Bloody ActionThe First Berserker Khazan review: a love letter to going all-out, bold action, and re-using bossesMy love for you is like a truck, Berserker.Image credit: VG247 Review by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 If you had asked me which property, of all the cool IPs out there, would get a major push to new genres, I would never have guessed that Dungeon Fighter would be an option in 2025.An action-oriented MMO that first stole hearts in the early 2000's, Dungeon Fighter is getting a handsome new figurehead in The First Berserker - Khazan. And you know what? As far as missionaries spreading the good word of Dungeon Fighter to the masses go, it's not half bad!Khazan is a Souls-like at its heart, with an emphasis on ruthless aggression. The game wants you to be aggro, rushing in and dodging damage, slicing through enemies in a deluge of blood splurts. With such violence comes shameless joy, and the game is quick to thrust you into the action ballet that has enraptured thousands of Souls-Like fiends around the world. Me included: I'm a lost cause.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Developer Neople shows a deep understanding of what fans of this style of action game want, primarily through its approach to combat design. You get a block and a dodge, right? Standard package. But, time both just right - before you're hit - and you get a reflect or 'blink dodge' that provide additional opportunities for offense, or a stamina bump. You can learn a parry through the skill tree, but there's another parry that only works against special unblockable red attacks. The game throws tools at you, trusting that you're a scoundrel who loves messing around with all these options. And guess what Neople? I am a scoundrel, and revelled in this nonsense.This aggressive approach relies heavily on stamina. Combat, especially against bosses, is a game of action and reaction - using up the majority of your stamina to pump out damage, then playing defence until you're back on the front foot. Stamina recharges over time, but certain skill tree upgrades can provide boosts to stamina generation on reflect and dodge. Your enemies have stamina, too, and depleting that opens them up to a powerful Brutal Attack that totally refills your resources, and allows you to go all out yet again.It's an intriguing approach. Souls-Likes have been stamina-reliant ever since Demon's Souls, but few have built so much upon the resource. Everything ties into stamina. The result of this, at Khazan's best, is that players can engage in this engaging back-and-forth until you deplete a boss's stamina completely, before cashing out the following stun state for a massive hit, a full stamina bar, and an open stage to pull of your nastiest combo. As such, so much of the game is built around pushing your advantage, staying right in the face of enemies to prevent them from catching their breath, and planting you in the danger zone at all times. Equipment plays a big part in this too - check out those set bonuses! | Image credit: VG247Initially, I found myself torn between going ham and playing overly defensive. But at around 12 hours in it all clicked. As you acclimate to Khazan's bubbling waters, you spend less time holding back and more time up in people's faces. In this zone, Khazan has a vigour to it that entraps the heart and kept me keen. Let me put it this way: I would much rather spend three hours grinding Khazan than play an hour any other game out right now. Yes, including that one.The game's approach to weapons and equipment freshens things up too. There are three weapons types in total, which doesn't sound like a lot, but each compliments a specific style. I, caught up in the haze of fast-paced light attack flurries, stayed true to the dual wield weapon type, but if you like big hits or more conservative pokey combat the greatsword and spear respectively will keep you content.You can then compliment your style with gear that drops, all coming in a variety of sexy styles and stat types. Equipment can also come in sets, which have bonuses when combined together, and you can even re-roll stats on gear pieces you like to fine tune your own shirtless himbo. This is a massive part of Khazan. Gear set bonuses are incredibly valuable, more so than pure defensive stats, and some of the ring/necklace sets are bonkers. 30% reduced overall damage taken? 50% increased summoned bestie damage? Ridiculous numbers that prove invaluable during tricky fights.Regardless of your approach, it's worth noting what many of you may have assumed already: Khazan is hard. It's bizarrely hard. Now, I've played my fair share of challenging Souls-Likes, but the unique quirks of Khazan establish it as its own strange place in the genre graph of how hard games like this pull your teeth out. It's worth noting that this game is quite the looker too! | Image credit: VG247Funilly enough, the regular levels aren't hard at all, but Khazan is so quick at throwing challenging bosses at you, especially relative to the hardship you'll face in the mission leading up to them. The second boss has two phases, with different attacks spread between them. The third also has two life bars, unblockable attacks, vastly different attack patterns between the two forms. The fourth boss has a passive elemental damage burn that whittles down your health, a vast AOE attack, and it's even split into two floors so that the boss can totally cover one floor in a vast blanket of fire that'll just straight up kill you. The game quickly throws you into the maw of a great beast, under the understanding that you're a masochist that'll enjoy pulling yourself out of its jaws.This means that Khazan doesn't have a difficulty spike, as it were, more of a difficulty stegosaurus. One can glean from the game that you're meant to bash your head against these bosses. In fact, the game rewards you for doing so! Every time you die in a boss fight, you get a kickback of level-up currency that you can slowly use to improve your stats after each botched run. Same for skill point XP, too. So the bosses are built as these big walls that you need to bash your head against and - eventually - through. Now, that's masochism.If you want, you can summon a Spirit of Advocacy to help you out. It's similar to other ghostly allies from the game's contemporaries, but it starts off weaker than an American lager. To power them up, you need to defeat summonable mini-boss phantoms for currency, the same currency used to call in your golden homie to your side. These are spread across the various missions in Khazan, and are intended as optional challenges that make progress through regular enemies spicier and, in turn, make the missions' final fight easier. A trade-off that equals the scales. These summons aren't free though, so get ready for dozens of enemy spirit fights to farm those tokens. | Image credit: VG247What this means for those thoroughly stuck, though, is that if you want to boost up your summonable pal, you need to farm. Farm up currency to summon allies, sure, but also to strengthen them up enough so you can surpass your foe. Again, if you're a lover of smashing your head into bosses ad neuseam like me it's not a huge problem, but spare a thought for Terry Jenkins, age 45, fresh back from a shift down the mines and looking to play some video games in his spare time. He, and normal people I'd assume, may not be keen on gathering dozens of summon tokens. And who can blame 'em, really?The game also suffers from ample boss reuse, which wouldn't be such a bad thing if the game had spread the second coming of main story fights out a bit more.. The second boss I mentioned earlier has a slightly different variant; you're asked to fight them in a side quest right after the main story mission in which you first encounter them, same for the fourth boss, and this trend continues. When used conservatively, boss reuse can be a welcome sight. Even a hype one. But in Khazan, it's done too often, too soon, and so the enemies lose their wow factor entirely.The game has a sort of animated movie feel with its 3D cel-shaded graphics that won me over. It's like the game popped out of one of those higher budget CG anime movies, and this goes a long way in setting the game apart from grimdark Souls-Like action game number 56 on Steam right now. The background artists have also done a stellar job; from the moment the game started, I found myself looking out at the vistas just out of reach and going, cor, that looks lovely. Khazan breathes fresh life into the Dungeon Fighter universe in a way that almost made me want to download the OG MMO. It's a love letter, really.Where this falls to the realm of mediocre is the story itself, which is a fairly standard revenge tale with the world's angriest man hunting down those who did him wrong. It's quite standard, though it's side missions where things go from average to comical. I shall not spoil it here, but aimagine Khazan handing an orphaned baby gorilla a loaded gun, only for Khazan to be horrified that this gorilla has not only attained sweet revenge, but also a boss bar under him 30 minutes later. Great job Khazan, very cool. Otherwise the game is a soaking in tragedy and angry yelling which, y'know, I'm not averse to. It's just not exactly the main draw here.Khazan is the perfect example of a game that's more than its individual components. The game does re-use a lot, but the gooey core of the game is so engaging, so fun, that you don't really care. It's moorish, devilishly so, and while the game doesn't nail everything, it has got enough guts behind it to warrant a sturdy recommendation to almost everyone. That is, unless you struggle with the challenge these sorts of games champion. In that case, Khazan won't welcome you to the Dungeon Fighter universe with an open hand, but rather smack you away with a closed fist.The First Berserker - Khazan was reviewed on PC, using a code provided by the developer. It's available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on March 27.

Creeding PostsAssassin's Creed Shadows devs tell players "this is just the beginning" in post-release thank you message that whips out a cheeky quote you might recognise"Its been inspiring. It fuels us. And it helps us keep improving."Image credit: VG247/Ubisoft News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Assassin's Creed Shadows has had a pretty successful launch, pulling in plenty of players and attracting a lot of thumbs up from folks who might have rightfully been a bit sceptical following its multiple delays.Now, the Ubisoft team behind Shadows has posted a message to Reddit, thanking fans on there for posting about the game that's, er, not as discoursey as a lot of the chatter around it has been over the past year or so, as potentially warranted concerns about the portrayal of Japanese culture from actual Japanese people have been mixed in with yelling from internet weirdos who just don't like the idea of a black samurai. Ubisoft's future has also been pretty up in the air.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Anyway, it sounds like the Shadows team has enjoyed having the game's subreddit as a place to just read what people think about the game in the days since release. "This weekend, many of us on the Dev Team spent time reading your reactions across the Assassins Creed subreddit and we just want to say thank you," a post on there attributed to Shadows' devs reads, "The sheer amount of love and positivity we've received has been incredibly heartwarming."Seeing your excitement, your thoughtful reactions, and your joy has meant the world to us. After years of hard work, theres nothing more rewarding than watching the community connect with what weve created. While we dont reply directly, please know were listening. The entire Dev Team has been reading your posts the celebrations, the feedback, the theories and its been inspiring. It fuels us. And it helps us keep improving. "THANK YOU" - A Message from the Assassin's Creed Shadows Development Team byu/Ubi-AssassinsCreed inassassinscreedTo see this content please enable targeting cookies."Thank you for being part of this journey with us. This is just the beginning for Shadows, and we're thrilled to see the game evolve with you by our side."The devs capped off the message, which cites this post from an AC player as the kind of thing being referred to, with a cheeky quote. "Where other men blindly follow the truth, remembernothing is true."Recognise it? Of course you do, you big nerd of all things jumping, climbing, and stabbing people, it's a thing from the actual, er, creed of the assassins in Assassin's Creed. That's not confusingly worded at all, shut up. Basically, someone says it to Ezio in AC2 before a painful thing happens to one of his fingers.If you're not keen on waiting for Shadows' devs to hear your feedback on anything that might have been bugging you about it, you can also check out if mods can help, with some folks already putting out initial tweaks and additions.

