Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has added Keeper to its content catalog. The surreal-looking adventure is the 56th new title to reach the subscription service in October 2025, as well as the 178th Xbox Game Pass Ultimate release since the beginning of the year. View the full article
Even before Journey, "light puzzle adventure games" were pretty prolific. Since Journey, however, there have been many more high-profile projects, and it feels like many studios (from indie to AAA) have dabbled in the genre. Keeper is the latest entry from the iconic Double Fine Studios. View the full article
ARC Raiders Playtest has peaked at 57,509 concurrent players on 17 October 2025 on release day. View charts and more statistics on our website.View the full article
Sony has asked a federal judge to bar Tencent from using multiple elements of Light of Motiram, a game that it claims infringes on its Horizon series copyright. The company wants its preliminary injunction request against the alleged Horizon knockoff to be heard before the end of 2025. View the full article
mnesia: The Bunker is a little like Alien: Isolation in that, every so often, you just have to take a break. Well, I did. This claustrophobic, tricksy and often outright terrifying survival horror is the fourth in Frictional Games' series, first released in 2023, and if you ask me is the best of the bunch... Read more.View the full article
One of last year’s most highly anticipated action titles, Stellar Blade, has seen a price cut at Amazon. The game has landed within 2 cents of its previous lowest price at the retailer, bringing the character action title from Shift Up down to $49.99 from its $69.99 MSRP - a drop of 28%. Save On Stellar Blade at Amazon Right Now Stellar Blade puts players in the shoes of EVE, tasked with saving humanity from the Naytiba through fast, flashy combat that constantly evolves as she levels up and faces ever more challenging foes. It looks incredible, too, whether you’re on a base PlayStation 5 or the PlayStation 5 Pro, with lightning-fast loading times. The game previously dropped to around $50 around ****** Friday 2024, but it’s worth noting that with another Holiday season on the horizon, there’s every chance it could drop further. Our reviewer Mitchell Saltzman gave the game 7 out of 10 in his review, saying “Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre.” In the months since, the game got an improved Photo Mode in patch 1.3.0, and has come to PC, which pushed the game past the 3 million sold mark. A sequel, unsurprisingly titled Stellar Blade 2, is in development and slated to arrive before 2027. 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
The Galaxies Showcase 2025 is nearly here, and it's set to feature more than 50 games, six world premieres, exclusive reveals, demo drops, and so much more. There is a lot to look forward to, and we're here to break down how you can watch the show and what to expect. IGN will be partnering with Galaxies to carry the stream on our channels, and we recommend sticking around after the show as we'll have our own post-show breakdown of the biggest reveals from the Galaxies Showcase 2025! How to Watch Galaxies Showcase 2025 You can watch the Galaxies Showcase 2025 (and our post-show after it ends!) on Thursday, October 23, at 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm GMT on the following platforms; [Hidden Content] YouTubeFacebookTwitter / XTwitchIGN mobile appsEurogamerVG247https://gamesindsutry.biz/Rock Paper ShotgunWhat to Expect From Galaxies Showcase 2025 As we mentioned, the Galaxies Showcase, which is being hosted once again by Jane Douglas, will feature more than 50 games, six world premieres, exclusive reveals, demo drop, and much more. While we don't know all the surprises in store for us, we do know the show's partners include NACON, Saber Interactive's 3D Realms label, and Team17. Oh, and Behaviour Interactive will have Twitch Drops as well! There will be three unannounced title reveals that promise to "define the showcase's biggest surprises," and one is an ambitious open-world survival crafting experience from Unifiq. PlaySide Studios is gearing up to reveal the first Dumb Ways to Die title for PC and console, and the much-anticipated MOUSE: P.I. For Hire will finally be getting its release date. Team17 will be presenting three new titles from indie developers around the globe, and one will be a world exclusive premiere. We'll also get the release date announcement from Lichthund's Rockbeasts and never-before-seen gameplay footage from Wych Elm's Silver Pines. NACON will offer up the exclusive first look at gameplay and the release date for Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, Saber Interactive's 3D Realms label will 'bring the heat' with Painkiller's official launch trailer, and Kepler Interactive will have an 'arsenal of announcements' that include an epic new look at Tactical Adventures' Solasta II. A ton of genres will be on display during the Galaxies Showcase 2025 from a wide array of studios, including Secret Mode, Fireshine Games, Owlcat Games, Noodle Cat Games, Big Fan Games, Crosswind Crew, and more. While you wait for this edition of the Galaxies Showcase, be sure to check out the first-ever one from earlier this year to get an idea of what you can expect from the new one! Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic. View the full article
Well, that didn't take too long, and I'm thankful. Next week, Marvel Rivals is getting its first ever PvE game mode themed around the Marvel Zombies Disney Plus show, and I'm excited. I love me some PvE content, especially as I get older and my PvP competition seemingly gets younger and more skilled, so this is right up my alley. And yeah, this is kind of NetEase Games "reheating Overwatch 2's nachos" as the kids say, but they absolutely should do so. Screenshot by Destructoid OW2 was promised as a PvE game and it got scrapped not long after launch, with Blizzard instead deciding to focus purely on PvP. It's one of the game's major missteps, and I hope that NetEase knows there's a big want for this type of mode in hero shooters. Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals is ripe for additional and important PvE experiences considering the story that's told in the game follows through each season as Doctor Doom and Doom 2099 use the multiverse as their chess board. I doubt NetEase goes full campaign mode with Marvel Rivals any time soon like OW2 once tried, but I think this sets a good precedent for the future. I hope to see seasonal story beats playable in PvE modes and not just confined to cutscenes one day, because that just sounds like a good time, and a great way to keep players engaged in the game's running plot. I have to reserve full judgment on the mode until I can play it, but for now, it looks like a fun MCU tie-in if nothing else. Players can ****** up for the co-op mode for four players and play as one of five heroes, including Blade, The Punisher, Magik, Thor, and Jeff the Land Shark as they slay zombies in New York City and eventually make their way to the final boss: Zombie Scarlet Witch, also known as Queen of the Dead. [Hidden Content] Marvel Rivals' Marvel Zombies mode comes to the free-to-play shooter next week on Oct. 23, just in time for Halloween week. 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 Marvel Rivals gets invaded by zombies in its first ever co-op PvE experience, and it sets a very exciting precedent appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
In Pokémon Legends: ZA, large swaths of Lumiose City are blocked off by various hazards. One of the most troublesome issues is a purple sludge that clogs the streets, cutting you off from rare Pokémon, special items, and even side-mission progression. What makes the purple goo so obnoxious is the fact that it's not immediately clear what type of Pokémon move is effective against it. But once you know its weakness, purple goop will become a minor roadblock on your journey to dominate the Z-A Royal. How to clear the purple goo in Pokémon Legends: ZA Screenshot by Destructoid Water-type moves are the most reliable way to deal with purple sludge. I tried out a few different Water-type moves, and based on my findings, any Water-type move will clear up the sludge. If you picked a Totodile like I did, clearing out purple goo won't be much of an issue. If you choose Chikorita or Tepig, you'll have to catch a Water-type Pokémon if you want to get past the ******. Luckily, the Pokédex in Pokémon Legends: ZA is full of solid Water-types. One of the best places to grab a Water-type is Wild Zone 2, which is home to Magikarp, Binacle, and Staryu. You could also pick up a Froakie by completing "A Challenge from Froakie" side mission. Screenshot by Destructoid Water-type moves aren't the only way to deal with purple sludge. Psychic-type moves can also blast it away, which makes sense: Psychic-type moves are super-effective against Poison-type Pokémon. A free Ralts is currently available through Mystery Gift until Feb. 26, 2026, but you can also catch an Abra in Wild Zone 5. If you want a rundown of all the places you can find Water and Psychic-type Pokémon, check out our Wild Zone breakdown here. Once you're armed with the power of water and/or psionics, purple goo won't keep you from grabbing the Revitalizing Root for Fennekin or exploring the underbelly of Lumiose City. The post How to remove purple goo sludge in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
The Silent Hill 2 remake has sold over 2.5 million units, accounting for nearly 25% of the franchise's total sales. Developed by Bloober Team and published by Konami in 2024, the remake of Silent Hill 2 quickly became one of the fastest-selling installments in the franchise ever. View the full article
On Thursday, Wargamer welcomed two of Atomic Mass Games' head honchos - creative VP Will Shick and Game Development Director Will Pagani - to answer questions about Star Wars Legion in a live AMA in our community Discord. We had a blast, with the two Wills answering audience questions covering everything from game design to ******** spice mix - and to cap everything off, the duo revealed the key art for the new Mud Troopers, an upcoming core unit for the Galactic Empire. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This Game Nerdz Autumn ***** is a MUST for Star Wars Legion fans Join us for a special Star Wars: Legion community AMA with Atomic Mass Games Star Wars Legion finally has a campaign mode, and it's pure cinema View the full article
I have no idea if Dungeons and Dragons new spell rules will be balanced, but god do they sound fun. A D&DBeyond post from October 16 has confirmed more details about how Circle Magic, a group spellcasting method appearing in the upcoming Forgotten Realms books, will work. The gist is this: casters who pool their actions into a big pile can create devastating new versions of classic spells. That means miles-wide Fireballs that can target distant cities. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: DnD rival Chaosium resurrects its "masterpiece" tabletop RPG with a new 'classic' edition Dungeons and Dragons alignments explained New Soulslike DnD campaign has real prizes for killing cosmic horror bosses View the full article
Forefront, the 32-player Battlefield-style VR FPS, enters early access next month on Quest, Steam, and Pico. Developed by Triangle Factory, Forefront is currently hosting its open beta for the upcoming game with two maps, different gameplay modes, and more. While that remains live until October 20 for SteamVR alongside Quest 2, 3, and 3S, the studio has now revealed it's launching in early access on November 6 on all platforms, including Pico. First revealed in March, Forefront is a 16v16 VR shooter set across expansive maps with semi-destructible environments, where each team splits into four-person squads. Compared to the open beta, the early access launch will include two additional maps, a friends system, more customization and attachment unlocks for weapons, and more. Triangle Factory previously confirmed Forefront includes over 20 types of weapons and 10 different vehicles for land, air, and sea. Four classes are also available with unique abilities. For example, an Engineer repairs and destroys vehicles across the battlefield, while Medics can revive teammates if they're knocked out using shock pads. Forefront arrives in early access on November 6 on Quest, Steam, and Pico. A full release will follow in 2026, while the open beta test remains accessible through the official Discord server or the Steam page. View the full article
Because there was always going to be some drama in deep space right? Stardeus is a spaceship colony sim that just expanded in a huge way. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
Escape From Tarkov. Hunt: Showdown. Modern Warfare 2 DMZ. Escape From... Duckov? Extraction shooters are big business, for good reason. They combine the great gun-feel of classic shooters with an extraction mechanic that encourages you to push your luck. The more risks you take, the more rewards you reap-provided you make it out alive. Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios pivoted the multiplayer game to the extraction genre after figuring out its first iteration wasn't much fun and, after some initial tension, players got on board with the new direction. If you're still not sure what to make of it, Arc Raiders' Server Slam (that's Arc speak for a free weekend) kicks off now. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Is Arc Raiders down? Server status explained Arc Raiders finally finds a way to make you like account wipes Arc Raiders gets a hefty, permanent price cut for some just weeks before launch View the full article
Call of Duty Zombies was a mainstay of my teenage gaming rotation. I'd get online with the boys, barricade some windows, shoot a couple of undead Nazis in the face, and inevitably succumb to the horde. Then we'd do it all over again. Zombie modes quickly became a staple of not only my gaming diet, but that of players across the world. While there are plenty of great games dedicated to zombie slaying out there, I've been waiting for the next 'CoD Zombies moment'-a surprising mode in a popular game that could replicate those days of old. Luckily, Marvel Rivals has swooped in to save the day, adding a PvE zombies mode so we can revel in nostalgia and two-tap some ghouls. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: All Marvel Rivals characters and full roster Marvel Rivals tier list for Season 4.5 - October 2025 All Marvel Rivals codes and how to redeem - October 2025 View the full article
Sony has asked the courts for a preliminary injunction against Light of Motiram maker Tencent to stop the ******** megacorp from commencing pre-release promotion of the upcoming adventure game, filing its opposition to Tencent's motion to dismiss the high-profile copyright lawsuit. It comes after Sony accused Tencent of developing a "knock-off game [of Horizon Zero Dawn] so blatant that the public loudly decried the obvious and pervasive copying of Horizon’s protected elements," claiming the release of Light of Motiram "jeopardizes Horizon's continued success, including current expansion plans for the franchise." Sony claimed Tencent's upcoming game Light of Motiram was nothing more than a "slavish clone" of Horizon Zero Dawn, and filed a copyright lawsuit in a California court at the end of July, outlining numerous similarities and comparing various marketing screenshots from both games, as well as their descriptions. As we explained at the time, just like Horizon, Light of Motiram takes place in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by giant robot dinosaurs who roam large, natural environments such as tropical forests, deserts, and snowy mountains. Both games even feature red-haired women protagonists that wear very similar outfits and styles, and devices similar to Aloy's "Focus" earpiece. Just days after Sony filed its lawsuit alleging the upcoming game was a "slavish clone" of Horizon, Tencent quietly updated its Light of Motiram Steam page and swapped out a number of screenshots, including its cover image, before responding to Sony's lawsuit by claiming it was only making use of "well-trodden" tropes and suggesting the PlayStation maker's own game was too similar to Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Tencent then hit back by describing Sony's lawsuit an overreach, highlighting other game franchises with similar elements to Horizon Zero Dawn such as The Legend of Zelda and Far Cry. It was "startling," Tencent said, that Sony was now attempting to claim Horizon's concept was original, rather than an idea based on "ubiquitous genre ingredients." Now, as reported by The Game Post, Sony has dismissed Tencent's response as "nonsense," insisting "the damage is done – and it continues" and accusing the ******** company of trying to minimize its involvement by using "shell" entities even though the ******** firm remains "at the helm." "The copying was so egregious that numerous journalists and Horizon fans called Light of Motiram 'a major Horizon rip off,' 'an obvious knock off,' a 'copycat' with a main character that 'resembles Aloy to a tee,' and ‘extremely similar to Horizon Zero Dawn'," Sony wrote. That's not all, though. As spotted by Games Fray, Sony has also filed for a preliminary injunction in a bid to prevent Tencent from using a red-haired character in Light of Motiram, as well as other visuals or storyline elements close to that of the Horizon franchise. It hopes for the injunction to be enacted by the end of the year. Tencent, however, maintains that with a scheduled release date on Q4 2027, Sony "cannot possibly hope to demonstrate the ‘immediate threatened injury’ that is the prerequisite of a preliminary injunction" given the game is so far from release. It attached declarations from a number of key stakeholders, including Guerrilla's head of music, Lucas van Tol, and artist Jan-Bart Van Beet who both claim they were "shocked" when they saw Light of Motiram, with Van Beet writing: "Tencent’s promotional material presents a visual setting almost identical to SIE’s Horizon promotional material." "After spending over a decade creating and developing the Horizon franchise, it was disappointing to see our work copied to such a significant extent," he wrote. "Instead of spending the years and money that we invested into creating the Horizon world, Light of Motiram simply copied it, sidestepping the investment we made — and significant risk we took — in developing Horizon." He continued: "There is an even greater risk of harm to the Horizon franchise if Light of Motiram, once released, does not have the same high quality as the Horizon games. The confusion caused by Light of Motiram promotions has already interfered with our existing Horizon development strategy, as there is a risk that future expansion could be incorrectly interpreted as copying Light of Motiram." Van Tol wrote: "I have reviewed the music and sounds in Light of Motiram's promotional materials. I found striking similarities between their promotional trailer and the Horizon music. Light of Motiram's promotional materials contain the same core features of the Horizon sound, including the pillars, instrumentation, intimacy of the lead female voice, melodic composition, and rhythm, creating a similar overall feel." The case continues. Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky. View the full article
Much like the thought of becoming an actual vampire, there are some things I really like about Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, and some I really don't care for. Developer The ******** Room has undeniably done a remarkable job breaking out of its typically slow-paced and linear realm to give us a streetlight-soaked, open world Seattle that's enjoyable to explore, with a side of positively exquisite writing and voice acting. But combat never rises much above the level of being merely pretty good, and a lack of payoff for both mechanical and story choices hold this nocturnal sojourn back from greatness. The slice of Seattle that serves as a hub for Bloodlines 2's searching, stalking, and politicking is impressive to behold, though don't expect GTA scale here. At around five by five blocks with most buildings climbable and rooftops fully navigable, there’s quite a bit more room to prowl than in Bloodlines 1's Santa Monica, with several distinct and memorable areas from the charming Pioneer Square to the lantern-lit Chinatown. Moving around it by clamoring, leaping, and gliding is some of the most fun I had. This is also where your semi-customizable elder, Phyre, will hunt their prey, in the form of hapless humans who can be provoked, scared, or seduced depending on your hunting style. I appreciate that feeding is a major, unavoidable part of the nightly routine, but I think it could have been done better in a couple ways. For one, you only need to feed to recharge your combat powers. In the tabletop game, you get thirsty upon waking up every night, and in Bloodlines 1, your blood pool would steadily drop over time. I don't think this needs to be a hardcore survival game, but something like that would have helped sell that vampires need blood like we need food and water, adding a sense of desperation, because right now it’s just something you need to top up before going into battle. For another, there just isn't enough variety in the NPC models and voices to keep me fooled across the 30-plus hours my first playthrough took. I probably fed on one specific woman wearing the same exact hat at least a couple dozen times. You are required to maintain the Masquerade while at street level, meaning no using your powers or feeding in front of normies, which is appropriate. You can't have a Vampire: The Masquerade game without, well, the Masquerade. But I did find it was a bit too easy to shake off any suspicion if I messed up. Bloodlines 2 can feel like a generic vampire game rather than a Vampire: The Masquerade game. The key component of Vampire: The Masquerade lore that is almost completely missing (outside of one cutscene that happens no matter what you do) is The Beast, the dark and ravenous voice inside each vampire that drives them to do terrible things and can provoke an uncontrollable state called Frenzy. The absolute best mechanic in the 5th Edition of the Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop game, upon which Bloodines 2 is based, is an increasing hunger track that makes your character more likely to behave in a monstrous or unpredictable manner the longer they've gone without feeding. I get that people don't usually like losing control of their character. But this is so crucial to the vampire fantasy that its absence is an almost fatal flaw. It's the one choice that really consistently made me feel like I was playing some generic vampire game, not a Vampire: The Masquerade game. At least the combat is challenging, pulse-pounding, and overall pretty decent. It can get a little disorienting, and I really wish there was more of a "hard" lock-on ability given it's all in third-person and both you and your opponents are constantly zipping around at high speeds. But there are some exciting nuances to master like the various kicks, parries, and telekinetic grabs. At least for a melee build, it could be really exhilarating once I got the hang of it. Stealth is satisfying and rewarding as well, though it's limited in certain segments like boss fights in a way that can come across as punishing you for deciding to focus on it. Some of the more esoteric fighting styles like Tremere Blood Sorcery are absolutely sick ****** amazing the first few times you pull them off – boiling someone's blood from the inside is every bit as bombastically brutal as you'd imagine – but can come to seem like more of a gimmick than a playstyle after a while. Overall, though, the frantic and action-packed sequences that combined my abilities to use the environment, my movement powers, and even my enemies against each other were some of the high points of Bloodlines 2. Where it falls down the most, unfortunately, is as an RPG. You are playing as an elder vampire, so it's not exactly a typical zero-to-hero story. But just to give a representative example, the damage your melee attacks do at the very beginning is exactly the same as it will be in the final boss fight. You awaken new powers called Disciplines, like being able to turn invisible or smooch an enemy to turn them to your side, but you'll get all of them for your chosen clan within the first eight hours or so, after which point anything else is mostly a sidegrade. You can upgrade your health track by finding hidden symbols painted in blood across Seattle, but overall there isn't much of a sense of power progression throughout most of the campaign. The action-packed sequences that combined my abilities were high points. This is further limited by the fact that you can only equip four Disciplines at a time, and only one from each category – so, for example, you can't mix and match two different clans' movement abilities to create your own hyper-mobile playstyle. I don't see the wisdom in these restrictions at all. I also don't really enjoy that each Discipline can only be used once in battle before having to feed again, since they each have their own separate pool of power points, instead of having them draw from a common pool of stored blood that I could spend however I like. Sometimes restrictions are good. I just don't think any of these ones are. I'm a dang vampire. Just let me do what I want. I did really appreciate the options Phyre has for visual customization. Each clan has four different outfits to unlock from the punk rock streetwear of the Brujah to the sharp business attire of the Ventrue. NPCs will actually react differently to you based on what you're wearing, such as being easier to seduce if you show a little more skin. That is honestly amazing. But what we're missing is a weapon slot, and that is definitely not amazing. I get that Phyre is an elder and a living weapon herself. She can telekinetically use a gun as a sort of one-off combat consumable, or throw a fire extinguisher across the room. But melee is always a hand-to-hand affair. And again, this is just cramping my style from a character customization angle. Do I need weapons to kill these chumps? Nah. But a vampire with a trenchcoat and dual pistols or a sweet-**** katana is just too cool and iconic to not allow in your vampire RPG. It's part of character creation and self-expression in the tabletop game. What are we doing here? The story about solving a series of dramatic murders and navigating court politics is overall extremely well-written and voiced by a fantastic cast, from the sarcastic Nosferatu Tolly to the self-indulgent queen of seattle herself, Lou Graham. It's so good, in fact, that for the last few hours, I was ready to throw the windows open and start yelling into the night that everyone needed to experience this. But then it absolutely broke my cold, dead heart. I'll do my best to avoid spoilers here, but you can skip ahead to the verdict if you're really sensitive to that kind of thing. Basically, every interesting decision I made throughout the entire chronicle was unceremoniously chewed up and ***** onto the pavement before being crushed under the uncaring bootheel of anticlimax. All of the machinations I had put into motion, the allies I had made, the chess pieces I had manipulated, all of the awesome vampire elder ***** I had been vibrating about in the magnificently inspired lead up to the finale… were resolved in a 30-second epilogue voice-over that completely denied me the real showdown I had been dreaming of all this time. I was devastated. This might be worse than the original ending of Mass Effect 3. It's like they ripped out the last chapter of the book and burned it. There's also the fact that you play maybe about a third of the story through the eyes of the Malkavian film noir detective Fabien, who somehow ended up in Phyre's head. And I love Fabien. I really do. He made me cry at one point. His segments are just as skillfully penned, and give you an interesting look into the history of Seattle. But his mind-altering Malkavian powers, like getting someone to recognize you as a different person or reading their surface thoughts? Cool idea, but every time you are allowed to use them, it is for a railroaded story beat. There is never a point at which they can be combined or deployed in a clever way that would make me feel like I solved the case, which is another huge wasted opportunity. At the end of the night, this is a story that seems almost annoyed by the fact that it has to offer you any kind of choice at all. View the full article
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 review: "My dream vampire RPG has been staked – this blunt-toothed sequel is just a boring, linear action brawler instead"View the full article
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