Prices for Scarlet and Violet 151 Pokémon cards have been moving fast this month. As more booster boxes get opened and singles flood the market, some of the set’s Illustration Rares have started to dip in value, especially the middle evolutions of the starter Pokémon. On the flip side, big Special Illustration Rares of fan favourite Kanto starter final evolutions are seeing steady climbs as collectors chase the best‑looking cards from the set.
Charizard ex, Blastoise ex and Venusaur ex are the top of the climbers hill this week with noticeable price jumps, while Zapdos ex and Alakazam ex are also gaining traction with collectors and competitive players. All five of these cards have strong artwork, great playability, or both, which is helping push prices higher.
The same can’t be said for some of the Illustration Rares of Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and their evolutions. These cards spiked when the set first dropped, but with more supply on the market, prices have started to settle. They’re still popular pulls, just not commanding the same premium they did in June.
Crashers
While the Kanto starters’ final evolutions are climbing, their earlier forms have started to dip in value as more Scarlet & Violet 151 product hits the market. Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur were among the hottest Illustration Rares when the set launched, but prices are cooling as supply catches up with demand. Charmander is down 14% to $44.44, Squirtle has dropped 7% to $43.80, and Bulbasaur has fallen 18% to $32.20. These cards are still popular with collectors who want to complete the evolutionary lines, but they no longer command the inflated early prices from the set’s release month.
The middle evolutions are following the same trend. Charmeleon has dropped 14% to $30.54, while Wartortle is down 15% to $27.36. Both Illustration Rares have fantastic artwork and remain fun pulls, but they simply don’t hold the same appeal as the Special Illustration Rare ex cards of their final evolutions. As Scarlet & Violet 151 booster boxes continue to be opened, the market has become saturated with these mid‑tier rares, bringing prices back down to more reasonable levels.
Even with these price drops, the Illustration Rares of the Kanto starters and their evolutions are still great pickups for collectors who want the full line. Prices are likely to stabilise at these lower points, making now a good time to grab them if you missed out early. The final evolutions will continue to be the big-ticket items, but these cards remain iconic pieces of the set for anyone who grew up with the original Pokémon games.
Climbers
Charizard ex has risen to $210.00, up 14% from early July. It remains one of the most in-demand cards in the set thanks to its powerful Explosive Vortex attack, which hits for 330 damage, and the fantastic Special Illustration Rare artwork that collectors continue to chase. Blastoise ex has seen an even sharper jump, climbing 28% to $84.99, driven by both its intimidating art and competitive appeal.
Solid Shell makes Blastoise surprisingly tanky, and Twin Cannons can unload massive damage by discarding Water Energy from your hand.Venusaur ex is seeing a similar surge, up 27% to $69.99. While Charizard usually grabs the spotlight, Venusaur’s Illustration Rare version has become a favourite for collectors who love its vibrant, personality-filled design. Its ability Tranquil Flower lets you heal 60 damage every turn while in the Active Spot, and Dangerous Toxwhip spreads status conditions alongside 150 damage, making it a tricky card to deal with in grindy matchups.
Legendary Pokémon aren’t being left out either. Zapdos ex has climbed 23% to $61.99, buoyed by a dynamic Illustration Rare that shows the Legendary Bird mid-strike. It isn’t just binder candy, though. Voltaic Float removes its retreat cost when it has Lightning Energy attached, and Multishot Lightning can deal big damage to both the Active and a damaged Benched Pokémon.
Rounding out the climbers is Alakazam ex, which has risen the fastest of the bunch, up 35% to $44.98. The surreal, psychedelic artwork on its Special Illustration Rare has kept collector interest high, but it’s also a flexible attacker. Mind Jack punishes opponents with full benches, while Dimensional Hand can be used even if Alakazam stays on the Bench, giving it options that most other attackers don’t have.
10 Most Expensive Cards In Black Bolt and White Flare
Black Bolt and White Flare are the final Scarlet and Violet expansions, released together earlier this month. Each half of the set has its own focus, with Black Bolt featuring Pokémon like Zekrom, Kyurem, and Genesect, while White Flare highlights Reshiram, Keldeo, and Hydreigon. What makes these sets unique is the new Black White Rares and the fact that every single Pokémon has at least one Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare.
Among the most expensive cards are the Black White Rare versions of Zekrom ex, Reshiram ex, and Victini, all highly desirable for both their powerful attacks and prestige foil treatments. Special Illustration Rares like Hydreigon ex, Keldeo ex, Genesect ex, and Kyurem ex are my favorites, plus they’re cheaper than their Black White Rare versions.
