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There’s a really fun game out there that I would like to wholeheartedly recommend to you, one that doesn’t conform to the trappings of the modern AAA experience. One where you don’t have to worry about the endless treadmill of updates wrecking a metagame you enjoyed, nor about the expiry of licenses or the sudden stop of development. A multiplayer I’m talking, of course, about chess. Slowly but surely, this childhood interest of mine has taken over most of my gaming time as I leveled up my play, and while part of this no doubt has to do with aging out of the industry’s core audience, it’s also just the nature of the beast. There’s a reason why people have obsessed over chess for over a millennium. A deep, dark forest A noteworthy caveat here, I suppose, is that I’m fairly decent at chess, depending on who you ask. I certainly don’t think I’m any good at it, and I have no reason to suppose so when grandmasters exist in the world. Still, from the perspective of a post-pandemic The Queen’s Gambit-enjoying casual, my experience is not representative. My long-dormant chess.com account puts me at the top 0.5% of players, and the more dedicated Lichess community has me at the top 5% depending on the format. While I learned the basics of the game as a kid, most of this is due to the effort I put in over the past few years, and it was a very different feeling compared to when I was grinding ever-changing metagames in Hearthstone or other strategy titles. Some games remain fundamentally the same and are better for that. Screenshot by Destructoid When I sit down to study something new in chess, I feel like my time is being respected, that the accumulated knowledge won’t get ripped away by an update that changes things just for the sake of it. (There’s a reason why Counter-Strike is one of the few remaining multiplayer games I still sometimes come back to.) There’s also the ease of finding opponents at any level, at any time, in any format. I can play quick chess at 3am or slow chess in the afternoon with little to no wait or ranking mismatch. It also affords me more opportunities for IRL events and connections than most video games do. In the end, I keep finding myself having more fun this way these days. There isn't a greedy publisher who can mess things up at any moment, depriving me of the option of ever playing the game in the form I grew to love it again. Chess is a deep, rewarding pastime, one where you will never run out of new things to experience or discover. It also offers little quarter in apportioning blame to anyone but yourself. No microtransactions, no pay-to-win (unless you consider coaching, I suppose), and with strong chess engines available in your browser just a handful of clicks away, you can check and try the best and strongest openings and tactical calculations in a way that was never before possible. For the brief ******* of practice, the gap between excellence and reality is as narrow as it gets. What else offers such a rush? Receding into the background My editorial role at Destructoid helps me keep up with the industry through my colleagues’ impressive work, and it gives me a good understanding of which games are truly worth one’s time. Still, I find it difficult to commit when I could be playing some more chess instead! Blue Prince was my standout gaming experience of the year, and I really hope Kingmakers is not vaporware. I’ve got Project Motor Racing coming down the pipeline, and a handful of golden oldies I sometimes pass the time with—but other than those, I’d probably need a Half Life 3-level cataclysm to take a deep dive into something. Don’t get me wrong, there are always games I plan on jumping into. I love the Wargame series of strategy games, and I really enjoyed the few dozen hours I spent with its spiritual successor, WARNO. But I can’t see myself diving deep and learning all the strats, keeping the knowledge up to date against veterans of the franchise, as new and new content keeps getting churned out. It’s ephemeral. [Hidden Content] Be it a big-ticket AAA live-service content treadmill or a small bespoke experience that will inevitably wither away player count-wise, no new multiplayer game really speaks to me apart from those I can wrangle a group of friends to play myself. As for single-player stuff, I can’t in good conscience jump into a massive open-world game or a deep RPG where I know full well I won’t ever finish in detail. For story-driven titles, I was burned too often by the illusion of choice, and if we’re being real, only a handful of such games offer a compelling enough gameplay loop that makes actually playing them more interesting than watching someone else’s story decisions. (They also compete with books for my story-consumption time, which is, well, tough.) This is an odd feeling, having spent a significant portion of my teenage and early adult years with various games big and small. From MS-DOS launchers in 1997 to the pandemic years, I always had an executable spinning around in the back of my mind, looking for more. Nowadays, it’s mostly chess. And I’m quite happy with that. The post Chess has completely taken over my gaming time, and I’m quite happy with that appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive has a fair amount of customization options, as you can choose between different classes for Sung Jinwoo. The classes have their own strengths and weaknesses, and there are four options to pick from. Every class has its unique archetypes and skill tree. Choosing the correct playstyle is essential if you want to clear the in-game content, and this guide will erase all your confusion when starting in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive. All classes in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive You'll get the chance to choose a class for Sung Jinwoo as soon as you finish the introductory missions. It's impossible to miss this as it's part of the core gameplay system. The table below briefly describes all four classes. ClassArchetypeDifficultyStarting AbilitiesAssassinRogueVery HardCutting Rush: Rush at the enemy and deliver a fierce upward slash. Internal Wound: Deliver a precise strike after concentrating all energy in the dagger. DuelistFighter/BerserkerEasyRush: Jinwoo delivers a flurry of lightning punches and sends enemies flying with a powerful roundhouse kick. Armor Break: Deliver a heavy strike to a single target after gathering all energy. ElementalistMageHardCold Storm: Swiftly slashes in front with a frost-imbued blade. Raises the target's [Cold Ice] Elemental status effect value. Firestorm Dagger: Throws multiple fiery daggers forward and raises the target's [Scorch] Elemental status effect value. RulerSummonerNormalThe Commander's Touch: Control objects without touching them. Doesn't require mana. Dispersion: Summon shadow soldier spears from beneath the earth to hit enemies. Which class should you pick in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive Since the game allows you to change classes, you can switch quite easily (more on that later). In my experience, all four classes are good, but you'll need to understand your preferences. Assassin: This feels like the strongest class when it comes to taking down enemies. However, you'll have to time your evasions and parries strategically to do so. The aim with this class is to be efficient with your attacks, and it's a very unforgiving archetype. I won't recommend this to anyone when they're just starting.Duelist: This is the easiest class to master as it grants you good damage and an ample amount of health. You can take hits without worrying about dying too many times. However, the scope for excelling with the Duelist class is really low.Elementalist: This is a pretty safe choice if you're scared to die. You'll be making use of range to do damage and relying on your magical abilities. I really loved the Elementalist class, but the aim system feels finicky at times. However, this will be an excellent choice for most players (unless you really love melee combat).Ruler: This is my main class, and for two good reasons. First, this is the lore-accurate class that fits with the actual webtoon. Secondly, why waste time fighting alone when you can raise your Shadow allies to do your bidding! You'll rarely be fighting along with the Ruler class, which makes it the most entertaining choice personally.How to change your class in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive Screenshot by Destructoid Once you gain access to the Hunter's Association, enter the main menu. Select Sung Jinwoo's tab, and you can then invest skill points across the different attributes. Skill points ultimately determine which class you're going to use. You can switch a glass by resetting its skill points and re-investing them however you want. You can go with the four default classes or customize as you see fit. Ultimately, you have complete freedom over how you invest your skill points. Having the ability to reset lets you experiment with different builds until you find your preferred choice. The post All classes in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive: Which is the best one to pick appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

