With patch 7.01 of Final Fantasy XIV comes the long awaited new tier of 8-player raids �?The Arcadion. This tournament style series of fights w??ill see the WoL face off against many formidable foes, but?? first we need to unlock it. 

According to the lore revealed during Dawntrail, The Arcadion is where fighters test their mettle against one another for glory and riches. It's a similar concept to the Coliseum in Ul'dah, though possibly more MMA than Gladitorial combat. We saw The Arcadion spring to life in a post-credit scene once the Dawntrail MSQ was done and dusted, and wer??e introduced to a mysterious mustachioed Lalafell, but we've not been able to enter until now. 

The first four fights of The Arcadion raid series fall under the title of "AAC Light-heavyweight". The?? second tier of fights will ??be titled AAC: Bruiserweight, and the final four fights will fall into the AAC: Heavyweight category.

How to unlock The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight in Final Fantasy XIV

Before you can unlock and take part in The Arcadion: AAC Ligh?t-heavyweig?ht raids, you'll need to have done a few things: 

•  Reach level 100 on at least one Disciple of War or Magic Job
•  Complete the level 100 MSQ quest “Dawntrail�?/li>

•  Have an average iLvl of 685 or above

To unlock the Light-heavyweight tier of The Arcadion, make your way to Solution Nine and travel to the The Arcadion Aethernet Shard. From here, travel North and find the Stylish Stranger (X:19.1, Y:18.8). Talk to ??them and pick up the quest called ‘A New Challenger Appears�? 

To complete this quest, you simply need to head south and speak to the Arcadion Attendan?t (X:19.6, Y:21.2) to enter The Arcadion. You'll meet some of the opponents ??we're yet to face, and learn more about the lore of The Arcadion.

After this quest is complete, you'll need to speak to Metem and pick up the quest called "The Claw in the Dark" to unlock A?AC: Light-heavyweight? M1.

Further quests in The Arcadion's quest line will become available after the successful completion of each raid. You'll need to complete ?these quests before continuing on to the next AAC Light-heavyweigh??t fight, so make sure to keep an eye out for them.

Once you've completed all six of the currently added quests, you'l?l gain full access to The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight. You can queue for any of the first four raids via Duty Finder at any time, and there's never a better time than right now, as a huge number of players will be diving straight in. 

What drops from The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight in Final Fantasy XIV

The Light-heavy gear sets, which are available through the normal difficulty Arcadion raids, are iLvl 710. As raid gear, this version is not dyeable, but the higher iLvl variant which will drop in the savage raids (coming on July 30 with patch 7.05) w??????????????????????????ill be. If nothing else, this gear is a solid choice to boost your iLvl. 

However, getting gear is complicated. As with all current tier raids, you won't actually be rolling on the gear itself, but rather on tokens which can then be exchanged for the gear pieces. You can only get one token per week in each of? the four raids, so make your? rolls count. 

Here's how many token?s you'l??l need per piece of gear: 

To exchange your Holo tokens for gear, you can talk to Hhihwi in Solution Nine (X:8.7, Y:13.4).

You’ll also get one Ligh??t-heavy Holoblade each week by completing AAC Light-heavyweight M4. While the weapons are not currently available, they will be added with patch 7.02 on July 30. 

The post How to unlock ??The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight in FFXIV Dawntrail appeared first on Destructoid.

The highly anticipated return of Oshi no Ko is finally upon us! As one of 2023’s biggest anime hits, this series captured the hearts of fans worldwide with its unconventional?? narrative and captivating visuals. With two episodes of Season 2 already available for streaming, here’s the full release schedu?le to ensure you don't miss out on any of the upcoming episodes.

Oshi no Ko Season 2

• Episode 12 release date: July 3, 2024
• Episode 13 release date: July 10, 2024
• Episode 14 release date: July 17, 2024
• Episode 15 release date: July 24, 2024
• Episode 16 release date: July 31, 2024
• Episode 17 release date: August 7, 2024
• Episode 18 release date: August 14, 2024
• Episode 19 release date: August 21, 2024
• Episode 20 release date: August 28, 2024
• Episode 21 release date: September 4, 2024
• Episode 22 release date: September 11, 2024
• Episode 23 release date: September 18, 2024
• Episode 24 release date: September 25, 2024

The second season of Oshi no Ko is set to have 13 episodes with the pilot already available since July 3. New episodes come out at 7:00 AM PT every Wednesday on HIDIVE. However, the series is also available on Netflix in select regions of Asia.

Seas??on 2 will cover the 2.5D Stage Play Arc. This storyline will feature Aqua Hoshino, Akane Kurokawa, and Kana Arima taking on the lead roles in the stage adaptation of "Tokyo Blade," a popul??ar manga by the peculiar Abiko Samejima.

The post Oshi no Ko Season 2 full release schedule appeared first on Destructoid.

The Bardic Needle is the Music Shop in Zenless Zone Zero, and it is where you can randomly ge??nerate Drive Discs (Artifacts, Relics) for your charac??ters. To make higher rarity Drive Discs, though, you first need to upgrade the shop.