Pokémon TCG Price Updates
I can’t believe I was singing Amazon’s praises last week for some near MSRP deals on sealed Pokémon TCG product, as this week they’re back up to ridiculous pricing. You should stay away until they lower their prices and stick to TCGPlayer and eBay right now, which in some cases are a clean $15 below Amazon’s current pricing. The benefit of buying from TCGPlayer is the vetted sellers and full transparancy on market values, but if you can save even more on eBay then go for it. All links are above to make your life easier.
Last Week’s Crashers and Climbers
Scarlet and Violet base set prices have been volatile lately, with Illustration Rares seeing steady gains while some Special Illustration Rares have cooled off. The Ralts evolutionary line has been one of the biggest surprises this month, with Ralts and Kirlia both climbing around 28% in value. Their popularity seems to be driven more by collectors chasing the full evolution line rather than playability alone. Gardevoir ex has also risen significantly, up to $54.99, thanks to its strong Psychic Embrace ability and frequent appearances in competitive decklists. Miraidon ex and Koraidon ex have seen smaller but consistent gains, reflecting their continued use in Lightning and Fighting decks.
At the same time, several Illustration Rares have dropped sharply. Dondozo and Starly saw the biggest falls, down 30% and 37% respectively, likely due to their limited competitive relevance. Fidough, Armarouge, and Pachirisu also dipped, correcting from their initial launch hype. Overall, Scarlet and Violet’s market is shifting as collectors focus on full evolution lines and competitively viable cards, while once‑popular lower‑tier Illustration Rares settle into lower price ranges.
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.
Obsidian’s survival game Grounded 2 has launched into early access, and the developers have one of those old-timey roadmaps explaining how it will change before the 1.0 release, give or take a few teasing redactions. This being a game about miniaturised children fighting insects, of course, the road in question may be only a few metres long. A garden pathmap, perhaps? Let’s have a look, then.
Riot Games has revealed that its League of Legends card game, Riftbound, will launch on October 31 in multiple regions.
The physical game (not to be confused with Legends of Runeterra) will be available to preorder from Riot’s Merch Store starting on August 4.
“One of the primary goals of the Riftbound team is making Riftbound as accessible as possible to League of Legends players and TCG players alike, as soon as possible,” a press release explains.
Riftbound Product List Revealed
If you’re keen on trying your hand at Riftbound, a store locator will go live on August 4 to find local game stores, while Riot says “Select mass market stores may have Riftbound available at launch, as well.”
The initial offerings will be split between decks and booster boxes, with ‘Origins’ sets being available from October 31.
These include Proving Grounds, a starter set which includes decks based on Annie, Garen, Lux, and Master Yi, as well as Champions Decks which include Viktor, Jinx, and Lee Sin decks.
Players can also pick up 14-card booster packs to supplement their decks or build fresh ones, while booster boxes will include 24 packs. Riot has also promised playmats and card sleeves featuring Ahri, Jinx, Miss Fortune, and Volibear.
Riot Store preorders will require a Riot ID, and there will be limits on purchases. Participating stores will host Riftbound: Origins launch events, with a Promo booster up for grabs, while Riot has said it will “continue to monitor and assess the overall market demand over time for Riftbound: Origins and are prepared to take additional actions as needed.”
There’s an Arcane Boxed Set coming, too, with preorders opening at the end of August.
In the crowded landscape of TCGs, is there room for another? That remains to be seen, but Riot’s clearly excited about Riftbound.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.
In the realm of pixel artistry, action platformer Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a pretty work of dither and parallax. It’s full of set pieces reminiscent of a misremembered arcade’s heyday. Between the more standard run ‘n’ chop levels, there are jetski chasedowns, motorcycle pursuits, cargo train battles, bulldozer escapes, and gas chamber breakouts. If it didn’t frequently result in a death screen, I’d say it barely pauses for breath. The whole game is less a mineshaft of nostalgia as it is a shale fracking job, flushing you with jets of high pressure pseudomemory. I’m just a little sad that its strongest gimmick soon dissolves into the background, overwhelmed by floods of demon baddies.
Heeeere we go! Nintendo has finally confirmed that a Nintendo Direct is coming tomorrow, and it’s a Partner Showcase.
Kicking things off on 31st July at 6am PST / 9am EST / 2pm BST / 3pm CET, we’ll be treated to 25 minutes of news on third-party games coming to the Switch and Switch 2.
