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This past weekend saw the first round of network tests for Elden Ring Nightreign, the upcoming standalone multiplayer game spun out of FromSoftware’s magnum opus. Unlike last year’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Nightreign resembles Elden Ring in name and appearance only, trading its parent game’s open world structure for a streamlined survival format in which three-player teams have to drop into gradually shrinking maps to fight off groups of enemies and increasingly challenging bosses. It’s a design that undoubtedly suggests the developers were inspired by the hugely popular Fortnite – unsurprising, considering Epic’s battle royale has been enjoyed by no less than 200 million players this month alone. But Nightreign bears an even greater resemblance to another game, one not nearly as famous and much more disliked: 2013’s God of War: Ascension. And that’s a good thing. Released between 2010’s God of War 3 and 2018’s Norse-flavored God of War reboot, Ascension was a prequel set before the original Greek mythology trilogy that followed Kratos as he tried to break his oath with his soon-to-be-predecessor, Aries. Unable to live up to the initial trilogy’s epic finale, and fueling desire to shake up a tried-and-tested formula, God of War: Ascension quickly became known as the ****** sheep of the franchise. A half-decent appetizer to an amazing main course. It’s an understandable reputation, but also unfair. Although Kratos’ confrontation with the Furies in Ascension obviously didn’t reach the same heights as his five-stage fight with Zeus, this divisive prequel still had some truly jaw-dropping set-pieces, including the Prison of the Damned, a labyrinthine dungeon carved into the skin and bones of an immobilized, 100-armed giant. But, more importantly, Ascension also deserves credit for trying something the franchise had not done before, and hasn’t since: multiplayer. Trial of the Gods, is cooperative PvE. And also basically Elden Ring Nightreign. As you make your way through the Prison of the Damned in Ascension’s story, you encounter a chained up NPC who lets out a premature “You saved me!” before being crushed by the level’s boss. Open up the multiplayer mode after reaching this point in the campaign and you’ll find this same NPC is now your player character. Having been teleported to Olympus seconds before your demise, you must pledge allegiance to one of four gods – Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, or Aries – each of whom will provide you with unique weapons, armor pieces, and magic attacks. These are the tools with which you wage war across five different multiplayer modes, four of which are competitive PvP. The fifth mode, Trial of the Gods, is cooperative PvE. And also basically Elden Ring Nightreign. Gameplay previews of Nightreign posted ahead of the network tests by prominent “Soulsborne” YouTubers like VaatiyVidya and Iron Pineapple, as well IGN’s own coverage, have revealed the similarities between FromSoftware’s latest and live service games like Fortnite. Much like those games, Nightreign offers a ********* of randomized loot, resource management, and environmental hazards that damage a player’s health and limit their area of movement, making runs more challenging as they go on. Nightreign even pays homage to one of Fortnite’s most iconic images, having players drop into the level from the sky, taxied by spirit birds to a position of their choosing. You won’t find any “where are we dropping?” action in God of War: Ascension, but go beyond Nightreign’s battle royale-like surface and you’ll find much more common ground. Both Nightreign and Ascension’s Trial of the Gods mode are co-op experiences where teams of two or more face increasingly tougher foes. Both grant players the unexpected but welcome opportunity to take on bosses from previous games, be they Hercules from God of War 3 or the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3. Both have a countdown (although Ascension’s can be paused by defeating enemies) and both take place on maps that are either small or shrinking. And both are multiplayer games developed by studios known for their well-crafted single-player experiences, and were made without oversight from their series’ creators; Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki is working on an as of yet unknown project, while the directors of the original God of War trilogy – David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, and Stig Asmussen – had all left Sony Santa Monica at the time of Ascension’s creation to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Above all, Nightreign appears to evoke the same response from players as Ascension’s Trial of the Gods did. Those who participated in FromSoftware’s network test invariably describe their runs as a frantic and exhilarating race against the clock. In contrast to the comparatively cozy vibes of the base game, where players are able to tackle every scenario in a variety of ways, using a variety of weapons and abilities and taking all the time they need, Nightreign forces players to act on instinct by picking up the pace and limiting their resources – constraints that, in VaatiVidya’s words, were “made in the name of speed and efficiency.” To make up for the absence of Torrent, for instance, players now channel their inner spirit horse, being able to run faster and jump higher. Ascension’s multiplayer adjusted its single player blueprint for the sake of tighter pacing, using similar techniques to those adopted by Nightreign. Ascension’s multiplayer also adjusted its single player blueprint for the sake of tighter pacing, and even used similar techniques to those adopted by Nightreign: it increased the player’s run speed, extended their jumps, automated parkour, and provided them with a grapple attack they could use to pull objects towards them (a mechanic also used by Nightreign’s Wylder character). New moves like this are a lifesaver, because while the combat isn’t too difficult on its own – what with the franchise being a power fantasy and all – Trial of the Gods throws so many enemies at you that every second counts. As a result, you and your teammate find yourselves sprinting around like hungry wolves, or terminators, or, well, Kratoses, hacking and slashing your way through armies without calculated ruthlessness. Nightreign’s resemblance to Ascension is unexpected not only because much of the latter has been forgotten, but also because the Soulslike genre Elden Ring is part of essentially started out as God of War’s complete antithesis. Where one lets you pretend to be a warrior so powerful he can kill literal gods, the other turns you into a nameless, accursed undead for whom even regular enemies pose a considerable challenge. One rarely shows its game over screen, the other beats you over the head with it until you start crying, laughing, and crying again. Yet this challenge, so utterly rage-inducing in FromSoftware’s earlier games, has gradually decreased in recent years as fans “got good” and developers provided them with better weapons and spells, culminating in the numerous game-breaking builds that have been put together since Elden Ring launched. Without access to these builds, Nightreign promises to reintroduce a degree of challenge. At the same time, those that have indeed gotten good will be able to enjoy the same thing God of War: Ascension offered: the chance to feel like a vengeful Spartan short on time. Tim Brinkhof is a freelance writer specializing in art and history. After studying journalism at NYU, he has gone on to write for Vox, Vulture, Slate, Polygon, GQ, Esquire and more View the full article

