Final Fantasy 14’s Endwalker patch cycle is coming to a close, but there’s still a bit more in an upcoming patch. Patch 6.55 will be the last update for Endwalker that includes story or any substantial content and it launches soon.
Below, we explain the launch time for FFXIV’s patch 6.55 update and talk a little bit about what the update will have.
When does FFXIV patch 6.55 release and come back online?
FFXIV’s patch 6.55 will be playable starting at these times on Tuesday, Jan. 16:
2 a.m. PST for the West Coast of North America
5 a.m. EST for the East Coast of North America
10 a.m. GMT for the U.K.
11 a.m. CET for west mainland Europe
7 p.m. JST in Japan
Maintenance for the game will start 24 hours before this — so at the same times above on Monday, Jan. 15.
That said, since the game is going to go down on Monday morning before the patch is live, you should make sure you have all your weeklies done ahead of time. If you’ve been putting your Thaleia clear off to the last second, then go run it now before you miss out on that sweet coin.
What content is going to be in FFXIV patch 6.55?
Patch 6.55 will contain the last bits of content for the Endwalker patch cycle. It’ll have a short bit of main scenario quest that’ll show some set-up for the upcoming Dawntrail expansion.
There’ll also be new additions to the Tataru’s Grand Endeavor side quest line, a new trial, and new Hildebrand quests. Since there’ll be more Hildebrand, that naturally also means that there will be a new step to complete for your Manderville weapon. There will also be allied tribe quests, a special quest line you can only complete if you maxed out reputation on the Endwalker tribes (Arkasodara, Omicron, and Loporrits).
There will be some tiny updates to come between 6.55 and Dawntrail, including the crossover event for Final Fantasy 16. Based on previous expansion patch cycles, we’ll also get drop restrictions for Thaleia and the last tier of Pandaemonium removed in future small patches as well. These small patches will likely also have quality-of-life changes and bug fixes, but no big content additions beyond that.
Hi Rez Studios and Titan Forge Games will release a sequel to Smite, the third-person MOBA that was first released in 2014 and has drawn 40 million players since, the companies announced Friday. Smite 2 will bring with it an Unreal Engine 5-powered upgrade, and promises full cross-play and cross-progression.
Smite 2’s developers say that the move from Smite’s Unreal Engine 3 to Epic Games’ newest game engine will give the sequel more “godlike impact” — meaning graphical upgrades and more dazzling effects. But Titan Forge and Hi Rez are also promising gameplay improvements, including an updated user interface and better matchmaking. Developers also say that Smite 2 will be built with multiple control schemes in mind from the start: keyboard and mouse, controller, and even SteamDeck.
The original Smite isn’t going away. Titan Forge and Hi Rez say they plan to keep the original running as a stand-alone title, and the game “will continue to receive regular updates and servers will remain available for the foreseeable future.” But not all cosmetics from Smite will carry over to Smite 2, given the undertaking of bringing 10 years of content to the sequel.
“There are currently over 1,600 skins in Smite, excluding Mastery skins,” Titan Forge and Hi Rez said in an FAQ on the Smite 2 website. “To just port every skin to Smite 2 would take about 246 person-years of work. And we couldn’t both do that, and make Smite 2 as amazing as we knew it could be if we focused on starting anew.”
An alpha playtest of Smite 2 is planned for the spring. Smite fans interested in giving the sequel a go can register to take part at the game’s official website.
Smite 2 will be playable on PlayStation 5, SteamDeck, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. Like the original Smite, it will be free to play.
It’s beyond undeniable that 2023 was one of the most memorable years in recent history when it came to new game releases. From completely brand new IPs, to long-awaited sequels, to surprisingly refreshing remakes, there was something for just about literally everyone to try.
It puts just a little bit of pressure on this new year to keep that momentum going, but thankfully there are even more exciting new titles to look forward to, particularly on the PlayStation side of the field. If you’re wondering what all is on the docket this year for PS5 players, we’ve got you covered. Here is our list of all PS5 exclusives releasing in 2024.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Release Date: January 19, 2024
Image Source: Naughty Dog
On the heels of giving the universally acclaimed The Last of Us Part I an incredible glow up with their new PS5 engine technology, Naughty Dog has understandably done the same for the sequel, which is set to release in just a couple of weeks now on the PS5. Revered as one of the most controversial and yet most successful sequels in the industry, The Last of Us Part II takes players back into the lives of Joel and Ellie a few years after the events of the first game, and the consequences of Joel’s decisions which have created a familial rift between the two of them.
This time around, players experience the journey ahead mostly through Ellie’s eyes, and even those of new characters she encounters along the way. The journey itself is perhaps one of the most emotionally palpable and devastating ones ever seen in modern gaming, and one that powerfully divided the fanbase of the series in the months and years following its release. If you’ve never played the sequel before, or want to relive it in its completely remastered version, this will be your chance. This version will also debut a brand new, roguelike survival mode called No Return mode for players to try out.
Helldivers II
Release Date: February 8, 2024
Image Source: Arrowhead Game Studios
Helldivers II, which releases on PS5 and PC early next month, looks to be a spectacular reimagining of the original game that debuted back in 2015, with far more explosive action that you can share with friends. While keeping the soul of the first game, the team at Arrowhead Game Studios set aside the top-down aesthetic and instead opted for a more immersive and modern style this time around as a third person shooter.
They’ve also promised plenty of “fast, frantic, and ferocious” action, albeit with a stroke of good humor on the side, as players are tasked with fending off ruthless alien invasions on various planets. You don’t have to face them all alone, however, as the game will feature online co-op, allowing you to team up with your friends against these dangerous threats.
Pacific Drive
Release Date: February 22, 2024
Image Source: Ironwood Studios
Pacific Drive is the very first IP out of Seattle-based Ironwood Studios, and if the trailers are anything to go by, it looks like a very promising and unique experience behind the wheel. An amazing soundtrack plays alongside the backdrop of a mysterious supernatural catastrophe that’s happened in the Pacific Northwest of the country. The region has since been renamed as the Olympic Exclusion Zone where outsiders aren’t permitted, but your character remains trapped within this treacherous, unforgiving landscape, and it’s all about personal survival while uncovering the source of what happened.
The key to actually surviving this supernatural catastrophe is your beloved station wagon, which you need to keep alive and running just as much as yourself. That requires venturing out into the wilderness of the Exclusion Zone to gather as many resources as you can, and each time you travel, new threats and mysteries await in the darkest shadows. Customize and upgrade your car in any way you see fit, with as many bells and whistles as you can, all in the hopes that you can discover the truth and finally escape. Pacific Drive pulls in for players everywhere on PS5 and PC at the end of February.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Release Date: February 29, 2024
Image Source: Square Enix via Twinfinite
After Final Fantasy VII Remake blew countless fans away with what turned out to be a dramatically immersive reimagining of merely the beginning of the iconic game’s original story, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to be the next huge chapter of Cloud Strife’s epic adventure, emphasis on “huge”. After he breaks out of Midgar alongside Tifa, Barrett, Red XIII, and Aerith in order to pursue Sephiroth, the party now has the entire world of Gaia before them to explore. As beautifully vibrant as it is, Red XIII reminds them that the planet is actually on the precipice of death thanks to Shinra, as well as the machinations of Jenova and Sephiroth.
Along their journey, as revealed in the game’s latest trailers, the party will unite with familiar characters such as Vincent, Cait Sith, and Cid, as well as Yuffie whom players first got to play as in the Intergrade DLC. The gameplay will further evolve, with players able to seamlessly combine abilities between characters during battle. Plenty of open world exploration will mix with more linear storytelling as players are taken through an almost entirely new version of the story, with Cloud’s former friend Zack Fair mysteriously alive in another timeline. Not only that, it’s all but confirmed that arguably the most iconic scene in the game will occur, which has fans all the more anxious for what will truly happen.
Either way, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will finally release at the end of February as a timed exclusive on the PS5. A PC port will follow suit sometime after, as FFVII: Remake and the Intergrade DLC have since become available on Steam.
Rise of the Ronin
Release Date: March 22, 2024
Image Source: Team Ninja
If you’re someone who enjoys an action-packed, sword-wielding samurai adventure like Ghost of Tsushima, then Rise of the Ronin will probably hit that same sweet spot for you. Players will be able to create their very own customized character, whom will embark on a open-world journey across various iconic cities and countrysides of Japan during the final years of the Edo period, at the peak of the Bonshin War between the Tokugawa Shogunate and factions opposed to the Western influences coming into the country that’s been sealed off for years.
As an action-based RPG, while cutting down those who stand in your way, your character will come across important story-related decisions that will impact the outcome of the conflict one way or another. This is the most ambitious game Team Ninja has developed to date, going from more simplistic, linear titles to an immersive, higher tier RPG with the visual fidelity of previous, similar IPs like Ghost of Tsushima. Its open-world gameplay is bolstered with dynamic battle mechanics and an impressive variety of close-quarter and ranged weaponry. There’s also the transportation, which allows to you go by ground on horseback or by glider in the air, if you wish. That’s right, flying samurais, as if it wasn’t cool enough already.
