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These PlayStation Games Have Dropped to Just $20 at Walmart – Best PS5 Deals

There are some amazing PS5 deals to check out right now, including a selection of PlayStation games that have dropped to just $20 at Walmart. Now, just to prefix this with a ‘YMMV’ — as some of these offers are location-dependent, but if you can secure them you’re sure to bag an incredible offer.

For starters, God of War Ragnarok (PS4) is down to $20 (which can be digitally upgraded to PS5 for $10 after purchase). Diablo 4 is also down to $20 on PS5, which is a massive $50 off the MSRP and a huge deal. Be sure to check the Walmart listings to see if you can get some of the best PS5 games for just twenty bucks. Below, you can also find other deals on everything from consoles to SSDs and even information on where to buy a PS5 now.

TL;DR – Best PS5 Deals Right Now

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Best PS5 Game Deals: $20 Games at Walmart and More

While the God of War deal works out at $30 for PS5 (after the $10 digital upgrade from PS4), it’s still $10 cheaper via this deal compared to any other retailer currently, and a massive $40 off the MSRP. In any case, you’re still securing the best possible price for God of War Ragnarok on PS5.

$20 games is a huge deal, with the only issue being that Walmart offers free delivery for baskets of $35 or more. But, we can assist there as well. If you sign up for a Walmart+ account with a 30-day free trial, you can get free fast delivery (alongside a slew of other benefits right now like three months of YouTube Premium for free). Otherwise, you can also check to see if your local store has stock, and pick it up from there instead.

More PS5 Video Game Deals (Physical):

WD_BLACK PS5 4TB SSD for $309.99 at Amazon

Looking to completely maximize your PS5 storage capabilities? Then this is the deal for you. For a limited time only, this PS5 4TB SSD is available at Amazon for just $309.99 (see here). It has an MSRP of $699.99 which is rather dramatic, but in reality, this and many other 4TB SSDs have been sitting around $280-$300 recently.

Note that Sony recommends a heatsink attached to your SSD and not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we’ll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don’t, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $9) and install it yourself. You can also check out the best PS5 2TB SSD deals here, or see more of our favorite deals below.

More PS5 SSD Deals:

Best PS5 Headset Deals: 22% Off the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 & More Headset Deals

There’s no shortage of PS5-compatible headsets. If you’re constantly having to turn down the volume when you play, you might want to pick up one of these, then you can listen to your games as loud as you darn well please. And if you’d like to see even more options that are worth buying, check out our collection of the best gaming headsets.

More PS5 Gaming Headset Deals:

PlayStation Deals: Budget to Best

It doesn’t need to have a massive discount to be a good deal, so we thought it would be a great idea to pick out our absolute favorite PS5 and PlayStation offerings that would be relevant to buy no matter the time of year, or the sales going on. From the latest DualSense controllers, to the very best PS5 SSDs on the market, we’ve got it all right here.

More PS5 Budget to Best Picks

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Best Time to Buy a PS5

Generally, the best time to buy a PS5 console is during major yearly shopping events such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the various Amazon Prime Day sales. Although PlayStation consoles rarely go on sale, you can often scoop up limited-time bundles that include additional an additional game or two, and more.

How to Trade in Your Old PlayStation Consoles

If you’re looking to trade in your old PlayStation consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.

Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.

While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you’ll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction, the latter of which poses its own risks.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Sea of Thieves Sails Past 40 Million Players Ahead of PS5 Launch

As Sea of Thieves prepares to set sail for PlayStation 5, developer Rare has announced it has seen 40 million players since launching in 2018.

In a blog post, executive producer Joe Neate said Sea of Thieves’ 40 million player milestone comes from users across Xbox, Windows 10, and Steam. Since launching on Xbox One and PC six years ago, Rare has released over 100 free updates. Season 12 launches soon, and with it brings new additions like throwing knives and the Bone Caller.

Sea of Thieves launches on PS5 on April 30, with the premium edition offering five days of early access from April 25. Progress and items transfer from the Xbox version to the PS5 version, and there are PlayStation-only servers with the ability to disable crossplay. Performance options match the Xbox Series X version, and the PS5 version has 60 base Trophies and a Platinum Trophy called Pirate Perfectionist.

When Sea of Thieves launched it was seen as a make or break game for Rare, which had made a couple of Kinect Sports games before Microsoft moved on from the motion-tracking add-on. But Sea of Thieves is a success for the studio, becoming one of its most-played games ever. As for the future, Rare is still working on Everwild, announced in 2019 but without a release window.

