Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only, leaving one platform in particular out in the cold: PC.
It’s an omission in keeping with developer Rockstar’s playbook for its previous games, but in 2025 feels outdated. And, given the increasing importance of the PC for a multiplatform game’s success, is GTA 6’s no-show on PC a missed opportunity or even a mistake?
IGN put that question to Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick ahead of the company’s recent financial results, and in his response he teased GTA 6’s eventual release on PC.
“So with Civ 7 it’s available on console and PC and Switch right away,” Zelnick said of Firaxis’ recently launched Civilization 7. “With regard to others in our lineup, we don’t always go across all platforms simultaneously. Historically, Rockstar has started with some platforms and then historically moved to other platforms.”
Rockstar fans have noted the studio’s historical reluctance to release other past games on PC day-and-date with console, as well as its fraught relationship with the modding community over the years. Still, some had hoped that a game as big as GTA 6 could be a turning point for the studio’s PC gaming attitude.
Big Rockstar titles tend to get to PC eventually, but the question of how long PC gamers will have to wait for what could end up being one of the biggest games ever remains. Given GTA 6’s fall 2025 release window, which Take-Two is still confident in, it seems likely PC players won’t get to play the game until 2026 at the earliest.
But how big of a missed opportunity could skipping PC for GTA 6’s launch be? Zelnick told IGN that the PC version of a multiplatform game can generate 40% of overall sales, or even more with certain games.
That stat came as part of a discussion about the current console generation, which has seen sales of the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S — the two consoles GTA 6 launches on later this year — plummet. While Nintendo has the Switch 2 waiting in the wings, neither Sony nor Microsoft have announced their next-gen consoles. How long before the industry needs the PlayStation 6 and whatever Xbox is next?
Zelnick pointed to the PC platform as growing in importance, even as console sales fall, while publishers wait for Sony and Microsoft’s next moves.
“We have seen PC become a much more and more important part of what used to be a console business, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that trend continue,” he said. “Of course, there will be a new console generation.”
In any case, according to Zelnick, the release of GTA 6, which is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time, will drive console sales as fans jump into the current generation for the first time in order to play the game.
“When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles,” Zelnick said.
“And I think that will happen this year. I don’t think tariffs are going to be our friend, but I think there will be a meaningful uptick in console sales in calendar 25 because of the release schedule, not just coming from us, but coming from others. So I’m not concerned about that [console sales falling]. I think the trend that you’d want to focus on is this increasing share of the market that is reflected in PC.”
Indeed, many see the PlayStation 5 Pro as a future ‘GTA 6 machine,’ in the hopes it will be the best platform to play the game when it comes out. However, tech experts believe the PS5 Pro probably won’t run GTA 6 at 4K60.
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.
Dragon Quest 12 is still in development and information will be released “little by little,” series creator Yuji Horii has said.
As reported by Automaton, Horii said the development team at Square Enix is “working hard” on Dragon Quest 12, while on a livestream with his radio show group KosoKoso Hōsō Kyoku.
Fans had expressed concern that Dragon Quest 12 might have been canceled amid restructuring at Square Enix and a lack up updates, but Horii’s latest comments appear to confirm the game is still in the works.
Dragon Quest 12 was announced as part of the series’ 35th anniversary celebration and will be the first mainline entry since 2017’s Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
Since then, Square Enix has said Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake exceeded sales expectations after selling 2 million copies.
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.
Football fans spent months preparing for Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, but no one was expecting to see the artist take another dig at Drake with a stadium-sized PlayStation Easter Egg.
Most of the rapper’s set went off as expected. While the crowd cheered to spins on hits from records like DAMN and GNX, appearances from stars like Samuel Jackson and SZA helped take the show to new heights. Of course, there were plenty of references to Lamar’s infamous 2024 beef with Drake, too, but what audiences didn’t expect was how the Super Bowl performer chose to finally close the door on the former Degrassi star. As the lights went down, the words “Game Over” could be seen illuminated on the side of the stadium, while the stage was revealed to feature PlayStation’s iconic cross, circle, triangle, and square symbols.
Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was always going to be seen as a victory lap when it came to his beef with Drake, but bringing Sony into the fight to finally close that chapter in grand fashion felt especially brutal. Although it’s not quite clear why the To Pimp a Butterfly artist chose to seemingly channel PlayStation for the end of his year-long fight, music and gaming fans have taken to social media to share their appreciation for the dig nonetheless. At the very least, Lamar’s already great performance might be better on rewatch once you realize the stage is one big video game reference.
Kendrick Lamar brought out the PlayStation symbols and said “Game Over” 😭https://t.co/MfkDEJ1F9G
Serena Williams, Samuel Jackson, PlayStation references, the GNX, the whole stadium yelling “AMINORR” ugh the dancers in red, white & blue, SZA?! Thank you Kendrick. The revolution will be televised. pic.twitter.com/cKazFowRIC
With Lamar’s show now finally putting the beef to bed, it’s hard not to look at the weekend as one of PlayStation’s biggest (and strangest) ever. Aside from its surprise spot in the Super Bowl halftime show, the gaming company found itself making headlines on Friday and Saturday morning when gamers were locked out of accessing PSN for an extended period of time. The unscheduled event saw fans unable to play any online titles for around a full day, resulting in one of the longest periods of downtime since the infamous outage of 2011. PlayStation was eventually able to bring PSN back online later yesterday and has stated it will be gifting PlayStation Plus users an additional five days onto their subscriptions.
Meanwhile, the Super Bowl still has time to go, and that means more trailers and commercials for some of the biggest movies and TV shows of 2025. Highlights so far include teasers for Jurassic World Rebirth, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, and Thunderbolts*. For everything included in this year’s Big Game, you can see our commercial roundup here.
Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, February 8, below:
Fantasian Neo Dimension for $39.99
Fantasian Neo Dimension is on sale for the first time since launch! Both the PS5 and Switch versions are available for $39.99, and this is one of the best turn-based RPGs you can buy right now. With a story by Hironobu Sakaguchi and music by Nobuo Uematsu, this is one experience any RPG fan does not want to miss.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the latest first party game for Nintendo Switch, and you can already save $15 off at Woot. If you enjoyed Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Returns HD is another excellent entry you are sure to have fun with. There are many different worlds to traverse through, with a variety of collectibles and items to discover.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you’re still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms!
Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99
Amazon has the Apple AirPods 4 on sale for $99.99 today. These earbuds feature Spatial Audio, up to five hours of listening time per charge, and so much more. Apple AirPods 5 likely won’t be out for a good bit, so now is the perfect time to pick up a pair of new AirPods if your old ones are giving out.
Nvidia Shield 4K Android TV for $179.99
Amazon has the Nvidia Shield 4k Android TV on sale for $129.99 today. This is still one of the best media streamers out there, especially with all its features. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “For its speedy performance, AI upscaling, well-designed remote, and lower price, the Nvidia Shield TV is one of the best media streamers you can buy. Its ability to stream games makes it even more attractive for gamers with GeForce-based rigs.”
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection for $39.99
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection has hit a new all-time low at Woot, priced at just $39.99. The first six Final Fantasy titles paved the way for the series as we see it today. Many fans still regard both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI as some of the best that Final Fantasy has to offer, with gripping narratives and engaging gameplay. This package includes all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, which feature updated graphics, soundtracks, font, and more.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble for $19.99
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form many Monkey Ball fans have waited years for. You’ve got over 200 courses, tons of guest characters, and all sorts of modes—what’s not to love? In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a brilliant return to form. Monkey Ball has finally found its way home again with a set of 200 fantastic courses that range from delightfully charming to devilishly challenging, backed up by tight mechanics and predictable physics that put me in total control of my monkey’s fate.”
Super Mario Party Jamboree for $44.99
Mario Party is the quintessential party game for players of all ages. Whenever you’ve got a gathering of people, there’s never a question if Mario Party is going to be a fun activity or not. Super Mario Party Jamboree, the latest entry in the genre, is the best the series has been on Nintendo Switch, with seven different boards and over 100 minigames to explore. At $44.99, this is a great deal on one of the best games for Nintendo Switch.
Sonic X Shadow Generations for $29.99
Sonic X Shadow Generations for PS5 is $20 off at Woot right now. This package includes a remastered version of Sonic Generations and a brand-new campaign focused on Shadow. Both 2D and 3D levels are included, making for the ultimate package for any Sonic fan.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $29.83
You can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $29.83 today at Amazon. This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms.
