I could probably quite safely bet some money that many of you are still happily ticking away at Baldur’s Gate 3, but for those of you that would like newer pastures to get your TTRPG fix in video game form, there’s some good news. The board game-esque tactical RPG Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked at long last has a release date!
You won’t be waiting long for it, as it’s slated for release this coming November 20th. No pound sterling or euro pricing for the game yet, but in USD it’ll set you back $30 – it’s also cross-platform and cross-device compatible, so no biggie if your friends aren’t on PC! And if it being more Dungeons & Dragons something or other, relatively affordable, and cross-everything isn’t enough for you, when Steam Next Fest kicks off next October 13th you’ll be able to try out a demo for yourself.
This demo lets you try out a couple of encounters, with four heroes to choose from, including Jessix, a “human ranger seeking retribution” that is apparently a new reveal alongside this release date announcement! Plus, playing the demo will unlock an exclusive cosmetic for your d20s in the full game. Free stuff! Nobody hates free stuff!
If you haven’t even heard of Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked before, well, it’s a crossover between Demeo, which is also a fantasy, board game-esque tactical RPG, albeit set in its own world, with (you guessed it) D&D! You move little figures around a board while going through different campaigns, a big selling point being that it has online multiplayer, something Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked will also have. And you’ll be able to play it in VR too if that takes your fancy!
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked is out November 20th, later this year.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, October 4, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.
Split Fiction for $29.99
Split Fiction – Xbox Series X
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Xbox fans, the best deal of the weekend is for you. Split Fiction is available for just $29.99, and it’s hard to beat that price. This is still one of the best games of 2025, and it’s perfect for both hardcore players and even those who rarely play games.
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip
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Amazon has the M3 MacBook Air available for just $1099, marking a $600 discount. This laptop packs in 24GB of unified memory, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 15.3-inch display. Powered by the M3 chip, this is a laptop that is capable of anything you throw at it.
Best Buy has this Razer Huntsman V2 TKL Wired Keyboard available for $89.99 today. Usually priced at $149.99, this is a really solid deal for an excellent keyboard. The TKL design removes the numpad, so you can keep as much desk space as possible.
God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense Pre-Orders Now Open
God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense PS5 Controller
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Amazon opened pre-orders this week for the God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense. This limited edition controller is an essential addition to any God of War fan’s collection. The best part? You will get your controller in just a few weeks, as the release date is set for October 23.
Sam’s Club Membership for $15
Sam’s Club – 1 Year Membership
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Sam’s Club is an excellent place to shop, as you can purchase items in large quantities at a cheaper price than you normally could at other stores. Memberships are normally $50, but this weekend, new members can sign up for a membership for just $15.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) (Renewed) for $139.99
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) (Renewed Premium)
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While the AirPod Pro 3s just released, Amazon has premium renewed Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) on sale for $139.99. This is a great deal if you’re someone who needs to upgrade your earbuds but doesn’t want to shell out a full $250. The AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are a huge upgrade over the first generation AirPod Pros, featuring better sound quality and support for hearing health functionality.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Songs From The Video Game Vinyl Up for Pre-Order
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Songs From The Video Game 3xLP Vinyl
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Initially announced earlier this year, the second 3xLP Death Stranding 2: On The Beach vinyl is up for pre-order at Mondo. This package includes 22 songs from the game, featuring artists like CHVRCHES, Low Roar, Gen Hoshino, and more. Currently, the 3xLP is set to ship out in February 2026, so secure your copy today!
Both editions of the official God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective are on sale for steeply reduced prices at Amazon. Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, God of War fans can get the two-book hardcover box set for $69.83 (was $100). The 30% discount is very close to the all-time low ($66.33). The Deluxe Edition deal is even better, as the 38% price cut drops the lavish collector’s box set to only $123.63 (was $200). Once again, this is close to the best price yet ($115.41).
God of War’s 20th Anniversary Retrospective was published by Dark Horse in July. Prior deals for both editions have sold out fast. While you’re checking out the book deals, take a look at the recently revealed God of War 20th Anniversary Limited Edition DualSense Controller. Preorders for PlayStation’s commemorative PS5 controller opened October 3. Themed around Kratos’ tattoo, PlayStation’s commemorative PS5 controller launches October 23. Fans can preorder the God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense Controller for $85 at Amazon and other major retailers.
The God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective Set is a two-volume hardcover book collection featuring 320 pages of artwork, behind-the-scenes materials, and exclusive interviews with key members of each game’s development team. Both hardcovers and the ornate slipcase are wrapped in leatherette.
Volume 1: Greek Saga covers the original God of War Trilogy and its numerous spin-offs, while Volume 2: Norse Saga details the development of God of War 2016 and God of War: Ragnarok. The 20th Anniversary Retrospective was written by Rick Barba, the author behind God of War: Lore and Legends, a recreation of Atreus’ journal published by Dark Horse in 2020.
God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective Deluxe Edition
The Deluxe Edition has a few flourishes and additional materials that will likely appeal to collectors and massive God of War fans. Both books have gilded page edges, ribbed spines, slightly different cover art, built-in ribbon bookmarks, and a display box with unique gold-foil illustrations on the front and back.
The Deluxe Edition also comes with a bifold portfolio containing a pair of lithographs. One of the prints features artwork inspired by the PlayStation 2 games, and the other is based on the contemporary reboot.
Jovan, a Codes Writer at GAMURS, applies his extensive gaming background and research skills to uncover every available code. His gaming interests span genres such as racing, horror, first-person shooters, and RPGs. Outside of work, he enjoys competitive gaming in Destiny 2, ranking up in EA FC’s Ultimate Team, and playing Overcooked 2.
We’re sure you’re already aware of this, but the next three months are basically one huge shopageddon. Halloween candy, costumes, and decorations lead straight into the biggest food shopping week of the year before Thanksgiving, following immediately by Black Friday and Cyber Week. Normally that would mean either a long, grueling trek of in-person shopping, or online shopping with so many tabs open your laptop cries uncle.
Or, you could do it all in one location, either online or in any of over 600 location nationwide, when you get a Sam’s Club membership. Getting access to the all-in-one warehouse giant should come at a premium cost just for the convenience and amazing prices, but right now at StackSocial you can get a one-year Club membership for just $15. That even less than the usual discounted price offered by StackSocial, and you’ll easily recoup that $15 just in the gas you’d burn through hitting all those shopping stops if you weren’t a Sam’s Club member.
Run down that three-month shopping marathon we just discussed. Halloween candy, costumes, and decoration? Check — Sam’s Club has it. Everything you need for a Thanksgiving feast, from the turkey to the fresh vegetables, desserts, and beverages? Check — Sam’s Club has it. Everything on your Black Friday and Cyber Week lists — the latest tech gear, home goods, clothes, toys, even the tree and decorations? Again, check. All you need is a membership to have in-person or online access to it all, and that’s just $15 right now at StackSocial.
You would think that was a comprehensive enough list to get anyone to sign up, but it’s just scratching the surface of what a Sam’s Club membership gives you access to. Sam’s Club has amazing services like auto tire replacement, pharmacy, vision and hearing services, travel, custom cakes and cupcakes, even home installations and warranties, and all at amazing members-only prices.
Rewards Await
Sam’s Club pricing and utterly incredible inventory and range of goods and services create the ultimate one-stop shopping destination, and the more you use your membership, the more you get back in the form of Sam’s Cash. Each Sam’s Club purchase earns you 2% back in Sam’s Cash, which adds up quickly to cut down on your next shopping excursion or membership renewal in a big way.
This $15 offer for a year of Club membership at Sam’s Club is good for new members and anyone who has joined within the past 6 months, and there is a 1 membership purchase limit per person. You also sign up to auto-renew your membership at regular price. But once you see for yourself the incredible range of groceries, goods, tools, clothes, services, and more that this $15 StackSocial deal gets you, you’ll be happy to keep your Sam’s Club membership for years to come.
Harry Potter is one of LEGO’s most beloved franchises, and the Hogwarts Castle and Grounds set has earned a stellar 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Amazon with over 1,800 reviews backing it up. LEGO’s official website shows zero discounts on this flagship model and maintains the strict pricing the company is known for. But Amazon isn’t playing by those rules.
A Complete Miniature Replica of the Wizarding School
It is the first LEGO brick model that includes the entire Hogwarts Castle and its grounds in a single build. Earlier sets focused on a solitary tower, classroom, or section, but this 2,660-piece model presents the entire campus to you in one continuous display. The construction includes the Main Tower with its signature pointed roof, the Astronomy Tower where the students study the stars, the Great Hall where banquets and ceremonies take place, as well as several courtyards and cross-bridges that lead to various sections of the castle.
