Star Wars Outlaws has posted disappointing sales figures since its launch on August 30, according to a report from Insider Gaming. It has been reported that the game has only shipped 1 million titles in the month since it hit shelves - which, as the publication points out, is a fraction of what Ubisoft typically ?ex??pects from open-world big-budget projects.

Ubisoft has made moves to try and improve results, launching a roadmap of planned improvements for the months ahead, but, as things stand, Outlaws has greatly underperformed against the likes of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which had sold millions of copies within the fir??st week and a half of its launch.

The trailer and premise for Star Wars Outlaws had built quite a buzz of anticipation as fans of the franchise looked forward to an open-world setting in which they could explore sets similar to those in the ?movies and subsequent series.

How??ever, the game was hit with some major bugs on the day of launch and its reception from critics and players has been somewhat underwhelming. Five days after the launch of the game, Ubisoft’s share price had dropped 13.5%, presumably as a result of poor sales figures.

In a bid to try and resurrect the title, Ubisoft has announced a roadmap of developments that they hope? will steady the ship. Two major updates are due in October, both of which concentrate on fixing bugs within the game. November 21 sees a major update that Ubisoft promises will improve the stealth and combat within the game.

Ubisoft will hope the fixes and first patch will help boost sales figures and interest as the game’s first DLC is also set for launch on Nove??mber 21 and the game debuts on Steam on the same day. A Steam launch can help lagging game sales as many PC players wa??it for its launch on the platform.

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October will be a busy month for Elder Scrolls Online players. At the end of the month, PC and Mac players will get access to Update 44, which includes a host of in-game patches. And throughout the month, ESO will see seasonal content as well as the launch of new Gold Coast Experienc??e Scrolls and the continuation of the West Weald Event. Players can get access to new, Halloween-styled outfits and home décor items that will be suitable for the Witches Festival at the end of the month.

Elder Scrolls Online officially launched more than a deca?de ago, in April 2014. Despite being more than ten years old, it still amasses more than 200,000 active monthly users, thanks partia??lly to Zenimax launching new content updates and regular improvements to the game.

This October sees a lot of action for ESO players who can continue with the Fallen Leaves of West Weald Even?t that started at the end of September. Players can gain access to in-game rewards like new pets and mounts. And throughout the month, new costumes and outfits, like the Grisly Mummy Wrap, will be available. There is also an Explorer’s Celebration Event with XP boost and additional gold gains and, at the end of the month, is the Witches Festival Event which will see players receiving rewards for hunting down monsters and finishing new quests.

On?? October 28, PC and Mac players will get access to update 44, bringing two-sided Bat??tlegrounds. Update 44 will be available to console players on November 13.

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If you're planning to level up your Alchemy in WoW: The War Within, then you're going to need a whole bunch of Coreway Catalyst for experiments. If you're new to the prof??ession, then it's not exactly clear how you get the reagent, so here's everything you need to ?know.

Where to get Coreway Catalyst in WoW: The War Within

At the release of WoW: The War Within, there are two?? ways to obtain Coreway Catalyst, though one is off-lim??its to you if you're just starting out.

The first and primary method of obtaining it is by breaking down solutions you've already made or collected using the Neutralize Concoctions option in your Alchemy re?cipe list. Going this route will turn whatever alchemical creations you use as reagents into Coreway Catalyst for further experimentation. You'll need a lot of them for this process, so this is by far the ??most common way to get them.

Alternatively, you can also specialize in the Thaumaturgy Alchemy tree and craft them yourself. With this method, once you've invested at ??least 15 points into the remaining Thaumaturgy tree, you'll have a chance to create Coreway Catalyst via any Thaumaturgy you attempt, including transmutation. Since this requires 15 points invested into the Thaumatugry tree, you won't be able to jump into Alchemy using this method. This one is for those who've already been working on the profession and are looking for other ways to obtain Coreway Catalyst.

Eventually, you'l??l have so many Coreway Catalysts that you won't know what to do with them all. In the meantime, tho?ugh, these are the best ways to obtain the reagent without too much effort.

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Leveling up in WoW: The War Within is a moderately slow task, but there are ways you can dramatically speed up the process if you're not interested in questing to the new level 80 cap. Here's a fast method of leveling from 70-80 in The War Within.

How to reach level 80 fast in WoW: The War Within

It remains to be seen if this will get changed or outright nerfed by Blizzard, but the fast way to level from 70-80 in The War Within is actually just spamming Normal Dungeons back-to-back in the Dungeon Finder tool. Yes, that's it. Running dungeons gives yo?u the largest amount of experience per hour, far exceeding any quest-specific leveling methods.

The early dungeons in The War Within are super easy on Normal and can completed extremely quickly. The Rookery, specifically, is one of the fastest dungeons I've ever seen introduced into World of Warcraft, and I've been playing since its inception. It is the first dungeon in The War Within, containing three bosses and a decent amount of trash mobs, but none require any special attention. All of the refuse can be AoE'd down together (the bosses included). It wouldn't be a stretch to say it can be completed within five minutes or less if you have a fantastic group.

That said, this method is by far the fastest to use, but if you're not a tank or healer, you may find yourself waiting around a bit. This is the same story WoW has always had to deal with. Everyone wants to play DPS, and significantly fewer want to play Tank or Heals. So, queuing as a Healer or Tank, if your class can, will be considerably faster than not. If your goal is to hit level 80 as soon as possible, you'll need to not be playing as a DPS ??for maximum efficiency. I am a Windwalker Monk player, but I tanked my way to 80 in under five hours, thanks to never having to wait for a dungeon group to come together.

What are the caveats?

The only caveat to this method is that you still need to complete The War Within campaign to unlock Adventure Mode for faster gearing and campaign skip for your alt characters. Being level 80 can make this process more of a slog because ??you have nothing to look forward to while doing it.?? But, if this doesn't bother you, feel free to use this method for speed leveling on your main and alts.

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In WoW: The War Within, Brax, the Innkeeper of Gundargaz, The Ringing Deeps, has lost his trusty pair of Brass Knuckles and tasks you t??o retrieve them. The only problem is, the area where he wants you to search is huge, so here's exactly where you can find them.

Where is Brax's Brass Knuckles in WoW: The War Within?

Despite the enormous search area, Brax's Brass Knuckles aren't as difficult to find as the quest makes them appear. When I first looked at the map, I assumed it would be a small, interactable object hidden somewhere in the vast quest area that I'd need to keep an eye out for. Turns out, it's nothing like that. Brax's Brass Knuckles were picked up by one of the various fungal lifeforms roa?ming The Ringing Deeps. This quest is a 'kill and loot' quest in disguise, as all you need to do to actually find his knuckles is slay a whole bunch of them.

Specifically, the enemies you want to look for are all plant life in The Ringing Deeps. The ones you wa??nt to keep a look out for are the following:

• Underdrip Crwaler
• Crawler Sproutling
• Disturbed Kelp
• Disrupted Slime
• Sweetnuffler
• Creeping Lashroom

All these beasts can be found roaming the questing area, and?? defeating them gives you a good chance of finding Brax's Brass Knuckles on their corpse. From my experience, the drop rate seems fairly high—you’re likely to get them within? 10 kills. Once you’ve acquired the knuckles, you'll still need to complete the second part of Brax's quest to turn them in, but this should help you get past the most unpredictable step of the process.

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With Hero Talents being one of WoW: The War Within's main features, it's ?natural to want to unlock them as soon as possible. If you're jumping into new expansion now, here's everything you need to kn?ow about the process.

How to get Hero Talents in WoW: The War Within

When you enter the game with the expansion enabled, if open your Talent Tree, you'll see a third new tree in the middle of the screen. These are your Hero Talents, but they are locked unti?l you meet two key conditions, neither of which are difficult to achieve.

To unlock them, make sure you have The War Within purchased ?and have begun the new campaign questline. The campaign takes you to the ancient lands of Khaz Algar, and you're required to go there to unlock? your Hero Talent tree.

After that, all you need to do is reach level 71, and the new talents will automatically unlock. Simply questing in The War Within sho?uld provide more than enough experience to get you there. As you level up from 70 to?? 80, you’ll earn one Hero Talent point per level, which can only be used on the Hero Talent tree of your choice.

Unlike previous new systems in WoW, the??re’s no additional questline, trigger, or condition needed to unlock these talents, which is a bit surprising. Still, by following these two straightforward steps, you’ll be able to fully enjoy the new Hero Talents. Lik??e normal talents, Hero Talents can be respecced free of charge, so feel free to play around with and experiment with your class's new powers.

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Even though Black Myth: Wukong is technically not a Souls-like title, it certainly has a lot of the DNA of one, inc??luding the ability to farm respawning enemies for experience points. If this sounds like something up your alley, here are some of the best farm locations in ??the game.

Best experience farms in Black Myth: Wukong

So, what makes a good farm spot is a location near a rest point shrine surrounded by enemies that yield a decent amount of?? experience when killed, and are easy to kill efficiently. These aspects increase you?r experience gain per hour (if you're going that long), which means easy experience for earning Sparks.

In my time in Black Myth: Wukong, I've favored two particularly effective experience farm locations that I think you'll find as helpful as I have. The first makes its home at the Windrest Bridge shrine i?n Chapter 2 (Yellow Wind Ridge). This location, as the name implies, is home to a large bridge with a shield-bearing Yaoguai sitting in the middle. At his side, are two weak ranged enemies.

The idea for this farm is to kill all three mobs, then rest at the shrine to respawn and repeat the process. This will earn you roughly 355 XP (Experience) per run, which is solid for the amount of time it takes to kill these mobs. That is roughly 1/6 of a Spark, which is efficient for a farm. I highly recommend you pop all of your cooldowns every time you do a run to m??ake this process efficient.

The second effective farm location I've found is right in front of the Windrest Hamlet shrine in Chapter 2. Like the Windrest Bridge, this one also features a bridge with the same shie??ld enemy patrolling up and down it. The key difference with this farm loc?ation is that the distance to this shield mob is much closer to the shrine, allowing you to kill it more quickly and reset.

This shield enemy is surrounded by two zombies, which yield the same experience as the ranged enemies from Windrest Bridge. By all metrics, this farm location is better than the previously mentioned as it yields the same total amount of experience, and is even closer to the shrine. The only downside is that it ?is quite a bit further into Chapter 2 than the Windrest Bridge, so you'll need to progress a bit to reach this one.

I will continuously update this guide with more h??igh-quality farm locations, for your experience-earning pleasure. So, check back regula??rly to see what's newly added.

The post Black Myth: Wukong – Best Farm Locations appeared first on Destructoid.

Focus Points are an integral part of combat in Black Myth: Wukong, to the point that not being aware of them mea?ns almost certain failure later in the game. If you're not sure how they work, here's a guide explaining to them in detail, and why you should be using them often.

What are Focus Points in Black Myth: Wukong?

Focus Points are a unique, combat-orientated resource that allows you to use powerful staff attacks to overwhelm your foes. Your most potent abilities, outside of spells, in Black Myth: Wukong will come from expending Focus Points, so it is imperative t??o?? understand how they work.

Focus Points are earned by dealing damage with staff attacks, charging up your Heavy Attack, and perfectly dodging enemy attacks. You can see the resource fill at the bottom-right portion of your UI. They look like little white orbs when filled and blank orbs when not. Focus Point orbs earned by dealing damage and dodging attacks?? will remain filled until you u?se them. However, Focus Point orbs filled by charging your Heavy Attack will disappear once you've released the charge.

