Twitter’s recent API changes appear to have caused Microsoft to disable Xbox screenshot and clip sharing on console and via the Game Bar on Windows. Fortunately, the ability to upload to Twitter via the Xbox app is still working.
Xbox’s Twitter account has been responding to users who are Tweeting about their problems with trying to upload screenshots to the social media platform, including @ShadowBoy662 who wasn’t able to share Minecraft content.
We have had to disable the ability to share game uploads to Twitter directly from the console and Game Bar on Windows. You can still share your favorite moments to Twitter via the Xbox app for Android and iOS.
“We have had to disable the ability to share game uploads to Twitter directly from the console and Game Bar on Windows,” Xbox’s Twitter account wrote. “You can still share your favorite moments to Twitter via the Xbox app for Android and iOS.”
It also shared a “quick lesson” on sharing screenshots and clips via the Xbox mobile app.
Go to the Xbox mobile app
Select ‘My Library’ -> ‘Captures’
Choose your screenshot/clip
Select ‘Share’ & then ‘Twitter’
Microsoft has yet to give an official reason as to why it disabled the functionality, but this move does come following Twitter’s API price changes in March 2023 that could see, according to Wired, companies like Microsoft in the Enterprise Package level paying around $42,000/month for access to 50 million Tweets using the API.
Considering API access used to be free, this is a massive change that Microsoft may not be willing to pay up for.
This move also follows Microsoft’s decision to drop Twitter from its advertising platform. This functionality allowed users to manage their social media accounts in one place to create and manage Tweets, view past Tweets and engagement, schedule Tweets, and more. Starting on April 25, Twitter will no longer be supported but others platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn will continue as normal.
So if you’re running short on time or want to experience the best stories the game has to offer first, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite, must-play Side Quests and Activities below that we highly recommend checking out during your playthrough.
If you’re experiencing Breath of the Wild for the first time or just jumping back into an old save, check out our expansive BotW Wiki Guide, which will help you navigate your journey across Hyrule.
The Priceless Maracas
When following the path south of Kakariko Village, you’ll discover a giant Korok named Hestu, who you learn has lost his priceless instrument, a pair of maracas – which can be found at a henge-like rock foundation nearby. After defeating the Bokoblins guarding the Treasure Chest, return to Hestu, where he’ll reveal that the Maracas have no seeds inside, so he’ll recruit your help in collecting Korok Seeds – a unique collectible that can be traded to Hetsu in exchange for a very valuable reward, extra inventory slots.
While there are hundreds of Koroks Seeds to be found across Hyrule – 900, to be exact – you’ll need to collect hundreds in order to max out each inventory category. So, if you’re in need of some extra inventory slots or just want to collect em’ all, be sure to check out our Interactive Map and Korok Seed Locations guide for all the details.
In return for delivering materials dropped by Guardians – such as Ancient Screws, Ancient Shafts, and Ancient Cores – Purah will upgrade your Sheikah Sensor, Remote Bomb Rune, and Statis Rune with increased stats and brand-new features.
Hylian Homeowner
Upon reaching Hatano Village, you’ll discover a group of men from Bolson Construction working to demolish an abandoned house just West of Myahm Agana Shrine. When speaking to the men, you’ll unlock the Side Quest, Hylian Homeowner, and upon further convincing, they’ll agree to sell you the home for 3000 Rupees and 30 bundles of wood.
Once purchased, you’ll have a place to call your own, which even comes complete with a free weapon mount that allows you to place any weapon you own on it – including those of the champions.
The features don’t stop there, as you can further upgrade your homestead to add extra weapon mounts, bow mounts, shield mounts, a bed, a flowerbed, trees, and so much more.
The best part, though, is that it unlocks one of the best Side Quests in the game – From The Ground Up.
From the Ground Up
After completing Hylian Homeowner, you’ll be able to visit Lake Akkala, where you’ll find Hudson from Bolson Construction has started his very own town – Tarrey Town.
However, in order to populate the town with people, he’ll need your help to find and gather materials needed to construct other buildings and homes.
The more you delve into the Side Quest, the more the town becomes built because of your actions and the more merchants that will open up shop – including Grante, who will resupply one of the most powerful items in BoTW, the Hylian Shield, should you have lost it in battle, for 3,000 Rupees.
The Thunder Helm
Fancy yourself a problem solver? The Thunder Helm Side Quest will have you solving everyone’s problems in Gerudo Town – five to be exact. While that may seem like quite the ask, each of these sub-quests offer fun interactions such as challenging miniboss encounters, hunting down Wildberries, eavesdropping on town folk, and even unlocking exciting rewards such as:
Troubling yourself with all these sub-quests won’t leave you empty handed, as Riju will reward Link with the prestigious Thunder Helm. This headgear is a precious heirloom passed down among the Gerudo and is known for its ability to deflect lightning strikes.
