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I'll admit that EA dropping an overpriced re-release of the first two The Sims games for the iconic series' 25th birthday felt a little out-of-touch to say the least. After releasing a number of decent, but often too low-value DLCs for The Sims 4 and announcing that there would be no Sims 5 to everyone's dismay, including myself, fans needed something to pick them back up and show them that EA knows what it is doing when it comes to one of its most beloved franchises. Yet, in typical EA fashion, it left everyone disappointed. View the full article

Stardew Valleyplayers who find themselves pining for the owner of The Oasis finally have an opportunity to romance Sandy. Pelican Town may already be filled with eligible singles who make fine spouses but the Stardew Valley community is often drawn to those characters who can't be wooed. While developer ConcernedApe insists that certain favorites like Krobus won't ever be romanceable, the modding community is usually quick to deliver some excellent add-ons that further open up the dating pool. View the full article

Dungeons of Hinterberg is coming to PlayStation next month following its debut on Xbox and PC platforms. View the full article

The Pirate King Raymond Law played by Samoa Joe features in today's Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii story trailer from *****. View the full article

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, legendary actor Harrison Ford again took the time to praise Troy Baker's performance as Indiana Jones in MachineGames' The Great Circle. Ford offered Baker's performance as a counterpoint to interest in AI-generated digital actors trained on human artists' past performances... Read more.View the full article

Shortly after you escape the hangman’s noose in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you’ll set out to prepare for war with Hans Capon. The two of you leave for a nearby fortress in Back in the Saddle, but there’s more going on when you get there. Most of the quest is straightforward in Back in the Saddle after you beat For Whom the Bell Tolls. However, when you arrive at the fortress, things become more open for you, and you can poke around around the area. The way you do this is essential because you don’t want to alert the guards you’re onto them, and you need to find out the secret before you leave. Here’s what you need to know about how to complete Back in the Saddle in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. View the full article

As players dive into Sid Meier's Civilization 7 and start to learn its various mechanics, it becomes clear that each of the three Ages has very distinct features. The Antiquity Age will be players' first experience in a standard game of Civ 7, and its unique gameplay elements can be tricky without learning how everything functions. Getting oriented in the Antiquity Age is easier with a plan that strategizes a given leader and civilization's abilities. View the full article

There are a lot of games centred on World War II, but precious few of them have mechs. I know, I know, historical accuracy etc and so forth, but I like my videogames to have more fighting robots. Alt-history roguelike Grit and Valor - 1949 imagines the Second World War as if it became a dieselpunk battle of steel, and it's playable right this second. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Dieselpunk WW2 roguelike Grit and Valor 1949 opens beta sign-ups Grungy new roguelike is a dieselpunk, World War 2 Armored Core XCOM style robot tactics game Grit and Valor 1949 now free to try View the full article

In terms of major releases for 2025, Grand Theft Auto 6 is likely to be the biggest of the year. Previosly, the release window was slated for the back half of the year, but now publisher Take Two has said the next installment in the hugely popular open-world series will arrive sometime in fall 2025. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Upcoming PC games 2025 and beyond GTA 6 release date window, trailers, and latest Rockstar Games news Banned management game that mocks GTA 6 secures a Steam launch View the full article

Arguably the biggest release of 2025, and perhaps the decade, is still on course, though its publisher’s chief executive does admit a “risk of slippage” is always possible. Nevertheless, GTA 6 is bound for Fall this year, and the executive still “feels good” about that release window. As first reported by IGN, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games, reported its financial earnings for the final quarter of 2024 and listed the immensely anticipated title for Fall 2025, potentially setting the release window in stone. However, as always, delays are still possible. Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick said in an interview with IGN that the publisher “feels good” about the Fall 2025 launch window, though he did admit that changes can be made and that a “risk of slippage” remains at all times. View the full article

505 Games and Rabbit & Bear Studios have revealed the new story DLC roadmap for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes with the first DLC arriving later this month. View the full article

The Call of Duty roster carousel in between Major events has begun, and it’s the league’s most popular team making a big change by going back to what it started with. Pred is now back on the OpTic Texas roster, the team announced today. He will be replacing Huke, who replaced Pred in December, and Huke will now be a free agent. OpTic has treated the announcement as a celebratory homecoming for Pred, who won the 2024 CDL Championship with OpTic less than a year ago. View the full article