The amount of these Focus Point orbs you have is determined by how many Sparks you've spent in the Staff Stances tree. You can have a grand of total four Focus Point orbs once you've spent 20 Sparks in the tree. Just make sure you take the nodes named Focused Attack in the tree, to ensure you get the orbs unlocked.

Focus Point orbs are essential for either enhancing staff attacks or enabling specific moves. Certain staff attacks require a Focus Point orb to activate, while others can be used without one. However, by holding down Heavy Attack, you can charge some of these moves with a Focus Point orb for added power and poise damag??e. Some staff skills yield special effects when using Focus Points, like Pillar Stance, which allows you to perch higher on the staff with more Focus Points used.

Another crucial aspect of Focus Points is the risk involved in using them during combat. While they are a valuable resource for enhancing your attacks, misusing them can lead to serious consequences. If you activate a Focus Point move or charge one up using Heavy A??ttack, and your poise is broken in the process, you’ll lose all the Focus Points you’ve accumulated or attempted to use. Focus Point attacks are high risk, high reward, so? it’s vital to time them carefully. Otherwise, you risk weakening yourself significantly in battle.

The post Black Myth: Wukong – Focus Points, explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Yaogaui Cores are essential for upgrading weapons in Black Myth: Wukong. If you’re looking to power up but aren’t sure where to find more, ??here’s everything you need to know about how to g?et them.

How to get Yaogaui Cores in Black Myth: Wukong

You probably have some sitting in your inventory already, but to get more Yaogaui Cores, all you need to do is slay Yaogaui. Almost all of the enemies you face in Black Myth: Wukong ??are of Yaogaui origins, whic??h means your natural progression throughout the game should yield you some.

Yaogaui Cores are a rare resource drop, as indicated by their rarity appearance (Blue), which means you likely won't see one after every single kill. Lowly Yaogaui, like the zombies around Yellow Wind Ridge, have the lowest chance of giving you Yaogaui Cores because they are weak, though. The best way to obtain them en masse is to kill stronger, elite Yaogaui. Gen??????????????????????????erally speaking, the s??tronger the Yaogaui you purge, the higher the chance it will drop a Yaogaui Core on death.

Yaoguai Cores can also be obtained randomly from looting chests, breaking vases, and bought from the Store for 900 Will. I really don't recommend wasting the Will on these, though, since they can fairly easily be farmed up? with a little time and dedication. However, if you are desperate and in need of them immediately for that next big weapon upgrade, then this is certainly a viable option.

As I mentioned, Yaogaui Cores have a chance to drop from ne?arly all enemies in the game, so even if you don't take the time and farm them up, you will undoubtedly get them naturally over time.

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The By Moon's Grace event is the primary activity in Wuthering Waves version 1.2, and while it may seem like a to of busy work, its actually pretty easy to pr??ogress if you know what you're doing. Here's ever?ything you need to know about it.

How to do the By Moon's Grace event in Wuthering Waves

By Moon's Grace is sort of a management game that you're guaranteed to finish before the end of the event, if you just play the game. However, if you'd like to earn the rewards considerably after the 40 days you're given, you need to first increase your Popularity.

Popularity is the primary metric used to determine your progress during the event, and it is earned by fulfilling the Lodge Wishes of the people at the Moon-Chasing Festival shrine, centered around the event.

Before I get into the details of that though, you need to understand the currencies you? need to work with, to make this all?? happen.

• Preparation Credits - This the main resource you need to carefully manage, as you can run out of them quickly if you're just proceeding blindly. This currency is by picking it up from the By Moon's Grace Lodge and is automatically restored to 100 daily, during the event. Preparation Credits are used to fulfill wishes, as each wish requires a specific amount of these credits to begin.
• Operation Fund - In order to increase your Popularity, you need to build and upgrade Fair Stalls using Operation Funds. Just think of this like your main currency during the event. Operation Funds are earned by completing Lodge Wishes. The more difficult the wish, the more Operation Funds you'll earn, if you succeed.
• Wish - The final currency, Wishes are solely used to upgrade the stats of the companions you've invited to aid you in the event. I'll get into specific about this later, but just know that you'll be using a lot of these throughout the event. Wishes are earned by completing Lodge Wishes.

These three currencies are integral to progressing through the By Moon's Grace event. Mismanagement ?of them can slow down your progression considerably, so you must carefully informed decisions before using them. Now, let's talk about how you actually go about fulfilling a Lodge Wish.

How to complete Lodge Wishes in Wuthering Waves

Lodge Wishes are the primary activity you'll be doing throughout the By Moon's Grace event. To access them, head to the Moon-Chasing Festival shrine, and interact with it. You'll be greeted with the Fair Stalls screen. From here choose Lodge Wishes at the bottom right portion of the screen to get star??ted.

At the Lodge Wishes screen, you'll be greeted with one to four potential wishes you can participate in, depending on your current progress. Each Lodge Wish requires you to use a certain number of Preparation Credits to begin. If you don't have this slated amount, you won't be able to attempt it. The value below them is the base Operation Funds you'll earn by completing the Lodge Wish.

If you already have the Preparation Credits to start a Lodge Wish, simply click or tap it, and you'll be taken to the Companions screen for the final step. Companion are characters that have decided to help you fulfill wishes during the event. They are earned by completing their event-specific quest, which you gain access to as you incr?ease your Popularity. Completion of these quest ?earns you the right to use said character during a Lodge Wish.

Both?? Lodge Wishes and Companions have three specific stats you need t??o keep in mind.

• Knowledge
• Action
• Teamwork

These stats don't have any specific meaning beyond their names, so don't worry about any extra functionality. What's important for you to know about them is that Lodge Wishes require specific stats to complete, and Companions have differing values of these three stats. Lodge Wishes will always have at least one Recommended stat they favor and that you should prioritize.

The 'Flavors of the Past' Lodge Wish recommends Action as its stat, which means ?you want to use Companions that also favor Action. In each Lodge Wish, you can use up to three Companions at the same time, so if you use three Companions that favor Action, you are much more likely to fulfil the Lodge Wish successfully.

Advanced Lodge Wishes will require Companions with advanced stats, so you'll need to use the Wish currency I mentioned earlier to upgrade your Companions. The more Wish you invest, the greater the upgrade. Each Companion's favored stat will always be the one that's naturally highest for them, and upgrading them will primarily boost this stat. You'll want to have two or three companions upgraded for each stat, to progress through ?the event quickly. Finally, each Companion caps ou?t at Bond level 10, and attempts to upgrade past this point will be a waste of your Wish currency.

How upgrade Fair Stalls in Wuthering Waves

Once you've completed enough Lodge Wishes, you'll have enough Operation Funds to either build or upgrade a Fair Stall. Fair Stalls are where most of your Popularity will come from, so you'll need to make you're doing this. This process to begun from the Fair Stall screen, reached by interacting with the Moon-Chasing Festival shrine and pressing Fair Stalls at the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

From here, you'll have access to all of the potential Fair Stall you can build. Clicking on one will show you the Operation Fund requirement you need to meet to build or upgrade it. When you have enough, simply click Build or Upgrade at the bottom of your screen.

While all Fair Stalls give you increasing Popularity as you upgrade them, they also p??rovide your secondary bonuses rewards attached to the Lodge Wishes activity. For example, building the Moon Shooter stall will also increase your Bonus Wish Tags, with the amount increase improving per level (up to five). This makes the Lodge Wishes process a bit easier. Every Stall provide some sort of bonus like this, so you can much more easily complete Lodge Wishes.

You now have a clear understanding of By Moon's Grace event gameplay loop, but what do you earn f?or?? doing all of this?

All By Moon's Grace event Rewards in Wuthering Waves

All of the tasks that you participate in during this event will allow you to claim one additional currency called Palace Lanterns. Unlike the other currencies already mention, Palace Lanterns are used solely for getting the rewards from this event. You can exchange them by heading to the Moon-Chasing Festival Shrine and choosing the Moonlit Offerings tab at the bottom left portion of the screen.

If you've been progressing the event at all, then chances are you have a bunch of Palace Lanterns to claim. Claim all of these, then click the Exchange button on the screen to see all the reward?s for this event. There ar??e a ton of rewards to earn from the event.

• 780x Asterite
• 20x Premium Resonance Potions
• 20x Premium Sealed Tubes
• 20x Premium Tuners
• 15x Premium Energy Cores

The above are the most significant rewards from the event, but that isn't all. There are also numerous character/weapon resources, Shell Credits, food crafting materials, and Echoes that can additional be obtained by exchanging Palace Lanterns. You will earn enough Palace Lanterns to get everything from the event, so don't worry about running out.

The post Wuthering Waves – By Moon’s Grace Complete Event Guide appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been quite a while since I last dove headfirst into World of Warcraft, and the game is quite different now. Yes, y?ou're still creating an Alliance or Horde character and leveling them up through the ongoing conflicts on Azeroth and beyond; however, several new systems and features drastically change the experience.

Starting or returning to WoW now is easier than before, but some changes might require a bit of time to get used to. This was the case for me, as I haven't spent quality time with the MMO since its Battle for Azeroth expansion.

Like other MMOs on the market, World of Warcraft primarily delivers large and sweeping content updates through expansions. While they traditionally promise a continuation of the ongoing narrative alongside new activities and zones, it's also the perfect time for Blizzard to update or add new features. Sometimes, this is on the smaller side, like the Battle Pets feature, and other times, alterations see changes to longtime features or mechanics. Quite a bit has changed in WoW over the last few years, and, in many ways, it's made the game mor??e s??treamlined for someone like myself, juggling several live service games at once.

Warbands

The introduction of Warbands is one of the first significant changes you will encounter after logging in. This includes a redesign of the character select screen, now primarily showing four favorite characters huddled around a campfire. The whole of Warbands exists to ease the?? experience of playing multiple characters, offering a way to share a bank, cosmetics, and even progression.

Warbands' best features function in the background, retaining Achievement or Quest progress between? characters even if they're part of different factions. You can still undertak??e Quests that another character has already completed, but the new system will alert players that it's something they've already done. If you decide to repeat Quest content, it rewards more reputation, which is now also tracked account-wide instead of character-specific.

For those more interested in drip, Warbands also lets you colle?ct cosmetic appearances for all your characters more easily. Previously, you'd generally have to be playing a character that could use a specific piece of gear if you wanted to collect its look. However, now, characters can collect any cosmetic appearance for any gear they've obtained.

All mounts are dragons

One of the prominent features of the Dragonflight expansion was Skyriding. This rework to standard flying introduced a more ??active aerial traversal system, allowing players to glide around at base and use stamina to dash forward or gain altitude. At first, this feature was limited to specific draconic mounts while on the Dragon Isles, but now it is available across all flyers everywhere.

You can still switch back to the original version of flying if you'd like, courtesy of a Spellbook toggle. That said, Skyriding does have its advantages. Even if the different flying style doesn't pique your interest, the change allows? players to take to the skies much earlier than before. And with Warbands, if any character already has flying available, every character does.

One journey to rule them all

Back in the day, a new or returning WoW player would have to wa?de through the narrative and locales that came along with every expansion along the way to the current expansion. All the while, you'd level so quickly that you were often whisked away to new adventures long before seeing a satisfying conclusion to the content you started. That's no longer the case, as new or returning players are funneled into the most current expansion, with XP, challenge, and rewards scaling with level.

While this does mean new players won't take their first steps into Outland or experience the odd joy of farming in Pandaria, it does offer a more streamlined experience. After logging back in, I was offered the option to have some of my characters' Quest Log cleared and to have them deposited in their faction's major city, ready to start the Dragonflight expansion. Of course, this will switch over to The War Within once that launches. Not only does this remove the whirlwind of accepted tasks from across continents, but in the case of someone returning to t??he game, it eliminates all of the outdated material.