If you decide to play ARC Raiders alone, you have to choose between raiding entirely solo or with two random teammates. There's nothing wrong with the former, and solo matches can be quite friendly and accommodating, but there's another level of PvP to be found in trios, and friends aren't always available to play. Even the most optimistic Raiders will tell you that matchmaking with random teammates can be a huge gamble. View the full article

The Steam Machine will not be as affordable as customers had originally hoped, as a Valve software engineer confirmed that the upcoming system will not have subsidized pricing. Valve confirmed rumors that the Steam Machine will be priced closer to a PC than a game console, meaning that its overall price is at the mercy of RAM and graphics card prices. View the full article

Team Cherry devs grew up playing games in a pre-internet eraView the full article

Described as "The world's first dodgeball card game", Throw Throw Burrito is currently available for $9.99 on Amazon, as part of their ****** Friday *****. Throw Throw Burrito is a Board Game published by Exploding Kittens, the company known for Poetry for Neanderthals, Happy Salmon, and (of course) Exploding Kittens. It's definitely closer to Twister than it is to something like Settlers of Catan, but it makes for a fun food chucking romp. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This Warhammer 40k alternative is a dieselpunk take on historical warfare This 80s horror inspired solo board game has incredible retro vibes You may never get to play this board game about the Frog Olympics View the full article

