Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has had many installments in its time as a key franchise of CoD games that kept the blood pumping. There are plenty of moments to think back on and certain original trilogy maps from 2007 to 2011 were thought fondly of by fans of the series. While you are utilizing the best Sniper Rifles in games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, now would also be a perfect time to think about the legacy of the franchise. This article will take you through some of the best original Modern Warfare trilogy maps. It should be noted that these picks will also take into consideration DLC maps which may have been released after the initial year of release outwith 2011.

Best Modern Warfare Trilogy Maps From 2007 – 2011 Ranked

7. Crash — Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Crash is a map that many fans will have likely experienced at one time or another during their playthrough of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. No matter how much you may have wanted to play a different map at times, this was a map that appeared frequently on many matchmaking searches. Over time it grew on people and we think it definitely is a map that deserves some more praise for its creation.

6. Black Box — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2012 DLC Map)

Even though this map was added as DLC, it still had a lot of praise surrounding the map. When we got the chance to join a match that had the map currently on rotation it was an incredible time all around. Lots of pathways through the environment mean that there is just the right amount of versatility allowed for players. It is the (in-game) Air Force One crash site with the plane on the ground and it even has houses surrounding it. A larger scale map that checks off all the boxes for being an excellent map.

5. Wet Work — Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

This particular map has fans asking for remakes of it all the time. There is a lot to be enjoyed about being on a cargo ship while avoiding the enemy team’s fire and making your own mark on the map. There are a lot of sections in the layout where you will have to memorize certain enemy patterns and it makes sure you are always keeping on the move in the map.

4. Dome — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

A map that always comes into our minds when discussing Call of Duty history is the Dome map. Although it doesn’t have the most striking name of the century, it does deliver on its quality of design and overall environment. Set in the desert, there is a beautiful atmosphere that radiates from the map, and the fast-paced action found on the map keeps everyone on their toes with gameplay.

3. Terminal — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the map Terminal. This was based on the location where the infamous but slightly controversial campaign mission ‘No Russian’ took place and fan praise was given to the design of the multiplayer map. It was extremely different from many maps we had seen before in the series and that was one of the key points that let it reach the Call of Duty fan hall of fame.

2. Rust — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Rust has gained a large reputation over the years with mods being built in other games based entirely around it. There is a reason for this and that is because of just how powerful a map it is. Snipers have their dream battleground and shotgun wielders can still feel at home at the same time. A perfect combination of all types of Call of Duty players makes this a map that is still talked about to this very day.

1. Sub Base — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Sub Base is one of those maps which you will always recall. Set in a snowy environment around a sub there is a lot to be appreciated about the various components of the map. The general area is contained enough that it doesn’t take too long to find a firefight, yet it still isn’t constricting in any way and allows for lots of long-range fights. Furthermore, verticality is another important part of the design of this map that makes it stand out from some of the others.

Reading information about these Modern Warfare maps will likely have brought back a flood of memories to you from your past. Excellently crafted maps with interesting design decisions are a key part of what makes multiplayer so enjoyable to return to time and time again. With fan-favorite maps being added to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II it is important to remember the history of various maps from the franchise.

Overwatch is full of exciting heroes to be learned and unlocked. Many people begin forming opinions on what are some of the best heroes in games such as Overwatch 2. Of course, when looking at the Overwatch franchise as an amalgamation of both installments there is a lot of ground to cover with selecting the best heroes. This article will take you through the ranked Overwatch franchise Hero Tier List. It should be noted that this list is subjective to your own personal opinion and will vary depending on your own thoughts.

Overwatch Hero Ranked Tier List

S Tier Overwatch Heroes

• D.Va
• Kiriko
• Pharah
• Sombra
• Zarya
• Moira

When it comes to S-Tier heroes there is a small number that will tend always to have an upper edge over the opponent. Kiriko — who arrived in Overwatch 2 — when mastered truly can turn the tide of any battle. Not only can she heal your own team but they can also utilize fast movement with speedy kills. On the other hand, using a tank such as D.Va when you know her best strategies will be equally important to winning matches with style and pressure.

A Tier Overwatch Heroes

• Echo
• Lúcio
• Tracer
• Sigma
• Widowmaker
• Baptise
• Genji
• Soldier: 76

Sometimes trial and error are required to work out the most effective heroes. Some people can quickly give up when not getting kills quickly enough with a hero. For those like Tracer, a well-timed teleport can be a plunging knife into the backs of the enemy team. Practice and efficiency will ensure that you get the most out of Tracer. Other A-tier heroes that you won’t want to overlook are those such as Widowmaker and Genji.

B Tier Overwatch Heroes

• Mercy
• Winston
• Reaper
• Ana
• Cassidy
• Ashe
• Orisa

Healers like Mercy will be able to support your team tenfold with vast healing ability when you know how to successfully utilize features like the Mercy Super Jump. Other B-tier heroes that you may want to give a test run are Ashe and Orisa. The latter is definitely a Tank hero that can really be a stopping force for the enemy team when using their abilities to a great standard. This belief is more so applied to Overwatch 2 due to certain buffs and tweaks that were added to the playstyle of the hero.

C Tier Overwatch Heroes

• Wrecking Ball
• Torbjörn
• Mei
• Junker Queen
• Sojourn

Many may feel that Wrecking Ball should be placed lower on a tier list but in reality, they can be a brilliant asset to any team when used by the correct player who knows how to control them. Similarly, Mei is a go-to choice for a lot of players and that is of no surprise thanks to their brilliant abilities that can be key tactic infusers for defending objectives.

D Tier Overwatch Heroes

• Reinhardt
• Symmetra
• Junkrat
• Doomfist
• Hanzo

Unfortunately, those on this list take their place a bit lower than the other tiers above because of their slightly lower effectiveness. Although Reinhardt can absolutely still be used successfully including those like Symmetra. When putting a lot of practice into any of the heroes above they can still be used as mains if they are your personal favorites. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from giving them a go!

E Tier Overwatch Heroes

• Brigitte
• Zenyatta
• Roadhog
• Bastion

Although these heroes are ranked as some of the ‘worst’ on the list it doesn’t automatically mean to be fully avoiding them. Heroes such as Bastion can still be effective in games and Roadhog when mastered by a player can be a devastating foe to face. Generally from our own consensus and public consensus, these heroes can frequently be seen near the bottom of the list.

Overwatch 2 is available right now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Jumping into the world of Minecraft can be an exciting time, especially if players know the best starting seeds to jump into. While some players may jump in to start creating their dream world, full of beautiful paths and housings for their favorite animals, other players are looking to embark on a grand adventure unlike anything else they’ve ever seen.

Players will be taken to a brand new location by jumping into a specific seed that may house some incredible secrets. From awe-inspiring beauty to temples lost in the wilderness, jumping into one of these 5 amazing seeds will allow players to experience something never seen. Make sure your inventory is stocked up before heading out to these fantastic locations because you’ll never want to leave.

5 Crazy Minecraft Seeds You Need To Experience

From the lost worlds of the ancients to beautiful lands that can inspire pure creativity, there is something for every type of Minecraft player in this list. Players can experience these in either Survival or Creative, so they won’t need to worry about having a rough go of things if they are less experienced in the game.

5. Where The World Has Split – Seed: 12542

Players that are looking for a sightseeing adventure will want to check out this particular seed as soon as possible. As you travel north, you’ll come across this split in the world, with a huge mine below to explore and plenty of sights to see. The awe-inspiring nature of this area is enough to earn it a quick spot on our list, as it is the perfect spot to see both high and low.

4. Tropical Paradise – Seed: -450156990

In this picturesque scene, you come across a beautiful tropical paradise. Players will find a floating village that offers plenty of verticality and exploration possibilities and could be the perfect spot to retire when you’ve finally finished off your Minecraft career. Pairing this up with some excellent resource packs will let you obtain some abnormally beautiful shots of this building game.

3. Hot & Cold – 1378484848149710959

While you may not be able to find snow in the jungles of the natural world, this seed will give you the best of both worlds. With snow-capped mountains surrounding a quaint little village in the middle of the jungle, this is just the start of this amazing seed. You’ll want to continue playing in this world for hours, soaking up the natural beauty of the world around you.

2. Zombie Village – 8672609961208932840

This one will take a bit of traveling to find, but the result is more than worth it. A beautiful vista in the middle of the ocean, this seed will allow players to see Zombies in a new light. Living in pure harmony, these peaceful mobs will not attack players as they visit this one-of-a-kind locale.

1. Lava Ocean – Seed: -294736379

Not only is this a gorgeous vista to visit, but it could also work as a great endurance test for players and their friends. Just a few feet away from the spawning location, players will need to watch where they’re going to avoid falling to an untimely doom. This unique location is a perfect seed for all types of players once more.

With the sheer amount of content inside of Minecraft, these seeds will help you strike the creative chord and start up your dream server and world. If these seeds don’t do it for you, players can also find plenty of different gameplay types within the world, including chances to roleplay, and even prisons.

Minecraft is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile Devices, and PC.

If players are looking to add insult to injury while playing Apex Legends, a finisher is a perfect solution. Being able to end the game of an enemy in bombastic style is part of the experience, and if you’ve ever been on the receiving side of one of these brutal death blows, you understand the pain. But, with so many characters to choose from, who happens to have the best finisher in the game?

Let’s dive in and find out who has the most brutal finisher in this battle royale title. While some may be quite hilarious to watch unfold, others just feel raw and exciting to see unfold. There is plenty to see here, so let’s find out who is the best when it comes to doling out pain.

Ranking The Best Finishers For All Legends

Starting from the bottom and working our way to the top, keep in mind that this is a personal opinion. Some may trump others when it comes to the overall brutality, but finding something that clicks feels right. That being said, here are our thoughts on the best Apex Legends finishers by each Legend.

23. Newcastle

While Newcastle may be one of the more exciting legends to play, his overall finisher list is fairly lacking. It may be fun to slam your enemy to their doom using your shield, but there are plenty of other finishers that outshine his list.

22. ASH

While ASH may not be generic, their finishers scream that word from the top of a mountain. With two quick swipes of a sword, you’ll have your enemy finished off. It would have been great to see them go a little more in-depth, rather than a slash and a stab.

21. Crypto

While one finisher outclasses the other, the fact that one of Crypto’s finishers is just a general punch to the face lands him down fairly far on this list. If it weren’t for how painfully boring this finisher was, he would have made it much further up, but this drags him down quite a fair amount.

20. Wraith

Another excellent character brought down a few pegs due to a painfully generic finisher. Much like Crypto before, a standard punch to the face from Wraith brings her down to this lower tier. While her other finisher is much more exciting, this one feels unacceptable.

19. Caustic

Now, we’re starting to get into the interesting finishers that may just be lacking the final bit. Caustic is the perfect example, with an excellent finisher, and a finisher that feels that it may just be missing a little something. However, it is quite brutal overall and happens to push players into this new boundary.

18. Catalyst

While she may be one of the newest heroes, Catalyst brings brutality to the forefront with her overall finisher. As more gamers get a chance to play, we may come to appreciate her overall approach shortly. Raising your foe off of the ground, only to crush them with the power of your mind is something powerful, indeed. It’s just a little boring after a while.

17. Horizon

Using their kit to its full extremes, Horizon is not afraid to bring the pain to anyone on the receiving end of either finisher. Being one of the first on this list to finally nail both of the finishers, Horizon starts the trend of actually great finishers all around.

16. Wattson

While Wattson’s ranking on this list may be shocking to some, it’s hard to push her any higher than this point. While the finishers on display are both creative, it lacks that final push to make them more exciting than they can be. That being said, watching your opponent get shocked in a comedic sense is quite fun overall.

15. Bangalore

Using her full kit at her disposal, a quick rocket to the face leaves your opponent face down in the dirt faster than most other finishers on our list. Bangalore is starting to embrace her wild side and she crests toward the higher portions of this list.

14. Pathfinder

While other characters were ranked lower for a punch to the face, Pathfinder finds themselves higher on this list for a specific reason. Mixing a bit of dry humor alongside the brutality, going Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots on an enemy is quite enjoyable to watch.

13. Lifeline

Another shocking revelation, Lifeline is willing to put her tendency toward healing on the back burner when it comes to her foes. Instead of bringing them back from the dead, she uses her kit to make sure that they stay that way forever. Things are starting to get electrical from here!

12. Bloodhound

Sometimes, flashiness will get your further. Not for Bloodhound, who prefers to get in quickly and painfully to end his opponent with ease. With three finishers in total, all involving a swift demise, Bloodhound takes brutality to a new level.

11. Gibraltar

Using the pride of his warrior roots, Gibraltar has three excellent finishers that are fun to watch and exercise the brutality that the game is known for. It’s hard to place him down here, as this mountain of a man does have excellent skills, but it shows how great these others can be.

10. Fuse

Like a true gentleman, Fuse is willing to give you a hand and a second chance. Or so you think, as you find yourself staggering back to the ground from a solidly delivered headbutt that brings your life to a close. With two excellent finishers, Fuse mains have chosen well for many different reasons.

9. Loba

Who knew getting killed could look so good? Loba brings her general attitude to the forefront, as she showcases her gymnastic skills before snapping your neck. She brings sass and attitude with her selection of finishers and makes it quite exciting overall.

8. Mad Maggie

Mad Maggie is ready and able to bring that brutal edge to her opponents, as she brings out a chain to smash into the skulls of those unfortunate enough to come across her. Smashing and slashing bring a joyous smile to her face, which is haunting for those witnessing this act firsthand.

7. Octane

Bringing both brutality and humor to the table, Octane is a fun character to interact with. While using his kit to his advantage, dropping bombs and getting blasted away is a very fun way to end the matchup against a powerful opponent. Insult to injury never felt better than this.

6. Vantage

Using her bat friend to her advantage, she delivers the killing blow after her opponents have been treated by this apparent harbinger of death. While somewhat cutesy in a way, the Vantage finishers on display bring a perfect balance of brutal and wonderful.

5. Revenant

This spooky robotic skeleton sends shivers down your spine when you come across him on the battlefield. What is even more haunting, however, is watching him get up close and personal with you, and brings your life to an end. A chilling end to a short life, Revenant brings a unique blend of brutality to his finishers, as well as a general feeling of dread when you come across him on the battlefield.

4. Seer

This soothsayer may be competent on the battlefield, but his finisher elevates him to a new plane of existence on this list. You’ll find that it’s mesmerizing to watch, and leads to a messy ending for those on the receiving end of this attack. A great way to end a player or a match, Seer is quite astonishing in his abilities.

3. Mirage

They say that two is better than one for some things, and Mirage lives that lesson every day. Being able to use your doppelganger to bring an end in a hilarious and somewhat brutal fashion, this playful character isn’t messing around when it comes time to close out a match. His playful side is showcased here in a perfect fashion and shows why he has a devoted fanbase.

2. Rampart

Much like Mirage, you’ll find that Rampart isn’t afraid to have some fun while she’s bringing an end to your career. Setting up a mounted turret and giving you a sign of how she feels, this finisher is both hilarious and horrifying. You’ll have a hard time picking yourself up after seeing how you’ve been humiliated when you’re on the receiving end of this nasty finisher.

1. Valkyrie

The ultimate in humiliation and pain, it’s hard to think of any worse way of dying than being burnt to a crisp. Valkyrie does it even better than that, however. Hovering over your body with her jetpack on full blast, you better hope that your teammates have some marshmallows and chocolate to help them feel a little better after finding you. Humor and brutality are encapsulated perfectly in the most innocent of packages.

Now that you’ve got this list of the best finishers in Apex Legends, make sure you know the best places to drop so you can show your enemy your favorite from this list. If you’re looking to add a bit more insult to injury, perfect the art of using disruptor rounds before you move in for the kill!

Apex Legends is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile Devices, and PC.

GTA V has an expansive modding community with some members going above and beyond with their mod creation. As with any adult-focused community, there is the possibility that minds wander slightly from a clearly focused goal and dissolve into creating some adult mods instead. Rather than helping players learn how to get cars such as the Übermacht Rhinehart, players instead may choose to create nude bodies. If you are someone who loves some adult mods then look no further as this article will go over the best GTA V sex mods.

Best Sex Mods for GTA V

DOAXVV Honoka Nude 18+ [Add-On]

Everyone loves some Dead or Alive and getting the opportunity to have Honoka in your game is certainly always a plus. However, some particular players may want to get to know Honoka even more. Even better, Honoka’s nude. If this is up your alley then you can always give the mod a trial run.

Nude Beach Girls (18+)

One of the most downloaded adult mods is Nude Beach Girls. If you have ever been a stroll down to the many beaches in Los Santos and near the Del Perro Pier you will have likely seen many women lounging on the beaches in their bikinis. This mod makes all the women at the beach topless and not just at the beaches, but also in general pools.

KinkyNudes Now With Breast Movement 18+

The KinkyNudes mod has some of the most customizable NSFW content for you to work with. There is an entire menu of erotic lingerie sets to choose from, available for both men and women. You’re also able to run around as either a nude female or male character with all nude bits on display. Along with that, as denoted thoroughly in the title of the mod, breast movement is also available to satisfy your customization needs with adult content.

(18+) Paradise City – BEST Topless Peds and Nude Beaches Mod

If quantity is what you are searching for then thankfully you won’t have to look very much longer. The “Paradise City” mod will place plenty of topless women all over the map for you. Whether you are taking an evening stroll along the mountains or at the beaches, this mod will have plenty of topless women waiting for you all over the place.

Realistic Naked body for Mpfemale

Realism is definitely a factor that many will be thinking about when looking through adult mods. The Realistic Naked Body for Mpfemale mod allows you to customize the shape and size of even your most intimate body parts. This will likely be your best bet for a mod if you’re just looking for a base nude body that has a lot of realistic elements. There are also many options for you to choose from allowing you to tailor your choices more.

There certainly are a lot of mods to work your way through if you’re looking for something spicier during your gaming experience. All of these mods can be found and searched for by utilizing gta5mods.com. However, be sure to be extra safe when downloading mods by having active Antivirus software installed on your system. While you’re taking advantage of this list, you could also be speeding through Los Santos with the best motorcycles in GTA Online before starting your journey with the mods in story mode!

Grand Theft Auto: V is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.

Dating back to 2007 with it’s original installment, the Assassin’s Creed games franchise launched by Ubisoft, now has 12 titles under it’s belt. Encompassing multiple timelines and historical periods, the games are known not only for their mechanics but for their historical depiction and accuracy as well. However, some of the games in the franchise weren’t up to the mark.

Here are all the Assassin’s Creed games, ranked in the order of their popularity.

12.) Assassin’s Creed (2007)

It would be wrong to start this list off with giving Altair’s story the lowest rank on this list. Being the first installment in the series, this game managed to set the premise for the future games. Not only that, it also set up the battle between the Assassins and the Templars. There’s nothing bad about this game though. The only reason it’s so low on the list is because of the fact that it’s successors have evolved drastically, in terms of both mechanics and storylines.

11.) Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014)

The less we talk about Assassin’s Creed Unity the better. This game had all sorts of problems with it. Ubisoft made a bold attempt of launching this edition on consoles as well. Not only that, the game was set during the French Revolution as well. Now, to take all that into account and create something that is historically accurate, while keeping the fictional bits relevant as well is a humongous task. Ubisoft didn’t pull it off quite well. The result, a disappointing game with a forgettable storyline. And that’s just the start. There were several bugs on the technical side of things which made the overall experience very poor. The only good part about this game was the fact that you could parkour down!

10.) Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014)

2014 was a difficult year for Ubisoft, at least in terms of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. While Rogue wasn’t a disaster like Unity, it had its own share of issues. This game served as a prequel to Unity and set up the premise for everything that happened to Arno and the reason for which he joined the order. Moreover, for the first time ever, we got to play as a Templar, I mean an Assassin who defected to the Templars because someone in the Brotherhood betrayed him. The overall storyline was predictable though. It’s not bad at all, but there are other games that are better.

9.) Assassin’s Creed III (2012)

Assassin’s Creed III had all the scope in the world to be the best game in the entire franchise, but Ubisoft couldn’t quite pull it off with this one either. While Desmond was still reeling from Lucy’s death, we were busy climbing trees, collecting feathers, and hunting animals. The game managed to capture the conflict between the Native Americans and the British very well while keeping a balanced take on things. This game could have done a bit more in terms of the naval missions as well. Also, Desmond running around through the Temple trying to activate those power sources was quite annoying as well.

8.) Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015)

Syndicate was Ubisoft’s saving grace. After a terrible 2014, the developers had to make sure that they got the next one correct. And they did manage to get things right with Syndicate. Set in London during the Victorian era, Syndicate was the first time we saw twin Assassin’s fighting together for the cause – Jacob and Evie Frye. The storyline was nice, the investigation mechanics were a massive upgrade at this point in time. But the gameplay felt massively repetitive so no brownie points there.

7.) Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017)

Origins was the start of something new for the entire franchise. Yes, the series had an open world feel to it before, but it wasn’t an RPG in its truest sense. With the arrival of Origins, the developers started walking down the RPG route with customizable perks and weapons with stat differences and choices, giving players a choice of character customization here. Storyline wise, it’s okay but there are other games in the series that have a more compelling storyline. The scenery was amazing and the developers managed to capture each and every minute detail of Egypt during its peak glory.

6.) Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (2011)

This is probably the first time that an Assassin retired and then died. Revelations was the best ending that Ezio could get. The storyline was absolutely beautiful and so was Constantinople. But what wasn’t that great was the Den Defense activity in the game. No one really liked it that much because it was tedious and annoying. If you’ve been a fan of strategy games then there’s a chance you might have enjoyed it. We’re not saying it was a bad feature, it’s just something that feels like an overbearing addition at this time. Either way, it was fine in its own tedious little way.

5.) Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (2018)

Released back in 2018, Odyssey took things one notch higher than the bar that Origins set. The franchise took on the full fledged RPG route with character builds, crafting and other similar mechanics. Interestingly enough, this game is set during the Peloponnesian War. This time we end up controlling a mercenary who’s somehow fighting on both sides during the way. A pretty interesting take on behalf of the developers, but overall, the game felt slightly overambitious. Either way it’s bagged a top.

4.) Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (2020)

Adding a Viking twist to the entire Assassin vs Templar storyline seemed like a bad idea at first, but Ubisoft delivered on its promise. In fact, the way they handled Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is quite impressive. While the main campaign is amazing, the side stories are also beautifully woven within the main narrative. There’s a modern day arc to this too, but that’s slightly disappointing as well. I mean, Desmond was the OG, and no other character has felt close to how Desmond felt during the initial titles in the game.

3.) Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010)

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood had all of the signs of a cheap cash grab. One year separated its release from Assassin’s Creed II, it continued Ezio’s narrative, and it brought players to Rome after briefly appearing at the end of AC II. Instead of feeling like an expansion or Assassin’s Creed 2.5, Brotherhood surprisingly defied the odds. A shorter campaign was packed full of content, interesting characters, and it tied up loose ends from AC II while offering new quests and locations to explore. For the first time, players could actually build their own Brotherhood (hence the name) and recruit civilians to the Assassin cause. The game concluded in such a jaw dropping moment that it’s still one of the most stunning things to happen in the series to date.

