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 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.
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 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
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.
While the showrunners behind the Fallout TV show have insisted none of the endings of previous games are considered canon, at least in terms of a jumping off point for the show itself, eagle-eyed fans reckon the Brotherhood of Steel airship seen in the series suggests one of two endings from Fallout 4 is now canon.
Warning: spoilers for the Fallout TV show and Fallout 4 follow.
Let’s start with the basic timeline: the Fallout TV show is set in 2296, nine years after the events of Fallout 4. In the first episode of the Fallout TV show, we see an enormous Brotherhood of Steel airship. Some believe this to be the Prydwen from Fallout 4. According to Fallout lore expert TKs-Mantis, if this is true, that rules out two of the four main endings in Fallout 4 as being canon (Railroad and Institute). TKs-Mantis suggests it may in fact confirm the Brotherhood of Steel ending is canon, given other endings involve destroying the Prydwen. But it could equally confirm the Minutemen ending as canon, given there is a path to that ending that sees the Prydwen survive.
I am seeing reports that the airship in the Fallout show is indeed the Prydwen. This would mean that some endings in Fallout 4 are for sure not canon. In fact, it may confirm the BoS ending entirely. As the others have you destroy the airship during their quests. pic.twitter.com/jinbyYIDfA
So why do fans think the Fallout TV show airship is the Prydwen? There’s an element of ‘zoom and enhance’ to this, but it looks like the name is scrawled on the side of the ship. At least, that’s what some are seeing.
I’ve been trying to get this across to the internet since my press embargo lifted, but got flak and was called a liar. But yeah, it’s the Prydwen, operating under its codename. So, it looks like Fallout 4’s Minutemen ending can be considered canon now. Feels good. pic.twitter.com/OFZQNpxG3f
If this airship is in fact the Prydwen, that would contradict information revealed by Vanity Fair in a first look at the show published in November. In that article, a caption tagged to a shot of the airship claims it’s called the ‘Caswennan’. Here’s the text: “Brotherhood of Steel recruits gaze upon the Vertibirds hovering around an airship called the Caswennan, marveling at the rare pieces of high-functioning hardware.”
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.
With Larian leaving Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons behind to work on a brand new game, the future of the series and the characters the developer brought to life is up in the air. But for Hasbro, owner of Dungeons & Dragons operator Wizards of the Coast, the hope is fans won’t have to wait as long for the next Baldur’s Gate game as they did for Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 launched 23 years after Baldur’s Gate 2, which was developed by BioWare and published by Interplay Entertainment. It proved a smash hit, selling millions of copies and winning a number of game of the year awards. Now, it seems inevitable that Hasbro will continue the franchise, given the incredible success of Baldur’s Gate 3. And speaking to PC Gamer, Eugene Evans, senior vice president of Digital Strategy and Licensing for Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, confirmed the company is talking to various potential partners to discuss the future of Baldur’s Gate.
“We’re now talking to lots of partners and being approached by a lot of partners who are embracing the challenge of, what does the future of the Baldur’s Gate franchise look like?” Evans said.
Unfortunately there’s no timeframe for the release of even announcement of the next Baldur’s Gate game, and Evans made it clear Hasbro is in no rush to make a decision. But, Evans said, the gap shouldn’t be as long as what’s gone before.
“So we certainly hope that it’s not another 25 years, as it was from Baldur’s Gate 2 to 3, before we answer that,” Evans said. “But we’re going to take our time and find the right partner, the right approach, and the right product that could represent the future of Baldur’s Gate. We take that very, very seriously, as we do with all of our decisions around our portfolio. We don’t rush into decisions as to who to partner with on products or what products we should be considering.”
“We’re going to take our time and find the right partner, the right approach, and the right product that could represent the future of Baldur’s Gate.
Another lingering question surrounds the fate of Baldur’s Gate 3’s much-loved characters, including the likes of Astarion, Karlach, Gale, Wyll, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart. Speaking to IGN last week, actor Neil Newbon said he isn’t necessarily done with Astarion, nor the universe that the character inhabits.