****** Friday is officially almost here, but the deals have already started. We've rounded up the best deals for Sunday, November 23, below, so don't miss out on these limited-time offers. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Gets Its First ***** While it just launched in late September, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is already discounted to $44.99 this ****** Friday. This epic crossover racing brings characters like Hatsune Miku into the world of Sonic, with the DLC featuring SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Minecraft, and much more. If you're looking for a new racer beyond Kirby Air Riders and Mario Kart World, CrossWorlds is a great choice. Save Big on Apple AirPods 4 Apple AirPods 4 are on ***** for ****** Friday, and if you've been holding out on upgrading, now is the time to buy. Both the ANC and regular AirPods 4 are on ***** for $99.99 and $79.99, respectively. While the AirPods Pro 3 do provide better ANC and sound quality, it's hard to beat the AirPods 4 at this price. Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition for $39.99 Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition is on ***** as part of Amazon's ****** Friday ***** for $39.99. This excellent collection packs in the first six Final Fantasy games, remastered with enhanced visuals and sound. If you've never experienced the origins of the series, this is the best place to start. While there might not be fancy graphics or voice acting in these earlier entries, much of the charm and fundamental gameplay systems that shaped the RPG genre as a whole originated here. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach for $49.99 Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is still my favorite game of 2025, featuring a vast world to explore, rich characters and narrative, and an astounding score. Ahead of ****** Friday, you can score DS2 for $49.99 and embark across Mexico and Australia yourself. If you've been holding out on this game, today is a great time to pick up a copy and experience the latest from Hideo Kojima. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (4K) for $49.49 The Lord of the Rings trilogy might just be the greatest film trilogy of all time. Peter Jackson's larger-than-life trilogy is still as masterful to watch today as it was two decades ago. For a limited time, you can score a 4K copy of all three movies for under $50. This set includes both the theatrical and extended editions. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for $399.99 The PS5 Digital Edition is $399 right now at Amazon, which is $100 off its normal price. Consoles are always an excellent gift during the holiday season, and the PS5 is no exception. Regarding exclusives for PS5, 2025 saw the release of Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Lost Soul Aside, and more. Save on Battlefield 6 Battlefield 6 is on ***** for the first time ever, with slight discounts available for both PS5 and Xbox Series X copies at Amazon. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Battlefield 6’s multiplayer action is expertly crafted, wrapped in a wonderful layer of destructibility that both looks great and materially affects the flow of combat. The gunplay is excellent, with weapons that are accurate enough to reward skilled shooting, but have just enough sway to promote a bit of careful thought while you take aim." Bleach Rebirth of Souls for $19.99 Bleach Rebirth of Souls was the first major Bleach game release in many years, with Bandai Namco and Tamsoft bringing the iconic series to modern platforms as a fighter. All of the most iconic Bleach characters are here, including Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, and even Coyote Stark. Save $40 off the base game this weekend with this deal at Amazon. Astro Bot for $39.99 Astro Bot is a must-own game for any PlayStation 5 owner for many reasons. The fun platforming adventure is a trip across PlayStation's iconic history of games, with cameos from many of the beloved characters that shaped each console generation. Today, you can score Astro Bot for $39.99 at Amazon, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake for $34.99 Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was one of the most enjoyable RPGs of 2024, featuring a gorgeous remade HD-2D world and voice acting. If you haven't had the chance to check this one out yet, Amazon has copies available for only $34.99. With Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake available now, it's the perfect time to dive into one of the most important games in the genre. Silent Hill 2 for $29.99 Silent Hill 2 is available for $29.99 at Amazon as part of ****** Friday sales. The Bloober Team-developed remake brought new life to the iconic Konami game, depicting the story of James Sunderland as he travels to Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife. With revamped combat, a rerecorded soundtrack, and new story additions, Silent Hill 2 is a fantastic horror game that is worth experiencing. View the full article