2.) Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)

After the rather disappointing Assassin’s Creed III, a lot was riding on Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. For the first time in the series, players would not be in control of Desmond. Instead we were a walking tablet in Abstergo. Not a highlight of the series, but the present day’s mysteries and intrigue were still there. Going back to the Golden Age of Piracy was a bold choice, especially considering it could have easily turned into “Pirate’s Creed.” Thankfully, that didn’t happen. On top of a beautiful, lush open world set in the Caribbean, Edward and his pirate acquaintances’ were perfect conduits for a refreshing take on the Assassin/Templar war. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag somehow took an unpopular feature (naval gameplay) and made it fun and exciting, letting players set sail on the high seas in one of the series’ best outings.

1.) Assassin’s Creed II (2009)

Though the original Assassin’s Creed started it all off, Assassin’s Creed II elevated the franchise to the heights of greatness, and arguably created the series we love and see today. Ezio was substantially more compelling and charming than Altair, and his quest for revenge was a sympathetic journey that everyone couldn’t help but get lost in. It impressively capitalized on the potential of the first game in every way that was achievable at that time. Not only were the historical parts fantastic, but the modern day plot truly started to get interesting with the introduction of the First Civilization. Complete with dozens of new mechanics and a memorable story, Assassin’s Creed II set the standard for what this series could, and should, be.

That’s our very own ranked list for all the Assassin’s Creed games. Each and every Assassin’s Creed game following Unity is available on PC and Consoles.

In celebration of Halloween, Steam has announced a brand-new sale. The Steam Scream Fest provides a collection of great deals for popular titles on Steam, from terrifying horror games to supernatural action titles. Many of the titles on sale are not actually very focused on making players scared, even if there are more than a few games with spooky elements to them. But for anyone wishing to partake in the spirit of Halloween, there’s only one reason to dive into this sale. Check out some of the best horror games from the Steam Scream Fest at some of their lowest prices yet!

The Best Horror Game Sales of the Steam Scream Fest

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted and Security Breach

While the rest of the Five Nights at Freddy’s series isn’t on sale, the biggest games in the franchise are cheaper than they’ve ever been. Help Wanted compiles parts from every previous game in the series to create a terrifying experience, especially if you own a VR headset. Security Breach is the latest installment in the series, putting players in a dark mall as they’re forced to avoid animatronics and survive the night. These notable titles are a great way to learn about the franchise and prepare yourself for the possibility of future installments — and perhaps even the upcoming FNAF movie.

Help Wanted is currently on sale for $14.99 USD, while Security Breach is on sale for $23.99 USD.

Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia takes many classic horror tropes and applies them to a harrowing cooperative experience. You and three allies visit haunted areas with the purpose of collecting evidence of paranormal activity. The ghosts within these areas can hear your voice, and some of them might be less hospitable than you think. The game is still in Early Access, and while that means it’s technically not complete yet, it also means you can expect numerous updates as time goes on. Phasmophobia is a great investment for horror game enthusiasts, especially as the Steam Scream Fest has brought it to its lowest price yet.

Phasmophobia is currently on sale for $11.19 USD.

Frictional Collection Bundle (Amnesia, Soma, Penumbra)

Frictional Games has developed plenty of horror titles, and a collection of their greatest hits is available on sale as part of the Scream Fest. These classic games are arguably the best in the entire genre, with Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA still boasting overwhelmingly positive ratings on Steam. If you want this Halloween to be the most terrifying one yet, you can’t go wrong with this bundle.

The Frictional Collection Bundle is currently on sale for $17.58 USD.

Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 7, and Resident Evil Village

To the surprise of nobody, a few Resident Evil titles have made their way onto this list as well. Resident Evil 2 is one of the greatest, most heart-pounding remakes you’ll find in gaming history. Meanwhile, Resident Evil 7 brings the series back to its roots in a new first-person flavor, and Resident Evil 8 refines the qualities of its predecessor with some of the scariest creatures and most tense moments in the whole franchise. No matter which one you pick, you’re certain to have a horrific experience worth every penny.

Resident Evil 2 is currently on sale for $11.99 USD, while Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village are on sale for $9.99 USD and $29.99 USD respectively.

Bonus Steam Scream Fest New Release: FAITH: The Unholy Trinity

While not exactly “on sale” like other games in the Scream Fest are, FAITH is a recent release with a relatively cheap price. This game collects three chapters together as players are put in the shoes of a priest. Armed with little more than a cross, you’ll need to exorcise demons and survive cultists as you struggle with sins and repentance. The game features pixel art with rotoscoped cutscenes, providing an atmosphere that’s unlike any modern game.

FAITH is priced at $14.99 USD, though its first week of release provides an introductory price of just $13.49 USD.

Other Great Steam Scream Fest Horror Games

Outside of these stand-out titles, the Scream Fest offers plenty of discounts for more popular — and more unknown — titles on the Steam store. There are huge discounts for the ever-popular Dying Light and Dead by Daylight games, and other brand-new titles like Inside the Backrooms and SIGNALIS are making their Halloween debut at very appealing price points. Check out the Steam Scream Fest for yourself to find some hidden horror gems before October reaches its end!

Among the wide array of characters available in Genshin Impact, a few set themselves apart. Thanks to their ability to truly excel in a wide array of compositions and to become undisputedly the best in their role. With that said, although she is still only in her beta stage, leaks regarding her set continue to showcase that Genshin Impact’s upcoming Dendro 5-star Nahida, also known as Lesser Lord Kuasanali, can make an impact only ever seen twice in the game. First, after the Zhongli rework and then after the arrival of 5-star Anemo Support Kaedehara Kazuha.

But how will Nahida make such an impact? Well, in order to answer that, we need to first take a look at the main stars of her set, which will be focused on massively boosting your overall reaction damage, all while enabling damaging Dendro reactions and increasing your overall DPS.

Why You Should Definitely Save for Nahida in Genshin Impact

Based on the descriptions featured on Project Amber, Nahida’s biggest strength will be in the use of her Elemental Skill ”All Schemes to Know”, which will allow her to deal Dendro DMG while also marking up to 8 targets with a Seed of Skandha. After damaging any of the linked enemies with an elemental skill, all of them will then be hit with a Tri-Karma Purification strike, dealing Dendro DMG based on Nahida’s overall ATK and EM.

The other major strength of her set will lie in her passives, which will increase her overall Tri-Karma Purification Crit Rate and DMG based on her EM and increase the EM of all party members by a maximum amount of 200 after performing her Elemental Burst, Illusory Heart.

Overall, Nahida’s set looks to be a perfect fit for a wide array of compositions, as she can work as both an on-field or off-the-field reaction enabler. This will, in turn, make her the game’s best overall Dendro Support thanks to her ability to maximize the already high ceiling of the game’s Aggravate sub-reaction, which is already changing the game’s meta. With that said, if her set is not changed, saving for her is highly recommended (Sorry Nilou), as just like Kazuha and Zhongli, Nahida will prove to be a must if you plan on bringing the most out of the game’s Dendro-focused DPS’.

You can check out a full gameplay showcase of Nahida’s set, featuring both her Elemental Skill and Burst, below. Courtesy of known leaker UBatcha:

While you get ready for the arrival of Nahida on Genshin Impact’s upcoming version 3.2, don’t forget to also check out the 10 best teams on Genshin Impact, as well as all the new characters set to debut throughout the game’s next 4 versions.

Genshin Impact is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and mobile devices – Android, and iOS.

Genshin Impact allows its players to explore Teyvat and face its many dangers while using a wide array of different teams, but, although players can fully customize their teams, some combinations set themselves apart from the rest, thanks to their massive damage outputs and utility. With that said, and to make sure that you can bring the most out of your characters, here are the best teams in Genshin Impact!

• Before we start, it’s important to point out that none of the teams in the list will feature 5-star characters with constellations unlocked.

10 – Arataki Itto + Gorou (C4) + Albedo + Zhongli

To start, we have the game’s best Geo-focused team, featuring Arataki Itto as the main DPS, Gorou as the main buffer/healer, Zhongli as the shield/Burst support, and Albedo as our off-the-field DPS. This build earns its position on our list thanks to its ability to deal massive amounts of Geo damage. If you don’t have access to Gorou at C4, using Noelle in Zhongli’s place can work really well. Noelle can also replace Itto and excel as the main DPS when on C6 and paired up with Yun Jin.

9 – Xiao + Bennett (C1+) + Jean/Venti + Zhongli

Xiao may no longer be considered one of the game’s top 5 DPS’, but his ability to deal massive Burst damage at low intervals, as well as his great synergy with Bennett still makes him a great pick for pretty much any scenario. With that said, this composition features the already-mentioned duo, as well as either Venti or Jean as an Anemo battery and Zhongli as the shield support, which will allow you to freely make use of Xiao’s Burst without reservation.

8 – Tighnari + Bennett (C1+) + Fischl (Ideally C6)/Raiden Shogun + Albedo

In eighth place, we have a team focused on powering up Tighnari, Genshin Impact’s latest Dendro 5-star. The team shines thanks to its ability to both increase Tighnari’s overall ATK% through Bennett’s Burst as well as allow him and Fischl to trigger Dendro/Electro reactions often, thus massively boosting their overall damage. Last but not least, Albedo will allow the team to stay shielded, all while also providing both Fischl and Tighnari with a healthy bonus in EM.

7 – Raiden Shogun + Bennett/Jean + Kazuha + Yae Miko

A composition capable of dealing massive Electro damage. This team earns its spot thanks to its ability to boost the Elemental Bursts of both the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko in quick rotations, a feat made possible thanks to both the Shogun’s excellence in generating particles and the use of two of the game’s best supports, Bennett and Kaedehara Kazuha. Bennet and Kazuha are our picks thanks to the fact that the former is capable of massively boosting ATK, while the latter has his ability to boost Elemental Damage as his biggest strength.

Using a variation featuring the Raiden Shogun, the Dendro Traveler, Jean, and then Yae Miko can also work well, thanks to the proprieties of Quicken.

6 – Yoimiya + Yelan + Xingqiu + Yun Jin

Currently the best overall team for Yoimiya, this team shines thanks to its ability to allow her to trigger Vaporize as much as possible, while also providing small amounts of healing, dealing high amounts of off-the-field damage, and both buffing her normal attacks and providing Sheilds at quick intervals. Using a variation of the team featuring either Albedo or Zhongli in Yun Jin’s place can also work well.

5 – Eula + Diona + Rosaria + Fischl/Raiden Shogun

The game’s best Physical team, this composition is focused on empowering Eula’s already high damage ceiling by providing large amounts of energy through Diona, increasing her CRIT Rate through Rosaria, and keeping enemies almost permanently affected by the debuffs of the Superconduct reaction through Fischl, who will also work as a secondary DPS and offer the team with massive amounts of Energy. Using the Raiden Shogun in Fischl’s place can also work extremely well.

The team also massively increases Eula’s survivability thanks to Diona’s ability to both shield her and heal efficiently. For those who don’t have Eula, using Razor can also work well, as the Cryo units will allow you to trigger Superconduct and Fischl will work as a top-tier battery.

4 – Ayaka / Ganyu + Kokomi/Yelan + Kazuha + Shenhe/Diona

A composition fully focused on perma-freezing your enemies and allowing Kamisato Ayaka to make full use of her set as well as the effects of the Blizzard Strayer artifact set, mainly through the use of Sangonomiya Kokomi‘s Hydro application potential. This assemble is considered by many as the best Cryo-focused composition in the game, thanks to Shenhe and Kazuha’s potential to massively boost Ayaka’s damage input.

This team can also shine when featuring Ganyu as its main DPS, thanks to her ability to deal massive damage at low intervals while also beneficiating from the Cryo buffs.

3 – Tartaglia (Childe) + Bennett + Kazuha + Xiangling

The game’s best team featuring a Hydro main DPS, this composition is focused on allowing Tartaglia (Childe) to trigger Vaporize as often as possible by using Bennett and Xiangling, all while also featuring Kazuha as both a buffer and enabler, a role he can perform perfectly thanks to his passive and Elemental Burst.

2 – Raiden Shogun + Bennett + Xingqiu/Yelan + Xiangling

The Raiden National composition, considered by many as the game’s best, shines thanks to its ability to deal massive damage and empower every single one of its units, all while allowing them to perform their Bursts as often as possible in a quick rotation. Overall, the composition features Raiden as the main DPS, Bannett as the healer as well as the party’s main buffer, Xingqiu as an enabler, and Xiangling as an off-the-field DPS.

1 – Hu tao + Xingqiu/Yelan + Albedo + Zhongli

Currently the game’s most damaging composition, as well as its best Pyro-focused one. This team shines thanks to its straightforwardness, as well as the fact that unlike many of the teams featured above, it only needs to feature one top-tier support to excel. With that said, this team is focused on allowing Hu Tao to trigger Vaporize as often as possible by using Xingqiu’s Burst, while also keeping her relatively safe at low HP by using Albedo and Zhongli, the former which will also increase Hu Tao’s damage thanks to his EM buff. Albedo and Xingqiu will also work as off-the-field offensive supports, further enhancing the team’s damage output.

Using a variation of the team, featuring Yelan in Albedo/Zhongli’s place can also work extremely well, as doing so will further increase your overall damage through her highly damaging Elemental Burst.

Now that you know what are the best teams on Genshin Impact, don’t forget to also check out everything we know about the game’s anime series and how to get all of the rewards available as part of the celebration of the game’s second anniversary.

Genshin Impact is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and mobile devices.

Itch.io is the flourishing plane of games that always has unique experiences on the cards for you to delve into. Due to the vast number of games on the platform, it can be a bit difficult at times to dig through all of the games and work out what ones you genuinely want to spend time playing through. Thankfully, this article will have you covered as we round up our top picks for the best games on Itch.io. These are going to be ranked from ten to one with the final choice being considered the best in terms of this list. However, that does not mean other games are not worth your time, these games all excel in offering a brilliant time to players.

10. We Become What We Behold

When having a browse through the storefront of Itch.io we stumbled across this gem that had wonderful ratings attached. Starting up the game is when players are met with a content warning about what will be within the game. After passing the main menu, you will be taken to a view of a TV on a stand. You can left-click with your mouse or touchpad to take a snapshot when you will observe a banner appear along the bottom which is a news headline.

That’s where the genius of We Become What We Behold shows itself. Created by Nicky Case, this game has an art style reminiscent of some of the old-school flash games that were on the go in the early 2000s. It is endearing to see this style once again and within the game, you will be taking snapshots of anything that looks to be interesting with red news headlines indicating when you have done just that moving you onto the next part of the game for you to snapshot.

We Become What We Behold looks at the influence of media through the lens of gameplay and it is an excellent experience to go through. The game descends into (deliberate) chaos quite quickly, but it is a game to be remembered for a long time including the important message to be taken away from it.

9. Exhibit of Sorrows

Once again at first glance, the art style and setting of this game are what capture the attention and make us go forwards into a playthrough. Exhibit of Sorrows is classed in the ‘Simulation’ genre with one of the tags being ‘Psychological Horror’ so from the get-go you can get an understanding of what may await you within this specific game. You will be switching between rooms and solving puzzles as you go along.

The 2D style with the clown/carnival-themed atmosphere is an excellent mix and draws you into the experience with every click you make on an item. Everything is normal at first but as you progress there will be a sudden twist that grasps your heart in the roots of fear as you maneuver around the specific areas with a flashlight when moving your mouse/trackpad. It is a great little experience to try out and we highly recommend it for a playthrough.

8. Tanuki Sunset Classic

Some of the games on this list eventually had Steam releases and rightly so, this is one of these games. However, you can go back to the game’s roots on Itch.io and play through the game in what is akin to a demo/Alpha version. It still is one of the most highly rated games on Itch.io to this day. Tanuki Sunset Classic is all about skateboarding as a raccoon, a premise that in itself will be enough to cause many of us to immediately go and check it out on the storefront.

From the gorgeous synth-wave soundtrack to the almost Horizon Chase Turbo graphics, it is an amazing combination of great elements all merged into one. The gameplay itself is furthermore extremely enjoyable, there truly is something exhilarating about drifting around a road with a raccoon and this game will allow you to do just that.

7. Dreader

Back in the day, Scary Maze Game had quickly risen to internet fame due to its known jumpscare that had people on the edge of their seats — and falling off their seats — when the scare had occurred. When first stumbling upon this specific game named Dreader, I was immediately reminded of the classic game. This puts a twist on it all though however as your mouse position and cursor will be the ones controlling where you are within the maze.

You can’t touch the sides too often and have to be extremely careful navigating through the maze with your mouse. The atmosphere gets tense as the camera slowly zooms out and reveals more of your surroundings including the swaying dead trees outside almost seeming to invite you to dance in the rain with them. Another nice little feature is that you will be able to view the actual in-game mouse moving in a very similar fashion to how you will be controlling the mouse in real life. Moreover, the game also has a layer of difficulty to it, as the game goes on, the mazes get a lot tougher to complete and it is a joy to work through. If you’re looking for a game with a tense atmosphere to play on a rainy night, this is the game for you.

6. Platformer Toolkit

A lot of aspiring games industry joiners will likely be familiar with Game Makers Toolkit, known more commonly as GMTK. They make a wide variety of videos based on game design and even create game jams where thousands of people enter with their own games to upload on Itch.io. The creator of the channel made the Platformer Toolkit game on Itch.io to showcase different aspects of a platformer character and highlight game feel variables that truly make a difference.

Anyone who wants to play through a game where you can tweak and change parts of the game itself will be pleased when they find this game. It is a brilliant gem of an experience that is worth the half an hour or so that it takes to complete the experience.

5. LIDAR.EXE

This game was mentioned in another Itch.io article we have on the site and it has made its way into this specific list due to just how incredible the mechanics, concept, and overall atmosphere are. LIDAR.EXE intertwines exquisite level design with a mechanic that truly is genius. You will be scanning and revealing the environment around you as you go onwards. There will be puzzles that you also have to work out with the scanner such as finding door codes.

This game has a lot of potential and it has been one of the most memorable experiences that we have played through on the platform. This is something that has to be played through or watched in order to understand the extent of its brilliant design.

4. The Mortuary Assistant

Another top pick for the best Itch.io games on the platform as of the moment is The Mortuary Assistant. Mentioned in our top horror games article for Itch.io, this game solidifies its place as one of the best games you can experience on the platform. Although it now has a Steam version, that doesn’t make the Itch.io version any less exhilarating.

Playing as a Mortuary Assistant, you will be completing the regular tasks in a way that a game hasn’t captured the true essence of before quite like this specific title. There are many moments of horror atmosphere that tie into the role you play and if you are looking for a game that you can find yourself wanting to constantly replay to get the shock factor again, this is a title that will be sure to do that.

3. Project Kat

Rpg Horror Games on Itch.io are quite common but Project Kat is one of the most interesting to venture through. It is a game that has you constantly wanting to replay it due to how successfully the creators captured the atmosphere they were aiming to achieve. The characters are greatly fleshed out and the handcrafted aesthetic shines through to a beautiful degree while experiencing the game.

The full game is actually a prologue to another game in development by the creator’s named Paper Lily and it has sparked a fury of excitement because of how excellent Project Kat is to go through. There are moments when you will be exploring the meticulously crafted world, times for reading through wonderful narratives, and even moments of interesting puzzle solving for you to work out in-game.

We highly recommend checking out this title on Itch.io and experiencing a brilliant prologue. Whether you are taken in by the characters you’ll be learning about, or simply have been awe-struck by the style flowing throughout the veins of the game. Project Kat will be staying in your mind for a while.

2. If On a Winter’s Night, Four Travelers

Everyone tends to enjoy a great point-and-click adventure and If On a Winter’s Night, Four Travelers is a perfect example of what merging point-and-click gameplay with brilliant narrative can result in. There is a masked ball happening on a train in the 1920s and you will be tasked with finding out four particular characters and their story.

You will find yourself enjoying every bit of information you get and happily viewing the art style of the experience. The train cinematic at the start is also a wonderful addition, moreover, the atmosphere created throughout is beautiful and brings the full game together into one highly worthwhile to play adventure. This is a brilliant game to sink your teeth into when going through the many uploads on Itch.io.

1. Reflection

The reflection staring back at you when you look into the mirror in the morning can be a painting of symphonic varying emotions. The mind and how it works is still one of the most unknown elements of human life itself. We all have emotions, feelings, and ways that we control our own thoughts. Every mind is beautiful — but at times, personal thoughts about the mind may alter at any given moment and thoughts can bring us down into a dark ravaging pit. We work through it and we get stronger, but there are times when our thoughts race more than usual.

Reflection is an experience that focuses on a Masters student who is studying the occult and also folklore and takes its grasp as our top pick for games on the platform as of the moment. There is a certain vibe about Reflection that had me hooked to it in every sense of the word. A visual novel that wraps its arms around you while bringing you into the mind of our protagonist, Ivy. The writing is stellar; every thought is gorgeously expressed and in a similar way to even The Last of Us Part II, the themes and moments dealt with in this title are blood stunningly powerful.

Even the system design of the game, with easy-to-access save areas and ways to load your game are brilliant for an experience that has been uploaded to the platform. Including a ‘History’ option that lets you read all of the past dialogue at your own pace as you can scroll through it. These seconds while writing this, the flood of memories of the enrapturing narrative return and fully cement the game in the number one spot. The art style, design, gameplay, and essence are something to cherish for a long time.

It truly is a game that left me feeling a lot of emotions at the end of it and it is intricately and exquisitely crafted at every second. However, before playing through this experience if you plan to, please ensure you are 18 or over (as it is intended for those audiences) and read through the trigger warnings in the description before you do so and you can work out if it’s a game you still want to go through.

All of the games mentioned within this article can be downloaded and played on Itch.io at this very moment.

Ever since its debut almost two years ago, elemental reactions have been one of the backbones of the combat in Genshin Impact thanks to their ability to offer buffs, active effects, and massively increase the overall damage of attacks. With that said, among the game’s many reactions, Vaporize and Melt, which are generated by the combination of Pyro + Hydro/Cryo (or vice versa), climbed the charts as the game’s strongest combinations thanks to their straightforward effect and reliance on overall the ATK/Elemental Damage stats instead of Elemental Mastery.

But now Sumeru is here, bringing to the game a new and massive map as well as new characters, quests, weapons, and of course, a new element called Dendro, which adds a new set of elemental reactions, many of whose impact could not have been predicted.

That’s where Catalyze enters, as its ability to generate both the Aggravate and Spread sub-reactions managed to bring a few weapons previously considered to be subpar (such as the 4-star Claymore Rainslasher) to the front stage, all while empowering many characters such as 5-stars Keqing and Yae Miko. The new mechanic also increased the utility and overall damage of offensive supports, such as 4-star Fischl, thus shifting the game’s until now ”static” meta and paving the way to a new array of combinations and viable strategies.

But why do the new sub-reactions, especially Aggravate, have such an impact on the overall combat? Well, differently than the game’s other Elemental Mastery-focused reactions such as Electro-Charged, Overloaded, and Bloom, the effects of Aggravate and Spread don’t just offer extra ounces of damage. They instead give a set flat damage bonus to the attack triggered the effect which allows players the ability to, in a fashion similar to Vaporize and Melt, massively increase their final damage as well as their overall damage per second.

