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Daily Deals: Feb 4

The weekend is coming to a close, and lots of deals will leave with it. From video games to new tech, there is no shortage of deals you don’t want to miss out on. The best deals for Sunday, February 4, include Super Mario RPG, Meta Quest 2, Yoshi’s Crafted World, and more.

Save 25% Off this Pokémon TCG Elite Trainer Box

Best Buy currently has the Pokémon – Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet —Obsidian Flames Elite Trainer Box on sale for only $37.49. This set includes nine booster packs, one full-art foil card, 65 card sleeves, 45 Pokémon TCG Energy Cards, and so much more. If you’re in need of a card refresh or just looking to get into the Pokémon TCG, this is a great chance to do so at a discount!

Super Mario RPG for $44.95

The recently released remake of Super Mario RPG is 25% off at Walmart right now, which is the lowest we’ve seen it so far. If you’ve yet to either play the original or check out the remake, this is the perfect time to do so. Composer Yoko Shimimura returned to compose the remake’s original soundtrack, and each boss and environment has been expertly recrafted for the Nintendo Switch. It’s the perfect Mario title to check out if you’ve already beaten Super Mario Bros. Wonder!

Save $100 Off Apple Watch Series 9

Best Buy currently has every Apple Watch Series 9 45mm model on sale for $329 right now. This is the latest Apple Watch, with new features like Double Tap. The 41mm models are also on sale, listed at $299. If you’ve yet to buy an Apple Watch or use an older generation model, this is a great deal to take advantage of and upgrade with.

Save $20 Off The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

The game that depicts the start of The Legend of Zelda timeline is now available at Walmart for just $39.99. Skyward Sword HD is an updated HD remaster of the original Wii title, with new control options and updated textures. If you’re a Zelda fan and haven’t experienced this game yet, now is a perfect opportunity to pick this up and see it for yourself.

Meta Quest 2 for $229

If you haven’t yet purchased a VR headset, this deal on the Quest 2 is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen for the headset. The Meta Quest 2 is an excellent VR headset that works great standalone or hooked up to a PC. You’ll be able to access your entire Steam library with Steam Link, either wired or wirelessly. The screen provides an 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, with up to a 90Hz refresh rate.

Yoshi’s Crafted World for $39.99

If you didn’t own a Nintendo Switch before 2020, you might not be aware that Yoshi got a game on the system in 2019! Yoshi’s Crafted World is a bright platformer where each stage has two different paths. Once you complete one run of the stage, the entire thing flips, and you’ll see the backside with all sorts of secrets and hidden items. There’s some suggestion that this title could be going out of print, so grab it while you can!

Save $10 Off Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is available on Amazon with a $10 discount! It’s rare to see the latest Nintendo Switch titles go on sale this early, especially big series like Mario. Wonder offers loads of exciting content you can play through, such as eight different worlds, three new powerups, and endless surprises with the Wonder Flower.

LG 32″ Ultra-Gear QHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor for $187

This LG Monitor has a steep discount you won’t want to miss out on. Originally priced at $349.99, you can pick this QHD 165Hz monitor up for just $187 from Walmart right now. At 32″, this is a big screen with all kinds of features to ensure you get the best playing experience possible. This monitor has SRGB 95% color gamut with HDR10 support, AMD FreeSync Premium, and a 1ms response time.

ROG Ally for $399.99

If you’ve been waiting to pick up a handheld PC, the ROG Ally is now available at Best Buy for just $399.99. Running Windows 11, the Ally is perfect to play your Steam games, play Xbox Game Pass, or even Android apps. With a 120Hz screen, each game you play will be presented with fluidity. You can even connect the ROG Ally to any TV with the included HDMI adapter and play your titles on the big screen when you’re not traveling or playing on the go.

Splatoon 3 for $41

One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.