How to upgrade the Music Shop in Zenless Zone Zero

There is an important requirement you need to meet to upgrade the Music Shop. First, you need to reach Inter-Knot Rank 35. This is done by earning Inter-Knot Credit, obtained by practically every type of activity in the game. If you're just starting out in Zenless Zone Zero, it will likely take a few days to reach this point because of the time-gating portions. Nevertheless, once you've reached Inter-Knot 35, you need to speak with the owner of the Music Shop, Elfy.

As just mentioned, Elfy is the owner of the Bardic Needle, and it is she who enables you to upgrade the shop. This sounds pretty self-explanatory, but the process is not as obvious as it seems. If you just go to the Bardic Needle and talk to Elfy, she will only give you the standar?d options you already had access to. There is no option, nor indication, that will allow you to upgrade the shop this way.

Instead of going to the shop directly, when you reach Rank 35, Elfy will send you a DM requesting to speak with you about the shop. Responding to her DM will begin the short questline to upgrade the shop. You must talk to Elfy through the DM screen in order to upgrade the Music Shop.

Eventually, the DM conversation will end with you going to the shop and speaking with Elfy outside at the entrance. After that brief conversation, Elfy will go inside and unlock Level 2 for you to make use of. This process will repeat one more time once you reach the?? required level for Level 3, which is Inte??r-Knot Rank 40.

What does upgrading the Music Shop do in Zenless Zone Zero?

Upgrading the Music Shop will allow you to craft Yellow (Legendary) rarity Drive Discs for your characters.

Yellow rarity discs have significantly more stats than purple ??(Rare) rarit??y ones, so it is completely worth upgrading to these as soon as you get good ones. They also require more resources to upgrade, but again, this is completely worth doing. Making Drive Discs through the Music Shop is tied heavily to gacha, but you can get some seriously good gear pieces using it, if you're lucky.

The post How to level up the Bardic Needle in ??Zenles??s Zone Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

When I first got into manga, it felt almost taboo or like a style of books I s??houldn't be into because most of my frien?ds only dipped their toes into graphic novels. But that's definitely not the case, and there are some great picks out there for true beginners.

As I was growing up, I was almost ashamed to read graphic novels in public because I thought people would look down on me for the images and contents. I didn't think The Walking Dead could stand up to Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, but it absolutely can, and manga does so even better. But it's difficult to know where to start with manga, which is why I've put together this list of the best books you can pick up as a beginner?? that'll help you ease yourself into the genre before you take off the training wheels and start exploring on your own.

Manga that will give you an intro to the medium

Below are the best manga you can read as a beginner. They're not too overwhelming in their content and don't require much prior knowl?edge of the stories told on their pages. In fact, most of the franchises you'll recognize below started life as manga.

14. Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket is a great manga series for beginners that's a bit of a classic having been originally published in ??1998. Protagonist Tohru Honda moves out of her family home after tragedy strikes, but she doesn't have anywhere to go. So she pitches up a tent and settles in for what she thinks will be a quieter life for the time being. However, she's soon discovered by the lands owners, the Sohma clan, and it becomes apparent that they're not all that they seem. You see, when touched by someone of the opposite sex, they transform into animals from the Chinese Zodiac. It's an odd but ultimately compelling introduction to shojo stories.

13. Blue Box

Blue Box is a manga for those who want something a bit more modern. You follow Taiki Inomata, a student who adores badminton and wants desperately to become good enough to play on a national level. He falls for Chinatsu Kano, an upperclassman when he sees her practicing with every ounce of effort she has for the girls' basketball team. Events transpire that see the pair come closer together, and somehow sports isn't the only thing they can ?think about anymore. Storie??s like this that feel grounded and realistic always make my heart sing when I'm reading them, and I think that makes it a perfect manga to kick your journey off with.

12. Monster

Monster is a gritty adult manga with a twisting murder mystery at its heart. After opting to save a young ??man's life over the major's Dr. Kenzo Tenma loses his social standing in the hospital where he works. Years later, Tenma saves another man who mutters about a monster, but the man escapes the hospital. Tenma pursues him and sees his patient shot to death. Tenma is immediately suspected by the police, and uncovers the horrific past of the young man he saved while seeking to prove his innocence. Note: this does deal with ?some serious subject matter, so please research the content warnings for it if you're at all worried about it.

11. Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon

Dungeon Meshi, which you might also know as Delicious in Dungeon, this manga follows a party of adventurers ??after a colossal red dragon attacks them, consuming the most powerful mage among them, who happens to be warrior Laios' sister.

The party were, mercifully, saved by their mage companion right before she was eaten, but vows to return to face the red dragon and kill it before she is digested. However, they're low on funds and can't afford all the rations needed to traverse the dungeon, so they're going to cook whatever monsters they find ?while delving back through it.

This series is part-dungeon adventure and part-cooking show. It's an unexpectedly grea?t combination b??ecause you feel like you're learning while you see this party kill and then cook up fantastical creatures that get featured in games, TV shows, movies, and books.

10. Look Back

Look Back is a one-shot manga about an elementary school student who, after having her manga published in the school paper and praised for her work, finds herself competing with another student in the school who begins publish?ing her own manga. Over the years, the two grow close, working on several on-shots together, but life choices see them drift apart. It's an emotional story that will definitely tug on your heartstrings and makes for a fantastic entry point into the genre.