Lynel Safari
If you find yourself swimming quite a lot or fancy unlocking the ability to swim up waterfalls, the Lynel Safari Side Quest may be one to consider completing. Painstakingly crafted by each generation’s Zora princess, the Zora Armor Set offers several unique abilities and a base defensive rating of 3.
While you will need to complete a relatively short quest to obtain the first piece of the Armor (Zora Greaves), you can find the remaining two pieces by simply looting a Treasure Chest at Toto Lake and during the main questline when speaking with the King in Zora’s Domain.
Robbie’s Research
If you’re after reliable access to anti-guardian weapons and armor, look no further than Robbie’s Research Side Quest. As a reward for helping reboot the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, you’ll gain access to Robot Cherry’s store, where you can trade Rupees and Ancient Parts in exchange for special weapons and armor not found anywhere else in the game.
A complete list of all available Ancient Weapons and Ancient Armor pieces can be found in our Akkala Ancient Tech Lab guide.
Mounting this stunning Giant Horse, which closely resembles Ganondorf’s mighty steed from Ocarina of Time, won’t be easy, as Link will need at least two full wheels of stamina (or a lot of Stamina Elixir) to mount this particular horse.
Returning to the Mounted Archery Camp won’t be a ride in the park, as you’ll need to pass by two different Lynels and a group of mounted Bokoblins.
Once you have returned, you can register the Giant Horse; however, don’t expect any unique rewards, as the horse is far too big to allow any customizations. That said, it will come with its own unique bridle and saddle.
The Royal White Stallion
In addition to the Giant Horse, Link can also discover a particularly fast and valuable white horse, known as the Royal White Stallion, that roams Safula Hill. Said to be a descendant of Princess Zelda’s white horse, you can start The Royal White Stallion Side Quest by speaking with Toffa at the Outskirt Stable in the Central Hyrule region.
After successfully mounting the rather skittish White Stallion, Link can return to the Outskirt Stable, where he’ll be able to register and name the horse. Upon speaking with Toffa, Link will be rewarded with a Royal Bridle and a Royal Saddle for his troubles. The White Horse is considered one of the best mounts you can get in BoTW without using an Amiibo.
Furthermore, the White Horse’s abilities make it the perfect participant for the Mounted Obstacle Courseminigame. Taking place just outside the Highland Stable in the Lake region, successfully completing the event in less than 1 minute 30 seconds and 1 minute 15 seconds will earn Link an Extravagant Bridle and Extravagant Saddle, respectively.
Horses aren’t the only mounts you can unlock in BoTW, so be sure to check out our Horses and Mounts Guide to learn more.
Zora Stone Monuments
If lore is your thing, the Zora Stone Monuments Side Quest might be right up your alley, as despite rewarding just a Diamond, the quest will allow you to learn more about the Zora’s history.
To start the quest, you’ll first need to complete the Main Quest, Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Upon doing so, you’ll be able to speak with Jiahto, a Zora found by the stone monument below the Throne Room in Zora’s Domain, which is located in the Lanayru Region.
The quest will task Link with discovering 10 stone monuments that are hidden around Zora’s Domain, with each monument offering a piece of history about Zora.
Activate the Great Fairy Fountains
While not technically a quest, the Great Fairy Fountains side activity is a must-complete for anyone looking to upgrade their armor effects and defensive stats. For every Great Fairy that you find, you’ll have the opportunity to increase your Maximum Armor Rank up to four stars.
In addition to armor upgrades, freeing Malanya will allow you to resurrect any registered horses that may have died under your care.
For a complete guide to finding all Great Fairies and the costs involved in upgrading your armor, see our Great Fairy Fountains walkthrough for more.
Dragon Hunting
Put on your dragon-hunting boots, as there are three different dragons to track down and find in Breath of the Wild. While these dragons may not be associated with a particular quest, they are a fun side activity that we highly recommend checking out as obtaining a scale from each dragon will allow you access to hidden shrines.
As you might expect, your efforts won’t leave you empty-handed, as tracking down each of the three dragons – Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra – offers a powerful reward in the form of Dragon Parts, which are obtained by shooting certain parts of each dragon. These parts are used to upgrade your armor and significantly improve the effectiveness of recipes.
Kilton the Monster Parts Merchant
Embrace Link’s inner dark side by unlocking a secret merchant named Kilton – who sells exclusive monster-themed merchandise in exchange for Monster Parts. Most notably, you’ll have access to the awesome-looking Dark Armor Set, which increases your speed at night and makes you look like Dark Link.
Unfortunately, tracking down Kilton isn’t easy, as he can potentially visit up to seven locations, all of which we have listed in our Kilton the Monster Parts Merchant guide.
However, the trouble to find him will be worth it, as once you’ve found Kilton – and cleared all the required Divine Beasts that are needed to unlock each item – you’ll have access to several new and exciting items that range from cool wearables that allow you to blend in with monsters, unique weapons, and even horse equipment.