Rise of the Ronin arrives in late March exclusively on the PS5.
Stellar Blade
Release Window: TBA 2024
Image Source: Shift Up Corporation
Originally marketed as Project EVE by Korean studio Shift Up, Stellar Blade is an action-packed and absolutely stylish hack-and-slash adventure that introduces us to the one and only Eve. After Earth is overwhelmingly invaded by an alien species known as NA:tives, Eve and her squad are tasked by the Colony with going down to Xion, the last standing city on Earth and repelling the invasion at all costs. While there, she meets the city’s residents, particularly a survivor named Adam, and eventually the elder Orcal, who each plead her for help in saving the planet.
With a vibe that definitely feels like Nier-meets-Bayonetta, Stellar Blade looks to make a name for itself in the hack-and-slash genre, and certainly promises plenty of stylish action for players to enjoy. While the game was initially supposed to release in 2023 for PS5, Shift Up announced a delay in December to 2024, with no exact date yet given. Once we know more, we’ll update that here.
Foamstars
Release Window: TBA 2024
Image Source: Toylogic
If you’re in the market for a more light-hearted, free-for-all online bonanza with a bunch of colorful foam cannonballs, then Square Enix’s aptly named ‘Foamstars’ is likely something you’ll want to check out. Since described by public opinion as a homage to the beloved Splatoon franchise, the game is a free-to-play (FTP), 4v4 online multiplayer game that brings much of what makes Splatoon great from the Switch to the heftier PlayStation console.
An open beta hit PS4 and PS5 in Fall of last year, giving players a firsthand look at the foam-based, third-person shooter, and the full game is slated to release sometime this year. Even if you’re on the fence about it, the game will be free to download, so you can decide for yourself with no strings attached.
Concord
Release Window: TBA 2024
Image Source: Firewalk Studios
Concord is the latest IP that comes from the minds of Firewalk Studios, who previously worked on the Horizon: Call of the Mountain VR game that released to critical acclaim. This time around, players will be zooming through the far reaches of space, at least according to the teaser trailer released last summer that didn’t give much away beyond that at the time.
We now know, however, that Concord is slated to be an online multiplayer FPS game that is also being developed in tandem with Bungie, the hub behind the Destiny franchise, and newcomer Haven Studios. Firewalk themselves has so far described the game as having a “unique universe of vibrant worlds” with a “rich” cast of “colorful characters”.
The game is set for a release sometime in 2024 on PS5 and PC, though even that may be tentative as the game isn’t available to wishlist yet on Steam. As soon as more details follow, we’ll update this.
Baby Steps
Release Window: Summer 2024
Image Source: Bennett Foddy
Bennett Foddy is back to both entertain and undoubtedly enrage us once again with his newest, hilarious project called Baby Steps. With the same inherent spirit as Getting Over It, the viral indie title that had many of the biggest streamers screaming and smashing their keyboards a few years ago, Baby Steps is the successor that will have us traversing a vibrant variety of environments, from mountains to jungles, with some very unbalanced footing and a snug onesie outfit to match.
Deadbeat Nate has quite the journey ahead of him, and players will have to get a handle on the unique physics gameplay as best they can, to ultimately put one foot in front of the other and avoid having Nate awkwardly plummet off cliffsides and any other embarrassing stumbles that can mean lost progress.
Baby Steps was first revealed during last year’s Summer Game Awards, and is currently slated to release summer 2024 on PS5 and PC.
Silent Hill 2 Remake
Release Window: TBA 2024
Image Source: Bloober Team
This one is probably a surprise to many, given that so little news has come out about the Silent Hill 2 remake since the teaser trailer first released a year ago in Jan 2023. The cat is now out of the bag, however, thanks to PlayStation’s new 2024 release reel that popped up on YouTube most recently, which briefly showcased the Silent Hill 2 remake among this year’s upcoming games. As soon as Bloober Team officially discloses a closer release window, we’ll update this entry promptly.
In similar fashion to other remakes like Capcom’s Resident Evil 4, this is a top-to-bottom, faithful reconstruction of Konami’s most iconic supernatural horror game, Silent Hill 2. Thanks to the creative minds of Bloober Team, and of course the reunion of Team Silent’s Masahiro Ito and Akira Yamaoka, players will get to relive the harrowing journey of James Sunderland as he returns to the eerie lakeside town of Silent Hill in search of his deceased wife, Mary. Along the way he comes across other mysterious characters, and encounters truly unsettling horrors that pull the curtain back on his own past.
That concludes our list of all upcoming PS5 Exclusives releasing in 2024. We hope you found this informative, and let us know which games on this list you’re looking forward to the most.
Be sure to check out all of our other guides and lists on releases for the new year, such as our list of upcoming JRPGs in 2024.
About the author
Stephanie Watel
Stephanie Watel is a freelance writer for Twinfinite. Stephanie has been with the site for a few months, and in the games media industry for about a year. Stephanie typically covers the latest news and a variety of gaming guides for the site, and loves gardening and being the bird lady of the neighborhood. She has a BA in Writing from Pace University in NY.
Destiny 2 has been around since 2017 and it has seen many changes and additions since then. So, if you find yourself as someone who was a fan of D2 for one reason or another, here are 10 reasons why Destiny 2 is worth playing in 2024.
Better Crucible Matchmaking
Image Source: Bungie via Twinfinite
If you’re the kind of Destiny 2 player that found themselves playing Crucible the most, then Bungie’s matchmaking changes over 2023 may interest you. Over the past year in the Crucible, Bungie has better separated skill-based matchmaking and connection-based matchmaking. This is a simplification, but essentially, if you’re a fan of Ranked or Trials of Osiris then that’s where you will experience SBMM. However, if you want a more casual experience, then the Control/Quickplay playlist will focus more on connection-based matchmaking first before trying to find those of similar skill.
Additionally, Bungie have combined and refined the way solo players and groups queue into a playlist. They’ve done this by having an algorithm smartly find solos to play against if you’re alone, or groups if you’re in a group—most of the time.
Checkmate Control Crucible Mode
Image Source: Bungie
But what’s better matchmaking without something new and fresh to really invest your time and strategy into? Enter Checkmate Control. Previously a Crucible Labs mode being tested, Checkmate Control has graduated to sit amongst the usual options like Quickplay, Ranked 3’s, and so on. What makes Checkmate control something worth at least trying is the way the mode changes the PvP sandbox.
On top of a general increase to the time-to-kill, passive grenade, melee, and class ability regeneration is reduced across the board by 50%. Meanwhile, passive Super generation is reduced by a similar 40%, making the mode itself much more about gunplay than before. Likewise, you don’t start with Special ammo either, that has to be earned through killing opponents.
New Crucible Maps
Image Source by Twinfinite
If you haven’t played a lot of Crucible over the last year or two, you may now find a couple of new maps in the various mode’s rotations. That said, one new map a year hasn’t been something most have been happy with.
Thankfully, 2024 will see Bungie infusing the Crucible with a brand-new map pack of three to four new maps of varying sizes! Which, if they can do every year would be a great start to reinvigorating the PvP scene in Destiny 2.
In-Game Fireteam Finder
One of the latest additions to Destiny 2 as of late was the inclusion of an in-game LFG system. What’s great about a system like this is how it helps solo players find like-minded people to explore the game’s various modes with. No longer do you need to find fellow Guardians through Discord or another online LFG finder.
What’s great is the Fireteam Finder’s flexibility in the kind of people you’re looking for. Don’t want to be judged for not knowing a raid? You can set options for that. Only want to play with people who have mics? Not an issue!
Season of the Wish Coil Activity
Image Source: Bungie.net
Season of the Wish is the final season before the launch of The Final Shape expansion. Unfortunately, said expansion is delayed until June. Thankfully, Season of the Wish brought with it quite the fun new seasonal mode. The Coil is that new mode and while it’s not a horde mode, or endless in nature, it does have roguelite elements which are quite refreshing.
You and a team of two other Guardians run through a few different mission types that are separated by pathways. Each path has a different boss, and as your team progresses you can buy semi-randomized Dragon’s Gift buffs. While at the same time enemies will scale up in power by +5 up to a maximum of +20. The mode ultimately takes around 45 minutes to complete and the four chests at the end for hitting a certain score are worth the difficulty.
New Craftable Exotic Weapons
With Season of the Wish comes a new Exotic weapon that can be altered with multiple Exotic catalysts. Much like the Revision Zero, The Wish-Keeper bow is a powerful Exotic weapon that is craftable, while gaining strength through using and leveling the weapon itself. What makes the Wish Keeper exciting as a bow is the fact that it’s a Strand weapon.
