Leads working on Castlevania: Belmont's Curse have spoken out about how it will continue the series' tradition of challenging difficulty, while allowing players ways to mitigate it through level ups, exploring alternative paths, and if none of that works for you, difficulty settings. In an interview with Famitsu that's been translated by GamesRadar+, Belmont's Curse's producer Tsutomu Taniguchi describes how people might mitigate the difficulty by using the game's mechanics. "People might find the game difficult if they can't win a certain battle, but there are always numerous alternatives," he says. "There is also a level up system so new players and those who are not good at action games can still play. That's always been a part of the series." Though there are ways in-game to negate the difficulty, there are also settings that deal with potential issues more directly. "For those who still feel that it's difficult, there are settings that adjust the level of difficulty in the options menu," he continues. "Whether someone is good at action games or not, there should be a setting that will leave as many players as possible satisfied." However, the game's director Yukiko Hokao wants to emphasize that Belmont's Curse will still have the challenge the series is known for. "We didn't want it to be a simple or easy game," she says. "That isn't Castlevania. Looking at early games in the series, I think there is a kind of joy in making progress steadily through a difficult game." Creative director Emmanuel Nouaille also weighs in with how fairness is at the core of the gameplay. "We also placed a big emphasis on gameplay being 'fair,'" he says. "We're confident that the level of difficulty will satisfy existing fans, and by removing barriers for new players it should be easy for them to get into the game as well." Castlevania: Belmont's Curse was made to enlighten players who "love Metroidvanias" but have "never played a Castlevania game," Konami lead says. [/url]View the full article
Audeze recently announced the launch of the brand-new Maxwell 2 ANC headset. The pair finally brings active and adaptive noise cancellation and "enhanced smart-audio capabilities" to the fan-favorite audiophile cups so you can play your favorite games and entirely shut out the world around you - just the way plenty of us nerds like it. This upgraded Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is available now for $429 (Audeze) / £429 (HiFiheadphones) for PC and PS5, and there's an Xbox model arriving shortly if you don't mind parting with an additional $20 / £20. Both models are a bit pricier than previous Maxwell pairs, but Audeze states that this new bundled ANC is the "most advanced quieting system ever" Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is back again with its wireless ways, bringing "Aviation-Grade" noise cancellation to the table, alongside an upcoming Xbox model - which doesn't have a release date quite yet. Just like before, the new Maxwell 2 ANC is also compatible with the Audeze app via desktop, Android, or iOS. ***: £429 at HiFiheadphones If you're sitting there thinking "wait, didn't the Audeze Maxwell 2 already release?" then you'd be entirely correct. The Audeze Maxwell 2 headset launched earlier this year and ended up in our best gaming headset guide after our team's Tabitha Baker took it for a test run and was a fan of its "balanced, clear, high quality audio" and its comfort upgrades over the original. It's the long-awaited follow-up to the Audeze Maxwell, and includes a newly fangled headband that helped offset the previous pair's comfort issues. It launched without any noise cancelling, which is where the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC comes in. This is the same headset as before but with ANC in tow, powered by a system that combines feedforward (outside microphones) and feedback noise (interior microphones) to combat unwanted sounds. According to Audeze, this quieting audio system reduces that outside noise while still "preserving positional audio accuracy", which basically means that it doesn't negatively impact the sound conjured up by the headset's 90mm Planar Magnetic audio drivers. The new Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC also includes AI-controlled ANC parameters, alongside some voice-activated commands, and simultaneous wired and Bluetooth audio. (Image credit: Audeze) Unfortunately, there's still no sign of any simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz audio, which was sorely missing from the previous Maxwell 2 despite it being a common feature of most premium and high-end headsets. Remind me to break that news to our team's Tabtha Baker later, and she was "shocked to find out the Maxwell 2s won't play ball" with such a common high-end feature during her original Audeze Maxwell 2 review. However, at least this pair keeps its compatibility with the interchangeable ReSkin earcup covers intact, alongside the older Maxwell 2's long list of features, which is ideally what you'd hope for from a headset that has a $400+ MSRP and is $100 more than its predecessor. View all wireless gaming headsets at Amazon Looking for a new headset? I've also rounded up the best PC headsets for gaming, the best PS5 headsets, and the best Xbox Series X headsets worth checking out. [/url]View the full article
