Escape From Tarkov's soul is contained within its extraction zones. Eight years since the game was first released to the public, those small, secluded areas of the map that represent both your objective and your only chance of survival have become monuments to the game's impact on wider gaming culture.

This was the first real extraction shooter – while developer Battlestate Games has drawn some general inspiration from zombie sandbox DayZ and military simulators such as Arma, Escape From Tarkov formalised what is now one of the most dominant subgenres in multiplayer shooters. When you finally reach the extraction zone, unsling your assault rifle and start reciting your prayer to the indifferent, all-deciding countdown clock, you are lying prone in a piece of video game history. You are also, for those agonizing, seemingly endless ten seconds, experiencing all of EFT's drama, tension and raw emotional power in a rush.

Locked and reloaded

Even now, when it's flanked by dozens of imitators and rivals, none of the other best FPS games impresses upon you more harshly the consequences of every single one of your decisions. Death is swift. Opponents are lethal. If you achieve one kill, collect a couple of fresh cans of food and make it to the exit with only a broken arm, two haemorrhages and a limp, then you've had a pretty good game.

Tarkov is sometimes referred to as a looter shooter, but the only thing it provides in abundance is hardship: you do not understand the true value, the significance, of a first-aid kit, a flashlight and a handful of loose 7.62 bullets until you've crawled all the way to the old gas station on Customs only to get shot in the head by a waiting Scav. When Battlestate Games created the extraction shooter, it also created a brutal metaphor for the capriciousness of reality.

And now, more than a decade since it first entered production, Escape From Tarkov has finally been released in full. Marking the arrival of the completed Story Mode and the long-anticipated Steam port, EFT 1.0 is at last online. While this 'finished' edition represents a kind of ending for Tarkov (more updates and DLC, and years of live-service support, are still planned, but when you boot the game from now on you'll no longer get the disclaimer that it's technically still in beta), it also marks a new beginning for the FPS – and new challenges for its creator.

Liberated from the confines of Battlestate's own esoteric game launcher, EFT now has to gratify a new wave of potential players. The people who buy it on Steam are unlikely to have ever played Tarkov before and may be repelled by its uncompromising friction. Battlestate therefore has to make some concessions to its potential new playerbase, and revise EFT so that it's more welcoming and forgiving.

At the same time, the developer knows that difficulty, realism and a deliberate kind of opacity, whereby key mechanics and systems are left unexplained and players have to learn everything for themselves, are fundamental both to Tarkov's identity and its success. Even the tiniest wins – escaping from a gunfight without getting shot in the back more than once, say, or finding a pistol grip worth a couple of hundred Rubles – feel like terrific victories, because the game is so tough. If Battlestate makes Tarkov 'softer', it risks ruining the entire experience.

And so 1.0 has become the decisive moment for EFT, and for its creator and director, Nikita Buyanov. Officially, Buyanov is Battlestate's co-founder, co-owner and CEO. Over the past eight years, however, he's also become the face, the spokesperson and the ever-absorbent feedback sponge for the entire Tarkov operation. If there's a new update or progression wipe on the way, the first place you'll learn about it is on Buyanov's Twitter.

If you have criticisms about the latest patch or a concern about changes to the core mechanics, standard operating procedure is to write to Buyanov directly. And if you hate Tarkov, and you hate Battlestate, and you think everyone who's ever worked on the game should be fired, well, you can take your frustrations out on Buyanov if you want – but he may well fire some invective back your way.

Type Buyanov's name into the Google search bar and the autofill drop down says he's an "Internet personality". But before he earned that debatably inauspicious designation, and a long time before Tarkov 1.0, Buyanov taught himself game development by making mods for Half-Life and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

His first true game was a tactical shooter called Street Wars. Featuring a skills system and a slot-based inventory, it was a testing bed for some of the concepts that would eventually define EFT. It wasn't until 2010, however, and the release of a multiplayer shooter called Contract Wars, that the story of Escape From Tarkov would really begin in earnest.

"It was only two or three of us," Buyanov says. "We didn't have anything – no funding, no experience. But the idea was to make something quick and simple, something in the style of Call Of Duty, and make some money from it so we could go on and make something bigger."

Contract Wars was an enormous success – "I don't remember the precise CCUs," Buyanov says, "but I think in the end we had something like 50 million installs across all platforms." It also marked the creation of Buyanov's first company, AbsolutSoft. The original plan was to develop a partial remake, with more modes, maps and weapons, and release it on Steam as Contract Wars 2.0. Buyanov, however, had grander ambitions. While the rest of AbsolutSoft mulled over the future of Contract Wars, he had a vision of a totally new kind of hardcore FPS, one in which players were at risk of losing everything they owned.

"I bought this spaceship in Eve Online, using real money," Buyanov says. "And then I lost it, of course. But this sparked the idea in my mind, and from there the concept of extraction was born. The very next day, I presented it to the guys: 'You start with nothing, and you need to find the loot as you go, and then you extract from a randomised location'. I thought it could be interesting for Contract Wars, like a survival mode. But one of the programmers said, 'Maybe we should do a totally new game'. And that was that."

Extraction evolution

The follow-up to Contract Wars would eventually make it to Steam in 2016 as free-to-play FPS Hired Ops. But as soon as he'd settled on the central extraction concept, Escape From Tarkov became Buyanov's life.

He left AbsolutSoft, founded Battlestate and began hiring the team to make his vision a reality. The early days of a game's production can be tough, as team members struggle to translate design documents into mechanics and wrestle with the limits of an engine, but according to Buyanov, EFT had terrific momentum from day one.

"In three or four months we had a lot of the baseline mechanics," he says. "A lot of things were created just right on point, without additional testing, without thinking: 'Is this good or bad?' We were super-tight, budget wise – we didn't have any investments – but I thought we should make it for ourselves, for a niche audience. We never planned the game to be for everyone."

Strictly speaking, the first Escape From Tarkov level was Factory, a dark, cramped interior that was built using leftovers from Contract Ops. It was supposed to be a deathmatch map, but Buyanov and AbsolutSoft had never quite finished it. The EFT version had a lot more substance, however, and became a showcase for Battlestate's eye for environmental detail, and for Tarkov's visual design overall.

The first true map, however – the first created specifically for EFT, entirely from scratch – was Customs. In 2015, when development of the game was just getting started, Customs served as a testing platform for the fundamental mechanics and systems. Today, it's required reading for all of Battlestate's designers.

"I made all the placements, all the spawns and the layout," Buyanov says. "I did all the principles. And then a lot of things on Customs were made just to test them. Weather. The day and night cycle. Long-range combat. Seventy-five per cent of all functionality for the rest of the game was there on Customs. And it created the trend for the future. Any of the new guys working on a location understand this is the standard."

Buyanov is clear on what he expects from his colleagues. "The lead artist on any location needs to be a Tarkov player," he explains. "This is 100 per cent super-important. He needs to feel and understand exactly how he'll be playing through this location and the emotions he'll be having during the gunfights. There are a lot of examples of triple-A games where, especially in the indoor locations, there isn't any detail. We wanted a multiplayer game but with the details of a singleplayer game."

Especially today, after years of overhauls, refinements and remodelling, the world of Tarkov is comparable in its richness to The Zone from STALKER 2, or the more metropolitan corners of Fallout 4's Commonwealth. If Battlestate wanted to make an online game with the environmental lustre of a great campaign FPS, 1.0 is testament to its success. But Tarkov's maps also exemplify one of the studio's biggest challenges: the game has been an apparently endless push and pull between contradictory design philosophies, oppositional playerbases and commercial viability versus artistic fidelity.

When discussing the 'pure' version of Tarkov, where everything is driven by realism and challenge, Buyanov uses the highways on the Streets Of Tarkov map as an example. In other shooters, he says, a wide, open space such as this might be stippled with blown-up cars, lumps of concrete and other objects and items that players may use for cover, with the goal of creating a functional, enjoyable arena. But the guiding principle in Tarkov's level design is verisimilitude, because if you want grounded, hardcore gun battles, you need believable locations.

"If you don't want to get shot, avoid highways," Buyanov continues. "If you don't want to get killed, don't go there. This is a good thing. It creates something realistic. But then something else hits us: the mainstream. We get a lot of people in from other games and, if we want to make a really popular product, we need to make things for a wider audience. The combat starts between hardcore shooters, the midcore and the more casual players."

Fight or flight

Throughout Tarkov's existence – the earliest stages of production in 2015, the initial launch in 2017, the build up to 1.0 during the past three years – this battle, between uncompromising friction and more accessible play, Buyanov's original vision and the realities of the market, has been at the centre of the game.

You might even say it is the game. When you see a cabin, a railway carriage or a shipping container in the middle distance, the sensible, 'realistic' thing to do – what you would probably do if this were actually happening – is to walk away. No matter how valuable, there is surely no loot that is worth risking your life over.

But that cold pragmatism comes immediately into conflict with a more playful attitude. It's only a video game, right? Why not throw caution to the wind, just have fun and see what happens? This is what you're wrestling with in the moment-to-moment situations of Tarkov. It's also what Battlestate has to consider each time it introduces a fresh patch.

The EFT community, however, is where you will find the most polarisation. Throughout its lifetime, the electric exchanges between differently minded players have provided Tarkov with its immense amount of energy.

On one side, you have the diehards – the fearsome veterans who have been with EFT since 2017, amassed thousands of hours of playtime, and believe the game should be as unforgiving as possible. On the other side, you have essentially everybody else. There's a reason ARC Raiders hit 265,000 concurrent Steam players on its launch day. A lot of people want the extraction shooter structure but without the impenetrable rock face of difficulty that Tarkov presents.

The nature of EFT's gunplay and mechanics means the two sides will always have plenty to fight over. Every weapon is defined by dozens of invisible metrics: weight, bullet velocity, drop off, volume, reload time, air friction, penetration, durability. And if Battlestate adjusts any of these values, even marginally, it can risk disrupting the whole Tarkov ecosystem.

"And of course you have the cheaters," Buyanov notes. "If a weapon has a lot of parameters, it gives the cheat developers a lot of options to change those parameters. It's super-hard to make this game playable. I think it's a miracle that we've made it playable with this level of complexity."

At the beginning of Tarkov's production, Battlestate employed about 40 developers. Now there are 400. But when things do go wrong and fans get frustrated, it's still Buyanov who goes out to face them. Sometimes he's able to smooth things over.

At other times, despite – or occasionally even because of – his efforts, what begin as esoteric concerns within the EFT community swell into bigger, more encompassing controversies.

In 2024, Battlestate released an extra-premium version of Tarkov called The Unheard, which gave all purchasers access to a new, permanent progression-based PvE mode. The problem? The previously available Edge Of Darkness edition, which cost US$150, was supposed to guarantee access to "all subsequent DLC".

Edge Of Darkness owners contested that the PvE mode counted as DLC. Taking to Reddit, Buyanov issued his and Battlestate's explanation to the contrary, and offered these players temporary access to the PvE mode for six months. Twenty-four hours – and 6,200 comments – later, Battlestate decided to give all Edge Of Darkness owners the PvE mode for free, forever.

"I feel like it's my duty to be right on the front," Buyanov says. "I think it's a good thing for Battlestate. They see that I am the lead officer, the tip of the spear. We made the game to get people together. But then they fight. They play to let the pressure out, to hate the game and to hate me. That maybe is the essence of Tarkov. It's not a gaming project. It's not something for fun. It's a social project which combines all of that."

But Buyanov occasionally struggles to be philosophical. "Sometimes they get under the skin and you feel like, 'Why the hell should I continue making EFT?' I can feel it physically. I feel sick for no reason. I think, 'Maybe a lot of people aren't happy with the latest patch and that's why I feel sick right now'. But then we come to conferences and a lot of people just want to say 'hi' and get a photo with me. I know this is my role."

Defining a genre

When you invent a new genre, everybody is going to have their own interpretations of how it should look, work and play.

The tug-of-war between Escape From Tarkov's players is emblematic of these growing pains and the ongoing process of trying to find and shape the game's identity. Even now, a decade since he first put mesh to renderer, Buyanov explains he never feels certain about EFT's success, or whether he and Battlestate are making the right decisions. "I was always unhappy and I'm still unhappy," he says. "Even if we achieve something, I always worry: 'Well, now something bad will happen'."

But Buyanov's apprehensions also seem to run deeper. The more he explains himself, the more you get the impression that developing Tarkov has taken something out of him. He admits to feeling exhausted, saying that he has an obligation to get the game finished, but conceding that the weapon customisations and the ultra-tough combat mechanics that he once found so exciting no longer have much meaning.

"For a few years I was thinking, 'Oh, it's such an innovative game'," he says. "But years pass. Sometimes I get into the position where I don't want to do anything at all. Not game dev. Not anything. I just want to lie there for ten years. I haven't lived life for myself during production. I started to feel like I would be stuck developing EFT forever."

Now the extensive Escape From Tarkov beta era is finished, it starts to sound like Buyanov is, too – he talks about wanting to do other kinds of work, and hints at future projects outside of the world of games. But when rival extraction shooters are mentioned, and the possibility that EFT's place at the forefront of the genre may come under threat, he suddenly becomes animated again.

"We created the genre," he says. "There are companies who try to copy us, and I don't know why because we've been here for ten years. Usually, they don't understand the point of an extraction shooter. They think if you take the concept and make it more casual, it will bring more players. And they don't forget to put a bit of shit on us: 'The next Tarkov killer'. Why? We are all here for good. You make a game. It's a good extraction shooter. Good for you. Why do you have to say this stuff about us?"

Buyanov doesn't reference specific names, but EFT has enough rivals that there's now a dedicated 'extraction shooter' genre page on Steam.

Arc Raiders is the big new competitor. Gray Zone Warfare, Arena Breakout: Infinite and Hunt: Showdown have also all emerged over the past eight years, each with their own variations on what was once the unique Tarkov formula.

There's even a parody game, Escape From Duckov, in which players control little yellow ducks, which averaged 100,000 simultaneous players per day in the six weeks following its release. And yet, despite all this competition, the community's reproaches and his personal anxiety, when it comes to 1.0 and the long-awaited story mode, Buyanov is more committed to his original vision than ever. Whether the full version of Tarkov flies or plummets on Steam, it will at least be on his – and Battlestate's – own terms.

"We've doubled down on everything that makes us who we are," he says. "Risky things. Expensive things. I am sharing all my cards, all my principles, and it's your choice to play. Only two or three per cent of people will actually be able to escape from Tarkov. Basically, I'm saying, 'Guys, you won't be able to complete the game – sorry'. I want it to be treated like an achievement. I'm even thinking of creating some kind of board of people who have escaped from Tarkov.

"And if people review-bomb it, I don't care. We just want to say, 'Guys, we did it. This is Escape From Tarkov without the beta badge. This is what we've been cooking for you for ten years'."

Time to die

You will die in Escape From Tarkov, quickly, often and unfairly. You will spend hours accumulating precious resources only to lose them all in a single second. The menus are dense. The inventory system is complex. Actions which in other shooters can be completed simply by pressing a button require proactive learning – you will need to go and look up how to clear a weapon jam.

The only way you can play this game is by relinquishing your expectations of multiplayer shooters and committing yourself to understanding its rigid conceits. EFT will treat you unkindly, and you'll be frustrated and exhausted by it in return. But out of that conflict will come a strange kind of actualization; the game will push and pull you in various directions, and the sum effect of those forces is to make you a more capable player. You are strengthened by the struggle.

This has been the story of Escape From Tarkov as a project, Battlestate as a developer, and Nikita Buyanov as a director. Between initial anxieties about creating a new shooter genre, constant feedback from a raucous and reactive community, and the rise of pretenders to the extraction shooter crown, all three have been knocked, pummelled and peened – and emerged more focused and more determined.

When games spend so long in beta or in early access, there is a risk that they will become compromised or anodyne, that 'listening to the fans' and 'building the game alongside the community' are really just euphemisms for gradually ceding creative ground.

In the decade since it first entered production, there have been times when Escape From Tarkov and its makers have had to mount tactical retreats. But now that the original extraction shooter has reached 1.0, what's most impressive is how true it remains to Buyanov's earliest concepts. "The other day, I actually checked the official list that I wrote ten years ago," he says, "and except for some minor things, everything is done."

The Tarkov team had an idiosyncratic, player-unfriendly new idea, and for a decade they have more or less refused to budge on their core principles; on the contrary, at every opportunity, they've dedicated their efforts to making Escape From Tarkov more unusual, more stubborn. And despite all of this, despite swimming against the conventional wisdom of the multiplayer FPS market, Battlestate has forged a success. Now all it has to do is do it all again: new platform, new players, new era. You struggle your way to the extraction zone. You make it out alive. And then you queue up for the next raid.

"My life is Tarkov, basically," Buyanov says. "I can't imagine myself without it. I lived through a lot of things as a developer, as a businessman and as a person. It didn't give me joy, really. I just realised that life is hard. That's how it will be for as long as I'm breathing. Always in the battle state."

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YouTube has revealed new plans to tighten policies surrounding video game content uploaded to the platform – specifically when it centers around more controversial adult themes, including gambling and graphic violence.

As Valve faces the fire from both fans and developers alike following the new Counter-Strike 2 update, which left the community in shambles over skin prices and the entirety of Steam's marketplace crashing, other companies are taking a stand against gambling in video games – YouTube included. A new announcement, aptly dubbed "YouTube's strengthened approach to online gambling and graphic violence in gaming," reveals as much.

In it, Google explains its decision to change YouTube's guidelines: "Our policies are designed to evolve alongside the digital world. We're making these updates to keep pace with new trends, like gambling with digital goods, and to more closely align our guidelines for mature content with industry standards."

An outline of the coming tweaks is then provided, starting with "online gambling content" – specifically within the realm of video games.

"Our current policy prohibits content that directs viewers to online gambling sites or applications that are not certified by Google," it reads. "We're expanding our enforcement to now cover online gambling with additional items that have monetary value, including digital goods (e.g. video game skins, cosmetics and NFTs)." It's hard not to think of the ongoing Counter-Strike 2 skin fiasco, and the $6 billion market that Valve's cosmetics created.

"We're updating our approach to casino-style games where nothing of real-world monetary value is wagered or cashed out," continues the announcement from Google. "Content that depicts, promotes, or facilitates social casino sites will now be age-restricted."

Counter-Strike 2 isn't the only game in question here, however, nor are features like gambling and casinos. Titles like Grand Theft Auto 6 could also be affected by the new YouTube policies. That's because they're attempting to tackle "graphic content" like depictions of violence, too – especially when it involves "realistic" characters.

"In addition to our existing guidelines around graphic gaming content, we will age-restrict an additional small subset of video game content featuring realistic human characters that focuses on scenes of torture or scenes of mass violence against non-combatants," as stated in the new policy post.

YouTube will "consider several factors when reviewing this type of content," though, like duration, prominence, and, as mentioned before, the inclusion of "realistic human characters." It's safe to say games like GTA 6 don't exactly hold back when it comes to violence, and their characters are certainly "realistic" – especially when you consider its impressive new visuals, which add detail to everything from blades of grass to, well, people.

As for how this will all play out, YouTube expects that "most channels will experience little to no impact." Any content uploaded before November 17, which seems to be the date the new policies are officially rolling out, might be removed or age-restricted, but may also be edited ahead of time. Here's hoping we still see plenty of GTA 6 videos floating about later this year and beyond – although I could do with less Counter-Strike 2…

Take-Two CEO calls generative AI "the future of technology" that "will increase employment," months after saying GTA 6's "creative genius is human."

Samsung and Google have been in the kitchen together for a long time, and although they've cooked up a lot of mobile and smart devices, the one that's been teased, rumoured, and anticipated the most in recent years is their VR headset. We've known about Project Moohan for a while now, but it seems that it's finally ready to come out of the oven.

Samsung has announced that a new Galaxy Event will take place on October 21 at 10:00am ET / 03:00am BST, which will tell us more about the brand's XR ambitions. Of course, like any big tech and hardware announcement these days, the "invitation" press release really wants to focus on the Multimodal AI that's going to be baked into the device, but you know everyone will really be there to see the shiny new headset.

"Project Moohan is the groundbreaking first product built for the open and scalable Android XR platform," reads the announcement.

"It seamlessly blends everyday utility with immersive new experiences. This is where the true potential of XR comes alive, unlocking a whole new dimension of possibilities."

We still don't know a lot about Project Moohan, other than what it looks like. We don't know its price, or how it can be used, or what apps will be available on it, or whether or not it's going to lean more heavily into being an Apple Vision Pro rival, or a Meta Quest 3 alternative. Despite that, you can already register to buy the new headset, and get $100 credit for your trouble.

