Win every Wordle (opens in new tab) with our extensive range of tips and tricks. Scroll or click straight to today’s answer if you need to save your win streak, or if you were hoping for a more general pointer, you’ll find a clue for the April 10 (660) Wordle ready and waiting just below.
Finding the answer today took a lot of staring at the yellows I’d uncovered in my first two goes, carefully shuffling them around in my mind until I had something worth trying out. Happily, this train of thought worked out perfectly, revealing a full row of winning greens, and today’s Wordle answer, on my third go.
Wordle hint
(Image credit: Josh Wardle)
A Wordle hint for Monday, April 10
When something is located below another object, it could be described as being _____ it. You’ll need to find two different vowels to solve this one.
Is there a double letter in today’s Wordle?
No letters are used twice in today’s puzzle.
Wordle help: 3 tips for beating Wordle every day
If you’ve decided to play Wordle but you’re not sure where to start, I’ll help set you on the path to your first winning streak. Make all your guesses count and become a Wordle winner with these quick tips:
A good opener has a mix of common vowels and consonants.
The answer could contain the same letter, repeated.
Avoid words that include letters you’ve already eliminated.
You’re not racing against the clock so there’s no reason to rush. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to treat the game like a casual newspaper crossword and come back to it later if you’re coming up blank. Sometimes stepping away for a while means you can come back with a fresh perspective.
Today’s Wordle answer
(Image credit: Future)
What is the #660 Wordle answer?
Start the week with a win. The answer to the April 10 (660) Wordle is UNDER.
Previous answers
The last 10 Wordle answers
Previous Wordle solutions can help to eliminate guesses for today’s Wordle, as the answer isn’t likely to be repeated. They can also give you some solid ideas for starting words that keep your daily puzzle-solving fresh.
Here are some recent Wordle answers:
April 9: SNAFU
April 8: LEDGE
April 7: LOCUS
April 6: LEAFY
April 5: SMASH
April 4: RATIO
April 3: FLORA
April 2: STOCK
April 1: MARCH
March 31: EVERY
Learn more about Wordle
(Image credit: Nurphoto via Getty)
There are six rows of five boxes presented to you by Wordle each day, and you’ll need to work out which five-letter word is hiding among them to win the daily puzzle.
Start with a strong word (opens in new tab) like ALIVE—or any other word with a good mix of common consonants and multiple vowels. You should also avoid starting words with repeating letters, so you don’t waste the chance to confirm or eliminate an extra letter. Once you’ve typed your guess and hit Enter, you’ll see which letters you’ve got right or wrong. If a box turns ⬛️, it means that letter isn’t in the secret word at all. 🟨 means the letter is in the word, but not in that position. 🟩 means you’ve got the right letter in the right spot.
Your second guess should compliment the first, using another “good” word to cover any common letters you might have missed on the first row—just don’t forget to avoid any letter you now know for a fact isn’t present in today’s answer. After that, it’s just a case of using what you’ve learned to narrow your guesses down to the correct word. You have six tries in total and can only use real words and don’t forget letters can repeat too (eg: BOOKS).
If you need any further advice feel free to check out our Wordle tips (opens in new tab), and if you’d like to find out which words have already been used you can scroll to the relevant section above.
Originally, Wordle was dreamed up by software engineer Josh Wardle (opens in new tab), as a surprise for his partner who loves word games. From there it spread to his family, and finally got released to the public. The word puzzle game has since inspired tons of games like Wordle (opens in new tab), refocusing the daily gimmick around music or math or geography. It wasn’t long before Wordle became so popular it was sold to the New York Times for seven figures (opens in new tab). Surely it’s only a matter of time before we all solely communicate in tricolor boxes.
Farm Under Fire is a thrilling and immersive multiplayer game that puts players in the role of a farmer fighting to save their crops and livelihood from the destructive forces of nature and other players. the game is set in a vibrant and dynamic world where players can build and customize their farms, grow crops, and engage in intense battles with other farmers. The game is designed to offer an engaging and challenging experience that requires players to employ strategic thinking, resource management, and teamwork to succeed.
With a focus on multiplayer gameplay, Farm Under Fire offers a unique and dynamic experience that is both challenging and rewarding. Farm Under Fire offers a unique gameplay experience that combines elements of farming simulation with strategic multiplayer battles. Players start by building their own farm from scratch, choosing the layout, crops, and buildings that best suit their playstyle. As they progress, they can upgrade their farm, unlock new tools and equipment, and hire workers to help them manage their operations.
Farm Under Fire Free Steam Pre-Installed:
However, farming is not the only focus of the game. Players must also protect their farm from a range of threats, including weather events like tornadoes, hailstorms, and wildfires, as well as attacks from other players. To do this, players can build defensive structures like fences, watchtowers, and walls, as well as train their workers to fight back against attackers.
Features and System Requirements:
Unlock new tools and equipment
Online multiplayer 3rd person shooter
Dynamic experience
1 :: Operating System :: Windows XP/7/8/8./10. 2 :: Processor: Intel Core i5 3 :: Ram :: 2 GB RAM 4 :: DirectX: Version 11 5 :: Graphics:: GeForce GTX 660 6 :: Space Storage:: 2 GB space
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Chronicon is a fast-paced, action-packed role-playing game that is sure to keep gamers of all levels engaged and entertained. this indie game has quickly gained a devoted following due to its addicting gameplay, compelling story, and intricate character development. Chronicon is a classic action RPG game that draws inspiration from games like Diablo and Path of Exile. Players can choose from four unique classes – the Templar, the Warlock, the Warden, and the Berserker – each with their own unique skill tree and playstyle.
The game is played from an isometric perspective, with players controlling their characters through a variety of challenging levels filled with hordes of monsters and epic boss battles. The combat in Chronicon is fast and frenetic, with players needing to constantly dodge and weave around enemy attacks while unleashing their own devastating spells and attacks. The game’s controls are smooth and responsive, making it easy for players to jump right into the action without any fuss.
