Honkai: Star Rail version 2.7 bids farewell to Penacony on December 4

Dear Trailblazers, greetings from the Honkai: Star Rail dev team! It’s been a while, but today we’re thrilled to bring you more information about version 2.7, A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn which launches on December 4, the last chapter before the Astral Express sets its sights on the mysterious realm of Amphoreus, known as the Eternal Land. This update closes our chapter in Penacony and paves the way for a new story in version 3.0.

In the previous story arc, Black Swan suggested the Crew venture to Amphoreus — a realm so enigmatic that even the Aeon of the Trailblaze, Akivili, never managed to reach. Curious yet cautious, Miss Himeko the Navigator decides to gather any available intel about this destination. Meanwhile, the Crew makes a final stop in Penacony, reuniting with old friends and creating lasting memories in one last farewell before they set forth on their next daring journey.

Old friends returning to the spotlight

The memories of that performance at the Penacony Grand Theater feel as vivid as yesterday. It’s not just the Astral Express or Penacony that’s awakened from its dream — Sunday has, too. Reflecting on it, there’s something deeply stirring about sharing the stage with Mr. Sunday once more. Stepping down from his role as the head of the Oak Family, he’s chosen to “Descend to the mortal realm and walk their lands. See what this world is truly like.” Casting aside blessings from both Harmony and Order, Sunday is setting out to pursue his vision of a utopia as a mere mortal. This time, he returns to Penacony, thanks to the aid of a secretive Pepeshi called Wonweek, with one wish: to give a final, unforgettable performance before embarking on his new journey. Accordingly, his robe and hood serve not only to give him a fresh appearance but also to hide his true identity for his last dance in the Planet of Festivities.

As a 5-star Imaginary character, Sunday has unique Support capacities, and his Skill causes an ally to immediately take action and increase their DMG dealt. If that ally has a Summon, then both the ally and the Summon can immediately take action and further improve the DMG Boost effect. When Sunday uses his Ultimate, he regenerates Energy for one ally, and makes that ally and its Summon – The Beatified. A halo is bestowed on the ally who becomes The Beatified and increases their CRIT DMG.

Another character soon to arrive is Fugue, who we know as our old friend Tingyun. Once a tactful foxian girl, she now finds her name, appearance, and even identity stolen. Fate, however, has left her a slender thread of hope, though the mark of Destruction still stirs restlessly within her. Tingyun barely escaped death after her encounter with Phantylia during version 1.2’s main storyline and was saved only by the intervention of Madam Ruan Mei from the Genius Society, who granted her a second chance at life. Recently, Himeko and Welt visited Madam Ruan Mei and took it upon themselves to bring Miss Tingyun home, renewing her journey back to where she belongs.

Fugue is a 5-star Fire character who is skilled at supporting one ally to reduce Toughness regardless of the enemy’s Type Weaknesses. While Fugue is on the field, enemy targets are afflicted with the Cloudflame Luster state. When Cloudflame Luster is reduced to zero, the target takes Break DMG once again. Moreover, when teammates attack Weakness Broken enemy targets, they deal Super Break DMG. And that’s not all — Fugue can use her Technique to increase ally characters’ Break Effect. When she uses her Ultimate, she deals Fire DMG to all enemies, and this instance of attack ignores Weakness Type to directly reduce all enemies’ Toughness.

Additionally, the limited 5-star characters General Jing Yuan and Firefly, will return in the first and second halves of the version 2.7 warp event respectively. Their formidable support makes them invaluable allies for your future journeys.

More gameplay features for version 2.7 and beyond

Beyond new characters and storylines, version 2.7 also offers Trailblazers a truly immersive experience. Step aboard the Astral Express’ new Party Car — a place where elegance and nostalgia blend seamlessly. Guests are welcomed to a spacious reception area, set against a sleek marble bar and accompanied by a classic bartending robot. With the vast Cosmos as your view, you can savor a drink with the Express Crew or reflect quietly by the window, letting the scenery stir your thoughts.

Ascend the stairs, and you’ll find the Trailblazer’s very own quarters. In the Cosmic Home Décor Guide event, transform a once-empty storage room into a personal haven, with areas like a cozy bedroom and bathroom. As you gather furniture using Express Funds earned from tasks, your space takes shape piece by piece, mirroring your journey through the stars.