Certainly, if you judge by the look of Project Moohan, it certainly appears to be more like a luxury headset that's going to be Samsung's take on Apple Vision Pro. Personally, I'd be shocked if Samsung has watched Apple's first attempt at Spatial Computing from the sidelines for this long and hasn't wanted to avoid its slip-ups.

For starters, even if Project Moohan is the high-end device that it appears to be, it needs to avoid the $3,500 starting price that Apple went for. Experimental dip of the toe in XR waters, the Vision Pro may have been, but it's one that ended up as a meme-ified concept device more than something people are rushing to adopt.

More importantly, I think Samsung and Google need to appeal to arguably one of the biggest use-cases for this technology - gaming.

Apple has never been a brand that's big into gaming, and even if it showed a demo of someone using a DualSense controller during the Vision Pro's reveal, the brand failed to draw in gamers by securing support for games to play on the headset post-launch. Being able to link up a controller and play games on a virtual big screen is one thing, but it totally misses the appeal of VR as a way to play.

I do hold out more hope for Project Moohan as a platform for gaming - even if the main marketing appeal from Samsung will be to capitalize on the mainstream mixed-reality hype that Apple showed exists. Android has always had more support for gaming than Apple's platforms typically have, and I think the fact that plenty of gaming applications with Android support already exist plays into Samsung and Google's hands.

Horizon OS, the OS for Meta's Quest 3 headsets, is built on Android, and although there are likely plenty of technicalities, I'm sure the fact that all of the Quest store games and applications run on a form of Android already will mean developers find it easier to port them to Samsung's own version.

Samsung is no stranger to VR. The first headset I ever tried was a Samsung Gear, which used the brand's Galaxy phones as slot-in displays, but gave you access to what was then Oculus' applications and games. Google is also no stranger to gaming - never forget the disaster that was Stadia. Even if that wasn't a good example of success in the gaming market, it's experience, and I bet with hardware backing from Samsung, there's room to better capitalize on what Google wanted to do. Qualcomm has been drafted in to make the processor for Project Moohan, and its chips power some of the best gaming phones, as well as the Meta Quest 3S and 3, and the Pico 4 Ultra - all of which are great gaming headsets.

This is all conjecture, mind you, and we'll need to tune into the Galaxy Event to find out more. Personally, I think a big tell that this is a device for gamers (other than the price), will be whether or not it comes with controllers. Hand tracking and clever gesture controls make the Apple Vision Pro seem efficient and streamlined, but controllers are still necessary for playing games, and the inclusion of controllers for Project Moohan will be a sign that gamers are going to be catered to.

This could all very easily be wishful thinking, but it's hard to imagine that another brand that competes so closely with Apple would want to roll out the exact same flawed device as the Vision Pro and not improve on the formula. I'd like to think Samsung is smart enough to expand things, take a slightly different tactic, and appeal to a more mainstream market. That all remains to be seen on October 21st.

• Meta Quest 3: $499 at Amazon
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"Can you do this for me?" A pained wail comes from the sofa, muffled yet audible despite my noise-cancelling headphones. My girlfriend is curled up there playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as she has done nightly over the past few weeks, and not once in that time has she asked for help. I pause my own game and swivel the computer chair to face her, dredging up the now admittedly hazy memories of the 14-hour Hyrulean marathon I'd embarked upon a year ago. "Where are you at with it?" I ask – and hastily button my lip when she tells me.

The thing I'm least looking forward to about replaying Breath of the Wild on Switch 2 is dealing with the game's hardest boss all over again – especially after being a backseat driver to my partner's own Thunderblight ordeal last weekend. It's one of the most beloved and best Switch games of all time, but I need to be in a specific mood for such a demanding Metroidvania. Backtracking, shrine-grinding, farming for armor upgrade materials… sometimes, it's just not for me.

This time, however, I don't have a choice. Chivalry calls me to my partner's side as she wages war against Thunderblight Ganon, and through approaching the game with two heads instead of one, I'm reminded of how complicated yet brilliant Breath of the Wild can be. Especially when you're not the one holding the controller.

Link's life is a battlefield

Our first port of call is a recon mission. I send my partner back into the field and watch as she demonstrates the utter fleet-footed threat that Thunderblight Ganon poses. His fast attacks swiftly knock her flying, Link rolling about the cylindrical battlefield like a dead hamster on its wheel, and even when he manages to get some good hits in to break Gannon's shield, it does minimal damage.

My girl is no rookie. She's come prepared with a host of heavier duty weaponry – "they're all so big and slow though," she huffs frustratedly. She also has plenty of elemental arrows, though given how fast Thunderblight Ganon moves and his ridiculously persistent shieldwork, there's little time to aim down her sights before he's fatally zig-zagging. She also has at least fifteen hearts, not including plenty of temporary heart-bestowing meals. On top of gathering more spears – the weapon she'd had most success with so far – and some other non-metal melee weapons, I suggest we start by acquiring different armor to replace Link's heavy metal plating. It's her most upgraded set by far, she protests, but ultimately we both know it's not the best choice against a foe partial to dealing shock damage.

Suddenly, a brainwave. I vaguely recall one particular Tears of the Kingdom armor set being useful in the sequel's thunderstorm-plagued territories, and a cursory Google search confirms that the rubber armor set can also be found in Breath of the Wild. Off we set for the first of three pieces: the rubber armor bodysuit.

Shock and awe

Arguably the most essential part of the anti-zapping formula, the rubber armor is found in a hidden Breath of the Wild shrine on Thundra Plateau. To access it, we need to place four colored orbs into their respective dishes while dodging lightning bolts and the random fires they can leave behind. Guide in hand, I do my best to instruct my partner on how to go about her task easiest. (What? We have these things on the site for a reason!)

Once we have argued over and inevitably decided upon which is the red and which is the orange orb, the Stasis rune comes in handy for transporting them into the arena. Things are made trickier for the the near constant swarm of angry blue Chuchus surrounding Link mid-hammer swing as he tries to tee the orbs off a rocky ledge and into the plateau itself, all before lightning can strike through our trusty metal hammer. My partner expertly managed to defeat the Chuchus pretty much simultaneously. Her dedicated loot goblin tendencies means that she picks up each Chuchu Jelly piece, a stash of well-earned trophies that turn out to be very useful in the long run...

Eventually, many shattered heavy weapons later, all four orbs are placed correctly, and we can enter the shrine and claim our prize. The next two pieces of the armor set are less hard to come by – the rubber helm is simply gifted after helping a Lakeside Stables NPC remove an axe from the roof, and the rubber tights are found in a much simpler hidden shrine.

I can't remember if my girlfriend went back to Thunderblight Gannon right then and there, triumphant yet doomed in her fish head mask and oilslick tights, or if we visited a Great Fairy to upgrade them first. Either way, despite channelling the might of a giant eldritch sea creature through it, the complete rubber armor set's basic stats of nine defensive points in total would not turn Link into a damage sponge. One of the materials needed to upgrade this particular set, however, is Yellow Chuchu Jelly, handily created through letting lightning strike a regular Chuchu Jelly… and guess who just got mobbed by a bunch of those an hour ago!

My suggestion to try shooting an electric elemental arrow at a pile of them works a charm, too, though I receive one complaint from the unsatisfied pilot at the helm of this mission: some jellies seemed to vanish or merge with others upon electrification. A noble sacrifice, I assure her.

From the jaws of defeat...

Feeling I've contributed all I can to the cause – i.e. reeling off guides like an army officer and offering the occasional wince – I leave my partner to the rest. This is her save file, after all; the victory should be hers alone to savour. But no sooner do I swivel back around to play more Assassin's Creed Shadows, the pained wailing recommences. Only this time, it's angrier. "GET THE F**K UP, LINK!" I hear in the background of a cutscene. "GET OFF THE F**KING FLOOR!" I peer over my shoulder to hazard a glance at the TV screen, just in time to hear the dreaded death melody. My girlfriend glares daggers in its reflection. "Maybe try playing it with no sound?" I offer uselessly. Hey, it works for me in Lies of P.

I actually wasn't home when she managed to defeat Thunderblight Ganon, but a celebratory text the following morning alerted me of her great victory. "GOT HIM ON MY FIRST TRY," it read. To the very marrow of my bones, I shared that relief. Breath of the Wild can be such a punishing experience to throw yourself into (even from the passenger seat) when you're stuck between wanting to see things through and lacking the patience for the task at hand. The rewards, however, make it all the more worthwhile.

The power of teamwork proved that there's always a sneaky shortcut to be had in Hyrule, even if the long way is more foolproof for a reason. But the most important thing I've learned from sharing this experience with my partner is that where there's a will, there's definitely a way: simply, wage war against your foes in a pair of rubber tights.

Hyrule Warriors is the next big upcoming Switch 2 game in the Zelda franchise!

The Google Pixel 9a is a budget smartphone by all accounts. Its camera and AI extras don’t quite rival that of the full flagship but it still offers up the majority of the brand’s latest features at an affordable price, but it also marks a distinct departure from the smartphone design of today.

Gone is the camera bump, and instead we’ve got a thicker chassis and, most importantly, a much larger battery.

5,100mAh is a step outside of the ordinary even for mainstream flagship phones. It’s one of the heaviest batteries of today’s current roster, rivalling the best gaming phones on the market from a sheer size point of view. Of course, more charge doesn’t always mean a better battery life - but considering the Tensor G4 chip under the hood is designed to maximize efficiency, things are looking pretty strong. And that’s excellent news for mobile gamers.

That Google chipset isn’t going to give the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro anything to worry about, but it’s still more than capable of running the majority of thumb tappers out there.

Genshin Impact, Fortnite, and Dead Cells are going to run better on a dedicated gaming device with additional hardware and software features devoted to gameplay, but the majority of mobile gamers simply use whatever hardware they have available rather than forking out for a specific Asus or Nubia device. The only problem these players come up against in most budget mainstream smartphones is battery life.

At full throttle, these games can kill a phone in a couple of hours. I can max out at around four hours of full-brightness, screen-on PUBG time on my iPhone 13 Pro with its 3,095mAh battery and A15 Bionic processor, whereas the 5,800mAh ROG Phone 9 Pro runs for nearly six hours in similar games with Snapdragon at the steering wheel. I expect the Google Pixel 9a could run for similar lengths of time with its weaker specs and efficiency-focused chipset.

Before the Google Pixel 9a stormed into town, longer sessions with more demanding games were generally only possible on dedicated devices. Overall graphics, controls, and stability aren’t going to match up to these high-end flagships. After all, there’s only 8GB RAM under the hood whereas Asus and Nubia pack up to 24GB these days. Most mobile gamers don’t need to sit and play Call of Duty for hours at the highest settings, though. Most players want to spend a chunk of time in their favorite titles and still have enough power to see them through the rest of the day.

That’s where the Google Pixel 9a will likely rest its hat. This is a mainstream device, but its larger battery and 120Hz refresh rate hide a solid gaming proposition. If Samsung and Apple took note with their own flagship ranges, we could see far more models catering to more specific needs of the massive mobile gaming market.

If you’re after a larger screen, check out the best gaming tablets or best gaming handhelds on the market. For more portability options, we’re also rounding up the best gaming earbuds available as well.

Everything I have learned about Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I have learned against my will. I was keen on it at first, thanks to its elevator pitch of being a gritty medieval RPG with realistic combat, period-accurate language, and a colorful cast of characters – but as soon as I heard how testing the opening hours are, I grew hesitant.

There are so many excellent new games of 2025 coming out in the coming weeks that I just don't think I have it in me to sit down and explore Bohemia right now. Still, though, the green eyed monster of FOMO has firmly dug its claws in, and I'm desperate to get in on the action somehow. Then, after reading up on how the first few hours of the game – specifically regarding how tough it is to simply survive – I realized that it sounded oddly… familiar. I've decided to take matters into my own hands and with a little help from The Sims 4 and the Rags to Riches challenge. Presenting: Henry of Henford-on-Bagley.

Simdom Come

First things first: I had to recreate KCD2's protagonist in The Sims 4. This was a little tricky as someone who has never played either RPG, but that's what Google is for. But perhaps the hardest part was to try and find appropriate attire for my medieval hero.

In the end, I went for a pirate costume –the closest thing The Sims 4 has to medieval Germanic villager gear. After fine-tuning his facial features as best as I could, it was time to move Henry into his new digs. I already knew that I would be basing him in the quaint village environs of Henford-on-Bagley, a Sims 4 neighborhood featuring charming cottages, wild foxes, off-grid and simple living house traits for an electronic-free existence, and plenty of space to someday acquire his very own Pebbles. In fact, my journey to getting Pebbles would go on to shape the rest of my experiment, but first, I'd need money.

A key component of the Rags to Riches challenge is to start on a large vacant lot with 0 household funds. You can make money however you like as long as you remain unemployed. I'd thought about giving Henry a potion-making aspiration in line with what I've heard about what to do first in KCD2, at least as far as making money, but decided to make use of the Kleptomania trait instead. This allowed me to lean more on the thievery side of things, especially given that only Spellcasters can brew potions and that is a little more high fantasy than Bohemia is known for. Sadly, there were no lutes to pilfer in the Gnome's Arms pub. There was, however, a sofa. One successful swipe later, I made my first 500 simoleons from selling it.

The most lucrative money making strategy I found? Catching and selling frogs. I discovered this by accident upon a visit to the local park, initially with thoughts of food-pilfering in mind to sate my hero's empty belly. An accidental click on a pond nearby the picnic tables brought up an interaction menu – including the option to "look for frogs".

Rolling in it

As soon as I sold my first leopard frog for a cool 30 simoleons, I was hooked. I sat Henry by that pond for hours, filling his activity queue with "look for frogs" and promptly selling them all. Countless ribbeting friends later, Henry was sitting on 600 simoleons. It was time to finally build a semblance of home.

Henry's starter home was a humble affair: a hay bed, a wooden tub (no more showering in the rain!), and a single chair. A gas lamp in the middle of the space offered the only source of light, enough to keep that pesky Tense moodlet from rearing its head as a consequence of living in the dark. In lieu of an expensive toilet, I opted for a nice bush in the garden to pee in. Proud though I was of having racked up enough money to afford all these luxuries in a short space of time, the whole thing felt a little bit lonely. It was time to rack up enough dosh to acquire Pebbles the horse, at last.

I learned of Pebbles through my colleague Heather. I thought I'd messed up at first – it would certainly have been easier to make Pebbles from scratch in Create-A-Sim – but after doing some research, it actually sounded like a more authentic experience to cough up the cash and travel on foot to "retrieve" – in this case, spend 1,000 simoleons on – my horse. After another lengthy frog-catching session and napping on another park bench until the equestrian center opened, I was able to select a Pebbles-like to purchase. Unfortunately for Henry, he is not a very good rider – but at least now he has a friend to accompany him on many more acts of thievery.

I'm enjoying my Sims-ification of Kingdom Come massively at the moment, though I can't help but feel like the frog thing was a bit of a cheat. Essentially, though, there's nothing more medieval than living off the land – even if that land is public property, and even if I have to hurriedly cancel Henry's every attempt to play games on his mobile phone. Perhaps I should have given this a whirl in The Sims Medieval instead?

Could Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 become one of the best RPGs of 2025?

Frankly, I don't know how many trailers I saw over the frenzied Summer Game Fest weekend. However, considering I watched every single event, and that each one contained anything between 30 and 80 trailers, I'm thinking there were at least 250 in total – and now they're all coagulating into one mega-game in my head. 

Each time I close my eyes, I see a machine gun-toting ninja attacking a futuristic tank piloted by a cute hand-drawn mouse who's on a quest to save their farm. Anyway, I did manage to draw a number of recurring themes from the maelstrom of images. Here's seven top trends I've gleaned from Summer Game Fest 2024, from gaming's obsession with anime to certain thematic interests and more.

7. Heartbreaking journeys with heartwarming pets 

I feel like there's a Covid lockdown influence behind this year's influx of games in which vulnerable human characters set off on melancholy adventures with cute pets. In poetic platformer Deer & Boy, a child on the run from a tragic event meets up with a stray fawn; Koira from Don't Nod is a musical adventure where a playful pup follows on your hike into a surreal forest; and Neva is a gorgeous-looking adventure in which a young woman and her wolf travel through a dying world. Were these games first conceived during those long, lonely lockdown days, when we spent an hour a day just walking alone, and when so many people bought dogs and cats for company? I think so.

6. It's all about the delivery 

This may be another hangover from lockdown, or it could be inspired by our growing reliance on delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo, but there were a LOT of games about being a courier. Petal Runner is a Gameboy Advance-style role-playing game where you breed and deliver pets in a cyberpunk town (we'll come back to cyberpunk vibes in a bit), while Tom the Postgirl is a weird spooky tale about delivering packages and staring in the windows of your bizarre customers. The time loop adventure Hello Again starts with you delivering a package to a professor on a remote island, and the dreamy color-drenched Crescent Country has been memorably described as "Gay Death Stranding" thanks to its queer, witchy take on parcel delivery. Elsewhere, Tiny Bookstore and Fruit Bus are both about mobile retailers meeting new people on their travels. In short, this is the era of slow-paced driving and socializing games and I'm here for it.  

5. Mash those genres 

The UK PlayStation development team used to have a neat brainstorming exercise: they'd write down dozens of games onto pieces of paper, put them in a hat and draw two out – then they had to work out a way to combine those into one new game concept. Maybe that idea-generating approach has caught on, because check these out. Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure manages to combine an RPG with block-shifting puzzlers; Screenbound is both a 2D Gameboy game and a first-person 3D adventure; and Squeakross: Home Squeak Home is Picross meets The Sims, but with mice. My fave example though was FragPunk, shown at the Xbox event – it combines a 5 vs 5 hero shooter with a collectible card game. You just know someone at fledgling developer Bad Guitar Studios said, "what are the two biggest genres right now? Okay, let’s combine 'em" and rather than replying, "shut up, you're crazy"’, they went ahead and did it. And all credit to them. 

4. We're all cyberpunks now

OK, so cyberpunk has always been a static noise in the background of game design, but it was really loud over the weekend. Standout examples included the visually incredible Psychroma from Rocket Adrift, psychological horror romp KARMA: The Dark World, detective thriller Nobody Wants To Die and moody city builder, Dystopika. I think there are two reasons for this cyber-invasion: just as William Gibson prophesied, our lives really are being governed by tech super corps nowadays (hi there, Apple, Amazon and Google!), while the genre’s exploration of transhumanism – including the breakdown of gender norms and the increasingly intimate invasion of technology into our lives and bodies – also feels extremely relevant. Radically invasive times call for radically invasive video games, I guess.

3. Anime with everything  

Like cyberpunk, anime is an aesthetic that's loitered in games for decades, but it dropped a little out of favour when the industry turned away from beat-'em-ups and JRPGs to western open-world giants such as GTA and the best Assassin's Creed games. Now it's very back. There were so many cinematic anime moments through the weekend – just go and watch the trailers for Abyss X Zero, Zodiac XX: Leo, Battle Suit Aces, Metaphor, Battle Crush, Mecha Break, Honkai StarRail and Nova Hearts. It's like jetting back to the Tokyo Game Show-circa 2002. Maybe we're tired of the pervasive gritty realism major publishers have been pushing for the last five years. Maybe it's time, once again, for mechs, maidens and megacities. 

2. Ecology vs end times 

Traditionally, video games have explored our fears of climate disaster through post-apocalyptic adventures – but there was a more hopeful strand of ecologically-themed titles at SGF. Generation Exile is a sort of sci-fi city construction sim, but on a giant generation starship where space and resources are in short supply. Then there were farming titles such as Croakwood, Garden of the Sea, Fantastic Haven, Crab God and Kamaeru: A Frog refuge, which all looked to be focusing on maintaining healthy ecosystems. I also loved the look of Spilled, an ocean cleaning game with a bright pixellated art style. Forget post-apocalyptic dystopias – let's try a little pre-apocalyptic optimism.     

1. Aid for indies 

It's heartening to see that during a tough time for the industry, there are organizations looking to support small studios. During the Summer Game Fest live event on Friday, horror movie company Blumhouse revealed its initial slate of six spooky games, all from independent teams. At the same event, Among Us creator InnerSloth announced Outersloth, a funding initiative aimed at burgeoning teams. Then there was a whole showcase organized by the non-profit Day of the Devs, providing a platform for indie events and bundles from emerging and underrepresented talent. What's more, Future introduced its Indie Elevator Pitch initiative, designed to give publicity to new dev teams. Grassroots game creation is vital to the industry and it needs to be protected 

Plenty of upcoming indie games are in the works, and we have the cream of the crop right here for you to wishlist.

