Every genre needs innovators and iterators to tear up the rulebook and create a new baseline for future devs to build upon. However, it's far easier to play it safe, especially when there are millions of dollars on the line in triple-A companies. That's why I'm glad that Grey State Studio (formerly known as Aurora Studio), a subsidiary of Tencent Games, is changing up the FPS game scene with a Lovecraftian extraction shooter. Rules of Engagement The Grey State promises everything we love about Escape From Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, but combines it with a Dead by Daylight-style approach to Cthulhu horror. Read the rest of the story... View the full article
Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 will be released in the latter half of October this year, and not long is left for that to happen. We have known the release date for quite some time now, after Paradox Interactive announced it. If you want to jump in immediately once the game goes live, this guide's countdown will help keep track of the upcoming launch. Table of contentsVampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release countdownWhat to expect from Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release countdown Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 goes live on Oct. 21 for PC and consoles, and it will have a simultaneous launch. The countdown below will expire once the release takes place. [hurrytimer id="1129365"] The countdown is based on the following timings. 9am PT11am CT12pm ET4pm UTC5pm BST6pm CEST Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 doesn't have any kind of early access. If you want to spend more, you can opt for either the Deluxe or the Premium Edition. While both editions provide you with extra in-game goodies, everyone starts playing at the same moment. Additionally, there's no New Zealand method to exploit as Paradox Interactive hasn't opted for a regional launch on any platform. If you're yet to pre-order your copy, let's find out what to expect. What to expect from Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 puts you in the boots of Nomad. An ancient vampire, you have woken up from your slumber in a modern world driven by thirst. Your hunting grounds are set in modern-day Seattle, as there's a vampire war on the horizon. While you hunt to feed yourself, there are enemies to take down and an old case to be solved. All the action begins on Oct. 21 when the game goes live. 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 Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Destiny 2's Heliostat mission brings the Guardian to an old Warsat facility to foil the Conductor's plan. As usual, guardians can find a couple of secrets and collectibles hidden around the mission. Grabbing them lets you improve Wolfsbane, the game's first battleaxe (Yes, it weapon does get more fun to use). Heliostat's secrets include ways to improve Wolfsbane's Resurgence Directive intrinsic and to grab its four catalysts, which are needed to unleash the blade's full potential. Since it's a craftable weapon (a dying breed these days), you can also customize some parts to play to the axe's strengths. We covered how to get Wolfsbane's catalysts and intrinsic upgrades in dedicated articles, so here's a quick, summarized breakdown of how to get all secrets in Heliostat, as well as the recommended route to get those done in a single run. Table of contentsAll Wolfsbane catalyst locationsAll Wolfsbane intrinsic upgradesRecommended order for the Heliostat secretsAll Wolfsbane catalyst locations Bring a data pad to the right terminal and you're good to go. Screenshot by Destructoid The Wolfsbane catalysts use a type of lock-and-key system, with data pads serving as the key to certain computer terminals in Heliostat. To unlock each catalyst, find the matching data pad and interact with the corresponding terminal. We highly recommend doing these in order, at the risk of your catalysts glitching out later. Catalyst effectData pad locationTerminal location Attrition OrbsAt the beginning of the mission, after you summon the shielding Psion for the first time. The data pad is near the second nuclear core.Next to the spot where you can summon the Psion for the second time.Relentless StrikesImmediately after dropping down the electrified elevator shaft. The data pad and terminal are hidden in secret rooms, which you can access by controlling the elevator with the hacking Psion. Press the left button to make the elevator go down, the rightmost one to find the data pad, and the one in the middle for the terminal.In a hidden room after dropping past the elevator, accessible by hacking the middle symbol on the console.Burning AmbitionIn the puzzle room before the longer platforming section, interact with three computers to reboot the systems. The computers are spread out in a Y shape, with the "leg" coming from behind the beacon. After that, redo the security puzzle to unlock a room with the terminal. The data pad is on a walkway up top.In a secret area below the main room in the Warsat cooling facility, after redoing the security puzzle.Subroutine: ~RecursionIn one of the hallways with a gravlift override during the platforming section. The data pad is in a gap on the floor near an active reactor. Access it by taking the left path from the main room.At the back of the other hallway with a gravlift override switch, just behind the player's entrance point. All Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrades Catalysts aren't the only enhancement. Screenshot by Destructoid To upgrade Wolfsbane's intrinsic, you must use the axe to destroy nine Vex crystals located at key points of Heliostat. They're usually hidden in unlit nooks and crannies, which may be a giveaway. Here's a brief list of where to find each shape. Intrinsic ShapeLocationIntrinsic UpgradeDiamondIn the first room full of water, immediately after destroying the four security nodes. Face the Quicksilver Psion and look behind you and to the left.Resurgence Directive IIDiamondStill in the first platforming part, on the last ledge in the following water-filled room. Find a door that sits above you with a lamp, then look for an unlit section on your left. Alternatively, jump to the ledge and look to the right.Resurgence Directive IIDiamondIn the darker room, on a platform covered by a pipe. This is on the left of where you come in, though it's tricky to spot due to the angle. If you encountered the hacking Psion, you went too far.Resurgence Directive IITriangleIn the longer parkour section, just past the elevator on the right side. Find the ledge with two Goblins shooting at you, then look across from them.Resurgence Directive IIITriangleStill in the platforming section, not long after grabbing the other elevator, on top of a reactor.Resurgence Directive IIITriangleAlso sitting on a reactor as you near the other end of the platforming section. Find it before making a long jump to a platform below and to the right of your path.Resurgence Directive IIISquareAt the end of the boss room, in the far left corner.Resurgence Directive IVSquareIn the boss arena, in the first room with the hacker Psion.Resurgence Directive IVSquareAlso in the boss section, on a railing to your left as you help the Quicksilver Psion break through the second blockage. Resurgence Directive IVRecommended order for the Heliostat secrets This is probably the most important area of Heliostat as far as secrets go. Screenshot by Destructoid Based on our experience, here is the easiest order to grab all catalysts and intrinsics in a single run. Try to grab the catalysts in order, since not doing so might cause bugs. As soon as the mission begins, pick up the first data pad.Destroy the four security nodes and look for the first intrinsic upgrade in the labyrinthine section of the mission, with the murderous walls.Get past the elevator and grab the second data pad.During the final traversal area, look for the second intrinsic upgrade, as well as the third and fourth catalysts.Reach the boss room and destroy the symbols for the final intrinsic upgrade. Even if you know where to look, grabbing all secrets in Heliostat requires at least two runs in total, since you need Wolfsbane before you can interact with the collectibles. 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 Heliostat secrets and collectibles in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
While some Destiny 2 fans deeply mourned SIVA (which seems dead for good) in the Heliostat mission, others were overjoyed by Wolfsbane, the new Exotic axe. Unlocking this weapon's full potential requires upgrading its intrinsic, which is done by finding secrets in the activity. Heliostat has two different sets of collectibles. The large, glowing, totally inconspicuous Vex symbols are required to upgrade Wolfsbane's Resurgence Directive intrinsic, while the datapads and terminals are the key to unlocking its four catalysts. We've explained the important (and missable) locations needed to juice up your axe below. Table of contentsHow to upgrade Wolfsbane's intrinsic in Destiny 2First Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive II)Second Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive III)Third Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive IV)How to upgrade Wolfsbane's intrinsic in Destiny 2 It's a thing of beauty. Screenshot by Destructoid While you can shape the battleaxe as soon as you've wrapped up your first run of Heliostat, the biggest shaping options are locked behind upgrades. There are three sets of Vex nodes scattered at key points of the mission, and you must destroy them with Wolfsbane to unlock the respective upgrade. Hitting them with anything else shows an Immune prompt. In a solo run, we had to break all nine Vex nodes, but the math appears different when it comes to fireteams. Seemingly, the symbols are tied to the number of players who haven't unlocked that intrinsic. Theoretically, in a full team, each guardian should only need to break one set of shapes, though your mileage may vary. If you're by yourself, you should get an intrinsic after each group of three symbols. First Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive II) The glow kind of gives it away. Screenshot by Destructoid Whack them with Wolfsbane. Screenshot by Destructoid The three glyphs in the first set of symbols required for the Wolfsbane intrinsic are shaped like diamonds. After you've destroyed the four security nodes at the beginning, drop down into an area filled with water and look for the first symbol in the one dimly lit alcove. It's to the left of the terminal and directly opposite the correct exit, on the far side of the room. When you see this, look left. Screenshot by Destructoid You can find this one sooner, but this is the safest spot to get it. Screenshot by Destructoid The next diamond is in the following section. Keep going until you see an alcove with a lamp slightly above you. Look to your left once you get