inZOI Early Access Review

Us humans are made up of so many complex and often contradictory parts, which makes the idea of artificially recreating that kind of consciousness a hefty task that books, movies, video games, and more have probed and pondered for decades. Yet, despite all the challenges, it’s a plight developer Krafton is taking a stab at with its realistically rendered life simulator, inZOI. Boasting an in-depth character creator, approachable building tools, and a slew of interesting social systems, inZOI is already an impressive experiment – but as of its Early Access launch, it’s one that still struggles to feel coherent.

In inZOI, you aren’t a God, but rather an intern at a mysterious business known as AR Company. Here you have kitty co-workers and a series of parallel universes to manage from the comfort of your tablet screen, controlling the citizens (called Zois) of different households as they navigate their daily lives. To do this, you’ll model your Zois from digital clay, imprinting them with personality traits and life goals before shipping them off to go to school, get jobs, fall in love, and create more generations of little Zois. It’s hard not to draw immediate comparisons to The Sims, a series that inZOI is so clearly inspired by – still, as I spent more time with Krafton’s take on the genre, it’s apparent the studio has its own ideas about what makes people tick.

Before you can dive into running or ruining the lives of your digital avatars, you first need to create a household using inZOI’s sizable suite of customization tools. Alongside choosing your Zoi’s name, gender, and age range (which includes Child, Teenager, Young Adult, Adult, Middle Ages, and Senior), you’ll also pick their Trait, which acts as the backbone for their personality. From Scholar to Socialite, there are 18 to choose from, and each archetype packs a series of positive and negative behavioural quirks into one simple package. For example, a Charmer will have an easier time growing romantic relationships, but with the trade-off of that the “sad” mood sticks around for longer than other Zois, whereas an Adventurer will be more excitable, but similarly feel bored for longer.

It’s a convenient and speedy process, but also one that isn’t as customizable as I would have liked. Once in the world, you can also select up to 10 preferences that will further impact how your Zoi interacts with their surroundings, such as a love of coffee or hatred of showering. But while the combination of likes, dislikes, and personality traits can seem quite substantial on paper, unfortunately, my Zois ended up feeling fairly similar to one another despite all the warring traits and preferences.

Traits are convenient, but also not as customizable as I would like.

Psychology selected, the next phase of creating life is all about mushing the features of your Zoi into a shape of your liking. There are preset looks to choose between, as well as the option to tug on anchor points and twist their face into a snatched or terrifying visage. Detailed Editing adds even more anchor points to paw at, a boon for those with specific ideas and time to burn. Perhaps my favourite aspect of this process is the symmetry toggle, which usually keeps your Zoi looking uniform and magazine-ready, but leads to unique (if not haunting) creations when turned off – nothing says business professional like a permanent ‘People’s Eyebrow.’

On top of facial structure, there’s also multiple layers of makeup like blush and highlighter to consider, as well as scars and freckles. That’s before you even get to the slew of sliders that tweak skin texture and genetic features like how prominent your chin cleft is or how deep your smile lines can go. There’s also plenty of hairstyles too, with multiple colour sliders that allow you to not only choose highlights and lowlights but alter the length in real time. It’s a mouthful of polished features that I could easily spend hours with – and I certainly did. Designing an avatar that feels custom is such a key component of life simulators, and it’s obvious Krafton took that very seriously with its character creator toolbox, as it is by far inZOI’s best feature.

But it’s not over just yet, as a second Zoi-making time-sink follows up this facial putty playtime — outfit selection. You have nine different looks to style for each Zoi, including winter wear, swimsuits, and pyjamas, plus accessories to tag on top of those. inZOI’s style pulls from current trends with low rise cargo pants and Nuptse-like puffer jackets, as well as classic picks like tailored army jackets and simple pencil skirts. The pool of options is reasonable on its own, however inZOI has another trick up its sleeve: the Craft menu. From here, you can select a basic layer such as a top and tweak more specific aspects like the sleeves or neckline. Admittedly, it’s a fairly basic system, though it does well to fill in the gaps throughout inZOI’s moderately sized pre-designed wardrobe.

So you made a family, what now? More choices, of course. There are two locations available to live in at the moment: Bliss Bay, which is a beachy area that boasts burgers, buses, and a replica Santa Monica Pier, and the Seoul-inspired metropolis Dowon, which consists of towering skyscrapers and grassy public parks. Both locations offer premade housing options as well as empty lots to start fresh on, all tucked alongside a small pool of public buildings to visit. Unfortunately, this is where inZOI’s slick first impression starts to wane.

The environments are where inZOI’s slick first impression starts to wane. 