"I often say that my computer raised me." Chantal Ryan's sentiment might ring true for many of us, and that intimate relationship is something that fuels her. "In many ways," she explains, "darkwebSTREAMER is a love letter to the old internet, which was really my era. It's almost like my town, my neighborhood, the street where I grew up."

Right down to its eerie promotional website, HTML codes hand-written by Ryan just as she did as a 10-year-old part time web designer in the 90s, darkwebSTREAMER is an analog horror game rooted in the oldest, gnarliest corners of the internet. The idea came to Ryan in a dream, but making it was always going to be an unconventional experience. 

"I was not a game maker," she confesses, describing her craft as being primarily an experimental horror writer, creative, and poet. "I had this fully-developed vision of this game come into my head. So it was more of an, 'oh shit, I've got to figure out how to make video games so I can make this'." But there's more to darkwebSTREAMER than paranormality and weirdos on the internet; it's about secrets, and venturing to the deepest parts of your psyche (as well as the dark web) to uncover them.

Plumbing the depths 

The phrase 'dark web' is one most of us have been taught to fear. Supposedly brimming with all manner of illegal activity, unsavoury individuals, and horrible things being done to good people, it makes sense that few feel they've the stomach to face it. While we are probably right about that, Ryan sees it differently.

"Dark web is a personal reference for me," she says. "The Tor network, which is the dark web that we speak of, is actually a very chaste version of what we think is this dark internet full of secrets. I really, genuinely feel that the 90s web era was the real dark web, before Google came in. Things weren't really indexed in the same way that the Tor network isn't really indexed. So you had to really dig around." As an example, Ryan tells me how she's "95% positive" that she saw infamous German cannibal Armin Meiwes at work on one such dug-up forum. Specifically, "the post that Armin had made, and the response from the person whose name I can't recall, who ended up being eaten." Her wide eyes reflect the computer screen before her, casting a glare over both our faces on this patchy video call. The clock hits 1am, and you know what? I'm inclined to believe her.

In short, not only has Ryan visited the dark web herself, she's played around with it. "I actually have websites hosted on the Tor network that are for people to find," she smiles. "I love to seed mysteries across the world."

Cannibals in search of their next consenting victims aside, Ryan's unique take on an indie horror game has led her to confront other sorts of demons – and I'm not talking about the ones with pointy horns. "Demons...are metaphors in a way," she muses. "I always describe [darkwebSTREAMER] as a psychological horror game. I don't mean psychological horror like 'oh no, I'm afraid of the demon', I mean, we're really investigating the darkness of humanity when we are exploring these websites. We're exploring what you, as the streamer, are willing to do to yourself for the people in pursuit of social clout. It is that observation of the internet past and the darkness of that space as well as contemporary darkness around us, almost like a collective loss of humanity in the objectification of ourselves in pursuit of subscribers, capitalistic gains, or social credit."

So, what does it feel like to play darkwebSTREAMER and experience this heavy metaphor at work via a simulated 90s computer screen? Ryan describes the game as a "narrative roguelike" of sorts, where no two one-hour playthroughs will ever be the same. 

Method and the madness 

Achieving a narrative, text-heavy game with so many different outcomes and pathways sounds exhausting, especially from a two-person team. The workaround is "an AI system that generates narrative in order to populate these [online] worlds," she says of the procedurally-generated internet that became the game's claim to fame right from the get-go. "I've always been fascinated by AI. I've always been really enamored with things that talk back." 

In creating darkwebSTREAMER this way, Ryan has come up with a "procedurally-generated roguelike" experience that deals less with RNG as it does with actual user input. Basically, the dark web you experience in-game is listening and responding to choices that you make.

"In theory, people can say the same sentence 100 different ways depending on who they are, their personality, their cultural, linguistic, geographic backgrounds. So I kind of just took that logic and I was like, 'I'm sure I can write a system that enables people to say the same thing in very different ways depending on their personality'." These language generation tools aren't the ones you might be thinking of when it comes to the AI sphere. "It's all ethical," Ryan says. "It's all handmade datasets, and the only hallucination is our intended hallucination. So it's very video game-functioning and appropriate."

In playing your character a certain way, darkwebSTREAMER allows you to lean into the RPG elements and craft who you are. That means that there are many different ways your character might respond to the dark web and its contents, depending upon where you go clicking. 

Much as in a roguelike, "the internet is the dungeon," explains Ryan. "A lot of the choices you're making will depend on what you find online, what websites you find, or which services you access. Did you find a doctor? Did you find a therapist? Did you find a demonologist? Or a witch? Or an antiquarian? Did you find this weird-ass marketplace? There's tons and tons of pages, and you're not going to find all of them every time. You're strategizing based on what is available to you during your playthrough, which will radically change the kind of story experiences you're having."

With no playable darkwebSTREAMER demo currently available to the public, I had to ask Ryan what the general reception has been so far from the lucky few who've gotten to play it at events. "I genuinely had no idea how people would receive the game," says Ryan of the first time she publicly showed the game at  PAX 2022. "I had some presumptions. I was like, this game probably won't sell very well, it's very reading heavy." But then, something happened that got her "anthropologist brain turning".

"I remember multiple times just turning around and realizing there were crowds, thick crowds of people around us, people craning to get a look at this game. I watched people queue for an hour to play, and people were bringing their friends back. And then their friends were bringing back friends. It was bizarre." Not only did everyone want to play darkwebSTREAMER, but a lot of them were happy to merely watch. In some ways, that's even weirder. But is it?

Fear itself 

This voyeuristic element of watching others in positions of fear and discomfort is interesting in itself. "I thought to myself, 'What is it about this text-based game that is really turning people into spectators and getting them so invested?' I think it's because so much of it is psychological, and it's very personal in many ways." Personal, yes, but it's also topical. How many of us have watched a Let's Play on YouTube, or subscribed to a Twitch channel to watch other people play games, horror or otherwise? 

When it comes to horror, Ryan and I agree on the strange level of protection that comes with being the observer rather than the observed. "People enjoy watching what kind of violence other people are going to experience. It's the threat of violence or conflict, and they're interested in the psychological effects and implications of what's going on. Maybe I'm very biased because like I'm really into that shit," she laughs. "Maybe there's a totally different reason people would literally crowd to watch [darkwebSTREAMER], but I did not expect that. It was almost like a performance art scenario, even though I conceived it very much as a private, in-the-dark experience, alone and quiet with your thoughts. That's still my favorite way for people to play it."

darkwebSTREAMER proves that what makes horror such a magnetic, emotional game genre isn't always jump-scares, monsters, or creepypastas found on some long-forgotten subreddit. Fight-or-flight triggers a unique response in all of us, toeing the precipice of life and death. Maybe existential horror is its only true form? That seems to be the case for Ryan, anyway. 

"I am the most immune horror person ever. I love horror because I seek that feeling of fear.  One of my favorite things to do is to go to the ocean and swim out as deep as I can, like way farther than anyone else around me, and I'll swim until I have no idea how deep it is below me, and I just exist. I'm in between here and the sky and the depths of the ocean, and I have no idea what's below me." Ryan admits to living in a "very shark-y place" in Australia, with a low yet very real risk of getting chowed down. "There's a feeling of safety in statistics," she jokes. 

"But this small possibility, knowing that things aren't in my control…I always feel most alive when I'm in that environment of suspended animation. I feel deeply alive when I know that there's the possibility of death. And that is, I think, what, partly what horror does for me, is when when it happens, the feeling I seek is that feeling of there being more to this world than meets the eye. Yes, that's scary, but also very invigorating and exhilarating. "

It's a perfect allegory for what she witnessed at PAX 2022. "Some people love to be in the ocean, with the fear of god-knows how much water is below them, and some people like to watch a video about someone doing just that. It's two very different kinds of people. The ones I get sad about are the people who won't engage with it at all. It's almost not being a good neighbor, to turn a blind eye from our mortality." At the end of the day, for Ryan, "being a horror artist is exactly that: it's about standing with people and holding their hand in the face of things that are scary. It is refusing to abandon people who don't have the choice in facing down scary things, and choosing to stand in solidarity with them instead."

Check out some of the awesome upcoming horror games still to come in 2024 and beyond, from Killer Klowns to Silent Hill 2.

And so it's finally here: actual moving pictures of Shadow of the Erdtree, the next chapter of Elden Ring. Almost a full year since FromSoftware confirmed DLC was indeed in the works for its esteemed action RPG (and roughly two years since the base game's release), we've been given our first look at our next steps beyond the Lands Between. Better still, we've got a launch date too – June 21, 2024.

As predicted, Miquella will be the star of this show – one that is sequel-sized, set in a new location at about two-thirds of the main game's stature – and, for me, this is a branch of Elden Ring's speculative narrative that needs to be explored. Truth be told, Miquella's story is the only branch of Elden Ring lore that actually needs to be explored. 

As someone who's been waiting for Shadow of the Erdtree before it even had a title, then, it feels strange to say I reckon Elden Ring should in fact call it quits after Shadow of the Erdtree inevitably lands with a bang.

Elden Rings?

I feel this way for a number of reasons. From a personal standpoint, I adore the lore tied to the flesh-eating, mind-altering Scarlet Rot sickness in Elden Ring, and how it relates to optional boss Malenia, the Goddess of Rot. Flanked by her twin – Miquella, who is the most powerful of the Empyreans – Malenia's battle with Starscourge Radahn during The Shattering saw her unleash the true power of the Scarlet Rot, reducing Caelid to the familiar red-river ruins we now see in the process.  

Before now, concrete information on Miquella has been thin on the ground, besides the fact that he's 'cursed' to be perpetually young; and that he built the Haligtree to allow himself to age and, hopefully, purge his twin sister of rot. This was prevented from happening, however, when Mohg Lord of Blood kidnapped Miquella in his cocoon form. Mohg had planned to turn Miquella into a god by sharing his blood with him, you see (before then, all going to plan, becoming his consort), but we know this didn't work because Miquella has stripped himself of his flesh and travelled to the Land of Shadow in his sleep – the very place the DLC unfolds. 

If all of that sounds a bit ridiculous, I'm right there with you. Despite pushing 400 hours on my primary Elden Ring save I still don't really understand it all, but I'm totally fascinated by Malenia and Miquella's story nevertheless. Moreover, the very fact that Shadow of the Erdree's narrative takes place concurrently with the base game will surely add a whole new dimension to FromSoftware's interpretive storytelling too that I'm properly excited to play with.

Light-touch interpretive storytelling is, of course, a FromSoftware cornerstone, where seemingly innocuous features – such as item descriptions and boss placement – tell much of these games' narratives. Often, the most intriguing story-based offshoots are the ones that let us bridge the gaps with our imaginations – and while the studio has been doing this since Demon's Souls back in 2009, for me it perfected the model with the first Dark Souls two years later. That game's single slice of DLC, Artorias of the Abyss, explored the titular character's story and context a little deeper while leaving everything else open to speculative debate – and I think this is the perfect path for Elden Ring. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Elden Ring, and I'd happily learn more about its dragons, about Nokron, about the dancing witches of the Dominula Windmill Village, but I'm pretty content with how their collective deep and sophisticated lore is hinted at as is. The myriad YouTubers who dissect the history of the Lands Between always make for compelling viewing anyway, and I regularly lose myself in the networks of unhinged thoughts and theories that populate Reddit and various other community spaces. Miquella's story, however, is the only one that I feel needs a closer look, in the same Artorias' did all those years ago.

Patience, please

FromSoftware has clearly, rightly, valued patience in its approach to growing Elden Ring. In conversation with Famitsu (spoken in Japanese; translated by Google), studio head Hidetaka Miyazaki said the development of Shadow of the Erdtree started after the base game was released, which suggests it's taken somewhere in the vicinity of two years to get right. I have no issue with developers taking their time with added content, especially when it's something of Shadow of the Erdree's size and scope. But given the fact Miyazaki also said FromSoftware has no plans for future DLC after this one, but wouldn't rule out future Elden Ring endeavours moving forward, I'd much rather see the studio work on Elden Ring 2 or another similar-styled project altogether. 

Elden Ring is an astonishing undertaking, and I'm sure Shadow of the Erdtree will be the same. After that, I want to see FromSoftware spread its wings even wider. I think. There's every chance I explore Miquella's story and am left wanting more. And that's the sign of a studio firing on all cylinders. 

Here are the best games like Elden Ring to tide you over till the DLC

Steven Spielberg started Medal Of Honor," says artist Brad Allen. "He sent us a video one time, commending certain things that he was liking in the game as we were progressing. It was super neat to get to work on a Spielberg project." 

Brad's role at 2015 Inc was his first games industry job. In fact, although the studio had secured a modicum of credibility in first-person shooter circles with its SiN expansion, Wages Of Sin, it was mostly populated by young and inexperienced developers – nearly all of whom had travelled to Tulsa, Oklahoma from elsewhere in America to seize their breakthrough opportunity. "I had moved out there from California, so it was a bit of a culture shock," Brad says. "But it was really fun." 

Robert Field, a modder who had built the enemy AI for Quake's popular Frogbot, was even further from home. He arrived at Tulsa International Airport on 15 December 2000, when development on Allied Assault was already underway. "I'm from Brisbane in Australia, so walking around in the snow in Tulsa was interesting," he says. "We even had a tornado once." The weather was tolerable because the work was fulfilling. With the Nineties over, Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault looked like the future. "To me, up until that point, a lot of games were hyper-coloured and bright and shiny, and this was not," Brad says. "This was subdued and realistic looking, and all the colours were drab. It was much more rich and interesting, the way they were presenting it." 

D-day

The foundations for Call Of Duty were set here, in the shadow of Spielberg. In place of the machismo of Doom and Duke Nukem was a more subtle sense of historic pride, mingled with sadness and a sense of sacrifice. Your avatar wasn't a superman, but a vulnerable soldier victimised by World War II, attempting to carry out hair-raising orders as best they could. This was an interactive Saving Private Ryan or Band Of Brothers. Or at least, it would be, if 2015 Inc's rabble could all push in the right direction. 

"When I arrived, the animation system and everything was broken because they were replacing everything," Robert says. "I didn't know much about it because I was a mod author, so I thought, 'Oh, this is what you do.' Later on, Jason West brought the discipline where you always have a working game and you're able to show prototypes." Jason West had joined the team as a programmer to work on a console port. "But then I think Vince Zampella convinced him to take over," Robert says. "He became pretty much the lead of Allied Assault. We were a bunch of mod authors and he came on and got us meeting the schedule." Brad, who was creating the game's characters, would grab photos of members of the team and transform them into German or American soldiers, telling them, "You're gonna be the bad guy." 

"Everybody that I was working with was super talented, and super enthusiastic about what we were making," he says. "Everybody wanted to put the special sauce on it and spend the extra hours. It was really a fun experience, minus a few other things." Some on the Allied Assault team had concluded that they didn't want to stay at 2015 Inc beyond the end of the project. "We weren't going to get a good deal with the owner of 2015," Robert says. "Jason, Vince and Grant [Collier] wanted a better deal where we got royalty sharing." Resolving to set up a new company, a handful of key staff started to make moves. "We were all over the place, with five or six guys sneaking off to lunches and going, 'What are we going to do?,'" Brad says. "We had no idea what the name of the company was going to be. We just started spitballing ideas for games. One of our ex-producers had connections with different publishers, and he was like, 'What if we got this IP or that IP?' So it was really exciting. There were a ton of different ideas floating around and options that we could have done." 

Yet the first thing the new Infinity Ward worked on was, in fact, Medal Of Honor. More precisely, an add-on pack for Allied Assault at the behest of EA. "We were still working on the same game, with the same publisher, but as another company," Brad says. Many packed up and vacated the 2015 Inc office overnight. Although, as Brad remembers, Robert didn't get the memo straight away, "Robert was away on vacation or out of the country or something. So we didn't have a way to let him know. He shows up the next day, and everybody's gone. I think Grant contacted him and let him know, 'Hey, we're here, this is what's going on'. He may have been a little bewildered." The change and bewilderment didn't end there. When Infinity Ward was deep into development on its Medal Of Honor expansion, EA stopped paying for the work. "We were about to go under and get absorbed into the EA collective," Brad says. "And Activision swooped in. They were like, 'Hey, we'll fund your next project. If you work for us, you can stay together as a team.' And that was a really big issue for us, because we really liked working with each other." 

"It's a family type of thing," Robert says. "We felt we had a good team, and we had Jason, who was pretty much the team leader, so we all rallied behind him." Activision wanted Infinity Ward to make a competitor to Medal Of Honor – an idea which didn't enthuse the entire team, who had already spent years with their heads in a simulated Second World War. But it was the best offer they had, and so they agreed – initiating a partnership that has now lasted for two decades and counting. "The goal was having a good solid team of people to work with that we liked," Brad says. "We trusted each other's instincts and talents [at Infinity Ward], and it was a great opportunity to continue working with nearly everybody." Twenty-two people had worked on Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault. "And when Call Of Duty started, we all moved six miles down the road in Tulsa," Robert says. The team occupied the 37th floor of the 60-story CityPlex tower. The iconic local building was first built by controversial televangelist Oral Roberts at the request of, as he told it, a 900-foot vision of Jesus. "Thirty-seven flights of stairs is not fun for fire alarms," Robert says. "After the first alarm I said, 'I'm not trashing my knees anymore. If it burns down, it burns down.'" 

Infinity Ward was led by West, Zampella and Courier. "To fund Call Of Duty, Grant was maxing out his credit card originally," Robert says. "He was important from a biz point of view. And he got paid out well in the end." West was the creative force, however – steering the team through a tight 18 months of development. "Starting from Call Of Duty, Jason had a whole system of how we do features," Robert says. "At the beginning, all the level designers would write on cards the things they wanted in the game. Then the programmers would estimate how long that would take and look at our schedule and say, 'OK, this is how many things we think we can do.' We'd prioritise them and go down the list. We were scarred pretty badly from Allied Assault, where it got delayed." 

The team put together a detailed design doc – something they wouldn't bother with on later projects. "I guess we were trying to impress Activision," Robert says. "And Jason wanted to make sure we were on track." The addition of multiplayer was a compromise, made to please the publisher – a surprise, given how important the online component would later become to the series. "There was this notion back then of back-of- the-box features, and Activision was focussed on the buzzwords," Robert says. "We said, 'OK, we'll add multiplayer.' By Modern Warfare, half the development was on multiplayer. Earlier on, it was just minimal." 

Infinity Ward's primary focus was the campaign, an ambitious single-player mode that would see the player fight on different fronts of the war as three separate soldiers – one Russian, one British, one American. "Probably at one point it was more than three," Brad says. "But we had to narrow it down for scope reasons, and have it all be able to fit on a CD." 

Strength in numbers

The decision to back multiple protagonists would have huge implications for COD's future of perspective-swapping stories. "I think we were put off by the idea of having just the one hero character that saves everybody in the war," Brad says. "It didn't feel as realistic. We wanted to represent everybody that contributed to that part of history." Like Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault, Call Of Duty was to be T-rated in the United States – suitable for ages 13 and up, with violence but little blood. Nonetheless, Infinity Ward wanted to ramp up the grittiness and intensity. "We had aiming down the sight and going prone, those sorts of things that were more tactical," Brad says. "A lot of the guys were playing Counter- Strike and they liked all those aspects of the shooting and the realism." Players of the first Call Of Duty demo were in awe when, during a nighttime assault on the French village of Sainte-Mère- Église, the impact of a nearby mortar shell would flatten their character prone, the impact ringing in their ears. 

"There was a lot of cool attention to detail that was put into that," Brad says. "We wanted it to feel like the player was the person, and the immersion was the thing. And it didn't have to be a name that went with a character that you were playing. It was really the idea of getting a feel for what it would be like to be in that situation." Brad was one of five artists on a team that ultimately totalled 26. "And a lot of people wore a lot of different hats," he says. "That was a good aspect of a small company. You're able to play with whatever you can." During one memorable mission, the player crosses the Volga river into Stalingrad with a group of Red Army conscripts – and watches in horror as a boat of friendlies is struck by German artillery. Brad got to animate the ship as it sank into the depths. 