The scale allows the LEGO designers to include recognisable details without overwhelming builders with tens of thousands of pieces. You will construct the Chamber of Secrets hidden beneath the school, the Winged Key room of Harry’s first-year nightmare, the Potions Classroom where Snape taught in the dungeons, and the large Chessboard Chamber from the Philosopher’s Stone challenges. The grounds surrounding consist of the Boathouse where students arrive by boat, the Black Lake in front, the greenhouses for Herbology class lessons and the Whomping Willow that attacks anything getting too close.
Other features recreate scenes from around the film series: The Durmstrang Ship comes out of the lake just as it did when Durmstrang participants arrived during the Triwizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire. The powder-blue Beauxbatons Carriage is present on the grounds, representing the arrival of the French school of magic. The crashed Ford Anglia is a part of the Forbidden Forest trees after the failed flight by Ron and Harry in Chamber of Secrets.
The finished model measures 13.5 inches wide, 10 inches in depth, and 8.5 inches in height, large enough to be seen on a shelf or desk but not big enough to require special furniture. The build is supported on a highly detailed baseplate that is sculpted as the grounds of the castle with textured areas representing grass, pathways, and water. There is a gold mini-figure statue representing the Hogwarts architect which you can put near the nameplate “Hogwarts Castle” or in the corner of the baseplate to give it an extra visual touch.
For $135 for 2,660 pieces, you are paying around 5 cents per brick which is excellent value in the price system of LEGO.
2025 continues to be the year that gives Elder Scrolls fans everything they could possibly want—except for The Elder Scrolls 6. We’ve already had one Oblivion remaster with a second potentially on the way, while Morrowind’s premiere modding team delivered a massive new chunk of the province the vanilla game only explored a fraction of. Now the Skyrim modding community has gotten in on the action with the release of a truly massive unofficial expansion that has been in development for more than 10 years.
Lordbound transports Skyrim adventurers to the all-new valley of Druadach, a wartorn region that has recently reestablished its connection to the provinces of Skyrim and High Rock. The mod sees you embroiled in a conflict between the Imperial Legion and a band of Orcs holed up in a mountain fortress, one that just so happens to be smack in the middle of a trade route between High Rock’s capital Jehanna and Skyrim’s largest city, Solitude.
The mod mainly adds what you’d expect from a fan-made expansion. A big chunk of land to explore, two new cities, multiple smaller settlements, fifty new dungeons, forty more quests, twenty new creatures, extra weapons, armour, potions, spells, etc. The modders estimate this adds up to more than sixty hours of additional adventuring, equivalent to one Death Stranding or half a Baldur’s Gate 3.
There are a couple of more specific features worth highlighting though. First, the mod team claims that Lordbound includes “the biggest main quest you’ve ever played in Skyrim” with a branching narrative where your choices will “change the state of the valley.” You can choose to assist the Imperial legion in ousting those pesky fortress-dwelling orcs, for example, or help the Orsinium natives turn the castle into a new home.
Lordbound – Release Date Announcement Trailer [Reupload] – YouTube
Alongside this, some of the dungeons in Lordbound are pretty ambitious, at least according to a review recently posted on Lordbound’s ModDB page. “I personally loved the concepts for some of the dungeons,” writes Mr.Picklebum (don’t we all love the Internet?). “Just seeing how far Skyrim can be stretched with a creative look—I can highly recommend!”
It’s good to hear players are enjoying Lordbound, as they’ve certainly waited long enough for it. Lordbound first promised to expand Skyrim way back in 2014. When PC Gamer last covered it in 2018, it was due to release later that year. Needless to say, the mod has been on something of a journey since then, the kind of journey that normally involves sirens and lotus eaters.
This is explained by former team lead Mr Cosmogone in Lordbound’s most recent dev blog, published a few days prior to launch. “Like all modding projects, we’ve had highs and lows, but there was a time a couple of years ago when, as project lead, I truly did not believe that Lordbound would ever be completed.” As with many long-term modding endeavours, it seems Lordbound has witnessed several changes of leadership across its development, with Mr Cosmogone taking over from another modder, Neshkor, “under whose leadership most of the valley and a handful of features were brought to a functional level.”
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Things came to a head approximately two years ago when, having burned out on the project himself, Mr Cosmogone raised the possibility of open-sourcing the mod. This almost happened “before a handful of undaunted team members pulled me aside to ask if I really wanted to go through with it, or if I would give them a shot at finishing it.”
It seems those modders seized the opportunity. “Fast-forward to today, and I could not be happier to have trusted Kiria, Raz and the others with Lordbound,” Mr Cosmogone writes. “When a volunteer project of this scale releases, it is nothing short of a miracle.” That is certainly true. Countless modding projects like this promise fans the world, and only a fraction ever deliver.
That said, it is worth noting that, while Lordbound is playable, it isn’t 100% complete. Although the mod features human voice acting, Mr Cosmogrove says it is still “very much in progress,” as the team only recently completed building the quests. Mr Cosmogrove also points out that the mod is “simply too big to be tested as rigorously as we’d be perfectly happy with,” so expect to encounter bugs as you play. Nonetheless, even with Lordbound released, the team remains “committed to finishing this project that some of us have worked on for nearly a decade.”
Let it be known that whatever I write lower down about what I’m playing this weekend may end up being a big old lie, as I’m exhausted and will likely instead spend my entire weekend asleep. But with my last conscious breath of the week, I shall shout to the heavens… What are you playing this weekend, my friends?
After selling out earlier this week, The Complete History of Middle-earth: Collector’s Box Set is back in stock at Amazon with a massive discount. The 5,440-page, three-book collector’s set is on sale for $80.65 (was $250) in Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days book promotion. The 68% drop–nearly $170 off–is the steepest price cut offered by Amazon since William Morrow published the collector’s set in 2020. Since Amazon has already sold out of this deal multiple times this week, you probably shouldn’t wait too long to snag this one. Like many other J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings book deals Amazon is offering this weekend, you need to be a Prime member to get The Complete History of Middle-earth for this low price.
Published in 2020 with an MSRP of $250, The Complete History of Middle-earth is a wonderfully designed and constructed box set. Each book is heavy, but even the 2,000-plus page second volume offers a pleasant reading experience. Each book comes with a dust jacket and can be stored and displayed in a premium, custom-built case emblazoned with J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic logo.
Based on Tolkien’s Legendarium–a massive collection of backstories, lore, and notes covering Middle-earth throughout thousands of years–The History of Middle-earth was originally published from 1983-1996. Christopher Tolkien, the author’s son and literary executor, compiled, edited, and added to the legendarium to create 12 distinct books.
The Complete History of Middle-earth contains all 12 volumes in their original publication chronology:
Book of Lost Tales, Part I
Book of Lost Tales, Part II
The Lays of Beleriand
The Shaping of Middle-earth
The Lost Road and Other Writings
The Return of the Shadow
The Treason of Isengard
The War of the Ring
Sauron Defeated
Morgoth’s Ring
The War of the Jewels
The Peoples of Middle-earth
At 5,440 pages across three books, it’s probably safe to say that these would be the largest books on most fans’ bookshelves. Each of the three volumes was also published individually on the same day as the box set, but at current prices, you’d spend more for two of them than you would for the box set.
Though The Complete History of Middle-earth is the most economical way to read all 12 volumes in physical format, the 2024 box sets are certainly worth a look, too. These gorgeous sets include splashy, fully illustrated dust jackets and display cases. If you prefer a more traditional look, the other side of the reversible dust jackets feature the original graphics with solid-color backgrounds.
All 12 volumes are included as individual books across the four sets, but if you go this route, you’ll also get a few extra books. Publisher William Morrow decided to include The Silmarillion as the first book in Box Set 1. The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s best-known work besides The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, is often lumped in with The History of Middle-earth these days–and it makes sense why. Early drafts and parts of the 1977 classic are actually in the 12-volume series. Box Set 1 also includes Unfinished Tales, while the final set has a book-length index.
William Morrow continued its series of decorative Tolkien hardcover box sets this summer with Tolkien Myths and Legends, a four-book box set that’s on sale for $53.70 (was $125), and The Great Tales of Middle-earth, which contains Tolkien’s final three novels and is on sale for $75 (was $125).
Prime Big Deal Days: The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion
The Lord of the Rings Collector’s Editions (William Morrow)
Amazon’s early Prime Big Deal Days book sale is filled with Tolkien books, including multiple collectible editions of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion.
Bulwark is about designing your fortress and expanding it into an empire. I hope you enjoy my attempts to experiment and evolve this game into something enjoyable and fresh. Bulwark also continues to evolve with each passing update, based on your feedback. So positive or negative comments are welcome. If it’s intended to help then it’s all appreciated, either here in the forums or in the friendly discord. You are in charge of the last remnants of free people on the Ursee, tasked with building a new home. Carve your path onto a world, tower by tower, wall by wall, sculpting from the daunting cliffs and perilous waters of an unforgiving landscape that refuses to be tamed. Design fantastic ocean fortress settlements. Progress is simple, grow the populations of various factions and you will progress on their Soultrees. Unlocking commanders and captains that may work for you, unlocking new ships, units and abilities.
