After surprising us all by launching on Switch last month, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII has today landed its first update.
There’s a boatload to cover in this one, though the headline additions include the arrival of the Bermuda Triangle, updates to the Modern Age Geographic Society victory path and the ability to convert holy cites. Naturally, Firaxis has also implemented a bunch of UI and gameplay tweaks for good measure, so things should run a little smoother in ver. 1.1.0.
Mecha Break Open Beta Begins Today: Tips on Choosing Your Striker
Nick NielsenSr. Social Media Manager, Seasun Games
Mecha Break is the PvP mech shooter you’ve been waiting for – and the game’s Open Beta Test starts today! In this test, you will be able to experience 3 distinct game modes: 3v3, 6v6, and a sprawling PvPvE extraction game mode called Mashmak.
Before you can take part in our mech battles you’ll first need to choose your mech, or “Striker”, each featuring its own unique weapons and abilities. With 13 different Strikers to choose from in the Open Beta Test, picking the right one will be key to your success. To help you on your way, here are our tips for every single one, and what kind of player fits them best.
Alysnes
Alysnes is your first Striker and a classic all-rounder. A Medium Attacker, featuring both devastating ranged and melee options, Alysnes is perfect for a jack-of-all-trades! If you find yourself low on health, don’t worry – Alysnes has a unique Armor Purge mechanic that gives you a second chance at victory!
Aquila
Aquila is a Heavy Sniper with some major firepower. It’s perfect for a crack shot who wants some beefy defense. Unlike most snipers, Aquila excels in maintaining advantageous positioning with their Airborne Kit, not to mention locking down enemy units with their Claw Drone to ensure their shot never misses.
Falcon
A terror in the skies, Light Attacker Falcon embodies the heart of an ace pilot zipping through the air, quickly striking opponents before they’re already moving on to another target. With multiple missile barrages available, Falcon can bombard an area and quickly reposition for another strike.
Hurricane
A storm is brewing! Hurricane is an Ultra-Heavy Defender. By focusing the crystals in its armaments, they can redirect their power to target a wide area, denying enemies the chance to retaliate. This one is for players who like to wipe out the competition while remaining safe amid the carnage.
Inferno
When we say Ultra-Heavy Attacker, we mean it! This Striker can focus a high-powered energy beam onto a single target for huge amounts of damage. Some call them a sleeping giant. We call them Inferno.
Luminae
This Light Support Striker has two modes: Support or Corruption. While in Support Mode, your Drone Launcher will repair allies over time. Swap to Corruption mode, and it will attach to an enemy Striker and directly attack its health, bypassing their shields. This mech is for those who want the best of both worlds.
Narukami
As a Light Sniper, Narukami excels in quick hits that pack a punch. Utilize their Optical Camo Drone and Decoy Drones to confuse the enemy and multiply their damage before grappling away. This Striker is for players who like to be sneaky.
Panther
Panther is a Medium Brawler that can charge and single out enemy Strikers with a giant lance to deal pinpoint damage that bypasses all shields. This is one Striker that will excel in the hands of a player who likes to get up close and personal.
Pinaka
Pinaka is a Medium Support that can deploy shields, wall off areas, and provide crucial support for Strikers in need of repair. This Striker is perfect for players who want to command the battlefield.
Skyraider
Aerial denial is the name of the game here. Skyraider is a Medium Attacker that comes equipped with armaments that excel in crowd control and area denial. Their ability to transform between a biped or aerial unit gives it the versatility to handle most situations.
Stego
With a front-facing shield, micro missiles, and rockets upon rockets, the Ultra-Heavy Attacker Stego is the epitome of ‘mess around and find out’! If you find yourself in a sticky situation, use your Complex Haze Diffuser to disrupt enemies and zip away to safety.
Tricera
The crown prince of “pull the trigger”, Ultra-Heavy Defender Tricera features four heavy-duty gatling guns that rip and tear through enemy strikers. Their turret mode comes complete with high-capacity shields and Healing Drones, meaning that it can take a beating and dish it out.
Welkin
A big mech deserves a big axe. Not only can the Heavy Brawler Welkin cleave through the opposition, but they can also lock down enemy strikers in their Stasis Shield to savor every last slash. Perfect for those who walk quietly and carry a big stick.
The most important part of selecting a Striker is… variety. You’ll have plenty of time during the Open Beta Test, so hop into the robust training mode, and give each Striker a try to find your favorites!
The Mecha Break Open Beta Test begins today. See you on the battlefield!
