Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 1 $16.39 (was $17) See at Amazon Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 $15.34 See at Amazon Death Stranding is a fascinating game about connection, post-apocalyptic society, and finding meaning in the face of extinction. It's also a long game to play through, so if you'd prefer to take a shortcut, you can always read the official novelization instead. Split into two volumes, the books retell the story of Sam Porter Bridges and his mission to reconnect North America following a devastating event that saw the worlds of the living and the dead collide. Both volumes are available in paperback and Kindle format at Amazon, or as audiobooks narrated by actor Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers, Beverly Hills Cop). The audiobook versions are included in the Audible Premium library available to Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers. Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 1 $16.39 (was $17) The two-part Death Stranding: The Official Novelization was written by Hitori Nojima. The books faithfully follow Death Stranding's plot, but offer more insight into the characters and their motivations that the game didn't cover and provide more context on Death Stranding and its intricate worldbuilding.The first book covers the beginning of Sam's journey to reunite the scattered cities of post-apocalyptic North America in the wake of the Death Stranding--a strange supernatural event where the spirits of the dead make physical contact with the world of the living, triggering cataclysms on par with nuclear explosions. See at Amazon Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 $15.34 Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 follows Sam on the second half of his journey, while also investigating a conspiracy involving his dead mother, estranged sister, and eventually uncovering the truth behind the Death Stranding and the world's ultimate fate. See at Amazon As mentioned above, the Death Stranding novelization is also available in audiobook format at Audible. The books are included in the Audible Premium Library, meaning Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers can access them immediately at no additional cost. Audible Premium normally costs $8 per month, while Premium Plus is $15--however, if you're a new subscriber, you can join now and get three months of Audible Premium Plus for $0 if you sign up before July 31. Death Stranding audiobooks at Audible Along with access to the Audible Premium Library, Audible Premium Plus memberships also include a monthly credit to redeem one free audiobook that's yours to keep forever, even if you cancel, plus access to member-exclusive discounts, all for $15 per month. And if you're already a Prime subscriber and sign up using this deal, you'll get an additional two Audible credits. You can use this deal to listen to the Death Stranding audiobook for free--not to mention thousands of other audiobooks. Note that after the free trial ends, your membership will automatically roll over to the full $15/month subscription unless you cancel before the three months are up.Continue Reading at GameSpot

India has some of the most amazing jewelry manufacturing and jewelry design traditions. By example the Jhumkas earrings hold significant cultural and spiritual meaning. Learn how to create them in Blender with this tutorial by Drvquiron, a Blender ar

We take on a entire Armed Survivalists encampment in Death Stranding 2, using some unconventional tactics and wits on the hardest difficulty.

Nintendo has given a number of Switch 1 games some extensive upgrades on the Switch 2, but none more so than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. Not only do both titles look and run much better on the new hardware, with crisper visuals and smoother frame rates, they can also sync up with a brand-new companion service called Zelda Notes. But as novel as some of its features can be, the service often contradicts the games' most captivating qualities--their sense of discovery.Accessed through the Nintendo Switch mobile app, Zelda Notes offers a suite of features to supplement your adventure in Hyrule. You can view detailed records of your own playthrough, including the number of enemies you've slain and materials you've collected, as well as global stats to see how you stack up with the wider player base. The service also has its own achievements system in the form of medals, which are awarded when you hit different milestones (such as using Zonai powers 1,000 times), along with a function to share items and autobuild designs with other players.All of this is neat, but inessential; you can play through either title without once consulting the app and your adventure would not feel any less fulfilling. However, one feature that does have an appreciable impact on the experience is Navigation. On top of being a repository of personal stats, Zelda Notes can effectively act as a GPS for your game, leading you to a specific point of interest or collectible. As you're exploring Hyrule, the service displays your current location on the map along with an extensive list of things to discover around the kingdom, from shrines and cave entrances to different treasures and enemies. Select a destination--such as a Korok you've yet to find--and the app will guide you there with audio directions, helping you mop up any collectibles you've missed or had trouble locating.Continue Reading at GameSpot

A new proof illuminates the hidden patterns that emerge when addition becomes impossible.