Sea of Thieves is the latest Xbox game to make the jump to rival platforms, joining Obsidian’s Grounded and Pentiment, and Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush. Microsoft is testing the multiplatform waters with this quartet, and may release more of its first-party games on non-Xbox consoles in the future. In an interview with IGN, former Xbox chief Peter Moore offered his thoughts on why Microsoft was making this move now.

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.

Diablo 4 Has Dropped to Just $20 at Walmart

Diablo 4 is now available on Xbox Game Pass, but there’s some good news for those who have yet to play the game but want to own a physical copy. Diablo 4 is down to just $20 at Walmart right now (see here), which is a huge saving for a critically acclaimed game that only came out last year and a discount we’re unlikely to see again for a while. Also, it’s worth noting that this price could be based on your location, so fair warning as YMMV!

Diablo 4 launched with a $69.99 MSRP, so a $50 reduction is pretty substantial, and well worth considering if you want to own the game to play whenever you want. Even when the Prime Day sales eventually roll back around this summer, we’d be increasingly surprised if the deal comes anywhere close to this. Your only barrier to entry now — stock levels. This is such a good deal, that it’s highly likely to sell out fast.

The only other issue we can identify is Walmart only offers free delivery for baskets of $35 or more. But, we can assist there as well. If you sign up for a Walmart+ account with a 30-day free trial, you can get free fast delivery (alongside a slew of other benefits right now like three months of YouTube Premium for free). Otherwise, you can also check to see if your local store has stock, and pick it up from there instead.

In our review of the game, we said: “Diablo 4 is a stunning sequel with near-perfect endgame and progression design that makes it absolutely excruciating to put down. The story is a pretty big disappointment despite still being a noticeable improvement over Diablo 3 and there are some annoying bugs that need squashing, but the combat, the loot game, and both the sights and sounds of this world are impressive enough to smooth over those rough edges.”

“Diablo 4 takes the strategy of refining things the series already did so well rather than giving it a more substantial overhaul, and that careful and reverent path has shaped this massive sequel into one of the most polished ARPGs ever created, which makes slicing through the legions of the damned a hell of a good time.”

This is one of the best PS5 deals available right now, but there are a couple of decent Nintendo deals going on at the moment that are worth checking out, too. Mainly, you can pick up a select few Nintendo games for just $39.99 right now, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. To see even more Nintendo deals, check out our roundup of the best Nintendo Switch deals right now. And if you’re curious about what’s on sale on other platforms, have a look at our roundups of the best Xbox deals and the best PC video game deals this week.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Bethesda Quietly Removes Denuvo DRM from Ghostwire: Tokyo

Bethesda and Tango Gameworks have quietly removed Denuvo DRM technology from Ghostwire: Tokyo on PC as part of a recent update.

The controversial anti-piracy measure was removed (via SteamDB) as part of an unscheduled update that arrived earlier today. This comes more than two years after Ghostwire: Tokyo originally launched, and with no comment or patch notes from the developers, it’s unclear why the move was made.

Although Bethesda hasn’t officially commented on Denuvo’s removal, there are many who will no doubt be pleased to hear it’s gone. The software’s primary use allows it to keep associated games from being tampered with, with plenty of developers using it as a roadblock against those looking to pirate their games. Many players, meanwhile, have reported that Denuvo negatively impacts in-game performance and the overall user experience regardless of whether a game was pirated or purchased legitimately.

Bethesda and Tango launched Ghostwire: Tokyo in 2022, but the creative action-adventure game didn’t originally come with Denuvo. As reported by PC Gamer, the DRM technology was added more than a year after the base game was released. That update brought along a plethora of other features as part of a content drop called Spider’s Thread. It’s unclear how else today’s update affected the overall experience past Denuvo’s removal.

IGN has reached out to Bethesda for comment.

Bethesda moved to take Denuvo away from Doom Eternal, a game that launched in 2020, last September. Last month, Denuvo announced new technology that would allow game developers to track down potential leakers.

For more on Ghostwire: Tokyo be sure to read out 7/10 review. We loved the game’s detailed, neon-lit world but came away a bit unsatisfied, saying, “With superb visual design and an incredibly well-realised rendition of Tokyo, Ghostwire gets a lot right, but just doesn’t quite have the gameplay chops to push it over the top.”

