Content Warning Sells 1 Million Copies Despite Being Free for 24 Hours at Launch

Content Warning publisher Landfall Games has announced the viral Steam hit has sold an impressive one million copies even after its eye-catching free launch period.

Landfall released Content Warning for free for the first 24 hours, signaling that it planned to charge for the game after the launch period. The Lethal Company-style co-op survival horror saw an impressive peak concurrent player number of 204,439 on Valve’s platform off the back of the promotion, but some questioned whether it would prove successful in the long run.

Clearly, the launch strategy has paid off. In a statement published on X/Twitter, Landfall Games said Content Warning has now sold one million copies on top of the 6.6 million players who downloaded the game for free. “Thank you all so much for liking our scary Iill game,” the publisher added.

It’s a remarkable success for Content Warning, which was developed by just a handful of people and released on April 1 as part of Landfall’s tradition of releasing a game on April Fools’ Day. Take a look at IGN’s Guides for all the info we’ve gathered so far on the monsters, useful items available to purchase, and our tips and tricks for maximum views.

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.

Fallout TV Show Sparks Lucy XP Level Debate, Fallout Shelter Gives Us SPECIAL Stats

If you’re watching the Fallout TV show as a fan of the video games, you might be wondering what XP level Lucy would end up with, based on all the events of the series.

It’s a question that has popped up on social media ever since the Fallout TV show made its debut on Prime Video and fans worked their way through to the end of season one. Some are now having fun trying to offer an answer, applying the levelling system from Fallout 3 to what we see Lucy get up to during the show.

We won’t spoil the show at this point, but it’s worth pointing out that it revolves around vault dweller Lucy MacLean venturing out into the wasteland for the first time in a scene reminiscent of the Bethesda’s trademark ‘stepping out into an open world’ set piece.

Warning: spoilers for the Fallout TV show now follow:

If the eight episodes of the Fallout TV show were a Fallout video game, what amount of XP might Lucy have accumulated? X/Twitter user Many A True Nerd has some theories. At the start of the show, Lucy mentions her proficiency with repair, science, and speech skills. There are subsequent signs that suggest Lucy is playing Fallout on one of the easier difficulties (that bear went down with one shot from a pistol!), but also on Survival Mode, given the problems she has with water.

But what do we see Lucy actually do in the show that would earn XP? Not much combat (she shoots a few radroaches at one point, but talks her way out of most situations). She leaves the Vault, discovers Filly, escorts Wilzig, then goes off on a few side quests. One of these involves taking down an organ harvesting organization (potentially the biggest source of XP), and another involves shenanigans in a separate Vault.

Here’s Many A True Nerd’s verdict: “Overall, four quests representing the main plot, and two side quests, plus extremely limited combat, though technically she probably receives XP for Maximus’ kills when he’s an active companion. There’s also XP for location discovery, but it feels like she didn’t explore that much.

“Even allowing for bonus survival mode XP, it’s hard to see her having more than 4,000 – 5,000 XP across the entire journey, with probably an extra 1,000 tossed in for Main Quest completion. That would put her about Level 8, and I feel like I’m being generous.”

Helpfully, we know Lucy’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats, and those of other major characters, courtesy of Fallout Shelter, which recently added characters from the TV show into the game. Based on this, we know Lucy’s character sheet:

  • Strength 4
  • Perception 7
  • Endurance 6
  • Charisma 5
  • Intelligence 6
  • Agility 5
  • Luck 7

Most seem to agree this is a fair representation of Lucy in the show, especially that Luck stat. Perhaps Charisma could be a little higher. If you’re wondering, here are how other characters look, courtesy of Fallout Shelter:

If you’re looking for more on the Fallout TV show, IGN has rounded up 111 details in the Fallout show that have been pulled straight from the games, leading to a season finale that sets up a new adventure in a beloved setting.

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.

Star Wars Outlaws’ Jabba the Hutt Mission Locked Behind Season Pass

Ubisoft has already come under fire for single-player game Star Wars Outlaws having a Season Pass, but fans are expressing frustration once again upon noticing its highly anticipated Jabba the Hutt mission is locked behind it.

