Tekken 8 is already down to just £47.16 in the UK (see here), over £22 off its RRP of £69.99 and a tremendous saving for what is a spectacular new entry for fighting series. Similar to the Suicide Squad deal we’ve discussed, all you need to do is use code PAYDAY20 to save on the game.
This deal can be found at trusted UK retailer The Game Collection via their eBay storefront. We’ll leave some handy links to the deal just below as well so you can easily find your chosen platform for the deal. But, just as a reminder, this promo code will expire after January 31 — so you’ve not got long left to take advantage of it.
We gave Tekken 8 a mighty 9/10 in our review, stating: “Tekken 8 is an incredible evolution for the series, with tons of single player content, an excellent suite of training tools, a great online experience, and exciting new mechanics that make Tekken more dynamic than ever.”
There’s definitely still a benefit to buying physical games, especially when there are deals like this to be found only days before release on new AAA titles. As we’ve mentioned Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is also down to just £43.96 right now as well with JANJOY20, which is over £26 off the RRP.
JANPAY20 is one of the best promo codes we’ve had at eBay since the Black Friday sales, so it’s well worth taking advantage of while you can. Other deals available right now include Tekken 8 for £47.16 on PS5 and Xbox, alongside the Steam Deck 512GB for just £374.95.
For instant updates on the latest and greatest gaming, tech, and everyday item deals, make sure to follow @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X. Additionally, we’re on the lookout for more PlayStation Portal stock in case you missed out last year.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
There’s definitely still a benefit to buying physical games, especially when there are deals like this to be found only days before release on new AAA titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (or other new titles like Tekken 8). Suicide Squad is down to just £43.96 from trusted seller The Game Collection via eBay right now, which is over £26 off the RRP.
This is a tremendous discount, especially since the game isn’t out until February 2. All you need to do is use code JANPAY20 to secure the deal, and we’ll leave some handy links just below so you can find the game on your correct console nice and quickly.
The Deluxe Edition is also available for those interested, it costs £65.86 with code JANPAY20, down from its £99.99 RRP. Note, you’ll need to be logged into your eBay account in order to utilize the promo code, so make sure to do that before trying to make any purchases.
Moreover, this promo code will expire on Janurary 31, so you don’t have long to secure this incredible offer on Suicide Squad, or any other amazing games that are on sale via The Game Collection (just remember to use code JANPAY20)!
We see amazing deals like this all the time from handy eBay codes, so consider following @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X for immediate updates on the next best deals in gaming, tech, and everyday items. We’re also keeping an eye out for more PlayStation Portal stock if you weren’t able to secure one last year.
JANPAY20 is one of the best promo codes we’ve had at eBay since the Black Friday sales, so it’s well worth taking advantage of while you can. Other deals available right now include Tekken 8 for £47.16 on PS5 and Xbox, alongside the Steam Deck 512GB for just £374.95.
Players opting for the Deluxe Edition can enjoy early access to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, starting from January 30 at midnight in their local time, providing a 3-day head start before the official release. As we’ve mentioned, the deluxe version of the game (physical copy) can be preordered for £65.86 using code JANPAY20, down from it’s £99.99 RRP and saving you over £34 in total.
Suicide Squad Release Date?
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set to launch worldwide on February 2 at midnight across all regions. Players with the Standard Edition can access the game if their timezone is set to midnight on February 2.
Can I Pre-Load Suicide Squad?
Gamers have the option to pre-load Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League starting January 28 at midnight for Deluxe Edition owners and January 31 at midnight for Standard Edition owners.
Which Gaming Platforms Support Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be accessible on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Gameplay of a canceled Call of Duty codenamed NX1 has leaked online, revealing an effort to release a futuristic game in the franchise from former Guitar Hero developer Neversoft.
Over the weekend, a Twitter / X account called @mangafigurines published two minutes of previously unreleased gameplay for what was reportedly called Call of Duty: Future Warfare, showcasing an explosive moon mission in low gravity conditions.
The tweet, which has over 5.5 million views, saw a reply from Brian Bright, who was multiplayer lead on the game at Neversoft. Bright confirmed the footage is from NX1, and explained its origin. It turns out that after the acrimonious exit of Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella and their formation of Titanfall and Apex Legend developer Respawn Entertainment in 2010, Neversoft ditched the Guitar Hero franchise it had inherited from Harmonix to make a futuristic Call of Duty game of their own.
“This mission was on the moon, some experiments with low g and was really about the team learning the engine,” Bright explained. “We were making GH games on our THPS [Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater] engine prior.”
Bright added that NX1 would have taken the place of Infinity Ward’s Ghosts, which launched in 2013 as a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch title. Neversoft had completed two or three campaign missions and some multiplayer work before NX1’s cancellation.
@mangafigurines followed up with another video of NX1, this one 10 minutes long.
Speaking of multiplayer, footage of NX1 MP also leaked courtesy of a Twitter / X account called @catgurlfriend. Again, Bright confirmed the legitimacy of the footage in a reply, saying the map on show is called Sandstorm, and the mode is Escort.
“We didn’t have much of an art team on MP at the time, so the level designers used mainly MW2 assets,” Bright explained. “This map allowed for Escort mode gameplay, where teams would push a large UGV through the map’s checkpoints. The UGV had a trophy system on it.”
