HoYoverse have announced that sign-ups for Zenless Zone Zero‘s next closed beta test are now available. While the start and end dates of the next closed beta haven’t been unveiled just yet, we do know that there’s going to be a new character to play, a new faction, new missions, and overhauls to the game’s combat and exploration. I’d imagine it’s worth a look if you’re into Genshin Impact, or are into your anime fights. Either one will suffice.
Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian has issued hotfix 22 across PC, PlayStation 5, Mac, and, crucially, Xbox, bringing players on Microsoft’s console up to date.
The sprawling Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game had lagged behind by a number of hotfixes on Xbox Series X and S as a result of an Xbox exclusive crash bug, but now with the release of hotfix 22, Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox has hotfixes 20 and 21, too.
Alongside this release, issues with Xbox cross-saves should now be resolved, Larian said. “Thank you again for your patience while we worked to fix the issue, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience it may have caused,” the developer added.
Hotfix #22, meanwhile, resolves further crashes and blockers, and, as Larian put it, makes Minthara “pinky promise to stop repeating her thoughts about Gale in Act III.” What’s that about? As Larian explained in the patch notes: “We’ve also fixed an issue where a legacy dialogue flow had been enabled unintentionally while carrying out fixes for Minthara, which meant that some players had been able to view dialogue where Minthara would seemingly end a relationship with Dark Urge players if they had resisted their urges and made a certain choice in Act III.”
CRASHES AND BLOCKERS
UI
SCRIPTING
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.
The Monster Hunter Stories remaster was officially announced during the Nintendo Direct in February. If you want both that and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, together, you can now preorder the physical version of the Monster Hunter Stories Collection for Nintendo Switch at various retailers (see at Amazon). This version comes with a game card for Monster Hunter Stories and then a download voucher for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.
It’s set to release on June 14 this year and will set you back $59.99. Head to the links below to secure a copy for yourself today.
There are a few preorder bonuses you’ll get when ordering the Monster Hunter Stories Collection ahead of time. The first is King and Queen outfits for Navirou and the second is the Kamura Maiden outfit for Ena.
The remaster of Monster Hunter Stories was announced during February’s Nintendo Direct. While originally a 3DS exclusive, the Monster Hunter Stories remaster now comes with full voice acting and HD visuals. Per Capcom‘s website, it also includes a Museum Mode that features, “over 200 previously unreleased pieces of design artwork and background music tracks.” The Monster Hunter Stories Collection features both this game and the sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, so fans can enjoy them on Nintendo Switch.
We gave the original Monster Hunter Stories an 8.9/10. In our review, we stated that it “expands the world with a shiny, new, undeniably cute coat of paint. But don’t let that deter you, because Monster Hunter Stories’ heartwarming story is served with amazingly fun RPG gameplay that never gets old, even beyond the 50-hour campaign.”
Looking for even more games to preorder? We’ve got you covered with our selection of preorder guides below, including everything from Dragon’s Dogma 2 to the highly-anticipated Elden Ring expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter’s #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday, I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye has been caught by a meaty walking truck, opportunities for hubris, slime cleanup troubles, submarine dilemmas, and more. Check out these attractive and interesting indie games!
Can we fix it?
Publisher astragon Entertainment has laid the groundwork and is ready to start putting the foundations in for Construction Simulator 4, which will be heading to Switch on 28th May.
This will be the first time that the series has popped up on Switch, though we’re sure that you can imagine what it might entail, all the same. Would you believe us if we said that there was construction? Well, you better, because there’s a lot of it.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The Lee family is reuniting once again to rid the streets of crime as Billy and Jimmy Lee’s cousin, Sonny Lee, is joining Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons on April 4. An unconventional fighter, Sonny thrashes his enemies with a flurry of punches and kicks to prove he’s just as powerful as his cousins.
First appearing in Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone, Sonny Lee joins Double Dragon Gaiden as part of the free Sacred Reunion DLC coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Sonny is the lazy, distant cousin of the Lee brothers, but just like Billy and Jimmy, he has practiced the art of Sōsetsuken since he was young. However, Sonny has a hard time keeping up. He opts to give the ancient technique his own creative spin and now wanders the streets to test the might of his new moves.
Also joining Sonny in the Sacred Reunion DLC is the secret assassin Ranzou and one additional mystery fighter. Ranzou is a mysterious young ninja from a secret organization, known as The Secret Society of Ninjas. He has no stake in the fate of New York, but he is sent here by his organization as a test of his abilities. Along with the new characters, the Sacred Reunion DLC will include Survival mode, Versus mode and online co-op.
As a fighter, Sonny distinguishes himself as a rushdown/offensive warrior. He executes an action attack similar to a quick breakdance maneuver that travels a short distance and covers threats from all directions. Despite his Sōsetsuken roots, we wanted to ensure that Sonny is his own character, and he is designed to play differently from Billy and Jimmy with much more eccentric moves. His role as the familial outcast significantly influences his fighting style, resulting in a blend of showboating and non-traditional stances. Sonny’s distinctive approach to combat reflects his individuality within the family dynamic, which gives him more depth and personality, allowing him to shine brighter in the game.
