Category: IGN

Warhorse Studios has delayed medieval open world role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 from 2024 to February 11, 2025, though will release 25 minutes of gameplay later in August.

No explicit reason for the delay was given, with Warhorse public relations manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling merely saying on X/Twitter that “we slipped to 2025.” A three minute video was shared to announce the delay, release date, and Warhorese’s plans for the coming months.

“We aimed for the end of the year and almost made it,” Stolz-Zwilling said. “Almost is not good enough though, so unfortunately we slipped to 2025.”

A message from Warhorse Studios! The official release date for #KCD2 is 11 February 2025.
It’s a long wait, but we have a lot to show you between now and release, starting with:
⚔️ 20+ min gameplay showcase at #Gamescom2024
⚔️ Collectors Edition Reveal
⚔️ Previews from Press and… pic.twitter.com/YSJrxdZZZT

— Warhorse Studios (@WarhorseStudios) August 15, 2024

He then said a Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 trailer will be released during Gamescom 2024‘s Opening Night Live showcase on August 20, the 25 minute gameplay video will be released on August 21, and that a Collector’s Edition will also be revealed during the event. Those attending Gamescom in Cologne, Germany can play a demo too.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is promised to be a “behemoth” of a game featuring a map twice the size of the 2018 original, new weapons, a “much more epic” story,” reputation system, and more.

“What we are making now is what it was supposed to be in the beginning, but we weren’t able to do it because we didn’t have enough resources and experiences and all that stuff,” Warhorse creative director Daniel Vavra said in April. “We’ve proven the concept works, so now we can take it to another level, which is what we always wanted.”

In IGN’s 8/10 review of the original, we said: “Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an RPG that does the medieval era right with a refreshingly small-scale story and strong realistic combat.”

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

The Persona 3 Reload remake released in February 2024 will “likely never” get female protagonist Kotone Shiomi, who was introduced in a previous iteration of the game, its producer has said.

As reported by PC Gamer, Persona series producer Kazuhisa Wada told Game Informer Magazine that he was “really sorry” but fan pleas for Shiomi’s inclusion will probably never be answered.

“The more we discussed it, the more unlikely it became,” Wada said. “The development time and costs would not have been manageable.

“Persona 3 Reload has just released, and there is currently a lot of player interest, so if we are to do an additional release, it has to be now. But since it is not possible for us to release Persona 3 Reload with the female protagonist in this window, we just can’t do it. I’m really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope, but it is likely never going to happen.”

Persona 3 Reload is the fourth iteration of Persona 3 (or the fifth if the port to modern consoles is included). The base game launched in 2006, followed by an enhanced edition called Persona 3 FES in 2007, and a PlayStation Portable version aptly called Persona 3 Portable in 2009.

It was in this latter version the female protagonist was released, so when Atlus announced a full remake promised to be a “complete experience,” many fans were disappointed to learn it wasn’t planning to include FES or Portable content.

The release model of Atlus, particularly of the Shin Megami Tensei (of which Persona originated) and Persona franchises, is starting to frustrate some fans. It’s common practice for the developer to release the base game and then, a year or two later, released essentially a better version with extra content at full cost. Persona 4 received Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 received Persona 5 Royal.

Fans therefore took issue with Persona 3 Reload releasing without this content, not just because it was missing, but because they expected Atlus to release an enhanced edition soon after that would include it.

Looking to quell those concerns, Wada promised fans in March 2024 that Persona 3 Reload was a “complete experience,” but just one month later Atlus announced an expansion pass. This would add a handful of cosmetics alongside Episode Aegis — a 30 hour epilogue added to Persona 3 FES — but no female protagonist.

Further frustration came as Atlus confirmed Episode Aegis wouldn’t be available as a standalone but only as part of the $34.99 expansion pass. The “complete experience” promise therefore fell through, with fans actually having to pay a total of $104.98 to play every part of Persona 3 Reload. This still won’t include all the Persona 3 content ever released, of course, and seemingly never will, as the female protagonist and other additional content remains locked in Persona 3 Portable.

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

If you’ve followed Doom:The Dark Ages at all, you’re likely aware the FPS prequel will find players carving through Hell’s hordes from behind a hulking shield equipped with an enemy-eviscerating spinning blade. And while all the, er, buzz surrounding this death-dealer seems justified, the hyped weapon may have some of its thunder stolen by The Knightlings’ Magnustego buckler, a defensive device with some cool tricks of its own.