There’s an early map list, too, which shows maps called Bin Laden’s Compound, Apartment, and Genk, as well as a number of legacy maps. “This map list was from early on in mp dev on NX1,” Bright said. “Most of these are test maps, we had four or so maps that were fleshed out in the standard modes and two we played Escort modes in. They are not on this list.”
Based on the weekend’s revelations, it seems Call of Duty could have gone in a different direction at the start of the last generation if Neversoft had successfully released its own mainline game in the franchise and Infinity Ward’s Ghosts was canceled or pushed back a year. Ghosts, it’s worth remembering, kicked off Call of Duty’s ill-fated foray into futuristic warfare, which continued with Advanced Warfare and then Infinite Warfare. Infinite Warfare, whose announcement trailer became the second most-disliked ever on YouTube, did so badly that Activision ditched any whiff of spacefaring and instead pushed the tagline ‘boots on the ground’ for 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII, which laid the groundwork for the hugely successful soft reboot Modern Warfare in 2019. Neversoft was eventually absorbed by Infinity Ward in 2014 to form a “super studio”, the Neversoft name, alongside NX1, consigned to the annals of video game history.
The weekend’s Call of Duty leaks don’t end with NX1. A Twitter / X account called Yuno posted footage of the canceled War mode for Treyarch’s Black Ops 4. War mode debuted in WWII as a multiplayer variant that was less about your k/d ratio and more about your ability to help the team progress across different phases of action.
From the looks of things, there was at least a plan for a War mode for 2018’s Black Ops 4, but, like its campaign, it was scrapped before release.
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.
The weekend is finally here, and plenty of deals have arrived alongside it. From video games to new computer peripherals, there is no shortage of deals you don’t want to miss out on. The best deals for Sunday, January 28, include an LG 32″ gaming monitor, Meta Quest 2, Arcade1Up Cabinets, Splatoon 3, HORI Split Pad Compact, Armored Core 6, and more.
LG 32″ Ultra-Gear QHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor for $187
This LG Monitor has a steep discount you won’t want to miss out on. Originally priced at $349.99, you can pick this QHD 165Hz monitor up for just $187 from Walmart right now. At 32″, this is a big screen with all kinds of features to ensure you get the best playing experience possible. This monitor has SRGB 95% color gamut with HDR10 support, AMD FreeSync Premium, and a 1ms response time.
Meta Quest 2 for $229
If you haven’t yet purchased a VR headset, this deal on the Quest 2 is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen for the headset. The Meta Quest 2 is an excellent VR headset that works great standalone or hooked up to a PC. You’ll be able to access your entire Steam library with Steam Link, either wired or wirelessly. The screen provides an 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, with up to a 90Hz refresh rate.
HORI Split Pad Compact for $34.99
The HORI Split Pad Compact is one of the best ergonomic controllers you can buy for the Nintendo Switch. Attaching like standard Joy-Con, the Split Pad Compact slides onto each side of your Switch and immediately widens the console. This makes longer handheld play sessions much more comfortable and bearable over time, especially if you have larger hands. The Pac-Man model features all sorts of fun details to personalize your system.
Armored Core 6 for $45
Armored Core 6 is one of the most popular titles of 2023, offering massive mech fights and destructive action. It’s a great entry point to the series if you haven’t had the chance to check it out previously, and series veterans should be more than satisfied with its combat offerings. While this deal is only available for PlayStation 4, you can get a free upgrade for the PS5 version of the game.
Save $150 Off Arcade1Up Cabinets
Right now, you can save $150 off two sweet Arcade1Up cabinets. The first option is the Street Fighter II Deluxe cabinet, which features 14 different games to play. You can also choose the Mortal Kombat II Deluxe cabinet, where you’ll be able to play the first three Mortal Kombat games and more. These arcade cabinets go great with any collection or room, adding a unique and retro touch.
Save $44 Off This Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Wireless Controller
This deal from Walmart on the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is one you can’t miss. Widely regarded as one of the best controllers on the market, the Elite Series 2 has so many great features you can use to your advantage. This includes modifying the tension of the thumbsticks, creating custom button profiles, and so much more. The Core version of the Elite Series 2 controller allows for a cheaper price point with less premium outer materials and textures. Additionally, you won’t get the paddles or charging dock in the box, so you’ll need to buy those separately if you’d like them.
Splatoon 3 for $41
One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.
Save 52% Off the Razer Huntsman V2 Keyboard
The Razer Huntsman V2 keyboard is $130 off at Amazon for a limited time. This analog keyboard features analog optical switches with actuation at the speed of light, which you can adjust to fit your playstyle. Additionally, the keycaps are doubleshot PBT, making for a much more durable set of caps that won’t deteriorate over time. If you’re in the market for a new keyboard, this is a great option at a price we might not see again for a while.
Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica
Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $29.99, which is an even better deal than Black Friday and the lowest we’ve seen the title yet. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.
Save $21 Off Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Arguably one of the best platformers available on Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a must play for the platform. Created by Retro Studios, there are six different worlds you can traverse through as you fight against Lord Fredrik and his army of Snowmads. You can play with a friend and choose between Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and even Funky Kong!
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition for $29.99
The Nintendo Switch version of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition is available right now on Amazon for just $29.99. There is easily over 100 hours of content in this package, with plenty of mayhem to be had with friends. The game itself runs quite well on the Switch, with only occasional FPS drops in high-volume areas. If you haven’t yet played Borderlands 3, this is the perfect time to do so.
