Category: IGN

Expanding your Xbox Series X storage with the best external SSDs can be a cheaper option than investing in an official expansion card. You may also find external SSDs offer larger storage capacity options, making them more suitable for a wider range of gamers.

Since the Xbox Series X comes with 1TB of storage, but only around 800GB is usable, you’ll likely want to invest in an external SSD to store more of your installed games. Once installed, you can get back in on the action faster.

TL;DR – These are the Best External SSDS for Xbox Series X:

• WD Black P50 Game Drive
• Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD
• Crucial X8
• Adata SE800
• Crucial X6

WD Black P50 Game Drive

Best External SSD for Xbox Series X

Capacity: 1TB | Interface: USB 3.2 | Max Transfer Speed: 2,000MB/s | Weight: 0.25 pounds | Size: 4.65″ x 2.44″ x 0.55″

Pros

• Durable design
• Fast transfer speeds

Cons

• Expensive

With speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, the WD Black P50 Game Drive is one of the best external SSDs for the Xbox Series X. It might be expensive, but the investment is worth it if you can get past the cost.

Utilizing a USB 3.2 interface, you can easily plug this external SSD into your Xbox Series X and install plenty of your Xbox games straight onto it. Plus, if you want to transport it to a friend’s house or for any other purpose, its shock-resistant design adds extra durability.

The WD Black P50 Game Drive is compatible with a wide range of devices, so not only can you expand your Xbox Series X’s storage, you can use it on your PS5, PC, Mac, and more.

Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD

Best Rugged SSD for Xbox Series X

Capacity: 4TB | Interface: USB 3.2 | Max Transfer Speed: 1,000MB/s | Weight: 0.21 pounds | Size: 3.39″ x 2.24″ x 0.49″

Pros

• Great value for money
• Up to 4TB of storage

Cons

• Slower read/write speeds

This external SSD for the Xbox Series X is water, dust, and drop resistant. It’s a great companion if you travel a lot and use your external SSD for more than your Xbox games. It also comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage capacities, giving you plenty of options when choosing the best external SSD.

With an IP65 rating, the Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD is a reliable drive that won’t let you down. You can store all the games you want on this portable SSD and still have room for more. It’s compatible with other devices too, thanks to its USB 3.2 interface.

However, if you are using it to transfer lots of data between other devices, you may notice slower transfer speeds compared to the likes of the WD Black P50 Game Drive.

Crucial X8

Best Portable SSD for Xbox Series X

Capacity: 1TB | Interface: USB 3.2 | Max Transfer Speed: 1,050MB/s | Weight: 0.22 pounds | Size: 4.33″ x 2.09″ x 0.45″

Pros

• Affordable
• Variety of capacities

Cons

• Slower read/write speeds

This pocket-sized SSD is great for the Xbox Series X thanks to its small form factor and storage capacity options. It works with a range of devices, so you can make use of its storage across your PC, Mac, PS5, and so on. Like the Samsung T7 Shield, the Crucial X8 is also dropproof, and can withstand extreme temperatures.

The speeds are a little slower, but if you want to store your Xbox Series X games in one place, this is a handy and affordable way to do it. And with a 500GB option available too, you can save yourself even more money.

If you’re concerned about speed, you could always use the Crucial X8 to store the games you play the least, but still want installed.

Adata SE800

Best Compact SSD for Xbox Series X

Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.2 | Max Transfer Speed: 2,000MB/s | Weight: 0.24 pounds | Size: 2.55″ x 1.38″ x 0.48″

Pros

• High read/write speeds
• Ultra compact

Cons

• Peak speeds require a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port

Perhaps less well-known as other brands, the Adata SE880 shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the best external SSDs for Xbox Series X. This bad boy is super compact, yet offers speeds of up to 2,000MB/s. It’s not expensive either, given that you can spend less than $150 and get 2TB of additional storage for your Xbox.

However, if you want to make use of those peak speeds, you will need to connect this SSD to a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port. Still, this is a great consideration if you want to expand your console’s storage in an affordable way. The pocket-sized SSD is easy to carry around, too, so you can use it for other purposes as well as gaming.

Crucial X6

Best Affordable SSD for Xbox Series X

Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.2 | Max Transfer Speed: 800MB/s | Weight: 0.09 pounds | Size: 2.72″ x 2.52″ x 0.43″

Pros

• Up to 4TB capacity
• Reliable and compact

Cons

• Max speeds up to 800MB/s

The Crucial X6 SSD is another affordable option if you’re looking for an external SSD for your Xbox Series X. 2TB of storage for under $100 is a bargain, with the option of spending even less on a 1TB or 500GB model. However, you do sacrifice speed, running at a max of 800MB/s.

If you want to install smaller games to your Xbox Series X, or you’re not too worried about time, then this cheaper alternative is worth considering. But, if speed is the name of the game, you might want to look at the X6’s bigger brother(s).

Compatible with USB 3.2 interfaces, you can use the Crucial X6 SSD on your PS5, PC, Mac, etc. Even if you were to purchase a more expensive external SSD for your Xbox Series X, you could always invest in one of these as a backup option.

How we picked the best external SSDs for Xbox Series X

There are lots of external SSDs that are compatible with the Xbox Series X, but that doesn’t mean they’re all suitable. When choosing the best external SSDs for the Series X, we have taken into account several factors that are incredibly important.

For starters, an external SSD for your Xbox should be fast; transferring games shouldn’t be a tall order. Similarly, reliable hard drives ensure that they won’t fail, which is imperative considering how much they cost. We’ve picked a range of external SSDs to suit every budget, so you will find some that are more portable than others, and have larger capacities than others, but they are all compatible with a USB 3.2 connection.

FAQ

Can I use any external SSD for Xbox Series X?

While you can use many different external SSDs for the Xbox Series X, you will need to find one that’s compatible and offers USB 3.0 or faster. Ideally, you’ll want one with plenty of storage space, and fast read/write speeds.

Can you play Xbox Series X games from an external SSD?

You can only play Xbox Series X games from the internal NVMe SSD. So, if you have an external SSD drive connected, you can only store games here, not launch them directly from the SSD. You can purchase an optional expansion drive for the Xbox Series X which can easily be installed, but it does come at a steep price.

How many games can I install on my Xbox?

The Xbox Series X comes with just over 800GB of usable storage. Some games, however, require over 100GB of storage when installed, but not all of them. On average, you can probably install 10+ games on the Xbox Series X before you need to consider additional storage options.

Kegan is an avid gamer who has been playing games since his Atari days. From a young age Kegan was tinkering with PCs and now has a passion for building custom gaming computers.

A developer at Avalanche Software has taken to X/Twitter to “set expectation” for the incoming Hogwarts Legacy update.

Community manager Chandler Wood told fans of the game that Avalanche’s original wording was “very intentional” when it promised “additional updates and features” back in January 2024.

“We are thrilled that you are all excited for the free update to Hogwarts Legacy this summer,” Wood said. “We love seeing all the guesses and hopes for what will be part of this update, and while we are not ready to talk about it yet, I do want to set some expectations for what we are working on.

Hi everyone! We are thrilled that you are all excited for the free update to Hogwarts Legacy this summer. We love seeing all the guesses and hopes for what will be part of this update, and while we are not ready to talk about it yet, I do want to set some expectations for…(1/2)

— Chandler Wood (@FinchStrife) March 7, 2024

“Our original wording of ‘additional updates and features for the game’ was very intentional. This update is a small way of showing appreciation to our players for the amazing reception to the game.”

It’s still very hard to determine what the new content might be, as implementing “additional updates and features” could essentially mean anything, but Wood is seemingly trying to let Hogwarts Legacy fans know that a major expansion or anything too complex or vast is on the way.

Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC players will at least be getting a new mission, however, as content previously exclusive to PlayStation is arriving alongside the extra content coming to all platforms. This includes the Haunted Hogsmeade quest which, upon completion, grants access to the Hogsmeade Shop as well as the Shopkeeper cosmetic set.

Hogwarts Legacy was the bestselling game in the U.S. in 2023 and sold 22 million copies worldwide. Its success has been mixed with controversy due to its connection to Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling though, who has been outspoken in her anti-transgender views.

In our 9/10 review, IGN said: “In almost every way, Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter role-playing game [we’ve] always wanted to play.”

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

Capcom released the incredibly intricate character creator for Dragon’s Dogma 2 early and, naturally, players are already creating some wonderful and horrific things.

Players can download the character creator now before jumping straight into the action on March 22 when Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches proper. It allows the creation of the player character and the first of many pawns, which are the devoted followers of the player and the main mechanic of Dragon’s Dogma 2.

The character creator in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is already being praised as one of the best ever. “This character creator truly feels next gen,” wrote TheShiniestHobo on Reddit. “The best I’ve seen in any game,” added EMT-Fields.

For as many wonderful and dramatic characters being prepared for the role-playing fantasy epic, there is, of course, just as many absolute monsters. You can see a slideshow of beasties from both camps above.

Dragon’s Dogma 2’s character creator is pretty insane. Pretty much every inch of the body can be customized. All the way down to your elbow angle lol.

Decent selection of options for natural hair as well. No more Killmonger cut. pic.twitter.com/rPtkWpU8FV

— Kami (@Okami13_) March 8, 2024

Beyond just random nightmare fuel, players have used the character creator to recreate favourite characters from other franchises, like they did with Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3. Speaking of, Wakiratoshi made Shadowheart from Larian’s Dungeones & Dragons smash hit.

Other video game-inspired characters include Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher by SirSeaborn and Malenia, Blade of Miquella from Elden Ring by jamesterfire. Elsewhere in entertainment comes The Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf by TheGuyEveryoneIgnore, Vinland Saga’s Thors by Cutie_Flirty_n_Nerdy, and a House of the Dragon Targaryen knight by Robert-starkert.

#DragonsDogma2 character creator goes hard pic.twitter.com/enxk8WvbgA

— veryDave (@veryDaveTTV) March 8, 2024

Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, Dragon’s Dogma 2 takes place in a parallel universe which “mirrors the world setting of the original game”. Players can explore the human kingdom of Vermund and the beastren kingdom of Battahl and ultimately take on a big evil dragon.

The myriard non-player characters of Dragon’s Dogma 2 also appear endlessly complex, as beyond some pawns being completely customisable as mentioned above, NPCs can form different bonds with the player character and may even fight each other for the player’s love.

Image Credit: datboi_fromthefuture, filipslovacek, TheShiniestHobo, Jpman96, Usernametekken69, PaxxWolf, SirSeaborn, Capital_Concept_1224, DimakSerpg, Cutie_Flirty_n_Nerdy, Robert-starkert, northturtle11, Wakiratoshi, SirSeaborn, jamesterfire, Agile-Fruit128, TheGuyEveryoneIgnore, TitaniteHydra

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

Developer Mighty Koi Studio announces The Night Wanderer, a new sci-fi/fantasy soulslike with RPG elements based on the Polish book series “Lord of the Ice Garden” by Jarosław Grzędowicz.

Mighty Koi, established in 2022 and also at work on the just-announced Thorgal, describes The Night Wanderer as such: “Players will take on the role of Vuko Drakkainen – a mercenary sent to the mysterious planet Midgaard to find a lost scientific expedition. The storyline combines science fiction with traditional fantasy. The gameplay will feature a compelling protagonist, an engaging story, and a vivid, extraordinary world shaped by mysterious forces.”

