Category: Video Games

Random: Is That The Zelda Triforce In Sonic Racing’s Artwork? No, Probably Not

Sonic experts are on the case.

Last week, SEGA unveiled the first batch of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds guest characters. This includes not only characters like Hatsune Miku but also Steve, Alex and Creeper from Minecraft. There are some other supposed leaks still doing the rounds as well.

Now, the official Sonic social media account has sent Sonic fans into a frenzy once again, with a new piece of artwork apparently featuring a very familiar-looking symbol. The focus here is on what looks exactly like the Triforce from the Legend of Zelda series.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

The Untethered Meta Quest 3S Is on Sale Today: The Best Headset for New VR Gamers

Starting this week, Meta has dropped the prices on both Quest 3 VR headset options. The 128GB model is $269.99 after a $30 off discount. and the 256GB is $349.99 after a $50 off instant discount. These discounts are honored at major retailers including Amazon, Target, and Walmart. The Meta Quest 3S is widely considered the best value in VR gaming. Not only is it priced hundreds less compared to most other competitors (including Meta’s own Quest3), it’s also a standalone untethered gaming system that doesn’t require a PC or PlayStation 5 to run,,

To sweeten the pot even more, every Quest 3S purchase includes a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In IGN’s 8/10 review, Dan Stapleton wrote that “Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series’ defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off.”

Meta Quest 3S VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow

The Quest 3S is an improvement over the original Quest 2 in every way and, amazingly, without a price increase. It also adopts many of the same features of the more expensive Quest 3, like the new and improved Touch controllers, the upgraded SnapDragon APU, and support for full color AR passthrough. In IGN’s 9/10 Quest 3S review, Gabriel Moss wrote that “raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time.

What really sets this deal above all other VR deals is that the Meta Quest 3S can be played completely untethered. That means you can play games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without having to own a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. Try to find another standalone VR headset at this price and you’ll come up empty.

How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?

Even at retail price, the Quest 3S comes in at $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. Obviously, some compromises were made to get the 3S to its competitive price point. The spec comparisons are listed below:

Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities

  • Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
  • Touch Plus controllers
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)

Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences

  • Lower per-eye resolution (1832×1920 vs 2064×2208)
  • Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
  • Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
  • Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
  • Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)

For the price, the Quest 3S is a better value than the Quest 3, and the best choice for gamers who are just starting out in the world of VR and want to test the waters. It is hands down a major improvement over the Quest 2 that it replaces.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review Update

I’m deep into my Switch 2 review, and with Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour being the only two first-party exclusives, a big part of that process has been looking back at the upgrades existing games got. We’ve already taken a look at Breath of the Wild, but I spent the weekend revisiting the stunning sequel I reviewed back in 2023. And not only does The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom still hold up as a game I can’t wait to lose a few dozen more hours in, the updates and additions made to the Switch 2 Edition make it feel like this is the way it was always meant to be played.

Before we dive to the depths below, lets look back at what I said about Tears of the Kingdom in my initial review:

That’s just as true today as it was then, and I wouldn’t second guess the 10 I slapped on it in 2023 for a second. Tears of the Kingdom may not have been the completely table-flipping revelation its predecessor was, but the way it expanded both that formula and the world was truly staggering. There’s a ridiculous amount of stuff here, and almost none of it is less than amazing. But what about the changes in the Switch 2 Edition specifically?

HDR is an absolute game changer in the Depths

Perhaps the most jaw-dropping thing that is part of this update is the Switch 2’s ability to take advantage of HDR displays. The increased framerate and resolution are nice enough on their own, but exploring the dark of the Depths with the benefit of HDR is, forgive the pun, a night-and-day difference. Uncharted areas are still pitch black until illuminated, so it’s not like exploration there has been made entirely trivial, but areas with low light are suddenly so much clearer than they used to be. It takes out some of the frustration of stumbling around in the dark without removing the tension.

Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t lag anywhere anymore

Alongside those visual improvements comes improved performance. Tears of the Kingdom was never terrible in this regard, but it did slow down or start to hitch in busy moments from time to time on Switch, and that’s completely gone on Switch 2. Similarly, diving from the sky straight into the Depths could occasionally pause for a quick second to let the world load, but I never once saw that happen on Switch 2.