Genshin Impact has officially revealed a detailed overview of Yumemizuki Mizuki, the upcoming 5-Star character from Inazuma, including her ability kit, story, and specialty dish. As the Lantern Rite slowly comes to an end, Genshin Impact has set the stage for Version 5.4 by releasing Mizuki's Story Teaser. Not only will Mizuki be the first character from Inazuma to join the Standard Banner, but she will also be the first Standard Banner character since Dehya in Version 3.5. View the full article

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is struggling with early user reviews, sitting at just the "Mixed" category on Steam with days left to go before most players get a chance to dive in. Civilization 7 is now available to play only for players who purchased the Deluxe or Founders editions, and they are already finding a slew of problems with the newest title in the esteemed 4X strategy series, with many complaints centered around its user interface. View the full article

Ubisoft is currently engaged in what we Brits would call a reverse-ferret: After years of releasing its games exclusively on the Epic Store, the publisher has returned to distributing them on Steam. The first game to mark a return to day one releases will be Assassin's Creed Shadows on March 20, even if Ubisoft is still trying to make you sync-up your Steam account to a Ubisoft Connect one. It just can't quite let go!.. Read more.View the full article

If you've been eagerly looking to play Avowed at 60fps at launch, there is some good news and some bad news. Obsidian's upcoming project will be able to run at 60fps at launch on the Xbox Series X. That said, the performance you might get could fall way below your expectations if the game's director, Carrie Patel, is to be believed. Avowed will finally run at 60 fps at launch on Xbox Series X Talking on the MinnMax podcast, Patel said players can play the game on 60fps. "You can get up to 60[fps]" This news will be huge for those who will be playing on the Xbox Series X. Last time, Obsidian made it clear that Avowed will only run at 30fps at launch on the Xbox Series X. This news did disappoint some, as the Series X is the beefier console (compared to Series S). [Hidden Content] Back then, the devs claimed that the game had become "a lot juicier" in development. This was cited as the main reason behind the limitation on frames per second. Something has definitely changed since, and players will be able to access higher fps, but there's a catch. "You gotta accept a little jank to do something fun and creative, I think." Hence, it's safe to assume that running the game at 60fps might be possible, but it might feel unoptimized. That said, it's still better that Series X users will at least have the feature to try and enjoy Avowed with higher fps. Any optimization issues are likely going to be sorted by Obsidian post-launch. The upcoming title will be released on February 18 after a long delay (it was originally scheduled to launch towards the end of 2024). If you choose to purchase the Premium Edition, you can start your journey on February 13. The game will also be available from day one on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The post Avowed can run at 60fps at launch on Xbox Series X but developers say expect some “jank” appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Some of World of Warcraft's seasonal events have been going on for most, if not all, of its 20-year reign. Most years, nothing changes. This year's "Love is in the Air" event has some fancy new items to grab! The majority of the content is found in the Gala of Gifts. It's located outside Orgrimmar and Stormwind, depending on your faction. If you're in Dornogal, there's a portal directly to the Gala near the bank. Sweep them off their feet with a new mount Image by Destructoid Most collectors will be happy to see a new mount available: the Love Witch's Sweeper. It's a stylish little getup that combines the speed and sleekness of a motorcycle with the sophistication of a witch's broom. Getting a handle on this sweet ride requires a bit of luck, as it's only available from the Heart-Shaped Box dropped by Apothecary Hummel. To take a swing for the mount, use Group Finder to ****** up for the Crown Chemical Co. mini-dungeon. By default, you can hit Ctrl+I to pull up that menu, and find the dungeon in the drop-down. It's just the one fight inside with three different enemies. Beat them, claim your loot, and open the box that's put into your inventory. Best of luck to you! Give 'em the gold shoulder The next new item is purchasable from a holiday vendor in the Gala of Gifts. It's an ensemble featuring the Truly Heartfelt Spaulders and Truly Heartfelt Shoulder Cape. They're perfect accents for anyone with a lovely pink and gold outfit in need of some accompanying shoulders. The ensemble sells for 40 Love Tokens. These are special event currency that can be collected by doing the Chemical Crown Co. story questline, Gala dailies, and beating Apothecary Hummel in the mini-dungeon. Image by Destructoid A rose by any other name The final new item is for all the **** collectors out there. The Living Rose is an elemental type **** that looks like it crawled straight out of the Emerald Dream. It's only 40 Love Tokens, so you won't be breaking the bank or your heart to collect it. The post What’s new in the Love is in the Air event in World of Warcraft 2025 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Getting all the potions can be pricey in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, as most recipes cost over 100 Groschen. That's why it's essential to choose the right ones, or else you may end up with something that isn't too beneficial. To avoid this, here's a list of the best potions. Marigold Decoction Screenshot by Destructoid The