When there’s as big a brand as Disney, that has enough money to just kind of throw whatever at the wall and see what sticks, eventually you wind up with something that might make you scratch your head a bit. Today, that thing is Disney Villains Cursed Café, a visual novel where you serve a bevy of potions to various Disney baddies, announced earlier today as part of the final Nintendo Direct for the OG Switch (but yes, it is on PC too – in fact it’s already out on Steam).
If you’ve been itching for a game that lets you dive into the world of Game of Thrones, then the free-to-play action-adventure RPG Game of Thrones: Kingsroad that’s coming soon on PC and mobile will be right up your alley.
Bringing a new, original story in Westeros, it’s set during the latter half of Season 4 of Game of Thrones. Your character is a new addition to the series lore, an heir to House Tyre, a minor house in the North that has been caught up in the web of political intrigue of the realm
Your journey will bring you into contact with well-known characters like Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly, Lord Varys, and Cersei Lannister, and you’ll see events you’ve never gotten to witness before — from House Bolton’s shifting allegiances to the rise of the White Walkers. Players will travel across the continent to iconic locations like King’s Landing, Castle Black, and Highgarden, which have been re-created to emulate their look from the show.
The game’s open world exploration allows you to freely roam through each of these locations, as well as the wilderness beyond the Wall and in new hidden towns to discover. Within each town, you’ll find unique quests and challenges to complete that tie into the rich lore of the Game of Thrones world.
As well as the familiar main quests to propel the story forward and side quests to keep you bust, there are a bevy of other activities to keep you entertained as you explore Westeros. Faction and Estate tasks let you earn money, gear and crafting items to customize your loadout and character just the way you want to.
This being Westeros, your travels will be full of danger — and not just the political kind. The realm is full of desperate people willing to kill to survive, which is where the action RPG combat comes in.
Combat is defined by the character’s class. There are three options: Knight, Sellsword, or Assassin, each of which is inspired by types of characters in Game of Thrones. The Knight is based on Westerosi knights. They use a longsword and rely on precise, calculated strikes. The Sellsword relies on raw, brute strength, inspired by Wildlings and the Dothraki. Assassin wields double daggers with deadly agility, inspired by the Faceless Men and fighters of Dorne.
Each class offers unique gear, traits, and skills, so how your character evolves is up to you. Trait trees are separated into Attack, Defense, and Support, each containing unique nodes that grant fixed effects. Players can choose to specialize in one of those areas or spread out their growth to be a jack of all trades. Four skill slots are available, where you can equip special skills you unlock, and each class has its own unique skills.
Combat is reliant on reading enemy attacks and reacting accordingly. Players can guard and parry, but some enemies have unblockable attacks that can only be avoided if dodged. That means you need to pay attention, analyze enemy attack patterns, and strike when the opportunity is right. You’ll need to think strategically to claim victory over your enemies, this isn’t a system where you simply mash one button over and over to win every fight.
In addition to the main single-player story mode, there’s a multiplayer mode called Altar of Memories where players can team up with others to fight legendary creatures.. That includes ice spiders the size of hounds, unicorns from Skagos, majestic griffins, and grotesque cockatrices.
The game will launch in Early Access on March 26, and you can pre-register for Game of Thrones: Kingsroad on the official website right now. Pre-registration is available on both PC and mobile devices, and you can wishlist it on Steam. It’s scheduled to release in 2025 and will offer cross-play and cross-progression across all its platforms. To stay up to date on all news and updates, you can also follow the game on Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.
A few months on from releasing into early access, Greedfall 2: The Dying World has received its first major update, and it certainly seems like a fairly big one. First up, there’s a whole new region to explore called “Olima, City of Stars”, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that it has nothing to do with that guy from Pikmin. Its name actually comes from the fact there’s a big ole observatory to be found there, though what that entails, you’ll have to find out for yourself.
Well I never!
Nintendo has sneakily confirmed the mysterious new ‘C’ button for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
As spotted by VGC, the new Apple and Android store listings for the Nintendo Today app contains a small image of the Switch 2. At first glance, it’s the same image we’ve been seeing everywhere since the console was revealed in January, but at a closer look, you can see that the new button Nintendo had previously blanked out is now adorned with the letter ‘C’.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
With today’s worldwide release of hardcore ARPG The First Berserker: Khazan, set in the iconic Dungeon and Fighter (DNF) universe, we want to highlight one of the game’s standout features — its breathtaking 3D cel-shaded art style. This visually striking direction combines cinematic realism with stylized animation, offering players a completely new and immersive experience within the DNF universe.
