Capcom has properly unveiled Akuma for Street Fighter 6 in a new trailer that also confirms a spring release window.

The video, below, shows a typically angry but this time older Akuma punch the head of a statue clean off its shoulders with what looks like a ghostly, red Shoryuken (Street Fighter’s iconic Dragon Punch move). An overpowered Akuma in a Street Fighter game? Well it wouldn’t be Akuma if he was balanced, would it?

Eagle-eyed fans have already noticed a glimpse of Ryu in the Akuma trailer, which suggests the two rivals will once again battle it out in a shower of fireballs. Elsewhere, the trailer is set within Akuma’s new stage, which is a riff on Akuma’s stage from Street Fighter Alpha 2. That’s all we have for now, as fans wait for the Akuma gameplay reveal.

Akuma’s reveal follows the release of fellow DLC characters Rashid, A.K.I., and Ed. Akuma rounds out the game’s first year of DLC characters, with Capcom yet to announce a second year. Here’s the official blurb on Akuma:

“The demonic Akuma joins the Street Fighter 6 roster and rounds out the list of the award-winning fighting game’s Year 1 characters when he hits the streets starting in spring 2024! Players can throw hands with Akuma across all three game modes, including Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. We look forward to sharing much more on Akuma soon. And stay tuned later this year for captivating announcements on Year 2 content and potentially even some fun events coming to the Battle Hub!”

Three years after its release on Nintendo Switch and PC, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is headed to PlayStation… 4. Capcom announced that the turn-based spin-off of the popular monster hunting series will be releasing on PlayStation’s previous-gen console, leaving PS5 owners to play it through the console’s backwards compatibility features.

Revealed during today’s Capcom Highlights stream, which previously revealed Dragon’s Dogma 2’s character creator, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is slated to arrive on PS4 on June 14. It will be available as a special set with the remastered version of the original Monster Hunter Stories, which is slated to release the same day.

Rise of the Ronin has been a blast so far. While not a graphical stunner like Ghost of Tsushima, I have been very impressed with the depth and sheer number of things to do. The story is compelling and gives you motivation to keep going to see what’s next. There’s plenty of gear you can acquire to make a stronger build. Characters you meet during your journey will join your crew and fight alongside you. There’s a transmogrification system that lets you customize your appearance while also having the best gear possible equipped. And you can pet cats. But more importantly than all that, the core gameplay loop felt like a mix of Assassin’s Creed 2’s exploration and storytelling with a smidgen of Ninja Gaiden’s combat, and a dash of Dark Souls’s difficulty. In other words, this recipe seems to be a perfect mix of gameplay ingredients that I’ve been loving.

The main storyline of Rise of the Ronin is all about a duo referred to as Blade Twins. In this case it’s believed that the duo are a brother and sister who nearly suffered a terrible fate at a young age as their village burned to the ground. Instead, they were saved and recruited into the Veiled Edge as Blade Twins. Highly skilled with the sword, Blade Twins train and grow together as they master their skills.

One of your first tests of skill has you infiltrating the ship of historical figure Matthew C. Perry to steal a secret message and assassinate Perry after doing so. This section does a good job of showing off a few stealth elements of Ronin, and also showcases combat with the footage PlayStation sent us to use for this preview. Combat will require precise timing for counters, and you’ll need to pay close attention to your Ki gauge, which is basically a stamina meter. Getting hit too much while blocking will deplete your Ki. But parrying your opponent or damaging them will result in loss of their Ki. Deplete all their Ki and they’ll be left open for a devastating attack.

This back and forth is a lot of fun in practice, but it’s not easy to hit that perfect timing. Each encounter also allows you the opportunity to use stealth to infiltrate an area and take out a few enemies without being seen. But in almost every situation there will be higher-powered foes that will require you to know the combat basics to defeat them and move on. So while I built a character with a speech trait that opened up some unique dialogue options for me, there’s no escaping those necessary combat beats that Ronin does quite well.