Based on Evans’ comments, it seems Hasbro is keen to make more of the Baldur’s Gate 3 characters, too. “… they are now essentially part of D&D canon,” Evans confirmed. “I think it’s too early to express specifics and I think that there’s a much bigger question about how we approach Baldur’s Gate in the future. But I would like to think that all of those characters, for the sake of the fans, could potentially appear in future products.”
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.
Take-Two Interactive is laying off around 5 pecent of its workforce, or about 579 workers, and canceling several probjects, the GTA 6 publisher announced in a new filing. The news follows claims from CEO Strauss Zelnick that the publisher had “no plans” for layoffs amid its planned cost reduction program.
In the filiing, Take-Two said it is “eliminating several projects in development and streamlining its organizational structure,” which includes laying off workers. Take-Two said it expects to incur between $160 and $200 million in total charges, with $120 million to $140 million related to title cancellations.
It’s a plan that’s been in the works since at least February. At the time, Zelnick said of the cost reduction plan, “We haven’t put any meat on the bones of that yet. I would just note that our biggest line item of expense is actually marketing. We do think we can optimize that. We also have third-party expenses, software, other vendors, supply services. And we always find opportunity there. The hardest thing to do is to lay off colleagues, and we have no current plans.”
In 2022, Take-Two completed a multi-billion dollar merger with Zynga. But as of late 2023, Take-Two was said to be struggling with mobille due to its acquisition being “expensive and late.”
New screenshots of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, the next game in the beloved Budokai Tenkaichi series, confirms more characters coming to the hotly-anticipated 3D fighting game. Among its ranks of super-powered heroes is Dragon Ball Z’s oft-forgotten Saiyan warrior, Future Gohan.
NEW SPARKING ZERO CHARACTERS! Beerus, Whis, Gohan, Videl, Future Gohan, and Trunks (Sword) pic.twitter.com/nq0u2ns8un
Although Future Gohan is among the likes of other popular Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super characters like Trunks and Beerus, his presence supersedes that of Sparking Zero’s admittedly expected playable characters as far as DBZ fans are concerned. Part of why Future Gohan in Sparking Zero is blowing fans’ collective minds is thanks to the limited-yet-impactful amount of screen time he got in the series canon.
Future Gohan first appeared in the Dragon Ball Z special, The History of Trunks. In it, he and Trunks serve as humanity’s last line of defense after Android 17 and Android 18 massacred the rest of DBZ’s cast of heroes. Design-wise, Future Gohan distinguishes himself from other iterations of the character because he fights with only his right arm. Famously, Future Gohan lost his left arm protecting Trunks during their desperate battle against the cyborg duo.
Although Future Gohan has made appearances in other Dragon Ball games like Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, his character model had both of his giant arms still attached to his body. This in turn led to the creation of a humble PC mod whose sole purpose was to “chop off Future Gohan’s useless broken arm.” Going off V-Jump’s screenshots, Future Gohan’s character model will do battle with one arm, much to the adulation of diehard fans.
Limited screentime aside, Future Gohan’s death is most remembered among fans as the emotional push that led to Future Trunks turning Super Saiyan for the first time.
It won’t be long before players can get their hands on Hades II, the sequel to 2020’s critically-acclaimed roguelite by Supergiant Games. In a new post on X/Twitter, Supergiant Games announced an upcoming Hades II Technical Test along with instructions on how to join.
The goal of the technical test is to ensure that the upcoming Early Access release has a “smooth play experience from the start.” It will have much less content than the Early Access version — including the first major area of the game and early-game characters — and it will only be available to a “relatively small subset” of players who sign up to play.
“If you played the original game, imagine a version where you couldn’t get past Tartarus even if you vanquished its guardian,” Supergiant explains on its website. Players who complete the area a number of times will see a “gentle suggestion” to discontinue play.
How to join the Hades II Technical Test
To sign up for the Hades II Technical Test, you need only go to the Hades II Steam Page and click the button marked “Request Access.” If you’re invited to participate, you will receive an email from Steam with download instructions.
“We expect to start with a small player population, then grow it over time,” Supergiant explains. “So, even if you aren’t invited to the Technical Test right away, you may still be invited later. Our process boils down to: invite some players, fix any problems they run into, invite more players, and so on. Once we’re sufficiently confident that things are stable, we’ll wind down the Technical Test, then launch in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store relatively soon after.”
