This past February the Steam Deck celebrated its third birthday. And based on the rocky performance of some fairly recent AAA games on Valve’s popular handheld, Avowed and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth being two examples, it’s currently going through a b

Obsidian’s gorgeous fantasy RPG Avowed just got a new patch, promising the usual list of bug fixes and some new features. The game is also now “Verified” for Steam Deck. What’s it like in a portable form factor? Well, it certainly boots up. It’s cert

Microsoft's subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, has grown into a must-have this year thanks to a whole host of big releases, but is it enough to help Xbox catch up to PlayStation?Tech13:00, 23 May 2025Game Pass is arguably more important than an Xbox console these days(Image: Future Publishing via Getty Images)It’d be fair to say at times that Xbox’s strategy this console generation has been clear as mud.From its opening salvo of multiplatform releases on PlayStation and Switch, to other games being released day and date on other systems, and some even looking better on PS5 Pro, you’d be reasonably wondering if you need an Xbox at all.‌In fact, Microsoft agrees, with its “This is an Xbox” pretty much labelling everything except your toaster and the kitchen sink as a console of sorts. The Xbox as we know it is long gone, it seems, but in its place, Xbox Game Pass feels like it’s grown in momentum month after month .‌Is it enough to turn the tide? It’s hard to say.Halo Infinite marked a sort of 'false dawn' for Game Pass back in 2021(Image: ESA PR Supplied.)Cast your mind back to late 2021. Microsoft released Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite in consecutive months, and it felt as though Xbox Game Pass was about to kick into overdrive.Article continues belowSadly, things went a little quieter after that (and Halo’s momentum was curtailed for other reasons), but now, years later, it feels Xbox Game Pass is poised to finally hit some kind of stride.It’d be fair to say that Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard has left it with a studio portfolio that would make many envious, but it’s not really managed to line up its releases. Even Avowed, one of this year’s best games (and one we’ll touch on shortly), was slated for last year before Microsoft nudged it to 2025.Still, as it turns out, having great games on your platform will get players through the door, and if you’ve got a PC then you’re in an even better position.‌Stalker 2 has been heavily patched since launch(Image: GSC Game World)September saw Frostpunk 2 arrive on Xbox Game Pass for PC, while October added Call of Duty Black Ops 6. November brought with it STALKER 2 on day one, and December saw the year out with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.Unlike 2021, though, Microsoft has kept things moving between calendar years. January kicked off with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black as a stealth release, along with GOTY sequel Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. February added Avowed, March brought with it Atomfall, and April added South of Midnight, critical darling Blue Prince, and the day one release of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.‌All of these games are available on PS5, sure, but the cost would be astronomical to play all of them, and Microsoft still isn’t done.DOOM: The Dark Ages is on PC and Xbox, along with Monster Train 2, this month, while Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 remakes , Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Gears of War: Reloaded, The Outer Worlds 2 and much more are still coming in 2025.It’s a frankly ridiculous list of games with more to come in 2026, and that’s saying nothing of freebies like in-game items for League of Legends, Overwatch 2, and more, as well as this week’s announcement of a huge retro game collection .‌ESO is still growing, even after a decade(Image: Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax Media )One of the biggest knocks against Game Pass in recent years has been the increase in price, and while there’s an argument to be made about Microsoft’s tiers making it harder to know if you’re getting a game on day one, Xbox Game Pass Core continues to grow.Core is cheaper than the Ultimate option that includes console and PC, but it does have a sizeable collection of games for budget-conscious players.‌The recently added Retro Classics are included, for example, as well as Bethesda hits like DOOM Eternal, Dishonored 2, and Fallout 4. For casual gamers, that might be enough.In fact, there’s a whole host of games included that could consume your week if you let them, like State of Decay 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Stardew Valley.That means there’s likely to be something for everyone while you wait for more recent releases to trickle down.‌Game Pass has really come into its own this year(Image: Microsoft)Most of my friends have a PlayStation 5, so if a game doesn’t have cross-play, that’s where I play my games—Game Pass or no.I do wonder how many feel the same, and see the appeal of Game Pass but simply don’t have the inclination (or money) to pick up a second console to play games cheaper in the long run, especially with so many coming to PlayStation in the future.