The paper foes aren’t going to slay themselves. With Hellcard now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, thousands of players are discovering just how dangerous the Paperverse can be. If you’re finding your runs ending faster than you’d like, we’ve gathered some essential tips and card combinations to help you survive the dungeon and come out on top.

Know Your Class

Every run in Hellcard starts with a choice: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Tinkerer, or Bruja. Each brings a unique flavor of cards that can dramatically shape your strategy.

Warrior
A battle-worn fighter who trusts muscle and blunt honesty more than clever tricks. He thrives in head-to-head clashes with the fiercest beasts, and while his swagger suggests fearlessness, his true drive is shielding his allies from harm.

Rogue
A shadow in the trees and a whisper on the wind. She favors distance, snares, and nimble footwork over brute force. Quick with a biting quip or with the coin pouch she lifted off your belt, she’s as dangerous in wit as she is with her bow.

Mage
Scholars say wielding firestorms and bending reality invites madness. Whether his sharp tongue is proof of that descent or a defense against it, who can tell? Mages live with one foot in brilliance and the other dangling over the abyss.

Tinkerer
Graduate of the same academy as the Mage, though proudly from the workshops, not the lecture halls. He champions gears, gadgets, and schematics over the “shortcuts” of spellcraft. A meticulous planner with a knack for clever constructs—and a guilty love of wordplay.

Bruja
An enigmatic spell-weaver walking the line between sacrificial blood rites and infernal pacts. Her power heals as easily as it curses, but each gift carries a shadowed cost. To cross her path is to gamble with both salvation and damnation.

Combos That Carry Runs

It’s not just about drawing strong cards—it’s about building synergies that snowball into victory. Here are a few player-favorite combos:

Stamina Surge (Warrior) Focus on executing powerful attacks to gain stamina. Once you get ten stamina, your next card is free and executes twice. A strategically picked card and moment can turn the battle.

Card Mill (Rogue & Mage): Pair Finesse with Wave Laylines to keep drawing more cards for yourself and teammates while getting free mana. A well-executed build can clear a level in one or two turns.

Hammer Time (Tinkerer): Stacking Sharp Matter for resource generation with a resource boosted attack like Hammer Time ensures you can fire off devastating attacks without running dry. As a bonus, keep buffing your team with Solidarity.

Infinite Draw and block (Bruja & Warrior): Bruja’s Wendigo draws each time you kill, Wrathstealer gives loads of block to other team members, while Warrior’s Ox doubles it. In co-op, coordination like this wins runs.

Think Positionally (and Positively!)

Unlike many deck-builders, Hellcard isn’t only about the hand you’re dealt—it’s about where enemies are placed. Sometimes the best defence is to kick a powerful enemy back so they have to waste trudging back to you. Or pull a ranged monster close, so they have to skitter back while taking hits from your team.  Always prioritize threats based on distance, and use movement or control cards to reposition the battlefield in your favor.

Don’t Hoard, Adapt

It’s tempting to hold onto every powerful card you find, but Hellcard rewards adaptability. Sometimes discarding or cycling cards is the best play to find what you need. Building flexible decks with both single-target and AOE options helps you pivot when the dungeon throws a curveball. It pays to check the end boss you got for the run and adjust the deck accordingly. Each boss counters a specific strategy. Learn and master them all.

Co-Op is Your Secret Weapon

Solo runs are fun and give you total control over strategy, but Hellcard truly shines in co-op. Don’t just play your own cards—think about how your deck complements your allies’. Warriors shielding Rogues, Rogues finessing more cards for teammates, casting these cards for no cost after a couple of turns. Communication is your strongest card in multiplayer.

One Last Tip: Risk Brings Reward

Artifacts can completely change your run, but they often come with drawbacks. Don’t shy away from risks. That seemingly cursed artifact that disables your block but massively increases damage output? Your mates can still give you block while you become an unstoppable engine of destruction. The best Hellcard runs often come from daring choices that pay off big.

Hellcard is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Shuffle your deck, grab some friends, and dive into the abyss—you’ve got the tips, now all you need is the courage to play your hand.

HELLCARD

Skystone Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

Hellcard is a cooperative roguelike deckbuilder that can be played in both Singleplayer and Multiplayer modes. The game takes place in the paper dungeons known from the Book of Demons, and its main mechanics revolve around deckbuilding and fast-paced tactical card battles.

