Square Enix’s Forspoken can be deciedly mixed when it comes to performance, but the game’s director says some fixes are on the way. On Twitter, Forspoken director Takeshi Aramaki didn’t provide a timeline for upcoming performance updates, but said the developers are working hard at it now.
“We’ve been listening to all your feedback and are hard at work on an upcoming patch that will include improvements to overall performance, graphics, playability, and general updates and fixes to the game content across PS5 and vartious PC hardware configurations,” Aramaki wrote. “We are committed to making Forspoken the most enjoyable experience possible and will provide an update about the timing of the next patch as soon as possible.”
In IGN’s Forspoken performance review, we said that the game misses the expected mark in quality and consistency, hoping that patches could resolve some of the performance and quality issues present.
Some of those issues included blurry and last-generation looking details on the PS5, framerate dipping into the mid 20s, and high input latency. These problems, along with the fact taht Forspoken doesn’t feel like it’s “utilising some of the key aspects of current generation consoles,” made Forspoken feel like a cross-generation game.
Overall, we called Forspoken “okay”, saying “Forspoken is the sort of game you’ve probably seen before – from its stereotypical fish-out-of-water fantasy story to its giant open-world map full of repetitive optional tasks.”
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
mixed dual-wielding is better than VR support. Good. Very good. It’s always nice when objective science produces the correct result. Well done you. This year, I ask you to decide between a cool (and sometimes practical) form of violence and a fun risk/reward element. What’s better: throwing knives or active reload?
It’s hard to say goodbye, but sometimes, it’s for the best. Some of the more memorable and touching stories we’ve witnessed in games throughout the years have been the ones that ended tragically, or culminated in a bittersweet conclusion — there’s a reason Shakespeare’s most-loved plays are Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet, after all! We’re just suckers for an unhappy ending.
But not all of the games on this list of best endings are tragic. Some are heartwarming, some are fitting for the characters we’ve come to know and love, and some are just straight-up beautiful. We’ve narrowed it down to Switch games only (including Nintendo Switch Online games), because there are a lot of brilliant endings out there in games, but even then, we found it hard to narrow down — so make sure to head to the comments to suggest your own.
Team Deathmatch – 6 vs. 6 (two 3-person squads per team).
Remastered Legend Classes and Perks – five classes each with special benefits.
Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle – Energy class assault rifle with auto trigger and burst fire.
Other words for “revelry” are partying, festivities, merrymaking… and that’s exactly what you can expect from this season of Apex Legends. In the four years since launch, it has steadily flourished with new Legends, weapons, maps, seasons, and more. But with the Revelry update on February 14, this may be one of the most significant years for Apex Legends yet.
Team Deathmatch Replaces Arenas
I was disappointed to hear that Arenas mode is being removed from the game (it’s one of my personal favorites). But in its place, Respawn is bringing Team Deathmatch (TDM) to the game. This iconic game mode will feature 6-player teams competing for the first-to-30 kills in best-of-three matches. You can team up with two friends (or autofill) and join another team of three to battle it out against two other teams of three across Skull Town, Party Crashers, and Habitat 4.
In addition, Apex Legends is getting a Mixtape mode in March, which is a persistent playlist of TDM and fan-favorite limited time modes from previous seasons on a rotating cycle. Team Deathmatch and Mixtape will not have a ranked mode (at least for now). Speaking of ranked modes and map rotations, Ranked Battle Royale will feature a map rotation this season, another longtime fan-requested feature.
Remastered Legend Classes and Perks
One of the biggest reveals from a recent hands-on preview event is that Legends will now be assigned to one of five classes while retaining their individual abilities. The developers discussed how players weren’t selecting Legends based on their roles, largely because the class structure wasn’t impactful enough. This disparity ultimately led to the overhaul of the entire core class system.
The way this will work after the Revelry update is that each class will receive a specific benefit (perk); this will be available to all Legends in that class. Some perks will be similar to abilities that exist in the game today, like supply bins with special compartments and scanning for the next ring location. Others will be new and potentially game-changing, like revealing enemy player locations on the map and crafting fallen teammate banners in the Replicator. This redesign is intended to benefit teams with a blend of offensive and defensive classes and Legends.
Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle
Designed to compete with the R-301 and the Flatline assault rifles, the Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle is a hybrid between the Hemlock and Havoc. It fires a four-round burst with each pull of the trigger, but holding the trigger engages the Auto Trigger function, repeating burst fire automatically. The longer the trigger pull, the shorter the time between bursts until it’s firing like a fully automatic weapon. It’s very powerful and I expect to see a lot of players using it.
