There are a variety of different types of Merchant spread across the islands of Palpagos. From Seeds to Ammo and everything between, there’s one who sells what you need. Here’s the rundown of all static Merchants, where to find them and what they sell. 

Whether you’re running low on ammunition while flush with gold or you just fancy a new piece of headgear, there’s a Merchant in Palpagos somewhere who likely has what you’re looking for. They’re technically called ‘Wandering Merchants’, but in opposition to their name they do not move, so they’re easy to find when you need something or have stuff to sell.  

Small Settlement Merchant

To find this Merchant, head to the Small Settlement just northwest of the starting location. Pass the level 30 PIDF Officer and run to the far end of the village. In the hut on the left-hand side, you’ll find this Merchant. He sells headpiece Schematics along with basic necessities for life in the wilderness.

Here’s everything you can get here, along with the price:

Duneshelter Merchants

You’ll need to level up a fair amount before you can realistically head to this settlement without being killed by the level 40-50 Pals in the surrounding area of Dessicated Desert. Once you’ve managed it, though, it’s well worth it. 

There are two merchants in Duneshelter, both offering different wares for sale. The Wandering Merchant in the green coat offers a variety of Schematics and Ammunition, while the Merchant in the red coat offers items to help you and your Pals survive in the wilds of Palpagos.

If you’ve ventured here ill-equipped and you’re struggling with the climate of the Dessicated Desert, you’ll find armor here to suit both the daytime heat and the nighttime cold.

Here’s everything for sale from the Merchant in the green coat in Duneshelter:

And here’s everything you can get from the Merchant in the red coat in Duneshelter:

Fisherman’s Point Merchants

You’ll find Fisherman’s Point on the Southern Coast of Mount Obsidian and just like the settlement in Duneshelter, you’ll need to get somewhere between level 40 and 50 to get here comfortably. 

There are two Merchants here as well, in the same red and green coats. They sell similar items to those that can be purchased in Duneshelter, with different headpiece Schematics being up for grabs and Skill Fruits that you may have a hard time finding otherwise.

Just like with the Merchant in Duneshelter, you’ll find some armor here to prepare you for the heat of the Volcano nearby.  

Here’s what you can get from the green coated Merchant in Fisherman’s Point:

Here’s what’s up for grabs from the Merchant in the red coat at Fisherman’s Point

There is a Pal Merchant in a blue coat at all three of these locations as well. Their ‘stock’ of Pals changes each time you teleport into the area, though, so you’re just going to have to check in with them to see whether you can get any Pals to add to your Deck.

The post Palworld: Static Merchant locations and what they offer appeared first on Destructoid.

Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the classic 2006 RPG, is due to release on February 2. Between 2013 and 2016, AIC ASTA and A-1 Pictures released four animated films on Persona 3. The question is: are they worth watching before Reload's release?

For many, myself included, seeing your favorite franchises adapted into a new form is thrilling. So when I heard there were four full-length animated films based on Persona 3, I knew I had to watch them. It's too good to be true! Well, in a way, it kind of is.

Spoiler alert for Persona 3 and the films.

What are the Persona 3 movies?

Let's give a bit of context here. The Persona 3 films, under the banner Persona 3: The Movie, were mostly made by A-1 Pictures (with AIC ASTA doing #1). A-1 also tackled the animated scenes in Persona 4, so they've worked with Atlus in the past.

The films came out over four years, starting in 2013 and ending in 2016. They launched theatrically in Japan, and while they never made it to the West in terms of dubbing, you can buy them subtitled off Amazon Prime for around $5 each.

In honor of Persona 3: Reload's release, I decided to watch all four films and collect my findings here for you all to see. I'll talk about how the films adapt the source material and make it better, or in some cases worse.

For Better

As someone who played Persona 3 Portable, which had no animated cutscenes, the movies made up for that. Seeing the events of Persona 3 done justice through the great animation by AIC ASTA and A-1 Pictures is satisfying. The style is consistent with the original game and outmatched the animated cutscenes in-game, in my opinion. The fight scenes are also given a one-up, feeling just as snappy and rewarding.

The films also give Makoto Yuki, the once-silent protagonist, a full voice and lines. This helps speed things up story-wise and gives him more of a personality and arc. His character development throughout the four films is pretty good and goes deep into the themes of life and death. Furthermore, Yuki's humanization in Persona 3: The Movie #3. Falling Down with Ryoji creates some great moments of friendship the game never had, if I remember correctly.

From the start, you can tell the films were made by Persona 3 fans. Throughout the four films, you'll see cameos from Social Links like Akinari and Chihiro, as well as Makoto using fan-favorite Personas like Jack Frost and Thoth.

The S.E.E.S members also have their moments in the spotlight and translate well onto the screen. Junpei is still that lovable goofball, and Akihiko punches anything and everything near him. We even get an "I've been waiting for this", which is a must for any Persona 3 title.

For Worse

The story of Persona 3 is a long one. I mean, the game takes at least 88 hours to beat, and that's just sticking to the narrative. While the base story remains, small character moments and events are shaved to their bare bones or cut entirely. Even still, it hurts characters that didn't get much time in the original, like Shinji and Jin.

While what it adds is good, it doesn't elevate things as much as they could've. For example, the concept of Personas turning on their users is glanced over, being resolved the same way for both afflicted characters.

Another thing that felt off was the unchanged ending. I know some people didn't like the pacing of the ending and the events that transpire. And, while I was confused and surprised, it felt right. Persona 3: The Movie #4: Winter of Rebirth didn't change that, and it's a missed opportunity.

On that note, the pacing was quick and went too fast. This problem came up a lot, as events happen and end within minutes and get pushed to the side. The game had this issue, and to see that adapted doesn't suit the films well.

I do want to point out that each film has a different director. While the visions for them didn't change much from each version, it feels like there wasn't a lot of wiggle room to explore. For example, Persona 3: The Movie #1. Spring of Birth covered the beginning up to Fuuka's entrance, while Persona 3: The Movie #2. Midsummer Knight's Dream gave us the rest of the S.E.E.S squad and villains.

Each film was an hour and a half, give or take. I'm unsure if the plan was always four films, but deep down, I feel like adding a bit more time to each would help smooth the pacing and make them unique.

Consensus

The Persona 3 films are solid showings of the game's narrative. They stay true to the source material and add small yet welcoming changes. That said, condensing the story and translating its pacing problems to the screen hurt the films, especially the last two. As a fan of Persona 3 and its characters, it's great to see them as lively as they were in the game.

So, it begs the question: should you watch Persona 3: The Movie and its sequels before Persona 3 Reload? Personally, I would steer clear of them if Reload is your first. The game looks to correct some of the original's errors and the story flows much better with gameplay. If you're a returning Persona 3 player, the films would help refresh your memory of the story and characters. Plus, it gives some fun moments that fans will enjoy.

Overall, they act as mementos of the original. Whether they'll age well come Persona 3 Reload's release remains to be seen. 

The post The Persona 3 films adapt everything, for better or worse appeared first on Destructoid.

I didn’t think I’d be revisiting the mind of walkedoutneimans so soon after Tyko’s Dying Together, but here we are with iPad Baby. I need a breather. I can’t take this much sensory overload.

I feel that deeply, since more and more I can’t stand the internet. There are too many people there. Too many thoughts, opinions, and content flying around in all directions. It becomes impossible to parse the important information from the irrelevant. Worse yet, companies like Google are continually pushing irrelevant content to the forefront by allowing those who produce it in bulk to rise to the top of searches.

I’m not sure why I need an interactive interpretation of this distressing reality we live in, but here’s iPad Baby to extrapolate on the relentless assault of garbage we’re under each day.

Into the sludge

You’re dropped into iPad Baby with absolutely no explanation of what is going on, and none is forthcoming. However, your screen is already dominated by an iPad perpetually displaying meaningless video and a Ring camera pointed directly in your face. The world you are in is a spaghetti nest of corridors painted with watermarked and conflicting images. Flitting around these abominable hallways, are 2D homunculi compiled of various imagery. Almost immediately, you probably want to leave.

The iPad on the side reminds me of “Sludge Content,” a TikTok phenomenon where videos are cut together with other unrelated ones. Your digital companion shows ceaseless footage of gameplay of (maybe) mobile games, the head and shoulders of a Sim, and scrolls of microtransactions. It’s meaningless to gameplay, but that’s perhaps the point. It’s just there, passively gnawing at your attention.

The actual game here is actually rather simple. When you get near enough to one of the figures, you’re displayed a few items that you need to collect from the environment and throw at them. The obstacle you run into is that the hallways are intensely disorienting, and the inhabitants of the world move at a hyperactive pace. By the time you find the item they need, they could be absolutely anywhere.