HORI Split Pad Compact for $31.99

The HORI Split Pad Compact is one of the best ergonomic controllers you can buy for the Nintendo Switch. Attaching like standard Joy-Con, the Split Pad Compact slides onto each side of your Switch and immediately widens the console. This makes longer handheld play sessions much more comfortable and bearable over time, especially if you have larger hands. The Pac-Man model features all sorts of fun details to personalize your system.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe for $41.23

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the latest Kirby game to hit the Switch, bringing updated graphics and new features to the Wii game. Widely considered as a great entry in the series, you’re getting a great deal with almost $19 of savings on a Nintendo title just about one year old. You can play with up to four friends and tackle each mission together. The fun doesn’t stop after the campaign, though! After you clear the main story, you can play as many subgames as you’d like in the Merry Magoland amusement park.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition for $40

Amazon has the Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition listed for $39.97. If you got a PlayStation 5 for the holidays, you should play the first two Spider-Man games before you jump into Spider-Man 2. This is an amazing deal since you’re essentially getting both Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Spider-Man Remastered for $20 each. Both rarely go on sale for that low, so this is your best option to pick up these games.

Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica

Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $29.99, which is an even better deal than Black Friday and the lowest we’ve seen the title yet. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.

Save $21 Off Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Arguably one of the best platformers available on Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a must play for the platform. Created by Retro Studios, there are six different worlds you can traverse through as you fight against Lord Fredrik and his army of Snowmads. You can play with a friend and choose between Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and even Funky Kong!

Save 52% Off the Razer Huntsman V2 Keyboard

The Razer Huntsman V2 keyboard is $130 off at Amazon for a limited time. This analog keyboard features analog optical switches with actuation at the speed of light, which you can adjust to fit your playstyle. Additionally, the keycaps are doubleshot PBT, making for a much more durable set of caps that won’t deteriorate over time. If you’re in the market for a new keyboard, this is a great option at a price we might not see again for a while.

Daily Deals: Super Mario RPG, Apple Watch Series 9, Meta Quest 2

The weekend is finally here, and plenty of deals have arrived alongside it. From video games to new tech, there is no shortage of deals you don’t want to miss out on. The best deals for Saturday, February 3, include Super Mario RPG, Meta Quest 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, an LG 32″ gaming monitor, and more.

Super Mario RPG for $44.95

Save $100 Off Apple Watch Series 9

Meta Quest 2 for $229

Save $10 Off Super Mario Bros. Wonder

LG 32″ Ultra-Gear QHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor for $187

ROG Ally for $399.99

Splatoon 3 for $41

HORI Split Pad Compact for $31.99

Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica

Save $21 Off Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Save 52% Off the Razer Huntsman V2 Keyboard

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Ending Explained – How the Game Sets Up Future DLC

Warning: this article contains full spoilers for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League!

After a long series of delays, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is out in the world. And DC fans all want to know — do you actually kill the Justice League? How does this bloody adventure end?

Now that the game is out of early access and available to all players, we’re here to break down the ending to the new Suicide Squad game, how it impacts the Arkham-verse, and how it sets up future DLC campaigns. Because if there’s one thing clear by the time the credits roll, it’s that Harley Quinn and the gang still have a lot of killing ahead of them.

Do You Actually Kill the Justice League?

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League does indeed live up to its name. The entire Justice League is dead by the end of the game, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern. Most of these iconic heroes are brainwashed by Brainiac to aid in his conquest of Earth, leaving Amanda Waller only too happy to recruit Task Force X to assassinate them.

How does such a motley crew of incarcerated supervillains (only one of whom even has superhuman powers) manage to annihilate the world’s greatest super-team? It may seem like a stretch, but the game works to justify that major power gap. The team is aided by a number of fellow villains throughout the game, including Toyman, Lex Luthor, Penguin, and Gizmo, all of whom provide useful gadgets or anti-metahuman weaponry. For example, the team is decked out in anti-Speed Force tech, allowing them to take down the Fastest Man Alive. Later, they use Gold Kryptonite-laced weapons to level the playing field with Superman.

The game also positions Batman as a vital resource against the Justice League. The Squad discovers a recording Batman left behind intended for his sidekicks, one designed to help them take on the Justice League should the team ever go rogue. Batman has compiled a series of “Babel” files, contingency plans for each member of the League. That’s a reference to the comic book storyline JLA: Tower of Babel, where Ra’s al Ghul steals Batman’s contingency plans and uses them to take down the team himself.