FromSoftware just doesn’t miss, eh? It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three years since Elden Ring landed on consoles and PC, and it somehow lived up to all of the expectation fans had placed on it. A game we awarded a 10 out of 10 review score to, the joy of Elden Ring’s age now is that discounts are more plentiful, and the epic action RPG is back to its lowest price of $19.99 in Amazon’s ****** Friday deals - and it’s not alone. Elden Ring And Nightreign Score Big ****** Friday Discounts Whether you’re on PlayStation or Xbox, you can pick up the open-world fantasy epic for $19.99 - a 60% drop from the MSRP. Given that it’s IGN’s Game of the Year 2022, it’s a must-play, especially for under twenty bucks. “Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path,” Mitchell Saltzman said in his review, and we stand by it. It’s worth noting that this version doesn’t include the huge expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, which is large enough to be its own game - and even more challenging. We awarded it a 10 out of 10 score in our review, too, and you can get the Shadow of the Erdtree version of Elden Ring discounted, too. It’s down to $49.99 on PS5 and down to $39.99 on Xbox Series X, which is the lowest it’s been outside of Amazon’s warehouse deals. If you’re looking for something to play with friends, then Nightreign is well worth checking out. It condenses Elden Ring’s combat into a three-player hybrid between roguelite and battle royale as you’re pushed ever closer to challenging bosses. It’s getting a 36% discount, bringing it down to just $34.99 on PS5 and Xbox. Mitchell gave Nightreign a 7 out of 10 in his review, saying, “When Elden Ring Nightreign is played exactly as it was designed to be played, it’s one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around – but that's harder to do than it should be, and playing solo is poorly balanced.” Subsequent patches have smoothed out those jagged edges, but it’s still best played with a couple of buds. Follow IGN's ****** Friday Coverage The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage: Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TikTok [/url] Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay. View the full article

Ever since its release, ARC Raiders has been steadily growing in popularity, somehow managing to surpass its peak player count several times over the past few weekends. While plenty of the success behind ARC Raiders comes from its unique setting and close relationship with the community, it's the player interactions that make it stand out the most compared to other offerings on the market. View the full article

For whatever reason, baby animals in Magic: the Gathering are often significantly stronger than their fully grown counterparts. Displacer Beast is a completely unremarkable piece of draft chaff, while Displacer Kitten is an absolute juggernaut in blink decks. Similarly, Scythecat Cub is strictly better than Territorial Scythecat in every possible way. The new Avatar crossover continues this proud tradition of incredibly powerful infants by printing Badgermole, a thoroughly forgettable five-drop, and Badgermole Cub, a mythic rare that may well be the single strongest creature in the set. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Aang is not the most popular commander from the MTG Avatar set Mediocre MTG god card spikes 220% thanks to God of War, and I can only ask "why?" MTG Avatar is a shockingly well-designed set, and it's all thanks to its bending View the full article

The How Many Tricks Left Evolution has arrived in FC 26, and you can upgrade one of your Silver/Bronze cards with significant stat upgrades, roles, and playstyles. While the upgrade is free, the requirements are strict. This guide will help you identify the best candidates for the buffs based on the requirements and available upgrades. Table of contentsFC 26 How Many Tricks Left Evolution requirementsFC 26 How Many Tricks Left Evolution upgradesBest players to use in How Many Tricks Left EvolutionFC 26 How Many Tricks Left Evolution requirements Here are the requirements of How Many Tricks Left Evolution in FC 26. Overall: Max 74PlayStyle: Max 10Not Rarity: World Tour Silver StarsPosition: LWFC 26 How Many Tricks Left Evolution upgrades The evolution has four levels of upgrades, each with certain conditions to fulfill. Level 1 upgrades Overall: +10|74Pace: +10|92Shooting: +10|73Passing: +15|76Skills: +1|4PlayStyles: Technical|6 Level 2 upgrades Agility: +10|74Balance: +15|74Ball control: +15|74Dribbling: +10|74Reactions: +25|78Composure: +25|78 Level 3 upgrades Aggression: +20|72Jumping: +10|70Stamina: +20|81Strength: +15|73Weak Foot: +1|4Roles: Inside Forward+ Level 4 upgrades PlayStyles: Trickster|6Roles: Wide Playmaker+, Winger++ Level 1 upgrade requirements Play 2 matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game. Level 2 upgrade requirements Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game. Level 3 upgrade requirements Win 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game. Level 4 upgrade requirements Play 2 matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game.Best players to use in How Many Tricks Left Evolution Here are some of my best recommendations for inclusion in the evolution. Dereck KutesaAmine BoutrahCesinhaKamaldeen SulemanaZecaLargi RamazaniBruguiJoaquinCamilo CandidoLuca Orellano While the upgrades are significant, you will be able to include these cards in future evolutions to create a chain and evolve their stats further. The post Best players for the FC 26 How Many Tricks Left Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

