradisian Military Surplus shop in Paradis for 4,320 Skeyt.Minolettas Conduit (Best Early Wand)Abilities: Charged Missile: +5% Attack Damage, +30% Maximum Wand Range. Shocking Lash: Hits deal +10% bonus Shock Damage.Much like bows, its not easy to find viable wand upgrades in Avoweds early hours. If you need a better option, though, Minolettas Conduit is both there for you and relatively easy to acquire.This wands generous ability spread compensates for the range and base damage shortcomings that otherwise make wands a less-than-appealing option early on. Its also a generally valuable ranged weapon for anyone looking to weave a little magic into their rotation.Where to Find Minolettas ConduitYou can purchase this from the Porrya & Vellino shop in Fior Mes Iverno (near the start of the main game) for 3,780 Skeyt.Sheathed in Summer (Best Early Dagger)Abilities: Glimmering Embers: A Full Combo Attack deals moderate Fire Accumulation. Burning Lash: Hits deal +10% bonus Fire Damage.The natural benefits of wielding a dagger (quick strikes for little stamina) are amplified by this unique weapon that burns through enemies with relative ease.It doesnt take long to unleash a combo attack with this dagger, and those combo attacks will quickly build up an absurd amount of Fire damage that early enemies simply will not be able to withstand. Pair this with another powerful one-handed melee weapon, and youll be laughing.Where to find Sheathed in SummerHead to the Godless Ruins area just North of Paradis. There, youll find a boss enemy named Octav the Firebrand. Kill Octav and loot this weapon from their corpse.Last Light of Day (Best Early One-Handed Sword)Abilities: Golden Suns Ascent: Killing an enemy restores 3% of your Maximum Health. Dawns Remembrance: Hits deal +10% bonus Fire Damage.As a one-handed sword that deals an impressive amount of base damage, Last Light of Day justifies a spot in your inventory for its versatility alone. However, the big reason to seek out this sword is to take advantage of that incredible health regeneration ability that will save you during many early battles.Even better, Last Light of Day pairs quite well with Sheathed in Summer thanks to its ample built-in Fire damage bonus. If youre committed to that playstyle, you can ride that equipment combo for quite some time.Where to Find Last Light of DayComplete the Dawntreader quest that you pick up from Sarganis while exploring the Eothasian Temple (youll enter this area as part of a main quest). Youll either kill Sarganis and loot this from their corpse or receive it from them as a reward depending on the choices you make.Drawn in Winter (Best Early One-Handed Axe)Abilities: Rising Chill: Power Attacks deal moderate Frost Accumulation to nearby enemies. Freezing Lash: Hits deal +10% bonus Frost Damage.While Drawn in Winter doesnt boast the same base damage as other early one-handed weapons, it is one of the best early ways to take advantage of the generally overpowered Frost effect.Build up enough Frost, and youll be able to essentially stun enemies (assuming you dont kill them outright). Even better, this weapons power attacks generate an AoE Frost effect that allows melee players to more effectively deal with groups of attackers.Where to Find Drawn in WinterYoull find Drawn in Winter in the Watchers Mirror area just northeast of Paradis. There, youll interact with an Ancient Memory that grants a powerful perk. Once that sequence is finished, turn around and walk to the nearby pond. Drawn in Winter will slowly rise from the center of that pond, but please note that picking it up will trigger a battle with numerous nearby enemies.Caerocs Pride (Best Early Pistol)Abilities: Distant Thunder: Power Attacks deal high Shock Accumulation. Shocking Lash: Hits deal +10% bonus Shock Damage.Even basic pistols offer a powerful combination of range and damage during Avoweds earliest hours. If youre looking to exploit the benefits of a dual-pistol strategy early on, you need to pick up Caerocs Pride.This weapons synergistic abilities allow you to quickly stack the Shock effect from a relatively safe distance. That effect not only helps you deal with groups of lesser enemies but can be used to turn the various bodies of water youll find into lightning-infused death traps.Where to Find Caerocs PrideYoull find Caerocs Pride on a small island just east of Shantytown. Its an unnamed location, but its easy to spot. There, youll find a pirate named Tempestuous Luandi. Kill Tempestuous Luandi and loot this pistol from their body.

