Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the next title in the Legends spin-off series. It is arriving on October 16th for both Nintendo and Nintendo Switch 2, and players can try the game early at both the 2025 Pokemon World Championships and Gamescom before launch day. From these demos, new information about the game is being revealed, including a big change from Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This change brings in an important feature from the mainline games that is necessary for Pokemon Legends: Z-A to work. It remains to be seen, but this will likely have an interesting effect on the new battle system used in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

Held items are returning in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. This mechanic was absent from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and has been restored. This may seem obvious, as Pokemon must hold a Mega Stone to Mega Evolve, but The Pokemon Company and Game Freak could have implemented a different method for Mega Evolution.

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Leaks revealed this information, and it appears items will be on a cooldown in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. This is in line with how Pokemon moves work and will prevent players from just spamming potions or other items. However, it is a little unclear if this cooldown applies to both held items and regular items.

While many players are happy to see held items return in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, some are disappointed that abilities are still absent. Abilities are a pivotal part of how Pokemon function in the mainline games. Balancing these with Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s new battle system may have proved too challenging during development, and this may be why abilities were left out.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A features a focus on battling, unlike Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ focus on exploration. This is likely another main reason why held items are returning in this spin-off series, outside of the necessity for Mega Evolution. Held items can have a huge impact on a battle in the mainline game, and this may also be true in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

While fans wait for Generation 10, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be a fun and unique experience. It is doubtful that its battle system will replace the mainline battle system, but it is a fun experiment. Pokemon Champions is also on the horizon and will see the reintroduction of Mega Evolution to competitive Pokemon.

Are you excited for Pokemon Legends: Z-A? Share your feelings in the comments below, we’d love to talk about it with you!

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A is poised to introduce new Mega Evolutions, with Mega Dragonite being the first to be seen. This new Mega Evolution has caused some controversy, with some fans loving the new design and seeing Dragonite finally get a Mega Evolution. However, a vocal group has expressed its disdain for this design, with many calling it ugly. This has drawn attention to other Mega Pokemon in the past that have hated designs.

While most Mega Evolutions give Pokemon a visual upgrade, some have not had that effect. Many Mega Evolution designs are ugly or lazy, leaving fans of these Pokemon disappointed. Here are five of the worst-designed Mega Pokemon that may or may not appear in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

1) Mega Slowbro

Mega Slowbro’s design is questionable to the point that you have to wonder what Game Freak was thinking. Instead of simply taking a bite out of Slowbro’s tail, the shell has now almost completely engulfed the Water and Psychic-type Pokemon. However, somehow Slowbro’s arms and tail have managed to poke through, and the shell has changed color. Of all the possible designs, this one just looks bad, and I’d prefer just to use Slowbro to avoid looking at this abomination.

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Mega Slowbro doesn’t just look goofy, but its stat increases leave something to be desired. The buff to Special Attack is nice, but did it need the massive increase to Defense? Considering it is already bulky on the physical side, splitting some of this buff to Special Defense would have been a welcome choice. Shell Armor is an okay ability, but it doesn’t feel any more meaningful than its original abilities.

2) Mega Kangaskhan

Mega Kangaskhan is one of the laziest designs in Pokemon. All it does is have the baby Kangaskhan climb out of Kangaskhan’s pouch, allowing it to fight beside its parent. If this is the route The Pokemon Company and Game Freak wanted to go, it would have been cool to see a more grown-up juvenile Kangaskhan. Not only would this give a new design, but it would justify the baby climbing out of its pouch.

That said, Mega Kangaskhan was one of the most dominant Mega Pokemon before it got nerfed. The combo of Power Up Punch and Parental Bond was incredibly broken. Even after the nerf, Mega Kangaskhan was a force to be reckoned with. This just shows how overtuned the Pokemon was and how much it changed the competitive scene.

3) Mega Latios/Mega Latias

While Mega Kangaskhan is one of the laziest designs for a Mega Evolution, Latios and Latias are right up there with it. The designs themselves are fine, but they are the exact same, aside from the eye color. While red and blue do combine to make purple, why did both have to be purple? The Pokemon Company and Game Freak should have kept their colors the same, and this would have made their designs more tolerable.

That said, it would have been nice to see Latias and Latios change up their design to be separate from one another. With the jet plane design, the designers could have taken real-life aircraft and used two different ones for inspiration. This would give the two Pokémon a more unique identity and help them stand out compared to their regular forms.

4) Mega Ampharos

There is a reason why everyone calls Mega Ampharos Fabio. The Electric Pokemon was already goofy-looking, but the wig just takes this over the top. The fluffy tail does look nice and would have been fine on its own, or paired with a less dramatic hairstyle. The saying “less is more” comes to mind when looking at Mega Ampharos.

Mega Ampharos’ stats are okay as a whole. The increase to Special Attack is the most, and the loss to Speed does make it a more viable Trick Room sweeper. But Mold Breaker is a questionable choice for an ability. The only real perk this offers is being able to bypass Lightning Rod and Volt Absorb with its Electric attacks. While fine, Static just has more value due to the chance to cause paralysis.

5) Mega Salamence

Speaking of aircraft, Mega Salamence goes from looking like a dragon to a fighter jet. The wings for Mega Salamence look ridiculous and don’t fit the overall design of the Pokemon. The rest of it looks fine, but would benefit from a redesign that aims for a more dragon-like appearance. The other Dragon-type Pokemon have gone this route, either highlighting the dragon elements or accenting a new type, such as Mega Altaria’s new Fairy-type.

Stat and ability-wise, Mega Salamence falls into the same category as Mega Kangaskhan. It’s incredibly powerful and had to be nerfed to try and balance it. With its offensive stats being spread out rather than focused strictly on Attack, Mega Salamence could fit either a physical or special sweeper, making it more flexible than Mega Kangaskhan.

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The biggest Xbox Game Pass game of August 2025 is yet to release. Xbox Game Pass has been a little slow lately after a blistering couple of months that saw subscribers enjoying day one games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and most recently, Abiotic Factor. That said, this is fairly typical of Xbox Game Pass. There are typically two slow periods: December and January, and then the first two thirds of summer. In the case of the latter, things usually start to pick up at the end of August, when video game releases start picking back up. To this end, one of the biggest games of August 2025 comes out at the end of the month, and it will be available via on Xbox Game Pass the moment it does.

What is coming to Xbox Game Pass subscribers at the end of the month? Well, on August 26, Sumo Digital, Disbelief, and Xbox Game Studios are set to deliver Gears of War Reloaded, a remaster of the first Gears of War game that will be free for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition owners and free with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

This is separate from Xbox Game Pass, but what makes this release even more notable is the game is going to introduce the series to PlayStation consoles for the first time. Interestingly, on the same day PlayStation will introduce Helldivers 2 on Xbox for the first time. This is not as consequential because Helldivers is not synonymous with PlayStation like Gears of War is Xbox, but it is an interesting coincidence.

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Playing it Right Away

What is important to remember with this release is you are going to want to play it right away. The legendary campaign of the first Gears of War can be played at any time, however, the multiplayer is going to fade. There will likely always be a playerbase for it throughout this console generation, but over time this will filter down into a hyper competitive and small pool of hardcore players. The vast majority of players are going to stop playing in a few weeks, or a few months at best, so it will be important to play Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer the moment it releases to maximize the experience.

Prequel Coming Soon

What also juices the significance of this release and addition to Xbox Game Pass is the fact that a prequel to this game, Gears of War: E-Day is the next Gears of War game and expected to release sometime in 2026. As a prequel, it can technically be enjoyed without experiencing the games that come after it, but having played at the first Gears of War game should go a long way in enhancing the experience of Gears of War: E-Day, one of 2026’s biggest releases.

For more Xbox Game Pass coverage and general Xbox coverage — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

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The best Ubisoft game of all time is currently available for just $2.49 thanks to a hearty 75 percent discount. Ubisoft has been around since 1986, which means it has released a metric ton of great video games over the years. In the process, it has accumulated IP and franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Rayman, Watch Dogs, The Division, Rainbow Six, Just Dance, Prince of Persia, and so on. You only get a wealth of IP like this when you are regularly pumping out high quality games. And arguably its highest-quality game to date is Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, a 2005 release and its highest-rated game to date thanks to a 94 on Metacritic.

Those that have never played this all-time great stealth game can remedy this by forking over just $2.49. While the Ubisoft classic was available on Xbox and PlayStation 2 when it released, this deal is exclusive to PC and Steam. On top of this, the deal is only available for a limited time. Come August 24, the 75 percent discount will expire and the Ubisoft game will revert back to its normal price point.

More Dirt Cheap Ubisoft Games

As noted above, Ubisoft sits on a mountain of IP. And almost all of it is on sale across PlayStation Store, Steam, and more. This includes other Tom Clancy games, and even Splinter Cell games specifically. For example, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist is also currently on sale for 75% off, courtesy of Steam, which means it has been discounted to just $7.49.

A Timely Deal

Splinter Cell may not feel like a very relevant series in 2025, since the latest Splinter Cell game is 12 years old, and that is the aforementioned Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist. However, Ubisoft is planning to change this. Not only is Ubisoft working on a new Splinter Cell game, a remake, but an animated series is also in the works at Netflix. Suffice to say, Splinter Cell is not only making a comeback, but a significant one. This means now is a great time to familiarize yourself with it, and there is no better entry to do this with than Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, the best Splinter Cell game to date, the best Ubisoft game to date, and one of the best video games of all time.

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Not only is this deal timely, but noteworthy because the Ubisoft game has never been cheaper than this, and it is unlikely to ever be cheaper than this. It is actually a series that doesn’t go on sale as much as other Ubisoft IP. For example, unsurprisingly, there are only two Splinter Cell discounts right now, while almost the entire Far Cry series is on sale between the PlayStation Store and Steam. To this end, now is a great time to jump on this deal as it will be a while before it is discounted again and it’s never going to be cheaper than this.

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Capcom is one of the most historic third-party developers in video game history. The Japanese company was founded in 1979 and got into console game development in 1985. Since then, it’s given players fan-favorite series like Mega Man, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and countless other best-sellers. And to its credit, Capcom has continued to grow and innovate throughout its long history, successfully keeping its status as one of the industry’s best publishers and developers throughout several console generations. With hundreds of games and dozens of iconic series, it can be tough to pick a favorite Capcom game. Below, I’ve put together a list of the 10 best Capcom games of all time.

This list is presented in ranked order, and I’ve done my best to include games from several franchises to capture the breadth of Capcom’s gigantic catalog.

10) Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations

Most games in the Ace Attorney series are worth playing, but Trials and Tribulations takes the cake for me as the end-cap of the original trilogy. Director Shu Takumi took the more episodic format of the first two games and introduced a more concrete overarching plot, giving the series a darker tone. While it didn’t introduce any new gameplay mechanics, Trials and Tribulations was a fitting end to the original trilogy.

9) Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

Capcom has its share of great fighting games (we’ll get another one below), but MvC’s brand of tag team fighter has always been a fan-favorite. MvC 2 is the best of the bunch thanks to its frenetic pace and gorgeous visuals. The one big downside is that the early versions of MvC 2 didn’t include online multiplayer outside Japan. Once Capcom added that support, tag team fighter fans were feasting.

8) Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the more ambitious games from Capcom in the last decade. It’s not a perfect game, but the sheer scope of what it’s attempting with its pawn system and emergent narrative is staggering. If you want a game to lose yourself in, there aren’t many better than Dragon’s Dogma 2.

7) Okami

Let’s be frank, Okami is one of the best-looking games of all time. The cell-shaded graphics are stunning, and it’s a shame that it was released so late into the PlayStation 2’s life cycle. That doomed the game (and Clover Studios), but thankfully, it’s been ported to modern platforms and recognized for its beautiful art and original gameplay.

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6) Mega Man 2

Mega Man 2 might have the best soundtrack in video game history. Add in the classic Mega Man combat and a slew of great boss characters, and you have the series’ best game. Mega Man X and Mega Man 3 get close to taking the title, but fall just short of this all-time classic.

5) Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening

Nearly every Devil May Cry game is worth a try. Capcom’s action-adventure series has always pushed style to the max with great success. That said, DMC 3 stands out as the best of the bunch, though Devil May Cry 5 gets relatively close. There just aren’t many games that will make you feel cooler as you slice through hordes of enemies and solve puzzles.

4) Monster Hunter World

In many ways, Monster Hunter World is Capcom’s greatest achievement. It took a series that hardcore fans loved and made it more accessible, which led to over 44 million copies sold. That’s more than 10 million copies more than any other Capcom game, easily making it the best-selling game in the company’s history. As many players’ first Monster Hunter game, World was an excellent starting point, mixing incredible core gameplay with a slightly easier learning curve for new players.

3) Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 Remake stands right next to Monster Hunter World as the games that helped usher Capcom into the modern era. The remake of the classic Resident Evil game took that old game and injected so much new life. Mr. X’s constant presence was the standout feature, but the real star of the show is the map itself.

Resident Evil 2 Remake turns the Raccoon City police station into one big puzzle, forcing you to plan every trip perfectly, so you can stay out of Mr. X’s deadly reach. It’s a masterclass in game design that the developers have been chasing since.

2) Street Fighter 2

You can pick whichever version of Street Fighter 2 you want, and to be clear, there are a lot of them. Either way, this is the fighting game for many players in the ’90s. When it launched in 1991, it quickly became a top-seller across all platforms. It’s been speculated that, between console ports and arcades, Street Fighter 2 has earned around $10 billion. It pumped new life into the arcades and spawned a multi-media franchise. On top of all that, it still holds up as a great fighter.

1) Resident Evil Remake

The original Resident Evil’s GameCube remake squeaks by Street Fighter 2 as Capcom’s best game. Simply put, this is the game that started the company’s best series, but even better. Director Shinji Mikami took his original design and made a game that better matched his original vision, given the increased hardware capability of the GameCube. And even if Capcom decides to remake Resident Evil again, it will be tough to live up to this game, because it’s highly unlikely that Mikami will return to the studio.

Regardless, this is the game that introduced us to so many important characters and design elements in Resident Evil’s long history. It showed us how great a remake could be if given the proper care. Resident Evil Remake has gone on to release on nearly every major platform, giving new fans an easy way to check out this all-time classic.

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PlayStation Plus subscribers at the PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium tiers could be set to lose upward of 22 PS4 and PS5 games in September. For adding games to the middle and most expensive tier of PlayStation Plus, developers and publishers typically work out either one-year contracts with Sony or two-year contracts with Sony. There are, of course, exceptions to this, but generally speaking this a pretty consistent pattern. As a result, it makes predicting what games are going to leave PlayStation Plus any given month possible. To this end, back in July we relayed word that PlayStation Plus was probably going to lose The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in August, and then this month it happened. Suffice to say, what PlayStation Plus free games are leaving next month can’t be predicted with 100% accuracy, but it is also a far cry from throwing darts in the dark.

All of that said, here are the games that were added to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium in September 2024, and thus their contracts could expire next month: Far Cry 5, The Plucky Squire, Under the Waves, Night in the Woods, Pistol Whip, Chernobylite, Space Engineers, Ben 10, Road 96, Wild Card Football, Secret Agent Clank, Doom I + Doom II Enhanced, SkyGunner, and Mister Mosquito.

Meanwhile, here are the games added to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium in September 2023, and thus could leave next month after their two-year contracts run out: This War of Mine, Contra: Rogue Corps, Odin Sphere, Call of the Sea, West of Dead, Tails Noir, Dragon’s Crown, and Paw Patrol: Adventure City Calls.

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There is no guarantee any of these PlayStation Plus games will depart, but there’s a good chance at least some of them, if not most of them, will. There aren’t any massive departures in this list, but Far Cry 5 is a noteworthy AAA game. Meanwhile, there are some good indies such as Night in the Woods, The Plucky Squire (which we particularly enjoyed when it released last year), and Pistol Whip.

What hardcore PlayStation fans will hope is not leaving is Ratchet and Clank spin-off, Secret Agent Clank, a great PSP exclusive. The idea that a PlayStation game would leave PlayStation Plus sounds implausible, but it does happen. Until we get official word though, remember to take everything above with a grain of salt. There is historical context backing up this speculation, but it is still speculation nonetheless.

H/T, Reddit.

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Battlefield appears to be looking to copy the Call of Duty strategy of having a new release every single year. Call of Duty has dominated the industry for many, many years now as a regular best-selling title. It is a reliable franchise that is always available every single holiday season and offers a high-value package with campaign, multiplayer, and a co-op mode. The ability to have a new game every year is what has allowed it to be so successful, though some have argued that has compromised its quality. With that said, Battlefield seems to be moving in the direction of Call of Duty.

Battlefield has had a fairly consistent cadence with new releases every 2 – 3 years, but Battlefield 6 has had the longest development cycle. The new game comes four years after Battlefield 2042, a game that did immense damage to the franchise. It was necessary, though, as the team was able to really identify how to make a better Battlefield game in that time. Now, Battlefield 6 is being hailed as one of the next great FPS games and could restore the series to its former glory with a smooth launch. However, the series could be headed to something a bit controversial in the coming years.

Battlefield May Copy Call of Duty’s Yearly Release Structure

According to analyst Michael Pachter, Battlefield General Manager Byron Beede told him that Battlefield Studios is developing a plan that would allow the series to become annualized by the 2030s. At that time, the series would have three studios working on a rotation, similar to Call of Duty. This would likely be DICE, Ripple Effect, and EA Motive, alternating like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games do on Call of Duty. It’s unclear if Battlefield would use this to make games in different eras or styles, such as one that is the typical modern day shooter, one that’s in a historical war like World War II, and maybe something more unique like Battlefield: Hardline which was a police-centric spin-off.

Of course, this is all hearsay. Pachter could be misquoting Beede, given he didn’t provide an exact quote. However, Beede and his cohort Vince Zampella both used to hold big roles on the Call of Duty franchise. They may seek to use lessons learn to try and emulate or improve the Call of Duty formula. Either way, it doesn’t sound like the best way to make Battlefield games. It’s a franchise that has longevity. People still play Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 1, games that are both about a decade old. By churning them out, it may kill that replayability factor as there won’t be time to grow any kind of significant attachment to the games.

With this plan being at least five years away, a ton could change, especially if Battlefield 6 maintains long-term engagement from its fans. If the team sees that players are willing to keep playing one game, there may not be need for multiple on a consistent basis. Maybe EA will come out and deny this approach altogether, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Battlefield 6 will release on October 10th for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.

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Over the last few weeks, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has been holding a series of events centered around the Legendary Pokemon of Paldea. The Pokemon Company is going to have Mystery Gift distributions for the Shiny versions of Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu, but there’s a big catch attached: players must collectively defeat the four Pokemon in 1 million Tera Raids each. Players easily cleared the Wo-Chien requirement earlier this month, with a total of 6,078,885 victories in total. Now The Pokemon Company is reporting that players have also cleared the necessary requirement with Chien-Pao, as well.

According to Pokemon’s official Japanese Twitter account, players have defeated Chien-Pao 2,956,622 times. At the time of this writing, there’s still some time left in the event, so it remains to be seen what the final total will be. Once the event ends at 4:59 p.m. PT on August 17th, Ting-Lu will start to appear in Tera Raids. Players will have until Sunday, August 31st at 4:59 p.m. PT to hit the 1 million Raid requirement. Unless players start to get a little complacent, there shouldn’t be much trouble for the community to handle that one just as easily.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for the Shiny Chien-Pao distribution to begin. Once that goes live, players will be able to claim the Legendary through the Mystery Gift option. All of these Legendary Pokemon were Shiny locked, so this is currently the only legitimate method of getting these Pokemon. When the event was announced last month, there was some concern from fans that the requirements were too steep. However, it’s clear that players clearly aren’t letting this opportunity pass them by, and that’s a very good thing.

Ting-Lu has a Ground Tera type, so players should plan accordingly for the next round of Tera Battles. Ideally, players will want a Pokemon that has strong Grass, Ice, or Water-type moves. Ting-Lu will likely have some Dark-type moves in its arsenal as well, so players will definitely want to avoid bringing in a Pokemon that also has Psychic or Ghost as part of its typing. For example, you might have a strong Decidueye, but as a Grass/Ghost-type, it’s going to struggle against Ting-Lu.

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Between Ting-Lu Raids, players might want to keep an eye out for Mass Outbreaks taking place throughout Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s three regions. The three Pokemon that are being spotlighted all follow the same Ground-type pattern. In Paldea, Wooper’s regional variant will be appearing throughout the event. Meanwhile, Kitakami will have Mudbray, and Blueberry Academy will have Drilbur. Players will have an increased chance of finding the Shiny versions of each of these Pokemon, so there’s a good incentive to check out the specific areas in which each Mass Outbreak is occurring during the event.

Are you excited for the next round of events in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Did you join in for any of these Tera Raid battles? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Players Clear Requirements for New Shiny Pokemon Distribution appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Larian Studios really created something special with Baldur’s Gate 3. The game both captures the joy of Dungeons & Dragons and creates its own immersive world. And the replayability is off the charts, as your choices can truly craft a whole different tale. The high caliber of Baldur’s Gate 3 can make it tough to know what to play next after the end credits roll. But even if nothing will ever be exactly like romancing Astarion or rescuing the owlbear cub for the first time, these excellent games come pretty close.

Before we dive in, a quick honorable mention. The previous Larian Studios title, Divinity: Original Sin 2, is an obvious pick to play after BG3 if you haven’t yet. I’m leaving it off the official list for some deeper cuts, but didn’t want to totally leave it in the dark since it’s a great tactical RPG from the same team that brought us BG3. Similarly, prior Baldur’s Gate titles are a pretty obvious choice here, if you’ve yet to visit them. But if you’re looking outside the Larian/Baldur’s Gate box, here are the best games that will live up to the hype after Baldur’s Gate 3.

1. Bloomtown: A Different Story

Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam

Price: $24.99

Bloomtown: A Different Story is the “hear me out” pick on my list. But seriously, hear me out. This one earns its spot for being an indie game that does something different, creating an engaging and in-depth story that’s not quite like anything you’ve played before. If you enjoyed Baldur’s Gate 3 for the turn-based battles and the slightly dark undertones, Bloomtown may well hold up for you, too. It did for me.

This game is sort of Stranger Things meets Stardew Valley. By day, you hang out in an old rundown town. By night, you delve into the Underside to fight and collect demons. And you do it through turn-based battles with an impressively addictive soundtrack. It’s quite a different game from Baldur’s Gate 3 in many ways, but it gave me a similar sense of satisfaction to play.

2. Tavern Talk

Platform(s): PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch

Price: $17.99 for PC, $21.99 for Switch

If you really enjoyed the Dungeons & Dragons style storytelling, but need a break from tough combat decisions, Tavern Talk is for you. Tavern Talk is a visual novel with fantasy elements. You’ll be the “narrator” of this story, as the tavernkeep who compiles and assigns adventures. But the drinks you serve can be the difference between life and death.

While this game doesn’t have a similar playstyle to Baldur’s Gate 3, it will similarly impress players who enjoyed Larian’s iconic RPG. The fantasy storytelling is top-notch, and your choices do matter. Like Larian, the devs didn’t pull punches here, and you can definitely wind up spiraling from the consequences of your actions. I still think about what happened during one of my playthroughs, and it’s been ages.

3. Pillars of Eternity

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam

Price: $29.99

Pillars of Eternity comes from another stellar developer who has done wonders with existing IP, Obsidian Entertainment. And it has earned its place among iconic RPGs tahnks to its in-depth exploration, difficult dungeons, and engaging story. For those who like Baldur’s Gate 3 for being a D&D-style RPG with in-depth mechanics, this one’s for you.

There’s plenty here that makes it a suitable game to play after Baldur’s Gate 3. Character customization won’t be quite as detailed, but you can choose your race, class, and skills similar to how you craft a character in BG3. And the story’s reputation system offers that same sense that choices matter as you explore a beautifully rendered world. Plus, Pillars of Eternity 2 is right there for you to sink into when you wrap up this one.

4. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam

Price: $19.99

In so many ways, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a clear predecessor to Baldur’s Gate 3. When I picked this one up, I couldn’t believe how similar the overall gameplay style is. This game is a bit older and a bit less polished, but it’s still a natural next step after Baldur’s Gate 3, especially if you’re a fan of the Pathfinder world and lore.

Like Baldur’s Gate 3, this game features turn-based or real-time combat options and a similar party management system. It’s a bit more railroady than open-ended, but still offers plenty of exploration and choices to help shape your story. You won’t get to customize your character’s appearance, but you will choose classes, stats, and generally fill out your virtual Pathfinder character sheet. This game isn’t perfect, but it will really bring you back to that BG3 feel all over again and deliver on the high expectations Larian set with its gem of a game.

5. Clair Obsur: Expedition 33

Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam

Price: $49.99

When it comes to massively successful, impressively in-depth games from indie studios, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is right up there with Baldur’s Gate 3. This narrative-driven game delivers a devastatingly gripping story, pulling you along for the ride. It’s got a fantasy setting with a slightly different feel thanks to the French inspiration, so it won’t feel too much like you’re trying to relive your Baldur’s Gate 3 glory days.

But that’s not to say it won’t feel just as epic. Clair Obcur: Expedition 33 features turn-based combat enhanced with real-time actions, giving it a similar flow to what you can get out of Baldur’s Gate 3. It also has well-written characters and beautiful graphics, making it equally immersive to ensure you’ll lose just as many hours to it as you did Baldur’s Gate 3. In terms of games that hold up after experiencing 2023’s Game of the Year, Clair Obscur takes the crown.

The post 5 Games That Lived Up to Expectations After Completing Baldur’s Gate 3 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is set to be released before the end of the year. Nintendo has yet to announce exactly when it’s coming, but the latest from Retro Studios is positioned as one of the company’s big games to close out 2025. We don’t know how the finished product will turn out, but things seem very promising so far. Regardless, the game’s existence is a testament to Nintendo’s faith in Retro as a developer, and it says a lot about how the company’s approach to its studios differs from Xbox and PlayStation.

Retro Studios has had a tough 11 years. After releasing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Wii U in 2014, the developer has had basically nothing else come out. The team apparently spent several years working on a never-announced music-based RPG. According to podcaster Reese “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly, the game turned out to be “a huge disaster,” and Nintendo eventually pulled the plug. After facing similar problems with Metroid Prime 4 (which was initially in development at another studio), Nintendo rebooted development from scratch in 2019, with Retro now back at the helm.

Metroid Prime 4’s Long Development Time Exemplifies Nintendo’s Studio Approach

It’s hard not to compare Nintendo’s handling of Retro to the way that things have played out at a lot of PlayStation and Xbox-owned studios over the last few years. In fact, the situation at Retro has some eerie similarities to Xbox’s handling of Rare. The UK-based studio apparently began working on Everwild in 2014, with the game being announced officially in 2019. After an 11-year development cycle, that game was cancelled by Xbox in 2025. The cancellation happened as 9,000 staffers were let go from Xbox-owned studios, with an unrevealed number of layoffs taking place at Rare. While both teams were working on projects for several years that didn’t pan out, there were no mass layoffs at Retro, and the company’s developers were instead reassigned to something that proved to be a better fit.

Part of the reason Nintendo has found so much success with its studios is because it hasn’t tried to acquire huge teams. Nintendo’s approach to smaller acquisitions has been beneficial, both to the company and the developers. It gives Nintendo a better chance to work closely with its teams and figure out potential problems early. Retro Studios is one example, but we’ve seen Nintendo invest in small teams more recently. One example is Next Level Games, a studio Nintendo acquired in 2021 after working with them for several years. Next Level Games might not be as big of a name as Bethesda or Bungie, but the studio’s partnership with Nintendo resulted in the massively successful Luigi’s Mansion 3, which has sold more than 14 million copies since 2019. Investing in smaller teams versus giant publishers has made it easier for Nintendo to manage its acquisitions, identify problems earlier, and avoid mass layoffs.

Gaming Industry Layoffs Haven’t Hit Nintendo — Why?

During a difficult time for the company in 2013, Nintendo’s then-CEO Satoru Iwata told shareholders, “If we reduce the number of employees for better short-term financial results, employee morale will decrease. I sincerely doubt that employees who fear that they may be laid off will be able to develop software titles that could impress people around the world.” While Iwata died in 2015, that philosophy clearly seems to be continuing at Nintendo. The company could have laid off employees at Retro after the team’s music-based RPG failed to come together. It could have even closed the studio altogether, which it acquired back in 2002. But it would have been at the cost of Metroid Prime 4, which was the best game that I played at the Nintendo Switch 2 media event back in April.

Acquisitions and mergers have always been a part of the video game industry, but the last five years have seen Xbox and PlayStation locked in an acquisition arms race, with Xbox buying the massive Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, and PlayStation seemingly responding by purchasing Bungie. While those moves might prove worth it in the long term, they have both had significant consequences. After the Bungie purchase, Xbox found itself saddled with the disappointing Redfall, and closed Arkane Austin just a year later. PlayStation’s investment in Bungie doesn’t seem to be paying off, either. The move was supposed to help PlayStation’s live-service strategy, which has already seen several games cancelled. As a result, mass layoffs took place at the studio last summer.

How Nintendo Stands Out From Xbox & PlayStation In Today’s Industry

In an era where cancellations, studio closures, and mass layoffs are a tragically common occurrence in the video game industry, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond stands as a testament to what can be achieved with patience and strong guidance; if Everwild truly was in a state where it needed to be cancelled, someone at Xbox should have identified the problem sooner. It remains to be seen how Metroid Prime 4 will turn out, and if sales will justify Nintendo’s decision-making over the last 11 years. However, at the end of the day, Nintendo can afford some monetary losses, especially if it means happier employees and quality experiences for those that buy platforms like Switch and Switch 2. There’s a lesson to be learned in all that. Hopefully, PlayStation and Xbox can figure out a better way to manage the high level of talent they both have.

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Are you looking forward to Metroid Prime 4? Do you think Nintendo has done a better job managing the teams it acquires? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post Metroid Prime 4 Shows Just How Nintendo Is Different From Xbox & PlayStation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In 2024, Nintendo surprised a lot of people when it announced the acquisition of a new studio. Nintendo is no stranger to acquisitions; the company has strategically looked for studios that help fill specific needs in its software lineup. However, most of those development teams were acquired for the purpose of creating exclusive games. By contrast, Nintendo purchased developer Shiver Entertainment specifically to “port and develop software for multiple platforms, including Nintendo Switch.” Shiver had previously ported games like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 to Switch, and it seems Nintendo was impressed with the team’s work.

It seems Shiver has jumped right back into this familiar role in the Switch 2 era. According to a posting on LinkedIn (spotted by Nintendo Everything), the studio handled development on the Nintendo Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25. As we reported last month following the game’s release, the game’s performance has gotten a lot of praise from players. While there’s been some unhappiness with the removal of the Community Creations feature, the port seems to run pretty well. That’s a good sign of things to come for future Switch 2 ports.

Nintendo’s acquisition of a studio solely dedicated to working with third-party publishers on ports is a sign of just how much things have changed for the company. There was a point where Nintendo seemed to put a lot less focus on the importance of third-party games on its platforms. That negligence really hurt a lot of past Nintendo systems, to the benefit of companies like PlayStation and Xbox. Switch saw a big shift, and the system received the best third-party support a Nintendo platform has had since the days of the Super Nintendo. The system got an absolute plethora of games from major studios, as well as indie teams.

Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing what Shiver will work on next. There’s no shortage of third-party games that went unreleased on Switch that can (and should) be released on Switch 2. If Nintendo can speed up the process by having Shiver work on high priority ports, it could really benefit Switch 2. The system has been selling very well for Nintendo since launch, but its long-term success will largely depend on a steady stream of games. Not just exclusives, but big third-party games that are available elsewhere.

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Hopefully we’ll learn more about Nintendo’s future plans soon, as there have been rumors about a Nintendo Direct presentation in the month of September. Nintendo closed out July with a Partner Showcase focused entirely on third-party games. The company followed that in August with an Indie World showcase, but there has been no sign of a “general” Nintendo Direct. The company has typically held Nintendo Direct presentations in the month of September, which gives some credibility to those rumors. However, we’ll have to wait patiently to see what gets announced.

Do you think the acquisition of Shiver was a smart move for Nintendo? What ports should the team be assigned to next? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post New Nintendo Studio Is Responsible for a Surprising Switch 2 Game appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The enigmatic Waluigi emerged from the shadows in 2000 for a game of tennis, and this weird, tall, purple dude has been a fixture in Mario sports and party games ever since. Without a proper backstory, the character of Waluigi is shrouded in mystery. Yet, he’s developed a cult following in his 25 years of existence due to his underdog status and chaotic nature.

There are very few concrete facts widely known about Waluigi, other than that he hates Luigi for vague reasons, he probably has a crush on Princess Daisy, and Nintendo stubbornly refuses to put him as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. But we’ve gone down in the depths of Waluigi lore, with some interesting findings that even the most devoted Mario fans may not know.

1) Waluigi (Sort Of) First Appeared In A Manga

Technically, this first factoid is a bit of a stretch, but in a manga adaptation of the Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, which had Wario’s first appearance, a character named Waluigi appeared, ahead of Waluigi’s proper debut several years later.

However, this iteration of Waluigi is a result of Luigi giving into his “dark side” rather than being an original character. His design is also quite different, lacking the L-shaped mustache and featuring a W and L on his hat rather than an upside-down L.

2) Waluigi Has An AI Phenomenon Named After Him

The rising influence of AI and large language models (LLMs) in our real-life society has broken everyone’s brains, and there’s one phenomenon twisted enough that it’s actually named after Waluigi. The so-called “Waluigi effect” refers to when an LLM or chatbot “goes rogue” and behaves in ways against its original intention.

It’s hard to track exactly who coined the phrase, but it’s a well-known enough theory that it has its own Wikipedia page. Waluigi always strives for popularity, but this probably isn’t how he imagined he would reach it.

3) Wario And Waluigi Aren’t Brothers

The relationship between Wario and Waluigi has been up for debate for as long as anyone can remember, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that they have no familial relationship. Comments from developers, flavor text from various official games, and even offhand pieces of dialogue from the games have confirmed that they aren’t brothers.

So how did Waluigi emerge, and why does he hang out with Wario all the time, other than their shared dislike of the Mario brothers? Do the two even like each other? These are questions that perhaps will never be answered.

4) Waluigi Cameo’d In A WarioWare Game

Waluigi infamously has never appeared in a mainline Mario or Wario game, but he does appear in a WarioWare game in some form. One of the “souvenir” extras that players can unlock in WarioWare Gold for the Nintendo 3DS is Wario’s amiibo Sketch. Wario offers to paint any character based on what amiibo you scan on your 3DS, and Waluigi is one of the many ones you can scan.

It’s a rather crude drawing of Waluigi, barely capturing the proper shape of his mustache, but it does accurately depict his height and sniveling nature. To be fair, the rest of Wario’s character drawings look as bad, too.

5) Waluigi Has One Role As A Main Villain

One spin-off game that Mario fans probably jettisoned from their memory is Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, which is exactly what you think it is. This dancing game from Konami features a story mode, and the inciting incident has Waluigi break into the Truffle Towers to steal some Macguffins known as the Music Keys.

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It’s the first, and really the only time, that Waluigi has been featured as a main antagonist. Even so, the player defeats him in a dance-off fairly early on, and he’s never seen again.

6) Kate McKinnon Once Played Waluigi On SNL

In a 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live that probably hasn’t aged well, host Elon Musk portrays Wario in a sketch that depicts him as on trial for the murder of Mario.

The sketch, which features SNL cast members speaking in their best fake Italian accents, has appearances from Luigi and Princess Peach, but sitting in the courtroom is Waluigi, portrayed by Kate McKinnon.

7) Waluigi Has The Cheapest Road In Nintendo Monopoly

A Nintendo-licensed version of Monopoly hit stores in 2006, and despite featuring a number of all-star Nintendo characters like Mario, Link, Samus, and more, Waluigi somehow made the cut, getting his own space on the board.

Unfortunately for Waluigi, his space is the lowest-valued space on the board, which goes to show just how much value Nintendo sees Waluigi having.

8) Miyamoto Rejected Waluigi Getting A Girlfriend

When making the Nintendo 64 Mario Tennis game, the developers at Camelot paired Mario with Princess Peach as double partners, while bringing back Princess Daisy to serve as Luigi’s partner. When Camelot suggested to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto that Wario and Waluigi should have their own girlfriends, Miyamoto apparently said (according to Camelot’s Hiroyuki Takahashi in a Nintendo Power interview) that he “didn’t even want to see their girlfriends.”

Concept art for a “Wapeach” eventually emerged, showing us what maybe could have been from those character concepts.

9) Waluigi’s Hat Is Comically Cheap

As technology improves and character models receive additional, high-resolution detail, we learn a lot about our favorite video game characters — perhaps more than we want to. But a hilarious minute detail from a render of Waluigi for Super Mario Party shows that the upside-down L on his hat is actually a sticker.

Mario, Luigi, and Wario have their letters embroidered onto their caps, so Waluigi looks like a cheapskate in comparison. It only adds to the mystery of Waluigi’s unknown background and his unfortunate status as a loser.

10) Waluigi Had His Own Disgusting Video Game

The internet in the early 2000s was a weird beast. As part of the official website promoting the Nintendo 64 Mario Tennis title, a flash game titled Waluigi’s Foot Fault (or promoted in Nintendo Power as “Waluigi’s Toenail Clipping Party”) allowed you to clip off Waluigi’s gross toenails.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), this game is no longer playable, and all that internet sleuths have been able to uncover is a file of the game’s start screen. But read any online comments about the game, and you’ll see people who absolutely swear they remember playing Waluigi’s Foot Fault all those years ago, so this isn’t some sort of Mandela effect shared delusion.

The post 10 Things Even Mario Fans Didn’t Know About Waluigi appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Xbox fans on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are hyped for a new PS5 game set to come to Xbox consoles later this month. While more and more Xbox exclusive games shed their exclusivity and come to PS5, the reverse is less common. While more and more PS5 exclusive games continue to come to PC, this hasn’t been the case with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Whether this will change in the future, remains to be seen, but if the release later this month is any indicator, then it could be changing.

Over on Reddit, Xbox fans via the Xbox Reddit page, revealed they are “hyped af” for Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 to come to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on August 26. Interestingly, perhaps deliberately, the popular 2024 PlayStation game comes out the same day Xbox releases Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first Gears of War game. Despite this, there appears to be more interest in the PlayStation game than the Xbox classic from Xbox fans.

“Who else is hyped af for Helldivers 2 on Xbox soon,” reads one of the top posts on the Xbox Reddit page this week. “I can’t really tell why, but damn I’m hyped for this game. Pre-ordered it a few days ago, of course the Super Citizen Edition. Yesterday I watched Starship Troopers for the first time in my life and I consume podcasts and YouTube videos about it like nothing else. Sure I’ll play Battlefield 6 Beta on the weekend, I’m excited for Metal Gear Solid Delta, but nothing beats my hype for Helldivers 2 at the moment.”

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Of course, as an isolated post this sentiment is not that revealing or noteworthy, however, not only does the popularity post suggest this is a common feeling, but the comments echo what the post says.

“Already pre-ordered. The Halo tease definitely sold me the game,” reads one of the comments. “Pre-ordering it today and super excited,’ adds a second comment.

A third comment adds: “You should be hyped. I have it on my PS5 and will buy it on my Xbox Series X too, because the devs deserve all the support. One of the best multiplayer games ever.”

Helldivers 2 was not only one of 2024’s best games, and best-selling games as well, but as noted it is a PlayStation game coming to Xbox consoles, which does not happen often The expectation is that while single-player PlayStation games will not be migrating to Xbox, its various live service titles will. That said, PlayStation live service games have not worked out so far, bar Helldivers 2. If there is one game Xbox fans would pick from PlayStation’s catalog — barring the marquee single-player, narrative-driven games — they would probably pick Helldivers 2. So, unsurprisingly, Xbox fans are excited to get their hands on the unforgiving and difficult Starship Troopers-inspired game.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Will you be picking up Helldivers 2 on Xbox later this month?

The post Xbox Fans Hyped for New PS5 Game Releasing Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Witcher 4 is set to be a brand-new direction for CD Projekt Red’s long-running series. For the first time in a mainline Witcher, Geralt of Rivia is stepping to the side and letting Ciri take up the mantle as the series’ new protagonist. The developer is also coming off of Cyberpunk 2077, its first non-Witcher game, which gave the team room to spread their wings and try new ideas. Now that it’s circling back to The Witcher, I’m hopeful that CD Projekt Red will deliver a few important updates to the series’ formula, incorporating aspects from Cyberpunk and using the new protagonist as a starting point for innovation.

1) Expanded Gear and Crafting

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt had all kinds of gear for Geralt to hunt down, but some of it required players heading into monster-infested areas they might not be ready for to acquire it. I’d like to see Ciri’s gear upgraded more through crafting than exploration.

This could give players the ability to create armor that suits their playstyle without forcing them to look up a guide to see where their next upgrade comes from. By giving players default gear that they can upgrade, CD Projekt Red would let players grow with their gear, potentially making it feel more important.

2) More Involved Romance Options

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I used Hjalmar for the image above, but I’m not picky about who Ciri romances. Instead, I’m more concerned about the depth of whichever romantic choices CD Projekt Red gives us with our new protagonist.

To be clear, that doesn’t mean Geralt’s romances didn’t matter. I just want to see Ciri’s romantic choices have a bigger impact on the main storyline. It would be fantastic to see CD Projekt Red explore what happens when Ciri has to choose between saving the world and the love of her life. As the developers grow as storytellers, I’d love to see them tackle meaningful love stories while looping them into the main tale.

3) Powerful Sorcery Builds

The Witcher has always had magic in the mix, but Ciri’s Elder Blood should open up more avenues for gameplay. I’ll talk more about combat below, but we need to see Ciri’s powers have an impact on gameplay and the story.

That means giving Ciri new options for traversal and puzzle-solving. It could also extend to dialogue. Could Ciri use telepathy to read a Gwent player’s mind? The possibilities are nearly endless.

4) Deeper Customization Choices

The Witcher 3 let players customize Geralt’s hair and beard, so The Witcher 4 should build on that. We’ll almost certainly be able to style her hair, but why not add further customization, giving us the ability to change her eye shadow or even give her new tattoos?

Building on the idea of expanded crafting, I’d also like to see some options for the look of her gear. Geralt could make a few changes, but the developers should blow out the customization with Ciri. That lets players make their version of Ciri, helping them connect even more with the character.

5) Improved Combat Variety

I touched on using Ciri’s Elder Blood magic in combat above, but I would love to see CD Projekt Red give combat even more variety. We’ve already seen Ciri using a chain on her wrist to fight off a monster in the reveal trailer CD Projekt dropped at the 2024 Game Awards.

Using that as a launching point, it would be a blast to see what new types of weapons Ciri could incorporate into her arsenal. Mixing in the more powerful magic, and you have a character that should feel very different from Geralt.

With that in mind, I’d like to see the team move combat toward a more action-heavy focus. The Witcher 3 fell somewhere in between action and RPG, but Ciri’s combat style should be more fluid and dynamic than Geralt’s. She isn’t the same tough, battle-tested warrior, so it would be weird if CD Projekt didn’t make any major changes.

We need a Ciri who feels agile and stylish. I want a game that looks closer to classic Devil May Cry, turning Ciri into a whirling dervish of death. That doesn’t mean The Witcher 4 should go full-on action game, but moving the needle in that direction would help differentiate Ciri’s trilogy from Geralt’s, an important step for turning her arc at the helm into a success.

The post 5 Improvements CD Projekt Red Needs to Make in The Witcher 4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Uncharted is, without question, one of the biggest PlayStation franchises ever. While it has more or less been dormant for the better part of the past decade, during the PS3 era, Uncharted became PlayStation’s flagship series and helped make developer Naughty Dog one of the most well-known studios in the world. It went on to receive new games on the PS Vita, PS4, and was eventually adapted for the big screen with none other than Tom Holland in the role of protagonist Nathan Drake.

In total, there are currently eight Uncharted games that have appeared across a multitude of platforms since the franchise kicked off in 2007. Ahead of the inevitable Uncharted 5, here’s every current installment in the Uncharted series from worst to best.

8. Uncharted: Fortune Hunter

When I said we’re ranking every Uncharted game, I really meant every Uncharted game. Uncharted: Fortune Hunter is a free-to-play mobile title that launched in proximity to Uncharted 4. Rather than focus on the fast-paced action found in the main Uncharted series, Fortune Hunter was all about solving puzzles. And while it takes the final spot in this Uncharted ranking, the simple puzzle gameplay was actually pretty good.

Unfortunately, Uncharted: Fortune Hunter has since been delisted, meaning that it can’t be downloaded and played on mobile platforms any longer.

7. Uncharted: Fight for Fortune

Uncharted: Fight for Fortune is definitely the weirdest Uncharted game. Released in 2012, Fight for Fortune is a digital card game that features famous heroes and villains from the mainline series as cards that you can collect and do battle with. It was also exclusively available for PlayStation Vita, which explains why you may have never heard of it.

Despite being a truly bizarre idea, Fight for Fortune featured some pretty engaging gameplay. Sadly, being gridlocked to Vita kept it from ever finding much of an audience, which led to support coming to an end rather quickly.

6. Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Here’s where we get into the real Uncharted games. Golden Abyss was the first Uncharted game developed for Vita and was the platform’s biggest launch title. Serving as a prequel to the first Uncharted, Golden Abyss follows Nathan Drake on one of his earliest adventures alongside some new companions not seen in other entries.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss is actually an extremely impressive game and greatly adapted the experience from the PS3 titles to a handheld device. What keeps it from ranking higher is that much of Golden Abyss feels like a retread of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, especially in its look. This, combined with some awkward gameplay mechanics and controls that were tied to the Vita as a system, keeps it firmly entrenched beneath the home console games.

5. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

The game that started it all, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune does a lot of heavy lifting. Not only does it establish Nathan Drake, Victor Sullivan, and Elena Fisher as the main characters within the series, but it created the framework and tone for the series that would later be built off of the ideas seen in Uncharted 1.

Drake’s Fortune isn’t a bad game by any means and is still the Uncharted entry that everyone should begin with. Still, it’s hard to rank it higher in this list given that just about everything that is found here was later improved upon in one way or another.

4. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

The one Uncharted game to not feature Nathan Drake in a major role, The Lost Legacy proves very much capable without him. Centered around side characters Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross, The Lost Legacy is more or less a much shorter version of Uncharted 4, as it originally began as DLC for the PS4 game.

Despite being a smaller-scale Uncharted title, Naughty Dog got quite experimental with The Lost Legacy, which was much to the game’s benefit. Its vast, open areas and optional side content were unique and helped evolve Naughty Dog’s open design concepts which were eventually expanded upon in The Last of Us Part II. In spite of its positives, though, The Lost Legacy fails to have a major and memorable action sequence that many other Uncharted games are known for.

3. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Uncharted 3 really tries to prove that bigger is better. Its setpieces are more bombastic and over-the-top than ever, with Drake finding himself dangling out of cargo planes and attempting to escape capsized cruise ships. Beyond this, it leans further into the mystical elements of the series more than before, making it one of the memorable on more fronts than one.

What’s most impressive about Uncharted 3 is that it intertwines these moments with ones that are more heartfelt than ever before. Although its pacing is off at times, especially in the final hours, Uncharted 3 is without question one of the high points of the series.

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Uncharted 4 really should be the best game in the series, but it has just a bit too much holding it back. From a pure gameplay perspective, this is Naughty Dog at its best. New features like the grappling hook work perfectly in tandem with the game’s expanded playgrounds, which let you take on combat situations in ways that previous games couldn’t allow for.

The only major downside to Uncharted 4 is that its runtime is a bit more bloated than other games and can definitely be felt, especially on repeat playthroughs. Additionally, as great as Sam Drake is as a new character, the concept of Nathan Drake having a secret brother that he never once talked about in past games is something that still doesn’t make sense. Even with these caveats, Uncharted 4 packs more of an emotional punch than any other game and is an excellent send-off for Nate.

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Uncharted 2 is undoubtedly the best game in the Uncharted franchise. While future entries would refine the gameplay mechanics and improve the visuals, Among Thieves is the best-paced Uncharted entry of the bunch and never lets up throughout its 12-hour runtime. It’s the best mix of gameplay and story not only in the Uncharted saga, but in video games as a whole.

Without Uncharted 2, Uncharted as a whole would never have become the iconic pillar of PlayStation that we know it as. Its importance to the action-adventure genre cannot be understated and it still holds up phenomenally to this day despite being almost 20 years old.

The post Every Uncharted Game, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It looks like Sony has found its next PlayStation game to adapt for the big screen. A new rumor, courtesy of scooper Daniel Richtman, suggests The Last Guardian is being eyed for a film adaptation by Sony Pictures. The rumor was posted by Richtman on his Patreon, but unfortunately, no further details were made available as to any potential directors or writers. The Last Guardian was first released for PlayStation 4 back in 2016, with a VR experience being announced the following year by Sony. The video game hails from Japan Studio and GenDesign and is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

The Last Guardian takes place in a strange and mystical land and follows a young boy who discovers a mysterious creature with which he forms a deep, unbreakable bond. As the two form an unlikely companionship, they must rely on each other to escape towering, treacherous ruins filled with unknown dangers. The video game is described as a touching, emotional story of friendship and trust. It has a Metascore of 82 and received a user score of 7.8 through Metacritic. The game was in development for over eight years, and despite having some mechanical issues, it’s been hailed as fully developed and full of emotion.

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The Last Guardian is the latest PlayStation game to be rumored for a big screen adaptation. Another huge PlayStation game being eyed for a feature film is Horizon Zero Dawn. That project was previously in development as a television series at Netflix. However, that is no longer the case, as Sony has a movie in early development. Other games getting the big screen treatment include Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Jak and Daxter, and Resident Evil. The latter, of course, is in pre-production now from writer and director Zach Cregger with production expected to kickoff soon.

The Last Guardian video game has earned a few awards since it was released, including the BAFTA Games Award Audio Achievement in 2017. Other awards the game won or was nominated for include, but are not limited to, the Best Original Property and Artistic Achievement at 2017’s BAFTA Games, Best Video Game at 2017’s Empire Awards UK, and Character Design and Art Direction, Fantasy at 2017’s NAVGTR Awards. In 2018, the video game received a vinyl pressing of its soundtrack, featuring performances by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Trinity Boys Choir, and London Voices on a 2-disc vinyl LP.

With little details provided on the rumored film, it would appear the film adaptation of The Last Guardian is currently still in the early stages. This also is not the first time an adaptation of The Last Guardian has been rumored, as speculation has been circulating since 2020, with no confirmation yet to come from Sony Entertainment or PlayStation. Until it is officially confirmed, this should be treated as a rumor, which will hopefully be confirmed one way or another in the coming weeks or months.

The Last Guardian is currently included in the PlayStation Plus membership. Those without the premium membership can purchase the game for just $19.99 now through the PlayStation Store.

The post Next PlayStation Movie Revealed in New Report appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Persona series is filled with memorable characters. Each game stars a group of new friends who come together to save the world, and later entries expand the roster with non-playable characters who are sometimes just as iconic as the main cast. With so many people (and animals and machines) to meet, a few of them will inevitably stand out from the crowd. Below, I’ve put together a list of the 10 best Persona characters, trying to get a good mix from main party members and side characters that leave a big mark in their short screentime. This list is presented in alphabetical order, so don’t put much stock in the numbering.

1) Aigis – Persona 3

Aigis is an android who, during the events of Persona 3, awakens her own emotions, quickly becoming one of the most human characters in the SEES. She’s fiercely protective of the protagonist, and her identity crisis is one of the better-written social links in Persona 3. She’s so popular, she became the protagonist of Persona 3: The Answer.

2) Akinari Kamiki – Persona 3

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I’ve always thought Akinari had one of the best social links in the series. The young man knows he’s on his deathbed, but finds inner peace as your bond with him deepens. It’s a bittersweet ending when he does pass away. Thankfully, the journey getting there is more than worth it

3) Chie Satonaka – Persona 4

Chie’s love of kung-fu movies was the first thing that sold me, but I actually love how well she works as the contrast to her best friend, Yukiko. In fact, you might as well consider this entry a duo, since it’s impossible to imagine Persona 4 without the two of them.

4) Funky Student – Persona 4

There are people out there who don’t respect the Funky Student, and all I have to say to those people is, “That’s wiggity-wack, yo.” Sometimes, it doesn’t take more than cool catchphrases, an impeccable vibe, and a giant afro to become one of the best characters in a franchise.

5) Junpei Iori – Persona 3

Atlus tends to fall into archetypes when putting together each game’s main party. One of those archetypes is always “doofy sidekick.” For my money, Junpei is the best of those characters. Look, he’s an idiot who mistakenly fancies himself a ladies’ man, but he’s my idiot. As you deepen your bond, you begin to see how he uses that “class clown” persona to shield his insecurities. It’s a smart story that’s told well, helping flesh out Junpei’s character.

6) Kanji Tatsumi- Persona 4

Kanji might be a high school delinquent who looks like he’s on the verge of 40, but my man quickly proves to be a steadfast friend who will do anything to protect the rest of the Investigation Team. His social link also explores his complex sexuality. Atlus doesn’t stick the landing for some players, but seeing them explore his complicated personal life was a welcome step toward important conversations for the series.

7) Koromaru – Persona 3

Koromaru is a cute dog with a knife and an angel-wing costume. How can you not love that pup? He’s fiercely loyal and surprisingly smart. Sure, he has to speak through Aigis, but Koromaru is the standout animal character in a series that includes a sly fox, an annoying teddy bear, and a cat that really wants you to go to sleep.

8) Makoto Niijima – Persona 5

Hello, are you aware that Makoto’s Persona is a motorcycle? She makes this list based on that alone, but it’s also worth noting that Makoto’s work ethic and ability to stick to her convictions make her a fan favorite. On one hand, she’s a student council president who is obsessed with doing the right thing. On the other hand, she’s a motorcycle-riding badass who loves wrestling.

9) Ryuji Sakamoto – Persona 5

I said Junpei is my favorite doofy sidekick, and that’s still true, but I think Ryuji does some interesting things with the archetype. He’s still brash and immature; that much is true. However, as we learn his backstory, his need to protect people is cast in a new light. He’s gone through more than any kid should, and uses that to fuel his desire to make sure no one else has to endure something similar. Like Kanji, Atlus doesn’t handle it perfectly, but Ryuji grows on you until he becomes one of your closest friends.

10) Yusuke Kitagawa – Persona 5

Yusuke definitely has some flaws pre-Awakening. He’s socially awkward and unable to recognize how evil Madarame is. That helps make his Awakening event one of the strongest in the game. It also doesn’t hurt that Matt Mercer voices the character in the English version of Persona 5, helping make Yusuke oddly charming.

The post 10 Best Persona Characters Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fortnite is known for its numerous collaborations and events, as these are some of the driving reasons people play the battle royale title. One event that occurs annually is the Halloween event, which culminates in Fortnitemares. Fans have seen crossovers with other iconic IPs as well as original events. Fortnitemares always keeps players on their toes, and they never know what to expect. This typically changes every year, and a new leak has potentially revealed the upcoming collaboration this spooky season. If this proves to be true, the memes and clips alone will make it one of the best Fortnitemares events.

According to ShiinaBR, a well-known leaker in the Fortnite community, this year’s Halloween event will feature the iconic series Scooby Doo in Fortnitemares. This will likely see new skins added, probably of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and possibly even Scooby himself. ShiinaBR even seems to suggest there will be multiple skins for Shaggy added as well.

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While this is exciting news for Fortnite players, it is important to remember that this is a leak and it may not be true. Even if ShiinaBR has had a good track record, there is always a chance the intel is incorrect. If this is the case, Scooby Doo will not be coming to Fortnite.

Assuming that this leak is real, Halloween is the perfect time to add Scooby Doo to Fortnite. Many fans are assuming the leak is real and debating what skins will be added. While the most likely candidates would be the animated characters, some are hoping to see the live-action version of Scooby Doo instead.

One thing is for certain, though: if Scooby Doo comes to Fortnite, Shaggy will be everywhere. Ultra Instinct Shaggy is one of the most popular memes on the internet, and it seems unlikely Epic Games would miss an opportunity to add this to the game. It could be the form of an emote or a skin. Regardless, Fortnite players can use emotes from Dragon Ball Z with the Shaggy skin to recreate this meme.

Halloween will be a special time for Fortnite this year. Even if Scooby Doo is not the chosen collaboration, there could be another crossover. This is typically some kind of horror-themed IP, but this isn’t always the case.

What do you hope for from Fortnitemares this year? We’d love to hear from you, so share your wishlist in the comments below!

The post Fortnite Leak Reveals Halloween 2025 Content appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Madden NFL 26 has been out on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S since August 14, and technically a week before this via early access. As a result, fans of the football simulation series have had ample opportunity to play and ruminate on this year’s installment, figuring out what they like and don’t like. Going into this year’s release, EA put a lot of emphasis on simply making the game more fun. However, early adopters of Madden NFL 26 don’t appear to be having any more fun than normal, or sometimes any fun at all.

Like every year, the complaints of Madden fans are varied, but there may be no more common of a complaint than the complaints against the Wear and Tear system in Madden NFL 26. For those that don’t know, in Madden NFL 26 players are forced to choose between Wear and Tear or Progressive Fatigue; a choice some fans are describing as picking between the “worse of two evils.”

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To this end, one of the most common posts on the Madden Reddit page since the release of Madden NFL 26 has been about Wear and Tear and Progressive Fatigue. For example, one of the top posts since the game’s release on the Madden Reddit page is that Wear and Tear is “ridiculous” and “out of control.” More importantly it is giving players huge injury lists.

“No one asked for this. It’s ruining franchise mode,” reads a different post about the same subject. “Both of these systems [Wear and Tear and Progressive Fatigue] are broken and unrealistic. Literally no one asked for this.”

EA has not provided extensive details and insight into why it forces players between one of these two settings, but it is clearly done in the name of realism. Injuries are a big part of football, as is player and minute management to avoid accumulating injuries. However, sometimes realism has to get into the backseat in favor of fun, something EA acknowledged in the pre-release period for the game. And these features, especially since they are forced upon players, seem to run in contrast to this mandate. That said, as our review of the game outlines, everything in Madden NFL 26 feels half baked and not well thought out, so perhaps it should come as no surprise this specific aspect of the game follows suit.

Madden NFL 26 is available for $70 on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. That said, judging by the number of players seemingly unhappy with this installment, it may be best to wait for future updates to improve and refine the football sim. In the meantime, some of the best EA games of all time are currently just $2.

The post Madden NFL 26 Players Slam Feature For Ruining the Game appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the best games of all time, and consequently, one of the best Steam games of all time, is on sale for just $1.99. The game in question hails from 2016, a year where it went head-to-head with the likes of Overwatch, Doom, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and Titanfall 2 for Game of the Year, at The Game Awards at least. It ended up losing in this category to Overwatch, but it did win Best Art Direction and Best Independent Game that night. That game is Inside, and it is so cheap right now it might as well be free.

The new deal, as noted, comes the way of Steam. The catch is the Steam deal is set to expire in roughly 24 hours, around midday of August 17. After this, the 90 percent discount will expire, and the game will return to its normal $20 price point. And as you would expect with a 90 percent discount, Inside has never been made cheaper than this in its 9-year existence. And there is little reason to expect this to ever change at this point.

Other Steam Games on Sale for $2

• Beat Cop – $1.49
• Beholder 3 – $1.79
• City of Brass – $1.99
• Crime Boss: Rockay City – $1.99
• Grow Home – $1.99
• Just Cause – $0.97
• Just Cause 2 – $1.49
• Limbo – $0.99
• Mini Ninjas – $1.49
• Moonlighter – $1.99
• Pinstripe – $1.49
• Resident Evil Revelations 2 – $1.49
• SteamWorld Dig – $0.99
• SteamWorld Dig 2 – $1.99
• The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director’s Cut – $1.49

A Pioneering Indie Game

In 2016, the indie scene had already been established by breakout hits years earlier than Inside. However, Inside and other indie games from this era — including fellow 2016 indie game Stardew Valley — no doubt helped push indie games further into the mainstream. To this end, there aren’t many indie games in the conversation for best games of their generation, let alone of all time.

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At three to four hours long, Inside doesn’t offer up the most content for your buck even at $2. However, it is a very high quality three to four hours. The game is a puzzle platformer, but neither the puzzles nor the platforming are very challenging. Inside is a game about atmosphere and the experience, and in this regard it is second to very few games. As noted in the list above, its predecessor, 2010’s Limbo, is also on sale for just $0.99. Inside is really just Limbo but refined and expanded, however, for those that want to see the progression, and experience one of the great PS3 and Xbox 360 era games, you can do so, and get its sequel, for a combined $3. You can’t beat that.

The post One of the Best Steam Games Only $2 for 24 Hours appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the biggest decisions a Pokemon fan has to make in each game is which starter to choose. Every generation brings three new options for our first partner Pokemon. From (usually) adorable beginnings to awkward middle stages through to final evolutions, starter Pokemon are with trainers through the entire adventure. But that doesn’t mean we don’t sometimes secretly regret our choices, especially as those final evolutions roll around.

Growing up, it wasn’t as easy to come across leaks and spoilers as it is now. That made for some interesting surprises as those cute little starters grew up, both in looks and overall ability. And sure, if you’re doing a standard playthrough, any starter will probably get the job done. But that doesn’t mean they’re all equally beloved. These seven starters are the worst designs, and I’m going to tell you why.

7. Snivy (Pokemon Black & White)

From its name to its design, Snivy just kind of feels like it’s judging you. This guy is smug, especially considering it has a pretty limited set of moves early on. You always encounter your weakness in the first gym thanks to the rotating challenge in Striaton City.

But from there, you’ll have to contend with quite a few gyms before having a grass type is any kind of advantage. For this reason, Snivy pales in comparison to your other options in this gen, Tepig and Oshawott. It does get stronger once it evolves into Serperior, but the design also gets more unsettling as the snake-like features get more pronounced, and it puts on a weird cloak.

6. Litten (Pokemon Sun & Moon)

Let me just start off by saying that yes, Litten is adorable. I am here for all the cat Pokemon designs, all the time. But it has the unfortunate issue of evolving into a truly horrifying bipedal nightmare, Incineroar. That makes this one of the worst starters simply because of the fake-out. It starts off cute and cuddly and turns into a wrestling humanoid cat monster.

Yes, Incineroar’s moveset is decent, but that doesn’t make up for its shocking design compared to Litten and Torracat. In comparison, the other two starters from this gen are clear winners with more consistent designs and solid efficacy in battle.

5. Fennekin (Pokemon X & Y)

The first time I saw Fennekin, I was so disappointed by what could have been. Fox Pokemon designs are some of my favorites, with Vulpix landing in my top-tier range for all time. But Fennekin’s cuteness factor is demolished by its upsetting ear fur tufts. Why are they like that? Well, it’s actually because it’s modeled after a fennec fox, which does have rather furry ears, but they didn’t have to take it so far.

The design only gets more unsettling as Fennekin evolves into Braixen, taking it from fox to a two-legged hybrid that still has massive fur tufts sticking out of its ears. And don’t even get me started on Delphox. I’m not not here for the witch in the woods vibe, but I’m not sure it belongs on a Pokemon that’s a weird mix of fox and human. I can’t even talk about efficacy in battle here because I’m too distracted by what could have been with this design.

4. Tepig (Pokemon Black & White)

It honestly pains me to say this. I love a pig Pokemon design, as the Lechonk plush currently watching me write this can attest. And Tepig, like Litten, is an absolutely adorable start. Fire pig with a long snout and a cute little ball tail? Yes, please. But things get way worse from there, very quickly.

Much like Litten, Tepig suffers from taking an adorable four-legged critter and making it into a bipedal wrestling star. Emboar is, somehow, more upsetting than Incineroar, and that’s saying something. Even though many gamers say Tepig is the best option stats wise in Pokemon Black and White, most fans didn’t seem too thrilled to see it return as one of the options in Pokemon Legends Z-A. And for good reason. It started out so cute, and wound up… Emboar.

3. Grookey (Pokemon Sword & Shield)

I only recently went back to play Pokemon Sword & Shield, so my feeling of betrayal as my adorable Grookey slowly became the hulking Rillaboom is still fresh in my mind. As far as designs go, it’s largely your typical monkey Pokemon design. But something about the leaves on its back, trying to make a grass-type gorilla design work, just does not hit for me.

Pokemon Sword & Shield is also the first main series game where I’ve ever left my starter on the bench, opting instead for another Pokemon in the prime position. Even with being leveled up as a starter often is, my Rillabom just kept getting KO’d. Rillaboom just doesn’t pack that “been with me from the beginning” power in the story, and the design is just adding insult to injury.

2. Quaxly (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)

Given my opinions on bipedal Pokemon designs that are a bit too human, I think you can guess where I’m going with this. Quaxly is already a bit too much of a diva for me with its whole hair coiff situation. But as it evolves, it becomes far, far too humanoid, and not in a good way. I appreciate the sort of Mardi Gras design they were going for, but its dancing animations are just… too much.

Quaxly also gets the short end of the stick in the anime, making its appearance as a main character far later than Fuecoco and Sprigatito. There’s also the fact that we already have so many duck Pokemon, such as Psyduck (perfection) and Ducklett (fine). When it comes to battle in its home game of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Quaxly has balanced stats, which means it isn’t going to be a powerhouse out of the gate, but can work for certain playstyles. If you can handle Quaquaval’s dance moves, which I cannot.

1. Totodile (Pokemon Gold & Silver)

When I pick a starter in a Pokemon game, I almost always opt for a Water or Grass type. That’s just my vibes. But Gen 2 has the really tempting offer of Cyndaquil, who is adorable in its own right, later Typholosion allegations notwithstanding. But I still remember my disappointment in seeing the Water-type option for this gen.

Tododile is cute enough, I guess, if you find alligators cute. I don’t, so I was already not really all in on this guy. But to this day, the caveman meets crocodile design of Croconaw is one of my least favorites. When this guy shows up in Pokemon Sleep, my morning gets a little bit worse. Honestly, Feraligatr is almost an improvement, but it’s still an upsetting design. Yes, it’s a solid starter choice in terms of battle prowess, but Totodile also doesn’t stand up against most other water types outside of its role in Gen 2 games. All around, it’s a no from me.

The post 7 Worst Starter Pokemon In Games, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Resident Evil film franchise, particularly the six-movie saga helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson, holds a strange place in the history of video game adaptations. The movies were a massive commercial success, grossing over a billion dollars worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing film series based on a video game for a time. Yet, for many fans of the original Capcom survival horror games, they are a source of endless frustration. The films famously diverged from the source material, prioritizing stylized action over atmospheric horror and, most controversially, sidelining the games’ beloved protagonists in favor of a new, movie-exclusive hero. This creative decision to center the story on Milla Jovovich’s Alice meant that when iconic characters from the games did appear, their roles were often drastically altered.

Instead of leading the narrative, fan-favorites like Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, and Leon S. Kennedy were reduced to supporting characters in Alice’s story. Their complex backstories, defining character arcs, and critical relationships from the games were frequently simplified or ignored entirely. In addition, villains were stripped of their nuance, and heroes were rendered less capable to ensure Alice remained the central figure. Even the 2021 reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which aimed for a more faithful adaptation, struggled to do justice to its ensemble cast, cramming the storylines of two games into one film. As a result, the cinematic legacy of Resident Evil is littered with characters who were arguably ruined by their big-screen counterparts.

1) Carlos Oliveira

In the narrative of Resident Evil 3, Carlos Oliveira is a character of surprising depth, an Umbrella mercenary whose innate decency wins out against his corporate allegiance. He begins as a cocky soldier, but through his partnership with Jill Valentine, he grows into a genuine hero, risking his life to navigate a zombie-infested hospital in a desperate search for a vaccine to save her. This arc, from a man just following orders to one making a moral stand, gives him a substance that makes him a fan favorite.

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The film franchise, after a passable introduction for Carlos (Oded Fehr) in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, systematically demolishes that integrity. His arc is immediately subverted to serve Alice, and his significance is tied exclusively to her survival. The ultimate insult to the character arrives when he’s given a heroic sacrifice in Extinction, only for the series to bring him back as a series of mindless clones in Retribution. This transformation from a man who found his honor in a moment of crisis into endlessly disposable cannon fodder is a complete betrayal of his character’s core appeal.

2) Claire Redfield

The cinematic failure of Claire Redfield stems from a total misunderstanding of her origins. In her video game debut, Claire is not a soldier or a hardened survivor, but a resourceful college student searching for her missing brother, Chris. Her appeal comes from witnessing an ordinary person adapt and fight back against impossible horrors, her strength forged in her resolve to protect others, especially the young Sherry Birkin. The audience connects with her because they see her become a hero in real-time, her courage and empathy shining through the terror.

Both film adaptations rob Claire of this essential journey. The Anderson movies introduce Claire (Ali Larter) as an already-established leader of a heavily armed desert convoy, presenting her as a finished product without a past. The 2021 reboot takes a different but equally flawed approach, making Claire (Kaya Scodelario) a paranoid conspiracy theorist driven by a separate orphanage trauma. Neither version trusts the audience to engage with her transformation, instead opting for a pre-packaged figure who shares little with the source material beyond a name and a red jacket.

3) Chris Redfield

Chris Redfield is a character built on legacy. In the games, he is a man carrying the weight of a lifelong war against bioterrorism, from his traumatic experiences in the Spencer Mansion to his globe-trotting missions with the BSAA. His history, his intense rivalry with Albert Wesker, and his protective bond with his sister Claire are the pillars that support his entire character, making him one of the franchise’s central figures, a man who famously punched a boulder into a volcano out of sheer will.

The movies present a version of Chris (Wentworth Miller) with no legacy at all. Introduced in Resident Evil: Afterlife, locked away in a prison cell, he is immediately diminished and treated as a forgotten relic. Plus, his epic feud with Wesker is reduced to a single weightless fight scene where the dialogue is hollow because the two share no history. The reboot’s take on Chris (Robbie Amell) is similarly anemic, portraying a generic soldier completely detached from his gravitas. The films gave us the uniform, but not the man inside it.

4) Nemesis

The terror of the Nemesis in Resident Evil 3 is rooted in its absolute inhumanity. Nemesis is a biological weapon of singular purpose, whose entire existence is justified by its desire to hunt and destroy its targets. As an unstoppable force that stalks the player with intelligence and a rocket launcher, it creates a unique and persistent dread that few video game villains have ever matched. As a result, Nemesis is frightening precisely because it is an “it,” a relentless, intelligent killing machine that cannot be reasoned with, only survived.

The filmmakers behind Resident Evil: Apocalypse made the catastrophic error of trying to give the creature a backstory. By revealing their Nemesis (Matthew G. Taylor) to be a mutated version of the sympathetic Matt Addison (Eric Mabius) from the first film, they instantly neutered its menace. The narrative choice to give the monster a conscience, culminating in a moment where it defies programming to help Alice, is a profound misunderstanding of what made the creature work. It’s a classic case of explaining the monster away, trading lasting dread for a moment of cheap pathos.

5) Jill Valentine

In the source material, Jill is a top-tier hero, and her later brainwashing plot in Resident Evil 5 is a dramatic storyline built on her deep history with Chris Redfield, making her rescue a crucial and emotional mission. For a brief moment in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, it seemed the Anderson movies got Jill Valentine right. Sienna Guillory’s look and attitude were a perfect match for the elite S.T.A.R.S. operative from the games, a fan-favorite known for her cool-headed competence and unbreakable will.

That strong start makes her subsequent treatment in the films a story of squandered potential. After being written out, Jill returns in Resident Evil: Retribution as a mind-controlled henchman in a shallow echo of the game’s plot, her rescue feeling like a minor inconvenience in Alice’s story rather than a critical objective. Furthermore, the reboot version of Jill (Hannah John-Kamen) has a personality so far removed from the original that she is unrecognizable. Both timelines took one of gaming’s most capable protagonists and relegated her to a supporting role or a side note.

6) Leon S. Kennedy

Leon S. Kennedy’s evolution from a rookie cop on his first day to a seasoned government agent is one of the great character arcs in gaming. His persona is a finely tuned mix of wry humor, professionalism, and the quiet confidence of a man who has survived hell and come out the other side. Fans appreciate him because his incredible skill feels earned, making him one of the franchise’s most popular heroes.

The film adaptations have managed to fail Leon twice in completely different, yet equally disastrous, ways. The Anderson series gave us a Leon (Johann Urb) who was little more than a mannequin, a stoic action hero with none of the charm or personality that makes the character tick. The 2021 reboot swung in the opposite direction, turning its Leon (Avan Jogia) into an incompetent oaf for comic relief, a character so useless it’s a wonder he survives the night. One version was hollow, the other was a joke, and both were a slap in the face to the famously capable agent of the games.

7) Albert Wesker

The entire sprawling narrative of the Resident Evil games orbits the magnificent ego of Albert Wesker. He is the ultimate villain, a brilliant, treacherous mastermind whose ambition is nothing less than to remake the world in his image. From his initial betrayal to his evolution into a superhuman megalomaniac, Wesker’s charismatic menace and personal hatred for Chris Redfield make him a truly legendary antagonist. In addition, his desire for power is his entire reason for being, a force that drives the plot for decades.

The Anderson film franchise inexplicably turns Wesker into an underling. Across his appearances, Wesker (played by Jason O’Mara and later Shawn Roberts) is a corporate executive who takes orders from others, including a computer program. This is a complete contradiction of the character’s core motivation for absolute control. The reboot’s Wesker (Tom Hopper) is even worse, a blandly written cop with a flicker of moral conflict who is totally devoid of the original’s style or presence.

Which Resident Evil character do you wish had a better representation in the movies? Share your picks in the comments!

The post 7 Resident Evil Characters Ruined by the Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Beyond Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo Switch early adopters have not had much to play. This will change later in the year with the likes of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment all on the horizon and scheduled to release before 2026. Until then, Nintendo Switch 2 fans are going to have settle for searching the Nintendo eShop for the latest indie release. Thankfully, there are plenty of indie games releasing any given month on the Nintendo Switch 2 to make this task easy.

To this end, there is a new Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 game — which is actually a console exclusive — that was stealth released onto the Nintendo eShop that has been garnering some positive attention. The Switch 2 game is called Is This Seat Taken, and it is a puzzle game that only costs $10. That said, perhaps developer Poti Poti Studio and publisher Wholesome Games Presents should have charged more because it is proving to be a fan favorite.

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Right now, the puzzle game — which can only be had on PC and iOS if not being purchased on the Nintendo eShop — has an 82 on Metacritic, a solid score, but user reviews suggest this is perhaps a little low. For example, on Steam it has an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating after 1,194 user reviews. This is the highest rating a Steam game can earn, and is thanks to an 98 percent approval rate. Meanwhile, there is also been praise for the game on the Nintendo Switch 2 Reddit page.

“Is this Seat Taken is an absolutely amazing game,” reads a title of one of the top posts on the Nintendo Switch 2 Reddit page this week. “The aesthetics are perfectly ‘Nintendo,’ and it’s such an awesome ‘sit down with friends and figure this out’ kind of game.

Of course, as an isolated single post this wouldn’t be that noteworthy, but it is not an isolated opinion, as both the popularity of the post reveal and some of the comments.

“It caught my eye immediately in the Indie World presentation, and my God was it worth the money. Absolute wonder of a game,” reads one of these comments. “I finished it yesterday and loved it,” adds a second comment.

Naturally, your mileage may vary, but the new puzzle game appears to be one of the surprises of the month, and it only costs $10 to find what the buzz is about, which no doubts make it easier to take the plunge into the new release.

The post Nintendo Switch 2 Fans Say New $10 Game Is “Absolutely Amazing” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the great PS3 and Xbox 360 games is currently available for free, courtesy of Amazon. The PS3 and Xbox 360 generation is arguably the greatest generation in the history of gaming. In particular, many great franchises got their start during this era. It was also during this era that we saw a surge of GTA clones before the vast majority of these clones gave up trying to mimic the Grand Theft Auto model. The best of these GTA clones, to date, is no doubt Saints Row. And the best Saints Row game is no doubt Saints Row 2, the new free game in question.

This new offer comes specifically via Prime Gaming and GOG, the latter of which means this offer is limited to PC. More than this, the offer is about expire at the end of August 18. In other words, the offer is about to expire in 48 hours. The only catch is that as a Prime Gaming offer this is unsurprisingly limited to Amazon Prime subscribers. Those that want to subscribe for just one month though to claim this free PS3 and Xbox 360 classic can do just that, and score 20 other free games currently available via Prime Gaming. These other games include another Saints Row game, a Marvel game, and more.

Sequel Also Free

In addition to Saints Row 2, there is another Saints Row game currently free with a Prime Gaming subscription, courtesy of Amazon Prime. It is not the direct sequel, but the sequel to Saints Row 2 sequel. In other words, Saints Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is also free on Prime Gaming. The window of opportunity is the exact same as the window for Saints Row 2.

Still Holds Up

While Saints Row 2 is very much of its era, it actually holds up in 2025. Like most other games from the PS3 and Xbox 360 days, it is not the prettiest and it can be a little stiff in places, but it’s open-world sandbox chaos is still great and the closest the series has gotten to GTA. To this end, Saints Row 2 is the considered by many as one of the best GTA clones ever and the best Saints Row game.

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With Saints Row developer Volition closed, there may not be any new Saints Row games in the future. Meanwhile, the latest installment in the series, the 2022 reboot, was so bad and such a flop (one of the biggest of the generation) that it is what killed the studio – our review scored the game an underwhelming 3/5. Suffice to say, those who want to play Saints Row in 2025 are not going to find much from the more modern entries, and are rather going to want to revisit the earlier games. The first Saints Row is a little rough around the edges though, and was never that great or popular in the first place, making Saints Row 2 a great starting point – and the only game in the series you can get for free legally (we’re looking at you Saints 4 Row).

The post Amazon Has One of the Great PS3 and Xbox 360 Games Free for 48 Hours appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Path of Exile 2 gained a pretty solid fanbase when it launched into Early Access in late 2024. But fans had mixed reactions to the big 0.2 Dawn of the Hunt update, which some players felt didn’t quite live up to expectations. Now, after many patches to address player feedback, Grinding Gear Games is finally getting ready for the next major Path of Exile 2 update. The 0.3.0 update will arrive on August 29th, and GGG has begun sharing teasers to hint at what’s to come.

Grinding Gear Games recently shared the official announcement for the 0.3 content update, which will be called “The Third Edict.” This next massive Path of Exile 2 update is headed our way later this month. Fans will find out more about what the update is bringing to PoE2 during an upcoming live stream on August 20th at 4 PM EDT. But of course, GGG can’t resist sharing a few teasers and hints in the lead-up to the big reveal.

So far, along with its initial The Third Edict announcement teaser, the official Path of Exile 2 YouTube has shared one additional teaser video. The second teaser, titled the “Kulemak Teaser,” dropped just a day after the first. So, it’s possible we’ll get more hints as we approach the Path of Exile 2 live stream on August 20th. But even with the limited details in these two short teasers, Path of Exile fans are hard at work trying to predict what’s coming in Path of Exile 2 0.3.

Most Fans Believe Abysses in Path of Exile 2 Are All But Confirmed

Both of the update 0.3 teasers for Path of Exile 2 are quite short, with just about 30 seconds of content to unpack. But fans are nevertheless piecing together the clues, along with previous comments from GGG, to predict what’s coming.

With the context from the first Path of Exile game, combined with the “thrive in the darkness” vibe from the teaser, many fans think that the next PoE 2 update could be gearing up to add abysses to the game. Shortly after posting the original teaser, GGG went back and added the “Kulemak” to the title, basically confirming the abyss theory due to Kulemak’s connection with the abyss in the first Path of Exile.

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If the teaser is indeed prepping to bring this mechanic back, players are impressed with how they look in the newer game based on the footage from the teasers. That said, fans are hoping that the newer game will mix up the relatively straightforward Abyss mechanic, potentially by combining it with the more in-depth Delve exploration feature.

Of course, if 0.3 is anywhere near as massive as the Dawn of the Hunt update was, abysses are far from the only thing we’re getting. Many fans are speculating about the addition of another class with the next Path of Exile 2 update as well. Given that the Druid has long been hinted as one of the next classes, it’s pretty likely that’s what we’ll get with this update. However, not everyone is convinced, since the teasers so far aren’t really giving “druid” vibes.

Most fans suspect we will get a new class, given how many are still missing from the game in Early Access. But many players think that we might be more likely to get new bosses or ascendancies than entirely new classes. Recent comments from the developers have hinted towards wanting to really solidify the existing class mechanics before bringing in new ones. But if a new class is coming, Druid or otherwise, it’s likely we’ll find out during the live stream.

Path of Exile 2‘s The Third Edict content update is slated for release on August 29th for PC and consoles. Players will learn more about what it entails during a Grinding Gear Games Twitch live stream on August 20th at 4 PM EDT.

What do you hope to see from the next major Path of Exile 2 update? Let us know in the comments below!

The post New Path of Exile 2 Teasers Hint at 0.3 Update Content (And Fans Have Some Compelling Theories) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With the number of games that make up Resident Evil as a franchise, there are a ton of bosses that you end up fighting. Unfortunately, not every boss fight is necessarily fun or an amazing experience that capitalizes on the game’s mechanics and lore. Instead, you face a number of boss fights that are annoying at best and unbearably frustrating at worst. These are the kinds of bosses that make you reluctant to replay a game more than once simply for the sake of avoiding the fight, or you start a replay and get to the boss section for the dread to set in when you realize what you have to face next.

This list of bad boss fights ranges from tedious to downright broken battles. They aren’t the only fights that end up being criticized, but they receive a lot more criticism compared to other bosses. While there are plenty of great fights to offset these battles, that knowledge doesn’t always make it easier to jump into a replay of a RE game when it has a fight you dread reaching.

1) Del Lago (Resident Evil 4)

Del Lago’s fight is pretty bad in both the original Resident Evil 4 and in the 2023 remake. True to the habit of games making bosses that you fight in a water section at least annoying, Del Lago is a bad fight because of the way you’re forced to essentially play a waiting game.

In both versions of RE4, you don’t have a way to speed up this fight. You have to wait, dodge attacks, and then attack Del Lago when the opportunity comes up. It’s not the worst feature that can happen in a boss fight, but when you already know what to do and still have to drag out the fight due to its design, it gets annoying.

2) Simmons (Resident Evil 6)

The annoying part about Simmons is that his boss fight is drawn out across several boss fights, similar to William Birkin in RE2, but he’s less interesting as a villain and the evolution of his forms for each fight don’t make a lot of sense.

A few of these boss forms are a pain to deal with, like his flying form and the T-rex form, and some of the forms were more fun to fight against. However, Simmons kept appearing as a boss with a new form so many times that fighting him grew old quickly, even as the mechanics of the fight changed. Leon’s campaign could’ve benefited from having a variety of bosses instead of a variety of Simmons forms.

3) Ndesu (Resident Evil 5)

Ndesu is similar to the El Gigante fight in RE4, but you instead fight him with the use of car-mounted guns. In RE5, Ndesu is another giant, but one that’s infected with uroboros, which causes bug-like creatures to burst out of his seams as weak points.

On higher difficulties, Ndesu can be tough to defeat. However, his fight is rather frustrating on all difficulties simply because you’re forced to use the guns on the vehicles against him, making it feel more like a rail shooter style of game and preventing you from moving to better angles. In the end, it feels like El Gigante round 2, but more bland.

4) Infected Bat (Resident Evil 0)

The Infected Bat is a boss fight that you might not be prepared for, because the game doesn’t make it feel like you’re about to enter a boss room. If you know that it’s coming up, you can be prepared with the grenade launcher and enough rounds to use against the bat. If you don’t know that it’s coming up, you’re likely going to have an awful time because this creature is incredibly difficult to kill without the grenade launcher.

Plus, you can soft-lock the battle by not having enough ammo to kill the bat when you enter the boss room, and you can’t exactly leave the room in the middle of a fight to go grab more. Instead, you end up having to load a past save and redo sections of the game. It’s quite frustrating.

5) Heisenberg (Resident Evil Village)

Heisenberg’s whole area is easily the most difficult to get through in RE Village, so it makes sense that his boss fight is unbearably tough. Unfortunately, Heisenberg’s fight is too extreme in its difficulty, and it ends up being a section that leaves players stuck. It takes only a couple of hits from Heisenberg to kill you, depending on difficulty, and those hits require both luck and precision to avoid. Even if you go in with a strategy, such as moving toward his right arm to dodge the attacks of his left arm, you’re still going to have a tough time defeating him. It’s enough to make some players give up on the game entirely.

RELATED – Capcom Insider Gives Update on Missing Resident Evil Remake

There’s a lot of fun to be had in Resident Evil, but like any game, not every part of the series is perfect, or even always enjoyable to go through. One big factor in what makes a section fun or frustrating lies in the design of that area’s boss fight. After all, you can only fight a boss so many times before you have to take a break from the game, and these bosses are some that tend to lead to those breaks.

What are your most frustrating boss battles in Resident Evil? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 5 Worst Resident Evil Boss Fights appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Recently, I made a true gamer move: I looked at my growing stack of unplayed games and decided to dive into something familiar rather than something new. Specifically, I booted up the Mass Effect Legendary Edition so I could re-experience this amazing trilogy of games from beginning to end. And while I would have thought it impossible to love this series any more, I found myself more passionate about Commander Shepard and her world (yes, I’m a FemShep guy) than ever before.

When it comes to individual titles, there are a few role-playing games I enjoy more, chief among them being Chrono Trigger. But when it comes to game franchises, though, you can forget rivals like Final Fantasy; Mass Effect is, simply put, the best modern RPG series of all time. Don’t believe it? Well, don’t go all renegade on me: keep reading to learn why Mass Effect remains the “paragon” of role-playing games!

Delightfully Weird Characters

It’s no secret that an RPG is only as good as its characters. What I love about Mass Effect is that its characters aren’t simply “good,” as in being well-written. They are actually delightfully weird in a way that helps them transcend standard character archetypes. Mordin Solus isn’t just a brilliant doctor, for example, he’s also someone as likely to sing a jaunty tune or execute someone in cold blood rather than whip up a genius invention. 

Garrus is more than a charismatic badass: he’s a loose cannon who channels his guilt and frustration into his dream of becoming the galaxy’s most deadly vigilante. And Joker, the cranky pilot voiced by Seth Green, presents as just a sarcastic class clown, only to reveal a surprisingly tragic background story and rich inner life. Heck, even Ashley, the fan-dubbed “space racist”, has some deep lore that explains her problematic view of all things alien. 

Whenever I replay Mass Effect, I am astonished by how these characters manage to surprise me. Like real people, they are full of hidden depths and strange quirks, and managing my virtual relationships with all of them meant learning how each one ticked. All of that adds to the game’s immersion, making me feel less like a generic space hero and more like a captain who must really get to know her crew if any of us is to make it out of the next scrape alive.

Mystery Storytelling Done Right

What does Mass Effect have in common with Lost? Simple: they are both built around mystery storytelling. However, Lost (and a great many of the shows and movies that tried to bite its style) arguably dropped the ball because the mystery build-up was far more exciting than the answer to the mystery. Mass Effect, however, manages to give us both exciting mystery-building as well as a satisfying payoff.

For example, the first game is exciting early on as you try to decipher the meaning of Shepard’s vision and what it means for both her and the galaxy. Eventually (spoilers, sweetie!), we learn that this is a vision of galactic genocide at the hands of the Reapers, AI baddies who won’t rest until they extinguish all organic life yet again. The second game does a similarly excellent job building up the mystery of the Collectors, leading to the grotesque revelation of a Reaper in the form of a human.

Excellent pacing and suspense meet jaw-dropping payoffs. Be honest, genre fans, isn’t that way better than some silly smoke monster?

Killer World Building

In replaying the Mass Effect games, I was struck by how immersive this fictional world felt. The reason for that is simple: the franchise provided killer world-building from beginning to end. The various alien species, for example, weren’t just window-dressing for a mostly-human adventure. Instead, everyone from the Krogan to the Asari seems fully fleshed out, with fascinating histories and cultures of their very own.

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And the more you explore this universe and speak to its inhabitants, the more you can empathize with pretty much everyone. After a few scrapes with the Krogan, you can understand why the galaxy felt the need to halt their relentless expansion. And after a few conversations with Wrex, you’ll understand how amoral it was to infect an entire species with a crippling genophage. There is no “right” answer, and that’s the point: this isn’t the utopian world of Star Trek, and players must make decisions just as hard (and often harder) as any of the supporting characters.

Shades of grey, complex alien cultures, and meaty moral choices? Welcome to Mass Effect, baby!

Combat Is Fun and Visceral

In my replay of the Mass Effect series, something funny happened: I found myself enjoying the combat sequences almost as much as the dialogue-heavy role-playing sequences. Normally, I find combat pretty perfunctory, which is why I don’t hesitate to fast-forward through the endless random encounters in the Final Fantasy remakes. But Mass Effect had me hooked because each fight felt fun and visceral in a way that most modern RPGs don’t.

The biotic abilities of Shepard and her allies are a big part of that because they provide endless tactical possibilities depending on who (or what) you’re fighting. And even if you just stick with a biotic-free Soldier build (like me), the gunplay is slick and satisfying, and it rewards tweaking your weapons on the fly to deal with different foes (like choosing acidic or incendiary weapons to keep those Krogans from regenerating).

Compared to this, the turn-based combat of so many other RPGs just feels like a snoozefest! And you may find yourself longing for Mass Effect’s more visceral combat the next time an RPG’s climactic final fight feels more like playing around on your phone than fighting for your life.

The Highest Stakes

Part of what makes Mass Effect so engrossing is that the stakes are wildly high. You aren’t just fighting to save the world, like in retro favorites like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VII. Instead, you are fighting to save all organic life in the galaxy. And you’re fighting against villains who already have countless reps in committing genocide on a galactic scale.

For me, these high stakes added a meaty weightiness to pretty much everything I did. Sacrificing a beloved character? Sure, it sucks, but I couldn’t weigh a single life against the entire galaxy. Making morally murky decisions and slowly becoming a hated renegade? Hey, those are small stakes compared to saving literally every single person. High stakes make for high drama, helping cement Mass Effect as the best modern RPG game series.

Rewarding Character Arcs

Sometimes, even beloved RPGs can be frustrating because most of their characters are the same from beginning to end. Most gamers enjoy dynamic characters, so it can be annoying when leads like Cloud Strife or Squall Leonheart are still mostly monosyllabic meatheads by the time the credits roll. Compared to other franchises, Mass Effect has some of the most rewarding character arcs in gaming history. 

Wrex goes from being a lone mercenary to the possible savior of his race. Mordin (assuming you keep him alive and make the right choices) goes from dooming the Krogans with a genophage to sacrificing himself to cure them. Heck, even Joker goes from hating AI on principle to making moony eyes at his robot girlfriend.

In Mass Effect, just about everyone gets to grow and change over time. And this kind of dynamic storytelling makes it rewarding to bring their stories to life.

Every Decision Matters

BioWare arguably deserves the most credit for making crucial decisions a key element of role-playing games. Their famous Knights of the Old Republic duology, for example, gives players countless opportunities to be a do-gooder Light Side user who solves problems with peace and diplomacy or be a naughty Dark Side user who solves problems with Force chokes and lightsabers. Mass Effect took this idea to a whole new level, giving players more consequential choices that impacted events of later games.

For example, you can decide whether to save the last Rachni Queen in the first game, possibly putting the galaxy at risk; should you do so, the Rachni show up in Mass Effect 3 at a crucial moment. And making the right choices determines how many of your team you lose in the Mass Effect 2 suicide mission, dramatically affecting the character and story options of the third game. 

This is subjective, of course, but even relatively minor choices resonate in a big way. On my last playthrough of the trilogy, I got so distracted putting out galactic fires in the third game that I could not save the life of Kelly Chambers, my yeoman (and not-so-secret sidepiece) from Mass Effect 2. As I mourned the loss of my fictional fling, I realized this was the magic of the franchise: every choice matters, and learning to live with my hard (and sometimes poor) choices let me experience how painful being a Commander can truly be.

The post Why Mass Effect Remains the Best Modern RPG Game Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A recent, and one of the newest, Xbox Game Pass day one games is currently the 7th highest-rated game of 2025, according to Metacritic. This puts it behind only the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, Split Fiction, Donkey Kong Bananza, Despelote, and Death Stranding 2. There are a trio of unmentioned 2025 games with technically higher Metacritic scores, but these are re-releases rather than brand new games. Meanwhile, it is ahead of some noteworthy games such as Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Mario Kart World, Deltarune, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. However, it hasn’t been getting as much attention as most of the games above.

The Xbox Game Pass in question is Abiotic Factor from developer Deep Field Games and publisher Playstack. For those unfamiliar with Abiotic Factor, it is a survival crafting game that can be played solo or with up to five others. And since its release it has been reminding subscribers of Half-Life.

As an Xbox Game Pass day one game, the game was immediately available with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC subscription when it released on July 22, saving subscribers from a $34.99 purchase. While it has flown under the radar of some, it has impressed those who have checked it out. This is not only evident by its 88 on Metacritic, but its glowing user reviews. For example, the Xbox Game Pass game has an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam, thanks to a 96 percent approval rating across 27,513 user reviews.

This is the highest rating a game can earn on Steam. Meanwhile, it has positive reviews on the Xbox Store as well.

“I never leave reviews, but this game was so good it made me write one,” reads one of the aforementioned user reviews for the game. “Took a chance with this and I am glad I did. One of the best games I have ever played, so much so.”

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Abiotic Factor‘s developers have been proactive in ensuring the game runs well and addresses player feedback – as evidenced by a massive launch day patch that fixed a lot of problems that were identified in pre-release playtesting.

How long Abiotic Factor is going to be available with Xbox Game Pass, we do not know. That said, three of the top highest-rated games of 2025, according to Metacritic, are now Xbox Game Pass day one games, an impressive return for the Microsoft subscription service.

For more coverage on all things Xbox Game Pass and all things Xbox in general — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post New Xbox Game Pass Day One Game Is in Top 10 Best Games of 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A Nintendo Switch exclusive game is only $4.79 for roughly the next 24 hours. This is obviously a lowest price ever for the Nintendo Switch game, which came out in 2017. 2017 was eight years ago, so this price point may seem not all that surprising, as games of this age are regularly discounted to the ballpark of this price point. However, major Nintendo Switch exclusives games, whether from Nintendo itself or one of its partners, very rarely get even mediocre discounts, let alone an 88% discount.

That said, right now that is exactly the discount for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. The deal though does not come directly from the Nintendo eShop, so many Nintendo fans will no doubt have missed it.The new Nintendo Switch deal, which is set to expire on August 17, comes the way of Humble. Consequently, those after retail copies of this Nintendo Switch game, which do exist, will find nothing of value here because this Humble deal is for a Nintendo eShop digital code of the Nintendo Switch game. Meanwhile, there is no native Nintendo Switch 2 version of this game, however, the Nintendo Switch version is playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility.

Sequel Also on Sale

Not only is Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle on sale for $4.79 on Humble, but its 2022 sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, is also on sale. To this end, it is on sale at Best Buy for 74% off, which means it is on sale for $15.49. Similarly, it is $16.19 at Target right now. We do not know how long either of these deals are going to be available for though. Meanwhile, this pair of deals are for physical copies of the games, unlike the deal for its predecessor, which is digital only.

One of 2017’s Best Nintendo Switch Games

There are a few reasons that make this deal notable for Nintendo Switch users. For one, as noted, it is very rare for Nintendo Switch exclusive games to be discounted to anywhere near this price. To this end, you can’t find another Mario game even remotely close to this price.

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Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is just one of the best strategy games on Nintendo Switch, and one of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2017. We scored it a perfect 5/5 back at release and, even if you don’t take our word for it, the game maintains an 85 on Metacritic – not to mention securing Best Strategy Game at The Game Awards the year of its release.

Those worried about the Rabbids aspect of this crossover gam, meanwhile, should note that Ubisoft actually blends Rabbids and Mario together quite well in the game. Meanwhile, while the idea of tactical gameplay may be daunting to those who don’t play strategy games often, it shouldn’t be because it is a pretty mainstream experience that is very easy to learn and get into.

The games are also notable because they mark the last time these characters might crossover – as chances of a Sparks of Hope sequel seem to have gone cold; though, the development team is still hoping some future collaboration with Nintendo might be possible in the future. For that reason, fans who are interested in the concept should probably just pick these ones out rather than holding out for a near-future sequel release.

The post Nintendo Switch Exclusive Game Only $4.79 for 24 Hours appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Death Stranding 2 is as mechanically dense as it is beautiful. It has had a long development cycle of nearly five years, and when Kojima Productions makes a game, you can be sure they leave no stone unturned. But like all Hideo Kojima games, there is so much about Death Stranding 2 that you don’t know. There’s a long list of secrets and features about the game that you might not find out about otherwise. That includes things from in-game mechanics and details about the development cycle to certain remarks by director Hideo Kojima himself; there is a lot that adds more to the history of the game.

So, if you’re a super fan, here are nine facts about Death Stranding 2 you are going to love.

1) Raindrops Actually Do Fall on You

There’s a recurring detail in Death Stranding 2 from the first game. In the Death Stranding universe, Timefall is as abundant as any other weather catastrophe. It’s usually raining all the time, but most people aren’t aware of a fun little detail.

If you direct the camera upwards during periods of rain in Death Stranding 2, you can notice that the drops land and trickle down on the camera. The entire screen is covered by a wetness effect. This is a sort of fourth-wall break, and while it isn’t a big deal, it is a very unique mechanic that fans of the game will appreciate.

2) Death Stranding 2 Has Next-Generation Music

In the opening sequence of Death Stranding 2, you awaken as Sam on the border of America and Mexico. There’s a long mountain trail ahead of you, and once you start walking, a music track kicks in. That’s the classic Death Stranding way. However, in the sequel, the audio track isn’t just playing; it’s actually a dynamic mechanic in and of itself.

In the above-mentioned sequence, when you follow the trail staying atop the mountains, the music is louder and more intense. But if you don’t follow the trail and instead go down the mountain and take another random route, the audio track will adjust. It’ll become less intense, and specific beats will be completely omitted. In the same way, if you pay attention to other instances like these in Death Stranding 2, you’ll realize the music is always changing depending on the situation. You could even call this the next generation of music in video games.

3) Structures Can Be Dismantled While They Are in Use

The world of Death Stranding 2 is built on establishing connections with other players. The more regions you bring into the Chiral Network and the more likes you receive from other players, the greater the increase in the number of structures that are shown in your open world. This way, you’ll be able to use ziplines, shelters, and ramps made by other players. But sometimes, the unexpected may happen.

In a recent finding about Death Stranding 2, it was revealed that the world is constantly updating in real-time. One player was actually using a multiplayer zipline and was hundreds of feet in the air when the player who constructed said zipline dismantled it. This led to the player using the zipline falling to his doom. So yeah, maybe we shouldn’t have connected.

4) There’s a Secret Ghost Monorail In-game

You’re probably familiar with the transportation Monorails present in Death Stranding 2’s open world. But what you might not know is that a secret Ghost Monorail also exists in the game. You can’t ride it or use it, but it’s very exciting to see.

To catch a glimpse of the Ghost Monorail, you first need to reach the Animal Shelter in Australia. After that, wait until nightfall or when it’s almost daybreak, and you should see a huge, red-hued Monorail flying in the sky. If you shoot it, BTs will hone in on your location, so be prepared. The Ghost Monorail is a mysterious contraption. You can read more about it in the in-game codex. But if you just want the gist of it, the Ghost Monorail is said to be transporting souls of the dead to the “other side,” wherever that is in the Death Stranding universe.

5) The Prologue Can Endlessly Loop

In the prologue of Death Stranding 2, Fragile arrives at Sam’s secret hideout. She requests his help with extending the Chiral Network into Mexico. That said, there’s a long cutscene that plays before Fragile talks about this.

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But when she eventually does request Sam’s help, you are presented with several dialogue choices. These include counter questions by Sam as well as the options to choose a firm yes or no. Of course, the obvious answer would be to choose “yes” and let the story begin. However, if you actually select “I won’t do it,” a black screen pops up and you are looped back to the beginning of the cutscene.

6) Gameplay Was Reworked Because Playtesters Enjoyed It too Much

The story wasn’t the only thing Kojima reworked. During the playtesting stage, Kojima Productions received an overwhelmingly positive response to Death Stranding 2’s gameplay. So much so that it ended up bugging Kojima.

Hideo Kojima and the team ended up changing much of the gameplay. The basis for this was Kojima’s ideology that if a thing is too enjoyable, it becomes mainstream and lacks any sort of innovation. Thus, Death Stranding 2’s gameplay was intentionally adjusted in a way that would offer a more emotionally investing experience and not one that’s just mindless fun. Hence, the tedious nature of some deliveries.

7) There Are Lots of Metal Gear References in Death Stranding 2

While Death Stranding 2 is Kojima’s most recent masterpiece, his magnum opus is still Metal Gear. It’s undoubtedly his best work, and when you make a franchise so great as that, you’re definitely going to tease fans about it forever. And that’s exactly the case in Death Stranding 2, since it is filled with references to the Metal Gear series.

For instance, there’s a moment in the game where Higgs delivers the classic line, “Kept you waiting, huh?”. That is one of Solid Snake’s signature one-liners. In the DHV Magellan, Tarman says his missing limb gives him a sort of “Phantom Pain,” which is a subtle nod towards Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. However, inarguably, Death Stranding 2’s biggest Metal Gear reference is the character Neil Vana. During combat, Neil wears a bandana and tactical gear. Everything about the way he moves to the way he talks, and smokes eerily resembles Solid Snake from Metal Gear.

8) Kojima Didn’t Want to Predict the Future Again

The development of a game is an intricate process, especially for one that is AAA in nature. Kojima Productions, as well as Hideo Kojima himself, doesn’t compromise on their vision. In the build-up to Death Stranding 2’s release, many new details about the game emerged. For one, Death Stranding was a game about an isolated future. Right after it launched in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and many people joked that Kojima had predicted the future with Death Stranding.

Hideo Kojima later revealed he already had a story planned for the sequel. But when he saw the events of Death Stranding somewhat being recreated in real life during the pandemic, he changed all of it. The Death Stranding 2 story we have today isn’t the original vision Kojima had in mind. As for what the original vision was, Kojima said he’s never going to let it slip.

9) Nods to Other Games Like Ghost of Yotei

Of course, like all games, Death Stranding 2 is full of cameos and nods to other games; even ones that aren’t out yet. From the innumerable Easter eggs in the game, there are some notable ones, like the Yotei Mask you can get by completing Order No. 37 for The Adventurer.

That’s one Easter egg referencing Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch Productions’ sequel to Ghost of Tsushima. Other than that, there are cameos of directors, posters paying homage to famous bands, and of course, influences from games like Metal Gear. Death Stranding 2’s world is filled with secrets, and it’s a guarantee that you’ll see a lot of familiar faces.

What are your favorite bits of trivia about Death Stranding 2? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 9 Facts About Death Stranding 2 You Didn’t Know About appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The 9th main installment in the Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil Requiem, was revealed earlier this year. Soon, gamers will get a more in-depth look at the new game thanks to a trailer slated for August 19th during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live. Until then, what we officially know about the next Resident Evil game is fairly limited. But leaks have started to emerge, giving potential insight into everything from combat changes to the fate of a series mainstay.

Many fans were surprised when the initial Resident Evil Requiem reveal trailer did not include fan favorite character, Leon. Instead, the game’s protagonist will be FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft. Leon has appeared in several Resident Evil games, and the fact that Requiem is set in Raccoon City make his appearance feel inevitable. However, Capcom has yet to officially confirm that Leon will appear in Resident Evil 9 at all.

Leon has been a key feature in many Resident Evil leaks so far, with fans fixated on learning his fate. Now, fairly reliable Resident Evil leaker Dusk Golem has potential bad news for Leon fans.

Resident Evil Requiem May Be Leon’s Last Appearance

Dusk Golem has been sharing a ton of intel about the new Resident Evil game lately. Earlier this week, the leaker revealed details about Leon S. Kennedy’s role in the game. Specifically, Dusk Golem claims that Leon will indeed return as a playable character alongside the main protagonist, Grace Ashcroft. The poster also suggests that there will be changes to Leon’s combat style compared with previous games.

However, a detail that’s easy to miss amongst all the leaks are that this game may well be the last for the story of Raccoon City. More specficially, Dusk Golem claims that Resident Evil Requiem will be “Leon’s last major role in the timeline.”

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From the sounds of it, Requiem will wrap up Leon’s story. Or at least, most of it. “Last major role” doesn’t necessarily mean fans will never see Leon S. Kennedy in another Resident Evil game. But it does suggest the franchise might be moving away from him as a central protagonist. Introducing the new character of Grace Ashcroft in this game could signal that she’s meant to be a new recurring protagonist going forward. Or, it’s possible that leaving Raccoon City behind will take the franchise to an entirely new story.

At any rate, it sounds like Leon will be a key part of the story in Resident Evil 9, but possibly for the last time. We might get confirmation of his role with the upcoming Gamescom trailer on August 19th, along with other official details about the upcoming Resident Evil game. For now, these leaks should be taken as speculation only, since Leon’s role in the game has not been confirmed by Capcom. Dusk Golem has a decent track record with the franchise, but there’s always a chance that intel like this is inaccurate.

Resident Evil Requiem is set to release on February 27th, 2026 for PC via Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is the 9th main installment in the Resident Evil franchise.

The post Resident Evil 9 Will Reportedly Be the End of an Era for This Major Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There are a trio of PS5 games that normally cost $60 on the PlayStation Store currently on sale for just $6 thanks to massive 90 percent discounts. In addition to this, there are a large number of other PS5 and PS4 games as cheap as a couple bucks on the PlayStation Store.

There are plenty of great deals to be had, but some of the biggest and most exciting) discounts belong to Back 4 Blood, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and Super Mega Baseball 4 Ballpark Edition. The first two of these deals come courtesy of WB Games and EA, respectively. And both of these new PSN deals are set to be available until August 19. The third and latter of these PlayStation Store deals also comes the way of EA, however, this deal is only available until August 28.

Other Noteworthy Games Currently $5.99 or Cheaper on the PlayStation Store

Between PS5 and PS4, there is a collection of notable games for PlayStation fans to grab dirt cheap. For example, at the $3.99 (or cheaper) price point there are the following games: Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, Metro 2033 Redux, Metro: Last Light Redux, The Escapists 2, Far Cry 4, Tomb Raider, and Zombi.

Meanwhile, the following games are $4.99 for a limited time: Outriders, Sleeping Dogs, Batman: Return to Arkham, Injustice 2, Battlefield 2042, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, Dead Island, Battlefield 4, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Star Wars Battlefront, Crime Boss: Rockay City, Resident Evil Revelations 2, Batman: Arkham VR, Call of Cthulhu, Shantae, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Watch Dogs 2, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Tom Clancy’s The Division, Child of Light, Unravel Two, Burnout Paradise Remastered, Mortal Kombat 11, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, LEGO Worlds, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2, Resident Evil Revelations, Darkwood, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Dues Ex Mankind Divided, and LEGO Harry Potter Collection.

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At the $5.99 price point, in addition to the games above, there are the following deals: LEGO The Incredibles, LEGO DC Super-Villains, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Left Alive, Battlefield 1 Revolution, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, Hunting Simulator 2, Star Wars: Squadrons, Far Cry 3, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Bulletstorm, Need for Speed Rivals, Steep, Mass Effect Andromeda, Watch Dogs, Need for Speed (2014), Alien Isolation, Valkyria Chronicles 4, South Park: The Stick of Truth, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Yooka-Laylee, Pac Man World Re-Pac, Bramble: The Mountain King, Shadow Man Remastered, Borderlands 3, A Way Out, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.

Lowest Prices Ever

This trio of games has never been cheaper than $5.99 on the PlayStation Store. And the same applies to many of the other games listed above. Mass Effect Legendary Edition features all three Mass Effect games, so RPG fans are getting some of the best RPGs of all time for essentially $2 a pop – and there’s no better time to play (or replay) the series while excitement for Mass Effect 5 is building.

Meanwhile, Back 4 Blood is a blatant Left 4 Dead clone (or spiritual successor if you’re being generous). B4B never captured the momentum of the game that inspired it (failing to surpass the original in concurrent users on Steam) but it was an entertaining enough on its own – and the closest thing PS4 and PS5 users are going to get to Left 4 Dead – since Valve has shown no interest in reviving the co-op zombie series. As of 2023, rumors suggested a sequel might still be in development – but no updates have been shared since. As a result, it might be awhile before we get more Left 4 Dead-inspired co-op zombie content, so a price of just $6 could be a worthy pickup to scratch that itch.

Lastly, Super Mega Baseball 4 is a great alternative to MLB The Show for those that want a more arcadey experience rather than a realistic sim, at a fraction of the price. We previously reviewed SMB 4 and gave it a solid 4/5 score – citing that the game successfully recaptured the fun of coming home from school Super Mega Baseball 4 takes players back to the childhood days of coming home from school and firing up an accessible but equally deep sports game to play with friends.

The post $60 PS5 Games Now Only $6 on PlayStation Store appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection brings together the most iconic games from the franchise’s history. From arcade titles to console releases, it truly offers an opportunity to revisit the history of Mortal Kombat. The collection is set to release some time in 2025, but fans are still waiting on the exact date. Previous leaks have suggested that the game will arrive in September, but according to new intel, we might be waiting a little bit longer for the Legacy Kollection.

We don’t yet have the full list of included games, but what we do know already leaves Mortal Kombat fans impressed. The Legacy Kollection includes the first three Mortal Kombat arcade games from the 90s, which were also released for SNES, SEGA Genesis, and Game Boy. It also includes the formerly arcade-only title Mortal Kombat 4 and several Game Boy Advance releases. If that wasn’t enough, the game has a Deluxe and Collector’s Edition, which throw in additional perks like a Goro controller stand. But fans are eager to know when, exactly, those pre-ordered copies will arrive.

The official website for the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection does not list a release date. However, it does note that physical copies of the Kollection will ship on December 12th. It’s possible that this is a placeholder date similar to the December 31st release game stores use, or that physical editions will ship later than the digital release date. At any rate, this ship date is far later than previous leaks have suggested the release would be. According to new info, however, gamers may be waiting until October 30th to get our hands on the Legacy Kollection.

New Leak Puts Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection As October 2025 Release

Recently, the PS Deals tracker website listed the PS4 & PS5 edition of Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection with an October 30th release date. This site tracks the price of games in the PlayStation store, which still does not have a listing for the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection. So, it’s unclear exactly where this information about an October 30th release date is coming from. PS Deals tends to be a pretty reliable source of price information for games, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the site has insight into unannounced release dates.

Even so, this is interesting information for Mortal Kombat fans who’ve had that rumored September 30th release date on their calendars. Atari has still not officially revealed the release date for the Legacy Kollection. So, it could come out on September 30th as previously rumored or on this newly leaked date of October 30th. Or, there could be another release date entirely.

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At any rate, it seems we can expect an official release date announcement in the near future. A fall 2025 release window seems likely, especially given that the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection is officially targeting a 2025 release.

Whenever it does release, the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection will be available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders are available now via the Atari website for physical copies, the Deluxe Edition, and the Kollector’s Edition.

[H/T: Gematsu]

The post Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection Release Date Leaked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Epic Games generally does a really good job of changing things for Fortnite. They usually walk the line of changing too often versus leaving it stale pretty well, which is a huge reason the game is still even being played seven years later, while the vast majority of battle royales have faded into oblivion. They know what they’re doing.

However, every once in a while, Epic makes head-scratching decisions. They change the map every season, though there are always some holdovers. Sometimes, this makes very little sense. There are a few POIs in the latest season that just boggle the mind and probably should’ve been removed when the update went live on August 7th.

Fortnite Has Some Strange POIs Still

Every Fortnite season has a theme. It might be collaborative, like the Star Wars or Marvel-themed seasons that have been done time and again. It might also just be thematic, like the Greek-themed season from Chapter 5. The landmarks, POIs, and layouts of the map generally fit the theme pretty well, which helps to increase the immersion and really make players feel like this is maybe a little different of a game than the previous season.

As mentioned, that’s been crucial to Fortnite‘s seemingly never-ending success. That’s what makes it so curious when, like in Chapter 6 Season 4, there are some really odd holdovers. This happens quite a lot, but you’d think that Epic would eventually get the message and stop leaving POIs too long. They didn’t for this season, sadly.

Take a look at the new Fortnite map that just came out. Why are there still Star Wars locations? Why is Shogun’s Solitude still here? Shogun’s Solitude was introduced in Chapter 6 Season 1, and it fit the theme of that season (Demon Warriors). It does not fit the new theme for Season 4, and it honestly didn’t fit the Seasons 2 or 3 themes that well, either. Why has it persisted? It’s not like it’s Tilted Towers or Retail Row.

The Star Wars locations are even more puzzling. On the one hand, they are much more recent to the game than Shogun’s Solitude, but they’re also so out of place now. That would be like keeping Stark Industries in after the Marvel season in Chapter 2. It just doesn’t fit.

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Outpost Enclave and First Order Base were really good locations during the previous season, but not anymore. Now, they’re just sitting out on the edge of the map being useless, which is kind of the same thing that’s happening to Shogun’s Solitude. Corners of the map are vital for players who prefer to loot up and explore before being thrown into the heat of the battle (guilty as charged), but now these POIs are just not that useful to drop at.

Help is Fortunately on the Way

Despite that being a major issue, it won’t last long. This current chapter won’t last very much longer, and the entire map should get overhauled. We probably won’t see any of these POIs ever again, let alone see them immediately on a brand-new island. Rarely has anything survived a chapter switch.

Still, it is particularly surprising to see these still around. Maybe Epic Games just got lazy or couldn’t come up with any good locations, so they left them. This is a recurring theme, unfortunately. Epic Games has more often left POIs too long than not long enough. Only a few, like Tilted Towers and Retail Row, have stuck around and not overstayed their welcome.

For example, the Greek POIs from Chapter 5 Season 2, like Mount Olympus and The Underworld, stayed around way too long. Those didn’t make a bit of sense outside their one season of relevancy, and yet they remained in subsequent seasons. Chapter 5 Season 3 was a Mad Max-style wasteland all about the desert, but there was still a giant statue over Mount Olympus that stuck out like a sore thumb.

Maybe Epic will never learn its lesson, but at least we won’t have to put up with a lackluster map that has a few too many misplaced POIs much longer. Then, some others will get put into rotation, and we’ll have to have this conversation a couple of seasons from now again.

The post I Can’t Believe These POIs Are STILL in Fortnite appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Battlefield 6 is shaping up to be one of the premier FPSs of this console generation, and an overwhelming number of players are jumping into the open betas. Unlike the Call of Duty series, Battlefield 6 utilizes a class system that gives each player unique traits. These also have customizable kits to further accent a player’s play style. Some weapons and gear are already proving to be more popular than others, but Battlefield 6 players are overlooking an obvious strength, and it’s not the problem with Medic players and reviving. No, players are not utilizing the best gadget in Battlefield 6, one that could make them more successful.

The frag grenade is proving to be the most popular throwable in Battlefield 6. This gadget can be used to clear out rooms and score kills. But there is another throwable that has even more important uses, especially considering Battlefield 6’s objective-based game modes.

Smoke Grenades Are Battlefield 6’s Best Gadget

The smoke grenade is underrated and potentially the best throwable in Battlefield 6. Line of sight is incredibly important, and disrupting this could be the difference between life and death. While it does not deal any damage, it provides support in many different ways.

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The most obvious advantage of the smoke grenade is preventing the enemy from being able to see you. The smoke can blind snipers and force them to wait it out or relocate, thus exposing themselves to counterfire. More importantly, smoke can be used to hide your advance.

Liberation Peak is one of the largest maps in Battlefield 6’s open beta, and it is a sniper’s playground. This is especially difficult when playing as an attacker due to the choke points. However, by throwing a smoke grenade at this point, you can safely advance due to the enemy being blind. Smoke grenades are such a great support tool and it’s a shame no one is using them.

Why No Using Smoke Grenades in Battlefield 6

Few players use the smoke grenade due to how Battlefield 6 rewards players. Dealing damage or suppressing an enemy leads to experience points. Clipping someone with a frag grenade may not kill them, but it can stun enemies and help rank up. Plus, there is the satisfaction of eliminating an enemy player, which all FPS players love.

Battlefield 6 can fix this by allowing players to earn experience points by obscuring an enemy’s line of sight. Or if a player can run through gunfire while your smoke is active and survive. This would encourage players to use smoke grenades more. Additionally, adding challenges that require using smoke grenades would further incentivize players to equip smoke grenades as their throwable.

The post Battlefield 6 Players Aren’t Using One of Their Best Tools appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Live service games are one of the best ways to generate continuous income as a game studio or publisher, as they require much less overall work than developing a completely new title. It’s no wonder, then, that the games-as-service model is becoming more and more popular as studios scramble for funds, as they would rather devote time to maintaining an already-existing game than building one from the ground up in order to get another surge of funding.

Unfortunately, not every publisher seems capable of creating live-service games, as can be seen in Sony’s bizarre struggle to establish one of their own.

Live Service Games Are Successful on PS4 & PS5

Despite Sony’s lack of live service games published under the PlayStation Studios name, live service titles have been a smash hit on the console. Bungie’s Destiny franchise, despite criticisms of the company, is a live service game that’s been running and earning revenue for a decade. Sea of Thieves has also been highly successful on the PlayStation after its addition, joining Helldivers 2 in earning Sony quite a bit of money in 2024. Looking at this list, it appears that Sony has more than enough live service games under its belt, but one thing stands out: none of these games were developed under Sony’s supervision.

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Despite the numerous live service titles offered on their PlayStation console, Sony Interactive Entertainment doesn’t currently lay claim to any live service games under their sundry first-party development studios and the PlayStation Studios name. Sony sees quite a bit of the revenue generated by their live service library, but they seem to be struggling with creating one to call their own. As a consequence of Concord‘s high-profile failure when it released in August of 2024, Sony has stepped back from a number of live service versions of preexisting Sony titles, instead scrapping them with little explanation.

Why Has Sony Failed to Make Its Own Live Service Game?

PlayStation hosts a bevy of different styles of live service titles, but despite the library of games to draw inspiration from, Sony hasn’t produced anything of note in the format. Its most recent cancellation, a multiplayer God of War title being developed by Bluepoint Games, was canned in early 2025 and makes the ninth in the list of binned live service games being developed by Sony subsidiaries. It joins cancelled live service versions of Spider-Man from Insomniac, The Last of Us from Naughty Dog, and a few unnamed games by subsidiary studios.

For some reason, Sony seems to be struggling to create something meaningful in the live service format. Concord spent eight years in development, starting around the same time that Overwatch did, and was released to an already-saturated market full of free-to-play hero shooters that had already established audiences. It’s unclear whether its release was a sunk-cost fallacy issue or just marked a staggering lack of awareness by the Sony market-research team, but either way, the game was a resounding failure. Unable to learn from the many games available on their console, there have been no meaningful steps from Sony and PlayStation Interactive towards an original live service game.

Sony Needs a Break From New Live Service Titles

Rather than running themselves into the brick wall of live service failure, Sony needs to ensure they’re supporting the games that made them what they are: single-player RPG experiences. The God of War, Uncharted, The Last of Us, Horizon, and Spider-Man franchises are some of Sony’s most successful, proving that Sony knows how to make an excellent action RPG that people will love. It seems pointless to announce, develop, and then cancel a live service game that won’t earn any money when that energy could be more effectively spent making games people will enjoy.

Particularly when PlayStation-hosted live service games already make Sony quite a bit of money, around 20-30% of their revenue in 2024, according to Sony CFO Lin Tao. She mentioned that live service games created a new stream of revenue that didn’t exist for the company, so Sony would continue to pursue them, but is this a mistake when they’re already making a significant amount of their money from already existing titles? It’s clear that Sony is still learning what makes a live-service game work, and it’s a bit of a waste to push a live-service angle when the publisher isn’t prepared for it.

The post Live Service Games Are Successful on PlayStation, So Why Can’t Sony Make Its Own? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new remaster of a popular PS3 game from the past has seemingly leaked ahead of its official reveal. While many games from the PlayStation 3 era have started to make the jump to current-gen platforms, there are still countless others stuck on the hardware. PS3 games like Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Infamous, the Resistance trilogy, Puppeteer, Heavenly Sword, Killzone 2, and so many others remain trapped on the “retro” PlayStation console. Fortunately, it looks like one of those games that remains gridlocked to PS3 should soon be coming back in a new fashion shortly.

Recently, publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment posted a scheduled video to its YouTube channel that was meant to go live on August 18th. The video was titled “Tales of Series News” and is meant to touch on information tied to the publisher’s beloved “Tales of” RPG franchise. While the video was quickly removed, seemingly because it was posted in advance of an official announcement, that didn’t keep fans from spotting one major reveal that should take place during the broadcast.

Specifically, the thumbnail for this scheduled video happened to feature characters from the game Tales of Xillia. Released originally in 2011 (and later in 2013 for the West), Tales of Xillia was quite a popular RPG that only ever came to PS3. It went on to spawn a sequel, the aptly titled Tales of Xillia 2, which was also only available on PS3. Despite the popularity of these two Tales games, Bandai Namco has never brought them to any other platforms over the past decade. Luckily, if this leak is anything to go by, that should now be changing.

For characters from Tales of Xillia to have appeared in this leaked video, it suggests that Bandai Namco is bringing back the game (and potentially its sequel) with a new remaster that will likely hit PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC platforms. This would also be in line with previous moves that Bandai has made, such as remastering Tales of Graces f earlier in 2025. Bandai Namco also said that it would be announcing a new Tales remaster at some point in the middle of this year as a way of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the franchise. As a result, the potential for Tales of Xillia to be remastered isn’t much of a shock, but it is surely exciting to many fans around the globe.

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For now, we don’t know exactly when Tales of Xillia Remastered will be unveiled to the world, but we’ll likely find out more in the coming days.

[H/T Nintendo Everything]

The post New PS3 Remaster Leaks Ahead of Announcement appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There seems to be a seemingly infinite amount of horror content available at our fingertips. With bite-sized free titles, impressive early access games and demos, and inspiring indie releases that put AAA studios to shame, it’s hard to keep track of the sheer amount of horror that drops every year. Steam and itch.io are full of gems, but only a handful get their moment in the spotlight.

You’ve likely heard of Mouthwashing, Crow Country, and Bad Parenting, which rose to the top in 2024. But what about those lesser-known games that may get their moment on YouTube but deserve a longer standing ovation? Think No, I’m not a Human, I’m on Observation Duty, Static Dread, We Harvest Shadows, KARMA: The Dark World, and many more. Perhaps you know of the legendary indie horror devs Puppet Combo, Chilla’s Art, and rayll.

Countless horror games are released every year, so it’s easy to miss some. We’ve collected our 7 favorite lesser-known horror titles, and we’ll be shocked if you’ve played them already. With a criminally low amount of Steam reviews, these are our horror recommendations that deserve a moment of your time.

1) 10 Dead Doves

Games Like It: Fatum Betula, Sorry We’re Closed, and Yumi Nikki.

Like something plucked straight out of the great David Lynch’s mind, 10 Dead Doves is a truly unhinged horror game. I can’t get my head around anything unfolding on-screen, yet its in its bizarre abstract narrative and fantastic dialogue, I found it impossible to put down. We’ve tried our best to compare it to other games, but there really isn’t much like 10 Dead Doves. It perfectly mixes horror with comedy, providing a great atmosphere full of exploration, and a strange story that’s hard to comprehend. A cosmic horror with fixed-camera angles, 10 Dead Doves is unforgettable for its art direction and storytelling.

2) XXX_CYBERRAT_XXX

Games Like It: Welcome to the Game, Start Survey?, and s.p.l.i.t.

CYBERRAT is a horror hacking game that’ll mess with your mind and soul. A title as challenging as Welcome to the Game and Scrutinized, CYBERRAT mixes the supernatural with home invasion elements. With a bounty on your head and pills to take to keep the monsters at bay, the stress of playing this game comes from juggling multiple mechanics at once. CYBERRAT is one of those games where the horror is building in the background, bubbling away as you slowly forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But you’re in for the fright of your life if you get too distracted by your money-making scheme.

3) Funeralopolis: Last Days

Games Like It: Silent Hill 4: The Room, Static Dread: The Lighthouse, and Look Outside.

A short and near-flawless narrative experience places you in the Lovecraftian world of Funeralopolis. Trapped inside your apartment as an epidemic has spread across the once peaceful city, the events in Funeralopolis feel like if lockdown had gone cosmically wrong. The worldbuilding puts so many horror games to shame as the mystery and dread slowly builds to a bottomless pit of hopelessness. With multiple endings and so much to admire, Funeralopolis remains one of my favorite indie horror games ever made. I wish there were more of this game as I’d gladly sink hours into discovering every inch of this hypnotizing world.

4) Hollow Cocoon

Games Like It: Resident Evil, Jisatsu, and MASKED DEVOURER.

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Trapped inside a house with a creepy stalking enemy on your tail, Hollow Cocoon is the best modern-day version of old-school Resident Evil. With puzzles and note collecting, Hollow Cocoon mixes Amnesia and Resident Evil to make what feels like a classic horror game. Visuals are stunning, puzzles provide a challenge in the form of backtracking, and the persistent threat of the entity keeps you on edge throughout. The story is interesting, but where this game falls short compared to the rest of this list is its repetitive formula. This is not the game for you if you don’t find the entity scary. But it’s one for puzzle horror fans that enjoy the psychological side of the genre.

5) Midnight Scenes

Games Like It: The Drifter, NextDoor, and Night in the Woods.

If The Twilight Zone were a video game series, it’d be Midnight Scenes. The beautifully crafted pixelated side-scrollers immediately immerse you in their fictional world full of intrigue and wonder. There’s a lot to love about Octavi Navarro’s take on Twilight Zone as each “episode” tells a fun bite-sized horror that never overstays its welcome. Fairly priced; each game has excellent writing, great scares, and an atmosphere you can’t help but explore. These horrors won’t take you too long to beat and they’re well worth your time and money, so sit back, relax, and enjoy your time in the Midnight Scenes.

6) Night Freak

Games Like It: Bloodwash, Christmas Massacre, and Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike.

You know something dark and disturbed is about to go down when you have to play as a kid in a horror game. Forced to spend the night at home without parents to call for help if something goes wrong, the fixed-camera angles build a sense of dread for you never know what’s hiding around the corner. The younger perspective makes the imagination run wild, for you feel something will jump out at you any second. The persistent reminder that a killer is on the loose doesn’t help either…and he’s targeting children. A slow-building horror that lunges at you when you least expect it, Night Freak is a short but entertaining game with a horrifying climax.

7) Power Drill Massacre

Games Like It: Manhunt, Murder House, and Northbury Grove.

From the slasher powerhouse Puppet Combo, one-man developer and mastermind behind the terrifying Nun Massacre, anxiety-inducing Stay out of the House, and brilliant Murder House, brings you Power Drill Massacre. While this title is still in early access…10 years after its initial release, it remains one of the most challenging horror games to date. A ridiculously difficult game to get through, Power Drill Massacre is brutal and unforgiving to anyone brave enough to step foot in it. It’s claustrophobic, intense, and stressful. Good luck making it out of this one alive.

The post 7 Best Horror Games You Definitely Didn’t Play appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Activision gets a lot of hate for various reasons, many of which stem from its incessant thirst for sequels, annualization, and abuse scandals being three (and entirely valid) key reasons. However, it has published a fair share of industry-defining titles over the last few decades. These games range from all sorts of Call of Duty titles, to Tony Hawk’s whole run, to a staggering list of Marvel games that run the gamut from Spider-Man to Deadpool. A lot has shifted over the years as Activision has consolidated more and more into the Call of Duty machine, but there’s still a healthy back catalog to pull from.

This catalog is pretty varied, too, hitting all sorts of genres and consoles. It’s a lot to sort through, but here are the 10 best Activision games.

10) Transformers: War for Cybertron

Activision was known for its deluge of licensed games, many of which were exactly why such games have such a poor reputation. However, Transformers: War for Cybertron ascended past all other Transformers games and is one of the handful of thoroughly solid games based on an established property. War for Cybertron is a third-person shooter that lets players control a whole host of iconic Autobots and Decepticons in two campaigns that intertwine.

Regardless of team, gunplay forgoes cover mechanics — a hot style of the time — in order to have a faster pace that meshes well with the transformation mechanic. Going from vehicle to humanoid bot not only animates well, but is also crucial in making firefights more engaging and frenetic, given the versatility each side brings. Bots are better at shooting, while the vehicles are better at getting around. Its sequel, Fall of Cybertron, like many other Activision games, loses a bit of the magic, but War for Cybertron still stands tall as a great shooter and faithful (and canon) Transformers game.

9) Singularity

BioShock was one of the premier titles of the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation, so it was naturally going to inspire some other studios. Raven Software’s Singularity is one such game that was heavily influenced by Irrational Games’ undersea shooter, but still managed to carve out its own identity. It’s less philosophical than Bioshock, yet it makes up for that with its focus on more aggressive gunplay. These firefights excel because of the special glove that gives players limited control over time itself, as well as the varied and upgradeable weaponry. The grenade launcher that lets players directly roll around the explosive and the sniper rifle that gives users direct control over the bullet are two highlights.

Singularity was Raven’s last game before it got pulled into the Call of Duty machine, a series it has solely worked on ever since. It’s disappointing for many reasons, mainly because it keeps other creative titles like Singularity from coming out.

8) X-Men Origins: Wolverine

While Batman: Arkham Asylum is widely known as the marquee shifting-point for solid licensed games, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a strong footnote on that legacy since it came out a few months prior. Origins’ combat is like the many God of War-esque titles of that era and holds its own, even with that lofty comparison. Wolverine can eviscerate his foes and toss them around with ease, fulfilling the power fantasy a hack-and-slash game like this should have in a way that respects the more violent impulses of the character. It also greatly benefited from its Mature rating with its gratuitous gore, as well as its year-long delay of the film, which allowed its juggle-heavy combat to have more depth when compared to other licensed action games of that time.

Origins stands in stark contrast to the panned film it spawned from. The game is a respectable action title, while the movie is a garbled mess and is often seen as one of the lowest points of the X-Men films. The video game is constantly spilling buckets of digital blood around the screen, and the movie adheres to an ill-fitting PG-13 rating. It’s rare to have such a disparity between a movie and its video game adaptation where the video game is at such a higher quality, and it’s why Origins is still so beloved.

7) Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

Spider-Man starred in many great video games, but few are as unique as Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. Instead of taking the open-world route like Insomniac Games’ titles and 2004’s Spider-Man 2, Shattered Dimensions is a linear affair that uses its linearity to great effect. It more or less yields four smaller Spider-Man games that each star their own version of the character, all of whom have different art styles and fighting tactics.

Amazing Spider-Man is the more basic version with a striking comic book-like aesthetic. Spider-Man Noir is, unsurprisingly, black and white and is a stealthier take on the character. Spider-Man 2099 takes place in the future with a more realistic look. And Ultimate Spider-Man shows players a symbiote-infected Spidey, giving him a more aggressive combat repertoire. All of these unique tones and styles are impressive and, much like the Spider-Verse films, show the flexibility the web-slinger can have. And despite this variability, it never feels unfocused or like its controls are going to buckle under the weight of four characters, even if its God of War-like combat isn’t quite as fluid as Santa Monica Studio’s flagship action game. Edge of Time was a rushed sequel, but, if anything, it further highlighted what was so great about Shattered Dimensions.

6) Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Spyro, much like its PS1 platformer peer Crash Bandicoot, did not live his best years once he escaped the original PlayStation. But instead of trying something completely new for the purple dragon’s new adventure, Toys for Bob remastered that beloved trilogy with a level of respect other remakes should aspire to with Spyro Reignited Trilogy. It retained that level of vibrancy common in platformers of that era, but used modern technology to better realize those stunningly colorful worlds. This utilization of contemporary hardware also brought the game’s characters more to life, as most clearly seen in the first game’s many dragons, all of whom got more of a personality and level of detail not afforded by the PS1.

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The visual makeover is the most notable new aspect, but Spyro still controls well and makes for a solid platforming mascot. The unified (and updated) approach to the control scheme also helped even the playing field between the games and ensured gliding around and collecting most gems, dragon statues, talismans, and eggs was enjoyable throughout. The third game is still the weakest entry and is significantly hampered by its abundance of playable heroes, but that doesn’t sink this lovingly constructed package.

5) Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

There are many standout (as well as bad) Call of Duty games, but few are as fully fantastic as 2014’s Advanced Warfare. Advanced Warfare’s greatness comes from its setting, which balances more traditional gunplay with near-future technology to create something grounded yet new. It’s neither as dry as some of the World War II entries or as out there and unrelatable as 2016’s Infinite Warfare; its tech is exciting but still tactile in a way that makes it all seem more real. Its exoskeletons are a brilliant example of this, since they give players superhuman abilities but are bulky and not conveniently explained away with nanomachines.

The campaign tells its simple story well and uses its setting well to give players a level of variety that other, more realistic entries can’t quite achieve. Competitive multiplayer has all the similar Call of Duty trademarks and blazing-fast, laser-tag-like action, but gives players a grander level of control over their build with its Pick 13 system that offers more granular customization. Its cooperative pillar is a simple horde mode, but it serves its function well with a well-balanced economy that gives it more depth and replayability. Activision is seemingly almost solely focused on the Black Ops and Modern Warfare sub-series, which is a shame given how well Advanced Warfare turned out and how much it deserved a follow-up.

4) Guitar Hero 2

Guitar Hero changed the world, but its sequel was smoother and a better realization of this brilliant idea. It still has the note-dropping, guitar-thrashing gameplay of the original but with a practice mode and cooperative play that make it a more full experience. Jamming out to this soundtrack on a plastic guitar remains a blast because of how it is able to court newer players while also giving more hardcore shredders a challenge.

Its many sequels contained a greater list of features and were more streamlined, but Guitar Hero 2 stands out amongst its successors because of how it was able to iterate on its predecessor while not being overshadowed by Rock Band, which changed the genre once again with its multiple instruments. Guitar Hero began to lose its luster once Activision started milking it, but that magic is still present in this classic sequel.

3) Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Just about every Crash Bandicoot game after the Naughty Dog era fell somewhere between mediocre and terrible. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time not only isn’t awful or bland; it’s the best Crash Bandicoot game, period. This fantastic platformer has tight controls (unlike the remastered Crash trilogy) and a healthy helping of varied levels that consistently yield new, well-paced challenges and atmospheres. Some take place in the distant past with carnivorous dinosaurs or on alien planets, while others are set on a 2D plane in nefarious labs or during a Mardi Gras-like festival. An array of surprisingly fleshed-out side characters like the grappling hook-wielding Tawna to blaster-ready Neo Cortex offer even more variability, as do the N. Verted versions of stages that flip each one on its head with new modifiers. 

Crash 4’s exaggerated animation and frequent callbacks to the originals demonstrate a love for those old wacky PS1 games, but it doesn’t just stew in nostalgia. Instead, it forges a path forward by feeling like a modern platformer with all of the advancements in design the genre has seen since the orange marsupial’s heyday. It’s disappointing that Crash Team Rumble went in a completely different direction, but it doesn’t diminish how much there is to love about Crash 4.

2) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2

The first two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater titles are both excellent, so it’s fitting that they both make Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 the best entry. This remade version of the two PS1 classics capture what those games did well — planning combo routes and hitting high scores — but expands on them with well-reasoned additions. Mechanics from later entries have been spliced in seamlessly here, making it a deeper and more holistic remake. The visual overhaul also clears out the fog and fills out stages with more fitting details that weren’t possible on old hardware. Its iconic soundtrack has also been preserved (and added to) and still serves as a fitting aural backdrop to all the grinds and reverts. 

It looks, feels, and sounds like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater should. This style got more and more obscured in the endless sequel churn, but at least this remake got the series back on track. 

1) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

It’s a strange footnote on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’s legacy, but it was published by Activision and not from either of FromSoftware’s frequent collaborators, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bandai Namco. Regardless, it paid off for Activision to go outside of its wheelhouse for this one, as it is the publisher’s best game (From, however, still owns the rights).

This seminal Soulslike is built on one of the best — if not the best — parries in all of gaming. Its responsiveness and the rewards it yields to skilled players allow its boss fights to be thrilling bouts of strength and reflexes. They’re often incredibly difficult but provide a lovely sense of accomplishment once each titanic monstrosity hits the dirt. The faster pace and unique take on upgrades make Sekiro different from FromSoftware’s other titles, methodical games that usually have slower windup speeds for almost everything. But it still retains the high quality that From is known for and is a true accomplishment for a studio known for raising the bar.

What are your favorite Activision games? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 Best Activision Games Ever Made, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In Apex Legends Season 26, Showdown, balance is finally becoming a major component in how ranked plays. With random POI drops, KP capped to 10, and Evo Harvesters cut in half, there’s a greater emphasis now on surviving to the very end, and snatching that champion title off your opponent. Some legends have finally received a buff that should have come seasons ago, but a handful remain in the Apex Legends‘ archive, collecting dust and waiting for their moment to become meta once more. The usual suspects sit at the top of the pack, but Caustic has flown to the top with his new and improved kit. Playing edge just got a whole lot harder, but now there’s strategy to picking your comp based on where you’re going to land and where the zone pulls.

New faces join the meta, and while ranked feels very different from Season 25, you’ll notice some familiar names remain top dogs.

Apex Legends Season 26 Tier List

Legends

Tier	Legends
S
A+
A
B+
B
C
D

S Tier

1) Alter

A tougher kit to master than Ash’s, Alter remains the strongest legend in Apex. Her much-needed balance changes came from removing the Support perks off her Evo upgrade, but this doesn’t lessen Alter’s impact. She now acts as a rotational device to move her team around the map and to avoid third-parties. The perfect entry fragger, Alter moves the tides in her favor every single time as she dictates when to push and leave, whether the fight is going your way or not. Her ability to reach high ground with her portals as a team, alongside dipping out of a battle by phasing to another floor, is still the most effective way to move in a fight. This, alongside punishing anyone behind cover by kidnapping them, makes Alter the top legend to choose in Apex ranked.

2) Ash

Ash is super balanced now that she can no longer double dash and the move of her Arc Snares upgrades down to purple armor is incredibly helpful to those facing her. Purple shields takes longer to get so it’ll feel more fair versing an Ash now than it did last season. She’s also been moved to Skirmisher, which means her dash is the only speed boost she can get now. Ash is still an incredibly strong character to choose in every match, capable of defensive and offensive plays, moving her team around the map with high rotate potential, and still provides pressure with her Arc Snares.

A+ Tier

3) Lifeline

Still the strongest Support legend in Apex, Lifeline is the best combat medic that’s helpful in all situations. Unless you’re versing opponents who throw impeccable sky nades into your Halo, there’s not much people can do when you’re rezzing them inside Life’s ultimate. She can get good movement from gliding with D.O.C., provide healing from afar during a fight, and shoot while rezzing. What’s not to like? She’s the best Support pick for your team if you’re looking to reach Masters this season.

4) Bangalore

Bangalore is back to being part of the meta as her Smoke Launcher can destroy enemy util, making her the ultimate counter legend. The one downside is that her smokes can destroy teammates’ deployables too, which risks putting the team in a vulnerable position. She still has that Support potential with her smokes, alongside that much-needed versatility to play defensively or aggressively. Her ultimate is really strong right now, but we recommend picking self-heal over 100 damage smokes when you’re solo queueing, as you cannot communicate with randoms as effectively as three-stacking.

5) Caustic

The man, the myth, the legend has moved from our D tier, all the way into S. Now able to get all four of his Evo upgrades every match (something no other legend can do), Caustic is incredibly strong in building fights and holding space. While he doesn’t do much in open areas, he’s helpful in fortifying whatever space his teammates have created. Caustic’s mass quantity of Nox Gas, plus the ability to see through it, means Caustic is finally a viable pick this season.

6) Sparrow

Now more than ever, it’s imperative you scan Survey Beacons to see where people are going and to understand which fights you should and shouldn’t take. Getting to the endgame is top priority, but we all still want to fight. Using Survey Beacons is essential so you’re not accidentally starting a third-party situation. Sparrow’s ability to scan these from afar (just like Crypto) means he’s staying safe, but is also able to scan as many beacons as he’d like, making him incredibly strong for rotates. Sparrow is also a fantastic pick when it comes to tracking enemies during a fight, and his ultimate is incredibly strong (so long as there’s no Bangalore around).

A Tier

7) Wraith

Wraith is still an excellent pick for both defensive and offensive plays, having high survivability value both for herself and her team. She’s great paired with a Conduit or Lifeline who can heal her if she ever overextends or pushes solo. The only real issue with her is that Ash and Alter are overall stronger characters, making Wraith the third pick out of these void-shifting legends.

8) Wattson

Wattson has become one of the best Support legends this season and that’s because she’s been given Support perks while remaining a Controller character. Her Pylons can counter Fuse and ordnances, giving her time to rez teammates simply by standing next to her ultimate. Her Fences are stronger than ever as they electrify doors, negate Sparrow and Ash’s movement passives, and create makeshift cover/fortify space to make it difficult to push. She’s a fantastic defensive legend that just got stronger because of her Evo upgrade changes.

9) Revenant

Similar to Conduit, the importance of having shields is at its highest this season. Revenant having extra shields, much like a Controller legend, means he is at an advantage when stepping into a fight. He has a higher survivability than most legends simply for the fact that he gets these extra shields during his ultimate. This means getting one-clipped is far less likely. He’s a safer pick than Pathfinder and works well at all ranges, even if he can only do the occasional leap onto a low-health enemy or to evade incoming fire/enemy ultimates.

10) Conduit

Conduit is a great Support legend whose impact matters more and more with every Apex Evo update. Most fights will likely take place pitting blue shields against the others, meaning you want to have whatever you can use as an advantage against your opponent. In this case, Conduit provides shields that would have depleted from a single Peacekeeper pump or an R-99 and RE-45 spray. Her usefulness is becoming more evident, but she still isn’t as strong as Lifeline.

11) Pathfinder

Still the most entertaining legend to move around the map with, Pathfinder is great for solo queue or to play with the team. Able to play at any range, Path is the perfect entry damage legend that can reposition or coax enemies to waste their util. His downside is (as always) his massive hitbox, which is an absolute pain to deal with. With TTK getting quicker and quicker, surviving as a Path feels less and less likely. His huge hitbox means he’ll be brought down in an instant from the meta weapons this season, making him only an amazing pick with those who have mastered him.

B+ Tier

12) Newcastle

A difficult legend to master, Newcastle is a great pick if there’s no Bangalore in the lobby. Newcastle is a more situational character to choose as you don’t know who’ll be in the game with you and Bang isn’t a guarantee when Wattson, Lifeline, and Caustic are great too. Newcastle still has impressive resetting abilities and excels at holding space, but he doesn’t suit fighting against legends like Gibraltar, Watton, or Caustic. He more so punishes opponents overextending, which may not be as viable now that farming shields isn’t a guarantee.

13) Mirage

Mirage is a decent Support, but only if you’re being third-partied. It’s a bit of a weird one but the more hectic things get, the more likely Mirage can successfully reset your team. But I’ve found that the lower the shields, the higher the chance a team with Lifeline on it will outlive a Mirage team. There’s nothing overtly bad about Mirage, but Life is a far safer bet when it comes to your team’s survival. He has great ratting potential, unlike Life, but his usefulness really ends there.

14) Ballistic

Ballistic isn’t the obvious meta pick this season because his ultimate no longer helps the team. It still provides the unlimited ammo, but only Ballistic will get that speed boost. This, plus the fact that you can pick up an Amp that gives you unlimited ammo sort of makes Ballistic redundant. If you love rocking the Devotion, then Ballistic can still put that in his sling to get Turbocharger. Ballistic is more balanced now, but he was an absolute menace before as he stopped opponents from being able to fight back. His Whistler reduction means there’s now more strategy and timing to his kit.

15) Loba

Loba remains on the higher end of the scale as she’s a very balanced legend. Her usefulness is slightly lower now that Amps are in the game, meaning you may not need her Black Market as much this season. Her Bracelet still provides multiple ways to move around the map, be it to dart around a player in front of her, or to escape when she’s last alive. She’s on the weaker side for Support when compared to Mirage, Lifeline, Conduit, and Wattson because she’s vulnerable to incoming damage when rezzing her teammates.

B Tier

16) Vantage

Having a smaller hitbox than she used to, Vantage is stronger than ever, but she doesn’t suit every player. She’s meant to look for entry damage with her sniper ultimate, which is super strong now that there are fewer Evo Harvesters in the game. She’s harder to kill than Pathfinder, which is nice, but her movement still feels slow (especially on controller). There’s other legends that can move around quicker than her, plus her bat jump doesn’t help the team at all. At least Pathfinder has a way to move the entire team around for a rotation. Vantage is, however, a good pick for solo queue.

17) Fuse

Fuse can be great, but not in everyone’s hands. He only really works when countering a handful of legends, but with Wattson, Ash, and Alter being around, Fuse loses a lot of his impact. His Knuckle Clusters only act as an annoyance if you’re trapped in a building, waiting for the final ring to close behind you. His ultimate doesn’t do much when every movement legend (particularly Ash and Alter) can just avoid it. Fuse is a situational pick whose impact is determined purely by which legends are in the lobby with him.

18) Mad Maggie

Mad Maggie is like Fuse, a bit of a nuisance pick to pull people out from cover. She’s helpful against a Gibraltar or Lifeline, but there are stronger picks for aggressive characters. Legends like Ash, Pathfinder, Revenant, and Alter can avoid her ultimate completely and her team can easily be knocked and taken out of the fight if she’s using her Wrecking Ball to rotate. Ash, Alter, and Wraith have faster and safer ways to move around the map. Maggie relies on aggressively pushing a team that’s holding a building or space, but there are more viable legends compared to her.

19) Crypto

Crypto is the strongest scanning legend and has been for some time now. He pairs super well with Alter, but his kit is the hardest to master in Apex. His ability to break shields is incredibly important and powerful this season because it takes longer to get purple armor. But the issue with Crypto is that you cannot spend all match hiding away in your Drone, invisible to the world. Solo queueing with this legend won’t get you far as your team moves without you. But he’s a great pick if you’re three-stacking, especially in higher-ranked lobbies.

C Tier

20) Gibraltar

Gibby could work this season because his counters aren’t really around. If he’s the only Gibraltar in the lobby and reaches the endgame, which happens to have an open zone to end the match on, then his Bubble and ultimate will guarantee a victory. The problem with Gibby is that you have to play as a team, meaning he’s an impossible pick if you’re solo queueing. Communication is super important and his rezzing style isn’t nearly as strong as Lifeline’s. Life can rez and look to protect by covering the person being revived. Gibby can’t do this. Gibby’s usefulness lowers if everyone is W-keying because he (like Newcastle) relies heavily on timing his util.

21) Horizon

Horizon keeps getting battered with each season. Her upgrades leave little to be desired and she’s easier than ever to shoot off her Gravity Lift. But the real problem comes from which legends are picked most in a match. Wattson Pylons will eat the Black Hole ultimate, Bangalore can destroy it completely, and Alter can move herself and the team back to the Void Nexus, retreating from the fighting and wasting Horizon’s util. She’s a stronger pick than Octane, but there are way better options when it comes to movement and vertical fighting.

22) Seer

Seer’s an interesting one because I’ve found he does slow down the play, but this is unhelpful in the current climate where TTK is at its lowest it’s ever been and people are desperate for any KP they can get. It’s harder than ever to get purple shields and as zone playstyle has become more of a priority, it means there are more people alive throughout a match. This is great, but Seer’s slower-paced gameplay means a third-, fourth-, even fifth-party feels inevitable. Unless you’re going to play him aggressively, Seer’s kit doesn’t really suit Season 26.

23) Catalyst

Catalyst is a great legend, but she doesn’t fit into this meta. Our reasoning is because Caustic is simply way stronger and a more viable pick for building plays. While she’s good at holding space and decent at rotations or cutting the battlefield in half for endgames, Catalyst can’t do much against the main fighting legends: Bangalore, Ash, and Alter. Bangalore can destroy Cat’s fortified doors, even Caustic can deal persistent ticking damage with his gas, which is more of a nuisance to deal with than Cat’s Spikes. There’s just more benefit to picking Caustic this season than Catalyst.

24) Rampart

Because Caustic is significantly stronger than he was last season, and Newcastle is still a great pick for those who have mastered his challenging kit, Rampart could fit into a composition. But her usefulness is weighed down by Bangalore’s smokes that destroy her Amped Cover and Lifeline’s Halo that blocks every Sheila shot. She still has one of the fastest TTK weapons with her ultimate, but she’s not as helpful as a Caustic, Wattson, or Newcastle when it comes to holding space, especially as Alter can phase through any surface to negate Rampart’s Amped Cover outward damage.

D Tier

25) Valkyrie

Valkyrie is becoming less and less important with every big change Respawn makes. Now that Evo Harvester’s spawn rate is cut in half, you’re more likely to get shot out of the sky. Controller legends scanning Ring Consoles erect an Evac Tower that’s taller than a Jump Tower. Her movement is useful in building fights, but there are multiple viable legends that achieve the same playstyle at a faster rate (e.g., Pathfinder, Vantage, Ash, Revenant, Sparrow, even Alter). Her tactical is helpful to some degree, but is more situational. Bangalore can easily replace it with her smokes as it can break doors and deployables or provide cover to heal and rez.

26) Octane

Octane needs a completely new kit as his is rather outdated when so many better movement characters exist. This legend offers very little to help his teammates out. Even for solo queue experience, choosing a Wraith so you can play a hybrid of aggressive and defensive plays makes more sense than picking Octane. There’s no reason to pick him when there are many options on the table for fun movement and aggressive playstyles. Most legends can get some kind of speed boost now (e.g., Assault class, Ballistic ult, Sparrow trackers, and Mad Maggie’s Wrecking Ball). Octane needs a new kit if he’s ever going to be meta again.

27) Bloodhound

As Assault characters still get that speed boost after cracking an enemy shield, plus Ballistic is still a strong pick for ranked play, Bloodhound leaves little to be desired for your team comp. While Crypto is the hardest legend to effectively use (especially in solo queue), this legend is significantly stronger than Bloodhound because of his continual UAV to highlight enemies, their deployables, and break Wattson fences (which are incredibly useful this season as her pick-rate will surely be higher than last). Bloodhound doesn’t suit this meta when Crypto pairs better with Alter.

Best Team Compositions

1) Alter / Ash / Lifeline

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

2) Ash / Bangalore / Caustic

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

3) Bangalore / Mirage / Sparrow

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

4) Alter / Bangalore / Lifeline

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

5) Ash / Lifeline / Sparrow

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

6) Revenant / Sparrow / Wattson

Evo Upgrade

Weapons

The post Apex Legends Season 26 Tier List: Best Legends and Comps appeared first on ComicBook.com.

An RPG available for free via PlayStation Plus is being hailed as a “hidden gem” by PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium subscribers. For those that don’t know, PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium are the middle and most expensive tiers of PlayStation Plus, and both include a large, evolving library of PS4 and PS5 games that Sony regularly freshens by removing older games and adding new ones. At any given time though there are hundreds of games to choose from, so naturally many games don’t register a ton of interest.

One game in particular that has been overlooked since it was added to PS Plus, and was generally overlooked when it released last year, is Banishers: Ghost of New Eden, an action-RPG from developer Dontnod Entertainment, a studio best known for the Life Is Strange series. Upon release, the RPG earned a very solid 81 on Metacritic – while some fans even compared the game to Witcher 3; still, it was a commercial disappointment according to Dontnod Entertainment. To this end, it has never seemed to draw much attention on PS Plus either. Maybe this is changing though, because one of the top posts on the PS Plus Reddit page this month is a post recommending the RPG.

“A hidden gem – Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden,” reads the title of the post. “If you are wondering what to play next, try banisher. I’m baffled how I have never heard of this game….Highly recommend that game. If gameplay and enemies were better I would mention this game in the same sentence with Ghost of Tsushima, Cyberpunk 2077 or Horizon Zero Dawn.”

Given the critical acclaim of Life is Strange (which is available in one complete collection), it’s still surprising it’s taken this long for the game to get recognized.

In isolation one opinion and a previous pedigree is not entirely noteworthy, but it the post is not an isolated opinion – as the popularity of the post and some of the comments prove: there are a lot of Banishers fans out there.

“The first game in a long time to really capture me. The story, characters and writing are top tier,” reads one of the comments. “The gameplay is fine. Combat is fun enough. It’s not a drag, it’s just not great. Can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this before. I definitely recommend it.”

Another comment adds: “I bought and played it at its launch and I really liked everything, I like Dontnod games since Remember Me, but they don’t have the marketing power that others do and they even had millions in losses with that game, it’s a shame because it’s fabulous.”

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that decide to check Banishers: Ghost of New Eden based on these recommendations should expect to sit down with the RPG for at least 20 to 25 hours just to mainline it. Add in side content and this number is somewhere between 40 to 50 hours long. Completionists, meanwhile, will need more like 60 hours with the free RPG.

How long Banishers: Ghost of New Eden will be available via PS Plus, we do not know since that information, per usual, is not available. As long as it is though, it saves subscribers from paying $50 for the PS5 game.

The post Free RPG From 2024 Is a “Hidden Gem” Say PlayStation Plus Users appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Xbox Series X exclusive game seems to be doing well, as evident by it hitting three million players after a couple weeks on the market. It is also worth noting that in the age of Xbox bringing its games to PS5 and sometimes even Nintendo Switch, the Xbox Series X doesn’t have a ton of exclusives at any given time. Right now though, this new Xbox game, is actually an Xbox Series X console exclusive, only available PC and no other platform.

For those that have not connected the dots yet, the Xbox game in question is Grounded 2 from developer Obsidian Entertainment, the studio best known for Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth, but also the studio recently behind Avowed and about to release The Outer Worlds 2 later this year.

In the age of Xbox Game Pass inflating player numbers and decreasing the sale numbers of Xbox games, it is hard to know how good of a return 3 million players might actually be, but Xbox seems to be happy with it judging by marketing boss at Xbox, Aaron Greenberg, celebrating the milestone on X. Given his job title, it is hard to look too much into a post from Greenberg essentially running marketing for it, but he doesn’t so this for every Xbox Game Studios game, so this milestone feels notable. Three million players in roughly two weeks on the market is not just a solid return, but considering the game wasn’t very expensive to make, it is probably and even better metric for it. Not to mentioned Grounded 2 has garnered plenty of positive responses from players themselves.

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What makes this three million milestone a bit more noteworthy is the fact that Grounded 2 is in early access. It launched into early access on July 29, 2025, which may explain why it is not on PS5 yet. This will presumably change with the final release.

While Grounded 2 is off to a good start, it remains to be seen if it will be able to match what its predecessor did before it. Grounded 2 has already beat the first game’s concurrent players on Steam but Grounded at times did not receive the most attention, but it attracted over 20 million players to date, making it one of the bigger Xbox Game Studios releases this generation and last generation as well.

Fans Say Success Is Well Deserved

“Grounded and Sea of Thieves don’t get the credit they deserve when talking about the games Xbox is putting out,” writes one Xbox fan of this new announcement, over on Reddit. “Obsidian continues to showcase why they are the MVP of the acquisitions over the years. Whatever the sentiments about The Outer Worlds and Avowed – their output is incredible,” adds another fan.

A third fan further drives the point home: “Well, the game is freaking amazing. I’m shocked how big the map is already, it’s only like a fifth of the whole park so far. The ideas behind the different biomes so far is great. They really took Grounded and made everything even better. Crazy.”

In addition to positive fan feedback, the developers have also been pushing some meaningful Grounded 2 updates that are sure to keep the community engaged.

The post New Xbox Series X Exclusive Game Officially a Hit With 3 Million Players appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new PS4 and PS5 console exclusive game is releasing later this month on August 25. Console exclusive refers to a game that is only available on one console platform, in this case PlayStation. In other words it isn’t available on Nintendo platforms nor Xbox platforms, and this is not changing on August 25 like it is with PlayStation platforms. The game, a horror game, has been available on Steam since last year though, so some gamers have had the opportunity to play it for a little while, and ultimately test for PlayStation users, who will enjoy not just all previous updates, but a major update releasing alongside the PlayStation version.

The horror game in question is called Zoochosis from developer Clapperheads, who has only ever released one other game before this, 2023’s Sparky Marky. And perhaps some of this inexperience has shown in Zoochosis, as reception has been mixed. However, its premise is certainly interesting, and there aren’t many horror games releasing at any given time, let alone as console exclusives on PlayStation.

Check out the synopsis for the game below:

“Zoochosis is a spine-chilling bodycam horror simulation game where you play a zookeeper about to start their first night shift,” reads an official description of the game for those curious to know more after watching the trailer above. “As you strap on your bodycam and go about your rounds, you notice strange behavior from some of the animals in the enclosures, unlike anything you have ever seen. A terrifying parasite is spreading, mutating some of the animals into grotesque versions of themselves, blood-thirsty and ready to do anything to kill you to escape. You must identify the infected animals and make vaccines to cure them before the parasite spreads out of control and to the wider zoo. Unravel the mysteries of the zoo and save the animals to save yourself, as your choices will ultimately determine your ending. Will you survive the night?”

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As mentioned, reviews are mixed but there are some players who had fun with the game (in spite of their criticisms). Here are a few from the game’s metacritic page.

• “Man, what a waste of potential this game is. It is so close to being excellent but just doesn’t quite get there. I love the premise, the monster designs, the gross and weird story, the sound design.” – Spassbremse

The biggest criticisms center around unresolved bugs – something that, in theory, could be patched to improve the experience:

• “This game [has too many bugs]. While the designs are beautiful, it has so [many] bugs!” – h3whgmxshg

There is currently no option to pre-order Zoochosis on the PlayStation Store right now, so it is unclear what it will cost on PSN, but it will presumably be the same price point that it runs at on Steam, which is $24.99. Meanwhile, there is also no word, let alone any details, on PS5 Pro support for the upcoming horror game.

Those that end up checking out Zoochosis on PS4, PS5, or PS5 Pro should expect a fairly short game that clocks in, on average between two to three hours long. However, completionists will need closer to five to six hours with the horror game.

For more coverage on all things PlayStation — including all of the latest PS4 news, all of the latest PS5 and PS5 Pro news, and all of the latest PlayStation Plus news — click here.

The post New PS4 and PS5 Exclusive Horror Game Releasing Later This Month appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 stealth release on the Nintendo eShop is a “must have” for NES fans and “insanely good,” according to Nintendo fans on Reddit. More than this, the recent Nintendo eShop stealth release is a console exclusive. This means it isn’t available on any console beyond the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It is also on PC, but not on PlayStation or Xbox, which makes the release all the more notable. That said, those interested in checking out what all the buzz is about will need to fork over $24.99.

The new Nintendo Switch console exclusive game is called UFO 50 from developer Mossmouth, best known for Spelunky and its sequel. UFO 50 debuted last September on PC and PC only. Now it is finally on another platform, giving more gamers the opportunity to check out what was one of the highest-rated games of 2024. To this end, UFO 50 has a 91 on Metacritic, which not only makes it one of the highest-rated games of 2024, but now one of the highest-rated games on the Nintendo eShop in general.

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Nintendo Switch Game Normally $50 on Sale for $2

Unsurprisingly, Nintendo Switch users are enjoying the game, as multiple posts across Reddit reveal.

• “UFO 50 is a blast, glad I got it,” reads one of the top posts on the Nintendo Switch Reddit page this week. “If you love playing NES era games, this is a must have.”
• “UFO 50 is insanely good,” adds another top post, but on the Nintendo Switch 2 Reddit page. “Been keeping my eye on this one for any console release and picked it up a few days ago. It is easily worth the asking price and they could honestly get away for asking more if they wanted. The value here is really good…. overall easily a standout title and in my opinion a must have for any fan of the NES or classic games in general.”

Check out the UFO 50 trailer below:

Those that decide to fork over $24.99 and download this Nintendo Switch stealth release that offers well over 100 hours of content if you sink your teeth into it. Meanwhile, for those unclear why this is a “stealth release,” it is because Nintendo Switch fans did not know it was coming, and when they did, it was immediately available on the Nintendo eShop.

While fans may not know a lot about UFO 50, the studio’s prior release, Spelunky remains a beloved indie entry from the prior console generation – so much so that the game was recently updated to run even better on PS5.

For more coverage on the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and all things Nintendo — including all of the latest Nintendo news, all of the latest Nintendo rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Nintendo deals — click here.

The post New Nintendo Switch Stealth Release Is a “Must Have” for NES Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Pokémon Company came up with an utterly brilliant concept in 1999 when it first introduced shiny Pokémon for Gold and Silver. How could they get gamers to want to keep playing when they’ve done all there is to do? How can they give players a rush beyond the excitement of winning a battle and catching a Pokémon, both of which get old fairly quickly? By introducing an exceptionally rare, often beautiful variant of a Pokémon.

It’s the quintessential carrot on a stick, and it works so well. Players have spent countless hours searching for that off-color Pokémon. A lot of them are incredibly wonderful alternate colors. Some, however, are not. These are the best and worst shiny Pokémon in the franchise’s history.

The 19 Best Shiny Pokémon

19. Charizard

Charizard is an excellent shiny Pokémon. Going all-black is a wise decision for most shiny Pokémon that go down that route, and Charizard was among the first. The orange is iconic, but orange isn’t exactly a pretty color, so swapping it for black is really smart.