Graphic assault

You wind up just dashing through the passageways, a can of energy drink in your hand, trying to find a person to fling it at. The “people” you pass keep on dropping bizarre, meaningless statements about their lives. Insecurities, complaints, hopes, and advice bombard you in grating text-to-speech voices. The manic soundtrack playing over all of this is strangely appealing throughout all of it.

Then an alarm sounds, a horrific police bulletin appears on your phone, and darkness engulfs the world before receding. The police are after you, every bit as compellingly twisted as everything else in the world. Don’t worry. If they catch you, they’ll simply take whatever item you’re carrying and slap handcuffs on your wrists. That has always been more of an enticement than a deterrent to me.

And that’s it, really. As you find objects and pass them off to the appropriate monstrosity flitting through the hallways, more of them get dropped. Once you manage to deliver them all, you “win.”

We are all damned

iPad Baby is not as complex as Tyko’s Dying Together, and that wasn’t too deep to begin with. The message it carries behind its garish jank-pop graphical assault is also far more overt. Tyko’s Dying Together dropped you into a confusing world where the deeper meaning very gradually surfaces, whereas iPad Baby kind of gives it away in the title.

The whole experience is as anxiety-inducing as the systems that it represents. The thing about iPad Baby is that it ends, whereas social media is so entrenched in society today that it’s hard to avoid it. Not impossible, but to demonstrate how necessary it can be, walkedoutneimans contacted me through Twitter to let me know of their new perversion of the Doom engine. The trailer is hosted on YouTube, because where else would you put it?

TikTok is something else, though. I already avoid YouTube unless I really need it, but the ability to just scroll down through a bunch of videos all competing for attention makes me nauseous to even think about it. It’s just, well, sludge. Enough of my attention already goes to waste.

Upsetting

The horrible desecrations of Doom that walkedoutneimans puts out are my favorite type of art. It’s the type that looks like offensive trash, but when you actually dig in, you learn something about the creator’s perspective and maybe connect with it yourself. I mean, analyzing iPad Baby caused me to start spitting venom at the culture that is growing like mold on the ass of the internet, so it obviously got a response. 

Meanwhile, my husband leaned over to look at my screen and said, “Ew, does it always look like that?”

“Yeah,” I replied, pointing the camera at the most offensive thing in the vicinity.

“That upsets me,” he said.

Well, yeah. That’s the point.

iPad Baby is available for free over on Itch.

The post iPad Baby is an eye-straining reckoning for our ceaseless self-obsession appeared first on Destructoid.

There are 135 Pals in Palworld if you count all of the variants as separate Pals, but players are obsessing over just one of them. Depresso is the living embodiment of adult life, and players can’t get enough of his less-than-enthusiastic approach to life and responsibilities. 

Why do people love Depresso?

Right from the moment you throw a ball at Depresso’s face and then proceed to force it into servitude at your base camp, the Pal’s demeanor just screams, “I don’t want to be here” and personally, I think that’s a feeling that everyone can relate to. 

Whether it's mining at the breakneck speed of one hit every two seconds or relaxing face down in the spring, Depresso encapsulates the commonly experienced feelings of many of the 8 million players of Palworld - we don’t want to do what we’re doing, but we have to, so we’ll do it while distracting ourselves by counting the hours until we can go to sleep. 

On that note, Depresso also shares another thing in common with most people over the age of 18 - he’s addicted to caffeine. His partner skill is “Caffeine Inoculation” and comes with the following description:

“When activated, Depresso drinks a massive amount of energy drinks, causing its movement speed to increase.”

Now I don’t know about you, but as someone who performs best after more than one cup of morning coffee, I’ve never felt so seen by a video game. 

Don’t let Depresso’s resting bitch face mislead you, though. According to the Pal’s description within the Paldeck, while he might not have many friends because of the ‘grouchy look on its face’, Depresso is actually very kind-hearted and will happily feed stray Vixy when they’ve strayed too far from their pack.

I can’t help but relate to this little dude and I’m glad to say I’m not alone in feeling that way. Players all over social media, from Twitter to YouTube, are sharing their love for Depresso. The term “Depresso cured my depression” has become more popular than anyone could have predicted.

And yes, I may be a little biased on this because I have a huge amount of love for Depresso, I’m addicted to caffeine and I’ve been told that I, too, have a serious case of resting bitch face, but he’s inspired fan art and compilation videos that bring joy to all those who see them and moments of comedy within the game that can’t be rivaled. I mean look at his animation for relaxing in the spring.

It’s not difficult to understand why this Pal has become so popular among players. He’s not only relatable but funny in that relatability. He doesn’t put up a front as many of us have to do on a daily basis and yet, he’s loved anyway. Isn’t that what we all want, at the end of the day?

The post It’s not hard to see why Palworld players are obsessed with Depresso appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're a fan of the Mega Man Zero series but always thought it was a tad slow, you'll want to keep an eye on Berserk Boy. The action-platformer from the appropriately-named BerserkBoy Games is coming to Nintendo Switch and PC on March 6. 

Ahead of its release, the devs have shared a new trailer that confirms the launch date and shows off a bunch of fast-paced action. Throw in a mix of Saturday morning anime cinematics and you have a pretty compelling reason to go berserk yourself.

Berserk Boy is Mega Man meets Sonic the Hedgehog

True to its inspirations, which appear to range from the Mega Man series to Sonic the Hedgehog, Berserk Boy ticks all the expected bullet points. There's jumping, dashing, and sliding. There are different abilities to harness and toggle between, including Lightning, Fire, Earth, Air, and Ice. There's even a mad scientist and his "army of darkness" to contend with. I'm a simple man, I don't ask for much more of a setup than that. 

The tunes have a solid pedigree to them, too. The Berserk Boy soundtrack comes from Tee Lopes, known for work on Streets of Rage 4, Sonic Mania, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, and more. The real standout for me, though, is the speed. It looks like there's a nice mix of combo-chaining, acrobatic challenges and, of course, rail-sliding. We'll see if it lives up to all the games that paved the way for it when Berserk Boy lands this March.  

The post Berserk Boy looks like a high-speed spin on Mega Man Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe has confirmed the fans' suspicions: content update 1.6 is due to launch in 2024 after all! Though update 1.6 won't be the biggest the game's received yet, it has ended up being bigger than the developer expected, which is good news for the players.

As per some of ConcernedApe's previous announcements, Stardew Valley update 1.6 will be adding new tidbits and goodies to virtually every aspect of the game, and it is now officially in the "bug-fixing and polishing phase until it's ready for release," ConcernedApe has recently confirmed on Twitter.

Stardew Valley 1.6 is coming soon(ish)

Those who haven't kept up with the news will be thrilled to hear that Stardew Valley update 1.6 adds all of the following to the mix:

• An all-new "major" festival
• Two all-new mini-festivals
• Bonus late-game content
• New items and crafting recipes
• Joja alternatives to endgame quest lines
• 100+ new lines of dialogue
• Cold weather outfits for villagers
• 6-player multiplayer on PC
• New farm type
• New secrets
• A wealth of small additions and adjustments

This list, note, isn't what you'd call "exhaustive." ConcernedApe himself said that the list featured above is merely a "sneak peek" to the full list of additions, suggesting a fairly massive bump-up in content. Whatever the case may be, it's clear that Stardew Valley will be even better and more interesting after update 1.6 hits. It may even be enough to tide you over until Haunted Chocolatier comes out!

Curiously, Stardew Valley isn't the only hugely successful indie game that's getting a humongous content update in 2024. Project Zomboid's Build 42, for one, has been in active production since early 2021, and the developer has finally come out to announce it, too, would be released sometime this year. The overlap between Stardew and Zomboid isn't necessarily overwhelmingly massive, granted, but this does suggest that 2024 might end up being the Year of Awesome Indie Updates, as it were. Fun to think about, if nothing else!

The post Stardew Valley 1.6 ‘absolutely’ releasing in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

I recently spoke with No More Heroes creator Suda51 about a previously unexplained moment in Travis Touchdown history. Specifically, I found out the story behind Travis's unique look in the 2019 reveal trailer for No More Heroes 3.

Disheveled, bearded, and wearing a neck brace, this middle-aged gamer playing Ape Out wasn't the same man No More Heroes fans had grown to love. At least, not for the first few minutes. Shortly after this scene in the actual game, Travis hits a button on his Switch-esque Death Glove and suits up into Iron Man-style mecha armor before returning to his prior well-coiffed, fresh-and-clean look.

It's one of many surrealist, high-flying moments that are thrown at No More Heroes 3 players with little-to-no explanation. Fans of the franchise have more or less learned to just go with it when stuff like talking cats turn up, or previously buxom scientists turn into trees. Personally, I assumed the neck brace was there to help Travis heal from the beheading he received in Travis Strikes Again from John Winter, a character based on famed game developer Jeff Minter. As it turns out, there was even more to the story than that.

According to Suda:

"Oh yeah, I meant to mention this in Travis Strikes Again or afterwards, but in the years between that game and No More Heroes 3, Travis got jumped by Kimmy Howell. You know how she was stalking him in No More Heroes 2, and said she'd be back to kill him after she got stronger, before Travis spared her life. Well at some point between those two games, she hit him with a surprise attack, but he got away alive, and was healing up back at the No More Heroes motel. You're actually the first person from the press to ask me about this."

At this point, Suda's translator and friend James Mountain let me know that he'd actually asked Suda about this a while ago, but at the time he said "I don't remember." So I wasn't actually the first to ask, but I was the first to get an answer, which is fun.

It's also nice to get a little extra context for why Travis ends up having a final confrontation with Kimmy later on in No More Heroes 3. The two engage in a fierce rap battle, among other things, before drawing their laser swords for one last time. I was personally saddened to see the way things turned out between them, as I always hoped Kimmy would become a playable ally in the series someday. I see now why Travis wasn't feeling as forgiving.

The post Double-sided Beam Katana wielding woman responsible for Travis Touchdown’s neck injury appeared first on Destructoid.

VR isn't for everyone. Financially, the entry point is relatively high; then there's the potential nausea that comes with it. Plus, all that space required should you have one of those fancier rigs.

The worst part is that if you stop playing for a while, you'll have to re-discover your "VR legs," which means another round of nausea, a problem I complained about with Resident Evil 4 VR mode. For some, the nausea never goes away, keeping them from an otherwise innovative platform.

This is a problem NeuroSync is attempting to overcome with the C-Infinity, which advertises itself as a no-nausea device for VR games. According to NeuroSync co-founder Dr. Slobodan Paessler, "playing action games in VR does not have to cause nausea and that true feeling of locomotion in VR is possible in a safe and practical way."

The project managed to reach its Kickstarter goals in three hours, and while it's not commercially available yet, the site does have a form to let you know when it's ready for pre-order. Skeptical? Well, there's good reason to be. The device has a tall mountain of problems to climb in front of it, and it might need to be a pioneer if it wishes to justify its enormous price tag.

Why the green face?

The problem of VR nausea isn't a simple one, nor does it stem from a single source. One of the biggest issues is motion sickness. VR has your brain telling you that your body is moving, yet your physical body is still. That causes a mismatch of information and the consequence is that queasiness we call motion sickness. You can experience it in a car sometimes.

Naturally, games with a lot of movement will trigger this a lot more. Some titles have tried to minimize how hard the motion sickness hits by "snap rotation," which ensures you aren't moving too fast in the virtual world, or by reducing depth of field.

You should be aware that this is far from an open-and-shut case, with one research paper pointing out that "forty factors shown or believed to influence the occurrence or simulator sickness were identified." This leaves the C-Infinity with a tall task ahead of it that should keep you on your toes as you delve into its marketing.

On a side note, if you're feeling nausea during gameplay, stop immediately. The debilitating after-effects are not worth it. You will feel incredibly sick for hours. There are unproven solutions shared among VR players like eating ginger, but nothing beats rest. Your game will still be there, waiting for you, after you take a break.

C-Infinity and Compatibility

Dr. Paessler explains that "years of research and testing led us to this point, and we are beyond excited to share this VR breakthrough with the current community of gamers and future VR gamers and participants."

Commenting to Destructoid, Scott Robertson explains that the C-Infinity has "been successfully tested with  PC/Android/Standalone/PS4 & PS5.  Plus ALL top PCVR headsets from leading brands like HTC, Meta (including Quest 1, 2, Pro, and 3), PlayStation VR, Pinax, Valve Index, Pimax Crystal, HTC Vive Pro 2, HP Reverb G2, Varjo XR-3, and more!"

It won't work with all devices that have been unofficially modded from flatscreen to VR, as they can be unpredictable. However, Robertson lists several that do work, including "Cyberpunk 2077, FarCry 6, Horizon Zero Dawn, Skyrim VR, Doom VFR, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 7, VR Chat, and 11,000+ more."

An experience that costs a pretty penny

Despite the confidence, it is evident that NeuroSync has several hurdles to overcome before it can be trusted to do what it advertises. Hypothetically, if it does, the only question left is whether there are any downsides besides the size.

It's the price tag. At $799, in addition to the price of your headset, it's a device best left for enthusiasts. I've explained the shortcomings of PlayStation's headset and while the Quest 3 leaves me far more satisfied, $799 is still $799.

Will the C-Infinity ever become mainstream? No, not even VR is managing to do that. But it does claim to provide a solution to the puking problem that plagues the platform.

The post C-Infinity wants to help anyone with VR nausea & $799 burning a hole in their pocket appeared first on Destructoid.

While there's certainly something to be said about Turn 10's overreliance on temporary, live-service content in Forza Motorsport, the studio has been adding lots to the game post-release. All-new tracks are usually the highlights of their respective updates, and Update 5's Nürburgring Nordschleife will be no different.

Slated for release sometime around mid-February, Forza Motorsport's Update 5 seems to be positively loaded with fixes and improvements. Important as they may be, these fixes aren't nearly as exciting as the long-anticipated release of the legendary 20.8-kilometer Nordschleife track, coming as a follow-up to Update 4's Daytona International Speedway and Update 3's Hockenheim. In comparison, Nordschleife is supposed to be a fair bit longer and more challenging, hopefully rivaling the racing heft of its real-world inspiration.

Forza Motorsport's Update 5 features the Nürburgring Nordschleife

Previously demoed as part of January 2024's Forza Monthly livestream, Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the most popular and interesting racing tracks in the world, and the fact that it wasn't available in Forza Motorsport on day one was, arguably, a serious misstep for racing aficionados.

Thankfully, Turn 10 is now aiming to resolve this fault once and for all, allowing players to race on the Nordschleife in any of Forza Motorsport's available game modes.

Whether you're looking to try and beat 2022's production car lap record (6:35.183, for posterity's sake) or simply level up your vehicles on a fun and challenging new track, Nordschleife will be yours to do with as you please as soon as Update 5 hits your download queue.

In a broader sense, Forza Motorsport's Update 5 also marks the beginning of Turn 10's long-term fix-up plan for the game, as outlined in the studio's announcement from earlier this year. More specifically, Turn 10 promises that Update 5 will include all of the following improvements:

• Option to skip practice in Career Mode events via the pre-race menu
• Practice Session save point
• Livery Editor fixes and quality-of-life improvements
• Resolved letterboxing while using Photo Mode on non-baseline aspect rations (e.g. 21:9)
• PC performance improvements (reduced CPU spikes and better GPU utilization) and framerate consistency
• Resolved crashes caused by multi-threaded rendering
• Fixed performance issues caused by video setting changes

The full list is, of course, far more exhaustive, but this should give you an idea of what to expect out of Update 5.

Naturally, players should still expect the majority of newly added content to be of the temporary sort, with new Career Mode championships replacing the currently available roster. That is the nature of Forza Motorsport's live-service approach, however. As long as there's some evergreen content dropping in with large batches of fixes for all platforms, most players should find the game's FOMO relatively easy to ignore.

The post Forza Motorsport is getting the Nordschleife track at last appeared first on Destructoid.

Destiny 2 fashion aficionados, you have something to get pumped about before The Final Shape. That's because, arguably, the best weapon shader is returning to the game via the upcoming Riven's Wishes content. I'm talking about Twilight Keepsake, the matte black one. So, while you may have all the Starcats and every Wish-Keeper Catalyst, there's still something to look forward to during the next expansion's lengthy delay. It's especially true for anyone who missed out on Twilight Keepsake the first and only other time it was available in-game.

Twilight Keepsake is a shader that can only be applied to crafted weapons. Further, it is only usable after reforging or initially crafting a weapon of choice with a Lost Memento. The Lost Memento and, by proxy, Twilight Keepsake shader originally made their debut during 2023's Festival of the Lost, attainable only by participating in the festivities. The thing is, something else happened right around Halloween in 2023: the layoffs at Bungie. While nothing prevented players from playing Destiny 2, the recycled activities and disheartening news didn't exactly draw crowds.

Thankfully, Twilight Keepsake will transcend the link to that terrible event and become widely available to players starting January 30. Alongside that Tuesday reset, Riven's Wishes will arrive in-game. Riven's Wishes are weekly quests that players can nab from Mara Sov, paying out some solid rewards. According to Bungie, one of these weekly objectives might ask you to delve into Legendary Lost Sectors or complete Dungeon runs. That said, it seems like they will be focused and set in the Dreaming City. The best part is that players get to choose their rewards.

So what can you get for undertaking one of Riven's Wishes? Well, of course, Lost Mementos are on the table, or else, you know, I wouldn't be writing this article. Other than that, there are plenty of goodies up for grabs. There's the option for a red-bordered Raid weapon from Last Wish, a piece of Exotic armor from Lightfall, and even the other super-rare weapon shader from 2023: Rime Keepsake via Dawning Mementos. Oh, there's also the option for Ascendant Shards, Ascendant Alloys, and Exotic Ciphers, but I couldn't imagine wasting one of Riven's Wishes on those.

