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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – Everything You Need to Know | IGN First

We’re only weeks away from the February 4 release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and you may still find yourself a bit lost as to what all the fuss is about. All month long, we’ve been covering different aspects of this medieval action RPG in detail as part of IGN First. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. This digital treatise is here to cover all the basics, and tell you where you can go next to find out more about any given topic.

What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

To put it as simply as possible, it’s a first-person, open-world action RPG based on real medieval history, and the very direct sequel to 2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which I gave an 8/10. You play as Henry, a young villager who lost his home and his parents to the ravages of war. While exploring the open countryside, you’ll use stealth, persuasion, and swordplay to overcome your enemies and complete diverse side quests that generally have multiple endings.

The real highlight for me is the combat system, which is based on real European martial arts and looks to evolve and streamline the mechanics of the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It’s highly technical and skill-centric, but it doesn’t require amazing twitch reflexes. Attacking from one of four cardinal directions, timing parries and counters, and a combo system similar to fighting games that rely on a specific sequence of directional inputs, are at the heart of it.

KCD2 is making an effort to help new players get up to snuff.

It may sound intimidating, but KCD2 is making an effort to help new players get up to snuff. You can check out our developer-aided survival tips, or an explanation of how combat has evolved from the first game.

What is the setting of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

The year is 1403, right in the middle of what are often called the Late Middle Ages. The venue is central Bohemia, in the vicinity of Prague, and what is today the heart of the modern Czech Republic. It’s been about 50 years since the Black Plague – recent enough that there are still people alive who remember it – and 50 years before the fall of Constantinople. Europe, including Bohemia, is watching one age coming to a close and a new one just starting to take shape.

While KCD presents a fictional and dramatized version of history – many of its characters are based on historical ones, but their actions and personalities have been tweaked and embellished – it doesn’t contain any outright fantasy elements. No trolls, dragons, or magic – although the people living at the time certainly believed in them. You can do alchemy, which is the one place where this series feels the most like a fantasy RPG. I’m not aware of any herbs or nectars that can make you better at sword fighting. But even these require you to pick real plants and cook them up using period-accurate technology.

No trolls, dragons, or magic – although the people living at the time certainly believed in them.

To be more specific, KCD2 picks up almost immediately where the first game left off. Which brings us to our next question…

Do I need to play the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance before I play the sequel?

In my opinion, not really. It’s kind of a soft reset in terms of your character progression, and it will introduce you to all of its systems as if you’ve never touched them before. The extended intro sequence even catches you up to speed on the events of the first game, which aren’t overly intricate. If you want to see for yourself and decide if you need more context, you can watch our first 43 minutes of gameplay.

I certainly wouldn’t discourage you from playing the first one, though. I replayed it earlier this year and found that it holds up really well. Some of the technical issues that were present during my original review have even been fixed.

Who are the major characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Well, well, well… we happened to put together a whole article about the major characters. But to put it simply: You play as Henry, a young man who has gone from some random nobody to a trusted retainer in the service of Sir Radzig Kobyla. Kobyla and his buddies support King Wenceslaus IV, who has been kidnapped by Wenceslaus’ half-brother, the pretender Sigismund. Our pal Sigismund has been riding around the country dealing harshly with anyone he sees as a supporter of Wenceslaus, including burning down Henry’s hometown and killing his parents.

Now, Henry is part of the conspiracy to free Wenceslaus and restore him to the throne. At the start of KCD2, he’s off on the road with his spoiled, womanizing best “friend,” Sir Hans Capon, to try and figure out who else among the nobility is willing to help the cause. The two young men frequently butt heads, since Henry was raised as a commoner and sees Hans as sort of stuck-up man-child, and Hans feels Henry doesn’t treat him with the respect a noble deserves.

When is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 coming out?

February 4, 2024 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. The original also received a Switch port earlier this year, six years after the original release, but we don’t know yet whether or not the sequel might eventually be on Switch 2.

What about the PC system requirements?

The Steam page recommends a Core i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32 GB RAM, and a GeForce RTX 4070 or Radeon RX 7800 XT. Thankfully, from what I’ve played, it’s much better optimized than the first game, which I still can’t play on max settings to this day even with a rig that meets all of the recommended specs for KCD2.

Can you pet the dog?

Yes! Your trusty Mutt can even help you out in combat.

Anything else I should know?