Are you eager to capture and summon BTs in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach? Yes, this action is totally possible in the game, and it leads to some of the most exciting battles thus far. We've got all the details you need to help you with this mechanic.How to capture and summon BTs in Death Stranding 2If you want to capture BTs, then you need to progress further into the campaign until you reach Episode 8: Deluge. As you tackle various orders, you'll eventually receive a mission to deliver the Cryptobiote Variants to the Chronobiologist. Completing this task unlocks the Chronobiologist's facility as part of the Chiral Network. What's more, you'll also be able to fabricate a new item known as an EX Capture Grenade. How to craft an EX Capture GrenadeIt's time to capture BTs in Death Stranding 2. First, you need to craft an EX Capture Grenade. Fabricating it costs 120x chiral crystals, 30x resins, and 25x special alloys. The good news is that each crafting process nets you five of these items. Fighting Catcher BTs and capturing themWith the EX Capture Grenade, you should be able to "catch the Catchers," so to speak. Here's what you need to do:Go to any area where BTs spawn. Then, if you see a Gazer or Watcher, let it spot you.When Hunters appear--i.e. not the Golden Hunter variants--let them drag you down into the tar. This will transport you to a nearby area where a Catcher BT emerges.Fight the Catcher BT normally until its health bar is low enough--i.e. red color.When the Catcher BT opens its mouth at this stage, toss an EX Capture Grenade straight into its maw. It will be petrified before turning into dust.All you need to do now is pick up the BT Crystal that it left behind. Summoning BTs during battlesOnce you have your first BT Crystal, you'll have a chance to summon BTs in Death Stranding 2. Here's the gist:You can only summon BTs if you're currently fighting another Catcher.Open your inventory and check the Specials tab. There, you'll see the BT Crystal with the type of monster that you captured.Activating a BT Crystal costs chiral crystals, too, so make sure you have enough.The summoned BT will take on your gargantuan opponent. This creature has its own health bar, and it can stay on the battlefield for up to three minutes only.Your Catcher enemy will consider your summoned creature as a huge threat. It will likely ignore you, so you'll be able to shoot it or toss grenades at it with impunity.Moreover, if your target is at low health and it's a different type of Catcher, you can throw an EX Capture Grenade to add it to your collection.That does it for our guide on how to capture and summon BTs in Death Stranding 2. It's basically like playing Pokemon, except the monsters you're dealing with are nowhere near as cute.Lastly, since we mentioned the Chronobiologist earlier, you might be interested in a couple of NPCs with unlockable rewards. They're none other than the Pizza Chef and the Ghost Hunter.Humanity yearns to be interconnected once more, and it's up to you to deliver the goods. If you need more help, then we've got you covered in our Death Stranding 2 guides hub.