Other weapon changes coming this season will include the return of the Rampage Light Machine Gun to the battlefield, and the Volt Submachine Gun and Longbow DMR will be available to craft on the Replicator. Additionally, shotguns are getting some much-needed upgrades. The Peacekeeper and Mastiff can now equip tactical stocks to improve reload speed, handling, and aim drift, plus a gold shotgun bolt will be available, improving rate of fire and the added ability of reloading automatically when you slide.
The Top Three Things I’m Most Excited for in Apex Legends Revelry
Recovering Ally Banners (Even When Expired) – Of all the new class perks revealed during the preview event, this was the one that excited me the most. Support Legends (Loba, Lifeline, Gibraltar, and Newcastle) will be able to craft teammates’ banners from a Replicator for 30 units of material, even if their Banner Card on their death box has expired. You’ll still need to use one of the stationary or mobile Respawn Beacons to respawn your teammates, but hopefully this change encourages fallen players to stick around for a chance to rejoin the fight.
Care Package Weapon – Learning the Hemlock Assault Rifle will be part of the Care Package this season was a bit of a surprise since it isn’t one of the more popular weapons – but it’s one of my personal favorites and this augmented version is devastating in combat. It boasts increased damage, especially with headshots, plus it’s equipped with the boosted loaded feature. It’s pretty awesome.
New Player Experience – I applaud Respawn for improving the onboarding of new players by implementing measures to help them learn the game. Recruits will have to complete a number of orientation matches against a battlefield comprised mostly of bots before access to the public servers will be available. Also, new recruits can earn an Apex 101 badge for completing 10 challenges designed to introduce core gameplay mechanics. While these innovative measures will help welcome newcomers into the game, it will also help experienced players be matched up with competent battle-ready teammates.
As with every new Apex Legends season, Revelry will feature a new Battle Pass complete with Legend and weapon skins, gun charms, banner frames, and emotes. Each of the maps is getting a celebratory makeover with colorful banners decorating the buildings and Chibi balloons of the Legends brightening the sky. Best of all, the return of the Mirage Voyage. Let the Revelry begin!
Apex Legends is a free-to-play shooter available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Be sure to check out everything included in the new Revelry season when it launches on February 14. And if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, don’t forget to redeem your perks and grab the Arc of Gold Weapon Charm available for a limited time with your monthly EA Play Rewards.
Overwatch 2 had an enormous launch last year, seeing 35 million players try the free-to-play game in its first month alone. Now, IGN can exclusively reveal four new Overwatch 2 toys from Funko, including three action figures and a new Funko Pop.
The three action figures are Tracer, Genji, and Reaper. The action figures stand at 3.75 inches tall, and will retail for $12.99. Each figure comes with alternate hand and weapons attachments, while Genji and Tracer also come with an alternate head attachment.
The newly-revealed Pop is of Echo in a Hot Rod skin. The Pop stands at 5.05 inches tall. You can take a look at all four newly-revealed products in the gallery below.
We awarded Overwatch 2 a great score in our review, saying, “Overwatch 2 breathes new life into what was once the sharpest multiplayer shooter around, before it had its edges severely dulled by Blizzard’s attention shifting away.” Now, fans are diving into the newly-released Season 3, which features the game’s first IP collaboration with Doomfist’s One-Punch Man skin.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Urbo might be my Dorfromantik of 2023. It’s a chill, citybuilding puzzle game from the devs behind the altogether more violent Diplomacy Is Not An Option, and it’s all about building tiny little villages on top of rocky outcrops. Except when you stick three of the same building type together, they all zhuup together to create an even bigger one. And a bigger one, and a bigger one. It’s very satisfying. The smooshing lights up all the same parts of my brain that Threes did when I became obsessed with it about five years ago, while the tile planning hits scratches that big Dorfromantik itch, making for an excellent Steam Next Fest demo experience.
Apex Legends Season 16 Revelry is just around the corner launching February 14th and there are a lot of changes coming for Apex’s fourth anniversary. There’s a big rework coming to the Legends Class system and rebalancing along with a new weapon, new limited time modes and permanent playlist, and the farewell of Arenas. Here’s an in-depth look at everything changing in Apex Legends Revelry.
Reworked Class System
The Legend Classes were implemented before but didn’t really have much to offer the Legends in each category. So the rework focuses on 5 new classes – Assault, Skirmisher, Recon, Controller, Support. Each class has individual gameplay perk for strategic gameplay value not combat.
Assault
Focus: Assault Legends are the instigators. They focus on combat Initiation and utility, using their abilities to initiate plays or force enemies to play.
Can spot incoming care packages from a distance and see what’s inside and can see if it’s been taken or still there
Perk: When a Care Package drops, Skirmishers are able to see what weapon is inside the care package and ping the weapon on their map and track when it’s been picked up.
