The Best Deals Today: Ridiculously Cheap Portable Chargers For Phones And Cars

Today’s lineup is packed with standout savings across tech, gaming, and everyday essentials. Car owners can snag the Bookoo 12V 2,000A Jump Starter for just $19.26 (with coupon code), a compact emergency essential that doubles as a power bank. Apple fans can grab the official 20W USB-C Power Adapter for $14.99, a reliable charger that delivers fast, efficient charging for iPhones and iPads. And for Nintyheads, the tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for Switch 2 is marked down to $29.59, offering military-grade protection, 12 game card slots, and a sleek travel-ready design.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

On the gadget side, the EUKI Compressed Air Duster is down to $39.99 with a $15 coupon, a powerful 150,000RPM cordless blower that replaces wasteful canned air for cleaning PCs, keyboards, and more. Magic: The Gathering players can grab the Final Fantasy Commander Deck bundle for a low $184.99, nearly 30% off and cheaper than buying decks individually. Movie lovers get a blast from the past with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy Limited Edition Blu-ray set, fully restored in 4K with new extras, while everyday carry gets a boost with the INIU 10000mAh Portable Charger, now $19.79, slim enough for travel but powerful enough to keep your devices going all day. I’ve found even more bargains too, so let’s get into it:

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller for $82.13

Nintendo recently raised the price of the new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller from $85 to $90, but here’s an opportunity to get one for even less that either price. AliExpress currently has a genuine, imported Switch 2 Pro controller for $82.13 after you apply $20 off coupon code “AEUS20” during checkout. It ships free locally from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks. Check out our Switch 2 Pro Controller review.

This is a genuine official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller. It’s an import model, most likely from Hong Kong, China, or Japan. However, it doesn’t really matter because Switch hardware is region unlocked, meaning you can use the controller in the US with any locally purchased Switch 2 without any problems. Keep in mind that imported hardware does not get a US-based Nintendo warranty, however AliExpress does include a 15-day free returns window.

INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest Fast Charging 10000mAh

INIU Portable Charger is a slim and lightweight 10,000mAh power bank that delivers fast charging speeds up to 22.5W with PD 3.0 and QC4+ technology, capable of charging an iPhone from 0 to 65% in just 30 minutes. Designed for portability, it’s thinner, smaller, and lighter than most chargers in its class while still offering multiple charges for devices like iPhones, Samsung phones, iPads, and AirPods. It features a USB-C input and output for full compatibility with modern devices, a digital display, and even a built-in flashlight.

Fallout: Season One (4K Ultra HD)

With Fallout Season 2 officially set to drop this December, Amazon has perfectly timed a deal on Fallout: Season 1 in 4K UHD Blu-ray, now just $29.99 (25% off its usual $39.99 price). That’s the same MSRP as the DVD and standard Blu-ray versions, but with far superior image quality if you’ve got a 4K player built into your Xbox Series X or PS5. Fallout Season 1 debuted on Prime Video in April 2024 and quickly became a breakout hit, leading Amazon to lock in Seasons 2 and 3. While the limited-edition Steelbook is long sold out, this discounted 4K release is a must for fans who want a physical copy, especially given how rare it is for streaming exclusives to make their way onto disc.

Spawn [Limited Edition]

The 1997 cult-classic comic book adaptation Spawn is getting a deluxe upgrade with a limited-edition 4K Blu-ray from Arrow Video, releasing on October 7. Normally priced at $49.95, it’s currently down to $38.02 at Amazon (24% off), and preordering now locks in the lowest price if it drops again before release. This collector’s edition comes packed with extras alongside the film itself, making it a must-have for fans of Todd McFarlane’s iconic anti-hero. Spawn tells the story of Al Simmons, a government assassin who dies, makes a deal with the devil, and returns as a scarred “hellspawn”.

Pokémon TCG – Black Bolt Booster Bundle Set

Fancy knocking $5.50 off a preorder for a Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt Booster Bundle? Well TCGPlayer has once again knocked Amazon off their pedisstal as they charge more than neccessary for Pokémon TCG product. Inside you’ll find six booster packs of Black Bolt.

BOOKOO Jump Starter 2000A

Bookoo 12V 2,000A Cordless Car Jump Starter is down to just $19.26 on Amazon as part of a Lightning Deal when you use code TYLQ6GNL (normally $44.99). Compact yet powerful, it can jump start up to 8L gas or 6.5L diesel engines and packs a hefty 20,000mAh lithium battery that holds charge for up to two years. It also doubles as a portable power bank with 18W USB-C PD and two USB-A ports (including QuickCharge 3.0), plus a built-in flashlight with strobe and SOS modes.