"I had our lead animator holding my hand and going, 'Try this, we're going to make this a little more extreme,'" he says. "It was a learning experience. Everybody was free to contribute." And if an idea didn't work out, nobody got into trouble. "That added to the game being as good as it was, because everybody was heard and everybody got excited about throwing out an idea," Brad says. "Maybe it would stick, or somebody might be able to help make it better." The Stalingrad level was heavily influenced by Enemy At The Gates, the 2001 Jude Law movie that follows two rival snipers over a long winter of battle. In one harrowing moment, the player is handed ammo rather than a gun – and commanded to pick up the rifle of a fellow soldier once he is killed. It's a scene pulled directly from the film. 

"Level designer Steve Fukuda had Saving Private Ryan running on another screen continually during the whole game, pretty much," Robert says. "Actually, there was talk that Activision wanted to make a Band Of Brothers series. But then they'd have to pay licensing. I don't think it would've been the best decision." The team was hungry for any new piece of cinema that featured the Second World War. "That helped us with setting things apart visually," Brad says. "Luckily there was a nice wealth of really strong cinematography. Having that goal of making things feel cinematic and real and heavy led the way for the look of the three campaigns." Research tools were worth their weight in gold. 

"Whatever books we could find," Brad says. "Whatever things we could find on the internet. For the second COD, we sent a bunch of guys to different places for photo reference. But for the first one it was all about Google." Infinity Ward bought model kits, and visited tank and aircraft museums on photo safaris. "When you didn't have a whole lot of access, you worked with what was close by, and luckily in Southern California there's a plethora of places that have all these artefacts and equipment from back in the day," Brad says. "Even if it's not in the best condition, all of that wear and tear adds to the flavour. You don't want everything to look perfect, even though probably at the time it was brand-new. If you throw a little dirt and rust on it in the game, it just looks cool." Legendary military consultant Dale Dye returned, having worked with the team on Medal Of Honor. But the artists most valued their time with re-enactors, who would allow their gear to be photographed, "We were always trying to be as accurate as we could." 

Call Of Duty sold the idea that, rather than a catchphrase-ready commando, you were just one face in a crowd of desperate fighters. Robert worked on the AI, ensuring that each soldier could navigate the rubble and get to their intended destination, "If you've ever seen an AI clip through a wall in Call Of Duty, that's using the fail-safe that Jason said we definitely had to have," he says. "He said, 'No matter what, they have to get from point A to point B.' If the AI doesn't get there, the level's broken, it's not going to continue. If they were really getting in trouble, getting caught on something, I would just noclip them wherever they're trying to go." In some of the larger battles, Infinity Ward compromised on the intelligence of its troops, by having the more distant soldiers follow animated paths rather than using their heads. "When you get off the boat in Stalingrad and all the guys are running up, they're actually not AI," Robert says. Among the hundreds of soldiers who passed through Call Of Duty's campaign, one moustachioed individual stood out: Captain Price. 

"It's pretty crazy," Brad says. "He made it all the way to Modern Warfare. He's one of the key guys now, he was the guy that stuck. Everybody was meant to be, not throwaway, but they weren't supposed to be the heroes. Everybody was supposed to be a hero, so nobody was supposed to be the main badass." The "big crazy struggle" of the project came in the summer of 2003, the year Call Of Duty was to ship. That's when all of Infinity Ward upped sticks and moved from Oklahoma to California – into the LA building they would occupy until Modern Warfare 3. "We were more than just coworkers," Robert says. "And the fact that we all came from Tulsa, it's like this journey you're on." 

"We were packing up all our stuff, figuring out where we were gonna live, and had to hit the ground running and make this game," Brad says. "It didn't really seem to affect us as much as we thought it was going to, because everybody was nose to the grindstone. We were all there as many hours as we could be." There were no demands that staff show up on the weekends. "But a lot of people were, because that was the mentality," Brad says. "As a new company trying to prove ourselves, everybody was super focussed on making our first game really good. Or else we wouldn't get to make another game. There were a lot of unspoken stresses." 

Los Angeles was chosen partly because it was near Activision HQ, and would allow studio leaders easy access to the producers managing the game. But as far as Robert was concerned, Infinity Ward felt like an independent company, with an independent culture. "You wouldn't get the sense that you were working at Activision," he says. "We were insulated from disputes over what was going to happen on the game. That would be Vince and Jason talking with Activision behind closed doors, and we'd be shielded."

Monster hunter

To the publisher's credit, it often gave the team space to do their best work. "We weren't getting executives going, 'We want you to put this or that in the game,'" Robert says. "We weren't doing corporate dictates, we were just channelling what we thought was best for the player." The team at Infinity Ward was already proven, thanks to its work on Medal Of Honor. But they were intimidated by EA's series, the monster they'd helped create – not knowing if fans would stick with the name they knew or recognise the pedigree of the team behind Allied Assault. "EA had crazy awesome marketing at the time for Medal Of Honor," Brad says. "So we would see their commercials coming out, beautiful movie trailer-type things with live action. And we were like, 'Oh, man, that looks so good.'" As Robert remembers it, the team had been in competition with others for as long as it had existed. "On Allied Assault, we were trying to outdo the console Medal Of Honor," he says. "For Call Of Duty, we were going against EA's Allied Assault expansion, Spearhead. It's like a bogeyman." Robert compares the process of pulling Call Of Duty together to being in a Quake clan. 

"Obviously things can go wrong and you start shouting at each other," he says. "And designers are trying to outdo each other with the cool scenes. But you've all got the sense of being on a team working together, pushing each other: 'I'll control that area, you control this.'" The push to the end was frantic and exciting. "And then you're just waiting for the reviews to come out," Robert says. "That was the first shot of drugs in the vein." Call Of Duty was hailed as a masterpiece, with scores over 90%. "We were just happy that it was well received," Brad says. 

The day after launch, Activision acquired Infinity Ward. For a few million dollars, the publisher bagged the studio behind the franchise that has since made it unstoppable. In 2020 alone, Call Of Duty made Activision over $3 billion. "They got us for a song," Brad says. "That was a super good business decision." In 2004, when EA finally did release its answer to Call Of Duty "it really wasn't competitive". "We were worried about them because we saw their trailer and they had really cool rendering stuff," Robert says. "But once Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault came out it was like, 'OK, these guys aren't our competition.' They didn't have their act together." By then, Infinity Ward was already turning its attention toward Bungie, which inspired West and the team to drop medikits in favour of regenerating health for Call Of Duty 2. "It was obviously based on Halo, because they had their shields," Robert says. "You don't want the game to become this treasure hunt for health packs. You want it to be more about the experience of playing than worrying about your last little bit of health." 

The shift reflected a growing concern with approachability. If an Infinity Ward designer was right-handed, they were told to test their level using their left, so that their aim would match that of an unseasoned player. "We were trying to get maximum sales," Robert says. "You're obviously not trying to do a garbage game, but we really were focussing on getting in as many people as possible. We'd get the receptionist doing playtesting, people who hadn't played games before. Each level designer would have to watch the person play their level without any help, and if they were stuck in some spots, the designer would have to try to fix that." 

Approachability may have prepared Call Of Duty for the big time, but the switch from a historical backdrop to the modern day sealed the deal. "Our designers wanted to push for a new setting, because we were burnt out," Brad says. "As a company, we had made three World War II games, including Medal Of Honor. And so we were like, 'Can we change this up? We've been making World War II longer than World War II lasted.'" There was pushback from Activision, who didn't see many successful shooters on the market with contemporary settings, "They really didn't want us to make Modern Warfare." 

Brad doesn't know what changed the publisher's mind, but the launch of Modern Warfare marked Infinity Ward's ascension to the very peak of pop culture. Call Of Duty became a water-cooler game, its campaign twists discussed on lunch breaks in schools and offices. It secured the future of the series for many more years to come. "We weren't expecting it," Brad says. "We knew that it was fun, especially the multiplayer – we would stick around late at night and play. But the success of that was ridiculous. It was a cool and fortunate experience – not all companies get to stick together that long."

This feature originally appeared in Retro Gamer magazine. For more fantastic in-depth features, interviews, and more on classic games, subscribe to Retro Gamer or pick up a single issue today. 

Rockstar Games has always had plenty to say. The Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption developer captures a moment in time through multiple projects by not just providing recognizable visual and audible cultural references defining the era a game is set in, but also biting satire of real-world political, economic, and social issues that remain timeless. 

With the official reveal of the next Grand Theft Auto game, then, the question lingers over what Rockstar plans to parody next. The GTA 6 trailer all but confirms we’re heading back to Miami, Florida, which may be familiar to you if you’ve played GTA: Vice City. This time, though, we’re ditching the sleazy glam of the 80s for something more modern. 

As plenty of people who have been picking through the trailer can tell you, the city of Leonida has already seen plenty of obscene moments that play out like a greatest hits collection of the weird and wonderful things that Florida natives see on the regular – whatever Rockstar’s version of TikTok culture looks like will have lots to say, no doubt. 

The real-life references of GTA 6’s trailer remind us of a little game that may help us further get a feel for the sort of world that Rockstar plans to parody. If you’re curious about the other kind of shenanigans that happen in Florida, all you need to do is Google your birthday alongside the phrase ‘Florida man.’ We’ve done it ourselves and if it tells us anything, Rockstar couldn’t have picked a better well - or person - to draw inspiration from. 

All of the above could speak to some of the antics that Leonida's locals get up to, though we'd like to think it would make for one truly chaotic GTA 6 NPC. With news surely set to ramp ahead as the 2025 window approaches, though, we don't have long to wait and find out.

I'm going to play GTA 6 as I've played all the other GTA games over the past 20 years, as a law-abiding citizen.

Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us were the top-searched games of 2023, with Starfield, Baldur's Gate 3, and Diablo 4 following shortly after. 

Google has shared its trending searches for the year and we're not that surprised which games made its top 10 list. Alongside topics like people, actors, movies, TV shows, musicians, songs, and more, Google has shared the top game terms people searched for in 2023. Unsurprisingly, magical RPG Hogwarts Legacy took the top spot, shortly followed by The Last of Us, and other big hitters of the year. 

If you look at the trends provided by Google, we can see that interest around Hogwarts Legacy peaked in early February - which makes a lot of sense since the game was initially released for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X on February 10, 2023. Other versions of the game, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, were also released throughout the year, which could've also driven searches well beyond February. Hogwarts Legacy's successful launch as well as the Hogwarts Legacy controversy could have also driven interest.

The second-highest game to land on the top-searched games list is The Last of Us. Since the highest topic in the TV category is The Last of Us TV series, I'm not surprised by the game's new-found popularity at all. Plus, in case you forgot, we also found out about the The Last of Us Part 2 remastered - which was announced last month and is set to release in January 2024. All in all, it's been a busy year for Naughty Dog and its fans. 

Other noticeable games in the top 10 include Bethesda's highly anticipated release, Starfield (number five), Baldur's Gate 3 (number six) - which is the least surprising of all considering it won not only Ultimate Game of the Year at The Golden Joystick Awards but also GOTY at The Game Awards 2023 - Suika Game (number seven) which took Vtubers by storm in October, and Diablo 4 (number eight), and Sons of the Forest (number 10).  

Surprisingly, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom didn't manage to make the list at all.

It's certainly been a big year for games, find out what the future holds with our new games 2023 list. 

I was lying in bed a few nights ago when it came to me. Totally out of the blue, the words Sword of Vermillion appeared plastered in my mind's eye like a billposter for a Christmas pantomime starring an unlikely cast of long-forgotten TV personalities. Sword of Vermillion, my goodness, it's been a while. I first played the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis if you're reading this Stateside) role-playing game in late 1992, and, even at just six-and-a-bit years old, was blown away by how sophisticated it felt. Against the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, ToeJam & Earl, Golden Axe, and the various other start here-finish-there 16-bit side-scrollers of the day, it felt like there was just so much to see and do in this world.

At the time, Sega certainly thought so – ambitiously marketing its in-house RPG as a 300-hour experience. Even the blurb on the back of the game's case promised "hundreds of hours of adventure gameplay!" And while I've no idea how many hours I personally sank into the game almost three full decades ago, I do know it must have cost my dad a small fortune in rental fees, with me borrowing it from our local Blockbuster Video for two days every week for well over a year.

Since then, I've spent hours of my life absentmindedly searching Google, old forums and social media in a desperate bid to remember the name of my long lost console love from all those years ago, but have always come up short. I can't explain how the mind works, or why my brain decided to remind me without warning the other day, but it did. And now I'm replaying Sword of Vermillion on PC via Steam, and it's as if I've torn a hole in the space-time continuum.

Alone in the dark

"Your father is in his grave," says the chambermaid who presided over my dad's deathbed moments ago. I'd only nipped out to the shop to grab some green herbs, and suddenly not only has my old man shuffled off this mortal coil, he's been carted down to the cemetery and planted six-feet under without so much as a goodbye. What the actual fuck, I think to myself, as I study the egregious eight-option menu that appears before every single interaction, all the while pondering if selecting Talk, Magic, Equip or Take will make anything here make sense. 

It rarely does. And as one of the first-ever RPGs to feature on Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis console, it's now my understanding that certain facets of the old school role-playing scene reckon Sword of Vermillion has long punched above its weight. First launched in Japan in 1989, North America the following year, and in Europe the year after that again, Sword of Vermillion was developed by Sega AM2 – the team led by Yu Suzuki and collectively responsible for Out Run, Hang-On, and in later years, Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racer and the Shenmue games.  

Let's be clear: the 300-hour assertion is unquestionably bullshit (it's probably closer to 20); but the game's awkward design choices definitely broaden the scope for getting lost, therefore inadvertently piling extra time onto the clock. I'm not here to shit on an RPG that's old enough to drive two times over, but I will say it's easier to spot its flaws when playing as an adult who went on to thrive in Suikoden, Alundra, and Chrono Trigger – the latter of which, of course, was powered by hardware of similar stature. 

Towns and villages in Sword of Vermillion are a delight, to be fair, littered with genre-staple locales in the shape of inns, item shops, and weapon and armor stores. Whimsical NPCs fill the thoroughfares, many of which boast dynamic, reactive dialogue tied to whatever major event has most recently unfolded. It's when you step beyond the boundaries  of the burgs and boroughs, however, that things begin to go awry. The game's open world UI, for example, looks like this:

On the left is a first-person Doom-like screen wherein you move towards out-of-sight goals that are rarely easy to find. On the right, I, well, don't really know what's going on there. It's supposed to be some sort of to-scale articulation of your location and direction at any given time (I think), but it's far more confusing than it is helpful. Especially when you stumble into dungeons without a torch and are met with this:

While fumbling around in the dark in those instances, you'll invariably trigger the game's random battles, which transport you into beat 'em up-esque arenas where the quickest path to success is hammering attack and slashing everything that dares breach your personal space. Often, that's hostile and indistinguishable Dragon Quest-aping blobs. 

Despite all of this, six-and-a-half-year-old me did not care. I fucking loved every single minute of it. In 1992, my experience of sprawling role-playing games was clearly limited, but I was so taken with chatting to every single idle civilian walking the same four squares forward and four square back; I was obsessed with trying to find something in the opaque open world; and I loved battering A, B and/or C while chopping down scores of faceless baddies. 

It's no surprise, then, that the RPG genre quickly became my favorite in my formative years. Sword of Vermillion was my first taste, paving the way for the aforementioned Suikoden, Alundra and Chrono Trigger; as well as Suikoden 2, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 9, Final Fantasy 10, Xenogears, Legend of Dragoon, and Breath of Fire 3, all in the space of the next 10 years. I might have discovered these games over the course of time anyway, but my affinity for RPGs started with Sword of Vermillion, and for that I'm grateful. 

Taking Sword of Vermillion for a spin in 2023 for less than a dollar (£0.79 / $0.99 cents) has let me live it all over again, warts and all, for a lot less money than it cost me (my dad) the first time around. Blockbuster Video is no longer with us, despite my best efforts in the early '90s, but I'm delighted to reunite with the long lost favorite that for me started it all. The first cut is the deepest, so sings Cat Stevens, and with my latest discovery I'm happy to let that wound finally heal. 

Live out your wildest medieval/steampunk/cyberpunk/insert favorite sub-genre power fantasies with the best RPGs 

You'll notice Dead Island 2 Skope devices early in your adventure. Especially if you're taking the time to search each area, as there's one in a downstairs room of the first mansion you pass through. Once you notice them you'll start seeing them everywhere but never find any explanation of what they actually do in Dead Island 2. The "server offline" caption appearing against them suggests they might be linked to Dead Island 2 multiplayer, but that isn't the case as they're entirely unrelated. To avoid confusion, here are the details on what this system is and how to get the Skope server online in Dead Island 2.

What is Skope in Dead Island 2?

Skope in Dead Island 2 is basically the equivalent of an Amazon Echo or Google Nest - a smart speaker that your character can talk with to receive useful and interesting information. That's the only function it has, so you don't need to pay it any attention during the earlier stages of your adventure. In fact, the Skope server only comes online in Dead Island 2 when you reach the last few main story quests. However, if you want to know how then there's a full explanation below.

*** Dead Island 2 story spoilers beyond this point! ***

How to get the Skope server online in Dead Island 2

To get the Skope server online in Dead Island 2, you need to start The Search For Truth story mission from the Serling Hotel in Ocean Avenue. This will have you looking for Tisha, and once you track her down she'll have instructions on how to contact Konradt using Skope at the OSK store.

When you get there the Skope server is still offline so you have to turn it back on, but the server room is locked and you need one of the many Dead Island 2 keys to get in there. Check the Staff Notice: GTFO note on the counter by the coffee machines, and you'll learn that Henry was last seen taking out the trash. AS a result you'll find him in the alleyway around the back of the building. 

Take Henry out and take his OSK Server Room Keycard, then deal with any other zombies in the alleyway before heading back inside. Enter the server room next to the back door using the keycard, and pull the lever at the far end to restore power before hitting the switch on the rack to get the Skope servers online in Dead Island 2. There are still a few more steps left at this point to complete the quest, but once that's done you can interact with any Skope units you find, and the first time you use each individual device you'll receive a new journal entry to add to your collectibles.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Fortnite Postparty integration is now here, allowing you to quickly capture 30 second clips of your battle royale skills and edit them before posting online. Whether its a particularly impressive elimination, a wild dirt bike stunt, or a clutch Victory Royale, once you've set up Postparty you just need to hold a button and your recent Fortnite gameplay will be transferred straight to your mobile, ready to share with the world. If you're keen to get social, then here's how to use Postparty in Fortnite to capture clips and upload them for all to see.

How to set up Fortnite Postparty

To set up Fortnite Postparty, you first need to download the mobile app to your phone, which is available from the App Store for iOS, the Google Play Store on Android, or via the Epic Games App on Samsung Galaxy. Once the app is installed, open it and sign in using the Epic Games account details you play Fortnite with, then confirm that the linked platform account(s) shown in the app match up correctly with your details. You can then head back to Fortnite, where Postparty integration will have been enabled automatically.

How to use Fortnite Postparty to create and share clips

Once you're in a match, you can hold the Fortnite Postparty capture button or key for your platform to save the previous 30 seconds of gameplay, which will show a "Clip Captured" notification. These are the default Postparty capture buttons, though this can be remapped in the control settings:

• PlayStation controllers: Options button
• Xbox controllers: Menu button
• Nintendo Switch controllers: + button
• Keyboard: Esc key

You'll be prompted to save a clip whenever you get an elimination, though you can hold the appropriate button to save a recording at any time. Clips will be automatically uploaded to the app, though it could take up to five minutes for them to appear after processing. You can then view the clip through the app, trim the start and end point, before posting it directly to various social media sites or saving it to your phone for your own sharing later.

How to turn off Postparty notifications in Fortnite

Having that Fortnite Postparty notification pop up and remind you that you can "Hold to clip now" can be useful at first, but seeing it every time you get an elimination may become annoying after a while. Thankfully it's easy to get rid of if you no longer want it, and all you need to do is open the Settings, select the Account and Privacy tab, then switch the Clipping Reminders option to Off. You can also turn off the Postparty recording itself from this same menu, if you're finding that it's causing performance issues with your hardware.

What are the Fortnite Postparty rewards

Once you've set up your Fortnite Postparty link and shared your first clip from the Postparty app, you'll also receive several in-game rewards for your locker:

• Post That! wrap
• Postparty Confetti spray

These should appear next time you return to the Lobby screen, but if you're not seeing them then simply reload Fortnite and they will pop up when you log in.

Clearly courting high-end gamers, the A90K is a small (ish) 4K OLED model that works brilliantly as a gaming TV, every day 4K TV, and even a near-field gaming monitor. The set on our test bench is a 42-incher, but a 48-inch version of the A90K is also available.