Discover Hidden Shrines and Unlock Link’s Classic Green Tunic
While Shrine Quests aren’t labeled as “Side Quests” in the Adventure Log, they’re still pretty side-questy. Their primary purpose is to unlock hidden shrines that contain unique rewards such as Rupees, Spirit Orbs, and Armor pieces.
With just 42 of the Shrines offering Shrines Quests, we highly recommend checking out these optional quests, as they provide some unique and fun interactions in the form of puzzles, riddles, and even trials.
Here are just a few of the coolest ones we’ve encountered, and some that players tend to have trouble with:
Now, if you’re somewhat of a completionist, there is a pretty cool reward for completing all 120 Shrines, as you’ll unlock a secret Side Quest, A Gift From the Monks. This quest will have you tracking down the Forgotten Temple in the Great Hyrule Forest region. Inside this temple, you’ll find three Treasure Chests containing the classic green Armor of the Wild Set:
I didn’t know I needed a cosmic horror-fueled fishing game in my life – at least, not until I played Dredge. It’s not exactly a full-blown management sim ala Fishing Planet, but this 12-hour expedition through haunted open waters is both mysterious and compelling enough to tickle my brain and tug on all the right heartstrings. I felt possessed into flinging myself overboard with an unhinged smile cast across my lips, like one of its many macabre characters. …Figuratively speaking. Starting small and slow is a challenge, but upgrading my fishing boat led Dredge to spout forth a flurry of meaningful improvements to my fishing speed, inventory capacity, and my ability to scope out and evade the plethora of dangers that might rear their ugly heads at night.
Managing this fishing boat is no plank walk; five unique zones fit cozily within its relatively compact open world, hiding enough secrets, quests, and unique varieties of cartilaginous fish to fill its duration without overstaying its welcome.
All I know is that I’m a contract fisherman who’s rescued by the townsfolk of a remote island settlement called Greater Marrow. I’m given a new boat and… that’s all. But due to Dredge’s simple fishing and movement mechanics, this is pretty much all I need to know before I can begin my quest for fish on the open ocean, and it’s there that I’m immediately treated to a gorgeous sunrise stretching over the horizon. Leaving the bay of Greater Marrow for the first time and drinking in the sights and sounds is a treat.
Leaving the bay of Greater Marrow for the first time and drinking in the sights and sounds is a treat.
It’s in its favor that it’s so simple to pick up, both because its mesmerizing low-poly art style is so centric to its story and because it doesn’t really need me to understand too much to enjoy it. There’s no combat to speak of; just sail around, catch fish, solve the occasional puzzle, and try to return home in one piece. In fact, most of Dredge’s story revolves around simple fishing minigames that just have you pressing the DualSense controller’s square button in a specific rhythm according to directions on screen. It’s forgiving, in that no matter how many times you mess up the prompts, you won’t lose the fish, only in-game hours. I even had a friend momentarily take over my controller through the PS5’s SharePlay feature and reveled in watching how quickly they were able to pick up the mechanics.
Controlling your boat through tight spaces and navigating harsh waters is a breeze since moving forward and backward (and braking) is as simple as moving the left thumbstick back and forth. It’s an enjoyable added touch that progressing through each step of the main quest unlocks additional movement abilities, like the Haste skill that gives a speed boost that’s especially useful when getting out of the way of a hungry sea monster – but comes with the risk of destroying an engine and damaging your hull if you don’t give it intermittent rests.
Things heat up at night when the fog rolls in and your panic meter begins to increase.
Dredge’s story is intentionally cryptic at first glance, with your ship’s bow providing minimal context to the series of events unraveling in front of your eyes. But what starts out as a relaxing fishing trip rapidly takes a darker turn through threatening encounters with the ocean’s natural and supernatural denizens – who turn hostile after dark. This tension is fleshed out through genuinely interesting and well-thought-out dialogue with townsfolk between quests, and the broader story’s concealed undercurrents are cleverly pieced together in bottled notes found amidst the waves. Tactfully breaking up its fishing minigames with these elements, Dredge gradually unveiled its hidden agenda and latched onto my brain like a series of parasites slithering onto my boat’s deck. Which is something that actually happens, in more than a few cases.
Things heat up at night when the fog rolls in and your panic meter begins to increase in the darkness. The higher it goes, the more likely it is that monsters and other obstacles will spawn, so you have to balance that against turning on lights to temporarily lower panic. Of course, light attracts monsters that will quickly destroy your boat’s hull if you don’t evade them, so it’s a bit more challenging to manage than a simple fishing game. That brings balance and danger to every expedition.