Chronicon Pre-Installed:
One of the key focuses of Chronicon is its multiplayer mode, which allows players to team up with their friends to take on the game’s challenging levels and bosses. The multiplayer mode can be played both online and locally, making it easy for players to connect with each other no matter where they are. Playing with others adds a new level of depth and strategy to the game, as players can coordinate their attacks and abilities to take down enemies more efficiently.
Features and System Requirements:
4 Unique classes
Challenging levels
Epic boss battles
1 :: Operating System :: Windows XP/7/8/8./10. 2 :: Processor: Quad Core 3 GHz 3 :: Ram :: 4 GB RAM 4 :: DirectX: Version 11 5 :: Graphics:: DirectX 11 and Shader Model 3.0 Compatible Dedicated Video Card, 1 GB VRAM 6 :: Space Storage:: 1000 MB space
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
As part of Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts have released a new, final gameplay trailer for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (opens in new tab), the sequel to 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (opens in new tab). The upcoming Action RPG will release on April 28, 2023, and this is apparently the last trailer you’ll get before it hits. So if you’re so hard on the Jedi hype train that you’ll probably die without a steady marketing drip-feed, then I guess watch like 6 seconds a day for the next 18 days. I did the math for you. You’re welcome.
Either way it’s a pretty cool trailer, summarizing the themes of Cal Kestis figuring out how to survive underground as a Jedi in the age of the Galactic Empire. Narrated by Cere Junda, a Jedi who has been mentoring trainee Cal, the trailer is mostly gameplay footage and cinematics with no UI alongside a few pre-rendered bits.
In the trailer Cal fights a variety of enemies, like stormtroopers, armored AT-ST walkers, robots, and a variety of alien beasties, including some cool-looking combat while mounted on a speeder bike. He also fights a rancor—because obviously it’s a Star War so there’s going to be a rancor, eventually. The trailer also shows off some combat alongside an NPC.
In an interview posted alongside the game, Respawn’s Stig Asmussen described the companion gameplay. “It’s really about experiencing how Cal and his companions — like Bode Akuna, like Merrin — fight side by side together, how they solve puzzles, and negotiate the different planets that they’re traveling to. A lot of what we’ve shown so far, there’s these cinematic flourishes, like take downs, that you see in regards to combat. But I will highlight that there’s also assist mechanisms that the player can use to kind of call upon their friends in the heat of battle with a button tap, and these unleash special attacks. We’ve got it limited with a cool down, but using these types of buddy tools will help the players negotiate tricky scenarios in combat,” he said.
Asmussen also said that he thought players would enjoy how much bigger the game’s scope is, and with its setting some five years after Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
“It’s really about creating great systems that allow our designers to do things and our artists to do things that we really didn’t consider. It’s about creating a bigger box. We still have a box, but the box is bigger, and what we can do inside it is far more than it was on the first game,” he said.
The first time this is uttered early in Takashi Miike’s Ace Attorney feels like a shot of pure adrenaline for fans of the video game series on which the movie is based. Rookie defense attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya), looking to gain an early foothold in what’s only his second-ever case, immediately goes on the offensive, convinced the evidence he’s about to present will expose a glaring, crucial contradiction in a piece of witness testimony.
It’s the sheer brio with which the phrase is delivered that makes it so exhilarating: the sudden upsurge in volume that jolts even Wright’s own client; the unapologetic extra-ness of the iconic finger point; the volcanic aggression with which Wright then slams his desk and hurls a holographic screen at the unsuspecting police detective on the witness stand.
It’s all so delightfully unnecessary, so wonderfully extraneous — so Phoenix Wright, if you will. And in being those things, it’s the ultimate statement of intent, announcing the movie’s willingness to launch itself headfirst into the unbridled theatrics of the video games. What makes the moment feel even truer to the source material is that we barely even have time to register this apparently triumphant peak before we’re plummeting deep into a valley. Wright goes from believing he’s struck a devastating blow to the prosecution’s case to being on the back foot and on the brink of crushing defeat in what feels like the space of a millisecond. Soon he’s crumpled helplessly over his desk, desperately scrambling for something — anything — that might somehow save him and his client.
Image: Toho-Towa
That sense of emotional whiplash is exactly what fans of the Ace Attorney games would expect and demand from a movie adaptation — these are, after all, games all about impossible turnabouts, the violent swings in fortune that see you careening from euphoric highs to depressing lows, certain victory to certain defeat and back again, with the snap of a finger or the banging of a gavel. The movie oscillates at a relentless pace that might feel totally destabilizing to Ace Attorney newcomers, but feels warmly familiar to those who’ve ever set foot in the game’s courtroom, with its ever-escalating sense of urgency that comes with constantly being on the precipice of humiliation.
On a tonal level, Ace Attorney nails the brief, leaning into the anarchic entropy of the games rather than tempering it, unafraid of alienating entire demographics who might be put off by the stylistic excess or topsy-turvy narratives. Miike parades the chaos front and center: The world of his movie is, like the world of the games, one in which people pull megaphones out of thin air, pet parrots are put on the witness stand, ghosts of dead attorneys outshine their living counterparts, and everyone boasts a hairdo beamed from another galaxy. There’s a perfect balance here between the source material and the creative impulses of the director that very few adaptations manage to strike. Miike rises to meet the energy of the games, punctuating the movie’s aesthetic with sparkling stylistic flourishes: split screens, dolly zooms, and a hell sequence straight out of Nobuo Nakagawa’s Jigoku.
Image: Toho-Towa
Image: Toho-Towa
Image: Toho-Towa
The issue with a feature-length adaptation of the games becomes less about tone, then, and more about the sheer scope of the beast, the overwhelming volume of the visual novel narrative. That mass of pure story is crucial to the gaming experience, in that it allows the player to decompress after straining to the point of an aneurysm through the brutal duels and cross-examinations in the courtroom. There’s a substantial amount of leisurely investigation time in the games that makes for a nice change of pace as you gather evidence and dig deeper into the inner lives of the characters, perhaps more suitable for a longer televisual format than for the big screen (although the anime series based on the games was far from well received).
