For me, Monster Hunter shares one sentiment and only one with Destiny: I hate it, and its my favorite franchise (or at least one of them). Thats reflected in all the time spent in Monster Hunter World, dragging myself through multiple Siege quests and Fatalis attempts. Swearing I would never come back, not even to play Rise, and yet, returning anyway, all the way to Sunbreak and its Affliction-riddled madness, cussing and raging while simultaneously seeking out the next challenge. Just when I swear Im out, and the monster roars, trips, and instant deaths are a horrible memory, it pulls me back in.Such is the case with Monster Hunter Wilds, but it caught my favor sooner due to how much it felt like a successor to World. All the Switch Skills and smaller maps of Rise were fine and whatnot, but World is where I and many other people really got into the franchise and discovered its magic.Monster Hunter Wilds isnt exactly a sequel or a successor to World. Calling it an enhanced version is also odd for reasons Ill get into. Nevertheless, and above all else, its a pretty good Monster Hunter game, even if the signature loop of Hunt monsters, get materials to craft better equipment to hunt tougher monsters may work out differently for some."Even with this set-up, the core plot of Monster Hunter Wilds follows many familiar tropes. The quest structure, at least during certain parts of the story, also got a little too rote at times."Stop me if youve heard this before: The Guild ventures to unknown lands to investigate mysterious phenomena and encounters dangerous monsters. Sooner or later, they learn that things are much more complicated than they seem, investigating mysterious occurrences tied to seemingly legendary monsters. Its a timeworn premise, but to my surprise, Monster Hunter Wilds plays around with it in some interesting ways.One of the main drivers of the plot is Nata, a young survivor discovered near the Forbidden Lands. His story of the White Wraith ultimately motivates an expedition led by you and a new Handler into this new frontier. While learning more about the White Wraith is key, the narrative dabbles into the overall ecosystem and its constant shifts, extolling on the balance of humanity and nature and the Hunters role beyond turning a monster that looks at us funny into a nice hat. I also liked Natas character development its a gradual shift that feels earned, with his journey of seeing the wider world, and moving on from his trauma meshing quite well.The other characters didnt quite resonate as much, though Gemma the blacksmith does have some notable layers to her backstory. Olivia, another Hunter that can back the player up during Hunts, and Erik, a curious yet incautious biologist, are also intriguing during their appearances, but only just. Of course, you also meet with different villagers and learn more about their culture and place in the Forbidden Lands. Again, nothing too compelling in terms of characterization, though I found the Wudwuds of the Scarlet Forest charming.Even with this set-up, the core plot of Monster Hunter Wilds follows many familiar tropes. The quest structure, at least during certain parts of the story, also got a little too rote at times. I can appreciate the reduced reliance on the gimmicky set pieces of World and Rise even some of the chase sequences dont feel hamfisted or overstay their welcome.However, the number of times I would slowly canter through a locale conversing with other characters felt a bit excessive. And while the cutscenes are impressive, setting the tone of many fights in a hyped manner, the dialogue choices are superfluous and ultimately inconsequential."Of course, the main appeal of Monster Hunter Wilds is the hunting of monsters and this is truly where the experience shines. I think this may be the most refined and enjoyable combat in the series to date."Things improve as you progress further and are unleashed upon the Forbidden Lands. For all my hang-ups with the story, the actual environments are pleasing to explore. The plains of Windward Plains are nice and flat, but other regions offer dunes with the potential threat of a Balahara trapping you in a whirlpool, sending you into its lair. You also encounter rockier expanses and an arena seemingly built for Rey Dau, one of the new Wyverns, to excel.Then theres the Scarlet Forest, which has shades of Worlds Ancient Forest, but with more open spaces and water bodies, not to mention a conveniently crafted overhead route for your mount to traverse. Some of the monsters, like Uth Duna, will also use the more water-heavy sections against you in creative ways. Further areas are similarly compelling to explore and boast impressive