In the world of gaming, we’re constantly introduced to new worlds, characters, and stories. But when the game is ove?r, we usually have to say goodbye to that world and get back to reality. 

However, some beloved game franchises move past the screen and provid??e fans with written entries that add more detail to the canon universes. If you’re looking for a new book to curl up with, then here’s 10 video game novelizations that I strongly recomme??nd. 

Assassin’s Creed novel series

There are many, many Assassin’s Creed novels and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend each of them, because of how accurately they follow the story of the games, giving you a whole new insigh??t into the characters, surroundings, and hidden plot points. 

I will always favour the three novels that accompany the Ezio trilogy, because those were my first real deep dive into the world of gaming and had me truly hooked, bordering on obsessed. However, whichever Assassin’s Creed bo?ok you pick up, you’re going to be in for a wild ride of well written, true-to-the-source-material fun. 

BioShock: Rapture

Written by John Shirley and released in 2011, BioShock: Rapture follows multiple iconic BioShock characters in their adventures through the early days of Rapture, describing how it all came to be, and how it came to end.&nb??sp;

There’s something that never fails to grab my attention in the BioShock universe, whether it’s the post-apocalyptic themes, the desperation of humanity to l??ive in peace, or the terrifying events that happened deep beneath the surface of the ocean. This book features all of them, and John Shirley captures the spirit of Rapture perfectly.? 

Alan Wake

Written by Rick Burroughs and first published in 2010, the Alan Wake novel follows the story of the first game with additional sub-plots and side stories. While fa??ithful to the source material, it is not c?onsidered canon within the playerbase, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth reading. 

If you love the dark, horror-laden world of Alan Wake, you’ll really enjoy the novelization. You’re likely to appreciate the added details about Robert Nighting?ale, or the slightly different ending, and there are even additional manuscript pages between the?????????????????????????? chapters. 

Halo: The Fall of Reach

There are a lot of Halo novels, but The Fall of Reach is widely?? accepted as the best of the bunch. Written by Eric Nylund and first published in 2001, it acts as a prelude to Halo: Combat Evolved and explains the origins of SPARTAN-II supersoldiers. 

Master Chief takes center stage, of course, while Catherine Halsey, Jacob Keyes, and Franklin Mendez also appear heavily. Co?rtana features, although not in the role of Master Chiefs companion. Instead, she’s Dr. Halsey’s aide in the events leading up to the Spartansâ€?mission. 

Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation is a novelization of the game with the same name, written by Keith R. A. DeCandido, who previously wrote other novels set in the Alien universe. While it is true to the source material, the novelization dives deeper into both Amanda and Ellen’s backgrounds, giving a whole new dimension to ?the characters. 

You’re definitely not going to feel as scared reading the book as you were while playing the mic-listening game, but it’s worth?? the sacrifice to learn more about the characters who have become so iconic. 

Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future

The Dawn of the Future is the novelization of a cancelled DLC collection for Final Fantasy XV, so if you wanted to know more about Noctis, Lunafreya, and other characters from XV, then I would highly recommend reading the novel by Jun Eishim?a. 

The novel focuses on the events of Episode Ardyn, and Ardyn Izunia’s choice to reject his role in?? Astral Bahamut’s plans, but it goes further than that. It also follows on from the choice, adding far more to the sto??ry than the game ever did. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. 

The Infernal City

Written by Greg Keyes, this novel is based on and set within the universe of The Elder Scrolls games. It’s set four decades after the events of Oblivion, when the floating city of?? Umbriel descends upon the coast of the Black M??arsh. 

This novel is filled with twists, turns, and hardship for the protagonists, and even some slavery for our main characters Annaig and Mere-Glim. It’s definitely worth reading for any fan of The Elder Scrolls games, ?and a good introduction for anyone who prefers readin?g to gaming. 

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy

The Umbrella Consiracy is the first in a series of Resident Evil novels written by S.D. Perry. It’s a novelization of the very first Resident Evil game, and tells the ?story of the goings on in Raccoon City. 

As with anything associated with Resident Evil, there’s a lot of horror elements within the books and, at times, they can be hard to read. But if you love the game, then you’ll love the books, and all of the added detail that the written version brings to the Resident Evil universe.

Fable: The Balverine Order

The Balverine Order was written by Peter David and released in 2010. When first published, it included a one-use code that unlocked a unique weapon in Fable 3. The events depicted in the book are split between the present and the past,?? with the Storyteller weaving tales about things that once happened in Albion. 

The story in the present is centered around the adventures of James and Thomas, friends of the last Hero of Albion who now sits on the throne. They’re on a mission to hunt do??wn the dreadful Balverine, in a world where science and industry are taking over from magic and myth. 

L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories

If you’d rather read a collection of shorter stories than dive into one long novel, then the L.A. Noire Collected Stories might be for you. It contains eight stories, written by ?different authors. Each story expands upon a story t?hat was touched upon in the game, adding more details and a new level of understanding. 

1940s Hollywood is an undoubtedly glamorous and intri??guing setting, but it’s well known that terrible things happened at the time, and this collection of crime thriller stories will have you hooked from the very beginning.

The post 10 exce?llent novels based on beloved game franchises appeared first on Destructoid.

This year's Astro Bot is a huge love letter to the entire PlayStation brand, mainly because it featured many VIP bots dressed up as beloved characters from classic franchises, like God of War, Horizon, Crash Bandicoot, Parappa the Rapper, and more.

Fortunately for fans, Team ASOB??I kept making and releasing free speedruning DLC leve?ls to Astro Bot after launch, and they added new VIP bots from games like Stellar Blade, Helldivers 2, and Destiny. However, fans noticed ??that the studio also updated the game's credits very recently, and now they list a new character that wasn't there before.

Since its initial release, Astro Bot's?? credits feature the copyright of third-party franchises that don't appear in the base game, and this list keeps getting bigger and bigger with each new update. Specifically, all the cameo-less IPs so far are: Rayman, Assasin's Creed, Beyond Good & Evil, Worms, and Croc. And now, Tomba/Tombi appears on the credits as well.

While Team ASOBI released Astro Bot's final speedrunning level earlier this week, it also talked about its other DLC plan??s in the past, which means t??hat VIP bots dressed up as characters from all these franchises listed in the credits will most likely appear in upcoming challenge level??s. However, we currently don't know whether this DLC will also be free or not.

Astro Bot understands the importance of all these franchises

Even though Astro Bot featured cameos from several beloved franchises that ar?e important for the history of PlayStation, some obvious and expected choices were weirdly missing. So it's good to know that more of them? will arrive in the near future, and these credits indicate that Team ASOBI definitely knows what it's doing.

It seems the studio is collaborating closely with Ubisoft to make more Astro Bot content, and for good reason. After all, gamers still remember the older Rayman games as some of the best PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 platformers, Beyond Good & Evil gave the PS2 a thrilling adventure game that could compete against The Legend of Zelda and the Assasin's Creed series was a huge deal d?uring the PlayStation 3 era.

The addition of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos and Tomba is also quite fascinating. While they are not as recognizable as other platforming icons, like (Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon) these still were solid PlayStation 1 games that many people appreciate to this day. Curiously enough, a remastered version of the first Tomba title recently launched on modern consoles, and Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Remastered is set to release in the near future. So it??'s possible that companies are planning the addition of their respective VIP bots as some sort of timed cross-promotion for each remaster.

The only oddity in the list is Worms, because this franchise of cartoony tactical games thrived more on PC rather than on home console. But some of them launched on PlayStation systems, so its inclusion wouldn't be completely out of the blue. Regardless of these minute details, you can expect more fun levels and adorable cameos to arrive to Astro Bot very soon.

The post Astro Bot adds more third-party characters to its credits – will they appear in future DLC levels? appeared first on Destructoid.

It’s hard to believe that the first Assassin’s Creed game was released almost 20 years ago in 2007, introducing us to Altaïr, the animus, and a lot of the other m??echanics involved in the franchise. I feel both old and honored to have been around and gaming at the time.

While the first Assassin’s Creed was a revelation (yes, I realize what I just did), the franchise has come a long way since then. Origins introduced a new, open-world, RPG based gameplay style that attracted a lot of players who had never played before, and we’v?e traveled through multiple historical time periods ??alongside now classic characters.

Whether you were around from the beginning, or you joined the fan-club later with releases such as Origins, Odyssey, or Valhalla, none of the Assassin’s Creed games can be described as anything other than enjoyable. Howe?ver, some do manage to stand out among the list of releases. 

5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

I have to admit that this could definitely be a case of personal taste rather than outstanding gameplay experience, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Vikings and their beliefs, you know, minus the invading and pillaging aspect. While I can’t agree with their viscous expansion techniques, the Norman period features a lot of badassery, so Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will always be one of my favorites. 

Valhalla was released in 2020, and you take on the role of Eivor in his (or her, depending on what you choose) never-ending quest to take over the various kingdoms that made up Anglo-Saxon England. Valhalla not only added new weapons such as the Flail and the Greatsword, but also allowed you to dual-wield almost any weapon you could ge??t your hands on, in true V?iking style. 

Maybe my love for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can be explained by the fact that I’ve grown up surrounded by towns and cities that were founded by Vikings, and it’s very much a part of my history and current life, considering the fact that I live in what was an important Viking trading town. It’s always fun to visit a location in a game that you’ve been to in real life, and they actually did really well with the historical accuracy of both London and York. Whatever the reason, there’s something truly special about Valhalla. 

