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Silent Hill 2 Remake is full of easter eggs, from Douglas Cartland's hat to a TV repeating a message in morse code and a suspicious hole in the bathroom wall. But it's a notice board that has piqued fans' interest this time. View the full article

The Sacrificial Heart is just one of the many random items you'll have to find a use for in Path of Exile 2. Just like the Sun Clan Relic, you need to bring this grisly trophy to a certain location if you want to claim its bounty—which is well worth it considering you'll get two passive skill points for your trouble... Read more.View the full article

If you’ve spent any time with NetEase’s new hero shooter Marvel Rivals, then you already know that the game features many powerful heroes and villains. Yet with a base roster of 33 characters, some were inevitably going to rise to the top of the heap once players got their hands on them. Memes and humorous videos about the game have already taken social media by storm, with many focusing on which characters are causing tons of frustration and annoyance for the game’s ten million plus playerbase. After playing a few hundred matches of my own, I’ve found certain ones are far more dreaded than others. So today, we’re going to rank the top Marvel Rivals characters by how much they’re driving fans crazy. Obviously this list could change in the future depending on new additions or balance patches, but for now, here are the most overpowered characters in Marvel Rivals. 6. Moon Knight Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight, may be a relatively low level character powerwise in the pantheon of Marvel comics, but he’s a serious threat in Rivals. Both his Crescent Darts and Moon Blades can bounce not just between enemies who are close together, but also between his Ankhs, which crafty players can place at all sorts of weird angles to get bonus damage without their foes even knowing where they’re being hit from. This is even easier for Moon Knight players because of how agile he is, easily scaling buildings or vantage points with his double jump and hookshot skills. And while his ultimate, Hand of Khonshu, is easily dodgeable if spotted, the fact that it comes from directly above means many Moon Knights have discovered it’s best to place it slightly behind the enemy team. This takes advantage of the natural inclination for players to back up when they can’t instantly see where an ultimate attack is coming from, leading them straight into the damage zone. He does require forethought and positioning, but once you grasp the fundamentals, Moon Knight can devastate an enemy team before he’s even spotted. 5. Star-Lord The title of “Legendary Star-Lord” may be something Peter Quill calls himself more than anyone else does, but in Rivals he more than lives up to the hype. Playing like a variant of Overwatch’s Tracer with the ability to fly instead of zip back in time, Star-Lord is a lightning-fast triggerman. His Element Guns deal high damage at a rapid rate, he can fly out of a hot zone at a moment’s notice, and his Stellar Shift dodge ability, for which he has two charges before cooldown, not only reload his guns but also grant him invincibility frames. When it comes to hit and run tactics, few Rivals characters can match Star-Lord, which makes his ultimate even more outrageous. Galactic Legend couples his hard hitting and quick reloading weapons with free flight and auto-aim, meaning that unless someone snipes him the second he activates it, there’s little the enemy team can do but scramble for cover and wait the ability out. He still needs to be careful health-wise due to being a squishy DPS character, so he can be something of a glass cannon. But if you’re quick and good at managing cooldowns, Star-Lord can feel unbeatable in the right hands. 4. Scarlet Witch There was no way the strongest Avenger was going to sit out a Marvel hero shooter, and Wanda Maximoff makes another return to the spotlight as one of Rivals’ most deadly duelists. Perfect for Moira players from Overwatch who couldn’t help but get the most eliminations in a match while ostensibly being a healer (guilty as charged), Scarlet Witch can drain enemy health bars without needing to aim much. Joining her lock-on magic are powerful Chthonian Burst missiles which she can toss frequently, and two charges of Mystic Projection, which gives her free flight and a ‘Phased’ state that allows her to avoid all damage for a short time. Once you get into a rhythm, Wanda can annihilate foes at both close and long range while easily ducking out of retaliation or enemy ultimates without even needing to be well-positioned. And then there’s her ultimate, Reality Erasure, and while it does have a long charge time, it instantly vaporizes any enemy within range. It’s more than worth the wait. As a Scarlet Witch main myself, plenty of players probably hate me. But if loving Wanda in this game is wrong, I don’t want to be right. 3. Hela This one might not be as obvious to casual players, but real Rivals heads are sure to know why Hela makes this list. The Goddess of Death lives up to her namesake, with her Nightsword Thorn primary fire able to wipe out heroes at a far distance with only a couple of critical strikes, and her Piercing Night attack often killing them outright with a single cast. Although she’s not technically a sniper, she can basically function as one in the hands of a skilled enough player. And let’s not forget her ultimate, Goddess of Death, which allows Hela to soar above the field and rain hellfire from above. Although it is technically possible to drain her health bar in this state, it’s not really worth it because she gets a HP boost, meaning it takes pretty much the entire duration of the ability’s cast time to shoot her down. This means she can clear a point single-handedly by forcing the enemy team to flee for cover, making her an early favorite for character bans once you reach Diamond rank in Competitive Mode. Thor and Loki may be more popular characters, but Hela is the true Asgardian threat you need to watch out for. 2. Jeff No one would have thought that an adorable baby shark could cause so much hysteria, but Jeff the Land Shark has quickly become one of the most hated heroes in Marvel Rivals. Why? He’s a healer, and he’s not exactly built for the front lines (even if his primary attack is deceptively powerful and he has a damage reduction against critical hits.) But the real reason Jeff is so feared is his ultimate ability, It’s Jeff!, where the little land shark reveals his monstrous appetite. Jeff is invincible while casting and, after selecting a circular area, he instantly swallows everyone within it, friend and foe alike. Enemies do take damage when they’re in Jeff’s stomach, but the real value of this ability is that he can move with other players inside him, meaning Jeffs will often ***** their foes into bottomless pits. Some will even guarantee the kills by committing suicide, leaping over the edge with enemies inside. There is counterplay to this ability (Scarlet Witch can usually escape being swallowed with a well-timed Mystic Projection, for example), but the indignity of being eaten and thrown off a cliff by a baby shark has enraged many a player. He may be intended for keeping his allies healthy, but smart use of his ultimate makes Jeff an absolute menace on the battlefield. 