attention to detail with their endemic life, changing weather, and art direction. As is tradition, looking for ways to leverage the environment in creative ways, whether its hanging rocks overhead or vine traps, is vital.As for the dynamic weather and day/night cycle, I like the cycling periods of Fallow, Inclemency and Plenty, and how they influence different occurrences on the map, like an outbreak of certain flora and fauna or even environmental hazards. Phenomena like the Sandtide can also have an impact on hunts, with thunder raining down from the sky, and hitting monsters. Its not the most game-changing aspect, but offers an additional wrinkle without feeling too oppressive.Of course, the main appeal of Monster Hunter Wilds is the hunting of monsters and this is truly where the experience shines. I think this may be the most refined and enjoyable combat in the series to date. While I didnt go hands-on with all 14 weapon types, focusing instead on the Sword and Shield, it felt like a dream.Perfect Guard is so satisfying to initiate (if a little too forgiving at times) while the counter-hits have some serious oomph, yet even the regular combos are blissfully responsive. The hit-stop changes over the beta are also very much apparent plunging the sword into a monster with the Charged Chop is more visceral, reinforcing its devastating nature.World and Rise both had their share of new combat mechanics like Clutch Claw/Tenderize and Wirebug/Switch Skills/Wyvern Riding. Wilds introduces two new systems wounds and Focus Mode. As you attack a monster, wounds will appear on its body. Attacking and destroying these will deal more damage and some stun on top of providing materials. However, if you activate Focus Mode, you can initiate a Focus Strike, a special attack that destroys the wound more sensationally and deals more damage."As for monsters, Wilds delivers an eclectic bunch of returning threats and newcomers. Each feels like it fits naturally into the respective ecosystems and looks great overall, from Chatacabra and its uncomfortably moist skin to Quematrice and its dazzling flames."The tradeoff is that a destroyed wound cant be opened up again, encouraging you to focus on other parts of the body. This combines so well with the focus on breaking monster parts for materials that Im surprised its taken this long to turn it into a regular mechanic, even if it bears a slight resemblance to the Anomaly Cores from Sunbreaks Afflicted Monsters. Dont worry, though youll find a system similar to the latter as you progress.When you combine everything the environments and their dynamic weather conditions, the satisfying feel of combat, wounds, and Focus Strikes its an honestly addictive combat experience. Even some of the more annoying aspects of a Monster Hunter experience, like monsters running away, dont feel nearly as egregious as past entries. This isnt to say that some of the flyers wont venture far after taking a few hits, but it felt less common than World.As for monsters, Wilds delivers an eclectic bunch of returning threats and newcomers. Each feels like it fits naturally into the respective ecosystems and looks great overall, from Chatacabra and its uncomfortably moist skin to Quematrice and its dazzling flames. Ajarakan reminded me a bit of Rajang but with some interesting twists that forced some changes to my usual counter-hit playstyle. Theres a solid mix of up-close brawlers, ranged combatants, hit-and-run attackers, and others that diversify their tactics among these to keep the combat feeling mostly fresh.I say mostly because as far as difficulty goes, Monster Hunter Wilds is probably the series easiest yet. Some context: Ive spent hundreds of hours in World + Iceborne and probably one hundred hours in Rise + Sunbreak. These may seem like impressive figures, but Im far behind those who have been on these games for years at a time, let alone feeling their toughest challenges (youll notice I said Fatalis attempts earlier, not kills).Long story short, Im no expert, but Wilds felt barely challenging through much of Low Rank. I would run with the same armor and weapon for multiple fights in a row, barely upgrading my defense. Several fights shockingly lasted for mere minutes at a time.When it felt like I reached what could be considered a difficulty spike, I would usually craft a higher rarity armor and cobble things together, which more or less continued into High Rank. Even then, I never felt the urge to grind out a single set or min-max my gear. Fights barely crossed the 20-minute mark, even when it was clear that monsters were hitting a little harder than usual."Regarding the endgame, hunting High Rank and Tempered