That's not to say that you can't still enjoy the older expansion content if you want. It's still in the game, cleverly folded into the NPC Chromie and the Bronze Dragonflight. A visit to Chromie in either faction's major city allows players to "Time Walk" back through a specific expansion, essentially opening those quests and game instancing up ??as if it were current content. Another option is a newer option called WoW Remix, which allows players to make a new character in an instanced version of the world where an older expansion is set as the main campaign, XP scaling and all. That said, Remix throws a few curveballs with the addition of powerful stat-increasing and ability-imbuing gems and a cloak that gains additional powerful benefits as ?you level.

It's never been easier to play with friends

Part of the allure of WoW, at least for me, was getting together with a group?? of friends to knock out some quests or take on a Dungeon. The game has always been built to play with other people, and now it's easier ??than ever to do so.

Realm worries are a thing of the past, as you can still group up with others on the same faction regardless of server. Beyond just getting together with friends, WoW now also sports a feature that lets a group leade??r sync their quest progress with party members. As if that wasn't nice enough, it's also possible now to play with friends on opposite factions, so long as it's instanced content. While it may not seem like a particularly impressive feat, it blew my min??d when I was able to queue up with a Horde buddy while I was playing on my Gnome.

I was a bit nervous about jumping back into WoW, remembering the countless systems, reputation grinds, and sporadic leveling process. However, after spending a little over a week with the current iteration of the game, I feel good about rejoining my friends in Azeroth for The War Within. I'm not shackled to older expansion content, and there's no inconvenience grouping up with others regardless of level. More than anything else, I'm excited that I can get back into WoW witho??ut feeling like I'm picking up ??a part-time job.

The post Returni?ng to Azeroth: How to acclimate to current WoW for? The War Within appeared first on Destructoid.

Wuthering Waves1.2 introduces a slew of new content, including the new five-star Resonator, Zhezhi, to?? pull for. If you're interested in pulling her, or you alread??y have and are trying to build her up, here's a useful guide to help you build Zhezhi.

Best Zhezhi Build in Withering Waves

Zhezhi is a Glacio character with a stark focus on dealing out Basic Attacks, both on-field and off, to deal her damage. She plays the role of a Sub-DPS due to her extraordinar??ily powerful Outro skill buffs, fast Concerto rotation, and consistent off-field damage thanks to her Ultimate.

Much like other characters in Wuthering Waves, Zhezhi's skill descriptions are very convoluted and difficult to understand, but her actual gameplay isn't nearly so daunting. Her core gameplay mechanic revolves around her Forte Circuit, Ink and Wash, which allows her to summon Phantasmic Imprints onto the field when her Heavy Attack or Skill is used, provided there is enough Affaltus, her ?Forte Circuit resource. Affaltus is built by simply ?attacking enemies with Basic or Intro Attacks, and she can hold 90 Affaltus in total.

Casting Heavy Attack after the third attack in her Basic Attack String or while mid-air with at least 30 Affaltus will sum??mon a Phantasmic Imprint - Middle onto the field. Casting her Skill with 60 Affaltus will summon Phantasmic Imprint - Left and Phantasmic Imprint - Right, allowing you access to all three Imprints when using both methods of summoning. Now, when Zhezhi has at least one Imprint on the field, using her Skill will allow her to teleport to the closest Imprint and deal big damage that c?ounts as Basic Attack Damage.

While on-field, Zhezhi does most of her damage by teleporting to her Imprints and following them up with a Basic Attack, so this is the core of what you want to be doing while she is there. Due to the nature of teleportation, Zhezhi is extremely mobile, which gives her a big advantage against many of the hardest enemies in Wuthering Waves.

Her off-field damage comes purely from her Ultimate, Living Canvas, which summons a massive circle in the sky that causes Inklit Spirits to crash down onto foes below. This lasts a walloping 30 seconds or until 21 Inklit Spirits are invoked. Attacks from her Ultimate are considered Coordinated Attacks, which is important to keep note of when bui??lding her team comp. More on that soon.

That was a lot, but I promise her gameplay sounds more complicated than it is to execute. Let's talk about her to actually?? b?uild her now.

Best Echoes for Zhezhi

Thanks to her Sub-DPS nature, you have two main options when it comes to Echoes. The set I'd recommend most is 4-piece Moonlit Clouds, as it enables her to buff her next teammate with 22% extra ATK (Attack) when swapped with max Concerto. The set also gives Zhezhi 10% extr?a Energy Regen, which is a nice bonus for keeping her Ultimate active.

If you favor her doing more damage than supporting, you can also run 4-piece Freezing Frost, which is, personally, my preferred set since I already have a few Moonlit Cloud users on my account. Freezing Frost will considerably boost her personal damage since it grants her a massive 30% ATK buff, pretty much permanently.

For her active Echo, I recommend using Lampylumen Myriad as it si??mply does massive damage on its own while buff??ing Zhezhi's Glacio damage as well.

Best Team Comps for Zhezhi

Since Zhezhi is a sub-DPS, her role is to help the team dish out as much as possible alongside your main DPS without getting in the way of their required field time. It is possible to have 100% uptime on Zhezhi's Ultimate, and she has a very quick Concerto rotation. Both of these aspects pair very nicely with her best teammates, Jinhsi and Verina. She also has direct synergy with Sanhau, if you can fit her into a team comp, but I don't recommend doin?g so if you're planning to use Zhezhi in her dedicated sub-DPS role.

Jinhsi is Zhezhi's best partner as she provides Jinhsi with everything needed for her to completely destroy her foes. Zhezhi's Ultimate rechanges Jinhsi Forte very fast, which is huge for synergy with her. On top of that, thanks to her fast Concerto charge, Zhezhi allows Jinhsi to use her Intro more often, allowing Jinhsi to go into her big damage rotation more often. More so, Zhezhi's Inherent Skill, Flourish, allows her to cha??rge Jinhsi's Ultimate every time she sw?aps into her. The two characters are made for each other, and should absolutely be used on the same team.

Verina is the overworked support that buffs everyone in Wuthering Waves, and Zhezhi is no exception. Both Verina and Zhezhi have fast Concerto rotations, which means they can both activate the powerful buff effects of their Intro skills very consist??ently and easily. Both also have Coordinated Attacks, making them ideal for playing with Jinhsi.

Sanhau has the fastest Concerto rotation in Wuthering Waves and, addi??tionally, buffs Basic Attack Damage when she swaps while full. This is entirely a benefit to Zhezhi because all of her damage is considered Basic Attack Damage. Zhezhi buffs Skill and Glacio Damage when she swaps with a full Concerto, which is a massive buff ??to Sanhau's damage. The issue with playing them together is that they both are sub-DPS. However, they still function quite well as a team with Zhezhi playing main DPS (she has the damage to do so), should you decide to use them together.

Best Weapons for Zhezhi

Zhezhi has three strong options for weapons she can use. The first is her signature weapon, Rime-Drapped Sprouts??, which massively b??uffs her Basic Attack Damage. It also comes with a mind-blowing amount of CIRT DMG as a sub-stat.

Her second-best weapon is Yinlin's signature, Stringmaster. Stingmaster is an extremely potent stat-stick for Zhezhi, thanks to i?ts high CRIT RATE sub stat and general ATK buffs.

The last recommended weapon for Zhezhi is the standard Cosmic Ripples, which provides her with a large boost to her Basic Attack Damage as well, though not nearly as potent as Rime-Drapped Sprouts. Cosmic Ripples also has an ATK% sub-stat. While this isn't bad, as ATK% does have a lot of value in Wuthering Waves, it does not equate to Rime-Drapped Sp?rout's CRIT DMG or Stringmaste??r's CRIT RATE sub-stats.

Best Sequences for Zhezhi in Wuthering Waves

Zhezhi's Sequences mostly provide her with raw DMG and ATK% buffs that will certainly boost her power. However, at S0 (Sequence 0), Zhezhi is more than powerful enough to deal with anything in Wuthering Waves. Still, if you fancy yourself a few of her?? Sequences, allow me to summarize them for yo??u, for your info.

• Brushwork's Finish (S1) - When Zhezhi uses her Skill while she has two stacks of Painter's Delight, she restores 15 Resonance Energy and gives her 10% CRIT for 27 seconds. This S1 removes any potential need for Energy Rechange on Zhezhi, as with it, she can fund her own Ultimate easily. Her Skill has a very short cooldown, which makes this S1 a strong stopping point. Extra CRIT makes building her that much easier.
• Vivid Strokes (S2) - Adds six more Inklit Spirits to Zhezhi's Ultimate, Living Canvas. This is a nice bit of extra damage, but far from powerful enough to be worth investing in, especially for an S2. Meh.
• Reflection's Grace (S3) - When Zhezhi uses any version of her Skill, she gains 15% ATK for 27 seconds, stacking up three times. In short, Zhezhi gets 45% ATK at all times, effectively. This is a significant boost to her performance and is worth going for if you're already at S2.
• Hue's Spectrum (S4) - Zhezhi gives her entire team 20% ATK for 30 seconds after using her Ultimate. This is a large buff to her whole team (including herself), all by casting her Ultimate, which you will always be able to use thanks to her S1. This Sequence is a lot more powerful than it appears. It's a permanent 20% ATK buff.
• Composition's Clue (S5) - Every three Inklit Spirits summoned by her Ultimate will cause a fourth empowered Inklit Spirit to spawn, dealing 140% of a standard Inklit Spirit's damage. This dramatically boosts the potency of Zhezhi's Ultimate.
• Infinite Legacy (S6) - When Zhezhi uses any version of her enhanced Skill (Stroke of Genius or Creation's Zenith), it will cause an Ivory Herald to spawn and deal 120% of her Skill's normal damage as a bonus. Because Zhezhi uses her Skill so often, this is a ridiculous boost to her overall damage while she is on-field. It is fitting for a S6.

The post Best Zhezhi build in Wuthering Waves �Weapons, Echoes, and Team Composition??s appeared first on Destructoid.

Since Black Myth: Wukong is similar to other Soulslike games, at least on the surfa?ce, it's not at all strange to be curious if it has multiplayer as a feature. The challenging combat and intricate boss battles seem well-suited for cooperative or competitive play, but is it actually pre?sent here?

Can you play Co-op Multiplayer in Black Myth: Wukong?

There is currently no co-op or multiplayer feature in Black Myth: Wukong, and it is very likely? to remain the case at release and int?o the future.

Despite being commonly compared to Souls titles (games that do typically have multiplayer, and a semi-open world, not always though), Black Myth: Wukong is not strictly pursuing that style. While the thought of having two transforming, spirit-throwing Sun Wukon??gs on screen at the same time sound?s interesting, the game seems designed solely as a single-player experience.

Black Myth: Wukong is based on and inspired by the classical Chinese adventure novel Journey to the West, and while there are plenty of characters in the story that could pote?ntially make a co-op experience work, I have no doubt it would be a very tricky endeavor to pull off successfully. The story itself is extremely long, and characters come and go throughout the adventure on?? a consistent basis.

Adding a co-op mode to the game would require careful consideration of character balance and narrative cohesion. The game's primary focus is on the singular journey of Sun Wukong, and introducing multiple playable characters could risk diluting the depth of his story. However, if done right, it could offer a fresh way to experience the tale, allowing players to explore different perspectives and abilities while maintaining the integrity of the original narrative. Alas, this is not to be in Black Myth: Wukong.