Adding even more challenge, the world shifts around at night, meaning I sometimes ended up running headfirst into a rock that definitely wasn’t there during the daytime. For this reason, it’s never a great idea to make a beeline for the nearest port of call when panic sets in. At least, not without making sure the next few feet in front of you are clear, which is made easier by upgrading your boat with bigger, brighter lights. This interaction between systems gives Dredge a layer of strategy that keeps things interesting even when I’m not making substantial progress on the main quest.
Adding even more challenge, the world shifts around at night.
The Greater Marrow lighthouse remains a central landmark no matter where you are on the map, but you still need to get there safely on your own gumption if you find yourself lost at sea. And because there is only one limited method of fast travel, the stakes are raised even further if you find yourself adrift after dark. Since time only moves when you move your ship or play a fishing minigame, the constant, creeping fear of being snuck up on by a rogue sunset keeps my watchful eye pinned to the clock – which conveniently sits overhead – at all times.
Thanks to all that, I often found myself pulled along with Dredge’s current, solving puzzles and gathering hidden relics as I carefully built up my ship and kept a stream of currency rolling in. Following the main quest is crucial to unlocking advanced fishing rods and nets, but most objectives are bite-sized, adding up to little more than fetch quests. They’re made more worthwhile by the fact that each one contains interesting writing that fleshes out the world’s lore or is somehow tied to the broader story, and the cast of characters are interesting and likable until the end.
Likewise, completing quests is necessary to loosely flesh out your encyclopedia of up to 128 fish, but it’s nice that I didn’t need to catch ‘em all if I didn’t want to. But if you do want to, you’ll need to grind. Each species of fish only shows up in certain environments that require specialized gear to fish in, and most only appear at certain times of day, including species that are necessary to solve certain puzzles and progress the main story. This made it important to max out my ship’s hull so it could survive the long treks to other zones, which inevitably meant traveling at night.
Upgrading the ship’s hull largely centers around scavenging coastal shipwrecks – an activity that’s a little more monotonous than it needs to be, given how sparse resources can be, and how hard it can be to find certain crucial items like wooden planks early on. This is the main upgrade path that I spent most of my time working on, accounting for most of the heavy lifting in terms of improving my ship’s critical functions. But the upgrade path is disappointingly linear, and a lot of grinding is involved in maxing it out. Moreover, if one were to play to the end and max everything out, their boat will be exactly like mine, minus a select few deviations in some equipment choices, so the decisions I made along the way didn’t end up feeling meaningful.
The tugboat is as fragile as it looks, meaning it takes only a few collisions to send you back to the dock.
The tugboat is as fragile as it looks, meaning it takes only a few collisions – even small ones – to send you back to the dock from which you most recently set sail. Full disclosure: autosaves are frequent in Dredge, conveniently taking place whenever you bring your ship into any port. Plus, docks are scattered liberally across the world map, so it never feels like a safe haven is too far away to have a fair chance at evading danger. It’s great then that dropping anchor at a friendly settlement and sleeping through the night can eliminate your panic gauge so that you get a fresh start at the beginning of the following day. This allows me to fully appreciate moments of tension, since its difficulty always feels just balanced enough to provide a challenge and a handful of scares without ever crossing a line or feeling unfair.
I enjoyed getting to specialize my research tree with a scarce resource that unlocks specialized and increasingly powerful nets, rods, and engines – giving me at least some leeway to craft my own build. These choices would move me in the direction of certain quests faster, depending on which zones I wanted to explore first. For example, I installed a fishing rod early on that granted access to Volcanic fishing holes, letting me solve the quests in the volcano-themed Devil’s Spine zone at my own leisure.
It’s also really smooth. I can’t think of a single moment I ran into a bug or a crash in my entire 12 hours playing Dredge, and this might be the first game in recent memory I’m able to say this about. On the PS5, the DualSense controller emits satisfying pulses of feedback in response to the motion of the ocean, and even with a basic soundbar, the ambiance makes a strong impression.
From HAL 9000 to Cortana to GLaDOS to Skynet, there have been a ton of examples of AI that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best we organics have to offer. Now, we understand the line between AI and robots can be a thin one, but we think some of our more advanced robotic and android friends are just as alive as we are and deserve some love in this Face-Off.
Do you think Terminator 2’s T-800 claims the top spot? How about the MCU’s Ultron or Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Data? We’ve selected 103 AI characters from the most beloved movies, TV shows, and video games to “Face-Off” against each other two at a time. Will you choose Battlestar Galactica’s Cylons over the Machines from The Matrix? Mega Man over Bender? The choice is yours…
(And don’t forget, you can pass on a Face-Off round if you don’t know a character by just hitting “skip” at the bottom of the page.)
Like the name suggests, a Face-Off pits two things against one another and you decide which one is the superior of the two. In this case, you are voting to determine which AI character from film, TV, and games is the best of the best. It’s possible to see certain characters multiple times, so you can keep voting for your favorites to ensure they get ranked higher than the rest. IGN’s resident team of games, movie and TV experts pre-selected 102 of the biggest AI characters for you to choose from. These get randomly paired up and each time you pick a winner, it’s tracked.