‌Given Microsoft now has the keys to Warcraft, Overwatch, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Gears of War, Halo, Forza and so much more, I wonder if there’s ever a scenario where they start to rebuild walls between their franchises.Sure, Call of Duty will keep making money hand over fist on as many platforms as possible, but would the next Dishonored be worth putting on all platforms when you could keep it to the Xbox platform as an added incentive?Microsoft can’t be happy with being in second place for another console generation, and while I do wonder if Sony will eventually reckon with rising budgets by starting to move its own games elsewhere (and not just to PC), I’d wager we’ll get one more Xbox generation at most before the company goes the way of SEGA.Article continues belowWhat do you think? Does Game Pass interest you? Are you always likely to play where your friends are? And can Microsoft keep up this momentum?For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Death still has friends at the theater. Final Destination Bloodlines, the franchise’s first entry since 2011, ruled the box office with a $51 million domestic opening. Thanks to good reviews and an impressive box office, expect more Final Destinations for years to come. This weekend, Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible — The Final ReckoningFAST services. One of our recommendations is Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. Our other two picks involve basketball and college parties. Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Hoosiers (1986) The NBA playoffs are in full swing. The unpredictability of the games means upsets are bound to happen. One of the greatest basketball upsets at the high school level is dramatized in Hoosiers. The late Gene Hackman stars as Norman Dale, a college coach who flamed out and gets to coach basketball again at Hickory High School. The small Indiana town loves its basketball team but hates Coach Dale, who implements drastic disciplinarian measures in his coaching methods. However, Dale’s coaching and the return of star player Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis) allow Hickory to experience a magical run in the 1951 state tournament. Hoosiers is the perfect underdog story and expertly captures the essence of small-town sports. Stream Hoosiers on Prime Video. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011) After the so-so reception to Mission: Impossible 3, Tom Cruise and Ethan Hunt needed a reset. Cruise brought in animation veteran Brad Bird to direct the fourth entry, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. The gamble worked, as the movie reignited the Mission movies and set the blueprint for future movies. After being blamed for the Kremlin bombing, the IMF is disavowed, forcing Ethan (Cruise) to go on the run. To clear his name and restore the IMF, Ethan must team with other IMF fugitives to find those responsible for the bombing. Ghost Protocol leaned into set pieces and practical effects, highlighted by Cruise’s scaling of the Burj Khalifa, which might go down as his most memorable stunt. Stream Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol for free on Pluto TV. S#!%house (2020) Cooper Raiff understands young adults. Not since Richard Linklater has a new filmmaker captured the ethos of a coming-of-age film like Raiff did in S#!%house. (We’re going with the marketing title, but by all means, pronounce it with the swear words.) Homesick college freshman Alex (Raiff) struggles to adjust to his new life. One night, Alex attends a party at the “S#!%house” fraternity and meets Maggie (Dylan Gelula), his sophomore residential advisor. Alex and Maggie spend the rest of the night together walking and talking as they form a genuine bond. Alex wants more in this relationship, while Maggie looks for the exit ramp. Don’t let the vulgar title fool you. S#!%house is all heart and a fantastic directorial debut. Stream Escape Room for free on Tubi.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Heading into the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, Hulu is adding The Last Showgirl, a film that went under the radar last year and it could have disappeared entirely if not for a fantastic performance by Pamela Anderson. That’s why it was an easy pick to be the first choice among the three great Hulu movies you need to stream this weekend. Our other picks include one of Tom Cruise’s best Mission: Impossible films, which is timely since Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is now in theaters. The final pick of the weekend is comedy/drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper just three years after their acclaimed performances in Silver Linings Playbook. Recommended Videos Need more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. The Last Showgirl (2024) Roadside Attractions Some industry observers believed that Pamela Anderson was going to get an Oscar nomination for her leading role in The Last Showgirl. While that didn’t ultimately come to pass, Anderson’s performance was very powerful and it changed perceptions about what she can do as an actress. Anderson plays Shelly Gardner, a showgirl who has starred in a single Las Vegas revue for three decades. Shelly dedicated her life to the show, even at the expense of her only daughter, Hannah Gardner (Billie Lourd). However, Shelly is completely unprepared when she learns that the revue is closing in two weeks, and this isn’t the kind of job that sends its employees into a comfortable retirement. For the first time in years, Shelly is truly terrified about her future prospects, because being a Las Vegas showgirl is all that she knows. Taking that away from Shelly might destroy her. Watch The Last Showgirl on Hulu. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) Paramount Pictures Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is probably the fourth or fifth best Mission: Impossible movie… but it’s still pretty great! Animation director Brad Bird made his live-action debut with this sequel, which puts the entire Impossible Mission Force under the gun. Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) has framed the IMF for bombing the Kremlin, which is why Russian agents are after Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his entire field team, including Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg). Officially, the U.S. has also disavowed and disbanded the IMF. Unofficially, Ethan still has some leeway to clear their names. Ethan gets some additional assistance from William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), a man who is hiding some secrets of his own. Brandt’s fighting skills are far too advanced for someone who isn’t supposed to be in the field, and his connection to Ethan is something that’s haunted him. But before they can deal with that emotional baggage, they’ll have to work together to save the world from Hendricks’ plans to unleash a nuclear war between the United States and Russia. Watch Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol on Hulu. Joy (2015) 20th Century Studios The Silver Linings Playbook team of director David O. Russell, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Bradley Cooper reunited in 2015 with Joy, a biopic about the creator of the Miracle Mop. Joy Mangano (Lawrence) is a put upon young woman who is not only supporting her kids, but also her mother, Terri Mangano (Virginia Madsen), her ex-husband, Rudy Mangano (De Niro), and even Joy’s ex-husband, Tony Miranne (Édgar Ramírez). Joy’s invention leads her to QVC executive Neil Walker (Cooper), who helps her change her life when the mops become a success. However, Joy doesn’t get to have a happy ending at that point. There are members of her own family who try to steal her success out from under her, as well as some underhanded tactics from a business rival that may cost Joy everything she has. Watch Joy on Hulu.

Should Sony embrace a PC future? (Sony/Metro) The Thursday letters page is surprised that Nintendo Switch 2 stock is relatively easy to find, as one reader looks forward to Hellblade 2 on PS5. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk Box it up Hearing about the rumours of the next gen Xbox being basically an ordinary PC makes perfect sense and is not a surprise to me. I think it’s the only logical move left for Xbox, even if I’m not sure how they’re going to make any money from it if Steam and the other stores are going to be on there.PC gaming is quickly taking over, so my question is whether the PlayStation 6 could also be a ‘PC in a box’. It may sound crazy but a few years ago, so too would the idea of Sony games appearing on PC. I really don’t see what the argument would be against it, especially given how expensive the PS5 Pro already is. Making the next PlayStation, or at least the PlayStation 7, a PC means Sony don’t have to spend nearly as much on hardware R&D and can instead concentrate on making games. Something that they don’t seem to have had the time or money for this gen. I think especially as streaming starts to take off, as the preferred casual method for playing games, it will only be the PC that is left as an alternative. It’s sad in a way but, personally speaking, as long as the games are still good I don’t really care that much.Purple Ranger Doomed highlight I’ve just beaten Doom: The Dark Ages and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think your review was accurate but since I was playing it for free on Game Pass the faults didn’t really bother me. However, I have to comment on the story, or rather the fact that Bethesda chose to highlight as one of the most important new features of the game.It’s a complete non-event: boring and cliched, with no characters of any interest. Even the game seems to lose interest because there are very few proper cut scenes in the second half, not that that’s a problem. None of it is a problem, really, because who wants a story in a game like Doom? So why did Bethesda make so much of a fuss about it? If it had been good that would’ve been one thing. If there’d been a lot of cut scenes that would’ve been something else. But it was just nothing. I really don’t understand why they ever thought to mention it.James Speed of Mercury Is there a chance you will review Blades Of Fire, please? I’m very interested in MercurySteam games; I love both of their Metroid games and I’m that one person that liked all three of their Castlevania games (yes, Lords Of Shadow 2 was unfocused and padded out, but I loved what it got right so much).Your reviews are the ones I trust the most so if you do have the time I’d appreciate it, the few I’ve seen have been quite mixed. Thank you, keep up the excellent work.Beastiebat (PSN ID) Currently playing: Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, Metroid Dread, and Elevator Action -Returns- S-TributeGC: Thank you. We’re trying to get it done but we’re a bit behind this week, due to staff holidays and press events. Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk News update There’s a couple of things I’ve not seen yourselves or any readers mention lately, so I thought I should bring them up.The Sea Of Stars DLC is out now! It’s absolutely free too, which seems crazy because it looks quite substantial. I’m looking forward to playing it this weekend when I have more time. Another thing I’ve not seen mentioned is that Hogwarts Legacy on Switch 2 can be bought at a huge discount if you own the game on Switch. Around £10 reportedly. You can even buy the game on Switch in the sale now and then buy the Switch 2 version, costing under £30 in total, it seems, which is a great deal. It’s not an upgrade as the Switch 2 game isn’t a port. Keep up the great work! I don’t write in much, but I still read every morning. I finally prefer this than the Teletext days now.Fatys Henrys GC: Thank you for your patronage. Old and new Excited to hear some actual news about the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel and that it will feature at least one whole new city. However, I hope that the game features both the whole of Night City and the new one. Strangely, I can’t think of any sequels that do that. With GTA, they don’t include the previous game and the new one, and I’m not sure anywhere else does either.Weirdly, the only example I can think of that did that is Pokémon Gold and Silver, which had the whole of the map from Red and Blue (thanks to no less than Satoru Iwata himself). I’m sure there’s technical reasons it doesn’t happen usually but while the PlayStation 5 and beyond may no longer show much of a graphical improvement perhaps there’ll be able to do things like this more easily.Kankor The end of the beginning So, after being reminded that my mother’s partner doesn’t like me very much I’ve cheered up with two lovely pieces of news. Stellar Blade is getting a sequel, very soon. It releases on PC next month. The second announcement is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 on PlayStation 5 in the summer. This is something I was highly anticipating. Just the graphics alone makes it worth the time. So, after this and Gears Of War also releasing on PlayStation I’m not asking if Xbox is truly dead. It’s a fact that Xbox is indeed only kept afloat by Game Pass.This is only the start. Halo will release on PlayStation 5. Fable. Avowed. State Of Decay 3. Starfield. The list goes on. In hindsight this is deserved. Because of the Xbox One’s failure Microsoft lagged behind an entire generation and Sony raced ahead, never looking back. I never brought an Xbox One, actually. The PlayStation 4 was my choice in 2013 and after picking up the last one, at Argos in 2014. I never gave the Xbox One a second look. Today, Microsoft are still suffering from their malignant decisions and it is thoroughly deserved. If I was Phil Spencer I’d cancel the upcoming handheld, because that is leading up to a fail, much more so than the Xbox One. Not even ASUS can save Xbox.Shahzaib Sadiq Direct from the source I’m always fascinated by Nintendo’s Ask the Developers interviews, they’re so in-depth and genuine and I don’t think they get enough recognition. Nintendo’s reputation is of being secretive and distant, but Sony and Microsoft would never do something like this. They just have carefully worded developer quotes that were probably written by a marketing person anyway.Who would’ve guessed they’ve been planning Mario Kart World for eight years or that they were already making Switch 2 games, based on preliminary specs, in 2020? I guess that’s the sort of time you need but it’s very interesting to get exact dates and to hear it from the horse’s mouth.Onibee In stock now I’ve managed to bag myself a Switch 2 pre-order after you put your article up on where to buy it. I was going to hold off; eventually decided I can’t resist the temptation to play the new Mario Kart. But I think it will be a good long term investment and there’s no ruling out that there might be an eventual price increase of the unit, like there’s been recently with other consoles.After I managed to get my pre-order done about a week ago or so I’ve visited some of those retailers, websites just to see how lucky I got managing to pre-order it in the first place. I’ve been able to see deals every time; different deals but there’s always been at least one available with Mario Kart or the Zelda pack or camera or SD card bundle. I’ve checked out of curiosity about four or five times and could have dropped on a pre-order again and again, so does that mean Nintendo is actually