Apparently the settlement that would become the city of San Francisco was once called Yerba Buena, which is where this quirky physics platformer got its name. Set in an alternate reality 1970’s version of the City by the Bay, my 90-minute demo had me rushing to rescue a friend, discovering the first seeds of a government conspiracy, and scratching my head over a lot of the writing decisions. On the plus side, the art in Yerba Buena is quite charming. It reminds me a bit of some of Telltale's older games, like it was torn out of the pages of a graphic novel. The characters are richly designed with clothing and hairstyles that ground everything in the ‘70s. The colorful streets capture an almost mythological ideal of SF, a city I lived in for years and still feel very fondly about. And the jaunty soundtrack is fun, too. The writing doesn't exactly complete the illusion, though. The main character is Barb, an out-of-work Midwest transplant who’s likeable enough. But nothing in Yerba Buena's plot seems to flow naturally from what came before it. There are simply fixed moments it wants to get to and it will make any excuse to jump from where we are to where it wants to be, even if it requires bizarre leaps of logic or characters coming to really weird conclusions. The whole tension of the first section hinges on the fact that the SFPD have decided the life of one of Barb's friends who was taken hostage by bikers isn't important, and they're going to storm the building to get the perp even if it means sacrificing a civilian. The Oscillator is a technomagical device that allows you, at first, to copy the movement of one object and apply it to another. Look, I've had my fair share of negative interactions with the police, but no hostage negotiation I've ever heard of amounted to, "Tough luck, he shouldn't have been taken hostage!" This leads Barb to have to mount a one-woman vigilante rescue mission involving time travel and physics puzzles. And that's where we get into the main gameplay mechanic: The Oscillator. In essence, Yerba Buena seems like it kind of wants to be Portal. The Oscillator is a technomagical device that allows you, at first, to copy the movement of one object and apply it to another. There are some genuinely cool applications for this. You can copy a speeding car and then apply it to an entire apartment, causing it to fly across the street with you in it and let you access the rooftops the next block over. Later, it gains the ability to "copy" any vapor and then apply that property to a solid object to allow you or other objects to pass through it. It's a neat idea, even if there are only two areas to mess around with The Oscillator in the demo aside from a brief training course: a San Francisco city block and a psychedelic amusement park that exists in some kind of pocket dimension? Again, the story is pretty difficult to parse. I found a mix of clever puzzles with a few that I'm not sure were super well thought-out. But the potential of these mechanics at least has me curious to see what else the full game might pull off. I suppose the writing does as well, but in more of an, “unable to look away from a train wreck” sort of way. There's a very, "I went to San Francisco for GDC a couple times and decided I wanted to set a game here" feeling to how ******* studio Mad About Pandas depicts everything. It's the ‘70s, but there's a major plot point about a tech mogul wanting to ruin a local park by building a giant TV antenna, which seems like it's struggling to take more recent problems and transport them back in time to the chosen era.It gets even weirder when you find out the fugitives who kidnapped your friend were apparently – and I'm not making any of this up – a special biker gang unit in the Vietnam War who were experimented on to give them superpowers like the Avengers or something. You reveal this by discovering a certificate of Court Martial – that looks like an award you would get in school and hang on the wall – with the name of the gang filled in on a blank line. The tone is kind of light-hearted, but this isn't played for laughs. It's not a comedy game. At least, I don't think it's supposed to be?In addition to this, the leader of the gang, Bear, seems to be able to reload a save any time he dies. Literally. You see a menu pop up over his dead body while he selects the option to reset time to an earlier point. Seemingly all of the characters are aware that this is happening, including the ones who aren't in the gang! But they handwave it away as a trivial oddity just like they do everything else, because no one in this universe follows logic resembling our Earth logic. Its endearing visual style and relatable main character weren't quite enough to get me excited to play more Yerba Buena given the confusing plot and dismal quality of the writing. The puzzle possibilities of The Oscillator might, though. Especially if we haven't seen all of the tricks it can do yet. You'll be able to see it for yourself on May 26 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Leana Hafer is a contributing freelancer for IGN with a specialty in RPGs, strategy, horror, and survival games. She has been reviewing video games professionally since 2010 and is one of IGN's most prolific contributors, with more than 100 reviews published. You can also find her work on sites like PC Gamer and PCGamesN. View the full article