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

EA’s Black Panther Appears to be an Open World Sandbox Based on Job Posting

EA’s upcoming Black Panther game will be an “open world experience,” according to a new job listing from the company.

The job post calls to fill a Senior Sandbox Designer II role for the recently-established Cliffhanger Games. Most details about its mysterious Black Panther project have been kept secret since its announcement last year. However, the listing teases that applicants should expect to be “instrumental in designing and populating encounters, systems, and gameplay within a dynamic and evolving open world” should they land the position.

It’s a role that will help Cliffhanger, which includes talent from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, expand on the Marvel hero by creating an open-world experience. The listing says that successful applicants will help create sandbox elements that mix with the narrative and gameplay objectives without compromising immersion. Additional details promise potential features like “urban crowds” and “wildlife” in what is described as “a living, breathing game world.”

One bullet point teases how Cliffhanger will implement linear missions within the open world: “Partner with the design team to integrate sandbox dynamics into the mission design, facilitating seamless transitions between structured missions and open-world exploration.”

EA declined to comment.

Cliffhanger revealed its superhero game just last year but has still been busy behind the scenes. While job listings seek to help the game grow, the studio will be overseen by former PlayStation executive Connie Booth. She’s joining EA as its Group General Manager, meaning her portfolio includes Black Panther as well as EA Motive’s Iron Man game. Both titles are part of a deal between EA and Marvel that will see the former developing three action-adventure projects. The third game remains a mystery.

EA’s Black Panther promises a new perspective on Wakanda’s protector, but it’s not the only game based on the hero in the works. Amy Hennig’s Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, which we got a close look at last month, features both the Black Panther as well as comic books’ star-spangled hero, Captain America. That project is set to arrive sometime in 2025, but it’s unclear when we can expect to see EA’s game hit store shelves.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Best Escape Room Board Games (2024)

Escape room board games have exploded in popularity in the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why. Escape rooms involve mystery, puzzle solving, and, often, teamwork – many attributes that directly correlate to some of the best board games on the market today. While the genre only included a handful of titles not long ago, escape room board games have since blossomed into an incredibly deep category.

Perhaps one of the reasons for the genre’s boom in recent years has to do with its accessibility. While escape room board games offer challenging puzzles that tabletop veterans are looking for, these cooperative titles aren’t bogged down in complicated rules and mechanics – making them some of the best beginner board games as well. Not to mention, a night in with a mysterious puzzle box can be perfect for a date at home or a dinner party with friends. It can be quite the cost-saver too when compared to an evening at the movie theater.

TL;DR The Best Escape Room Board Games

For those who just want to check out some titles and go, this TL;DR list is for you, but as many games are entries within larger series, there will often be even more recommendations below along with added details about the specific games.

Exit: The Game – The Abandoned Cabin

  • Age: 12+
  • Players: 1-6
  • Play Time: 60-120 mins

Perhaps the biggest name in escape room board games is Exit: The Room. Exit: The Room has been a staple in the genre for years with arguably its best entry being The Abandoned Cabin. With nothing more than a code dial and a strange book, players are tasked with escaping through a cabin door secured by a combination lock. As with traditional escape rooms, players must find clues and solve puzzles to leave.

While The Abandoned Cabin is a fan-favorite, the series as a whole maintains a high level of quality throughout. Some players might gravitate toward some themes over others, but Dead Man on the Orient Express, The Pharaoh’s Tomb, and The Secret Lab are just a few other recommendations to check out as well. Not to mention, The Lord of the Rings – Shadows Over Middle-earth is another iteration that might appeal to franchise fans. Additionally, each box contains a difficulty rating on the cover, so players can pick their next adventure based on how challenging they want it to be.

Unlock: Timeless Adventures

  • Age: 10+
  • Players: 1-6
  • Play Time: 60-90 mins

Like Exit: The Game, the Unlock series has made quite the name for itself in the escape room genre thanks to dozens of high-quality titles. There are a number of recommendations that could go in this spot, but Unlock: Timeless Adventures proves to be a fan-favorite time and time again with its three scenarios: The Noside Show, Arsène Lupin and the Great White Diamond, and Lost in the ChronoWarp. While scenarios differ from box to box, each Unlock game plays out as a cooperative card game with puzzles and a themed narrative. Fans of the Unlock gameplay loop will also likely enjoy Epic Adventures, Game Adventures, Heroic Adventures, Mythic Adventures, and for those looking for a great option for kids, Unlock Kids: Detective Stories. That said, as all boxes come with three unique scenarios, chances are good that at least one theme will speak to you in each package.

