Why the 3rd Anniversary Is the Perfect Time to Jump Into Pokémon Masters EX

On August 28, Pokémon Masters EX will be celebrating its third anniversary, and there are big plans for the mobile game that features an ever-expanding original story, team-ups between the most iconic Pokémon and Trainers of all-time, and so much more.

While all of the exciting details on Pokémon Masters EX’s third anniversary have yet to be revealed, we do know that it will finally let Trainers play as the Pokémon anime’s protagonist Ash & Pikachu. With that spectacular news and all the expansive updates added to the game over the years, it is the perfect time to jump into Pokémon Masters EX. If you need a bit more convincing, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about Pokémon Masters EX below and why it's well worth a download.

What Is Pokémon Masters EX?

Pokémon Masters EX is a free-to-play mobile game for iOS and Android that brings all of your favorite Pokémon to life in a new way with 3-on-3 team battles. The adventure takes place on the island of Pasio and has Trainers working to win the Pokémon Masters League (PML), which includes Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Champions, and other all-stars from every region.

The ever-expanding story begins with the Pokémon Masters League story arc and tasks players with battling to earn the five Pokémon Masters League badges in Tranquility, Freedom, Patience, Harmony, and Pride. Pokémon Masters EX has also seen the addition of the Villain story arc that has players facing off against villains from Pokémon’s storied past like Team Rocket.

There are no wild Pokémon in Pokémon Masters EX, but instead Trainers enter the PML with the Pokémon they’ve formed a sync pair with, which we will get into more detail in the next section. However, this means players will be able to form a party of three sync pairs (three Trainers and three Pokémon) to adventure through the game with and battle others with familiar and new moves from the mainline games. After Chapter 10, Co-Op is unlocked and you can play with your friends to add even more variety and fun to the gameplay.

Play as the Pokémon Anime’s Ash & Pikachu and Other Legendary Pairs

As previously mentioned, Pokémon Masters EX’s third anniversary will let players play as the Pokémon anime’s Ash & Pikachu via its sync pair format. The definition of sync pairs consist of a trainer and a Pokémon that is linked to them, and they can take on one of three roles - the attack-focused Strike sync pairs, the defense and healing-focused Support sync pairs, and the tactics and status-focused Tech sync pairs.

Ash & Pikachu may be a big selling point for the upcoming third anniversary, but Pokémon Masters EX already features over 200 incredible pairings that will warm any Pokémon fan’s heart like Professor Oak & Mew, Blue & Blastoise, Blue & Pidgeot, Red & Charizard, Red & Snorlax, Leaf & Venusaur, Lance & Gyrados, Giovanni & Mewtwo, and many more.

Hatch Eggs Through Battling and Build Your Ultimate Pokémon Team

Despite Pokémon eggs not launching with Pokémon Masters EX, it has been one of the most welcome new additions to the game. After obtaining an egg, players will be able to hatch it after a certain number of battles. After it hatches, Trainers will be able to name their Pokémon if they so choose and can pair them with their main character to form a sync pair.

At the start of the game, Professor Bellis will gift players an egg containing either Bulbasuar, Squirtle, or Charmander - one of the three starters from Pokémon Red and Blue - to get them on their way. As players progress through the story, they will have the chance to acquire eggs containing such Pokémon as Vulpix, Growlithe, Lickitung, Lapras, Igglybuff, and more. If luck is on their side, they can even hatch a shiny version of these Pokémon.

Pokémon Sword & Shield’s Dynamax Forms Have Joined Pokémon Masters EX

Pokémon Masters EX has added more than just Trainers and Pokémon to its repertoire, as it has also brought in other beloved features from previous entries in the franchise like PokémonSword & Shield’s Dynamax forms. When a Pokémon enters its Dynamax form, it grows to an unbelievable size and becomes extremely powerful for a short time. It also gains access to unique moves only available when in Dynamax Mode.

In Pokémon Masters EX, Dynamax is very much the same as it is in Sword and Shield, and a sync pair can Dynamax once per battle and use a devastating attack called a max move. For example, Sygna Suit Leon & Eternatus can use Dynamax and utilize a Max Move called Eternabeam that deals heavy damage to the opponent while refreshing the player’s move gauge.

These are some of the biggest features that make Pokémon Masters EX what it is today, and it serves as a foundation for many more additions in the future. They also join other features in-game, including the Champion Stadium that lets players battle the Elite Four and Champions from other regions to the Legendary Arena that pits players against Legendary Pokémon,that prove there is something for everyone.

The future is bright for Pokémon Masters EX and a glimpse of that future will be given soon when details of the game’s third anniversary are revealed. However, there is no better time than now to start your adventure in Pasio and embark on the Pokémon adventure of a lifetime on iOS or Android.