How Is the Winner Determined?
When voting ends on April 27, we tally up the total number of “wins” and “losses” each character has, and create a ranked list based on your choices that will be revealed on April 28. The character that won the most matchups will be crowned the “winner,” and in the event of a tied number of “wins,” the character with the least “losses” will take the top spot. If you continue to keep voting for your favorite character, they’ll have a better chance of ranking high on the list. You can vote as many times as you want until the Face-Off closes.
How Do I Know When I’ve Clicked Through Everything?
It’s difficult to know when you’ve seen every AI character included because they are matched randomly and there are so many possible match-ups. Playing until you vote for all your favorites or ensuring that certain characters don’t get in the winner’s circle are different options you can take with a Face-Off. By deciding the winner throughout all these match-ups, you’re ensuring that your picks for your favorite AI characters will have a fighting chance to reach the top of the list.
Which AI Characters Have Been Included?
The list of the best AI characters included in this Face-Off has been decided by IGN staff, and we’ve tried to include the most characters from movies, TV shows, and video games. We know the line between AI and a standard robot can be a thin one, but we just had to include some of our more advanced robotic friends as they deserve as much love as any of us. We decided this means any character or program that appears to think for itself in any way and shows that they are more than just a pile of parts or a machine that has one simple function.
A UK insurance company is now offering a Dead Island 2 life insurance policy that will pay for bereaved friends to travel to Los Angeles for a zombie-themed wake.
As reported by VGC, the Dead Happy life insurance company, which offers a variety of different life insurance packages (with some quirkier than others), is offering the Dead Island 2 package for £8,000.
“Send your mates to the real LA for a zombie cocktail fuelled party before it goes to hell,” reads the insurance description. “A wake to end all wakes, in your honour.”
The package covers funeral expenses as well as the booze-fuelled trip, insisting that “we should all die responsibly”. Dead Happy makes clear, however, that it can’t force someone’s friends to travel to LA, and that the Dead Island 2 package, alongside the rest of the company’s offerings, are just wishes.
While some of the packages, called Deathwishes, are fairly simple, like leaving money for a charity or paying off debts, others do fall on the quirky side. These ones include sending your ashes to space and getting a bronze statue of yourself made.
In our 7/10 review of the actual game, IGN said: “Dead Island 2 is a hilarious gore-fest and a competent zombie-slaying adventure, but lacks creativity outside of its great sense of humour.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
The old guard is in town as Cardy, Dale, and Alex talk about some hot new video games that you can play with your fingers. Dead Island 2 is finally out after a decade of development. Was it worth the wait, though? Maybe you’ll find out if you listen. The new Burning Shores DLC for Horizon Forbidden West is here as well as the remasters of Advance Wars 1 and 2. Dredge is also bangin’. Good times are had. Plus, Alex spends the best part of 20 minutes telling us about his Orlando holiday. It’s all good stuff. Oh, and the Endless Search returns.
What film have you seen the most times? What’s the best toilet ever? Drop us an email: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.
You may have heard Disney Speedstorm was going to launch as a free-to-play kart racer from the crew behind Gameloft’s long-running Asphalt series. In fact, you may have heard this because that’s what we told you about it back when it was unveiled in June last year. Well, that’s changed. It’s still a kart racer from the Asphalt team, but it’s not actually going to officially launch in its free-to-play state until late 2023 or early 2024. What we have in its place is an “Early Access” version of Speedstorm that just… costs money to play – which, of course, is how all good video games worked before the game industry started copying the gambling industry’s homework. However, despite packing an entirely decent brand of arcade racing action on track, Speedstorm’s drowning level of gacha guff and free-to-play DNA may leave those shelling out a fee to play feeling a little goofy.
For those of you curious about how Speedstorm’s Early Access program works – and what you’ll receive for your money beyond simply being able to play it – a 5,000-word FAQ awaits you on its official website. This is roughly 4,950 more words than I generally like to absorb before playing what’s ostensibly a family-friendly kart racer. At any rate, if you come out the other side of that under the impression Speedstorm is a mobile game masquerading as a PC and console game, know that in its current Early Access state that feels like a fairly accurate way to describe it.
The Bare Necessities
This is unfortunate for a few reasons, though none more so than the fact that, on track, Speedstorm is a plucky little arcade combat kart racer. It’s got a great drift feel in particular, with easy mid-slide adjustment that allows us to open them up into long, low-angle powerslides. There’s also a really satisfying ability to transition between drift directions very smoothly. With responsive controls and a good sense of weight to the karts as they jostle on track and crash back to the course from jumps, I really don’t have any complaints about the handling at all – and that’s obviously a massively crucial part of any kart racer equation. That, and four-player split-screen – which thankfully Speedstorm has, albeit only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch only get two-player.