Sea of Stars for $24.99
Finally, you can grab Sea of Stars on Nintendo Switch for $24.99 at Amazon. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Sea of Stars is an excellent tribute RPG that channels the best parts of its ‘90s-era forebears. It’s not wholly original, but there are enough twists in its story to keep it interesting after the combat loses its luster.”
The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, February 8, below:
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the latest first party game for Nintendo Switch, and you can already save $15 off at Woot. If you enjoyed Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Returns HD is another excellent entry you are sure to have fun with. There are many different worlds to traverse through, with a variety of collectibles and items to discover.
Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99
Amazon has the Apple AirPods 4 on sale for $99.99 today. These earbuds feature Spatial Audio, up to five hours of listening time per charge, and so much more. Apple AirPods 5 likely won’t be out for a good bit, so now is the perfect time to pick up a pair of new AirPods if your old ones are giving out.
Nvidia Shield 4K Android TV for $179.99
Amazon has the Nvidia Shield 4k Android TV on sale for $129.99 today. This is still one of the best media streamers out there, especially with all its features. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “For its speedy performance, AI upscaling, well-designed remote, and lower price, the Nvidia Shield TV is one of the best media streamers you can buy. Its ability to stream games makes it even more attractive for gamers with GeForce-based rigs.”
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection for $39.99
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection has hit a new all-time low at Woot, priced at just $39.99. The first six Final Fantasy titles paved the way for the series as we see it today. Many fans still regard both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI as some of the best that Final Fantasy has to offer, with gripping narratives and engaging gameplay. This package includes all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, which feature updated graphics, soundtracks, font, and more.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble for $19.99
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form many Monkey Ball fans have waited years for. You’ve got over 200 courses, tons of guest characters, and all sorts of modes—what’s not to love? In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a brilliant return to form. Monkey Ball has finally found its way home again with a set of 200 fantastic courses that range from delightfully charming to devilishly challenging, backed up by tight mechanics and predictable physics that put me in total control of my monkey’s fate.”
Super Mario Party Jamboree for $44.99
Mario Party is the quintessential party game for players of all ages. Whenever you’ve got a gathering of people, there’s never a question if Mario Party is going to be a fun activity or not. Super Mario Party Jamboree, the latest entry in the genre, is the best the series has been on Nintendo Switch, with seven different boards and over 100 minigames to explore. At $44.99, this is a great deal on one of the best games for Nintendo Switch.
Sonic X Shadow Generations for $29.99
Sonic X Shadow Generations for PS5 is $20 off at Woot right now. This package includes a remastered version of Sonic Generations and a brand-new campaign focused on Shadow. Both 2D and 3D levels are included, making for the ultimate package for any Sonic fan.
Firaxis has announced a virtual reality version of the recently released Civilization 7.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 – VR is the long-running strategy franchise’s first foray into VR, and launches spring 2025 exclusively on Meta Quest 3 and 3S.
Publisher 2K Games said Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 – VR is developed by PlaySide Studios, which worked on VR games The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Meta Horizon Worlds.
Here’s the official blurb:
In Civilization 7 – VR, the world of Civilization is brought to life like never before. The map takes shape atop a Command Table that lets you peer down from high above or lean all the way in to appreciate the finer details of buildings and units, like a tabletop game come to life. Players will chart a course for their people and engage face-to-face with iconic world leaders around the Command Table, each reacting as you forge alliances or declare war through the Ages.
Civilization 7 – VR is available to play in either immersive virtual reality or mixed reality, and you’ll be able to freely switch between the two at any time. In virtual reality, players are transported to an ornate museum as they look out onto a vista personalized to their leader; in mixed reality, the Command Table adapts to its placement in a player’s physical space. Detailed dioramas can be viewed in The Archives, a room in your museum dedicated to your gameplay achievements displayed in both virtual and mixed reality. In addition to single-player, Civilization 7 – VR can compete to rule the world in online multiplayer matches with up to three other Meta Quest 3 and 3S players.
Firaxis’ 4X strategy sequel is currently available on PC and console to those who paid more for advanced access, and they’re certainly letting their voices be known in Steam user reviews, highlighting issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and a feeling that Civilization 7 has launched without a number of features they’ve come come to expect.