SummaryCabernets characters and voice acting are the heart of its story.A vampire narrative RPG set in eastern Europe in the late 19th century.Launching on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One today.Cabernet, an indie vampire RPG out today on Xbox and PC, asks players one, core question: Will you retain your humanity or descend further into the horror you have become? And it asks that question through a lovingly crafted world of intrigue, romance, and drama set in 19th Century Eastern Europe. My name is Buddy Sola, Im the Head of Marketing for Akupara Games, and I sat down with the developers behind Cabernet, Arseniy Klishin and Laura Gray, to talk a little about their process for making a compelling narrative RPG and recording incredible voiceover for the characters in it.(Cabernet) became a fully fledged idea to us once we connected the idea of vampirism, actually, as a metaphor for alcoholism, they told me. We have another tagline in our game: Demons are hereditary.And with a basis exploring that core conflict between humans and vampires, empathy and nihilism, it became important for Arseniy and Laura to capture the emotional heart beating beneath the skin of their vampire characters. Voice acting, it turned out, became one of the most important components to making Cabernet really come together. And they certainly helped me understand the complicated nature of casting, directing and recording voiceover for the myriad of characters in game.At the end of the day, the goal with the casting process was authenticity. We did actually, in all of our casting calls that were public, we really did try to encourage Eastern European submissions. The games Eastern European background isnt just window-dressing; it makes up a core component of the games worldbuilding, but Arseniy and Laura wanted to avoid anything that felt fake in their casting. For me, personally, it is a little strange to expect the character to speak in a British accent. We decided that our approach was going to be completely different: For us, we would rather have an authentic emotional experience that the actors have. We didnt want people to imitate an accent that is not authentic to them.And it couldnt get much more authentic than having Laura herself voice the games main character. Liza plays a very grounding figure in the game. Its slightly odd as the main character because you have to be a little of a foil that everybody can play towards and relate to in some way. Liza, a newly awakened vampire who apprentices as a doctor, really is the conduit for the games core theme of choices. We put her in that position as a vampire where she requires a substance in order to survive.Casting happened both with public casting calls as well as targeted outreach. Some of the games most high-profile actors, like Brian David Gilbert, were already in mind when Arseniy was writing the characters. We kind of envisioned Petyas character with his mannerisms when we wrote the script and when he accepted, it was really, really pleasant.Other characters were voiced by relative unknowns who had spectacular auditions and captured the emotional core of their part. For some performances, Arseniy and Laura directed the voice and tone of the actors in their studio a foam-padded walk-in wardrobe and for others, they took actors who provided professional recordings in their homes. And while sometimes, actors had a particular take that surprised and excited them, for the most part Arseniy and Laura were directing actors very carefully to make sure their lines were accurately captured in a game that, in some ways, had yet to be developed around them. Because the actors are recording their lines from the games 1200-page script without one another to play off of, Arseniy and Laura kept a cohesive, coherent vision by, as he puts it, holding the keys in our hands.Cabernets voice acting was crafted by a deeply human process, finding the authentic emotions in talented actors from around the world. It seems fitting for a game about vampires struggling with their humanity to focus so heavily on the humanity in the voices of those characters.Play Cabernet on Xbox and PC today.CabernetAkupara Games1$19.99Get it nowFree TrialCabernet is a 2D narrative RPG set in a 19th century Eastern European inspired world, with a modern twist. Guide Liza, a young vampire struggling with her morality and the supernatural world she has been pulled into. Will you retain your humanity or descend further into the horror you have become? Prepare to explore a hidden world of political intrigue, class conflict, and decadent corruption.Use the moonlit sky to plan your next feast and explore. Mingle among vampiric society and the humans who feed them. Uncover who can aid your new kin and whose only purpose is to be drained. Vampirism isn't just an unholy transformation of your body it also threatens to transform your mind. Will you choose to indulge your empathetic humanity or embrace your newfound nihilism?But to lure your next meal somewhere safe and secluded, you'll need to understand who they are and what they desire. A kind-hearted, alcoholic coachman? A fraying newlywed couple? A greedy, yet charming charlatan? Their lives are yours to aid or unravel.Art, literature, history, science, these are the skills you'll require to succeed. Your knowledge will be your greatest weapon in a world where the cunning drain the brutal of life.