More Dune Awakening news is here, following Joel Byros and Funcom's short video breaking down the post-launch plan for the game. Price points for each version of the game have been revealed, and yes, the Sardaukar armour can be yours...for a price. Read more

Indy KnowIndiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 finally has a release date, so you've not got long left to avoid taking suspicious calls about whipping from your Xbox-owning matesYou know, cos they might spoil things for you.Image credit: Bethesda Softworks News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Well, there you go. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on the PS5 has officially gotten a release date, and isn't just vaguely hanging over our heads - no doubt suspended by a whip - armed with a season and year when it's supposed to drop. It'll arrive on April 17, 2025.Nice. I'm sure the likes of Pentiment and Sea of Thieves, both of which moseyed across the console divide last year, will throw it a welcoming party.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. We had a bit of a heads up that the date could be revealed today, March 24. Leaker Billbil-kun claimed that such a thing would be happening, and Bethesda itself dropped a cheeky tease. There was also that ESRB rating not long ago.Well, in a fresh post and a video that features implied whipping of Nolan North by Troy Baker the publisher has confirmed that PS5 Indy is dropping on the aforementioned date of April 17. That means two big Xbox games in quick succession will be hitting Sony's console, with Forza Horizon 5 set to skid onto PS5 on April 29. Hope you're not busy, PlayStation owners who like a cheeky Xbox thing. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Anyway, there are two editions of PS5 Indy you'll be able to grab - a standard and a premium edition. The premium edition comes on either digital or physical form and offers up to two days worth of early access, The Order of Giants story DLC, a digital art book and a Temple of Doom outfit. Meanwhile, pre-ordering will net you the Last Crusade pack that boasts a lion tamer whip and traveling suit outfit. I don't see how that last one could come in handy, it's not like Indy spends a lot of time going places. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Anyway, we liked his big circle. In our review, Alex wrote: "This isnt that sort of slam dunk perfect game that will have truly broad appeal. Even reading this review, I think youll probably have an idea based on my description of the combat-to-puzzle balance and the overall structure of the game if its for you or not. If it is for you - as it was for me - you are going to not only find one of the best games of the year, but a game youre going to want to revisit again and again."Are you planning on picking up PS5 Indy? Let us know below!

Return to Robo-nam?Helldivers 2's Galactic War looks like it could be headed back to the game's most infamous planet, and grizzled vets are wondering what fresh horrors may awaitAssuming it happens, are you ready for Malevelon Creek round two?Image credit: Arrowhead News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 If you're one of the Helldivers 2 who's long boasted about being a veteran of the game's most famous battle, or are a newer recruit who's only ever heard the stories, it seems you could be in luck. Arrowhead's latest message as the war rages on suggests the fighting's headed back to the corner of the galaxy that's home to the infamous Malevelon Creek.If you're in that second category, and somehow haven't heard folks in-game or on the socials saying stuff like 'Remember the Creek' or 'I left part of myself on the Creek', let me introduce you to one of the first planets that - in Helldivers 2's earliest days last year - earned itself a reputation for particularly fierce fighting. The Automaton-infested Malevelon Creek was quickly nicknamed 'Robot Vietnam', both due to how intense a battleground it was, and its cool Terminator-esque vibes.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Well, having faded into obscurity a bit, it now looks like it could be on the conflict menu once again soon. "The Automaton Incineration Corps has stolen vast swaths of ground from our citizens, burning thousands of toxin-free homes to the ground," reads the message Arrowhead put out after players failed the latest major order, "The Helldivers fought valiantly, but the underhanded opportunism of the Automatons allowed the enemy significant gains. The enemy remains at large.""Reports indicate the enemy's strategic goal is to seize old industrial assets in the Severin Sector, where the Automatons first emerged. Insufficient E-710 was gathered to deploy the Penrose Energy Siphon. The asset remains on standby, inactive as the Meridian Singularity rapidly moves towards Ivis." THEY'RE HEADING FOR THE CREEK! byu/Spacy2561 inHelldiversTo see this content please enable targeting cookies.It's the bit about the Severin Sector that's got folks speculating about a return to Robot Vietnam, since that system's home to five planets - Maia, Durgen, Ubanea, Tibit, and - you guessed it - Malevelon Creek.What will a return to the Creek look like, given all that's changed in the game and all the new gear players have gotten since it last played a major role in the war? Well, that's the question HD2 vets on Reddit are asking. The greenhorns are gonna be disappointed with the Creek," one argued, "When we were there last time it was with the old bots and a lot of new players. It's not gonna be anywhere near as bad this time... I hope.""If we do go back to the Creek, I hope we get some new set pieces to signify the campaign fought there," another player suggested, "Used weapon pods that are overgrown, maybe destroyed objectives that are slowly being rebuilt, completed RTF markers on normal POIs, maybe bunkers that are already opened, but are filled with rubble and debris. Just something to signify that helldivers were here before and fought hard. It'd be a little disappointing to go back and see that nothing significant has changed."Are you keen for Robot Vietnam round two to happen, or would you rather not risk it potentially not hitting the same way it once did? Let us know below!

Level HeadsHollow Knight: Silksong gets some Steam changes, and you don't need me to tell you its fans are reacting with calm and restraintThey're ok, I swear - just big fans of GeForce Now.Image credit: Team Cherry News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Calm down. Are you calm? This is for your own good. Ok, you may proceed. Another thing that could hint at something happening with Hollow Knight: Silksong has reared its head. This time it's some Steam backend changes, and the Silksong faithful definitely aren't losing their minds again.To be fair, given even the likes of Xbox have been cheekily teasing these poor souls who've been disappointed more often than your parents when you tell them what you're doing with your life, you can't blame them for having their equivalent of a big party over some text that mentions Nvidia GeForce now.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Anyway, let's get into what's kicked their Hornet's nest this time. It's some updates the game's backend got today, March 24, which have been spotted via SteamDB.What do they reveal? Well, that the game's legal lines have been changed to say copyright Team Cherry 2025, rather than the same thing, but with the year 2019. Some assets have also been tweaked, with some seeming to point towards the game being available via Nvidia's GeForce Now streaming service whenever it drops. STEAM CHANGES YOO byu/thelazycoati inSilksongTo see this content please enable targeting cookies.Naturally, the Silksong hive is taking this as the latest sign that actual info about the game might be coming soon, and with Nintendo's early April Switch 2 direct on the immediate horizon, that understandably looks to be where a lot of the hopes are being pinned. Here's hoping the hype doesn't fall flat on its face yet again, leaving the poor Silksongers to keep on wandering the lonely roads of the internet, Silksongless.They've been waiting since at least 2019, to be fair, and endured stuff like cake theories in that time, so you can get why they'll cling to stuff like these Steam updates. Their knees are weak, their arms are heavy, as they wonder what's going on with this game already, did Team Cherry forgetti?Are you still belting out your Silksong of hope with all your heart? Let us know below!

LeonidownGTA modder behind "Project Vice" mod that re-created GTA 6's map in GTA 5 opts to take down download links to it after Take-Two claims YouTube video"[Take-Two] didn't ask me to, but I think it's smarter to get out in front of them, rather than waiting for their email."Image credit: Rockstar Games News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Things continue to be very up and down in the GTA modding world, with the latest instance of this involving Project Vice, the GTA 5 modding project which had re-created a version of GTA 6's map in that game. Its creator, YouTuber Dark Space, has opted to pull the latest set of download links to it offline, in response to a Take-Two copyright claim on a YouTube video they'd made showcasing their work.Dark Space began working on the mod last year, was sharing some screens of their progress by January, and released what looked to be the 1.0 version of Project Vice earlier this month. It's the set of links to download the mod they shared as part of that release that they've now gotten rid of.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "Take Two Interactive has copyright claimed and removed my video on the GTA 6 map I made in GTA 5," Dark Space tweeted yesterday, March 23, referencing their video entitled 'I finally made a playable GTA 6 map in FiveM and single player', "I expected something like this could happen. I am surprised they didn't bother emailing me. I would have taken it down if asked.""Take Two Interactive has not contacted me, but rather, they have copyright struck my youtube video down," they re-emphasised in an announcement on Discord.In a follow-up YouTube video with the title 'Take-Two Took Down My Video/Map Project', they added: "I've also removed the download links to my mod. Even though [Take-Two] didn't ask me to, but I think it's smarter to get out in front of them, rather than waiting for their email that will never come." VG247 has reached out to Rockstar/Take-Two for comment. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.It looks like the links Dark Space is refferring to here were the ones that could previously be found in a channel under the community subheading on their Discord server called "project-vice". Said channel now appears to have been archived or hidden. You can, however, currently still find links to download the mod via Google Drive in the description of a video titled 'We put Leonida In GTA 5' Dark Space put out about it in December 2024. It's unclear if these are links to older versions of Project Vice.In response to a Discord user asking them whether the continuation of work on the modding project has now been cancelled, Dark Space responded: "Probably gonna cancel it on my part, but I won't stop others from taking it and moving on with it."Back in January, the YouTuber told IGN they were "always worried" about the possibility of Take-Two action against their modding project, however, they also suggested that they saw what they were doing as being different to other GTA mods which the company has taken action against.One of those projects was the Liberty City Preservation project mod, which re-created GTA 4's map in GTA 5 and recieved a "friendly takedown" earlier this year/