Building is finally buttery smooth as well, as using your Zonai abilities was another one of the moments you could potentially see things start to chug. Once again, that’s all slick and clean here. These aren’t the most monumental of improvements for an update upgrade that does cost money (if you don’t have the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass), but they make Tears of the Kingdom feel like it has finally reached its final form – and they are helpful enough that I am seriously considering playing a lot more of this game than I initially thought I would have when I decided to revisit it.

Load times are super fast now

Speaking of performance, a special shoutout should go to the load times specifically. They are now ridiculously fast. The loading screen has always had this little animation where your icon blips out on the map, which then scrolls over to your new location, and then you finally blip back in. The Switch 2 Edition load times are so fast you barely even have time to watch the icon vanish before you are back into the action. It rocks.

It shares a lot of its biggest updates with Breath of the Wild

Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were able to benefit from the Switch 2’s beefed-up hardware to make these technical upgrades, but the two games also share a lot of new integration with the Nintendo phone app. The addition of audio logs that you can find at certain locations and listen to on your phone is a neat touch, as is being able to store and share items in a way that is effectively a massive increase to your inventory size.

Tears gets one unique ability, though: you can save your builds as QR codes and then share them between friends so you can quickly reconstruct each other’s stuff. That’s a cool idea, but I was a little disappointed that it lacks any sort of built-in sharing or discovery tools to go with it. If you want to see what other people have made, you pretty much have to seek codes out on forums or social media, and I think more likely I just won’t get much use out of this function at all as a result.

Now is the time to actually beat Tears of the Kingdom

Finally, while not specifically relevant to the updated version of this game, a quick PSA/desperate plea from me: please beat Tears of the Kingdom if you haven’t already! The ending is so good. If you beat Breath of the Wild, its okay ending might make you think there’s similarly not much to see here – but the end of Tears is genuinely incredible. The final fight is possibly my favorite in any Zelda game, and the places its story goes are as unexpected as they are awesome. With all these improvements, there’s never been a better time to discover what you missed if you didn’t see it to the end two years ago.

That’s my quick look at The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Switch 2 Edition, though I’m certainly excited to see more of it after what I played this past weekend. Once again, this really does feel like the way this game was always meant to be played, and I’m thrilled by the idea of a new generation discovering it for the first time. It’s sure to keep you more than busy until I’m back with my final Switch 2 review in the next week or so.

Maxroll’s Wizard of Legend 2 Database and Guides

Wizard of Legend 2 is an indie Roguelike from Dead Mage, the studio behind Children of Morta, published by Humble Games. You play as a Wizard attempting the trials to become Wizard of Legend. Gather your Arcana, grab a relic, and wear your medallion of choice as you brave the challenges ahead.

Getting Started in Wizard of Legend 2

To help you get started, take a look at Maxroll’s Wizard of Legend 2 beginner’s guide. The guide explains the different starting loadouts (don’t worry, you eventually unlock all the spells anyway) and you’ll learn all about the game’s combat system; how to navigate the trials, use your Arcana to defeat foes and unleash powerful ultimate spells!

As you make your way through the game, you’ll meet a variety of NPCs along the way. Some of them are vendors within the Trials, whereas others provide access to metaprogression systems in the main hub. In addition to these friendly NPCs, there are several formidable bosses to challenge, including powerful creatures and wizards who have mastered their element of choice.

Wizard of Legend 2 Metaprogression Systems

The metaprogression systems in Wizard of Legend 2 include Medallions, Runes, Arcana, and Relics, each of which contributes to your character’s power. You gain more Arcanas and Relics during the run, but can only select Medallions and runes before starting out. Check out Maxroll’s Metaprogression systems guide or learn more about individual topics with their deep dives below:

Wizard of Legend 2 Events, NPCs, and More

You’ll encounter a variety of events within the trial. This can include defeating challenging foes or helping a fellow Wizard. Complete events to earn a variety of rewards, including Relics, Arcana, Arcana Enhancements, or a boost to maximum health. In particular, keep an eye out for purple portals, as they often have lucrative rewards. Learn more with Maxroll’s Events Guide.

There’s a wide variety of NPCs and Vendors to interact with in Wizard of Legend 2. Several are found in the game’s main hub; interact with them to unlock Runes, Medallions, starting Relics, and Arcanas.

There are also vendors within the trials who sell you Arcanas, Relics, and Arcana Enhancements. Save up your gold to purchase something and give yourself an edge in combat — learn more with Maxroll’s NPCs and Vendors guide.