Embark Studios releases a new store update for ARC Raiders, though as part of the patch, it also announced a big change to the game's matchmaking based on player feedback. Matchmaking has always been a major topic of debate for both Embark and its community of ARC Raiders players, and this latest change appears to be aimed at improving matches for everyone. View the full article
Whether stemming a tide of Tyranids in Warhammer 40:000: Space Marine 2 or whaling on one of Left 4 Dead's chargers to make it stop pummeling your pal, the best co-op games thrive when you're hard-pressed to keep up. Far Far West, developer Evil Raptor's breakout co-op shooter, is no exception. It's equal parts maximalist and stubbornly simple, pitting spellcasting robot cowboys against escalating hordes of supernatural cowpokes – accompanied by the greatest (and first) techno-banjo soundtrack I've ever heard. To dig into Far Far West's creation, inspirations, and the philosophy driving the small team at Evil Raptor, GamesRadar+ caught up with developer Arnaud Petit. Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity Goin' out West (Image credit: Fireshine Games) Set your sights on these (Image credit: Focus Entertainment) Here are 25 of the best shooters we'd recommend playing (if you haven't already) How did the development team come together? Petit: Evil Raptor was born out of Pumpkin Jack back in 2020, when Nicolas, the head of the studio, was solo-developing the game. Following its success, we had the opportunity to hire more people and become more ambitious with our projects. Most of the current team already worked together on our previous title, Akimbot. So, transitioning to Far Far West was just a natural continuation of our work as a group, with a few new additions to ensure we could make the game as good as possible. Similarly, how did the creative vision of Far Far West take shape? Petit: The art direction, the atmosphere, mood, and overall fantasy come from Nicolas, who is incredibly skilled at creating spooky and moody vibes. As for the concept of spell-slinging robots fighting skeletons… honestly, it's just cool. Gameplay-wise, our main objective was to create a fun (a very important word for us!) experience that anyone could enjoy, from casual to more hardcore gamers. Far Far West actually went through three major iterations. Our first prototype was a fresh take on tower defense, and the second leaned into a linear, mission-based structure similar to games like Left 4 Dead. When we realized those directions weren't clicking the way we wanted, we decided to take our best ideas, throw them all in the same bag, and focus entirely on tight gunplay, funny spells, and wacky combos. We mixed it all into a replayable game loop, and the game finally found its footing! While we had a solid foundation, we iterated heavily and integrated player feedback right from the start, which really helped shape the game into what it is today. (Image credit: Evil Raptor) Far Far West had a lot of hype at the demo stage, but that doesn't always translate to launch. Ahead of release, how did you feel? How about now? Petit: Running several open playtests followed by a demo with open reviews definitely helped ease our nerves, as we could see people were enjoying the game. However, since the demo was free at the time, it was impossible to know if that interest would translate into actual sales at launch. Thankfully, it did! We honestly didn't expect the full release to be received this well, nor did we anticipate such a high player count. We couldn't be happier with its success! Now, we're back hard at work and can't wait to bring more content to the players. Far Far West reminds me of some brilliant co-op shooters – think Space Marine 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Borderlands – more so in spirit than design . What do you think creates the right environment for a shooter to thrive in a group environment? Petit: For us, the key word is simply fun. Everybody loves wacky concepts and flying around the map at lightspeed, so we thought, 'Why not let them?'. Once we ensured the gunplay felt satisfying and the core loop was engaging, there were still a lot of things to consider. But our philosophy is straightforward: if we think an idea is fun for us, we don't hesitate to implement it for the players. (Image credit: Evil Raptor) I adore the music, particularly that crescendo in the final stage of an extraction. Could you tell me a little about why Far Far West's musical direction felt right? (Bonus question: would you like to name your electro-gothic-Western genre, if you haven't already?) Petit: Like with pretty much everything we do, we just went with a vibe, and that vibe perfectly matched the rhythm of the game. Our composer also did the OST for our previous game, Akimbot, which was heavily electro-based. Since that's his specialty, we wanted to carry that energy over. You just slam some banjo over it, think cowboys, and you get this "electro banjo bop." Not tying ourselves to a specific