PS5 Slim Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for $499
If you haven’t yet picked up a PlayStation 5, Amazon still has two PlayStation 5 Slim bundles available. This includes both a PS5 Slim with the disc drive and one AAA title. You’ll get either Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for free with either of these bundles. This deal has been around for quite some time, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see this discount removed as we head into February next week.
Get 33% Off The Pathless
The Pathless is a newer title developed by Giant Squid, best known for their titles ABZU and upcoming project Sword of the Sea. The title is published by Annapurna Interactive and focuses on a character called The Hunter as they travel to an island to free it from darkeness. With an open world at your fingertips, The Pathless offers a fun traversal system and dozens of exciting moments in combat.
Back in 2011, FromSoftware released a spiritual successor to its 2009 cult classic, Demon’s Souls. This new game, titled Dark Souls, was a tough sell: a punishing, hardcore RPG where players attempt to survive a haunting fantasy hellscape teeming with gruesome monsters that could eviscerate them in seconds. At the time, it was hard to imagine the team’s crushing new creation would become one of gaming’s most revered modern franchises.
However, Dark Souls’ ruthlessly satisfying combat, brutal yet compelling boss encounters, and story-rich world transformed it into a global phenomenon, inspiring an entire genre of challenging RPGs that’s still thriving over a decade later. With FromSoftware’s work on the Dark Souls franchise now wrapped up, we’ve decided to break down every game and expansion in the trilogy, as well as offer new players a recommended starting point.
For newcomers, picking a place to dive into the franchise is tricky. Some will suggest starting with the original Dark Souls, as it marked the beginning of the franchise and gives you a broad overview of what the series offers.
While Dark Souls 1 is a great place to start, from a gameplay standpoint, we’d recommend diving into Dark Souls 3 first. Although you can expect a steep learning curve at points, Dark Souls 3 is the simplest of the trilogy to pick up and play, with a more linear world to traverse and a series of early-game encounters that help you learn the ropes. It’s also the newest of the three Dark Souls games and, by extension, the smoothest to play.
That being said, if the lore of Dark Souls appeals to you, you’re probably best jumping into the original game first. Dark Souls has a rich world and a deep story that you’ll uncover over time, and while each game largely stands on its own, some aspects of the lore are best experienced chronologically.
Every Dark Souls Game in Release Order
These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Dark Souls (2011)
Hitting shelves in 2011, FromSoftware followed up its work on Demon’s Souls by releasing a spiritual successor titled Dark Souls. The game took place in the dour realm of Lordran, with players assuming the role of a hollowed warrior known as the Chosen Undead. Awakening in the desolate halls of the Undead Asylum, they’re given a quest: link the First Flame and continue the Age of Fire, preventing Lordran from plunging into darkness.
Escaping the Asylum, the Chosen Undead undertakes an adventure across the realm, battling through the onslaught of monstrosities and corrupted gods that call the haunting locale home. Players had to study their surroundings and create precise character builds in order to navigate its hopeless, punishing world. It demanded a lot from its audience, offering them challenging battles that felt genuinely rewarding to learn and master.
Whether it’s enduring the perilous descent to the poisoned depths of Blighttown or overcoming the towering Ornstein and agile Smough, Dark Souls’ seminal moments and approach to difficult but satisfying gameplay made it an instant classic.
2. Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss (2011)
Shortly after the release of the base game, FromSoftware released the first and only major expansion for the original Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss. Taking place during the events of the main campaign, it sees the Chosen Undead venture through a portal that sends them back in time. Arriving in the land of Oolacile, they must face an ancient and powerful new threat.
Alongside several bosses, including arguably the game’s toughest challenge, Manus, Father of the Abyss, Dark Souls: Artortias of the Abyss added a new area to explore and some powerful end-game gear, while also building significantly on the series’ lore.
3. Dark Souls 2 (2014)
Three years later, FromSoftware released the second entry in the Dark Souls trilogy, with Dark Souls 2 picking up the story thousands of years later. This time around, a new hollowed warrior known as the Bearer of the Curse takes center stage, journeying to the kingdom of Drangleic to dispel the undead curse afflicting them.
Their quest puts them on the trail of the long-missing King Vendrick, kick starting an adventure to track down Drangleic’s former liege. Dark Souls 2 built off the original Dark Souls’ foundation in a number of ways, implementing changes to the respawn mechanic so enemies no longer return if you’ve killed them multiple times, fully overhauling the humanity system, and making fast travel available from the very beginning of the game.
4. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King (2014)
The first of a three-part DLC slate for Dark Souls 2 known as The Lost Crowns, Crown of the Sunken King follows the Bearer of the Curse as they descend deep below Drangleic. There, they search for the titular Crown of the Sunken King.
The expansion provides an all-new labyrinthine underground area to explore, delivering a gauntlet of poison-inflicting enemies, hidden traps, environmental puzzles, and a handful of tough new bosses.
5. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King (2014)
The second entry in the Lost Crowns expansion trilogy, Crown of the Old Iron King sees the Bearer of the Curse explore a new area known as Brume Tower. Much like the last expansion, the protagonist’s goal is to track down an ancient crown, this time belonging to the titular Old Iron King.
To find the artifact, they’ll have to make their way past the tower’s defenses, battling a range of powerful fire-wielding foes while navigating precarious pathways and going toe-to-toe with another wave of hyper-challenging bosses.
6. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Ivory King (2014)
The third and final entry in The Lost Crowns expansion trilogy, Crown of the Ivory King sends players to the icy kingdom of Eleum Loyce. There, they’re tasked with tracking down the final missing crown: the Crown of the Ivory King.