Mouse P.I. For Hire has a vast array of weapons available for you to choose from and use during your adventures. Unlocking them is rather simple since you can obtain them all by just completing all the available missions. However, every weapon also comes with different tier upgrades, and this guide will provide you with all the important information. All weapons in Mouse P.I. For Hire and their upgrades The table below has all the information you'll need to upgrade every weapon in Mouse P.I. For Hire. Screenshot by Destructoid WeaponUpgradesHow to UseMicerTier 1: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil. Alt-Fire fires three quick, accurate shots. Tier 2: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil. Tier 3: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil.Ideal at mid-range to take down smaller enemies. DevarnisherTier 1: Increases projectile count, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Alt-Fire fires a sticky acid blob that explodes after a short delay, dealing area damage and applying toxic damage over time. Tier 2: Increases projectile count, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Tier 3: Increases projectile count, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces recoil.Shoots acid that eats away the enemy's health over time. James GunTier 1: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil. Alt-Fire rapidly dumps a large volume of bullets at the cost of wider spread. Tier 2: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil. Tier 3: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Reduces spread and recoil.Ideal for dealing with enemy groups at mid-range. It can also stop enemies from firing back. BoomstickTier 1: Increases damage, pushback, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Bullets pierce the first enemy hit. Alt-Fire charges up and releases a more powerful single shot. Tier 2: Increases damage, pushback, and max ammo. Clip size is doubled. Bullets pierce the first two enemies hit. Tier 3: Increases damage, pushback, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Bullets pierce the first three enemies hit.This shotgun is a no-nonsense, high-burst, wide-spread weapon that does it all. However, its effective range is pretty short, so you need to stay close to your enemies. Portable FreezerTier 1: Increases clip size and max ammo. Freezes enemies faster. Alt-Fire shoots an icicle that explodes on impact, dealing damage and applying frost to all enemies in range. Tier 2: Increases clip size and max ammo. Freezes enemies faster. Tier 3: Increases clip size and max ammo. Freezes enemies even faster.Shoots an ice beam that can slow the enemy's speed on contact. It can also completely freeze the enemy, and you can then shoot it down without taking any damage. Kiss KissTier 1: Increases max ammo and projectile count. Boosts pushback and burn damage over time. Reduces recoil. Alt-Fire fires a heavy explosive round that blasts and burns every enemy caught in the impact. Tier 2: Increases max ammo and projectile count. Boosts pushback and burn damage over time. Tier 3: Increases max ammo and projectile count. Boosts pushback and burn damage over time.This gun shoots explosive rounds that do splash damage and can set the enemies on fire. This is an ideal weapon for clearing enemy waves. Jar-HeadTier 1: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Boosts enemy stun duration and projectile speed. Reduces recoil. Alt-Fire channels a concentrated beam that deals massive damage on headshots. Tier 2: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Boosts enemy stun duration and projectile speed. Reduces recoil. Tier 3: Increases damage, clip size, and max ammo. Boosts enemy stun duration and projectile speed. Reduces recoil.This gun is ideal for stunning enemies. It's a great crowd-control option and works on all (except bosses). Loose CannonTier 1: Increases damage, blast radius, pushback, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Alt-Fire charges up and fires crushed cannonball fragments that scatter across enemies. Tier 2: Increases damage, blast radius, pushback, and max ammo. Reduces recoil. Tier 3: Increases damage, blast radius, pushback, and max ammo. Reduces recoil.This weapon fires a literal cannonball that will explode on enemies. It can also break weaker walls, which will allow you to roam areas that are otherwise