Drakkainen is also the main character of the novel, which is a four-volume saga that was first released in 2005 and completed with the fourth novel in 2012.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The following article contains spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

The recently released Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 update appears to have accidentally revealed an upcoming expansion.

After the release of Spider-Man 2 patch 1.002.000, which added New Game+, new suits, and more, players discovered they were able to access a development game menu that unlocks settings for items, enemies, and health. Developer Insomniac subsequently issued a warning to players, saying those who use the menu could face corrupted save data and trophy progress.

But players have also discovered what looks like the entire arc of an upcoming downloadable content, called the ‘Beetle Villain Arc.’ Here, there are nine options to choose from, although none work. The ‘Beetle Janice Intro’, however, reveals just who this Beetle is.

Janice Lincoln is the daughter of the super-powered mobster Tombstone, who appears as a reformed villain in Spider-Man 2. In the comics, Janice eventually becomes Beetle, a supervillain who wears a suit of armor to fight the likes of Captain America and Black Widow. Beetle does not appear in the base Spider-Man 2 game, but the Beetle Villain Arc tallies with the leak of data stolen from Insomniac earlier this year. Spider-Man 2 itself teases Carnage DLC.

It is unclear at this point if Insomniac still plans to release this Beetle DLC. Neither Sony nor the developer have issued a comment, although Insomniac has said a fix for the developer menu is on the way.

Spider-Man 2 launched in October last year and has sold 10 million copies so far. Thoughts have already turned to what’s next from Insomniac, which recently suffered layoffs as part of mass cuts at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

While Insomniac has a Wolverine game in the works, it seems likely it will also release a Marvel’s Spider-Man spinoff similar in scope to the hugely successful Miles Morales standalone, with Venom the potential focus. To find out how Insomniac has set up its next sequel, check out IGN’s Spider-Man 2 ending explained.

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.

It’s been a tumultuous week in the world of Helldivers 2, which saw the game’s first balance patch nerf its best loadout, an associated backlash, and, most recently, a call-to-arms to unlock mechs. Now, developer Arrowhead has addressed the backlash in particular, and signaled plans to change the game as a result.

First, some background. This week’s patch 01.000.100 nerfed the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack, three items considered essential to higher difficulty play and Helldivers 2’s best loadouts. But it also buffed weaker weapons and stratagems, including the Flamethrower, Laser Cannon, Punisher, and the 380mm and 120mm Orbital Barrages.

It was the nerfs to the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack that sparked the most vociferous discussion within the Helldivers 2 community, given their popularity. On higher difficulties, Helldivers 2 throws an often overwhelming number of powerful enemies at you, many of which require hard-hitting weapons and stratagems to deal with. The Railgun in particular was a popular option for taking on Helldivers 2’s toughest enemies, such as the heavily armored Bile Titan and Charger.

Since the release of the patch, players have complained about struggling to deal with these heavy enemies and their apparent increased spawn rate on harder difficulties (it’s worth noting some of Helldivers 2’s most valuable resources are locked behind the harder difficulties). Social media and the Helldivers subreddit and Discord have seen a number of screenshots and videos showing a quite ridiculous number of Titans and Chargers on-screen at once, with players expressing their disbelief.

In response, Arrowhead issued a post on the Helldivers Discord to say it plans to make heavy enemies easier to deal with, both in terms of their spawn rate and health, in a hotfix. The hope is players will be able to kill these enemies “with a single well-placed shot”, Arrowhead said.

Here’s the statement in full, from Arrowhead community manager Spitz.

“Hell-o, Divers! I wanted to take a moment this afternoon to let you all know that we’ve heard your concerns over the last few days regarding enemy spawns, enemy armor, and the ability to kill these enemies. As we’ve said before, our teams are always taking in player feedback and looking at how we can tweak the game to ensure that it is fair, enjoyable and provides the best experience for everyone.

“I can confirm that we’re currently looking at changes to the spawn rates and health pools of heavy enemies, and will be attempting to spread them out more to prevent large spikes of tougher mobs appearing at the same time, as well as making them a bit easier to bring down. This change should go out in a future hotfix – no date as of yet.”

Arrowhead added that it forgot to mention a buff to the EAT-17 and Recoilless Rifle Stratagems in the update 01.000.100 patch notes.

“In addition, we forgot to mention (oops) that the EAT-17 and Recoilless Rifle no longer suffer from a 50% damage decrease when hitting an armored enemy at a ‘glance angle’ that deflects the shot,” Spitz continued.

“Combined with the upcoming adjustment to health and spawn rates, this should make the larger enemies a bit less common, instead spawning more ‘chaff’ enemies to support them, and should allow players to bring these enemies down with a single well-placed shot. Hopefully this leads to less instances of endless kiting and players being left without any effective weaponry to kill harder enemies.

“Thanks as always for your patience!”

While the community waits for this hotfix, some players have found the recently buffed Flamethrower an effective weapon against the pesky Chargers in particular, although the super tough Terminid remains a brutal opponent on harder difficulties. Face off against multiple Chargers and, well, you’d better hope the group has a 500KG bomb or three handy.

Meanwhile, Arrowhead just unveiled Helldivers 2’s upcoming premium Warbond, dubbed Cutting Edge. It includes new weapons, new armor sets, new capes, and new emotes.

Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well, as well as the best loadouts.

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.

Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball and the artist behind Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, and numerous other works, has died. He was 68.

News of Toriyama’s passing was made public by the official Dragon Ball Z X (formerly Twitter) account on March 7. According to the statement, Toriyama died due to an acute subdural hematoma.

Information ; Dear Friends and Partnershttps://t.co/85dXseckzJ pic.twitter.com/aHlx8CGA2M

— DRAGON BALL OFFICIAL (@DB_official_en) March 8, 2024

“It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. Also, he would have many more things to achieve.” Bird Studio and Capsule Corporation Tokyo wrote in the tweet.

“However, he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. Thanks to the support of so many people round the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continue to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”

An anime and gaming legend

Toriyama first broke into the manga industry at the age of 23 when he entered an amateur manga creator contest in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine. From there, Toriyama made a name for himself with the serialization of the beloved gag manga Dr. Slump in 1980.

In 1984, Toriyama published the seminal fantasy action comedy shonen battle series Dragon Ball, which would later spawn the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super series. Dragon Ball’s influence later inspired other like Eiichiro Oda, Tite Kubo, and Masashi Kishimoto to create One Piece, Bleach, Naruto, and classics.

Nightingale is a game of fascinating contradictions. This Early Access co-op survival crafting game jumps wildly between intriguing and confusing, aesthetically pleasing and outright ugly, intuitive and obtuse. It does a lot right, and it is a joy to build a life from the ground up across its varied and mysterious realms – but it also does a lot wrong, often stalling your progress with an infuriating economy. Nightingale’s creative systems can certainly make it a fun time, but be prepared for frustration to rear its ugly head time and time again.

Nightingale takes place in a gaslamp fantasy world, a Victorian almost-steampunk-but-with-magic setting that feels fresh and unique in this genre – sure, games like Dishonored or The Order 1886 had similar styles, but it’s still a seldom used framework that really stood out to me here. Earth as we know it is being swallowed up by a strange fog, which has scattered humanity across the realms of the Fae, mythical beings pulled from European Folklore. As a Realmwalker, you have the ability to travel from one realm to another, which puts you on the search to find the magical city of Nightingale, the last human refuge.

The mysterious Fae Puck acts as your guide on that quest, first helping you to activate a portal and escape to a far off forest realm. Puck stands out as a fascinating character, and his flowery olde tyme language is an early highlight, particularly thanks to how well it is performed. His ability to appear out of nowhere and lead you along does a solid job moving the story forward, and lends itself to funny surprises, like when he popped in just to make fun of me for cooking and eating the exact same meal every day.

