Racing seats simulate the feel of actually hitting the road in console and PC racing titles perfectly. Incorporate any of these racing seats into your gamer den, assemble it, add your steering wheel with pedals of choice, and it’s game on when the light turns to green. Without further ado, here are the best racing seats and simulators for PC and console gamers available right now:

2020 was a pretty sucky year, all things considered.

The pandemic that kept us all from enjoying each other’s company at our usual hang out spots changed everything as we know it. For the FGC (Fighting Game Community), its dedicated members were forced to engage in online tournaments for their favorite games instead of taking on the live competition existing in close proximity. That major change in the way fighting game tourneys were experienced worked to some extent. And thankfully, a nice selection of quality fighters launched and kept its assorted fans satisfied all the while.

With a new year comes a huge selection of brand new games. And as expected, a good number of them will let you claim victory over your opponents through careful play and combo mastery. These are the upcoming fighting games you need to play in 2021.

RetroMania Wrestling

Developer: Retrosoft Studios
Publisher: Retrosoft Studios
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: February 26

If you’re an old school wrestling head that practically lived in the arcades during its heyday, then you most likely spent plenty of quarters on WWF Wrestlefest. Retrosoft Studios has a soft spot in its heart for that classic in-ring brawler, which is why they’ve opted to produce an official sequel to that game. Enter RetroMania Wrestling, a throwback to simplistic yet wholly engaging wrestling games. Real-world wrestlers that hail from the indy scene and present-day NWA are joined by recognizable Hall of Famers within this retro wrestling experience. RetroMania Wrestling’s easy to pick up and play combat mechanics should do enough to make you and your fellow wrestling fans appreciate its nods to the good old days.

Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase RetroMania Wrestling.

Buy an Xbox Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase RetroMania Wrestling.

Buy a Nintendo eShop Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase RetroMania Wrestling.

Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing RetroMania Wrestling on PC.

GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-

Developer: Arc System Works
Publisher: Arc System Works
Platform: PS5, PS4, PC (Steam)
Release Dates: April 6 (Deluxe & Ultimate Editions), April 9 (Standard Edition)

Daisuke Ishiwatari, the Japanese video game developer known for his work with the Guilty Gear franchise, is going big with the series’ 2021 installment. And by the looks of it, the word “big” is an understatement. Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, May, and a host of returning/brand new characters are back to rev it up with anime-stylized weapons’ clashes. The presentation is even more gorgeous than before thanks to camera close-ups of big moves and the ability to knock your opponent to a new place on the current stage you’re doing battle on. The series’ signature metal soundtrack is still intact, the legacy combatants mark their return with refreshing new gear and the one-on-one action is just as hype as it’s ever been.

Buy GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- here.

Read More From Heavy

Guilty Gear -Strive-: Characters, Gameplay, Story, and More

Phantom Breaker: Omnia

Developers: Mages., GameLoop
Publisher: Rocket Panda Games
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

You’ve either experienced Phantom Breaker through its original fighting game form or delved into its chibi-stylized beat ’em up spinoff title. That previously released 2D fighter is getting a welcome upgrade that will transform it into the most definitive version released thus far. Phantom Breaker: Omnia includes past members of the roster and adds two brand new challenges into the fray. The soundtrack has been remixed to match modern-day standards, the story mode campaigns have thankfully been kept intact, and your usual array of fighting game balance changes will also come along for the wild ride.

Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

Buy an Xbox Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

Buy a Nintendo eShop Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Phantom Breaker: Omnia on PC.

And here’s a few fighting games that were released years prior, but are now making their way to certain consoles for the first time in 2021:

• Breakers Collection (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC – Steam): TBA

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

See Also

• All Upcoming First-Person Shooters of 2021

Everyone was forced to stay inside their homes for long periods at a time due to the 2020 pandemic.

Thankfully, the video game industry helped most folks stay busy by releasing a ton of quality first-person shooters. DOOM Eternal, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, BPM: Bullets Per Minute and a host of other intense FPS games enraptured everyone that played them. And come 2021, there are even more noteworthy FPS releases to look forward to. The games that have been placed on this list will place all sorts of awesome weaponry into your hands as you hand out plenty of pain and punishment from a first-person perspective.

These are all the upcoming first-person shooter games you need to keep an eye out for in 2021.

DEATHLOOP

Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platform: PS5, PC (Steam)
Release Date: May 21

The talented studio behind the first-person assassin gem known as the Dishonored series is trying something different with its next project. DEATHLOOP’s premise is quite intriguing – you play as an assassin named Colt, who’s been set upon an island with eight targets to eliminate. What makes his mission even harder is the presence of a time loop, which resets his progress should he be killed. You’ll need to make each bullet and move count during intense boss encounters, plus you’ll need to keep an eye out for assorted enemies and even a rival assassin who’s out to take you. DEATHLOOP looks to be worthwhile FPS mind trip work embarking on.

Buy DEATHLOOP here.

Back 4 Blood

Developer: Turtle Rock Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: June 22

You totally recognize Turtle Rock Studios, right? It’s the development team that produced one of the greatest co-op FPS experiences of all time with the Left 4 Dead series. Now the studio has returned with a spiritual successor to the zombie shoot-a-thon with Back 4 Blood. You and three other survivors have to employ all the guns, explosives, and melee weapons you have on deck for a bloody crusade against the Ridden. You can also choose to destroy those same survivors in PvP mode as a member of the parasitic army. Back 4 Blood should satiate Left 4 Dead fans’ blood thirst this summer.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platform: PS5, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Tango Gameworks is moving away from its survival horror series The Evil Within to a brand new supernatural first-person adventure. Ghostwire: Tokyo takes place in Tokyo, which has been emptied of its human populace and been refilled with harmful spirits. You attempt to find out what led to this monumental event by setting out to do battle with your melee abilities and psychic abilities on deck. Pulling off the game’s wealth of spells pushes you to utilize hand gestures, which is a pretty unique way of further incorporating Japanese culture into this brand new IP.

Viscerafest

Developers: Acid Man Games, Fire Plant Games
Publisher: 1C Entertainment
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Some folks will do anything for love, won’t they? In the year 3796, a mercenary by the name of Caroline wants to buy her boyfriend a super expensive ring. Money’s tight, so she ends up taking a big opportunity that’ll net her the extra funds she needs. She steps up to collect the bounty on the head of a warlock named Cromune, which means she’ll have to shoot through an army of alien threats in order to get close to him. Your alien killing journey takes place in Viscerafest, a FPS that feels like a long lost relic from the 90s. It’s time to go on an extraterrestrial slaughter fest!

Core Decay

Developers: Ivar Hill, Slipgate Ironworks
Publisher: 3D Realms
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Core Decay harbors an old school FPS vibe that should excite fans of Quake, Half-Life, and Duke Nukem. Your main goal within this brand new IP centers around exploring massive facilities on a version of Earth that’s on its last legs. While you’re hot on the trail of a secret organization that’s out to preserve humanity through sinister means, you’ll shoot down waves of baddies and upgrade yourself with cybernetic implants. Map out you own path through Core Decay’s mysterious locales and survive a dark future that takes place within 2089.

POSTAL: Brain Damaged

Developers: Hyperstrange, CreativeForge Games
Publishers: Running With Scissors, Hyperstrange
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The POSTAL series has always gone to the farthest of extremes as far as blood, gore, and outrageous humor goes. POSTAL: Brain Damaged is looking to do things a bit differently this time around when it comes to its main gameplay hook. Instead of perusing through an open-world, this outlandish FPS places you within assorted stages and embraces the tactics featured in retro shooters. The violent factor stays at an all time high here for longtime fans, plus the throwback approach to fast-paced and skill-based gunplay should keep them wholly entertained.

Shadow Warrior 3

Developer: Flying Wild Hog
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The first two Shadow Warrior games were met with plenty of acclaim thanks to their signature brand of humor, fun blend of ranged/melee combat, and free-running movement mechanics. Shadow Warrior 3 is looking to up the ante by further improving on what came before it and making it look even stronger on a graphical front than ever before. This highly anticipated sequel will let you slice, dice, and shoot everything in sight within a brand new rendition of Neo Feudal Japan. A slew of new weapons and executions will give you everything you need to dominate every enemy you come across during Shadow Warrior 3’s intense battle encounters.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Developer: Fatshark
Publisher: Fatshark
Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

If you played the Warhammer: Vermintide series to death, then this upcoming 4-player co-op shooter should be on your radar. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide places you and three other friends smack dab in the dark hive city known as Tertium. Before Tertium completely succumbs to its growing chaos, you and your allies step in to destroy the denizens that have brought on such a negative influence. You’ll get to clear out that evil presence with a huge armory that includes a chainsword, lasgun, shotgun, and so many more tools of immense destruction. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide may just be your next online co-op addiction.

SiN: Reloaded

Developers: Nightdive Studios, Slipgate Ironworks, Ritual Entertainment
Publishers: Nightdive Studios, 3D Realms
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

This is one of those remasters that completely came out of of nowhere. No one even knew that they wanted it, but now a lot of FPS devotees are ready to give it a chance. SiN: Reloaded throws a fresh coat of paint onto the 1998 shooter and comes with a content-rich package. The original single-player campaign and its expansion have been kept intact and improved immensely, plus the game’s two multiplayer modes also make their welcome return. For those not in the know, SiN: Reloaded is all about taking on the role of Colonel John R. Blade as he wages war against an evil bio-chemist. It’s time to blast some mutants and look good while doing it.

CrossfireX

Developers: Smilegate, Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Release Date: TBA

Smilegate is making a big play at making sure its smash hit FPS in Korea becomes just as major across the rest of the globe. In order to accomplish this grand mission, they’re doing two things – updating the game’s visuals via Unreal Engine 4 and partnering with Remedy Entertainment (Control, Quantum Break, Alan Wake) in order to craft a proper single-player campaign. At its core, CrossfireX is a team-based multiplayer FPS that’s similar in gameplay and scope to Counter-Strike. This newly refined edition of the shooter is much more than just a remaster – while it may feature updated versions of fan-favorite maps, CrossfireX is offering new content alongside it that will hopefully turn the series into a global phenomenon.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

Developer: GSC Game World
Publisher: GSC Game World
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Store)
Release Date: TBA

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a PC FPS gem that’s highly regarded to this very day. It originally released in 2007, which means the wait for an official follow-up has been excruciatingly long. In 2021, publisher/developer GSC Game World will place players within an immense space full of night terrors once again in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. You’ll need to prep yourself for the worst as you fully immerse yourself in a dark world that clearly has it out for you. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s story lets you make major decisions and progress in a non-linear fashion as you fight for survival within The Zone.

Far Cry 6

Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam), Google Stadia, Amazon Luna
Release Date: TBA

Ubisoft’s Far Cry franchise is known for throwing players into a new international locale and involving them in a heated conflict against a crazed leader. Far Cry 6 takes place on the fictional island of Yara, which is ruled by the iron fist of a dictator named “El Presidente” Antón Castillo (played by Giancarlo Esposito). That ruthless ruler just so happens to be raising his young son, who he hopes will take over his position one day. You set out to take down his regime as a guerilla fighter named Dani Rojas and will need to tap into his gun mastery to see his mission to completion. Like past Far Cry games, this upcoming sequel will feature a fully realized open world, a wealth of vehicles, and numerous allies that fight for your rightful cause.

Buy Far Cry 6 here.

Resident Evil Village

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard did the unthinkable – it practically revived Capcom’s survival-horror juggernaut by switching from third-person to first person and embracing its signature scares once again. That series installment’s winning formula is being revisited for a sequel that’s looking mighty impressive (and equally terrifying). Resident Evil Village marks the return of Ethan, who must explore a mysterious village after being betrayed by Chris Redfield. The game’s snow covered European expanse is jam packed with supernatural baddies, strange village denizens, and an assortment of puzzle situations that should be familiar to Resident Evil fans. Resident Evil Village looks to continue the goodwill garnered by its predecessor and keep Capcom’s horror-filled IP thriving for years to come.

GRAVEN

Developer: Slipgate Ironworks
Publishers: 3D Realms, 1C Publishing EU
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

GRAVEN actually isn’t about running headfirst into battle with automatic rifles and shotguns. It instead focuses on players running wild through a dark fantasy world with magical powers and melee weapons in tow. As the spiritual successor to the well-regarded Hexen 2, GRAVEN embraces everything its predecessor mastered so well. This retro stylized adventure embraces action RPG elements and mixes it up with hectic FPS combat. You’ll push your disgraced priest into climactic battles, come into contact with friendly townsfolk, solve elemental themed puzzles, etc. And what’s even cooler is that you can do it all with a friend in local split-screen or co-op.

Metal: Hellsinger

Developer: The Outsiders
Publisher: Funcom
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Last year’s BPM: Bullets Per Minute wowed gamers thanks to its clever mashup of FPS combat and rhythm game based mechanics. Now we have another shooter that’s looking to thrive off of that surprisingly potent mix in Metal: Hellsinger. The demons of Hell are ready and willing to tear you apart. You’ll need to master an assortment of debilitating firearms and shoot down all those demon hordes to the beat of a raging metal soundtrack. As you kill enemies in sync with the music, you’ll increase the mayhem happening around you and intensify the music blaring through your TV’s speakers. Metal: Hellsiger will sound so good as you kick tons of demon ass back to where it came from.

Kingpin: Reloaded

Developer: Slipgate Ironworks
Publishers: 3D Realms, Interplay
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Crime bosses tend to piss off a lot of their henchmen and try to eliminate them when they feel like they’ve been crossed. In the 1999 FPS Kingpin: Life of Crime, a mob boss by the name of The Kingpin takes out one of his goons. That goon ends up taking over the role as the main character during your quest for revenge against the crime lord that wronged him. That throwback shooter is getting a surprising remaster in 2021 with Kingpin: Reloaded, which is set to come with a whole lot of welcome improvements. Improved visuals, a No Violence mode for the more squeamish gamers out there, rebalanced gameplay, and an entirely new quest system. Kingpin: Reloaded is bringing back a slept-on shooter that’s set to gain a larger audience in 2021.

Rise of the Triad Remastered

Developer: TBA
Publisher: 3D Realms
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

90’s babies will most certainly get a kick out of this one. Rise of the Triad Remastered brings back the classic FPS with widescreen support, mouse look, and a revamped multiplayer component. Once again, you’ll choose between five characters during a mission that entails taking down a cult that’s engaging in some very unsavory activity. Weapons are divided into three categories (bullet, missile, and magic), which means you’ll have a nice arsenal of guns on command for your cult killing activities. This unexpected remaster is perfect for all those 90s PC FPS heads who loved a good DOOM clone or two.

ExoMecha

Developer: TwistedRed
Publisher: TwistedRed
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Microsoft Store)
Release Date: TBA

ExoMecha hopes to grab your interest and keep you entertained for years on end with its large scale multiplayer skirmishes, shiny mechs, and flashy gunplay. On top of having to compete with rival robots, you’ll also have to work with your team to do battle with a giant AI-controlled dragon. ExoMecha will have a lot going on on the battlefield – you’ll want to make sure your battle mech is fully prepared for all the explosive battles that will surely take place on it. Vehicles can be utilized, grappling hooks can be relied upon, and dashing is present alongside a host of other useful moves worth employing in ExoMecha’s war fueled world. By the way, this futuristic FPS is free-to-play.

Halo Infinite

Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam, Microsoft Store)
Release Date: TBA

343 Industries is going even bigger than ever before for Master Chief’s latest galaxy spanning adventure. As the third chapter of the franchise’s “Reclaimer Saga,” Halo Infinite will pit you against The Banished across the vast expanse of a Halo ring. Covenant aliens will also confront you, but your trusty Assault Rifle and brand new grappling hook should rise to the occasion during every enemy encounter. Halo Infinite is being set up as Master Chief’s biggest campaign to date. It’s time to save humanity once more and rise to the occasion as everyone’s favorite green armor toting super soldier.

Buy Halo Infinite here.

And here’s a few first person shooters that were released years prior, but are now making their way to certain consoles for the first time in 2021:

• WRATH: Aeon of Ruin (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch): February 25
• Terminator: Resistance (PS5): March 26
• BPM: Bullets Per Minute (PS4, Xbox One): TBA
• Insurgency: Sandstorm (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One): TBA
• Metro Exodus (PS5, Xbox Series X|S): TBA
• Serious Sam 4 (PS4, Xbox One): TBA
• XIII (Nintendo Switch): TBA

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

See Also

• All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2021

Was 2020 a super depressing year as a whole? Yep!

But were the video games that dropped that year also pretty amazing and worth getting distracted by? Yep! Some of the most outstanding titles that came out in 2020 came from the role-playing game genre. The biggest and best RPGs from that year that instantly come to mind have to be Final Fantasy VII Remake, Persona 5 Royal, Genshin Impact, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Plus there was a nice array of entertaining triumphs within the genre that came from indie studios and everyone’s favorite western RPG & JRPG development studios.