Apple 20W USB-C Compact Power Adapter

Apple 20W USB-C Compact Power Adapter is on sale for $14.99 at Amazon (regularly $19), offering fast and efficient charging in a lightweight, travel-friendly design. Compatible with a wide range of iPhones from the iPhone 8 through the latest iPhone 16 lineup (Including iPads and other USB-C devices). It can deliver up to 50% charge in about 30 minutes when paired with the right device and cable

tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2

Tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 (2025) is currently on sale for $29.59 at Amazon (down from $47.99). Designed specifically for the new Switch 2, it offers a precision fit that aligns perfectly with every port and button while maintaining a slim, lightweight profile that’s easy to slip into a bag. Built with durable felt materials that provide military-grade drop protection, it also features a soft plush interior to guard against scratches.

EUKI Compressed Air Duster-150000RPM

EUKI Compressed Air Duster (X3-US) is available for $39.99 on Amazon, with an additional $15 coupon that drops the price even lower. Spinning at up to 150,000 RPM with three adjustable speed settings, it delivers powerful airflow for clearing dust, debris, and even drying surfaces quickly. Weighing just 315 grams, it’s portable enough for both home and outdoor use. It’s perfect for cleaning keyboards, PCs, and cars, or inflating air beds and more.

MTG Final Fantasy Commander Deck Price Drop

Amazon has dropped the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Commander Deck bundle to $189.99 (29% off MSRP), the lowest price yet and a significant saving over buying the decks individually. The set includes all four precons: Revival Trance, Scions and Spellcraft, Limit Break, and Counter Blitz. Limit Break offers strong reprints such as Darksteel Plate and Sword of the Animist, while Counter Blitz delivers powerful synergies built around counters and proliferate. Individually, three of these decks have been selling above $50, with Limit Break still listed at $72.50 on Amazon, making the bundle the best way to grab the full set at a discount.

MTG Aetherdrift Sale

Amazon has dropped one of the best Magic: The Gathering deals of the year, slashing the price of the Aetherdrift Finish Line Bundle from $79.99 to its lowest-ever $52.70. Packed with value, the bundle includes 2 premium Collector Boosters (worth nearly $20 each on their own), 6 Play Boosters, 20 foil lands, 3 exclusive Extended-Art cards, 2 foil Box Topper cards, a foil storage box, spindown life counter, stickers, and reference cards. Considering the Collector Boosters alone nearly cover the price, the rest of the contents are essentially a bonus, offering huge value for those chasing Aetherdrift’s rarest cards like the Radiant Lotus Fracture Foil or The Aetherspark First-Place Foil. With stock already more than halfway claimed, this deal won’t last long.

MTG Avatar Preorders Are Live

Best Buy and Amazon have posted its listings for Magic: The Gathering – Avatar: The Last Airbender,

The crossover Universes Beyond set officially launches November 21, 2025 (digital release November 18) and introduces bending-themed mechanics such as airbending, waterbending, earthbending, and firebending, along with fan-favorite characters including Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, and even the Cabbage Merchant.

Best Buy will offer multiple products at launch, including the $41.99 Scene Box, $189.99 Play Booster Box, $69.99 Play Booster Bundle, and $109.99 Commander’s Bundle. With full art treatments, collectible foils, and Standard-legal cards, this release is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated MTG tie-ins of the year.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy [Limited Edition]

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy Limited Edition Blu-ray set brings together all three classic films in a newly restored collection. Starting with the gritty 1990 original, followed by the fun-filled 1991 sequel The Secret of the Ooze, and wrapping up with 1993’s time-travel adventure Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, the trilogy captures the mix of martial arts action, humor, and groundbreaking (for the time) effects that made the turtles global icons. Restored in 4K and loaded with extras like new director commentaries, cast and crew interviews, original and remixed audio tracks, and a collector’s booklet, this set celebrates the legacy of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael with style.

TMNT Classic Technodrome Playset – Amazon Exclusive

Amazon has dropped the price of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Technodrome Playset to $32.84, nearly 60% off its original $79.99 list price and the lowest it has ever been. Originally released in 1990 and now reimagined as an Amazon exclusive, the Technodrome is authentically sculpted and decorated to match the original toy, complete with retro 1980s box art. The discount follows strong preorder demand for the TMNT Classic Sewer Set, which ships in September, making this a tempting pickup for collectors who want both classic sets at a fraction of their original cost.

Nintendo Switch 2 Is on Sale at AliExpress

Brand new, genuine, imported, region unlocked units

If you’re still on the hunt for a Switch 2 console, here’s a rare opportunity to get one at a discounted price. In fact, this may very well be the only Switch 2 deal we’ll see for 2025. AliExpress is offering a genuine Nintendo Switch 2 console for just $428.99 after you apply a $100 off coupon code “AEUS100” or “USAFF100” during checkout. Alternatively you can bundle it with the Mario Kart World game for just $452.11 after the same coupon. Both consoles ship free locally from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks, however you will still have to pay local sales tax.