You’ll also need to know about Afflictions, status effects that deal additional damage to enemies or provide beneficial crowd control effects: check out Maxroll’s Afflictions Guide for more information.

Wizard of Legend 2 Boss Guides

During the Trials, you’ll face off against a series of wizards who have all mastered a different element. If you can defeat them, you’ll earn a powerful Forgotten Variant for your Arcana. Check out these boss guides from Maxroll:

Wizard of Legend 2 Zone Bosses

Each zone in Wizard of Legend 2 culminates in a battle against a powerful boss, and the final stage ends in a fight against Hieronymus himself. Learn the boss’s patterns, or check out tips and tricks to defeat them with Maxroll’s boss guides.

Wizard of Legend 2 Database

Maxroll’s Wizard of Legend 2 Database has information on all of the Arcanas, Relics, Runes, and Medallions. You can browse Arcana by type and learn about the Forgotten Variants available for each spell. Relics are broken down by category; we recommend you keep an eye out for Legendary Relics, which are made by obtaining all of the Relics from a set.

Written by IGN staff with help from Maxroll.

Herdling is a strangely captivating narrative herding simulator with a new demo you can check out now

Herdling is an odd little game. How do you begin to sell the idea that a (presumably emotional) herding simulator might be quite interesting? Yes, people love their farming sims as a band aid form of escapism, but a lot of those games are in the first instance much more about farming and not farm animals, nor the way you interact with said animals. Herdling is all about that, as the whole goal is to guide a group of strange horned beasties up a mountain.

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Travel back to the days of cable TV with Blippo+, a time-hopping FMV game about… I’m not entirely sure, actually

We don’t really get to write about Playdate, that bespoke games console with a built in crank, here on RPS very much because it is very much not a computer (though former EIC Katharine did review it back when it launched). Well, not in the way we need it to be for our purposes. But I have an excuse to do so today! Over the weekend at the PC Gaming Show, a trailer for the Panic-published, faux-streaming service Blippo+ was shown off, one that captured my attention quite quickly.

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Review: Nintendo Switch 2 Carry Case – The Official Option Is A Solid One

Made by Nintendo itself.

When it comes to carry cases, many people swear by ‘official’ options, and with good reason; when Nintendo is tasked with making a case for its own console, you’d assume the company would produce a decent product.

That’s certainly true of the official Nintendo Switch 2 Carry Case ($39.99 / £20.99), which is one of the two options currently being offered by Nintendo itself (the second is a larger, all-in-one option that costs a bit more).

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

How Mudang: Two Hearts Fuses Storytelling and Stealth to Deliver a Captivating Action-Adventure Game

How Mudang: Two Hearts Fuses Storytelling and Stealth to Deliver a Captivating Action-Adventure Game

  • Min DongjunDirector, Mudang: Two Hearts

Mudang Hero Image

Mudang: Two Hearts – coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title in 2026 – is a narrative-driven, third-person action adventure game that blends cinematic storytelling with immersive stealth and dynamic combat set on a politically volatile Korean peninsula. Built on our state-of-the-art performance capture pipeline, it integrates fluid motion-matched animations, open-ended level design, dynamic spatial audio, and intelligent AI— woven seamlessly to deliver a harrowing journey through a fractured future Korea. This isn’t a story of triumph or glory — it’s a search for truth.

You will be challenged to uncover that truth for yourself as you confront engineered emotions, falsified information, and manipulated beliefs throughout the story. When even your rage and innermost beliefs may have been carefully shaped by unseen hands, truth becomes your only weapon.

Someone Is Using Your Rage

The world celebrated as the two Koreas signed a historic reunification treaty, promising to end decades of division and bring lasting peace to the peninsula. But beneath the surface, darker forces stirred.

On the day the pivotal bill was set to pass, a mysterious terrorist group attacked the South Korean National Assembly, drenching the symbol of peace in blood. Chaos erupted across the peninsula.

Ji Jeongtae is a North Korean special forces operative dispatched to the South under the terms of the new peace accord. Neither friend nor foe, Jeongtae quickly finds himself isolated within his new unit. As suspicion festers, he is tasked with putting an end to a string of bloody terrorist attacks that have been driving civilians into uncontrollable rage. As his pursuit of a terrorist group calling themselves Beolmuban hits a dead end, he manages to catch a glimpse of the faceless power lurking in the shadows.