All in all, Bungie says that players will get six weeks of Riven's Wishes. However, it does note that they'll be available to complete "up through The Final Shape's release." So, there's no rush to finish the Wishes as soon as they're available. Players have time to tackle them before the next expansion releases in June. As for me, I'll be using all six of my Wishes on those sweet sweet Lost Mementos.

The post Destiny 2’s best shader is coming back in a limited capacity appeared first on Destructoid.

“WHELP. IT HAPPENED,” begins the tweet from Lilith Walther (b0tster on Twitter), one of the developers behind Bloodborne Kart, a fanmade spin-off of the popular FromSoftware game. Sony has allegedly contacted them requesting the removal of copyrighted content from the game.

“Long story short I need to scrub the branding off of what was previously known as Bloodborne Kart, which we will do. But that requires a short delay,” they continue. However, they add that “the game is still coming out! It'll just look slightly different.”

It’s not entirely surprising since the Bloodborne Kart directly references the title of the 2015 PS4 game and includes characters from it. The game is a “meme made real,” originating from an April Fool’s Day Tweet back in 2021. What is surprising is that it has taken so long, as the game has been in open development for quite some time now. It’s perhaps because, a few months ago, it was given the release date of January 31, which is next week.

Of course, the developers were planning to release the game for free, but it’s still infringing on the company’s copyright. It’s honestly not at all surprising, which Lilith states themself in another tweet, saying, “Like I've said in multiple interviews, we were all expecting this to happen so we could be pleasantly surprised if it didn't.”

It’s definitely a bummer, and I feel bad for the development team who were looking forward to putting their creation in the hands of fans, but they’re taking it in stride. Lilith says, “Turning this into an original game that we have full creative control over is kind of exciting. This is a fan game no more!”

Lilith says that they are current uncertain of what the new release date will be for the rebranded Bloodborne Kart, but they hope to share news as soon as possible.

The post After warning from Sony, Bloodborne Kart is dropping references to the brand appeared first on Destructoid.

It’s pretty easy to stand out in the Virtual Boy catalog. There were only fourteen games. Half weren’t very good, half felt like tech demos, and half were Virtual Boy Wario Ware. If a game didn’t fit into any of those three halves, it stuck out like a missing tooth.

Panic Bomber was one of those games. It’s a perfectly find match-3 puzzle game, with a heaping of Bomberman charm. It just didn’t benefit from being on the hardware in the slightest. The Virtual Boy had its advantages, but it’s hardly the ideal way to play a puzzle game.

Thankfully, it wasn’t exclusive to the crimson goggles. It originally came out on PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² in 1994 and was ported to a number of platforms. Unfortunately, the only other time it came out in North America was a port on Wii U. Thankfully again, I have an Analogue Duo now, and it plays Japanese games. The Super CD-ROM² version isn’t that expensive, so now I can play Bomberman: Panic Bomber without wrecking my neck.

Not hereditary

I’ve never been terrific at puzzle games of the falling block variety. I’m not terrible, either. I can usually get through whatever story mode they present, but I’m not competitive. My sister, however, is a high-level Dr. Mario player. She and her college roommates got really into it for a time, and she built up skills that I would define as “mad.” I can wreck her at most games, but I’d need a few training montages to compete against her in Dr. Mario.

Most of my affection for the genre comes from my mother. Not hereditarily. I mean, she used to play them a lot. I’d come home from school, and she’d be on my Super Nintendo engaged in Yoshi’s Cookie or Kirby’s Avalanche. I didn’t have much interest in them myself, but my concept of cozy largely comes from my mom. It’s the same reason I often drink my tea with way too much milk.

Anyway, what I’m saying is that Bomberman: Panic Bomber gives off those same vibes. Puyo Puyo did a real number on the genre. This could practically be called “Bomberman’s Mean Bomb Machine,” except that would completely destroy the rhyme.

The point is that you face off against various cartoon monstrosities whose portrait sits in the middle of the screen. When you put three Bomberman heads of the same color in a row, they disappear. The big difference here is that more explosives are involved.

Munitions stockpile

Every time you eliminate a row of heads, a bomb will pop up from the bottom of the screen. Eventually, a pink bomb will drop from the top, and you (sometimes) want to steer it so that it explodes (in the classic Bomberman plus shape) and creates a chain reaction with all the unlit bombs you built up.

I know what you’re thinking, but contrary to what we’ve been taught, the Bomberman heads here are mostly immune to explosions. Like Puyo Puyo, the strategy isn’t to keep your field clean. It’s to cause as much frustration to your opponent as possible. Detonating a bomb sends garbage to their field with the goal, expectedly, to fill up their side of the screen until it overflows. Garbage can only be removed using the bombs, so the game boils down to amassing as many explosives as you can, then detonating it at the right time to both prevent your field from overflowing and fill up your opponents’.

You also build up a gauge as you knock out combos, and when it’s full, a big bomb drops. This one will actually clear out Bomberman heads, so it’s especially useful when you’re about to drown and need some air. It also typically results in a lot of garbage getting flung to the other side of the screen.

This leads to some interesting back-and-forth action as you clear your screen, send garbage to your opponent, and then they detonate their bombs and send it right back. When this gets going, it can be rather exciting, like a good sumo match. 

On the other hand, it seems like Panic Bomber has a single strategy, which is to stockpile bombs and detonate them at the least convenient time. You can still build up combos Puyo Puyo style, which will get you appropriate bonuses, but it all comes down to who can screw the other over the hardest. Just like the business world.

Path of destruction

This is going to sound weird, but the Virtual Boy version of Panic Bomber is better. Not that I really want to assemble a team to set up my Virtual Boy just to play it, but the VB version had more detailed graphics. To the credit of the Super CD-ROM² version, it supports five players.

I was kind of disappointed that it doesn’t really take advantage of the Super CD-ROM² beyond just for the soundtrack. There’s only an outro cutscene, but it’s not as elaborate as I’m used to from the platform. In fact, the story isn’t really set up within the game itself. You just watch Bomberman cut a path of destruction through the world map.

Bomberman: Panic Bomber is far from the best match-3 puzzle game in the world. It probably isn’t going to replace Puyo Puyo for anyone, but it’s decent fun for a while. It’s especially beneficial if you have one friend too many any need a five-player game to keep everyone happy. I don’t have that problem. Being too popular has never been an issue for me.

For other retro titles you may have missed, click right here!

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During the Warframe Devstream 176, developer Digital Extremes revealed plans for the next big update, Dante Unbound. Scheduled to release in March 2024, the update will bring the 56th Warframe to the popular action RPG MMO.

56th Warframe: Dante, Master of Reality's Pages

The highlight of the new update is of course the new Warframe, Dante. Described as a classic-MMO caster, Dante is accompanied by his own Exalted Weapon, Noctua. A Dante-bound Grimoire, Noctua obliterates enemies by pelting them with spectral pages and cursed paper cuts. I have to admit, being cut up by cursed pages of a magical spellbook sounds pretty brutal.

The living sandstorm Warframe Inaros is also getting a long overdue rework with the update, with full details on the rework to come soon.

Quality-of-life updates and return of TennoGen

TennoGen, a unique system in Warframe comprised of unique customizations created by fellow Warframe players, is finally making a return in the March update. TennoGen is essentially a collaborative program between community artists and Digital Extremes developers to add purchasable cosmetics to the game while sharing revenue with the artists who created them.

The TennoGen system has been updated, and will now accept submissions under the new Entrati style that was added in the recent Whispers in the Walls update that was released in December. Fans will now be able to create Warframe skins, Weapon skins, Operator accessories, Landing Craft skins, and more as part of Tennogen.

Dante looks like a pretty cool caster Warframe, so I'm excited to hear more. The Dante Unbound update for Warframe will release in March 2024.

The post Warframe Dante Unbound update set for March, adds 56th Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.

Poundmates are RGG's version of summons, for the RPG system they've built in the recent Like a Dragon games. And one familiar face, Nancy, returns as a Poundmate summon in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth with a new pal Olivia in tow. It's a tag-team you won't want to miss.

To start off, you'll need to head to Hawaii and bring Nancy along. As far as I know, it's not actually possible to leave Nancy back in Japan; I chose to bring her because I'm not a monster, but I've heard if you do make the emphatically, objectively wrong choice, she still comes along.

Once in Hawaii, kick off the substory "Coming Out of Her Shell." You'll get it on the beach fairly early on in the game. It was one of the first substories I undertook, not long after the open world area of Hawaii opened up to me. Check for it on the beach, near the shore, marked by quotation bubbles like other substories.