Additionally, Wish-Keeper’s Exotic perks let you create a Snareweaver arrow that suspends enemies. All followed by the weapon dealing bonus damage to suspended targets and faster draw time for a short duration afterwards. New weapons like this go a long way toward keeping Destiny 2 fresh as the months pass.
New Warlord’s Ruin Dungeon
Image Source: Bungie
Dungeons are some of Destiny 2’s best content since they are more accessible with slightly easier mechanics and difficulties compared to raids. This is even more true when you consider dungeons only have three Guardians compared to raids’ six. Enter Destiny 2’s latest dungeon, Warlord’s Ruin, a dungeon located in the snowy mountains within the EDZ. The dungeon will take you and your friends through a dark age castle full of bosses, puzzles, with the odd jumping and navigational challenges.
If you haven’t played Bungie’s latest dungeon then you owe it to yourself to try it sometime as you wait for The Final Shape expansion.
The Gunplay is Still Excellent
Image Source: Bungie
Destiny 2’s gunplay in 2024 is still one of its best aspects. You can say what you want about the story, characters, lore, systems, locations, and modes not getting the love they deserve. However, you have to admit how great it still feels to fire every single shot from your weapons that have those really good rolls. Even Destiny 2’s non-gun type weapons like the swords and glaives do a great job feeling unique and useful in certain situations.
Season of the Wish’s weapons in 2024 may be worth grinding out too since you’ll have the extra time to do it. Beyond that, The Final Shape’s new weapons and Exotics will undoubtedly be just as compelling to use for the 1st as they will be the 1,000th time.
The Final Shape Expansion
Image Credit: Bungie
Bungie’s next big yearly expansion that was delayed several months because it simply didn’t live up to what they wanted to deliver. The extra months The Final Shape will have in the oven should surely improve upon the expansion’s total offerings. It isn’t be too far out of the realms of possibility to assume that instead of just one new Super for each class, that, instead, each class gets its third new darkness subclass.
Okay, maybe that is a bit much to hope for, but those extra few months Bungie is giving themselves to build on The Final Shape could mean that many more Exotic armors and weapons for players to enjoy. It could mean a complete Gambit refresh, or maybe a whole new core mode. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. Ultimately, traveling inside of the Traveler will be an exciting experience from both a story and gameplay perspective and Bungie now has all the time in the world to make it perfect.
The Start of Episodes in 2024
2024 is the start of Bungie’s new content delivery system dubbed Episodes. It’s been many years now that Bungie has gotten into the grove of delivering Seasons. But after hearing backlash from the fans and seeing revenue drop over time, the developers saw the writing on the wall and knew they had to deliver bigger, more impactful chunks of content that aren’t so formulaic. Players have simply grown tired of the weekly stories, with the quests that have you engaging with years-old content at this point.
Episodes are Bungie’s way of finally changing that status quo in 2024. Personally, I hope to see a huge influx of new Exotic weapons and armors with every Episode, instead of the 1-2 armors and 1-2 weapons we’ve been getting. Regardless, Bungie has a lot planned for 2024 with Episodes. So, it seems safe to raise your expectations just a bit here and hopping on the Destiny 2 train now in preparation for The Final Shape is far from a bad idea.
About the author
Ali Taha
Whether its new releases, or a new Destiny 2 season, Ali will flex his gaming and freelancer skills to cover them extensively. He started off writing features for Game Rant but found a better home here on Twinfinite. While Ali waits for the next Monster Hunter title, he enjoys publishing his progression fantasy novels as an indie author.
Even small games can reveal delightful surprises years later. Now, roughly two years after its release, Unpacking fans are suddenly discovering a previously revealed secret mode after a TikTok video brought it back into the public eye. The mode is called Dark Star, and it basically forces players to beat the game by tossing objects on the floor instead of neatly putting them away like in the main mode.
In Unpacking’s standard mode, players complete levels by pulling objects out of a box and finding an appropriate spot to store them. If, for instance, you put toilet paper in the kitchen sink, the game will highlight the item with a red line and won’t let you complete the level. However, once you beat the game the regular way, you can enter Dark Star mode, where you beat each level by making sure every single item is placed incorrectly and highlighted in red. Once a player misplaces every single item, the game will award them with a darkened star and let them progress to the next level.
Developer Witch Beam teased Dark Star as a secret mode prior to the official reveal, then shared a video documenting it as part of an April Fools’ Day post in 2022. “So many people thought it was a fake feature for April Fools’ until they tried it for themselves,” Tim Dawson, a co-founder of Witch Beam and technical director of Unpacking,told Polygon via email.
Since that official reveal, some content creators have even streamed their Dark Star runs. Still, it’s clear that many fans didn’t know about the mode. After Dec. 22 Witch Beam TikTok went viral, fans shared reactions like, “THERE’S A DARK STAR MODE?!?!” and “I have 100% this game and I DIDNT KNOW THIS!? WHAAAAAT!?” Another wrote, “dude I beat this game like 10 times and i am just hearing abt this?!”
Dawson told Polygon that the secret mode lets players find new ways to experience the game’s puzzles. In the comments, several fans commented on how difficult Dark Star mode can actually be.
“I think what makes Dark Star so interesting is initially it feels like a gag,” Dawson said. “But after a few levels, it sets in how much work it is, and continuing can feel absurd, transgressive, or cathartic. But in the end, it’s just another way to think about items and how they relate to our lives and the spaces we live in, which is what the game is all about.”
Dawson also says that while the mode “started as a joke,” the developers now appreciate it as an extension of the game. “Because we decided not to extend Unpacking with DLC or a sequel, we often mention Dark Star mode when fans contact us asking if we’ll make more levels,” he said. “In many cases, it gives them another way to experience the game.”
Personally, I think Dark Star mode speaks to the ways our own media diets and specific bubbles of the internet can sometimes preserve a sense of surprise in a game. For Dawson, this kind of surprise can lend a sense of character to a game.
“I think secrets help give games their personality,” he said. “They’re the twinkle in the eye that suggests that these virtual worlds we spend time in might just be a bit bigger than you think. I love that we were able to come up with a good one for Unpacking.”
Throughout the years, Jackbox Games has continued to reinvent the typical house-party games with a variety of fun challenges. Each pack has featured unique rounds of gameplay, including titles like Fibbage, Drawful, and Quiplash. So, now that a new installment has made its debut, we’ve ranked the ten best Jackbox Party Pack games.
10. The Jackbox Party Pack 5
Source: Jackbox Games
The Jackbox Party Pack 5 has a couple of games worth trying out, but its replayability rate is relatively low compared to the rest of the entries. First, we have Zeeple Dome, which is Jackbox Games’ attempt to branch out into the classic beat-em-up video games we know and love. Nevertheless, since these types of titles have already been done before, it isn’t worthwhile to play this version on Jackbox Party Pack 5.
The same can be said for other games, as Split the Room is basically another rendition of “Would You Rather?” and You Don’t Know Jack: Full Stream. On the other hand, this pack does have a few interesting selections, like Patently Stupid and Mad Verse City, that are entertaining enough to play with a big party. In particular, Patently Stupid tests your creative abilities by developing invention ideas that can help with bizarre problems.
9. The Jackbox Party Pack 1
Source: Jackbox Games
The first Jackbox Party Pack is the reason why this franchise took off, especially with Fibbage XL and Drawful. Although these two games may be similar (they both require you to trick other players), they are still enjoyable to play with your friends and family. Unfortunately, the rest of the pack isn’t quite up to par, including Word Spud and Lie Swatter, which haven’t been discussed much within the community.
The original installment is still an excellent beginner pack, but you can also play the Jackbox Party Starter to explore the most popular games. It’s a great alternative as a cheaper version, and it occasionally goes on sale for an even more reduced price.
8. The Jackbox Party Pack 9
Source: Jackbox Games
The more recent Jackbox Party Pack 9 introduces some new games to the collection, from Quixort to Junktopia. Roomerang remains the stand-out in the bunch, permitting you to roleplay as a reality TV star. Junktopia can also be incredibly fun to play, where you can auction off weird objects, similar to Bidiots.
Fibbage 4 joins this list as a longtime fan-favorite Jackbox entry, yet it does fall flat compared to its predecessor. Most of the others on the pack can be skippable and offer little to no replay value. Some players consider it to be one of the weaker entries, given that there isn’t anything too memorable in regard to gameplay.
7. The Jackbox Party Pack 2
Source: Jackbox Games
In the Jackbox Party Pack 2, you’ll get to play an expansion of beloved games, such as Quiplash XL and Fibbage 2. Quiplash has become one of the most beloved entries in the franchise because of its fun dynamics and quick-paced rounds. It unleashes some of the wildest answers for prompts like “The worst thing to hear during a massage.” Moreover, Bidiots is a unique spin on auctions that displays your artwork and allows players to bid on each one.
