Considering the lengthy ongoing development of Beyond Good & Evil 2 and the subsequent grilling from eager fans that Ubisoft has brought upon itself over the years, it’s easy to forget just how darn good the original game is. First released on PS2, Xbox, and GameCube at the end of 2003, Beyond Good & Evil was one of the most unique adventure games of its day, showcasing a world that Nintendo itself would have been proud to call its own.
This 20th Anniversary Edition remaster updates the experience with revamped visuals, improved performance (sort of), quality-of-life upgrades, and more. But is it still as enjoyable now as it was two decades ago? Well, the answer is thankfully a resounding “yes”: Ubisoft’s re-release is easily the best way to experience Jade and Pey’j’s epic journey on Nintendo hardware, but it’s also not without a few niggling issues.
Collecting Scadutree Fragments and leveling up your Scadutree Blessing level in Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the best ways to get stronger in the Elden Ring DLC. If you’re struggling with a challenging boss, such asMessmer the Impaleror Commander Gaius, finding some Scadutree Fragments can help you survive longer by increasing your attack and damage negation stats.
You’ll find Scadutree Fragments in the following Shadow of the Erdtree locations:
Gravesite Plain (8 Fragments)
Belurat, Tower Settlement (1 Fragment)
Castle Ensis (1 Fragment)
Scadu Altus (12 Fragments)
Shadow Keep (11 Fragments)
Cerulean Coast (2 Fragments)
Charo’s Hidden Grave (1 Fragment)
Stone Coffin Fissure (1 Fragment)
Ancient Ruins of Rauh (5 Fragments)
Abyssal Woods (3 Fragments)
Jagged Peak (1 Fragment)
Enir-Ilim (4 Fragments)
Note that there are only 42 Scadutree Fragment markers on our Shadow of the Erdtree interactive map, rather than 50. This is because some Scadutree Fragments can be found together.
Our Shadow of the Erdtree interactive map also has map filters for the following:
Locations, such as Sites of Grace, Landmarks, and Stakes of Marika.
Meg Koepp is a Guides Editor on the IGN Guides team, with a focus on trends. When she’s not working, you can find her adventuring around Eorzea in Final Fantasy XIV.
Frostpunk 2 is being delayed so its developers have time to address player feedback gathered during the beta earlier this year. The survival citybuilder was originally due to begin shovelling orphans into the furnace in July, but those dear children now have a reprieve until September 20th.
This article contains minor spoilers for the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
The Elden Ring community’s greatest co-op hero “Let Me Solo Her” has officially rebranded himself “Let Me Solo Him.” After years of crushing Malenia, he’s seemingly announced the beginning of a new pasttime of brutalizing one of Shadow of the Erdtree’s toughest bosses: Messmer the Impaler.
Since then, by his own estimation, he has played for over 1,200 hours and fought Malenia thousands of times, in each instance allowing the Tarnished who summoned him at the threshold to her arena to stand by and watch as he went toe-to-toe against the rot-infested demigod until only one stood triumphant. His efforts earned him legendary status in the Elden Ring community, and even saw FromSoftware send him an actual sword in recognition of his contributions.
Now, having rebranded himself “Let Me Solo Him,” the co-op MVP has seemingly returned to hunt a new but no less imposing target in the form of late-game DLC boss Messmer the Impaler. The name change announced in an X/Twitter post earlier this week was accompanied by the simple phrase “I’m ready,” along with a link to a YouTube video, in which he systematically wore down the boss without ever allowing him to land a blow in return.
Without getting into spoilers, Messmer the Impaler is among the DLC’s toughest bosses, who attacks with a brutally swift set of powerful, fire-imbued attacks, and boasts a second stage that would leave Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy with a case of serpent envy. Yet in the face of Messmer’s onslaught, Let Me Solo Him was able to calmly and consistently evade and counter, his signature look enhanced by the addition of a ragged cloak.
“This is actually Messmer’s boss fight against LMSH, not the other way around,” commented YouTube user Maxwellschmid588. “This man could walk through a monsoon and not get wet,” chimed in Firstlast-cg2nk. “If an asteroid were to hit Earth, he’d take no damage because he’d dodge roll at exactly the right moment.”
Only time will tell if Let Me Solo Him is back to his old boss-busting ways, but given the short video description of “it’s time,” it certainly seems as if a new co-op campaign is about to begin. Be sure to check out IGN’s comprehensive guide if you’re looking to face down Messmer yourself, or simply need help traversing the perilous environments of the Land of Shadow.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
You can tell when a major Steam sale goes live, because the Steam store stop loading. If you can make it past the “something went wrong” message you’ll find that the Steam summer sale is now underway.
EA Sports revealed the top 25 best defensive teams available in its long-awaited return to the college football video game franchise. Like the top-ranking offensive teams, EA Sports factored in several parameters when compiling this list, such as vetting thousands of players, “years worth of game film,” and viewing a slew of statistics when compiling this list.
