The two-person studio behind 2021’s tip-top top-down action-RPG Unsighted yesterday announced their next game, a 3D metroidvania named Abyss X Zero. It’s not out for a while yet but its look already reminds me of two things: the pleasingly clean art style of Mega Man Legends and the edgy anime schoolgirl styles of Kill La Kill. See for yourself in the announcement trailer below.
It’s been a dramatic 24 hours for Helldivers 2 players after the game’s first balance patch set the cat among the pigeons with its nerf to the best loadout.
Patch 01.000.100 nerfs the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack, three items considered essential to higher difficulty play and Helldivers 2’s best loadouts. But it also buffs weaker weapons and stratagems, including the Flamethrower (more on that later), Laser Cannon, Punisher, and the 380mm and 120mm Orbital Barrages.
It’s the nerfs to the Breaker, Railgun, and Shield Generator Backpack that have sparked the most vociferous discussion within the Helldivers 2 community, given their popularity. On higher difficulties, Helldivers 2 throws an often overwhelming number of powerful enemies at you, many of which require hard-hitting weapons and stratagems to deal with. The Railgun in particular was a popular option for taking on Helldivers 2’s toughest enemies, such as the heavily armored Bile Titan and Charger.
Developer Arrowhead had already discussed the thinking behind these changes, admitting ‘having your favorite toy nerfed absolutely sucks’, but called on players to give the nerfed items a chance. Now it’s gone into more detail in a blog post by Patrik Lasota, the designer on the first Helldivers and currently Head of Product Testing at Arrowhead.
In discussing the nerf to the Breaker, a shotgun considered the best primary weapon in the game, Lasota commented on primary weapons in general, revealing that their lack of power and inability to deal with all the enemies is entirely intentional.
“This is very much intentional, you need to rely on your stratagems, and the stratagems of your team to deal with all the enemies effectively,” Lasota said. “Either by Eagle Airstrikes, Orbitals, Support Weapons, or Turrets, some of your loadout/team should be tailoring their loadout to killing the weaker stuff more efficiently.
“This doesn’t mean that your primary weapon shouldn’t feel good to use, but please understand that it is primary only in the sense that it’s something you always spawn with.”
Of course, Railgun is indeed a stratagem, but Arrowhead nerfed this too. Much of the reaction to the update stems from what happened to the Railgun, which high-level players used to soldier through the hardest difficulties. The Railgun’s safe mode is now capable of penetrating medium armor, such as Automaton Scout Walkers, but not more heavily armored enemies like Chargers and Bile Titans. For those targets, players now must run the Railgun in unsafe mode and overcharge it. Meanwhile, Arrowhead reigned in the Railgun’s ability to damage massive body parts, which means in order to use it efficiently players must score hits on heads and other weak points.
Which brings us neatly to the Flamethrower, which was one of Helldivers 2’s least effective support weapons. With the Railgun in the dirt, players are seeking out alternatives, and it looks like the recently buffed Flamethrower may now be viable. Players are reporting that the Flamethrower now efficiently cooks Chargers, if used in a targeted fashion, and given how bloody annoying Chargers are, the Flamethrower is now enjoying its time in the sun.
Flamethrower can kill chargers quite fast now | #Helldivers2
🎥 BadassMinh pic.twitter.com/zK4DVaUIrC
— HELLDIVERS 2 Updates (@Helldivers2HQ) March 7, 2024
“The Flamethrower is really the embodiment of stepping into a queen’s lair and torching all her eggs, as done by a badass action heroine,” Lasota said. “It should be powerful up close and an inconvenience to enemies that are lit on fire or want to walk through the fire and flames. As many have commented the flamer has felt a little too anemic, not outputting damage at a rate that is warranted by a weapon with a shorter range and large volatility such as the Flamethrower.
“We have increased the Flamethrower direct damage to be able to barbeque enemies that get close much faster. Please enjoy your Terminid Barbecue Device responsibly, as this also makes it even more volatile for any Helldivers caught in the stream.”