By necessity, then, Miike’s movie aggressively whittles down the sprawl of the first game in the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, picking the best bits from three of its five episodes and condensing them into something much leaner, more wieldy, and more focused in its endeavor to bludgeon you into submission with absurdism. There are casualties in this process: Bereft of its original connective tissue, the plotting can feel a little perfunctory at times, the structure a little slipshod. There are character details, too, that are sacrificed, most notably in the case of Maya Fey (Mirei Kiritani), Wright’s spirit medium assistant: A nuclear bundle of endearing tics and quirks in the games, her brimming personality is practically nonexistent in the movie, reduced to a mere shell with psychic abilities. Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitoh), Wright’s childhood friend and courtroom rival, also feels tragically divested of many of the shades and wrinkles that make him such a compelling figure in the games, flatter and less morally complex.
Image: Toho-Towa
Still, the broad strokes are drawn well enough to make the drama feel personal, and it’s a testament to just how perfectly Miike captures the essence of the game’s courtroom sequences that these omissions feel more like nitpicks rather than deal-breakers. What the movie understands intimately is that one of the great pleasures of the games is simply playing as a guy who’s kind of terrible at his job. There’s something uniquely delightful about stepping into the shoes of Phoenix Wright — a novice who never really gets any better at what he does as time goes on — as he helplessly flails around, presenting random objects from his pockets to the judge and jury in search of some moment of idiotic epiphany that somehow always ends up coming to him.
Never fully in control of any situation, Wright perpetually straddles the line between accidental genius and criminal incompetence, unfailingly reliant on some sort of minor miracle to bail him out of seemingly impossible situations — whether it’s salvation in the form of a psychic message from his dead mentor, his bonehead detective friend arriving at the eleventh hour with game-changing evidence, or someone yelling for the trial to be prolonged for some ludicrous reason or another. He’s a spectator to fate, a kite in a storm, and Miike depicts this passivity by having his camera swirl around Wright in claustrophobic close-ups as he claws at the piles of court documents in front of him, perfectly replicating the gameplay experience of trawling through a labyrinth of opaque information during a cross-examination. Just look as well at how Wright constantly shifts in and out of focus as he spasms with discomfort, while his opponents, paragons of prosecutorial composure, occupy stable, sturdy compositions.
Image: Toho-Towa
Prominent in those compositions is the anticipating audience in the courtroom, an amusing feature of the games that Miike takes palpable delight in amplifying with his typical hyperbolic streak. The world of Miike’s Ace Attorney is a world in which a trial is less about whittling down information to excavate truth and justice than it is about the gladiatorial spectacle of watching two competitors pummeling the life out of each other. To be a lawyer in this world is to participate in a bloodsport for the public to whoop and holler at, baying for more action with every twist and turn. The movie’s reaction shots are huge to the point of hilarity, replete with visual comedy as the entire crowd responds in unison to events unfolding: leaning in to hear crucial information, staring in befuddlement at increasingly bizarre witnesses, and keeling over in seismic disbelief at an asinine statement.
Image: Toho-Towa
There’s a wonderful physicality to the movie that feels very much true to the world of the games, in which characters exist perpetually on the verge of a nervous breakdown, trembling with latent anxiety before erupting in spectacular paroxysms. It’s a world that can only be embodied with intense commitment, and Miike’s performers are more than up to the task, throwing themselves with reckless abandon into the madness of the script. Watching Narimiya as Wright and Akiyoshi Nakao as Wright’s friend Larry Butz in particular, as they contort their faces and fling their bodies around in Chaplinesque fashion and relishing every movement as they wage all-out warfare on the very concept of subtlety, feels like exactly the sort of thing for which movies were invented in the first place.
Image: Toho-Towa
The visual choice to have the characters catapulting giant holographic screens at each other is a magical touch, too, evoking the practically visceral sensation of triumph you get from the game when the evidence you present lands a devastating blow to the prosecution’s argument. If anything, Miike’s movie feels less like a legal drama and more like a hybrid between a Howard Hawks screwball comedy, with its ricocheting mayhem and frisson, and a boxing movie, with its savage athleticism — less A Few Good Men and more His Girl Friday meets Rocky.
The joy oozing from Miike’s actors as they furiously shout and gesticulate their way through scene after scene of attritional courtroom combat is palpable, and it’s matched by the joy that radiates from Miike himself as he puts it all together. It’s that spirit, the unapologetic glee of it all, that makes Miike’s Ace Attorney feel so singular. It’s a rare and precious thing to be watching a movie and feeling as if its makers were having just as much fun as you are. To be riotously entertaining from first frame to last would be enough, but Ace Attorney fills us with an even more profound sensation of collective ecstasy that only a special movie, the gold standard for movies of its kind, could possibly achieve.
Ace Attorney is available for digital rental or purchase on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube.
After some fan backlash over how the Ark: Survival Evolved remaster is being handled, Studio Wildcard has responded by… making it more expensive.
Last week, Studio Wildcard made a couple of big announcements related to the Ark series. The first one, that Ark 2 has been delayed into 2024, is completely unsurprising, as we have seen literally nothing of the game so far. The second one was a little more surprising though, as the studio announced that Ark: Survival Evolved is getting a big remaster called Ark: Survival Ascended, as well as the fact that Survival Evolved’s servers are getting shut down, meaning players would have to buy the remaster. Fans didn’t like this much, so obviously Studio Wildcard’s solution was to make it more expensive.
To further explain, in the announcement Wildcard revealed that if you want to play the game on Xbox or PC, you had to buy a bundle which also contains the upcoming second game for $49.99 (on PS5 you could buy just Survival Ascended for $39.99). On top of that players would have to buy upcoming expansion packs. Now, in a new post from Wildcard, apparently none of this is the case.
Survival Ascended will now cost $59.99, will not include Ark 2, and will include all of the upcoming expansions. “We recognize how combining ARK Survival Ascended with ARK 2 and requiring further DLC upgrades wasn’t optimal, especially since you wouldn’t be able to judge ARK 2 as no gameplay or content would be available yet,” explained Wildcard in its post, an odd thing to say considering this new version also force you to pay even more than you did before, for content you also don’t know will be good or not yet.