The post Is there multiplayer in Black Myth: Wukong? appeared first on Destructoid.

Encountering the 'Failed to load il2cpp' error in Zenless Zone Zero can be frustrating, but it's a common issue that players can resolve with a few troubleshooting steps. T?his article will guide you through the necessary fixes to get you back into the game quickly.

How to fix il2cpp Loading Error in Zenless Zone Zero (Solution)

Errors like this are annoying, and this one seems most prominent with the recent Zenless Zone Zero 1.1 update specifica??lly on PC. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do that may fix your is?sue.

Restart your computer

The most basic solution out of the bunch, sometimes a simple system restart is enough to c??orrect anomaly errors that appear out of thin air. Failed to load il2cpp qu??alifies, so I recommend starting with this solution first. If it doesn't work, try some of the following potential solutions below.

Launch the HoYoplay Repair Tool

Since the error seems most common following the download of Zenless Zone Zero update 1.1, it is possible that data corruption occurred during the process, preventing the game from starting up. Since this is the case,? one p?ossible fix is to use the HoYoPlay Repair Tool, built right into the game's launcher.

To do this, open HoYoplay and look for the three-line button sitting to the right of the Start Game button. Click on this dropdown and select Repair Now. This process will take considerable time, but the result should fix the Failed to load il2cpp error ??and have your game functional once more.

Add an Exception to your Anti-Virus program

Another reason you may be getting the failed to load il2cpp error is that your anti-virus program is flagging a file (or files) as problematic, preventing them from functioning or even being downloaded. Since new fi?les are bei??ng downloaded in the 1.1. update, this a very real possibility to consider.

The fix for this is to add the HoYoplay folder to your exceptions list for the ant?i-virus program that you use. I recommend also adding it as an exception for Windows Defender, as any false flag can cause a file to not be downloaded, leading to the pesky il2cpp error on game launch.

Hopefully one of these solutions fixed the problem for you, so you can jump back into the game. If not, sometimes?? problems like this can only be fixed from the developer side of the spectrum. Allow Hoyover??se some time to iron out the issue, and you should be good to go after that. Happy gaming

The post How to fix Faile?d to load il2cpp error in Zenless Zone Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

With the release of Wuthering Waves version 1.2, Zhezhi, the new limited five-star, will be on the banner for a?ll to pull for. Now, most of us only have one question on our mind: Is it worth pulling for ?Zhezhi during this banner, over other future five-stars?

Is it worth pulling for Zhezhi in Wuthering Waves?

Zhezhi is undoubtedly a strong character, but she is certainly not a 'must-pull' banner in Wuthering Waves, for now at least. That's the most bare-boned, meta answer, but there's quite a bit factoring into ?the advice.

Really, the answer to whether or not you should be pulling for Zhezhi depends on the state of your account and Wuthering Waves gameplay perspective. Which characters do ?you already have? Are you playing for fun, or are you following the ever-changing meta? Before you consider pulling for Zhezhi, first, ask yourself those questions. For more insight on Zhezhi herself, let's talk about what she does.

Zhezhi plays a similar role to Yinlin in that she is primarily a sub-DPS who deals most of her damage while off-field. She is a Glacio character and her Outro buffs both Skill and Glacio damage for the character you swap to. Her main scaling stat is Basic Attack Damage, which you'll want to stack on her? Echoes for the largest impact.

Metawise, if you don't have Yinlin, she is a solid substitute for off-field damage. If you're looking for a strong support amplifier or buffer for Glacio/Skill Damage characters, she is still a strong pick. Thanks to her off-field damage, she is, additionally, exceptional at supporting Jinhsi, one of the strongest main DPS characters in Wuthering Waves due to the mechanics attached to her Forte. Jinhsi also relies heavily on Skill Damage, which makes Zhezhi an even better pick-up for her. Beyond these instances, you'd be better off saving your pull currency for a different character, preferably a main damage dealer or another support on the same level as Verina. We are still very early in Wuthering Wave's lifes??pan, and there's a lot more char?acters coming down the line.

From a 'Fun' perspective, if you like how Zhezhi looks and are a big fan of her thematic flow, then you should pull for Zhezhi. Her personality is od??dly charming, and while she gives off the impression of being a bit of a clutz or, perhaps, ditzy to a degree, her appreciation of her art is certainly appeali??ng enough to be worth gunning for. I'm planning to pull her myself for this reason.

Zhezhi's role is largely not required to beat any of the most difficult content in the game, so don't let the FOMO get you this time. Sub-DPS characters are rather niche in Wuthering Waves, but perhaps that will change once the game gets more difficult. Only time wil??l?? tell.

The post Should you pull for Zhezhi in Wuthering Waves? appeared first on Destructoid.

To say that Deadpool & Wolverine has been a success so far is a major understatement. It has made well over $800 million at the worldwide box office as of publication and has left critics and general audiences alike thoroughly entertained.

At the same time, it has reignited many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans' lo??ve for the franchise after a tumultuous fe??w years. Surprisingly, it has also managed to get Marvel movie enthusiasts in their feelings over some non-MCU endeavors, including some that have spent decades either overlooked by the mainstream or downright lambasted by it.

One of the most shocking moments of Deadpool & Wolverine features the titular heroes encountering some familiar (and one not-so-familiar) multiversal faces. Chris Evans he??ats up as Human Torch, Wesley Snipes returns as Blade, Jennifer Garner re??prises Elektra Natchios, Dafne Keene makes an X-23 comeback, and, after years of being signed to the role under the 20th Century Fox banner, Channing Tatum finally gets to play the Ragin' Cajun himself, Remy "Gambit" LeBeau.

Did the Fantastic Four duology somewhat miss the mark? Was the last Blade film a bust? Were Daredevil and Elektra not great? Correct on all counts, but there's something undeniably special about seeing these legacy actors return to roles no one thought they'd ever get to play again, much les??s team up and get full-on action sequences. As I sat in the theater and took it all in, my childhood suddenly reviving itself in the form of a ragtag band of multiverse heroes right before my eyes, I couldn't help but be reminded of one of Marvel's greatest video game franchises.

What makes Deadpool & Wolverine's Multiverse team-up so special is the same secret sauce that makes the long-running Marvel Ultimate Alliance series so fun.

Unique, wild team-ups are at the core of the Ultimate Alliance series

Released in 2006, 2009, and 2019, respectively, Ultimate Alliance, Ultimate Alliance 2, and Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order are the perfect games for any Marvel fan. Much like how Deadpool & Wolverine is a loving tribute to the pre-MCU era of Marvel films, the Ultimate Alliance saga is a love lette????r to Marvel Comics history. Throughout each game, players battle legendary villains, visit iconic locales, and interact with beloved supporting characters, all while embarking on appropriately comic-booky missions. Then there's the true pièce de résistance of the series, the team building.

Throughout the Ultimate Alliance games, players are encouraged to make their own unique hero teams. Sure, they can go for the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, but the expansive rosters encourage creativity. Wanna have Daredevil (Brian Bloom), Penance (Ben Diskin), Songbird (Susan Spano), and Spider-Man (Diskin) all on one team? What about Doctor Strange (James Horan), Iron Man (John Cygan), Spider-Woman (Tasia Valenza), and Colossus (Nolan North)? Go for it. In fact, in Ultimate Alliance and Ultimate Alliance 3, you can even put Blade (Khary Payton, Imari Williams), Elektra (Gabrielle Carteris, Kat Carissa), Wolverine (Steve Blum), and Deadpool (John Kassir, Nolan North) on the same team to go off on some Deadpool & Wolverine-inspired adventures.

Further incen?tivizing the team-building element, the games feature hidden Team Bonuses, which grant buffs based on specific hero configurations. For instance, in the first game, the Blade, Elektra, Wolverine, and Deadpool combo was called Assassins and granted players +60 S.H.I.E.L.D. credit drops. The group can be formed under Anti-Heroes or Cutting Edge in ?the third installment, both coming with strength stat buffs.

Could Ultimate Alliance be the key to the Multiverse Saga's future?

Blade, Elektra, X-23, Gambit, Deadpool, and Wolverine united on the big screen was truly like an Ultimate Alliance team come to life. A group of heroes who largely have no business working together doing so to take down a common enemy is what those games are built on. The joy of crafting those wild teams is why I and so many others have such a fondness for the franchise, and evidently, that concept went a long way in boosting the already incredible hype behind Deadpool & Wolverine. Thus, one can only hope that the minds behind the MCU's Multiverse Saga take not??ice.

Similarly to the Ultimate Alliance series, the Multiverse Saga has been about the unexpected, universe-threatening enemies and unlikely alliances created to save the day. Deadpool & Wolverine takes these elem??ents to the next level, and so should future Multiverse Saga entries. Based on reactions to the film and its multiversal inclusions, audiences yearn for more bonkers team-ups in MCU stories.

The Marvel roster is vast with countless characters still ripe for adaptation, and there are still loads of film favorites yet to return to the big screen for one more run. Marvel Studios should look to the Ultimate Alliance series for inspiration, maintaining that throughline of team-up fun going forward. Perhaps more niche Ultimate Alliance ?teams will even ma??ke their live-action debuts down the road.

With presumably Multiverse-heavy features like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars on their way down the production pipeline, it shouldn't be long before more Multiverse teams like those in Deadpool & Wolverine will come to fruition. In the meantime, the Ultimate Alliance trilogy is more than worth playing. Not only are they fun?? and engaging for Marvel fans of all levels, but their team-building element could very well hold the key to the Multiverse Saga's future.

The post Deadpool & Wolverine channels the most exciting part of Marvel’s best video games appeared first on Destructoid.

As the August 15 release of the 1.2 update for Wuthering Waves approaches, excitement among players has long been building. There have been rumors about whether the PS5 version of the game might launch alongside the nearing update, thanks to its official announcement.

Will Version 1.2 bring Wuthering Waves to PS5?

While the PS5 version of Wuthering Waves has been officially announced, there’s no confirmed release date for it in conjunction wi??th the 1.2 update set ?to launch on August 15.

The speculation surrounding the PS5 release is fueled by the timing of the 1.2 update, along with the official announcement of a PS5 release. There's a natural assumption that the PS5 version might launch simultaneously with it, given the high demand for Wuthering Waves thanks to its increasing popularity.

However, it's important to approach these rumors and speculations with a healthy dose of skepticism. While the speculation certainly can be in??triguing t??o entertain, they are not confirmed facts. Until Kuro Games provides an official announcement on the matter, these discussions remain no more than rumor mill.

It's always best to wait for direct updates from the developers to get accurate and reliable in?formation. The best course of action is to stay tuned to the official Wuthering Waves channels and developer updates for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The post Is Wuthering Waves coming to P?S5 when 1.2 ??releases? appeared first on Destructoid.

Kuro Game's generosity towards players in Wuthering Waves continues, as the company is set to give away another free?? five-star character in the upcoming 1.2 update. This follows their previous acts of kindness, proving that their rewards aren't just a one-time ??occurrence.

How to get Xiangli Yao free in Wuthering Waves 1.2

In the recent Wuthering Waves version 1.2 dev notes, the upcoming new five-star ch??aracter, Xiangli Yao, has been announced to be free to all players. Xiangli Yao, an Electro Gauntlet user, is set to arrive during the second half of the update.

To obtain him, you must participate in the By Moon's Grace event during the course of 1.2. This event has you accumulating a special resource called Popularity, unique specifically? to the event itself. This resource will be a necessity to obtain Xiangli Yao, and while we don't have all the gritty specifics attached to the event just?? yet, we'll keep you posted with the details when it officially releases.