Monsters will award Decorations, and you can earn an embarrassing amount with multi-target Hunts."Your mileage may vary, but this isnt just a humble brag. The lack of challenge for a good chunk of the experience felt like it messed with my sense of the core loop. On the one hand, it felt kind of liberating to not have to worry about these things and just venture out into the wilds, slaughtering monsters left and right while gathering resources.However, once I had my fill, I would return to the story, if only to unlock many core features and find some sense of a challenge. The story has always been half-jokingly referred to as the tutorial in past Monster Hunter titles. In Wilds, it feels like just that, almost to an insulting degree (personally, of course).Things do slightly improve when you reach the so-called endgame, especially as Tempered Monsters enter the picture. By that point, I decided to invest in endgame armor and optimize some more, if only to avail of their quality-of-life features and slots. Even then, it felt like only two or three Tempered Monsters offered any real sense of danger and unpredictability. Beyond that, it didnt feel like there was anything else to conquer.Regarding the endgame, hunting High Rank and Tempered Monsters will award Decorations, and you can earn an embarrassing amount with multi-target Hunts. Decorations with multiple skills drop from Tempered hunts and feel like the true min-maxing experience. Ill admit, gaining a Level 3 Decoration with three points in a main skill and one point in a crucial secondary skill feels good.You also have Artian Weapons, which can be crafted from Artian parts, also obtained from Tempered Monsters. The catch is that each part must be of the corresponding rarity to forge the weapon. While you can mix and match parts depending on your desired Affinity and Attack, not having two parts of the same element or status ailment can result in a raw damage weapon.At a glance, this may seem like an adaptation of the Safijiiva crafting and awakening system from Iceborne, though a bit more limiting. Its far from a downside, though, since Artian Weapons offer a means to create some strong elemental or status weapons as you spend more time hunting specific monsters."Even with all of this in mind, and the ability to save potential targets as Investigations to hunt later, Wilds endgame is lacking. Heck, even the new arena, the Wounded Hollow, felt like a shadow of Worlds Arena."They also dont replace the traditional weapon crafting system, especially since every weapon now has an intrinsic skill. So while you could rely on that Artian Weapon and slot in Decorations of your liking, maybe theres a weapon with a skill that could work well with your build (even at the cost of higher-level Decoration slots).Speaking of build-crafting, Wilds makes a rather drastic change. Weapons can have their own intrinsic skills and slot in certain Decoration types. However, those same types cannot be equipped on your armor, forcing you to really pick and choose which ones are worth taking.This is initially limiting, no doubt, but as time went on, I began to appreciate the experimentation, and opting for quality-of-life Decorations, whether they enhanced my playstyle or simply felt good to have. Whether its due to the overall difficulty and balance concerns or simply to combat players going for the full spread of familiar damage skills once more is hard to say, but it works.Even with all of this in mind, and the ability to save potential targets as Investigations to hunt later, Wilds endgame is lacking. Heck, even the new arena, the Wounded Hollow, felt like a shadow of Worlds Arena. To be fair, I didnt have access to any Event Quests, so the development team could likely deliver more stringent conditions and tougher targets post-launch. Still, its hard not to feel a little whelmed.I dont know if its because this is the beginning of yet another fresh slate, where Wilds is a new platform that Capcom will build and iterate upon, and then add some real end-game content with the inevitable expansion. Regardless, in terms of difficulty and diversity, the current end-game just isnt enough for me.I could bemoan the lack of other features from previous titles, like the canteen and the cats with their darling animations. However, Monster Hunter Wilds offers a rich array of quality-of-life improvements and features. Pop-up camps, the ability to cook meals anywhere (though the ones with the most buffs come from feast invites), not having to fully complete the animation for gaining weapon sharpness, the Seikret (even if its auto-move can get a little wonky at times), the aforementioned Investigations, the radial