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After almost three weeks of community outcry, Blizzard is modifying the drop rates for Mythics in Diablo 4 Season 14. Players had been finding it tough to get Unique Mythics, to the point where many couldn't find any despite farming specifically for them, and now hotfixes are being rolled out to take the edge off. "We've heard your feedback on Season of Death Awakening, including Mythic unique drop rates, equip limits, and more," Dan Tanguay, the design director of live service for Diablo 4, says on the official Blizzard forums, as relayed by Marcus 'Marcoose' Kretz, senior community manager for the Diablo series. "In a patch releasing today, we're increasing the drop rate for Mythics from the Corrupted Reaper boss fight and removing equip limits for Mythic Uniques," he writes. "Additionally, in a patch coming next week, we're adding Superior Lair Keys to the Glints of Hope repeatable cache and increasing the Mythic Tribute drop rates in the Undercity." [Hidden Content] How much the drop rate for the Corrupted Reaper battle increases will need to be tested, but seeing as numerous players have gotten exactly zero uniques from that encounter, things can really only go up. Letting people equip more than one is helpful as well – you can only have one crafted Mythic at a time currently, significantly reducing the options for any given build. His post was made on July 16, yesterday at time of writing, meaning it should be live and available to you whenever you boot up Diablo 4 next. A fan on Reddit amusingly told others they can now "re-install Diablo 4," since a few had commented they were ostensibly avoiding this season due to what was happening with Mythics. The second patch Tanguay mentioned should massage out further problems, too. "Seasons are where we experiment with new ideas and push Diablo 4 in new directions," he finishes. "Not every idea lands exactly as intended, but we’ll continue listening to your feedback, addressing what’s not working, and applying those lessons to future seasonal updates." Diablo 4's Overwatch crossover skins have been revealed and they are completely cursed: "Mercy looks like a 90-year-old grandma." [/url]View the full article

Pokémon Winds and Waves is making a real splash right now with several exciting new leaks surfacing for the upcoming release. Though the game's launch is still a ways off, Winds and Waves is already shaping up to be one of the franchise's biggest generational leaps yet. The 10th-generation adventure transports players to a sprawling tropical archipelago inspired by Southeast Asia, featuring lush jungles, volcanic islands, bustling coastal cities, and expansive underwater environments to explore. View the full article

New Slay the Spire 2 patch notes have just hit the roguelike deckbuilder's beta branch, with key Ancient relics and class cards nerfed. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Slay the Spire 2 makes painful but necessary nerfs, and some scary buffs, in a big new balance overhaul View the full article

Bohemia Interactive say DayZ Badlands is the largest expansion so far for the popular open-world zombie survival game. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

As Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced players beg Edward to put his pipe away, Ubisoft has confirmed it's looking into it. The remake of the title many people consider the best Assassin's Creed game is unsurprisingly pretty well liked, with it being the fourth-highest-rated game in the series – it even saw the biggest Steam launch in the series' history. But the biggest complaint with the game itself – well, aside from the gross $80 DLC and it being briefly unplayable over the first weekend on PC, but those aren't as funny – has been Edward's pipe. For whatever reason, the blowpipe weapon in Assassin's Creed ****** Flag has been moved for its Resynced return. As far back as months before the game launched, fans picked up on the weird positioning of the weapon, and players have been asking for a toggle to make the blowpipe invisible until you need to use it. Speaking with YouTuber JorRaptor, Richard Knight – game director on Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced – acknowledges the complaints about the weapon. When JorRaptor mentions that players are looking for a way to hide it, Knight explains, "I'm not sure this is official yet," but "one of our most senior programmers is working on it right now." He adds, "The feeling is mutual. I have a feeling it's coming soon." [Hidden Content] As for why it wasn't there from the get go, Knight says: "I wish it was just a magical feature that just was there the moment it started, but it's just because of the way characters are set up." He explains, "Somebody has to do setup to make this specific part of the character just disappear only when this specific setting is enabled, which you know we need to do." So while nothing is "official" yet, you can rest easy knowing you'll be able to have Edward sans blowpipe soon. If you're yet to set sail in Ubisoft's new remake, be sure to check out our Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced review. [/url]View the full article