After this introductory section, Ronin really opens up. Our preview window promised two hours of playable content, but it turned out it was much more than that. We were given access to a large open world that included countryside towns and open fields, as well as city spaces with different types of missions located at each. In these sections you can choose to take on story quests, side quests, customize your Longhouse, or play mini-games – along with other activities I probably missed. The provided footage we’re allowed to use for the preview does a good job showcasing a smattering of options available to players, but even this feels like it’s just a glimpse into what’s available, as I haven’t even played some of what you’re seeing yet.

One notable omission in the footage was a story beat where I fought alongside the Eccentric Ronin to gain his allegiance in one of the Battles. In our preview, Battle Missions allowed us to gain ally allegiance as part of core story missions. These are fun excurious that have bonus objectives like “Defeat 3 Formidable Foes” and will have an impact on the overall story you wind up experiencing. The main objective in this case was to defeat Gonzo, and decide his fate before looting some forged documents that would complete the quest. I could have murdered him right there, but I instead chose to spare Gonzo.

Fast forward to the open world section and I met a character in the middle of nowhere asking me to deal with a person who swindled him out of some money. Who did it turn out to be? None other than Gonzo, who is getting into trouble again – even after I spared him earlier. This time, I can finish him for real or have him join my crew. Had I chosen to kill him off, I would have been rewarded with some loot, but if I didn’t, I got an extra helper to fight beside me in the open world. I’ll take that over a few trinkets any day. I discovered this because I reloaded my save just to see what would happen had I chosen the other option.

And while I had really been having fun with Rise of the Ronin up until this point, that was the moment that really solidified how much I was liking this game. Great combat. An intriguing story. Decisions that matter. Tons of stuff to do. And you can pet cats? I’m sold.

My decision to spare Gonzo would pay off too, because in the upcoming story mission fight with Mochisuke Kira I now had three allies going into battle instead of just two: Myself, that Eccentric Ronin, and Gonzo were an unstoppable trio ready to take Kira down. And that’s just in the opening missions. I am tremendously excited to see who else I can recruit into my group.

These were the core missions that we got to experience in our preview, but there’s a lot more to do. While running in the open world you might come upon towns that are overrun with troublemakers that you’ll need to dispatch to restore order. There are mini-games like the gatling gun and firearm range that was teased in the footage Sony sent over, or the glider mini-games that challenge you to break all the targets floating in the sky. And while they didn’t show much of it in the video we’re allowed to use, there’s an entire gear system at play that encourages you to learn different weapons and use tools like the sub weapon class that includes things like throwing stars, rifles, bows, and more for combat to get a leg up in battle.

Rise of the Ronin is poised to give players a lot to dive into, and while it doesn’t quite live up to PlayStation’s first-party open-world exclusives in the graphics department, the developers at Team Ninja has focused on what’s important: an engaging story that has a great hook to keep you exploring, a fun gameplay system that will keep you striving to perfect your skills, and all of that is found alongside a smattering of fun activities to challenge yourself with. I can’t wait to see how it all comes together when Ronin launches later this month.

On its surface, there is no denying the visual appeal of Root by Leder games – with its adorable woodland critters adorning the box and storybook-esque art style. But, it may surprise you that under its innocent facade is, in fact, a deep and occasionally cutthroat strategy board game game with complex factions to choose from, with each one playing drastically different from the others. Root is a challenging game to learn, with each faction playing differently from one another and there being a lot to keep track of (especially in larger groups). But with its complexity comes depth and avenues for strategy.

If you just snag the base game of Root, you will know pretty quickly—within a few playthroughs—whether it is a game for you or not. (You can also check out our Root board game review to see if it sounds like your kind of hting). This buyer’s guide highlights and goes into detail about all the various ways you can expand and further enrich your Root experience with new factions, mechanics, and ways to play!

