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NetEase Reveals Its 'First Triple-A Single-Player' Game, Blood Message, And It Looks Awesome
Game Updates

NetEase Reveals Its ‘First Triple-A Single-Player’ Game, Blood Message, And It Looks Awesome

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Chinese publisher NetEase Games, which is behind multiplayer titles like Marvel Rivals, FragPunk, and Naraka: Bladepoint, has revealed its first-ever triple-A single-player game, Blood Message. Set during the final years of China’s Tang Dynasty, Blood Message is an action-adventure game being developed in Unreal Engine 5 by 24 Entertainment. There’s no word on when it’s coming out, but it’s due on consoles and PC. 

NetEase says Blood Message puts players in control of a nameless messenger and his young son during a critical uprising in Dunhuang. “Caught in the crossfire of a righteous uprising and driven by loyalty to both family and country, players will embark on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of their war-torn homeland,” a press release reads. “Amidst the shifting sands of history, they will etch a final tale of loyalty.” 

Check out the Blood Message reveal trailer for yourself below: 

 

As this nameless messenger, players will embark on a 1000-mile odyssey back to Chang’an, the heart of the Tang Empire. To do so, they’ll cross lethal landscapes like desolate deserts and the wilderness of East and Central Asia while surviving brutal sieges, unforgiving terrain, and more. NetEase says the game’s setting in the last years of the Tang Dynasty “provides a cultural landmark of Chinese history that frames the story with customs, culture, and rich history of the era.” 

Regarding gameplay, NetEase describes Blood Message as narrative-driven and anchored in cinematic storytelling with “visceral, realistic combat blending stealth and survival mechanics.” 

“As our first completely single-player focused experience from NetEase Games, after two decades of deep dedication to the gaming industry, we are prepared to deliver a truly epic and cinematic experience for our players around the world,” NetEase executive vice president Zhipeng Hu writes in a press release.

For another look at Blood Message, check out the screenshots below: 

 

What do you think of Blood Message’s first showing? Let us know in the comments below!



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Six Awesome Things To Do In Free Roam
Game Updates

Six Awesome Things To Do In Free Roam

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An open-world Mario Kart is something few of us would’ve expected to see before the launch of the Switch 2. But with the introduction of Free Roam mode in Mario Kart World, which has everything you would see in a regular open-world title, like random challenges, hidden collectibles, and the vastness of the world around you, there’s so much more to do in this classic kart-racing series.

Princess Peach’s Leading Role And More New Releases

The open-world is especially nice when you don’t want to race anybody or just want to take a break from focusing on speed in general. Here are six things you can do while you’re driving all over the Mario Kart World map.

Collect and unlock new outfits

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

There are outfits littered around every race track in Mario Kart World, allowing you to build wardrobes for every character.. Each outfit is tied to certain foods packed into smiling lunch bags called Dash Food sitting outside of Yoshi’s restaurants. Sometimes, Dash Food can also be found on top of pickup trucks with ramps. Dash Food works similarly to Mushrooms, too: In addition to changing your appearance, you’ll get a speed boost.

However, not everyone who eats the same food item will unlock the same outfit. For example, if you’re racing as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy or Yoshi and you pick up a burger, you’ll get the Touring outfit. If you’re playing as Bowser, Wario or Waluigi, the burger will trigger the Biker outfit. Eat cake while you’re playing as any of the eight aforementioned characters plus Toad and Koopa and you’ll be wearing the Pro Racer outfit, but do so with Donkey Kong and you’ll get the All-Terrain outfit.

Complete challenges

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

While driving around the world map, you’ll come across the giant blue P-Switches that are found either on the side of the road or are lying somewhere off-road. Running over those switches can trigger challenges for you to complete within the time allotted, be it in 15 seconds or, at most, 30 seconds.

Read More: Mario Kart WorldIs More Fun When You’re Grinding Rails And Riding Walls

Most challenges give you an opportunity to sharpen your wall-riding skills and enemy evasion techniques. Others will test your timing on using certain items, like the Feather, which allows you to jump up to five feet in the air to reach high places and avoid incoming projectiles. You can replay the challenges as many times as you want to beat your record if you so desire.