9. One Piece

One Piece is another gateway manga I used to get into this genre. It's a franchise many manga fans discuss because it's got not only an incredible long-running anime series but also a Netflix show. There are dozens of volumes of this series for you to read. As with all manga, startin??g at the beginning to see if you like it is the best place.

The One Piece manga follows Monkey D. Luffy on his quest to find the ultimate treasure, known as One Piece, and become the ultimate pirate by claiming it. Luffy is pretty special, having been rubberized after eating a Devil Fruit. The series is packed with exciting pirate battles and has some of the most memorable characters you could hope to read. It's the pirate angle that gets me, though, and I think everyone finds a series easier to digest if it's b??uilt on such a familiar concept.

8. Attack on Titan

Another manga better known for its anime counterpart, Attack on Titan is a brutal series that blends sci-fi and ??fantasy within a steampunk world that I find very intriguing. Every page makes you want to dive into the next because you never know what's coming.

The books follow Er??en Yeager, a young soldier who vows to kill the colossal Titans ?that plague humanity and force them to live behind giant walls for protection. The characters in this series are great, and the overarching story of where the Titans originate from is fascinating. It kept me reading and working through Yeager's journey without it ever feeling like a chore. Very easy reads and a universe you'll be glad you checked out.

7. Death Note

When you're scanning through the Death Note covers in yo??ur local bookstore, it looks pretty daunting. However, the story itself isn't difficult to understand or get into, but it is a thrilling read and an extremely unique idea. It's a great series demonstrating some of the brilliant tales being told in manga that you'd miss out on if you discounted the genre.

In Death Note, you'll follow protagonist ?Light Yagami. This high school student discovers a notebook called Death Note and quickly realizes that it grants the owner the power to kill anyone whose name is written on its pages. This is be??cause it was once owned by the Shinigami Ryuk, a spirit that beckons humans towards death. That kind of power coming from a book is one thing, but the way the series expands to cover even larger ones, such as wiping out all crime in a region used in said book, is what sets it apart from stories that might not make the most of the power they explore.

6. Sand Land

Sand Land is an easy series to get into from Akira Toriyama, one of the best-known creators in the genre. It's set in a far future on Earth when war has decimated the planet, and a greedy king controls and distributes water. The series follows Sheriff ?Rao, a Thief, and the king of demons, B?eelzebub, who happens to be the king's son, in search of a long-lost lake and liquid freedom.

In this travel adventure, the trio knocks heads with some epic foes, including dragons and bandits. But the deadliest foe they'll face is the king'??s army itself, forcing them into fights where the odds seem pretty stacked against them.

5. REAL

The story of REAL revolves around wheelchair basketball and follows three teenagers in various stages of life around high school. The most intriguing arc is for Takahashi Hisanobu, who was the school's basketball? team hotshot until an accident left him wheelchair-bound as a paraplegic.

While it might sound like REAL tackles with some heavy subjects, it's actually very relatable. The manga's three characters are all marginalized by society and sometimes each other, but they share a common goal and simply want to be accepted for who they are and what they love doing. I like it because I find any media difficult to digest if there's no way I can relate to it, but we've all felt marginalized in some way before, and that's why I think it's easy to connect with REAL as a beginner manga enthusiast.

4. My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is another manga series that always comes up in conversations abo?ut the subject, but it can be hard to gauge if it's right for you as a beginner??. However, I can tell you right now that this is absolutely a great place to start because it puts you in the shoes of a true starter from the very first page.

This series follows a young boy called Izuku Midoriya. He was born without superpower??s, known as Quirks, but dreams of becoming a superhero. the world's greatest hero sees potential in him and enrolls him in a school for those with Quirks after bestowing his own on the boy. You follow someone learning about their powers in a world where superpowers are the bog standard basic, and your confusion and ignora?nce are accepted because the protagonist you enter the world as is just the same.

3. Uzumaki

Uzumaki is perhaps Junju Ito's best known work and the perfect place to get into his incredibly brand of horror in manga. The story is centered around Kurouzu-cho, a small town constantly shrouded by fog on Japan's coastline. It's not haunted by ghosts of the past, though, it's haunted by Uzumaki, a sharp, the mysterious spiral, and a secret kept by our world. It's incredibly dark and has some memorable scenes that are?? going to stick with you long after you're done reading.

2. One-Punch Man

One Punch Man is a character who has transcended manga, making it into all sorts of other media, including a workout from The Bioneer. It tells the story of Saitama, a man who has become a hero because he's tra?ined himself to defeat any opponent and do a lot of other things with a single punch. That's not an exaggeration, and it's just as cool as it sounds.

The manga tells a bonkers tale of this character, someone who basically fights villains and monsters in his spare time if he feels like it, and how he ends up saving the world with his sheer strength. As you read, you'll also appreciate who Saitama is and why people might wa??nt to train themselves to reach a personal goal of enjoyment over recognition from others.

1. Polar Bear Café

Polar Bear Cafe is a really different manga, but one I think you should try if you're looking for a comp?lete beginner's list. It's a beautifully simple concept of animals mingling with humans in a café run by a polar bear, the best animal i??n the world.