Exploring the ruins amidst a blizzard, players must fend off a range of frozen threats, contending with rival phantoms, hazardous environments, and, of course, a handful of challenging new bosses.
7. Dark Souls 3 (2016)
After the release of Bloodborne, FromSoftware returned to the Dark Souls franchise for its final entry: Dark Souls 3. Our story begins as, once again, the First Flame begins to fade, causing a hollowed undead by the title of Ashen One to rise and begin a quest to relink the flame.
To accomplish their mission, they must return the powerful Lords of Cinder to their thrones, launching the Ashen One on a perilous journey across the kingdom of Lothric. Acting as a finale to the series, Dark Souls 3 was the biggest Dark Souls game yet, with grander, more intense boss battles; some of the franchise’s most visually and technically ambitious levels; and faster, more aggressive combat.
8. Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel (2016)
The first of two major expansions for Dark Souls 3, Ashes of Ariandel sees the player travel to the Painted World of Ariandel on a quest to fulfill a prophecy. There, they find a frost-covered world filled with danger.
Ashes of Ariandel unleashes a range of new threats on the player, as they explore fallen ruins while finding new gear, battling fierce endgame enemies, and tackling one of Dark Souls 3’s hardest boss fights yet with Sister Friede and Father Ariandel.
9. Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City (2017)
The second and final expansion for Dark Souls 3,The Ringed City brings the Dark Souls series to a close. Exploring a distorted world of fallen kingdoms known as the Dreg Heap, players embark on an adventure through this haunting graveyard, setting up a climactic showdown against a corrupted foe.
The Ringed City delivered one final area for Dark Souls veterans to test their mettle, pitting them against brutal, high-level enemies who offered powerful endgame gear and delivered some of the trilogy’s most challenging boss encounters.
What’s Next for Dark Souls?
As it currently stands, Dark Souls as a franchise is officially complete. Series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki has reiterated that FromSoftware is done with the series multiple times, although told us in an interview back in 2016 that its conclusion “doesn’t necessarily mean [we’re] not going to work on a Dark Souls-like game.”
We saw Miyazaki’s words come to fruition six years later, with FromSoftware releasing a spiritual successor to the series, Elden Ring, in 2022. Last year, we learned that Elden Ring will be receiving a major expansion in the near future, with FromSoftware announcing that an add-on titled The Shadow of the Erdtree is in development.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
Setting up a base is one of the very first things you’ll do when you’re getting started in Palworld. You’ll be building up your base throughout the game, so getting your location and layout right will save you plenty of headaches in the long run – here’s what we wish we knew starting out!
Choose A Flat, Unobstructed Area
After placing your Palbox down, you’ll see a large blue circle surrounding it – this is the buildable area for your base. You want this area to be as free as possible of any hills, cliffs, water, or other obstructions. You’ll need a lot of space for the structures and buildings you’ll eventually want to construct, some of which can be pretty large.
As Pals wander around your base diligently working, they have an unfortunate tendency to get stuck and become unable to move, eventually becoming hungry, tired, and unwell. The clearer your base is, the less likely this is to happen!
Include Harvestable Resources Nearby
If you have harvestable resources, like wood, ore, Paldium, and stone, within your base radius, the Pals that you have working at your base can gather them as they work. You’ll need plenty of resources in order to progress, so it’s a good idea to start passively accumulating them as soon as possible.
Build a Vixy Ranch
Ranches are unlocked at level 5 in the Palworld Technology tree. You can assign any Pal with the farming skill to the Ranch, and they’ll drop items specific to their species – Chikipi drops eggs, and Mozzarina drops milk, but the most immediately useful pal to use is Vixy. Vixy drops Pal Spheres and Arrows when assigned to the Ranch, both of which are incredibly useful for catching Pals – you’ll find yourself needing hundreds of them before long.
Place Feed Boxes and Chests Near Workstations
Pals with the Transporting proficiency will carry dropped or harvested resources to nearby chests for you. To save them wasting time traipsing across the map, place chests near any workstations that output materials. You should also make sure every workstation is reasonably close to a Feed Box so that Pals can take a lunch break without walking too far.
Upgrade to Stone as Soon as Possible
At some point, your base will begin to be targeted by raids, in which groups of Pals or other enemies spawn in and attempt to damage your Pals and structures. If your base is made of flammable materials, there’s a chance Pals with explosive or fire-based attacks could set it alight. Fire spreads incredibly quickly, so you’re likely to lose anything attached to the burning structure.
The stone structure set is unlocked at Level 18!
Jen Rothery is a Senior Editor on the IGN Guides team, primarily covering live service games. In Palworld, she spends most of her time baking cakes.
Dungeonborne is an upcoming first person PvPvE dungeon crawler developed in Unreal Engine 5 that thrusts players into a dark fantasy world, where you get to feel every sword swing as you slay monsters with might and magics. Dungeonborne combines dungeon crawling with the realms of extraction and battle royale gameplay to spice things up and create a unique spin on the genre.
Starting February 2nd, you can try Dungeonborne during the game’s open alpha as part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest!
Here are four main reasons why you won’t want to miss it if you’re looking for a fresh dungeon crawler experience.
