The next step in Helldivers 2’s ongoing Galactic War is here, and it’s just about the most straightforward yet: kill bugs. Lots of bugs.
Two billion to be exact. After the PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter’s community successfully completed a Major Order to slow a significant Automaton invasion, Game Master Joel has turned players’ attention to the Terminid front with the biggest kill order since the game’s explosive launch in February.
Helldivers 2 players now have just under six days to kill two billion Terminids. That sounds like a lot, but at the time of this article’s publication, with five days and 20 hours left to complete the major order, players had already hit 19.6% completion. That is, over 391 million bugs had already bit the dust.
Based on this initial progress, it seems the community will complete the Major Order sooner rather than later. Has Joel underestimated the community’s willingness to come together to blow up bugs? That seems unlikely. Perhaps Joel had decided to let the Helldivers 2 community blow off some steam with an easygoing Major Order after what was a somewhat grueling battle against the Automatons and those pesky Factory Striders.
Or perhaps Joel will pull a level and surprise us all by increasing the kill count in response to our rapid progress. With Helldivers 2’s meta narrative, you never can tell what’s next.
Speaking of the meta narrative, the in-universe explanation for this major order is worth highlighting. Super Earth has said the Automaton invasion has slowed, and that it must now take this chance to refill its E-710 reserves in order to stage a counter offensive. What’s Element-710? A precious resource Super Earth farms the bugs for. Perhaps read E-710 upside down if you’re wondering what Arrowhead is getting at here.
As Arrowhead maintains the Galactic War and adds new content to the game, it’s also battling bugs of a different kind. This push and pull was a topic discussed by CEO Johan Pilestedt recently as part of a fascinating insight into Arrowhead’s live service philosophy. If you’re looking for more on Helldivers 2, check out IGN’s feature on the Let Me Solo Her of Helldivers 2, a player who has answered over 100 SOS Beacons as part of a mission to help others.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The Fallout TV show is stim-packed full of easter eggs and treats for fans of the games. From obvious crowd-pleasers like the Brotherhood of Steel’s T60 armour and the New Vegas skyline to smaller blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it glimpses of Radaway and Fancy Lads Snack Cakes, there was plenty plucked from the long-running RPG series to get excited about. Bethesda has crafted such dense and plentiful worlds, though, that there’s still a plethora of characters, creatures, quests, and locations left to be brought to life in the Prime Video series. So here are 14 things we’d love to see from the games in Fallout season 2.
Deathclaws
Let’s kick off with one of the last images of season one – a lonesome Deathclaw skull. This tease was sure to titillate like the ruins of New Vegas it faced, but just think how much more exciting it would be to see one of the wasteland’s most fearsome creatures brought to life in season two. I’m already envisioning a beleaguered Kyle MacLachlan getting into a scrap with one, which considering his limited experience with his newfound power armour could well end up with him being gone in T60 seconds.
The iconic, snarling, slashing Deathclaw is a long-time staple of the Fallout bestiary, having appeared in every game in the series to date. It was wise for Jonathan Nolan and team to hold off on giving us one in its glory during this first run of episodes, but it would be a hell of a way to kick off season two.
Super Mutants
Another creature we got a sneak peek of in season one is Super Mutants, courtesy of a dangling hand at the beginning of episode two. At least we think it was one, unless the Enclave is secretly experimenting on Shrek. These hulking beasts are humans who have been exposed to the Forced Evolutionary Virus and are typically presented in the games as battle-hardened enemies, but that isn’t always the case. I’d personally love to see a friendlier variant accompany Lucy on her season two adventures, and a character along the lines of Fallout 3’s softly-spoken Fawkes would be a great addition.
Securitrons
One of the staples of Fallout’s Mojave Desert is the Securitrons. The PDQ-88b is fully armed with a Gatling laser, submachine gun, and both grenade and missile launchers, meaning they aren’t a robot you want to get on the wrong side of. Largely found patrolling the New Vegas strip, they’re an essential part of setting the area apart from Boston, Washington, or anywhere else the Fallout games have taken us. I can already imagine their surly projected faces scrunching up in some hilarious interactions akin to Lucy’s run-in with Matt Berry’s Mr Handy in season one.
