Wuchang: Fallen Feathers – a closer look at the Soulslike combat

From the first moment you step into the brutal lands of Shu, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers makes one thing clear: survival isn’t gifted, it’s earned. Throughout your journey, you’ll need to master an arsenal of weapons, spells, and abilities to overcome the harrowing challenges of this Soulslike action-RPG set in the waning years of the Ming dynasty. With the July 24 launch fast approaching, we’re giving PlayStation players a closer look at some of the game’s most defining tools of survival, power, and identity.

We’ll highlight just a few of the devastating weapons, arcane spells, and unique abilities you’ll wield as you carve your legacy through ruin and revelation. These tools don’t just shape your playstyle, they shape the legend of Wuchang herself.

A diverse arsenal of blades and brutality

Each weapon in Wuchang is tied to a piece of the game’s worldbuilding, from sacred relics to myth-imbued prototypes. Every blade tells a story, and every strike leaves a mark.

The Dragoncoil Lance, a Deluxe Edition spear, is a striking silver-white weapon featuring a traditional design. A coiled dragon motif wraps around the junction of the shaft and spearhead, symbolizing the wielder’s courage and valor. Weapons in Wuchang each have their own unique skills, and with the Vortex Thrust skill for the Dragoncoil Lance, you can unleash shockwaves with devastating force, making it ideal for punishing multiple enemies at once.

Abilities that shape the warrior

Combat in Wuchang is fluid, fast, and fiercely deliberate, with a broad range of abilities that define how you approach each fight. One standout is Blade Dance, a whirling assault that slices through enemies while showcasing your mastery of dual blades. The Crescent Arc, a forward-lunging slash imbued with ethereal energy, closing distance and shifting momentum with measured precision.

Prefer power over speed? Colossal Smash delivers a thunderous overhead strike that leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, ideal for breaking enemy posture or interrupting spellcasters mid-cast. Every ability in Wuchang evolves through skill trees and Red Mercury enhancements, adding layers of strategy beyond raw force.

Spells drawn from myth and madness

Wuchang’s spell system is one of the most visually striking elements of its design, drawing from Taoist ritual, ancient folklore, and operatic symbolism. These aren’t just tools of destruction. They’re storytelling vessels that bind your journey to the world’s unraveling lore.

Infernal Flames casts a searing mask that torments enemies with divine rage, based on an ancient opera ritual meant to summon wrathful spirits. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Lotus Soulflame, a ritual spell used in spirit exorcisms that unleashes devastating elemental damage.

Another standout is Echo of Liu Cheng’en, a chilling surge of ice named after a loyal Ming general. The spell can knock targets back with enough force to disrupt aggressive momentum and create space in critical encounters.

Feathering, the price of power

At the heart of Wuchang’s identity lies the Feathering system, a supernatural affliction that grants immense power at great personal cost. As Wuchang absorbs Red Mercury and defeats corrupted monstrosities, she unlocks devastating abilities and spells rooted in transformation.

Feathering allows players to unleash deadly skills and spells mid-combat, turning the tide of battle in an instant. But each use chips away at stability, demanding tactical restraint. Do you risk transforming in the middle of a fight to deliver explosive damage, knowing it may leave you vulnerable? Or hold your strength in reserve until the moment you’re truly cornered?

Pre-order bonuses and Deluxe Edition content

Players who pre-order Wuchang: Fallen Feathers will receive two exclusive outfits, White Spectre and Night Spectre, offering ceremonial elegance steeped in decay. You’ll also unlock the Vermillion War Club, a brutal axe weapon with powerful combo potential, along with a Glistening Red Mercury Skill Upgrade to enhance your build from the very beginning.

For those seeking even deeper customization, the Deluxe Edition adds four rare outfits: Soul Ritual Robe, Tiger of Fortune, Overlord’s Regalia, and Draconic Resurgence. It also includes powerful weapons such as the Moonlight Dragon, Watcher’s Gaze swords, Eternal Sovereignty, and Dragoncoil Lance. You’ll also receive the Blood of Changhong, a special Skill Upgrade Item designed to support diverse builds and encourage early experimentation.

Prepare for launch

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is more than a battle for survival. It’s a meditation on power, sacrifice, and transformation. Every spell you cast, weapon you wield, and enemy you overcome deepens your understanding of Wuchang’s intricate lore. Mastery isn’t just rewarded, it’s essential to unlocking the truths buried in the land of Shu.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers launches July 24 on PlayStation 5. Pre-order now to unlock exclusive content and prepare for the journey that awaits.