Bulwark – Explore the Great Ursee as you build your grand civilisation. Scavenge for resources,create trade routes and strike alliances with other factions scattered across the waves as you balance negotiation and conflict to grow your settlement. Freebuild – Enjoy a cosy ‘Freebuild Mode’, devoid of the conflict and challenges present in standard play, you can sketch and experiment without the need for resources, building without limits. Total Conquest – War has come to the Great Ursee. You start at war with every faction, diplomacy is disabled and the frequency and scale of raids is ramped up. It is no longer enough to just build – now you must survive.
Features and System Requirements:
Build sprawling fortresses and settlements on the cliffs and mountains of a vast oceanic world. Every structure connects organically — no grid, no limits.
Stack towers, bridges, and platforms in three dimensions, creating unique cities that grow vertically and horizontally.
Interact with multiple factions vying for control of The Ursee. Form alliances, trade routes, or rivalries that affect your city’s growth and safety.
There’s no single way to play — build peacefully, focus on trade, or dominate with strong defenses. The game emphasizes creative freedom over strict goals.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
OS: Windows 11
Processor: Intel i7 6th Gen or AMD Ryzen 5 5500
Memory: 32 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel Arc A770 or Nvidia RTX 2070 or AMD RX 6600 XT
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 3 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Escape Everlit is a point-n-click style visual novel with lite puzzles. Gameplay is approx. 9 hours. This is a solo-dev game. If you love unpredictable stories, puzzle/detective elements, multi-perspective narratives, or are simply a sci-fi mystery fan just like me, this is a game made for you. Not sure yet? The demo contains the first 1.5 hours of content of the full version, with shared save files. Feel free to try it before you buy. Set in China, 2042, four protagonists with vastly different backgrounds and personalities find themselves mysteriously transported from metropolitan center to a remote island among endless ocean.
To escape, they must rely on their unique skills to explore each other’s “Dreams”. Your choices will lead them towards different endings while helping you unravel the underlying truth. You’ll play as the four protagonists as they navigate the island and each other’s “Dreams”, interact with over 20 vibrant side characters with their own back stories. Each protagonist has their unique way of engaging with their surroundings and the people they know of, thus affecting gameplay.
Features and System Requirements:
Four playable protagonists — you switch between distinct characters, each with unique perspectives, skills, and personalities.
Island mansion setting — the protagonists are trapped in a mysterious villa on a remote island, and must explore and investigate to escape.
Dream exploration mechanic — protagonists have “Dreams” (or internal sequences) you can delve into to uncover hidden clues and backstory.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Minimum
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590 CPU @3.3GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel® HD graphics 520
Storage: 4 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Castle of Heart: Retold is a massively upgraded and expanded version of the original release, featuring significant enhancements across gameplay, story, visuals, and much more. Stand against the Sorcerer—a servant of the evil god Chernobog—to free the last priestess of goddess Mokosh and liberate the land from the Sorcerer’s tyrannical rule. As a Slavic warrior named Svaran, you must overcome not only magical creatures and lethal contraptions, but also a terrible curse that has turned your body to stone. You need to keep up your killing spree, otherwise your body will start to disintegrate, eventually losing limbs and the ability to wield weapons! Travel across four distinct Slavic landscapes and prove your worth against the Sorcerer’s minions and blood-thirsty mythological creatures, such as chorts, ghouls, and vodniks. Master your swordsmanship and tip the chances in your favor with dozens of melee and ranged weapons: from torches and hatchets to javelins and crossbows.
Put your skills and reflexes to the ultimate challenge in demanding boss battles against powerful and intimidating foes. Experience the definitive version of Castle of Heart, boasting a legendary number of improvements. Immerse yourself in the medieval world made more beautiful thanks to new animations and character models, improved lighting, remixed music, and more detailed environment. Enjoy the massively enhanced gameplay with rebalanced combat and platforming systems, vastly improved user interface, and more responsive controls. With any distractions out of the way, wow everything boils down to your skills and tactics!
Features and System Requirements:
You play as Svaran, a warrior cursed by a Sorcerer who serves the evil god Chernobog.
The curse progresses: your body starts disintegrating — losing limbs, losing ability to wield weapons.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Minimum
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS *: Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 / AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 2GB / AMD Radeon RX 460 2GB
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 9 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Star Wars remains LEGO’s most coveted license with countless sets from the franchise earning exceptional ratings from builders worldwide. The adorable R2-D2 droid exemplifies this success perfectly and boasts a 4.9 out of 5 stars across thousands of reviews. By fortunate timing, this set has just dropped to an all-time low on Amazon, and it’s flying off the shelves: At $79 down from its usual $99 price, this 1,050-piece building experience delivers both a satisfying construction project and a display piece that captures one of cinema’s most iconic characters in brick form.
No introduction is needed to any Star Wars aficionado for R2-D2. The clever astromech droid has appeared in every but the most insignificant Star Wars films and TV shows and saves the heroes with technological magic and unflinching perseverance time and again. This LEGO set remains true to R2’s charm with meticulous care for detail and playful interactive features. The completed model stands over 9 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, which makes a grand impression without taking up too much of your shelf real estate.
Interactive Details That Bring R2-D2 to Life
R2-D2’s dome head will rotate 360 degrees so that you can pose him like he’s scanning his surroundings or reacting to droids and minifigures across from him. This rotating system uses LEGO Technic parts hidden in the build to create smooth motion without loosening after extended periods. The third leg that is removable also flexes and folds, emulating R2’s movement from the films in which he transitions from his stable three-legged form to his faster two-wheeled wheel mode. An attachable periscope replica’s the sensor that sticks out of R2’s dome during recon missions and other attachable tools wink to the many various gadgets he’s dispatched throughout the saga, from arc welders to drink service trays.
The set includes a bonus 25th Anniversary Darth Malak minifigure and celebrates LEGO Star Wars’ quarter century milestone. Darth Malak is from the well-loved Knights of the Old Republic video game and belongs to the wider Star Wars universe beyond the films. Including him not only provides collectibility but also provides you with an option for a display other than R2-D2 himself.
The building experience uses 1,050 pieces and offers a number of hours of enjoyable constructing that is appropriate for 10 years and up. LEGO instruction guides guide you through the construction with numbered bags that organize pieces by build phase, precluding the overwhelming feeling of pouring all pieces into one heap.
For $79, you’re getting excellent value for an officially licensed LEGO set of this size and sophistication. Star Wars fans, here is your opportunity.
Often, we attach a certain descriptor to the fans of particular gaming genres. Someone might be a shooter aficionado or a puzzle expert, maybe a sports enthusiast, each eliciting a certain image that we might associate with a particular audience. Then there are the lovers of tough action games, those of us who take joy in friction, revel in the struggle. Or as we like to call ourselves, sickos. At Tokyo Game Show 2025, this sicko went hands-on with Phantom Blade 0, the highly anticipated upcoming action RPG from S-Game. With an arsenal of ferocious weapons, brutal finishers, and savage enemies, it has all the makings of a bloody good time. After an hour of uninterrupted combat, boss battles, and more than a few deaths, I came away with one question: how soon can I schedule my sick days?
Sophisticated Swordplay
You play as Soul, an assassin framed for the murder of the head of his order. Our journey with him in this demo begins at the bottom of the canyon. After just a few steps, we encounter an enemy camp. There will be no easing into battle, as a pair of foot soldiers charge, followed by a spear-wielder mounted on a horse, while a bowman in a nearby tower takes aim. If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get, as I pull out my sword and start jockeying for position.
Phantom Blade 0 PlayStation Showcase Trailer
Phantom Blade 0 is an action game, first and foremost. Combatants, you included, have a health bar and a Sha-Chi meter. The former does exactly what you’d expect, while the latter acts as a mix of stamina, skill, power, and energy for special attacks. It’s not stamina-based combat in the strict Soulslike sense; you can do things like throw out basic attacks or dodge without fear of losing your ability to defend yourself. But you do need it to fuel your more powerful Sha-Chi (aka heavy) attacks, and it is consumed while blocking. If you or an enemy runs out of Sha-Chi, you become breached, which breaks your stance and leaves you extremely vulnerable until it refills.
The best option isn’t necessarily to go in sword-a-flailing, like in Ninja Gaiden, or take turns parrying like in Sekiro; it’s almost like a middle ground where elements of both converge.
I take a few arrows for my trouble, but manage to carve through the small detachment. As the enemy’s health and Sha-Chi drops, I’m able to execute finishers, aka dazzling flourishes that eliminate enemies in brutal and bloody ways. As I push forward, I come across a small bell suspended from a short wooden stand. With a flick, it rings out, revealing a portion of the map. This also functions as a respawn area and fast travel point, similar to a bonfire from Dark Souls.