Now that 2021 is in full swing, it’s time to take a look at the next batch of quality RPGs that will take us to new worlds and let us embark on fresh adventures.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy

Developer: Koei Tecmo
Publisher: Koei Tecmo America
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Dates: January 25 (PC – Steam), January 26 (PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch)

The immense popularity of Ryza and her captivating adventures as an alchemist proved to be overwhelming to the point where she’s gotten herself a sequel. And this time, she’ll reunite with her longtime friends during a treasure hunt for the ages. Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy comes with brand new ways to explore the game’s open fields, a new & improved “real-time tactics” battle system, and the series’ signature item synthesis system. Ryza’s newest trek looks like it’ll be a joy now that she’s leaving her home island to go explore a grand royal capital. Let’s give three cheers for Ryza’s grand return!

Buy Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy here.

Sword of the Necromancer

Developer: Grimorio of Games
Publisher: JanduSoft S.L
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: January 28

The classic dungeon crawling mechanics of action RPGs have remained relevant due to a perfect marriage with the elements roguelike games are known for. Sword of the Necromancer looks to be a shining example of that rewarding fusion. Along with a collection of familiar combat and exploration methods, this brand new IP also lets you command your fallen foes to fight alongside you. Your main heroine comes in the form of Tama, who chooses to brave the Necromancer’s dungeon in order to acquire enough soul power to revive Koko. Tapping into the power of the forbidden Sword of the Necromancer is the only way you’ll be able to see her mission through to a successful end.

Buy a PSN Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Sword of the Necromancer.

Buy an Xbox Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Sword of the Necromancer.

Buy a Nintendo eShop Gift Card here so you can digitally purchase Sword of the Necromancer.

Pick up a Steam gift card here if you’re looking to start playing Sword of the Necromancer on PC.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Developer: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Dates: February 2 (PS4), TBA (Nintendo Switch, PC – Steam)

The Ys franchise has been going strong since 1987. The last two entries in the series have gained the most attention in recent years and now it looks like the ninth game will continue that upward trend. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox brings longtime series protagonist Adol Christin back as he and his ally Dogi arrive at a town called Balduq. After getting imprisoned, Adol meets a woman named Aprilis that turns him into a Monstrum, a being that has the power to exorcise monsters. With his newfound abilities, Adol fights alongside fellow Monstrum warriors in a bid to eliminate the monsters that emerge from a strange dimension called the Grimwald Nox. And you’ll get to see that mission through via incredibly fast action RPG combat mechanics.

Buy Ys IX: Monstrum Nox here.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood

Developer: Cyanide
Publisher: Nacon
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Epic Games Store)
Release Date: February 4

Based on White Wolf Publishing’s tabletop RPG, Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood places you in the role of an eco-terrorist werewolf named Cahal. Yes, you read that right. After being banished by the werewolf tribe you once belonged to, you set out to bring down a company led by vampires that’s responsible for the world’s pollution. You’ll handle all of your tasks while taking down your foes in werewolf form – after changing into such a rabid beast, you’ll be able to tap into your unique supernatural abilities. Like most open-world RPGs, you’ll take on plenty of missions, engage with interesting NPCs, and determine who is friend or foe. Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Earthblood will help you fulfill all of your beastly desires.

Buy Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood here.

Fallen Legion: Revenants

Developer: YummyYummyTummy
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: February 16

Fallen Legion: Revenants stands out due to two major factors – its gorgeous art style that’s reminiscent of Vanillaware games and its battles that play out in a manner similar to the Valkyrie Profile franchise. This beautifully stylized RPG places you in the role of Lucien, who must make his way through a castle floating in the sky. After discovering Exemplars, which are weapons that can be transformed into human warriors, Lucien aligns himself with a woman named Rowena as they look to fully revive her and reunite her with her living son. This newfound partnership also leads to them promising to overthrow the menace residing within their castle prison.

Buy Fallen Legion: Revenants here.

Persona 5 Strikers

Developers: Omega Force, P-Studio
Publisher: Atlus
Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: February 23

The misadventures of Persona 5’s Phantom Thieves haven’t come to a close just yet. In the same year that the definitive Persona 5 Royal drops, Atlus is offering fans another game that takes place within their beloved JRPG universe. And this time, you’ll be dishing out all sorts of beatdowns on hundreds of demons within a Musuou-stylized beat ’em up. Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers takes place six months after the main game and follows the Phantom Thieves as they enter a demon-filled version of Tokyo. What makes this Musou spinoff stand out is its clever mixture of your usual button-mashing tactics and the unique RPG mechanics that Persona 5 is known for. New Phantom Thieves join the fray as you set out to destroy the supernatural opposition and save the world once again.

Buy Persona 5 Strikers here.

Bravely Default II

Developers: Team Asano, Claytechworks Co. Ltd.
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: February 26

The once portable exclusive JRPG series known as Bravely Default is finally graduating to a larger platform with its official sequel. Bravely Default II transports fans to an entirely new realm to explore (Excillant) with four new Heroes of Light in tow – Seth, Gloria, Elvis, and Adelle. Your massive journey within this Nintendo Switch exclusive focuses on retrieving four Crystals and putting the Brave/Default battle system through its proper paces. The visuals are even cleaner and vibrant this time around, plus the sweeping musical score comes from the team that was attached to previous entries in the series. Bravely Default II looks to be a massive upgrade over its 3DS brethren.

Buy Bravely Default II here.

Monster Hunter Rise

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 26

Since launching in 2017, Monster Hunter: World has enraptured fans and newcomers alike due to its engrossing battles with some of the most dangerous monsters ever seen in gaming. Capcom is finally moving on from that series entry to create a brand new Monster Hunter experience for the Nintendo Switch. The new monster-hunting adventures you’ll embark upon in this new entry will see your hunter team up with the familiar Palico companion and a new dog-like creature called a Palamute. Now you’ll be able to navigate each monster’s hunting grounds in a quicker fashion thanks to your new pet and even swing through the air thanks to the debuting Clutch Claw tool. All of the weapons from Monster Hunter Generations and World are featured here, so loyal fans should be enamored with all the gear at their disposal in Monster Hunter Rise.

Buy Monster Hunter Rise here.

Outriders

Developer: People Can Fly
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: April 1

People Can Fly is a studio closely associated with the 1st-person shooter genre thanks to underrated gems such as Painkiller and Bulletstorm. Their latest foray into the run and gun genre is more along the lines of the 3rd-person viewpoint. And what makes this project even more special is its reliance on cover-based shooting mechanics and deep RPG progression systems. As an Outrider gifted with powerful Altered abilities, you’ll get embroiled in a civil war on the planet Enoch and come into contact with all sorts of gun grunts and superpowered foes. Outriders combines the best elements of Destiny, The Division and Mass Effect into a surprisingly fun action RPG that sci-fi fans will adore.

Buy Outriders here.

Read More From Heavy

Outriders: Story, Character Classes, Gameplay, and More

Poison Control

Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: NIS America
Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: April 13

Ending up in Hell even though you’re considered a living being simply sucks. And the only way you’ll be able to return to the Mortal Realm is by joining forces with a sinister woman who wants to own your soul for good. The shaky alliance Poison Control throws you into is certainly an intriguing one – you’ll need to quickly become comfortable with Poisonette during your mission to purify the hearts of distraught girls. You’ll venture through all sorts of spiritual realms called Belles’ Hells and gun down the baddies that seek out an end to your existence.

Buy Poison Control here.

Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…

Developer: Toylogic
Publisher: Sqaure Enix
Platform: PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: April 23

Nier: Automata put the once-obscure action RPG franchise on the map and is still selling boatloads of copies to this day. That game’s predecessor launched in the US to little acclaim, but now a newly updated version of the game that originally released in Japan is on its way to the States. Nier Replicant (and it’s mind-bending number-based moniker) will arrive with new & improved visuals, a retooled combat system that’s similar to Automata’s, and the characters that originated from the Japanese version of the original Nier. It’s up to you to save your sister once again and battle through a vast world filled with quirky characters and vicious monsters.

Buy Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… here.

Almighty: Kill Your Gods

Developer: RUNWILD Entertainment
Publisher: Versus Evil
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Walking around a world ravaged by demons should seem like the worst thing ever. But for a race of horned magical warriors called Alphas, that nightmare scenario is a dream to them. You’ll get to take control of your very own Alpha and join up with your fellow beast beaters in this action-packed RPG. Almighty: Kill Your Gods tasks you with tearing through false gods, demons, and monsters in the most vicious ways possible. It’s entirely possible for you to run around the battlefield with the arm of a massive foe you’ve just torn to shreds. Your Alpha’s magic gauntlets play a huge part in helping them deliver devastating melee/ranged attacks, so there’s a ton of fun in figuring out this action RPG’s best combat methods. IT’S TIME TO KILL SOME GODS!

Rune Factory 5

Developer: Marvelous
Publisher: Xseed Games
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: TBA

The Rune Factory series has surprisingly morphed into a huge fan favorite. Each game has delivered a worthwhile experience thanks to the simple acts of farming, dungeon exploring, and falling in love. Rune Factory 5 looks to retain all of those elements while also adding fresh features, such as teaming up with tamed monsters and friendly villagers to unleash massive attacks. The protagonist at the heart of Rune Factory 5 loses all of his memory and soon finds himself fighting for the side of good alongside a peacekeeping rangers crew, which kickstarts his new lease on life and gives him a reason to find himself.

King’s Bounty II

Developer: 1C Entertainment
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The first-ever King’s Bounty was released all the way back in 1990. Fast forward to 2021 and now longtime fans are finally getting the sequel they so desperately asked for. King’s Bounty II transports players to the medieval fantasy realm of Antara and lets them map out their journey via a non-linear storyline. Battles play out in a tactical turn-based form and the many environments you’ll come upon play a huge part in effecting combat advantages/disadvantages. With three characters to choose from, a ton of units to attain, and a huge sprawling world to explore, King’s Bounty II looks like it’ll be one of the more enjoyable RPG time sinks of the year.

Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny

Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: TBA

The Disgaea strategy RPG series has been held high amongst sub-genre fans due to its outlandish humor, addictive leveling up structure, and outrageous battle damage numbers. Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny will uphold all of those favorable series mainstays while switching to 3D models for its zany roster. The sixth entry in the series places a newbie named Zed into the main protagonist fold, who just so happens to be a Netherworld zombie on the warpath against a vengeful god. Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny may just be the game that takes the franchise as a whole to higher levels of mainstream relevancy.

Buy Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny here.

Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms

Developer: Gamera Interactive
Publisher: All In Games
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms honors the legendary top-down action RPGs of the early 2000s with its fast and furious approach to combat. You’ll get to clash with all manner of adversaries as one of four playable races (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, or Orcs) within a world reminiscent of The Middle Ages’ darkest period. Customizing your hero, completing quests, and increasing your reputation will take you down a lofty path across The Four Kingdoms. Align yourself with one of the game’s 12 companions and chart out your kingdom spanning adventure in this retro-flavored action RPG.

The Ascent

Developer: Neon Giant
Publisher: Curve Digital
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Prepare to embark upon a brand new cyberpunk-themed action RPG crusade. The Ascent can be played on your own or with two other co-op allies as you dish out tons of punishment within a Diablo-like experience. After a self-contained corporate-run metropolis mysteriously shuts down, you rise above your former enslaved status and try to find out what happened. As you blast through waves of dangerous foes, you’ll also fight off rival corporations and outside crime syndicates as they look to take advantage of your fallen district’s disastrous state. This cyberpunk adventure features everything you’ve come to expect – brightly lit cities, body modifications, and a whole lot of gun blasting.

Cris Tales

Developers: Dreams Uncorporated, SYCK
Publisher: Modus Games
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

This indie homage to classic JRPG’s looks to be one of the bigger gems of the genre in 2021. Cris Tales plays around with the concept of time during battle as you’re able to warp your foes into the past or the future if you so choose. And the coolest part about these time hops is the fact that they can both take place on one screen. Along with those unique combat mechanics is a deep story that reacts to your most important decisions and the use of gorgeously animated 2D visuals to boot. Time is certainly on your side during your extensive journey through the four kingdoms of Crystallis as you acquire lovable companions along the way.

Buy Cris Tales here.

Digimon Survive

Developer: Witchcraft
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

It looks like the Digimon games are moving away from their cheery Cyber Sleuth adventures onto something more sinister. Digimon Survive is being described as a “survival RPG” that incorporates several gameplay genres, such as visual novel storytelling and strategy RPG battle mechanics. Your favorite Digital Monsters will come along for the ride as you make crucial decisions while exploring an unknown world. The choices you make may end up killing someone you’ve become attached to, which makes Digimon Survive a lot more involved and darker than previous series entries.

Buy Digimon Survive here.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance

Developer: Tuque Games
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Platforms: Consoles TBA, PC TBA
Release Date: TBA

Dungeons & Dragons has remained relevant as the most most popular tabletop RPG of all time. And in the years since its genre-defining introduction, fans have also enjoyed their dungeon exploring ventures in video game form. The latest digital foray into the world of D&D is Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, which is a spiritual successor to the Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance series. This upcoming action RPG takes place within the frosty locale of Icewind Dale and features four playable races that fans will surely recognize. Players can busy themselves with single-player enemy vanquishing or hop into co-op monster-bashing in a local/online four-player co-op setting.

Echo Generation

Developer: Cococucumber
Publisher: Cococucumber
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Release Date: TBA

Echo Generation instantly gives off Stranger Things vibes at first glance. It features a band of small-town kids who’re looking to save their town from a supernatural menace. Monsters and robots are a part of that dangerous ensemble, which leads the kids towards taking them on during action-packed turn-based battles. And you’ll get to tinker around neighboring towns and interact with new kids that could potentially become your newest party members. Echo Generation’s 90s aesthetic, retro stylized 3D visuals, and upbeat theme all make it worth a look.

The Good Life

Developer: White Owls Inc.
Publisher: The Irregular Corporation
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The Good Life’s entire premise is just weird enough to work and possibly become an unexpected hit for RPGs in 2021. It centers on an investigator named Naomi, who makes her way from the big city of New York to a sleepy town called Rainy Woods. While there, she gets embroiled in an investigative caper that puts her in contact with some quirky individuals. The big secret behind the town (which is villagers being able to transform into cats and dogs at night) puts you at the center of a major mystery that Naomi wants to learn more about. Getting to the bottom of the phenomenon at the center of Rainy Woods means you’ll be taking a whole lot of photos, working commission-based gigs, and exploring your new digs as a feisty feline.

Gotham Knights

Developer: WB Games Montréal
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: TBA

Gotham Knights throws players into a version of Gotham City without Bruce Wayne/Batman and Commissioner Gordon to protect it. Due to an increase in illegal activity, the rest of the Bat Family must band together to save the city from Batman’s infamous rogue’s gallery. Players can play on their own or link up with a co-op buddy to perform some flashy heroics as Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, or Red Hood. You’ll get to master all of their unique combat abilities as you run into Mr. Freeze and the dangerous organization known as The Court of Owls.

Hogwarts Legacy

Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to life in a major way with a brand new AAA experience known as Hogwarts Legacy. Set during the 1800s before Harry Potter’s grand arrival, players will get to build their own legacy as an incoming student. Your magical travels will take you to every corner of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Forbidden Forest, and Hogsmeade Village locations. Learning powerful spells and taming mythical beasts are just a sample of the magical activities you’ll keep busy with during your time spent at Hogwarts.

Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, PS4
Release Date: TBA

The young huntress known as Aloy went to war with some of the biggest mechanical behemoths anyone has ever laid eyes on. Now the tribal warrior is embarking on a new adventure that will pit her against a new collection of robotic beasts. Horizon Forbidden West will transport players to a brand new post-apocalyptic hub world in hopes of finding the source of a deadly plague. This sequel’s region will feature a myriad of weather systems, hidden ruins, and beasts that are ripe for discovery. Aloy’s new affinity for swimming will surely give players another method towards exploring the entirety of the Forbidden West.

Hytale

Developer: Hypixel Studios
Publisher: Hypixel Studios
Platform: PC
Release Date: TBA

Hypixel Studios’ massive RPG has been in the works since 2015. And thanks to the work of Minecraft’s multiplayer developers and funding from Riot Games, that lofty project is finally reaching the finish line of development. Hytale will give its player base a massive sandbox to play around in that’s full of procedurally-generated content to enjoy. The blocky stylings of Hytale certainly make it approachable for younger gamers. And thanks to its deep block building customization mechanics, Minecraft players will surely find a lot to appreciate here.

