Warning: contains finale spoilers for Dept. Q See it? Blink and you won’t have, but it was there for a good half second: a smile on the face of DCI Carl Morck. It’s a rare enough occurrence across nine episodes of this Netflix crime drama to make it worthy of note. Matthew Goode’s irascible detective frowned, scowled and spitted out sarcasm through his new department’s search for missing prosecutor Merritt Lingard, until the show’s very last moment, when he smiled. He’d earned it. Three months earlier, Morck’s cold case unit had rescued Lingard and used dirt dug up during the investigation to blackmail the Lord Advocate (the most senior law officer in Scotland) into a funding hike, a new work car, and fast-tracked DI status for Syrian copper and calmly proficient muscle Akram Salim. And now, Morck’s partner Hardy, formerly thought to have permanently lost the use of his legs after they were both shot in the line of duty, was walking again. It was a happy ending, or at least as happy as things get in a dank Edinburgh basement filled with unsolved case files detailing terrible crimes. With major Dept. Q finale spoilers, let’s dig into the revelations about Merritt’s kidnappers, what we learned about the Leith Park shooting, and more. Who Kidnapped Merritt Lingard and Why? Merritt’s kidnappers were Lyle and Ailsa Jennings, respectively the younger brother and mother of Harry Jennings, Merritt’s boyfriend as a teenager. She was being held on their property on her childhood island home of Mhòr, in a pressurised hyperbaric chamber inside a condemned building that was formerly part of Ailsa’s husband’s oceanography business Shorebird Ocean Systems – the logo for which was the cormorant symbol identified by Merritt’s brother William as on the hat of her stalker and kidnapper. Ailsa was a twisted and abusive mother to Harry and Lyle, as well as a murderer who killed her husband by burning the house down by flicking lighted matches at him while he slept. As a result, Lyle grew up to be a violent psychopath whose teenage crimes were covered up by the family and by the island’s police officer John Cunningham. John knew that Lyle was responsible for Merritt’s disappearance, but didn’t know she was still alive, having believed Lyle when he lied that Merritt had died by falling off the ferry from the mainland, just like Lyle’s brother Harry had done years earlier. Lyle and Ailsa blamed Merritt for Harry’s death because he jumped from the ferry while being pursued by John, who was chasing him because he was suspected of having severely beaten Merritt’s brother William into a coma during an interrupted robbery of the Lingard home. The robbery plan had been seeded by Merritt to steal her mother’s jewellery from her alcoholic father in order to sell for money to run away from home. In fact, Lyle was the one who had attacked William, being unhinged and thinking that he was protecting his brother. Harry and Ailsa covered up Lyle’s guilt and before his death, Harry took the blame. Lyle Jennings, Godhaven, and Sam Haig Lyle, who had a history of stalking, breaking-and-entering, and animal murder, spent time in youth psychiatric facility Godhaven, where he stalked another patient named Sam Haig. The pair fought, and Sam injured Lyle’s eye so severely that it was left permanently discoloured. Years later as an adult who had become an investigative journalist with no online presence, Sam sought Lyle out to apologise for the injury and invite him to come climbing at his favourite spot. Lyle used the information he had on Sam to assume his identity and stalk Merritt Lingard, who didn’t recognise him as an adult. He pretended to be investigating corruption at Merritt’s workplace, and targeted her, eventually starting a sexual relationship still pretending to be Sam. When Merritt told Lyle-as-Sam that she was leaving to go to Mhòr on the 10am ferry the next day, Lyle used that information to kidnap her during the crossing. Merritt’s brother William, who had been unable to speak since his teenage coma, had spotted Lyle on the ferry and because of Lyle’s distinctive hat, recognised him as the man who’d been stalking their house. He tried to communicate this to Merritt by throwing his own hat, and then struck her when he became afraid. It was when Merritt went to retrieve William’s hat that she was taken. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Two days after Lyle kidnapped Merritt, he returned to the mainland to tie up loose ends and kill the real Sam Haig. He lured Sam to a remote spot, beat him to death, staged his corpse to look as though he had been climbing, and threw it off a cliff. Eventually, Morck and co. worked out that somebody else was pretending to be Sam Haig when they had evidence that Merritt had been with “Sam” at a hotel at the same time that the real Sam was having an affair with his friend’s wife at a different hotel. What Happened to Lyle and Ailsa Jennings? Merritt’s kidnappers both died – Ailsa by her own hand as she shot herself in her car before being taken into custody by the police, and Lyle by Akram’s hand, or rather, his trigger finger. After Lyle shot buckshot into Morck’s shoulder, Akram threw a knife at him, disarmed and shot him. Previously, Lyle had brutally killed Constable John Cunningham with a hammer when