Dungeonborne is More Than a Mindless Dungeon Crawler – You’ll Need to Think Fast on Your Feet
While Dungeonborne may seem like a traditional dungeon crawler at first, there is more to it than meets the eye. As you venture into the gothic depths solo or in a party with two friends, lethal traps and dark shadows await at every turn. Trust nothing, but seek to utilize everything to your advantage. Look for high ground and ambush your foes, lure them into traps, or even take on the form of a treasure chest and lie in wait for your enemies’ greed to betray them.
Sharp tactical wit, team composition, and terrain understanding are all necessary to secure your treasure as you navigate this treacherous realm. You’ll need to make some hard decisions as you play: Do you escape early and secure your loot, or will you choose to stay behind and seek greater power at the risk of losing it all?
It’s the on-the-go decision making introduced by the extraction mechanic that spices things up in Dungeonborne, combined with the ever-shrinking safe zone that will force you to make tough calls, often in the middle of a fight. But winning isn’t all about being the last one standing. Your main objective is to make it out in one piece with some epic loot you can use later on.
Master the Gothic Spires With Powerful Classes and a Vast Combat System
Dungeonborne draws heavily on its RPG inspiration, and there will be plenty of classes for players to master. While there are familiar fantasy archetypes like Fighter, Priest or Rogue, you will also be able to pursue more specialized classes.
Encase your foes in ice as a Cryomancer or rain hellfire on all who oppose when you don the Pyromancer mantle. If you are a fan of necromancy or the occult, Dungeonborne has you covered. tep into the boots of a Death Knight, grasp foes with spectral chains, and drain their very life force.
Dungeonborne’s brutal combat rewards precision. Practice and perfect the core block and parry combat, carefully manage your class abilities, and utilize the flask and potion system to give you the edge in a fight. But beware: he further you venture, the tougher enemies get.
Team composition makes a big difference in Dungeonborne, so choose carefully when you decide whom to adventure with. While Dungeonborne’s open alpha will only feature the human and undead races, more options will arrive as the game nears its launch.
It’s All About Loot – Plunder, Craft and Enhance to Your Heart’s Content
After you’ve snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, it’s time to consolidate your loot and gear up before you head back into the fray. Once players make it back home, they can sell their loot at the in-game auction house or further enhance it. Every piece of loot matters and has its place in the game, deepening buildcrafting and giving you more options.
Spires and Dungeons Shine With Unreal Engine 5 Visuals
The gloomy gothic backdrop of Dungeonborne is brought to life in detail thanks to the power of Unreal Engine 5. Immerse yourself in the stereoscopic capital audio that lets you hear every clash of blades, and every creak of a door that betrays your enemy’s position.
Test out Dungeonborne This February as Part of Steam Next Fest
Dungeonborne’s open alpha will be playable from February 2nd, and will be part of Steam Next Fest which kicks off on February 5th and ends on February 12th, giving you over a week to try it out for free. Developer Mithril Interactive will take all the player feedback from the open alpha and use it to improve the game in ways that support the community.
For more on Dungeonborne, be sure to check out theofficial websiteand the game’sSteam pagewhere you can wishlist the game and jump in as soon as possible. To join the community, visit the officialDiscord channelorX (Twitter) page.
The creator of the game formerly known as Bloodborne Kart has announced she plans to delay the game’s release and “scrub the branding off” after being contacted by Sony about the kart racer’s use of, well, Bloodborne.
WHELP. IT HAPPENED
Sony contacted me 🫣
Long story short I need to scrub the branding off of what was previously known as Bloodborne Kart, which we will do. But that requires a short delay.
Don’t worry, the game is still coming out! It’ll just look slightly different 💙
Today, Lilith Walker, or PSX Bunlith (@b0tster) on X/Twitter posted a thread explaining that Sony had reached out, with the end result being that she needed to update the in-progress kart racer to get rid of anything that was too close to copyright infringement.
Walker seems to be taking the change in stride. Her thread continued, saying that “we were all expecting this to happen so we could be pleasantly surprised if it didn’t,” and that she’d have to push the release date as a result, but that she was excited about the transition from a fan game to an original game that the team would have “full creative control over.”
Composer Evelyn Lark chimed in as well, expressing excitement to get to work on “an original (albeit familiar) soundtrack”.
It’s tough news, but we’re all really excited to adjust this into a project we have more direct control over. Plus, this opens up the opportunity for an original (albeit familiar) soundtrack! https://t.co/1AY6PO7ryb
Bloodborne Kart, or I suppose just ‘Kart’ now that it can’t be about Bloodborne anymore, was originally planned for a release on January 31, 2024. Originally revealed back in 2022, Bloodborne Kart was originally a fan community meme taken to its logical confusion: a PS1-style kart racer with characters, karts, and environments directly derived from Bloodborne. It is expected to include 12 racers, 16 maps, boss fights, a campaign, a battle mode, and split-screen multiplayer.
No word yet on when we’ll be able to play Not-Bloodborne Kart, but you can currently play Bloodborne PSX, which is a PS1-style Bloodborne de-make from the same team working on Not-Bloodborne Kart.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
I thought it’d just be a simple sidequest. The owner of an apothecary enlisted my help to find his lost grandson, who had been taken by wolves. As I followed the trail, I heard a screeching noise from up above. All of a sudden I’m in a battle for my life against a Griffin. It’s a monster that’s far too strong for my party to handle, but we fight and claw and hold our ground until we finally get it to retreat. I breathe a sigh of relief, then set up at the nearby camp and sleep till nightfall. That sleep is interrupted by the same Griffin, back for revenge. That fight somehow boils over into another battle with a Wight, who proceeds to beat me within an inch of my life before I finally take him out, just as the sun rises, after an epic 20-minute battle.