Rockstar Games' open worlds are humungous affairs full of things to buy, shoot, collect, rob, and do. Although with games as lush and extravagant as Red Dead Redemption and GTA 5, it might surprise you to learn that Rockstar Games is actually quite restrained, and the developer cuts a lot of content before passing the finish line. That's according to former GTA 5 producer John Ricchio, who recently told Kiwi Talkz about how the Grand Theft Auto developer trims the **** on its mammoth games. "There was so much stuff in GTA, particularly GTA 5 – oh my god, there was so much stuff that was like done," he says in the interview. "Like, minigames that were completely done and ready to go, except for like animation, right?" [Hidden Content] Minigames were allegedly binned because "the animation team were getting destroyed," and there was "so much animation work to do to bring everything to the same level" in a game as large as GTA 5 "that we had to cut stuff that was otherwise completely done." There simply wasn't enough time on the calendar to have everything meet the same level of quality. Ricchio was often told by fellow developers that sweeping cuts are just "'a thing that happens, you know, because the game is so big – GTAs are always gigantic.'" Rockstar leaders wouldn't hesitate to bin larger parts of the game, either: "They'll throw out entire levels and they'll throw out entire things because they don't have enough resources to get everything to the same level." Major cuts were sometimes "hard to deal with" for the dedicated developers who had been working on features or levels or minigames for a "really long time," especially when everyone on the team was happy with the cut work. "It wasn't like they went into DLC or anything… They just disappeared," Ricchio adds. But he also acknowledges that such cuts are part of working under a "large production" like Rockstar Games, and it's sometimes for the best. "Every decision can't be made by everyone," he says, and when a developer's headcount stretches as wide as Rockstar's, there'll inevitably be decisions that not everyone will agree on. According to another ex-developer, an entire single-player Agent Trevor DLC was abruptly scrapped after the dizzying success of GTA Online. Rockstar Universe also lists all of the games' supposed cut content, mostly based on glimpses of features from old trailers that never made it into the finished product. GTA 5 is still selling millions a year, letting Rockstar do whatever it wants with GTA 6: analyst estimates 1.8 million just on PS5 in 2026. [/url]View the full article

Bandwagon is a bullet heaven survivors-lite (that's a new one?) that takes the genre in a fun new direction with music and you restoring joy to the world. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Clockwork Revolution isn't going to feature an overly annoying companion, thankfully, with inXile Entertainment founder and Fallout veteran Brian Fargo confirming as much. We've all played games with less-than-ideal companions. From too much hand-holding to generally pesky personalities, there's no shortage of qualities that can make gameplay a bit of a slog to get through. The Legend of Zelda immediately springs to mind for me, with the ever-loathed (and beloved) Navi, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's Myles Mackenzie, the notoriously annoying sidekick of protagonist Samus. Much to the gaming community's delight, however, Clockwork Revolution won't feature a companion that makes you want to connect your head with the desk – Fargo, studio head and game producer, reassures us of this in a new online post. "Been getting questions about the companion in Clockwork Revolution. Rest assured: I LOATHE companions that point out the obvious because they think players are dumb," he writes. "Ours only speaks when it knows something you couldn't or has something genuinely funny to say. Kept rare on purpose. Hoping by the end you say, 'I wish she talked more, not less.'" That'd certainly be the day, eh? Been getting questions about the companion in Clockwork Revolution. Rest assured: I LOATHE companions that point out the obvious because they think players are dumb. Ours only speaks when it knows something you couldn't or has something genuinely funny to say. Kept rare on…July 16, 2026 As for why Fargo and fellow developers at inXile chose to make their companion (presumably Prentice, the flying, foul-mouthed automaton described by publisher Xbox Game Studios last month) that way, basically, it has to do with retro games and how Fargo feels they treated their players. "My philosophy goes all the way back to the '80s," as he explains in response to a fan agreeing that they're "so tired" of spoiler-laden companions. "Even when the audience was truly younger than today, we always treated them with intelligence, and we never regretted doing so." That makes a lot of sense – and explains why older games feel more "difficult" in contrast. I'm personally thrilled to learn Prentice won't be as hand-holdy, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see just how far that goes when Clockwork Revolution releases in 2027. Time-bending RPG from Fallout veteran has choices that "take a long time to catch up with you." [/url]View the full article