Next, we have Bomb Corp., a work scenario that requires the group to defuse a bomb by communicating with each other. Even though it may take a while (and you may end up yelling at everyone), completing the mission as a team is definitely satisfying. As for Earwax, this game has mixed reviews and isn’t as entertaining as the rest of this pack.
6. The Jackbox Party Pack 8
Source: Jackbox Games
The Jackbox Party Pack 8 takes the gameplay up a notch with various exciting games, including Poll Mine and Drawful Animate. In the Poll Mine, players will participate in a Dungeons and Dragon style match, beginning with a survey that determines the rest of the round. The goal of this challenge is to choose the same answers as the group to escape the enchanted cavern, resulting in an amusing experience for everyone in the party.
Like Earwax, Weapons Drawn and the Wheel of Enormous Proportions has received mixed reviews, yet many fans believe these installments are one of the best.
5. The Jackbox Party Pack 10
Source: Jackbox Games
When it comes to the Jackbox Party Pack 10, reviews have varied based on the specific type of player. An excellent example of this would be Fixy Text, a text-based game that brings the entire team’s vocabulary together. While some found its wordiness rather boring, others enjoyed the chaos that ensues with the more hysterical terms.
Dodo Re Mi is another entry that can be a hit or miss, taking you on a musical journey where the right notes can save your life. If you are a fan of Tee K.O., you’ll be happy to see its comeback with a sequel featuring new tools and clothing styles. Overall, Jackbox Party Pack 10 paves a new wave of creative installments, and it may help set the path for the next game.
4. The Jackbox Party Pack 6
Source: Jackbox Games
With the Jackbox Party Pack 6, you can see how much these games have changed over the years as the franchise expands into different territories. First, there’s Trivia Murder Party 2, a deadly challenge that tests your overall knowledge, where your character can be murdered if you get a question wrong. However, this game can last a considerable amount of time, despite the killing of other players, and everyone will fight to the death in the final round of complex questions.
Push The Button is a highly entertaining game since it’s Jackbox Games’ version of Among Us, in which the party will have to go through a series of tests to see who is an alien. The rest of the pack, including Joke Boat, Role Models, and Dictionarium, are classic games you can play a few times; it just depends on the group.
3. The Jackbox Party Pack 4
Source: Jackbox Games
The Jackbox Party Pack 4 has a ton of crowd-pleasers that are sure to keep the party going with games such as Fibbage: Enough About You, Survive the Internet, and Monster Seeking Monster. For example, in Fibbage: Enough About You, players will answer prompts about each other that make the experience more personal. Furthermore, if you have friends and family who spend a lot of time online, then Survive the Internet is a great choice, as it challenges their knowledge about the subject.
Those with a large party can check out Bracketeering, which has a maximum of 16 players and acts as another version of Quiplash. Lastly, players can try out their artistic skills with Civic Doodle, an imaginative game that allows everyone to create murals.
2. The Jackbox Party Pack 3
Source: Jackbox Games
The Jackbox Party Pack 3 is one of the most beloved games of the franchise because it has a variety of fantastic challenges that everyone can play. This pack was the initial introduction of the Trivia Murder Party, which has been highly regarded throughout the community. But, of course, Quiplash 2 takes the cake with all of its outrageous prompts and scenarios.
Besides these games, the pack includes Tee K.O., a hilarious competition requiring players to design shirts and come up with witty slogans. Or, the group can dive into Guesspionage and Fakin’ It to battle against each other. Considering all these elements, the Jackbox Party Pack 3 is a game you don’t want to miss.
1. The Jackbox Party Pack 7
Source: Jackbox Games
Finally, we have the Jackbox Party Pack 7, an installment with various games and a high replayability rate. This pack includes many fan-favorite matches, such as Champ’d Up, The Devils and the Details, and Quiplash 3. For instance, in Champ’d Up, players can design Champions and Challengers to become the victors of this drawing tournament. As a result, you’ll be able to gain a whimsical title, like the Champion of Cowards or the Champion of Clogging Toilets.
The Devils and the Details is another excellent choice for larger groups, where players must work together to perform everyday tasks as devils in a suburban neighborhood. Even more so, the Jackbox Party Pack 7 is perfect for sociable individuals, especially with Blather ‘Round and Talking Points.
With so many options to play in the Jackbox Party Pack 7, your group will undoubtedly have some fun for numerous amount of hours.
About the author
Kristina Ebanez
Kristina is a Staff Writer and has been with Twinfinite for more than a year. She typically covers Minecraft, The Sims 4, Disney Dreamlight Valley, anime, Call of Duty, and newly released games. She loves the Metal Gear Solid series (Snake Eater especially), Rockstar’s Bully, the Horizon franchise, What Remains of Edith Finch, and many more. Her dog is also an avid video game watcher, primarily when there’s a horse or a cat. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and grew up gaming on the islands.
Fortnite Crew is a monthly subscription service for Fortnite.
Members who subscribe to Fortnite Crew receive access to the current Battle Pass, a top up of V-Bucks to their account, and perhaps most importantly, exclusive cosmetics through the Fortnite Crew Pack.
As an additional incentive to keep subscribing, you also receive bonus Legacy Styles for certain skins for each additional month you remain a subscriber.
What is the Fortnite Crew Pack and skin for January 2024?
The Fortnite Crew Pack for January 2024 is the Silas Hesk set, and features Silas Hesk (skin), The Serpentine (back bling), and the Fangs of Hesk (pickaxe).
Image: Epic Games
The skin has a number of Legacy Styles to unlock the longer you keep your Fortnite Crew subscription — with a total of six styles (across five additional months) to unlock.
You have until the last day of the month to claim the skin — you can see the following section for the exact time for when each Fortnite Crew Pack changes — from which point it’s then unavailable to new subscribers.
At least, for now; Epic has said “previous Crew Packs’ items may be made available again to Crew members at a later date,” but practically, if you have your heart on a certain pack, be sure to subscribe and claim while you can.
Fortnite Crew release date and time: When does each new Fortnite Crew Pack release?
Each new Fortnite Crew Pack is available on the last day of each month for the proceeding month at the following times:
4 p.m. PST for the west coast of North America
7 p.m. EST for the east coast of North America
12 a.m. GMT for the U.K. (the following day)
1 a.m. CEST for western Europe/Paris (the following day)
8 a.m. JST in Japan/Tokyo (the following day)
For example, Nov. 2023’s pack (featuring the Drakon Steel Hybrid skin) was released on Oct. 31 at the above times in the Americas, and on Nov. 1 elsewhere.
This means if you’re thinking of subscribing for the first time, it’s worth starting just before the above date and time to ensure you get the current Fortnite Crew Pack before it changes over.
What is Fortnite Crew?
Fortnite Crew is a subscription where, for $11.99 each month, you’ll receive the following:
Access to the current season’s Battle Pass
1,000 V-Bucks
The latest Fortnite Crew Pack (with an exclusive skin and “at least one” matching cosmetic accessory)
The next Legacy Style for any unlocked Fortnite Crew skins
Rocket Pass Premium for Rocket League
As with all V-Bucks purchases, your currency could be locked to the platform you chose to start subscribing, so choose carefully. (At the time of writing, Nintendo Switch is the only platform where your wallet won’t be shared across other platforms.)
What happens if I cancel Fortnite Crew?
If you cancel Fortnite Crew, you’ll keep all unlocked Fortnite Crew Pack cosmetics — including Legacy Styles — as well as any awarded V-Bucks and Battle Passes earned during that period.
The design of the video game controller as we’ve known it has largely remained the same for the last 20 years: a d-pad, two analog sticks, four face buttons, and four shoulder buttons. It persists from the first PlayStation’s DualShock, all the way through to the modern PS5’s DualSense, as well as various Xbox and Nintendo controllers. – Claire Jackson Read More
Owlcat Games continues its work on Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, this time with a patch aimed at rectifying some nagging problems. Patch 1.0.88 contains a multitude of changes, including making skill checks easier across the board. The next major patch will release sometime in January 2024.
Patch 1.0.88 also fixes “a vast majority of broken quests and cutscenes that blocked progression or worked only for specific choices,” made sweeping changes to items and abilities, improved optimization, and tweaked companion quests and responses. This includes fixes to system stability, co-op desync, broken narrative quests, weapon damage, and a particularly tricky ladder that served as a one way trip for the Space Wolf companion Ulfar.
Skill checks are also easier across the board, which is useful for players who lean on lore, persuasion, or medicae checks in their playthroughs. The massive RPG campaign still has some bugs and technical issues that make it difficult to progress: I found myself dismayed when I romanced Heinrix van Calox and found that our dalliance locked him in a “sex mode,” where I couldn’t equip any of his gear or use him in combat. I had to break up with the Inquisition agent to restore his combat potency.
That lingering problem notwithstanding, it’s good to see Owlcat Games continue to polish things up.