But we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

The Knightling is an upcoming fantasy action-adventure focused on fast-paced combat and creative platforming. And it’s nothing at all like Doom:The Dark Ages. Well, except for that shield we mentioned a moment ago. You see, the story-driven, semi-open world game puts players in the boots of the titular squire, a young, eager apprentice thirsting for the sort of adventures typically undertaken by his master, the strong, stately Sir Lionstone.

The comparatively puny protagonist doesn’t have much in common with his long-maned mentor, but he does have access to his powerful shield. And that brings us back to the Magnustego. Also affectionately referred to as Magnus or Maggie, we got to take this potential-packed device for a test drive during our recent hands-on demo with The Knightling.

As our preview kicks off, our masked hero hoists the oversized, ornate shield before gazing upon the stretching lands surrounding him. Dubbed the Outskirts, the medieval-inspired, fantasy setting features a colorful, cozy look more akin to Breath of the Wild’s welcoming, outdoor environments than, say, the moody, foreboding lands dotting a Dark Souls’ game map.

Marked by lush, rolling hills, vibrant, flora-filled valleys, stunning cliff faces, and majestic waterfalls spilling into crystal-clear lakes and streams, the charming universe packs plenty of eye-pleasing appeal. A closer examination of moving objects – such as spinning windmill blades casting shadows on the ground below – also reveals some immersive lighting effects.

The world’s most impressive visual feat, however, is that it organically blends its natural beauty with a platforming paradise just begging to be played in. At first glance, The Knightling’s sprawling landscapes look similar to the high fantasy-inspired settings you’d navigate in any number of open-world action-RPGs. But its focus on fast-paced platforming and peppy traversal begets a seat-of-the-pants secret — your defensive device doubles as makeshift transportation, allowing you to quickly surf atop it throughout the Outskirts and beyond.

Shield-sliding isn’t necessarily a novel gameplay mechanic, but The Knightling manages to evolve and elevate it by not only making it the primary means of transportation, but also tailoring the world to encourage its use. So all that pretty scenery spied at the demo’s start also serves as a playground of sorts. Sloping rooftops are actually steep ramps, winding wall surfaces work as pathways, and shallow, snaking streams are essentially rails waiting to be grinded at top speed. Of course, you’re also welcome to traverse more obvious hills, trails, and other natural formations while piloting your new friend Magnus.

Using this unique method of transportation for quick trips is fun, but leveraging it to travel greater distances – by chaining the various interactions together – is an absolute blast. And that’s before you factor in additional agility-fueled tricks, such as double-jumps or the ability to catch even more air by bouncing off giant mushroom caps.

While we love treating the Outskirts like our own personal skate park, we soon discover there’s much more to do than spike our adrenaline. Stressed-out villagers need help and, unsurprisingly, their concerns soon morph into quests for the knight-in-training to accept. Before we know it, we’re settling land disputes and corralling farm animals.

These mission types might sound a bit like boring chores, but Maggie – or Magnus – manages to make even the most mundane tasks more fun. The real estate argument, for example, is resolved by measuring the distance between two points via a quick race-like challenge, while the animal-wrangling introduces a bit of shield-based puzzling and combat.

The conundrums mostly involve throwing the tool – Captain America style – at targets to trigger specific actions. It’s a lot like lever-pulling and button-pushing in other games, but with the shield working as a sort of middle-man. There’s also a dynamic day/night cycle, which can be sped up to aid in finding solutions.The puzzling is a bit simple, but these examples also represent the game’s very first head-scratchers, so hopefully they’ll grow more creative and complex deeper into the adventure.

Combat behind the shield feels more sophisticated, as the protagonist can unleash basic bash attacks, as well as block, parry, and bring pain from above with aerial blows. Hurling the weapon mid-jump also slows the action, allowing for some extra strategy and cinematic style. As with the platforming, fighting is far more rewarding when combining and chaining the various options in your arsenal.

And it seems there’ll be plenty of potential in that regard, as The Knightling features an extensive combat-focused skill tree packed with upgrades for the protagonist. Our demo doesn’t dig too deep into the progression paths, but we are able to invest some shiny, collected currency into a powerful move dubbed the “Velocity Attack.” Leveraging the momentum of a shield-slide, we execute the maneuver to forcefully knock back targets with a series of lightning-quick spin attacks.