DIEATHLON is a retro-styled shooter that's not just another boomer shooter, as you're racing down a mountain on skis as you attempt to survive. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Infinity Ward has hit back at claims the new Gunsmith for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 features an AI chatbot. Modern Warfare 4's Gunsmith includes Gunny, a new feature designed to help players quickly create builds based on their playstyle and unlocked attachments. Infinity Ward has said it features weapon builds developed by the studio's Weapons Team, and can instantly configure close-, mid-, or long-range builds tailored to different approaches to combat. In a blog post, Activision said Gunny “brings a Gunnery Sergeant’s eye to weapon customization.” The new feature hit the headlines after a screenshot of Modern Warfare 4 showing the new Gunsmith user interface went viral on social media. In the image, we see Gunny "speak" to the player via text reminiscent of the kind of dialogue we’re now used to seeing from the likes of ChatGPT. “Hello, I can help you build a weapon when you have more attachments unlocked,” Gunny says. “Keep leveling your weapon.” You can press RT to access Gunny from Gunsmith. Fans picked up on this immediately and expressed concern, with some joking it that Gunny was Call of Duty’s take on Microsoft's animated paperclip assistant, Clippy. “Genuinely what’s one upside to having an AI help build your gun,” asked one fan. “Some responses were particularly aggressive. “If you’re allowed to chat with Gunny, I’m exclusively telling it to shoot itself in the face,” one person said. “You cannot go literally anywhere in the digital world without these ********* shoving this useless s**t down our throats.” Infinity Ward stepped in when former Call of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope joined the complaints in a post on X / Twitter: “They got an AI chatbot in the game now to help mfs with their loadouts as if it’s not the same s**t used every year.” That, it seems, was enough to spark Infinity Ward into action. In a reply, the developer insisted Gunny offers developer-tuned setups for quick loadout swaps between matches. “Wrong (again.)” Infinity Ward said. “Gunny is hand crafted by our developers, not AI. It recommends builds based on the attachments you’ve unlocked for each weapon. It helps make quick loadout changes between matches. “Give it a shot in the Beta.” As you can probably gather by Infinity Ward’s “wrong (again),” response, there’s a bit of needle between Activision and TheGhostOfHope. TheGhostOfHope is well known in the Call of Duty community for leaks, some of which Activision has called out as wrong in the past. For example, in February, TheGhostOfHope claimed that “sources” had indicated that Activision planned to launch a standalone Zombies game. That claim prompted an official response from the Call of Duty account, which poured cold water on the “leak.” “The rumor factory working overtime. This ain’t it,” the account said. Then, in March, Activision demanded TheGhostOfHope stop releasing confidential information about the series, insisting that even when leaks are wrong they cause problems. TheGhostOfHope agreed, although has continued to comment on Call of Duty generally. While Gunny may not be an AI chatbot exactly, Activision has come under fire in the past for its use of AI in the Call of Duty series. The games company used generative AI to build in-game assets for both ****** Ops 6 and 7, and was called out by fans for ****** Ops 6’s infamous six-fingered zombie Santa. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5 and PC via Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2 on Friday, October 23, 2026. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article

Making money in GTA Online has basically always been a game of whack-a-mole, with players finding the latest and greatest trick, and Rockstar promptly shutting the loophole down. With Grand Theft Auto 6 on the horizon, Rockstar has decided to nerf heists, which were one of the most popular ways to make a good buck in Los Santos... Read more.View the full article

Fortnite will soon be rolling out its plan to add AI-generated voices to its non-playable characters (NPCs). Epic Games has announced that it has now added “consistent voices and personas” to 36 existing Fortnite characters when they’re used as NPCs, and says more will come over time. This means if the characters are encountered in the game, they will now speak to the player in an AI-generated voice. Read More... View the full article

Longstanding RTS series Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War has been around for over twenty years now, and with the next edition, Dawn of War IV, coming soon we’re really excited to see how it keeps evolving and moving forward. It’s a series known for featuring much loved and battle hardened characters from the various factions […]View the full article