Firaxis has responded to this feedback, promising improvements to the UI, the addition of teams to multiplayer games so people can play co-operatively, and a wider variety of map types, among other things.
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.
If you’re looking for DTI codes, IGN’s got you covered! In this article, you’ll find a list of all the active and working Dress to Impress codes in February 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in DTI, including outfits and accessories like hats, bags, and jewelry.
Active Dress to Impress Codes (February 2025)
Here are all the active Dress to Impress codes in February 2025 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them:
CUPIDSCLOUD – Cloud accessory, expires March 1, 2025 (NEW!)
ELLA – Skirt (NEW!)
1CON1CF4TMA – Sweater dress
B3APL4YS_D0L1E – Doll accessory
MEGANPLAYSBOOTS – Boots
CH00P1E_1S_B4CK: Streetwear outfit set
S3M_0W3N_Y4Y: Axe
UMOYAE: Blue dress
KREEK: Bear hat
FASHION: Black and white dress
LANA: White shorts, shirt, and legwarmers
LANABOW:White bow
BELALASLAY: Black jacket with pink halter top
LANATUTU: White dress
IBELLASLAY: Red, green, and blonde hairstyle
M3RM4ID: Orange mermaid set
TEKKYOOZ: White handbag
M0T0PRINCESSWAV: Gold crown
LABOOTS: Black boots
ITSJUSTNICHOLAS: Black jacket
ASHLEYBUNNI: Bunny slippers
LEAHASHE: Sweatshirt and sweatpants
KITTYUUHH: Black cat
C4LLMEHH4LEY: Puffy dress and bear headband
SUBM15CY: Necklace and eyelashes
D1ORST4R: Bag and bow
All Expired Dress to Impress Codes
Below, you’ll find a list of expired DTI codes that no longer work and can’t be redeemed as of February 2025:
LNY2025
YEAROFTHESNAKE
HAPPYNEWYEAR
NY2025
WINTERUPDATE(Was only redeemable between 8 AM – 11 AM PT on Saturday, 14 December!)
4BILLION
CHOOPIE10K
THEGAMES
EYELASHES
REWARD4CLASS1C
How to Redeem Dress to Impress Codes
Follow the steps below to redeem Dress to Impress codes and claim free rewards in DTI:
Open the Dress to Impress Roblox Experience.
Click on the handbag icon on the left-hand side to open the DTI Codes menu.
Enter your code in the “Type here…” field.
Check for any spelling mistakes or errors.
Click the checkmark icon to redeem the code.
Why Isn’t My Dress to Impress Code Working?
If the code you’re trying to redeem in DTI isn’t working, it’s likely because of one of two reasons:
The Dress to Impress code is expired
There’s a spelling mistake in the code
When inputting a DTI code in Roblox, make sure it’s spelled correctly (for example, a capital I isn’t a lowercase l, 0 and not O, and vice versa) and that there are no spaces before or after the code. We’d recommend copying and pasting codes straight from our article to ensure they’re correct as we’ve tested and verified that the codes on this page are working ourselves.
If your DTI code still isn’t working after checking for typos, it’s more than likely expired and can no longer be redeemed in Dress to Impress.
How to Get More DTI Codes
To get more Dress to Impress codes, the best way is to join the official DTI Discord server. While we check for new codes daily, the quickest way to know about new Dress to Impress codes is to follow the Roblox experience’s official Discord server where updates are posted in real time.
Currently, we don’t know of any upcoming DTI codes now that the Winter Update is here. We’ll update this once any information on new codes is shared.
What is Dress to Impress in Roblox?
Dress to Impress is a popular dress-up Roblox Experience available on PC, console, and iOS and Android mobile devices. In it, you put on your best outfit to complete a specific theme and walk the runway in a bid to earn votes from other players and become a top model. As you gain votes, you gain ranks and can access more clothing and accessories, so make sure you’re truly dressed to impress!
Meg Koepp is a Guides Editor on the IGN Guides team, with a focus on trends. When she’s not working, you can find her playing an RPG or making miniatures.
There was apparently a real push to get Resistance 4 made by the folks at Insomniac Games, but unfortunately the game never received the green light.
