First-person shooter PvP Roblox experience Rivals has unleashed Update 9, adding the creative Gunblade weapon and Bridge map to its pool of content.
Developer Nosniy Games detailed each addition in patch notes for today’s update, revealing a handful of tweaks to pass the time as the team looks to the horizon. It’s a shorter list that positions the new update as one of the smaller in recent memory, but that doesn’t mean it won’t keep players locked in for the time being.
Rivals fans often show up for the FPS gameplay and stick around for the guns, so the Gunblade already feels right at home. This two-in-one rifle doubles as both a ranged weapon and a giant blade. Using both to catch your opponents off guard may prove useful in the heat of battle, especially on the new Rivals Bridge map. This suspended, concrete location leaves no room for small talk by putting players into close-quarters combat from the jump with only a few concrete walls and a bus standing in between them. Nosniy says the arena is located in Seoul and comes from creator @GreatGuyBoom.
Meanwhile, fans will notice that the Rivals Update 9 patch notes don’t mention any specific bug fixes, balance changes, or quality-of-life additions. The developers acknowledge their decision to ditch any other tweaks in favor of adding the Bridge map and Gunblade. Although there was room to “slightly” modify the skins for the Demon Shorty and Demon Uzi while renaming a few other weapons, Nosniy does promise more to come with the next major content update. Among the new additions will be one long-awaited feature: Ranked.
“We hear all of your feedback and want to reassure you all that every necessary & additional changes/improvements will be made in time for Ranked,” the team said in a statement.
Rivals fans have enjoyed regular updates since launch arrived last May. Update 7, for example, brought along the introduction of the Energy Rifle, Energy Pistols, Crossbow, and more. For more on the FPS Roblox experience, you can click here to see our list of all active Rivals codes. You can also see all Update 9 patch notes below.
Rivals Update 9 Patch Notes
NEW MAP
The brand-new Bridge map is herel
Enter this arena-style duel zone located in Seoul, Korea!
Made by @GreatGuyBoom!
NEW SPECIAL CHALLENGES!
The Winter Spotlight has been removed and replaced with a brand new set of challenges!
Complete a series of tasks on the new Bridge map to earn keys & the limited time Bungeoppang charm!
OTHER
The Demon Shorty & Demon Uzi skins have been slightly modified
The Hexxed Flare Gun skin, Hexxed Candle skin, and Hexxed wrap have been renamed to Vexed Flare Gun, Vexed Candle, & Vexed respectively
A NOTE FROM THE DEVELOPERS
“Hey everyone! We hope you enjoy this brand new map as we celebrate our Korean community!
Now that the holiday season is over, our next major content update will be the long-awaited Ranked update!
We also want to quickly mention that we purposely chose not to include any bug fixes, balance changes, & other quality of life additions this update. We hear all of your feedback and want to reassure you all that every necessary & additional changes/improvements will be made in time for Ranked!”
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 recently released Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is set for a physical release on PlayStation 5 only.
Playasia said it has partnered with publisher Koei Tecmo to exclusively release a PS5 physical version of the remaster on March 27.
There is no mention of a physical Xbox version, which is perhaps unsurprising given Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is available now on Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service.
Here’s the official blurb on Ninja Gaiden 2 Black:
In Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, players assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a deadly ninja who wields the legendary Dragon Sword while embarking on a global battle against a series of formidable foes. The beautiful and bloody remaster utilizes Unreal Engine 5 to significantly enhance the graphic expression, elevating everything from character visuals to environmental backgrounds. In fact, the stages, characters, effects, and lighting have all been completely redesigned and remastered to fully immerse gamers into the story’s dark ninja world.
Gore elements such as dismemberment and blood have also been remastered to enhance the action experience. The high-speed, violent fights play out in brilliant brutality, utilizing a variety of weapons and techniques including Japanese swords, shurikens, Kusari-gamas, and tonfas. Meanwhile, those looking for a more toned-down experience can simply toggle the dismemberment feature on and off in the Options menu.
In addition, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black includes extra elements from the spin-off titles released after the original game’s debut, including the ability to control three additional characters: Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel. The remaster also includes “HERO PLAY STYLE”, a mode for beginners that provides automatic support in the most difficult situations, making the notoriously challenging title more accessible for those who may not be so confident in their action skills.
