Arrowhead Studios has today released a new update for Helldivers 2 across PS5 and PC platforms. In the wake of Helldivers 2 receiving its massive “Omens of Tyranny” patch this past month, little else has been done with the game. While news on the franchise hasn’t been stagnant as a film adaptation of Helldivers was just announced this past week, Helldivers 2 itself hasn’t received any major content drops since mid-December. Now, that has finally changed to some degree as a new patch for the game has gone live.

Downloadable right now, update version 1.002.005 for Helldivers 2 is a pretty small one. The update looks to primarily resolve issues related to crashing that were transpiring for players. These game crashes would be activated when players would quit the game or when an Illuminate ship would despawn. Other than this, Arrowhead has resolved a couple of smaller bugs related to specific weapons and missions.

Related: 7 Actors We Think Would Be Perfect for the Helldivers Film

Moving forward, there will certainly be some larger updates for Helldivers 2 on the horizon. Arrowhead Studios has yet to outline a roadmap for its popular shooter in 2025, but those details are likely to come about in the weeks ahead. When they do, we’ll be sure to fill you in here on ComicBook.

To see everything that this new Helldivers 2 update does, you can view the full patch notes attached below.

Helldivers 2 Update 1.002.005 Patch Notes

Fixes

Crash Fixes and Soft-locks:

• Fixed a crash caused by Illuminate ships despawning
• Fixed some potential crashes when the player quits the game

Miscellaneous fixes

• Fixed an issue with jitter when aiming through scopes
• Fixed an issue with the STA-X3 W.A.S.P Launcher’s targeting not properly working when using one owned by another player
• Reduced disconnections in Illuminate missions

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The first Sims game was released in February of 2005, which means that the series celebrates 25 years next month. I fully expect EA to acknowledge this anniversary in some way, especially since The Sims is a reliable money maker for the company with players who are willing to give extra content a try, even if the reviews for a pack aren’t the best. The question is how EA might choose to celebrate The Sims turning 25, and my guess is that the most likely way will be through a franchise-wide sale or a free expansion. However, I have a wishlist of other ways I’d love to see used as a method to celebrate.

Of course, a sale or a free expansion is always nice, but those usually only affect The Sims 4 and sometimes The Sims 3. Since it’s the 25-year anniversary for the original Sims, the way it’s celebrated should break away from standard sales. As such, I propose a few ways that I believe would both honor this milestone and leave players excited.

Make The Sims More Accessible or Remaster the Games

Currently, it’s almost impossible to play The Sims. You either need to have old hardware that was used to run the game during its prime, or you need to resort to methods that I’m not going to endorse here. Because of this, an anniversary as big as 25 years is perfect for releasing an updated version of The Sims that’s capable of running on modern hardware, or remastering The Sims for an optimal experience on modern systems.

I believe that this would be the most fitting way to celebrate The Sims and the franchise it was able to become over the last 25 years. However, I don’t anticipate that it’ll actually happen. It’s common enough to lose the code used in older games, which adds to the difficulties that already come with remastering or updating them. As a result, I wouldn’t be surprised if EA would need to remake the game from scratch in order to release it again, and I don’t know if the company would decide that it’s worth the effort required. Still, I can hope that it’ll happen one day.

Introduce a Complete Edition for The Sims 3

Both The Sims and The Sims 2 have complete editions, where you purchase the base game and all of its expansions together. It’s been 10 years since The Sims 4 became the latest base game, but there still isn’t a bundle option for The Sims 3 that makes it more affordable for players who might not have had the means to play it in the past, or those who are unwilling to spend about $400 on an older game and its expansions. Additionally, The Sims 5 isn’t going to be a replacement for The Sims 4, and instead seems like it’ll be more of a spinoff, so we’ll probably never see a complete edition for The Sims 4 as long as it remains the primary base game.

RELATED: Sims Competitor Life by You Cancelled

If EA doesn’t want to do a complete edition, then even grouping The Sims 3 and its expansions into smaller bundles that reduce the overall price would be a great step. When you buy the packs as they’re released, it doesn’t feel like a big financial burden. Now, however, going back to The Sims 3 and seeing that you would need to pay about $400 to pick up all the content it has to offer is a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if it leads to players deciding not to purchase it, and I think that introducing some sort of bundle system that lowers the overall price would be a nice way to celebrate a franchise milestone.

Announce a New Spinoff with RPG Elements

It’s no secret that I love The Sims Medieval and constantly wish that this spinoff would be given new content. However, I would also be okay with a new spinoff being brought into the franchise, but it needs to have the slight RPG elements that made The Sims Medieval so charming.

Basically, you have a kingdom instead of a neighborhood, and there are vacant roles that you can fill with your Sims, including spy, king, and physician. When you play each role, you have a different set of tasks to do, similar to the tasks you see in The Sims 4’s active careers. These roles and their tasks collectively tell a story about the kingdom and its mysteries, which makes it more fun to explore and see how much there is to discover.

Another spinoff like this, or a remaster and new content for The Sims Medieval, could bring new players to the franchise since it would also appeal to players who want a lighter RPG experience, and one that doesn’t require you to put in a lot of hours or dedicate your time to quests or gathering resources. It was a great blend of life simulation and RPG elements, and a new spinoff like this would be a welcome surprise to celebrate 25 years.

I don’t know how EA will celebrate The Sims turning 25, but I hope that it’s something beyond a sale or update about the movie. I believe that the best way to celebrate the game that started this massive series is to look at the past and what paved the way for games like The Sims 4 to be able to thrive now. It’s the best time to try something a bit different.

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A Steam game from 2024 that only released back in November is now free for everybody. Unlike most Steam games given out for free there is no window of opportunity involved. The game, which used to cost money, is now permanently free. This isn’t the result of a free-to-play business model being implemented or any changes to the game. The Steam game is still the same game, now it is just free.

Those on Steam Deck interested in checking out the free Steam game may encounter some problems though. According to the Steam listing of the game, Steam Deck compatibility is “Unknown.” This doesn’t mean there are inherently any problems with the game on Steam Deck; it could run perfectly fine. However, within the realm of possibility is that it also has serious issues on Steam Deck, and it’s even possible it does not run on Steam Deck at all.

As for the free Steam game in question, it was released back on November 15, 2024 specifically by lone-wolf developer ABI-DOS Software. It was notably a debut release from the developer.

The game is fittingly called ABI-DOS, and apparently it is pretty good. Steam user reviews for it are “Very Positive.” This is thanks to a 96 percent approval rating across more than 100 individual reviews for the game.

Why is the fairly new release being made free? Well, the developer wants it to reach a wider audience, noting that sales so far have been “modest,” though enough to flip a profit. However, making money was never the target during development.

“This decision comes after modest sales during the first month and a half after release,” says the developer. “While the game was still profitable, financial gain was never my primary motivation (I have an independent job outside of game development). My true passion lies in creating Zach-like games with open-ended puzzles and intricate technical solutions. Now, my goal is to reach a wider audience. If significant revenue isn’t feasible, I’d much rather let more people experience and enjoy the game for free.”

RELATED: One of 2025’s Biggest Steam Games Gets Steam Deck Verified Before Release

As noted, while the game is now technically labeled as “free-to-play” on Steam, this is not a very accurate descriptor. The game is still the same, full game it was before this change, complete with absolutely no microtransactions at all.

“Build the most advanced operating system ever created! Can you master the fictional simulation language of this mind-bending machine,” reads an official description of the game for those unfamiliar with it. “Design circuits, automate UBITS (coloured mobile data blocks), and optimize your system. The Admin is always watching, and he’s not what he seems.”

For more Steam and Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

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Gears of War is one of Microsoft and Xbox’s biggest and most well-known series ever since the original Gears of War was released on the Xbox 360 in 2006. Since then, numerous sequels and spin-offs have been released, including an announced Gears of War 6, but the recently announced Gears of War: E-Day has captured fans’ attention. Gears of War: E-Day returns to the beginning of the saga, making it a prequel taking place at the beginning of the events that led into Gears of War and the rest of the franchise. While it was announced, no official release date was given, but fans may have determined when Gears of War: E-Day will be released thanks to a rumor.

According to leaks, Gears of War: E-Day will be released during the holidays in 2025. This makes sense for multiple reasons. Holiday releases are common and a great way to move a title because fans are buying the game for themselves or others. Secondly, fans put together a release pattern showing Gears of War games are typically revealed about a year before release, at least since The Coalition took over as developer.

RELATED: Gears of War 6 Still Being Planned Despite E-Day Announcement

Both Gears of War 4 and Gears of War 5 were revealed and then released about a year later. While there was a long gap between Gears of War 5 and Gears of War: E-Day, there is no reason to believe that The Coalition would deter from this pattern. That said, this is a leak and rumor, which means there is no guarantee this is true. As much as fans want to believe a 2025 holiday release for Gears of War: E-Day, they need to keep their hopes in check until an official announcement is made.

The official announcement trailer for Gears of War: E-Day was beautiful and nostalgic, showing a younger Marcus Fenix facing for his life against a Locust Grub. Though it was a cinematic trailer. In the end, Marcus manages to stab the Grub with the Lancer, the pre-chainsaw version, and blow its head off. Unfortunately, an Emergence Hole opens up, nearly killing Marcus. But Marcus’ best friend, Dom Santiago, shows up just in time to save him.

The trailer was full of details showing the setting and period of Gears of War: E-Day. From the Lancer that only had a bayonet to an intact city, fans immediately knew Gears of War: E-Day was a prequel. The name also gives it away, as E-Day is the day the Locust emerged from underground and attacked humanity. E-Day takes place after the Pendulum Wars, so sadly fans won’t be able to play through that era of the Gears of War history.

Gears of War: E-Day does not have an official release date, and is only listed as coming soon. If the leaks are true, fans can fight for humanity’s survival on E-Day, fourteen years before the events of Gears of War. The thought of returning as Marcus and Dom, an iconic duo, and once against playing this tactical cover-based third-person shooter has many fans excited.

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For Disney fans, getting to hang out with their favorite characters is one of the primary draws of Disney Dreamlight Valley. Since launch, Gameloft has added a ton of fan-favorite characters to the game, building on original classics like Mickey, Donald and Goofy to bring in characters from newer properties like Frozen and Encanto. As we enter a new year, we’ve got a few hints about new characters in 2025, but plenty of room for more announcements. Despite a long list of villagers to recruit and befriend, there are many Disney characters we still want to see make their way to Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Kronk

Is Kronk officially the main character of The Emperor’s New Groove? No. But does he totally steal the show with his spinach puffs? Yes. Side characters getting added before the main heroes of a franchise is fairly common in Disney Dreamlight Valley, so it’s not ridiculous to hope that Ymza’s hilarious sidekick will make an appearance in the Valley even if Kuzco doesn’t. Plus, with his ability to communicate with squirrels and love of cooking, he’ll fit right in with several potential quests that basically write themselves.

Aladdin

Jafar was the star of the Rift in Time Expansion Pass, yet Aladdin still hasn’t made his Disney Dreamlight Valley debut. Getting villains from a franchise first is fine and all, but we’d love to see this street rat and his adorable monkey companion, Abu, in the Valley. With a teaser featuring Aladdin’s hat and Jasmine’s crown in the content roadmap for sometime in 2025, it’s basically confirmed that Disney fans will get this wish in the coming year.

Megara

Hades made his Disney Dreamlight Valley debut last year as part of the Storybook Vale expansion. Now, fans are even more eager to meet the rest of the iconic characters from Hercules. Sure, the titular character is fine I guess, but really what we need is a damsel in distress who can handle it. Megara needs to make her way to the game as soon as possible, if for no other reason than to help us keep Hades in check.

Cinderella

Frankly, it’s a little bit wild that Cinderella isn’t in Disney Dreamlight Valley yet. Though we can meet her Fairy Godmother, this early Disney princess still hasn’t made her way to the Valley. As much fun as it is to see newer characters in the game, we can’t forget to add in the classics for that extra dash of Disney nostalgia.

Alice

Another character that might actually happen in 2025 is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. The 2025 content roadmap teases the Chesire Cat, so it’s likely we’ll see him in the game – but might he come with Alice in tow? With her curious nature, Alice could get up to some interesting antics in the Valley, making her a refreshing addition to the game. And just think of the tea parties!

Lady & The Tramp

Dog lovers agree that Lady and the Tramp need to arrive in Disney Dreamlight Valley as soon as possible. This adorable duo could hang out at Remy’s, sharing spaghetti to recreate that iconic moment. There are quite a few non-human Disney favorites in the Valley already, and this two would be a worthwhile addition.

Snow White

The very first animated Disney princess still has yet to make her Disney Dreamlight Valley debut, and that is frankly shocking. In fact, we don’t have any characters from Snow White, so adding this princess feels like an obvious choice for rounding out the slate of classic Disney favorites. Plus, it would be interesting to get more of a sense of her personality, since she’s a bit flat in the original movie.

Tarzan

You know who needs to swing into the Valley? Tarzan. That movie is a Disney classic, and the spinoff video games were frankly fantastic. We’d love to see Tarzan up to his old antics again, bringing a little loveable chaos – and vine swinging – to Disney Dreamlight Valley.

The Incredibles

Does Gameloft usually add entire families to Disney Dreamlight Valley at once? No. But with this superhero family, we would love to see them make an exception… or at least bring someone from these amazing superhero movies to the Valley. Heck, why not let us help Frozone track down his supersuit?

Winnie the Pooh

For many, Winnie the Pooh is a beloved comfort character from childhood. He’s also made appearances in previous Disney-inspired videogames, with a notable role in Kingdom Hearts. So, he and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood crew have basically already auditioned for a home in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

The post Disney Dreamlight Valley Still Has 10 Disney Characters We Can’t Wait to Meet appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the big Steam games of 2025 has been verified for Steam Deck by Valve a whole month before its release. This means it will be fully compatible with the Steam Deck the moment it launches, unlike many major releases on Steam which don’t get verified until after release. That said, the Steam game in question is also in development for Nintendo Switch, so it’s already been made with portability in mind, which no doubt made adding Steam Deck compatibility easier.

The Steam game in question is releasing in February, a busy month for Steam users. In February alone there is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Avowed, Monster Hunter Wilds, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection. If this wasn’t enough of a time sink, the ultimate time sink of 2025 is also coming out: Civilization VII.

When Civilization VII hits on February, PC gamers won’t need to destroy their back at 2 a.m. in a computer chair in a perpetual pattern of “one more turn.” Rather, they can avoid sleep from the comfort of their bed because the highly anticipated strategy game is the aforementioned game that has been verified for Steam Deck.

“In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire,” reads an official description of Civilization VII. “Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement. Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer.** Whether you choose to follow a path rooted in history or reimagine possibilities to chart your own way forward, build something you believe in and create a legacy that echoes through the Ages in Civilization VII.”

Finer details on how the game runs on Steam Deck, or what changes have been made to make it work on Steam Deck, have not been divulged by developer Firaxis Games nor publisher 2K. Whether this information will be provided before launch, remains to be seen. Considering launch is only a month away, if this information was going to be shared, it probably would have been shared alongside today’s announcement. This is just speculation though.

For more Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam Deck news, all of the latest Steam Deck rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam Deck deals — click here.

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second chapter of the Final Fantasy VII remake series, and while it launched on PlayStation 5 exclusively, it is finally coming to PC. First-time players can jump into this installment for the first time on PC, or fans can replay it on a new platform and take advantage of the new features the port will have. Square Enix has recently revealed and highlighted what upgrades are launching with the PC version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. These upgrades will enhance players’ experience in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and make it worth remembering.

When Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches on PC, fans can enjoy improved lighting, enhanced visuals, DualSense wireless controller support, NVIDIA DLSS functionality, a max resolution and framerate of 4K and 120 FPS, and mouse and keyboard support. Players can also choose from numerous customizable graphics options with three default presets. Additionally, there are customizable NPC counts to change the number of NPCs on the screen at one time.

RELATED: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Wins Best Narrative-Driven Game 2024 (Golden Issue Awards)

The PC version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth expands on the already impressive performance and visuals of the PlayStation 5 version but has multiple options to accommodate PCs of varying specs. Playing on low settings and lowering the NPC count is a great way to ensure Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is playable on weaker PCs. Players can play around with the settings to find what works best for them.

Those with high-end PCs can play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth with maximum settings and enjoy the game in its full beauty. The new upgrades greatly enhance the already amazing-looking game and showcase the beauty of the world and characters. Many of the upgrades can be quite taxing on GPUs and CPUs, so it is wise to verify how your specs will hold up against Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s PC version.

The DualSense wireless controller support is a big win for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s PC version, as it lets players use their PlayStation 5 controller while playing on PC. Sony has made an incredible controller, and many developers use the features within the DualSense controller specifically within their games. This will give players the most authentic way to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PC. That said, including a mouse and keyboard ensures PC players have options regarding how they play.

Another aspect of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth coming to PC that has fans excited is the possibility of mods. Final Fantasy VII Remake received numerous mods upon its PC release, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will likely do the same. What kind of mods will be added remains to be seen, though the developers did request players not to make inappropriate mods.

While Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is releasing on PC come January 23, 2025, Xbox fans are still left in the dark. No word has been said about Final Fantasy VII Remake or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth coming to Xbox, but some speculate the full trilogy will come to Xbox after all three games are released.

The post New Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Trailer Highlights Upgrades Coming With PC Version appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Epic Games Store free game is now available for PC gamers to download, play, and keep for free. The only requirement, other than an Epic Games Store account, is the free game be claimed between January 9 and January 16. And this is because come January 16 it will be replaced with a new free offer. Not only are there no subscriptions involved, but once claimed the game is a permanent addition to your Epic Games Store library.

The new free Epic Games Store game in question hails from 2016 and via Netherlands developer Gamious, which some may know for its more recent 2021 release Lake. More specifically, the new free Epic Games Store game is Turmoil, a simulation game inspired by the 19th century oil rush in America and a game that normally costs $12.99 to buy and play.

On Metacritic, the PC game boasts a score of 73 percent, but user reviews suggest this is underrating the game. To this end, over on Steam — where the game has amassed 11,692 user reviews — it has a “Very Positive” rating thanks to a 92 percent approval rating.