The emergence of the Flamethrower, however, has done little to calm the debate around Helldivers 2’s nerfs, with some players complaining that higher difficulties are now nigh-on impossible given the sheer number of Bile Titans and Chargers they throw at you when you play on a Terminid planet. It’s worth pointing out that Helldivers 2 is only a month old, so Arrowhead will be keen to gather as much data as possible from these first weeks to inform its decision-making later.
Lasota also offered helpful insight into Arrowhead’s philosophy when it comes to balance changes, and it sounds like the developer is keen to nerf and buff, as opposed to only buff. “I have, since the game released, seen many who say ‘don’t nerf, only buff’ and other similar ideas,” Lasota said. “However as a designer I can tell you this is not a great idea, but I understand where the sentiment comes from. All too often in the games industry the core fantasy, and what makes a weapon feel good and fun, is ignored for the sake of balance.
“I believe players are scared of nerfs, because it will ruin the fantasy of a weapon, ruin their fun. It is extra important to us to tread carefully so that we don’t ruin fantasy and fun when we do nerfs. We hope you, our players, will tell us when we cross that line inadvertently.”
There’s a lot happening in the world of Helldivers 2, including a recent new strategy that involves hugging. The galactic war continues, of course, as players await the arrival of mechs.
This week, IGN reported on how Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well, as well as the best loadouts.
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.
Glad tide-ins.
Everything is cosy these days. Cats? cosy. Bakeries? cosy. Middle Earth? cosy. The apocalypse? apparently.
Publisher Rogue Games has today announced that Highwater — a game all about making friends at the end of the world — will be loading up on supplies and sailing over to Switch on 14th March. Get the thick blanket out and snuggle up to the thought of impending doom.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
WWE 2K24 blurred out former WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon’s face from some archived footage in its Showcase of Immortals game mode, although there’s another instance where he appears fully uncensored, IGN has verified.
There’s been much speculation over how 2K would handle McMahon in the latest game after a former WWE employee filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual assault and sex trafficking.
In Showcase of Immortals, players can relive 21 of WWE’s most iconic Wrestlemania matches. These matches span from Ricky Steamboat vs. Macho Man Randy Savage’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 3 in 1987 to Cody Rhodes and Roman Reign’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship bout at WrestleMania 39. Each Showcase match interweaves archived WWE footage of key moments from WrestleMania feuds as cutscenes.
While summarizing the storyline build for Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey match at WrestleMania 35, WWE 2K24 blurs out McMahon’s face. The Showcase segment also bypasses mentioning McMahon’s role in the feud — making a surprise appearance on Monday Night Raw and announcing Flair is replacing Lynch at WrestleMania 35 — by instead saying “WWE would replace her with Charlotte Flair.” You can see the clip below.
While McMahon’s face is blurred out and omitted in the WrestleMania 35 Showcase cutscene, he still makes a fully acknowledged and unblurred appearance in the cutscene for The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin match at WrestleMania 17. However, reviewer Jarrett Green notes that players aren’t required to complete all of WrestleMania 17’s objectives to move the match forward and view IRL Showcase cutscenes. Meaning, players can finish the match without seeing footage of Austin turning heel and aligning with his long-time kayfabe rival, McMahon.
There’s also been speculation, too, about how WWE 2K24 would handle the inclusion of wrestler Brock Lensar. Prior to the game’s release, Lesnar was replaced by John Cena from the cover of WWE 2K24’s special Forty Years of WrestleMania edition. A source close to the situation told IGN that Lesnar’s removal relates to his reported connection to the lawsuit against McMahon.
Although the former multi-time world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 30 bout with The Undertaker — which saw Lesnar shockingly break Taker’s undefeated streak — is playable in Showcase, both Lesnar and McMahon cannot be unlocked as playable characters in WWE 2k24.