Executing a block just as an attack arrives allows you to parry the blow, and I learned quickly that these aren’t just a defensive option; they are an essential part of combat. Not only do they negate incoming damage without draining your Sha-Chi, but they also deplete that of the attacker. Sure, you might be able to breach one enemy with pure aggression, but against tougher foes or groups, all of whom are only too eager to start beating on you at once, that’s not going to cut it. The best option isn’t necessarily to go in sword-a-flailing, like in Ninja Gaiden, or take turns parrying like in Sekiro; it’s almost like a middle ground where elements of both converge, giving the combat a very distinct feeling as you push forward, invite attacks, then parry and riposte.
That’s not to say there isn’t a place for dodging. Enemies launch special attacks called Brutal Moves and Killer Moves; the former are meant to be parried, the latter dodged. Using the right type of defense results in you performing a Ghostep, a really slick-looking teleport dodge that leads directly into a counterattack. That comes in handy as I climb the rickety scaffolding up the cliffside. I stealth kill one swordsman on the climb, but fail to get a spearman, and have to rely heavily on those Ghosteps as he and the three buddies he calls over take turns trying to turn me into a pincushion.
Death is Only the Beginning
My first death comes around 15 minutes into my demo. After fighting across several isolated platforms, I face off against a pair of spear users. I strike one down quickly, but eat too many shots in my aggression. I try to take a more measured approach with the second, though, and as soon as I try to create space, I’m killed by an explosive arrow from some far-off archer. My life ends, punctuated with a crimson “Dead” scrawled across the screen.
Moments later, I awaken at the Bell stand from before. Unlike a Souls game, where visiting a Site of Grace or equivalent brings fallen enemies back to life, everyone I’ve defeated remains dead. There are no runes to collect, or battles to be refought, but that doesn’t mean death is without consequences. Soul has 66 days to complete his mission, and every death costs him one of them. Now, how strict that limit is or whether or not we can get days back is unclear, but I certainly feel the pressure to stay alive and not waste any of that potentially limited time by dying if I can avoid it.
I decide it’s time to switch up my armaments a bit. Soul can equip two weapons for general combat, and two Phantom Edges, which are limited-use items, like a powerful bow and arrow or Man-Cutter, an enormous halberd that can crush enemies with a charged smash attack. Each weapon has unique combinations and comes with some sort of perk or special ability. Sanguine, your default long sword, can launch a rapid succession of tumbling attacks, which is great for shredding a breached enemy.
I had been leaning on Seamless Death, a pair of Chakram-like weapons that can be used for fast up close combinations, or thrown to do solid damage from a distance. Now I decide to give Jagged Edge, the enormous greatsword, a go, as I return to the site of my death and enact my revenge on the remaining spear soldier. I have to run to avoid the incoming fire from the bowman across the chasm, and eventually find a route to some platforms I can use to get across, executing an excellent wall-run into an instant kill of a swordsman I caught unawares along the way.
I ring a bell here, establishing a new respawn point, and jump down towards another pair of bow-and-arrow-equipped enemies. I land atop one, executing a throw-and-stab combo to kill him in one fell swoop, then separate the head and body of his buddy with a finisher, creating a satisfying fountain of blood. A short while later, I’m ambushed by a pair of dagger wielders; rather than defeat them with my blade, I call upon Flaming Mane, one of my Phantom Edges. This takes the form of a flame-spewing lion mask, quickly burning up both of my adversaries, opening the way for me to advance.
Revel in the Struggle
Eventually, I reach a large open area at the bottom of the cliffs. After fighting through a few groups of enemies, it’s time to take on my first boss. Enter Wan Jun “Coppermaul”, a towering figure built like The Butcher from Diablo, with a massive warhammer that perfectly matches his sheer mass. I quickly learn he fights dirty too, as he scatters dirt into my face with his weapon, covering the screen to obscure my visibility. Getting caught in that proves a fatal mistake as he grabs me, lines me up, and crushes me with a swing that would make Cal Raleigh proud.
Undeterred, I return to give him another go. His wild swings are powerful, but I quickly get the timing down to parry most of his attacks, taking large chunks out of his Shi-Chi with each combination. Once he is breached, I press the attack hard using the Soft Snake Sword, a flexible, almost whip-like blade that dishes damage quickly. There are a few dicey moments, but the thrill of victory is mine as I take down the giant. It’s a cool fight, and a solid example of how important learning boss patterns on the fly will be. I add Bashpole, as his weapon is called, to my arsenal as a Phantom Edge. Using it to smash through a wooden floor to reach a new passageway, I press on.
Curiosity gets the better of me and I make a hasty retreat, leaving the Red Wraith behind – a decision that would come back to haunt me…
The next boss comes as a complete surprise. As I made my way through some sort of village, I climbed to the roof of a round building. Standing dramatically atop a small spire at the center was Red Wraith. It was an intimidating entrance despite her smaller frame, made doubly so by the total lack of cutscene, gate, or any other sort of forewarning. She immediately presses the attack with her longsword and some sort of thrown blade, but I manage to Ghosteps to quickly break her guard. Something seems off, though – the fight seems almost too easy, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Soul, and he suggests that we could leave her be and flee if we wanted. Curiosity gets the better of me and I make a hasty retreat, leaving the Red Wraith behind – a decision that would come back to haunt me.
A few skirmishes later, I reach the final boss of the demo, the Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars. He leads a team of six other warriors, and, even as a veteran of many, many action games, I have to admit this is one of the more impressive boss fights in recent memory. Each warrior has their own health bar, including the Chief Disciple, with the boss’s health bar, and they seamlessly switch between acting independently and striking as one. One moment I’m isolating one enemy, chipping away at their health, then suddenly the entire group converges on me with a coordinated thrust attack from all directions, as my perfectly timed dodge allows me to leap their collective attack, and land gracefully upon the combined tips of all their weapons.
It’s a gorgeous spectacle, and each time I chip away at the Chief Disciple’s health in this intricate dance of steel, his followers heal him, sacrificing their own health in the process. I continuously chip away at the group, using a leaping smash from Bashpole to send everyone flying when I’m in danger of being overwhelmed. As their numbers dwindle, the Chief Disciple changes tactics, giving away his health to make sure there are at least three followers at his side at all times. This proves his folly, as I take advantage of his rapidly diminishing strength and drop him with a thrown barrage from Seamless Death.
The fight wa= sn’t over yet, however. His three disciples scattered to a trio of towers, throwing out what resembled thread. The boss, now called the Chief Disciple’s Fallen Hope, rose from the ground like some abomination of a marionette, and the battle began anew. This time it was strictly a 1v1, his ferocious attacks now coming with him dangling as he rushed me with melee attacks and threw a screen-filling barrage of his own threads. Even this I thought I could handle, until I heard a voice call out, “Nothing can separate us, not even in Death!” The Red Wraith had returned, and the combined fury of both bosses was more than I could handle.
I died. Then I died again. And again. Each rematch began at the start of the marionette phase, but time and time again I fell when the Red Wraith arrived, my decision to be merciful earlier haunting me. But dammit if I didn’t learn just a little more each time, get to that last phase with just a little more health each attempt. As I threw myself at what seemed like an impossible fight just a few attempts earlier, I began to see the windows to attack, until finally, my heart pounding in my chest, I struck down the Red Wraith with a leaping finisher from my Seamless Death, withstood the enraged counterattack from The Disciple’s Lost Hope, and severed his strings and head with one last swipe of my sword.
There are three difficulty options to choose from, but even at the default setting that I played at, Phantom Blade 0 is hard, and I loved that about it. It never felt cheap; it just demanded more from me. In just over an hour of play, I was easily ten times the player I was when I started. It’s a feeling of achievement that is reserved for the very best action games on the planet. If the rest is anything like what I played at TGS, I feel like there’s a real chance that Phantom Blade 0 might be one of those games.
The AI sector isn’t just a bubble, says one senior market analyst: It’s the single biggest bubble the markets have ever seen, the bubble of bubbles if you will, a bubble so large it looms over the entire global economy and leaves Sir Mix-A-Lot breathless.
In unrelated news, the Associated Press has just reported that OpenAI’s valuation has hit $500 billion, making a company that’s never turned a profit into the most valuable startup in history.
One market analyst reckons this tomfoolery has gone far enough, these companies and those who invest in them are about to hit “diminishing returns hard”, and is telling their clients to steer well clear.
Let’s put the argument for AI as briefly as possible: It’s going to change the world on a scale that is currently so unimaginable it could only be described as revolutionary. It will transform industries and economies. And it is only fair to say that AI technologies have achieved some remarkable things that may point in this direction, particularly in the field of medicine.
