The narrative that 'all new shooters are doomed' simply isn't true - fresh blood is always welcome and can prosper if it manages to offer fans of the best FPS games something unique. Built by former Battlefield and Helldivers 2 devs, Heart Electric is doing just that, combining the hero shooter vibes of Overwatch, some slick movement mechanics, and four-team showdowns. If games like The Finals, Apex Legends, and of course Overwatch 2 are your bag, it's certainly one to watch. And you'll be able to try it soon, too: Heart Electric's new playtest kicks off this Friday, but if you're speedy, there's still time to get your name down. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Ex Helldivers 2 devs' new tactical FPS is like all my favorite shooters combined Ex Battlefield and Helldivers 2 devs unveil new FPS game, with a twist View the full article
With the "Advanced Access Beta" finally confirmed, one of the biggest question marks over FM 26 and its handheld compatibility may have been answered, or at least hinted at, thanks to a new interview with Sports Interactive studio head Miles Jacobson. The FM 26 system requirements take a considerable jump up compared to previous installments, but aren't entirely out of reach for the Steam Deck. Confirmation of a 2D match engine certainly helps the handheld, but it is comments made by Miles in an interview with Football Manager YouTuber, WorkTheSpace, that have us wondering if support is coming for the best handheld gaming PC. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Is FM26 Steam Deck compatible? FM26 system requirements Football Manager 26 shares first look at new gameplay, and it was worth the wait View the full article
You've heard me talk about Steam Next Fest before, right? You read my mini-preview of Legend of Khiimori, the game that basically turned me into a Horse Guy. You understand how I always try to champion independent creativity and give a pedestal to developers who might not otherwise get the mainstream coverage. I'm always looking for the next title to add to our list of the best indie games, and Next Fest is usually the place to spot them. Unfortunately, the October 2025 edition was plagued by games that utilized AI generation, with over 500 demos disclosing the use of generative AI in their development. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: When is the next Steam *****? New Steam study alleges that Valve's store is home to extreme right-wing "wars" Grab a free Steam gift card, thanks to MSI View the full article
Our annual Top 100 games list was published this week—a monumental undertaking that involved more than 30 writers and editors debating, discussing, pleading and even putting on presentations to sway colleagues. We are very tired. But that might also have something to do with the fact that we spend so much time playing massive RPGs.. Read more.View the full article
IO Interactive's Christian Elverdam and Matthias Engstrøm talk 25 years of Hitman, level design, and crafting a World of AssassinationView the full article
Previously only available in VR, THRASHER is the mind-melting follow-up to Thumper and it's confirmed to arrive on Steam on November 7th. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
There’s plenty going on in Crimson Desert’s open world. From puzzles to castle sieges to blowing up enemies with a battle robot, there’s a wide range of activities to get stuck into. But from what we’ve seen so far, the real show stoppers are the boss battles. As part of this month’s IGN First, we’ve already shown you two new ones: the Golden Star mechanical dragon, and Fortain, The Cursed Knight. But there’s still more to see. Today, we’re showcasing three brand new bosses: Muskan, Walter Lanford, and Kearush the Slayer. You can see protagonist Kliff duke it out with all three in the video above. The trio demonstrates a chunk of Crimson Desert’s enemy scale – Walter Lanford and Muskan are both human, but the former is pretty regular in size, while the latter is an eight-foot powerhouse. And then there’s Kearush, a massive, gorilla-like beast who's actually one of Crimson Desert’s smaller monsters. Those “weight categories” help distinguish each boss, but each is defined by their ability set. Muskan is a fierce pugilist, only providing you a few seconds of reprieve while he charges up his powerful punches and dive kicks. He’s not afraid to fight a little dirty, with sweeping kicks knocking your legs from under you, and choke slams sending you sputtering to the floor. When his fury meter maxes out, he’s able to unleash a chain of blows that repeatedly launch you into the air, so learning how to avoid his lighting-fast fists is the name of the game. Walter Landford may be no ******* than you are, but he’s arguably the most sophisticated of the three bosses we’re showing today. Armed with a shotgun, he’s able to fight effectively at range. Dodging the wide-spread projectiles is key, but get your timing right and you can actually deflect his blasts back at him. Should your reflexes not be quite that sharp, you can spin up a magic barrier that collects incoming bullets and fires them back where they came from. Walter’s weak to grapples, so getting in close is vital – thankfully you can use the “deflect light” skill, typically used to find hidden items, to temporarily blind him and close the distance. You’ll need to act fast, though, as Walter’s armed with smoke grenades that can help conceal his rapid getaways. Finally, Kearush the Slayer is a monster with no less than three health bars - a fight-extending trick that multiple foes across Crimson Desert’s campaign can pull. There’s a Hulk-like intensity to this fight, with Kearush being able to climb the walls and unleash clumsy-but-destructive leaps in his attempt to turn every bone in your body to dust. As a larger creature, you’re able to clamber onto his back and stab away, Dragon’s Dogma-style, but be careful - he’s more than happy to fall back-first from a great height, so let go of those shoulders before you’re forced to cushion his landing. All three of these fights only reinforce my feeling that the bosses are going to be the real stars of the show in Crimson Desert. Every one I’ve faced so far across multiple hands-on opportunities has had a unique twist, a clever mechanic, or simply an exciting moveset that kept me on my toes. I’ve fought a powerful knight who I crushed with fallen masonry columns. I’ve faced off against an antlered snow beast who could cause avalanches that froze me in my tracks. And I’ve clambered up the side of a giant walking mountain, Shadow of the Colossus-style, seeking out its weak points in a battle of endurance. And I hope these are only just the start. I can’t wait to see what Crimson Desert’s most ambitious showdowns are made of. Matt Purslow is IGN's Executive Editor of Features. View the full article
The Outlast Trials from Red Barrels has a huge new update out now that brings in a PvP invasion mode, and there's also now anti-cheat added into the game. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
There's no shortage of tough challenges in the new hit indie roguelike Megabonk, and unfortunately, there's no way to get some of the game's best weapons and items if you don't complete them. One challenge in particular is certain to give you a hard time, and it's necessary to access the Corrupted Sword, one of the strongest weapons available. View the full article
s a great duck once said: the better part of valor is quacking back off where you came from. Especially poignant advice for the latest hot extraction shooter because it's actually way easier to extract in Escape From Duckov than you'll initially realize. I won't bury the lede here: you can extract in Duckov by returning to the bunker entrance... Read more.View the full article
The newest indie game sensation of 2025 is the recently released survival roguelite BALL x PIT, one of the year's most surprising and addictive releases. There's been a wave of incredible indie games this year, from Hollow Knight: Silksong to Megabonk to Blue Prince, with BALL x PIT launching to over 300,000 units sold in its first week. View the full article
Thrasher will launch its remastered edition in two weeks on Steam with visual updates, a new game mode, and more. Released on Quest and Apple Vision Pro last year, Thrasher is a cosmic action racer that tasks you with controlling a space eel through obstacle-filled levels, and we previously named it our favorite Apple Vision Pro game of 2024. Following last month's PC VR demo release, developer Puddle confirmed its reaching Steam on November 7. As detailed last month, Thrasher's remastered Steam release promises improved visuals compared to standalone platforms. Puddle states the new PC VR controls are more responsive too, letting you pick either controllers or hand tracking support. There's also an optional flatscreen mode on PC with gamepad and mouse controls, alongside Steam Deck compatibility at 90 FPS. Other changes include a new Play+ mode that aims to provide a harder challenge for advanced players, while Time Trials test your speed at clearing levels with no combo bonuses. It's unknown if these modes will eventually come to Quest or Apple Vision Pro, and we've contacted Puddle to clarify. If we learn anything new, we'll update this article accordingly. Thrasher is out now on Quest and Apple Vision Pro, while the Steam version will follow on November 7. View the full article
Former Bethesda designer Bruce Nesmith has been dropping a lot of takes recently, and the newest interview reveals his thoughts on Starfield. Nesmith has a long history of creating RPGs, ranging from writing Dungeons & Dragons modules to working as the lead designer for the Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. While he departed Bethesda before the release of Starfield, he worked as systems designer during most of its development. View the full article
UTOPIA MUST FALL is absolutely one of the best arcade-styled base defense games made in modern times, and now it's massively better with a new update. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
Call of Duty's spooky seasonal event The Haunting continues with a new set of limited time rewards themed around slasher icons Jason and Chucky. ****** Ops 6's limited time event Tapes of Terror begins on Oct. 23, and there's up to 10 rewards players can earn simply by playing the game. These VHS Video Tapes are inspired by films like Friday the 13th and Child's Play, where Jason and Chucky respectively are popping out of in the appropriately-set 1990s era of BO6. Here are all of the rewards you can earn in BO6 Tapes of Terror, including a special animated weapon camo. Table of contentsHow to get Video Tapes in BO6 Tapes of Terror****** Ops 6: Tapes of Terror event rewardsMastery Reward: Zombies Reel animated camoHow to get Video Tapes in BO6 Tapes of Terror To earn Video Tapes in Tapes of Terror, eliminate enemies in BO6 multiplayer or Zombies, or open loot caches in Warzone. The Video Tapes will drop on the ground and you can pick them up to add them to your collection, and then trade them in for rewards. ****** Ops 6: Tapes of Terror event rewards Image via Activision RewardCostOne hour double XP token5 Video TapesOne hour double weapon XP token5 Video Tapes3x Wall to Wall Clearance GobbleGums10 Video GapesSkeleton popcorn emblem10 Video Tapes"Flesh is Mine!" Legendary calling card15 Video Tapes"Wraithful Pursuer" loading screen20 Video Tapes"Get It Off!" Legendary emote30 Video Tapes"Scavvy" operator skin for Alvarez60 Video TapesMastery Reward: Zombies Reel animated camo Screenshot by Destructoid Once all eight of the above rewards are claimed, you unlock the Zombies Reel animated camo. There's also a BlackCell version of the camo if you own this season's BlackCell Battle Pass. Tapes of Terror begins at 12pm CT on Oct. 23. Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches! The post All challenges and rewards in BO6 Tapes of Terror event appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
It's almost that time of year when we in America roll the clocks back and sit in darkness for the majority of the day for several months. Welcome back (in a couple weeks), Standard Time. You *****. Waking up in darkness and then eating dinner in darkness isn't fun, and it brings about the very real and understandable affliction of seasonal depression for millions of people. Image via Mojang Studios And you know what, Standard Time? Your sort-of-equivalent sucks in games, too. It's not exactly the same thing at all, but the upcoming and impending darkness has me thinking about how day/night cycles in games really bug me. For full disclosure, I thought up the idea for this piece while in a rage after losing a Pokémon after the game transitioned from day to night. Every time that happens in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a mini cutscene plays, and then you're given control again. The Pokémon I was attempting to catch disappeared because certain monsters only show up depending on the time of day. I was livid. I've calmed down now (I'm an adult, mind you), but I've been dwelling on how I really don't like these sorts of mechanics in games – and I never have. I think of games like Minecraft or Stardew Valley, where you're basically on a timer to get stuff done during the day before all hell breaks loose at night, and it irks me. It's why I've never been able to get fully immersed in Stardew. I already feel like I'm on the clock most hours of the day, trying to get everything done. I really hate that games make me feel this way, too. In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you can sit on a bench to pass time, and in Minecraft, you can sleep to get to the next morning, but I'd just rather be able to do what I want without worrying about the setting sun. The sun is setting on us all as it is, anyway, and I dislike being reminded by that fact during what's supposed to be my leisure time. And I also hate feeling rushed in-game, just like I sometimes am in real life, to complete tasks before it's time to head to bed and wake up to a new, fresh hell. Yes, I understand Pokémon Legends: Z-A gives you plenty of warnings about when the sun is about to set, but I think that honestly makes it worse for me. It's like playing the game with someone lurking over my shoulder, back-seating my every move, saying, "You better hurry up!" Please stop. Screenshot by Destructoid This sort of mechanic isn't always a bad thing. Being on a timer works in some games where the tone is set by it, like a battle royale, extraction shooter, or something like Elden Ring: Nightreign. But when I play those games, I expect it to be there. A laid-back game like Pokémon should remain as chill as possible. I'm willing to bet I'm not alone in my thoughts here, so let me know in the comments below while you still can if you agree (or disagree) with this sentiment. Because the clock is ticking, the sun is about to set, and the night is dark and full of terrors. Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches! The post The seasonal depression debuff is bad enough IRL, why do we need day/night cycles in video games too? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
If you're after a great gaming mouse deal, Amazon has you covered right now with a massive 63% off the NZXT Lift Elite wireless, bringing down the price to just $29.99. This ultra-light mouse is packed with features, and is also available in both ****** and white, with both models being on offer. While NZXT may not be a name usually associated with leading PC peripherals, its recent gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets have been surprisingly strong. I've used the NZXT Function 2 keyboard and OG NZXT Lift mouse, as well as the Capsule microphone and Relay headset, and it's all great kit. Now the next generation, including the Lift Elite Wireless mouse, is looking just as strong, especially at this price. Its specs have a lot in common with the gear on our best gaming mouse buying guide, and you get a lot for your money with this deal. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: NZXT H3 Flow review - a sleek, compact PC case for a great price Save a huge 33% on this gorgeous NZXT AIO CPU cooler with an LCD, now a bargain This gorgeous NZXT aquarium gaming PC case has a bargain price right now View the full article
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The narrative that 'all new shooters are doomed' simply isn't true - fresh blood is always welcome and can prosper if it manages to offer fans of the best FPS games something unique. Built by former Battlefield and Helldivers 2 devs, Heart Electric is doing just that, combining the hero shooter vibes of Overwatch, some slick movement mechanics, and four-team showdowns. If games like The Finals, Apex Legends, and of course Overwatch 2 are your bag, it's certainly one to watch. And you'll be able to try it soon, too: Heart Electric's new playtest kicks off this Friday, but if you're speedy, there's still time to get your name down. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Ex Helldivers 2 devs' new tactical FPS is like all my favorite shooters combined Ex Battlefield and Helldivers 2 devs unveil new FPS game, with a twist View the full article