You could open today’s door, sure. You could also blow it up with an explosive, though. Or shoulder-barge your way through the wall beside it. Or plant some C4 on the ceiling and go up and over. Or I think that’s a load-bearing pillar over there – may as well just bring down the entire advent calendar to find out what’s behind today’s door.
2025 draws near.
The working week is over so it’s time to find out what we’re all up to with the latest edition of What Are You Playing!
This week in the world of Nintendo, we finally got a release date for the hotly-anticipated Wario Land-like Antonblast, we heard that Digital Eclipse’s Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is not, in fact, delayed, and we took a peek behind the curtain of Mario & Luigi: Brothership as Nintendo released a new entry in its Ask the Developer series. There was also the news of Pokémon TV’s return and some mysterious ‘Switch 2’ accessories began to appear in Chinese markets. Hmm.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Time flies when you’re all-star brawling.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fans around the world have this week taken to social media and other parts of the internet to celebrate the game’s sixth anniversary.
This entry was originally released exclusively for the Switch on 7th December 2018 and was followed up with multiple major game updates as well as two DLC Fighter Passes. The famous Japanese publication Famitsu even took a moment to acknowledge this special occasion:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Pre-orders open next week.
Following Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town‘s localisation for the eShop in October, the game is now getting a physical Switch release.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Umm…YES?
ININ Games announced last week that it has officially gained the publishing rights to Shenmue III, the long-awaited third entry in the cult Dreamcast series. Of course, here at Nintendo Life, that got us thinking about the future of the series — particularly given than none of the games have appeared on Switch. And now, ININ Games has shared a survey on social media, asking fans to answer “a couple questions on Shenmue III”.
While the survey, which you can access right here, asks questions like “What’s your favourite moment in the whole Shenmue series?” and “What graphics and performance improvements would you like to see for Shenmue III?”, there’s one big one that caught our eye:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
After laying off 20% of its staff early in 2024, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure studio Deck Nine has announced that it’s been hit with more layoffs to end the year.
In a statement posted to X/Twitter, Deck Nine Games CEO Mark Lyons wrote they’d have to “say goodbye to some of our talented team members,” but didn’t specify how many would be affected by the cuts.
— Deck Nine Games (@DeckNineGames) December 6, 2024
“This was an extremely difficult decision and reflects the challenging times many companies in our industry are currently facing,” Lyons wrote. “We are extremely grateful to every individual who has dedicated their hard work, passion and commitment to making transformative entertainment with us.”
Deck Nine, which is also behind Life Is Strange entries Before the Storm and True Colors as well as The Expanse: A Telltale Series, released Double Exposure to positive reviews (IGN gave it a 9/10) at the end of October. The studio, however, has been plagued with issues before today’s layoffs; earlier this year, we at IGN ran an extensive report about its internal struggles with toxicity, hate speech, crunch, and more.
Deck Nine announced the last round of layoffs in February. Prior to those layoffs, IGN understood the studio employed roughly between 100 and 130 staffers. It’s unclear how many remain after the two rounds of layoffs this year. Deck Nine laid off around 30 employees in May 2023 as well.
The original developer of Life Is Strange, Don’t Nod, also announced layoffs in October after canceling two in-development projects amid a reorganization.
Today’s Deck Nine announcement is unfortunately only the latest layoff news to hit the games industry as the year wraps up. Earlier this week, Ubisoft revealed that it would be shutting down two production studios and laying off 277 employees in the process.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
The protagonists of two of my all time favourite RPGs share something in common. Both (the best Final Fantasy game) Final Fantasy 8’s Squall and The Witcher 3’s Geralt simply cannot get enough of leaving their friends and the entire world in mortal peril while they sneak in a quick round of cards, and I love them for it. Way back when the Wild Hunt released, there was a special edition kicking about that gave you a few decks for Gwent – the fleshed-out, playable card distraction that ended up being responsible for some of the game’s best moments. I pined for those decks, but I never acquired them. Now, Hatchette Board Games is putting out a full physical edition of Gwent next year.
The set contains “over 400 cards and a playmat” for £44/$39.99. I’m still recovering from various Fantasy Flight LCGs, so my value sense for this stuff might be a bit skewed, but that strikes me as incredibly reasonable. A good Gwent deck consists of only about 25 cards. They’re not bad cards, either! I’ve got a real pet hate for tabletop versions of videogames that just use in-engine screenshots for the cards, but these ones look to have the proper artwork from the game on them:
Update: A last minute delay slipped by.