In Genshin Impact, you can trigger the Catalyze reaction by applying Dendro + Electro to a target, which will then generate a Quicken aura. Once the enemy is affected by Quicken, you will be able to trigger Aggravate and Spread by applying Electro and Dendro respectively. The Quicken aura will stay present for a few seconds, allowing both Aggravate and Spread to be triggered multiple times after an internal cooldown.

You can check out an example of the Aggravate effect in the image below, which showcases the increase in damage (Critical) offered by the effect when triggered by a 40 EM Shimenawa’s Reminiscence + Thundering Fury Yae Miko (lv. 90) against an Lv.90 Childe without the use of external ATK buffs, debuffs, Elemental Defensive buffs, or Elemental Mastery buffs.

As you can see above, even on a build focused on a completely different area, the increase in damage is considerable. But Electro DPS-focused characters were not the only ones to benefit from the addition of the Catalyze reaction, as the damage increased and peculiarities of Spread also allowed previously forgotten characters, such as 4-star Catalyst wielder Lisa, to shine thanks to their ability to apply Electro constantly. On the other hand, the Traveler, who was previously seen with prejudice by a big part of the community, also became an indispensable force on Aggravate-focused teams thanks to their ability to apply constant amounts of Dendro.

With that said, it is safe to say that not only was the long wait for the Dendro element indeed worth it, but it’s also clear that with it, HoYoverse managed to successfully make a huge impact thanks to the introduction of new mechanics. Many of these are sure to continue to open new pathways to players and breath new life into some characters, which have usually been, apart from their loyal fanbases, set aside by the general public.

It’s also important to point out that things will only get better from here as the game’s upcoming version 3.1 update will bring the focus to a new set of characters such as Nilou, the game’s first Bloom-focused character.

Genshin Impact is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and mobile devices.

Fortnite has a long and diverse history full of content updates and exciting equipment and skins added to the store. Out of everything that players can choose to customize themselves with, many will tend to also focus on getting new pickaxes that they can add to their range of choices for standing out with style in the experience. Of course, there is an abundance of nostalgia attached to looking back on all of the various pickaxes that have appeared over the years and this article will take you through some of the best Fortnite pickaxes of all time.

Best Fortnite Pickaxes of All Time

Determining what makes an excellent pickaxe in Fortnite mainly is all based on its design, including how unique it is. Whether you are looking for a pickaxe shaped after a specific crossover style or want one of the classics from the experience, this list will have you covered. In the table below you will find a range of the best pickaxes with some hidden gems amongst them.

As can be observed, the incredible range of pickaxes on offer always keeps things fresh and exciting for players deciding to purchase any pickaxe that appears within the store. Over the following years, the number of pickaxes available will be sure to keep increasing and Fortnite players will be enjoying everything that arrives as always.

Fortnite is available at this very moment for free and can be played on the following platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, IOS, Android, and PC.

Itch.io is a platform with a vast and diverse ecosystem of games that tend always to offer fresh and unique experiences. There is an abundance of hidden gems on the storefront, whether prototypes or full-fledged games uploaded, virtually anyone can upload games to the platform. Given its transcendent form of content distribution, you will likely find varying levels of quality across different games. In order to allow you to prepare for the Halloween season, this article is going to focus on the best Itch.io horror games and take a dive into some of the most blood-curdling games on the platform, whether it be for their aesthetic, general content or so…so much more.

Take a Fall Into the Rabbit Hole With Me — Our Lady of Sorrow

There are many elements of life that connect all of us—one such component is fear. A catalyst for life eternal; fight or flight, the drop in a swarming ocean of endless ripples created by society. When a game truly captures the essence of fear, those experiences are remembered by many for years to come. Reality and the perceived ‘mundane’ can sometimes provide the best horror around. Our Lady of Sorrow on Itch.io brings together the best of both worlds.

Set in Ireland within an ancient abbey, there is a brilliant flow of tense atmosphere that flushes through your veins while playing. With a found-footage style and VHS aesthetics for the camera, the areas within the game become undeniably enrapturing. With a deep plot surrounding the Abbey and equally spooky moments scattered throughout. This experience is a must-play if you are a fan of found-footage tales.

Spiral into Insanity — Andy’s Apple Farm

For a game with the title ‘Andy’s Apple Farm,’ horror isn’t the first thought that passes into your mind. Although when playing, a sense of unease will no doubt pass over you. The voice of Andy will be heard when you start the game informing you about how to play and talk with others around the farm. From the get-go, mesmerizing audio will be heard that again re-inforces the sense of unease but at the same time, elements of peace will wash over you when venturing around the farm with the music you hear throughout.

Reminiscent of some strange children’s shows from the 80s-90s, it is apparent there are a lot darker undertones hidden within the experience. Distortions occur in the player’s view from time to time and visible (deliberate) glitches can be observed. Unsettling voices of certain characters are another thing you will hear a lot of. The minigames found within can also be calming at times but nonetheless, that calming nature is quickly dismayed as you get further into the game.

A piercing and blood-trembling lore start to be understood by the player as time goes on. By the end of the game, you will have a larger understanding of the hidden truth to be found. It truly is a unique journey to play through and highlights the effectiveness of horror in different forms. This game is also now available on Steam so if Itch.io isn’t where you would like to test the game, you can always go over to the Steam store and check it out.

Scan Your Own Fear — LIDAR.EXE

Out of every game mentioned in this article, LIDAR.EXE is the one that has the potential to truly bring a new genre to the horror found within games. Within the experience, you will be effectively ‘painting’ your surroundings with your scanner which in itself is a brilliant feature. You can hold the left mouse button for scans at the area you’re pointing at or press the right mouse button for a highly detailed scan that will perform a scan sweep facing in front of you.

Points of interest tend to be highlighted in red for you at first when you stumble across them. It adds to the complexity of the game and further enhances the fear aspects of the journey. As you get deeper into the game there will be color palette changes in certain areas that you will notice and it always keeps you on the edge of your seat while playing.

Atmosphere and tension are built upon every step you make within this game, why not go and place yourself in the shoes of this game’s character?

Mundanity Fused with Fear — The Mortuary Assistant

Another game that became known through the platform, the demo of The Mortuary Assistant on Itch.io gave a perfect glimpse into what would await players of the full experience who bought it on Steam after its release. However, the journey you can go through on Itch.io with the demo is still one of the creepiest ventures to be found on Itch.io so it absolutely deserves a mention on this list.

You are quite literally living the life of a mortuary assistant within this game although of course not everything is as it seems. You play as a character named Rebecca and it should be noted that the game is highly polished even for a demo. There is voice acting for the experience and this ultimately increases the scare factor of the creepier moments.

While you are working away on the cadavers that you have to deal with, you will notice the strange happenings within the building that will be sure to evoke a deep sense of fear in you. From the audio to the feelings you will experience while playing this game, without giving too much information away, this is a game that you don’t want to miss the chance of playing through.

Liminal Space As a Horror Focus — PROJECT LIMINAL

Liminal space is known most commonly as a certain aesthetic that brings forth feelings of nostalgia and furthermore eerieness at the same time. When you observe a ‘liminal space’ area you may feel like you’ve been there before in some way, whether it be through a dream or otherwise. The Backrooms project is an excellent example of this. Deja Vue can be tied to a sense of liminality in the same way a game about said liminal space could be.

PROJECT LIMINAL has you going through various areas and solving puzzles to get to particular sections. The graphic style is beautiful and shaders/textures have been elegantly designed; especially the water textures. The echoing of voice audio has been crafted exquisitely and with every second I spent within this game I found myself enjoying it all. A sense of unease still gravitates toward players’ hearts while playing the game and it is these feelings that make it one of the best Itch.io horror games along with the others mentioned within this article.

Each game mentioned within this article can all be played by being downloaded on Itch.io at this very moment.

Overwatch should hopefully see a resurgence in popularity with its sequel coming out later this year. It has seen some healthy competition, especially against games like Valorant which has dethroned it, especially on Twitch. These two games have been compared endlessly because of their art styles and both being hero shooters, but they both aren’t the exact same. Here is a breakdown of all the major differences between Valorant and Overwatch.

All Major Differences Between Valorant vs Overwatch

This could serve as a means of what you’d look for more when it comes to team-based FPS games.

Time to Kill (TTK) is Different Between Valorant and Overwatch

Valorant has been compared to being akin to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for its extremely low kill times. Pop a few shots on an enemy, and they’re dead; even faster if it’s a headshot. Now, compared to Overwatch, the TTK is drastically different.

Unless you get hit with an ult, get swarmed with attacks, get headshot by Widowmaker, or use a character with low HP like Tracer, you still have time to somewhat react. There is less of a penalty for sticking your head out to assess the situation at hand.

In scenarios like these in Overwatch, dealing massive amounts of damage will mostly come from good team coordination, whereas Valorant presents players with more opportunities to perform aces.

Overwatch has More Platform Availability While Valorant Doesn’t

Valorant is a PC-only title. While there has been speculation about it possibly being released to consoles, mostly Xbox and mobile thanks to some leaks, because of the recent partnership between Microsoft and Riot, nothing has been truly confirmed yet.

Overwatch, on the other hand, is on all current major consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. It also supports crossplay between all the platforms, extending to people who want to play with friends but have different console preferences. The only downside is that Overwatch 2 will not be on the Nintendo Switch, at least at launch.

Different Gunplay

While they’re both in the same category as team and hero-based, first-person shooters, Valorant is much more of a shooter at heart compared to Overwatch. It’s more focused on gunplay and needing to take down targets with good aim and map awareness.

Overwatch is much more lenient when it comes to being a shooter. Not every character’s main form of damage dealing comes from something like guns. You can still shoot and play the game like an FPS, but there are other aspects like abilities and different character kits that dips into other genres besides shooter.

Match Times Differ Between Both Games

This is where both games heavily differ. A typical match in Valorant can last up to nearly one hour because of the best-of-25 rounds. The first team to 13 wins, and with how tactical people approach the game and with pre-round buying, that time easily racks up. There is no such thing as jumping in for a “quick match” when it comes to this game; it’s a whole commitment of an hour.

In Overwatch (and soon Overwatch 2), the games last half as long, even in competitive play.

Team Composition Importance

Both games have characters that fit all sorts of roles in team-based games. They also have their own strengths and weaknesses to create a sense of balance. While team comp matters in highly competitive play, this matters slightly more in Overwatch. There’s more synergy when it comes to team play here.

When you hit something like Zarya’s Graviton Surge and follow up with a Pharah Barrage, that can easily cause a team wipe. That goes a longer way than a few characters who can complement each other when it comes to Valorant. Unless you’re reaching Diamond or higher, it would actually make a difference to a degree.

The Surrender Option

Rage quitting aside, Valorant has the option for teams to surrender during matches. Although it isn’t available so early into a game, it is there so you don’t have to sit through an entire game getting completely steamrolled. Though, you will need 4 out of 5 votes to surrender a game. In Ranked, you need all players in the team in order to surrender.

Overwatch, on the other hand, does not have this feature. Then again, matches aren’t as long so you’ll only have to go through minimal pain before the rounds are over.

While both games have their similarities, there are key things that set them apart. Both games can co-exist in the same genre and have overlapping fanbases. It all really boils down to preference in the end.

Overwatch is currently available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Its sequel will be free to play on October 4, 2022, on all the aforementioned consoles except Nintendo Switch.

Valorant is free to play now on PC.

Accessibility is a major factor in whether some people are able to play the games that they love the look of. In this modern age, more and more game studios are taking a much deeper interest in providing fleshed-out accessibility options. Games are for everyone, and the inclusion of accessibility in each new game should reflect that statement. People in the industry such as Steven Spohn and Mark Barlet are trailblazers in bringing further attention to accessibility. The Able Gamers Charity is there to provide support and create opportunities for those who need it. In terms of finding what games are accessible, it may be a little tough at times to know what you are looking for. This article will list some of the most accessible games on the market. From AAA games to indie titles, there is something for everyone on the list.

Most Accessible Games

If you are simply wanting to get a quick summary of some of the most accessible games on the market at the moment then you will be able to view each game that will be talked about during this article below. The most accessible games are:

• The Last of Us Part II
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• Assassins Creed Valhalla
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Horror Tales: The Wine
• Halo Infinite

You can continue to read onwards if you want more detailed descriptions of what each game offers in terms of its accessibility.

The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II is an excellent example of what true accessibility should look like for an interactive experience. Gaining masses of attention, the game is loved by many fans. Some of the options on offer by Naughty Dog for accessibility range from vision, hearing, and also motor accessibility. There are even presets for each one, meaning that you don’t have to manually configure your accessibility options if you don’t want to. You can choose one of the presets that is already on offer.

There is even text-to-speech that can be activated. The vast abundance of accessibility options found in the settings will have you happily playing through the game with everything that you may personally need for enjoying the game to the fullest.

The Elder Scrolls Online

The list of the most accessible games continues onwards with The Elder Scrolls Online which has recently delivered an update that includes a range of new accessibility options along with the already existing ones that were in the experience. The official blog post lists the development team’s intentions with accessibility and acts as a guide for anyone who needs to learn more about each option.

There are options for remapping efficiently, adjusting various elements of the HUD, and even a dedicated Accessibility mode that you can select and put on for the game. With the range of options on offer, you will be exploring dungeons in no time!

Horizon Forbidden West — An Excellent Addition to the Most Accessible Games

Horizon Forbidden West takes accessibility to the next level with a dedicated option to reach the accessibility options on the main menu itself. Subtitles are also automatically enabled from the start which certainly makes the process of starting the game up a lot simpler. Furthermore, within the accessibility options, you will be able to find a myriad of features and options awaiting you. Some of these have never been seen before in games.

The three main areas of accessibility are covered and one of the new features observed is the ‘Co-Pilot’ system that allows another PlayStation controller with mirrored controls access to the game. A wonderful option to have for those who need it.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Ember Lab made itself known even further with the release of Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The bucolic world is filled to the brim with vast discoveries to be made and loveable characters to learn about.  Notably, the game does not shy away from offering players excellent accessibility options.

If you are looking for a game that could very much belong in a Disney movie but also offer a rewarding experience then this experience can be just that game for you. The accessibility options cover the key fundamentals and you can tailor your experience to what you need it to be for you.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

Insomniac Games are consistent at creating effective accessibility options in the modern-day and that consistency continues with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. There is once again a multitude of options on offer. Everything from visual aids to motor support with the likes of options that let players customize how weapons can be fired. For people with motor disabilities, allowing players to choose how they can interact with buttons in a less strenuous way is of vital importance.

The game can be enjoyed by everybody and it certainly should be for its effective game design and moreover entrancing environments and storytelling.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

When it comes to accessibility on the basis of visuals, Kirby and the Forgotten Land appears to pride itself upon making them accessible for everyone due to the wide range of effective visual design that creates an accessible experience from the get-go for many. The bold colors, the brilliant use of contrast between menus and text, and much more.

Further, many other options can be altered within the game’s settings that allow for more support for other types of accessibility that may be required for players. You will be getting through all of the enjoyable quests in no time!

Assassins Creed Valhalla

Assassins Creed Valhalla was a game that I didn’t expect at first to have so many accessibility options although actually, there were masses of them available. Not only does it include everything that players would regularly need who utilize accessibility options; but it also includes support for the Tobii eye tracker which is extremely helpful for those who require it.

Along with the eye tracking support, there are options for hybrid mode (usage of both a keyboard and controller) and auto-movement among many other settings that will assist a lot of people.

Life is Strange: True Colors

Everyone enjoys a good story game and the Life is Strange series has wide critical acclaim and fan support from countries all over the world. Life is Strange: True Colors has accessibility options that will massively help with the general playthrough experience. For the most part of the game, you are going to be in various moments of dialogue so help with viewing text is always great to have. However, given the fact the experience focuses a lot on colors and their links to emotions; it is important that colorblind settings are extremely diverse.

Thankfully, Life is Strange: True Colors does indeed offer a lot of options for color-blindness so players will be able to continue the experience and know exactly what is going on with the emotions at any particular time.

Horror Tales: The Wine — Horror Finds its Place in the Most Accessible Games

Are you looking for a Horror game that focuses a lot on allowing as many players as possible to enjoy it? Then this slightly under-the-radar horror experience offers that up on a beautifully designed silver platter for you. Horror Tales: The Wine has full support for gamepad and keyboard remapping, text adjustments, and assistance with visuals among much more.

Interactions within the world are made easier than ever with options that increase the visibility of any objects that you may need to interact with. Including the fact that the size of the glow around these interactable objects can be heightened thoroughly. Time to get enjoying this horror experience!

Halo Infinite

First-person shooters should also of course get significant accessibility options and Halo Infinite ensures this fact is known with the great variety of settings on offer for people. Colorblind modes are of course a part of the settings but the depth of settings increases exponentially the further you look through the settings menu. There are settings that will aid with sensory issues and the same goes with motor aid and even includes ways to assist with menu navigation.

Accessibility will always be an area of vital importance within the industry. Games should eternally be for everyone and so it is paramount that accessibility settings continue to be added and expanded on for each experience. With these games, you will be able to get a taste of what true accessibility feels like for players.

Many more games could have been added to this list and an honorable mention also goes to Celeste which has great accessibility on the basis of difficulty. An assist mode option where players can be invincible and this mode select will appear if you are eliminated enough times during a level. Nonetheless, whether you are exploring the world as Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West or are immersing yourself in Horror Tales: The Wine. Now is the time to venture into these worlds!

Sometimes the best feeling in the world is facing your fears along with friends, cooperating to survive against a common enemy, be they monsters, ghosts, or other unknown quantities.  Or maybe it’s having that one squeamish friend who makes any scary game far more entertaining when they’re spooked by every possible jump scare or unsettling sight.  But co-op horror games are on the rise, and due to the massive success of games like Phasmophobia, players might be looking for other games to scratch their itch, for if ghosts aren’t quite their scene, or they’re looking for a slightly different approach to the formula.  Here is our list of 5 Co-Op Horror Games to Play if You Love Phasmophobia!

5 Co-Op Horror Games to Play if You Love Phasmophobia

Hellcoming

Hellcoming takes several cues from Phasmophobia including exploring abandoned, poorly-lit buildings; but instead of hunting ghosts, you’re clearing up messes, impressions, and hazards left by an incredibly dangerous demon, with the goal being to exorcise them from this world.  You must use the different tools provided to scrub, vacuum, burn or zap away the messes around each map, and doing this contributes to unsealing the demonic artifact you must recover and destroy to exorcise the inhabiting presence from the map.

While it’s inherently satisfying to clean these messes, it’s also chilling when that familiar heartbeat sound effect plays up, and then you hear that blood-curdling screech of the wandering demon finding and trapping you.  While Phasmophobia creates an atmosphere that inspires dread and anxiety, Hellcoming serves up some moments of absolute terror.

Deceit

You’re either innocent or infected.  Deceit is a game where innocent players must escape, while infected players can transform into violent predators, and must stop the innocents from escaping, and thus it becomes a violent test of trust for the group, where anybody.  This game also predates the global phenomenon that is Among Us and presents players with the option to co-operate if they have figured out who is not going to attack them when the lights go out, and has proven to be popular with streamers.

Keep an eye on those blood bags, and be ready to expel terrors with whatever weapons and tools you have when it goes dark.  Make sure not to give in to hysteria when suspicion runs amok, otherwise, players can massacre each other early on.

Devour

Much like with Hellcoming, you might notice a common thread connecting some of these list entries – Phasmophobia popularized a trendy formula for co-op horror games, and Devour swapped out ghosts for murderous cultists.  You must reverse their darkly exoteric ritual while evading attacks by demons and a terrifying roaming Anna.  The game shares many common elements with the Phasmo formula, including UV flashlights as a versatile tool, and poorly-lit maps you must navigate, but with a significantly greater amount of goat sacrifices.

GTFO

While GTFO appears to resemble a more mainstream shooter experience, to conclude with that statement about it would do the game a disservice.  GTFO has layers of depth, having players rely on stealth, teamwork, being economical with their resources (ammo is very limited), and maintaining good strategy, to fight the numerous threats while you complete objectives and progress through the game’s facilities.  The sound design and graphics are excellent, of AAA quality, and present a punishingly difficult, immersive sci-fi horror experience that games like Rainbow Six Extraction can only hope to emulate.

Forewarned

While some games in this list are more obviously similar or inspired by Phasmophobia, such as Hellcoming or Devour, or share elements with the game such as teamwork and coordination found in GTFO, Forewarned is a game that takes the Phasmo formula, and creates something clever, unique, and engaging.  Forewarned is the answer to the question “what if you made Phasmophobia, but you explore ancient Egyptian tombs?”  The answer, as it turns out, is rad, and while it shares a LOT in common with Phasmophobia, with tools that share many of the same functions, and identifying the evil spirits, called Mejai within requires the same type of deductions.

You must correctly identify the Mejai to enter the depths of the tomb, then seize the relic within, angering the spirit, while finding the hidden mechanism to reopen the entrance and facilitate your escape.  The tombs you explore are procedurally generated, and you’ll be hounded by threats such as crocodiles, reanimated mummies, or Anubis.  The tombs are littered with traps.  If you die, you can respawn as a good or evil mummy and still potentially help players.  The inventory system is even more accommodating than in Phasmo (it seems unreasonable that a lighter takes up a third of your carrying capacity, after all) with upgrades available for that among other features.

The game certainly takes cues from Phasmophobia, but is a deep, rewarding co-op horror game by itself and carves a fun niche for players looking for a great alternative.  The spirits within speak to you with a voice that seems to come from all corners of the room, and raiding these tombs feels like you’re disturbing a potentially great power, so pack some torches and keep an eye out, sometimes the Mejai like to disguise themselves as your teammates.  If you like Phasmophobia, you’ll love this.

This concludes our list of 5 Co-Op Horror Games to Play if You Love Phasmophobia!  Be sure to keep an eye out for more games like these, and experience all the thrills this subgenre provides, while checking out our guides to help you experience them to the fullest!  Every one of these co-op horror games is available on Steam.

Supergiant Games’ Hades gives players the chance to jump into the burning shoes of Zagreus, the Prince of the Underworld, as he embarks on a quest to reach the surface world. With that said, during his journey, filled with not only blood, but lots, and we mean lots of deaths, Zagreus can make use of a wide array of boons given to him by many Gods, each capable of granting him a set ability or buff. But what are each God’s best boons? To answer that and more, here are the best boons for every God in Hades.

Best Zeus Boons: Lightning Strike and Static Discharge

To start, we have Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods. Among Zeus’ boons, the best are without a doubt Lightning Strike, as it allows you to deal ounces of extra damage upon every hit, and Static Discharge, thanks to its ability to apply Jolyed on enemies. With that said, both boons are a must for Electric focused builds and can shine even more when paired with boons such as Storm Lightning and Splitting Bolt.

Best Artemis Boons: Deadly Strike and Deadly Flourish

Among Artemis’ many boons, Deadly Strike and Deadly Flourish can be considered her best, as they not only increase the damage of both your attacks and special moves respectively but also increase your chances of scoring criticals, thus allowing you to deal devastating blows. To bring the most out of the boons is advised that you equip a fast-hitting weapon and make use of other Critical focused boons, such as Pressure Points, Hunter’s Mark, and Clean Kill. 

Best Ares Boons: Curse of Agony and Urge to Kill 

As Ares’ boons are mostly focused on increasing your overall damage, both Curse of Agony, which not only increases the damage of Zagreus’ attacks but also allows them to inflict Doom upon hit, and Urge to Kill, the latter which increases the overall damage of all of Zagreus’ attacks, can be considered his best.