I'm a fan of Sid Meier's Civilization 7, but I'm afraid that my worst impulses might get in the way of some of the game's strengths. While the game has some problems, most of them seem like relatively achievable fixes, and I'd argue that the barebones original release of Civ 5 may feel more incomplete when playing without expansions even today. My biggest hesitations regarding Civ 7 involve how unsubtle its approach to progression can be, and now that I've had time to get deeper into the multiplayer experience, I'm finding it hard not to abuse the system. View the full article

Avowed players are diving into exploring the Living Lands, but one companion, in particular, is causing frustration—although not everyone agrees with the sentiment. Companions in Avowed assist on missions and in combat, reacting to the decisions you make and your actions, whether supportive, critical, or trying to persuade you to take a particular approach. View the full article

Third party DnD publisher Kobold Press has announced a new RPG called Riverbank. This launch is the first real departure from Dungeons and Dragons 5e for the company, which specializes in publishing material for Wizards of the Coast's popular roleplaying game, and also recently started up its own system, Tales of the Valiant, built on the back of 5e. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: DnD Barbarian 5e class guide DnD errata finally fixes the new Monster Manual's most broken monster DnD rival Pathfinder has heaps of books (and a CRPG) on ***** via Humble Bundle View the full article

One of the key ingredients in powerful, affecting horror is mundanity. Resident Evil is set around a normal, working town. Silent Hill takes place across a school, an apartment block, a shopping mall. Even though it's set in the distant future and the furthest reaches of space, Alien Isolation's Sevastopol feels like a real, lived-in building. You need a recognizable setting, so that when the terror takes off, it feels like it could be happening to you. Mixing turn-based combat and roguelike replayability, new Steam horror game No Skin is a surrealist nightmare set inside an everyday house. Arriving in full on Monday February 17, it's already earned a 98% positive Steam rating - and it's only $6. Read the rest of the story... View the full article

Invincible is pretty infamous for taking two years between the first and second seasons, but now it sounds like the goal is a yearly release. Read more View the full article

A skater has claimed he will appear in an upcoming, unannounced Tony Hawk game remaster. Appearing on the Breakfast Club podcast, Skater Tyshawn Jones claimed that he will feature in a new video game in the dormant series. “I’m in a Tony Hawk coming out, that’s cool,” Jones said. “They got a new one they remastering so that’s about to come out, I was in the last one.” Read More... View the full article

The 2025 LTA Split One Playoffs are entering their final phase, but Caedrel isn’t happy with the format. The former caster-turned-streamer had a vocal reaction to it on Feb. 17. Caedrel can’t believe the format is so straightforward. “No double-elim, that’s it? Single-elim? That’s it? What the *****, who made this *****,” he asked in disbelief after seeing the results of the quarterfinals. View the full article

Helldivers 2 players just handled splattering a lod of bugs with almost terrifying efficiency. So, naturally Arrowhead's decided to take things up a notch with its latest major order - you're gonna fight some more bugs in some spooky spore fog, and it's looking like some of these Terminids will be a fresh strain of ****** space vermin. Read more View the full article

Xbox Game Pass has confirmed three more titles for February 2025. While this month's Wave 2 lineup isn't extensive, it primarily features AAA titles making their Xbox Game Pass debuts. View the full article

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii made me smile a lot, but I think the folks at RGG need to take a break for a few years. Watch some films. Have some cocktails. Get inspired again, y'know? Just as the high seas are the refuge of displaced Yakuza or insolvent scoundrels in this minigame-stuffed brawler-RPG, the game feels like the last port of call for a studio scraping the bottom of the grog barrel. I smiled a lot, mind. It's hard not to with Majima back; moisturised, flourishing, driving a six-inch tanto knife into a man's kidneys for being mildly rude to him on the beach, and abducting monkeys for his petting zoo. He's also the captain of a pirate ship now, having woken on a strange island with no memory of his Yakuza past, but the same sense of fair play and manic flair for theatrical shankings. Plus, he's already got the eyepatch sorted. Why are there actual, cannon-wielding, tricorn-headed pirates off the coast of Hawaii? Shhh. Just get on the boat. You do find the idea of a Majima being a pirate entertaining enough on its own to last you twenty five hours, don't you? I hope so, because this shorter side entry in the series isn't so much lean as it is thin. Read more View the full article

My pirate ship is sailing through the Hawaiin seas, pursuing a speedboat. You might think a big, heavy vessel like a pirate ship would stand little chance of catching up with a nimble speedboat. But don't worry—my pirate ship has rocket boosters. So I successfully chase the speedboat into a Bond-villain style base, whereupon I continue the pursuit on foot, jumping over laser traps, fleeing a giant cannonball that rolls towards me Indiana Jones-style, and then finish up with a sword fight against a giant robot... Read more.View the full article