Games for Your Summer Escape: Indie Selects for July 2025
Raymond Estrada, Steven Allen, Joe Olk, Oscar Polanco, Deron MannID@Xbox Travel Agents
Summer is a fun time for a great vacation. Whether you’re flying solo to disconnect or trekking a full minivan full of your favorite people, you’re likely looking for a change of scenery this month. But what if you can’t get away in real life? Well, you’re in luck because the ID@Xbox team has handpicked six Indie Select titles for July that could be your ideal getaway.
We can get you booked for a luxury vacation planet that might have a slight robot revolt to contend with. We have some incredible views on our island-hopping city building packages. What about a stay in the wintery North American wilderness filled with hired guns for some therapeutic guerilla warfare? Nothing says family like jumping into a random portal in New York City with three of your closest people to rescue your rodent father figure. If you prefer to manage your vacation more precisely, how about a trip to the theater where you choose the outcomes of everyone involved? Otherwise, a staycation can be filled with romance where you least expect it.
Act now and book our Monthly Selects for your latest dream destination. Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):
The latest game from Strange Scaffold is a shortform covert revenge thriller FPS. However, more specifically, it’s the video game equivalent of yelling “I’m fine!” while sprinting through a dense forest full of laser tripwires and heavily armed guards. You play as Agent Alphonse Harding—a man with a past, a knife, and a serious grudge. Once a top-tier assassin, Harding’s been living off-grid in a frozen forest, trying to forget the things he’s done. But when his old handler, Burkin, shows up with the classic “one last job,” Harding refuses. Bad move. Burkin retaliates. Worse move.
Harding “snaps”—his word, not mine—and what follows is a comic-book-style rampage of sweet rebellion and stylish vengeance. The game doesn’t ease you in—it kicks down the door, hands you a blade, and says, “Figure it out.” And honestly? I loved every second of it.
The mechanics are tight, fast, and unforgiving in the best way. Every level is a high-speed puzzle of movement and timing. One of my proudest moments? Sliding under a laser, catching a guard off-guard (pun intended), flinging their weapon into another enemy’s face—then catching it mid-air and using it to shoot a third. It felt like I was auditioning for an action movie no one asked for, but everyone would absolutely watch.
But what really surprised me was the emotional weight behind the chaos. Between the synth-heavy soundtrack and the stylized carnage, there’s a surprising amount of heart—thanks in large part to the stellar voice acting. Harding’s narration is delivered in a gravelly, deadpan tone that somehow manages to be both hilarious and quietly devastating. There’s a heaviness behind every line, like he’s not just angry—he’s tired of being angry. After one particularly brutal encounter, he mutters, “I’m not angry. I’m just disappointed… in everyone.” It’s absurd, yes—but it hits.
If you’re into games like Superhot or Ghostrunner, and you enjoy feeling like a one-person demolition crew with a flair for the dramatic, I Am Your Beast is your next obsession. Just don’t be surprised if you start narrating your grocery runs in a gravelly voice. – Steven Allen
Hunt the military-industrial complex across stylish comic book micro-sandboxes in this fast-paced covert revenge thriller FPS from the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.
We’ve all been lonely, but have you ever been lonely enough to date your coffee table? Well, to be precise you’re dating the “concept of a table” – there’s a difference, trust me. On the surface, Date Everything! is a quirky dating simulator where each object in your house has a distinct and lively personality, but it only takes a few minutes in the intro to realize something else entirely is going on, something sinister and corporate. Your contacts in the human world seem more disembodied than the inanimate objects you’re beginning to form bonds with and, believe me, that’s entirely the point.
As the protagonist your goal is not simply to discover how to get your bed into bed (a thought that is absolutely 100% part of it), but to unravel the complex nature of the personalities around you, to truly understand the situation and world you exist within. And that’s what makes Date Everything! so incredibly compelling; the characters that exist within it are so rich, and the world so filled with loose threads just begging to be pulled. By doing so, you are rewarded with strange tales and lovely bits of steamy dialogue written so pitch perfectly and delivered by an absolutely stunning cast of voice actors.
That is the gasoline that fills the engine of the game’s loop. The engine itself is simple and effective; you wake up each morning and have a limited amount of battery life to talk with objects around your house, all the while receiving curious and sometimes desperate messages from your human contacts over your phone. You repeat this process, and a puzzle begins to form in front of your very eyes, each piece slotting into place but opening another space for yet another piece to fit. It is a sprawling tangle of emotions and personalities all caught within the walls of a house, while you glance suspiciously at the outside world.
So go ahead, I beg of you, learn about your lamp’s burgeoning streaming / influencer business and your fridge’s ice cream restaurant; and remember to treat them well, because objects are people too. – Joe Olk
Date Everything! brings an exciting new twist on the dating simulator genre.
Your BFA in customer service unfortunately goes to waste as you lose your job to AI. But… a mysterious stranger sends a gift – magical glasses called ‘Dateviators’ – which make your house come alive and dateable!
Each dateable object will open up, have their own stories and potentially become your lovers, friends, or enemies. With an exhaustive Who’s Who of voice actors keeping you company on your journey!
Features:
• 100 Datable Characters
• Fully Voice Acted
• Branching Narratives
• At Least 3 Endings Per Dateable Character
• Puns Galore!
Robots at Midnight is a retro-futuristic, soulslike action-RPG that combines storytelling with atmospheric worldbuilding and skill-based combat. You play as Zoe, a stowaway onboard her father Michael’s spaceship orbiting their home planet Yob, a luxury vacation world. When a sudden emergency breaks out and the ship’s robotic crew turns hostile, Zoe, believing she’s the only human left, sets out with her robot companion Phlite to find an escape capsule. Along the way, she discovers the Mobile Impulse Traversal Technology (MITT), a relic of the Space Walkers used for space exploration. The gauntlet-like device adds depth to combat and exploration, granting Zoe a booster dash, overcharged punches, and charged energy shots.
After a chaotic battle and multiple turns of events, you arrive on Yob, where the tone shifts. Once a beautiful, idyllic place, it’s now lonely and in ruins. From there, the game unfolds into a carefully crafted narrative full of secrets and eccentric, yet endearing, characters. What I love most is how the game pulls you in emotionally through small, quiet moments. Conversations with forgotten robots, the haunting stillness of abandoned places, and Zoe’s unwavering hope all create a world that feels deeply personal. You feel invested in helping her get the answers to the mysteries.
The story is layered but not convoluted, with each encounter, memory fragment, and clue feeling purposeful. You’re not just hacking through enemies; you’re uncovering questions left unanswered. What drove the machines to revolt? Where is her father, and why was he spared?
The sound design amplifies the tension with retro synths that echo isolation, wonder, and occasional dread. The world feels both abandoned and alive, and every interaction – whether it’s an offbeat robot or a strange remnant of the past – adds personality to the setting. The soulslike combat is never punishing; there’s a rhythm to each encounter that rewards patience and creativity, especially as you unlock new abilities and uncover new layers of the MITT’s potential.
If you’re drawn to story-driven RPGs with atmospheric exploration, strong companions, and combat that complements rather than overshadows the narrative, Robots at Midnight is one to watch. It’s a haunting and heartfelt journey that asks you to think, feel, and fight with just one warning: be sure to be home before midnight… – Oscar Polanco
Robots at Midnight is a retro-futuristic Action RPG set on the planet Yob, a world left in ruins and haunted by the machines once built to serve it.
After twenty years in cryo-sleep, Zoe wakes to find a world she barely recognizes. To survive and to save what’s left, she must track down her missing father, lost during the cataclysmic event known only as The Blackout. Along the way, she’ll take on gangs of corrupted robots, confront towering bosses, and uncover long-buried truths about Yob.
Just be home before midnight.
[Combat with Fluid Movement]
The MITT is a powerful piece of old-world tech made for Space exploration, now repurposed for survival. Launch off enemies, soar through the air, and smash through bots with momentum-based combat that keeps you constantly moving. Whether in battle or traversal, fast, fluid movement is your greatest weapon. Find your rhythm. Sharpen your skills. Discover what you’re really made of.
[Choose Your Challenge]
Whether you’re new to action RPGs or a seasoned fighter, Robots at Midnight adapts to your playstyle. Hero Mode offers a more forgiving, story-driven experience, while Master Mode pushes your reflexes and tactics to the edge with high-stakes combat.
Whichever path you choose, prepare for a fight.
[Explore and Uncover Hidden Lore]
Waking up on a ruined planet isn’t the hard part, figuring out what happened is. Step into Zoe’s sneakers and investigate the mystery behind Yob’s downfall. Discover lost technologies, unravel the threads of the past, and determine your place in a future that moved on without you.