out of reach. D-NamiteN/AThis is a throwable **** that acts like a grenade. It will explode upon impact and deal a massive amount of damage. It can also be used to break down walls and destroy shields. HellrazorN/AThis weapon is a demonized version of a chainsaw that clears a room in seconds. Unfortunately, there are no B.A.N.G. upgrades available for it. It will take you some time before you can add upgrades to the weapons. That's done with the help of Schematics; you'll be introduced to it as part of the main campaign. Once you unlock Schematics, prioritize upgrading the weapons that you love to use more in the game. The post All weapons and tier upgrades in Mouse P.I. For Hire appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Xbox Game Pass has once again been on another incredible run of free games recently, with plenty of critically acclaimed offerings that are well worth checking out. While PlayStation fans did get a win with the new trailer for an enhanced edition of Cyberpunk 2077, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers are getting day one access to another incredible cyberpunk game that is blowing players away with how gorgeous it looks. View the full article
Diablo 4 has officially scheduled a new Developer Update Livestream for April 23 that will dive into details about the Lord of Hatred expansion and its endgame content. This will be the final Diablo 4 broadcast ahead of Lord of Hatred’s release on April 28. View the full article
Cats have been the most popular **** ever since the Egyptian gods of old put them here many thousands of years ago. Naturally, people also like games about cats, or games where we get to **** cats, so let's look at the best of the bunch. Crimson Desert is a cat dad simulator Image via Pearl Abyss Crimson Desert is one of the most mechanically rich video games in existence. You can do everything here, which can, understandably, overwhelm some. Crimson Desert's complexity caused it to enter Steam with a mixed reception, but it quickly grew in players' hearts, and one of the many reasons for its comeback was its cat mechanics. Wanna **** a cat? That's easy mode. What about holding a cat? You can carry a kitty no problem, hell, you can even "dual-wield" cats. You can even ignore the main quest to find the many different cats in the game, Pokémon-style, and you'll have a blast because you'll get to equip them with armor! Others have said that Crimson Desert is a cat dad simulator, and the only problem I have with that assertion is that I wasn't the first one to make it. Assassin's Creed: Shadows is the most cat-friendly game in the most cat-friendly series Image via Ubisoft Ever since its inception, the Assassin's Creed series has been for cat lovers. It's likely the game responsible for the "can you **** the cat?" meme, and Shadows, its most recent iteration, shows the series at its cat-loving peak. The feudal Japan-set AC allows players not only to **** the cats, but even to travel to a place called "cat island" and even "recruit" them to come live in our hideout. Shadows still doesn't let us train cats to do our assassin business for us, but that might not be entirely out of the cards for future installments. The Talos Principle Image via Croteam The Talos Principle will spend many hours putting your puzzle-solving and your understanding of some surprisingly complex philosophical themes to the test. You also play as a robot, so this is definitely not the game you'd expect to have a soft spot for cats, but you'd be wrong. Though it's entirely optional, the developers made a pretty cool sidequest where the players get to adopt a cat. Should they do so, they'll even get a special (and naturally more heartwarming) ending cutscene. This game gets more surprising the more you read about it, especially once you realize it was made by the people behind the Serious Sam series. Road to Vostok Image via Road to Vostok Road to Vostok can feel very harsh and unforgiving, but it's actually just afraid of showing all the beams of light shining through its beautiful heart. The nicest thing about it, bar none, is that you can totally get a cat, one that you get not just because, but because he can become your beloved companion. Having a **** in a nice game about having cats is expected. Getting a cat in an otherwise extremely bleak game will both make your heart feel all cozy and might even make you feel a bit more heroic for having saved the little furball from staying all alone in the cold. Stray Image via Xbox/Annapurna Well, this one is a no-brainer. Petting cats, rescuing cats, and even having a cafe for cats still doesn't beat the real thing. Stray lets players straight-up become a cat—in a sleek neon-drenched cyberpunk city, no less. Strays lets players make use of all of a cat's regular cat abilities, such as meowing and sleeping, so they can navigate the place in a way a human