The art direction for The First Berserker: Khazan introduces a powerful combination of photorealistic textures and 3D cel shading, giving the game a look that is both immersive and visually striking. The photorealistic textures create depth and grounding in the world, while the cel-shading technique brings a vibrant, animated quality that ensures the game retains the dynamic, expressive appeal of the DNFuniverse.
For those not familiar with the universe, it is a dynamic and action-packed world where ancient legends clash with dark forces in a fight for survival. Known for its fast-paced, combo-driven combat and deep character customization, the game immerses players in a realm steeped in rich lore and myth, making each battle feel like a piece of a larger, epic narrative.
This innovative fusion of styles is designed to appeal not only to long-time fans of the series but also to newcomers, who will find the art style instantly engaging. It maintains the visual identity of DNF while pushing boundaries to create something that feels both modern and timeless.
Boss encounters in The First Berserker: Khazan are elevated by the game’s art style, with each boss meticulously designed to reflect its power, personality, and role within the story. These larger-than-life characters are not just imposing figures; they are key components of the narrative, with their designs serving to enhance their storytelling impact.
The stylized visuals play a crucial role in making each boss battle, such as Blade Phantom, feel like a cinematic event. The game’s use of 3D cel-shading enhances the visual drama by emphasizing the bold outlines, vibrant colors, and high contrast, which help bring the bosses to life in a striking and exaggerated way. The detailed design of Blade Phantom, with his fluid movement and imposing presence, is crafted to heighten the intensity and emotional weight of the fight. These visuals ensure that each encounter feels like a significant, high-stakes moment, where the player can feel the gravity of the battle through both the gameplay and the stunning visual presentation
The visual design of the bosses is central to their role in the game, making each fatal encounter more than just a challenge, but an unforgettable moment in the story.
The decision to use 3D cel-shading helps create a visually striking art style that complements the narrative and emotional tone of the game. The bold outlines and vibrant colors, characteristic of cel-shading, bring out the dramatic aspects of the world and its characters.
The high contrast visuals amplify the emotional weight of key scenes, helping players immerse themselves more fully in the story and feel a deeper connection to the game’s events. This visual approach not only enhances the game’s aesthetics but also supports the storytelling by making it more engaging and expressive.
This art style allowed the team to play with intensity in ways that wouldn’t be possible with traditional approaches. The result is a game that visually communicates the high stakes and drama of Khazan’s story, making each moment feel alive and powerful.
For more information, visit the official homepage for The First Berserker: Khazan.
Nexon Korea Corporation
1. The First Berserker: Khazan (main game)
2. Hero’s Weapon Set
・ Hero’s Dual Wield
・ Hero’s Spear
・ Hero’s Greatsword
3. Hero’s Armor Set
・ Hero’s Helm
・ Hero’s Wristguards
・ Hero’s Pauldrons
・ Hero’s Leggings
・ Hero’s Combat Boots
4. Digital Artbook
・ The digital artbook features concept art from The First Berserker: Khazan. It can be accessed from the in-game main menu screen.
* The Hero’s Weapon and Armor Sets are The First Berserker: Khazan DELUXE EDITION exclusive items and cannot be obtained through alternative means at a later date.
* The Hero’s Weapon and Armor Sets can be used cosmetically. These sets can also be upgraded and/or have their options adjusted, allowing for continued usage.
* Clear Mission 2 and open the reward barrel in the Crevice to obtain the Hero’s Weapon and Armor Sets.
* Updating to the latest version of the game may be required to access this content.
[About This Game]
Experience the brutal action of The First Berserker: Khazan, a hardcore Action RPG adventure set 800 years before the events of the Dungeon Fighter Online (DNF) Universe. You will experience the vast universe and journey to the continent of Arad and discover the untold story of General Khazan. Master deep and immersive combat mechanics while you engage in strategic battles against a diverse array of foes and bosses. Will you embrace the path of the First Berserker and embark on Khazan’s path of revenge?
THE FIRST BERSERKER
The Great General Khazan is falsely branded a traitor and mercilessly tortured. After narrowly escaping death, Khazan forms an unlikely alliance with the ghostly entity Blade Phantom, gaining otherworldly powers. Witness Khazan’s journey for revenge and learn his path to becoming the first berserker in the DNF Universe.