And while it may be titchy, the A90K is a Tardis when it comes to technology. A direct challenger to the popular LG C2 OLED range, the A90K utilises Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR, and is able to prioritise those elements of an image the human eye naturally focuses on. It also features Acoustic Surface Audio+, which uses panel-vibrating actuators behind the screen for crisp audio, and runs the latest Google TV smart platform.

Has the time come to think small when it comes to upgrading your TV?

Features & Design

Compact but not lightweight, the A90K tips the scales at 29.3lb/13.3kg, and measures 2.2"/5.7cm from glass to heavily patterned back panel.

The screen sits on a lozenge-shaped 2-way aluminum pedestal, which makes the set’s overall footprint 8.9"/22.5cm deep. This is significant if you’re planning to use it as a large monitor in your gaming setup.

There are four HDMI inputs, of which two (HDMI 3 and 4) are v2.1 enabled and capable of 4K 120fps playback - putting it in line to be a superb small-scale candidate for our best 120Hz 4K TV  guide. These inputs also support VRR (Variable Refresh rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). There’s eARC on HDMI 3, too, though, which limits your 4K 120fps options a little frustratingly. Another minor niggle is that there’s also no support for the HGiG standard.

If you’re planning to employ a gaming soundbar or gaming sound system with the screen, or use it as a gaming display and need to raise it to meet your eye line, there are two extenders in the box that lift the panel up from where it would normally sit flush to the pedestal.

Other connections include two USBs, a digital optical audio output, and Ethernet to support the wireless Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. The Bluetooth connection can be used to pair compatible Sony wireless headphones, including its WH-1000XMx over-ears and WF-1000XMx in-ears.

The screen has both terrestrial and satellite tuners. In the UK terrestrial catch-up is covered by YouView, rather than Freeview Play, but all the mainstream on-demand services are available.

The A90K ships with two remote controls: a standard IR zapper and a simplified, premium wand with backlighting. Only the premium remote comes with shortcut buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Bravia Core - Sony’s own Bravia-specific high-bitrate movie streaming service.

The A90K is built around the Google TV smart interface. Consider this a more streamlined variation of the more familiar Android platform, albeit with equally broad streaming app support. You’ll find all the good stuff here, including AppleTV+, Disney+, and Prime Video. The A90K has Chromecast built-in, along with Apple AirPlay and Homekit compatibility too. There’s a microphone built-in for voice interaction, but if that’s not your thing, it can be disabled with a physical switch.

Setup is governed by the Google Home app. Follow the prompts and it’ll pair with the TV, sign the set into your Google account and sync any apps required. You can then use the app to tune channels, and partner any connected gizmos, be they consoles, media sticks or set-top boxes.

Performance

We love the picture quality of the A90K. This diminutive display punches well above its weight in terms of depth and detail. Images are blisteringly sharp, yet naturalistic, with richly saturated colours. The wide gamut XR Triluminos Pro panel does a superb job depicting bright primaries.

Much of the screen’s clarity and subjective depth is down to that clever Cognitive processor. Designed to mimic how our eyes naturally focus, the processor divides the screen into various zones and then detects where the correct ‘focal point’ is in the picture. Thanks to oodles of processing muscle, it can cross-analyse an array of elements at once, adjusting each in synchronisation. The pixel density of this smaller screen also aids when it comes to upscaling: sub 4K sources still have clarity and pop.

Dynamic contrast is first class. The screen boasts Sony’s advanced XR OLED Contrast Pro technology, which involves the Cognitive processor, light sensor, and heat mapping techniques. The resulting HDR performance is excellent and the dynamics are first-rate. We measured peak HDR around 700 nits using a 5 percent window (a little under using the Standard preset, and a little over with the Vivid image preset). With a larger 10 percent HDR patch, peak HDR brightness registers around 600 nits (with the same preset variances). 

The A90K features the usual selection of picture modes: Standard, Cinema, Game, Graphics, Photo, Custom, and Vivid. For general viewing, Standard works well enough, although Vivid pushes the panel in a surprisingly agreeable way. There is a time-saving Auto Picture mode, but this only works for the HDMI input and not a terrestrial tuner.

The TV supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, which is reflected in apps such as Netflix. When viewing Dolby Vision content, the picture modes default to Vivid, Dolby vision Bright, and Dolby Vision Dark. We found Dolby Vision Bright the best all-round option; punchy but still cinematic.

The A90K is, as you might expect, a great match for the PlayStation 5, and a brilliant TV for PS5 or Xbox Series X more generally. Plug in Sony's latest console and it quickly recognises that it’s hooked up to the A90K (and vice versa), employing Auto HDR Tone Mapping to optimise image quality. It also supports Auto Genre Picture mode selection.

The candy hues of Overwatch are gaming catnip -you can’t help but become addicted. Fast-moving images are delivered with buttery smoothness and the set’s 4K 120Hz performance is sublime. Latency is fair, but could be better: we measured input lag at 17ms (1080/60) with Game mode selected.

Sonically, things aren’t quite so clear-cut. We’ve enjoyed Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio system on larger OLED TVs for several seasons now, but this implementation has obvious limitations. On the plus side, dialogue intelligibility is excellent. This set sounds at its best with talky dramas and studio fare. Those glass vibrating actuators are great for detail, and the forward-facing presentation helps too. However, despite the presence of a dedicated rear-firing woofer, the screen is very bass-light, which can make for a tinny, shrill performance. It also sounds horribly jumbled when there’s a lot going on. Overwatch is just a cacophony of noise, and gun sounds are disappointingly hollow.

Overall - should you buy the Sony A90K?

The A90K carries a hefty price premium - MSRPs are between $1,299 and $1,399 in the US, and RRPs are between £1,299 and £1,399 - but we reckon it’s more polished than a newly minted Sovereign.

If you’re looking to upgrade your desktop monitor, this 42-inch OLED makes a mighty fine display. HDR is impactful and the level of fine detail in its imagery stands up to close scrutiny. It’s also, predictably, a fantastic TV when available space or design mandates something less than monstrous in the living room. If you’re looking to upgrade your desktop monitor, this 42-inch OLED makes a mighty fine display. HDR is impactful and the level of fine detail in its imagery stands up to close scrutiny. It’s also, predictably, a fantastic TV when available space or design mandates something less than monstrous in the living room. 

Long story short: the Sony A90K is an outstanding small-screen OLED TV with an excellent 4K HDR performance. Fine detail, shadow gradations, and colour depth all impress. The Google TV smart platform offers a streamlined viewing experience, putting content curation centre stage. You’ll not easily miss the things you want to watch.

The set’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ has limitations though. We would certainly be looking to partner the TV with external sound, be it a gaming headset or PS5 headset for gaming, or a soundbar for general viewing. The provision of just two HDMI 2.1 inputs is also worth a grumble. At this price point, we’d expect every orifice to be capable of 4k 120fps and VRR, and while the set’s input lag is good, it's not class-leading. That said, all in, bingeing boxsets and gaming on this screen is a visual joy.

How we tested the Sony A90K

A screen as compact as this demands that you get up close and personal, which is exactly what we did. We examined 4K TV content at close quarters and used the panel as a near-field gaming display. The set was used in both bright and light-controlled environments. Content comprised the muted hues of contemporary thrillers (The Recruit, Netflix) and more livid fantasy fare (Alice in Borderland, Netflix), while gameplay was assessed primarily with Overwatch and Call of Duty Warzone.

HDR performance was measured using industry-standard test patches at both 5 and 10 percent sizes. The Google TV smart platform was checked for smart app availability and catch-up TV provision. 

You can read more about how we test gaming TVs at GamesRadar+ in our dedicated article, or for more on our approach to all gaming tech, check out our full GamesRadar Hardware Policy.

On the hunt for more TV options? Check out our guides to the best 8K TV for gaming and best QLED TVs and ensure you've got one of the best HDMI cables for gaming on PS5 or whatever platform you're on too.

Google has plans to help Stadia players unlock their Stadia controllers and make them compatible with other Bluetooth devices.

Whilst the megacorp stopped short of detailing how it will do this, Google did say that a "self-service tool" will release next week "to enable Bluetooth connections on your Stadia controller".

"We've also got Bluetooth news: next week, we'll be releasing a self-serve tool to enable Bluetooth connections on your Stadia Controller," the official Stadia Twitter account teased. "We'll share details here on release."

This will be welcomed news indeed for Stadia users, who were probably wondering what on earth to do with their controllers, as right now, they can only be paired with Stadia and nothing else.

However, if you're hoping Google may make this tool open source, I have bad news; several people have already asked, and Google's position is that it doesn't "have any details to share about the Stadia Controller's Bluetooth capability being open source".

Google says more news about the tool will follow next week, so watch this space - we'll keep you posted, as always. 

ICYMI, Google has released one last game on Stadia just days before the service's pending January 18 shutdown - and it's one of the first titles ever developed for the platform. 

Google describes Worm Game as a simple arcade game apparently equipped for single-player as well as online multiplayer. You can play it right now on Stadia, although you probably shouldn't wait too long as Worm Game - along with the rest of your Stadia library - will go dark when Stadia permanently shutters on January 18.

"Play the game that came to Stadia before Stadia came to the world," Google says on its store page. 

"Worm Game is a humble title we used to test many of Stadia’s features, starting well before our 2019 public launch, right through 2022. It won’t win Game of the Year, but the Stadia team spent a LOT of time playing it, and we thought we’d share it with you. Thanks for playing, and for everything." 

With Stadia shutting down on January 18, here's what you need to know about Google Stadia refunds, game access, and more.

Keep up to date with all the best games set to launch next year with our guide to new games 2023. 

Google has released one last game on Stadia just days before the service's pending January 18 shutdown, and it's one of the first titles ever developed for the platform. 

Worm Game, a simple arcade game apparently equipped for single player as well as online multiplayer, is now available to try on Stadia, though obviously you only have a few days to play it. Despite being the last game to come to the dying platform, Worm Game actually predates Google Stadia entirely, and was even formative to its release. 

"Play the game that came to Stadia before Stadia came to the world," Google says on its store page. "Worm Game is a humble title we used to test many of Stadia’s features, starting well before our 2019 public launch, right through 2022. It won’t win Game of the Year, but the Stadia team spent a LOT of time playing it, and we thought we’d share it with you. Thanks for playing, and for everything." 

It's ironic to think that the last title to hit the platform is technically a first-party game, given that a lack of exclusive hits, as well as unique games that really leverage its cloud tech, was a big part of what hurt Stadia. In February 2021, Google closed studios working on first-party Stadia exclusives, and the service has been circling the drain ever since (and arguably was even before that point, to be fair).

Stadia fans and developers have been mourning its imminent shutdown (and fleeing the sinking ship via lifeboat) for some time. Despite its struggles, Stadia did find a small audience that played and enjoyed the heck out of it, and they're having a hard time letting go. 

Just this week, Destiny 2 players captured the MMO's final moments on Stadia. 

Destiny 2 players have captured the MMO's last moments on Google Stadia, archiving them online for all who're curious to see.

As Turqeee spells out on Reddit, many players turned up for the last hoorah; some just hung out in the Tower to soak in the loot-'em-up’s final moments, whereas others held dance parties in Zavala’s office. Elsewhere, you had people jump into the Crucible to get one last match in before the so-called Second Collapse. 

The way it all ends is somewhat eerie – as we see from one clip, a player hangs around the tower before functionality starts to wane as they get kicked to the loading screen with an error message on display. 

Bungie has since confirmed on Twitter that service has drawn to a close and that players have until January 18 to set up a cross save to keep their characters.

Beyond Destiny 2, other Stadia fans have been gathering online to pour one out for the streaming-based platform ahead of its closure on January 18 – or January 19 for those in the UK. There are a few messages on display, but many praise the platform for its video creation capabilities. 

"500 videos created, and this chapter of content is coming to an end," one fan said. "While it wasn't for everyone, I loved playing on Stadia. Thank you to everyone who made this platform a reality, and to those who championed for the Stadia community behind the scenes."

Google initially revealed it was shutting Stadia down last September as it hadn't "gained the traction with users" that the company had hoped for. After confirming the day that services would close, Google also revealed that all customers who bought software and hardware through the store would be refunded.

It's set to be a colossal year, so check out our list of new games 2023 for the full rundown and the release date of Destiny 2 Lightfall. 

The final Assassin's Creed Valhalla update has launched a week ahead of schedule due to "an unforeseen glitch in the Aminus," Ubisoft has announced.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla title update 1.6.2, which was originally scheduled to go live on December 6, is available to download now on all platforms. The big update puts a bow on Eivor's story "as she meets with old friends and foes," introduces a number of bug fixes, and adds an option to keep your Assassin hood permanently on whether you're in battle or sneaking through a field. On that last feature, Ubisoft has confirmed that it won't affect anything stat-wise; it's just purely cosmetic.

Ubisoft says update 1.6.2 weighs in at 13 GB and 15.1 GB on Xbox One and Xbox Series X, respectively, while on PS4 and PS5 it's only 1.46 GB and 1.82 GB. PC players can expect a similarly sized update to Xbox at 13.19 GB.

Today's update will also be the last to hit the Stadia version of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Ubisoft says the game will stay on the service until the servers go down on January 18. "We are working on bringing the games you own on Stadia to PC through Ubisoft Connect. Stay tuned for details on timing."

In a tweet announcing today's news, Ubisoft also teased "additional surprises we have before 2022 comes to an end." It's unclear what the studio's referring to here, but there's a good chance it pertains to the many upcoming Assassin's Creed games.

Here's how we ranked the best Assassin's Creed games released thus far.

The best gaming phones completely revolutionize your app library. Offering up seriously powerful processors, plenty of RAM and high quality, high refresh rate displays, these devices can push your favorite thumb tappers far further. With the rise of Xbox Cloud gaming services, smaller screens are becoming even bigger business, which means there are plenty of gaming phones out there for the Play Store power-user to choose from.

That makes it difficult to work out exactly what you need from your smartphone, and how much you need to pay for a gaming-specific device. Thankfully, as gaming phones develop, we're seeing prices on the biggest and best falling slightly down the scale. That means there's now options for all budgets, and we're rounding up our favorites right here.

Our team of experts is on hand to point out the best gaming phones currently gracing the market, not to mention the best prices. We've drawn on our own hands-on experience with the latest and greatest releases to ensure you're getting an overview of the whole space before making that critical decision. Of course, you're not going to get the performance of a gaming laptop, or even the best gaming tablets, here - but for a pocket-sized thumb twitcher, these are the models we'd recommend.

The quick list

Today's best gaming phone deals

March 2 - The Samsung Galaxy S26 series has made it out of the notes app and into the world of pre-orders, which means the brand's latest Android juggernaut is only a couple of weeks away. While we wait, this page has been price checked and updated with new discounts and offers.

The best gaming phone overall

The RedMagic 11 Pro has overtaken the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro to become the best gaming phone on the market right now. That's largely because it actually is on the market - Asus's competitor has been difficult to find ever since the brand announced it was pausing its mobile gaming wing.

That's not to say the RedMagic 11 Pro is a sacrifice. It's as powerful a gaming phone as you'll need right now, and its starting price is cheaper than its historic competitors.

That's enough to send it straight away, but there are more goodies under the hood. For one, that elegant liquid cooling display on the back provides a slick aesthetic addition while keeping the entire system running smoothly. That's nestled in a slightly more industrial design than we've seen from previous RedMagic entries over the last few years. It's slightly chunkier, but with an aluminum construction and a solid rear panel everything feels solid in the hands.

That display expands right to the very edges of the main face, with a gorgeously vibrant effect. While its 144Hz refresh rate drops a little speed compared to Asus's last releases, very few games will actually even manage to push those numbers. Value is on RedMagic's side here, and with colors this strong and this kind of sharpness it's still a high-end panel.

Of course, its cameras can't compete with flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra - but those searching for a dedicated device are likely already aware of that. Instead, this is the best gaming phone for Play Store, streaming, and emulation power users.

Read more: RedMagic 11 Pro review

The best value gaming phone

The RedMagic 11 Air isn't going to come for the Pro's overall performance, but it certainly holds its own at the $500 price point. This is the epitome of putting your cash in the right places, sacrificing a few nice-to-haves to get class-leading power and excellent quality of life upgrades compared to budget-minded handsets.

The RedMagic 11 Air launched at a slightly lower MSRP than the RedMagic 10 Air before it. It's also about $200 cheaper than the Pro day to day. Considering I only recorded a 14% drop in performance (you're spending 30% less on the handset itself), that's a seriously impressive value proposition.

This thinner, slightly lighter, device makes some sacrifices compared to its sibling. There's no wireless charging, you drop a significant amount of detail in the ultrawide camera, and your battery is dipped to a (still considerable) 7,000mAh cell. We've also jumped back to LPDDR5X RAM rather than the faster LPDDR5T memory in the Pro version.

It's still packing that eye-bleedingly vibrant AMOLED display, though - and managed to beat the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro in my 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme and Solar Bay stress tests.

There are benefits to slimming things down as well. In the hand, the Air feels just a little more manageable, especially if you've got a smaller wingspan to reach across that screen. At 8mm thin and 207g, it's just under a millimetre slimmer than the Pro, dropping 23g from the weight as well. On paper, it doesn't look like much but in practice it's noticeably easier to carry and manoeuvre.

That's a glowing report card as far as value is concerned. If you've got $500 to spend on one of the best gaming phones, this is where you should be looking.

Read more: RedMagic 11 Air review

The best mainstream flagship for gaming

Want a gaming phone but don't want to sacrifice the creature comforts of the latest and greatest mainstream releases? The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is your best bet. It's up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max - and both have their benefits. Both flagships are going to give you a pretty even experience but Android has a better base for emulation and its overclocked Snapdragon chipset can just about edge ahead of Apple in raw power. Apple will give you better battery efficiency and optimization in its Arcade ecosystem, though.

We called this a "jack-of-all-trades" device in our review. It's going to handle your Play Store, emulated, and streamed games better than any mainstream flagship on the market, while still packing class-leading AI features, a gorgeous display, and premium camera quality. That's a compelling package, but it comes at a cost.

With a $1,300 starting price, this is one for those who want it all, but it's not without its sacrifices. Unlike RedMagic's purpose-built models, there's a trade-off in battery life that made itself quite clear in our testing. The 5,000mAh battery size is already smaller than RedMagic and Apple does a better job of keeping that charge alive in its own flagships.

Our tester was able to get along just fine on an average day of streaming, social media, and messaging, but more power intensive tasks required a top up boost.

With an abundance of extra AI features, fantastic photography features (and results), and a super crisp 6.9-inch 3120 x 1440 LTPO AMOLED 2X face up top, this is a slick and smooth flagship for 2026. It's ahead of RedMagic in its picture quality overall, and in a completely different league when it comes to photography.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

The best budget gaming phone

Picking up a cheaper gaming phone doesn't mean limiting yourself to match-three puzzlers or going with an unknown brand. The Samsung Galaxy A15 costs a small fraction of its flashier siblings like the S25 or Note series, but this is still a great phone and a stone-cold bargain if you want to spend less, but get a phone that won't let you down.

Sure, it wasn't quite as smooth or detailed as your $1000/£1000 flagship phones, but at less than a third of the price, the A15 is way better than it should be.

As a day to day phone, the Samsung Galaxy A15 has a very good camera, with only the night pictures being prone to a loss of detail if there are too many artificial light sources.

No, it's not going to take on some of the 3D Mark scores of more premium options on this list. If you're after a budget smartphone that can still keep your thumbs busy with a solid screen and enough juice, though, it's well worth investigating.

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How we test gaming phones

Each handset that passes our pockets goes through a series of tests to see if it's worthy of being listed as one of the best gaming phones on the market. First and foremost, though, we live with these devices to see just how well their form factors, cameras, screens, and - crucially - battery lives hold up under every day use. That's why we adopt each model as our own throughout the testing period, putting each phone through its paces in both standard use and through heavy gaming sessions.

After that, we run each gaming phone through a series of titles to determine their performance as well as how much battery they consume. Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG, Magic The Gathering: Arena, and Fortnite (on Android) are our primary titles.

You can find out more about how we make our recommendations in our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

Also Tested

FAQ

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Now that you're kitted out, you'll find all the best iPhone games and the best Android games ranked. We're also rounding up all the best gaming earbuds available as well, and the best gaming handheld options if you crave something console-shaped.

Swathes of Red Dead Online players looking to transfer their saves from Google Stadia elsewhere stand to lose more than just time, with one rule potentially leaving some players facing a loss of up to $1 million in in-game currency. 