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale

Developer: NeocoreGames
Publisher: NeocoreGames
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The well-told tale of the Arthurian legend known as King Arthur is getting retold in this playable modern rendition. And it’s a lot darker than past iterations. You take on the role of Sir Mordred, King Arthur’s mortal foe. After an epic struggle, both you and your longtime foe fall in battle. But thanks to the magical abilities of a mythical sorceress, both you and Arthur come back to life. It’s up to you to finish your violent clash against the powerful knight. Making your way back towards your meeting with Arthur entails building up an army of worthy warriors who’re ready to fight by your side. Those fights play out in the fashion of the XCOM reboot games, which should peak some of you gamers’ interest.

Kingdom of Night

Developer: Black Seven Studios
Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Satanic cults can’t just leave well enough alone, can’t they? Their dark summoning has unwittingly called upon an ancient evil within the quiet town of Watford, Arizona. And now their actions have caused demons to ravage the town and its people, which puts you at odds with their all too evil machinations. As a young man simply named John, you’ll choose from one of nine battle classes as you attempt to beat back the Five Demon Generals and fight your way into Baphomet’s massive fortress, Leviathan. Kingdom of Night proudly wears its 80s era roots on its sleeve and offers a deep action RPG experience that’s up to the genre’s modern-day standards. Takedown those vicious demons in this coming of age tale and save your town from complete extinction while you’re at it.

King of Seas

Developer: 3DClouds
Publisher: 3DClouds
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Lovers of the sea and adventurous treasure hunters, rejoice! For 3DClouds has answered your cries for a pirate expedition that can be experienced across all current-gen consoles. Welcome to King of Seas, an action RPG that sees you sailing the high seas in an effort to avenge your father’s demise. You’ll get wrapped up in intense naval combat encounters within a procedurally generated world that reacts to everything you do. Besides the many missions you’ll take on, you’ll also engage in fishing, trading, and a whole lot of treasure hunting. Brave the many dangers of the sea, customize your ship to your liking and eliminate the rivalships that cross your path in King of Seas.

NEO: The World Ends with You

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: TBA

It’s been quite a while since gamers have explored the bright and bubbly locale of Shibuya within The World Ends with You. The 2018 re-release of the underrated action RPG reminded fans of how zany of a game it was and now we’re getting a proper follow-up. NEO: The World Ends with You marks the return of the dreaded Reaper’s Game. A group of new young heroes will have to fight for their lives within a highly stylized city locale that’s now fully realized with the power of modern consoles. And by the looks of this unexpected sequel, it may just be a prequel that gives us more backstory behind the series’ fate-changing game.

Neptunia ReVerse

Developers: Idea Factory, Compile Heart, Felistella
Publisher: Idea Factory International
Platforms: PS5
Release Date: TBA

It’s celebration time for the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series! In conjunction with its 10th anniversary, a definitive remake of Hypderdimension Neptunia Re:Birth1 is on its way. That refined experience is arriving in the form of Neptunia ReVerse, which will delve back into the fourth-wall-breaking antics of the franchise’s console wars storyline. The familiar waifus that reside within the land of Gameindustri make their return as they explore its many locales and contend with its many dangers. Some of the remake’s bigger enhancements are an improved UI, an immersive fishing game, and all new music.

New World

Developer: Amazon Game Studios Orange County
Publisher: Amazon Game Studios
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Everyone’s favorite online shopping service has thrown its hat into another industry – video games. Amazon is going big with its next project, which is an MMORPG that takes place in the mid-1600s. Your travels will take you to a land that’s fashioned after colonial America and give you the option to align with one of three factions – the Marauders, Syndicate, or Covenant. Once you’ve chosen your alliance, you can choose to link up with up to four people on a grand conquest against vicious beasts and an ancient evil that’s looking to erase the human race. New World’s unique time setting and buy-to-play model make it an intriguing proposition for those looking for a new MMORPG to enjoy.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

Developer: Online R&D
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Phantasy Star Online 2 finally made its way onto American consoles via the Xbox One last year. While many enjoyed its addictive action RPG combat and familiar MMORPG tropes, it definitely felt a bit dated in places. The game’s devs have taken note of that and are now looking to bring PSO2 into the next-generation with a proper upgrade. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis shares its universe with PSO2, which should keep both fanbases pleased. The visuals are a lot more striking, which means the game’s huge battles, varied worlds, and other assets will look a whole lot better than the base version of PSO2. New Genesis is practically a new game when you really think about it.

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

Developer: Airship Syndicate
Publisher: Riot Forge
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Leauge of Legends is branching out from its MOBA ways for a more traditional approach to RPGs with this spinoff. Ruined King: A League of Legends Story gives you command over six champions as you make your way around the realm of Bilgewater. The sea-faring adventure you’ll find yourself on will put you on the path towards the Shadow Isles, which will push you towards figuring out what’s behind something called the Black Mist. Fans should prep themselves for turn-based battles, a bigger focus on storytelling, and traditional puzzle-solving segments that set LoL apart from its MOBA traditions.

SaGa Frontier Remastered

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam), iOS, Android
Release Date: TBA

It’s been a while since Square Enix has dabbled into one of its more slept-on RPG franchises, SaGa. The Japanese publisher/developer is breathing new life into one of the series’ best entries via a remaster. SaGa Frontier Remastered isn’t just improving upon the original’s beautifully crafted 2D sprites, but it’s also adding even more content to boot. New playable characters, events, and several other features will magnify the rewarding experience SaGa Frontier is regularly celebrated for. SaGa Frontier Remastered should enrapture newcomers with its narrative-pushing Free-Form Scenario System and please longtime fans with its new coat of paint and additional content.

Scarlet Nexus

Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

The future depicted within Scarlet Nexus is a frightening one. A flood of creatures referred to as the Others are running rampant around New Himuka. With the newfound strength acquired from the substances once held dormant within one’s brain, some humans emerge with the abilities required to defeat the Others. As either Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall, you’ll defend humanity as a member of the Other Suppression Force (OSF). This means you’ll get to pull off some pretty swanky maneuvers with your melee weaponry and psychokinesis-powered skills. During your flashy battles, you’ll encounter additional party members and rely on their talents to make your hero/heroine even stronger.

Buy Scarlet Nexus here.

She Dreams Elsewhere

Developer: Studio Zevere
Publisher: Studio Zevere
Platforms: Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

She Dreams Elsewhere is one of the more intriguing indie RPGs dropping in 2021. It centers on a woman named Thalia, who’s, unfortunately, suffering from the mental turmoil that’s preventing her from waking up from a comatose state. Thalia sets out on a reflective journey that links her up with a cast of memorable characters who all set out to defeat a flood of nightmarish beings within her mind. She Dreams Elsewhere’s surreal premise, endearing cast of party members, and mind-bending art style are certainly worth the price of admission.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster

Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: TBA

Anyone who spent an alarming amount of hours playing the original version of this demon-infested RPG knows just how hard it was. Thankfully, this upcoming remaster will make it a bit easier for everyone to delve into its dark world with a new difficulty setting. The other additional features coming to Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is fully-voiced cinematics, downloadable content, and an uptick in visual fidelity. Newcomers should give this PS2 RPG a look if they’re interested in recruiting demons for a dangerous trek through a post-apocalyptic world.

Shin Megami Tensei V

Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: TBA

Can you believe that Shin Megami Tensei V was first shown off during the 2017 unveiling of the Nintendo Switch? But now in 2021, we’re finally going to get our hands on the latest demon-hunting/collecting/fusing adventures of a new mysterious protagonist. Game director Kazuyuki Yamai described this long-awaited series entry as a mix between the third and fourth Shin Megami Tensei titles, which sounds like an exciting prospect for longtime fans. Shin Megami Tensei V looks to be a definite highlight of the Switch’s release lineup for 2021.

Tales of Arise

Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Bandai Namco’s premier RPG franchise is returning for the third entry in its current-gen run. Tales of Arise follows Shionne and Alphen, two individuals who find themselves having to come together even though they come from opposing planets. Both characters exist within a world where one planet (Rena) has ruled over another planet (Dahna) for 300 years by pillaging their resources and ruling their people with an iron fist. The two main protagonists of this new Tales game come to depend on each other and look to find a way to chart out a new future for themselves and their respective worlds. The series’ signature “Linear Motion Battle System” makes its return and lets you utilize both Shioone and Alphan’s magical abilities during Tales of Arise’s epic battles.

Buy Tales of Arise here.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

Developer: Hardsuit Labs
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

No one ever expected to get a sequel to 2004’s cult classic Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. But it’s actually happening. Developer Hardsuit Labs and publisher Paradox Interactive are making a lot of fans happy with this upcoming release. After being killed and revived as a “thinblood” vampire in 21st-century Seattle, you chart out your own journey as you increase your vampiric abilities and align yourself with one of five “Full-blood” clans. Bloodlines 2’s massive open-world plays host to a wealth of interesting missions to play out and a morality system that determines how people react to you. Utilize your newfound vampiric powers and carefully navigate the dark corners of Bloodlines’ world.

Buy Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 here.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong

Developer: Big Bad Wolf
Publisher: Nacon
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 isn’t the only large scale RPG coming from the series in 2021. As a part of the World of Darkness tabletop RPG series, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong will let you command three vampires during a trek through the dark streets of Boston. Following a mysterious shootout, you’ll set out on an investigative quest and look for answers as to why it happened & who ordered the attack. Your vampiric trio will tap into their otherworldly powers, choose when to unleash them, and make important moral decisions as they find themselves under a new ruler who seeks to bring various vampire factions together.

And here’s a few RPG’s that were released years prior, but are now making their way to certain consoles for the first time in 2021:

• Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest (Nintendo Switch): January 7
• Marchen Forest: Mylne and the Forest Gift (PS4, Nintendo Switch): January 28
• Skyforge (Nintendo Switch): February 4
• Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition (PS5; buy it here): February 5
• Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition (PS4, PC – Steam): February 5
• Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition (PS5; buy it here): February 5
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon (PS5): March 2
• Saviors of Sapphire Wings & Stranger of Sword City Revisited (Nintendo Switch, PC – Steam): March 16
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV (Nintendo Switch, PC – Steam; buy it here): TBA
• Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia): TBA
• Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S): TBA
• Haven (PS4, Nintendo Switch): TBA
• Hellpoint (PS5, Xbox Series X|S): TBA
• Maneater (Nintendo Switch): TBA
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (PS4, Xbox One, PC – Steam): TBA
• Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (Nintendo Switch): TBA
• Temtem (Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch): TBA
• The Witcher III: Wild Hunt (PS5, Xbox Series X|S): TBA

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

See Also

• All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2021
• All Upcoming First-Person Shooters of 2021
• All Upcoming Racing Games of 2021

Whether you need your high-performance business PC on the go or you just want to take your gaming rig to a LAN party, a desktop-sized computer carry case is a must-have. So rather than stuffing all of your gear into a piece of hardshell luggage, consider one of these specially-designed PC carrying cases to keep your desktop safe during travel.

The latest game to take the world by storm, Valheim, is out now on PC, but many players are wondering if the game will ever make its way to consoles.

To put it gently, it’s certainly a game that looks like it could run on consoles for sure, but when it released, it did so only on PC. That’s not to say that a console version for PS5 or Xbox Series X is ruled out completely, and it’s safe to say that demand is certainly high.

Cracking over 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, it appears that this game has proven to be a hit and it could also have the staying power of a game like Ark or Rust. Ark is already on consoles, including the Switch, and Rust is confirmed to launch on PS4 and Xbox One later this year.

As more and more streamers learn about the game and check it out, we expect that number to grow significantly. We saw something similar happen with Rust, a game that has long been on the market, so it’ll definitely be interesting to see what happens with a newer game like Valheim.

Now, players are wondering if Valheim will be arriving on those consoles, and the devs have an answer, although it’s not necessarily the one that you might want to hear.

Will Valheim Be on Xbox or PlayStation?

Coffee Stain PublishingValheim could come to consoles eventually.

In an FAQ page on the game’s website, the developers state that nothing’s in the works, but since it’s a frequently asked question, it’s clear there must be some sort of demand.

“Valheim will be released on Windows and Linux via Steam,” says the FAQ. “A Mac-version will be released if there is any significant demand for it. There are no plans to release on other platforms as of the time of writing but we won’t rule out console versions in the future.”

The main thing to pay attention to in that quote is that the door isn’t shut for good, but it’s just not something that’s being prioritized at the moment. They mention that if there is “significant demand” for a release, they’ll look at it.

This means that it might just come down to voicing your opinion and letting the devs know you want a port.

Don’t Lose Hope

We see a lot of games that pick up steam on PC and eventually make a jump over to consoles. One recent example of this is Among Us, something that eventually came over to the Nintendo Switch after seeing great success on PC.

For this reason, we shouldn’t lose hope that this game could eventually come to consoles, but it might be exclusively for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S by the time it releases if it doesn’t want to be hampered by the old hardware of the Xbox One and PS4.

As of right now, there’s no timetable for any of this, so it’s just a matter of speculation, but we’ll definitely follow any news that comes out as Valheim grows more and more as a game.

READ NEXT: Fortnite Flash Skin Leaks Following Green Arrow Departure

A major refresh is in store for Street Fighter V. And with it comes our first DLC roster entrant for Season 5 and a brand new battle mechanic.

The game’s Winter Update livestream kicked off by focusing on Rose and the stage she’ll be bundled with, the Marina of Fortune arena from Street Fighter Alpha 2. The motion capture process for the character was put on full display to give viewers a closer look at how her in-game model will function. Then we got a good look at her 3D model and a few of her normal’s, special moves, V-Skill’s, and V-Trigger’s. Rose’s V-Skill 1 actually utilizes tarot cards to make her stronger or her opponent weaker, while her V-Skill 2 marks the return of her Soul Satellite super. Her V-Trigger 1 gives her a time warp, while her V-Trigger 2 brings back her Soul Illusion maneuver.

Afterward, Dan popped up to showcase his new Battle Costume (which comes with his infamous Tengu mask) and taunt-centric V-Skill 1. Dan’s V-Trigger 1 lets him shoot off his Haoh-Gadoken projectile, which can actually be charged to bounce opponents or cause a guard break. Dan’s V-Skill 2 utilizes another type of taunt that can be used to cancel into other moves. His V-Trigger 2 improves his special moves and gives them even stronger combo potential. Dan’s Critical Art was also showcased for the very first time and it’s quite impressive.

As for the new battle mechanic, it’s called V-Shift. After activating it, players can dash out of the way of an opponent’s attack in slow motion and follow up with one of their own. A V-Shift-Break is an attack that can be landed immediately right after pulling off a V-Shift. Balance changes are also on the way and by the looks of things, the game’s weaker characters are getting a much-needed boost in match viability.

Capcom

Dan, the V-Shift battle mechanic, the latest batch of balance changes, and even a brand new training stage are set to arrive on Feb. 22. The usual Character Pass will also be joined by a Premium Character Pass, which comes with even more character costumes, stages, and more.

Getting the Premium Character Pass also gives you access to a bonus DLC character – Eleven, who’s a spinoff of Twelve from Street Fighter III: Third Strike. To close off the stream, we got a quick glimpse at Oro and saw him pull off his signature Tengu Stone technique that surrounds him with all sorts of projectiles.

Read More From Heavy

All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2021

The Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour was most definitely the epitome of hype.

In the middle of all the intense tournaments, viewers got treated to a special demonstration of Dragon Ball FighterZ’s next DLC roster member – Dragon Ball GT’s Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta. Besides getting a good look at his normals and auto combo, we also got to witness his sick super moves. SS4 Gogeta’s level one super move sees him landing a series of powerful strikes on his foe and proceeding to split into multiple copies of himself before he lands a final finishing blow.

As for his level three super, it produces his signature Big Bang Kamehameha beam attack. SS4 Gogeta’s main gimmick lets him pull off a taunt that actually levels him up in the middle of a match. The maximum level he can reach is seven, which has the power to magnify the damage potential of his level three super. The damage on that maneuver is practically an instant kill if you’re able to pull it off (via the 100x Big Bang Kamehameha).

One of the cooler aspects of SS4 Gogeta is his Dragon Punch special – every time you land it, you’re gifted with one of the seven dragon balls that are situated in the middle of the bottom of the screen. SS4 Gogeta’s other special moves allow him to activate a Ki attack that he can pull off while his arms are folded, his hilarious confetti Kamehameha fakeout, and a counter stance move that blocks projectiles & lands an attack on enemies that super dash. Two other great moves he can utilize are a gut punch that can also lead to a close-up beam attack and a slick ax kick.

SS4 Gogeta will be available for everyone to master on March 12 (FighterZ Pass 3 owners will get him two days early on March 10, of course).

See Also:

• All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2021
• Guilty Gear -Strive-: Characters, Gameplay, Story, and More
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Reveal Trailer for Pyra & Mythra

While it’s not exactly Diablo 4, something that has fans very hyped in the near future is Diablo 2: Ressurected, which is a return to what some players consider to be the pinnacle of the franchise.

If you’re feeling nostalgic or you weren’t a fan of the direction Diablo 3 went in, then this remaster of the Blizzard classic will be exactly what you’re searching for.

While we are still waiting on the release date, some players will be lucky enough to test out the game in a technical alpha beginning on April 9. Some creators and member of the press will get in a day earlier than that.

It won’t be open to everyone out there, but instead it will be limited to players who opted-in for the alpha and the participants will be chosen at random.

How to Opt-In

BlizzardStay awhile and listen.

If you want to be one of the lucky few who are chosen to play in this alpha, then you’ll have to opt-in.

It’s a very simple process as all you’ll have to do is head over to this link and sign in with your Battle.net account. From there, just follow the simple steps to get everything set up.

From there, you’ll have to play the waiting game and hope the powers that be choose you for access. It’s tough to not be one of the chosen few, but we’re sure there will be more opportunities in the future if you are not selected.

It might go without saying, but this alpha is for PC players only.

What’s in the Alpha?

Let the claws of the demons drag you back in. The #DiabloII: Resurrected Technical Alpha starts 4/8.

💀 https://t.co/IhtHlcH4iB pic.twitter.com/efD0ywQcL4

— Diablo (@Diablo) April 6, 2021

If you are given access, it might be worth knowing what you’re able to do. According to Blizzard, you’ll have access to the first two acts of Diablo 2, meaning you’ll be able to face Andariel and Duriel before your time comes to an end.

Although it’s just the first two acts of the game, we’re sure the dank catacombs of Act 2 and the rundown monastery where Andy lives will be more than enough to show off what the new Diablo 2 style looks like.

Blizzard does say there is no level cap for this alpha, so you’ll be able to keep on leveling and filling out your skill tree as much as you’d like it. All of the classes won’t be available here as just the Barbarian, Amazon and Sorceress will be here at first.

Epic GamesThe Necromancer won’t be available at first.

It’s also worth mentioning that this will be a strictly single-player experience, so you’ll have to wait until you can tackle the game with your friends.

The developers say that there will be a separate test focusing on the multiplayer aspect later this year.

This alpha will run from April 9 at 10 a.m. ET until April 12 at 1 p.m. ET. This should be more than enough time to see what the game has to offer. Of course, we don’t get to see what Mephisto, Diablo or Baal look like with the overhauled graphics, nor do we get to see the other four classes.

It’s possible future alphas and betas will give us access to all of this, so keep an eye out for that!

Diablo 2: Resurrected will be releasing on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Switch and PC.

READ NEXT: Diablo 4 Revamps Couch Co-Op For The Better

Ryu Hayabusa and his fiend-killing Dragon Sword have finally returned.

Koei Tecmo heard the constant cries for their badass ninja and have answered in kind with an awesome compilation. The collection we’re speaking of is Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, which compiles three high-octane action games worth going back to. You can revisit (or experience for the very first time) the following three titles – Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. For the uninitiated, the 3D Ninja Gaiden games are far from easy. The developers behind this trio of games know how to maneuver through all of Ryu’s biggest threats and have provided you all with some tips on how to prevail against his vicious detractors.

Here are the top 10 tips, tricks, and cheats you need to know for Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection.

1. Born to Run

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• Ryu Hayabusa has incredible agility and it is important to use his wall running and jumping ability to position him correctly when fighting your foes. Wall jumping and running can also help you get to hard-to-reach areas as well as find unique items in the game.

2. Might as Well Jump

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• Looking to do some fast damage? The Flying Swallow is one of the more powerful techniques in the Ninja Gaiden franchise. This technique allows you to jump in the air and slash through several enemies quickly…in some cases hitting them with an immediate decapitation.

3. By the Neck

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• A fan-favorite oldie-but-goodie move from the Ninja Gaiden arcade game that can still be applied today is the Guillotine Throw. Use this strong move to help eliminate enemies by grabbing their necks and tossing them to the ground or wall.

4. Set to Stun

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• With the variety of weapons at Hayabusa’s disposal, it’s easy to forget the basic Shuriken…but whatever you do, don’t forget the Shuriken. Shuriken plays an important part in battle. Throw them to briefly stun an enemy and open up a bigger strike or use them mid-combo to help lengthen the number of strikes done to one opponent, opening up a number of unique (and deadly!) possibilities.

5. Remember to Dismember

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• In Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, a new technique is available called the Obliteration Technique. This technique is extremely useful since it helps you eliminate your enemy instantly if they have been dismembered. If their arm or leg is missing, you can push the strong attack to put them out of their misery.

6. The Drop

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• The infamous Izuna Drop also returns to Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, but can now be executed in several different ways with several different weapons. It’s a more advanced technique to pull off, but when successfully done, it just feels so extremely satisfying to deliver.

7. Carrying Over

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• These techniques are extremely valuable to learn in Sigma 2 because Obliteration techniques and Izuna Drops with different weapons carry over from Sigma 2 to Razor’s Edge. Of course, players will need to gather Karma and level up their skills and weapons first, but the techniques remain the same.

8. Staying Alive

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• In Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, you no longer have the luxury of carrying consumable items with you to replenish your health, and essence no longer releases from your fallen enemies. The easiest way to regain your lost health is by utilizing your Ninpo magic techniques. Depending on its strength and how many enemies are killed, will determine how much life you receive in return. Use it wisely!

9. True Blood

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• Another new feature in Razor’s Edge is the ability to use your Ultimate Technique when reaching Bloody Rage. In order to reach Bloody Rage quickly, you simply need to cut down several enemies and spill as much blood as possible.

10. Steel on Bone

KOEI TECMO AMERICA Corporation

• An advanced technique you can utilize towards activating the Bloody Rage is the Steel on Bone technique. Dodge your opponent before they do a deadly red glowing attack, then follow up the dodge with a strong attack to trigger the Steel on Bone. This technique will help get you to where you want to be…in a Bloody Rage. Killing several enemies like this will also fill up your Ninpo magic quicker, allowing you to heal again.

And be sure to check out these additional tips and tricks videos:

See Also

• 10 Summoners War: Lost Centuria Tips & Tricks You Need to Know
• 5 NBA All Stars Tips & Tricks You Need to Know
• 5 Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! Tips & Tricks You Need to Know

Valve just announced a new portable gaming device called the Steam Deck which will release in December 2021, and it looks to compete directly with the Nintendo Switch family of systems including its recently announced OLED model.

Like the Switch, the Steam Deck promises that you can take your games wherever you go. But while the Switch aims to take the experience of playing a console on a TV with you wherever you go, the Steam Deck appears to take the experience of playing PC games with you wherever you go. It’s features include full access to your entire Steam library and features, trackpads for mouse-like controls, the ability to connect to TV and computer monitors, and expanded customization models including the ability to install other software on the system. It’s essentially a PC with the portability of a handheld system.

So should you buy a Steam Deck or a Nintendo Switch system? We combed through the Steam Deck website and the Nintendo Switch technical specs website to bring you this full comparison chart below to help you make your decision.

Hardware Comparison

Note: The specs and features of the Steam Deck are subject to change.

Which Should You Buy?

The reason Nintendo has always excelled in the handheld market was because of their smart use of budget hardware to keep an accessible price point and because of their lineup of exclusive, quality games from massive franchises like Pokemon and Super Mario. Nintendo’s competitors in the handheld market all failed to keep up because despite having superior hardware in many ways, they all were too expensive and didn’t have the lineup of quality games to justify the price or even the boost in performance.

The Steam Deck is analogous to many of Nintendo’s competitors. It’s the rival to the Switch the same way the SEGA Game Gear was the rival to the Nintendo Game Boy and the Sony PSP was the rival to the Nintendo DS. While the Steam Deck is more powerful than the Switch, it also can be prohibitively expensive. And without Nintendo’s beloved games on the Steam Deck (unless Nintendo finds it in its heart to put its games on Steam, like that’s gonna happen), many would be more attracted to the Switch. It also remains in doubt how willing Valve is to support the Steam Deck over the years, especially with the fall of its Steam Machines initiative. However, unlike all of the other Nintendo competitors, the Steam Deck has the library to go toe-to-toe with Nintendo and offers a much more flexible user experience.

The one things the Switch OLED has over the Steam Deck is that it uses a OLED screen as opposed to the Steam Deck’s LCD screen. According to CNET, while LCD has OLED beat on brightness, OLED is a clear winner in picture quality. OLED has a much better contrast ratio, has more consistent brightness across the screen and has wider viewing angles. This only affects the experience in handheld mode, unless you have a TV that also is OLED.

However, the Steam Deck has all models beat on resolution. While the 800p screen of the Deck is only slightly better than the Switch, the Deck can connect to external displays for up to 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz according to its tech specs and even has a dock like the Switch that can help facilitate that process. The Switch is stuck at 1080p in docked mode. The Steam Deck and all Switch models have the same refresh rate of 60Hz. The downside is that the dock for the Steam Deck is sold separately and it’s the only way to connect the Deck to a monitor via HDMI or DisplayPort. The Steam Deck by itself only has a USB-C port and while many gaming monitors are starting to turn to USB-C according to Gizmondo, you might not get the best picture quality with USB-C alone and in fact you might need an adaptor to connect via USB-C. Plus, an external monitor that can output the enhanced resolution can quickly become expensive.

The Steam Deck also has more power under its hood. Its CPU measures at 2.4-3.5GHz and its GPU measures at 1.0-1.6GHz. Meanwhile all the Switch Models have CPUs that measure at 1.02GHz according to Digital Foundry and GPUs that measure at 768MHz docked and 387MHz undocked according to Gaming Bolt. While the Switch can put a valiant effort into ports of The Witcher 3 and Doom Eternal, the Steam Deck is looking to be way more powerful. That means more support for AAA games, which often skip over the Switch or release as cloud versions.

The Steam Deck also has superior internal storage. Not only can models of the Steam Deck go up to 512 GB in storage, but the 256 GB and 512 GB models have Solid State Drives which are much faster compared to regular hard drives like on the Switch models. That being said, PC games tend to have higher storage requirements than Switch games, so your mileage may vary.

Nintendo confirmed that the Joy-Cons for the Switch OLED Model will be the same as the previous Switch model, which means that “Joy-Con Drift” – when the control stick deteriorates and starts registering inputs even if it isn’t touched – might once again be a rampant problem on the Switch OLED model. However, only time will tell if the Steam Deck will have the same problem.

We can also see the Steam Deck being friendlier for multiplayer. You can chat through the Steam software and the system even includes microphones. You need to go through a confusing process to get voice chat with Switch games – if voice chat is supported at all. We assume you won’t need a subscription for online play for the Steam Deck; you just need a free Steam account to access your games. Meanwhile Nintendo charges for online play for everything but free-to-play games. And while the subscription offers other benefits like free NES and SNES games, it’s still not enough to justify its price even if it is relatively cheap. Steam Deck also includes cloud saves right out the box while Nintendo only includes cloud saves via the Nintendo Online subscription, and even then not all fist party Nintendo games support cloud saves.

There’s also a lot more customization options for the Steam Deck. Valve have confirmed that you can install and use PC software on the Steam Deck such as web browsers, other OSes and even other game stores. Now we know that emulation is a touchy subject, especially for Nintendo, but why spend money on Switch Online to get a handful of quality NES and SNES games when you can potentially download an emulator on the Steam Deck and play all the NES and SNES games?

However, the Steam Deck is significantly beefier than the Switch models. Not only is it much bigger and thicker, making it harder to put into backpacks or purses, but it’s also much heavier at 1.47 lbs compared to the 0.93 lbs of the Switch OLED and especially the 0.61 lbs of the Switch Lite. The Steam Deck also has slightly lower battery life than the Switch OLED and Switch (while being comparable to the Switch Lite). All that is definitely a blow to its case as a portable system.

While the Steam Deck will have thousands of game spanning decades of gaming from day one, Nintendo has a variety of incredible first-party exclusives on the Switch including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Pokemon Sword & Shield, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Party, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, with Sony starting to release PS4 exclusives like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Death Stranding on Steam and Microsoft continuing to release its big games on Steam like Ori and the Blind Forest, Sunset Overdrive, Gears 5, Gears Tactics, Sea of Thieves, and entries in the Halo Franchise including the upcoming Halo Infinite, it might not be so bad to miss out on the Switch games. That being said, Microsoft’s Game Pass service isn’t available on Steam (though it has EA Play if you happen to be a fan of EA for some reason). However, it might be possible to download the Microsoft Store onto the Steam Deck and play Game Pass games there.

However, the price for the Steam Deck is significantly more expensive than any of the Switch models. The cheapest model is $400, but even then you really want to go for the $530 model for the SSD and expanded internal storage. Meanwhile the Switch Lite is $199. For $100 more you get a Switch that can connect to the TV and also features detachable controllers that are not only fun to use but can be used for Nintendo Labo and Ring-Fit Adventure. The Switch OLED is $349 – $50 more than the original Switch – with the only major improvements being the slightly bigger OLED screen, the improved kickstand, and improved audio.

The Steam Deck is definitely aiming for the hardcore PC games market with its price point and features. The Switch would probably be a better fit for families and more casual players who appreciate the selection of quality, family-friendly games and the more portable form factor. However, the Switch is definitely showing its age a little bit. If you wanted to upgrade from the regular Switch but don’t think the OLED model is enough of an upgrade, and if you’re burned by the lacking offers of the Switch Online membership, then I’d say that the Steam Deck is the upgrade you were looking for.

Only time will tell whether the Steam Deck can make a big enough splash in the handheld market. History has not been kind to Nintendo’s competitors in that market, with the mobile games market being the only real competition for Nintendo. The Steam Deck’s price and intimidating nature with all those buttons will definitely be a turn-off for many people, but for many it might just be the thing they’re looking for. Unlike the Game Gear and PSP, the Steam Deck will have hundreds of excellent games to choose from and its battery life isn’t too far behind the Switch. And the added functionality of installing additional PC programs and the extra options for navigating the Steam software and communicating with friends definitely puts the Switch to shame. Even then, it still has steep competition against the Switch thanks to its accessibility, more reasonable price, classic games, and the fact that it was the first of its kind as a hybrid console/handheld system. Either way, without the Steam Deck actually out in the wild and in our hands, it’s hard to say if it’s worth the hype and the price. Pre-orders for the Steam Deck are happening soon, but if you’re comfortable with potentially missing out the first time it releases, it might be worth it to see other people’s opinions of the system before you get your hands on one.

READ MORE: Fortnite Smart Builds Makes Building Easier For Everyone

Thanks to few bad expansion packs in a row from World of Warcraft, players are coming to Final Fantasy XIV in droves.

Of course, that’s not the only thing drawing players into the 14 community. Players like Asmongold and Summit1g, gigantic streamers in their own right on Twitch, have also managed to lure a few extra players into subscribing to Square Enix’s MMO juggernaut.

With a free trial up to Level 60, there’s not much to be lost except for hours upon hours of your life.

On July 27, Summit finally made his way to Heavensward, and the community greeted him in the best way imaginable.

Welcome to Heavensward

While Heavensward is the game’s first expansion and there have been two others since then, the introduction to this storyline is among the most epic in the game.

To celebrate his arrival, the community came out in droves to welcome him to the first city you enter. Rolling up in Final Fantasy 15’s Regalia, Summit was flanked by players in Magitek armor as he crossed the bridge into town.

“Thank you guys, this is incredible,” he said. The entire moment was captured by YouTuber Jaron, who runs a channel that exclusively uploads Summit clips.

It didn’t end there either as the red carpet was rolled out all the way to the town’s central Aether crystal.

For players who didn’t know if they’d end up liking Final Fantasy XIV, it’s cool to see the community band together to create a cool moment like this that is just as chilling for the viewers as it is for the streaming themselves.

Summit was already all in on the game, but this moment likely sealed it even more for him.

Still a Long Way to Go

Square Enix

Summit and a lot of the other big streamers on the game are taking their time with the content and also treating as if they were there when it was all coming out.

This includes doing all of the trials and raids synced to the proper item levels so they can’t just crush the bosses with ease. The legendary Coils of Bahamut raid has left players stumped for days, but it was seen as a rite of passage for many of the steamers.

There’s a lot of content to still get through for many of the big streamers, and there’s no telling if they’ll be sticking around for the longhaul. While A Realm Reborn was a great game, many players would let you know that the game only gets better from there.

With Endwalker coming out in November and wrapping up the story started in ARR, that will be a sort of natural stopping point for many of the new players, but it could take months for them to ever get there.

The thing with MMOs is that they’re such a massive timesink that not many streamers can afford to sit down and play them. For the time being, Summit has said his viewership has remained high enough so he can continue trekking forward. If Heavensward lives up to the hype for him, we can expect to see him playing for several more weeks at least.

READ NEXT: FFXIV: Stormblood Susano Extreme Fight Tips & Tricks

It used to be the case that building your own gaming PC was more sensible than buying a pre-built gaming desktop. But in 2021, the market landscape started to change, thanks to the cryptocurrency boom causing graphic card prices to skyrocket to unprecedented levels. Now, in 2022, it’s nearly impossible to actually find a quality graphics card that won’t break the bank, and that’s why we recommend buying a pre-built gaming desktop instead of building your own right now.

But we understand that not everyone has the cash to drop on a top-of-the-line computer to run their fancy games. Luckily, you don’t need to spend more than $1,000 to get a surprisingly formidable gaming desktop.

So, here we are — these are the best gaming desktops under 1000 dollars available right now:

A few months back, we learned that the devs behind Street Fighter V were in the process of adding five more characters and three more stages to the game.

During today’s (August 5) Summer Update live stream event, everyone that tuned in got their first look at who those brand new roster additions are. The first character to be revealed was Dan Hibiki, the returning master of Saikyo Style martial arts. Some in-development footage of the returning Shoto was shown off, which previewed his upgraded moveset (which included a tease of how his infamous taunt function may act as a V-Skill or V-Trigger of some kind). Dan’s sloppy combat stylings and goofy approach to traditional Shoto maneuvers look to be especially cool now that they’re making the transition to SFV.

The next character reveal was given out by AEW star Kenny Omega and it was none other than Rose. Menat’s master and powerful “Soul Power” wielder is finally back in the fight. The third character who’s making their return to the Street Fighter franchise is the one-armed hermit known as Oro from Street Fighter III. The final character that was unveiled today was a guest character from Capcom’s very own Rival Schools, Akira Kazama! As for who the fifth character is, that’s (unfortunately) still a mystery.

Capcom

The most interesting part of the SFV Summer Update live stream was how it gave fans a roadmap for Season 5. Besides the usual array of new costumes and incoming stages, it was revealed that SFV will be receiving an all-new battle mechanic and two major balance adjustments over time. Here’s hoping that Akira’s signature stage includes a few familiar faces from Rival Schools going crazy in the background. The wait may be long for these upcoming SFV characters, but we’re just happy to see that they’re eventually coming our way.

See Also:

• Street Fighter V: The Characters That Should Join the Fight in Season 5
• Tekken 7 Season 4 Announcement & Soulcalibur VI Setsuka Reveal Trailer
• All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2020

Update: Master Roshi will be available for download on September 16 (for FighterZ Pass owners) and September 18 (for all players)!

Today’s (August 16) Dragon Ball FighterZ show gave everyone a glimpse into the future of one of the best fighters on the market today.

A balance adjustment is coming to the game, which will hopefully give the rest of the roster a chance against top-tier monsters such as Goku (GT) and Ultra Instinct Goku. And as far as eSports updates go, the Dragon Ball FighterZ National Championship was announced, which is set to begin in October 2020. When it came time to showcase the game’s upcoming DLC character, a brand new trailer came through to present the news everyone was waiting for. Master Roshi is finally coming to Dragon Ball FighterZ with his Evil Containment Wave and all sometime in September. And during the next Dragon Ball FighterZ show taking place that same month, we’ll all be treated to a gameplay showcase for Goku and Krillin’s legendary martial arts master.

Now we’re left with two more characters for Dragon Ball FighterZ’s Season 3 content slate. Fingers crossed that the last two DLC roster slots are given to Toppo and Omega Shenron. And we’d better get some new stages, Arc System Works! Getting to play out all those intense 3v3 battles on the Tournament of Power stage is long overdue at this point.

See Also:

• Tekken 7: The Characters That Should Join the Fight in Season 4
• All Upcoming Fighting Games of 2020
• Street Fighter V Summer Update Reveals for Dan, Rose, Oro, and Akira Kazama (Rival Schools)

Recent Star Wars efforts from publisher Electronic Arts have been exceptionally great in recent times.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 got over its embarrassing loot box filled start and morphed into one of the best multiplayer experiences in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ended up delivering on its promise of providing fans with a full-fledged single-player campaign that put the powers of the Jedi on full display. And mobile Star Wars games such as Galaxy of Heroes have steadily improved and become a great way to delve through the long history of George Lucas’ outer space epic. Next up on EA’s slate of Star Wars titles is a brand new first-person, space combat shooter from developer Motive Studios. This intense shooter looks to provide the same thrills provided by the films’ greatest space dogfight scenes and look just as good (or even better).

Let’s take a look at EA and Motive Studios’ Frostbite 3 engine powered space combat sim, Star Wars: Squadrons.

Star Wars: Squadrons Release Date & Playable Platforms

Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Squadrons is slated to launch on October 2, 2020, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Star Wars: Squadrons Reveal Trailer

Story and Locations

Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Squadrons’ plotline places it right after the events of Return of the Jedi. Players will get to participate within a grand campaign that lets them take control of two customizable pilots fighting for the New Republic (Vanguard Squadron) and Empire (Tian Squadron) factions. The epic space battles that will be fought between both sides will erupt across a slew of never-before-seen Star Wars locations. Those locales include Yavin Prime, Esseles, the Nadiri Dockyards, Sissubo, Galitan, and the Zavian Abyss.

Electronic Arts

Check out the official descriptions of each galactic battlefield straight from the game’s official website down below:

• Yavin Prime: Located in the Outer Rim Territories, Yavin Prime is a massive gas giant. One of its moons, Yavin 4, was home to a Rebel base and remains a significant location for the New Republic.

• Esseles: Though close to New Republic space, Esseles has been under Imperial control for a decade. Inside Esseles’s icy ring, the Empire conceals a listening post the New Republic is eager to destroy.

• Nadiri Dockyards: The Nadiri Dockyards are a starship manufacturing facility hidden deep inside the Bormea Sector, on the fringers of the Ringali Nebula. The New Republic will defend the Dockyards at all costs.

• Sissubo: Sissubo is the seventh planet of the Chandrila system in the Bormea Sector. Surrounded by the remnants of salvaged Imperial ships, part of Project Starhawk, Sissubo’s debris field is a threat to any capital ship that risks flying inside.

• Galitan: Galitan is a remote moon in the dangerous but beautiful Ringali Nebula. The forces of the turbulent nebula have pulled the moon apart into an asteroid field of still-molten fragments.

• Zavian Abyss: The Zavian Abyss is a hazardous area of space in the Expansion Region. It’s filled with asteroids charged with electrical energy from the surrounding maelstrom, and the shipwrecks of those who dared to venture inside.

Ships and Customization

Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Squadrons places you in the cockpit of several signature spaceships and lets you control them from a first-person viewpoint point (players also have the ability to get even closer to the action via virtual reality gameplay on PS4 and PC). The New Republic Hangar houses the T-65 X-Wing Starfighter, BTL Y-Wing Bomber, RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor, and UT-60D U-Wing Support Craft. The Imperial Hangar contains the TIE/LN Fighter, TIE/SA Bomber, TIE/IN Interceptor, and TIE/RP Reaper.

Electronic Arts

As you play through Star Wars: Squadrons’ various modes, you’ll accrue Requisition Points. This type of in-game currency is primarily used to unlock different Ship Components, which can be customized as you see fit. Those customization slots include a ship’s primary weapons, two auxiliary weapons, countermeasures, hull, shields, and engines. It’s worth noting that most of the Imperial Ships don’t have shields, however. As for the game’s pilots, you can also unlock customization options for them as you gradually earn Glory Points. Pilot customization options include different faces, costumes, gloves, and more. Glory Points can also be used to change up the overall look of your preferred ships – their paint schemes, decals, cockpit hologram, and more can be altered to your liking.

Multiplayer

Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Squadrons’ multiplayer modes pit two teams of five fighter pilots against each other. Dogfight acts as the game’s version of Team Deathmatch as both teams look to eliminate the enemy squadron, while Fleet Battles is a multi-stage, objective-based mode. Both teams fight to take down the opposing side’s Captial Ships and attempt to emerge victorious if either of them destroys the other side’s Enemy Flagship.

Trailers

Pre-Order

Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Squadrons is available for pre-order right here. And in a rare move, it will retail for $40 instead of the usual $60 price tag for most modern game releases. The game’s pre-order bonuses come in the form of five cosmetic bonus items for the New Republic and Imperial starfighters/pilots.

Electronic Arts

EA Play subscribers will be gifted with exclusive customization items of their own – New Republic starfighters can be outfitted in the Sanctuary Squadron paint job and the Interceptor Elegance pilot helmet comes as an extra bonus. The Imperial faction’s starfighters can be outfitted in the Ashen Monarch paint job and the Honorable Enforcer pilot helmet is also available. EA Play Pro subscribers not only get access to the aforementioned cosmetics, but they also receive two more bonus items to boot. Those items are additional cosmetic items for both the New Republic and Imperial factions’ starfighters/pilots.

See Also:

• Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time: Story, Playable Characters, Gameplay, and More
• Marvel’s Avengers: Story, Playable Heroes, Gameplay, and More
• Outriders: Story, Character Classes, Gameplay, and More

The first portion of the DC FanDome event kicked off today (Saturday, August 22) and showcased a bevy of new footage for DC’s slate of upcoming films, TV shows, animated movies, and so much more. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment also showed up to give gamers a glimpse into the future of DC’s video game lineup. WB Games Montréal debuted a pretty amazing reveal trailer for their upcoming project, Gotham Knights. Even though this game doesn’t take place within the Arkham universe, it does follow up the true ending of Arkham Knight with Bruce Wayne’s alleged demise being put front and center here.

Gotham Knights puts the rest of the Bat Family in the spotlight for a brand new adventure within the confines of Gotham City. Players will get the chance to wield the signature abilities of Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), Robin (Tim Drake), Nightwing (Dick Grayson), and Red Hood (Jason Todd). Along with solo play, co-op mechanics were put on display during the game’s reveal trailer – Batgirl and Robin could be seen combining their attacks against an unlucky thug. Short-range transporting looks to be the way that an extra player can drop into anyone’s game.

Soon after Gotham Knights’ reveal trailer, we also got a good look at an in-depth gameplay trailer. Batgirl could be seen on the move with her Bat-Cycle in tow to a frozen locale that had all the markings of Mr. Freeze’s dirty work. The combat sequences and rooftop maneuvering put on display during this piece of footage looked to be an evolved version of the gameplay featured in past Arkham games. Numbers popped up onscreen as enemies took damage, which points to Gotham Knights’ RPG leveling system. At the end of the gameplay demo, we got a glimpse at some more co-op gameplay as Batgirl and Robin engaged in an intense battle with Mr. Freeze himself.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Mr. Freeze won’t be the only Batman archenemy appearing in Gotham Knights. This time, the rest of the Bat Family will have to contend with The Court of Owls and their legion of Talon assassins. Gamers can look forward to exploring Gotham Knights’ expansive world in 2021 on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Read More From Heavy

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Reveal Trailer

DC FanDome is the gift that just kept on giving today (Saturday, August 22). Alongside new trailers for upcoming DC films (Wonder Woman 1984 and the Zach Snyder Cut of 2017’s Justice League) and footage for even more big-screen epics (The Suicide Squad, The Flash, and Black Adam), we also got a good look at one of DC’s highly anticipated games – Gotham Knights.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

That’s not the only game that got the spotlight at DC FanDome, however – gamers finally got their first taste of Rocksteady Studios’ Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The reveal trailer showcased Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Deadshot as they took down Brainiac’s mind-controlled henchman. And at the end of that piece of exciting footage, a seemingly evil Superman obliterated a soldier with his laser eyes and presented himself as the overwhelming force the Suicide Squad has been ordered to take down (by Amanda Waller, of course).

A few more interesting bits of information were released about the game during a post-trailer discussion – it will take place in the Batman: Arkham universe, be set within an open-world recreation of Metropolis, and offer single-player & up to four-player co-op gameplay. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will launch sometime in 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

Read More From Heavy

Gotham Knights Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Activision

It’s that time of year again when Activision rolls out the red carpet for their latest foray into the Call of Duty franchise.

For 2020, development studios Treyarch and Raven Software have been handed the reigns to the popular first-person shooter series. And as expected, they’re taking the series back to a past war. More specifically, the Cold War. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will transport players to the early 1980s and have them dive headfirst into the volatile geopolitical climate that the time period is known for. Alongside the epic single-player campaign fans have come to expect from recent Call of Duty entries, Black Ops Cold War will also include the expected competitive multiplayer and Zombies co-op modes fans have become accustomed to from the sub-series.

Now that we know the next Call of Duty is officially on the way, let’s break down everything there is to know about it.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Release Date & Playable Platforms

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will launch on November 13, 2020, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Battle.net.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Open Beta (Early Access) Release Dates

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Reveal Trailer

Campaign

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War acts as a direct sequel to the very first Black Ops release. This time, players will take part in the Cold War conflict alongside fan-favorite characters such as Frank Woods, Alex Mason, and Jason Hudson. As a member of an elite operative squad, you’ll set out to find and eliminate a high-value target known as Perseus. Perseus garners you and your squads’ attention due to his world disrupting goal, which is to “destabilize the global balance of power and change the course of history.”

Embarking upon this global search and destroy mission means players will be taken to foreign locales, such as East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, Soviet-era Moscow, and more. And all the while, players can expect to run into real-world historical figures (such as the 40th United States President Ronald Reagan) and get embroiled in explosive firefights with the opposition you’ve been ordered to dispose of. What makes this direct sequel’s campaign so cool and different from past Call of Duty iterations is the fact that it contains multiple endings.

Multiplayer

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer suite will consist of competitive multiplayer modes, the co-op Zombies experience, and the battle-royale themed Warzone. The game will feature cross-generation, cross-play support, and cross progressions for its entire player base. A Battle Pass system will be implemented within the multiplayer and offer new maps, modes, Zombie experiences, and in-game community events as post-launch content.

Activision

The main competitive multiplayer mode has been labeled as Deniable Operations, which brings a bevy of international operators together to engage in massive battles across expansive maps. The maps revealed thus far include Armada, Crossroads, Miami, Moscow, and Sattelite. As far as the modes that will be making their return this time around, players can hop into Team Deathmatch, Search & Destroy, Domination, and Kill Confirmed. The modes that will make their debut in this new entry within the Black Ops sub-series are VIP Escort, Combined Arms, and Fireteam. Check out the official description for each newly announced mode from an official blog breakdown below:

• VIP Escort: In this new 6v6 objective core game mode, teams either protect or subdue a randomly selected player who becomes a VIP. This Very Important Player only gets a kitted-out pistol, a smoke grenade, a UAV for team intel, and the satisfaction of having up to five other squadmates defend them. These protectors must escort the VIP to an extraction point as they fend off the attacking team, whose goal is to neutralize the VIP before they escape. A non-VIP who dies during the round is out until the next one, but a downed player at zero health can defend themselves in Last Stand or be revived by a teammate to get back into the fight.

• Combined Arms: A 12v12 battle that combines infantry and vehicular gameplay, Combined Arms is a larger-scale mode where the action is tailed to the environment it takes place within. Depending on the map, vehicles such as Tanks, Snowmobiles, Attack Helicopters, or Wakerunners will amplify and advance the action alongside traditional gunfights, allowing for jaw-dropping moments right in the middle of an intense engagement. At launch, expect to play multiple Combined Arms Maps across a handful of Combined Arms Modes, including Domination, which places multiple flags around a given map for teams to capture and defend.

• Fireteam: Fireteam is a new 40-player category of Black Ops Multiplayer with up to 10 teams of four, where the action is centered around not just the operators in the field, but also the environment they battle in. The first available Fireteam game type is called Dirty Bomb, which we’ll have more information on as we get closer to launch!

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War offers the usual gamut of weapon and character customization features players have grown familiar with. Each firearm can be retooled and given improvements in certain stat areas via different attachments. The Gunsmith gives players the option to customize each primary weapon “with up to 54 attachments across eight different nodes, or attachment points, with at least six options per attach point.” Scorestreaks make their return and this time they’ll all have cooldown timers attached to them. Operators can utilize upgraded modes of travel, such as the Sprint Take Off, Sliding, Footstep Control, and Jumping, which are maneuvers that all have been altered in some way or fashion.