Wuthering Waves 1.2: New Features and Quality-of-Life Improvements

Besides that, Kuro Games is rolling out several quality-of-life improvements and new features for Wuthering Wave version 1.2 Among the standout features is the Custom Lock-On system, which allows you to priorit??ize targets base?d on movement direction, camera orientation, or distance, making combat more intuitive and responsive.

To further streamline gameplay, the update introduces the Utility Hoverdroid: Shooter. This new utility wheel addition simplifies overworld puzzle-solving by eliminating the annoyance of needing to swap to gun units, making exploration smoother. Alongside this, the Excess Waveplate Feature will provide y?ou with one Waveplate Crystal every 12 minutes, up to a maximum of 480, ensuring a steady supply of Waveplates (Stamina) even while offline.

Additionally, the new Resonator Showcase Feature offers a platform for you to better highlight their account load-outs, adding a personal touch to your profile. The Depths of Illusive Realm event is also receiving significant updates, including new store rewards and the introduction of the formidable Dreamless boss, further deepening the event's challenge and rewards. There are also several additional events accompanying it, including another wave of the Gifts of Lunar Radiance event (free gacha pulls).

For those focused on daily progress, the improved Guidebook Activity Points system will reduce the time required to complete all daily quests, allowing for a more efficient gameplay routine. If you're on PC, you can also look forward to a boost in performance, with the option to play at 120 FPS, ensuring a smoother combat experience. Wuthering Waves version 1.2 is slated to officially release on August 15.

The post Kuro Games is giving a??way another free Five Star in Wuthering Wave??s 1.2 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you thinking of jumping back into Diablo 4 for the release of Season 5, the?n it's always a good idea to know what you're getting into. Here's a quick ove??rview of all the new features added in the seasonal update.

Everything new in Diablo 4 Season 5

Diablo 4 Season 5 is much smaller than normal seasons because it focuses on fixing what came before it, namely the loot system revamp introduced in Season 4. The revamp fixed many issues with loot, but also created sev??eral new ones that the developers have decided to tackle with the big update.

Season 5 is slate??d to last merely two months instead of the usual length, and that notion sets the stage for how much new content is actual??ly in the season.

Return to Hell with Infernal Hordes

The biggest new addition to Diablo 4 in Season 5 is a new endgame mode/feature called Infernal Hordes. Infernal Hordes is a new endgame mode designed to challenge you with wave-based encounters that end in a boss fight. The mode features eight tiers of escalating difficulty, each progressively testing your skill and strategy. You will face increasingly formidable waves of enemies, with the ultimate goal of defeating the final boss to complete the encounter. Success in Infernal Hordes allows you to earn Burning Aether, a currency that can be?? used to unlock various rewards.

The rewards for participating in Infernal Hordes include gear, materials, and gold, with ?you having the freedom to choose what you want based on your accumulated Bur??ning Aether. Additionally, this mode serves as a new source for acquiring Legendaries and Uniques, offering you the chance to enhance your equipment with rare and powerful items.

Major Itemization Improvements

Diablo 4 Season 5 brings a slew of improvements that enhance the overall game quality. New Uniques and Legendaries offer fresh customization options, while the Unique Sy??stem overhaul refines affixes to be more build-specific. Mythic Uniques now drop from Tree of Whisper Collections, Tortured Gifts in Helltides, and the Purveyor of Curiosities, providing more ways to obtain these powerful items.

Weapon types are now available to additional classes, expanding playstyle options. Sorcerers, for example, can now use 1-handed swords. The season also introduces new and adjusted Tempering Manuals and Af?fixes, further improving fine-tuning gear enhancement mechanics intr??oduced in Season 4.

Quality of Life and Accessibility Additions

Diablo 4's Season 5 introduces several Quality of Life improvements and accessibility features aimed at enhancing your overall experience. Among the notable changes are improved Treasure Goblin loot drops, making these elusive creatures even more rewarding to hunt (finally). Whisper bounties have been adjusted to require less time, allowing you to complete them more efficiently. Additionally, the drop rates for Mythic Uniques from non-Boss enemies have been increased, and these powerful items can now be obtained from a broader range of sources. However, the drop rate for the Baneful Heart crafting material has been reduced, and Tortured Gifts will no longer contain Murm?uring Obols. This is a minor loss, but the rewards are still much greater.

Season 5 also brings significant enhancements to ensure the game is more inclusive. New features include Auto-Pin and Audio Navigation Assistance, designed to help you navigate the game world more easily. Additionally, a Compass has been added to improve directional guidance.

New Seasonal Cosmetics

While nothing much has changed with the Season Journey system, you ca??n still enjoy earning brand new rewards from following its pro?gression. New Cosmetic appearances are also available to earn just by playing through the Season.

The post All new features in Diablo 4 Season 5 appeared first on Destructoid.

Zenless Zone Zero has often been compared to fighting games due to its input-based abilities for certain characters. While most characters' abilities are well-documented, some have inpu??ts that are either not listed in any moveset or are so obscure they can ea??sily be overlooked—until now.

All Hidden Character Inputs in Zenless Zone Zero

To be clear, not every character in Zenless Zone Zero has an obscured input, but many have special mechanics tied to their abilities that are not? obvious. As I go down the list, I'll make sure to highlight which mechanics, moves, and/or abilities are hidden outright or are just not out in the open, bugs excluded.

Nicole

Nicole is probably the character with the most impactful hidden moves (plural), as they directly affect her performance and are important to make use of thanks to her supportive capabilities. Her EX Skill, Stuffed Sugarcoated Bullet, has three variants, and depe??nding on how you?? input the move, changes the end result of the skill.

By performing a full-circle motion (moving the stick 360 degrees or pressing WASD in circular succession) during the start-up charge of Nicole's EX skill, if you hold her charge, she performs a secondary version of the move that lets her charge longer than the standard. You'll know if you succeeded because Nicole will sit down on her suitcase while charging. The result is a longer-lasting Ether or?b (if you have her Cinema lev??el for this functionality). This allows Nicole to shred enemy defenses longer, which is a big help for DPS.

The second variant also requires you to perform a full-circle motion during her EX skill's start-up, but instead of holding, release the charge just after you perform the hidden input. Doing so will allow Nicole to fire off her EX skill faster than normal with the added benefit of it being launched like a mortar at her target enemy, allowing it to bypass enemies in the way of her intended target. You'll know if you performed this one correctly if Nicole falls down while casting her skill.

Lucy

Lucy'??s secretive input isn't nearly as important as Nicole's in terms of functionality, but it does have a use if you want to constantly inflict her Fire Damage over her standard Physical during her basic attack ??string. It's also easy to perform: no crazy circular inputs here.

When Lucy performs the fourth attack in her basic attack string (the one that causes her Guard Boars to spin), you can click again to finish her string with her fifth and final basic attack. However, if you continue clicking past this point, instead of Lucy restarting at the first attack in her string, she will repeatedly use her fourth and fifth attacks endlessly until you stop pressing basic attack. This is useful because her fourth basic attack deals pure Fire damage, which helps build up the Burn status effect.

Koleda

Koleda doesn't have a ??secret input, but she does have a very useful obscured me?chanic that is easy to overlook if you're not paying attention. There's no need to perform it because it happens automatically, but you do need to be conscious of it, to make use of it.

During the fourth attack in Koleda's basic attack string (the one that launches her into the air), Koleda is completely invulnerable to all forms of damage while she remains airborne. This means that Koleda does not need to dodge often if you can time her fourth attack to land during the enemy'?s attack. Useful if you're trying to reach her final attack to activate her EX skill for stunning.

Anby

Anby is a pretty basic character, all things considered, but she does have one useful hidden input that will allow her to land her stun combo slightly faster. This input is ??easy to pull off, but only if you know when to actually use it.

During the third attack in Anby's basic attack s??tring (the one that makes the hilt of her sword glow blue for a second), you can hold down the basic attack to perform her Thunderbolt move, which does a lot of stun damage, and a lot of damage to enemies that are stunned. This is normal for her.

However, while her sword hilt is glowing blue, you can, instead, use her EX Skill mid-combo, which makes it come out faster, removing the start-up frames from the move. More so, while Anby is airborne, if you hold basic attack, Anby will pick up her basic a??ttack string where she left off, allowing you to go straight into her Thunderbolt move right after her EX Skill. The benefit is a slightly faster version of her typica?l stun-building combo.

Zhu Yuan

Zhu Yua??n, surprisingly, has quite a few obscured mechanics in some of her moveset. While none of it requires any crazy additional inputs like Nicole, there are a few things you'll want to know about if you're playing her.

Starting with the biggest impact mechanics, Zhu Yuan has several invulnerability frames in her moveset. The first is during her fourth basic attack in her basic attack string (the one that makes her do an aerial backflip).?? During the flip portion, she cannot be hit by any attack. This is useful because the fourth basic attack ??also restores ammo to her gun, which is highly important for her DPS.

Zhu Yuan is also fully invulnerable anytime she is in the middle of her strafing dash basic (while she is diving either left or right, firing her gun). Speaking of her strafing dash basic, if you press Dodge, any directional input, and basic attack together at any time during any of her combos, s??he will perform her strafing dash basic, This is extremely useful for safe re??positioning since many of her attacks launch you toward the enemy without additional input.

Lastly, if you continue pressing Zhu Yuan's basic attack following her third basic attack, without throwing in any additional inputs, she will continuously perform her third, fourth, and fifth basic attack string without needing to start at the beginning. This is useful because the four??th attack in her string restores one ammo. However, because of how long this sequ??ence is, it may be hard to get off against aggressive enemies.

Zenless Zone Zero is filled with hidden details about its characters, so if I miss any or unc??over new ones later, I'll keep this updated to ensure it stays accurate.

The post All? Hidden Inputs for ?Characters in Zenless Zone Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

Infernal Hordes is the major new feature added in Diablo 4 Season 5, and while it's mostly front and center, it may not be clear how to unlock it. As a new endgame mode, you'll want to participate in Infernal Hordes for t??he greatest seasonal return, so here's how you can ??access it.

How to Access Infernal Hordes in Diablo 4 Season 5

To unlock and gain access to the Infernal Hordes endgame activity, you must first reach Level 50 and enter World Tier 3 for the first time. Doing so will give you access to the 'The Eyes of the Enemy' questline, which will allow you to participate in Infernal Hordes upon completion. The Eyes of the Enemy begins within Hawezar, technically the final main region of base Diablo 4. If you're not sure where to find it, look south of Fractured Peaks on your map. From there, head to Zarbinzet and investigate the disturbance o??ccurring in the main ?plaza area.

How to begin an Infernal Horde in Diablo 4 Season 5

Once you have the Infernal Horde feature unlocked following the quest completion of To the Edge of the Abyss, you should have gained access to an Infernal Compass. An Infernal Compass is required to begin an I?nfernal Horde, and ??????????????????????????they function similarly to Nightmare Sigils. To start an Infernal Horde, simply consume an Infernal Compass in your inventory.

Infernal Compasses are a finite resource, so you'll need to gather more if you want to do more Infernal Horde runs. Thankfully, they are super easy to obtain as a large majority of your standard endgame activities often reward you with these hellish compasses. Infernal Compasses are tiered, again similarly to Nightmare Sigils, and require Abyssal Scrolls to upgrade them.

I've personally found them most commonly through opening Helltide Chests amid an active Helltide. Helltides are such a simple activity that only requires you to farm within the small area it's active, so I've found this to be the easiest way to get them in bulk. You can also obtain Infernal Compasses via the Tree of Whispers or just crafting them at the Occultist in a very identical way you would Nightmare Sigils. Regardl??ess of which method you use, you'll find Infernal Compasses ?very easy to obtain.