Last week, Rockstar Games confirmed that Stadia players would be able to transfer Red Dead Redemption 2 saves after one with 6,000 hours went viral as their time investment risked going up in smoke. The developer also revealed that only people who have played within 30 days of Stadia’s closure announcement will be to do that, though it’s only now coming to light how much players stand to lose because of that.

As highlighted by content creator ItsColourTV, one player will lose 1 million in-game bucks, 1.3k Gold Bars, and 662 ranks if things continue as they stand. The streamer also reports that they have received similar reports from other Stadia players, with some having racked up over 2,000 hours and 500 ranks. 

Players have also been discussing the rule on Stadia’s subreddit, with plenty voicing their frustrations over seeing vast amounts of playtime go up in smoke as real-life commitments have stopped them from playing regularly in the past months. 

At the time of writing, Rockstar has yet to reply to fans’ concerns. We have reached out for comment and will update this story with any new information.

Google initially shared that Stadia was shutting down in September, further explaining in a blog post that the streaming service “hasn’t gained the traction with users” that they expected. The service will stay live until January 18, 2023, and refunds are now being offered to all customers who bought software and hardware through the Google store.

Following the news, players of several major games like Destiny 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 alongside Red Dead Redemption 2 scrambled to discover whether or not they’d be able to transfer saves, though the kinks are still being worked out.

If you want to read more, check out our interview with ItsColourTV, who says it was "heartbreaking" to see Rockstar abandon Red Dead Online.

ItsColourTV, the Red Dead Redemption 2 fan who begged Rockstar for a way to transfer his 6,000-hour Red Dead Online character off Google Stadia before its pending shutdown, is back from the brink. 

Rockstar recently reached out to him with a lifeline. The studio announced that character progress including RDO$, gold bars, XP and Role XP, and Role Tokens can be transferred from Stadia to another account on PC, Xbox One, or PS4 (with forward compatibility on new-gen consoles). 

It isn't a perfect fix. A non-trivial amount of unlocks including exclusive items will still be lost. But it's a thousand times better than losing 6,000 hours of progress to the black hole of the cloud. And with that in mind, Colour's already made a new account to prepare.

"I have started a new character on PS5," Colour tells GamesRadar. He's also considering Xbox since "that's where most of my friends from Stadia RDO are moving to." But he's understandably steering clear of PC "due to the hackers and modmenu users."

"I am still in touch with many of my friends from the groups I played with on RDO Stadia," he says. "Many of my community members are also players on Stadia." 

"Stadia's convenience and technology was what made me curious to try it," he says, explaining how he got into the cloud streaming platform. "My dad recommended it to me and we both use a lot of other Google products. When I tried it, I was impressed that I could play Red Dead Redemption 2 from any device including my phone. Works great at my university campus in between classes. At the time of Stadia's launch, I already had consoles and a gaming PC so for me it was mainly the convenience." 

"I reached out to [Rockstar's] support team when the Stadia announcement came out," he explains. "Just through the regular customer support channels whenever players experience issues. I didn't really get anywhere with that. No progress was made until Rockstar reached out to me directly via Twitter. There wasn't too much back and forth. They let me know about the possibility of transferring which I had a few questions about. Then they gave me the response that I screenshotted and tweeted." 

I think the question on everyone's mind throughout this saga was simple: how do you put 6,000 hours into Red Dead Online? I mean, it's not unheard of. People have put far more time into many other games and even smaller games, sure, but Red Dead Online isn't exactly a Final Fantasy 14-sized experience. What do you do for 6,000 hours? 

"I wouldn't have this many hours on the game if it weren't for the people that I met on there," Colour says. "I made many friends and the community is really nice. There's only so much you can do with the lack of content in Red Dead Online. The game was a way for me to hang out with my friends especially during the pandemic and quarantine season in 2020.

"Most of the time my friends and I just ran Trader deliveries. But again, it was just a way for us to all be in a posse together and hang out while we made some cash in-game." 

Colour's experience is probably familiar to many longtime Red Dead Online players. The game's notorious lack of new content prompted the community to hold a funeral for the game earlier this year – one that Colour says he didn't attend simply because he was busy and the funeral scene was less active on Stadia – but the social aspect has been enough to pick up the slack for many players. Even so, Colour, like many Red Dead fans, was disheartened to see Rockstar formally abandon the game mode. 

"Regarding the state of the game, it was heartbreaking to see Rockstar announce that they will be shifting resources to focus on the development of GTA 6," Colour adds. "I share the same views as many in the RDO community, that the game has a lot of potential and I hope it doesn't go to waste." 

Stadia-exclusive Outcasters wasn't so lucky; it's going down with Google's ship next year. 

The Red Dead Redemption 2 player who managed to clock up almost 6,000 hours on Google Stadia won't lose all that progress after all.

Last month, Google announced it's planning to pull the plug on its gaming service, Stadia, in January 2023. One player particularly distraught over this news was a YouTuber by the name of Colour, who's played Red Dead Online on Stadia for just shy of 6,000 hours. Desperate to avoid having to start over on another platform, he contacted Rockstar saying, "Please let us do a one-time character transfer I am begging you." Now it appears Rockstar has taken pity on the unfortunate player and agreed to help him and others who face losing progress due to Stadia's closure.

In a tweet, Colour revealed he's now received confirmation from the company that he and all those who played the game within 30 days of Stadia announcing its shutdown would be able to transfer their progression and currency to either PC, Xbox One or PS4.

Colour is, as you'd expect, overjoyed at Rockstar's decision. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote. "I doubt this would have been possible if it weren't for all of the creators and gaming journalists that picked up my story and raised awareness. I have all of you to thank as you have helped save an entire community of players from losing all their online progress."

In other Red Dead Online news, following Rockstar's decision to halt major updates for the multiplayer mode, players were pleasantly surprised to see patch 1.31 add some new activities alongside the usual bug fixes and performance tweaks. 

Google Stadia will completely shut down in January 2023; find out what this means for users in our guide on Stadia shutting down explained. 

The developer of real-time kingdom-builder Lords Mobile has announced a joint partnership with SmileyWorld and Epik as part of a unique venture that will bring digital NFT collectibles to its strategy game.

Lifestyle brand SmileyWorld is home to the original Smiley, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To celebrate, CEO Nicholas Loufrani says the company is "thrilled" to be working with Lords Mobile developer IGG as part of its push into "a new era" of digital engagements.

The partnership will be celebrated during the game's Kingdom Smiles event, which began on September 30. For a limited time, players will be able to access an exclusive SmileyWorld Area and shop. Taking part in the activities available in the arena will reward players with special chests, as well as SmileyWorld Coins that can be exchanged in the Shop for exclusive emotes and avatars.

And what would a SmileyWorld crossover be without the iconic face itself? Players will be able to spot the SmileyWorld icon embedded into the world of Lords Mobile throughout the event via a number of shields and other visual effects.

To further build on the partnership between IGG and SmileyWorld, both companies will be collaborating with NFT platform Epik to create collectible artwork. Using Epik's blockchain technology, players will be able to interact with their digital items in-game, and collect their NFTs on Epik's dedicated marketplace.

Lords Mobile makes players the rulers of their very own kingdom. To help expand your borders and defend against threats, you'll need to gather resources and recruit powerful heroes, training armies to fight at your side. A multiplayer title that allows you to join forces - or battle against - players around the world, Lords Mobile launched in 2016 to critical acclaim, winning two Google Play Awards (including one for Best Competitive Game) in the years after its launch.

You can check out Lords Mobile, and its partnership with SmileyWorld and Epik, by downloading the game via the App Store for iOS, the Google Play Store for Android, or Steam for PC. 

A Red Dead Redemption player with almost 6,000 hours logged on Google Stadia is begging Rockstar to allow character transfers after the news of the service's closure.

YouTuber @ItsColourTV took to Twitter shortly after the news that Google Stadia is shutting down broke out yesterday. "No, you don't understand how seriously pissed off I am," the tweet read, alongside a screenshot that shows that they've put 5,907 hours into Red Dead Redemption on Google's gaming service. 

"For context: these hours are on Google Stadia and today Google announced they'll be shutting down the platform," a follow-up tweet reads, "@RockstarGames please let us do a one-time character transfer I am begging you." If you aren't aware, once Google shuts down its Stadia service on January 18, 2023, ItsColourTV's progress will all be erased from existence, meaning they'll need to start a new save file on another platform - with all 5,907 hours (approximately 246 days) going to waste. 

It seems that fellow Red Dead Redemption players felt sympathetic towards ItsColourTV, with many replying to the tweet with suggestions as to how to save this player's save. One suggested that ItsColourTV use Google Takeout - a data downloading service - to transfer their file to PC, to which they replied: "I don't play story mode." Rockstar, if you're reading this, do our guy a favor and let them transfer their character just this once.

If you're also about to lose your Stadia save data, why not take a look at our games like Red Dead Redemption list for inspiration on what game to move on to. 

Google Stadia is officially shutting down, with refunds now being offered to all customers who bought software and hardware through the Google store.

The company announced Stadia's closure in a new blog post, explaining that the service will stay live until January 18, 2023 for players to "complete final play sessions." Refunds for purchases are expected to go out mid-January.

"A few years ago, we also launched a consumer gaming service, Stadia," writes Stadia VP and GM Phil Harrison. "And while Stadia's approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service."

Rumors circulated back in July that Google was planning to shutter its foray into video game streaming, but the company assured no such plans were in place, promising "more great games" to come.

As explained in a FAQ article, this means you only have a few short months to finish up any games you've started on Stadia, as once that January deadline rolls around, you likely won't be able to transfer your progress to other platforms. Google says it "anticipates some gameplay issues" when streaming in the interim, particularly in games requiring commerce transactions.

If you bought hardware like the Stadia controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, etc., or software including games and add-ons via Google's official storefronts, Google says you'll be eligible for a full refund. However, Google isn't refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. Keep tabs on this article for more info on refunds in the near future.

For everything on the horizon regardless of platform, check out our extensive guide to new games of 2022. 

If you're looking for a rundown of just Xbox Cloud Gaming is and how Cloud Gaming Xbox titles work, you've come to the right place. In what was previously known  as Project xCloud, Xbox Cloud Gaming is Microsoft's Cloud-based streaming service that can be used to play games on a variety of supported devices on the go. The only caveat of the feature is that you will need a stable internet connection to get the most of its performance when you're playing cloud-supported games. The service is a great way to jump straight into some of the best Xbox Series X games and a host of other titles available on Xbox Game Pass without the need to install them. Just recently, the likes of Slime Rancher 2 and Beacon Pines joined the lineup of Cloud gaming Xbox titles that you dive into via the service if you have an Ultimate subscription. 

If you want to know more, read on below to find our helpful rundown of Xbox Cloud Gaming - including how it all works, what games are available, and how you can access the feature on your console.  

What is Xbox Cloud Gaming?  

Xbox Cloud Gaming allows you to play and access a host of Xbox Game Pass games on a variety of devices. The feature streams the games via the Cloud instead of downloading them directly, so you can pick them up and play them almost instantly just about anywhere as long as you have a stable internet connection. Playing games using this feature also saves you on storage space. Xbox Cloud gaming is supported on Android and Apple phones and tablets, PC, and Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. 

How does Xbox Cloud Gaming work?  

When you play a game using Xbox Cloud Gaming, you're essentially streaming it directly over the internet, which is why you're able to access them on supported devices so long as you have a stable internet connection. As recommended by Microsoft, the minimum requirement is a 5Ghz Wi-Fi or mobile data connection with speeds of 20 Mbps or higher - a wired connection is the best option for network quality when playing via the Cloud. It's worth noting that Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported in select regions - you can find a rundown of the regions here. 

Where can you access Xbox Cloud Gaming?  

Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. As Xbox's more premium membership tier, the Ultimate subscription costs $14.99 / £10.99 a month and packages together Xbox Live Gold along with access to the library of Xbox Game Pass games. Xbox Cloud Gaming is included in the subscription as an additional feature at no extra cost. 

Once you have a subscription, you can get started using this feature right away. On Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, you can get stuck in by heading on over to the Xbox Game Pass library on the home screen. Once you've selected the full library, you can look for games that are marked with a cloud icon, or use the search filter to find games with the Cloud tag that make use of this feature. When you've selected a game, you can then select to play with Cloud. 

On Windows PCs, you can access Cloud games via the Xbox app where you'll need to sign in to your Microsoft account. 

For Android phones or tablets, you'll need to download the Xbox Game Pass app from the Google Play or Samsung Galaxy store. Apple users can also access the feature on phones or tablets directly from the web browser by heading over to Xbox.com/play. 

What games can you play using Xbox Cloud Gaming? 

A sizable library of games can be played via the cloud on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and other support devices via Xbox Game Pass. While they vary depending on which region you're in, you can tell which games can be played with Cloud gaming since they'll be marked with a little cloud icon. The line-up of games includes the likes of Forza Horizon 5, Among Us, Life is Strange True Colors, Halo Infinite, Guardians of the Galaxy, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and much more. Xbox Cloud gaming also allows you to play new-gen games on Xbox One and other supported devices, and also includes a selection of backward compatible games. You can see the full library over on Microsoft's official website here. 

Additionally, Xbox also announced that anyone with a Microsoft account on PC, mobile, or tablet (using either iOS or Android) with internet access can now play Fortnite for free directly from a browser via the cloud without the need for a membership or any installations.   

If you're interested in trying out Xbox Cloud Gaming, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Xbox Game Pass deals. And see what's on the horizon for Microsoft's latest console with our pick of the most exciting upcoming Xbox Series X games. 

The original Razer Kishi was one of the first mobile controllers to offer a double-sided control scheme, mirroring the Switch-like layout that has since risen to the top of the market. 2022's Kishi V2 takes that early formula, as well as a dollop of inspiration from competitors, to create a lightweight, portable gamepad with a plethora of extra features. 

At $99.99 / £99.99, this is a premium piece of kit - especially considering the previous generation is regularly available for under $50 / £50. The jump to the latest model is considerable, though, making it well worth the upgrade. We spent two weeks with the Razer Kishi V2, running it against some of the best mobile controllers in the game to see just how it fares. 

Key Info

Razer Kishi V2 Design

The Razer Kishi V2 continues the same wraparound form factor of the original but adds a bridge between each controller side, similar to that of the Backbone One. Designed for a range of Android and iPhone devices (though you'll need to pick up the model created specifically for your operating system), the bridge extends nicely across the full length of a range of phones, and has plenty of space for screen protectors and skinnier cases as well. 

The USB-C connection feels solid and durable, and there's very little tilting required to line up the port and connector when setting up a gaming phone. In fact, I was never concerned about scratching or wobbling in the port itself when inserting a phone, something that can't be said for the fiddly Backbone. 

Each side of the controller is as you would expect, with an asymmetrical layout consisting of d-pad, two thumbsticks, face buttons, and a range of additional function buttons as well. Each button is encased in shiny plastic, with a soft dome top that feels excellent under the hand. 

The matte plastic material feels a little cheaper than that used in other models, a factor that isn't helped by the slightly hollow feel of the controller as a whole. While lightweight for extra portability, devices like the Backbone and GameSir X3 just feel a lot more solid in the hands, lending themselves to their price tags a little better. Still, you're getting a bumpy texture down each leg which is much appreciated in this setup, though I did find myself wishing it was a little coarser to provide a better grip. 

I was impressed by the way each side nestled neatly into my palm. Many brands opt to keep footprints low by introducing fairly sharp corners across the bottom of their main controllers. However, the Kishi V2 slopes nicely, tapering away over the course of around two centimetres to keep longer sessions comfortable while still offering that pocket-friendly form factor. 

Razer Kishi V2 Features

Razer hasn't missed a trick here. The Kishi V2 is in keeping with all of today's expected features and then some. The microswitch buttons work effortlessly in your favor, providing a tactile response and a super quick actuation. They're a dream in faster-paced titles where an accidental press might not mean the end of the world, but I did find their minuscule travel distance a little too sensitive for more precise endeavours. 

You'll find the same clicky switches in the top bumpers and the screenshot, options, menu, and Razer Nexus launcher buttons dotted across the face as well. One of the biggest wins, however, is the additional M1 and M2 buttons situated next to the triggers. These programmable macro clickers can be configured to any input available on the controller, through the Razer Nexus app, and are located a nice distance from the main triggers, so as to not get in the way. 

The Kishi V2 is completely powered by your smartphone, hooking up via a USB-C connection. I didn't notice too much battery drain on a Black Shark 5 Pro from this extra demand, but you can also charge via a passthrough port underneath the right controller as well. Unfortunately, this is a slow charge that didn't quite manage to keep my gas-guzzling Black Shark 5 Pro topped up during more intensive sessions. A less demanding phone will likely see a nice uplift here, though. Another niggling frustration is the lack of audio output, which means you're limited to a wireless gaming headset or gaming earbuds if you don't want to play out loud. 

The Razer Nexus software is a little limited compared to other phone or PC programs. However, it does offer a neat space to keep all your compatible games to hand and customize button mapping on top. The recordings and screenshots you take with the handy extra button are also housed here. It's a swish app, but for the game library itself. While recommended games and libraries are crisp and swift to navigate, Nexus seems to simply inflate an app icon for the games you've already got installed, pixelating everything to an inch of its life. Unfortunately, this is the sight that greets you on boot. 

Razer Kishi V2 Performance

The Razer Kishi V2 does feel great in-game. Triggers are responsive and face buttons are snappy (although, as mentioned above, can sometimes sacrifice precision for speed). That said, these are larger buttons than I'm accustomed to, so there is some balancing at work here. Many complaints levied at the original model stem from a mushier feel to each click. While the face buttons may go too far in the other direction for my taste, the d-pad strikes a gorgeous balance. 

The mechanical clickers at work here feel super fresh and clean, while still providing a nice range of diagonal movement as well. I was easily navigating the worlds of Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, tip-toeing across ledges even when switching from the analog stick. 

Not that I strayed too far from the thumbsticks often. With a nice resistance, fast return, and a smooth rotation, there's little to fault here. In-game, even the slightest twitch would reflect nicely on screen and the Switch-like tops remained comfortable without slipping during longer sessions as well. 

The Kishi V2 works with a solid range of games as well, including streaming services from Xbox and Steam. There are a few big names left off the roster here, though - Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and Genshin Impact still aren't controller compatible, and you'll only be able to use PlayStation Remote Play with the iOS version. I spent most of my hours moseying around in Stardew Valley, exploring the hills of Oceanhorn, and chipping away at Minecraft. 

Should you buy the Razer Kishi V2?

The Razer Kishi V2 is an excellent gamepad if you're looking for something more portable than the GameSir X3. If you're after that Backbone One experience on Android, it's a no-brainer, offering a comfortable and secure bridge design, additional macro buttons, and a slimline profile to boot. However, if you're after an iOS solution, we'd recommend sticking with the Backbone. The Razer Nexus software can't shine a light to the all-in-one experience on offer, and while the buttons and d-pad are a little more tactile under the thumb there's far better software support elsewhere. 

How we tested the Razer Kishi V2

I used the Razer Kishi V2 for all my mobile gaming across two weeks, playing Oceanhorn, Minecraft, Dead Cells, and Stardew Valley on a Black Shark 5 Pro and RedMagic 7S Pro. I also used the Razer Kishi V2 alongside the GameSir X3 and Backbone One for comparison within this price range.

You can find more information on how we test controllers and make all our recommendations in our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We're also rounding up all the best PC controllers if you're after something a little more substantial, as well as the best Xbox Series X controllers and Xbox One controllers as well. 

If last night's Ubisoft Forward showcase has put you in the mood for some stealthy Assassin action, here's some good news: Ubisoft's subscription service, Ubisoft+, is currently free for the next 30 days.

The promotion is live now and runs until October 10, during which you'll get access to the full library – that's over 100 games, old and new – which includes the fancy premium editions and all associated DLC packs and season passes, too. 

That means you can go on a Viking adventure with Assassin Creed Valhalla's Eivor, discover the terrifying black goo of Rainbow Six Extraction, or check out Giancarlo Esposito's stunning performance in Far Cry 6. And as the free period is a little longer than usual, you should be able to make some good progress, too, before the trial is up and you have to decide whether to stay on, cancel, or buy the full game(s).

The one downside is that it's not currently available for console players, unfortunately. Ubisoft+ is only available via PC or – if you go for the more expensive Multi Access option – via Google Stadia where you can stream on any device "without worrying about a download or your PC specs".

Did you miss The Ubisoft Forward 2022 and Assassin's Creed Showcase? That's okay – we got it covered! 