4. Assassin’s Creed Origins

Assassin’s Creed Origins took the at-the-time familiar (and proven) formula from previous games and flipped it on its head. Say what you like, but previous games were somewhat linear, while Origins provided a much more open-world experie??nce, with all the added secrets and experiences that always brings. 

Even if you’re not overly interested in Egyptian history and mythology, you have to admit that ancient Egypt has left mysteries that we can’t even manage to wrap our heads around today. Diving into Ptolemaic Egypt , playing as Bayek of Siwa, Assassin’s Creed Origins throws  you into a truly impressive historical time period. It’s beautiful, almost mystical, and while Origins did add a lot of?? new RPG-esque featur?es (for better or for worse), the familiar gameplay mechanics remained. 

Throw in famous historical figures like Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, their true-to-life illicit love affair, and Origins starts to feel like pseudo-time-travel within a screen. Although I guess that could be true for all Assassin’s Creed games, but that’s beside the poi?nt. 

3. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Coming just one year after Assassin’s Creed Origins, the Greek-centric Assassin’s Creed Odyssey took everything that Origins did right and somehow managed to improve upon the formula. From quality of life upgrades to a somehow more expansive map to explore, Odyssey will always be a joy to dive into. 

This time you take on the role of the Eagle Bearer, an exiled Spartan who once prevented another child from being thrown off a mountain. You’ve got to han??d it to the Greeks, they didn’t do things by halves. Throw in a bunch of historical figures such as Sokrates and Euripides, and you’re in for one hell of an education on Greek culture. 

There are parallel quests that run alongside each other, and not?? only does the Eagle Bearer need to reunite their family, but they also need to take down the Cult of Kosmos, and track down items and monsters from Atlantean times. That’s a lot to take on, but it does mean you’re never short of something to do while playing, so that’s always a bonus. 

2. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

Look, Black Flag will never make it to the top of my personal list of favorite Assassin’s Creed games, mainly because I have no interest in owning, running, and upgrading a ship. However, I know I’m in the minority with that opinion and Black Flag does have a huge number of redeeming qualities that force me to simply grumble through the s?hip parts rather than abandon the game altogether. 

The family ties between Assassin’s Creed III and IV are definitely an interesting touch, with you playing as Edward Kenway, who happens to be the father of future Colonial Templars Grand Master Haytham Kenway and grandfather of Connor. It’s something that we’ve not seen in any other Assassin’s Creed game before or since. 

Outside of that, once again, the historical “accuracyâ€?of Black Flag makes it truly immersive, with famous pirate Blackbeard even making an appearance. Add in the truly stunning surroundings of the Carribean and the lush vegetation and ruins that you get to parkour around, and Black Flag deserves the number two spot, even? if it ?isn’t my personal favorite. 

1. Assassin’s Creed II / Brotherhood / Revelations

I honestly can’t complete this list without mentioning at least one of these three, and as I can’t decide between them, I’m just going to lump them all together. Why? Because let’s be honest, while they are definitely three distinct games, they’re all a continuation of the same story and t??hey all center around Ezio Auditore. 

I’ve been gaming in some capacity for my whole life, but Assassin’s Creed II was the first game that made me truly fall in love with it. The setting, the story, the characters, the historyâ€?Everything combined just makes Assassin’s Creed II and its Ezio-centric successors my personal favorite of the bunch. Brotherhood stands out just a tad, but even that can't put it here alone?.

You might disagree, and that’s okay. Even if you do, you have to admit that there’s a reason that Ubisoft made three games based on the same ongoing sto??ry. Parkouring around Italy and Constantinople, buddying up with Leonardo da Vinci, taking on the Borgias, and then the re-introduction of Altaïr all combine to make the trilogy truly ??enjoyable and absolutely memorable. 

As a side note, if you were a fan of the trilogy and haven’t seen the tear-jerking end to Ezio’s Story, then I strongly recommend that you watch Assassin’s Creed: Embers. It’s an animated, 21 minute short movie that gives Ezio the con??clusion that he truly deserved, however sad it is.

The post The Top 5 Assassin’s Creed Games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Knocking enemies out is a big part of the Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Fate of Atlantis DLC (I w?on't spoil exactly why here), and odds are a lot of you are?? coming out of a lengthy hiatus, having completely forgotten how to do the job.

We'll help you achieve this feat with our detailed Assassin's Creed Odyssey Atlantis DLC guide.

How do you knock people out in Assassin's Creed Odyssey's Atlantis DLC?

As an assassin, it's pretty easy to eliminate enemies with your diverse array of weaponry. However, what does prove to be challenging is the technique of taking them down without killing them. To help with this maneuver, here are a few ways you can knock people out in Assassin's Creed Odyssey:

• Unequip your weapons and use your fists
• Paralyzing arrows
• Sneak attack
• Sparta Kick ability

When you knock out enemies in the base game, you can recruit them shortly after. You'll gain some powerful allies in return, where you can hire them with a certain amount of gold. On the other hand, the Fate of Atlantis DLC doesn't permit you to?? recruit any chara??cters whatsoever. You'll primarily see the option to 'Carry' them whenever they've been brought down.

Regarding the DLC, the only time knockout comes in handy is during the Dead Kings and Pretty Things quest. Your goal here is to take down enemies without killing them, similar to the recruiting tactic. In some cases, you may eliminate them by accident due to the playable character's robust ski?lls. If this happens, you ?can wait until everyone respawns and try again.

Each knockout tactic pres?ents its own sets of challenges and prerequisites, including unlocking specific abilities. So, let's take a deep dive into what you need to do.

Unequip your weapons and use your fists

You'll likely be inclined to use your fists for a simple enemy knockout. For this, unequip one of yo?ur weapon slots using the inventory menu, then swap to your fists with the d-pad. Relentlessly attack your quarry until they're knocked out. You can also use Overpower Attacks via the Warrior Ability, triggering a weaponless special.

Alternatively, you can damage them using other means, the??n change to your fists and finish the job. Just be sure there are no damage-over-time (poison, fire) effects on them; otherwise, they'll die.

It should be noted that this option isn't the most straightforward tactic, especially in the challenging domain of the Fate of Atlantis DLC?. Foes will be much more difficult here, making it feel almost impossible to take them down. I suggest only using this maneuver when an enemy's health is at an all-time low. Punches don't seem to do much damage anyway, so use it as a last resort.

Paralyzing arrows

At this point, you can invest in alternate arrows in the Hunter skill tree. Specifically, you must unlock the Arrow Master ability, producing effects like Poison, Fire, Explosive, and Paralyzing. To avoid killing the enemy, use the Paralyzing Arrows. Go to your inventory and select the Craft Arrows slot. Then, use two pieces of wood and one piece of leather to make the Paralyzing Arrow. You'll gather these materials through the game's standard exploration, including defeating sh??ips or eliminating animals.

Now, all you have to do is aim and shoot at your opponent with the Paralyzing Arrow. It should knock them out as a result. This method seems to be the most efficient way to knock out people in the Assassin's Creed Odyssey Atlantis DLC, as it can be done from a long range. You can also aim for the opponent's head to possibly t?rigger an instant knockout.

Sneak attack

For the sneak attack approach, yo?u can crouch and take them down from behind or get them from above. Press the interaction 'Knock Out' when close by. Note that this attack doesn't require you to unequip your weapons, so don't worry about an accidental kill.

If you see the option 'Unarmed strike' instead, this means that the opponent's health is too high to knock them out. I suggest hurting them a bit first and then running away to get yourself off their radar. Once they've lost you, return to them, and the Knock Out option should be?? there (as long as they already have low health).

You can actually see how much health a stealth kill attempt will chip away, so if needed, you can go for the "kill" strike, then swap to fists and end it non-lethally. However, this particular tactic will prove challenging in the Atlantis DLC, even at a high level. Sometimes, enemies may just shrug your attack off, making it the least lik??ely scenario.

Sparta Kick ability

The Sparta Kick ability is the final method to knocking people out in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. You'll unlock this technique in the Warrior Ability section, which includes three bonus upgrades. ??The first tier lets you deal 160 percent Warrior damage without killing them. You can then enhance the ability to deal even more damage, making it easier to knock them out. If you happen to miss the attack?, you'll need to wait for your special to cool down. After a few seconds or so, the ability should be ready to give you another chance.

Like the previous methods, you may need to deplete the foe's?? health first for a successful takedown. This is always a good rule of thumb for easi?er and faster knockouts. At the most, you can perform the Sparta Kick twice to bring your target down.

The post Guide: How to knock people out for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s Atlantis DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Ubisoft has announced the decision to move the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows from November 15 to February 2025 on Twitter.

In a conference call caught by VGC, Ubisoft explained that while the game is feature-complete, the team is working to implement lessons learned from the unsuccessful launch of Star Wars Outlaws.

The company will also do away with the trad?itional season pass model, saying, "all players will be able to enjoy the game at the sa?me time on February 14, and those who preorder the game will be granted the first expansion for free."

Is Assassin's Creed Shadows being delayed for a different reason?

Trying to polish the game to avoid repeating the catastrophic release of Assassin's Creed Unity would be a valid reason to delay the game. Another would be an attempt to course-correct Ubisoft's recent monetization efforts that seemingly didn't work well enough with Star Wars Outlaws. That, however, might not be all.