And there’s more exciting news: the Relic system will also be receiving an update in version 3.0. You’ll be able to choose a Relic’s Main Stat and Subsidiary Stats using specialized tools during synthesis! By using a certain amount of the new item, Wishful Resin, alongside Self-Modeling Resin, you can set both the Main and Sub Stats for a Relic simultaneously.

Last but not least, before we take a bow, Pom-Pom discovered something special while tidying up the storage boxes for the Trailblazer! From the version 2.7 update until the end of version 3.2, Trailblazers can claim a Gift of the Express, allowing them to select one regular 5-star character of their choice. Our trailblazing expedition continues with old friends and new allies alike—let’s set off together and keep fighting side-by-side!

That concludes our insights on version 2.7. Stay tuned, as there are still more surprises waiting in the wings. I hope you are excited, because our old ally Herta, the renowned master of the eponymous Herta Space Station, is clearly fully prepared for the adventures that lie ahead when version 2.7 launches on December 4.

IGN UK Podcast 775: Pouring Pea Gravy Over Peterborough Cathedral

Cardy is joined by Jesse this week to talk about his adventures in The Zone of Stalker 2, as well as his new job in the skies over Peterborough in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. There’s also time for some nonsense about Mission: Impossible, the films of Brian de Palma, pea and pie gravy, gaming in prisons, and much more thanks to your feedback.

Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 775: Pouring Pea Gravy Over Peterborough Cathedral

Stalker 2’s bulletsponge mutants can be nerfed with this handy mod, saving you precious rounds

The mutant enemies in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl are very hungry. Hungry not only for your flesh, but also all the bullets in your AK-47. It can take entire clips of ammo to take down some of these tough beasts, and you get nothing back for killing this wildlife except the hollow satisfaction of pest control. Alongside the bugs and performance issues, it’s a common enough complaint to players of the first-person survival shooter that it’s already been addressed by a modder, who has created a tweak to lower the health of various dogs, boars, and bloodsuckers.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Has Already Sold 1 Million Copies, With Many More Playing on Xbox Game Pass

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl already looks like a hit, with developer GSC Game World declaring one million copies sold.

In a tweet, Ukrainian studio GSC said that in addition to these sales, “much more” are playing via S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s day one launch on Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service.

“No wonder it feels a bit crowdy in the Zone,” GSC tweeted. “A million copies were sold, and much more stalkers joined the artifact hunt with Game Pass.

“This is just the start of our unforgettable adventure. The Heart of Chornobyl emanates stronger with each of us.

“Thank You, stalkers!”

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl hit the one million sold milestone less than 48 hours after launching across PC and Xbox Series X and S. On Steam, it has a peak concurrent player count of 117,928, putting it among the most-played games on Valve’s platform. Microsoft does not make Xbox player numbers public.

Clearly, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is already a success for GSC even before its first weekend on sale. However, the launch is not without problems, with players reporting a variety of bugs (check out IGN’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 review in progress to find out more). GSC has promised to sort out what it called S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s “rough edges” with a steady stream of patches.

Free in-game content is also coming to the game. Expect more on that when GSC Game World shares its roadmap later in December.

To help you survive in the Zone, we’ve got a list of Essential Stalker 2 Tips and Tricks, plus a guide on Things to Do First in Stalker 2 to help you through the early game, and Things Stalker 2 Doesn’t Tell You – everything we wish we knew before we started playing. Save time scouring the wasteland with our Artifacts checklist and locations guide, and every Stash location we’ve found so far.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 suffered a number of understandable delays, most recently in July when the game was due out in September. GSC said at the time that the extra two months would give the developers the chance to fix “unexpected anomalies,” aka bugs.

GSC has also been vocal about the challenges the studio faced getting S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 up to scratch after a mixed reaction to its debut public showing last year. At gamescom 2023, GSC addressed what some had called a “downgrade” sparked by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s then latest gameplay trailer. At the time, GSC told IGN it was still targeting a visual quality and level of polish suggested by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s eye-catching 2021 trailer despite the horrendous conditions suffered by the staff amid the war with Russia.

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.

Kura5 is a free spiritual successor to Kojima’s sun-loving Boktai vampire-hunting series

Long before Hideo Kojima made the first triple-A walking simulator, he was trying to spin sunlight into bullets. The game in question, Boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hand, is a Game Boy Advance title from 2003, in which you play a vampire-slaying gunslinger. The gun you’re slinging is a “solar-powered” pistol, which you could charge up using a cartridge-mounted photometric sensor by physically standing in sunshine. This was 13 years before the launch of Pokemon Go. Sadly, Boktai’s debut didn’t result in city parks or rooftops being flooded by crowds of GBA-wielding undead killers. But it was a fun gimmick and the game itself is good enough to carry it – an isometric dungeon-crawler in which you have to find a vamp’s coffin and drag it to the surface for purgation.