Elden Ring Nightreign already has its first patch, but more importantly, a trailer that’ll really help you wake up

Day one patches are the curse that comes with the modern age of video games because development doesn’t end at the point of printing the discs we play them on any more. It sucks, it’s bad for preservation, but we’re stuck with them. However, it’s also a bit funny that Elden Ring Nightreign, due out tomorrow, May 30th, sort of has a day minus one patch that’s already available. Of course, unless you’re a journalist, YouTuber, or very friendly with your local video game store clerk who hooked you up with an early copy of the Soulslike, this won’t concern you for a good few hours yet.

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Elden Ring Nightreign: FromSoftware Warns PC Gamers With ‘the Latest Graphics Cards’ May Suffer Framerate Drops

Ahead of the launch of Elden Ring Nightreign, developer FromSoftware has warned PC gamers that they may experience framerate drops if they’re using “the latest graphics cards.”

In a vague note to fans included with Elden Ring Nightreigh’s day-one patch notes, FromSoftware said it was investigating the cause, and suggested those affected drop the graphics settings down from the default “High” to “Medium” or “Low” and lowering the screen resolution, as well as installing the latest drivers for your graphics card.

Here’s the statement:

We have confirmed that some PC configurations using the latest graphics cards may experience framerate drops. We are currently investigating the cause. In the meantime, If you experience significant framerate drops, you may be able to resolve it by setting the graphics settings from the default “High” to “Medium” or “Low” and lowering the screen resolution, as well as installing the latest drivers for your graphics card.

FromSoftware also issued troubleshooting advice for the PC version, suggesting those who run into issues verify the integrity of the game files:

Troubleshooting for the PC version of Elden Ring Nightreign:

– If issues such as being unable to start the game occur on the PC version, they can sometimes be resolved by performing the following steps in Steam:

Go to “Library” > right-click on “ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN” > select “Properties” > select “Installed Files” > and execute “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”

The multiplayer spin-off is set to go live on May 29 or May 30, depending on your timezone. Check out the Elden Ring Nightreign global release times for more.

In IGN’s recent interview with Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki, the development lead discussed the choice to lean on solos and trios as the core experience options. When asked why there’s no option for a pair of players to drop in together without a matchmade third player, Ishizaki said it was overlooked.

“The simple answer is that this is simply something that was overlooked during development as just a two-player option, so we’re very sorry about that,” said Ishizaki. “As we said before, we set out to make this a multiplayer co-op game for three players, balanced for three players, so that was the main focus and it’s at the core of Nightreign.

“Of course, I myself as a player understand that and often want times where I’m just playing myself, so this is something that we considered from the start,” Ishizaki continued. “And so we did put a lot of effort into creating this experience that was playable for solo players in as much as the rules and new systems allowed. So in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well.”

So if you’re playing with just your favorite duos partner, be ready to accept a random third into your lives. Who knows? You might match up with someone pretty good at the game.

Check out these crucial Elden Ring Nightreign tips and tricks we put together from the network test — and keep an eye on the IGN Nightreign wiki for plenty more guides when the game launches.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Is Mario Kart S-Tier? Rank the Biggest Nintendo Series

As I’m sure you’re aware, the Nintendo Switch 2 is upon us. So, with a brand new console on the horizon, what better time to look back at some of the legendary publisher’s greatest games?

For decades, Nintendo has given us some of the most famous and best-selling game series ever made, but here, I’ve picked out 18 of the most well-known ones to sort through. Yes, this list could stretch into the 100s, but we don’t want to be here all day, do we? From Super Mario to Zelda, we all have our favourites, and some (sorry Kirby) that we’ve just never quite clicked with. I’ve had a go at ranking them via one of our IGN Tier Lists, purely taking into account my personal enjoyment of each series over the years. Take a look at my tier list here:

I’m sure it’s no surprise to see both Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda in my S-tier category. Two of the most influential and, crucially, very fun video game series to ever do it, it’s a no-brainer really. On the other end of the scale… I’m sure a few eyebrows will be raised at my placing of Super Smash Bros. in the C tier. Please let me explain myself before battering me in the comments, please. Smash Bros. has just never been my thing, I’m afraid. Not only am I not a fighting game fan, but in a time when lots of people grew up playing it with friends, I was simply enjoying other multiplayer and party games, whether those be TimeSplitters, Guitar Hero, or Call of Duty. I just don’t have the connection to Smash Bros. that so many do, and for that, I can only ask for your complete forgiveness.