Box One

  • Age: 14+
  • Players: 1
  • Play Time: 180-240 mins

Box One is unique in the escape room board game space for several reasons. First, it’s a one-off board game designed by Neil Patrick Harris. Not to mention, this title is made for just one player. It should be noted that Box One can be played with more than one person, but it can also be replayed if you want to hand it to a friend to play through and talk about it afterward – and you will probably want to talk about it.

Box One is an experience that evolves as you play it, and while the puzzles aren’t incredibly challenging, they’re immensely satisfying and fun. This would be an ideal title for those new to the genre, but seasoned veterans will likely find enjoyment here as well. Unfortunately, to say too much about Box One would spoil the experience, as it is truly a unique puzzle-solving game. However, what you need to know is that Box One does require access to the internet and a few hours to complete.

Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion

  • Age: 12+
  • Players: 1+
  • Play Time: 60-120 mins

For fans of both escape room board games and Scooby-Doo, Escape from the Haunted Mansion is a no-brainer. For those who need a bit more convincing, however, this adventure from Scooby and friends actually offers some unique ideas. As with the show, each character has their own strengths that factor into the gameplay. Scooby can smell things, Velma can research, Fred can investigate, Daphne can use tools, and Shaggy can eat things. Different items in each room can be observed by the various characters using their unique booklets that feel written in their voice. Escape from the Haunted Mansion essentially plays out as a point-and-click adventure meets an episode of the cartoon. The thematic element of the escape room board game is exceptionally strong, however, some might take exception to the fact that eating Scooby Snacks in Escape from the Haunted Mansion is somehow a punishment.

Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment

  • Age: 13+
  • Players: 2-8
  • Play Time: 30-90 mins

Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment brings itself closer to the true escape room experience by offering tangible components in the form of physical locks. Each of the three locks requires some puzzle solving and unique mechanics most have probably never experienced in a board game before. Also true to real-life escape rooms, The Werewolf Experiment lets players work on different aspects of the game at the same time, so each person feels as though they are constantly contributing. For those who want to check more in the series, Escape Room in a Box: Flashback and The Walking Dead are a couple of other worthwhile options.

Escape Room: The Game

  • Age: 16+
  • Players: 3-5
  • Play Time: 60 mins

While many escape room board games are one-and-dones, Escape Room: The Game offers three different 60-minute puzzles with Nuclear Countdown, Prison Break, and Virus. Escape Room: The Game is notable due to its quality components such as a countdown timer box known as the Chrono Decoder that helps add to the immersion. Even after completing the four scenarios in the base game, there is more fun to be had through the various expansions. However, the Chrono Decoder present in this initial iteration is required to play each of the expansions, so make sure not to skip Escape Room: The Game before checking out other titles in the series like Jumanji, Murder Mystery, Virtual Reality, Space Station, or many others.

Escape the Room: Mystery at Stargazer’s Manor

  • Age: 10+
  • Players: 3-8
  • Play Time: 90 min

While not specifically designed for kids, Mystery at Stargazer’s Manor is arguably best for a family game night for those with preteens or early teenagers. The story of a missing astronomer in 1869 might not be the most intriguing premise for younger players, but the easy-to-grasp yet still enjoyable puzzles should be enough to wrangle them in for a fun evening at home. Mystery at Stargazer’s Manor isn’t unlike other escape room board games – solve puzzles, uncover clues, and escape the room. However, while some escape rooms are specifically designed for children or adults, this title offers something for the whole family between its solid writing and various observational challenges. For even more recommendations for all ages, visit our list of the best family board games.

The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks

  • Age: 14+
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 120-240 mins

Simply not enough tabletop enthusiasts are talking about The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks, and that’s a shame because it offers some of the most well-crafted puzzles within the genre. Rarely, if ever, do players feel frustrated by the puzzles, but rather, it’s the type of game where aha moments follow just about every mystery. The story behind The Curious Elevator is that Mr. Hincks, an eccentric puzzle maker, has opened his elevator to the public. Getting on the elevator is easy, but getting off is another story entirely.

The Mr. Hincks series isn’t dark like other titles in the genre; instead, these mystery games offer a bit of whimsical fun rather than tense drama. The Curious Elevator features some online aspects, but most of the game is played with the physical components provided in the box. Those who enjoy The Curious Elevator may want to check out the game’s prequel, The Curious Stairs of Mr. Hincks.