I’m a fairly recent convert to PC gaming. In 2016, I spontaneously picked up a Steam Machine, Valve’s early attempt to fuse Steam with a more console-like experience. It was my first real introduction to the breadth of the Steam library and performance that outpaced my PS4. I was hooked, so I got my hands on a Dell PC, then soon after built my own computer. I sold off my Xbox One and a majority of my PS4 collection, holding on to my PS4 itself for the eventual release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, but otherwise shifted all of my gaming over to PC. Games ran better on PC, and there were more of them. Why would I spend time gaming on anything less? Why should I sacrifice any amount of performance when I should be striving for the absolute best that tech can offer?
Evil West Looks Like Good, Old-Fashioned, Vampire-Punching Fun
As I head into 2024, however, I’m thinking that it’s time to game less on my Windows machines and more on my PS5, Switch, gaming-first devices like Steam Deck, and other consoles.
The inspiration for this change has little to do with exclusive titles on various platforms or the added comfort of gaming on a couch (I actually don’t have a couch and use the same monitor for my PS5 as I do my PC). The spark for this decision can be attributed to the Moog Grandmother synthesizer.
Console-gaming more in 2024
As a musician, I embraced computers and digital audio workstations for their near infinitude of musical outcomes. The ability to use software like Reason or VCV Rack meant that I could have tons of virtual instruments, many of which sound nearly indistinguishable to their physical counterparts. But what I lost in that process was the experience of spending focused time with a musical instrument. I instead adopted the role of a producer and tweaker, and was perpetually distracted by the ease of firing up a web browser and disappearing into the hole of the internet.
Maybe there’s a reason I can’t afford a car…or even a couch…Photo: Claire Jackson / Kotaku
But since pivoting to musical instruments instead of using a computer, I’ve come to develop a more direct and intimate, distraction-free experience with music. It’s led me to wonder where else I can achieve that closeness. The first thing that came to mind was gaming. In some ways switching from a PC to a console to game is merely trading one screen for another, but the more time I’ve spent with my PS5 the more I’m reminded of the benefits of a more isolated, focused gaming experience, like the kind I enjoyed for most of my life—even if I’m playing a game that could technically run better on my PC.
In gaming we’re so often bombarded with the need for “bigger, better, faster now.” Our framerates must now be 120hz, resolutions at least 1440p, and marketing materials tell us that we ought to be streaming, sharing, and creating content constantly. Overlays want us to constantly be chatting on Discord and other services. Consoles have been infected by this mandate too, but the PC is the king of making you feel like shit for not having a reliably stable framerate on the most graphically demanding games at absolutely all times. How can you even have fun if ray-tracing isn’t involved and set to the max?
My PS5, until now, has been like owning a car: I need one for work (or so I imagine. Like a couch, I don’t have one of those either). But after spontaneously buying Alan Wake II on PS5 after beating it on PC , I realized the benefits of closing myself off from the distraction of a web browser. I can’t Alt+Tab away to have the internet tell me whether or not I should be using performance or quality mode or to randomly chat in Discord. As I’m once again following the dark tale of Mr. Wake, I’m doing so in an environment exclusively made for gaming. And yes, I’m playing it at 30-frames-per-second, but the focused experience of shutting off the work machine and turning to the game machine I believe is resulting in a closer experience with this game, and I’m hoping it will in other areas.
In trading the keyboard for the controller, I’m finding a more focused gaming experience.Photo: Claire Jackson / Kotaku
Does this mean I’m done with PC gaming? No, absolutely not. I don’t personally own an Xbox, so I’lli use my Windows 11 machine to enjoy Microsoft’s offerings, and I’ve developed a love for emulation in the last couple of years. And given my job, I do need to stay connected to the world of PC gaming.
But in 2024, I’m going to try and go to my PlayStation first for gaming experiences, letting myself be immersed not because I’m chasing endless horsepower on the “ultimate” “FTW” platform of gaming, but because I’m making the choice to use a separate, unrelated machine from the one I use for all the clinical and boring parts of my life. Like my synthesizers, I want to recenter gaming as a focused, direct experience, and I think dedicated hardware is the key.
A new month is nearly here, as well as a new year, and that means updates to the PlayStation Plus catalog. January kicks off 2024 with three new games available for Premium, Extra, and Essential members to download starting on January 2, as well as some goodies if you happen to be a space ninja.
Is Alan Wake Worth Playing Before Its Sequel? | Total Recall
This month in particular is great if you love third-person games. A Plague Tale offers satisfyingly beautiful stealth action, while Evil West is here to let you blow up some demonic bad guys. Also, don’t forget to snag December’s games (that includes Lego 2K Drive, Powerwash Simulator, and Sable) before the new month kicks off.
PS5 and PS4: Evil West
In our review of Evil West, Kotaku’s Zack Zwiezen praised the third-person shooter as “a simple, honest-to-god, linear and fun, goddamn video game:”
There is no getting around it: Evil West is silly, but in a good way. Its narrative has a lot in common with the best B-movies and pulp stories from the past. Characters act more like people pretending to be people, than real humans. Dialogue is filled with swear words and exposition. All of it is cheesy and silly in the perfect kind of way. Combined with the steampunk gadgets, monsters, and violence, it really does play out like a grindhouse flick you might have caught on TV at like 2 am back in the 90s on TNT.
Howlongtobeat.com estimates you can get through Evil West’s story in about 11 hours, or 19 if you want to take a completionist route.
Get more from Evil West’s developer on PlayStation
Are you a PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra subscriber? You can download Flying Wild Hog’s 2016 FPS Shadow Warrior 2. You can also snag its sequel, Shadow Warrior 3 on sale for just $14 until January 18. And if you’re in the mood for some side-scrolling, samurai hack ‘n slash fun, Trek to Yomi is on sale for $8 until January 18.
PS5: A Plague Tale: Requiem
This rat-infested third-person sequel to 2019’s A Plague Tale: Innocence features some gorgeous visuals and a lovely score. It might be a tad buggy from time-to-time, but if you like sneaking around in the dark and avoiding rats, this one is worth a download. On A Plague Tale: Requiem, former Kotaku writer Ashley Bardhan said:
The environment itself is a spectacle, a black-and-white cookie sometimes lit by the Mediterranean coast’s burnt-orange sun, sometimes spotted with flies as Amicia trudges around the game’s stacks of dead bodies that get dumped and burned and forgotten. Requiem is also heavy on vibration feedback, and crouching through thick braids of grass and the misplaced brightness of lavender always feels good and tense.
Grab the first Plague Tale on sale before January 6, 2023
Don’t like jumping into a sequel without playing the first game? Good news: A Plague Tale: Innocence, which introduces us to Amicia and Hugo, is on sale until January 6 for just $12.
PS5 and PS4: Nobody Saves The World
Nobody Saves The World impressed us back in 2022 with its satisfyingly grindy (yes, grindy like in a good way) progression and fun combat. In our impressions of it, Kotaku’s Ethan Gach said:
If you like filling up meters and testing out new and creative builds for dispatching enemy mobs efficiently, like I do, it’s a recipe for several long nights of fun. Drinkbox has tried to keep tedium to a minimum by making new milestones come quickly and often. Dungeons you might have to grind a handful of times before taking down a larger boss subtly remix themselves each time in a roguelite fashion so they feel more like theme park rides than prisons.
Free Warframe stuff!
Looking to spice up your Tenno’s wardrobe? The Warframe: Syrinx Collection is a great way to add some new cosmetics to your existing collection or a great way to get some variety if you’re just starting out with this free-to-play sci-fi looter shooter. According to Sony’s official blog, you can claim the following items on January 2:
The people behind Fortnite, the popular build-and-battle-royale game, have released a new, kid-friendly take on the game: Lego Fortnite. The game uses Lego bricks and characters to give players a different kind of experience that focuses on long-term survival, crafting, building, and online cooperation with friends. It’s a lot like another survival/crafting game, Minecraft, but powered by Lego bricks and familiar characters.
Lego Fortnite was a hit from day one; Millions of players are building and battling monsters together in online worlds full of characters to meet, creatures to slay, and mysteries to discover. It’s also free (unlike Minecraft), and co-developers Epic Games and The Lego Group have gone to great lengths to make it safe for kids to enjoy.
Here’s a quick rundown of what Lego Fortnite is, where to download it, and everything else you should need to know about Fortnite’s popular new spinoff.
What is Lego Fortnite?
While the popular version of Fortnite is a battle royale game where players fight each other to be the last player standing, Lego Fortnite isn’t a shooter or a battle royale at all. It’s a game of exploration, building with Lego bricks, and crafting items (like pickaxes and torches).
In Survival mode, players take on the role of a little Lego hero character. They’ll gather resources, build structures, tools, and weapons, and explore a huge open world. They’ll also interact with other Lego characters who will join their group and help them out with missions. There’s some combat too, but it’s mainly against Lego versions of skeletons, wolves, spiders, and other beasts. This mode is called Survival because players have to gather and craft what they need: food to stave off hunger, wood to build structures and craft tools, and other elements to create more complex items.
