Stardew Valley creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone has warned fans that it will “be a while” before the highly anticipated Stardew Valley 1.7 update is ready.
Barone confirmed we’d get a Stardew Valley 1.7 update last month at the Stardew Valley concert, although at the time, he stressed there was “no release date, no estimate, but it’s happening.”
Now, however, Barone is working to contain the excitement, responding to fans asking for “maybe a sneak peak [sic]” to say “more will come, I just don’t want too much hype at this point.”
Last time, PC players were able to jump into the free 1.6 update several months before those on console and mobile, but for 1.7, Barone says he will “do my best to minimize the delay between [releasing on PC and other platforms] so as not to have the same problem as last update” and keep Haunted Chocolatier on track, too.
Back in May, Barone admitted that he “didn’t want to just be the Stardew Valley guy,” explaining that was why he’s currently working on Haunted Chocolatier. We shouldn’t expect a release date anytime soon, though — there’s “still a lot to be done,” Barone recently admitted, particularly as he feels it’s “got to be better” than Stardew Valley.
We enjoyed our time with the farm simulator when we reviewed it way back in 2016, awarding it 8.8 “Great” in our original Stardew Valley review. When we revisited the game in 2024, however, we hailed it a 10/10 “masterpiece,” writing: “Stardew Valley is not only the best farming game I’ve played, it is one of my favorite games of all time. That myself and others keep returning to this eight-year old gem each time it gets even the smallest update speaks to how it’s truly a masterpiece in the genre it both reinvigorated and has come to define.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
From the second Nintendo revealed Pauline was in Donkey Kong Bananza, a timeline theory began to take shape in our heads. But then we wrapped the game up, and our prequel presumptions weren’t as nailed on as we’d expected.
We still don’t have an official answer for how Bananza Pauline is related to Odyssey Pauline, and according to producer Kenta Motokura, we ain’t going to get one any time soon.
Survival horror took a step onto chilling new ground when Silent Hill first emerged from the mists in 1999 on PlayStation. Since then, each return to the titular fictional American town has been hotly anticipated, leading to this latest instalment which adds a keen new perspective to its bleeding edge. I got to explore the fictional Japanese town of Ebisugaoka in the final version of Silent Hill f to discover what’s new to the series, as well as familiar elements that fans will love.
Four ways Silent Hill f changes the series’ formula:
1. Combat is more modern
Intriguingly, there are a couple carryovers from the remake of Silent Hill 2, with a new spin. It pays to be strategic with your light attacks (R1) and heavy attacks (R2), the latter capable of a staggering counterattack against some enemies, letting you strike them without risk. It feels responsive without overpowering the vulnerability essential to the genre.
On the flip side, protagonist Hinako Shimizu is a little more agile than your typical Silent Hill main. Time your press of the Circle button just right and you’ll activate a perfect dodge, replenishing Hinako’s stamina. Attacking and dodging saps stamina, making perfect dodges crucial to master.
2. Unusual Yokai will break your sanity…
Memorable monster design is key to any horror story, and Silent Hill f delivers in blood-soaked spades. Where things differ here is the use of Japanese folklore and mythology to inspire many of its brutal antagonists. References to the slit-mouthed Kuchisake-onna spirits and tentacle god-beast Akkorokamui were creepy enough, but there are a number of enemies that warp the visuals of traditional Japanese dolls and figures, too.
Adding more anxiety to these scuttling monstrosities is Hinako’s sanity meter, which drains from psychological attacks, reducing your ability to use Hinako’s powerful Focus strikes (charging with L2 then hitting R1 to execute) and eventually eating into her health.
3. …But Faith helps repair it
Keeping within the theme of healing from psychological trauma, Faith is a mechanic which offers some hope for Hinako. Dotted around the intimidating environment are items such as drinks, snacks and desserts. While they’ll help restore health or stamina, you can also convert them at hokora shrines for Faith, which you can use to help recover sanity, and trade for omamori trinkets which offer buffs such as decreasing an enemy’s line of sight. You can even pray with blank ema tablets to increase maximum health, sanity, stamina, or omamori slots.
4. Different themes and a fresh perspective
Silent Hill f’s 1960s Japan setting gives the series a chance to delve into societal and cultural expectations of gender roles, something reflected in ever-present dolls both as artefacts and part of its monsters, and the complicated and sometimes toxic relationships between the characters.
This bleeds into the series’ examination of trauma, isolation and decay, but is also present through Hinako’s journal, accessed by pressing the Up Directional Button, which details some of the lore, characters and puzzle clues. Hinako’s descriptions change over time to reflect her experience, which plays into the story both on a literal and meta level.