This delay is but the newest chapter in the unreleased game's already troubled history with p??layers. The original reveal, which struck most as a breath of fresh air, still irked a very vocal corner of the internet who cannot fathom the concept of a black Samurai.

Even when a Japanese historian who didn't graduate from the University of the Internet guaranteed that Yasuke, one of the two main characters, did indeed exist and was undoubtedly Samurai, people didn't stop complaining.

Though most complaints were unfounded, Ubisoft released a press statement apologizing to Japanese players for some inaccuracies of the portrayal of feudal Japan in the game. Stra??nge, as they were definitely not the demographic behind most of the noise.

That disappointing caving in has led a few to theorize that Ubisoft ??might be? trying to overhaul not just the mechanics and monetization, but many of the original story beats and character details as well.

The announcement comes a day after Sucker Punch revealed Ghost of Yotei, which looks amazing. Here's hoping Ubisoft is only delaying the game to make it even better in the face ??of such such daunting competition.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is now set for a February 14, 2025 release.

The post Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed to February appeared first on Destructoid.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has no shortage of beautifully crafted historical playgrounds for its fans to enjoy exploring. From the narrow streets of Florence and Venice in Assassin’s Creed II to the sprawling landscapes of Ancient Greece in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the series has always impressed me with its outstanding attention to historical detail in world design. Sure, it's all a fiction. However, there's no denying that the best Assassin's Creed games feel like taking a trip back in time.

In this ranking, I’ll be discussing how well Ubisoft has adapted the time period and location of each Assassin’s Creed game to support open exploration, enjoyable gameplay, and historical immersion. This adaptation process is a key part of what makes the best Assassin's Creed games so great.

13. Colonial America in Assassin’s Creed Rogue

Assassin’s Creed Rogue is the lowest on this list because it’s the only game in the franchise where it feels like significant historical details are missing in the game world’s creation. The focus era of the game is the Seven Year?s�War, but the game has little to do with the conflict. The River Valley area of the map is a bit too shallow in terms of side quests and oth??er explorative activities, and the ability to sail a full-sized pirate ship around central New York is somewhat comical.

12. Viking-era England in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Valhalla is the franchise’s biggest land map to date, taking players from the fjords of Norway through to a vast recreation of Viking-era England. DLC expansions to the game also allow you to travel to Ireland, France, and other more mythological lands, such as Asgard. However, the expansiveness of the Valhalla is its main detriment, particularly in the game’s England maps. The seriesâ€?iconic parkour mechanics are limited in nearly every zone, and ma??ny of the game’s towns and villages feel unremarkable because there’s very little to see ??or do in these locations that you can’t do in other corners of the map. 

11. Constantinople in Assassin’s Creed Revelations

Ubisoft’s rendition of 1500s Constantinople in Revelations is a less intriguing landscape in comp??arison with other game worlds from the series, primarily because the city's districts lack distinction from one another. There are of course many iconic landmarks sprinkled across the map, such ??as the Hagia Sofia and Galata Tower, but the story doesn’t interact with them very often which means you can easily miss them. On the plus side, traversing the map can be very enjoyable, with additions such as the hook blade and zip lines improving the parkour experience from earlier titles.

10. The Holy Land in Assassin’s Creed

The original Assassin’s Creed is an incredibly atmospheric experience. The division of each city between richer and poorer districts nicely complements the themes of the story when it dives into the philosophical elements of the creed. However, there’s no denying that the first game has not aged nearly as well as its sequels. There are no side quests that help players engage with the history of this era, and the Kingdom area between the three cities is unremarkable. I’ll always be holding out hope for an Assassin's Creed remaster that fixes these issues, but in the meantime, the world?? of the original game is decent enough.

9. Rome in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is the middle chapter in the trilogy of games covering the series�most beloved protagonist, Ezio Auditore, and his adventures through Renaissance Italy. As a result of the storytelling, many aspects of the setting are borrowed from the previous entry, Assassin’s Creed II. The signature monuments of Brotherhood’s Rome, such as the Colosseum and Castello Sant’Angelo, are well utilized in the game’s storytelling, but many of the outlying areas of the game felt unimpressive, particularly compared to the countryside in Assassin’s Creed II. The core of the city, however, is excellently crafted an?d highly interactive.  

8. Ancient Greece in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Odyssey’s maps and open landscapes are massive. However, the game’s regions are more distinct than those found in Valhalla, and offer unique vistas and?? lively historical settings that constantly had me snapping screenshots. But while the game’s Mediterranean setting is undeniably beautiful throughout, there is sometimes a lack of interactivity in the landscape. In short, not all regions felt relevant to the quests. Parkour opportunities felt limited, and you'll traverse most of the map by boat or on horseback.   

7. Revolutionary America in Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III centers its gameplay on revolutionary war America and divides its players�time between the colonial cities of Boston and New York and the frontier wilderness. Each of the game’s regions chan?ge with the season appropriate to the main story, and weather mechanics such as snow banks appropriately shift the ease of traversal and visibility. The key battlegrounds and buildings from the Revolutionary War are more than just sights to visit. Instead, they play central roles in the game’s story.

6. Baghdad in Assassin’s Creed Mirage

The most recent game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise returned players to a more linear game experience, where story and stealth take center stage and were well supported by the game’s environment. The city streets of Mirage’s Baghdad are lively, colourful, and filled to the brim with iconic landmarks. The ability to blend in with the crowds makes a welcome return, and the architectural designs of the buildings made parkour enjoyable once ??again. I was also particularly enchanted by the game’s interior sp??aces, but found the desert beyond the city to be a bit too empty.

5. Ancient Egypt in Assassin’s Creed Origins

Origins is the first of the three RPG- style games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and thus was the first to design its game map for full open-ended exploration. Ptolemaic Ancient Egypt was a significant departure from the historical backdrops of the preceding games, almost all of which were set within 500 years of modern day. The new surroundings of Origins undoubtedly helped to keep the franchise feel fresh and exciting, and new mechanics like diving and the Discovery Tour also gave us new ways to expl??ore every nook and cranny.  

4. The West Indies in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag 

The golden age of piracy is one of the most iconic historical time periods in the franchise, and the world design of Black Flag does not disappoint in bringing this era to life. Capturing forts, digging up buried treasure in underwater shipwrecks, and uncovering Mayan ruins are all unique activities that allow players to directly interact with t??he setting. Vibrant j??ungles, unique cities, and changes in the ocean environment when sailing all assemble to create a fun and entertaining adventure.

3. Victorian London in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

With the addition of the rope launcher and carriage driving, Syndicate’s rendition of Victorian London offered us a fantastic blend of new mechanics? for exploring the city’s wider streets, bridges, and rivers. Iconic buildings such as Big Ben and Westminster are present, but the narrow streets and alleyways of Whitechapel and Southwark are arguably even more interesting in terms of exploration. City districts are ?distinct, and small details on the street, such as posters and signs, give the game an impressive amount of gritty yet enjoyably goofy Victorian style.

2. Renaissance Italy in Assassin’s Creed II

Renaissance Italy is one of the most beloved settings in the entire Assassin’s Creed catalog, and for good reason. The importance of this era in Italian history is incredibly well explored in both the story and interactions with characters like Leonardo Da Vinci and Machiavelli. Florence and Venice are distinctly beautiful, suit the protagonist’s parkour movements perfectly, and leave a lasting impression on the player. The game of course greatly benefits from Jesper Kyd’s now iconic soundtrack. It gives the world of Assassin’s Creed II a level of mystique that inspired me t?o explore every corner in search of satisfying scraps of franchise l??ore.

1. Revolutionary Paris in Assassin’s Creed Unity

Assassin’s Creed Unity perfectly captures France in the early throes of Napoleonic-era revolution. The dense crowds of NPCs in t?he game bring the city to life in a way that the franchise has yet to match and establish the cha?os of the times in a very interactive way. Details as unmissable as the riots going on in the streets and as small as the newspaper clippings available on street corners made me feel as though I was walking around in nothing short of a turning point in human history. 

The ability to not only climb but seamlessly enter and explore iconic landmarks such as the Notre Dame, Palace of Versailles, and the Bastille was also an outstanding upgrade from earlier entries. While there have been many Assassin's Creed games since Unity, they haven't risen as high in terms of historical world design and imm??ersion.

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Between this year's Assassin's Creed Shadows, the upcoming Assassin's Creed Hexe, mobile title Assassin's Creed Jade, and the Assassin's Cred Infinity service, you would think Ubisoft had enough Assassin's Creed projects in the works right now. Yet that's still not enough for the company, as it has formally confirmed it has some Assassin's Creed remakes in the pipeline too.

This comes courtesy of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot himself, who said as much in an interview published on the company's official website. When asked about the future of the Assassin's Creed series, Guillemot answered, "Players can be excited ab??out some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them." He stopped short of hinting at which titles will get the remake treatment and when fans can expect any of them to come out, but at the very least it sounds like Ubisoft intends to remake mult??iple games.

Guillemot also promised there will be plenty of variety in the sort of Assassin's Creed games the company puts out, explaining that the goal is to have them come out more regularly, "but not for it to be the same experience every year." Considering most of the modern entries, like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and the upcoming Shadows, are action-RPGs, breaking up these releases with remakes of the older, more stealth-focused entries would fit this vision. Plus, the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage, a deliberate throwback to the original titles, proved there's a market for them thanks to a very successful launch. Ubisoft even described it as the company's "biggest N??ew Gen laun?ch in terms of units sales to date."

As for which Assassin's Creed games could see a remake, the original 2007 title feels like a safe assumption given its age and its status as the first entry in the series. Although Ubisoft could skip it and go straight to Assassin's Creed 2 given the popularity of not just the game but also its protagonist, Ezio. And while it arguably doesn't need one, the pirate themed Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is perhaps the top choice for a r?emake, if only to have it on current hardware.

In fact, a remake of Black Flag was already claimed to be in development last year. This was according to a report by Kotaku, who spoke with unnamed sources within Ubisoft. No other details were mentioned, aside from the fact that the project was still in the early stages and Ubisoft Singapore was heavily involved. Ubisoft Singapore has a history with assisting development on Assassin's Creed games, including Black Flag, and is also the studio behind Ubisoft's current pirate game Skull and Bones. Hopefully, if the Black Flag remake is real, it doesn't take as long to release as Skull and Bones did.

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When Apple unveiled its iPhone 15 Pro last September, it also announced the device would be capable of running some major AAA video games, including the Resident Evil 4 remake and Assassin's Creed Mirage. While certainly impressive and a great way of drawing attention to the iPhone 15 Pro, I had ?to wond??er how much demand there was for such games to see native mobile ports. Turns out the answer is not a lot.

Recently, Mobilegamer.biz shared an analysis, based on estimates by Appfigures, on the performance of the mobile ports of Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Village, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Death Stranding. To be blunt, it seems not a single one of these games has been profitable on mobile. Resident Evil 4, for example, launched on iOS on December 23, but is estimated to have only made $208,000 from roughly 357,000 unique downloads. For the sake of comparison, the console/PC release pushed three million units in its first two days according to Capcom.

Resident Evil Village, meanwhile, has seen more downloads, but only 370,000 of them. Plus, it's made even less money, generating an estimated $92,000 in revenue since its October 2023 launch. Assassin's Creed Mirage, which launched earlier this month, has fared much bet??ter already, but it's still made a shockingly low $138,000 from approximately 123,000 downloads.

All three of these games are technically free-to-play, allowing mobile owners to try out a portion of them before purchasing the full game. The price varies from game to game but, given how low these estimated figures are, it seems not enough people are being convinced to actually put money down for these games after downloading them. The one game that isn't a free download is Death Stranding, which launched on mobile this past January and costs $20. It's actually been the most successful of the bunch, making an estimated $212,000 from roughly 10,600 downloads. But that's hardly cause for celebration when the original PlayStation 4 version is believed to have accrued over three million players in its first six months (via Gamstat), far more than the mobile version has ??managed in five months.

Mobilegamer.biz does reiterate these figures are only estimates, and also points to more optimistic estimates from data firm Appmagic, but they're not that much better. For example, Appmagic says Assassin's Creed Mirage has made roughly $221,000 in revenue, which is still nowhere near the $250 million it's believed to have made on consoles and PC (per Insider Gaming). At the very least, Ubisoft called Mirage its "biggest New Gen launch," which it definitely wouldn't have said had it perf?ormed as well as the mobile port has.

In retrospect, these ports were probably doomed from the get-go. As Appmagic head of content Andrei Zubov points out, the top performing mobile games "typically feature simpler controls, prioritise unique art styles over high-end graphics, and are suited for shorter play sessions." People who frequently game on mobile are thus less likely to be interested in ports of bigger titles. Plus, anyone who would want to play them likely already bought them for console or PC. And if you're someone who doesn't own Resident Evil 4 or Death Stranding, why wouldn'?t you play them on a platform they were originally designed for than your mobile phone?

Not to mention these ports are, again, only available on the new iPhone 15 Pro. I doubt anyone would consider buying the device just to play the ports, especially since the phone costs $999. This makes it far more expensive than a brand new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S. Apple still intends to put No Man's Sky and the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows on high-end iPads but, if all this data is anything to go by, I can't imagi??ne they'll perform any better, and I'd be shocked if any more AAA console/PC titles get native mobile?? releases in the future.

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Wizards of the Coast is launching two Secret Lair drops alongside the major Assassin's Creed Magic: The Gathering set. These drops will contain ten unique cards that are perfect for Assassin's Creed and MTG fans or collecto??rs alike, bringing characters and gear to life like never before.?

Secret Lair drops compliment major set releases with incredible artwork, additional cards, or just alternate versions of cards that fans will find when they're opening packs. Every drop is limited, meaning only those who purchase them when available or when stocks last will ever have them. As with every other Secret Lair drop, the Assassin's Creed: Lethal Legends and DaVinci's Designs Superdrops won't be reprinted and will be a piece of MTG history you can own, play with, or ke??ep in your collection forever.

Every card in the Secret Lair x Assassin's Creed: Lethal Legends and DaVinci's Designs Superdrops

As I mentioned above, there are ten cards in the Secret Lair x Assassin's Creed: Lethal Legends Superdrop. These are split into two sets of five, so you?? can purchase either or both. I'm going to aim to get both because I love the shift in themes between the two. See below for the cards you'll get in each set.

Both sets will be available from June 24, 2024, until July 14, 2024. Wizards of the Coast messed up the dates during the official WeeklyMTG livestream that revealed these cards, but Secret Lair confirmed the correct dates on Twitter.

All Secret Lair x Assassin's Creed: Lethal Legends Superdrop cards

These five cards are fairly straightforward and easy to understand. I have to say that Basim, Maste??r Assassin sounds crazy and if you manage to pull off a win with his ability, then you're a tactical genius.

• Eivor, Raven Clan Champion: A 3/2 Legendary Creature and Human Warrior. Whenever a Warrior attacks, you can have its controller create a 1/1 white Warrior creature token that's tapped while attacking. By paying one of each color mana, you can untap all attacking creatures. This also gives them Lifelink, Trample, and Haste until the end of the turn. After this phase, there will be an additional combat phase, but you can only activate this ability during combat.
• Altair, Brotherhood Mentor: A 2/2 Legendary Creature and Human Assassin with Vigilance and Haste. Gets +1/+1 for every experience counter you have. Tap to deal one damage to a creature you don't control. When that creature dies this turn, you gain another experience counter.
• Amunet, Tyrants' End: A 3/3 Legendary Creature and Human Assassin with Deathtouch and Haste. When Amunet, Tyrants' End enters the battlefield, you become the monarch. At the beginning of your upkeep, if an opponent is the monarch, create a 1/1 black Assassin creature token with Deathrouch and Haste.
• Basim, Master Assassin: A 4/4 Legendary Creature and Human Assassin with Deathtouch. Other Assassins you control get +1/+1. whenever a player loses the game, if they were attacked this turn by an Assassin you controlled, you win the game.
• Edward, Jackdaw Captain: A 3/3 Legendary Creature and Human Pirate. Other pirates you control get +1/+1. At the beginning of your end step, gain control of target nonland permanent controlled by a player who was dealt combat damage but three or more pirates this turn.

All Secret Lair x Assassin's Creed: DaVinci's Designs Superdrop cards

These five cards are all equipment, so you'll be using them alongside those Assassins above in the inevitable Assassin's Creed decks you build.

• Blade of Selves: A 2 mana Artifact Equipment. Equipped creature has Myriad. Equip 4.
• Conqueror's Flail: A 2 mana Artifact Equipment. Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each color among the permanents you control. As long as Conqueror's Flail is attached to a creature, your opponent can't cast spells during your turn. Equip 2.
• Darksteel Plate: A 3 mana Artifact Equipment with Indestructible. Equipped creature has Indestructible. Equip 2.
• Deathrender: A 4 mana Artifact Equipment. Equipped creature gets +2/+2. Whenever equipped creature dies, you may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield and attach Deathrender to it. Equip 2.
• Whispersilk Cloak: A 3 mana Artifact Equipment. Equipped creature can't be blocked and has Shroud. Equip 2.

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When it comes to video games, there are a lot of memorable characters. Outside of their design or role within a game, what makes these characters memorable is their voice, and every one of these comes as ?a result of actors spending ho??urs in a recording booth. 

There are a lot of voice actors out there, but some are more prolific or memorable than others. Their voices resonate in our heads as part of the characters we come to love while ??playing, but who’s behind these voices and where else have they appeared?

Joel Miller (The Last of Us) - Troy Baker

Troy Baker might be one of the most well-known voices in video games. He’s not only the voice of Joel in The Last of Us but also Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding, John Jones in Fortnite, The Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins, and the voice of Snow in multiple Final Fantasy titles, including Final Fantasy XIII.

Harley Quinn (Arkham City) - Tara Strong 

Tara Strong is a voice that’s iconic for multiple generations. To me, she’s Timmy from Fairly Odd Parents. To my daughter, she’s Princess Twilight Sparkle from the My Little Pony franchise. In video games, Tara has played not only Harley Quinn in multiple titles, but you can also hear her voice in Rage, and she’s the voice of Rikku in Kingdom Hearts II.

Snake (Metal Gear Solid) - David Hayter

While David Hayter is perhaps most well known for his role as Snake in the Metal Gear Solid franchise and outside of it in other titles, he’s also appeared as the Winter Soldier in Marvel Heroes, a Jedi Knight in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and has multiple voice roles in the Ghost in the Shell game, released in 1997.