On the PeripheryPeriphery and Warframe 1999 come together with a new guest track, but how on earth did that happen?We speak to the crew behind the latest music collaboration to find out what went into the new track: Lamenting the daysImage credit: Digital Extremes Article by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore is out, and it's a lot of fun. But, one thing you may not have noticed as a player or a far-flung spectator is that progressive metal band Periphery worked alongside Digital Extremes on a special guest track for the update. It all fits within the rock band vibe that came with Temple and the new defence mission.But how did this actually come to be? How did Periphery end up working with DE on Techrot Encore, and what went into creating the track? To find out, I sent over a few questions to Periphery's Jake Bowen and Mark Holcomb, as well as Elliot Coleman from Good Tiger who worked alongside the group on lamenting the Days.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. VG247: How exactly did this collaboration come about? When did work start on the track?Holcomb: It came together very organically. Ive known Megan, Rebb, and Steve since 2016 or so, and we had always discussed doing something together. Jake and I hung out with them at a Periphery gig back in 2024, and thats when the wheels officially started turning on this project. We began working on the track in earnest during the summer of 2024.Bowen: We have been friends with the Warframe team for a while, and it came up pretty casually, I think. It just started as a Hey, wouldnt it be cool if we collabed? and it just started to coalesce from there. I know they were working on a music/guitar-based character and were looking for a band that might be able to contribute music and consult on what the character's sound could be. Coleman: Jake originally reached out to me to gauge my interest in working with them on an original song for the game. The three of us have worked on music together in the past, so it was a no-brainer for me. The three of us have great chemistry!Check out the song, Lamenting the Days here!Watch on YouTubeVG247: How long did you have to make this new song for the Warframe 1999 update?Holcomb: We were given the opportunity of having months of runway to finish the song, but Jake and I met at his place in Jersey City to get the bulk of the song written and recorded only in a couple days. We spent months tweaking afterward, and that allowed us to have the Warframe team bounce ideas and suggestions off of us in no hurry, in order to mold the song even further into something they felt fit their vision. Bowen: I dont know much about video game development but it seems to me that you cant make a video game, much less a video game on Warframes scale without lots of time and precision planning so we had a few calls with Rebb and Megan and they helped us lay out the plan and gave us ample time to come up with the best thing we could. So while the bulk of the song's arrangement came together in about two days in the studio we had quite a bit of time to hone the track and get it sounding right.Coleman: I had a lot of melodies come to my head pretty quickly when I heard the instrumental they were working on. I fired up the game and would listen to the song on repeat for a few days to get a feel of how I wanted the vocals to sound.VG247: Periphery has composed for video games a few times, including a track for Deus Ex in 2016, the Halo 2 anniversary OST, and Homefront all the way back in 2011! What inspired this return to the medium? Is video game work something the band is always keen to do?Holcomb: Since our bandmate Misha primarily handled the music lent to those aforementioned games, this was a golden opportunity for me to dip my toes into this world. Ive done voice-acting in video games dating back to 2017, but Ive never composed music for one, so I jumped at the chance to do this with Jake and Elliot. Im a life-long gamer, and Id climb mountains to be involved in that world, be it through voice-acting or music composition.Bowen: The interesting thing about some of that previous work is that was all handled by one member of Periphery, Misha Mansoor, so for me this was a chance to really get into that side of things, I find the idea of composing for someone elses project very intimidating but the Warframe team being fans of Peripherys music gave a sense of comfort because at least I know they like this other thing I do.VG247: What unique considerations are there for composing for a video game rather than creating a song for an album? What does the band have to keep in mind that differs from the regular process?Holcomb: Id say the biggest consideration is making sure youre adhering 100% to the vision of the developer. When Periphery records an album, its an absolute free-for-all in that we are creating art for arts sake, and priority number one is making something that makes us happy, with as few concessions as possible. For projects like this, we had boundaries within which we needed to stay in order to satisfy Digital Extremes vision. But that was supremely exciting in its own way since their vision was so specific and well-thought-out from the beginning. Bowen: I think the number one thing I was thinking about when writing the music was does this fit within a 1999 theme, there was talk of touching on a lot of the more iconic musical voices from that era, bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Deftones were always in my head when trying to come up with the riffs. Other than that, I wanted to create a song an actual band might write, Verse/Chorus/Verse/Bridge/Outro, or something resembling that. I even added sound elements from the game to help it fit better within the game's world.Coleman: When Im working on a Good Tiger record, the overall tone of the album usually takes shape pretty quickly. We know what our band sounds like and what its strengths are. Working on this song, I had to keep in mind the vision Rebb and Megan had for it, and that was easy because they gave great direction! The song comes alongside Temple, a new Rock 'n Roll themed warframe. | Image credit: Digital ExtremesVG247: In Warframe 1999 the audio team has established the setting firmly in the late 90's grunge era music-wise. Periphery was founded back in the early 2000's! Can we expect a music style more aligned to the band's original sound, more aligned to your contemporary work, or something vastly different?Holcomb: I think by nature of Jake and I being in Periphery, youre bound to get a bit more of that modern metal sound, but yes, we really tried to get that 90s sound captured in the song. It was a natural fit since I grew up on 90s-era grunge.Bowen: I think that was the other half of the song's equation, in addition to paying tribute to our 90s inspirations we also had to make room for some of that Periphery sound which can sound a bit more modern. To me, that was the most fun part of this project. I loved music from the 90s, so being able to channel that while doing a style that is naturally more current was a lot of fun.VG247: In an interview with Tuonela Mag last year, Misha stated that "musical motifs and abstract concepts from just a purely musical standpoint" and that the process of making new music for you guys is largely intuitive. Was the creation process for this song the same? Did Digital Extremes provide any guidelines or requirements that made you approach this song differently?Holcomb: I would say it was still largely intuitive, and it didnt differ too much from how I operate in Periphery, but the main difference was the set of criteria Digital Extremes laid out for us. The idea of writing a song that would feel at home in the late 90s was the overarching idea behind every detail in the song, so we had to throw some of that raw, unfiltered thread-chasing we do so much in Periphery. But I have to say, it was rewarding because we rarely ever get to write within guidelines in Periphery, so it was a fun exercise in creativity.Bowen: Weve definitely tried to constrain this process with the guidelines set forth by Digital Extremes. When Periphery is in the studio, we get to call all the shots, and thats a lot of fun. But when someone is asking you to write a song for their video game you obviously have to make sure youre in line with their vision and this is exactly why I found this process so much fun it made me approach the writing and production in a different way, but it wasnt at all unfamiliar. If youre a musician, you might relate to this. Its always scary to try new things and be in new musical projects, but once it gets rolling and it feels like you know what to do, it feels really good.Coleman: I wasn't given any hard guidelines to follow, but they did reference a few different singers for vibe. Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, Eddie Vedder, etc. They werent looking for an exact copy, so I was still able to be myself. There's a gaggle of new protoframes to meet too in Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore | Image credit: Digital ExtremesVG247: In that same interview Misha stated that the band doesn't get many chances to play together (aside from tours) as you all live far apart. How challenging is it to create a song on deadline without being able to sit in the same room and figure it out?Holcomb: It definitely isnt ideal, but as a band, we spend a lot of time on planes and Zoom calls, haha. It wasnt too difficult this time since Jake and I were able to write and arrange the song in person, and then we were able to do most of the tweaking remotely. Bowen: It certainly presents a few challenges for the band to be spread out all over the United States. Usually, we all will just fly to one place for a few weeks and craft what we need in that time. When it comes to touring, we usually will rehearse together a few days before a tour starts.Coleman: One of the most important things when collaborating with your bandmates, or peers, or friends, is that you all agree that youre working towards the same goal. I have a lot of trust in their constructive criticisms.VG247: Mark, you're also a voice actor in video games! Can we expect your voice to pop up in a future Warframe update?Holcomb: Yes! I voiced Flare in the new update. It was insanely fun getting to explore that character and tread some ground Ive never tread in my voice-acting career. A massive thank you to Digital Extremes for writing such an interesting, fun character for this and trusting me to help bring him to life. Bowen: I know this question isnt directed at me, but I also did some voice work for Warframe as a new villain character, youll be hearing some pretty brutal sounding stuff!Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore is out right now, and while Periphery's track Lamenting the days isn't out on Spotify as of writing, you can check it out on YouTube right now!