Despite some finicky targeting, we’re able to couple our default abilities with this newly acquired skill to make light work of low-level minions. That said, we’re quickly sent packing upon encountering more aggressive threats toward the end of our hands-on time. While being reduced to pulp is never fun, our unceremonious defeats confirm the button-mashing that’d served us so well earlier didn’t represent the extent of the combat’s depth. Upon respawning for the third time, we begin adopting additional strategies and tactics to take down larger, sword-wielding enemies.

Sadly, even our more thoughtful approach to combat can’t save us from the first armored attacker we meet. Swinging a respectable blade and sporting a beefy helmet, the baddie needs to have its armor knocked off before we can bring it down. Unfortunately, our prior investment in the “Velocity Attack” doesn’t leave us enough coin to acquire the upgrade necessary to strip the foe of its defenses.

This disheartening realization soon brings our preview to a close, but it also hypes us up for our inevitable return to the Outskirts. In addition to revisiting the skill tree with hindsight on our side – and demanding a rematch – we look forward to tackling some other unfinished business.

For starters, our time came up just as the story was getting good and the gameplay was evolving. It seems Sir Lionstone has set off on a very dangerous quest, and his brave apprentice is determined to join him. Doing so, however, requires the gift of flight, a Magnus mod that appears to be next on our to-do list. Even better, a second, shield-focused skill tree suggests the device won’t just see us soaring, but will ultimately earn enough upgrades to shame a Swiss Army knife.

[

Of course, The Knightling’s proposed 15-hour campaign also promises collectibles, side quests, and other activities that’ll no doubt be made more absorbing when tackled with the Magnustego multi-tool. We can’t wait to find out, and discover all The Knightling has to offer when it lands – probably before Doom: The Dark Ages – sometime next year.

If you’ve followed Doom:The Dark Ages at all, you’re likely aware the FPS prequel will find players carving through Hell’s hordes from behind a hulking shield equipped with an enemy-eviscerating spinning blade. And while all the, er, buzz surrounding this death-dealer seems justified, the hyped weapon may have some of its thunder stolen by The Knightlings’ Magnustego buckler, a defensive device with some cool tricks of its own.

But we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

The Knightling is an upcoming fantasy action-adventure focused on fast-paced combat and creative platforming. And it’s nothing at all like Doom:The Dark Ages. Well, except for that shield we mentioned a moment ago. You see, the story-driven, semi-open world game puts players in the boots of the titular squire, a young, eager apprentice thirsting for the sort of adventures typically undertaken by his master, the strong, stately Sir Lionstone.

The comparatively puny protagonist doesn’t have much in common with his long-maned mentor, but he does have access to his powerful shield. And that brings us back to the Magnustego. Also affectionately referred to as Magnus or Maggie, we got to take this potential-packed device for a test drive during our recent hands-on demo with The Knightling.

As our preview kicks off, our masked hero hoists the oversized, ornate shield before gazing upon the stretching lands surrounding him. Dubbed the Outskirts, the medieval-inspired, fantasy setting features a colorful, cozy look more akin to Breath of the Wild’s welcoming, outdoor environments than, say, the moody, foreboding lands dotting a Dark Souls’ game map.

Marked by lush, rolling hills, vibrant, flora-filled valleys, stunning cliff faces, and majestic waterfalls spilling into crystal-clear lakes and streams, the charming universe packs plenty of eye-pleasing appeal. A closer examination of moving objects – such as spinning windmill blades casting shadows on the ground below – also reveals some immersive lighting effects.

The world’s most impressive visual feat, however, is that it organically blends its natural beauty with a platforming paradise just begging to be played in. At first glance, The Knightling’s sprawling landscapes look similar to the high fantasy-inspired settings you’d navigate in any number of open-world action-RPGs. But its focus on fast-paced platforming and peppy traversal begets a seat-of-the-pants secret — your defensive device doubles as makeshift transportation, allowing you to quickly surf atop it throughout the Outskirts and beyond.

Shield-sliding isn’t necessarily a novel gameplay mechanic, but The Knightling manages to evolve and elevate it by not only making it the primary means of transportation, but also tailoring the world to encourage its use. So all that pretty scenery spied at the demo’s start also serves as a playground of sorts. Sloping rooftops are actually steep ramps, winding wall surfaces work as pathways, and shallow, snaking streams are essentially rails waiting to be grinded at top speed. Of course, you’re also welcome to traverse more obvious hills, trails, and other natural formations while piloting your new friend Magnus.

