Author: Game Infliction

Destiny 2: Where Is Xur Today? Location and Exotic Items for March 17-21

The freaky little hooded creature, Xûr, is now live in Destiny 2 for the weekend until next week’s reset. If you’re looking to get your some shiny new Exotic armor or weapons for your Guardian, look no further.

Each week, Xûr has a random assortment of Exotic armor, one for each Guardian class, as well as a random Exotic Weapon and an Exotic Engram available for purchase. In addition to his Exotic wares, he’s got a random collection of Legendary weapons and armor to deck out your Guardians.

We’ve rounded up all the info on Xûr for the week including where to find Xûr, which Exotic weapons and armor are available, as well as which Legendary weapons you should pick up, either for PvE or PvP.

Where Is Xûr Located Today?

Xûr’s location can be found at Winding Cove in the EDZ on March 17 through March 21. To reach him, travel to the landing point at Winding Cove. When you arrive, make for the rock cliffs at the far end of the cove and look for a cave winding up to a platform next to some Fallen. There you’ll find the retail monster who inspires us all.

What’s Xûr Selling Today?

Exotic Engram

Lord of Wolves – Exotic Shotgun

Lucky Raspberry – Exotic Hunter Chest Armor

  • 14 Mobility
  • 8 Resilience
  • 13 Recovery
  • 21 Discipline
  • 10 Intellect
  • 2 Strength
  • Total: 68

Crest of Alpha Lupi – Exotic Titan Chest Armor

  • 3 Mobility
  • 17 Resilience
  • 11 Recovery
  • 2 Discipline
  • 21 Intellect
  • 10 Strength
  • Total: 64

Geong Stabilizers – Exotic Warlock Boots

  • 22 Mobility
  • 8 Resilience
  • 4 Recovery
  • 10 Discipline
  • 6 Intellect
  • 17 Strength
  • Total: 67

Hunters and Warlocks have some truly cool rolls, both spikey and useful in a variety of builds (though I sure wish Resilience were higher on both). Still, with stats that high, I’d say either of these is worth picking up!

Exotic Weapons

Hawkmoon – Exotic Hand Cannon

  • Paracausal Shot
  • Arrowhead Brake
  • Alloy Magazine
  • Rangefinder
  • Heavy Grip

Dead Man’s Tale – Exotic Scout Rifle

  • Cranial Spike
  • Corkscrew Rifling
  • Flared Magwell
  • Outlaw
  • Composite Stock

Both rolls for these exotics this week are just okay. Hawkmoon with Alloy Magazine and Rangefinder is nothing to turn your nose at (though Xur’s definitely offered better rolls), and DMT is much more exciting to me, though Outlaw is always good to have.

Legendary Weapons

Firefright – Auto Rifle

  • Corkscrew Rifling/Polygonal Rifling
  • Extended Mag/Armor-Piercing Rounds
  • Fragile Focus
  • Surrounded
  • Extrovert
  • Range Masterwork

Judgement of Kelgorath – Glaive

  • Tempered Truss Rod/Lightweight Emitter
  • Alloy Magazine/Light Mag
  • Immovable Object
  • Close to Melee
  • Ambush
  • Charge Time/Shield Duration Masterwork

Blast Battue – Grenade Launcher

  • Countermass/Smart Drift Control
  • Spike Grenades/High-Explosive Ordnance
  • Threat Detector
  • Wellspring
  • Reload Speed Masterwork

Deafening Whisper – Grenade Launcher

  • Volatile Launch/Linear Compensator
  • High-Velocity Rounds/Implosion Rounds
  • Killing Wind
  • Threat Detector
  • Blast Radius Masterwork

Death Adder – Submachine Gun

  • Arrowhead Brake/Hammer-Forged Rifling
  • Appended Mag/Steady Rounds
  • Feeding Frenzy
  • Quickdraw
  • Handling Masterwork

IKELOS_SMG_V1.0.3 – Submachine Gun

  • Arrowhead Brake/Hammer-Forged Rifling
  • Extended Mag/Alloy Magazine
  • Killing Wind
  • Tap The Trigger
  • Rasputin’s Arsenal
  • Handling Masterwork

Eternity’s Edge/Crown-Splitter/Quickfang – Class Sword

  • Sword & Perks vary by class

My top picks this week are Death Adder and Judgement of Kelgorath. Death Adder with Feeding Frenzy and Quickdraw are a great synergistic set of perks that will get you into the fight fast and keep your ammo stores stocked up. Judgement of Kelgorath is an extremely rare glaive drop from Xur that’s a nice change of pace from his usual stock. Plus, with Close to Melee and Immovable Object are both great glaive perks!