It’s clear Krafton wants these cities to seem bustling, but the more time I spent wandering around, the more the environments started to blend into one fairly empty and repetitive scene. I appreciated the tongue-in-cheek references to real world locations, like the mock CU convenience store or faux-McDonalds, and I was pleased to see random Zois milling about minding their own business. However, these small wins faded into the background as the Zois began acting like sentinels running between locations in packs. I can’t deny that watching a gaggle of random Zois all sprint to a public park or all vacuum the same 3×3 room isn’t funny, but it also left me longing for a world that felt more human. As is, the strange choreography and inaccessible architecture gives the world an uncanny atmosphere that makes you feel more like an onlooker than an active participant.

You can alleviate some of the alienation by curating a corner of the world to call your own. InZOI’s build mode follows a similar set of principles to the Character Creator Studio – more is more. You can drop in preset buildings or rooms and customize them from there, or start from the studs up. There are multiple wall sizes, windows, and doors which you can adorn with custom textures and colours. Furniture can also be customised, and you can tweak pretty much everything from the metallic accents of your fridge to the fabric on your sofa. As with the clothing crafting, there is also furniture crafting to mess around with, and you can create basic objects like desks by combining a distinct tabletop with a unique set of legs. This system is fairly rudimentary, but I thoroughly enjoyed blending oppositional aesthetics like a cottagecore mushroom lamp shade and a copper piping base to create what I’m calling a ‘funguspunk’ light. Yet despite all the tools at my disposal, the frequently clunky UI meant I struggled placing objects or extending rooms, often scrapping a complex building concept for a more angular one as I opted for function over style.

Family? Check. Home? Double check. Now it’s time to keep your humble abode running and your wacky avatars alive. Thankfully, Zoi’s are fairly simple creatures and you only need to juggle a few systems to stave off an early grave or a messy house. Alongside managing needs like hygiene, hunger, and sleep, Zoi’s also have short term Urges to fulfill and larger Ambitions to track, both of which reward you with positive mood modifiers upon completion. These tasks can be as simple as having a conversation or purchasing a specific item for their house, and they do well to guide you towards features you may not be aware of.

While much of the information is available on screen, you keep track of your family through a helpful pop-up window on your bottom bar called a Zoi Card. Here is where you can also check your Zoi’s individual skills, nurtured through activities like cleaning or playing music. Zois also have Values, which form based on the trait you selected to begin with and the types of experiences that have molded their perspective in the time since. For example, one of my Zoi’s gave birth to their first child and their core value endearingly shifted to Love. Keeping an eye on all of these levers creates an ample workload — it’s just a shame that I never felt like I was working toward anything meaningful, with many of these metrics amounting to very little in terms of gameplay payoff.

I never felt like I was working toward anything meaningful.

This lack of depth extends to job and school progression, which is tied to whether your Zoi completes a small list of tasks during their shift or after class. For the most part my Zois managed this on their own, leaving me to potter about until they were done, my influence having little to no bearing on their acumen. Big milestones like marriage and kids also lack adequate significance, and despite working to help them achieve key goals, my Zois felt unbothered about the fruits of their labour. So much so that on multiple occasions one of my families left their baby home alone, despite it being only a few minutes old.

Ultimately, my Zois didn’t seem to have much of a soul, despite having the building blocks in place to imagine one. Occasionally their moods would shift, and they could emote in a realistic and charming way, but this rarely stopped them from acting the exact same as they would regardless of being happy or sad. It’s intriguing to see what Krafton is driving at with all these moving parts. As of right now, though, there’s a lack of cohesion that makes the overall sense of progression feel somewhat meaningless.

There is a bit of a saving grace though, and that’s inZOI’s Karma system, which acts as the nefarious antagonist that oversees your Zoi’s happy little lives. A kind and gregarious Zoi is more likely to win the lottery or earn a prize from the claw machine than one that’s been farting secretly, in a malicious way. Hilariously, despite this inbuilt limitation, the Zois all seem to want to be bad people when left to their own devices, or at least that was the case across my many households. Managing a house of five was like running a daycare, but instead of having a tantrum over sharing toys, my ‘children’ would steal from my purse and start screaming at strangers on the street. inZOI gets close to replicating some of the silly magic The Sims is known for in these moments, providing me with plenty of clippable encounters I’d be keen to share with friends, which does at least infuse the world with some much needed personality.

Addressing the elephant in the room, it’s no secret that Krafton has partnered with Nvidia to add AI to all of its games, and inZOI has not been spared from this decision. Across the Build Mode and the Creator Studio, there are options to create custom textures using generative AI by writing a prompt in the submenu. Beyond those generative textures, the in-game signage, writing, and dialogue trees also have a stiff, artificial whiff about them. I couldn’t be sure as to whether they were produced with generative AI too, but the fact that it felt that way isn’t a compliment, and says something about the quality of inZOI’s conversational prompts as a whole. Many friendly chats veer off the rails into awkward conversations about crypto or the development of artificial intelligence. While it’s easy enough to ignore when crafting, it’s impossible not to notice that strangeness when trying to make friends or form a romantic connection.