Using this unique method of transportation for quick trips is fun, but leveraging it to travel greater distances – by chaining the various interactions together – is an absolute blast. And that’s before you factor in additional agility-fueled tricks, such as double-jumps or the ability to catch even more air by bouncing off giant mushroom caps.

While we love treating the Outskirts like our own personal skate park, we soon discover there’s much more to do than spike our adrenaline. Stressed-out villagers need help and, unsurprisingly, their concerns soon morph into quests for the knight-in-training to accept. Before we know it, we’re settling land disputes and corralling farm animals.

These mission types might sound a bit like boring chores, but Maggie – or Magnus – manages to make even the most mundane tasks more fun. The real estate argument, for example, is resolved by measuring the distance between two points via a quick race-like challenge, while the animal-wrangling introduces a bit of shield-based puzzling and combat.

The conundrums mostly involve throwing the tool – Captain America style – at targets to trigger specific actions. It’s a lot like lever-pulling and button-pushing in other games, but with the shield working as a sort of middle-man. There’s also a dynamic day/night cycle, which can be sped up to aid in finding solutions.The puzzling is a bit simple, but these examples also represent the game’s very first head-scratchers, so hopefully they’ll grow more creative and complex deeper into the adventure.

Combat behind the shield feels more sophisticated, as the protagonist can unleash basic bash attacks, as well as block, parry, and bring pain from above with aerial blows. Hurling the weapon mid-jump also slows the action, allowing for some extra strategy and cinematic style. As with the platforming, fighting is far more rewarding when combining and chaining the various options in your arsenal.

And it seems there’ll be plenty of potential in that regard, as The Knightling features an extensive combat-focused skill tree packed with upgrades for the protagonist. Our demo doesn’t dig too deep into the progression paths, but we are able to invest some shiny, collected currency into a powerful move dubbed the “Velocity Attack.” Leveraging the momentum of a shield-slide, we execute the maneuver to forcefully knock back targets with a series of lightning-quick spin attacks.

Despite some finicky targeting, we’re able to couple our default abilities with this newly acquired skill to make light work of low-level minions. That said, we’re quickly sent packing upon encountering more aggressive threats toward the end of our hands-on time. While being reduced to pulp is never fun, our unceremonious defeats confirm the button-mashing that’d served us so well earlier didn’t represent the extent of the combat’s depth. Upon respawning for the third time, we begin adopting additional strategies and tactics to take down larger, sword-wielding enemies.

Sadly, even our more thoughtful approach to combat can’t save us from the first armored attacker we meet. Swinging a respectable blade and sporting a beefy helmet, the baddie needs to have its armor knocked off before we can bring it down. Unfortunately, our prior investment in the “Velocity Attack” doesn’t leave us enough coin to acquire the upgrade necessary to strip the foe of its defenses.

This disheartening realization soon brings our preview to a close, but it also hypes us up for our inevitable return to the Outskirts. In addition to revisiting the skill tree with hindsight on our side – and demanding a rematch – we look forward to tackling some other unfinished business.

For starters, our time came up just as the story was getting good and the gameplay was evolving. It seems Sir Lionstone has set off on a very dangerous quest, and his brave apprentice is determined to join him. Doing so, however, requires the gift of flight, a Magnus mod that appears to be next on our to-do list. Even better, a second, shield-focused skill tree suggests the device won’t just see us soaring, but will ultimately earn enough upgrades to shame a Swiss Army knife.

[

Of course, The Knightling’s proposed 15-hour campaign also promises collectibles, side quests, and other activities that’ll no doubt be made more absorbing when tackled with the Magnustego multi-tool. We can’t wait to find out, and discover all The Knightling has to offer when it lands – probably before Doom: The Dark Ages – sometime next year.

The almost parodically melodramatic characters and odd combination of genres that make up Dustborn lead to an eye-rolling first impression, but as my crew of mutated misfits traveled across America whacking people with an upgraded baseball bat and talking about our feelings, I realized that there’s a lot more to it than I first thought. Dustborn is tackling big ideas, and it’s doing it with robots in bunny hats, broken-hearted biker queens, and science-fiction squid things. This mash-up of comic books, Telltale-inspired narrative adventures, and rhythm games is like a buffet of styles, story, and action, and it works better than it has any right to.