In a post on Xbox Wire, Team Ninja boss Fumihiko Yasuda explained the decision to remaster Ninja Gaiden 2.
“This simultaneous announcement and same-day release alongside Ninja Gaiden 4 might have caught some people by surprise,” he said. “The biggest reason for developing Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was to address the concerns of core fans who might be wondering, ‘What’s going to happen to Ryu Hayabusa?’ We also wanted to give players something to enjoy as they wait for the release of Ninja Gaiden 4. We chose Ninja Gaiden 2 because it stands as one of the most solid action games in the series. We added ‘Black’ to the title to signal to fans that this is the definitive version, much like Ninja Gaiden Black was for the first game.”
Yasuda continued: “This version is crafted to satisfy both those who played the original and newcomers discovering it as a current-generation action game. We’ve meticulously incorporated some of the additions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence. We’ve also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release.”
Team Ninja’s infamously challenging Ninja Gaiden series has a long association with Xbox. The developer’s reboot of the action series launched first on Xbox in 2004, propelling master ninja Ryu Hayabusa into the mainstream. Ninja Gaiden Black, considered one of the greatest action games of all time, launched the following year.
Ninja Gaiden 2 came out in 2008 published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. Ninja Gaiden 3 followed in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Since then, fans have had the critically panned spin-off Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, and, more recently, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, a compilation of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge.
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.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet – Prismatic Evolutions represents the culmination of the slow build-up to Pokémania 2025. The wild popularity of the set sold preorders out fast, with stock only now starting to return to shelves and online retailers. But, despite these difficulties, it’s quickly become the ultimate crown jewel of the Scarlet and Violet era, delivering fan-favorite Eevee and its evolutions in jaw-dropping Special Illustration Rares and ultra-rare Master Ball foils.
Packed with over 200 cards, including powerhouse Pokémon like Roaring Moon ex and Pikachu ex, this set blends stunning artwork with competitive playability, making it a must-have for trainers and collectors alike. Improved pull rates for Special Illustration Rares sweeten the deal, giving fans a better shot at pulling their dream cards, even as demand hits an all-time high.
Yet, the new sets aren’t just about beautiful cards—they’re introducing exciting mechanics like Budew’s game-changing free attack, and doubling down on rarity tiers to thrill pack-openers. Fancy hunting for the Eeveelution family or stacking your deck with tournament-ready hits? Prismatic Evolutions offers something for everyone. It’s not just another expansion; it’s the kind of release that defines a generation of Pokémon TCG fans.
But, in my experience the pulls have been rough in Prismatic Evolutions so far. This won’t be the same for everyone, of course. Moreover, on the one hand, it is a good thing; your SIRs and the rest have a much better chance of holding their value. On the other hand, 25 booster packs didn’t bring the goods. Let’s take a look at some of the exciting new cards that I did manage to bag, and then discuss some of the other exciting (and rare) new additions the expansion brings to see is Prismatic Evolutions is truly worth the hype.
Glaceon ex (Suprise Box Promo Stamp) 026/131
Glaceon ex could end up being a sound playable card by building up enough damage on an opponent’s bench to knock it out before it comes into play. The challenge with Tera ex-cards is using multiple energies. However, seeing a Glaceon Tera ex deck in action would be very entertaining.
Eevee Elite Trainer Box Promo 173
Thanks to its stunning full artwork, this one will likely be in trainers’ binders rather than their decks. It’s still the standard Eevee card in this set, allowing trainers to evolve it as soon as it’s played. It certainly makes playing an Eeveelution deck a lot easier.
Mela Trainer SAR 140/131
Mela is a powerful trainer card that can be used at the right time. Trainers can grab a fire energy from their discard pile whilst topping up their hand with 6 cards, which would come in handy mid to late game. Again, this is one for a trainer binder, with the usual Mela trainer card being fairly easy to pull.
Pikachu ex 028/131
Prismatic Evolutions also addresses Surging Sparks FOMO with Pikachu ex, although it’s not a Tera ex. Thanks to Thunder, it’s a relatively straightforward basic ex, with the possibility of one-hit knockouts in three turns. It’s a high energy cost, but it’s a lovely card to build up from the bench to switch in and out, thanks to its one energy retreat cost.