When Konami revealed back in February that it's finally making a new Castlevania, the teaser trailer's art and color palette was so reminiscent of the Netflix anime series that it seemed possible the game was actually using the show's designs, or at least had gotten a little love from the folks at Powerhouse Animation. In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Konami confirmed there's no explicit continuity between the show and the new game, but the similarity was certainly intentional... Read more.View the full article

After the usual silence we've come to expect from Valve on everything, they gave a short blog post on the upcoming MvM update for Team Fortress 2. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Being a teenager with a Game Boy Advance and a Nintendo DS in the early 2000s was a wonderful time, because almost every year, there was a new Castlevania game to sink my fangs into. But after Order of Ecclesia in 2008, that never-ending stream of some of the best 2D platforming and exploration in gaming history dried up, and we’ve now somehow gone 18 years without a proper 2D Castlevania. Yes, 2D Castlevania’s Absence is old enough to vote now. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the many Castlevanias I’ve played, it’s that Dracula’s resurrection is inevitable, eventually. Enter Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, a much-welcome brand-new entry in the storied series. And in even better news, it’s developed by the team behind Dead Cells. I got to play through the first three-ish hours at a recent preview event, and based on my early impressions, it's shaping up to be a return worth waiting for. To set the stage, Belmont’s Curse takes place 23 years after the events of Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse, and serves as a direct follow-up to that story – which is also what the fantastic Netflix Castlevania anime is largely based on. The game begins with a summons for Trevor Belmont to head to Paris, which has been ravaged by an unknown force that has flooded the streets with monsters, turned the moon blood red, and left the city in utter chaos. Despite sensing the likely trap, Trevor makes his way to the City of Light, but not alone. He’s joined by his daughter, Rose, who is eager to continue the family legacy of hunting monsters and vampires. My first thought as soon as I picked up the controller was "Yep, this definitely feels like Castlevania by way of Dead Cells." My first thought as soon as I picked up the controller was, “Yep, this definitely feels like Castlevania by way of Dead Cells.” That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s quite good. There’s a certain fluidity to Rose’s movement and animation that immediately felt reminiscent of controlling The Beheaded from Dead Cells, minus the ability to quickly shoot to the ground by holding down and pressing jump while in the air. Rose can swing her weapon in front, above, and below her, much like in Dead Cells, while also having access to a quick forward dash to dodge under projectiles or reposition herself behind an enemy, along with a backdash to quickly move out of the way of incoming attacks. Cool Whip Of course, the whip has always been the defining weapon of the Belmont clan, and it is a core element of Rose’s kit as well, though surprisingly, not as a direct combat tool. Instead, the whip can be used to swing from grapple points to reach new heights, and to pull yourself towards enemies and quickly close the distance. My favorite aspect of the whip, though, is that if you press the attack button while you’re pulling yourself towards an enemy, you’ll execute a grapple attack, which varies greatly depending on which of the seven types of weapons you’re wielding. The starting longsword’s grapple attack allows you to slash through enemies, dealing good damage and keeping your forward momentum, allowing you to chain multiple grapples and cross lengthy gaps. Doing a grapple attack with the Cestus equipped, meanwhile, will execute a shoryuken-like uppercut that will launch enemies up into the air for air combos. Then you have the greatsword, which performs a hugely damaging AOE-focused spinning attack. I love the fact that every single weapon has a unique charged attack, grapple attack, and basic moveset, giving you plenty of incentive to experiment with your arsenal and find the right tool for the job. Tools of the Trade Weapons aren’t the only thing you’ll be able to experiment with, either. Like in Hollow