The catch? Although these are genuine Switch consoles, they are Hong Kong imports. Like all Switch consoles, they are region unlocked, meaning you can play them in the US without any problems. You’ll also be able to select English as your default language just like any console you buy here. They’ll come with a Hong Kong style plug, but a US adapter is included. Imported consoles do not get a US-based Nintendo warranty. AliExpress does include a 90-day free returns window for the Switch 2 console and a 15-day free returns window for the Mario Kart bundle.

ACEMAGIC Vista Mini V1 Mini PC

ACEMAGIC Vista Mini V1 is a compact and powerful mini PC powered by Intel’s latest Twin Lake N150 processor, offering up to 3.6GHz speeds and outperforming the N100 and N95 chips by more than 39 percent in performance tests. Pre-installed with Windows 11 Pro, it comes with 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB SSD, with easy expansion up to 2TB for extra storage. Despite its small 3.9×3.9×1.3-inch metal body, it features efficient cooling, quiet fans, and versatile connectivity including HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.2, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth. Designed for business, education, entertainment, or everyday use, it supports 4K dual display output with Intel UHD Graphics, making it a sleek, portable, and reliable option for a second PC at home or in the office.

Superman (2025) (Bonus X-Ray Edition)

James Gunn’s Superman, the first theatrical release in his new DCU, soared into theaters last month and is already available to watch at home on digital platforms like Prime Video. The film, starring David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan with Nicholas Hoult, blends epic action, humor, and heart to reintroduce a Superman driven by compassion and belief in humanity. Despite the quick turnaround to streaming, it’s not a sign of weak box office.Superman has grossed over $580 million so far, earning the biggest opening weekend of any Superman movie and standing as 2025’s top-grossing superhero film to date. Gunn has emphasized that the early digital release was a creative choice tied to the future of the DCU, including the upcoming Peacemaker projects.

The Legend of Zelda – The Complete Series

This DVD collects all 13 episodes of the “so bad its good” Legend of Zelda cartoon, which has about three hours and 41 minutes of Link and Princess Zelda defending Hyrule from Ganondorf. While it’s a barebones release with no extras and everything on a single disc, the nostalgic box art featuring classic character designs, combined with the new low price, makes it a fun piece of Zelda and cartoon history to own, even if it’s only on DVD.

Fantom Drives – VENOM8 2TB NVMe Gen 4 M.2 Internal SSD

The Fantom Drives VENOM8 2TB NVMe Gen 4 M.2 Internal SSD with heatsink is now available for $149.45 at Amazon, 24% off its typical $197.65 price. This PS5-ready upgrade delivers read speeds up to 7400MB/s and write speeds up to 6500MB/s, providing faster load times and smoother gameplay. It features 3D NAND TLC technology with DDR4 DRAM Cache along with TRIM support, SMART monitoring, and LDPC ECC for reliability. The aluminum magnesium alloy heatsink helps keep temperatures in check for consistent performance, and installation is quick and simple. With 2TB of storage capacity, enough for around 50 games, it is an excellent option for expanding your PS5 library.

MTG: Spider-Man Play Booster Box Back In Stock

I’m expecting this MTG Universes Beyond expansion to web zip off shelves when it drops at the end of Feburary, so if you see a preorder like I have, just secure it.

The money won’t be taken from your bank until it ships either, so it’s a no brainer. I’ve also included the listings for the rest of the set from TCGPlayer incase you needed a massive ripping session.

McFarlane Marvel and DC Sale

Plenty of awesome figures to choose from here for more than 50% off in most cases. I absolutley love the comic front cover diorama ones, fantastic display pieces and belong on everyone’s show-off shelf for these kinds of prices.

Star Wars Unlimited Sale

Amazon has dropped prices on a variety of Star Wars: Unlimited trading card game products, including the Twilight of the Republic Booster Display at $57.98 (regularly $119.76), two-player starter sets like Shadows of the Galaxy and Twilight of the Republic for under $28, and the recently released Legends of the Force 24-pack display for $88 (27% off). The sale includes discounts across multiple expansions—Spark of Rebellion, Legends of the Force, and Shadows of the Galaxy—with savings up to 52% on booster packs, prerelease boxes, and beginner-friendly starter kits. Some items have already sold out, and current stock may not return at these prices.

Pokémon Card Price Watch

In a revelation that shouldn’t suprise anyone at the moment, TCGPlayer is cheaper than Amazons instock products. Black Bolt Binder Box is an embarassing example of big box retailers ripping off their customers with Pokémon TCG right now.

It’s currently $68.49 on Amazon, where as TCGPlayer (A secondary market that should be more expensive) is $51.75. That’s over 28% cheaper, and there’s even more savings for those who want to rip open packs.

Most Expensive Pokémon Cards from Japan’s Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia

Japan’s Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia Pokémon TCG sets have quickly gained popularity with collectors and competitive players alike, thanks to their focus on iconic Mega Evolutions, powerful Supporter cards, and premium artwork. High-value chase cards like Mega Gardevoir ex 092/063 and Mega Lucario ex 092/063 are priced at $664 and $444 respectively, while many others remain above the $100 mark.

These sets combine strong gameplay mechanics such as Psychic energy acceleration and hard-hitting Fighting-type attacks with visually stunning Special and Ultra Rare treatments that elevate their appeal. Booster boxes and Premium Trainer Boxes are available on TCGPlayer and include guaranteed rare pulls due to Japanese packaging rules. While the most expensive cards draw attention, more affordable options like Lillie’s Determination 086/063, Mega Kangaskhan ex SAR, and Mega Absol ex SAR offer great value with solid gameplay and collector-friendly art, making these sets a standout release for fans looking for both playability and display-worthy cards.

This Week’s Pokemon Crashers and Climbers

Special Illustration Rares from Temporal Forces have cooled from their spring highs, with Raging Bolt ex, Iron Crown ex, and Walking Wake ex falling 11%, 13%, and 20% respectively due to limited competitive use and shifting collector focus.

In Twilight Masquerade, Supporter cards Perrin and Carmine have also dipped 11% each, but several other singles are trending upward as player experimentation and collector interest grow.

Gastly is up 13% since June, Greninja ex has climbed 17% since January, and Sinistcha ex, Tatsugiri, and Eevee have each gained around 10% in recent months.

LEGO Deals

We’re not just talk about bricks here, we’ve even got a cracking deal for a physical copy of LEGO Horizon Adventures on PS5 for $21.99, a massive 63% off. Sick of buying your better half flowers and them dying quick? Just make some out of LEGO Botanicals instead thanks to some big savings on Amazon. Even Harry Potter has rocked up with some deals

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Nintendo Switch

The Yu-Gi-Oh Early Days Collection for Nintendo Switch is currently available for $19.99 at Amazon, which is 60% off the original $49.99 list price and matches the lowest price seen during Prime Day. This bundle includes 14 classic Yu-Gi-Oh games, many released in the West for the first time, along with a collectible Harpie’s Feather Duster card in a special Quarter Century Secret Rare printing. Titles range from early Game Boy releases like Duel Monsters and Dark Duel Stories to Game Boy Advance favorites such as The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction. The included card, offered in one of two variants, is part of the franchise’s 25th anniversary celebration and could hold significant value for collectors.

INIU Portable Charger

INIU Portable Charger 10000mAh is now available for $19.79 at Amazon, 10% off its typical $21.99 price. This slim and lightweight power bank delivers 22.5W fast charging with PD 3.0 and QC4+ technology, capable of charging an iPhone from 0 to 65% in just 30 minutes. It features a USB-C input and output for compatibility with the latest iPhones, iPads, Samsung devices, and other USB-C gadgets, along with a digital display, flashlight, and trickle-charging mode for smaller devices like AirPods. The 10000mAh capacity can provide up to 3.3 charges for an iPhone 8 or 2 full charges for a Samsung S8, making it a reliable and portable charging solution for travel or everyday use.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: 7-Film Collection

The A Nightmare on Elm Street: 7-Film Collection is now available for $99.95 at Amazon, 5% off the list price of $104.98. This set marks the first time all seven films in the iconic horror series have been released in 4K Ultra HD, and it also includes digital copies for each movie. Directed by Wes Craven and starring Robert Englund as the infamous Freddy Krueger, the collection delivers the complete nightmare experience in the highest quality yet for longtime fans and new viewers alike.

HOTO 25 in 1 Precision Electric Screwdriver Set

HOTO 25 in 1 Precision Electric Screwdriver Set bundled with the 28 in 1 Precision Screwdriver Set is available for $59.98 at Amazon, a 36% discount off the $93.98 list price and $15.99 less than buying separately. This high-end kit features a sleek aluminum alloy design with an anodized, anti-sweat, and anti-corrosion finish, along with durable PC+ABS components. The electric screwdriver includes 25 precision S2 steel bits across 10 types for repairing electronics such as laptops, tablets, cameras, and game consoles, while the manual set adds 28 bits for even broader coverage. Both sets come with a built-in magnetizer for quick bit magnetization and precision torque control, making them suitable for both professionals and hobbyists.

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.

In Full Bloom isn’t just about being a planet-devouring Sarlacc’s babysitter, it’s my brain on games showcase

I drop the house into the great maw (not that one). It screams as it falls away from the clutches of my mouse clicker. It disappears from view, but there’s a sickeningly wet crunching that betrays its fate. Oh and the fact that the entity’s jaws immediately flare open once more, teeth and tongue dripping with anguish to cram vegetation, trees, towerblocks into its gullet.