You play as Pax, an aloof conwoman transporting secret cargo to Canada with a gang of fellow superpowered smugglers posing as a punk band. It’s set in an intriguing alternate version of America where JFK was never assassinated, Marilyn Monroe is referred to as Lady Justice, and a blast of concentrated information has gifted some people with powers. Not laser eyes or flying – think more gaslighting, controlling minds with your voice, illusion magic, and more. Dustborn is primarily about making choices through dialogue and actions that drive your character toward a specific end to that road trip. Will you snuggle up with your ex? Will you tell the rest of the crew about your plan? Will you eavesdrop on their calls? (I mean that last one, obviously.)

When you’re not talking to your allies through cute conversations that sound like they should come with a mental health TikTok hashtag, there is some action too. Your punk songs at gigs will play out as timed rhythm games, you’ll capture floating entities called Echos by dragging them into place with a modded handheld, and you’ll even fight various people and robots by swinging around a boomerang baseball bat and using your commanding powers to push, freeze, or confuse enemies. I can never resist a bit of button-mashing music action, and while the combat is simplistic, it looks dope. I’d have liked more of these sections to balance out all the talking, but there’s a good chance I’m just impatient and emotionally stunted.

Either way, the pacing is Dustborn’s biggest flaw. This campaign has a slow start with enough exposition to choke a donkey, leading with a seemingly endless amount of angsty conversations before you get a chance to do anything fun with these characters. It’s particularly easy to get irritated when everything you’re doing seems to involve people getting kind of mad at you. Eventually you learn more about each band member and how to navigate your conversations, and there’s an emotional payoff to all the chit-chat, but at first Pax and the people she’s dealing with just seem a bit lame. Turns out nothing brings people together like hitting robots with a baseball bat in combat combos or rocking out as a band, and it won me over too.

Those action sequences aren’t the deepest on their own, either, so to make Dustborn a worthwhile investment you’re going to need to embrace the whole package. If you’re in it for just one mechanic, say the music, you’ll likely lose patience waiting for your next chance to jam out. Similarly, there’s no way to speed run all the emotional stuff – even if you don’t care about being a stone-cold bitch to your buddies and decide to cut them off whenever possible, you’re still going to need to analyze those decisions to move a chapter forward. I stuck with it because every time I was ready to bow out some part of a narrative thread gently pulled me back in, and I’m a sucker for robots and relationship drama.

Whether it’s in the story setup, the variety of its characters, or the way its conflicts are approached in conversations, Dustborn has clearly made a conscious effort to be as inclusive as possible. It’s to a degree that felt performative at first, and I say that as someone who is neither straight nor entirely mentally healthy, but that philosophy eventually becomes the driving force behind what makes both these characters and your decisions concerning them far more complicated and interesting. That positive message doesn’t get in the way of gameplay, because the gameplay is all about being different and finding a place in society. X-Men did it in the 80s, and now Dustborn is doing it using the issues and visual language of 2024.

When that story hits its stride and shows the confidence to have more levity in its sometimes over-serious dialogue or give you bigger chunks of autonomy, I was all in. Investigating a sinister, robot-filled research lab with my bratty little sister; getting a perfect streak during a small-town performance of a punk track; taking a robot hat shopping in an abandoned mall; using increasingly weird combos of powers in combat; it all combined with the dialogue to give emotional consequence to my choices, good or bad. I won’t be going back for a replay, but I will always think fondly of that time I went on a road trip with a bunch of weirdos and set fire to a gas station.

You ever watch a black metal music video and think, “This is cool and all, but what if those guys screaming around a candlelit pentagram had mid-20th century guns?” Me neither, but I can’t help but think the team at The Astronauts did to get inspired for Witchfire, their single-player roguelike extraction shooter that feels like a gaslamp fantasy movie with Mercyful Fate as the soundtrack. Its mix of hot-handed running and gunning and more slow-paced exploration and investigation meld into something that is more of a dream to play than a nightmare. Though some balancing of what can feel like downright unfair difficulty is certainly in order, and some of the more obscure features could be made to feel less esoteric, I am firmly caught in the spell of this black magic banger.