First, let us be clear: At Country Living, we're not ones to obsess about trends (so fleeting!) or this season's so-called "must-haves." Country style, after all, is rooted in roll-up-your-sleeves practicality, not disposable stuff. Still, each of the homes we feature tend to possesses certain elements that help evoke the kicked-back, easygoing, come-as-you-are calm that so many of us crave. Whether you're a modern farmhouse enthusiast, a cottagecore devotee, or all about cabin decor, you can take heart that these essentials will be happily at home wherever you may roam.Pre-Loved QuiltsGridley and GravesThere's a reason one of our most trusted bits of antiquing wisdom involves never passing up a good quilt. A blanket or throw is a low-commitment way to bring color to a space. Beautiful handmade quilts are a great way to introduce deep saturated color in playful and unexpected combinations, says Portland, Oregon-based designer Jessica Helgerson. And theyre so easy to change out with the moods and seasons. Hardwood FloorsHelen NormanCreak or no creak, hardwood floors simply feel right at home in a country house. If you inherit a home with wide plank flooring complete with centuries-old, artisan-forged square nails, you've hit the old-house jackpot. If you're installing new floors, and overwhelmed with finish options, take it from designer and architect Chad James: For 20 years Ive used a secret mix that I learned from my late mentor, Landy Gardner. Its three parts Jacobean and one part Ebony [both available from Minwax]. Shh! A Feed-a-Crowd Farm TablePar BengtssonAnchoring a room with an antique farm tableone so scuffed and scratched up that a nick is hardly noticeablesets a tone that wear-and-tear is not only inevitable, but its something to be desired. Just as handwritten notes and grease stains can transform a plain recipe card into a precious heirloom, a worn-in farm table gives a kitchen or dining room a happy helping of soul and substance. You cant help but think about the previous generations that have broken bread and maybe spilled a little wine over the very same surface. RELATED: 80+ Ideas for Decorating the Dining RoomA Clawfoot TubLincoln BarbourTheres a reason the claw-foot tub is a design hallmark of a country house. Despite its humble origins (the earliest were enamel-covered horse troughs!), the claw-foot tub now represents the ultimate act of self-care, literally elevating bath time and all its indulgences. No matter your amenitiessuds or salts, paperbacks or podcaststhe stillness of the water sets a decidedly unhurried tone. They say great ideas come in the shower, but we suspect the best ones bubble up in the bath. A Tire SwingBecky Luigart-Stayner Regardless of one's age, a weekend in the country is not complete without having a go on a good old-fashioned tree swing. There is simply something about this lighthearted limbellishment that still sparks joy in even the most jaded adults. Perhaps its because the humble, handmade tree swing represents so many hallmarks of country liferoll-up-your-sleeves resourcefulness (see: tire or wood slab), an outdoorsy spirit (see: tree), and an easy to-and-fro that sets a leisurely summer pace. Now, be warned: Theres nothing up to code about this improvised equipment, but you probably already knew that. Even though its installer may repeatedly assure everyone that its secure, deep down you all know better. (Good thing it only hovers two feet from the ground.) As far as home improvements go, anyone can swing this upgradeone that sees many happy returns in the form of a toddler learning to pump his legs, cousins pushing one another (higher, higher!), or a teen quietly reading with feet dangling. So heres to showing the ropes to a new generationits the most fun you can have going out on a limb. A Good NameBecky Luigart-StaynerWhat evokes more personality: 14 Southall Road or The Happy Valley Homestead? Giving your home a name gives it a stronger sense of place. You can honor a houses history by seeking out a previous owners surname (think Campbell Cottage), speak to the surrounding nature (Honeysuckle Hideaway), or even pay tribute to your decor aesthetic (Hodgepodge Lodge). Make it official by commissioning a painted signthink of it as a friendly name tag from an Etsy vendor or Cracker Jack Junk Co. Need help coming up with your own? Consult our handy Country House Name Generator below: Courtesy of Country LivingSee Inside Some of Our Favorite Country Homes:Rachel BarrettRachel Barrett is the Editor-in-Chief of Country Living. She can't pass up a vintage seascape, drives an '89 Woody Wagoneer (that is, when it'll start), and hopes to buy you a lemonade at a future Country Living Fair.