The main point of contention for fans is that they’re being forced into buying an entirely new version of the game, with servers of the original being shut down meaning that there’s no other option if they want to keep playing (aside from private servers, which isn’t ideal for everyone). Wildcard explained in the post that “it would not be viable” to just make all these graphical changes in the original game, but didn’t explain why players have to buy the game again just to continue playing it.
Servers for Survival Evolved are set to close August 31, with Survival Ascended set to release the same month. All in all, a bit gross, so we’ll just see if players willingly migrate!
Some bad news for Alice: Madness Returns fans, as creator American McGee has said that a proposal for a new game has been rejected.
In a new Patreon post from American McGee titled “End of the Adventure,” the creator of the cult classic series has shared the news that fans shouldn’t expect a new game, as EA has rejected any potential sequel. McGee set up the Patreon in order to help fund a design bible for Alice: Asylum, the hypothetical sequel, which he’s built up over the past few years. However, according to McGee’s post, EA has rejected funding a sequel.
“After several weeks of review, EA has come back with a response regarding funding and/or licensing for Alice: Asylum,” reads the post. “On the question of funding, they have ultimately decided to pass on the project based on an internal analysis of the IP, market conditions, and details of the production proposal. On the question of licensing, they replied that Alice is an important part of EA’s overall game catalogue, and selling or licensing it isn’t something they’re prepared to do right now.”
Essentially, it sounds like EA doesn’t think it can make any money off of the project if it were to get made by directly funding it (the lack of licensing is probably also money related, as all things are). McGee goes on to explain that because of EA’s response, “there is no other way forward with the project,” which means the Patreon page has been hibernated. You’ll still be able to view content shared on the Patreon, but there won’t be any more coming in the future.
McGee also noted that with this, he’s also reached an endpoint with “Alice and with game production in general. I have no other ideas or energy left to apply toward getting a new Alice game made. Nor do I have any interest in pursuing new game ideas within the context of the current environment for game development.” He also wrote that even if someone manages to convince EA to make Asylum, he isn’t interested anymore, with all focus going into his family and their business Mysterious which makes a range of things including some honestly quite quite rabbit plushies.
An unfortunate end to a series beloved by fans, though oddly it will live on as a TV series. Guess EA is happy to licence it out in certain situations.
Path of Exile, a popular action-RPG that’s been out for almost a decade, is more popular than ever, beating its previous concurrent player record by a whopping 50,000 players. This is partly due to a huge new update and partly because the Diablo 4 beta is over and people are desperately looking for something to fill the void.
Path of Exile: Crucible hit a new record of 321,180 concurrent players, beating our previous record by over 50,000 concurrent players. Thanks so much to everyone who has joined us so far. pic.twitter.com/9aaVPe9el1April 7, 2023
See more
First and foremost, to suggest Path of Exile is merely a stopgap for Diablo 4 is to criminally sell it short. While it’s undoubtedly inspired by the Diablo games of yesteryear, particularly those releases before 2012’s Diablo 3, it’s very much carved out its own identity in its long and consistent lifespan with multiple substantial free updates and a dedicated player base.
Furthermore, I’m not suggesting that Diablo 4 is the only reason Path of Exile is seeing a boost in active players as of late. Looking at its Steam chart (opens in new tab), which isn’t representative of the complete picture since Path of Exile is available on other platforms, it’s clear the big Crucible expansion has had a massive effect. That said, there’s no denying that there’s an influx of players checking out the game after being locked out of the Diablo 4 beta.
Many of them are proudly outing themselves on social media, and most of the newcomers are thrilled to have found such a worthy alternative.
“I’m one of the new players,” wrote a Redditor called Anomalistics (opens in new tab). “Scratched that itch recently with Diablo 3. Went through the story with a friend and the farmed endgame to T16. Heard PoE is the shit and so far I’ve been loving it.”
Returning Path of Exile player and a Redditor going by Drublic (opens in new tab) wrote: “I haven’t played poe in a year and a half. Diablo beta got me in the mood.”
“Started playing to scratch a Diablo itch, now I’m forever seeking something to itch my poe scratch,” said Steam user Ricta (opens in new tab).
Path of Exile: Crucible is a jam-packed expansion with revamps to several classes, endgame improvements, new skills and items, and loads more. It’s definitely not a bad time to check it out, especially since we haven’t heard news on Path of Exile 2 for some time.
Diablo 4, on the other hand, launches on June 6, but you probably already knew that.
For some reason I suspect this list of games like Diablo might come in handy to a few of y’all right now.
A new Resident Evil 4 Remake patch has landed alongside today’s Mercenaries update, and it fixes the two biggest lingering issues with the game on the new consoles: PS5’s blurriness and Xbox Series X/S’s massive controller deadzone.
The patch notes (opens in new tab) are pretty light, but here are the two relevant bits. On PS5, “a graphics rendering process which resulted in certain environmental details looking blurry has been fixed.” This issue is fairly subtle, and you might not have noticed it unless you’ve seen the two versions compared side-by-side, but fine details on PS5 – like Leon’s hair or small bits in the environment – had been noticeably blurrier than they were on Xbox.
Meanwhile, Xbox Series X/S had a much more serious issue that’s now been fixed. “The dead zone (the range in which the controller’s sticks don’t respond to movement) has been reduced, resulting in more responsive controls,” Capcom explains. By all accounts, the game was bordering on unplayable for Xbox fans prior to today’s patch due to this control issue, but it’s much better now – though still not where some fans (opens in new tab) would want it (opens in new tab). (Seriously, Capcom, please put some more controller settings in the options menu.)
The Xbox patch has also “adjusted graphics rendering processes, resulting in improved game framerates.” The game now looks a bit blurrier on Xbox, but that’s a small price to pay for smoother performance.
Update, April 7: After Microsoft began taking action against emulators being run on Xbox consoles, a statement shared on Twitter (opens in new tab) attributed to a member of the Xbox QA team suggested that the action was being taken due to “legal issues with Nintendo.” Now, an official Microsoft statement suggests that’s not the case.