Gamescom 2022: The Biggest Announcements, Trailers, and Previews

Gamescom is always one of the biggest conventions of the year, and 2022 was no different. While there weren't any megaton announcements, we were treated to reveals and updates for some truly exciting games like Dead Island 2, Gotham Knights, Hogwarts Legacy, Sonic Frontiers, The Callisto Protocol, and more.

Gamescom 2022 kicked off its multi-day show with Opening Night Live, and it (and IGN!) continued to reveal big news and previews from the showfloor as the days went on. To help ensure you didn't miss any of the biggest moments from Gamescom 2022, we've gathered the best announcements, trailers, and previews below for you to check out in one convenient place.

Dead Island 2 Gets a New Trailer, 8 Years After the Last One - and It's Out Next Year

After eight long years, Dead Island 2 has finally been re-revealed with a new trailer and the news that it will be released on February 3, 2023. The cinematic trailer starred Jacob, one of the six playable characters in the game, and showed him slaughtering his way through Los Angeles with both a gun and a katana.

In our Dead Island 2 hands-on preview, we said that "while it may have risen from the grave, though, it still has a lot to prove. Dambuster has made a solid first impression, but it comes coupled with a distinct sense of familiarity."

Sonic Frontiers: New Trailer Reveals More Story, Confirms Release Date

Gamescom Opening Night Live not only confirmed that Sonic Frontiers would be speeding its way to a November 8 release date, but it also shared a new trailer that showcases Sonic running around various environments, some mysterious new characters, and even a glimpse of Amy.

Gotham Knights Gets New Release Date, Will Include Harley Quinn and Clayface As Major Villains

Our upcoming trip to Gotham City was moved up a bit as Opening Night Live revealed that Gotham Knights will now be released on October 21, 2022. The trailer that helped share the news also confirmed Harley Quinn and Clayface will be appearing as major villains alongside Mr. Freeze, the Penguin, and the Court of Owls.

Hogwarts Legacy: New Trailer Shows Off Slytherin, Dark Magic, and Zombies

Following its delay, Hogwarts Legacy received a new trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live that features a new look at gameplay, students digging into Salazar Slytherin's past, and a slightly terrifying choice involving the torture curse Crucio.

The Callisto Protocol's New Gameplay Trailer Is a Gorefest

The Callisto Protocol got a new trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live and it can really only be described as a gorefest. Alongside seeing enemies being pushed into weird meat grinder-like machines and a deadly spinning giant fan at the end of a long sewer-like waterslide, we also were given a glimpse of the new mutations mechanic. That basically means that some enemies have tentacles coming out of them, and if you don't kill them quickly enough, they will mutate and become even more powerful.

DualSense Edge Controller Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live

Sony has finally announced its answer to Microsoft's Xbox Elite Controller with the DualSense Edge, a premium-grade PS5 wireless controller that has customizable controls, the ability to save multiple control profiles, changeable stick caps, back buttons, and more.

Street Fighter 6: New Gameplay Mechanics Explained

Learn some of the new gameplay mechanics coming to Street Fighter 6 and more details on Juri and Kimberly.

Forspoken Gameplay Overview Trailer Showcases Combat, Exploration, and Frey's Magical Abilities

A new Forspoken gameplay overview trailer has been released and it showcases the game's combat, exploration, and Frey's magical abilities. Speaking of abilities, Forspoken will include over 100 spells and abilities and it will even grade you on how you are doing with a Devil May Cry-style combo grading system.

Where Winds Meet Is Like Ghost of Tsushima in Medieval China

Developer Everstone Games has unveiled its new open-world RPG, Where the Winds Meet that looks to be very much like Ghost of Tsushima in Medieval China. It is set in the beautiful Ten Kingdoms period at the end of the Southern Tang Dynasty and the main character looks to be a mysterious swordsman who will be tasked with surviving this tumultuous time.

New Lies of P Trailer Shows Geppetto and More at Gamescom Opening Night Live

Souls-like Pinocchio story Lies of P showed off a new gameplay trailer at Opening Night Live, and it gave fans a glimpse of the game's lying system, Geppetto, and quite possibly Jiminy Cricket.

Subnautica Devs Announce Moonbreaker, a Warhammer-Like Strategy Game (Including the Model Painting)

Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds has announced Moonbreaker, a digital tabletop strategy game that has a universe that's been co-created with Mistborn and Wheel of Time novelist Brandon Sanderson. Furthermore, the game is built around miniatures and it encourages players to paint them to their heart's content as they would in real life. Moonbreaker will enter Early Access on September 29, 2022.

In our preview, we said that it mixes exciting Hearthstone strategy with chilled Warhammer painting.

New Tales From the Borderlands Officially Announced

New Tales From the Borderlands received its full reveal at Gamescom Opening Night Live and it was confirmed that it will be launching on October 21, 2022. This new story will follow three new characters - Anu, Octavio, and Fran - alongside familiar faces from the wider Borderlands universe.

High on Life Gets an Exclusive New Trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live

High on Life, which is being developed by Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland's Squanch Games, received a new trailer that gave a look at the first-person shooter that sees the game's weapons talking to you as you progress through the story. The trailer also featured a boss fight against a clone named 9-Torg.

After getting our hands-on High on Life, we realized there was much more to this shooter than we saw at Opening Night Live. In our High on LIfe preview, we said, "If these 25 minutes included enough jokes, neat touches, references, and combat ideas for me to write this much about, how will it feel once I’m hours into the game? If it keeps up that pace, High on Life will be far from a shooter with a jokey veneer - it could be something truly new."

Wo Long: How Team Ninja's New Soulslike Differs from Nioh

Team Ninja's highly anticipated Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty finally got a gameplay trailer and IGN sat down with producer Fumihiko Yasuda and development producer Masaaki Yamagiwa to discuss the game and how it differs from Nioh.

No Rats, No Game" - How A Plague Tales' Rat Swarm Was Created

Alongside a look at how A Plague Tales' Rat Swarm was created, we were also treated to a new gameplay trailer for A Plague Tale: Requiem ahead of its October 18, 2022, release date.

Hideo Kojima Is Starting a Podcast Called Brain Structure

Beginning on September 8, Hideo Kojima will be launching his very own podcast on Spotify called Brain Structure, which will be a "deep dive into his brain and shed light on his creative process." Episodes will be released each Thursday and the show will be available in both Japanese and English.

Return to Monkey Island Gets a September 2022 Release Date

Return to Monkey Island will be released on Nintendo Switch and PC on September 19, which just so happens to also be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. The release date announcement was joined by a trailer that featured, among other things, a horse armor joke.

Dune: Awakening Is a New Open World Survival MMO

Funcom revealed Dune Awakening at Gamescom's Opening Night Live, an open-world survival MMO that is set on Arrakis and teased giant spice-harvesting vehicles, giant sand worms, and sand worm riding.

AEW Fight Forever - A Much Needed Alternative to the Mainstream

AEW Fight Forever just may be a return to the "Golden Age of wrestling games," as it plays exactly like WWF No Mercy. While that has us very excited, it also stung us with "little rocks and pebbles of things that hold up less well to a modern standard."

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Is the Shooter 40K Deserves

Following our 30-minute, four-player co-op session of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, we've proclaimed that that game "may be the rarest of rares: a genuinely good 40k FPS."

Park Beyond Hands-On: A Park Simulator That Lets You Build The Impossible

Following a new trailer at Opening Night Live, we had the chance to try out Park Beyond, a new game that aims to let you build the impossible in the world of theme parks. In addition to building larger-than-life rides, Park Beyond also puts you in control of managing the park. This combo has us hopeful for its release in 2023.

Pentiment Is the Latest Pleasant Surprise From Xbox's Most Prolific New Studio

Pentiment, which is set to be released on November 15, 2022, is the latest pleasant surprise from Obsidian Entertainment. It follows a medieval artist named Andreas Maler who is looking to become a master artist but unfortunately gets caught up in a murder mystery when his friend is accused of killing someone.

In our Pentiment hands-on demo, we said that "Just 30 minutes left me with plenty of opinions on the circumstances that led to the nobleman’s murder – I can’t wait to spend hours with these grim, quirky villagers and find out what other secret crimes they, and I, might artfully commit."

In Atlas Fallen You Play as a Sand Thanos Whose Mission is to Punch a God

After 20 minutes, Atlas Fallen has given us a lot of hope for a game that basically lets you play as a sand Thanos whose mission is to punch a god. In our behind closed door demo, we came away with the impression that "Atlas Fallen shows flashes of Monster Hunter, Control, and the Horizon series, while also introducing some intriguing new ideas of its own."

The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me Is the Goriest Game in the Series

The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me is not only the final installment in season one of Supermassive Games' Dark Pictures Anthology, but it also looks to be the goriest entry yet.

In our hands-on preview of The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me, we said that the game's "playfulness, combined with a truly horrifying real-life backdrop, and a willingness to try some new gameplay ideas has me excited to check in for another stay when The Devil in Me releases on November 18."

Wreckreation Knows You Want Another Burnout, So It'll Let You Build It (and Thousands of Other Things)

Wreckreation is an upcoming open-world racing game that is so focused on customization and player choice that it will allow you to build another Burnout alongside thousands of other things if you so choose.

Planet of Lana Feels Like a Playdead Game That Doesn't Hate You

Planet of Lana is a game that will feel familiar to those who've played Playdead's Limo and Inside, but it features a "much more beautiful, naturalistic, and crucially hopeful viewpoint" than those wonderful games.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space Is Becoming a 3v7 Multiplayer Game

The 1988 film Killer Klowns from Outer Space is becoming a 3v7 asymmetric multiplayer game that will see humans facing off against a team of titular alien Klowns. There will also be character classes, a randomly generated map, and more. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is set to be released in early 2023.

Dredge Is a Relaxing Fisherman Simulator Hiding a Very Sinister Heart

At first glance, Dredge may seem like a relaxing fisherman simulator, however, there is much more going on behind the scenes that hid a very sinister heart. In our preview, we said that "It’s a magical set-up - the kind of compelling, acquisitive management game that can accidentally hold attention for hours, but intrinsically tied to a much stranger storyline, that promises to lead us into truly unknown waters."

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Gets a New Gameplay Trailer After a Year of Waiting

The Suikoden spiritual successor Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has received a new gameplay trailer more than a year after the last one. The new footage showed off a small selection of the game's 100+ characters, story moments, and the gorgeous artstyle in action.

Ex-GTA Boss Reveals More About His New Open-World Game at Gamescom Opening Night Live

Former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies and his studio Build a Rocket Boy have revealed more about Everywhere, an open-world game that is being described as blending together gameplay, adventure, creativity, and discovery in a multi-world gaming experience.

Vikings on Trampolines Is a "Blast" That's Taken Two Decades to Make

Owlboy developer D-Pad Studios have been working on Vikings on Trampolines for 20 years, and our first hands-on demo gave us hope that it may have been worth it as it looks to be "a blast in the right environment."

The Expanse: A Telltale Series First Gameplay Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live

Fans of The Expanse were treated to the first gameplay footage of The Expanse: A Telltale Series at Opening Night Live that shared a look at the new narrative adventure that will even let players traverse the vast space in zero-g.

Gord Is Aiming to Cross The Witcher with Rimworld (and the Signs are Good)

Gord is a new game from ex-CD Projekt developers that takes place in a grim, pastoral fantasy world inspired by Slavic folklore. While this draws comparison from The Witcher games, developer Covenant also said that Rimworld has been another huge inspiration.

Nobody Saves the World Announces DLC Expansion, Frozen Hearth

Nobody Saves the World is getting a new expansion called Frozen Hearth on September 13, and it looks to add new areas, challenges, and forms to shapeshift into.

The Lords of the Fallen Is a Reboot of the 2014 Souls-Like

The Lords of the Fallen is a reboot of the 2014 dark fantasy action RPG Souls-like that takes place over a thousand years after the first game in a world that is said to be "more than five times larger" than the original.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Lightyear Frontier Preview: Unconventional Mech-anics

In the wake of Stardew Valley’s revitalization of the genre after Harvest Moon and Story of Season’s popularity waned, I’ve been enjoying a rush of new farming sim games that explore the familiar mechanics in new ways. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin focused specifically on a single crop while weaving in 2D action combat. Slime Rancher emphasized the collection, care, and breeding of adorable little creatures. And now Lightyear Frontier is preparing to revisit familiar farming gameplay from behind the controls of an extremely unusual farming implement: a war mech.

For my hands-on preview, I was able to explore a small portion of Lightyear Frontier’s first area. I got a feel for basic farming, and was able to build some basic structures like a plant bed and a silo, plant seeds, water them, and harvest. It’s a familiar loop for farming sim fans of all stripes: collect resources, use resources to build things that help you get more resources, repeat. The primary distinction is that instead of playing as a little dude in overalls, you’re piloting a repurposed battle mech to do all your farming chores. The mech is large and slow moving, but what it lacks in speed it makes up for in really big, efficient farming guns that eliminate the typical early-game farming sim tedium of hauling a can of water up to each square, watering, then moving to the next. You can just spray ‘em all at once, easypeasy.

One thing that didn’t quite click for me (but may still) is the inherent silliness of being in a mech at all. I understand the purpose is a thematic one, in that you’re using a war mech and its war weapons as a tool to build a peaceful existence. Literal swords to plowshares. But in my limited demo the mech felt less like a repurposed gundam and more like a goofy household appliance. Its vacuum arm slurping up sheaves of wheat, or blasting my plant beds with a seed cannon are fundamentally ridiculous things. It’s a good kind of ridiculous, but Lightyear Frontier seems blissfully unaware of its own silliness, resulting in a strange thematic dissonance at the earliest stage of interstellar farming. But given how little of Lightyear Frontier I was able to see, it’s entirely possible this resolves itself with time – either by leaning into increasingly absurd upgrades for these farming guns, or by finding more ways to drive the themes home. Personally, I’m hoping for a little of both.

Lightyear Frontier so lovely that I am loath to ruin it even slightly with my farming.