he learned that Merritt was still alive. Mark Bonnar’s character Stephen Burns had disallowed the appearance of a key witness in the Graham Finch murder trial after Burns’ daughter was run off the road by one of Finch’s goons as an intimidation tactic. Prisoner Kirsty Atkins was willing to testify that she had previously met Finch’s now-dead wife at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, and that Finch routinely hit her. Because Burns wouldn’t allow her testimony, Finch was acquitted of his wife’s murder despite clearly having been guilty of it. Perhaps he also passed on the information about Kirsty Atkins to Finch’s lawyer, which led to Kirsty being viciously attacked and partially blinded in prison on Finch’s orders to keep her quiet. Who Is the Leith Park Shooter? We still don’t know who shot PC Anderson dead, and attempted to shoot Morck and Hardy dead at the Leith Park flat. If we can take the contents of Morck’s dream as gospel, then the shooting was done on the orders of Leith Park criminal kingpin Eugene Errington, whom we’ve yet to meet. According to Morck’s dream, in which he shot Errington’s muscle Charlie Bell in the head, Errington has a baby with Caroline Kerr – the witness who was intimidated into withdrawing her statement about the shooting. We also know, or at least have a pretty good idea, that PC Anderson was a corrupt officer working for Errington, and that he may even have been the one to stab the victim – thought to have been a police informant – in the head. Anderson was a top recruit pretending to be a klutz, Morck realised, in order to cover up the fact that his fingerprints were all over the victim’s flat. He also lied about being at the flat for a routine welfare check after being alerted by the victim’s daughter – that was a quick-thinking ruse to explain his presence when Morck and Hardy showed up there unexpectedly. The last we saw of the Leith Park case, Moira looked to be taking it away from its lead investigator and possibly closing it, unsolved, which may point to her also having been compromised by Errington. As Hardy was one of the shooting’s victims, surely that can’t be the case file that she gave to Hardy to investigate without Morck in the season’s closing moments? Dept. Q is streaming now on Netflix.

Streaming Wars is a weekly opinion column by IGN’s Streaming Editor, Amelia Emberwing. Check out the last entry No, Netflix Isn't Saving Hollywood (But It Isn't Killing It, Either)This column contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Last of Us on HBO Max as well as The Last of Us Part II game. When Joel was brutally killed in the second episode of HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, it confirmed what many fans of the games expected was coming. But as the season progressed after that point, Joel’s death came and went without any significance. Replacing it was, for me, a certainty: what was a controversial decision for the The Last of Us game franchise would prove to be a killing blow for the television series.Now, I realize that an adaptation fundamentally deviating from its source material can be polarizing in and of itself, but the HBO series simply did not need to kill Joel to successfully tell its story.First and foremost, I think it’s important to note that there’s a reason that this column is being written at the end of the season rather than immediately after Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) death in Episode 2. I did want to be wrong, for whatever that sentiment might be worth. I dutifully watched the rest of the season, hoping that the show’s writers would find a way to reset their story and carry on their narrative in any kind of meaningful way. But, despite the best efforts of Bella Ramsey and newcomers Isabela Merced, Kaitlyn Dever and Young Mazino, there’s little to be done when your blockbuster show’s first season was fully reliant on a relationship that no longer exists. The show’s audience — which is made up of plenty of folks who have never played the games — signed up for a series that no longer exists. The Last Of Us Series Messes With Canon, But the Wrong PartsThe Last of Us has implemented a series of story elements that deviate from the game, and vary in impact, but have broadly served the medium shift. Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank’s (Murray Bartlet) Season 1 episode wasn’t just the best of the series, it was one of the best episodes of television that year, it hasn’t mattered at all that Dever’s Abby isn’t jacked the way she is in the game, Season 1 had tendrils instead of spores, Stalkers play more of a role in the series than they did during gameplay, etc.But the Big Joel Death Scene™ features both 1:1 scenes and major canon divergence, and the core problem with the majority of Season 2 is that the series stayed loyal where it shouldn’t have and diverted where it should have remained true to story. In killing Joel and revealing Abby’s motives from the start, The Last of Us series removed any reason for the audience to return in Season 3.In the game, players stuck around when it came time to play Abby because they needed to know why the hell she did what she did. By the time that information is revealed, Abby had become interesting enough for people to keep playing. In