Best Poseidon Boons: Poseidon’s Aid and Boiling Point

Contrary to what many would suspect, Poseidon’s strongest boon is actually his Call, Poseidon’s Aid, as it not only coats Zagreus in water, making him invincible for a few seconds but also deals high damage to enemies as you pass through them. After Poseidon’s Aid, his best boon is Boiling Point, thanks to its ability to massively increase the charging speed of your God Gauge.

Best Demeter Boons: Rare Crop and Killing Freeze

Only available to those who managed to reach the surface, Demeter’s best boons are Rare Crop, which downgrades a select number of boons to Common rarity, and then continuously raises their rarity at every 3 rooms visited, and Killing Freeze as it allows you to both Slow and Decay opponents affected by Chill, including bosses.

Best Aphrodite Boons: Different League and Sweet Surrender 

Among Aphrodite’s many boons, Different League can be considered the best, as it not only allows Zagreus’ to take less damage from attacks but can also fit any composition. For those planning on making use of her damage-oriented and status-focused buffs, Sweet Surrender can also be considered one of her best boons, as it allows Zagreus’ to deal increased damage to enemies inflicted with Weak.

Best Athena Boons: Divine Dash, Brilliant Riposte, and Divine Protection

Athena’s boons are focused on giving Zagreus the ability to deflect. With that said, among her Boons, Divine Dash is in our opinion the best, as the boon allows Zagreus to deflect attacks while dashing, an ability which makes the boon useful or pretty much any given situation and able to fit any composition.

Among Athena’s other boons, Brilliant Riposte, which massively increases the damage of deflected attacks, and Divine Protection, which generates a protecting barrier negating one attack every 20 seconds, can also massively increase your chances of finishing a run on top.

Best Dionysus Boons: Positive Outlook, Trippy Shot, and Trippy Flare

Dionysus boons are mostly focused on increasing Zagreus’ damage by applying Hangover to his foes, which deals damage over time. Taking that into account, his best boons are Positive Outlook, thanks to its all-round effect, which lowers the damage you receive when below 40% health, Trippy Shot, which allows Zagreus’ casting attack to burst into Festive Fog, and Trippy Flare, a boon exclusive for both the Aspects of Hera and Beowulf, which allows you to cover the field with Festive Fog, and thus deal massive damage.

Best Hermes Boons: Greater Haste, Greatest Reflex, and Rush Delivery

All of Hermes’ boons are focused on increasing Zagreus’ mobility. With that said, his best boons are without a doubt Greater Haste, which increases your speed, Greatest Reflex, which increases the number of dashes you can perform at once, and Rush Delivery, which increases Zagreus’ damage by his bonus move speed value.

Best Chaos Boons: Favor, Flourish, and Strike

Unlike the ones offered by the Olympic gods, although Chaos’ boons are focused on providing a wide array of different buffs and debuffs, they do not offer you the ability to apply status effects on targets. With that said, their best boons are without a doubt Favor, which increases your chance of finding Rare or better boons, Flourish, which massively increases your Special’s damage, and Strike, which massively increases your normal/charged attack damage.

You can currently play Hades on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

There’s no question that Sonic has left an indelible legacy on gaming in general, although it’s also unfortunate that recent years have seen some pretty sub-par contributions from the series’ developers, Sonic Team.  The impressive part about this, however, is that the fans continue to adore the series, knowing the potential for good games sometimes missed by the main developers, and this has led to a plethora of memorable fan games in the Sonic community.  Some are complete experiences, while others are glorious works in progress, each one a showcase of different ideas either patched together from failed mainline projects, loving remasters, or entirely novel ideas.  This is our list of the 10 Best Sonic Fan Games.

10 Best Sonic Fan Games

Sonic 3 A.I.R.

Sonic 3 AIR, or Angel Island Revisited, is a fan remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, featuring widescreen format in 16:9 aspect ratio, an option for a remastered soundtrack instead of the original, the drop dash mechanic, an achievement system, and fixes for slowdown issues during Blue Spheres stages.  One particularly striking aspect of this game is the mod support, allowing fans to enhance their experience further, and the result runs smoothly.  You can play through the game and customize it as you see fit, as an alternative to the version released in Sonic Origins recently.

Sonic Infinity

One of the coolest things about the Sonic fangame scene is when a new engine emerges and it gains traction, especially when as attractive as the Sonic Infinity engine.  While this is not a full-fledged game, there are numerous fully playable levels created by the developers in this engine, such as Sonic Infinity+ which showcase a massive explorable world with incredible Unreal Engine 4 visuals on full display.  The gameplay uses the best aspects from Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 while featuring crisp framerates and modern textures/effects.  It’s clear that Frontiers wanted to take cues from games like this, but with the case of Mania, perhaps the fan-built game engines truly are the ones that work the best?

Sonic Utopia

Sonic Utopia is a solid example of loving care for both the classic visual style and music, along with the fast-paced sensibility of 3D Sonic.  It is an open-world setting for Sonic and flows rather nicely, appealing to the nostalgia of players while still offering a novel presentation for the series.

Sonic World DX

Some Sonic fangames are meant to produce novel experiences or concepts for players, while others feel like reasonable extensions of fan nostalgia, carrying the players in pleasant but approachable and familiar directions.  Sonic World DX is an experience meant to support the modding community as much as possible, empowering them to make full recreations of previous Sonic games’ levels, including obscure ones like Knuckles Chaotix, along with constant updates for playable characters.  In the grand scheme of fangames, this one is for the fans, by the fans, as a collective instead of one or two central figures.

Sonic Robo Blast!

Sonic Robo Blast was originally a rough-looking fangame by Sonikku which, despite being remembered fondly as a decent product of its era as a fangame, has certainly not aged well.  However, the concepts and levels from this are being recreated spectacularly.  The sprites, animations, and colors borrow from Sonic CD, but also feel distinctive and original, with new animations for Sonic and even fresh-feeling mechanics which help enhance how Sonic can gain momentum.  His idle animations, enemy designs, and the game music feel authentic, and Sonic’s got plenty of attitudes, all on full display in just the one demo released so far in this Sonic fan game, the legacy of the original shining through.

Sonic Z-treme

Some Sonic games are essentially remastered, or throwbacks to a simpler time.  Sonic Z-treme is a fan game that answers the question, “What if 1996’s Sonic X-treme, was never canceled?”  And the result is this excellent contribution.  Using concepts and assets suitable for a Saturn system, you can run this directly off a burned disc on the console (if you’re lucky enough to find one) and witness a pretty special experience.  Sonic’s certainly not at his fastest in this, but it plays excellently and makes good use of the Saturn, and if the X-treme that was in the works resembled this upon being released, the franchise, the Saturn, and Sega as a whole would have been entirely different, and maybe still making hardware.

But hypotheticals like this are far-fetched, and all we have to work with is reminders such as this.  Another striking aspect of Sonic Z-treme and its inspiration is that it not only resembles the experience of controlling Mario in 3D for the first time like in Super Mario 64, but it also resembles other 3D platformers of the era including Crash Bandicoot.  It even seems to resemble aspects of the atrocious Bubsy 3D, although Z-treme at least resembles something close to a final product, while Bubsy’s presentation can only accurately be described as “allegedly complete and a platformer.”  Be sure to check out this one, if you can.

Sonic Before the Sequel

While this Sonic fan game is a decade old, it’s a masterpiece.  The authenticity is brimming here, but it still brings expert-level design to the fan game scene and plays exceptionally well.  Story-wise, it connects the plot of the first Sonic game to Sonic 2 and essentially mashes together aesthetics from the Genesis titles as well as from CD, and the result feels like it could be played reasonably well alongside Sonic 1-3 and CD.

But the biggest standout?  The MUSIC.  While it’s not the same chipset as from the Genesis, it’s arguably something better – it embodies the funk and spirit of Sonic games while remaining relentlessly catchy and sounding decidedly more modern, with zones such as Metro Madness, Arcane Altitude, and Twilight Tower being particular highlights of the Falk and Funk Fiction musical contributions.  You could add this OST to your Soundcloud playlist and listen for hours.  This is fully playable, from start to finish on PC.

Sonic After the Sequel

Much like the previous entry, this game ups the ante on level design and concepts, such as running into mounds of sugar for speed boosts in Sugar Splash Zone or Donkey Kong-style barrel platforming in Foliage Furnace Zone.  Much like in the previous entry, there are cutscenes included, and it connects the story to Sonic 3.  The gameplay feels smooth and engaging enough to return over and over again, and classic Sonic fans should not sleep on this.  The music is nuts for this game, adding to the previous artists with talent such as Great Lange, Andy Tunstall, and Michael Staple, with tracks for Foliage Furnace, Moon Mansion, and Redhot Ride being absolute bops.  Much like BTS, this is fully playable on PC right now.

Sonic Robo Blast 2

Sonic in the Doom Engine.  They mix better than you think.  It’s phenomenal.  In many ways, this captures the spirit of classic Sonic and combines it with a fresh interpretation for the 3D platforming side of the franchise, preserving the feel of the classic assets and playing like a dream.  Fans are quite taken with this match made in heaven and have recreated scenes such as Sonic Adventure through this, and it’s pretty great.  It has the energy and aesthetic of the original Genesis titles, but is brought faithfully to 3D, and even includes concepts from other Sonic Team ventures such as the flight mechanics and rings from Nights Into Dreams while playing as Super Sonic.

Combat feels satisfying, movement is smooth, zones are nice and open, and the music, crucially, is another hit.  Finally, the mods on this game are pretty crazy, including a Persona one, but perhaps most notable is the following, which deserves its entry.

Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart

What’s more natural an extension of the Sonic Robo Blast 2 formula than to add go-kart game mechanics?  This multiplayer-focused Sonic fan game combines tons of customization with a plethora of fan favorite and obscure Sonic characters, NPCs, and badniks.  There are even non-Sonic franchise characters such as Kazuma Kiryu from Yakuza, which is just such a delightful surprise to see, Nights, Hatsune Miku, and even Doomguy.  In many ways, it’s a superior kart-racing game to many modern retail-priced competitors, with insane technical depth, a mind-boggling amount of tracks, and plenty of attention from prominent racing game players, with support for up to 16 players in a race online.

This concludes our list of the Best Sonic Fan Games.  The Sonic fan game community is a thriving community brimming with ideas, some fully fleshed out, while others only provide a glimpse but are far too tantalizing to pass up.  Don’t sleep on any of these titles, especially if you want an enjoyable platforming experience, and want to go fast.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is one of the most popular shonen anime in recent years and for good reason. With gorgeous animation, unique characters, and an interesting world, Demon Slayer checks every box required for a successful action anime. If you’ve been eager to try it for yourself but have been confused about the order, don’t fret. Thankfully, Demon Slayer is a fairly young anime, so it’s hard to get lost. Here is the exact watch order for Demon Slayer.

The Best Watch Order for Demon Slayer

Because Demon Slayer is extremely popular and fairly early in its run time, now is the perfect time to jump onto the Demon Slayer train. And speaking of trains, luckily the best watch order for Demon Slayer doubles as the chronological order, so don’t start with the Mugen Train movie. With the second season of Demon Slayer wrapped and fans eagerly awaiting the third season, there is a lot to binge if you haven’t watched any Demon Slayer before.

Here is the best watch order for Demon Slayer:

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 1 (2019)
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train (2020)
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 2: The Entertainment District Arc (2021)

It is also worth noting that the Mugen Train movie is also available as individual episodes. Both versions cover the exact same arc and share the exact same scenes, but the episode version shows a few extra scenes here and there which add a bit more context to the arc.

Where to Watch Demon Slayer

Now that you know the best order to watch Demon Slayer, you’ll need to know the best place to watch it. There are many streaming services nowadays and they all promise something new. Fortunately, there is overlap when it comes to most shows and that is the case for Demon Slayer. Plus, since Demon Slayer is very popular, all the streaming services will offer subbed and dubbed versions in multiple languages.

Here is where you can watch Demon Slayer:

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 1: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, and Netflix
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 2: The Entertainment District: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu

With the knowledge of how and where to watch Demon Slayer in your hands, you too can become a Demon Slayer… Well, maybe not, but you can enjoy one of the best running anime in recent years. Enjoy and welcome to the Corps!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is available to watch on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, and Netflix.

Super Mario Galaxy was released in 2007 and originally released for the Wii. Over the years it gained immense recognition and many people look back on it with a deep sense of nostalgia and love. Of course, modern-day players recently got a chance to play through the title once again with Super Mario 3D All-Stars for the Nintendo Switch which included this specific Mario title among others. There has been much discussion about what fans’ favorite characters are and this varies from person to person. These are some of the best Super Mario Galaxy characters.

Mario

Of course, the list has to start off with one of the most renowned fictional characters in the world. Mario himself! Throughout Super Mario Galaxy we saw him evoke his excellent personality more than ever at the time with the modern-day graphics and technology. Mario’s connections with the people he is close to are clear to observe and playing as him within the world is always a joy with wonderful mechanics intertwined with a brilliant Mario story.

Rosalina

Up next is Rosalina. She protects the cosmos and is known for looking after the many Lumas. Many players are massive fans of the character and given the fact that it is possible to learn a lot more about her backstory throughout the game, there is a lot to discover about this excellent character.

Players can travel to the Comet Observatory’s Library to learn more about the character where information about her will be able to be found through her storybook where she will tell you all about her backstory.

Luma

One of the many Luma’s in Super Mario Galaxy is known as ‘Baby Luma’ although referred to simply as ‘Luma’ at points. This is the character we will be discussing as they have a large part in the story of Mario Galaxy and appear at key moments. Rosalina first met this Luma when she was younger and ever since then has taken care of the Luma.

As with any Luma, they are adorable and full of life and joy for the world around them. Mario equally gets to spend a lot of time with this specific Luma and it is always a joy to watch that bond grow throughout the Super Mario Galaxy series.

Penguru

When talking about some of the fan-favorite characters, there has to be a mention of Penguru. One of the penguins you will be learning about in the game if you choose to and this particular penguin is known as the elderly penguin of the bunch known as ‘Grandpa’ by the other penguins. He has a long beard and has great dialogue.

If you are looking for a brilliant penguin to add to your list of great characters, then Penguru is the character for you!

Dino Piranha

The Dino Piranha has made an appearance in many Mario games after their first arrival in Super Mario Galaxy. Fans will likely be filled with nostalgia just even seeing this character again. They were the first boss for the game and encountered in the Good Egg Galaxy. The music is beautiful as always for the Mario Galaxy franchise and their battle was wonderful and extremely whimsical, it will always be remembered by players.

There are vast amounts of brilliant characters throughout the entire Mario games franchise and these picks are only just a few of the wonderful characters you will be able to discover and enjoy learning about.

Super Mario Galaxy is available now and playable on Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch.

Musou games are defined by their distinct style, which not only gives players the chance to take control of a set number of powerful characters while facing hordes of hundreds of enemies but also the ability to command their forces while on the battlefield. But what are the best Musou games around? To answer that and more, here are our picks for the 10 best Musou games, all sure to get your blood pumping and showcase why the style is so beloved all over the world.

10 – Berserk And The Band Of The Hawk

Developed by Omega Force, the creators of the genre, Berserk and the Band of the Hawk gives players the chance to play through the majority of the manga’s current published story, as they take on the role of not only Guts but also that of his many companions and foes in battles against hordes of enemies.

The game earns its place on our list thanks to its fast-paced and extremely aggressive combat system, which when combined with its presentation, offers a solid Musou experience sure to please not only fans of the genre but also those who, although new to the genre, are fans of the source material.

You can currently play Berserk and the Band of the Hawk on PS3, PS4, PS5, PS Vita, and PC.

9 – Fire Emblem Warriors

A spin-off of the main Fire Emblem series, as well as the fruit of a collaboration between Intelligent Systems and Koei Tecmo, Fire Emblem Warriors gives players the chance to take many characters of the acclaimed franchise to battle.

The game earned its place on our list thanks to the fact that it managed to successfully bring both the feeling and the style of the Fire Emblem franchise to the Musou genre, all while offering an experience sure to please fans of both, thanks to a few welcome and interesting mechanics.

Fire Emblem Warriors is currently available for both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS.

8 – Fate/EXTELLA LINK

In eighth place, we have Fate/EXTELLA LINK, one of the only games on our list that was not developed by Koei Tecmo/Omega Force. EXTELLA LINK earns its place thanks to the fact that the game not only features an extremely solid and fun combat system, where you can take on the role of your favorite Servants and showcase all of their might by performing breathtaking attacks sure to wipe the battlefield clean but also a wide, although not massive, array of paths, characters, and stages.

Overall, Fate/EXTELLA LINK is a title sure to please both those who are looking for a fresh Musou experience, as well as fans of the Fate franchise as a whole.

You can currently play Fate/EXTELLA LINK on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

7 – Samurai Warriors 5

The latest title in the Samurai Warriors franchise and the one responsible for revamping both the series’ aesthetic and story. Samurai Warriors 5 can be considered one of the most polished Musou experiences to date, thanks to not only its high-end presentation but also its fun and intuitive combat system, which can, when paired with its mechanics, as well as its charismatic set of characters and story, make the title a treat for both fans and newcomers alike.

Samurai Warriors 5 is currently available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

6 – One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4

In the sixth spot, we have One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, the latest title in the Pirate Warriors series as well as, arguably, the best One Piece game currently on the market.

Pirate Warriors 4 lets you face the enemy hordes as not only the members of the Straw Hat crew but also as many of their allies and most powerful foes, all while showcasing an extremely polished and diverse combat system, as well as an almost unmatched presentation sure to please whoever decides to dive into it.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is currently available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

5 – Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below

In fifth, we have Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below. Although many may disagree with the title’s placing, Dragon Quest Heroes won its spot thanks to not only its ability to offer a complete experience to both fans of the main series and newcomers alike but also thanks to the way that the title managed to perfectly bring both the DNA and the core of the beloved and genre-defining Dragon Quest franchise to the new style.

With that said, Heroes is without a shadow of a doubt the title for those looking to experience an although similar but fresh take on the Musou genre. The game also features an original story by the Dragon Quest’s creator Yuji Horii as well as character designs by Akira Toriyama.

You can currently play Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below on PS3, PS4, PS5, and PC.

4 – Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate

The definite version of the latest title in the acclaimed Warriors Orochi series, Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate features a more fantastical take on the Musou formula when compared to both Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors, as players get to take on the field as not only characters from both franchises, but also as many new characters, such as Zeus, Athena, Ares, and Odin. But that’s not all, as, in total, the game offers players the chance to take 170 different playable characters to the field, a feat that, when paired with its solid combat system and mechanics makes the title one of the best around.

Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate is currently available for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

3 – Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, the definite version of the acclaimed game, featuring all the content featured in both the Wii U and 3DS versions, can be considered a celebration of The Legend of Zelda franchise as a whole, as the game not only features the renowned combat system Koei Tecmo is known for but also gives players the chance to take the various incarnations of both Link and Zelda, as well as a wide array of known and new faces to the battlefield.

The game earns its place thanks to the fact that it not only allows you to jump into battle as your favorite set of characters but also allows you to experience a fun and uncompromised story, where both the combat and the series’ known charm take the center stage.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is currently available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

2 – Persona 5 Strikers

There are a few franchises whose name is already enough to earn a title a recommendation, and the Persona franchise is without a doubt one of them. In Persona 5 Strikers, a spin-off/sequel to the original Persona 5, as well as to Persona 5 Royal, players can once again join the Phantom Thieves, as they need to suit up and fight, now across all of Japan.

Persona 5 Strikers’ biggest strength lies in the way that the game manages to offer players the best of both worlds, by featuring not only a fun and intuitive combat system, filled with action and jaw-breaking sequences, but also both the narrative style and the character-oriented touches that made the Persona series one of the flagships of the JRPG genre, a feat that makes the game not only a great sequel/spin-off but also one of the best Musou games around.

Persona 5 Strikers is currently available for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

1 – Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition

In the first spot on our list, we have none other than Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition, the definite version of the Dynasty Warriors 8 expansion, which is also considered by many players as the best entry in the series.

The game earns this spot thanks to not only its extremely fun and solid combat, which features many of the mechanics the franchise is known for, as well as many new features and improvements but also thanks to the great amount of content it features. Overall, Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition can be considered not only the best Musou experience around but also the perfect entry point for those who plan to experience the series that started it all at its best.

Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is currently available for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Pokemon Go is thriving as always with numerous players getting their exercise every day while on the hunt for those all-important Pokemon scattered through our very own planet. Many will be wanting to catch all of the Pokemon on offer however some others may simply just want to get the highest-powered Pokemon they can for battles and similar activities. If you are looking for the highest CP Pokemon within the game that you can get, then this article is the one for you! Listing some of the highest CP Pokemon in Pokemon Go for you to eagerly catch in the world.

Highest CP Pokemon in Pokemon Go

There are numerous Pokemon that all have a brilliantly high max CP level that you can get them to so knowing exactly what Pokemon you’ll want to hunt for in the world will give you an excellent advantage. Here are some of the highest CP Pokemon in an easy to glance back at table:

As can be observed, there is certainly a bunch of Pokemon that you can begin to work towards acquiring for having the highest CP level for a Pokemon at the moment. With future updates, there is every chance that a new Pokemon might appear that has an even higher CP level.

How To Get Mega Gyrados and Mega Charizard Y In Pokemon Go

If you’ve noticed the top of the table you’ll realize that both Mega Gyrados and Mega Charizard Y are the highest CP Pokemon so you may want to be getting them as quickly as possible. However, there are a few steps to go through in order to get them. You will need to evolve the pokemon with ‘Mega Energy’ in order to unlock the specific pokemon you are looking for. The Mega Energy is specific to each Pokemon so for example you’ll need ‘Gyrados Mega Energy’ to unlock Mega Gyrados.

At the moment, Mega Charizard Y will appear in Mega Raids on this specific rotation until the 1st of July so now is the perfect time to try and acquire the energy you need to evolve to Mega Charizard Y.

Pokémon GO is available to download and is playable now for free on IOS and Android.

Dead by Daylight has a myriad of characters and at the heart of the experience are the various killers that survivors will be running from and trying to escape with their best equipment. With the sheer number of killers that are within the roster, you may of course be wondering just how many there actually are. Whether you are trying to just find out a number of how many there are, or have a look through all of their various names, this article will have you covered by listing all killers in Dead by Daylight.

All Killers in Dead by Daylight

There are a total of 28 killers at the moment within the game and that list is sure to continue evolving even more over time. In terms of every killer, they are:

There certainly are a lot of different killers for you to work out what are some of your favorites to play within the game. Whether you are joining the anniversary event that is currently going on within the experience or simply want to continue to learn vital strategies for each killer, Dead by Daylight will no doubt always make sure there is something for everyone.

Dead by Daylight is available now to play for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC, IOS, and Android.

Dead by Daylight has been thriving with a multitude of fans for many years and its legacy continues ever-onwards with frequent updates always arriving to the experience. Whether you are hunting survivors down as the killers or simply are running frantically through cornfields trying to get to the generators and repair them as your favorite survivor. There is always something for everyone within the game. If you are trying to deck out your survivor for the best chance of escaping then you will likely want to know what the best survivor perks in Dead by Daylight are and this article will explain those perks to you.