menu that automatically selects the best healing and status curing items they all fit in perfectly."Its not the be-all, end-all Monster Hunter, but while theres no shortage of things to improve on, Monster Hunter Wilds is an enjoyable action RPG with some great new additions to the formula, and Im intrigued to see how its built upon in the future."As for multiplayer, I dabbled a bit with co-op hunts, usually responding to SOS flares for people who already had AI Support Hunters in their party. I couldnt delve into the nitty gritty of lobbies or inviting friends, so time will tell how these perform at launch. Nevertheless, barring a few instances of lag, these hunts felt pretty good, though it feels like they further trivialize the difficulty on all but the toughest Tempered targets.I mentioned the art direction and appreciation for Wilds art direction earlier, and that extends to the sound design and music, which are top-tier as always. Unfortunately, the technical aspects of the visuals arent, at least on the base PS5. Playing on Balanced Mode with 120 Hz mode enabled and the Frame Cap off resulted in a decent mix of resolution and frame rate, even if it meant sacrificing 60 FPS.The results were decent enough, though distant objects in larger environments suffer in their image quality. Asset loading issues would also rarely occur, such as having the environmental cue for a falling boulderand it was invisible.The image quality in Performance Mode takes a bigger hit while pop-in is more apparent and some close-up textures can look iffy. On the bright side, its mostly locked to 60 FPS, so if you can stomach everything else, it may just be the mode for you. If nothing else, its a major improvement over the beta with no sign of origami Rey Dau.Despite my various complaints with Monster Hunter Wilds, I did have an enjoyable experience. Its an ideal experience whether you want to hunt a few targets or spend hours grinding out Decorations and Artian Parts. Its not the be-all, end-all Monster Hunter, but while theres no shortage of things to improve on, Monster Hunter Wilds is an enjoyable action RPG with some great new additions to the formula, and Im intrigued to see how its built upon in the future.This game was reviewed on the PS5.

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European ratings board PEGI has amended its controversial PEGI 18 rating for mystical (read: highly unrealistic) roguelike deck-builder, Balatro.Following an appeal by Balatro Special Edition publisher Fireshine Games (which operates in the region as Sold Out Sales), the independent PEGI Complaints Board has decided that Balatro should be reclassified as PEGI 12."The PEGI 18 rating for the game 'Balatro' has been changed to a PEGI 12 following a successful appeal submitted by publisher Sold Out Sales & Marketing," reads an update on the PEGI website."The Complaints Board concluded that, although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating."Offering more context, PEGI said its classification system "continuously evolves" in line with cultural expectation and the independent experts who guide and support its assessment process.The ratings agencywhich classifies titles in over 35 regions such as France, Italy, and the United Kingdomsaid it will now rethink how simulated gambling is assessed so it can take a more nuanced approach in the future."At this moment, any teaching or glamorisation of simulated gambling automatically leads to a PEGI 18 rating," it explained."On the basis of these appeals, the PEGI Experts Group will develop a more granular set of classification criteria to handle gambling themes and the simulation, teaching and glamorisation of gambling in different age categories, which will now include 12 but also keep 18 as an age category for games that simulate gambling typically played in casinos and betting halls."The reclassification of Balatro has resulted in Luck Be A Landlord, which also features deck-building and faux gambling mechanics, being reclassified as PEGI 12.PEGI justified the reclassification by explaining the title features "no specific transferable gambling skills."Balatro developer Localthunk has yet to comment on the news publicly. The developer previously described PEGI's decision to dish out an 18 rating as an act of "comedy.""Just to clear it upI'm way more irked at the 3+ for these games with actual gambling mechanics for children than I am about Balatro having an 18+ rating," they said at the time. "If these other games were rated properly Id happily accept the weirdo 18+. The red logo looks kinda dope."Unfortunately for Localthunk, the PEGI 12 logo swaps out red for a decidedly-less-dope burnt orange.

