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Well, we're not sure anyone saw this crossover coming. Just confirmed by Ubisoft, Assassin's Creed Shadows' next collaboration will be with... Attack on Titan. The super popular manga and anime property will be featured in a new quest, which seems to task Naoe and Yasuke with stopping a titan transformation. No, we're not making this up. All we've got to go on right now is the above teaser trailer, but the quest itself goes live on the 25th November. That's tomorrow at the time of writing. However, it's also worth noting that this is a limited time deal. The quest will only be available until the 15th December, 2025. What's more, the cool Attack on Titan equipment seen in the promotional material actually seems to be part of a paid DLC pack that accompanies the update — which is rather disappointing. What the heck do you make of this one? Aim for the back of the neck in the comments section below. View full article -
Developer Shift Up has revealed some of its own data about Stellar Blade, the Sony-published action game that launched on PC earlier this year. The game, which features main character Eve on a quest to save the planet from monstrous forces, is reportedly the "best-selling PlayStation-exclusive launch IP in history", presumably meaning PC, and also presumably excluding Helldivers 2. The above image is taken from an investor presentation. As it highlights, the action title reached a peak concurrent player count of over 192,000, which is an impressive feat for a single-player experience. In addition, sales across both PC and PS5 put Stellar Blade at over 3 million copies. The figure will be higher, as this datapoint in the image only reflects the game's first five days on PC. Stellar Blade has been a big hit, then, and has resonated very well with PC players. We can't imagine all the mod support has hurt its standings, either, but we probably shouldn't dwell on that for too long. Anyway, it's fair to say Sony did well to snag this one. As for what's next, the developer has said it plans to make a sequel, and is currently hiring for the next Stellar Blade. -
Developer Shift Up has revealed some of its own data about Stellar Blade, the Sony-published action game that launched on PC earlier this year. The game, which features main character Eve on a quest to save the planet from monstrous forces, is reportedly the "best-selling PlayStation-exclusive launch IP in history", presumably meaning PC, and also presumably excluding Helldivers 2. The above image is taken from an investor presentation. As it highlights, the action title reached a peak concurrent player count of over 192,000, which is an impressive feat for a single-player experience. In addition, sales across both PC and PS5 put Stellar Blade at over 3 million copies. The figure will be higher, as this datapoint in the image only reflects the game's first five days on PC. Stellar Blade has been a big hit, then, and has resonated very well with PC players. We can't imagine all the mod support has hurt its standings, either, but we probably shouldn't dwell on that for too long. Anyway, it's fair to say Sony did well to snag this one. As for what's next, the developer has said it plans to make a sequel, and is currently hiring for the next Stellar Blade. View full article
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When you think of landmark western RPGs of the modern era, it's likely that two games immediately come to mind: The Witcher 3, and Baldur's Gate 3. It's obviously the latter that's had more impact in recent times, setting a new benchmark for choice-driven adventures — to the point where it's now being named as an inspiration for The Witcher 4. It's funny how these things work, isn't it? "There was a lot of inspiration in what Baldur's Gate 3 did," CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski told PC Gamer. However, as you'd expect, the Polish company isn't suddenly going to pivot towards making a Larian-style RPG — despite having a clear appreciation for Baldur's Gate 3 and what it was able to achieve. "I think we're still sticking to what was in Witcher 3, Cyberpunk. But we don't want to just make another game like that, just with better graphics. We do want to innovate," Nowakowski continues. He then digs a little deeper, commenting: "That's the kind of game [Larian] can make. But a lot of stuff with how they can interact with the world and what it does was, for sure, some inspiration to us." We suppose it'll be interesting to see just how CDPR's next games evolve from what came before. The Witcher 3 was — and still is — widely praised for its role-playing potential, so if its successor can build on that, we'll be in for a treat. What are your hopes and dreams for The Witcher 4 — and even the next Cyberpunk? Choose your dialogue options carefully in the comments section below. -
When you think of landmark western RPGs of the modern era, it's likely that two games immediately come to mind: The Witcher 3, and Baldur's Gate 3. It's obviously the latter that's had more impact in recent times, setting a new benchmark for choice-driven adventures — to the point where it's now being named as an inspiration for The Witcher 4. It's funny how these things work, isn't it? "There was a lot of inspiration in what Baldur's Gate 3 did," CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski told PC Gamer. However, as you'd expect, the Polish company isn't suddenly going to pivot towards making a Larian-style RPG — despite having a clear appreciation for Baldur's Gate 3 and what it was able to achieve. "I think we're still sticking to what was in Witcher 3, Cyberpunk. But we don't want to just make another game like that, just with better graphics. We do want to innovate," Nowakowski continues. He then digs a little deeper, commenting: "That's the kind of game [Larian] can make. But a lot of stuff with how they can interact with the world and what it does was, for sure, some inspiration to us." We suppose it'll be interesting to see just how CDPR's next games evolve from what came before. The Witcher 3 was — and still is — widely praised for its role-playing potential, so if its successor can build on that, we'll be in for a treat. What are your hopes and dreams for The Witcher 4 — and even the next Cyberpunk? Choose your dialogue options carefully in the comments section below. View full article
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Oblivion Remastered was a hit for Bethesda — despite its dodgy performance issues — and the publisher's keen to repeat the level of hype that was swirling when the remake launched back in April. Basically, Bethesda's all-in on the idea of shadow dropping its games — that is, releasing them with no prior announcement and watching fans lose their minds. According to Bethesda Game Studios director Tom Mustaine, it's company boss Todd Howard who's pushing for the continued shadow drop approach. Mustaine told GamesRadar: "Todd Howard, the boss man, he's wanted to shadow drop things for a long time because it's so great to be able to say, 'Here's the thing, get it today.' It's very valuable." Mustaine goes on to outline his own thoughts on sudden releases, commenting that "we all have short attention spans now [...] There's Grand Theft Auto, for example. I want that today, right? So it is an interesting strategy... I don't have any ideas of what would be next, but I hope [Oblivion Remastered's] not the last." We agree with him in that it's certainly an interesting strategy — but we also don't think that a shadow drop guarantees success. For example, in Oblivion's case, we can't just ignore the fact that the game was leaked numerous times up until said shadow drop. There was a marketing campaign going on — it was just driven by fans rather than the company. Still, in an age where big budget projects can take half a decade to actually see the light of day, we're not against Bethesda's potential plans. At the very least, it's probably a more exciting alternative to having a game be announced years before its eventual launch. What do you make of Bethesda's perspective? Are shadow drops the future? Keep your eyes peeled in the comments section below. -
Oblivion Remastered was a hit for Bethesda — despite its dodgy performance issues — and the publisher's keen to repeat the level of hype that was swirling when the remake launched back in April. Basically, Bethesda's all-in on the idea of shadow dropping its games — that is, releasing them with no prior announcement and watching fans lose their minds. According to Bethesda Game Studios director Tom Mustaine, it's company boss Todd Howard who's pushing for the continued shadow drop approach. Mustaine told GamesRadar: "Todd Howard, the boss man, he's wanted to shadow drop things for a long time because it's so great to be able to say, 'Here's the thing, get it today.' It's very valuable." Mustaine goes on to outline his own thoughts on sudden releases, commenting that "we all have short attention spans now [...] There's Grand Theft Auto, for example. I want that today, right? So it is an interesting strategy... I don't have any ideas of what would be next, but I hope [Oblivion Remastered's] not the last." We agree with him in that it's certainly an interesting strategy — but we also don't think that a shadow drop guarantees success. For example, in Oblivion's case, we can't just ignore the fact that the game was leaked numerous times up until said shadow drop. There was a marketing campaign going on — it was just driven by fans rather than the company. Still, in an age where big budget projects can take half a decade to actually see the light of day, we're not against Bethesda's potential plans. At the very least, it's probably a more exciting alternative to having a game be announced years before its eventual launch. What do you make of Bethesda's perspective? Are shadow drops the future? Keep your eyes peeled in the comments section below. View full article
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SCUF has a solid reputation when it comes to delivering amazing controllers, but we now have a real contender for one of their best Xbox efforts: the Valor Pro Wireless ($190 / £180). This beast boasts customizable back paddles, mouse-click or full-press shoulder triggers, TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) anti-drift sticks, a rechargeable battery and much more. The Valor Pro Wireless really does everything as close to perfect as possible, building on the core design of Xbox's already amazing gamepad to present an utterly essential way to play. Right out of the box, the premium feel of this controller can't be stated enough, with lovely rubber grips on the back and an eye-catching matte finish that is smooth enough to be comfortable while simultaneously feeling unlikely to slip or move. This coat also gives the controller a very clean and premium look and feel, something that is much appreciated for fast-paced games. In addition, if you don't take too well to the matte black – or any of the color options for that matter – have no fear, as the magnetic faceplate is removable with just one pull at the top. So if you ever feel the need to replace yours, you can do so. As much as I love the official Xbox controller, I have to admit I'm frustrated that Microsoft hasn't adopted anti-drift technology in its analogue sticks. I've had multiple pads become unusable due to stick drift, so the TMR sticks used on the Valor Pro Wireless are an absolute godsend. They're also the most precise and responsive sticks I've ever seen on any Xbox pad, and when tested in games such as The Finals and ARC Raiders, they performed exceptionally well, feeling utterly effortless to use. Along with the base sticks provided on the controller, there is also an additional pair of taller sticks which have a convex (rather than concave) top. I personally prefer the default concave top, and would have liked to have had some taller sticks with that option, but it's hardly a deal-breaker. The face buttons and d-pad are both very similar to the default Xbox pad, but with SCUF's premium coat of paint; they're satisfying and responsive, providing an all-around great experience that offers a comfortable and smooth time in any game you choose. You may have noticed two scroll wheels on the left and right at the bottom of the controller. These are separate volume controls for in-game audio and voice chat, giving you the option to get the perfect audio balance during gameplay. The 3.5mm headphone jack is located in its usual place below these dials. Onto the back of the controller, we have the snappy mouse-click triggers, and that's not their only feature; they are adjustable to your liking. Flick the switch and you have a full-range analogue input for games that require a specific level of pressure, such as driving games. FPS titles are what I play most, so I love the 'instant' mouse-click setting, which means I can fire on foes almost instantly. I can confidently say that the difference from full-press to mouse-click is game-changing, especially in games that call for a fast trigger finger. This is a feature that is greatly appreciated and will significantly elevate your game. Another headline feature is not only a convenience, but also a long-term money saver: the rechargeable battery. This feature has been missing from the Xbox line of controllers for years (by default, at least), and is very welcome on the Valor Pro Wireless. With it offering a considerable 17 hours of battery life on a single charge, it's certainly a preferable option to having to buy batteries individually. The obvious downside is that you don't have the option to choose between AA batteries and a rechargeable pack, as is the case with the official controller. Another feature that provides many more ways to play is the addition of back paddles. The Valor Pro Wireless boasts four back paddles that feel responsive and comfortable while not impeding grip and not taking up too much space. They can perform actions your thumb or finger would have had to do on the face buttons, but with the paddles, you can free up your thumb so it can stay ready on the joystick and be there to do what it needs to. Some additional small controls on the back of the controller include a 3-point selection switch for wireless connectivity between Xbox, PC, and Bluetooth, as well as a button that links to controller profiles on the PC-based companion app. This app also allows you to fine-tune other aspects of the controller, and is currently in its beta phase. To say that this is the best controller I've used with my Xbox Series X would be an understatement; it takes the basic blueprint of the official pad and augments it with some brilliant features, such as no-drift sticks, an internal battery, rear paddles, audio separation and more. While the high cost might present a barrier for some, I'm comfortable with it – after all, I've gone through at least three controllers since I bought my console, and those days may well be over thanks to the arrival of the Valor Pro Wireless. -
Microsoft has implemented multiple price increases for the Xbox Series X and S over the past few years, and a new report suggests this might not be the end for current-gen Xbox price hikes. Coming from Moore's Law Is Dead on YouTube — a tech insider who we've covered here on the site before — Microsoft has apparently not accounted for potential RAM cost increases that are likely to come as a result of a new deal struck between OpenAI and several manufacturing partners. The YouTuber says that Sony, for example, has stockpiled RAM supplies at a lower cost, while Microsoft hasn't employed the same tactic. And, with this OpenAI deal taking up to 40% of the world's supply of DRAM off the market for other buyers, this could cause issues for any company that needs to purchase it for manufacturing; such as Microsoft. At the time of posting no price increases have been announced by Xbox, but Moore's Law Is Dead says Series X|S prices "could go up soon, or supply could just entirely dry up". Microsoft "didn't plan ahead at all, apparently", the YouTuber claims. We've thrown the video up above if you'd like a bit more context on the source and this big RAM debacle at large; they talk about Xbox roughly 17 minutes in. Also, down below is a quick pointer towards some Black Friday console sales if you're interested, and another topic we covered via Moore's Law Is Dead recently - one that goes into detail on some of Microsoft's potential next generation plans. -
Microsoft has implemented multiple price increases for the Xbox Series X and S over the past few years, and a new report suggests this might not be the end for current-gen Xbox price hikes. Coming from Moore's Law Is Dead on YouTube — a tech insider who we've covered here on the site before — Microsoft has apparently not accounted for potential RAM cost increases that are likely to come as a result of a new deal struck between OpenAI and several manufacturing partners. The YouTuber says that Sony, for example, has stockpiled RAM supplies at a lower cost, while Microsoft hasn't employed the same tactic. And, with this OpenAI deal taking up to 40% of the world's supply of DRAM off the market for other buyers, this could cause issues for any company that needs to purchase it for manufacturing; such as Microsoft. At the time of posting no price increases have been announced by Xbox, but Moore's Law Is Dead says Series X|S prices "could go up soon, or supply could just entirely dry up". Microsoft "didn't plan ahead at all, apparently", the YouTuber claims. We've thrown the video up above if you'd like a bit more context on the source and this big RAM debacle at large; they talk about Xbox roughly 17 minutes in. Also, down below is a quick pointer towards some Black Friday console sales if you're interested, and another topic we covered via Moore's Law Is Dead recently - one that goes into detail on some of Microsoft's potential next generation plans. View full article
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Remedy's co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak hasn't exactly had the quickest start to life on Xbox, but the team vowed to support the game back in the summer; announcing a major update for later in the year. Well, that 'Rogue Protocol' update has now been delayed, as the studio "makes sure everything feels right" for its launch. Announcing the news via Steam, the Control dev says that its cross-platform voice chat feature is now live, but that the accompanying 'major update' has been delayed to January 2026. In short, the team goes on to say that it simply needed "extra time" to make sure Rogue Protocol is "polished, balanced, and worthy of your time". Despite this last-minute delay, Remedy has shared more details on the new mode coming in this update; 'Endless Shift'. As the name suggests, this is a horde mode that tasks players with surviving "endless waves of increasingly dangerous enemies". That's not exactly the most original addition to FBC: Firebreak here, but the studio is at least hoping to put its own Control-universe spin on things with its unique theme and setting. Anyway, you can read a little bit more about this planned update via the Steam link down below, ahead of its new January 2026 release date. In the meantime, FBC: Firebreak remains an Xbox Game Pass title following its day one launch back in June. -
Remedy's co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak hasn't exactly had the quickest start to life on Xbox, but the team vowed to support the game back in the summer; announcing a major update for later in the year. Well, that 'Rogue Protocol' update has now been delayed, as the studio "makes sure everything feels right" for its launch. Announcing the news via Steam, the Control dev says that its cross-platform voice chat feature is now live, but that the accompanying 'major update' has been delayed to January 2026. In short, the team goes on to say that it simply needed "extra time" to make sure Rogue Protocol is "polished, balanced, and worthy of your time". Despite this last-minute delay, Remedy has shared more details on the new mode coming in this update; 'Endless Shift'. As the name suggests, this is a horde mode that tasks players with surviving "endless waves of increasingly dangerous enemies". That's not exactly the most original addition to FBC: Firebreak here, but the studio is at least hoping to put its own Control-universe spin on things with its unique theme and setting. Anyway, you can read a little bit more about this planned update via the Steam link down below, ahead of its new January 2026 release date. In the meantime, FBC: Firebreak remains an Xbox Game Pass title following its day one launch back in June. View full article
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Over the last 18 months or so, we've seen Microsoft pivot to releasing games on rival platforms - including PlayStation of course. While the reaction to this move has been mixed, shall we say, within the community, it sounds as though Xbox developers at large are pretty pleased with the decision. Talking with 404 Media, Bloomberg's ever-reliable Jason Schreier spoke about the situation, and how "a lot" of these studios are "thrilled that they get to release their games on PlayStation". Schreier hinted at sales pressure being a core reason why the teams are happy to get their games out there on PS5. Coming off the back of a recent report that Microsoft is now aiming for 30% profits from its Xbox gaming division (also via Schreier/Bloomberg), this makes a lot of sense. As the quote above suggests, game sales on Xbox are likely being impacted by Game Pass, so the extra revenue brought in by PS5 sales should be helping the studios hit any internal targets that are being set. Of course, there's also the fact that game developers just like as many folks as possible to experience their creations. We've seen this being touted as a net positive for the multiplatform push on multiple occasions, so yeah, it makes sense that a lot of the Xbox teams would be happy to get their games out there to more players! -
Over the last 18 months or so, we've seen Microsoft pivot to releasing games on rival platforms - including PlayStation of course. While the reaction to this move has been mixed, shall we say, within the community, it sounds as though Xbox developers at large are pretty pleased with the decision. Talking with 404 Media, Bloomberg's ever-reliable Jason Schreier spoke about the situation, and how "a lot" of these studios are "thrilled that they get to release their games on PlayStation". Schreier hinted at sales pressure being a core reason why the teams are happy to get their games out there on PS5. Coming off the back of a recent report that Microsoft is now aiming for 30% profits from its Xbox gaming division (also via Schreier/Bloomberg), this makes a lot of sense. As the quote above suggests, game sales on Xbox are likely being impacted by Game Pass, so the extra revenue brought in by PS5 sales should be helping the studios hit any internal targets that are being set. Of course, there's also the fact that game developers just like as many folks as possible to experience their creations. We've seen this being touted as a net positive for the multiplatform push on multiple occasions, so yeah, it makes sense that a lot of the Xbox teams would be happy to get their games out there to more players! View full article
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Developers Purple Lamp Studios are single-handedly keeping the dream alive for the continuing adventures of everyone's favourite sentient sponge. 2020’s Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated was a fine update to a cult classic and a huge success to boot. The studio followed up with a solid sequel in The Cosmic Shake, making good on the promise to continue the franchise. We now have another adventure from that same template with Titans of the Tide, a familiar adventure that is fun for all ages and preserves the universal appeal of its source material. The story is about as simple as an average episode of the show. King Neptune and the Flying Dutchman get into a seismic squabble in the Krusty Krab, and the denizens of Bikini Bottom end up caught in the crossfire. Undersea inhabitants are turned into slime-throwing spectres and Squidward has something else to complain about. SpongeBob and Patrick must team up to battle the Dutchman's army of monsters and save the day. How else is Mr Krabs going to turn a profit? Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked) Although this title is not a huge leap from The Cosmic Shake, it is a clear step up from PHL Collective’s The Patrick Star Game. Where that title was more of a kiddy-friendly puzzler, this is an expansive collectathon platformer. As a proud member of the multi-generational legion of SpongeBob fans, I always look forward to these. The presentation is flawless, Bikini Bottom and its inhabitants are lovingly rendered. Levels are full of NPCs, most of which have a quip to throw your way, and some have genuinely funny dialogue that’s worth discovering. It's fun to explore the levels (with the help of a handy surfboard), finding all the fish people tucked away in every corner. Titans of the Tide lets you play as both SpongeBob and his dim starfish buddy. Through the magic of a BFF Ring, both characters are with you throughout the game. Each of them has a unique ability set that helps solve platforming and environmental puzzles across the levels. Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked) You can swap between them with the push of a button, with the non-controlled character floating around as a ghost. This spectral companion acts as an objective guide and lights a path to the next goal within the generously sized environments. Special abilities are fun to mix and match. SpongeBob utilise his karate experience, while Patrick can burrow underground and grapple with a spectral whip. Levels often encourage using this character-switching mechanic, and it is satisfying to swap between the two for traversal and combat. Battling the spectral minions of the Flying Dutchman is a bit thin. You get simple melee combos and the occasional light environmental puzzle during boss encounters. Some enemies require the use of a newly discovered ability, although most encounters are little more than punch and move on. Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked) Between quests, you'll head to the Floating Patty, a hub area where you can chat with NPCs and pick up side quests from the likes of Plankton and Sandy. There's a lot of content here, with a broad variety of locations and a ton of side content. Collecting everything doesn't have quite the same challenge as flagship 3D platformers, but what's here could easily fill a giant-sized Krabby Patty. While not a graphical powerhouse, Titans of the Tide plays like a dream. Quality (30fps) and performance (60fps target) modes are both viable thanks to a motion smoothing slider. I always enjoy the stretchy animations and physics ripped straight out of the cartoon. Audio is also great, with the cast of the show on hand to provide voice work; this alone will be worth the cost of admission for fans. It's worth noting that barely a second of gameplay goes by without a cheesy quip, dumb Patrick-ism, or signature laugh from Tom Kenny, so mileage may vary on your tolerance for that. Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked) The only real gripe I have with Titans of the Tide is that it doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from the other two titles in Purple Lamp’s series revival. Aside from the ghostly enemies and ability switching mechanic, this game is no different from Battle for Bikini Bottom or Cosmic Shake. Even the in-game store, which contains a generous amount of skins for SpongeBob and Patrick, is basically the same as it was in the previous game. The format is reliable, but three games in and it's starting to creak. ConclusionIf you are a fan of the other games in this cycle of platform adventures, you are going to love Titans of the Tide. It's another colourful, funny SpongeBob adventure from Purple Lamp and, just like the cartoon, repeat viewings don’t tend to lessen the magic. The formula is starting to show its age now, but it's still the best virtual Bikini Bottom we've got. -
Over the weekend, Level-5 released a brand new update for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, booting the football RPG up to ver. 1.3.0 and adding some new features in the process. The newbies this time around are a level cap feature for Ranked and Lobby matches, and two new opportunities to switch characters when using the in-game menus. There are a bunch of balancing adjustments and bug fixes included in this one too, so it will be well worth checking out for the best experience possible. The full patch notes were shared on the official Inazuma Eleven website, and we have gathered them together for you to check out below. Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Ver. 1.3.0 (Released 21st Nov 2025)Feature Additions / AdjustmentsAdded a Level Cap Feature to Ranked Matches and Lobby MatchesAdded a Level 50 cap to Ranked Matches to ensure more intense and balanced competition. Any character above this level will be automatically adjusted down to 50. For lobby matches, players now have the option to enable or disable this cap. Added a Feature to Switch Characters on the Abilearn BoardAdded a feature that allows players to switch to other characters in the same Team Dock directly from the Abilearn Board. Added a Feature to Switch Characters on the Equipment MenuAdded a feature that allows players to switch to other characters in the same Team Dock directly from the Equipment Menu. Balance AdjustmentsAdjusted Training Goals in Story Mode Chapter 9Adjusted the training goals in Chapter 9 of Story Mode. When playing on another platform via Cross-Save, training goals may appear higher due to differences between versions. Adjusted Experience Requirements for Leveling UpAdjusted the amount of experience required for all characters to level up. Added Level Sync for Avatars in Story ModeWhen using an Avatar in Story Mode matches, any Avatar at level 51 or above will now be adjusted down to level 50. Retrying a Story Match Will Now Carry Over the ScoreAdjusted Story Mode matches so that if you lose and retry from mid-match, the score up to that point will now be carried over. Adjusted Experience Gains for Lower-Level CharactersAdjusted the system so that up to five lower-level characters among the sixteen members in the Team Dock will receive a post-match experience bonus. The bonus scales based on the level gap between each of the lowest five characters and the team's average level. Countermeasures for Idling in Ranked MatchesImplemented the following measures: In the case of defeat, rewards will only be granted if the match was played through to the end. Experience earned upon defeat has been reduced to one quarter. Conceding a match will no longer grant rewards. Bug FixesFixed an issue where a player who has not completed Story Mode competing against a player who has in Ranked Matches or Lobby Matches would result in the acquisition of characters from South Cirrus not yet obtained in the story, preventing further progression. Fixed an issue in the Spirit Exchange where used Spirits would not decrease even after being spent. Fixed an issue where Ranked Match points were still awarded even if the connection was canceled during a Ranked Match. Fixed an issue in the Special Training Gatling Kraken Trap that prevented it from being cleared when played at a high frame rate. Fixed an issue in BB Stadium where, after selecting "Continue from save" to resume Campaign Mode and winning a match, the game would sometimes fail to progress when attempting to start the next one. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 6 where the game would sometimes fail to progress after winning the skill showdown. Fixed an issue in the Story Mode Chapter 8 match against Royal Academy where the screen effect of a Special Tactic could sometimes remain on screen. Fixed an issue in the Story Mode Chapter 8 match against Royal Academy where the same Special Tactic could be used twice in a row during the second half. Fixed an issue in Story Mode where the number of abilities owned was displayed incorrectly due to referencing items from other modes. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 9 where, when controlling Darian Moonward, players could fast travel to South Cirrus Junior High but were unable to return to Raimon, preventing further progression. Fixed an issue in Story Mode where opening the map exactly as the player touched the red dashed line marking an impassable area could cause the game to become unresponsive. Fixed an issue where, in environments with significant network latency, performing a penalty kick during online play could prevent the game from progressing, as no goal animation would play after the shot. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 9 during the Raimon Junior High match where, after completing the mission Take a shot, the screen could remain dark and the game could become stuck if the shot was blocked. Fixed an issue where, during a zone, the game could sometimes become unprogressable when a character collided with the castle wall and lost the ball at the same time as executing a shooting move. Fixed an issue in Chapter 8 of Story Mode during the match against Royal Academy where, if a foul was committed while controlling Cade Shelby during the mission Successfully pass the ball to Cade, the Mix 'n' Match event would be skipped. Fixed an issue where the number of Focus Squabble Wins in Activities was not being counted. Fixed an issue where, during a zone, the game could sometimes become unprogressable if a pass was made to a character just before their Keshin Armourfy was deactivated and a direct shot was executed simultaneously. Fixed an issue where, in environments with significant network latency, the goalkeeper command would sometimes fail to trigger against a pass-into-immediate-shot sequence, causing a goal to be scored without a save attempt. Fixed an issue in Online Bond Town where the application could sometimes become unresponsive if another player joined while you were sending a chat message. Fixed an issue where, by following a specific sequence of steps, players could form a party with three or more HEROES. We'll be kicking off our full thoughts on Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road on Switch 2 soon enough, so keep an eye out to see what we make of Level-5's latest. -
Over the weekend, Level-5 released a brand new update for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, booting the football RPG up to ver. 1.3.0 and adding some new features in the process. The newbies this time around are a level cap feature for Ranked and Lobby matches, and two new opportunities to switch characters when using the in-game menus. There are a bunch of balancing adjustments and bug fixes included in this one too, so it will be well worth checking out for the best experience possible. The full patch notes were shared on the official Inazuma Eleven website, and we have gathered them together for you to check out below. Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Ver. 1.3.0 (Released 21st Nov 2025)Feature Additions / AdjustmentsAdded a Level Cap Feature to Ranked Matches and Lobby MatchesAdded a Level 50 cap to Ranked Matches to ensure more intense and balanced competition. Any character above this level will be automatically adjusted down to 50. For lobby matches, players now have the option to enable or disable this cap. Added a Feature to Switch Characters on the Abilearn BoardAdded a feature that allows players to switch to other characters in the same Team Dock directly from the Abilearn Board. Added a Feature to Switch Characters on the Equipment MenuAdded a feature that allows players to switch to other characters in the same Team Dock directly from the Equipment Menu. Balance AdjustmentsAdjusted Training Goals in Story Mode Chapter 9Adjusted the training goals in Chapter 9 of Story Mode. When playing on another platform via Cross-Save, training goals may appear higher due to differences between versions. Adjusted Experience Requirements for Leveling UpAdjusted the amount of experience required for all characters to level up. Added Level Sync for Avatars in Story ModeWhen using an Avatar in Story Mode matches, any Avatar at level 51 or above will now be adjusted down to level 50. Retrying a Story Match Will Now Carry Over the ScoreAdjusted Story Mode matches so that if you lose and retry from mid-match, the score up to that point will now be carried over. Adjusted Experience Gains for Lower-Level CharactersAdjusted the system so that up to five lower-level characters among the sixteen members in the Team Dock will receive a post-match experience bonus. The bonus scales based on the level gap between each of the lowest five characters and the team's average level. Countermeasures for Idling in Ranked MatchesImplemented the following measures: In the case of defeat, rewards will only be granted if the match was played through to the end. Experience earned upon defeat has been reduced to one quarter. Conceding a match will no longer grant rewards. Bug FixesFixed an issue where a player who has not completed Story Mode competing against a player who has in Ranked Matches or Lobby Matches would result in the acquisition of characters from South Cirrus not yet obtained in the story, preventing further progression. Fixed an issue in the Spirit Exchange where used Spirits would not decrease even after being spent. Fixed an issue where Ranked Match points were still awarded even if the connection was canceled during a Ranked Match. Fixed an issue in the Special Training Gatling Kraken Trap that prevented it from being cleared when played at a high frame rate. Fixed an issue in BB Stadium where, after selecting "Continue from save" to resume Campaign Mode and winning a match, the game would sometimes fail to progress when attempting to start the next one. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 6 where the game would sometimes fail to progress after winning the skill showdown. Fixed an issue in the Story Mode Chapter 8 match against Royal Academy where the screen effect of a Special Tactic could sometimes remain on screen. Fixed an issue in the Story Mode Chapter 8 match against Royal Academy where the same Special Tactic could be used twice in a row during the second half. Fixed an issue in Story Mode where the number of abilities owned was displayed incorrectly due to referencing items from other modes. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 9 where, when controlling Darian Moonward, players could fast travel to South Cirrus Junior High but were unable to return to Raimon, preventing further progression. Fixed an issue in Story Mode where opening the map exactly as the player touched the red dashed line marking an impassable area could cause the game to become unresponsive. Fixed an issue where, in environments with significant network latency, performing a penalty kick during online play could prevent the game from progressing, as no goal animation would play after the shot. Fixed an issue in Story Mode Chapter 9 during the Raimon Junior High match where, after completing the mission Take a shot, the screen could remain dark and the game could become stuck if the shot was blocked. Fixed an issue where, during a zone, the game could sometimes become unprogressable when a character collided with the castle wall and lost the ball at the same time as executing a shooting move. Fixed an issue in Chapter 8 of Story Mode during the match against Royal Academy where, if a foul was committed while controlling Cade Shelby during the mission Successfully pass the ball to Cade, the Mix 'n' Match event would be skipped. Fixed an issue where the number of Focus Squabble Wins in Activities was not being counted. Fixed an issue where, during a zone, the game could sometimes become unprogressable if a pass was made to a character just before their Keshin Armourfy was deactivated and a direct shot was executed simultaneously. Fixed an issue where, in environments with significant network latency, the goalkeeper command would sometimes fail to trigger against a pass-into-immediate-shot sequence, causing a goal to be scored without a save attempt. Fixed an issue in Online Bond Town where the application could sometimes become unresponsive if another player joined while you were sending a chat message. Fixed an issue where, by following a specific sequence of steps, players could form a party with three or more HEROES. We'll be kicking off our full thoughts on Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road on Switch 2 soon enough, so keep an eye out to see what we make of Level-5's latest. View full article
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With just one week to go before Assassin's Creed Shadows arrives on Switch 2, Ubisoft has updated the game's eShop page with some noteworthy details to keep in mind before you buy. Like, for example, the dreaded file size. According to the updated listing, Shadows will take up a beefy 62.8 GB on your system. It's not the most surprising news considering the size of the game, but it's something to keep an eye on as we head towards release. For reference, this file size puts Shadows above the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 (60.6 GB), Madden NFL 26 (57.1 GB), and Yakuza 0: Director's Cut (45.3 GB), but it's still a good step below Split Fiction (69.2 GB) and the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (90-95 GB). Not the end of the world, then, but it might be time to start looking for a Micro SD Express, if you're hoping to have a couple of these in your library. For those who missed the initial announcement, Assassin's Creed Shadows will arrive on Switch 2 on 2nd December, complete with cross-progression saves, touchscreen support and all the title updates you could wish for — apart from the Claws of Awaji expansion, you'll have to wait until 2026 for that. -
With just one week to go before Assassin's Creed Shadows arrives on Switch 2, Ubisoft has updated the game's eShop page with some noteworthy details to keep in mind before you buy. Like, for example, the dreaded file size. According to the updated listing, Shadows will take up a beefy 62.8 GB on your system. It's not the most surprising news considering the size of the game, but it's something to keep an eye on as we head towards release. For reference, this file size puts Shadows above the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 (60.6 GB), Madden NFL 26 (57.1 GB), and Yakuza 0: Director's Cut (45.3 GB), but it's still a good step below Split Fiction (69.2 GB) and the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (90-95 GB). Not the end of the world, then, but it might be time to start looking for a Micro SD Express, if you're hoping to have a couple of these in your library. For those who missed the initial announcement, Assassin's Creed Shadows will arrive on Switch 2 on 2nd December, complete with cross-progression saves, touchscreen support and all the title updates you could wish for — apart from the Claws of Awaji expansion, you'll have to wait until 2026 for that. View full article
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Prolific Game Boy developer Gumpy Function (AKA Tom Lockwood, one of the talented people behind the amazing Grimace's Birthday) has just announced the release of Feed IT Souls: Department of Martian Efficiency Edition, a Metroidvania for the Game Boy Color which serves as a remake of his GB Compo 23 game jam effort. Described by its creator as a title which satirises Elon Musk and the "techno-feudalists of the corporate world", the game's origin was inspired by Musk's purchase of the social media platform Twitter back in 2023. "You are the offspring of IT, a bio-technological monstrosity after only one thing - delicious souls," reads the game's itch.io page. "Seek out and retrieve souls to feed your master. His power is your power. Every soul retrieved will enhance your mobility as you explore your surroundings." Costing just $5 and playable on original GBC hardware or via emulation, Feed IT Souls: DOME Edition showcases new areas, new enemies, reworked artwork, in-game achievements, an overhauled game engine and a new Key Performance Indicator mode that "enables a classic life system for extra challenge". Furthermore, you also get a digital manual "in the style of classic GBC manuals from the late 1990s and 2000s." The developer has also confirmed that the game is coming to Playtiles Season 1 next week. Playtiles, in case you weren't aware, is a new operating system for smartphones that adds tactile buttons to your device's touchscreen via a removable, silicon-based "tile". Lockwood has also revealed that he is no longer publishing his games via ModRetro, the company founded by Palmer Luckey, which is behind the FPGA-based Chromatic and M64 consoles. -
Prolific Game Boy developer Gumpy Function (AKA Tom Lockwood, one of the talented people behind the amazing Grimace's Birthday) has just announced the release of Feed IT Souls: Department of Martian Efficiency Edition, a Metroidvania for the Game Boy Color which serves as a remake of his GB Compo 23 game jam effort. Described by its creator as a title which satirises Elon Musk and the "techno-feudalists of the corporate world", the game's origin was inspired by Musk's purchase of the social media platform Twitter back in 2023. "You are the offspring of IT, a bio-technological monstrosity after only one thing - delicious souls," reads the game's itch.io page. "Seek out and retrieve souls to feed your master. His power is your power. Every soul retrieved will enhance your mobility as you explore your surroundings." Costing just $5 and playable on original GBC hardware or via emulation, Feed IT Souls: DOME Edition showcases new areas, new enemies, reworked artwork, in-game achievements, an overhauled game engine and a new Key Performance Indicator mode that "enables a classic life system for extra challenge". Furthermore, you also get a digital manual "in the style of classic GBC manuals from the late 1990s and 2000s." The developer has also confirmed that the game is coming to Playtiles Season 1 next week. Playtiles, in case you weren't aware, is a new operating system for smartphones that adds tactile buttons to your device's touchscreen via a removable, silicon-based "tile". Lockwood has also revealed that he is no longer publishing his games via ModRetro, the company founded by Palmer Luckey, which is behind the FPGA-based Chromatic and M64 consoles. View full article
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When Irem & City Connection announced that they were working on a port of R-Type Delta HD Boosted for modern consoles and PCs earlier this year, there was a lot of excitement online. And it's pretty easy to understand why. The original game is frequently listed online for hundreds of pounds on the secondhand market, making this new version a potentially cheaper alternative for those who want to get their hands on the PS1 game, without breaking the bank. Reviews for the game dropped on Thursday, November 20th (the same day as the game's release) and have so far been pretty universally positive, with our friends at Nintendo Life giving it a 9, while our other sister site, Push Square, awarded it an 8 in its own review. However, it appears there may be some issues that those reviews, and other reviewers online, didn't pick up on, with Japanese players now taking to social media to highlight issues with missing effects and desynced audio, which are reportedly caused by the new version's lack of slowdown (thanks, OhFivePro, for the spot!). This appears to be most evident in a section before the end credits, in which there are a bunch of buildings onscreen that are supposed to slowly sink into space and vanish. In the new game, because the slowdown from the original has been removed, these buildings now simply fall off the side of the screen, with the audio then sharply cutting as the staff roll begins. There are also reports that the game is now harder too, with the third stage, in particular, proving "abnormally difficult" for some. In a Gamespark interview from earlier this month, R-Type Delta HD Boosted producer Nobuhiro Yoshikawa shared a few interesting details with the publication about the creation of the game, which does go some way to explaining why the port may not be as accurate to the original experience as players may have wanted. In the interview, Yoshikawa stated, for instance, that only "60 to 70 per cent" of the original game's source code has survived, with City Connection having to supplement what was already there. In addition to this, the team also made a conscious decision to remove frame lag, with the producer stating this decision was based on comments that R-Type Delta's original director, Hiroya Kita, once gave in an interview, in which he stated the PS1 game's slowdown was reportedly not an intended feature. Yoshikawa acknowledged that the game would play differently because of this production choice, but did not refer to any changes to the way audio would be implemented to compensate. As of right now, neither Irem nor City Connection have acknowledged the issue, so it's unknown whether they will attempt to address this with future updates. We've reached out to its Western publisher, Clear River Games, for comment. -
When Irem & City Connection announced that they were working on a port of R-Type Delta HD Boosted for modern consoles and PCs earlier this year, there was a lot of excitement online. And it's pretty easy to understand why. The original game is frequently listed online for hundreds of pounds on the secondhand market, making this new version a potentially cheaper alternative for those who want to get their hands on the PS1 game, without breaking the bank. Reviews for the game dropped on Thursday, November 20th (the same day as the game's release) and have so far been pretty universally positive, with our friends at Nintendo Life giving it a 9, while our other sister site, Push Square, awarded it an 8 in its own review. However, it appears there may be some issues that those reviews, and other reviewers online, didn't pick up on, with Japanese players now taking to social media to highlight issues with missing effects and desynced audio, which are reportedly caused by the new version's lack of slowdown (thanks, OhFivePro, for the spot!). This appears to be most evident in a section before the end credits, in which there are a bunch of buildings onscreen that are supposed to slowly sink into space and vanish. In the new game, because the slowdown from the original has been removed, these buildings now simply fall off the side of the screen, with the audio then sharply cutting as the staff roll begins. There are also reports that the game is now harder too, with the third stage, in particular, proving "abnormally difficult" for some. In a Gamespark interview from earlier this month, R-Type Delta HD Boosted producer Nobuhiro Yoshikawa shared a few interesting details with the publication about the creation of the game, which does go some way to explaining why the port may not be as accurate to the original experience as players may have wanted. In the interview, Yoshikawa stated, for instance, that only "60 to 70 per cent" of the original game's source code has survived, with City Connection having to supplement what was already there. In addition to this, the team also made a conscious decision to remove frame lag, with the producer stating this decision was based on comments that R-Type Delta's original director, Hiroya Kita, once gave in an interview, in which he stated the PS1 game's slowdown was reportedly not an intended feature. Yoshikawa acknowledged that the game would play differently because of this production choice, but did not refer to any changes to the way audio would be implemented to compensate. As of right now, neither Irem nor City Connection have acknowledged the issue, so it's unknown whether they will attempt to address this with future updates. We've reached out to its Western publisher, Clear River Games, for comment. View full article
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It's been particularly pleasing to see Capcom and Marvel hook up again in recent years, as I was a massive fan of the many superb one-on-one fighters the pair collaborated on in the '90s. So much so that any little piece of trivia relating to these games is like catnip to me – so I must thank the always-excellent vgdensetsu for unearthing this fact about Marvel vs. Capcom, one of my personal favourites. I always wondered why Capcom decided to replace Iron Man (who was present in Marvel Super Heroes) with War Machine, a relatively minor character from the comics who would ultimately use the same sprite design. Why remove such a famous face only to replace him with the same sprite, but in black and grey? According to former Capcom staffer Atsushi Tomita (also known as Tomichin), this was done because Capcom briefly lost the video game rights to the Iron Man character to Acclaim, which released the critically panned Iron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal in 1996. "The reason we couldn't include Iron Man in Marvel vs. Capcom was because we couldn't get the rights (Acclaim had the exclusive rights at the time)," says Tomita on social media (translated by Google). "We wanted to include a character with the same abilities we created in Marvel Super Heroes, so we named him War Machine and got permission from Marvel." Tomita also acknowledges that the palette swap created some inconsistencies with how the War Machine character appeared in the Marvel comics. "At the time, in the original comics, War Machine never wore armor with that design, but Marvel had become more tolerant by this time and was understanding. In the victory demo and other illustrations, Bengus drew the original design, which is completely different from the one in the game, but no one criticized it." War Machine plays almost exactly like Iron Man in Marvel vs. Capcom, bar some animation changes. However, by the time Marvel vs. Capcom 2 came around in 2000, Capcom was able to reintroduce Iron Man and, therefore, make War Machine a little more individual. -
It's been particularly pleasing to see Capcom and Marvel hook up again in recent years, as I was a massive fan of the many superb one-on-one fighters the pair collaborated on in the '90s. So much so that any little piece of trivia relating to these games is like catnip to me – so I must thank the always-excellent vgdensetsu for unearthing this fact about Marvel vs. Capcom, one of my personal favourites. I always wondered why Capcom decided to replace Iron Man (who was present in Marvel Super Heroes) with War Machine, a relatively minor character from the comics who would ultimately use the same sprite design. Why remove such a famous face only to replace him with the same sprite, but in black and grey? According to former Capcom staffer Atsushi Tomita (also known as Tomichin), this was done because Capcom briefly lost the video game rights to the Iron Man character to Acclaim, which released the critically panned Iron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal in 1996. "The reason we couldn't include Iron Man in Marvel vs. Capcom was because we couldn't get the rights (Acclaim had the exclusive rights at the time)," says Tomita on social media (translated by Google). "We wanted to include a character with the same abilities we created in Marvel Super Heroes, so we named him War Machine and got permission from Marvel." Tomita also acknowledges that the palette swap created some inconsistencies with how the War Machine character appeared in the Marvel comics. "At the time, in the original comics, War Machine never wore armor with that design, but Marvel had become more tolerant by this time and was understanding. In the victory demo and other illustrations, Bengus drew the original design, which is completely different from the one in the game, but no one criticized it." War Machine plays almost exactly like Iron Man in Marvel vs. Capcom, bar some animation changes. However, by the time Marvel vs. Capcom 2 came around in 2000, Capcom was able to reintroduce Iron Man and, therefore, make War Machine a little more individual. View full article