It should be pointed out that Wonder Woman is the one Justice League member who isn’t compromised by Brainiac in the game. She plays a supporting role in the story, occasionally popping up to battle her fallen comrades. Wonder Woman eventually takes on Superman and manages to stab him with a shard of Kryptonite, but the Man of Steel kills her in the process.

As you’d expect, not all DC fans are thrilled with how the League is taken down in the game. Batman’s death in particular is a source of major contention, considering that this is the same version of the Dark Knight from Rocksteady’s Arkham games. These deaths also raise the question of how the world can move forward with a Justice League to protect it. Who fills that power vacuum? We don’t know if this is something that might be explored in future story content. Perhaps a team like the Justice Society will step in, or perhaps the League will be rebuilt with a more eclectic roster of heroes. Did someone say Justice League Detroit?

The Final Battle With Brainiac

As befits a game where the villains are forced to become the saviors of the world, Lex Luthor is one of your chief allies in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Two of them, in fact. Luthor is actually killed by the brainwashed Flash, but it’s later revealed that he was collaborating with his counterpart from Earth-2. Earth-2 Luthor crosses over to Earth-1 and becomes the Squad’s most valuable asset in the ramp-up to battling Brainiac. This multiverse will form the backbone of the future of the game going forward.

It’s this Luthor who discovers the dark truth behind Brainiac’s conquest. Brainiac has been colluding with 12 of his alternate selves from different universes. Their ultimate goal isn’t just to conquer Earths, but the entire multiverse. Luthor builds a device to extract information from Brainiac’s mind, hoping to uncover a way to stop this

As you’d expect, the game does culminate in a final boss battle with Brainiac. Harley and the team are decked out in tech that protects them from Brainiac’s mind-control powers, and they come bringing the finest anti-metahuman weaponry they’ve been able to scavenge in Metropolis. Brainiac modifies his own body for this final battle, allowing him to tap into the Speed Force like Flash and move across the battlefield at lightning speed.

After a long, frantic battle, the Suicide Squad finally prevails over Brainiac. He’s taken out — but not killed — and imprisoned inside a miniature storage device. Though the Squad very nearly succeeds in suffocating him in the process. Ultimately, Waller and Luthor are able to harvest the information they need from Brainiac’s mind, after which the villain does die and his body dematerializes. It’s at this point the team learns just how much work they have left ahead of them.

The Brainiac of the Elseworlds

As mentioned, Earth-2 Luthor discovers that Brainiac has been colluding with 12 of his alternate selves from other universes. The information harvested from Brainiac’s mind gives them a starting point, but only by hunting down and killing the remaining Brainiacs can the Suicide Squad truly end the threat to their world and the multiverse at large.

That’s effectively where the game ends. It’s a much more open-ended conclusion than we saw in the various Arkham games and that’s by design. Whereas Arkham Asylum and its sequels told finite stories with definitive endings, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is setting up future playable content with its ending.

The ending is basically a foundation for Rocksteady’s DLC road map, which will consist of at least four seasons of new content. Each season will add a playable character to the roster (the first being the Joker) and multiple versions of Brainiac to battle. The first season will be released in March 2024, with the rest to follow over the course of a year.

It’s unclear just how much new story content will be included in each season. However, we do know the DLC deals directly with the concept of Elseworlds, another name for the DC multiverse. That’s how Joker is being added to the cast despite the Clown Prince of Crime having died at the end of 2011’s Arkham City. The new levels will likely be set in other Earths in the multiverse, and may even feature alternate versions of the Justice Leaguers killed in the main story mode.

The real question is whether this is all building to a true ending for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. What happens when the 13th and final Brainiac is killed? Is there a special ending rewarding players for sticking with the game for a full year? We may have to wait a while yet before learning how this game truly ends.