there, or turn right if you jump across. This is the view from the other side of the room. Screenshot by Destructoid The final diamond is past that area, when you enter a dark corridor. This small alcove is hidden behind a pipe, which is difficult to see if you don't move around. Go to the room with the long walkway in front of it, then look for the unlit nook below and to your right. Second Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive III) Don't get tunnel vision or you may miss this one. Screenshot by Destructoid The shape you need is above you. Screenshot by Destructoid The next set of symbols is in the longer parkour section. You'll find them in a different order depending on the path you choose, but what matters is breaking all shapes with Wolfsbane. After climbing on the elevator on the right, you'll reach an area with two Goblins shooting at you from a ledge up high, with a short, yellow walkway to their right. Look for this symbol across from the Goblins, hidden behind a wall. Keep your eyes peeled for this one. Screenshot by Destructoid This is the easier to see of the two. Screenshot by Destructoid The remaining two shapes appear on the other side of the room. They're very visible and are right in your path. One is just off the beginning, while the other isn't too far ahead. Third Wolfsbane intrinsic upgrade location (Resurgence Directive IV) The view from the back right corner. Screenshot by Destructoid Don't get too busy killing Cabal to forget about this one. Screenshot by Destructoid This one is almost a freebie. Screenshot by Destructoid The boss room is sectioned off into three parts: the main area and the two adjoining rooms required for the hacking mechanic. There's a symbol in each of them. From your spawn point, one of the squares is on the back left of the room. There's one more in the area where you summon the hacking Psion, floating above a computer terminal. The final shape you need is to your left after breaking through the second wall with the Quicksilver Psion. If you've destroyed all symbols, you should obtain the three necessary intrinsics, though being on a fireteam may net different results. This lets you shape the handle and blades (yes, plural) on Wolfsbane, giving you a little room to design this weapon as you'd like. 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 How to upgrade Wolfsbane’s intrinsic in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Unstable Cores are a new item in The Edge of Fate, Destiny 2's latest expansion. This controversial currency was required to infuse weapons and armor beyond 200 power. Though the resource is fated to disappear in the future, Bungie gifted guardians 777,777 Unstable Cores to use until then. The newly minted Unstable Cores are integral to the leveling process, at least for the time being. If you're a new or returning player who doesn't know what to do with your lifetime supply of green rocks, here's a quick explanation on how they work, how to use them, and why they're going away. What are Unstable Cores in Destiny 2 Grab the gear from the Techsec chest for a full set of equipment at 300 power and an avalanche of Cores. Image via Bungie Simply put, Unstable Cores are consumed to level up your gear after reaching power level 200 and drop by dismantling gear past that threshold. Items with a higher level yield more Cores when destroyed, but infusing costs grow based on the discrepancy between the two items. How to use Unstable Cores in Destiny 2 New expansion, new gear, new currency. Image via Bungie Unstable Cores are used automatically when infusing items, like the now-defunct Upgrade Modules. Raising the power level of any item above 200 will consume some of your stash. Infusing between two of the same piece of gear or weapon only costs 1,000 Glimmer, however. If you have a well-rolled Techsec Hood helmet at 300 but got a 310 one with worse stats, using the latter as infusion fodder is a cheap option. For armor, this only works for the same class. Why Unstable Cores are being removed Kepler was the major point of Edge of Fate, but the new systems were also part of marketing. Image via Bungie Unstable Cores were far from being the biggest controversy with Edge of Fate, but they quickly became another problem for Bungie. The vision behind this currency was to add a source of fleeting, seasonal power during an expansion, which would reset when the next major DLC dropped. Understandably, that wasn't well received. The studio confirmed it will sunset this resource in the future and announced a one-time gift of 777,777 Unstable Cores—more than enough to tide guardians over until this currency goes away for good. "Overall, we've found that Unstable Cores have been too restrictive across power levels and fail to drive interesting buildcraft decisions," Bungie wrote. The rising infusion costs made it expensive to keep multiple builds at level, especially if you were playing more than one character (like bringing your Warlock up to code after the amazing Voidwalker buffs). Additionally, the expiration date for both a player's total power level and Unstable Cores—all with a lifespan of around six months—didn't help its case. Gathering stocks of materials only for them to disappear months later didn't appeal to guardians, and the studio even walked back the planned power reset with Renegades. 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 How to use Unstable Cores in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Tencent has announced Rules of Engagement, their newest project from Grey State Studio. The game is an extraction shooter with a focus on PvPvE battlefields which will be available as a free-to-play experience and is currently in development for PC. View the full article