Marigold Decoction should be your very first priority due to its highly valuable healing remedies. A standard version of this recipe restores 25 health for about a minute and helps you get over any woozy hangovers. It may even provide you with even more buffs if you manage to produce a potent brew. Thankfully, you can get your hands on the Marigold Decoction early on at the starter town, Troskowitz. The recipe is also available there, saving you from spending a fortune at an apothecary or trader shop. Digestive Potion Screenshot by Destructoid Out of all the potions in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the Digestive Potion is the one I wish I had carried with me early on. I made the mistake of food poisoning Henry quite a few times, resulting in restrictions on fast travel and his unfortunate death. Since you're basically left for dead in the food poison state, it's crucial to carry a Digestive Potion to cure this debuff. Digestive Potions also decrease nourishment by 20 percent and increase the Vitality skill by one point for 10 minutes. Like Marigold Decoction and the others on this list, you can get the potion or the recipe at Troskowitz. Nighthawk Screenshot by Destructoid If you're a night owl, you should set your sights on Nighthawk, which allows you to see in the dark for 15 minutes. The potion is perfect for sneaky missions, where torches often give your position away to the enemy. Plus, you won't have to worry about your Energy, as this concoction temporarily slows it down by 25 percent. You can visit Aranka at the Nomad Camp to discover the Nighthawk, which you may have encountered when on the Find Mutt quest. The second map, Kuttenburg, has this potion, too, if you've progressed far enough in the main quest. Cockerel Screenshot by Destructoid While you're out and about, you may have difficulty finding a place to sleep, primarily when you're deep in the woods. That's where the Cockerel potion comes into play, replenishing around 20 Energy to wake Henry up. Plus, a strong brew can make him less sleepy for at least half a day. If you're just starting out in KCD2, you can seemingly only purchase Cockerels from Aranka and the apothecary merchants. You'll have to wait for the recipe until you reach the second map. Saviour Schnapps Screenshot by Destructoid Player techniques like savescumming won't really work in the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, as the game forces you to live with certain decisions you've made. However, you can take advantage of the Savior Schnapps potion to save the game at specific intervals. It also offers buffs for Strength, Agility, and general healing for a minute or so. You should get a few Savior Schnapps from NPCs initially, but you'll undoubtedly need more as you progress. I recommend saving them for any major battles or heavy choice-related content. Avoid using them if you're participating in minor tasks by sleeping or exiting the game. Hair o' the Dog Screenshot by Destructoid After a long day's work of vanquishing enemies and rescuing helpless villages, it's always nice to end it off with a nice cold sip of beer. However, on some occasions, Henry can get a little too tipsy, which isn't exactly the best state to be in if you're on the way to a battle. Even though his drunken state can lead to bad things, it shouldn't stop you from having a good time, especially when you can rely on the Hair o' the Dog. This potion comes in handy when you've drunk too much alcohol, possibly triggering the Drunkenness debuff. It may also help with hangovers, another debuff that negatively impacts Henry's performance. Buck's Blood Screenshot by Destructoid Besides the complex combat mechanics, I frequently ran into trouble with Henry's stamina. Not only does it affect how long you run, but it also makes it challenging to land a move in a fight. So, if you're struggling to catch a breath, you should prioritize the Buck's Blood recipe. Those successful in brewing a high-quality Buck's Blood can boost stamina levels and regeneration. What's more, you can use the Embrocation potion for more stamina increases and an additional Agility enhancement. Quickfinger Potion Screenshot by Destructoid The Quickfinger Potion caters to players who enjoy crafting and sneaking. Consume it to earn a four-point boost for the Craftmanship and Thievery skills for roughly 20 minutes. It works great for the times when you're about to make a new tool or on a mission to rob someone. During the early stages of the game, these particular skills can be pretty low, even if you did choose the best playstyle in the Easy Riders quest. Since it takes a while to increase their levels, the Quickfinger Potion can make you feel like you're an expert in these abilities, at least temporarily. Aesop Screenshot by Destructoid For the hunters, you can prioritize the Aesop potion recipe in Kuttenburg to reduce the risk of animals noticing you. Dogs, in particular, won't be able to detect you, which works well when you're trying to sneak around. Once you've bought or found a horse, this potion increases your Horsemanship level by five for half the day. It also provides a boost for the Houndmaster skill for those who completed the Find Mutt quest. Aqua Vitalis Screenshot by Destructoid In addition to the Marigold Decoction, you can get the Aqua Vitalis potion to reduce loss of health temporarily. Henry can go down rather quickly, so a resource like this will certainly help you out of a pinch. A powerful Aqua Vitalis can slow down bleeding, allowing you to save some bandages for later. However, you'll likely need to sleep it off or use the Marigold Decoction to get Henry back to tip-top shape. The post Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: 10 Best potions to prioritize appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