“The information currently circulating on Twitter is not accurate,” Microsoft tells IGN (opens in new tab). “Our actions are based on a long standing policy on content distributed to the Store to ensure alignment with our Microsoft Store Polices [sic]. Per 10.13.10, Products that emulate a game system or game platform are not allowed on any device family.”
Original story, April 6: Emulator developers are reporting that Microsoft has started to crack down on certain forms of emulator distribution on Xbox Series X and S consoles.
Microsoft’s official store policies (opens in new tab) dictate that “products that emulate a game system or game platform are not allowed on any device family,” yet players have been bypassing that restriction for some time. You can’t find emulators on the actual Xbox store, but various options exist to allow you to install homebrew applications, including emulators ranging from Duckstation to Dolphin and Xenia, through third-party sources.
But Microsoft has now taken those options down. Emulators and other homebrew applications will now not launch on a standard Xbox console, as you’ll get the message that “this game or app can’t be launched as it violates the Microsoft Store Policy.” The change was quickly noted on the Xbox Emulation Hub Discord (opens in new tab).
There is a caveat to all this. Xbox consoles offer a dev mode option that lets you side-load whatever applications you want, including emulators. Dev mode is intended to be a simple way for game and app makers to turn their Xboxes into development and testing stations, and getting access to the mode costs $20. You also have to go through the (slight) hassle of swapping back to standard retail mode every time you want to play a non-emulated game.
Microsoft’s obviously within its rights to restrict emulators on its platform – it is, again, right there in the store policy – but users are understandably frustrated with the sudden changes in how these policies are enforced. Members of the Xbox Emulation Hub Discord mentioned above are hoping to start a social media campaign in an effort to convince Microsoft to reverse the decision.
Last year, Microsoft also shut down a number of Xbox dev mode accounts without warning, a move many suspected had to do with emulation. The company quickly reversed those shut downs, saying that it had “no plans” to remove dev mode – though that statement never directly addressed the emulation question.
Well, at least there are other ways to play the best retro games of all time.
The Last of Us Part 1 on PC has released yet another performance patch, but players largely report that the big issue affecting CPU usage persists.
The latest Last of Us Part 1 patch for the PC port reportedly weighs in at around 14 GB provided you’re caught up on the earlier updates. According to the official patch notes (opens in new tab), it targets “performance, user experience, visuals, and more,” and includes “platform and hardware-specific fixes.”
The notes detail a laundry list of fixes for specific crashes, issues related to textures, animations, and UI, and various other bugs. Most notably, Naughty Dog says the patch includes “updated texture streaming to reduce CPU usage.”
From the beginning, one of the most prominent complaints heard from The Last of Us Part 1 players on PC has been the weirdly high CPU and memory demands, with frequent reports of up to 100% usage and unreasonably long shader compiling times on high-end hardware. And while today’s patch sounds encouraging for those dealing with visual issues and crashes, early reports suggest there’s still a ways to go before the performance problems are fully resolved.
Seems to be better in term of performance, but there’s still a major issue with VRAM and CPU & GPU usage. Progress but needs a lot more patchesApril 7, 2023
See more
I’m using an ASUS ROG STRIX 4080, 64GB OF DDR5 ram, and an i9 13900k cpu. only getting 60fps, yet at 99% GPU usageApril 7, 2023
Naughty Dog has been releasing hotfixes and patches for The Last of Us Part 1 at a steady clip since launch, and this certainly won’t be the final one. Thankfully, with each patch there seems to be some improvement, but with game-breaking bugs still compromising the PC experience, players are no doubt eager for more effective updates.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild now has online multiplayer thanks to YouTuber PointCrow and a dedicated group of modders, but Nintendo’s already taking action to try and stop the publicity.
Back in November 2021, PointCrow offered a $10,000 “bounty” (opens in new tab) for any mod team up to the task of implementing multiplayer for Breath of the Wild. By July 2022, modders AlexMangue and Sweet had claimed the bounty and gone to work for PointCrow, developing the mod to the point where they were publishing lengthy gameplay demonstrations of it in action.
On April 4, that mod finally became available to the public through PointCrow’s Discord server (opens in new tab). Within days, Nintendo had begun to issue copyright strikes against PointCrow’s videos promoting the mod. After an appeal, PointCrow said on Twitter that these videos “are still visible for you to watch – however, they are not monetized. Hopefully Nintendo releases these claims, as I significantly transform their work and my videos are under fair use.”
Update: I have appealed these claims. As of now, they are still visible for you to watch — however, they are not monetized. Hopefully Nintendo releases these claims, as I significantly transform their work and my videos are under fair use.April 7, 2023
See more
In the hours since PointCrow made that tweet, one of the mod videos – the original one from July 2022 (opens in new tab) – has gone missing again, with a message that it’s gone “due to a copyright claim by Nintendo Co., Ltd,” the company’s main Japanese branch.
The mod itself is still available, and while it doesn’t quite match what you’d expect from a full-featured multiplayer version of Breath of the Wild, it’s still very impressive. The mod works through Wii U emulator Cemo and supports up to 32 players through a variety of game modes. You can run around Hyrule together completing the in-game missions, or take advantage of the sandbox for alternate types of multiplayer fun.
The limitations are all about world sync. Different players will be able to see each other as you’d expect, but enemy positions and AI states don’t currently line up – so you’ll sometimes see players fighting enemies that don’t appear engaged to you. The developers are still working on the mod, and naturally intend to implement those kinds of features.
Well, Nintendo’s not making another official multiplayer Zelda anytime soon, but at least we’ve got Tears of the Kingdom on the way.
What might be the best Darth Vader action figure yet, Force ghosts, a very cool version of the Mandalorian’s new ride, and a new helmet that opens up old wounds from the Clone Wars made up just a few of the Star Wars toys revealed by Hasbro.