The publisher revealed a slew of new Assassin's Creed games – including our first look at Assassin's Creed Mirage; more on that below – an update on Assassin's Creed Infinity, and reveals for Assassin's Creed Japan and Codename Hexe. 

Perhaps the night's biggest reveal was Assassin's Creed Mirage and its "back-to-basics approach" for the long-running series, with Ubisoft returning to the stealth-action, narrative-driven roots that defined Altair and Ezio's earliest adventures. 

Set in Baghdad, Assassin's Creed Mirage will "show the evolution of Basim a few decades before his appearance in Assassin's Creed Valhalla" and stars Destiny and Mass Effect voice actor Shoreh Aghdashloo as Roshan, "Basim's mentor and one of the main characters in Assassin's Creed Mirage".

Assassin's Creed Mirage is set to release in 2023 – we don't yet have a firm release date – and has been confirmed as coming PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. Ubisoft has also confirmed that Assassin's Creed Mirage will be released on PC through the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store, too.

For more from last night's showcase, here's everything announced at Ubisoft Forward 2022 and the Assassin's Creed Showcase.

Here's everything we know so far about the other two new games, Assassin's Creed Red and Assassin's Creed Hexe.

Dead Island 2 reemerged on the Gamescom Opening Night Live stage with a new trailer and a February 2023 release date, and there's one additional detail for PC players to take note of: it looks like this one's going to be an Epic Games Store exclusive.

A press release confirms that Dead Island 2 will be hitting "PC via the Epic Games Store" on February 3, 2023, alongside launches across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. Pre-orders are live on the Epic Games Store, but there's not even a store page over on Steam. If you're particular about where you get your digital PC games, you can take this as your warning.

Epic exclusivity tends to last for six or 12 months, so if you're holding out for a Steam release, you'll likely be waiting until August 2022 or February 2023. If you've been waiting for Dead Island 2 since that first 2014 reveal, you've probably developed more than enough patience to last another year by now.

We got some hands-on time with Dead Island 2 ahead of today's gameplay reveal, and came away impressed with the game's gloriously gory melee combat and impressive visuals. Those visuals made possible in part because the game does not feature a full open world, though it will give you plenty of opportunities to explore and take on side quests.

For more new PC games coming this year and beyond, you can follow that link for a big list of notable titles to keep your eyes on.

PS5 error codes are the last thing you want to see, as they usually mean you can't access certain parts of the game you're trying to play, or you could be locked out of it completely. Therefore it can be helpful to know what they mean, and if there are any fixes or solutions available to deal with that particular issue. With technology advancing these errors could mean anything from a missing licence to the entire PlayStation Network going offline, and the severity of the issue will determine whether a fix can be used. I've round up all of the major PS5 error codes below, along with their solutions and fixes where available.

PS5 error codes quick guide

These are some of the PS5 error codes you're most likely to see:

• WS-116449-5
• WS-116331-5
• CE-107880-4
• CE-108255-1
• CE-108862-5
• CE-105799-1 / CE-113212-0
• CE-107520-5 / CE-108889-4
• CE-11773-6
• NP-102955-2
• NP-104602-3
• Other PS5 error codes

If you've encountered any of those issues then select the specific error code for more information, or if it's not listed then we've got further details at the end on how to get additional help on the matter.

PS5 error code WS-116449-5

"This service is currently under maintenance."

Unlike many of the PS5 error codes listed here, this one does at least have a useful description, as it often appears when some or all of the PlayStation Network is undergoing maintenance. Check the PlayStation Network status page to see what's happening, as this should confirm if there's any widespread issues stopping players from accessing the service. If there are no reported issues there, then try resetting the internet connection settings on your console and running the internet connection test, and if that doesn't help then turn off your router and modem for at least five minutes then try again. If that still doesn't fix things then try again later as there may be temporary congestion on your line.

PS5 error code WS-116331-5

"Access to PSN has been temporarily suspended."

This PS5 error code could mean that your account has been suspended from accessing the PlayStation Network, however you shouldn't panic straight away. Check if you can sign in from another device, and if not then find out what the current PSN status is, as this message can appear when there's a general outage across the network. If everything else seems to be working correctly, then you can find out more about suspensions on PlayStation Network including how to check your suspension status.

PS5 error code CE-107880-4

"Something went wrong."

This PS5 error code with a particularly helpful description usually occurs in relation to pre-orders, and either pre-loading or installing exclusive add-on content. If your issue is with pre-loading, then try accessing your PSN library on a browser to cancel any pending downloads then queue the download remotely. If that doesn't work, you can also try fully powering off your PS5 then restarting it, or restoring licences via the System > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licences option.

If you are receiving this error code in relation to add-on content, then the problem could be that the specific item(s) haven't been made available yet due to an issue with the release date attached to them on the PlayStation Store, or the system is incorrectly trying to access the PS4 version of the DLC which isn't compatible with the PS5 game. Unfortunately in these cases there is currently no known fix, and you'll need to wait for Sony or the developers to resolve the problem before you can receive your additional content.

PS5 error code CE-108255-1

"Something went wrong with this game or app."

A number of players are receiving this PS5 error code, and unfortunately the initial prognosis doesn't sound good. Some are getting it with one specific PS5 game, while others are receiving the error with every PS5 title they try. Although Sony haven't officially commented on the issue yet, several people are reporting that they've spoken to customer services and been advised that they'll need to return their hardware for replacement. If you are getting this error and it persists, you'll need to contact PlayStation customer services for more details.

PS5 error code CE-108862-5

"Unable to connect to the server."

This is another connection error message, but this time possibly relating to the servers for the individual game you are playing. If the PlayStation Network status page linked above confirms everything is currently working, then check the game developer's website or social media channels to see if they have a specific issue. Again, it's likely this is a temporary connection fault, so if you can't resolve it then wait and try again later.

PS5 error code CE-105799-1 / CE-113212-0

"Unable to connect to the server."

These are PSN connection error message, so the first thing to do is check the PlayStation Network status page (linked above) to make sure everything is up and running. If there is no maintenance or downtime in progress, restart your PS5 and configure your wireless connection settings again, checking your router is in range or switching to a wired connection if possible. If the problem persists, turn off your modem and router for 5 minutes, then restart and update your router firmware if available. If the issue still isn't resolved then it's likely there's a temporary connection fault, so wait and try again later.

PS5 error code CE-107520-5 / CE-108889-4

"Please install the latest system software."

This PS5 error code means that your system software is not up to date, so connect to the internet and follow the instructions to update to the latest version. If you can't connect your console online, you can also download and install the latest system software on a USB drive via a computer, or update it using a game disc. For more information on this process, see the official PS5 System Software Update site.

PS5 error code CE-11773-6

If you see this PS5 error code, it's usually because your console is unable to verify that you have digital ownership of the game you're trying to launch. Check to see if there are any connection issues with the PSN, as if there are then you may need to wait for them to be resolved before your details can be confirmed. Alternatively, it's also worth going into the Settings menu and selecting the Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses > Restore option, as this may trigger the confirmation required to activate your game.

PS5 error code NP-102955-2

"The account information is incorrect."

If you're receiving this PS5 error code, then the PlayStation Network account log in information you're supplying does not match the records held by Sony. Double check that you're entering the correct email address and password (case sensitive), and if you're sure the information you're entering is correct then you'll need to contact customer services to reset your password.

PS5 error code NP-104602-3

"Something went wrong."

There are a number of reasons for this PS5 error code, which are all related to internet connectivity. First, check the PlayStation Network status to make sure there aren't any issues there, as problems at that level can only be resolved by Sony. If things are reported to be working correctly, use Test Internet Connection to review your network settings as it's likely you're getting a NAT Type error that's preventing online connectivity. If that's the case, there are a few other things to try at your end that have worked for others.

Rebooting your router is always a good initial action when having connection issues, but if that doesn't work then go to Set Up Internet Connection on your PS5, press Options on your wi-fi connection then under Wi-Fi Frequency Bands try changing from Automatic to 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz and see if that resolves the error. If that doesn't help or you're on a wired connection, press Options on your connection then go to Advanced Settings and try changing your Primary / Secondary DNS settings to 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 (Google Public DNS) or 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare DNS) as this will resolve connection issues in a number of circumstances. If not, check with your ISP for any issues with their service.

Other PS5 error codes

If the particular PS5 error code you've been experiencing isn't listed here, there are other resources you can go to for support. The Reddit PlayStation Community Support Team are currently building this PlayStation Error Code Database to cover a wide variety of issues, or you can check on the PSN Service Status and search the error code on the PlayStation Support site itself to see if there is a support article available.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Enabling Fortnite 2FA, or multi-factor authentication, on your Epic Games account is an important security measure, as it will help protect your profile and reduce the risk of hackers gaining access to it. While turning on this two factor authentication isn't mandatory to play the game in general, there are certain tournaments and events that you won't be able to access unless you have 2FA enabled, so it just makes sense to have this additional layer of security in place.

With two-factor authentication, an extra check will be performed whenever you enter your password to confirm it's definitely you trying to access your Fortnite account – usually this is done by sending you a code in an SMS message or asking you to provide a response through an authenticator app. Plus, when you set up 2FA for the first time you'll receive the exclusive Boogie Down emote, and a selection of useful items in Save the World for free. If that all sounds good, then here's how to set up Fortnite 2FA on your account.

Fortnite two factor authentication, 2FA, or multi-factor authentication makes your account more secure by requiring a second layer of authentication when logging into your account. The way it works is that whenever the game detects a login from a new device, it will ask for proof that it's you in one of two ways. You'll either be asked for a code sent only to the account holder via email, or be asked for a code from an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator, LastPass Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy. It means your account should be completely secure against hacks and password leaks.

If you're a regular player with plenty of gear in your locker that you've bought or earned over time, you definitely don't want to risk losing it or access to your account, so Fortnite 2FA should be a priority for you.

While you don't have to have 2FA enabled in Fortnite to play the game, there are some features, such as gifting items and playing in tournaments, that are unavailable without doing so. And if you don't activate two-factor authentication, you'll miss out on the Boogie Down emote...

How to get the Boogie Down emote through Fortnite 2FA

Enabling 2FA on your account will get you the Fortnite Boogie Down emote, so the next time you log in you should receive your reward automatically. And if you're playing Save the World, you'll also get 50 armory slots, 10 backpack slots, and one Legendary Troll Stash Llama. If you haven't got Fortnite 2FA yet, then here's another good reason to do so – you'll soon have a brand new dance to use in-game!

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

The best Android games are here to make your life a little better. Whether you're stuck on a commute, queuing in line at a grocery store, or (let's be honest) killing time when you should be working, this pick of the 25 best games on Android are here to sweep you into digital worlds and otherwise keep your brain engaged.  

Naturally, the Google Play store has hundreds of thousands of games on it which can make finding the best games to play on your Android phone something of a challenge. That's why we've made picked out what we believe to be truly the best Android games that you can play today. Across a multitude of genres and price-points, these fantastic experiences should work on your device no problem in 2024 – even if you don't have the best gaming phone in the world. So from fantastic first-person shooters to excellent CCGs, fiendish puzzle games to awesome adventures, here's our pick of the 25 best Android games that you should play today. 

25. Thimbleweed Park

Genre: Point and click adventure
Price: £9.99/$9.99

Thimbleweed Park creators Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick made classic adventure games The Secret of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion – so you know it’s going to be good. You’ll spend most of your time with agents Ray and Reyes uncovering an increasingly bizarre mystery in a small town, but in total you’ll control five characters, including a potty-mouthed clown who lives alone in disused circus. The writing is smart, but the puzzles are smarter: some are devilishly hard requiring multiple character switches and several objects to solve, but when the solution pops into your head you’ll feel like a genius. Its relatively open world means you’ll always have another challenge to tackle if you get stuck. 

Download Thimbleweed Park here

24. Call of Duty: Mobile

Genre: First-person shooter
Price: Free

A fully-fledged Call of Duty multiplayer game with flexible controls and a huge number of modes. Maps are plucked from the franchise’s greatest hits — Nuketown is back, baby — and Battle Royale is consistently fun, with helicopters to fly and plenty of airdrops to claim. The touchscreen shooting works surprisingly well, and after an hour you’ll be hitting headshots with no trouble. Online connection is consistently good, and there’s always enough players online to fill lobbies. When one round finishes, the next starts almost instantly, and the only reason to quit is to attach the new scope you unlocked for your sniper. 

Download Call of Duty: Mobile here

23. Thumper 

Genre: Rhythm
Price: £4.59/$4.99

Thumper is a gnarled nightmare in rhythm game form. It’s a thrashing trip into hell that never wants you to sit comfortably, and beats you over the head with doom until you plead it to stop. You control a metal beetle screaming along a track, jumping over obstacles and skidding around corners in time to the beat. One mistimed tap can end your lift. What makes Thumper so unique is not its flawless touch controls, but its oppressive atmosphere. The music rumbles and screeches, tentacles flail in the background and red eyes stare at you from the abyss. It wants you to know that you’re not welcome, and every beaten level comes with a wave of white-knuckle relief. 

Download Thumper here

22. Machinarium

Genre: Adventure
Price: £3.99/$4.99

Machinarium, from decorated developer Amanita Design, is one of the best point-and-clicks of our generation, and its move to touchscreen is flawless: controls are responsive and the mobile interface is easy to understand. Its grungy, unforgiving world is beautifully drawn, and all the rusting metal and whirring contraptions create an immediate sense of place. Just by looking at this harsh environments you’ll start to feel for your little robot protagonist, lost in a wasteland and searching for his lady-robot love. It’s a tricky puzzle game, but a clever two-tier hint system is on hand to help you out.

Download Machinarium here

21. Super Hexagon

Genre: Action
Price: £2.39/$2.99

Super Hexagon is one of those games that picks a simply concept — navigate a cursor through a rotating tunnel of shapes — and executes it impeccably. Each shape has a gap in it somewhere, and by moving your cursor into that gap you'll avoid annihilation, and be free to continue enjoying the rockin' techno soundtrack. It starts slow, but quickly becomes manic: the screen shifts and tilts, colors flash, and shapes fly at you faster and faster until you’re dead. It’s impossible to resist having just one more go. Okay, maybe two.

Download Super Hexagon here

20. Fortnite

Genre: Battle Royale
Price: Free (in-app purchases)

You might think of console and PC as Fortnite’s natural homes, but millions of people play it on mobile: every time you login you’re instantly matched with 99 other players, all of whom want to murder you. The controls aren’t as smooth as a controller or a mouse, but you can still be accurate, and before long you’ll be placing walls and stairs with a tap. The on-screen sound cues, which tell you the direction of nearby footsteps, are a masterstroke, and should be in every touchscreen shooter.  This is definitely a game that favours higher-end phones, but it’s free to see how well it runs on your device. It might take you a while to get a victory royale when you’re still getting used to the controls, but when you finally do it, when you finally outmanoeuvre your opponent in that tense 1v1 finale, it will all feel worth it.

Download Fortnite here

19. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Genre: Sim
Price: Free (in-app purchases)

It’s not quite Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Android, but Pocket Camp is a genuinely pleasant slice of fun. Fishing, bug hunts, picking fruit, and even designing your own camper van are all relaxing ways to pass the time until the next major release, and sectioning every activity into its own space is a good fit for short touchscreen play sessions. Everything is gentle, there are no constant reminders to invest any of your real money on a Nook-related loan, and you can even visit your friends’ campsites. Log in every day, potter around for a bit, and grow your camp until, eventually, it feels like a virtual home away from home.

Download Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp here

18. Reigns: Her Majesty

Genre: Adventure
Price: £2.79/$2.99

If you ruled the realm, would you be a fair queen, or a tyrant whose sole purpose is to bend the will of the people to her corrupt power? It’s time to find out. If you haven’t tried Reigns —  the King equivalent — for size, think Tinder meets a text adventure. You swipe left and right to make decisions about how you govern. Icons at the top of the screen keep you up to date on your standing with the church, army, and the people: don’t forget to keep an eye on them, because a few wrong moves will get the peasants all riled up. It has a lot of surprises up its royal sleeve, and the writing is consistently funny, if you’re into dark humor and beheadings. 

Download Reigns: Her Majesty here

17. Pokemon Go

Genre: AR adventure
Price: Free (in-app purchases) 

Our childhood fantasy come true, Pokémon Go places the little creatures all over the real world and asks you to catch ‘em all. It’s evolved, so to speak, in a big way since its initial release, and you can find five generations of Pokémon just by stepping out your front door. The time of day and weather affects what ‘mon will spawn, and Gym battles, raids, TM upgrades and special evolution items give you something new to try every day. Being a Pokémon master is the best excuse you’ll ever find to walk down to the shops. 

Download Pokemon Go here

16. Alphabear: Words Across Time

Genre: Puzzle
Price: Free (with in-app purchases)

Alphabear was an adorable puzzle game about placing tiles on a board to make words, clearing new space for your army of bears to occupy. Letters gradually revealed themselves, and the sooner you used them in a word, the higher your score. Its bears were cute and its mechanics deceptively smart. The sequel, Alphabear: Words Across Time, is more of the same—albeit it with a few new features that make it better than the original.

Download Alphabear here

15. Gorogoa

An enchanting puzzle game about arranging hand-illustrated tiles so that they line up, revealing a new angle on the scene in front of you. It follows the journey of a young boy carrying a blue offering bowl, and you’re acting as his guide, manipulating images to offer him a path through a mysterious world. Piecing the puzzles together is never frustrating, and even wrong solutions will lead to some wonderful moments. The scenarios it conjures are surprising to the end, and you’ll want to play it through a second time to fully get to grips with its moving story.

Download Gorogoa here

14. Threes!

Genre: Puzzle
Price: £2.39/$2.99 (free version available)

Threes has the cutest numbers you’ve ever seen, and it’s your job to pair them up. But only if they’re multiples of three, mind: you swipe a board of numbers to double up threes, sixes and twenty fours against the ‘walls’ of the screen. You’ll need to think about the whole board whenever you swipe, because one rogue move can transform the round into a sea of misery. It’s adorable as well as tricky, and every tile has a little smiley face underneath it — they even turn to face adjacent matching numbers. D’aww.    

Download Threes here

13. Triple Town

Genre: Puzzle
Price: Free (in-app purchases) 

Clearly, there’s something about the number three that creates brilliant mobile games (see Threes! above). In Triple Town, three pieces of grass make a bush, three bushes make a tree, three trees make a hut, three huts make a red house, and so on, With some careful planning you can craft bustling cities on its colourful, teensy maps. As you build you’ll have to avoid bears — three bears are a nightmare — and some even dress up as ninjas. They look sweet, but they can spell curtains for your town. Just keep building. 

Download Triple Town here

12. Florence

Genre: Interactive fiction
Price: £2.99/$2.99

An emotional 45 minutes of interactive fiction about the love life of 25-year-old Florence Yeoh. The beautifully-drawn vignettes evoke different feelings through their colours - black and white for the monotony of a work commute, intense reds during arguments - and their music, which soars in all the right places. It’s short, but every minute feels deliberate. No word or sound effect is out of place, and they all add up to a deeply personal love story that’s more touching than most good books or films. 

Download Florence here

11. Her Story

Genre: Adventure
Price: £4.69/$4.99

Her Story, from Telling Lies developer Sam Barlow, is a murder mystery that unfolds in entirely the wrong order. It’s a series of police interviews with a young woman that have been chunked up and filed away in a database, and you choose which video to watch next by searching for keywords. It’s one of the best PC games of the past five years, and the Android version is thankfully complete and uncut. Just play it, and hope that Telling Lies comes to the Google Play store someday.

Download Her Story here

10. Oxenfree

Genre: Adventure
Price: £3.89/$4.99

Do you like the 80s, smart-talking teenagers, and mysterious islands where alternate dimensions might be a thing? Then this atmospheric adventure will be right up your misty street as a group of teens uncover a creepy supernatural surprise when they go away for the weekend. Complete with incredible moody synth soundtrack, Oxenfree is full of brilliant dialogue, memorable characters, and plenty of different ways for the action to unfold as you explore. Will everyone get off the island the next day? That’s kind of up to you, dude.  

Download Oxenfree here

9. Rymdkapsel 

Genre: Space sim
Price: £2.99/$3.99

Exploring uncharted space is nearly always stressful, as anyone that’s watched a Ridley Scott film will attest to. But somehow, Rymdkapsel makes battling alien invaders a zen journey. You manage an ever-growing population as they research imposing monoliths across the galaxy: you’ll grow plants, build kitchens for food, manage weaponry and mine resources, all the while bolting colourful Tetris-style shapes onto your space station to create the perfect layout. Once the relaxing electronic soundtrack keeps gets you in the zone, and you’ll never want to leave.