If you're getting into manga, you should read Polar Bear Café becaus?e it's a great example of the playful side of the genre. Not all manga is death, fighting, and martial arts. some of it's ??just telling stories through a new lens.

With this list of manga to go out and read through, you should have the basics every beginner needs. Once you've worke??d your way through them, even if you put some of them down after Volume 1, you should have the confidence to head out to your local bookstore, browse through the shelves, and decide which one you're going to jump into next.

The post 14 best manga for beginners to help ease you into t??he medium appeared first on Destructoid.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is an? expansive, immersive, and cooperative delve into the world of Middle Earth. With the heroes you choose and the deck you build, you’ll explore all of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak. There are more than a hundr??ed available scenarios to play spread across the game’s expansions, along with near-limitless customization options when it comes to selecting player cards.

With the recent release of the repackaged Ered Mithrin campaign, there’s a wide selection of LOTR LCG expansions to choose from, even in 2024. While some expansions may have limited availability, Fantasy?? Flight Games has, for the most part, repr??inted the game’s best content. Let’s take a look at some of the best overall additions to the game you should consider purchasing after beating the core set.

10. Lord of the Rings Starter Decks

To discover more of the game’s variability in terms of deck-building, you may first want to consider purchasing a few of the game’s starter decks. The Elves of Lorien is in my opinion the best of the bunch, while the Riders of Rohan stalls a bit more than the others. Thankfully, you can look at exactly what’s inside each of them on the community website Hall of Beorn.

9. The Dream-chaser Hero Expansion

Repackaged content in the Lord of the Rings living card game is often divided between campaign and hero expansions, with the latter containing only player cards. The Dream-chaser’s player cards f?eature a wide blend ??of traits and archetypes, which can be tougher for new players when deck-building.

8. The Steward’s Fear

Though you won’t be able to play the scenario in The Steward’s Fear box without the Heirs of Númenor deluxe expansion, the player ??cards alone make this purchase worth it. Inside, you’ll f??ind a near-complete Outlands deck.

7. Angmar Awakened Campaign Expansion

The Angmar Awakened campaign is merci??lessly difficult, even for long-time players. However, if you enjoy the game’s more challenging scenarios, you might want to consider picking this one up. I’d advise owning at least a starter deck or hero expansion alongside it.

6. Angmar Awakened Hero Expansion

The player cards from the Angmar Awakened cycle include a handful of all-star heroes, including Arwen, Er??estor, and Merry. The ?box also comes with a new mechanic in player side quests. 

5. The Dream-chaser Campaign Expansion

Scenarios in the Dream-chaser campaign expansion take players across the vast expanses of Middle Earth’s oceans to the ruins of Númenor. The sailing ??mechanics, underwater locations, and overall storyline are very immersive.

4. Ered Mithrin Campaign Expansion 

In your journey across the wilds of Rhovanion, you’ll get lost in Mirkwood, battle dragons, and e??xplore the depths of Mount Gundabad. Almost every s??cenario here is a home run.

3. Ered Mithrin Hero Expansion

The Ered Mithrin hero expansio?n is a great place to start expanding your player card collection. The box allows you to create a Dale-arch??etype deck that’s arguably stronger than the starter decks. You’ll also be able to tinker with “guarded�?player cards.

2. The Two Towers Saga Expansion

The best Lord of the Rings card game expansions are of course those that follow the main story of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece novels. The Battle of Helm’s? Deep is an iconic scenario for the game, as is Shelob’s Lair. The box contains both player cards and quests.  

1. The Fellowship of the Ring Saga Expansion

The Fellowship of the Ring expansion takes player??s from the rolling hills of the Shire, to Bree and Rivendell, and through the dark of Mor?ia. The thematics of this expansion are incredible, as are the heroes, attachments, allies, and events.

If you’ve completed the core set and want to start expanding your game, I’d recommend starting here. Like The Two Towers s??aga expansion, you’ll get a?? mix of player cards and quests.

The post The 10 B??est Expansions for Lord of the Rings: The Card Game appeared first on Destructoid.

Arguably, one of the best quality of life updates arriving in Final Fantasy XIV with Dawntrail is the ability to hide players who are clustered around a quest NPC or object. This is a setting that can be? turned on or off, depending on your preferences. 

Previou??sly, especially during expansions or patches, it can be difficult to locate an NPC in the midst of a huge crowd of players. This is especiall?y true with smaller NPCs or objects. However, this quality of life update will remove this issue, should you choose to turn it on. 

Where to find the Hide Nearby Players settings in FFXIV

To turn on your Quest Progression Settings in FFXIV, head to the Character Configuration menu in the Control settings. This feature is found on the General tab, with the two related boxes unde??r the “Quest Progression Settings�?header. 

You have two options under this feature. You can hide nearby players when approaching, making it easier to locate the NPC or object, but you can also toggle the?? option to remove all nearby players when interacting with the NPC or object. 

This second option makes it much easier to pay attention to an NPC, especially if they are moving during the dialogue scene.?? These options can be turned on separately or togeth??er, depending on how troublesome you find it to concentrate with a lot of other bodies around. 