Best Survivor Perks In Dead by Daylight

The best survivor perks are as follows:

• Spine Chill
• Self-Care (Available for Claudette Morel, can be unlocked for all other survivors when you get Claudette to level 40)
• Decisive Strike (Available for Laurie Strode, can be unlocked for all other survivors when you get Laurie to level 40)
• Lithe (Available for Feng Min, can be unlocked for all other survivors when you get Feng to level 35)
• Kindred

Those are known as some of the very best survivor perks for Dead by Daylight however if you want to find out more information on each of the perks then continue reading and you will get all of the juicy details on each.

Spine Chill

This perk will give you advantages when the killer is close to you and looking in your direction. If the killer is within the range of 36 meters (Tier 3) and looking in your general direction, you will get a 10% increased chance of getting a skill check. However, it will also decrease the skill check success zone by 10%. However, a major bonus of this perk is also the fact that it increases the action speeds for repairing, sabotaging, unhooking, healing, vaulting, opening, unlocking, and cleansing by 2%.

Although this 2% can be increased to 4% and 6% depending on what tier of perk you have. Tier 1 is 2%, Tier 2 is 4% and Tier 3 is of course 6%. Equally, for the range the killer needs to be in, this is 12 meters for Tier 1, and 24 meters for Tier 2, with the 36 meters being Tier 3.

Self-Care

The Self-Care perk is of vital importance for any survivor. The main benefit of the perk are that it will allow you to heal yourself without a med-kit which is of course an amazing ability to have. Further, it will reduce your personal healing speed by up to 50%. Then it will also decrease the ‘depletion rate’ of Med-Kits by up to 20%. It is of course dependent more often than not on what tier of perk you have. However, the benefits of this perk should not be overlooked!

Decisive Strike

If you are wanting a perk that will allow you to escape a killer’s grab without much effort then this perk is absolutely worth acquiring for all survivors. You will be able to perform a skill check when grabbed by the killer and if you are successful you will also stun the killer. This is the major benefit of the perk and it will of course allow you to turn the tide of any match if you utilize it to an excellent degree.

Lithe

Do you perform a lot of rushed vaults while sprinting? Then perfect! Because this perk will allow you to run at an increased speed of 15o% after vaulting quickly over something. This will be up to 3 seconds but if you are trying to run away from a killer and need to escape quickly, that increased running speed will certainly make all the difference for getting away from them efficiently!

Kindred

As for the Kindred perk, this will reveal the location/aura of all survivors when you are hooked by the killer. However, a massive benefit of the perk is that whenever the killer is close to the hook you are on, their aura/location will be revealed to all of the other survivors. This will make sure they can save you with ease and also allow for coordination of what generators to tackle next based on where the killer is.

As can be observed, all of these perks will let you gain an upper advantage on the killer and you will be blazing through activating those generators in no time! With the current event that has made its way to the experience, now is the perfect time to deck out your survivor with the best perks.

Dead by Daylight is available now and playable for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC, IOS, and Android.

If you ask people what the peak of Call of Duty is, most of them are going to reply with “Modern Warfare 2.” There’s no overstating the cultural impact of the original Modern Warfare trilogy, which is why Activision kickstarted development on a reboot after fans expressed backlash to the franchise’s futuristic direction a few years ago. The Black Ops series has also seen a slightly less successful resurgence along with Sledgehammer’s revisiting of World War 2 in Vanguard, but Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare reboot series is clearly the most popular of the trio.

Modern Warfare 2019 had a lot to live up to. The original Modern Warfare had a campaign with a gritty, melodramatic story that broke new ground for the industry at the time, and the multiplayer component revolutionized progression and influenced basically everything that followed in its wake. The reboot was mostly successful at recapturing that, delivering a reimagining of Task Force 141’s origins and providing one of the most enjoyable multiplayer suites the series has seen in quite some time. It was also the birthplace of Call of Duty: Warzone, which needs no introduction.

While COD 4 had a much larger impact on the gaming industry at large, it’s the sequel that fans continue to reminisce about. It makes sense though, as Modern Warfare 2 was the go-to multiplayer game during the golden age of Xbox Live at a time when online gaming was still somewhat novel. It was a time when everyone had their microphones plugged in and didn’t retreat into party chat or Discord calls. People laughed, cheered, fought (and said way too many slurs) as killstreaks rained from above. Modern Warfare was the blueprint. Modern Warfare 2 refined that blueprint.

This preview has such a long preamble because Modern Warfare 2 is a cultural icon. It’s remembered fondly even 13 years later. The phrase “pre-nerf akimbo 1887s” still strikes fear into the hearts of many, and I personally can still hear the sound of the suppressed ACR with a heartbeat sensor when I close my eyes. You cannot ignore that if you put the name “Modern Warfare 2” on the box. There’s a reason why fans are so hyped for this game when (at the time of writing this), the world reveal trailer has yet to be shown off. It’s that name: Modern Warfare 2. It’s the legacy that comes attached.

Can Modern Warfare 2 Live Up to the Original?

I thought about that legacy quite often during my visit to Infinity Ward earlier this month, where the development team shared an exclusive first look at Modern Warfare 2 ahead of the global reveal. As they walked us through campaign missions, discussed new technological enhancements, and detailed changes to core systems, I couldn’t shake a strong sense of nostalgia. The sounds of Intervention quickscopes and “Mom, get the camera” played on repeat in my head. Can this game really live up to its namesake? Is it even possible to recapture that lightning in a bottle?

Only time will tell how the general public reacts to Modern Warfare 2, but from what I saw, it looks like this sequel is following a similar pattern to the one it’s named after. Modern Warfare 2 (2009) took the foundation from its predecessor but pivoted to a more explosive, blockbuster action tone. It traded the slow, methodical sniping of “All Ghillied Up” for the kinetic favela shootouts of “Takedown.” Modern Warfare 2 (2022) is doing the same, ditching the likes of “Clean House” for Uncharted-style convoy chases.

The narrative team at Infinity Ward assured us that while the game will still deal with heavy subjects and grounded scenarios, the campaign’s focus this time around will be on entertainment and excitement. Task Force 141 is finally assembled in this sequel, and it’s time for the boys to get together and take down some bad guys. It’s a globe-trotting adventure filled with explosive setpieces. Don’t expect to see anything similar to “No Russian” this time around.

Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Preview

The handful of campaign missions we got to see looked very interesting, however. The team has gone to great lengths to avoid the typical corridor shooting traps that these games so often fall into. An early mission of the game, a nighttime raid that sees Task Force 141 defending a downed helicopter, is standard Modern Warfare fare, but things quickly diverge from there.

A mission set in an Amsterdam dock sees Captain Price and Gaz stealthily taking down enemies while using the water as cover. Water was a huge focus of the presentation, and Infinity Ward has done a lot on the technical side to make it look as great as possible. The gameplay possibilities opened up by water are the most exciting parts, however.

In this campaign mission, Gaz could freely dive and swim underwater to lose enemies, resurfacing elsewhere to take potshots with a silenced pistol. He could also climb onto the docks and take enemies’ weapons for a more direct approach, diving back into the water for cover if needed. If you’ve played the recent Uncharted games, then you know what to expect here.

Water and New Mobility Options

This water gameplay isn’t just a one-time setpiece for this campaign mission, either. It’ll be present in multiplayer maps similar to Black Ops 4, allowing players to dive underwater to escape from firefights. Only pistols can be fired underwater and their damage is severely reduced though, so don’t expect to rack up killstreaks while sitting in a pool.

There are other new mobility options present across all modes of Modern Warfare 2 as well, such as the new dive option. Just like the slide, you can press the crouch button to dolphin dive like in the first Black Ops. It’s designed as an escape tool though, so it has a lot of ending lag and you won’t be able to fire your weapon immediately after landing.

Campaign Gameplay Variety

The next campaign mission shown off was an exhilarating convoy chase that takes place later in the game. During this mission, players can drive any of the vehicles and jump from car to car just like in Uncharted 4. You can also lean out of windows to shoot or climb to the roof of your vehicle, both of which are new mechanics for Modern Warfare 2. Just like the Amsterdam mission, this level offered a ton of freedom and variety for the player, something that campaign fans are sure to appreciate.

The slower-paced missions are still present as well. The final mission showcased took place atop a skyscraper where players can rappel down the sides and eliminate targets from the windows. You can rappel upside down as well to get a better angle on your targets, and choosing which order to shoot your enemies plays a large role in your success in this mission. If you liked the tactical gameplay of the first game’s campaign, then you can still find plenty of that in Modern Warfare 2, just with blockbuster twists like this.

Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Preview

The presentation largely focused on the campaign, but some Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer features were showcased as well. The aforementioned dive mechanic and water mechanics will be present in multiplayer, and plenty of new gadgets are available as well. There’s a new deployable decoy similar to the inflatable decoys in Metal Gear Solid V, and they have multiple poses depending on where you deploy them.

Some of the other new gadgets have more situational purposes but could be very useful in tactical modes like Search and Destroy. There’s a remote camera that can be thrown anywhere, allowing you to monitor certain angles and areas of the map. There’s also a new lethal gadget that deploys explosives on the other side of a wall, similar to Fuze’s ability in Rainbow Six Siege. You could also make use of the new DDOS ability, which disables gadgets and vehicles temporarily. These new tools pave the way for interesting new strategies across all multiplayer modes.

New Gunsmith Changes and Attachment Tuning

The most interesting tidbit about multiplayer, however, is the revamped Gunsmith. In Modern Warfare 2, weapons are sorted into platforms and you will unlock different variations as you level up. This feels like a natural evolution of what players were doing in Modern Warfare 2019, using the Gunsmith system to convert an MP5 to an MP5k or building an AK-47 into an AK-74u for example. You can still equip attachments and things like normal though, so not much has changed on that front.

The team also touched on a new attachment tuning feature, allowing you to fine-tune your weapon’s stats and create something that is truly unique to you. It’s easily the most exciting addition to Modern Warfare 2, but it was only barely touched on during this preview event. We didn’t get to see it in action or learn anything more about it other than the fact that it exists. Expect to hear more details about the new Gunsmith features in the coming months.

All in all, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is shaping up to be a solid sequel to one of the best games in the series. The campaign looks great and appears to offer a level of freedom and variety that the franchise hasn’t really seen before, and the little we heard about multiplayer and Warzone sounds promising (except the part about skins not carrying over). It’s great that Call of Duty games will use a unified engine going forward too. Spec Ops and the new Warzone experience will obviously be huge parts of Modern Warfare 2 as well, but we’ll have to wait a little while longer to hear more about those.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be released on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Battlefield 2042‘s first season is finally launching on June 9, and what could have been a soft relaunch of one of last year’s most troubled shooters won’t really end up doing much to help the game’s dwindling playerbase. Season 1: Zero Hour brings the usual new content that you’d expect a new season to bring for any online shooter, but 2042 needed a huge hit to kickstart its recovery and pump some life into its veins.

I recently got the opportunity to go hands-on with Battlefield 2042 Season 1, and I walked away from the preview session with a resounding meh. Even ignoring the game’s rocky launch window and players’ already less than favorable opinion toward the game, Season 1 is a paltry offering with hardly anything worth getting excited for, painting a worrying picture of Battlefield 2042’s future.

What’s New in Battlefield 2042 Season 1?

The first season of Battlefield 2042 adds the following content to the game:

• 1 New Specialist: Ewelina Lis
• 2 New Vehicles: RAH-68 Huron and Yg-99 Hannibal Gunships
• 2 New Weapons: Ghostmaker R10 Crossbow and BSV-M Marksman Rifle
• 1 New Gadget: Smoke Grenade Launcher
• 1 New Map: Exposure

There’s also a new Battle Pass, but the offerings aren’t much to get worked up over. All of the new gear and gadgets are unlocked via the free tiers, and the premium tiers have all the cosmetic items you would expect. None of the skins are particularly exciting, however, outside of one or two exceptions so it’s unlikely that players will feel compelled to grind all the way to tier 100 before it expires.

This season would have been criticized had it launched with any other game, and rightfully so given its overall lack of content, but the fact that this is all that DICE has to show after more than half a year since Battlefield 2042 was first released is disheartening. Yes, the studio has been hard at work on reworks and revisions to the game’s core systems since launch, but a game with a budget as massive as this — a game with the word “Battlefield” on the front of the box — deserves more. This update is appreciated, but it’s not enough.

Battlefield 2042 Zero Hour’s New Specialist and Map

The main new additions are the new weapons, the new Specialist, and the new map. Ewelina Lis is an anti-vehicle Specialist that comes equipped with a special rocket launcher that fires player-guided projectiles. Her gadget is fun to use and does a lot to combat heavy armor and enemy vehicles even if your team doesn’t pack the necessary gear themselves. While it’s not designed to be used against infantry, it can still take out players with a direct hit, meaning you can take out camping snipers if you have enough time to line up a shot.

The new map, Exposure, is also easily the best map the game has to offer. Set in the Canadian Rockies, it features extreme verticality differences with one half of the map taking place on top of a giant cliffside with zip lines set up across canyons. There’s a facility located on the upper half of the map with caves and tunnels surrounding it, creating tense close-quarters firefights. Exposure boasts a satisfying balance between interior battles and long-range firefights, making it the perfect place to test out the new Season 1 gear and vehicles.

New Weapons, Vehicles, and Gadgets

The RAH-68 Huron and the YG-99 Hannibal are the two new helicopters added to the game this season, equipped with gunner seats and capable of carrying squads of players to the objective. In a map like Exposure, they can be used to parachute into capture sites or shoot at holed up enemies through windows due to the map’s verticality differences. Of course, pilots will have to watch out for the usual anti-air gear and now Lis’s rocket launcher gadget, which can be quite hard to dodge if you aren’t skilled enough.

The two new weapons, the Ghostmaker R10 Crossbow and BSV-M Marksman Rifle, are also perfect for the long sightlines on Exposure. The Crossbow is surprisingly lethal and makes great use of the game’s attachment swapping system, letting you change to a more rapid-firing set of bolts or explosive-tipped bolts on the fly. The BSV-M Marksman Rifle is less exciting since the game already has weapons like it, but it’s suited for stealth due to its integrated suppressor which sets it apart from other weapons in the same class. Finally, the new Smoke Grenade Launcher gadget can be used to provide cover to advancing troops and protect your allies from enemies using these new long-ranged weapons to pick your team off one by one.

Additional minor updates will also come throughout the season, but these are things that really should have been ready for launch given how long it’s been. The Kaleidoscope map is slated to get a rework in August, Specialists will get more appropriate voice lines sometime in the future, and new third-person animations are coming in June and July among other things.

Is Season 1 Worth Playing?

None of these new additions are bad, but none of them are particularly exciting. After all this time, we’ve only gotten one new Specialist and one new map with a handful of new weapons. The new Crossbow and Marksman Rifle also only suit really specific styles of play, so the average run-and-gun player that favors assault rifles and SMGs really isn’t going to get anything out of them. The same goes for the vehicles, which aren’t going to do anything for most people. Ewelina Lis is a fun character to play, but she easily blends into an already bland roster of characters.

All of these wouldn’t be so bad if the Battle Pass actually had a ton of cool stuff to look forward to, but it’s going to be hard for most people to find the motivation to grind when there’s really nothing special in any of the tiers, free or premium, and any cool rewards you may get could end up being for a Specialist that you don’t play.

It doesn’t help that the coolest reward of them all is Angel’s “All-Seeing Eyes” skin that gives him night vision goggles and a black hooded outfit. It’s available at tier 1 as soon as you buy the Battle Pass. The tier 100 skin, which most players will spend all season grinding for, is the “Skybreaker” skin for Lis, which just puts her in a tank top.

All in all, though, it’s hard to find a lot to complain about with Battlefield 2042 Season 1 because there isn’t much to talk about at all. Several months down the line for one of the biggest FPS games in recent memory, and all we’ve gotten is a new character, a new map, and two new weapons. Yes, there are other things on the list too, but it’s hard to care about a Smoke Grenade Launcher when the game is in this state.

Season 1 of Battlefield 2042 needed to really blow people out of the water. It needed to make the biggest possible splash to bring players back and turn the conversation around. Instead, it’s sadly still struggling to stay afloat.

Battlefield 2042 Season 1 Start Date

If you do want to check it out, then Season 1 of Battlefield 2042 will launch on Thursday, June 9 across all platforms. It’s a free update, so you can play on the new map and try out all the new weapons and gadgets without paying a dime. The only thing you’ll have to pay for if you want it is the premium rewards of the new Battle Pass, which includes skins, player cards, Battlefield Coins, takedowns, and more cosmetic rewards.

Battlefield 2042 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Arcane has seen vast success for its excellent story, art style, and overall enjoyment found from watching everything that it offers viewers. Grab a comfy sofa, some of your favorite food, and indulge yourself in a brilliant show of thrills and adrenaline-inducing moments. With talk of the new League of Legends MMO always occurring amongst fans of the franchise, this would be a perfect time for a new show in the universe. Arcane sets the standard for what show adaptations can be like for games and there is immense possibility surging through the veins of the franchise for extra champions to be the star of their own show.

Ahri — A Vastaya To Remember

Ahri is one of the most well-known champions from the League of Legends universe. So there certainly is no reason as to why Ahri wouldn’t be able to be an excellent show-runner champion. We could get to look at out she is able to work with the power of Runeterra and get to learn even more about her personality.

Including the fact there would be great potential for looking into her memories from the souls which she is able to consume as known in the game’s lore, she gets these memories when she does consume the souls. It could make for wonderful cut-aways to different eras and moments of potentially other champions’ lives and thoughts, equally with her enemy’s souls.

Aurelion Sol — Time for the Knowledge of the Cosmos

Up next would be Aurelion Sol. A champion that generally not too much is known about which makes them an excellent candidate for getting their show similar to Arcane. With a dragon-like appearance, they belong to the cosmos and will have vast amounts of information about the stars and everything surrounding them.

There was a story of an empire that had deliberately been using him for their own usage. The show itself could be featured around how Aurelion Sol is indeed able to gain their freedom again within the universe.

Caitlyn — Sheriff of Style

Caitlyn was featured for a great number of episodes in the original Arcane show, however, many fans would probably like to see more of Caitlyn in this format and learn more about them within the franchise. She has an impressive resume with being a Sheriff and the show could focus on her time working this job and of learning more about their personal life.

Not only that but Vi could make another appearance in this show as the two are together a lot often and thus there would be a lot of possibility with promoting the show with this fact. Of course, who could turn down the opportunity to see more of this fiery-fuelled character in her very own show?

Vladimir — Blood, Blood, and More Blood!

If fans were looking for a show which could be featured around vampire vibes and perhaps an even darker show, this champion could definitely ensure this had happened. Why not have a show which is instead focused on horror and have Vladimir as the central character for the show?

Vladimir always seems to be very eccentric and is known to showcase something similar to this almost egotistic and eccentric personality within the lore of the franchise.

Yuumi — There Needs To Be A Cat Somewhere

Every franchise needs a cat or dog to be in it and the champion Yuumi from League of Legends is indeed a cat (a magical cat) so that would certainly be that element covered. The show could be around all of the activities that Yuumi gets up to and about their journey after becoming the Keeper of the ‘Book of Thresholds’.

Even further, imagine having a League of Legends theme song of some sort created for Yuumi, it would be delightfully genius and adorable to have!

Seraphine — Let The Songs Radiate From You!

Seraphine would make an exquisite prime character for a show because of her wonderful gleeful personality that is emphasized throughout the franchise. There would be many songs of joy to be heard throughout this show no doubt and we could even get a look into their inner thoughts and mind about everything happening around them.

The journey of Seraphine would be a thrill to watch through a show centered around her.

Kassadin — The Void Calls

Kassadin is known to have traveled around a lot within the game’s universe and a show about them would certainly allow viewers to get a glimpse into many more corners of the League of Legends world.

With the champion they are being an assassin, it would be an excellent chance to showcase a darker side of the assassin life for Kassadin and how they had become the character that they are.

Ashe — A Perfectly Aimed Arrow Strikes

The list of course wouldn’t be complete without an archer, and not just any archer, but Ashe. A wonderful frost archer, the show would have no issues in finding its target audience.

Given the fact a lot of Ashe’s lore surrounds the ‘Avarosan tribe’, the show could have a main focus on this tribe and her journey with them and how she leads the tribe. An abundance of opportunities for beautiful archery cinematic shots is always going to indeed be a bonus for everyone!

Zeri — Thunderstruck!

Time for some electricity! Zeri would be a wonderful character for a show due to her spirit and empathy towards others around her. It definitely could be a show featured on helping others fuelled with electric fights throughout. Many other League of Legends characters could make an appearance within this show and represent the values of teamwork. Not only just in the show but of course in the game itself.

There would even be lots of opportunities for looking at the history of Zeri and her life before she chose to take the paths that she did decide upon.

Lillia — Forest Lights Bloom

The forests of the universe look beautiful and equally entrancing. Lillia spends her time going around these forests and avoiding mortals of the land. It would be amazing to get a nice view of what happens within the forests and Lillia would be the prime candidate for showcasing this with her eagerness to also help others.

It would also allow for environment artists to no doubt be extremely excited at the possibility of creating areas that look stunning for viewers to be amazed by as always. The lighting seen throughout the forest areas is always gorgeous as seen in the above image and no doubt the show would represent this.

As can be observed, there are tons of champions who could have their own show. League of Legends is always evolving and keeping the fanbase entertained with excellent retention of players. Time to hope for new shows to feature these champions! There definitely is a lot of potential with them and including other Champions not listed here. Only time will tell if we do indeed get some new shows for the universe.

Arcane can be streamed now on Netflix.

Resident Evil is an iconic franchise that hasn’t genuinely slowed down its output since the day the eponymous first game came out in 1996.  The series has certainly seen memorable heights as well periods in which the games’ quality dropped significantly, but it can’t be denied that survival horror as a genre owes its viability and popularity to the groundwork laid by these games.  With the latest news of a Resident Evil 4 remake on the horizon, it’s a good opportunity to evaluate the high points of the franchise. Here is a list of The Best Resident Evil Games, Ranked in ascending order from its lowest points to its best and most iconic installments, so read on to see where your favorite stands!

The Best Resident Evil Games, Ranked

10. Resident Evil 5 (2009)

Chris Redfield fans might appreciate this game making the list.  Resident Evil 5 debuted in 2009 and followed in the footsteps of Resident Evil 4 and Code: Veronica in that it takes the setting out of the United States, this time to Kijuju, in Africa.  The game is a generational upgrade over Resi 4, but is not without its faults; Sheva, your companion, is great when in the hands of a fellow player, but left to the AI she can be frustrating to work with.  Resi 5 was also the turning point towards forgoing any survival horror pretenses for the mainline entries, instead opting for “action horror” which would turn out to be a poor choice, as seen in Resi 6.

Finally, there’s the matter of how they transformed Chris in this.  His transition to hulked-out action hero in this title approaches ludicrous proportions, to the point where this title became known for embodying a game version of Fonzie jumping the shark: when Chris, faced with a massive boulder, just punched it until he could move it out of the way.  This moment is so laughable and infamous that this very same series later mocked it in its dialogue, in the form of Resident Evil Village’s Heisenberg referring to Chris as a ‘boulder-punching asshole.’  It’s the developers’ willingness to acknowledge their games’ flaws, that can earn greater respect and esteem for the series.