“Drill for oil like it’s 1899! Turmoil offers a visually charming, tongue-in-cheek simulation inspired by the 19th century USA oil rush,” reads an official description of the game on the Epic Games Store. “Get a taste of the rush and rivalry of the time as you earn your way to become a successful oil entrepreneur. As you make money digging up and selling oil, the town will grow along with you. Lease land at the town auction and search for oil. Build a rig, create an efficient pipe network and bring up the oil to store it in silos. Sell the oil at the best times to maximize profits. Then buy essential upgrades in town to cope with rock, gas and ice. Acquire more town shares than your competitors in a bid to become the new mayor.”

Those that decide to check out Turmoil now that it is free on Epic Games Store should expect to sink about 8-12 hours into the game to beat it, with the variance due to how much or how little side content is engaged with. Completionists though — those that want to 100 percent the game — will need closer to 20-25 hours with the PC game.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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Steam users have 24 hours to buy a Warhammer game before it disappears from the PC digital storefront forever as the result of delisting. The game in question hails from 2021, a notably slow year for the video game industry in terms of video game releases. And this is because it was the year after the new consoles — PS5 and Xbox Series X|S — released. Not always, but typically, the year after a new console generation begins is a bit light in terms of major releases, with many games preferring to release at launch or get more time with the console. 2021 was no exception.

This is most evident by the fact smaller release, It Takes Two, which didn’t even crack the 90s on Metacritic, won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021. Other notable releases from 2021 include Deathloop, Resident Evil Village, Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal, Metroid Dread, Psychonauts 2, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Monster Hunter Rise, and Call of Duty: Vanguard.

What also came out in 2021, though it was less notable, was a new Warhammer game for Warhammer fans: Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall. Three years later it is being delisted on January 10. Despite being only available for one more day, the game has not been discounted, which means anyone who wants to get it last minute will need to fork over the full asking price of $19.99.

Like many previously delisted Warhammer games, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall is being delisted due to an expiring license. Of course, a license could have been renewed to prevent this, but this clearly did not make commercial sense for Carbon Studio otherwise this is exactly what would have happened. And this is no surprise as the game neither reviewed very well or sold well.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall will be delisted from all platforms — Meta, Steam, and Viveport — as our license reaches its conclusion,” said Carbon Studio at the time of the original announcement back in December that the game was being delisted on January 10, 2025.”

Carbon Studio’s statement continues: “It was a privilege and an honour to collaborate with Warhammer to bring the rich and immersive world of Age of Sigmar to life. Their incredible lore and creative vision inspired us and made this game possible. We understand that this news may come as a disappointment, especially to those who have spent countless hours battling through the Mortal Realms. Your support and enthusiasm for Tempestfall have meant the world to us, and we are incredibly grateful for the time you’ve spent with the game.”

Those who own the game or buy it before it is delisted tomorrow will be able to play it as much or as little as they want beyond the delisting. However, support for the game coming to an end means no further updates will be released.

While the game is being delisted from Steam on January 10, the delisting from Meta and Viveport is still under review, which means it will continue to be available on these platforms until the review is complete.

For those that don’t know anything about Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall, it is a VR game set in the Warhammer universe that takes about seven to eight hours to complete. It has a Metacritic score of 62, which lines up with its “Mixed” Steam User Review score. This score is the consequence of only 62 percent of Steam user reviews across 209 reviews total reviewing the game positively.

“Embark on an epic voyage across the realm of Death in this action-adventure Warhammer Age of Sigmar game,” reads an official elevator pitch of the game on Steam. “Master souls-inspired, motion-based melee and magic possible only in VR! Feel the thrill of the fight and clash with the sinister Nighthaunt forces.”

As for Steam Deck compatibility, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall is a VR game. In other words, it does not support the Steam Deck in any capacity.

For more Steam coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals – click here.

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The first season of Marvel Rivals is around the corner, launching on January 10, 2025. Fans are excited for the addition of the Fantastic Four, notably Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman who will be joining the roster at the start of the season. A new map and game mode have also been revealed, but while players are excited about the new content, one of the most anticipated things was balancing. Thankfully, NetEase has released the upcoming balance changes for Marvel Rivals season 1 ahead of launch.

Thankfully, there were a lot of buffs for characters that desperately needed it. Likewise, heroes like Hawkeye and Hela were nerfed accordingly. Here is the full list of balance changes for Marvel Rivals season 1.

Duelist

Black Panther

• Reduce the additional health provided to self after refreshing Vibranium Marks with Spirit Rend from 40 to 30, and the upper limit of additional health provided from 120 to 75.

Black Widow

• Increase the range of the first effect of Edge Dancer from a 3-meter radius to a 5-meter radius.
• Reduce the time required for Fleet Foot to recover from 0 stamina to full from 12s to 4s.
• Reduce the time required for Electro-Plasma Explosion (ultimate ability) to reach maximum power from 1s to 0.6s.

Hawkeye

•  Slightly reduce the spread angle between every two Blast Arrows.
• Reduce the triggering distance of passive ability Archer’s Focus from 60 meters to 40 meters. Reduce the maximum additional damage of the passive from 80 to 70.

Hela

• Reduce base health from 275 to 250.

Magik

• Increase Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form from 115 to 135.

Moon Knight

• Increase the number of talons generated by Hand of Khonshu (ultimate ability) from 10 to 14.
• Increase the explosion radius of each talon from 4 meters to 5 meters.

Namor

• Adjust the throwing feel of Monstro Spawn and Frozen Spawn. Now, Namor can more accurately throw them to the desired location.

Psylock

• Now Dance of the Butterfly (ultimate ability) will check for barriers (including Magneto’s Metal Bulwark, Hulk’s Indestructible Guard, etc.).

The Punisher

• Slightly reduce the spread of Deliverance and Adjudication.

Scarlet Witch

• Increase Chaos Control’s fixed damage from 50/s to 60/s. 
• Reduce the percentage damage per second from 5% to 3%.
• Increase Chthonian Burst’s projectile damage from 30 to 35.

Storm

• Increase Wind Blade projectile speed from 100m/s to 150m/s and left-click damage from 50 to 55.
• Increase Bolt Rush damage from 70 to 80.
• After releasing Omega Hurricane (ultimate ability), the bonus health provided for herself will be increased from 350 to 450. Moreover, following its conclusion, the extra health will no longer vanish instantly but will instead diminish at a rate of 100 per second.

Squirrel Girl

• Addition of a new effect to the Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami (ultimate ability): the squirrels will rush towards the nearest enemy after bouncing instead of bouncing randomly.
• Reduce the squirrel tsunami health from 600 to 300.

Winter Soldier

• Increase the bonus health provided by Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage from 30 to 40.
• Increase Roterstern’s projectile damage from 70 to 75.
• Reduce the area damage from 70 to 65 and reduce damage decay from 65% at 40 meters to 60%.
• Increase base health from 250 to 275.

Wolverine

• Increase base health from 300 to 350.
• Reduce the damage reduction ratio provided by Undying Animal from 50% to 40%.

RELATED: Marvel Rivals: The Epic Story Explained

Vanguard

Captain America

• Reduce the delay time for shield restoration after releasing Living Legend from 3s to 2s.
• Reduce Liberty Rush cooldown from 12s to 10s.
• Increase base health from 650 to 675.
• Reduce the energy cost for releasing Freedom Charge (ultimate ability) from 3400 to 3100
• Reduce the additional health provided per second to self after releasing it from 110 to 100.

Doctor Strange

• Add damage falloff to Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom. Starting at 5 meters and reducing to 70% at 8 meters.
• Slightly decrease the shield value recovery rate after releasing Shield of the Seraphim from 80/s to 70/s.

Thor

• Increase base health from 500 to 525.
• Added immunity to control effects during God of Thunder (ultimate ability).

Hulk

•  Reduce the Indestructible Guard gamma shield value for Hero Hulk from 250 to 200.

Venom

• Increase the Symbiotic Resilience bonus health ratio gained per lost health point from 1 to 1.2.
• Increase the base damage of Feast of the Abyss (ultimate ability) from 40 to 50.

Strategist

Cloak & Dagger

• Reduce Dagger Storm cooldown from 15s to 12s.
• Increase the number of dashes in Eternal Bond (ultimate ability) from 3 to 4.

Jeff the Land Shark

• Adjust It’s Jeff! (ultimate ability) range from a 10m sphere to a 10m radius, 5m high cylindrical spell field.
• Increase the healing of Joyful Splash from 140/s to 150/s.

Luna Snow

• Increase the interval for switching between healing and damage in Fate of Both Worlds from 0.1s to 0.5s.

Mantis

• Reduce Nature’s Favor (passive) movement boost from 2.5m/s to 1.5m/s.

Rocket Raccoon

• Increase the healing of Repair Mode from 60 per/s to 70 per/s.  

RELATED: Marvel Rivals: Who Is Galacta?

Team-Up Abilities

Hawkeye – Black Widow

• Reduce Hawkeye’s season bonus from 20% to 15%.

Hela – Thor – Loki 

• Reduce Hela’s season bonus from 20% to 15%.

Luna Snow- Namor

• Increase Frozen Spawn damage from 25 to 27.
• Increase Frozen Spawn slowing effect applied to hit enemies from 25% to 30%.
• Increase berserk state Frozen Spawn damage from 16 to 18.

Rocket Raccoon – The Punisher – Winter Soldier

• Reduce the cooldown of Ammo Invention from 45s to 40s.

Scarlet Witch – Magneto

•  Increase Metallic Fusion projectile damage from 55 to 60.
• Increase Metallic Fusion spell field damage from 30 to 35.

Thor – Storm – Captain America

• Reduce the cooldown of Charged Gale from 20s to 15s.
• Increase the damage of Charged Gale from 50 to 55.

The post Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Patch Notes Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Morefun Studios announced that pre-alpha playtesting for The Hidden Ones will be postponed to February 27, 2025. The announcement was posted on The Hidden Ones official website, Discord server, and its social media pages. Ultimately, the decision comes from community feedback across various social media platforms, media response, and gameplay preview event participants.

Originally, the pre-alpha playtest was scheduled for January 7, 2025. The development team cited internal and external factors in its decision-making process, resulting in three main focus points: localization, tutorials, and overall quality.

Localization

The game will be released worldwide, with a focus on audiences across North America, South America, and Europe. Though it is unknown how many languages will be dubbed, The Hidden Ones has English voice acting. While the script itself is good, there are inconsistencies in-game with the subtitles and lip flaps (matching the audio to the characters’ mouth movements). Out of the two, the subtitles require the most attention as words may be missing, sentences may be incorrect, or the subtitles reflect a different version of the script. However, the subtitles always reflect the gist of what’s going on.

Despite that, the team wants to ensure that each localized version of the game will be able to accurately and successfully convey the overall lore of The Hidden Ones. Though the game has an original story, the world of The Outcast has been around for years. With the knowledge that a majority of players may not know the full lore of The Outcast, the game needs to explain that history.

New Tutorials

RELATED: The Hidden Ones Hands-On Preview: An Intuitive Fighting Game for PC and Mobile

The development team shared a message as part of the postponement announcement to further explain the delay.

“We want to review and revamp our new introduction process to help players better understand the game mechanics and begin to master the combat,” the announcement said.

From experience, the combat is fantastic and has few issues with its implementation. However, the intricacies of combat are difficult to explain in a written format. Most likely, the team will create tutorials for each aspect of combat – basic attack, skills, ultimates, blocking, dodging, and interrupting – and take time to build on each concept. It’s a lot like rock, paper, scissors, but with some added flavor.

Overall Quality

Finally, the team wants to focus on the “content quality.” Most likely, they will be focusing on the game’s environments and immersion rather than the gameplay and characters. So much care and attention to detail has gone into animating the characters’ fighting animations. Each character uses a specific martial art, such as Kung Fu and Tai Chi, that were animated through motion capture.

However, there is a disconnect between the combat gameplay and the story campaign. The one map available to preview utilized a lot of invisible walls in obvious ways. In the age of huge open-world games that aim to immerse its players, the invisible walls strictly keeping a character on a road and off the curbs does feel disruptive.

Hopefully, there will be more opportunities to explore the game environments beyond sticking to a single path, like being able to go into buildings or incentives for returning to previous areas. However, it’s far too early to tell at this point.

Ultimately, the development team aims to deliver a product that they are proud of. The announcement closed with the following:

“We sincerely apologize for postponing the pre-alpha playtest. We want to practice the essential spirit of The Hidden Ones: attention to detail with years of practice is one of the keys in becoming a Martial Arts Master,” the announcement said. “With that said, we want to make our first official appearance among the players community displaying this spirit through a mind-blowing and fulfilling experience even in pre-alpha – worthy of the 2-year wait since our first tease of the game.”

The post The Hidden Ones Pre-Alpha Playtest Delayed to February appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The original BioShock is free to download and keep for good thanks to an ongoing deal from one platform. Later this year, BioShock director Ken Levine is expected to release his next game titled Judas. Based on what we know so far, Judas should share a lot of the same DNA as games like BioShock and BioShock Infinite, both of which were helmed by Levine. Now, for those looking to replay BioShock (or experience it for the first time), a current deal should be capitalized upon before it ends.

At the time of this writing, the remastered version of BioShock is free on Prime Gaming. This promo only extends to those who have an active Amazon Prime membership, which means that it’s not outright “free” and is instead an additional perk of the subscription. Still, even with this caveat, there are countless millions of Prime members around the globe who should be able to snag BioShock for free without having to subscribe in the first place. Those who do opt to redeem this offer will then be given a code for BioShock Remastered on PC that can be used on the Microsoft Store.

Related: BioShock 4 Leak Potentially Reveals First Screenshot From the Game

This deal for BioShock on Prime Gaming isn’t necessarily a new one as it has been running since early October 2024. What makes it worth reporting on at this moment, though, is that the promotion is just about to come to a close. Specifically, at the end of the day on Wednesday, January 8th, Prime Gaming will be removing BioShock from its catalog of free downloads. As a result, if you want to get BioShock for absolutely nothing, you’ll want to make sure you act quickly before the game vanishes from the Prime Gaming library.

BioShock

About: “BioShock is a shooter unlike any you’ve ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You’ll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you’ll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you. Injectable plasmids give you super human powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, or freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench. No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way.”

The post BioShock Is Free in Offer That Concludes in Under 48 Hours appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While it might have felt like a bit of a slow year for some genres, 2024 brought some truly phenomenal new cozy games into gamers’ lives. From Little Kitty, Big City to Fields of Mistria in Early Access, cozy gamers had no shortage of great games to enjoy last year. Even so, quite a few highly anticipated titles were delayed, while other exciting projects were announced but not released. That means there are plenty of cozy games to look forward to in 2025, so get that Nintendo Switch or aesthetic PC gaming setup ready.

While the definition of “cozy game” might still be up for debate, most agree that lower stakes games with limited combat and lots of cooking tend to fit the bill. That said, there’s also space for story-based dating sims and visual novels, making 2025 an exciting year to see what’s new and improved in the world of cozy gaming.

Hello Kitty: Island Adventure

Release Date: January 30th, 2025

For fans of Hello Kitty and Animal Crossing comes the game that combines them both. Hello Kitty: Island Adventure released for Apple Arcade in 2023, but is finally making its way to PC and Nintendo Switch in January 2025. In this game, players will explore an abandoned island as Hello Kitty and her friends, with plenty of baking, cooking, crafting, and collecting to enjoy. Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the game will also bring in a multiplayer element to let players connect with their friends.

Date Everything!

Release Date: February 14th, 2025

Another highly anticipated cozy release that got delayed is Date Everything. Unlike what many think of when they consider a chill game, this isn’t a farming sim. It’s a dating sim, and one where players can romance anthropomorphized versions of their… furniture? And other typically non-sentient beings and concepts brought to life, including an overwhelming sense of existential dread. This unserious and entertaining dating sim will now come out on Valentine’s Day 2025, a delay so perfect that developer Sassy Chap Games may as well have planned it from the start.

Good Coffee, Great Coffee

Release Date: February 2025

From the creators of the beloved pizza-making game Good Pizza, Great Pizza comes another entry. This time, it’s all about the coffee. Some players in select countries are already slinging coffee as part of the beta test, but the worldwide release of Good Coffee, Great Coffee is planned for sometime in February of 2025. For now, the game is only confirmed for mobile via Google Play and the Apple App Store. Even so, fans of cozy restaurant management games will a sense of humor are ready to brew some coffee with developer TapBlaze.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game

Release Date: March 25th, 2025

Once upon a time, gamers were supposed to be living in the Shire in 2024. However, developers Weta Workshop decided their hobbit life sim needed a little more time to bake. Now, cozy gaming fans and Lord of the Rings devotees will be able to live out their Shire lives in March 2025. This game explores life in the shire, letting players create their own hobbit avatar and spent a quiet life building up their village through farming, cooking, and plenty of community gatherings. And this is a cozy game, so yes, of course there will also be fishing.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Release Date: April 2025

This game has already had its release date delayed twice, from an original 2023 plan to 2024 and now, finally, an April 2025 release date. While that’s been disappointing for eager fans, it also means there’s been plenty of time to drum up excitement, and gamers are really hoping 2025 finally brings Fantasy Life i to the Nintendo Switch as planned. The game will have players build up a ruined island by traveling into the past. That means many cozy gaming staples, such as crafting, collecting, and building community will all be on offer, with a bit of a magical twist.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

Release Date: Spring 2025

The Rune Factory franchise is beloved amongst cozy fans, which naturally means they can’t wait for the next installment. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma puts the player into the Eastern lands of Azuma, where the earth has shattered and sent terrain into the skies. As an Earth Dancer, gamers will work to save this beautiful world… and rebuild some local farms and communities along the way, of course. This beautiful game does have combat, but it also brings the cozy vibes for those who want just a little more oomph in their gaming.

Tiny Bookshop

Release Date: 2025, Unspecified

The venn diagram for book lovers and cozy gamers isn’t quite a circle, but it sure comes close. Many people fell in love with Tiny Bookshop when the demo dropped in 2024 and are eagerly awaiting an official confirmation of just when, exactly, it will come out this year. As of now, it’s simply noted as planned for 2025, so it could be a while to wait. This bookshop sim puts players in the role of running a mobile caravan bookshop, helping their customers choose the right reads for themselves or a gift. It’s beautiful, slow-paced, and uses actual book titles for the recommendation gameplay. In other words, perfection.