This is In Full Bloom, a game that scores the full 10/10 in the wonderfully ironic naming category. Set in a greyscale universe sucked free of all hope and colour, it tasks you with accomplishing an impossible task. You’ve got to keep the infernal child of constant consumption happy by tossing an unending stream of junk into its mouth.

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The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Shows New Trailer at gamescom, Sign-Ups for Closed Beta Test Begin

Open-world action RPG The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin released a new trailer as part of gamescom’s Opening Night Live on Tuesday and also announced that sign-ups are open now for an upcoming closed beta test.

Presented by Netmarble, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin tells an original story set in Britannia, the same world as the globally popular The Seven Deadly Sins anime and manga series. The art style is also inspired by those series, and the game’s multiverse narrative will transcend timelines and dimensions to combine brand-new characters with established heroes from throughout the series.

The latest trailer continues a trend of releasing new footage at major game shows this year. Two new trailers released back-to-back at Summer Game Fest and the Future Games Show in June, and now the gamescom trailer (which you can watch above) shows some brand-new footage and gives us a look at combat and exploration. The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is also scheduled to be showcased at Tokyo Game Show in September, and its presence at all these major game shows is steadily building momentum and anticipation of a release later this year.

Narrated by the Japanese voice actor of Meliodas, one of the series’ lead characters, the new trailer begins by giving us a glimpse of its vast open world from atop a cliff. We then see a series of short clips of characters that fans of the series will recognize before transitioning to exploration of the world.

There’s fishing and then the main character Tristan inserts blocks into a small monument and is rewarded with the appearance of a treasure chest. So it seems like the open world will have scattered environmental puzzles to solve and earn rewards.

After that, there’s a look at traversal methods. A character jumps onto a spinning flower and rides its updraft of wind into the air before summoning a flying mount, and then we see the full party exploring a desert region on the backs of other flying mounts. So you won’t have to hoof it across Britannia all the time; that’s a relief.

The rest of the trailer is essentially a supercut of several different characters in flashy, fast-paced combat against some wild-looking enemies. The combat showcase includes switching between characters to combo their attacks together, along with multiple different elements being used — lightning, fire, and ice all make an appearance. The trailer ends with 10 characters running toward the horizon together, giving us a taste of the large cast that will be available.

Alongside the trailer, Netmarble announced that they’re now accepting sign-ups for an upcoming closed beta test that will give fans a preview of gameplay mechanics, character interactions, and environments.

You can sign up on the game’s official website, and everyone is eligible. There are no location-based restrictions. All you need to do is submit your email address and fill out a short survey. Additional details about the closed beta test will be revealed at a later date.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is scheduled to release simultaneously worldwide later this year on PlayStation 5, Steam, and mobile. You can add it to your wishlist on Steam or the PlayStation Store now and get the latest news and updates as soon as they’re available to keep you informed about the game’s progress.

You can pre-register for the game using your email by visiting the official website, where you can also find more details about the game’s world, characters, and story. Mobile pre-registration on the App Store and Google Play will be available later. If you’d like to join the game’s community, you can follow the official Twitter, Discord, YouTube, and Facebook pages.

You can build 136 million different houses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s new DLC, if you really must

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2‘s forthcoming Legacy of the Forge expansion introduces a new home customisation system, as part of a story about restoring a legendary burnt-down blacksmith’s joint where your dad once worked as an apprentice.

Out September 9th, the expansion takes Henry of Skalitz back to Kuttenberg to climb the ranks of the blacksmith guild, with unique armour and weapon blueprints. Expect “quirky” requests from clients, but above all, expect a nagging sense of failure, because the aforesaid customisation system “supports over 136 million combinations”, and always, always at the back of your mind, the creeping suspicion that yours is the very worst.

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Final Fantasy 14 Director Has Had “Positive Discussions” With Nintendo On Switch 2 Port

“I do hope that players will look forward to hopefully good news”.

The hugely-popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV — which is about to celebrate its 12th anniversary (in its rebooted form) — is one of our most-requested Switch 2 ports, particularly from this writer. And it sounds like we’re one step closer to seeing the game come to the hybrid console.

The game’s director Naoki Yoshida — better known as Yoshi-P — has spoken to VGC at Gamescom and confirmed that he and the team have been having “positive discussions” with Nintendo on the possibility of a port. Not only that, but he also wants to bring his other mainline Final Fantasy to the console, Final Fantasy XVI.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Keeper’s First Extended Gameplay Shows Us an Ever-Changing Adventure

Keeper’s First Extended Gameplay Shows Us an Ever-Changing Adventure

Keeper Hero Image

There’s a primal human pleasure in simply finding out what something does. It’s the reason you’d still want to push a button that says “do not touch”, or wonder what’s behind a locked door. Keeper thrives on that idea, building out a game of discoveries and experiments around it.

