I don’t like to brag, but it turns out that running a museum is actually well easy. Within an hour of sitting down to play Two Point Museum at Gamescom last month, I was running a modest monthly profit, educating the masses about one-fifth of a dinosaur skeleton, and most importantly, had not ordered a single staff member to their death.
Like a samurai poised patiently for an opening in their opponent’s defences, Shogun Showdown understands that focus and finesse are the means to delivering an impactful blow. This rare roguelike distils the genre down to its purest components, all in favour of amplifying its dizzying combat that plays gracefully with the concepts of positioning and patience. Highly refined, stylish and complex, Shogun Showdown is a delight.
If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to pick up Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for PS5, now’s a great time to do so. Thanks to Walmart, you can score the game at a new all-time low price of $49.94 (see here at Walmart), $20.05 off its $69.99 MSRP. That’s a fantastic deal on one of the best games of 2024, and considering it’ll make good use of the PS5 Pro’s enhancements, there’s truly no better time to grab it before the console’s preorders go live on September 26.
In case you’re in need of some convincing before buying it, it’s worth having a look at our 9/10 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth review. In it, writer Michael Higham states that, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion as both a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenge and depth, and as an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long.” He continues on to say that, “for as flawed as parts of how this classic has been reimagined might be, Rebirth still stands out as something both thrilling and unexpectedly impactful.”
If you’re looking for even more game deals, you’ve come to the right place. We have a variety of video game roundups to check out that are chock-full of discounts for each platform, including a breakdown of the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals. We also have an overall look at the best video game deals, if you’d prefer to see the highlights for each console. Another great place to look for gaming deals is our Daily Deals roundup, which also features some excellent tech deals.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
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These apparitions and portents, Crystal Dynamics – what game are you playing now? It turns out the game they are playing is: a remaster of amazeballs vampire odyssey Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver, together with its less amazing but sturdy sequel. Said remaster project was rumoured earlier this year, when Sarafan scouts caught sight of a telltale plaque at San Diego Comic-Con. Consider that rumour strongly trending towards the status of a Real Thing, because Sony are in the habit of publishing Real Things, and they’ve just (accidentally, I guess) popped a bunch of screens and a trailer with a release date – 10th December 2024 – on the PlayStation website.
At last!
Eight years after its official announcement (under a different name too), Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road finally has a release window, and it’s a bit further out than you might think. And yes, a release window — not a date.
The soccer RPG will be launching in June 2025 on Switch and other consoles, marking what will be a nine-year wait for the game. The game was meant to launch this year, but the delay has allowed Level-5 to add a few new systems, along with listen to player feedback from the Beta earlier this year.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The wait is over! We’re thrilled to unveil the Cipher Series for the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, with Xbox Design Lab. This collection taps into the nostalgia of classic tech designs with six stunning transparent top cases, letting you relive the magic of seeing the inner workings of your favorite gadgets—while adding a modern twist. Alongside the Cipher Series, we’re also introducing two vibrant chromatic D-pad and paddle designs in Sunset Chroma and Energy Chroma, bringing fresh style to the Elite Series 2 controller. And to elevate the retro-modern aesthetic, we’re excited to announce the Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition – Ghost Cipher, a follow-up to the fan-favorite Sky Cipher.
With its transparent casing and metallic silver details, the Cipher Series lets you look inside the controller, capturing the spirit of those iconic see-through devices that tech enthusiasts still fondly remember—now making a bold comeback for a new generation of players.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic translucent tech of the ’90s and early 2000s, the Cipher Series brings six stunning transparent top case designs to Xbox Design Lab. These vibrant, candy-colored top cases encapsulate the controller’s metallic frame, showcasing both its external beauty and the advanced engineering within the Elite Series 2 controller.