The Base Game

Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right

MSRP: $60.00 USD

• 2-4 Players (best with 3-4)
• 60-90 min.
• Ages 14+

Root was first released back in 2018 and impressed players with its aesthetic that masks its intricate asymmetric gameplay. This base set of Root includes four factions that players can choose from – the Marquise de Cat, the Eyrie Dynasty, the Woodland Alliance, and the lone traveling Vagabond – with varying player counts preferring specific pairings for the best experience. You will need this box in order to take advantage of any of the following additional content, so consider this your starting point.

For Those Who Want To Play Alone Or Team Up Together

Root: The Clockwork Expansion 1 & 2

Contents (Clockwork 1 – REQUIRES BASE GAME)

• Law of Robotics Instruction Booklet
• 12 Priority Markers
• 31 Cards (12 Difficulties, 16 Traits, 3 Vagabots)
• 4 Faction Boards

MSRP: $40.00 USD

• 1-4 Players (best with 3-4)
• 60-90 min.
• Ages 10+

Contents (Clockwork 2 – REQUIRES BASE GAME AND ONE OR BOTH OF RIVERFOLK OR UNDERWORLD EXPANSIONS)

• Law of Robotics Instruction Booklet
• 12 Priority Markers
• 47 Cards (12 Difficulties, 20 Traits, 3 Vagabots, 1 Interaction, 11 Services)
• 4 Faction Boards

MSRP: $40.00 USD

• 1-4 Players (best with 3-4)
• 60-90 min.
• Ages 10+

If there are any “must have ” expansions for Root, I would argue that it would be the Clockwork Expansions – at least the first one. These special expansions allow you to play Root as either a solo experience or a cooperative one, with the addition of “AI ”-controlled factions. The original Clockwork expansion includes robot versions of the base game’s factions – the Mechanical Marquise 2.0, Electrical Eyrie, Automated Alliance, and the Vagabot – while the second box includes factions from other expansions – the Logical Lizards, Riverfolk Robots, Cogwheel Corvids, Drillbit Duchy, and additional Vagabot options.

For Those Who Want More Faction Options

Root: The Riverfolk Expansion

MSRP: $40.00 USD

• 1-6 Players (best with 3-4)
• 90-120 min.
• Ages 14+

Contents:

• 2 New Factions
• 3 New Vagabond Variants
• 1 “AI” Controlled Faction

Lizard cultists and merchant otters have entered the woodlands of Root with the Riverfolk expansion. In addition to the new ways to play Root that both of these groups provide (nothing like some ritual sacrifice and capitalism), this expansion – along with the others that add new factions – increases the possible player count from four to six. The Riverfolk expansion also includes the original version of the Mechanical Marquise, allowing for solo play, but this “AI” faction was revamped and retooled to be better in the Clockwork Expansion.

Root: The Underworld Expansion

MSRP: $50.00 USD

• 2-6 Players (best with 3-4)
• 90-120 min.
• Ages 14+

Contents:

• 2 New Factions
• 1 Double-sided Map Board

If you thought that things above ground in Root were hectic, just imagine how things are going underground! The Underworld expansion adds in two new factions to the Root mix – the moles of the Underground Duchy and the secretive crows of the Corvid Conspiracy. The Duchy can amass forces like the Marquise while mixing some of the political balancing shtick of the Eyrie, while the crows tend to work from the shadows – much like the Woodland Alliance agents – but with a bit more of a violent twist. Even if you and your players don’t feel like using the new factions, this expansion includes two new maps for you to wage your critter wars in.

Root: The Marauder Expansion

MSRP: $50.00 USD

• 2-6 Players (best with 3-4)
• 90-120 min.
• Ages 14+

Contents:

• 2 New Factions
• 4 Hirelings
• Advanced Setup cards

Badger Knight Templars seeking relics and angry rat hordes are what you have to look forward to in the Marauder Expansion with the Keepers in Iron and the Lord of the Hundreds. Whether it is attempting to bring your latest relic back to your keep safely or managing the mood of the Lord of the Rats, both of these factions feel especially unique. Marauders adds two new systems that you can apply to your normal Root games, too – the Advanced Setup rules and Hirelings. For experienced Root players, the “Advanced Setup” cards will make the game even more of a wild challenge to contend with new options and restrictions. Hirelings provide players with recruitable units – from a faction not present in the game – that have specific actions that can be used. Representative hirelings from the original four base factions (Cats, Birds, Alliance, Vagabond) are included in this box.