Seeing extended gameplay for the first time at gamescom, Keeper’s key trick – of telling its story in a never-before-seen world, all without words – means that almost everything you do is less about completing an objective you’re told to follow, and more about finding out what the objective is.

Shine Your Light

First revealed at Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, Keeper is a dreamy, otherworldly adventure that puts you in the misshapen body of a suddenly sentient walking lighthouse – but there’s no narrator, nor talking sidekick to explain where you are, what’s going on, and what you should be doing. Working these things out is the game.

“A key tenet of this game is the unexpected,” Creative Director Lee Petty tells me. “We wanted players to be able to relax a bit, chill out a bit, and embrace the unexpected. So to that end, there’s some experimentation, but there’s nothing the player can do to die in this game. They can’t mess up the experience. We sort of get the player on board early so that, when something unexpected is thrown at them, it’s not a moment of panic that they don’t know how to get through.”

In three portions taken from early sections, I see how Keeper slowly introduces new ideas in subtle ways. With only the ability to walk, shine a beacon, and the help of a bird companion called Twig, the player needs to work out what they should be doing through context clues.

“The lighthouse beam has two main modes,” explains Petty. “It has an unfocused and a focused mode. The unfocused mode is for exploring – as you shine it around, you might see little subtle shimmers or reactions in the world. Bigger transformations occur when the player focuses that bigger, brighter beam on things, and that’s often used to solve puzzles as well.

“Twig rides along on the lighthouse and can do things that the lighthouse can’t. The lighthouse doesn’t have arms, only legs. Twig however, can directly manipulate things in the world. So what the player can do, for example, to solve a puzzle is use a combination of that light ability and Twig’s ability to pick up and collect things.”

I see this early on, as the lighthouse comes across a lumpen… thing blocking its path. Under the unfocused beam, the creature bristles slightly, enough to show you that it’s reacting – and, focusing the beam, it puts a claw in front of its eyes. This produces a shimmer, which attracts Twig, who flies to grab the claw, and an option to “tug” appears on the screen. Twig pulls at the creature, who flops to one side, revealing a seed that Twig stows away for a future puzzle.

It’s a sequence of purely organic discovery – the game doesn’t tell you what you need to be doing, and the weirdness of it all means you don’t come in with a preconceived idea of what you should be doing, other than trying things out. And this is repeated throughout. I see the lighthouse effectively organising a dance of creatures attracted to its light to smash through a sheet of ice, a gorgeous discovery that touching a certain spore-like plant will allow the lighthouse to subvert gravity itself, and even a wild sequence in which it becomes apparent that the beam can control the flow of time on objects it touches in a certain area.

The real ace in the hole here is that Keeper’s world is unlike any other – its bucolic landscapes inhabited by scuttling, alien-like creatures, trees with faces, and flora with unusual effects. It means that, even once you do work out where to go, or what to look at, the effects of your interaction remain a surprise. Crucially, Double Fine never want that feeling to go away:

“We wanted the entire game to have this sort of organic, almost handmade, bespoke feel,” Petty adds. “It’s not a game of repeating actions as much as a game of wandering among unique areas and set pieces that change.”

In just 15 minutes of gameplay, I see – by my count – 11 different puzzles (not to mention smaller interactions as you prod and poke at the world around you). It’s clear that the aim here is to keep surprising the player with what they realize they’re being asked to do. Not all of this is ‘mission-critical’, either – the more you explore, the more you’ll find:

“There’s a lot of stuff for the player to discover along the experience,” adds Petty. “Some of those come in the form of environmental storytelling, some of those things are in the form of hidden interactions with the various creatures, and a lot of it is also just about the players’ interpretation of the games events, and finding meaning in the experience.”

Crucially, though, this is all done with the same small pool of button presses. It might have been complex for the developers to find so many ways to play with these toys, but they didn’t want the player to be bogged down by an unwieldy control scheme:

“We wanted Keeper to be an experience that wasn’t especially difficult to play,” says Petty. “It’s not a game about control, mastery or incredibly hard challenges, because we wanted this sort of unique, weird-but-chill experience for players to go on. We don’t have a need for all those buttons on the controller.

“And we also just have a really big set of accessibility features where people can map the controls to what they want. If they prefer to play with keyboard and mouse, or they play on a controller, we support both of them.”

For a game this overtly strange, it’s a way of easing you in – in all ways, Keeper has been designed as a welcoming experience, not an alienating one. You’re discovering this world, not being repelled by it – and it seems there’s a great deal to discover. What I’ve seen is from its earliest stages, and a literal cliffhanger at the end of the demo – in which the lighthouse tumbles into an abyss caused by a bridge, well, ceasing to exist under its feet – promises that there are far more surprises to come.

Keeper arrives for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam on October 17, priced at $29.99 USD. It will be an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and available day one with Game Pass.