If you’re coming at Lightyear Frontier from the more social farming sims like Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon, what jumps out the most aside from the mech bits are the lack of other characters to interact with. As far as the devs of Lightyear Frontier are willing to say so far, you’re largely alone on this planet aside from a merchant who visits regularly to trade, though I’m told there are a few distant contacts elsewhere in the solar system that can be communicated with if not necessarily seen. It all gives Lightyear Frontier a lonely air, even moreso because I feel so distant even from my own character behind the cold metal control panel of the mech they pilot.

But I think that must be intended, because the loneliness plays well with my favorite bit of Lightyear Frontier so far: exploring the planet. For one, with no neighbors to chase around and give gifts to, my time in Lightyear Frontier is entirely my own. Once my farm is tended each morning, I’m off and away for the rest of the day, and don’t even need to come back home at night if I don’t want to – I can just drop off to sleep in my mech when it gets dark. It’s nice to have plenty of time to get lost, though I imagine that balance of time might shift somewhat later in the game once there are more farming facilities to fuss with.

More important and impactful for me was the overall vibe of Lightyear Frontier’s planet. I don’t want to misrepresent what Lightyear Frontier is by comparing it closely to No Man’s Sky – it is, after all, just one deliberately crafted planet, not a seemingly infinite supply of infinite procedurally generated worlds. But the moment my mech stepped off my farm area and into the open fields invoked in me the same feeling of wonder and adventure that I had when I first crested a grassy fuschia hill in No Man’s Sky and looked out on the rainbow alien world spread out beneath me.

Lightyear Frontier is that brand of lovely – it is vibrant and verdant, with smooth flowing grasses and sparkling water and wild, twisty trees. Its hills are dotted with strange plants I can harvest and replant in my own farm, slowly replacing the Terran seeds I’ve brought with me in favor of a garden more befitting the existing ecosystem. It’s so lovely that I am loath to ruin it even slightly with my farming, though the developer has assured that Lightyear Frontier avoids the usual colonialist destruction that interplanetary exploration games love to exploit.

I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of Lightyear Frontier. Having only the smallest taste of the farming elements, I’m still a bit uncertain about how well they’ll play long-term with the largesse of the mech, but am equally not put off the idea just yet. I’m curious about the elements I didn’t see at all in my demo: there’s supposedly a story that unfolds as I explore the planet, for instance, and Lightyear Frontier can also be played fully cooperatively with up to four people total. Both of those prospects are deeply intriguing and either on its own could transform the overall feeling of Lightyear Frontier entirely. But for now, I’m left wanting nothing more than to explore this colorful wilderness and see what new seeds, creatures, and mysteries are waiting for me over the next shimmering hilltop.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Moonbreaker Mixes Exciting Hearthstone Strategy With Chilled Warhammer Painting

The worlds of tabletop games and video games have often overlapped. Here at Gamescom 2022 there are three different Warhammer games, and over the years we’ve seen the likes of D&D, Pathfinder and more adapted into a variety of video game forms. But Moonbreaker, from Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment, is unlike any tabletop-inspired video game I’ve ever seen. Rather than making the lore a reality, Moonbreaker quite literally is a competitive tabletop miniatures game played with figures you paint yourself. It’s a celebration of the paint-and-play hobby, and I think it has the potential to be brilliant.

Unlike the games I’ve already mentioned, Moonbreaker is not based on an existing tabletop game. Everything has been created from scratch by Unknown Worlds - but it does have everything you’d expect of a miniatures game; a robust rule set for turn-based combat, simple tactical choices that build into deep strategies, and a collection of very cool miniatures split into colourful different factions. Its sci-fi universe even has lore created by beloved author Brandon Sanderson, which is delivered via audiobooks. Effectively, it’s the entire Games Workshop hobby on your PC, just without the Space Marines.

At Gamescom 2022 I was able to play Moonbreaker for an hour, which was enough to get through its quick tutorial and one match of its fast-paced versus mode. I love what I saw, but I’m also surprised by the fact that, rather than playing akin to real-life miniatures games such as Warhammer or Infinity, Moonbreaker is actually closer in design to card games like Hearthstone.

It begins with your captain. For me, that was Astra, a child genius mounted atop a huge frog. She’s the most important mini on the board, because if she dies it’s game over. My opponent (in this instance an AI) also has a captain, Zax Jak'ar, who is essentially a recently-deceased Han Solo living a second life via a hologram. To win I must kill him, whatever the cost.

Paint More Minis.