There’s also a non-violent Sandbox mode, where players can simply build whatever they want with Lego bricks to get creative and explore the world freely.
How to download Lego Fortnite
Playing and downloading Lego Fortnite is free. You’ll need an Epic Games account to play, which is also free. All you have to do is download the main Fortnite game client, and you’ll find Lego Fortnite on the main screen of a menu that looks like a Netflix library screen.
On game consoles like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, you can download Fortnite by searching each platform’s store, or by using the links below from a web browser:
Note that if you find and download Lego Fortnite from one of the above online stores, you’re actually downloading the full Fortnite game client, through which you can play Lego Fortnite. Confusing, yes, but at least everything’s centralized.
How to get and activate an Epic Games account
To play Lego Fortnite (or any Fortnite game), you’ll need an Epic Games account. You can sign up for one using an email address at the Epic Games website, use an existing login from Apple, Facebook, Lego.com, or Google, or log in with an existing account from Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam.
You can also create a version of that account called a Cabined Account, which is intended for children 13 years old or younger. Players with Cabined Accounts can play Lego Fortnite, but they won’t be able to access features like voice chat or make in-game purchases with money until their parent or guardian provides consent. You can read more about parental controls in Fortnite games at Epic’s website.
How V-Bucks work with Lego Fortnite (and how to redeem them)
Epic Games’ virtual currency for Fortnite, known as V-Bucks, works in the core version of Fortnite and new experiences like Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. V-Bucks can be spent on in-game items, like outfits and other virtual items.
If you (or your child) have spent V-Bucks in Fortnite battle royale, most of the cosmetics in that game carry over to Lego Fortnite. There are some exceptions, like characters in Fortnite who have guns as part of their design, but many cosmetics tied to a core Fortnite account can be used across games.
Lego Fortnite multiplayer and playing with friends
You can play Lego Fortnite with friends online. Up to eight players can play together cooperatively in the same game world.
But you can’t play Lego Fortnite (yet) in split-screen mode on the same platform. If you have multiple kids playing Lego Fortnite, they’ll all need their own console, tablet, or PC to play. Lego Fortnite supports cross-play across all platforms, so players on Switch, for example, can play with their friends on PlayStation 5, Android, PC, and anywhere else Fortnite is available.
Do you need a separate online subscription to play Lego Fortnite?
Lego Fortnite, like other Fortnite games, does not require an online subscription like Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus, or Xbox Live Gold/Xbox Game Pass to play.
Guides for Lego Fortnite
Lego Fortnite is new, but already pretty big. Here’s how to get started, with some answers to a few tricky questions:
It’s safe to say that 2023 was a mixed year for gamers. After all, for every Baldurs Gate 3, there was a Walking Dead: Destinies. As we enter a new year, however, it is time to look forward to the games to come. As such here are 10 of the most anticipated games of 2024.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth – January 26th
Image Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega via Twinfinite
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios’ long-running Like A Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series. Infinite Wealth is the first game set outside of Japan, taking place in both the city of Yokohama and the island of Hawaii.
The game continues the franchise’s transition into a turn-based combat system first seen in 2020’s Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Infinite Wealth marks the return of that title’s protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, alongside franchise mainstay Kazuma Kiryu. However, with the popular anti-hero suffering from cancer, this could be the end of the road for the Dragon of Dojima.
Expect Like A Dragon’s usual blend of bizarre side missions, twist-filled conspiracies, and wild minigames as Ichiban and Kiryu search for Ichiban’s mother. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is published by SEGA and releases on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on January 26th.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League – February 2nd
Image Credit: Rocksteady Studios
Isn’t it crazy that we are getting a Triple-A Suicide Squad game before a big-budget Justice League title? Furthermore Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League sees the team of villains tasked with taking down the Justice League!
This game is a third-person shooter set in the same universe as the Batman: Arkham series, developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. Kill The Justice League is a multiplayer looter shooter with live service elements, not unlike Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers.
Starring DC Comics villains Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and King Shark; Kill The Justice League has the quartet facing off against a corrupted Justice League. Brainiac has taken control of Superman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Batman (voiced by the late Kevin Conroy in his final role), and only Wonder Woman and the Suicide Squad can stop Brainiac’s invasion.
After some delays and a lukewarm reception to marketing, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is still a hotly anticipated title that releases for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam on February 2nd, and then 5th March on the Epic Games Store.
Skull & Bones – February 16th
Image Credit: Ubisoft
At this point Ubisoft’s Skull & Bones is surely in the Development Hell Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Duke Nukem Forever and Dead Island 2. Starting life as an Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag expansion back in 2013, Skull & Bones is a swashbuckling adventure across the Indian Ocean.
Centered on bombastic ship combat, Skull & Bones will see players rise to infamy as they build an empire and become the pirate kingpin. As the scourge of the sea, players will sail and explore from the Coast of Africa to the East Indies with a range of unique ships; battling pirate hunters and the deadly weather to make it to the top.
If Skull & Bones can recapture the fun and sense of adventure in Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag then the wait should be worth it. Skull & Bones releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Epic Games Store on February 16th.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth – February 29th
Image Credit: Square Enix
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is the second entry in Square Enix’s bold retelling of the seminal RPG Final Fantasy VII. Rebirth continues the story of 2020’s Final Fantasy VII: Remake as mercenary Cloud Strife and the surviving members of eco-terrorist group Avalanche leave the mega-city of Midgard and journey across the planet Gaia.
Navigating new terrain both literally and narratively, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth will explore the game’s altered timeline while delving into Cloud and series antagonist Sephiroth’s shared past. New party members include Red XIII, Yuffie Kisaragi, and Cait Sith; but also Zack Flair.
Zack’s presence in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is one of the remake trilogy’s biggest narrative departures; as he originally died in the prequel game Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII (released in 2007). With his return, long-time fans will be eager to discover how he fits into the new story. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth releases on PlayStation 5 on February 29th.
Alone in the Dark – March 20th
Image Credit: THQ Nordic
The grandfather of survival horror, the Alone in the Dark franchise was a pioneer of the genre alongside Resident Evil and Silent Hill. However, while those two franchises have flourished in recent years, Alone in the Dark has struggled to maintain the same mainstream recognition. That’s why it is good to witness the series return with a reimagining of the 1992 original.
Developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic, Alone in the Dark stars David Harbour (Stranger Things) as private investigator Edward Carnby, and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) as his employer Emily Hartwood. In this game, the pair journey to Louisiana psychiatric hospital Derceto Manor to find Emily’s missing uncle.
The survival horror genre has been on a good run recently, and here’s hoping Alone in the Dark lives up to its contemporaries. Alone in the Dark releases on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on March 29th.
Princess Peach: Showtime! – March 22nd
Image Source: Nintendo
Princess Peach: Showtime! gives the titular ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom a chance to take center stage. Attending a theatre production in crisis, Peach assumes several roles to help defeat the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch.
Princess Peach: Showtime! features a range of gameplay mechanics that see the princess participating in the Sparkle Theatre’s sold-out shows. Peach is equipped with a magic ribbon and the ability to transform into a range of future Super Smash Bros. skins.
Transformations such as Swordfighter Peach and Kung Fu Peach implement combat into the game, while Detective Peach will help her uncover clues to Grape’s plan, and Patisserie Peach which will help the princess… bake her way to victory. Princess Peach: Showtime! releases on Nintendo Switch on March 22nd.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl – Q1 2024
Image Credit: GSC Game World
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl has had a rough development as the war in Ukraine forced developer/publisher GSC Game World to pause development and delay the game multiple times.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stands for Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers, and Robbers; and is the term used to describe the men and women exploring the radioactive remains of Chernobyl. This first-person immersive sim shooter is a big cult favorite on PC and the sequel will be the franchise’s console debut when it debuts on Xbox.
Built on Unreal Engine 5, The Heart of Chernobyl tells a non-linear story playable solo or in co-op and has official mod support. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is set for a Quarter 1 release on PC and Xbox Series X|S.
ARK 2 – Late 2024
Image Credit: Studio Wildcard
ARK 2 follows Fast & Furious actor Vin Diesel as Santiago, a primitive hunter on an alien world searching for his daughter Meeka (voiced by Moana‘s Auli’l Cravalho).
Like the first game, ARK: Survival Evolved, ARK 2 is a survival action adventure in which players craft weapons and shelters to survive in a harsh and deadly environment. From killer plants to ferocious dinosaurs, and the local tribe the Aralal, there are many threats for Santiago and the player to overcome.
To help, Studio Wildcard and Grove Street Games have created advanced traversal mechanics, a new upgrade tree, and an emphasis on Souls-like combat. The alien world in ARK 2 is full of new threats and hyper-intelligent dinosaurs to fight and tame. ARK 2 is being built on Unreal Engine 5 targeting a late 2024 release date, on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Little Nightmares III – TBC
Images Credit: Bandai Namco
Little Nightmares III is the next instalment in Bandai Namco’s atmospheric horror puzzle platformer series. Supermassive Games have taken over development from Tarsier Studios (after working on Little Nightmares II Enhanced Edition), for a standalone sequel.