1. Iron Fist No character inspires more primal terror in the hearts of Marvel Rivals players than Lin Lie, the Immortal Iron Fist. This master martial artist has far and away the most insane powers in the game. Not only do his rapid fire punches allow him to assassinate healers and duelists with impunity while giving him bonus health in the process, but he also has four air jumps before cooldown, as well as a spin kick that dashes him forward. This means that he can effectively fly with well-timed use of his attacks and jumps, chasing characters like Iron Man literally through the sky. But that’s not even the worst of it. He can also use Dragon’s Defense as a parry maneuver against virtually any attack in the game. No, really. He can somehow prevent himself from being nuked, eaten by Jeff or erased from reality by Wanda with nothing more than a well-timed flex of his shoulders. If there’s an Iron Fist on the enemy team with even a moderate understanding of his toolkit, you’re in for a world of pain. Seriously, NetEase, do something about this man. My healers are dying. Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Bluesky. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Borderlands 4’s narrative director has hinted at a cut-back on the toilet humor the series is famous for. Gearbox’s Sam Winkler tweeted to say he remains “firm” in his criticism of Borderlands 3’s “overabundance of toilet humor.” Not at liberty to talk much about the content of BL4, but I remain firm in my criticism of BL3's overabundance of toilet humor. — Sam Winkler (@ThatSamWinkler) December 16, 2024 Then, responding to a user who joked that they wouldn’t be able to use “the poop poop farty 4,000 while doing a mission to clean up porta-potties with my companion skibidi toilet!?!?!?” Winkler said: “I’m not gonna say there’s no toilets but if the word skibidi ships in the game under my watch I’m gonna cry real tears.” I’m not gonna say there’s no toilets but if the word skibidi ships in the game under my watch I’m gonna cry real tears. Paul Tassi joked that we were gonna have a gun called Hawk 2A and a fellow dev asked me if it was real and I wanted to put my hand down the sink grinder — Sam Winkler (@ThatSamWinkler) December 16, 2024 The Borderlands series, which began with the first game’s release in 2009, is known as much for its humor as it is its loot-driven gameplay. The tone of the jokes have remained relatively consistent throughout the franchise’s run, which takes in 2012’s Borderlands 2, 2014’s The Pre-Sequel, and 2019’s Borderlands 3. Indeed, toilet humor has served Borderlands well so far, with total franchise sales now up to an impressive 81 million copies. But the debut teaser trailer for Borderlands 4 suggested a darker tone this time, and the latest trailer, unveiled at The Game Awards 2024, reinforced this shift. The TGA 2024 trailer showed snippets of first-person shooting and a few returning characters, including Claptrap. Here's the official blurb from Gearbox: Revealed at The Game Awards, a new trailer introduces The Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. A world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across Kairos, the most dangerous planet discovered so far in the Borderlands universe. Borderlands 4 is the most ambitious Borderlands to date, lovingly hand-crafted by the development studio that first forged the looter shooter genre. The title evolves the series’ gameplay and storytelling in new ways while delivering on the quintessential Borderlands experience fans know and love, including: Intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons on an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant. The deepest and most diverse Vault Hunter skill trees of any Borderlands title yet, giving players an unprecedented level of expression through their builds. Paired with the most expansive loot chase yet, players will have all the tools they need to seek out and perfect the build that best matches their style. Players will be able to seamlessly travel between zones and become immersed in a more dynamic world featuring events and discoverable side missions that encourage and reward exploration. New traversal mechanics add to the exploration for loot and add new dimensions to combat. A vehicle that can be summoned almost anywhere will have players racing across the beautiful vistas of Kairos in style. Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old. "Borderlands 4 is about freedom and being badass,” said Gearbox boss ****** Pitchford. “This is by far the biggest and most insane world we’ve ever made - it's overloaded with jerkface ratnozzle scrote monsters that need to be put down with the most over-the-top hardcore nuts op guns and loot in any game ever. Oh, and the story also seriously kicks ****!” Borderlands 4 is set to launch at some point in 2025, and comes after the disastrous launch of the Borderlands movie. Wesley is the *** News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mythical Islands is a new set in Pokémon TCG Pocket. It brings with it 80 meta-shaking cards to finally offer something different to the stale Pikachu and Mewtwo ex-decks players have grown accustomed to. There are a slew of great cards for pre-existing decks, and entirely new ones, in the mini set, but for players looking to skip the fluff and know which ones to look out for when either opening a pack or crafting new ones, here is a selection of the best cards to keep eyes out for. View the full article