Warlock Legendary Armor

For Warlocks, Xûr is selling the Pathfinder set which includes:

Pathfinder Gauntlets

  • 12 Mobility
  • 10 Resilience
  • 2 Recovery
  • 10 Discipline
  • 16 Intellect
  • 2 Strength
  • Total: 52

Pathfinder Chest Armor

  • 14 Mobility
  • 12 Resilience
  • 2 Recovery
  • 10 Discipline
  • 13 Intellect
  • 2 Strength
  • Total: 53

Pathfinder Helmet

  • 8 Mobility
  • 6 Resilience
  • 12 Recovery
  • 7 Discipline
  • 12 Intellect
  • 6 Strength
  • Total: 51

Pathfinder Leg Armor

  • 6 Mobility
  • 2 Resilience
  • 18 Recovery
  • 12 Discipline
  • 12 Intellect
  • 2 Strength
  • Total: 52

Pathfinder Bond

Warlocks have some extremely bad armor this week and you shouldn’t consider any of it even a little!

Titan Legendary Armor

For Titans, Xûr is selling the Pathfinder set which includes:

Pathfinder Gauntlets

  • 7 Mobility
  • 7 Resilience
  • 11 Recovery
  • 9 Discipline
  • 2 Intellect
  • 16 Strength
  • Total: 52

Pathfinder Chest Armor

  • 2 Mobility
  • 10 Resilience
  • 12 Recovery
  • 25 Discipline
  • 2 Intellect
  • 2 Strength
  • Total: 53

Pathfinder Helmet

  • 7 Mobility
  • 20 Resilience
  • 2 Recovery
  • 12 Discipline
  • 2 Intellect
  • 15 Strength
  • Total: 58

Pathfinder Leg Armor

  • 6 Mobility
  • 8 Resilience
  • 12 Recovery
  • 6 Discipline
  • 6 Intellect
  • 13 Strength
  • Total: 51

Pathfinder Mark

Titans got shafted this week as well, folks. The only interesting roll is the chestpiece with 25 Discipline, but the stats are so low otherwise it’s really not worth considering.

Hunter Legendary Armor

For Hunters, Xûr is selling the Pathfinder set which includes:

Pathfinder Gauntlets

  • 6 Mobility
  • 2 Resilience
  • 19 Recovery
  • 15 Discipline
  • 2 Intellect
  • 12 Strength
  • Total: 56

Pathfinder Chest Armor

  • 17 Mobility
  • 6 Resilience
  • 2 Recovery
  • 13 Discipline
  • 2 Intellect
  • 13 Strength
  • Total: 53

Pathfinder Helmet

  • 2 Mobility
  • 6 Resilience
  • 19 Recovery
  • 6 Discipline
  • 7 Intellect
  • 14 Strength
  • Total: 54

Pathfinder Leg Armor

  • 26 Mobility
  • 2 Resilience
  • 2 Recovery
  • 6 Discipline
  • 11 Intellect
  • 6 Strength
  • Total: 53

PathfinderCloak

And to wrap things up, Hunters got a big ol’ goose egg as well. The 26 Mobility boots would be interesting if they weren’t terrible in every other category. Too bad!

That’s a wrap on Xûr for this week, Guardians! What are your impressions of Lightfall so far? Have you taken on Nezarec in the Root of Nightmares raid yet? Let us know in the comments! For more on Destiny, check out some of the new weapons and gear you can find in Lightfall or our walkthrough of Lightfall’s campaign.

Travis Northup is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @TieGuyTravis and read his games coverage here.

People Are Freaking Out About KFC’s Diablo 4 Beta Codes

Blizzard fans are freaking out about the only current way to access the long-awaited Diablo 4 beta: ordering KFC.

As the beta kicks off today, March 17, hopeful players are taking to the game’s Reddit to express their surprise, frustration, and amusement over the KFC beta code promotion. Players could previously preorder Diablo 4 to get a beta code, but this is no longer available now that the beta has begun.

Some users are ordering KFC simply for the beta code, with no intentions to eat the chicken sandwich, while some are protesting it altogether.

Reddit user kuroineko666 posted an “anti vegan beta key” post, asking why the only way to access Diablo 4’s beta other than preordering is “to order a dead chicken from KFC”.

Another user, MahiMatt, falls into the latter category. “Just ordered my KFC chicken sandwich with the Diablo promotion,” they said. “Question: do I actually have to pick up the sandwich to get the code?” Other users have expressed similar plans, while one called the collaboration a “dystopian nightmare”.

The beta code is available to anyone in the United States who orders a Double Down sandwich or other valid options, though a vegan or vegetarian meal is absent from the list.