18. Palossand

In a similar vein, Palossand is a beautiful shiny, too. It’s also black, but it makes a lot of sense. Black sand is a rare alternative to regular sand in the real world, so mirroring that in the games is brilliant. It also looks cool as a black sandcastle, which really helps.

17. Beedrill

Green shinies can be hit or miss, but this one really shines, pun intended. Beedrill’s green is vibrant and fun, unlike that of Nidoqueen or Sandshrew. It doesn’t really tie in to the Pokémon itself, but it’s just a really good-looking alternative to the standard and perhaps boring yellow and black.

16. Bishard

Bisharp pulls a reverse Gyarados, going from red to blue. The blue, however, is so crisp. It’s a sharp blue, which works so well with the actual design of the Pokémon. Pawniard’s shiny is good, too, but the bigger Pokémon gets more blue to show off.

15. Ninetales

There are far too few grey shinies in the Pokémon franchise, but the ones that do get that envious secondary color are truly special. Ninetales is perhaps the best. It is a sleek grey with blue tips at the end of its nine tails to illustrate its Fire-type status. It’s a smart design that also happens to look incredible.

14. Psyduck

Psyduck’s cool blue is absolutely gorgeous. It fits with the Water typing and just looks so much better than the plain yellow. It’s so good that players often hesitate to evolve to a shiny Golduck simply because the color is not nearly as good.

13. Blacephalon

Blacephalon’s shiny is a masterclass in colorfulness. It’s bright, vibrant, and so much fun. It’s decidedly more blue and darker than its original, but it manages to keep the same happy vibe the main design has, too.

12. Furfrou

Dog Pokémon routinely get really good shinies, like Houndoom and Zacian, but Furfrou might have the best. It’s a white dog that turns black when shiny, so it has the black advantage, and it works as a stark contrast. Being different is key, and there is almost no way to be more different.

11. Gyarados

Gyarados is a really awesome Pokémon, so it’s fitting that its shiny variant is so good. Shiny Magikarp is cool, but the royal red really stands out on its evolution. It’s one of those instances of a change in shiny color theme working well for the evolution, because that red fits Gyarados so much better than the standard blue, even if it is a Water-type.

10. Lucario

Lucario’s yellow shiny is really well-done. It’s not bright yellow that becomes painful to look at. It’s not dull enough to look ugly, either. It’s also used sparingly, so it doesn’t become overbearing. The basic blue that the regular form has is fine, but this is a really nice upgrade.

9. Rockruff

Rockruff has an adorable shiny. The light blue is a perfect changeup from the tan color it features since it’s pretty much just a dog. The blue shade gets slightly worse when it evolves (no matter the form), which only makes the base evolution stand out.

8. Moltres

Pink shinies are usually very good, and Moltres is no exception. It does have the unfortunate distinction of somewhat vaguely resembling a raw chicken, but the pink shading is pink enough to distract from that, and it pairs really well with the red flames.

7. Slugma

As mentioned, grey shinies are gorgeous. Slugma’s shiny alternate is grey but borders on white, which makes it truly exceptional. The red design of its standard form makes sense thematically, but I’m a sucker for a grey/white shiny, and this is one of the coolest.

6. Xerneas

Xerneas is one of the best shinies in Pokémon, but with a major caveat. It looks good ordinarily, but when it’s in action, it jumps to a new level. Its antlers become somewhat of a rainbow, which makes it stand out even further.

5. Snorunt

Snorunt’s shiny is literally cool blue, which makes perfect sense since it is an Ice-type. It’s fantastic, looks good, and works with the Pokémon itself, which doesn’t usually matter but is always a nice bonus. It helps that the shiny gets significantly worse when evolved.

4. Haxorus

There’s just something about a shiny black lizard Pokémon. It works every single time, and Haxorus is an easy standout. The normal version features an interesting yellow that doesn’t really work all that well, so swapping it out for black was a stroke of genius.

3. Pumpkaboo

Pumpkaboo’s shiny swaps out the pink and brown color scheme for a purple and black alternative. The latter is so much better. Not only does it look better, but it also fits the spooky theme for one of the true Halloween Pokémon out there.

2. Incineroar

Incineroar has two things going for it. It’s a partly white shiny, and it’s a really clever design since it is a Fire-type Pokémon. The white represents white hot, and the red plays right into the fire theme. It’s excellent and a marked improvement on the normal color.

1. Lechonk

Lechonk’s shiny is better across the board. It is a Pig Pokémon, so using pink is fantastic, but it does it well. The bright pink works as a major shift from the black body it usually has, and the male and female evolutions are strong, too.

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The 12 Worst Shiny Pokémon

12. Pikachu

Pikachu doesn’t sport an ugly shiny, and it’s sort of iconic. It’s just a shame because it could’ve been so good, and it honestly deserves better since this is the mascot of Pokémon we’re talking about. A slightly off orange doesn’t cut it.

11. Abra

You might notice a theme of shinies on this list that don’t make massive changes. Most of the time, that’s boring. It’s especially boring for Abra when compared to Alakazam, which is a significant improvement over the other two evolutions.

10. Onix

Onix is an ugly shade of green. That would be bad enough, but it gets worse. There are so many great colors that could’ve been used since Onix is literally a bunch of rocks. There are beautiful rocks that have great colors, but the green we got is not one of them.

9. Togetic

If not for the sparkles and sound effects, it would be incredibly easy to miss a shiny Togetic, which is the mark of a bad shiny. It’s so subtle that it makes it hard to tell, and the colors it uses are pretty boring on top of that.

8. Blissey

The entire Chansey line is pretty disappointing from a shiny standpoint, but Blissey is particularly egregious. The possibilities were endless for an originally pink Pokémon that had a sort of green shiny base, but The Pokémon Company decided just to slightly dull its color grading. Boring.

7. Slaking

Vigoroth and Slakoth both deserve a mention here. What begins as a really bright, good-looking pink shiny turns into a dull, ugly, boring shiny with one evolution, prompting a lot of regret for those who evolved theirs. It’s a shame since Slaking is actually a good Pokémon.

6. Glalie

Glalie (and Aggron because it does the same thing) is a pretty bad shiny. The change to the main color is pretty much entirely imperceptible. The change in eye color is cool, but when that’s literally all the shiny version is, it’s not a good shiny.

5. Floatzel

Floatzel is already a boring Pokémon design with mediocre colors. The orange and yellow make sense, but it’s far from fun or exciting. The shiny had the chance to remedy that, but they decided just to boringly wash it out a little.

4. Vanilluxe

The possibilities for a shiny version of the ice cream cone Pokémon were limitless. For what it’s worth, the base form, Vanillite, does well with a sort of strawberry ice cream color. The evolutions then abandon that idea and just slightly change the blue. It could’ve been a chocolate shiny!

3. Froakie

Froakie is a bad shiny. It’s just a slightly washed-out, watered-down version of the basic form. Since it is a frog Pokémon, it could’ve been green, brown, or something like that. Fortunately, Greninja is a great shiny, so it made up for the awful beginning.

2. Alolan Vulpix

Alolan Vulpix is bad because it’s incredibly difficult to tell when it’s shiny. The feet change colors to an icy blue. That part is good, but why is there virtually no other change? Make the whole thing icy or change it to a different color for the body, too.

1. Jigglypuff

Similar to Aggron and Glalie, the primary change for shiny Jigglypuff is its eyes. They do turn a really nice green, and the pink on its body changes to a slightly different shade, but that’s not enough to differentiate it from its original form.

The post The Best (and Worst) Shiny Pokemon Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Mario Kart World has just come under fire for a character’s design. PETA, the animal rights group, called out Nintendo for the design of “Cow,” one of the racers you can play as in the latest game. There are several animal characters, though this one is essentially just an animated cow, and PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, took issue with it.

Cow is one of several different playable characters in Mario Kart World. The racer joins as one of the few animal characters. While Donkey Kong and Yoshi are animals as well, they’re named and therefore aren’t categorized the same. Cow sports a nose ring like some bulls and other cattle have worn, and that caught PETA’s attention. The organization even went as far as sending a letter to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa (via GeekWire).

They began the letter to Shintaro Furukawa by saying that Cow had won hearts everywhere and had even captured theirs. It would all be perfect except for one aspect: the brass ring. “Would you please show empathy towards bovines and remove the nose ring?” They revealed that nose rings are used by meat and dairy industry members to “exploit, control, and even drag animals to their deaths,” saying they are “crudely stabbed” through a very sensitive part of the body for bulls and cows.

The letter continued, “The dairy industry will also clip spiked nose rings on baby cows so that the comforting act of nursing from their mother causes her pain and the baby is rejected and kicked away. To control bulls, a chain might be fastened from the nose ring to the bull’s horn for even more pain-driven control.”

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This small design aspect for Cow might not have registered for gamers, but PETA clocked it and was clearly upset about it. They claim that this “glosses over” the very real violence that animals suffer in the real world. They closed with one final statement: “Remove the nose ring and let Cow race freely—without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines. Every animal is someone. So leave the rings to Sonic and let Cow breathe free!”

Cow was immediately one of the most beloved members of the character roster. Fans spotted it driving a car in the very first trailer and loved the fact that an obscure character, seemingly just a cow from Moo Moo Meadows, had been put in the spotlight. Even now, a couple of months after the release of the game, it is a popular racer, so much so that PETA took notice.

This is not the first time Nintendo has landed in PETA’s crosshairs. They targeted Super Mario for the Tanooki Suit, claiming it promoted the fur industry, which is cruel to animals. They also took issue with Pokémon for depicting animal fighting and experimentation. Even Cooking Mama has been the subject of the organization’s ire. They’ve even parodied some of the games mentioned to showcase their points.

What do you think? Is Nintendo’s Cow design cruel, or is PETA overreaching? Let us know in the comments!

The post Nintendo’s Mario Kart World Character Design Condemned by Animal Rights Group appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new GTA 6 rumor purports to have information about how long the new Grand Theft Auto game is going to be. Considering the lengths of GTA 5 and GTA 4 before it, the expectation is that GTA 6 will be somewhere between 27 to 35 hours long to beat, or at least to mainline. There is also a chance it could be closer to Rockstar Games’ most recent release, Red Dead Redemption 2, which is about 50 hours to mainline. Anywhere in this range is the current speculation, but a new rumor claims that the length of GTA 6 is not just longer than this, but much longer.

The new rumor — relayed by GTA 6 Updates — claims that GTA 6 is 75 hours. The claim has already garnered significant attention — evident by the rumor having over 150,000 impressions on X. Now, it is not clear if this is just to mainline the game or includes side content. If it’s the former, the 75 figure makes more sense because GTA 5 took about 50 hours to beat when you added the side content into the mix. If it’s just 75 hours to mainline, then GTA 6 is way bigger than anything Rockstar Games has done previously – and could justify rumors of a $100 price tag.

The new rumor specifically breaks the game length down by chapters. To this end, it is claimed the game has six chapters. The prologue is said to be 2 hours long, while the first chapter is said to be 6 hours long. Then chapters start getting longer. Chapter 2, 3 and 4 are said to be 13 hours, 16 hours, and 22 hours long, respectively. And then it is said the final chapter, chapter 5, will be 16 hours long.

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Of course, take everything here with a grain of salt. This is a rumor from an unverifiable source. Some of the biggest leaks in gaming history have come from similar sources, but there has also been plenty of hogwash from the same type of sources in the past as well.

At the moment of publishing, Rockstar Games has not commented on this new rumor and we do not expect this to change for a multitude of reasons. Rockstar is generally tight-lipped about upcoming games – and there’s no question that GTA 6 is set to be the studio’s (not to mention quite possibly the games industry’s) biggest release. That said, publisher Take-Two did recently comment on the rumored $100 price tag – so it’s always possible we’ll here more details (including the game’s length) in the not-too-distant future. If so, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for more coverage on Grand Theft Auto VI and all things Rockstar Games — including all of the latest GTA 6 news, all of the latest GTA 6 rumors and leaks, and all of the latest GTA 6 speculation — click here.

The post GTA 6 Rumor Reveals Length of Game (And It’s a Lot Longer Than RDR2) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the best cooperative games around. This TTRPG requires an unspoken contract between the dungeon master and the players, and this is typically not a problem. However, there are certain players who tend to make this difficult and are often referred to as problem players. These come in various forms, but regardless of how they create problems, it is disruptive to gameplay and the narrative.

Problem players can often be spoken to, and the situation can be resolved. However, a DM should always be prepared to remove a player from the table if a solution cannot be reached. Talking to players is always the best bet, but sometimes that will not be enough. That said, here are the worst players to have in your Dungeons & Dragons game.

1) Protagonist Player

Protagonist Players are one of the worst you can have at your table. They are also called spotlight hogs because they always want the action centered on them. This could mean forcibly putting themselves into situations, even if it’s another character’s pivotal moment tied to their backstory, or causing a scene to shift focus to themselves. These players suck the fun out of Dungeons & Dragons for all other players at the table and can derail campaigns quickly.

When dealing with this kind of player, sometimes the only option is to boot them from your table. However, unless there are extenuating circumstances, you can likely salvage the situation, especially if the player in question is a friend. Have a serious discussion with them about how they are disrupting the game and taking away from the other players’ experience. Sometimes these players treat Dungeons & Dragons like a video game, and explaining the difference can often work. However, you may be forced to show them to the door in the end.

2) Meta Gamer

Meta Gamers can often walk a fine line, and there are different interpretations of what meta gaming means. For this context, we’ll use the example of a player using player knowledge when their character would not have this knowledge. This could be a player knowing a troll is weak to fire and using this knowledge despite their character not knowing this. Doing this breaks immersion and prevents discovery through play.

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The other type of Meta Gamer that is a problem is those who look up information about modules and monsters to their advantage. This can be someone reading the module being played or researching a monster’s stat block during combat. Again, this breaks immersion and takes the fun out of the game. Meta Gamers are best handled quickly and can be done in-game. If a player uses out-of-game knowledge or researches something they shouldn’t know, the DM can make changes in the moment and then speak to the player later about refraining from doing this in the future.

3) Rules Lawyer

Rules Lawyers often get a bad reputation, and often it is earned. There are typically two types of Rules Lawyer players. The ones that people hate are those who make corrections out of a need to be right or superior. For example, a DM may change a monster by adding a unique twist that makes it play differently. At this point, a Rules Lawyer would try to correct them by telling them that is not how that monster works. These players are obsessed with the rules as written and can be a pain to deal with. Letting them know, as the DM, that you are entitled to make changes is crucial to setting expectations.

The other type is more helpful. This is the type of Rules Lawyer who lets you know as the DM if you forgot to do something. This could be a lair action for a boss or if a monster has a resistance. Likewise, they are strict with themselves and other players, keeping them in line with abilities and rules. While it can be annoying sometimes, the player intends to be helpful. If this player becomes a problem, the DM can have a similar conversation to let them know not every encounter will be exactly as it is in the rules.

4) Last Minute Canceller

Look, things come up, and most people can understand having to cancel a session at the last minute. However, if this becomes a habit and you are missing more sessions than you attend, you are likely a Last Minute Canceller. This type of player waits until the last moment to cancel or even shows up late. Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative game, and aligning everyone’s schedules is not always easy. By cancelling at the last minute, being a no-show, or routinely showing up late, you are disrespecting your DM and fellow players.

This behavior can easily be prevented. Letting players know in advance if you cannot make it is a simple text or Discord message. If you do have to cancel at the last moment, ensure you inform everyone and try to prevent it from happening again. Show up on time for a session, whether this is in person or online. If a DM is dealing with a Last Minute Canceller or no-show player, sometimes the only option is to remove them from the game to preserve the fun and experience for the rest of the table.

5) Phone Addict

There will always be moments of downtime in Dungeons & Dragons, and it can be understandable to pull out your phone for a quick message or scroll. But players who stay on their phones constantly during play are distracting and disruptive to the game. These players often don’t pay attention during roleplay and miss vital information. During combat, they may take their turn and then jump on their phone and not realize what is happening when it comes back around to their turn. If your phone is more important than the game, it may be time to ask yourself why you are even playing.

There is no easy way to handle this situation. You can’t really set phone rules, as some players use their phones for character sheet management and dice rolling. There are also times when emergencies arise and player needs their phone. Instead, the DM and other players should encourage all players to participate and actively pay attention. This will ensure a smoother experience and better investment.

6) Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf characters are tricky. It can be done successfully, but it takes a good player and DM to make it work. Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative game where a party of adventurers works together. If you have a player who doesn’t work well with others or constantly goes off on their own, you are effectively forcing the DM to run two games at once. It begs the question of why you are bothering to participate in a group activity if you just want to go off and play by yourself.

That said, there are times when characters shouldn’t be afraid to go off on their own. Rogues doing a scout mission or a charismatic character trying to persuade someone solo are perfect examples. However, these shouldn’t go on for extended periods of time to the point where other players are just sitting around for the bulk of the session. Peppering in these lone moments can appease players whose characters fit this archetype while not taking away from the main group.

The post 6 Worst Types of Dungeons & Dragons Players appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A newly surfaced documentary-style video, created using previously unreleased footage by Halo Infinite Narrative Experience Director Dan Chosich, has begun circulating within the Halo community and on archived uploads online. The video, which was leaked online, as Dan’s video was password-protected, offers fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what could have been with the game, codenamed Project Olympus. Going through the footage, Halo fans were shown what this possible game could have been, showing to some how the undercooked Halo Infinite ended up being, in hindsight.

The 21-minute video covers a range of plans for the ultimately unmade Project Olympus, providing additional context on decisions regarding the Halo game engine and showcasing ideas for gameplay mechanics, story, and content delivery that were never fully realized. “At the end of the leadership offsite, we asked for a vote of where people stood on the engine,” said Studio Head Chris Lee in the video. “The result of that vote was about 85% roughly to stay in our engine.”

Some fans have attributed Halo Infinite’s development struggles to the team’s decision to use its in-house Slipspace engine over Unreal. While the developers in the video discussed switching to Unreal for Project Olympus, they determined that it would have taken too long to replicate what they had already built. This is now somewhat ironic in the present day, given that Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, has chosen to switch to Unreal Engine anyway, a move Xbox described as a “new dawn for Halo” back in October.

The video also revealed a socket system planned for Project Olympus’ multiplayer, which would have allowed players to customize their specialities and core abilities, equivalent to a class in other shooter games. Short clips showcased the possible skills granted by the system, such as active camouflage and rocket pods, as well as specialties like assassin, scout, and hacker. This modular form of customization would have also extended to weapons and vehicles, granting them buffs and additional characteristics.

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“What that gives us is great potential to innovate with new types of gameplay. If all you have is a weapon, and you’re better at using a weapon than I am, well, you’re always going to be better than me,” said Lead Sandbox Designer Troy Mashburn in the video. “But if I have the potential to play a support role, that allows me to be a valuable contributing member just by adding new abilities or new features through the sockets.”

Another interesting reveal was scrapped plans to turn Halo into a live-service type of game with a 2019 release that would have made “old modes of distribution” for the franchise “no longer necessary. For Project Olympus, the developers were aiming to do away with the concept of releases, saying that players wouldn’t have to “wait 3 years between experiences arbitrarily anymore.”

Project Olympus would have also offered a radically different Halo story experience than was present in Halo 5, which developers likened to a “spiritual reboot” and “clean state” for the series. Unfortunately, the team was unable to execute much of this vision, as the Halo series underwent a period of development turmoil, struggling to find its identity.

On Dan Chosich’s website, a brief post from August 2017 describes the video’s content and Chosich’s motivation for creating it, which was to reinforce why the Halo franchise was so crucial in the face of a sinking perception.

“The resulting documentary featured 40 interviews, 15 original VFX shots, and introduced the now-iconic image of Master Chief holding his helmet,” said the post. “It was created to remind people why Halo mattered—to fans and to Xbox. Despite the campaign shortcomings of Halo 5, the franchise still had power, and I believed that reconnecting with its roots was key to moving it forward. I shot, edited, and created all the graphics for the piece over the course of about eight weeks.”

What are your thoughts on Project Olympus and the direction of the franchise going forward? Will the switch to Unreal 5 finally fulfill promises of a new dawn for the Halo games?

The post Unmade Version of Halo Infinite, Project Olympus, Revealed in Unreleased Video appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the best Bethesda games in its history is currently on sale for less than $3 for a limited time. While Bethesda is best known for the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series, it is also behind games and series such as Dishonored, Rage, DOOM, Quake, Prey, Wolfenstein, Starfield, and The Evil Within. The point is, it has an extensive catalog, and one of the very best games in this extensive is so cheap right now it might as well be free. More specifically, right now, 2016 PC, PS4, and Xbox Game game, Dishonored 2, is on sale for less than $3.

The new deal comes the way of Fanatical, which means the deal is limited to Steam. And in this case, set to expire soon. The deal gives Steam users the chance to score a massive 91 percent off on the critically-acclaimed Bethesda game, but only until August 17. After this, Dishonored 2 will revert back to its normal price point

Other Bethesda Games Ridiculously Cheap Right Now

• Dishonored – $2.24 (Steam)
• Dishonored: Death of the Outsider – $5.39 (Steam)
• DOOM 64 – $1.79 (Steam)
• DOOM 3 – $3.59 (Steam)
• Fallout 3 – $2.24 (Steam)
• Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition – $5.99 (Steam)
• Fallout: New Vegas – $4.49 (Steam)
• Fallout 4 – $7.19 (Steam)
• Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel – $2.24 (Steam)
• Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game – $2.24 (Steam)
• Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game – $2.24 (Steam)
• Prey – $6.00 (Steam)
• Quake – $3.59 (Steam)
• Quake 2 – $3.59 (Steam)
• Quake 3 Arena – $5.39 (Steam)
• Quake 4 – $4.49 (Steam)
• Rage – $3.59 (Steam)
• Rage – $7.19 (Steam)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition – $3.39 (Steam)
• The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard – $2.15 (Steam)
• An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire – $2.15 (Steam)
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition – $5.39 (Steam)
• The Evil Within – $4.49 (Steam) ($4.99 on PlayStation Store)
• The Evil Within 2 – $7.19 (Steam)
• Wolfenstein 3D – $1.34 (Steam)
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – $5.39 (Steam)
• Wolfenstein: The New Order – $4.49 (Steam) ($4.99 on PlayStation Store)
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood – $4.49 (Steam) ($4.99 on PlayStation Store)

Cheapest Dishonored 2 Has Ever Been

Dishonored 2 has been out for almost a decade, yet it has never been cheaper than this. And considering the discount is a whopping 91 percent, we don’t expect it to be cheaper than this, and if it ever does happen, it won’t be much cheaper. Add to that the fact that we’re not sure exactly when we might see Dishonored 3 — given that game was reportedly in development at Arkane studios before it was shut down.

Dishonored 2, meanwhile, is an absolute steal for $2.69. This is a game — specifically an action-adventure game — that boasts an 88 on Metacritic and won its genre category at The Game Awards that year. To this end, it is not just one of the best modern Bethesda games, but one of the best games of 2016, full stop. And for less than $3, Steam users are getting a game that offers nearly 50 hours of total content. It is worth noting though that Dishonored 2 ties pretty heavily into the first game, narrative wise. It is not a must that the first game be played to enjoy the second, but they are indeed connected.

The post One of the Best Bethesda Games on Sale for Just $2.69 appeared first on ComicBook.com.