name or genre keeps the door open to pretty much anything, so we're just going with the flow! Are there any other developers – solo or studio – that you look up to? Petit: There are obviously a few names that constantly come up when people compare Far Far West to other titles, like Helldivers 2 or Deep Rock Galactic. They are staples of the co-op shooter space, and they both did an excellent job defining the genre in their own unique ways. When it comes to the gunplay itself, I also have to mention Overwatch. They did an incredible job making shooting feel as satisfying as possible for an FPS, and we definitely studied their animations closely! If you liked this... The future of multiplayer shooters Developers on Marathon, Arc Raiders, and Last Flag take GamesRadar+ through the evolution of their genre Hunger is an "Elder Scrolls-style" extraction RPG from the creators of Hell Let Loose We sat down for an exclusive hands-on with the "extraction RPG" set in Napoleonic Europe Why so many game developers don't want to use generative AI GamesRadar+ spoke to more than 30 developers to hear their thoughts on AI [/url]View the full article
A new and official gameplay teaser for Assassin’s Creed Hexe has just been dropped, and seeing what it may have in store has just left us more excited than ever before for its potential. Expected to be the next big core release for the series, a few details about Hexe are already known, while others seem to be emerging gradually. There has been a series of leaks about Assassin’s Creed Hexe, some of which mention that a feature that was highly anticipated was removed, for example. View the full article
Do you want to know what’s satisfying? A simple concept executed to the top tier of its potential. When you sit there and look at a piece of media and go “You know what? No notes.” That is what Arashi Gaiden hits for me, gameplay-wise at least. Arashi Gaiden describes itself as a turn-based action […]View the full article
Jimothy the Raccoon, a fuzzy little critter with short spine syndrome, has captured the heart of the internet. And now, you can add him to your TTRPG party in two different systems. The custody battle for Jimothy is officially on. His prospective parents? Pathfinder and Dungeons and Dragons. Read the full story on Wargamer: D&D and Pathfinder battle for custody of Jimothy the raccoon, with official stat blocks from each View the full article
The new Smaug card revealed for Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit set goes infinite with upsetting ease. Smaug the Impenetrable may be difficult to cast at seven mana, but you'll be glad of that if you ever play against this MTG commander. That's because there are several two card combos that work with this scary dragon to make infinite mana or dish out infinite damage. Read the full story on Wargamer: MTG Hobbit's Smaug has an infinite combo that kills EVERYONE with dragonfire View the full article
Blizzard has responded to a report of a World of Warcraft GM using an instakill ability in a Mythic+ dungeon to meet the timer requirement. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Blizzard confirms that World of Warcraft GM is "no longer with the company" following Mythic+ cheating incident View the full article
While it’s not a series of truly Hitman-scale ******* sandboxes, 007 First Light does make good on its promise of enabling multiple Bond, James Bonding disciplines: shooting, sneaking, punching, and my personal favourite, getting immediately discovered then bullshitting something about being a door technician for supervillain lairs. But, were it not for some rejigging work on IO Interactive’s part, First Light might well have ended up with an undue preference for the brawling, bloody, Daniel-Craig-in-a-bathroom approach. That’s according to senior combat designer Tom Marcham, whom I briefly interrogated at a taping of the UKIE’s For One Night Only showcase. Marcham says that although there “was always the idea that [First Light] was going to be this kind of flexible blend” of secret agent styles, in the crucible of active development, the strength of straight up henchman-punching repeatedly threatened to wallop the stealth and social aspects into irrelevance. Read more View the full article
Games Workshop has confirmed that Ork Warboss Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub is not only getting a new miniature for the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game, but that he’s also in Creative Assembly’s upcoming strategy game, Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Nazdreg is boss of the Bad Moon clan, sitting comfortably behind the all-conquering Ghazghkull Thraka, the mighty prophet of the Waaagh!, in the pantheon of Ork characters. In a post on Warhammer Community, GW revealed Nazdreg’s impressive mini, which includes his Kustom Blasta X and Bad Moon banner, as well as a screenshot of how he looks in Total War: Warhammer 40,000. It’s a long time coming, as fan-favorite Nazdreg hasn’t had a model release this century, despite being a prominent figure in the lore. And that’s where his appearance in Total War: Warhammer 40,000 comes in. Nazdreg has history on Armageddon, the war-torn world at the heart of the 11th edition narrative. And there’s a lot of Armageddon bleeding into Total War: Warhammer 40,000, not just in terms of characters, but the planet itself. GW said Nazdreg will be one of the “key characters” you can battle with, and against, in Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Nazdreg will feature “heavily in some of the early in-game narrative, in events that tie in to the ongoing pivotal battles around Armageddon.” Total War: Warhammer 40,000 named characters confirmed so far Nazdreg isn’t the only named character confirmed for Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Marneus Calgar, boss of the Ultramarines chapter of Space Marines, is in the game, as is Commissar Sebastian Yarrick of the Astra Militarum (once known as the Imperial Guard). The aforementioned Ghazghkull has also joined the fray. Yarrick and Ghazghkull in particular have plenty of history — a mutual respect, perhaps, fueled by endless war — so it will be fun to see these two legendary characters lock horns in Total War. We know that more named characters are set to be announced for Total War: Warhammer 40,000. We expect more Space Marine and Astra Militarum characters, for example, since we only have one each confirmed so far. Ursula Creed, Lord Castellan of Cadia, seems like an obvious Astra Militarum choice to me. We know the Aeldari are a launch faction, so surely Creative Assembly has two space elves ready to go. Eldrad Ulthran, one of the most potent Aeldari psykers to have ever lived, would be a good shout here, as would Asurmen, the legendary Phoenix Lord of the Dire Avengers Aspect Warriors. But CA has plenty to choose from; Warhammer 40,000 lore is vast and packed with eyecatching characters. Could Total War: Warhammer 40,000 add a primarch to its ranks? To me, having a character so clearly ahead of the others in power status could feel like a bit of a stretch. But that’s not stopping Dawn of War 4 from having Dark Angels primarch Lion El'Jonson playable in the game, albeit briefly and in specific moments where the campaign is letting the player cut loose. Could Ultramarines boss Roboute Guilliman, for example, appear in Total War: Warhammer 40,000 in a similar “cameo” form? In truth, we don’t know how these named characters will actually work in Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Nor do we know exactly how Armageddon will factor into the overall campaign. GW’s note about Nazdreg being one of the “key characters” you can battle with, and against, featuring “heavily in some of the early in-game narrative, in events that tie in to the ongoing pivotal battles around Armageddon,” may apply to the other named characters, too. Creative Assembly’s Total War: Warhammer games have Legendary Lords, or LLs, which are powerful characters from Warhammer Fantasy lore. They’re playable in the campaign, multiplayer, and custom battles, leading their own faction unique to them. Will these 40k named characters work much the same? Total War: Warhammer 40,000 is due out on PC and console. There's no release window yet. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article
Earlier this month, Microsoft gutted The Elder Scrolls Online, with 379 staff across ZeniMax gone. And this is the second time it's happened in two years. As Harvey and I put it a few weeks ago, ESO's developers deserved better. The developer, now claiming to be the same size it was 10 years ago (similar to id Software), has just debuted ESO's new seasonal structure but will have to continue carving that path with reduced capabilities... Read more.View the full article
The official sequel to 2025's Wreckreation was unveiled on July 21, and it appears to capture the same spirit as Burnout Paradise. The first Wreckreation game was also compared to the Burnout series thanks to its focus on road rage, improvised racing routes, and destructive, car-wrecking crashes. View the full article
The latest Diablo 4 Season 14 patch is now available, and once again, it's tweaking drop rates for Mythics and making them easier to get in general. This has been a running theme since Season of Death Awakening kicked off at the end of June, though the current changes should help alleviate lingering frustrations. In Undercity, you now have a much better chance of getting a Mythic from the Mythic Tribute of Armaments. If you're Torment X, the odds are "greatly increased," while for Torment XII, they're now totally guaranteed. Those are more forgiving numbers all around. On top of this, Superior Lair Keys are now part of the last Glints of Hope cache, creating a way to farm them. This will make getting more Mythics easier in general, in terms of gathering Pandemonium Fragments and for finding the items after a big encounter. [Hidden Content] These efforts are part of an ongoing clean up from Blizzard since Season 14 turned the hunt for Unique Mythics into a complete disaster. Drop rates are practically non-existent in some cases, as multiple players and streamers found that they couldn't find any Uniques despite playing for hours-long sessions. Then, a limitation of only being able to carry one crafted Mythic made building characters