retrogames: April 2020

Thursday, April 30, 2020

FF7 Remake: Corneo's Secret Stash Locations

A complete guide for the Corneo's Secret Stash side mission of Chapter 14 in Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

36 Assassin's Creed Valhalla Gameplay, Story, World Details

While the announcement of Assassin's Creed Valhalla didn't feature any gameplay footage just yet, it did include a host of information about the open world, the story, and gameplay of the first entry of the franchise set to hit PS5 and Xbox Series X. Below, we've broken down the biggest updates we learned as part of the Valhalla reveal, including officially released information from Ubisoft, information we received in our interview with Valhalla director Ashraf Ismail, and interviews from various other team members from other outlets. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/assassins-creed-valhalla-official-trailer"]

Open-World Gameplay and Combat

Combat has been altered in some form, with an emphasis on making every hit feel impactful.
That includes giving players the ability to dismember and decapitate foes.
While Assassins have had two weapons at once before (two swords, for example), Valhalla places a new emphasis on dual-wielding weaponry, with players allowed to mix and match the game's arsenal.
Shields return as part of that arsenal after being absent from Odyssey.
The assassin's blade returns as well.
Throwing axes will be available in Valhalla as one of Eivor's many weapon options.
Players will traverse by sea via their Viking longship.
Players can spot fortresses from the water to attack with their raiding party in massive raids.
Largescale land battles will also be part of the story, though it's unclear if they'll function like Odyssey's army battles.
RPG trappings introduced in Origins will return, with new skills, as well as new gear to collect.
Open-world activities include hunting, fishing, dice, and drinking games.
Additionally, Valhalla will introduce the competitive sport of flyting, aka, Viking rap battles.
Eivor, the protagonist, will have a bird companion in the form of a raven, a common addition to the most recent Assassin's Creed.

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Story and World

Valhalla is set in ninth-century England during the Dark Ages.
It will follow Eivor, a Viking warrior who leads his people out of Norway and into England to settle.
King Alfred of Wessex will be an opponent Eivor and the Vikings face
Alfred will be an antagonist, but narrative director Darby McDevitt said it would be wrong to call him the "central antagonist" of the game. (via GameSpot)
Where some other possible big antagonists may appear is in the modern-day story, as Ismail also confirmed Layla's modern story from Origins and Odyssey would continue in Valhalla. (via Game Informer)
Eivor will eventually run across some group of Assassins in England, though at this time the Assassins and Templars are still being referred to as they were in AC: Origins and Odyssey: The Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients, respectively. (via Eurogamer)
Valhalla's map will include Norway, which players can return to after the Vikings leave, and the four kingdoms of England: Wessex, Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia.
Major English cities included will be London, Winchester, and Jorvik. (via GameSpot)
While Valhalla is not meant to be the end of the series, McDevitt called it a "good capper" to the franchise so far, and should include a lot of nods to the franchise's history (via GameSpot)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/assassins-creed-valhalla-director-gives-gameplay-details"]

Development

Ubisoft Montreal is the lead development studio on Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Ashraf Ismail is directing the project. Ismail and his team previously worked on Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Assassin's Creed Origins.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla will be the first entry of the franchise for PS5 and Xbox Series X.
It is also confirmed for PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia, and UPlay+.
It is set for a Holiday 2020 release window.

Player Choice - Settlement, Customization, and more

Like in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, players can choose either a male or female protagonist
Gear will also be much more customizable in Valhalla
Each piece of gear in the game will be unique (via GI)
New customization options include hair, tattoos, clothing, and war paint.
Players will be able to make custom Viking raiders for their raiding parties and even share them with friends
Players will also get to forge a home for themselves and either Vikings with the focus on building a settlement, your Viking homestead.
The settlement will include buildings to upgrade, like a blacksmith, barracks, tattoo parlor, and more
Players will have to make choices throughout the campaign, including political and personal alliances, dialogue choices, and more
Alliance examples include conducting a marriage to unite clans, while romance options will be available to the player, too (via Eurogamer)

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Time Crimes: Nintendo Is Cracking Down on Animal Crossing Exploits - NVC 506

Welcoooome to Nintendo Voice Chat! First up this week, around 160,000 Nintendo Network IDs have been hacked, and Nintendo is asking users to update their passwords and enable two-step authentication on their accounts. Hear this week's panel react to that, as well as the possibility of a dual screen Nintendo Switch. Plus, Nintendo has slashed the Animal Crossing bank's interest rate, and the NVC panel is here to discuss how Nintendo is dealing with potential New Horizons exploits. Finally, we'll wrap up with another round of Question Block. Timecodes!

00:00:00 Welcome!
00:00:55 160,000 Nintendo Network IDs have been hacked
00:06:08 A rumor about a new Switch model… with two screens?
00:12:42 Nintendo is adjusting the Animal Crossing economy
00:18:54 Our rapid-fire Majora's Mask memories
00:24:39 Games out this week
00:37:07 What we're playing
00:42:00 Question Block

Games out this week:

Moving Out - 4/28, $25
Indivisible - 4/28, $30
Telling Lies - 4/28, $20
Streets of Rage 4 - 4/30, $25
Book of Demons - 4/30, $25
Levelhead - 4/30, $20
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia Demo - 4/30

What we're playing:

Casey: Good Job!
Seth: Picross S4, Tales of Vesperia, Trials of Mana
Zach: Indivisible, Streets of Rage 4, Animal Crossing
Logan: Super Mario Maker 2, Animal Crossing

NVC is available on your preferred platform!

You can also Download NVC 506 Directly Here

You can listen to NVC on your preferred platform every Thursday at 3pm PT/6pm ET. Have a question for Question Block? Write to us at nvc@ign.com and we may pick your question! Also, make sure to join the Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast Forums on Facebook. We're all pretty active there and often pull Question Block questions and comments straight from the community.

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Logan Plant is the Production Assistant for NVC. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Warning: Your Animal Crossing Paintings Could Be Haunted

Everything you need to know about fake art and its spookiness in ACNH.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Will Support Smart Delivery on Xbox Series X

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the next entry in the long-running series and features Vikings, settlements, raids, and more new additions. It will be playable on current generation hardware, but has also been confirmed as a next-gen game for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Thankfully, Assassin's Creed Valhalla will support Smart Delivery on Xbox Series X as spotted by Shinobi602 on Twitter and confirmed by multiple retailers including Amazon and Best Buy. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-first-screenshots&captions=true"] Smart Delivery allows you to purchase the game once and play it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X, providing you the best possible version for your hardware. This is great news for those who may not be able to get their hands on Xbox Series X right at launch, but still want to jump into Assassin's Creed Valhalla when it launches Holiday 2020 and eventually play it when they upgrade. All of Microsoft's first-party Xbox Game Studios titles will support Smart Delivery including Halo Infinite, Gears 5, and more, but the feature is optional for third-party developers. Currently, the only confirmed third-party title aside from Assassin's Creed Valhalla to support the feature is Cyberpunk 2077. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/3bW87HG] We've got plenty more on Assassin's Creed Valhalla including details on Assassin's Creed Valhalla's gameplay and story, as well as a look at the first in-game Valhalla screenshots. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a News and Features writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him stream on Twitch.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Here's What Comes in Each Edition

The next game in Ubisoft's long-running historical series is Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and it's coming "Holiday 2020" to Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia. You play as Eivor, a Viking warrior in the Dark Ages who leads a clan out of Norway and begins raiding English towns. When you're not looting and plundering, you can build up your own settlement to gain power in the region. Eivor can be male or female, and the game features a new combat system that includes dual-wielding. You can read more in our Assassin's Creed Valhalla reveal. As usual with major Ubisoft releases, Assassin's Creed Valhalla will be available in a number of editions. Here's a look at what comes in each one, plus details about what preorder bonuses to expect. Note that the next-gen versions of the game are not yet up for preorder, but if you buy the Xbox One version, you'll get the Xbox Series X version for free.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Standard Edition

PS4

Xbox One

Get it at Ubisoft Store - $59.99
Get it at Epic Games Store - $59.99

The standard edition comes with the game itself, as well as any applicable preorder bonuses (see below).

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Gold Edition

PS4

Xbox One

Get it at Ubisoft Store - $99.99
Get it at Epic Games Store - $99.99

The gold edition includes the game itself, as well as the season pass.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ultimate Edition

Xbox One

Get it at Best Buy (digital) - $119.99

Get it at Ubisoft Store - $119.99
Get it at Epic Games Store - $119.99

The ultimate edition comes with the game, the season pass, and the Ultimate Pack, which includes the following exclusive customization content: the Berserker Gear Pack, the Berserker Settlement Pack and the Berserker Longship Pack, along with a Set of Runes to improve weapons or gear.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Collector's Edition

Get it at Ubisoft Store for $199

The Ubisoft Store-exclusive collector's edition includes the base game, the Season Pass, the Ultimate Pack, a high-end Ubicollectibles replica of Eivor and her longship (30 cm high), a Collector’s Case, a SteelBook with unique artwork, a numbered certificate of authenticity, a Viking Statuette of Eivor with a raven and Dane axe (5 cm high), exclusive lithographs as well as a selected soundtrack of the game.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Preorder Bonus

Everyone who preorders Assassin's Creed Valhalla will receive an additional mission called The Way of the Berserker, "in which players will join a legendary Norse Berserker on his quest for revenge."

Other Preorder Guides

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Chris Reed is IGN's shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed. [widget path="ign/modules/recirc" parameters="title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article"]

Assassin's Creed Valhalla to Feature Viking Rap Battles

Ubisoft unveiled Assassin's Creed Valhalla with a reveal trailer, the first in-game screenshots, and plenty of story and gameplay details. But among the many bits of information Ubisoft has revealed about the next Assassin's Creed, one stands as quite a surprise - Viking rap battles. Yes, according to an official description for Valhalla on Ubisoft's website, the open-world of ninth-century England and Norway will feature common activities like hunting, drinking games, and fishing. But more importantly, you'll be able to engage in flyting, aka, rap battles. The full description reads:

Sail across the icy North Sea to discover and conquer the broken kingdoms of England. Immerse yourself in activities like hunting, fishing, dice, and drinking games, or engage in traditional Norse competitions like flyting – or, as it's better known, verbally devastating rivals through the art of the Viking rap battle.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-trailer-images&captions=true"] Flyting was a battle of insults, akin to modern-day rap battles, allowing you to quite literally add insult to injury against all those who oppose the main character Eivor during Valhalla's story. Flyting comes from Old English and is translated as "to quarrel," and examples of it have been found in Norse, Celtic, Old English, and more writings. If it sounds like a far cry from the stereotypical activities you hear Vikings would embark on — namely, a lot of raiding and pillaging, well, you're not alone in that belief. But Thierry Noël, historian and inspirational content advisor of the Editorial Research Unit on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, spoke to Ubisoft about the unexpected gap in how Vikings actually lived compared to their perceived lives. "The gap between the reality of Norse society and the image we have of the reckless Viking was really interesting to me. They were a fascinating society in terms of culture and pretty fair in the way they treated women, who had important rights at the time. It was certainly contradictory to the common image we have of Vikings," Noël told Ubisoft. And given that Valhalla is leaning into the player choice the series has recently adopted, including adding new character customization options and important dialogue choices, it only seems fitting we'll be able to choose how to verbally devastate foes in between raiding parties and settlement upgrades. Speaking of settlements, Valhalla is placing a big emphasis on building and shoring up Eivor's Viking settlement in the new Assassin's Creed, as game director Ashraf Ismail told IGN in a recent interview, which you can watch below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/assassins-creed-valhalla-director-gives-gameplay-details"] Assassin's Creed Valhalla is set to be released this holiday season on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PC exclusively on the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store, Google Stadia, and UPlay+. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and a huge fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise. Debate with him which is the best in the series on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: First In-Game Images Revealed

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla was fully announced today with a CGI trailer, but the press release also included the first in-engine screenshots of the game. While almost certainly composed, rather than taken during regular gameplay, they give a sense of what the first next-generation Assassin's Creed game will look like. Check them out in the gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-first-screenshots&captions=true"] The images include a castle-based battle scene, possibly a siege, a group sailing in a longship, and a verdant countryside scene. The latter two images show off the female version of main character, Eivor. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla was teased in a lengthy stream yesterday, and subsequently revealed as a current- and next-gen game, coming this Holiday 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/assassins-creed-valhalla-official-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

Every IGN Assassin's Creed Review

Sit down in this comfy sci-fi chair, won't you, and plug in as we delve into our ancestral memories of IGN's Assassin's Creed reviews. From the 2007 original in which Altair first implausibly lept off a tall building into a tiny pile of hay to last year's revitalizing Origins and now the absolutely massive Odyssey, Assassin's Creed has had a pretty impressive 11-year run – including several spin-offs that didn't go quite as well. What's your favorite of the bunch? [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-assassins-creed-review&captions=true"] [widget path="ign/modules/recirc" parameters="title=More%20Assassin's%20Creed&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=Assassin's%20Creed%20Odyssey&count=6&columnCount=6&theme=article"]

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Overwatch 2: Release Date, Gameplay, Characters, and More

Announced at Blizzcon 2019, Overwatch 2 will not only feature new co-op modes, new maps, and heroes with customization and leveling but will also help build out the story behind the game's beloved heroes. To get players ready for the upcoming sequel to the original, here's a roundup of what we know about Overwatch 2 so far.

What is the Overwatch 2 Release Date?

At the time of writing Overwatch 2 does not have an official release date. When the game was officially announced at BlizzCon 2019, game director Jeff Kaplan said, "We [Blizzard] don't have a date in mind." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=overwatch-2-gameplay-reveal-screens&captions=true"] In January, a tweet from PlayStation Brazil's Twitter account seemingly revealed that Overwatch 2 would be released on PS4 in 2020. The tweet has since been deleted. However, this was never confirmed by Blizzard and for now, it seems developers aren't offering up any new information about the Overwatch 2 release date.

What Does Overwatch 2 Gameplay Look Like?

Overwatch 2 will reportedly expand the universe through an all-new story-focused PvE mode. This mode aims to bring more of the world and lore that Overwatch has to offer to players, which has been mostly experienced in bits and pieces through cinematic trailers, comics, and occasionally cutscenes via seasonal events. While details about Overwatch 2's story are unclear, it seems to revolve around the ongoing fight between Overwatch and Null Sector, as seen in the Overwatch 2 announcement cinematic Zero Hour. If you're not caught up on Overwatch lore, be sure to check out our recap of the Overwatch story so far. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/01/overwatch-the-story-so-far-cinematic-trailer"] Overwatch 2 will also feature a PvP game mode called Push, which has been shown on an all-new map set in Toronto, Canada. Push is a new 6v6 mode in which players will fight for control of a giant robot. Essentially, players need to gain control of the robot, in an effort to push the marker towards the opposing team's base. IGN's Matt Kim was able to go hands-on with Overwatch 2's Push mode at Blizzcon 2019. He said, "The most impressive part of Push is the new Toronto map in which it’s set. The map showcases some of the graphical improvements that are also coming to Overwatch 2, and there’s a noticeable improvement in the visuals just based on the map alone." For more of Matt's thoughts, be sure to check out his Overwatch 2 hands-on preview.

Who Are the New Overwatch 2 Characters?

In November 209, there were reportedly four unannounced heroes teased for Overwatch 2. One of these teased characters could have been Echo but they were recently confirmed to be the last new hero in Overwatch. Jeff Kaplan, the Overwatch game director confirmed this to IGN Nordic, saying, "Yes, currently Echo is the last hero coming to standard Overwatch. The focus for the next couple of heroes will be on Overwatch 2. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/01/overwatch-2-gameplay-overview-trailer"] A tease shown at Blizzcon revealed Sojourn as a new hero coming to Overwatch 2. So far, we know Sojourn is from Canada and was featured in an Overwatch seasonal event called Storm Rising as a captain. Fans also noticed her in Ana's origin story as one of the founding members of Overwatch and she was spotted again in a quick flash as a hero on a computer Winston uses to put out a call for help in an animated short called Recall. She will be the first black female hero to join the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

This Week in Animal Crossing: Nature Day Activities, New Bugs and Fish

This week in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Nature Day event continues as we reach the start of a new month. During this time, players can earn Nook Miles from completing Nature Day-related activities around their islands, and once May arrives later this week, players can bid farewell to some of April’s bugs and fish as a new batch gets added in. We’ll go over all this and more in our weekly update, as well as some ways to make the most out of it! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=animal-crossing-new-horizons-visiting-characters&captions=true"]

Nature Day

Formerly referred to as “Earth Day”, Nature Day is an event introduced in the 1.2.0 patch update from last week. Running from April 23 - May 4, Nature Day brought with it a new plant and two new visiting characters to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Leif

One of the visiting characters you may have already encountered is Leif. He’s a friendly sloth that will occasionally show up near Resident Services selling shrubs and flower seeds. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/21/animal-crossing-new-horizons-april-2020-update-adds-nature-day-event-museum-expansion-and-hints-at-future-events-ign-news"] The flowers he sells won’t be native to your island so if you’re looking to expand your garden and crossbreed some new blooms, you’ll want to keep an eye out for him. Shrubs are new to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and have traits of both trees and flowers. For example, shrubs don’t need to be watered to grow (like trees) but they can be dug up at any time without needing to ingest fruit (like flowers). ACNH_ShrubChart

Be sure to check out our Animal Crossing shrub guide for even more information on how to take care of shrubs and their blooming schedule.

Redd

Another visiting character added in the 1.2.0. update is Redd, a mischievous fox who has gone by Jolly Redd, Cousin Redd, and plenty of other titles. He sells antique paintings and statues. While some of Redd's inventory includes genuine art pieces, not all of his merchandise is authentic, so always examine it closely. Learn how to spot and get rid of fake paintings and sculptures with our Redd art guide. ACNH_ReddVisit5

Once you've made at least 40 donations to the museum and Blathers mentions the museum art upgrade, Redd will first appear on the beach the next day. Talk to him and he’ll sell you a piece of genuine art after a bit of haggling. You can give this to Blathers who will take it and use it as an opportunity to upgrade the museum. You’ll encounter Redd again later, this time wandering around the island. Speak to him and he’ll tell you about his Treasure Trawler docked by the northernmost beach on the island (also known as “secret beach”). The next time he visits you'll be able to board the Treasure Trawler and buy art and furniture from him. Leif and Redd aren’t limited to the Nature Day event so expect to see them pop up on your island randomly from time to time from here on out. If you haven’t seen either of these new characters, we encourage you to check out our guide on why Leif or Redd may not be appearing. To take full advantage of Nature Day, we suggest you try the activities Tom Nook is giving to players in exchange for Nook Miles. Each day, a new activity related to Nature Day will appear in your Nook Miles app. These activities include planting shrubs, decorating with flowers, and more. Check out our Nature Day guide for a list of Nature Day activities and rewards.

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May Bugs and Fish

Later this week, Animal Crossing: New Horizons transitions into a new month: May. Just like April, players will see a change in the wildlife occupying their islands. Not only will new fish and bugs appear, but some will no longer show up (at least until they’re in season again). Listed below are all the bug and fish coming in May for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres:

Bugs Coming to the Northern Hemisphere in May

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing
Banded Dragonfly
Great Purple Emperor
Diving Beetle
Pondskater
Violin Beetle
Rosalia Batesi Beetle
Scorpion

Fish Coming to the Northern Hemisphere in May

Mahi-Mahi
Giant Trevally
Catfish
Betta
Nibble Fish
Rainbow Fish
Frog
Angel Fish

Bugs coming to the Southern Hemisphere in May

Damselfly
Mole Cricket
Tarantula

Fish coming to the Southern Hemisphere in May

Bitterling
Blowfish
Blue Martin
Football Fish
Tuna

Find out just where and when you can find these critters and keep track of the bugs and fish you catch in ACNH by using the checklists in our wiki guide. We have one for bugs and fish coming in May and another (coming soon!) for bugs and fish leaving in May. Check back next week for our next Animal Crossing weekly update where we cover the upcoming event, May Day. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Felicia Miranda is SEO Editor at IGN and you can find her on Twitter at @FeliciaVagabond.

The Best Abilities and Loadouts in Gears Tactics

Be sure you're equipping your squad with the best abilities and equipment with this guide.

The Best Video Game Urban Legends Ever

This article is part of a new initiative on IGN where we spend a whole month exploring topics we find interesting in the world of video games (and hope you will, too!). April is our Urban Legends month, when we'll take a look at the bizarre, eerie, untold, and otherwise unexplained phenomena within the gaming community. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Urban legends have a way of attaching themselves to random parts of everyday life and granting them an unshakable mythos. Bathroom mirrors have Bloody Mary; the sewers of New York have their gators and cannibal humanoids, and there is all manner of creepy, funny, and bizarre legends attached to video games. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/29/10-best-video-game-urban-legends"] Here you'll find our picks for the 10 weirdest, wildest, and coolest video game urban legends of all time. You can watch the video above, click through the gallery below, or scroll down for the full list! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-video-game-urban-legends&captions=true"]

10. The Madden Curse

Professional athletes have dreamed their whole lives of making it to the big leagues and all the perks that come with it. But there’s that old phrase about being careful what you wish for, and any professional football player who gets drafted to appear on the box art of that year’s new edition of Madden NFL might start to regret their fame. The legend goes that along with the “prestige” of being a cover boy, comes a curse, that causes their upcoming season to be disastrous. 10_Madden

That may sound like a bunch of hooey, but it does get eerie when you look at stories of players like Dante Culpepper, who after gracing the 2002 cover, ended his next season with a back injury. Similar instances of injury, legal trouble, and all other manner of bad luck continue to happen to players who make the cover to this day, to players like the Saints’ Drew Brees in 2011, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson in 2014 and the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski in 2017. But, to be fair, there are some players who walked away from the curse unscathed, like the Lions’ Calvin Johnson who had a great season after making the cover in 2013, as well Tom Brady in 2018, because not even malevolent curses can stop Tom Brady.

9. Killswitch: The Game That Deletes Itself

1989’s Killswitch was a game that notoriously deleted itself after you finished it. The game allegedly existed in the late 1980s, and its publisher the Karvina Corporation (not a real corporation outside of this legend) allegedly only created around 5,000 copies. While there is no firm evidence Killswitch ever existed, there is a surprising amount of detail out there about it, like the fact you were able to choose to play as a demon-ish character named Ghast or a woman named Porto. Supposedly, players who picked Ghast found themselves controlling an invisible, fire-breathing mass that was near-impossible to navigate with. Alternatively, and perhaps usually in anger, players could then pick Porto, a woman with no combat abilities who the players would walk through an eerie, greyscale mining facility – presumably one where everyone had died. Working their way through a series of mazes and puzzles, the players would guide Porto to the end, only to find the screen turn to white, and all of the games files on their system delete themselves. Like a joke played by some cruel trickster god, the legend goes that all traces of the spooky game have vanished from the world – lest there be one copy buried in someone’s basement.

8. Adolescent Fantasy Codes

With the introduction of 3D video game women straight out of the male-gaze- fantasy – like Lara Croft or any number of the playable fighters in Tekken or Street Fighter – came rumors that there were, in fact, codes that could make them wear...less. Perhaps the most famous of these is the infamous Lara Croft Nude Code, which began circulating as far back as the original 1996 game’s release, flooding early message boards.o code like that ever existed - at least in the public realm - a but it didn’t stop the rumors. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/11/15/sony-suspends-watch-dogs-2-player-for-sharing-nude-images"] But the desire for codes revealing pixelated breasts didn’t begin or end with Lara Croft. There were rumored codes out there for games like Kombat – in which female characters would supposedly take off their clothes after a victory (charmingly called, “Nudealities,”) – and even one for the N64’s Goldeneye. None of these codes were ever actually real, with the latter just a prank started by the then-deputy-editor of the Australian magazine N64 Gamer, Narayan Pattison, who inserted a photo of a near-nude woman into a screenshot of the game, and promised to give people the code if they wrote to the magazine. “I’m sure most readers realized a photograph in a screenshot was a joke, but we got a couple of thousand letters asking for the code,” he reflected back in 2018.

7. Saddam Hussein Tried to Use the PS2 to Take Over the World

Considering the power we’re playing with today, it’s hard to imagine that the PlayStation 2 was once considered the pinnacle of console hardware. In fact, the 32-bit CPUs inside the machine were so powerful at the time, that it spurned a terrifying urban legend that capitalized on geopolitical issues that may ring freaky even today. The legend goes that with the release of the PS2 in 2000, Saddam Hussein and the Iraq government bought thousands of them with the intent of harvesting the processors and using them in their own weapons of mass destruction, as this supposedly would’ve been the easiest way to get a hold of the expensive, high-tech material. 07_Saddam

Of course, America did not find any WMDs in Iraq of any kind back then, but especially not any WMDs powered by PS2 hardware. Sony had better hide all the tech specs for the PS5, though, just to be safe.

6. Pokémon’s Deadly Lavender Town Music

As the world of Pokémon has expanded over the years, it’s become more cute and colorful. However, for players old enough to remember, older Pokemon video games weren’t always this way; in fact, they could be downright unsettling. Lavender Town in Pokemon Red and Blue (Green in Japan) on the original GameBoy, for example, is home to the infamous Pokémon graveyard, reminding all players that, yes, your Pokémon will die at some point, because nothing in the world is fair. Making matters more unsettling is the eerie, high-pitched minimalist music from composer Junichi Masuda that plays as you pass through the town. It was so unnerving that, according to the legend, the original Japanese versions of Red and Blue caused the death of several children who played it. Known around the internet as “Lavender Town Syndrome,” the legend varied in the telling, but the general thrust was that it caused children to have a mental break that led to suicide. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/05/pokmon-lets-go-walkthrough-part-29-lavender-town-exploration"] Of course, there are no confirmable records that prove this tragedy ever took place. That said, its popularity as an urban legend and creepypasta makes some sense: in 1997, the Pokémon anime episode, “Dennō Senshi Porygon,” caused almost 700 people to be taken to the hospital after suffering from seizures due to rapidly flashing, colored lights covering the screen. If that could happen, perhaps there were other elements of the Pokémon world that were dangerous and terrifying.

5. The CIA Designed a Mind Control Arcade Game

It’s no secret that many urban legends are just a hair’s breadth away from conspiracy theories, and the tale of Polybius bridges that gap like few others. The story dates back to the early 1980s, when arcade cabinets for a game called Polybius were delivered to arcades around Portland, Oregon. Players flocked to the weird new puzzle-shooter that featured plenty of strobing effects and twisty visuals, which supposedly led some to experience mental health issues, such as hallucinations, amnesia, and more sinister problems. If this wasn’t bad enough, the legend goes that the CIA was behind it, collecting data about the players of the machine and using brainwashing technology to infect the minds of young arcade goers. polybius inline

Though the legend permeates, there has never been any irrefutable proof that Polybius ever existed, with only a screenshot of the Polybius title screen upheld as shaky canon. “Polybius makes games seem powerful and it makes games seem kind of potent in mind-controlling,” said Portland-based author Joe Strekert, who wrote the book The Legend of Polybius, to IGN. “They really can do something to your behavior and by making them seem powerful, that gives it a kind of legitimacy.”

4. Diablo's Secret Warrior Cows

Soon after the first Diablo came out back in the late 90s, many players fervently believed there was a secret realm full of warrior cows. While there are cows you can interact with in Diablo, (don’t expect to get further than a benign “moo”), rumors began to circulate that there was actually a way to access an entire “Cow Dimension,” wherein you could slaughter a group of Future Hamburgers who have gone through a “Planet of the Apes”-style evolution, and are ready to fight back intruders. [ignvideo url="https://ift.tt/2yTyQWQ] While this was initially just a rumor, it became a meme in the Diablo community, inspiring Blizzard to include a “secret cow level” in Diablo II. By combining a certain set of items, a portal opens up and allows players to enter the actual Cow Dimension (also known as Moo Moo Farms), where the player will encounter Hell Bovine, led by the mighty “Cow King.” If only all developers took fan theories this seriously - or, on second thought, maybe it’s a good thing they don’t.

3. The San Andreas Sasquatch

Whether it be in any of America’s dense, dark forests or in the fictitious hills of a video game world, people are hungry to find the mighty and elusive Bigfoot. In 2004, the mythical beast allegedly leaped out of North American folklore and into Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Fans reportedly started seeing the mythical ape in the hills of Back O Beyond, claiming they had seen a tall, dark figure somewhere on the screen, only to vanish before they could get a good look. 03_GTAsasquatch

Rockstar has since gone on to say there is no such thing as a Bigfoot in its game, but dedicated myth hunters still believe in its existence. The legend has become so popular in GTA lore that Rockstar went on to include a “bigfoot mission” in the Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, and even put a nod to that in GTA 5. There was even a well-hidden easter egg in GTA 5 that let players unlock the ability to play as the beast, all so they could lumber around the city as an 8-ft tall 600-pound gorilla man, then hop into an SUV and run over some pedestrians.

2. Sheng Long Was a Secret Boss in Street Fighter II

Anyone who frequented an arcade around 1991-1992 likely has fond memories of spending endless quarters on Street Fighter II, mastering the styles of your favorite characters and greatly accelerating your arthritis. Likewise, if you were in the SF2 loop, there was a good chance you had heard the legend of Sheng Long, a mysterious secret character lurking somewhere within the game. The rumor was based on a mistranslation of Ryu’s famous Shōryūken attack (“shēng lóng” in the Latin spelling of the Chinese characters), that Ryu spouted during one of his victory quotes: “you must defeat Shen Long to stand a chance”. 02_ShengLong

The rumor was bolstered by an April Fool’s joke in the April ‘92 issue of EGM that claimed they had “discovered” how to unlock the secret boss. All you had to do was beat the whole game without taking any damage and not land a single punch on M. Bison at the end, meaning you must let the timer run out instead -- no biggie. This was eventually corrected in the user manual for the 1992 SNES port, wherein the design team got in on the joke and officially named Sheng Long as Ryu’s master, and later incorporated him into a 1993 Street Fighter comic series. Hitting at a time when the gaming industry was building into the force it’s become, the legend of Sheng Long has become a massive fixture in the canon of gaming urban legends.

1. Blowing on Your Nintendo Cartridge Actually Did Something

Anyone who grew with cartridge-based gaming has run into the same problem at one point, and no doubt the same solution. You pop in a cartridge, and for some reason, nothing seems to be working. You take out the cartridge, give it a good blow thinking the problem might be dust in the cartridge, and presto, your game is working again. But was the blowing on the cartridge ever actually effective, or is it just something that made its way around the playground? Turns out, this trick that made you feel like a genius years ago wasn’t really doing anything. While the blowing gave our brains some sort of comfort, the reality is that Nintendo’s connectors in the system could often wear out over time (especially in the NES), but simply taking out the cartridge and putting it back tended to do the job - though that didn't stop each and every one of us from taking deep breaths and "fixing" them ourselves. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/06/07/top-10-secret-levels"] Those are our favorite video game urban legends - what are some of yours? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out more from our Urban Legends month, like how the Kinect found new life among ghost hunters, or why the Japanese government allegedly changed a law because of Dragon Quest. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Rooney is a freelance writer. He is likely somewhere playing a game, dying too often, and getting very frustrated.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's Massive 15 GB Update Is Hiding a Mystery

There’s a new patch today for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and it clocks in at a whopping 15GB for console players. Along with the usual bug fixes and balance updates, the new patch seems to have added a mysterious item as well. While the latest patch is overwhelmingly about fixes and adjustments, it appears that it added a new item in Warzone that players haven’t quite figured out what to do with. After the update there’s a chance you’ll come across something called the “Red Access Card.” While the in-game icon lists it as a health item, it currently serves no immediate purpose. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-call-of-duty-review&captions=true"] The loot item doesn’t provide any new abilities or open any kind of lock just yet, but there’s speculation that this is a teaser for an upcoming event of some kind. Considering the update went live today, it might be some time before we figure out the true purpose of this new item. As a note, Call of Duty players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will need to download a data pack for the new patch. After installing the update, select a mode (multiplayer, campaign, Special Operations, etc.) and players will be taken to an install menu where they can download Data Pack 1. Afterward, they’ll need to hard close and re-open Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/09/call-of-duty-warzone-official-trailer"] Here’s a full list of updates in today’s patch via InfinityWard.

PLAYLIST UPDATE

Modern Warfare

Blueprint Gunfight
Reinfected Ground War
3v3 Cranked Gunfight
Shoot the Ship 24/7 (includes Cranked and Grind!)

Warzone

Solos, Trios, Quads
Plunder Trios
Most Wanted Contract – Instead of a random Operator being marked on your Tac Map, you are voluntarily putting a Bounty on yourself for any squad to see in Verdansk. Of course, this great risk does have some great rewards…

GENERAL FIXES:

Added a Challenges tab to the main multiplayer screen for easier access
Adjusting how the audio is played for the Precision Airstrike so it follows the plane more precisely
Fixed a bug where players using KBM in Game Battles could make custom weapon blueprints that could also be used in multiplayer or Warzone.
Currently, white text will appear when someone is speaking, regardless of team. Now, when someone is on an enemy team, their text will appear red.
Fix for an exploit on Hackney Yard while playing Infected
Fixed a bug that would prevent players from being able to melee an enemy while on top of an ATV
Various out of bounds and exploit fixes
After the last update, Talon’s character model appeared stretched with graphical corruption issues while in the squad walk. This has been fixed
Fix for some Season 3 emblems appearing with incorrect text
Fixed an issue with Kreuger’s eyes while completing a finishing move
Fixed a bug where some watches were appearing in the wrong direction when gesturing
Fixed a bug where players could lose the option to pick their favorite Faction in the Operator menu
Fixed a bug where white lighting could be seen while moving or firing a weapon near specific locations
Added a gamepad-only Deadzone option that allows players to adjust the inner range in which stick input will not be registered.
Fixed an issue that prevented Party members from editing their CDL Loadouts when the CDL Quick Play Filter was active.
Fixed an issue where the Auto Run feature would stop when players opened their in-game text chat.
Fixed an issue that prevented players from zooming in/out on the Tac Map if Jump was bound on Mouse Wheel Up/Down.

WEAPONS:

Fix for a bug where completing the completionist challenges for the SKS are unlocking the associated camos for the Renetti
Fix for a bug where unlocking camos for the SKS was inconsistent with other camo challenges for marksman rifles
Fixed a bug where the “Hard Wired” skin for Alex would appear in thermals while Cold Blooded is equipped

WARZONE:

The ability to view available XP tokens is not visible in the Warzone Menu. This has been fixed.
After being brought back into the match, a player was in a state where they couldn't interact with the team’s loadout drop, and they had the revive prompt on them even though they were alive. This has been fixed
Adjusted the speed and sizing of the circle
We’ve added the cargo truck back into BR Solos with reduced turning speed, acceleration, and top speed
Moved the scoreboard to be visible in the pause menu
Fix for an issue where the After-Action Report was not displaying the total team earnings
Fixed a bug where players were unable to equip Armor Plates while Dead Silence is activated
New item – Armor Satchel – finding one of these allows you to carry up to 8 armor plates instead of 5. These drop on death and can be looted by other players. These do not contain any armor plates by default, only increase the player carry amount. Guaranteed reward upon completing Scavenger contracts (replaces Gas Mask as the guaranteed item)
- Gas mask will remain rare in loot and purchasable at the Buy Station.
Plunder: Plunder Rating
- When you finish a match of plunder you’re now given a rating in the form of a coin. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and more! The more cash your team collected the cooler the coin. Get above 3.5 Million to find out the highest rating!

SPECIAL OPERATIONS:

Fix for a bug where selecting the USEF 1 skin for the Mil-Sim Operator appears as the default skin in Co-op
The Munitions Shop can now be accessed while in the safehouse at the beginning of each Special Operation.
Operation Crosswind: Fixed various situations where players could get stuck outside of the plane when the rest of the team regroups.
Fix some rare instances where players in last stand could be revived, or have started a self-revive, but still bleed out anyway.
Fix an instance where the player's revive icon color could quickly shift from blue to red after they had been successfully revived.
Fixed players being able to exit a Juggernaut suit, and then gain the ability to revive others even if they themselves were in last stand.
Operation Harbinger – Players can now exit the safehouse earlier and ‘capture’ the first intel item faster following the dialog from Kamarov.
Operation Harbinger - Fixed missing audio on the large cargo truck.
Operation Crosswind - Fixed some instances of soldiers giving armored hitmarkers, but not having visible armor.
Fixed an issue where a syringe could be seen floating while reviving a teammate.
Fixed an issue with helicopter audio.

PC:

Fix for a bug where players using a Vega64 GPU could see corrupted outlines around their character models and weapons.
Fixed a crash that occurred to players using a GeForce 900 Series graphics card when they loaded the Crosswind Special Operations Mission.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Binding of Isaac Creator's Newest Game Fully Funded in 4 Minutes

Tapeworm, the latest game from The Binding of Isaac creator Edmund McMillen, launched its Kickstarter campaign early Tuesday only to immediately reach its funding goal in just four minutes.

After hitting its $25,000 target Tapeworm continued to climb far past it, currently sitting at just over $325k raised at the time of publishing. This isn’t the first time McMillen has found success on Kickstarter either, with The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls card game raising $2.65 million in late 2018.

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While not related to McMillen’s past games in any way, Tapeworm follows in Four Souls’ footsteps as a multiplayer card game with his signature strange (and unsurprisingly gross) style. In it, players take turns playing and connecting cards to create as long of a worm as they can, which can be manipulated by special effects or even cut off entirely.

In its Kickstarter video, McMillen said he originally came up with the idea for Tapeworm nine years ago, with the focus being on making a card game where spacing and positioning of cards really mattered. He also explained that he wanted it to be “as simple as Uno, but have a good amount of depth," so that it would be accessible to anyone but still strategic.

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Tapeworm’s breakneck funding is undoubtedly impressive – multiple stretch goals have already been met, some of which actually add special cards for Four Souls – but it’s also part of a larger trend of success tabletop gaming has found on Kickstarter in recent years. Most recently we covered the Return to Dark Tower Kickstarter in January, which went on to raise over $4 million, and the Kickstarter for Frosthaven (a sequel to the wildly popular Gloomhaven) ends Saturday while on pace to break $10 million.

You can check out Tapeworm on Kickstarter here, but it could be on a path find similar, seven-figure success before its campaign ends in late May. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Tom Marks is IGN's Deputy Reviews Editor and resident pie maker. You can follow him on Twitter.

PS Plus Games for May 2020 Revealed

Sony has announced that Cities: Skylines and Farming Simulator 19 are the PS Plus free games for May 2020. Revealed on the PlayStation Blog, both games will be available for PlayStation Plus subscribers from Tuesday, May 5. They’ll be available to claim until Monday, June 1. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/29/playstation-plus-free-games-lineup-may-2020-trailer"] Cities: Skylines is a city builder and management game from strategy legends Paradox Interactive, focused on developing small little communities into a sprawling metropolis. The PlayStation 4 Edition of the game has an overhauled UI and control system, making a genre that has typically been a PC affair into something that works just right on console. Farming Simulator 19, meanwhile, does exactly what it says in the title. Harvest crops, raise livestock, drive around in a bright green tractor (other colours are available) and generally live the life of a farmer. It’s exactly the kind of methodical, peaceful escapism many of us need in our current strange times. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-playstation-first-party-exclusive-review&captions=true"] If Cities: Skylines or Farming Simulator 19 are not for you, there’s still time to grab April’s PS Plus games, which include Uncharted 4. Or if you also have an Xbox, then Xbox Games With Gold for May 2020 include V-Rally 4, Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr, and a couple more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.

Reggie Fils-Aimé Has Launched a Gaming Podcast

Former president of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aimé has launched a gaming podcast alongside journalist Harold Goldberg, with donations helping to bring mentorship and technology to disadvantaged youths in New York City. Talking Games with Reggie and Harold is a seven-episode podcast featuring Reggie and Goldberg, the latter of whom is the founder of the New York Videogame Critics Circle, a non-profit organization that mentors those less fortunate in journalism and game development. You can learn more about what the NYVGCC does over on its website.

⁦@haroldgoldberg⁩ and I are Talking Games in a new podcast. Donations will fund activities for underserved communities. One of the first guests: ⁦@geoffkeighley⁩ Join us! https://t.co/9DjakIFwqO
— Reggie Fils-Aime (@Reggie) April 29, 2020

According to The Washington Post, the first guest on Talking Games will be Geoff Keighley, head honcho of The Game Awards. As for Fils-Aimé's intentions with the podcast, he told The Post, "Our vision is to create a fun, entertaining, informative podcast with its goal to benefit the nonprofit.” As for his connection to the NYVGCC, Fils-Aimé grew up in the New York neighbourhood of The Bronx, where he's returned following his retirement to mentor local students. As well as the podcast announcement, Fils-Aimé and Goldberg have launched a funding campaign with plans to raise $15,000. If your wallet is ready, donations are being gathered via GoFundMe and will help fund the NYVGCC's mentoring work, as well as providing gaming technology and education to homeless youths in New York City. The NYVGCC is also moving its journalism courses online free of charge so they can be accessed by educators and prospecting students. Those who wish to donate will receive "extra content" from Fils-Aimé and the forthcoming podcast guests, as well as a means to bid for special gaming memorabilia held by the NYVGCC. Reggie Fils-Aimé recently joined GameStop's Board of Directors to help save the struggling retailer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Streets of Rage 4 Review

Still raging 26 years later, Streets of Rage 4 is a faithful revival of the classic arcade beat-’em-ups. Move from left to right, punch enemies, destroy objects for points, health, and weapon pickups, punch a few more enemies, and repeat. It’s simple and unadventurous, and while it expands modestly on combat with a few new skills to master, Streets of Rage 4 definitely prioritises nostalgia over any kind of big modern reinvention.

The plot is wafer-thin and predictably corny, but it's beautifully presented in a comic book panel style. Mr and Ms Y, the twin offspring of series’ villain Mr X, are the big bads this time and their evil scheme is to control the city by “corrupting everything good” while looking like a couple of sub-par Scott Pilgrim villains. It’s all very silly, but in a knowing, not-taking itself-too-seriously kinda way, and it just about pulls it off.

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It’s 10 years since the events of Streets of Rage 3 and series regulars, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding, return to fight crime again despite likely being “too old for this shit.” To balance out the familiar with something different is the addition of two brand-new characters, Cherry Hunter (the daughter of series stalwart, Adam Hunter) and a cybernetic armed, absolute unit called Floyd Iraia.

Just like in the old games, each character has a special move that does a lot more damage at the cost of taking a chunk out of your own health bar. However, an added risk-reward twist for Streets of Rage 4 is that any lost health can potentially be earnt back if you string a combo of standard attacks together on top of it. Any break in this combo results in the health being lost permanently. On my first playthrough, which took between two and three hours, I found myself avoiding special moves due to their risky nature. However, as I got the hang of combos I started using them semi-regularly in situations where I felt confident I could earn that precious health back. It’s a simple but interesting minigame, and perhaps the most important addition into progressing the Streets of Rage formula as a whole.

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A stronger weapon in your arsenal are Star Moves. Every character’s is slightly different – Axel’s, for instance, is a flaming rising uppercut, while Cherry’s is a Pete Townshend-inspired guitar powerslide – but triggering them will do a huge amount of damage to any Y Syndicate members unlucky enough to be in your path. At the start of every level you’re given one charge, but more can be collected during your travels and they’re almost always best reserved for bosses where you’ll need it the most. Using them while fighting the regular goons often feels unnecessary as most situations are manageable, but they’re still a fun spectacle with Floyd’s screen dominating uni beam being a visual treat.

Another enjoyable addition to combat is the inclusion of the weapon catch maneuver. Throw any weapon at an enemy and, if it makes contact, it’ll bounce back, giving you a split-second to catch it and keep whacking away with it. Like Gears of War’s active reload timed-button-press mechanic, there's a rhythm required to master it, but once you’ve do it’s supremely rewarding.

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However, for every moment of feeling like a deadly ninja, there are moments that are simply unfair due to factors completely out of your control. There’s one section where getting hit with a grenade bounces you into the path of another explosion, with no way to dodge or escape. I lost half my health as a result and this inability to prevent it from happening was very frustrating.

Of the four starting characters, the returning duo of Axel and Blaze immediately felt familiar and fit right in place in a ’90s side-scrolling beat-’em up, but they do feel a little generic at this point. They’re both well-rounded fighters who don’t necessarily excel in any ability, but work best as an introductory character for new players and a recognisable sight for veterans. By contrast, Floyd and Cherry couldn’t be further apart, and their movesets are by far the most exciting and fun to play.

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Cherry Hunter – despite carrying a guitar on her back – can move at a significant speed, which is (literally) a nice change of pace to the other characters, and that made her my preferred choice in my first playthrough. Her ability to sprint and weave through attacks feels more in line with what I expected a modern Streets of Rage would play like, which is also why I was initially disappointed with how sluggish the other characters felt in comparison. Floyd, for instance, is by far the slowest character, but I soon appreciated that what he lacks in speed is compensated for with strength. His ability to toss enemies around like rag dolls eventually won me over and had me experimenting with different playstyles.

Within the constraints of the restricted nature of side-scrolling beat ’em-ups, Streets of Rage 4 at least makes an attempt to spice up the level design. Levels like Skytrain and Airplane add little bits of variety (like high-speed train signs flying at you during combat, for example) to keep the environments fresh.