BATTLE-HARDENED GENERAL
Khazan is a master of combat, wielding an arsenal of dual-wield weapons, spears, and great-swords with unmatched prowess. Collect, upgrade, and combine these weapons with various armor sets to create your own unique combat style. Develop Khazan’s abilities through multiple in-depth skill trees, allowing players to customize their playstyle and specialize in different combat techniques. While challenging for hardcore gamers, the two difficulty settings and variety of combat and skill mechanics make the game approachable for players of all skill levels.
LEGENDARY BOSSES
Khazan engages in unforgettable boss battles, where each foe presents distinct attack patterns, exploitable weaknesses, and unique abilities. These battles require strategic thinking, precise timing, and a deep understanding of the combat system, encouraging players to adapt and learn quickly. By mastering Khazan’s versatile weapons and skills, players can effectively customize their tactics to conquer various boss types and navigate diverse combat scenarios.
ANIME MEETS AAA
The First Berserker: Khazan’s striking 3D cel-shaded graphics bring the world of Arad to life with the vibrant look of animated films. The essence of the Dungeon and Fighter Universe is captured and reimagined with a unique blend of bold, cel-shaded art and realistic textures, creating an immersive visual experience.
Nexon Korea Corporation
THE FIRST BERSERKER
The Great General Khazan is falsely branded a traitor and mercilessly tortured. After narrowly escaping death, Khazan forms an unlikely alliance with the ghostly entity Blade Phantom, gaining otherworldly powers. Witness Khazan’s journey for revenge and learn his path to becoming the first berserker in the DNF Universe.
BATTLE-HARDENED GENERAL
Khazan is a master of combat, wielding an arsenal of dual-wield weapons, spears, and great-swords with unmatched prowess. Collect, upgrade, and combine these weapons with various armor sets to create your own unique combat style. Develop Khazan’s abilities through multiple in-depth skill trees, allowing players to customize their playstyle and specialize in different combat techniques. While challenging for hardcore gamers, the two difficulty settings and variety of combat and skill mechanics make the game approachable for players of all skill levels.
LEGENDARY BOSSES
Khazan engages in unforgettable boss battles, where each foe presents distinct attack patterns, exploitable weaknesses, and unique abilities. These battles require strategic thinking, precise timing, and a deep understanding of the combat system, encouraging players to adapt and learn quickly. By mastering Khazan’s versatile weapons and skills, players can effectively customize their tactics to conquer various boss types and navigate diverse combat scenarios.
ANIME MEETS AAA
The First Berserker: Khazan’s striking 3D cel-shaded graphics bring the world of Arad to life with the vibrant look of animated films. The essence of the Dungeon and Fighter Universe is captured and reimagined with a unique blend of bold, cel-shaded art and realistic textures, creating an immersive visual experience.
Nexon Korea Corporation
The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action RPG based on the Dungeon Fighter Online (DnF) universe, Nexon’s flagship IP with more than 800 million players worldwide. Set 800 years before the events of DnF, the game unfolds on the continent of Arad and explores the untold story of Khazan, the first Berserker. Players will experience Khazan’s legendary journey firsthand as they master intricate and engaging combat mechanics and strategic battles that bring his epic tale to life.
[Game Overview]
1. Epic Boss Fights and Action-Packed Gameplay
The First Berserker: Khazan captures the essence of Dungeon Fighter Online with its blend of flashy hack-and-slash combat and hardcore difficulty, delivering polished, high-impact action. Intense boss battles maximize tension, while hard-earned victories provide a deep sense of accomplishment, offering players a thrilling combat experience.
2. A Gripping Story of Revenge
In the 89th year of the Pell Los Empire, the Great General Khazan is falsely accused of treason and banished to the snowy mountains. Having narrowly escaped death, Khazan embarks on a quest for vengeance. Witness his growth as he uncovers the conspiracies that led to his downfall, masters lost combat skills, and unveils the truth about the empire.
3. 3D Cel-Shaded Graphics
Built with Unreal Engine, the game’s 3D cel-shaded style captures the essence of animated films. The continent of Arad has been reimagined through a striking blend of bold, cel-shaded art and realistic textures, offering a vivid and immersive experience.
[Game Features]
1. Dynamic Item Collection and Progression System
Khazan wields a wide range of weapons with unmatched skill, including dual-wield weapons, spears, and greatswords. Collect and upgrade these weapons, along with various pieces of armor, and complete gear sets to develop your own distinct combat style.
2. Vast Skill Combinations
Each weapon comes with a variety of skills that can be combined to create a combat style that’s entirely your own. Go beyond simple attack and defense mechanics and experience gameplay that rewards strategy and creativity.