Because Root Needed More Mechanics

Hireling Packs – Marauder Hirelings Pack & Hireling Box, Riverfolk Hirelings Pack, Underworld Hirelings Pack

Marauder Hirelings Pack & Hireling Box

MSRP: $30.00

Contents:

• Bearer hirelings, Keeper hirelings, Bandit hirelings

Riverfolk Hirelings Pack

MSRP: $20.00

Contents:

• Lizard hirelings, Otter flotilla hireling, Porcupine Bandit hirelings

Underworld Hirelings Pack

MSRP: $20.00

Contents:

• Mole hirelings, Stag hireling, Crow hirelings

If you fell in love with the hirelings in the Marauder expansion, then good news – you can get even more of them with these boxes! These various boxes will not only give you representatives from the other factions but brand new ones as well like the Stag and the bandits! If you love the hirelings mechanic, then these are worth adding to your Root collection.

Small Packs – Landmarks Pack, The Exiles and Partisans Deck, The Vagabond Pack

Landmarks Pack

MSRP: $10.00

Contents:

• Wooden Landmark tokens
• rulebook

The Exiles and Partisans Deck

MSRP: $10.00

Contents:

• 54-card deck

The Vagabond Pack

MSRP: $10.00

Contents:

• 7 Wooden Vagabond tokens
• 3 new Vagabond types (Harrier, Ronin, Adventurer)
• 3 cardboard tokens (coin, hammer, boots)

These three smaller add-on packs won’t drastically change your Root experience, but if you aren’t in the market to drop much money and still want to change things up with the game, these can add a little spice into the mix for a relatively low cost. The Landmarks pack lets you stop at various places to take advantage of different benefits, such as bartering items or making special items. The Exiles and Partisans deck replaces the default deck that comes with Root and includes some new cards that focus more on persistent effects and more – this pack is a quick and easy way to change things up without having to learn a brand new faction or system. Lastly, for those Vagabond fans out there, the Vagabond pack adds three brand new choices to pick from, in addition to providing you with unique wooden tokens representing each possible option.

For Those Who Can’t Get Enough Root

Root: The RPG

MSRP: $39.99 (Core Rule Book)

• 3-5 Players
• 2-4 hours

If you find yourself in love with the world and factions of Root, you can keep your adventures going with Root: The RPG from Magpie Games. This tabletop RPG will allow you and your friends to create your own furry vagabonds and experience the Woodland in a whole new way! Roll some dice and start exploring.

Root (Digital)

MSRP: $14.99

Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, App Store, Google Play Store

Having a hard time nailing down your game group to get some in-person Root going? Or do you just feel like testing your skills with players far and wide? Either way, studio Dire Wolf has created a wonderful digital version of Root that lets you play many of your favorite factions locally, online, or against the computer. This digital option is a great way not only to teach the game but also to play with those friends who can’t get away from their house for a game night.

Currently, all expansions, with the exception of Clockwork 2 and Marauders, are available.

Bottom Line

While Root may not be everyone’s cup of Root Tea, there’s a reason that it currently stands at the 30 spot on Board Game Geek’s board game list. It can be time-consuming – and at times confusing – figuring out what the different factions can do, how to counter them, and keeping track of what the other players are doing – but it still has a charm that few other games can match. With a plethora of expansions and additional content available, fans of Root have no shortage of woodland goodness to dive into if you and your game group fall in love with the game.

Also check out our Betrayal at House on the Hill Buyer’s Guide, as well as our picks for the best 2-player board games, as well as our updated list of the best board games of all time.