There are also some interesting layers to the combat, with items able to be used in different ways depending on how you activate them. For instance, a fire pickup can be tapped to send flames licking from the side of your kart that will stun any opponents you touch, or charged over a few seconds to trigger a blast all around you that can knock out multiple other racers simultaneously. The jellyfish pickup can be triggered to make you temporarily invisible, or it can be charged to become an attacking forcefield that will actually explode and take out opponents. There’s just a little more depth to the combat here than usual, and I can appreciate that.
Each of the characters also has a distinct themed power-up. Donald Duck, for instance, gets a protective raft that turns into a ghostly flurry of fists. I like these close-quarters attacks over the ranged ones, and they seem to work well with my driving style and Speedstorm’s tightly bunched racing. I also have a lot of time for Donald Duck because he’s angry, a World War II veteran, and he’s too proud for pants.
I have a lot of time for Donald Duck because he’s angry, a World War II veteran, and he’s too proud for pants.
On that note, the dartboard approach to Disney characters represented in Speedstorm has resulted in a pretty random shortlist of characters and tracks for launch, with The Jungle Book, Hercules, The Pirates of the Caribbean, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, and Monsters, Inc. making the cut alongside Mickey and his mates. The modern race suits are a cute touch but I reckon the art team has missed a trick with the vehicles, which seem super vanilla compared to the karts of something like Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, which are brimming with personality to match their drivers.
The selection has made for tracks that all boast sufficiently different atmospheres – from a dank pirate port to the Monsters, Inc. factory, and from Disney’s black-and-white origins to the opulence of Mount Olympus – but they’re not especially technical and don’t tend to feel very different to one another during the moment-to-moment racing. The bigger problem is, despite seemingly boasting several track ribbons per environment, the courses reuse such significant sections I’m simply never able to tell them apart within locations. There’s more variety in the remixed music tracks than the racing tracks. As a result, Speedstorm begins to feel very repetitive very early.
It doesn’t help that this solo format of one-off races is frankly a bit boring – and when your competition is incumbents like the untouchable Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the terrific Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, that’s a problem. Obviously I’m fully aware that, with its destiny as a live service game, there’s no doubt that there’s a whole wad of new tracks in the pipe set to arrive at regular intervals – but they’re not here yet. So what are you buying right now? Some digital tokens and an exclusive racing suit that tells people you were here before they were? That’s a tough sell.
Gosh it Disturbs Me to See You, Gacha
This brings us to the point where this 40-year-old dad checks out both physically and spiritually, because gacha-style, mobile-inspired upgrade and currency systems are like absolute kryptonite to me. Put clearly, the sheer amount of menu nonsense and overlapping economies in Speedstorm is simply absurd.
Put clearly, the sheer amount of menu nonsense and overlapping economies in Speedstorm is simply absurd.
Tokens are blue. You earn these from completing objectives during races and moving up reward tiers, and we will apparently be able to buy Tokens to access locked content faster. Then there are tokens that are like Tokens, but yellow. These are Season Coins. You get these from moving through the Golden Pass, which is Speedstorm’s battlepass equivalent. I bought that with a Golden Pass Credit. That’s another currency that came with the Early Access pack, separate to the Tokens and Season Coins. Then there are the Seasonal Tickets and Universal Box Credits, which seem like Tokens but they’re purple.
Also separate are the Multiplayer Coins, which are tokens that naturally come from competing online. There’s ranked multiplayer racing, where you take your characters in at whatever level you have them, and “regulated” racing, where racer stats are standardised. I’ve won races in both, but kart racing seems quite soulless racing against strangers and I can’t understand the appeal. It belongs on the couch, if you ask me.
You’ll have to do it if you want to use the Speedstorm shop, though, because sometimes things cost Multiplayer tokens. However, some other things cost blue tokens, and some things cost yellow tokens. Sometimes they cost a purple one, because why not? Sometimes items are just there, a la carte, and sometimes they’re in a blind box. Did I mention there are different types of boxes? There are different types of boxes.
Then there are Racer Shards, which are essentially another currency unique to each individual character that you use to unlock racers and upgrade your characters’ star levels, and then there are upgrade materials, which also stack as basically another currency you also need to upgrade your characters. You’ll need to do that to keep up with the competition. This stuff can be found in the loot boxes you earn playing, rewarded via the Golden Pass, or simply bought from the shop with one of several currencies. Maybe in a box. Maybe not. For 1,200 Tokens I bought 20 Mulan shards, which are automatically traded for one Mulan star. I want to make my Mike Wazowski faster, but now I need four Scare Tanks, one turbo, and four wrenches, and I’m short two wrenches. Did anybody say any of this out loud?
This doesn’t sound like a game; it sounds like a job.