Following its PlayStation 5-exclusive launch in April 2024, Stellar Blade was released for PC in 2025, allowing more players to follow protagonist Eve's journey. The PC version also marked the launch of Stellar Blade mods, which focus on everything from more customization, to performance improvements, to some absolutely NSFW content.With the news that Stellar Blade sold more than 1 million copies in just three days on Steam, modders have been hard at work creating adjustments and tweaks to Shift Up's action RPG, which follows Eve on her mission to save humanity from a war against monsters called Naytiba in the distant future. Here are the best Stellar Blade mods you should install right now. Ultimate Engine TweaksThe Ultimate Engine Tweaks mod by P40L0 addresses performance issues in Unreal Engine, including stuttering, stability, input latency, and picture clarity. The modder's goal was to include as many optimizations as possible in order to remove these issues, without suffering visual losses or introducing glitches or crashes.There are so many improvements that it's hard to list them all in one place, but P40L0 has compiled a useful spreadsheet that details all of the areas that have been adjusted. It's quite the read, but the most important thing to know is that your Stellar Blade experience will be an improved one with this mod installed. Improved Perfect DefenseThe Improved Perfect Defense mod by Andrew Creekmore increases the Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge windows from nine frames to 12, while decreasing the guard cooldown duration from 24 frames to 21. The guard cooldown duration removes the frustrating buffer between inputs during fights. The window and cooldown time changes are subtle, but make a noticeable difference during combat compared to the vanilla experience. At the same time, the Perfect Parry and Dodge mechanics aren't trivialized, and fights can still be challenging. Eve Eye Color And Makeup CompendiumThe Eve Eye Color And Makeup Compendium mod by Bourbibouze is one of the rare Stellar Blade mods that doesn't focus on Eve's other ... assets. There's an almost unfathomable amount of eye color and makeup options available for Eve now. While it's no secret that the Stellar Blade outfits are one of the standout features of the game, adding further customization options can only be a fun little addition. Stellar Blade Mod ManagerThe Stellar Blade Mod Manager by Huaisha2049 isn't necessarily a mod in its own right, but it is required in order to install most Stellar Blade mods. It also adds the ability to update and download mods online, running them through compatibility tests to automatically detect any potential dependency issues.It'll automatically find the location of your Stellar Blade install and add mods to the corresponding directory. The only limiting factor is that the game cannot be installed in the Chinese directory. Turn On And Off CheatsThe Turn On and Off Cheats mod by ArkhamXxX pretty much does what it says on the tin. The mod allows you to turn on and off certain cheats, including God Mode, infinite Beta energy, infinite Burst energy, infinite jump, 69 Skill Points, and infinite Tachy energy. You can use it in the full version of the game or the demo, and loading into story mode or boss challenges enables the functionality. You can modify the hotkeys used to activate or deactivate each cheat, too. First-PersonThe fairly self-explanatory First-Person mod from MJ allows you to play Stellar Blade from a first-person perspective. That's it. That's the mod. Thomas the Tank Engine as StalkerWe've seen it all before. Your favorite RPG has no doubt had Thomas the Tank Engine modded into it, and this creation by Tenshiken1 replaces Stalker from the boss challenge mode with the menacing engine himself. While the mod has a simple drag-and-drop installation method, the creator notes that it "should" be compatible with other clothing mods for Eve--but if you have issues, change the alphabetical order the mods load in. It's not a guaranteed fix, but has been noted to work. All Outfit UnlocksThe All Outfit Unlocks mod from Prophe33 gives you a save file with all outfits unlocked. You'll no longer have to grind for your favorite fashion for Eve, and can even jump straight into New Game Plus if you'd like. Faster FishingThe Faster Fishing mod from T4ke respects your time. After all, who has a moment to waste in a post-apocalyptic world? This mod speeds up fishing by up to 10 times the original speed. It's also customizable to twice as fast, or four times as fast. Blood Edge Weapon RecolorsThere are many, many, many aesthetic customization options for Eve, some of them less savory than others. One that's definitely safe and adds new levels of customization is this Blood Edge Weapon Recolors mod by NimbusNathan. The Blood Edge Sword and hair pin get more color options to match her nanosuits. It's a simple drag-and-drop installation, too, so you can soon enjoy the extra personalization.