Furthermore, our commitment to providing each character with a distinct fighting style facilitated the exploration and implementation of Sonny’s unconventional techniques. This emphasis on uniqueness granted us the flexibility to fully develop Sonny’s distinctive combat style, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
Quick attacks, dodges and unexpected movements are what drive Sonny’s attacks. This includes the special move Feigning Dragon where Sonny pretends to fall back while knocking enemies far away with a barrage of punches and kicks. This is a very quick aerial move that can be easily used to cause high damage from opposite directions. It can be used as a great combo ender, but the move makes Sonny vulnerable upon landing.
Another special move of Sonny’s is Dragon’s Regret, which allows Sonny to dish out rapid punches. Activating this move allows Sonny to potentially travel across the screen while attacking, but if you hold the attack in the opposite direction when the move ends, you can deliver a final punch in the opposite direction. Dragon’s Regret is a great combo starter and extension.
The last move we’re going to talk about is the Sleeping Dragon. This is a quick jump kick, followed by an elbow drop to knock down nearby enemies. Sleeping Dragon covers a large amount of ground and can be used as an anti-air attack and as a combo extension.
Celebrate the Lee boys getting the band back together when the Sacred Reunion DLC releases April 4 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 as a free update to Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons.
A veteran Star Wars: Battlefront modder has dug further into the recently released Classic Collection and uncovered more evidence that the controversial release used their mod despite developer Aspyr promising it wouldn’t.
Last month, IGN reported on concern from the Star Wars: Battlefront community sparked by the Classic Collection’s debut trailer, which suggested the game used a mod that brought a previously Xbox-exclusive Battlefront 2 DLC to the PC original.
The original, Pandemic-developed Battlefront 2 that launched in 2005 had a DLC pack exclusive to the original Xbox version that added two new heroes (Kit Fisto and Asajj Ventress), as well as four maps. Both Kit and Asajj had unique animations and moves no other characters had.
In 2021, modder iamashaymin brought the DLC to PC, reskinning two existing characters to look like Kit and Asajj (Ki Adi Mundi for Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura for Asajj Ventress). In the mod, Asajj does not hold her unique Linksabers (fiber cord-linked twin red lightsabers added especially for her in the DLC) in one hand, but instead wields two separate lightsabers, one in each hand, like Aayla does in the original game. Similarly, Kit fights like Mundi.
At the time, developer Aspyr insisted the release of Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection “does not include any code or content that is taken from uncredited sources”, telling IGN it “mistakenly” included “content that is not in the product” after capturing placeholder footage for the trailer last fall.
However, following Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection’s catastrophic release, which has resulted in an ‘overwhelmingly negative’ user review rating on Steam, iamashaymin said there was evidence to suggest the game did indeed launch with their mod, or at least portions of their mod, before updates stripped them out, in a revelation that has sparked criticism of Aspyr. iamashaymin called it ‘a terrible gut punch.’
To back up this claim, here’s a screenshot of that bubble effect taken in 2020 (It is hard to make out in the video since it is in motion, but trust that it is the same.) pic.twitter.com/PT1w0wNLzn
— iamashaymin (@iamashaymin) March 16, 2024
And now, Battlefront modders have dug into the Nintendo Switch version of the Classic Collection, which iamashaymin told IGN launched using “further modified versions of my mod’s heroes before being replaced again in a patch.” Aspyr has yet to respond to IGN’s request for comment.
“We actually managed to dump, archive, and datamine this version of the build and can confirm some files are the same as my original mod, specifically regarding the heroes’ projectiles,” iamashaymin said.
“What’s odd about this is that they are using the right animations but the weapon’s data file, force bubble projectile, and player models for both Kit Fisto and Asajj Ventress are from the PC mod,” iamashaymin continued.
“Some of the files were only modified in my mod slightly in order to work on PC but still differ from the official models in some noticeable ways and the force bubble effect is a completely different projectile I had to create myself.
“I’ve never had issues with them using my mod, but now that they responded by saying what they did, shipping these files in multiple versions of the game and not crediting the source is an issue. Not because I demand credit but just on the credibility of Aspyr. How can fans trust a company which doesn’t seem to value the fans’ passion?”
Hot on the heels of Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection, modders including iamashaymin set out to fix the game. Aspry has issued a statement addressing the botched launch, saying it had experienced “critical errors” with its network infrastructure. This resulted in “incredibly high” ping, matchmaking errors, crashes, and servers not appearing in the browser.
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.