Diablo 4 launches on June 6, 2023, with another, completely open to the public beta taking place next week from March 24 to 26.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Layers Of Fear is shaping up to be a worthy final act for the series

Layers Of Fear — recently quietly renamed from its working title Layers Of Fears — is a game that requires a bit of explanation. It shares its title with the 2016 game of the same name, and is being overseen by original developers Bloober Team. But it’s neither a remake nor a reboot; although, in some ways, it’s both of those things. It’s more a “reimagining” of the whole Layers Of Fear series to date, as well as its apparent swansong. It incorporates ground-up remakes of the two-and-a-half existing games in the series in Unreal Engine 5, alongside a new gaiden chapter complementing the first game, and a brand-new framing narrative tying the whole lot together.

I recently sat in on an early preview presentation of Layers Of Fear, chatting with creative director Damian Kocurek. Listeners to one very specific episode of the EWS podcast might recall that I’m something of a Layers Of Fear lore theorist, so of course I was delighted to nerd out over what this new(ish) game is all about. Similarly detail-oriented horror fans out there will hopefully share my excitement when I tell them that yes, the rats are back, and you can even catch a brief glimpse of the Rat Queen.

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Review: Herman Miller X Logitech G Vantum Gaming Chair – Is It Worth It?

No slouch.

There are certain pieces of advice we wish we could go back and give our early-20s selves. We’re talking practical, preventative health tips borne of life experience; things that could have saved us physical discomfort — if not downright pain — and put our now-30-something bodies in better stead for the decades ahead. Tips like ‘invest in an electric screwdriver!’, for instance. We ended up assembling an enormous amount of IKEA furniture in the last decade or so and would have saved ourselves a lot of time and hand, wrist, and arm strain by shelling out for a decent 18W Black+Decker years ago.

One such tip piece of advice we would give ourselves to save our aching back is to invest in a decent chair for work and play. Enter Herman Miller and Logitech G with their latest gaming offering, the Vantum. Following on from the Embody — the first collaboration between the companies to offer gamers a premium gaming chair (a $1,695 / £1410 premium, no less) — the Vantum is billed as their “first-ever performance chair made specifically for gamers”.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Funky 1990s Sokoban/Strategy Mashup Backbeat is Now on Xbox

Summary

  • Backbeat is now available for purchase on Xbox
  • Experience a fresh mashup of the puzzle and strategy genres
  • Relive a homage to classic 1990s ensemble dramedies

This is my second title launching on Xbox and it’s really cool to see how much our company has grown since Hexagroove: Tactical DJ in 2020.  The first time around was a great experience but there was so much more I wanted make more accessible and inviting.  In Backbeat we designed the interface from the ground up for 4K and scalable across all members of the Xbox device family. The games we design at Ichigoichie are built on mashing up genres and deriving our gameplay mechanics from musical theory.  This was at times a little overwhelming in Hexagroove, so I worked hard to portion out new mechanics in Backbeat through a much broader portion of the game.  So much in fact you’ll still be learning new tricks more than three quarters through the main campaign!

Backbeat is at first glance a turn-based sokoban puzzle game.  You have a band of up to four characters and must get them all to the goal within a limited number of turns.  Each character moves differently presenting unique challenges.  After some levels we introduce time mechanics to the mix, and you’ll need to synchronize each character’s timeline with the others, working together to unblock obstacles on the path to the goal.  Finally, we add four shared resources you must manage while navigating space and time.  Which turns you choose to change direction or interact with the environment cause these resources to increase or decrease.  Maximize the resources and you get a high score.  Run out of resources, and you’re in a failure state.  Fortunately, rewinding the turns of each character individually is possible to allow incremental improvements to your puzzle solutions.

screenshot

One thing I wanted to add to Backbeat was a story to motivate your choices and set the stakes.  The setting is 1995 in suburban Washington, D.C. and has a lot of callouts to the last days of the analog era before the advent of the internet.  The narrative is a homage to ensemble 90s dramedies like “With Honors”, “The Commitments”, and “School of Rock”.  Heroine Watts is doing her best to hold together a band of amateur funk musicians and contending with all the struggles of collaborative creation: inflated egos, clashing personality types, and external responsibilities to work and family.  A diverse cast of characters exists in each of the two main bands, and I hope you can find one that speaks to you.