Insomniac Games founder and outgoing president Ted Price is sitting down for interviews now that it’s been announced he’s retiring after 30 years at the helm of the studio. He most recently hung out with Kinda Funny Games for a chat and was asked if there was a favorite game of his that was pitched but never made, to which he gave his answer.
“Yeah, I’ll share one. Resistance 4.”
According to Price, he and the developers “did pitch that one and it was a wonderful concept, and it just in terms of timing and market opportunity, didn’t work out.” He added that the Insomniac team were “passionate about extending the story further because I do believe that Resistance has set up a really cool alternate history base where anything can happen with the Chimera and where they go and what their origins are.”
Resistance is a series of first-person shooters Insomniac developed following their work on the Ratchet and Clank games. Set in an alternate history where aliens invade the UK in 1951. There were three Resistance games made, all for the PlayStation 3 before Insomniac moved on to other projects like Marvel’s Spider-Man and new Ratchet and Clank games.
Price announced earlier this year that he will be retiring from Insomniac Games after over 30 years at the company. He has named Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider, and Jen Huang as Co-Studio Heads who will succeed him.
Insomniac Games’ most recent title was Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 which just received a PC release, and their next game is set to be Marvel’s Wolverine.
The first time I lost my mech in Synduality Echo of Ada was on my second sortie, and a lot of things went wrong. I didn’t buy insurance beforehand and I took way too much stuff out with me because I hit the wrong button, and then I chose not to take a moment to repair right before I got into the encounter that killed me. I made a series of avoidable mistakes followed by a bad decision, and this mech-flavored extraction shooter made sure I lost everything I had for it – so it’s a good sign that, after I was done cursing Synduality and then myself, I was immediately excited to try and get it all back. Satisfying combat means going out on a sortie is always tense, but its slow start can really bog down an otherwise great run, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for dipping out before they see the good stuff.
There’s a pretty cool premise: In the far future, humanity has been nearly wiped out by a mysterious blue rain which, in addition to killing humans on contact, makes animals and plants gigantic and aggressive. To survive, society has moved underground and adopted the use of enormous mechs called Cradlecoffins to explore the surface world and gather energy-producing crystals. Your goal: Get up there, get the things you need to upgrade your base and make some cash, and get out before the locals turn your Cradlecoffin into a… gravecoffin?
Cradlecoffins aren’t your traditional mechs. They’re slower than something you’d find in Armored Core – though similarly armed – but faster than the behemoths you’d see in MechWarrior. Ready for a deep cut? They’re actually a lot like the mechs from 2002’s Phantom Crash, which is to say they are a nice balance of being reasonably fast but still heavy and limited in terms of, shall we say, vertical mobility. Armored Core mechs can dunk like Jordan; Cradlecoffins got no ups.
But you’re not out there alone. In addition to your mech, you’ve got a Magus — think a humanoid AI you can fully customize and play dress-up with — helping to guide you when you’re out on the surface by marking objectives on your map, alerting you to threats, and even keeping track of the weather. You can be as normal or as strangely intimate as you want about the creation process (you can bathe them, which is… weird), though it kinda seems as if Synduality assumes you’re more likely to pick a robo-girlfriend than a robo-boyfriend based on the clothing choices available. (Even the AI-controlled Cradelcoffins largely have robo-girlfriends.) There are several different personalities to choose from, including supportive mentor lady; demure, eager-to-please girl; encouraging big brother; and spicy athlete who just wants you to be the best version of yourself. They’re an oddly likeable little crew — I chuckled when my robo-girlfriend essentially told me to stop whining and eat my veggies (read: weeds that we had removed from the base) or she’d beat me up. And since they’re the only companion you’ll have for most of your time with Synduality, their presence is welcome.
Most of the other players I’ve seen aren’t out there to kill you.
In addition to their clothes and look, you can also customize the special abilities and focus of your Magus, whether that’s finding crystals, providing more info about different hostile creatures (called Enders), or giving you the lowdown on the other Cradlecoffins you’ll run into once you pop out on the surface. I liked both the option that’s good at protecting me from the evil rain and the one who has a knack for spotting other Cradlecoffins at range because hearing another potentially hostile player’s engine in this game is stressful, but I appreciate that you can tailor your Maguses (Magi?) to assist you be the best pilot (AKA Drifter) you wanna be.
You’ll run into other players in Synduality’s world, but in my experience, most of them aren’t out there to kill you and take your things. Usually, an encounter means the two of you being very cagey, aiming your guns at each other, until one of you finally uses the wave emote. Then the other returns it and you both go on your way, always facing each other as you retreat like you’re a gunslinger staring down somebody you’re unsure of, because the back of your Cradlecoffin is its most vulnerable point. It’s admittedly tense, as an extraction shooter like this should be, because you’re never more than a single uninsured run away from losing all your things.
The whole “we’re all working together to help humanity” thing sets up that cautious camaraderie, but there is always the danger that someone’s gonna see your shiny shotgun and think “I want that and I don’t wanna work for it.” I’ve exchanged some gunfire with other pilots, but it’s pretty rare early on. It’s very funny when three Craddlecoffins share one of the elevators that bring you to and from the safety of the underground, and very relieving when you’re about to put a sniper round through the back of someone’s Cradle but then notice that they are running with two buddies and your patience probably saved your life.
Of course, another time I saw somebody take a bad fight against some Enders with their back to me while I was above them with a sniper rifle, and… well, I hope they were insured. That was exhilarating and tense and, one day, somebody’s going to nail me and I won’t blame them. What’s that old Hemingway quote? “There is no hunting like the hunting of mechs, and those who have hunted armed mechs long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” Yeah. Yeah. Admittedly, taking a golden opportunity like this will put you on the Drifter Support Association’s naughty list for a while (and doing it enough will make you a bounty target for other players), but if you go long enough without taking a shot at somebody when you’re only on probation you’ll be fine.
One day, somebody’s going to nail me and I won’t blame them.
Managing each mission means making a lot of interesting choices. How far from the elevators are you willing to venture? What kind of materials are you looking to collect for your base, and how much are you going to risk to get them? How much ammo will you head out with? What kind of mech? Will you prioritize carrying capacity or defense? All of these choices matter, and you may regret your words and deeds when you’re sitting at low health with no repair kits, far away from an elevator in a world where everything wants to kill you. Knowing what you want to accomplish on a given run, and choosing the right tools to do it, is key.
The stuff you bring back to base can be used to spruce it up, which is good because it starts off as a literal cave covered in weeds. That could mean something simple like adding floors to your living space, upgrading your Item Warehouse so you can store more stuff, or building a Production Space to create your own repair kits. Every little upgrade you manage feels meaningful, and it’s cool to watch your base go from an empty shell to something functional with a lot of different systems to make your life easier.
But this also brings me to Synduality’s biggest problem: the grind. There’s just not a lot of variety here, and the first dozen or so hours have you doing the same thing over and over again: you’ll go out on the same map, head to the same areas to find the upgrade supplies you’ve wishlisted so your Magus can track them, fight the same Enders, deal with the everpresent threat of violence from other players, and then head back to base and do it all again. That’s fine; this loop remains tense, and while fighting Enders loses its appeal after a while because you learn how to deal with them quickly and then just repeat those strategies, the threat of losing all your stuff carries the day.
Again, though, the issue is how long it takes to make real progress. Getting enough of the supplies you need for any given upgrade or to complete a Request (quests that send you to do something specific on the map, like collecting so many of X thing, killing so many of Y Ender, and so on) takes several runs, and a lot of progress early on is hidden behind unlocking the right stuff. Once you do, things really open up, but those early hours can drag.
Even when you do finally get enough materials, you often have to wait for an arbitrary, real-world time gate before your next upgrade goes through, which means you’re stuck either vibing in your base with your Magus in admittedly pretty enjoyable chatting sequences, taking a break to go do something else (like make a sandwich), filling that time with sorties to stockpile resources, or ponying up some currency (either in-game or real-money) to make it go faster.
This brings me to Synduality’s biggest problem: the grind.
That said, you’re only ever one run away from something really cool. Once, I had two back-to-back deaths to Enders; the first time I was repairing and a flying Gazer swooped in and ended me before I could react; the second, I got jumped by a group of Chasers. I was insured, thankfully, but insurance takes a while to pay out, and it doesn’t actually replace what you lost – it just reimburses the total cost of those items. I was… upset, to put it lightly. Some of the lost stuff I’d gotten from progressing through Synduality’s battle pass, which meant I didn’t actually have the means to replace it manually yet.
