Every now and then we publish a round-up of game or demo recommendations, and all you regular readers dutifully fill the comments with recommendations of your own. FOOLS. Our round-ups are, of course, a devious trap for your curiosity and connoisseurship, designed to save us the labour of discovering good games for ourselves. You know in Batman Forever when Jim Carrey uses Riddler TV to steal everybody’s IQs? Well picture me doing that, except that I am not wearing tight green pyjamas (unless you want to picture me that way – no offence taken) and I am actually filling my skull with everything you ever knew about, in Moadra‘s case, manky Super Metroid clones.
Monster Hunter Wilds has not only surpassed eight million units sold in just three days, but it has also become the fastest Capcom game ever to reach this milestone.
In our Monster Hunter Wilds review, we said it “continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge.”
Speaking of the Monster Hunter series, Capcom revealed the franchise that began in 2004 on PlayStation 2 has exceeded 108 million units as of December 31, 2024.
Apparently leakers just can’t help themselves, as fresh details on the as-yet-unannounced Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 have been revealed ahead of an official announcement later today.
Billbil-kun, who has been known to reliably leak new games ahead of their official reveals, has uploaded two posts on social media that detail the game’s supposed release date and pre-order bonuses (thanks, VGC).
Accompanied by a slightly blurred piece of key art (though with the title visible in the bottom-right corner), the posts reveal that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will launch on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on 11th July 2025. Billbil-kun also confirms that a collector’s edition priced at $129.99 will also be available and will provide players with 3-days early access.
Monolith Productions co-founder Jace Hall has expressed a strong interest in remaking rancid horror game Condemned: Criminal Origins and its sequel, Condemned 2: Bloodshot. It’s not entirely clear how he’d do this, given that Monolith no longer exists even as a brand name, following cuts at parent company Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, and that Hall himself doesn’t seem to be directly involved with game development or publishing these days. That said, he is the sole current owner of the Condemned intellectual property. So if a remake is going to happen, it’ll need to happen through him.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Battle.net, Windows PC, Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 11 – and it’ll arrive day one with Game Pass.
This new game is faithfully remade from the ground up, adding new skaters, new parks, new music, and much more.
Pre-order today to access the Foundry Demo in June – or pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition for three days of Early Access, Doom Slayer & Revanant playable skaters, and more.
The Birdman returns on July 11 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is back. Launching on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Battle.net, Windows PC, Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and available day one with Game Pass, THPS 3+4 is at once a faithful remake of the original classic skateboarding games, but expands on the experience with new parks, skaters, and music, as well as cross-platform multiplayer, new creation tools, a New Game+ mode, and more.
Rebuilt from the ground up, THPS 3+4 will include parks from the original games as well as new locations (more on that later), plus a Career Mode that includes the original tours from both. Playing with friends? Cross-platform multiplayer supports up to 8 skaters at one time, meaning you’ll have plenty of competition.
Multiple new skaters are joining the original line-up, and you’ll also be able to create your own skater, not only customizing their appearance, but their hometown, skating style, and more. And of course, no Tony Hawk game would be complete without music, and you’ll be skating along to tracks from the original soundtrack, as well as new tracks.
THPS 3+4 builds on the work started by Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, bringing the easy-to-learn, hard-to-master controls and handling you’d expect – and for those taking on the series for the first time, an in-depth tutorial from Tony Hawk himself will walk you through exactly how to play.
Welcome to Waterpark
You may have caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar location in today’s reveal trailer – this is Waterpark, a new level added to THPS 3+4. Introduced as part of the revamped THPS 4 Tour, this is a broken-down, dried-out park in the heart of the Mojave desert – perfect for budding skaters.
The rides might not be functional any more, but they’re more than open for finding lines and trick opportunities. Six rides are open for you to try and trick off of – Down the Drain, Peak Cyclone, Twisted Vipers and more offer challenging trips down to ground level. Just skate to the entrance of each one, and you’ll be transported to the top to try your luck.
If you’re looking for something a little more chill, take a trip down the Lazy River, which snakes around the entire map, head to the Marquee for a ramp-filled area perfect for combos, or find a way to open up the Castle Slide for even more opportunities to earn points.
Pre-Order Now for Early Access and More
Pre-orders for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 open today, and will give you access to the Foundry Demo (not available on Nintendo Switch). Kicking off in June, this demo will include two skaters and two parks to try out – and your pre-order will also net you an extra in-game shader for Tony Hawk at full game launch.
Pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe Edition will give you three days of Early Access to the full game – as well as some far more unexpected bonuses. Play as both the Doom Slayer (with two outfits, two unique tricks, and a hoverboard) or a Revenant (with its own two unique tricks), not to mention themed skate decks, Create-a-Skater items and bonus soundtracks.
And if you want to go all-out, the Collector’s Edition of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will come complete with a limited-edition, full-size Birdhouse skateboard deck (deck-only, other skateboard components not included) featuring a reissued version of the iconic Wings graphic and a printed Tony Hawk autograph. The Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy of the game, and all the Digital Deluxe Edition benefits.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches on July 11. Pre-orders open today. Learn more on tonyhawkthegame.com.
The birdman returns in the next-gen remake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, coming to PS5 and PS4 on July 11. The legendary skateboarding series first launched on the original PlayStation in 1999, and the shred’s not dead. It’s back and better than ever.
Skate the original content rebuilt from the ground up joined by new skaters, parks, tricks, music, and more, including enhanced creation tools and New Game+ to keep the grind going.
Here’s what’s coming down the halfpipe:
Prepare to shred
Skate through two challenge-filled tours in Career, chase high scores in Single Sessions and Speedruns, or take your time nailing tricks and exploring each park in Free Skate.
Bring your skate friends along, too. Cross-platform online multiplayer supports up to eight skaters at a time. Go head-to-head in competitive game modes or skate every surface together in multiplayer Free Skate. Whichever mode you play, the game’s smooth handling and simple-to-learn controls will have you grinding and landing tricks in no time.
Classic and new parks, New Game+
Skate the original parks from THPS3 and THPS4 remade in 4K resolution and given streamlined goals in the two-minute format along with some new parks to expand your skating options. Tackle dozens of challenges to earn in-game cash and unlock new gear including new skate decks, grip tapes, wheels for your board, and extra apparel for your skater.
Shred harder than ever in New Game+, retaining your skater’s stat growth achieved in the first playthrough as you work toward true mastery over each of the parks.
Waterpark
In the new Waterpark map, skaters drop into the Mojave Desert in an abandoned theme park that’s seen better days, its slides rusted, graffiti on the walls, and a drained-out lazy river… creating the perfect skate obstacle for circling the park. Skip the line and head straight to the top of several huge water slides, testing your grind balance and vert abilities on the way down.
New skaters, tricks, songs
Hit up the park with new skaters joining the original lineup or create your own skater with in-depth customization options for hair, tattoos, makeup, and more. Pick your skater’s name, hometown, skating style, and get out there with your arsenal of new and classic tricks.
If you’re feeling rusty, the in-game tutorial led by Tony Hawk will get you started with lessons on the all-important ollie, kickflips, vert tricks, grinds, reverts, manuals, special tricks, and everything you need to become a high-score skater, all set to songs from the original soundtrack expanded with new music.
Skate the Foundry Demo
Preorder THPS 3 + 4 to skate in the Foundry Demo in June featuring two playable skaters, two parks, and a selection of songs from the soundtrack. Players who preorder the game also gain instant access to the in-game Wireframe Tony Shader at launch.
Digital Deluxe Edition: Early Access and more
Purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition to join the Early Access period starting three days before the game’s official July 11 launch date. Plus, get access to some sick in-game extras:
Extra skaters: Get evil with Doom Slayer and Revenant. Both skaters include a pair of unique special tricks for some truly sick moves suited to their demonic style.
Extra tracks: Expand the in-game soundtrack with a selection of headbanging tunes inspired by a classic video game.
Extra skate decks, apparel: Get additional skate decks including designs inspired by Doom Slayer and Revenant, plus extra apparel options for your skater.
Collector’s Edition: limited-edition skate deck
The Collector’s Edition is for the most dedicated skaters including a limited-edition full-size Birdhouse skateboard deck with a reissued version of the Wings graphic and a printed Tony Hawk autograph. The Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy of the game with a voucher giving access to all the Digital Deluxe Edition benefits.
Get shredding
Preorders are now available for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which launches on PS5 and PS4 on July 11. Stay tuned for more information to come.
The Sony PSVR2 Headset is the best VR headset for PS5 owners, but it has always been an expensive purchase. Thankfully, Sony announced just yesterday that the company would be dropping the recommended retail price of the headset down to $399.99. This price cut brings it more in line with the Meta Quest 3 competitor, which is currently $499 for the Quest 3 and $299 for the Quest 3S.
If you’re hoping to pick up the PlayStation VR2 headset for yourself at this new price, now you can! Retailers have already started adopting the price cut and you can purchase the PSVR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Bundle for just $399.99 at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy. The bundle had previously sold out at Amazon, but is now back in stock.
The Best PlayStation VR2 Deal Today
Along with the headset, this bundle also comes with a copy of Horizon Call of the Mountain which we gave a 7 out of 10 in our review. This game is exclusive to PlayStation, but that doesn’t mean you can only use the headset with your PS5. Sony released a PSVR2 PC adapter just last year that allows you to connect the headset to your PC and play SteamVR games. This has elevated the PlayStation VR2 headset to be one of the best VR headsets for PC gamers. You can check out our guide on how to connect it to PC for more info.
Nic: Brendy! Why are you here, in my review? What is this, some kind of Split Fiction? Some kind of co-op adventure by Hazelight? Fine, since you’re here: what’s the best bit of Split Fiction, Brendy?
Brendan: We were escaping sci-fi gunships on the back of a stolen motorcycle. You must have felt cool steering us between missiles and gunfire. I could see none of that. I was too focused on clicking the “accept” box on a Terms and Conditions screen. Our ill-gotten bike’s futuristic security had kicked in, you see, and it was my job to disable its self-destruct protocol by phone. You were driving fast and jumping between skyscrapers while I was wrestling with captcha after captcha to stop us from exploding. I laughed the whole time.
Xbox has just announced a number of indie games dropping on Xbox Game Pass in the first half of March 2025, including Enter the Gungeon, Monster Train, and several more.
Up first is Monster Train, which is out today on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Standard across cloud, console, and PC. Monster Train has been on Game Pass in the past, but returns today. Per Microsoft’s description, “Monster Train brings a new strategic layer to roguelike deckbuilding, with three vertical playing fields to defend. Hell has frozen over and only you can protect the final burning pyre from the forces of heaven and restore the inferno.”
Xbox also lists the ever-popular Balatro in its lineup, which dropped on Xbox Game Pass last week following the ID@Xbox showcase. The release came alongside another “Friends of Jimbo” update adding cosmetic changes based on Bugsnax, Civilization, Assassin’s Creed, Slay the Princess, Dead by Daylight, and Fallout to the game.
More games follow in quick succession. Tomorrow, March 5, we’ll see Galacticare drop on Xbox Series X and S for Game Pass Standard users, having already been available on Ultimate. Then on March 6, we get One Lonely Outpost on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for cloud, console, and PC users.
Next week on March 11, we’ll see indie darling Enter the Gungeon return to Game Pass Standard, PC, and Ultimate for cloud, console, and PC. As Xbox describes it, “Enter the Gungeon is a gunfight dungeon crawler following a band of misfits seeking to shoot, loot, dodge, roll and table-flip their way to personal absolution by reaching the legendary Gungeon’s ultimate treasure: the gun that can kill the past.”
Two days later on March 13, Mullet Madjack will join Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for cloud, PC, and Xbox Series consoles. Then the following week, on March 18, a preview of 33 Immortals will drop on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. 33 Immortals “is a co-op action-roguelike for 33 players. Play as a damned soul, and rebel against God’s final judgment. Dive straight into epic, 33-player co-op battles with instant “pick-up and raid” matchmaking. Cooperate with your allies to survive against hordes of monsters and massive, challenging bosses. Expand your arsenal and equip powerful new relics to permanently upgrade your soul.” The full game will be available for purchase.
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Mullet Madjack (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – March 13
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
33 Immortals (Game Preview) (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – March 18
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
As always, as new games hit Game Pass, existing games leave the service. You can save up to 20% off your purchase with your membership to keep these games in your library.
Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on March 15:
Evil West (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 5 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Solar Ash (Cloud, Console, and PC)
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Lies of P (Cloud, Console, and PC)
No More Heroes 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
When you die in Absolom, you are literally reborn from the glowing womb of a giant pregnant lady. This is not how beat ’em ups normally go. The newly announced left-to-right puncher from the developers of Streets Of Rage 4 plans to inject a bunch of roguelike fungus into the bulging musculature of the classic arcade brawler, then dress it in a big fantasy frog suit that’s been handcrafted by a traditional animation studio. It’s a tight squeeze, but having played an hour of a preview build, it certainly looks the part. Although I order you never to use the term “rogue ’em up” to describe it, an explosively upsetting term publisher Dotemu has cheekily tried to invent.