a headache. The devs have been progressively dismantling and reworking these hurdles, but as always, changes need to be methodical and gradual, lest they over-correct and create issues going the other way. More changes are already hallmarked for Season 15's Horadric Cube, too. "We're removing Mythic reroll crafting and adding a direct upgrade to Mythic that preserves the original unique item," Marcus 'Marcoose' Kretz, senior community manager on the Diablo series, says in a developer's note referenced by YouTuber Cliptis. "We'll evaluate bringing back this rule for that specific crafting path only." As it stands, upgrading to Mythic gives you a random item of that class in return – it doesn't guarantee what you're upgrading is what you'll get. Cliptis adds that he believes if Blizzard does this, the rule of only allowing one crafted Mythic will come back, but that's just conjecture at the minute. The team would be hard pushed to make matters worse than high-level players not finding particular treasure whatsoever, but I digress. This hotfix, and others that are no doubt in the pipeline, should make people's lives in the underworld a little better. For now, anyway. Diablo 4 players are accidentally trashing their best items due to an "objectively misleading" recipe, and it's the best argument I've seen for yellow paint in games. [/url]View the full article
Children of Time is among the most popular modern-day sci-fi sagas out there, becoming quintessential reading since Adrian Tchaikovsky's first novel was released 11 years ago now in 2015. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the book earned widespread acclaim for its ambitious exploration of evolution, AI, and humanity's struggle for survival, all while telling an unforgettable story from the perspective of an unexpected new dominant species. View the full article
A new Steam deal gives PC gamers a chance to get the beloved 10/10 action RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for just $1, although it's possible that it is replaced with a different AAA or indie game on Steam. It's a bit of a gamble, but Steam users are going to walk away with a solid game regardless. View the full article
A talented Starfield modder is working to improve one of the game's most disappointing features — its disjointed spaceship take-off and flight sequence. While Starfield has its fans, the long-awaited Bethesda space RPG has long suffered from feeling like a game divided up by loading screens. This is particularly true when taking off from a planet and heading out of the atmosphere — and the same again upon landing. Of course, there are technical reasons why the game works this way — which fans say is a result of the game being built on the studio's existing engine. Bethesda itself has also improved the game's spaceflight experience to some extent, too, more recently allowing players to actually fly between planets in the same solar system. But fans have, since day one, wanted more. Specifically, they have wanted the experience you get in other games, such as No Man's Sky, where you can seamlessly take off from one planet, head to space, and fly all the way to the other end of the galaxy to land somewhere else without a loading screen. And now, thanks to the Seamless Planet Takeoffs mod, you can get something that feels far more akin to this (thanks, PC Gamer). Since Starfield launched, one of the biggest requests from some players has been the ability to take off from a planet and fly seamlessly into space without a loading screen. Personally, it has never bothered me much, but for others it has been near the top of the wish list… [Hidden Content] — Jay Dook (@JayDook) July 20, 2026 "This mod aims to remove the loading screen when taking off from a planet, and spawns your ship above the landing site for a seamless experience," states the mod's creator, 0xBobby. "The mod is currently in beta, so expect bugs. The seamlessness of the transition will depend on the atmosphere and weather of the planet, I am working on making the transition even smoother." Footage of the mod in action shows the normal third-person view of your ship taking off replaced by a first-person in-cockpit camera angle. While there's still a transition moment between Starfield's on-planet environment and the orbit area, it is disguised pretty well by the mod spawning your ship in the correct place, and replicating the view to hide the switch as much as possible. While still something of a quick fix, it provides an experience that feels far less disjointed than the base game. However, a similar fix for seamless landings sounds a lot more difficult — and not something that 0xBobby thinks he can achieve. "It probably won't ever happen, at least not from me," 0xBobby wrote. "Yes, I know of all of the tricks I could use, hiding the loading through clouds or entry flames etc, but even that would be way more complex than what this mod or seamless grav jumps do. Plus they don't really appeal to me, if I want seamless landings, I want the full thing, No Man's Sky style. I may attempt that, but the chances of it happening are pretty much zero." While the bulk of Bethesda is now busy building The