ARC Raiders established itself as an extraction shooter with a strong social aspect, where players are usually nicer than in most other titles of the type. But it seems that's over, at least in part, as players are nearing end-game content and loot becomes more valuable than ever. Though the game's initial release saw hundreds of thousands of players happily engage in friendly conversation with those they came across, it appears this is slowly subsiding topside. Recently, I've experienced a greater number of people who shoot me on sight (if you're one of these, do tell us here), and no amount of yelling "Don't shoot!" or pleading via the microphone (not even when I change my voice into a female one via the in-game AI voice changer) can save me. Usually, that other one works more than merely begging not to be riddled with bullets, but even that fails to protect me in the new, more hostile environment of ARC Raiders. This seems to be particularly true on weekdays, when casual players (who log in after a hard week's work, i.e., on the weekends) aren't so present on the battlefields. The only thing that can unite a server now is the immediate threat of a strong ARC. Image via ARC Raiders Wiki What's more, it appears to be because players are now reaching end-game content, having completed the majority of the quests and simply wishing to upgrade their workstations to max. The resources needed for doing so are quite scarce and usually very hard to come by. This could easily explain why trigger fingers are more itchy now, since it's much easier to simply cut the lights of a raider than look for one-percent drops yourself. Hell, the raider you just popped might be carrying loads of pinks, blueprints, rare components, and so on. Everything given to you on a silver platter, costing merely a few bullets that can be easily replaced. Of course, much like in the early stages of the game duos and trios seem to be much more inclined to shoot you on sight than solos. After all, solo players, and especially those carrying valuable loot, aren't so interested in risking their life and potentially losing everything they'd spent so long gathering. It's one thing having someone watching your six, but another to be on your own, with loads of goodies to boot. ARC Raiders' social aspect is perhaps even stronger now, since it is an evolving trend following shifting circumstances that can lead to people being nicer or, well, more evil, depending on the situation. We could even have a philosophical discussion about the "evil" of shooting people in a PVP game, and I frankly think it's just part of the experience. Have you noticed an uptick in hostility among players? Because we sure have, from extraction campers to sneaky snipers to folks runnin' and gunnin' like there's no tomorrow. And it's probably going to keep getting worse, at least until people do the Expedition in early December and reset back to zero, their evil nature included. The post ARC Raiders players seem to be done playing nice, but it was great while it lasted appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

It goes without saying that Stellar Blade was a massive hit, both on console and on PC. Despite its temporary PS5 limbo, the game crushed it when it launched on Steam, and it appears the devs have taken note and are aiming for a "multiplatform" day one launch. Or so one could gather from a recent job posting by ShiftUp, the development studio behind Stellar Blade itself. The listing, first posted on Nov. 21, details Stellar Blade's sequel and the responsibilities various roles would have. Stellar Blade's sequel (unnamed as of yet) is described as "AAA-grade multiplatform action game," that is "targeting release on various platforms including consoles and PC." The listing further highlights that the game spent a year as a PS5 exclusive, topping 200,000 concurrent players once it finally launched on PC. The above was translated from Korean using DeepL, and from what I could gather, it's a strong indication that Stellar Blade 2, or whatever the sequel is called, is going to launch simultaneously on the PS5 and PC. It could be a timed exclusive again, but I fail to understand why that would be if the studio itself is highlighting the game's stellar (pun intended) performance on PC. Stellar Blade crushed it on Steam after escaping its PS5 prison. Image via Shift Up What's more, the part that outlines "various platforms including consoles" plural tells me the game could, God willing, release on Xbox as well as PS5 and PC. Sony has been steering towards multiplatformity for a while now, and though it's likely going to keep its biggest hits as exclusives for console-selling purposes, I could see the likes of Stellar Blade 2 launch on Microsoft's platform. After all, the latter has been pushing strongly toward a unified gaming market where platform exclusivity is a thing of the past, and has brought numerous of its own games to the PS5. Stellar Blade 2 could follow Helldivers 2 and branch out into Xbox. Time will only tell, but the listing above does inspire hope. Keep in mind, this is what I have derived from the listing. It could very well be that "multiplatform" means something entirely different to ShiftUp than it does to me. Either way, the original Stellar Blade came out on PC eventually, and if anything's certain, it's that its sequel, which continues the "stylish action" of the previous game, is going to do the same. The post Stellar Blade’s sequel is gathering steam, and it seems like the devs took heed of the PC numbers appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Neon Inferno looks like a lot of new games that gleefully throw back to the golden age of the run and gun side scroller—delights like Blazing Chrome and Huntdown. Cyberpunk city, dirty cops, laser sword-wielding Yakuza, and just enough slugs to send 'em all to hell; it's all pretty by the numbers on the surface, but don't count it out even if you're worn out on the nostalgic aesthetics. Contra-style platforming is just one dimension on offer here... Read more.View the full article