Max Rod Ace Spec 116/131
This card can literally flip a battle on its head. Imagine having Tyranitar’s ex knocked out alongside its four energy cards, then using this Max Rod to get it all back and start building it again from the bench. Probably one of the most useful Ace Specs cards we’ve seen.
Espeon ex 034/131
Espeon ex decks are going to be very hard to combat thanks to their ability to both discard from an opponent’s hand and de-evolve all opposing Pokémon, shuffling the evolution cards into their deck. This one card can drag a battle out and whittle down opponents, so imagine a deck built around four of them. Insane.
Tyranitar ex 064/131
At first glance, Grind makes Tyranitar ex very playable. But it’s a different story when I consider it a second-stage evolution with a minimum of three energy cards attached to stretch its legs. I love Tyranitar, but this ex-card ain’t it, chief.
My Favorite Prismatic Evolution Cards
It’s a given that we all want the Eeveelution SIR cards from Prismatic Evolutions. Still, some seriously cool overlooked artwork in this expansion might be worth snapping up if you see a bargain.
Dragapult ex SAR 165/131
Dragapult ex SAR 165/131 is one of my favorite artworks from this set, and I’m very tempted to build a deck around Phantom Dive. Two energy costscosts for a combined 260 damage, 60 of which can be spread on your opponent’sopponent’s bench. It’s an insane move; watch for this card creeping up in value just because trainers want it in their deck.
Roaring Moon ex SIR 162/131
Another heavy hitter with Roaring Moon ex-SIR with stunning artwork. A triple hit energy spend for its attacks is brutal, but this basic Pokémon card could be the final push in a tight battle. Loading a deck up with Stadium cards and building support around Roaring Moon ex sounds like a fun deck to build, that’s for sure.
Umbreon ex SIR 161/131
Finally, I doubt anyone will use an $1200+ Umbreon ex SIR in their decks, but if you take a look at that mental moveset, you’d surely be tempted. Like Roaring Moon ex, this card has the chance of flipping a Pokémon TCG battle on its head in the 11th hour with both of its moves. Yes, it needs three different energy types. Still, there’s some fun to be had building out an Eeveelution deck around Umbreon ex.
So, with all things considered, is Prismatic Evolutions worth the hype? In short yes. There are plenty of awesome cards to add to your binder and more playable cards. Still, you’ll be waiting for stock to appear without brilliant timing. Eeveelution-based sets will always be cool, but the chances of pulling one of the elusive Eeveelution SIRs is 1 in 900 booster packs.
There’s also the addition of God packs and Master Ball cards, which is very cool. Imagine pulling every SIR in one booster pack? The problem is it’s very unlikely to happen, so strap in and get ripping packs and boxes.
Where to Buy Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions in 2025
Stock has been hard to come by for Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions, and things are only now starting to even out a little. Pokémon is at the height of popularity again, between TCG Pocket, investors buying up stock, and general increased demand for sets such as Surging Sparks, it’s a crazy time to get into the hobby. With The Pokémon Company’s efforts to restock shelves ASAP, Prismatic Evolutions also represent a turning point of going online or in-store to buy stock instead of resorting to the questionable secondary market.
The Prismatic Evolutions collection offers a range of products for collectors and players, each celebrating the beloved Eeveelutions. At the top, the Elite Trainer Box provides nine booster packs, an exclusive full-art Eevee promo, and useful extras like sleeves, dice, and condition markers—ideal for anyone building their collection or deck.
For a simpler option, the Surprise Box includes a few booster packs and a random Eeveelution ex promo with a Prismatic Evolutions stamp, offering an affordable way to dip into the set. Similarly, the Mini Tin is a compact choice with two booster packs, a collectible Eevee coin, and an art card, doubling as a neat storage solution.
Collectors will appreciate the Binder Collection, which pairs four booster packs with a sturdy Eevee-themed binder for organizing prized cards like Master Ball foils or Special Illustration Rares. The Tech Sticker Collection adds a playful touch with Eevee stickers and two booster packs, perfect for younger fans or casual fun.