Sometimes you just know before you even hit the start button when something is going to be your jam. The sequel to the critically acclaimed title that launched on Xbox back in 2021, Islanders: New Shores is a calm, welcoming, minimalist, island-hopping city builder that is, in my opinion, the ultimate stress relief. The core of the game is pretty straightforward: slowly build a small civilization on a procedurally generated island in the most efficient way possible, with a limited amount of buildings. When you build up enough points, you can move on to the next island whenever you’re ready. No big rush.
You collect points based on how you lay out your buildings. Certain buildings interact with aspects of the environment or other buildings in specific ways. Sawmills next to trees, bonus points. Seaweed farm set up next to a body of water, bonus points. City center next to other homes, bonus points. However, there are deductions to your points if certain buildings are next to elements that don’t gel.
The UI is not only very pretty, but very intuitive. There’s a lot of trial and error, but there’s no massive consequences for any errors. It was easy to pick up quickly and learn how to access the information I needed to make the right choices. Suddenly, you just keep going, earning more point tiers and landmarks as you start learning the synergies and, before you know it, you’re offered the chance to build a new civilization on a different island.
And when I say different, I mean different. The island types don’t just offer a color palette swap but completely different environments with different city builds. You can go from a warm tropical paradise to an aviary-focused island with a carrier pigeon network, to a barren rock surrounded by lava. Along the way you’ll unlock special boons that can create some powerful combos, allowing you to copy a building, gain a point multiplier, or shrink building sizes that can lead to a massive point gain. However, by the third or fourth island, you’ll start to feel the challenge of the higher point requirements and smaller landmasses. If the challenge starts to be more than you want to experience, don’t worry – you begin the game in High Score mode, but you can just as easily slide into Free Build mode allowing you to customize the island shape, size, climate and buildings at your whim.
This game feels like cross between a zen garden and roguelike, and I found myself up late at night with straining eyes saying to myself “just one more run.” It has such a chill and pleasing soundtrack and aesthetic that I found myself at peace. However, as simple as the game is, it’s not exactly easy either. Overall, there’s just something about finding that one pixel of space to create a crazy point bonus that is unreasonably satisfying. I’d recommend this for anyone that enjoys turn-based strategy and roguelikes, but just needs a night to chill out. I’ll be playing this for a while. – Raymond Estrada
The next chapter in the beloved minimalist city-building franchise is here. ISLANDERS: New Shores invites you back to a world of tranquil creativity, now reimagined with expanded gameplay, stunning visuals, and a host of fresh features that build on the charm of the original.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, prepare to explore, build, and strategise like never before.
Build Your Dream Cities Across 50 Unique Levels
Explore over 44 building types across 6 diverse biomes, each available in 4 vibrant colour variations, letting you customise your strategy and create truly unique cities.
Choose your mode of play; High Score Mode for those who love a competitive twist, or Sandbox Mode to let your creativity run wild.
Experience a World of New Features
Photo Mode – Capture and share your stunning island creations with customisable filters and a turntable camera.
Expanded Soundtrack – Enjoy 75 minutes of original music that sets the perfect mood for your building adventures.
Dynamic Scoring Systems – Master innovative scoring methods – such as line of sight, distance bonuses, and inter-island strategies – to enhance your gameplay.
Boons – Unlock single-use power-ups that give you unique tactical advantages as you progress.
Twitch Integration – Streamers can now engage their audiences directly with interactive features built into the game.
A Visual Overhaul That Elevates the Experience
With a complete reimagining of the minimalist aesthetic, ISLANDERS: New Shores delivers a visual feast that complements its deep, strategic gameplay. Whether you’re here to relax or to challenge your building skills, every new shore offers a fresh canvas for creativity.
Key Features
– Two modes: High Score and Sandbox (with separate saves)
– 44 unique building types and 7 island properties
– 50 dynamic island generators offering endless variety
– Photo Mode with filters and a turntable camera
– 75 minutes of original, immersive music
– Boons: new one-time power-ups for strategic gameplay
– Advanced scoring systems that reward clever tactics
– Twitch integration for an interactive streaming experience
ISLANDERS: New Shores – where every island is a new adventure, and every build is a chance to create something extraordinary.
Part-visual novel, part-puzzle adventure, Bad End Theater asks you to you make decisions for each of its characters, with every choice affecting everyone’s path through the story –, which all seemingly lead towards a bad ending. The ensemble for this tragedy includes the Hero, the Maiden, the Servant, and Demon Overlord, and the overall theme takes on morality, fate, and finding yourself despite the fear of what could happen. The game emphasizes replayability much like a roguelike –every mistake isn’t necessarily a failure, but a necessary choice that could unlock a new path.