Solo developer Billy Basso’s enigmatic Metroidvania Animal Well has been dated for May 9th, publishers Bigmode announced yesterday. In it, you’ll explore a vast labyrinth of tunnels, solve puzzles and escape its many mammalian-based horrors, all of whom are out to gobble you up in one fell swoop – though as a strange, tiny little blob creature the size of a chicken nugget, it’s unclear both what you are, and why exactly you’re so appetising to them. Well, it probably has something to do with looking like a sentient chicken nugget, I suppose. Come and watch the release date trailer below.
The first stage of Cities: Skylines 2‘s long-awaited in-game modding support launches on March 25 alongside its first post-launch asset pack, called Beach Properties.
Colossal Order’s troubled city-builder sequel launched in October 2023 on PC via Steam and immediately ran into a number of issues. Player sentiment turned a ‘mixed’ Steam user review rating into ‘mostly negative’ for recent reviews, with the first Cities Skylines game currently enjoying more players than its sequel. Last month, Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen admitted the lack of modding support was the developer’s “biggest regret”.
Now, nearly six months after launch, Cities: Skylines 2’s first stage of mod support approaches, and is set to let players build, share, and play with mods through a simple in-game interface. Here’s the detail, from Colossal Order:
Starting on March 25, players will be able to access mods through the Cities: Skylines 2 Modding Beta. Upon release, an in-game editor will be available that allows for players to create or implement Map or Code mods. Using the Paradox Mods platform, also integrated into the Cities: Skylines 2 experience, creations can be played locally and shared globally.
The platform also allows players to discover and curate other available mods, organize their preferred mods into one-click Playsets, and more. Asset modding tools and other options will be made available later this year.
“Modding is part of the lifeblood of Cities: Skylines, and starting our Modding Beta is going to be a transformative step for Cities: Skylines 2,” said Hallikainen. “The creativity and feedback from our players are what makes this community what it is. We can’t wait to see how everyone puts these tools to use, and work alongside them to make sure everyone is empowered to make the cities of their dreams.”
The Beach Properties DLC, meanwhile, will be available on PC for $9.99/£8.49/€9.99, or as part of the Cities: Skylines 2 Waterfronts Expansion Pass or Ultimate Edition. In addition to Beach Properties, a new in-game Radio, the Deluxe Relax Station will be released on March 25, featuring a new host and a full hour of new music. Deluxe Relax Station will be available for $4.99/£4.49/€4.99 or as part of the Cities: Skylines 2 Waterfronts Expansion Pass or Ultimate Edition.
Cities: Skylines 2’s problems began before its launch even arrived. Colossal Order warned players the game would release with performance issues a week before it came out. Since then, players have been met with lower framerates and interesting dental glitches as the developer worked to create a better experience. In IGN’s Cities: Skylines 2 review, which returned a 6/10, we said: “Cities: Skylines 2 is an ambitious sequel that might have bitten off more than it can chew – be prepared to do a lot of terraforming if you don’t want your metropolis to look like a nightmare.” The console version does not have a release date.
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.
Specifications for the unannounced PlayStation 5 Pro have leaked online, revealing the power of the console Sony reportedly plans to release during the fourth quarter of 2024.
The specs list first emerged via YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead, before Insider Gaming claimed they were real, and a subsequent Insider Gaming article added further detail. IGN understands the leaked specifications are real, and emerged from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Developer Network. Sony has yet to comment.
The headline improvements here are to the CPU, which is said to be identical to the standard PS5’s CPU but with a ‘High CPU Frequency Mode’, which amounts to a 10% increase to 3.85GHz, and the GPU, which enables faster rendering and higher quality ray tracing powered by 33.5 teraflops. The standard PS5 offers 10.28 teraflops. However, a direct PS5 to PS5 Pro comparison would work out at around 10.28 vs 16 to 17 teraflops.
Of particular interest, the PS5 Pro is said to have an upscaling/antialiasing solution called PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Upscaling), custom machine learning architecture, and an AI accelerator. Elsewhere, PS5 Pro has a detachable disc drive and 1TB of storage space.
Last month, analysts signaled that Sony is “likely” to release the PS5 Pro later in 2024. This “souped-up” refresh is reportedly designed to boost interest in PS5 ahead of the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2025. As IGN has reported, there is a lot riding on GTA 6, and not just for Rockstar and Take-Two.
Sony has form when it comes to releasing a Pro version of its consoles. The PS4 Pro, for example, launched in November 2016, three years after the PS4 came out. A PS5 Pro launch this November would come four years after the PS5 launched in November 2020.
Sony has revised its PS5 sales forecast for the current financial year, down from its lofty target of 25 million consoles sold to 21 million. This comes despite a year-on-year increase in PS5 sales for the holiday 2023 quarter, from 7.1 million sold to 8.2 million.
Elsewhere, Sony has said it will not release any major existing PlayStation franchise games before April 2025, ruling out big sequels in the God of War and Spider-Man franchises any time soon.
Last month, Sony announced a devastating wave of layoffs affecting over 900 staff at its gaming business. Sony’s London studio is to close.
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.