Weapons are no longer restricted to hand-to-hand combat either: we get giant wrecking balls, chandeliers, and plenty of destructible scenery playing its part in the violence. There’s even a level of tactics to using some of these, especially the wrecking balls. Timing your activation just right can result in dealing an extremely satisfying level of damage. There’s also a 2D sequence that conjures up memories of the hammer hallway scene from 2003’s South Korean classic film, Oldboy, where mastery of the weapon catch can make you feel unstoppable.

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Every change of pace really adds to the enjoyment of Street of Rage 4, so much so it’s disappointing there isn’t even more variety throughout to ensure combat is fresh from beginning to end of its short run. As it is, they’re all-too-brief moments of joy; returning to the more traditional levels is sometimes a drag.

The music sets the tone and definitely feels on-brand with the iconic beats of the series. Although I’d have to say that in the era of game soundtracks like Hotline Miami and the recent Final Fantasy 7 Remake, they don’t quite hit the same sort of ‘I can’t get this track out of my brain’ status, or even its predecessors.

All 12 levels predictably end in a boss fight and, for the most part, there’s a good balance of variety and difficulty throughout. Most are smartly designed with often-challenging attack patterns you’ll need to learn, but disappointingly there are repeated enemies in later levels with arbitrary difficulty spikes like, “Here’s two of them now!” In general though, the enemies are a good mix of old and new with neither feeling out of place, despite the 26-year age gap.

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I played through the first time alone, but that’s only half the fun. Less, even. The two-player online co-op really shines though with the intensity and chaos increased. It also made me fully appreciate the potential character combos and the satisfaction of perfectly executing a tandem move such as Floyd throwing an enemy into Cherry’s rushing flying knee. If you’re looking for longevity, two-player co-op is where it’s at. (Streets of Rage 4 also has local four-player co-op but, due to the current isolation circumstances, I was unable to try it out.)

Beyond the campaign and its five difficulty levels (Mania is exactly what it sounds like!) there's a tough boss rush mode, Arcade (which is basically the story campaign but with a consistent life count), and a PVP battle mode to mess around with. But that’s it. And frankly, the story mode is better than any of these options, so if you’re playing alone there’s little replayability on offer.

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One thing Streets of Rage 4 does offer, however, is the wealth of nostalgic choices, such as the retro Streets of Rage 1 and 2 soundtracks and old CRT filters. It takes a little grinding to unlock, but there’s also a lifetime point system that gives access to faithfully recreated playable characters (and a modern version of Adam who unlocks during the story) from previous entries in the series. They aren’t just skins either – these characters have their own move sets, animations, and sound effects.

Despite their sprites contrasting against the lush, cartoon-like world of Streets of Rage 4, these retro characters fit nicely into the combat loop and help reinforce how the latest instalment reignites that passion for the series through nostalgia. In fact, they’re so accurately recreated that, annoyingly, the characters from Streets of Rage 1 don’t even have special moves and must solely rely on their basic, “Call the cops for an airstrike” star moves. As a result they feel at odds with the new risk-reward system and it pretty much renders them unusable on the harder difficulties. In a way, this feels like a metaphor for the entire game: instead of taking bolder steps to modernise the formula, Streets of Rage 4 sticks rigidly to the past, for little more than nostalgia’s sake.

Hellraid DLC Announced for Dying Light

Hellraid lives! At least as an upcoming DLC pack for Techland’s zombie shooter Dying Light. A new teaser released today announced some kind of Hellraid content is coming to Dying Light this summer. The trailer is short but shows an abandoned hallway right before a demonic arcade cabinet appears from an otherworldly portal. The screen quickly displays the Dying Light logo along with a new subtitle, “Hellraid.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/29/dying-light-hellraid-dlc-teaser"] Techland confirmed to IGN that this is a paid DLC game mode for Dying Light set in a dark fantasy Hellraid world but featuring Dying Light gameplay. The DLC is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One this summer. Hellraid was a new project for the developer, announced in 2012. A year later Techland announced that the project was “on hold.” The developer confirmed to IGN that today’s announcement is just DLC and that the company is not working on any other Hellraid projects. Developers are still working on Dying Light 2 at its Wrocław, Poland studio, as well as an unannounced IP in its Warsaw location. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=18-games-that-seemingly-vanished&captions=true"] Still, when we reached out to Techland for our games that vanished feature, the developer seemed to have a soft spot for the dark fantasy world of Hellraid, so it makes sense the developers are visiting this idea through DLC. Check out IGN’s Dying Light review and Dying Light 2 preview for more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Apex Legends Job Listing Points To Next-Gen Release

A new job listing for a position at Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment has revealed that the battle royale is seemingly planning to take the leap to next-gen consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/03/apex-legends-season-4-assimilation-gameplay-trailer"] EA’s recruitment website currently features a job listing for a senior rendering engineer at Respawn Entertainment. The job description states that “Respawn is looking for Senior Rendering Engineers to push next-gen platforms and the PC to their limits on Apex Legends.” That’s a pretty clear cut indicator that Apex Legends is set to receive an upgrade for next-generation consoles. The job specification asks for a “shader enthusiast” who enjoys “maintaining or improving visual fidelity”, indicating that Respawn could be looking to improve the graphical quality of Apex Legends for next-gen consoles and PC. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="legacyId=20093211&captions=true"] EA nor Respawn have yet to make any official comment on the possibility of Apex Legends on next-generation consoles. Backwards compatibility is supported by both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 so theoretically there should be no problem playing the existing version of Apex Legends on the new platforms, but it does appear that Respawn has bigger plans than simply keeping the game as it is. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.

Next Assassin's Creed Setting Being Revealed Today

The setting for the next Assassin's Creed game – rumoured to be set in the Viking era – will be revealed in a stream today. Ubisoft has kicked off a stream hosted by digital artist Bosslogic, who'll create a "unique art piece" that will reveal the setting. We'll be updating this post as the day goes on, noting anything we learn from the art. 5 minutes in, we have a silhouetted figure with clenched fists, and the beginnings of a vibrant sky. You can watch the stream on Twitter, Mixer, YouTube and Facebook and Twitch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=a-history-of-assassins-creed-leaks&captions=true"] The next Assassin's Creed game is widely rumoured to centre around Vikings, so we could potentially see a Middle Ages setting emerge over the course of the stream – the Viking Age is a time period lasting from 800 CE to 1066 CE. Rumours have suggested that the game is subtitled (or code named) Kingdom or Ragnarok. The Division 2 may have already teased that setting, given it included Assassin's Creed's Apple of Eden artifact placed suspiciously close to the word 'Valhalla'.

If that does turn out to be the case we'd be in favour of that move, as we think a Viking-based game could bring the franchise full circle.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and he wants to go to Jorvik Viking Centre as research. Follow him on Twitter.

Fortnite Datamine Suggests Non-Combat Event Is on the Way

A new Fortnite datamine has unearthed a new map and what appears to be a Limited Time Mode in which players simply hang out and don’t fight each other.

