Fun that doesn't break the bank

For some, the Nintendo Switch can be an expensive investment. Once you've purchased the console itself, there are additional Joy-Con controllers, the Nintendo Switch Online membership, and, of course, first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey that almost ??never seem to go on sale, even years after their release.

Thankfully, there are some awesome games on this system that cost absolutely nothing to play and are most certainly worth your time and attention. Here?? are the 10 best free-to-play game??s on Nintendo Switch you can enjoy right now.

Asphalt Legends Unite

Those missing the Burnout series may want to check out Asphalt Legends Unite by Gameloft. The intense speed, the outrageous tricks, and the decent graphics all go a long way in this racing experience. Performing tricks to increase your boost meter is satisfying, and being able to ram opp??onents into the walls is even more so. If you can ignore the micro-transaction-heavy side of Asphalt Legends Unite, you’ll find an underrated gem of a rac?ing title for fre??e.

Deltarune

Toby Fox’s follow-up from the Undertale series Deltarune is entirely free-to-play with no microtransactions in sight. The story is suitably entertaining, while Toby Fox maintains the much-loved, oddly-natured lore of the Undertale world and characters. As you’d expect from the series, there is some stellar battle music and a unique pixel art style. If you’re a fan of Undertale, this is a must-play.

Fall Guys

One of the most adorable free-to-play games you can play on the Nintendo Switch is Fall Guys. Against 59 other players, you’re competing to get the crown at the e?nd of several mini-games. You’re going through tough obstacle courses with the silly physics of the game, scoring goals by heading a bal??l into the net or trying to outlast other players from disappearing platforms. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve only ever been able to get a crown once, but when I finally got it, I felt like a million Show-Bucks.

There are cosmetic items you may want to buy in Fall Guys, but the good thing? is that they don’t affect the stats of any player.  This isn’t pay-to-win. Something to keep in mind is that developer Mediatonic organizes free events, giving you costumes for finishing tasks.

Fortnite

Some hate it, and others love it, but no matter where you stand you can’t deny that Fortnite is a smash success. Epic Games brings out compelling maps and guns that keep its fanbase entertained. The battle pass every season provides a lot of value, and the quests the developer provides are entertaining enough to keep you invested in the chaos of the game. I personally disliked the building elements of the original concept, but there is now a popular Zero Build mode that has consumed my gaming schedule.

F-Zero 99

F-Zero 99 brings the chaos of the original SNES ?game and puts you in?? a race against 98 other players. Similar to Tetris 99, you’ll need to survive as they bash into you and in some cases, self-destruct around you on purpose. The controls are s??tellar as you drift around each corner and spin to dish damage to your foes. It’s a phenomenal take on the classic game. You’ll need Nintendo Switch Online to play this free game, however.

Brawlhalla

If you’re getting tired of playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate after all these years, you might want to try Brawlhalla for free. It has a charming comic-like art style and a simple yet engaging battle system that has you constantly switchin??g between two combat styles. The game’s cross-play, so y??ou can check it out with all your pals on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and even mobile. 

There are also pop culture icons who’ll never join Smash, like the WWE’s John C??ena and SpongeBob SquarePants fighting each other. They’re available as skins via paid DLC.

Pokémon Unite

Pokémon Unite is an absolute delight. It takes the MOBA mechanics of a game like League of Legends and places it into a thrilling 3v3 battle arena. The action is frenetic as you master each Pokemon's specific moves and work together to defeat the enemy team. The graphics are quite delightful, despite the game being available on both mobile and the Nintendo Switch. Like the previous entry?? on this list, there i??s also crossplay between those two platforms.

Something to keep in mind is that there are multiple microtransactions in the? game. There are cosmetics such as costumes for your Pokémon and trainer, a battle pass, and other purch?ases that your wallet should be scared of. You can earn in-game rewards, however, through the free battle pass and performing well in Ranked.

Rocket League

Rocket League is a simple concept that works so well on the Switch. You drive RC cars on a football/soccer pi??tch, flipping and turbo-boosting in order to score goals. If you need help as a beginner, on the other hand, you can enlist your friends from all platforms and still have fun on the field, There are car skins, antennas, rocket trails, and more to unlock through pa??id content, but some rewards are given to you periodically as you play.

Smite

With over 100 gods to choose from and a console-friendly third-person perspective, Smite is one of the best MOBAs out there. There are beginner-friendly modes like Arena and Joust (3v3) to get you started and accu??stomed to learning your favorite characters. Then there's the Conquest mode with an expansive map and 5v5 combat. Each move adds a strategic element to the battle; for example, Cupid's Heart Bomb is a ranged attack that slows enemies on impact, while Hades can pull in his foes towards him with Pillar of Agony. Like most other free-to-play games, there are real money cosmetics to purchase.

Tetris 99

One of the best free games on Nintendo Switch, Tetris 99 is engrossing as you survive to be the very last player standing. You have to keep up with the ever-increasing tempo of the gameplay and finish lines to send them to an opposing player. The action gets pretty intense at times, but is always worth it thanks to the compelling and rewarding gameplay. Thankfully, there are no microtransactions in Tetris 99, and you unlock new skins for your playfield by fi?nishing in-game tasks.

Tetris 99 comes free with your Ninten?do Switch Online subscription.

Palia

The world of Palia is expansive, and it’s completely free to dive in and explore. As with many cozy games, there are a selection of NPCs who can be befriended or even romanced, and they all have a seemingly endless number of quests for you to complete. Palia also benefits from almost monthly updates, which add new side content, items, and activities to take part ??in. 

The only thing that will cost you anything in Palia is premium store outfits, tool skins, or glider skins??. But choosing not to hand over your cash has zero effect on your gameplay, so it’s easy to ignore?? if you don’t want to spend anything. 