What makes HELLCARD unique and different from other deck-building games is that monster placement actually matters and can be used to your advantage. Shuffle enemies on the board, altering their targets and grouping for maximum area of effect attacks. Or keeping them stunned until you get your perfect card combo ready.

Featuring a unique paper-craft pop-up book art style HELLCARD is a love letter to the RPG genre and its most influential titles from the ’90s. Not taking itself too seriously, it nonetheless manages to recreate the atmosphere of exploring stuffy dark dungeons and heroically facing the Ultimate Evil.

HELLCARD supports co-op battles with up to three heroes facing the Archdemon’s hordes. In single-player mode, you can descend into the dungeons solo or recruit computer-controlled companions. In multiplayer mode, your friends or strangers can help you battle the hordes of hell.

High On Life 2 is doing the things you’d expect this sequel to do – it’s bigger, more packed with jokes, even more experimental than the first game, and now has a skateboard you can use at any time (naturally). But it’s also doing something we didn’t expect: changing the first game’s structure fundamentally. High On Life 2 is taking cues from Metroidvania games, but using them to its own ends.

In an episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, Squanch Games’ COO & Executive Producer, Matty Studivan, and Creative & Art Director, Mikey Spano explained – among many other things – about how the team changed their thinking to offer a whole new hub-based design for the game.

“Our Design Director, Erich Meyr, and I early on decided we wanted to do something that had Metroidvania elements to it, but we also wanted to support telling really tight stories,” explained Spano. “So, this time around, we tried to keep all of the Metroidvania elements in the hubs.”

While the original High On Life was built around a single hub, Blim City, the sequel will take you to three different hubs, each with a lot more to them and, in classic Metroidvania style, offering more and more interactions the more you play and earn.

“It’s a big step up for us from the first game,” said Studivan. “If you played it and you know Blim City, it’s a really cool spot, but pretty small geographically.”

“We have three decent-sized hubs in [High On Life 2],” adds Spano, “and each one of those hubs has a lot of little side things you can do, NPCs you can find, tons of collectibles, tons of unlockable things. And obviously with the skateboard; there’s a lot of cool stuff related to the skateboard that you can do in the hubs.”

The change is effectively about letting Squanch have their cake and eat it – the new structure means that the team can pack in the stupendously weird moments that made High On Life beloved, without needing to derail the core story to get non-sequitur jokes in there. It’s an elegant mix:

“In terms of how it all flows together, you’ve got your home base that you’re always returning to,” explained Spano. “And in there, you’re talking to your crew about what you’re going to do next. And then, you’ll be dropped down into the hub. And then from there, you’re navigating to a target that you’re following. But once you get to a certain point, it triggers a more linear experience where we can tell the story in a tighter way. We still always have choices that you’re making and stuff like that.

“But in terms of finishing a level and then coming back with new power-ups, we try to keep all that in the hub so that we can tell a complete story without needing players to come back and hear the same things over and over again.”

The upshot is that Squanch can tell the story they want to, but give players the freedom to step away and explore just how odd the surrounding world is at their leisure. To help create all that side content, Squanch took a very fun approach:

“One of the ways we were able to do that is that we do game jams at the studio, because the entire team is so creative,” added Studivan. “And so, we had eight or nine teams [jam] for a week – and I think like seven of the game jams are in the hubs in this game.”

It should make exploring the hubs rewarding in itself – with entire other game types hidden away, every discovery can become something new. We’ll get more of what we learned to expect from the first game, too – High On Life included entire, real-life movies to watch, and that will return (with a movie theater to watch them in). We also know that Squanch has licensed full games (NES game Bible Adventures formed a pivotal part of the demo we recently played) that will appear along the way.

“We’re spending a lot more resources and time on [side content]. It really makes the world feel like you’re somewhere lived-in,” said Studivan.

The big changes to structure are also about catering to different kinds of players. Those who just want the story can jump from main mission to main mission without friction. Those who want to do everything can do so without having to repeat missions, and at their own pace. And there are also those who might waver between quick blasts and marathon sessions:

“So, with the missions, we try to keep them at a certain length so that if you’re like, ‘I’m going to go take down this bounty,’ you actually can finish it in a night and then get back to putting your kids to bed or whatever it is that you have to do,” said Spano. “And then for the gamers that want a more free-form experience, they know they can just hang out in the hub for a while and do whatever they want and take on missions whenever they want.”