As reported by Spanish outlet Area Jugones, Ubisoft’s website outlining the contents of the Season Pass —an optional extra to the $70 / £70 standard game so far only available through its $109.99 gold edition and even more expensive $129.99 ultimate edition — reveals it includes access to the Jabba’s Gambit mission at launch.

“Play the exclusive Jabba’s Gambit mission at launch,” the Season Pass explainer reads. “Just as Kay is putting together a crew for the Canto Bight heist, she receives a job from Jabba the Hutt himself. Turns out that ND-5 owes Jabba a debt from years ago, and he has come to collect.”

It’s unclear how much of the Jabba the Hunt content will be locked behind the Season Pass, but Ubisoft has said in the past players can work for and even betray Jabba as the head of one of Star Wars Outlaws’ criminal factions. It’s now unclear whether this content comes at a premium or if it’s a part of the standard game.

The mission description very much sounds like the introduction to working for Jabba, however, and at the very least, this confirms $70 / £70 won’t give players access to all of Star Wars Outlaws. IGN has asked Ubisoft for clarification and comment.

“And that’s why you don’t defend these sh**ty early access editions with arguments like, ‘it’s not taking anything away from other players, it’s just to play a few days earlier’,” Zephy said on ResetEra.

It’s a jerk move to lock stuff that’s otherwise going to be there day one behind an extra paywall.

“I get missions and stuff being added after release, free or paid depending on the scope and what have you, but I think it’s a jerk move to lock stuff that’s otherwise going to be there day one behind an extra paywall,” added Temascos.

Star Wars Outlaws was revealed in 2023 as a scoundrel adventure set between Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi. It stars Key Vess, her droid partner ND-5, and her beastie companion Nix as they attempt to carve out their own success during Star Wars’ golden era of criminal activity.

It arrives August 27, 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC, with the $70 / £70 Standard Edition joined by the aforementioned $110 / £105 Gold Edition, which comes with three days of early access alongside the Season Pass.

An even more expensive, digital-only Ultimate Edition comes with both of these perks alongside cosmetics (the Rogue Infiltrator Bundle and the Sebacc Shark bundle) alongside a digital art book.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Helldivers 2 Dev Explains Why It Will Never Get a Transmog System

The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has ruled out a transmog system coming to the hit PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter, insisting: “it doesn’t make sense.”

Ever since Helldivers 2’s explosive launch in February, some players have called for a transmog system for the game’s myriad armor pieces. Transmog, short for transmogrify, itself a portmanteau of “transfigure” and “modify”, would theoretically let players change the appearance of armor pieces without affecting their stats.

Helldivers 2 armor does feature gameplay affecting stats, and some are deemed more “meta” than others. One of the most popular armor pieces gives players a 50% chance not to die when taking lethal damage, for example.

Responding to a user on X/Twitter, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt said a transmog system wouldn’t make sense for Helldivers 2, and put that down to a commitment to realism.

“We are not doing transmog,” Pilestedt said. “It doesn’t make sense – equipment looks different because it has different effects. Swapping one for the other is like having an apple that tastes like bacon or the other way around.”

While Pilestedt’s comments are sure to disappoint some Helldivers 2 players, it is consistent with the philosophy underpinning the game. Things work as they look like they should, from the way weapons fire to enemy weak points. Even loading into a mission and dropping down onto a planet is rooted in this idea that everything you see is happening in real-time and for a reason. Indeed, much of Helldivers 2’s eye-catching emergent gameplay stems from this design. A transmog system would perhaps undermine Helldivers 2’s thus far crystal clear visual communication.

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.

Fallout 76 Smashes Steam Player Record Amid Fallout TV Show Success

The success of Prime Video’s Fallout TV show has spilled over into the video games upon which it is based, boosting player numbers in even decades old titles.

Steam data tracker SteamDB reported that Bethesda’s Fallout games have collectively more than doubled their concurrent players on Steam with the release of the Fallout TV series. That’s for Fallout 4, released in November 2015, Fallout New Vegas, released in October 2010, and Fallout 76, released in April 2020. The boost is significant enough to propel Fallout 76 to a new peak concurrent players Steam record of 39,455 — four years after it came out.