Knight, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and other modern Metroidvanias, you can also find and equip up to three relics, which provide powerful passive bonuses. These are usually reserved as rewards for completing difficult optional challenges, like a tricky platforming section or a lengthy combat encounter, and even in my brief hands-on time so far, they have proven to be well worth the trouble of seeking them out. Finally, since Rose is the daughter of both Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, she’s equally skilled in both weaponry and magic (that is how genetics works, right?). As such, she can also find and equip a variety of spells, known as Arcana. In my demo, these spells were always rewards for defeating a major boss, with me gaining one of the boss’s core abilities. Defeating The Fallen rewarded me with the Holy Cross boomerang, besting Joan of Arc gave me her ground explosion attack, and taking down Medusa granted me her petrification beam. Each of these Arcana could be improved by completing various Achievement-like challenges called “Works of Mercy.” For the Holy Cross, for example, I had to find three different whip-type weapons, kill five enemies with one Holy Cross throw, or kill 10 enemies with a whip attack. Completing a Work of Mercy rewards you with a point that you can spend on a variety of upgrades for that specific Arcana. Again using the Holy Cross as an example, I could upgrade it so that I could throw two crosses out a time, make the cross deal more damage the farther away from me it got, or refund 10% of the mana cost for every enemy it hit, up to 60%, if I caught the cross on the way back. What’s great is that these upgrades were actually interesting and affected the way I used the Arcana, rather than just being simply higher damage numbers, a straight up lower mana cost, or quicker rate of use. Skeleton Crew The rogue’s gallery of enemies will no doubt be familiar to any long time Castlevania fan. I went up against zombies that rose up from the ground, the classic medusa heads that like to fly in from the side of the screen and move in a predictable wavy pattern, red skeletons that would eventually revive after being killed, and plenty of gargoyles. Castlevania games have typically varied substantially in terms of their difficulty, and thus far, Belmont’s curse has fallen somewhere in the middle of the pack. These first few hours certainly were no cakewalk, and I definitely had my fair share of deaths against some of the tankier and harder hitting enemies, but checkpoints are generously spaced, you now have three health-restoring flasks that get refilled when you pass said generously spaced checkpoints, and unlike most modern Metroidvanias/soulslikes, there’s no real penalty upon death outside of enemies respawning and you getting placed back at the nearest checkpoint. The bosses were no pushovers either. My favorite of the bunch was Medusa, which had me swinging between two sides of the boss arena to avoid her flailing tail and arms, and then quickly ducking down behind a rock when she used her screen-covering petrifying gaze. Opportunities to deal damage were brief and I had to make sure I made the most of every chance I got. It was a fun fight that made good use of Rose’s mobility options, rewarded pattern recognition, and required quick reflexes without being too demanding, especially for an early boss. Overall, I had an absolute blast with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. The art and animation are absolutely gorgeous; combat is fun and dynamic with plenty of room to carve out your own personal playstyle thanks to the variety of weapons, Arcana, and relics; exploration was appropriately rewarding and there were plenty of secrets hidden within the cracked walls of the Parisian streets; and the bosses provided a nice challenge without ever feeling too overwhelming for how early I was in the game. The real star of the show though, is the whip, which enabled a very unique style of acrobatic combat that gives Belmont’s Curse its own unique feel and identity in the increasingly crowded Metroidvania genre. If the Dead Cells veterans at Evil Empire can build upon what’s already here and keep up this same quality of level, enemy, and boss design throughout the entire campaign, we could have a return to Castlevania that’s more than worthy of standing next to the all-time greats of the series. Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit View the full article