Disney Speedstorm

Disney Speedstorm is like Mario Kart if it was free, and all of the drivers were beloved Disney characters with cars themed around them. You can drift, charge up your Nitro Boost and even knock other racers off the road by side swiping them. Again, presumably heavily inspired by Mario Kart, racers can also pick up sprites along the track to give them power ups, which can the??n be used to gain an advantage in the race. 

Sky: Children of the Light

Sky: Children of the Light is a social game in which you can meet and befriend other players. In Sky, your only task is to explore the seven realms, unlocking new cosmetics and increasing the level of your Cape. This Cape is your means of transportation, as it allows you to fly through the skies of the realms, taking you further into the wilds. You can chat and send gifts to friends, ?play musical instruments, and a whole lot more. 

My Hero Ultra Rumble

Ultra Rumble is a MOBA fit for any fan of the Anime or Manga, and sees you grouped into parties of three in order to take out the rest of the 24 players in a match. The map you play on shrinks over time, leaving just two teams of three battling it out against each other. There is a Gacha element to Ultra Rumble, but don’t let that put you off. You have six characters unlocked by default, ?so yo??u’ve got plenty to work with right off the bat. 

Pokémon Café ReMix

If any of the games on this list are perfect for simply relaxing and zoning out, it’s Pokémon Café ReMix. Using the touchscreen capabilities of your switch, you need to swi??pe at a pool of Pokémon faces in order to fulfil the orders of other Pokémon, who will then eventually come and work for you and unlock new recipes. It’s weirdly addictive, and also adorable on top, so definitely worth it given the lack of payment needed. 

Guardian Tales

If you want a dungeon crawling game with cute graphics, then Guardian Tales is very much recommended. Originally released on iOS and Android back in 2020, and then coming to Nintendo Switch in 2022, you need to ?use all the tactics at your disposal to lure enemies into the open so you can complete each area. It can get a little frustrating at times, but it’s immensely satisfying and you can join guilds with other players, allowing you to take on even bigger and stronger enemies. 

Angry Bunnies: Colossal Carrot Crusade

If you’ve ever played Angry Birds, then you’ll have a good idea what to expect from Angry Bunnies. It’s the same concept with some slight twists �you fire bunnies out of a hop-powered cannon?? to try and take down structures at the other end of the playing arena, which have been constructed by wildlife critters. I stumbled across this by accident, and then quickly racked up more hours playing than I’d care to admit??. 

Tricky Doors

Tricky Doors is a puzzle-game-meets-escape-room experience that will really make you think outside the box, ?but it’s not too difficult that it becomes ultimately frustrating. There are a long list of mini-games and sm??all quests to complete, and the different rooms in which you find yourself trapped are absolutely jam-packed with detail, so you’re unlikely to ever find yourself becoming bored. 

The Elder Scrolls: Blades

Compared to the Elder Scrolls titles that you may be more familiar with, Blades is much more linear and you’re essentially forced into one-on-one combat situations in ?ord?er to progress. However, that doesn’t detract from the fun experience that this game offers. There are three modes: Abyss, which is an endless dungeon to test yourself against, Arena, which is player versus player multiplayer, and Town, which is a town for you to rebuild and upgrade. 

Hamster Playground

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a hamster whose sole purpose in life is to navigate various mazes and competing with other hamsters? No? Just me? Well if you haven’t wondered, then perhaps you should, because Hamster Playground is just that. Not only are you playing as a hamster, but you can also dress up?? your hamster in a huge variety of costumes. It’s adorable and incredibly fun, as ??long as you don’t take it too seriously. 

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Plus get some freebies

Are you still playing Dauntless? I remember months ago when that game was everywhere. The Monster Hunter-killer they called it. If you've fallen off it in recent wee??ks, the Call of the Void update seen above is a good reason to jump back on.

Not only can you experience the new content of the update, but you can also grab yourself some free stuff. Use the code "PCGamingShow2020" to grab some exclusive items. Dauntless is now avai??lable for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, with a mo?bile release still to come.

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You don't need a paid online membership

If I was ever going to get into the free-to-play Monster Hunter alternative Dauntless, it'd probably happen on Nintendo Switch. As of this morning's Nintendo Indie World showcase, I have something new to queue up on my lovable little console. The Switch version of Dauntless is out today.

This game has found tremendous success across PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and something tells me history will repeat itself on Switch – there's an opening. As with the other versions, Switch has cross-play support. We always love it when games play nicely together across multiple pl?atforms.

A few extra tidbits worth noting: you won't need a Nintendo Switch Online account for co-op, and this version has a couple of cosmetic exclusives – the Skyfighter Armor an?d the Skymetal Weapon Set.

I'm not sure when I'll find the time to squeeze Dauntless into my schedule considering that I'm still playing Iceborne, but the portable nature of the Switch should help ease me ??into this familiar world.

The post Dauntless ??is now on Nintendo Switch, complete ?with cross-play appeared first on Destructoid.

September 26

Dauntless has been in Early Access f??or several months building up a respectable playerbase, and it's nearly re??ady to officially arrive.

Phoenix Labs has announced this morning that version 1.0 will launch on September 26, which will herald in the next season of the game (read: more content and another season pass) as well as "the biggest update" since it hit Early Access. Dauntless is actually getting a full-on expansion drop in Aether Unbound, which adds weapons, a bounty system, and more bosses (behemoths) in. More quality of life updates and content are scheduled too, which you can view on the official interactive roadmap.

Dauntless is currently ava??ilable on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with a Switch version due later in the year. The game supports full cross-play and full cross-progression: a rarity i?n the industry today, and an honor reserved for a very small list of titles. It'll even have PS4-to-Xbox One-to-Switch support! I've been enjoying it since launch on both PC and PS4, and will definitely log back in for the new season.