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, turn-based strategy, or story-rich retro experiences, then I think there’s something for you to appreciate, and many more novel features to discover.  Start with the free demo of Backbeat and I hope you have some funky fun!

screenshot

Backbeat
Xbox Live

Backbeat

Ichigoichie

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★


$29.99

$26.99
Get it now

A mashup of puzzle and strategy games. Manipulate four threads of time to guide your band through sokoban-style puzzles. Manage squad resources over a set of limited turns. Experience a homage to 1990s ensemble dramedies. Customize the dynamic soundtrack with audio effects.

=== STORY ===
Stephanie “Watts” Watson, an aspiring bassist, bounced from audition to audition never finding music that really resonated with her, that is, until she discovered the magic of funk. Caught up in the groove, she recruits a group of hometown amateurs to take on art school darlings La Tormenta at the Battle of the Bands.

=== MECHANICS ===
Each character in your band moves through the map in different ways, encountering unique solutions and obstacles. Advancing a character consumes a turn and part of the timeline, setting up interactions with other characters and enemies at different points in time. Rewinding a turn undoes your move, allowing you to find improved solutions and new ways to tackle problems.

Manipulate each character separately, rewinding or fast-forwarding along the timeline in the process to reach her current point in time. Changes in time are reflected in the progress and actions both past and present of each character, creating some possibilities and removing others.

Each character has his own resource-limited super move which can be triggered under certain conditions. Tip toe through tight spaces with your bassist, slide through guards with your keytar player, break through walls with your drummer, or blow enemies out of the way with your mighty super sax. Strategic use of your super moves increase the number of solutions to each puzzle and are the key in gaining a maximum score.

Four resource-based musical metrics govern how and when you can move and interact with objects in the levels. These can completely block progress if used inefficiently, and create amazing musical chains and high scores when regulated artfully.

=== MUSIC ===
Join Watts as she grows on a musical journey rooted in funk and fusion. Soulful grooves and hot licks are composed by Pete Fraser, session saxophonist to the The Pogues, Friendly Fires, and Field Music! Twenty musical motifs are recorded by a live ensemble of seven funk masters, providing the foundation for the dynamic music in the game. Unique songs are generated depending on what directions and paths you take in each puzzle. Customize your performance with alternate playing styles, instruments swaps, and realtime audio effect pedals.

=== CONCEPT ===
Backbeat is a homage to the 16 and 32-bit story-driven games of the 1990s, recreating the challenges and victories of the last days of analog life and the birth of the internet. The suburban Washington D.C. area is reflected in diner parking lots, shopping malls, and dimly lit arcades.

A colorful cast of supporting characters both friend and foe join Watts as she struggles with leadership, success, and holding together a band.

Related:
New McPixel 3 Levels Announced
Uncover an Insidious Plot in Environmental Thriller The Forest Cathedral, Out Now on Xbox
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for March 13 to 17

Share of the Week – Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Last week, we asked you to travel to the Three Kingdoms and explore Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, sharing your adventures using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

profjpg shares a black and white silhouette fighting with a spear

marka_game shares a griffin-human hybrid mid fight

Mannitugames shares a player leaping on their white horse and brandishing a sword

Nu_Lupo shares a player unleashing a red phoenix-like bird

LemonShiko45 shares an adorable Shitieshou demon that looks like a reverse colored panda

themarkplumb shares a player standing in a cherry blossom forest wearing an ornate red armor set.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? 

THEME: Green
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on March 22, 2023

Next week, we’re seeing green. Share verdant, emerald, citrine, or any shade of green found in the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Vote now for your favourite survival games of all time

survival games. With Sons Of The Forest taking over Steam at the moment and Capcom’s sensational remake of Resident Evil 4 just on the horizon, we’ve got survival games on the brain right now – or at least the bit that hasn’t been chewed or nibbled on by the worrying pack of zombs circling the Treehouse lately, anyway. The less said about that, the better, because some the team are looking mighty peaky right now. Before they turn, though, come and tell us about your favourite survival games so the rest of us have some good tips for how to save our skins.

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Video: Everything That Could Go Wrong With The Switch’s Successor

No themes AGAIN?!

It’s now been over six years since the Switch launched globally back in 2017. Naturally, our thoughts are beginning to drift over to what could potentially come next from Nintendo. Will the company’s next major hardware be a simple evolution of the Switch itself, or will it be something completely new?

We could hypothesise for days on what the next console could potentially look like, but to debate what might go wrong with it, our pals Felix, Zion, and Craig (Pure Xbox) have put together a video to discuss every little annoying niggle that could potentially burn their toast.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for March 20 to 24

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!

Great New Games Spotlight 2023

Great New Games Spotlight has officially kicked off and we’re excited to bring you a ton of games every week for the next six weeks — more than 100+ new games will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One between February 28 and April 10 – and if you spend $50 on eligible games and movies, you can receive 2,500 Microsoft Rewards points! Get more details here.