The top-ranking defensive team in College Football 25 is The Ohio State University, with an overall rank of 96. Led by head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, Ohio State has been consistently a good team overall, with recent years showing its dominance as a defensive powerhouse. Last season, the Buckeyes went 11-2 record, losing the last two games in its season. The first loss was to longtime rival and the eventual 2023 national champions, the Michigan Wolverines, and the second was in the Cotton Bowl to the Missouri Tigers.
Georgia, Oregon, Alabama, and Clemson are some other top-ranking defenses in College Football 25. The full list of the top 25 defensive teams, as well as each team’s overall offensive ranking in College Football 25 will be available below
I’m getting into the bad habit of posting just after the end of work. In this case, I’m doing it because the whole affair might be over and done with when I return to my desk. New York-based Nolen Royalty, creator of impish experimental games about bouncing DVD logos and staring contests, has made another one that consists of a website with one million checkboxes. It’s the best thing I’ve played all year, possibly.
Publisher and developer Chibig has announced a release date for its adorable delivery sim, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain, via IGN. The game will be launching on Switch (and Steam) on 21st August 2024, with other consoles to follow at a later date.
In the game, you play as Mika, a budding young witch who delivers packages to the townsfolk on a small island. Mika will grow as a witch and a person, eventually climbing the top of a huge mountain.
Collect and play as over 600 characters, many in never-before-seen outfits.
Enjoy a story mode that lets you relive the adventures of Ichigo.
Play alone or with up to 5 friends to defeat formidable foes.
Hello, Bleach fans! We’re thrilled to announce that as of today, our 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls is available on Xbox consoles.
As Bleach fans ourselves, we dreamed of what it would be like for so many of its characters to be playable in a single game. To that end, every character in Bleach: Brave Souls is voiced and has a Special Move showcasing their prowess in battle. You can take control of Ichigo and use his Getsugatensho to get through the battlefield, choose Uryu to shoot enemies down from afar with a Quincy bow, or pick from many, many more.
How Does Bleach: Brave Souls Work?
In Bleach: Brave Souls, you’ll face off against enemies in a variety of single player and co-op quests using normal attacks, strong attacks, and a special move that can often deal devastating damage! However, button mashing isn’t always the answer – you’ll need to evade attacks by using your character’s Flash Step and manage the cooldown times of your character’s strong attacks.
To come out on top you’ll need to prepare. All playable characters and enemies have Attributes and Affiliations with strengths and weaknesses. For example, an enemy may have the “Power” Attribute and belong to the “Hollow” Affiliation. In this situation, it’s good to bring a character with a Speed Attribute, as they are strong against Power, and a “Hollow killer”, as this increases the damage dealt to Hollow Affiliation enemies.
It may seem simple at first, but to defeat more powerful enemies you’ll need to think about power-ups such as Link Slots, which let characters Inherit skills and boost their stats, as well as Transcendence, Ascension, and other mechanics that can be adjusted to bring out the best of your characters.
Play as All Your Favorite Characters
Bleach: Brave Souls‘ story mode starts from the first arc of the Bleach anime, “The Substitute Soul Reaper” arc, and goes all the way through to the events depicted in the newly released “Bleach TV Animation Series: Thousand-Year Blood War”. Along the way, you can enjoy 3D action where you take control of your favorite characters to fight enemies in scenarios based on the anime, as well as 2D cutscenes containing stills from the anime, through which you can relive your favorite moments from the Bleach story.
Ever Wondered What Your Favorite Character Would Look Like in a Different Outfit?
While we’ve taken care to faithfully reproduce the characters’ looks from different points in the story, Bleach: Brave Souls also features a great number of characters in never-before-seen outfits. You can play as a parasol-toting version of Rukia, a cyberpunk-themed version of Ulquiorra, and many more exciting recreations! With over 600 characters in the game, you’ll be able to see a whole new side to your favorite characters.
Learn More About the World of Bleach
The “Spirits Are Forever With You” and “Can’t Fear Your Own World” novels, which also take place in the Bleach universe, may not have not had their stories told in the anime, but their characters are playable in Bleach: Brave Souls.
You can play as the “Spirits Are Forever With You” version of Toshiro, who has unlocked a power greater than Bankai, or the “Can’t Fear Your Own World” version of Shinji, whose Bankai became the talk of fans around the globe!
Play with Friends as your Favorite Characters
Bleach: Brave Souls has a lot of solo content, but we wanted to make sure that Bleach fans could play and enjoy the game together.
One of the game’s co-op modes is called Epic Raids, where you are tasked with defeating a powerful boss with a team of up to 6 players for great rewards.
Whether you and your friends launch into action as Ichigo and his companions, or as a more unlikely band of allies, the options are almost endless thanks to the roster of characters that have been carefully designed to fit into the world of Bleach.
Release Date and a Special Gift for Xbox Players
Bleach: Brave Souls is out now, and free-to-play on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
And we’ve got an extra gift for you: if you download the game on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One you will get a free in-game pack that contains items which are ideal for new players, such as a 5-star Summons Ticket and an accessory that increases your character’s exp. points. Jump into Bleach: Brave Souls now to experience the world of Bleach.