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Coming later this year

Dauntless' full launch was on May 21, but come later this year, it'll add the Switch to its list of platforms.

While the date is nebulous the gameplay of the port is anything but, as developer Phoenix Labs attended E3 to show off the Switch port during a Treehouse Live segment. There's nearly 20 minutes of gameplay you can watch below, which details how well the game runs on Switch and how it'll look com?pared to other versions. The Winterhorn Skraev was also shown off on the stream.

Dauntless is currently available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Developer Phoenix Labs' vision is full cross-play: and through the help of Epic Games as its publisher, it got Sony to relent on their stodgy cross-play policy. Yep, Dauntless i??s one of the few games that allows full cross-play between Xbox and PS4.

The studio confirmed on stream: you can "start your journey on PC, PS4, or Xbox One, then when the game comes out on Swi??tch you can bring you??r progress to that version as well."

The post Here’s what Dauntless looks like running on Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Possible cross-play

The free-to-play cooperative action-RPG that released on other PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Dauntless is heading Nintendo's little console a smidge late. It's co??ming to the Switch later this year.

There's a decent chance it gets cross-save, so players can probably get started ?on one of the other platforms now and then take it on the go in a few months on the Switch. Big monsters on a little console.

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The term is even used in the patch notes

Dauntless, one of the few current games that allows full cross-play between PC, PS4, and Xbox One players (and one of the few things that lets me wear sci-fi robot gauntlets, a ninja mask, and a poncho), has been chugging along. Folks are still digging into the endgame (o??r getting there), and before ?more content drops developer Phoenix Labs has been toiling away at some bug fixes and a few highly requested quality of life additions.

In addition to a more descriptive huntboard (quest selector), you're also getting a third dye region (to color your gear with) and an in-game bug report option. In terms of smoothing, there's a ton of other stuff there like better animations for specific creatures, optimization to ensure better performance, a shimmer effect on Kharabaks so they won't be ?quite as unseen, and numerou??s bug fixes.

Most notably, the "cancel/skip matchmaking" buttons are supposedly f?ixed! This has become a meme/headache for the com?munity in recent days.

OB 0.8.2 [Dauntless]

New to Dauntless:

• Third dye region. Slayers now have access to a third dye region on nearly all armours, and can use up to three dyes to customize each piece. Overall dye-able surface area has increased as well. Plus: You can now dye all of your equipped armour at once! Show us your new look with #FashionSlayer.

• Bug reporting. Slayers can now report bugs through the in-game Help submenu. Go to the Main Menu, s??elect Help, and cho??ose Report a Bug to gain access to the form. The more detail you can provide, the more it will help us.

• Huntboard details. Behemoth strengths and weaknesses are now viewable from the hunt board. This should help ??Slayers better plan and prepare for ??hunts.

Quality of Life:

• Improved performance for Charrogg, Hellion, Valomyr, and Rezakiri. Before you ask: This is not the “final” performance improvement for these Behemoths. We will continue to work to ??improve this going forward.

• Made multiple optimizations to VFX and Behemoths to make them ??less resource-intensive. This should lead to improved performance on hunts.

• Added a shimmer to “invisible&r?dquo; Kharabaks. They should now be a little ?easier to see when enraged.

• Introduced fixes for the most common crashes that players were running into ??on all platforms.

• Cancel Matchm?aking and Skip Matchmaking should now work as int??ended.

• Fixed a bug where changing your lantern on the ai?rship could cause its UI to disappear?? during the following hunt.

• The Middleman will now show the correct price for (a) unlocking new cell slots and (??b) speeding up cooks.

• Fixed a bug where Slayers could get stuck in the Hunt Pass?? screen.

• Fixed a bug where some Slayers cou??ld see and craft the previous (pre-0.8.0) versions of Moonreaver Shrike weapons.

• Usi??ng Aetherslam will no longer execute the hammer’s standing blast or incorrectly place a single-ammo Land?breaker.

• Molten Edict (hammer) will now correctly and consistent?ly spawn its fireball again.

• Slayers who have their system language set to Polish should no longer experienc??e Dauntless in ??Portuguese. It will now be in English.

• Fixed a bug where players couldn’t equip the Death&r?squo;s Head or Sky Anch??or sigils.

• Fixed a bug where so?me TVs would clip the top corners of the HUD depending on overscan settings. (You should now be able to see your compass.)

• Fixed a bug where opening the Move List on the airship could c??ause it get stuck, remaining on the screen for the duration of the hunt.

• Held actions (e.g. gathering, healing at aether vents) should now correctly complete when their meters are filled. This aether vent no longer tastes of … fear.

• Fixed a bug where using a keyboard to navigate the store could result in the w??rong item being selected.

• The Sylvan Barrel Master??y card will now displa?y the correct icon and background.

• Interr??upt indicators will now correctly display any time a Behemoth is in an interruptible state on all platfor??ms.

• Fixed a bug? where VFX could end prematurely?? and abruptly.

• Fixed a bug where Slayers could go invisible when ?browsing certain menus.

• Fixed a bug where the End of Hunt survey could get cut off if the player wa??s mid-answer.

• Raised Razorwing Kharabak’s health to its intended level. I feel my power returning …

• Fixed a bug where the ??Armour Crafting screen would show an incorrect resistance rating for armour level +11 and up.

• Added the ability for Slayers to customize their appearance from the Personality menu. But you can still make Gregario happy by visiting his mirror.

• Fixed a bug that caused the camera to res?et into the sky?? when exiting the Hunt Pass screen.

• Fixed a bug that caused beards to show? through ce??rtain helmets in the Loadout, Personality, and Store screens.

Known Issues:

• War Pike users may get stuck in the Piercing Fury combo finisher. We are digging into what the cause of this might be.