the series, since Abby’s motivations were revealed pretty much in the series premiere, all viewers have to look forward to now is wondering who’s going to shoot who or who is going to forgive who first. And, with respect to what I know is a long adored franchise, I’m forced to ask why should the television audience care?The series either needed to keep Joel alive, choosing to have Abby beat him within an inch of his life and have Ellie believe that he was dead before leaving Jackson on her revenge tour, or leave Abby’s motives a mystery. Joel may have been the inciting incident that made the forgiveness meaningful in the game, but let’s not pretend it’s the only way to get to the desired end result. This series has wildly talented writers attached. It can be done. Meanwhile, while the mystery of Abby’s motivations wouldn’t have been enough to keep me around personally, I can see why it would appeal to a broader television audience. Now though, we’re all stuck in an impending future of no catharsis.Not One, Not Two, But Three Shows in One [Derogatory]Ellie spent much of this season insisting she’s not like Abby despite her rising body count and similar obsession. This will remain a throughline for the upcoming season (or seasons, if co-creator Craig Mazin has his way) even though Ellie will continue to make rash decisions on her quest for revenge. All of this will come after Ellie’s current pickle, as we left her with Abby’s gun pointed squarely at her face. Season 2’s odd “cliffhanger” is another 1:1 pull from the game, as this is the moment where you shift from playing Ellie to playing Abby. This means that we can likely expect the central focus of the series to shift yet again, giving us not one show, not two shows, but a surprise third show. The thing about these focus and perspective shifts is that they totally could have worked if they had billed The Last of Us as an anthology series with the overall wrap-around (the narrative treatment surrounding the individual stories that ties everything together) being the apocalypse they’re all sharing. But because this was presented as a traditional prestige series, there are rules and expectations as to how the story is meant to play out. Storytelling rules are made to be broken, but Season 2 does not inspire any faith that the rest of The Last of Us series will succeed in doing so.Television has always played with the death of the mentor. It’s a trope that often offers more meaning than most, forcing the protagonist to finally take said mentor’s lessons to heart or otherwise reckon with the devastation of their loss. The difference here is that there is typically a broader ensemble to rely on to avoid shaking up the core of the series. We get a little bit of that from Season 2 in Merced’s Dina and Manzino’s Jesse, but they aren’t meaningfully established before the core relationship of the series is destroyed. By introducing them later — and then giving us little reason to care about them until after that still — the foundation of the series remains fractured in a way that seems beyond repair. But that fracture was always avoidable.All signs point to Season 3 being told from Abby’s perspective.Season 1 set the expectation for television viewers that this was a show about Joel and Ellie. Season 2 haphazardly shifted that focus to a story about Ellie, Dina and their quest for revenge against Abby. All signs point to Season 3 being told from Abby’s perspective as she rescues defecting Seraphites Lev and Yara three days before murdering Jesse and holding Ellie and Tommy (Gabriel Luna) at gunpoint. While I cannot stress enough that Kaitlyn Dever is doing great work with the material she has been given, what reason do folks have to stick around at this point? Television viewers with no knowledge of the games aren’t going to buy into the show suddenly being told from the perspective of someone that they’ve been given no reason to care about. I am from the outside looking in when it comes to the game, but it doesn’t seem likely that the WLF vs. Seraphites war was engaging enough to watch a second time in TV form, even with Isaac’s (Jeffrey Wright) expanded involvement in the series. Is there enough interest in seeing Ellie and Abby’s anticlimactic ending to keep viewers already in the know around?It’s All a CompetitionGames as a medium have plenty of hurdles, but they have the benefit of fewer releases than television by a remarkable margin and, whether the audience loves or hates a game, it’s already bought and paid for. The Last of Us Part II may be plenty controversial (all of the best art is!) but a key factor in any television show’s success is giving the audience a reason to return episode after episode. The story format's constantly shifting perspective is a tremendous hurdle in and of itself. Add in The Last of Us’ wildly short seasons, long hiatuses, and Season 2’s lackluster story, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a pickle when it comes to getting fans back for Season 3. The rest of The Last of Us Part II’s arc is one focused on forgiveness and how being hellbent on revenge tears everything apart. Sometimes the journey on the way to an already well-known ending is worth it for the ride (looking at you, Andor)! But given that The Last of Us Season 2 