But that’s the thing. We’re all getting familiar with AI tech in some aspects, whether that’s Gemini shouldering-in on what used to be a perfectly good search engine, the constant wheedling offers it makes about taking notes or summarising conversations, nevermind the endless flood of brain-melting slop on social media. Some of the functionality is neat, some is annoying, but nothing about it feels revolutionary. Not even close.
So do you buy the hype? Up until now investors certainly have, and even governments are rushing to get on-board with the AI revolution. Here in the UK our Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a man with the charisma of an empty pizza box, was somehow galvanised into the creation of “a blueprint to turbocharge AI” for “a decade of national renewal.” Starmer recently met the US President, frabjous day, and the pair announced a “Tech Prosperity Deal” where firms like Google and Microsoft agreed to spend billions building big expensive AI things for themselves in the UK and call it largesse.
All of which is to say: there is a hell of a lot of money riding on AI producing… well, something genuinely transformative in the near future. So much money that, if the bubble bursts, the pop may herald the kind of brutal economic fallout that can define eras.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Even the moneymen are starting to think that something might not pass the smell test here. A new note to its clients from independent research firm the Macrostrategy Partnership goes in with both feet, but I will caveat it: Independent this firm may well be, but it has taken a very firm and conservative stance on AI for a long time.
This note to investors was first reported on by MarketWatch, and written by Julien Garran (who was formerly leader of UBS’s commodities strategy team, so presumably knows what he’s on about).
Garran’s wildest claim is that AI is no mere bubble, but a bubble 17 times larger than the dotcom bubble and four times that of the sub-prime bubble behind the 2008 global crash. The argument is that artificially low interest rates have led to misallocation, economics jargon for money and work being spent in the wrong place and destabilising things because the output, the products or even promises if you will, don’t materialise.
(Image credit: via Getty Images/Yuichiro Chino)
Garran gets to that number with some creative economising using the Wicksellian differential to calculate a GDP deficit that altogether includes AI, real estate, VC investments, and for some reason NFTs. Under this metric the misallocation in a pre-crash 2008 was around 18% of GDP: Garran estimates that this figure could now be an eye-watering 65%.
Analysts naturally find ways (and leftfield differentials) to make the numbers fit their world view, but Garran does highlight some real-world examples of how the AI productivity boom is going. He cites a study where the task-completion rate for AI at a software company was between 1.5% to 34% and, even with the tasks AI was better at, it couldn’t reliably replicate that success over time. There’s a chart from another economist, based on Commerce Department data, suggesting that AI pickup among big companies is declining.
“We don’t know exactly when LLMs might hit diminishing returns hard, because we don’t have a measure of the statistical complexity of language,” says Garran. “To find out whether we have hit a wall we have to watch the LLM developers. If they release a model that costs 10x more, likely using 20x more compute than the previous one, and it’s not much better than what’s out there, then we’ve hit a wall.”
Garran further points out that the audience using LLMs the most are costing these companies more in compute power “than their monthly subscriptions”. And he could’ve added that most of us use them for free. He then comes up with a sentence that is supposed to be a dire warning but just sounds funny, about the bubble bursting and pushing the economy “into a zone 4 deflationary bust on our investment clock.” Not the investment clock dammit!
I should re-emphasise Garran is an AI critic and works for a firm that is telling its clients not to over-invest or even invest in AI. So take everything in that context. This is no truth from on high but it does feel like the mood music around this technology is shifting slightly. Perhaps AI will change the world. Perhaps not like some think.
I look forward to the Call of Duty multiplayer beta each fall in the same way I look forward to the return of pumpkin spice lattes: I know exactly what I’m in for, and I always savor that first warm, familiar sip. This year’s closed beta is the blast of violent, nutmeg-infused flavor I’ve been looking for since that first northerly chill swept across the land, and while it definitely feels like the CoD I’ve come to expect, there are a few new features I’m already really enjoying and a few more I’m really looking forward to unlocking.
I installed the beta Thursday afternoon and had planned to play it well into the night, rallying my dedicated group of Call of Duty friends (the Beef Lords) to join in on the fun. In fact, playing with the boys is absolutely my favorite thing about CoD, and even a given year’s iteration is only so-so, we still have a good time together.
Sadly, and I can’t really fault it since this is a closed beta, every time I tried to squad up with my friends, I had a hard crash. In fact, it felt like I spent more time waiting for BLOPS7 to restart than I did in matches. That’s a huge bummer, because I just want to run around shooting strangers in the face with my bros. Eventually I was able to get into a few matches with one friends, and good old Call of Duty fun was had by all. It still crashed, but only after a few matches this time. I had initially planned to hit the level 20 cap last night, but with all the time I wasted rebooting not only the BLOPS7 beta but also my PC, I was only able to make it to level 14. I know. I’m not proud.
Crashing aside, and no surprise here, but I’ve had a blast with what I’ve been able to play so far. I mean, it’s Call of Duty, where the whole point is either to rack up as many kills as possible, or hold an objective… while also racking up as many kills as possible. I truly believe no one does it better than CoD, at least when it comes to gunplay. It’s razor-sharp every damn year. It works exactly how I want it to work, it feels exactly how I want it to feel. It’s as dependable as the sun rising in the east each morning.
Omnimovement, Omnimprovement
The biggest and most immediate changes this year are updates to the Omnimove system first introduced in last year’s Black Ops 6. If you’re not familiar, Omnimovement is a control mechanic that lets you perform John Woo-esque flights of gun-firing fancy, while also allowing you to move around more naturally when you’re on the ground. Previously, dropping prone would reduce your target size but would render your movement slow and cumbersome. Omnimovement lets you slide to prone and do sick dolphin dives, mantle walls, and look like an action movie star in everyone else’s clips, firing your weapon with 360-degrees of aiming movement while on your back.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Multiplayer Maps
This year’s Omnimovement system adds wall running and wall jumping to your arsenal. It basically lets you hop around the map like Jiminy Cricket, as you can chain up to three wall jumps together. It’s really fun, though I haven’t really used it tactically so far. Mostly I’m flying off walls just because it feels awesome, and if I happen to get the literal drop on an enemy, all the better.
It also makes moving around the map faster and gives you an advantage over mantling. When you mantle a ledge, your arms can’t be used to shooting, on account of them being used to pull you up and onto that ledge. On top of that, it’s kind of slow, and an opponent can use this to their advantage. You’re basically a sitting duck until you get your feet all the way up, and those few moments can be the difference between life and death… well, usually death and a different kind of death.
Wall jumps change that, because rather than mantle over a ledge in the traditional way, you can just bounce off the wall and make your way to the top without using your arms. You never have to put away your weapon – heck, you don’t even need to stop firing your weapon. It takes away that moment of complete vulnerability, and as long as there’s a wall nearby and the next level up is reachable within three jumps, you can parkour your way to victory.
Wall jumping might be my favorite addition to BLOPS7 so far.
It’s easier said than done, mind you, and I’m not yet skilled enough to consistently hit shots when I’m going up or down from a wall jump. But it’s still fun as hell, and might be my favorite addition to BLOPS7 so far.
BLOPS7 Beta Maps
There are three maps in the closed beta: Cortex, The Forge, and Exposure. They’re fine. They’re not bad maps by any means, and I do like playing on them, but nothing about them really stands out to me in the way some of the maps from BLOPS6 did, either. Last year’s Rewind map, with its super long corridors and building interiors, was one of my favorites, as was Skyline, with its secret passageway, various hiding spots, and multiple levels.
Then again, the maps in last year’s beta were even worse (I’m looking at you, Babylon), so the middling nature of these is probably not an indication of overall quality.
Cortex is probably my favorite of the three this year just because it has everything I like in a map: outside lanes with the possibility of falling to your death, tight interiors to come face-to-face with opps, as well as medium-length interiors and exteriors that work well with LMGs, SMGs, and assault rifles. It lends itself really well to deathmatch and objective-based modes. Plus it has some sweet sci-fi incubator tanks where I presume the super soldiers of tomorrow are being grown from the cells of past heroes.
Exposure is a larger map, and has a lot of cool opportunities to really feel out the wall jumping and running. There’s a dangling shipping container on the map that might as well have a Wile E. Coyote-esque sign on it saying “WALL JUMP HERE.” Meanwhile, The Forge is pretty big, but it doesn’t really have any super long, open lanes for snipers to trade lead back and forth. That’s not to say there aren’t some great opportunities to do just that, but it doesn’t have the same feel as last year’s Rewind, with its back alley and strip mall-front.
The Forge might not be my favorite map of the three, but it does have one of my favorite environmental features so far: a spinning, four-piece circular wall in the center of the map. During modes like hardpoint, the hardpoint will spawn in that area and people take turns either hiding behind or popping out from those spinning walls. It adds an extra layer of unpredictability when you’re trying to hold an objective that I really like. You can’t just lay prone with a sniper and peek around a corner, because the corner moves. That being said, there are a pair of lookouts on either side, so you can keep watch of the objective or just pick people off as they try to bumrush it. It’s great. Even in deathmatch or Kill Confirmed it’s fun, but it’s really cool for Hardpoint and Domination.
