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Here's everything announced in Nintendo's latest Direct
Game Reviews

Here’s everything announced in Nintendo’s latest Direct

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It’s Mario birthday! The moustachioed maestro is 40 this weekend, and Nintendo is in a celebratory mood. Its latest Direct showcase was chock full of Mario stuff – from re-releases to a brand-new tennis game – but things didn’t stop there. We also get a release date for Metroid Prime 4, a glimpse of a new Fire Emblem, and more. For the full rundown of everything revealed, read on.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie revealed

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First we got a bit of business involving the likes of a 40th anniversary ticket for the Nintendo Museum in Japan and a reminder about the Mario theme park land over at Epic Universe, Florida. But onto the video game news! Or rather movie news. Yup, we got a name for the Mario movie sequel – officially titled The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – plus a first trailer tease.

Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 are making a return

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Two of Mario’s very best adventures, Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 are being re-released for Switch and Switch 2 – so if you want to relive the good old days, or experience them for the first time, here’s your chance. They’re not cheap at $40 each, but both arrive digitally on 2nd October with a physical release to follow. Also, two Mario Galaxy themed amiibo are due next year.

Mario Tennis Fever is coming to Switch 2

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If you’re a fan of the Mario Tennis games, you’ll be chuffed to hear another is on the way – this time to Nintendo’s latest console. It’s got 38 characters – the most in the series’ history apparently – plus a range of different modes, including online options, and an adventure mode starring the Mario babies. It’s out 12th February next year.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is getting a Switch 2 upgrade

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The delightfully daft Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the latest Switch 1 game to get a Switch 2 upgrade. Alongside the excellent base adventure we’ve seen before, it includes a new mode called Meetup in Bellabell Park. It’s essentially a world packed with mini-games where players can work with or against their friends. Nintendo is also teasing other new content for a later reveal, and if that appeals, it’s out “spring” next year. Oh, and there’s a new Talking Flower toy coming too.

Yoshi is back in a new adventure on Switch 2

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The ever-lovable Yoshi is back with another new adventure of his own. This time, the green dinosaur and his pals has been sucked into some kind of magical book where players can experience a “page-turning adventure” full of classic side-scrolling platform hijinks. It’s called Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and it’s out on Switch 2 next “spring”.

Storm Lancers hits Switch


And with the Mario stuff out the way, Nintendo began its Direct proper with a quick look at developer ProbablyMonsters’ Storm Lancers. It’s a roguelike adventure set in 80s anime-insured realms, playable either solo or in co-op, that’s coming to Switch today.

Dinkum


If there’s still room in your schedule for another life sim, behold Krafton’s survival-focused adventure Dinkum. It’s coming to Switch on 6th November, but a demo hits eShop today.

Popucom


Fancy a bit of colourful, multiplayer-only platform adventure? Then you might like Popucom, which sees players tossing colours and hoisting platforms to explore its world. Popucom is out this winter on Switch.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream narrows its release window

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Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, in which a bunch of comically voiced Miis cavort around an island in life sim fashion, has narrowed its release window to “spring” next year. Hoorah!

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection coming to Switch 2


Mortal Kombat fans on Switch 2 have a bunch of retro action to look forward to. The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, which includes a variety of classic fighting games from the series, alongside a delve into its history, comes to Nintendo eShop on 30th October. A physical release is due 12th December.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade out in January

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the first game in Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Remake trilogy, comes to Switch 2 on 22nd January next year, with pre-orders now available via eShop.

Lynked: Banner of Spark


FuzzyBot’s Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a cheerily colourful action-RPG that’s part sci-fi roguelike, part relaxed life sim. It launches on Switch and Switch 2 later today.

Hades 2 gets a Switch 2 release date

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Hades 2, the sequel to Supergiant’s much-loved original roguelike adventure, is finally leaving early access and coming to Switch 2 on 25th September. That’s the eShop release, but if you want a physical version, it arrives on 20th November this year.

More amiibo!


If you just can’t get enough of those cheery little figures, you’ve some Kirby options to look forward to, all arriving alongside (and compatible with) Kirby Air Riders on 20th November. One pack includes Kirby and his star-shaped vehicle, while the other includes Bandana Waddle Dee and his rider. Nintendo also noted another Kirby Air Riders Direct is on the way.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment release date

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – the third game in Koei Tecmo’s hack-and-slash take on Zelda (this time set amid Tears of the Kingdom’s story) – has a release date. It comes to Switch 2 on 6th November with pre-orders starting today.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined coming next year

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If it’s classic RPG action you’re into, then there’s Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. As its name suggests, its a remake of the classic PlayStation adventure, first released in 2000, and it’s coming to Switch 2 on 5th February next year.

Virtual Boy on Switch and Switch 2

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After a brief update on the Nintendo App and its new Kirby theme, it was time for some serious retro deep cuts. From 17th February next year, Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers on Switch and Switch 2 can get stuck into some Virtual Boy titles, with 14 games confirmed. You’ll need to buy a dedicated accessory to play them in 3D as originally envisaged, but details on that are due later.

Fatal Frame 2 is getting a remake


Fatal Frame 2 – one of the best horror games ever made as far as I’m concerned – is being remade for Switch 2. The series’ classic camera-snapping action returns in Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterly Remake, which is out “early” next year.

More Switch 2 upgrades!


Next up, we’ve got a bunch of games being upgraded to support Switch 2. One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 will see more enemies on screen when it comes to Nintendo’s new console this autumn; Overcooked 2 gets CameraPlay this winter; Stardew Valley is getting mouse controls, four-person split-screen, and GameShare support this autumn. Also, five new levels and mouse support are coming to Human Fall Flat next year.

PowerWash Simulator 2


Hose-’em-up sequel PowerWash Simulator 2 – which gives players more filthy things to blast to a sheen – is confirmed to be arriving on Switch 2, complete with split screen, this autumn.

Suika Game Planet


Fruit-matching puzzler Suika Game Planet is coming to Switch and Switch 2 this winter, and if you have Nintendo’s newest console, GameShare is supported.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gets release date

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At long last, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which apparently includes Samus on a motorbike, has a release date. It launches on 12th December 2025, with three amiibo confirmed. A standalone Samus, plus Samus on her bike, arrive on 6th November, while Sylux accompanies the game’s release on 12th December.

Donkey Kong Bananaza is getting paid DLC

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Donkey Kong fans can return to DK Island in new paid DLC for this year’s Switch 2 smash hit, Donkey Kong Bananaza. As well as exploration around DK’s homestead, there’s a new Emerald Rush challenge mode available across all levels. DK Island & Emerald Rush launches on Switch eShop – alongside a main game demo – today.

Pokemon news!

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First up, we got a brief peek at Pokemon Pokopia, which essentially looks like Animal Crossing for Pokemon fans. That might be oversimplifying things a bit though. The main Poke-event for today’s Direct, though, was more Pokemon Legends Z-A, which despite not even being out yet, is getting paid DLC. It’s called Mega Dimension, with more details to follow.

Danganrompa 2 is coming to Switch 2


Classic murder adventure Danganronpa 2 is coming to Switch 2 and Switch next year, with some added bits.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins


More hack-and-slash action from Koei Tecmo is on the way to Switch 2, this time in the form of Dynasty Warriors: Origins. It’s out 22nd January next year, with paid DLC arriving at the same time.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
dated


Capcom’s RPG twist on its monster-battling series returns for a third adventure. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, as it’s known, now has a release date and comes to Switch 2 on 13th March next year.

Resident Evil Requiem heading to Switch 2

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After a rapid-fire rundown of games to come, we got something spooky. The latest instalment in Capcom’s long-running survival horror series, Resident Evil Requium, is heading to Switch 2 on 27th February next year. And that’s not all! Resident Evil 7 and 8 are also on the way, both Switch 2 bound on 27th February.

Fire Emblem is back!

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And to wrap things up, another entry in much-loved fantasy series Fire Emblem. Expect plenty of turn-based battling (and probably some companion loving) when Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave hits Switch 2 next year.

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Samus rides a motorcycle.
Game Reviews

Metroid Prime 4 Gets A Cool Motorcycle Instead Of Another Delay

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Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally has a release date. The sci-fi shooter arrives on December 4, more than eight years after it was first announced at E3 in the original Switch’s launch year. Also Samus has a motorcycle. What?!

The latest trailer opened with the bounty hunter tearing across the dunes of an alien planet on a Tron-like speeder. Will these be isolated parts of Metroid Prime 4 or is the sequel going more open world just like all of Nintendo’s other big franchises?

Samus is also getting new Metroid Prime 4 amiibo, including one with her on her motorcycle, on November 6, followed by a Sylux amiibo on release date.



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Borderlands 4 is the series' biggest launch ever on Steam, but it has earned the unfortunate nickname of Stutterlands 4
Game Reviews

Borderlands 4 is the series’ biggest launch ever on Steam, but it has earned the unfortunate nickname of Stutterlands 4

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Borderlands 4 is officially out – almost a day early for some people, and players on Steam have shown up in droves to jump into the latest loot shooter from Gearbox. The game has not only done very well for itself in terms of player activity, it also easily beat all other Borderlands games.

Steam user reviews, however, aren’t as glowing as you might expect.

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It seems Gearbox’s decision to make a more grounded game with Borderlands 4, and step away from referential humour and internet slang has worked in its favour. Over on Steam, the game peaked at 207,479 concurrent players (via SteamDB) just hours after it went live.

Considering some of the launch times, and the fact it wasn’t out on consoles at that time, there’s every chance the weekend will give these numbers a boost. Indeed, even if that’s the highest the peak concurrent is going to get, it’s still better than every other Borderlands game that came before, with its closest contender being Borderlands 2, having peaked at 124,678 concurrent players.

Borderlands 4’s numbers were certainly good enough to get into Steam’s top five most played games, and it’s currently Steam’s number one best-seller worldwide, having jumped up seven spots this week.

Image credit: Gearbox Software, 2K Games.

It doesn’t seem like everyone is happy with the game, however. Judging by its current Steam user review rating of Mixed (based on 5,435 reviews), only 62% had positive things to say about the co-op loot shooter.

While some of the negative reviews touch on narrative and gameplay content, the vast majority lament the game’s technical state. Borderlands 4’s long (and frequent) shader compilation pauses come up several times, as do your typical Unreal Engine navigational stutter. In fact, stutter issues are so common that some have taken to calling it Stutterlands 4.

This is another case of an Unreal Engine 5 game getting lambasted for its technical issues, and it’s actually become something of a nonestarter for players, many of whom get into the game expecting to run into problems just because of its use of Epic’s game engine.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Borderlands 3 had its fair share of technical issues, too, which took Gearbox a while to completely iron out. It’s quite possible this will eventually be the case for Borderlands 4, especially once Denuvo gets removed. Only time will tell.



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Neil Druckmann will retain "high level" role on The Last of Us Season Three to ensure it's "as deeply faithful" as Season One
Game Reviews

Neil Druckmann will retain “high level” role on The Last of Us Season Three to ensure it’s “as deeply faithful” as Season One

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Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann has discussed his decision to step away from the TV adapation of The Last of Us for the third season, stating he’d accomplished his “crazy goal” of elevating video games.


While he’s now returned to full-time video game development on the forthcoming Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, he will remain somewhat involved in The Last of Us at a “very high level” to make sure it’s “as deeply faithful as Season One was”.


“I feel like that is the gold standard for this kind of adaptation, while enjoying all these beautiful expansions that happen naturally with the rest of the team and how they’re working on Season Three,” Druckmann told Variety. “So that is where my involvement will stay is at that very, very high level.”

The Last of Us Season 2 | Official Trailer | MaxWatch on YouTube

Druckmann announced his decision to step back from the TV show in July, though told Variety he made the decision when the writers’ room for Season Three was about to commence.


“I looked at what’s in front of me, what would the next season might look like,” he said, “and with all the various Last of Us things I’m working on – not just the show – with all the various games I’m working on, the biggest one that takes up most of my time is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, our next big IP for Naughty Dog and PlayStation, it felt like I could better serve all of my responsibilities if I stayed at a higher level.”


This was also having achieved a goal of elevating The Last of Us beyond players of the game.


“I felt like that story could find a bigger audience for people that will never play video games,” said Druckmann. “I wanted to elevate Naughty Dog, and PlayStation has been a home for me for 21 years now, and it’s given me all the support to tell these wonderful stories, and I wanted to elevate video games. It was such a crazy goal, but I wanted someone to watch this show and have no idea it was based on the video game, and then be like, ‘Wait, that’s based on a video game?'”


Druckmann added he’s learned a lot from his time on the show, “even just as far as the craft of making cinematic storytelling”.


“There’s so much that overlaps with my work at Naughty Dog that I felt like I took quite a bit away from that,” he said. “I think I could better serve this show and other adaptations like it in the future, having learned all this stuff – but my first responsibility, my first love, is video games, and it’s at Naughty Dog.”


Elsewhere in the interview, Druckmann stated Intergalactic would be the studio’s most ambitious game to date.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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Amazon Fire Tv Soundbar Plus (newest Model)
Game Reviews

A Full Soundbar for Less Than Earbuds, Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar Plus Is Now Cheaper Than the Older AirPods Pro 2

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All of that wall-rattling bass and gigantic surround sound coming from your expensive home theater audio setup is impressive, but if you’re watching a movie or TV show and you can’t make out the dialogue, what good is it? The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus that’s on sale right now for just $180 makes those voices come through loud and clear while it puts money back in your pocket.

This limited-time deal takes $70 off the price of this compact, plug-and-play 3.1-channel soundbar that brings Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound to any TV, and is also Bluetooth compatible so you can hear your favorite playlists and podcasts with the same brilliant, clear sound.

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From Box to Boom in Minutes

You don’t need to be a high-end audiophile or electrician to get the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus working within minutes of unboxing. Just connect it via the included cable into your TV’s HDMI eARC/ARC port, plug it into an AC outlet, and turn it on. The audio instantly moves from your TV’s built-in speakers to the soundbar, and if you’re connecting it to a Fire TV, you can use the remote control you already have to control both the TV and the soundbar — no coding or pairing necessary.

The compact 37-inch length and and light 8.8-pound weight of the Fire TV Soundbar Plus make it a natural fit on a mantelpiece below your wall-mounted big screen, or if you’re placing it on a TV stand, it’s low-profile enough to not block the screen. At that size and weight it’s also an easy speaker to mount to the wall. Wherever you end up placing it, the 3.1-channel sound is perfect for filling the room with rich, immersive sound without rattling the walls.

All-Content Friendly

The Fire TV Soundbar Plus’s voice-dedicated center channel ensures that you hear what’s being said, even during an action movie or live sports event, but that’s not coming at the expense of the rest of the sound. Four listening modes — Movie, Music, Sports, and Night — are all optimized to bring you the right sound mix at the right time. Connect your music source via Bluetooth and enjoy the extended bass from the built-in subwoofer, and hear the on-field ambient sound and roar of the crowd during the game while still hearing the play by play.

You don’t need to break the bank or break the walls of your home to wire up that monster surround-sound system in order to enjoy clear, high-quality sound. Not while Amazon’s running this great deal on their Fire TV Soundbar Plus — it’s just $180 right now in a limited-time deal you will not want to miss.

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Assassin's Creed Shadows update coming ahead of Claws of Awaji DLC
Game Reviews

Assassin’s Creed Shadows update coming ahead of Claws of Awaji DLC

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ DLC Claws of Awaji will be ready to dive into very soon, and in anticipation Ubisoft is issuing a new update for the base game.

This update, which is scheduled to go live later today, will include a level cap increase, upgrades for your hideout, the ability to fast-forward the time of day (hurrah!) and new Ezio themed Project Rewards.

As for Claws of Awaji, that’s coming on 16th September, as paid DLC (though those who pre-ordered Assassin’s Creed Shadows will get it for free). On its release, Claws of Awaji will introduce a new region, a new weapon and abilities, new outfits and legendary gear, a new enemy faction and bosses, and a new chapter of Shadow’s story. The expansion is said to be adding over 10 hours of content to the game.

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You can check out the full patch notes for Assassin’s Creed Shadows Title Update 1.1.1, to give it its full name, below:

PATCH SIZES:

  • PS5: 12.94 GB
  • Xbox Series X|S: 33 GB
  • MAC: 24 GB
  • PC: 42 GB
  • Steam: 17 GB

PATCH HIGHLIGHTS

  • New expansion: Claws of Awaji

A storm is coming.

A new threat rises from across Osaka Bay as rumors surface of a hidden blade wielding shinobi, and of a long-lost relic. Naoe and Yasuke journey to a new land in search of answers, but find themselves surrounded by danger, ensnared in the Claws of Awaji.

In this expansion to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, discover a new island region dominated by the Sanzoku Ippa, a nefarious faction intent on uncovering the final Regalia. Avoid traps and ambushes as you track the legendary Fujibayashi Tsuyu, and as Naoe, master the new Bo staff to eliminate enemies with tactical efficiency. New legendary gear, skills and abilities also await across more than 10 hours of additional content.

We also would like to inform MacOS users eligible for the Claws of Awaji DLC that the content may not be accessible immediately after launching the game for the first time following the release of the DLC.

To resolve this, please launch the game while connected online, then close it and reboot—either online or offline—to ensure the DLC becomes available.

  • New free story quest: Go with the Bo

Join Junjiro in his quest to meet a legendary Bo Master and learn more about the Bo staff, a dynamic new weapon type perfectly suited to Naoe’s acrobatic fighting style. Upon finishing the quest, you will receive a Bo to use across your adventures.

Originally developed exclusively for the Claws of Awaji expansion, we thought this weapon was way too cool not to share with everyone… for FREE! You get a Bo! And you! And you at the back! Everyone gets a Bo, coming September 16th.

To support the launch of the Claws of Awaji expansion we’ve raised the level cap to 100, giving players more room to grow and more options to customize their builds.

With the new update, each unique building now includes two additional upgrade levels, bringing a total of 20 new enhancements, alongside three new Hideout levels.

These upgrades introduce valuable bonuses that accelerate Hideout growth, improve crafting capability by making Gold more accessible, and directly enhance Naoe, Yasuke, and their allies, making them more effective in both combat and exploration.

By upgrading the Nando to level two, the player will gain the ability to meditate and skip time forward to the next 6 o’clock (AM or PM). To activate meditation, find a safe location and hold the up button (L on keyboard). This allows Naoe and Yasuke to prepare for nighttime assault and be ready to strike [#@!%&*] Castle at night.

Upgrading the Study to level four now allows Scouts to reveal both Viewpoints and Safehouses. Discovering Safehouses is especially valuable, as it enables Naoe and Yasuke to join the action more quickly by reducing their travel time.

And with the Kakurega upgraded to level four, uncovering all Viewpoints within a province will also reveal the entire province automatically, giving players full visibility of its terrain and strategic locations. No more fog!

By upgrading the Forge to level six, Naoe and Yasuke gain the ability to enhance their gear to new quality tiers: Mythic and Artifact. Once an item reaches a new quality, it can be further upgraded through eight additional levels to unlock its full potential.

Epic items can be transformed into Mythic items, which improve their stats with each level, add a Boosted Stat if one wasn’t present, and boost non-legendary perks, including the one in the engraving slot, by 50 percent at level five and 100 percent at level nine. (For perks related to damage reduction, refill ration, ammo, or tools, this bonus is halved, capping at a 50 percent increase at level nine.)

Legendary items, on the other hand, can evolve into Artifact items, which not only increase their stats with each level but also receive additional Boosted Stats at levels three, seven, and twice at level nine. Engraved non-legendary perks are also boosted like the Mythic items.

These powerful enhancements are designed as long-term goals, supporting players through the increasing difficulty of subsequent New Game+ cycles and other upcoming challenges.

We are releasing a new Project available in the Animus HUB, called Sanctuary, in which you can get Ezio themed gear, kusarigama, and much more! Activate the new Project, complete Anomalies and progress through the rewards like previously released ones.

With the release of the Claws of Awaji expansion, we added new Anomalies available in that region, with one available in every schedule. These Anomalies are only available for players who have the expansion installed.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Cutscenes are no longer limited to 30 FPS (PC Only).

LIST OF BUG FIXES

General

  • Fixed an issue where the game crashed during the cutscene of the “Chained” rift.
  • Fixed various localisation issues.
  • Fixed an issue where the vertical sliding sound effect continued if you switched characters during a slide.
  • Fixed an issue where some tutorials repeated themselves after unlocking Yasuke.

Gameplay

  • Fixed an issue where the Naginata Ronin were not vulnerable after using the Vault ability.
  • Addressed an issue where the Scale of the Koi and Soaring Tatsu trinkets were not functioning as expected.
  • Fixed an issue where the aiming reticle option “Only While Aiming” was missing from the settings.
  • Fixed an issue where a persistent “New Item” notification appeared after looting weapons from scout supply chests.
  • Fixed an issue where players were unable to start horse archery in Iga because the quest giver had moved locations. Get back in your spot!
  • Fixed an issue: the Ikko Ikki Kamon banner was missing after completing the “Collection of Crests” quest.
  • Fixed an issue where the Mount Nukai contract targeted a chest that was already opened.
  • Fixed an issue where multiple waypoints were not synchronising.

Difficulty Options

  • Fixed an issue on Nightmare difficulty where Teppo enemies appeared broken.
  • Fixed an issue on Nightmare difficulty where the Samurai Spear Guard had a combat glitch.
  • Fixed an issue where Canon Mode disabled itself on the second launch of the game.

Hideout

  • Fixed an issue in the Hideout when selecting the option to duel with Naoe or Yasuke did nothing.
  • Fixed an issue in the Hideout where certain buildings or set pieces could not be rotated.
  • Fixed an issue in the Hideout that prevented players from moving the horse stables after changing their original location. Back to your Hideout planning!
  • Fixed an issue where Rufino remained stuck in the Hideout after being recruited.

Skills, Abilities & Upgrades

  • Addressed an issue where the Shadow Piercer ability was not functioning correctly.
  • Addressed an issue where the 33 percent health recovery on posture attack perk was not functioning as expected.

Visuals & Graphics

  • Fixed various visual issues.
  • Fixed a visual issue with the architect’s lip sync in the “Seta-Killers” quest.
  • Fixed a visual issue affecting Yasuke’s aim with the Teppo when wearing variations of the Samurai Hat.
  • Fixed a visual issue with the Ronin Kasa Hat.
  • Fixed a visual issue with the Blush of the Earth bow quiver.
  • Fixed a visual issue with Oni’s Flesh Armour.
  • Fixed a visual issue where Gashadokuro’s mask did not have red eyes on the Memories screen.

SPOILERS WARNING!

Quests

  • “A Critical Encounter”: Fixed an issue where players could not interact with Rufino to trigger the quest. He was just being shy.
  • “Broken Horn”: Fixed an issue where players could not progress due to being stuck by the Animus wall.
  • “Face the Oshiroi Baba”: Fixed an issue where Yokai objective member rewards were not being granted correctly.
  • “Feast For Thought”: Fixed an issue where requirements were automatically completed for the quest.
  • “Man Behind the Curtain”: Fixed an issue where after Ermigo died, Gaspar was incorrectly shown as dead.
  • “My Name Is Yasuke”: Fixed an issue where players could not progress due to being stuck outside the Animus wall.
  • “Of My Enemy”: Fixed an issue where Hiromichi’s man stopped moving if the player entered combat while following him.
  • “Out of the Shadows”: Fixed an issue where the game crashed after the cutscene.
  • “Silver Smugglers”: Fixed an issue where Yoshisada could be assassinated early before the quest.
  • “Tea Bowls for Rikyu”: Fixed an issue in the Hideout where tea bowls could no longer be placed after completing the quest.
  • “The Tournament”: Fixed an issue where players could not interact with Gyoji despite a blue marker being shown.
  • Fixed an issue where players were unable to talk to Katsuhime in the crop field when she was sitting on the ground.

PLATFORM-SPECIFIC FIXES

PC

  • Fixed an issue where the heavy attack (LMB+Shift) was not functioning correctly on keyboard and mouse.

Image credit: Ubisoft

Ubisoft recently celebrated welcoming five million players to Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Along with those five million assassins, at the time there had also been 2bn stealth kills and 38 million animals petted. Meanwhile, players have travelled 1bn kilometers since the game was released in March. And it sounds like Assassin’s Creed Shadows may soon be welcoming more players to Japan, with a Switch 2 port seemingly being on the cards.

Elsewhere in Assassin’s Creed news, earlier this year it was revealed that Netflix’s live action adaptation is finally a-go, five years after it was first announced.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.



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A woman with a laser sword looks over her shoulder.
Game Reviews

Heretic Prophet Will Be The Studio’s Most Expensive Game Yet

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It’s been almost a year since Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet was teased at The Game Awards 2024. Naughty Dog’s upcoming sci-fi adventure doesn’t have a release window yet, much less a trailer showing what players will spend most of the blockbuster doing. But director Neil Druckmann did confirm it will probably be the studio’s most expensive game to date and reflect its growing ambition when it comes to delivering more expansive gameplay. Maybe that’s why had to ditch working on The Last of Us season 3 for HBO alongside his duties at PlayStation.

“What can I say and not say?” the veteran developer said, tip-toeing around spoilers and PR guidelines in a new interview with Variety. “I can tell you we’re in the thick of it. We’re making it, we’re playing it. We’re firing on all cylinders.” Set in a far-flung, alternate future, Heretic Prophet follows bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun (Tati Gabrielle) who begins unraveling the secrets of a remote planet after becoming stranded there during a mission.

“I’ve said this before, but I really mean it, I’m really feeling it right now: It’s the most ambitious game we’ve ever made. It’s the most expansive game we’ve ever made, maybe the most expensive, by the time we finish it. Troy [Baker] is in the game, and it’s been five years since I’ve worked with Troy, and I’ve got to do it again, and it was a lot of fun to be on the stage with him again.”

While he hedged on the upcoming PS5 exclusive’s budget, it doesn’t seem like a shocker that it will end up costing more than the last new game Naughty Dog shipped, 2019’s The Last of Us Part II. In addition to the rising costs of development on current-gen platforms, a new IP like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will come with a hefty marketing price-tag as Sony tries to sell fans on the next big thing from the studio behind Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and Uncharted.

Druckmann did give a slight tease in the interview of what we can expect from Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet in terms of scope. “With The Last of Us, we added some RPG elements, we started playing with wide linear layouts,” he said. “Continue that trajectory forward, add sci-fi and you start to get the sense of what we’re doing, and then we’ve gotten even more ambitious than that. So really looking forward to see how it all comes together. I think you’re all going to be pleasantly surprised by it.”

While pressing up against the ceiling of vagueness, the comment seems to reaffirm that Heretic Prophet will showcase even more player freedom and agency within its world. Druckmann also confirmed actor Tony Dalton, who appears in the Last of Us TV show (he played Joel’s dad in a season two flashback), will appear in the game too, potentially alongside others from the HBO series (the show is up for three Emmys at this year’s awards ceremony on Sunday).

As for what comes after Heretic Prophet, Druckmann is still being cryptic about Naughty Dog’s future and what other projects it has in the works. There was talk of doing The Last of Us Part III after the last game but the team wanted to try something sci-fi instead. “I’m sure if Intergalactic is successful, you will see it again,” he told Variety. “Whether that will be our next game right after that, I can’t say, and I leave that door open. Not to be coy for this particular question, we want to see how we feel once we’re done with it and look at the options in front of us, because we have some other ideas that we’d like to explore as well.”



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Where's our Borderlands 4 review?
Game Reviews

Where’s our Borderlands 4 review?

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Hello! We’re back already – it’s another one of those blogs telling you where our review is, but let’s be honest you can probably guess by now. Here goes: you might’ve spotted some Borderlands 4 reviews going live around about now, but unfortunately we won’t have a review for you here on the site today – or indeed on the game’s full launch when it comes out tomorrow.

This is because at the time of writing, we haven’t been provided with advanced review code by Borderlands 4’s publisher, 2K Games – and at this point it’s time for me to run through all the usual caveats to just keep in mind.

The important one, as always, is that we are absolutely not entitled to early review code. How many codes are handed out for a game and when is entirely at the publisher’s discretion – it’s their game, they can handle access to it how they like. Instead, please just see this is another “PSA” to go along with similar ones we’ve published in the past in similar situations, such as those for games like No Man’s Sky, Watch Dogs 2, Borderlands 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, MindsEye, and most recently, Mafia: The Old Country.

We’ve not had a chance to look at Borderlands 4 in advance for other preview coverage, so here’s an official trailer to give you a basic outline.Watch on YouTube

As usual here, we’ll do our best to bring you a review as soon as is feasible. In the meantime, you can see what we thought of the previous entry in our Borderlands 3 review – and what we made of the most recent game from developer Gearbox, in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.



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Borderlanmmdss
Game Reviews

The 11 Best Changes In Borderlands 4 (And 3 Meh Tweaks)

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Borderlands 4 launches on September 12 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Gearbox’s open-world looter-shooter sequel is a big game with a lot of quests to complete and plenty of endgame content to check out. As such, my review isn’t ready yet. But I’ve played nearly 40 hours so far, and I’ve enjoyed my time. A big reason why is that Gearbox has made some smart changes in Borderlands 4 that make it easier than ever to manage, sell, and collect loot and get around the world.

As a big Borderlands fan who has played all of the games multiple times, I have cataloged a list of changes and improvements in Borderlands 4 that I think both longtime fans and newcomers alike are going to be excited about.

Finally, A Weapon Wheel

©Gearbox / Kotaku

For many, many years now, Borderlands fans, myself included, have longed for the franchise to add a real weapon wheel option. Past games have sometimes allowed you to use the d-pad on a controller to hot-swap between four guns, which is fine, I guess. But a true weapon wheel hasn’t been an option until now. Borderlands 4 finally adds a real, honest-to-goodness weapon wheel, and it’s so nice. It makes quickly swapping to a gun easier and faster than ever!

Mark Loot As Junk When Picking Up

In Borderlands 4, like in past games, you’ll spend a lot of time collecting guns that are bad, or just not what you want. In the past, you’d have to manually sell each of these. And yes, you could mark them as loot in the inventory screen and then sell them all at once. But now, in Borderlands 4, you can junk loot as you pick it up. This ties into another great change…

Instantly Sell Junk At Vending Machines

All that loot you mark as junk can now be sold at any vending machine just by walking up and hitting a single button. You don’t even have to go into the store screen. It’s so nice, and this change, as well as the last one, has helped keep my inventory mostly empty and ready for more loot.

The Lost Loot Menu Is So Much Better

Speaking of loot, in some past Borderlands games, players were able to return to a hub area and activate a “Lost Loot” machine that would spit out some of the guns that dropped out in the world that the player didn’t pick up. This wasn’t a very efficient way to handle the process and made using the Lost Loot option annoying. In Borderlands 4, this is now handled through a menu screen that lets you easily trash stuff you don’t want and take stuff you do want.  And you can hit a button to take it all without having to grab each item off the floor.

A Warning When Selling Equipped Gear And Guns

Sometimes, when dealing with lots of loot and similar guns, it’s easy to mark an equipped piece of loot as junk and sell it. This has happened to me in past games. Sure, you could favorite stuff you didn’t want to sell, which is still an option in Borderlands 4, but it was always weird how the games just let you sell equipped gear so easily. Not so in Borderlands 4! Now you get a pop-up warning when trying to sell equipped items marked as junk. Nifty!

Legendary Weapons Are Much Rarer To Find, And That’s Good

©Gearbox / Kotaku

One of the biggest problems I had with Borderlands 3 was how easily and quickly you found legendary weapons and gear. On a recent playthrough, I was collecting and selling them within a few hours of starting a new character. By the end of the game, I had found well over 100. I lost count, really. This made them feel less special and made non-legendary purple gear less exciting to collect because better stuff was dropping all the time.

Thankfully, this isn’t the case in Borderlands 4. After nearly 40 hours with the game, I’ve only collected 7 legendary weapons and items. And one of those I bought from a vending machine, something I’ve only seen once in my time with the game.  Unlike in Borderlands 3, when legendaries drop in Borderlands 4, I get genuinely excited! It’s a rare event, and many of the items have been powerful and memorable.

Customize Your Character Anywhere And Anytime

In the past, if you wanted to put a new skin or hat on your Borderlands character, you’d have to find a specific machine in-game and use it. This was annoying. Now, you can just open up the customization menu whenever you want and freely change your character’s looks.

Upgrading Your Inventory And Ammo Capacity Isn’t A Boring Money Grind

Borderlands 4‘s big open world has a lot of places to explore, things to do, items to collect, and activities to complete. And this time around, Gearbox has decided to tie the open world to upgrading your character. Instead of grinding for money and then going to an in-game store to buy SDU upgrades, which let you carry more stuff and ammo, you now earn SDU credits by exploring and completing activities. And this is all done via a menu that is available at all times. Need more loot space to collect more guns? Well, check to see if you have enough SDU credits to upgrade your inventory space, and if so, do it right then and there. So convenient!

An Optional Hologram Path That Helps You Go The Right Way

©Gearbox / Kotaku

I spent far too much time in past Borderlands games running around trying to figure out how to get to a specific place or a quest marker. The in-game maps have been helpful, but sometimes you just want someone to draw a line from where you are now to where you need to go. And good news: Borderlands 4 does that now! At any point, you can hit a button to get an in-game holographic path showing how to reach your destination, which can be a quest or just a random point you marked on the map.

Repkits Offer Healing When You Need It Most

A new piece of loot introduced in Borderlands 4 are repkits. These are small medical devices that players can activate every so often for some instant healing. No more hunting down health drops during tricky boss fights or big skirmishes. Those tiny bits of healing still drop and are still useful, but having a health gun at your side is great. And as with all loot in Borderlands, repkits come in various flavors with all sorts of weird, wacky, and useful bonuses and passive traits. Honestly, going back to any past Borderlands game is going to be hard after getting used to repkits.

Spawn Your Vehicle Whenever You Need It

A big theme when it comes to the changes and improvements made in Borderlands 4 is convenience. And perhaps the best example of this is the removal of Catch-A-Ride stations, which previously were the only way to spawn in a vehicle. Now, every player has their own personal Digirunner (which are basically Sparrows from Destiny), and they are awesome. They move quickly, feel great to drive, and being able to call one in whenever you want is so handy. Plus, combining Digirunners with the new movement controls, like double jumping and gliding, lets you speed across the world in style.

And now, some changes that aren’t so good…

Menus Feel Dark, Finicky, And Removed From The Game World

©Gearbox / Kotaku

Something I really loved about the menus in past Borderlands games was how vibrant they all were and how they existed in the world. When you opened your inventory or skills menu in Borderlands 3, you’d see your character standing in the world, and the menu would be hovering next to and behind them. That’s gone in Borderlands 4. Instead, all the menus and inventory screens exist in dark voids that feel disconnected from the world. And some of these menus are tricky to use or feel overly cluttered. The inventory, in particular, isn’t great to navigate when using a controller. This change doesn’t ruin Borderlands 4, but it does make me sad.

Loading Screens Are Dull

This is a silly complaint, I’ll admit, but the loading screens in Borderlands 4 are so boring. In past games, which were filled with loading screens, you’d get these wonderful, colorful posters of the location you were loading into at that moment. In Borderlands 4, which has far fewer loading screens thanks to its (mostly) seamless open world, the screens just look like someone took concept art and tossed the location’s name on it. They seem stale, cold, and drab. Thankfully, stuff loads so quickly that you won’t have to look at them long.

Rewards For Challenges And Quests Are Hidden In Digital Boxes

When you complete a quest in Borderlands 4 or when you finish an in-game challenge, you are rewarded with various goodies. But these goodies aren’t delivered directly to your inventory. Instead, you have to go into the character menu and open them up. Thankfully, you can open them all at once, but it’s so odd that this system is even in the game.

Sure, it’s nice that guns or loot you earn from a quest aren’t dropped right in your limited inventory. But it’s annoying that cosmetic items are also locked in these chests. The game also does a terrible job of reminding you to check on your rewards. Sometimes I’d open my character screen and see, like, 10 of these chests waiting for me. I’d love an option to get notified every so often when I have more than two or three of these things waiting around to be opened.



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Sonic and Shadow coming to Fortnite, leaks suggest, but not how you'd expect
Game Reviews

Sonic and Shadow coming to Fortnite, leaks suggest, but not how you’d expect

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It looks like Sonic and Shadow are heading to Fortnite, though perhaps not in the way you’d expect.


Known Fortnite leaker Wenso has shared datamined evidence on social media of Kicks themed around the two Sega hedgehogs based on in-game data, suggesting in-game trainers will be added to the game.


The designs resemble Puma’s forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog collection, which will be available to purchase from 30th October – perhaps that’s when they’ll be added to Fortnite too, though Wenso noted there are no shop assets yet.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – The AnimationWatch on YouTube


The Fortnite shop already includes Kicks for brands like Nike, Adidas, Vans, and Puma.


Puma’s collection also includes sneakers themed on sidekick Tails, though these are yet to be discovered in the game.

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Does this mean we’ll also get full skins to play as? That does seem unlikely, in part due to character proportions but also that Sonic canonically has not wielded a gun – although Shadow, of course, has.


Still, I think Sega is likely to go the way of Nintendo and not want its characters shooting each other. Perhaps we could see more clothing items in addition to those Kicks?

The Fortnite crossover could also coincide with the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, due out later this month. Indeed, the racing game’s premise is crossovers with other series, so perhaps it works both ways.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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