Don’t agree with me? Think that Pikmin is better than Pokémon? Well, why not have a go at ranking some of Nintendo’s biggest series yourself in a tier list below, where you can compare your own S, A, B, C, and D tiers with the whole of the IGN community.

What’s your favourite Nintendo series that hasn’t made it onto this list? Let us know in the comments, as well as why you’ve ranked the games in the order you’ve chosen.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Fast Fusion Launch Trailer Gives Us Our Best Look At Switch 2 Gameplay

Game launches day one with the new console.

Shin’en Multimedia has released what is, to our knowledge, the first launch trailer for the Switch 2 with Fast Fusion.

Launching day one with the new console, Fast Fusion is the follow-up to 2017’s Fast RMX, letting you merge vehicles together to create one of potentially hundreds of combinations. The new trailer gives us our best look yet at the core gameplay, and while it certainly looks familiar, you can tell it’s been given a nice lick of paint for the Switch 2.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

PowerWash Simulator: The Muckingham Files Part 6 and New Special Pack Bundles Coming to Xbox

PowerWash Simulator: The Muckingham Files Part 6 and New Special Pack Bundles Coming to Xbox

Hello Washers! The time has come for our final update for PowerWash Simulator, and what a journey it has been! The Muckingham Files has taken us to Mauka Aitu Desert, with stops at a sunny villa, a quick trip to the Crab Bay Aquarium, and stopping for some paintball along the way. 

For our last content drop we will be hopping on the Muckingham Line to clean up the Subway Train, before departing for a trip to the Sculpture Park, where some pesky graffiti needs to be cleaned off for a pristine finish. We hope you enjoy this final free PowerWash Simulator update as much as we have enjoyed creating it.

The Ultimate Satisfaction Bundle is also now available with all 100 levels from the course of the game in one convenient download. If you already own the game, the Satisfying Specials Bundle contains every paid add-on with a discounted price to quickly complete your collection and open up storylines from beloved universes like Shrek, Back to the Future, SpongeBob SquarePants and more.

Whether you’ve been with us busting the grime from the start, or hopped aboard the hype train somewhere down the line, we’d love to say a huge thank you for enjoying this adventure with us and we’d like to share some thoughts and memories from our team at FuturLab as we look back over the years…

Will Dyball, a Multiplayer Programmer at FuturLab: “One of my favourite memories was the first larger inhouse multiplayer test. It was on the monster truck and once everyone joined my group, we started drawing on the truck and I was so relieved it was working. Thank you for not only enjoying playing the game, but creating some amazing content with it!”

Abbas Kahn, a Programmer at FuturLab: “The release of the Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack was a pretty big moment for me personally. It was the first time I had contributed to a game on consoles! Thank you for playing, without our fans PowerWash wouldn’t be where it is today! I hope you’re looking forward to all the cool new features in PWS2!”

Hannah Fisher, QA Tester at FuturLab: “My best memory was the first time I saw my name added in the credits after I started working here – it was such an exciting moment and really made it sink in that I was actually a part of this game! Also working with so many lovely people here at FuturLab. Thank you so much for playing our game and experiencing this journey with us!”

Bara Sigmundardóttir, a 3D Artist at FuturLab: “When we released the Alice’s Adventures Special Pack, it was the first big scene I had worked on mostly solo and the first job that Nick P had created beautiful concept art for. To see how well received the whole pack was and watching people interact with all the little details was just wonderful (especially all the little carrots and bunny ears in the Rabbit house level). Thank you all for continuously enjoying and hyping up our Splish Splash wholesome game, we get to have the coolest jobs because of all of you eager Power Washers!”

Jordan Lewis, a Programmer at FuturLab: “Getting to contribute to a game that so many people find helps them destress and calm down and knowing that I work on a game that helps players various mental health issues really makes all the problems with ladders worth while. Thank you for being one of the most wholesome game communities I have ever seen! “

Elliot Greenwood of Business Development & Licensing at FuturLab: “When nobody batted an eye at power washing under the sea in Bikini Bottom, that opened the floodgates of opportunity for where we could go with our DLCs. It has been so much fun working behind the scenes to get these agreements locked in, and I’d just like to thank you all for letting us run wild with our ambitions.”