There is a heightened focus on co-op gameplay in Little Nightmares III as players team up with a friend or an AI companion. Playing as Low (the boy in a raven mask) and Alone (the girl with pigtails), players must work together to escape the Spiral, a disturbing, trippy world of ominous shadows and disgusting villains.
While this is a standalone game, it will be interesting to see if Little Nightmares III has any links to previous installments; including the fate of Six and her iconic yellow raincoat. Little Nightmares III has no release date yet beyond 2024 but is set to release on all platforms: PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Star Wars: Outlaws – TBC
Image Credit: Massive Entertainment
Star Wars video games are always hotly anticipated releases and, with Star Wars: Outlaws, Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment are building the franchise’s first open-world game. The game is set between Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
Outlaws allows the player to step foot into the seedy underbelly of a galaxy far, far away as they control Kay Vess, an up-and-coming thief who has gotten on the wrong side of both the Empire and the galaxy’s deadliest crime syndicates. Joining Vess is her salamander-esque pet merqaal Nix, a sneaky animal that can distract guards and steal objects. There is also the droid ND-5 that becomes a bodyguard of sorts for Kay.
Among the planets players will be visiting are Tatooine and its hive of scum and villainy Mos Eisley, criminal haven Kijimi, and a new moon called Toshara. Star Wars: Outlaws should be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime in 2024.
Narrowing down the list of games coming out in 2024 to only ten is a very tricky task. Feel free to let us know what games you’re looking forward to in the comments, and stay with Twinfinite for more on the latest releases.
About the author
Alex Johnson
Alex has been writing about games for over four years and if there is one thing he fears in life it is writing a bio. He studied film at the University of Lincoln, has a small obsession with Fortnite and hopes to actually finish a FromSoftware game one day.
At least once per year we’re treated to incremental upgrades in headset designs from manufacturers like Razer, Steelseries, and HyperX. These improvements typically touch on some of the more objective points of their peripherals, like audio quality and battery life. However, the latest headset model from Logitech, the Astro A50X, is offering something a bit more drastic.
In addition to the same outstanding audio quality we’ve come to expect from Logitech headsets, the docking station for the A50X effectively serves as an HDMI switch, which not only makes the headset universally compatible, but allows you to quickly swap between HDMI inputs with a dedicated button on the headset. But, at an eye-watering $379.99, it’s difficult to recommend this headset to all but the most frequent of users.
The dock is an integral part of the A50X, but can take a while to get set up properlyImage: Logitech
The docking station is fitted with a pair of HDMI and USB-C inputs that can be used with PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo consoles. You’ll also find another USB-C port that provides power and can also connect the dock to your PC. The single HDMI 2.1 output is capable of full 4K 120Hz passthrough to your preferred screen.
Setting up the entire system and getting its myriad cables organized required significant time investment, but I ultimately felt that was a small price to pay for a single unified headset that also allowed me to swap between the inputs on my TV. This is a pretty neat trick — however, the console will need to be powered on via its respective controller before you make the switch, in order for this to work properly.
Of course, if you’d prefer to skip the docking station entirely, you can also pair the A50X with your phone, Switch, or PlayStation via Bluetooth instead. You won’t be able to swap inputs, though.
A single button on the rear of the A50X lets you swap between inputsImage: Logitech
The sound quality of the Astro A50X is amazing regardless of which platform you’re playing on, with no noticeable latency when operating on 2.4 Ghz wireless. I tested the A50X with a pair of rhythm games that have excellent soundtracks, Hi-Fi Rush and Metal: Hellsinger, on both PC and Xbox. The A50X had no issues matching the gameplay beat for beat, which is something my reliable noise-canceling earbuds just couldn’t match. The default sound profile is a little bass-heavy, but you can fine-tune everything from the Logitech G app on your phone or PC.
The Logitech G App is available on PC and Mobile platforms to fine-tune your audio profileImage: Logitech
The fit and finish of the Astro A50X will be familiar to anyone who’s used a headset from the Astro A50 or A40 series. The ear cushions and headband feature plush fabric, and the headset can lay flat around your neck when not in use. The surface of the right earcup allows you to adjust the balance between game and chat volume. Around the back of the right earcup, you’ll find a volume wheel, power and input switches, and a Bluetooth pairing button.
The aesthetics of the A50X aren’t quite as offensive as some more gamer-centric designs, but it still isn’t what I’d call a good-looking headset. A bit less plastic in the overall build, and the ability to remove the boom mic would’ve been welcome. Normally, these are annoyances that I’m willing to overlook, but for $380, I do expect more.
While Logitech’s designers have clearly gone to great lengths to expand the functionality of this headset, they haven’t done much to improve the fit and finish, which is disappointing given the massive price tag. At $380, small issues like the plastic-heavy design, and how the headset doesn’t always want to seat itself in the dock correctly, feel more glaring.
I applaud Logitech for producing a headset with features that genuinely improve user experience, but its high price and limited appeal make it extremely difficult to recommend. For a select subset of people who play games and chat regularly across multiple platforms that share the same screen, the A50X represents a sound investment, but for everyone else, a headset that costs a third of the price will do just fine.
Sony announced Wednesday that it has sold 50 million units of its PlayStation 5 console since the system launched three years ago. That puts the PS5 on pace with the PlayStation 4, which also hit the 50 million sales mark in 2016, just three years after Sony’s last-gen console launched in 2013.
In fact, the PS5 needed just one more week to hit 50 million, compared to the PS4. According to data from the Financial Times, it took the PS5 161 weeks to hit 50 million. The PS4 took 160 weeks.
“Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward,” Ryan said at the time. The PlayStation boss also boasted at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in January, that December 2022 “was the biggest month ever for PS5 console sales” and that Sony had sold 30 million PS5s by that point.
This year’s sales were seemingly just as good, if not much better. Eric Lempel, senior VP for global marketing, sales and business operations at SIE, told the Financial Times that 2023’s Black Friday sales period was the biggest November for PlayStation sales, in both units and revenues, in PlayStation’s history.
“We’re grateful for all of our players who have joined the PS5 journey so far, and we’re thrilled that this is the first holiday season since launch that we have a full supply of PS5 consoles – so anyone who wants to get one can get one,” Ryan said in a news release. Based on a survey of online retailers just days before Christmas, Ryan’s assessment appears accurate. Various stand-alone PS5 consoles and bundles with games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are in stock at online retailers, including PlayStation’s own direct-sales store.
As of last year, Sony had shipped 117.2 million units of the PS4, making it the fifth-best-selling console of all time. If the PS5 matches the last-gen console’s pace, it could come close to unseating it. But the PS5 would have to sell more than 155 million units to outperform the company’s biggest sales success to date, the PlayStation 2.
Naughty Dog’s planned multiplayer game set in the world of The Last of Us is no more. The studio announced Thursday that it has “made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on” what it’s been calling The Last of Us Online.
“We know this news will be tough for many, especially our dedicated The Last of Us Factions community, who have been following our multiplayer ambitions ardently,” the studio said in a post on its website. “We’re equally crushed at the studio as we were looking forward to putting it in your hands.”
The Last of Us Online was, at one point, supposed to be revealed to the public this year. The studio had released a handful of pieces of concept art for the game, but never showed gameplay.
Naughty Dog said developers at the studio had been in pre-production on The Last of Us Online since the development of The Last of Us Part 2, which it shipped in 2020. The online game was “unique and had tremendous potential,” the studio said, but it was also a daunting task that it did not have the resources to dedicate to.
“In ramping up to full production, the massive scope of our ambition became clear,” the developer explained. “To release and support The Last of Us Online we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.”
In its announcement, Naughty Dog provided a silver lining for The Last of Us Online’s formal cancellation: “The learnings and investments in technology from this game will carry into how we develop our projects and will be invaluable in the direction we are headed as a studio. We have more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we’re working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready.”
The original The Last of Us launched with multiplayer component of its own back in 2013, which was also available in the PlayStation 4 version, The Last of Us Remastered. TLOU’s Factions mode used deathmatch and team deathmatch game types found in many multiplayer games, and layered a metagame and story on top.
The Last of Us Online is dead. Naughty Dog announced today that the multiplayer spin-off of the hit series is no longer in development, citing concerns about managing ongoing content for a live-service game while still trying to produce the single-player blockbusters the PlayStation studio is famous for.
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“We realize many of you have been anticipating news around the project that we’ve been calling The Last of Us Online,” Naughty Dog wrote in a December 14 update. “There’s no easy way to say this: We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on that game.”
The studio said that as production on the project ramped up, it became clear that “we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games.” The choices were apparently between becoming a “solely live-service games studio” in the mold of modern day Bungie, which makes Destiny 2, or “continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.”