The devs were nice enough to highlight 8 Little Things Not to Miss in KCD2 for us. If you want to hear my in-depth impressions of the 12+ hours I’ve played so far, you can check out my hands-on preview. We also got a guided in-game tour of Kuttenburg, the biggest city Warhorse has ever created. It’s mostly based on a real city that’s still standing, too, and we also got to go walk around it in real life! So take a peek at our comparison of in-game and real-world locations.

I can’t prepare you for everything. The forests of 1403 Bohemia are vast and full of surprises. But at least now you have some idea of what you’re dealing with. Thanks for riding along with us on our journey through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as the final IGN First of 2024!

Here’s how the strategy layer works in Menace, the turn-based squad combat RPG from the Battle Brothers devs

“A tactically rich turn-based game with some meaty role-playing elements”, was how Staff Sergeant James Archer characterised his Menace hands-on, back in September. The only thing missing from his account of the game was the bread needed to make that rich, meaty concoction a tasty, nourishing sandwich.

And by bread, I of course mean the strategic layer – the parts between the turn-based battles where you pick your next mission, improve your squads, deal with pop-up story events, appraise your standing with each NPC faction, and equip your strike cruiser with auxiliary systems. Developers Overhype have now shared a few details of how it all works. Mmmmm, such malty, yeasty strategicalness.

Clambering deep out of the Contemplation Pit, where reading reviews or opinions or, god help you, Takes, is forbidden, I am curious to learn how people have been categorising Songs of Silence. Its structure most resembles Songs of Conquest or Heroes of Might and/or Magic, but with little RPG emphasis or base building, and minimal tactical fighting.

Taxonomy is arbitrary and often unimportant at the end of the day, but I am very glad to firmly rule it out of one category: It’s not a bloody card game. It looks like one, sure. You do most things with cards, and characters acquire more cards over time. But even if you absolutely, utterly, and correctly loathe card-based systems, this game has none.

The Best Game of 2024

In 2024, we saw games where soldiers dove headfirst into alien planets to defend Earth, Princess Zelda led her very own legend, a little robot overcame impossible odds to rescue PlayStation’s greatest characters, and a game of poker played out unlike anything else.

There can be arguments for why any number of our Best Game of 2024 nominees could take home the crown, a stark contrast from last year where Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were locked-in favorites. The breadth of games on display, from Black Myth: Wukong to Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, means picking this year’s winner was harder than usual, but ultimately there was one clear winner. Here’s IGN’s Best Game of 2024.

Honorable Mentions

Before we get to the overall winner, let’s look back at some of the other games from this year that deserve your recognition, starting with our Honorable Mentions. These nominees were much-loved by IGN’s editorial team but didn’t get as many votes as our winner and runners-up.

The Rise of the Golden Idol

The mystery is afoot in the sequel to 2022’s delightful point-and-click game The Case of the Golden Idol. Set 200 years after the events of the first game, Rise of the Golden Idol returns with more devilishly clever puzzles where you solve various crimes that begin to combine into one grand mystery.

Infinity Nikki

The Fashion Nikki series has always had its share of devotees. The dress-up simulator was a pleasant, cozy way to pass the time, collecting different outfits and making your character as cute as they can be. But Infinity Nikki is a bold reinvention, combining all the elements fans loved, along with the amazing outfits they could create, and adding a vibrant, Zelda-like open-world to explore.

Silent Hill 2

There were doubts as to whether Bloober Team could faithfully remake one of the most beloved horror games of all time. Even Bloober admitted as much, citing the mixed reception some of their previous horror games have received. But the determination to do right by the source material paid off as Silent Hill 2 delivers one of the scariest – and best – gaming experiences of the year. Faithful to everything that made the original great, while updating the rusty, aging bits beautifully, Silent Hill 2 embodies everything that’s great about the original and then some.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

The Prince of Persia, one of gaming’s forgotten greats, finally got a new entry worthy of the Prince’s title. This 2.5D Metroidvania delivers one of the most exhilarating revivals of any franchise in recent memory, and with its tight controls, excellent action, and swashbuckling storytelling, this is the best Prince of Persia game since Sands of Time.

Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong captivated audiences ever since its first trailer was revealed, but that was only a part of the story. Yes, the boss fights are epic, and the combat is sublime, but this loving recreation of one of China’s oldest, most beloved stories means millions of players can finally appreciate the legend of the Monkey Prince in a whole new way.

Animal Well

One of the earliest surprises of the year was Animal Well. On the surface, it’s another well-made homage to past 2D Metroidvania games. But the deeper you go, the more you realize Animal Well isn’t all that it appears. While the core gameplay and platforming are excellent, you quickly discover there’s a massive puzzle at the heart of it all. So take out your notebook and get ready to put your brain to work to uncover the truth behind Animal Well.

Runner-Up: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Next up are games that were oh-so-close to being crowned Game of the Year, but narrowly missed out to the overall winner. MachineGames is back with another Nazi-punching blockbuster. And no, this isn’t a new Wolfenstein game. Instead, the Swedish studio has endeavored to bring one of cinema’s greatest heroes into the modern gaming age. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is essentially a truly great Indiana Jones movie brought to life. And by truly great, we mean up there with the original trilogy. Buoyed by Troy Baker’s frankly insane portrayal of Harrison Ford’s iconic archeologist, The Great Circle feels like a dream come true for anyone who grew up enraptured by movies like The Last Crusade and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Indy was never a shoot ‘em up hero; instead he used his brains as well as his brawn to solve ancient riddles and punch out bad guys, and that’s something MachineGames has wonderfully adapted here. Whether it’s exploring the ancient catacombs of The Vatican or sneaking up on fascists and bonking them over the head, The Great Circle literally puts you into the dirt-caked shoes of Indiana Jones, and it turns out it’s every bit as fun and exciting as we imagined.

Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

“Why is it called The Legend of Zelda if it stars Link?” is a question most have asked at one point in their life. Well, ask no more as Echoes of Wisdom puts Zelda in charge of her own legend in this new top-down adventure game. Visually similar to the 2019 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom is very much a true Zelda game, complete with the classic puzzles and dungeons the series is known for.

Its creators have clearly learned from more recent games in the series too, and even though Echoes of Wisdom is more of a “classic” Zelda experience, the freeform creativity of Breath of the Wild is present thanks to the Echoes mechanic that lets Zelda conjure whatever item and enemy she encounters, leading to all kinds of madcap solutions. Stuck on the other side of a ledge? Just stack a bunch of beds together to cross. Duh.

Runner-Up: Helldivers 2

Are you doing your part in the war to save our galaxy? If not, jump into Helldivers 2 and start blasting away at alien and robot scum. Arrowhead Game Studios delivered one of the new live-service games of the year with the sequel to its isometric alien shooter. Reimagined as a squad-based third-person shooter, Helldivers 2 is both a satirical take on the military-industrial complex while also being an addictive blast thanks to its potent mix of high-powered weaponry, devastating orbital drop missiles, and a spirit of Earthian patriotism.

Runner-Up: Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth

After the prelude that was Final Fantasy 7: Remake, we finally get to the heart of the adventure in the second in Square Enix’s planned trilogy. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth encompasses some of the most important moments from the original, but more than that stands on its own as a brilliant open world RPG.

What stands out almost immediately is how much love Square Enix has for these characters. It’s clear Square Enix wants players to spend as much time as they can with Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barrett, and Red XIII, providing plenty of side quests and minigames, and expanding entire moments so that we can all spend just hang with the gang some more before they resume their mission in the fight against Sephiroth. It makes these moments all the more valuable too, given the ending to Rebirth and the approaching finale.

Runner-Up: Astro Bot

Astro Bot’s life began as a humble mascot for the Playroom tech demo. Anytime Sony had some new hardware to show off — whether it was the PS VR headset, or the PlayStation 5 — Astro Bot was there to guide players through the ins-and-outs of whatever new system Sony wanted to show off. But with Astro Bot, the adorable little mascot finally takes center stage.

This colorful, vibrant 3D platformer isn’t just a showcase for the PS5’s powerful GPU and fast SSD, because between the unbridled level of creativity in each level and the controller-stressing difficulty of some of the harder challenge runs, Astro Bot is pure delight and wonderment. Every ability Astro Bot plays around with — from inflating into a balloon or punching enemies with bungee fists — never fails to amuse even the most hardened gamer. I don’t say this lightly, but PlayStation might have just found its answer to Nintendo’s Mario.