We’d again like to thank you for being a part of our PowerWash Simulator community. It has been a smashing time building up a virtual world everyone can enjoy, in little bursts or larger blasts. We wouldn’t be where we are without you all, and your support means more to us at FuturLab than we could ever tell you. The team have poured their hearts and souls into creating a world for you all to escape to and clean, somewhere for you to relax and solo rinse, or a place to gather with friends and catch up over a satisfying wash. We love to see you enjoying all aspects of PowerWash Simulator, from the Gnomes, the friends we’ve made along the way, and not forgetting… The LORE! Thank for embracing our quirky story, this may be the final stop for PowerWash Simulator, but we hope you’ll continue the journey with us on our sequel.

Xbox Game Pass members can play the base game, PowerWash Simulator, as part of their membership. The Muckingham Files – Part 6 is available now for as a free update on the Xbox Store (a copy of PowerWash Simulator is required to play).

The Ultimate Satisfaction Bundle and Satisfying Specials Bundle are available now for a separate purchase on the Xbox Store. The individual special packs have all been released previously, please be careful not to purchase anything in duplicate.

The post PowerWash Simulator: The Muckingham Files Part 6 and New Special Pack Bundles Coming to Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Elden Ring Nightreign Day-One Patch Makes Important Changes Ahead of Official Release Date

Elden Ring Nightreign’s release is just hours away, and publisher Bandai Namco has detailed its day-one patch, which makes some important changes to the game.

Patch 1.01 is out now, Bandai Namco said, with the multiplayer spin-off set to go live on May 29 or May 30, depending on your timezone. Check out the Elden Ring Nightreign global release times for more.

The patch, Bandai Namco said, improves “handling” of playable characters, makes balance adjustments, tweaks text, adds character scenarios, and adds to the soundtrack. There are bug fixes in there, too.

“This update brings gameplay and stability improvements to ensure an optimal experience for your first steps in Limveld,” Bandai Namco said. You’ll know you have the latest version of the game on launch day if you see ‘Ver. 1.01’ displayed on the bottom right of the title screen.

In IGN’s recent interview with Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki, the development lead discussed the choice to lean on solos and trios as the core experience options. When asked why there’s no option for a pair of players to drop in together without a matchmade third player, Ishizaki said it was overlooked.

“The simple answer is that this is simply something that was overlooked during development as just a two-player option, so we’re very sorry about that,” said Ishizaki. “As we said before, we set out to make this a multiplayer co-op game for three players, balanced for three players, so that was the main focus and it’s at the core of Nightreign.

“Of course, I myself as a player understand that and often want times where I’m just playing myself, so this is something that we considered from the start,” Ishizaki continued. “And so we did put a lot of effort into creating this experience that was playable for solo players in as much as the rules and new systems allowed. So in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well.”

So if you’re playing with just your favorite duos partner, be ready to accept a random third into your lives. Who knows? You might match up with someone pretty good at the game.

Check out these crucial Elden Ring Nightreign tips and tricks we put together from the network test — and keep an eye on the IGN Nightreign wiki for plenty more guides when the game launches.

Elden Ring Nightreign update 1.01 patch notes:

  • Improved handling of playable characters
  • Soundtrack addition and adjustments
  • Text adjustments
  • Balance adjustments
  • Added character scenarios
  • Bug fixes

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Ukrainian government call out new Russian-made Steam release as Kremlin propaganda

The Ukrainian government-run Center for Countering Disinformation have released a warning about a new free-to-play shooter, Squad 22: ZOV, which they say is a blaring propaganda instrument for the Russian military that “mythologises” the country’s invasion and bombardment of Ukraine since 2022. The accusation actually dates back to February this year, but it has resurfaced and picked up pace online now that Squad 22 is actually on sale via Steam. Valve have yet to comment.

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Persona 4 remake is on the way, according to one annoyed voice actor

A voice actor who featured in Persona 4 has let slip that a remake of the school days JRPG is in the works, mostly because he’s frustrated the developers don’t want him back to perform as his original character. Yuri Lowenthal, who played clumsy bicycle crasher Yosuke in the original 2008 game, expressed some revealing annoyance with developers Atlus in a post on social media that has since been deleted.

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Nintendo Reveals New Game Modes & Items For Mario Party Jamboree – Switch 2 Edition

It’s time to get frantic.

We are quickly closing in on the 24th July release date for the catchily-titled Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, and Nintendo has lifted the lid on a bunch of new features we can expect to find when playing on the new console.

This all comes courtesy of an update to the game’s official Japanese website, which states (via Google Translate) that the Switch 2 version “Introduces the new ‘Tag Rule,’ a 2-on-2 battle, and the ‘Climax Rule,’ where the winner is decided in five turns”. Until we get the official English translation, we’d imagine that those names might be a little different, but look! New game modes!

Read the full article on nintendolife.com