featured exactly one compelling episode focused on a flashback with its now long-dead protagonist, is that journey worth it? The cast sure is doing their damndest to ensure that’s the case, but will that be enough for the audience?Season 2’s penultimate episode may have been great, and Neil Druckmann has confirmed that we’ll have more Joel flashbacks to come, but it’s just not a bandaid to the show’s problem. No amount of strong performances or stellar production value can fix a failure to adapt your story to a new medium. Joel ain’t coming back to life and there’s no putting Abby’s reveal back in the proverbial bag. The Season 2 finale was lackluster at best, the rest of the season wasn’t much better, and knowing where the story heads next forces me to wonder if The Last of Us’ best days are behind it. It’s a dog eat dog world in the land of TV, and people’s time is a zero-sum game. With such high competition and waning interest from viewers, maybe it’s just time to take the show to look at a pretty lake while it rides out its last moments before losing itself to the infection…

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Following a rough launch, GSC Game World’s Stalker 2: Heart of Chonobyl has received a host of major updates. While still not quite there yet, the open-world game has been massively improved by patches that re-introduce A-Life, improve weapon handling and much more. As part of the game’s substantial Q2 2025 roadmap, GSC Game World promised that official mod tools would release for the open-world game. While the tools haven’t released at the time of writing, the developer has explained that the tools will release “soon”. Stalker 2 Mod Tools are almost here Responding to fans on Discord, GSC Game World confirmed that the official Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl mod tools are currently in the “final stages” of preparation before being released to the public. “SDK Beta is on final preparations and we are ready to start it very soon,” GSC responded to fans when asked about the game’s official mod tools. The arrival of the SDK will allow fans to create much more extensive mods for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. While mods like Stalker Infintiy already offer much different gameplay styles, these tools will allow easier implementation of new areas, weapons, enemies and much more. When mod support is added to the game, players will also be able to download mods directly from inside the game. Mods will also be downloadable on Xbox Series consoles. The original trilogy is also getting more support Alongside the release of Stalker 2 mod tools, GSC also confirmed that it will be releasing detailed documentation to assist modding for the recent Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition remasters. While the remasters have released to very negative reception, largely due to the removal of original assets, the addition of Steam Workshop support does make the trilogy attractive to modders. In order to support the modding community, the team will release documentation to help modders understand how the games work. “We are preparing the modding guide for Steam Workshop,” GSC explained. “It is already possible to modify most of things on Steam, and hopefully [the] modding guide will help.” GSC is also not finished with both the Legends of the Zone Trilogy remasters or Stalker 2. With continued patches in the works for the original games, the remasters should hopefully get much better. Additionally, a number of expansions are in the works for the sequel that will offer “fresh perspectives” on the zone. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X Genre(s): Action, Adventure, RPG, Shooter, Survival Horror Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

This week's news recap is here with a lot of news and announcements from the Build 2025 developer conference, a bunch of new Windows 11 preview builds, fresh features for inbox Windows 11 apps, more Xbox games for PlayStation 5, and other stories. Quick links: Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions. Build 2025, Microsoft's annual developer conference, took place this week. There, the company announced some interesting stuff for Windows 11. While it was primarily aimed at developers, regular users will also find some of the upcoming changes useful and interesting. The Settings app, for one, is getting the new Advanced page for the Settings app (now available in the latest preview build). There is also a new command-like editor called Edit, WinGet Configuration for quick dev environment deployments, and more. Developers and users will also be glad to learn about the Microsoft Store improvements, which include the "last updated" date for apps, free registration for individual developers, better Health Reports in the Partner Center, direct Win32 updates, and more. Microsoft is also improving Administrator protection in Windows 11, adding quantum encryption to Windows builds, and bringing Model Context Protocol support to its operating system. Moving from announcements to releases, Microsoft pushed KB5061768 to Windows 10 users to address BitLocker recovery loops on certain Intel-based systems. The update is available in the Microsoft Update Catalog only (not obtainable via Windows