Plasma Weapons
We saw a Plasma Rifle hanging from the wall of Filly’s general store in episode two but sadly never got to see one in action. These turbocharged, high-tech weapons blast out piping hot bolts of plasma at anyone unfortunate to find themselves within its sights. If you’re lucky you’ll be left with severe burns or some light melting, but you’ll end up as a pool of green liquid if you’re hit with its full force. Bullets just make a bloody mess, let’s get some disintegration going on in season two.
Fat Man
Alternatively, if you’re looking to make as big a mess as possible, look no further than the Fat Man. The mini-nuke launcher failed to make an appearance in season one (we got enough full-sized nukes to be fair), so maybe it’s something we can expect next time around. Normally reserved for the biggest of battles, we can see it being used to end season two with a bang.
Shishkebab
A more up close and personal approach calls for a melee weapon, and few are as seared in the brain from the Fallout games like the Shishkebab. It’s a flaming blade that’s both hot and sharp to the touch, and is the sort of makeshift weaponry synonymous with the wasteland as scraps, chemicals, and materials combine to create new means of survival. Lucy could even use it to par-cook her enemies if, for example, she was looking to take part in….
Beyond the Beef (Cannibalism)
Cannibalism! It just wouldn’t be a post-apocalypse without it. Beyond the Beef is one of Fallout New Vegas’ most memorable quests as a run-in with the mysterious White Glove Society leads down a path of human meat consumption. It’s unclear whether the society would still be around in the show given it takes place 15 years after New Vegas, but I’m pretty confident the appetite for cannibalism will still be held by someone out there.
Vault 22
If meat of any origin isn’t your thing, maybe something a bit greener will do. I’m not saying the entire storyline of Vault 22 from New Vegas should make its way to season two, but an out-of-the-ordinary Vault excursion is surely a must for an episode. Nicknamed ‘The Vault of the Future’, 22’s unique twist is it has become overrun by plants and fungi, giving it a feel altogether much more suited to another hit post-apocalyptic video game adaptation.
Full of menacing flora and fauna, it could deliver a standout horror chapter of season two as Lucy attempts to navigate its depths. Plus it would serve as a fun, palette-cleansing visual contrast to the warm oranges and browns of the Mojave Desert.
Novac
Bearing in mind season one’s ending, it’s fair to assume we’ll be spending a fair amount of time in New Vegas’ surrounding desert when season two arrives. Dotted around in the sand are several settlements that could pop up in the show, but my pick has to be Novac and its giant T-Rex, ironically named Dinky the Dinosaur. The town could serve as an excellent stopover point for Lucy as she takes in the (questionable) luxury of the Dino Dee-lite motel and whatever other easter eggs may be lurking in the Dino Bite gift shop. Plus, who wouldn’t want to visit the World’s Second Largest Thermometer?
Mr. New Vegas
The sights of post-apocalyptic Nevada are one thing but the sounds stir up just as many memories. Much like how Three Dog served as the voice of Fallout 3’s fallen Capital, Mr. New Vegas is Sin City’s resident radio DJ, spinning the hits and reporting news of your exploits. New Vegas just wouldn’t be the same without him. Here’s hoping he’s still broadcasting over the airwaves when season two arrives. I mean he’s an AI that’s already been doing the job for 200 years so what’s another 15?
Mysterious Stranger
Fallout is full of mysterious characters but there’s only one true Mysterious Stranger. It might be tough to integrate a figure so strongly linked to gameplay into the show, but even a short interaction with him would be fantastic. That spine-tingling guitar riff, followed by the sight of that sharp trench coat and fedora combo, finished off with a blast from his signature .44 Magnum would be a fantastic way to introduce even more of the Western genre into the wasteland.
Benny
We already got a look at New Vegas’ big bad, Mr House, at the end of season one, so it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him return in some shape or form in season two. Instead, let’s focus on Benny, the secondary antagonist of Obsidian’s RPG. Known for his scheming and dapper black-and-white chequered suit, Benny is an untrustworthy wild card of a character who could drive the potential plotline of season two.
Of course, this would rely on Bethesda committing to him not dying canonically in New Vegas, a difficult option that the player can choose to take in the game if they’re up for the challenge. It’s just a shame that the late Matthew Perry, who originally voiced Benny, sadly wouldn’t be able to reprise the role.