Unfortunately, the rest of the characters you meet are currently voiceless at Nightingale’s Early Access launch, and any story elements that don’t come from Puck are purely text-based exposition dumps. There are no cutscenes or big interactive story moments to speak of, just menus telling you why you need to go to a certain spot, kill a specific thing, and then turn in whatever it drops. That’s a shame, and feels like it wastes the cool setting and structure Puck’s introduction sets up.

That disparity is a good example of the inconsistent quality prevalent across Nightingale. The character creator, for example, has surprising depth, allowing for impressive customization of minute details like tooth decay, with extensive family trees whose genetic lineage can be applied to your appearance… but the end results of those interesting options always seem to look like they are models formed from clay, rather than believable faces.

Hey, I’m Realmwalking Here!

The realms you travel to offer more than just a new sandbox to explore. The flora and fauna vary wildly, and each presents unique hazards that are good at recontextualizing the survival aspects of Nightingale. Sure, the scorching heat of the desert is a pain if you aren’t in the shade, but at least you aren’t being beaten to death by the hail that falls in the forest. The way each forces you to adapt to survive really drives home that these are untamed worlds you are simply lost within.

Each realm has unique enemies; you might find yourself fighting off overgrown spiders in the swamp one moment, running from a pack of wolves in the forest another, and then having a duel with a giant in the desert the next. The designs of all of them look really cool, and the materials you gather from fallen foes become resources used for crafting or cooking. That last bit matters quite a bit as this is a survival game in the truest sense of the word, and sometimes the only thing between you and starvation is a fresh giant bug for you to roast. Bon appetit!

You have control over what realms you visit thanks to Realm Cards. Major Realm cards can be played at portals, which then determines the biome and setting that portal will lead to. For example, you can create a mostly peaceful forest, perfect for building your base of operations, by pairing a Forest card with an Abeyance card. Alternatively, you could combine a Desert card with an industry-themed Provisioner card to create a sparse and arid factory complex. It’s a simple but powerful system, and one of the best parts of Nightingale.

Once you pick your cards and step through the portal, the realm itself is procedurally generated, which allows for potentially limitless exploration, but also makes things feel disconnected much of the time. Happening across a ruined building is less exciting without the surprises that a curated level-designer may include, especially once you start to see the exact same structures repeated in different places. The lack of planned geography can be an actual issue at times, too – I once had a quest to speak with a person who was placed at the top of a high cliff, but there was no path up to reach them. Clambering up the side of the hill and hoping to get lucky with the layout of rocks is not a fun way to move about.

Minor cards can be played while within Realms to modify them further, like the duelist card, which makes everything (you included) take more damage. Others improve the yield of harvesting materials, affect how you swim, or myriad other things. It’s a good way to let you tailor the realm towards what you are trying to work on at a given time.

The way that realm-hopping ties into crafting and dungeon crawling is really clever, too. Blueprints to create new Realm Cards come from Sites of Power, Nightingale’s version of dungeons. Entry to these places is gated by your Gear Score, which is determined by the quality of equipment you possess – and better Blueprints and materials to upgrade your gear lie in higher level realms. It’s a well tuned loop that layers these systems together seamlessly, which makes investing time into any given task meaningful.

Some Assembly Required

Crafting is largely very good. Gathering materials to begin the typical climb from a destitute castaway to a thriving survivor is compelling, and if you’ve played pretty much any games like this before, it is very intuitive. Blueprints are given out as quest rewards or bought from vendors, and the suite of options does a great job of naturally handing you new tasks in that layered “if you give a mouse a cookie” sort of way.

For instance, at one point I was asked to create an Infusion, a mod that can be socketed into equipment to do things like increase durability or reduce stamina consumption. To create it, I would need to build an Enchanter’s Focus – this required Lumber, which comes from a saw mill, which is built using Animal Fibre, which is made at a Tanning Station. By the time I was actually ready to put the mod to use, I had progressed from being more or less feral in the woods to owning a construction facility that would be the envy of any high school shop teacher. It accomplished exactly what a good crafting system should do by rewarding me with tools and knowledge alongside the thing I actually set out to make.