The escape room drama is full of co-op experiences, but check out our collection of the best cooperative board games for even more great suggestions.

Bobby Anhalt is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering board games and LEGO. He has more than 8 years of experience writing about the gaming industry with bylines at Game Rant, Screen Rant, TheXboxHub, and Ranker. You can follow him on Twitter @BobbyAnhalt.

A Golden Axe Animated Series Is Being Made by the Creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks

An animated Golden Axe series is in the works at Comedy Central, based on the popular Sega video game series of the same name.

Per a Comedy Central press release, Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan has teamed with American Dad producer Joe Chandler to create a 10-episode Golden Axe series that will take fans of the side-scrolling beat ’em-up arcade games on an all-new adventure with some of the franchise’s beloved characters.

Chandler will serve as showrunner and co-write the first episode with McMahan, which, according to the logline, will tell the story of “veteran warriors Ax Battler, Tyris Flare, and Gilius Thunderhead as they once again battle to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder, who just won’t seem to stay dead,” though, it notes, “this time they have the inexperienced and underprepared Hampton Squib on their side.”

The voice cast features Matthew Rhys playing grumpy battle dwarf Gilius Thunderhead, Danny Pudi as inexperienced adventurer Hampton Squib, Lisa Gilroy as fearsome battle sorceress Tyris Flare, Liam McIntyre as barbarian warrior Ax Battler, and Carl Tart as humanoid panther Chronos “Evil” Lait, originally from Golden Axe III.

McMahan and Chandler will executive produce the fantasy tale of blades and magic for television alongside Haruki Satomi, President and CEO of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., Shuji Utsumi, president and COO of Sega Corporation, and Sega’s Toru Nakahara, as well as Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, and Toby Ascher of Original Film, and Titmouse’s Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, and Ben Kalina.

The first Golden Axe game hit shelves in 1989 but quickly evolved into a franchise comprising four games in the main series and multiple spin-offs. Sega announced in December that it is developing a new Golden Axe game, the first one since 2008’s Golden Axe: Beast Rider, as part of an initiative to revive several dormant franchises.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.

Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend Board Game Review

Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend is a high concept board game. It’s a cooperative cyberpunk adventure game bathed in neon. You awake from a coma finding your consciousness inhabiting a foreign body. Your memory is clouded and nothing is familiar. The nearby city is in shambles. Machines and faceless agents begin to stalk you. A chance meeting with an underground faction opens an entirely new world. Towering above it all is a tyrannical AI known as Ascend.

It’s exceedingly cool. The large box is swollen with content. There are hundreds of cards that make up enemies, scenarios, and abilities. Large vibrant player boards host tokens and chits of various colors. Dozens of tiles are randomized to construct the post-apocalyptic city. Large standees – or lovely miniatures if you spring for the add-on – depict various bodies the protagonists pilot. It’s a very attractive product that works an extra shift to sell its mysterious setting.

Its style is not simply veneer, either. Vibrating beneath the surface of this handsome exterior are two prominent systems that work together to deliver an electric experience. The first governs the city itself. Each scenario contains a map of the environment, a collection of district tiles that are often semi-randomized. They are arranged in an overall shape to form an interconnected board. Players will traverse the map by flipping over unexplored areas and interacting with various location abilities.

This portion of the game walks between the extremes of a fully detailed environment and a thin abstract space devoid of personality. It broadly mimics the style of adventure board games such as Arkham Horror and Return to Dark Tower, with characters navigating a zoomed out macro-level map. It doesn’t quite manage a rich portrayal of the city itself, instead leaning into a more distant and lean depiction that provides context for the second half of the game.

The bulk of play is contained on each player’s personal board. This mat resembles a HUD of sorts, and it contains several systems that interlock to form the digital arena. The focus here is on the launcher, a large central area of the player board that hosts colorful data tokens of various types. Each turn, players draw these tokens from a bag and repopulate their launcher. They spend actions to move these tokens around, shifting them into new slots in an attempt to form various patterns. When you complete a pattern, the tokens are spent and a benefit is triggered, such as hacking an enemy drone that is pursuing you, establishing a data uplink to fulfill a scenario objective, or gaining new intel and assets to prop up your character.