For newcomers to Monster Hunter, the sudden success of Wilds might seem like it came out of nowhere. But Capcom has been fine-tuning its massively successful Monster Hunter series for global domination for years and the result is what looks to be one of the best-selling games in the series.
In Monster Hunter Wilds, players can immediately choose from an almost overwhelming arsenal of weapons, each with their own unique playstyle, whether that’s heavy, brutish weapons like the Great Sword, something more nimble like the Dual Blades, or ranged weapons like the Bowgun.
There’s a temptation – I think partly because it is Monster Hunter’s most iconic weapon – to start out using the big swords and switch axes first, but these cumbersome weapons have to be used in a very specific way, prioritizing intentional swings instead of brute force. As such, they’re not the easiest thing to get to grips with at first. Instead, I’d opt for something a little more nimble like the Dual Blades, which unlocks a world of quick attacks and dodges. The difference is transformative: when maining a big sword, Monster Hunter echoes the considered combat and careful approach of Dark Souls; using Dual Blades, it’s reminiscent of Devil May Cry’s action-focussed combat.
Indeed, compared to previous Monster Hunters, Wilds changes up the combat to make it a bit more in-line with modern action games. While you still need to sheathe your weapon if you want to heal, combat feels more intuitive to anyone who’s played an action RPG from the last five years. That said, the main difference – and why picking a weapon that best suits the way you play – is unlike other action RPGs, which let players customize the way they want to play through skill trees, in Monster Hunter it’s all down to weapon choice.
The decision you make at the start defines the experience you’ll have, then. If your preference is something super fast and combo heavy, that makes you feel like Dante’s been transported to the Monster Hunter series, go for the Dual Blades, which relies on fast attacks, quick dodges, and building up a meter that, when full, can unleash a rapid combo on downed enemies.
On the flip side, if you prefer something that can deal heavy damage while keeping your defences up and maintain mobility, the sword and shield is a great starter weapon. The lance – one of the least popular weapons in the game because it favors defense over flashy attacks – combines both a big weapon and shield. Its parries and counter-attacks aren’t for everyone, but practice and you get a very unique combat experience.
There are also ranged weapons like the Bowguns, which are equally if not more powerful than melee weapons. If you’re going to pick one of these, remember to pack enough ammo and make sure you’re bringing the best ones for the particular monster you’re fighting.
There are 14 weapons to choose from, each with unique abilities and characteristics, but they’re effectively divided into three main types – heavy, which deal massive damage in exchange for speed, light weapons that deal rapid attacks, and technical weapons. But there are also those that sit between these archetypes – the Gunlance has range capabilities, the Charge Blade can become a big axe or smaller blade with a button press, and the Insect Glaive and Hunting Horn can be used to gain unique buffs with the right combos.
There’s a ton of choice but don’t get overwhelmed. Try out every weapon in the game’s tutorial before you fully commit, because you will definitely find the right fit for you, whether that’s kicking up a frenzy like Dante or prioritizing strategy like Dark Souls.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is set to release July 11 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Nintendo Switch, and PC (see it at Amazon). However, the more expensive editions release on July 8. This collection features remastered versions of THPS3 and THPS4, both of which have additional features, including cross-platform online multiplayer. They’ll be available in a handful of editions, the details of which you can find below. Let’s dive in.
Doom Slayer and Revenant playable skaters: each includes 2 secret moves. The Doom Slayer includes 2 unique outfits and the Unmaykr Hoverboard skate deck
Additional songs included with the in-game soundtrack
Exclusive Doom Slayer, Reveneant, and Create-a-Skater skate decks
If you can do without the extras, grab the standard edition. It comes with the game itself, plus the preorder bonus (see below).
It’s also worth noting that the digital versions of this game are cross-gen, meaning the PS5 version also works on PS4, and the Xbox Series X|S version also works on Xbox One.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Digital Deluxe Edition
The digital deluxe edition costs $20 more, plays on current-gen and previous-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and includes the following digital extras:
3 day early access (July 8)
Doom Slayer and Revenant playable skaters: each includes 2 secret moves. The Doom Slayer includes 2 unique outfits and the Unmaykr Hoverboard skate deck
Additional songs included with the in-game soundtrack
Exclusive Doom Slayer, Reveneant, and Create-a-Skater skate decks
Exclusive themed Create-a-Skater items
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Will Be on Game Pass
If you plan to play on Xbox or PC, you might want to subscribe to Game Pass. The standard edition of the game is coming to Game Pass on day one (July 11) and will be available to play for no additional cost for all members.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Preorder Bonus
Preorder the game, and you’ll receive the following:
Access to the Foundry Demo
Wirefram Tony shader
What Is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4?