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I no longer care about Grand Theft Auto 6, for I have the open world of Vivat Slovakia

Upon some serious soul searching following a little time with the early access build of open world game Vivat Slovakia, I have unfortunately had to admit to myself that it is probably not the GTA 6 killer I was hoping for. This upsets me slightly, because I find Rockstar’s constant self-assured bloviating to be quite irritating, even though I’m sure I’ll play their game for a billion hours. What Vivat Slovakia is, then, is a very ambitious homage to the Grand Theft Auto series that isn’t shy about it, right down to the font choices. I’m not sure if you should play it, but I do feel enriched for learning of its existence. Here’s a trailer.

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NES-Inspired Platformer ‘Everdeep Aurora’ Is Bringing Wholesome Vibes In 2025

Feline fine.

We got our first peek at Nautilus Games’ Everdeep Aurora in the 2023 Wholesome Direct before going hands-on with it at BitSummit earlier this year. We’ve liked what we have seen so far, so it’s exciting to hear the cute cat adventure now has a release window: Q3 2025.

Admittedly, that does feel like a long way away, but we’re hopeful that 2025 will bring plenty of exciting drops before then (please), so we’re sure it’ll fly by.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Nintendo Switch Online Adds Rare’s Game Boy Platformer Donkey Kong Land

Donkey Kong Land is out now for Nintendo Switch Online.

Rare’s 1995 Game Boy platformer is available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription for the Switch, and joins a growing list of classic Game Boy games available to download and play. Check out all the games available on Nintendo Switch Online here.

Donkey Kong Land offers a condensed version of the side-scrolling gameplay in Rare’s much loved 1994 SNES classic Donkey Kong Country, with different level design and boss fights. As you’d expect, it stars Donkey Kong and his nephew Diddy Kong, who team up to defeat King K. Rool and collect many, many bananas.

The game did well enough to get three sequels: Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996), based on Diddy’s Kong Quest; Donkey Kong Land 3 (1997), based on Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!; and a Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong Country (2000).

Here’s the official blurb:

Cranky Kong doesn’t think Donkey Kong has proven himself to be a hero yet. So, he decides to work out a deal with the closest villain that he knows. K. Rool and his baddies have hidden bananas in new places across Donkey Kong Island in another attempt to outwit the best-friend duo. And the only response is for Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to go off on another adventure!

The Game Boy launched in 1989 with the likes of Super Mario Land, Tetris, Baseball, and Alleyway, all of which are now on Nintendo Switch Online. Other Game Boy games on the service include Metroid 2 – Return of Samus, Kirby’s Dream Land, Super Mario Land 2 – 6 Golden Coins, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX, and Wario in Wario Land 3.

As for Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a remake of the Nintendo Wii original that was also ported to Nintendo 3DS, launches on Switch in January. Last week’s Super Nintendo World Direct offered fans their long-awaited first look at the new Donkey Kong Country-themed expansion while announcing it will officially open December 11, 2024 in Japan.

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.

Don’t Wake The Beast is a blend of Thief and Spelunky where you must let sleeping dragons lie

The Hobbit movies are a mixed Baggins indeed – at once thunderous and thin, like butter scraped over too much bread – but one sequence I love from The Desolation of Smaug is Bilbo searching Khazad-dûm for the Arkenstone, while trying not to rouse the titular dragon from his slumber. Don’t Wake The Beast is sort of that sequence plus Spelunkified procgen levels and Thief-esque stealth mechanics.

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Turn Medieval II: Total War into Redwall with this Mossflower TW mod

If the surprising number of you brought scurrying out of the woodwork by the announcement of Redwall-style survival game Hawthorn is anything to go by, the medieval rodent fanatic to RPS reader pipeline is a sturdy one, despite being constantly nibbled at. Here’s some more delicious bait for you, then. Mossflower TW is a campaign mod for Medieval II: Total War expansion Kingdoms that lets ranks of mace-wielding mice, helmeted hedgehogs, and ornery otters skitter wildly all over the venerable strategy game. It’s been about since Summer, and the team have been working on patching since. It seems very playable, if the footage of people playing it is anything to go by. Here’s a video by YouTuber Tharshey so you can see it in action:

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