Four ways Silent Hill f stays true to the series:
1. It looks and feels like Silent Hill should
It might be set in a different country and time period, but Silent Hill f remains as powerfully creepy as you’d expect. The minimal UI, muted colour palette and atmospheric compositions (partly crafted by long-time series composer Akira Yamaoka) all make for a classically chilling experience – along with those narrow, claustrophobic, misty maze-like areas.
You’ll also feel a slight heartbeat-like tremble from the DualSense wireless controller when Hinako runs or is close to death. Unsettling.
2. Despite its combat, this isn’t an action game
Like Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Downpour, your scarce weapons deteriorate over time, their condition handily referred to by their visual state and Hinako’s comments, so evasion rather than combat often offers better chances of survival.
There were times where I was overwhelmed by just two enemies, and there were visual puzzles I had to solve while being stalked by brutish beasts in the dark. That traditional survival horror vulnerability is still very much present.
3. An Otherworld awaits
Hinako’s hellish journey isn’t limited to Ebisugaoka. Just like many other Silent Hill games, you’re transported to a mysterious Otherworld which acts as a dark reflection of Hinako’s psyche. There, the puzzles take a more mythical tone, such as discovering and correctly placing sacred items, while my first monster encounter continued the traditional Silent Hill trait of not having a clearly visible face – in this case, a hollowed out, maggot-infested head cavity.
4. New Game Plus and multiple endings
No spoilers here, but Silent Hill f features five different endings, unlocked via the New Game+ mode after first completion. And yes, one of those endings features some classic Silent Hill humour in it. If you know, you know.
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Can you already feel the fear? It’s not long before you’ll see the horrors of Ebisugaoka for yourself when Silent Hill f claws its way onto PS5 on September 25.
Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe, the result of a deal struck between Games Workshop and Amazon for Prime Video movies and TV shows based on the famous grimdark setting, is shrouded in mystery. While it’s hugely exciting for fans, especially given Cavill’s well-documented love of Warhammer 40,000, we do not know which character he is set to play, or even which story the initial project will tell. We don’t even know which era of Warhammer, specifically, we can expect to see in live action form.
Bringing Warhammer to life “is a dream come true,” Cavill said, “but it’s different from what I’ve done before, in the sense I haven’t had my hand on the tiller of things before. It’s wonderful doing that. It is a tricky IP, and a very complex IP, and that’s what I love about it. The challenges that come with putting this on the page in a way that is doing justice to that complexity, that trickiness, and that nuance, is a challenge I’m enjoying enormously.”
But could Cavill’s social media post hint at what to expect from his Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe? Some fans think so.
The most obvious tease here is in the second picture, which shows books for the Horus Heresy tabletop game strewn about on Cavill’s table. For the uninitiated, the Horus Heresy is the Space Marine civil war that took place 10,000 years before the current Warhammer 40,000 setting. It is the foundation of 40K’s grimdark universe, and reveals how the carrion Emperor ended up on the Golden Throne.
If this photo is indeed a tease for an adaptation of the Horus Heresy, it would be a significant undertaking for Amazon. The galaxy-spanning war was epic in scale, involved planet-cracking battles, enormous super soldiers, and all sorts of mind-bending space magic. Delivering the Horus Heresy as a TV show, while exciting, would be a hugely expensive proposition if done at the scale suggested by the Black Library books. We’re talking The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power production values here, perhaps even greater.
But the Horus Heresy isn’t the only tease in Cavill’s photo. Squint at the first picture, the one with Cavill’s rugged face and his dog, and you’ll see in the background, just above his head, the Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan box set sat on a shelf.
This is the current setting for Warhammer 40,000, which revolves around the Ultramarines chapter of Space Marines defending the Imperium against the terrifying Tyranid threat. It also just happens to be the premise of the hugely successful Space Marine 2, which launched to massive sales this time last year.
Could this be a fun Cavill tease for his Amazon show? Perhaps it is set to adapt The First Tyrannic War, during which the Imperium makes first contact with the Tyranid race and all hell breaks loose?
But there’s more! Cavill posted his pics alongside a poem, Invictus by William Ernest Henley. Invictus, you say? Well, he’s only one of the most famous Ultramarines there ever was, and a hero in the war against the… Tyranids.
Indeed, Saul Invictus (now deceased in the official timeline) was the Captain of the Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter’s elite 1st Company. He was killed defending his chapter homeworld of Macragge by the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Behemoth during the First Tyrannic War.
Let’s go over that last part of the poem:
It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
Is Cavill set to play Captain Invictus in an adaptation of the First Tyrannic War? Some Warhammer 40,000 fans think so, simply due to the poem lining up with the Leviathan box set.
Of course, all the Warhammer bits and bobs in Cavill’s pictures may just be innocent window dressing and mean absolutely nothing. And it’s worth noting one character who’s often mentioned by fans as a great fit for Cavill — Eisenhorn, from Black Library author Dan Abnett’s saga of the same name — is not teased here. At least, not that we can see. An adaptation of Abnett’s much-loved Eisenhorn series would perhaps be a more realistic proposition for Amazon, not least because its main characters (Gregor Eisenhorn and Gideon Ravenor) are human inquisitors, not hulking Space Marines, and their story is more grounded.
“On 10 December 2024 we announced the conclusions of our negotiations with Amazon for the adaptation of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe into films and television series, together with associated merchandising rights,” Games Workshop said.
“The project continues in line with our contractual agreement with Amazon. This same contract prohibits us from sharing any specific details or commercial terms.
“We have great partners who continue to display their commitment to present Warhammer authentically and at the scope and scale befitting our fantastical setting. This is a long-term partnership with Amazon and there won’t be any significant news in the short term — these things take several years to bring to market.”
In the meantime, Games Workshop pointed to the well-received Warhammer 40,000 episode on Amazon Prime’s animation show Secret Level, which it described as “a taster of Warhammer IP in digital form on the small screen.”
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.
Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s hitherto beta-only update 1.0.28650 is now a fully public release that any dang fool can download without switching to a Steam playtest branch. I’m still noodling my way through the lower levels of Team Cherry’s new metroidvania, blissfully unbothered by any pressure to review it or write Silksong walkthroughs. As such, I asked our reviewer James to have a look at the patch notes and pluck out any important changes, based on his many, many hours in Pharloom.
A shadow glided over James’s face, then returned and took up residence in one earhole. Wordlessly he outstretched a gnarled finger towards item 3 on the list: “Fixed Savage Beastfly in Far Fields sometimes remaining below the lava.”
It’s all well and good to grab ridiculously expensive Pokémon TCG cards regardless of the climate, and I’m absolutely writhing in jealousy at those who can.
But imagine going back in time and pulling one of those epic chase cards straight off the shelf? Of course, you could today if you hate your bank account that much, but what about the most expensive Pokémon cards in packs right now?
Just to note, the chances of pulling these cards are extremely slim, so if you plan on spending massive amounts of money on Booster Bundles, Booster Boxes, and ETBs, bear in mind that the actual value of the card itself is usually cheaper than ripping packs. Unless you’re mega lucky, of course.
12: Team Rocket’s Moltres ex – 229/182
How can anyone not love this card? It’s got action, stunning detail, and eye-popping color that perfectly captures the Team Rocket vibe of Destined Rivals. It’s a beast in battle too, with Flame Screen dealing 110 damage while also reducing damage from the opposing Pokémon by 50.
Evil Incineration lets trainers discard a Team Rocket Energy to immediately discard the opposing Active Pokémon and all attached cards. Play it right and it could turn battles on their heads, especially since it’s a Basic Pokémon, meaning it can be set up right away on a trainer’s Bench without evolution mechanics getting in the way.
11: Lillie’s Clefairy ex – 184/159
Whilst Lillie’s Clefairy ex SIR is considered the main chase card of Journey Together, it’s quite affordable now. Due to the overhype surrounding this set and scalpers not being able to get the same astronomical amounts for it, this card soon crashed to around the $150 mark. But, it’s still a gorgeous card and a no brainer decision for your binder.
10: Latias ex – 239/191
Sharing a dual artwork with Latios Illustration Rare, Latais ex is holding its value of nearly $200 and is an absolute stunner playing on a sunset background with Latios.
Its ability allows you to switch out basic Pokémon to hit swiftly with Eon blade, which does 200 damage and stops it from attacking next turn. All trainers need to do is survive the next turn and switch out with another Pokémon for free. Rinse and repeat, love to see it.
9: Roaring Moon ex – 162/131
Roaring Moon ex SIR has held its value out of the gate since Prismatic Evolutions dropped, which is frankly amazing. The linework in this card is ridiculously intricate, giving it that cave painting vibe that goes well with ancient Pokémon found deep in Area Zero, Paldea.
It’s a cool moment too, seeing Roaring Moon seemingly escaping some sort of cosmic calamity. The more you look at it the better it gets.
8: Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – 230/182
This was one of my main chase cards from Destined Rivals, just look at it. Not only have we got mental amounts of nostalgia for Pokémon Gold and Silver OGs, but it reminds me so much of the first ever episode of Pokémon when Ho-Oh was revealed for the first time (which was before Pokémon Gold and Silver released). It’s a stunning illustration that means so much to plenty of trainers, and I half expected the $215 market value before release.
7: Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – 232/182
I’m calling Destined Rivals as the best Scarlet and Violet set for it sheer amount of detailed and expresive artwork, and Cynthia’s Garchomp ex SIR is a fantastic example of this.
With calls to the Pokémon League in the early anime (See the fire lamps at the top of the stadium) and big screen behind trainers on platforms, Garchomp can be seen lunging forward and breaking ground as it goes. Amazing card and well worth the money.
6: Pikachu ex – 238/191
Pikachu ex SIR is partially to blame for the Pokémon TCG boom that kicked off at the end of October 2024 and is still going today. After peaking at $485 at the end of 2024, it’s finally stabalized at a much for reasonable $295 at the time of writing.
It’s a good time to snap it up, if you’ve got the cash, but the amount of nostalgia and detailed yet soft artwork on this card will make it climb back up as we move away from the Scarlet and Violet era over the years to come.
5: Greninja ex – 214/167
Greninja ex SIR is my favorite in this article as I have it graded in a 10 and I’m being completely bias. Joking aside (I’m not) but this is one of the best artworks outside of Prismatic Evolutions in the Scarlet and Violet era.
Twilight Masquerade was a slept on set in my opinion, but the chances of pulling this are stacked. If you have the money upfront, i’d put it into this card instead of trying to rip packs. But I also obviously hate having fun, so the choice is yours.
4: Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex – 172/086 / 173/086
The new Black White Rare versions of Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex combine the strong movesets of their Special Illustration Rare counterparts with a prestige look worthy of their legendary status. Zekrom ex uses Slash for [CC] as an easy setup, while Voltage Burst for [LLC] scales with your opponent’s Prize cards, offsetting its 30 recoil thanks to 230 HP and synergy with Flaaffy or Miraidon ex.
Reshiram ex mirrors this on the Fire side, with Slash for [2] into Blaze Burst at [1RR], hitting 130 plus 50 per Prize card taken while discarding just one Energy. Both serve as late-game swing attackers that slot neatly into Lightning or Fire builds.
What sets them apart is the new Black White Rare treatment. The monochrome foil gives a trophy-like finish that makes them true chase pulls, striking a balance between collector prestige and competitive play. They’re the rare kind of cards you can sleeve up to win games or showcase as centerpiece collectibles.
3: Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – 231/182
What a beast of a card! Mewtwo ex SIR captured that Mewtwo’s Revenge energy so hard, immense amounts of nostalgia in this card for me. It looks like everyone agrees considering it’s currently around $450. Destined Rivals cards are up and down day after day, so no doubt we’ll see this settle at a cheaper pricepoint before it crossed the vintage checkpoint in years to come.
2: Victini – 171/086 / 172/086
Victini as a Black White Rare feels special because it combines flashy collector appeal with real deck potential. At just 80 HP it’s fragile, but V-Force hits for 120 damage with only [RR] if you keep your Bench full, making it a sneaky closer in fast Fire builds that flood the field early.
The monochrome foil treatment looks incredible and gives Victini a prestige feel that stands out, while still being a card you’ll want to try competitively just for the thrill of pulling off big trades with such a tiny attacker. The alternate 172/086 version from the White Flare half of the set is essentially the same card, with a similar price value as well.
1: Umbreon ex – 161/131
Even after Destined Rivals and Black Bolt/White Flare, it’s still the undisputed champ of rare cards. We always knew it was going to be insanely priced, and we needed a cheaper Umbreon chase card after Umbreon VMAX (Moonbreon).
Granted, it’s still a mental market price, and sitting around $1,000 still right now. But it won’t get cheaper solely because it’s Umbreon and almost anything linked to this dark type Eeveelution holds its value, trust me on this.
If you’re brave enough to drop $1,000 on Prismatic Eeveelutions boosters, or even this card standalone, I salute your efforts, and your bank account.
Honorable Mentions: Even More Eeveelutions
The money in Prismatic Evolution chase cards is insane, and it always will be, which is why the rest of the Eeveelutions need a dedicated section to themselves! These could’ve dominated the whole article, otherwise.
For starters, Glaceon ex SIR is a stunner, but I always prefer seeing Pokémon cards with a bit of movement and action in them. I have to say though, the ornate ice patterns and overall terastalisation of Glaceon is dipicted so well. It’s also one of the less eye-wateringly expensive Eeveelution cards from Prismatic Evolutions at the minute.
Keeping up the trend is one of my favorites, Jolteon ex SIR from Prismatic Evolutions. There’s been some banger Jolteon Cards in the past, for me that would be Jolteon from the Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery and the Jolteon V Sword and Shield Promo Card, but this one has unlimited energy. Just look at how expressive this card is, perfectly showcasing Jolteons speed and agility with one of the coolest backgrounds i’ve seen in a Pokémon card.
The cell shading mixed with comic book artstyle of Vaporeon ex SIR from Prismatic Evolutions is a stunner. Just look at how light is captured in every drop of water and crystal. Plus I think this is one of the cutest depictions of this water-type Eeveelution we’ve had for some time. Absolute banger of a card and would do a flip terribly if I pulled this beast.
Another beautiful pastel artwork with Espeon ex SIR. On top of Espeon being a fan favorite, it’s easy to see why this card is now over $300. I’ve never seen that many shades of purple in such a small space before, such a stunning piece of art, imagine pulling this, getting a 10 then getting it in your slabbed collection? Stuff of dreams.
I love me a good woodblock print, and Leafeon ex SIR gives me massive tradition Japanese art vibes. The bold colours, thick lines and the overall beauty of this makes it worth the price tag.Verdant storm for a grass and colourless energy can be devestating too, 60 x damage for every energy attached to all of your opponents Pokémon. Lethal!
It’s such a shame Fairy typing didn’t come back for Sylveon ex SIR, because I can’t think of a more Fairy type Pokémon card ever. It’s another stunner with a cute stance and a pastel color pallete that just makes it. There’s that much pink it just works, a fantastic card and its easy to see why it’s over $400, especially as it’s one of the most popular Eeveelutions.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Windwalk Games and Team17 have announced that the release date for their upcoming co-op roguelike, Sworn, has been shifted from 25th September, a.k.a. Hades 2 Day™, to 23rd September on PC and (other) consoles, with a Switch version due to arrive at “a later date.”
This colourful roguelike from “a team of veteran developers from Riot Games, Niantic, and Blizzard” takes inspiration from the art of the legendary Mike Mignola, has been available on PC in early access since February, where it’s gone down very well, sat as it is on a very positive rating.
Hello reader who is also a player! Once again I have failed in my fervent efforts to meddle with the Earth’s rotation so as to suspend time exactly at 11.30am, Saturday morning. I fear that another week is upon us. Fortunately, it contains some new PC games, spanning full releases and early access launches. Some of those new PC games may even be worth a modest portion of your lifespan and personal capital. Here’s a list of the ones I find most appealing or notable.
IGN’s Silent Hill f review returned a 7/10. We said: “Silent Hill f presents a fresh new setting to explore and a fascinatingly dark story to unravel, but its melee-focussed combat takes a big swing that doesn’t quite land.”
In case you’re wondering, no, Silent Hill f is not a sequel to any of the existing Silent Hill games, so you can play it even if you’ve never jumped into a Silent Hill game before. Instead, it will offer a standalone story “independent from the series.”
For most, Silent Hill f will unlock on September 25 at the times listed below, but those who pre-order the digital deluxe edition can play two days early from September 23.
Silent Hill f global release times
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 on PS5, Xbox, and Windows PC
PDT (Los Angeles):
9pm
Thursday, September 25, 2025 on PS5, Xbox, and Windows PC
EDT (New York):
12am midnight
BST (London):
12am midnight
CEST (Paris, Rome, Berlin):
12am midnight
AEST (Sydney):
12am midnight
GMT +3 (Riyadh, Istanbul):
12am midnight
JST (Tokyo):
12am midnight
HKT (Hong Kong):
12am midnight
BRT (San Paulo):
1am
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 on Epic Games and Steam
PDT (Los Angeles):
9pm
Thursday, September 25, 2025 on Epic Games and Steam
EDT (New York):
12am midnight
CEST (Paris, Rome, Berlin):
6am midnight
BST (London):
5am
AEST (Sydney):
2pm
GMT +3 (Riyadh, Istanbul):
7am
JST (Tokyo):
1pm
HKT (Hong Kong):
12pm noon
BRT (San Paulo):
1am
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Both the NES and Famicom Disk System versions are available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, with both coming in at roughly 16 minutes in length. The former, however, has one additional theme tune in the form of the three-second-long Secret Entrance, bringing its total track list to 20.