Operator loadouts can now be altered through the Create-a-Class system, which is now slot-based. Those slots include a primary & secondary weapon, lethal & tactical equipment, a Field Upgrade, and a set of Perks. Loadouts can also be altered in a major way via the use of Wildcards, which can provide one of four beneficial changes:

• Grant eight attachments for a primary weapon

• Carry up to six Perks

• Double the number of lethal and tactical equipment given on spawn

• Carry three Perks from any category, rather than be limited to one of each

Zombies

Activision

Black Ops’ signature cooperative multiplayer mode is starting anew in Cold War. Zombies mode is back once again and will tell a brand new tale centered around the struggle between two groups looking to investigate the supernatural phenomena occurring in a location called Die Maschine. At the center of those two groups (the CIA-backed Requiem and Soviet-led Omega Group) is a mysterious individual called Sam, who has his own reasons for delving into Die Maschine. Besides Zombies’ new plot details, it will also incorporate the following features:

• Cross-Play and Cross-Gen Compatibility
• Battle Pass Progression
• Character Loadouts
• Rare weapons that come with greater firepower and attachments
• Lethal, Tactical, and Support Equipment
• Perks
• Exfil, which is a new mechanic that allows players to help their team escape via an incoming helicopter

Just like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Spec Ops Survival mode, Cold War will feature a co-op multiplayer mode of its own that will be exclusive to PS4/PS5 owners for an entire year. That mode is a spinoff of Zombies called Onslaught. Two players will be tasked with holding off increasingly difficult waves of the undead on one of the game’s many multiplayer maps. Both players will be awarded exclusive items for their winning efforts.

Warzone

Players worried about their Warzone progress not carrying over to this new series installment have nothing to worry about – Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will include shared progression from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s (2019) most popular mode. The items you earn in either title can be applied to your Warzone progress within both titles. And the Operators and weapon blueprints you’ve acquired beforehand in Modern Warfare (2019) will be available to players hopping into Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Warzone. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be incorporated into Warzone in December 2020 as the first new season of game-specific content launches.

Trailers

Pre-Order

Activision

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available for pre-order (sold here) in three different variations – the Standard Edition, the Cross-Gen Bundle, and the Ultimate Edition. The Standard Edition allows its recipients to play the current-gen version of the game via backward compatibility on next-gen consoles at launch (PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox One X to Xbox Series X|S). The Standard Edition also comes with a bonus in the form of the Confrontation Weapons Pack. The Cross-Gen Bundle includes both the current-gen and next-gen versions of the game depending on which console family you buy it for (PS4 & PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox One X & Xbox Series X|S). That bundle also comes with the Confrontation Weapons Pack.

Activision

The Ultimate Edition comes with everything featured in the Cross-Gen Bundle and the following bonuses – the Land, Sea, and Air Pack, three Operator skins, three vehicle skins, three weapon blueprints, the Battle Pass Bundle (one season Battle Pass and 20 tier skips), and the aforementioned Confrontation Weapons Pack. Pre-ordering the game digitally gets you early access to the Open Beta (which will happen first on PS4), Operator Frank Woods, and an assault rifle weapon blueprint that can be utilized immediately within Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) and Call of Duty: Warzone.

See Also:

• Star Wars: Squadrons: Gameplay, Ships, Release Date, and More
• Marvel’s Avengers: Story, Playable Heroes, Gameplay, and More
• Outriders: Story, Character Classes, Gameplay, and More

Specs

Headphone

• Driver: Dynamic, 40-mm with Neodymium Magnets
• Type: Close-Back
• Frequency Response: 20-20-kHz
• Impedance: 16-ohms
• Sound Pressure Level: 95.5dBSPL, 1mW at 1-kHz
• T.H.D: ≦2-percent
• Battery Life: Up to 17 hours
• Wireless Range: 2.4-Ghz, Up to 12-meters (Open Field)

Microphone

• Element: Electret Condenser Microphone
• Polar Pattern: Uni-Directional, Noise-Cancelling
• Frequency Response: 50-Hz- to 8-kHz

HyperX

The next generation of console hardware is right around the corner. And with that new lineup of next-gen machines comes new peripherals, such as controllers, portable hard drives, and headsets. HyperX is looking to be the first headset manufacturer out of the gate to offer a brand new model that audiophiles will flock to once the PS5 finally lands in their living rooms. The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless gaming headset is a cost-efficient headset that sounds and looks great but comes up short when it comes to its overall sturdiness. But if you’re willing to deal with that minor blemish on an otherwise quality gaming headset, then you’ll certainly get your money’s worth out of HyperX’s newest piece of audio hardware.

Besides being future-proofed to work on the next PlayStation console, the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless headset also works with PS4 and PC. I mainly put this headset through its paces on my PS4 Pro and came away mostly pleased. When it comes to its aesthetic presentation, the Cloud Stinger Core Wireless looks impressive. The all-white color scheme on the headset’s outer shell is quite the looker, plus the blue cushions behind both ear muffs are a nice touch. But when you hold this headset in your hands for the first time, you’ll most likely think to yourself that it feels far too cheap and prone to breaking after just one errant drop on a hard surface. Due to the relatively cheap price this headset is asking for, its disappointing feel shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

HyperX

The HyperX Cloud Stinger Wireless may not get top honors for its cheap plastic feel, but it excels in the areas that matter most – audio quality and comfortability factor. The 40-mm Drivers that power this headset model help every game you play come through its speakers as clear and dynamic as possible. Explosive first-person shooters (such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare) and fighting games (Street Fighter V, in my case) that place special emphasis on impactful moves being landed sound effective. Since this is a wireless headset, it’s possible to move to another room to test its wireless range. Thankfully, it still sounds as immersive and clear as possible in that case. Donning this headset on your head for several hours never feels uncomfortable, so you’ll have no issue keeping these on during a fully charged session (which impressively goes up to 17 hours).

HyperX

The noise-canceling microphone is commendable in its own right. It does a great job of doing everything to pick up nothing but your voice and completely block out disruptions such as nearby fan air. The controls on the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless are implemented well – pulling the microphone down turns it on and simply pushing it back up places it in mute mode. The power button and volume control wheel both rest near the bottom of the left earmuff, which allows you to quickly alter your preferred sound settings and never have to struggle with them during a heated online multiplayer session. The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless gaming headset provides easy audio controls, great sound via the headphones and mic, an incredibly comfortable feel, and so much more. This headset is easily recommendable thanks to all those pluses.

HyperX

Pros:

• The headset’s sound and mic quality are equally satisfying
• This model’s comfortability factor is certainly high
• The on-ear controls are accessible and easy to understand

Cons:

• The headset’s overall form feels a bit cheap and flimsy

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Buy the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless Gaming Headset here.

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

See Also:

• LS50X Snoop Dogg Limited Edition Gaming Headset Review
• Razer Kraken Ultimate Headset Review
• Sennheiser GSP 370 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust Co. Ltd. digitally recreated the lovable world and characters of Fairy Tail within a quality RPG.

Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, and even more of Fairy Tail’s massive cast of heroes and villains battle for the fate of the magic world in the surprisingly good video game adaptation. If you’ve spent plenty of time with it thus far, you’ve relived the manga/anime’s most memorable story arcs, amassed an army of powerful magic wielders, learned the in’s and outs of the intricate battle system, and completed all sorts of requests of varying difficulty. If you still haven’t taken Fairy Tail for a spin and are looking for a how-to guide on how to successfully navigate through its world, you’ve come to the right place.

Check out this developer curated tips and tricks guide for one of this year’s more slept on game releases, Fairy Tail.

1. Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Koei Tecmo

• When the game begins, the team reunites to return Fairy Tail to its former glory, but due to years of financial trouble, the old guildhall is in ruins. As you begin to explore the land, take on quests, and battle foes, you’ll begin to climb the team’s prestige back to greatness. Before you’re back on top, though, you’ll need to help upgrade various facilities of the guild. Take on as many requests from the request board as you can in order to earn enough jewels to upgrade everything from the kitchen to the library to the item shop. Pay special attention to the bar, however, as the boosts you will receive from the new drinks you unlock will become crucial later on in some of the tougher battles.

2. Lucy’s House…in the Middle of the Street

Koei Tecmo

• The Fairy Tail story in the game picks up about midway through the anime/manga storyline. If you need a refresher to what happened to Natsu and crew before The Grand Magic Games, head into the streets of Magnolia toward the original guild building (not the run-down building your party now needs to upgrade), and you’ll discover a door to a section of the building called Lucy’s House. Inside, not only will you find character backgrounds and past storylines, but you’ll also be able to view the various cutscenes you’ve already unlocked in the game. This is also the place you’ll be rewarded for all that hidden candy you’ve found throughout the adventure.

3. Ain’t No Party Like a Fairy Tail Party…

Koei Tecmo

• As you play through the game, you’ll be able to unlock up to 16 playable characters to join your five-person party. And with the addition of four DLC characters (Lisanna Strauss, Elfman Strauss, Lyon Vastia, and Levy McGarden), you now have to figure out the best combinations to launch Fairy Tail back to the No. 1 guild in Fiore. According to Fairy Tail producer Keisuke Kikuchi, these are his favorite lineups in the game:

– Kikuchi’s Favorite Character Party: Jellal, Juvia, Erza, Kagura, and Mila
– Party of Two (for love and a good challenge!): Gajeel and Levy
– Rank S Star Group: Gildarts, Laxus, Erza, and Mira

4. Cause a Fairy Tail Party Don’t Stop!

Koei Tecmo

• The more you play with certain characters in the same party, the characters will create special bonds, actually increasing their combo attack abilities and boosts. As the bonds continue to grow, mages will be able to combine to unleash magic chain attacks of up to 30 hits. Complete high-rank quests for the quickest way to increase character bonds.

5. It’s a Raid!

Koei Tecmo

• Unison Raids have been a fan favorite since the special magic first debuted in the anime and manga, and in the Fairy Tail video game, the magic has been boosted to even bigger levels with special combinations, including an extremely powerful Natsu and Lucy Unison Raid that was developed specifically for the game under Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima’s supervision. The most effective use of Unison Raids throughout the game is to unleash the magic attack when there’s a chance to use a follow-up blow, as it’s guaranteed to link.

6. I’ve Got the Power

Koei Tecmo

• Instead of the usual equipment menu found in most RPGs, Fairy Tail uses special Lacrima to help get you through battle. When you begin the game, characters will be limited to just one equipment or Lacrima slot, but you will be able to unlock additional slots when you reach ranks three, 10, 25, and 40. Head to the Laboratory inside the guildhall to synthesize the Lacrima thanks to items you’ve found throughout the game, and forge it into unique items and boosts (some specific to certain characters) ranging from Lacrima of the Sky Dragon to Lacrima of the Celestial Spirits.

7. Time to Rank Up!

Koei Tecmo

• As you complete Guild Requests, your party will be rewarded with Fairy Points. Find the guild ledger located inside the guildhall in order to cash in these points for higher ranks. The higher the ranks, the better items will unlock. For example, Rank Four will unlock a new costume (change at Lucy’s House for your new look), Rank Five will help increase the damage of follow-up attacks, and Rank Seven will increase MP restored at the end of each battle. Certain characters like Natsu, Lucy, and Gray will even unlock specific magic and abilities upon achieving certain ranks, including Natsu’s Fire Dragon’s Zenith and Juvia’s Water Jigsaw.

8. Strategic Attacks

Koei Tecmo

• When you step up to fight a group of villains, one of the first things you’ll notice is that different magic attacks strike different parts of the battlefield. Try not to waste powerful magic that hits across empty spaces on the map, just to take out the one or two enemies placed in a specific quadrant. Save the magic that spans multiple spaces for when there are actually enemies in those spaces to strike.

9. Rare Monsters

Koei Tecmo

• Looking to find and fight rare monsters in the game? Listen closely as characters mention a strange smell in the air, that’s when you know something strange is going on and a rare monster is nearby. Also, try re-doing the Rank D repeatable quests. Thanks to the smaller size of the maps, it’s easier to find the rare monsters lurking inside.

10. The Final Level (or is it?)

Koei Tecmo

• Want something to do when you’ve finished the game, but you’re still looking to unleash some fire on a group of baddies? After beating Fairy Tail, you can return your characters to Level One after they’ve already reached their max level, then level them up again to make them even more powerful than before. Sometimes it really does pay to be the No. 1 Guild in Fiore.

See Also

• Fairy Tail Review
• All Upcoming RPG’s of 2020
• 5 Tales of Crestoria Tips & Tricks You Need to Know

Once you wrap up the campaign in Marvel’s Avengers, or if you just skip right ahead to the Avengers Initiative, you’ll begin going around area to area completing missions.

During this journey, you’re likely to eventually come across a chest that can’t be opened by brute force, but will instead require a DNA key. These aren’t necessarily the most common of keys, and if you’re just getting started in the Avengers Initiative, then you probably don’t even have one of these keys.

As it turns out, it’s not too difficult to get your hands on one, provided you know where to look for them. Here’s how you can get your hands on a DNA key so you can start opening up these chests.

Where to Get DNA Keys

Square EnixGet your DNA keys here.

In what appears to be the only way to get a key so far, you’ll have to grab the Villain sector quest from your faction vendors in the Helicarrier and Ant Hill, so make sure you grab those each day.

Now, just complete the villain sectors and you should earn a key at the end. It’s a pretty easy process and you’re able to repeat these two missions each day, so you should be able to get a nice stockpile of keys in no time if you’re willing to put in the work.

What’s Special About the Chests?

Square EnixAvengers, assemble!

As far as we can tell, it will be strictly random drops coming out of these chests, but you can still get some decent loot out of them.

The gear you do receive from them is usually a bit higher rarity than you’d typically get from a normal chest or from enemies, so you have that to look forward to.

Since the keys aren’t difficult to obtain, there’s really no reason to not open up every one of these special DNA chests you come across.

Marvel’s Avengers is out now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

READ NEXT: 10 Marvel’s Avengers Tips & Tricks You Need to Know

There were a lot of negatives for the San Francisco 49ers during the 24-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

For one, it was a game that San Francisco was favored to win, and after the first two drives and a 10-0 lead, looked likely to win.

However, the offense lost momentum, the defense blew a few coverages and generally didn’t make enough of an impact, and now the 49ers are 0-1. To make matters worse, star tight end George Kittle went down with an injury in a scary moment for both the player and the team.

While Kittle did return out to the field in the second half, he saw very, very little action as the 49ers looked like they were making absolutely sure that the tight end wasn’t going to make matters worse.

Kittle did provide a boost though, coming out after the game and not just saying that he feels the injury is minor, but even going a step further.

It’s certainly encouraging to hear Kittle say that he’s feel good, but it remains to be seen exactly how minor or how major the injury is.

Die-hard Niner with something to say? Join our community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook!

Play That Kittle Got Injured

As the 49ers looked to add to their 10-7 lead late in the second half, head coach Kyle Shanahan drew up a routine bubble screen with Kittle on the receiving end.

But the play didn’t go to plan, primarily because quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew the tight end, which forced the former Iowa Hawkeye into the air and into an awkward situation when Cardinals safety Budda Baker met him at the line of scrimmage.

It is definitely not an ideal throw from Garoppolo, and Baker doesn’t look to make a dangerous hit by any means, but it is just an unfortunate occurrence when a player coming down from the air is met by a player rushing to make a play.

Where 49ers Go From Here

While Kittle is emphatic that he is doing just fine, the real update will come Monday, after San Francisco takes a proper look at Kittle’s leg and analyzes what exactly is up and the severity of the issue.

Obviously, the 49ers will hope that Kittle is able to return sooner rather than later, but it might be deeper than hope. With the lack of top receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, San Francisco looked way less lethal in the passing game than they did at any point last season.

Kittle doesn’t stretch the field quite like Aiyuk and Samuel, but his big-play capability is undeniable, and they have been integral to the team the past two seasons.

However, they can’t rush the tight end back either after one poor-looking divisional loss. The team elected to put Samuel on the IR due to a relatively soft start to the schedule with trips to New York for away matchups against the Giants and Jets, and they could do the same with a three-week break for Kittle.

But if they do, the team will need to find a way to adapt, because based on Week 1, San Francisco will need players to step up if they have similar aspirations to the 2019 season.

READ NEXT: Three Immediate Takeaways from 49ers’ Loss to Cardinals

Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, Mont. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.

Update: here’s the updated launch trailer for Season 4!

So for those looking forward to the fourth season of roster updates, balance adjustments, and more for Tekken 7, then you’re in luck.

The familiar series development duo of Katsuhiro Harada and Michael Murray was on hand to present new information about Tekken 7’s immediate future. Their highly anticipated reveals came after an exciting array of online battles from the US East Open Tournament for the game. The mystery character shown at the end of the first Season 4 trailer was officially unveiled to be none other than Kunimitsu, Tekken’s classic kunoichi combatant. Kunimitsu arrives with her very own stage this time around (Vermilion Gates) and has access to an even flashier array of kunai- and kodachi-based maneuvers. What makes this version of Kunimitsu a bit different is the fact that she’s the daughter of the original woman who donned the mask. And what’s even crazier is the fact that she takes off her mask and actually speaks far more than her predecessor.

Kunimitsu and her signature arena are on track to arrive sometime later this fall. The other DLC character (who’s still a mystery at this point) and stage set was shown to be coming sometime in early spring 2021. After Kunimistu’s reveal, Harada and Murray went into detail about Tekken 7’s online mode improvements, new moves being implemented within each character’s moveset, the newest online player ranking title, changes to the entire roster’s life meter, and so much more.

Tekken 7 is looking like it’s going to be refreshed and revived for the hungry FGC once more.

The first thing I noticed about Watch Dogs Legion was that I was driving on the wrong side of the road.

The second thing I noticed is that it’s not too much different from the first two entries, but that’s hardly a problem when Watch Dogs is my favorite of Ubisoft’s big budget open world franchises. The games are so distinct personality-wise from Ubisoft’s other fare, especially the po-faced Tom Clancy games. And there’s just something about saving the world with nothing but some weapons and a cell phone that’s just really engrossing. As for Watch Dogs Legion, it looks like it’s going to be yet another fun, tech-filled romp, provided you’re okay with a few hiccups along the way.

At least, that’s the impression I got when Ubisoft invited Heavy to remotely demo a pre-release build of the game for three and a half hours. You might want to wait for our full thoughts when we publish our review, but for now here’s our impressions from what we could play.

Update: Looks like the full game isn’t as fun as our initial impressions made it out to be. Read our review here. Also, Ubisoft spent years protecting sexual abusers, according to a report by Bloomberg.

In Watch Dogs Legion, a private military organization known as Albion has placed the city of London in a constant state of hi-tech surveillance after the city was bombed. The bombings were blamed on DedSec, a worldwide hacker collective, and its members were hunted down. Now the city is gripped by authoritative organizations, not to mention organized crime. It’s up to DedSec to rebuild themselves and take back London.

The key feature of Watch Dogs Legion is the ability to recruit anybody you see in the world, and the marketing wasn’t lying. You really can find anybody in the world and recruit them to your cause: street artists, homeless people, movie stars, and even Albion forces. Some people are harder to recruit than others, though. With some recruits, it’s as easy as rescuing them from being harassed by an Albeon goon. Most recruits will join your cause if you complete a mission for them, some of which can be as long as the story missions. Others will have a negative opinion on DedSec before you meet them, so you’ll have to complete an additional mission after going though their history in the deep profiler before you get a chance to complete their recruitment mission. More professional operatives such as former spies can join your team after you’ve liberated a portion of the map, that is, completed certain missions to free a part of London from the influence of Albion.

The harder it is to recruit someone, the more skills they’ll have and the better those skills will be. They might even have exclusive weapons. Some skills are useful outside of hacking or combat; some give you discounts when shopping for clothing or can release operatives from jail sooner. Some skills are even negative, such as movie stars being noticed more often by people or operatives with hiccups that can alert guards. So whomever you choose to take into missions, you’re going to get some fun stories to swap with your friends. You can check what skills a person has when you profile them with your phone, and you can even save potential recruits for later if you don’t have the time to talk with them. Operatives also function as extra lives after failing a mission, as you’ll have to switch to a new one if the other gets arrested or critically injured. You can even take down the enemy that put the operative out of commission for some bonus cash.

Ubisoft

However, while there’s a wide diversity of characters in terms of race, gender, body types and personality, the roles they fit into gameplay-wise aren’t all that unique when you get down to it. Sure there are different weapons and skills, but not only is it clear that some characters are just going to be better and more fun to use than others, but you either get a character that’s really good at stealth and hacking or a character that’s really good at fighting and/or gunplay. I prefer stealth to going in guns blazing because Watch Dogs Legion, like many other Ubisoft games, makes it significantly more uncomfortable for you if you just charge into battle. So effectively half of the characters I find aren’t going to be as useful to me.

What I found most impressive was the integration of the operatives in the story. It appears that characters have unique reactions to the story events. Some of your other recruits can even chime in from time to time with their own unique reactions. It must have taken a lot of programming and voice acting work to pull this off, and I have to commend the team for it. I think it’s really smart of Ubisoft to offer journalists the opportunity to play the game early, because then the journalists might see differences between their playthrough for the preview and their playthrough for the review.

However, the feature is still mostly an illusion and I fear that the cracks might slip through at times, as some of the reactions seem a little too broad for their own good. I had one character discuss how they beat a gangster’s head in with a book, and another responded with a cheerful and peppy “making a difference feels great!” I’ll have to play more, but it’s possible that Ubisoft cut some corners to pull off this feature.

You can once again use your hacking abilities to take control of certain equipment to get around a level. You can hack a normally nonthreatening news drone that’s flying around and use it to flash lights and disorient guards. I tried to use a huge Cargo Drone to crush a guard, but it didn’t quite work. However, the resulting firefight between the guard and the drone gave me ample time to take down the guard. You can also hack vehicles to make them stop or go. While I was evading Albion’s forces, I made a boat stop in its tracks to try and hop on, only for me to accidentally make it go forward before I had a good foothold on it. Oops.

The Spiderbot is especially fun to use. A slightly retooled version of the remote-controlled car from Watch Dogs 2, the Spiderbot gadget is great for infiltrating buildings thanks to its low profile and surprising amount of maneuverability. You can also toss the Spiderbot like a grenade to get it to normally inaccessible areas. It can even perform takedowns. The Spiderbot is so good that you might even find spawn points for them in mission areas so you can use one even if your operative isn’t equipped with one. You can also make use of drones to hover over the world and tag enemies, with some drones even coming equipped with weapons.

Ubisoft

Gunplay is just about the same as it’s always been, though I do appreciate that nonlethal weapons are more effective than in previous Watch Dogs games for people that prefer to fight oppression with as little murder as possible. For the demo I was able to access a pistol, an uzi, a shotgun and an anti-drone grenade launcher that I could equip to any of my operatives, and despite the fact they are nonlethal each of those weapons appear to be just as usable as the more conventional firearms. You can also get a dart gun that can put people to sleep with one hit if you recruit certain operatives.

Your hacks can be used during firefights, but you’re gonna have to be quicker on your feet to make the most of them in the moment. If an operative has a drone equipped, they can set the drone to attack enemies on their behalf. You can also dispatch goons with fisticuffs, complete with dodging and counterattacking. It’s a bit messy and takes some getting used to, but I guess that’s the nature of bare-knuckle brawls.

The levels themselves are really well designed, with ample opportunities for creative ways to get around. You have to be spatially aware and get to know your hacks in order to acquire all the hidden Tech Points and cash stowed away in levels. Some missions even have dedicated platforming sections for a Spiderbot to navigate. One especially memorable side mission has you crawling around the insides of Big Ben, a moment made all the better by humming “Out of Time” from Castlevania to yourself (or the “Slide” theme from Super Mario 64 if you prefer).

For one area, I was trying and failing to get past a turret to free a potential recruit’s friend, but then I tried going through the exposed back of the building. Then both me and the friend entered an armored truck and I was able to escape as the turret tried in vain to shoot us down.

Evading cops is much easier in Watch Dogs Legion than previous entries, turning the situation into a fun challenge when before it was an inconvenience. It’s not necessarily because the AI is dumber, but because there are more opportunities to hide. I was able to evade cops by entering a mall and then climbing up the stairs and down again on the other side.

Progression is a big different than in Watch Dogs 2. Instead of getting experience points from missions and other tasks and leveling up, with each level granting a number of skill points you can spend on skills in a skill tree, Watch Dogs Legion has players collect Tech Points throughout the world and by completing certain story missions. You can then spend those points on a list of gadgets, weapons and abilities. You could spend points on the Electro-Fist and make its power hits arc electricity to a nearby targets, for instance. You can even unlock brand new abilities with them such as the ability to temporarily shut down turrets. So far it’s not as streamlined as previous entries but it gets the job done and does allow you to tailor your play style to your preferences.

For players that can’t get enough of cosmetics in games, you’re in luck. Live Producer Lathieeshe Thillainathan told Heavy that there are a few thousands outfits you can get in the game. You can customize your outerwear, innerwear, legwear, shoes, handwear, bags, hats, glasses, and masks. Some items can be bought from shops dotted around London or obtained by completing different challenges. Recruited operatives will also bring their own clothing. Oh, and wearing clothing items isn’t restricted by your character’s gender. Thillainathan said that 99 percent of all the cosmetics the team made for the game are found in the base game, though he did say that the cosmetic items available only via microtransactions in the in-game store “push the creative boundaries a bit more than what you would see in the open world.”

Ubisoft

Speaking of microtransactions, in past Ubisoft games like Assassin’s Creed Origins or Odyssey had microtransactions for items like XP and currency boosters that let you progress through the story faster. Thillainathan said that the only gameplay-affecting microtransaction for Watch Dogs Legion is for the VIP Pass which lets you earn the in-game currency ETO at a faster rate. ETO is only used for buying clothing from the stores in the open world; it’s not used for buying/upgrading gadgets (That’s for Tech Points) or progressing through the story. Thillainathan said that you “can’t earn gameplay through microtransactions” and that there are no plans or anything in development to add microtransactions like that to the game. He said that the VIP pass is for players who want to get clothing quicker or really want to empty all of the stores and get every clothing option in the game.

So while you can still get all of the non-premium clothing options in the game without spending money on the VIP pass, it still remains to be seen how much faster and more convenient the VIP pass is than the base experience.

There’s also going to be a bunch of free content released for the game in the future, according to a trailer showed early from Ubisoft. On December 3rd, they’ll release the online mode which lets you explore the entirety of London in four player co-op and even take on new missions tailored to four player co-op play. They’ll also have the PvP mode Spiderbot Arena where players fight with Spiderbots in deathmatch-style shootouts as well as the return of the Invasion mode where players will try to hack you during you playthrough of the game and so you’ll have to find them. Future updates will also include new characters, abilities, mission content and new game plus.

The Season Pass will include story content with Aiden Pearce from the first Watch Dogs and Wrench from Watch Dogs 2 working together in their own missions. The Season Pass will also give you access to Mina, a test subject in a research facility who can possess people with her mind, and Darcy, a member of the Assassin’s Brotherhood from Assassin’s Creed.

Oh, and not only can you get free next gen upgrades for the game (i.e. if you have the game on PS4 you can play it on PS5 or if you have the game on Xbox One you can play it on Xbox Series X), but your save game and all premium content will transfer, said Thillainathan. He also said that they’ll support cross-progression with PC and Google Stadia, if you still care about Stadia. Then starting with the online update on December 3, cross-progression will be universal so you’ll be able to continue your save game no matter what platform you play the game on.

While some minor things about Watch Dogs Legion left me wanting more, I wanted more of the game to play after I finished the demo. It was just so fun to play. Don’t expect a dramatically upgraded experience to Watch Dogs, but do expect to have a good time if you’re a fan of the series.

Read More: 5 Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad Tips & Tricks You Need to Know

Update – check out Rain, Rambo, and Mileena’s gameplay trailers below:

Ed Boon’s cryptic tweets have kept Mortal Kombat fans in heavy debate mode in recent weeks.

After news of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath leaks hit the web, it became quite clear that three new characters were being planned as future DLC. And thanks to today’s (October 8, 2020) reveal trailer, we now have an official confirmation of who those three “Kombatants” are. The debut trailer for their hype announcement showcased a helpless Tarkatan on the run from an unseen assailant. The camera eventually zoomed out to give us a glimpse of who that person was – Rain! The water-powered ninja proceeded to show off his new blade but all of a sudden, the beast he cornered was pulled into the darkness behind him. This is where we got to see the next character reveal – Mileena! The flesh-eating assassin went on to devour the Tarkatan and engage in a little “kombat” session with Rain soon after.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Before Rain and Mileena could bring their battle to a close, a trap sprung up between them. As both characters looked into the distance, they locked eyes with the hunter responsible for that setup – it was none other than Sylvester Stallone’s gun-toting mercenary, John Rambo! We then went on to find out even more details about this awesome reveal – Rain, Mileena, and Rambo are arriving as a part of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate’s Kombat Pack 2. This “Ultimate” version of the game will arrive on November 17, 2020, and feature the base game, Kombat Packs 1 & 2, and the Aftermath story expansion.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate was also announced as coming to next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S with the following upgrades – graphical enhancements, 4K dynamic resolution, significantly reduced load times, and cross-play/cross-gen capabilities. Those same upgrades will come to new and existing current-gen owners of the game (PS4 and Xbox One) as a free next-gen upgrade on November 17 as well. The bonus costume set coming with MK 11 Ultimate as a pre-order incentive is the Time Warriors skin pack, which includes new looks for Liu Kang, Skarlet, and Noob Saibot.

Check out a series of revealing screenshots for MK 11 Ultimate’s big reveals below:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

See Also:

• Mortal Kombat 11: Full List of Fatalities
• Mortal Kombat 11: Full List of Stage Fatalities
• Mortal Kombat 11: Full List of Friendships

The next generation of Assassin’s Creed is finally upon us with Valhalla and it’s taking us to a place we haven’t been before.

I had the opportunity to play through six hours of the game courtesy of Ubisoft, and I have to say that things look very promising.

Set during the 9th century invasion of England, you are thrust directly into the shows of a fearsome Viking named Eivor, who is the leader of the Raven Clan. It’s an interesting time period as there’s a lot of unrest in England during this time and your crew is looking to establish a foothold after leaving Norway.

Very quickly, you’ll see the English don’t like you as much as you don’t like them, with the clashing of religious beliefs being one of the major factors. This makes for a hostile game world where you’re constantly having to hide who you are within towns.

To make this easier, Ubisoft has brought back the fan-favorite mechanic of social blending, but in my limited time playing, I didn’t see it work as well as I’d have liked it to. One of the big problems was that the towns just weren’t populated as they were in a game like Assassin’s Creed Unity. There are only so many drunkards you can convince to follow you around and I found it easier to just hide in the bushes or travel by rooftop.

Another way to make staying out of sight easier is having the ability to raise your hood, which will make detection take longer. Being a Viking during this time period is already tough enough, so it’s cool to see so many ways to make it a bit easier.

At the end of the day, it become clear to me that while stealth mechanics are more prevalent in Valhalla than they were in Origins and Odyssey, things seem much more tailored to combat.

Not Your Father’s Assassin’s Creed

UbisoftThis is as brutal as Assassin’s Creed has ever been.

It’s no secret that the current AC titles are much different than they were when the series began, and that has created a bit of a rift in the playerbase.

For anybody who was a fan of the way things were and don’t like the direction Origins and Odyssey went, chances are high that you aren’t going to be a fan of Valhalla either, unless you’re in love with the time period it’s set in.

Valhalla builds on what Odyssey perfected from Origins and elevates the combat even further. Your average fight will usually end in a brutal finishing attack and don’t be surprised to see severed limbs flying around during the mayhem.

To drive this point home even further, instead of clearing outposts by yourself and sneakily eliminating the guards and finding treasure, Valhalla has introduced raids.

By blowing your horn, you’ll call a bunch of Vikings to come fight with you as you storm an area. These raids will drop the stealth act and start a full-blown brawl as you massacre everybody in the town.

You’ll find there are certain chests and doors that can only be opened up with an AI teammate, so it’s clear that you’ll have to perform these raids as often as possible.

For the combat oriented player, this will feel like a dream come true because the series has never been this violent before. With a sprawling skill tree being available, it looks like there are many different ways you can build Eivor.

Speaking of, building off the foundation from Odyssey, where you could pick a male or female character, Valhalla does something interesting. Through the use of the Animus, players are able to switch back and forth between a male and female Eivor at will.

I didn’t have a chance to do see what impact this has on the story, if any, but it’s interesting to say the least that Ubisoft allows us to do that.

It’s Not All Fighting

Ubisoft

A cool thing that does make a return from some of the previous entries is the settlement.

In my preview, I was able to build up an outpost and populate it with activities for my clan to do. Through the raids, I was able to collect all sorts of supplies and pour them back into the settlement, giving me a real sense of progression. What’s cool is how you can pick and choose what to upgrade first. If you want to have a feast that will give you a buff before battles, you can get that built first.

I’m sure there’s a lot more to the system than what I saw in the brief preview, but I was definitely encouraged by what I saw.

Closing Thoughts

Ubisoft

As somebody who has played bits of pieces of Assassin’s Creed games in the past, and somebody who absolutely loved Origins, I couldn’t be happier with what I played.

If you are a fan of the direction the series has been going, then there’s no real reason you won’t like this one. Despite adding stealth mechanics back into the game, it never actually felt like I was supposed to play with them.

I tried to approach fights stealthily, and things I felt like I was able to do in Origins didn’t even feel natural in Valhalla, and almost every situation just turned into a bloodbath.

I will miss the outposts from the previous two games, but I’m sure the raids will grow on me because it was definitely fun leading a group of bloodthirsty Vikings into battle, I can tell you that much.

There will likely be many long nights staying up playing this game, just telling myself I need to synchronize with one more spot, only to come across a plethora of new things to do on the way there.

READ NEXT: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Review

Specs

Headphone

• Driver: Dynamic, 53-mm with neodymium magnets
• Type: Circumaural, Closed back
• Frequency Response: 15-Hz to 20-kHz
• Impedance: 60-Ω
• Sound Pressure Level: 104-dBSPL/mW at 1-kHz
• T.H.D.: ≤1-percent
• Weight: 300-g
• Weight With Mic: 309-g
• Cable Length and Type: USB charge cable (0.5-m)

Microphone

• Element: Electret condenser microphone
• Polar Pattern: Bi-directional, Noise-cancelling
• Frequency Response: 50-Hz to 6.8-kHz
• Sensitivity: -20-dBV (1-V/Pa at 1-kHz)

Wireless Range

• 2.4-GHz
• Up to 20-meters

Battery Life

• 30-hours

HyperX

HyperX’s long line of Cloud-themed wired and wireless headsets are top of the line audio peripherals. The basic Cloud, Stinger, Alpha/Alpha S, Revolver, Flight/Flight S, Orbit, and MIX headsets all offer top of the line audio feedback and maximum comfortability. The Cloud II, in particular, is one of HyperX’s most refined wired headset models. Now the revered gaming peripheral giant has decided to make all of the features tied to the wired Cloud 2 available in a brand new wireless edition. The Cloud II Wireless + 7.1 headset cuts all the cords tied to its predecessor and does an amazing job of retaining the commendable elements you’ve come to expect from HyperX’s Cloud headset family.

Since this rendition of the Cloud 2 is completely wireless, there’s no USB-connected audio control box to speak of. Not having to deal with all the extra cords tied to that audio box during your gaming sessions is definitely a plus. I gave this headset plenty of chances to impress me across the consoles it’s compatible with, which includes the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Thankfully, the wireless Cloud II works well with all three gaming devices and is an especially worthwhile option for Switch owners who regularly play in TV mode. The setup process for the wireless Cloud II is a simple affair – all there is to do is attach the USB wireless adaptor to your console of choice and you’re good to go.

HyperX

Like the wired Cloud II headset, this wireless edition comes outfitted with memory foam earmuffs. The physical feel of those earmuffs and the soft headband connecting them is top-notch. This wireless pair of headphones stayed cool and comfortable throughout the hours-long gaming sessions I put it through across several days. The headphones themselves come in a more circular feel without the edges featured on the wired model – this is a nice change in form and feel that makes the wireless Cloud II that much more comfortable and sleeker. The headset’s high durability and lightweight form factor are also worth plenty of high praise. As for its 30-hour battery life and long wireless range, those features will most certainly push the Cloud II into your gaming peripheral collection as your go-to headset.

On an audio level, the Cloud II sounds as crisp and clear as its wired sibling. The signature HyperX virtual surround sound helps every sword clash, shield bash, car drift, and every other type of gaming audio sound its absolute best. The noise cancellation feature means you’ll be fully immersed in whatever you’re doing and block out everything that’s actively trying to disrupt your concentration. The same high quality of sound that comes through this pair of headphones is comparable to the quality of the noise-canceling microphone. My voice came through loud and clear at all times, which came as no surprise once I told my online allies which headset I was working with. The wireless Cloud II looks and sounds like a dream in every area that matters, which means it’s the perfect option for HyperX headset users who have no use for additional wires.

HyperX

Pros:

• The lack of a wired audio box makes this version of the Cloud II more easily accessible
• The memory foams are super comfortable and cool to the touch for hours on end
• The virtual 7.1 surround sound option sounds incredible and can be heard without having to actively turn it on

Cons:

• None to speak of

Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

See Also:

• EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 601 Pro Wired Gaming Headset Review
• HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless Gaming Headset Review
• Sennheiser GSP 370 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

AMC’s The Walking Dead has been going strong since 2010.

Recognizable characters from the show, such as Daryl, Rick, and Michonne, have spent seasons fending off shambling zombies and the many dangerous human threats that threaten their friends and family. Thanks to the release of the VR experience called The Walking Dead Onslaught, you now have the ability to confront those hazards head-on from a first-person viewpoint. The developers behind the official VR game for the show want you to survive as long as possible, which is why they’ve worked with us to offer you some helpful advice.

Here are the top 10 tips, tricks, and cheats you need to know for The Walking Dead Onslaught.

1. Equip a Versatile Loadout

Survios

• As you play through The Walking Dead Onslaught, you’ll gain access to 24 firearms that you can use to tackle the grisly unknown of AMC’s universe. Including an assortment of long-range weapons like Daryl’s iconic Crossbow to close-range melee weapons like Michonne’s Katana, there’s a tool for every scenario that you can utilize effectively.

• With up to four weapon slots to fill, the best approach is to prepare yourself with a variety of tools that will keep your arsenal balanced and deadly against the impending walker threat looming in every corner. Our recommended loadout? Get up-close and personal with the knuckle-knife, consider crowd control with a shotgun, slash up entire foes with the katana, and put those gunslinging skills to the test with the revolver. That last one is for style points.

2. Awareness is Key

Survios

• While you may be able to successfully fend off an entire horde of walkers in an area, don’t put your guard down just yet. Once you’ve cleared a space, take a beat to listen. Can you hear the chilling growls of the undead? Depending on how loud they are, it may be time to decide your next move: do you stick around and collect more valuable resources, or do you play it safe and return home with what you have? The decision to weigh the risks and rewards is entirely up to you, survivor.

3. The Harder You Play, The Bigger Your Reward

• There are a few difficulties to choose from in The Walking Dead Onslaught that yields more resources, such as the Veteran difficulty that offers maximum rewards. Look, we’ll be upfront: The Veteran difficulty is no walk in the park, but if you’re up for the challenge, you’ll see a higher return of resources, which you can use to quickly build up Alexandria.

• While it may not be for everyone, we recommend giving Veteran a shot to truly test your mettle. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover something about your ability to survive in the Walker apocalypse, or maybe you’ll get sent home with almost nothing.

4. Let’s Get Physical

• This game utilizes VR combat physicality, meaning melee actions such as swings, bludgeons, decapitations, and impalements can deal higher damage based on the speed and velocity of your real-life motions.

• And don’t worry about using up any in-game stamina – The Walking Dead Onslaught doesn’t artificially limit your ability to kick ass, so swing that katana to your heart’s content. However, do be sure to take breaks from your walker-slaying sessions frequently, as this line of work can get pretty intense. Remember – stay hydrated and mind your surroundings.

5. Find Your Comfort Zone

• Virtual reality can take some getting used to, but don’t fret – there is a variety of locomotion, turning and comfort options tailor-made for new players and seasoned VR veterans. There are also sitting and standing modes. If you feel that your current settings aren’t working out, you can access these at any time via the in-game menu and adjust your comfort accordingly until you find that sweet spot.

6. Know Your Audience

Survios

• Defeating a walker or two in close-quarter combat may come easy, but dealing with a horde is an entirely different story. When coming up against an overwhelming group of walkers, the best strategy is always to put as much space between you and them as possible. Try finding chokepoints to limit how many walkers you need to focus on, or take down multiple walkers at once by herding them around explosives. Some walkers may be armored too, so look out for any vulnerable spots.

7. Pushing and Shoving

• If a walker is getting too comfortable with entering your personal space, tell them to back off! Use your non-dominant hand to grab, slap, push, and shove them away from you. If you’re dealing with multiple walkers, this can give you a good amount of distance from their attacks and can potentially send them stumbling back, giving you a chance to turn and run for safety or pick them off from a distance. We’re fans of the latter.

8. Gather All You Can To Rebuild

• The resources that you find in Scavenger runs and Campaign missions return with you to Alexandria, which can be used to reconstruct important buildings, upgrade your armory, and boost your community’s population.

• There are a number of different resources that range from common food to rare one-time pickups, and they all play a crucial part in rebuilding Alexandria, so be diligent and try not to leave anything behind. Sometimes, fellow survivors may task you to collect specific materials, so keep your eyes peeled and listen for any vocal cues that may indicate you’re near an important resource.

9. Build Yourself Up

• In addition to building up Alexandria, you’ll also reap the benefits of a healthy settlement. Are you barely scraping by with low health? Fix up the Town Hall for a health boost. Perhaps you’re running low on bullets too often? Invest in The Forge.

• You can also allocate these resources to your favorite weapons to enhance their effectiveness – new sights, grips, and mags can translate into improved accuracy, increased damage, and fewer reloads. In essence, read the descriptions of each upgrade and focus on installing the buildings and attachments that will help you as a survivor.

10. You Should’ve Gone for the Head

Survios

• In the latest Rebalance Patch, the game introduced new combat elements that overhauled weapon effectiveness and walker behavior. Now, it’s more crucial than ever to align your shots and take down walker hordes by targeting vulnerable points, such as their brain.

• Not only will you defeat them quickly and efficiently, but you’ll also conserve some ammo in the process for the next encounter. Some additional considerations: weapons now have fall-off damage over distance, so get close for maximum effectiveness. Additionally, shots to the jaw and below deal significantly less damage – so aim just a little higher and make every bullet count.

See Also

• 10 Genshin Impact Tips & Tricks You Need to Know
• 5 Puzzles & Survival Tips & Tricks You Need to Know
• 10 Arcane Showdown Tips & Tricks You Need to Know

Watch Dogs Legion is the latest hack-em-up from Ubisoft and there is a lot to do and learn.

The hacking gameplay entices experimentation and playing with the style of gameplay you feel most comfortable with, though there are certain abilities and creative tricks that will get you through missions more efficiently.

Here are 10 Watch Dogs Legion tips and tricks, whether you prefer stealth, combat or anything else.

1. Scouting Ahead Is Key

Screenshot by Jack Fennimore

Don’t go into restricted areas head on. Take some time to scout the area for enemies, keys and collectibles. That will reduce your chances of being caught off guard by an enemy you didn’t know was there.

Scan by pressing in the right stick to highlight all hackable devices in an area, even stuff that isn’t immediately highlighted to you. Then hack security cameras or drones to look around and scout the area for enemies as well as any items you need to unlock locked doors.

Especially keep an eye out for Captains (indicated by the symbol above them that looks like waves coming from a dot) as they call reinforcements when alerted.

2. Keep Your Gun Holstered If You Prefer Stealth

While there are many kinds of fancy guns you can find on operatives from Desert Eagles to grenade launchers, sometimes the best option is not to use a gun at all.

If enemies find you, they won’t pull out their guns if you keep yours holstered. They will instead engage you in melee combat.

Melee combat is not only safer than gunplay, but without gunshots other enemies won’t be alerted to your presence.

Make sure to use the Guard Break move if you punch but inflict no damage to an enemy. Make sure to get the timing down for counter attacks; there’s usually a sound effect that plays before enemies make a move. Also, you only regenerate health when not attacking, so play defensively when you’ve taken a bunch of damage.

Operatives especially suitable for melee combat can be found near bareknuckle areas. You can also recruit the champions of an arena to your team after beating them; you just need to complete their recruitment mission first.

3. Here’s How to Get More Money

According to Ubisoft, there are five times as many customization items in Watch Dogs Legion than in Watch Dogs 2. To buy them, you need ETO, the in-game currency.

The quickest way to amass large quantities of ETO is by completing main missions. Not only do the missions themselves award lots of ETO, but the restricted areas you go to for those missions often contain a safe filled with ETO.

Also be on the lookout for ETO Skimmers and ATMs you can hack to get ETO. You can find ETO Skimmers highlighted on your mini-map.

If you get the tech ability to take control of Parcel Fox Drones, you can find some drones that carry ETO and then control them to make them drop it.

You can also complete various side activities to earn ETO such as kick-up, darts, Parcel Fox deliveries and Bareknuckle Arenas.

Some operatives are investors or CEOs and can have the ability to earn more ETO than others. These characters can usually be found in financial districts like the City of London. Be careful, though, as some of these people also have abilities that make them randomly gamble ETO or randomly buy clothes while shopping.

4. Need a Certain Kind of Operative? Look Where They Might Go

Screenshot by Jack Fennimore

Say you need an operative that has a uniform that lets them infiltrate a certain restricted area, such as a medical center or a police station? Well then find someone who works there and recruit them. People with police uniforms can be found at police stations, construction workers can be found at construction sites, etc. Focus on getting recruits with Albion and construction worker uniforms as that will give you access to the most restricted areas.

According to Ubisoft, each borough of London has their own quirks and personalities that make certain kinds of potential recruits flock to them. Camden is a good spot to find a competent hacker. The City of London is a great spot for finding lawyers that get your captured operatives out of jail sooner. Brixton has street artists with paintball guns and paint bombs that make them effective for silent, non-lethal combat encounters. Hyde Park is home to athletes that excel in physical confrontations such as melee combat.

5. Upgrade the Spiderbot As Soon As Possible

Screenshot by Jack Fennimore

The Spiderbot is perfect for infiltrating restricted areas undetected and you’ll be forced to use them often throughout the main campaign, so it should be upgraded as soon as possible.

Getting the ability to double jump will greatly enhance the ability of your Spiderbot to traverse obstacles. Sprinting is useful not only for getting thought areas quicker but for running away if it’s detected by an enemy. The cloak will further increase your infiltration capabilities and make it easier to perform takedowns.

Note that these upgrades are only applied to Spiderbots you equip to your operatives, not Spiderbots you find in summoning locations in restricted areas.

Spiderbots also shock anyone around them when they die. You can intentionally get them caught by enemies so they get caught in the explosion. You can also get a Spiderbot destroyed near mission crates or Red Lock Boxes so you can destroy them and progress through the mission.

6. The Combat Spiderbot Is Good Too

I find the regular Spiderbot more useful than the Combat Spiderbot just because the double jump, sprint and cloak are that much more useful than a turret, though a Combat Spiderbot is definitely an option for operatives that specialize in gun combat.

You can also use the Combat Spiderbot to make it automatically protect you from enemies whether you’re actively engaged in combat or just controlling another drone or camera. You can even find an enemy with their own Combat Spiderbot, recruit them and then have an operative that can deploy two Combat Spiderbots.

Tossing a Combat Spiderbot on a vehicle will defend you from drones while driving.

7. The Cargo Drone Is OP

Screenshot by Jack Fennimore

The cargo drone is one of the most useful tools you can have at your dispersal.

You can land one near you, hop on top of it with the vaulting button, and then hijack it while on top to gain the ability to fly. This lets you skip most of a level’s geometry and security. Flying is also way better for travelling across London than by car. Cargo drones can also carry your Spiderbot across a level.

Cargo drones can also carry giant explosives and then drop them on enemies from the air. This function is especially useful for missions that task you with destroying something like a weapon cache or a counter-terrorism drone.

You can also affix an electro-shock trap to a cargo drone to turn it into a flying bomb. You can also place a Combat Spiderbot on a cargo drone to turn it into a mini gunship.

The easiest way to find a cargo drone is by recruiting a construction worker, as they have the ability to summon a cargo drone wherever.

8. Get the Ability to Disable Turrets and Drones

Drones and turrets are the most dangerous enemies you face in Watch Dogs Legion, so being able to disable them even for a couple of seconds is very useful.

As you turn boroughs defiant, you unlock the ability to permanently disable drones and turrets. So after you disable a drone and make it fall to the ground, you can go up to it and turn it off.

Better yet, upgrade the tech that lets you disable drones and turrets to give yourself the ability to make them turn against their allies. Upgrade the tech further to give you the ability to hijack them and take direct control.

9. The Electro-Shock Trap Is More Useful Than You Think

The electro-shock trap can be used as a grenade to take out a cluster of enemies and drones. Many will understandably pass these by for gadgets like the Spiderbot or the AR Cloak but the electro-shock trap is just as useful.

The trap is one of the quickest ways early in the game to eliminate turrets and drones. You can also upgrade it to add an EMP blast that disables nearby drones and enemies. Upgrading even further can make the EMP blast jam enemy weapons.

The trap can also be placed to create an area for enemies to run into and get incapacitated. You can even use the built in hack to attract enemies to make them run into the trap themselves – or you can recall the trap before it triggers if you just want to move an enemy out of your way without raising suspicion from other enemies.

10. Shoot Weak Spots on Counter-terrorism Drones

Counter-terrorism drones are the most dangerous enemies in the game, as they are equipped not only with a machine gun but with missiles.

However, counter-terrorism drones expose their weak point after firing. Wait for its vents to open after it fires its weapon and then shoot at that. DedSec LTL weapons, especially the Launcher, are especially good against drones.

Also try to find explosive barrels or crates you can drop on the drone with a cargo drone.

For more tips on how to recruit operatives and what operatives to recruit, check out our guide below.

Read More: Watch Dogs Legion: How to Recruit Operatives & FAQ