This is ostensibly a puzzle, similar to Bejeweled and Candy Crush. It’s a system I’ve never seen imitated on the tabletop, and it’s surprising how effective it is as an engaging mini-game that is core to the Tamashii experience. It might not feel like computer programming or hacking, exactly, but it can be surprisingly tense.

Everything else is handled through modular extensions of the various components. Enemies are represented solely by cards. They attach to your player board and follow your character around, harassing them in the conflict phase where blows are traded. Experience is gained through defeating enemies and triggering certain patterns on the launcher. These are spent to upgrade certain attributes and acquire new permanent ability cards. Bodies for your character to inhabit are locked into the top of the player board, offering new combat options and traits.

Everything is tied wonderfully together through the scenario architecture. Scenarios consist of small booklets with an accompanying deck of mission cards. You are given narrative background, initial setup conditions including unique rules, and a first stage objective. Often, this requires you head to specific points on the map. Sometimes you must perform special actions or complete patterns on your launcher to progress the story. Often you are required to make a decision which leads down a branching narrative path. This may be choosing one of two factions to aid, or deciding between rescuing civilians and selfishly preserving your own life. These decisions are meaningful and shape subsequent stages of the scenario, altering your goals and leading to a unique climax.

The scenario variety is fortunately strong. Each is rated for length and difficulty, which lets you know what you’re in for before starting. This isn’t a perfect approach, however, as the overall challenge presented is somewhat shallow. In fact, I’d prefer the difficulty to be ratcheted up across the board, as far too often the game simply doesn’t throw up enough obstacles to inhibit progress. It also occasionally stretches on too long. The longer scenarios can cross the three hour mark, dragging during the mid-game, and not picking up again until the final act is triggered. Thankfully, this is uncommon and the length depicted on the title page of the scenario will at least clue you in on this possibility.

Surprisingly bucking the recent trend of campaign board games, Tamashii does not feature linked scenario play. Each session is an isolated story and can be played with a rotating cast of players. However, the game introduces a unique roguelike-inspired system of unlocking content. Depending on the particular ending you trigger in a scenario, new content is added to the game for future plays. This may mean new body or enemy cards, or even new location tiles, are added to the mix. The box offers a functional, although unfortunately messy, organization system to segregate locked content from the rest of the components.

This content unlocking is a really fantastic feature. I was always eager to get back to the table to try these new options. It feels modern, touching on some of the benefits of the campaign format found in narrative board games, but without the long term commitment of a dedicated group.

While the writing in the scenarios isn’t always superb, it works when woven into the fabric of the branching decision structure. This story layer sits atop the rest of the game forming the fibers that connect the various components to create an interactive and engrossing experience. Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend is a juggernaut of powerful and flexible machinery that delivers captivating drama.

Where to Buy

Final Fantasy 16 Update 1.31 Adds Quick Complete Sidequest Function, Lowers Time Before Re-Petting, and More

Square Enix has released Final Fantasy 16 update 1.31, and it’s a big one.

According to the patch notes, highlights include the addition of a quick complete sidequest function, custom controller type, the ability to save up to five skill sets, and additional photo mode functionality. Elsewhere, there are a number of quality-of-life improvements across the board, new content, and, crucially, adjustments to when Torgal can be petted and lowered time before re-petting. You can see these new features in the screenshots below.

The update also allows for the purchase and installation of the DLC package The Rising Tide, due out tomorrow, Apr 18, 2024 Here’s the setup:

“An unmarked letter arrives at the hideaway containing a request most curious: the Dominant of Leviathan, long lost Eikon of Water, is in need of rescue. To heed this call, Clive and his companions must journey to Mysidia — a hidden land under a blue sky — where they will uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people. Please visit the official website for more information.”

Final Fantasy 16 launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in June 2023, and has sold over three million copies. IGN’s Final Fantasy 16 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Featuring fast, reflex driven, action heavy combat, Final Fantasy 16 is certainly a departure from what fans may expect out of a Final Fantasy game, but its excellent story, characters, and world building are right up there with the best the series has to offer, and the innovative Active Time Lore feature should set a new standard for how lengthy, story-heavy games keep players invested in its world.”

Final Fantasy 16 update 1.31 patch notes in full:

The following content is available to all players:

Additional In-game Content

  • Orchestrion rolls added to regional shops.
    Rolls available depend on main scenario progress.

Battle Adjustments

  • Player ATK increased outside of select Eikon battles.
  • Quality of life UI additions made in certain Eikon battles.