The Hades II Technical Test will be one of the first playable glimpses fans get of the anticipated sequel, which will feature Melinoë, daughter of Hades and sister of Zagreus, as its main character. The original game was acclaimed for its sharp writing, beautiful visuals, and clever take on roguelite storytelling, and Hades II looks to be more of the same.
Supergiant says that it will try to “conduct the Technical Test as expeditiously as possible,” then launch into Early Access. The studio is uncertain how long it will last, but expects that it will be “longer than a week, shorter than a month.” The Early Access launch will be dependent on the length of the Technical Test. It is currently set for Q2 2024.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
While it can occasionally be difficult to get teenagers engaged or even torn away from their screens, board games often offer opportunities to connect or, at the very least, serve as a break from all the devices and social media apps. Whether its family game night or simply an evening in with friends, it’s important to have games that teens actually want to play.
The best board games don’t just pass the time, they transport players with fantastic themes and engaging mechanics. Teens who are into Marvel, Star Wars, zombies, or dragons can find something in the space to try out. Not to mention, various addictive party games also offer an alternative to simply watching a movie.
For the superhero-obsessed teen, there are plenty of great tabletop options out there, but the good folks behind Dice Throne have created one of the best Marvel board games with this accessible but addictive title. With currently eight different comic book heroes to choose from (and far more characters in the non-Marvel iterations), Marvel Dice Throne pits players against each other in competitive battles. Players start by picking their hero from either Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Loki, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, or Thor. Each character comes with their own set of abilities, card decks, and themed dice.
Marvel Dice Throne is a simple enough dice chucker but with enough twists and turns contained in the cards to keep gameplay unpredictable. As each character handles quite differently, there is ample opportunity for replayability as well. For those who find the Battle Chest complete with all eight heroes to be a bit pricey, there are also separate packs with just two or four characters included that can be built upon over time.
Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All
Disney holds a special place in countless childhood memories and continues to offer content many enjoy into their teenage years. While we all know the princesses and beloved sidekicks, Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All asks players to control one of six iconic villains such as Ursula, Jafar, the Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook, Maleficent, and Prince John from the animated Robin Hood feature film. Disney Villainous plays out asymmetrically as each villain is accompanied by their own card deck, player board, and 3D character piece. Of course, it wouldn’t be quite as much fun to only worry about completing your own objectives; it’s also about tripping up your opponents before they realize their villainous goals using heroes from their universe via Fate Deck cards. This is a double-edged sword, however, as your opponents can employ the same tactics against you.
Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All is a great place to start, but various expansions have introduced even more fan-favorite Disney baddies to the game. Not to mention, villains like Darth Vader, Thanos, and plenty more have also joined in the fun through Star Wars and Marvel iterations of the series.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
For teens who prefer their board games from a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a clever take on the popular Pandemic board game series. Rather than taking control of scientists, doctors, and medics to fight deadly diseases from spreading, Star Wars: The Clone Wars has players taking control of fan-favorite Jedi to ensure the reach of Count Dooku’s Separatist droid army doesn’t overtake the galaxy. For fans of Pandemic, The Clone Wars should be a breeze to pick up, but it’s a fairly intuitive cooperative title even for those with no familiarity with the original board game.
While The Clone Wars’ unique spin on a popular series makes it one of the best Star Wars board games, there are plenty of other great and unique titles to check out for fans of the space opera.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a bluffing game in which players try to identify the werewolf hiding in their village. Each player receives a secret role card at the beginning of the game, many of which coincide with a special ability that plays out in the nighttime phase when players put their heads down. In the morning, players try to deduce which one among them is the werewolf. If they can guess correctly and sentence the werewolf to death, they win the game, but if not, the monster gets to run amok for another night.
In many ways, One Night Ultimate Werewolf is the perfect party game for teens with friends who aren’t normally into board games: it’s easy to pick up thanks to the audio app that guides players through each phase, it plays incredibly quickly, and it works well for up to ten people. When groups start to pile up past four people, it’s not always easy to find a game that everyone can learn, play, and have a great time with, but One Night Ultimate Werewolf addresses every one of those issues, excelling with larger groups.