Over the last 20 years Monster Hunter has delivered some of the most memorable, over-the-top monster designs that have scared, delighted, and stunned fans in equal measure. Whether your first hunt dates back to the original game on PlayStation 2, or you hopped in when 2018's Monster Hunter: World dominated the charts, you're bound to have that one monster you've grown attached to and love more than any other. Capcom’s hugely popular hunting RPG series boast over 200 monsters in total, so we've gone through them all to find our top 25 – the very best of the best, and the beasts we love to gush over as much as we hate battling them. And with Monster Hunter Wilds adding to that tally, now is the perfect time to take a look at some of the best monsters the series has to offer. 25. Malzeno Malzeno is a powerful Elder Dragon that made quite an impression when it flew onto the scene in Monster Hunter Rise’s Sunbreak expansion. This monster’s strength comes not only through its visual design, which features a glowing aura permeating throughout Malzeno’s entire body, but also its ability to literally drain the life-force from anything around it. This bloodsucking vampire of a monster is horrifying in both design and execution. Hunting it around Sunbreak’s dilapidated castle ruins only further adds to the practically gothic ambience and aesthetic, which cements Malzeno and the fight against it as a standout moment that fans won't forget anytime soon. 24. Behemoth Thanks to a crossover event with Final Fantasy 14, Monster Hunter World received the hulking Behemoth as a new foe for hunters to take on. Its unique mechanics, pulled from the beast’s iconic Final Fantasy moveset, make it a formidable foe. Behemoth forces you to think about party composition in the terms of a traditional MMO, designating a tank to pull aggro, a healer to keep everyone alive, and damage dealers to press the advantage. Attempting to dodge Behemoth's instant knockout Ecliptic Meteor attack still gives us nightmares to this day, but when you finally nail it, there's nothing else quite like it. 23. Vaal Hazak A grotesque Elder Dragon that resides in the darkest depths of the Rotten Vale, Vaal Hazak was first introduced in Monster Hunter: World, found in a den filled with a never ending sea of bones. Spewing disgusting poisonous gas from its mouth, Vaal Hazak can make quick work of any unprepared hunter. Even years after its first sighting, the mere thought of Vaal Hazak still sends shivers down our spines thanks to its red flesh-laced wings and the rotting corpses that hang from its body. Who designed this monstrosity? We just want to talk. As you can probably tell, this is not a fight for the faint of heart or someone with a weak stomach. Vaal Hazak's design and combat arena give other monsters in the series a serious run for their money. 22. Legiana Chasing the speedy wyvern Legiana across the steep cliff sides of the Coral Highlands is a standout moment in Monster Hunter: World. Legiana's high speed and precision make it a deadly assassin, and learning how to dance around its icy attacks is a true test of skill. Giving this fast and fluid beast any room to maneuver can very easily spell your death. So no matter how many times you go up against it, you'll always need to stay on your toes. Legiana has a shrieking variant introduced in the Iceborne expansion, but it's the original we pay respects to here. Legiana teaches hunters about the importance of staying fleet-footed and never being overconfident. This makes Legiana a valuable teaching moment for many new hunters and a sharp reminder for veterans. 21. Bazelgeuse Bazelgeuse is the bane of our existence. This flying wyvern has been the cause of many late-night frustrations and trips back to camp after an entire teamwipe. If you see a Bazelgeuse flying toward you, it's probably already too late, as this incredibly aggressive apex predator actively seeks out targets across the battlefield and drops bombs on anything in its path of total destruction. Practicing patience while hunting can get lost in the shuffle as you progress further into Monster Hunter games, and Bazelguese is here to remind players the importance of waiting for the perfect moment to strike. All this means that you’d best get ready for an explosive fight, one that you probably won't forget anytime soon.. 20. ****** Diablos ****** Diablos are not a variant of Diablos. They are actually female Diablos getting ready to mate. This causes them to become more territorial and aggressive, and so any monster or hunter that comes within their domain should approach with caution. The ****** Diablos can bury itself in the sand and later erupt from underneath the desert dunes, sending anything in its path flying upward. The sheer carnage a ****** Diablos can cause makes it a difficult creature to fight, and you'll need to prepare for a long haul. Getting into a tussle with a ****** Diablo is a slugfest, as you trade blows back and forth in hope of chipping away at its heavy plates of armor. While standard Diablos is cool, we all know it’s the ****** Diablos that reigns supreme. 19. Shara Ishvalda As the final boss of Monster Hunter: World's Iceborne expansion, Shara Ishvalda perfectly encapsulates the massive scale of the series’ best monster battles. Initially appearing to be some kind of rock monster, Shara Ishvalda’s first form boasts a rugged exterior that you slowly chip away at. But as rocks crumble off its body, Shara's real form begins to show: this is a large-scale Elder Dragon, and it acts as one of the ultimate Monster Hunter set pieces. Finger-like appendages on its wings appear more like two huge hands sprouting from its body, creating something both terrifying and majestic in form. The final confrontation with Shara Ishvalda and its strange finger-wings will forever be etched into our memories. 18. Furious Rajang Furious Rajang, the more aggressive and powerful variant of the original Rajang, is a force to be reckoned with. Its glowing golden fur charges up with electrical energy as the fight plays out, essentially turning it Super Saiyan. Hunters have spent countless hours being tossed around the battlefield by the Furious Rajang, thanks to its high-flying acrobatic wrestling stunts that leave us as little more than lifeless corpses. Between its incredibly fast movement around the arena and its quick combos, Furious Rajang seems like a fighting game character hitting you with infinite combos. We don't have to love the Furious Rajang, but we sure do respect it. 17. Astalos Astalos was first seen in Monster Hunter Generations, but received quite the glow up in Monster Hunter Rise's Sunbreak expansion. This flying wyvern’s hyper-aggressive nature means near certain death for any hunter or monster silly enough to walk into its line of sight. It's sort of like that high-school bully that is always looking to fight, even if there's no actual reason to. Thanks to its flashy lightning attacks and prismatic wings, Astalos is as beautiful as it is dangerous. This means that every encounter with Astalos is an important moment because you'll need to make a quick decision to hightail it out of there, or stand and hold your ground. Just make sure you bring a weapon big enough to bonk it on the head and take it down a peg or two if you decide to fight. 16. Amatsu The Elder Dragon Amatsu is a sight to behold. Adorned with golden horns, it swims through the skies like a fish in the ocean. Its ability to control storms and wind makes Amatsu a fearsome monster to hunt; It’ll throw out massive tornadoes and gusts of wind across a rainy battlefield arena, which all make for a memorable fight. While initially introduced in Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, it's in Rise’s Sunbreak expansion that Amatsu's whimsical nature truly shines, where it will hurl you through the skies and pull you in through tunnels of wind like a surfer gliding through a tube of water towards a monster’s maw. More than anything though, Amatsu signifies great calamity, making it feared by everyone throughout the land. Its set piece moment in Sunbreak, where it swirls around darkened skies to announce itself as a true end-game level threat, helps put it above many other monsters on this list. 15. Raging Brachydios There's something about a big boy monster who just wants to hit stuff, and Raging Brachydios is exactly that. A giant rock monster with fire hands and a thirst for blood, Raging Brachydios will keep you on your toes by smashing the ground and erupting the ****** on its body to create arena-wide explosions. The Raging variant of the Brachydios is much deadlier than the regular version thanks to a more volatile ****** that coats its body, causing faster and more potent explosions. Don't worry, we find the ****** kind of gross, which is why we're determined to ensure this monster doesn't live to see another day. This variant ensures you're always on the move, making it difficult to position yourself for massive damage, but once you learn the rhythm of the fight it makes for the most rewarding sense of accomplishment. 