The post 7 Most Exciting Cozy Games to Look Forward to in 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The acclaimed indie game Spelunky is currently available to pick up for free in an offer that is set to come to an end shortly. Generally speaking, Spelunky is considered one of the most popular (and best) indie games of all time. Not only was Spelunky praised endlessly upon its original launch in 2013, it was later followed by Spelunky 2, which garnered a ton of acclaim in its own right. Now, for those who haven’t played Spelunky yet or are simply looking to own it on a different platform, an ongoing deal should be capitalized upon.

As of this moment, Spelunky is free as part of a promo on Prime Gaming. While this deal does require an active Amazon Prime membership, which makes it not entirely “free”, the fact that Prime subscriptions are pretty common means that tens of millions of users (potentially including yourself) can take advantage of this offer with ease. Upon redemption, users will then be given a PC code for Spelunky which can in turn be redeemed on the Microsoft Store.

Related: Nintendo 3DS Game Finally Canceled After Nearly a Decade

Spelunky being free on Prime Gaming is something that happened as a way of raising awareness for Secret Level, which is the recently released animated series on Prime Video. One episode in the show’s first season is centered around Spelunky, which led Amazon to give away the game on PC to cross-promote Secret Level.

While this giveaway for Spelunky has been going on for a couple of weeks now, what makes it notable right now is that it’s about to end. Specifically, this offer for Spelunky will expire later this week on Wednesday, January 8th. As such, be sure to redeem the deal now before it ends up disappearing in the coming days.

Spelunky

About: “Spelunky is a unique platformer with randomized levels that offer a challenging new experience each time you play. Journey deep underground and explore fantastic places filled with all manner of monsters, traps, and treasure. You’ll have complete freedom while you navigate the fully-destructible environments and master their many secrets. To stay or flee, to kill or rescue, to shop or steal… in Spelunky, the choice is yours and so are the consequences!

Features

• “Roguelike” Platforming – Randomly-generated, fully-destructible levels are dense with danger. Quick thinking and a deep understanding will keep you alive along the knife’s edge!
• Fill Your Journal – Track your progress with a dusty explorer’s journal given to you by Yang, your mentor from another age.
• Local Co-op – Up to 4 players can join up to help or hinder in madcap cooperative play.
• Deathmatch – Unlock 72 diverse, deadly arenas to wage battle in against friends or bots.
• The Daily Challenge – Each day a new set of levels is generated for the Daily Challenge, a unique mode where you only get one chance per day to compete online against the rest of the Steam community.
• A Colorful Cast – A roster of 20 squishy explorers (16 unlockable) are waiting for you to make their greedy dreams come true!
• Tough Love – You’re going to die in all kinds of painful, hilarious, and surprising ways. But with each mistake you’ll learn more about how Spelunky works and get that much closer to solving its deepest mysteries!”

The post Spelunky Is Free to Own in Deal That Will Expire Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We are only four days into the new year, yet Steam already has its first fan-favorite game of 2025, and it’s on sale until January 16 as part of a special “introductory offer.” The new Steam game is a first-person shooter, and a retro one at that. More specifically, it is an “anime style retro throwback” inspired by the 90s. And apparently it is pretty good. Right now, the game is trending as a “Popular New Release” and has a 97 percent approval rating across 267 user reviews.

The game comes the way of developer Doekuramori, who debuted back in 2020 with the release of The Citadel, which itself was a hidden gem that year. Now it is back four years later with Beyond Citadel, which normally costs $14.99, but thanks to the aforementioned introductory offer, is only $13.49 right now. This is thanks to a 10 percent discount. More than this, the game can be tried for free, courtesy of a free demo that released alongside the game on January 2. There is a similar free demo for its 2020 predecessor.

The official elevator pitch for Beyond Citadel is that it is a single-player first-person shooter inspired by FPS classics of the 90’s. This is presented with anime-style 2.5D graphics and “realistic gunplay mechanics.” Those interested in knowing more can read an official story synopsis below.

“The Citadel, the last stronghold of mankind’s resistance against the Apocalypse, has fallen,” reads an official story description of the game. “Humankind is now under the control of the Trumpeters of the Apocalypse, the leaders of the forces of the Apocalypse. The ‘Marty’ who is the last resort of the Seven Angels, the guardians of humankind, is led by a mysterious signal and sets out on a journey to overthrow the Trumpeters of the Apocalypse. To find the truth behind the signal, buried under the Citadel.”

Those interested in checking out Beyond Citadel on Steam Deck may encounter issues. The game’s Steam listing mentions that Steam Deck compatibility is “Unknown.” To this end, it could run perfectly on Steam Deck. It could run on the handheld Valve machine but with issues. And it may not run at all on the machine. Unfortunately, Valve has not tested the game on Steam Deck yet and thus has no information about compatibility.

“Pretty good game. Fluid movement and interesting mechanics quite a bit of build variety, some guns are much better than others and you can carry one of each type,” reads one of the aforementioned positive reviews, which there are many.

For more Steam and Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest rumors and leaks involving Steam, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

The post Steam Has Its First Great Game of 2025 (And You Can Play It For Free) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Witcher 4 has been revealed with a trailer that puts Ciri in the main role, and canonizes the most obvious Witcher 3 ending, but there are still a lot of questions that haven’t been answered yet. Additionally, it’s unlikely that we’ll get answers anytime soon, considering that the game has only recently been announced. It seems like Ciri will have the chance to explore her own romantic interests in The Witcher 4, although there’s barely any information about what the romance system could look like right now. However, it’s possible that Geralt could have a romance made canon, even if he doesn’t play a large role in the new game.

When Geralt is the leading character in the series up through The Witcher 3, he has three main options in terms of romance. He can choose Triss, Yennefer, or decide to forgo forming a relationship with either woman. Of course, it’s possible that The Witcher 4 could feature Geralt in a way where his romance is never brought up or shown. However, the Witcher book series includes a canon romance, so The Witcher 4 could follow the books’ lead.

Geralt’s Most Likely Canon Romance

It seems like choosing a canon romance for Geralt and avoiding the topic enough to keep it undecided are equally likely at this point. Choosing to leave Geralt’s romantic life after the games a mystery allows for more immersion for the players, since they can feel like their decisions in the past games fit their own canon. However, if The Witcher 4 canonizes a romantic interest for Geralt, it’ll most likely be Yennefer.

RELATED: The Witcher 4 Developer Addresses Major Plot Hole Concern

Just like in the games, both Yennefer and Triss display romantic interest in Geralt in The Witcher book series. But at the end of the books, Geralt and Yennefer are together, which makes sense since they spend a fair amount of the books helping each other and Ciri, who is like a daughter to both of them. After going through their journey across several books, it makes sense that Geralt and Yennefer end the series as a couple.

So, if The Witcher 4 wants to make a romance for Geralt the canon option, the developers would most likely choose Yennefer as his partner. Both Yennefer and Triss are great options, but Yennefer is his canon romantic interest in the books, and her interactions with Geralt and Ciri make her seem like the canon option even in the games. While there’s no need for The Witcher 4 to include Geralt’s love life with Ciri as the leading character, it would make sense if the game decided to pair him with Yennefer, especially if both characters return to help Ciri during her journey as a Witcher.

The post Will The Witcher 4 Canonize a Romance for Geralt? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first weekly free game on the Epic Games Store for 2025 has today gone live and it happens to be a multiplayer shooter that has been quite a hit. For the past two weeks, Epic has been giving out free games on a daily basis, as this promotion is one that it always runs for the holidays. As such, EGS users were able to net themselves games like Sifu, Control, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and many others for no cost at all, saving hundreds of dollars in the process. Now, the Epic Store has returned to its cadence of giving out free PC games on a weekly rotation, but the first title it has chosen to hand out is again of a high quality.

From now, January 2nd, until 11:00am ET/8:00am PT on January 9th, Epic Games Store members can pick up Hell Let Loose for nothing. Originally released in 2021, Hell Let Loose is an online shooter set on the battlefields of World War II. While this might sound like a genre and era that has worn thin, Hell Let Loose has received a ton of praise for its focus on strategy and working together with teammates rather than having players simply attempt to get a big K/D ratio.

Related: New Nintendo Switch 2 Report Suggests Fans Should Lower Their Expectations

Arguably the best thing about Hell Let Loose going free is that it’s normally pretty pricey. While the game has been hit with plenty of sales over the years, it typically still retails for $49.99. As such, these are some of the best savings that Epic Store users have seen in weeks and very much warrants adding Hell Let Loose to your own digital library.

Hell Let Loose

Synopsis: “Join the chaos of war and be a part of the most iconic battles of the Eastern and Western Fronts, including Carentan, Omaha Beach, Stalingrad, Kursk and more. Hell Let Loose drops you into the action, where you will have to fight across fields, bridges, forests, towns and more war-torn environments! Lumbering tanks will be dominating the battlefield and crucial supply chains fuelling the frontlines, you are essential to the colossal, combined arms warfare.

• An Epic Theatre of War: Take to the battlefield in this squad-based, 50v50 multiplayer game, and choose one of our 14 roles available within the Command, Infantry, Recon and Armour unit types. Play as an Officer, Spotter, Medic, Tank Commander and more, to experience every aspect of World War II combat. Each role is equipped with different historical weapons, vehicles, and equipment that are intricately detailed, bringing the realism to the brutal and bloody warfare. Unit focussed gameplay is crucial and when done well can command the tide of battle.
• Hardcore Gameplay: The combat takes place across huge, to-scale maps, recreated by utilising aerial and satellite imagery of real battle locations in stunning detail using Unreal Engine 4. These realistic battlefields are divided up into large capture sectors allowing emergent and constantly unique gameplay to evolve between the two forces of fifty players. Work as a team and make continual large scale, tactical decisions as to where to attack or defend.
• Fight Together – Win Together: Hell Let Loose is not about kill to death ratios – teamwork is central to gameplay. Communication is essential. Players work together beneath the leadership of Officers and their Commander to take strategic targets on the battlefield and dominate the opposition. In Hell let loose, it’s always better to tackle things as a team. If you think you can handle the chaos of war, we’ll see you on the frontlines!
• Unique Meta Game: Manage resources and supplies to call in support, bombing runs, new vehicles, strafing runs and to reinforce strong-points or flank enemies. When a sector is captured, it will generate one of three resources for your team, creating a complex game that will influence your team’s march to victory. Strategy is key to success.”

The post Epic Games Store Makes Popular Multiplayer Shooter Free to Begin 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Epic Games has revealed and released the new Epic Games Store free game for December 30. The free game download is for a game that was only released two months ago, making this giveaway more notable than some other recent free games with Epic Games Store.

Not only is the free Epic Games Store game fairly new but it has been fairly well received. This is evident by its 77 on Metacritic. Meanwhile, the Steam version — the same version available on Epic Games Store — has “Very Positive” reviews. This is thanks to 87 percent of user reviews rating the game positively.

The game in question is Redacted from Striking Distance Studios, the studio best known for its debut release, 2022’s The Callisto Protocol. Those interested in checking it out now that it is free on Epic Games Store — normally it costs $24.99 — should be prepared to sink at least three hours into the game to beat it. To 100% complete it, however, will take closer to 20 hours.

“Black Iron, a state-of-the-art penitentiary located on Jupiter’s icy moon Callisto, is overrun with hordes of infected inmates. As a modest prison guard your job is simple – get to the last escape pod and get out alive! Fight through dozens of unique enemies and challenging environmental hazards as you battle your way out of the prison,” reads an official description of the game for those unfamiliar with it. “But you aren’t the only survivor looking to escape. Your rivals – a deranged custodian, a violent gangster, a maniacal lunch lady, and more – can’t wait to step over your corpse and save themselves. Only one of you can make it off the moon – make sure it’s you!”

As always with Epic Games Store, this is a full free game download. This is not a free trial or a free demo, nor is the free download locked behind any type of subscription. Obviously, an Epic Games Store account is needed, but an Epic Games Store account is free.

Normally, Epic Games Store free game drops are weekly, happening every Thursday at 10 AM EST. For the holiday season though — until January 2 — the free game drops are daily, happening at the same time.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest on Epic Games Store free games as well as all of the other latest Epic Games Store news and deals — click here.

The post Epic Games Store’s New Free Game Just Released Two Months Ago appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans were hopeful to hear good news about State of Decay 3 after a trailer arrived in June 2024, but excitement gave way to dread in only a few short months. Speculation regarding a delay hit fever pitch in November. Now, they’ll be waiting even longer for a better look. The latest update on State of Decay 3 comes from insider Jez Corden, who says Undead Labs will be pushing the long-awaited survival game another year. This is just another tally on the delay board when it comes to delays for Undead Labs and the open-world Zombie survival game—but it’s not all sour grapes this time.

“I will say this, I did hear as well [Microsoft] were considering State of Decay 3 for 2025 as well. It’s closer to being finished than you would think, but I do think they’re going to let it slip to 2026,” Corden said on the XB2 podcast.

RELATED: State of Decay 2 Updates End as Undead Labs Shifts Focus to State of Decay 3

Undead Labs has been working on State of Decay 3 for years. Previous reports paint an ugly picture of its development. First revealed back in 2020, the team was reportedly still in the early stages of work when the first glimpse at the game was shown off. The first footage featured a harsh winter environment, and showcased infected wildlife as a terrifying new addition to the world. A Kotaku investigation into the studio reported the developers hadn’t even decided if that would feature would actually be in the game at that time, but the pressure to turn something in meant they rolled with the concept. Now, after battling a host of other problems (including internal studio issues) things have taken much firmer shape, even if it’s not quite ready yet.

This should be a net positive for the game. The team grew exponentially after the success of State of Decay 2. Expectations are higher than ever for the former indie. Each new glimpse at the game promises a more polished experienced than the previous two entries, and while they’ve certainly got the resources behind them to make that happen, that’s not all it takes to make something great. If Undead Labs can’t deliver on that expectation after all this time, fans would be right to worry about the future of the series. Especially given Microsoft’s recent track record of closing down entire studios.

All in all, the day one Game Pass launch will be a key factor for State of Decay 3. These types of online Survival titles need a big player base to be considered a success, and taking away the $70 barrier to entry opens the doors to far more players. As a longtime fan of the franchise, my fingers are crossed their gamble pays off. Nothing quite scratches the zombie game itch like this franchise, and even though my heart breaks every time I do something boneheaded and lose another survivor, I crave the devastation all the same.

The post State of Decay 3 Report Reveals Delay and New 2026 Release Date appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The latest free game on the Epic Games Store is perfect for those looking to play a game with friends. At this point in time, Epic’s annual holiday promotion that sees free PC games given out on a daily basis has nearly reached its end. The 2024 edition of this promo has more or less been quite successful for EGS users as it has allowed them to net games like Control, Dredge, Kill Knight, Ghostrunner 2, and numerous others at no cost whatsoever. Now, with the calendar soon set to turn over to 2025, Epic is giving out a game that won’t want to be missed.

Available from now until tomorrow, December 30th, at 11:00am ET/8:00am PT, the Epic Games Store has made Orcs Must Die! 3 free to download. Originally released in 2021, Orcs Must Die! 3 is the third installment in the co-op, tower defense game that tasks players with defeating hordes of orcs. Typically, Orcs Must Die! 3 retails for $30, which means that today’s offer is one of the best we’ve seen all month in terms of money saved.

Moving forward, there will only be three more free games that Epic hands out in a daily rotation. These free offers will then reset on Thursday, January 2nd, at which point the free games will go back to being doled out on a weekly cadence. For now, we still don’t know what these final freebies on the Epic Store will be, but we’ll find out in the coming days.

You can learn more about Orcs Must Die! 3 and whether or not it might be for you by checking out its launch trailer and official description below.

Orcs Must Die! 3

“Orcs Must Die! 3 ushers orc-slaying mayhem to a previously unimaginable scale. Solo, or 2 player co-op, arm yourself with a massive arsenal of traps and weapons. Slice, burn, toss and zap hordes of repugnant orcs in this long-awaited successor to the award-winning series.

New to the series, War Scenarios pit players against the largest orc armies ever assembled. Mountable War Machines give players the essential firepower to heave, stab, carbonize, and disarticulate the abominable intruders.

Features

• More of Everything – Orcs Must Die! 3 is everything fans loved about the first two games and more. More orcs, more traps, more weapons, more upgrades and even better looking. It’s cranked up to at least eleven.
• New Story – Play through a brand new story set more than 20 years after Orcs Must Die! 2, where the War Mage and Sorceress have rebuilt the order and trained new young apprentices.
• War Scenarios – All new War Scenarios deliver on the promise of massive scale first set out in Orcs Must Die! Confront overwhelming armies of orcs outside on the battlefields surrounding the castles. Thin out waves of orcs hundreds strong before they breach the walls and crash your rift.
• War Machines – You’re going to need new weapons of death and destruction to handle these hordes. War Machines are traps on an oversized scale. Lay down your mega flip trap and launch dozens of ragdolling orcs. Mount your mega boom barrel launcher and unleash pyrotechnic glory.
• It Never Stops – The legions of orcs keep coming long after the story is completed. Etch your name into the orc-slaying hall of fame through Weekly Challenges or see how long you can survive in Endless Mode.
• Take Drastic Steps – Orcs Must Die! 3 comes with the Drastic Steps campaign and content for free, including terrifying flying enemies, heroic war guardians and of course more tools for orc destruction!
• Scramble to Survive – The new Scramble Mode pits you against vile orcs who evolve with increasingly difficult and sinister tricks up their chunky sleeves. But each level you survive, you collect your own modifiers to fight back with!”

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Pokemon Unite developer TiMi Studio Group has already unveiled the next Pokemon to join the game after Tinkaton with the Galarian form of Rapidash scheduled to be added in a month. The Galarian Rapidash will be available on January 23rd, TiMi announced this week, with a first look at the Pokemon already shared this week as well. However, for those who subscribe to any and all Pokemon Unite leaks and already knew beforehand that Galarian Rapidash was on the way, you also may know that this Pokemon’s abilities have already leaked as well to show what it’ll be capable of when it releases.

But first things first, you can check out a look at Pokemon Unite‘s version of the Galarian Rapidash below. Tinkaton was added in December, so it’ll be just over a month between the two releases with Rapidash expected to be a Speedster Pokemon given its quick nature.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A Rumor Reveals Release Date and Starters

As is the case with most things that come to Pokemon Unite, the Galarian Rapidash was spotted in the files and through leaks long before it was officially announced. When it was initially spotted, the Pokemon-focused account ElChicoEevee shared a video showing what the moves should look like whenever Galarian Rapidash is added. Those moves are outlined below, but as is the case with anything that’s leaked early, know that the moves in question could change before the Pokemon is actually released.

Pokemon Unite‘s Galarian Rapidash Moveset

Passive: Pastel Veil

• The Pokemon’s psychic gauge charges based on the distance it runs,a nd when the gauge is full, the Pokemon is granted a shield.
• While the shield remains, the Pokemon is immune to hindrances.
• When the Pokemon with this ability hits opposing Pokemon with a move, it deals additional damage based on its movement speed at the time it hits.

Basic Attack

• Attacks by shooting energy from its horn.

Confusion

• Has the user release a telekinetic force around itself, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon.
• If this move hits opposing Pokemon, the user’s movement speed is increased for a short time.

Tackle

• Has the user charge, slamming into opposing Pokemon it hits with its whole body while dealing damage and applying a slowing effect to them.

Smart Strike

• Has the user stab the designated opposing Pokemon with its sharp horn, dealing damage to it. After that, the user leaps in the designated direction while shoving the opposing Pokemon in the opposite direction.
• Smart Strike+ Upgrade: Also greatly charges the user’s psychic gauge when this move hits.

Fairy Wind

• Has the user jump in the direction it’s facing, and when it lands, stir up a fairy wind that deals damage to nearby opposing Pokemon.
• This move can be used again, up to (?) times total.
• If used (?) times, on the final time, the user deals increased damage based on its movement speed and throws opposing Pokemon.
• Fairy Wind+ Upgrade: Applies a slowing effect to opposing Pokemon.

Agility

• Increases the user’s movement speed when this move is used and for a set amount of time, the user’s movement speed continually increases.
• This move’s duration is increased if the user moves or hits opposing Pokemon with moves.
• Agility+ Upgrade: Also restores the user’s HP while the user’s movement speed is increased by this move.

Dazzling Gleam

• Has the user emit a powerful flash around itself, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon it hits.
• If opposing Pokemon are hit by the outer edge of the flash, the user’s movement speed is increased for a short time. The increase amount is based on the number of opposing Pokemon hit.
• If Pokemon on the opposing team are hit by the outer edge of the flash, the user’s movements speed is further increased, and the cooldown of Smart Strike or Agility is reduced.
• Dazzling Gleam+ Upgrade: Reduces this move’s cooldown.

Triad Blitz (Unofficial Translation)

• Has the user charge in the designated direction, showing Pokemon from the opposing team that it hits.
• When the charge ends, a mysterious space is created around the first Pokemon from the opposing team that the user hit. It’s impossible for that Pokemon to leave the space.
• If this move is used again, the user runs at high speed in the designated directon, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in its path. If its path goes through the mysterious space, this move can be used again an additional time. This move can be used again up to a total of (?) additional times.

Galarian Rapidash will be released into Pokemon Unite next month, so we’ll see then what its finalized abilities look like.

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Epic Games Store’s new mystery free game for December 28 has been revealed, and is now available to download for free for 24 hours. Come December 29, at 11 AM EST, it will be replaced with a new free game on Epic Games Store, though what this game is, remains to be seen. The December 29 free game is yet another “mystery” game.

The free Epic Games Store game for December 28 is a notable one though. In fact, it is one of 2024’s highest-rated games on Metacritic thanks to a Metacritic score of 88. This score puts it in the top 20 of highest-rated releases of 2024. It is a bit off the highest scores of 2024, achieved by the likes of Astro Bot, Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but it is only a few points off these Game of the Year-level games.

The free game in question came out back on October 2 via developer Playside, who also published the game. And according to Steam user reviews, its 88 on Metacritic is not overselling the game. In fact, it may be underselling the game as on Steam it has a 94 percent approval rating among Steam users.

For those that have not connected the dots yet, the new free Epic Games Store game is Kill Knight, which normally costs $14.99 on both Steam and the Epic Games Store. For this, buyers get a game that can be beaten in five hours, however, many can and will dump closer to 20-30 hours into the game to experience everything the game has to offer. Normally this content costs $14.99, but for 24 hours it is free.

“Once a loyal knight, betrayed, and banished to the Abyss. A desecrated corpse inside reanimated armor. You rise to an eternal death. Branded KILL KNIGHT, you have one purpose – kill the last angel,” reads an official elevator pitch of the game for those unfamiliar with it.

As always with the Epic Games Store, once claimed, this free game is free to keep forever. This is a free download of a full game, not a free trial or a free demo. Further, there are no subscriptions required, just an Epic Games Store account, which costs nothing.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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One of 2025’s best-looking Steam games is releasing soon. While 2025’s biggest release — GTA 6 — currently has not been announced for PC, there are lots of games for Steam users to look forward to. Just in Q1 of 2025 there is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Civilization VII, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Avowed, Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. There is also a major early access release coming out in this window that is flying under the radar of some.

Right now, unlike the games above, this Steam Early Access game doesn’t have a precise release date, but is simply slated for release sometime in Q1 2025. For those that don’t know what this means, it refers to the window of January 1 and March 31.

The Steam game is Kingmakers from developer Redemption Road, which is set to debut with the release. For those unfamiliar with Kingmakers, it is a crazy mix of genres and time periods.

“Go back in time to a war-torn medieval era with a vast arsenal of modern weapons, change the course of history, and save the future in this epic action/strategy sandbox,” reads an official elevator pitch of the game. “Build your kingdom, grab a gun, and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles — solo or in co-op.”

Whether Kingmakers will be able to make good on its crazy premise and potential, remains to be seen. It certainly looks poised to be one of the most unique releases of the year, regardless of how well it turns out.

How much Kingmakers — which has attracted over one million wishlists on Steam — will cost when it releases in early access has not been divulged. It is also unclear when the game is aiming to fully release. Lastly, it is also unclear what Steam Deck support will be like when the game hits in the next few months.

For more Steam and Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

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Epic Games Store has a new free game available between December 26, today, and 11 AM EST tomorrow, December 27. The free games lately have been underwhelming, which is typically not the case during the holiday season. In fact, Epic Games Store usually ramps up during the holiday season with some major free games. For Christmas, it gave away Control for free. Control is one of 2019’s best games, and a major freebie at that. However, it had been given away for free on the Epic Games Store before, making the giveaway less notable. On Christmas Eve, there was Dredge, which is a great game from 2023, but a smaller indie release.The same applies to Vampire Survivors, which was given away on December 19.

Today though, Epic Games Store has a great game that isn’t a smaller indie release and that hasn’t been given away for free in the past. The new, mystery free Epic Games Store game is Ghostrunner 2 from developer One More Level and publisher 505 Games, which released back in October 2023 as a sequel to 2020’s Ghostrunner. The first game was made free via Epic Games Store last December.

Upon release, Ghostrunner 2 garnered an 81 on Metacritic, and was notably nominated for Best Action Game at The Game Awards that year. This score more or less lines up with user review scores across various platforms.

“Blood will run in the highly anticipated hardcore FPP slasher set one year after the events of Ghostrunner,” reads an official description of the game for those familiar with it. “Adventure through a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk future that takes place after the fall of the Keymaster, a tyrant who ruled over Dharma Tower, the last refuge of mankind. Jack is back to take on the violent AI cult that has assembled outside Dharma Tower and shape the future of humanity.”

Those that decide to check out Ghostrunner 2 now that it is free on Epic Games Store should expect a game that is about 8 to 16 hours long. The bottom of this range represents a mainline playthrough of the game while the top end of the range represents a completionist run.

For all of our previous and extensive Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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Christmas Day is finally here, and the Epic Games Store is offering yet another free game to all users. Following the release of Dredge yesterday, everyone can claim a copy of Remedy Entertainment’s Control today, which was first released in 2019. It’s worth noting that Control has been given out a number of times over the years, and there’s a chance that many Epic Games Store users already have it. However, for those that don’t, this is a very nice treat, and well worth claiming while it’s available. Readers should note that the game is only free for 24 hours, and can only be claimed through December 26th at 11 a.m. ET.

As with all of the free games from the Epic Games Store, this one must only be claimed by that date. Once users have done so, the game will remain a permanent part of their library, so there’s no rush to play it. If you got plenty of other games to play for the holidays this year, you can always claim Control today and come back to it when you might have time. That’s the beauty of these giveaways, as they give users a way to build up their libraries and try something they might not have otherwise!

For those unfamiliar with Control, the game puts players in the role of Jesse Faden, the newly selected director of the Federal Bureau of Control. A third-person action-adventure game, players control Jesse as she investigates a conspiracy involving the Hiss, a being that has taken over the FBC’s headquarters, known as the Oldest House. As Jesse discovers new abilities, she can access additional areas of the location.

Upon Control‘s release, the game was a huge critical success, earning Game of the Year nominations from various outlets. The game’s narrative and audio direction in particular received huge praise, and Control even won Best Art Direction at The Game Awards in 2019. Some Epic Games Store users might be disappointed by the age of today’s free game, but for those that haven’t played it, there’s no excuse not to give this a try.

RELATED: Fortnite Rumor Says Splinter Cell Is Coming to the Game

Control normally costs $29.99, and will revert back to that price once this promotion comes to an end. Players that find themselves enjoying the game will be happy to know that Epic Games has also discounted the DLC through December 31st at 7 a.m. ET. The season pass can be purchased for 70% off, knocking it down to just $4.49. The season pass gives users access to two Expansion Packs, which normally retail for $9.99 each. The expansion packs can be purchased separately for $3.99 during the sale, but it’s a way better deal to scoop them up as part of the season pass package.

Are you planning to claim Control while it’s available for free? Is this the excuse you needed to give the game a try? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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Before it even released, the Marvel Rivals battle pass structure had already won players over thanks to the fact that items from the passes could be earned even after a season ended and the game moved onto the next battle pass. That part’s not changing, so Marvel Rivals players won’t have to worry about missing out on the contents of a battle pass if they want to play something else for awhile, but as expected, there are some caveats to how Marvel Rivals battle passes work which, in the words of the developers themselves, make things “a bit complicated.”

Marvel Rivals developer NetEase penned a post this week talking about the battle pass setup and how it’ll work from one season to the next. The complicated part mostly deals with Chrono Tokens, the currency used to purchase items from the battle pass. Chrono Tokens can be earned one of two ways: by purchasing them with the game’s premium currency, Lattice, or by earning them through natural progression such as missions and achievements.

If you’re earning them through just playing the game, those Chrono Tokens will expire at the end of each season, so don’t expect to carry earned Chrono Tokens over to the next battle pass. For ones you acquire via Lattice, however, there’s a rule in place that’ll allow you to keep “a portion” of them in the next season.

“The specific amount retained will be the lesser of the remaining Chrono Tokens and the total Chrono Tokens you bought with Lattice in the current season,” the post explained.

NetEase further elaborated by providing an example. If you were to spend 1,000 Lattice to get 1,000 Chrono Tokens, but you end up with 1,500 Chrono Tokens by the end of the season, the 1,000 you purchased will be what carries over to the next season. If you don’t use those Chrono Tokens then, they’ll carry over to the next season and so on until you do use them.

“We hope this clears things up a bit,” NetEase said in conclusion. “It’s a bit complicated, but we wanted to give you all as much info as possible to address your concerns.”

The good news is that for the Chrono Tokens you earned via normal progression that’ll expire at the end of a season, you don’t have to worry about missing out on those entirely if the end date for a season slips your mind. For Chrono Tokens that would expire at a season’s end, those will be auto-redeemed for items in the current battle pass. You of course won’t have a say in what you get at that point, so it’s better to spend them yourself before the end of the season, but it’s at least a safeguard in place to make sure you’re not totally wasting them.

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Other games like Helldivers 2 and Fortnite use stars, tokens, and other currencies similar to Chrono Tokens to unlock battle pass items, and those are hardly ever carried over from one pass to the next, so it’s not surprising that Chrono Tokens will work this way even if the carryover math does make things a bit more complicated. The first “season” in Marvel Rivals was always supposed to be a shorter one, however, with the first real season starting in January, so we’ll see next month how players feel about the battle pass progression once we get a better look at a complete season.

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The latest free game on the Epic Games Store is one that has been met with a fair bit of acclaim from both critics and players alike. For nearly a full week, Epic has been giving out free games on its PC storefront on a daily cadence. While some of these giveaways have been stellar, others have left users wishing for something better. Fortunately, with it now being Christmas Eve, Epic has opted to dole out a game that EGS members absolutely won’t want to miss.

Available from now until tomorrow morning (December 25) at 11:00am ET, the Epic Games Store has made Dredge completely free. Developed by Black Salt Games, Dredge was released in 2023 and combines elements of RPGs, horror, and fishing together. While that might sound like a strange mishmash of genres, Dredge has been incredibly well-received by those who have played it. Currently, it boasts an impressive “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam after roughly 32,000 reviews from users.

Related: Popular EA Game Now Available for Free

In the wake of its popularity, Black Salt Games has gone on to release two expansions for Dredge titled The Iron Rig and The Pale Reach. While these add-ons aren’t free on the Epic Store as part of this promotion, those who snag Dredge at no cost can then look to pick up this DLC later for a price of $12.99.

Moving forward, Epic hasn’t yet said what its free game for Christmas Day will end up being. Historically, Epic chooses to give out the best game of its annual holiday promotion on Christmas, which suggests that tomorrow’s title will be a big one. Whenever we learn more about what that free Epic Games Store game will be, we’ll be sure to fill you in here on ComicBook.

Dredge

Synopsis: “Dredge is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark…

Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighbouring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets.”

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Epic Games Store has revealed and released its fifth mystery free game. The previous four have largely disappointed Epic Games Store users as they have been less noteworthy giveaways compared to past years. And the latest free Epic Games Store game not only continues this trend, but worsens it.

For those out of the loop, normally Epic Games Store gives away a free game, or sometimes free games in a multi-game giveaway, every week on Thursday. During the holiday season, it increases the flow of free games by giving away a free game daily. It has been doing this since December 19, and is set continue until January 2. This means more free games for Epic Games Store users, but it also means only 24 hours to claim each free game before they are replaced with a new one.

In previous years, the free mystery holiday games have been some of the year’s most notable free game downloads. This has not been the case this year. And this is most evident by December 23’s free game, which is not even a free game, but free DLC.

For December 23, Epic Games Store’s free mystery game is Dark and Darker – Legendary Status, which requires the base game Dark and Darker. This is a free-to-play, early access game, though this DLC normally costs $30. For $30, Dark and Darker players get an upgrade from a free “Squire” account to “Legendary” status. This in turn unlocks additional features that can be read about here.

With such a weak lineup so far, PC gamers are hopeful Epic Games Store will step up the offering for Christmas Eve and Christmas. However, the five games released so far do not suggest this will be the case. If the tide is going to turn though it would be on these two days, as the biggest days of the holiday season. December 31 and January 1 are also major stops in the giveaway promotion, however, if Christmas doesn’t have anything noteworthy then there is no hope for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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A new Steam psychological horror game is one of the best games of 2024, according to Steam user reviews. The Steam game in question released earlier this month, and has already garnered nearly 25,000 user reviews. And 98% of these reviews are positive, giving the game an “Overwhelmingly Positive” Steam User Review score, which is the highest rating a game can earn on Steam. To this end, only a couple Steam games from this year boast a similar score.

The game is called MiSide and it is 10 percent off as part of an introductory deal, though this discount is set to expire on December 24. With the discount, the game is $13.49, down from $14.99. For this, Steam users get about four to eight hours of game, with the length largely varying depending on how much side content is engaged with.

This is not the first release from developer AIHASTO, who has been around since 2018, releasing smaller horror games, but this is the first game from the developer to earn considerable attention. And according to the game’s Steam page, the game is not “for those with weak hearts” due to “intense scenes.”

“Every day, you will come to see me, help me with chores, cook for me, and buy me gifts,” reads a little blurb about the game on Steam. “You are so nice! I love you! I want to keep you with me every day, and live with you every day. I know you also want to be with me every day, so I let you to come to our sweet home. How is that? Are you happy? That way we can stay together all the time!”

Those on Steam Deck interested in checking the game out may encounter issues. Right now, Steam Deck compatibility is listed as “Unknown” on the game’s Steam listing. To this end, it could run perfectly fine on Steam Deck, have some issues ranging from minor to major, or be completely unplayable. Unfortunately, Valve has not put the game through the test yet so it’s unclear.

For more Steam and Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

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Epic Games Store users on PC only have one day to grab a roguelike game that has been quite a hit with those who have played it. Currently, the Epic Store is in the midst of its annual holiday event where it gives away one game per day to close out the year. This promotion began on Thursday when Vampire Survivors was handed out at no cost and has since been followed by Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles and TerraTech. Now, another free game has arrived on EGS, and it’s one that is likely far more popular than these previous two giveaways.

As of this moment, Wizard of Legend is the latest free game to hit the Epic Games Store. Originally released in 2018 and developed by Contingent99, Wizard of Legend is a 2D action roguelike game that is all about casting spells and blasting through dungeons. Wizard of Legend went on to be such a hit with players that it was followed by Wizard of Legend 2, which was released in early access earlier this year.

Related: Xbox Series X Users Have Dozens of Free Games to Now Check Out

Like every other game that will be coming to the Epic Games Store in the days ahead, it’s worth stressing that Wizard of Legend is only going to be free for 24 hours. This means that tomorrow morning, December 23rd, at 11am ET, Wizard of Legend will be replaced by another mystery game that Epic has yet to announce. As such, act very quickly if you want to add Wizard of Legend to your own library while it’s up for grabs for nothing.

Wizard of Legend

About: “Wizard of Legend is a fast paced dungeon crawler with rogue-like elements that emphasizes dynamic magical combat. Quick movement and even quicker use of spells will allow you to chain spells together to unleash devastating combinations against your enemies!