You'll need to check back in a few times, and you may see this quotation icon move around as the quest does. When in doubt, fast-travel somewhere and look for a new, blue, substories icon that notifies you another step in Coming Out of Her Shell is available.

Finding a gift for the hermit crab

As Nancy's love for the hermit crab Olivia blossoms, you'll eventually need to find a gift Nancy can give to Olivia. An icon will appear, but I'd thought it would be helpful to note it here: you're looking for a bright spot in the bushes, near the objective marker. It took me a second to notice it.

Grab it and continue on with the quest. There aren't wrong answers at this point, though you can get a pretty funny interaction between Nancy and Ichiban, and eventually have to brawl a bit. Once you've cleared the substory, though, you'll get a rare double reward: both Olivia's shell, and the new Poundmate summon, Nancy & Olivia.

The power of the crustaceans

Now, why seek this out? Well these powerful lesbian crustaceans do a metric butt-ton of damage, throughout the entire game. They're a bit pricey near the start of the campaign, but I was calling them in constantly for big fights later on.

Nancy & Olivia can hit all enemies in a fight in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, doing some piercing damage and leaving a chance for poison, which landed more than it missed for me. Seriously, if you only seek out one extra Poundmate in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth make it these two. Also, do it to ensure true love persists in the world of LAD.

The post Don’t miss one of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s best summons appeared first on Destructoid.

Mr. Podunkian revealed the Steam store page for their upcoming city life simulator, Sunkissed City, which is coming to PC sometime in late 2024.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the handheld version of The Urbz. Nor does it look like the console version of The Urbz. It looks more like Stardew Valley, which makes sense because Mr. Podunkian previously worked at Stardew Valley developer Concerned Ape. If you liked Stardew Valley, but felt like it needed more concrete, then this might be for you.

In Sunkissed City, you don’t actually live in a place called “Sunkissed City.” It’s Apollo City, which is similar. There you take care of DIY gardens, get to know the locals, and try to solve the mystery of why everyone has been feeling crappy. There’s even fishing, which I think is maybe a law for developing these sorts of games. You can also play co-op with friends if you're that sort of person.

I’m liking the looks of Sunkissed City. I like farming sims, but having grown up in a rural area, I prefer being an urban dweller because food is closer, and I don’t drive. While I’m still waiting for someone to adapt the gentle mix of adventure game and life simulator found in the handheld versions of The Urbz, that’s a different matter. For now, I’ll just be happy if I’m able to space out at the magazine rack at the 7/11 around midnight.

Sunkissed City is currently targeting a release at the end of 2024.

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Originally released in 2022, Stray's tale of friendship and a search for home captivated the collective attention of the gaming world and the internet at large. Initially, that was all thanks to its biggest hook — playing as a cat. A nameless, adorable stray that had many charmed before it'd even launched.

Stray's just saw macOS port in December 2023, and has a movie on the way, bringing the tale to the big screen. Though it's still early days, Annapurna Animation's lead, Andrew Millstein, explains that the the game was chosen for adaptation because "it is just wildly popular." In an interview with Swann Martin-Raget from BlueTwelve Studio, Destructoid discussed the world of Stray and what's to come next.

Stray — On the big, the small, and the fuzzy

Destructoid: Stray mostly takes place in Walled City 99. Its cyberpunk aesthetic is beautiful but dystopian, with some inhabitants doubting whether it is even possible to leave the abyss they dwell in. By the end, the game offers a hopeful answer. Was the plan always to make a hope-inspiring game? 

Martin-Raget: What we really tried to do is to not add a moral point of view to the themes we're approaching in the game. We're only showing possibilities through the eyes of a very neutral character without taking sides between good or bad and we let the players decide what to make of it and if they think it's overall a sad or hopeful message.

Destructoid: The game relies a lot on environmental storytelling, and it is led by a protagonist who can't speak. Did you find this style of storytelling a challenge? 

Martin-Raget: It’s definitely a wide-reaching constraint that changes a lot of things in how you approach the storytelling and the world building. But we also found that it opens up a lot of very interesting possibilities and it’s super helpful to “show and not tell” when we want to leave some room for the player’s imagination to fill the gaps. Creatively it ended up being something really inspiring and motivating for us.

Destructoid: As an occasional Mac player, I'm quite pleased that Stray has made its way to the platform, as it is often neglected. What was the motivation for the port? 

Martin-Raget: As game creators, our goal is always to have as many players as possible being able to enjoy our game and visit this world we made with our hearts. So we were really happy to have this opportunity to allow Mac players that are as avid and passionate as the others to experience and enjoy Stray.

The post Catching up with BlueTwelve and the world of Stray, right meow appeared first on Destructoid.

After last week's vote on this year's Destiny 2 Festival of the Lost armor designs, Bungie has already published the winning sets. By popular vote, we've got Evil Wizard Hunters and Warlocks, and Good Wizard Titans, but the fashion community is not at all thrilled with the results.

For years now, Bungie has held seasonal votes for Destiny 2's Halloween Festival of the Lost events, allowing the community to decide which armor sets would eventually be made available. Naturally, not everyone is always thrilled with the results of the vote, but this year's results have riled up way more of a crowd than usual.

Destiny 2's Evil Wizard Armor wins

Following the announcement of the vote, a surprisingly widespread array of threads has popped up on the biggest Destiny 2 fashion subreddit. Some people are unhappy with the perceived "edginess" of the Evil Wizard sets, which is a fairly understandable take, all things considered:

• I'm so sad, posted GlassChopsticks
• Mindless hunters win the day again, says Curious_Savings_4751
• Why must you be like this, seriously, asks xXLjordSireXx
• Why couldn't you all be like Titans and just use 1 of the other 20 edgy sets we have, says HoneyBadger1342

Each of these threads has been positively inundated with comments from community members unhappy with the results of the vote: "Very sorry we exist in a community that is about 70% teenage boys who own hoodies with roses on them and they all have one syllable user names," said user pige0nzwastaken.

Naturally, many of the comments have simply been posted to oppose those who bemoan the voted-in armor sets. Epic_potato420, for example, said "Cry me a potion scarf boy," referencing the Good Wizard Hunter armor.

Of course, given the results, it's clear which armor sets have interested players the most, but it is quite fascinating to see how big of a disconnect there is between the DestinyFashion subreddit and the Destiny community at large. Whatever the case may be, it's going to be fairly easy to slap edgy or non-edgy Shaders onto the winning armor sets to tune them to look just right.

While many members of the community are pointing fingers and arguing over which armor sets should've won, others are taking a grander look at the situation as a whole. Gregermeister1, for example, has voiced their disappointment with "some people on [the DestinyFashion] subreddit" over this behavior.

"Let’s not be nasty to each other though over style differences," they said. "Let’s try to be the one positive destiny subreddit on here because destiny fashion is great and full of so many different style options! I for one am hyped to turn my titan into a paladin wizard and my hunter into an edgy, void arrow shooting witch!" An admirable take, for sure, but it remains to be seen whether this sentiment wins out in the end, or if everyone just keeps on pointing fingers.

The post Destiny 2 fashion fans are causing a ruckus over some ‘edgy’ wizard armor appeared first on Destructoid.

Well, it looks like more Switch successor rumors are swirling. A new report has emerged today stating that the Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) is indeed targeting a 2024 release, and with an LCD screen.

The news comes from Takashi Mochizuki and Yuki Furukawa of Bloomberg. The duo cited Hiroshi Hayase, an analyst for Omdia. Hayase states that Nintendo intends to double the production of "amusement displays" throughout 2024. They also noted that the sequel system would feature an 8-inch LCD screen. The Switch OLED, released over two years ago, houses a 7-inch screen, and the original Switch houses a 6.2-inch LCD screen.

Omdia is a London-based consultancy firm focused on telecommunications, media, and technology. Sure, it's just another analyst (albeit a credible one) saying the next Nintendo console is coming soon. But all of the more recent Switch successor rumors are beginning to line up.

Also noted in today's Bloomberg article is a reminder that Shark Corp., an LCD panel supplier, was revealed to be supplying LCD screens for an upcoming gaming console. The company has an established relationship with Nintendo, as they worked to assemble Switch consoles during the pandemic.

If 2024 is indeed when we can expect Nintendo's next console, we could hopefully be hearing something relatively soon. The Switch was showcased in trailer form on October 20, 2016. That's less than five months before the Nintendo Switch launched on March 7, 2017.

If we go by the logic of history repeating itself and assume that a Switch 2 will be out before the kickoff of holiday shopping around Black Friday, we may be seeing Nintendo making an official reveal of their wildly popular hybrid console around mid-June. Just in time for this year's Summer Game Fest and other gaming events. We'll have to wait and see.

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Bandai Namco has issued an update this morning, addressing matchmaking errors and crashes that popped up on launch night for Tekken 8.

The latest entry in the Tekken series went live last night, and I hopped on for a few rounds with friends myself—said pals were playing on PC, and I was on PlayStation 5. It was quite surprising when we continuously ran into issues with crashing while trying to create and run an online lobby match. Whether PC-to-PC, or on crossplay, both platforms kept seeing crashes.

It doesn't look like we were alone in this, either. Players were posting about it on various social forums, sites were starting to write about it, and Katsuhiro Harada himself made a statement. Per the Tekken official account, it was due to "a high concentration of users connecting to matching and competition servers." Which reads to me as, dang, Tekken 8 might have been a bit more popular at launch than they expected. Anecdotally, I saw it hovering in the top sellers of Steam last night, so that's something.

An update is live for Tekken 8 matchmaking

Now, this morning, the Tekken team says a fix is live, and online experiences "should now be much smoother."

"Errors and crashes that occurred during online matching and matches have been resolved by server modifications and enhancements," said Harada in a post this morning. "Thank you for your cooperation in reporting!"

That's good news for Tekken fans, including myself. Because honestly, when the game was live and working, I was having a blast with Tekken 8. I know we're in an upswing era for fighting games right now, but Tekken was the series that weathered the storm of harsher years for brawlers; Tekken 7 was, at least for me, always a respite during leaner years for fighting games.

So legitimately, I'm hoping this fix bandages all the problems, because I'm quite eager to get back to working on my Jun Kazama. Here's hoping the servers are now stable enough to support some Good Ass Tekken.

The post Tekken 8 gets a fix after crashes plague launch night appeared first on Destructoid.

The Callisto Protocol developer Striking Distance Studios has opened up some new positions for an upcoming project that's being built in Unreal Engine 5. It seems the studio is on the hunt for additional talent, just months after last August's layoffs.

As reported by VGC, Twitter user MauroNL – a games industry analyst – has noted that Striking Distance is embarking on a new venture. A total of nine vacancies have become available, with the studio intending to create something brand-new.

Some of the positions include a Lead Technical Artist, UI Technical Artist, Lead Gameplay Animator, and a Lead Gameplay Engineer. What this elusive project will be is anyone's guess at this stage.

Can only go up from here, yeah?

With 32 people being laid off from the studio and director Glen Schofield leaving last September, things didn't look good for Striking Distance. The Callisto Protocol should have been a slam-dunk, particularly with it being billed as a spiritual successor to Dead Space.

However, poor performance left people unimpressed with the developer's first release. While recent scores on Steam have it at "Mostly Positive," overall it remains "Mixed." Even with patches to fix issues, the damage appeared to have already been done.

Now that a new game is said to be in the works, maybe some will give Callisto Protocol another chance. Still, what's left of the team is still trucking along on something. Maybe the next one will be more of a success.

The post The Callisto Protocol dev is hiring for a new, ‘unannounced UE5 title’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Earlier in the year (wait... it's still January?!) we mentioned how Hitman: Blood Money was making an appearance on the Switch. Well, that day has now arrived, and this special "Reprisal" edition comes with some features just for this port.

If you have a Switch and you're a fan of some of the more classic entries in the Hitman franchise, this one may be worth a look-in. It released on January 25 and, according to the Nintendo website, this version features "gameplay improvements inspired by later games in the series," including Instinct Mode.

It's also been given an "an artful redesign of a stealth-action classic," which has been specially adapted for the hybrid console.

Not bad for an 18-year-old game

The timing of this is pretty nifty (if you have a Switch, of course). With the Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy about to leave Xbox Game Pass, Blood Money - Reprisal will keep your thirst for Agent 47 well and truly sated.

Many consider the 2006 entry one of the best of the series. I only managed to play it for the first time a couple of years ago, and I can see the appeal. Personally, I'm utterly in love with the recent installments and will be sad to see them exiting Game Pass.

I'm also one of those rare specimens that actually really enjoyed Absolution. I understand the criticisms people had, but the fact that it was the first Hitman game I actually managed to get all the way through makes it special to me (you never forget your first).

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Inin Games and NatsumeAtari have released a new trailer of Tengo Project’s upcoming remake, Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn. This one shows the new game side-by-side with the 1990 original.

If there’s one thing gamers love, it’s comparing things. Shadow of the Ninja is the oldest game that Tengo Project has remade from Natsume’s back catalog, and being on the NES, it was built on limited hardware. Rather than simply spruce up the game like with Wild Guns: Reloaded or create an entirely new entry in the series like Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, they’ve kind of found a comfortable place in between. The levels are reminiscent of the original, but everything has been overhauled with new abilities and enemy placement.

I think it looks pretty great! Placed next to the remake, the 8-bit original looks incredibly sparse. It was actually a decent-looking game for the time period, but the NES was very restrictive when it came to how much you could jam on screen at one time. Tengo Project has already shown off some great pixel art chops with their previous games.

The remake will have new weapons, a new level, and an upgraded soundtrack by the original composer, Iku Mizutani.

I wonder where Tengo Project will go next. My first guess would be S.C.A.T., but what I’m really hoping for is Abadox. I guess we should wait and see how Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn turns out.

Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn is coming to Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in Summer 2024.

The post Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn has a new trailer comparing it to the NES version appeared first on Destructoid.

Ultrawings 2 originally released in October 2022, receiving good reviews. You can grab it on Steam and the Meta Quest, and to the surprise of the developers, on the PS VR2 as well.

Bit Planet Games expressed as much shock as players when the game suddenly appeared on the PS Store. The studio has mostly taken it in stride, describing it as a "shadow drop" despite how the sudden release has robbed the team of prior marketing for the new version. According to the devs, a patch is on the way, though many players on the r/PSVR subreddit claim it runs well despite the lack of a day-one patch.

When asked, the team confirmed that the launch was entirely unforeseen. Fortunately, the team is not stuck with a broken game and those who have jumped in are experiencing minimal issues. Sony hasn't commented on the matter.

It goes without saying that fans on PS5 are delighted, though they do express sympathy for the developers. The team also confirms that a physical edition is probably never coming.

It's described as an island-themed aerial action-adventure game and while I have admittedly never played it, the praise and trailers have piqued my interest.

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The long-awaited Version 2.0 update of Honkai: Star Rail is just around the corner! An announcement on YouTube delivers details regarding banners and new content coming to the game. If you missed it, or don’t have time to sit through an hour-long presentation, here’s a summary for you!

Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0: If One Dreams at Midnight will be live on February 6 and last for seven weeks.

2.0 livestream Stellar Jade codes

TT9S28LK4QHP
EA8BKR4JL93T
LTQA2Q5249KF

Redeem these codes either in-game or on the official site. Each code grants 100 Stellar Jades as well as a few other materials. They expire about a day after the stream, so redeem them now!

New characters

Three new characters will be joining the Star Rail roster:

Black Swan is a 5-star Wind Nihility character specializing in damage over time using tarot cards.

Sparkle is a 5-star Quantum Harmony character. She can restore Skill Points for your team while also buffing their damage.

Misha is a 4-star Ice Destruction character. He is a hotel employee who deals AoE damage to enemies using guests’ luggage.

Version 2.0 banners

The first half of 2.0 will consist of the 5-stars Black Swan and Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae with the 4-star Misha. The Light Cones Reforged Remembrance (Black Swan’s signature) and Brighter than the Sun (DHIL’s signature)

The second half will feature the 5-stars Sparkle and Jing Yuan. Their respective signature Light Cones, Earthly Escapade, and Before Dawn will also be available. Going by the seven-week update schedule, these banners should go live on early March

New content

Version 2.0 has Trailblazers heading to a new world: Penacony. Penacony is a luxury hotel with a unique connection to dreams, enabling visitors to explore certain shared Dreamscapes while asleep. A new Trailblaze mission will accompany the new region, continuing the main story of Honkai: Star Rail.

New events include Hanu’s Prison Break, from which they can claim a 4-star character of their choice as a reward. Other events include Dreamchaser Bulletin, Dreamjolt TV, and Penacony Food Fest. There will also be two login events that grant a total of 20 pulls.

There will also be two new Relic sets and new Ascension materials for the new characters. New Light Cones will also be available in the Manifest store. 

We can also expect various quality-of-life upgrades, including a visual representation of past stories, more support character options in your profile, and a more streamlined Relic upgrade system.

We also got a tease of some real-life Star Rail events on the horizon, including carnivals and concerts.

It looks like there’s a lot to look forward to in Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0. I’ll see you all in Penacony!

The post Honkai: Star Rail announces next banners and Version 2.0 date appeared first on Destructoid.

Back in December, the social deduction phenomenon Among Us crossed over with Vampire Survivors. The result was a surprisingly fun (and cheap) DLC called Emergency Meeting that launched on every available platform....except Switch.

Thankfully, that's changed as of this week.

Poncle confirms that the Among Us DLC and Adventures are now live on Switch

Thanks to a tweet from developer poncle, we have full confirmation that Emergency Meeting and Adventures are live on Switch.

So I mentioned that the Among Us DLC was cheap. How cheap? Try $2.50, with a 10% discount through the rest of the month (January 29 at 2:59AM ET to be exact). Note, however, that you may need to search for the Emergency Meeting DLC directly on the eShop, as the official shop page doesn't list it yet.

Adventures are the other big addition to the Switch version and include extra quests and challenges (which are essentially remixed versions of existing content). Adventures are free on all platforms, but you will need to own the appropriate DLC to play the DLC portions.

Interestingly enough, all versions of the game (Steam, Switch, Xbox, iOS, and Android) now have feature parity...except the bizarre Tesla edition of the game, which just got the wintery Whiteout update several weeks ago.

The post After a delay, the Switch finally has the Vampire Survivors Among Us/Adventure Mode DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

For realsies this time, Skull & Bones launches on February 16. If the pirate game has managed to keep you curious all this time, look out for the open access running from February 8 until 11.

It is worth noting that Ubisoft+ games can grab the game earlier on February 13. You have several choices including PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna, and PC via Epic where you can enjoy crossplay and cross-progression throughout the platforms.

Skull & Bones in 2024

The game is an open-world tactical action world title with both single and multiplayer elements. For those looking to play the multiplayer aspects, there will be stronger items introduced to help you take on the increasingly difficult opponents, including warships.

You'll be able to grow your empire by taking control of trade routes. There are also hostile takeovers where the winners get to take control of manufacturing plants. At post-launch, new features will be introduced, including the ability to assign fleets of ships to your trade routes, to the ability to bribe officials.

Is this the pirate game we've been waiting ages for? February 8 we'll learn whether it has the chance to live up to the hype of years of waiting.

The post Skull & Bones open beta begins February 8 appeared first on Destructoid.

Dating sims are harder to create than people give them credit for. Hundreds of thousands of words, dialogue trees that stretch to the horizon and take into account successes and failures, trying to fit in as many characters as possible to suit different preferences; the complexity piles up and threatens to collapse. It gets more difficult when you try to merge it with another genre.

I’ve seen failure happen many times throughout my years as Destructoid’s resident self-proclaimed dating sim expert. There’s a reason why games like Mass Effect usually have relationships no more complex than “listen to life story, complete side quest, bang.” Anything more ambitious leads to juggling problems, and it takes a lot of talent and planning to handle all those balls.

Nova Hearts is a game that, so far, drops those balls. However, mercifully, Lightbulb Crew is starting with just a prologue, so there’s still time to grab those balls and get them airborne.

Nova Hearts: First Spark is the free introduction to the full Nova Hearts experience expected this summer. It has you play as Luce, who has moved back to her hometown after spending some time trying to make it in the city. She’s staying the summer on a sabbatical. From what? Frustratingly, you aren’t told, but you’re expected to go along with it.

“So what happened?” you’re asked on multiple occasions. But you can only make hints because you, the player, don’t know. Why give the choice in how you respond? I’m not sure.

Much of the story takes place on Luce’s cellphone screen. Scenes are set up through text chat. Where the players are going and what they’re planning to do; that all happens on a phone screen. This isn’t a bad way to do it, but it’s handled very intrusively.

At one point, I was invited out to eat right before a party by Luce’s old friends. I’m guessing “eat” is just code for pre-drink. I go to that scene, the bartender asks me what I’m having, I tell him that I’m waiting for friends. Suddenly, Luce is lounging at her desk with the cell phone in hand. What the fuck just happened? What was the point of that scene? 

I’m guessing it was just an opportunity to meet/hit on the bartender. However, I don’t drink, so normally, the characters I play don’t either, and all the direct flirting options were way too strong for the vibes I wanted to put down, so I didn’t. However, the fact that my decisions meant that Luce didn’t even meet her friends in that scene just left me extremely confused. And it wouldn’t be the only time.

As Nova Hearts proceeded through its introduction, I started wondering how long it was going to take before super-powers happened. The game’s hook is that it combines a dating sim with a super-hero RPG, but it frequently seemed like the setup was going to take a very long time to get to the whole part where everyone gets super-powers.

It happened in mid-conversation.

One moment, I was hitting on an entrancing reporter, and then suddenly, I was in combat with cats. There was a moment in between where Luce stands dumbstruck by something, but the game doesn’t really show what she sees. Everyone is just gone, she just has super-powers, and suddenly there are monsters.

This is where I noticed that Nova Hearts has no narration. Actions aren’t described, which is kind of strange for a game that is largely just text and static images. Sure, I can see the backgrounds and characters, but they don’t do anything. The action is, therefore, restricted to what the characters say, and it leaves a lot of gaps that are filled with nothing.

The combat itself is a bit of a problem. I can dig the timeline battle system, which is somewhat similar to Fuga: Melodies of Steel but with less strategy. Essentially, you have a visual aid for when a character or enemy’s turn is going to happen. However, this is largely just useful for using combo attacks where you overlap two of your heroes attack turns to create a bigger attack.

Shallow combat isn’t great, but the real problem is the lack of balance and polish in Nova Hearts: First Spark. The characters' powers just aren’t that Super. Most attacks feel very underpowered, which makes combat as a whole a slog. The combo power between Luce and CJ doesn’t feel much more effective than CJ’s normal area-of-effect attack, so that kills strategy even further.

But moreover, a lot of the combat in First Spark feels arbitrary. It just happens. It’s a visual novel that, every so often, gets interrupted by fighting.

Violence has long been leaned on by video games as one of the few forms of conflict resolution that can be easily depicted in code. However, most of the time in Nova Hearts, there isn’t any conflict, just combat. The fighting doesn’t happen because you pissed off another character or chose to journey to the wrong side of town. They just happen because it’s fight o’clock. It’s hard to feel like the combat really fits with the romance when there isn’t any tension or intensity to be found anywhere.

As for the romance? Well, all the characters are DTF AF, so there’s that. You’re presented with a wide range of options to try and fit as many preferences as possible. However, the game kept pushing me toward this guy whom Luce apparently shared her first kiss with in the past. However, it turns out he’s a masochist, and there isn’t room for two of those in this relationship.

Beyond that, I’m not sure. At about the time I was getting frustrated with the masochistic werewolf, something broke in Nova Hearts, and two teams were left facing off in perpetuity with no way to advance. That is to say, it soft-locked. I checked, and an autosave did trigger at the same fight, so I wasn’t going to lose any progress. At that point, however, I had seen enough. Not even the promise of potential smooching was able to get me to dive back in. I’m done.

As I said at the start, dating sims are far more difficult and complex than anyone gives them credit for. It’s not all that surprising when someone tries to incorporate the hydra of mechanics that make up the genre, only to come up short. It says more about the difficulty of genre than it does about a developer.

However, the art, music, and premise all have promise to them. I’m hoping Lightbulb Crew will go back to the drawing board with what works and, with a bit of careful planning, come back with a more polished Nova Hearts experience that delivers. It’ll take a bit of a commitment, but that’s what makes a worthwhile relationship.

The post Nova Hearts: First Spark doesn’t quite catch fire appeared first on Destructoid.

Three years ago, base builder and space simulation game Dyson Sphere Program was released and quite frankly blew my mind. I had already invested over 1,000 hours in Factorio and over 100 hours into Satisfactory, so I knew Dyson Sphere Program would be a game for me. What I didn't expect, however, was the massive scope of the game.

If you haven't played it—you really owe it to yourself to—Dyson Sphere Program basically drops you onto a planet in a bigger solar system, where you have to build up functioning factories to harvest the resources on the planet and tech up. Eventually, you'll leave that planet to find others with different resources, then set up a massive solar system-spanning production line that eventually expands across the galaxy. All of this with one goal in mind: to build a Dyson Sphere, a megastructure that encircles and harnesses the power of a sun. To say the game is big is an understatement.

Recently Dyson Sphere Program received an update titled the Dark Fog that added combat via a new alien threat of self-replicating machines aptly called the Dark Fog.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Zhou Xun, producer at developer YouthCat Games, about the Dark Fog update as well as the future of Dyson Sphere Program.

The Dark Fog Update

Destructoid: The new Dark Fog update is a very unique way to introduce combat to this already unique factory-building genre. What was the overall goal when adding Dark Fog to the game, and how did it get to its current state?

Zhou: The combat system was a key element of our original development plans, with The Dark Fog manifesting itself as a fleshed-out concept relatively early.

It was important that its role in the game made sense to the setting, so we landed on the concept of it being a self-replicating machine hive-mind, competing for energy to support the Centrebrain. Being an enemy that exists before the player begins their own Dyson Sphere Program, it creates an easy to believe and engaging conflict mechanic.

Once we locked down the ‘lore’ of the Dark Fog, next came identifying the visual elements to create something immediately identifiable to players. We wanted a sinister but luminous finish on their units, demonstrating their technological superiority from the outset. Their movement in large groups, seemingly endless in nature, gives them an incorporeal feel.