Are you still following? Because frankly I don’t think I am anymore. The mechanical monkey in my brain just backflipped off a building. I haven’t even got to the crew mechanic, which appears to be JPGs of other random Disney characters here to be another thing you need to upgrade. Or the Loot Points. Or the Collection Level, which are points, but different. Are kids meant to understand this? This doesn’t sound like a game; it sounds like a job.
Tomb Raider has a chartered history, with Lara Croft delving into ruins and tombs all over the world. Overcoming any and all obstacles set in her path, Lara has elevated herself into an exclusive and lauded pantheon of iconic video game protagonists.
With a new Tomb Raider currently in development at Crystal Dynamics and therefore a new Lara adventure on the horizon, we’ve created a chronological list of every Tomb Raider game so those interested can start (or restart) their spelunking adventures from the very beginning.
There are a total of 19 Tomb Raider games that have been released as of 2023. These games are split over 3 different timelines, each distinct from one another, offering different plotlines and a slightly different spin on Lara and her supporting cast.
14 of these games have been released for home consoles, 6 also supported handheld portable consoles, and 6 were supported on mobile devices. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft Go, and Lara Croft: Relic Run are all stand-alone titles, and therefore will not be included on these lists.
Tomb Raider Games in Chronological Order
If you’re hoping to take a chronological journey through all of the Tomb Raider games, it’s important to note that there are actually 3 different timelines you can play through.
The first ever Tomb Raider title centred around Lara being hired by businesswoman Jacquelin Natla to find a mysterious artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. After finding all three fragments of the Scion scattered around the globe, Lara is betrayed by Natla and must face off against her on a volcanic island filled with monsters.
2. Tomb Raider: The Curse of the Sword (2001)
A Game Boy Color exclusive sequel to the Game Boy Color version of the original Tomb Raider, this adventure sees Lara tracking down a mystical sword and attempting to destroy it before the long-dead Madame Paveau can resurrect from the underworld and use her dark magic to subjugate the world.
3. Tomb Raider II (1997)
This time Lara is on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon once used by the Emperors of China. A cult leader by the name of Marco Bartoli who is also seeking the dagger for it’s magical ability to turn the owner into a dragon.
4. Tomb Raider III (1998)
In the third mainline installment of the original saga, Lara sets out to find the Infada Stone, one of four crystalline artefacts crafted thousands of years ago from the remnants of a meteorite. Realising the nefarious Dr. Willard is aiming to use the statues to speed up the evolutionary process; she sets out to find the remaining three artefacts before the entire planet is mutated.
5. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
In The Last Revelation, the Egyptian god of chaos Set is unknowingly released by Lara as she explores a tomb in Egypt. With Set and his forces wreaking havoc on Cairo, Lara is assisted by Semerkhet and strives to summon the god Horus who is the last hope of quelling this world-ending threat.
6. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
After the ambiguous ending of The Last Revelation, Winston the butler and other friends of Lara recount tales of her historic adventures to commemorate her. Delving through the catacombs of Rome, fighting through a Russian naval submarine, and exploring an island haunted by demonic forces, the titular Chronicles set in stone how well travelled and skilled Lara is, but is she really gone?
7. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
Framed for the murder of her former mentor, Werner Von Croy, Lara explores Paris and Prague in an attempt to clear her name and solve the murder. The last survivor of the Lux Veritatis Society, Kurtis Trent, is stalking Lara and is hiding a deep dark secret about his true nature.
Second Timeline – Legend of Tomb Raider
1. Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007)
A remake of the original Tomb Raider title from 1996, this game again sees Lara questing to find the Scion of Atlantis. With redesigned puzzles and physics, there was a shift from item collection and pulling switches (both prevalent in the original title), to physics-based puzzles and environmental set pieces.
2. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
This title acts as a reboot and reimagining of the origins of Lara, as she races across the world in search of the mythical sword Excalibur, desperate to find it before her former friend Amanda Evert can beat her to the punch.
3. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
The third installment in the Legend trilogy, Underworld sees Lara searching for Mjolnir, which acts as an ancient key to Helheim, the realm of the dead. Exploring the ruins of various cultures and mythological underworlds, Lara once again confronts the villainous Natla who is searching for Mjolnir herself.
Third Timeline – Survivor Trilogy
1. Tomb Raider (2013)
In a new, grittier take on Lara Croft, her first expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai goes awry and she becomes stranded on an isolated and hostile island. Facing off against the Solarii Brotherhood cult, Lara must stop the Ascension ritual from proceeding and also prevent a successor from being chosen for the bloodthirsty Sun Queen of legend.
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
Rise of the Tomb Raider has Lara exploring Siberia for the legendary city of Kitezh whilst battling Trinity, the paramilitary organization that continually crosses paths and butts heads with Lara. As they both sprint to rediscover Kitezh, will the legendary immortal guardians of the kingdom, the Deathless Ones, reveal themselves to be much more than just a myth?