Eight months have passed since the last attack, but the fear hasn’t gone away. The South Korean military declares martial law, restoring order at the cost of constant surveillance.

As the public adjusts to this uneasy calm, a K-pop group named ORDO announces the first state-sanctioned concert under martial law. Now part of the newly formed Martial Law Command, Jeongtae is assigned to security detail for the event.

When Beolmuban suddenly storms the stage, Jeongtae is thrown into familiar chaos — and uncovers a dangerous secret involving GAVI, ORDO’s brightest star.

Strategy Before Instinct

In Mudang you can choose between stealth, CQC (close-quarters combat), or all-out aggression at any moment. No matter the approach, the game offers a wealth of options: environmental takedowns, a wide range of CQC moves — both lethal and nonlethal — a robust toolkit of gadgets like goggles, EMPs, grenades, lures, and mines, and a deep arsenal of firearms to round it all out. But without the right strategy, you can quickly become overwhelmed by the enemy’s response.

Our enemy AI was built from the ground up with versatility in mind, dynamically adapting to your actions in real time. While you remain hidden, enemies form search parties, investigate suspicious signs — like fallen allies, disabled lights, or even nearby footsteps — and raise the alarm when something’s off. In combat, they coordinate to flank and outmaneuver you and use every gadget, CQC move, and weapon that you can use as well. To stay ahead, you’ll need to adapt and experiment.

Our open-ended level design supports that experimentation, offering multiple routes and vantage points: hide in the shadows, hang from pipes, slip through vents, climb buildings, or destroy parts of the environment to set up ambushes.

Put together, Mudang’s unique blend of stealth and action creates a steady ebb and flow in every battle, with close-quarters combat inspired by real Korean Special Forces tactics grounding each encounter in visceral, tactical realism.

Two Playable Characters, Two Perspectives

You’ll take on the roles of two protagonists from seemingly opposite walks of life. As the story progresses, you switch between them at key moments and experience the narrative from their distinct perspectives.

  • Ji Jeongtae: An elite special forces operative who shines on the battlefield. He uses his military training and equipment to fight his way through enemy forces in pursuit of the truth.
  • GAVI: A famous K-pop star who shines on stage. Living under constant surveillance, she longs to reclaim control over her life. Though she’s never handled a weapon, she plays a pivotal role in uncovering the truth.

The use of dual protagonists allowed us to build two contrasting gameplay experiences — and two distinct narrative threads that converge to reveal a single truth.

Reflecting Emotional Momentum In Gameplay

Missions in Mudang aren’t built on repeating gameplay loops. Instead, it evolves alongside the narrative, reflecting each character’s emotional stakes at every turn. From infiltration and reconnaissance to rescue and pursuit, every sequence is crafted to draw you into the moment, letting you feel as though you’re living the events as they unfold.

No Borders Between Cutscene and Gameplay

Mudang’s cutscenes are rendered in real time using in-game assets, allowing for seamless transitions between story and gameplay. Characters move naturally in and out of scripted moments without jarring cuts or loading screens, keeping you immersed in the moment and maintaining the emotional throughline without interruption.

Capturing Emotion

In a narrative-driven game like Mudang, our characters needed to feel real, not just in cutscenes, but in every moment of gameplay. With Korean film and TV actors lending their talents, we used cutting-edge volumetric and motion capture technologies to bring every subtle glance, delicate gesture, and nuanced expression to life within the game.

Mudang: Two Hearts is set to arrive in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title. And while the wait may feel long, the world we’re building demands time, care, and precision. Every scene, every emotion, every choice is being crafted to deliver a story that lingers — one that stays with you long after the screen fades to black.

Follow the game’s YouTube channel and EVR Studio’s official website to learn more.


MUDANG: Two Hearts
Xbox Play Anywhere

MUDANG: Two Hearts

EVR Studio

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

In a unified Korea, masked terrorists strike at the heart of Seoul. Ji Jeongtae, a soldier sent in to stop the attacks, stumbles upon a K-Pop star named Gavi at the center of the unfolding crisis. As their stories intertwine, a chilling truth begins to take shape.

The post How Mudang: Two Hearts Fuses Storytelling and Stealth to Deliver a Captivating Action-Adventure Game appeared first on Xbox Wire.