Battle your way through each challenge by defeating powerful conjured enemies! Collect valuable spells and relics and build up your magical arsenal to fit your playstyle! Achieve mastery over magic by chaining spells together to create devastating combinations! Face and defeat council members in magical combat to become a Wizard of Legend!

Unlock over a hundred unique spells and discover powerful spell combinations and synergies! A wide variety of elemental spells allows you to create a hand best suited to your playstyle. Dive head first into the fray or stand back and let your minions do the work for you, the choice is yours!”

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Free Radical Archive has uncovered a working build of the Nintendo Wii version of the game, dated just one week before its cancellation. In their reveal, FRA used the incomplete version to recreate the initial Battlefront 3 trailer released by LucasArts, painting a vivid picture of what could have been. There are still some big gaps left behind as a result of the game’s halted development—but the team intends to add as much polish as they can via mods before eventually releasing all builds and new content for free.

A quick overview of Free Radical Archive’s video shows off all of the same intergalactic combat fans loved back in the day. Aerial battles, boots-on-the-ground skirmishes with various troops from across the first six movies of the Star Wars saga, exotic locales from around the galaxy, lightsaber combat, and intense warfare on a scale rarely seen in that bygone era. All in all, it’s a thing of beauty for long time fans of the series.

[RELATED: Star Wars Outlaws Post-Launch Roadmap Revealed]

To this day, it’s still unclear why Battlefront 3 never made it out of production. All fans have ever been left with are hearsay claims. Some say the fault was with Free Radical missing developmental deadlines, while others say LucasFilm Games simply ran out of budget for the project and pulled the plug before incurring any more losses. Regardless, the cancellation left fans heartbroken. An earlier build for the Xbox 360 previously made it on to the internet, and even with far less polish, it was clear the game was nearing completion at its time of death.

The series had just come off of a major high with Star Wars Battlefront 2. Everything people loved about the first game was enhanced, improved, or totally reimagined in the sequel. Conversations about the game dominated online message boards and schoolyard exchanges, generating massive buzz for a prospective sequel. Yet, that wasn’t enough to get the game across the line. The games (now under the care of DICE) were revived back in 2014 shortly before the arrival of Star Wars Episode VII — The Force Awakens, but have once again been dormant since the release of Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017).

A remaster of the original titles entitled Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection was also released in March 2024, but infrastructural issues plaguing the online Multiplayer features disrupted all momentum on launch. Waves of updates have since improved the experience, fixing many of the overbearing problems that plagued both titles at launch, but many fans have opted to return to the originals rather than stick it out with the newer drops.

At the end of the day, this is a win for all Star Wars fans. A playable version of Battlefront 3 is a gift to us all. Anyone who grew up fighting for control of the shores of Kashyyyk, blasting through rain-soaked battle droids on Kamino, or vying for force supremacy in Mos Eisley Jedi battle will certainly appreciate getting a chance to experience an enhanced version of the series that shaped so many childhoods over the years.

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The fourth Epic Games Store mystery free game is now available, and like the free mystery games before it, it is only available to download for 24 hours. Come this time tomorrow, December 22, it will be replaced with a new free game. Normally, the Epic Games Store refreshes every Thursday with a new free game offering. Sometimes there is more than one free game to download, but the reset is a weekly one every Thursday. During the holiday season though the reset is daily. In other words, the Epic Games Store has a new free game every day. And this will run all the way until January 2, which is when it will reset back to normal.

What hasn’t changed is how it works. Once claimed, the game is free to keep. This is not a free trial or a free demo. Nor are there any subscriptions required or any other catches. This is a straightforward free download like every free game on Epic Games Store before it.

As for the new free game on the Epic Games Store, it is 2018 release TerraTech from Payload Studios. For those unfamiliar with this release, it is an open-world sandbox adventure game, and quite good according to user reviews. To this end, on Steam the PC version of the game has a 92% approval rating across over 18,000 user reviews.

“TerraTech is an open-world, sandbox adventure game, where you design and build your own creations through a mix of crafting, combat and discovery,” reads an official elevator pitch of the game. “Design cars, tanks and planes from a huge library of blocks. Scavenge, craft and buy new parts in order to survive and become the ultimate planetary prospector.”

As you may know, the game received a follow-up back in March called TerraTech Worlds. The 2024 sequel is not free on Epic Games Store though and it is currently only in early access. And for what it is worth, while it is newer, it appears to be less popular and has more divisive reviews.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest news on Epic Games Store free games as well as all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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Steam users have been surprised with new free games, and one of these games is a fairly popular AAA RPG. Steam Deck users may find less mileage with the new free games though. Both games are only available for free for a limited time, but if claimed in time Steam users can keep the games forever. In other words, this is not a free trial nor a free demo but a full free download.

The more notable of the new free Steam games — which is available for free until January 6 — is the aforementioned AAA RPG, which hails from the year 2017. In 2017, RPG greats like Persona 5, Divinity: Original Sin II, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, and Horizon Zero Dawn all released. Perhaps less notable than these RPGs, but still a major release, was Black Desert.

Developed and published by Pearl Abyss, and played by over 20 million people to date, Black Desert is specifically an open-world action MMORPG. Normally it costs $9.99 on Steam. As for Steam Deck support, the game’s Steam listing lists it as “Unsupported.”

“Black Desert is a sandbox oriented MMO featuring full action combat and an immense seamless world full of adventure and danger,” reads an official description of the game for those unfamiliar with it Travel through the lands in search of treasure and adventure or become one of the top craftsmen in the land. Set up trade routes and breed horses or compete against other guilds in epic siege warfare.”

The other free Steam game is less noteworthy and only free to download until December 24. It is called Distant Space 2 and comes the way of developer PixelMouse2, who also published the game. It is partially less notable because it normally only costs $0.99. Incidentally, it is also a 2017 release.

“Distant Space 2 – is an indirect continuation of the first part, in which you will find more dynamic gameplay,” reads an official description of the game on Steam. “Your task is to destroy enemy ships on each level to go to the next of 26 available. In addition to conventional ships, you will have to wait for the boss ships, the battle with which will not be easy. To help you available additional weapons, which can be picked up from the enemies you killed.”

Those on Steam Deck interested in checking this one out now that it is free on Steam may find issues when trying to play it. That said, it it not “Unsupported” like Black Desert. Rather, its Steam Deck status is “Unknown.”

For more Steam coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

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The Steam Deck now supports one of 2024’s best games. Previously, the game in question ran on the Steam Deck, but it has now been “Verified” by Valve. The best game of 2024 is, of course, up for debate. While Astro won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, there are other games that are in the debate. Games like Black Myth: Wukong, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Balatro, Animal Well, Tekken 8, Stellar Blade, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Silent Hill 2, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Dragon’s Dogma, and so forth all have a reasonable claim the the throne depending who you ask.

One game that is often overlooked in the Game of the Year conversation, likely because it came out all the way back in January, is Ubisoft Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which is the aforementioned game now Verified on Steam Deck.

What does Verified on Steam Deck mean? It means Valve — the makers of the Steam Deck — have tested the game in question and have ensured it runs properly on the machine. As Valve itself puts it, this means the game “works great with the built-in controls and display” of the Steam Deck.

As for the game, Price of Persia: The Lost Crown is an action-adventure game from Ubisoft Montpellier that hit back on January 18, though it did not come to Steam until August 8. Upon release, the Price of Persia game garnered an 87 on Metacritic. Unfortunately, it did not match this critical success with commercial success, which no doubt means it will not be getting a sequel.

For those interested in picking the game up now that it fully supports the Steam Deck, it is currently 50% off on Steam, which means only $19.99 rather than $39.99.

“Dash into a stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate,” reads an official elevator pitch of the game for those unfamiliar with it.

RELATED: New Steam Game Free for Limited Time (And It’s a Fan Favorite)

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown takes about 15 to 25 hours to beat, with the variance coming down to how much side content is engaged with. Completionists, however, will need closer to 30 hours with the Ubisoft game.

For more Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam Deck news, all of the latest Steam Deck rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam Deck deals — click here.

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Epic Games Store users have 24 hours to download today’s free game before it is replaced with a new free game tomorrow on December 21. Between now and January 2, Epic Games Store users will be getting new free games daily rather than weekly. This is always the case during the holiday season, and this year is no different. What’s not different is how it works.

Like always, this is a free download. In other words, it is not a free demo nor a free trial. It is a free download for the complete game. Further, there no subscriptions needed or any requirements to meet. All that is needed is an Epic Games Store account, which costs nothing. And once redeemed, the game is free to keep forever. The only thing PC gamers will need to be mindful of is the aforementioned window of availability.

As for the game in question, it is a 2023 release from developer Little Leo Games and publisher and publisher Akupara Games. More specifically, the game is Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles, a self-described as a “dice-deck-building roguelike.”

Upon release, the game garnered a very solid 85 on Metacritic. Meanwhile, on Steam, the PC version of the game has over 2,700 user reviews, 92 percent of which rate the game positively. As a result, the game has a “Very Positive” rating on Steam. All of this is to say, both critics and consumers recommend it.

“Astrea is a dice-deck-building roguelike that flips the script on deckbuilders by using dice instead of cards and a unique dual ‘damage’ system: Purification vs Corruption,” reads an official pitch of the game for those unfamiliar with it. “Build a dice pool strong enough to purify Astrea’s out-of-control corruption and save the Star System.”

Normally, Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles costs $24.99, so this new Epic Games Store offer features a nice bit of savings. Meanwhile, the game packs about 10 to 25 hours of core content in, with the variance splitting the difference between a mainline playthrough and a playthrough that dives into the side content. Completionists, however, will need closer to 50 hours with the game.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest news and free games, all of the latest rumors and leaks, and all of the latest sales and deals — click here.

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Epic Games Store has a new free game, but unlike most free games with Epic Games Store, this free game is only available to grab for 24 hours. Come December 20, it will be replaced with a new free game, which has yet to be revealed. This 24-hour cycle is set to replace the weekly free game schedule all the way until January 2. If this sounds familiar, it is because Epic Games Store does this for the holiday season every year. And typically, during this festive period, the free games are extra notable. And December 19’s free game is no exception.

Once claimed, Epic Games Store users can keep the game forever. In other words, this is not a free trial or a free demo. Nor is this free EGS game locked behind any type of subscription. All that is required to download this game for free is an Epic Games Store account, which costs nothing.

As for the free Epic Games Store game, it hails from 2022. It was notably one of the best games of 2022, a year that saw some massive releases like Elden Ring, God of War: Ragnarok, Resident Evil Village, and Horizon Forbidden West. What stood alongside these giants though was a small $5 release from developer Poncle. That game is Vampire Survivors.

Not only did critics love Vampire Survivors when it released back in 2022, as evident by Metacritic scores that range from 87 to 95, varying from platform to platform, but consumers fell in love with the roguelike shoot ’em up as well. This is evident by its “Overwhelmingly Positive” Steam User Review score, where 98 percent of a massive 231,600 user reviews rate the game positively. To this end, it is one of the best received games on Steam of all time.

“Vampire Survivors is a time survival game with minimalistic gameplay and roguelite elements,” reads an official description of the game for those unfamiliar with it. “Hell is empty, the devils are here, and there’s no place to run or hide. All you can do is survive as long as you can until death inevitably puts an end to your struggles. Gather gold in each run to buy upgrades and help the next survivor.”

Those that decide to check out Vampire Survivors now that it is free on Epic Games Store should expect a game that varies in hour count greatly depending on playstyle. To mainline the game takes about 14 hours. Add side content to this though and the game doubles in length. Meanwhile, completionists will need closer to 50 hours with the game.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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There is a new free Steam game to grab and it’s a game with glowing user reviews. Better yet, the game is Verified on Steam Deck, which means Valve has tested the game on Steam Deck and can ensure it “works great with the built-in controls and display.”

What’s the catch? There is none. The offer doesn’t come directly from Steam, but from Fanatical who has free Steam codes for the game in question. All that is required from those interested is they sign up for the free Fanatical newsletter, which they can promptly unsubscribe to once they get the game for free. That said, this offer is only available for 48 hours or as supplies last, whichever rears its head first.

As noted, the free Steam game in question — which normally costs $16.99 — is a fan favorite on Steam, or at least that is what user reviews suggest. To date, the Steam game has 2,339 user reviews, a large number of reviews it has gathered since its release in 2020. Of these reviews, 88 percent are positive, giving the game a “Very Positive” Steam User review rating. This is the second highest rating a game can earn on Steam, and not many points off the highest rating, which is “Overwhelmingly Positive.”

For what it is worth though, these user reviews are a bit higher than the game’s critical scores. On Metacritic, the scores range from 75 to 80, with said scores varying from platform to platform. This is a solid return, but not quite as glowing.

The game, for those that have not connected the dots, is ScourgeBringer, which was made by Flying Oak Games and E-Studio. Meanwhile, it was published by Dear Villagers.

“Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a mysterious entity wreaked havoc on all humanity, ScourgeBringer puts you in the shoes of the deadliest warrior of her clan: Kyhra,” reads an official description of the game on Steam for those unfamiliar with the title. “Help her to explore the unknown and slash her way through ancient machines guarding the seal of her past, and maybe the redemption of humanity.”

Those that decide to check out this Steam and Steam Deck game now that it is free to download and keep should expect to dump about nine to eleven hours into the game. The bottom of this range represents a mainline playthrough that doesn’t engage with the majority of side content. The top end of the range includes this side content.

For more Steam and Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam news, all of the latest Steam rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam deals — click here.

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Infinity Nikki players on Android, iOS, PS5, and PC have received a new free gift from developer Papergames following some backlash due to the inconvenience caused by some recent issues with the game. The news comes the way of the official Infinity Nikki X account, which confirms that a new update has been released today on December 19 alongside the release of Companion’s Day.

“Version 1.0 Exploration Season [Companion’s Day] has started today,” says Papergames. “Since the update, We’ve been receiving valuable suggestions and feedback from various channels. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.”

Piggybacking on this, the Infinity Nikki developer confirms the update has fixed various issues and improved optimization. This includes fixing an issue that was preventing players from obtaining their clothing pieces after purchasing the Timeless Echo outfit in the game’s store. To this end, those missing pieces of the outfit will receive said pieces via in-game mail.

In addition to this, Infinity Nikki players can now look forward to fewer crashes on “certain devices” while using the camera feature. This is the extent of the specificity on the crashes and devices impacted.

The announcement wraps up with Papergames noting that as a token of its apology, it is providing Diamond*100 to all players, with said compensation set to arrive in the the inbox Infinity Nikki players.

“Thank you once again for your understanding and support. We hope you enjoy your time with the animals in Florawish,” concludes the update from the official Infinity Nikki X account.

Infinity Nikki is available — for free, as a free-to-play game — via mobile devices, PC, and PS5. It released worldwide back on December 5, but has already quickly raced passed 10 million players, making it one of the biggest hits of 2024. It remains to be seen whether Papergames will be able to sustain this popularity and turn a profit on all the players checking out the otherwise free game.

For more coverage on Infinity Nikki — including all of the latest Infinity Nikki news, all of the latest Infinity Nikki rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Infinity Nikki speculation — click here.

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GSC World has released a new Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl update complete with patch notes revealing and detailing everything the update does to the PC, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X game. To this end, there are over 1,800 changes and improvements in what GSC World calls a “major update.”

The update fixes various mainline missions, side missions, and story progression problems, alongside crashes and bugs. Meanwhile, the first iteration of the A-Life fixes is also introduced.

What GSC World has not provided is the file size of the update, however, it does warn the patch is “huge and the process of downloading [it] will take some time.” And this isn’t that surprising considering there are nearly 2,000 changes to the game.

STALKER 2 UPDATE 1.1 PATCH NOTES

A-Life fixes

• Fixed the issue with spawning NPCs behind the player’s back.
• Players can now encounter roaming NPCs across the Zone more often.
• Greatly extended the distance at which A-Life NPCs are visible to the player.
• Fixed the aggressive optimization issue that prevented A-Life NPCs to exist in Offline (out of player’s visualization range).
  
  • In Offline mode, A-Life will continue to advance towards their goals over time.
  • Players may now have opportunities to encounter A-Life NPCs they’ve previously met by following in the same direction as the NPCs.
• Improved A-Life NPCs navigation in Offline using GameGraph (global AI navigation map):
  
  • Fixed multiple issues where NPCs would fail to follow or find a path to their designated goals.
  • Fixed several issues with NPC being stuck in Online-Offline transition state,
• Enhanced A-Life NPCs’ motivation to expand territory and actively attack enemies and mutants.
• Fixed issues that could result in fewer A-life NPCs encountered than intended.
• Further contextual actions improvement to ensure seamless transitions between Offline and Online states for NPCs engaged in these actions.
• The groups exploring the Zone are now more diverse regarding possible factions and group sizes.
• Fixed issue that while roaming over the Zone, Human NPCs didn’t satisfy their communication needs and talks.

And some other development related improvements.

AI improvements

• Reduced the number of summons and increased time between spawns of Pseudodog phantoms.
• Fixed an issue when zombies would have their arms and legs twisted while knocked down.
• Fixed an issue when large mutants would hide behind small cover, such as trees.
• Fixed an issue when mutant limbs stretch sometimes when firing automatic weapons.
• Fixed an issue when bloody visual effects played a few times after Rat’s death from grenade.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs quickly detected the player when he was crouching.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs would enter doors without opening them.
• Fixed the issue when the controller could take the main story NPCs under control.
• Fixed an issue when Chimera would try to enter a narrow passage that it couldn’t enter instead of hiding in ambush.
• Fixed an issue when NPC was teleporting to the restricted areas such as safe zones and hubs.
• Fixed an issue where mutants that were in cover did not change their cover when receiving damage.
• Fixed visual effects of Burer’s telepathic ability.
• Minor combat behavior fixes for NPCs shooting from covers.
• Fixed Burer’s throwing objects animation.
• Fixed some issues with NPC staying idle and refusing to start mission-related dialogs.
• Fixed an issue when mutants kept attacking zombies in knockdown.
• Fixed an issue when NPCs are stuck in aiming animation.
• Fixed an issue when death animation was replayed for an NPC who was resurrected as a zombie.
• Fixed an issue when a neutral NPC stays neutral after a player hits them by melee attack.
• Fixed an issue with some NPCs’ broken arms while shooting.
• Generic improvement of combat experience and NPC pathfinding in big fights with lots of corpses.
• Fixed an issue when Player was able to kill the chimera with the help of carousel anomaly.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs would clip through objects and walls when shooting from covers.
• Minor improvements for peaceful behavior of NPCs.
• Fixed issue where NPCs wouldn’t stop combat on emission start.
• Fixed an issue when some mutants couldn’t jump off an obstacle.
• Fixed issue when NPCs were stuck after the end of emission.
• Fixed bandits’ behaviour after emission ends during the mission Bullseye.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs could teleport if the NPC couldn’t build a route.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs could stop talking to each other after loading a save.
• Fixed an issue when mutant dead bodies fly to a long distance from the places where they were killed by the shotgun.