Update). Now, here is some interesting Windows trivia. A Microsoft engineer published a blog post explaining how Windows cleverly guesses it despitenot knowing how fast your processor actually is. Another engineer showed how bad code in apps can lead to Windows system slowdown. Also, here is a remastered version of the original Windows 95 wallpaper, in case you want some high-resolution nostalgia on your 4K monitor, and an interesting discussion about which Windows version is the best for old PCs (not Windows 11). Here is what Microsoft released for Windows Insiders this week: Builds Canary Channel Build 27863 The Canary Channel received a relatively small build with post-quantum cryptography support and a few bug fixes. Dev Channel Build 26200.5603 (KB5058488) A pretty big release with new stuff like the announced AI actions in File Explorer, the Advanced Settings page, redesigned Windows Widgets, an improved energy saver, the ability to compress images before sharing them, and plenty more. Beta Channel Build 26120.4151 (KB5058486) This build is identical to 26200.5603 from the Dev Channel. Build 26120.4151 (KB5058515) In this build, Microsoft introduced new capabilities for Click to Do, some widget improvements, lock screen widget customization, more app recommendations across the operating system, and various fixes. Release Preview Channel Build 26100.4188 (KB5058499) This preview of the upcoming non-security update delivers more AI-powered capabilities to compatible Copilot+ PCs, HDR improvements, new Copilot features, and various fixes for audio, USB, MMC, input, and more. Plenty of new features in this week's builds are rolling out gradually, including AI Actions for File Explorer. However, as usual, you can enable them with a simple third-party tool. Check out this article to learn how to force-enable AI Actions in File Explorer. Some hidden stuff for Windows 11 was also discovered this week. For one, it looks like Windows 11 will soon have its own variant of Handoff from macOS. During a Build session, Microsoft showcased how users can transfer their workflow from a mobile device and continue where they left off on Windows 11. Nothing has been publicly announced, though. Second, Microsoft is working on the ability to save screen recordings as GIFs in Snipping Tool. What is not hidden are the new features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad, which Microsoft announced earlier this month at its Surface event. Those features are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary Channels. This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties. At Build 2025, Microsoft announced many updates. Starting with open-source, GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code and Windows Subsystem for Linux are now open-source, which means everyone can build their own projects based on them and contribute to the development. Recently, Microsoft sent an email asking for feedback on a new set of Office icons. While a public announcement has not been made yet, someone on Reddit took the matter into their own hands and made the icon pack themselves. Behold, a pack of high-quality Office icons that you can download right now. Speaking of Office, Microsoft introduced its presentation customization tool for PowerPoint to Mac users. This accessibility feature helps create a logical reading flow for elements in your slide and improves other aspects that make it easier for viewers to make sense when viewing and reading your slides. This week brought plenty of browser updates. Microsoft, for one, is making Google Chrome a bit safer by bringing Edge's automatic privilege de-elevation mechanism to the most popular browser in the world. Microsoft Edge received this feature six years ago, and now, it is finally making it to Chrome. Microsoft also released two updates: one for Edge Stable and one for Edge Beta. These updates introduced more Copilot for the new tab page and fixed a bunch of bugs. At Build 2025, Microsoft announced several updates to its browser, including free content filtering on Edge for Business, PDF translation, summaries, and take automation. The company also proposed a new AI API web standard to help developers integrate AI functionality into their web apps. Vivaldi received a new feature update under version 7.4. While it is not the biggest release, it introduced some neat improvements, such as better keyboard shortcut controls and enhancements to the address bar. Here are other updates and releases you may find interesting: Here are the latest drivers and firmware updates released this week: Nvidia 576.52 WHQL with the RTX 5060 support and bug fixes. Also, Nvidia released a firmware update for the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti to fix black screens during reboots on systems with old motherboards. Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week This week, Robbie Khan reviewed the Sharge ICEMAG 2, an interesting Qi2 wireless power bank with active cooling to keep temperatures low when charging your device wirelessly. It has a unique design and solid build quality, but some of its quirks lowered the final score. Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more. PlayStation is getting another slice of the Xbox pie. Ninja Theory announced that Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. No exact dates have been shared yet, though. Valve released an update for SteamOS. Version 3.7.8 arrived in the Stable Channel with a few important changes, such as support for other AMD-based handhelds, a battery limiter for the Steam Deck, and multiple bug fixes. Nvidia is running a Summer Sale, during which you can purchase six months of the GeForce NOW Performance plan with a 40% discount for just $29.99. In addition, the company added support for more games, including the enhanced edition of the STALKER trilogy, Survive the Fall, Blades of Fire, Monster Train 2, and more. Speaking of GeForce NOW, it is now available in the updated Xbox app on PC. The app can now prompt you to select the preferred streaming service: Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce NOW. Other changes in the May 2025 update include improved widgets for the GameBar and more. Xbox Game Pass now has more games. Microsoft announced the latest additions to the catalog, which include Moster Train 2, Creatures of Ava, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Symphonia, Spray Paint Simulator, and more. Deals and freebies This week's Weekend PC Game Deals is full of Warhammer specials, Witcher anniversary discounts, and three freebies from the Epic Games Store, which include the just-released Deliver At All Costs. Other gaming news includes the following: Every week, we cover many deals on different hardware and software. The following discounts are still available, so check them out. You might find something you want or need. Samsung Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q900F - $1,097.99 | Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Wireless - $128.99 | 44% off Sonos Move 2 - $336 | 25% off Samsung Q990F Soundbar - $1,597.99 | 20% off This link will take you to other issues of the Microsoft Weekly series. You can also support Neowin by registering a free member account or subscribing for extra member benefits, along with an ad-free tier option. Microsoft Weekly image background by Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay

Start SlideshowStart SlideshowImage: Mineralblu / KotakuIl Volta is an event that takes place in Italy, dedicated to the photography of cosplay. It’s not a convention, there’s no show floor—instead it’s about capturing the best cosplay outfits in beautiful locations.So who better than the team at Mineralblu to send? The results are some stunning photos of an array of gaming fits, with a lot of focus on Soulslikes in opulent settings, and Final Fantasy characters out in the wild. Alongside them are some less often seen nods, including Darkstalkers, Fire Emblem and Black★Rock Shooter.Take a look at the video of the occasion below, and then click on to see the best of the best photographs from the event.THIS IS IL VOLTA ITALIA 2025 EUROPE BEST COSPLAY MUSIC VIDEO ITALY ANIME EXPO 2025 COMIC CON COSTUMEPrevious SlideNext Slide2 / 20List slidesShadowheart, Baldur’s Gate 3List slidesShadowheart, Baldur’s Gate 3Photo: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide3 / 20List slidesSophitia Alexandra, SoulcaliburList slidesSophitia Alexandra, SoulcaliburPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide4 / 20List slidesMorrigan / Lilith, DarkstalkersList slidesMorrigan / Lilith, DarkstalkersPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide5 / 20List slidesScarlet / Red Hood, NIKKEList slidesScarlet / Red Hood, NIKKEPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide6 / 20List slidesBlack★Rock ShooterList slidesBlack★Rock ShooterPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide7 / 20List slidesTerra Branford, Final Fantasy VIList slidesTerra Branford, Final Fantasy VIPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide8 / 20List slidesKatarina, League of LegendsList slidesKatarina, League of LegendsPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide9 / 20List slidesMalenia, Elden RingList slidesMalenia, Elden RingPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide10 / 20List slidesClair, Fire EmblemList slidesClair, Fire EmblemPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide11 / 20List slidesKitana, Mortal KombatList slidesKitana, Mortal KombatPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide12 / 20List slidesBlack Swan / Acheron, Honkai Star RailList slidesBlack Swan / Acheron, Honkai Star RailPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide13 / 20List slidesVi, ArcaneList slidesVi, ArcanePhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide14 / 20List slidesThe Doll, BloodborneList slidesThe Doll, BloodbornePhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide15 / 20List slidesLady Maria, BloodborneList slidesLady Maria, BloodbornePhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide16 / 20List slidesD.Va, OverwatchList slidesD.Va, OverwatchPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide17 / 20List slidesXehanort, Kingdom HeartsList slidesXehanort, Kingdom HeartsPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide18 / 20List slidesAerith, Final Fantasy VIIList slidesAerith, Final Fantasy VIIPhoto: MineralbuPrevious SlideNext Slide19 / 20List slidesKefka, Final Fantasy VIList slidesKefka, Final Fantasy VIPhoto: Mineralbu.

