World of Warcraft has made the decision to not include the Raid Finder in Mists of Pandaria Classic. This system was available in the original run of the expansion, but fans will not be able to use it in the World of Warcraft Classic – though the new Celestial Dungeons feature will help fill the gap LFR is leaving. View the full article
If there’s one thing beyond doubt after more than 35 hours with Dune: Awakening, it’s that Funcom has done its homework in crafting the most authentic take on the Dune-iverse imaginable. As a longtime fan of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi setting, that’s an incredible thing to experience more often than not, and my time on Arrakis has been filled with moments of genuine shock. It’s very clever how the harsh environments and empty space are repeatedly used as progression checks, turning what seem like they should be weaknesses into strengths. Other times, that stubborn adherence to established lore results in annoying or just plain boring irritations, like how you’re all but forced to adopt a nomadic lifestyle in a genre where putting down roots and building up your base is one of the fundamentals. There have also been plenty of technical issues and bugs in the days immediately following launch, plus combat hasn’t landed with me much so far (though I’m admittedly still early in crafting my combat build), but on balance my friends and I are having an absolutely awesome time nerding out. If you’ve ever played a survival game (and have seen a Dune movie) before, you’ll know most of what you need to feel at home among the giant sand worms: you gather materials from the world, build your own ugly-as-heck home, and upgrade your equipment to gain access to more dangerous areas with rarer materials. Like plenty of survival games, including Funcom’s own Conan Exiles or last year’s Once Human, all of this is happening on a server full of similarly sunburnt players in a perpetually online world, where cooperation and limited instances of PvP are both a distinct possibility, and which account for most of its best moments. Where this game sets itself apart, though, is by just how much it adheres to its legendary setting, and that has a major impact on just about everything you do. For example, intelligent use is made of Arrakis’ harsh environment, which is weaponized against you quite literally every second you stay within its atmosphere. Standing directly in sunlight unprotected will bake you alive in a matter of seconds, sandstorms blow on a regular basis and will kill you if you aren’t able to get to shelter first, and most notably, there’s the issue of those pesky enormous man-eating worms which gobble you up if you dare tread upon their domain for too long. By leaning into the unforgiving world as much as it does, Awakening puts you in a constant battle against the planet itself. So instead of casually trotting around collecting resources at your leisure and settling your own little piece of the world, you’re frantically ducking behind rocks to avoid the sun’s harsh rays and drink what little water you have left, and playing a never-ending game of “the floor is lava” as you rush from one place to another with a shai-hulud hot on your heels. Arrakis’ harsh environment is weaponized against you quite literally every second. All of these hazards give you obstacles to overcome. For example, early on you’re unable to leave the tutorial area thanks to a massive gap of empty space where sun exposure or, more likely, a massive worm would certainly kill you if you attempt to go on foot, so you have to craft your first vehicle in order to safely cross it. Later on, you start to encounter places that are too hot or irradiated to explore without proper equipment. There are plenty of examples just like this, where the unique nature of the setting is turned into an interesting mechanic. Similarly, you’re constantly starved for water, which is used both as a crafting material and a resource to keep yourself alive, and usually Awakening is a better, more interesting survival game for it. But there are other times where this fanatical adherence to Dune conventions can be quite obnoxious, like how you’re encouraged (and in some cases required) to move your base of operations from place to place as you unlock access to higher-level regions. Pulling up stakes means you either have to abandon all you’ve built up to that point or tediously relocate as much of your equipment as you can, piece by piece. Then there’s stuff like the fact that guns are often useless, since many enemies make use of the all-important Holtzman shields that completely protect from ranged attacks. This creates a weird situation where you’re juggling back and forth between guns and melee weapons depending on which enemy is currently running towards you, oftentimes having to choose between addressing the swordsman barreling down on you or the guy a few feet behind him with a chaingun, which can create a really oppressive rhythm to combat. I honestly kinda respect how much Dune: Awakening sticks to its guns by making its guns ineffective to keep with Dune lore, even as it sometimes comes at the expense of me having a good time. Even when this stuff annoys the hell out of me, I can’t help but respect it. Like almost every single one of its survival MMO peers, Dune: Awakening has pretty awful combat. That’s just part of the reason that, like almost every single one of its peers, Dune: Awakening has pretty awful combat. I knew going into a survival MMO that would be the case, but it’s still a particularly bitter pill that never gets any easier to ********. I’m still quite early in unlocking all the options for battle and seeing some of the more interesting weapons and builds available, but so far gunplay is sloppy, melee combat is repetitive and janky as heck, and I’ve mostly just been trying to get through it as quickly as possible. It’s such a low point in a game I’m otherwise enjoying. Thankfully, the combat miss is more than made up for by the absolutely stellar survival mechanics, which are some of the most thoughtful and polished I’ve seen in a while. There’s a constant stream of new technologies to research, equipment to craft, and material to hunt for with almost no filler or grind along the way. Every time I’ve collected the right materials to craft the latest shiny thing I want, I’ve immediately had another enticing item to chase, and with unique schematics dropping left and right, I’m always making interesting decisions on whether to spend my rarest materials on a cool item with a special effect versus taking the more conservative route and just crafting common items to save those resources for a rainy day. (It's bound to rain on Arrakis one of these days.) It’s especially impressive that they accomplished this loop so well in a desert world where there are no other locations aside from hot sand, and almost no plants or wildlife available to harvest. A major hallmark of survival games is punching trees, and there are no trees on Arrakis – instead you’re making tools to pull water from morning dew collecting in the world at night and by pulling it from the air, which is just really smart and a welcome change of pace that embraces the weird and barren setting, even if it is still essentially the same thing. When I played the beta for Dune: Awakening, I ran into tons of bugs and hoped the delay of its launch would improve things a bit. That certainly seems to be the case, as I’ve had a significantly more stable experience so far, but even as improved as it is, it’s still fairly troubled in the technical department. I’ve had disconnects, seen entire mountains disappear and reappear before my eyes, and even had a few hours where all sand worms just up and deleted themselves from existence, making everyone on the server swarm to the resources normally protected by their constant threat. It’s not been the smoothest launch by any stretch – but also far from the worst. After more than 35 hours I still feel like I’m fairly early into my Dune: Awakening adventure, and still have new zones to visit, haven’t gotten very far into the main story, and have only had a few encounters with PvP. There’s a ton for me to do, so look for an update sometime this week as I work my way through to the endgame. View the full article
The latest iteration of Steam Next Fest has kicked off, so a torrent of demo downloads has begun. But I think I may have found one of my newest most anticipated games already. It's called Phase Zero, and it's reminiscent of games like Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis in the best possible ways. And it all starts before you even get to the main menu, with this ominous warning screen that PS1-era survival horror games were known for. Screenshot by Destructoid Oh yeah. As a kid, this kind of screen really gave me the heebie jeebies. Now, it elicits a different kind of emotion in nostalgic excitement. Phase Zero starts off with the player character waking up in a hospital and being subjected to a waking nightmare. Zombies? Check. Clunky tank controls? Check. Inventory screen with a map, files, and equippable weapons? Check. Puzzle-like elements with hints found in notes all over the place? Check check. This is classic Resident Evil, as classic as it gets, and the little sliver of playable content has me fiending for more. This past weekend was a big one for Resident Evil, which confirmed RE9 as Resident Evil: Requiem coming in February, but the series' influence ahead of its 30th anniversary was seen throughout the showcases. Another that comes to mind is an upcoming title similarly called Ground Zero, funnily enough, which also got some love during the Future Games Show Summer Showcase. Screenshot by Destructoid The game's developer, SPINA Studio, describes Phase Zero as "a modern reimagining of the survival horror golden era classics" where "the story is told in a series like manner - each chapter stars one of the two heroes." Like classic RE, it has "prerendered backgrounds, fixed cameras and the DNA of the PSX masterpieces" and "it blends nostalgic design with modern quality-of-life improvements, while honoring its iconic roots." Yup, I can confirm. Screenshot by Destructoid The Phase Zero demo is absolutely worth checking out, and if you're like me, slamming it into your Steam wishlist is the next course of action. The post This Steam Next Fest demo is unapologetically classic Resident Evil and I cannot wait for its full release appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Aspyr has recently announced that Neverwinter Nights 2 will get an Enhanced Edition on July 15. Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition promises to be an exciting game for fans, as it will revamp some elements of the classic game for modern Dungeons and Dragons fans. View the full article
There are a lot of survival games out already that are worth playing. The Forest, DayZ, Subnautica, and Valheim all offer great ways for audiences to test their ability to thrive in a hostile natural environment. Trying to stick out in this crowded genre can't be easy, but Railborn, a new game recently debuted at SGF has certainly done so with its colorful setting and unusual focus on placing its action in and around a moving train. Read the rest of the story... View the full article
Windows is closing the gap to SteamOS and the Steam Deck in general with the new gaming-focused approach to the Asus Xbox Ally handhelds. This new, stripped-back version of Windows boots directly into an Xbox full-screen experience and gives little reason to ever leave the application. While the Steam Deck is still the best gaming handheld for most, the recent reveal of the Asus Xbox Ally is the biggest threat to Valve's dominance. It's unsurprising to anyone who has used both a Deck and a Windows handheld that the key to Valve's success has been software-related, more so than hardware. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The Asus Xbox Ally handheld is real, but it's missing one big upgrade All I want from the Microsoft Games Showcase is an Xbox handheld reveal A Steam Deck-like experience for Windows 11 handhelds is coming, leak suggests View the full article
Looking back to the distant past is always a good way to frame a city-building game. Manor Lords, Banished, Going Medieval, and Stronghold all use more or less accurately modeled historical settings to add extra appeal to their approaches to the genre. Norse: Oath of Blood takes a similar tack, but goes further, blending a grounded depiction of Viking era life with tactical battles and rich character work to create something unique. Read the rest of the story... View the full article
What is the best Elden Ring Nightreign Executor build? Everyone loves a soulslike samurai, so it should come as no surprise that there's a dedicated class for it in FromSoftware's spin-off. This melee Nightfarer wields a cursed katana, and favors the same deflection-driven combat style as seen in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Executor is the most difficult Nightreign class to master, but it's also the most rewarding. Its high skill ceiling proves an excellent challenge for seasoned soulslike game fans who like to parry and deflect damage, then break a foe's stance to inflict a fatal critical hit. With our best Executor build under your belt in Elden Ring Nightreign, you can transform this silent samurai into a beast on the battlefield. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Best Elden Ring Nightreign Revenant build and how to unlock Best Elden Ring Nightreign Recluse build Best Elden Ring Nightreign Guardian build View the full article
A member of Team Cherry has confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksongwon't be tied to the release of the freshly revealed ROG Xbox Ally. Hollow Knight: Silksongis arguably the most highly anticipated indie game yet to be released. Originating as a DLC for Hollow Knight, Silksong grew in size and scope to become its own game and was first revealed all the way back in 2019. Since then, it's had sparse appearances at showcases throughout the years, earning an elusive reputation and becoming somewhat of a "unicorn game." View the full article
Zenless Zone Zero has officially revealed Alice Thymefield as the second playable unit debuting in Version 2.1, also confirming the character's attribute and combat role. Zenless Zone Zero recently launched its Season 2, transporting players to Waifei Peninsula, a new explorable area, and introducing a new faction. View the full article
Call Of Duty: ****** Ops 7 is the next installment in the franchise. Looking at past releases, the game is said to be dropping in late 2025, which means around the fall. Though it's likely still months away, there have been some details confirmed so far. This includes the platforms the game will be available on, what modes we can play in, an overview of the story, and what actors have been confirmed so far. View the full article
With creepy MS Paint-style visuals and plenty of subtle alterations to rooms, You've Changed is a seriously creepy and unique take on horror that feels like a cursed Spot the DifferenceView the full article
Persona 4 Revival could be released in the second half of 2026, according to new reports. With the original entry being one of the most popular games in the franchise, Persona 4 Revival is eagerly awaited by fans, but it may be a while before it finally hits shelves. View the full article
Imagine combining the silence of space with the crushing, seemingly never-ending weight and darkness of the ocean floor. That's the elevator pitch for Barotrauma, a co-op submarine simulator filled with multiple warring factions and gigantic sea creatures. You've got to manage your vessel, complete missions, and work with others to make sure your sub can keep functioning. It's a simulation game with a focus on horror, and it is now set to get even better, as the new Home and Harbor DLC is coming to the game sometime next year. Read the rest of the story... View the full article
The hardest part of survival games is, well, the survival. As someone with an impressive talent for attaining random injuries and bizarre illnesses, there's a reason that I'm a games journalist and not an intrepid outdoor specialist. I prefer to explore in virtual safety, and while my library only really includes more fantastical experiences like Runescape: Dragonwilds and Valheim, I'd be lying if I said Prologue: Go Wayback doesn't intrigue me. Promising an ever-changing, gritty survival adventure that will eventually expand to include "millions" of procedurally generated worlds, PUBG's Brendan Greene has set the bar high, and now we'll finally get a chance to experience it for ourselves. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: PUBG creator's grueling survival game Prologue gets a new Steam playtest Prologue game release date window, trailers, and latest news PUBG creator tells us why he's spending a decade creating planet-sized sandboxes View the full article
At its Worldwide Developer Conference today, Apple unveiled a new iOS Games App that Apple Senior Director of Marketplace Platforms and Technologies Ann Thai promoted as "a new destination to help you get more out of your games." The most relevant new social feature in the app comes in the "Play Together" tab, which provides a quick look at what your friends are playing on iOS. That tab will also integrate a new Challenges feature, which game developers can use to turn single-player games into score-based competitions between friends. These interpersonal Challenges come on top of the standard game leaderboards already common through iOS's Game Center, allowing for a new way to compete socially. Other than that, the new Games app seems to consolidate several features that were previously split between Game Center and the App Store. On the Home tab, the Games app will let you see games with new update, time-sensitive in-game events, and recommendations for new games to try. A Library tab will show every iOS game you've ever downloaded in a single place, while the Apple Arcade tab shows subscribers what's available to download. The Games app will work in both portrait and landscape mode and be navigable via controller. Read full article Comments View the full article
A celebration of upcoming games big and small and everything in between. Steam Next Fest for June 2025 is now live. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
Deltarune is full of secrets, with Chapter 4 featuring numerous Easter eggs, secret bosses, and special items to discover. Goldwidow is an item that, although relatively easy to obtain, is extremely difficult to find unless you're willing to experiment and spend a lot of money. How to obtain Goldwidow in Deltarune You can obtain Goldwidow by donating 10,000 D$ to the Old Man's Library waterfall. After meeting the Old Man and entering his study, you'll find this waterfall by heading up the stairs, entering the first doorway, and turning left at the first intersection. Donating to this waterfall will let you claim rewards later in Chapter 4's story, with Goldwidow being the reward for giving away 10,000 D$. Screenshot by Destructoid However, even though you can donate 10,000 D$ near the start of the chapter, you won't be able to redeem the Goldwidow until much later. More specifically, you'll need to solve the mystery of the giant piano and progress through to the second Sanctuary. That said, make sure to donate your dark dollars first before progressing to the second Sanctuary. You can't backtrack once you progress beyond this point. This first waterfall is also key to solving the Golden Piano puzzle and uncovering Chapter 4's secret ending, so be sure to wrap everything up here before advancing the plot further. Within the second Sanctuary, you'll find a waterfall much like the one in the Old Man's library. However, while that one is the spot where you donate, this one is where you claim items, depending on how much you donate. As long as you toss a little bit of money into this waterfall, you'll receive a reward from the room's treasure chest. It's only when you donate a total of 10,000 D$ that you'll receive the Goldwidow. As you'll quickly notice, 10,000 D$ is a lot of money, even if you've been actively battling enemies throughout your Deltarune playthrough. Here are a few tips for saving enough money to donate this amount before leaving the first Sanctuary: Take part in every fight you encounter.Find a room with enemies that's near a save point. One example is the Bibliox in the Old Man's library, but you can use any you find throughout this first Sanctuary. Buy as few items as possible. Ideally, by the time you reach the second Sanctuary, you should be close to 10,000 D$ so you'll have minimal grinding later. Although you'll spot enemies here and there, being able to obtain the Goldwidow as early as possible will help make the rest of Deltarune Chapter 4 much easier. The post How to get Goldwidow in Deltarune appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
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The Free-Kick Master Evolution is yet another exciting upgrade option available to EA FC 25 players for improving their Ultimate Team squad. While the evolution costs 50,000 coins to unlock, it does offer some amazing upgrades. These include stat and overall boosts, along with new playstyles and roles. Picking the best card for this evolution can be quite confusing, but this guide will help simplify that process. Table of contentsEA FC 25 Free-Kick Master Evolution requirementsEA FC 25 Free-Kick Master Evolution upgradesBest players to use in Free-Kick Master EvolutionEA FC 25 Free-Kick Master Evolution requirements Here are the requirements of the Free-Kick Master Evolution in EA FC 25. Overall Max. 91Max PS 10Max PS+ 3Dribbling Max. 98EA FC 25 Free-Kick Master Evolution upgrades There are four levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements. Level 1 upgrades Rarity In-Progress EvolutionPlayStyle Dead Ball (^9)Overall +7 (^93)Pace +7 (^93)Shooting +7 (^91) Level 2 upgrades WF +2 ★ (^5)Dribbling +7 (^93)Defending +7 (^90)Curve +75 Level 3 upgrades PlayStyle+ Dead Ball (^3)Vision +10 (^93)Crossing +10 (^92)Short Passing +10 (^91)Long Passing +10 (^91)Fk Accuracy +75 Level 4 upgrades Rarity TOTS EvolutionSM +2 ★ (^4)PlayStyle+ Long Ball Pass (^3) Level 1 upgrade conditions Play two matches in any mode using your active EVO player. Level 2 upgrade conditions Play two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player. Level 3 upgrade conditions Play two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player. Level 4 upgrade conditions Play one match in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player.Win one match in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player.Best players to use in Free-Kick Master Evolution Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution. Emmanuel Petit Birthday IconKylian MbappeJordy Clasie TOTS Honorable MentionsKenan Yildiz TOTSHeung Min Son Winter WildcardsYouri Tielemans TOTS Honorable MentionsFrenkie De Jong Winter WildcardsSerge Gnabry FUT BirthdayGareth Bale Immortals Icon Your club’s evo chain candidates can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad. The post Best players to use in EA FC 25 Free-Kick Master Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
From what we've seen from Mindseye so far, it seems like a cross between Watch Dogs, Cyberpunk, and a little GTA 5, especially the weapon wheel. The debut release from Build a Rocket Boy, the studio helmed by former Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption producer Leslie Benzies, Mindseye is also a spiritual offshoot from the larger-scale multiplayer game and creation platform Everywhere. What you might have heard so far is that the central Mindseye campaign is around 15 to 20 hours long. However, speaking to PCGamesN as part of Summer Game Fest, the sandbox shooter's assistant director explains that Mindseye will actually be launched with a lot more playable material. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Mindseye system requirements View the full article
The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 brings Philips' signature Ambiglow technology to bear on the world of OLED gaming monitors. Adding a wash of lighting behind the screen that matches the image on display, it draws you into what you're watching or playing in a truly magical way. Philips combines this feature with a QD-OLED panel that boasts effectively infinite contrast and dazzling HDR, but there are a few downsides to this display. The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 actually slipped under our radar when it was first released, but has finally found its way into our testing labs and is still widely available. If you're a fan of the Ambiglow technology and the immersive feel it can bring, this Philips panel is going to have strong appeal and make it one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. We've put it through its paces to see just what its 34-inch, 175Hz, OLED, Ambiglow combination brings to the party. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This new handheld OS is a huge threat to Valve and the Steam Deck Best gaming monitor 2025 This Alienware Lego set is adorable, but you'll have to earn it View the full article
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"It's a very proper triple-A game"View the full article