Unveiled as part of Star Wars Celebration 2023, more than a dozen new Star Wars toys across The Black Series and The Vintage Collection were shown off during a crowded Hasbro panel. Because that’s a lot of cool stuff to juggle and there’s a lot of other announcements to be geeking out about (three new live action Star Wars movies have been announced, after all), I’ve broken down the best announcements along with pictures I was able to get of those products from the Celebration show floor.
As a general note, most of these Star Wars toys are going up for pre-order on April 11 and will launch from the middle to end of 2023. (Sorry to anyone wanting them as cool Star Wars gifts in the here and now.)
The best Vader action figure?
(Image credit: Future)
Return of the Jedi’s 40th anniversary has been a big focus for Hasbro this past year, and the final additions to that line are jam-packed with all the good stuff. Along with a Vintage Collection multi-pack featuring 3-inch versions of classic background characters (like the one everyone calls Squid Head and that guy who shot Luke in the hand on the barge), we’re also getting yet another new Black Series six-inch Darth Vader… but there’s a difference. Seeing as this one is based on the original trilogy’s final chapter, his helmet comes off in three pieces to reveal scorched old Anakin underneath. One hand also detaches to reveal the wires beneath, so it’s arguably the most versatile Vader figure of all the ones we’ve seen so far.
Luke also got a rework, this time representing the Jedi Knight during that final battle in the Emperor’s throne room. It comes with a lapel you can flip down or keep up, so it ends up looking just like Mark Hamill in those last few scenes.
Clone Trooper helmet hits us in the feels
(Image credit: Future)
I won’t spend too long on this one because we got the exclusive reveal for Star Wars The Black Series Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper helmet, but it was touched on during the panel and is too cool not to mention – especially because I was able to take a look in-person afterward, confirming that it’s just as well-painted in reality as it is in promo shots.
Based on the ad-hoc design used by clones under Ahsoka’s command during the Siege of Mandalore in Clone Wars season 7, it’s a slightly heart-breaking throwback considering how they eventually tried to gun her down due to Order 66. Much like the Black Series Clone Trooper helmet it’s built on, this one has a voice changer fitted as well.
I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghosts
(Image credit: Future)
For the first time ever, the three Force ghosts from Return of the Jedi are getting their own Star Wars toys as a multi-pack. These are some of the most impressive figures from the panel, especially in person; their translucent robes and the color fading from their legs make them seem suitably otherworldly, and the best bit is that these aren’t simply reworks of old models. The Hasbro panellists said that Yoda’s skin-tone is now ever so slightly closer to the real deal, Alec Guiness’ Obi-Wan has had a digital head sculpt, and Anakin has a new head too with a more serene expression. (Incidentally, it’s the only time we’ve got him as an action figure outside of the original trilogy.) This got a big cheer from the crowd, so I can see it being very popular when the set launches. Keep on an eye on Hasbro Pulse for those pre-order links.
Mando’s N1 starfighter gets a Vintage makeover
(Image credit: Future)
Folks justifiably lose it over vehicles in The Vintage Collection, so this is going to land straight on the radar of many. Mando’s new ride will soon be available in impressively detailed miniature, and I was taken aback by how intricate it is when seeing it on the show floor – all the missing panels reveal wiring and engineering beneath the surface, for instance. Plus, it comes with a Mando with loads of accessories to pose with, and the ability to swap out Grogu’s seat to accommodate an astromech (sadly sold separately, though you DO get a very cute Baby Yoda primed to look out his bubble window).
Jabba returns
(Image credit: Future)
It’s easy to forget how massive Jabba is supposed to be until you see him alongside other Star Wars toys. This thing is huge, and it’s a fitting end-note to the 40th anniversary range. The Tatooine gangster hasn’t had a figure since 2014 so it’s a good opportunity to grab him if you missed that opportunity (perhaps to complete your Jabba’s Palace or barge setup).
This figure comes with Salacious Crumb and plenty of extra goodies like Jabba’s smoking pipe, all in that classic Kenner packaging.
The most accurate R2-D2 yet
(Image credit: Future)
For a long time, Star Wars toys of the beloved astromech have been… well, slightly off. The Hasbro panelists behind The Black Series and The Vintage Collection admitted that R2 hasn’t been the right size and has always come in smaller than it should, but that’s changed with this updated version. As well as being the first revision we’ve had in 10 years, it’s much more screen-accurate. Plus, it packs all sorts of accessories from the periscope to all the tools a droid could possibly need popping out the front. Much like Vader, it’s a very cool amalgamation in terms of Star Wars action figures.
Cade Bane makes a comeback
(Image credit: Future)
I couldn’t finish this roundup without mentioning my boy, the animated bounty hunter who made the jump to live action in last year’s Book of Boba Fett. Although Cad Bane has a very good-looking Vintage Collection figure and also appears in the Retro line, this is an entry into The Black Series… and that means it’s bigger and even more hyper-detailed. This is a brand-new sculpt and comes with a removable hat (allowing you to see that metal plate from an old conflict we’ve yet to witness), his duster, and two blasters. It’ll arrive in early 2024.
Battle-damage Vader, video game throwbacks, and Clone Wars fav make up the pipeline reveals
(Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)
Naturally, Hasbro couldn’t end a panel without teasing what’s still to come. And there seems to be plenty on the horizon. Even though the panelists blazed through announcements, it wasn’t hard to see that we’ve got a real range on the way. Alongside battle-damaged Vader from Obi-Wan Kenobi and a battered Grievous from the Battlefront video game series, we’re getting a Black Series and Vintage Collection Paz Viszla from the Clone Wars animated show. Grand Admiral Thrawn from Rebels is coming too as a Vintage Collection figure, along with a Force Ghost version of Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan from the very end of his series (when he breaks out the classic “hello there”), Director Krennic, and Darth Revan are on their way too.
None of these figures were actually shown, though – it’s more of a peek behind the curtain.