Even the older, non-Bethesda developed Fallout games are enjoying a resurgence, albiet more modest. Fallout 2 has a new Steam concurrent peak of 1,062 players, achieved on April 14, and the first Fallout video game hit over 2,300 concurrents on the same day.

While Steam maker Valve makes player concurrents public, equivalent stats for games on console and PC are unavailable. But it seems safe to assume the Fallout games are enjoying a boost everywhere they are played, given the breakout success of the Fallout TV show.

Indeed, Fallout 4 is the top-selling video game on Steam by revenue, ahead of Counter-Strike 2 and Helldivers 2. Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition is fourth, Fallout 76 is fifth, and Fallout New Vegas is 11th. Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition is 14th. Fallout 76 is up a whopping 41 places in the chart.

Social media is littered with anecdotal reports of people who have finished the Fallout TV show and are now either jumping back into a Fallout game they already own, or buying one to experience more of the post-apocalyptic world.

Bethesda was ready to capitalize on the expected renewed interest in all things Fallout with a number of promotions and sales across the series. It also announced a release date for the hotly anticipated next-gen update for Fallout 4, although that has had consequences for the equally hotly anticipated DLC-sized mod, Fallout London.

Elsewhere, we know Bethesda has Fallout 5 in its long-term schedule, but don’t expect that to come out for many years, given The Elder Scrolls 6 is next after Starfield and that itself isn’t due out until at least 2018.

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.

Fallout London Creators Forced to Delay Hotly Anticipated Mod Out of Fear Fallout 4’s Next-Gen Update Will Break It

The creators of the long-awaited Fallout London mod have delayed it indefinitely out of fear that the Fallout 4 next-gen update will break it.

Last week, Bethesda announced an April 25 release date for the long-awaited next-gen update for Fallout 4, upon which the ambitious, DLC-sized Fallout London is based. That’s just two days after Fallout London’s already announced April 23 release date.

As modders have experienced in the past, Bethesda game updates have a tendency to break existing mods, and it’s exactly that fear that sparked an announcement from a clearly exacerbated Fallout London mod team.

“We’ve just been tweaking and testing non-stop in order to get things as stable as we can for you all in time for that release,” said Team FOLON project lead Dean Carter in an announcement video. “But with the new update dropping just 48 hours later, the past four years of our work stand to just simply break.”

The expectation is the Fallout 4 update will break the Fallout 4 script extender, upon which Fallout London and many other Fallout 4 mods rely. And so Team FOLON must wait for the creators of the Fallout 4 script extender to issue compatability fixes of their own before it can hit the go button on Fallout London. But without knowing when those modders, who are all volunteers, will have the time to deal with the problem, a new Fallout London release date is impossible to announce.

Carter is clearly disappointed with the delay (“this pains us, honestly, it really, really hurts us”). April 23 is St. George’s Day, the celebration of England’s patron saint, and Fallout London would have enjoyed a nice tie-in if it had hit its announced release date. Similarly, April 23 is the day Fallout London begins in-game, so players who jumped in on St. George’s Day in real-life would have been aligned with the game.

Carter also claimed that Team FOLON does not have a line of communication with Bethesda, which perhaps explains how the Fallout 4 next-gen update release date blindsided the modders. “Bethesda has never reached out to us during our entire tenure,” Carter said. “We’ve never had an in-depth conversation with them. Ever.”

“Bethesda. Bethesda never changes.”

Ultimately, Carter sounded philosophical about what’s happened to Fallout London. He said any potential engine improvements and performance upgrades will benefit the mod, letting the team “push the engine even harder than we’ve already pushed it, so we’re gonna get these great quality-of-life improvements all in the mod.” One example Carter provided is widescreen compatability, which was previously up in the air (the Fallout 4 update for PC adds widescreen and ultra-widescreen support).

Carter concluded the announcement with a reference to that classic Fallout line: “War. War never changes.” “As soon as we’ve fixed it, it’ll drop,” Carter said, “but yeah, Bethesda. Bethesda never changes.”