Decrypto
Like One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Decrypto is another one of the best party games. Decrpyto plays somewhat similarly to the incredibly popular Codenames, but the former differentiates itself by keeping players engaged even when it’s not their turn. Decrypto splits players into two teams. In front of each team is a series of numbers with words written just below. One player on each team is tasked with providing clues in an effort to get their team to guess the right sequence. While each team can see only their own board, opposing players can attempt to intercept using the codewords which are read aloud. The trick here is that encrypters need to try and give clues that only their team can guess. Of course, this is much easier said than done.
Sushi Go Party
Sushi Go Party builds upon the success of Sushi Go, a drafting game in which players pick a card to keep and pass the rest of the deck to the next player. Each card contains an adorable illustration of sushi as well as a point value. However, various cards can combine to multiply scores. Crafting the right sushi platter gets tricky as other players also look to grab valuable pieces or even block you from completing a set that might just secure your victory.
Sushi Go Party adds several cards to its predecessor but like Sushi Go, it manages to remain easy to play. At around 20 minutes a game, it’s perfect for teens who would rather jump in and learn a game rather than spend ages reading through a rule book.
King of Tokyo
Ask a handful of tabletop enthusiasts for a list of the best family board games and King of Tokyo is bound to come up, and likely more than once. It’s colorful and easy enough for kids to pick up, but it’s fun enough to keep teens coming back. Players pick from one of six pop culture-inspired mutant monsters with the goal of occupying Tokyo. Through dice-rolling and various special cards, players attempt to earn victory points and take down the other monsters. The winner is either the player who collected 20 victory points or the last surviving monster – whichever comes first.
Splendor: Marvel
Splendor is a favorite among the tabletop gaming community as it is a great entry point for teens who are new to the hobby thanks to its easy-to-grasp ruleset. That said, Splendor contains some strategy that may take a while to master, making it great for experienced gamers too. It’s easily one of the most popular games out there, but for teens with little interest in the Renaissance period, however, publisher Space Cowboys offers a Marvel variant.
Rather than collecting rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, to purchase cards, Splendor: Marvel tasks players with gathering the powerful Infinity Stones. Still, the rules largely remain the same, so those familiar with Splendor will be able to hop right into the Marvel iteration. As in the Marvel universe, collecting the stones ends the game, but individual turns consist of using stones to purchase cards with iconic comic book heroes and villains on them. Each hero contains a point value, and the player with the highest score at the end of the game wins. It’s not quite as thematic as something like Marvel Dice Throne, but the comic book artwork makes this a fun entry point for superhero fanatics.
Zombicide: Black Plague
Between its sizable board, various miniatures, lengthier playtime, and slightly more in-depth ruleset, Zombicide: Black Plague isn’t the most accessible game on this list. It’s still relatively easy to pick up when compared to other dungeon crawler board games, but it will require a teen who wants to dive a little deeper into a tabletop adventure. That shouldn’t be too difficult a sell as the gripping survival horror theme makes it easy to get fully immersed in the experience.
There are several entries in the Zombicide franchise, but Black Plague takes the combat to the Middle Ages with fantasy elements. Players can choose from dwarves, knights, magicians, and paladins to take the fight to the hordes of zombies. As with other iterations of the game, Black Plague has received several expansions, so fans of this title can keep the fun going for quite a while.
Flamecraft
The medium can so often be filled with gargantuan monsters and darker settings that the colorful, storybook artwork of Flamecraft feels like a breath of fresh air – as does its lower learning curve. Despite its aesthetic, Flamecraft is still a little difficult for younger children, but it’s perfectly suited for anyone in their teens.
Flamecraft is sort of an entry-level worker placement game, not quite as difficult as titles like Dune: Imperium or A Feast for Odin. In Flamecraft, players take on the role of Flamekeepers, those skilled at communicating with dragons. As a Flamekeeper, players visit the various shops, playing specialized dragon cards, enchanting the establishments, and gaining a reputation to attract even fancier dragons. The player with the most reputation at the end of the game wins and gains the esteemed title, the Master of Flamecraft.
If you’re still looking for more quality board game recommendations, make sure to check out our list of the best board games for four players. Also, take a look at our collection of the best board game deals to save some money on your next tabletop purchase.
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.