When applied, this setting does not cause players within your party to disappear, although it does make friends outside of your party disappear. This is worth bearing in mind if you’re planning to journey through Dawntrail with friends. 

The post How to?? hide other players near quest NPCs in FFXIV appeared first on Destructoid.

As many of you horror lovers out there will know, Phasmophobia recently launched its Eventide update. Of the many things the patch contains, perhaps the one that caught most people's attention was the new map: Point Hope. This lighthouse location is pretty different compared to other maps, designed to really test your m?ettle against the ghostly denizens that dwell within.

Unlike pretty much every other level in Phasmo, this one favors verticality over lots of rooms spread out over a vast area, as is typical with the medium and large levels. Developer Kinetic Games even says in the patch notes on Steam that you'll "have to use different techniques" while investigatin?g.

So this gui?de will take you through some of the details about Poin??t Hope and what you can expect from this unique place.

How big is Point Hope?

One thing that stood out to pretty much everyone was how many floors and rooms the new map contains. While the lighthouse has a total of 10 floors, it's only really 12 rooms overall, with most floors having th?e one room; a bedroom or bathroom, for?? example.

??As such, it's technically classed a small map, but it definitely doesn't feel like that if you have to go up to the very top?? to lay down some equipment or escape a hunt.

This is partly what makes it such a unique location. That and the fact that the rooms themselves can feel small. Some of the larger ones, such as the games room, feature a central pillar, which makes them?? seem much more cram??ped. As you can imagine, this makes dodging a ghost that's giving chase more of a challenge.

In short: Point Hope feels small, especially when there's several of you cramp??ed into a tiny bathroom, but it kind of makes up for it with an interesting view of the ocean from the top. It can be difficult for one or two players, es??pecially on higher difficulties, so this map is probably best reserved for three or more given all the flights of stairs one may have to take.

The layout itself

As I say, there are ten floors in total,? including the actual light of said lighthouse (clue's in the name, really). Here's a quick breakdown of what you can find on each one a??nd the rooms they contain:

So, shall I tell the current occupiers you want to put in an offer. Wait...what was I d??oing?

The usual gubbins

As with any other Phasmophobia map, Point Hope has static places where the Cursed Possessions will spawn. There are also quite a number of hiding spots from what I c??an see.

Of course, the bone will appear on the level in a? random location. However, I did find that, because of the number of floors, it can be difficult to spot, especially given the mess that's in some of the rooms.

Additionally, there's a pretty nifty s??ecret that will unlock a special badge after you end the investigation. But I'll be saving that for another article. Oh, I am such a tease!

In general, the new map is a pretty in?teresting one. As I sai??d above, on harder difficulties, things do get tough. I mean, you could say that about most of the levels in the game, but in this one, being chased by a ghost down several flights of stairs, and not a lot of space to kite it around, does create a pretty intense experience.

The post Phasmophobia: Point Hope map layout and details appeared first on Destructoid.

By now, many of Phasmophobia "phans" will have been getting to grips with the Eventide update, especially the brand-new map. Being ??a literal lighthouse, Point Hope offers something a little different ?for your ghost hunting experience.

The fact that it contains 10 floors in total can seem a little daunting at first. However, on the plus side, this does s?uggest that there may be more than a few hiding places whenever that spectral b?eing decides to go on a rampage.

And you'd be right. When the going gets tough, there are a number of spots to keep out of sight of that angry Demon or Revenant, so here's a quick list of all the hiding places in Phasmophobia's Point Hope map.

Where to hide in Point Hope - They'll never see us in here!

Just?? as a quick aside: I'm still learning the layout of Point Hope, even though it is pretty straightforward (just go up?) so I'm hesitant to include the screen next to the bathtub in the main bathroom on the fifth floor. It feels like it could be a?? place to hide, but it's quite wide open, and I haven't played the map enough to conclude whether a ghost can find you there.

Now that that's out the way: h??ere are the actual hiding place?s:

As always with Phasmophobia, the harder the ??difficulty you're playing on, the more hiding spots will be blocked off. But you don't need to worry about that. You're a brave ghost hunter after all, aren't you? Still, it's nice to hunker down in the dark to gather your thoughts every so? often. Maybe have a little whimper.

The post Phasmophobia: All hiding places in Point Hope appeared first on Destructoid.

With the Eventide update rolling out for Phasmophobia, a lot of us have been checking out the extra content and changes implemented to our ghost-hunting excursions. In particular, much of my time has been spent exploring Point Hope, the brand-new map that has us investi-mi-gating a lighthouse.

On top of a new place to get our asses handed to us ??by a spooky specter, Point Hope also has a bit of a secret to uncover. This goes beyond a simple Easter egg, and does actually have a (sort of) end goal. Whether it means anything in the long run cannot be said at this stage, but it's interesting all the same. Plus, you get a badge/ID card when you complete it.

So without further ado, here's how to solve the "Ferryman of the Drowned" puzzle in the new Phasmophobia update. Quick note: make sure you take a ??UV light in with you as soon as you start. You will need it further along.