14. Glavenus How could you not fall in love with a giant dinosaur with a massive blade for a tail? Glavenus swings its giant sharpened appendage like a broadsword, cleaving anything in its path in two. As its tail dulls, Glavenus uses its own teeth to sharpen the blade, and we can't think of anything more metal than that. Originally introduced in Monster Hunter Generations, most folks likely remember Glavenus thrashing around in Monster Hunter: World's Iceborne expansion. While Glavenus might not be as popular as Rathalos or other monsters, its unique design and brutal attack damage make it a standout monster and one we always love to fight. 13. Teostra Teostra is something of a celebrity in the Monster Hunter series. Dating all the way back to 2006’s Monster Hunter 2, Teostra has appeared in a total of 17 games, expansions, and spin-offs, ranging from Freedom 2 to Rise. Teostra's command of fire makes hunting it an incredibly brutal activity. Whether it's heating up its body and producing flames so hot it can burn hunters at range or spewing fire across the battlefield, Teostra is not to be trifled with. Its supernova attack, triggered by a spark of its teeth, is enough to bring any hunter to their knees. Teostra is a classic, and one that no Monster Hunter journey is complete without. Sometimes the classics don't reinvent the wheel, but provide a strong foundation to build upon afterward. 12. Namielle Namielle is an interesting Elder Dragon as it commands both water and electricity, a combo not often seen together. With its large ****** wings and slimy outer layer, Namielle can slide around the battlefield and cover it in water. Despite being an Elder Dragon, its moveset is closer to that of the monster Mizutsune, shooting jetstreams of water from its mouth and quickly moving about the arena. As mentioned, Namielle can also produce electricity, which it uses to shock hunters or other prey. While initially appearing a rather passive monster, Namielle is a powerhouse when provoked. Namielle's unique combination of elemental attacks provides hunters with a nice change of pace and creates a monster that feels elevated in both form and function. 11. Gore Magala Gore Magala is a complete nightmare of a creature. This six-limbed young Elder Dragon has huge, grabbing claws on its back that can shred through almost anything in reach. Born without eyes, it emits pollen-like scales that attach to prey, which allows Gore Megala to sense their target’s body heat. As it scatters more scales it will change the color of the sky and enter into a frenzy, reaching a new, heightened power level. Gore Magala is powerful on its own terms, but once it reaches adulthood it sheds its skin and becomes Shagaru Magala, a more fearsome, golden winged, adult form of its previous self. This transformation provides a level of insight into a monster’s lifecycle previously unseen in the series, which makes Gore Magala a stand out creature on this list. 10. Rathalos Rathalos, the red wyvern first seen on the cover of the original game, is the de facto Monster Hunter series mascot. Our large friend has appeared in every single entry of the Monster Hunter series, as well as making appearances in Final Fantasy 14, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and even Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker, and so this list would not be complete without what is arguably the franchise's most iconic creature. The Rathalos is a fan-favorite and one that can often give newcomers and veterans alike a hard time in the wild. So this slot is for our beautiful baby, our cherished pal, our good buddy Rathalos. 9. Fatalis Fatalis is arguably one of the strongest monsters in the series. Originally introduced in the very first Monster Hunter, this massive ****** Elder Dragon is known for its ability to level entire castles on a whim. It was most recently included in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s final update, which made Fatalis the true final fight of the game. Its massive scale and imposing figure make it one of the most difficult fights in the series, in part thanks to its fire breath being able to ignite an entire arena and leave only destruction in its wake. Fatalis is a monster to be truly feared, and a standing reminder of what Elder Dragons are capable of. 8. Kirin Do not be fooled by Kirin's graceful form and demeanor. This unicorn-like Elder Dragon will not hesitate to impale you on its giant ***** like a chicken kebab. Its quick dashes and lightning attacks will leave your head spinning. It often circles you faster than you can rotate the camera, which means you’ll need to make use of perfect positioning unless you want to have your favorite Palicos wheeling you back to camp with nothing left but your life. As Kirin leaps across the battlefield and you revel in its splendor, keep your head on a swivel and your blade sharpened. This monster is a perfect reminder that sometimes beautiful things can also be deadly. Kirin is a staple of the Monster Hunter series and one fans come to expect with each new entry. Kirin is more than just another monster, but a series icon that is adored by fans, even if it's the cause of many hunter deaths. 7. Mizutsune Mizutsune is a leviathan similar to Amatsu. It’s armed with pressurized water jet blasts and has the ability to slide around the arena fluidly. However, Mizutsune doesn't come packaged with Amatsu’s world ending calamity and is a little prettier to look at, so it scores a higher place on our list. Its ability to blow bubbles that hinder your movement and eventually knock you over makes this a pretty dangerous monster to get tangled up with. However, Mitzusune's movements are majestic, which makes each and every moment of the battle a spectacle, akin to watching a perfectly choreographed dance sequence centerstage. While Mizutsune might not be the most technical or complex fight on this list, it's one that reminds us that hunts can be enchanting, and getting lost in such a moment is what makes the series special. 6. Lagiacrus Another leviathan makes the list and with good reason. Lagiacrus, originally introduced in Monster Hunter 3, is a true menace. Diving below the water and finding this giant, long necked, dinosaur-like monster is a memory seared into the deepest parts of our brain. Having to navigate this fight underwater in your slow and bulky armor puts you at a disadvantage, and so as Lagiacrus swims circles around you, learning how to seize each opportunity to land a strike becomes a game of its own. Lagiacrus is a formidable opponent, and one we hope to meet again down in the ocean’s depths, but it's been nearly a decade since we've last seen it. Lagiacrus defines a generation of hunters and those hunters will never forget their first fight against the Monster Hunter 3's cover art beast. 5. Crimson Glow Valstrax Have you ever thought "I wish the monsters in Monster Hunter looked more like a fighter jet speeding across the sky?" Well, you're in luck. Crimson Glow Valstrax, introduced as post-launch DLC for Monster Hunter: Rise, is a variant of Vlastrax that has been given afterburners. Its glowing red wings shoot flames as it darts across the sky, making for one of the coolest introductions to a monster in the series history. Using its large sharp wings as blades, Crimson Glow Valstrax is one of the series’ most unique monster designs in recent memory. 