Dan Bongino at the 2022 Fox Nation Patriot Awards. | Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump announced Sunday night he has named conservative podcaster Dan Bongino as the FBIs new deputy director. Bongino has worked as a New York police officer and US Secret Service agent, but has no FBI experience. Bongino is well-known in conservative media, thanks to credits like having hosted a Fox News show and contributed to conspiracy website InfoWars. (Another one-time Fox News presenter, Pete Hegseth, serves as the US Secretary of Defense.) He was also among the right-wing commentators whose popularity sparked a fight over Facebooks CrowdTangle analytics tool, ultimately resulting in its shutdown. His outsized online influence saw him named one of the top election conspiracy misinformation superspreaders in research by global human rights group Avaaz, The New York Times reported in 2020.The new acting director currently hosts Rumble podcast The Dan Bongino Show. Trump said in his Truth Social announcement that podcasting is something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve, though he stopped short of confirming whether Bongino would do so.Bongino wll serve under recently confirmed FBI director Kash Patel, who has previously published a list of deep state enemies and has vowed to rebuild the agency after his confirmation by the Senate. As BBC notes, Bonginos appointment as deputy director requires no Senate confirmation.

Legendary Apple artist Susan Kare has released 32 new retro-inspired icons that are designed to live outside of your computer screen. Instead, the Esc Keys collection Kare created in collaboration with Asprey Studio consists of mechanical keyboard keycaps and wearable pendants, each featuring an 8-bit pixel art illustration like a dog, a plant, mail, and coffee.While these icon designs are brand new, the style will be recognizable to anyone familiar with Kares work. Shes responsible for creating much of the iconography on the first Macintosh personal computer operating system, including the Happy Mac boot-up icon and the original floppy disk file save symbol.Kare and Asprey Studio founder Alastair Walker told Fast Company that theres hidden meaning to each of the new designs that represent things that people can enjoy doing away from their keyboards. Each piece in the Esc Keys collection is crafted in silver or gold-coated silver and is limited edition from 30 to 120 pieces depending on the icon so purchasing something wont come cheap.Prices start at $650 for silver computer keys, ranging up to $2,064 for necklace pendants in gold vermeil (a method that coats solid silver in a layer of gold). Solid gold options are available upon request apparently, and each piece comes with its own blockchain-inscribed digital artwork to verify ownership and provenance.Kare has paid similar homage to Apples computing history in her other art collections. There are prints of her original Macintosh designs available on her website, and in 2014, she sold hand-painted Jolly Roger pirate flags, inspired by the one she painted to fly above the Apple campus office in 1983, for up to $2,500.

Adobe have just announced changes to the pricing of the Substance suite of texturing and rendering applications (Adobe acquired Substance Painter and Designer from Allegorithmic in 2019).Details of the price increases from the Adobe blog:Today were announcing pricing updates to both the Substance 3D Collection plan which includes Painter, Designer, Sampler, Stager, Modeler, and Substance 3D Assets and The Substance 3D Texturing plan that includes Painter, Designer, Sampler, and Substance 3D Assets. These plan updates come into effect for new subscribers on March 25, 2025, and will become effective for existing members only when your plan renews.Substance 3D Collection Substance Collection Individual pricing will increase from $49.99 to $59.99 per month and from $549.88 to $599.88 for annual pre-paid plans. Substance Collection Teams plans will increase from $99.99 to $119.99 per month, and from $1,199.88 to MSRP $1,439.88 for annual pre-paid plans. The new pricing includes unmetered access to Substance 3D Assets and reflects the continuous value delivered through regular updates and feature additions.Substance 3D Texturing Substance Texturing plans will increase from $19.99 to $24.99 per month and from $219.88 to $249.88 for annual pre-paid plans. This represents the first price adjustment for Texturing plans since 2015 and includes new unmetered access to Substance 3D Assets, reflecting significant added value for 3D texturing workflows.You can find more information about these plan updates by visiting theFAQ Pageon the Adobe Help Center.Key LinksAdobe Price Increase AnnouncementAdobe Substance SuiteSubstance on SteamYou can learn more about Adobes Substance Suite price increases in the video below.