9. Resident Evil Revelations (2012)

This game was notable in that it features the same 3rd person camera as 4 and 5 at the time, but debuted on the 3DS and truly pushed that system’s hardware to its limits.  Revelations is an example of how the franchise could still generate tension and great action even without having bleeding edge visuals.  The game’s use of simple map design, such as the claustrophobia captured in roaming the hallways of a derelict cruise ship, inspires tension in a way that no jump scare or excessive gore can replicate.  Concepts from this game made it to other, even more successful, Resident Evil games in the future.

Another notable fact about this game is that it was the last truly good Resident Evil game before a 5-year drought where the series lost its horror sensibilities altogether and lost its edge and quality in general.  The title later got a port to home consoles across several generations, and PC, which brought improved visuals to the presentation, as well as a much more approachable control scheme.  The game’s positive qualities are more subtle and not as game-changing as Resi 4’s, but it helped preserve what was good about the franchise for players until it had its ultimate renaissance several years later.

8. Resident Evil 0 (2002)

Resident Evil 0 was the second of the remarkable pair of 2002 GameCube releases for the franchise, with this title being an interesting deviation for the series.  This release was notable for being the last mainline entry to use the tank controls, which in retrospect were clunky and difficult to maneuver, and while it can be argued that this helped boost the tension when attacked by zombies, it feels like not enough of a reason.  It did, however, have great visuals, such as the wonderful GameCube-era character models and 3D accents to otherwise static pre-rendered backgrounds, allowing the scenery to feel more alive as you explored.

This game features 2 playable protagonists, Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen, and is built around the player being able to swap between them and share their inventories, instead of the ever-convenient item box.  This results in the player having to make tactical calls and potentially leave items lying on the ground, or risk giving the wrong quantities or type of ammo to the wrong character, and doom themselves to be unprepared for a sudden onslaught.  It was clever, but ultimately not revisited overall in the grand scheme of the franchise.  But it did answer questions about what happened to the Bravo Team during the events of the first game.

7. Resident Evil Village (2021)

Village is a demonstration of the franchise’s willingness to stick to action as much as it did to horror, and this game executed it quite well.  It’s quite a fun title with replay value and enough details to its content to keep the fans happy.  The game features several memorable bosses, and Moreau is somewhere in there too, while also generating huge mainstream appeal due to the design of a certain vampiric giantess.  The voice work and motion capture performances sold the experience, whether with the cutscenes or how the enemies stalked you and moved as they positioned themselves to strike.

This game serves as the latest entry in the franchise, and the apparent conclusion of Ethan Winters’ arc.  It’s also the second game to use the first-person camera angle, initially demonstrated in Ethan’s first outing, Resident Evil VII: Biohazard.  It controls well, is visually spectacular, and surprisingly emotional, but there are a couple of aspects that bring this game down when put against other games in the series, such as a lack of substantial new additions to the series formula, and a somewhat lackluster Mercenaries mode.

6. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and Remake (2020)

This game is the last of the original 3 Resident Evil titles before the visuals in the software started showing more notable improvements.  However, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis did great with what it had and raised the bar for survival horror games in its way.  The titular antagonist, Nemesis, would constantly pursue Jill Valentine through the game, and even if you chose to open fire and successfully take it down (it could dodge your shots, after all) it would eventually get up every time, and continue to give chase.  The result is essentially the answer to the question, “What if the Terminator was also a zombie?”

This game’s success and status as a numbered entry made it inevitable to get a remake, and in 2020 it did.  The game has wonderful visuals and captures Raccoon City in its doomed final hours, but foregoes much of the original game’s content, cutting out many major locations including the graveyard, park, city hall, and clock tower locations.  Perhaps the most egregious offense was turning the Nemesis into a mild series of scripted encounters and ultimately made it easier to evade.  But the original laid down the blueprint for contemporary Resi successors like Mr. X in the remake of Resi 2, and Jack Baker from VII.

5. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica (2000)

Following the release of Nemesis, Code: Veronica came out initially on the Dreamcast, a franchise first as it’s usually released first on PlayStation.  The game took advantage of Dreamcast’s superior hardware for the time and featured improved cinematic cutscenes, dynamic 3D backgrounds, great music, and sound quality.  The plot unites Claire Redfield with her brother, Chris, as playable characters and pits them against Alfred and Alexia Ashford, as well as recurring series antagonist Albert Wesker, the game features more of a European influence in its world design than previously seen which remains quite striking.

This game is also the last major release to appear on a Sega hardware system, as the publisher ultimately stepped out of the console business with the demise of the Dreamcast.  The game featured “Battle Mode” previously seen in the Sega Saturn version of the first Resident Evil, and the control scheme of the series up until then worked quite well with the capabilities of each system’s gamepads, which oddly had no right stick.  The game is remembered fondly by the fan community, has received multiple stories and HD upgrades since its initial release, and is commonly regarded as one of the best in the Resident Evil franchise.

4. Resident Evil (1996) and Remake (2002)

The game that started it all.  Resident Evil’s release is responsible for the emergence of Survival Horror as a genre, and for making zombies cool again in popular culture.  The initial release had pretty limited visuals, and amusingly bad voice acting (we hope this is not Chris’ blood, too) but was incredibly influential to the series, establishing features such as inventory management, control schemes, and ink ribbon resource used for saving your game.  The original may have aged poorly, but it also rocked the world in terms of sales, becoming one of PlayStation’s best-selling games ever at the time.

The remake improved upon the original in every way, using 3D and visual effects on top of pre-rendered backgrounds later seen in Resi 0, improved voice acting, better sound design, and the addition of Lisa Trevor.  The tragedy of this character, one whose parents were murdered for being a witness of Oswell Spencer’s ambitions, and being subjected to decades of horrifying experimentation, is the most haunting and powerful of all, and it helps raise the stakes of the plot as well as establish just how villainous Umbrella truly is.  Add that to some great boss encounters, compelling gameplay, and the iconic pair of protagonists, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, and you’ve got a remake that’s as high-quality as the original’s legacy.

3. Resident Evil VII: Biohazard (2017)

Resident Evil was at a crossroads following the release of Resi 6.  The series was not doing its best and encountered a bit of a drought in quality for just over 4 years, and it was entirely due to the franchise opting to push harder into action horror and abandon its survival roots.  But then along came the VII announcement, and its gameplay, and something became clear: Resident Evil was back, as if from the dead, with a vengeance.  Bearing the same name as how the games are released in Japan, this game was not the same as the originals in terms of visuals, but arguably better.  You’re back to exploring a derelict estate, this time far more wretched than some mansion, and the entire game is brimming with dread and terror.

The choice to use the first-person perspective was a bold one, but it was for the sake of immersion, so that you weren’t playing as a fan favorite supersoldier, honed for years by experience, but instead are Ethan Winters, your player avatar, unprepared and desperate to survive the night.  This was the first major title to implement VR as a playable option, and a perfect choice, making great use of the sound design and crucial need for situational awareness to prevent yourself from getting accosted and killed at the Baker estate.  Enemies no longer dropped supplies once again, and you are forced to protect your assets and minimize ammo usage.

Subsequent playthroughs unlocked better weapons and gear, all favoring successful, quicker speedruns.  The enemy design was lacking in terms of variety for basic opponents, but the bosses were phenomenal, with Jack Baker being a terrifying menace for the first portion of the game, along with shouts out to Marguerite for really creeping out the players in act 2.  The game signaled a return to form for the series, but new directions took at the same time, never quite approaching the high energy of previous action-horror releases, but still having plenty of responsive combat for the players.

2. Resident Evil 4 (2005)

Even though the series did poorly when it tried to push too far into the action-horror subgenre, it did it for a reason: to follow the incredible, critically beloved, massive hit that was Resident Evil 4.  The game is still regarded as a powerful influence on both horror as a genre and third-person shooters, and later installments seemed to affirm that Resi 4 had successfully captured lightning in a bottle, and still proves a difficult act to follow.  The combat is clean and responsive, the gore is satisfying, the lighting for the village and castle portions are spooky and gritty, and protagonist Leon Kennedy was at his snarky, career-best.

While this certainly resulted in later games trying to recapture the success 4 had, it wasn’t because the game was inherently putting out the wrong ideas.  Leon wasn’t quite to the exaggerated power levels of 5’s Chris Redfield, but rather highly trained and capable of putting up a fight while having perfectly reasonable athleticism and strength.  He had numerous brushes with death and still encountered bone-chilling threats that reminded him and the players that just because enemies were sometimes bullet sponges, it didn’t mean you shouldn’t make careful use of what you’ve got left.  Regenerators were a perfect example of survival horror still peeking out, requiring precision for you to kill it before it reached you.

The game is beloved by the community, having several cheesy moments that don’t appear as much in recent entries, but stands on its excellent quality as an action game, and has been remastered and ported a handful of times.  There’s also the anticipated remake that was just announced, which appears to address the greater presence of horror in the mix this time around, presenting a terrifying, dark, atmosphere, along with a traumatized Leon after the events of Resi 2.  Suffice to say, we can’t wait.

1. Resident Evil 2 (1998) and Remake (2019)

Resident Evil 2 is the best game in the series, either the original or the remake because it embodies what’s done well for the franchise, a reverence for the series’ DNA while bringing something new to the mix.  In every way, Resi 2 was a bigger game than the original and featured characters far less trained (but still capable of combat) than S.T.A.R.S. officers, in over their heads in the middle of the most calamitous event of their lives, and possibly for those around the world.  Raccoon City being infested with zombies was a truly shocking and terrifying prospect, and getting out alive was paralyzing, but a tantalizing challenge for the player.

The 1998 original had plenty to offer in world design and enemies introduced, such as the first appearance of the infamous Licker zombies.  If you played on the Dreamcast, you didn’t have to open the menu to find out your health, as the VMU in your controller would display this information for you.  The visuals and controls were a substantial improvement over the first game.  The size and scope of the game world were far more grandiose, and the stakes were incredibly high.  Despite this, you never felt as if there was enough space to breathe, which was perfect for the survival horror experience, and finding weapons and ammo genuinely felt like finding treasure sometimes.

What the remake did for this, more than the remake of 1 or 3 did, was turn the story and concepts into a genre-defining experience that still felt fresh and packed with content in the modern-day.  The remake was phenomenal in how it reminded players who were disappointed with how different VII was in 2017, that they knew how to appeal to the fandom, and the use of the RE Engine in this game was a tour de force.  It also reintroduced T-00, or Mr. X, to modern players, and has created a menacing Nemesis-type of the enemy that has yet to be topped in how it drives up the pulse of the players as soon as you hear those boots hitting the floor.  Add that to a terrifying, gritty, desolate Raccoon City, and you’ve got a horror game that’ll stand the test of time.

This concludes our list of The Best Resident Evil Games, Ranked!  The series has a special place in the gaming zeitgeist, and while it’s had turbulent times, the series has regained its footing in the last 5 years.  Resident Evil 6 was deliberately absent from the list as it’s not among the best of the bunch, or even a good Resident Evil, although its Mercenaries mode was admittedly very fun.  Other entries, such as the numerous light gun rail shooters and spin-offs, weren’t considered for the list but should be explored in a separate piece.  But we hope you enjoyed this, and are curious where your favorite game stands on this list!

We are incredibly excited for the Resident Evil 4 Remake and wish the franchise a very long, and healthy, winning streak as the premier survival horror franchise in gaming.

Final Fantasy has had a long and illustrious history worldwide with the franchise being one of the most well-known of all time. With Final Fantasy XVI on the way and fans flocking to the scene once again from all over, now is the perfect time for playing through some of your favorite games in the series. There is an abundance of games for the franchise since it started from spin-offs to the mainline games; there is truly a game experience for everyone!

All Final Fantasy Games Since 1987

For this list of games, re-releases and the majority of remasters haven’t been included. However, the spin-offs have been included and all of the mainline Final Fantasy games have been bolded for quickly skimming through the table and finding the main entries. All of the Final Fantasy games at the moment are:

As can be observed, the Final Fantasy series certainly delivers high-quality releases and excellent output of memorable experiences over the years. It’ll be onwards and upwards from here as always.

The Final Fantasy franchise has been running since 1987, here’s in celebration to many more years!

Monster Hunter Rise is gaining plenty of new features with the upcoming release of its Sunbreak expansion. New monsters will be joining the already massive roster supplied by the base game, and brand-new mechanics and abilities will help bolster players’ arsenals in many ways. Among these additions are new Switch Skills designed to support different playstyles using the same weapon. Three Switch Skills were originally available in the base game, but now two extra skills have been added for every weapon. There is a possibility that there’s more Capcom hasn’t shown off yet, but for now, here’s every new Switch Skill in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak!

Any information about the new Switch Skills not shown in the showcase videos is taken from the official Monster Hunter Twitter account.

All New Switch Skills in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Sword & Shield

• Destroyer Oil – A silkbind move that that coats the sword in special oil. Flinching the monster will be made easier with each attack of the sword. It replaces the same slot as Metsu Shoryugeki and Windmill. This new move seems to work similarly to oils from Monster Hunter Generations.
• Twin Blade Combo – A combo of attacks that solely uses the sword. It replaces the basic sword/shield combo accessed by pressing the Chop button three times. The official Monster Hunter Twitter account notes that this attack will be very helpful for players trying to inflict statuses or deal elemental damage.

Switch Axe

• Elemental Burst Counter – A silkbind attack centered around countering the monster’s move. A successful counter will lead into an attack known as a Power Finisher, causing the hunter to swing the sword around, immediately amping the Switch Axe and allowing it to perform a Zero Sum Discharge. It replaces the same slot as Switch Charger.
• Axe: 2-Staged Morph Slash Combo – A move that replaces the Wide Sweep. The axe quickly switches to Sword Mode to deal a powerful slice, then switches back to Axe Mode for a strong sweep. During the combo, Sword Mode attacks will be stronger and Axe Mode swings will fill the switch gauge faster.

Heavy Bowgun

• Setting Sun – A silkbind attack that creates a floating ring in front of the hunter. It lowers the speed of bullets that pass through it, allowing multi-hit and piercing ammo to deal more hits at once. It is currently unknown which move this replaces, but the video showcases the Counter Shot and Counter Charger Switch Skills separately with the same build. Therefore, it’s likely that this new attack will replace the same slot as Free Silkbind Glide.
• Crouching Shot – A move that replaces the Charged Shot. The hunter crouches down, temporarily increasing fire rate. Ammo restrictions apply, and it’s possible to overheat the bowgun by using this move.

Insect Glaive

• Awakened Kinsect Attack – A silkbind move that fires the Kinsect at the monster. It consumes extracts to deal more damage. After hitting the monster, you will launch forward to continue attacking in the air. This attack is reminiscent of the Extract Hunter art from Monster Hunter Generations. It replaces the same slot as Recall Kinsect and Diving Wyvern.
• Kinsect Slash – An aerial attack that replaces the Jumping Advancing Slash. Each attack will automatically absorb extract. Upon absorbing red extract, this move will change into the Enhanced Insect Spiker, sending the hunter hurtling downward and thrusting the glaive forward.

Hammer

• Impact Burst – A silkbind attack where the hunter slams the hammer in the ground and spins it, much like the Hunting Horn’s Infernal Melody. After using this move, shockwaves will be added to all charge attacks, causing monsters to flinch more easily. It replaces the same slot as Impact Crater. The shockwave buff is similar to the buff gained from the Impact Press move from Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.
• Spinning Bludgeon: Charge – An alteration to the Spinning Bludgeon move. It seemingly lowers the maximum number of swings in exchange for re-applying charges as it spins. This allows the hunter to release multiple level 3 charge attacks in succession through use of Charge Switches. The showcase video shows this as replacing the Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon move, but it seems to replace all variations of the Spinning Bludgeon.

Great Sword

• Strongarm Stance – A silkbind move that brings up the sword, guarding against monster attacks. It can be used while charging, allowing the hunter to use a True Charged Slash or Rage Slash immediately. It replaces the same slot as Hunting Edge and Adamant Charged Slash.
• Surge Slash Combo – A move that replaces the first charged slash used by the Great Sword. Instead of charging, the sword will deal a flurry of strikes leading into new attacks.

Hunting Horn

• Silkbind Shockwave – A silkbind move that launches the hunter up in the air, buffing the horn. This buff will create delayed shockwaves each time the hunter attacks. These shockwaves are highly effective at causing stun, exhaust, and part damage. This skill replaces the same slot as Slide Beat.
• Swing Combo – A move that allows the hunter to attack while sliding to the left or right, repositioning themselves to avoid monster attacks. The video mentions it replaces the Crush Attack Combo, but it simply seems to replace the basic Crush attack done after a Left or Right Swing.

Bow

• Butcher’s Bind – A silkbind attack that fires an arrow attached to both the monster and the bow. If the next arrow hits the same spot, severing damage is applied, allowing monster tails to be cut off with this attack. If the second arrow misses, the silk-lodged arrow will vanish. So far, there is no information on whether there’s a limit to how far the hunter can move without the silk breaking. This skill replaces the same slot as Aerial Aim and Focus Shot.
• Stake Thrust – A thrusting move that replaces the Melee Attack. This will thrust an explosive stake into the monster. Arrows fired at the stake will deal additional damage depending on their type. This is somewhat similar to the Wyrmstake Blast from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, though this ability is given to the Bow and not the Gunlance.

Charge Blade

• Ready Stance – A silkbind move that allows the hunter to block an attack. It replaces the same slot as Axe Hopper and Counter Peak Performance, though it seems to be an alternative to the latter. Heavy knockback will keep the user in Sword Mode and allow them to retaliate more quickly.
• Phial Follow-up: Firing Pin – An attack that replaces the regular Phial Follow-up. Energy from charged shield or sword attacks will build up on the monster instead of detonating immediately. This buildup can be detonated by attacking in Axe Mode.

Gunlance

• Bullet Barrage – A silkbind attack that launches the hunter forward with a Blast Dash, then fires every source of ammo the Gunlance has. If the Wyrmstake, Shelling, or Wyvern’s Fire attacks aren’t available, they will be automatically reloaded before the move. This skill replaces the same slot as Ground Splitter and Hail Cutter.
• Eruption Cannon – A move that replaces the Wyrmstake Cannon in favor of a single explosive blast. Using this move will increase the damage of slashing attacks for a time. Since Monster Hunter Rise changed the mechanics of the Wyrmstake Cannon, it’s unknown if the Eruption Cannon will be affected differently by Normal, Wide, or Long shelling.

Lance

• Skyward Thrust – A silkbind attack that launches the hunter up in the air before thrusting downward, similar to the Insect Glaive’s Diving Wyvern move. The attack will hit multiple times as the hunter descends. It replaces the same slot as Ancor Rage and Spiral Thrust.
• Shield Tackle – A guarding move that deals stun damage to monsters. It replaces the Guard Dash move performed by moving and attacking while blocking. It seems to work similarly to the Great Sword’s Tackle, moving slightly forward while dealing light damage and possibly stunning monsters.

Long Sword

• Harvest Moon – A silkbind move that creates a large, grounded circle made of silk. Counters performed in this circle will hit monsters multiple times. Staying inside the circle will also keep the Spirit Gauge from depleting. Like the aforementioned Heavy Bowgun, it’s unknown which slot this skill replaces, but one can assume it might replace the same slot as Serene Pose based on the showcase video.
•  Sacred Sheathe Combo – A move that replaces the Special Sheathe. The hunter will slowly charge their weapon before dealing powerful slashes that increase in strength based on their Spirit Gauge level. The move will automatically cancel if the hunter is hit during it, making it risky to use unless the monster is already downed.

Light Bowgun

• Wyvern Counter – A silkbind attack that pulls the hunter back, allowing them to fire a shot while retreating. It seems to resist attacks up to a point, making it easier to escape aggressive monsters with. It replaces the same slot as Fanning Maneuver and Fanning Vault. It appears somewhat similar to the Bullet Geyser attack from Monster Hunter Generations.
• Critical Firepower – A skill that reduces the Light Bowgun’s effective range and increases recoil in exchange for stronger attacks. Certain ammo types are exempt from this change.

Dual Blades

• Spiral Slash – A silkbind move where the hunter launches forward, rapidly spinning the blades into the monster. When the attack connects, the hunter will continue to hit the monster by spinning against it. This skill can be used on the ground or in the air. It replaces the same slot as Piercing Bind and Tower Vault. It appears to be identical to the Spiral Slice attack from Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.
• Slide Slash Combo – An attack that seemingly replaces the roundslashes used after certain basic attacks. The hunter quickly moves to the side, allowing them to quickly reposition themselves mid-combo.

These are all the new Switch Skills shown off in Sunbreak’s trailers and pre-release content. As always, this information is subject to change, including which slots the skills replace and even the final names of each move. At the very least, since these moves were confirmed to be in the game, fans can expect to try out all the new Switch Skills here for themselves when Sunbreak releases!

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak will release on June 30, 2022.

Since the breakout success of Until Dawn, developer Supermassive Games has branded itself as “the horror game studio” to mixed results. The PlayStation VR spinoffs of Until Dawn, Rush of Blood and The Inpatient, were released to lukewarm reviews and sales, and the studio’s attempts to deviate from their spooky stomping grounds with games like Bravo Team didn’t turn out well.

That led to the creation of The Dark Pictures Anthology, a series of budget horror titles that have been Supermassive’s bread and butter since 2019. Those games have been pretty hit or miss, mostly averaging around scores of 70 on Metacritic. The Dark Pictures Anthology is still continuing with the upcoming The Devil in Me slated for a release sometime this year, but the team is also working on The Quarry, a full-price spiritual successor to Until Dawn.

The Dark Pictures games aim to capture a different type of horror with each entry, giving them all different unique identities and vibes, but The Quarry is a return to form for Supermassive Games. It’s basically just an improved version of Until Dawn, only this time set in a remote summer camp instead of a snowy mountain. That’s just the type of stuff that people have come to expect from this studio, but The Quarry also features a few notable upgrades to the formula.

From the short hour I got to experience, The Quarry is shaping up to be a highly-enjoyable thrill ride through a branching story filled with tense moments and frightening scares. The provided preview build began shortly after the introduction of the game, and while it was a bit jarring to be thrown into the mix of nine camp counselors without any proper introductions, it didn’t take long to feel right at home with the tropes of teen love triangles and truth or dare by the fire.

The game wears its inspirations on its sleeve, which is to be expected from a game by Supermassive. It captures the vibe of 80s slasher flicks perfectly, and you can tell exactly what archetype each character is supposed to represent if you’ve seen even a single classic horror film.

While The Dark Pictures games are still full of Supermassive DNA with deep branching narratives and great facial animations, The Quarry has a much larger budget, featuring a star-studded ensemble cast with the likes of David Arquette (Scream), Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Justice Smith (Detective Pikachu), and more. The game is stunning to look at, with the fixed camera angles doing a lot to show off cozy vistas or thrilling chases in the best light. The overall cinematography feels like a huge step up from the studio’s previous work, which is to be expected with The Quarry’s full price tag.

The beautiful presentation is appreciated since The Quarry is basically begging to be played with a crowd.  While you can play solo, The Quarry is best as a social experience. This game feels designed to be played with a group of friends gathered around the screen, giggling at the awkward teen romances and passing popcorn around as camp counselors are systematically picked off one by one.