The post Dauntless’ second major patch brings myriad quality of life improvements appeared first on Destructoid.

Hunt, hunt, then hunt some more

The notion that "there can only be one" is as bogus as the Highlander sequels (I can't even remember who dragged me to see Highlander: Endgame, which is probably for the best). Whenever I see people fighting off the existence of another Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart challenger from anothe??r publisher I'm utterly confused: competition is goo?d.

There can be more than one Monster Hunter too, as Dauntless demonstrates.

The Monster Hunter comparisons are warranted, but far from a problem. The core loop of teaming up with other hunters, taking down bosses, and chasing upgrades is hard to screw up, and it's something Dauntless embraces and distills down to its essence.

There's a lot less fluff, for better or worse. After the action-packed intro you're pretty much left to your own devices, in a part-fantasy part-sc-fi world that kind of lets you have at it. If you want to look like a Phantasy Star Online anime character, you can do that. If you want to strike down monsters looking like He-Man, that's entirely possible. The bright and cheery mixed era aesthetic reminds me of Wildstar (RIP) in the best way possible.

I'm not kidding about a lack of fluff: your first hunt is literally a one-on-one boss fight tutorial, then you're thrown into the Ramsgate hub world like a babe from the womb. Succinct quests like "craft this potion" or "open this box" are all you're really going to get in terms of direction, as navigating the (wonderfully) arcade-like combat system and learning the ins and outs of each enemy type is where the core f??ocus lies.

I respect the hell out of that. Developer Phoenix Labs managed to craft an intriguing formula behind all of that hacking and slashing, which draws upon the "grindy" nature of Monster Hunter but allows for quicker feedback and more immediate rewards. Those rewards can get really immediate (more on the IAP system later, as Dauntless is free-to-play after all), but for the most part you are always diving ??into missions and getting something for ??your efforts.

Said missions are probably the best part due to the aforementioned arcade-oriented combat system. Dauntless op?ts for comfort over complexity, perhaps best explained by the deliberate design decision to gift players a fully unfettered invincible dodge roll. This makes the onboarding process that much sweeter, as you only need to mostly focus on dodging attacks, and swinging back with light/heavy blows of your own. Once you get a handle on things you can employ your meter-based super (the default sword power just buffs you across the board), your lantern powers (buffs like extra shields), and consumable items (read: potions and stuff like that). Possible weapon options include the sword, axe, hammer, chain blade, pike, and dual-pistol archetypes.

I dig the dance of it all. Light and heavy attacks can be weaved into combos (which are basically just four to five actions combined with slight pauses between strikes), dodging is smooth, supers are easy to engage without feeling like you need to hold them the entire fight, and jumping adds an extra layer to the proceedings. I haven't gotten tired of it yet, even when some of the hunts start to repeat themselves. Part of this is due to the "mastery" system, which is similar to Diablo III's Parag?on system that buffs your character as?? you accomplish more challenges.

Monetization so far is a bit aggressive, but manageable for a free-to-play game with one minor exception. The heart of it all is the "hunt pass," which is basically just a version of Fornite's (and now, pretty much every online game's) season pass. By leveling up normally you can unlock paltry amounts of premi?um currency, items, and even cosmetics, or you could?? opt to pay up to get on the "elite" track, which will earn you both basic and elite items for leveling up. Once this season ends you'll be asked to pony up for a new pass, with another cosmetic theme: this time it's ninjas.

There's also a store, where you can buy myriad emotes, dyes, "ace chips" (cut crafting time down), and consumables. The latter does concern me a bit. Now since you can only carry a certain amount in battle it doesn't offer a huge impact, but I'm personally not comfortable with the choice to offer consumables at a premium (especially since some of them buff your party, which entices people to buy them for altruistic reasons, similar to Lures in Pokémon Go). Everything else is cosmetic (transmogrification appearance?? c?hanges for items, emotes, intros, signal flares), and again, mostly under control for a free-to-play game.

As I hinted at in the title, Dauntless' biggest accomplishment is ushering in true cross-platform play. If there was ever a giant that could convince Sony to relent on their anti-consumer cross-platform practices it has to be Epic Games, as they managed to break the barrier with Fortnite and are doing it again with Phoenix Labs' project. Dauntless is actually cross-platform, as in there are no restrictions between PC, PS4, and Xbox One users playing together. All of it is linked by way of an Epic Games account, and progress is fully carried over between platforms as well. The only hangup is currency: there are restrictions on using Platinum (premium currency) between pla??tforms.

Other than that you're pretty much good. On PC you can even see what platforms folks are on (denoted by a PlayStation, Xbox, or PC logo), and Phoenix Labs reports that roughly 60% of all players are using cross-platform matchmaking. The impact that the game has had on the industry already is monumental, and the new Call of Duty is also emplo??ying a simi?lar system. This could be the new normal.

While Dauntless still? has a lot to prove in terms of longevity, ?grabbing a few friends and going on a hunt is easy as hell given the free-to-play system and open platform concessions. It might not keep your interest as long as Phoenix Labs might like, but it's one impressive fresh start.

_{[These unscored PC impressions were based on a retail build of the free-to-play game. Dauntless features an in-game cosmetic with the Destructoid logo. This writer was not involved in that process, but we will refrain from publishing a scored review.]}

The post Dauntless? is a fine action romp, but its biggest accomplishment is true cross-platform play appeared first on Destructoid.

How about more cross-play Sony?

Just last week Dauntless, the new cartoon-looking Monster Hunter-like, hit a record four million player mark moving into the 1.0 version of the game. Today, they're boasting six million: that's a growth of t?wo million?? players in five days.