Ferryman of the Drowned, Phasmophobia Eventide's new puzzle

Towards the top of the lighthouse �?on the floor where the gears for the light itself are turning �?you'll notice a small cupboard by the s?piral staircase. When you approach it, you'll see that you can't interact with it, but there is a locked symbol that ??appears. This indicates that there's likely a key around somewhere, but how do you get it?

Go down to the games room on? floor 4 and you'll see a pool table sitting there all innocent, like. You'll also see several balls on said table. Well, you need to pot some of them; just the green, blue, and orange-y/red one. You'll need to do ?them in that order, I believe. At least, that's how I did it.

You'll t??hen hear what sounds like a key falling from some place. Go round to the end of the pool table �?so the wall with the cues on is to your left �?and look down at the ball release slot. You should see a key in there. Guess what that's for?

Back up to floor 9 and you can now open the locked cupboard by the staircase (there are a lot of stairs in Point Hope). You'll see there's not much in there besides what appears to be an empty slot that ??may or may not be just the right size for a specific cog.

Right, now go down one floor to the workshop. If you've be??en paying atten??tion while playing, you'll have noticed this room has a few cogs dotted about. Most of them can't be interacted with, but there is one you'll need to find. Basically, it's leaning against a cupboard somewhere in the workshop. Look for a broom.

Pick up said cog and go back up to floor 9. Now, you can insert it into the empty slot. Once you do, you should start to hear ticking sounds. This is just the light from the lighthouse blinking. It will do this in sequen??ces of three ?while still rotating. This indicates you've done this part correctly.

Out of breath yet? Tough. Now, head all the way down the stairs and back outside. Just be??fore you enter Point Hope, there's a large bell that you can interact with. While we all pressed it endlessly for fun, now it has a function. Ding it three times and you should hear a confirmation sound (ca??n't actually recall what it specifically is, but it should be obvious).

I'm sorry to have to say this, but you need to go all the way to the very top of the lighthouse. Right ?out onto the widow's walk. Look out to the h??orizon. Admire the view, obviously, but you want to look for a cave entrance in the distance. Check in the same direction as where the truck is parked. When you see the light from the cave, you should also see the letters UV spelled out on the beach.

I hope you remembered to bring the UV, 'cos you're going to need it. Now, the last thing to do is "charge" Point Hope's ligh??t by shining the item at it. After a few seconds, you should see ?it glow violet. Once done, go for a nice walk around the perimeter of the top of the lighthouse.

Bask in the visually eerie spectacle. As I say, I have no?? idea if this will have any significance. But it looks nice. Probably looks better if you'v?e set the sky to night, though.

When you finish your investigation, you'll be given this re?ward at the game? summary screen. Hoorah! You did a thing!

The post Phasmophobia: What does the locked cupboard in Point Ho??pe do? appeared first on Destructoid.

The Life is Strange series is hailed for its impressive storytelling, iconic characters, and emotional impact. From the lighthouse in Arcadia Bay to the record store in Haven Springs, the spaces created for the games are filled to the brim with nostalgi??c feelings. As th??e series has grown, so too has the complexity of its timeline. 

Not counting Life is Strange: Double Exposure, which is due to come out later this year, the Life is Strange series currently spans about 12 years. However, the choices you make, particularly at the end of the original game, can send this timeline into a spin. Here’s a more organized look at all the Life is Strange games in chronological order.   

Farewell Episode DLC (Life is Strange: Before the Storm)

Year it takes place: 2008

The Life is Strange timeline begins with a pair of departures that impact Max and Chloe, the protagonists of the original two games, for years to come. The episode’s content goes by quickly and can be completed in under an hour. It’s best to play this after playing the original game, but you don’t necessarily have to finish the other parts of Before the Storm first.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Year it takes place: 2010

Before the Storm is a prequel to the first game that tells the story of Chloe’s relationship wi??????????????????????????th Rachel Amber, the teenager who has gone miss??ing when the events of the original game unfold. Together Chloe and Rachel ditch school, navigate trauma, and uncover family secrets.     

Life is Strange

Year it takes place: 2013

The original Life is Strange game features iconic storytelling, a bea??utiful soundtrack, and a cast of deeply drawn characters. In addition, Max’s ability to reverse time and change the outcome of every scene gives the player’s decisions serious weight. At the end of your quest to save Arcadia Bay, you’ll make a final critical decision that affects the rest of the universe’s timeline.   

Life is Strange (Comic Series)

Year it takes place: Starting in 2014

The comic book tie-in series for the Life is Strange games begins about a year after the events of the first game, and takes place over the course of six story ‘arcs�? In order they are: Dust, Waves, Strings, Tracks, Coming Home, and Settling Dust. The comic series follows the Bae (not Bay) ending of the?? first game, but is in many ways a divergent timeline from the oth??er games to come.  

Life is Strange 2: Episodes 1 & 2

Year it takes place: October-December 2016

The direct sequel game in the series follows two brothers, Sean and Daniel, as they journey ??south from Washington to the US-Mexico border. When their father is killed by a police officer, Daniel’s telekinesis powers aid the pair in escaping danger. 

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

Year it takes place: December 2016

Captain Spirit is a short demo game that allows players to learn more about Chris, a side character encountered by Sean and Daniel near the end of the second episode of Life is Strange 2. This chapter in the Life is Strange universe is often forgotten because it’s not?? as essential to the main story, but it’s worth playing nonetheless.

Life is Strange 2: Episodes 3-5

Year it takes place: December 2016- June 2017

The conclusion to Sean and Daniel’s story occurs over the course of many months, but also features flashbacks that bring players ??back to events that occur b?efore the game starts. 

Wavelengths DLC (Life is Strange: True Colors)

Year it takes place: 2018-2019

The Wavelengths DLC for True Colors takes place before the events of the main game and follows the side character Steph Gingrich, who also appears in Before the Storm, on her first day at the Haven Springs record store. In many ways, this DLC is just as much a sequel for Before the Storm as it is a prequel for True Colors. 

Life is Strange: True Colors

Year it takes place: 2019-2020

True Colors makes a few references here and there to prior entries in the series, but for the most part, it’s an entirely separate experience that has brought in many new Life is Strange fans, and doesn't require playing all Life is Strange games in order. There are plenty of ?twists and turns here, and Alex’s superpower? fits her story remarkably well.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Year it takes place: Unknown

In Double Exposure, the original protagonist of the series Max Caulfield makes a welcome return. This time, we’ll be opening parallel universes in an attempt save her friend Safi. It’s apparent from Max’s character design in the reveal trailer that several years?? have passed since the first game, and we know that she’s a photographer in residence at a university, but for now, the exact dates for the events of this game are unknown. From what we can see, however, it see??ms likely that this game is the furthest forward in the timeline. 

How Many Life is Strange Games Are There?

Counting Double Exposure, which comes out October 29th, 2024, there are six games in the Life is Strange universe. However, the original Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm are available together as a single remastered collection on select cons?oles.  ?? 

Which Life is Strange Game Should I Play First?

If you are new to the series, the original Life is Strange is undoubtedly the best place to start. If you’re looking to relive the series, playing the games in timeline order c??an provide a unique and refreshing experience.

The post All Life is Strange Games in Order: The Compl?ete Series Timeli??ne appeared first on Destructoid.

Destiny 2's recent Final Shape expansion brings a lot of new weapons to the table that seriously shake up the meta. The Ergo Sum sword for example is an exotic secondary Sword that you can farm to get a god roll on, which is something virtually unheard of before. One such weapon that's been extremely popular has a god roll as well, though it can be tough to nail that down. Here's the god roll for The Call in Destiny 2, including perks and attachments.

The best perks, barrel, and magazine for The Call in Destiny 2

The way The Call is designed implies that this weapon will become your new primary, so how we're building this is to deal with add clear while having some respectable elite damage. Naturally, you'll want to mainly use your heavy weapon against t?hings like bosses, while your secondary is a wildcard. With those goals in mind, you'll want to take the following perks and attachments:

• Barrel - Quick Launch
• Magazine - Tactical Mag
• Perk 1 - Lead from Gold
• Perk 2 - Desperate Measures

On the barrel side of things, Quick Launch helps to compensate for The Call's rather low projectile speed. The Tactical Mag, meanwhile, is a bunch of flat buffs all around that help improve some of the weapon's drawbacks a bit. As for perks, Lead from Gold always pairs well with Special ammo weapons that are meant to be primaries. That extra ammo is a godsend at times. Desperate Measures also provides some extra damage, and is especially useful in grenade/melee builds like some of the meta Prismatic builds right now. If yo??u want, One for All is a nice alternative since you'll be hitting a lot of enemies fast with The Call.

The post Destiny 2 The Call god roll – Best perks and attachments appeared first on Destructoid.

Destiny 2's all-new The Final Shape DLC is, in many ways, a showcase of everything this franchise could be at its absolute best. Some of it??s new systems, however, are still rather u??ntested, with players being unsure what to make of them. Take the new Pathfinder system, for example.

After you've taken down the big bad of the DLC (for the first time) and begun engaging with The Final Shape's post-campaign progression systems, you will inevitably come across one of the several new Pathfinder interfaces strewn across the Director UI. Pathfinder is a one-size-fits-all Bounty replacement, providing a clear and pointed look at certain loot and currency items to prioritize. As shown in the screenshot below, it's a neat and traditionally beautiful interface that sadly still needs work to truly come into its own. Here's a brief rundown on why, and more of an in-depth look at how The Final Shape's Pathfinder loot system works.

The Finale Shape's Pathfinder loot system explained

Destiny 2's new Pathfinder feature gives you a wide overview of how to progress through your ac??tive Season Pass, earn a fair chunk of snazzy loot, and a non-insignificant amount ??of currency. You do so by completing your randomized array of objectives from left to right, and depending on which Pathfinder you open up, you'll either be looking at location-specific objectives (i.e. Pale Heart missions) or activity-based ones, instead.

The good news is that Pathfinder saddles you with an impressively large number of different objectives. the Pale Heart Pathfinder specifically, for example, will send you off to take down world bosses, complete Lost Sec??tors, take down enemies in a particular w?ay, help Ghosts in their plight, and a whole roster of other missions. It's all good fun, especially when you can just complete one objective after the other without leaving the location at all.

The bad news, however, is that the activity Pathfinder handles this insistence on variety in a different way, and you'll often need to jump from one playlist to the other to clear your tasks. In effect, this means you'll often have to play PvP and/or? Gambit PvPvE matches to actually unlock your Pathfinder Engrams.

Another slight downside to the Pathfinder loot system is that it's not immediately obvious where to find it. Each interface is located in a different spot on the UI, so the Pale Heart's Pathfind?er is found in the upper left corner of the Pale Heart's Director map, while the activity Pathfinder is in the Vanguard Director UI.

At the time of writing, only the Pale Heart and the core playlist activities have their own respective Pathfinders, but the system seems too comprehensive not to be applied to most major content releases moving forward. I recommend getting used to it, with that in mind. As outlined in the featured Reddit post, many players are still unsure how to feel about Pathfinder as a whole, but Bungie is bound to tune it up as time goes on, so improvements should be coming down the line.

The post Destiny 2’s Pathfinder loot system explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Completing Destiny 2's all-new The Final Shape campaign is just the start of our new adventure, from the looks of things. On top of farming for new guns and armor, there a??re new gameplay systems to interact with, too, and one of those are the new Traveler's Blessings timed mods.

While destination-specific mods are nothing new in Destiny 2, Traveler's Blessings are a new way of handling this classic old feature. In much the same way as The Final Shape re-envisions tired old Destiny gameplay tropes, so too do Traveler's Blessings find a new way to give you boons on the go. The bit that makes these destination mods interesting, for example, is that they're quite powerful but ?also ti??med, which means you need to make good use of them while they're active. Here's how they work.

Traveler's Blessings in The Final Shape DLC

There's a grand total of 16 unique Traveler's Blessing mods to be found while exploring the new Pale Heart location in Destiny 2. Compared to most other destination mods we've seen in the past, they are often extremely powerful, offering effects such as the ability to spawn explosive Void seekers on Void-damage kills. Since they're timed, of course, this has allowed Bungie to be more experimental in what it does to balance these out. Further, Traveler's Blessings are available exclusively while exploring the Pale Heart, meaning their effects will not be relevant in the grander Destiny 2 gameplay sandbox.

You can find Traveler's Blessings simply by interacting with the Pale Heart in as many ways as possible: complete mission objectives, open chests, collect the local resource nodes, and so on. Mods will drop at random, which means there's no way of knowing which ones of t?hese you may or may not get.

Traveler's Blessings are separated into two eight-item categories: the Flickering Blessings and the Pale Blessings. Flickering mods are player-applied, in that they only come into picture i?f the player triggers them to cause an effect in combat. Pale mods, on the other hand, are applied by interacting with the Traveler's Flowers strewn across the Pale Heart, and they incur various survival and ability boons.

All Flickering Blessings in the Pale Heart

• Traveler's Animus: Defeating a combatant has a chance to drop an Orb of Power or a random elemental Orb.
• Traveler's Fervor: Sliding after sprinting for a short time sends out a burning line of fire in front of you, dealing Solar damage and incurring Scorched to affected enemies.
• Traveler's Abundance: Defeating combatants with grenades has a chance to spawn Special ammo; defeating combatants with Super damage has a chance to spawn Heavy ammo.
• Traveler's Transference: Sprinting for a short time applies Amplified; dealing melee damage to combatants while Amplified creates area-of-effect lightning bolts.
• Traveler's Multiplicity: Finisher final blows convert your thrown grenade into an additional frag grenade.
• Traveler's Diffraction: Defeating combatants with Void damage has a chance to spawn Void seeker rounds that seek out, damage, and Suppress other combatants.
• Traveler's Proliferation: Defeating combatants with Strand damage spawns Threadlings; defeating Powerful combatants spawns multiple Threadlings at once.
• Traveler's Sublimation: Rapidly defeating combatants with Stasis damage spawns a Stasis mine that damages and Freezes nearby combatants.

All Pale Blessings in the Pale Heart

• Traveler's Grace: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain the effect of another Traveler's Blessing for a limited time.
• Traveler's Insight: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain increased Super ability regeneration.
• Traveler's Valor: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain increased Melee ability regeneration.
• Traveler's Facet: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain increased class ability regeneration.
• Traveler's Resurgence: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain increased Grenade ability regeneration.
• Traveler's Aegis: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain a regenerating Overshield for a limited time.
• Traveler's Remedy: Upon interacting with a Traveler's Flower, gain increased health regeneration for a limited time.

Each mod comes with its own timer, wherein?? some last 10 or 11 hours, while others might only stick arou??nd for 3 or 4 hours at a time. This, combined with the Traveler's Blessings' random drop nature is likely what has allowed Bungie to make them as potent as they are. So, make sure to use them when you've got 'em!

My recommendation is to activate one of each of these mods whenever you're going off to try and farm Pale Heart gear, as it's bound to make the whole thing that much easier for the next couple of hours. Provided, of course, that you actually lean ??into the active Travele??r's Blessings in the first place!

The post Traveler’s Blessings explained in Destiny 2: The Final Shape appeared first on Destructoid.