Xbox Play Anywhere

Keeper

Xbox Game Studios

From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a beautiful and surreal otherworldly adventure, and a story told without words.

On an island in a long-lost sea, a forgotten lighthouse stands dormant in the shadow of a distant mountain peak. As withering tendrils spread and coalesce, it awakens. Taken with a mysterious sense of purpose and joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, an odyssey of mystifying metamorphosis, and an unexpected journey towards the center of the island, into realms beyond understanding.

The post Keeper’s First Extended Gameplay Shows Us an Ever-Changing Adventure appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Pac-Man crossover and Open Network Test details

Rev your engines, racers, there’s new Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds news that just dropped at Gamescom. Over the past few days, Sonic has dominated the newsfeeds with not one, but two trailer drops, featuring huge reveals. 

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Pac-Man crossover and Open Network Test details

The first was a crossover no one saw coming – two iconic retro gaming heroes coming together in a universe-shattering collaboration: Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man playable in each other’s upcoming games. Sonic joins Pac-Man in Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac for an explosive birthday celebration, featuring Sonic-inspired levels, costumes, and more. 

Then, Pac-Man and Team Ghost put their racing skills to the test in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as part of the growing roster of guest characters included in the Season Pass.  Players can venture through Pac-Village, eat up Pac-Dots, & escape the iconic Maze in the Pac-Man Mobile.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Pac-Man crossover and Open Network Test details

The all-new Competition Trailer showcased even more Sonic Racing action and detailed the various game modes players can look forward to experiencing once the game is released. In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, there are tons of ways to compete:

  • Grand Prix – Compete solo or with friends in local splitscreen co-op for first place in one of 7 cups (comprised of 4 races each). Racers are awarded points based on their placements at the end of races, and the racer with the most points at the end wins.
  • World Match – Test your skills and compete online against 11 other players. Earn Rank Points, increase your World Rank, and aim for the top.
  • Friend Match – Play with up to 11 other players online in custom lobbies where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Course/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.
  • Race Park – Change up the rules and teams online and offline in this party mode that features six unique race formats.
  • Time Trial – Compete for the best time on individual courses and aim for the top of the Leaderboard Rankings.
  • Custom Match – Play with up to 4 players offline split-screen where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Courses/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.

Eagle-eyed fans will also notice that the trailer revealed a few new tracks based on Sonic’s most recent adventures. Kronos Island from Sonic Frontiers makes its debut, featuring iconic ancient architecture strewn across the open fields. Northstar Island from Sonic Superstars arrives colorfully on the scene, with many nods to stage obstacles, local fauna, and even a… giant mechanical dinosaur whale? And Shadow fans, rejoice. The White Space from Shadow Generations has been recreated in glorious detail, down to the Doom’s Eye looming menacingly overhead. 

On the racetrack, there’s no shortage of competitive trash talk. Just as Sonic, Shadow, Espio and Jet are shown jockeying for first place and taking their rivalries to the next level, players can look forward to over a thousand voice lines and interactions between their favorite Sonic characters. Ever wonder what a race between Amy and Big the Cat would sound like? You may find out. 

On top of all that, it was announced that fans can get their hands on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds a little sooner than expected during the Open Network Test. This free, limited-time event will take place from August 29 to September 1. Players on PS5 will be able to race online with 12 iconic Sonic characters, compete on 16 courses (9 main courses & 7 CrossWorlds), and mix and match 42 gadgets to create the ultimate racing machine. Put your driving skills to the test against players worldwide. There might even be a couple of surprises in store… 

Come Race on our level when Sonic Racing CrossWorlds zooms onto PS5 and PS4 on September 25!

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 – First Impressions From a Series Veteran

The thunder of bolters repelling an Ork incursion and the distinctive red and white ceramite armor of the Blood Ravens bring me right back to the moment the trailer for the original Dawn of War made me an instant Warhammer 40K fan more than 20 years ago. And it’s that first game in the series that serves as the jumping off point for the upcoming Dawn of War 4. A lot has changed, but a lot remains the same, bringing bigger battles and snazzier graphics to a classic take-and-hold RTS that is equal parts spectacle and tactics. I played through the 1-2 hour demo a few times and it felt like Dark Crusade never left.

The last we heard of this franchise was in 2018 when Relic ended support for the divisive Dawn of War 3, and this next chapter is deploying under different masters. King Art Games, the developer of the alt-history dieselpunk RTS Iron Harvest, has taken up the banner, and I can definitely see a throughline between the big, stompy robots in that game and the classic dreadnoughts and titans in this one. King Art has also elevated the cinematic carnage by adding a synced animation melee system that can simulate a scrape between any two of its many dozens of units.