Rack up coins

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

For the hustlers out there, you can find piles of coins hidden in every nook and cranny of the tracks. Keep your eyes peeled behind Yoshi’s restaurants, on top of billboards, in bushes, atop hilltops, and on boardwalks, just to name a few places.

Coin piles vary in size, from a stack of five coins to a money bag’s worth of 100 coins (or more). Don’t be surprised if you see a small stack of coins every once in a while. No matter what the size of the coin pile, they all add up to unlocking more new karts and other sweet rewards, like stickers.

Find Question Mark panels

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

Each track has five Question Mark (“?”) panels hidden in various places. The panels don’t exactly do much when you run over them except give you new stickers to put on your karts. These are fun to collect.

And if you want an extra challenge: Activating 10 ? panels, is one of the ways to unlock Mirror Mode, which lets you race a track backwards.

Collect Peach medallions

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

If you love collecting foreign coins in the real world, you’ll love collecting Peach Medallions. They’re basically giant coins that have a beautiful silhouette of Princess Peach’s profile engraved on them. They’re mostly found in high-rise places, like construction rails, musical blocks, thin columns, and aerial loops that you need to fly through. You can also find them in places you least expect, like a little islet beside the raging sea.

Peach Medallions are more like talismans than medallions because they lack a chain, but they’re medallions nonetheless. Unlike stocking up on rare coins IRL, collecting 10 of Peach’s coins will also unlock Mirror Mode.

Just take a relaxing drive!

Screenshot: Nintendo / Cristina Alexander / Kotaku

Free Roam is perfect if you want to take a break from races and party battles with other players. Go for a relaxing road trip around the world and forget about the worries of the world. No races, no battles, no challenges–just you, your vehicle of choice, and the wide open road to help you take in the sights and sounds of every track you visit and the people you meet along the way–just like a real-life road trip would do.

You can also park somewhere to take a picture of yourself with Photo Mode. Like many other games, this feature lets you customize your character’s expressions and poses as they sit by the sunset, the mountains, the beach, or any breathtaking locale you take them. Those pictures will make great wallpapers for your PC or phone later on. Just make sure you remove the control guides before you snap any pics.

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Game Reviews

4 Awesome Games We’re Jumping Back Into

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Play it on: Switch 2
Current goal: Finish it for the first time ever

As I recently lamented, I have never seen the end of one of my favorite video games, Metroid Prime. I couldn’t beat Meta Ridley. I tried as many times as my patience allowed in 2002, and then just gave up. I’ve been cross about it ever since.

With the arrival of my Switch 2, and the weird lack of a single-player launch game, I started a bunch of Switch 1 games I’d bought in sales, or out of impulse on launch, and never gotten around to, flitting hither and thither, until I booted up Metroid Prime Remastered. I’d bought that the moment it was released in 2023, briefly played the beginning, and then accidentally moved on. The moment I started it again this week, I was hooked. On the Switch 2 it looks so utterly lovely, the load times are almost gone, and oh my goodness, what’s this? A “Casual” mode?!

I beat Meta Ridley last night. I’m not sure it was any great achievement, given how much lower the difficulty was. I had found so many health upgrades that I was pretty much able to just hammer him with the Plasma Beam, with a bit of dodging here and there. And yet, on some level, I did feel like I’d addressed a 23-year-old gripe. Take that, you metal-winged fuckface.

I think my ideal version of this game would be Normal difficulty for most of the game, and Casual when fighting the bosses, but only because I get no enjoyment from boss fights and just want them to be over. Much of the rest of the game’s combat, however, ended up feeling like busywork rather than an entertaining challenge. Also, good gravy, I’d forgotten how much trekking back and forth there is in that game. I hate those stupid lava pits!

Anyway, the plan this weekend is to finish it entirely, for the very first time. It’s already become far more irritating: those stupidly annoying Metroids to bat off endlessly, when I’m trying to enjoy leaping around the levels, have already got me peeved. But I shall finally defeat this beast, even if it is because I’m playing on baby mode. — John Walker



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7 Awesome Accessories To Check Out
Game Updates

7 Awesome Accessories To Check Out

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The Nintendo Switch 2 offers plenty of functionality right out of the box, especially considering it can be used in both handheld and docked modes without the need for add-ons of any sort to just jump into a game.