Though it’s drenched in dark gothic drip, Witchfire is actually about the fight against the evil influence of powerful witches taking an alternative version of our world into its doomed clutches bit by bit. This world’s Vatican calls on you, an immortal warrior for the Pope called a preyer, to hunt and kill one of these witches – a task much easier said than done. The story sort of fizzles out after that. Everything you walk past or interact with is teeming with place and sometimes even lore, but it’s all piecemeal world building stuff that isn’t always intelligible. But it does a great job at setting the overall Roman Catholic x Van Helsing vibe.

I really fell in love with Witchfire’s combat once I found the right guns for me out of the dozen available. It hits just the right stride between DOOM and Destiny, with fast-paced shooting that rewards chain kills and evasiveness and spells that are both powerful odds-eveners and clever utility pieces that helped me get out some gnarly binds all the time. Clearing monster camps manifests arcana, which is a random boon that helps flavor your particular run in the same way the many popular roguelikes do these days. I found that some of these boons were clearly more impactful than others, like ones that lowered my reload times or gave me bonus damage to enemies being afflicted by status elements. They are divided into specializations, and you can have a small effect on which specializations you can choose arcana from in a particular order, but it’s limited – not nearly on the level of the kind of God-boon manipulation in Hades, for example.

Besides having some truly satisfying sound design and clever artistic nods to real-world weapons, all of the guns feel pretty standard until you start unlocking special abilities by completing weapon-specific tasks like getting a certain amount of kills with it. Hunger, my go-to mid- to close-range heavy revolver, gained the ability to get empowered shots when I reloaded based on how many critical hits (i.e. weak point hits) I landed with the previous cylinder of rounds. Of the six or so I tried, each felt distinct and viable in their own right, but once I found this revolver and a shotgun that reloads when I hit a charged melee attack, I haven’t looked back.

Much of the meat of Witchfire is jumping into varied locations and finishing each map’s main objective, like solving the mystery of the Wailing Tower or killing a gnarly boss in the Scarlet Coast. The map highlights other goodies like enemy camps that denote the difficulty of the monsters inside with increasingly more metal-looking skulls, or treasure chests and what they could hold should you want to trek towards them. These are usually your first guide for plotting any given trip out of the sanctum and into the fire, but these locales have plenty of things to find that won’t be on the map – like walls that can be magically dissolved to reveal secret loot or passageways, or this nefarious spector that always seems to lead me into the waiting arms of something horrible.

I found that the time between dealing with sub-objectives is filled with navigating around and shooting up dozens of demonic denizens. As far as the regular footsoldiers of the witch go, you’ll be spending a lot of time clapping similar-looking baddies like various humanoid archers and cultists in rags, gunmen with long range and sharp aim, and knights who can turn into fireballs and leap long distances. This never really feels repetitive though, because these enemies get shuffled in with one another in dynamic groups that often require you to deal with lots of different types of threats at once. And these locations are filled with obstacles and verticality and very few corners that feel safe hunkering down in that you always have to be on the move or risk getting caught.

More difficult monster camps will increase the quantity and variety of enemies, and is where you’ll see the scariest stuff. I stumbled across a camp of the highest, most horned-skull difficulty a few times during my travels and saw not only upgraded elite versions of monsters that I knew, but some brand-new horrors that I didn’t, like fully armored grenadiers and some floating menagere that resembled a balloon that’s also a picnic basket. These were a true test of my gear, stats, and skills that I still have a hard time passing. Being able to actively choose to engage with these high-risk challenges makes Witchfire feel more fair than frightening, but there’s also a few features that feel like insult to injury, like a roving band of monsters spawned by the exit portal that will follow you around the map and hunt you, getting stronger as time passes. Yes, they do make sure you stay on track and active during any given expedition, but they barge onto the scene largely unannounced, often being a nuisance when I was trying to engage an enemy camp or one of the weird puzzles on the map. Though killing these special hellions guarantees an ammo drop, a resource that becomes more precious the longer you stay in a map, they never stop coming, and never produce arcana – meaning you could kill them forever and never get any stronger even though they are – and always feel like just one too many levers of discomfort.

The Gnosis level, my preyer’s general knowledge and insight as it comes to all things demonic, is the most obvious form of progression in Witchfire. It requires more relatively difficult tasks to be completed, like holding a large amount of currency at once, but when completed, higher Gnosis levels allowed me to unlock new access to rooms in my hideout, and also some previously locked or veiled doors in the available expeditions. The downside is that it raises the bar for all of the dangers you’ll find on expeditions. Suddenly, those floating demons I only saw in the most difficult of locations now show up more often in other locations as well. Traps change, more of the chests and items you find are cursed, the roving band of hunters includes more types of monsters, etc. It’s something I wish Witchfire made more obvious, because I certainly wish I knew this before I invested in my actual stats and gear.