Ex-PlayStation Exec Says NieR: Automata Revived the Japanese Games Industry, Convinced It To Stop Chasing Overseas Trend

NieR:Automata brought a lot of attention to the series and its creators, but it may have also had some greater ramifications for the industry. In a new interview, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida said he thinks NieR: Automata “revived” the Japanese game industry.

In an interview with AVWatch (as translated by Genki_JPN), Yoshida said the Japanese games industry was struggling after chasing overseas trends in the PlayStation 3 era. He said he thought director Yoko Taro made NieR: Automata without thinking whether or not it would sell overseas.

“From there, it became clear that Japanese creators were making ‘Japanese things’ and those things were selling overseas,” Yoshida said. “Everyone realized that with NieR.”

“It was just a matter of saying ‘it’s okay to do it like that,’ but ‘we have to do it like that,'” Yoshida continued. “So the direction of Japanese creators became ‘let’s stop imitating overseas countries anymore,’ ‘if we create things with our own culture and that we understand, they will understand it overseas.'”

“I think the Japanese game industry was revived after NieR so much so that I would say it was before NieR and after NieR,” Yoshida said. “To put it simply, I think NieR: Automata was the title that made people realize ‘let’s make something Japanese.'”

NieR: Automata has been, by all accounts, a success for publisher Square Enix and the creative team behind the game, including Yoko Taro. It’s spawned an anime adaptation and a flurry of cameos for popular protagonist 2B, in everything from Fall Guys to Soulcalibur.

The future of the series seems a bit unclear, as of this writing. While the mobile game NieR: Reincarnation may well have been the NieR 3 fans were waiting for, it was also shut down last April. The creative team has worked on a handful of other projects too, like the card-driven RPG Voice of Cards, but NieR fans are still waiting for the next premium game.

Regardless, Yoshida saw a shifting of the tides with NieR: Automata. Given how popular the game is today, I’m inclined to agree. Hopefully we see more from NieR soon, but now, as we’re roughly eight years removed from its original 2017 launch date, it’s a nice recognition of Automata’s already-tangible legacy.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Microsoft’s Sea of Thieves Collaborates With Sony’s Destiny 2 For a New Crossover

A Sony property is crossing over into a Microsoft game. Sea of Thieves has received new cosmetics from the world of Destiny 2, bringing the fight against the Darkness to the high seas.

The Lightbearer cosmetics set offers new flags, ship cosmetics, a costume set, and more. In the trailer for the new set of items, you can spot various Destiny references ranging from the Drifter’s outfit to a ghost dangling off the front of a ship. The Pirate Emporium has a weath of options available to deck out your ship and sailor in Destiny cosmetics.

Sea of Thieves made its way to PlayStation last year as one of several Microsoft properties that have jumped to Sony’s console. Destiny, meanwhile, has been on Xbox and remained there through Bungie’s acquisition by Sony. While this might blur some perceived console lines, it’s a fun crossover and the Drifter’s outfit in particular suits the world of Sea of Thieves quite well.

Season 15 of Sea of Thieves recently went live, adding various new encounters, voyages, and new content to the long-running piracy experience. Rare’s game has managed to stay afloat for quite some time, and it’s even seen success on PlayStation 5, topping an EU sales chart back when it made its way to the platform.

Destiny 2, meanwhile, launched Heresy and continues to chart a path out from its big narrative conclusion in The Final Shape. The space-faring shooter has had its own recent crossovers, most notably with Star Wars.

Both games have managed to weather the changing, shifting tides of live-service game production, so it’s neat to see them pair up in this Sea of Thieves crossover. The cosmetics are live now in Sea of Thieves, though it remains to be seen if Destiny 2 will receive any Sea of Thieves content. In this writer’s opinion, they should put a big pirate boat in space. Just a thought.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Azure Latch Codes (March 2025)

Want some codes for extra cash to spend on animations, styles, emotes, and more in Azure Latch? We’ve got you covered. In this article, you’ll find all the currently working codes for the game, so be quick to redeem them and bag that cash.

Working Azure Latch Codes (March 2025)

  • RINSOONTRUSTME – 5,000 Cash
  • SorryForRollback – 50,000 Cash
  • SAEREWORK3TIME – 10,000 Cash
  • sorryforlatency – 10,000 Cash
  • AMMISTHEOWNERNOTLEFTRIGHTTH – 10,000 Cash

All Expired Azure Latch Codes

You’re in luck! We couldn’t find any expired codes for Azure Latch at the moment, so you’ve still got time to rack up the cash with the above codes.

How to Redeem Azure Latch Codes

  1. Before you can use Azure Latch codes, you’ll need to be a part of the community, so load up Roblox and join the twi game group
  2. Then jump into Azure Latch and find the Menu button at the bottom of the screen
  3. In the Menu options, go to the far right tab to find Rewards
  4. Enter the code and press Redeem to get that cash!