Download Rymdkapsel here

8. Minecraft

Genre: Building/Survival
Price: £6.99/$6.99

If you played Minecraft’s Android version years ago and dismissed it, then it’s time to return. It’s no longer a shadow of the main game: 2017’s Better Together update brought it in line with the Windows 10 version, and it receives all the same updates. You can even play it alongside your friends on PC or iPhone. Mojang has put a lot of time into making the controls intuitive, which means nothing comes between you and Minecraft’s world of infinite possibilities. You can break any block and build any structure without worrying about tapping in the wrong space, and creating gigantic structures is now a genuine option in Minecraft mobile.

Download Minecraft here

7. Mini Metro

Genre: Puzzler
Price: £4.29/$4.99

If you’ve ever thought you could design a better underground system than Transport For London, it’s your time to put your money where your overcrowded station is. Mini Metro is a beautifully minimalistic exercise in complete godlike commuter control. Stations pop up and all you have to do is connect them to each other in a way that keeps everyone moving but of course it’s not that simple. The real life city recreations have rivers that need bridges and tunnels, trains need new carriages and stations need upgrades to become true transport hubs. Don’t worry, there’s a zen mode for when the stress gets too much. 

Download Mini Metro here

6. Stardew Valley

Genre: Sim
Price: £7.99/$7.99 

If you’ve ever been baffled by the London Underground, New York City Subway or the Paris Métro, then this is your chance to prove you can design something less confusing. Mini Metro is a beautifully minimalistic exercise in godlike commuter control. Stations pop up, and all you have to do is connect them to each other in a way that keeps everyone moving. But as transport planners have always found, it’s not quite that simple. The real-life city recreations have rivers that need bridges and tunnels. Trains need new carriage, and stations need upgrades to become true transport hubs. You need to manage it all. Don’t worry: there’s a zen mode for when the stress gets too much.

Download Stardew Valley here 

5. Alto’s Odyssey

Genre: Endless runner
Price: Free, with in-app purchases

Alto’s Adventure was the best endless runner on Android—until the sequel came along. Odyssey swaps Alto’s snowboard for a sandboard and sends you swooping over dunes and into canyons, performing jumps, tricks and grinds as you pick up speed. The scenery is stunning, and the weather changes from perfect sunshine to flashes of lightning as you zoom past temples and desert city skylines. It’s all set to a soothing soundtrack of flutes that keep you relaxed, even when you crash, and the procedurally-generated levels make every run feel fresh. Whether you played the original or not, this is a must-own.

Download Alto’s Odyssey here

4. Hidden Folks

Genre: Hidden object
Price: £2.99/$2.99

A stylish monochrome version of Where’s Wally/Waldo crammed with happiness and charm. Each big, dense levels has a long list of cartoon collectibles, and lots of moving parts to poke. You can unfurl tents, slide open doors, flick switches to start conveyor belts, or shake trees to make bananas fall to the ground, and everything is accompanied by a mouth-made sound effect guaranteed to make you smile (the ‘Bing’ of a correct spot is imprinted on our brain forever). Hidden Folks is a simple delight that will keep you busy for hours, and remains one of the best hidden object games out there.  

Download Hidden Folks here

3. Monument Valley 2 

Genre: Puzzle
Price: £4.99/$4.99

A beautiful puzzler about shifting perspectives. As silent protagonist Ro, you move across a world of impossible shapes, prodding and pulling at the environment to make it move, creating new pathways. Each level is an optical illusion to wrap your head around, and it’s satisfying to work out how you’ll click its staircases, blocks and bridges into exactly the right place. What sets Monument Valley 2 apart is how well it’s presented. The wistful, sometimes haunting soundtrack rises and falls in all the right places, and each on-screen action is accompanied by its own perfect sound effect. Every stage is a work of art, and the curved spires of its other-worldly towers are set against an ever-changing colour palette.  

Download Monument Valley 2 here

2. Marvel Snap 

Genre: CCG
Price: Free  

Marvel Snap is a revolution for the collectible card game genre. We said as much in our Marvel Snap review, where we praised the accessible action and wickedly compelling gameplay loop – pulling you into round after round of three-minute battles until your phone battery begins to run low. With a deck of just 12 cards to wrap your head around, there's a simplicity to the onboarding that's hard to ignore – making this a CCG that anybody can enjoy – although the depth if you want to raise up the ranks is truly staggering. Do yourself a favor and give Marvel Snap a try.  

Download Marvel Snap here

1. 80 Days 

Genre: Adventure
Price: £3.99/$4.99

Developer Inkle is renowned for its writing chops and 80 Days is its magnum opus. You play a valet to explorer Phileas Fogg, and it’s your job to plot a route around a wondrous world, which blends reality and sci-fi to create a unique setting. Amphibious trains dive into the English Channel, and bustling markets float in the sky.

You’ll have to manage your finances closely and keep an eye on Fogg’s fragile health, but this isn’t a game where you worry about failing. It’s about the journey: the cities you’ll see, the memorable people you’ll meet, the trouble you’ll get into. The interplay between Fogg and Passepartout is endearing, and every line of dialogue has been honed until it’s razor sharp.

You could play 80 days hundreds of times and still stumble across new stories. It’s available on PC, but the mobile version is still the best fit for its simple interface. If you only play one Android game this year, make it this one. 

Download 80 days here

If you're wondering if you can play FIFA 22 cross platform on PS4 and PS5 then we can tell you. Now that FIFA 22 is on PS Plus throughout May 2022, it’s a fair to ask if there is FIFA 22 cross platform play between PS4 and PS5? Especially if you've got mates on different PlayStation consoles and you all want to play FIFA 22 against one another. Unfortunately, it’s not good news for PS4 and PS5 players, but some upcoming crossplay tests might actually bring Xbox players into the fold in the future. Here’s what you need to know about FIFA 22 cross platform for PS4, PS5, and even Xbox.

• How to make the most of FIFA 22 PS Plus access

Does FIFA 22 have cross platform play?

Sadly, no, FIFA 22 does not have any form of cross platform or cross generation play at all, including PS4 and PS5 – you can only match with other players that are on the same platform as you. The only workaround for this is if you’re able to download the PS4 version of FIFA 22 onto your PS5, which would allow you to player with other PS4 players without actually using a PS4. Obviously, you’ll be sacrificing the graphical and performance enhancements that the PS5 version has, and it seems like the only way you can even do this is by owning the FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition, which includes both a PS4 and 5 version of the game.

Either way, if you want to give FIFA 22 a try, you can download it for free between now and June 6, 2022, provided you’ve got a PS Plus subscription. Even if you already own FIFA 22 and are a PS Plus subscriber, you can bag yourself a free FIFA Ultimate Team pack, which’ll get you 11 new signings for the team of your dreams.

FIFA 22 crossplay testing

Luckily there is some good news on the FIFA cross platform front. It was recently announced that some tests for crossplay between PS5, Xbox Series X, and Google Stadia. There is no indication of when these tests might happen aside from “the near future”, but you’ll be able to compete on the pitch via crossplay in Online Seasons and Online Friendlies – no Ultimate Team for now. You can read all about the FIFA 22 cross platform play test in this FAQ article. Depending on how well these tests go, it seems likely that you can expect crossplay to be fully implemented into FIFA 23, although perhaps not on launch day.

FIFA 22 tips | FIFA 22 best teams | FIFA 22 ratings | FIFA 22 best young players | FIFA 22 Icons | FIFA 22 Heroes | FIFA 22 OTW | FIFA 22 chemistry styles | FIFA 22 formations | FIFA 22 skill moves | FIFA 22 celebrations | FIFA 22 stadiums | FIFA 22 leagues | FIFA 22 RTTK | FIFA 22 coins | FIFA 22 Career Mode guide

The Steam Link app allows users to use Steam on a tablet or phone by streaming their library direct to their device. That means you can keep playing on the small screen by simply mirroring your PC and connecting a controller. 

To use Steam on a tablet you'll need to make sure you have a few things in place first. You'll first need a tablet to play on - and no, you don't need the best gaming tablet or the best gaming phone on the market. The Steam Link app works with Apple devices running iPadOS 11 / iOS 11 or later, and Android devices on Android 5.0 and up. 

You'll also need a gaming PC or gaming laptop with a Steam account connected, not to mention WiFi with a minimum of 10Mbps internet speed. We'd also recommend grabbing a controller as, while touch controls can and do perform well on certain titles, a traditional gamepad offers a far better experience.

How to use Steam on a tablet

We're showing you exactly how to use Steam on a tablet just below. If you're using a phone, these steps will be the same.

1. Download the Steam Link app

The Steam Link app is free and available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Navigate to the app's page and download the software to your device to get started. 

2. Pair your controller

The app will first ask you to pair a controller when you open it. While you can use touch control to play through your games (and it's not too bad), we'd heavily recommend pairing either an official Steam controller or a compatible gamepad. If you're opting for the latter, connect your controller through your device's Bluetooth settings. We'd recommend checking out the best Xbox Series X controllers if you don't already have a set of buttons at the ready.

If you're just nosing around at this stage, you can also skip this step and stick with touch controls. 

3. Search for your PC

You will then need to search for your PC. Make sure your laptop or PC is on and actively running Steam, otherwise the app won't be able to scan for your device. 

4. Connect to your PC

Once the Steam Link app has found your PC, tap the icon to start connecting it to your tablet. 

Once this happens, a pop-up text box will appear on your PC and a PIN code will be displayed on your tablet. Enter the PIN on your PC to match the Steam Link app with your library.

5. Test the network

Steam Link will then run a network test on your connection to make sure your WiFi is up to the task at hand and determine the best bandwidth to run your stream on. 

6. Start Playing

Once your network strength is assessed, you'll be able to jump straight into your Steam library on your tablet. Hit the 'Start Playing' box to launch the stream. 

Your PC will mirror the activity on your tablet, but will move into big-screen mode to make sure you can access everything quickly and easily with a controller. 

For the big-screen treatment, check out the best gaming monitors currently available. Or, to boost that streaming power, check out the best routers for gamers. 

The ability to game on an iPad has exploded in recent years, thanks to the advancements in cloud gaming and streaming technology. We have plenty of services available now, which can allow you to play through whole Xbox and PlayStation catalogues directly from your iOS device. With so much support, then, it's easy to see why the iPad is starting to take form as one of the best gaming tablets on the market - but where do you start? 

If you're looking to get more out of gaming on iPad, there are four services you need to know about; Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation Remote Play, Apple Arcade, and Google Stadia. By cherry-picking among these platforms, you can play the latest and greatest titles all from your iPad - with everything from heavy-hitting AAA releases to the smallest of indie games up for grabs. 

Gone are the days when you needed to splash out on the best gaming laptop or the best gaming PC to keep up with the latest releases. Gaming on iPad is picking up steam, so we're showing you how to get started with each of these services below. You'll find out to set each one up, what you'll need for the best experience, and how to save cash on the subscriptions and gadgets that are required. 

Of course, you'll also be able to take advantage of these services with the best gaming phones as well. 

Xbox Cloud Gaming on iPad

Xbox Cloud Gaming is a new service from Microsoft that allows you to access the full Game Pass catalogue from any device. That means you'll be able to stream your collection directly to your iPad and, provided your WiFi is up to the job, the results are pretty seamless. You'll need a few things to make use of this service; an Xbox Game Pass subscription, an iPad with a solid amount of graphical power behind it (iPad Mini, iPad Air, or iPad Pro), an Xbox controller, and the Xbox Cloud Gaming website. 

Unlike Android devices, there's no dedicated Game Pass app that will load you straight into the service when gaming on your iPad. However, you can save the website to your home screen and load in through Safari for the same results. 

Once you're all set up you'll have access to over 300 games (including day one releases of Microsoft's biggest titles) right on your iPad - and the best part is they won't take up any of that precious storage space. 

What you'll need:

• Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription 
• iPad Mini 6, iPad Air 4, or iPad Pro (for the best experience) 
• Xbox Wireless Controller
• At least 10Mbps internet connection - recommended 20Mbps

PS5 / PS4 remote play on iPad

You'll need your PS4 or PS5 console nearby, but if you've been beaten to the TV you can play your games on iPad. Again, you'll need a sturdy enough internet connection (and we'd recommend hardwiring your console in), but you'll have full access to your console streamed through your iPad display once you're all set up. 

First, you'll need to switch Remote Play on from the Settings menu on your console. After that, you'll need to link your device to your PlayStation. After clicking the "enable remote play" button in settings, head to "link device" and you'll receive an 8-digit code that needs to be entered into the PS Remote Play app on your iPad. After that, you're all set up, though for future sessions you may need to sign in to your PlayStation Network account to connect to your console again. 

You can connect your DualSense controller to your tablet by holding the PS and Share buttons at the same time until they flash and then pairing in the iPad's Bluetooth settings menu. 

What you'll need:

• PS5 or PS4 console
• PS Remote Play app
• DualSense controller
• At least 5Mbps internet connection - recommended 15Mbps

Apple Arcade on iPad

Apple's own iPad gaming service doesn't feature as many blockbuster titles, but if you're looking to sample some smaller mobile games without ads or payment locks there's nothing comparable on the market. Apple Arcade functions as a subscription service to free apps, which means you'll be downloading your games as usual - but from a dedicated section of the App Store. 

Not all Apple Arcade games are compatible with a controller, but there are plenty of experiences that take input from a range of gamepads. You're not tied to a particular brand's thumbsticks here, either, as the iPad is compatible with the majority of Bluetooth controllers on the market. 

What you'll need:

• Apple Arcade subscription 
• Bluetooth controller (optional)

Google Stadia on iPad

Google Stadia hasn't had a brilliant time since its release. The game streaming service promised a lot in its early days and hasn't quite lived up to those promises for many since. However, it's surprisingly nimble when paired with a high-quality iPad and a solid WiFi connection - and there are plenty of titles to enjoy as well. Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny 2, FIFA 22, and Red Dead Redemption 2 are all fully playable on iPad with Google's service. 

You'll be accessing Google Stadia through a webpage shortcut, which will then stream all your favorite games in Safari. Confusingly, there is a Stadia app on the App Store, but this is only used for managing your library and connecting controllers. Even more confusing is the Google Stadia structure. 

Put simply, Google Stadia itself is simply a storefront like Epic or Steam - you'll still need to buy your games individually. However, you can also sign up to Stadia Pro for a few free games each month. It's not the most cost-effective way to play video games on your iPad, but if you don't have a PlayStation and don't want to pay the recurring Xbox Game Pass price, it's the last option out there.

You can use your Xbox One or PS4 controller, paired through the Bluetooth section of the iPad. Or, you can connect through WiFi using the official Stadia controller.

What you'll need:

• Google Stadia account
• PS4 / Xbox One controller (for Bluetooth pairing) 
• Google Stadia controller (for WiFi pairing) 
• At least 10Mbps internet connection

If you're set on picking up an iPad for your everyday gaming, we'd recommend checking out the latest iPad Pro deals, iPad Air deals, and cheap iPad Mini prices for more savings on your small-screen setup. 

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, software behemoth Google is planning to release a games console. The article claims that the console will be Android powered, and will act as a direct rival to Apple, who is allegedly making plans to launch a similar Apple TV device that will play games.

The report also suggests that, in addition to the console, Google is also working on a cutting-edge wristwatch, which will allow users to play media on the move. We already know that Google has a second version of the Android powered, Nexus-Q in development.

What does all this mean for us? Microsoft and Sony have both made it clear that their respective consoles are aiming to dominate the living room by being much more than just 'games players'. If this report is accurate, it looks like there will be a little more competition for space under your TV, although Google's console is unlikely to play true next-generation games--its Android architecture is currently built for tablet / phone style titles. Nintendo isn't safe either. A media-enabled wristwatch could provide competition for their handheld devices.

Even more intriguing, The Wall Street Journal piece suggests that one of Google's devices could be available as early as autumn 2013.

Both Google and Apple have declined to comment.

The Google Play media storefront for Android devices has surpassed 25 billion downloads on its more than 675,000 apps, Google announced today. The company has significantly marked down several paid games and utility apps on Play to mark theoccasion.

According to All Things D, Apple's App store hit the same milestone in March, and it now boasts a selection of more than 700,000 apps. The neck-and-neck race between the tech titans doesn't end there, with about 500 million activated Android devices and 400 million iOS devices sold.

Google may hope to add a little fuel to its app buying fire with five planned days of 25 cent prices on mobile gaming favorites, starting off with Angry Birds Space, Asphalt 7, Draw Something, and others.

Google Play is a rebranding of the Android Market, which changed its name in March.

Google has provided interwebbers with another video game homage on its homepage today, but before we point you in the direction of its special StarCraft treat, we recommend you wrap up any work or familial commitments you have to attend to before the weekend.

Done? Perfect. Now head to the Google homepage, and enter “Zerg Rush” into the search bar. The code prompts a browser-based mini-game wherein players must click-kill an army of Google “O's” before they gobble up the main screen. As an added bonus, Google has included a score tracking widget to ensure this is the last and only thing you'll be doing all day.

Lest we forget, Google recently issued a love letter to gamers with this playable April Fools joke:

Google has a history of dropping video game references throughout its front page. This month, it transformed its Google Map service into the aforementioned Dragon Warrior tribute, and last May it honored Pac-Man's 30th anniversary with a playable logo. Sure, we may one day be pledging allegiance to our all-knowing Google overlords, but as long as they keep doing stuff like this, we're kind of cool with that.

News out of CES 2012 is that cloud gaming will soon be featured in all Google TV devices thanks to a new deal between the internet giant and the online game streaming service OnLive.

The partnership will see all hardware and devices sporting Google TV - TVs, Blu-ray players, Media Streamers, and all enhanced with the ability to play OnLive's 200+ library of videogames without having to worry about pesky things like installs or "system specs". Players will be able to control the games using OnLive's proprietary wireless controller or through regular USB pads.

“OnLive integration into Google TV is a huge leap forward for videogames,” wrote Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO, on the Google TV blog. “Consumers have come to expect instant gratification with music, movies and video. Now, with OnLive, players in the US and soon in the UK can just as easily stream the highest-quality games to their Google TV devices for play instantly on demand, without discs or downloads.”

Currently, only the OnLive Viewer app is available for existing Google TV users, with full OnLive gameplay functionality set to follow in the near future. Essentially that means you can watch, cheer, and harass other OnLive gamers on Google TV devices right this very instant, but will have to wait until later to get in on the fun.

OnLive is currently available for PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android devices. Watch us test out the service on the latter platform in our hands-on demo.

Want to jump onto any street in the US with an automatic weapon and start shooting at civilians with automatic weapons? If you answered "yes," than you're a psychopath, and should likely check yourself into a mental institution. I didn't say anything about videogames in the sentence above. You sick, sick person. But if you want to do it in a videogame, well, you're out of luck, too, as Google has put its foot down and pulled the plug on the flash game "Google Shoot View."

The game went live last week, and was made by Dutch digital ad agency, Pool Worldwide. It let players type in any address, dropped them into a Google Street View location, and let them go wild by shooting at the actual people standing around. Sound effects and animations showed the carnage, which we're guessing actually was just bullet holes. We'd check, but Google had the game removed only a few days after it was pushed live this past Friday. Business Insider says that Google cited a "terms of use" infringement which, to be honest, sounds about right.

But that didn't stop thousands of upon thousands of people from trying it, with the game pulling in up to 3,000 people a minute during its week of life. No word yet on whether or not it will ever be revived, but odds are if it does, it won't have "Google" in the name. Well, unless it's added as an Easter egg to Google Street view. Google does love adding Easter eggs...

This week, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) announced plans to partner with CTIA Wireless Trade Association for the purpose of expanding its videogame content rating services to mobile applications. Unfortunately for the organization, Apple and Google – two of the largest app store players – have confirmed they will not be taking part.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into Android Market’s rating system, which now works well globally,” stated a Google rep in a chat with Digital Trends, adding, “While we support other systems, we think it’s best for Android users and developers to stick with Android’s existing ratings.”

Apple's App Store is home to over half a million applications, while Google's Android Market library plays host to over 300,000 and counting. Both online storefronts already employ their own unique age-appropriate rating systems, making ESRB's proposal redundant.

ESRB's mobile app initiative isn't completely DOA. Microsoft has voiced interest in including the ESRB-brand labels for its Windows 7 smartphone apps, while carriers like Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, Cellular Corp, and T-Mobile are also said to be on board. Regardless, one has to wonder if there's much point in ESRB going through with its digital initiative if two of the biggest mobile app players are reportedly giving it the snub.