Elder Scrolls 6, with early work also underway on Fallout 5, the company said last week that Starfield "remains an important part of our future," teasing the game's long-awaited Starborn DLC, now coming in 2027. Following the recent announcement of Xbox layoffs — with job losses also impacting Bethesda's teams — fans were quick to point out that Starfield was absent from Bethesda's new priority list. Starfield largely failed to meet fan expectations upon its 2023 launch, and its subsequent sporadic updates and expansions have been far slower to arrive than anticipated. "STARFIELD CONTINUES," Bethesda boss Todd Howard trumpeted last week, seemingly in response to fan concern that the franchise was being put on the back burner. "With over 17 million players logging almost a billion hours to date, Starfield remains an important part of our future. As we enter Year 3, we'll continue expanding the Settled Systems with new stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and additional updates, while preparing for the launch of new Starborn content next year. More than 40% of players already customize their experience through Creations, and we'll continue investing in creators and giving players new ways to make Starfield their own." Will Starfield 2 ever materialize, with seamless ground to space gameplay built in? That remains to be seen. Until then, modders are trying their best. Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social View the full article
Konami has revealed the performance targets for Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 2, and 4K 60fps Metal Gear Solid 4 is finally within reach, even if Switch 1 users are getting shortchanged again. Konami released details about both Metal Gear Solid 4 and Peace Walker's performance on its website. It's mostly as you would expect based on the previous game: Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC will be running at 4K 60fps; Switch 2 and Xbox Series S will be 1440/60 – with 1080/60fps in MGS4's handheld mode and for both on Peace Walker for Switch 2. Once again, the original Nintendo Switch is stuck with 1080/30fps in docked and 720/30fps in handheld. That includes Peace Walker – a 2010 PSP game that ran at 60fps when its HD edition was released on 2005's Xbox 360. Metal Gear Solid 4 at 60fps was already revealed a few months back with the first gameplay of the re-release. On Switch 2, the game has selectable image modes between "Adjusted and Original," with the handheld mode only getting Original. Presumably, one of these matches the other platforms, with a slightly more inconsistent framerate. [Hidden Content] Funnily enough, Metal Gear Solid 4 was always capable of 60fps, but getting it to run as such on PS3 was only possible in really specific circumstances, and most of the time you'd be dealing with sub-30fps in action scenes. But having the game run at a stable 60fps will be a game-changer. Peace Walker, on the other hand, has a number of different resolution and upscaling options. Konami also released a video showing off the "High Resolution" mode for the game's hand-drawn cutscenes, with the new version having a much clearer image compared to the somewhat blurry original. While Metal Gear Solid 4's big return is the clear star of the show here, I'm hoping to see Peace Walker's stock rise with this re-release, so people can finally see it for being one of the best Metal Gear Solid games… perhaps even better than MGS4 some may say. After almost 25 years, Metal Gear Solid 2 players are still finding secrets: "This is the kind of stuff somebody posts on an online forum in 2005 and no one believes it" [/url]View the full article
Secret Games Company has announced a comfy, self-published party simulator, Bon Vivant. According to a press release, the game allows players to “become the talk of socialist circles by hosting amazing parties where you decide what’s on the menu, the decoration, and who the lucky guests will be.” Designed for fans of easy strategizing where the emphasis is on designing a fun time, meeting mood goals to unlock interesting characters, and living your cosy Agatha Christie party dreams minus the ******* (unless someone kills the mood), Bon Vivant lets you host unforgettable soirées in the City of Light. The city has many famous characters, from Picasso to Orwell, and their opinions of you will be determined by whether your party is a hit or not. Guests arrive, admire your home, and chat amongst themselves. As you watch the socialising unfold, decide what and when to serve your menu to partygoers. [Hidden Content] A run lasts 12 months, and during each run, you will typically host four to six parties while the game world around you evolves, impacting food prices, introducing new businesses to browse, and offering sales on objects to spruce up your home. The press release confirms the game’s main features as: Keep your guests happyManage people’s moods by referring to a tracker that shows how much fun they’re having. The happier your guests are, the better your score will be. Satisfied guests may even introduce you to their friends. ShopPlan your budget and explore the finest butchers, bakers, ********* shakers, and