The First Berserker: Khazan is the ultimate experience for players looking for a hardcore action RPG with an incredibly immersive story. Join Khazan as he overcomes the challenges that lie before him and becomes the legendary Berserker.
The post Exploring the Stunning Cel-Shaded Art Style of The First Berserker: Khazan appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Shadow Labyrinth is the forthcoming 2D action platformer from our team at Bandai Namco Studios where players will control Swordsman No.8, summoned to a mysterious planet by the enigmatic Puck to complete a mission where others have failed. The two will discover secrets and battle huge bosses in their struggle to survive. The concept of a dark Pac-Man game is bold new ground for the brand, delivering a unique experience that existing and new PAC players will be excited to dig into. Shadow Labyrinth emerges from the darkness on July 18.
Gamers may have noticed that Puck looks quite a bit like Pac-Man, and there’s the amazing visual of a huge foreboding and dark Pac-Man chomping down on the body of a downed foe. But Shadow Labyrinth’s inspiration from Pac-Man is more than skin deep, our team worked to build from the ground up with careful consideration of what it means to be a Pac-Man game.
The iconic maze is second only to Pac-Man himself when considering the core factors of a Pac game. We wanted to apply that principle to our game where the characters are just as important as the place where we find them. Arcade Pac-Man’s maze is immersive, and we wanted to bring that to life on a broader scale. The map of this mysterious planet when viewed zoomed out is itself a massive maze, and like the original Pac-Man, you must get familiar with the maze to best your enemies. The original arcade game’s maze was set upon a background of darkness, Shadow Labyrinth takes this one step further by having our story take place in the depths of outer space on a dark and mysterious planet where survival means tougher challenges in deeper levels. You either reach the end or are consumed trying.
When you approach a Pac-Man arcade machine you are greeted by a joystick, so we thought, controlling Pac-Man is quite simple, right? It’s just a joystick. But as you progress through each level the on-screen action of dodging Ghosts gets intense. Shadow Labyrinth gives players a variety of actions and weapons to use, but we wanted the player inputs to feel natural, not overwhelming – like that simple joystick. We also wanted to give the player as much choice as possible, letting them choose which direction they would like to explore first. Like original arcade Pac-Man, the action in Shadow Labyrinth gets seriously intense and we felt that an approachable control scheme and the flexibility to explore the directions they’re curious about would help deepen player immersion similar to the original arcade game.
There are in fact 3 modes of play in Shadow Labyrinth. Controlling Swordsman No.8 is all about weapon use and artfully dodging, and Mini Puck mode is all about exploring hidden and out of reach pathways. These in themselves feel very Pac-Man, but the 3rd mode of play is effectively Shadow Labyrinth’s version of a Power Pellet: GAIA, the robotic giant with devastating force. Using GAIA, players can damage enemies that might have otherwise been too strong, break through barriers (a reference to the arcade game Super Pac-Man), and actually eat enemies. But just like a Power Pellet, this power is not endless, and must be used strategically to, as Pac-Man fans say, “turn the tables” on your enemies.
Pac-Man is always eating Dots, Power Pellets, and Ghosts to level up and keep going. We wanted to expand on the core concept of consuming in Shadow Labyrinth to include eating to defeat foes but also eating as a means of powering up. In the game, you can choose to eat enemies instead of slashing them until defeated.
If you do choose to eat them then you’ll gain different resources depending on the enemy you’ve eaten. These resources can then be used to acquire and upgrade your abilities. So, in Shadow Labyrinth too you must eat to progress, not only to get further but also to grow from prey to the apex predator.
But where are the Ghosts? We didn’t forget them. In Shadow Labyrinth, amongst many of the vile creatures you must destroy or be haunted by are the G-Hosts: parasitic organisms that have taken over monsters and machines of the planet to create something new and terrifying. These encounters serve as formidable boss battles fitting for the primary antagonists of the arcade original. You’ll encounter the G-Hosts based upon Pac-Man Ghosts such as Pinky, never revealed until now, as twisted boss battles.
Shadow Labyrinth takes inspiration from the legacy of games in the genre as well as being built using the DNA of Pac-Man. But eagle-eyed gamers have already started to notice clues that Shadow Labyrinth takes place in the larger chronology of the UGSF (United Galaxy Space Force) timeline: a shared universe that connects many of Bandai Namco’s space-themed games. As players explore the massive map of Shadow Labyrinth’s world, they’ll encounter some familiar looking enemies like those from the Dig Dug series, Bosconian, and more.
Shadow Labyrinth comes to PlayStation 5 on July 18!
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has seen over 3 million players since launch, Ubisoft has announced.
