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Marvel Cosmic Invasion Impresses Critics As Arcade Beat-'Em-Up Lands On Xbox Game Pass

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is kicking off December on Xbox Game Pass in a big way - and the new Marvel brawler is out now, which means early reviews are starting to trickle in for the newly-released Xbox title.
So, we're going to gather up some of those early reviews down below for you take a look at. Spoiler alert; Marvel Cosmic Invasion sounds like it'll be a lot of fun on Xbox Game Pass!
Console Creatures (9/10)
TechRaptor (8.5/10)
Nintendo Life (8/10)
Push Square (8/10)
GamesRadar (4/5)
PlayStation Universe (7.5/10)
At the time of writing, Marvel Cosmic Invasion has a score of 78 on Metacritic and a rating of 82 on OpenCritic; pretty good going for this one so far, then. The new Marvel beat-'em-up is now live on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with two other titles arriving later this week!
Rockstar

Red Dead Redemption For Xbox Series X|S Has A 50% Launch Discount

Rockstar's new current-gen upgrade for Red Dead Redemption is starting to roll out in certain regions, and with the game now live in some parts of the world, we're seeing that this new version has a 50% launch discount on Xbox Series X|S.
Available for seemingly the first two weeks after release, Red Dead Redemption has a half price offer right now. Here's how that's looking on the New Zealand store at the moment, with the upgrade expected to go live in other regions over the next few hours:

Of course, we must note that existing owners of the Xbox 360 backwards compatible version will get this new upgrade for free anyway, so if you have that old version tied to your account, you'll be good to go when the upgrade launches in your region. This free version is only applicable to digital purchases though - physical owners won't be able to upgrade for free.
So, if you have a disc version of Red Dead Redemption or are simply picking this one up on Xbox for the very first time, you can grab the game's current-gen upgrade at 50% off for the first two weeks of release (until roughly December 14th).
Rockstar

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Review (Switch eShop)

It’s been over three years since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge was released, and Tribute Games has been really busy. Stuffed like a return-trip suitcase, Marvel Cosmic Invasion’s enormous cast of heroes and villains is here united in a rapturous beat-'em-up fanfare. Its pixel art positively simmers, with beautifully rendered backgrounds, giant set-pieces, and solid, impressively animated sprites. And, in addition to primary antagonist Annihilus, nemeses like Galactus, Hela, and Thanos make sufficiently heavy-duty appearances.
What’s particularly endearing is that the production feels wholly comic book. Its story mode, fleshed out with superbly rendered cutscenes and spot-on voice acting, really honours the source material. From Wolverine’s growl to Spider-Man’s quips, Venom’s brusque manner to Nova’s heroic fortitude, the exchanges really capture the Marvel feel. The slightly squat sprite styling works well, too, and the soundtrack is on-point throughout.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Outside of palette swap options, there are no Marvel movie elements here, and the roster is interestingly formed, teaming up the likes of Captain America and Iron Man with lesser-knowns like Beta Ray Bill and Phyla-Vell. In total, there are a whopping 15 playable characters, several of whom are unlocked during playthroughs.
Any modern scrolling beat 'em up worth its salt requires a creative and dynamic combat system, and Cosmic Invasion rises to the challenge with a dual-character tag-team setup. In Story Mode, you choose a fresh duo each time you begin a stage, selecting your destination of choice via a bullet-pointed map that runs along branching paths. Certain stages need to be beaten before you can progress, and finishing a stage will level up your team with increased power and health.
Story Mode also comes with a set of optional Challenges. These include tasks like defeating a set number of enemies with a specific move or finishing a boss with a specific character. The challenge list shows which heroes properly align with a stage’s cutscenes and narrative. Characters that are narratively required for each level have glowing boxes around them on the select screen, too, although that could be signposted better.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Arcade Mode operates in true linear fashion: your initial character choices remain fixed for the entire game, there’s no levelling up, and you’re restricted to a limited number of stages across optional routes. For many, this will be the most enjoyable way to play.
The cast’s fighting properties are amazingly varied, with differing speeds and weights, and enough unique attack forms to make each one feel interesting. Some can fly with a double-jump tap, patrolling the air, while others, like Rocket Raccoon, dominate from range with heavy artillery. Each wields a basic tap combo, a double-tap rush attack, and a dodge or block that, when timed right, enacts a parry. Every character can charge a unique breakout move, and the 'X' button lets loose their special attack. The 'R' button is reserved for big, flashy supers, requiring a “Focus” energy that recharges while battling.
Tag-teaming works entirely around the left trigger. Tapping switches characters, who can swing in and break you out of holds. You can also combine attacks, whereby pressing the trigger mid-combo will have your partner appear alongside you, dealing out extra blows. Interestingly, you can combine the tag function with different buttons, creating different partner effects like aerial dives or rushing slashes. All tag battling eats into your Focus energy, a point to consider if you’re trying to build a team super: a devastating dual attack engaged with 'ZL' and 'R' that requires maximum Focus for both characters.
Cosmic Invasion is flashy and superbly slick, and mining all the little details is quite the adventure. There’s not much included in the rather threadbare tutorial, so it’s down to you to experiment, discovering which grabs can be turned into throws with D-pad combinations, and which characters have functions that respond to simultaneous button presses. The fastest hack here is to hit pause and read through your character’s movelist.
In a world post-Absolum, Cosmic Invasion doesn’t quite land in the same way Shredder’s Revenge did. While it does get furiously heated, its pace does feel a tad slow overall. What's surprising, though, are the numerous oversights in the visual feedback department. The map points on Story Mode, for example, don’t change colour when you clear a stage or complete its challenges, and post-toilet break it can take a moment to recognise which you just did.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Tribute Games clearly aren’t fans of prominent combo counters either, which is a shame as Cosmic Invasion seems to be crying out for one. Here, the combo counter is small, tame, and seated inconspicuously beside your health bar. As such, your building of blows isn’t as rewarding, and, being a comic-book-themed game, classic onomatopoeia or “Dazzling!”, “Amazing!”, or “Super!” would have been the perfect way to celebrate combo milestones.
The feedback element that really needs bolstering, though, surrounds the tag mechanic. With so many different usage combinations, some additional visual, aural, or haptic cues to delineate each state would have been helpful amidst the game’s flurrying pyrotechnics. For example, a short pad vibration upon engagement, and perhaps character colour flashes could give some idea of how much Focus energy is being consumed. And, as the tag function can be combined with different buttons for different dual attack types, some kind of visual feedback to articulate each state wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
It’s not the end of the world, but your tag mechanics tend to get drowned out in the fighting stew, lacking a sense of tactility. For your mammoth dual super attack, too, any kind of wind-up effect or chime would have been welcome, just to let you know you’re primed to go. Additionally, recovering the secret green cubes hidden on each stage is so perfunctory it’s like a fart in the wind. There’s no indication it even has value, no message screaming “Cube Recovered!” or the like. In fact, it’s quite possible to pick one up accidentally without realising it.
These aren’t criminal offences, and they certainly don’t diminish the effort involved. But anyone who understands arcade games knows that good feedback aspects can really elevate the experience. As such, while impressively deep with its dodging, parrying, and potential for wild mix-ups and tag-team juggling, Cosmic Invasion's combat doesn't feel quite as satisfying as something like Streets of Rage 4, the recent Absolum, or even Shredder’s Revenge, which was a touch more honed in the battling department.
The more overt problem with Cosmic Invasion, though, is its difficulty balancing. Credit-feeding arcade games robs them of their value, largely because of their routine nature, and a lack of challenge has a similar effect. For some reason, Cosmic Invasion’s default Medium difficulty setting is a total cakewalk. Bosses, whose attack patterns are often thoughtfully designed, go down to first-attempt spamming in all but the last few stages. Health items are scattered all over, and being able to tag characters, regularly deploy super attacks, and regenerate not only Focus but your health too, actually makes the campaign a tad mundane. It’s much like the Marvel movies themselves in this respect: when there are no stakes, you start to switch off.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Now, there is a Hard Mode, but it isn’t available from the outset. Instead, you need to earn cubes to be spent on a hexagonal grid, unlocking additional character palettes and other in-game adjustments. For your information, you want to go right to the top middle of the hexagon and unlock that Hard Mode option, because frankly, it’s transformative.
Playing Arcade Mode on Hard Difficulty suddenly makes Cosmic Invasion both reasonably challenging and, with it, far more interesting, requiring thought and skill over mindless button mashing. All aspects of your moveset take on genuine importance, with different enemies and situations demanding experimentation — and the dodge and parry become crucial. While, in my opinion, the default difficulty should have been set somewhere between Medium and Hard Mode — and that means Tribute Games didn’t quite get either quite right — Hard Mode is still the place to go lest things get boring.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Now, if you’re primarily here for the multiplayer aspect, all this challenge criticism goes out the window. With friends, it’s just a blast, even if the four-player is a little too chaotic, all things told. In terms of delivering campy Marvel magic, however, in which iconic superheroes smash iconic supervillains, Cosmic Invasion comes through with flying colours.
Conclusion
Pure cartoon fun, and all the better for it, Tribute Games has not only totally honoured the source material, but delivered one of the best arcade Marvel games ever made. The aesthetic is beautiful, and the effort involved in creating such a varied cast of beat-'em-up protagonists is admirable.
Yes, there are areas for improvement, and some of its combat-feedback oversights feel like missed opportunities. But if you primarily want multiplayer action, to unlock and grind and level up your cast, and to get knee-deep in Marvel mayhem, it’s right on the money. If you’re working through its single-player Story campaign, you’re likely to get bored before the end owing to its ease, but unlock Hard Difficulty and Cosmic Invasion becomes all it was destined to be.
Rockstar

Here's Another Look At Elden Ring Running On Switch 2

We might have to wait a little while longer than expected until we can see Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in its full glory on Switch 2, but the title is still popping up at games expos around the world, giving us plenty of opportunities to see it in action.
The latest slice of hands-on time came from the Milan Games Week 2025, where 'Corey Da Flame' captured the over-the-shoulder footage found above (thanks, Nintenderos). It's the same opening section that we have seen played on Switch 2 a couple of times now, and off-screen recording is never the best way to get an idea of things from a performance perspective, but things seem... less tarnished than we were expecting.
Okay, it's no PS5 build, but as far as talk of the Switch 2 version goes, it looks pretty darn fine. Our initial impressions of the game in handheld were rather rough, and while things certainly seemed to be a step in the right direction when getting our first look at the game in docked, the latest footage suggests that things are getting better still.
Again, we won't know for sure until the full game comes our way at some point next year — and we don't only have over-the-shoulder footage to go off. At the time of writing, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is still hanging with a vague '2026' release window after FromSoftware decided to delay the port back in October.
Rockstar

Didn't Catch The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown? Here's Who Won

Last Friday saw the broadcast of The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown, sponsored by Nintendo and overseen by our friends at IGN Entertainment.
Featuring 24 UK variety and gaming influencers, the event showcased Mario Kart World's Knockout Tour at its most chaotic. The selected streamers were split into six teams of four, and commemorative trophies were offered to the quartet that accumulated the most points throughout the competition. Clearly, much more than honour was at stake here.
Hosted by IGN UK’s George Forsyth-Nash (aka Nash) and Outside Xtra’s Jane Douglas, The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown also benefited from insights by Outside Xtra's Mike Channell and presenter Jules Hardy, both of whom were on hand to supply colour commentary and general Mario-related waffle.

The final rankings — Image: IGN UK
Some of the UK's biggest streamers took part, including TooBizyGaming, GetMadz, OwengeJuiceTV, KickThePj, InTheLittleWood, TheOrionSound and ReadySetBen.
The event delivered a true masterclass in Mario Kart skills, but ultimately, it was the Orange Team (TheOrionSound, Solidarity, InTheLittleWood and Ravs) which emerged victorious, while the poor old Red Team came in last. Better luck next time, guys!
If you caught the karting action and feel the need to demonstrate your own talents, then you can enter IGN UK's Streamer Showdown giveaway over on X, where a brand spanking new OLED TV is up for grabs. Entries close on 14th December, 2025, and are open to UK residents aged 18 and over (full T&Cs can be found here).
If you want to revisit what happened, then head over to IGN UK's YouTube and Twitch channels – or you can watch the full stream below.
Rockstar

Jennifer Hale Says She Was "Thrown Under The Bus" Amid Bayonetta 3 Casting Controversy

Jennifer Hale, one of the most iconic voice actors and best known for playing Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy and Naomi Hunter and Emma Emmerich in the Metal Gear Solid series, has spoken about her experience in playing Bayonetta in Bayonetta 3.
Hale, who took over the role from Hellena Taylor for the third entry in the series, told GAMINGbible (via IGN) that she "got thrown under the bus by that whole thing."
"I was unable to speak on my own behalf because I was under not one but two NDAs. Eventually, I was allowed to make a statement, which I appreciated, and I was able to present the facts,” Hale continues.
Following PlatinumGames' announcement of the new voice actor, Taylor urged fans to boycott the game due to a pay dispute. She claimed that the studio offered her only $4,000 "to do the whole game...as a flat rate". Fans rallied around Taylor initially, before reports emerged that Taylor had been offered that rate for between four to five sessions.
Hale says that “There were some things said [that were] presented as facts, but were false. I would have never taken a role otherwise. Before I accepted the audition, I checked everything thoroughly, and I trust the director."

Bayonetta 3 made a number of changes to the game beyond just the titular character's voice — Images: Nintendo
"Thankfully, playing Bayonetta was so much fun, and the community was so welcoming to me, especially after the fiasco had passed and the facts came out."
Following Hale's initial statement, PlatnumGames came out in support of the actor, stating "We give our full support to Jennifer Hale as the new Bayonetta, and align with everything in her statement."
Fortunately, the controversy died down following those additional reports and Platinum's own involvement, and the experience hasn't put Hale off of the idea of returning to the role: "It was not fun getting thrown under the bus like I had, but I was happy to come out on the other side.”
While the drama has largely subsided, earlier this year, series creator Hideki Kamiya shared his thoughts on the ordeal: "Man, that was seriously lame."
Rockstar

Red Dead Redemption PS5 Trophies Same as PS4, Easy Platinum Trophy

Ahead of its PS5 version launching tomorrow, the Trophy list for Red Dead Redemption has gone live, sharing what is an identical list to the PS4 edition.
Exophase has the complete list of 52 Trophies, which is mostly focused on the base game, with some Trophies for the Undead Nightmare expansion to go along with it. As this is the same list as the PS4 version, we can pull on the Trophy guides published for that edition to confirm we're looking at a very achievable Platinum Trophy on PS5.
PSN Profiles lists just one missable Trophy, which requires you to "complete 20 story missions without switching to a new horse at a hitching post". The advice is to never hitch your horse after earning one from the Bonnie mission, and never use horse deeds or let your horse die. There are certain situations involving this Trophy you'll want to be aware of, though, so check the site for all the details.
Anyone who owns the PS4 version of Red Dead Redemption gets a free upgrade, and the PS5 edition is also launching straight into PS Plus Extra tomorrow, 2nd December. It's not known yet if the PS5 version will also be folded into the GTA+ subscription service.
Will you try to earn the Red Dead Redemption PS5 Platinum Trophy? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

The Witcher Dev Still Wants to Release Ciri's Whole Trilogy Within Six Years

The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red is reportedly sticking to its plan to release not one, not two, but three new games within a six year period.
To be clear, the company's referring to the new trilogy, which starts with The Witcher 4. The Ciri-led adventure doesn't have a release date (or even a release window) yet, but the idea is that once it's out, you won't have to wait too long for The Witcher 5 and The Witcher 6.
"As we had stated before, our plan still is to launch the whole trilogy within a six-year period," co-CEO Michal Nowakowski reiterated during a recent financial call.
Nowakowski suggests that the (much) shorter development cycle will be, in part, thanks to the studio's move to Unreal Engine 5: "We've been using Unreal Engine 5 for The Witcher 4 for four years now, and we're very happy with what we've achieved."
But it's hard not to be cynical, isn't it? CD Projekt Red is, rather infamously, a company that has a history of lengthy development and release delays. And on top of that, its two biggest hits — The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 — required significant post-launch support to get them in good shape.
It's difficult to envision a future where we get three new Witcher titles in the space of six years, then — even if Unreal Engine 5 turns out to be the developer's holy grail.
In truth, we think Nowakowski is just bigging the company up for the sake of its shareholders here, but it'll still be interesting to see what the next decade or so brings for CDPR as a whole.
Can you ever see Ciri's whole trilogy releasing in such a timeframe? Show us some Geralt-style cynicism in the comments section below.
Rockstar

PS Blog Wants Your PS5 Game of the Year Nominations for 2025

With awards season just a few weeks away, Sony's official PlayStation Blog has opened all of its Game of the Year 2025 deliberations to the public, allowing PS5, PS4 fans to vote for their favourite titles released this year.
Voting across 19 categories is live now until midnight on Tuesday, 9th December, giving you a full week to consider your picks and then submit them. You can do so through the link, with the following categories available:
Best New Character
Best Story
Best Graphical Showcase
Best Art Direction
Best Audio Design
Best Soundtrack
Best Accessibility Features
Best Use of DualSense
Best Rerelease (Remaster)
Best Multiplayer Experience
Best Ongoing Game
Best Expansion
Best Sports Game
Best Independent Game
Best PSVR2 Game
Best PS4 Game
Best PS5 Game
Studio of the Year
Most Anticipated Game of 2026 and Beyond
While each category does list a handful of titles to vote for, there's also the option to input your own entry, even if it's not present. Therefore, there isn't really a definitive list of nominees; PlayStation is accepting anything. The results will be revealed in a few weeks, with the winners receiving the same accolades as our category GOTY articles: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Trophies.
Of course, our own Game of the Year deliberations will begin around Christmas time, and the likes of Ghost of Yotei and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have already picked up a few awards. We suspect they shall be strong contenders for other outlets and the PlayStation Blog awards, too.
What are you voting for? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

PS5's Biggest Game Fortnite Accused of Using AI Art

If even one of the biggest games in the world, with all the money it generates on a daily basis, is now embracing AI tools for art production, how much hope is there left?
Following the end of the Zero Hour live event this weekend and the beginning of Season 7, Fortnite players have started pointing out parts of the map and in-game items that look suspiciously AI-generated.
The game's main Reddit page (via Eurogamer) has now been taken over by posts debating the suspected images and items, with some accusing them of being AI and others pulling up artist defences. The two main examples people are pointing to are in-game posters.
The first can be seen below, which features an animal relaxing in a hammock, with its legs dangling over the side. Its right foot has five toes, but its left foot has four.
Then, an advertisement for a piece of jewelry in-game has been accused of having the trademark "AI smudge":
Further, a new emote in the game uses an AI-generated song from a K-pop artist. There were accusations surrounding a new Spray that looked to have used the infamous Studio Ghibli AI filter, but the artist has come out and denied the claims.
The game's Reddit page is now running a poll to gather the community's thoughts on the potential use of AI in Fortnite. So far, following more than 2,000 votes, 84% of the community thinks AI "doesn't belong in Fortnite or other video games".
This follows on from the use of AI in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, where it appears AI was used to generate certain Calling Cards and art assets. At the time, Activision said it uses "a variety of digital tools, including AI tools, to empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for our players".
Epic Games founder (the developer behind Fortnite) Tim Sweeney seems in favour of the use of AI in video game development, as he's spoken publicly about storefronts dropping the sort of AI disclaimers you currently see on Steam.
"The AI tag is relevant to art exhibits for authorship disclosure, and to digital content licensing marketplaces where buyers need to understand the rights situation. It makes no sense for game stores, where AI will be involved in nearly all future production," he claimed last week.
What do you make of this situation? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
Rockstar

PS5 Open World Where Winds Meet Teases Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Vehicle Building Mechanics

If you enjoyed building simple (or complex) vehicles to solve puzzles in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, then you’ll absolutely love what PS5 open world Where Winds Meet is cooking.
The game, which launched globally last month, is getting a massive update in China which will see it incorporate mechanics where you can build simple cars, boats, and aircrafts.
It works similarly to Nintendo’s flagship franchise, where you combine components to construct your makeshift machines. For example, a plank of wood paired with four wheels and an engine will give you a basic car. Add steering to give yourself more manoeuvrability.
You’ll be able to save builds and share them with other players, while the blueprint for a helicopter-type aircraft known as the Flying Chicken will serve as the mode’s tutorial, and will be given to all players for free.
We must stress that Where Winds Meet has been available in China for over a year now, so the global servers you’re likely to be playing on are many months behind. That means you shouldn’t expect this feature to roll out globally for quite some time.
The good news is that dev Everstone Studios should have ample time to test out the feature and refine it, meaning we should hopefully get a more polished version of the system when it eventually releases overseas.
As an aside, the mobile edition of Where Winds Meet is scheduled to release on 12th December will full crossplay across all platforms. Pre-load is available on iOS and Android now.
Furthermore, the wuxia outing has now attracted nine million players across all platforms in just two weeks, making it another incredible success story.
Rockstar

Halo: MCC Hit Its Highest Steam Player Count Since 2021 Over The Weekend

Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been a pretty steady Steam performer since it was introduced to the platform back in 2019; especially over the last three or four years where it regularly hits about 10k concurrent players at peak times. Over this past weekend though, the collection peaked a little higher than usual; hitting a Steam player count not seen since late 2021.
Yep, over the weekend, Halo: MCC surpassed 12k players on Steam for the first time since December 2021. To be specific, the title brought in 12,306 players on Sunday, November 30th - in what's turned out to be the game's most popular day on the platform in almost four years. The game is currently discounted pretty heavily as part of the Steam Black Friday sale, which may have contributed to this.
Of course, this isn't a huge increase on the norm, but it is interesting to see the game hit this 3-4 year high over the weekend. Halo Infinite recently got its final major update, so maybe some of those players are moving over to MCC now? Maybe it simply had a small bump from that Black Friday sale we mentioned? Either way, the collection enjoyed a successful weekend it seems.
If you'd like to take a look at what's included in said final Halo Infinite update, we'll chuck a link to that news down below, alongside last year's feature on how Halo: MCC has turned things around massively since 2014. It's been quite the decade for Xbox's big Halo collection!
Rockstar

MindsEye Gets 'Enhanced Gameplay' Plus A Free Trial On Xbox, And Here's How It Looks

At the end of last week, the developers beyond the critically panned MindsEye released Update 6 for the game, adding "enhanced gameplay" alongside a Free Starter Pack that means anyone can now try it for free on multiple platforms.
Specifically, the MindsEye Free Starter Pack features the Robin Hood campaign mission along with 14 ARCADIA missions, and it'll be updated regularly with new ways to play. To access it on Xbox, you'll need to find the MindsEye page on the Xbox Store and then look for the "free trial" button.
MindsEye (Xbox Store)
In terms of Update 6, you can see some Xbox Series X footage below which shows how the game unfortunately still runs at 30FPS even to this day, but remains a good-looking title and is certainly less buggy than it was at launch.
And you know what? I personally quite like MindsEye. There's fun to be had here with the free trial at least, and it's dropped to as low as £10 at some retailers here in the UK, while it's also half price in the Xbox Black Friday Sale 2025.
I'm not saying you definitely should buy it, but I also don't think it's as bad as everyone says!
Rockstar

Xbox Owners Show Off Their Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2025 Purchases

It's been quite an underwhelming Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 from a console perspective for Xbox fans, with just a few small discounts scattered around for the two systems, but that's still managed to make some people happy!
Over on the Xbox subreddit, there are a few people showing off their new Series X and Series S purchases, although it's unclear what specific deals they've taken advantage of here. As mentioned last week, many of the Black Friday deals were in the UK, although we spotted a handful (including refurbished models) in the US.
Here's a look at two of those posts from over the weekend:
Beyond consoles, we've also seen a lot of deals for Xbox controllers over the past few days, both directly on the Microsoft Store and at other retailers. As a result, it seems a fair few people have been picking up some new pads!
Xbox Design Lab seems to have been popular as well, especially thanks to its free engraving offer.
And of course, there are other deals dotted around for things like Xbox Expansion Cards (although nothing too impressive there) and physical games, as well as the big digital Xbox Black Friday Sale 2025 that ends later this week.
So, have you been grabbing anything in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for 2025? Is it just games for you, or perhaps a controller or even a console? We'd love to hear about your purchases down in the comments.
Rockstar

Assassin's Creed Shadows Review (Switch 2)

Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft’s flagship series, has delivered two decades of time-hopping adventure. Over the years, it has spawned a glut of expansions and spin-offs, building a franchise with a legion of faithful fans.
Moving away from the Hitman-like structure of working through a target list, the series reinvented itself and shifted into gigantic open-world sandboxes filled with light RPG elements and enough quests to keep you busy until the next instalment arrived.
Shadows, which launched on other platforms in March, landed at a moment of truth for the franchise. Mirage received a lukewarm reception, and confidence in Ubisoft’s output has been fading. Finally unsheathing the long-requested feudal Japanese setting felt like a Hail Mary, and for the most part, it works. This is one of the most engrossing worlds the series has created, supported by two engaging and wildly different protagonists who are a joy to play as.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
This instalment also marks the first time the new(est) mainline title has been released on a Nintendo console since Black Flag on Wii U back in the bygone age of 2013. It’s a huge game, a technical powerhouse, competing with Cyberpunk for the opportunity to make your Switch 2 really sweat. It’s worth noting early on that performance and general visual presentation are solid, with some caveats, but more on that later.
Taking place at the tail end of the Sengoku period, Shadows tracks two parallel journeys across the Kansai region of Japan. Though shaped by the machinations of Nobunaga Oda, a pivotal figure in Japanese history, the story is a familiar revenge tale. Driven to recover a mysterious family heirloom and avenge her father, Naoe hunts down the Onryo, a masked clan of villains. Meanwhile, the Mozambican slave turned samurai Yasuke serves under Nobunaga and struggles through a life of self-discovery and moral conflict.
Their paths eventually cross, and the two become allies, hunting down the corrupting forces spreading across the land and taking down the Onryo one mask at a time.
The Animus element has been pushed far into the background of the series of late, although there is still an overarching mystery involving an omniscient voice, who occasionally reminded me that I was controlling someone who was, in turn, controlling Naoe and Yasuke.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
The hook that separates Shadows from other titles in the series is the stark mechanical differences between its dual heroes. Naoe is your traditional assassin type, athletic, sneaky, and equipped with the traditional hidden blade. Sneaking through shadows (light sources can be snuffed out for better stealth), clambering across rooftops and utilising tools to escape combat, this is Naoe’s bread and butter.
Yasuke, on the other hand, is essentially a walking brick wall. He’s an armour-clad brute who smashes through gates, dominates groups of enemies in a fight and has the loudest methods of offence. Unlike Syndicate, the series' last stab at swappable protagonists, these characters never have parity. They remain two distinct playstyles and expansive upgrade trees only broaden the gulf between them.
Given his size, Yasuke is incapable of most stealth and traversal options, comically falling through tightropes and crashing to the ground during leaps of faith. Conversely, Naoe doesn't last long in fights with multiple enemies, favouring hidden blade kills and misdirection.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Some quests are meant for either Yasuke or Naoe, and long stretches of the story lock you into one specific character. For the most part, though, you are free to cycle between them. This contrast adds a sense of variety and choice that the series hasn't really had before. It’s engaging to look at an enemy outpost and decide on the sneaky approach or the one-man army raid.
Combat is also pleasingly versatile, with both protagonists having several main weapon and projectile choices. Highlights include Naoe’s Kusarigama moveset and Yasuke’s Teppo build (long guns and explosives). Outside of weaponry, there’s a mountain of gear to be collected, upgraded and cosmetic-swapped. There is, of course, a microtransaction store for ever more elaborate gear, but this can be ignored.
Establishing a rhythm with both characters is easy because you’re going to spend a lot of time with them. Modern Assassin's Creed games are overflowing with activities scattered across their expansive maps. You get a titanic main quest that can easily take 80 to 100 hours to finish, along with hundreds of side quests, including Animus quests that refresh endlessly.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
There are many more organisations to dismantle outside the Onryo, new ones popping up on your objective board almost constantly. If you want to dive deep into a single game for a couple of hundred hours, Shadows is built for that kind of time sink.
Still, it all feels a bit stretched. Many quests boil down to long treks across the map to speak with an NPC, followed by another trek back to the quest giver so you can start the next errand. There are plenty of activities that try to break up the repetition, including a painting minigame with cute animals and a fun but shallow base-building mechanic, also with cute animals. Even so, I still find myself longing for the simplicity of Altair and Ezio’s adventures.
But what of performance? How does this, a uniquely tailored current-gen experience, play on Switch 2? The short answer is mostly good.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Ubisoft has been uncharacteristically transparent about how Shadows has been tuned to run on Nintendo’s hardware. Much like the exemplary port of Cyberpunk 2077, Shadows uses DLSS for upscaling and VRR to maintain stable frames in undocked mode.
Visual sacrifices have been made to the game's detailing to preserve stability. Players familiar with other versions will notice the difference, yet it remains an impressive-looking game. Some of the character models can look a bit waxen in dialogue scenes and occasionally texture issues blight the environment, but these issues aren't too frequent.
Busy population centres like Osaka can cause the frame rate to dip below its 30fps target, and that becomes far more noticeable when undocked. You spend a lot of time moving through areas packed with NPCs, so this lack of stability stands out.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Combat with multiple enemies, which is a staple of playing as Yasuke, holds up better even when smoke and explosions fill the screen. Sneaking around as Naoe relies on the spatial awareness that a smooth camera provides, and that is never an issue here.
For the most part, Shadows is an admirable port of a graphical powerhouse. I cast my mind back to 2017, when I played DOOM on Switch and was astonished at how well it had been optimised for the underpowered console. Shadows on Switch 2 feels like a colossal achievement, only slightly reduced by moments when it strains under the pressure of the handheld console's capabilities.
This technical ambition is most evident when taking in the rich design of the open world. Racing through the Kansai countryside while the wind kicks up leaves and ground clutter around your horse feels richly atmospheric. The amount of colour and detail on display is staggering at times. Seasonal changes add to the natural splendour even more, creating ever-shifting biomes.

Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Touch controls are included, but only for menus and the base builder, and mouse controls are sadly missing. There is a useful Ubisoft Connect feature that lets you carry your progression across consoles. The Switch 2 version comes with all patched-in content that is already available on other systems. The Claws of Awaji expansion is not bundled, although it will be available to purchase separately in February.
Conclusion
Outside of the technical ups and downs of its transition to Switch 2, Assassin's Creed Shadows remains a thoroughly enjoyable refresh for the series. Taking its most captivating open world to date and offering two distinct playstyles, it goes a long way toward appeasing current franchise fans while nurturing a new generation of assassins, presenting a huge, intricately crafted depiction of feudal Japan and giving you enjoyable dual protagonists to usher you through it.
Shadows isn't a perfect port, then, but it’s still a colossal achievement and one of the best-looking games on Nintendo’s console.
Rockstar

This PlayStation Platforming Sequel Makes The Jump To Switch Very Soon

Limited Run Games announced Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition way back in June 2024, and while a good chunk of time has passed us by since then (including a rather buggy release of its platforming predecessor), the release date is almost upon us!
Tomba 2 will arrive on the Switch eShop on 15th December for $19.99 (or your regional equivalent), marking the first time that the 3D PlayStation platformer has been available on Nintendo systems.
For those who didn't try this one out in the early 2000s, Tomba 2 took the same jungle platforming precedent as the first game in the series, but moved things into the wonderful world of 3D. With the now-chiselled Tomba given an extra dimension to play with, the game packed in new weapons and power-up costumes on top of a huge number of fresh missions and events.
This Switch 'Special Edition' throws in a museum gallery mode, and the chance to rewind and save at any time, so while the polygonal visuals remain, there are at least some ways to get around the game's less favourable nostalgic elements.
Here's a rundown of the new release's key features and a handful of screenshots:


Images: Limited Run Games
While the original Tomba would go on to be a perfectly acceptable slice of throwback platforming on Switch, it launched in such a state that some of us found it essentially unplayable on the hybrid console. Let's hope that things get off to a smoother start with its sequel.
Rockstar

Monolith Soft Celebrates Xenoblade Chronicles 2 With A Post, But We're Desperate For A Switch 2 Revamp

Has it really been eight entire years? Yes, it really actually has, so sit up and pay attention at the back.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which as every Xenoblade nerd worth their salt knows is actually the third game released in the series, dropped into existence on this very day back in 2017, and it's a bit good. We gave it a well-deserved 9/10 in our review, so it's a bona fide banger as officially ordained by the bona fide banger squad™.
To celebrate this eighth birthday (they get big so quickly these days), Monolith Soft has been sharing a lovely bit of artwork over on its social media. Which is great.
For reference, here's the Google translation:
Yes, happy birthday. Very good. Now pulls out ice-cream machine gun make with the Switch 2 version, wiseguys. Come on. Open your jackets, show us the goods. Where is it?
Unfortunately, it seems this writer's dream of an all-new, 60fps, 4K, enhanced-graphics, 100%-more-volumetrics-version of XC2 especially for Switch 2 might have to wait just a little bit longer. Unless they drop it later today (there's still time!).
Indeed, as much as we're just having a bit of birthday banter, it has been something that's been asked for repeatedly and rather loudly from franchise fans since Nintendo's new console dropped. With so many games getting boosts from the Switch 2, you may have hoped this epic action-RPG might have brute-forced itself into a better situation, even without an official upgrade.
However, unlike Disaster Report 4, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and a whole bunch of other games that got nice free boosts on the Switch 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, whilst a little more stable in its 30fps now, still suffers from issues and hasn't benefited in any meaningful way. It's still a gorgeous, absolutely must-play thing, make no mistake, but it feels like it could be more.


This is a series, too, that really does tend to sing extra-specially loudly when it's unshackled from any technical limitations. We've all seen how improved the first game and Xenoblade Chronicles X have been in their revamped, Definitive forms. So it stands to reason that we're all chomping at the bit to see Alrest and the Driver of the Aegis looking and feeling their best in a Switch 2 upgrade of some sort.
Anyway, in the meantime, happy 8th birthday, Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Enjoy your day. Just don't come down here dressed like that for your 10th.
Rockstar

A Fan Translation Patch Is In The Works For 'Gunslinger Girl', A PS2 Rail Shooter Based On The Popular Anime

A PS2 on-rails shooter game based on the popular manga/anime series Gunslinger Girl is set to get a fan translation from the translation team at Hilltop Works, allowing players to experience the title with English subtitles.
Gunslinger Girl, in case you're unfamiliar with it, originally started life as a manga that was serialized inside the shōnen magazine Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh in 2002, and was later adapted into two different anime series named Gunslinger Girl and Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-.
It was created by the Japanese author Yu Aida and had a story that focused on an agency based in Italy, which masquerades as a rehabilitation centre for young girls who have experienced traumatic injuries, but is secretly modifying its patients to act as a covert anti-terrorism unit. The star of the piece is a young girl named Henrietta, who is the only survivor of a fatal attack on her family, who is later brainwashed, given a prosthetic body, and ordered to carry out the agency's orders.
The video game adaptation was released in 2004 and was developed by Dimps. It was published by Bandai and Marvellous Entertainment in three volumes, exclusively in Japan, with each of these volumes featuring an extra disc containing episodes from the show.
Something interesting to note is that this is actually one of three projects Hilltop Works is currently working on behind the scenes, with the team having previously announced translation projects for the WonderSwan title Cardcaptor Sakura and the PS2 title Rowdy Princess.
Each of the three titles has a different translator assigned to the project, with SnowyAria being the person assigned to handle Gunslinger Girl's translation, while Hilltop himself is handling the programming side of things.
If you're interested, you can follow the project's progress on Hilltop Works' Patreon account.
Rockstar

"It Never Crossed My Mind To Bring In Another Singer" - How Takenobu Mitsuyoshi Became A Game Music Legend Almost By Accident

Takenobu Mitsuyoshi is famous for his vocal contributions to classic Sega titles like Daytona USA and Sega Rally Championship, and has revealed to Time Extension contributor Ollie Barder that his legendary career as "the guy who sings" happened almost by accident.
In a new interview with Forbes, Mitsuyoshi talks about how he joined Sega and how he secured his position in video game history thanks to his unique contribution to 1994's Daytona USA.
"I think the turning point was probably when I implemented my own singing in Daytona USA," he says. "To be honest, up until then, I had never thought of my voice, my singing, or even the title 'vocalist' as something that could stand on its own as a job, or something I should try to make into one. At that time, we were tasked with creating a driving game that would surpass a rival title in every possible way, and it was simply that we saw only one option: to add vocals."
Mitsuyoshi's voice is what you hear on Daytona USA's iconic tracks, with examples like 'Let's Go Away', 'King of Speed' and 'Sky High' becoming part of Sega folklore. At any other company, someone might have stepped in and suggested that Mitsuyoshi's placeholder vocal parts be re-recorded by a professional singer before the game was deployed in arcades all over the world, but thankfully, that didn't happen.
"When I made that choice, it never even crossed my mind to bring in another singer," he explains. "So once the prototype of Let’s Go Away was implemented, my voice was recorded as data on the game board, and eventually it crossed oceans and reached the ears of players all over the world. I had no idea that would happen. But from that point on, people around me gradually began to see me as 'the guy who sings.'"
Mitsuyoshi's status was cemented further when Yu Suzuki launched his second 3D fighting game:
Daytona USA is just one of Mitsuyoshi's memorable outings as a singer; he's also responsible for the famous "Game Over, Yeah" jingle found in 1995's Sega Rally Championship – a vocal clip which keeps surprising him to this day:
Rockstar

You'll Soon Be Able To Play The PSP Idol Raising Sim 'Idolmaster SP' In English, Thanks To A New Fan Patch

We have some good news for English fans of Bandai Namco's Idolmaster series.
A new fan translation patch is currently in the works for The Idolmaster SP, the 2009 entry in the idol raising simulation/rhythm series for the PlayStation Portable.
The new patch covers the game's three separate releases — Perfect Sun, Missing Moon, and Wandering Star — each of which came on a separate disc and featured a different set of idols — and will mark the first time the game has received a full English fan translation, building on the partial translations that were previously released between 2009 - 2014 by TLWiki.
It is the work of a team that includes BonillaP and Soutaisei/相対性 and, according to the project's website, will feature translated dialogue for the idols that were previously left unfinished in TLWiki's translations. This includes Wandering Star's Ami & Mami Futami, and Missing Moon's Azusa and Ritsuko.
That's not all, either, as the team has also stated it plans to translate the various in-game e-mails from reporters, stylists, and fans, as well as other parts of the game previously left untouched.
The patch is expected to be released this Winter, and will be available to download from the project's website, which is where you'll also find updates on its progress.
You can watch a trailer for the upcoming patch below:
Rockstar

Former Rare Designer Reveals What Shigeru Miyamoto Thought Of Banjo-Kazooie's N64 Sequel

Gregg Mayles recently announced his departure from Rare after 36 years, which means the brains behind such classics as Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie is no longer with the legendary British studio.
While he's very much focused on his future, Mayles is equally keen to promote his past, and has been digging into his personal archives to unearth material related to Banjo-Tooie, which recently celebrated its 25th birthday.
Among the paperwork you'll find scripts, unfilmed TV commercials, lost special moves, maps and unused abilities, but the item that made me smile the most was a fax from Nintendo's Japanese HQ which cleared the game for release in that region.
The author of the fax was none other than Shigeru Miyamoto himself, who has written in English, 'Splendid game' – along with a smiley face giving the all-important thumbs up.
I now have a vision in my head of Miyamoto adding personalised messages to all of the approval faxes which emanated from NCL's offices. We certainly lost something in the move to email, if you ask me.
I'm sure Mayles will be showing off more material related to the game, so be sure to follow him on social media.
Rockstar

Edia Announces New Switch Collection, Based On Wolf Team's 'Zan' Series Of Historical Strategy Games

Edia has announced another compilation of Telenet Japan games. This time, focusing primarily on Wolf Team's Zan series of Japanese-set simulation titles, which see players stepping into the role of a warlord tasked with commanding an army around a battlefield (thanks, Gematsu, for the spot!).
In the past, the collection of games has regularly been likened to Koei's Nobunaga's Ambition series of strategy games, and typically shares a similar focus on military affairs, such as arranging your troops into formations, gathering intelligence, and handling other aspects of war.
The series first debuted back in 1989 with the release of Zan: Kagerō no Toki on the PC-98 and Sharp X68000, and was later ported to the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² in 1991. It has also received a handful of sequels and spin-offs over the years, including titles for everything from the Sega Game Gear to the Super Famicom and Sega Mega Drive.

Image: Edia
This new collection, however, only includes three games in total, all of which were previously released for the Super Famicom. These include Zan II: Spirits (May 29, 1992; Super Famicom), Zan III: Spirits (March 11, 1994, Super Famicom), and Sangokushi Seishi: Tenbu Spirits (June 25, 1993; Super Famicom). The first two games are set in Japan, while the third game is a spin-off based in the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China, and is heavily influenced by the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
The collection, which has been announced for Nintendo Switch, will launch in Japan next year on March 12, 2026, and will cost 6,800 yen (7,480 yen with tax), with a special edition (featuring a soundtrack CD and artbook) also being offered for 9,800 yen (10,780 yen with tax).
If we had to guess, the likelihood of this coming to the West is pretty slim, but we're glad to see more Super Famicom games being brought back and given another opportunity to find a greater audience.
Rockstar

Secret Of Mana On PC Engine? It's Early Days, But Someone Is Trying To Make It Happen

Square's Secret of Mana (known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan) is one of my personal favourites in the SNES library, so when I heard the news that a fan-made attempt to bring it to another of my beloved consoles – the PC Engine – is underway, I was understandably excited.
As is the case with many of these unofficial porting projects, it pays to keep expectations in check. Developer kaffeeware / not_again admits this is just a demo at the moment, and they haven't even had the chance to test it on real hardware personally.



Images: kaffeeware
To that end, they're looking for volunteers to help iron out any early bugs on original PC Engine/TG-16 systems – and early reports are quite positive.
It seems that kaffeeware's main focus at present is ensuring that the character-swapping mechanic and groundbreaking radial menu system are both working as intended, and beyond that, we could potentially see the project grow in scope.
If you'd like to try out the demo and offer feedback, you can download it here.
Rockstar

Upcoming game release calendar - December 2025

It's the final month of the year, and we're mere days away from one of the most anticipated video games of 2025. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the clear headliner of December, but if that isn't your cup of tea, there's some other games that might be worth picking up. Let's see what's in store.


December 1
Marvel Cosmic Invasion | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, NS


December 2
Assassin's Creed Shadows | NS2
Red Dead Redemption | PS5, XSX|S, NS2, Mobile
Sleep Awake | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Rising Heat | PC


December 3
Let it Die: Inferno | PC


December 4
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | NS2, NS
Octopath Traveler 0 | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, NS2, NS
Blood: Refreshed Supply | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds | NS2
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows Expansion | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO


December 5
Nicktoons and the Dice of Destiny | NS2


December 8
Angeline Era | PC
Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 | PS5
Skate Story | PC, PS5, NS2
Yakuza 0: Director's Cut | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Yakuza: Kiwami | PS5, XSX|S
Yakuza: Kiwami 2 | PS5, XSX|S


December 9
Unbeatable | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Dome Keeper | XSX|S
Farming Simulator: Signature Edition | NS2


December 10
Montezuma's Revenge | PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS
Mutant Football League 2 | PC, PS5, XSX|S


December 12
Terminator 2D: No Fate | PC, PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, NS


December 16
The Rogue Prince of Persia | NS2, NS


December 20

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - From the Ashes Expansion | PC, PS5, XSX|S
Rockstar

Call Of Duty May Be Heading To Nintendo As Xbox Dev Seeks Talent With 'Switch Experience'

Remember when Microsoft committed to putting Call of Duty on Nintendo platforms amidst all of the ActiBlizz drama a few years back? Well, we've not really seen much activity in this space since, but after confirming that this move was still in the works back in the summer, one of the COD dev teams is now seemingly hiring for Switch development of some sort.
Over on LinkedIn, Sledgehammer Games — who most recently developed 2023's Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 — is hiring for a Senior Technical Artist role. What makes this particular job listing different, is that within the finer details, Sledgehammer notes that a bonus for this role would be someone with "AAA Mobile or Switch experience".
In this case, then, it's looking like COD 2027 could be making its way to Nintendo platforms; presumably the Switch 2 given the system's gulf in power from Switch 1. Yep, developer Infinity Ward is supposedly helming next year's COD, so it may be that the one after that is where the series' makes its Nintendo Switch debut.
Of course, there's also chance that Infinity Ward is working on something similar and just hasn't mentioned it anywhere - but for now, that remains to be seen. All we know is that Sledgehammer Games seems to be making moves towards Call of Duty Switch development, which will hopefully apply to the franchise by 2027.
Rockstar

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