How do Infernal Hordes work in Diablo 4 Season 5?

The Infernal Hordes activity itself is similar to Helltides in that you'll be facing large numbers of Hell's denizens constantly. However, unlike Helltides, it is structured around wave-based combat, where you must fend off multiple waves of demons, each wave lasting roughly 60 seconds. To add to the challenge, you can activate Infernal Offers, modifiers that increase both ?the difficulty and the potential rewards. After s??uccessfully surviving all the waves, you must defeat a boss (or bosses) for the final rewards of the activity.

Infernal Horde Rewards

Participating in Infernal Hordes offers several rewards, most notably Burning Aether. This resource can be used to open Spoils of Hell, which contain a variety of valuable items, including potential Legendary/Unique items and Masterwork crafting materials.

The activity is one of the most lucrative and rewarding events you can do in Diablo 4, and is certainly worth your time if you're looking for a new way to farm high-end loot. The best part about Infernal Hordes is that they are not locked to Seasonal Realms. That's right. Eternal Realm players can also participate in Infernal Hordes as of the Season 5 update. Thanks to this, it's reasonable to expect this mode to be actively updated as Diablo 4 gets new content.

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Qingyi and Jane Doe are the two upcoming five-star limited characters in Zenless Zone Zero and bo??th seem to pack a wallop. However,? you only have limited currency to use for pulling, and often pulling both is a difficult endeavor for most people, so let's talk about which one of these premium characters you should chase after.

Qingyi or Jane Doe: Who has the best value in Zenless Zone Zero?

To accurately assess? the value of Qingyi and Jane Doe, it’s important to u??nderstand their roles and how they compare to their four-star counterparts.

Qingyi is an Electric Stun character renowned for her exceptional ability to stun enemies. In fact, her proficiency in stunning dwarfs that of Anby, the only other Electric Stun character currently available. Qingyi’s abilities go beyond mere stunning; she can amplify the damage multiplier of stunned enemies, significantly boosting the damage output of your DPS characters. This makes her a substantial asset to any? team. What sets Qingyi apart is her versatility: she doesn’t need to pair with specific factions or elements. Instead, she thrives with any Attacker on her team, allowing her to seamlessly integrate into almost any lineup.

Jane Doe, in contrast, is a Physical Anomaly character with an impressive knack for activating the Assault status effect. She effectively replaces Piper in this role, who is already quite adept at activating Assault. Jane Doe’s primary strength lies in her superior DPS capabilities and her ability to quickly build up Assault, which is crucial for maximizing damage through combo status effects. However, her Physical typing poses a chall?enge. Given that Piper excels at building and activating Assault in challenging content already,?? Jane Doe’s role as a DPS character may not be as essential given Piper’s effectiveness.

Considering both characters and their contributions, Qingyi emerges as the more valuable long-term investment. Anby’s performance pales when compared to Qingyi’s, and while Piper is highly effective in her role, Jane Doe’s DPS capabilities might not justify replacing an already strong character. Qingyi’s universal stun ability and integration into any team make her an indispensable asset, whereas DPS characters, including Jane Doe, are often easier to replace as new options become available. Thus, Qingyi is the clear choice for a long-term pull.

Of course, pull what you like though. Overall, 'Fun Factor' is an aspect of character collecting in a gacha game that should still be considered, especially when pulling a new character. If you don't enjoy a character, then forcing meta upon yourself?? will kill your fun in the long run. Keep that in mind.

The post Should you pull for Qingyi or Jane Doe in Zenless Zone Zero??? appeared first on Destructoid.

While the term "overpowered" can be subjective, some of the Ashes of War introduced in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree are undeniably powerful and can be game changers, especially for those finding the content challenging. If you're struggling with Shadow of the Erdtree or are just curi??ous to know, here ?are the most formidable ones in the bunch.

Best Ashes of War in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The following Ashes of War are all popular choices for meta builds within Shadow of the Erdtree. While they are always subject to change (and some of them have been changed since the game's release), they remain extremely competent choices for various forms of combat in Elden Ring.

Carian Sovereignty

Carian Sovereignty is a true game-changer, with its ability to deliver a duo of powerful magical attacks that can deal significant damage to enemies. The spell’s wide area of effect and high damage output make it an excellent choice for both crowd control and dealing with tougher foes. Notably, the second hit of Carian Sovereignty stands out as one of the single largest sources of damage you can achieve in all of Elden Ring. This immense damage potential makes the spell invaluable in boss encounters, if you can get the cast off.

Flame Skewer

Flame Skewer is an evolved version of Giant Hunt, now dealing powerful Fire damage. It features a special interaction with Fire Knight weapons, amplifying its ?impact. Like Giant Hunt, Flame Skewer delivers massive Poise damage, often launching all but the most resilient foes into the air. Additionally, its impressive range for a melee attack and its vertical attack capability make it an excellent choice for targeting high-reaching weak points on enemies, such as dragon heads. The combination of its fire damage, Poise damage, and extended reach ensures Flame Skewer is a formidable asset in any battle.

Rolling Sparks

Rolling Sparks was heavily nerfed from its original state, but remains a strong choice without being oppressively powerful. It requires a Perfume Bottle to use, and its explosive range for a melee Ash ??of War makes it highly effective for dealing substantial damage at a considerable distance. Despite the nerf, its ability to impact enemies from afar continues to make it a valuable tool in combat.

Blindspot

Blindspot stands out for its unique ability to provide both offense and defense. By allowing players to avoid incoming damage while simultaneously dealing their own, it offers a strategic advantage that's hard to ignore. This Ash of War is exceptionally powerful in high-stakes battles where both evasion and damage output are crucial. Its dual functionality makes it a versatile choice for players who need to adapt quickly to changing combat scenarios. I personally used this one to utterly trounce the endboss of Shadow of the Erdtree.

Swift Slash

Despite its ??recent nerf, Swift Slash remains a formidable Ash of War, particularly in PvE. Its rapid and powerful strike allow players to deal significant damage quickly, making it effective in various combat situations. Although its effectiveness in PvP has been somewhat reduced, it’s still a strong option for players who excel in fast-paced, aggressive combat. Swift Slash’s speed and damage output ensure that it continues to be a valuable asset in the right hands.

Savage Lion's Claw

Savage Lion's Claw excels with heavy weapons due to its quick speed and immense power. This Ash of War combines the brute force of heavy weapons with a series of fast, aggressive, overhead attacks, making it exceptionally strong. The speed of its strikes allows players to overwhelm enemies before they have a chance to react, making it ideal for those who want to capitalize ??on their ?heavy weapon's strengths and keep the pressure on their opponents. Like the standard version of Lion's Claw, it does big Poise damage to those who are hit by it.

Palm Blast

Palm Blast is notorious for its incredible damage output and the infinite Poise it provides while charging. This Ash of War allows players t??o deliver a devastating attack without fear of being interrupted, making it a powerful choice for those who want to deal extreme damage while maintaining their sta??????????????????????????nce. Its ability to absorb damage while charging makes it a strong contender for players looking to dominate in combat in PvP and break through general enemy defenses with ease.

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With Honkai: Star Rail version 2.4, the master of swordplay, Yunli, joins the roster of playable characters as a limited five-star. If you're thinking of pulling her from her banner, or you're just looking for a little insight, here's every??thing you need to know about building her.

Strongest Yunli Build in Honkai: Star Rail

Yunli is a Physical Destruction character whose central focus revolves around using powerful Follow-up attacks through counters to destroy her foes. From a gameplay perspective, Yunli plays incredibly similarly to Clara. She plays so close to her that anywhere you could slot a Clara on a team, you can, instead, replace with Yunli. Effectively, she is a more powerful version of Clara, with a majority of her weaknesses omitted.

Like Clara, Yunli wants enemies to hit constantly to trigger her Follow-up attacks. However, her unique mechanic is her parry-based Ultimate. Most of her damage comes from this Ultimate and it requires you to 'time' attacks which essentially boils down to ensuring you only invoke her Ultimate when an enemy is going to attack next in the turn order. The final important aspect you should know about Yunli's Ult is that it is an AoE taun??t, which means she is fantastic at protecting her allies while dishing out incredible damage.

In conclusion, Yunli is a really sim?ple character to pick up and play and she offers a lot despite asking so little of you. Once again, if you've played Clara at all, then you're almost entirely aware of how to play Yunli as well.

Best Relics for Yunli

Seeing as nearly all of Yunli's damage comes from her Follow-up attacks, she only has two actual Relic options you should consider. Her best-in-slot (BiS) set is The Wind-Soaring Valorous set as it provides her with additional ATK%, boosted Follow-up damage, and increased Ultimate damage. It is a simple set compared to many others in Honkai: Star Rail, but that doesn't make it any less potent.

Her secondary option is The Ashblazing Grand Duke set, which focuses much more on boosting Follow-up damage. What's unique about this set for Yunli is that the 4-piece requires a Follow-up to hit multiple times in a single ins??tance to get the maximum benefit from it, which her Ultimate counters can consistently deliver. While this is not the best set for Yunli, it is still an extr??emely competitive option, especially if you have great sub-stats.

As for Yunli's Sphere and Rope set, she also has two solid options. Her BiS is easily Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves, as it pr?ovides her with large bonuses to Follow-up attacks. Just make sure you're running her with another Follow-up attacker (like Topaz or Aventurine), to gain the full benefit from it.

Her secondary recommended set is the ever-competitive Inert Salsotto. This set provides a solid boost to Ul?timate and Follow-up attack damage while providing a healthy dose of additional CRIT RATE on top.

Best Team Comp Yunli

As mentioned earlier, Yunli? can be slotted anywhere you could or would have used a Clara. Knowing this, there are two team compositions I can recommend to ?you.

The first is Robin, Topaz, and Aventurine. These three characters make up the primer Follow-up team comp currently in Honkai: Star Rail. In this comp??, Yunli would be replacing Dr. Ratio, which is a positive in my book thanks to Ratio's extreme focus on single-target DPS. She is extremely effective no matter how many enemies are on screen, and she still does comparable (if not?? greater in most cases) damage.

Robin on this comp gives Yunli and the rest of her team a large, unconditional DMG buff while also providing a constant supply of full-team Advance Fowards ?through her Ultimate. She is by far Yunli's best teammate.

Topaz buffs the potency of all of Yunli's Follow-up attacks, including her Ultimate. Topaz, be??ing a Hunt character, a??????????????????????????lso brings considerable single-target damage to the comp, helping Yunli mop up enemies with ease.

Aventurine helps keep Yunli alive thro??ugh his incredible shields while also dishing out solid amounts of damage thanks to the f?requency of his Follow-up attacks on this comp.

The second team focuses on buffing Yunli as the Hypercarry on the team, ensuring she has everything she needs at all times. This comp involves using Tingyan, Huohuo, and Robin.

Tingyan provides Yunli with a powerful DMG buff and helps her generate energy to keep her U?ltimates flowing.

Huohuo also provides Yunli with more damage through h??er buff, while also generating energy. Additionally, se??eing as she Abundance, she is exceptional at keeping Yunli alive and well-cleased.

Robin provides the largest DMG buff between the three, while also providing a consistent full-team Advance Forward through her Ultimate. This means that both Tingyan and Huohuo generate more energy for Yunli.

Should you get Yunli's Lightcone in Honkai: Star Rail?