Runner-Up: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

After a brief interlude into the live-service genre with games like Anthem, and a perhaps ill-advised attempt to rush out another Mass Effect game with Mass Effect: Andromeda, BioWare has gone back to what it knows best – a good old-fashioned, dungeon-crawling RPG full of delightful characters, witty dialogue, and the chance to create a character who looks and talks exactly the way you want them to. But while BioWare may have opted for a back-to-basics approach to storytelling, there is one area of major improvement: the combat.

It’s not unfair to say this is the best a BioWare game has ever played, from its sword-and-sorcery combat to even the way you traverse the myriad of dungeons and mystical locales. While we’re only one game into the BioWare renaissance, all eyes are back on the storied studio.

Runner-Up: Balatro

“It’s just a poker game with some roguelike mechanics,” I remember saying to friends, incredulously, when they first told me they spent all night playing a little game called Balatro. “How good could it be?” Turns out after tens of thousands of poker hands and hundreds of hours spent playing, Balatro still has me wrapped around its fingers.

A lot can be said about Balatro’s addictive qualities and how it has this magnetic ability to get you to play just one more round. The reason for Balatro’s rapid ascendency is how it took one of America’s oldest games and refashioned it for one of gaming’s most popular genres, the roguelike. The combination of classic poker rules and randomized Joker and Tarot cards that augment your combos and bump up your high score so you can get to the next round is pure gaming bliss. Balatro is built on creating seemingly endless moments of elation and devastation in equal measures. All you have to do is play your cards right… literally.

Winner: Metaphor: ReFantazio

For years, Atlus’ cult-RPG Persona went from being a cool underground RPG series from Japan to one of the biggest franchises in modern gaming. But with Metaphor: ReFantazio, it’s clear the developers behind Persona were seeking to push themselves to new heights. Trading in the modern-day Japanese high school setting for a pure fantasy world full of long-eared knights and bat-like ninjas, Atlus’ Studio Zero has created an incredible and timely meditation on political strife and demagoguery.

After the death of the King, the United Kingdom of Euchronia, divided by racial prejudice among its citizens, begins the process of holding its very first popular election that kickstarts a grand, cross-continental adventure. For anyone familiar with the Persona series, you’ll find familiar hallmarks here. Players split their time crawling through difficult dungeons full of horrifying monsters, while spending free moments building up relationships with various party members and inhabitants around the country.

But while the Persona games took these quiet moments to reaffirm the virtues of youthful friendships, Metaphor uses these times to tackle headier questions. What defines a knight’s duty, or the responsibilities of those born into wealth? Can one ever heal from the pains of racism, and is religious tolerance a foolhardy endeavor? These aren’t easy questions to address but are asked plainly throughout Metaphor’s 70-hour playtime.

While Studio Zero refrains from giving clear-cut answers to these questions, it instead acknowledges the virtues of empathy, kindness, and strength in the face of overwhelming fear and hatred that can take root in an uncertain world where leaders promise salvation in exchange for unwavering loyalty. Wrap these philosophical musings in a stylish, turn-based RPG that looks and feels stupendous — complete with beautiful character designs from artist Shigenori Soejima and music from Shoji Meguro – and you’ll quickly understand why Metaphor: ReFantazio is IGN’s pick for Best Game of 2024.

So congratulations to Metaphor: ReFantazio and Studio Zero, and also to all of our other winners and runner-ups in 2024’s IGN Awards. Be sure to check out our full list of Award Winners for Best Movie, TV Show, and more, and we’ll see you again in 2025 for even more gaming goodness.

Microsoft Flight Simulator and the quest to replace Earth

Early on in Terry Pratchett’s novel The Light Fantastic, a spell is cast to map the world. It begins as a “fireball of occult potentiality,” dangling in the Great Hall of the Unseen University, which evolves into a ghostly “embryo universe.” The embryo expands “lightly as a thought,” with spectral continents “sleeting” through walls and people. It surges across the landscape until the entire population and geography of the Disc is exactly duplicated and enclosed by a shimmering shadow-self of “shining threads that followed every movement.”

Random: ‘Monkey Kong’ On Switch Reminds Us Of Nintendo’s ’83 Legal Battle

Monkey see, monkey do.

Nintendo’s been involved in its fair share of legal battles over the years, but we have a feeling it might be thinking twice before taking on publisher Pix Arts over the recent release of Monkey Kong In New-York on the Nintendo Switch.

Granted, Nintendo can do whatever it likes, and if it thinks there’s even the slightest chance that it might win a legal case, then chances are it will send its ninjas to battle at the earliest opportunity. What’s interesting about this particular game, however, is that it reminds us of a previous legal battle fought between Nintendo and Universal back in 1983.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Genshin Impact Version 5.3 adds The Raging Battle Churns

Hello Travelers. The Genshin Impact dev team is delighted to embark on another year of adventures with you in the world of Teyvat. Along with our heartfelt New Year’s wishes, we’re excited to share that Version 5.3, Incandescent Ode of Resurrection, will be arriving on January 1. Starting from the first day of 2025, it’s time to team up with Mavuika, the Pyro Archon, and Citlali, in the final battles against the Abyss looming over Natlan.

While the people of Natlan gather to turn the tide of their long war, the people of Liyue reunite for the annual Lantern Rite to embrace a new year. The new character, Lan Yan, and many old friends are waiting in Liyue to light up the night sky with Xiao Lanterns.

To spice up the annual celebration, bountiful rewards are available for you to claim, including Primogems ×1,600 and the new glider Wings of Fate’s Course Intertwined via in-game mail, Intertwined Fate ×10 via a daily login event, a free 4-star Liyue character via completing the Lantern Rite event, and a new outfit for Xiangling via accumulating Festive Fever in the event.

Blaze a radiant path, burn away the shadowy swaths

After a brief respite, the final battle is at hand. Warriors, blessed by the guidance and protection of the Ode of Resurrection, will stand against the monsters rising from the Abyss in the newest Archon Quest Chapter V: Act V Incandescent Ode of Resurrection. Alongside Mavuika, Citlali, and other warriors, every effort, including the power of the Ruler of Death, will be devoted to banishing the darkness that threatens to swallow the land, no matter the cost. Additionally, the power of Pyro will finally be granted to the Traveler at a pivotal moment.

To boost your combat abilities for the final battle, travel to the cave near the Masters of the Night-Wind. There, you will encounter the Wayward Hermetic Spiritspeaker, a powerful Boss, who can move quickly and conjure up multiple clones in battle.

Once you have proven your worth, another formidable Weekly Boss — the Lord of Eroded Primal Fire, the Abyssal Mimic Dragon awaits your challenge. Additionally, the Pyro Traveler may gain unexpected advantages in this battle.

The Radiant Sun and Obsidian Star

Two ladies who will shine in the legendary war to come may be recruited to your party as 5-star playable characters: Mavuika, the Pyro Archon and a claymore wielder, and Citlali, the most powerful shaman of her tribe and a Cryo catalyst user. Both illuminate their people’s paths with centuries of wisdom, exploration, know-how, and battle prowess.

From a little girl of the Scions of the Canopy to the Pyro Archon who dazzles and protects all of Natlan like the sun, Mavuika’s journey has never been easy. Yet, she never wavered. Upon completing the latest Archon Quest, Mavuika’s Story Quest will be unlocked.

In combat, Mavuika can crush her opponents with her claymore or charge into battle on her Flamestrider, a one-of-a-kind construct in Teyvat. Her Elemental Skill can summon the All-Fire Armaments, which can take on two forms. Tap to cast “Divine Name Unleashed,” and the Armaments become Rings of Searing Radiance, following Mavuika or the active character and dealing constant Nightsoul-aligned Pyro DMG. Alternatively, hold to unleash Ancient Name Unbound, transforming her All-Fire Armaments into the Flamestrider. When Mavuika mounts the Flamestrider, she can deal Pyro DMG to opponents in her path. Meanwhile, if nearby party members hit opponents with their Normal Attacks or consume Nightsoul points, she can accumulate Fighting Spirit. When her Fighting Spirit exceeds a certain amount, she can use her Elemental Burst to enter the Nightsoul’s Blessing state, mounting her Flamestrider to perform a powerful AoE Pyro attack. With her Elemental Burst, Mavuika will also enter the Crucible of Death and Life state, boosting her abilities and making her more resistant to interruption.

The Flamestrider is not only a weapon but also a versatile tool for exploration. Equipped with a hidden backup propulsion module, it allows Mavuika to scale cliffs, charge across rugged terrain and waters, and glide in mid-air. In addition, having Mavuika in your party will decrease the party’s Nightsoul Transmission cooldown by 20%. The Flamestrider blazes across the land, unrestrained and proud, a testament to her unyielding spirit. Carried on the wind, the memory of a young lady’s confident words lingers: “I can shoot those cornflakes in your kitchen from right here.”

The sun shines brilliantly, yet the stars never cease to glow at night. As the most powerful shaman of the Masters of the Night-Wind, Citlali can sense changes in the Ley Lines and feel the wounds across all of Natlan from their long war with the Abyss. Due to the damage sustained by the Night Kingdom in the war, she has been aiding the lost wandering souls who can no longer return to it. In her downtime, the respected “Granny Itztli” may prefer to stay in her remote abode alone, surrounded by light novels and snacks. She is also accompanied by her little companions Itzpapa and Citlalin, who not only add comfort as cushions and pillows but also provide various forms of support in combat and exploration.

In combat, Citlali can deploy shields and summon Itzpapa with her Elemental Skill. When her Nightsoul points exceed a certain amount, Itzpapa will deal AoE Cryo DMG to nearby opponents. Her Elemental Burst summons both little companions and creates a Spiritvessel Skull. When the skull explodes, it will deal Nightsoul-aligned Cryo DMG and restore a fixed amount of Nightsoul points to Citlali. Additionally, when Citlali is in the Nightsoul’s Blessing state, enemies hit by Frozen or Melt reactions have reduced Pyro and Hydro RES. She can maintain her Nightsoul’s Blessing state to buff the party when you switch to other characters in battle.

Team up for another year of adventure

Elsewhere in Teyvat, Liyue is currently basking in warmth and harmony as its people prepare for the arrival of Lantern Rite and the new year. In the streets of Liyue, you may encounter a new character, Lan Yan, an Anemo catalyst user, along with many familiar faces, some of whom will debut with fresh new looks in the upcoming update.

The new 4-star character, Lan Yan, is a descendant and inheritor of the renowned Qimen Arts. She is a graceful and nimble artisan, lauded as a master craftsman in the Chenyu Vale Artisans Association. In combat, Lan Yan wields the Swallow-Wisp Shield, a secret art passed down through her family for generations. When she dashes forward and hits a target, she leaps backward into the air. Furthermore, this dash attack changes the Elemental Type of her shield to Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, allowing it to absorb the corresponding Elemental DMG and deal the corresponding Elemental DMG in return.

For Version 5.3 Event Wishes, the first phase will feature the debuts of Mavuika and Citlali, while the second phase brings reruns of Arlecchino and Clorinde, alongside the debut of Lan Yan.

To recruit more Liyue characters, players can complete special festival requirements to invite one free 4-star Liyue character, including Lan Yan. Additionally, some 5-star Liyue characters, including Ganyu and others, can be obtained through a new round of Chronicled Wish.

More fun events await you

Meeting friends is exciting, and participating in fun events doubles the joy. In Lantern Rite, try the mini-game Custom Gift Envelope to design envelopes tailored to your companions’ unique preferences. Plus, don’t forget to create envelopes filled with wishes for friends, family, or other Travelers, sealing your thoughts and memories into these tokens of affection. Also try out Immortal Combat, a Tetris-like game that allows you to use Rattan Figures to gain buffs and defeat opponents. Or try Drills by Lamplight, where you make use of stratagems during battle to boost your score. Dive into these mini-games and gather more Festive Fever to unlock a trove of exciting rewards including Xiangling’s new outfit, New Year’s Cheer. Additionally, Hu Tao’s new outfit, Cherries Snow-Laden, will be on sale with a limited-time discount.

The festive cheer manifests through music as well. With Repertoire of Myriad Melodies, the rhythm game feature is now added as a permanent mode and you can start playing, composing, and sharing your custom scores anytime with a special Gadget in your inventory. Want to take on some super-tough battles? In “On the Trail of Behemoths,” you can take on challenges of different difficulties and face off against four powerful Bosses solo or with a friend.

Last but not least, we want to say thank you to everyone who joined us on this fantastic journey in Teyvat! Together, we’ve created so many wonderful memories. Now, it’s time to release the Xiao Lanterns and celebrate Lantern Rite again. It’s also the perfect moment to ignite your inner fire and boldly embrace the as-yet-unknown, exciting adventures awaiting us in the year ahead.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Dev Larian Wants Your Help Testing Patch 8 and the Long-Awaited Crossplay Before Its Release in 2025

Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian has opened registrations to stress test Patch 8 ahead of its release in 2025.