Nintendo Switch 2 Could Launch With Almost No Reviews

Read More: Nintendo Switch 2: Three Great Travel Cases To Consider

However, you can improve your experience with the console by picking up some useful accessories, such as a more traditional controller for easier playing on the couch, an SD card for extra storage, or even a carrying case for added security during travel.

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller

While you may be able to find some decent third-party controllers for Nintendo’s newest hardware, nothing can beat the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller at launch. This excellent, albeit expensive, option is simply the best choice for playing games while your Nintendo Switch 2 is in docked mode. It’s immensely comfortable and features solid battery life. Plus, it’s filled with all of the features you’d expect—and then some.

Image: Nintendo / Kotaku

The new GL/GR buttons on the back are perhaps its most compelling additions from the last generation Pro controller. These rear-buttons can be mapped to function as any other button on the controller for ultimate customizability and an improved competitive edge. If you’re okay dropping $85 to pick up the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, I feel pretty confident that you won’t regret it.

Nintendo Switch 2 Camera

The Nintendo Switch 2’s new Game Chat functionality means you can finally virtually hang out with your friends via voice and video. If you’re interested in the latter, you’ll want to pick up a USB-C camera, and I’d argue that the official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera is the all-around best option. With 1080p resolution, a sleek profile, and a useful privacy shutter, this accessory is well worth the $55 for anyone looking to jump into Game Chat with all the bells and whistles.

Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Wheel

Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku

If you’re into motion controls, you may get a kick out of having a wheel for your Joy-Con 2 controllers while playing games like Mario Kart World. There are a handful of perfectly fine third-party options available, but the official Nintendo Joy-Con 2 Wheel is gonna be your best choice—especially at launch. The Joy-Con 2 controllers snap in using magnetic force for a stable connection, while the matching color schemes of the two included wheels ensure you can tell who’s who during two-player fun. These little wheels will run you $25—but if you think you’ll get some use out of them, they’re a worthwhile accessory to have around.

Spigen Dual Grip Cover

It’s totally reasonable if you find the fairly thin Nintendo Switch 2 a little uncomfortable to hold in handheld mode for extended periods. Luckily, the Spigen Dual Grip can alleviate a lot of that discomfort by making things more ergonomic for you. This lightweight polycarbonate grip cover covers all of the parts of the Nintendo Switch 2 needed to ensure you can have a comfortable grip on the device without compromising your ability to place the console into its dock or use the kickstand. The Spigen Dual Grip will run you $30, but you’re getting a much better grip on your console without making any sacrifice in efficiency, so I’d say it’s worth the investment for anyone frequently using their Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode.

Samsung microSD Express Card

The Nintendo Switch 2 comes packing a lot more storage than its predecessor (256GB this time around), but if you’re the type to keep a smorgasbord of games on your console at once, you may want to expand your storage capacity with a microSD Express card. You can’t go wrong with the official Nintendo-branded Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card. Though you can certainly find both larger and cheaper microSD Express cards, this choice comes from one of the medium’s most trusted brands and doubles your overall storage for only $60. Hell yeah.

Transnovo 4-Slot Joy-Con Charging Dock

If you’re the kind of person who uses your Switch 2 Joy-Cons frequently — and especially if you have more than two — a good Joy-Con charging dock is important. And the Transnovo 4-Slot Joy-Con Charging Dock is a rad choice. Your Joy-Cons snap into the dock magnetically from any angle, and they’ll charge to full in around 2 hours. LED lights let you know when they’re charging (orange) or fully charged (blue), and the multiple RGB lighting modes can add a bit of flair to your desk or entertainment center. That’s some pretty cool shit.

Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case

Cases for the Nintendo Switch 2 are plentiful, so you should always pick one that meets your unique needs both in terms of looks and functionality. However, perhaps the best case on the market is the official Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case, which offers impressive protection, high-quality materials, and tons of storage inside. This chunky case even has a spot to store your Nintendo Switch 2 dock so that you can transport your docked console experience anywhere you want to go.

Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku

You’ll find six slots for game carts, storage for a Pro Controller, and a large mesh compartment for all of your cables. The only downside is that this big boy costs $85, so opting for a smaller, and thus cheaper, case may be a better bet if you only need protection for the handheld portion of the console.

It goes without saying that there are plenty of other accessories out there to score for your Nintendo Switch 2. But hopefully, this short list helped you get a feel for some of your best options. Now, get off here and go play some video games.

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Devolver Digital Reveals Ball x Pit, A Brick-Breaking Survival Roguelite That Looks Awesome
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Devolver Digital Reveals Ball x Pit, A Brick-Breaking Survival Roguelite That Looks Awesome

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Devolver Digital has revealed Ball x Pit, a brick-breaking, base-building survival roguelite that looks like the next indie time sink I can’t wait to jump into. There’s a demo out today on PC, and it’s launching on Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC sometime this year (here’s hoping it makes its way to PlayStation 5 one day, too). This was revealed as part of today’s Devolver Direct, which went with a different approach to its summer showcase this year. 

Instead of the zanier off-the-wall antics of the annual summer Devolver Direct, which usually contains multiple announcements, it released a documentary called “BALL x PIT: The Kenny Sun Story,” alongside a trailer for the game. 

You can view the Ball x Pit reveal trailer for yourself below: 

 

“In Ball x Pit, Ballbylon has fallen,” a press release reads. “After a meteoric and completely unexpected event annihilated the great city, all that remains is an ominous, yawning pit. Treasure hunters far and wide flock to the city’s tomb to seek their fortune, plundering the depths in search of Ballbylon’s scattered riches. Few return.

“The pit plays host to armies of barbaric creatures, hellbent on ending your quest before it even begins. Armed with a growing arsenal of magic-infused projectiles, batter your way through multiple levels of increasingly challenging obstacles to claim the ultimate prizes and rebuild New Ballbylon. With every glob you lob, gain valuable experience to develop overpowered spitball combinations, and recruit additional heroes to unlock new skills to send the gutter-dwelling goons packing.” 

As you can see in the Ball x Pit trailer above, it fuses quite a few different gameplay mechanics to create a roguelite. There’s classic brick-breaking action (with Vampire Survivors-like explosions of numbers all over the screen), base-building, and survival gameplay, all morphed into one experience as you attempt run after run. It features over 60 randomized balls to equip, 70 unique buildings for New Ballbylon that provide gameplay bonuses, power-ups, and characters, and more. 

You can try out Ball x Pit on PC via a new Steam demo right now before it launches on Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime this year. 



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Marvel's New Fighting Game Looks Simply Awesome
Product Reviews

Marvel’s New Fighting Game Looks Simply Awesome

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PlayStation’s State of Play livestream brought exciting news for fans of Marvel’s fighting games, with a surprising twist. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls—arriving in 2026 for PC and PS5—is coming not from Capcom, developer of so many past Marvel games in the genre, but instead from a different Japanese company, Arc System Works (Guilty Gear, BlazBlue).

Also of note, the game is a 4v4 tag-team fighter, and features some snazzy tokusatsu-inspired designs for its large roster of familiar characters.

The announcement trailer touting the collaboration between PlayStation Studios, Arc System Works, and Marvel Games gives you some eye candy to go with those details:

PlayStation’s official blog offers a few more details beyond that incredibly fun and high-energy teaser video:

”Generally, a team VS fighting game requires the player to learn multiple characters,” explained game director and lead battle designer Kazuto Sekine. “But for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, you only need to master one character in order to play the game. We have designed the mechanics in such a way that you can perform a variety of actions with either traditional fighting game inputs or simple inputs. With the press of a few buttons, multiple characters can appear on screen to provide backup or attack together—creating a new and exciting team VS battle experience.”

Those characters, the teaser and the blog post confirm, include Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Storm, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, and Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes). They will each feature “a bespoke set of Normal, Special, and Unique attacks inspired by their abilities and powers in Marvel lore,” with special consideration given to the game’s format as a specifically 4v4 tag-team fighter.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls arrives next year. Will you be checking out based on this first extended glimpse?

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



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