But on my very next run, where I was forced to play small ball with a basic mech that costs nothing to replace, I ran into someone else’s destroyed mech and took everything I could, which got me some parts I’d lost on my very first death and stuff I could use while I waited for my insurance payout. The luck I had early on had mostly been bad, but that was the moment things changed – including my view on Synduality overall, which had been more mixed until that moment. Once you get into the groove it’s a lot of fun, and you can really drill down on what you want to focus on each run, whether that’s finding supplies to upgrade your base, completing requests, or whatever else.
And you never know when you might find something cool. Once, I ran into two downed Craddlecoffins full of loot and grabbed as much as I could, then booked it immediately back to the elevator. Christmas came early. It’s just a shame it takes so long to get to that point – though, to Synduality’s credit, it does try to ease you in and is more friendly to new players than many extraction shooters because of the insurance system and the way it flags people who’ve been hostile to other players. I just wish it opened up for you faster after that introduction.
Synduality does, eventually, give you more to do. You’ll unlock another map with new environments, harder Enders, and more difficult objectives, but that also means more experienced players with better stuff, some of whom will be helpful and some… not. There are also single-player missions which play out like combat gauntlets, and I really enjoyed the ones I played. They’re a great way to learn to deal with other Cradlecoffins in particular. Unfortunately, they don’t give you anything you can carry back with you besides some video and audio logs that explain the lore. These missions are fun, but right now they feel disconnected from the main activity of hunting for resources, and that’s a shame; I just wish completing them gave you money or plans to build some of the mechs you use, or something.
Beyond those there are co-op missions you can do, but since there’s unfortunately no way to squad up with your friends before you head out onto a map you have to team up with players you run into. Joining up with them gives you a new co-op objective — the first one I did asked us to destroy a corrupted crystal protected by lots and lots of Enders who spawned in to give us trouble. The thing with these missions is you’re only squaded up for as long as that objective lasts, so once that crystal was history, our alliance was broken. Neither of us ended up shooting at each other, but we were both pretty wary as we backed away. Like everything else in Synduality, there’s a lot of risk/reward to co-op missions, but you also get a lot of good stuff if you get home alive.
Then there are the microtransactions and battle pass (we live in Hell!) that can speed up the process of getting a better Cradlecoffin (or goodies for your Magus) substantially, which chafes because this is not a free-to-play game. When I lost everything in that first run, I was able to get back on my feet pretty quickly because the code provided by Bandai Namco for this review unexpectedly came with the deluxe version of the battle pass and several level skips. If I hadn’t had that, progress would have been slow outside of regularly completing daily and weekly quests, which award a ton of experience – though at least you’re always making progress towards one and they rarely feel stuck.
Because of that, Synduality feels like it’s made to be played in chunks – but to its credit, the battle pass gives you a decent amount of stuff for free… assuming you don’t then immediately lose all of that stuff to another player. Whether it’s in-game currency or real money, you’ll have to pony up for everything, but Synduality is at least upfront about that, and it does feel like you can make progress at a reasonable pace even if you don’t open your wallet to buy the deluxe version.
Although I love playing my guitar whenever I get the chance, some of my favorite memories with a guitar are actually Rock Band memories. There’s something so satisfying about holding a guitar controller and feeling like I’m actually playing songs that I would never dream of playing on a real guitar.
While my own Rockband days ended a long time ago, the music goes on with the likes of Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival. And if you want to keep playing those games or get back into them, PDP released a new wireless guitar controller just last year that can help you do that. It’s pretty expensive, but Amazon has just dropped the price to a new low with a 20% discount.
PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller Sale
When this controller first came out back in May 2024, it sold out very quickly. This is largely because there just aren’t really any new guitar controller options available outside of this one. The compatibility with Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival allow new and old players to experience and upgrade that feels more in line with modern controllers.
While it is normally priced at $129.99, the discount Amazon is running right now drops that all the way down to $104. This is the lowest-ever price we’ve seen on Amazon for the Playstation compatible version of this controller, and likely the lowest one we’ll see until sales events later in the year.
While this is a fairly unique controller, it’s the overall best PS5 controller you can buy if you’re looking to play Rock Band 4 or Fortnite Festival on your PS5 or PS4. If you’re interested in more PS5 accessories, however, we’ve gathered some below.