The hardest part about finding games like Hollow Knight is knowing where to start. The overwhelming success of Team Cherry's award-winning 2017 game--and anticipation of its long-awaited sequel, Silksong--prompted a flood of similar games all looking to capture the magic of combining soulslike combat with deep exploration. Some are more inventive than others, building on Hollow Knight's foundations to push that style of game forward in new or unexpected ways. Others take a specific aspect, such as grueling boss fights, and run with it. We've combed through the lot and picked out 15 of the best games like Hollow Knight to get you started in this impressively varied sub-genre.If you're not as excited about combat and want puzzles and exploration instead, head over to our list of the best metroidvania games. Nine Sols Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5Release Date: May 29, 2024Developer: Red Candle GamesIf Hollow Knight is the Dark Souls of metroidvanias, then Nine Sols is the genre's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Parrying is at the core of almost everything you do in Nine Sols, from dealing with standard enemies to wearing down some of its relentless bosses. Among games like Hollow Knight, it's also one of the most thematically and visually distinct. Developer Red Candle Games call Nine Sols a "Taopunk," a blend of sci-fi punk with traditional Taoist architecture and symbolism. Most protagonists in games like these are blank slates, but Nine Sols adds a personal touch by making the personality of its hero, Yi, an important part of the story. Yi starts out seeking revenge, and ends up on a journey to save the world and himself, becoming a reluctant hero in the process. See at Humble Animal Well Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5Release Date: May 9, 2024Developer: Billy Basso, Shared Memory LLCAnimal Well is a puzzle, or more accurately, a lot of puzzles. There's a bit of combat and some platforming, but mostly, it's about trying to unravel dozens of mysteries big and small as you delve ever further into a maze that wouldn't be out of place in Lewis Carrol's Wonderland stories. Explaining too much about what's going on would spoil what makes Animal Well special, but the most interesting and even subversive parts of it is that you have almost nothing to guide you and can make discoveries in any order. That freedom creates a sense of discovery and wonder that's often absent from the procedural methods inherent in these kinds of games.Read our Animal Well review. See at Steam Ultros Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5Release Date: February 13, 2024Developer: HadoqueOf all the games like Hollow Knight, Ultros takes the most organic approach to metroidvanias, and we mean that literally. You, an intergalactic explorer, arrive on a psychedelic space colony called The Sarcophagus and find it teeming with exotic life and mysterious spiritual energies. You use the life force and remains of enemies to nourish your mind and unlock new abilities, and there's a scoring system that ranks how efficiently you defeat your foes. That determines the quality of the loot they drop, so if you want to unlock and improve your skills, you have to plan each encounter carefully. Ultros is also absolutely beautiful, a dream-like blend of esoteric architecture and wild ecosystems with closer ties to the Sarcophagus' secrets than Ultros initially suggests. Read our Ultros review. See at Fanatical Blasphemous 2 Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: August 24, 2023Developer: The Game KitchenBlasphemous 2's big addition over its predecessor--apart from even more ghoulish and gory moments--is the inclusion of more platforming. The first Blasphemous is a bit one-note, which is great if you're just here for the combat, but not so much if you want, well, anything else. Blasphemous 2 throws in some challenging and smartly-designed platforming as well, bringing it closer to the likes of Hollow Knight. Better still, developer The Game Kitchen was more ambitious with its environment design as well, with more complex layouts, better backgrounds and lighting, and even colors that aren't brown, grey, and blood.Read our Blasphemous 2 review. See at Fanatical Elden Ring Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PCRelease Date: February 25, 2022Developer: FromSoftwareOkay, so Elden Ring doesn't have the exploration style of Hollow Knight, but it does have the kind of grueling combat that inspired Team Cherry's spectacular boss fights, and lots of it. It's FromSoftware's first open-world game, one that follows a lone, nameless warrior in their bid to bring salvation to a shattered land--or make its ruin everlasting. Mostly, though, it's a giant playground for dozens of exceptionally well-designed and challenging bosses to stomp (you) around in, with enemies ranging from fire-spewing land dragons to the spirits of an ancient civilization and a gigantic, greatsword-wielding prince on his favorite little horsey. Read our Elden Ring review. See at Fanatical Cuphead Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCRelease Date: September 29, 2017Developer: Studio MDHRIf you really like boss fights and are less bothered about exploration and all the other Hollow Knight-y bits, Cuphead is definitely worth checking out. Don't let Studio MDHR's retro cartoon style give you the wrong impression, either. Cuphead's cutesy bosses demand careful planning, precise execution, and a lot of patience. The battles aren't the only thing Cuphead has going for it, though. Studio MDHR's exquisite animation, the soundtrack, even period-specific cartoon-style sound effects--the entire game is a spectacle in the best way. Read our Cuphead review. See at Fanatical Castlevania Advance Collection Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PCRelease Date: September 23, 2021Developer: KonamiAny of the Castlevania bundles are strong picks, but the Castlevania Advance Collection should be your go-to choice for the kind of classic action that Hollow Knight builds on. The collection includes Circle of the Moon--low on our list of the best Castlevania games only on account of it not really doing anything that Symphony of the Night didn't--the excellent Harmony of Dissonance, and the even better Aria of Sorrow. Sorrow is the standout inclusion, one that radically shook up the Castlevania formula by removing the Belmonts from the equation, telling an entirely new story set in the distant (at the time) future, and giving the protagonist, Soma, an ability that absorbed enemy souls for use in combat. It helps that Sorrow, as well as Harmony, have an excellent selection of bosses and some fantastically moody settings, too. See at Humble Ori and the Blind Forest Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCRelease Date: March 11, 2015Developer: Moon StudiosOri and the Blind Forest starts like the end of a Disney movie. A cute little creature finds