Dragon Age: The Veilguard will have a number of difficulty options that allow players to tweak the experience to their liking.
Developer BioWare revealed more about the latest installment in its fantasy franchise as part of this month’s Game Informer cover story. Features like the hundreds of character customization sliders and pronoun options separate from your character’s gender live up to game director Corinne Busche’s promise that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was created with inclusivity in mind. This desire was carried over into the difficulty options too, which include standard choices like the story-focused Storyteller path, a balanced Adventurer mode, or the more crushing Nightmare mode, which can’t be changed once a playthrough is started.
Where BioWare’s latest gets interesting in this regard is its Unbound difficulty mode. This option is said to allow players to tailor their Dragon Age: The Veilguard adventure as they please with a variety of tweakable settings. Some highlights include the ability to adjust how wayfinding guides the experience, aim assistance, an auto-aim option, and wider (or narrower) parry windows. Enemy and player damage can also be finetuned, as can enemy pressure, but the real game-changer might be the option to turn off death for your character entirely. These are all options meant to make Dragon Age: The Veilguard more inviting for every kind of gaming fan.
“[None of these options] are a cheat,” Busche explained. “It’s an option to make sure players of all abilities can show up.”
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Tsukihime is responsible for a lot of things. Back in 2000, Type-Moon’s classic visual novel captivated audiences with a story crammed full of occult mystery, thrilling action, and heart-pounding character drama. Like jagged lines splintering out of a unified core, its success spread out in many different directions: adaptations across manga and anime, the production of a number of sequel VNs, the birth of Type-Moon’s mega-popular Fate franchise, and, of course, the creation of its very own fighting game series Melty Blood. It’s no stretch to say that Tsukihime is a cornerstone of the industry, which is exactly why the title’s fade into relative obscurity is such a surprise.
For all the waves it made in the time during and after its release, Tsukihime has never been graced with an official Western localization. Moreover, the original Japanese release has long since become abandonware, with the task of preserving the game online falling to diehard fans. Suffice to say, it’s not the fate that a game many champion as one of the best in its genre deserves. Fortunately, Type-Moon has seen fit to rectify that problem by way of a full-on remake project.
Prime Day 2024 will, no doubt, be rich with deep discounts on PC gaming hardware. But when it gets fully underway across July 16th and 17th, it won’t be the only deals game in town. Not by a long shot. That’s why the RPS Anti-Prime Day guide has returned once more, to bring together all the worthiest hardware offers from non-Amazon retailers in the UK and US.
It feels like an age since Rockstar broke the internet by releasing the debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. Since the December 2023 release of GTA 6 Trailer 1, as it’s called, information-hungry fans have analyzed the trailer to within an inch of its life, coming up with all sorts of outlandish theories and predictions about what to expect when Rockstar finally releases the game next year.
Now, though, they have something tangible to work with, something more than speculation to chew on: a necklace.
As redditor DogWifDreads signaled, the latest GTA Online update, Bottom Dollar Bounties, appears to have added the necklace worn by perhaps the standout character from the GTA 6 trailer: the woman in the bikini. Comparing a screenshot of the character from the trailer to the silver layered necklace now available to buy in GTA Online, DogWifDreads sent the GTA community on high alert.
“Dunno if anyone else has caught this but I was rewatching a trailer breakdown and I noticed that the necklaces seen here in the trailer have been added in GTAO with the Bottom Dollar Bounties DLC,” DogWifDreads said.
There’s nothing new to be gleaned from this apparent crossover, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to find some meaning in it. “Could be a stretch but whatever the price of that necklace is might mean something,” suggested Affectionate-Wing771. “Considering all last digits are 0, we could skip that and we’ll have four digits, a possible date and month – for something,” OtteLoc wondered, in full GTA theory meme mode. “Or it could just be another generic price like the rest of the items.”
Most people are taking this as what it probably is: a fun nod to GTA 6 in GTA Online. But that kind of sensible behavior is no fun at all though, is it? I suppose it does bring to mind the tough questions Rockstar faces in dealing with the current GTA Online with the GTA 6 version waiting in the wings. GTA Online is a part of GTA 5, but how will GTA 6’s version of GTA Online be made available? Will it be sold standalone? Free-to-download? A part of GTA 6 at a $70+ price point? And what happens to GTA 5’s GTA Online when GTA 6 comes out? Will Rockstar effectively replace it with the new version, as Blizzard did to Overwatch when it released Overwatch 2?
Questions have swirled around GTA 6’s release date ever since the initial reveal, with fans going feral over details like website updates. Internal conflicts over Rockstar’s return to office policy has led to questions over whether GTA 6 will ultimately be delayed into 2026. However, as of right now, it looks like Take-Two and Rockstar are determined to get GTA 6 out the door during its intended release window of fall 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.