Developer Phoenix Labs has confirmed to Destructoid that the six million player count is "double" what the game was at in its PC open beta, which makes perfect sense? when you account for opening up a free-to-play title on both PS4 and Xbox One at the same time. The studio states that it has "worked tirelessly to expand player capacity, improve connectivity, optimize queue loads and iterate on player feedback."

For players, a lot of its success has been attributed to the Herculean task of uniting PC, PS4, and Xbox One players under one roof. Amazingly, Dauntless is one of the few games on the market that plays nicely between the PS4 and Xbox One platforms, and like Fortnite, could serve as the harbinger of true cross platform play. Dauntless even shows player icons for each platform near their nameplate denoting their system of choice. Phoenix Labs says that a whopping 60% of all parties are cross-play dependent.

For years in generations past, Microsoft fought the cross-platform wave but has since relented, giving way for Sony to return the favor. Sony has given myriad reasons why they don't feel like making cross-play a priority, from technical considerations to complete marketing jargon like "PlayStation is the best way to play." Eventually after months of outcry and the uniting of Microsoft and Nintendo to allow for Xbox One and Switch cross-play, they said they would allow it in special circumstances, starting with a "beta" for Fortnite.

But Dauntless trul??y feels like the first time this whole arrangement is legitimate. You can't hide the fact that people are playing together on different platforms when Phoenix Labs makes it so obvious on-screen. It's an accomplishment that deserves a ton of credit, but the road to get ther?e was long and arduous.

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Light up the sky

[Update: We went through all 1,000, so Phoenix Labs sent us another 1,000. The g?ivea?way is refreshed, just use the widget below.]

We're stuck in the awkward position of holding codes for 1,000 exclusive Destructoid flares in Dauntless, and we're unable to redeem anywhere near that many. Share the wealth, I guess. It's Memorial Day weekend and Dauntless is insanely popular right now, so let's get ??the sky overhead aflame with our mechanical overlord. Domo arigato, Destructoid rob??oto.

To get a code, just enter your email address in the widget below. It's first come, first served -- so, there's no use dillydallying. (We're using Godankey to automate the giveaway. Godankey doesn't store your email address after it sends your key, nor does it send your information to any third party. Check out the Godankey FAQ for more details.)

Once you have your key, follow these redemption inst?ructions:

1. Download Dauntless on your platform of choice (Epic Games Store, Xbox On??e or PS4) and create or log in to your Epic Game??s account.
2. Launch Dauntless and log in for the first time.
3. Visit //playdauntless.com and click on "?Login" in the top right corner
4. Enter your Epic Games account info.
5. On this page //playdauntless.com/accounts/my-account/ s?croll down and enter the code in the "Redeem A Co?de" section.
6. Log back in to Dauntless and the Fla??re will be available -- it w??ill manifest in the game as a Core you need to crack open.

You're all set. Now you can make Memorial Day look like the Fourth of July, all while paying tribute to your favorite video game site. (We better be your favorite video game site.) The robot demands your fealty! Declare your allegiance with flare flair flare.

The post We have 1,000 free Dauntless flares to give away! appeared first on Destructoid.

The servers are literally full

Despite a lengthy stay in open beta, Dauntless developer Phoenix Labs can't keep up with the technical demands of a proper launch. Or, more ??accurately, it can't handle the demands of a sudden surge in popularity as everyone ??wants to play all at once.

Dauntless is a free-to-play cooperative monster hunting game with true cross-platform play/progress functionality. The appeal is obvious. Phoenix Labs sent out a press release today that boasts Dauntless' player base has swelled past 4 million players, half a million of those coming with the 1.0 launch on May 21. But, it's? the belle of the ball and the apple of everyone's eye now; there's a good chance a lot of the open beta players are coming back now that it's an ov??ernight celebrity.

It's not all good times, though. A lot of it is waiting time. To hope to support this many people, Phoenix Labs has had to cap the number of players that can be in-game. It's quite literally at capacity. Players have reported three-hour queues to join a game, as Dauntless is forced to enact a "one in, one out" policy. That's right -- some people are waiting 180 minutes to play Dauntless.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Labs is left scrambling to keep up. The game's Twitter feed is a constant barrage of updates about server maintenance and virtual lines. As for the long waits, the developer says "We know queue times aren't fun, bu??t the alternative w??as to turn things off. We decided it would be better for people to play (but potentially wait a while) than to not be able to play at all." That logic checks out.

It'll all stabilize sooner or later. (Although, we might go through the sa??????????????????????????me song and dance when it eventually launches on Switch and mobile.) Phoenix Labs will get it under control, matchmaking will seem normal, and everyone will be able to set off hu??nting monsters. But, for now, it's going to require some patience. Growing pains can, indeed, be a pain.

[Update: Phoenix Labs has sent over this statement regarding server times: "Planning for service load and scale testing is a very complicated problem. We planned for the large influx of players and ran numerous tests across Dauntless and its services. The tricky thing is, it's difficult to know how things will operate until the players actually show up. We're continually triaging and everyone here is working to optimize matchmaking, capacity, and other service issues. The best way to stay up to date on the current status is to keep an eye on our Twitter feed, along with our status page.]

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Free-to-play monster hunting on PC, PS4, and Xbox One

It's the first day of the rest of Dauntless' life. The creature-slaying co-op game has released across PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store. Better yet, there's full cross-play support. You can get your war-pike-wielding slayer situated on a console and then continue where you left off on PC. Or maybe you're more of a chain blades type of person? Whatever. That's ??irrelevant. Just stick together and try to play nice. It's a far-too-rare treat for these three platforms to team up together like this.

"When we first started talking about [having a system to enable cross-play and cross-progression in Dauntless], we knew it was a truly auda?cious goal," said Phoenix Labs co-founder Jesse Hou??ston. "No one has ever launched on console with full cross-play support from the start, but we believed in our vision and, thankfully, our friends at Epic Games, Sony, and Microsoft did too."

Just so you know what you're getting into, this is a free-to-play, microtransaction-supported release. There's a Hunt Pass not unlike what we've seen appear in Fortnite and other battle royale titles. In short, you can level up the pass (which comes in a free basic tier?? and a paid-for Elite ti?er) to earn rewards.

Phoenix also touched up the character creator, the storefront-browsing experience, and player mobility, the latter of which should help Dauntless feel more fluid. "A new element – Ter??ra – has been added to the aetheric spectrum, bringing balance to frost, blaze, and shock aether. Koshai, Kharabak, and Skarn have adopted this new element and have developed new strengths and weaknesses to match."

If that free-to-play structure sounds palatable, you should soon discover the joys of the monster-hunting life. Teaming up, taking down behemoths, crafting better gear, and doing it all again – it's quite the intoxicati?ng loop. All it takes is that one right game at that one right time to draw you in.

Side note: if you're having server issues or otherwise can't load Dauntless, the developers have been investigating outages. There's a handy site for tracking the game's uptime and server status.

Dauntless has been sitting on the periphery for folks who prefer not to tangle with early access or betas, and with Monster Hunter's meaty Iceborne expansion not dropping until September, the hunt beckons. It won't be a proper replacement, but from the looks of thi??ngs, there's an eager audience.

More than anything, it's pleasant seeing a game tout ?true cross-platform pro??gression.

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First revealed in 2016

Announced back in the tail-end of 2016, it seemed like Dauntless would be relegated to early access for ages, but it finally has a release date: May 21. It'll launch on PC (Epic Game store), PS4, and Xbox One all at once, so you don't have to worry about a staggered release for those platforms at leas??t.

Since the game has been in early access for some time it'll properly launch with season five alongside of a new "hunt pass," which is basically the battle pass program (leveling up in the pass system unlocks cosmetics and currency) that every game has now following Dota 2 and Fortnite's popularization of the concept.

Developer Phoenix Labs is promising "massive" updates for 1.0, including a mastery system for extra skill acquisition, a campaign rework, and questing and crafting enhancements. As a reminder Dauntless is free-to-play and will support itself on a microtransaction system that leans toward cosmetics (fine for a F2P joint) and boosts (which I'm not so crazy abou?t if this system is expanded). So far the community has self-policed the studio if they overstep (loot boxes were removed in 2017 after an outcry), which is a good sign for the game's future.

Dauntless release date [Dauntless]

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Another one bites the dust

[Update: Phoenix Labs reached out to us to clarify a few details about the account migration process for Dauntless. Players are not being forced to link their old accounts to the Epic Games launcher. If you do opt-in to the merger, you can utilize a different e-mail address and password from your Dauntless account. Phoenix Labs is also not sharing any personal information with Epic, so you can do?? the account merger without worrying.

The rest of the details are basically the same. The original story rem?ains below.]

Dauntless, a Monster Hunter-like action title, will be switching over to the Epic Games' launcher soon. The title, currently in open beta, has only been available directly from developer Phoenix Labs' website and launcher. In an FAQ on its website, the company explains the dec??ision to work with Epic.

"When we started building Dauntless over four years ago," reads the post, "we had a vision: No matter where you were in the world or which platform you were playing on, you would be able to play with your friends. Epic Games blazed a trail by delivering the first game with true cross-play on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, mobile, and Nintendo Switch. We are grateful to partner with them on Dauntless."

Right now, players won't need to do anything. The old launcher will still work until an unspecified date. Eventually, you'll be able to merge your Dauntless account with Epic Games' launcher. All current progress in the beta will migrate over to the Epic version of Dauntless. Phoenix Labs recommends creating an Epic account now to reserve your username.

The main reason for this move seems to be for cross-play functionality. Phoenix Labs intends to adopt a Fortnite style structure for Dauntless and is looki?ng to have all progress carry over to whichever platform you play on. This means you'll be able to purchase microtransactions and level up on Switch, then jump onto you??r PC and continue progress.

There still isn't a firm release date for the console ports, but Phoenix Labs is looking to get this Epic integration done ASAP. I would imagine that once everything is s?ituated on PC, it wouldn't be too much longer for the console ports.

Dauntless Joins the Epic Games Store [Dauntless]

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PS4 and XB1 in April, rest in '2019'

There aren't a lot of alternatives to Monster Hunter, but Phoenix Labs is really trying to provide one with Dauntless. Curre??ntly it's just in beta form on PC, but that's going to change as of tonight's Game Awards announcement.

Dauntless is hitting pretty much every other platform next year in an ambitious rollout plan. First, we can expect PS4 and Xbox One to arrive on April 2019: a seemingly set-in-stone window. Nintendo Switch will follow sometime in "2019," as well as a mobile release. Phoenix Labs says all of this is part of their "One Dauntless" cross-platform vision, similar to Minecraft's "Play Anywhere" initiative. The studio notes that it's their goal to provide "seamless cross-platform play, progression and account management across all platforms, worldwide." Ambitious! It will launch as a "free download"?? on the aforementioned devices and is supported by microtransactions (after remo?ving loot boxes).

The PC edition also just got the Frostfall update today as well as the "Hunt Pass," which seems to follow the same archetype as Fortnite's Season Pass -- grant??ing players? "in-game activities and challenges" that reward cosmetics.

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Commissioner, light the Dtoid signal

Get your very own Mr. Destructoid flare in Dauntless in this contest.

Mr. Destructoid, much like yours truly, is a very handsome and popular fellow. Don't believe me? Ju?st look at our logo above. Gosh, he's sexy.

He should really be in more games. Thank heavens Dauntless is here -- get yo?urself a flare featuring our lovely pleasurebot to sport in-game!