None of this was part of the actual quest involving saving the boy. It was just a series of events that cascaded into one of the most unforgettable encounters I’ve had in an open-world action-RPG. And it was just one of the incredible encounters that I experienced during the 10 hours that I spent adventuring through Dragon’s Dogma 2’s fantastic open world.
While I didn’t get to start from the very beginning, I did get to begin with the creation of my own Pawn. Pawns, for those unfamiliar with the first Dragon’s Dogma, are AI-controlled companions that gain gear, skills, and experience from your game, and take all of that with them online where they can be hired by other players to be companions in their own games. I’m not going to spend too much time on either Pawns or character creation – especially because we already have a Dragon’s Dogma 2 Character Creator Deep Dive and a look at How Pawns Have Evolved in Dragon’s Dogma 2 – but what I will say is that Pawns are integral to one of my big takeaways, which is that exploration and discovery in Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels much more natural than before.
Exploration and discovery in Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels much more natural than before.
First and foremost, there are no more quest boards, there are no markers that appear above people’s heads letting you know who’s got a quest, and any sort of symbols placed on your map to let you know of points of interest are kept to a minimum. As such, you’ll rely on your Pawns and NPCs to guide you through Dragon’s Dogma 2’s world. NPCs will, more often than not, be the ones to approach you with opportunities for side quests, as opposed to it being the other way around. Pawns will also point out objects of interest, like peculiar statues, boulders that can be destroyed to find a path that leads to treasure, or if they already have knowledge of a quest from their owner’s game, they will straight up lead you to them if you give them the go-ahead.
All of this leads to a style of exploration and adventuring that feels organic and appropriately rewarding – very much in the same way that Elden Ring and the two most recent Zelda games do. As alluded to in the intro to this preview, you also never really know what to expect once you set out to pursue a quest lead. The very act of exploring beyond the safety of a city’s walls is unpredictable, dangerous, and enticing, which is why it’s so exciting.
Power Fantasies
Over the course of my ten hours, I got to play with a total of five Vocations: Fighter, Mage, Warrior, Sorcerer, and Trickster (Which you can read about in our Trickster Breakdown article). Unlike the first game, which had you unlocking advanced Vocations simply by leveling up the base ones, the two advanced Vocations were actually unlocked via a quest. After visiting the Vocation guild, I was given a quest to retrieve a Greatsword and an Archstaff, and after doing so, I unlocked both the Warrior and Sorcerer Vocations. I don’t know if all of them will be unlocked this way, and I didn’t get a chance to unlock any of the hybrid ones like Mystic Spearhand or Magick Archer, but I definitely liked the idea of not having to grind Vocations in order to unlock others.
My personal favorite of the Vocations I got to try was by far the Warrior, who maintains the fantasy of being the greatsword wielding badass that brings giant beasts to their knees with just one charged strike, but also adds a few more tricks to their repertoire. Director Hideaki Itsuno heard feedback that the Warrior didn’t feel like a super viable vocation in the first game, and thus worked hard to give them some new elements to help bring out their strengths.
For starters, we’ve jacked up Warrior’s offense and destructive power, to the point where it’s unfair
“For starters, we’ve jacked up Warrior’s offense and destructive power,” Itsuno-san told us. “To the point where it’s unfair. In exchange, its abilities take a little longer to execute. This makes the Vocation somewhat difficult to use, but that’s where the tackle comes into play. If you’re attacked, you can use the tackle to cause an enemy to be stunned instead of being stunned yourself, making it easier to get into the Vocation.”
The tackle he’s referring to is a new ability called Barge that allows the Warrior to execute a quick shoulder bash, even while they’re charging an attack, to interrupt and potentially stun any enemy that’s trying to stuff their attack. The Vocation, after all, is built around being able to charge up massively powerful attacks that deal humongous damage, so this small change goes a long way in making it a little easier to get those big shots off.
My favorite new addition for the Warrior, though, is a passive skill that allows you to swing regular attacks much more quickly if you’re able to precisely time your next button press with when the attack actually lands. This gives a nice rhythm to the Warrior’s combat and allows a skilled player to compensate for the typical weakness of having very slow attack, while still making those slow and powerful attacks still feel like they have their own place in the Warrior’s skillset. Also, if you’re like me and enjoy the feeling of leaping off cliffs and slamming your weapon down on a monster’s head, this is the Vocation for you.
If you’re like me and enjoy the feeling of leaping off cliffs and slamming your weapon down on a monster’s head, Warrior is the vocation for you.
I unfortunately didn’t get deep enough into the Sorcerer Vocation to see any of the really big, crazy spells that they’re so beloved for, but what I really enjoyed about the Sorcerer was the addition of a unique skill called Galvanize. This allows you to go into a stance that recovers your stamina extremely quickly, which is especially useful for the Sorcerer, due to the fact that their spells take so long to cast. To shorten those spells, you’ll need to use a skill called quickspell, which allows you to spend stamina to reduce a spell’s cast time. All of this leads to a careful balance of preparing to cast a powerful spell, using quickspell to shorten its cast time, and then making note of whether you have enough stamina to cast another spell, or whether you have to break away and use galvanize to get your stamina back up. It’s a fun dance that made Sorcerer feel a lot more active than in the past.