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.‌‌‌

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here GSC Game World’s Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition remasters released to largely negative reviews from fans. While the new remasters don’t eliminate the original releases—in fact, buying the remasters also gives you access to their original versions—fans are upset at numerous changes across the games. One of the biggest changes in the Legends of the Zone Trilogy remasters is the elimination of Russian content across all three games. This not only includes the removal of the beloved Russian dub—which technically still exists underneath the Polish “lektor” dub—but also countless Soviet-era assets which leave the remasters feeling rather weird. Stalker Trilogy devs are listening to fans In a statement to fans alongside the games’ first patch, GSC Game World explained that it is “listening to feedback” relating to the new remaster. There have been numerous other issues across the game including new bugs, weirdly blurry visuals and the omission of techniques such as DLSS. However, the developer didn’t explain which feedback it is listening to. “We will continue to work on improving the trilogy,” the developer said in a recent statement. “Stalkers, we care about your feedback and are working on fixing the most critical issues. We really want to make your comeback to the Zone special.” GSC Game World also removed a number of references to Soviet Russia during the development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl after the country’s invasion of Ukraine. With friends, family and developers of the studio killed/injured in the conflict, the studio chose not to include Russian dubs and iconography throughout the game. For fans of the original games that want the cut content back into the game before an official patch—if it ever comes—the PC versions already received numerous mods on Day One to bring back the Russian dub and censored assets. For more news on the Stalker franchise, read about how the studio’s upcoming sequel expansions will offer “fresh perspectives” on the Zone that players have never seen before. Additionally, read about what was added in the sequel’s massive Patch 1.4 update. Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

While Lies of P is set to receive a big update this year when the prequel DLC Overture arrives, another update will be just as noteworthy: Lies of P is going to receive difficulty options. Meaning, the notoriously difficult soulslike is going to become easier — and more accessible.“We wanted to make sure a wider audience of players could play the game,” game director Jiwon Choi told VGC. Lies of P has already found an audience — it sold 1 million copies in its first month on market and has been played by at least 7 million people — and an easier gameplay experience can open it up to more players who were put off by its difficult and unforgiving nature.Choi noted this decision stemmed from player feedback as well as “from our developers” at Neowiz and Round8 Studio. “So by making development adjustments and introducing these difficulty options, we can offer the experience to different types of players. This broadens the base.” The default difficulty will be named “Legendary Stalker” while the two new options will be called “Butterfly’s Guidance” and “Awakened Puppet.” Polygon has reached out to Neowiz for further comment on the details of these difficulty options, and will update this story when we hear back.New difficulty options will also be a welcome addition for longtime Lies of P players and soulslike vets; anyone who’s been absolutely bodied by the Mad Clown Puppet before the Opera House knows what I’m talking about. And while Lies of P has plenty of bosses worthy of a challenging and engaging fight, some, like the Green Monster of the Swamp and the Walker of Illusions, are more frustrating than fun. The ability to lower the difficulty on future playthroughs for bosses like those will certainly circumvent some of the frustration stemming from those encounters.Alongside the DLC and difficulty options will also be a new boss rush mode, Death March. You’ll also be able to replay boss fights via the new Battle Memories mode, which is really something that every soulslike game needs.Lies of P, your other favorite Belle Époque game next to Clair Obscur, launched in 2023. It was a Game Pass hit and a critical darling, with our review saying it, “breath[ed] new life into an overcrowded genre by allowing you to fabricate your own truth with the characters you meet, shaping the world with your choices.” Overture is expected to launch this summer and will include 15-20 hours worth of content.See More:

While Lies of P is set to receive a big update this year when the prequel DLC Overture arrives, another update will be just as noteworthy: Lies of P is going to receive difficulty options. Meaning, the notoriously difficult soulslike is going to become easier — and more accessible. “We wanted to make sure a wider audience of players could play the game,” game director Jiwon Choi told VGC. Lies of P has already found an audience — it sold 1 million copies in its first month on market and has been played by at least 7 million people — and an easier gameplay experience can open it up to more players who were put off by its difficult and unforgiving nature. Choi noted this decision stemmed from player feedback as well as “from our developers” at Neowiz and Round8 Studio. “So by making development adjustments and introducing these difficulty options, we can offer the experience to different types of players. This broadens the base.” The default difficulty will be named “Legendary Stalker” while the two new options will be called “Butterfly’s Guidance” and “Awakened Puppet.” Polygon has reached out to Neowiz for further comment on the details of these difficulty options, and will update this story when we hear back. New difficulty options will also be a welcome addition for longtime Lies of P players and soulslike vets; anyone who’s been absolutely bodied by the Mad Clown Puppet before the Opera House knows what I’m talking about. And while Lies of P has plenty of bosses worthy of a challenging and engaging fight, some, like the Green Monster of the Swamp and the Walker of Illusions, are more frustrating than fun. The ability to lower the difficulty on future playthroughs for bosses like those will certainly circumvent some of the frustration stemming from those encounters. Alongside the DLC and difficulty options will also be a new boss rush mode, Death March. You’ll also be able to replay boss fights via the new Battle Memories mode, which is really something that every soulslike game needs. Lies of P, your other favorite Belle Époque game next to Clair Obscur, launched in 2023. It was a Game Pass hit and a critical darling, with our review saying it, “breath[ed] new life into an overcrowded genre by allowing you to fabricate your own truth with the characters you meet, shaping the world with your choices.” Overture is expected to launch this summer and will include 15-20 hours worth of content.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Nvidia offers 40% discount on GeForce NOW with summer sale, brings support for more games Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Neowin @LoneWolfSL · May 22, 2025 10:26 EDT Nvidia has a rare sale for its GeForce NOW cloud gaming service, dropping the price of its Performance membership by 40% for a limited time. The company has also brought support for a new wave of games as a part of its weekly drops, including the newly enhanced STALKER trilogy, the Splitgate 2 beta, and more. The new sale requires a six-month purchase, but it does cut down the price to just $29.99. Only the Performance membership is part of the sale, which offers up to 1440p streaming, support for ultra-wide resolution monitors, reduced queue times for gaming servers, six-hour sessions without disconnecting, and a 100-hour playtime allowance per month. "Stream top titles such as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and more. Stream across any device, whether PCs, Macs, mobile devices, SHIELD TVs or Samsung and LG smart TVs," adds the company about this tier of membership. The GeForce NOW Performance membership sale price will remain available until Sunday, July 6. Next, here are the games the GeForce NOW supported list has gained this week: 9 Kings (New release on Steam, May 23) RoadCraft (New release on Steam, May 20) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Prypiat – Enhanced Edition (New release on Steam, May 20) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky – Enhanced Edition (New release on Steam, May 20) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl – Enhanced Edition (New release on Steam, May 20) Game of Thrones: Kingsroad (New release on Steam, May 21) Monster Train 2 (New release on Steam, May 21) Blades of Fire (New release on Epic Games Store, May 22) Splitgate 2 Open Beta (New release on Steam, May 22) Survive the Fall (New release on Steam, May 22) Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny (New release on Steam, May 23) As always, keep in mind that, unlike subscription services like Game Pass, a copy of a game must be owned by the GeForce NOW member (or at least have a license via PC Game Pass) to start playing via Nvidia's cloud servers. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed