Rival survival sims Palworld and the just-launched Enshrouded are now openly battling for hearts and minds on Steam, and here comes genre supremo Valheim out of the blind corner like, errrr, one of the celebrity WWE wrestlers who hasn’t turned out to be Problematic – I don’t know, maybe Zack Sabre Jr? Educate me, wrestling fans.
Valheim isn’t waving a folding chair or a small flight of stairs, mind you. It’s holding a development diary for the forthcoming Ashlands update, due sometime in the first half of 2024. The update introduces the titular Ashlands biome, a blend of graveyard and volcano level notable for the presence of burning skellingtons, some of whom emerge from glowering stone totems.
A Cyberpunk 2077 player has discovered an Easter egg more than three years after the game launched, denoting a very on-brand theme of the game hidden within a secret message written in Latin.
Reddit user CommercialLeg2439 spotted the secret message in Pacifica, specifically on the Grand Imperial Mall. As the sun sets in Night City, the lights of the mall flicker, and only a select few in its name actually light up.
Instead of Grand Imperial Mall, the sign instead reads “gra d imperi l mali”. Fans have debated a little how this translates exactly, but “gra imperi mali” means “thanks to the evil government”. Another possible solution keeps the first “d” in, translating to “degree of evil government”. One user even suggested the random “l” towards the end could be the roman numeral of 50, meaning something like the “degree of 50 evil governments” or “thanks to the 50 evil governments”, a reference to the 50 states of America.
Regardless, the hidden message feeds very well into Cyberpunk 2077’s core themes, that of a corrupt world in which regular people systematically fall victim to the laws and corporations which tower over them.
“This is one insane catch,” AHappyRaider commented on the post. “I swear, all the clever and hidden s**t in this game that I don’t initially catch is making me feel stupid,” Adjunct_Junk added. “Let alone all that borderline David Lynchian FF:06:B5 stuff.”
This references Cyberpunk 2077’s biggest ongoing mystery, which will no doubt have fans obsessing over again thanks to this Latin message being spotted. The mystery, known simply as FF:06:B5, began when players discovered the code on a statue worshipped by monks in Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City. A series of other numbers hidden throughout the city attracted even more attention, and a Reddit page dedicated to FF:06:B5 now has more than 24,000 members.
Before Doom became the lean, mean murdermachine we know and love, Id Software had far bigger plans for their seminal satanic FPS. Ideas dropped during development include a big focus on story, four playable characters, elemental shields, demonic weapons, and more. The mod Doom Delta brings to life many such ideas from sources including an old design document and leaked alpha builds, which I think makes it fanfic? A new version of Doom Delta launched last week, offering a curious vision of the many Dooms Id didn’t make.
Like Solid Snake stealthily escaping Shadow Moses, Epic snuck out Metal Gear’s famous sidekick Raiden as part of the V28.10 update.
The Raiden currently available to buy in Fortnite is the version of the character from Metal Gear Solid 2, not, as some had wondered (hoped?), from the more recent and eternally memed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
You can catch Fortnite’s Raiden working with Snake in the video below:
And while you can choose to play as Raiden with his helmet on or off, Fortnite does not include a naked Raiden skin, unfortunately. Still, that hasn’t dampened some of the… enthusiastic reaction to Raiden’s Fortnite incarnation, with fans pointing out he looks ever so slightly different in the waist and, ahem, bulge department. Perhaps Raiden shouldn’t complain, given Epic stripped Solid Snake of his epic ass.
Me explaining why Raiden’s fertile hips are necessary to his character and mgs2 as whole and how it is a disservice for Fortnite not have them and shows the devs did not properly do their research pic.twitter.com/L3htwXY4cT
I will be on my deathbed in like 55 years and still be forever grateful that Fortnite added Metal Gear Solid 2 Raiden instead of Metal Gear Rising https://t.co/1YjwlOwfgl
Perhaps Raiden skins from Metal Gear Solid 4 and Rising: Revengeance will come at a later date. Until then, Fortnite players can rekindle memories of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, now Raiden is in the mix.
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.
I realised several hours into my Enshrouded playthrough that I have an unspoken internal checklist for what makes a great open-world survival crafting game. Great building, a sense of scale, a beautiful atmosphere, and the ability to die in extremely stupid ways. In Minecraft, it’s digging straight down into lava. In Valheim, it’s getting crushed by the very tree you’d just chopped down. And after dying for the third time by trying to climb a slightly-too-steep hill, slipping down and building enough momentum to send me careening off the cliff to my death, I realised that Enshrouded, too, ticks all the boxes for maybe one day being listed among the titans of the genre.
One paragraph in, and I’ve already compared Enshrouded to Valheim. You’ll see that quite a bit throughout this review, and for good reason. Enshrouded has come the closest for me to recapturing that feeling of when the world collectively discovered Valheim for the first time. But that’s both an accolade and a reservation. Because it’s not quite there… yet.
Well, this is a surprise! Out of the blue, Nintendo has announced that the long-awaited Splatoon 3 ‘Side Order‘ DLC will be coming our way on 22nd February.
This one has been a long time coming. The single-player expansion was first announced back in last year’s February Direct, and was given a ‘Spring 2024’ release window in the September one. Today’s surprise announcement looks like things jumped forward a little, though.
Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from the award-winning creators behind Skyrim and Fallout 4, Bethesda Game Studios. Gamers from around the world were excited to jump into this interstellar universe rich with adventure, peril, and excitement.
But before anyone hops into space, they need something critical: a spacesuit.
So, Xbox has partnered up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to give Starfield fans around the world a chance to win the spacesuit of their dreams, in real life, in addition to other incredible Xbox prizes. This is a physical, wearable, one-of-a-kind garment, fabricated for the most intrepid explorers.
Whether using a provided template as a base, or pushing their imagination to the limit with any creative format of their choice, fans will be asked to provide both a visual illustration of the suit from all sides—hand-drawn, 3D-rendered, or however their vision sees fit—as well as a description of the inspiration of the suit. More specifically, Xbox, Bethesda and the ESA want to know what you would wear in outer space – how would your spacesuit reflect your personal style, individuality and vision for space travel?
After submitting suits through the campaign webpage, the most creative option—the one that truly gives weight to the phrase “out-of-this-world individual style”—will win a full replica of their design, complete with an authentic ESA patch. The contest opens today and runs until 8pm Pacific Time on February 24, 2024, so make sure to hit that spacesuit workbench soon. After that, the winning suit will enter a two-month intensive fabrication process on the path to becoming reality. To see the full rules, visit here.
Fantastic role-playing games are all about player expression, and this contest allows fans to experience that in a completely different way. Our stories are unique to us, so what we wear while we travel through those stories should be too. So, submit your own design, then while you wait, we suggest downloading and exploring the worlds of Starfield with Xbox Game Pass.
About Starfield
Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery. Experience it for yourself on Xbox Game Pass.
Hi, all the Wanderers, welcome back! I’m Sky, the lead designer at Hotta Studio of Perfect World Games.
Brace yourselves, as Tower of Fantasy is gearing up for a compelling collaboration with the iconic sci-fi anime, Evangelion. The buzz around this collaboration has been incredible, and today, I’m thrilled to share the latest scoop on the collaboration content. Additionally, we’ll delve into previews of the future versions, version 3.6 and version 4.0, and spill the beans on the upcoming PS5 physical copy!
Evangelion Fantasy
First and foremost, we’re overjoyed to be able to collaborate with Evangelion! Many on our team are fans of this timeless anime, and that passion fueled our entire development process.
We will introduce Shinji Ikari, Asuka Shikinami Langley, and Rei Ayanami to the Vera Sector. As the Angels launch a sudden assault, players will join forces with these iconic characters to thwart the crisis. During the collaboration, you can obtain simulacrums of Asuka Shikinami Langley and Rei Ayanami. The inclusion of these beloved characters is bound to inject a fresh dose of vitality into your gaming adventure!
In our quest for authenticity, we recreated the captivating visuals of the original anime. Whether it’s the colossal Angels or the EVA units—EVA-00, EVA-01, and EVA-02—we’ve replicated them on a 1:1 scale. Our aim is for players to truly feel the impact of these giant EVAs when they make their grand entrances in the story. Furthermore, we’ve faithfully reproduced classic scenes from the original anime within the game’s narrative. While the specific details are currently under wraps, we can’t wait for you to experience them firsthand in the game.
We’ve absorbed the enchanting designs from the original Evangelion anime, extracting design elements from the entry plug and seamlessly integrating them as a vehicle into the Tower of Fantasy world. In our expansive open-world, vehicles are essential for exploring, and our new collaborative vehicle promises a one-of-a-kind exploration experience.
Now, onto a familiar face—Pen Pen! This adorable companion will join the adventure as a smart servant to accompany players on their journey.
This collaboration is set to unfold in the first half of 2024. We’re actively fine-tuning the content, with each team member pouring their heart into blending the essence of the original Evangelion anime with our love for Tower of Fantasy. We hope this collaboration will allow you to experience the perfect fusion of Evangelion and Tower of Fantasy, and enjoy the wonderful feeling of forming bonds with these beloved characters.
Preview of future versions
In the upcoming version 3.6 Beyond Horizons set to launch on January 30, the new map Aquaville will be introduced, marking the final piece of Domain 9. Compared to the other three areas in Domain 9, Aquaville exhibits a distinct sci-fi style, offering a completely different atmosphere.
At the core of Aquaville is the Distant Beacon Cabin 8, with industrial and commercial zones constructed along the inner walls of Cabin 8. As you first enter the space capsule, you’ll witness the breathtaking sight of a folded city. Moreover, Cabin 8 features a unique gravity system, with a special road known as the gravity rail connecting various areas scattered across the inner walls. Progressing along the gravity rail will provide you with a thrilling map-running experience of spinning in the air.
In version 3.6, we’re introducing a brand-new Simulacrum character named Plotti. Hailing from the Hykros headquarters, Algorithm Ark, Plotti serves as the rotating Authorizer, a hacker responsible for maintaining Gesthos and monitoring the operation of Omnium reactors across different time and space dimensions. Her every move adheres to protocols and regulations, yet beneath the surface, a rebellious side is hinted at, suggesting a completely different personality. Her weapon EP-7000 Skyfire is a dual-attribute hand cannon with fire and physical properties, set to launch on January 30.
As a game with long-term operation plans, Tower of Fantasy has much more in store for future versions. New companions, new open world, and stories will unfold in version 4.0—stay tuned for the what’s to come!
Physical copy information
Finally, we have some more news to share with you! Tower of Fantasy is set to release a physical copy, including the following in-game items:
For specific release details, please stay tuned for official announcements.
That concludes our sharing this time. Thank you all for your support. We hope you find joy and surprises throughout your Tower of Fantasy adventure.
An official Dungeons & Dragons VR game is now in the works, courtesy of Demeo developer Resolution Games.
Resolution Games, best known for digital fantasy tabletop adventure Demeo, is working with Wizards of the Coast on the first virtual reality game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
“As anyone who’s played Demeo can guess, we’re incredibly huge fans of tabletop roleplaying games,” said Tommy Palm, founder and CEO of Resolution Games.
“They have an unparalleled power to bring people together to create shared experiences, and that’s something we’ve tried to capture, too, with nearly every release in our library. Dungeons & Dragons offers one of the richest fantasy worlds that has ever been created, and it only gets bigger with every new sourcebook and adventure. We’re beyond humbled to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible IP and look forward to sharing the first details of this new project in the future.”
Resolution Games looks like a good pick for this project, given Demeo was inspired by Dungeons & Dragons (Demeo and the second game in the franchise, Demeo Battles, are playable on PC and in VR, with Demeo also available on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2).
“Resolution Games has a clear understanding of how to bring players together and capture the fun of tabletop gaming on digital platforms in an accessible way,” added Eugene Evans, SVP of digital strategy and licensing at Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro.
“They are an ideal partner to bring a new Dungeons & Dragons video game to life in VR and beyond. Dungeons & Dragons and our other world class gaming brands continue to attract amazing partners as we execute our strategy to grow our digital games portfolio through licensing and internal development.”
No screenshots or videos of the new Dungeons & Dragons game were released, nor was a release window or target platforms. Resolution Games said more details will be shared at a later date.
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.
Spoiler Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its Blood and WIne expansion.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a direct sequel in the form of a Dark Horse comic book called The Witcher: Corvo Bianco.
Revealed on Dark Horse’s website, the Corvo Bianco name will be familiar to those who played the Blood and Wine expansion, which took players to Toussaint and rewarded protagonist Geralt of Rivia with his own vineyard.
That vineyard was called Corvo Bianco, and while Geralt retired there with his beloved Yennefer (or Triss), the comic will see that lush life uprooted as he must return to the rugged life of a witcher once more.
“For a witcher, the simple life can be hard to come by, and even harder to pass up,” the official synopsis said. “When Geralt acquires a taste for a slower pace — good wine and good company — the routines of a witcher are easily eclipsed. With Yennefer at his side, one might hope that Geralt will truly get to enjoy a taste of the good life. But the stains of history are deep, and with blood and wine, every drop attracts those who want more.”
The first issue of the five part comic will arrive on May 8, 2024, three months after the current comic run, The Witcher: Wild Animals will end. It’s written by Bartosz Sztybor with art from Corrado Mastantuono. Corvo Bianco will be the ninth comic released by Dark Horse that tells a fresh story within CD Projekt Red’s canonical Witcher universe.
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