As you might be aware (we've banged on about it a bit already this week) Helldivers 2 got a cowboy-themed Warbond dubbed Borderline Justice yesterday. It has no cowboy hat, because Arrowhead doesn't reckon that such headgear fits within the Helldiver uniform restrictions. Read more

Shrug EmojiUh, Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PC just got a free DLC out of nowhere and with next to no fanfare, despite everyone kind of assuming EA was done with it"Here, have a hideous knife and love us forever"Image credit: EA/BioWare News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 Ok, so you know Dragon Age: The Veilguard - that game that came out, and then not long afterwards a bunch of veteran BioWare devs who worked on it got laid off or transferred to other EA studios as part of restructing at BioWare. Well, the PC version of it randomly got a new DLC yesterday, seemingly with very little fanfare.This comes after the combination of all that behind-the-scenes stuff I just mentioned, EA saying the game underperformed before letting it drop on PS Plus for free in pretty rapid fashion, and BioWare itself seemingly saying a fancy Elven goodbye in some January patch notes had all left us assuming that the game was very much done with. On to Mass Effect 5, whatever that may look like.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Well, as spotted by TheGamer, the Steam version of Veilguard suddenly got a fresh add-on yesterday, March 20. It's a free DLC called "Rooks Weapons Appearance Offer", and it looks to offer some new weapon and shioeld skins that someone on Reddit's kindly put together a slideshow of."Rise as Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This offer includes Rooks Weapon Appearance Set for all players who own the game on PC," reads the Steam announcement that looks to be the only thing outside of just randomly browsing Veilguard's Steam page that's around to let you know this DLC exists, "This offer is available to players who purchase the game by April 8, 2025. The items will appear in Rooks Room when you log into Dragon Age: The Veilguard."So, limited-time and seemingly as part of an offer designed to encourage you to buy or play Veilguard - which is on sale along with the rest of the series on Steam right now - in the near future. As an extra note, the drescrption of the DLC itself gives a different date as to when you've got to purchase the game by compared to that Steam announcement - it says April 9. However, there's no post on the official Dragon Age Twitter account about it or anything on the game's website under either latest news or game updates.VG247 has contacted EA for comment and asked whether this free DLC will also be coming to console.There's some speculation in the Reddit thread I link earlier that this stuff might be stuff that was already in Veilguard's files and has now simply been made available, rather than being freshly-developed content made by whoever's left at BioWare that could still be assigned to the game. The Dragon Age fans on there don't seem to be fans of these weapons/skins either, with one summing things up by writing: "Here, have a hideous knife and love us forever".How do you feel about this kinda weird development with Veilguard? Let us know below.

Dune Just EnoughDune Awakenings take on monetisation actually sounds pretty decent, at least to those of us that remember paying cumbersome subscription feesIn addition, info regarding system requirements is now out there via an official Steam postImage credit: Funcom News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 More Dune Awakening news has hit the internet, courtesy of a quick breakdown from Funcom on the game's post launch plans. In addition, PC specs have been released in an official post on the game's Steam store page.The short video, narrated by chief creative officer Joel Byros, goes through the plan for the game's life after it launches on May 20 later this year. In it, he announces on behalf of Funcom that Dune Awakening will not have a subscription like other MMOs. Instead, the game will be supported by optional paid DLC packs that'll come out alongside free updates.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. These free updates will contain quality of life updates, new features, new story content, and all the good stuff that keeps a live service game going. As for the optional DLCs, there's no word on what they'll contain, but we do know that you can either buy them standalone or as part of a season pass that'll contain multiple things in one package.Byros also revealed that, in some version of the game folks will be able to buy, players will be able to get a headstart over the poors (that's a joke), which will allow them to jump into Dune Awakening early on the May 15. Bylos acknowledged that this would allow early access for players, but also states that this allows the team to "balance the server load" for the best possible experience when the game launches. Nothing hurts an MMO more than a shaky launch, after all.Alongside this short video comes the aforementioned Steam post, which gave us the following info on minimum and recommended PC specs:Minimum:OS:Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)Processor:Intel Core i5-7400, AMD Ryzen 3 1200Memory: 16 GB RAMGraphics:NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), AMD Radeon 5600XT (6GB)Storage:60 GB available spaceRecommended:OS:Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)Processor:Intel Core i7-10700K, AMD Ryzen 5 2600XMemory:16 GB RAMGraphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (8GB), AMD Radeon 6700XT (12GB)Storage:75 GB available spaceIn addition, the post peels back the curtain on some cool PC features players will be able to mess around with, including NVIDIAs DLSS 4, making Dune Awakening one of the first fully released games to use it, AMDs FSR, Intels XeSS 2, and Razer Chroma RGB and Razer Sensa HD Haptics. So if you're planning on playing the game on PC, you've got some neato tools to make the game look and play better.What do you think of this business model? I feel like I have so many subscriptions these days, and having a game that I can just buy and come back to every now and again suits me best. It's why I keep jumping back into Guild Wars 2 every now and again. So yeah, no complaints from me. It also sounds like we'll get some additional news soon, courtesy of a gameplay stream on March 24 mentioned at the tail end of the Steam blog post. Let us know if you'll be hanging around in the sand come May 20 (or maybe, five days earlier) below!

You Crazy DiamondOnly 1 in 4096 people are not going to be excited about Pokemon TCG Pocket's upcoming expansion, Shining RevelryIt's a shiny joke, get it? Starting March 27, we all will be able to grab a whole new set of shiny cards.Image credit: VG247 News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 Wake up Poke-fans, a new expansion for Pokemon TCG Pocket has just been revealed! Titled "Shining Revelry", it's themed entirely around shiny Pokemon. Unlike the mainline games where your odds of getting one are 1/4096, there'll be boatloads of shinies to collect starting March 27.The trailer, which you can watch yourself below, is short but oh so sweet. In it we get a sneak peak of a few cards in typical Pokemon TCG Pocket fashion, including but not limited to a new black Charizard EX, a new Lucario EX, and even a Red trainer card. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.While we do get a nice look at some cards and all the stats and abilities attached to them, much is left hidden away. This is normal, the folks who make the trailers for Pokemon Pocket expansions love teasing us just a little bit with these reveals, but what we do see appears to flesh out various deck types. Red, for example, boosts damage done to opponent EX Pokemon. A valuable card, especially at a time when Arceus EX is still dominating the meta.In addition, the Shining Revelry expansion comes with a selection of new EX starter deck missions, which will be available one day later on March 28. These offer up a selection of new powerful cards mixed in with other new cards that compliment them. Shout out to Wugtrio EX. I've no idea if he'll be good, but he's a don Pokemon and I'll be using him in the upcoming PvP events regardless of the meta. You've gotta ride or die by your faves, folks.Are you excited for Shining Revelry? Let us know below!