Each color tells a unique story: Ghost Cipher strips away all color to reveal a fully transparent top case, offering a clear view of the controller’s inner workings; Velocity Cipher pays homage to the iconic Xbox green, made transparent to expose the energized world inside; Astral Cipher captures the mysteries of deep space with a rich, regal shade of purple; Surf Cipher channels the energy of ocean waves with its transparent blue; Candy Cipher offers a dreamy, sweet vision with a playful pink top case; and Pulse Cipher embodies passion and power with a striking transparent red.
In addition to the Cipher Series, two new chromatic D-pad and paddle designs—Energy Chroma and Sunset Chroma—introduce a dynamic spectrum of color. These metallic finishes blend hues to create a hypnotic gradient that shifts depending on the angle, adding a sci-fi, jewelry-like feel to your controller. Energy Chroma starts with the signature Xbox green and fades into blues, yellows, and magenta accents, while Sunset Chroma evokes a warm, summery glow with its transition from yellow to bright pink.
These new designs don’t just look great, they’re built around the most advanced controller Xbox has to offer. With rubberized diamond grips, adjustable-tension thumbsticks, and shorter hair trigger locks, the Elite Series 2 controller ensures performance tailored to your playstyle. And with Xbox Design Lab, you can add extra thumbsticks, D-pads, paddles, and complimentary 3D printable files to 3D print for adaptive thumbstick toppers to make your controller as personalized and comfortable as possible.
The Cipher Series for the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and the Chromatic D-pad and paddle designs are available to purchase now in select Xbox markets. Visit Xbox Design Lab for additional information.
Alongside these new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 top cases, we’re also excited to announce the release of our latest special edition: Xbox Wireless Controller – Ghost Cipher. This controller features grey and bronze accents and a clear top case, revealing silver interior parts including a rumble pack in the side grips. Its rubberized back grips and bronze metallic D-pad and triggers offer both style and performance, perfect for players who appreciate a refined, sophisticated design.
The Ghost Cipher Special Edition controller comes with all your favorite features. Seamlessly connect to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Android devices via Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth technology (see xbox.com/controller-compatibility for more details) and enjoy up to 40 hours of battery life (varies with usage and other factors). Utilize the 3.5mm audio jack to plug in your favorite compatible headset, perfect for listening to your game or chatting with friends. Share your gaming moments effortlessly with the dedicated share button, and customize your experience with the Xbox Accessories app, giving you endless potential to elevate your play.
The Xbox Wireless Controller – Ghost Cipher Special Edition is available for pre-order today in select Xbox markets worldwide for $69.99 USD ERP. Visit Xbox.com or your local retailer, including Microsoft Store, for more information.
The post Transparent is Back – Introducing the Cipher Series appeared first on Xbox Wire.
With Sony’s State of Play broadcast set for tonight, the inevitable leaks have begun. First up we have the heavily rumored Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered, which was spotted on the PlayStation Store before being swiftly removed.
According to the store description (via reddit), Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is developed by video game revival specialist Aspyr, and launches December 10, 2024 to coincide with Soul Reaver’s 25th anniversary. There’s even a trailer and a number of screenshots, all lifted from PSN before Sony reversed its mistake.
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered screenshots pic.twitter.com/1GqTzgPlxX
— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 24, 2024
“Experience the epic conflict of Kain and Raziel in original form or with remastered graphics,” reads the description. The games included are remasters of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2, both cult classics developed by Crystal Dynamics for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 respectively.
Here’s the (leaked) official blurb:
Experience the Legendary Narrative
Centuries after your former master, Kain, betrays and executes you, you rise again and embark on a relentless quest for revenge.
Wield the Powers of a Wraith. Slay your former vampire brethren with your claws, bolts of telekinetic energy, and the elemental Wraith Blade. Grow stronger by devouring the souls of your enemies.
Shift Between Realms. The Elder God has granted you the ability to shift between the Spectral and Material Realms. Traverse the realms to solve puzzles, reveal new paths, and defeat your foes.
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.
Original Life is Strange developer Don’t Nod has announced it had a rough start to the 2024/25 financial year and has pressed pause on two projects as a result.