Despite these advancements, cheating has and will continue to persist as cheat-makers find ways to work around Ricochet, and some players say updates are “too late” (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)and “not enough.” (opens in new tab) In a rather candid reply from Treyarch (opens in new tab), which notably isn’t the main developer on the current Modern Warfare 2 or Warzone 2, the Call of Duty studio addressed a recent anti-cheat report (opens in new tab) and acknowledged that it’s an ongoing struggle keeping the cheaters at bay:
“I appreciate that what I have to share here may not be enough for players, and you have every right to share your criticisms; anti-cheat is a constant effort. It is the proverbial game of cat vs. mouse, and we are constantly working toward stopping and thwarting their efforts. I think you are right, this is a step in the right direction. I’m excited for Ricochet and the teams I work with to keep iterating so we can do our best to provide the best matches possible for players.”
This is the unfortunate reality of a situation where a company is playing defense against an active and persistent threat. The cheaters cheat, the anti-cheat detects their latest methods and counters them, and the cheaters either work around the defense line or develop a new strategy, and the cycle continues. The best outcome here is that Ricochet continues adapting fast enough to minimize the effectiveness of cheaters to a point where their efforts stop being worth the payout – which is, I’ll remind you, undeserved wins in an online video game.
In case you wondered what the difference is between the standard and the enhanced edition, the latter includes the season pass and all the content released in the first year of “post-launch support”, including an expansion with the buggy, an additional game mode, two extra quarantine zones, and two bundles.
Automation puzzle game Shapez is also free across the same time period, too.
Dying Light franchise director Tymon Smektala shared this news at the Future Games Show (opens in new tab) Spring Showcase Powered by the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, where he also teased the next DLC content and promised that more support for mods and mod maps will be coming to the community later this year.
Parkour combat was one of Dying Light 2’s strengths, so it’s certainly promising to hear Smektala say that this upcoming update will “include significant improvements to the combat system that will be more brutal, physical, and rewarding” than ever before. The franchise director also confirmed that you’ll no longer have to choose between “style or stats”, as the new gear transmog system will let you better transform your favorite gear to fit your look.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is out now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is a faithful recreation of the classic game, but it’s also added or adjusted some environments and systems to refresh things. Speedrunners have been digging into those changes while reconfirming strategies from the original game, and they’ve already found some tactics and time-savers that can come in handy even when you aren’t racing against the clock.
Minor spoilers for some Resident Evil 4 Remake levels ahead.
Speedrun guru WaifuRuns (opens in new tab) recently released a fabulous round-up of the discoveries made since the remake’s release. As you’d expect, some of the most popular skips are proper glitches that push Leon out of the game world or through doors. A sniper rifle equipped with a scope is key to a lot of these glitches, as aiming the scope at the ground apparently pushes Leon’s character model back just enough to clip through some geometry and avoid many large sequences or fights. Some of these skips are actually too effective because they can let you access boss fights or scripted areas in the wrong chapter, soft-locking the game.
That said, a lot of the strategies used by speedrunners are just clever but fairly normal weapon interactions, and on top of saving precious minutes in timed runs, they can save you a lot of headache in a normal playthrough. This started with small discoveries like skipping the village fight by shooting the church bell, or using gold eggs to nearly one-shot a particular boss, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
As WaifuRuns reports, you can breeze through the opening windmill encounter just by shooting a lock off a door through a window in the rear shed. In a similar vein, several counterweights in the castle section – particularly the catapult and Gigante bits – can be broken early, either by shooting them through windows or chucking grenades through gaps in iron doors. In another cool instance of prior knowledge shortening some sequences, a ton of Ashley’s puzzle section in the castle can be skipped just by entering the code at the start – no need to acquire it in-game.
In the interior of the castle, when you’re collecting pieces of the chimera statue, there’s an encounter where a masked cultist pulls a lever that drops you into a big fight on the lower level of the room. The thing is, this cultist spawns before the cutscene triggers, which means you can just chuck a frag or stun grenade at their location beforehand to avoid dropping down. That’s another win for real-time cutscenes.
Likewise, encounters that revolve around destroying some environmental blockades – namely the big rock in the mines or the concrete wall by the wrecking ball – can be skipped using the RPGs sold by the merchant. This is an expensive skip, and if you do buy any RPGs you may want to save them for boss fights, but it’s still in the spirit of things. When you buy an RPG, you’re basically spending a bunch of Pesetas to skip a tough fight, or in this case, a sizable chunk of certain levels. Luckily, heavy grenades will also work for the wrecking ball section.
The late-gem section with the helicopter and anti-aircraft turrets has a similar workaround. It turns out you don’t actually need to clear out the surrounding area to reach the mounted machine gun in order to destroy the turret. Instead, you can just chuck two heavy grenades at the thing and waltz right through.
Many of these strategies simply require you to hang onto certain resources or use specific weapons in inventive ways, and tangible payoff for that kind of game knowledge is a big part of what makes Resident Evil 4 so beloved and replayable to begin with.
It feels like everything’s coming up Ahsoka right now thanks to hype surrounding her show, and that extends to merch with this new Star Wars The Black Series helmet. As part of Star Wars Celebration, we can exclusively reveal that a wearable replica of Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper helmet is on the way.
Based on a pattern used by the clones assigned to her during The Clone Wars season 7, Star Wars The Black Series Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper Premium Electronic Helmet is a more realistic version of that animated design. Besides extensive weathering that makes it look as if it’s seen battle, it features voice distortion so that you can sound like a Clone Trooper whilst wearing it.
You can take a look at the helmet yourself below. It’ll be available Autumn 2023 for £139.99 and will be available for pre-order at 6pm GMT on April 11 via Amazon and Hasbro Pulse. US pricing has yet to be confirmed.
Image 1 of 12
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
(Image credit: Hasbro)
Here’s the official product description:
“During the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano asked the Jedi to help a besieged Mandalore. Though little Republic support could be spared, a 501st Clone Trooper division pledged their loyalty to Ahsoka, demonstrated by their repainted helmets. STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the biggest battles and missions in the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium roleplay, AHSOKA’S CLONE TROOPER PREMIUM ELECTRONIC HELMET, inspired by STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. Features premium deco, realistic detail, series-inspired design and electronic voice distortion so fans and collectors can have their voice to sound just like a Clone Trooper.”