Just like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 did for the first two games in the series, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 collects the next two games. THPS3 originally launched in 2001, and THPS4 came out the following year. This collection also polishes these classic extreme sports games for modern hardware and TVs. It also offers new skaters, parks, tricks, music, and more.
You can now play with up to 8 players in cross-platform online multiplayer. The Create-a-Skater and Create-a-Park modes have been expanded, and you can now share your creations with others. There’s also an “enhanced” New Game+ mode. For more, check out Everything You Need to Know about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4.
Other Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
Every now and then we publish a round-up of game or demo recommendations, and all you regular readers dutifully fill the comments with recommendations of your own. FOOLS. Our round-ups are, of course, a devious trap for your curiosity and connoisseurship, designed to save us the labour of discovering good games for ourselves. You know in Batman Forever when Jim Carrey uses Riddler TV to steal everybody’s IQs? Well picture me doing that, except that I am not wearing tight green pyjamas (unless you want to picture me that way – no offence taken) and I am actually filling my skull with everything you ever knew about, in Moadra‘s case, manky Super Metroid clones.
Monster Hunter Wilds has not only surpassed eight million units sold in just three days, but it has also become the fastest Capcom game ever to reach this milestone.
In our Monster Hunter Wilds review, we said it “continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge.”
Speaking of the Monster Hunter series, Capcom revealed the franchise that began in 2004 on PlayStation 2 has exceeded 108 million units as of December 31, 2024.
Apparently leakers just can’t help themselves, as fresh details on the as-yet-unannounced Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 have been revealed ahead of an official announcement later today.
Billbil-kun, who has been known to reliably leak new games ahead of their official reveals, has uploaded two posts on social media that detail the game’s supposed release date and pre-order bonuses (thanks, VGC).
Accompanied by a slightly blurred piece of key art (though with the title visible in the bottom-right corner), the posts reveal that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will launch on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on 11th July 2025. Billbil-kun also confirms that a collector’s edition priced at $129.99 will also be available and will provide players with 3-days early access.
Monolith Productions co-founder Jace Hall has expressed a strong interest in remaking rancid horror game Condemned: Criminal Origins and its sequel, Condemned 2: Bloodshot. It’s not entirely clear how he’d do this, given that Monolith no longer exists even as a brand name, following cuts at parent company Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, and that Hall himself doesn’t seem to be directly involved with game development or publishing these days. That said, he is the sole current owner of the Condemned intellectual property. So if a remake is going to happen, it’ll need to happen through him.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Battle.net, Windows PC, Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 11 – and it’ll arrive day one with Game Pass.
This new game is faithfully remade from the ground up, adding new skaters, new parks, new music, and much more.
Pre-order today to access the Foundry Demo in June – or pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition for three days of Early Access, Doom Slayer & Revanant playable skaters, and more.
The Birdman returns on July 11 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is back. Launching on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Battle.net, Windows PC, Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and available day one with Game Pass, THPS 3+4 is at once a faithful remake of the original classic skateboarding games, but expands on the experience with new parks, skaters, and music, as well as cross-platform multiplayer, new creation tools, a New Game+ mode, and more.
Rebuilt from the ground up, THPS 3+4 will include parks from the original games as well as new locations (more on that later), plus a Career Mode that includes the original tours from both. Playing with friends? Cross-platform multiplayer supports up to 8 skaters at one time, meaning you’ll have plenty of competition.
Multiple new skaters are joining the original line-up, and you’ll also be able to create your own skater, not only customizing their appearance, but their hometown, skating style, and more. And of course, no Tony Hawk game would be complete without music, and you’ll be skating along to tracks from the original soundtrack, as well as new tracks.
THPS 3+4 builds on the work started by Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, bringing the easy-to-learn, hard-to-master controls and handling you’d expect – and for those taking on the series for the first time, an in-depth tutorial from Tony Hawk himself will walk you through exactly how to play.
Welcome to Waterpark
You may have caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar location in today’s reveal trailer – this is Waterpark, a new level added to THPS 3+4. Introduced as part of the revamped THPS 4 Tour, this is a broken-down, dried-out park in the heart of the Mojave desert – perfect for budding skaters.
The rides might not be functional any more, but they’re more than open for finding lines and trick opportunities. Six rides are open for you to try and trick off of – Down the Drain, Peak Cyclone, Twisted Vipers and more offer challenging trips down to ground level. Just skate to the entrance of each one, and you’ll be transported to the top to try your luck.