This setup is fun and engaging… until it all comes to a screeching halt. As of Nightingale’s Early Access launch, there are substantial gaps where higher level materials can’t be crafted yet, and you instead need to find a realm with a vendor who sells them. Crafting the cards to access these realms can compound the issue by also requiring high level materials, creating a painful loop of stopping and starting my progress with roadblock after roadblock as I bought material after material.

A resource called Essence forms the economic backbone of this adventure, and while it does a good job in the early going of simplifying a lot of things, it’s also one of the main culprits behind this loss of momentum. It’s used in crafting, to purchase goods from vendors, and to repair your equipment. Essence is awarded for completing puzzles or finishing Sites of Power, and can even be extracted from any material or piece of equipment – you have to destroy that item to get it, but it’s worth it if you can then afford a new blueprint or make something that will help keep you in the fight.

The problem is that higher tier Essences are needed for more powerful crafting and equipment, and those can be tedious to gather. They can only be found in specific realms, most commonly by clearing Dungeons and solving simple “find the hidden button” puzzles scattered around. It was always really disappointing to be on the verge of crafting the last gear upgrade I needed to advance in a quest only to find out I’m a few Tier 1 Essences short, sending me on a long march back to a portal and into a different realm is search of something that might drop what I was missing.

Time sinks like this happen all the time in Nightingale. At one point I needed to gather a bunch of materials from The Bound, goblin like enemies with a penchant for appearing from thin air, in order to progress the main quest. The things I needed were random chance drops from quite a few different enemy types, and you had to be in the right type of realm for them to appear. That meant finding the realm, making the cards, gearing up for said realm, and hunting until I gathered enough. The amount of time it took was painful, and this was all to complete one part of an even larger mission with more steps like this.

Build, Survive, and Thrive Together

Thankfully you don’t need to walk the realms alone, and playing with friends is a great way to take some of the sting out of the slower parts of this adventure. A few simple clicks is all it takes to add a friend, party up, and invite them to your realm. You can share equipment freely, which is excellent if one player is further along and wants to gear up their buddy so they can join in some harder dungeon diving.

It’s particularly impressive that co-op is completely untethered, which means your friends are free to come and go through various realms, joining or separating as they see fit. Everyone can have one NPC following to help in combat or carry things, similar to how companions worked in Skyrim, so getting a group of people together quickly forms a small army, which is good fun.

It’s also really nice to build together. Structures can be fully planned out before you spend any materials, allowing you to design the fortress of your dreams. Then, anyone can interact with that in-progress creation to contribute materials toward its construction. It feels really good to collaborate on a large building, planning and constructing it with friends. Anyone from your group can then build an Estate Cairn, making it their home base, allowing them to load in and fast travel there anytime.

I won’t spoil the specifics, but late in the game you also get access to a public area. Seeing other Realmwalkers run around in their finery is pretty cool, and this opens up some new raid-like missions with random strangers, allowing you to work towards the highest level loot. There’s not much to the end game beyond just grinding these encounters out at the moment, but it’s nice to have something to aim for after wrapping up the approximately 40-hour campaign. Just know that while the main quest itself has an end already, the actual story around it isn’t finished yet, presumably coming in some future Early Access update.

Dragon’s Dogma fans have been anxiously awaiting a demo for the sequel, and while today’s Capcom Highlights stream didn’t announced a full-blown demo, it did reveal that the character creator and storage will be available today.

If you take advantage of the pre-release character creator, you’ll be able to transfer your character to the full game when it releases on March 22. Dragon’s Dogma II features a pretty in-depth character creator (which we broke down as part of our IGN First coverage right here), so it’s a good opportunity to get a heads-start on your own Arisen ahead of the official release.

Developing…