Why Isn’t My Azure Latch Code Working?

Codes are often case-sensitive, so to avoid any errors, we’d recommend copying the codes directly from this article into the redemption bar in Azure Latch. We test them all before we upload them here to make sure they’re valid for you.

If you have copied them from here, and they’re still not working, it could be one of two things. You may have accidentally copied over an extra space, so be sure to check for that first. The other option is the code may have just expired.

How to Get More Azure Latch Codes

We check for codes daily, so you can visit this article to see when new Azure Latch codes are released. There’s also a dedicated Discord Server, that you can visit to look for code announcements yourself.

What is Azure Latch in Roblox?

Whether you’re a fan of anime or sports games, Azure Latch is likely to be a game you’ll want to check out. The 5v5 football game is another Roblox experience that takes inspiration from the popular manga and anime series Blue Lock. For this one, however, you’ll get super abilities that you can use to make those tackles, passes, and goal attempts a bit more exciting.

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

Woot Has Better Video Game Deals Than Amazon’s Spring Sale

Springtime savings have been popping up left and right on a variety of items lately, and if you’ve been looking to score some sweet deals on video games, now’s your chance. Not only are there some great deals on games in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, but other retailers like Woot (an Amazon-owned online retailer) and Walmart are offering discounts you definitely don’t want to miss.

Woot, in particular, has some of the best deals we’ve seen so far this year on games, including 53% off Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5 and 64% off Metaphor: ReFantazio for Xbox Series X. You can see those deals and so many more of our favorites at the moment below.

Spring Sale Video Game Deals

A lot of the Woot deals are only available for a limited time, though. So if one of the games above has caught your eye, you’ll want to act fast to pick it up now at its discounted price or before it sells out for good. There are several more games on sale right now at Woot that are worth looking at as well. Have a look at the retailer’s ‘Spring Video Game Sale!‘ page to see what else has been marked down.

More Deals in Amazon’s Spring Sale

Outside of video game deals, there are plenty of discounts worth exploring in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. This includes some stellar price drops on 4Ks and Blu-rays and a “3 for 2” offer that can be used on a selection of books, comics, movies, and more. Some of the items included with that offer are also on sale, so it’s a win-win to stock up and save on certain items that catch your eye. It’s also worth checking out our breakdown of the best deals under $25 to see even more of our favorite items from the sale that fall on the cheaper side.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Path of Exile 2 Dev Details Huge Dawn of the Hunt Content Update and New Huntress Class — Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games has fully detailed the first major content update since the action RPG’s early access launch last year.

Dawn of the Hunt goes live at 9pm CET on April 4, and adds the new Huntress class. The Huntress is a Spear and Buckler user specialising in hybrid melee and ranged combat. Elsewhere, there are five new ascension classes: the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich.

Players can also expect dozens of new encounters in the endgame, significant mechanical overhauls, over one hundred new unique items as well as significantly expanded crafting options.

The long wait for the Path of Exile 2 early access launch finally came to an end when it released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on December 6, 2024. It saw massive success, securing its place as the 15th most-played game Steam game ever.

But the game ran into issues, both technical and in design. GGG has worked to update the game in the months since, culminating in next month’s Dawn of the Hunt release.

At the same time, GGG continues to operate the first Path of Exile game, which still enjoys a healthy playerbase on Steam, as a live service. But this has proved challenging. In January, GGG was forced to apologize to fans of the first game after putting a new update on hold until a crucial update for Path of Exile 2 was released.

Meanwhile, Path of Exile 2 has found itself embroiled in an online dispute that revolves around X / Twitter owner Elon Musk’s admission that he paid someone to boost his account. When contacted by IGN, Grinding Gear Games declined to comment.

Here’s everything you need to know on Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt:

Obliterate your enemies with the hybrid ranged and melee Huntress

Step into the bloodstained boots of the Huntress, a dexterous and ferocious spear-wielding warrior. Banished from her homeland, she now stalks her prey using both ranged spear throws and close combat attacks. Her brutal arsenal is designed to make combat feel like a relentless pursuit, always in motion, moving into and out of melee range at a moments notice.

The Huntress can also Parry incoming attacks from monsters, stunning them before following up with one of several counterattacks. For example, use Disengage after a Parry to quickly jump back, gaining a Frenzy charge, then follow up with an empowered spear throw.

Stalk your prey with an array of elemental spear attacks that empower the Huntress to use some of the longest combo chains we have created on any class.

Create mayhem with five new ascendancy classes
With five new Ascendancy Classes, Dawn of the Hunt introduces fresh new ways to expand your build options.