If you’re looking for something a little more chill, take a trip down the Lazy River, which snakes around the entire map, head to the Marquee for a ramp-filled area perfect for combos, or find a way to open up the Castle Slide for even more opportunities to earn points.
Pre-Order Now for Early Access and More
Pre-orders for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 open today, and will give you access to the Foundry Demo (not available on Nintendo Switch). Kicking off in June, this demo will include two skaters and two parks to try out – and your pre-order will also net you an extra in-game shader for Tony Hawk at full game launch.
Pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe Edition will give you three days of Early Access to the full game – as well as some far more unexpected bonuses. Play as both the Doom Slayer (with two outfits, two unique tricks, and a hoverboard) or a Revenant (with its own two unique tricks), not to mention themed skate decks, Create-a-Skater items and bonus soundtracks.
And if you want to go all-out, the Collector’s Edition of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will come complete with a limited-edition, full-size Birdhouse skateboard deck (deck-only, other skateboard components not included) featuring a reissued version of the iconic Wings graphic and a printed Tony Hawk autograph. The Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy of the game, and all the Digital Deluxe Edition benefits.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches on July 11. Pre-orders open today. Learn more on tonyhawkthegame.com.
The birdman returns in the next-gen remake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, coming to PS5 and PS4 on July 11. The legendary skateboarding series first launched on the original PlayStation in 1999, and the shred’s not dead. It’s back and better than ever.
Skate the original content rebuilt from the ground up joined by new skaters, parks, tricks, music, and more, including enhanced creation tools and New Game+ to keep the grind going.
Here’s what’s coming down the halfpipe:
Prepare to shred
Skate through two challenge-filled tours in Career, chase high scores in Single Sessions and Speedruns, or take your time nailing tricks and exploring each park in Free Skate.
Bring your skate friends along, too. Cross-platform online multiplayer supports up to eight skaters at a time. Go head-to-head in competitive game modes or skate every surface together in multiplayer Free Skate. Whichever mode you play, the game’s smooth handling and simple-to-learn controls will have you grinding and landing tricks in no time.
Classic and new parks, New Game+
Skate the original parks from THPS3 and THPS4 remade in 4K resolution and given streamlined goals in the two-minute format along with some new parks to expand your skating options. Tackle dozens of challenges to earn in-game cash and unlock new gear including new skate decks, grip tapes, wheels for your board, and extra apparel for your skater.
Shred harder than ever in New Game+, retaining your skater’s stat growth achieved in the first playthrough as you work toward true mastery over each of the parks.
Waterpark
In the new Waterpark map, skaters drop into the Mojave Desert in an abandoned theme park that’s seen better days, its slides rusted, graffiti on the walls, and a drained-out lazy river… creating the perfect skate obstacle for circling the park. Skip the line and head straight to the top of several huge water slides, testing your grind balance and vert abilities on the way down.
New skaters, tricks, songs
Hit up the park with new skaters joining the original lineup or create your own skater with in-depth customization options for hair, tattoos, makeup, and more. Pick your skater’s name, hometown, skating style, and get out there with your arsenal of new and classic tricks.
If you’re feeling rusty, the in-game tutorial led by Tony Hawk will get you started with lessons on the all-important ollie, kickflips, vert tricks, grinds, reverts, manuals, special tricks, and everything you need to become a high-score skater, all set to songs from the original soundtrack expanded with new music.
Skate the Foundry Demo
Preorder THPS 3 + 4 to skate in the Foundry Demo in June featuring two playable skaters, two parks, and a selection of songs from the soundtrack. Players who preorder the game also gain instant access to the in-game Wireframe Tony Shader at launch.
Digital Deluxe Edition: Early Access and more
Purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition to join the Early Access period starting three days before the game’s official July 11 launch date. Plus, get access to some sick in-game extras:
Extra skaters: Get evil with Doom Slayer and Revenant. Both skaters include a pair of unique special tricks for some truly sick moves suited to their demonic style.
Extra tracks: Expand the in-game soundtrack with a selection of headbanging tunes inspired by a classic video game.
Extra skate decks, apparel: Get additional skate decks including designs inspired by Doom Slayer and Revenant, plus extra apparel options for your skater.
Collector’s Edition: limited-edition skate deck
The Collector’s Edition is for the most dedicated skaters including a limited-edition full-size Birdhouse skateboard deck with a reissued version of the Wings graphic and a printed Tony Hawk autograph. The Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy of the game with a voucher giving access to all the Digital Deluxe Edition benefits.
Get shredding
Preorders are now available for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which launches on PS5 and PS4 on July 11. Stay tuned for more information to come.