When you start out, you’re asked to lead these 4 charcaters to their doom. You lead each of them through their storylines, making a few choices until they reach their horrible conclusion (usually, they die). After each run, you’ll unlock new traits that can alter their paths and lead them to dozens more bad endings. Each character has their own story and dilemma that intersects with each other character. A decision made for one character’s path can alter the direction of another character. You’ll constantly hop between each character, all seeing the same events, but from a unique perspective, which forces you to rethink character intentions, and what is ultimately the “right” choice.
As a kid, I loved “choose your own adventure books,” mainly because 90% of the endings were, “you chose poorly so they died.” But the point of those books was to illustrate how any of our choices can lead us astray from our true path. This game really illustrates this, as you will see your characters die a lot. However, as you continue your little experiment, you’ll learn more about the Bad End Theater and the bigger picture this game is ultimately painting. The game is a snack-sized experience in terms of length, but it’s a great snack to go back to again and again, offering 40 different endings. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves puzzles, as this is definitely a game that rewards curiosity and experimentation. – Raymond Estrada
Select your protagonist and explore a variety of terrible fates!
The decisions you make in one story will affect the others. You can toggle these behaviors to open up new paths! Unfortunately, every path leads to a bad ending…
This is what you get when you combine all the charm of an iconic franchise with the popular – and quite frankly, addictive – action-roguelike genre. Players will find the gameplay reminiscent of other roguelike favorites like Hades but with 1-4 player co-op and featuring the rich story and characters of the TMNT universe.
The game begins with Leonardo (my favorite turtle) getting ambushed by Foot Soldiers – a staple enemy to the Turtles and loyal grunts of the universe’s main antagonist, Shredder. However, after clearing these henchmen, you are faced with an unwinnable fight (either you’re supposed to lose or I’m bad… or both). You then learn that Shredder, or someone even darker than him, has not only kidnapped Master Splinter, but possesses some powerful, portal creating, world altering…thing, and it’s up to the gang to save their master and stop the mastermind behind this plot.
What I love most about it is how the developers retained key components of the genre, incorporated TMNT lore and design, and managed to make things feel fresh, fun and engaging. Fans of the franchise will appreciate seeing the Turtles’ hideout repurposed as the central hub for upgrades, pizza being the symbol for health pickups, the ability to unlock Casey Jones, fights against Leatherhead or Rocksteady, and your chats with April or Slash.
The developers even went as far as adding dialogue to in-run upgrades that are themed after other characters. There was a point where I chose an ability that was themed after Mikey, and Leo said something along the lines of “I hope it doesn’t come with the bad puns.” It’s classic Turtles and whether you’re a diehard fan or novice to that fandom, it’s charming to see and easy to appreciate – Ralph can get irritating sometimes, but that’s canon. – Deron Mann
Unleash Turtle Power!
Grab your friends, pick your favorite Turtle and jump into an adventure to save Master Splinter from the Foot Clan! Master ninja skills, unite in bodacious online and local co-op gameplay, and conquer iconic NYC locales.
Bodacious Co-Op Gameplay
Brace yourself for fast-paced, roguelike action where no two runs are the same. With randomized power-ups, room layouts, and boss modifiers, the excitement never ends. Take control of all four Turtles, each wielding unique powers, and team up with friends for bodacious co-op gameplay. Explore iconic NYC locations, upgrade your Turtle powers, and prepare to face off against formidable enemies.
Build Your Power
Master the powers of water and fire, utrom and ooze, light and darkness, and -most importantly- Ninja to create unique and bodacious builds for your Turtles. Every run brings new challenges and opportunities – explore and perfect your favorite builds, and combine them with allies to conquer your enemies.
A Thrilling Story
When Splinter is kidnapped by Shredder, mysterious portals appear across NYC and the Turtles will battle to recover their father from the clutches of the Foot Clan. However, an even greater threat lingers in the shadows…
With additional settings, balance and tuning enhancements for PC, Splintered Fate promises to keep you engaged in the FIGHT, ADAPT, REPEAT portal loop. Be ready to restore peace to the city!
Set to launch on August 7, Activision wants you to “unleash your inner action hero” courtesy of six new modes, four new and/or remastered maps, and a smorgasbord of new weapons, updates, and enemies across Black Ops 6, Zombies, and Warzone.
“The Rogue Black Ops team is finally back in the good graces of the CIA, and that means access to all the weapons and firepower they could ask for,” the publisher teases. “It’s time to finish the job they started and crush the final Pantheon moles, putting their betrayal to rest once and for all.”
In terms of maps, you’ll find three new ones in Black Ops 6: Runway (6v6), Exchange (6v6, 2v2), the remastered World Motor Dynasty (WMD) (6v6), plus an in-season update is on the way for Jackpot (6v6). Warzone, on the other hand, gets a Stadium POI update in Verdansk.
New modes coming to Black Ops 6 are the headshot-tastic Aim High, Snipers Only, Cranked Moshpit, plus in-season updates to Cranked Demotion, Blueprint Gunfight, and Ransack. Warzone gets LTM modes Stadium Resurgence and Deadline.
Warzone gets new cosmetics, weapon attachments, bundles, and a number of limited-time events like 90 Action Heroes, Atomic Block Party, and Operation: Hell Ride “and more.”
“Recent intelligence indicates a massive disruption across Verdansk is imminent, as recon teams have confirmed the existence of a clandestine military base hidden within the sealed walls of the National Acropolis Arena,” Activision added. “The extent of the threat remains unclear, though a weapon capable of large-scale destruction is expected to be unearthed within the vicinity.
“Breach the stadium in possibly the most impressively explosive way possible as you and other enemy squads attempt race to complete the multi-step Satellite Hijack Contract. Infiltrate the Stadium by any means necessary, confirming the nefarious operations and hidden compound within.”
As always, expect a plethora of rewards — charms, emblems, calling cards, stickers, and weapon skins — for those daring to step into ranked play, regards of whether you’re jumping into Black Ops 6’s multiplayer or Warzone’s battle royale.
Activision added that it has now completed the second phase of testing Warzone’s Casual Solos and Core Solos side-by-side, with results showing players are more than three times likely to step into Casual over Core. Consequently, as Season 5 rolls over, both Core and Casual will be available globally on day one, but within a couple of days, Core Solos will only remain an option for North American and European players — Casual will continue to be available for all.
“By tailoring playlists based on regional data, we’re ensuring that every Call of Duty: Warzone player gets the best possible experience, regardless of location,” the publisher said. “This is the next step in refining how we build playlists that serve all Call of Duty: Warzone players. We’ll continue to evaluate performance and feedback as Season 05 rolls out.”
Rounding out the update are some features for Zombies, including new map Reckoning and new Wonder Weapon Gorgofex, which combines fungal, floral, and insectile traits to “deliver precise impact damage and gravity-defying disruption in close quarters, glowing membranes on the weapon show hints of motion and circulation under the surface.” You can also expect new field upgrade Mister Peeks, enemies Uber Klaus and Kommando Klaus, as well as new grief arenas and a shiny new combat bow for stealthy takedowns.
Activision didn’t give a reason for the change, but it’s fair to suggest this is just a way of tidying up HQ ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s release later this year.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Well, after a prolonged period of teasing, Peak developers Aggro Crab and Landfall Games look to have bitten the human bullet. Nestled among the notes for the climbing game’s latest patch are the words “added cannibalism”.
If you’ve put down your controller this year to go touch a very particular patch of grass, you might have noticed that something strange is going on at the world’s major film festivals. It started in May, when a film adaptation of virally-successful Japanese indie game Exit 8 premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival – the first videogame movie to do so. The film’s director, Genki Kawamura, gives his source material a compelling structural spin, appealing equally to the arthouse crowd and to game fans. But live-action adaptations of video games are, of course, nothing new.
That’s why Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Cinematic Cut is so interesting. It is not a live-action adaptation of developer Warhorse Studios’ critically-acclaimed RPG. Instead, it is an abridged and reformatted version of Act One of the game itself, presenting a newly-edited blend of the open-world game’s cutscenes and gameplay in a two-hour linear form. It was perhaps the strangest Special Presentation at this month’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic – a unique cross-format experiment. One that wasn’t Warhorse’s idea.
“It all happened at the official launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2,” explains KVIFF artistic director, Karel Och. “The first contact was made through a mutual friend, and Warhorse and KVIFF made each other understand that they wanted to collaborate at some point. During the following months, it was exciting to have a glimpse of what Warhorse represents – and I dare to say the same goes for our friends from the top of the gaming business.”