Lastly, the Poster Collection combines display-worthy content with collectibility, featuring three booster packs, a fold-out Eevee poster, and exclusive holo promos of Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon. Each product highlights the magic of the Prismatic Evolutions set, offering something for every kind of Pokémon fan, whether you’re chasing rare cards, organizing your collection, or simply enjoying the Eevee hype.
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.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard developer BioWare has released a new patch for the game and in the same breath suggested it’s basically done with it less than three months after launch.
As spotted by Eurogamer, Patch 5 includes a number of quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes, but it’s the wording from BioWare that suggests this is the final major patch Dragon Age: The Veilguard will get.
“Thank you all for playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard; we were so happy with the game’s stability at launch and hope you have enjoyed our Quality of Life patches since then,” BioWare said. “With the game being in a stable place, we are moving to monitor for any game-breaking bugs should those occur. Dareth shiral!”
Dragon Age: The Veilguard was the first new game in the fantasy RPG series in 10 years, but it came and went not with a bang but a whimper. This week, publisher and owner EA admitted Dragon Age: The Veilguard had failed to meet sales expectations by a whopping 50%; it had expected three million players, but the game managed only 1.5 million.
Mass Effect 5 now appears to be BioWare’s focus, although it seems far, far away still. And what next for Dragon Age? Given how Dragon Age: The Veilguard went for EA, it seems the publisher will take some convincing to greenlight yet another sequel any time soon.
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.
Cardy, Matt, and Wes are here to talk through January 2025’s Xbox Developer Direct and the impressive quartet of games featured; Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Ninja Gaiden 4. Plus, there’s also some time for some hands-on impressions of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows thanks to Matt’s sneaking and slashing around rural Japan.
Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.
Fatal Fury 2 and two other Super Nintendo Entertainment System games have joined the Nintendo Switch Online library.
A trailer released by Nintendo, below, announced Fatal Fury 2, Sutte Hakkun, and Super Ninja Boy are all now available in the SNES collection.
Fatal Fury 2 arrived in 1992 as a fighting game sequel and introduced new characters Kim Kaphwan and Mai Shiranui. They joined the classic roster of fighters such as Terry Bogard and Big Bear to round out the roster to eight.
Sutte Hakkun, meanwhile, hasn’t been released in English until now. This is side-scrolling puzzle game about gathering arinbow shards as a wee beastie called Hakkun.
Finally, the relatively ahead of its time Super Ninja Boy hits Nintendo Switch Online 34 years after its 1991 release. It blends role-playing game and with action elements as players control Jack and beat up baddies. It features multiplayer too, with a second player able to jump in at any time.
Both Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games have declined to say whether they plan to ban accounts belonging to Elon Musk after the X/Twitter owner reportedly admitted to cheating, leading some fans to accuse the developers of undermining the integrity of their games.
Screenshots of a private conversation between Musk, the world’s richest man, and a YouTuber showed Musk’s admission of paying for account boosting in action RPGs Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2.
Account boosting is a form of cheating where a player logs into another player’s account to raise (or boost) their rank to a higher tier and violates pretty much every live service video game’s terms of service. Blizzard’s end user licence agreement specifically warns players that account boosting or power-leveling, in exchange for payment, is prohibited.
Following Musk’s admission this week, Diablo 4 developer Blizzard Entertainment and Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games have faced questions about whether they will now take action and ban Musk’s accounts for cheating.
“Are there any comments from GGG regarding this? Maybe in [Early Access] it’s not a high priority, or it’s garnering too much free press, but as a longtime supporter, this is a massive blow to the credibility of RMT [real money trading] enforcement.
“I’m not trying to shitpost or troll with this, I’m just extremely disappointed that GGG isn’t getting out the ban hammer.
“Anyone else feel this is undermining the integrity of the game?”
There’s a similar sentiment on Battle.net. “Is boosting against the rules?” asked one player. “If it is, then shouldn’t Elon Musk’s account get banned since he flat out admitted that he boosts his account? I assume he doesn’t get to break the rules just because…”
When contacted by IGN, Grinding Gear Games declined to comment. Blizzard also declined, saying it does not comment on individual player account behaviors or enforcements.