The Power of Distance
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s open world is enormous, reported to be roughly four times the size of the already huge map in the first game, and I don’t doubt that claim in my experience of checking the map and wandering through just a small portion of it. It’s big, but it’s also dense with exciting encounters both on and off the beaten path that were paced nicely so I wasn’t constantly slowed down by back-to-back battles, but I also never went too long without having something to engage with.
One thing that was important to Itsuno-san and the team at Capcom was making sure that players really felt the distance they were traveling as they explored. To that end, fast travel is very limited like in the first game. You can only fast travel between discovered Port Crystals, and every time you do, you must expend a Ferrystone, which are highly valuable items that don’t come cheap and aren’t easily found. Another option you have for getting around is using an Ox Cart, which is relatively cheap, but they are limited in that you can’t choose where to travel. The main one I found only went from the capital city of Vernworth to the Checkpoint Town, which was far to the west. You also have to consider that Ox Carts are not a completely safe way to travel, as they often will be ambushed by all manners of beasts.
Of course, you can just hoof it on foot, which is where you’ll truly feel the weight of that distance, especially due to the new health restoration mechanic. In the first game, you’d be able to heal your entire life bar by using health restorative items, and recoverable gray health with spells. In Dragon’s Dogma 2, however, every hit diminishes a portion of your max health; and the only ways to restore it are by either finding a campfire to rest at, or returning to an Inn and resting for the night. Fortunately, if you rest at a campfire, you can also cook some meat to get some much needed buffs, in addition to restoring all of your life, but there’s a risk involved with resting at a campfire as well. The flames may attract monsters to your campsite, and as I mentioned at the beginning of this preview, you could actually wake up to an angry Griffin coming back to finish what it started.
What it comes down to is this: Virtually every action in Dragon’s Dogma 2 has some combination of a cost and risk tied to it. Ferrystones are risk-free travel, but they come at a steep price; Ox Carts are a low cost, but moderately risky method of travel; and traveling on foot is free, but extremely risky. Then you must also consider whether it’s worth it to press on in a quest line with low max health, or backtrack back to town to resupply; whether you should avoid fighting the giant, tanky ogre, or risk it all on trying to bring it down for both the experience and rare material reward; whether you should keep on the less dangerous beaten path, or take a detour into the unknown.
Virtually every action in Dragon’s Dogma 2 has some combination of a cost and a risk tied to it.
In the 10 hours I played, these were very compelling decisions to have to make, but the real test will be whether those decisions remain compelling or turn exhausting in hour 20 or 30 when the map has expanded dramatically, and you still have quests remaining to complete in a town you’re super far away from.
Hypotheticals aside, though, I loved just about every moment I spent playing Dragon’s Dogma 2 during this preview window. It doubles down on everything I loved about the first game, makes some smart improvements to the way quests are handled and how you explore its giant world, and the little taste I got of the Vocations is a tantalizing reminder of why Dragon’s Dogma is one of the best in the genre when it comes to delivering on the various power fantasies tied to the classic RPG archetypes. Even after all I played, I still feel like I just scratched the surface on what Capcom has in store for players when Dragon’s Dogma 2 releases on March 22.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit
As a lifelong fan of Pokémon, I’m used to seeing other games in the “monster tamer” genre that are clearly inspired by it, from Temtem to Ni no Kuni, but nothing made me do a double take quite like Palworld, aka Pokémon With Guns. The first trailer of what looked like a heavily armed Pokemon Trainer using a terrified little pocket monster as a bullet shield was like a meme come to life. While the ridiculous concept is good for a laugh, what’s not so much of a laughing matter is how developer Pocketpair has seemingly copied elements of more than a few Pokémon designs when making its own creatures for Palworld, called Pals.
Well I’ve got a bone to pick with you, pal, because making a game with creatures inspired by Pokémon is one thing, but ripping them off – which, as I’ll demonstrate, is the case in some examples – is too much. I’m not a game designer but the inspiration for Pokémon comes from all around us. See those keys on the counter? That was an actual idea for a new Pokémon. And that ice cream cone? New Pokémon. That literal pile of trash? You get the idea. The fact Palworld doesn’t have wholly original designs, for whatever reason, seems wild to me. What’s more, by not coming up with its own designs, it potentially opened itself up to legal action from The Pokémon Company and, even worse, criticism from rabid Pokémon fans like me.
The CEO of Pocketpair, Takuro Mizobe, has denied allegations of plagiarism. While Pikachu doesn’t appear in Palworld exactly, there’s no denying that many of the designs are strikingly similar, whether it’s elements of different Pokémon thrown together to make a Pal that’s a bit Frankenstien’s monster, to more wholesale similarities. It’s at least enough to get on The Pokémon Company’s radar. The company made a statement saying, quote, “We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon.” Well, lets do our own research and you can be the judge.
Before I get to the comparisons, it’s important to point out I have no issue with the fact Palworld has elements of Pokémon’s gameplay. Countless games do the same thing and anyone who has played the first 15 minutes of Palworld can plainly see that while it does have monster taming, its survival gameplay, crafting mechanics, and lack of glaring technical issues make it clear it’s otherwise nothing like a Pokémon game. For me, it’s all about the designs of the Pokémon themselves – the creatures I’ve spent years of my life getting to know and love, and to see some of many favorites presented in the way they are in Palworld genuinely breaks my heart. I’m really sentimental like that.