beating the scalpers? Or is it too expensive or is there a lack of interest? I couldn’t for the life of me get an Xbox Series X day one, at the start of the generation because of the use of online bots, but it seems something has changed for the better with the latest Nintendo console release. That’s got to be a good thing for everyone, except the scalpers.Nick The Greek GC: It’s hard to tell but there’s no indication of a lack of demand, given analysts think Nintendo is being too cautious in its sales predictions. They always said they wanted no shortages at launch, so we guess their plan worked. It was probably helped by the fact that the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 came out at the same time, during Covid, and so were competing for manufacturing time and resources. By contrast, Switch 2 has a clear run at a quiet time of year for games. Inbox also-rans I had literally no idea that Fortnite wasn’t on mobile for the last five years. I would’ve figured that was its biggest format, but I guess you’re saying it wasn’t?MouseGC: No, it’s one of the smallest. Apparently not even Fortnite fans want to play with touchscreen controls. I would never, ever in a million years pay £80 for a video game. Even if I got it for cheap later, the fact that it was at one point that much would still put me off.Gribbly More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: What is Rockstar Games’ best game? GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Xbox Game Pass is adding yet another show-stopping role-playing game to its catalog with Metaphor: ReFantazio, arriving on the service on May 29. The game joins heavy hitters Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alongside charming experiences like Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes and Avowed. Game Pass has an RPG for everyone. Metaphor: ReFantazio is a beautifully bizarre JRPG from Atlus, the creators of Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, that puts the player in control of a young warrior on a quest to enact revenge on a tyrannical general for assassinating the king. The strange new adventure was critically acclaimed upon release, securing many best game of the year nods and even slaying a gargantuan like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for Best RPG at the 2024 Game Awards. Additionally, Metaphor snagged wins for best narrative and art direction at the annual commemoration. Other games coming to Game Pass include Creatures of Ava, STALKER 2, and Tales of Kenzera: Zau, which all arrive on May 22, with Monster Train 2 available now. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will be available on Game Pass on May 27, To a T becoming available on May 28, and Spray Paint Simulator on May 29. Xbox also announced that a slew of new titles will be available through Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on May 23. These games include the following: Brütal Legend Costume Quest 2 Day of the Tentacle Remastered Full Throttle Remastered Grim Fandango Remastered Max The Curse of Brotherhood Neon Abyss Quantum Break Rare Replay ScreamRide State of Decay Year-One SteamWorld Dig 2 Sunset Overdrive Super Lucky’s Tale Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection And naturally, a handful of titles will depart from Xbox Game Pass on May 31, such as Cassette Beasts, Firework, Humanity, Remnant 2, and Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer.

Avowed game director Carrie Patel joins Night School Studios Patel was at Obsidian Entertainment for nearly 12 years, working on The Outer Worlds and Pillars of Eternity News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on May 21, 2025 Former Avowed game director Carrie Patel has joined Netflix-owned Night School Studio. Announcing the news on LinkedIn, Patel gave no hint as to what project she'll be directing at the Oxenfree developer. Patel previously worked at Obsidian Entertainment for almost 12 years, most recently directing its action RPG Avowed. She joined the developer in 2013 as narrative designer, working on Pillars of Eternity and its White March expansions. Three years later, she was narrative co-lead on Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. She then became narrative designer in 2018, working on The Outer Worlds and its second expansion Murder on Eridanos. She also directed the game's first expansion Peril on Gorgon. Night School Studio became Netflix's first games acquisition in 2021. At the time, the streaming giant confirmed the developer would continue working on Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals, which launched in July 2023. GamesIndustry.biz spoke to the studio following the release of the sequel, with its founder and studio director Sean Krankel discussing how Netflix has changed the developer. Earlier this year, Night School Studio reportedly cut an undisclosed number of staff. Netflix also cancelled six of its game launches to "adjust [its] portfolio" to better suit its subscribers. This included Compass Point: West, Thirsty Suitors, and Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game.

Patel joined Obsidian in 2013 and served as a narrative designer on Pillars of Eternity and The Outer Worlds.