4. Savage Deviljho Every hunter's favorite pickle boy, the original Deviljho is something of a Monster Hunter legend. Known in the early games for its relentless nature and ability to dish out absurd amounts of damage, the Deviljho rose to fame in the community rather quickly. In Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate the Savage Deviljho was born, a red variant with some new moves and a much needed facelift. Its constant rage and larger radius breath attacks make the savage version much more, well, savage. Its near-constant frenzy leads it to attack anything and everything in its sight, leaving no stone unturned in its neverending attempt to quench its bloodthirst. Savage Deviljho is proof that no matter how difficult you think a fight can be, there's always something even harder right around the corner. 3. Nargacuga Nargacuga's features resemble that of a ****** panther… well, a ****** panther with wings and a giant spiked tail. It lurks in the shadows, waiting to get the drop on unsuspecting hunters. Its ferocious nature and natural ability to hunt prey makes the Nargacuga completely terrifying. Whether it's getting ambushed by one in a battle or having to go toe to toe against this vicious predator, Nargacuga makes a strong case for being one of the best monster designs in the series. Speed is one of Nargacuga's biggest strengths, so you best be prepared to stay on the move. Despite Nargacuga never really changing from game to game, it's a prime example of getting a monster right the first time, and having everyone look forward to fighting it again and again. 2. Nergigante Nergigante is Monster Hunter World’s signature beast. This dangerous Elder Dragon is the star of one of the game’s climactic fights, a battle where you finally get to tussle against the fearsome foe depicted on the collector’s edition box art.. Nergigante is covered in spiky horns that regenerate over time, and the only way to prevent huge damage from coming your way is to stay aggressive and stop them from regenerating. Nergigante's den, covered in crystalized rock, makes for a thematically appropriate arena that only adds to this monster's mystique. Its ability to pummel you into the ground in a flash can make light work of even seasoned hunters. Between its design, arena, and theme, Nergigante stands tall among the greatest monsters of the series. 1. Zinogre Our top dog, our best fanged wyvern. The thunder cat Zinogre takes our number one spot. Zinogre exudes a confidence unlike any other monster in the Monster Hunter universe. If Furious Rajang goes Super Saiyan when its fur glows yellow, then Zinogre goes Super Saiyan Blue. Its glorious scaled design and potent lightning attacks make Zinogre a truly fantastic monster. Thanks to storing Thunderbugs in its horns, it has the ability to supercharge itself with electric energy, which covers the arena in a light show rivaled only by a rave or late-night club excursion. Anytime this brawny wyvern commands the screen, we welcome it with open-arms, ready to lock horns with it. Zinogre is not a monster to be messed with, and one that we are always cheering for when it makes its return. Not only did Zinogre capture the hearts of fans when it debuted in Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, but it captured the true spirit of the franchise. This creature is the blueprint for an excellent fight that contains fast-paced action, devastating power, and a rocking theme that worms its way into our brains. These are our top 25 monsters from the Monster Hunter series. There are literally hundreds of others that didn't make the cut, but from our adventures, these are creatures that we cherished facing the most. Let us know in the comments below what your favorite monster is. Jesse Vitelli is a freelance writer and published author. A former associate editor at Prima Games, he also has bylines at Kotaku, Inverse, Game Informer, and more. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It may seem like a long leap to make from the R-rated streets of Tokyo's red light district to the yarrr-rated pirate-infested waters of the Hawaiian islands, but Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has successfully pulled off the switch from bareknuckling to swashbuckling with confidence and considerable flair. This jaunty adventure jettisons the series’ typical turf war cliches and pulpy plot twists in favour of spinning a streamlined and spirited tale of seafaring and treasure hunting, without sacrificing any of the addictive diversions and slapstick silliness that have long become its hallmarks. As far as spin-offs from the mainline entries go, Pirate Yakuza makes for an absolutely invigorating seachange that left me feeling perkier than a parrot on a pirate’s shoulder. Essentially a coda to the events of 2024’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza’s off-the-wall story focuses on loveable series shitstirrer, Goro Majima. It gets straight to it: after awakening on the shores of a secluded island with amnesia, he promptly befriends an enthusiastic young boy and his adorable **** tiger cub, commandeers a pirate ship that for entirely unexplained reasons seems to have sailed in straight out of the 1700s, and sets about on a thrilling quest to find the lost treasure of a legendary sunken Spanish ship. Perhaps as a result of his temporary memory loss, Majima is considerably less manic in Pirate Yakuza than he has been in previous Like a Dragon stories, but he’s still every bit as gleefully mischievous. There was never a dull moment between him and his evergrowing gang of goons turned treasure-seeking Goonies as I explored the seas and shores of Pirate Yakuza’s vibrant tropical setting. It’s an unpredictable voyage that regularly veers from intense highs to more laidback lows, much like the waves that Majima sails upon. In one moment I’d be trapped in a desperate battle against a towering sea creature or an army of pirates of almost Dynasty Warriors-esque proportions, while the next I’d be adopting homeless animals off the street to shelter in my personal petting zoo and throwing parties for me hearties whenever morale amongst my crew was on the wane. Pirate Yakuza doesn’t just regularly hoist the Jolly Roger, it also lets its freak flag fly in a consistently entertaining fashion – from its rousing opening musical number through to the dynamic dance sequence that drops the curtain on its story 25 hours later – and it kept me hooked harder than a handshake from, well, Captain Hook. Nautical by Nature While 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden experimented with a fairly superficial secret agent spin on the series’ template, Pirate Yakuza steers Like a Dragon into some truly uncharted waters. There’s plenty of lively naval combat to be enjoyed aboard Majima’s adopted pirate ship, although to be clear, in terms of exploration it doesn’t attempt to match the sense of freedom I felt in the Caribbean setting of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: ****** Flag. Instead, Pirate Yakuza’s waters are broken down into a handful of smaller maps to warp between rather than one big open waterworld, and outside of the main Honolulu hub and a stunning ship graveyard turned casino district called Madlantis, many of the smaller islands are constructed out of the same recycled layouts. So over time, the sense of discovery slightly diminished whenever I dropped anchor and saw something a bit too familiar. Pirate Yakuza doesn’t just regularly hoist the Jolly Roger, it also lets its freak flag fly. Still, there’s enough spectacle and strategic depth to the actual open-water combat that I remained engaged anytime I was at the helm of Majima’s ship. In each bilgewater battle you can attack front-on with machine gun fire or perform a boost-based ram into an enemy’s hull, as well as manouevre alongside a rival to deliver more damaging broadside attacks from your port or starboard cannons. These cannons can be upgraded by harvesting resources found drifting at sea or tucked around Pirate Yakuza’s smattering of ports, and although Majima’s frigate can be equipped with everything from flamethrowers to freeze guns, I soon set my sights on scraping together enough spare parts to outfit my vessel with powerful lasers to cut crossways through my opponents from ear to buccaneer. I was also regularly recruiting new pirates to my crew in every port I docked in, and it quickly became clear that assigning a crew member to specific roles had measurable impacts on each naval skirmish. Individual members of your pirating posse are ranked in areas like attack, defense, and cannon