And over 50 more minor “anomalies” were fixed.

Balance adjustments

• Increasing rewards for several missions.
• Fixed issue when artifacts with Physical Protection effect give maximum possible effect.
• Changed “Goldfish” artifact value to 14000 coupons.
• Fixed issue when player is able to have infinite coupons via selling and returning back any stackable consumable.
• Fixed infinite money exploit with splitting a stack of weapons from selling windows.
• Fixed issue when A-Life NPC’s can be spawned dead with full clips of ammo.
• Increased Snork’s abilities cooldown time by 30%.
• Gauss rifle damage was increased.
• Increased difficulty for the fight with Korshunov.
• Recalculated rewards for the Harpy’s missions.
• Fixed instant player death after getting almost full radiation bar.
• Fixed that Poltergeist and Burer do not deal damage with thrown objects in some cases.
• Removed the POS 8x scope from the assortment of several merchants.
• Tweaked damage from PSY fields.

With over 10 more minor fixes delivered.

Crash Fixes, Performance, and Optimization

• Investigated, and applied further improvements to dead zones and curves for gamepad movement, aiming and camera controls for a more smooth and controllable experience using sticks on controller.
• Performance improvements in largely populated areas of the map.
• Fixed performance drops on NVIDIA RTX 3000 series video cards with enabled FSR frame generation.
• Fixed issue with game freezing on exiting a tunnel during A Light in the End of the Tunnel mission.
• Fixed issue with not working Razer Kishi Ultra controller, which connected via Bluetooth or cable connection.
• Fixed issue where MSI Force Pro Wireless Controller didn’t work via Bluetooth or dongle connection.
• Fixed issue when Xbox X/S controller didn’t work via Bluetooth connection.
• Controller input improvements.
• Fixed issue with visual artifacts in In-Game UI with DLSS enabled.
• Fixed issue when building disappears in player’s camera at Factory location.
• Fixed issue with a building near Yantar popping into Player’s view while approaching it.
• Fixed fps drops that could be created by large amounts of water particles.
• Fixed fps drops during interaction with corpses in shallow water.
• Fixed multiple EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION crashes.
• Fixed multiple Fatal Errors, Low Level Fatal Errors, and Assertion Failures.

Overall, over 200 crashes were investigated, and further fixes were implemented.

Cutscenes

• Multiple improvements to facial animations and voiceover for both languages in several cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue with missing frames in several cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue with missing NPCs in several cutscenes.
• Fixed issue when main characters and NPCs can have idle behavior or detached parts of the body/equipment in several cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue with missing subtitles in several cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue with missing Haptic feedback in several cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue with the final cutscene not playing in The Eternal Shining mission.
• Fixed the issue where the cutscene at the end of the Back to the Slag Heap mission did not start.
• Fixed an issue with invisible Nimble during the cutscene of In Search of a Guide mission.
• Fixed an issue where Player could die during the cutscene during the The Last Step mission.

Overall, over 80 cutscenes issues were addressed.

Interactable Objects

• Fixed an issue when the elevator in X11 laboratory was closed after loading save during Wishful Thinking mission.
• Fixed physics for ammo boxes and broken lamps.
• Fixed some issues where NPCs could get stuck in a doorway at different locations.
• Fixed issue where ladder descends, sound could loop and Players would clip through the ladder after climbing from it.
• Fixed sound on interacting with the dead body.
• Fixed issue where NPC touching the door during movement or combat caused the door shaking.
• Fixed that interaction hints for loot and pick-up bodies appeared at different distances from the body.
• Fixed the interaction prompt for healing being active when the player did not have medkit.
• Fixed the issue when some consumables could have been non-interactable.

And up to 20 other related issues were fixed.

Main Line Missions and Story Progression

• Fixed over 15 bugs related to the On the Edge mission, including issues when Hamster and Ricochet dying after entering the Zalissya clubhouse, bugs that prevented the Slavko Pharmacist from healing, allowed monolithians and mutants to get inside the Hamster’s shelter, and others.
• Fixed multiple issues with A Minor Incident mission, including an issue where journal stage Ask Richter about the scientists was cancelled instead of completed after dialog with Richter if Player already had a mutant’s collar, and bug with misleading marker in “Acquire the collar from the mutant” objective.
• Fixed multiple issues in the Visions of Truth mission, where Scar might not spawn if loading a previous old save, “anomaly” where Scar could become hostile to the Skif, bug where the Player couldn’t start the dialogue with the Representative, and other things.
• Fixed an issue when the player was unable to start dialogue with Richter after beating the monolith squad during The Last Wish mission.
• Fixed an issue when Player could get a softlock by wounding Richter and making him hostile during The Last Wish mission.
• Fixed an issue when Faust clone was leaving his place at the balcony while the player fought with Monolithians during The Assault on the Duga mission.
• Fixed an issue with Faust being stuck during a bossfight in The Assault on the Duga mission.
• Fixed an issue when the player was unable to help the soldier, surrounded by Monolithians during the Just Like the Good Old Days mission.
• Fixed an issue with Lodochka being dead at Quiet’s camp during Just Like the Good Old Days mission.
• Fixed an issue when a player was unable to progress through the Subtile Matter mission if he looted mission items before the mission started.
• Fixed an issue with an absent Regenerator during An Act of Mercy mission.
• Fixed an issue with the elevator in the X-11 Labs would remain closed during the mission Wishful Thinking.
• Fixed an issue when Player could get stuck in Ventilation under ARL building during Wishful Thinking mission, if headed there before talking to Kryvenko.
• Fixed an issue with Nightingale not giving the mission dialog after killing blind dogs in the Dogfight mission.
• Fixed the blocker where it was impossible to start the dialogue with Strider after turning off the scanner during Hot on the Trail mission.
• Fixed an issue with A Sign of Hope side mission being not available after completing Hot on the Trail mission.
• Fixed an issue when prof. Lodochka was missing from his mission location during or after emission if A Sign of Hope mission was completed.
• Fixed an issue with endless Ward guards spawn in Chemical Plant during Escape from the Cage mission.
• Fixed an issue where Player was not able to complete Explore Echo Station journal stage for Dead Frequency mission if Shterev was found before getting intel from team Bravo.
• Fixed the stealth path to Roosevelt during the King of the Hill mission.
• Fixed the issue where after the bossfight with Faust, controls and horizontal camera movements are disabled after loading a save.
• Fixed the issue with the unskippable black screen after the ending cutscene in There and Back Again mission.
• Fixed the issue with absence of intro cutscene in There and Back Again mission.
• Fixed the blocking issue where the objective Talk to Warlock about Hamster could not be completed if the player killed the Hamster before speaking to Gaffer during the On the Fire mission.
• Fixed an issue with the active Bandit Mayhem mission after Player returns cargo to Huron.
• Fixed an issue when the body of Bayun in collar disappears when he is killed during summoning action.
• Fixed an issue where Jumper and Bluish would become hostile after attacking Hog’s squad during Shift Change mission.
• Fixed an issue where users were able to access unintended areas at the Red Fortress location.
• Added armors with psi defence for the “Get Psi Armor” objective during Ad astra per aspera mission.
• Fixed issue with zombies standing idle at the pumping stations in Swamps region during Ad astra per aspera mission.
• Fixed an issue when Monolithians were present in the Infirmary during the Happiness for Everyone mission.
• Fixed a softlock issue where Answers Come at a Price mission doesn’t progress after bandits at Depot were killed after emission.
• Fixed the bug with Scar PDA missing after bossfight.
• Fixed an issue where the Dark Times mission could not be completed after talking to Arkhyp Lichen during the Emission.
• Fixed an issue where Monolith NPC could spawn in the closed garage during the The Boundary mission.
• Fixed an issue that could cause Korshunov to disappear during a bossfight.
• Fixed an issue where Scar would not die after destroying the last monitor during a boss fight.
• Fixed an issue where Korshunov could be missing at marker location if Emission starts while player approaches Answers Come at a Price mission location.

Overall, over 250 bugs and blockers were fixed in the Main Missions section.

Side Missions and Open World Encounters

• Fixed an issue when player could kill spectators during Arena fights on Rostok.
• Fixed an issue when enemies could leave the Arena during the emission mid The Freedom Colosseum mission.
• Improved balance for Arena fights on Rostok.
• Fixed an issue when the guide in Enerhetyk Palace of Culture Hub could be used after point of no return during Down Below mission.
• Fixed issue when Warlock’s missions were uncompletable after the Signal.
• Adjusted when Pseudogiant appears after Vadyk Firecracker starts playing the melody.
• Fixed situations when A-life NPCs killed Seryoga Root, Senya Noose and Haryk Jacket.
• Fixed NPC blocking the passage in some areas of 100 Rads Bar.
• Fixed Ward technician reputation.
• Fixed an issue when encounters with monolithians at Agroprom Underground didn’t start after completing In Search of Past Glory by Spark.
• Fixed an issue when the Mytryk Genius gun remains as a mission item after killing the NPC that gives the mission to find it.
• Fixed the issue when NPCs from the Rookie Village are missing after the The Legends of the Zone mission.
• Fixed an issue when users can remain locked inside Lodochka’s Lab when they shoot a Noontider NPC before the door closes.
• Disabled spawn of monolithians before activation of Wish Granter at SIRCAA.
• Fixed issue where encounter with begging Stalker wouldn’t start after Monolith comeback.
• Fixed some issues in dialogue with NPCs at the Chemical Plant.
• Fixed an issue where Kirya NPC was teleported away from Player after getting reward from him at 100 rads Bar.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the game to freeze during the dialog in the mission A Matter of Honor.
• Fixed an issue where the player was not able to find encounter with prof. Zaretskyi after the end of the All that is left mission.
• Fixed an issue where NPC Crest could be missing at the The Sound of Music mission location after talking to them during the Emission.
• Fixed an issue where the player was not able to progress the missions from Warlock after the end of the On the Edge Mission.

With over 100 more bugs fixed.

Open World Direction, Exploration, and Zone Experience

• Fixed that Lightning Ball sometimes gets stuck during movement in Opachychi village.
• Fixed that sometimes artifacts did not appear in arch anomalies.
• Improved dead bodies physics.
• Fixed when player’s equipment was damaged while player was crouching in Razor.
• Fixed corpses disappearing issue.
• Fixed stretched texture on some trees in the open world.
• Fixed an issue with Toxic Cloud anomaly idle VFX.
• Fixed an issue with rat swarms spawning above the cave in Mist archanomaly.
• Fixed an issue when characters became wet in dry spaces after loading the last save.
• Fixed an issue with sharp weather changes present at 4:30 morning time and 23:59 night time.
• Fixed that Wandering lights anomaly doesn’t always spawn its artifact.
• Fixed issue with Bulba arch-anomaly sometimes not appearing.
• Fixed issue with non-lootable corpses spawning at the border between Cordon and Lesser Zone regions.
• Fixed that player was unable to reach the artifact near “Abandoned Hamlet” on Swamps.
• Increase distance for combat barks.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs would get stuck in a doorway during the emission in Zalissya hub.
• Fixed an issue where NPCs could spawn and get stuck on isolated surfaces (cars, boxes etc.).
• Improved bullet penetration visual effects.
• Improved cloth simulation for corpses of NPCs.
• Fixed issue with blood decals.
• Fixed an issue where far distance areas of the environment appeared too bright at night.
• Fixed an issue where Zombies’ waking-up animation was restarted every time Player looked away.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes an emission started during a cutscene would not end.
• Fixed an issue where diggers around the Slag Heap did not stop being aggressive to Player after the end of combat.

And some other improvements.

Player Gear and Player State adjustments

• Fixed issue that helmets don’t have Psi and Rad protection.
• Fixed issue with armors “SSP-100 Discovery” and “SSP-99 Ecologist” have no PSI protection.
• Fixed issue when players can not install Lead Container upgrade on PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom Suit.
• Smoke was made less intense at shots from a weapon with silencer.
• Fixed broken arm during magazine attachment to machine gun.
• Fixed bullet visibility in magazine during reload.
• Added splashing sound for bolts hitting the water surface.
• Fixed an issue where empty shells were ejected instead of bullets when unloading after ammo type was changed.
• Improved interruption for animation sequences with weapon reload and consumable items usage.
• Fixed issue with bolt impact sound missing during long distance throws.
• Minor fixes for rifle scopes appearance.
• Fixed issue with items not being consumed when used via quick slot hotkeys.
• Fixed issue where main weapon upgrades were applied to installed underbarrel modules.
• Minor fixes for animations of jammed weapons.
• Fixed an issue when the player was able to equip the detector with the primary weapon simultaneously.
• The cause of death is now correctly displayed on the Death Screen.
• Fixed issue where Player would clip into the wall or other object while performing a melee stealth kill close to it.
• Fixed issue with VFX particles for psy phantoms missing, when shooting close to their models.
• Fixed an issue that could cause losing controls after playing guitar.
• Fixed an issue where player could get unlimited carrying capacity, upgrading unequipped armor.
• Fixed an issue where player could get unlimited stamina after starting dialog while crouched.

And over 50 other issues were addressed.

Player Guidance, Game Setting and Menus

• Updated in-game tutorials to improve first time user experience.
• Fixed an issue where the player would approach a mission location and new weapons would randomly spawn and equip in hand.
• Fixed an issue where the player is unable to swap compared weapons’ positions while trading.
• Enabled upgrades for X7 suit.
• Added possibility to revert detachment of pre-installed modules in Upgrade menu.
• Added unique markers for mutants with electro collars.
• Reworked UI of system notifications for received items.
• Updated descriptions of multiple armor upgrades.
• Fixed issues where mission markers on NPC disappeared forever after NPC became hostile towards Player.
• Removed ability to trade with NPCs at Noontide base.
• Reworked a few UI elements in the Upgrades menu of the PDA.
• Reworked design for a few icons in the PDA menu.
• Fixed an issue where the upgrade tree UI changed its direction inconsistently after switching between different weapons.
• Fixed missing animation for ammo type change from gamepad.
• Fixed threat indication appearance after closing the main menu.
• Fixed missing mouse scroll sound in PDA.
• Fixed that output device option resets after restarting the client.
• Fixed issue when after loading a specific save file, a black screen appears.
• Removed redundant pop-up window on resetting settings to default.
• Upscaling quality settings in options were translated.
• Stashes marker color changed to violet.
• Fixed technicians not being able to install certain armor upgrades.
• Fixed that SSP-100 Discovery armor cannot be upgraded by any technician.
• Fixed an issue where consumables could not be applied via quick slots.
• Fixed issue where crosshair doesn’t appear after reload if R button was pressed again.
• Fixed scrolling issue inside a note in PDA.
• Fixed an issue where the user would move slowly and was unable to sprint after loading a save file that was created when the user was leaning.
• Fixed issue with “HDR White Point” option.

And almost 100 other “anomalies” were fixed in this section.

Achievements

• Fixed the issue when “The four Winds” achievement cannot be received.
• Fixed issue when “Bingo” achievement cannot be received.
• Fixed issue when players were unable to unlock achievements in the EGS store.

Saves

• Fixed the issue when the player was unable to load existing saves after the title and steam process was terminated unexpectedly.
• Fixed issue with missing save files after PC\Xbox hard reboot.

Other improvements

• Over 15 localization and voiceover updates.
• Over 40 audio adjustments and volume tweaks of various types.
• Over 20 improvements to some character and NPCs visuals appearance.

And over 500 fixes for

• Foliage.
• Texture flickering.
• Bugs in navigation meshes.
• Collisions.
• Errors in object positioning and contextual actions.
• VFX-related fixes.
• Non-destructible objects.
• And more.

sd

The post Stalker 2 Releases First Major Update, Here Are All 1,800 Changes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Destiny 2 has once again entered into its slowest point of the year. With the arrival of “The Dawning” event, gamers are encouraged to time to catch up on all the content they’ve been too busy to touch. While not much his happening in the game, the latest developer update has shined light on a few big changes coming to three Exotics, all of which were overdue for an update. First, the Graviton Lance: Bungie is walking back the RPM change from the start of Revenant Act 2, bringing it back to 300 RPM, hopefully making it less of a force of nature in Crucible matches in particular.

Malfeasance is the second big name on the list. The developers revealed a fix is incoming after discovering a problem with the Precision perk where the Hand Cannon was not receiving accuracy bonuses or the new ADS movement speed penalty reduction, making the gun feel worse than other options in the weapon class. Finally, Stoicism will also be getting nerfed now that Spirit of Alpha Lupi can work with Thruster. There was no interaction between the two for months, and now that it’s fixed, the healing impulse will be reduced to balance things out.

RELATED: Destiny 2 Roadmap Reveals Two New Expansions Planned for 2025

All of these changes will be arriving with the Act III update on January 7th. This update will bring the ongoing Revenant storyline to a close, but not before delivering new weapons, artifacts, and an Exotic mission to boot. That’s not all Bungie has in store though, as a brand-new Dungeon will be landing exactly a month later. More information on that is sure to come after the Holiday break. For now, all we have is a February 7th release date.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg for upcoming Destiny 2 content. Back in September, the team announced a change in direction for the game’s future after The Final Shape brought the Light and Darkness saga to a close. Instead of building one huge yearly Expansion, fans can now look forward to two smaller expansions spread throughout 2025. It all starts with Codename: Apollo, which has been teased a Metroidvania-style addition to the world. Players will be tasked with completing non-linear missions, all connected by more than two dozen different story threads.