Got T Go FastAtomfall review: a seriously swift survivalist scramble through a scenic section of Sadness IslandYou might be done with it a lot quicker than you'd anticipate, but while its got you, Atomfall is a decently good time.Image credit: VG247 Review by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 When I played a few hours of Atomfall at a preview earlier this month, the main question Rebellion's action-survival game left me with (aside from 'wheres the nearest place I can buy a vegetarian pasty to eat for tea?') was just how interesting would the bits that lay beyond what Id played be?How deep would the intrigue go, once youd really started to crack open the razor-blade covered pastry of this rough and rugged trip to a Cumbrian quarantine zone set up after a fictional variant of the real life Windscale fire?To see this content please enable targeting cookies. As it turns out, the answer is perhaps a little less deep than I would have liked. But heres the thing: I think it depends a lot on exactly who you are whether this lack of depth will be a positive or a negative. To properly rip the hastily-crafted bandage off, heres the situation. I reached the ending to my first playthrough of Atomfall after just 11 hours. That was with me pursuing a few of the main quest threads that each offer a different way to attack the ending, but not quite all of them.I was on the recommended Survivor difficulty (the second toughest the game offers), so I wasnt doing anything that might artificially shorten my run-up by potentially mismatching the general hardness of things to my already not uber-MLG abilities. I didnt have any special pre-order bonus gear or anything to help out either. Atomfalls just a game that, if youre not planning on taking many prolonged breaks from pursuing whichever main story leads youre prioritising to turn over every stone and comb through every location in the zone, doesnt have that long a runtime. If you follow the signs straight through the main objectives, you might not be in Cumberland that long. | Image credit: RebellionThats not to say that what is in the game isnt regularly intriguing, charming, or satisfying. Nor will you come out of whichever ending you opt for feeling that youve been short-changed. But this truncated runtime makes the game an interesting one to grade.Given a chance to properly settle into a build and crafting setup, I gravitated towards a general strategy of moving everywhere stealthily, then taking out most foes by sprinting up to them, dodging any shots or swings as best I could, and bonking my enemies to death with a trusty cricket bat.Once I took a perk to boost my characters melee damage, I found I could finish off most human enemies with two or three hits, and as long as I kept a steady stockpile of alcohol and cloth to craft bandages I could use whenever food and first aid kits werent plentiful, I could easily recover from most damage this strategy exposed me to.In scenarios when I didnt want to risk charging in, I used guns and a bow from a distance, with the latter and a bolt-action sniper rifle serving to whittle down enemies with a decent chunk of health from range. Meanwhile, my fourth large weapon slot held an SMG that I could save for the most brown trousers-time encounters in order not to burn through its relatively scarce and easily burned-through ammo.Towards the end, I started using one of my smaller backpack slots for a pistol I could whip out in close-quarters fights against weaker foes if I fancied. The toughest foes - giant BARD robots with flamethrowers and machine guns - I just snuck or ran like hell past, as the game very much seems to intend. On the other end of the scale, you can kick or slap swarms of rats, bats, pigeons, and leeches to death. Which is fun. I also loved getting up to a bit of metal detectoring - who wouldn't dig unearthing lunchboxes of goodies? | Image credit: RebellionThe majority of my perks, however, went into survival and conditioning. Stuff that helped toughen me up and better prepare me to fight the hostile environments you spend the vast majority of the game in. Three of these - Casterfell Woods, Skethermoor, and Slatten Dale - are open air regions of the games above-ground sandbox, and each is patrolled by its own enemy faction thatll shoot you on sight. Masked druids, rowdy-looking outlaws, and British army troops known as The Protocol, theyre all to be dealt with in whatever fashion you deem most practical as you explore each of these thematically-distinct areas that all boast a rugged beauty matching their dangerous atmospheres.Wyndham is the fourth bit of the puzzle, and its the largest of the rare safe havens that you can dip into when youre beaten down and in need of a quick reprieve from the kicking Atomfall gives you. That is, unless you mess with the Protocol soldiers whore occupying it, so its a bit less safe than you might first think. Theres some decent intrigue going on across all of these areas, a decent roster of friendly NPCs to chat to, leads to chase, and little mysteries to investigate.As you push towards the end game, however, youll find yourself spending a lot of time in The Interchange - the secretive underground bunker youll need to gradually bring back to life and gain access to different bits of in order to discover what happened at the games version of the Windscale plant to kick into effect the quarantine. Ill not delve too deeply into spoiler territory, but I will say that what you uncover feels like it pulls bits from video game apocalypses you may well have played through before. Casterfell's woodland nature enthusiasts are friendly folks. | Image credit: RebellionI was very much reminded of some elements from The Last of Us, along with Fallout: New Vegas - specifically the Dead Money DLC. None of thats an issue in a vacuum, Atomfall delivers its tale with just about enough unique flavour to keep you hooked, but I do feel like it only scratches the surface of the potential its premise exudes from a narrative perspective.The mechanic that delivers the story works well. Unless you opt for a lower difficulty that enables things like map markers and extra hints to aid exploration, Atomfalls detective-style lead system is a refreshingly stripped-back alternative to the UI-heavy quest and navigation systems youll find in most open-world games (you know the ones I mean).It meshes well with the narrative tone Rebellions gone for, which is very understated and keeps a lot of its cards close to its chest. That style of storytelling is very British, and is part of what makes Atomfall feel different from the likes of Fallout, with the latter often being more open - either in terms of just pulling back the curtain as to whats going on and why, or in acknowledging the philosophical discussion at play.In theory, both work just fine, but I do feel Atomfalls approach holds it back in places from delivering something more compelling or with a bit more depth. A lot of the lore - for lack of a better term - about The Interchange, the events of the quarantine, and the mysterious Oberon lying at the centre of it all, is delivered via notes or short conversations that often feel like they stop short of really captivating you and delivering a proper whiff of the interesting tale Atomfalls constantly teasing that its got brewing away. Yes, the Queen (RIP) is in it. | Image credit: Rebellion/VG247Ive seen four different endings to the game so far, and all of them felt a bit flat, like they were failing to or breaking off before they could conclude things in a properly satisfying fashion. There are times when Atomfalls mystery-weaving serves it well as its narrative progresses and you get some nice short-term choice in consequence, but it doesnt drop the curtain much, even when you reach the point when you feel like it should be, and the reveals you do get sometimes feel like theyre the least interestingly delivered outcome possible.It reminded me a lot of The Chinese Rooms Still Wakes the Deep in this way - well-crafted, unquestionably good fun, but with a story that feels like its probably the weakest part of the thing, either because its leaning a bit too heavily on genre tropes or holding back from actually committing to delivering on the elements that could go beyond that.Theres still a good chance youll still love it. The gameplay loop is satisfying, the environments are fun to explore, and the short runtime makes it an ideal Game Pass thing you can give a go without having to fork over 60 hours that could well get a bit stale by the end. However, I think Rebellions left what could have made Atomfall a great game rather than just a good or ok one on the table here.Its closer to puddle deep when it could be a lake or ocean given its cool premise. Or, to put it in a more Atomfall way, its a pasty that doesnt quite deliver a filling that matches how tasty the pastry looks.Atomfall launches on March 27 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4. It'll come to Xbox Game Pass on day one. This review was conducted on PC using a code provided by the publisher.

Naoe manAssassin's Creed Shadows brought in a million players on its first day, but it's weird that Ubisoft isn't sharing sales numbersFor the first time in a while, Ubisoft has delivered some good news for its workers, investors and anyone who cares about the publisher's continued existence.Image credit: Ubisoft News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on March 21, 2025 Assassin's Creed Shadows may be about to signal a rebound for publisher Ubisoft. The company announced that the action RPG has had over 1 million players in its first 24 hours on sale.This is obviously pretty good for any game, but the real news here is that those arent actual sales figures, which is a little concerning.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Assassins Creed games always do well for Ubisoft, so there was little worry that Shadows wouldnt also deliver. Much of the pre-launch doom and gloom about the publishers future was warranted, however - and the constant delays certainly didn't help.But here we are, one day after release, and we have a sign of life. Ubisoft announced in a Tweet Thursday that Shadows has passed 1 million players. This milestone was reached just on its first day on sale, and likely includes all platforms.Ubisoft has yet to reveal hard sales numbers, either shipped or sold. In fairness, the publisher doesnt typically do that; its more concerned with active player numbers, as all the modern Assassins Creed games incorporate many live service elements that rely on player retention, and not necessarily the initial sales bump. Naoe is not sure about this. | Image credit: Ubisoft/VG247Over on Steam, the games performance has been, well, fine, though nothing particularly special. Shadows currently sits at the top of Steams top sellers for its third week running. After launch, the game peaked at 41,412 concurrent players (via SteamDB).If youve been keeping up with the performance of other major Steam releases in 2025, 41,000 will no doubt look small compared to Monster Hunter Wilds 1.3 million concurrent, or Kingdom Come Deliverance 2s 256,000 series record. As positive word of mouth continues to spread, however, Shadows player base will surely grow over the weekend.Its also worth keeping in mind that, because Ubisoft spent several years not publishing its games - including Assassins Creed - on Steam, its audience is a little more fragmented on PC. Well find out when the dust settles. If you havent decided yet whether you want to jump into Assassins Creeds interpretation of Feudal Japan, maybe our five star Shadows review will help.

TU1 with TsujimotoWe'll finally get to see everything coming to Monster Hunter Wilds with its first update in a special showcase next weekCapcom is just about ready to tell us all about the first big Monster Hunter Wilds update.Image credit: Capcom News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on March 21, 2025 Even before Monster Hunter Wilds came out, Capcom had already been working on its first major post-launch update. Weve known for a while that it would arrive in early April, and bring with it a new monster in the form of Mizutsune. Next week, well learn everything else coming to the game with Title Update 1.Thats because the developer is hosting a special presentation to show off all the new content, and its not far off.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. On Tuesday, March 25, the Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase will return at 7am PT, 10am ET, 2pm UK. Legendary series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto will be hosting this edition of the show, which will focus entirely on Title Update 1.Getting a solid release date for this one would be a good guess, but were also curious to see what new monster difficulty level is being added. Capcom previously said it will be more challenging than Tempered, so the logical conclusion we could come to here is that Arch-Tempered monsters are on their way to Wilds.Of course, the other major addition coming with this first update is a new version of the iconic Gathering Hub, which should effectively become the new default home base for all players. The initial announcement mentioned having meals together as one of the things we can do there, so were really hoping that also means the return of the Cantina, the Meowscular Chef and his helpers.A gathering hub also has a few other, more practical reasons, such as hosting all the material collection, ship requests, vendors and pretty much every NPC you want to deal with in one location. Its not yet clear whether this version will have all that, but at least we wont have to wait much longer to find out.The Tuesday show will be livestreamed on Monster Hunters official Twitch channel. As always, well bring all you the big news from the stream following its conclusion. Until then, you can continue to rely on our very popular Monster Hunter Wilds guide for all your gameplay tips, item locations, gear info and more.

Proactive PatchingAssassin's Creed Shadows gets day-one patch that should limit temple and shrine vandalism, after Japanese politicians reportedly express concerns about potential real world copycatsWorries linked to large tourist numbers are seemingly at the root of what led to Japan's prime minister being asked about Shadows recently.Image credit: Ubisoft News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin's Creed Shadows has gotten a day-one patch, which brings a feww bug fixes, in addition to some noteworthy tweaks that should stop folks from vandalising any of the temples or shrines they run across while exploring Feudal Japan.According to patch notes the publisher has shared with IGN, the patch renders tables and racks found in these locations indestructible, and also aims to reduce the chance of any "unintended blood spill in temples/shrines" by making sure that unarmed citizens won't bleed if you attack them.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. While the patch has been deployed for everyone, no matter which platform you're on or where you are in the world, it seems likely that it's Ubisoft electing to further insulate itself from any potential - that being the key word - issues when it comes to how the game handles Japan and its culture, now that it's released. As you might be aware, there's been a lot of chatter about this in regards to Shadows over the past year or so.The latest instance of this was Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba being asked a question about Shadows by another politician - member of the House of Councillors of Japan Hiroyuki Kada - on March 19. "I fear that allowing players to attack and destroy real-world locations in the game without permission could encourage similar behavior in real life," Kaba said, "Shrine officials and local residents are also worried about this. Of course, freedom of expression must be respected, but acts that demean local cultures should be avoided.""How to address this legally is something we need to discuss with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ishiba replied, "Defacing a shrine is out of the question - it is an insult to the nation itself. When the Self-Defense Forces were deployed to Samawah, Iraq, we ensured they studied Islamic customs beforehand. Respecting the culture and religion of a country is fundamental, and we must make it clear that we will not simply accept acts that disregard them."IGN notes that it seems unlikely that anything further will come of this, with IGN Japan staff suggesting that the concerns raised by the politicians here are linked to a surge in tourism Japan's experienced post-lockdown that's allegedly been linked to a rise in antisocial behaviour. Kada's concern is that Shadows players theoertically might be inspired to vandalise real life shrines during visits to the country, a similar argument to the usual 'video games cause violence' ones we've seen in the west.Alongside those two tweaks, the day-one Shadows patch also includes some of the more usual kinds of bug fixes you'd expect in a day-one patch for a game. There are some aimed at ensuring you don't get stuck or end up out of bounds when going prone or interacting with stuff after dodging, as well as some clipping you could see with Yasuke and Naoe's clothes during certain animations.Ubisoft's also packed in some lighting adjustments that sound like they probably intended to make entrances and exits more easily noticeable, and it's "improved horse navigation, reducing issues with turning and blocked paths". Less riding into trees and ending up galloping in place hopefully, not that that's something unique to Shadows - hello, all of my Witcher 3 playthroughs where I've randomly tried to take a 'shortcut' through a patch of roadless woodland.