Patch 8 adds the long-awaited crossplay feature, photo mode, and 12 new subclasses. Larian has said Patch 8 is Baldur’s Gate 3’s last major update, with the developer moving on to brand new games away from the Dungeons & Dragons universe.

The Patch 8 stress test build is set to go live in January, Larian said in a post on Steam. It will be available to players on PC via Steam, and on console via Xbox and PlayStation. GOG and Mac players do not have access. The form for registering interest is live now.

Larian said it wants to “rigorously” test Patch 8 for instability or gameplay issues before it comes out. “With your help, we’ll be able to keep an eye on any funny business,” the developer said.

Part of this is testing crossplay. “Bringing crossplay to a game the size of Baldur’s Gate 3 has been no easy task,” Larian explained, “and we want your help to test-drive this new functionality.

“Share the stress test registration link to summon your friends and settle in for a crossplay campaign, or head to the Larian Studios Discord Server to look for a group to play with.”

Supported mods “should” remain free of issues, but the stress test will hopefully turn up any issues mods might have interacting with Patch 8 features.

While Patch 8 is Baldur’s Gate 3’s last major update, Larian has promised to continue to support the game’s modders, with “big updates still to come,” including more functionality “to let you tell your own stories.” Official mod tools were released in September, and since then players have uploaded more than 3,000 mods and downloaded over 70 million.

Meanwhile, Larian said it’s winding down mod curation for consoles during the holiday season. It’ll pick back up again in the new year.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Two Epic Games directors step down after US Department of Justice investigate games companies under antitrust laws

Two men on the board of directors for Epic Games have stepped down from their positions after the US Department of Justice investigated the board under antitrust laws. The pair of directors were originally appointed to Epic’s board by Tencent (who slurp upon a minority stake in the Unreal Engine company) but the United States government took a look at this and said: ah-ah-ah, you’re not allowed to have a director in your boardroom if they’re already fingers-deep in the pie of a competing company. Naughty Tencent! Naughty Epic! And, yes, naughty Riot Games!

Star Citizen Has Finally Released Alpha 4.0 ‘After a Much Longer Than Anticipated Development Process’

Star Citizen has finally hit alpha 4.0 after what its chief developer, Chris Roberts, admitted was “a much longer than anticipated development process.”

Cloud Imperium Games’ space sim is considered one of the most controversial projects in all video games. Over the 12 years since its crowdfunding drive began, Star Citizen has been called many things including a scam by those who wonder whether it will ever properly launch. Its virtual space ships, some of which cost hundreds of dollars, are often the focus of criticism.

Indeed, Star Citizen has now raised an eye-watering $767 million, according to figures from CIG. The developer makes revenue publicly available on its website. CIG calls this money “funds raised.”

In March this year, CIG began talking about Star Citizen’s 1.0 launch being within sight, although there’s still no release window for it. 1.0, Roberts has said, “is what we consider the features and content set to represent ‘commercial’ release.”

In a letter from the Chairman post, Roberts said: “Long ago, lost in the mists of time before COVID, at CitizenCon 2949, we showcased the first in-game prototype of traveling from the Stanton System to the Pyro System via a Jump Point.

“After a much longer than anticipated development process, what was teased in 2019 becomes a reality for all players when we launch Star Citizen Alpha 4.0 to the live servers, as part of what we are calling the 4.0 Preview.”

Star Citizen Alpha 4.0 brings with it a full wipe and reset to all accounts. All players start fresh with their account hangars and wallets +20,000 aUEC (Alpha United Earth Credits, Star Citizen’s virtual currency used during the alpha stage). Headline additions include Pyro, the second Star System added to the Star Citizen Universe, the first jump point in the persistent universe, connecting the Stanton and Pyro systems together, an economy overhaul, and much more. Check out the patch notes over on the Roberts Space Industries website.

In October, CIG said that Squadron 42, the standalone, single-player story game set in the Star Citizen universe, launches at some point in 2026, which, if it makes that release window, would be an incredible 14 years after CIG first launched Star Citizen’s crowdfunding drive.

Roberts, known for creating the Wing Commander series, has said Squadron 42 will offer 30-40 hours of gameplay. It stars Gillian Anderson, Henry Cavill, Gary Oldman, and Mark Strong.