  • Ritualist (Huntress) – The Ritualist sacrifices flesh and blood, unleashing corrupted lifeforce upon their foes. She delved into the forbidden depths of Azmeri traditions, wielding blood sacrifice and plague as weapons
  • Amazon (Huntress) – A peerless hunter who thrives on precision and elemental fury. The Amazon Ascension forges warriors into elite hunters, sworn to protect Azmeri Elders with lethal precision.
  • Lich (Witch) – The Lich tears their own soul apart, becoming a master of undeath and chaos. The Lich is a master of Chaos and Curses who can use her own life to enhance her Energy.
  • Smith of Kitava (Warrior) – The Smith of Kitava forges weapons of destruction in fire and suffering. Embrace sheer power and take Smithing skills to greater heights by resonating with the insatiable one – Kitava.
  • Tactician (Mercenary) – the Mercenary Tactician brings military-grade brutality to the battlefield. As a former trained Blackguard Elite, the Tactician is able to decimate the monsters of Wraeclast while earning a healthy income at the same time.

Sharpen your arsenal with new skill and support gems
As well as 20 New Spear Skills designed for the huntress, we have two other much anticipated abilities.

  • Raise Spectre – This skill lets you trap and summon the souls of almost any monster in the game. With hundreds of monster variants in Path of Exile 2, expect endless experimentation to find the perfect undead army.
  • Summon Rhoa Mount – Call forth a Rhoa to fight by your side or mount it to move at full speed while attacking. But beware, taking too much damage can knock you off, leaving you vulnerable to a brutal fate.

This expansion also brings a massive overhaul to character development by adding over 100 new Support Gems to enhance build diversity. Support gems add a variety of interesting effects to your existing skills, modifying them in game changing ways.

For example, Haemocrystals turn bleed effects into explosive Vaal crystals, and Caltrops allow your existing skills to litter the battlefield with slowing hazards.

Unlock greater potential with Over 100 new Unique Items
Dawn of the Hunt brings a stronger focus on Mid and Endgame Unique items, ensuring high-level characters have more thrilling bounty to chase.

Unbridled power awaits with new crafting tools
New crafting tools have been introduced as rewards across many areas of the game:

  • Over 20 new runes have been added allowing you to craft new mods onto your gear
  • Runes now scale with multiple tiers, allowing for stronger mods that remain viable in the endgame.
  • We’re expanding crafting options further by introducing more specialized socketable mods, with the first wave arriving in the upcoming content update.

Darkness lurks ahead
The Azmeri Spirit has made itself present in Wraeclast. When approached, these wisps will flee, and monsters it comes into contact with will be infused by it, making them more powerful. Wisps will also find and possess Rare or Unique monsters, granting them powerful new abilities, and powerful new rewards. There are twelve distinct types of wisp, each with their own mechanics and rewards.

New Maps
Dawn of the Hunt adds eight new Maps offering fresh challenges and rewards. Each of them come with interesting new encounters.

Be forced to fight mirrored Rare monsters in a shifting, warped reality in The Fractured Lake, or be thrust into the wild Ezomyte Forests of The Phaaryl Megaliths where rune-carved stones surge with energy. Survive the storm-fueled gauntlet of deadly boss waves, and you’ll earn full boss rewards and exclusive Runes

Unique Strongboxes

Find four new Unique Strongboxes, each with deadly mechanics and valuable rewards.

  • Ogham’s Legacy features a rune-carved stone and a slain creature that, when activated, revives as a powerful Rare. Each defeat triggers another resurrection with added modifiers making the fight progressively more difficult, but also more rewarding.
  • Ixchel’s Torment harnesses ancient Vaal thaumaturgy, unleashing Chaos-empowered guardians to protect a powerful artifact. Victors will be rewarded with a unique item featuring a specific Corrupted outcome.

Corrupted Essences

Essences receive major upgrades, with four new Corrupted Essences – Hysteria, Delirium, Horror, and Insanity – offering new combat mechanics and powerful new crafting outcomes, such as guaranteed double Enchantments when using a Vaal Orb on belts.

Cleanse the Corruption
Corruption has continued to spread throughout Wraeclast and has formed into larger and larger zones. In the centre of each one lies a Corrupted Nexus, the home of three new terrifying bosses, amalgamations of Corruption itself.

Upon defeating these bosses, any remaining areas within the zone of Corruption will become cleansed. Cleansed Maps have additional new monsters, a new boss and their own set of Modifiers and rewards.

Duel with Rogue Exiles
On your travels you will sometimes encounter Rogue Exiles – others like you who have been exiled and are openly hostile. They will challenge you – a fight to the death. These Exiles have capabilities to Dodge Roll, avoid your abilities with smart pathfinding, smart-targeting, and much more action-packed gameplay. Rogue Exiles use the same skills available to players, and even the same items. They aren’t just dressed up in those items, they know how to take advantage of the Uniques they are using.

Of course, if you are able to slay these Exiles, those items will all drop on the ground!