Eikonic Ability & Feat Adjustments

  • Two instances of ball lightning will fire when exacting Ramuh’s Eikonic Feat Blind Justice.
  • Ball lightning affixed to enemies is now detonated via the feat button rather than attacking.
  • Clive now moves faster while using Blind Justice.
  • Clive can now dodge while using Blind Justice.
  • Clive recovers poise more quickly after exacting Blind Justice.
  • When canceling Bahamut’s Eikonic Feat Wings of Light, the Megaflare charge will only deplete to the next gauge level.
  • A dodge is conducted when initiating Wings of Light.
  • Successfully dodging an enemy attack when initiating Wings of Light will trigger a Megaflare Dodge.
  • Parry animation when using Odin’s Eikonic Feat Arm of Darkness has been changed.
  • The minimum jump height for initiating Stomp has been lowered.
  • The direction Clive faces after using Swift Recovery has been adjusted.
  • Limit Break attacks now lift enemies instead of knocking them back.
  • Gouge damage is increased.
  • Gouge will damage is increased.
  • Gouge recast time is reduced.
  • Aerial Blast now dispels certain ranged magic attacks.
  • Aerial Blast will damage is increased.
  • Windup area of effect is increased.
  • Earthen Fury recast time is reduced.
  • Flare Breath now dispels certain ranged magic attacks.
  • Flare Breath now lifts enemies instead of knocking them back when canceling the ability.
  • Flare Breath damage is increased.
  • Satellite damage is increased.
  • Satellite recast time is reduced.
  • Satellite will damage is increased.
  • Ice Age damage is increased.
  • Ice Age will damage is increased.
  • Ice crystal generated when using Rime will now better draw in nearby enemies.
  • Rime will damage is increased.
  • Gungnir recast time is reduced.
  • Gungnir will damage is increased.
  • Heaven’s Cloud chained follow-up attacks can now be focused on a single enemy by locking on to the enemy.
  • Heaven’s Cloud will damage is increased.
  • Heaven’s Cloud recast time is reduced.

Accessory Adjustments

  • Effectiveness of the following accessories has been improved:
    • Favor of Wind (Gouge)
    • Favor of Wind +1 (Gouge)
    • Breath of Earth (Earthen Fury)
    • Breath of Earth +1 (Earthen Fury)
    • Breath of Darkness (Gungnir)
    • Breath of Darkness +1 (Gungnir)
    • Breath of Darkness (Heaven’s Cloud)
    • Breath of Darkness +1 (Heaven’s Cloud)
    • Cavall’s Fang
    • Cavall’s Fang +1
    • Cavall’s Bite

Other Changes to Actions

  • Alleviated rare issue of Clive jumping when accessing objects under certain conditions.
  • Made adjustments to when Torgal can be petted and lowered time before re-petting.
  • Made adjustments to calculations for amount of damage taken when near death.

Quests

  • A “Quick Complete” function has been added, giving players the option to warp directly to a quest-giver upon completing a quest’s final objective.
  • A new quest icon has been assigned to quests which reward collectables.
  • Ability Point awards for certain sidequests have been increased.
  • Additional cutscenes have been added to certain sidequests.
  • Minor changes have been made to cutscene staging.
  • New NPCs have been added to certain settlements.

System

  • Added “Custom” controller type.
    Go to Controller Layout on the System tab in the Main Menu to freely assign functionality to the buttons on your controller.
  • Skill Sets have been added.
    Players can now save up to 5 skill sets. Swap between sets with L1/R1.
  • The following functionality has been added to Photo Mode:
    • Focal Distance adjustability in Depth of Field setting
    • Tone Correction
    • Screen Effects
    • Portrait Mode
    • 90-degree rotation in Roll functionality
  • Minor updates and additions to the Thousand Tomes.
  • Visual updates to the State of the Realm timeline slider.
  • Updates and additions to the UI and various menus.