Our goal was to provide a juxtaposition to the calmer, peaceful building gameplay for players who wanted the extra challenge, and the visual flair the Dark Fog offers really brought this to life. For players looking for added excitement, it provides an entirely new way to play the game, and reinforces smart and considered building. Dyson Sphere Program has a dedicated and expert player base already, so it’s our job to give them an exciting change to the existing formula they know and love.

Destructoid: Is this the final form of Dark Fog, or do you plan to update and evolve the combat system even further?

Zhou: This update is just the beginning of getting to know the threat of The Dark Fog. Currently, most fights occur on ground level, with the scale of space battles starting off small.

We are building on this with the goal of creating large scale fights, with brand new space-based weapons, huge fleets and more so that players can match their aggression and take the war to their enemies.

We’re also exploring adding ‘ultimate’ weapons, which will enable players to remove the threat of the Dark Fog for good. We’re working diligently on enriching the combat experience and expanding on its promise, with the support of our community who have already offered excellent feedback.

Destructoid: I haven't gotten super far into the update but already the Dark Fog Hive is massive in my system, how big can the hive actually get? Also, how does the Dark Fog expand and assimilate other planets?

Zhou: The initial size of a hive resembles the scale of a planet, but this grows as it develops and expands. Eventually, players will be dealing with a monstrous star-sized hive, shaped like a giant, threatening snowflake. When players arrive on planets close to the orbit of a hive, they will soon see it loom over the skyline as it grows in size, which is a fun, if oppressive, visual.

The Dark Fog expands in two ways; between galaxies and within the same galaxy. Later growth stages will develop a seed which will travel to new galaxies and begin building there.

Each hive will also produce relay stations, moving between planets to establish bases. You may have seen these already, large machines that travel across planets, transporting energy and absorbing matter as they go.

So, overall, the Dark Fog is always developing, traveling and making new bases, which can be tracked in the starmap.

Destructoid: For players who may not know exactly how the system works, can you provide some insight to how this unique system adds a new enemy threat while also making sure they scale with players so that the player doesn't always feel rushed or like they are falling behind?

Zhou: In order to avoid either the player or The Dark Fog unfairly developing faster than each other, the Dark Fog system closely monitors the player’s data. Statistics such as power generation, power consumption and potential damage outputs are all tracked.

As this is a factory game power consumption, for example, is a vital performance indicator that demonstrates how a player is performing. A higher power use indicates an increase of output, which the Dark Fog will see as a growing threat. They understand that the more power you are using, the more likely you are to have the resources to attack them. From there, they will increase the amount of pressure they put on the player, resulting in more frequent attacks.

However, we also ensure that the Dark Fog isn’t able to outpace the player. As battles play out, the Dark Fog will gain experience, slowly building their power. So, if a player is passive, they will find the Dark Fog develops slowly, allowing them to stockpile defenses.

A highly aggressive player will find a worthy opponent, with more frequent attacks and higher damage output. This system is designed to ensure that each player faces a threat relative to their own, to keep the challenge balanced and rewarding.

The Dark Fog itself was designed with an almost biological, plant-based development in mind, one that grows slowly and roots itself into a world. We wanted to ensure they weren’t like other enemies in tower defense games, which tend to focus on attacks via a countdown or a gradual challenge increase beyond the player's control. The Dark Fog is a unique threat that has a logic to it, one that is controllable and integrates well with the existing automation factory gameplay. It means that players have to interact with it strategically and learn to work around the Dark Fog’s threat. For example, rushing to build a high-power use factory will lead to more attacks, but a considered, defensive approach will mean the Dark Fog is held at bay. However, the rewards for an offensive approach are highly valuable, which incentivizes players away from hiding behind gun turrets.

The future

Destructoid: Now that combat exists in Dyson Sphere Program, do you plan to add any more enemies or forces alongside the Dark Fog?

Zhou: Our first step is to optimize the current gameplay, and bring improvements to the combat system. From there, we will work on key goals for the combat update, and bring it to a baseline that allows for exciting gameplay in space and on the surface of planets.

It’s a great framework for further development, and beyond the launch of the 1.0 version, we’ll be creating more content to build it out.

Destructoid: This is truly a monumental update to an already massive game. What's next for Dyson Sphere Program?

Zhou: Optimization is a big part of our future plans, but there will be updates for the base game alongside this. Players were very excited for the combat update, and building on this will continue being a big focus for us. We want to ensure that we’re focusing on polishing the base game, and developing for a really strong experience for launch.

Destructoid: Any plans for additional free or paid big updates like this?

Zhou: The ‘Space Workstation’, a milestone reached during the crowdfunding campaign, is in development. This will be included as a free update for our players.

As for paid content, we haven’t made decisions on this yet as we still have a lot to consider about the game and rollout of future updates.

Our goal is to finish the content promised first, as that's what our audience deserves and expects. Once that's completed, we’ll take time to see if any ideas for future content are good enough and are worthy of our players' investment.

Destructoid: Even though DSP is in Early Access, it's extremely polished compared to most with that moniker. How long do you plan for DSP to be in Early Access and ideally what does the final product look like?

Zhou: We appreciate the compliment, it's great to hear what people are thinking about the game as it helps us to know we’re on the right track.

In all honesty, there are still many parts of the game that we feel are in their early access phase. UI, key settings, more and better localization are all areas we are constantly working on.

We’re conscious of the fact that a 1.0 launch can feel like a signal that developers are changing their focus, or even ending the development of the game. That’s not our approach; we want the game to reach the potential our players expect.

We currently don’t have a date for the 1.0 launch, as we have plenty of updates we want to test with our community. This will help the community generate their own expectations of what they feel a 1.0 version looks like, so that when we do decide to launch the game fully, it will feel deserved.

Dyson Sphere Program and the new Dark Fog update are currently available on Steam.

The post Interview: Dyson Sphere Program producer talks Dark Fog update and the future appeared first on Destructoid.

If you thought the idea of a live-action Final Fantasy XIV series sounded like a massive undertaking, you'd be right. One of the executive producers, Dinesh Shamdasani of Hivemind Entertainment, recently confirmed that the project has been canceled. 

When asked about the status of the live-action Final Fantasy XIV on Twitter, Shamdasani straight up said it's "dead." While they had a "fantastic pilot script" by Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton (Winter's Knight) and a multi-season plan, everything was rejected. According to Shamdasani, it was the risk inherent to the "size and scale" of the project that ultimately did it in. Apparently, Amazon came the closest to footing the bill for this one. 

Writer Jake Thornton chimed in, as well, citing Covid as one of the culprits behind the decision. "We took it out just as studios began to zip up their purse strings," Thornton added. 

As for whether or not animation would be more suitable for something like Final Fantasy XIV, Shamdasani was quick to put an end to any further hope for the series, at least for now. Not only did he say that animation would be more difficult, he mentioned that they no longer have the rights to the title. 

Eorzea out of sight

Plans for the live-action Final Fantasy XIV were first revealed back in 2019, and had Square Enix teaming up with Sony Pictures Television and Hivemind. The initial announcement promised a new story set in Eorzea along with series mainstays like Chocobos, airships, and even the "live-action debut of Cid."

Hivemind previously worked with Netflix on The Witcher and with Amazon on The Expanse, so the experience and potential was there. For the time being, at least we'll always have Dad of Light. 

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Announced in September, we've been awaiting confirmation as to when the Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition would launch on PC. Today, Sony gave us our answer.

The Complete Edition dropped for PlayStation 5 on October 6. It brought with it a slew of bonus content on top of the revered Burning Shores expansion. All of this will be included within the PC Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition, now slated to release on March 21.

The majority of the PC Complete Edition's content is similar to that of the PlayStation 5 version, But the PC port has some additional bells and whistles that will excite those with more heftier hardware. PC players will have the option to unlock frame rates, personalize their graphics settings, and enjoy advanced performance features like NVIDIA's DLSS 3 upscaling and frame generation.

As for monitors, ultra-wide support has been implemented so that PC players can enjoy all of Forbidden West's incredible environments. You'll have the ability to go as far as a triple monitor setup, with resolution options including 21:9, 32:9, and 48:9.

Mouse and keyboard controls are fully customizable, of course. Steam Input support is implemented so that you can remap your controller of choice. Including the PlayStation DualSense which allows PC players to enjoy Guerilla Games' use of the controller's haptic feedback abilities.

As for the Complete Edition's bonus content, there are a handful of new outfits and weapons that will be available for download. Also included are a resource pack, an Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike Piece, and an exclusive Photo Mode pose and face paint that's only in the Complete Edition. You can get the full breakdown over on the PlayStation Blog.

PC players can begin playing the Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition on March 21. If you've yet to check out Forbidden West, you should. It's pretty great.

The post Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition ventures onto PC in March appeared first on Destructoid.