Recon
Focus: Focus Legends are the information trackers. They focus on enemy intel and tracking.
Recon Legends: Crypto, Seer, Vantage, Bloodhound
Perk: Recon Legends will no longer scan for the next Ring data but instead scan the reworked Survey Beacon that reveals enemy locations on their maps. (Scan acts like Crypto’s Map Room on King’s Canyon)
Controller
Focus: Controller Legends are the bunker and area denier players. They focus on setting up in their designated areas and control that location.
Perk: Controller Legends can scan a Ring Console that will reveal the next ring location so they can plan their next spot they want to bunker down and set up in.
Support
Focus: Support Legends provide back up for their teams. They focus on team survival and supply.
Support Legends: Newcastle, Lifeline, Loba, Gibby
Perk: All have access to hidden shelves in Blue support bins and will provide high value healing and survival items, they can craft fallen ally banners even after they’ve expired.
Major Legend Meta Changes
Scan Legends have been dominating the meta throughout the seasons now and they’re finally being addressed with Revelry.
Seer is getting nerfed with no longer being able to constantly use his passive scan, Heart Seeker. He will have a slight wind up time in being able to utilize Heart Seeker and enemies will now audibly hear when a Seer is nearby attempting to use his passive. Seer’s ultimate, Exhibit, has been given more of a cooldown time so he can’t throw it out in every fight he gets.
Bloodhound’s ultimate, Beast of the Hunt, will still grant them speed and outlined vision when activated but will no longer grant them the decreased scan cooldown time. Instead, Bloodhound will have a new passive White Raven concept where White Ravens will be located near enemies locations and fly towards where they are when approached.
Wraith was our day one competitive Legend who has been long delayed in receiving a buff and now she’ll have a longer ultimate Dimensional Rift, where she can place portals further and when she’s ulting, Wraith will be able to instantly use her tactical Into the Void without any delays.
Pathfinderis getting a slight buff and he’ll be able to deploy his ultimate Ziplline Gun further than before and he will be able to zip faster on his own zipline allowing him to escape faster.
Horizon is finally getting her nerf that we saw accidentally implemented a few weeks ago. Horizon’s tactical ability Gravity Lift no longer allows her to stay accurate when firing down at enemies but her vertical rise speed in the lift has been increased.
Mirage is also getting some long-deserved love with a buff. After reviving his teammate, Mirage and the revived teammate will be invisible for 3 seconds as long as they do not swap to any weapons. When one of Mirage’s clones is shot, Mirage’s team will now be able to track that enemy for a short amount of time.
LIfeline is also being given a small buff that will help her survivability. Her slow penalty is gone when she taps to revive her teammates and her ultimate Care Package speed drop has been greatly increased, dropping almost instantly after being deployed.
New Weapon: Nemesis
There’s also a new weapon, Nemesis, coming which is a new addition to the energy class. It’s a burst assault rifle that fires four rounds per burst, with the ability to just hold down the trigger to continue firing, unlike the hemlock. The Nemesis speeds up the time it takes to fire the rounds of bursts the longer the trigger is held down and stays charged for a certain amount of time after.
The charge time doesn’t deplete that quickly so it’s a bit forgiving on how long you go without firing. So during an active fight your Nemesis should stay charged up and almost simulate a fully auto assault rifle. In essence, it’s like the devotion once it’s been fully ramped up without a turbocharger. The Nemesis will take Barrel Mods, Extended Mags, Stocks, and any AR sight attachments.
Weapon Changes
Every season we get weapon changes in and out the Crafter rotation and Care Package rotations. In Revelry, the Hemlock is now one of the Care Package world drop weapons with a huge buff to increase damage and headshot damage.
The Rampage is now on the floor loot pool along with the CAR and the Volt is now in the Crafter. Assault Rifles are all getting reworked to decrease their hipfire accuracy since they’re supposed to be best at midrange and give SMGs a chance to win in close range fights. The R301 in particular is getting another damage nerf lowered from 14 to 13.
There are now Gold Shotgun Bolts that grant the perk of reloading your shotguns whether they are in your hands or stowed every time you slide around. Every shotgun will now take stocks as well to balance them out.
Gamemode Updates
Arenas are unfortunately going away permanently in Revelry and instead a new permanent game mode Mixtape is being added. Mixtape is a playlist with a rotating roster of limited time game modes Control, Gun Run, and Team Deathmatch. Mixtape will drop March 7 after the launch of Season 16.
Speaking of Team Deathmatch, that is the new limited time mode dropping with Revelry and it’s a 6v6 fast respawn mode where the first team to win two rounds wins the game. The loadouts will work like Control where you can choose at the start of the match and switch off during respawns, and there will also be world Care Package drops during matches.
The maps in Team Deathmatch will be reusing Arenas maps like Habitat, Party Crasher, and Skulltown and this limited time mode will be in game for three weeks.
Quality of Life Changes
We can finally customize our firing ranges to fit the warm ups and weapon tests we need! There are settings in the Firing Range menu you can explore that allow you to customize what level armor dummies have, how they move or if they can move, to show you hit indicators and damage numbers, and even show you where you hit them to track your spray patterns.
For ranked in Revelry, there will no longer be map splits though there will still be the normal ranked split. Maps will rotate every 24 hours between Broken Moon, Stormpoint, and World’s Edge in the Ranked playlist instead of being stuck to one map for each half split.
We’ll have a video update for you up soon detailing each of these new changes in visual form! What are you most excited for with Season 16? Let us know! Be sure to check back here in two days to get the video update of Apex Legends Season 16 Revelry’s full breakdown.
Stella is a Video Producer, Host, and Editor at IGN. Her gameplay focus is on competitive FPS games and she’s previously reviewed Apex Legends, Hyper Scape, Halo Infinite Multiplayer, and Battlefield 2042. She regularly hosts and shoutcasts competitive Apex Legends and Halo Infinite tournaments when she isn’t streaming on her Twitch channel after work outs. You can follow her on Twitter @ParallaxStella.
The Knight Witch, which takes the thrill of the bullet hell shooter and wraps it up in a lovely Metroid-like-shaped package my brain can actually understand. It’s a fantastic little game, and I’m only sorry we didn’t cover it in more detail when it came out at the end of November last year.
The elusive shiny version of Heart Trim Furfrou, a Valentine’s Day exclusive in Pokémon GO, is now able to be transferred from the mobile game into Pokémon HOME!
The Valentine’s Day event started earlier today, and Serebii shared the news that — for the first time — the shiny variant of this exclusive form can, at last, be stored in HOME. Shiny Furfrou was only added to the game last September as part of the Fashion Week event, so while all other shiny variants could be transferred to HOME, players would need to wait until the next Valentine’s Day event to get their hands on this unique look.
The Callisto Protocol was already an unforgiving experience, tasking you with escaping Black Iron Prison amid an outbreak that turns its denizens into horrific biophages – but now it’s offering its sternest challenge yet. As part of a free update, Striking Distance Studios has introduced Hardcore Mode – and I caught up with Creative Director Ben Walker to dive into the new horrors it brings.
“It’s right there in the name – Hardcore Mode is just plain hardcore,” Walker begins. “We designed The Callisto Protocol to be tough, and with this new mode, we’re giving fans of really brutal gameplay a whole new level of challenge to master.
“We’re dramatically lowering the number of enemy drops, giving enemies more attacking power, shortening the time it takes for creatures to mutate, and giving items less resale value at the Reforge to make resources even tighter. We’re also reducing the damage doled out by the Stun Baton while making GRP charges more expensive.
“We’re also adding three new achievements for players who have what it takes to survive Hardcore Mode. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
Hardcore modes are a big part of the survival horror scene – in a genre all about getting through the experience against all odds, it’s perhaps no surprise that the most committed players want those odds made even harder. But even Striking Distance was surprised by how proficient those players could be:
“Hardcore Mode has been on the roadmap for a while,” Walker says, “but after launch, we were blown away by the number of people that were actually beating the game on the Maximum Security mode [previously the toughest difficulty level] – it validated the concept, and we’re thrilled to give it to players. We didn’t pull any punches here, so we think it’ll offer our hardcore players a hardcore challenge.”
But that’s not say this was simply a case of making the game a one-death game over experience. Striking Distance concentrated on how to make this notably different to Maximum Security mode, without simply adding a more artificial barrier. That means fewer ammo and health drops, reduced contraband value, and enemies even more keen to take you down:
“A lot of other hardcore modes are focused on permadeath,” Walker explains. “We wanted to lean more into the turning and creating scarcity for items. This mode is all about pushing players’ skills to the limits […] It’s hard as hell, but it’s fair, and it’s a pretty awesome accomplishment for those that can get through it.”
That begs the question: how many people at the studio have actually managed to beat their own Hardcore Mode?
“We’ve spent hundreds of hours playtesting the game, so lots of people around the studio have beaten the game on Hardcore Mode,” says Walker, “but I’ve still found myself sweating during some of the encounters. Especially with Two Head. I haven’t thrown my controller yet, but I’ve come close once in a while. Beating it always feels like an accomplishment.”
But one key question remains: will you be able to beat it? Find out today.
Hardcore Mode is a free update, available today, for The Callisto Protocol on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Also out today is the Outer Way Skin Collection, the first of four DLC drops, available as part of the game’s Season Pass and sold separately. The Callisto Protocol Season Pass is on sale, with 20% off, until February 13.
The Callisto Protocol™ for Xbox Series X|S – Digital Deluxe Edition
In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter’s Dead Moon.
HORROR ENGINEERING
The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror from the mind of Glen Schofield. Blending atmosphere, tension, and brutality with terrifying moments of helplessness and humanity, The Callisto Protocol immerses players in a pulse-pounding story where unspeakable horrors lurk around every corner.
UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNITED JUPITER COMPANY
Set on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol casts players as Jacob Lee, an inmate in Black Iron Prison. When a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos, Jacob must face his darkest fears to defeat the bloodthirsty creatures that stalk him as he unravels the dark mysteries at the heart of the powerful United Jupiter Company.
MASTER BRUTAL, STRATEGIC COMBAT
The Callisto Protocol challenges players to master a thrilling blend of hand-to-hand and ranged combat, including a unique gravity weapon once used by Black Iron guards to control the prison population. Players will be forced to get up close and personal with their grotesque opponents, hacking off limbs, blasting off legs, and getting creative with whatever is at their disposal to survive each life-or-death encounter.
EXPERIENCE THE ISOLATION OF JUPITER’S DEAD MOON
One of the most hostile, isolated environments in the universe, Callisto looms large over Jacob’s desperate struggle to survive. Players must not only contend with the horrors of Black Iron Prison, but also the centuries-old secrets that plague Jupiter’s long-dead moon, both above and below the surface.
Pre-order now to get the following digital content:
– Retro Prisoner Character & Weapons Skin
– Season Pass
The Season Pass includes:
Outer Way Skin Collection: Bear the armor of the Outer Way, an underground insurgency pitted against the UJC, as you fight to survive the horrors of Callisto.
Contagion Bundle: Discover the ultimate survival horror experience with a new mode, Contagion. With reduced ammo and health drops, a customized difficulty and permadeath – there are no second chances to escape Black Iron Prison or the horrors lurking beneath the surface of Callisto. The Contagion Bundle also includes thirteen new Jacob death animations and the Watchtower Skin Collection.
Riot Bundle: Venture into a previously undiscovered area of Black Iron Prison and battle through waves of brutal enemies. Gather credits to upgrade your weapons, or forge new ones, and survive the onslaught as long as you can in Riot, an all-new mode. The Riot Bundle also includes twelve new enemy death animations and the Engineer Skin Collection.
Story DLC: Dig deeper into the horrifying secrets of The Callisto Protocol.
In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter’s Dead Moon.
HORROR ENGINEERING
The Callisto Protocol is a next-generation take on survival horror from the mind of Glen Schofield. Blending atmosphere, tension, and brutality with terrifying moments of helplessness and humanity, The Callisto Protocol immerses players in a pulse-pounding story where unspeakable horrors lurk around every corner.
UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNITED JUPITER COMPANY
Set on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol casts players as Jacob Lee, an inmate in Black Iron Prison. When a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos, Jacob must face his darkest fears to defeat the bloodthirsty creatures that stalk him as he unravels the dark mysteries at the heart of the powerful United Jupiter Company.
MASTER BRUTAL, STRATEGIC COMBAT
The Callisto Protocol challenges players to master a thrilling blend of hand-to-hand and ranged combat, including a unique gravity weapon once used by Black Iron guards to control the prison population. Players will be forced to get up close and personal with their grotesque opponents, hacking off limbs, blasting off legs, and getting creative with whatever is at their disposal to survive each life-or-death encounter.
EXPERIENCE THE ISOLATION OF JUPITER’S DEAD MOON
One of the most hostile, isolated environments in the universe, Callisto looms large over Jacob’s desperate struggle to survive. Players must not only contend with the horrors of Black Iron Prison, but also the centuries-old secrets that plague Jupiter’s long-dead moon, both above and below the surface.
mixed dual-wielding is better than VR support. Good. Very good. It’s always nice when objective science produces the correct result. Well done you. This year, I ask you to decide between a cool (and sometimes practical) form of violence and a fun risk/reward element. What’s better: throwing knives or active reload?
Urbo might be my 
The Knight Witch, which takes the thrill of the bullet hell shooter and wraps it up in a lovely Metroid-like-shaped package my brain can actually understand. It’s a fantastic little game, and I’m only sorry we didn’t cover it in more detail when it came out at the end of November last year.