Pokémon TCG Pocket players have a been given a fresh bunch of cards to add to their collection and the launch of the Mythical Island set has plenty to discover. If you’re looking for all of the cards in the set, we’ve got you covered. Mythical Island is the first mini set in Pokémon TCG Pocket, introducing new Pokémon, different artworks, new trainer cards, and more. The arrival will shake-up the meta, leading to plenty of changes in the most popular decks, as well as giving collectors stunning art to secure. View the full article

This free event comes on December 17. View the full article

Fisch has no shortage of rare and mythical creatures swimming in its waters. From the elusive Glacierfish in Snowcap Island to the Exotic Molten Banshee found in Roslit Volcano, this guide covers where to find the rarest fish and how to catch them. Grab your bait, check the weather, and prepare for a fishing adventure. Table of contentsAncient ArchivesAncient IsleBrine PoolDesolate DeepForsaken ShoresKeepers AltarMoosewoodMushgrove SwampOceanRoslit BaySnowcap IslandSunstone IslandTerrapin IslandThe DepthsVertigoRegionless The rarest fish in every location in Fisch Fishing in Fisch is more than just casting your line—it’s about knowing where to go, what bait to use, and the conditions needed to lure in these elusive creatures. Each location is home to unique rare fish, each with its own quirks, preferred weather, and time of day for biting. You can find the rarest and most valuable fish for every location below: View the full article

Remember Lords of the Fallen? Not the original 2014 game, the sequel that came out in October last year and was fairly divisive. The game’s developer, Hexworks, never really stopped working on it. Read more View the full article

Check out this Mistwalker & Square Enix release before you buy. View the full article

Path of Exile 2Steam DeckHELLDIVERS™ 2Total War: WARHAMMER IIICyberpunk 2077Indiana Jones and the Great CircleForza Horizon 4It Takes TwoFINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTHCall of Duty®* excluding free to play games View top 100 on SteamDBView the full article

Fisch’s Fischmas 2024 update brought festive cheer—and a tidal wave of player backlash. The Winter Bundle, available exclusively from the Moosewood Skin Merchant or the Shop for 799 Robux (roughly $12.68), has players up in arms over its price. For that steep cost, players get: View the full article

A new Fortnite update increases the number of Earth Sprites available in the game to five, which makes it easier to find them. Earth Sprites were released as part of the Chapter 6 Season 1 Update in Fortnite, and they have quickly become one of the most sought aspects considering they can help players get really powerful weapons very early on in the game. View the full article

The popular Castlevania Dominus Collection has received a new update patch for December, bringing with it a variety of content and various bug fixes. The beloved collection, which is composed of a variety of games from the Castlevania franchise's storied history, now features an all-new mode for one of its games, and includes new ways for players to view the screens of the titles they are playing. View the full article

There are plenty of puzzles in Indiana Jones & The Great Circle, but two of the most confusing to solve are the ones associated with the Silver and Gold Forges. These two areas are found on separate paths under the Fountain of Confession area. To progress the story, you need to find the solutions to both Forges, whose raging fires could spell a quick end if you aren't careful. View the full article

Goblin Slayer Another Adventurer: Nightmare Feast is a strategy RPG developed by Apollosoft and Mebius. It is a spinooff story that takes place in the same universe as the hit-anime, Goblin Slayer. The Anime went on for two full seasons and a supposed third season which has yet to be confirmed for a release. The […] Source View the full article