Musk had bragged about his gaming prowess on multiple occasions, most notably in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan in which he said he was in the top 20 players in the world for Diablo 4. More recently, Musk had a hardcore level 97 Path of Exile 2 character, although it has since perished. He has said he plays video games “to quiet my mind.” “Some days are real tough, so playing video games is my strange solace,” he added.
However, Musk’s self-proclaimed gaming prowess was brought into question as players began to take a closer look at his performance and knowledge of the games he plays. Some had questioned whether Musk was capable of dedicating the huge amount of time that would be needed to reach his high levels in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 given his commitments as boss of Tesla, SpaceX, X/Twitter, and now as Donald Trump’s efficiency tsar. Then an early January livestream that saw Musk tackling endgame tasks in Path of Exile 2 drew criticism from fans who said he failed to demonstrate a basic understanding of the game’s mechanics.
Many had assumed that Musk might have been paying others to boost his Path of Exile 2 character for him, and so it proved. A video posted on Sunday by the Diablo player NikoWrex showed a direct message conversation with Musk on X in which Musk admits to account boosting, insisting it was the only way to compete with players in Asia.
“Have you level boosted (had someone else play your accounts) and/or purchased gear/resources for PoE2 [Path of Exile 2] and Diablo 4?” asked NikoWrex. Musk responded with a 100% emoji. He later added: “It’s impossible to beat the players in Asia if you don’t, as they do!”
“But when I post a video of a game or am streaming, that’s 100% me,” he added. Musk was asked whether he intended to take credit for having a high level hardcore Path of Exile 2 character. “No. Never claimed that,” he replied. “The top accounts in Diablo or PoE require multiple people playing the account to win a leveling race.” Musk then went on to question the need to apologize for his actions.
Following the revelations, the musician Grimes, who has three children with Musk from a previous relationship, tweeted in his defence, saying: “Just for my personal pride, I would like to state that the father of my children was the first American druid in Diablo to clear abattoir of zir and ended that season as best in the USA. He was also ranking in Polytopia, and beat Felix himself at the game. I did observe these things with my own eyes. There are other witnesses who can verify this. That is all.”
Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson – Pool/Getty Images.
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.
Doom: The Dark Ages is set to release for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on May 13 if you buy one of the more expensive editions, or May 15 if you buy the standard edition. The latest in a long line of heavy-metal-infused, demon-slaying first-person shooters, Doom: The Dark Ages promises to offer plenty of pools of blood and gore as you blast your way through the hordes of hell. Fun times. It’s available to preorder now in handful of editions (see it at Best Buy). Below, you’ll find details about what comes in each edition, where it’s available, and more. Put on your Slayer suit and let’s dive in.
If you’ve preordered the standard edition, or you plan to play the game via Game Pass, and you want the premium items or to play two days early, the premium upgrade gets you that. It basically turns your standard edition into the premium edition.
The collector’s edition comes with the premium edition of the game on disc, plus the following:
12” Doom Slayer statue
Key card replica in steelbook
Up to 2 days early access
Campaign DLC
Divinity Skin Pack
Digital artbook and soundtrack
Doom: The Dark Ages Will Be on Game Pass
Like all Microsoft-published games, Doom: The Dark Ages will be available to play on Game Pass Ultimate at launch. However, “launch” means the release date of the standard edition, which is May 15. If you want to play it two days early (May 13), you can purchase the premium upgrade above.
Doom: The Dark Ages Preorder Bonus
Preorder the game, and you’ll receive the Void Doom Slayer skin at launch.
After id Software’s brilliant revival of Doom in 2016 and its even tighter 2020 sequel Doom Eternal, it’d be hard for Doom to soar any higher. So it isn’t. Instead, it’s keeping both feet planted firmly on the ground and bringing the high-speed, high-skill-ceiling first-person shooter even closer to the scores of Hell’s minions in the medieval-tinged prequel, Doom: The Dark Ages.