Bobby Pins
From Benny to Bobby now, with the introduction of Fallout’s signature lock-picking minigame. I’m quite frankly amazed we didn’t see a single character whip out a bobby pin in season one and give a door a little wiggle. Yes, we got a comprehensive representation of computer terminal hacking, but it’s sad that its analog cousin was left behind. It may be a small thing in the grand context of this world, but I’ll still let out a small-to-medium-sized cheer if someone cracks open a lock using a small piece of metal in season two.
Aliens
Aliens have long made themselves known in the wasteland. Their ships, weaponry, and even lifeforms have been spotted over the years, providing some of the games’ most powerful guns in the form of the Alien Blaster. We’d be a little surprised if the show went full-in on the existence of extraterrestrial life in season two, but a fun little nod here and there would be great. And hey, with Area 51 not a million miles away from the lights of the New Vegas strip, it would be as good a place as any for a little green man to poke his head out.
So there are 14 things we’d love to see make their way from the games into the Fallout TV show in season two. What would you like to see most? Let us know in the comments!
Last month, the beloved JRPG Octopath Traveler was banished forthwith from the Kingdom of the Switch eShop. Okay, if you’ll excuse the dramatics, it was temporarily delisted with no official explanation as to why. Well the good news is that it’s back, as confirmed by Square Enix itself.
Now, the general consensus as to why it was delisted is that the publishing rights to the game had reverted from Nintendo back to Square Enix in December 2023, but this hasn’t been confirmed by either Nintendo or Square Enix. Regardless, it’s back now, so if you’re thinking of picking it up, then you can – hooray!
We are thrilled to officially announce that Darkest Dungeon II will arrive on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 15. You can preorder it starting today, with a discount available to PlayStation Plus members.
In Darkest Dungeon II, we translated the beloved art style of the first game into 3D, complete with full character animations. We also carried forth the series’ signature turn-based combat system, but we rebuilt it from the ground up to be even more strategic and a true treat for the eyes and ears. But whereas the first game was pure dungeon crawler, the sequel is a roguelike road trip of the damned!
Each expedition, you will first form a party of four flawed heroes and equip your stagecoach. Then you will set off on an arduous journey across a decaying landscape filled with remnants of crumbling civilizations. Your mission: to overcome one of your past failures, embodied by a monstrous boss lurking atop the far off snow-capped mountain.
Along the way you will experience the tragic playable backstories of over a dozen heroes, and in so doing unlock the full potential of their skills, stats, and signature equipment. Just like in the first game, you’ll need to pay attention to heroes’ stress. But now you also can tend to their relationships. Resting at each Inn gives an opportunity for heroes to spend time together and become friends, lovers, or even bitter enemies. A good party is a harmonious one; a team of rivals may disintegrate long before you reach the mountain.
Whether you succeed or fail, after each expedition you return to the Altar of Hope and invest–in true roguelite fashion–in new items, boons, and content that will help you in future runs.
Releasing on PlayStation has allowed us to use the visceral DualSense controller features. You’ll feel the heartbeat of heroes on Death’s Door and the rumble of the stagecoach’s wheels as it rolls over a trap.
In addition to the base game, The Binding Blade DLC (two new heroes, a special questline, wandering boss, and more) is also available for preorder as part of the Oblivion Bundle. Buy the bundle to get a tidy discount.
We at Red Hook Studios are thrilled to bring Darkest Dungeon II to PlayStation, and we hope you’ll join us on the journey. The game is a labor of love for us, and we plan to continue to expand it.
The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has addressed player concern about bugs (not those bugs) as the studio continues to release new content and new premium warbonds.
Since Helldivers 2’s explosive release on PlayStation 5 and PC in February, Arrowhead has maintained a monthly release schedule for new premium warbonds. They’re essentially new battle passes that players work through to unlock new content, such as new weapons, new armor, and new cosmetics. Premium warbonds are unlocked via an in-game currency that can be obtained through gameplay, but can also be bought with real-world money.
Meanwhile, Arrowhead maintains the Galactic War, Helldivers 2’s meta narrative that has captivated the community since launch. Game Master Joel is pulling the strings from behind the scenes, issuing major orders that focus the player base on certain active fronts, lending Helldivers 2 an ongoing storyline even though no single-player campaign exists.