The following Pal/Pokémon comparisons are categorized by the nature of their resemblance. We’ll start with some examples of designs that are well within the bounds of good taste, then progress to designs that share more than a few commonalities.
Fair Play
This first group is full of designs where you can tell which Pokemon inspired each Pal, but the Pal is a wholly original design. There are many of these, so these are just a few to show as an example.
Sparkit
The Pal called Sparkit is obviously meant to evoke the Pokémon mascot Pikachu. It’s a small, yellow furry electric creature, but it’s still very much its own design.
Foxparks
This little fire fox Pal named Foxparks obviously evokes the little fire fox Pokémon Vulpix, and the flaming tail bears a striking similarity to Charmander’s. But while those similarities are easy to see, they’re nothing more than just that: similarities. This is a great example of a Pal that puts its own unique spin on a Pokémon concept.
Pengullet
The same goes for the blue penguin Pal Pengullet, which reminds me of the blue penguin Pokémon Piplup. The same idea with distinctly different execution.
Most of Palworld’s 100-plus monsters are original designs like the ones above, but others bear a much stronger resemblance to specific Pokémon designs, although you might need to look a little closer to spot the similarities.
A Little Something Borrowed
These next Pals have faces that look just like those of certain Pokémon.
Mozzarina
For instance, Mozzarina’s sleepy face is the exact same as Snorlax’s, except they reversed the direction of the teeth.
Grintale
Grintale has the same facial features as Galarian Meowth, save for the pupils.
Dumud
Dumud’s face is the same derpy one as Slowpoke’s, right down to the way the mouth hangs open. The only difference is Dumud has teeth on both the top and bottom, whereas Slowpoke only has one set.
A Striking Resemblance
These Pals are largely unique save for signature elements from certain Pokémon.
Kingpaca
The crown on Kingpaca’s forehead looks a whole lot like Emploeon’s trident beak, plus they also share a tall, egg-like body shape when viewed from the front.
Univolt
It’s easy to see that the Pokémon Zebstrika inspired the Pal called Univolt, but enough is different that you wouldn’t likely mistake one for the other.
Robinquill
This archer Pal called Robinquill has the same color scheme, cape, and bow and arrow weapon as the bird Pokémon Decidueye.
Tocotoco
Similarly, Tocotoco is a weird bird with a green/yellow/black/red design, much like the Pokémon Xatu. It also has a similar beak to Toucannon.
The Resemblance Is Uncanny
The Pals in this group look like Pokémon doppelgangers, where the base model is similar but the design on top is different.
Anubis
The humanoid body and pointy ears of the dog-warrior Pal known as Anubis looks almost the same as the Pokémon Lucario, although it’s dressed in Egyptian armor.
Grizzbolt
Grizzbolt has the same body shape, color, and design elements as Electabuzz.
Elizabee
The insect Pal named Elizabee has the same snatched waist, long arms with pointy bug-hands and dress-like abdomen as the bee Pokémon Vespiquen.
Astegon
Astegon has a very similar build and shape as Mega Aggron.
Incineram
Incineram looks like someone used a Fire Stone on a Zoroark.
Orserk
Ever wonder what Garchomp would look like if it were an Electric/Bug Type? Palworld’s Orserk gives you a pretty good idea with its horns, wings, and new paint job.
Twinning
This is where the Pals start to look a lot more like the Pokémon they’re based on.
Jetragon
The jet-dragon Pal named Jetragon is a dead ringer for the jet-dragon Pokémon Latios and Latias.
Lamball
Sorry, giving Wooloo a haircut isn’t enough to make Lamball pass as a completely new design.
Fenglope
Fenglope just looks like Cobalion got caught in a strong wind.
Broncherry
Broncherry is Meganium with a new hairdo.
Wixen
The Pal called Wixen might look like it was inspired by Delphox, and in a sense it might be, but it actually has more in common with a fan-made, alternate design of Delphox.
Cremis
This is Cremis. Just because you drop an Eevee into a bowl of whipped cream doesn’t mean it’s suddenly a brand new creature. Suffice to say, Cremis looks a lot like Gigantamax Eevee.
Mish-Mashed
The Pals in this group appear to be built from different parts of several Pokémon.
Verdash
Verdash could pass as a copy of Cinderace that was colored green, then they stuck on the ears of Leafeon and the distinct mane of Hisuian Arcanine.
Azurobe
Azurobe is a blue snake-like Pal sporting a big head of blue hair, that has Serperior’s body and Primarina’s hair.
Dinossom
Add Lilligant’s crown and Meganium’s eyeballs to Goodra’s body, colored green, and you pretty much have Dinossom.
Lyleen
To me this is Mega Gardevoir’s ballroom gown look with Bellossom’s flowers on top.
Lovander
Whoever created this unholy atrocity combining Mewtwo’s thicc legs with Salazzle’s feminine wiles will never see heaven. It may be Pal number 69 but this horror is anything but nice.
It’s Like Looking Into a Mirror
And finally, these Pals are almost mirror images of their Pokémon counterparts.
Boltmane
Boltmane is essentially just a shiny Luxray. However, it’s worth noting that while Boltmane was seen in preview footage, it is not currently available in the game. It could have been scrapped or it may be added at a later date. Only time will tell.
Direhowl
Direhowl is little more than a recolored Lycanroc and you can’t convince me otherwise.
These are all the Pals I thought had some similarities to Pokémon. Were there any others that caught your eye? And how do you feel about all this? Let us know in the comments.