character never could, and also solve ingenious puzzles or jump over the city's obstacles in search of freedom. Stray is one of the most surprisingly original indie adventure titles from the past few years, and also one of the coziest times you can have in a dystopian cyberpunk city. Cattails: A Wildwood Story Image via Falcon Development If you want something even cozier, entirely devoid of dystopian cyberpunk elements, then Cattails: A Wildwood Story is the game for you. Cattails is a life simulator, but not exactly a realistic cat life simulator. Players will have to collect herbs, hunt rats, create a small cat community, and protect it from outside threats. Cattails hits a sweet spot between having players incessantly working the fields to avoid famine and just sleeping around all day. Also, its simple graphics ensure you can run it on any contraption that would run Doom. Night In The Woods Image by Finji Night in the Woods is a very comfy sidescrolling adventure with a very unique look, where we play as a cute little cat on a surprisingly deep and touching adventure. Yes, despite its cutesy look and the constraints of the 2d world it takes place in, Night in the Woods features a lot of exploration, both physical and of the little town inhabitants' personal insights, all the while telling a heartfelt story about friendship, growth, and coming to terms with change. The post 7 purrfect games for cat lovers appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
EA has released an expansive roadmap for Battlefield 6 that gives the community a much better idea of what's to come in Season 3 and later down the line in 2026. After a tumultuous post-launch cycle thus far for Battlefield 6, EA and Battlefield Studios are attempting to right the ship. The first two seasons of the multiplayer shooter have fallen well short of player expectations, only delivering a handful of maps, weapons, and other content. Meanwhile, there are bugs and problems across the game that have persisted since launch in late 2025. Fortunately, the Season 3 update is coming in May, and there's a decent amount of content arriving with it. This comes on the heels of a recent update that added the new Operations game mode as well as changes to progression, Gadgets, and other quality-of-life issues. However, it looks like EA wants to assure the community that the meaningful changes to Battlefield 6 won't stop with the next major seasonal update. In a new video released today, EA showcased a roadmap for 2026 that outlines everything players can expect for the remaining seven months of the year. The developers also hint at more content that has yet to be unveiled. [Hidden Content] The main highlights of the 2026 roadmap include: Battle Royale Solos (Season 3)Battle Royale Ranked Play and leaderboards (Season 3)Multiplayer leaderboardsProximity Chat PlatoonsServer BrowserReworked multiplayer mapsNaval Warfare (Season 4) The 2026 roadmap for Battlefield 6. Image via EA Seasons 3, 4, and 5 will all arrive with multiple maps, weapons, and game modes. It's unclear when content like proximity chat, server browser, and Platoons will make their way into Battlefield 6, but you can expect them during any of those three seasons in 2026. Of all the new content planned for the year, the server browser is perhaps the most intriguing feature. At the launch of Battlefield 6, we received Portal for the first time, which essentially replaced the traditional Battlefield server browser. Portal allows players to set up custom servers and create their very own game modes, maps, and sets of rules. You could also earn XP in the matches you played on these custom servers, making it feel more meaningful. While the mode was received well at launch, it quickly devolved into a series of XP farms that players used to level up their weapons and character much faster than intended. Portal servers were also nearly impossible to get into, as thousands of players wanted to play these custom matches to earn easy XP. Now, in 2026, it seems EA is backing down from the idea of Portal altogether. It's unclear whether the planned new server browser will replace Portal or work alongside it, but from the sound of it, the new feature will take priority. We still have to wait and learn more about how the server browser will work in Battlefield 6, but you can expect it to operate similarly to previous games in the franchise. The post Battlefield 6 will introduce a server browser, proximity chat, and more updates in 2026 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