a family in the middle of a dream-like forest, and that family gets taken away from them. Your job is to figure out why and find a way to save the woods. Ori takes Hollow Knight's demanding platforming even further with some segments that wouldn't feel out of place in something like Celeste, but the real stand-out feature is the map. In addition to being a well-designed metroidvania world, it's absolutely gorgeous and a delight to explore. Blind Forest is a modern classic, and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps manages to improve it even further.Read our Ori and the Blind Forest review and Ori and the Will of the Wisps review. See at Fanatical Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: March 25, 2024Developer: AdiglobeIn the onslaught of games like Hollow Knight that released following Team Cherry's success, developer Adiglobe decided to shake up the formula first with Ender Lilies and then with the more refined Ender Magnolia. You've got your standard elements, such as gigantic bosses that force you to learn their patterns and a puzzle-like map that unfolds as you gain more powers. Those powers, however, are the spirits of fallen friends who also aid you in combat. You find several, but can only recruit a handful at a time, which adds a layer of strategy to exploration and combat. There's also a strong sense of emotional attachment, since you and your ghostly allies have history and connection of a kind that's often missing in these games when you just play as an outside observer. See at Steam Metroid Dread Platforms: Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: October 8, 2021Developer: Nintendo EADAny Metroid game is going to have something of that Hollow Knight feel, since the sci-fi series is a big part of where the genre and Hollow Knight in particular came from. However, the easiest to get your hands on without having to pay for a subscription is Metroid Dread. It's the culmination of the 2D Metroid saga that started in 1986, but you can get by just fine if this is your first. Dread follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she searches for evidence of a deadly parasite, only to find herself hunted by rogue robots--sometimes. The stealth segments that have you hiding from your metal hunters only take place in specific areas. The rest of Metroid Dread takes you across sprawling subterranean research labs, sunken testing stations, and extravagant dwellings, featuring the series' biggest map ever, stuffed with secrets and formidable bosses. If you really enjoy those bosses, Dread has a boss rush mode you can test yourself against as well.Read our Metroid Dread review. See at Amazon Lone Fungus Platforms: PCRelease Date: September 21, 2021Developer: Basti GamesThese types of games tend to lean more toward the edgy, dark, and broody side of things, which makes Lone Fungus a gem in the genre. You're the last mushroom on Earth, exploring a vast network of tunnels and temples in search of treasure and using magic skills that change form depending on how you swing your sword. A ball of energy is damaging to one enemy, for example, but you can smack it and shatter it into several projectiles to clear out lots of foes at once. Best of all, though, Lone Fungus has a robust Assist Mode that lets people of all skill levels enjoy the game and just makes it more relaxed in general, with features such as extra platforms, no costs for spells, slower platforms, and invincibility so your little fungus won't die. See at Humble Dead Cells Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCRelease Date: May 10, 2027Developer: Motion TwinDead Cells throws roguelite randomness into the metroidvania mix and ratchets up the challenge as well. You're a spirit determined to figure out why you died, and in the absence of a tangible vessel for your ethereal self, you pilot shambling corpses in a bid to make it through streets, swamps, dungeons, and horrors untold. These corpses aren't the sturdiest, so when you fail, they fall apart and you start again. Eventually, you can unlock permanent upgrades, but with no checkpoints at any stage of the journey, you'll have to rely on your skill with weapons and knowledge of enemy behavior to make it through. If you enjoy Dead Cells, you can pick up DLC packs that add new locations, weapons, and enemies, and there's even a Castlevania-themed expansion as well. Read our Dead Cells review. See at Fanatical Monster Sanctuary Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series One, PCRelease Date: August 28, 2019Developer: DeveloperIf you like a bit of Pokemon with your Hollow Knight, Monster Sanctuary might be for you. You play as a fledgling monster tamer out to explore the vast world with just a single critter by your side. You'll find and tame more, training them into the best versions of themselves and using their abilities not just to deal with threats in the sanctuary, but to explore its secrets and hidden areas as well. Monster Sanctuary is lighter and breezier than some games on this list, but if something more intense is to your liking, there's a robust PvP element where you can challenge other players and their monster teams too. See at Fanatical Salt and Sanctuary Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: March 15, 2016Developer: Ska StudiosUpgrades and customization are usually rather limited in games like Hollow Knight, which makes Salt and Sanctuary, with its more in-depth RPG components, something special. You play as a sailor, washed up on some evil-looking, godforsaken island and foolish enough to go exploring the mysterious labyrinth underneath. What you find is a parade of nightmares and some spectacular, bone-crunchingly hard 2D boss fights that are among the best Soulslike challenges out there. Read our Salt and Sanctuary review. See at Humble Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: July 17, 2024Developer: Squid Shock StudiosMovement is often a means to an end in video games--a double jump that propels you higher, for example, or a dash that lets you avoid dangerous terrain. In Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, it's no exaggeration to say movement is everything. Bouncing, flying, gliding, moving with magical speed, and navigating the hand-drawn world is just as important as battling the myths and monsters inspired by Japanese folklore. Path of the Teal Lotus is one of the most elegant platformers around, and it even has a reset system where you can pause or rewind a failed jump to try again, perfect for learning some of the more difficult segments. Read our Path of the Teal Lotus review. See at Fanatical

Attack On Titan is a modern anime classic and, in the opinion of many, is one of the greatest anime ever made. The show ran from 2013 to 2022 and gripped many viewers with the spectacle. It became a show that created new anime fans and pleasantly engaged older ones.

The Uperfect Delta Max Touch monitor delivers on almost every front.