cheese makers the City of Light has to offer to buy ingredients for your specially curated menu. You can also spend money on furnishings and decorations to instill cosiness and evoke awe. Serve up a great menuOnce you’ve got the ingredients you need for spicy cocktails and delicious food, you can prepare everything needed to keep stomachs full and spirits high. Serving food can boost how much guests enjoy the party, while drinks can also increase enjoyment but will reset conversations. GuestsEligible guests come with mini biographies that detail their financial status and personality traits. There will be 40 playable characters available to unlock. Impress them enough, and you may be the one receiving an invitation to go on trips, earning perks and discovering new strategic options. Bon Vivant can be added to Steam Wishlists now, and players can sign up now to join the first playtest and start practising those hosting skills. The post Secret Games Company announces Bon Vivant, a cozy Parisian party simulator appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article
IVOR is a recent discovery as a fan of retro-styled first-person shooters, and it looks like it could be a good one, especially if you like a Norse setting. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
One fan-favorite feature in Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced has seemingly been patched out of the game, and players are begging Ubisoft to restore it. Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced lets you toggle Edward's hood on and off with a quick press of a button while you're exploring the world, and until recently, it was also possible to do so at the most cinematic moments – during leaps of faith. "In case you didn't know, you can toggle your hood while doing a leap of faith, and it looks awesome!" reads one Reddit post from 11 days ago, which was met with enthusiastic replies like "this is too damn cool!" And apparently it really was too cool, because it's no longer in the game. "Did Ubisoft remove the ability to toggle your hood while sliding and leaping?" questions a more recent Reddit post shared after the game's latest patch, adding: "It was so cool, why did they patch that out? Is it just my game? Please tell me it's just a bug." Unfortunately, it's not just their game. "Same for me. Heartbroken," reads one reply, as a fan on Twitter observes: "Ubisoft removed one of the best features in Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced." Ubisoft removed one of the best features in Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced.Now you can't put your hood on anymore while performing a Leap of Faith. pic.twitter.com/b6sS2PcmMsJuly 21, 2026 Looking through the patch notes for last week's title update 1.0.4, there's nothing that explicitly states that the option to toggle your hood while performing a leap of faith has been removed – I can't help but wonder if maybe it was tied to one of the more generic sounding changes, like "fixed various clothes clipping issues" or "fixed various character clipping issues." That, or its removal was a total mistake. Either way, though, folks are certainly making their disappointment known. "PUT. IT. BACK," begs one fan, directly tagging Ubisoft. Another asks: "Pls put it backk it was a cool feature!!" Whether Ubisoft listens remains to be seen, but the team has definitely been taking feedback on board. Game director Richard Knight recently confirmed that the team is working on an option to hide Edward's blowpipe, noting that "the feeling is mutual." While you're here, be sure to check out our Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced review to see how it compares to the best Assassin's Creed games. [/url]View the full article
Steam hit Palworld looks likely to crossover with Fortnite in the future, while Pokémon seemingly remains off the table. Back in January, Pocketpair head of publishing and communications John "Bucky" Buckley openly suggested a crossover with Fortnite via a post on social media, hoping to catch the attention of Epic Games. "If you ever want to put Palworld in Fortnite just reach out hehe ," Bucky wrote — and it seems like Epic Games might have taken interest. This week, Epic Games was spotted adding Palworld to Fortnite's in-game survey, which sometimes asks players to rate aspects of the game, or share details of other games they had played recently. It's also a tool that is sometimes used to gauge interest in upcoming crossovers, with titles popping up before crossover skins appear in-game. Less than 24 hours after this, Bucky mysteriously tweeted to ask Palworld fans which Pal creature they would like to see get a skin one day — with the caveat that he did not mention Fortnite by name, and stated that his question was being asked "theoretically, hypothetically, conceptually, and spiritually," with "absolutely no promise of it being realized or coming to fruition ever." Theoretically, hypothetically, conceptually, and spiritually…if, with absolutely no promise of it being realized or coming to fruition ever, but if…capital I and capital F…IF…any of the new Pals in 1.0 were to get a skin, which would it be and what would