Dynamic improvements to endgame
Dawn of the Hunt significantly rebalances the endgame. The number of towers has been drastically reduced but they have been made much more powerful. Tablets now affect twice as many areas and running higher tier Maps in Towers increases this number further still. In addition, each Tower will be able to consume up to three Tablets at once.

These changes significantly reduce the amount of busy work required in endgame while improving your ability to use them. On top of that, Towers can now spawn with all mechanics, and have their own new Bosses!

Prepare for the Hunt
Rise as a hunter, or fall as prey on April 4th. The Dawn of the Hunt content update will also be made available in existing Early Access leagues for those wishing to play their existing characters. It is recommended to start anew in a fresh economy to get the full, recommended experience in the Dawn of the Hunt leagues.

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.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers – The First Hands-on Preview

In a space as crowded as the soulslike genre, it can be difficult to stand out, but after two hours with the uber-difficult Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, it seems the folks at Leenzee Games may be onto something. Taking place in a magical reimagining of dynastic China, you play a pirate warrior who has some serious moves, making use of intricate and deadly spells, an arsenal of weapons with potent movesets, and an upgrade tree that’s much more involved than your typical action-adventure game. This makes for an adventure where, more often than not, I felt like the scary badass the rest of the world should be afraid of, rather than the other way around. Of course, the upper limit on just how much I could make myself feel like an overpowered Dynasty Warriors character was my own skill level and understanding of Wuchang’s extremely complex systems, which I could only dive so deep with during my limited demo. But what I’ve seen so far has me quite optimistic.

The main way Wuchang: Fallen Feathers seems to differentiate itself from its peers is that here, instead of a few basic sword moves, a handful of meager spells and abilities, and a tiny health bar, you’re given a pretty extensive toolkit of formidable tools to play with. Each weapon allows you to unleash unique flurries of attacks that send you soaring into the air, darting across the map, and performing insane feats of dexterity that are far beyond what’s possible in most soulslikes. It got to the point where I felt like the area boss stomping my enemies flat, rather than a scared, cautious adventurer facing incredible odds.

That feeling of superiority might have something to do with how those abilities are acquired: by harvesting them from fallen enemies. That’s right! Every defeated foe is more than just a handful of upgrade materials. You actually get to learn their moves and put them to use against future opponents, eventually turning you into a deadly reflection of everyone you’ve bested in battle, and in my time with it I already began to feel like a power-stealing badass in short order. And this was just the opening areas of the adventure too – I can only imagine how wild things get later on when you’re squaring off against more powerful opponents and presumably unlocking even more insane abilities.

I can only imagine how wild things get later on when you’re squaring off against more powerful opponents and presumably unlocking even more insane abilities.

Don’t get me wrong: there were still plenty of instances where my eagerness or lack of awareness got me absolutely smashed to pieces, but I also felt like I had way more options for cutting the enemy down to size. For example, one move I was given while wielding a giant ax let me leap straight into the air to ludicrous anime-level heights, then smash down on my opponent, stomping them flat and leaving a minion-shaped impression in the earth. Another weapon, fast moving dual blades, gave me the ability to fire off a bunch of small, sticky explosives every time I dodged, which then exploded doing a small amount of damage, but more importantly, interrupting enemy movement.

These abilities and weapon combos, combined with spells that let me do things like fire off a deadly disc of fire, allowed me to play much more aggressively than I’m accustomed to, and it’s clear there’s just a whole lot more to learn with Wuchang in general. I didn’t have nearly enough time to fully wrap my mind around the various skill trees, ability customization options that let me alter how my weapons functioned, and spellcasting system, but it’s clear this borrows quite a bit from RPGs and will need to be thought through if you want to max out your levels of badassery.

That will be pretty helpful to do too, because of the two bosses I took on in Wuchang, one of them was extremely aggressive and equally beefed up with fancy movesets. It took me quite a few tries to learn her quick, convoluted attack patterns, and master the timing for parrying her attacks, especially in the second half of the fight when each swipe of her blade sent out massive gusts of wind that knocked my on my butt and did way more damage than I thought the wind was capable of. Eventually, though, I stood triumphant against her devilish tricks. Rather than a feeble goon hopelessly outmatched by an enemy clearly above my power level, Wuchang’s boss fights made me feel a lot more like a peer locked in a duel with strong weapons and destructive abilities to see who was more worthy of success.

If there’s one part I didn’t get a completely strong read on, it’s Wuchang’s story, which centers on a disease spreading throughout the lands that drives people mad and makes them sprout feathers. I didn’t see enough to say whether or not this is likely to go the distance, but I will say I’ve lost count of the number of soulslikes in the past few years that have leaned on that incredibly tired trope. I get that having a disease that turns people into monsters offers a pretty easy reason to make everything in the world want to kill you, which is very helpful in this kind of game, but man am I ever tired of seeing it. I’d really like to see Wuchang break free from some of the story cliches in the same way it seems to be switching things up when it comes to combat style.