And then, on top of all that, Arrowhead adds new enemies, weapons, and even ship upgrades to the game, sometimes without announcement so players can discover them for themselves.
But Helldivers 2 is not without its bugs. In fact, Arrowhead itself publishes a list of known issues it’s currently working on even as it works on new content for the game. Some of these are particularly problematic, such as those affecting how weapons and some stratagems work, and players’ ability to play with the friends.
It’s this push and pull between fixing bugs and releasing new content that has sparked a debate within the Helldivers 2 community, with some calling on Arrowhead to down tools on things like premium warbonds in order to focus on bugs. Some have even suggested Arrowhead is under pressure from publisher Sony or other investors to release premium warbonds in order to hit revenue targets.
Enter Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt, who addressed one redditor’s post with an explanation for how the studio is approaching ongoing development of the Helldivers 2 live service. From the comments, it’s clear Pilestedt believes it’s important to release a steady stream of content in order for Helldivers 2 to remain relevant in what is an ultra competitive business for live service games, but also rejects the idea that Arrowhead is too small to do fix the game at the same time.
It’s easy to say ‘just fix, don’t add’, but the reality of the competitiveness in this industry is that we have to do both to stay relevant.
“Let me add some context,” Pilestedt began. “Arrowhead is independently owned by people working at the studio and not swayed by shareholders in the traditional sense. Of course we are in a great partnership with Sony where we agree on targets to hit etc. But there isn’t a forcing function or requirement per se.
“We want to deliver the best in the industry and we are calibrating our efforts of fixing vs new stuff. It’s easy to say ‘just fix, don’t add’, but the reality of the competitiveness in this industry is that we have to do both to stay relevant.
“We are figuring it out, the demands and expectations on the studio is high, all eyes are on us, and we have a sole purpose – to make this the best live game you’ve ever played. We just need to find our stride and balance.
“It’s a hot topic at the studio, and I’m sorry for the sloppy mistakes we’ve made as of recent.”
“The expectations from our friends at PlayStation are pretty simple: ‘make great game for players. We trust you.’
Then, in a subsequent post, Pilestedt explained further: “… please do not see this as a defensive post. I know we can do better as a studio. Also, my intention was just to say that the games industry is a complicated beast. We need to stay relevant and keep everyone entertained while fixing stuff. The expectations from our friends at PlayStation are pretty simple: ‘make great game for players. We trust you.’
“Nobody is forcing us. But at the same time, the pressure is real 🤔 😅 it’s very abstract. All love 💝”
Pilestedt had previously opened up about the size of Arrowhead, insisting that while it’s small compared to some triple-A studios, it shouldn’t be considered small. Arrowhead has around 100 people working on Helldivers 2, which is 20 times more than it had working on Magicka, its previous game, and 7.5 times larger than the Helldivers 1 team.
“We are optimizing our processes and hiring devs to boost the team,” Pilestedt added. “But 100 is still a decent size for a development team, and we aware of the issues in the releases – we will do better in the future.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The problem with deciding to play every single Nancy Drew mystery puzzle game for a column is that, because they have been coming out since the 90s, Her Interactive have built up enough steam that I may never catch up to the front of the plucky citizen detective train. They have today announced a release date of May 7th for Nancy Drew: Mystery Of The Seven Keys, along with the official trailer.
This time Our Nance is heading to Prague, for a sort of old-world-meets-new story about hacking, medieval myths, and a stolen necklace. Nancy is hired to find said heirloom, and interview a bunch of suspects, one of whom is creepy puppet guy up there (there are no screens of Nancy because she never actually steps out from behind the camera in these games; she may as well be a cryptid). I realise this may not be of interest to regular readers of this site, but while I may not have seven keys, I do have one to the back end of this website, so nobody can stop me.
There are some amazing PS5 deals to check out right now, including a selection of PlayStation games that have dropped to just $20 at Walmart. Now, just to prefix this with a ‘YMMV’ — as some of these offers are location-dependent, but if you can secure them you’re sure to bag an incredible offer.
For starters, God of War Ragnarok (PS4) is down to $20 (which can be digitally upgraded to PS5 for $10 after purchase). Diablo 4 is also down to $20 on PS5, which is a massive $50 off the MSRP and a huge deal. Be sure to check the Walmart listings to see if you can get some of the best PS5 games for just twenty bucks. Below, you can also find other deals on everything from consoles to SSDs and even information on where to buy a PS5 now.