Infinity Nikki has blown up across the globe since its release on December 5, garnering over 10 million downloads across PC, consoles, iOS, and Android devices. The open-world dress-up game is not only one of the coziest and most exciting games to be released in 2024, but it has filled a void for many players who enjoyed playing games like Barbie in the early 2000s. There is no shortage of items to collect in Infinity Nikki, with an abundance of crafting materials scattered throughout the land that can be gathered through various abilities like fishing and bug catching. View the full article

Honkai: Star Rail is gearing up to launch its 3.0 update, but how have the essential DPS units handled themselves since launch? 3.0 is looking to be the biggest update the game has seen yet. Along with tons of new mechanics and quality-of-life updates, the hit gacha game is getting its first new Path. The Remembrance Path is focused on summoning servants to assist with damage, and though this may be a pure DPS class, it may have some hybrid characters to expand its uses. View the full article

MultiVersus has confirmed when Marceline will make her debut in the game. The Vampire Queen will be released on December 17, expanding the number of Adventure Time characters players can pick to play MultiVersus. View the full article

One of the most surprising reveals at The Game Awards this year was the sudden announcement of a multiplier-focused spinoff to the ever-popular Elden Ring. Showcasing a plethora of flashy new movies and enemies to counter, Elden Ring Nightreign stunned audiences after its initial gameplay reveal but left more questions than answers for fans of the series. Seeming to incorporate elements from across FromSoftware's Dark Souls games, Nightreign could open the door for new content related to the highly requested Bloodborne remake. View the full article

Some classic Call of Duty games recently made their way to the Microsoft Store on PC, which suggests that they could possibly be added to Xbox Game Pass in the near future. Apart from the games that were added a few days ago, this list includes critically acclaimed Call of Duty titles such as Call of Duty: ****** Ops 3 and Call of Duty: World War 2, among others. View the full article

Despite its growing popularity, gamification remains a very controversial and polarizing issue. Systems, services, and organizations are increasingly designed to simulate a gaming experience to motivate or engage users, and even cyber-criminals are now employing similar tactics. Read Entire Article View the full article

If you've wanted to try out the new Square Enix RPG Fantasian Neo Dimension, you can now check out a free demo to see if the game is for you. If you have it updated to the newest version, it will let you transfer your save data to the full game. View the full article

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Added missing No Gloves style for the Consigliere's Coverup Added missing Versus Saxton Hale kill icons Added some tournament medals Fixed Taunt: Curtain Call voice lines overlapping with other Spy voice lines Fixed the Playful Aurora and Frisky Morning Unusual effects not moving correctly Updated Aurora Skies Unusual effect to fix a timing issue Updated the Necroprancer to fix an issue with the materials Updated the Dusk Duster to fix an issue with the materials Updated the Dapper NoelRemade normal map to be compatible with OpenGL Re-baked Diffuse & updated backpack icon to reflect above changes Removed misplaced ambient occlusion Fixed problematic face flexes Fixed an issue where Engineer's beard was protruding from his goggles Fixed an issue with the jigglebones being disabled Rigged Sniper's hat to be compatible with his melee tauntUpdated Scrooge McDocTransparent lenses are rigged to the correct bone (prp_glasses instead of bip_head) so it should now work correctly with taunts that move the glasses Improved scarf rigging and positioning to allow for better compatibility with shirt cosmetics Updated the backpack iconUpdated koth_overcast_finalFixed an issue with the models/materials Added back snow coverings (now using displacements) to some props that were missing them Fixed misaligned textures in various places Fixed weird lighting bug on a wall in blue spawn Fixed 'Hotel' sign not displaying properly Added back indicators under some health and ammo kits that were missing themUpdated cp_fortezzaRemoved sniper window leading into last Fixed Engineer being able to build in some doors Fixed some props being solid Slight art pass updateUpdated vsh_maulPlayers can no longer hide from Saxton in the dark Fixed props inside other props Fixed z-fighting brushes Fixed missing particle effects for the water feature Fixed orientation of water feature particles Minor lighting changes around the cinema Adjusted LOD change distances for Cinema sign Updated VSH logic Grounded levitating props Aligned misaligned textures Fixed mis-textured walls Clipped upper metal beams Fixed clip brushes sticking out from walls that could be walked on Players will now be pushed off of the fire bell Adjusted cinema sign shadow Used spell check on Saxton's Package sign Updated how music is activated and deactivated Fixed clipping on the hanging big ornamentsView the full article

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel. General Improved library asset loading times for large libraries Game Recording Fixed a bug where the video track of a game recording could be empty. View the full article