For a game that presents itself as unabashedly dumb, there’s a core of smart, classic game design thinking sitting beneath all the madness. With that design in place, it allows Squanch to go as wild as they want with the ideas we, as players, will interact with.

Even in the earliest looks at the game, we’re seeing how far they can push this – one boss fight suddenly sees your enemy hack your game, sending you navigating your own menu screens to fight him off. And, best of all:

“That’s one of the more normal parts of the game,” Spano said. “This demo is early in the game. By Act Three it’s just so off the rails and insane. I think people are going to be really surprised.”

I’m very much looking forward to seeing how much weirder this can get – High on Life 2 arrives for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC on February 13, 2026, and will be available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate.

If you want to hear much, much more about the game, make sure to check out the full Official Xbox Podcast episode, which dives into how Squanch turned around a sequel so quickly, the difficult art of writing comedy for games, the benefits of switching to Unreal Engine 5 and… the wonder of Microsoft Excel.

High On Life 2

Squanch Games, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

You’ve done it. You’ve taken down an intergalactic cartel, brought humanity back from the brink of extinction, and hunted dangerous bounties to the far corners of the galaxy. Bounty hunting has brought you fortune, fame and love; but when a mysterious figure from your past reappears and puts a price on your sister’s head, your cushy life gets thrown into chaos.

Do you have what it takes to risk it all and bring down an intergalactic conspiracy that once again threatens your favorite species (humans)?

High On Life RETURNS as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through gorgeous, dangerous worlds all across the galaxy to blow up the EVIL pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting price tags on HUMAN LIFE!

We’re thrilled to announce that our Indie Selects Demo Fest has begun, featuring more than 40 exciting game demos available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Like our last Demo Fest, you can download and play these games anytime between September 9 and September 30.

You can start playing demos today, and we encourage you to keep exploring them all month long. All demos are available in the dedicated Indie Selects Demo Fest collection on the Xbox Store. We’d love for you to share your feedback with the developers!

Please remember that most demos offer an early glimpse of gameplay and may differ from the final version at launch, including which countries will have access as developers continue to polish their games.

We’re also excited to share that 6 newly announced games below are coming to Xbox!

Breaking Gates – Ylun Games/Nuntius Games

Breaking Gates is a fast-paced 2D action-RPG with hand-drawn visuals and a focus on responsive combat and constant progression. Inspired by classic platformers and modern hack ’n’ slash titles, the game offers a dynamic mix of exploration, character upgrades, and frantic real-time battles.

Faith: The Unholy Trinity – Airdorf Games/New Blood Interactive

The cult indie horror sensation finally arrives on Xbox. What you are about to do has not been approved by the Vatican. As a young priest, struggle against demons, insane cultists, and your own weakening faith in this pixel horror game inspired by the era of classic 8-bit gaming and the “Satanic Scare” of the 1980s.  M O R T I S.

Halls of Torment – Chasing Carrots

Slay hordes of terrifying monsters in this horde survival roguelite. Descend into the Halls of Torment where the Lords of the underworld await you. Treasures, magical trinkets, and a growing cast of heroes will grant you the power to vanquish these horrors from beyond. How long can you survive?

Possessions – Lucid Labs

Possessions is a reality-twisting adventure that challenges the way you see the world. Immerse yourself in a minimalist, atmospheric world free from text and distractions, where every rotation and alignment uncovers hidden paths and silent stories.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing break or a thoughtful challenge, Possessions offers an immersive journey that stimulates your mind and soothes your senses. It’s a game about discovery, perception, and the quiet thrill of seeing the world from a new angle.

Awaken – Astral Blade – Dark Pigeon Games/ESDigital Games

Weave your own story in this dark fairy tale. In the mysterious ancient ruins, you will adventure with Tania to reveal her origins and fate. Is there any chance of survival in the darkest and desperate place?