What do you think of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s ending? Will you be playing all the DLC in the hope of unlocking the true ending to the game? Let us know in the comments. And be sure to check out IGN’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League review.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

7 Games to Play If You Love Pokemon

Monster capture games have certainly captured the attention of players for generations, with Pokemon being the most prominent and beloved series within the genre. Due to its popularity, it isn’t any surprise that games of a similar vein have popped up to occupy the same space. But that doesn’t mean all of these games are the same, despite sharing a similar foundation, or even considering several games that predate this wildly popular series. Either way, there’s a wide world of monster capture games for all you Pokemon fans out there.

Below are a list of games that reside within the vast monster capture genre, or dabble in the mechanic in some meaningful way.

Cassette Beasts

While it was a very busy year for major game releases, under-the-radar Cassette Beasts was one of the best games to release in 2023. A stylish blend of 2D and 3D art, Cassette Beasts is visually similar to some of the best Pokemon games in the series, but with some light traversal elements and large focus on the monster capture and fusion mechanics of the game.

Like most games that take heavy inspiration from Pokemon, Cassette Beasts stars a self-insert player character as they make their way through the island of New Wirral while they look for a way to return home. However, the game is a little more complex in the way that you interact with various major characters, as you can increase your affinity with them and even undertake their quests. What Cassette Beasts offers is a blend of Pokemon-esque monster capture mechanics, a character driven story, and a unique fusion mechanic that keeps them on their toes. Overall, it’s an inspired and fresh take on the genre, and one you should check out.

Monster Sanctuary

Monster Sanctuary is a mix of the monster capture genre and your par for the course Metroidvania. Players catch monsters to engage in 3-vs-3 battles as well as to open up exploration in gorgeous 2D pixel environments.

The game extends beyond the use of monster types as just a means to get an advantage on opponents, as attack types are just as important. But what really kept me glued to Monster Sanctuary was its traversal mechanics and really nailing those 2D platforming elements. Going back and uncovering new shortcuts and secrets made the game utterly addicting to me in addition to how battles were structured. This is a game I highly recommend for those who like monster capture games, 2D platformers, or both.

Digimon World: Next Order

The Digimon series is effectively the progenitor of the monster capture genre, even predating Pokemon — it just never rose to the same kind of success internationally. Digimon World: Next Order takes all of the fun from the first Digimon World game on the PlayStation (bar the scuffed localization) and makes it more approachable. The Digimon World series have functioned as more or less “open world” exploration games where players can raise a Digimon from birth to its eventual death, with how they’ve treated them playing into their evolutions, as they experience unique stories set within the Digimon universe.

These games have generally always been more story focused than Pokemon games as players befriend Digimon to fill out their cities and discover what plagues the digital world. Players can still train their Digimon and unlock unique Digivolutions but in a more story-focused experience. That said, you can still grind out and train your Digimon to your heart’s content, but Digimon World: Next Order definitely has one of the meatier stories of the games on this list thanks to its focus on its narrative and the wealth of various Digivolutions players can discover.

Monster Rancher

An oldie but a goodie, Monster Rancher is one of several monster capture games that was released in the 1990’s alongside the Pokemon series. Like other monster capture games, players will raise monsters and train them through a series of mini-games to compete in tournaments that will allow them to raise their ranks.

However, you aren’t really capturing monsters in Monster Rancher, as you more or less generate them through various methods depending on which versions of the game you were playing. Koei Tecmo re-released Monster Rancher 1 & 2 for the Nintendo Switch, making these games available to an entirely new audience. Unfortunately, these versions have done away with what made the monster capture mechanic so unique, and that was swapping out CDs on your Sony PlayStation to generate a random monster. What makes Monster Rancher so fun though is that there’s a big emphasis on bonding and training your monster outside of battling them in the arena. Monster Rancher is a great game for those looking to build up their monsters and really test their mettle in 1-vs-1 combat.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