power, and anytime I placed some underpowered or inexperienced comrades in, say, my boarding party, I was forced to watch my crew go from ragtag to bodybags in quick succession. After some experimentation I eventually got the balance right, and that included determining the right pirate to be my first mate. While some candidates offered increased damage buffs or additional fuel drums to burn with my ship’s boost, I opted to promote a mechanic into the role because it gave me two extra repair kits per clash. Given I approach naval battles like Dave Chappelle approaches his stand-up sets – always on the offensive and typically blazed up by the end – it was enormously helpful to have those extra kits to haul my battlescarred hull to glory. Some of the naval combat functions do seem a little superfluous, though. For example, at no point in the story did I feel the need to step away from the helm in order to use Majima’s rocket launcher, since the ship’s artillery usually seemed ample enough, and it was also rare that I was compelled to manually put out fires on deck or thaw out ice that was blocking my cannons. That did change, however, after I beat the story and returned to complete the 30-odd escalating battles in Madlantis’ pirate coliseum, as surviving its toughest encounters demanded the considered use of every ability at my disposal. That finally made for some welcome optional challenges outside of the main story path, but I wished they’d been in play earlier in the campaign. Captain Hookshot Of course, given that this is a Like a Dragon adventure, there are still plenty of opportunities for fisticuffs either ashore or on-deck anytime you board an enemy ship by force. In the default Mad Dog fighting stance, Pirate Yakuza reverts to the familiar brand of combo-based street fighting that was a staple of the series before the main entries shifted to turn-based brawls with 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Majima can pull off fast and fluid combinations of punches, kicks, and rapid dagger slashes, each attack enhanced by flashy neon movement trails and punctuated by enemies that erupt into fountains of gold coins as though they’re crowds of criminal question blocks from the Mushroom Kingdom. However, Majima feels noticeably more agile than Kazuma Kiryu ever was, with a snappier quickstep to open overbalanced enemies up to counter attack, plus the useful ability to jump and air-dodge out of harm’s way anytime he’s overwhelmed by a surprisingly numerous horde. Even so, once I’d unlocked the Sea Dog fighting stance a few hours into my 25-hour tour of Pirate Yakuza, I basically never looked back. While in previous Like a Dragon instalments I’ve relished the freedom to switch between stances to best counter each enemy type or situation, Sea Dog is basically a one-size-fits-brawl fighting style that feels adaptive enough to suit any given showdown. This pirating pose allows Majima to cut loose with a pair of cutlasses, either hurling them like bladed boomerangs or performing a brutal ballet of spinning slashes to cut through enemies in clusters. It equips him with a handy hookshot that allows him to zip directly to a targeted enemy like some sort of seafaring Spider-Man, which is extremely useful for picking off the more heavily-armed goons that tend to snipe you from the far edges of each battle arena. If that’s not enough, it also gives Majima a flintlock pistol of his own, and after investing in the skill tree to increase its power and widen its radius, I was able to use it to wipe out more pirates than dysentery at the charged-up press of a button. Sea Dog is basically a one-size-fits-brawl fighting style that feels adaptive enough to suit any given showdown. So well-rounded and entertaining to use was the Sea Dog style, in fact, that the only time I ever felt the need to switch back to Mad Dog was in order to unleash Majima’s slightly overpowered Doppelganger attack. Available after you’ve chained together enough successful attacks to fill up a special meter, this devastating ability conjures up twin Majima clones that swarm enemies and chew through their health bars for a short time like a pair of piranhas, and I was happy to have it in my back pocket for whenever I came up against one of the more brutish boss encounters. Although I think Infinite Wealth’s hybrid turn-based combat has quite rightfully become the standard for the Like a Dragon series, Pirate Yakuza’s flashy fighting remained engaging from the first sword slash through to the final throat cut, and I found it to be a substantial step up from the gadget-heavy grappling of Like a Dragon Gaiden. Pleasure Island Although Pirate Yakuza’s Honolulu setting is more or less the same sundrenched sprawl that featured in Infinite Wealth, there are enough new secrets and distractions that made it rewarding to explore a second time around. Outside of combat, Majima’s hookshot can be employed to zip him up to anchor points on certain buildings, meaning that treasure chests full of alternate character costumes and other goodies are tucked away on hotel awnings and various other elevated spots all over the island. There are also countless bounty targets to track down and beat up for beefy cash bonuses, and games for the safehouse Master System to seek out. Although, I must admit that I feel like it’s about time that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku moved on to an in-game Mega Drive (or Genesis for US fans), or at the very least a Game Gear. After collecting mostly the same set of 8-bit cartridges in Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon Gaiden, and now Pirate Yakuza, I feel like I’ve well and truly mastered the Master System at this point. But of course, there’s still more: in addition to the fiend-photographing Sicko Snap and the infectiously giddy Super Crazy Delivery minigames that return from Infinite Wealth, Pirate Yakuza brings back Dragon Kart from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, only this time in addition to its riotous racing circuits they’ve bolted on an arena-based battle mode which made for some intense, four-wheeled firefights. Meanwhile, the series’ standard-issue batting cage minigame has been revitalised by swapping baseballs for cannonballs, and I had a great time knocking destructive dingers into descending stacks of explosive barrels. I was also delighted with almost every substory I completed in Majima’s adventure. Some were utterly wholesome, like the time I agreed to bring an aging businessman aboard my ship in order to live out his boyhood fantasies of becoming a pirate. Others were funny pisstakes of online culture, like when Majima was recruited to become a Virtua Fighter 3 streamer and I had to choose the liveliest possible reactions for him in order to prevent the comments section from turning too hostile. Others still were completely bonkers, like the substory that suddenly spins out into a live-action episode of a dating show inspired by The Bachelor, as the ship’s cook Masaru tried to woo five different potential dates with hilariously awkward results. There’s even a supersized substory that sees Majima and his ever expanding crew hunt down the dread pirate Zeus and his intimidating ****** Flags fleet. This chunky optional quest opened up additional maps to navigate, including an archipelago of volcanic islands and even an ice realm, each overloaded with increasingly powerful naval vessels to face off against and pirate headquarters to plunder. Not only is undertaking this journey worthwhile purely for harvesting the doubloons required to upgrade Majima’s ship with decked out drip – including a carved Kazuma Kiryu figurehead for its bow – but it’s also the only way to track down all four fabled instruments of the Dark Gods. These cursed instruments can be charged up during on-shore skirmishes and unleashed to spectacularly turn the tides of a battle, with a violin that brings the violence by summoning a horde of spectral land sharks to turn enemy packs into fleshy snacks, or an electric guitar that can be energetically shredded while a towering ape stomps into the fray and chimp-slaps your opponents straight into Davy Jones’ locker. These are some of the most powerful attacks in Pirate Yakuza, so it’s a little odd that they’re locked away in an entirely optional substory that’s so easy to overlook. View the full article