The first Brigador game from Stellar Jockeys was fantastic for stomping around blowing everything up - and Brigador Killers looks much ******* and better. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

aand relax... Read more.View the full article

Valve released SteamVR Beta version 2.17.4 which brings more Steam features into the VR environment, as they continue preparing for the Steam Frame release. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Castlevania Belmont’s Curse is a Metroidvania with a capital Vania 'V'. It’s the first proper Castlevania game in 12 years, and a proud 2D action graduate of the Symphony of the Night school of design – not only one of the best Metroidvania games, but the one that set the blueprint for hundreds of replicas, establishing the genre. Thousands of Metroidvania have followed in Symphony of the Night's wake, with a surge in indie popularity following 2014's Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 – the most recent game in the series. So, how do you bring the originator back into a space that’s now overcrowded with imitators? Whipped into shape (Image credit: Konami) Key info Developer: Evil Empire, Konami Publisher: Konami Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2 Release date: October 15, 2026 This question stays at the forefront of my mind for approximately 10 seconds as I settle in to play the first 3 hours of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. But any thoughts about the weight of the franchise's genre-defining legacy quickly fade, replaced by one singular obsession: the Vampire Killer whip. When will I get the whip? Where do I get the whip? Will the whip feel as good as it looks? Every second I spend without the whip is agony. Hooks dangle tantalizingly from the ceilings, begging to be traversed, but remain out of reach to my bare beginner hands. I find myself galvanized, utterly fixated on claiming this weapon, a wry smile creeping across my face as the obsession takes hold. You see – this feeling, that gnawing sense of desire, is quintessential Castlevania. (Image credit: Konami) Few series understand the power of longing quite like Castlevania. Whether it's a weapon, a spell, a trapped item, an inaccessible path, or simply the relief of the next save point, these dense, Gothic labyrinths have a particular talent for making the player truly, deeply want things. And I want that whip. As Rose Belmont, the daughter of Trevor Belmont and magician Sypha Belnades, I storm, whip-less, through the blood-soaked streets of Paris until I meet the first proper boss in the game: The Fallen. He throws a large Holy Cross my way, it spins and ricochets against the walls, and every fiber in my being tells me to jump. But, then what? In a thoughtless moment of frustration on my fifth attempt, I slice the Holy Cross. A ********* of surprise and satisfaction ripples through my mind, because in true Castlevania fashion: the less likely option has been rewarded. Cleaved by his own cross, The Fallen is now down to his second phase, gripping me within his far-reaching whip, or using it to swing between walls. It’s difficult to get close enough to land a hit on him in this phase, and the fight is admittedly very challenging for a first boss. Few series understand the power of longing quite like Castlevania. But alas, the greater the trial, the finer the weapon earned. It would be an insult for the Vampire Killer whip to be wielded by an enemy less fierce. (Image credit: Konami) As with all truly great bosses, I breathe a sigh of both relief and dismay upon defeating them. Glad that the stress of his second phase is over, but sad that I’m no longer fully absorbed in the all-consuming tension and rhythm of the fight. But most importantly, I finally get my hands on the Vampire Whip. And it absolutely rules. There are few moments in life where the catch lives up to the chase, but this weapon is one of them. It’s a sheer joy to use from the moment it’s equipped. I traverse new aerial routes via the hooks, swinging upwards through the vertical climbs with fluid motion. I whip onto enemies, using their positioning to access unreachable areas. This is a weapon that works in harmony with an inquisitive mind – experiment with it and you’ll be amazed at what it can do. When in Paris (Image credit: Konami) Wayfinding is intuitive in Belmont’s Curse, with exploration rewarded as the vast city of Paris gradually opens up around you in a non-linear map. With a setting as cool as 15th-century Paris, Konami would have been fools to confine the game to a single castle. Instead, there are beautiful gothic streets and catacombs to roam, alongside burning, imposing buildings to climb. The city's architecture, with its lofty, monumental landmarks, complements the verticality of the game beautifully. Long stretches of vertical traversal feel exploratory rather than repetitive, as sweeping rooftop views of Paris unfurl around you. Boasting a striking 2.5D art style, Belmont’s Curse is a feast for the eyes. But it doesn’t really look like a Castlevania game. Its solid slabs of colour and cartoony animations lack the rich, gothic detail I associate with the series. From an aesthetic standpoint the game has far more in common with Dead Cells. (Image credit: Konami) I was wondering which aspects of developer Evil Empire would shine through in Belmont’s Curse, and turns out: it’s not the roguelike gameplay, it’s the art style. Belmont's Curse may wear the stylish clothes of Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia, but it doesn't play the same way at all. The shared ground between these Evil Empire games is predominantly the visuals. I appreciate that Konami and Evil Empire are willing to push Castlevania forward with a fresh feeling character. While the bolder look is a swerve of direction that will take some adjusting for longstanding Castlevania fans like myself, it is fitting for a game series that recently had a huge hit animated show on Netflix. The game and TV series clearly share a visual identity, which makes sense considering that Belmont’s Curse will be many fans’ first Castlevania game after binging the likes of Castlevania: Nocture. Growing up loving a game series the way I love Castlevania, it’s hard not to get bogged down in nostalgia. My eyebrows shot up with skepticism when I began moving around as Rose Belmont. She feels so different. Easily the most agile protagonist the series has ever seen. But, stepping away from the blueprint doesn’t mean losing what made the series great. In fact, I appreciate that Konami and Evil Empire are willing to push Castlevania forward with a fresh feeling character rather than opting for the more rigid, familiar style of movement. (Image credit: Konami) Rose is an absolute joy to control, with a nimble moveset that lets her slide behind enemies, vault through the environment, and wall-jump her way across the streets of Paris. Alongside her trusty whip, Rose wields the Arcana System, a magical toolkit powered by enchanted tarot cards gifted to her by her late mother, Sypha Belnades. Defeating powerful foes allows Rose to seal their essence into these cards, transforming them into Arcana that grant new abilities. These powers can range from devastating, screen-clearing spells to subtle enhancements that completely reshape how she approaches combat and exploration, making every new card feel like a meaningful expansion of her arsenal. Belmont’s Curse carries all the grace and elegance of the Castlevania series in an excitingly different way. Yes, it’s back to a 2D action adventure world, but it’s back to anything but basics. It’s a tricky tightrope to walk: keeping old Castlevania game fans happy whilst simultaneously pleasing a new, modern audience derived from Netflix. There are plenty of nods to both to appease fans. But, the core of Castlevania is preserved here, with its beloved SotN-style gameplay of tight combat, intriguing exploration, and arcane spells. And I’m thankful for that: I’d much rather Belmont’s Curse play like a Castlevania game than just look like one. Want to hop in? Check out our where to start with Castelvania tips! [/url]View the full article

We test Star Ocean The Second Story R on Switch 2 to see how it looks and runs compared to the Switch 1, PS5, PS4, and PC versions. View the full article

A new RPG release is on the horizon, mixing elements from both Final Fantasy and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it already looks extremely promising if you consider its original source material. Games that are great and popular, such as the two aforementioned ones, tend to serve as inspiration for following titles. For example, there’s a new upcoming RPG inspired by Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem, and it will arrive in August this year. View the full article

SteamOS 3.8.16 has just been released for all users with the following changes: General Reverted a change from 3.8.15 resulting in some titles showing a blank screen. The Assassin's Creed ****** Flag Resynced HDR fix will be available in Beta while the root cause is investigated. View the full article

After years of waiting, Kingdom Hearts is finally entering a new chapter, and excitement surrounding the franchise's return is at an all-time high. Ever since Kingdom Hearts 4 was officially unveiled, fans have been eagerly scouring for clues about where Sora's next adventure will lead and how the mysterious Lost Master Arc will unfold. View the full article

Richard Knight, director of Assassin’s Creed ****** Flag Resynced, explained why Edward Kenway is missing some of his most beloved fighting moves — and why fans shouldn’t lose hope that they’ll never come back. ****** Flag Resynced features a whole host of differences from its predecessor, the most glaring of which are combat-related. For instance, Resynced gave enemies visible health bars and a defense bar, which players need to break before they can deal any damage. Resynced reworked the OG’s counter chain-kill system, which allowed players to breeze through groups of enemies with almost hilarious ease — not to mention the huge host of weapons, including muskets and hidden daggers, that players could choose from to end their opponents in endlessly creative ways. Speaking with YouTuber JorRaptor, Knight explained why the team eschewed this style in favor of dual cutlasses, saying all those extra animation flourishes for so many different weapons and kills were simply lower on their priority list. "During development, if you looked at Edward — he's so powerful right now and has so many tools, and so we prioritized core combat because we needed to nail that,” he said. "Something like throwing weapons, while it's cool, it's just like, ‘He already has ten ways to kill somebody.’ So, given the cost to reinvent the feature and rebuild it from the ground up with today's characters, rigs, and animations, there's a lot more that goes into it. It was just lower-priority for us." That being said, King assured the community that they’re paying attention to feedback. "We can't make any promises [but] we're listening to the community. We're interested in what people want the most.” ****** Flag Resynced was met with high praise from fans and has proved an extremely profitable venture for Ubisoft, with its day-one DLC earning $1 million on Steam, alone on the back of two million copies sold on the first day alone. Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze. View the full article