It's no secret that the Pokémon TCG is chock-full of Charizards. In Wargamer's recent review of Phantasmal Flames, we argued that though, for the most part, the set is awesome, it continues a tired tradition of pointing a dazzling spotlight on the fiery flyer. This can make it difficult for other Pokémon to get their time to shine. Today, I want to talk about another Kanto starter Pokémon that's not been given a proper chance to come out of its shell, Blastoise. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Pokémon TCG's first big set of 2026, Ascended Heroes, ditches gold Mega Hyper Rare cards All Legendary Pokémon and Mythical Pokémon in order This important Psyduck Pokémon card is getting a stunning reprint View the full article

It feels like a while ago that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows launched at the start of the year, and Ubisoft’s latest entry into the RPG side of its long-running franchise finally whisked players to the Japan setting they craved. While sales data remains unclear, there’s no denying the game’s scale and the size of its open world, and if you’ve been on the fence, then we’ve got good news - you can get it for up to half off in Amazon’s ****** Friday deals. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows Is Up To 50% Off PS5 fans are the winners here, because they can pick up the game for a little less than Xbox Series X players. If you’re on Sony’s console, it’s just $34.99, whereas it’ll set you back $39.99 on Xbox - saving you 50% or 43% respectively. Whichever version you buy, you get the advantage of an Amazon Exclusive character pack for Naoe, one of the game’s protagonists (more on that in a moment). It includes legendary gear, weapons, a mount, and a trinket to use in-game. The big shift this time around is the split between Naoe and Yasuke, with the former offering the stealthy, nimble Assassin’s Creed gameplay you’d expect from the franchise’s earlier entries, while the latter complements that with a hard-hitting, combat-focused approach. In our review, Jarrett Green awarded the game an 8 out of 10 and said, “By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade.” The game’s Claws of Awaji expansion launched in September of this year, and Shadows is slated to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in December. Follow IGN's ****** Friday Coverage The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage: Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TikTok [/url] Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay. View the full article

Fallout 4 has just celebrated its 10th birthday following the reveal of its Anniversary Edition on Fallout Day in October. Unfortunately, the Anniversary Edition release was something of a disaster, with the accompanying update subsequently earning Fallout 4 negative reviews due to a deluge of new bugs. Another update has now been pushed to start the process of polishing the RPG. View the full article

While Diablo 4 rumbles on with a reliable inevitability, and its biggest rival Path of Exile 2 is ambitious but unfinished, there have been some incredible ARPGs from smaller teams taking my attention. From the lighthearted pixel-art romp of The Slormancer to the dark fairytale action of Ravenswatch, we've been spoiled for choice. One of the best among them is Hell Clock, and if you missed out on it back in July, now's the perfect time to change that. Developer Rogue Snail has just delivered a big update that completely transforms the way movement feels, buffs melee builds, and dramatically enhances the endgame potential. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Channeling Hades, popular new roguelike Hell Clock just got a new difficulty New roguelike ARPG Hell Clock blends Hades with Diablo, and it's out now Roguelike Hell Clock is like Hades meets Diablo, with a new revamped demo View the full article