Transformers is getting a racing adventure rogue-lite called Transformers: Galactic Trials, due out in October on PC and consoles. It’s the first ever console Transformers racing game.
Transformers: Galactic Trials is published by Outright Games, which specializes in video games for kids, and developed by 3DClouds. Outright said that in this new unique hybrid gameplay experience you can play as iconic Autobot and Decepticon characters across a single-player mode, with two-player co-op in local multiplayer for the Arcade mode.
Here’s the official blurb:
After the evil NEMESIS PRIME steals the Prime Relics, the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS must set out on a rip-roaring adventure to recover these artifacts and control the incredible powers they bestow. Fans can play as iconic AUTOBOTS or DECEPTICONS, including Bumblebee, Megatron, Elita-1 and Optimus Prime and race across battle-race circuits to collect relics and beat opponents. The gameplay incorporates both traditional arcade racing in vehicle form and dynamic combat in bot-form, as players must defeat enemies and make it to the finish line.
As players progress and collect new relics, they level up their skills and unlock new playable characters and skins. The single-player mode, called Galactic Trials, lets you progress through levels and collect relics. The two-player Arcade mode lets you enter a quick race, creating a custom racing experience with your track, character and weapons, or enter location-based specialized tournaments.
Transformers: Galactic Trials launches on October 11, 2024, on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S.
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.
Outright Games has today announced Transformers: Galactic Trials, an all-new adventure for the robots in disguise that combines on-track arcade racing and third-person robot combat. What’s more, it’s coming our way on 11th October.
It feels like a slightly weird combination, but these are the Transformers, driving and shooting is kind of their thing.
Coming to Game Pass: Neon White, Flock, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, and More
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
July is starting out with the comfort food equivalent for your download queue: More games and more Perks! Grab your controller, grip your mouse, and let’s jump into the games.
Coming Soon
Journey to the Savage Planet (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 3 Making a return to the Game Pass library! As an employee of Kindred Aerospace, the 4th best interstellar exploration company, explorers are dropped onto an uncharted, far-off rock filled with danger, mystery and many smelly alien creatures. You’ll have to explore, fight, jump, scavenge, craft and explode your way across an uncharted world to determine if this strange planet is fit for human habitation.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 3 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 lets you duke it out with the biggest and best fighting character roster yet! Choose your favorite brawlers, master their unique move sets, and use all-new powerful Supers to land the finishing blow with friends or across a unique, roguelike player campaign!
Cricket 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 9 Cricket 24 is the culmination of a decade of Cricket video game development and includes teams from every corner of the globe. Players will be able to take on major cricket nations including Australia and England in the official courses at Ashes, West Indies, New Zealand, Ireland and more, plus for the first time ever, professional Indian T20 teams, all set in over 50 detailed official stadiums.
The Case of the Golden Idol (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 9 Mayhem, magic, and murder most foul! Examine clues and use your powers of deduction to solve the twisted mystery of a family’s cursed inheritance and a series of grisly deaths in this point-and-click detective adventure game.
Neon White (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 11 A lightning fast first-person action game about exterminating demons in Heaven. You are White, an assassin handpicked from Hell to compete with other demon slayers for a chance to live permanently in Heaven. The other assassins seem familiar, though… did you know them in a past life?
Tchia (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – July 11 Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago as you explore a physics-driven sandbox. The Xbox version includes the game’s latest update which includes eight new soul melodies, new outfits, and additional perks for wearing matching cosmetic items.
Magical Delicacy (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 16 Available on day one with Game Pass! A wholesome pixel art platformer. Cook magical delicacies from a vast collection of ingredients in your own shop. Explore an unfamiliar town and deliver tasty treats to the townsfolk. Learn new ways to traverse, discover secrets, and experience a unique witchy world.
Flock (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 16 Available on day one with Game Pass! Flock is a multiplayer co-op game about the joy of flight and collecting adorable flying creatures with your friends. Soar through beautiful landscapes, seeking out rare and elusive creatures to add to your flock.
In Case You Missed It
Wartales (Xbox One) – Available now Wartales is now available on Xbox One, in addition to cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S! Wartales is an open world RPG in which you lead a group of mercenaries in their search for wealth across a massive medieval universe. Explore the world, recruit companions, collect bounties, and unravel the secrets of the tombs of the ancients.
DLC / Game Updates
Palworld: Sakurajima Update – Available now The first major update, “Sakurajima Update”, is here! Explore a new island, encounter tons of new Pals and subspecies, challenge yourself with a new raid and tougher bosses! You can enjoy the new level cap and more content! Play solo or join your friends on dedicated Xbox servers!
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
EA Sports FC 24: Supercharge Pack – Available now Build your dream squad!Ultimate members get the EA Sports FC 24 Supercharge Pack with 11 Rare Gold Players and a Team of the Seasons Loan Player Pick.
Warframe: Wake Up Tenno Bundle – Available now Awaken as an unstoppable warrior and battle alongside your friends in this story-driven action game. The Wake Up Tenno Bundle perk enhances your arsenal with valuable amenities like an Orokin Reactor and Orokin Catalyst, 3 Day Affinity and Credit Boosters, and more. Plus, you can bolster your look with the impressive Excalibur Immortal Skin!
The Elder Scrolls Online: 10-Year Anniversary Pack #2 – Available now The celebration of The Elder Scrolls Online continues with another 10-Year Anniversary Pack for players to enhance their gameplay! This bundle includes 1x Skill Respecification Scroll and 3x Gold Coast Experience Scrolls.
Leaving July 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so remember to pick up where you left off before they go! You can also save up to 20% off your purchase to keep them in your library.
Let us know which game is hitting your download queue first over @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass, and be sure to follow for updates when your next favorite game is available. Catch you next time!
Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox Game Pass July 2024 Wave 1 lineup, revealing what subscribers can expect for the first half of this month.
Kicking things off on July 3 is Typhoon Studios’ 2020 action adventure Journey to the Savage Planet (Cloud, Console, and PC), which makes a return to the Game Pass library. IGN’s Journey to the Savage Planet review returned a 6/10. We said: “This comedy exploration experience blasts off with a lot of fresh ideas, but doesn’t quite stick the landing.”
Also on July 3, Fair Play Labs’ Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass. This Nickelodeon-based platform fighter got a 9/10 from IGN’s review. We said: “Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 knocks nearly every single one of the first game’s problems into the blast zone while also introducing the exciting new Slime mechanic, a more interesting roster, and better visuals throughout.”
Then, on July 9, Big Ant Studios’ Cricket 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) bowls onto Game Pass. This one got a 5/10 from IGN’s review. We said: “Cricket 24 is a disappointingly modest and often slipshod update that seemingly lacks the confidence or creativity to advance further down the wicket.”
Also on July 9 is Color Gray Games’ 2022 point-and-click detective adventure game The Case of the Golden Idol (Cloud, Console, and PC). Moving on, Angel Matrix’s first-person action game Neon White (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass on July 11. IGN’s Neon White review returned an 8/10. We said: “Part visual novel, part lightning-fast FPS platformer, Neon White’s angst-ridden assassins are unbearable but its airtight level design and fantastic sense of momentum ensure its gameplay is something to celebrate.”
Also on July 11, Awaceb’s action adventure game Tchia (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) launches on Game Pass. The Xbox version includes the physics-driven sandbox’s latest update, which includes eight new soul melodies, new outfits, and additional perks for wearing matching cosmetic items.
Magical Delicacy (Cloud, Console, and PC) launches as a day-one Game Pass title on July 16. This wholesome pixel art platformer lets players cook magical delicacies from a vast collection of ingredients in your own shop.
Rounding out July 2024 Wave 1 is the day-one Game Pass launch of Flock (Cloud, Console, and PC) on July 16. Flock is a multiplayer co-op game about the joy of flight and collecting adorable flying creatures with your friends.
A developer on MultiVersus has hinted that Scorpion from Mortal Kombat is set to hit the brawler.
Player First Games community manager Ajax replied to a Scorpion MultiVersus concept posted to X/Twitter in a way that confirmed nothing but teased everything.
MultiVersus is a Warner Bros. take on Nintendo’s Smash Bros. series, and includes a number of characters owned by the company, such as DC superhero Batman and The Matrix villain, Agent Smith.
Warner Bros. also owns Mortal Kombat and its developer NetherRealm, so it would make sense to see the series’ famous ninja turn up in MultiVersus at some point.
MultiVersus re-released across PC, PlayStation and Xbox in May after a beta ran from July 2022 to June 2023. On Steam, the May relaunch saw MultiVersus’ concurrent player count shoot up to 114,515, but that figure has fallen dramatically since, with 6,030 peak concurrents in the last 24 hours. Sony and Microsoft do not make player numbers on PlayStation and Xbox publicly available.
Player First Games is in the process of rolling out MultiVersus’ mid-season update patch 1.05, readying the game for Agent Smith’s arrival from July 8. As for Mortal Kombat, fans are awaiting an announcement from NetherRealm on the inevitable Kombat Pack 2 for Mortal Kombat 1, as well as a promised story expansion. Dataminers have unearthed what looks like the next six DLC characters for Mortal Kombat 1 already.
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.