The Last Of Us Online, which many many fans previously referred to as Factions after the multiplayer mode from the original 2013 PlayStation 3 game, was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2022. The spin-off was billed as the studio’s “biggest online experience” ever, and as large as any of its single-player games.
But Naughty Dog never showed the game beyond vague statements and concept art. Then in May of this year, Bloomberg reported that the production team on the game had be scaled back following negative feedback from an internal review by Bungie, which Sony acquired last year. At the time, the studio posted a statement on Twitter saying that while things were progressing well, the game required more time. By October, however, Kotaku reported that the project had been “put on ice” amid some internal reshuffling and dozens of contracted developers being laid off.
The Last of Us Online was one of a number of new multiplayer projects in development across Sony’s studios as the PlayStation 5 maker invested in a massive shift toward more live-service games. In November, Sony revealed during an earnings call that half of the roughly dozen online games it was working on would be delayed past 2025.
In the meantime, Naughty Dog is still working on a “brand-new single-player game” it plans to reveal sometime in the future.
We realize many of you have been anticipating news around the project that we’ve been calling The Last of Us Online. There’s no easy way to say this: We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on that game.
We know this news will be tough for many, especially our dedicated The Last of Us Factions community, who have been following our multiplayer ambitions ardently. We’re equally crushed at the studio as we were looking forward to putting it in your hands. We wanted to share with you some background of how we came to this decision.
The multiplayer team has been in pre-production with this game since we were working on The Last of Us Part II – crafting an experience we felt was unique and had tremendous potential. As the multiplayer team iterated on their concept for The Last of Us Online during this time, their vision crystalized, the gameplay got more refined and satisfying, and we were enthusiastic about the direction in which we were headed.
In ramping up to full production, the massive scope of our ambition became clear. To release and support The Last of Us Online we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.
We are immensely proud of everyone at the studio that touched this project. The learnings and investments in technology from this game will carry into how we develop our projects and will be invaluable in the direction we are headed as a studio. We have more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we’re working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready.
Until then, we’re incredibly thankful to our community for your support throughout the years.
Alright, fellow gamers, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! Just like Spotify Wrapped spilled the beans on our music obsessions, it’s time to unveil our gaming triumphs of 2023. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo have all dropped their annual recaps, giving us the lowdown on how we conquered the virtual realms throughout the year.
Whether you’re a devoted Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo enthusiast, here’s how you can access and revel in your gaming achievements of 2023.
For Xbox aficionados, the process is straightforward. Head over to the Xbox Year in Review 2023 web page, sign in with your account, and voila! You’ll be greeted with a treasure trove of gaming insights. The Xbox wrap-up provides a detailed breakdown of your total game time, the number of games conquered, top genres that captured your attention, and the Gamerscore you’ve amassed.
Moreover, it showcases where you stand among your gaming peers based on hours played, achievements unlocked, and Gamerscore accrued. Delving deeper, the wrap-up unveils your most-played titles, offering a nostalgic stroll through your gaming journey this year.
And can we talk about the Xbox community flexing hard in 2023? A jaw-dropping 36,000 games played, 4.5 billion achievements unlocked, and a staggering 91 billion gamerscore.
How to Access Your PlayStation Wrap-Up
PlayStation
PlayStation loyalists, fear not — your gaming recap awaits. Visit Sony’s web portal, log in with your account, and uncover the secrets of your PS5 or PS4 gaming habits from the past year. The PlayStation 2023 Wrap-Up encapsulates your most-played games, total hours invested, and even assigns an algorithmically generated “gaming style”. From thrill-seekers to strategists, the recap categorises your gaming persona.
Quick heads up, though — this virtual treasure chest is only accessible if you’ve put in at least 10 hours of gaming on your PS5 or PS4 from January 1 to December 31. Oh, and if you didn’t give the green light to “Full Data” collection, sorry, no recap party for you in certain regions.
How to Access Your Nintendo Wrap-Up
2023 has been filled with heroics in Hyrule, Pikmin plucking, Mario magic and more…but what did YOU get up to on your Nintendo Switch this year?
Nintendo fam, it’s time to reminisce about your Switch escapades! Hit up the Nintendo Switch Year in Review site, log in with your Nintendo account, and get ready for a cosy gaming throwback. They’ve got the deets on your top-played titles, hours lost in the gaming abyss, and some fun stats to make you smile.
Ever wondered how much of your life was dedicated to “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” or “Pikmin 4”? Now’s the time to find out. And guess what? You can even download your gaming stats in a cute infographic to flex on your gaming crew.
The Shard of Dawn Aspect is a brand new Legendary Power added in Diablo 4’s Midwinter Blight holiday event. It features a complex buff: Night’s Grasp.
This new power increases your movement speed and attack speed under certain conditions, but can be very difficult to understand when reading the tooltip. Thankfully, we’re here to help.
In this Diablo 4 guide, we’ll show you how to get the Shard of Dawn Aspect and explain how the Night’s Grasp buff works.
How to get the Shard of Dawn Aspect in Diablo 4
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
You can buy The Shard of Dawn Aspect from Gileon’s shop in Kyovashad in the Fractured Peaks for 10 Midwinter Proofs.
In order to get Midwinter Proofs, you’ll need to exchange one of three currencies at the Collection Table in town: Blighted Fragments, Lost Heirlooms, and Red-Cloaked Trophies.
You’ll find each of these currencies out in the world of the Fractured Peaks during the Midwinter Blight event. Hop onto your horse and ride around killing enemies (which typically drop Blighted Fragments) and destroying theFrigid Husk ice statues (which drop Lost Heirlooms).
The most efficient way to farm these items is in a new event called Blighted Revelry. As you ride around, look for an event where a bunch of little freaks are jumping around in a circle around a broken cart. Kill the little freaks and interact with the cart to start the event. Protect the cart until the fire gets large enough to unfreeze the Frigid Husks nearby. Use this method to destroy all five Frigid Husks to spawn the Red-Cloaked Horror. Defeat this big goat boss to finish the event, get some loot, and pick up the Red-Cloaked Trophy.
Back in town, you can convert 300 Blight Fragments, 30 Lost Heirlooms, or one Red-Cloaked Trophy into 1 Midwinter Proof. Once you have 10 Midwinter Proofs, you can buy the Shard of Dawn Aspect from Gileon.
If you need more Midwinter Proofs for cosmetics or if you don’t yet have enough for the Aspect, just head back out into the Fractured Peaks to explore (and maybe do the“Secret of the Spring” quest while you’re out there), kill monsters, and collect the currencies that you can exchange for more Proofs.
How Night’s Grasp works in Diablo 4
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
The Shard of Dawn Aspect reads like stereo instructions if you haven’t progressed far enough into the Midwinter Blight event. And even then, it’s hard to understand. Let’s break it down.
After 30 seconds of Night’s Grasp, gain Dawn’s Haste, increasing your Attack Speed by 25-35% and Movement Speed by 20% for 12 seconds. While empowered by the Midwinter Ward, killing an enemy reduces Night’s Grasp’s duration by 1 second.
There are three buffs mentioned in that description, but it only tells you what one of them does.
First, let’s talk about Night’s Grasp. This is a buff that appears on your character when you’re in combat and wielding the Shard of Dawn. However, it doesn’t do anything. All it’s there for is to denote that you don’t have the Dawn’s Haste buff currently active on you. But once you’ve had Night’s Grasp on you for 30 seconds, you’ll gain the benefits of Dawn’s Haste, which increases your attack speed and movement speed for 12 seconds. Once Dawn’s Haste ends, Night’s Grasp returns and the cycle starts over again.
Dawn’s Haste is a pretty slick buff, as attack speed is desirable for most generator/spender builds and movement speed is valuable for all builds. To wit, you want to lower that 30 second window if at all possible. That’s where the Midwinter’s Ward buff factors into the Shard of Dawn, as it reduces the 30-second cooldown between Night’s Grasp and Dawn’s Haste by 1 second each time you kill an enemy.
Midwinter’s Ward is a buff that you can acquire from a special totem inside Kyovashad, next to Gileon’s shop. However, you’ll need to upgrade your Midwinter Tribute level to Tier 3 before it even appears in town. To gain Tribute experience and level up, all you need to do is exchange the Midwinter Blight currencies for Midwinter Proofs at the Collection’s Table. Once you’ve leveled up all the way to Tier 3, you’ll be able to acquire the Midwinter Tribute buff, which lasts for about six minutes and also gives you some bonus damage against Blightfiends and the Red-Cloaked Horror.
Finally, it’s worth noting here that the Shard of Dawn Aspect does not appear in the Codex of Power. Instead, you’ll need to repurchase it for 10 Midwinter Proofs every time you want to apply it to a new piece of gear. So make sure you choose your gear piece carefully when applying the Aspect at the Occultist.
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