Codename: Apollo will be followed up by Codename: Behemoth in Winter 2025, ideally breaking up the aforementioned slow point The Dawning typically exists within. These smaller expansions will be supported with four annual updates to keep things fresh throughout the year. Exact details are still yet to come, but it’s safe to assume these will act similarly to Seasonal updates, providing players with intermediary content to work through in between the two big annual drops.

It’s no surprise things are changing up in a major way. From the poor reception of previous expansions to the unending layoffs at Bungie, things were far from smooth in the game’s previous state. By all accounts, The Final Shape overdelivered on everything fans wanted from the end of this decade-long saga, but innovation had to happen for things to go on. Fingers crossed things will be better for gamers and the developers in this new era.

The post Destiny 2 Nerfing Graviton Lance (And Two Other Exotics) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The long-awaited action game Lost Soul Aside finally has a release window. Initially shown all the way back in 2016, Lost Soul Aside is a game that was chosen to be part of PlayStation’s China Hero Project. Since then, developer Ultizero Games has continued to staff up and slowly provide new information on Lost Soul Aside to prospective players, but has never committed to a launch window. Now, after nearly a decade, that has finally changed.

Revealed at the end of a new trailer for Lost Soul Aside, it was confirmed that the game will be released in 2025. Outside of releasing on PS5, Lost Soul Aside is also intended to come to PC platforms. While specifics of the month or date it might arrive at in 2025 haven’t been shared yet, a new store page for the title has now appeared on the PlayStation Store and Steam, allowing users to wishlist it for the first time.

“Embark on an epic odyssey to save your sister and the whole of humankind from dimensional invaders in Lost Soul Aside – a stylish single-player action-adventure RPG,” says the game’s official description. “Chain lightning-fast combos, learn new abilities, and upgrade your weapons as you take on formidable enemies and colossal bosses in fast, dynamic combat.”

The reason that Lost Soul Aside is worth monitoring is based on the recent performance of other games from eastern regions. Specifically, both Stellar Blade and Black Myth: Wukong found a fair bit of success in 2024. Wukong, in particular, ended up being one of the year’s biggest games both commercially and critically. As such, there’s a chance that Lost Soul Aside could be another smash hit when it releases, assuming that it’s of the same quality.

Related: PlayStation Seemingly Reveals First Official Details of PS6

Other than Lost Soul Aside, PlayStation has a pretty sizable lineup of other PS5 exclusives launching in 2025. To this point, we know about Ghost of Yotei and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, with other titles like Marvel’s Wolverine and Fairgames also on the horizon. Whether or not PlayStation announces more games coming to PS5 soon remains to be seen, but it’s likely that Lost Soul Aside will end up being a bigger focus from the publisher in the months ahead.

The post China’s Next Big Game, Lost Soul Aside, Finally Releases in 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new leak seems to have revealed the next free game that the Epic Games Store will hand out for the holiday season. As it does every year, Epic is currently in the midst of handing out numerous free games on its launcher to close out December. This promotion began last week when it gave EGS users the ability to download The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria for nothing at all. Now, with Return to Moria’s free phase set to expire tomorrow on December 19th, it seems that we have an early idea of what should be the next freebie that Epic hands out.

This leak in question comes by way of “Should You Play It?“, which is a YouTube channel that focuses heavily on free games that come to the Epic Store. In a video shared to the channel recently, it was said that Vampire Survivors will end up being the second game that Epic doles out on EGS for its holiday promotion. Originally released in 2022, Vampire Survivors has been hugely popular across consoles and PC and has received a ton of post-launch DLC. It’s currently not clear if this DLC will also be free on the Epic Store, but the base game at the very least seems to be planned to be given out.

Related: PlayStation Seemingly Reveals First Official Details of PS6

Assuming that Vampire Survivors is indeed the next free game on the Epic Games Store, it will begin a period of daily giveaways on the PC marketplace. Rather than being free for an entire week as is customary, Vampire Survivors will only be available at no cost for a single day. It will then be replaced by another free game on December 20th, which will be replaced by another on December 21st, and so on. These daily giveaways will extend through the end of 2024 and should result in 16 games in total having been given out by the time 2025 rolls around. Currently, it’s not known what beyond Vampire Survivors might be going free on the Epic Store, but we won’t have to wait much longer to find out.

Vampire Survivors

About: “Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.

Hell is empty, the devils are here, and there’s no place to run or hide. All you can do is survive as long as you can until death inevitably puts an end to your struggles. Gather gold in each run to buy upgrades and help the next survivor.”

[H/T Notebook Check]

The post Epic Games Store Leak Reveals Next Free Game for Holidays appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Released into early access just last week, Path of Exile 2 has already been received quite well by players. The top-down RPG gameplay from the first Path of Exile has been refined and adds all-new features including new classes and couch co-op. As the game grows players should expect more frequeny updates, like this one, which will address the more pressing issues before it’s full release. Path of Exile 2‘s first big patch is out now and has proven to fix some bugs and add fan-requested additions such as fast travel between checkpoints and lowering Passive Point Respeccing, which fans will enjoy. 

RELATED: Path of Exile 2 Update Just Destroyed One of Players’ Favorite Builds

The update, called Patch 0.1.0e, is now available for Path of Exile 2 players to download, as per the official Twitter/X. As mentioned before, players can now travel between checkpoints, which is a life-saver for those who had to trek long distances to do so before. Perhaps the most important topic tackled is the Passive Point Respeccing, which players has complained was way too high. Now, high-level players will have 40-50% less Gold Cost for respeccing between the start and middle of endgame progression. On that note, the endgame has changed to lower the aggressiveness of Chaos Damage and map elemental penalties.

The Path of Exile 2 patch notes can be found below:

General Improvements and Changes

• Added the capacity to fast-travel between Checkpoints within an area. You can now select checkpoints which will bring up your Map Overlay allowing you to select other Checkpoints you have discovered in the area to travel to them immediately. Many more checkpoints have been added to areas generally at all the entrances and exits to areas, meaning if you find those first, you are able to instantly travel to them if you choose to go back and explore an area.
• Passive Point Respeccing has been made cheaper especially at higher levels, it had a relatively aggressive curve getting more expensive with character level, we have flattened that curve so it doesn’t exponentially grow as much. For Example, this should generally result in an approximately 40-50% less Gold Cost for respeccing between the start and middle of Endgame progression.
• Added a shortcut to open a skills advanced information display by right-clicking the skill on your Skill Bar.
• You can now compare equipped Flasks when using a Gamepad.
• Added Chance Shards to the Currency Exchange.
• Added a button to travel to your Guild Hideout when interacting with the Waypoint.

Endgame and Monster Balance

• Maps no longer have additional elemental resistance penalties inherently applied at Tier 6 and Tier 11 or higher Maps. It is now consistent across all of the Endgame at the same value as it was previously at Tier 1.
• Critical Strikes from Monsters now deal 40% less bonus Damage.
• Chaos Damage now scales less aggressively over the Endgame.
• The Ground Laser and Ground Lightning abilities used by the Runed Knight in Expedition Encounters now deal substantially less Damage.
• The Waystone Modifier that adds Burning Ground to your Maps no longer increases in coverage or area with higher Tier Waystones.
• The ‘Siphons Flask Charges Modifier’ on Monsters now drains ten-times less Flask Charges per second. (This was unintentional).
• Disabled the Volatile Crystals Modifier, to be revised in the future pending telegraphing improvements.
• The Trail of Fire monster Modifier now deals 30% less Damage and lasts for 3 seconds (from 5 seconds).
• The Trail of Lightning monster Modifier now lasts for 4 seconds (from 8 seconds).
• The Trail of Ice monster Modifier now lasts for 4 seconds (from 8 seconds).
• The Purple Explosives created by the Volatile Plants Modifier on Rare Monsters now deal significantly less Damage.
• Packs of Prowling Chimeral’s in Maps now contain less of the Prowling Chimerals and spawn alongside some Zombies.
• Lowered the baseline monster density of Breach Encounters, primarily by reducing the frequency of the “Elite” monsters appearing.
• Fixed an inconsistency in the different types of packs that could spawn during Breach Encounters, you should now see more different types of Monsters appearing on an area to area basis.
• The volatiles spawned by the Volatile Fiends Trial of Chaos Modifier now accelerate over time.
• The Stormcaller Runes Trial of Chaos Modifier are now smaller, take longer to charge up when standing inside and give more time to escape once triggered. The Runes now also get larger as the Modifier is upgraded.
• Improved the hitboxes on a number of abilities used by Blackjaw, the Remnant.
• The Crossbow variants of the Decrepit Mercenary monsters that dealt Fire damage now deal less damage.

Trial of the Sekhamas Improvements

• Honour Damage now scales down based on distance to enemies, you now take up to 35% less Honour Damage when in close range, tapering as you are further away from Monsters.
• Fixed a bug where Damage over Time was dealing three-times as much damage to Honour as intended in the Trial of the Sekhemas, and fixed a bug where Honour Resistance was only applying to two-thirds of that damage taken. (This got confusing for us too).
• Skitter Golems no longer use basic attacks and instead now just explode as their attacks were largely unavoidable when in Melee Range.
• Serpent Clan burrow and ambush attacks now have improved visual telegraphing and cannot be used from as far away.
• Volcanoes created by Rattlecage’s Fissure Slam now last half the duration.
• Added keyword hover for the Honour mechanic in the Trial of the Sekhamas.

Skill Balance

• Rolling Slam’s Second Slam now deals 50% more Damage to Heavy Stunned Enemies
• Ice Shot Shards (Secondary) now gains additional Projectiles as it Levels up
• Ice Shot Shards now targets within 90 Degree Cone
• Ice Shot Shards now travel further base (200ms, from 100ms), to be tested & iterated.
• Ice Shot Arrow & Projectiles are now smaller and are the same size as other arrows.
• Electrocuting Arrow Base Duration to 25 seconds (from 12), Doubling Quality Bonus also.
• Barrage now has 25% Less damage on Barraged Attacks [From 60% Less] at Level 1, same Scaling Per Level.
• Barrage now has +2 Repeats base, from +1.
• Shockchain Arrow’s Shockwaves now deal 100% more Damage.
• Sniper’s Mark cooldown reduced from 6 seconds to 2 seconds at all Levels.
• Combat Frenzy now can now gain a Frenzy Charge no more than every 3 seconds (from 7 seconds) at Level 1, to approximately 1.5 seconds at Level 20.
• Stormcaller Arrow’s Bolt now gains additional Impact Radius as it Levels.
• Vine Arrow’s Damage over Time has been adjusted, it is now slightly higher at Lower Levels, and substantially lower at Higher Levels. The intention of this ability was that you poison it to spread poisons, as opposed to the vine itself dealing immense amounts of Damage.
• Tornado Shot’s Damage over Time has been adjusted, it is now slightly higher at Lower Levels, and substantially lower at Higher Levels. The intention of this ability was to propagate your other Bow skills, as opposed to doing an immense amount of damage itself.
• Magnetic Salvo can now only use your stuck Lightning Arrows as opposed to those created by your Party Members.
• Increased the damage growth per level on Unearth (non-Minion component), Bonestorm, Bone Cage, Bone Blast (Wand Skill) and Power Siphon (Wand Skill). Results in approximately 50% more damage at Gem Level 25.
• Increased the damage growth per level on Essence Drain, Contagion, Profane Ritual and Chaos Bolt (Wand Skill). Results in approximately 33% more damage at Gem Level 25.
• Bone Cage base Critical Strike Chance has been increased to 15% (from 13%).
• Skeleton Arsonists’ Spirit Costs now match Frost and Ice Mages from Level 5 onwards, making them more expensive while keeping their costs early-game the same.
• Bone Offering Explosions now have 15% Critical Strike Chance (from 13%).
• Resonating Shield, Shield Charge and Shield Wall now have 6-8 added Physical Damage per 15 Armour on your Shield at all Levels.
• Resonating Shield radius increased to 2.3 metres (from 1.8 metres).
• Shield Wall explosions increased to 4 metres (from 2 metres).
• Shield Wall now can create a maximum of 2 walls (from 1 wall).
• Siege Cascade now has an Attack Time of 75% (from 55%).
• Siege Cascade now searches for targets in a 3.5 metre radius (from 2.5 metres)
• Siege Cascade now has 50% more Damage against Immobilized Enemies (from 200%)
• Siege Cascade’s Explosion now deals 167% more Damage (accounting for the decrease in damage against Immobilized Enemies).
• Siege Cascade now has 30% less Reload Speed (from 50% less).
• Siege Cascade’s Quality is now 2% Damage against Immobilized Enemy per Quality (from 4%).
• Stormblast Bolts now has a maximum of 30 active Bolts (from 9).
• Stormblast Bolts now has 5 Bolts in the Clip (from 3).
• Stormblast Bolts now has 30% less Reload Speed (from 50% less).
• Plasma Blast now has 47% more Damage with its Initial Hit and 25% less Damage with its Explosion, causing it to rely less on colliding with walls to deal enough damage.
• Artillery Ballista’s explosion radius increased to 1.8 metres (from 1.4 metres).
• Artillery Ballista’s Damage increased by approximately 21%.
• Gathering Storm’s Perfect Dash now deals 53% more Damage.
• Wave of Frost now has 275% more Freeze Buildup at all Levels (from 150% scaling up over levels).
• Staggering Palm’s duration now scales with levels. It has a 6 second duration at Level 1, scaling up by 0.2 seconds per Level (from 6 seconds at all Levels).
• Staggering Palm’s Projectiles now deal 20% more Damage at all Levels.
• Concoction skills from the Pathfinder Ascendancy Class now consume 3 charges from Mana Flasks (from 5). Their damage has been increased and deal approximately 66% more Damage when the skill is Level 20. In addition, the base added damage has been increased by at least 50% for all Concoction skills, with Poisonous and Bleeding Concoction receiving greater damage buffs. Fulminating Concoction now has a Critical Strike Chance of 8% (from 6%), Shattering Concoction now has a Critical Strike Chance of 11% (from 7%), Explosive Concoction now has 100% more chance to Ignite Enemies and 100% more magnitude of Ignites inflicted, Fulminating Concoction now has 100% more chance to inflict Shock and Shattering Concoction now has 100% more Freeze Buildup.
• The Hunter’s Talisman passive skill Notable now grants +1 Charm Slot. The small passive skills leading up to it now grant the stat it formerly gave. The Charm helper text has been updated to indicate that you cannot have more than three Charm Slots unlocked, so that we can add more sources of it in the future.
• Added a new Lightning Damage and Electrocute Cluster to the passive tree in between the Ranger and Monk sections.
• The Heavy Frost Notable Passive Skill now causes Hits to only ignore Enemy Resistances of Frozen Enemies if their resistance values were positive.
• Supercharged Slam now builds up stages slower but gains 40% more Damage per Stage now (from 20%). This may display as 20% still incorrectly until a later patch.
• Electrocute is now 25% harder to Buildup. (But the Damage Penalty has been removed from the Support Gem)
• It is now more difficult to chain-freeze enemies, by reducing the amount of Freeze Buildup applied after a Freeze has been applied.
• Added a marker effect to Ember Fusillade’s preferred target.

Support Balance

• Added the Tremors Support Gem. Which can be used to give up to multiple more Aftershocks to Skills, with a damage penalty.
• Added the Bidding Support Gem. Which can be used to give more damage to the Command Skills of Supported Minions.
• The Fire Exposure, Lightning Exposure and Cold Exposure Support Gems no longer penalize Damage of Supported Skills. They now have a Mana Cost Multiplier of 120%.
• The Electrocute Support no longer penalizes Damage. Instead it now prevents the Supported Skill from being able to Shock.
• The Lacerate Support now grants 50% chance to Bleed (from 30%).
• The Envenom Support now grants 50% chance to Poison (from 60%).
• The Impact Shockwave Support now has an aftershock radius of 2 metres (from 1.4 metres).
• The Bidding Support now grants 30% more Damage to Minion Command Skills (from 20%).
• The Considered Casting Support now only supports Spells you cast yourself. It also now grants 40% more Spell Damage (from 25%) and 15% less Cast Speed (from 10%).
• The Aftershock Support now has 25% chance to cause an Aftershock (from 20%).
• The Mobility Support no longer has a Damage Penalty, but applies 30% less Movement Speed Penalty (from 40%).
• The Execrate Support now has 100% chance to inflict Ailments (from 50%).
• The Ricochet Support now has 40% chance to Chain from Terrain (from 20%).
• The Withering Touch Support now has 25% less Damage (from 50%).
• The Ferocity Support now has 40% more Skill Speed when consuming a Frenzy Charge (from 30%).
• Changed the Wildshards Support Gem to fire projectiles in a Circle instead of a Spiral pattern.
• The Decaying Hex Support now deals 60% of Intelligence as Chaos Damage per Second (from 30%).
• The Stomping Ground Support’s Shockwave now deals 80% to 120% of your Strength as Physical Damage (from 20 to 30%).