Moonbreaker doesn’t just simulate the play experience of a miniatures game, it also replicates the painting side, too. There’s a whole suite of artistic tools, allowing you to bring each character to life in a colour scheme of your making. But this feature isn’t based on digital painting tools like you’d use in Photoshop; it replicates actual artistic techniques. There’s your regular paints, which block in colours, but their opacity can be altered to simulate watering down your acrylics. Then you can apply a wash, which shades the recesses and creates contrast. Finally, a highlight layer - added either with careful edge highlighting or the easier dry brushing method - picks out the highest points of the model to create a surprisingly detailed paint job in just a few minutes.

I only painted a few areas of a Zax’s model, but was impressed with how well it replicated real-life painting (in just a fraction of the time and without the need for two thin coats.) You can even mix new colours on a palette and save them for later use. The only real concessions it makes are the ability to undo a mistake, and mask certain areas of a model so that your paint doesn’t spill over. I can already see myself spending hours painting Moonbreaker’s characters, and perhaps even using it as a way to prototype paint schemes for my actual IRL miniatures.

Backing up my captain are nine crew mates. They are, in CCG terms, your deck. Much like a Hearthstone card they each have an attack and HP value, plus one or two unique skills. They’re deployed like cards, too; you have a hand (here known as the Bridge) and you can place a character on the board when you have enough ‘Cinder’ (which, like Hearthstone’s mana pool, builds each turn). More powerful allies cost more Cinder, and so you’ll need to judge when it’s best to spend or save your resources.

It’s on the board that Moonbreaker begins to break away from card games, even if the fundamentals of CCG design still fuel its intentions. Movement and location is initially the most obvious factor. As the turns go by, I begin to put more and more thought into where Astra should be positioned. Placing her on the sidelines keeps her safe from the range of Zax’s minions and his own dual handguns, but it also means she’s too far away to use her powerful buffs on my other crew members. I settle for tactical use of the board’s terrain; by placing her within the billowing clouds of a steam vent, any attack made against Astra suffers an accuracy penalty.

It’s on the board that Moonbreaker breaks away from card games, even if the fundamentals of CCG design still fuel its intentions.

With Astra safe, I need to consider the composition of my ground troops. Zax has deployed his Toxoid, a wasp-like fighter who has inflicted one of my crew with a poison that will kill them on the next turn unless healed. To counter this I deploy my medic, Stitchy McPatchy, who will keep my poisoned ally in the fight. But there’s a complication; newly deployed minis can’t do anything until the next turn, but the moment I click ‘end turn’ my sick crew member is going to croak. But that’s where Astra comes in; from her new position close to her allies, she can use an ability to activate Stitchy right now. Special abilities like these cost Cinder to activate, which means I’ll be too poor to deploy another miniature this turn, but right now I’m in desperate need of medical services. I wake Stitchy up and immediately use the last of my Cinder to heal the sick crew member.

It’s a simple synergy, but it’s indicative of how Moonbreaker’s abilities and terrain can influence tactics and, ultimately, strategy. There appears to be genuine depth and richness here. Later, Zax summons in a crew member who can grow in power with each turn that goes by. The developer guiding me through the demo warns that, if not dealt with, this character will theoretically be able to one-shot my captain, and thus win Zax the game. This sort of character forces interesting strategies from both sides; for Zax it’s all about preserving his new nuclear bomb at all costs. For me, do I build a strategy around removing her from the board, or double down on ending the game by defeating Zax?

I opt for the latter. To inflict a quick chunk of damage, I call in an Orbital Strike. This is a Ship Assist, one of several abilities that are free to use but need to be charged up over several turns. This bombardment takes four turns to warm up, but it’s ready and so I rain heavy munitions across the battlefield. But Zax still has plenty of health left, so I have to make a decision on what to do with my Cinder. Do I spend it deploying a few new crew members who can mob him next turn, or do I spend it on an ability-fuelled tactic that could end the game here and now? I risk the latter, and replicate my deploy/activate plan from earlier, this time with a huge turret. The laser barrage cuts through Zax’s remaining health, sending him to the grave for a second time.

It’s a deeply satisfying victory, and it’s only my first ever match. I’m already excited about the possibilities different crew set-ups can provide, and how various abilities, Ship Assists, and passive skills can be combined.

But, despite this enthusiasm, I’m also a little concerned about how I’ll build that crew. When Moonbreaker launches in early access on September 29, it will come with a respectably large collection of miniatures, but that’s just the start. That range will grow, and new miniatures will come via booster pack-style loot boxes. That means both microtransactions in a premium game and the risk of paid-for duplicates. While I’m a bit grumpy about the added costs, I’m not necessarily completely opposed to buying new minis in theory. But in my real-life hobby, I go into Games Workshop and buy the models I want. I’d much rather Moonbreaker followed that model (or even sold pre-assembled crews) rather than the random potluck that has plagued card games since the hobby began. Thankfully there’s an in-game currency earned through play which takes a little of the sting out of that blemish on Moonbreaker’s tremendous promise - although the rate at which you earn it will be key.

I may never own a massive collection of Moonbreaker minis, then, but I’m still really looking forward to exploring the depths of these tactical battles and devising devilish, multi-turn plans. I’ve already got several theoretical strategies formulated in my mind, waiting impatiently to be deployed when early access begins next month.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Features Editor.

Dredge Is a Relaxing Fisherman Simulator Hiding a Very Sinister Heart

Dredge begins with a shipwreck, your unseen fisherman player-character forced to alight on the shores of the island town of Greater Marrow, unable to get home. They’re made to loan a boat from the shady mayor, and work the local shallows to pay off the debt. And yet this is Dredge’s least unsettling section.

The bones of Dredge are those of a gentle fishing sim - you pilot a pretty, almost cel-shaded boat around calm waters, playing an almost rhythm-action minigame to reel in catches, found in burbling schools around the initial island. Trade in enough fish to the local fishmonger, and you can use your payments to buy upgrades from the shipwright - extra outboard engines, stronger rods for larger species (there are 128 entries in the game’s catalog), crab pots to drop off and come back to later.

There are less expected mechanics too, like selecting a book to read, which sets off a timer whenever you’re on the water, eventually offering you permanent stat buffs. Your boat’s stock is organised like Resident Evil’s inventory Tetris. There’s a day-night cycle, too, with different species emerging at night - but going out after dark comes with the risk of hitting rocks you can’t see, and damaging parts of your inventory, sending engines offline, or catches slipping overboard. It’s a satisfying pace of progress from the off, and even in an hour of play I’d made several meaningful changes to my vessel.

But soon after you start, you hit day 5, and things begin to get... odd. The people of Greater Marrow - and the other little settlements you find on surrounding islands - already seem a little off. But when you pull your first Aberration from the waves, everything gets much more sinister. Something is wrong with the fish in these seas - mackerel are growing distended and aggressive-looking, cod can evolve one enormous eye. The fishmonger cuts a perfectly preserved antique handkerchief out of one speciman, and treats it like a prize rather than a worry - and then you meet the Collector, and you begin to see there’s a dark story hidden under Dredge’s surf.

The Collector, an ex-fisherman who has taken up 'other pursuits', sets you off on your main quest, asking you to find unusual, possibly magical artifacts from notable shipwrecks in the area. He equips you with the eponymous dredging apparatus, and suddenly you’re playing a different minigame to pull up everything from scrap metal to a shape-changing key, and learning hints of the bizarre, possibly Lovecraftian stories that preceded your arrival.

You’ll need to begin going on longer voyages to other biomes, but piloting your ship at night increases your character’s panic level. The higher your panic, the stranger things get - you begin to see places you can’t see during the day, and sinister murders of ravens begin to follow your boat and steal your stock if you’re out too long. You’ll begin to get side quests from islanders too, who want you to find a sign of their drowned child, or ask for building materials, seeming a little too keen to leave their home and live elsewhere.

Much of what I learn feels pieced together - the hints of a sunken story, rather than the tale itself - but the developers from Black Salt Games hint that my travels may lead me into having to panic my character to discover hidden locations, and say that there will be monsters far worse than sharks to contend with out there, all on the search for answers to the questions I have.

It’s a magical set-up - the kind of compelling, acquisitive management game that can accidentally hold attention for hours, but intrinsically tied to a much stranger storyline, that promises to lead us into truly unknown waters. Dredge is holding secrets, and I very much want to work out what they are.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

In Atlas Fallen You Play as a Sand Thanos Whose Mission is to Punch a God

The reveal trailer for Atlas Fallen didn’t give too much away. We knew there was lots of sand, and that some gnarly looking monsters liked to call it home. After seeing roughly 20 minutes of gameplay behind closed doors at gamescom 2022, I can confirm that there’s a whole lot more to it than that - and it all looks very exciting. A fast-paced, semi-open world action RPG, Atlas Fallen shows flashes of Monster Hunter, Control, and the Horizon series, while also introducing some intriguing new ideas of its own.

Fully playable in both single-player and two-player co-op, Atlas Fallen is a narrative-driven RPG that is, refreshingly, neither a soulslike or live-service game. Multiple (at least six that I know of) fairly large open areas make up the world and are unlocked as you make your way through its story. The world is called Atlas and, you guessed it, it has fallen. Sand covers everything from your feet to the horizon with old world ruins occasionally surfacing the sea of gold. This is because Atlas is under the tyrannical rule of the Sun God, who enlists the human population to mine and collect Essence - a valuable material used in rituals to honour the deity.