Yes, the new Doom pivots from Eternal’s platforming and instead literally grounds its combat in strafe-heavy gameplay with an emphasis on power. Sure, the great guns are still there – this is Doom, after all! – and that very much includes the new Skull Crusher that stood out in the reveal trailer. You know, the one that eats the skulls of your fallen enemies as ammunition and spits them back out at the still-living bad guys in smaller, higher-velocity chunks. But The Dark Ages also places a huge premium on your three melee weapons: the default electrified gauntlet, which can be charged up; the flail; and the star of the reveal trailer from last summer, the Shield Saw, which can be thrown or used to block, parry, or deflect. “You’re gonna stand and fight,” game director Hugo Martin said after my demo of the new Doom.
Perhaps it won’t surprise you, then, that Martin says The Dark Ages is inspired primarily by three other seminal pieces of pop culture: the legendary original Doom, Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel, and Zack Snyder’s 2006 classic movie 300 – perhaps not coincidentally based on a graphic novel by Miller.
Modern Doom’s trademark Glory Kill finishing-move system has been unsynced, meaning the fatalities can be performed from any angle on the battlefield and will change accordingly.
As further evidence of this, the modern series’s trademark Glory Kill finishing-move system has been unsynced, meaning the fatalities can be performed from any angle on the battlefield and will change accordingly. This is to account for the hordes of enemies that will be around you all the time. Yes, like 300 (and the original Doom), you’ll be surrounded by bad guys in combat bowls that have been significantly widened in The Dark Ages. You can accomplish objectives in any order you want, and wander anywhere you feel like in the levels (which, by the way, Martin says have been shortened a bit where needed to stick closer to his sweet spot of each being about an hour long).
Even better, addressing a criticism I cited in my review of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages will no longer force you to read its story in the Codex. Instead, the story will play out in cutscenes. And the story will “take you to the far reaches of the Doom universe,” id says, with a big story described as “a summer blockbuster event with everything on the line” as your power as the Slayer is coveted by your enemies.
Martin also made a point to emphasize that the development team is focusing on simplifying the control scheme, believing that in hindsight, Doom Eternal made the controls too complex. Martin said the team wanted something that felt intuitive so that when they pressure the player, they’re not reaching for buttons they’re not familiar with. The aforementioned melee options, for example, will be equipped like equipment (meaning, one at a time). Meanwhile, not only will there be more secrets and treasures hidden around, but the economy has been simplified to one currency (gold), and those secrets will focus on furthering your skill progression. Meaning, tangible, gameplay-altering rewards rather than lore deep-dives.
One thing you definitely can deep-dive into, though, is the difficulty. Custom sliders now let you tweak the challenge however you see fit, with adjustments for things like game speed and enemy aggression (and a whole lot more) at your fingertips in the UI.
I also learned a bit more about two standout gameplay sequences from the reveal trailer: the giant 30-story demon mech (called the Atlan) and the cybernetic dragonback riding. They won’t be one-offs, by the sound of it, but you can’t just call in either one anytime you like. Each has a full suite of abilities and even minibosses to battle. Oh, and one more key bit of information: there won’t be any multiplayer mode this time around, as the team wanted to focus all of its resources into making the best single-player campaign possible. Not that Eternal’s Battlemode was bad, but I imagine most players won’t complain.
But for me, someone for whom the original Doom was transformational in 1993, I just keep coming back to Martin’s pivot away from the (very successful!) direction they were heading in Eternal and his renewed adherence to the design principles of that 30-year-old foundational classic as he designed The Dark Ages. “It’s just gotta be different [from Eternal],” Martin said. “Especially if I loved the game. [If] I wanna play a Doom game, I wanna feel strong, but I’m OK with changing what that power fantasy is, especially if that change brings it closer to classic Doom.”
Hearing that has got me more hyped than ever. May 15 can’t come soon enough.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
During today’s Xbox Developer Director, we saw a new trailer for South of Midnight complete with a release date of April 8, 2025.
In the trailer, we saw a good look at Hazel’s powers, which blend the traditional craft of weaving with magic to allow her to fight, conjure things, and overcome environmental obstacles. As she fights, Hazel “unravels” enemies to destroy them in action combat, and has some elements of customization in her fighting style that can help her counter different types of enemies.
Hazel will visit different different regions ruled by magical creatures, each one with a different Southern Gothic history that she’ll need to heal by collecting their fragmented memories. In the trailer, we got a look at several of these creatures, including a real big bird and a massive crocodile covered in spikes with giant trees going out of its back.