the skin be? — Bucky | Palworld (@Bucky_cm) July 21, 2026 Still, though, it's all interesting timing. Fortnite has of course teamed up with dozens of other games in the past for collaborations, including huge franchises such as Resident Evil, Street Fighter, God of War, and Halo. Indeed, rumors abound that Fortnite's next season will be fully gaming crossover-themed, with whispers from reliable Fortnite leakers that Sonic, Kingdom Hearts, and Persona are among those soon to be joining the party. Could Palworld pop up too? It seems likely. Fortnite has recently leaned into creature collecting gameplay with the current season's hugely popular Sprites, which players have been enthusiastically capturing and trading, boosting the game's player numbers by a fair margin. Just this week, Fortnite also announced it would be soon highlighting player-made games that feature gameplay tied to its ****-like Sidekicks — which seem like another solid gameplay possibility for how Pals could show up. And all of this comes as Fortnite continues to crossover with pretty much every gaming brand under the sun... other than Nintendo. Epic Games is understood to have explored the possibility of working with the Mario maker previously, during the game's explosive heyday when it secured Xbox and PlayStation mascots such as Kratos, Aloy and Master Chief as in-game skins. But Nintendo reportedly refused to play ball, uncertain about its characters appearing on rival consoles. Years later, and despite plenty of opportunities (a Super Mario Galaxy Movie crossover, anyone?) Nintendo and Pokémon remain absent — perhaps to Palworld's advantage. Palworld is currently seeing a resurgance on Steam following its big 1.0 update, though the question of whether it remains too uncomfortably close to Pokémon still remains. That update saw several Pal designs quietly modified so they no longer resemble Pokémon quite as closely. Asked for comment on the changes by IGN, developer Pocketpair did not respond. At the same time, yet another Pal was introduced — a giant whale — that some fans believe was closely inspired by yet another Pokémon. And of course, all of this comes amid the ongoing legal battle between The Pokémon Company and Pocketpair over the use of patents, which seemingly prompted the latter to make gameplay changes in order to nullify its claims. A judgment is expected later this year. Palworld's 1.0 launch landed earlier this month, finally bringing the game out of early access. Pocketpair said at the time that it would not raise the game's price beyond $29.99 as Palworld has "become a success beyond our wildest dreams." That statement likely reflects the fact that more than 40 million players had dipped their paws into Palworld since its early access launch. Our Palworld Interactive Map has been updated for 1.0, including Watchtower Locations, so you can make sure to uncover everything new. We’ve also got a guide to 1.0 Pal Breeding Combos and How to Get Hardwood, plus the Best 1.0 Mounts to Catch in Order, and the Fastest Flying Mounts in 1.0. Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social View the full article
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Leads working on Castlevania: Belmont's Curse have spoken out about how it will continue the series' tradition of challenging difficulty, while allowing players ways to mitigate it through level ups, exploring alternative paths, and if none of that works for you, difficulty settings. In an interview with Famitsu that's been translated by GamesRadar+, Belmont's Curse's producer Tsutomu Taniguchi describes how people might mitigate the difficulty by using the game's mechanics. "People might find the game difficult if they can't win a certain battle, but there are always numerous alternatives," he says. "There is also a level up system so new players and those who are not good at action games can still play. That's always been a part of the series." Though there are ways in-game to negate the difficulty, there are also settings that deal with potential issues more directly. "For those who still feel that it's difficult, there are settings that adjust the level of difficulty in the options menu," he continues. "Whether someone is good at action games or not, there should be a setting that will leave as many players as possible satisfied." However, the game's director Yukiko Hokao wants to emphasize that Belmont's Curse will still have the challenge the series is known for. "We didn't want it to be a simple or easy game," she says. "That isn't Castlevania. Looking at early games in the series, I think there is a kind of joy in making progress steadily through a difficult game." Creative director Emmanuel Nouaille also weighs in with how fairness is at the core of the gameplay. "We also placed a big emphasis on gameplay being 'fair,'" he says. "We're confident that the level of difficulty will satisfy existing fans, and by removing barriers for new players it should be easy for them to get into the game as well." Castlevania: Belmont's Curse was made to enlighten players who "love Metroidvanias" but have "never played a Castlevania game," Konami lead says. [/url]View the full article