Fallout London is, as you’d expect, not set in America but in London, and as such explores a new setting for the series as well as pre-war European history, and the effects the Resource Wars had on the class structured society of pre-war Britain. Players will engage with everything from “stuffy parliamentary aristocrats to a resurrection of the Knights of the Round Table to an uncompromising cult of revolutionaries.” Neil Newbon, the actor behind Baldur’s Gate 3‘s much-loved vampire companion Astarion, plays an unannounced role, as does Anna Demetriou, who voiced Sophia in A Plague Tale: Requiem and Dorys in Final Fantasy 16.

When the creators of Fallout London say it’s a DLC-sized mod, they mean it. It currently weighs in at around 30 to 40 GB, which makes it too big for Fallout 4 on console and even Nexus Mods itself. GOG, which specializes in selling DRM-free PC games, has apparently stepped in to make Fallout London available to Fallout 4 owners across GOG, Steam, and potentially the Epic Games Store, after the next-gen update goes live.

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.

Daily Deals: God of War Ragnarok, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Splatoon 3

The weekend is officially coming to a close, and we’ve got loads of new deals you do not want to miss! Some of the hottest 2024 releases are already discounted, with savings of up to $30 in some instances. The best deals for Sunday, April 14, include Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Unicorn Overlord, Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, God of War Ragnarok, and more.

God of War Ragnarok for $39.99

God of War Ragnarok is still one of the best PS5 games you can pick up. This action game acts as the sequel to 2018’s God of War, following Kratos and Atreus as Fimbulwinter looms. This price matches the previous low we’ve seen Ragnarok at, so you know you’re getting a great deal. If you’ve yet to play this game, this is a great time to pick up Ragnarok at a discount and see why so many players love this series.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land for $39.99

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still one of the best Nintendo Switch titles. Forgotten Land marks the first full 3D game in the entire series, with a massive amount of new gameplay mechanics and offerings compared to its 2D counterparts. The game also has an amazing soundtrack, which perfectly accompanies the fun and engaging environments. If you’ve yet to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land, pick the title up for a discount this weekend!

NieR Replicant 10+1 Vinyl Box Set for $78.65

This NieR Replicant box set includes 4 LPs with music from the game. Included are the Nier, Kainé, Emil, and Devola & Popola LPs, which were all released separately. The cover of the box set was illustrated by Shirow Miwa, who has contributed designs to titles like Fate/Grand Order. Additionally, an original paper stand is included in the box set.

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

Splatoon 3 is available right now for just $39.99! This deal has sold out at other retailers, but you can still get a discounted copy at Walmart. If you have yet to pick up a Splatoon game, Splatoon 3 is a perfect starting point. As it is still the latest game in the series, content updates are still releasing alongside Splatfests. You can also play through the Side Order DLC

Save 23% Off Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

Amazon currently has the Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds on sale for $229.95. These earbuds are equipped with the same technology utilized in Sony’s premium line of overhead headphones, which are known for their best-in-class noise cancellation. Utilizing the new Integrated Processor V2, these earbuds provide crystal clear audio using the latest Bluetooth technology.

Unicorn Overlord for $39.99

Unicorn Overlord just released last month and is already available at Amazon for $39.99. This title was developed by Vanillaware, most recently known for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Over 60 unique characters are available to choose from within Unicorn Overlord, where you command armies in tactical battle. We gave the gave a 9/10 in our review, stating “Unicorn Overlord is a visual delight that’s brimming with creativity, and an absolute must-play for any fan of strategy RPGs.”

Fire Emblem Engage for $39.99

Fire Emblem Engage went under the radar for many when it released worldwide in January 2023. If you recall, this mainline entry gained plenty of attention for its protagonist. The gameplay offers a wide variety of combat abilities that will keep you interested for hours on end. Additionally, this celebratory work brings many returning characters such as Lyn, Marth, Ike, and Corrin.

Persona 3 Reload for $39.99

Persona 3 Reload is already one of the biggest 2024 releases so far. The remake brings in new gameplay features, new voice actors, and an impressive slew of technology, including ray tracing. It’s on sale right now at Amazon for $39.99, which marks a new all time low for the title. If you’ve never experienced the story of Persona 3, this is the definitive way to do so.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $39.99

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. This $30 discount just a few months after launch is a great deal you shouldn’t pass up on, though newcomers should aim to play the previous titles in the series before jumping in.

Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor Special Edition for $42.39

This special edition Xbox controller is sure to make a nice addition to any collection. The Dream Vapor edition features a swirly pink and purple pattern, which is a unique offering compared to other official Xbox controllers. At 24% off, this is the lowest we’ve seen this controller yet. Additionally, you can always use an extra controller. Whether you’re playing a multiplayer title or your controller wears down after years of use, having an extra on hand is better for everyone.

Save 40% Off Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a release that went under many people’s radars earlier this year. At $29.99, this 2D platformer is absolutely worth your time and money. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown captures not only what made games such as The Sands of Time so good, but it irons out a lot of the little issues that plagued the 3D games.”

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for $39.99

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is one of the biggest content packages available on Switch. There are over 160 courses available to choose from in the game, which makes for dozens of hours of fun to be had. While the premiere Nintendo Switch 2D Mario title is Super Mario Bros. Wonder, this package is an excellent pickup that any Switch owner should add to their collection.

Daily Deals: God of War Ragnarok, Unicorn Overlord Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve got loads of new deals you do not want to miss! Some of the hottest 2024 releases are already discounted, with savings of up to $30 in some instances. The best deals for Saturday, April 13, include Unicorn Overlord, Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, God of War Ragnarok, and more.

God of War Ragnarok for $39.99

God of War Ragnarok is still one of the best PS5 games you can pick up. This action game acts as the sequel to 2018’s God of War, following Kratos and Atreus as Fimbulwinter looms. This price matches the previous low we’ve seen Ragnarok at, so you know you’re getting a great deal. If you’ve yet to play this game, this is a great time to pick up Ragnarok at a discount and see why so many players love this series.

NieR Replicant 10+1 Vinyl Box Set for $78.65

This NieR Replicant box set includes 4 LPs with music from the game. Included are the Nier, Kainé, Emil, and Devola & Popola LPs, which were all released separately. The cover of the box set was illustrated by Shirow Miwa, who has contributed designs to titles like Fate/Grand Order. Additionally, an original paper stand is included in the box set.

Save 23% Off Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

Amazon currently has the Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds on sale for $229.95. These earbuds are equipped with the same technology utilized in Sony’s premium line of overhead headphones, which are known for their best-in-class noise cancellation. Utilizing the new Integrated Processor V2, these earbuds provide crystal clear audio using the latest Bluetooth technology.

Unicorn Overlord for $39.99

Unicorn Overlord just released last month and is already available at Amazon for $39.99. This title was developed by Vanillaware, most recently known for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Over 60 unique characters are available to choose from within Unicorn Overlord, where you command armies in tactical battle. We gave the gave a 9/10 in our review, stating “Unicorn Overlord is a visual delight that’s brimming with creativity, and an absolute must-play for any fan of strategy RPGs.”

Persona 3 Reload for $39.99

Persona 3 Reload is already one of the biggest 2024 releases so far. The remake brings in new gameplay features, new voice actors, and an impressive slew of technology, including ray tracing. It’s on sale right now at Amazon for $39.99, which marks a new all time low for the title. If you’ve never experienced the story of Persona 3, this is the definitive way to do so.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $39.99

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. This $30 discount just a few months after launch is a great deal you shouldn’t pass up on, though newcomers should aim to play the previous titles in the series before jumping in.

Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor Special Edition for $42.39

This special edition Xbox controller is sure to make a nice addition to any collection. The Dream Vapor edition features a swirly pink and purple pattern, which is a unique offering compared to other official Xbox controllers. At 24% off, this is the lowest we’ve seen this controller yet. Additionally, you can always use an extra controller. Whether you’re playing a multiplayer title or your controller wears down after years of use, having an extra on hand is better for everyone.

Save 40% Off Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a release that went under many people’s radars earlier this year. At $29.99, this 2D platformer is absolutely worth your time and money. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown captures not only what made games such as The Sands of Time so good, but it irons out a lot of the little issues that plagued the 3D games.”

Enjoy the Fallout Show? Check Out These 6 Games

By now, you’ve probably heard the buzz surrounding Amazon’s live-action Fallout show. And as it turns out, it is a faithful and fun adaptation of the hilariously grotesque post-apocalyptic role-playing game series. The live-action show offers a glimpse of the wild world of Fallout and all the bizarre hijinks just waiting to be uncovered, and it’s likely got you wanting for some games to try out that have a similar conceit.