You may be wondering why a Dragon Quest game has any business being on this list. Well, the Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series, first introduced in 1998 to capitalize on the Pokemania, are all about capturing monsters to use in turn-based combat against your foes. Sound familiar? The Dark Prince is the latest entry in the series, and despite launching with some major technical issues that have since been patched on certain platforms, it carries this tradition onwards. However, capturing monsters is a little more intensive than in Pokemon and success rates are decided by some variables that players can turn in their favor, which makes it a little more in-depth than Pokemon games. Nevertheless this game will definitely satiate any cravings you may have for capturing some monsters. Fans of Dragon Quest and monster capture games, or even fans of both, will enjoy this entry in the series.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Ever wanted to raise monsters instead of hunting them in Monster Hunter? Monster Hunter Stories provides that exact experience. Instead of slaying monsters for valuable parts, players instead collect monsters by obtaining their eggs — which sounds bad in practice. But the narrative always makes it clear that these games are more or less about the conservation of monsters and cultural practices, so it sort of rubs off whatever reservations players might have.

You assume the role of a budding monster trainer who has been paired with one of the series most iconic monsters, a Rathalos. Things begin to go awry as monsters begin to rampage through areas surrounding your village. Combat is relegated to strategic turn-based battles that take into account the types of monsters you decide to make part of your team. You can also use your monsters as means to traverse various landscapes, similar to what modern Pokemon games have implemented. Monster Hunters Stories 2: Wings of Ruin provides a decently balanced experience in terms of narrative and gameplay, and will occupy a decent amount of time if you decide to collect all of the monsters in the game.

Palworld

While Palworld’s similarities to Pokemon begin and end with its colorful monster design, a monster capturing mechanic does exist within the game that more or less mirrors what you get in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. In Palworld you can capture and use Pals in interesting ways, either to help them automize construction, provide resources for your base, and even for traversal. You can do that in most Pokemon games, with it far more tangible in Scarlet and Violet as you use Koraidon or Miraidon to scale mountains, glide, and more. That is effectively where the similarities end, since Palworld is more or less about obtaining resources to build up your base like most survival games are.

While there are still a plethora of other monster capture games that exist, as the genre has expanded greatly since the release and subsequent popularity of Pokemon in the 1990’s, the ones included in this list build upon those foundations in some truly unique ways. Whether it be an engrossing story, a more fleshed out battle system, or even how you obtain monsters, these games are more than worth checking out.

Kazuma Hashimoto is a freelance writer for IGN.

Open-World Factory Sim Satisfactory Will Finally Launch Version 1.0 This Year

Coffee Stain Studios will finally launch Satisfactory 1.0 later this year, it has announced in an update video.

Studio Community Manager Snutt Treptow laid out the 1.0 plans — along with a definitely not-fake roadmap filled with guns, fast cars, and romanceable creatures — today. There’s no release date yet, but the team is confident that there will be no more Early Access updates for players to wait through before the full factory-building experience becomes available.

As for what Satisfactory 1.0 looks like, Coffee Stain says players can expect new content, fixes for long-lasting issues, an end game and narrative, and more. As these final features are ironed out, Treptow says that there will be “next to no patches for the game until the full release.”

“Back in 2021, when we released Update 5, we sort of divided our focus into two development tracks,” he said. “One track was dedicated to the content that would go into each subsequent update, and the other was content exclusively aimed for the 1.0 release. So, our attention at the studio has sort of been divided between handling update launches with everything that comes with that and at the same time working on new content that we didn’t want to reveal until the full release of the game.”

Late last year, Coffee Stain brought these two teams together to move full steam ahead toward 1.0. Now that both branches are one, he says that it is “no longer possible for us to release any major patches in between them.” All of the work on issues big and small will be release when the Satisfactory launch build arrives, which Treptow says includes the effort put toward things like dedicated servers.

Coffee Stain says it’s still in Alpha but is close to reaching the feature-complete Beta phase. After that milestone is secured, players can expect to hear about a closed Beta test. You can sign up for this limited test now by clicking here.

Satisfactory came to Early Access on the Epic Games Store in March 2019, nearly five years ago. It’s received numerous updates since and eventually came to Steam. Development will continue after the launch build arrives, though it’s “up in the air and yet to be decided” what post-launch will look like exactly. If you need more crafting experiences to keep you busy before 1.0, be sure to check out our list of 11 games like Minecraft that are worth playing.

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.

Neil Druckmann Teases ‘Concept’ for The Last of Us Part 3: ‘There’s Probably One More Chapter to This Story’

At the end of Grounded 2: Making The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann made a surprise reveal that The Last of Us Part 3 could very well be on the way.

That’s not to say that’s a lot there at the moment – he says he merely has a “concept” in mind – but did note that there’s “probably one more chapter to this story.”

“The first game had such a clean concept of like, the unconditional love a parent feels for their child,” he said. “The second one, once we landed on this idea of the pursuit of justice at any cost, justice for the ones you love, we felt like, ‘there’s a clean concept here and there’s a throughline from the first game, about love.’ If we never get to do it again, this is a fine ending point. Last bite of the apple, the story’s done.”

“The great thing about working at Naughty Dog is that we don’t have to,” he added. “It’s always like, ‘we would love another Last of Us, but if you guys feel you’re passionate about something else, we’ll support this other thing.’ Very privileged position to be in, I never take that for granted. I’ve been just thinking about it, ‘is there a concept there?’ And for now years, I haven’t been able to find that concept. But recently, that’s changed, and I don’t have a story, but I do have that concept that to me is as exciting as 1, as exciting as 2, is its own thing, and yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there’s probably one more chapter to this story.”

What About the Tommy Story?

Before his comments about a potential The Last of Us Part 3, Druckmann talked about a previous interview he gave in which he mentioned they had written a story for Joel’s brother, Tommy, that takes place after the events of The Last of Us Part 2.

“The headlines across the industry were like, ‘Naughty Dog has outlined The Last of Us Part 3,’ and that’s actually wrong,” he clarified. “It was always a small story, it was never a full title. At the time, we had higher priorities at Naughty Dog to fix our pipeline, to fix work-life balance issues. Just based on where we were, I didn’t want to prioritize the story, so that story was shelved. And I still believe one day, it’ll see the light of day. I don’t know if it’ll be a game or a show, tbd.”

So, to be clear, we don’t know that Part 3 will indeed be that Tommy story, although Druckmann stressed, “I hope someday we get to make it.”

The documentary, which broadcasted on YouTube for the last couple of hours, provided an in-depth look at the making of The Last of Us Part 2. The same documentary will also be available in The Last of Us Part 2.

Grounded II comes just weeks after Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part II: Remastered for the PS5. Aside from the base game for The Last of Us Part II, this enhanced version included additional features, including a new roguelike mode called No Return, Guitar Free Play, Lost Levels with developer commentary, graphical enhancements, DualSense integration, and the option to enable developer commentary during cutscenes for the main story.

“The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way,” we wrote in our review of The Last of Us Part 2.

Aside from the recent release of Part 2 Remastered last December, Naughty Dog announced that it had made the difficult decision to cancel The Last of Us Online, a live-service game inspired by the Factions mode in the original Last of Us game.

Beyond new game installments set in The Last of Us universe, HBO adapted the series for the small screens last year, with a second season currently in development.

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

Cyberpunk 2077 Dev Shares Hard-Fought Journey to Include One Extremely Specific Feature

A CD Projekt Red developer has shared their hard fought journey to get a very specific and utterly random feature added to Cyberpunk 2077.

Online services lead Leszek Krupiński made a lengthy post on X/Twitter to chronicle the journey of getting the “munch munch” sound added when protagonist V eats an item in the menu. This sound was already in Cyberpunk 2077 when players ate while roaming around the world, but the menu sound only arrived with its latest 2.11 update.

“This version includes a tiny thing, tiny feature I’ve poured my heart into,” Krupiński began, who explained his inspiration came from the Niezatapialni podcast which has a host who always asks for the feature.