I get that having a disease that turns people into monsters offers a pretty easy reason to make everything in the world want to kill you, which is very helpful in this kind of game, but man am I ever tired of seeing it.

It’s also worth noting just how visually impressive Wuchang is, which is by no means the norm for the genre. Even if I was dying half a dozen times to the same boss or lost among a sea of disgusting, mutated enemies, I was at least able to content myself with how downright gorgeous everything looked, ruined and deeply troubling as the world was. That said, I did notice somewhat long load times after each humiliating defeat that respawned me back at a checkpoint, and I have to wonder how much of that hang time is owed to the world and characters looking so dang good. In fairness, there’s very little chance this thing’s been optimized enough to be representative of the final product, but since I was playing on a PC that seemed fairly powerful, it’s definitely something I’m going to want to keep an eye on as I check out future builds.

With only a short exploration area and two boss fights to contend with, I only caught a small glimpse at Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, but I already feel pretty good about its chances at being more than just another soulslike to add to the ridiculously overflowing pile. The movesets are intricate and interesting, the RPG mechanics seem deep and offer a lot of freedom (even if I can’t claim to understand some of them fully), and the boss fights gave me a serious run for my money that’s rare these days. All that’s already got me pretty excited to play more.

Marvel Rivals Causes Chaos as Venom Twerk Emote Sneakily Shakes Its Way Into the Game

While Marvel Rivals players have spent months speculating about which heroes will soon join its roster, developer NetEase Games quietly added a Venom twerk emote that lets Spider-Man’s longtime rival throw it back like never before.

Fans of the super hero shooter have been beside themselves today after the version 20250327 update added a mysterious April Fools’ Day reward to the Galacta’s Cosmic Adventure event. It’s almost impossible to believe, but the evidence is undeniable: Venom can really shake it.

Social media has since been flooded with reactions to Venom’s newfound twerking abilities as fans try to cling on to the reality of the situation. It’s perhaps the most tongue-in-cheek thing NetEase has done since Marvel Rivals launched, and it opens the door not only for wackier April Fools’ Day shenanigans but stranger emotes in general, too.

It’s unclear if more April Fools’ Day-themed Marvel Rivals cosmetics are on the way, but if this is the only addition players get, it’s more than enough. It’s not technically available to claim and use just yet, but you can see some leaked footage shared by X/Twitter user @RivalsInfo below.

Whether you’re a Marvel Rivals player or someone who has been keeping tabs from the sidelines, it’s been nearly impossible to dodge mentions of how “caked-up” Venom is in Marvel Rivals. It’s no doubt one of the team-based multiplayer game’s prevailing memes as post-launch updates continue to roll out, and NetEase has taken notice. Now, the Venom twerk emote will let you and your friends dance on the competition in a whole new way.

How to unlock the free Marvel Rivals Venom twerking emote

Unlocking the Venom twerk emote for yourself is relatively easy – and completely free. All you need to do is head to the Galacta’s Cosmic Adventure event in-game and start chipping away at each of its boardgame-like tiles by completing challenges. Roll enough dice to check every box and nab every reward and you’ll be granted access to what NetEase previously referred to as a “hidden twist surprise.” We now know that the mystery reward is this incredible Venom twerk emote, and it’ll be available to claim (assuming you’ve met those aforementioned requirements) come April 1.

Galacta’s Cosmic Adventure was made available to all as part of Marvel Rivals Season 1 earlier this month, so if you’ve been playing, there’s a good chance you’ve already completed at least a portion of what the event has to offer. You only have until April 11, at which point the limited-time mode goes away, so if you want to show off Venom’s hidden talents in your own matches, you’ll want to act fast.

Marvel Rivals will shake away Galacta’s Cosmic Adventure early next month in order to make room for its upcoming Season 2 update. New content, including maps, heroes, modes, and more are expected to drop April 11 as Season 1 comes to an end. For more news on what to expect, you can read up on why some players think Season 2 will focus on the Hellfire Gala and add playable characters like Blade and Emma Frost. You can also learn about how NetEase chose to make an infamous Moon Knight meme canon with a few voicelines about everyone’s favorite nerd, Dracula.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Offers a New Way to Experience Westeros

If you’ve been itching for a game that lets you dive into the world of Game of Thrones, then the free-to-play action-adventure RPG Game of Thrones: Kingsroad that’s coming soon on PC and mobile will be right up your alley.