Mario (Multiple) - Charles Martinet

I can’t in all good conscience write this list without including Charles Martinet. His voice simply is Mario to anyone who has ever played a single game of the franchise. However, Mario isn’t Charlesâ€?only voice role in the world of video games. He’s appeared as Orvus in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Vigoro in Skies of Arcadia, and, perhaps surprisingly, The Cat in the Hat in a few titles aimed at kids, such as Dr. Seuss Toddler. 

Asterion (Baldur’s Gate III) - Neil Newbon

If TikTok is to be believed, Neil Newbon is the voice of everybody’s favorite Dom. However, before he was the voice of Asterion, Neil appeared in the Resident Evil games as Karl Heisenberg in Resident Evil Village and Nicholai in Resident Evil Resistance. He also played two roles in Detroit: Become Human, Elijah Kamski and Gavin Reed.

Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed II Trilogy) - Roger Craig Smith

Roger Crag Smith, I’m not ashamed to say, played a pivotal role in the formation of my love for gaming. I was, and remain to this day, obsessed with Assassin’s Creed II and will always consider it the best of the Assassin’s Creed titles. However, Roger Craig Smith has appeared in many more video games. He’s played Kale Vandelay and SEB-AAA in Hi-Fi RUSH, Sonic the Hedgehog in multiple titles and Mirage in Apex Legends. Most recently, you might recognize his voice as Mission Control in Helldivers 2.

Tiny Tina (Borderlands) - Ashly Burch

Although most recognizable for her voice as Tiny Tina in the Borderlands games, Ashley Burch has played a lot of memorable characters in other titles. She’s the voice of Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn, Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, Mel in The Last of Us Part II, and also provided the voice of Chloe Price in both Life is Strange games. 

Urianger (Final Fantasy XIV) - Timothy Watson

Aside from gracing the world with the purely Shakespearean presence that is Urianger Augurelt in Final Fantasy XIV, Timothy Watson has also appeared in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla as King Burgred, has multiple voice roles in Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, and played Mumkhar in Xenoblade Chronicles. 

GLaDOS (Portal) - Ellen McClain

The voice of everybody’s favorite psychopathic robot from the Portal games was provided by Ellen McClain, but it wasn’t the first time she provided an iconic robotic female voice in the world of video games. Ellen is also the voice behind the Combine Overwatch AI in Half-Life 2. She also appears in Cyberpunk 2077 as one of Dela??main’s split personalities, though this one was modeled after GlaDOS.

Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) - Doug Cockle

Doug Cockle is the voice of Geralt in The Witcher game series as well as when Geralt appears in other titles like Soul Caliber VI. He’s also appeared as Bhaal in Baldur’s Gate III, Robert Nightingale in Alan Wake II, and provides multiple additional voices in Horizon Zero Dawn. Outside of gaming, Doug also played the role of Father John Maloney in 2001's Band of Brothers.

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Ubisoft recently shared proper information on its Japan-set Assassin's Creed Shadows. Aside from two trailers, which confirmed two playable protagonists, developer Ubisoft Québec has given some further insight about the game's new mechanics, but the one that m??ost intrigues me is its new dynamic weather system.

I've always been a fan of dynamic weather systems in games, mostly for how they make a world feel more alive and can radically alter the mood of a scenario. Sometimes, though, they can offer more than just an aesthetic difference and can alter gameplay, like how rain makes it more difficult to climb up walls in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. In an IGN interview, the staff at Ubisoft Québec explained how the changing seasons in Assassin's Creed Shadows have a direct influence on gameplay, drastically ??affecting how you approach completing objectives.

One example producer Karl Onnée provides is how, in summer time, you can go underwater in ponds to hide from enemies. Come winter time and those ponds will have frozen over. You may need to ditch your favoured hiding spots as the seasons progress, but this in tu?rn opens up new opportunities. The stronger winds, for instance, will help obscure the sound of your footsteps, making it easier to sneak up on enemies. As creative director Jonathan Dumont succinctly puts it, "Players will have to adapt constantly to what the environment is giving them."

Assassin's Creed Shadows certainly isn't the first Assassin's Creed game to have a weather system, but I don't think it's ever had one as advanced as what Ubisoft is promising for Shadows. What's especially unique is that the seasons don't just rotate after enough time has passed. Instead, the seasons change when you hit certain points in the story, which allows for an added sense of realism and suggests the events of Shadows will take place over the course of a whole year.

According to art director Thierry Dansereau, some side quests can be attempted duri?ng different seasons: "When in an open world [side] quest, it might happen that you will play a quest in autumn and I will play the same quest and I'm going to be in summer." This should mean how you approach completing side quests will depend on the current season, allowing for players to come up with different methods. It may even make some quests more challenging or easier to complete.

It's obviously still too early to tell how this game will turn out, but so far Shadows is shaping up to be the most interesting Assassin's Creed game in a long time. Elsewhere in the interview, Ubisoft is also promising a stronger emphasis on stealth and parkour, which combined with a revised combat system is making Shadows sound like an ideal hybrid between the modern action-RPG Assassin's Creed games and the original stealth-based entries.

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Ubisoft finally revealed new information about Assassin's Creed Codename Red, now officially titled Assassin's Creed Shadows. The newly renamed Assassin's Creed is getting a f??ull reveal, just ahead of the summer.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is set to release a reveal trailer on May 15 at 9 a.m. PT. Fans will most likely be able to watch the trailer directly on Ubisoft's Twitter account or find a higher quality version on Ubisoft's YouTube channel.

The devs first revealed plans for this Assassin's Creed as Codename Red during Ubisoft Forward in 202?2. With only one short trailer to go off, most information remains shrouded ??in mystery, but Feudal Japan was confirmed as the setting with a new assassin wielding a one-handed sword, hidden blade, and black Assassin Order robes.

This marks the first time that the franchise will head to Japan. Ubisoft Quebec has taken the helm for the project, which is the team behind other titles such as Immortals Fenyx Rising and Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

As for a release date, an Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed during an earnings call in February that the upcoming Assassin's Creed would be part of a "promising lineup for f?iscal year 2025". This year is between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. That window doesn't narrow down the range by too much, but the reveal trailer could provide more information.

A countdown has started on Assassin’s Creed social media channels, and there is an hourglass puzzle that players can complete to earn a reward. PC players can already Wishlist the game on the Ubisoft website. Wario64 noted that the store site says Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming to PC/PS5/PS4/Xbox Series but not Xbox One, though Shinobi602 claims the title isn't coming to PS4.

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Since the reveal of the official story trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, fans have had nothing but questions about certain aspects of the game that don't quite sit right with t??hem in 2024.

First, there was a bit of a debacle about the fact that the game's physical edition requires an online connection to be fully installed. However, after a little time and research, it appears that this is more to avoid leaks and spoilers from copies being sent out too early than anything else. Still, it's not exactly normal and errs a little too close to a? long-abandoned system some publishers used to employ that saw games come with a one-time pass for story content that you'd need to pay for if you purchased? a second-hand copy.

All the info we have on Jabba's Gambit points to it being small potatoes

The second stumbling block Star Wars Outlaws has hit still doesn't have a satisfying answer for some fans, though. It's a piece of DLC that only those who purchase the $110 Gold Edition can gain access to a mission ??called Jabba's Gambit.

When news that this mission would be exclusive to those who purchased the season pass for Star Wars Outlaws or a premium edition that includes it, there was a lot of confusion about how players would enjoy the full Jabba the Hutt storyline without it. Developer Ubisoft has since reached out, responding directly to PCGamer, clarifying that this mission is not the on?ly one to feature the intergalactic godfather, nor is it essential to the story.

To clarify, the Hutt Clan is but one of the major "gangs" you'll interact with and complete missions for in Star Wars Outlaws. You'll see plenty of the slovenly slug in your travels, so this mission is more like icing? on an already slimy cake.

The thing is, if, like me, you've been buying various editions of games from Ubisoft for several years now, this isn't anything new. In fact, I'd go as far ??as saying Ubisoft should be as well known for not only offering a st??aggering number of editions but also for locking missions behind those editions and season passes as it is for radio towers in open world games.

As far back as Assassin's Creed 2, Ubisoft has been locking missions behi??nd its special editions. The Black Edition of the game came with three exclusive in-game quests, and every game in the series? from this point followed suit. All of them had some sort of mission or quest that could only be played by those who had purchased a certain edition of each game.

Between Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Assassin's Creed Revelations, and Assassin's Creed 3, Ubisoft offered even more exclusive editions. Utilizing the Ubiworkshop Store, Ubisoft created some unique editions for its games during this period, when Assassin's Creed was at its height. Brotherhood has an incredible-looking resin box that opens like an ancient tomb, Revelations a premium collection of goodies in a lithograph case, and 3 has a Cold War-style folder for everything it packs in. Some of the items you got with them, including collectible cards that could have been part of a?? card game, and art cards featuring characters who have never been before or sinc??e.

Assassin's Creed wasn't the only series Ubisoft did this with, either. Watch Dogs and Far Cry games all got exclusive missions that were locked behind various editions, though they soon transferred over to coincide with the editions that included season passes as they became a more acceptable form of monet??ization with game releases.

In the Assassin's Creed series, a wolfskin cosmetic was the best thing I ever got from one of these exclusive quests. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood locked an entire side story and multiple quests behind its premium editions. The content? of the actual quests has long left my memory, while that new outfit for Ezio r?eally does look fantastic. Of course, the outfit has no bearing on Ezio's skills, so it's completely unnecessary and extremely frivolous.

For Watch Dogs, in particular, a trio of game modes were locked behind its season p?ass and pricier editions, only to be released as paid optional content further down the line. I fondly remember shooting cyborg zombies in the Conspiracy DLC one day with my collector's edition, which helped soften the blow of the game not quite living up to its E3 trailer.

Of course, all of these exclusive missions and quests are now available? to anyone who purchases the remaste??red versions of these games. Those that aren't are still there in season passes waiting to be unlocked, but I believe most have been brought over at this point.

When I saw Ubisoft promoting the various editions of Star Wars Outlaws a?nd Jabba's Gambit, I was not phased. This is how Ubisoft has done business for more than a decade now. It's nothing more than a marketing scheme to make a version of this product look more appealing to fans who love collecting Ubisoft titles.

For now, the best thing to do is pre-order the edition of Star Wars Outlaws that you want and can afford, or wait and see, as usual. The season pass isn't going anywhere and will likely drop in price in the future, so you can pick it and this exclusive mission up then if you, understandably, don't?? want to pay double the price of every other game launching this year just so you secure that one mission for your first ?playthrough.

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Ubisoft has shared very little about Assassin's Creed Hexe, but a new report has claimed to have learned new information, including its target release window, gameplay details, and a structure that's more similar to the older Assassin's Creed titles.

According to Insider Gaming, which has allegedly seen early footage of Assassin's Creed Hexe in action, the game is aiming to launch in 2026, and is described as being a more linear experience when compared to the modern entries. Ever since Assassin's Creed Origins, the games became large-scale, open world action RPGs, though the most recent game�a href="//jbsgame.com/reviews/review-assassins-creed-mirage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Assassin's Creed Mirage—de-emphasized the RPG elements for a smaller adventure t??hat aimed to return to the series roots.

Assassin's Creed Hexe sounds like it could be following in Mirage's footsteps, since Insider Gaming has said Hexe will only feature "some elements of open world exploration." What's more, Hexe's protagonist—who is claimed to be a woman called Elsa—will boast supernatural? abilities, including one that allows her to possess cats and use them to distract guards. This suggests there'll be a focus on stealth as well, again more akin to t??he older games than the modern RPGs.

A previous report from 2022 claimed Hexe will be focusing on the 16th century witch trials. Having a woman protagonist with magical powers would make sense for it, with Insider Gaming's report adding that the footage they saw featured 16th century soldiers and a "dark and gloomy setting in the cobbled streets of the city." It'll apparently also bring back the Fear System from Assassin's Creed Synidicate's Jack the Ripper DLC, which would be a perfect ?fit in a game all about witches.

While Ubisoft has not confirmed any concrete details about Assassin's Creed Hexe, Marc-Alexis Côté, vice president executive producer of the Assassin's Creed brand, did suggest its development would be handled differently when compared to Assassin's Creed Red, the next entry in the series. In 2022, he said, "One of the things ?that I want to be clear for our fans and for the people working on it is that we are taking a different approach to innovate in terms of gameplay, so that we have different creative tracks within the franchise to keep surprising people."

So, with Assassin's Creed Red expected to be another open world RPG, it seems everything's pointing to Hexe being a different beast altogether. Hopefully, this spells good things for the series' future, with Ubisoft not restricting it to one genre over the other. Red and Hexe will also serve as the first two games for Assassin's Creed Infinity, an upcoming platform that will serve as a central hub for all future Assassin's Creed release, whatever that means.

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Ubisoft is shutting down online services for 10 of their older games early next year. This includes a few older Assassin's Creed games on platforms like PC and Xbox 360, as well as Trials Evolution's PC servers.

This isn't the first time Ubisoft has elected to end online services for some of their older games. Although some may be displeased by it, eventually shutting down online services for older entries is common in the gaming industry.

The services are set to shut down early next year, on January 25, 2024 to be exact. Many noticed the abundance of big name franchises such as Assassin’s Creed. Here are th?e 10 games players will no longer have online access to from Ubisoft.

• Assassin's Creed 2 - Xbox 360
• Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - Mac
• Assassin's Creed Liberation HD - PS3, Xbox 360
• Assassin's Creed Revelations - PC
• Ghost Recon Future Soldier - PC
• Heroes of Might and Magic 6 - PC
• NCIS - PC
• R.U.S.E - PC
• Splinter Cell: Conviction - Xbox 360
• Trials Evolution - PC

Assassin’s Creed’s multiplayer legacy

During the prime of older Assassin’s Creed entries, online multiplayer was a huge staple  in the franchi??se. Some of the beloved modes that fans of the franchise used to enjoy included PvP modes that allowed players to hash it out in intense stealth battles. There were even a number of different scenarios that could accompany these modes.

But, in newer entries, it is evident that the multiplayer aspect has become much less prominent. Some games, such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, have completely discard?ed the multiplaye??r component that older entries once leaned on.

Although these games will no longer be available for online services, pl??ayers will still have great memories of them.

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Requiescat in pace

[Update: "We don't take the decision to retire services for older Ubisoft games lightly," says Ubisoft in a statement to multiple news outlets. "Our teams are currently assessing all available op?tions for players who will be impacted when?? these games' online services are decommissioned on September 1st, 2022."]

Ubisoft has quietly removed 2014 release Assassin's Creed Liberation HD from the Steam platform, rendering the title inaccessible for purchase. Furthermore, the Steam page is also apparently suggesting that?, as of September 1, players who have previously purchased the spin-off title ??will no longer be able to play it.

Assassin's Creed Liberation HD is a remastered edition of the 2012 release Assassin's Creed Liberation, which is itself a spin-off of Assassin's Creed III. Set against the backdrop of Louisana in the 18th century, the title is particularly noteworthy for being the only game in the series to feature a Black woman protagonist �Aveline de Grandpré �?who battles against American slavers as well as the series' primary antagonist, the Templar Knights.

Ubisoft is yet to offer an explanation for the title's removal, though it is speculated by fans that it may be for technical reasons. Ubisoft games are also noted for their strong DRM and connectivity licenses, given life through services such as the publisher's Uplay service. While Assassin's Creed Liberation HD is hardly at the top of the majority of players' "must-own" lists in 2022, fans are obviously concerned that its removal could set a precedent for more titles to be pulled from accounts in the future �citing last week's news that Sony would be removing paid movie content from certain PlayStation accounts.

The Assassin's Creed community has taken to the Steam forums and Reddit to voice their concerns to the company, although it has also been discovered that Liberation can be launched from within Assassin's Creed III proper. So this could potentially be a case of the spin-off t?itle being removed as a singular entity from the Steam store, that will continue to live on as in-game DLC for the main release.

We will be sure to update this articl?e if any further c??larity is offered by Ubisoft or Steam.

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Head to Ravensthorpe

After a bit of turmoil, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is now ready to host its first DLC.

Wrath of the Druids is a major expansion in the same vein as "episodes" in? past games, and the way you access this one isn't super straightforward.

After downloading the DLC, you'll need to head to Ravensthorpe, then speak to Azar at the docks. From there you'll start a questline ?that allows you to enter Ireland via the Irish Tradepost: a new structure built for the DLC.

As an aside, you do no?t need to be a specific power level to access the DLC. In fact, the only requirement is that you can get to Ravensthorpe, and you have Arc 1 and 2 completed via the England portion of the game.

When you start, it will be set at power level 55 however, so be prepared. The DLC automatically balances higher levels out to adjust for harder content, like some scaling open world games.

Good luck!

The post Here’s how to access Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Wrath of the Druids DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

It's more Valhalla, for better or worse

You want more Assassin's Creed Valhalla?

Well you got it! And not much else.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X [reviewed])
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: May 13, 2021
MSRP: $24.99 (also part of the $39.99 season pass)

Assassin's Creed DLC has h?istorically been an interesting mix of the sacred and the profane: in a literal sense.

Some of it leaned heavily into the mythical elements of the series, perhaps best shown in the Atlantis episodes for Odyssey: whisking us away to a completely new biome that almost feels like we've been transported to a sequel. Other stories are more grounded, and have a penchant for presenting a duller blade. Wrath of the Druids is a clever mi??x of both, but ne?ver really rises to the occasion of either threshold.

Wrath of the Druids immediately plops players into a medium-sized Ireland map following a short intro embarkation questline. We're given a stable connection to the zone very quickly (Eivor's convenient cousin is a regional ruling king) and the main gist is submitted for your approval: a conflict between druids and the crown. So, more crown problems! When will these Valhalla NPCs ever learn to cede some ??power every now ?and then.

Ireland, as a gamified map, is a decent size. It benefits from not being so large that's it's a slog to get through, but it is rather samey from an environmental standpoint. Its loughs (lakes) give it some character, but for the most part, the flatland doesn't really stand out, and I was constantly wondering if I had been somewhere before. It's still beautiful though, just staring out into the sky and vistas, a testament to Valhalla's unsun?g art style, which often oozes more personality? than its cast.

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The DLC itself plays out like a side story from a core region in the main game. That works both to its benefit, while detracting from the narrative's personality within the confines of this new untethered region. Wrath of the Druids' inherent disconnect from the main game isn't strong enough to always stand on its own two feet, though it gets by, and a few of the new characters are worth following through to the end. Similarly, Wrath of the Druids' new mechanical additions don't diverge too heavily, with the exception of a few abilities like the power to summon an Irish? wolfhound into comba??t.

So about that fantastical angle? It kinda-sorta feeds into the idea of what I'm calling "Druid Drugs." Entering areas (and scripted locations) with green mist allows for the conceit of unique character models, including horrifying creatures that are basically just Batman fear toxin hallucinations. These sequences are plentiful enough without overdoing it, and are some of the best portions of the DLC. I love how they don't get too over the top, with one spoilery exception near the end. In what is becoming a theme of AC DLC, there's also a new secret s?ociety to uncover, albeit a ?very shallow one with tertiary motivations.

If you're looking for length, War of the Druids should last you around 10 hours for the critical path, with five-ish more after that to tie up all the loose ends, finish up the busywork, and conquer all the sidequests. I found myself wanting more: more druid stuff, more interesting characters, and a more diverse region. A lot of the subplots therein could have been substituted for any quest on Valhalla's "mainland."

Wrath of the Druids is simply more Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with a few added twists and some of the same baggage. The benefit of not swinging for the fences is that you're getting more AC comfort food, even if it falls far short of a home run. For ??25 bucks, you ??might need something a little more than that.

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

The post Review: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids appeared first on Destructoid.

Updates have been bumped to a five week cycle, from four

Have you ever played an Assassin's Creed game and thought "this probably needed a little more time?" F??or onc??e, Ubisoft agrees.

Valhalla has been suffering from a number of bugs for a while now, which came to a head whe?n an update was roll?ed out in March, and rolled back completely due to ??huge glitches. It was a watershed mom??????????????????????????ent, and one that made Ubisoft realize that they couldn't just keep churning these out, with the publisher admitting: "recent title updates may not have met your expectations or been up to our standards."

We already knew that the first major DLC, Wrath of the Druids, was bumped to May 13, but now we know why. Ubisoft is evidently overhauling their entire testing sys?tem, which will now grant their team an extra we??ek of preparation before updates roll out. Probably a good idea!

Their new developer blog explains that previously the game ran on a fo??ur-week title update release cycle, which will now shift to five weeks.  Here's the rub: "Creating Title Updates is a complex and time-consuming situation for our dev team. We are always striking a balance between including as many fixes for known issues as quickly after spotting them as?? we can, while also providing new and exciting content for players that may not run into issues at all."

New planned fixes include plans to bring back the missing fish (which won't be fully resolved until June, but will be "partially" addressed with the next title?? update), and updates for two quests: In the Absence of an Ealdo??rman, and Pig of Prophecy.

You can also check out the revised road ma??p below.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Update Pipeline [Ubisoft]

The post Ubisoft is taking more time to release big Assassin’s Creed Valhalla updates to avoid more bugs appeared first on Destructoid.

Little Miss Throat Slit

The newest day in the Weirdest Timeline sees Ubisoft's stealth series Assassin's Creed cross over with Roger Hargreaves' 1970s children's book series, Mr. Men. As spotted by Rock, Paper, Shotgun, the two bran??ds are collaboratin?g for a range of six titles based on the time-hopping mass-murder franchise.

"By mixing the Assassin's Creed sense of adventure and history with the colorful and delightful designs of the Little Mr. Men, these books will appeal to both young and adult readers," said Ubisoft in the announcement. "Follow Mister Ezio, Little Miss Kassandra, and Little Miss Eivor, as they each try to complete their own missions in the first three books of thi?s series!"

Mister Ezio! He's a killer! But Mr. Men is a cutesy thing for kids! Much Random!

Of course, this range is not strictly intended for kids, and is part of a tongue-in-cheek range of Mr. Men books written "For Grown-Ups." Previous titles in this series have featured characters from franchises such as sci-fi series Doctor Who, or have themes such as "Little Miss Shy Goes Online Dating," or "Mr. Grumpy Nails Fatherhood." The Mr. Men and Little Miss franchise is actually owned today by Hello Kitty's Sanrio, although the son of creator Roger Hargreaves, Adam, still writes and illustrat??es the books.

Now, before anyone thinks I'm getting all "MUH CHILDHOOD!" about this, I'm really not. These books exist? for the folk that want to buy them, and that's fine. I just think it's tacky, personally. I liken the concept to the sort of brand collision that led to the over-saturation of those dreadful Funko POP! figurines, or those "crappy-on-purpose" action figures that roll out for $30. But I?'m not judging, do what you want with your hard-earned dollarydoos.

Now I'm just picturing an Ubi suit in a bo??ardroom bellowing "LITTLE MISS WON'T SELL!"

The post Ubisoft is publishing a run of Assassin’s Creed Mr. Men and Little Miss books. Yes, really appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 4/10 to 4/6/2021

-Siflox Gaming reviews Apex Legends in its current 2021 form.

-Aurachad shares their thoughts on Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

-Lord Spencer reviews SaGa Frontier 2 as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Exber reviews all the games th??ey played in the first quar?ter of 2021.

-Beatlemaniaxx writes in detail about Mole Mania, a game that few people know was actually made by Ninten?do.

-Siflox Gaming reviews Rouge Company.

-Gamingnerd rants on Sony and the future of gaming.

-Black Red Gaming reviews Ghost of Tsushima on the PS4.

-TheBlondeBass's Awards now have their [Epilogue].

-Boxed Swine discusses the Netflix show, Disenchantment.

-Spazzzh20 shares their thoughts on how to fix Evangelion 3.0+1.0.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Donkey Kong '94 and old-time pop music.

-Taterchimp will do a charity stream of Final Fantasy VI, so check it out.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF open community forum.

Thank you for this week's great content! Thanks, as always, to Lord Spencer for providing us with the recap. If you'd like to see your own thoughts captured for posterity on our front page, then head on over to the Cblog?s and have at it. We always enjoy reading your innerm?ost thoughts!

The post As Ap??ex Legends surpasses 100 million players, hav??e you given it a shot yet? appeared first on Destructoid.

They need to do Japan...eventually

Look, with Tenchu basically dead, I’m coming ??in hot here. ??HOT.

The next Assassin's Creed should be set in Jap??an right? So we're agreed.

Wait, you want Assassin's Creed Revelations 2? That retreads on the same locations you've been to before? You want another&nb????sp;Rome game? We have different priorities, friend!

But for real, folks have been pining for an Assassin's Creed set in Japan basically since the series came out. And in release order, we've gotten: the Holy Land, Italy, Spain (Discovery), Instanbul, America, the Caribbean, France, London, Egypt, Greece, and parts of Europe. You can pepper in side stories to surrounding areas in some cases, like New Orleans in Liberation, and so on. I mean, we did get China, India, and Russia, all through the Chronicles 2.5D spinoffs! But those weren't fully featured open worlds and c?ould stand to get a revisit one day.

Even in spinoff form, we haven't gotten Japan. Feudal Japan, mind. I should make that obvious wish clear, if you couldn't tell from the Tenchu header. I mean, I'm fully willing to admit that I just want more Tenchu in my life. I mean....it's still kinda around via Shinobido (even if the last game was 10 years ago) and projects like Aragami scratch that itch.

But a really well done, fully budgeted game with historical figures could be a homerun, especially after how well Sucker Punch handled it with Ghost of Tsushima. If Ubisoft wasn't planning a feudal Japan Assasin's Creed, they probably put it on their radar somewhere after Tsushima was released to critical and commercial acclaim.

As long as they sell, there are going to be more AC games. We just got a Viking one, and in spite of its faults, it sold and was generally well received. The question is...when?? and where is the next one? The answers? "Soon," and "wherever they think will make them the most money."

The post What time period should the next Assassin’s Creed take place in? appeared first on Destructoid.

The theme is genius, as they can blame it all on the Animus

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla has been a glitchy affair, to say the least.

While a lot of open world games are known for glitches, Odyssey, the recent darling, managed to be spared from public tomato throwing for the most part. Valhalla's fate hasn't been as kind. Ubisoft reac??????????????????????????hed a whole new level of bugs with a recent patch? rollout, which was actually de-rolled out, in parts, to prevent issues.

As noted on Twitter, a server-side hotfix was deployed to remove settlement decorations and festival quests: which were causing hard crashes. A "permanent fix" is coming at some point, but the hotfix was basically just removing the stuff they had already added in the big 1.2.0 update. That same update, mind, that unceremoniously added a transmogrificati??on sys??tem, with provisos, into the mix.

Goodwill waxes and wanes in the gaming industry. With all of the boxes Ubisoft was checking with Odyssey, the problems with Valhalla showcase the weakness of the rapid-pace Assassin's Creed rollout model. Though it should be noted that Valhalla had a two-year wait period (just like Origins did when it launched), which is a little longer than the t??ypical one-year turnover for the franchise.

In any case, it seems like they still need more time to smooth out these games before they actually go on s?ale.

Ubisoft [Twitter]

The post Part of the last Assassin’s Creed Valhalla event was disabled due to a glitched patch rollout appeared first on Destructoid.

How do you mess this up, people already liked it

So Assassin's Creed Odyssey was kind of a turning point for a lot of people.

A lot of folks agree: it was a step up in many ways from previous Assassin's Creed games, and the string of free updates that were added after the fact only elevated that notion. Completely free transmogrification (also known as transmog, where you can change your appearance without sacrificing loot stats) was the cherry on top. Naturally, Valhalla screwed it up.

Transmog was added to Valhalla last week, but as folks noticed, it comes with a price. Literally, a price of 50 Silver, the game's in-game currency that can be purchased with real money. But that low price isn't as much of a problem as the hassle of having to go back to the hub zone and speak to the Ravensthorpe blacksmith every time you want to change.

So there's currently a debate about whether or not the silver price was meant to feed into the microtransaction system, and it's a? little up in the air. Ultimately, 50 Silver is a nominal fee. The main issue is that it's just plain annoying when you combine it with another location-based requirement.

Why have these at all? Was Valhalla in need of some economy-stressed gold sink like a live service game or MMO? I remember when Odyssey got transmog; it was a blessing! I was constantly changing how my character looked on the fly and thought "I can't wait for this exact system to hit every Assassin's Creed game."

Little did I know Valhalla would get an inferior take on it months after launch. Like several other things in the follow-up to Odyssey, it feels like a step back.

Title update [Reddit]

The post Assassin’s Creed Valhalla finally added transmog, and like most things in that game, it’s somehow worse than Odyssey’s implementation appeared first on Destructoid.

Physical game sales up as COVID lockdown continues

As the UK continues to mire in poorly planned, poorly managed lockdown legislation, physical video game sales continue to rise. In fact, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz, total physical sales are up? over 25% on the same time frame last year, mostly carried by a raft of sale?s on a variety of Switch releases.

This week's Top Ten sees social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons retain the coveted number one spot for a third week running, closely followed by the four-year-old Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and perennial Holiday seller Just Dance 2021 rounding out the Top Three.

Mega-sellers such as Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto V, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Electronic Arts' FIFA 21 are accounted for, but otherwise it's Nintendo all the way, with the Top 10 filled out with Ring Fit Adventure, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Minecraft.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 16, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
3. Just Dance 2021 - Ubisoft
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
5. Minecraft - Nintendo
6. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision
8. Super Mario 3D All-Stars - Nintendo
9. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo
10. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Nintendo continues its new year’s dominance of the UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.

Eivor Unmasked

Ubisoft's pillagin' and plunderin' adventure Assassin's Creed Valhalla will receive a new update tod??ay, bringing a huge list of fixes and?? tweaks to make for smooth sailing for Eivor and their clan of Nordic invaders.

Update 1.1.1 – which will roll out imminently on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC – doesn't feature anything in the way of additional content, but address a multitude of complaints that have troubled Valhalla since its November 2020 launch. Some of?? the bugs fixed include an issue which highlights corpses in Animus Pulse mode, a phenomenon where your arrow inventory would randomly freeze, and a strange glitch preventing Eivor from changing out of their frightening Mari Lwyd gear once the outfit was donned.

Visual and audio fixes will be applied across the board, reducing instances of glitching character models, jittery animations, and repetitive war cries and other sound issues. The HUD will also receive an overhaul and Valhalla's color-blind options have been optimized for?? t?he game's UI and menus.

The above is just a small sample from the huge list of gameplay tweaks and bug-fixes featured in update 1.1.1. For full patch notes, check out the official Assassin's Creed Valhalla Reddit.

The post Huge bug-busting update sails into Assassin’s Creed Valhalla appeared first on Destructoid.

Switched On

In regards to physical video game sales, the past week saw one of the ??most lucrative "first weeks" in years, as the UK's latest state of lockdown saw many gaming fans purchase new titles to while away the hours. Nintendo was the majority driving force behind the sales, with?? Switch releases taking up over half of the places in this week's UK Charts.

Retaining the top spot was social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which continues to shift steady copies each and every week, despite approaching its first anniversary. More amazingly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe found itself in second place, despite having been on the market for almost four years now. Ring Fit Adventure and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe are also in the top league, alongside Ubisoft's Just Dance 2021 and the Switch edition of Minecraft. A positive start to the year for Nintendo.

In the PlayStation and Xbox markets, the Top 10 is occupied by regular sellers such as Electronic Arts' FIFA 21, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto V, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Got that Bro demographic covered. CDPR's beleaguered Cyberpunk 2077 h??as already left the Top 10, and currently sits at number 20. There is currently no official word as to when this latest (but likely not last) lockdown situation will come to a close.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 9, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
3. Just Dance 2021 - Ubisoft
4. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
5. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft
6. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
9. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Animal Crossing: New Horizons still No.1? as ?Nintendo take over the UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.

Isabelle gonna start your year right

Nintendo's totes-adorbs lifestyle sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons has returned to?? the top of the UK Charts, beginning 2021 as the biggest selling physical title for the year's opening week. No doubt a re?sult of a new army of post-holiday Nintendo Switch owners.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the UK's second highest-selling physical release of 2020, just behind Electronic Arts' football simulator FIFA 21, which is renowned for its persistent staying power as far as British retail is concerned. The remainder of the Top Ten is rounded out with steady sales from Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and further Nintendo releases including Minecraft, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

2021 is set to be a tough year for the UK chart scene. Not only does each progressive year result in a further s??hift from physical to digital sales, but the incoming confusion and fragility of Brexit are likely to play havoc with trade routes, currency values, and the status of the UK high street. And this is all without even making mention of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is set to be an awkward and difficult time for British retail going forward.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: January 2, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
4. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft
5. Just Dance 2021 - Ubisoft
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Super Mario 3D All-Stars - Nintendo
9. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2 Interactive
10. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Animal Crossing: New Horizons begins 2021 on top of the UK C??ha?rts appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs Recap: Week 52

-Lord Spencer writes a report on the top 80-71 game??s in Retro Sanctuary's Top 100 PS1 games as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Spinnerweb remembers the forgotten GameCube game, P.N. 03.

-Gamingnerd writes abo??ut the history of selectin??g difficulty in games.

-Siddartha85 d??iscusses some major v?ideo game media moments in 2020.

-Amburger reviews Dragon Quest XI S on the Nintendo Switch.

-Black Red Gaming reviews Super Mario 64 as part of Mario's All-Star package.

-Shoggoth2588 responds to this month's Band of Bloggers prompt regarding finishing games by focusing on his completion of Persona 4 Golden.

-Exber discusses his top nine video games of the decade.

-Lord Spencer reviews Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare as part of his PS1 REVIEWS series.

-Virtua Kazuma discusses the top 10 difficult moves to pull off in the Virtua Fighter series.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the opera music in Final Fantasy VI and other opera music.

-Spinnerweb thinks it is abou?t time we start romanticizing the 2000s and goes down memory lane to do just that.

-Siddartha85 discusses some major music-rela??ted media moment??s in 2020.

-Beatlemaniaxx reflects on his addiction to collectibles during his time with Assassin's Creed II.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the music of Super Mario Bros. and several jazz tunes.

-Siddartha85 discusses some major fantasy book series media mo??ments.

-ChronoLynxx is back ?for another TGIF open community di??scussion forum.

Thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the Cblog Recap and to our community members for their thoughts and feelings on a variety of topics this festive season. If you want to see your own thoughts included in next week's recap, head over ??to our Community Blogs and spill those words!

The post Cblogs of 12/19 to 12/25/2020: Alone in the Dark, Virtua Fight?er, and difficulty choices appeared first on Destructoid.

History is doomed to repeat itself

Ubisoft caught a lot of flak for a time-saving microtransaction in Assassin's Creed Odyssey that permanently increased your XP rate by 50 percent. The problem is that a lot of people felt as though Odyssey's grind was specifically tailored to encourage the purchase of the XP-booster. When Assassin's Creed Valhalla&n??bsp;launched, it did so without that same $10 microtransaction. It seemed as though Ubisoft was quick to avoid catc?hing that heat all over again.

For 36 days. That's how long Ubisoft could resist. With yesterday's 1.1.0 patch, Valhalla got those same time-saving microtransactions that Odyssey launched with. As Game Informer reports, Ubisoft says "As more and more post-launch content becomes available, we want to give the option to players to advance their progression. Utilities allow players who lack the time to fully explore the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla to be able to acquire the game's best gear, as well as other items, by accelerating their progress. For instance, these players can purchase maps that uncover some inte??resting locations in the world, but wo??uld still have to visit and play them to get their rewards."

Here's the thing: This is especially unnecessary in Valhalla. The game doles out skill points with regular frequency, and none of the skills are particularly effective. They all just kinda add up until eventually you're more powerful because the number next to your name is bigger. I genuinely can't imagine buying this XP boost would help you beat Valhalla faster.

But it's flagrant that Ubisoft held off on the boosters until it was clear of microtransactions dominating the launch window conversation. Now that Cyberpunk is the villain, Ubisoft has gone full speed ahead on the time-savers in hopes that they'll fly under the radar. They probably will to be honest. Everyone has a very short attention span. Rest assured that Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a long-ass game (too long-ass in my humble opinion)? and none of these time-savers will actually make it any shorter.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Sells XP Boosts Now [Game Informer]

The post Ubisoft can’t help itself, adds an XP-boosting microtransaction to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla appeared first on Destructoid.