But if you’ve already taken the plunge into the Fallout series or already have them on your list of games to check out, we’ve got some other games to recommend that scratch the same itch as the games from Bethesda Game Studios. Along with similar games centering around choice and agency, our list also includes some games that tackle the post-apocalypse a bit differently. So, with that, here are our recommended games to play if you can’t get enough of Fallout.

Wasteland 3

Before developer Interplay found runaway success with the original Fallout, the foundations of the post-apocalyptic RPG were first set with 1988’s Wasteland. As the first PC RPG set in the American post-apocalypse, Wasteland featured a really weird plot and tons of raiders to battle in tactical engagements. While the original Wasteland and its 2014 sequel are still excellent tactical RPGs, the recent Wasteland 3 is the series’ pinnacle and a great place for newcomers to start.

Wasteland 3 is all about strategic decision-making with your squad of Desert Rangers, offering a complex and emergent-level approach to exploring and surviving the many sticky encounters in the ruins of the American Rocky Mountains. As you build up a reliable crew of rangers, Wasteland 3 throws a whole host of odd encounters with marauders and other weird factions that play up the absurdity of the post-apocalypse. One particular quest that stands out centers around a cult that worships a Ronald Reagan AI housed inside a mechanical statue that fires death lasers. Wasteland 3 offers a solid tactical RPG experience that shows an absurdist side to a dark post-apocalypse.

Metro Exodus

The Metro series from developer 4A Games shines a light on what the post-nuclear apocalypse looks like outside of America and in more unforgiving scenarios. Based on the sci-fi novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, the Metro video game series focuses on surviving one harrowing encounter after the other in what remains of Russia following nuclear war and how warring factions continue to fight for control. Metro Exodus is the culmination of a trilogy of solid narrative-driven shooters, bringing the series into a more open-world-inspired setting to explore and survive in.

Playing as a young survivor named Artyom, the Metro trilogy shows his growth from a scavenger to a leader of a faction of rangers looking to find safety in the ruins of the old world. While exploring and fighting through the different regions across Russia, the protagonist has to rely heavily on crafting and carefully managing resources to survive encounters with bandits and mutants in the wilds. While the original two entries are solid shooters, Metro Exodus is an excellent jumping-on point for the series for newcomers as it focuses on survival in large-scale environments while giving its cast of characters a satisfying conclusion to their story of survival.

The Outer Worlds

Obsidian Entertainment features a ton of talent that worked on the original Fallout series, and following their work on Fallout: New Vegas, the developers went on to build an entirely new game that keeps up with much of Fallout’s absurdist humor and gory action within a future gone awry. The Outer Worlds is a different type of RPG that brings its dystopian and deeply bizarre setting to a galactic scale. Set in an alternate timeline where American businesses were never regulated in the early 1900s, and space exploration led to a new age of capitalism, you lead a crew of misfits traveling the galaxy and landing headfirst into conflicts with megacorporations that run pretty much everything.

The Outer Worlds is essentially the sci-fi TV series Firefly mashed up with Fallout, leaning heavily into comedy and the absurdity of its hyper-capitalist universe. Much like Fallout, you can build up your protagonist to be a smooth-talking explorer who can talk their way out of trouble or a cunning rogue who solves their problems with a well-placed blaster shot. With a loveable set of companions, including the ever-reliable Parvati, The Outer Worlds really puts its characters and the wild setting at center stage, and it’s an excellent pick for those looking for a more sci-fi spin on an RPG.

Horizon: Forbidden West

What makes Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series such an intriguing take on the post-apocalypse is that it centers its story on the larger mystery of what came before the world’s end -– and it also adds roaming, towering machines into the mix. Horizon sees the remnants of humanity explore a ruined earth following the robot apocalypse, which has left communities scattered and without knowledge of what came before. Forbidden West follows up on the excellent Zero Dawn by showcasing a greater level of detail for its world while giving protagonist Aloy more ways to engage with its different quests and characters. And not to mention, there are way more machines to fight and subdue.