Best PS5 Game Deals: $20 Games at Walmart and More
While the God of War deal works out at $30 for PS5 (after the $10 digital upgrade from PS4), it’s still $10 cheaper via this deal compared to any other retailer currently, and a massive $40 off the MSRP. In any case, you’re still securing the best possible price for God of War Ragnarok on PS5.
$20 games is a huge deal, with the only issue being that Walmart offers free delivery for baskets of $35 or more. But, we can assist there as well. If you sign up for a Walmart+ account with a 30-day free trial, you can get free fast delivery (alongside a slew of other benefits right now like three months of YouTube Premium for free). Otherwise, you can also check to see if your local store has stock, and pick it up from there instead.
Looking to completely maximize your PS5 storage capabilities? Then this is the deal for you. For a limited time only, this PS5 4TB SSD is available at Amazon for just $309.99 (see here). It has an MSRP of $699.99 which is rather dramatic, but in reality, this and many other 4TB SSDs have been sitting around $280-$300 recently.
Note that Sony recommends a heatsink attached to your SSD and not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we’ll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don’t, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $9) and install it yourself. You can also check out the best PS5 2TB SSD deals here, or see more of our favorite deals below.
Best PS5 Headset Deals: 22% Off the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 & More Headset Deals
There’s no shortage of PS5-compatible headsets. If you’re constantly having to turn down the volume when you play, you might want to pick up one of these, then you can listen to your games as loud as you darn well please. And if you’d like to see even more options that are worth buying, check out our collection of thebest gaming headsets.
It doesn’t need to have a massive discount to be a good deal, so we thought it would be a great idea to pick out our absolute favorite PS5 and PlayStation offerings that would be relevant to buy no matter the time of year, or the sales going on. From the latest DualSense controllers, to the very best PS5 SSDs on the market, we’ve got it all right here.
Generally, the best time to buy a PS5 console is during major yearly shopping events such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the various Amazon Prime Day sales. Although PlayStation consoles rarely go on sale, you can often scoop up limited-time bundles that include additional an additional game or two, and more.
How to Trade in Your Old PlayStation Consoles
If you’re looking to trade in your old PlayStation consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.
Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.
While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you’ll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction, the latter of which poses its own risks.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Friends, I have officially discovered another game I can play with my life partner, who regards most games with enormous suspicion and fatigue. That game is Morels: The Hunt 2, released this week, and as you might guess, it is about finding and identifying various species of mushroom in lush, photorealistic wilderness locations. There are also unicorns, crystal skulls and robot parts. Slightly confused by the unicorns, crystal skulls and robot parts, if I’m honest. It feels a bit like developers Abrams Studios are unconvinced as to the popular appeal of mushroom hunting, and have garlanded the concept with random mythology so as to widen the Venn diagram overlap between “fungi fans” and “people who want to live in cyberpunk Narnia”.
The developers – who are indeed brothers – explain their thinking in broad strokes on the Steam page. “We loved morel mushroom hunting growing up,” they write. “We still do it every year. One of the greatest things about mushroom hunting is just being out in nature. We take a lot of photos while we are hunting which is how the game came about. We wanted to create an immersive experience of being out in nature, mushroom hunting, and photographing the beautiful environment around you into a game, without having to hunt something with a weapon.”
I guess the blend of photography and mushroom gathering makes sense, but I continue to be confused by the unicorns. You can also turn into one of the game’s animal in Exploration Mode, by the way – I’m not sure whether this extends to make-believe creatures. I do not feel a pressing need to either photograph a unicorn or turn into one, but I really want to fire this up and have my partner passenger-seat-drive while I go ferreting around for chantarelles.
If you’re a fan of city builders, then buckle up, because we can exclusively reveal that Imagine Earth, a sci-fi city builder from indie developer Serious Bros. is heading to the Switch on 9th May, 2024.
Originally released on Steam and Xbox to positive reception, Imagine Earth combines laidback strategic gameplay with themes of sustainability as you look to establish new homes in the cosmos in the year 2084. Corporate greed has led your own planet to ruin, so it’s your job to build propserous cities in a more eco-friendly, sustainable manner.