Leaked "Papaya" Map!
(via @VastBlastt & @FNBRHQ) pic.twitter.com/DmKxeK0XUj — ShiinaBR - Fortnite Leaks (@ShiinaBR) April 29, 2020

Prolific Fortnite leaker Twitter account ShiinbaBR has posted several Tweets, one of which includes a look at a new map called Papaya, as well as a series of 9 communication emotes that are reportedly designed for the new map. Those emotes include the likes of nodding and shaking your head, waving, sitting, cheering, and waving a phone - all very much non-combat gestures. ShiinbaBR also posted descriptions of two new Limited Time Modes. Party Royale allows players to “hang out with friends, play games, perfect your skydive and more” and asks you to leave your “weapons and mats behind”. Operation Payload is an escort mode with push/stop mechanics, where players can switch roles and choose “tech” each round. The Papaya map image features a variety of location icons that all suggest non-violent activities, such as races, skydiving, soccer, and boating, which may mean these are the things available to do in Party Royale mode. It’s unclear if Operation Payload is a non-violent mode or not, but the description suggests it could favour tech over weapons. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/20/fortnite-chapter-2-season-2-top-secret-launch-trailer"] Fortnite’s update 12.50 goes live today, April 29, and so it should not be long before we see these elements materialise (provided ShiinbaBR remains as accurate as they have been). For more from Fortnite, check out its latest event which featured a Travis Scott concert attended by 12.3 million players, and when you can expect Fortnite Chapter 2 - Season 3 to begin. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.

Trials of Mana PC Demo Pulled After Players Accessed Full Game

The PC demo for Trials of Mana has been pulled from Steam after an exploit was found that let players access the full game from within. The news was revealed in an announcement post on the Trials of Mana Steam Community page, where the developers didn't address the specifics of the exploit, citing "unforeseen circumstances" as the reason behind taking the demo down. In the comments below, many users are pointing out that hackers were able to bypass the restrictions of the demo to play the full game. There is no mention of a revised release date for the demo, but the developers made note that they "hope to have it back up again very soon." Player progression within the now-pulled demo will be carried over into the new revision, so you can get back to where you left off once Square Enix fixes the exploit. If you own a PS4 or Nintendo Switch, you could play the demo on those platforms instead for the time being. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/24/trials-of-mana-launch-trailer"] It's important to note that the game is already available on PC, PS4 and Nintendo Switch - it launched on April 24th, last week, and this exploit was caught after the game's release. It's not clear at time of writing how players were using the demo version to play the full game, but many comments make mention of Denuvo anti-tamper, a DRM (digital rights management) solution. This isn't the first instance of a demo being taken down due to an exploit leading players to the full game - back in 2018, Sega was forced to spike the demo for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life from the US PlayStation Store after users were exploiting it to access the full game. For more on Trials of Mana, check out our review, which we called "a great remake of a 16-bit classic." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

SnowRunner Review

There are a bunch of different kinds of difficulty in games. Some test your reflexes and timing, some test your tactical smarts, and others try your patience. SnowRunner’s brand of harsh difficulty is a uniquely slow paced but infectiously rewarding blend: it’s a sandbox-style trucking simulator where the enemy isn’t time, it’s the harsh and hostile terrain. This game is admirably unafraid to make you earn every literal inch of progression through its waterlogged swamps, muddy bogs, and snow-covered trails, although it’s slightly let down by an occasionally aggravating chase camera, illogical upgrade hurdles, and some unnecessarily finicky menu shuffling. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/2xjfSbJ] There’s a lot more to SnowRunner than just lugging cargo from Anytown, USA to what feels like the arse-end of the Earth. Unlike most games infamous for their immense difficulty, however, doing well in SnowRunner is less a matter of your lightning-quick reflexes and more a test of your patience and decision-making skills. Success means you brought the right tool for the job, managed your fuel, and picked an appropriate route. Failure is the result of underestimating an obstacle, hurrying too much, or biting off more than you can chew. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Drive%20smart%20and%20this%20world%20can%20be%20tamed.%20Drive%20dumb%20and%20you%E2%80%99re%20a%20lawn%20ornament."]And that’s easy to do! Mud will suck trucks into the ground, deep water will knock out engines, and steep grades will roll semis sideways. Bound by the same heavy-handling dynamics and physics-based, deformable ground materials that have underpinned its predecessors – MudRunner and Spintires – SnowRunner is punishing and sometimes merciless, but rarely outright unfair. Drive smart and this world can be tamed. Drive dumb and you’re a lawn ornament. [poilib element="articleSubHeader" parameters="label=Truckin%E2%80%99%20in%20the%20Bushes"] SnowRunner sets you and your trucks loose in an array of distinct environments, from muddy Michigan to snap-frozen Alaska and, finally, Taymyr in Russia. They’re larger than the maps in MudRunner, so there’s much more ground to cover. There’s also a vast assortment of new cargo types, which are weaved into the context of more varied objectives. A fallen bridge may need steel and timber to be rebuilt, while a local facility may be after food or fuel. Outside of delivery work there are stranded trailers to return, drowned and broken trucks to rescue, and other odd jobs to complete. Considering how long it can take to negotiate a single, slippery hill with a full load, there are dozens and dozens of hours of trucking time here. Hundreds, probably. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/3f1oDZ2] I do, however, find it pretty annoying the objective system isn’t intuitive enough to automatically prompt a change in mission if you veer off from a planned route to, say, tug a missing trailer from a swamp and return it to its owner. You either have to go to your task lists – of which there are multiple – find the mission manually, and activate it from there, or activate the mission itself from the destination before it lets you drop it off. Unsurprisingly, completing objectives earns cash for brand-new, better trucks more suited to taming the harsh maps. There are, however, decent trucks hidden on the maps already, and I focused on finding them to add to my garage rather than buying new ones as the payouts are a little stingy and standard missions can’t be replayed for more credits (though there are certain timed delivery challenges that can be repeated). Cash can also be injected into upgrades for your trucks, but it seems a bit daft that certain, utilitarian upgrades are locked until you hit the required level. It’s a fine enough way to reward progress through an arcade racer, for instance, but it makes little sense in a straight-laced, all-terrain delivery simulator to arbitrarily prevent you from buying off-road tyres you could otherwise afford. [poilib element="articleSubHeader" parameters="label=Truck%20The%20Pain%20Away"] The biggest disappointment is that the handling of the small, lighter scout vehicles – like SUVs and utes – isn’t great. They’re fine enough in the mud and muck but on level surfaces the rear feels strangely disconnected from the ground at times, almost as if the back wheels are strafing left and right. They sound surprisingly toothless, too; mash the throttle and they just drone up through the rev range before changing gears endlessly. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20truck%20handling%20physics%20are%20satisfyingly%20hulking%20and%20heavy."]Happily, the truck handling physics are satisfyingly hulking and heavy, and the nature of SnowRunner’s objectives will demand you spend much more time in these good-looking and better-sounding vehicles. Whether clattering over the rutted roads or slowly clawing through slop, the sense of bulk in SnowRunner’s big boys is translated very well. The camera can jump around jarringly when hauling long trailers, though, and it’s also probably worth noting that, if you bought this on disc at retail, the ability to invert the Y axis for the camera only arrived in the day-one patch. If this is a must for you, this patch is essential. Playing uninverted was turning my brain to mush. SnowRunner can be played from start to finish in four-player co-op and some missions in particular feel like they were very much designed for co-op rather than solo play. Rolling, wrecking, or running out of fuel in the maps with no player garages to respawn to is a particularly lonely experience; having a convoy of fellow truckers on standby will go a long way to make SnowRunner’s most isolated objectives less intimidating. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/2zGvPti]

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

List of Bosses in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

See guides to every story boss in FF7 Remake.

Don’t Sleep on Gears Tactics

Our Xbox crew opens the show by talking about Gears Tactics, the new XCOM-style tactical strategy game from Xbox Game Studios that Xbox fans shouldn't sleep on. Plus: we discuss Xbox's impressive first-party efforts so far in 2020, what the rest of the year looks like, drama around the WWE 2K franchise, and more! Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, or grab an MP3 download of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, featuring an interview with Valve's Robin Walker and Chris Remo about the past, present, and future of Half-Life: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/24/valve-on-the-future-of-half-life-plus-other-inside-stories-ign-unfiltered-49"] It's already an incredibly fun year of Xbox coverage, and the best is yet to come. Join us! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.