The Forge has one of my favorite environmental features.
According to the official BLOPS7 blog, there’s a fourth map, Imprint. Either I’ve just had terrible RNG luck or they haven’t actually turned that one on yet, because I haven’t seen it so far. I’m going to play the hell out of BLOPS7 over the weekend, so that could change.
Guns and Guns
Once you unlock all the level requirements, there are a total of 16 available guns. Right now, and I hope Treyarch is reading this, the M10 Breacher, the default shotgun, is stupidly overpowered. You can nail enemies from way farther away than the laws of physics should allow right out of the gate, and they’ll fall down dead when you do so. You barely need to aim it to get a kill across a large room. That sort of shotgun behavior is fine, even expected, at close range, or when you’ve leveled up and thrown a bunch of attachments on it. But as a default gun, it’s just too powerful.
On the flip side, and this is something I never expected I’d say, but the XR-3 ION sniper rifle is exactly where it should be, power wise. Usually I feel like sniper rifles lean toward being way too OP. Don’t get me wrong, I still hate snipers, and I still think people who use snipers on small maps are weak and their bloodlines are weak. But when you get a kill with the XR-3 it feels earned. There’s a level of finesse here I’m not accustomed to with previous sniper rifle iterations, and I’ve actually used it without feeling like a dirty sniperboy.
I’ve always loved SMGs in Call of Duty, but none of the three available this year are doing it for me as of yet. They feel a tad too weak, which is usually the case, but it’s generally made up for by a high rate of fire and lighting-fast speed of handling. I’m going to have to wait and see on the SMGs until progress is fully unlocked, but for right now, they don’t feel quite like they should, as if it takes one or two bullets more than I’d expect to down an opponent. I also don’t love the LMG, the Mk. 78. Similarly to the SMGs, it feels like it takes a millisecond or two too long to effectively down an enemy. I’m going to need more time with that one as well to see how it ends up running when it’s fully kitted out, but for right now I’m not feeling it at all.
The Assault Rifles this year are, much like last year, where it’s at.
The Assault Rifles this year are, much like last year, where it’s at. While in previous years I ran with SMGs or LMGs, in BLOPS6 I fell madly in love with my XM4 assault rifle. This year I’ve been grinding on the M15 MOD 0, but I’m a level away from unlocking the Peacekeeper Mk.1 in the beta, which might be the best weapon in multiplayer, hands down. At Call of Duty Next, it felt like everyone was using it, so I’m excited to try it out again from the comfort of my own desk.
I’ve got an entire weekend with the closed beta, and I plan to hit that level cap and unlock as much as it will let me. The open beta next week will let you grind to level 30, and the best part is all your progress will carry over to the final game. I’m hoping CoD keeps to its promises, because the new features sound pretty sick: trading loadouts with friends and even copying them from enemies who killed you, XP carrying across all modes instead of on a per-mode basis, and the ability to re-roll the daily challenges, which I love. Also, the final game promises some of the sweetest gun camos yet, and I’m really excited to spend hours and hours of time I’ll never get back just so I can have a gun that’s all shiny. Until then, I’m really enjoying BLOPS7, and I’ll be back with a full review around launch.
Seth Macy is Senior Social Commerce Producer, and just wants to be your friend. You can find him online.
With World of Warcraft: Midnight, Blizzard is getting ready to make good on a major change to the game teased earlier this year: making some of the numerous mods, or add-ons, players love to use to enhance their play obsolete. But Blizzard isn’t just adding features to make the game’s combat add-ons redundant — it’s also preparing to remove the functionality of those add-ons altogether, and players are none too happy.
The conversation around WoW’s add-on problem began back in April, when we spoke to game director Ion Hazzikostas about a new “one-button rotation” feature coming to the game that would allow players to automatically use the optimal next combat ability with the push of a single button. This, along with some other quality-of-life features at the time, were the first steps in what Hazzikostas described as an effort to “rein in” some of the functionality of add-ons around “real time in combat problem solving, specifically where like automating, coordination, communication, in ways that are always going to be better than anything the UI could natively provide you, as long as they remain possible.
What Hazzikostas means here is a long history in World of Warcraft of players using add-ons in combat for all sorts of things: tracking buffs, debuffs, ability procs, and cooldowns, keeping track of damage numbers, boss timers, warnings when bosses are about to do something, even hyper-customized add-ons that offer automatic, quick, plotted out solutions to raid positioning during challenging boss mechanics. Some of those add-ons are harmless by any definition – it’s hard to argue that there’s anything wrong with knowing how much damage everyone did in a given encounter, or having better visibility on when your abilities are off cooldown. But Hazzikostas and other WoW developers have been expressing more and more lately a desire to reduce the amount of work add-ons are doing to actually solve in-combat problems for players, such as positioning or reaction to a boss mechanics. They want to remove that, they say, and replace it with better combat design that doesn’t require such methods in the first place.
Which leads us to now. World of Warcraft’s next expansion, Midnight, is currently in an alpha with a number of media and creators getting the opportunity to test it out, including us. As a part of that, Blizzard has come right out and explained what’s happening to add-ons in Midnight: it’s disabling the ability to use any add-ons related to real-time combat data. That means extremely popular tools such as BigWigs and Deadly Boss Mods simply won’t work anymore starting in Midnight.
What’s more, a good chunk of the functionality of popular add-on WeakAuras is also disappearing. WeakAuras is one of World of Warcraft’s most popular add-ons, and is a powerful tool that lets players essentially display all sorts of custom graphics and information in their game based on a variety of factors. While it’s used for a ton of different things, many players use it for combat data, either for tracking their own abilities in some way or to help direct them in boss encounters. I personally use it as an elemental shaman to track which of my abilities are active or procced at a given time, and in the current raid, there are several encounters (Fractillus especially) that people have made custom WeakAura strings for that anyone can copy into their game and use to make the mechanics a bit easier.
The restrictions are so severe that core functionality, such as Conditions or Actions, or having multiple triggers in one aura or a cloning trigger, would become impossible. Producing a stripped-down version of WeakAuras without these features would require several months of refactoring. The result would be a barely recognizable version. Given that, we have made the difficult decision not to create a WeakAuras version for Midnight.
All this is leaving a number of players frustrated, nervous, and even angry. While Blizzard has said it's going to be implementing its own in-house tools in Midnight to fill some of the gaps left by DBM and WeakAuras, most of those new features aren't yet available for testing in Midnight. As such, there's no way for anyone to tell if they'll be an adequate substitute yet. Blizzard has also tried to reassure that it's started Midnight with the most extreme version of cuts to combat data functionality with add-ons, and intends to pare back based on player feedback. That may be true, but at first blush, the changes are extreme. Many players are lamenting the loss of tools they've used to play WoW for years and gotten used to. Blizzard argues it's "leveling the playing field" so players don't need to spend hours configuring WeakAuras just to play the game competitively with others, but it's difficult to swallow that pill without immediate evidence that the game will remain playable for all those people to begin with.
And sure, you could argue that players should be able to play World of Warcraft without them, but recall that add-ons have been a fact of life for WoW players for decades now. It's almost assumed that everyone has and uses them, especially some of the most popular ones. It's natural to be alarmed to think that suddenly a huge chunk of what makes your UI look the way you want it to, and your combat rotation understandable to you, might vanish overnight.
Speaking with Hazzikostas and UX designer Crash Reed, I asked the pair what was up with what felt like such a sudden blow: why drop this news without giving everyone time to mess around with the actual, in-house Blizzard updates first, so they could figure out what worked and what didn't? Here's Hazzikostas' response:
I mean, I would argue that the next few months are that opportunity to mess around with all of these things. We are in week one of our alpha test, with several weeks of alpha to follow and then beta. This is a change that I think needs to happen with an expansion rollout. It's not something we could ever do mid-expansion. I think it's important that we are able to build an entire tier of dungeons and raids, all of that in this world. That we're able to design our classes for this world rather than changing expectations out from under people while they're in the, accustomed to doing existing content.
I think we've tried to be as transparent as possible about what some of the upcoming UI improvements were. We've had many of them rolled out during War Within to begin getting feedback that we could already incorporate as players are seeing in the Midnight alpha today. And we're going to be paying very close attention in the weeks and months to come to make sure that we land this in a way that's really satisfying to players.
We also have invited a bunch of our add-on authors to alpha alongside everyone else so that they can start giving us feedback on collateral damage that's unintended, things that we can change in our implementation to make their lives easier, to make players' lives easier, and just make sure that we're getting all the feedback that we need ASAP.