Although it’s modelled on the first official Star Wars The Black Series Clone Trooper helmet, that orange paintwork gives it a strong identity of its own. As well as capturing that rough, by-hand look (the clones put this paintjob together on very short notice in the series, after all), some weathering has been added to the front and sides that clearly suggests the wearer of the helmet has seen battle. These aren’t shiny new clones off the Kamino assembly line; they’re combat-hardened, and the result is more akin to The Black Series Bo-Katan helmet (that one stood out thanks to surprisingly convincing blaster scores, dings, and scratches).
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor director Stig Asmussen has revealed Coruscant to be one of the planets featured in the sequel, though it may not be a fully explorable open world area.
“We’re taking our Metroidvania approach a step further and, just to talk about another planet, we’re going to have Coruscant as well,” he said. “I think there’s been a lot of speculation on that, and [I’m] just confirming it here.”
“To be clear, Stig never claimed Coruscant was a ‘freely explorable open world’ [as one Twitter account claimed]. He only confirmed it as one of the destinations in the game,” McNamara said. “Survivor has amazing planets to explore and our biggest environments to date, but wanted to be clear on what was said.”
It’s therefore unclear how much Coruscant will feature in Jedi: Survivor. It could be as open a world or area as the other locations, or it may just be featured as part of one particular story mission, much like the final area of Jedi: Fallen Order.
Fans don’t have too long until they find out though as the game launches on April 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. It’s latest trailer showed battles against Stormtroopers, Destroyer Droids from the prequel trilogy, and even a Rancor, and developer Respawn Entertainment promise just as much story to match the action.
In our preview of the game, IGN said: Our “main takeaway from roughly five hours with the upcoming sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is that it felt like [we were] systematically crossing off the issues I had with Fallen Order.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, an epic new adventure that will push Cal further than ever as he fights to protect the galaxy from descending into darkness. Picking up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the game is a third person, narrative-driven action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on April 28, 202
Despite being in early access, Disney Dreamlight Valley has had some fun holiday events filled with limited-time challenges and cosmetics, and that trend is continuing with the Eggstravaganza Event. With some fresh holiday-themed Dreamlight tasks to knock out, additional furniture to craft, and even some new cooking recipes, there’s a lot to keep you busy during the event. Here’s everything you need to know.
Event dates
The Eggstravaganza Event runs from Saturday, April 8 through Saturday, April 29. There are some new additions to the game during this time period that must be completed before the event ends or you’ll lose out on the opportunity, so be sure to make the most of your time.
New items
There are some new event-exclusive items to get your hands on if you want to craft and cook all of the new recipes.
Egg-cellent Fruit
There’s a new fruit bush that grows, uh, eggs. There are three of them across the valley, though you can move them wherever you wish. You can get Egg-cellent Fruit x3 for each bush, so that’s a good haul for each rotation. You’ll also earn plenty of these from completing daily and weekly quests.
Wild Spring Egg
You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled as you’re exploring, as these eggs are scattered around on the ground throughout the valley. Otherwise, you can only get them from WALL-E’s quests, so use them wisely!
Spring V-EGG-etable
Keeping a stock of Spring V-EGG-etables around requires a bit of work. You’ll only get small amounts of these when completing daily and weekly quests, so your best bet is to craft seeds to plant and grow your own. You’ll need Dreamlight x20, Egg-cellent Fruit x1, and Wild Spring Egg x1 to craft a single bag of seeds.
You need to use eggs to make egg seeds because, well, you just need to.
Daily and weekly quests
There are now daily and weekly quests you can get from WALL-E during the event. Simply speak to him when he has a quest marker above his head and accept them. They’re all pretty easy to complete–mostly asking you to perform quick tasks around the valley or craft an item. Just make sure you check in with WALL-E each day so you don’t miss some opportunities to earn eggs.
Holiday-themed Dreamlight tasks
As with all holiday events, you can find some unique Dreamlight tasks hidden in your Village tab within the Dreamlight menu. There are four in total, and completing each one will grant you a unique item. You can check out how to solve them below–and check the next section for any recipes you’ll need to do so.
Spring Taste Test
Make and eat one of each of the new event recipes.
Reward: Spring Tableware
That’s Not Where Eggs Come From
Craft and plant V-EGG-etable Seeds (recipe further down), then harvest them.
Rewards: Spring Chocolate (10), Blue Spring Rabbit companion (30), Pink Spring Rabbit companion (60), Yellow Spring Rabbit companion (100)
WALL-E Loves Flowers
Hang out with WALL-E and pick 50 flowers.
Reward: Decorative Tulip Bouquet
Egg-ceptional Decorating
Make and display four of the new pieces of event furniture.
Reward: Tulip Lamp
Spring recipes
There are some new egg-based cooking and crafting recipes to check out during the event. Here’s how to make everything.
There are three new event-specific cooking recipes.
Cooking recipes
Spring Chocolate – Wild Spring Egg, Sugarcane, Cocoa Bean
Spring Egg Bowl – Wild Spring Egg, Egg-cellent Fruit, Spring V-EGG-etable, Sugarcane, Cocoa Bean
Spring Mimosa Eggs – Wild Spring Egg, Egg-cellent Fruit, Spring V-EGG-etable, Basil
Crafting recipes
“Don’t Put ‘Em All in One Basket” Basket – Wild Spring Egg x10, Egg-cellent Fruit x10, Spring V-EGG-etable x5, Fiber x20
Over Easy Chair – Wild Spring Egg x5, Egg-cellent Fruit x5
Spring Egg Bounty – Wild Spring Egg x15, Egg-cellent Fruit x15, Spring V-EGG-etable x15, Stone x50
Spring Stall – Wild Spring Egg x10, Egg-cellent Fruit x10, Spring V-EGG-etable x10, Hardwood x20
Sunny Side Up Arch – Wild Spring Egg x15, Egg-cellent Fruit x25, Spring V-EGG-etable x25, Iron Ingot x10
V-EGG-etable Seeds – Wild Spring Egg x1, Egg-cellent Fruit x1, Dreamlight x20
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.