Warhorse’s communications director, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, concurs. “They wanted to make the festival more modern and interesting – to offer something new”. The largest film festival in Eastern Europe, KVIFF attracts a younger, more adventurous audience than its contemporaries. The studio saw the film festival’s strange idea as a chance to give video games greater cultural relevancy in the broader mainstream. Besides – much of the game’s cinematics team were already speaking the festival’s language.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s cinematic director, Petr Pekař, studied film editing and directing with the intention of becoming a traditional filmmaker, but he found his calling in video games. “There are a lot of filmmakers in the Czech Republic, but the market is not that big, so it’s a bit overcrowded.” says Pekař. “Thankfully, there are multiple studios creating cutscenes, which are basically animated movies”. Pekar learned on the job creating cutscenes for Mafia 3, then joined Warhorse – first as a cinematic designer on the original Kingdom Come, then as director on its sequel.
Bringing Deliverance 2’s cutscenes to the big screen invites comparison with conventional cinema, an arena far from the cinematics’ original purpose. “If you’re a player, you’re mainly looking forward to playing the game,” says Pekař. “The cutscenes are more like dessert for the game – not necessary – but when it’s good and it clicks, it really helps the game, the story, and the overall feel”.
The Cinematic Cut opens, naturally, on the game’s first cutscene. As it happens, you can’t help but feel like you’re settling in for a YouTube video titled ‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – All Cutscenes’ (“I don’t think anybody actually watches those in full” Pekař quips). The team’s cinematic direction is confident, but familiar – steeped in high fantasy tropes. A fiery siege on the castle is highly reminiscent of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy – a major influence on Warhorse’s stylistic approach. Transported to the cinema screen, the scene serves as a striking reminder of how video games have traded in pastiche since their inception, responding to our desire to live out the fantasy ourselves whenever we see something cool on screen. But, of course, Cinematic Cut doesn’t deliver on this pivotal fantasy like its source material does – it’s non-playable.
I think this is an experiment that somebody can pick up and do better than we did.
When the cutscene footage ends, something curious happens. Father Godwin readies his crossbow and the scene transitions into first-person. But this is no Let’s Play. Smart, quick cuts establish a new, more cinematic editing language for first-person gameplay. Godwin heads towards the stairs – cut – now he’s halfway up them – cut – now he’s atop the ramparts, plunging his sword into an enemy. It’s remarkably thrilling. “[The gameplay] was mostly recorded by Vítek Mičke, our marketing specialist,” explains Pekař. “He also made the trailers, and he’s got a good sense of timing and aesthetics. He knows how to control the camera with the controller to properly set the scene and set the mood – so it looks cool.”
A couple of awkward transitions disrupt this otherwise ‘cinematic’ tempo. A sudden cut to a ladder lowering, for example, has the distinct feel of a gameplay segment ending and a cutscene beginning, and reminds you of the objective-based game that birthed the footage. But these moments are few and far between, and they accentuate how much Warhorse has otherwise succeeded in their first attempt.
“I think this is an experiment that somebody can pick up and do better than we did – or maybe we can do it again in the future with our future projects, and learn from our mistakes.” reflects Pekař. “It’s a really interesting experience to see it on the big screen – and I was surprised that it held up. It’s odd, but it somewhat works. It’s not some kind of new cinematic media that will sit next to the movies, but for festivals and conventions, for fans – I think it’s a format that others will be doing as well”.
The team at KVIFF are equally pleased with the results. “Storytelling has many faces,” says Och. “We’re proud that a new chapter in the festival’s modern history was written in collaboration with people that we respect a great deal who follow the same goal.”
“I think this format builds a bridge,” concludes Pekař. “Gamers can come to appreciate aesthetics and cinematography, the color palettes and moods in games more, and – in the same way – movie fans can understand how movies have different functions when they’re working with interactivity. When these two mediums collaborate, sometimes it creates really strange and cool ideas. When people go out of their bubble to see something different, it helps us to understand each other’s mediums.”
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Cinematic Cut is available to watch on the KVIFF.TV website for a small fee (approx. $6) until July 31, 2027.
Blake Simons is a journalist with a taste for the self-reflexive, sentimental and surreal.
Elden Ring Nightreign‘s patch 1.02, which’ll deliver the Duo Expeditions players have been asking for, has had its deployment pushed back by a day due a tsunami warning.
The update was orginally set to go out today, July 30th, but will now go out tomorrow, July 31st. The tsunami warning that’s led developers FromSoftware to have to switch up their plans is one of many consequences of a massive earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