Reed added:
Because to add to that, honestly, we want to keep this an open dialogue. This is something that we want to have players continue to keep giving that information. We're already getting a flood of it now. I mean you're seeing the changes we're making to the cooldown manager based on that feedback. That was the whole reason to launch it early so that we could, this is what we think it should be. Obviously it didn't have everything attached to it, but we had enough there just to get the dialogue going
We want to change the way that we're engaging with this so that it's very, very open and players are getting their hands on things very, very early so that we can react to that feedback and this gives us that time.
I followed up with the pair, asking what they had to say to players who weren't in the alpha or beta and couldn't see these updates in real-time, who were now afraid that the game was about to become unplayable for them for whatever reason. I described my own scenario: I play regularly, I raid, and I use WeakAuras to track cooldowns and abilities to improve my play, but don't really want to use the "one-button rotation" or other easier methods because I still enjoy the challenge of mastering my rotation. I use DBM for audio cues to help me understand when I'm standing in fire on the ground, especially when that fire's difficult to see. Sure, I can play the game without these things, but it'll make a major aspect of it that I enjoy (raiding) much more difficult, maybe to the point where I don't want to do it anymore.
Hazzikostas gave me a lengthy response, which I'm reprinting in full below:
Philosophically, and just to be clear, I know there are many, many players who share your exact perspective and use add-ons in the same way and have the same concerns. Ultimately, if you are standing in something that is lethal and is going to kill your character, and the only way that you are aware of that fact is because you have an air horn that's playing from an add-on, we have dropped the ball as developers. And that should be on us to fix.
"Purple fire in a purple raid," I interjected here, referencing the current raid, Manaforge Omega. It's, uh, very purple.
Yeah, well, yes, and we should stop doing red on red and purple on purple, and that feedback has been very well noted. I mean we've also continued to make visual effects improvements as we rolled out during War Within, with much crisper edges on things like this isn't just a UI effort, it's not just an encounter design effort, it's combat design. It's our artists, it's our sound team, it's everyone.
To ultimately take away this crutch that we have been leaning on to some extent we're players who haven't been using these tools, have honestly been playing a game, a version of the game that was in some ways unfair. We want to level the playing field, and ensure that everyone has the information at their disposal as part of the base experience that they need to succeed. And from a philosophical perspective as we approach difficulty tuning, our goal is for difficulty to be the same as it used to be. If your guild is accustomed to taking, I don't know, X weeks to get ahead of the curve, or to clear normal, or Mythic or whatever tier you're doing, it should be roughly that same amount of time. You should spend the same number of hours or wipes to learn a boss.
Just, ideally the things that are being tested are going to be more a product of coordinating, collaborating with your teammates and understanding, solving the puzzle of the encounter in a way that is this unique MMO PVE gameplay, as opposed to forcing us to test Twitch reaction times because there are a few other things that we can do that add-ons won't solve. Or forcing, or players, as many people grumble about spending a bunch of time configuring WeakAuras or figuring out who has theirs improperly set up so that the raid assignment thing works correctly.
That's not what raiding should be about. Ideally it's about the gameplay playing the mechanics, but at the end of the day, again, as I said, part of why we're rolling this out with the new expansion, part of why we have our first raid encounter available for testing in the first week of alpha, is to make sure that we're getting all the data we need to tune the experience appropriately.
If maybe people need a couple more seconds to react to something and get into position, or there shouldn't be quite as many of this debuff or this mechanic going out at the same time for it to be reasonable from a cognitive load perspective for a group of humans who aren't using assistance to help manage that load. But at the end of the day, our goal is just to create fun encounters that are challenging people the way they're accustomed to being challenged that still feel really satisfying to overcome, and I think we're confident that we have a path to get there.
Ultimately, it's unclear how all this is going to shake out by the time Midnight actually, officially drops at some unknown date in early 2026. Maybe Blizzard's tools will be so good and its encounter design will be so stellar we'll never need anything else. Maybe they'll totally drop the ball and a bunch of raiders will quit. Maybe they'll back off, and WeakAuras won't shut down after all. There are a lot of possibilities between here and now, but at this moment, the community of people who have been playing in this very specific way for decades now are pretty reasonably freaked out. It's on Blizzard's team, and its plans for Midnight, to cool those fears in the coming months.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
As one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters, Mario is everywhere on the Switch. The plumber has had multiple releases every year since the system first came out with no signs of stopping, even as we head further into the Switch 2 era. Some of the best Mario games ever have launched on the Switch, like Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
From 3D platformers to the newest versions of Mario Kart, here’s every Mario game available on the Switch and Switch 2, as well as upcoming Mario games set to launch on the new system.
How Many Mario Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?
A total of 21 Mario games have been released for Nintendo Switch. This spans from the launch of the system in March 2017 to the present day. Below, we’ve compiled each of the original Mario titles available on Switch. Keep in mind that this list won’t include games that are a part of Nintendo Switch Online.
All Mario Switch Games in Order of Release Date
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)
The first Mario game on Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, brought together all Mario Kart 8 had to offer on Wii U in one package. The game has gone on to receive a handful of new characters and 48 new tracks through the Booster Course Pass DLC. It is the best-selling title on the Nintendo Switch.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017)
A unique partnership between Ubisoft and Nintendo, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle brought together the worlds of Super Mario and the Rabbids. A turn-based strategy system was implemented to allow you to control Mario and friends around each map to take down enemy Rabbids.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
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Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Super Mario Odyssey is a revolutionary release that reinvented and transformed the 3D Mario formula forever. You travel with Mario across all sorts of kingdoms to stop Bowser’s plans to hold a wedding with Princess Peach. The big new feature of Super Mario Odyssey is the addition of Cappy, Mario’s trusty cap. With Cappy, you can capture and transform into all sorts of enemies, allowing for a wide variety of gameplay. It’s arguably the best Super Mario game to ever be released.
Nintendo Switch Super Mario Odyssey
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Mario Tennis Aces (2018)
Mario Tennis Aces was the first Mario sports title to release for Switch. The game had a large focus on its Adventure Mode, which was the first story mode in a Mario Tennis title since the Game Boy Advance’s Mario Tennis: Power Tour. Content was released frequently after launch, with a total of 30 unique characters available to choose from.
Mario Tennis Aces
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Super Mario Party (2018)
The first Mario Party title for Nintendo Switch is Super Mario Party, which was coined as a refresh of the beloved series. Contrary to Mario Party 10, this game brought back to turn-based boards for the first time since Mario Party 9. Over 80 minigames are available with a handful of modes to play with friends.
Super Mario Party
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New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019)
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe hit Switch in early 2019. This package combines New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U into one bundle. Between the two games, there are a ton of levels available for you to play through. Additionally, new playable characters Toadette and Nabbit were added to this Deluxe package.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
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Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
The exciting follow up to the hit Wii U title, Super Mario Maker 2 implemented new tools like slopes, on/off blocks, seesaws, vertical areas, water levels, and more. Additionally, a style based on Super Mario 3D World is available to create courses with, allowing for items like the Cat Powerup and Clear Pipes to be used. A Master Sword powerup was even added, which transforms you into Link.
Mario Set Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
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Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (2019)
A staple series with each year of the Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 released for Switch in November 2019. A story mode featuring Mario, Sonic, Bowser, and Dr. Eggman is available, in addition to online play with events. A total of 32 different characters are available to choose from. It’s one of the many Switch Sonic games worth adding to your collection.
Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
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Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020)
The main Paper Mario release for Nintendo Switch was released in July 2020. Paper Mario: The Origami King features a unique puzzle battle system that involves rotating rings to line up enemies. Like previous Paper Mario titles, The Origami King was developed by Intelligent Systems.
Paper Mario Origami King
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Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
A collection of three 3D Mario titles, Super Mario 3D All-Stars was a limited release that celebrated the 35th Anniversary. It bundles together Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy into one package. Both Sunshine and Galaxy received substantial resolution upgrades with this collection’s release.
Super Mario 3D All-Star
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Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020)
You might have forgotten about this game, but Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit hit Nintendo Switch in 2020. The game utilizes AR technology to allow you to create Mario Kart tracks in real life with RC cars. The game combines the environment around you with the world of Mario Kart, featuring coins, powerups, and other racers to go up against.
Mario Set Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
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Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (2021)
The Wii U’s 3D Mario title made its way to the Switch in 2021, with an enhanced version of Super Mario 3D World. A new mode, Bowser’s Fury, was added as a part of the package. Bowser’s Fury brought a brand-new take on the 3D Mario formula, opting for one large, open sandbox environment.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
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Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021)
Developed by Camelot, Mario Golf: Super Rush released in June 2021. A story mode is featured, where you level up your Mii character across different courses. Multiple new modes were introduced with Super Rush, like Speed Golf where you run across the course to hit the ball into the hole as fast as you can. It’s one of the best golf games on the Switch.