We all have our vices, and mine is a loot pile. There are few sources of dopamine more potent than dealing a final blow to a fortuitous skeleton and being rewarded with a multi-colored geyser of greatswords, quivers, amulets, and greaves. But while Path of Exile 2 has been supplying me with a steady drip of loot-triggered neurochemicals, all those drops have fallen just short of delight for one main reason:.. Read more.View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Artifacts are a new type of Great Work to collect in Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, but the game doesn’t make it easy to figure out where to get them. Unlike other collectibles, such as Codices, the game’s Civlopedia doesn’t have an entry for Artifacts that handily explains their purpose or how to find them. As Artifacts play a major role in earning a cultural victory in Civ 7, you will likely want to know where to look for them and how to use them properly. View the full article

Monster Hunter Wilds, the much-anticipated next entry in the critically acclaimed franchise, is almost here. However, for those who simply cannot wait to get their hands on it when it launches on February 28, 2025, or those who want to try before they buy, Monster Hunter Wilds is getting yet another open beta that anyone can participate in. This follows the previous open beta, which was held in November 2024. View the full article

World of Warcraft recently clarified exactly how rare drops from Love is in the Air work, with old loot having a higher chance to drop on the initial try and a small chance on subsequent ones, while new items only appear on the first attempt. This information will help World of Warcraft fans who are trying to farm the Crown Chemical Co. encounter for the X-45 Heartbreaker or the Love Witch’s Sweeper do so more efficiently. View the full article

The latest free Call of Duty DLC for PlayStation Plus users combines two paid store bundles, and some gamers are calling foul on Activision for it. The PlayStation Plus Pack for season two of ****** Ops 6 contains 15 items, and it appears that all of those items were previously part of two different paid bundles on the store called Blood Letting and Jungle Trooper, which were added to the shop some time after launch in late 2024. View the full article

Marigold Decoction is one of the several options you can unlock during your Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 playthrough. It’s a helpful item you can purchase from traders and Apothecaries or use your Alchemy skill to make it yourself while working on an alchemy station, with varying results. Like the other potions you can find throughout the game, it all comes down to learning how to craft a Marigold Decoction. You have to learn a particular recipe before you can add it to your alchemy book. If you add it to your alchemy book, you can reference the recipe at any time and make it at your leisure. You might also have the opportunity to sell it to traders. Here’s what you need to know about how to get a Marigold Decoction in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. View the full article

The Sims 2 has a lot of interesting pre-made Sims to play as. This makes it ideal when a player can’t think of a good storyline, but still wants easy drama and excitement. Some of these households are exclusive to one of TS2’s six worlds, making them a little location-specific. For example, the fiery Caliente’s can’t normally enter the neighborhood of Veronaville. But, every main map has access to smaller areas like Downtown, Bluewater Village, and multiple universities. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]