The player milestone comes seven days after Shadows launched on May 20, and is up from the 2 million reported on day two, surpassing the launches of both Origins and Odyssey.
Other stats reported by Ubisoft today were already revealed by IGN’s coverage of an internal email in which the company contextualized Shadows’ opening weekend performance, saying it’s better compared to Origins and Odyssey rather than the “perfect storm” 2020’s Valhalla launched into.
Shadows saw the second highest day one sales revenue in Assassin’s Creed franchise history, behind only Valhalla, the biggest Ubisoft day one ever on the PlayStation Store, and has seen over 40 million hours played so far.
There is enormous pressure on Assassin’s Creed Shadows to do well for Ubisoft globally after a number of delays and the sales failure of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Indeed, Ubisoft suffered a number of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in the run up to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ release.
Things got so bad at Ubisoft that its founding Guillemot family was reportedly exploring talks with Chinese mega-corp Tencent and other investors on a buyout deal that would let it preserve control of the company’s intellectual property. So, the video game world is watching Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ early performance closely for signs of its success — or failure.
There’s also a lot of attention on Shadows’ Steam concurrents, which are being compared to those of other triple-A single-player games that recently released, as well as previous Assassin’s Creed games on Valve’s platform.
Shadows became the most-played Assassin’s Creed game ever on Steam over the weekend with 64,825 peak concurrent players, although it’s worth noting that it was the first game in the series to launch day-one there since 2018’s Odyssey. BioWare’s single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard saw a peak of 89,418 players on Valve’s platform.
It’s hard to make a call on whether Shadows is below, meeting, or exceeding Ubisoft’s expectations without knowing what those expectations were, a revenue figure, or a sales figure.
Money talks, of course, and irrespective of player numbers and engagement, it will be revenue brought in by Assassin’s Creed Shadows that determines the fate of not just the game, but Ubisoft itself. We may not get a clear picture of that until Ubisoft’s next financial report in the coming months.
Adventuring across feudal Japan? Check out our comprehensive Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide, including our Assassin’s Creed Shadows walkthrough, our detailed Assassin’s Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and our guide to all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.
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.
Samsung is kicking off “The Next Phase of Gaming”, and if you’re even remotely monitor-curious, now’s a good time to pay attention. If you reserve one of their brand-new 2025 gaming displays between now and April 8th, and you’ll get $50 off when pre-orders open. No codes, no fuss, just an easy win for thinking ahead. If you’re even remotely interested in the new tech, this is worth checking out.
Announced during Nintendo Direct March 2025, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a retro brawler from Tribute Games, developer of the much-loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. It’s due out on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox in 2025.
This co-op beat ’em up rekindles memories of the arcades of the ‘90s, and features the likes of Wolverine, Captain America, Spider-Man, and Storm.
The debut trailer is below:
Here’s the official blurb:
Opening with spectacular hand-drawn animation reflecting the game’s visual homage to colorful ’90s era Marvel comic books, Dotemu revealed the first set of playable characters from the roster: Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Storm, Phyla-Vell, Venom, and Nova. The trailer’s sneak peek at gameplay finds these legends uniting to throw down against menacing enemies in classically inspired side-scrolling brawls.
In Marvel Cosmic Invasion the immortal Super Villain Annihilus has launched an unprecedented attack across the galaxy, threatening all life as we know it. Fighters both Earth-born and cosmic must now join forces in a star-spanning adventure against the deadly Annihilation Wave. Brawl through the streets of New York City all the way to the depths of the Negative Zone to foil Annihilus’ vow to spread death across the cosmos.
Choose and control your own team of two characters while tagging between them mid-fight with the innovative Cosmic Swap system, capitalizing on distinct superpowers and special attacks to create unique team-ups and dish out devastating damage. Unlock stellar powerups and rewards while experimenting with different duos and bash through a fantastic collection of locales and nemeses from the Marvel universe. Marvel Cosmic Invasion’s action includes a range of accessibility features, empowering the whole family to be Super Heroes (or villains), and supports four-player drop-in/drop-out local and online co-op with crossplay.
For more, check out everything announced at Nintendo Direct March 2025.
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.
Rosewater is Francisco González’s latest adventure game set in the alternate history of Lamplight City. It swaps the murky Victorian gutters of its predecessor for cacti and lavender sunsets in a reimagined American West circa 1850. But as hard as I try to imagine myself as a ‘venturin’ cowpoke, I wind up feeling more like a prospector, sifting through dust in hopes of finding the gold that I see glimmers of out here