Mario Golf: Super Rush
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Mario Party Superstars (2021)
Mario Party Superstars is a classic take on the Mario Party formula, bringing back older boards from the Nintendo 64 titles. One hundred minigames were featured in this release, with returning favorites from prior games. Additionally, Nintendo and NDcube finally opened up online play for all modes.
Mario Party Superstars
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Mario Strikers: Battle League (2022)
The first Mario Strikers game in more than 15 years, Mario Strikers: Battle League was developed by Next Level Games and released in June 2022. Plenty of new characters and abilities were made, with eight-player multiplayer added as well. The highlight of Battle League is the Strikers Club, which allows you to create clubs with up to 20 other players and take on competing clubs.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
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Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)
The sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope completely revitalizes the combat system. The game opts for an open approach to combat rather than the Grid system found in Kingdom Battle. New characters like Rosalina and Edge join the battle in an action-packed adventure that spans the cosmos.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the latest 2D Mario game in the Super Mario Bros. series. It introduced the Wonder Flower, a unique mechanic that allows everything you know about a Mario level to flip on its head and surprise you. A total of 12 characters are playable through more than 100 unique levels.
Super Mario RPG (2023)
Released in late 2023, Super Mario RPG, is a remake of the classic SNES title of the same name. The wacky and colorful title recreates each of the unique characters, environments, and battles with exquisite detail. Even composer Yoko Shimomura returned to recreate the magical original soundtrack with modern orchestration!
Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a remake of the 2004 GBA game of the same name. It’s a puzzle-platform game that brings the the Donkey Kong and Mario franchises together once again for entertaining gameplay.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
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Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)
The Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the most faithful remake of the original GameCube sequel to Paper Mario that released in 2004. The graphics are upgraded to give the characters and their environments a bigger pop of color, but the comedy threaded into the game’s plot remains a classic. It’s arguably the best Paper Mario game there has ever been.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Switch)
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Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
The third Mario Party game of the Switch generation, Super Mario Party Jamboree is the series’ biggest entry to date with 22 playable characters, seven game boards, and over 110 minigames across its various single- and multiplayer modes. Jamboree notably intrdouces the Jamboree Buddies mechanic, which allows you to compete for companions through more complex minigames called Showdowns.
Super Mario Party Jamboree was also one of the select games that got an enhanced edition for the Switch 2. This enhanced edition is called “Jamboree TV” and incorporates the Switch 2’s mouse, voice, and camera features… to varying results.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
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Includes a 3-month individual membership to Nintendo Switch Online.
Mario and Luigi: Brothership (2024)
The most recent Mario game isn’t just dedicated to one brother: Brothership launched in November as the first mainline “Mario and Luigi” game from Nintendo since 2015’s Paper Jam. With a fresh new artstyle, gibberish voicelines, and even some turn-based combat, Brothership lets you take control of both brothers to restore the land of Concordia. And while our Mario and Luigi: Brothership review did say the game “feels designed specifically for ages six to 12 rather than ages six to 66,” that could make this game a great gift or entry point for younger gamers. If you enjoy games like Paper Mario, you’ll enjoy this type of gameplay as well.
Mario Kart World
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Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025)
Originally released during the Wii generation, Super Mario Galaxy was, in my opinion, an absolute peak moment for 3D Mario. This peak was somehow surpassed with Super Mario Galaxy 2, which we described as “the pinnacle of Mario games” in our 10/10 review. Now, both games have made their way to Switch consoles in a new bundle with boosted resolution quality, UI improvements, and an in-game music player. Yippee!
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2
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Available Mario Games With Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
If you’re looking to play some classic Mario games, there are quite a few available to play on the Nintendo Switch if you have a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. Here is every Mario game currently available:
Mario Party
Mario Party 2
Mario Party 3
Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario Kart Super Circuit
Mario Kart 64
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Mario Golf
Paper Mario
Super Mario 64
Mario Tennis
Dr. Mario 64
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Dr. Mario
Mario Paint
Logan Plant’s Super Mario Games Ranking
Many Goombas were harmed in the making of this list. Sorry, Yoshi’s Island, Wario Land, and Luigi U, but you don’t count.
Upcoming Mario Games on the Switch 2
We’ve officially entered the Switch 2 era, and the latest Nintendo Direct in September has given us our first look at upcoming Mario games for the new console. While we still haven’t gotten an update on a new 3D Mario platformer (besides the Super Mario Galaxy port listed above), Nintendo did announce Mario Tennis Fever. The new tennis game is already up for preorder but won’t hit the console until February 2, 2026. We also learned that Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be getting a new Switch 2 edition with a multiplayer expansion next spring.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium. His favorite series include Xeno and Final Fantasy.
One of the coolest retro gaming-themed Lego sets is on sale for a stellar price at Amazon and Walmart. Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi, a 1,215-piece display model for adults, is available for $104 (was $130) ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. The interactive model pays homage to the Super Nintendo’s 16-bit visuals, making this the only Nintendo Lego set that recreates pixel art.
Mario & Yoshi launched last October as one of the more affordable kits in Lego’s small collection of official Nintendo models geared toward adults and collectors. The lineup now includes eight models, including the Lego Game Boy, which just launched this week.
Lego Super Mario World: Mario and Yoshi is a 1,215-piece set that authentically captures the pixelated aesthetic from the Super Nintendo era. It’s a fun build to piece together and a fitting display piece for all Super Mario fans, but especially those with a fondness for the 16-bit character designs.
The completed model is 15.5 x 10 x 4 inches and features several interactive components. There’s a dial behind Yoshi’s head that extends his tongue. The crank on the side of the base creates a more elaborate animation. Yoshi’s legs move to make it appear as if he is running. Adding to the illusion is the figure’s quick bouncing motion. Yoshi’s head inches forward and back, and Mario’s cape sways gently, just as it does in the game.
Lego did a wonderful job making the instructions easy to follow. I used a combination of the physical instruction booklet and the Lego Builder app on iPad. The square pieces used to create the “pixel art” are numbered in the booklet, which was extremely helpful for me as someone with colorblindness.
Though technically part of Lego’s 18-plus “for adults” line, kids who have assembled sets in the 1,000-piece probably won’t have any issues.
Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi (Lego)
Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi is an awesome collectible for gamers who grew up in the ’90s. It looks great on a display shelf alongside the Lego Game Boy. The 421-piece replica of the Game Boy DMG officially launched October 1–exactly one year after Mario & Yoshi. The $60 building set is very close to a 1:1 replica of the real thing. It comes with two buildable cartridges–The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Super Mario Land–and a pair of display stands: one for the handheld, one for the cartridge. The other cartridge can be stored in the Game Boy’s cartridge slot. It also comes with lenticular screens featuring the Game Boy boot sequence, a cutscene from Link’s Awakening, and the first level of Super Mario Land.
The Game Boy is the second Lego Nintendo display model of 2025. In May, Lego launched a 1,972-piece Mario Kart display model for $170. The elaborate build features Mario’s iconic red kart and the first realistic Lego replica of the character’s modern 3D look.
We’ve listed all eight Nintendo display sets below. The only other discounted set is the 540-piece Piranha Plant for $48 (was $60). Unfortunately, two of the other retro gaming Nintendo sets are officially retired: the Lego NES and Super Mario 64 Question Block. And heads up: The Mighty Bowser is retiring soon, so you’re unlikely to find it in stores after this holiday season. The other two retired Nintendo display models sell for far above their original MSRPs, and the 2,807-piece Bowser set is likely to continue that trend once it’s officially retired.
Ghost of Yotei is a violent game about hunting down murderers on a quest for revenge. You kill a lot of people along the way. There are tons of sick showdowns in which you gracefully cut down foes as fountains of blood spurt from their slashed limbs. But what I actually love to do most in it is just occasionally stand still.
Sucker Punch’s new open-world sequel might not be the most beautiful game on PlayStation 5 but it certainly feels like one of the most visually vibrant and dynamic within the genre of hyper-realistic action adventure sandboxes. The island of Ezo is full of characters, some more interesting than others, but none more captivating than the wind.
Sucker Punch Productions / Sony / Kotaku
It wisps through the world, telling you which way to go next in what remains one of my favorite UI innovations of the PS4 era. Even when you aren’t looking for your next objective, however, it’s always hanging nearby, ruffling leaves, blowing through flowers, and pushing over tall grass to remind you that the world of Ghost of Yotei is more than just a playground for collectibles, upgrades, and quest markers.
There are so many times when I’m dashing across a field or along a river with Atsu on horseback and just feel compelled to stop, get down, and take in my surroundings. It’s rare that a game can consistently knock me off the critical path and get me to take my time exploring off the beaten path. Sometimes they try with secrets, rewards, or confusing level design. Yotei does it better than most, and without just relying on the same old tricks.
There are places in its world that make standing around look and feel so good I sometimes don’t want to stop. A rare thing for a game indeed, to make putting the controller down every once in a while feel as riveting as the rest of it.