My pile of games already stretches past the moon, but some discounts just hit that "add to cart" button for you. This week’s round of wallet tests includes some cinematic adventures, open-world chaos, and nostalgia bombs that deserve a permanent slot on your shelf or SSD. Get amongst them before they're gone. Contents RetroNintendoXboxPlayStationPCPC GearLEGOThis Day in Gaming In retro news, I've hired some Nathan Drake spooking clowns for the 16th Bday of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. To say this sequel blew my mind at launch is quite the understatement. U2 began and persisted with gobsmacking action setpieces, brilliantly balanced shootin' / punchin' / puzzlin' gameplay, and an Amy Hennig script that snap, crackled, and popped with a decent pool of Marco Polo jokes. To this day, it's not just the alpha Uncharted in ND's kennel of purebred pedigrees, but also one of the finest video games ever made, *******. Re-experience or tick it off your bucket list with this. Aussie birthdays for notable games. - Stronghold: Crusader (PC) 2002. Redux - Jak II: Renegade (PS2) 2003. Redux - OutRun 2 (XB) 2004. eBay - GT Legends (PC) 2005. Get - Brütal Legend (PS3,X360) 2009. Get - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS2) 2009. Redux Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch On Switch, Super Mario RPG remains one of my all-time favourite reinventions. What started as a 1996 curiosity turned into a cult hit with turn-based combat that feels half JRPG, half slapstick theatre. And if you’re yet to play LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, it’s basically a massive playable meme. Every scene is packed with physical gags and sly nods to nine films’ worth of lore. LEGO Skywalker Saga (-80%) - A$17.90Assassin's Creed III: Rem. (-46%) - A$37.90Super Mario RPG (-26%) - A$59Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble (-35%) - A$45.30Mortal Kombat 1 (-33%) - A$39.90 Games of the Moment What's flying off shelves? Pokemon Sc arlet - A$49.99Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - A$79EA Sports FC 26 - A$75 Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card. Switch Console Prices How much to Switch it up? [/url] Back to top Exciting Bargains for Xbox Over on Xbox Series X, Dragon Age: Veilguard Del. isn't a best-in-franchise but worth a reduced price bet. Meanwhile, The Crew Motorfest is a surprise gem, blending Forza-style open driving with a cheeky island holiday vibe that I didn’t expect to enjoy this much. WWE 2K25 (-54%) - A$54.90Dragon Age: Veilguard Del. (-80%) - A$28.10Seagate Expansion Card (-31%) - A$214.40The Crew Motorfest (-60%) - A$39.90Jedi Survivor Del. (-55%) - A$66.30 Xbox One The Quarry (-48%) - A$51.70Assassin's Creed The Ezio Col. (-35%) - A$44Red Dead Redemption 2 (-75%) - A$24 Games of the Moment A look at the top sellers EA Sports FC 26 - A$85Silent Hill f - A$109Borderlands 4 - A$99 Or just invest in an Xbox Card. Xbox Console Prices How many bucks for a 'Box? [/url] Back to top Pure Scores for PlayStation On PS5, Like a Dragon: Ishin! brings sword-swinging chaos to feudal Japan, and it’s fascinating to see the Yakuza DNA dressed up in samurai robes. And Far Cry 6 may be divisive, but I’ll admit its open-world anarchy, coupled with Giancarlo Esposito’s villainy, still feels worth the asking price. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (-30%) - A$75.90Far Cry 6 (-81%) - A$19Like a Dragon: Ishin! (-52%) - A$47.50******: The Old Country (-33%) - A$59.90Resident Evil Village (-35%) - A$35.70 PS4 Batman: Arkham Col. (-59%) - A$34.90Little Nightmares Comp. Ed. (-34%) - A$29.80Dragon Ball FighterZ (-53%) - A$47.20 Games of the Moment What's in high demand? EA Sports FC 26 - A$79Ghost of Yōtei - A$99Silent Hill f - A$119 Or purchase a PS Store Card. What you'll pay to 'Station. [/url] Back to top Purchase Cheap for PC On PC, Detroit: Become Human is Quantic Dream’s best work by a long shot, thanks to clever branching paths that react beautifully to failure. And Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus remains one of the most ridiculous, fist-pumping shooter campaigns ever made. If you want to dual-wield shotguns while ranting about fascism, this is your catharsis. Borderlands 4 (-30%) - A$76.90Chained Echoes (-60%) - A$14.30Superliminal (-70%) - A$8.80Detroit: Become Human (-80%) - A$11.90Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (-87%) - A$5.30 Or just get a Steam Wallet Card PC Hardware Prices Slay your pile of shame. [/url] Legit LEGO Deals F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG (-39%) - A$79City Fire Rescue Boat (-39%) - A$20Grogu with Hover Pram (-37%) - A$95.20Shy Guy & P-Wing (-37%) - A$19 Back to top Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube. View the full article
Battlefield 6 developers are considering making a change to the way that weapon bloom works. Battlefield 6 players are currently exploring everything the game has to offer, and some have brought up an issue with how shots are registered, and now a developer has touched on the problem. View the full article