At the Galaxies Showcase that aired today, April 16, Phasmophobia shared one of the biggest announcements it has ever seen. For the first time ever, the ghost-hunting game is getting a collaboration, and it's a massive one that involves a gaming legend. On May 12, a special Alan Wake event will arrive in Phasmophobia, bringing the chilling atmosphere from the world of the iconic crime thriller novelist to the already haunting ghost investigation game. It seems like a truly perfect match made in heaven–or perhaps, hell–as both games center around investigators uncovering dark, supernatural, twisted mysteries. Image via Destructoid This event will introduce a new presence that takes over familiar maps, lurking in the shadows to twist investigations in unique ways players have never before seen. The Dark Place, a supernatural location that's prominent throughout the Alan Wake franchise, will bleed into Phasmophobia, bringing some terrifying new spooks to encounter as the realities of both games bleed into each other. The Alan Wake crossover is a limited-time event, similar to the seasonal events we get each year in Phasmophobia, such as Winter's Jest, Crimson Eye, and Cursed Hollow. The exact gameplay and features of this collaboration event are unknown, though, so we'll have to wait and see as more details are revealed closer to launch. Sam Lake, the Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment, told Destructoid that it was a "thrilling opportunity to bring these two horror worlds together in this dream–or rather, nightmare–collaboration." He also added that the "two twisted worlds" featured in Alan Wake and Phasmophobia "amplify each other perfectly." Daniel Knight, the CEO of Kinetic Games, called this event a "natural crossover," and added that "the way these two worlds overlap has opened up some unsettling possibilities" that bring plenty of exciting new opportunities for players to explore, regardless of whether they're familiar with both games or not. [Hidden Content] A short teaser trailer for this event crossover was also shared alongside the announcement, providing a bit more insight into what we can expect to see when it launches. This trailer mentions the investigator discovering signs of "two worlds colliding," with clues and mysteries strewn around various locations, all of which originate from Alan Wake's writing. The Alan Wake limited-time event officially arrives on May 12. It's unknown how long it'll be around for, but since this is an exclusive collaboration, you'll want to ensure you don't miss out, as it likely won't return in the future. Events usually last at least a month or so, which means there's a decent chance we can expect this one to as well. When the event is released, it'll go live for Phasmophobia across all platforms, offering players everywhere a chance to dive in and uncover the details of this new twisted tale. The post Phasmophobia is getting its first-ever collab—and it’s a perfect fit appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Gaming accessory maker, Turtle Beach has just unveiled their latest headset with the new Stealth Pro II. The new headset is the successor to their Stealth Pro from 2023. The Stealth Pro II features an updated design with the use of aluminum and chrome accents, soft-touch finishes. The headset features a fabric suspension headband with breathable memory foam cushions. [Hidden Content] Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II headset For sound, the Stealth Pro II has 60mm Eclipse dual drivers, along with Dolby Atmos support and Active Noise Cancellation. There’s also Bluetooth 5.3, so you can have dual audio such as your console or PC and your phone. “The Stealth Pro II represents the pinnacle of Turtle Beach gaming audio. The convergence of innovation, form, sonic clarity and comfort makes this, our flagship headset, the absolute new standard by which all other gaming headsets will be judged,” said Cris Keirn, CEO, Turtle Beach. “With Certified Hi-Res Wireless Audio and powerful 60mm Eclipse dual drivers, Stealth Pro II delivers extraordinary sound fidelity that lets gamers hear every detail of the action. And with our CrossPlay 2.0 system, players can seamlessly switch between up to four platforms and devices at the touch of a button. What our teams have achieved here is remarkable. This is the headset that truly bridges the gap between high-performance gaming audio and premium listening.” The headset’s mic is detachable and is unidirectional and will isolate vibrations along with AI-based noise reduction. Battery life is up to 40 hours and the headset comes with a new transmitter charging dock to fast charge the second battery, so you can swap it easily. [Hidden Content] Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II headset The Xbox model of the headset works with Xbox Series X & S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC and Bluetooth devices. The PC model only works with PC, PS5 & PS5 and Bluetooth. [Hidden Content] The Stealth Pro II is available for pre-order today from Turtle Beach’s website for $499 CAD ($349 USD) and it comes in ****** and white colour options. The headset will ship on May 17th. Source: Turtle Beach View the full article