After playing Elden Ring Nightreign during the recent network test, I realized that I vastly underestimated what FromSoftware is capable of doing with the Elden Ring formula. The developer has managed to create something completely unique while still giving players the sense of challenge, wonder, and excitement they get from playing Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and more. Nightreign retains elements from its predecessors that made them successful, gets the heart racing in similar yet completely different ways, and it has me rethinking FromSoftware's limitations. View the full article

12 copies of the same photo book have just been sold to the same loveable ******. Thankfully, he’s got a pirate ship to store them on. Read more View the full article

Bad news folks: turns out Grand Theft Auto 3 could have been really cool. In a post on X, the Everything App (via GamesRadar), former Rockstar dev Obbe Vermeij has been reminiscing about his time on the era-defining third GTA, and recalls that—for a brief, shining moment—the game actually required you to obey traffic lights... Read more.View the full article

Nintendo is at it again—removing another feature that actually benefitted players, with no clear replacement in sight (RIP Club Nintendo). The latest victim? A system that made digital purchases just that little bit easier on the wallet. Nintendo has announced that from March 24, 2025, players will no longer be able to earn My Nintendo Gold Points, a feature that has quietly helped thousands of us shave a few pounds or dollars off our eShop purchases. While Platinum Points remain untouched, Gold Points—the ones that actually translate into real discounts—are being phased out. View the full article

Just when you think the PC gaming modding community couldn't get any more wonderfully weird, someone goes and announces a Fallout: New Vegas 'remaster' in the Sims 2. That's right, a game which came out six years before Obsidian's beloved RPG, and is designed to do entirely different things than take a golf club to deathclaws and beat down on cosplaying Romans... Read more.View the full article

Company of Heroes and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War developer Remedy Entertainment has announced a new ‘Advance Wars style’ turn-based strategy game, ‘Earth vs. Mars’. The game will release for PC this summer, and has players defending planet Earth against the invasion of “bizarre and powerful creature-human hybrids”. [Hidden Content] Read More... View the full article

We’re a month away from the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and it seems Ubisoft is pleased with the game they’ve ... Read more View the full article

Another big update has been released for RPCN, the open source online matchmaking server for PlayStation 3 emulator RPCS3. This brings new features and more compatible games for Netplay. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Destiny 2 players are reporting that unreleased Episode Heresy weapons, likely from Act 2, are starting to drop for players in various activities. So far, Episode Heresy has gotten off to a stronger start than the preceding episodes of Echoes and Revenant, thanks to new content and major Destiny 2 changes to activities like Trials of Osiris. View the full article