Helldivers 2's cowboy-themed Warbond, Borderline Justice, has just arrived in-game, meaning you can put on your spurs and get ready to ride out to kill some bugs or bots. However, its armours don't boast one key bit of cowboy kit - a stetson. Thankfully, a modder has stepped up on that front for folks on PC. Read more

Stronger togetherThe United Video Game Workers union has been revealed at GDC and already it's gaining membersThe UVA enters the space in the midst of continued industry layoffs.Image credit: Communications Workers of America News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 A new video game developer union has been publically revealed at GDC 2025, as the gaming industry continues to suffer from ruthless waves of layoffs that have seen workforces ravaged in recent years, leaving a lot of fledgling talent and industry veterans struggling to find stable work.Named United Video game Workers union (or UVW), and created in collaboration with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, the collective aims to fight for workers rights, and is currently gathering signatures for a petition "demanding dignity and job security for all video game workers, particularly those facing layoffs." according to the official CWA union website.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. In a introductory post on the CWA union website, you can find several statements from high-ranking members of both the UVW and the CWA. Tom Smith, CWA's senior director of organizing, wrote the following: "The creation of this union was not done in isolation; its a cumulative effort by the thousands of video game workers who have been fighting for years to redefine what it means to stand together and reclaim power in one of the largest and highest-grossing industries on the globe [...] These workers are taking a bold stand, joining together to build power for the workers behind the games we all know and love."Claude Cummings Jr, president of the CWA, followed up with, "The formation of United Video Game Workers-CWA is an exciting next step in our unions work to help video game workers build power in their industry. [...] As video game studios have consolidated, the workers whose creativity, dedication, and skill bring the games to life have become more an afterthought. They are subject to endless cycles of layoffs and rehiring as corporate executives pursue short-term profits at the expense of a sustainable future."The post also highlights the fact that this is not the first time workers in the video game space have taken a stand, as it acknowledges the work of Game Workers Unite which was launched in 2018, also at GDC. It also pays hommage to CODE-CWA back in 2020, which pushed many in the tech sector to unionize. Already, the UVW has announced that over 100 employees have signed up. This might not sound like a lot, but considering the union was announced not even 24 hours ago, it's not too shabby at all as far as initial performances go.The formation of the UVW comes while SAG-AFTRA continues the fight against various video game companies on behalf of voice actors and mocap artists in the USA. That union continues to picket and push against AI use without the consent of performers, as well as for wages to keep up with the rising cost of living. It's an age of real mobilisation in the video game industry, at a time when the disregarding of development talent has become all too common.Let us know what you think below! Will this turn the tide toward better treatment of developers? Let us know below!

Nata That WeirdThanks to Monster Hunter Wilds modders, you can now fight a freaky half Nata, half Arkveld abomination alongside a Palico in lingerieThey are the same, after all.Image credit: Capcom/Boizoi News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Warning: Spoilers for Monster Hunter Wilds lie ahead.Good news. If you like Monster Hunter Wilds and are actively seeking one of weirdest experiences you might ever have in a game, modders have got your back. You can now fight a half-child, half-monster version of Arkveld, while being cheered on by a Palico in lacey underwear.Yep, you're welcome. Make sure to pack your hunting horn that's actually Jack Black's toy saxophone and possibly take on the firm of a nude buff male too, just to really ensure that this is a battle you'll never forget.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Before you go though - here's what you're getting yourself into. Inspired by that one moment when Nata looks at Arkveld and basically says "he just like me fr", which is one of the reasons lots of MH fans aren't big fans of the little guy, modder Boizoi has created 'Natarkveld'.It's "a horrific amalgamation of both Nata and Arkveld", boasting the former's head, the latter's body, and also the former's hands too - I assume for maximum weirdness. Proper nightmare fuel, and a way to turn a kid you think's a bit whiny into some boots. In both cases, worth mentioning to your therapist.Another thing that's probably worth mentioning to them if you choose to use it is one of the other freshly-released MH Wilds mods out there - Degeneroid's 'Palico Lingerie'. It does exactly what you'd think, outfitting your feline buddy in some posh stockings held up by a garter belt and a thong. Why? This is Nexus Mods - you're better off sometimes not thinking about or asking questions like that, lest you get an answer you might lose sleep over."Compatible with long-haired palicoes, but I can't promise that it'll look any good in use," the modder writes. Thanks man, that was definitely our chief concern when we saw this. If nothing else, it's something a bit different to the metric tonne of incredibly suspect Gemma and Alma mods that as someone who regularly has to check Wilds' mod page for work, I can confirm exist (and nothing more).If you're planning to jump into Monster Hunter Wilds and take on Natarkveld, you can check out the array of helpful guides and tips we've got. No, I'm not sure if they include guidance on helping a cat thing patch claw-holes in its knickers after a tough monster battle.

Digimon!Digimon Alysion is a free-to-play online card game to rival Pokemon TCG Pocket, but we've no idea when it'll actually come out yetA new Digimon was also revealed, as well as a cast of characters in cinematics. So, it's got some budget behind it!Image credit: Bandai Namco News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Digimon Alysion has been revealed during Digimon Con with a nice and short little trailer. In it, we see a variety of characters in cinematics, a new Digimon, as well as some gameplay! We've not got a release date though, so you'll have to hang tight for more news on when you can actually play it.According to the game's new website, it'll be a free-to-play mobile game with in-app purchases. Any other information must be gleaned from the trailer itself, so brace yourself for some top-notch analysis of that. You can also watch it yourself down below!To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Straight off the bat, we see the game being played - the player has a bunch of cards in their hand reminiscent of the pre-existing physical card game. So, it does seem to be a faithful recreation of pre-existing format. After that, we see a selection of pixel art Digimon with levels attached. Now, we don't know how this'll work, but it appears as though players will be able to select and level up a collection of Digimon avatars. These don't seem to allign with the cards themselves either, but hey, if you like the idea of Digi-volving your little guys, that appears to be a feature.Then we get a shot of what appears to be a pack opening, and a card collection screen. Pretty standard. On top of that, we see an early look at the start of a PvP match between two players. So yes, this looks like a multiplayer card game, rather than some sort of PvE single player card game.Watch on YouTubeAfter that, a variety of characters are shown off, all of which look pretty cool. But the real meaty reveal is a new Digimon! Gemmon is a little rabbit looking freak, with a big gem in its forehead, as well as several embedded into its body. Gemmon doesn't see too peeved about that though, in fact it appears pretty chuffed about the whole affair. As it should! Being a Digimon is cool.That's basically all we get. We do see Bandai Namco's logo at the tail end of the trailer, which makes sense as it is the primary developer behind the game.Are you excited for Digimon Alysion? Let us know below!

Balancing has been one of the hottest topics during Helldivers 2's rollercoaster lifespan to this point - an endless source of debate and controversy among players, especially whenever Arrowhead's been seen to deliver more nerfs than buffs. However, the game's director doesn't reckon trying to strike a perfect balance is something devs should focus too heavily on, because it's a "myth". Read more