The real multiplayer modes weren’t even available in this preview build, but playing it on the couch with a group of friends served the same purpose. You can take it as seriously as you want, guiding counselors directly to their doom or finally getting the chance to tell a horror character to not go in that door.

When it’s released, The Quarry’s multiplayer modes will allow up to eight players to gather around the screen and experience the scares together. You can pass the controller with each player controlling a different character when the time comes,  you can play online with each player voting on decisions, or you can play the movie mode that lets the game play out on its own while you provide vague directions to the cast, dictating how they should handle conversations, tense situations, and more.

Difficulty options and QTEs can be adjusted for each player too, making The Quarry a highly accessible horror game that can be enjoyed by your entire group of friends. Supermassive’s games aren’t hard by any means, but you may actually have to tone down some of the gameplay options if you’re playing with an inexperienced group since The Quarry adds some interesting new things into the mix.

The most notable new feature is light combat, which allows you to freely aim weapons in some situations. You can shoot your target, miss intentionally, or opt to not shoot at all. It may seem like a situational new addition, but the short preview session I played featured two instances where shooting a gun and either hitting or missing altered how the scene played out.

QTEs are a staple of games like this, and it feels like they’re a bit tougher than usual in The Quarry. You won’t miss any of them if you’re paying attention, but the timing windows feel much less generous than you may be used to. The game also mixes in other split-second decisions during some scenes, forcing you to choose to either run or hide during a chase, for example. Interruptions have also been added, giving you the opportunity to either speak up during an argument or let it play out.

The most important and dire decisions are timed, and you only have a short window to make your choice. You don’t have much time to make decisions that could alter the course of the story or kill off a character, and The Quarry feels much tenser than its predecessors for that reason. This is amplified if you’re playing with friends, since you can’t exactly have a discussion about your choices when you only have a few seconds to act.

While I only got to experience a short hour of The Quarry, an hour that takes place well before the real scares are set into motion, it’s clear exactly what type of game it’ll end up being when it’s finally out. The Quarry is a horror game, yes, but it’s fun horror. It’s the kind of horror where you’ll cheer at the gore, yell at the screen, and shove fistfuls of popcorn down your throat.

All of Supermassive’s games feel like celebrations of that brand of horror films, and The Quarry feels like the best example of that so far. Supermassive has nailed the tone yet again, and combined that with the new gameplay improvements, it makes The Quarry an absolute blast to play. I can’t wait to see what the full release has to offer, and it’s the first time I’ve been excited about a horror game in a long time.

The Quarry will be released on June 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

While it’s likely still years and years away, The Elder Scrolls 6 is on the way. That’s an exciting prospect, especially since fans have had the opportunity to spend hundreds of hours with Skyrim spread across countless rereleases, Creation Club quests, and a VR port. Since the next mainline game is so far away though, fans are obviously going to speculate about the follow-up to one of the best-selling RPGs of all time. Sometimes, a series should look back to its roots for inspiration, and that’s exactly what The Elder Scrolls 6 should do with Daggerfall.

Daggerfall is the Most Ambitious Elder Scrolls Game of All

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was released in 1996 and featured a mind-blowing scale for its time. Set in the regions of High Rock and Hammerfell in the northwest of Tamriel, it boasts the largest video game world of all time even to this day, covering a whopping 62,394 square miles with 15,000 towns, villages, and dungeons to explore.

This feat was accomplished through procedural generation and left most of the world barren, empty, and boring, but that’s still a remarkable achievement for a 1996 game, especially compared to its contemporaries. Next to Super Mario RPG, Pokemon Red & Blue, and Diablo, Daggerfall seemed like a next-generation achievement.

Even looking at it today, Daggerfall is where The Elder Scrolls series truly found its footing. This is where the franchise’s focus on player freedom was born. Players could brew custom potions, manage their reputation with the game’s factions, become a vampire or a werewolf, and many more things that are taken for granted in modern RPGs.

However, unlike its predecessor, Arena, Daggerfall featured a fully 3D world that allowed players to explore Tamriel on a new level. To take advantage of this, Bethesda included a climbing mechanic that let players scale buildings and climb walls both in and out of combat. If The Elder Scrolls 6 takes anything from Daggerfall, it should be the climbing system.

Climbing Should Return in The Elder Scrolls 6

There’s an inherent joy in climbing things, and that’s why so many games let you do it. Assassin’s Creed is the most obvious example, but climbing has seeped its way into more and more games over the years following the release of influential titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With a world as massive as the one that will be featured in The Elder Scrolls 6, players should be able to climb buildings and glide across the map.

Even without a dedicated climbing system, Elder Scrolls fans have already spent years scaling mountainsides in Skyrim with various strategies. Whether they’re slowly shifting up a cliff with reverse jumps or using a horse that seems like it can defy gravity, Elder Scrolls players will try anything to brute force their way over an obstacle. Adding a built-in climbing system would just make this a feature, not a bug.

Plus, in a series that’s so focused on player freedom and expression, climbing could add an all-new layer to combat, stealth, and exploration. Imagine scrambling to a rooftop to get an angle with your bow or mantling over a wall to lose a guard after committing a crime. Dungeons could also become vastly more interesting, requiring players to scale walls, climb ledges, and more to solve puzzles and find treasure.

Plus, with The Elder Scrolls 6 rumored to take place in either Hammerfell or High Rock, it wouldn’t be surprising for Bethesda to look to Daggerfall for ideas since it was the only mainline Elder Scrolls game to take place in that part of Tamriel. Also, The Elder Scrolls Online includes fully-realized zones in those regions as well, so maybe the Zenimax-led MMO could hint at the next game’s look and feel.

The Elder Scrolls 6 Needs to Feel Fresh

There’s a lot to look forward to with the Elder Scrolls 6, but one thing is abundantly clear: the game has to be groundbreaking. There’s a mountain of hype higher than the Throat of the World for this game, and Bethesda would do well to look at the most ambitious game in the series for inspiration. Bethesda needs a hit on their hands, especially since the wait has been so long and other disasters like Fallout 76 have been released in the meantime. The Elder Scrolls 6 will release in a very different era than Skyrim, and the game needs to reflect that.

Looking to Daggerfall instead of a game like Skyrim (which would be the obvious corporate choice for a huge sequel) would also bode well for The Elder Scrolls 6 as a whole. Daggerfall represents a lot for Bethesda. It represents a time before the studio had blown up, before they had their first hit.  It came at a time when The Elder Scrolls was not a household name and Fallout was still in other hands.

Most importantly, it represents a time of unbridled passion and creativity for the studio. It was a game with so many ideas that it caused the technology of the time to nearly burst at the seams. That’s the kind of passion that made The Elder Scrolls into the phenomenon that it is today, and The Elder Scrolls 6 needs to bring some of that to the table.

If you’re hoping to see The Elder Scrolls VI anytime soon though, you may be disappointed. The game is still early in development, but there’s plenty of Elder Scrolls goodness to experience in the meantime. If you want to jump into Daggerfall or its predecessor, Arena, then both games are free on Steam. The Elder Scrolls Online’s new High Isle chapter also launches soon, and Obsidian’s upcoming Xbox exclusive Avowed seems to be another take on The Elder Scrolls formula.

The Elder Scrolls VI is currently in development for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Trying to decide who to play in MultiVersus? This tier list ranks every fighter in the game from best to worst, showcasing the unstoppable S-Tier characters and exposing the least-desirable C-Tier fighters.  The game is still very new and people are still figuring things out, but the closed alpha and ongoing beta have already shown that some characters are easily the best.

Everyone in MultiVersus has the potential to be good, but some fighters just have better movesets and equipment than others. While things could very easily change as players spend more time with the game, these are the best characters in MultiVersus so far.

Multiversus Tier List

Here are all 16 characters in MultiVersus ranked from best to worst. The fighters within the tiers are not ranked in any particular order. These are also subject to change and take into account the character’s performances in both 2v2 and 1v1 matches.

S-Tier

Starting the S-Tier off is Harley Quinn, who has already proven herself to be one of the best Assassins in the game. She has strong zoning tools in the form of her jack in the box and bat plush, but that’s not even the best thing about her. Harley is a vertical character, and her kit is incredibly efficient at killing in the top blast zone. When you pair that with her potential ignite damage, she can take enemies out very quickly.

Taz is the second character of the S-Tier, and that’s largely due to the insane amount of pressure he can apply. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s very hard to get in and find an opening on Taz. His tasty debuff is also great for 2v2 matches because it can incapacitate a fighter and heal allies.

A-Tier

In the A-Tier is Batman, who is a solid fighter as expected. He’s more technical than most would expect, relying on gadgets to create openings. It’s his gadgets that make him such a capable character, however, as the Batarang and grappling hook help him approach with ease and his smoke bomb obscures his next move.

Wonder Woman joins Batman in the A-Tier because of her remarkable abilities as a Tank. Her shield makes her a very useful ally in 2v2 matches, and she can hold her own in one on one engagements as well. Her kit is very well-rounded and she’s capable of holding off aggressive Assassin players, giving her time to think and plan her next move.

Yet another DC superhero enters the A-Tier. Superman is a solid choice because of his well-rounded mixture of close-range and long-range attacks. His heat vision and ice breath are his two standout moves, with the latter being able to create huge openings if he manages to completely freeze an opponent. In a 2v2 match, Superman is a great pick.

Arya Stark is the only character in the game with the “Expert” label at the moment, and for good reason. She’s the hardest character in the game to play efficiently, and for that reason, she can either be remarkably deadly or a complete waste depending on who’s in control. She has the potential to deal insane damage and zip all over the stage, but it takes skill to do so.

B-Tier

Tom & Jerry are a solid duo character, but they lack any real highlights to place them anywhere above B-Tier. Their gimmick that allows Jerry to separate from Tom is great for 2v2 matches where the small mouse can get lost in the chaos, however. Still, Tom & Jerry lack many close-range options since they’re classified as a Mage, so it can be hard for them to break out of combos.

Bugs Bunny suffers from a similar fate as Tom & Jerry, although he has a few more options at his disposal. A good Bugs Bunny player will dominate the stage and prevent opponents from getting in at all, but if someone manages to get past his array of cartoon defenses, he’s going to take a lot of damage.

Reindog is the game’s only original character, and he’s a mixed bag. He’s a fantastic support character for 2v2 matches, but he’s pretty bad in 1v1 modes. His tether ability is one of the most useful support moves in the game though, allowing an ally to be pulled from danger at any moment.

Shaggy is the game’s all-around default character, earning him a spot in the center of B-Tier. He’s your standard brawler, and there’s not much else to say about him. If he can charge up, he can deal devastating damage, but that’s pretty much his only unique trait. Maybe if he used more than a fraction of his power, he’d climb the list.

Velma is a surprising addition for a fighting game like this, but she can hold her own surprisingly well, earning her a B-Tier position. Velma has a ton of projectiles at her disposal, including one that tracks opponents, which allows her to put immense pressure on enemies. However, as a ranged Support character, she isn’t as well-equipped for an up close fight as other fighters on the roster.

Finally, the Iron Giant is the newest fighter to join the MultiVersus roster and he earns a solid spot in B-Tier. His kit allows him to do some serious damage in the right hands, but he’s such a big character that is easy for other fighters to hit. His size is both his greatest strength and weakness. Still, he’s very hard to knock off the stage and can take quite a beating, making him a good defensive character.

C-Tier

Steven Universe is slow and doesn’t have many useful attacks, earning him a spot in C-Tier. He’s the worst Support character in the game. His main feature is a shield that protects both him and his duo partner, but it’s highly situational and can be broken very easily. His kit just isn’t as good when compared to the rest of the roster.

Garnet is a similar case, standing right next to Steven in C-Tier. Garnet is a Bruiser meant to pressure opponents with close-range attacks, but her moves are slow and easy to counter. She does have some ranged attacks at her disposal, but they’re not particularly useful either. That just leaves her as a character without very many strengths at the end of the day.

Finn from Adventure Time joins the Steven Universe duo in C-Tier because he’s the worst Assassin in the game. Assassins specialize in high damage and fast speed, which characters like Harley Quinn and Arya Stark excel at. Finn’s kit isn’t as great as theirs, and on top of that, he needs to collect gold coins to make his attacks do decent damage. It’s not worth the effort it takes.

Finally, Jake the Dog rounds out C-Tier. Like Garnet, Jake is a Bruiser and he actually has a pretty good advantage over the rest of the roster with his stretch attacks that have a long reach. However, Jake’s transformation attacks are slow and easily dodgeable, leaving him vulnerable to follow-up attacks nearly every time if his opponent knows what they’re doing. In hectic 2v2 matches, he may be able to get some sneak attacks in from long range, but if he’s being pressured, there’s not much he can do that’s effective.

MultiVersus will be released in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming systems on the planet, and for good reason. Portable, powerful, and boasting one of the most robust gaming libraries on the planet, you’ll be able to find a game for just about anyone to enjoy on this system, including the little ones in your life. If you’re looking for a good game for them to lose themselves in, you’re in luck, because we’ve compiled the 10 Best games for Kids under 10!

Best Nintendo Switch Games For Younger Gamers

10. New Super Lucky’s Tale – $29.99

Featuring bright visuals, tight controls, and easy-to-navigate levels, players young and old can have a great time exploring the world of New Super Lucky’s Tale. While it does only support single-player support, players can watch along with their kids and help them out if they run into a bit of a pinch. A great game for those of any age.

9. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – $59.99

The tried and true gameplay of the New Super Mario Bros. series is a staple that can perform perfectly on any system, the Nintendo Switch included. Being able to jump into any game with up to three other players is always a great feeling, but the catchy tunes, responsive controls, and adjustable difficulty (by use of Nabbit), make this a great game for any player in the family!

8. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – $59.99

Featuring just about every Star Wars character under the sun, you’ll be able to join alongside your young gamer as you take on the world of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. Spanning over every movie release, and having great, clean humor that anyone can enjoy, you’ll find a gem of a game here that is able to be played with just about everyone.

7. Minecraft – $29.99

Unlimited freedom is the main goal of the insanely popular Minecraft. You’ll be able to play with your young gamer or let them roam free in its multitude of modes, letting them unleash their Creative freedoms however they seem fit. There’s a reason this game is as popular as it is, anyone can jump in and have fun making their own special world.

6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – $59.99

Being able to jump into an easily accessible racing title, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe provides countless hours of entertainment for all skill levels, with the introduction of the Auto-Steer feature, it will help gamers of any skill level be able to take to the track with ease. You’ll be able to find a new favorite track in a matter of moments, and with new tracks still being added, you’ll never run out of things to do.

5. Yoshi’s Crafted World – $59.99

Playing as the titular green dinosaur, you’ll find yourself on a brand new adventure with Yoshi’s Crafted World. Featuring unique visuals, a great sense of platforming, and lots of different areas to explore, you’ll find a whole new world to explore in this craft-inspired journey. A great game for any player, young or old, with multiplayer support to boot!

4. Spyro Reignited Trilogy – $39.99

While some gamers may have played this originally when they were 10 years old, and now you can share that with the young gamer in your life. Take everything that made Spyro great back in the day, and slap on a new coat of paint and some quality of life upgrades, and you have one of the best reimaginings of a series in recent years. Spyro: Reignited Trilogy is a great addition to your catalog.

3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – $59.99

Starting a new life on an island sounds like the dream vacation, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons does it better than just about anyone else. Offering easy gameplay that you can play at your own place, you’ll find a great escape for your young gamer here, as well as the option to play with them on the same system to help them in their bug catching, fishing and diving adventures. Plus, robust character customization makes this game a must-own for any Nintendo Switch fan.

2. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania – $39.99

With colorful visuals, selectable courses, and characters, as well as difficulty modes for every player under the sun, you can never go wrong with a little Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania in your life. Younger gamers will find a game that’s full of high-flying antics while being accessible for all players. Plus, the fun unlockable characters provide a challenge to work towards as you make your way to the goal.

1. Sonic Mania – $19.99

Bringing one of the original gaming mascots back into the spotlight, Sonic Mania did what most fans felt to be impossible: make one of the best classic Sonic the Hedgehog games for modern audiences. Featuring beautiful pixel art style, a catchy soundtrack, and multiple playable characters, there is so much fun to be had with this title that it feels like a steal at it’s price. A modern day classic for an old school icon.

And there we have it, the 10 best Nintendo Switch games for kids under 10! You’ll be able to find all of these games available to purchase as physical titles, or digital downloads directly on your Nintendo Switch!

Splatoon 3 is likely going to be the game that Nintendo has a laser focus on in their upcoming Nintendo Direct.  While this would traditionally be their showcase that coincides with the E3 convention, this year that will not be the case.   Regardless of the naming conventions and exact timing of Nintendo’s upcoming Nintendo Direct stream, it might be a good idea for fans that are patiently waiting for more Breath of the Wild 2 news or to hear some news about a new Mario game that they have tempered expectations for these popular franchises.   While not officially confirmed at this point, it’s almost a certainty that there’s a full-fledged Nintendo Direct on the way in the weeks ahead.

Splatoon has been a huge success for Nintendo as a new IP

The Splatoon franchise has been a huge success for Nintendo so far considering that this franchise is fairly new and it’s a unique offering in that it squarely focuses on competitive multiplayer.  The original Splatoon which released on the Wii U was a hit with Nintendo fans, but the platform itself wasn’t Nintendo’s best to date.  It did pave the way for the Nintendo Switch ultimately, and with the release of the handheld hybrid console Nintendo released an updated version of Splatoon and turned it into a full fledged sequel.   Regardless of whether you look at the sales on Wii U of the original which came in at around 5 Million and nearly cracked the top-5 best selling Wii U games of all time, OR, the 13+ million sales of Splatoon 2 this is a franchise that has been on the upswing.

Take into consideration that Splatoon 2 launched in 2017 as well, there’s a whole lot more Nintendo Switch consoles having been sold in the last 5 years.  Splatoon 3 could be a major hit for Nintendo in 2022, but that’s not going to happen if Nintendo doesn’t focus on it heavily in marketing the game to fans to get them excited.  This is done largely through the Nintendo Direct presentations in recent years, and Nintendo’s “E3” Direct is looking like a prime spot for Nintendo to showcase why their 10’s of millions of Switch owners need to hop on the Splatoon 3 hype train.

Splatoon 2 Review – Attack of the Fanboy

Critically, the franchise has been well received.  We’ve reviewed both of the game and we’re believers that Nintendo has something special and unique in the Splatoon franchise that can resonate with many different types of players.  Nintendo’s inability to get their online offerings up to par with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms is another topic entirely, but Nintendo has laid the groundwork for Splatoon 3 to potentially be the best game in the franchise to date.

With E3 officially cancelled the show must go on

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Nintendo reveal some type of new functionality or accessories for the Switch Online service to go along with what could go down as the biggest Switch game of the year.  Plus, time is running out to get the word out.  The Splatoon 3 release date will be here before you know it and this could be the last major Nintendo Direct with the most eyes watching to show-off the game.

Splatoon 3 has a September 9th, 2022 release date which feels like it’s going to be firm, but anything can and could happen between now and then.  Nintendo hasn’t actually announced this Nintendo Direct stream that we’re referencing in this article, but it is assumed that regardless of the fact that E3 2022 has been officially cancelled, the show will go on as it has for many years now.

Last year, Nintendo hosted their E3 2021 Nintendo Direct which was on June 15th.  It’s probably safe to assume that the next major Nintendo Direct will take place next month and with it, Splatoon will be a major focus of the showcase.

Saints Row has recently had a preview event which we got the opportunity to attend in order to give you all of the latest details about the game with information regarding everything from the gameplay to even accessibility options. There was a tidal wave of content at the preview to dig into and I had the opportunity to ask the developers certain questions about the game itself to find out even more. There is a lot to be excited about for the upcoming Saints Row reboot and it’s about time that we delve into all of those details.

Gameplay and Combat of Saints Row

The preview’s focus was on the gameplay of the experience, about everything you can expect to encounter while playing through the new Saints Row. With a cast of new characters making their way into the series, moments early in the game ensure that you as the player are going to connect with the characters before taking on everything that the world has to offer.

You will also be able to upgrade your companions (other Saints) abilities and these upgrades can be unlocked by completing activities such as general missions. Of course, you will also earn cash, experience points, sometimes cars, and more through completing missions.

There are three core criminal empires that the main Saints will have to deal with through a variety of ways to continue growing their influence of your own criminal empire throughout Santo Ileso, the new city, and your open world sandbox.  You will be the boss of that criminal empire so it will be worth your while preparing to take to the streets with a deadly array of weapons, wit, and of course…vehicles, and there is a whole lot of those! More than 80 to be exact.

From the preview event, it was showcased that cars have the ability to side swipe into others and deal immense damage varying with what speed you are traveling at—needing to get some rival members off your tail? No problem, give them a tonne weight of car body as you slam into their side in your stylish vehicles. You will even be able to customize your vehicles in a diverse number of ways and you can do so from your very own garage.

In terms of the moment-to-moment combat, there are new ‘Finisher Moves’ for the Saints Row franchise that your character can take advantage of while taking part in the brilliantly designed melee system that you will get to enjoy along with the usual high-octane weapon fuelled combat of the series. Further, there are new skills and perks which you will be able to activate with a total of four skills allowed to be active at one time.

On the basis of weapons, it should be noted that all weapons will have a signature ability to unlock for each. These signature abilities vary in enjoyable wackiness and for a pistol, for example, one signature ability might be changing the pistol to a machine pistol.

Customization and Headquarters — Be Your Own Boss In Santo Ileso

Of course, to be the most memorable boss in the world you will want to look the part. If you’re wanting to dress up in fashionable attire or even a hot dog outfit, you can choose and create the outfit that lets others know you are the boss in town.

Customization is a large focus for Saints Row, from customizing your character’s body, hair, voice, skin tone, facial decorations, clothing colors, weapons, vehicles, and more. There is something for everyone. It was quoted that there are “more ways to customize your weapons than most games do for your avatar” and that should tell you everything you need to know about just how many options there are indeed for customization.

Not only that but you can customize your character anywhere in the world, yes, you heard that right, anywhere. You can create an entirely new character look and/or body type on the fly with the ‘style app’ found on your in-game phone. You will not have to travel somewhere to customize your character, you can do that wherever you want. Thankfully you will be able to save your own boss looks for your customization needs.

Your base of operations in the form of your HQ will be located within a church and you will be able to customize weapons from here and of course, get access to your garage. If you enjoy home decoration, then you will be pleased to know that you can also customize your headquarters. There are over 100 ‘props’ to collect for the HQ and these can be placed in multiple locations throughout the HQ. These props can be found throughout the world. One example of a prop that you can collect is a “giant metal rabbit statue” among many more.

One new feature that the preview was excited to share information on was the ‘War Table’ found within the HQ which is a ‘new spin’ on open world activities. This is where you will be building your criminal empire even further. There will be a display of the map on the table with each of the nine districts, you will be able to start endeavors such as district takeovers through the use of the war table. These will allow you to go out and complete missions related to them and lots of gameplay opportunities will appear for you. You can even unlock loot such as new guns by completing such objectives related to the war table.