The power level of Abilities in Volleyball Legends isn't determined by rarity. Common Abilities can sometimes be just as good as Legendaries or better in specific situations. I'll rank them all based on power and for each position. Here's my complete Volleyball Legends Abilities tier list. Table of contentsAll Volleyball Legends Abilities RankedS Tier AbilitiesA Tier AbilitiesB Tier AbilitiesC Tier AbilitiesBest Volleyball Legends Abilities for SpikingBest Volleyball Legends Abilities for ReceivingBest Volleyball Legends Abilities for SettingBest Volleyball Legends Abilities for ServingBest Volleyball Legends Abilities for Blocking All Volleyball Legends Abilities Ranked Image by Destructoid I'll be rating Volleyball Legends abilities from S-Tier to C-Tier where S is universally powerful and C Tier is underpowered and probably a reroll. The A and B Tiers are usually abilities that are either excellent for specific uses or just lack that extra OOMPH to be ranked higher. Once we're done with rating all abilities I'll also rate them by specific position for different uses. S Tier Abilities NameRarityRanking Reason Redirection JumpGodly (0.5% or 5% with Lucky Odds)This isn't a broken S-Tier ability because you need to learn how to use it to be really powerful but it's excellent to pull of tricky, hard-to-block serves or dodge a wall of blockers. A Tier Abilities NameRarityRanking Reason Zero Gravity SetRare (35% or 50% with Lucky Odds)The best with Kageyama but it's just an overall excellent setter ability. It doesn't work as well otherwise since it requires ***** Jump for scoring. Super SprintCommon (62.5%)My favorite A-Tier ability because it's so useful both for offensive and defensive positions. You can't go wrong with Super Sprint and it's really easy to get. Curve SpikeLegendary (2% or 45% with Lucky Odds)Excellent for spikers to carry a game in pubs but it falls off a bit in leagues if people know how to play against it. ***** JumpRare (35% or 50% with Lucky Odds)One of the best A-Tier abilities that's perfect for almost any role. B Tier Abilities NameRarityRanking Reason MoonballLegendary (2% or 45% with Lucky Odds)The only reason Moonball is in B-Tier is because it's so good in random games against people who don't know how to play against it. It can be extremely difficult to block but once you know it in higher level-matches it's really easy to play against it. Steel BlockCommon (62.5%)Just slightly less flexible than other abilities but it's amazing for playing up front and blocking spikes. Rolling ThunderCommon (62.5%)Rolling Thunder is the best for receiving and it's much better now than it was before the fix so I moved it from C to B Tier. C Tier Abilities NameRarityRanking Reason Team SpiritCommon (62.5%)It's good as a second or third slot ability but overall I would just get Super Sprint. It's better if you have a team on voice chat to organize it better, otherwise it's pretty underpowered in random pub games. Related: Volleyball Legends Styles Tier List Best Volleyball Legends Abilities for Spiking Image by Destructoid Spiking is all about trying to dodge around enemy block walls with unorthodox spikes or getting into the right position fast. The best abilities for spiking rated best to worst are: Redirection Jump Curve Spike ***** Jump Super Sprint Best Volleyball Legends Abilities for Receiving Image by Destructoid Rolling Thunder is easily the best receiving ability for a libero. That said, the other abilities on this list will help you get into position for a good receive as well. The best abilities for receiving rated best to worst are: Rolling Thunder Super Sprint Zero Gravity Set Team Spirit Best Volleyball Legends Abilities for Setting Image by Destructoid Zero Gravity Set reigns supreme for setting and it's best with Kageyama. That said, if you can't get it reliably and have some of the following, they'll do a great job as well. Here are the best setting abilities from best to worst: Zero Gravity Set Redirection Jump Super Sprint Team Spirit Best Volleyball Legends Abilities for Serving Image by Destructoid Similar to spiking, a great set is one that is unorthodox in that it's difficult and tricky to receive. These will help you chain points with practice. The best abilities for serving rated best to worst are: Redirection Jump Curve Spike Zero Gravity Set Moonball Best Volleyball Legends Abilities for Blocking Image by Destructoid The best blocking ability is easily Steel Block with an upfront playstyle. That said, here are some alternatives that will help you get into position for a great block from best to worst: Steel Block Redirection Jump ***** Jump Super Sprint That's it for my complete Volleyball Legends abilities tier list for every position. Check out our Volleyball Legends codes for free goodies. The post Complete Volleyball Legends Abilities Tier List – For All Positions [Update 7] appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Believe it or not, Nvidia wasn't always the gargantuan AI-chasing douche-bro of the company that it is today. Once upon a time, we had weird, questionably useful technologies such as Nvidia PhysX, which was objectively awesome and no one will convince me otherwise. Sadly, PhysX is on its way out. Now, to be perfectly clear, it's not like Nvidia PhysX was at all important for the modern gaming industry. Though it did reach reasonable adoption back in the early 2010s, it's been effectively defunct for the longest time. The most prolific games to adopt PhysX in its heyday were Borderlands 2 (as featured in the video below), Fallout 4, and Batman: Arkham Knight. And, to be sure, PhysX really was little more than a fancy visual flourish at the best of times. Still, it saddens me to report that Nvidia RTX 5000 graphics cards no longer support a massive number of PhysX-enabled features. That's because Nvidia has silently removed support for 32-bit PhsyX from the new graphics processors. [Hidden Content] Nvidia RTX 5000 no longer supports PhysX, will happily tank your frame rate instead What this means in a practical sense is that if you own an RTX 5000 GPU and wish to enable PhysX effects in, say, Borderlands 2, you should prepare for a proper slide show. Not that PhysX was ever particularly performant, of course, but RTX 5000 cards now have to offload all PhysX calculations onto the CPU, leading to a framerate resembling a slide show. Honestly, even though PhysX always felt more like a tech demo than anything else, it genuinely did appear transformative in some situations. Was it worth enabling, considering the performance drop? Not at all, no, but gosh darn did it look neat. Between Borderlands 2's wonky and unoptimized "fluid" effects and Fallout 4's forever-broken PhysX clutter, it's a big shame that Nvidia never did anything meaningful with the tech. Now we know for sure, though, that it never will. The silver lining in this entire situation is that 64-bit PhysX is still supported, even on RTX 5000 GPUs. It's just that you won't find all that many 64-bit games leveraging the tech in the first place. The prime example (and arguably PhysX's best showpiece, bar none) of the tech in action is Batman: Arkham Knight, where PhysX runs the frankly phenomenal volumetric fog, clutter simulation, cloth simulation, and a few other tidbits. Note that it's not a cheap effect to have running, even on halo-tier graphics cards. In other physics-related news, even though Nvidia PhysX is now officially dead and gone, Havok isn't! The company behind one of the most ubiquitous physics engines of all time recently pushed out a fancy new destruction trailer. It might not materialize into anything serious anytime soon, but just knowing that Havok is still pushing the envelope somewhere in the background sure does make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. The post Nvidia RTX 5000 no longer supports PhysX, marking the end of a weird, bubbly experiment that ultimately went nowhere appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article