All of the treasure hunting and monster shooting I did on any given map was being watched by the Witch. With every mistake I made, the calamity meter rose in the top left corner, and when it’s filled completely, some terrible fate befell me. This was usually in the form of several assassins coming to slay me as my sanity slowly drained, but my understanding is that that is one of a few fates. The reverse GTA star meter that punishes you for being bad adds some pressure to already dangerous circumstances, but in a way that can feel like the game is snowballing against you regressively. And what “mistakes” are feels hit and miss. Sometimes it’s pretty clear: being caught in a trap, failing a puzzle, or being seen by specific enemies. Other times it’s simply getting hit, assumptively also by specific sorts of enemies but when things get really hectic, it’s unclear who I need to dodge in order to not make a bad situation worse

Whether I successfully extracted from the map via one of the many possible portals on it, or was brutally murdered while trying, I ended back at my cliffside HQ to restock and regroup. Here I can spend my volatile witchfire – this game’s “souls” – to improve my stats or buy items from the strange merchant who I guess is my roommate? I can spend the gold that I found in chests or by turning in random (probably cursed) baubles I found at a demonic mirror that I can direct to research weapons, spells, or other gear that it will produce at random while I’m out witch hunting. It’s still early in development and all of these things are expanding gradually, but the grind outside of fighting all of the available bosses and maxing your Gnosis, is pretty limited at this point.

But Witchfire has all the right ingredients in its cauldron for a genre-blending brew that is both unique and fun. Gunplay is an enchanting mix of kinetic cowboy guns and eldritch wizardry that really sings against the dangerous and plentiful soldiers of the ever-present Witch. Some of what it asks you to do is opaque and obtuse, both in a “fun to figure out” and a “frustrating lack of info that would have made a few hours of my game easier” kind of way. There’s hours of possessed chests to cleanse, secret passages to find, and bosses to conquer, and though the endgame grind looks rather unappealing off on the horizon, I have plenty still left on my list to see and do, and would be first in line for the next update Witchfire summons as the game continues on it Early Access journey.

Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon TCG are arguably the biggest card games on the planet, but don’t tell Amazon and Best Buy, as they’re slashing prices on some great sets and boxes! From pulling a full-art Greninja ex from Twilight Masquerade to snagging a Mana Drain from Outlaws of Thunder Junction, players can catch some epic playable or chase cards from these deals. See all the discounts on Pokemon TCG, or every big offer on Magic The Gathering at Best Buy here. Otherwise, check out our favorite picks from the sales just below.

Best Magic: The Gathering Deals

Outlaws of Thunder Junction Collector Booster Box includes 12 packs of 180 premium cards, perfect for collectors and players looking to add rare and unique cards to their decks and binders. Collector Boosters are always a treat for those who love the thrill of rare pulls and with the current sale, this box is a great way to get more bang for your buck.

Desert Bloom Commander Deck is ready to play out of the box, featuring a unique strategy centered around life gain and desert-themed synergies. It’s perfect for both new and experienced Commander players. Fallout: The Science! Commander Deck mixes up the post-apocalyptic IP with experimental and technological cards for a unique MTG twist. The sale price makes it a no-brainer for anyone looking to expand their Commander collection with a touch of the Wasteland.

Best Pokémon TCG Deals

Elite Trainer Box is a fantastic way to start with the Twilight Masquerade. Packed with 9 booster packs, exclusive card sleeves, and plenty of game accessories, this Elite Trainer Box is a steal at the current sale price. Whether you want to expand your deck or open packs, this box has it all, including a promo Ogerpon card.

Pokémon TCG Classic set is a premium collection that brings back iconic cards in a sleek and stylish package. This set is a gen-one dream, offering classic cards in a cool design. The discounted price makes it an excellent opportunity to own a piece of Pokémon history.

The Grafaiai ex Box provides a new strategy to your deck with an exclusive Grafaiai ex card and four booster packs to expand your collection. Looking for more pokémon deals? We’re keeping track of all kinds of PokéMerch on the daily, so make sure to check out our Best Pokémon deals page.

Christian Wait is a UK-based freelancer for IGN, you can follow him @ChrisReggieWait on Twitter/X.