One day, however, your fully-creatable character strays from the holy path and stumbles across a powerful gauntlet that lets you control sand and manipulate it into powerful weapons. A voice from this gauntlet then tells you of powerful shards located around the world. Your mission is to gather these in order to bring the gauntlet back to full strength so you can eventually take on the Sun God and bring balance back to the world. If this didn’t already sound a bit like you’re playing as a heroic version of Thanos, then maybe the fact that you can also collect over 150 different essence stones to slot into the gauntlet, granting you magical abilities, will.

Atlas Fallen lets you switch between three weapons formed of tightly packed sand.

In terms of core combat, Atlas Fallen lets you switch between three weapons formed of tightly packed sand at will, reshaping and forming tools of destruction similar to how Control’s Service Weapon worked. Each melee armament has its different uses and they’re designed to be constantly rotated through the course of a fight. For example, the sword whip is a quick-hitting blade that can transform between a dagger and whip with the press of a button. It allows you to grapple onto monsters and also has the ability to crystallise enemies - locking them in place and signalling to you that it may be wise to now switch weapons.

This is because the second type you can wield is a massive sand hammer which allows you to perform a shattering attack, dealing heavy damage to crystallised enemies. In general, the hammer does the job you’d expect it to: slow and heavy to wield, but with a high damage output and AOE attacks that are ideal for crowd control groups of smaller enemies.

The third variation is a big ol’ fist. It’s quick-hitting and packs a mighty punch, but is only really designed to be effective in one-on-one encounters, making it ideal for those big bosses you’ll likely face. From what I could see, the action looked satisfyingly fluid and face-paced, especially when compared to the more deliberate combat of Deck 13’s previous outings with The Surge series.

In order to encourage a front-foot approach, a momentum bar fills up which each successive attack you make. You don’t use the contents of this bar for ultimate attacks or as AP for special moves, however, instead it works in a uniquely passive, but integral way. Once you build up to a certain section of the bar, more attacks get unlocked, leading you to be rewarded for your aggressive playstyle, with new ways to deal damage. There is a downside however; the higher your momentum bar gets, the more vulnerable to taking damage you are. It’s intended to make you perform a delicate balancing act between being powerful and fragile in each fight you get yourself into.

The momentum bar works in a uniquely passive, but integral way.

You’ll need to pay close attention to your enemies, too. Enemies are reminiscent of Monster Hunter in their design, mutated versions of recognisable animals or beasts - for example, one of the guardians of the Sun God, a giant stone crab which occasionally enveloped itself in a sand tornado. They looked like they had a decent repertoire of attacks to go through and didn’t look at all easy to take down, either (there will be three difficulty options available at launch so don’t fear).

Also similar to Monster Hunter, there was no centralised health bar to be seen. In this case, different sections of the crab’s body had their own percentage of health to chip away at, including each claw and its armoured head. Some of those parts will be mandatory to destroy in order to kill an enemy, whereas others will grant you bonus rewards for the fight if you manage to break them before finishing them off completely. So there’s also a bit of Horizon and their mechanised monstrosities in there too.

Outside of combat, there looked to be a fair amount to keep you busy as well. Sand surfing across the dunes looks like a blast, and adding abilities such as gliding across large ravines and raising structures out of the sand (earned by upgrading the gauntlet) look set to add variety with fighting, puzzle-solving and exploration challenges all encouraged. I had other, vast areas teased - with the Sun God’s palatial city and a more linear, cramped underground section, there seems to be a diverse set of things to see and do over the course of an estimated 20-hour mainline campaign. There’s a lot more to Atlas Fallen than a whole lot of sand then, and I’m now very much looking forward to surfing my way across it on my way to punch a God in the face sometime in 2023.

Looking for more Gamescom coverage? Take a look at our guide to the Gamescom 2022 schedule for all of the details.

Simon Cardy would love to stumble upon a magic gauntlet one day. Follow him on Twitter at @CardySimon to see if it happens.

House of the Dragon: Game of Thrones Prequel Renewed for Season 2

HBO has confirmed that Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon will return for a second season.

The news comes after just one episode of the show - set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones - premiered on HBO and HBO Max, but isn't entirely surprising given the success of its predecessor.

The first episode, which aired on August 21, was the largest premiere in HBO Max history as close to 10 million people tuned in on opening night. Ironically this proved to be a little too much for the streaming service, as several thousand users were left unable to watch due to the app crashing.

While it's unlikely the numbers will stay as high for the entirety of the ten episode season, Game of Thrones fans in for the long haul will at least have more House of the Dragon to look forward to thanks to the Season 2 confirmation.

It's the first Game of Thrones spin-off to make it to TV, with several other ideas pitched, developed, and scrapped - including a Long Night prequel that HBO spent $30 million on.

In our 8/10 review of the first episode, IGN said: "House Of The Dragon makes it feel like Game Of Thrones is back – now with extra dragons – and that’s a very good thing."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.