Like the recent editions of the tabletop game on which it’s based, Dawn of War 4 has jumped 200 years deeper into the 41st Millennium, after the Eye of Terror opened and split the Imperium of Man apart. The Blood Ravens are a scattered and beleaguered chapter trying to put themselves back together, serving as one of the four… and a half playable factions. Their roster reflects the newest Space Marines codex, with Primaris Intercessors and Bladeguard Veterans leading the charge. Older, tracked mainstays like the Rhino and Predator have been swapped for the higher-tech repulsor vehicles. But some classic favorites like the Dreadnought and Terminators have stuck around.

Dawn of War 4 has jumped 200 years deeper into the 41st Millennium, after the Eye of Terror opened and split the Imperium of Man apart.

Space Marines focus on small, elite squads that are expensive to build and reinforce, but outshine most of their opponents pound-for-pound. Their buildings are large and expensive, with defensive structures being fully automated rather than manned. In fact, they barely pay attention to cover at all, which was an adjustment from having replayed Dawn of War 2 fairly recently. They do have a lot of tactical flexibility though, with most infantry squads being trained into a pool of strategic reserves that can be deployed by drop pod to anywhere you have vision. The drop pods are even armed, and will stay on the map as a light defensive turret until destroyed.

ENEMIES OF THE IMPERIUM

The other ubiquitous Dawn of War race from that very first trailer, the Orks, are the second faction, and the primary enemies in the demo I played. They have much more of a horde style of combat, though with a few units like the Meganobz in their petroleum-fueled power armor that can go toe-to-toe with a space marine. Their buildings are cheap, and all of them have some kind of little guy with a machine gun on them, so vomiting production structures across the map is also how you create defensive positions. The animations are especially thematic and entertaining, as it really looks like a giant heap of scrap that was chucked unceremoniously through the atmosphere.

The Orks also, of course, get a WAAAGH! mechanic that lets them earn powerful deployable stratagems for causing all sorts of havoc.

Just as I was coming to grips with the Orks, though, one of my control points was taken by surprise by the other hostile race, the terminator-like Necrons. Hinted at in the epilogue of Dawn of War 3 but never fully materializing, they make a dramatic return with the monolith super unit that can warp in new squads to its location. For balance reasons, Necrons can’t simply get right back up when killed like they can in the tabletop game. But they do get a special building called the Resurrection Chamber that can respawn a certain number of destroyed squads for free.

They play the most differently from the other factions in that they aren’t especially concerned with the requisition and power capture points dotted around the map. Rather, their economy relies on spreading their matrix – like an eerie, cybernetic form of zerg creep from Starcraft – that grants bonuses to their units when fighting on it and provides them with resources the more of the map is covered in it.

STALWART ALLIES

Having barely fought off the Necron incursion and getting pushed back hard by the Orks due to my divided attention, who would arrive at the crucial moment to join the Blood Ravens in turning the tide of battle? Would you believe it’s a faction completely new to the Dawn of War series? The final of the four fully-playable multiplayer factions is the Adeptus Mechanicus, with their swarms of cyborg servitors and impressive, well-kept war machines.

The AdMech have a unique ability to see enemy contacts as blobs of color relative to their size and power on the minimap, even in the fog of war, so it’s almost impossible to surprise them. Their buildings are also networked, providing them with powerful boosts to production for being in range of a network node, which can make them vulnerable to surgical strikes severing the connection. Their super unit is the titanic Imperial Knight, which really shows off Dawn of War 4’s scale next to the puny units it’s stomping over.

The Imperial Guard were present on the mission I played as AI-controlled allies, although with a limited roster of units. They will also be playable in the tutorial mission of the campaign, but not in multiplayer. Not yet, at least.

I did say four and a half factions, though. The Imperial Guard were present on the mission I played as AI-controlled allies, although with a limited roster of units. They will also be playable in the tutorial mission of the campaign, but not in multiplayer. Not yet, at least.

The other four factions will each have their own campaigns with branching story paths, taking us back to the planet Kronus from the Dawn of War: Dark Crusade expansion. The story features more than 40 minutes of CGI cutscenes across all factions, and was written by prolific Black Library author John French, author of the recent Ahriman novels among others.

Dawn of War 4 will also bring back the popular Last Stand mode from Dawn of War 2, though in a way that was described to me as less hero-centric and “less MOBA-like,” focusing more on the classic RTS mechanics like Dawn of War 1. Co-op is also on the slate, and there was a conspicuously greyed-out “Painter” option on the main menu. The devs weren’t ready to talk about this one yet, but told me their goal was to include everything the previous Dawn of War games had in terms of customization and then add a bit more.

I certainly wasn’t expecting a new Dawn of War any time soon, much less from a studio other than Relic. But from the bit of it I’ve played, it seems like King Art Games understands the assignment. As a Dawn of War 2 fan, I miss the emphasis on cover and move-and-fire tactics. But Dawn of War 4 has nevertheless made a big first impression. I can hardly wait to get dug in next year.