Forbidden West brings the story to the ruins of the American West Coast, showing how the remnants of San Francisco and Las Vegas have evolved in the post-robot apocalypse. What makes the Horizon games so fun to explore is learning how the world has changed following the end of the world, and engaging with some of the more daring battles against the advanced machines that take some careful planning and coordination of skills to take down. The Horizon series really leans into the wonder and weirdness of the post-apocalypse, and the latest mainline entry Forbidden West showcases the series at its best.

STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl

The STALKER series from GSC Game World makes you feel like an insignificant part of a large and incredibly hostile world – and that offers up some genuinely terrifying and equally thrilling moments. With the upcoming sequel releasing this year, the original STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is still a fantastic narrative survival experience about contending with the weird phenomena and hostile factions within the mythical Zone, the remnants of the irradiated Chornobyl that somehow become even more dangerous over time.

The throughline of the STALKER series and what makes it unique is that it presents a very unforgiving and atmospheric world that you have to contend with. In addition to managing your precious resources, you’ll also need to make sure the protagonist stays in top form and away from deadly radiation. This is all while you evade rival factions looking to take out anyone in the Zone, including the mutant monsters that lurk about. You’ll often face an unexpected death while in the Zone, but therein lies what makes STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl such a classic game to come to terms with: Surviving the Zone and making do with what you have is simply a gripping experience. With the recent remasters for the game and its expansions, it’s now a great time to give this uncompromising action RPG a look.

Cyberpunk 2077

Since the original 2020 release, CD Projekt Red has slowly rebuilt and expanded upon the foundations of Cyberpunk 2077, and it’s now one of the best modern action RPGs out there. Set within the sprawl of the practically lawless Night City, the sci-fi urban setting is a fantastic change of pace from other dystopian shooters and role-playing games, and it still scratches that post-apocalyptic itch for how bleak, weird, and unforgiving a future mega city turned out to be.

Along with an amazing cast of characters – played by A-list stars like Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba – Cyberpunk 2077 shines for its approach to role-playing and fast-paced combat, all leaning on how you want to build your futuristic mercenary. Where Cyberpunk 2077 truly hits is in how it puts you right in the middle of a hostile yet still enthralling city filled with different encounters and quests to take on, all showing a level of agency that hits at RPG classics like Fallout and Deus Ex. The vibes of Night City are electric, and getting immersed within the sprawl and its outer wastelands is a thrill. If you haven’t tried Cyberpunk 2077 yet and want something that offers a satisfying and rich role-playing experience, then you can’t go wrong with CD Projekt RED’s modern classic.

Alessandro Fillari is a freelance writer for IGN.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Patch Quietly Fixes Confusing Wording On Its Final Boss Fight’s Retry Menu

Square Enix recently released a helpful patch for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth that ushered in a litany of quality-of-life improvements, including a fix for a Platinum Trophy-breaking bug. One unmentioned hero Rebirth’s recent changes is a subtle yet effective rewording of its final battle’s game over screen that had players mistakenly restart the entire encounter from the beginning.

Rebirth, like Final Fantasy VII: Remake, has a progressively difficult multiphase final battle boss run. Upon failing the final phase, Rebirth greets you with a game over screen with these three options:

  • Retry from Before Current Battle
  • Retry from This Battle
  • Retry from Before Battle
  • Resume

Players who clicked “Retry from This Battle,” assuming it would spit them out moments before their untimely deaths, were instead sent to the start of the final boss run — effectively negating upwards of an hour of hard work players put in to get to where. This caused players to storm online forum pages with posts pointing out that the correct retry option — in this case, “Retry from Before Current Battle” — was worded in such an unnecessarily contrived way that they were doomed from the start. It would appear that this gamer headache is now a thing of the past.

Players on the r/FFVIIRemake subreddit spotted a much more straightforward change to Rebirth’s final game-over screen. Now, the top option reads “Retry from Current Phase.” Folks celebrated the unceremonious menu change, lauding Square Enix for paying attention to the community’s upheaval over it while sharing anecdotal tales about how misclicking the final boss menu led to them rage-quitting.

In our review, we wrote, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion, both as a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenges and an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long.”

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh