Inti Creates is great at pumping out fun and attractive 2D action games, and 2023's Gal Guardians: Demon Purge cemented that notion further. Now a date is in place for the sequel, which PQube will publish on March 27, 2025. 

Titled Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark, the next entry is on the way to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The followup was originally revealed in September, promising more cooperative action ahead of its Tokyo Game Show appearance later that month. 

This time around, the setting shifts from a single castle to the wider demon world surrounding it. Player characters Kirika and her younger sister Masha each have different abilities, making it essential to switch between them as you explore. In addition to the single-player swapping, online co-op is available for those who would rather explore simultaneously with a friend. 

You can see the demon maid sisters in action in the release date trailer below.

Known in Japan as Grim Guardians, the first entry had to change its name in the west due to a legal claim from the owners of fantasy series Grimguard. While the western release is listed as digital-only for now, Japan is getting a physical edition in April. The limited edition version packs the game with an art book, an acrylic chain, and a two-disc soundtrack CD. 

Fitting for its expanded scope, PQube describes the sequel as a "fully-realized Metroidvania," complete with the ability to switch between Casual, Veteran, and Legend styles. Kirika and Masha's sub-weapons and abilities can be used to unlock different routes throughout the world so it should be fun to experiment with exploration when this one launches early next year. 

The post Inti Creates sets Gal Guardians sequel for March 27, 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

I think it's fair to say that Starfield is a decent game, pretty vast in scope, but it didn't quite reach the lofty heights Bethesda was hoping for. Still, it's a year and a bit later, and it's managing to draw people in, but it's unfortunately struggling to shake off that "Mixed" review score on Steam.

However, that won't deter the modding community, the tenacious and ambitious bunch that they are, and this new one combines the world of Starfield with the carnage of modern Doom. Over on the Bethesda Creations site, "At Hell's Gate" is now available to play for free. Check out the brief trailer for it below.

The description has this to say about it:

A band of mercenaries has narrowly escaped an encounter with something that can only be described as beyond evil. Investigate this mysterious happening and prevent a vile force from invading your universe.

DoomField! (Puns are easy)

The mod – which is available on both PC and Xbox Series X|S versions of Starfield – also comes with some tasty bonuses after you complete the new quest. Once done, you'll get access to a spacesuit that's based on Doom's Praetor Suit, the Super Shotgun (natch), and the Crucible Blade.

There are also six plushies that can be crafted if you wish to decorate your Starfield outposts and homes. When you download "At Hell's Gate," you can start the mission by "approaching an SSNN broadcast pillar in any of the major cities, such as New Atlantis, Cydonia, Akila City, or Neon."

This official Creations mod comes from the minds of Kinggath Creations, the team that's also responsible for the "Bard's College Expansion" and "East Empire Expansion" quests for Skyrim, as well as Sim Settlements 2, the rather vast sequel to the city-building project that you can download for Fallout 4.

So, you know, these guys weren't just banging rocks together when they decided to blend Doom with Starfield. They seem to know what they're doing.

The post Starfield and Doom come together in this official Creation mod appeared first on Destructoid.

2024 was another huge year for games, with enough to keep everyone occupied for the foreseeable future. Despite constant decision paralysis, though, the eight hours I spent with the deranged, demolition-happy Dynamite Anton and his coworker Annie in Antonblast were the most unabashed fun I had playing games all year.

Ever since Summitsphere's buckwild platformer was first announced, I have been preparing myself to play the spiritual successor to some lost Wario Game Boy Advance game. I wasn't, however, prepared to play a Sega Genesis game. That's exactly what this is; it has a very specific, and I say this with love, funk to it that you only get from the library of Genesis or Sega CD. Perhaps, in some alternate universe, Antonblast dropped in the mid-90s on both Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, the latter version playing a bit more brightly with some rigid edges. Mayb e with fewer belches, screams, and profanity-laden proclamations.

Our gruff title character is on a side-scrolling mission to get his coveted spirits back from Satan, who wants Anton for himself so he can become the reddest person in the world. Anton and Annie — both playable from the start — set out to stop Satan with some assistance from a beleaguered casino owner named Brulo. To do so, they'll need to blast through 12 stages, seeking out Anton's spirits, setting Brulo's detonators, and getting the hell out of there before the whole damn level explodes. 

Antonblast (PC [Reviewed], Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Summitsphere
Publisher: Summitsphere
Released: December 3, 2024
MSRP: $19.99

Despite the distinct aesthetic, Antonblast wears its Wario inspirations loud and proud. Hopping on specific pads lets him leap in and out of the foreground with ease. Anton can charge in a similar manner, too, paving the way for momentum-based platforming that comes in especially handy at the end of each stage. Once Anton sets off the detonator, IT'S HAPPY HOUR, and he has a few short (but relatively generous) minutes to go back from whence he came in the most explosive way possible. These escapes are often the most challenging and thrilling sections. While Antonblast is generous with checkpoints throughout the main stages, you'll still probably find yourself attempting some of these move-it-or-lose-it escapes multiple times before succeeding. 

Everything cribbed from the Wario Land series is amped up by an order of magnitude. And for the record, there's always room for more like it. Bricks, dumpsters, and discarded bathtubs burst and shatter as Anton plows through them, the screen screeching to a split-second halt each time to heighten the impact. Enemies standing in your way go flying off the screen with a cartoonish whizz, one of dozens of Saturday Morning sound effects that make playing Antonblast feel like a spoonful of sugar-coated cereal shot straight to the veins. Even by the time the credits rolled, I never found myself tiring of Anton's exuberant shouts, or the way he sounds like a bomb dropping from a B-52 whenever he does a nose dive from an improbable height. 

The stages are all spread across a small hub area, complete with shops that contain exorbitantly-priced health power-ups, some single-use items, and other superfluous knick-knacks. Anton will eventually be able to afford most of it with the way he tends to rack up casino chips along his path of destruction. All you really need is maybe a single extra heart to help deal with the damage, especially on the increasingly tough boss battles scattered through the hub. 

The bosses are truly a delight. They all have their own absurd gimmicks, and none of them feel like retreads, even when you end up squaring off against more than one jacked-up mole. It's clear they put a ton of thought into them, from the first wrassling ring showdown to the multi-stage final battle with Satan. It's Treasure by way of Earthworm Jim. You'll likely die and retry a lot as you try to figure out the best strategy against each foe, but thankfully, the longer fights have checkpoints before each new form. This is one of those little slices of grace that keep Antonblast from sliding over from fun to frustrating. 

Thanks to tight controls and a move set that's exciting to master, barreling Anton through all these challenges is an exercise in haphazard glee. There are certain areas that call for more precise platforming, but most problems can quite literally be solved by ramming your head into them repeatedly. The overwhelming visuals fit this style of play nicely. It never seems as if Antonblast is overdoing it, because nothing else would make sense. When Anton or Annie turn into a pinball or set off on a rocket swordfish — two of many stage gimmicks that refuse to wear out their welcome — the cacophony of screams and violent environmental eruptions that ensue feel right. 

All of this madness combined with a pitch-perfect soundtrack from top to bottom to make a piquant spirit that widened my eyes more than a few times. That's ultimately what impresses me most about Antonblast. It is such a tightly-realized vision that you can't help but appreciate and respect it. The energy levels are absolutely through the roof. There are no doubt a small handful of frustrations to be found and some of the saltier, the fully-voiced dialogue might keep you from showing it to the younger members of the family; none of that should hold you back.

Everyone should play Antonblast at least once, but good luck with that. There are still spirits to collect, and I'll be riding this rollercoaster again in no time. Now, bring on the speedruns; this is gonna be a… I'm not gonna say it, but you get it.

^{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Antonblast appeared first on Destructoid.

Marvel Rivals has launched with a host of popular names from the superhero universe, but some of them are better than the rest.

In the first couple of days, it has become quite clear that a few characters are a notch above the rest. In their respective roles, they're the best options to consider. That said, the names present on the lower tiers also have their uses. In the right hands, they can be quite powerful.

Update Changelog

December 12, 2024: Jeff has been moved to S-tier. Wolverine has been dropped to B-tier.

December 13, 2024: Luna Snow has been moved to A-tier. Iron Fist has been moved to S-tier.

Marvel Rivals S-tier list

The S-tier characters are the top choices if you want to dominate the games. Their abilities make them quite overpowered compared to the other choices available in their respective roles.

Here are some of the best characters to choose from:

• Venom is my favorite Vanguard to pick, as he's the only tank that offers an unique form of mobility. His swing allows you to move across the map with ease, and his crowd-control abilities are top-notch. His ultimate can act as the perfect nuke and wipe out multiple enemies if their health is low.
• Iron Fist can be considered as S-tier if the player knows what they're doing. My experience with him has been poor, as most of my teammates didn't know how to use his diving abilities to do maximum damage. That said, I have lately felt that his damage potential if off the charts, and unless there's a future nerf, he will continue to do well.
• Winter Soldier is perhaps the best all-round character in the current roster.
• Captain America might not be as strong as Venom in terms of being a tank, but his mobility is a bonus. His ability to hybrid in a couple of different roles makes him a good addition.
• Adam Warlock's basic abilities might not be as potent as that of Luna Snow (although they're easier to master), but his Ultimate, Karmic Revival, can completely revive your entire team. This can totally change how a round is going and catch the enemy off guard.
• Squirrel Girl is a solid DPS unit that has very few weaknesses. She works well with a Vanguard who can shield her and make sure that she survives. She does incredible damage with her abilities, and has one of the best CC potential in the entire roster.
• Jeff was originally in the A-tier, and not because he's cute; his abilities are great in team battles, and he can help you save a teammate from dying. Upon more gametime, his potential in team fights on open maps is next to none. He is very strong as a pure healer, but on open maps, you can swallow your opponents and dive off the map. This specific move can be incredibly useful in several modes, and hence, he moves to S-tier.

Marvel Rivals A-tier list

A-tier characters might not appear as attractive as the S-tiers, but they can be good choices if you're proficient with them.

These characters are worth using and can be considered S-tier if they're in the optimal situation:

• Magneto can be considered as S-tier if you can manage his slow speed. It will take a long time for you to learn and master him, but he can be a great choice for a potential Vanguard main.
• Spider-Man perhaps has the best mobility in the entire game, and he can do a fair bit of damage. That said, the skill cap for learning everyone's favorite Spidey is slightly high.
• Moon Knight can do huge damage with his Crescent Dart and Moon Blade moves, and he's one of the easiest characters to learn. That said, his Ultimate is pretty poor, and it's the main reason why he is in the A-tier.
• Thor is a great all round tank who can even qualify to the S-tier if teamed up with Hela. His awakened state is really powerful, and the self-heal allows you to get away with a few mistakes.
• Doctor Strange can enter the S-tier if you're playing with a team that communicates well. If you're playing with strangers, it will be hard to make the most out of his teleportation abilities.
• Hawkeye is one of the harder heroes to master even if he can land a lot of damage. You'll have to learn how to use his Focus mechanic well, and doing so will allow you to one-shot squishy enemies.
• Psylocke's stealth-based abilities make her pretty unique and hard for an enemy to counter.
• Groot's ability to block can often make him a good choice if your team has too many squishy characters. However, his true potential lies in team composition.
• Star-Lord is the perfect choice for aggro players, and he's a simple hero to master. That said, his abilities could be improved if NetEase wants more players to shower Peter Quill with some love.
• Loki's main strength lies in creating decoys which can be great for distracting enemies. His abilities are also pretty helpful in healing a team.
• Hela can do incredible damage in a quick time if you can manage her range. She's the equivalent of a sniper, as you'll have to aim with precision and target the vulnerable areas of your enemy.
• Luna Snow is the best support if you know how to aim with her. Her abilities are great for team heals, and her primary does both - heal allies and damage enemies. She's an extremely potent strategist, but it's pretty difficult to learn her abilities. You'll have to be excellent at aiming your moves, which isn't easy unless you've prior experience in Hero Shooters.

You'll find that the A-tier list has the maximum number of characters, which makes it a healthy set of choices for players.

Marvel Rivals B-tier list

B-tier characters are decent at best, but all of them have better choices in their respective roles.

• The Punisher is a good DPS character who relies on his turrets and Ultimate to push objectives. But there are better alternatives available for the players to pick from.
• Magik is one of the hardest characters to learn, as her melee DPS style can make her susceptible to quick deaths. If the team has good healers and tanks, she can be a gem of a character.
• Storm can double up as a DPS while being a strategist, and sadly, that's her main weakness. A more focused kit would have helped her to stand out more.
• Iron Man has aerial mobility and abilities that do range damage, but once again, his kit will need a buff.
• Rocket Raccoon isn't a bad choice as support, but sadly, the likes of Adam Warlock, Luna Snow, and Groot are better picks.
• Mantis can be considered in the A-tier if you're playing in a well-coordinated team. Her kit is entirely focused on healing, so you will need partners who understand her role well.
• Scarlet Witch has an interesting kit for sure, but she doesn't do that much damage in the first place. Given how great healers are at the moment, she will need a complete buff in a future patch.
• Wolverine is a hard nuker who can take care of almost anyone if they engage 1v1. Just make sure not to get engaged against too many enemies at a tough spot. While he can be S-tier in the right hands, he gets outmuscled in team fights. Over time, he could again move up a tier, but B-tier right now is a good spot for him.
• Black Widow is a simple hero to learn, but a hard one to master. If you're good with your aims, Natasha will be a top-tier character.

Marvel Rivals C-tier list

It's not worth thinking much about the C-tier characters. There are a few reasons why each one isn't worth choosing over some of the other characters on the Marvel Rivals roster.

• Hulk has three different forms, and his Hero Hulk form is the mightiest. Unfortunately, he has a massive hitbox (making him an easy target), and he doesn't do much damage.
• Black Panther is a hard hero to master, and his kit isn't as powerful as you would hope.
• Peni Parker's abilities and damage potential depend on your opponent and how susceptible they might be to your traps.
• Namor's USP is all about his turrets, but they are not very powerful. They can be destroyed easily, and pairing him with Luna Snow hardly makes them more durable.
• Cloak and Dagger's kit is similar to Mantis but offers more flexibility. But more options aren't always better, so if you want a pure healer, just go with Mantis.

It will be interesting to see which characters are added next to Marvel Rivals. So far, NetEase hasn't announced anything. Additionally, all the characters are available for the players, and you can also switch them in-between a match.

The post Marvel Rivals tier list (Season 0) – All Heroes ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The global version of Girls' Frontline 2 is here, bringing with it both of the first chapters of the game's main storyline and the Sojourners of the Glass Island event, which allows you to get and fully ascend Lotta and her M1 Super 90 Shotgun for free.

But how can you unlock the event? Here's everything you need to know about the Sojourners of the Glass Island event in Girls' Frontline 2, including its rewards and end date.

How to Unlock Sojourners of the Glass Island and End Date

Although you will be able to get the 10x Targeted Access Permissions courtesy of the event by simply logging in, those playing Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium will only be able to truly take part in Sojourners of the Glass Island after reaching Commander Level 20. The event is divided into four modes —Hazard Parol, Wasteland Supply, Sojourners, and Challenge Mode— all of which will be available until December 25, 2024. You can check out a quick overview of each of them below:

• Hazard Patrol: A board-like mode where you must advance the tiles while grabbing items and defeating enemies.
• Wasteland Impact: A Nikke-inspired mode where players can take control of Suomi and Sabrina to take out as many opponents as possible.
• Sojourners: The event's main story.
• Challenge Mode: A series of high-difficulty drills, each rewarding you with exclusive currencies, a few Ullrid Blade Advancement Attachment Boxes, and more.

All Sojourners of the Glass Island rewards in Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium

Although you will be able to get a great number of goodies by completing its main storyline and Challenge Mode, the main rewards of Sojourners of the Glass Island can be acquired by exchanging the event-exclusive Obsolete Models and Migratory Bird Medals at the Trade Center, as well as by reaching certain milestones on Hazard Patrol and Wasteland Impact. Here are all of the rewards available as part of the modes, as well as items featured in the Trade Center.

All Trade Center Items in Sojourners of the Glass Island

As you can see in the image above, the event's Trade Center is divided into two Trade Zones, with the first one including a copy of Lotta and her weapon among its 22 wares. You can check the prices of all 22 items below:

All Trade Zone - Part II Items

As their items will be pretty much identical, you can also acquire a copy of both Lotta and her weapon in the second half of the Trade Zone. Keep in mind that all items below will cost Migratory Bird Medals.

All Wasteland Impact Rewards & How to Unlock Them

You can claim a total of 22 sets of rewards by playing Wasteland Supply. As you can see below, you will be able to unlock all of them by completing each of the mode's stages with a good enough ranking.

All Hazard Patrol Rewards & How to Unlock Them

Like with the rewards part of Wasteland Impact, you can unlock a total of 14 reward sets by completing tasks in Hazard Patrol. You can check out all tasks, and their respective rewards below:

Now that you know how to get all of the main rewards of the Sojourners of the Glass Island event, don't forget to also check out our Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium Tier List.

The post Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium Sojourners of the Glass Island event rewards and end date appeared first on Destructoid.

Regardless of whether you prefer to run the Ascendancy Trial of Sekhemas or the Ascendancy Trial of Chaos in Path of Exile 2, you're going to need special coins to participate in them beyond the first successful run. Here's how you can get more, and the caveats behind the process.

How to get Trial Coins in Path of Exile 2

The Trial of Sekhamas (Act 2) and the Trial of Chaos (Act 3) are both trials that require their own respective coin to enter. These coins are similar to the ones you used to go through each trial for the first time. The first one was given for free, but to enter either of these trials more, you will need to get your own. Fortunately and unfortunately, getting these coins is a very simple task, but they are quite rare.

Trial of Sekhamas

The coin for the Trial of Sekhamas is called a Djinn and refers to the lore requirement of needing a Djinn's essence to enter the trial. Thankfully, you won't need to go through a boss fight every time you want to obtain one. However, getting your hands on a Djinn coin is difficult because it is a random world drop, meaning they won't be falling into your lap.

It is unclear where the best location is to farm these coins, but playing the Endgame of Path of Exile 2 tends to yield more of them in general.

Trial of Chaos

The coin for the Trial of Chaos is called an Inscribed Ultimatum, and it refers directly to the Vaal lore reasoning for appeasing the Trialmaster. The first one is obtained from a boss encounter near the trial location, but like with the Trial of Sekhamas, you won't need to fight one every time you want the coin. Sadly, also like the Trial of Sekhamas, Inscribed Utlimantums are a random world drop, so getting them will not be easy.

The Endgame of Path of Exile 2 is the best source for obtaining Inscribed Ultimatums, but if you're not quite there just yet, then you can try farming unique bosses in Act 3. There's no guarantee at all that the drop rate is higher, but unique bosses tend to have better drop tables than regular enemies, so it's worth the shot.

Due to how rare both these coins are, I highly recommend you use them with a group you are familiar with. Only the group leader in a party needs to insert a coin for each respective trial, so there is a level of efficiency that can be achieved if you're playing with a team. Nevertheless, if you're more of a solo player, feel free to use them as you see fit.

The post How to get more Ascendancy Trial Coins in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

If I received a penny for every time I did a post about a Doom or Doom 2 mod, I'd probably have enough to buy at least a loaf of bread. That may not sound impressive, but bread can be expensive these days, so that would easily equate to a couple hundred posts. It's still a fair amount for one person.

The point is that I've found another one. This one hits closer to home, as it pertains to a dystopian version of my home country, England. Also, the dystopian premise. That checks out as well. Over on ModDB, user chazlee is bringing us "Bolero," a dark take on ol' Blighty, with plenty of "urban dismay and raw insanity" to boot.

Taking on "Cannibals, Cultists, Nazi Bikers," and more in this Doom 2 mod, this is very much going for a leather-clad 1970s vibe, which is not quite my era, but I'm here for it all the same.

Dance, dance the Bolero

Sadly, "Bolero" is not yet out, with the download page simply having it down as TBD for its release date. For now, the images on ModDB will have to suffice, although it's hard to know what to expect from screenshots. But I do like the dark purple sky and biker gang vibe I get from what I assume is a title image.

Hopefully, it won't be too long until it's out. We all know the old Doom games inside and out by now, so it's always interesting to see the ways in which the fan base keeps tinkering with the original. It's no wonder we keep talking about the games. Or at least I do.

Add onto that all the bizarre ways Doom has been ported, which includes a version of it on Nintendo's Alarmo device and even placed within the cutesy world of Stardew Valley. Seriously, if I ever get sick of talking about the mods for these classic id Software games, know that I have been taken over by some sort of sentient amoeba*.

^{*"So what else is new!" Says the funniest person in the room.}

The post This Doom 2 mod will turn the game into 1970s dystopian England…with cannibals appeared first on Destructoid.

After 12 years of waiting, fans must have been quite delighted to see Path of Exile 2 finally drop on PC and console the other day. According to the game's Steam page, Grinding Gears' follow-up to its popular action RPG is going down a storm so far. In fact, it's hitting some pretty big numbers, according to recent data.

As always, we turn our attention to SteamDB – the third-party website that tracks all things related to Valve's gaming platform. Despite the fact that Path of Exile 2 has only been out a few days, it's already racked up 578,569 players on PC, with over 498,000 getting involved in the past 24 hours.

This is even more impressive when you realize the game's out in early access. Of course, it's been on more than a few people's radars, so it stands to reason that hype may be part of the reason we're seeing such impressive figures so soon after the early access launch. To say nothing of the number of console players who must have logged in.

The path continues

At the time of writing, Path of Exile 2 is at the number two spot on Steam's Top Sellers chart, though this is pretty typical for new releases. However, I'm pretty sure I saw it at number one yesterday, having temporarily knocked the Steam Deck from its pedestal. But it seems normal service has resumed.

Work is obviously still ongoing, and the developer recently said in a post on X that a hotfix is on the way. This small update will make it so "Raging Spirits can only summon 5 Raging Spirits per cast at all levels." The team also says it will be "making adjustments to other Trigger Meta-Gems," so keep an eye out for that.

Another post on X says Grinding Gears has been keeping an eye on feedback, and has been pleased with how the launch over the weekend went. Keep doing what you're doing, I guess, if you're currently playing and enjoying Path of Exile 2.

The post Path of Exile 2 has already attracted over half a million players appeared first on Destructoid.

One of the biggest power spikes you can have in Path of Exile 2 occurs when you properly equip your skills with potent Support Gems. At the start, you're limited to only two per skill, but it is possible to get more as you play through the game.

So here's how to get more Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2.

How to earn Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2

Support Gems are special gems that can only be slotted into one of your equipped skills. They allow you to customize your skills, allowing for crazy and wacky setups that are actually quite potent when tested. You'll want to kit out your favorite skills that define your build, but access to only two slots makes that difficult.

To get Support Gem Sockets, all you need to do is get lucky. Not kidding. A special currency called a Jeweler Orb can drop from any enemy you encounter. When used on a skill, it permanently unlocks an additional support socket for that skill only. You cannot undo this action, so think carefully before using one. Jeweler Orbs are not exactly common.

Depending on where you are in your socket progression, you will need to use either a Lesser Jeweler Orb or a Greater Jeweler Orb. Lesser orbs are for skills stuck at two slots, while Greaters are beyond that point. You'll start seeing Jeweler Orbs drop minimally starting in Act 3, and increasing in commonality as you progress (they are never 'common', however).

The post How to get more Support Gem Sockets in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

While exploring the later portions of Act 3 in Path of Exile 2, you may come across a peculiar set of mushrooms with no real defined purpose. These dubious shrooms take up a bunch of space in your inventory, so here's what you can do with them.

What are the mushrooms in Act 3 for in Path of Exile 2?

All throughout Path of Exile 2, picking up green-labeled items tended to yield amazing rewards if you could figure out what to do with them. Turns out, the mushrooms you pick up in Act Three are in a similar vein, only the rewards for these items are not exactly glamorous this time around.

As for what to do with them, if you didn't find them within the Apex of Filth, head to that location and kill enemies for them to eventually drop. Once you do have them, you're looking for a cauldron with a Cauldron Keeper standing behind it within the Apex of Filth. This zone is massive and is also quite dangerous, so it may take you an extensive amount of time to find the cauldron and the keeper. Due to maps in Path of Exile being randomized, I cannot give you the exact location. What I can say is that no matter which map variant you get, you'll find a flight of alter-like stairs just before reaching the Cauldron.

The mushrooms are reagents for the witch's concoction and can be placed within the witch's cauldron. Doing this will reward you with an Uncommon (Blue) Life Flask and a Mana Flask, both with completely variable stats. Whether or not they are good for you is up to you to decide based on your character build.

Additionally, the witch herself is a merchant who tends to sell gear that is beyond the standard you can find in town. I recommend visiting her on occasion for some potential high-quality gear.

The post What to do with the mushrooms in Act 3 of Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're a Quincy seeking an ability that will give you the edge against any opponent, you need to unlock Voltstanding. As a Roblox game based heavily on the Bleach anime series, there's a lot to love about Type Soul's progression system, especially with each faction's ultimate abilities.

Those playing Quincy have a special ability that's so powerful it can wipe the floor with anything you come up against. But don't think for a second that it'll be easy to unlock. Here's a complete guide on how to unlock Vollstandig, also known as Voltstanding, in Type Soul.

How to unlock Volt (Voltstanding) in Type Soul

To get Voltstanding in Type Soul, you must be Elite Grade and then complete a series of requirements. Below are the exact steps you'll take:

• Win 13 Raids, either through Ranked Wins or Clan Wars
• Get 50 Hollow Kills, 10 Elite Grips, and one Bawabawa kill without dying
• Return to Wandenreich and talk to Balance before completing Voltstanding's trials

The first task, above all else, is reaching Elite Grade. Elite Grade is the best of the best, so you'll need to work extremely hard to get your character to this level before even considering Voltstanding. You first start your Type Soul adventure at Grade 5, with higher grades unlocking as you complete quests. You'll eventually reach Grade 2, prompting you to complete your Schrift quests before eventually making your way to Elite Grade.

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Once you've hit Elite Grade, you need to visit the castle in Wandenreich City and speak to Balance. They're in the room with the blur flooring. Balance will tell you the requirements for unlocking Voltstanding in order. So, once you've completed one challenge, you'll need to return to Balance to get the next one. To keep it simple, I've collected each task below as they unlock.

Voltstanding Raid Wins task

The first challenge you'll need to do is one of the following:

• Get 7 Clan Wars Wins
• Win 13 Raids
• Win 26 Ranked (1v1 or 2v2) matches

You should complete the task that's easiest for you. I've seen some players report the Ranked wins as easiest because they're based on skill, but I'm not very skilled in Type Soul, so the Raids were easiest for me. These run every 30 minutes in-game, so look for a server that's either on the hour or half hour and try to join because they're the most likely to have a raid for you to enter and win.

You could also look for a dedicated Type Soul Discord server to join. These have moderators who can force Raids to start, making them a great way to grind these out for progression.

Aside from this, you're free to take part in dozens of 1v1s or 2v2s and farm wins to complete this challenge, or take part in raids if that's more fun to you. You can even do a mix of both, as long as you reach a total of 13 Raid Win.

If you lose track of how many Raid Wins you're at, you can visit the Unrivaled Unequaled NPC in the Karakura Town warehouse.

Voltstanding Hollow and Elite Grip task

The second challenge you'll need to complete to get Voltstanding is to complete all of the following without dying:

• Kill 50 Hollows
• Get 10 Elite Grade player Grips
• Kill 1 Jidanbo or Bawabawa

The hardest part of this task is gripping 10 Elites, but you can just find someone from another faction and grip them 10 times to complete that part. The one point to note here is that if you die in the middle of completing any of these, you'll reset your progress and must kill all the enemies again.

With that in mind, aim for the toughest enemies first so you don't need to repeat them too often if you fail. Gripping Elites is the easiest part of this challenge, and by focusing on the much larger enemies, you can set yourself up well for an easy finish.

Another challenging part of this task is killing a World Boss. Bawabawa spawns in Hueco Mundo, while Jidanbo appears in the Soul Society. Defeating World Bosses is pretty intense but just as doable as killing 50 Hollows. If you're already familiar with fighting these guys, though, you shouldn't have too much trouble here. I'd recommend doing this first before killing 50 Hollows and getting your 10 Elite Grips, but the order will depend on your preference and how easily you can do the other tasks.

Voltstanding Balance Trial task

After completing the first two tasks, return to Balance at the top of Wandenreich Castle. This will unlock the Quincy Voltstanding minigame. This will teleport you to a new area where arrows fall from the sky for around a minute and 30 seconds.

If you fail this at any point, you'll have to wait an hour or grip two additional Elite Grades. While waiting an hour isn't too bad, knocking this out from the get-go will make your life easier. Focus on dodging each projectile to have Yhwach the Quincy King spawn in to grant you Voltstanding.

The post How to get Volt (Voltstanding) in Type Soul appeared first on Destructoid.

Since its debut all the way back in Season 7, the Cold Swap has grown to be an absolute fan favorite among the massive array of pickaxes in Fortnite, the latter given its unique aesthetic and charm.

But true to that, it's no surprise that a question continues to arise among the community. After all, when will the Cold Snap return? Here's when will the Cold Snap return to the Fortnite shop, as well as how much the item will most likely cost.

When is Cold Snap returning to Fortnite?

Unfortunately for all who, like me, missed the chance to add the pickaxe to their collection when it was last featured in the game's shop, there's currently no way to know when the Cold Snap will be returning to Fortnite. On that note, and given both the item's first release date and how well it fits the Holiday theme, I would not be surprised if the pickaxe were to make a return to the shop during the days surrounding this year's Christmas.

For those curious, the pickaxe's last appearance in the store dates back to June 28, 2024, when it was featured as part of the Clix's Locker bundle.

How Much Does the Cold Snap Cost?

According to the Fortnite.GG database, the Cold Snap has been featured in the game's shop a total of 63 times since its release on December 28, 2018, In all times, the pickaxe could be purchased either alone for 800 V-bucks or as part of bundles ranging from 2.300 to 2.500 V-Bucks.

Now that you know when we can expect the Cold Snap pickaxe to return in Fortnite, don't forget to also check out How to find Godzilla. If you are like me and cannot wait for the mode's debut, I also recommend checking out All available jobs in LEGO Fortnite Brick Life.

The post When is Cold Snap returning to Fortnite? appeared first on Destructoid.

Being a major one-stop digital storefront for many-a-PC gamer, Steam has dominated the market for around 20 years. It is a convenient place to purchase and play games online, and it's easy to see why this is, but all the sales and discount events that occur throughout the year make it even more alluring.

While we've just had the Autumn Sale, Steam is by no means done for 2024. With the closing weeks of the year now upon us, we still have one more event to go: the Steam Winter sale. But when is it happening, exactly?

Well, you still have some time to prepare as, according to a post from Steam that lists all the events of 2024, the Winter Sale will begin on December 19 and end on January 2, 2025. There's also a countdown clock on SteamDB, which shows that – at the time of writing – it'll officially begin in just over 10 days and four hours, with it scheduled to kick off at 18:00.

Winter may be cold, but Steam could be in hot water

As always with these things, we can't be sure what games will actually be discounted until closer to the date (or on the date itself). For the Winter Sale 2023, Steam saw such titles as Mortal Kombat 1, Dave the Diver, Red Dead Redemption 2, Elden Ring, and even Starfield get prices slashed temporarily, with some games having as much as 80% off.

Of course, it's not all bells that are jingly. Steam's owner and developer Valve is currently embroiled in an antitrust lawsuit. The suit was recently granted a "class action" status, with the file claiming that the 30% commission the company takes on games sold via its platform (compared to Epic Games Store's 12%) is "anti-competitive."

Having said that, we gamers needn't worry ourselves too much about that right now. We're getting closer to the Steam Winter Sale 2024 and, with that, the closing moments of what has been a pretty bleak year for the industry. Go out with a smile and more games in your library, I guess.

The post When is the Steam Winter 2024 sale? appeared first on Destructoid.

Spirit is a brand new resource in Path of Exile 2 and the role it serves is valuable to all builds. It is, however, quite scarce, but you can get more if you know how. So here's how to get more Spirit in Path of Exile 2.

Where to get more Spirit in Path of Exile 2

Spirit governs how many active buffs or summons you can have at any given time. At the start of Path of Exile 2, you barely have any Spirit to work with (if any at all). This is fine because you don't really have access to persistent buffs to make use of it anyhow. However, as you play, you'll quickly find out that the minuscule Spirit you're given to work with normally is not enough. So how can you get more? There are a few ways of note.

Defeat Act Side Bosses

All three Acts of Path of Exile 2 have numerous bosses that are either off the beaten path or completely optional. This means they are skippable, but you absolutely should not skip them as some bosses will drop an item that rewards 30 Spirit. There are a total of three Spirit-giving items you can earn, with one being available in every act. I recommend you kill all the bosses in every act to ensure you're not missing Spirit. You can determine which bosses you have not killed by looking for the lit Skulls on the world map. Lit Skulls mean that you have not yet slain the boss present there, while dim skulls mean you have.

Find Spirit on Gear

Beyond the obtainable Spirit-giving items, you can also find Spirit on gear drops you find as you go through the game. I am on Cruel Difficulty and have only seen Spirit appear on Chest items, so I'm not completely certain it can be found on anything else. Spirit has a chance to be on any Rare (Yellow) Chest you find or craft using Orb items.

Use a Sceptre

The fastest way to get a massive amount of Spirit at any given moment is to use a Sceptre. Scepters are weapons that are designed for heavy Spirit usage, with them giving you an additional 100 Spirit at the minimum. This is before counting any additional modifier a Sceptre may have, so it can actually give you quite a bit more if you're lucky with rolls.

The downside to using a Sceptre is that they cannot cause any sort of damage, making them far from ideal if you intend to dish out damage without using pets. The good news is that Sceptres are one-handed weapons and can be dual-wielded with anything else that can deal decent damage. You cannot dual-wield two Sceptres at the same time, but they can be equipped in either your main hand or off-hand.

The post How to get more spirit in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Path of Exile 2 has just launched, and it is obvious that we will encounter some errors. One of the biggest issues that literally every player hates is stuttering. If you are not well versed with this term, it happens when your GPU’s rate of producing frames is not perfectly synced with your monitor’s sampling rate. 

Because of that, you will face lag while playing the game. To help you fix that, here are all the possible ways to fix stuttering in Path of Exile 2.

How to fix stuttering in Path of Exile 2

Check your system requirements

First of all, you need to check the system requirements. Check if your PC is on the lower end, and if it is, then you might experience performance issues. In that case, you may need to upgrade your hardware.

Optimize graphics settings

Lowering graphics settings can help smooth things out in Path of Exile 2. You can try reducing the texture quality, shadow quality, and V-Sync. You can also reduce the resolution, and if stuttering persists, you can opt for windowed mode.

Update graphics drivers

It is common for you to face stuttering if you have outdated graphics drivers. In this case, you can download the latest drivers from your GPU’s official website or via the relevant app.

Remove background processes

Usually, users don’t tend to remove the background process before hopping onto the game. Apps like Chrome, Firefox, etc. consume a lot of VRAM, which can lead to stuttering. 

You can go to the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and choosing the Task Manager option. After that, choose the processes that are consuming high memory and click on End Task.

Restart your graphics driver

If nothing works, then maybe you should restart your system or graphics driver. To restart the graphics driver, press these hotkeys: Win+Shift+Ctrl+B. Once you press it, you can see a black flicker, which indicates that your graphics driver is rebooted. 

The post How to fix stuttering in Path of Exile 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6''s Season One brought to players a wide array of new features, going from its first Battle Pass to a new Zombies map in Citadelle des Morts. But did you know that you can get a free PhD Flopper Perk-a-Cola by completing a very specific easter egg on the new map? Here's how to get the free PhD Flopper in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Citadelle des Morts.

How to Get a Free PhD Flopper in Black Ops 6 Citadelle des Morts

BO6 Zombies players can get the free PhD Flopper in Citadelle des Morts by completing the map's bartender easter-egg. To trigger the latter, however, you will first have to collect a set of three alcohol bottles scattered around the castle. You can check out the location of all the bottles below, as well as how to trigger and complete the easter-egg minigame by heading further down.

• Table of Contents:

  • Where to Find the First Bottle
  • Where to Find the Second Bottle
  • Where to Find the Third Bottle
  • How to Trigger and Complete the Bartender Minigame in BO6 Zombies
  • Where to Buy the PhD Flopper

Bottle #1 Location

After starting your run at Citadelle des Morts, you will be able to find the first alcohol bottle atop a shelf in the castle's left Sitting Room. As you can see below, the area will also feature a Stamin-Up machine. Although no button prompt will appear once you get close to the bottle, you will be able to grab it by holding ◻/x on consoles and F + R if using a mouse/keyboard.

Bottle #2 Location

After grabbing the first bottle, you will be able to find the second one on the castle's Undercroft. This bottle is by far the easiest to spot, as it will be sitting in plain view by a red couch. You can open the path to the area by unlocking a locked door in the Sitting Room, which will lead you to the Undercroft Stairway.

Bottle #3 Location

Now that you have the first two bottles, you will be able to find the third and final one in the Dining Hall, more specifically on the ground by a couch identical to the one you spotted above. You can unlock a path to the Dining Hall by heading back to the castle's main hall and then opening the door on the right.

How to Trigger and Complete the Bartender Minigame in BO6 Zombies

After acquiring the three bottles, you can trigger the Citadelle des Morts Bartender Minigame by heading to the saloon and then holding ◻/x/F + R while staring at a trashcan at the back of the bar counter. If you haven't found it yet, you can check out the location of the saloon below:

Once you begin the minigame, you will be able to complete it by serving a series of zombies with drinks matching their desired color. If you already acquired a PhD Flopper, completing the minigame (and thus the easter egg) will reward you with a random Perk-a-Cola. But be advised, as serving a single wrong drink will cause you to fail the minigame.

Where to buy the PhD Flopper in Citadelle des Morts

You can also get the PhD Flopper while in the Citadelle des Morts map by purchasing it from a Der Wunderfizz machine. The machine will only spawn in the 25th round. Once it does, you will be able to spot it on the second floor of the saloon.

The post How to find the PHD Flopper in Black Ops 6 Citadelle des Morts appeared first on Destructoid.

Zenless Zone Zero's version 1.4 (A Storm of Falling Stars) is set to bring to players both the playable debut of Hoshimi Miyabi — AKA its most highly anticipated agent since the beta — and what seems to be a big shift regarding its approach to banners. But how big will this change be? Here are all Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 Gacha system changes, explained.

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 Gacha System Changes, Explained

In a similar manner to what Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail do, Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 will break the game's tradition and run both the Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa S-Rank banners simultaneously. The banners will run from the debut of the version on December 18, 2024, to its end on January 21, 2025. The Miyabi Banner is set to feature Piper and Soukaku as its featured A-Rankers, while Harumasa's will star Lucy and Seth.

As you can see in its official teaser below, you will also be able to claim Harumasa for free by completing the Special Visitor event at any time during the runtime of 1.4.

Together with Miyabi and Harumasa, their signature W-Engines (Hailstorm Shrine and Zanshin Herb Case) will also receive their own separate banners. It's still unknown if the double banner system will be adopted into any Zenless Zone Zero versions following 1.4, but I believe so, as it will allow for reruns while keeping the release of new agents steady.

All You Need to Know About the New Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 Drive Discs

A Storm of Falling Stars will also bring to ZZZ two new Drive Discs sets in Branch & Blade Song and Astral Voice, the former of which will be Miyabi's BIS. Two new Bangboos —Agent Gulliver (S-Rank) and Brawlerboo (A-Rank)— are also set to debut. Here's an overview of the effects of both upcoming Drive Discs:

• Branch & Blade Song

  • 2-Piece Effect: CRIT DMG +16%
  • 4-Piece Effect: If your Anomaly Mastery exceeds or equals 115, the equipped Crit DMG will be increased by 30%. When any party member applies Freeze or triggers Shatter, the equipper's CRIT Rate will be boosted by 12% for 30 seconds.

• Astral Voice

  • 2-Piece Effect: ATK +10%
  • 4-Piece Effect: All squad members will get one stack of Astral after a Quick Assist is performed. Each Stack will then boost the damage of the agent taking the field with the Quick Assist by 8%. You can only get a maximum of three stacks.

All Other ZZZ 1.4 Changes

As usual, Hoyoverse revealed that the game will receive a new wave of quality-of-life updates once 1.4 arrives, all focused on further polishing the experience. You can check an overview of all of the biggest changes set to debut with Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 below:

• Coff Cafe will now only sell one type of coffee, which will restore 60 Battery Charge and offer a set one-time effect.
• Players will now be able to take control of Eous directly during the story missions instead of diving into TV Mode.
• Decibels will no longer be shared among the party, thus allowing you to perform multiple Ultimates in sequence.
• Players will be able to finally wander around New Eridu as all of their acquired agents.
• A new Quality Time feature will become available, allowing you to invite agents to free-roam New Eridu alongside you. Each agent will have their preferred destinations and can trigger multiple events during the outing.

Now that you know what is set to change once ZZZ's version 1.4 debuts, don't forget to also check out our latest Zenless Zone Zero Tier List.

The post All Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 Gacha System Changes appeared first on Destructoid.

Fortnite may have added plenty of new content over the years, but the Ballistic mode could be a breath of fresh air for the community to enjoy.

So far, Epic's battle royale has stuck closely to the genre despite all the community-created content that can be enjoyed at any given time. Ballistic will be something completely different, and it's going to be the first 5v5 FPS mode. The developers have allowed some important information about the upcoming mode, including what to expect and when it will go live.

Fortnite Ballistic release date

The Ballistic mode will have 5v5 contests with a focus on FPS rather than the traditional third-person viewpoint. The mode will launch in early access on December 11, and Epic has given out brief details regarding how the mode will work.

Fortnite Ballistic mode explained

As already mentioned, Ballistic will be a FPS mode that will pit two teams of five players against each other. It will launch with the Skyline 10 map, a limited number of items, and a starter set of weapons. As expected, it will be a no-build mode, and all your saved presets from the Locker will carry over. Any item that you have unlocked over the years, like outfits, emotes, and more, won't be supported.

Every contest will have one team playing the role of attacker, with the other being the defender. The Attackers will have to plant the Rift Point Device, while the Defenders will have to defend it before the device activates. There will be two regions across the map where players can plant the device.

The teams will switch their roles after every 6 rounds, and the one to win 7 rounds will win the contest.

Every player will start with a Ranger Pistol and 800 Credits. Players will earn credits by eliminating enemies and planting the Rift Point Device. If they manage to survive a round, they will keep all their gear and shields. Players can also help their teammates with consumables and other gear items.

Each player will also begin their journey with one of the five Flex Gadgets, and they can have a maximum of two of these items for any round. Players can't pick up the Flex Gadget of another teammate. When used strategically, the Flex Gadgets can completely change the tide of a round and the battle as a whole.

The Ballistic mode will have Ranked and Unranked, and you can choose to play the mode you like. Ranked will be much more competitive, and you'll be hit with a penalty if you leave a contest prematurely. All matches will be based on the average rank of your party to keep the contests fair for all.

The post Fortnite reveals new tactical fps mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Like most Gacha titles at the beginning of their lifespans, Zenless Zone Zero brings players a fairly balanced roster. However, as you can expect, that does not mean all of its agents will perform at the same level.

So that you can invest wisely and make short work of all ethereals standing in your way, here's the latest Zenless Zone Zero tier list.

All Zenless Zone Zero Agents, Ranked

Unlike most tier lists, we decided to divide ours into S+ to B —as I don't believe any character in the game can be considered bad or is incapable of performing their role even while at M0. With the latter in mind, we also decided to rank the A-Rank agents based on their values at M6 and the S-Rank Agents at M0. You can check out our ZZZ Tier List below and a more detailed look into each tier and all of its featured agents by heading further down.

S+Tier, Explained

In the S+Tier, we have the agents who are the absolute best in their respective roles. Examples of that can be seen in Tsukishiro Yanagi and Jane Done, aka the game's best Anomaly Sub and main DPSs, as well as in Caesar, also known as ZZZ's ultimate support. You can check out what made each agent featured in it earn a spot in this tier below:

• Tsukishiro Yanagi: Able to deal massive amounts of Shock and Disorder DMG, the latter of which enables all of the game's best Anomaly DPSs/Sub-DPSs.
• Burnice: Capable of dealing huge amounts of off-the-field Fire and Burn DMG while also triggering Disorder at quick intervals.
• Caesar: Provides a massive boost of 1,000 ATK and the game's sturdiest shield to the party, all while also debuffing enemies and dealing daze on par with many A to S-tier Stun units.
• Ellen Joe: Capable of dealing massive amounts of Ice DMG while also synergizing well with multiple agents.
• Jane Doe: Capable of dealing unmatched amounts of Assault DMG. Able to get the most out of pretty much all Anomaly sub-DPSs/supports in the game.
• Lighter: Brings to the ring a massive amount of Daze and a great 15% Ice and Fire Resistance debuff. He is also the only stun unit in the game capable of providing Fire and Ice DMG boosts.
• Qingyi: The game's best Stun agent when the subject is pure daze application.
• Lycaon: The best stun unit when using Ellen. Capable of applying huge amounts of daze while also decreasing the Ice DMG Resistance of targets.
• Zhu Yuan: The game's only Ether DPS. Capable of dealing massive amounts of damage at quick intervals. Extremely F2P friendly, given her synergy with Nicole.

S-Tier, Explained

In the S-Tier, we have all agents who, although just as game-changing, have less utility or pure firepower when compared to our S+ Tiers. You can check out an overview of all character's parts of the tier below, as well as why they made the cut.

• Anby: A great all-rounder stun agent capable of dealing huge amounts of both daze and damage.
• Grace: Brings to the field a massive amount of Electric Anomaly while also synergizing well with all anomaly DPSs.
• Koleda: Capable of dealing massive amounts of Stun while also boosting the party's Chain Attack DMG by 35%. Got power-creeped by Lighter.
• Lucy: Has in Home Run the ability to offer a 600 ATK increase, which all DPSs appreciate.
• Seth: The game's best Anomaly support, capable of offering 100 Anomaly to the party and debuffing enemies.
• Soldier 11: ZZZ's only standard Fire DPS. Capable of dealing massive basic attack damage. Has very limited team options but can excel when paired with either Lighter or Koleda.
• Soukaku: Capable of offering a great 20% Ice DMG boost and up to 1,000 ATK to your DPS. The best overall A-Rank support for Ellen.
• Nicole: The best A-rank support for Zhu Yuan and a must for all of her teams if you don't have Caesar. Capable of reducing the Ether resistance of targets by 20%. Can also boost the team's Ether DMG by 25% during short bursts while also offering an up to 15% Crit Rate boost.
• Rina: Able to extend the duration of Shock by three seconds, as well as buffing the party's Electric DMG and PEN Ratio.
• Piper: Can deal massive amounts of Assault DMG while offering a good 18% DMG buff to the party. A great Disorder-focused sub-DPS for any party.
• Nekomata: Can deal massive amounts of Physical DMG, all while synergizing well with Caesar and Piper.

A-Tier, Explained

In the A-Tier, we have all agents that either demand very specific teams or lack the support and raw power our S+ and S-Tiers have, the latter of which causes them to have to work twice as hard to match their numbers. True to that, and as you can see below, you will only find DPSs here.

• Anton: Capable of dealing huge amounts of cumulative Electric DMG. A hungry DPS in every sense of the word, as he can only excel when in his Burst state.
• Billy Kid: A solid DPS focused on dealing damage over time instead of big numbers. That might cause him to feel underwhelming when compared to other Physical DPSs, especially Nekomata.
• Corin: Capable of dealing high amounts of DMG and quickly building Assault by performing her EX Special and extended attacks. Her low mobility and stun-depended passive causes her to underperform when facing most bosses.

B-Tier, Explained

Alone in the B-Tier (for now), we have Ben, whose set fails to offer anything substantial when compared to that of the game's remaining Defense (or even Support) agents. But that does not mean he is not a worthy pick nevertheless, as his counter Special and ability to enable Koleda's coordinated finishers can make him a valid alternative when in mono-Fire teams.

The post Zenless Zone Zero Tier List – All Agents, Ranked (1.3) appeared first on Destructoid.

Marvel Rivals has just been released, and to celebrate that, the developers have given every player the opportunity to claim the Iron Man Armor Model 42 for free. This armor has a color combination of black and gold and looks very slick.

It is natural that you want to collect it, and to help you with that, here is a comprehensive guide on how you can collect the Armor Model 42 of Iron Man in Marvel Rivals.

How to get the Iron Man Armor Model 42 costume for free in Marvel Rivals

The process to claim this reward is very simple: all you have to do is copy the code and redeem it. Here’s the code for the Armor Model 42 of Iron Man:

• nwarh4k3xqy

Now, let's head to the steps required to claim this item:

• Step 1: First open the Marvel Rivals.
• Step 2: Copy the above-mentioned code. Make sure not to alter it, as it will result in incorrect code.
• Step 3: Once the game is opened, head to the settings. You can see the settings button on the top right of the screen.
• Step 4: Now select the “Bundle Code” sub-menu.
• Step 5: A new window will pop up with a field where you have to enter the code.
• Step 6: Now paste the code that you have copied and tap on the “Use” button.
• Step 7: Once claimed, you can equip or press the back button depending on your preferences.

It also must be noted that this code will be valid until March 5, 2025, 23:59 UTC. Make sure to use it before it expires. Here is the date and time of popular time zones:

The post Marvel Rivals: How to get the Iron Man Armor Model 42 costume for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Marvel Rivals is one of the most beautiful arena shooters I've ever played. However, if you don't set your graphics settings just right, this game will look about as breathtaking as a page torn out of a comic book left out in the rain.

Precise-maneuvering and split-second decision-making are the keys to building your skills and piling up wins in Marvel Rivals, so you'll want to ensure the game's running at a solid frames-per-second (FPS) rate. I've been fiddling with Marvel Rivals' graphics settings since I started playing it, so I have a decent handle on the best load-out. Here are the best graphics settings for maximum FPS in Marvel Rivals.

Quick clarification: I play Marvel Rivals on PC, so I don't know which settings work for the PS5 or the Xbox Series X/S versions of the game. However, the setups I have listed below should work for those consoles.

How to change your display settings in Marvel Rivals

Before you mess with your graphics, you'll want to adjust your display settings so the game can run on your monitor without lagging. Marvel Rivals' user interface is pretty easy to navigate, especially by multiplayer shooter standards.

To pull up the display settings, hit the Escape button to open the option menu, then click the Settings button. The display settings should be the first page you see. My Nitro 17 laptop uses a Nvidia graphics chip, so I set the aliasing and low latency modes to the corresponding setting. Make sure you set those to whatever graphics card your laptop uses.

Best display settings for Marvel Rivals

• Target Display: Primary Monitor
• Display mode: Fullscreen
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1920×1080
• Anti-Aliasing: NVIDIA DLSS
• Super Resolution Mode: Quality
• Super Resolution Sharpening: 80
• Frame Generation mode: Off
• Low Latency Mode: NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency
• V-Sync: Off

How to change your graphics settings in Marvel Rivals

Now that you've got Marvel Rivals looking crisp as a summer breeze, it's time to have fun with the graphics settings. The graphics options are on the same screen as the display ones, so grab the scroll bar and pull down to reveal them.

Best graphics settings for Marvel Rivals

• Graphics Quality: Custom
• Global Illumination: SSGI – Low Quality
• Reflection Quality: Screen Space Reflections
• Model Detail: Medium
• Post-Processing: Low
• Shadow Detail: Medium
• Texture Detail: High
• Effects Detail: Low
• Foliage Quality: Medium

To me, the best graphics set-up for any game leaves the game looking as good as possible without slowing down the performance. Preferences can vary, but the options listed below worked best for me. If you're willing to let the visual quality slip for better performance, or vice versa, experiment until you find a combination that works for you.

The post Marvel Rivals Best settings for max FPS appeared first on Destructoid.

Infinity Nikki is blessing the world with its stunning visuals and fabulous outfits, and it's available as a free-to-play experience. Many are wondering, however, if there are any Infinity Nikki gacha elements to worry about.

Are there Infinity Nikki gacha elements?

Infinity Nikki has you collect costumes for special abilities and gorgeous new outfits to wear in the game. While some can be received by simply progressing in the game, other outfits are exclusively gacha.

How does the gacha system work?

It works very similarly to Genshin Impact. You can get four- and five-star outfits from the Resonance (like Wish) system. With every 10 Revelation or Resonite Crystals, you'll get a guaranteed 4-star or higher piece of an outfit. You'll need to gain Stellarites or Diamonds to get these Crystals.

Diamonds act similarly to Primogems if you've played Genshin Impact. You'll gain them from completing quests and finishing in-game activities. These diamonds can be used to get the Revelation and Resonite Crystals. You'll need 120 of them to gain one, so 1,200 Diamonds are required to gain a 10-pull.

If you want to skip the Diamond grinding, you can pay for Stellarites, another currency that can be used to gain Crystals. They cost the following in real money:

With the first top-up, you'll get a double bonus. For example, if you spend $0.99 on 60 Stellarites, you'll get a bonus 60 Stellarites for 120 in total.

Certain costumes can be purchased outright. If you head to the bottom tab of the Store, you can access four different outfits, such as the Scalry Dream dress. They each vary in press and might be on sale.

The post Is Infinity Nikki a gacha game? appeared first on Destructoid.

You're going to need some serious allies to battle the enemy team in Marvel Rivals. If you're looking to formulate your own superhero superteam, you'll first need to add a few friends to your Friend's list.

Where to add friends in Marvel Rivals?

With Marvel Rivals heavily incentivizing teamwork during a match, having a few trusty friends with you can be the tide-turner. Thankfully, adding friends is super easy, regardless of which platform you're playing on.

First, open the game so that you're staring at the Main Menu screen. There's plenty you can click on, but for this, look to the top right part of the screen, where you'll see an icon that indicates 'Friends list.' It looks like a silhouette of two people standing one after another.

Click on this icon, and the Friends List will open, though it will be empty if you've yet to add anyone. There are a few ways you can start filling it up. The most straightforward way is to Add Recent Players. To do so, click on the leftmost icon in the Friends Menu.

This will show you the players you've most recently played matches with, and you can add them by selecting one and clicking Add Friend in the pop-up menu. This works for all platforms.

Adding Friends through Steam

If you're playing on PC, you can add your friends through the Steam Client while the game is running. This is done through the Steam Overlay and can be accomplished like you would any other Steam Invite.

Adding Friends through Discord

Marvel Rivals has an additional Invite feature allowing you to add people through Discord. To engage with this, simply click on the Discord Icon to the right of the Contacts List search bar and follow the instructions on the screen.

How to join a Party in Marvel Rivals

It's one thing to add friends, but ultimately, you and yours all want to be in the same Party to actually enjoy some high-quality team play. Fortunately, this is very easy. Simply open your Friends List and select the friend you'd like to add to your Party. From here, open the additional menu and select Invite.

As with before, any of your allies can perform these same steps to invite you to their party. So, decide who's going to be the Party Leader before joining up.

The post How to add friends in Marvel Rivals appeared first on Destructoid.

Yesterday was really busy, so I didn’t get around to telling you: Priest Simulator: Vampire Show has finally left Early Access. The launch version hosts a slew of improvements and comes alongside, strangely, a small DLC expansion.

If this sounds familiar, maybe it’s because I looked at Priest Simulator back in 2022 in an Early Access review before it had its subtitle. I remember it clearly. It came in a non-descript press that I would have normally ignored. I looked at it, realized it was way more bizarre than I had envisioned, and subsequently picked it up to try out. Even at that point, it was good.

If you’re like me, the name Priest Simulator (even with its strange subtitle) suggests a premise where you join the clergy and spread the word of God. Instead, you play as a demonic vampire who gets ejected from Hell and has his super powers taken away. He’s desperate for internet fame, so he’s willing to do whatever necessary to get his powers back, and basically everyone around him (especially the church) hints that they can do just that if he does a few favors for them. 

It’s a small open-world game where you sometimes maybe do a few priestly things like confessional and exorcisms. At that time, I said that the game was already pretty impressive but felt like it was blocked out in a few areas. As in, there seemed to be placeholders that were waiting for someone to come and finish them. I haven’t kept a totally close eye on the game along the way, but from what I can tell, it’s those bugs and placeholders that have been addressed.

I’m looking forward to jumping in and seeing how things shook out. From the last few posts, it seemed like the developer has essentially got it to where they wanted it and has tied a bow around everything, ready to move on. If I manage to put in some significant time, I’ll be back with a formal review. Otherwise, know that it’s probably still worth your time.

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show fully released on December 5, 2024 on PC. The Priest Simulator: Her Ghost DLC released alongside it.

The post Priest Simulator: Vampire Show, which probably isn’t what you’re expecting, launches from Early Access appeared first on Destructoid.

I remember reading a preview for The Thing in a magazine back before its release. The game, I mean, not the movie. It’s certainly a game that sounds interesting on paper. So, it’s been stuck in the back of my mind for decades, but I never really made the move to play it.

Why would I? I hadn’t watched the movie, and reviews at the time of launch were lukewarm. I knew it developed something of a cult following since then, but even among fans, I heard the same thing: The whole psychological element was too ambitious and didn’t actually work very well. I’ve been left to imagine its failings.

But I rarely miss a remaster from Nightdive Studios, and since they’ve taken on the task of polishing up The Thing, then the stars have certainly aligned. I even went and watched the movie while running a fever and cuddling with my dog, just to make things memorable and a little awkward. But you don’t necessarily need to have watched the movie to understand what’s going on in the game. I think you should, though, because then you will truly appreciate how completely daft this game is.

The Thing: Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: Nightdive Studios, Computer Artworks
Publisher: Nightdive Studios
Released: December 5, 2024
MSRP: $29.99

The end of The Thing: The Movie was left pretty ambiguous. I don’t really want to spoil it for you beyond that. It’s a great movie. And since its ending was left so open, a narrative follow-up had a lot of room to breathe. A story could be really delicate with things and even heighten the mystery of the original. That’s not what The Thing: The Game does, however. It stomps right up to the movie and starts breathing down its shirt. The only mystery it heightens is how this wrecking ball got here.

This was 2002, and the standards for video game storytelling couldn’t get much closer to the floor. This is especially true for shooters. It was a time when Half-Life was still naively hailed as having spun a tale rivaling Citizen Kane. So, I probably shouldn’t have expected much, but The Thing: The Game has the sort of narrative I would come up with off-the-cuff if I was trying to make fun of the concept of a sequel to The Thing: The Movie.

You play as Captain J.F. Blake who sounds so much like Kyle Travers from Final Fight: Streetwise, I actually had to look up the voice actors to convince myself it wasn’t. It takes place right after the movie, so it’s still the 1980s, but he has one of the most popular hairstyles of the late ‘90s, right down to the spiked-up bangs. He’s Special Forces, and that’s all there is to him. He’s the only competent person in the universe, and he knows it. There isn’t an ounce of humanity to the guy; he’s just a brick. A big, grumbly block who wears forest camo pants in Antarctica but won't put on a hat because it would mush down his hairdo.

It starts off interestingly enough. Blake’s Team arrives at U.S. Outpost 31 from the movie and start sorting through the wreckage. It’s a very understated time in the game, as it mostly just introduces you to the concepts of the game while allowing you to visit set pieces from the movie. It’s kind of quiet and tense, which is so uncharacteristically restrained for the game in hindsight.

The team did consider what made the movie great when they came up with the design. The one thing they added that I think works well in the game and doesn’t get enough credit is the fact that you can’t linger outside for long. It’s winter in Antarctica and nobody brought a toque. You’ll freeze if you don’t find shelter. This gets squandered when 80% of the game is in tight concrete corridors, but the hostility of the open air is a nice touch.

What gets the most marketing hype is the trust/fear system, which is just… I get why they’d focus on it in advertisements, because it’s something that makes the game unique, but it’s so poorly implemented that it might as well not be there at all. The Thing: The Game is a squad-based third-person shooter, and the idea is that you need to keep your squad from freaking out when any one of them could be a thing in disguise. The idea is that you, as a player, don’t know who to trust.

The fear aspect works the best, but it’s not very impactful. Your squadmates start getting nervous when they’re around gore and dead bodies, but the problem is that the areas you traverse are absolutely lousy with corpses, so it's hard to tell when you're in a fear zone. It usually only becomes a bit of a problem if you stand around in a room with a mess on the floor. Once (and only once), I had to physically push a squadmate out of a room so he could get a breather and get a grip. So, it kind of works; it's just really clumsy.

When I completed the game, I got an achievement that said I never let a single squad member reach maximum fear level. That means I actually don’t know if something cool happens when they completely lose it because I was apparently a really soothing presence for those around me. Maybe it’s because I constantly live in fear and anxiety, so I know how to empathize with others feeling it.

The trust system is completely pointless, though. Sure, some dudes will refuse to follow you because they think you might have a thing in your pants, but getting them to come around is just a matter of shoving ammo into their pockets. Their trust is only between you and them; squadmates always trust each other unless it’s for story reasons. They don’t need to kiss and trade ammo. For that matter, it's hard for them to distrust you once you've loaded them up. They’ll only start feeling iffy again if you keep shooting them. They don’t seem to think it’s weird that you obsessively check every notepad and carry an armory on their back. Ammo is the only thing they trust.

The whole idea that any one of them could be a thing is the least meaningful layer. It’s true, some of them will sprout tentacles. You can do a blood test to see who’s human, but it doesn’t really work. Like, at all. Dudes you already tested might turn out to be full of things anyway. That doesn’t matter though, because the moment they start to change, all your teammates will suddenly snap and start shooting at them before they’re even done transforming. Even if they didn’t, the friend-things aren’t any tougher than any normal thing. They aren’t a threat. So, who cares if you can trust them?

That’s the biggest problem with The Thing: The Game’s superfluous systems; it doesn’t try for tension. You play as some generic good guy. Practically a super-hero. At the best of times, The Thing: The Game is a dumb shooter. It smells like the early ‘00s. It’s not really a horror game; it just has some gross bad guys.

Your squad isn’t consistent, either. They get swapped out at almost every loading screen. They don't have charming personalities to get attached to. It doesn’t matter if Simmons exposes his thing. Simmons wasn’t special. There’s an identical dude down the hallway.

It’s a good remaster, though. Absolutely solid. You can tell the tech folks at Nightdive had fun working on a post-millennium game since they loaded it up with all kinds of fancy lighting effects. True to their M.O., they kept it looking like something you’d expect from the era, but it’s not hard to see and appreciate the glow-up. It also ran flawlessly on my PC.

There isn’t as much in terms of extra material as a few of their previous releases. You can view the game’s original trailer and there’s some concept art, but not a whole lot that’s insightful. I was kind of hoping that a game that looks to have fallen apart in production would have more of a story to tell, but if it does, it won’t be found here.

They clearly couldn’t do anything about the game’s weaknesses. That would take more than a remaster. It’s not just that the fear/trust/infection systems were buggy or weren’t fully implemented. No, the original developers had some high-concept ideas and tried to put them into a dumb shooter, and they didn’t fit. The dumb shooter was the prevailing force, and there’s no undoing that.

I also ran into a lot of glitches. I’m not sure which ones were already there and which were introduced in the remaster. I’m also not certain which ones will be fixed by the time you’re reading this since I got to touch The Thing early for this review. And really, the glitches I ran into were mostly just hilarious. I did have to load a recent save to undo a bug a couple of times, but more often, they were just funny, benign things.

The best one happened early. Your squadmates will sometimes throw up when they’re in a bad situation. I can relate; anxiety makes me throw up, too. However, one dude apparently started the puking process right as a cutscene started. The camera snapped back to show the two of us walking into frame, he continued the process of throwing up, but it wouldn't interrupt the animation. Instead, it played the retching noise, and all the vomit came out from between his legs, so it looked like he was violently evacuating his bowels onto the floor. I laughed so hard. I still giggle whenever I think about it. I caught it in my gameplay capture, and I keep watching it.

Really, as much as I think The Thing: The Game is kind of terrible, I did find it entertaining. The story is just so braindead and full of cliches that I wanted to see more to find out if it was going to be so obvious the whole way through. It definitely has reverence for the source material, but it wasn’t exactly gentle when it came to building on it. To be fair, I would have been surprised if it had even come close to matching the movie in terms of storytelling, so it’s maybe what I should have expected from a 2002 licensed title.

I still applaud Nightdive for this remaster. They’re the only ones with the guts. Regardless of how I feel about the game itself, they gave it the same loving attention that they normally do. More importantly, it’s a licensed game, and those tend to be the most unlikely candidates for a re-release.

Part of me wishes their effort was spent on a better game, but the other part is happy that I got to experience the absolute mess that is The Thing. I know it sounds weird to hear, “This is a mess; you should totally check it out,” but that’s what I’m saying. The Thing is a fascinating cluster of missteps, and a completely unconvincing facsimile of its source material. But it’s hard to look away when it turns itself inside out.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: The Thing: Remastered appeared first on Destructoid.

An assortment of Mods make up any build in Warframe, but there are several essential Mods that you must never go without having in your inventory. Don't all need to be equipped at once, but just having them available makes formulating builds that much easier.

Best 20 Essential Mods in Warframe

Below, you will find a list of the most important Mods to get in Warframe. Whether you're a new player, or a veteran trying to round out your mod collection, the following mods are must-haves and should be acquired as soon as possible.

Adaptation

Many Warframes have a built-in defensive system that allows them to survive in high-level content, but equally, many are lacking in the survivability department. Adaptation is a must-have Mod for this reason, as it solves this crucial problem in all but the most fringe situations. Why?

Adaptation provides any equipped Warframe with a ridiculous stacking damage reduction to any attack type that lands. The damage reduction increases by 10% for each hit (at max rank) for a max reduction of 90%. This makes your Warframe nearly immune to damage at low-level gameplay and makes high-level gameplay much comfier. Adaptation is one of the game's best defense-oriented mods, and I cannot overstate this enough.

How to Obtain:

• Adaptation - Arbitration Runs, Trading

Core Damage Mods

Every weapon category (Primaries, Secondaries, Melee, Archguns, Incarnons included) in Warframe has access to Core Damage Mods that will buff up a weapon's raw damage, and making use of these is extremely important in making your weapon viable for pretty much all of Warframe's content.

These Mods may not fit into every weapon build, but they’re versatile and reliable, making them long staples in the Warframe community for years. While there are upgraded versions of many, their essential purpose remains unchanged, making them invaluable for both new and seasoned players. If you haven’t added these to your arsenal yet, now’s the perfect time to start playing and hunting them down to elevate your loadout.

How to Obtain:

• Serration (Primary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Point Blank (Primary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Hornet Strike (Secondary) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Pressure Point (Melee) - Random Drops from most enemies in the game
• Primed Point Blank (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
• Amalgam Serration (Primary) - Orb Vallis Fractures (Venus)

Flow

Every Warframe, regardless of which type you're using, requires Energy to make use of their unique abilities. As such, a large Energy Capacity is necessary, which is why Flow is yet another must-have Mod for any Warframe player.

Flow is a Mod that boosts a Warframe's max Energy, doubling the amount at max rank (5), allowing for many more casts of a frame's abilities. Like many Mods on this list, it is a staple Mod for many builds so it is highly valuable. Thankfully, it is very common, so it isn't difficult to obtain if you don't already have it.

Primed Flow is this mod's evolved version, boosting a Warframe's max Energy Capacity by a staggering 185% at max rank. It is much harder to obtain, however, as it cannot be farmed and is only purchased for Ducats from Baro Ki'teer.

How to Obtain:

• Flow - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
• Primed Flow - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)

Continuity

While not a Mod to be used with every Warframe build, Continuity increases the duration of time-based Warframe effects, letting them persist longer before ending. For many Warframes, it is a core Mod for making use of long-lasting buffs, indirectly reducing Energy usage, and allowing for powerful mechanics to persist over very long periods of time. Like Flow, it is not difficult to obtain.

However, also like Flow, there exists an evolved version of Continuity called Primed Continuity. This enhanced version further boosts the duration of Warframe-based effects, allowing for even more crazy builds that make use of long-term buffs. The Warframe, Wisp, for example, adores this Mod thanks to her Mote buffs.

How to Obtain:

• Continuity - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
• Primed Continuity - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)

Streamline

Many of the best Warframe builds make use of Streamline to reduce the Energy cost of their often expensive abilities. When used with Mods like Flow, Streamline makes using your abilities a matter of your choice rather than one influenced by how much Energy you have at any given time. Even without Flow though, Streamline is yet another staple Mod in the Warframe community, and you should have it ready to use at any given moment. Fortunately, it's not hard to get your hands on.

How to Obtain:

• Streamline - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Intensify

Intensify is a Mod that is commonly used in various Warframe builds that focus on empowering a Warframe's abilities, strengthening their buffs, and improving offensive potency. Depending on which Warframe it is used on, Intensify can offer significant buffs with no downsides other than a meager Mod Capacity cost (5). As with the other Utility-based Mods on this list, you should always have a max rank Intensify on standby, just in case you need to use it.

However, if you're looking to get even more power out of your frame, you can instead opt for Archon Intensify, which offers a large 30% boost when restoring health with abilities on top of its normal effects. Warframes like Wisp can take full advantage of this.

How to Obtain:

• Intensify - Alad V, Angels of the Zariman, Captain Vor, Stalker, Cetus Bounties (Earth)
• Archon Intensify - Garrison (New War)

Stretch

In the early days of Warframe, the Stretch Mod was one of the strongest Mods in the entire game thanks to the meta focus of deleting entirely rooms of enemies with wide-spread abilities. The mod allowed you to extend the maximum range of any Warframe abilities that had a Range stat. These days, large, widespread AOEs are still extremely strong and sought after, even if they aren't nearly as oppressive, thus Stretch remains a hot commodity in the community for builds.

How to Obtain:

Stretch - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Multishot Mods

Multishot Mods work with Core Damage Mods to greatly enhance the effective raw damage of any weapons they are attached to by allowing the weapon to fire extra bullets per normal standard bullets. These additional 'shots' receive all of the bonuses and benefits standard bullets do, thus making Multishot a multiplicative mod in terms of damage boost calculations. Without going to those, just know that Multshot Mods are must-have mods, and you should go pick them up immediately especially if you want to boost your weapon damage dramatically.

How to Obtain:

• Split Chamber (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Hell's Chamber (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Galvanized Chamber (Primary) - Arbitration Runs
• Barrel Diffusion (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game.
• Galvanized Diffusion (Secondary) - Arbitration Runs
• Amalgam Barrel Diffusion (Secondary) - Orb Vallis Fractures (Venus)

Elemental Mods

When you combine Core Damage and Multishot Mods with Elemental Mods on a weapon, you get yourself a viable build that allows you to take that weapon into Warframe's endgame. Thanks to Warframe's robust Elemental System, the Elemental Mods you use on your weapon will greatly determine their effectiveness against enemies. Thus, it is important to get as many of these Mods in your inventory as possible so that you can mix and match them on different weapons for powerful results.

How to Obtain:

• Electricity

  • Charged Shell (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Charge Shell (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Stormbringer (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • High Voltage (Primary) - Tethra's Doom and Eris: Naeglar Sabotage Runs
  • Shell Shock (Primary) - Tethra's Doom and Eris: Naeglar Sabotage Runs
  • Convulsion (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Jolt (Secondary) - Tethra's Doom
  • Shocking Touch (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Voltaic Strike (Melee) - Tethra's Doom

• Fire

  • Hellfire (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Incendiary Coat (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Wildfire (Primary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Blaze (Primary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Thermite Rounds (Primary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Heated Charge (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Heated Charge (Secondary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Scorch (Secondary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Molten Impact (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Volcanic Edge (Melee) - Earth: Cambria, Mars: Arval, Venus: Unda, Mercury: Suisei

• Cold

  • Cryo Rounds (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Primed Cryo Rounds (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Chilling Grasp (Primary) - Corpus Enemies
  • Primed Chilling Grasp (Primary) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Frigid Blast (Primary) - Neptune: Nereid, Kuva Fortress: Pago, Sedna: Kelpie
  • Rime Rounds (Primary) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa
  • Deep Freeze (Secondary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Ice Storm (Secondary) - Nightmare Runs
  • Frostbite (Secondary) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa
  • Northwind (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Vicious Frost (Melee) - Cryotic Front, Saturn: Dione, Ceries: Bode, Lua: Pavlov, Europa

• Toxin

  • Infected Clip (Primary) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game
  • Contagious Spread (Primary) - Electric Crawlers, Scavenger Drones, Eris: Naeglar Runs
  • Malignant Force (Primary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Toxic Barrage (Primary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Pistol Pestilence (Secondary) - Corrupted Vor
  • Pathogen Rounds (Secondary) - Corpus Enemies, Eris Naeglar Runs
  • Fever Strike (Melee) - Random Drop from most enemies in the game, The Duviri Circuit
  • Primed Fever Strike (Melee) - Bought from Baro Ki'teer (Ducats)
  • Virulent Scourge (Melee) - Corrupted Vor

• Radiation

  • Radiated Reload (Primary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Atomic Fallout (Primary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Accelerated Isotope (Secondary) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos
  • Focus Radon (Melee) - Albrecht's Laboratories, Deimos

Rolling Guard

If you intend to run the hardest content Warframe has to offer, then you should consider obtaining Rolling Guard. When this Mod is equipped to your Warframe, rolling not only removes all DoT effects afflicting you but also makes you invulnerable for a few seconds. This is incredibly valuable in situations where dying is a real problem. The only downside to this Mod is that it should be used near max rank, which is rather expensive (12). However, if you can fit it on your build, it will be an incredibly strong safety net in the worst situations.

How to Obtain:

• Arbitration Runs
• Trading

Growing Power

The first essential Aura Mod to make this list, Growing Power offer you and your entire squad a near-permanent 25% increase in Ability Strength with no downside and little mod power investment (7). Naturally, this effect stacks with all other increases in Ability Strength, making it one of the best Aura mods in the entire game. Everyone should have this mod, as it is nothing but net positive for everyone when equipped.

How to Obtain:

• Growing Power - Knave Specter

Handspring

Getting knocked down in Warframe can quickly lead to death, especially in endgame missions where enemies hit hard and fast. It’s a common and serious issue for many players. Enter the Handspring mod: a game-changer that significantly reduces Knockdown recovery time. With this mod equipped, you’ll bounce back almost instantly, keeping you mobile and ready to tackle even the most intense battles without missing a beat.

How to Obtain:

• Handspring - Random Drop from most enemies in the game

Power Drift

In a similar vein to Handspring, Power Drift aims to counter the effects of Knockdown by preventing them altogether. The Mod gives you a 30% chance to resist a Knockdown, which is rather substantial. As a bonus, Power Drift also grants you a nice 15% Ability Strength bonus on top. Finally, to tie everything together with this must-have mod, it can be equipped in the Exilus Mod slot on any Warframe, so it doesn't even take up precious space.

How to Obtain:

• Power Drift - Orokin Moon Halls (Puzzle Room)

Blind Rage

Blind Rage functions similarly to Intensify, as both Mods provide you with increased Ability Strength. Where Blind Rage differs, however, is that it offers significantly more Ability Strength at the severe cost of Ability Efficiency, which makes your Warframe's ability cost more Energy to use. Certain Warframes suffer this downside more than others. Even so, with a properly measured build, you can easily mitigate this downside and make of this must-have mod.

How to Obtain:

• Blind Rage - Orokin Vaults

Overextended

Overextended is like Blind Rage in that is provides a massive boost to Warframe Ability Range, at a significant cost of Ability Strength. Depending on which Warframe and build you're using, this negative could have little to no consequence, making Overextended an absurdly powerful Mod in the right circumstances. For builds, Overextended is a must-get mod, as you can do some incredible things with it, if you know what you're doing.

How to Obtain:

• Overextended - Orokin Vaults

Transient Fortitude

When you decide to use Transient Fortitude, you are willing to surrender a massive amount of Ability Duration for an equally significant amount of Ability Strength. Much like the other combination Mods already mentioned on this list, this Mod is exceptionally strong when paired with a build and Warframe that makes sense with it. While it is not used on every single frame, I highly recommend you pick this one up as well, as it is too potent to ignore.

How to Obtain:

• Transient Fortitude - Orokin Vaults

Galvanized Aptitude

One of the most potent damage mods in all of Warframe when used properly, Galvanized Aptitude is an endgame mod that provides your weapon with a significant increase in Status chance, while also granting it a stacking damage bonus when killing an enemy with Status effects.

The number of stacks gained on a kill is based on how many Status Effects the target had before death. This means you want to apply numerous Status effects to your target before killing them to gain the full benefit. This effect stacks up twice, nearly doubling your weapon's damage in the process, and lasts for 20 seconds. Get this one.

How to Obtain:

• Galvanized Aptitude - Arbitration Runs

Mobilize

In Warframe, movement is everything. Whether you're trying to survive an onslaught or free farming other loot, you want to be able to move as quickly as possible through any given level. Mobilize is a relatively cheap Mod (5) that boosts your Parkour Velocity, allowing you to move faster while already in motion. Along with its cheap cost, it can also be placed in the Exilus slot, thus not taking up necessary Mod space. These factors together make Mobilize a must-use Mod.

How to Obtain:

• Mobilize - Drekar Grineer, Uranus: Desdemona

Condition Overload

At Max Rank, Condition Overload boosts your melee weapon’s damage by 80% per Status effect on the target. To be clear, this is an absolutely game-changing Mod for any melee build. Why is it a must-have? Simply put, it’s one of the most powerful melee Mods in Warframe.

What makes it so devastating is how it synergizes with other damage bonuses like Combo Multiplier, buffs, and more, all while stacking its insane effect. The result? Massive damage potential that can obliterate even the toughest enemies. If you don’t already have Condition Overload in your arsenal, make it a top priority to acquire, especially if you're a melee player. It’s a true powerhouse.

How to Obtain:

• Condition Overload - Deimos Infested

Narrow Minded

For certain Warframes and builds, Ability Range isn’t a top priority and can be traded off for more valuable stats. That’s where Narrow Minded shines, significantly boosting Ability Duration at the cost of Ability Range.

This Mod is incredibly powerful for Warframes that rely on long-lasting abilities rather than wide-reaching ones. If your build benefits more from extended duration than range, or just flat-out want more duration by any means necessary, Narrow Minded is an essential addition to maximize your Warframe's potential.

How to Obtain:

• Narrow Minded - Orokin Vaults

The post Top 20 essential Warframe mods in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Limestone is a critical material you need to obtain to get Midhaven up and running in Towers of Aghasba, but getting it isn't exactly obvious. So, here's where you can find all the Limestone you need.

How to get Limestone in Towers of Aghasba

One of the first objectives you're given upon reaching Midhaven is to build a Lumber Mill within the village limits. You're required to acquire several standard materials for the Lumber Mill, but one of the main materials, Limestone, is a mystery if you're just getting to this point in the game.

If you take a look at the location hint in-game, the tooltip states that you can find Limestone around mountains and cliffs but gives no other relevant information. I had trouble finding this material myself, mainly because I wasn't sure what I was looking for. Turns out, it is the next tier of Stone in Towers of Aghasba, and that means that it comes from a specific type of boulder: a Limestone Boulder.

Limestone Boulders look very similar to normal Boulders, but, when harvested, yield various amounts of Limestone for crafting. They cannot be found on Amani Island like regular Stone. Instead, they is quite prevalent around the mainland of Aghasba. There is some relevant truth in the tooltip's explanation as Limestone is indeed most common around cliffs. My go-to spot for the material is located Southeast of Midhaven, near the Teleporter in the area.

Although Limestone is a higher-tier version of Stone, it does not require a higher-tier tool to harvest. As long as you have a Stone Pickaxe or better in your Inventory, you can harvest as much of the material as you need. High-quality tools will make mining it in bulk easier, but you can still get by with the bear minimal in a pinch.

The post Where to get Limestone in Towers of Aghasba appeared first on Destructoid.

Lapislazuli is a common resource that you can mine in Enshrouded. It looks like an ocean blue rock carved out from a bigger rock. It might seem common in rarity, but it doesn’t show until you have progressed deeply in the game. To help you with that, here is a comprehensive guide on how you can find Lapislazuli in Enshrouded.

How to get Lapislazuli in Enshrouded

You can get Lapislazuli in Kindlewastes and Nomad Highlands biomes. But you can’t just pick it as it is since you need a pickaxe to mine it. To reach this area, go to the Vukah Cave Passage and keep moving south till you see a cliff. 

Once you reach the cliff, you have to look at bone-structured rocks. Once you spot them, glide down, and you will see clusters of Lapislazuli lying at that place.

Where to use Lapislazuli in Enshrouded?

You can use Lapislazuli to craft several items like Iron Bench, Palm Wood Table, and more in the game. You can craft it with the help of Alchemist, Hunter, etc. Here is the list of all items:

Just keep in mind that this isn't the only requirement for crafting the items mentioned above. This simply shows how many Lapislazuli you need to craft them.

You can also use this resource to craft Eternal Spells with the help of the Alchemist. Not only that, it also helps you to strengthen the flame to level six. However, you will need 40 Lapislazuli to do that. It's a good way to explore more areas, as flames can help you travel anywhere within moments.

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Early last month, Monster Hunter Wilds, the newest mainline entry in the long-running series, had an open beta on all platforms to give players an early taste of the action (and the developers some much needed feedback). While the beta was received well, many players agreed on one thing: something about the combat felt.. off. Things were a little limp, and the culprit quickly became apparent: a near total lack of hitstop.

For the uninitiated, "hitstop" is a period of freezeframes that games and animated media employ during a big impact to really sell the weight of the blow. It looks unrealistic, but it's ultra-satisfying when done appropriately, and it's a Monster Hunter staple.

A new interview over at PC Gamer with the game's director, Yuya Tokuda, reveals that the change was ironically the result of us Westerners complaining too much. "Many of the users from overseas commented that the hitstop was way too [intense]," Tokuda said regarding Monster Hunter: World. He expressed relief that players wanted it back, saying the feedback was "very positive."

Newer previews of the game's latest playable build have already reported vastly improved hitstop, making combat feel weightier and more satisfying. Speaking of combat, some weapons are getting "big changes" ahead of release, those being the Insect Glaive, Switch Axe, Lance, and Sword & Shield. As a lance player who heard less-than-favorable things from the open beta, this makes me very happy.

I wish I could throw my two cents into the opinion well but unfortunately I was out of town during the open beta. From the sound of it, I too would've been disappointed by the floatier feeling combat, but I'm almost glad I was spared that month of gnawing anxiety before learning about these positive changes. Monster Hunter Wilds is shaping up to be a series great, thanks in no small part to the team's enthusiasm for feedback.

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Strange Scaffold has recently covered emotional abuse in El Paso, Elsewhere, voyeurism in Life Eater and Clockolding, and violent power fantasy in I Am Your Beast. Given that trend, I would not have guessed their next game would be a turn-based tactical game with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensing.

Uh, yeah, so as part of the PC Game Show, Strange Scaffold has announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, which is exactly as I described: turn-based turtles. “I get to make a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game where the very first lines of dialogue establish that Shredder and Splinter are dead. Who else can say that?" said Xalavier Nelson Jr. Bummer, dude, but the turtles have met Batman and the Ghostbusters. Can you say that?

That means a new antagonist has the job of harrowing the turtles. That at least means that the enemies don’t have to exclusively be the Foot Clan, but, from what’s shown, it’s just Foot Clan. Also, each level shows off only one turtle on each level, rather than having you control all four of them. That strikes me as a bit weird, but the press release seems to imply that each turtle has their own storyline.

The actual look of the game is very Strange Scaffold, which is to say, low budget and creative with its resources. The characters are shown as small figurines, and the environments are small spaces with psychedelic backgrounds.

Considering the fact that the big-budget games space has now become so expensive that companies will only take a risk on big established licenses, it’s nice to see these sorts of games fall to fans at smaller developers. We still get more cash-grabby licensed games, but at least that’s not the only way.

There’s no announced release date for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, and thus far, only PC has been announced.

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