If you're planning to pull Yunli, get her Lightcone. Dance at Sunset does a lot of the standard stuff you'd expect a signature Lightcone ??to do, but its core benefit is the massively increased Taunt Value it gives Yunli. While it is equipped, she is considerably more likely to be attacked by enemies in normal gameplay, meaning she lands more counterattacks and generates more energy. More energy means more Ultimate counters, which means more overall da??mage.

While you can get by using something else, Dance at Sunset's Taunt Value boost is much too valuable for Yunli for me to recommend any others. Oh, and it's also really strong on Cl?ara because Yunli and Clara play almost the same. Go figure.

Best Eidolons for Yunli in Honkai: Star Rail

Yunli is an extremely strong character at E0 and hardly needs Eidolons to functio??n. Her Lightcone is more important than any of her Eidolons, but if you're still planning to pull for some, E2 is a good stopping point. Here are all of her Eidolons for your reference.

• Weathered Blade Does Not Sully (E1) â€?Provides a large DMG boost to Yunli's Ultimate counter while also allowing it to strike three additional times on a single cast. Very strong, very good.
• First Luster Breaks Dawn (E2) - Yunli's counters will ignore 20% of a target's defense at all times. Very simple, but also strong. Best stopping point
• Mastlength Twirls Mountweight (E3) - Yunli's Ultimate counters will do more damage due to the extra ranks it gets. Solid Eidolon through rather basic.
• Artisans Ironsong (E4) - After using a counter, Yunli gains 50% Effect Resistance. Honestly, this one is pretty worthless as your support should be taking of this anyway. A proper team comp will never see this Eidolon be useful. Bad.
• Blade of Old Outlasts All (E5) - Boosts Talent level which means stronger counters. Good, but not worth investing in unless you're going to E6.
• Walk in Blade, Talk in Zither (E6) - This Eidolon effectively removes the 'Parry' mechanic from Yunli's gameplay while also boosting the damage of all of her counters considerably. That said, as far as E6's go, think one is a bit lackluster compared to others.

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Ghostlord is a tricky fellow to find for the Pensive Phantom side quest in Zenless Zone Zero, especially since you don't know what 'Ghostl??ord' refers to in it. However, having completed the quest with a little difficulty, I've got the intel you need to finish yourself.

How to find Ghostlord to complete Pensive Phantom in Zenless Zone Zero

While pursuing Ghostlord, you're never told exactly what you're looking for, and for the part of the questline that requires you to take a picture of it, there's no indicat??ion of location other than that it's located in Ballet Twins. It turns out that Ghostlord isn't some mythic ghost or boogieman haunting the city streets. Instead, it's a Bangboo with that literal name, which isn't all that surprising when there are others out there with even stranger ones.

The quest infor??ms you that Ghostlord can be found atop the statue standing over Ballet Twins at night, but, for some reason, Ghostlord is nowhere to be found. For me, I didn't see Ghostlord until after I took the picture of it, which makes no sense. Whether it's a bug or something more sinister, I have no idea, but there is a workaround if you can't find Ghostlord yourself.

If you stand at the base of the statue and aim your angle camera at a certain point, the game will register as you taking a picture of Ghostlord, even when he isn't in the image. The exact point to aim at should be right around the knee part of the statue. You'll know you're looking at the right place if the game tells you Target Spotted. Once you see this, snap the shot, and Ghostlord, the mysterious Bangboo, will appear b??efore you.

The post Where to find Ghostlord for Pensive Phantom in ??Zenless Zone Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

While it may not seem apparent early on, having a strong composition between your Agents in Zenless Zone Zero will make it much easier to progress the game's difficult endgame content. Here are the best team comps you can build up in Zenless Zone Zero.

Best Teams in Zenless Zone Zero

Teams in Zenless Zone Zero are built up of three Agents, and each Agent plays an overarching role that makes content progression easier to progress. While not all team comps are equal, they all have something that ties them together and makes them effective. If there is a team comp that you use that is rather effective not on this list, fret not, for it means there's more room for experimentation, which is great for a game like this. All teams on this list assume Agents are C0 (Cinema 0).

Ellen, Lycaon, Soukaku

This is the premier Ice attribute team in Zenless Zone Zero, and it packs a serious wa?llop thanks to the combined efforts of all three Agents. It is arguably the strongest team you can have in the game currently, but the requirement of having two 5* characters makes it a task to obtain.

Ellen serves as the main DPS for this team comp, and she does her job extremely well. More import?antly, she ??dishes out so much damage in such a short amount of time that unless you're tackling the hardest stages of Shinyru Defense, you rarely will get to see her other teammates even act.

Lycaon is the team's main Stunner; his job is simply to KO (Knock Out or Stun) the enemy as quickly as possible. Thankfully, Lycaon is extremely good at his one job and, thanks to the long animation tied to his EX Skill, ??he is invulnerable and extremely safe when doing so.

Soukaku is this comp's Buffer, and she does an absurd amount for both Ellen Joe and Lycaon. First, Soukaku boosts the damage of all Ice Attribute attacks by a considerable amount (20%) just by existing in the same team with another Ice character. On top of this, she also provides Ellen Joe with a massive 1000 Attack using her core passive, which is part of her normal da?mage rotation. Speaking of damage, So?kuaku also dishes out a considerable amount for a Support character.

Koleda, Lucy, Nicole

At first glance, you may question the viability of such a team comp, but it has a significant amount of synergy that's easy to overlook. This comp relies heavily upon Stuns to dish out its damage, hence the lack of a dedicated main DPS. Chain ??Attacks make up the bulk of this comp's damage.

Koleda is this team's main On-fielder. Her job is to Daze and Stun as fast as she possibly can, so you? can constantly activate Chain Attacks while the enemy is in th?e "groggy" state.

Lucy is one of two of this comp's Supports, and she provides her entire team with 600 Attack just by performing her EX Special, which can happen often. Lucy ?also does massive burst damage using her Ultimate and EX Special attacks, making her your go-to for bursting enemies in the "groggy" state. Lucy also provides the team with solid consistent DPS through her Guard Boars, and thanks to Koleda being a Fire Attribute Agent, they inherent Lucy's CRIT RATE and?? CRIT DMG. Finally, a majority of Lucy's damage will come from using her Chain Attack, which deals massive damage and Burn build-up.

Nicole is the other Support in this team comp, and her job is to dish out constant damage, while massively shredding the Defense of any enemy she hits with her Ether Orb attacks. This includes her EX Special, Ultimate, and Chain Attack, meaning Nicole is pretty much always providing her DEF shred (up to 40% DEF Shred) where it matters. Her DEF Shred is the reason why you want to make sure that Nicole always attacks before Lucy in a Chain Attack combo. Additionally, Nicole's Ether Orbs al??l have a powerful suction effect, making it easy for thi??s comp to AOE down large numbers of foes.

Soldier 11, Koleda, Lucy

This team comp is the premier Fire attribute team in Zenless Zone Zero, and it functions fairly similarly to the Ice team in terms of composition. All three characters on this team inflict massive Burn build-up, meaning your foes will be Burning pretty much all the time, which is a very ?nice source of extra damage.

Soldier 11 is the team's Attacker and main DPS. Unlike most DPS in Zenless Zone Zero, she can inflict her Fire attribute without needing to use her Skill or EX Special to do so. This is due to her core mechanic, Fire Suppression, whic??h rewards you with fire-based normals if you hit them with perfect timings, allowing Soldier 11 to build up Burn very, very fast. However, Soldier 11 is all about dishing out big damage quickly, similar to Ellen.

Koleda is the Stunner for the team, and like what I mentioned earlier, she is?? very good at her job. Her goal is to build up Daze and Stun any enemies Soldier 11 can't hack down quickl??y.

Lucy is the Support for this team comp, and she provides sub-DPS levels of extra damage while giving her entire team a universal ATK buff just by using her?? normally. Additionally, her burst damage is still valuable to have against ?"groggy" foes, and her Chain attacks are just as powerful.

Grace, Anby, Rina

With this composition, you have the premier Electric Attribute team in Zenless Zone Zero. From the standpoint of composition, it functions a lot like the Ice and Fire premier comps. However, due to the presence of an Anomaly DPS (Grace), this comp focuses mu?ch more on the Shocked status effect for dishing out damage rather than just raw?? damage.

Grace is the main DPS in this comp, and she is also the main applicator for Shock due to how fast she can build it up, thanks to her Anomaly archetype. Shock is primarily a DoT effect that occurs every few seconds, and Grace boosts the potency of all Shocks on her team thanks to her Core Passive. Grace also has considerable AoE, making her very strong in Zenless Zone Zero.

Anby acts as the team's Stunner, and like all Stunners, her job is to KO the enemy as quickly as possible. Thanks to her Electric typing and Grace b?eing on the team, she applies Shock very quickly with her EX Special and it deals more damage.

Rina is a unique Support for this comp, as she does not provide any sort of ATK buff like the previously mentioned supports on this list. Instead, Rina provides considerable PEN (Penetration), which means that your team's attacks will just flat-out ignore a large amount of an enemy's defense. Rina is also the second most mobile character in Zenless Zone Zero, making her a great go-to for repositioning. Finally, Rina also pr??ovides ample Shock build-up thanks to her EX Special.

Nekomata, Piper, Lucy

This team comp is the best Physical Attribute comp you can currently obtain in Zenless Zone Zero. Thanks to the Physical status effect, Assault, this comp has so?me of the absolute highest burst damage you can get in the game. The lack of a Stunner does get in the way of this comp when raw damage is not enough to get by. Fortunately?, Assault does considerable Daze damage on top of its actual damage, meaning the comp still works well.

Nekomata is the comp's main DPS, and she has some of the most consistent damage in Zenless Zone Zero. She gets a massive damage boost (up to 60% Damage) when she uses a Dodge Counter or Quick Assist, meaning her ideal playstyle does not make use of parrying as much as other Agents in the game. Neko??mata also gets a large damage boost to her next EX Special when another teammate inflicts Assault in a combo scenario, thanks to Piper being in the team.

Piper is the secondary DPS member of this comp, and her job is to be the sole character activating Assault procs so that Nekomata gets her damage bonus. Unlike other teams, you will be frequently swapping between Nekomata and Piper while playing this one. One really important aspect to remember is to always have Piper be the one to inflict Assault. Nekomata can help build it up due to her Physical typing, but if she ever is the one to activate Assault, then this comp loses damage overall. Thankfully, Piper is a?n Anomaly Agent, so she is extremely good at inflicting Assault without any help.

Lucy continues to be a stellar Support for compositions and her role as a Support is no different in this team comp. Her 600 ATK bonus provides both Lucky and Piper with considerable extra damage, and her own personal damage is amplified with the presence of Piper on the team, thanks to the two being part of the same faction, activating her Core Passive and empowering her Guard Boars. Lucy's burst damage remains of high value here, and can often result in multi-reactional procs thanks to how much Burn status Lucy builds up ??via her Chain Attack and Piper's constant activations of Assault.

The post Best Team Comps in Zenless Zone Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks?? like Zelda won't be alone when The Le??gend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches this fall.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was a surprise drop during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. A brand-new adventure reimagined in the style of 2019's Link's Awakening remake, fans were stoked t??o discover players would control the franchise's titular Princess Zelda rather than longtime hero Link.

But Link may not be completely out of the picture. The game's ESRB rating has been revealed, and while it is not a surprise rating (a fairly standard E 10+, for Fantasy Violenc??e), the description does seem to reveal that Link will be playable after all.

"This is an adventure game in which players assume the role of Zelda as she attempts to dispel rifts throughout Hyrule and rescue Link." the ESRB summary reads. "From a ¾-overhead perspective, players explore various environments while fighting stylized enemies (e.g., humans, creatures). As Li??nk, players use a sword and arrows to defeat enemies; Zelda can use a magic wand to summon creatures (e.g., wind-up knights, pig soldiers, slime) for battle. Some enemies can be defeated by being set on fire; other creatures dissolve into mist when defeated. Battle sequences are somewhat frenetic, with several enemies attacking/fighting at once."

It's a bit disappointing for fans who were looking for a Zelda-centric a??dventure. Despite being one of the most recognizable and popular characters ?in the history of gaming, Zelda herself has only starred in two games, both of which are part of the infamous Zelda CD-i trilogy.

There is some glimmer of hope for fans in that we don't know how much Link will be in Echoes of Wisdom, though. It may be closer to a cameo or even just controlling him for the intro before Zelda takes the lead. The trailer shows Zelda stepping up after Lin??k's efforts to save her get ?him trapped in another dimension.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will be released exclusively on Nintendo Switch on September 26. You can pre-order the game and its gorgeous Switch Lite tie-in now.

The post Looks like Link is playab?le in Echoes of Wisdom after al??l appeared first on Destructoid.

It seems like fate that Larian Studios, the minds behind the sword-and-sorcery Divinity: Original Sin franchise, found its way into Baldur's Gate, but it could have easily been a completely different fan-favorite franchise: Fallout.

Speaking with Edge Magazine, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke revealed that Baldur's Gate III was one of only a handful of titles it considered at the time. However, it also considered making pitches for a new Ultima or Fallout.

Ultimately, Larian went with Baldur's Gate III, as the franchise was languishing following the closure of Black Isle Studios. Svicke tells Edge it was a franchise he knew would get plenty of traction, saying Baldur's Gate was "one of t?hose IPs that you know a lot of people will want to work on."

Still, it is bittersweet to imagine a world where Larian could apply that same love and care Baldur's Gate got to a new Fallout. As I write this, I am on the cusp of finishing Baldur's Gate III (finally!), and I am losing my mind thinking about how great this world-building would be for a Fallout game. Baldur's Gate nailed exploration, world-building, and party dynamics in a way that fans have been begging Fallout to for years.

Tapping the people who made the biggest RPG in the world to create a new Fallout seems like a no-brainer. The franchise is bigger than ever thanks to the success of the Prime Video series, and it sure sounds like Fallout 5 is a very, very long way away. Given all the ways Microsoft is struggling to justify raising prices and creating new Game Pass tiers, a new Fallout would ?go a ??long way to earning back some goodwill.

Unfortunately, we're not likely to get something as majestic as a Larian Studios-developed Fallout. The previous third-party swing at a Fallout game, Fallout: New Vegas, is hailed as one of the best entries in the storied franchise, but Bethesda seems reluctant to let another company work on Fallout again. It came to light just last year that Bethesda had rejected multiple pitches for spin-offs for both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls from New Vegas dev Obsidian Entertainment.

For now, you'll have to make do with the various fan projects, like Fallout: London (assuming it isn't broken again by an update) or this gorgeous concept for Fallout in Unreal Engine 5. That, or hope modders slap a coat of Fallout paint on Baldur's Gate.

The post Baldur’s Gate III dev almost pitched a new Fallout game appeared first on Destructoid.

The Riddlers's Club is a questline in Zenless Zone Zero where you're forced to?? figure out the nature of the riddles you're given. Unlike most quest, you are guided to the answer, but I've got you covered to make it easy for you to finish.

How to solve every Ridders' Club riddle in Zenless Zone Zero (Solution)

The Riddles' Club questline is broke??n into two parts, so I will provide y?ou with the answer to each part in a similar fashion, beginning with Part 1.

Ridders' Club Part 1 Solution

In Part 1, you're tasked to take a photo of something silver, beautiful, and smooth, and bring it back to Sam, the questgiver located in Lumina Square. The description given is rather vague but does provide enough information to reasonably infer a few options that might be the solution. Thankfully, the answer to this riddle is not far from Sam himself. It refers to the strange statue sitting in the heart of Lumina Square.

This statue is standing tall directly in front of the Lumina building, a bit down the street from Sam's location. It is rather large, so it should? be easy to see from a distance even if you're not exactly in the right spot. Just look for the tall metal mass of spirals ?rotating in place.

Walk?? up to the statue and take a photo using your camera. Make sure the whole statue is in the scene to ensure the ?photo counts for the quest. Then, return to Sam to earn some rewards and begin the second part of the Riddlers' Club questline.

Ridders' Club Part 2 Solution

For Part 2 of the questline, Sam will request that you take a photo of something relating to Yin and Yang, black and white... Two Fantasy creatures, chasing each other's tail. This description is far more descriptive than Part 1's, but is still rather difficult to discern the answer from it. Incidentally, the answer is also located within Lumina Square and refers to the wall graffiti of dragons circling each other.

You can find this particular wall of graffiti art close to Sam, behind the wall he is standing in front of. Go out into the street and look toward him, ?then move right. You should the wall appear before your ey?es.

Take a picture of the wall and return Sam once again for the questline's final reward, and a?? thrilling philosophical look at the art ?of puzzle solving.

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The Legend of Heroes franchise from Nihon Falcom enters a new land with Trails through Daybreak’s journey int?o the mo??dern-styled, gorgeous Calvard Republic.

With an almost entirely new cast of likable main characters, this is one of the strongest entry points for newcomers to the series. Trails through Daybreak evolves the series with ke??y gameplay changes, but still retains the classic wit and charm fans expect.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak (PS5 [reviewed], PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC]
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Released: July 5, 2024
MSRP: $59.99

For the first time in a good while, players need almost no knowledge of prior games to jump into this one. The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak kicks off with a swift and fun intro t??o Van Arkride. Van leads his titular Arkride Solutions, a handyma??n-like office in the Calvard Republic’s capital, Edith.

In some ways, Van's day-to-day life mirrors past Trails heroe?s like Lloyd or Estelle. He takes on random jobs like deliveries or investigations for money. The catch, however, is this protagonist is far from the heroic type. Van lives and breathes the moral gray area in everything he does. He has no qualms, for instan?ce, in lying to law enforcement or killing someone when necessary.

This “true neutral�stance from Van results in Trails through Daybreak’s most impactful addition to the series: alignment. Players have three different alignments known as Law, Gray, and Chaos. Rather than pledge yourself to one side, they act more like Persona�/em>s social stats. One side quest might be altruistic in nature, like tracking down a scammer, and result in a few Law points. However, another task might be shadier and give yo?u Gray or Chaos points if you choose to, say, threaten a stalker yourself rather than turning him over to the law.

Many of the requests, known as 4SPGs, that Van receives even have multiple conclusions. You could turn someone in for stealing or let them off the hook once, both of which grant different alignment points. This freedom of choice is rather novel for the ser?ies and adds this layer of player control to the story. Better yet, these aren’t just flavor text, either. There are entire emotional ending sequences you can miss out on in story beats if you pick a different choice.

Nihon Falcom's incredible storytelling from past?? games returns in this title, too. While the main story suffers a bit (more on that i??n a moment), the side missions and requests are the true stars here. Going back to the exclusive scenes, there is an early request about an older thief turning over a new leaf before his death.

The request takes the player on a rollercoaster of emotions to return a stolen item to someone from the thief’s past, which I won’t dare spoil here. However, at the end of it all, the player is given two vastly different options for how to finish the request. You can honor the thief’s wishes, or go against them and do the “right thing.�The latter was what I chose, and it led to the most tear-jerking moment in the series. And the wild part is, you can miss all of that if you pick the other ending.

Trails through Daybreak sprinkles so many fascinating moments like this throughout the game. I would even argue ??these optional side quests are better than the core main story. Unfortunately, this is one of the more weaker, by-the-numbers main plots for the series. Van and his rapidly growing crew of problem-solvers have a pretty unsurprising plot about searching for mysterious items that eventually leads to saving the country.

All in all, this is a story we’ve seen many times before in the Trails series. That isn’t inherently a bad thing, but the cast itself leaves a bit to be desired. Van himself shines as this rugged and older hero compared to the happy-go-lucky Lloyd or Estelle from past games. He also isn’t afraid to do what even Trails of Cold Steel’s R??ean w??ouldn’t do and murder someone, if necessary.

However, the cast somewhat falls apart aside from Van. Most of the party members, such as the child mercenary Feri, have rather heavy-handed backstories t??hat are a bit too forceful with its tragedy and doesn’t give enough time to care. Then there are even worse situations with the lovable playboy Aaron, which Chapter 2 entirely centers on. For some reason, though, the chapter just brushes past his unresolved, rather problematic inner conflict and never addresses or even mentions it again for the rest of the game, despite him traveling with you.

This idea of moving a little too fast with the main plot and missing out on key character and story developments even applies to the gameplay. Past games are known for their plethora of minigames, from gambling to card games. None of that is here in Trails through Daybreak. It is the first core game in ??the series to not feature fishing, for whatever r??eason. Worse still, you visit a casino multiple times at one point and the game doesn’t bring back classic minigames like Blackjack.

I have to wonder if those side activities were sacrificed in order to deliver the aforementioned extremely well-written side quests and combat evolutions. Though some of the combat will feel familiar to fans, Trails through Daybreak i??s by far the most revo??lutionary game in the series when it comes to its battle systems and visuals.

Players move characters around within a certain distance on a battlefield. You then execute various commands each turn, such as use skills, physical crafts, or defense. Each move or spell the player uses has a specific range, such as a huge circle, single target, or long line. You? have ?to carefully maneuver around the field in each fight to win.

The catch in this game is the addition of action combat. Yes, Trails through Daybreak has both turn-based and action-RPG gameplay. You can opt for the usual turn-based combat, or hack-and-slash? your way through enemies. This action alternative is a bit too simplistic; only offering a single attack and dodge, but it speeds up most of the easier fights. Plus, this makes the game more approachable to players who may not like traditional turn-based combat.

Things get a little more complicated from there, though. The party member links system from past games returns in this title. You can link up with a party member in the classic turn-based fights for that person to do a free follow-up attack for extra damage. The difference this time i??s it centers around positioning. Before, you picked the link partner for each party member and they can run anywhere on the field. This time, though, they physically have to be next to each other to work.

While this is fluid, since you can switch links with someone anytime, it also forces you to bunch characters tog??ether. This slowed down combat for me. In addition, I felt forced to make awkward decisions, like put a weak ranged character up in danger up front just to benefit from the extra damage. Fortunately, the action combat makes up for that. I spent ??most of my time using it, but the game forces you to use turn-based for certain bosses and the like.

I didn’t mind this too much, since Trails through Daybreak has a pretty breezy difficulty. This helped me to take my time and explore the stunning country of Calvard. This game starts out in the richly detailed and surprisingly modern Edith. But it later takes you to idyllic villages I wou?ld want? to live in; Chinese-inspired port cities, a tech-focused metropolis, and more. Nihon Falcom even got me to like deserts. Every single inch of this game feels like the designers had a reason for it to exist. I stand by the fact that Nihon Falcom has the best city and world design in gaming �just look at Crossbell �and the developer continues to shine in this entry.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak feels like the Trails game for new?comers. The sharper graphics, modern cities, action combat, and general lack of fluff make it a solid starting point. Some existing fans may dislike the lack?? of minigames and extra content, but Nihon Falcom makes up for that.

Trails through Daybreak has the best side quests in any game I’ve played. I mean, I cried like, three different times. And these are just optional moments, too. ??The sheer storytelling and world-building alone makes this game worth a look. Overall, this is a great foundation for the next era of this series.

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