Bringing a new, original story in Westeros, it’s set during the latter half of Season 4 of Game of Thrones. Your character is a new addition to the series lore, an heir to House Tyre, a minor house in the North that has been caught up in the web of political intrigue of the realm

Your journey will bring you into contact with well-known characters like Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly, Lord Varys, and Cersei Lannister, and you’ll see events you’ve never gotten to witness before — from House Bolton’s shifting allegiances to the rise of the White Walkers. Players will travel across the continent to iconic locations like King’s Landing, Castle Black, and Highgarden, which have been re-created to emulate their look from the show.

The game’s open world exploration allows you to freely roam through each of these locations, as well as the wilderness beyond the Wall and in new hidden towns to discover. Within each town, you’ll find unique quests and challenges to complete that tie into the rich lore of the Game of Thrones world.

As well as the familiar main quests to propel the story forward and side quests to keep you bust, there are a bevy of other activities to keep you entertained as you explore Westeros. Faction and Estate tasks let you earn money, gear and crafting items to customize your loadout and character just the way you want to.

This being Westeros, your travels will be full of danger — and not just the political kind. The realm is full of desperate people willing to kill to survive, which is where the action RPG combat comes in.

Combat is defined by the character’s class. There are three options: Knight, Sellsword, or Assassin, each of which is inspired by types of characters in Game of Thrones. The Knight is based on Westerosi knights. They use a longsword and rely on precise, calculated strikes. The Sellsword relies on raw, brute strength, inspired by Wildlings and the Dothraki. Assassin wields double daggers with deadly agility, inspired by the Faceless Men and fighters of Dorne.

Each class offers unique gear, traits, and skills, so how your character evolves is up to you. Trait trees are separated into Attack, Defense, and Support, each containing unique nodes that grant fixed effects. Players can choose to specialize in one of those areas or spread out their growth to be a jack of all trades. Four skill slots are available, where you can equip special skills you unlock, and each class has its own unique skills.

Combat is reliant on reading enemy attacks and reacting accordingly. Players can guard and parry, but some enemies have unblockable attacks that can only be avoided if dodged. That means you need to pay attention, analyze enemy attack patterns, and strike when the opportunity is right. You’ll need to think strategically to claim victory over your enemies, this isn’t a system where you simply mash one button over and over to win every fight.

In addition to the main single-player story mode, there’s a multiplayer mode called Altar of Memories where players can team up with others to fight legendary creatures.. That includes ice spiders the size of hounds, unicorns from Skagos, majestic griffins, and grotesque cockatrices.

The game will launch in Early Access on March 26, and you can pre-register for Game of Thrones: Kingsroad on the official website right now. Pre-registration is available on both PC and mobile devices, and you can wishlist it on Steam. It’s scheduled to release in 2025 and will offer cross-play and cross-progression across all its platforms. To stay up to date on all news and updates, you can also follow the game on Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Now Up to 3 Million Players, but Still No Sales Figure From Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has seen over 3 million players since launch, Ubisoft has announced.

The player milestone comes seven days after Shadows launched on May 20, and is up from the 2 million reported on day two, surpassing the launches of both Origins and Odyssey.

Other stats reported by Ubisoft today were already revealed by IGN’s coverage of an internal email in which the company contextualized Shadows’ opening weekend performance, saying it’s better compared to Origins and Odyssey rather than the “perfect storm” 2020’s Valhalla launched into.

Shadows saw the second highest day one sales revenue in Assassin’s Creed franchise history, behind only Valhalla, the biggest Ubisoft day one ever on the PlayStation Store, and has seen over 40 million hours played so far.

There is enormous pressure on Assassin’s Creed Shadows to do well for Ubisoft globally after a number of delays and the sales failure of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Indeed, Ubisoft suffered a number of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in the run up to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ release.

Things got so bad at Ubisoft that its founding Guillemot family was reportedly exploring talks with Chinese mega-corp Tencent and other investors on a buyout deal that would let it preserve control of the company’s intellectual property. So, the video game world is watching Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ early performance closely for signs of its success — or failure.

There’s also a lot of attention on Shadows’ Steam concurrents, which are being compared to those of other triple-A single-player games that recently released, as well as previous Assassin’s Creed games on Valve’s platform.

Shadows became the most-played Assassin’s Creed game ever on Steam over the weekend with 64,825 peak concurrent players, although it’s worth noting that it was the first game in the series to launch day-one there since 2018’s Odyssey. BioWare’s single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard saw a peak of 89,418 players on Valve’s platform.

It’s hard to make a call on whether Shadows is below, meeting, or exceeding Ubisoft’s expectations without knowing what those expectations were, a revenue figure, or a sales figure.

Money talks, of course, and irrespective of player numbers and engagement, it will be revenue brought in by Assassin’s Creed Shadows that determines the fate of not just the game, but Ubisoft itself. We may not get a clear picture of that until Ubisoft’s next financial report in the coming months.

Adventuring across feudal Japan? Check out our comprehensive Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide, including our Assassin’s Creed Shadows walkthrough, our detailed Assassin’s Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and our guide to all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.

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.