McMahon’s ongoing lawsuit comes after a 2023 Wall Street Journal report alleging McMahon paid four women $12 million in “hush money” over the past 16 years, including a reported $3 million payout to a former WWE employee he allegedly had an affair with. Developer 2K’s efforts to distance itself from McMahon are fairly significant when you take into consideration that McMahon was a playable character in WWE 2K23 amid the allegations revealed in the WSJ’s report.
2K did not respond to IGN’s request for comment.
In our review for WWE 2k24, we wrote, “While not drastically different, WWE 2K24 is better in almost every way, touting small but smart additions to well-tested systems and modes as opposed to taking bigger risks.”
Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.
Introducing Siugnas.
Following some other trailers today, Square Enix has now shared a new look at the upcoming RPG Switch release SaGa Emerald Beyond.
This title was first unveiled during Nintendo’s September Direct Showcase last year and is the next major entry in the long-running SaGa series. Today’s trailer puts the spotlight on ‘The Dismal King’ Siugnas, who has been forced from his throne. He also happens to be one of the game’s six protagonists.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Like the game, they’re not available locally.
Last month, Nintendo surprised fans by adding Mother 3 to the Switch Online’s Game Boy Advance library. The only downside is this title hasn’t actually been added to the service locally.
Now, to add to the suffering, Nintendo has made new Mother 3 icons available to Switch Online subscribers in Japan. The characters will set you back 10 Platinum Points each and the borders and backgrounds will cost 5 Platinum Points each.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Beta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
Please be aware this Xbox Update Preview includes the following experience or feature updates.
Microsoft Edge – Sidebar
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
System
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
Networking
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Beta (2403.240305-2200) appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Not all cards are meant to be played with. If you’re into collectibles already or just starting to collect trading cards, you may have a big enough collection that warrants some extra care or bulk storage. Some of your cards may even have significant value or will continue to grow in value, depending on what cards you collect and how you store them. As an investment, many serious collectors go to significant lengths to protect their cards such as sleeving or even double-sleeving them. However, even if your cards aren’t worth much monetarily, they are still nostalgic and special to you; whether it be Pokémon TCG, Yu-Gi-Oh, sports cards, MTG cards, X-Men cards, or others. That said, you should consider the right dedicated storage option for your type of collection and your budget.
Jump to:
Fortunately, there are all sorts of carefully crafted containers you can use to protect your trading cards these days. If you’re just getting into collecting now, starting to collect more, or you simply want to upgrade your storage option from the old ring binder you’ve been using since the 1990s, this (unranked) list is for you.
While some focus on security above all else, many others are stylish and portable too, making it easy and fun to tote your cards out and about. For all of you card collectors, see our picks below of the best trading card storage options for every situation, collection size and budget. Happy collecting!
Quiver cases are almost universally adored in the card gaming community, and it’s easy to see why. Whatever your storage needs, it’s quite possible a single quiver case will fit the bill. It’s big enough to hold over a thousand unsleeved cards, yet it’s also sturdy and portable, coming with wrist and shoulder carrying straps, a tough shell with a water-resistant faux-leather finish and a secure zip closure. So it’s just as useful whether you’re storing cards in the home or carrying them out to play.
Perhaps the best thing about Quiver Time, though, is the stylish design and attention to detail. They come in a variety of colors to suit your preference and have all sorts of thoughtful little extras. There’s a sheath to keep the zip tabs closed, fully adjustable straps, some card sleeves and removable acrylic dividers and corner cushions to help keep your cards organized. And perhaps most thoughtful of all, 1% of the asking price goes to charity.
If you’ve got a bigger collection of cards and want a solid and well-designed stackable box to keep them in, then look no further. Each GameGenic Dungeon can hold a thousand double-sleeved cards, or a few more if you’re happy to box them up “naked”. There’s a middle divider to keep them better organized and make it easier to search through your collection when you need to.
The lid goes on via a convenient magnetic mechanism which makes it simple to pop on and off but holds strongly and securely when not in use. It also allows for complete removal, making it simple to access all your cards. There’s room above the cards to keep a game board, rules or accessories, and it’s a stylish solution with a smooth exterior and a soft microfibre lining to cushion your cards.
While Quivers are fantastic all-round cases, they’re a little on the bulky side if you carry your cards around a lot. If you’re just after a case to take out to clubs and tournaments then they make a smaller option, the Bolt, for that very purpose. It holds a little more than half the capacity of its bigger sibling, but that also means it has half the weight and size.
In all other respects, it offers the same high quality build and styling of the Quiver, meaning your cards are just as well-packed and protected, only on a smaller scale. And you still get a free pack of card sleeves and 1% of the price to a children’s orphan-based charity as well.
Boxes are not always the best option for storing your cards, not least because it’s difficult to flip through your collection and find the cards you need. Binders make a great alternative: although they hold fewer cards, they fit nicely onto shelves or cupboards and most options contain transparent pages with pockets into which to tuck your cards.
This binder from VaultX not only contains 20 such pages that hold 9 cards each, but boasts a protective padded cover and heavy-duty zip to keep your cards safe and secure. The standard version is standard black, but it comes in a variety of colors, sizes, and closures, so you can be sure to find one that fits your needs.
Depending on how valuable your cards are and where you take them, you might feel the need to have a super-secure option to keep them safe. And they don’t come much safer than this Casematix case, with extra-durable hard shell exterior and customisable foam inserts that you can tear to ensure a perfect fit for your most prized cards.
The case closes with a secure mechanism that also ensures its waterproof and airtight for maximum protection. And if that’s not enough for you, it’s designed to take cards in their own protective plastic slabs and there’s also a padlock ring so you can lock things down even tighter with added layers of your own security.
Often, it’s fine to keep your cards in whatever container or case you can rustle up at home, but what you really want is a small, sturdy, premium-build box that you can use when taking a single deck of your precious cards out and about to play. Many brands have starter packs that come with suitable deck boxes for free, but they’re often flimsy cardboard affairs, so it’s better to invest in something a bit more durable.
Enter this excellent option from VaultX. It’s available in a variety of stylish single-color finished, made of water-resistant microfibre. The lid doesn’t clip or slide on and off, as is common, but is held in place with strong magnets, making opening and closing super convenient. And the lid also flips round and magnetizes to the bottom of the box, tidying it out of the way and offering a stable platform to access your cards. You can also mix and match lids and boxes of different colors if so desired.
For all the fancy protective cases you can buy for trading cards, fundamentally all you actually need for them is a box of some kind. And a box can be as basic as a piece of packaging that came with some other order: four sides and a lid will keep your cards in order just as well as a golden chest. There’s no need to spend a fortune if you don’t want the style and features offered by premium brands.
But that doesn’t mean there’s not something to be gained by spending at least a little on a storage option. Rather than a discarded cardboard box, you could get a specialized option like this. It’s sized just right to protect trading cards, comes with some dividers to keep things organized and has a top-loading lid so it’s easy to peruse your cards. Multiples will also stack neatly on your shelves to keep your cards together.
Anyone who has been a collector over the years knows binders may be the easiest and most convenient way to store cards, but can harm the cards over time. So, if you have any high-value cards or potentially high-value cards, it’s recommended to store them in sleeves or penny sleeves and put them in top loaders or boxes versus binders.
Depending on your budget, size of your collection, and value of your cards, you can start with a convenient option like a D-Ring binder, and work your way up from there. Based on the categories listed in the product options above, we’re confident you’ll find something affordable to get you started. What you choose will be based on many factors. For example, you may collect or play with Pokémon TCG cards and you just want to turn a stack of cards into an organized storage solution like using a cute, simple Pokémon card binder.
Tip: look for ‘Acid-Free’ and ‘Soft-Backed’ in the descriptions while shopping around. Also, consider your preference on matte versus glossy pocket pages. According to a recent Reddit poll on the subject, the majority of votes landed on glossy sleeves based on pros and cons of visibility, shuffling, quality and texture.
According to Guinness World Records, the title of ‘world’s rarest trading card’ is tied between the 1996 World Champion and MTG’s Shichifukujin Dragon cards, in which only one specimen of each card exists.
If you’re a collector or gamer in organization mode currently (it seems like you might be!), you may want to browse our other storage and display guides. We’d recommended checking out top video game storage ideas, top board game storage options, best cases to display LEGOs, and the best display cases for action figures. Keep an eye out on IGN for even more collectible and trading card news and guides including new MTG pre-orders like the AC Cards or LOTR Cards from the nerdiest corners of IGN.
Matt Thrower is a contributing freelance board game and video game writer for IGN. (Board, video, all sorts of games!)
Since Mojang added wolves to Minecraft’s Java Edition beta in 2011, they’ve remained pretty much the same, with only one variant (in comparison to the game’s 11 different cats and an impressive 2,700 different tropical fish). Quite a few players have begged Mojang to add more wolves — and now, after 13 years, it seems their work has finally paid off.
In a blog post today, Mojang revealed that it’s testing out eight new wolf variations for the game’s next update. According to the blog post, each new wolf variant lives in its own biome and has its own rarity. (The game’s original wolf is also sticking around in the taiga biome, but it’s now called the Pale Wolf.)
While Minecraft’s revamped wolves aren’t in an official release of the game right now, they can currently be tested by installing the most recent snapshot, which also features the long-requested wolf armor.
Of course, the Minecraft community was thrilled by the long-awaited announcement, with a few players sharing that the update was enough to draw them back into the game.
they added wolf variants to minecraft LETS GOOOO pic.twitter.com/KuO4DQMfww
— Dave Kratzy (@Krtzyy) March 6, 2024
GUYSS THE NEW MINECRAFT DOG VARIANTS!!! which one if you favorite personally I’d do anything for the little chestnut guy and the woods wolf pic.twitter.com/njeUoyPTxX
— Snifferish (@snifferish) March 6, 2024
minecraft phase is about to come back because of this https://t.co/t8E4onrQbw
— ad (@addriiom) March 6, 2024
A few players even deemed it the game’s best snapshot ever.
minecraft snapshot 24w10a adds new dogs to minecraft. is this the best snapshot ever?? pic.twitter.com/Vi3q0s6R22
— wattles 💎 (@itiswattles) March 6, 2024
Best Minecraft snapshot ever.
— fWhip : Bryce (@Failwhip) March 6, 2024
We gave Minecraft a 9 in our 2011 review, calling it “a blank page just daring you to jump in and do with it what you will.” Since then, it’s changed quite a bit, with its latest major update adding camels and archaeology. The game’s annual addition of mobs hasn’t been without controversy, though — last year, players even “unionized” to petition Mojang to abolish the mob vote.
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun, and they’re currently developing a game called Garage Sale. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.
It’s back! Walmart is once again offering the Xbox Series S Toaster for $40. Don’t be fooled by the $84.49 MSRP listed on the site, though; the toaster launched back in January at a retail price of $39.99. That said, $40 isn’t a bad price for a toaster oven, even if it’s a meme one like this.
The toaster looks similar to the white Xbox Series S console, but it is an actual working 2-slice toaster with creature comforts you’d expect from any decent toasting appliance like defrost and bagel functions, digital countdown timer, and six different shade settings. Of course, an Xbox toaster’s gotta have a gaming-centric feature, and fortunately the Xbox toaster does not disappoint. It will expertly imprint the Xbox logo onto each and every slice of toast – genius!
Check out all of the best Xbox deals today on consoles, games, and accessories.