Echoes of the Plum Grove – Unwound Games/indie.io

A new life awaits in Honeywood! Build a thriving community that will last generations in this cozy farm simulator. Farm, socialize, make friends, cook, craft, forage and uncover the secrets of the island! If someone doesn’t want to be friends? There are always other means.

ID@Xbox Indie Selects Demo Fest – Full List of Demos

In addition to those newly announced titles, you’ll find an impressive collection of creative and unique games available for you to experience firsthand! Check out the line-up below for a list of participating games and their developers in this year’s ID@Xbox Demo Fest:

A Pizza Delivery – Dolores Entertainment

Adventures of a Cat in Space – Tall Story Games/Little Seeds Music

Aikyam – Thousand Stars Studio

Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit – Mega Cat Studios/Programancer/Retroware

Awaken – Astral Blade – Dark Pigeon Games/ESDigital Games

Baki Hanma: Blood Arena – Purple Tree/Purple Play

Beacon of Neyda – Ghost Creative Studio

Before I Go – J’s Labratory

Biped 2 – META Publishing

Bit ESC – Essssam

Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime – Bonte Avond Studios/offbrand games

Breaking Gates – Ylun Games/Nuntius Games

Brews & Bastards – Mune Studio

Bylina – Far Far Games/ESDigital Games

Cats on Duty – Prikol Team/ESDigital Games

Cyberwar Neon City – CyberMonkey Studios/GoGo Games

Dead Reset – Dark Rift Horror/Wales Interactive

Deck of Haunts – Dangen Entertainment

Detective Dotson – Masala Games Private

Echo Weaver – Moonlight Kids/Akupara Games

Echoes of the Plum Grove – Unwound Games/indie.io

Faith: The Unholy Trinity – Airdorf Games/New Blood Interactive

Floralis – SolidCore Games

Forgotlings – Throughline Games/Hitcents

Fractal Space – Haze Games

Gloomy Eyes – Fishing Cactus/Untold Tales

Halls of Torment – Chasing Carrots

Imagine Earth – Galaxies DLC – Serious Bros.

Ink. – Linked Rooms Games/Brainium Games

Labyrinthine – Console Edition – Valko Games Studios/Klabater

Military Logistics Simulator – Nano Games/Aerosoft

Mina The Hollower – Yacht Club Games

Neon Inferno – Zenovia Interactive/Retroware

Node: The Last Favor of the Antarii – Lapsus Games/Beep Japan

Polterguys: Possession Party – Madorium/Amplified Games

Possessions – Lucid Labs

Potions: A Curious Tale – Stumbling Cat

Radiant: Guardians Of Light – Chorrus Games

Rhythm Towers – innoloop

RoadOut – Dangen Entertainment

Schroom Siege – Upside Down Bird

Sulfur – Perfect Random

The Jackbox Party Pack 11 – Jackbox Games

Tormented Souls 2 – Dual Effect/PQube

Townseek – Whales and Games/Super Rare Originals

Truck World: Australia – HypeTrain Digital

Under Par Golf Architect – Broken Arms Games

Yet Another Zombie Survivors – Awesome Games Studio

Yooka-Replaylee – Playtonic Games/PM Studios

Head over to your Xbox and start enjoying these incredible game demos now! And yes, we’d love to hear what you think. Connect with us on Twitter,  Instagram,  Discord, Twitch, Bluesky and YouTube. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire to learn more about what Team Xbox has planned and of course, have an awesome month of gaming!

We’re committed to meeting players wherever they are, bringing the joy of gaming into even more places and experiences. That’s why we’re excited to announce our latest expansion for Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). Through our collaboration with LG Electronics, we are working to integrate the Xbox experience into select internet-connected vehicles, introducing a new way to bring more of what players love about Xbox into more places.

Gaming On the Move: Entertainment for Every Journey

With the Xbox built into LG’s webOS Automotive Content Platform (ACP), passengers in internet-connected vehicles will be able to stream and play games directly from the Xbox app. Game Pass Ultimate members will soon have instant access to hundreds of games including popular titles like Gears of War: Reloaded, Forza Horizon 5, and upcoming releases like Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds 2 (an automotive data plan is required to access streaming services. All services operate in compliance with driving safety regulations).

Already have some favorite Xbox titles in your library? Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can also stream select games they already own, such as Bugsnax, Don’t Starve, Mafia: The Old Country, and more, giving you even more flexibility in the gaming experience. You can find the full list here.

Whether you’re jumping back into an old favorite or discovering something completely new, Xbox Cloud Gaming and LG Electronics transforms your vehicle’s infotainment system into more than just music and movies – it becomes a full entertainment hub. Whether you’re waiting at an EV charging station or trying to entertain your passengers on an extended road trip, pass the time by playing games keeping everyone entertained and making the journey feel more fun.

More Ways to Play, Anywhere You Go

If you’re new to gaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming is a great way to get started. All you need to do is connect a compatible Bluetooth controller, launch the Xbox app from your internet-connected in-vehicle infotainment system, log in to your Xbox Game Pass subscription, and start playing.

Our work with LG is the latest example of Xbox expanding to new places, building on partnerships that already bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to mobile devices, PCs, and TVs. By adding vehicles to the mix, we’re giving players more choice than ever in how they enjoy their games.

To learn more about Xbox Cloud Gaming and how you can play across TVs and browsers on supported devices like smartphones, PCs, and tablets, visit xbox.com/cloudgaming.

We’re thrilled to announce the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast on Thursday, September 25 at 7pm JST (3am Pacific / 6am Eastern / 11am UK). This year’s show will feature titles from our creative teams, alongside exciting updates from our partners in Japan, across Asia and around the world.

We know players around the world delight in Japan-inspired content and games developed in Asia, and we can’t wait to connect with players across the globe to show off the incredible talent and creativity behind upcoming games coming to Xbox.

Once again, we’ve created a bespoke visual identity for Xbox at Tokyo Game Show. Using an urban neon aesthetic, the design puts the viewer in a street scene that is distinctly Tokyo, with various signs illuminating the way, all featuring gaming and Xbox iconography (with a touch of Japanese culture included as well).

Read on for all the details about Xbox at Tokyo Game Show 2025, including how and when to tune into our broadcast.

Get Hands-on with Xbox at Tokyo Game Show

Available to the public for the first time ever in Asia, Tokyo Game Show attendees at the Koei Tecmo booth can play Ninja Gaiden 4, a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in a high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to get hands-on with the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, two new gaming handhelds developed from Xbox and ASUS, at the Republic of Gamers booth.

Bethesda will co-host a merchandise booth with Infolens Geek Shop. The store will feature official merchandise for Fallout, Starfield, Doom, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and include rare products never before released in Japan.

How Do I Watch the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast? 

The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast will be streamed live on official Xbox and TGS channels. Here’s where you can watch live in your region:

Asia / Pacific

Americas

Europe /  Middle East

What languages is the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast available in?

This year’s broadcast will be available on Tokyo Game Show’s official YouTube channel, as well as live on select Xbox social channels in Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Arabic (MSA), French, German, Italian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish and Turkish.

Following the broadcast, we will add language support for Canadian French, Filipino, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Māori, Russian, Thai, Ukranian and Vietnamese. Please note that the audio of the show is primarily in Japanese, so you may need to turn on captions to see the translated show.

Is the show going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision?

The show will also be broadcast with Japanese Sign Language (JSL), American Sign Language (ASL), and with audio descriptions in both Japanese and English.

I’m not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced?

As soon as the show is over, the Xbox Wire team will be publishing a full show recap (with localized versions to follow in Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, and LATAM Spanish) and standalone articles about select games will go live during the show.

Co-streamer and content creator notes for the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast

We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream. For those planning to create post-show breakdowns of the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast in the form of Video on Demand (VOD) coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.

For more details and a full schedule for Tokyo Game Show 2025, visit the official site from the show’s organizers.

The Third Edict, the next major update for Path of Exile 2 in Game Preview, is out now, and brings a massive amount of new content alongside overall improvements to the game. One of the largest additions is the introduction of Act Four, with 12 new bosses to challenge players.

Alongside diving deeper on some of those bosses, we’d like to offer an introduction to some of the new areas included in The Third Edict.

In Act Four, you will have 8 islands to explore, each with its own dangers and, of course… bosses! As each island has a distinct identity, we were able to create a completely unique set of monsters on every single island, allowing us to explore many different cultures of Wraeclast. In total, Act Four brings over 100 new monster varieties to Path of Exile 2!

With nature left to its devices, it seems the creatures on these islands have evolved in rather interesting ways. One such fierce creature is The Great White One. This boss is a trophy kill, dropping a quest item for an optional quest. This is just one of many optional boss encounters throughout Act Four.

The Great White One is a shark – at least at first. As you approach the edge of the rocks on its island you’ll see its fin swim by. You feel safe and comfortable on land, but only for a moment – because, in short order, it will leap out of the water to reveal a very unexpected form. It’s at this moment the player will think “Of course I should have seen this coming… It’s Wraeclast!” as you begin in an epic battle against this land-shark, which attacks with vicious bites and tail swipes, and frequently burrows underground to attack you from below. If it manages to land a bite on you, you’ll find it frenzied by your blood loss, making its attacks more accurate, and more deadly.

After you’ve faced the creatures of the island above, you’ll descend into the Singing Caverns beneath. In these eerie caves, a beautifully disturbing voice echoes throughout, enticing you to its origin. The Siren, Diamora, Song of Death, is the reason the settlements have been abandoned on the shores of Whakapanu Island. Countless Karui and wanderers have met their end here, but perhaps you can put a stop to it.

Diamora is an awesome boss fight that utilizes some pretty difficult mechanics. Diamora initially appears as a Siren, singing and conveying absolute beauty as she shines and maneuvers in the serene water filling her arena. As you approach, you are lured in by her voice and glow. Just as you get close, that’s when things turn dark – she immediately goes into the water, and what emerges is the opposite of what initially brought you there. She is a mutant hybrid fish creature that uses a human form to attract people in to be eaten.

As she dives in and out of the water, summons walls of water, fires concentrated water beams and performs deafening screeches, you’re left fighting to survive. Look closely at her arena and you’ll notice that, in the darkness, there are figures turned to stone – unlucky victims preserved as pets until she grows tired and uses them for food.

This attention to detail is reflected in a mechanic in the fight – as she dives back into the middle and begins singing, you find yourself turning to stone if you look at her directly. You must avoid looking at her, while fighting off swarms of her siren spawn. As you progress through this mechanic, walls of reflective water appear around the outside of the arena too, which can also turn you to stone if facing in the wrong direction. You’ll need to keep moving, face in the right direction, and survive the swarm in order to overcome Diamora. Good luck!

In your travels you may eventually visit the most sacred of all Karui locations: The Eye of Hinekora, a massive sinkhole in the middle of the ocean. After venturing down into the Eye, the worthy are invited into The Halls of the Dead, where notable Karui spend their afterlife. If you are so lucky to be invited, you will face many tests of mettle within.

One such test comes from The Mother of Death’s Speaker – Navali. Navali gives this task to her faithful companion, Yama, the White. This monkey may not look like much at first, but don’t be fooled… his true form reveals a challenging final test you must pass before you can speak with the Mother of Death herself.

Yama, the White combines high agility combat with two powerful spells to truly test your limits. He is extremely agile, able to maneuver around the arena with ease, and jump on top of clusters of totems to get a height advantage over you – only to flip off them, slamming down back onto you. On top of that he embraces Chaos Magic, a type of damage rarely seen in Wraeclast, which shreds your Energy Shield, and your Life.

His true power, though, is one granted to him by Hinekora herself –  the power of Foresight. Yama has the capability to see many futures all at once, meaning he can predict what you will often do. This is reflected by a unique mechanic where, all of a sudden, the arena becomes completely dark. You are alone – until you see a copy of yourself running and dying. Then another… and another. These are alternate futures, showing what will happen to you if you follow them.  Your job is to find the one version of your future where you don’t die, and attempt to follow it – easier said than done…

As if all of that wasn’t enough, the final boss of Act Four is an entirely different challenge — but we will not be spoiling that fight for you today. Let’s just say we can’t wait to see your reactions…

Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict is available on Xbox Series X|S now.

Path of Exile 2 (Game Preview)

Grinding Gear Games

☆☆☆☆☆
293

★★★★★

Get it now

This game is a work in progress. It may or may not change over time or release as a final product. Purchase only if you are comfortable with the current state of the unfinished game. Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms. Full details on the latest status of the game, how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at pathofexile2.com.