Battlefield 6's campaign incorporates some pretty significant callbacks to the events of past games, and in particular, Battlefield 3, with one of its missions planting the seeds of villainous organization Pax Armata. While having played past games in the series certainly isn't a prerequisite to enjoying Battlefield 6, longtime fans may notice how the events of Battlefield 3 have carried over into the newest game's campaign. View the full article
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Updated the Mad Drip to fix a problem with LODs Updated cp_cowerhouse to fix regression from the previous update Updated the Sandy Unusual effectMovement StateChanged sand clouds to be a camera depth bias of 0 instead of 5, this will help with the dust clouds unintentionally occluding the player model in some casesIdle StateChanged idle sand clumps to lock rotation, so the sand falling isn't influenced by camera position Changed camera depth bias for idle clouds to 5 instead of 10, so that it doesn't occlude player model at unintended anglesUpdated the Sizzling Unusual effectChanged sequence random value from 4 to 3, in order to prevent steam sprites from spinning rapidly at randomView the full article
World of Warcraft has officially revealed a new set of rewards for its 12-month subscription offer, which includes the Astral Aurochs and Grandiose Grrloc mounts for modern WoW, and the Sha-scarred Drake for Classic. Players who purchase a 12-month recurring subscription to World of Warcraft, or who are already on one, will receive these rewards and more without any additional purchases. View the full article
Microsoft окончательно прекратила поддержку Windows 10 — спустя почти 10 лет после её выхода. Это означает, что пользователи больше не будут получать обновления безопасности, исправления ошибок и техническую помощь. View the full article
I beat up my high school bully and then hacked demons to death in the Steam Next Fest demo for Kingdom of Night, and I recommend you do the sameView the full article
The Copper Age update to Minecraft has seen many exclusive items as part of its content, but perhaps the rarest is the Copper Cape, an accessory you can only get for a limited time. This cosmetic acts like any other cape, attaching to your character as they explore any sandbox. However, only a few specific actions can earn this cape, which you must do within the right timeframe. View the full article
Хотя все другие основные игры серии стелс-экшенов Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell последние годы были доступны в цифровых магазинах на ПК, Pandora Tomorrow отсутствовала в виртуальной линейке Ubisoft. До недавних пор.View the full article
Every class in Battlefield 6 has two available Training Paths at launch, one of which is unlocked by default. Unlocking the second Training Path for the Engineer class, Combat Engineer, is generally much easier than the other classes' equivalent. Getting the Combat Engineer Training Path will open up a new loadout for you to use, giving you a total of three so you can easily hot-swap roles between lives. View the full article
We don't have long to wait before Keeper releases worldwide, and the following countdown will help you keep track of the launch. While we've known the release date for a while, developers Double Time have also confirmed the launch times now. Keeper, available for PC and Xbox, will be released simultaneously across all platforms. Let's check out the exact launch timing so that you can jump in as the game goes live. Table of contentsKeeper release countdownWhat to expect from KeeperKeeper release countdown Keeper will be releasing worldwide on Oct. 17 (Oct. 18) in some regions, and the countdown below will be your best guide if you want to jump into your adventure in the first minute. [hurrytimer id="1129286"] The countdown is based on the following times from around the world. 8am PDT (Oct. 17)10am CDT (Oct. 17)11am EDT (Oct. 17)12pm BRT (Oct. 17)4pm BST (Oct. 17)5pm CEST (Oct. 17)00am KST (Oct. 18)00am JST (Oct. 18)2am AEDT (Oct. 18)4am NZDT (Oct. 18) Everyone will begin playing at the same time, since there's no early or advanced access available with this title. What to expect from Keeper Double Fine has made every possible attempt to keep Keeper a mystery. We know that it's an atmospheric puzzle adventure that can be enjoyed in third-person view. The adventure is supposed to take place on an island in the long-lost sea. The official description about the game on Steam is pretty mysterious to say the least. Keeper appears to be one title that you'll have to test out yourself to know more. If you're not planning to buy the game outright, you can always get an Xbox Game Pass membership to try it on day one. 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 Keeper release countdown: Exact time and date appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
One Battlefield 6 player believes they've uncovered a massive unannounced nerf to sniper rifles, causing some players to miss well-aimed shots because they aren't using the Recon class. Battlefield 6 made its highly anticipated debut on October 10, 2025, and is currently available to play on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. View the full article
Overwatch 2 just began a new Twitch Drop campaign to celebrate the launch of Season 19, including the Fenrir Unchained spray for Reaper, the Nightshade Sombra Name Card, and two free Loot Boxes. By watching up to 10 hours of any Overwatch 2 streamer on Twitch, players can unlock these free items with minimal effort. View the full article
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