Bug Fixes

  • The following issues have addressed:
    • Graphics not appearing correctly in certain cutscenes
    • Incorrect character motion in certain cutscenes
    • Inability to progress in certain quests
    • Progression markers not displaying properly
    • NPC names not properly updating in conjunction with game progression
    • Problems with menu functionality when speaking with NPCs
    • Enemies not acting properly in certain battles under certain conditions
    • Issues with camera work in certain battles
    • Enemy effects not displaying properly in certain battles under certain conditions
    • Enemy names not appearing properly under certain conditions
    • Certain abilities not hitting targets properly
    • Precision sic not executing properly with certain abilities
    • Certain ability effects not displaying properly under certain conditions
    • Issues with camera work during certain abilities
    • Instances of limit break/ability effects not properly triggering
    • Auto Torgal not functioning properly in the Hall of Virtue (training mode)
    • Issues with party ally AI
    • Collision detection in certain stages and fields
    • Issues with character motion
    • State of the Realm menu icons not updating or displaying properly
    • Slight discrepancies in State of the Realm content
    • Rare instances of past State of the Realm content being unavailable for viewing
    • Graphics not displaying properly in Photo Mode when using certain photography methods
    • Text and Icons not displaying properly on the world map under certain conditions
    • Instances of current location not displaying properly on world map
    • Instances of region map icons not displaying properly
    • Instances of controller vibration and adaptive trigger functionality not working properly
    • Menu layout not displaying when switching between languages
    • Config settings not changing properly when restoring defaults
    • Incorrect screenshots and videos in certain tutorials
    • Tutorials not appearing at proper times
    • Inability to obtain certain redeemable items when starting New Game+
    • Notices not appearing at proper times
    • Instances of sound effects not playing at proper times
    • Various spelling and grammar mistakes
    • Various instances of game crashes

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.

Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2024: Everything Announced

Nintendo is hosting its first Indie World Showcase of 2024. As the name implies, this digital event focused entirely on indie games that were headed to Nintendo’s hybrid gaming system, the Nintendo Switch. IGN has you covered with everything announced during the first Indie World Showcase of 2024, which you can read below.

Steamworld Heist 2 Officially Announced, Out August 8

Thunderful announced today that Steamworld Heist II is in development and will be released on August 8th, 2024.

The new gameplay trailer revealed at the showcase showed that SteamWorld Heist II would keep the same turn-based ricochet strategy gameplay while being set in a lush tropical environment called Carribea.

Thunderful spoke with IGN before the announcement, and producer Peter Magnusson explained that this upcoming release is a “milestone of size and scope” for the Steamworld franchise. Story and crew customization will be given greater emphasis than in previous releases.

Little Kitty, Big City Let’s You Explore a Quirky Neighborhood as a Cat

If you are looking for another game in which you play as a cute little cat, Little Kitty, Big City is just the game for you. Players explore a colorful yet quirky neighborhood as they venture across the setting on their way home, while also helping other animals they encounter and tripping humans if they wish to cause chaos.

Little Kitty, Big City is out on May 9 for Nintendo Switch.

Atari Announced Yars Rising at Indie World Showcase

Yars Rising is a new side-scrolling run and gun platformer from Atari. The gameplay looks similiar to games like Metroid and Mega Man based on first glances. With some stealth components as we see snippets of the protagonist Yar evading robotic enemies.

Yars Rising arrives later this year.

Refined Self is a Timed-Exclusive Arriving This Summer

Refind Self: The Personality Test Game is an exploration-based adventure game with heavy themes of self-discovery. Players control an android created by a now-deceased doctor. Throughout their adventure, players will learn more about the characters they control based on their choices and decisions, providing ample replayability to see how the story unfolds.

Refined Self: The Personality Test Game arrives this summer as a timed exclusive for the Nintendo Switch.

Sticky Business Is Headed to Nintendo Switch Today

Released last year on PC, this cozy, vibrant game has players running a small business where you create and sell stickers. Players can pack orders and hear customers share testimonials about their experience purchasing products of yours.

Sticky Business and all the DLC released for it will arrive on Nintendo Switch today as a timed console exclusive.

Antonblast Gets November 12 Releaese Date

Announced at the 2023 Guerrilla Collective Showcase last summer, Antonblast is headed to PC and Nintendo Switch this November. Antonblast is a chaotic action platformer where players will bhave ample opportunities to destroy enemies and worlds.

Valley Peaks Is Getting a Switch Port

Valley Peaks is a adventure game where players climb moutains. Each moutain is a unique puzzle that requires a different stratedgy to solve to get to the top. Valley Peaks was announced over a year ago first as a PC exclusive, but today’s Indie Showcase confirmed that Nintendo’s hybrid console will also be a platform option.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Gets May Release Date

An action-adenture puzzle game published by Annapurna Interactive, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is set somewhere in Europe where players control a young woman that has become entangled with increasingly dangerous illusions. Its nonlinear mystery will have players are challenegd with new riddles to solve that inch them closer to solving the mystery.

Developing…

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.