The X marketplace rollout marks a shift in how social platforms govern digital identity and digital property. By limiting access and tying ownership to paid subscriptions, X is turning account handles into digital assets whose continuity depends on platform-defined rules and recurring fees. Read Entire Article View the full article

Until recently, Sony had largely treated Steam as a secondary outlet for older PlayStation titles, primarily single-player games that had already maximized their sales on console. But if Valve releases mainstream hardware that runs Steam natively and becomes a viable home for PlayStation Studios releases, Sony's PC strategy could be... Read Entire Article View the full article

Meanwhile Maelle's actor also likes her own ending: "let her live her delulu fantasy life."View the full article

Xbox Game Pass has been on a hot streak lately, releasing some absolutely incredible games for free with the service. Despite its recent overhaul to subscription model tiers and some immediate fan backlash over its pricing, Xbox Game Pass continues to give players impeccable value, releasing tons of new content throughout the year. View the full article

When the last big Manor Lords update launched in October, nearly nine months after its previous overhaul, lead developer Greg Styczeń said he was "rethinking what went wrong to ensure it won't happen again." The medieval city builder, which has largely been very well received by players, saw its Steam ratings dip as frustrations grew around the lack of communication. In an attempt to course correct, publisher Hooded Horse has stepped in to help, and it's now got a rundown of what's on the table for the next patch, which it says is "getting very close." Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: News Tower, a pre-war tycoon game where you become a media mogul in 1930s New York, hits 1.0 to a rave reception New dark fantasy looter shooter mixes dungeon crawling, corporate greed, and the co-op magic of Peak and Lethal Company Despite his enthusiasm, Hytale founder warns the Minecraft spiritual successor "is not good enough, I genuinely mean it" View the full article

Sonic and Mario’s rivalry may have cooled since they started competing in the Olympics together, but Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds might be the closest to a Mario Kart beater we’ve seen in a while. The game succeeds with a “kitchen sink” approach, with a ton of characters, worlds, and power-ups that come from all over *****’s IP and beyond, and now you can save big on it for ****** Friday. The ****** Friday ***** at Target has dropped the price of the PS5 and Nintendo Switch versions down to $44.99 - a $25 discount on a game that only launched at the end of September. The big draw this time is not just that the game’s vehicles transform between different modes, but that racers will travel through dimensions to different tracks during the same race. That keeps everyone on their toes, with the kart in first getting to decide from one of two options. There are a huge number of characters included, too. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Eggman are obvious inclusions, but the game’s season pass includes Steve and Alex from Minecraft, Pac-Man, Mega Man, and more. In our review, Jada Griffin awarded the game a 9 out of 10, saying, “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds fires on all cylinders with a fantastic roster, excellent courses, and lengthy list of customization options.” That roster is only growing, too. The SpongeBob SquarePants pack will take players to Bikini Bottom, while there’s also a free update introducing NiGHTS, AiAi, and Tangle & Whisper. It’ll also come to Nintendo Switch 2 at long last on December 4. Other standout offers in Nintendo's ****** Friday ***** includes a big discount on the best microSD express card right now. It's for the recently released Samsung P9 512GB MicroSD Express card, now just $74.99 after a 25% off instant discount. When it comes to games, my top pick is Super Mario Odyssey right now, which ranked fourth on IGN's "Top 100 Nintendo Games of All Time", for just 30 bucks. For more deals, you should also check out every PS5 game that's discounted at part of PlayStation's brand new ****** Friday offers. There's some big discounts on first party PlayStation games in the ***** especially from the past few years. My top pick is Game of the Year 2024 winner, Astro Bot, for $39.99, which is endless amounts of fun. Follow IGN's ****** Friday Coverage The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage: Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on Tiktok [/url] Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay. View the full article

I'm not really one for gacha games. It's not necessarily the monetization itself, as long as there isn't a baseline expectation that you'll pay to make any progress. I've spent my life thus far avoiding in-game purchases, and I'm perfectly comfortable spending some time in a gacha game while ignoring all the shop options. All that monetization, however, usually has cascading effects. View the full article