Phasmophobia has rotated through the same handful of seasonal celebrations for years now, but that schedule will see a major shake-up soon. As part of the Twitch Galaxies Showcase, Kinetic Games announced its first-ever collaboration event with another game, Alan Wake 2. Seems fitting enough, Mr. Scratch definitely fits the ****** profile... Read more.View the full article
PlayStation and Sony have been leaning into live-service games for the past few years, and one of them could be another extraction shooter. The PlayStation live-service push has seen its fair share of highs and lows, and if new leaks are true, heist-focused Fairgames could be the company's next addition to the extraction shooter genre. View the full article
Phasmophobia has been slowly ramping up its features and offerings in preparation for the long-awaited 1.0 release, but the announcement of its next upcoming crossover seems like it will blow the previous events out of the water. Although Phasmophobia has already announced a collaboration with Blumhouse to make a full-blown horror film in the past, the latest trailer marks the first time Phasmophobia has offered an in-game collaboration with another horror franchise. View the full article
A new Genshin Impact 6.6 leak has revealed the gameplay kit for Nicole, a new playable character whose arrival has already been confirmed by developer HoYoverse. The popular action RPG has just recently entered Version 6.5, an important patch that is introducing a lore-heavy region, called Dornman Port, to the playable map. The release of Genshin Impact 6.5 also brought forth the possibility of pulling for Linnea, a new Geo support and sub-DPS capable of dealing loads of damage and even healing allies. View the full article
While fans have been enduring a quiet ******* for Battlefield 6 as Season 2 winds down, they woke up to some excellent news about the game’s future today. The Battlefield 6 roadmap for 2026 highlights Seasons 3-5, all of which address common community concerns. View the full article
The Call of Duty movie announced by Activision and Paramount in 2025 is set to come out on June 30—of, uh, 2028. No need to start standing in line just yet, I guess... Read more.View the full article
4A Games has officially revealed Metro 2039, the next mainline entry in its long-running post-apocalyptic franchise and the first core installment since 2019's Metro Exodus. Announced as part of a dedicated showcase, the game confirms recent reports of a sequel while offering a detailed look at its story, tone, and direction. As the fourth major entry in the series, Metro 2039 continues the franchise's focus on a narrative-driven, single-player experience rooted in survival, atmosphere, and immersive world design. View the full article
Following frequent teases and rumors of anAssassin's Creed 4: ****** Flagremake, the upcoming game has finally been revealed through an official Ubisoft platform. Last month, Ubisoft told fans to "keep [their] spyglass on the horizon" and provided a piece of concept art for Assassin's Creed: ****** Flag Resynced, confirming its existence but stopping short of showing the game itself. View the full article
The next major Stellaris update is addressing some much-requested quality-of-life aspects across the space 4X game. Stellaris 4.3.4 is out today, bringing a fresh list of balance changes, stability improvements, and overhauls to the AI for rival empires. With that now in the books, game director Stephen 'Eladrin' Muray and his team at Paradox Interactive are looking towards the future, and the Stellaris 4.4 patch dubbed 'Pegasus.' Among these are some changes that are going into test today, including a redesign for the job selection system. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Stellaris is finally adding a major feature its director has wanted "for a long time" Stellaris is going up in price, Paradox warns ahead of the Steam spring ***** Stellaris 4.3 will "bring things down a notch" with a stat squish, but it could make parts of the 4X game "much harder" View the full article
If you know your basic blade from your Karambit Blue Gem, you'll want to keep up with these new My Knife Farm codes on Roblox. They speed up the time it takes to snag a rare shank. We won't ask what you're doing with a collection of stubby blades, but we'll admit that spinning them on your finger is a neat party trick. Just getting started? My Knife Farm is exactly what it sounds like. Even with the name of the game being open to interpretation, you'll no doubt have the right idea. You farm increasingly rare and expensive knives one way or the other. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Clover Origins codes April 2026 Doom by Fate codes April 2026 Exoria codes April 2026 View the full article
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Ubisoft Montpellier is back, maybeView the full article