New Look"We'd be remiss to not act on that" Positive feedback on Warframe 1999 protoframes has the team thinking of the future.Speaking with head of community director & live ops Megan Everett, the love of protoframes is a "testament to being risky and getting weird with it"Image credit: VG247 Article by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore comes out today, a much-anticipated follow-up to the weird and wonderful 1999 expansion which added romance, grunge, and a tank with tentacles. As those who've played Warframe 1999 will know, protoframes - human precursors to the beloved frames we've been messing around with for years - have gone down especially well among the community.I wanted to find out more about the community reception to 1999, how it's impacted the development on Warframe: Techrot Encore and beyond, and whether or not we can expect to see more protoframes in the future. To help me learn more, community director and head of live ops Megan Everett sat down and provided some insight into how protoframes went down, and what we can expect in the coming years.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. VG247: What was the team's response to the feedback to Warframe 1999?Everett: "The feedback was amazing, as we weren't sure how players were going to react to 1999. It's such a different vibe to what we've built going on 12 years now nad it was a risk going that route. For the Protoframes we've said for the longest time, and were serious, that there were no humans under the suits! Now, we've done a version of it that's kind of different. But once players saw Arthur at Tennocon years ago we knew we were on the right track, that we could do the romance system."It was all such a risk with 1999, as we had never done romance before, never done such an era themed update where people have lived through that time, with people knowing what instant messager and boybands were, and make it Warframe. The response was beyond our wildest dreams [...] and it's why this echoes update is the biggest we've ever done."VG247: Were you not expecting a positive reaction?Everett: "In terms of expectations you hope and you dream players will like it obviously, but we didn't expect players to connect with it as much as they did. Like, I have never seen an update produce as much fan art as 1999 has, and how much people have very passionately and personally connected to the stories of these characters. We've been doing lore and narrative writing for years now, trying to make characters cool and interesting, but I don't think I've ever felt this much care from a player about a character from a game before than we've seen with protoframes. It's a testament to being risky and getting weird with it."VG247: Has the positive reaction to the protoframes effected the team's mindset in regards to future updates? Has this changed plans you had in mind?Everett: "I think it effected our mindset in that we've set the bar very high for ourselves for protoframes, and in Technrot Encore, the four new protoframes are not romanceable. That was a decision that we had to really talk about honestly with ourselves. You see the reception from the romance in 1999 protoframes and it's clear that players want that and they like that, and are excited for more. But it was realistically not going to happen with these protoframes. So it's up to us seeing that feedback to make sure that the relationship that you do get to have with these new characters is going to make you love and care about these characters as much as the original protoframes were." Looking at this cast, it's safe to say Warframe fans have much to look forward to. | Image credit: Digital ExtremesVG247: While you've gotten good feedback surrounding 1999 and protoframes in particular, I imagine given the development time of creating these characters you've not been able to expand on their presence in Tehcrot Encore. That being said, will we see more protoframes in the future? Perhaps more than originally planned?Everett: "I think we've come to this cadence of a big update and then an echeos update after that, and we've been cooking on these protoframes since last year, so we knew they'd be coming in the echoes update. But, we do know the roadmap for the next year or two. So I do want to set expectations that there is not a protoframe in every update. It has to be appropriate, it has to fit somewhere, and as you said it takes a lot of work. It depends too on the level in which you react with them. Is it romance, is it the kin system, is it something else? It's a lot of work, but it has to be the right place and time.""But seeing the reaction to protoframes it's clear that players like them, and we'd be remiss to not act on that in some way going forward. It just has to be the right time, and has to fit the story we're progressing through. If it doesn't fit in an update we're cooking in this year or next year, it won't have a protoframe. But if it does fit, it does."VG247: That's make sense. I imagine with protoframes being linked quite firmly to the 1999 setting it would be hard to through them into the modern setting, lounging around on Mars or whatever.Everett: "Even the Techrot Encore ones, when you talk to and come to understand them you learn where they were even when the events of 1999 were happening, because those are players want to know! They're thinking I went through all this stuff with the original protoframes, where were these four, what were they doing? So we have to expand the world a bit to make it make sense. But yeah, it's very - at this current time they're beholden to the 1999 universe. So if and when we do other protoframes, how do we make it make sense? That's TBD right now (laughs)."Check out Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore today and meet these protoframes yourselves. Let us know which is your favourite.

Rising TideAnyone mourning the poignant, meaningful feeling from Team Ico needs to check out Flow, the Oscar-winning film that beat Inside Out 2 and The Wild RobotWe are all in the same boat and must overcome our differences to find ways to work together feels very apt in 2025.Image credit: VG247 Article by Dom Peppiatt Editor-in-chief Published on March 19, 2025 When I was ushered into a private screening of Flow, the animated Latvian adventure film created entirely in the free and open-source software, Blender, I was not expecting to come out of the cinema thinking of nothing but Team Ico and Fumito Ueda. I went into the film completely blind: all that I knew was that Flow had won an Oscar for best animated feature (pipping both The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2 to the post), and was completely dialogue-free.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Aside from a slightly rustic art direction that reminds me of something between a PS2 and PS3 game thanks to Blenders utilitarian style, theres just something about Flow that screams Team Ico. Maybe its in the emotive, bold storytelling that manages to convey more emotion than even the most verbose films, maybe its in the towering architecture and fantasy-meets-reality nature of the setting. But, either way, the film feels like it could be a companion to Uedas oeuvre - a cross-media homage to one of game developments greats.The story follows the journey of an expressive, often mischievous cat who is searching for safety and stability after its home is devastated by a flood. Though there is evidence of human life in the world, mankind is absent from the plot - only thumbprints of mans legacy on the world are left behind. Instead, our cast is comprised of a pack of dogs, a reticent capybara, a ring-tailed lemur, and winged creatures with unclear motives.Behind the anthropomorphic drama, theres a very clear message: community will help you survive. Maybe the film is about dismantling tribalism and finding safety and common ground with people outside your bubble, maybe its about how the only way we can survive on a doomed planet is by putting aside our differences and working together to build a better world. Maybe its simply about a cat that doesnt like water, and the ancient blood feud between canines and felines. Who knows? Uneasy alliances and found families take center stage in Flow. | Image credit: CurzonEither way, the wordlessness of Flow is part of its charm. Clocking in at 84 minutes, the film earns (nearly) every second of its on-screen time, and never feels like a drag - pretty impressive given that there is not one line of dialogue in the whole thing. Most of the communication is done through big, expressive eyes, easily-interpreted animal body language, and languid, reflective shots of the waterlogged world. The film took five and a half years to produce (another unconscious link to Ueda and Team Icos famously long gestation period, perhaps), and was figured out entirely without storyboards.Director Gints Zilbalodis and writer Matīss Kaža instead opted to place the 3D models of the animals in the work-in-progress environments within Blender, and "explore them with the camera. This is a pretty experimental process for an animated feature, and - to my eye - reads more like a game development technique than a film-making one.The result is emotive, raw, and intuitive. Our floating camera seems to flit between esteemed filmic cinematography, and adept video game floating eye. Our lens moves with confidence and precision as it banks, pans, and sweeps across oceanic horizons, entangled ruins choked with vines, and small atolls free from the suffocating, exponentially rising water. A ragtag bunch of misfits, but a good group. | Image credit: CurzonI cant find any evidence of either Zilbalodis or Kaža saying theyve played any Team Ico games (and I wasnt able to secure an interview), but to me, it seems so clear that Uedas influence is all over Flow. Whether its the visual language, the mature themes, the innovative use of animation, the innate understanding of animal psychology, or the grounded surrealism that permeates every pore of Flow, it feels like Japan Studios spirit lives on in this curious, exceptional film. I wasnt the only person saying this, either; when I left the screening (exclusively for games industry folks, granted), I heard almost every cluster of people mentioning Team Ico. A cursory Google will turn up Reddit threads linking Flow and Ueda. The link is clear for anyone with the eyes to see it.We are all in the same boat and must overcome our differences to find ways to work together, Zilbalodis emoted at the Oscars when he picked up his award. I feel like that hits upon something at the core of Flows soul - a message of unity in a world being drowned by negativity, fear, rage, disconnection.So, TL;DR? Theres a reason Flow won an Oscar, folks. And anyone that has even a passing interest in video games should check it out. After all, a rising tide lifts all ships, right?Flow appears in UK cinemas from March 21, 2025, and is distributed by Curzon.

Laser Hell YeahAfter beating Split Fiction's secret Laser Hell, a pair of streamers are getting a special "early look" at Hazelight's next game and we're not jealous at all"You have to understand that there are barely people on our team that can make it [through this]."Image credit: Hazelight News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 Here's a cool thing. A pair of Split Fiction streamers have recently beaten a secret ultra-hard challenge level in the game, unlocking a video that sees Hazelight's Josef Fares congratulate them and offer a special trip to come and get an "early look" at the studio's next game. Not only that, but having seen a clip of the achievement, the director's now confirmed that his studio's in the process of reaching out to the duo.If you've not heard of this secret challenge, dopn't feel too bad. It's called Laser Hell, and it seems like it's a thing not many folks outside of the hardest of the hardcore Split Fictioners - streamers, basically - have reached so far.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Anyway, you've missed your chance at immortality, as couple of Chinese streamers with the handles sharkOvO and E1uM4y, have seemingly become the first folks worldwide to beat it - unlocking the video from Fares himself that plays once you've parkoured your way into the final room and stepped on some pressure pads.As you can see in a clip from their stream below, shared via BiliBili, the level very much lives up to its name, featuring enough deadly security lasers to fill several heist movies, and requiring neither of you to be even the tiniest bit s**t and video games."Wow, amazing," video screen Fares says after clapping his way into existence like some kind of applause-based supervillain, "You have to understand that there are barely people on our team that can make it [through this]. It took us a lot of time to finish it and Im telling you that this is a crazy, crazy achievement that you have done."Im not talking to you guys who are looking [at] this on YouTube. If you see this on YouTube, you should go to the game, its a really hard challenge. But for those of you who are actually in the game seeing this video, I am super amazed. Im going to say one thing: if you see me in real life, somewhere, and you can prove to me that you actually did this challenge, I can promise you, the first one to do that, Im going to fly you to Sweden and show you footage of our next game." Nice. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.So, here's the chaser. "Congrats to sharkOvO and E1uM4y for finishing the secret challenge Laser Hell in Split Fiction," Fares has tweeted today, "VERY impressive! I will keep my promise and invite you both to Sweden for an early look [at] our next game. We'll be in touch!"It's still a mystery at this point what the pair will be seeing, as Hazelight's understandably not said much about what's next for it since releasing SF less that two weeks ago, but you love to see this kind of thing regardless.