Deceive Box Art Asset

Deceive Inc. – March 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Go undercover as the world’s greatest secret agents in this multiplayer game of social stealth and subterfuge. Disguise yourself as anyone to blend into the crowd, deploy high-tech gadgets to gain the upper hand, and extract the package before the competition takes it for themselves! No trick is too dirty when you work for Deceive Inc.

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Box Art Asset

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom – The Prince’s Edition – March 21
Game Pass
Once upon a time, there was a world torn by endless war. But then came a great king who would change this world forever. Join the young king Evan to establish a new kingdom in the Prince’s Edition, which includes all DLCs. Available on Cloud, Console, and PC.

Superfidos Box Art Asset

Superfidos – March 21
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A platforming game where you explore the vast world of Fluffington as a magical dog hero, traversing different levels in multiple interconnected areas, gathering power-ups, magic, and more. Put your best cape on and help these heroes show Lux they are not called Superfidos for nothing!

Island Farmer Box Art Asset

Island Farmer – March 22

Farms are set up on islands over calm and clear water in this tiny fantasy experience. Carefully observe the island, try to memorize it, then shuffle the blocks to reproduce the desired island and it will compose an archipelago.

The Settlers New Allies Box Art Asset

The Settlers: New Allies – March 22

The Settlers: New Allies is a strategy game with an in-depth build-up experience and real-time strategic battles. Fully reimagined from the ground up, with stunning graphics and detailed animations. Choose among three factions: the Elari, the Maru, and the Jorn. Each has a unique look, playstyle, and background story.

Taurian Defense Box Art Asset

Taurian Defense – March 22

Pilot the most advanced Taurian defense ships, each with their own special capabilities to help drive back the invading forces. Inspired by 1980s top-down arcade-style shooters, you must defend your bases from an enemy invasion.

Dragon Pinball Box Art Asset

Dragon Pinball – March 23
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Experience Dragon Pinball, surpass all the challenges, and defeat the dragon on this exciting pinball machine. Discover all the secrets, complete all the missions, and become number 1 in the world (or the best among your friends), posting your high score on online.

I dream you like ice cream box art asset

I dream of you and ice cream – March 23

A game about imperialism, the loss of identity, and personal sacrifice. I dream of you and ice cream is a point-and-click adventure game with an emphasis on puzzle solving — for every two puzzles solved, players are rewarded with a partial solution which can be used in another puzzle.

Not for Broadcast Box Art Asset

Not For Broadcast – March 23

A darkly comedic game of televised chaos that lets you pick what you want to see on TV, no matter what anybody else wants. Egotistical celebrities, dishonest politicians, and strange sponsors clash on the airwaves. You’re here to ensure that the show goes on uninterrupted.

Yellow Adventures Box Art Asset

Yello Adventures – March 23

Overcome challenging and dangerous platforms with a variety of different and challenging enemies and make sure you are prepared for the boss at the end of the level where you must demonstrate your expertise! Upgrade your weapon via the in-game store and become more effective in your fight against your enemies.

Lila's Tale Box Art Asset

Lila’s Tale and the Hidden Forest – March 24

In this classical-inspired 2D game, players will explore challenging magical environments, team up with forest animals and defeat nasty enemies. Experience a wonderful adventure and save Solaria!

Overloop Box Art Asset

Overloop – March 24

A puzzle-platformer set in a dystopian world where the invention of a cloning device has messed things up, big time. Armed with a clone gun and a mighty fine mustache, the chore of saving the whole of civilization rests on your shoulders. Don’t blow it.

Resident Evil 4 Box Art Asset

Resident Evil 4 – March 24
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals. And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect. Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut. Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.

Steel Defier Box Art Asset

Steel Defier – March 24

A malfunction in the defense system of a transport spaceship accidentally killed everyone aboard, except for one last survivor… You and your suspicious orange suit. Explore a maze-like environment, moving from room to room, collecting access cards and finding new upgrades for your suit. Use your skills to outmaneuver dozens of different hazard types, while also trying to find a way out.       

Witchcrafty Box Art Asset

Witchcrafty – March 24

Witchcrafty is a platformer with small metroidvania elements that immerse you in a world of magic. Something strange is happening in the Kingdom — the forests are filled with predatory plants, their peace-loving peoples have taken up arms against each other, and goblins were noticed in the deep mines. The little witch must start her journey in search of truth and answers.

Related:
Knives Out: Talking Resident Evil 4’s Updated Combat with the Game’s Producer
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for March 13 to 17
Capcom Spotlight: Exoprimal Release Date, Resident Evil 4 Demo, and More