Take it away, Phoenix Labs:

Dauntless is a free-to-play cooperative action-RPG set in an untamed science-fantasy world. Players take on the role of elite warriors known as Slayers who protect humanity by hunting ferocious Behemoths. Dauntless is being created by veteran game designers from BioWare, EA, Capcom and Riot Games. Dauntless en??tered into Open Beta in May 2018, and reached the 2 million player mark in under two months following the Open Beta launch.

The world of Dauntless has been shattered by a cataclysmic event, creating a vast array of uncharted and majestic floating islands. Behemoths, as cunning as they are vicious, consume the land, and it’s up to the Slayers to hunt them down before they destroy what remains of the world. Slayers explore an ever-changing frontier, brimming with verdant flora and unique wildlife. In Dauntless, Slayers can go at it alone or join cooperative parties with up to four people to take on the Behe?moth threat. No two encounters are alike -- each brings its own unique challenges and rewards. To survive on the Shattered Isles, players collect rewards from their hunts to upgrade their arsenal of weapons and armor in a deep and robust crafting system.

??Free to play? Action RPG? Slaying monsters? Whe??re do I sign up?!

You can sign up here to play for free. To help add some flair to your experience, we're giving away some actual flares featuring the stu??nning visage of our very own Mr. Destructoid. To get yours, email me at tacos@jbsgame.com and I'll send ya one, instructions and all.

The first 50 people who contact me will receive a flare. While you're waiting for me to respond, comment below telling us what you expect to summon using your Mr. Dtoid flare. If I don't get a brigade of cor?gis dressed up as variou??s video game characters, I'm going to be very upset.

Dauntless is available now to play for free.

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It has the potential, but it's not quite there yet

Ever since its debut on the PlayStation 2 in 2004, I’ve been consistently playing every Monster Hunter release, minus the MMORPG titles. It’s easily one of my favorite co-op franchises, and it has proven to be a great time killer at cons when everyone brings their 3DS to the table.  Although PC gamers have similar games like Toukiden and God Eater that are available on Steam, it’s still not the same experience that Monster Hunter offers.

While I’m not really missing out on Monster Hunter, it’s something I would like to play on PC since it’s currently my main gaming platform (something we'll eventually get to do with Monster Hunter World in 2018). Then earlier this year, I learned about Dauntless via an article calling the game a Monster Hunter??-like action game, so it caught my interest and I’ve been following it s??ince then.

Similarly, to Monster Hunter, you hunt big monsters (called behemoth in the game) and gather their parts in which can be used to upgrade or make better equipment to kill bigger and harder monsters as you progress the game. One thing that I found annoying is the amount of grinding it take?s to get the loot that you need to make the armor th??at you want, and that was one of the earlier armors in the alpha. I usually like investing myself into grinding, but it felt dragged with lots of fruitless attempts.

There are?? four weapon types available to you to choose from; chain blades, a hammer with a built-in shotgun, Axes, and Swords. Considering the game is currently in Alpha, a number of weapon options didn’t bother me, especially since each offer a different playstyle. When you equip the chains for example, instead of your typical rolling you do to evade attacks, the character will dash with a blue flash tailing him.

You can use either KB&M or a controller (a wired Xbox 360 controller in my case). I had a good time using both and found both advantages and disadvantages. While KB&M is most effective and quicker in combat, the key mapping, which is unchangeable right now, made accessing certain functions kind of awkward. At least like essentials like aiming, attacking and evading were easily accessible. Using a controller felt more familiar due to my Monster Hunter experience on handheld and consoles.

While you can complete the initial missions by yourself, the game is meant to be played with a?? group due to how difficult some behemoth can be. With patience, I was almost able to beat some of them by myself but lack of resources made impossible, so it’s always much easier and faster when teaming up with other players. However, it was bothersome in the few instances where I couldn’t find any players.

What made combating behemoths easy was their predictable attack patterns and them constantly being open for an attack. It made the battles boring, especially since enemies seem to have a lot of health, or you feel like you’re not doing enough damage. I f?ind the lack of an HP gauge a bit annoying as well. I just wish the game was more strategic and less chance to attack. The game is only difficult because of how much health the behemoths have, really. Additionally, the game’s co?mbat is too simple. I feel like there’s not enough combos you can pull in, and eventually it gets repetitive, but still kind of fun just to keep attacking.

One thing that really bothered me was the lack thereof a map, but instead, I had to rely on a compass. While it didn’t hinder me from completing quests, I took more time to reach certain de????stinations as compared to if I had a map to use. At least in combat, the uses of flare make the experience a lot better. I’ve seen a variety of flares being used, but in my case, I have a custom Mr. Destructoid flare.

After defeating a behemoth, all players will be awarded loot boxes known as cores in the game. Cores will contain some goods that are used to craft or upgrade weapons or armors. It can also be used to craft items that are ?useful in combat, like healing potions.  You get extra items if you complete a mission with a team as well. Dauntless made gathering the items you need a bit exhausting as it just takes too much t?ime.

I feel like Dauntless has a lot of potential, especially if Phoenix Labs keeps their promise of updating the game throughout the years. It’s not exactly the Monster Hunter some PC gamers may be looking for, but it’s a decent co-op adventure. It's going to be free-to-play?? when it officially releases, so it’s worth the try then, but as of now, I wouldn’t recommend it with its current Founders Pack prices.

_{[These impressions are based on a preview version of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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It has nothing to do with Divergent

For me, there's an important distinction between "budget-friendly" and "a budget game." The former may be a little sanded down or rough around the edges, but is an otherwise solid experience that can be had for a low price (or no price at all, in many cases). The latter is an unremarkable or messy game clearly made for pennies that is often written off because, well, you only paid like $15 for it at Walmart. A "budget-friendly" game is one you come to when you don't want to spend too much. A "budget game" is one you come to when you're curious why Samurai Jack wants to beat up Chowder and that $20 is just burning a hole in your pockets??.

Based on my time with Dauntless, a four-player co-op action-adventure giant monster hunting game, I feel safe calling it "budget friendly." You can't get much cheaper than free, and as a nice bonus, playing the game ain't half bad either! It was pitched to me as a cross between Monster Hunter and Dark Souls, with a little bit of Destiny thrown right in. Of course the dev team would go right to those comparisons -- all three franchises have strong, devoted fanbases that you'd be a fool to?? not tap if your game was even a little bit similar in any way.

That comparison might be a little too ambitious. Yeah, you hunt monsters like Monster Hunter, you roll around a whole lot like in Dark Souls, and there's a hub world and loot system that will apparently resemble Destiny. So although the games look similar on paper, my PAX South demo failed to convince me that Dauntless will eclipse?? or even fully meet its inspirations.

I saw two bosses during my time with Dauntless: a big owl called a "Shrike" and some kind of mutant hedgehog/wolf thing called a "Pangar." The owl was an easier boss from earlier on in the game, while the Pangar will be a more difficult "mid-to-late-game" enemy. M??y team was able to defeat both during my demo, with the challenge level being about what you'd expect for the monsters' respective progress markers. The Shrike was indeed harder. We had the dev team on our side for both fights, but unfortunately the horrific illness wracking my throat had completely i??mpeded my ability to ask questions by that point. So the nice folks at Phoenix Labs spent most of their time babysitting me in the hopes that some of their advice was what I needed to hear at that exact moment.

That actually worked more often than not, so at least I can safely report that Dauntless is not a very difficult game to learn. I played on a mouse + keyboard, but the optional controller button prompts I saw indicated that gamepad compatibility is up fo??r consideration at the very least. That seems like the way to play, as the constant availability of the right analog stick is often essential during challenging third-person boss fights. You're not exactly looking for f??irst-person reticle precision, which is where a mouse-controlled camera has the advantage, you just want to swing the camera without feeling like you overcorrected.

But even with a control scheme that I found unfamiliar, I still managed to leap into the melee and pop off some damage numbers of my own. The combat isn't perfect by any stretch; the game has yet to enter beta, and I would say the all-important dodge roll still needs work before Dauntless is ready for prime time. I never felt like I completely understood where my invincibility frames began or ended, often throwing me into damaging area of effects. Also, I noticed significant latency? when dodging that I didn't notice during movement or combat -- probably a half-second if I had to estimate, although I'm no time wizard. Still, at least it feels good to click on some big creatures and watch the damage numbers pop off! The Phoenix Labs team certainly nailed that particular aspect for lab rats like me who like to see the numbers go higher with each button press.

Even with the weak dodging, as someone who's been getting into a lot of conventional and unconventional multiplayer experiences with my online friends, I'm always on the lookout for new stuff for us to do together, and I could see this game fitting into our rotation. The bosses in Dauntless felt challenging but not insurm?ountable: the elusive sweet spot for co-op games.

Dauntless will be free to download, but the game will earn its money through cosmetic microtransactions, which is something I've come to terms with in free-to-play games or priced multiplayer games that regularly publish free live content. Since you don't pick a class, instead deriving your "class" from the kind of weapon you use, gating weapons behind a paywall would be silly. Hats you can pay for with real money has always been A-OK by me. Since the loot system that affects how the game plays will be untouched by microtransactions, I hope the stuff you get from killing the giant monsters will provide enough of a hook to keep playing. I just don't think I'd spend dozens of hours grinding out Dauntless' version of Unobtainum and then end up with a +1 Dagger, y??'know?

The more time I spend away from Dauntless, the more I respect it. To the best of my knowledge, there aren't a lot of PC-exclusive Monster Hunter clones kicking around -- and even? if there are, this is a solid video game you can play with your friends that also does not cost any money to play. It's been a dark couple of months, we could all use a little more time with our friends.

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Behemoth Slayer

A cooperative action role-playing game where you slay giant beasts is a formula that has worked before. Capcom has found great success over the years by applying this to its Monster Hunter series. Now a new de?veloper aims to capture the essence of that idea for ??a PC audience.

One of the reveals out of tonight's Game Awards was Dauntless. It's the debut title from Phoenix Labs, a studio led by industry veterans who have worked at places like BioWare and Riot. In Dauntless, players assume the role of Slayers who are tasked with killing Behemo?ths.

While we don't yet know much about Dauntless' setting, Phoenix Labs has shared a broad overview with us. The developer describes it in a press release as such: "The world of Dauntless has been shattered by a cataclysmic event, creating a vast ar?ray of uncharted and majestic floating islands. Behemoths, as cunning as they are vicious, consume the land, and it's up to the Slayers to hunt them down befo??re they destroy what remains of the world. Slayers will explore an ever-changing frontier, brimming with verdant flora and unique wildlife."

Along with world-building, we also know a bit about gameplay details. Dauntless, like Monster Hunter, is a cooperative action RPG. It can be played solo or with a party of up to four people. Armor and weapons can be crafted with the rewards that are dropped from successful hunts. It's free-to-play and is seemingly only c??oming to PC.

Although the parallel to Monster Hunter is obvious, Phoenix Labs says that it's drawing from other sources too. The developer lists Dark Souls and World of Warcraft as other inspirations for Dauntless. That's certainly a trio of renowned games.

We shouldn't have to wait too long to see if Dauntless scratches the same itch as its inspirations. It's eyeing a 2017 release. If everything goes according to plan, that free-to-play co-op Behemoth slaying ?is coming sooner rather than later.

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