Just in case there was any doubt in your mind that Monster Hunter Wilds is the biggest release of the year so far - pretty much everywhere - along comes the consumer report for the month of February. Read more

Pokemon No"Not now, not ever" Pokemon Go exec tells players concerned about its new corporate overlords adding in "intrusive" ads or dodgy time limitsThey're sticking to the line about Saudi-backed Scopely adopting an 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' approach to the big thing it's just bought.Image credit: Niantic News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 Last week, Monopoly Go owner Scopely acquired of a bunch of games headlined by Pokemon Go from Niantic, thereby creating some kind of Saudi-backed terrifying Go-liath alliance. Naturally, there were a number of things that left players of the Pokemon game that was once totally unavoidable with some concerns, which one of its execs has aimed to nip in the bud with a recent interview.In addition to some justified discomfort about Niantic having sold up to a publisher owned by Saudia Arabia's controversial Savvy Games Group in the $3.5 billion deal, folks were worried it might be the harbinger of changes that'd bring some of the questionable advertising and monetisation practices Scopely's other games are known for to Pokemon Go.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Pokemon Go's senior vice president Ed Wu tried to extingish any fears in Ninantic's announcement of the deal, and more of the same has come from the game's senior product director Michael Steranka in a fresh chat with Polygon.Asked if there are any plans for the game to have stuff like "intrusive ads that will interrupt gameplay" or playtime restrictions that could push folks towards paying to keep going, Steranka's answer was "definitively no, that is not happening in Pokemon Go not now, not ever". So, basically the same response you'd get if you asked someone if they'd like to use the game to make it look like they were giving Pikachu the finger.The exec went on to re-iterate pretty much what Wu said - Scopely good, Scopely thinks Pokemon Go good, Scopely not gonna mess up a good thing. It's the message you're getting at this point, though it's up to you if you trust the company to stick to it.Meanwhile, based on one of Steranka's other answers, it sounds like Pokemon Go could be influencing some changes to Scopely's games, rather than vice versa. "Theyre really interested in the fact that Pokmon Go is such a stable business," the exec said of the publisher, "but almost more than that, theyve been really interested to try to learn from us and see what they can take from how we build Pokemon Go and apply that to potentially other games in their portfolio and future games to come as well."Will things actually play out that way in the long-term? It's early days yet, so we'll have to wait and see. One thing I do know is that Steranka at one point in the interview made a joke about Scopely not turning Pokemon Go into "Pokemon Stay at Home" due to this deal, and that might be the moment the concept comedy died.Yes, it's very rich of me - a notorious and unrelenting delivererer of utterly s**t jokes - to say that, but I'm doing it anyway.

Lore DumpedAn MCU-esque "Marvel Gaming Universe" was once a thing we could have gotten, had Disney's execs decided it was worth putting cash into"That was so frustrating because we came up with all these great ideas about how to do it."Image credit: NetEase News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 While Marvel Rivals is doing pretty damn well (shitty layoffs aside) with the whole lots of Marvel heroes coming together (not in that way) thing, there was once another way we could have seen the comics giant's costumed crew crossover - via an MCU-eque "Marvel Gaming Universe". For better or worse though, that idea never became a reality.This ill-fated concept was discussed by Bungie co-founder Alexander Seropian - who also once served as Disney Interactive Studios' vice president of game development - and Marvel Rivals writer Alex Irvine on a recent episode of the The Fourth Curtain podcast. The pair naturally got into why it didn't end up happening, and it sounds like the answer might have something to do with execs not liking to think about tough lore questions.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. When I first started working on Marvel games, there was this idea that they were going to create a Marvel gaming universe that was going to exist in the same way that the MCU did. It never really happened, Irvine explained, with Seropian adding that the concept was his "initiative". The pitch was that this gaming universe would tie Marvel's games together by putting them all in the same timeline/universe, with Seropian saying that it came before the MCU on the movie side of things was up and running.However it didn't get funded by Disney, with Irvine saying: "That was so frustrating because we came up with all these great ideas about how to do it". The developer went on to outline some of those ideas.Watch on YouTube"I was coming out of ARGs at that point," he recalled, "and thinking, Wouldnt it be cool if we had some ARG aspects? There would be a place where players could go that all the games touched, and we could move them back and forth from game to game. We could link in comics, we could loop in anything, we could do original stuff."In terms of why this MGU never got the green light, Irvine theorised that its downfall might have something to do with the quandaries it raised in terms of how it would have worked best. "Even back then," he said, "we were trying to figure out if theres going to be this MGU, how is it different from the comics? How is it different from the movies? How are we going to decide if it stays consistent? I think some of those questions got complex enough that there were people at Disney who didnt really want to deal with them.So, we never got a thing that might have linked the likes of Insomniac's Spider-Man games to its upcoming Wolverine one, or even stuff from other studios like Skydance New Media's Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra and Arkane's Blade game. We have Rivals though, so you can at least still pit Venom against a shark called Jeff.

MeowsaggesCyberpunk 2077 gets the mod you never knew you needed: a service that'll text you random cat and dog facts midway through emotional chats with Keanu ReevesFrom the modder who previously brought a hotdog motorbike with cheeseburger wheels to Night City.Image credit: CD Projekt/Deceptious News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 Ok, so Cyberpunk 2077 players have a bit of a thing for cats. They like hanging out with moggies in their futuristic flats thanks to Deceptious' Apartment Cats series of mods, and you might think that'd be enough.It ain't, though. There can never be enough cat stuff in Cyberpunk, because as you well know, cats are great. Enter a new mod that injects a bunch more cattiness - and also doginess - into CD Projekt's RPG via a text service that sounds like it can interrupt your adventure at any time to tell you random pet pub quiz trivia, provided you set it up to do so.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. It's modder MisterChedda's 'CatFacts' and it does exactly what it says on the tin, plus a bit more. I'd expect nothing less from a modder who previously added a motorbike made from a massive hotdog and two cheeseburgers to Cyberpunk.Basically, it's an automated service on V's in-game phone that'll cut through the endless string of texts from fixers and other actual game-related stuff to bring you random facts about cats as often as you set them to arrive by tweaking the mod's settings.Picture the scene. You're doing something unimportant like having a deep chat with Johnny Silverhand or breaking into Arasaka Tower, all guns blazing. Bloomp. You get a little message from a new contact called 'Catfacts' telling you something like: "A group of cats is called a clowder." Then, you get on with playing and the message auto-deletes so it doesn't clog up your inbox. Everyone wins.If you're wondering where the facts come from, the answer is a free online API (application programming interface) called Catfact.ninja, which the mod calls on to retrieve a random cat fact via another Cyberpunk mod called 'RedHttpClient'. If you don't like cats, you can also tweak CatFacts' settings so that it'll serve you dog facts instead, via another free API called, well, DogAPI. In DogAPI's case, the API's site states that the bits of info you'll get are sourced from "a collection of dog facts that have been submitted by members of the public".MisterChedda's also made the source code of their mod public via GitHub, in case you want to verify for yourself that it's not making any other requests/calls aside from the ones to these two APIs.Did you know that the first cat show was in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London, organised by artist Harrison Weir? Let us know below!

Sound the alarms, another breadcrumb of Hollow Knight: Silksong has appeared on the internet. This time, via a new Xbox Wire blog post, in which the game is mentioned among others in games coming in the future as part of ID@Xbox. Read more

Palworld now has crossplay, thanks to a fresh update that's just dropped and brought with it a pretty beefy list of other additions and changes - including a photo mode and the ability to sit down in a way that seemingly won't risk your character ending up floating in mid-air.Yep, forget that Nintendo lawsuit that's still ongoing and reportedly came as a suprise to the folks at Pocketpair, the studio's just made some key tweaks to the game about assembling an army of not-Pokemon and sometimes using them a bit like exploited workers.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. As usual, the notes for this latest Palworld update - v0.5.0 - have been shared via the game's official Twitter account. The big headline, of course, is crossplay being enabled across all platforms the game's on, meaning console folks can pal it up with each other and their PC counterparts.Beyond that, there's the new photo mode - which is found on the Pal Command Wheel and looks to work exactly as you'd expect - as well as some new solutions for hoarders in the form of a "Global Palbox" that lets you transfer pals between worlds and some "Dimensional Pal Storage" boasting "10 times the capacity of a regular Palbox" that's now accessible to guild members. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Another new addition you'll want to be aware of is the "Cosmetic Armour System", which basically allows you to go full fashion expert as you can in a bunch of other games, by letting you pick aesthetically-pleasing gear that'll show up on your character without messing with the stats of whatever stuff you've equipped for practical purposes. A drafting table that lets you "combine low-rarity blueprints to create higher-rarity ones" is also now a thing.That said, it's one of the tweaks that's caught my eye. "Players can now sit on chairs and cushions", it reads, and bascially this is how I've learned that up to now, Palworld players who fancy a sat have had to use a 'sit in chair' emote and just pray they've lined theor character's bottom up properly with whatever they're trying to park it on, or risk ending up looking like they're A) hovering like you might over the seat of a dirty loo or B) just kinda floating in a seated position. I'm glad it sounds like this is over now, think of how stressful that must be for your average tired pal tamer.Anyway, getting back on track, the update also brings some other "specification adjustments" and balancing tweaks that're well worth reading through, cos they do things like ensure "buildings can now be placed even if they overlap with a Pal" (sounds kinda dangerous) and adjust the rewards you'll get from the likes of elemental chests and NPC events.So, there you go. Have you been desperate to have a proper sit down in Palworld for like a year now? Let us know below!