3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
The third and final installment in the Survivor Trilogy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has Lara trekking through the Americas to find the city of Paititi before a Mayan apocalypse consumes the entire planet. With the monstrous Yaaxii and the ever present Trinity on her back, will she succeed before it’s too late?
How to Play ALL the Tomb Raider Games By Release Date
Tomb Raider (1996)
Tomb Raider II (1997)
Tomb Raider III (1998)
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999)
Tomb Raider (Game Boy Color, 2000)
Tomb Raider Chronicles (2000)
Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (Game Boy Color, 2001)
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (GBA, 2002)
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010)
Tomb Raider (2013)
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015)
Lara Croft Go (2015)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
What’s Next for Tomb Raider?
During the State of Unreal event in April 2022, Crystal Dynamics formally revealed that development on a brand new Tomb Raider game had begun. Whilst details are slim, it is confirmed to be using Unreal Engine 5, and it is set to be published by Amazon Games. Crystal Dynamics have also expressed on Twitter that this new adventure “will continue Lara Croft’s saga”, which may insinuate that rather than a reboot this new title could be a continuation of the Survivor trilogy that concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018.
The Street Fighter 6 Showcase has not only revealed that a demo for the latest entry in the legendary fighting franchise is available now on PS5 and PS4 and soon on other platforms, but it also announced who the Year 1 DLC fighters will be alongside new details for the single-player World Tour mode.
Let’s start with the demo, which will let players check out a bit of the World Tour Mode and certain modes in Fighting Ground. Furthermore, players will be able to use the extensive Avatar creator to build their very own fighter that can be imported into the full game when it is released on June 2, 2023.
The demo is available right now for PS5 and PS4, and it will arrive on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Steam on April 26.
Street Fighter 6 to Get Four DLC Fighters in Year 1
Street Fighter 6 is meant to be a platform that will keep fighting fans coming back for years to come. To help with that mission, Capcom will be releasing new fighters to keep things fresh and exciting.
In the first year, Street Fighter 5’s Rashid will kick things off in Summer 2023. Newcomer A.K.I. will be the second fighter in Autumn 2023, Street Fighter 4/5’s Ed will be third in Winter 2024, and Street Fighter II Turbo’s Akuma will finish Year 1 in Spring 2024.
While it’s always exciting to have new fighters join a roster, these fighters will also be added to the World Tour mode so players can interact with them, learn more about their history, and incorporate their moves into their own Avatar.
Street Fighter 6’s World Tour Is a Single-Player Mode with RPG Mechanics, an ‘Overarching Story,’ and Much More
Players will obviously flock to Street Fighter 6 for the world-class multiplayer, but Capcom isn’t resting on its laurels for the game’s single-player mode. In World Tour, players will be able to create their very own Avatar and become an integral part of the world of Street Fighter.
Your adventure will begin in Metro City, but players will be traveling the world to complete missions, fight and learn from iconic Street Fighter characters, level up skills and abilities, unlock cosmetic items, and experience a story that develops as you battle foe after foe.
There is a bit of an open-area feel to World Tour, and players can challenge people in the streets and fight as bystanders gather to watch the action unfold. However, the big draw will be interacting with the established Street Fighter characters like Chun-Li.
When you run into Chun-Li or others, you will be able to learn from them and build your relationship levels, give them gifts, and undertake special missions. This will let you unlock the ability to use their basic and advanced move sets, find out more about them, and more.
Players will also be able to use the fighters’ Master Actions, which will let your Avatar break barrels, cross platforms, and more in the world. There will also be a special Master Action called Drive Stall that will let players slow down time to get critical hits on enemies and power up their Master Actions.
All of this progress will go toward building a unique Avatar that can be a combination of multiple Street Fighter characters and cosmetics that will make them your own. Avatars can then be taken to the Battle Hub to participate in Avatar Battles and more to show off you character to the world.
There is so much more to Street Fighter 6, including a wide variety of online and offline versus modes, extensive tutorials, multiple control schemes, custom rooms for up to 16 pleayers, ranked matches, and so much more.
Fntastic has announced that its highly anticipated yet controversial MMO The Day Before is getting a beta, and has promised it won’t be delayed between now and its launch on November 10, 2023.
Kentain, an administrator on The Day Before’s official Discord, posted there to say the game will definitely hit its November release date “without any further delay”. The beta test will take place “as we get closer to the release date”, they added, but no specific date or window was shared.
“This will give players the opportunity to try out the game before it is released and provide valuable feedback that we can use to improve the final product. We will provide more details on the beta test as we approach the release date, so be sure to stay tuned for updates.”
Fntastic then faced several other accusations including that it had copied elements of other games and even that The Day Before was a scam altogether. The developer denied both of these claims, however.
“We only believe in the final product. No matter what anyone says, you’ll see for yourself on November 10 this year,” it said. “We hope that after the game’s success, we’ll give people faith that in this life, if you persevere toward a dream, it will come true, despite all the obstacles and doubts.”