A Thriving Open World — Time to Make Your Name Go Down In Saints Row History

The world that Saints Row will offer you is full to the brim of things to see and do. The world even will have random events occur like those observed in games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Scripted and random little encounters that bring the stunning city to life even further.

The areas within the world are diverse and full of sights to behold from what we saw in the preview of the game. The world is based on the “entire American South-West” and for reference material the team had traveled all over the place. It is a city where insanity is fully allowed by the looks of things, and when we saw the player character dragging around someone in a portaloo with a car to get information, it was very evident that Saints Row is still sticking to its roots in that regard among many others.

Following on from that, there was information given that side activities will be available throughout, such as robberies on vans and so forth to more in-depth side hustles. Expressing yourself in the world is also another thing that players will take joy in doing with over 100 emotes available for you.

Golden Nuggets of Saints Row Information — Wanting to Hear Those Exclusive Details?

Arriving to Saints Row once again will be online Co-Op and this will be ‘drop-in, drop out co-op’ meaning that you can join others at any time throughout the experience. You will be able to complete missions together and roam the open world whether you’re wing suiting or taking part in side hustles, or simply just trying to cause as much chaos as possible.

Exploration in the world is going to be rewarded greatly with lots of hidden finds and “tons of discoverable elements” for your character to stumble across, discoverability will be a prime area of enjoyment for many who delve into the world. That is when they aren’t tearing some flesh apart with the host of weapons available of course!

Along with cars, you will be pleased to know that other vehicles such as helicopters will also be included for you to enjoy. In terms of what camera view you will be using throughout the game, it will always be in third person for the time being as there are “no plans for any first person camera at this time”. This is due mainly to the fact that the developers were saying third person “offers the best view” for the areas and especially when bearing in mind that sideswiping with cars is a feature.

Your Burning Saints Row Questions Answered By The Developers

At the preview event, everyone attending got the chance to ask the developers some questions about the experience. One of the questions I asked was: “There have been many memorable and exciting weapons in the Saints Row series. Do you have any personal favorite weapons that you are willing to share information on?” To which I was told by one of the developers that the “Thrust Buster is a lot of fun, it can be attached to people directly or even attached to cars” and they also said “Just wait until you see the signature ability attached” for that weapon.

Further, from another question asked, it was apparent that there was going to be “one on one time” with your companions so growing your bonds with those in your empire definitely seems to also be on the cards for your player.

I also was curious to find out about the accessibility options for people and I asked what sort of accessibility options will be in the game. We were told that there it is the “most accessibility options we have ever had in a Saints Row game” with even options for hearing, visual, and motor aid for players.

When the team was asked what their favorite part of working with the Saints Reboot was, they said: “The things you hear”, “The people, everyone is so creative, so dedicated to seeing the success of the game” and it is with that dedication and creativity that the Saints Row reboot will certainly flourish. From the preview event, I was already booking my tickets for the hype train that is sure to be bound for the game in no time.

It is now up to you to take the plunge into Santo Ileso and explore everything the world has to offer when it launches. This seems like it will be a great new fresh start for the series and will certainly give fans something to be excited about.

Saints Row will be released on the 23rd of August for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and the Epic Games Store on PC.

Despite their huge presence in other forms of media, video games have been sorely lacking in two things: good vampire games and good detective games. You’d think that taking control of a reclusive creature that fears the light would appeal to gamers, but outside of a handful of titles, vampire games haven’t really hit the strides that they should have in the gaming space. The same goes for detective games, a genre that is perfectly suited to video games with its emphasis on characters and puzzle solving. There have been standout hits for each of these genres, but games that do either genre well are hard to come by. Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is a rare example of a game that does both genres well, using their respective tropes to bring out the strengths of each one.

Two Underutilized Genres Come Together

Despite what many may be expecting based on previous games set in the Vampire: The Masquerade world (really just Bloodlines), Swansong is a detective game that pulls a lot of inspiration from Telltale’s titles and CRPGs. There is no real combat, and you spend the overwhelming majority of your time walking around environments and picking things up. Conversations are the game’s form of combat (more on that later), but that’s all there really is to Swansong. It absolutely nails the puzzles though, and the world is so engaging to explore. Swansong relies on its world and characters to carry the experience, and thankfully, those are the highlights of the game.

Vampire: The Masquerade is an RPG series though, so Swansong still has that DNA running throughout it. You can choose the skills and abilities of the game’s trio of main characters, and the game doesn’t go easy with skill checks. This is not a game where everyone can do everything. You have to make choices and, in turn, sacrifices in order to be successful at things. This encourages spur-of-the-moment thinking and forces you to get creative with puzzle solving and dialogue choices. Getting access to a locked room or getting someone to open up to you feels remarkably satisfying, and that’s all because the game doesn’t hand you anything.

Because it forces you to stick to your guns and play your character the way you built them, Swansong feels restrictive in the best way. It never feels unfair that you can’t do something. Encountering a roadblock just means you have to put your powers to use elsewhere. When you pair that with timed decisions that really do affect the story, Swansong is a surprisingly engaging blend of deep CRPG customization and Telltale-style choice-driven storytelling. You feel like your input matters, regardless of whether that’s the method you use to gain access to a room or whether you choose to take a life to ensure your safety.

A History of the Masquerade

Before diving into a deeper discussion of Swansong, it’s important to know what this game means for the series as a whole. Vampire: The Masquerade is a classic tabletop role-playing game like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, only with less of a focus on adventuring and slaying dragons. It’s set in the World of Darkness shared story setting, including other games featuring spooky creatures like werewolves, wraiths, and more. In the video game space, however, most people are familiar with the series because of 2004’s sleeper hit RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, which allowed players to create an original character and explore the hidden vampire underworld of Los Angeles after being embraced and welcomed into their choice of vampire clan.

Bloodlines didn’t sell well. It didn’t sell well at all. It failed to hit 80,000 copies during the initial release window, ultimately leading to the closure of developer Troika Games. Technical flaws were cited as the main reason at the time, but in hindsight, Bloodlines was released in one of the most legendary fall seasons that gaming has ever seen. It was competing with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Halo 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metroid Prime 2, World of Warcraft, Ninja Gaiden, Burnout 3, The Sims 2, and the highly-anticipated Half-Life 2, which Bloodlines released on the same day as.

Over time though, Bloodlines amassed a cult following and received a huge fanmade patch that remedied most of its technical issues. Now, the game is remembered fondly by all that have played it and a sequel is in development all these years later. The history of Vampire: The Masquerade in the video game world is important to know before jumping into Swansong. Remember, this game was originally supposed to release after Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. With the indefinite delay of that sequel, however, this is the game that marks the franchise’s return to video games (not counting the free-to-play Blododhunt or a long list of short visual novels).

For the Masquerade to be maintained, Swansong needs to stick the landing. Thankfully, it does. Not only does it provide an immensely enjoyable peek into the secretive vampire society of Boston, but it also paves the way for future big releases outside of the typical RPG games that fans of Bloodlines have come to expect. At a time when the biggest name in vampires is, well, Morbius, it’s nice to have something that takes advantage of its setting and world so well.

Unmasking the Mystery

The game’s story begins with a party being attacked by a group of unknown assailants for unknown reasons. The vampire Prince of Boston then tasks the game’s three protagonists with uncovering who ordered the attack and why. The game opens slow – very slow – but once you learn the intricacies of the dialogue system and spend some time with the three main characters in the opening chapter, the story picks up steam very quickly.

As mentioned above, there are three main characters that you’ll be controlling throughout the journey. Each of the three main characters comes from a different vampire clan, and they each have a unique set of powers that allow them to pick up clues hidden to untrained eyes or interrogate suspects with razor-sharp precision. . That means even if you want to build all three characters with the same strengths, the game won’t let you. You’re forced to adapt to the properties of their clans and the abilities they have available to them.

The game also doesn’t hold your hand with codes or things that other games would automatically mark for you. For example, a locked computer in the first chapter was obtained by searching the in-game codex for lore. A note on a nearby whiteboard read “PWD = Arrival” and checking the codex to see when the computer’s owner arrived in Boston revealed the password. There were no markers and there wasn’t any guidance. If you’re a puzzle fanatic, this is the game for you.

Unmasking the Masquerade

As stated above, the game has three playable vampires that you’ll swap between. Emem is the first character that you’ll meet in Swansong. She’s from clan Toreador and manages the entertainment scene in Boston. Everyone knows who she is, and her cabaret clubs scattered throughout Boston are popular among vampiric patrons because they serve as neutral zones where all vampires can interact freely without fear. Her abilities primarily focus on persuasion, helping her sweet talk her way into restricted areas and helping her gather information that people may not be willing to initially share.

The second protagonist of Swansong is Leysha of the Malkavian clan. All Malkavian vampires have serious mental issues compared to the other clans. They’re burdened with premonitions that often forewarn them of future events. Leysha has premonitions quite often, granting players insight into what may happen in later chapters. Leysha can also mask her presence or conceal certain objects, allowing her to gain entrance to otherwise inaccessible areas. All of these things make Leysha one of the most powerful vampires on the roster, but her faults prevent things from being as smooth as possible.

Finally, Galeb rounds out the trio. He’s the oldest of the three and belongs to the aristocratic Ventrue clan. Like Emem, he can also talk his way out of a situation, but he prefers a more direct and logical approach. He doesn’t stray away from violence, and he knows the ins and outs of how vampiric politics work. Galeb is the most traditional of the trio, a cold and calculated vampire.

These characters each have their own chapters, so you won’t be collaborating with the trio during gameplay. What they uncover during their adventures is unique to them, and the information they choose to report can have ripple effects throughout the story. It’s hard enough managing little white lies for one character, maybe to save a friend or to further their own interests, so imagine having to juggle three characters simultaneously. Things can get muddy very fast.

Conversations Are Combat

One of the most interesting things about Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is that it doesn’t feature any traditional combat. Instead, conversations are the game’s form of combat, complete with health bars, stats, and other meters to manage. If you’ve played the modern Deus Ex games, imagine that series’ climactic social boss fights but taken to the next level.

Each vampire has a Willpower and a Hunger meter that persist between chapters. Using a skill check during conversation will spend Willpower. Using a vampiric ability at any time, during conversations or exploration, will increase Hunger. Willpower is essentially your HP so you don’t want to drop it to zero, and the Hunger meter must never be filled. These skill checks and abilities are weighted against your opponent’s stats, giving you a percentage of success. It’s as tabletop as tabletop gets.

Swansong places a twist on the traditional skill check system with forces, though. You can spend additional Willpower to add points to your skill check. However, the further you push, the likelier your opponent is to do the same. It’s a delicate balance and adds nuance to every conversation. Do you force your skill check by one level to bring it from 80% to 100%? Is that even worth the risk if your opponent stands their ground and forces back, reducing your percentage of success?

Because the conversation system is so complex, talking feels meaningful. It takes effort to get someone to give up information, effort that could be spent to gather more clues yourself or gain access to certain areas. There’s a delicate economy at play here, and every decision feels meaningful. Remember, these stats persist between scenes, so you’ll eventually have to choose someone to feed on to satiate your Hunger or search for items to restore your Willpower.

The Verdict

All in all, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is a great detective game at its core. It’s only amplified by the dense lore and history of the World of Darkness setting. However, Swansong is still very rough around the edges and the budget limitations are very apparent. Those limitations will likely turn off some people, but trust me, the actual content of the game itself is worth trudging through bad lip syncing and spotty textures.

Even though it’s technically rough (which feels standard for Vampire: The Masquerade games at this point), Swansong is carried by its stellar art direction. The high society that Boston’s vampires operate in allows the game to show off some stunning architecture and lighting. Characters wear elaborate outfits and strut through grand decorated halls. It’s gorgeous to look at from the right angles, and the game really tries with its presentation.

All the attention may be on Bloodlines and its upcoming sequel, but with a setting as deep and interesting as this, it’d be a waste to not explore it through multiple lenses and genres. This setting should not be restricted to Bloodlines sequels, and more Vampire: The Masquerade spinoffs should follow in Swansong’s footsteps. The Masquerade should be maintained, and this setting is worth saving.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. A Nintendo Switch version of the game is also in development.

Now that a good amount of time has passed and players have had the chance to play around with the many items for builds in Elden Ring, there are some obvious standouts. In a recent Famitsu survey conducted early in April, about 1,700 people gave their input into many aspects of the game, including some of their favorite weapon types, Spirit Ashes, and so forth. Here are the results of the “best” talismans in Elden Ring according to that sample size.

15 Best Talismans Ranked in Elden Ring

This list doesn’t necessarily lay out what is the best in terms of the meta, but rather what was more popular among the player base. However, the more popular they are, there’s a higher likelihood that they are more useful or versatile in builds.

15. Assassin’s Crimson Dagger

There is an appeal to lifesteal in this game. Everything hurts so you want as much life given back to you as possible. This does have its uses for stealth builds, but since the majority of the game’s difficulty comes from its bosses, the Crimson Dagger becomes less appealing. For what it’s worth, it’s just a good thing to use early on but becomes weak since enemy stances are harder to break.

14. Blessed Dew Talisman

Like I said about wanting as much life given back to you as possible, the Blessed Dew Talisman has great appeal. Its restorative properties are slow but passive. Plus, this is another talisman that can be acquired before going into the Raya Lucaria Grand Library.

13. Greatshield Talisman

After using the Grand Lift of Dectus or defeating Magma Wyrm Makar, people will find this and find this extremely useful— if they use shields in any capacity. The reason why this is among the most popular or best talismans on this list is that an overwhelming number of players used shields at least on their first playthrough.

12. Green Turtle Talisman

It’s no surprise that this talisman is one of the more popular ones in Elden Ring. Stamina is just as important as staying alive. Basically, everything you do in combat requires stamina, including jumping. Higher stamina recovery means you have less recovery time between actions. Not to mention, this can be obtained before fighting the first major boss of the game. This talisman stays useful throughout your first and subsequent playthroughs.

11. Lord of Blood’s Exultation

Blood Loss is an extremely powerful status effect in this game. In fact, I can go as far as to say that it’s somewhat broken too. Accumulate enough blood loss/hemorrhaging on an enemy and you can effectively remove a sizeable percentage of their HP. What this does is increase your attack power when an enemy is inflicted with the status. This makes an already broken status become even more broken!

10. Claw Talisman

In the recent balance patches that touched upon the effectiveness of heavy and colossal weapons, everything BUT jump attacks were buffed. That’s because there is a solid jumping attack meta that can be boosted even further with this item. Also, this is one of the more effective ways in breaking the poise/posture of a boss and hitting them with criticals. This might actually pair hand-in-hand with the aforementioned Assassin’s Crimson Dagger.

9. Radagon Icon

Spellcasting and sorcery are quite powerful in Elden Ring. Some of the stronger spells did require some casting time, leaving these people much more open to opportune attacks from the enemy. What this does is give just enough time to pull something off like Comet Azur to completely obliterate the opposition.

8. Radagon’s Soreseal

This is perhaps a staple item for people running most melee builds. Radagon’s Soreseal basically gives you 20 free levels equally distributed into vigor, strength, dexterity, and endurance. The only drawback is that you take “increased damage”. It’s totally worth it because the boosted levels can greatly raise weapon and gear scaling in a pinch. Also, since everything nearly kills you in a few hits in the game, the extra damage received is negligible in the long run.

7. Carian Filigreed Crest

This is another really strong and one of the best talismans in Elden Ring. Casting, whether it’s through Ash of War abilities or sorcery, is extremely strong. If you are someone who casts abilities often, you won’t have the maximum number of Crimson Flasks allotted to you. You’ll have some Cerulean ones to replenish your FP.

Luckily with the Carian Filigreed Crest, you’ll have less FP drain per skill so you won’t go through Cerulean Flasks right away. It’s not a surprise it’s this popular on the list.

6. Graven-Mass Talisman

As we have started to see, there is a trend of the more build-focused talismans taking the top spots in what are considered to be the best talismans in Elden Ring. The Graven-Mass Talisman is almost a must when it comes to sorcery builds. It’s a direct upgrade to the Graven School variant.

5. Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman

For people who have trouble dodging or parrying enemy attacks, this is a good bandaid to fight against tough foes. Being a tank in Elden Ring doesn’t seem practical, but being able to take one extra hit from a boss can be the difference between life and death. This also works when blocking attacks that deal chip damage.

4. Gold Scarab

The best way to “git gud” at a game like this is to farm levels so you can deal more damage and take less damage. Once you got this bad boy, your farming time is cut significantly. Better yet, take this to the most optimal Rune farming spot in the game and you can basically breeze through sections of the game after!

3. Great-Jar’s Arsenal

This item is such a godsend at least in your first playthrough. Stamina isn’t something specced into heavily, so you may have some trouble with equipment weight. There’s a massive difference between a fat roll versus a medium or light roll. Those i-frames will save you in the long run.

2. Shard of Alexander

FP allows the player to use skills like Hoarfrost Stomp, Bloodhound Step, and other rather strong abilities. With an item like the Shard of Alexander, this only makes them more deadly. This is basically the Graven-Mass Talisman, but for melee weapons.

1. Erdtree’s Favor

This is something that goes hand-in-hand with the Radagon Seal items, Green Turtle Talisman, or the Arsenal charms because of its ability to increase equipment load and other survivability stats. For players on their first run of the game, this is basically a staple item in one of the talisman slots. It gets even better because there are +1 and +2 variants as you progress further into the game, increasing its potency.

You can play Elden Ring now on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PC.

Elden Ring presents players with so many things to use in their gameplay, it’s quite wild to see that new builds are being made months from launch. We have definitely formed a meta at this point, and some statistics are here to prove that to an extent. In a Famitsu survey conducted in early April, they had about 1,700 participants who answered questions ranging from favorite bosses, NPCs, and even areas. In this survey, people also answered what their favorite Spirit Ashes were. Here, we’ll show and analyze the 15 best Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring, according to players.

The Best Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring

In the Famitsu survey, the people answering were able to choose up to five of their favorite Spirit Ashes. Of all you can possibly equip in the game, the top fifteen are in ascending order.

15. Soldjars of Fortune

There were no explanations given how the Soldjars ranked so high in the survey. What we can assume is that because of the love for Iron Fist Alexander, people, in general, liked the wholesomeness and memes that came from the warrior jar along with their clever design.

These Spirit Ashes aren’t what we’d consider being “top tier”, let alone high tier. They can take a good amount of damage for what they’re worth, but the moment they take any kind of fire damage or lethal damage, they explode on death, hurting nearby enemies and you.

14. Marionette Soldier Ashes

The Marionette Soldiers are a solid choice to help with the mid-game portion of Elden Ring. Their barrage of arrows can stagger smaller fries and help break the posture of tougher enemies and even bosses. They complement melee builds very well, especially when the player draws aggro so they can continue their arrow shooting. The Marionette Soldiers are annoying enemies to deal with. However, when they are on your side, they become the enemy’s nuisance.

13. Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff

Leyndell Knights are some of the most dangerous enemies to fight in Elden Ring. They can negate damage because of their great shield and deal immense damage from melee and their lightning strikes. To have one fighting by your side can prove to be extremely useful. It’s no surprise that a named version of it as a Spirit Ash ranks as high as it did.

12. Rotten Stray Ashes

For people who really liked the Lone Wolf Ashes in the early game and still wanted a canine companion, the Rotten Stray was a good alternative. It might not come in numbers like the wolves, but what it can do is inflict Scarlet Rot. With just a few successful hits, the Rotten Stray can prove its worthiness by maintaining harsh DoT against even the toughest bosses beyond its death.

11. Nightmaiden and Swordstress Puppets

When Elden Ring just came out, the Nightmaiden and Swordstress were considered one of the better summons. They cast decent spells and fought with ranged attacks. They were a better replacement for ranged summons like the aforementioned Marionette Soldiers because of their damage output. They are still quite unique to have by your side, even if they do cost quite a bit of FP to cast.

10. Redmane Knight Ogha

Like many other knight summonses, Ogha has good offensive and defensive capabilities. The difference between him and the other knights is that he will act heavily on the offensive when first summoned. After being in a battle for some time, he will also conjure up an arrow rain, similar to that of Radahn’s abilities in his fight. Oghaa is good for when you want burst damage, so the popularity shows mostly for his utility.

9. Banished Knight Oleg

Banished Knight Oleg is quite the powerhouse. He takes on the fighting style and appearance of the knights you fight in Crumbling Farum Azula. This means he’s high on the offensive, giving opponents little room to go in for attacks. As a spirit summon, he can also stand his own. Oleg is an overall good pick for people using all sorts of builds.

8. Lhutel the Headless

Of all the warrior-class elite Spirit Ashes, Lhutel probably takes the cake for the best all-rounder. While the other knight summonses can do just fine on their own, blocking can only negate so much damage. This is where Lhutel has the upper hand. She can teleport and make use of her shield, so she can outright avoid damage and provide aggro away from you. She’s also the only summon who can cast Death Blight.

7. Skeletal Militiamen

The Skeletal Militiamen were the next best alternative to early-game Spirit Ash summons in Elden Ring. It was a battle between them or the Lone Wolves. The Lone Wolves provided a bit more DPS and stagger but died quickly. The Militiamen had a lot more utility because they can live indefinitely if their self-revives were not interrupted.

6. Greatshield Soldiers

If you wanted your Spirit Summons to act more as a means of drawing enemy aggro for free hits, the Greatshield Soldiers were a godsend for the mid-game. You summon five soldiers who can block a lot of incoming attacks. Strength comes in numbers, so they can also stagger bosses and give you easy backstabs and finishers.

5. Lone Wolf

People who were stuck in the early game of Elden Ring often sought out any summons to help fight alongside them in fights. The one that was most accessible to the start was the Lone Wolf Ashes. Since this was also the first FromSoftware game for many people, they had to learn how to telegraph enemy attacks but needed some kind of handicap. The Lone Wolves wouldn’t be able to solo anything, but provided good distractions!

4. Latenna the Albinauric

In the recent patches that balanced the items in-game, the meta was becoming more clearly defined. For melee builds, one of the best Spirits was Latenna. She can deal some crazy damage from afar, making her a strong choice for people who run melee builds. While they provide offense and constant aggro, Latenna can sit pretty from afar and wither down the toughest enemies’ health to zero.

3. Spirit Jellyfish

The Jellyfish being the third most popular pick in this survey makes sense. They’re obtained rather early in the game and can provide good aggro and utility. They don’t really do well later in the game, so they serve as a throwaway for aggro and quick poison DoT. Perhaps they are also aesthetically pleasing to look at, who knows?

2. Black Knife Tiche

When the first wave of nerfs came to Elden Ring, a lot of struggling players needed a solid backup for what could be the next best Spirit Ashes. That’s where Black Knife Tiche came in. She can deal some serious damage and inflict Bloodflame, which is considered the best form of DoT in the game. Also, like the Mimic Tear, she too can heal herself, making her much more powerful.

1. Mimic Tear

While the Mimic Tear isn’t what it once was in the Vanilla build of Elden Ring, it can still do some crazy damage. This thing copies the build you have, giving you essentially double the damage output for a short period. If you focus heavily on FP-based attacks like from a sorcery build, it has infinite FP. You can’t quite cheese the entire roster before the first major patch, but it can still help turn the tide in battle. Even in the current meta, the Mimic Tear is still considered to be one of the best Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is out now for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PC.