Published Tue 5th Nov, 2024 17:30 GMT
Publisher Clear River Games and developer City Connection have today announced that the arcade shoot ’em up Under Defeat will be flying onto Switch on 5th December.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hello Adventurers! Today marks a huge milestone for our small studio, IronOak Games. We are ecstatic to let the Xbox community know that you will be able to play For the King II via Xbox Game Pass on December 12!
We expect there to be hardened veterans of For the King reading this, but new recruits are joining the ranks of the Resistance, so gather round and let us tell you more about what awaits you…
For The King II is the sequel to the massively popular For The King. Building on the successes of its predecessor, For The King II follows suit by bringing innovation and exciting gameplay to a much-loved RPG that blends the borders of rogue-lite elements and tabletop gameplay. There’s multiplayer, grid-based combat, fantastical adventure, and it’s flooded with opportunities for terrible party decisions. What more could you want? We have already been out for a year on Steam, which means Xbox users will receive the best version of the game, including the new infinite dungeon mode, skins, items, and plenty more!
So, what is threatening Fahrul, you ask? The once beloved Queen Rosomon has turned against her subjects, gained immeasurable power, and partnered with nefarious forces both old and new. Gather your party in four player co-op, or adventure alone through Fahrul as you risk everything to fight the tyrannical queen and bring an end to her oppressive reign.
Entering Fahrul For The First Time?
Each biome has a Sanctum and a Stone Hero. Make sure to find each of them before moving into a new area. Sanctums give great buffs and a revive, while Stone Heroes are crucial to help level up quickly.
The Biggest Changes Between For The King and For The King II
The most obvious change is that we’ve expanded the party size. For The King II allows up to four players so you can have a bigger party, or you can play in a group of two and no one is the odd person out now that each can control two characters. Another really big change is combat. Combat now takes place on a grid, rather than a single line. We’ve added a ton of new mechanics that allow for AOE spells, movement across tiles, tile buffs and debuffs, row attacks. There are a lot of ways to take on the baddies of Fahrul.
Perfect Party Composition
I like to head out into Fahrul with the Hunter, Herbalist, Busker, and Blacksmith. This gives me a blend of magical and physical damage while getting a good range of flexibility across most stats. After unlocking more characters I do like to run with the Alchemist equipped with the Nimble trait.
What Makes For The King II Replayable?
Two areas really stick out for me with how replayable and addictive FTKII is. Multiplayer being one, it’s a great game to hop in and out of with different friend groups, and different playstyles; two, there are so many ways to approach each chapter, or the Dark Carnival that no two runs are ever the same.
Thank you for being part of our next chapter, and we hope you enjoy For The King II!
The post For the King II Comes to Xbox Game Pass on December 12 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Explore the dark, twisted realm of Wraeclast when Path of Exile 2 Early Access launches today on PS5. With extensive endgame systems, customizable skill and build progression, new Ascendancies, and more – there’s lots to explore and uncover. Players have six character classes, each of whom has been cast aside for various reasons.
Command legions of the dead from a distance, or wield a hammer, bow, or go full-on artillery. Six classes stand before you, each one a gateway to untold carnage:
With the new Uncut Gems, your power knows no bounds. Unlock a vast array of skills, mixing and matching Support Gems that transform your abilities — making them faster, deadlier, and more destructive, depending on your playstyle.
Every step leads you closer to unspeakable horrors. The Iron Count will test your resolve with a barrage of vicious attacks. And beware of Zicoatl, the Warden of the Core, whose snaking heads writhe with malice, ready to strike down anyone who dares challenge it.
And if you think you’ve mastered it all, completing Act 1 through Act 3 will unlock Cruel Difficulty for the endgame which requires you to complete the campaign all over again. Expect a whole new level with more brutal challenges, but better rewards for those who can survive the carnage.
Seven distinct endgame systems await. Players can also access special passive trees which boost the reward of your maps and change how various mechanics work in the endgame. To become stronger, complete the Trials of Ascendancy. The Trial of Sekhemas will challenge your limits and grant unimaginable power that boosts character progression. The Trial of the Chaos God is another way of Ascending but requires a token from a strange entity. As you enter each room of the Trial, the stakes are high. The same also goes for the downsides as it becomes more perilous than the last.
You are not alone in this, though. Journey into the deadly continent of Wraeclast with a companion, or go in a group of six.
Take the first steps into Path of Exile 2 Early Access on PS5 today and face the horrors that await.