I want to share my personal achievement with you. Recently one of the last patches for Cyberpunk 2077 has been released. This version includes a tiny thing, tiny feature I’ve poured my heart into. It all started with Dominik Gąska from Niezatapialni podcast. Each time a new patch… pic.twitter.com/yDASsSyMKD
— Leszek Krupiński ⭕️ (@lisciasty_) February 2, 2024

“Yes, the lack of this was an omission, but I dunno if it wasn’t noticed, or the priority was low, so it was never added,” Krupiński continued. “I decided to do something about it. It was way out of my scope of work, but I started asking around. I talked to producers and release managers if it’s not too late to add any new features (it was after 2.0 was released), but they didn’t say ‘no’ instantly, so there was a chance.

“I put on a producer hat and started discussions with sound designers and the UI team. And this week I’ve installed the patch, and there it is. My most meaningful impact on Cyberpunk 2077: when you eat stuff in the inventory, you hear ‘munch munch’. I can die in peace now.”

Update 2.11 also addressed myriad bugs and balance issues in the open-world role-playing game. Melee finishers, dashes turning into crouches, and wrongly upgrading items have all been fixed among other issues. CD Projekt Red has also adjusted the frequency of car chases, stopped completed gigs remaining incomplete on the map, and addressed a bug where players couldn’t sleep during the quest I Really Want to Stay at Your House.

It came after the game changing Update 2.0, which completely revamped Cyberpunk 2077 with features such as a new perk system and improved AI and also brought closure to an Elon Musk fan theory, a reference to the late racing legend Ken Block, and bizarre additions to the game’s biggest mystery. Update 2.1 later added a full metro system, romantic partner hangouts, new vehicles, and more.

In our 9/10 review of the game, IGN said: “Cyberpunk 2077 throws you into a beautiful, dense cityscape and offers a staggering amount of flexibility in how you choose to take it from there.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

How Long Is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?

Traditionally, Rocksteady’s past Batman titles clocked in anywhere between 10 to 16 hours, but with Suicide Squad departing from the studio’s usual single-player traditions, for a live-service co-op experience, you might be left wondering “Just how long is it”? Here we’ll let you know how long it took different IGN team members to finish their adventure to Kill The Justice League, and what they prioritised during their time.

How long is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?

Our fastest player finished it in just under 8 hours.
Our “slowest” player completed it in 20 hours.

Every player is different, and as you read on, you’ll get more details about how each of us played, how quickly we got to the credits, and what we focused on or ignored as we stomped through Metropolis. Finished the game for yourself already? Make sure to visit How Long To Beat to find out how your time compares to ours, or others!

Simon Cardy – Senior Editorial Producer

It took me between 10 and 11 hours to finish Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s main story. I pretty much mainlined it, completing around five or six support squad missions along the way just to make sure I was unlocking all of the basic abilities and crafting opportunities I’d need to take on Earth’s mightiest heroes. I never once felt underpowered, though, despite Amanda Waller warning me before each battle that I might want to level up a bit.

In fact, the only thing that really slowed me down was occasional server issues, that annoyingly happened multiple times during one boss battle, meaning I had to replay it several times. I’ve since spent another 10 or so hours engaging in some of the open-world activities such as Riddler puzzles and challenges, postgame Incursion missions, and grinding up my Captain Boomerang to gift him a full collection of Bane-themed weaponry. After 15 or so hours in total, however, I really did feel like I’d seen everything that Suicide Squad has to offer at this point.

Jesse Gomez – UK Video Producer

My playthrough was just shy of eight hours, all whilst playing on the default difficulty. My primary goal? To complete Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League in the fastest time possible, with just my AI companions to back me up. Throughout my time in Metropolis, I ignored all of the extra side-missions, dodged most of the enemy street encounters while making my way to missions and The Hall of Justice, plus, I avoided all of those pesky Riddler collectibles and challenges.

This resulted in a couple of the Justice League boss battles taking a little longer than expected, as I wasn’t packing enough extra firepower to take them down as quickly as I would’ve wanted. If I were to do it again, it certainly would’ve helped to explore the other challenges dotted across the map, and upgrade another character beside my main, Captain Boomerang, but after the six hour mark I felt confident enough in my playstyle to blast through the rest of the story.

Mitchell Saltzman – Senior Guides Producer

According to my game clock, I spent about 20 hours with Suicide Squad before hitting credits. I wasn’t aiming to be a completionist, and opted against doing much hunting for the Riddler trophies, but I did want to try and make sure that I completed new Support Squad missions whenever they popped up, as those side activities come with rewards that directly impact gameplay.

As a result I unlocked plenty of legendary crafting recipes, contract slots, vehicle upgrades, afflictions, and got tons and tons of crafting materials. I will say though, that if it was not for having to cover this game from a guides perspective, I don’t think the quality of the side missions, nor their rewards, would have compelled me to try and complete them all, which would’ve made my playtime dramatically shorter.

Destin Legarie – Director Video Content Strategy

Because I was capturing the entirety of my playthrough I can tell you that I completed the campaign in exactly 10 hours and 4 minutes. This included taking my time to interact with all the exhibits in the Museum, Hall of Justice, and even taking time to meander around the Daily Planet to see if I could spot any fun easter eggs. The 10 hour time also included a boss fight that I failed after taking a woefully under geared character into battle.

I wouldn’t say that this was rushing through the campaign, but the combat encounters and escort missions felt extremely easy to clear with my main Suicide Squad member Deadshot.

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Sega Gives Itself a Cheeky Pat on the Back in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Spoiler Warning: The following article includes minor spoilers for side content in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Publisher Sega gives itself a cheeky pat on the back in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as the game’s protagonist praises the amazing games its produced over the years.

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is largely set in Japan and aims to replicate real world locations, and one way it does so is by including genuine Sega arcades where players can essentially emulate other games.

These typically match the era they released in. Yakuza 0 takes place in 1988, for example, so includes Space Harrier, Fantasy Zone, Out Run, and more. Upon entering a retro arcade in Infinite Wealth, longtime protagonist Kiryu Kazuma (who’s one of the two main playable characters in this latest entry), reminisces over his time spent in these arcades, praising Sega as he goes.

“Looks like an old-fashioned arcade. Guess it’s what the kids would call ‘retro’,” Kiryu says. “I used to frequent arcades like this back in the day. Had lots of fun playing games there.

“The folks behind all these games must be incredibly creative and unique. Come to think of it, most of what I played were from a company called Sega. They always seemed to innovate with every new game they put out. And with a lineup like theirs, I’m sure they’ll be around for years to come.”

The publisher and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio weren’t afraid to poke fun at themselves too though. In another string of side content players will meet Robo Michio, a robotic version of a Hiroshima mascot introduced in Yakuza 6, who pokes fun at the Sega Game Gear.

The 1991 portable was infamous for having low battery life, and Robo Michio compares it to himself as he explains his lack of power. “Are you familiar with the Game Gear?” he asks. “Many have deemed its battery life and my own abominably similar.”

pic.twitter.com/YQlL8eQZGc
— the mat who jonesed the world (@pillowfort) February 2, 2024

Sega found both critical and commercial success with Infinite Wealth, which is the series’ fastest-selling game to date and has surpassed one million copies sold in its first week.

It features the Yakuza series’ biggest map to date, lets players become a samurai, surfer, and housekeeper, includes the series’ most infamous character, and has an entire Pokémon game inside it.

Sega has caused some frustration, however, as Infinite Wealth’s New Game Plus mode is exclusive to the Deluxe and Ultimate versions of the game, which come in at $15 and $40 more expensive respectfully.

In our 9/10 review, IGN said: “Sprawling, enthralling, and packed with dynamic brawling, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t just the best turn-based Like a Dragon game, it’s one of the greatest games in the entire series.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

IGN UK Podcast 734: Suicide Squad and Dale’s Big Plane Story

Cardy and Jesse have played Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and both equally share their disappointment. Dale has been on a WWE adventure which resulted in a strange plane story, and all three boys have some strong thoughts on Sony’s recent State of Play, especially that mad 9 minutes of Death Stranding 2 On the Beach.

Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 734: Suicide Squad and Dale’s Big Plane Story