From the very first gameplay prototypes to getting the game ready before launch in August, playtesting Concord every day has been a defining aspect of development and core to our culture at Firewalk and our mission of delivering great-feeling multiplayer. There’s simply no substitute for getting your hands on a controller or mouse and keyboard, squadding up as a team, and experiencing the game for yourself.
That’s why we’re excited to share that your first chance to play Concord during our upcoming beta is just a couple of short weeks away! Here’s everything you need to know:
Concord Beta Early Access (July 12 – 14) and Open Beta (July 18 – 21)
The Concord Beta will kick off with an Early Access weekend on PS5 and PC* from Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14. For those that pre-order, this early access weekend will be your opportunity to be among the first to play Concord—and you’ll get to bring your own crew. Those that pre-order any edition of Concord will get five codes for Concord Beta Early Access: one for you and four of your friends.
Following the Early Access weekend, the Concord Open Beta will be available to all players on PS5 and PC beginning on Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21.
No matter what platform you play on, the Concord Beta Early Access and Open Beta will allow you to team up with friends on either PS5 or PC through optional cross-play support.
Play the full 16 Freegunner roster
You won’t have to wait until launch to find your favorite Freegunner(s). During the Concord beta weekends, you’ll be able to play as all 16 of the Freegunners that will be available at launch. Whether you like to run and gun, lock down an area, lay down fire from afar, or back up your team, there are Freegunners for players of a wide range of playstyles and skill levels.
From familiar faces like Haymar, Vale, Lennox, 1-0FF, and Star Child from the reveal trailer to other members of the Northstar crew, like It-Z, Teo, Bazz, and more, you’ll get to experiment and learn how each character brings distinct strategic abilities, traversal and gunplay feel, and, most of all, your own personality to the battlefield.
Explore (and Battle Across) Multiple Planets and Modes
Throughout both Concord Beta weekends, you’ll be able to visit and battle across multiple worlds and maps in the Concord Galaxy.
During the Concord Beta Early Access weekend, you’ll have a chance to play on four maps:
Freewater: Set in a fortified outpost on the sun-scorched planet of Glance, Freewater features intersecting perimeter lanes and a large central courtyard in the middle of the map that serves as a prime convergence point and inspires intense combat engagements.
Water Hazard: On the stormy water-covered planet of Leviathan, a massive, armored eel, known as a Morack, has been caught and is being harvested on a large floating fishing rig. Players will fight across the platform and within the jaws of the Morack in a primary harvesting site.
Star Chamber: Located atop the tallest mountain on the planet Gloom sits an ancient observatory with narrow corridors and a meteorite at the center, which creates great opportunities for team fights and one-on-one battles.
Shock Risk: Located beneath a massive conductive kite in the sky that harvests lightning on the planet Leviathan, Shock Risk features multiple unique arenas for battling with rival crews with pathways that converge on a large center tower.
During the Open Beta weekend, a new world and fifth map will be introduced: Bone Mines on the planet Akkar.
Bone Mines: The remains of massive vastadons on the tropical planet Akkar have become the site of a lucrative Guild mining operation, where you will fight through the excavated bones and mining caverns in a mix of close-quarters and mid-range combat.
The Concord Beta will also have multiple modes to fit your mood, whether it’s to jump in for a quick match after work or to team up with friends for more coordinated and competitive play.
The Concord Early Access Beta weekend will launch with three modes:
Trophy Hunt: A respawn-based mode where you fight to take down members of the rival crew and collect their bounty cards to earn points for your team. The first team to reach the target score before time runs out wins the match.
Cargo Run: A no-respawn mode where teams compete to retrieve the Blue Buddy robotic package delivery system, plant it at one of the zones, and defend it from the rival crew to win.
Clash Point: A round-based, no-respawn game mode where teams compete to control a single capture zone at a central location on the map.
Then, during the Open Beta weekend, you’ll be able to try out a new mode: Area Control.
Area Control: A respawn mode where teams compete to control multiple capture and control zones around the map. Control two or more zones to increase your team’s score and reach the point threshold to win.
Witness the beginning of the Northstar Crew’s Story
Alongside familiarizing yourself with the Northstar crew through gameplay, you’ll also be able to see the beginning of their story. When you play the beta, you’ll be welcomed with the very first of our cinematic vignettes—brief cinematics that, when Concord launches, will premiere every week in game. When the Beta Early Access launches and then when the Open Beta starts, we’ll introduce new cinematic vignettes in-game to give you a small glimpse into how the Northstar crew’s stories will unfold each week.
We can’t wait to see you all in-game during the Concord Beta to experience just some of the content that will be available when the game launches on August 23 and will grow over time through post-launch updates at no additional cost.
Be sure to stay tuned for more information about the beta, including pre-load and server availability timing, PC specs, and more, by following Concord on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as by joining the community in the Official Concord Discord.
*Account for PlayStation™Network and internet connection required. Beta terms and conditions apply.