Skyblivion, the fan-made remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion inside the engine of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, is on track for a 2025 release.The mod team reaffirmed its launch goals in a new developer update stream, showcasing some of the work done so far. Put together by a team of volunteer developers, Skyblivion is essentially a AAA-scale modding endeavor, which has taken years of its makers' time and energy.Despite that, 2025 has been the target, and with its new stream, the Skyblivion team reaffirmed a 2025 release at the latest. "We hope with your support to finish the final steps in completing our dream, maybe even beating our own estimation."Skyblivion ScreenshotsCalling it just a one-to-one remake might be underselling the work done here, though. The developers behind Skyblivion are also working on overhauling various areas of the original Elder Scrolls title. The work ranges from ensuring "unique items are actually unique" to helping existing bosses in Oblivion live up to their reputation a bit more, noting Mannimarco as one in particular. The team included the infamous "A Brush with Death" quest in their livestream, and the painted world looks fantastic.All of this would be fascinating in its own right, but there's an extra wrinkle: the long-rumored, official remake of Oblivion.Alleged details of an Oblivion remake surfaced earlier this year, outlining changes that could be made to combat and more. Microsoft declined to comment on the matter to IGN. Even in 2023, an Oblivion remaster was spotted in documents accidentally published during the Activision Blizzard/FTC trial. Some of those games, like an Indiana Jones project, have since been released; others, like the Oblivion remaster and a Fallout 3 remaster, have yet to be confirmed.If Microsoft and Bethesda are looking to relaunch Oblivion in some way, an extensive fan mod like this could find itself in the crosshairs. Bethesda's games have long enjoyed a healthy modding base, from older titles up through Starfield. Hopefully this project doesn't hit rough waters right before launch, as Fallout London did.Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Get ready to make the leap into space with the Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities set, which is now available to preorder and set for release on August 1. At the moment, preorders are live for the Play Booster Box, which features 30 packs: a Bundle that comes with nine Play Boosters, 30 Lands, 1 Alt-Art card, and exclusive accessories; a Collector Booster Box with 12 packs; a Collector Booster pack with 15 cards; Commander Deck SD1; Commander Deck SD2; and a Commander Deck Bundle that features two of each deck.Below you can find more details on pricing for each pack alongside information on the expansion itself. Preorder Magic: The Gathering: Edge of Eternities ExpansionOut August 1, 2025Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box (30 Packs)$164.70 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Bundle (9 Play Boosters, 30 Lands, 1 Alt-Art Card + Exclusive Accessories)$57.99 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Collector Booster Box (12 Packs)$299.98 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Collector Booster (1 Pack of 15 Cards)$24.99 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Commander Deck Bundle - 2 of Each Deck$179.96 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic the Gathering: Edge of Eternities Commander Deck SD1$44.99 at AmazonOut August 1, 2025Magic the Gathering: Edge of Eternities Commander Deck SD2$44.99 at AmazonAccording to Wizards of the Coast, "This far-out set takes the Magic Multiverse into the realm of science fantasy. You'll spacewalk through the Sothera system, an enigmatic realm at the far edges of the Multiverse. The sky isn't the limit; we're taking to the stars." This intergalactic adventure will have you meeting "new faces (and recognize some old ones) and join a battle for cosmic power at the heart of a dying star."If you're looking for even more Magic sets to add to your collection this year, there are quite a few coming down the pipeline. One of the biggest preorders available at the moment is the Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering crossover. These preorders have been extremely popular, but we're keeping that article updated with the latest availabilities across Amazon and Best Buy.To see what else is releasing this year, have a look at our breakdown of the full Magic: The Gathering release schedule for 2025. Alongside the Final Fantasy crossover and Edge of Eternities, there's also a Marvel's Spider-Man set still to come this year, which is another great crossover this year for Marvel fans to enjoy.Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.