Don’t Nod’s latest financial report revealed its recent release of Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden “did not achieve the commercial results” it hoped for and it has changed its plans going forward as a result.
The studio is “temporarily pausing two projects in the design phase,” for example, enabling it to “prioritize resources and maximize the chances of success of the titles with the greatest potential at present.”
This will seemingly see Lost Records: Bloom & Rage pushed to the forefront following a “particularly positive reception” at Gamescom, Don’t Nod said. The first part of this episodic, narrative adventure is expected in February 2025.
“We are obviously disappointed by our recent performance in an extremely competitive and selective market,” chairman and CEO Oskar Guilbert said.
“Despite an excellent critical reception, Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden unfortunately did not achieve the commercial results we had hoped for, resulting in a deterioration in our 2024 half-year results and leading us to consider all possible options regarding our roadmap.”
Don’t Nod had seven games in the works as of March 2024, including the two which are now on ice. It revealed the number as part of an internal restructuring that saw three branches created to focus on role-playing games, narrative adventure games, and action adventure games respectively.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Look out, it’s Spiders. It’s fun to write about Spiders, because you get to frighten people for a moment, before they realise you’re talking about the game development studio, Spiders. They have just released GreedFall 2: The Dying Land into early access. For those who don’t remember the first GreedFall, it was a colonial-styled RPG about landing on the magical shores of another continent and getting into scrapes with monsters and frontiersfolk. This time the story is furthering the fantasy Columbian exchange by putting you in the role of a native who’s been uprooted against their will and taken to the “old world”. The game’s release comes against a backdrop of dissatisfaction in the studio. But workers have gained some concessions in talks.
Just days after PlayStation game God of War Ragnarok launched on PC to a ‘mixed’ Steam user review rating over its forced PlayStation Network account linking, a mod has been released that bypasses the requirement entirely.
Sony had made it clear on the God of War Ragnarok Steam page that a PlayStation Network account would be required to play Sony Santa Monica’s purely single-player adventure, but that failed to prevent a number of negative reviews singling out the policy.
While God of War Ragnarok’s Steam user review rating is now up to ‘mostly positive,’ one modder has decided to take matters into their own hands by stripping out the PSN requirement.
iArtorias’ NoPSSDK mod, which has been downloaded 1,764 times from Nexus Mods at the time of this article’s publication, “fully strips the PlayStation PC SDK runtime requirement for God of War Ragnarok.” But because the mod removes the PSN overlay from the game and mimicks an offline mode in the process, it’s being used to bypass the PSN / Steam account linking requirement. IGN has verified the mod does indeed work.
In a post on Nexus Mods, iArtorias vowed to maintain their mod even if Sony updates God of War Ragnarok to combat it. “I will try to maintain the tool even if something changes, but hopefully nothing crucial happens,” they said.
Sony will no doubt take a dim view of iArtorias’ mod, which is picking up Steam as more and more players download it. There are also calls for a similar mod for Sony’s other recently released PC games, such as Ghost of Tsushima. Ghost of Tsushima requires a PSN account for the Legends online multiplayer mode and to use PlayStation overlay, but it is not required to play the single-player game, which makes Sony’s decision to enforce a PSN requirement on the purely single-player God of War Ragnarok all the more baffling.
Sony’s PSN account requirement for its PC games was thrust into the limelight with the release of Arrowhead’s explosive PC and PS5 co-op shooter Helldivers 2 earlier this year. Helldivers 2 suffered a review bomb campaign on Steam after Sony made PSN accounts mandatory for PC gamers on Valve’s platform (Arrowhead subsequently decided to turn the Steam user review history graph into a cape, which is ready for launch but has yet to release).
Sony eventually backed down and reversed Helldivers 2’s PSN account requirement, but the game remains unavailable in the many countries that lack PSN. And indeed all Sony’s games on PC now suffer from this problem, which means God of War Ragnarök is unavailable on PC in over 100 countries.
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.