Item Balance

• The Charm Modifiers on Belts have been made substantially more common and now appear at much lower levels. The ‘of Symbolism’ Modifier now appears from level 23 onwards, and the ‘of Inscription’ Modifier now appears from level 64 onwards.
• The unique item The Adorned now applies to Time-Lost Jewels.
• The Time-Lost Jewel Modifier ‘of Regeneration’ now applies 3-7% increased Life Regeneration Rate to Notables in Radius, from 1-2%. Existing versions of this item will not be updated unless a Divine Orb is used.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where the Unique Item Maligaro’s Virtuosity was granting the wrong amount of Critical Damage.
• Fixed a bug where the Crumbling Walls Atlas Passive Notable was applying to Maps that didn’t contain Breaches.
• Fixed a bug where the stat granted by the Organized Forces Atlas Passive Notable was causing less Waystones to drop due to trying to upgrade them to a Tier that didn’t exist.
• Fixed a bug where interactables would remove the player from Demon Form. 
• Fixed a bug where certain rare monsters would respawn at checkpoints after consuming their corpse.
• Fixed a bug where leveling a skill gem incorrectly displayed the level change when it was supported by gems which granted additional skill levels. This was purely a visual issue.
• Fixed a bug where Unearth didn’t work with the Sacrifice Spirit Gem.
• Fixed a bug where the Elemental Expression skill from the Invoker Ascendancy Class had an incorrect hitbox.
• Fixed a bug where the Monk Ascendancy node ‘Embrace the Darkness’ would desync when losing Life and Energy Shield. 
• Fixed a bug which prevented party members from entering the Xesht fight once it had begun.
• Fixed a bug where the Cosmetics Equipment UI was missing the tier selector for some slots.
• Fixed a bug where the Trialmaster encounter dialogue failed to play.
• Fixed a bug with the Rising Tempest Support where it was giving More Damage per Elemental Skill used rather than More Damage per Elemental Type that was used.
• Fixed a bug where pathfinding could cause jittering of the character in some cases. 
• Fixed a bug where destroying items in hideouts wasn’t possible.
• Fixed a bug where Frost Wall segments could leave phantom walls, causing invisible blocking. 
• Fixed a bug where implicit abilities on non-weapon unique items required a low level to use.
• Fixed a bug where the Chronomancers ‘Debuff Expiry Rate’ nodes were applying to Quicksand Hourglass, extending its cooldown.
• Fixed a bug where Ember Fusillade could fail to target enemies.
• Fixed a bug where the Sacrifice Spirit Gem couldn’t target minions with Profane Ritual.
• Fixed a bug where the Explosion from the Armour Explosion Support could explode inanimate objects.
• Fixed a bug where some Spirit Gems displayed an incorrect error message.
• Fixed a bug where the Arbiter of Ash area level wasn’t being increased with difficulty.
• Fixed a bug where Emergency Reload wasn’t put on cooldown if you were using two Emergency Reload Skill Gems.
• Fixed a bug where the Energizing Bolt Flask effect didn’t work.
• Fixed a crash on Gamepad where Concoction skills from the Pathfinder Ascendancy Class would cause a crash when changing areas.
• Fixed a bug where some players would disconnect when trying to enter maps in the Ziggurat Refuge, or guild hideouts while in a party.
• Fixed a bug where the Explosion from the Armour Explosion Support could trigger itself recursively.
• Fixed a bug where Ice Shot was unable to cause Freeze buildup.
• Fixed a bug where some volatiles in the Trial of Chaos would follow the player up elevators.
• Fixed a bug where Inscribed Ultimatums and Djinn Baryas dropped in Cruel would incorrectly tell you that you could get Ascendancy Points by completing them, even if you wouldn’t.
• Fixed a bug where Ballista skills didn’t work with Tornadoes created by Tornado Shot.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where the Hide Sockets option did not work.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where you couldn’t see Distilled Emotion recipes on the passive tree.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where you couldn’t access the Portal Access settings while viewing the hideout stash.
• Fixed a bug where creating Solo Self-Found characters wasn’t possible when using a Gamepad while Migrations are disabled.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where you couldn’t use the shortcut bind to open chat.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad that caused it to take multiple attempts to change the tier selector of Microtransactions.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where you couldn’t set an individual price on an item in premium stash tabs.
• Fixed a bug when using a Gamepad where you couldn’t socket jewels into specific unique items.
• Fixed 12 Client Crashes.
• Fixed 3 Instance Crashes.

The post Path of Exile 2 Gets Massive Update with These Patch Notes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The original Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is free to download in a deal that is set to expire in one day. Over the past few months, the Warhammer franchise has been getting a lot more attention thanks to the release of Space Marine 2. In fact, Space Marine 2 has been so popular that it has drawn the attention of many who never even played the first Space Marine. Now, if you’re one of those people who has been interested in going back to the first game in the series, you can get ahold of it on PC for nothing at all.

As of this moment, Warhammer 40: Space Marine is free to own thanks to Prime Gaming. This deal has been ongoing for a couple of weeks at this point as a way of cross-promoting Secret Level, which is the new animated series on Prime Video. Space Marine is one such franchise that happens to be featured in Secret Level, which led Prime Gaming to give the game away to those who wanted to get into the series after watching the show.

Related: Space Marine 2 Director Already Has Ideas for Space Marine 3

Anyone who does redeem this free version of Space Marine will then be granted a PC code for the game. This code can then be used on the Microsoft Store, which will add Space Marine to the user’s digital library. From here, the game can then be downloaded and played freely at any point now or in the future. .

While this offer for Warhammer 40K: Space Marine has been ongoing for a bit, it won’t be lasting much longer. Specifically, this promo will expire tomorrow at the end of Wednesday, December 18th. As a result, this is essentially your last chance to grab Space Marine for $0 and keep it for good. If you miss the deal, you’ll then have to resort to buying the game outright, even if it is relatively cheap at the time of this writing. .

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

“In Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine you are Captain Titus, a Space Marine of the Ultramarines chapter and a seasoned veteran of countless battles.

A millions-strong Ork horde has invaded an Imperial Forge World, one of the planet-sized factories where the war machines for humanity’s never ending battle for survival are created. Losing this planet is not an option and be aware of the far more evil threat lurking large in the shadows of this world.”

The post Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Is Free For Only One More Day appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new update to Helldivers 2 has today been released for PS5 and PC platforms. This past week, Helldivers 2 received a major new patch dubbed “Omens of Tyranny” that finally added a new faction known as the Illuminate. Alongside this new enemy type, Arrowhead Studios also added a ton of other content to Helldivers 2 with this update, some of which introduced new issues to the game. Now, some of those problems are beginning to be resolved thanks to today’s patch.

Downloadable right now, update version 1.002.002 for Helldivers 2 is mainly aimed at bug fixes. Most of the resolutions that Arrowhead has pushed out with this patch are tied to crashes that would occur in certain situations. Other than this, Arrowhead has also outlined the other errors that it’s currently aware of in Helldivers 2 that it will look to fix soon. As such, we’ll likely get another update or two to the game at some point in the coming days or weeks.

Until then, you can view the full patch notes for today’s new Helldivers 2 update attached below.

Helldivers 2 Update 1.002.002 Patch Notes

Overview

• Crash Fixes

Fixes

• Fixed crash when a player leaves while ragdolling and throwing grenades
• Fixed potential crash when hotjoining illuminate missions
• Fixed crash when large amounts of destruction is taking place
• Fix for crash when reloading a shotgun and entering the FRV MG
• Fixed some potential crashes on joining or leaving other player’s ship”
• Fixed crash that could occur on certain explosions
• Fixed potential crash when calling vehicle stratagems
• Fixed crash that could happen when fighting in a colony map.

Known Issues

These are issues that were either introduced by this patch and are being worked on, or are from a previous version and have not yet been fixed.

Top Priority:

• Players are unable to emote when flying through the air
• Stratagem balls bounce unpredictably off cliffs and some spots
• Balancing and functionality adjustments for DSS
• Matchmaking improvements to reduce wait time during peak hour

Medium Priority:

• Firebomb Hellpods can no longer destroy larger enemy types such as tanks
• Players can get stuck on Pelican-1’s ramp during extraction
• High damage weapons will not detonate Hellbombs already present on the map
• Players using the Microsoft IME languages are unable to type Korean, Japanese and Chinese language characters in chat
• Weapons with a Charge-up mechanic can exhibit unintended behavior when firing faster than the RPM (Rounds Per Minute) limit
• Players who use the “this is democracy” emote on their ship might unintentionally send their fellow Helldivers on unplanned spacewalks

The post New Helldivers 2 Update Released After Omens of Tyranny Patch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When you buy through our links, Comicbook may earn an affiliate commission. The two best Fallout games can currently be had for less than $2 thanks to a new deal. The deal specifically comes the way of Fanatical, and is only available for a limited time or as supplies last, whichever rears its head first. Unfortunately, for those on console, there are no deals available. Because the offer comes the way of Fanatical, it is limited to Steam.

Right now, Fanatical has the “Build Your Own Platinum Collection – Best of 2024” bundle, which lets you bundle games together to save some serious money. The games featured include two Fallout games, which you can bundle together for just $3.50, effectively paying only $1.75 per game.

Build your own Platinum Collection – Best of 2024 Bundle

See on Fanatical

As for the two Fallout games included, they are the two best Fallout games. To date, the best Fallout game is undeniably Fallout 3. The version included in the deal is specifically the Game of the Year edition, which includes all the DLC. The second best game in the Fallout series is more of a debate, but many agree it is Fallout: New Vegas. The version included is specifically the Ultimate Edition, which also comes with all DLC for the game.

Fallout 3

About: “Vault-Tec engineers have worked around the clock on an interactive reproduction of Wasteland life for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own vault. Included is an expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters. Every minute is a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world — radiation, Super Mutants, and hostile mutated creatures. From Vault-Tec, America’s First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation.”

Fallout: New Vegas

About: “Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas. It’s the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head and left for dead…and that’s before things really get ugly. It’s a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis. It’s a place where the right kind of person with the right kind of weaponry can really make a name for themselves, and make more than an enemy or two along the way. As you battle your way across the heat-blasted Mojave Wasteland, the colossal Hoover Dam, and the neon drenched Vegas Strip, you’ll be introduced to a colorful cast of characters, power-hungry factions, special weapons, mutated creatures and much more. Choose sides in the upcoming war or declare “winner takes all” and crown yourself the King of New Vegas in this follow-up to the 2008 videogame of the year, Fallout 3. Enjoy your stay.”

The post The Best Fallout Games Less Than $2 in New Sale appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every holiday season, Epic Games Store users get more free games than normal. Typically, Epic Games Store users get a free game, or sometimes free games, on a weekly basis, with the refresh happening every Thursday. Around Christmas and the broader holiday season, the drops become more frequent, resulting in more free games. For holiday 2024, Epic Games Store users will be getting at least 16 free games, possibly more.

The new leak comes the way of one the most reliable and prolific leakers in the industry: Billbil-kun. According to the leaker, there will be 16 giveaways on the Epic Games Store during the holiday season. Bare minimum, this will be 16 free games. However, there is the possibility for any giveaway to have more than one free game or even a collection comprised of many games. To this end, there could end up being a lot more than 16 free games given away this holiday season on the Epic Games Store.

The first of these free games is already available right now on the Epic Games Store until December 19. After December 19, the giveaways will be every 24 hours until January 2. After this, the weekly download window will return, and then on January 9 the holiday giveaway will come to an end altogether.

What these games will be, is not revealed by the leaker. The games list has not also not leaked elsewhere. In the past, the games list has leaked, on more than once occasion. There is still time for this to happen, but it presumably would have happened by now if it was going to. In the meantime, take everything here with a grain of salt. None of this official information. The source in question has proven reliable on countless occasions in the past though, including recently.

As for Epic Games, it has not commented on this new intel nor the speculation it has created. Typically, it does not comment on leaks or rumors or report or anything of the speculative and unofficial variety. In other words, we do not suspect this will change, but if it does, we will be sure to update the story accordingly, regardless if whether or not the comment is salient or not.

For more Epic Games Store coverage — including all of the latest Epic Games Store news, all of the latest Epic Games Store rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Epic Games Store deals — click here.

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For many gamers, an Xbox Game Pass membership is synonymous with owning an Xbox console. However, PC gamers can also enjoy the catalog of Game Pass titles via the Xbox app, a lesser known perk of the membership. And it seems Microsoft wants more PC gamers to invest in the Xbox app, as they’ve just delivered a massive update that will bring a staggering 400 new titles into the Xbox app library – and it’s not just for Game Pass.

Purchasing PC games via the Xbox app has long been an option alongside snagging games included in the Xbox Game Pass membership. However, other options such as Steam and Epic Games remain more popular amongst PC gamers, in part because their catalogs of available games are simply that much more robust. In a bid to change that, Microsoft has been hard at work making improvements to the app and adding more titles to the library.

As part of a December 11th update, the Xbox app officially has a new Home experience. The goal of this restructure is to make it easier for gamers to see relevant content, including new game releases, events, sales, and what’s available via Game Pass. The update also helps make it easier to spot games with Xbox features like Play Anywhere, which previously were difficult if not impossible to find in the Xbox app despite being playable on PC.

A quick look at the new homepage shows a focus on discoverability. For instance, a “Games Recently Added to Game Pass” section highlights new titles up for grabs for PC gamers, while “Picks for You” makes recommendations similar to the games previously played via the logged-in Xbox account. Alongside these personalized recommendations, the new homepage also includes curated lists, which currently include “Hidden Gems” and “Inspired by Astrology: Aquarius.”

In addition to the content expansions and new homepage, recent Xbox app update adds features to streamline UI and make the app more user-friendly. This includes a new “Jump back in” feature designed to make Compact Mode easier to navigate when players want to get right back to gameplay.

Xbox App Library Gets New Casual Games and More

These changes are likely aimed towards making the Xbox app more than just a thing PC gamers open to launch that one Game Pass game they’re currently playing. And speaking of Game Pass, Microsoft wants gamers to know that their PC game library isn’t just about Game Pass. They have added nearly 400 new titles that can now be purchased and downloaded through the Xbox app.

RELATED: The Last of Us Part 2 Announced for PC

Highlights among the new additions include Shovel Knight Treasure Trove and the Jackbox Party Pack of popular group games including the You Don’t Know Jack pop culture trivia mashup. Xbox is also piloting a few casual games previously available on mobile as part of their PC gaming library, including Candy Crush Soda Saga and Angry Birds 2.

Interestingly, the curated lists don’t seem to highlight new added games available for purchase, though there is a clear section to show newcomers to Game Pass. This is causing a bit of frustration amongst gamers who would love to know what’s new, but don’t want to sort through the entire library trying to spot newly added titles. Nevertheless, the expanded library and updated homepage are clear signs that Microsoft intends to invest in improving the PC gaming experience, at least for now.

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Pocket Pair continues to expand Palworld with new additions, including new Pals to catch and new islands to explore. For a while, the developers have been hinting at a huge December update set to add the most new content in Palworld history. Now, gamers have gotten a first look at this major update with a trailer during The Game Awards.

There have been a few updates to Palworld since its release, including bigger content drops like Sakurajima, as well as smaller additions like Halloween skins. Despite ongoing legal troubles with Nintendo, Pocket Pair is showing no signs of slowing down, with plenty of big plans to round out 2024 and headed on into 2025.

The new Palworld update, which comes out later this month, will be called Feybreak. Pocket Pair has already shared that the new island will be six times larger than Sakurajima. In addition to this massive new area to explore, Palworld: Feybreak will introduce new Pals, new weapons, new buildings, and new mechanics for players to explore.

Some of these Pals appear in the new trailer, giving us a first look at new helpers to recruit for battle or putting to work back at the base. If nothing else, players will want to grab these new Pals to fill the soon-to-be expanded Paldeck.

In addition, the update will introduce a new Faction leader to challenge, and it seems incredibly likely that the guy prominently featured duking it out with a massive Pal in the trailer is our first look at this new character.

The new Palworld: Feybreak update will drop on December 23rd, rounding out the year and giving players something to sink into during the holiday season. In anticipation of the update, Palworld is currently on sale for 25% off on Steam. Gamers can also pick up Palworld on Playstation.

The post Palworld Feybreak Update Release Date Announced appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Horizon Zero Dawn just got a major new feature seven years after its initial release on PS4. Following the release of its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, in 2022, a remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn, aptly called Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, came to PC and PS5 back in October. And this release has given new life to the seven-year-old open-world RPG.

To this end, today Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered got a new update on both PC and PS5 today. The former is the release of Patch 1.04, while the latter is the release of Patch 1.08. While the two updates are different, they both come with a major new feature. More specifically, transmog functionality has been added to the game for the first time. This gives players the ability to apply a different look to Aloy’s armor.

To interact with this new feature — which lets you change the appearance of gear without changing the stats — open the Inventory and go to outfits. From here, select “apply look” on the outfit that you want to be visible while playing the game, and it will transplanted over your current armor, however, you won’t lose the stats of your current armor.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Update 1.08 (PS5) Patch Notes

• Added outfit transmog functionality.
• Fixed flickering visible in the background during cutscenes and conversations in some scenarios.
• Fixed a bug that could cause Concentration to activate unexpectedly.
• Improvements to audio mix to reduce excessive reverb in specific areas.
• Audio mix adjustments to conversation dialogue panning.
• Various audio loudness and balance improvements.
• Mount acceleration now works as intended, incrementally increasing speed when the acceleration button is pressed.
• Motion aiming now works as intended when riding a mount.
• Fixed a bug that could cause a hang on a black screen when starting a New Game+ from imported PS4 save data.
• Custom button bindings for Mount actions now conflict as intended when binding multiple actions to the same key or button.
• Fixed a bug that prevented music from playing during a scene in the ‘Deep Secrets of Earth’ quest.
• Fixed a bug where Nil would disappear after talking to him during Cause for Concern.
• Various bug fixes related to Auto Pickup.
• Fixes for various bugs and minor visual issues.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Update 1.04 (PC) Patch Notes

• Added outfit transmog functionality.
• Fixed a crash that could occur while applying coils to weapons or outfits with mouse and keyboard.
• Fixed a bug that could cause Concentration to activate unexpectedly.
• Improvements to audio mix to reduce excessive reverb in specific areas.
• Audio mix adjustments to conversation dialogue panning.
• Various audio loudness and balance improvements.
• Mount acceleration now works as intended, incrementally increasing speed when pressing the acceleration button.
• Motion aiming now works as intended when riding a mount.
• Steam Input now functions correctly if a controller is connected after launching the game.
• Controllers connected to Steam Deck now work as intended when using Steam Remote Play
• The Master Vibration Intensity slider will now correctly be applied to in-game vibration when using a DualSense controller with Steam Input.
• Fixed a bug where loading would sometimes get stuck when using the High graphics preset.
• Fixed a bug that prevented music from playing during a scene in the ‘Deep Secrets of Earth’ quest.
• Resolved a bug at Song’s Edge that blocked players standing up from a chair when using mouse and keyboard controls.
• Reduced ghosting on snow particles when using AMD FSR or Intel XeSS upscaling.
• Fixed a bug where Nil would disappear after talking to him during Cause for Concern.
• Various bug fixes related to Auto Pickup.
• Fixes for various bugs and minor visual issues.
• Stability improvements.

It is quite possible this will be the final major feature added to Horizon Zero Dawn, unless of course it is ported again in the future, possibly to PS6, which is a possibility that can not be ruled out.

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